Defense of Brief Inquiry into the Nature of Schism, Appendix

Defense of Brief Inquiry into the Nature of Schism · Appendix

p. 130Appendix.

IT is certain in ſuch controverſies as theſe, nothing is more neceſſary than to underſtand the matters of Fact, without which we ſhall never make a true judgment as to matter of Right; I ſhall therefore add a Brief Hiſtorical Account, of ſuch paſſages as are pertinent to our preſent caſe, laying down this Law to my ſelf, that I will report nothing but what in my Conſcience I believe to be true, and for which I can produce good Authorities.

That the Reformation of this Land was encouraged by King Hen. VIII, rather upon private pique againſt the Biſhop of Rome, than out of any hearty Love to the thing it ſelf, is too plain to be denied, & that doubtleſs was the reaſon of the ſhort & uneven paces by which it then moved, nothing muſt be done but with a ſaving to the Politick Maximes and Intereſts of the Court; Fox Acts and Mon. p. 1239. Fuller Cent. 16. p. 242.The ſix Articles were put in Execution to the very laſt year of his Reign, and that Pious and Ingenious Lady Mrs. Ann Askew, ſuffered Martyrdom thereby, not many Months before that Prince himſelf gave up his Mighty Ghoſt.

His Son and Succeſſor the Glorious King Edward, engaged himſelf in the Cauſe upon a better Principle, and would in all probability have improved it to a good degree of perfection, had not the ſtiffneſs of ſome leading Churchmen, and the ſhortneſs of that invaluable life, prevented him. In the beginning of his Reign, Miles Coverdale, John Hooper and others, who had fled beyond Sea upon the ſix Articles, returned into England; And finding how very defective the Reformation was, and how many Popiſh Ceremonies, Geſtures and Veſtments, were ſtill retained, could not conceal their diſſatisfaction; See Fuller, lb.But Cranmer, and Ridley, and others, who by Politick compliances, had weathered out the Storm, very ſtiffly defended them under the pretences of Antiquity and Decency.

The Unhappy differences betwixt Ridley and Hooper, about theſe things are ſufficiently known, and ſo is that happy agreement to which they came when they were Priſoners for the Truth in the Marian days; And by Ridleys Letter to Hooper it appears that his ſufferings had changed his Thoughts concerning thoſe by-matters as he calls them, for which in Proſperity he had ſo warmly contended, he confeſſeth it was Hoopers Wiſdom to reject them, and his Simplicity to urge them. Your Wiſdom and my Simplicity I grant hath a little jarred.

p. 131A learned and worthy Perſon, that has lately deſcanted upon that Letter, B. of S.ſeems to think that this was only ſpoken out of Ridleys abundant humility and condeſcention, and that it ſhould be taken for granted, that Ridley was in the right, and Hooper in the wrong, eſpecially becauſe a Law interpoſed, but (with all poſſible reſpect to that great Man) we cannot eaſily admit this ſuppoſition: We do verily believe Ridley was in the wrong, and though he acted according to his Judgment, which was really great in other matters, yet in this it was miſinformed, and we think our ſelves obliged to believe him when he expreſly ſays, it was his ſimplicity to jarr with Hooper in this matter.

And that which made his Rigor the more blameable was, that he perſiſted in it, notwithſtanding the King's earneſt Requeſt to the contrary, firſt by the Earl of Warwick, then under his own Signet, wherein he highly commends Hooper's Learning, Judgment, Diſcretion and Probity, and promiſes to ſave the Biſhops from all Penalties they might incur by paſſing over thoſe Rites and Ceremonies that were offenſive to his Conſcience, but inſtead of complying herewith, Hooper is ſent to Priſon; no wonder if this cauſed Ridley to make ſuch reflections upon himſelf, when he was under the like Confinement.

The Learned Author adds, That Ridley ſpoke theſe diminiſhing things of himſelf in the abſence of the Law when it was repealed; but that I ſuppoſe does not in the leaſt alter the caſe; for if his contending with Hooper was juſtifiable at firſt, it would have remained ſo ſtill, and the quality of the action could not be changed by any thing [ex poſt-facto] but muſt needs ſtand good or bad as it was when firſt done; and under thoſe Circumſtances no doubt it was reviewed when the ſimplicity thereof was acknowledged; and I fear it will not ſo well conſiſt with the honour that is due to the Memory of that bleſſed Martyr, to think that out of meer Complement to Hooper, he would diſapprove of what he had done, had he really believed he had done well in it: He that was ready to ſuffer the utmoſt extremity for the great Truths of Religion, would not upon any account have recanted his Judicious Zeal, for the Unity of the Church, and Decency of Religion, if he had ſo eſteemed of it; but his Sentiments were now changed, and that which before he thought to be Wiſdom and Zeal, he now confeſſes was ſimplicity.

Whilſt this good Biſhop was thus acknowledging his weakneſs, and gladly embracing thoſe to whom he had been formerly ſomewhat troubleſome; others of his Brethren, who had eſcaped the Fiery Tryal, and were not humbled enough to ſee their folly, werefomenting differences even in the Sanctuaries to which they fled.

The moſt famous Congregation of Engliſh Exiles was ſeated at Frankfort, where they had a Church granted them by the Magiſtrates, Troubles of Frankfort, printed 1575who required them to obſerve the Model of the French Churches in their Service, which they willingly conſented to, forbearing to anſwer aloud after the Miniſter, p. 132omitting the Litany, Surplice, and other Ceremonies as ſuperfluous and ſuperſtitious; inſtead of the Confeſſion in the Engliſh Liturgy, uſed another, better fitted to the preſent time and ſtate of Affairs, then ſang a Pſalm in Metre in a plain Tune, then the Miniſter prayed for the Divine Aſſiſtance, and ſo proceeded to the Sermon, then followed a prayer for all States, particularly for England, which ended with the Lord's Prayer, then the rehearſal of the Articles of our Belief, then another Pſalm, and the Miniſter concluded with the Bleſſing.

In this poſture the Affairs of that Church ſtood, Fuller Ch. Hiſtor. Cent. 16. l. 8. p. 30.when Dr. Cox arrived there out of England, who being a man of a high Spirit (as Dr. Fuller ſpeaks of him) came one day into the Congregation and made a great diſturbance amongſt them, anſwering aloud after the Miniſter; and the next Lord's day one of his company, without the knowledge and conſent of the Congregation, got up into the Pulpit, and there read all the Litany, uſing the Engliſh Ceremonies therein; this, no doubt, was done for the ſake of Decency and Order, and Church-Unity, though impartial men will think, it was a very improper Method for the accompliſhment of ſuch deſigns.

Theſe Irregular proceedings, Dr. Burnet acknowledges that this Dr. Cox was the unhappy occaſion of all the Troubles at Frankfort. Obſervat. upon Ridleys Letter to Hooper, p. 4. Dr. Fuller, ib.had almoſt ruined all; for the Principal Magiſtrates of the Place proteſt, if the Reformed Order of the Churches of Frankfort were not obſerved, the Doors ſhould be ſhut upon them again; and thus ſays Fuller, the Coxan Party depreſſed, embrac'd a ſtrange way to raiſe themſelves, accuſing Mr. Knox (the Paſtor of the Church) of High Treaſon againſt the Emperor in words ſpoken ſeveral years before in another Land and Language, when he owed no Allegiance to him; and this was ſo zealouſly urged, that the Magiſtrates could do no leſs than will him to depart the City, leſt they ſhould not ſeem tender enough of the Emperor's Honour; ſo that at laſt Dr. Cox might ſay, (as the Hiſtorian obſerves) With great rather than good Wreſtlings, have I wreſtled, and have prevailed.

When Queen Elizabeth came to the Throne, there ſeemed a fair proſpect of further Reformation and Union, and divers of the Biſhops that had been ſufferers, were willing to have promoted it; but others were ſtill tenacious of their Old Cuſtoms, and greatly affected External Pomp and Gallantry in Divine Service, and the Queen her ſelf was very much of that humour, as appears by Grindal's Letter to Bullinger dated Auguſt 27. Burnets Letters, p. 52.1566. where he writes that all the Biſhops who had been beyond Sea, dealt with the Queen to let the matter of the Habits fall, but ſhe was ſo prepoſſeſt, that though they endeavoured to divert her from proſecuting that matter, ſhe continued ſtill inflexible.

And Biſhop Jewel in a Letter to the ſame Perſon, dated July 16. 1565. writes of the Act concerning the Habits with great regret, and expreſſes ſome hopes that it might be Repealed the next Seſſion of Parliament, Ibid. p. 53.if the Popiſh Party did not hinder it: And the preſent Biſhop of Salisbury, who has obliged us with the Account of theſe Letters, adds, that he ſaw other Letters wherein it was aſſerted, that both Cranmer and Ridley intended to p. 133procure an Act (in King Edward's Reign) for the aboliſhing of the Habits, and that they only defended their lawfulneſs, but not their fitneſs.

The ſame Learned Prelate, who favoured the World with theſe ingenious Letters whilſt he was beyond Sea, has diſcovered the ſame Integrity and Regard to Truth and Moderation ſince his return, and in the preſence of the moſt Auguſt Aſſembly, expreſſes himſelf thus:

Here ſuffer me to tell you, that in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's Reign our Adverſaries ſaw no hopes of retrieving their Affairs, Dr. Burnets Thankſgiving Serm. before the Houſe of Commons, Jan. 31. 1688.which had been ſpoiled by Queen Mary's Perſecution, but by ſetting on foot Diviſions amongſt Proteſtants, upon very inconſiderable matters, I my ſelf have ſeen the Letters of the Chief Biſhops of that time, from which it appears that the Queen's ſtiffneſs in maintaining ſome Ceremonies, flowed not from their Counſels, but from the practices of ſome diſguiſed Papiſts; And I have had in my hand the Original Journal of the lower Houſe of Convocation in the fifth year of that glorious Reign, in which the matter of the Ceremonies was firſt argued, and when it came to the Vote, it was carried by the greater Number of the Voices of the Members that were preſent, to lay down all thoſe Subjects of Conteſts, but the Proxies turned it to the ſeverer ſide.

How unhappy the Effects of this Act for Conformity were, (which in the Convocation turned upon ſo narrow a Point) may appear by the words of a worthy Perſon then living, which are theſe; For ſome five years together before the Subſcription was urged, Mr. Nichols Plea of the Innocent, p. 206, 207there was ſuch Unity amongſt the Miniſters, and they joyned together, in all places ſo lovingly and diligently, that many thouſands were converted from Atheiſm and Popery; but when Subſcription was urged, many godly worthy learned Preachers were ſilenced, and deprived, the Nation diſtracted, many good Perſons grieved and offended, and Papiſts and wicked men encouraged and emboldened.

Theſe things were ſo obvious, that divers Lords of the Privy Council earneſtly ſollicited for Moderation; and in an excellent Letter to A. See the Letter at large in Fuller C.H. Book 9. p. 151.Biſhop Whitgiſt, and the Biſhop of London ſet forth, that a great number of Learned and Zealous Preachers, were ſuſpended from their Cures, and the County of Eſſex and other Places, and many of their Rooms filled with Perſons, neither of good Learning, nor good Name, but chargeable with great faults, as Drunkenneſs, Filthineſs, Gaming, Haunting of Ale-houſes, &c. wherein they earneſtly entreat the Prelates, to take ſome charitable conſideration of theſe Cauſes, that the People of the Realm may not be deprived of their Paſtors, being Diligent, Learned and Zealous, though in ſome Points Ceremonial, they may ſeem doubtful in Conſcience, &c. Subſcribed by the Lord Burleigh, Earl of Shrewsbury, E. Warwick, E. Leiceſter, L. Howard, J. Croft, Hatton, Walſingham.

But they were put off with the common Anſwer, that the Miniſters were Factious, and Contemners of the Eccleſiaſtical Laws, and Authors of Diſquietneſs, p. 134and muſt not be ſuffered to exerciſe their Miniſtry without further Conformity.

Not long after, Ibid. p. 174.theſe things were taken notice of in Parliament, and the Honourable Houſe of Commons Paſſed ſome Bills in favour of the Nonconformiſts, but the Arch-biſhop was importunate with the Queen not to give her conſent, and ſo nothing was effected. Still the Nation grew more and more ſenſible of the ill Conſequences of the Biſhops proceedings, and in the year 1587. The Houſe of Commons preſented to the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, a Petition in ſixteen Particulars, ſome againſt ſcandalous and inſufficient Miniſters, others deſiring the abatement of certain Oaths and Subſcriptions, tendred to perſons at their entrance on the Miniſtry, and yet not expreſly preſcribed by the Laws of the Realm, and that Miniſters might not be troubled for their omiſſion of ſome Rites, Ibid. p. 191.preſcribed in the Book of Common Prayer, &c. And divers of the Lords approved of this Petition, and ſpoke to it; But the Arch-biſhop betook himſelf to his old Weapon, cries out the Church was a falling, O Dea. cert.makes his Prayers to the Queen, calls her a Goddeſs, and carries the point againſt them all.

Having thus baffled the Parliament, they proceed to the Impriſonment of Mr. Cartwright, the ſilencing of Mr. Travers, of whom Dr. Fuller gives us ſuch a Character, P. 216.as is no way to the credit of thoſe that dealt ſo harſhly with him; But this was not all, Mr. Udall, and divers others were condemned to dye, for writing againſt the Male Government of theſe Eccleſiaſticks, which was now become a capital crime by one of the greateſt ſtretches of Law that ever was heard of in England.P. 222.

We now come to the Reign of K. James the firſt, and here I think it may be ſeaſonable to wipe off that Dirt which T. W. has caſt upon the Vindicator, for ſaying, that when this Prince aſcended the Engliſh Throne, the Prelatick party dreading leſt the Puritans ſhould have too great a ſhare of his favours; Bent all their Studies to create prejudices in him againſt them. The Citizen replies, The ill opinion which the King had of the Puritans, was founded upon his own experience, and publiſhed long before he had any converſe with the Engliſh Biſhops; and tranſcribes a paſſage out of his ΒΑΣΙΛΙΚΟΝ ΔΩΡΟΝ, where He ſays, Take heed my Son, of ſuch Puritans, very Peſts in the Church and Common-wealths, Whom no Deſerts can oblige, &c.

But the Gentleman ought not to have inſulted over his Adverſary in ſuch opprobrious Language, till he had conſidered: That not a word of this was intended of the Engliſh Puritanes, concerning whom the Vindicator ſpoke; For this Prince had but a little while before writ three Letters to Queen Elizabeth in favour of them, and therein ſpeaks very honourably of Mr. Cartwright and Mr. Udal, who were eſteemed the Leading Men of that party; And kindly interceeded for thoſe that Diſſented from the Biſhops, in the things at that time controverted amongſt them.

Nor by the word Puritan did the King mean the Presbyterians, as ſuch, if we may believe his own words, in the Preface to the aforeſaid Book; wherein p. 135he declares, That the Name Puritan did properly belong to that Sect amongſt the Anabaptiſts called The Family of Love; Becauſe, ſays he, they think themſelves Pure, and in a manner without Sin, the only true Church, and only worthy to partake of the Sacraments, of this ſpecial Sect I principally mean: when I ſpeak of Puritans, divers of them, as Brown, Penry, and others, having at ſundry times come into Scotland to ſaw their Popple;— And indeed, I give this Title to ſuch Brain-ſick and heady Preachers, their Diſciples and Followers, who refuſing to be called of that Sect, yet participate too much with their Humours, in maintaining the above-mentioned Errors; and (the King further adds) I Proteſt upon my Honour, I did not mean it generally of all thoſe Preachers or others, that like better the ſingle Form of Policy in our Church, than of the many Ceremonies of the Church of England; or that are perſwaded that their Biſhops ſmell of a Papal Supremacy; No, I am ſo far from being contentious in theſe things, that I equally love and honour the Learned and Grave Men of either Opinion.

And that thoſe called Puritans at that time in England, were not ſuch Perſons as are here deſcribed, appears ſufficiently, from the earneſt Endeavours both of the Houſe of Commons and Lords of the Privy Council on their behalf, and the different account they give of them, who muſt needs be acknowledged very competent Judges; and it is obſervable, that the Familiſts in England took notice of this cenſure of the King's, Fuller Church Hiſt. Book 10, p. 30.and in their Petition to him when he came into England, they diſown all Affinity with the Puritans, and ſpeak reproachfully of them under that Title themſelves.

I hope this will abundantly acquit the Old Engliſh Puritans from being the Perſons aimed at in thoſe Royal Reflections, and therefore notwithſtanding any thing in that Book, it may be very true that the Biſhops flattered that King into an ill Opinion of them.

That ſome of our Engliſh Prelates endeavour'd to do very ill Offices betwixt the King and Presbyterian Party even before he came into England, is moſt certainly true, and it cannot be imagined that they would be leſs buſie when they had him amongſt them, Biſhop Bancroft was more than ordinary active in ſuch Deſigns, as appeared amongſt other things by a Letter from one Norton a Stationer in Edenburgh, directed for him, and intercepted; Calderwood's Hiſt. of the Ch. of Scotland, p. 248.upon Examination Norton acknowledged, that he was employed by Bancroft to diſperſe certain Queſtions, that tended to the Defamation of the Kirk, and Presbyterial Government. The ſame Biſhop writ frequent Letters to Mr. Patrick Adamſon, the Titular Archbiſhop of St. Andrews, (which were many of them intercepted) wherein he ſtirs him up to Extol and Praiſe the Church of England, above all others, and to come up to London, Ibid. p. 259.aſſuring him that he would be very welcome, and well rewarded by the Archbiſhop of Canterbury.

p. 136This Adamſon had compoſed a Declaration, which paſſed under the King's Name, wherein the whole Order of the Kirk was greatly traduced and condemned; The Commiſſioners of the General Aſſembly complained to the King of the many falſe Aſperſions contained therein, which were ſo ſhameful, that the King diſowned it, and ſaid, It was not his doing, but the Archbiſhops, and prudently diſcarded that great Favourite, and gave the Rents of the Biſhoprick to the Duke of Lenox.

The poor Gentleman thus abandoned, profeſſes himſelf to be truly Penitent for what he had done, and makes a full Recantation which he Subſcribed in the preſence of a great many Witneſſes, and directs it to the Synod conven'd at St. Andrew's; Confeſſing, That he had out of Ambition, Vain-Glory and Covetouſneſs, undertaken the Office of an Archbiſhop; That he had laboured to advance the King's Arbitrary Power in Matters of Religion, and Proteſted before God that he was commanded to write that Declaration by the Chancellor, the Secretary, and another great Courtier, and that he was more buſie with ſome Biſhops in England, in Prejudice of the Diſcipline of the Kirk, partly when he was there, and partly by Mutual Intelligence than became a good Chriſtian, much leſs a Faithful Paſtor, &c.

Now although the King fondly adhered to ſuch kind of Men, whilſt he hoped to advance his Prerogative thereby, yet when he began to perceive the ill Effects of ſuch Conduct, Ibid. Preface.he ſtill deſerted them, and in thoſe prudent Intervals, would freely declare his good Opinion of the Presbytery, and their Form of Government, particularly in the National Aſſembly, 1590. He thank'd God that he was King of ſuch a Country, wherein, ſays he, there is ſuch a Church even the ſincereſt Church on Earth, Geneva not excepted, ſeeing they keep ſome Feſtival Days, as Eaſter and Chriſtmas, and what have they for it? As for our Neighbours in England, their Service is an ill mumbled Maſs in Engliſh, they want little of the Maſs but the Liftings: Now I charge you, my good People, Barons, Gentlemen, Miniſters, and Elders, that you all ſtand to your Purity, and Exhort the People to do the ſame; and as long as I have Life and Crown, I will maintain the ſame againſt all deadly.

Nay, Calder. p. 473.when he took his leave of Scotland upon the Union of the two Kingdoms, he ſolemnly promiſed the Miniſters of the Synod of Lothian, that he would make no Alterations in their Diſcipline; but when he came up to London, thoſe who had been tampering with him and his Courtiers before, had a fair opportunity to accompliſh their Deſign, which was the utter Abolition of the Presbytery in Scotland, and the Suppreſſion of the Puritans in England; And (ſaith my Author) as ſoon as the Engliſh Prelates had got King James amongſt them, R. Baylie's Vindication and Anſwer to the Declarat. p. 11.they did not reſt till Mr. Melvill and the Prime of the Scots Divines were called up to London, and only for their Juſt Defence of the Truth and Liberties of Scotland againſt Epiſcopal Uſurpations, were either Baniſh'd or Confin'd, and ſo ſore Oppreſſed, that it brought many p. 137of them with Sorrow to their Graves, and the whole Diſcipline of the Church was over-thrown, notwithſtanding the King's parting Promiſe to the contrary.

The Nonconformiſts in England were ſo far from being brought over by the Severities of the former Reign, that they drew up a Petition about this time Signed by Seven hundred and fifty Miniſters, deſiring Reformation of certain Ceremonies and Abuſes in the Church, which Fuller gives us at large; this was deſigned to have been preſented before the Conference at Hampton-Court, but was deferr'd till after.

The Relation of this (ſo much talk'd of) Conference, as Fuller reports it out of Barlow, is juſtly ſuſpected of great Partiality, and the Hiſtorian himſelf ſpeaks doubtfully of it; and yet even in that we have a plain Indication of what temper the Court and Biſhops were: It looks very odd, that when the King had allow'd ſeveral of Dr. Reynold's Exceptions, he ſhould threaten if they had no more to ſay, He would make them to Conform, or hurry them out of the Land, or do worſe; a poor buſineſs! for a Prince to menace his own Subjects for Non-conformity to that which himſelf had formerly called an Ill-mumbled Maſs in Engliſh, and even now acknowledged, wanted ſome Reformation.

But we have this Matter ſet in a truer Light, by Mr. Patrick Galloway, in his Account of it from London to the Presbytery of Edenburgh, Calder. p. 474.after it was Reviſed by the King's own Hand: The words are,

Beloved Brethren, after my hearty Commendations, theſe Preſents are to ſhew you, that I received Two of your Letters; One directed to His Majeſty, the other to my Self for my Peruſal, the ſame I read, cloſed and three days before the Conference, delivered into His Majeſties Hand, and received it back again after ſome ſhort Speeches, upon thoſe words in your Letter, the Groſs Corruptions of this Church, which were then expounded; and I was aſſured, all Corruptions diſſonant from the Word of God or contrary thereunto, ſhould be amended: The Twelfth of January was the day of Meeting, at which time the Biſhops were call'd upon, and gravely deſired to adviſe upon all the Corruptions of this Church, in Doctrine, Ceremonies and Diſcipline; and as they would anſwer it to God in Conſcience, and to His Majeſty upon their Obedience, that they ſhould return the Third day after, which was Saturday. Accordingly they returned to His Majeſty, and when the Matter was propounded to them, as before, they anſwered, All was Well. And when His Majeſty with great fervency brought inſtances to the contrary, they upon their Knees with great earneſtneſs, craved that nothing ſhould be altered, leſt the Popiſh Recuſants puniſhed for Diſobedience, and the Puritans puniſhed by Deprivation ab officio & beneficio, for Nonconformity, ſhould ſay, they had juſt Cauſe to inſult upon them, as Men who had endeavoured to bind them to that which by their own Mouths now was confeſs'd to be Erroneous. After five Hours Diſpute had by His Majeſty againſt them, and his reſolution p. 138for Reformation intimated to them, they were diſmiſſed for that day—&c. but it appears by the reſult, their importunity overcame him at laſt.

Dr. Fuller obſerves, That whereas before this Conference, it was diſputable, whether the North where he long lived, or the South, whither he lately came, would prevail moſt on the King's Judgment in Church Government, now this Queſtion was clearly decided. I hope now the Vindicator may be allowed to have ſome Grains of Shame and Modeſty common to Humane Nature, though he ventured to ſay, That the Engliſh Prelates flattered King James into an ill Opinion of the Puritans, and the thing is not ſo plain or known a Contradiction as the Citizen pretends; and for him to tell the World at this time a day of the famous Piety and Virtue of that Prince, is ridiculous enough. Alas, the Hiſtory of his Reign is too well known; his Contending with Parliaments; his Encouraging of Papiſts; his Secret Articles upon the Treaties with Spain and France; his greedy Deſire of Arbitrary Power; his Proſtituting the Honours, and Waſting the Treaſures of the Nation, after a moſt inglorious manner, produced thoſe ill Effects, under which theſe Kingdoms have laboured and languiſhed ever ſince, till by the late happy Revolution our Antient Rights and privileges were raiſed out of the Grave, recogniſed, and ſettled upon their true Baſis once more.

The Unhappy Government of K. Charles the Firſt, is now ſufficiently Unveiled; eſpecially by Ruſhworth's Impartial Collections. The Vindicator briefly hinted at thoſe Irregular and Arbitrary Practices, that forced the Parliament to take up Arms for the Defence of their Liberties, and for reſcuing the King out of the hands of thoſe Councellors that had ſo fatally miſled him; T. W. calls this Notorious Calumny, and ſays, he could anſwer all the Inſtances particularly, but he refers to the Rolls and Acts of Parliament; The Vindicator is willing to joyn iſſue with him here, and appeals to the ſeveral Petitions, Remonſtrances and Speeches made in Parliament as they ſtand upon Record in the Journals of both Houſes, and they are now made ſo publick, that no Man but one who has no Reputation to loſe, would have offered to deny that which all the Nation that can read, Books, know to be true. And I will alſo tell him, that there is not one paſſage mentioned by the Vindicator concerning the Male Adminiſtration of that King, but what he may find in the Supplement to Baker's Chronicle, a Hiſtory never ſuſpected for Diſloyalty, but evidently partial the other way.

The Vindicator renew'd the Challenge to Name four Perſons in that Parliament, Dr. Burnet tells us, the Duke of Hamilton was diſſatisfied with the Courſes ſome of the Biſhops had followed before the Troubles began, and could not but impute their firſt riſe to the Provocations that had been given by them, Memoirs, p. 408.that were not in full Communion with the Church of England when the War began: It is true, many of them that were for Epiſcopacy, were highly offended at the Behaviour of ſome of the Biſhops, as appears by the Speeches of the Lords Falkland and Digby, both great Royaliſts; and for my part, I deſire no other Evidence of the intolerable Uſurpations of the Laudenſian Party, p. 139than what thoſe Noble Lords have given us, which being now in ſo many Hands, by the Publiſhing the third part of Ruſhworths Collections I will not tranſcribe.

The Nonconformiſts indeed generally joyned with the Parliament in that Cauſe, which was doubtleſs as juſt and neceſſary, when firſt undertaken as ever was carried upon the Point of a Sword; But that it was without the leaſt deſign upon the Kings Perſon, their Solemn League and Covenant plainly proves, and the many Declarations, and Remonſtrances which they afterwards made, when they ſaw new deſigns laid and purſued.

In the Year, 1648. When the Republican Faction was at the higheſt, the Miniſters called Presbyterian, in and about London, fearing that which afterwards happened, boldly Publiſhed a Vindication of themſelves, and Exhortation to the People, part of which, I ſhall here Tranſcribe to let the World ſee, how ſhamefully they have been abuſed about the Death of that King, their Words are theſe.

To this Vindication we are compell'd at this time, Vindicat. of the Miniſt. Printed for T. Underhil, Ann. 1648. Subſcribed by C. Burgeſs, D. D. W. Gouge, D. D. E. Stanton, D. D. T. Temple, D. D. G. Walker. E. Calamy, B. D. J. Whitaker. D. C…wdrey. W. Spurſtow. L. Seaman, D. D. Sim. Aſhe. T. Caſe. N. Proffect. T. Thorowgood. E. Corbet. H. Roborough. A. Jackſon. J. Nalton. T. Cawton. C. Offspring. Sa. Clark. Io. Wall. F. Roberts. M. Haviland. J. Sheffield. W. Harriſon. W. Jenkin. J. Viner. E. Blackwel. J. Croſs. J. Fuller. W. Taylor. P. Witham. Fra. Peek. Ch. …. J. Wallis. T. Watſon. T. Bedford. W. Wickins. T. Manton, D. D. Tho. Gouge. W. Blackmore. R. Mercer. R. Robinſon. J. Glaſcock. T. Whately. J. Lloyde. J. Wells. B. Needler. N. Staniforth. S. Watkins. J. Tice. J. Stileman. Joſ. Ball. J. Devereux. P. Ruſſel. J. Kirby. A. Barham.becauſe there are many who very confidently (yet moſt unjuſtly) charge us, to have been formerly inſtrumental toward the taking away the Life of the King; and becauſe alſo there are others, who in their Scurrilous Paſquils and Libels (as well as with their Virulent Tongues) repreſent us to the World as a Bloody Seditious Sect, and Traiterous Obſtructors, of what all the Godly People of the Kingdom do earneſtly deſire for the eſtabliſhing of Religion and Peace in that we ſtick at the Execution of the King, while yet we are (as they falſly affirm) content to have him Convicted and Condemned, all which we muſt and do from our Hearts diſclaim, before the whole World.

For when we did firſt engage with the Parliament (which we did not till called thereunto) we did it with Loyal Hearts, and Affections towards the King and his Poſterity; not intending the leaſt hurt to his Perſon, but to ſtop his Party from doing further hurt to the Kingdom, not to bring his Majeſty to Juſtice, (as ſome now ſpeak) but to put him into a better Capacity to do Juſtice, to remove the wicked from before him, that his Throne might be eſtabliſhed in Righteouſneſs; not to Dethrone and Deſtroy him, which we fear is the ready way to the Deſtruction of all his Kingdoms.

p. 140That which put any of us on at firſt to appear for the Parliament was, the Propoſitions and Orders of the Lords and Commons in Parliament (June 10. 1642.) for bringing in of Money and Plate, &c. Wherein they aſſured us that whatſoever ſhould be brought in thereupon, ſhould be employed upon no other occaſion, than to maintain The Proteſtant Religion, The Kings Authority, and His Perſon in his Royal Dignity, the Free Courſe of Juſtice, the Laws of the Land, the Peace of the Kingdom, and the Priviledges of Parliament, againſt any force which ſhall oppoſe them.

As for the preſent actings at Weſtminſter, ſince the time that ſo many of the Members were by force ſecluded, divers impriſoned and others thereupon, withdrew from the Houſe of Commons (and there being not that Conjunction of the two Houſes as heretofore) we are wholly unſatisfied therein, becauſe we conceive them to be ſo far from being warranted by ſufficient Authority, as that in our Apprehenſions, they tend to an actual Alteration, if not Subverſion, of that which the Honourable Houſe of Commons in their Declaration, of April 17. 1646. have taught us to call the Fundamental Conſtitution and Government of this Kingdom, which they therein aſſure us (if we underſtand them) they would never alter.

Yea, we hold our ſelves bound in Duty to God, Religion, the King, Parliament and Kingdom, to profeſs before God, Angels and Men, That we verily believe, that which is ſo much feared to be now in Agitation, the taking away the Life of the King, in the preſent way of Trial, is contrary to the Word of God, the Principles of the Proteſtant Religion (never yet ſtained with the leaſt drop of the Blood of a King) the Fundamental Conſtitution and Government of this Kingdom, as alſo to the Oath of Allegiance, the Proteſtation of May 5.1641. and the Solemn League and Covenant; from all or any of which Engagements, we know not any Power on Earth, able to abſolve us or others.

Therefore according to our Covenant, we do in the Name of the great God (to whom all muſt give a ſtrict account) warn and exhort all who either more immediately belong to our reſpective Charges, or any way depend on our Miniſtry, or to whom we have adminiſtred the ſaid Covenant (that we may not by our Silence, ſuffer them to run into that provoking Sin of Perjury) to keep cloſe to the ways of God, and the rules of Religion, the Laws and their Vows, in their conſtant maintaining the true Reformed Religion, the Fundamental Conſtitution and Government of this Kingdom, as alſo in preſerving the Priviledges of both Houſes of Parliament, and the Union between the two Nations of England and Scotland, to mourn bitterly for their own Sins, the Sins of the City, Army, People and Kingdom, and the miſcarriages of the King himſelf (which we cannot but acknowledge to be many and great) in his Government that have coſt the Kingdoms ſo dear, and caſt him down from his Excellency, into a horrid pit of Miſery almoſt beyond Example; and to pray that God would give him effectual Repentance, and ſanctifie that bitter Cup of Divine diſpleaſure, p. 141that Divine Providence hath put into his hand; and alſo that God would reſtrain the Violence of men that they may not dare to draw upon themſelves and the Kingdom the Blood of their Soveraign, &c.

This was back't with a Letter to the General, and his Council of War to the ſame effect; and yet all this has not been ſufficient to defend them from the malicious ſlanders of men, that either were then unborn or had not the Courage, to run thoſe hazards for the ſake of their unfortunate Prince as they did. The deplorable Death of this King, has been made great uſe of in the Late Reigns, to run down Diſſenters, and to juſtifie thoſe unmerciful Laws that have been made and executed againſt them; and to make it the better ſerve ſuch deſigns, they have made the higheſt Panegyricks upon that Prince, and his extraordinary Piety and Devotion, in which they have commonly taken their Text out of ΕΙΚΩΝ ΒΑΣΙΛΙΚΗ, a Book which next to the Bible, excell'd all others in pure Seraphick ſtrains, but alas the grave Cheat is at length diſcovered, and though ſome men are very angry, there is no remedy; for heat and ill Language will never retrieve its blaſted Reputation; only the beſt on't is, there is another of the ſame kind, pourtraying his Unhappy Son in his Solitudes and Sufferings too, and thoſe that regret the Diſparagement of the former, may try whether they can ſupport the Credit of the latter; but the World I hope grows too wiſe to be enamoured of ſuch Pageantry.

The Vindicator affirmed, That it was by the Addreſs and Intereſt of the Party called Presbyterian (under God:) That King Charles the Second was reſtored, and (he adds) the ſolemn Promiſes, fair Words and great Aſſurances, that were given them by the Church and Court Party, upon the Treaty of Reſtoration, are very well known, and the ſpeedy and bare-faced Violation of all, is not to be parallell'd in Story; which T. W. miſreports, as if the Vindicator had ſaid that King Charles the Second was not to be parallell'd in Story, tho' afterwards, having cleared his Eyes he confeſſes, theſe things are charged upon the Church and Court Party, and how will be bring them off; he ſays, All is Fiction and Forgery, for the King referr'd all to the Parliament, and they re-eſtabliſhed and Confirmed all things to the ſatisfaction of the Nation in General.

Well, if we cannot prove theſe things to be true, we will own the Forgery, and ſubmit to all the Reproaches this Gentleman can heap upon us; I would feign know where the Fiction lies. Were there no Promiſes made by the Court and Church Party? or were they not broken? It is ſtrange we ſhould be obliged to prove that ſuch Promiſes were made, when the Kings Declaration ſpeaks it ſo plainly in theſe Words.

We do declare a Liberty to tender Conſciences, and that no man ſhall be diſquieted, or called in Queſtion, for differences in Opinion, which do not diſturb the Peace of the Kingdom, and that we ſhall be ready to Conſent to ſuch Acts of Parliament, as upon Mature Deliberation, ſhall be of fered to us for the full granting that Indulgence.

p. 142And in his Declaration concerning Eccleſiaſtical Affairs, Oct. 25. 1660. he ſaith, When We were in Holland, we were attended by many Grave and Learned Miniſters from hence, who were look't upon as the moſt able and principal Aſſertors of the Presbyterian Opinions, and to our great ſatisfaction, we found them Perſons full of Affection towards us, of Zeal for the Peace of the Church and State, and neither Enemies to Epiſcopacy nor Liturgy, but modeſtly to deſire ſuch Alterations in either, as without ſhaking the Foundations, might beſt allay the preſent Diſtempers, which the Indiſpoſitions of the times and tenderneſs of ſome mens Conſciences had contracted for the better doing, whereof we did intend to call a Synod, and in the mean time, We publiſhed in our Declaration from Breda, a Liberty to tender Conſciences — We need not profeſs the high Affection and Eſteem, which We have for the Church of England, as it is eſtabliſhed by Law, nor do we think, that Reverence in the leaſt diminiſhed by our Condeſcentions, not peremptorily to inſiſt upon ſome particulars of Ceremony, which however intruduced, by the Piety, and Devotion, and Order, of the former times, may not be ſo agreeable to the preſent, but may even leſſen that Piety and Devotion for the improvement whereof, they might be happily firſt introduced, and conſequently may be well diſpens'd with — And We have not the leaſt doubt, but the Biſhops will think the Conceſſions now made by us, juſt and reaſonable, and will cheerfully conform themſelves thereunto — that Kneeling at the Sacrament ſhall not be impoſed, nor the Croſs, nor Surplice, nor any compelled to the Subſcription, or Oath of Canonical Obedience, &c.

Behold the Promiſes that were made, I hope, he would not have us prove that they were not performed; But it ſeems the King left all to the Parliament, and they re-eſtabliſhed matters to ſatisfaction, but this will not prove that theſe Promiſes were not broken, but only that they ſhould not have been made: The King at that time ſeemed willing to have kept his Promiſe, and he had ſome honeſt Counſellors about him that adviſed him to it; and in Order thereunto by his Commiſſion, He authorized divers Learned Perſons of both Perſwaſions to conſult together and agree on ſuch Alterations in the Liturgy as were neceſſary to tender Conſciences.

The Presbyterian Divines not one Diſſenting, offered to ſubmit to Arch-Biſhop Uſher's Primitive Form of Epiſcopacy, and to a ſtated Liturgy, and drew up a moſt excellent One for that purpoſe, which for aptneſs and gravity of Expreſſion, excellent Coherence and Method, and ſuitableneſs to all the Emergencies of humane Life, was incomparably beyond the old one; And when that would not be received, offered ſome amendments of the old one, and would have complied with it; but the Biſhops treated them after a diſdainful, imperious manner, and would yield to nothing for accommodation, the Truth of this cannot be doubted by any that have ſeen the Propoſals to the King, the Petition for Peace, and Account of the Proceedings of the Commiſſioners at the Savoy, which an ingenious Conformiſt having p. 143lately read, confeſſed to me, that was a brave Opportunity for Comprehenſion, and he was fully ſatisfied that the after Schiſm lay at the Biſhops door.

And indeed it is no wonder that Conſultation was ſo unſucceſsful, when it appears the leading men amongſt the Biſhops, were ſo far from intending any ſuch thing as Comprehenſion, that their great deſign in Treating with the other Party was, to know what they would ſtick at, that ſo they might be ſure to ſhut them out; and it is credibly reported that Arch-Biſhop Sheldon ſhould ſay, now we know their Minds, we'll make them all Knaves if they Conform, and it was a remarkable ſaying of a Reverend Dean (T. W. has often heard of) when a ſober Gentleman ſhewed ſome regret that the door was ſo ſtrait that many ſober Miniſters could not have Admiſſion, replyed, it was no Pitty at all, if we thought ſo many of them would have Conformed, we would have made it ſtraiter.

The Act of Uniformity, which they got in 1661. is juſtly eſteemed the Source and Spring of all that Diſcord, Perſecution, and Diſtraction the Nation has groaned under for many years, and indeed no better Fruits could be expected from it, if we conſider the ſcandalous Arts that were uſed for the obtaining of it; and though I am weary of Tranſcribing, yet I will inſert that remarkable Story, that Captain Yarranton tells us, in His full diſcovery of the firſt Presbyterian Sham-Plot, Printed at London for Francis Smith near the Royal Exchange, 1681.

Where ſpeaking of the Kings Gracious Declaration touching Eccleſiaſtical Affairs in 1660. (part of which I have already recited) he ſays, If the Parliament had paſs'd it into an Act, it had probably cemented the greateſt part of the Proteſtants throughout the Nation, but ſome, both of the Clergy and Laity, that bore the greateſt ſway, rejected it, and ſo his Majeſties good and peaceable Intentions proved Abortive. Theſe men (by whoſe Inſtigations you may imagine) inſtead of an Act of Union, reſolve upon an Act of Uniformity, which they could not but know would prove the greateſt B…ne of Contention that ever was in the Nation, and ſome of the Leading Church-men were heard to ſay, they would have an Act ſo framed, as would reach every Puritan in the Kingdom, and that if they thought any of them would ſo ſtretch their Conſciences as to be comprehended by it, they would inſert yet other Conditions and Subſcriptions, ſo as that they ſhould have no Benefit by it; But the King and Parliament they feared were not yet fully prepared for the paſſing of ſuch an Act, thereupon a Contrivement was ſet on Foot to make a Presbyterian Plot, and this was the firſt they ever took in band, and becauſe it was never taken Notice of by ſome, and forgotten by others, I ſhall therefore ſet it down at large; which I can the better do, becauſe I was a great ſufferer therein, and what I relate, if occaſion be, I can prove by Letters and many living Witneſſes.

This Sham-Plot was laid in about thirty ſix Counties of England, but I p. 144ſhall write principally of that part of it which was executed in Worceſterſhire, the Month of November in the Year 1661. Several Letters were drawn up and delivered by Sir John P— to one Richard N— his Neighbour, to carry to one — Cole of Martly, about four Miles from Worceſter, who is now living. This —Cole according to Inſtructions, delivereth a Pacquet of Letters to one—Churne of Witchinford, (who alſo is, or lately was alive, and dwelt near Martly;) This Pacquet of Letters was carried by Cole and Churne unto Sir John P. (from whom it came) and before him Churne makes an Affidavit, That going early in the Morning to his Labour, he ſtruck his Bill upon a Hedge to cut a Thorn, and by and by on the other ſide the Hedge, he ſpyed a Scotch Pedlar, putting up Letters haſtily in his Pack, and being affrighted (as he ſuppoſed) he left that Pacquet behind in the Ditch, and went down a Lane leading to Coll. John Birch his Houſe.

This Oath being made, and the Pacquet delivered (as aforeſaid) and opened, it preſently appeared that there was a Conſpiracy on foot to ſtir up Rebellion in the Kingdom, and to raiſe an Army for that purpoſe, and that Capt. Andrew Tarranton was to Command a Party in thoſe Parts, for which purpoſe there were ſeveral Letters directed to him from ſome Miniſters and others; Who then lived at London.Particularly, one from Mr. Baxter Miniſter of Kidderminſter, intimating that he had provided a conſiderable Body of Men, well arm'd, which ſhould be in readineſs againſt the time appointed. Another from Mr. Ambroſe Sparry, intimating that he had order'd him 500 l. which was lodg'd in a Friends hand (not named) and ſhould be ready for him whenever he ſhould ſend for it; Several other Letters and Treaſonable Papers were pretended to be in that Pacquet, all which occaſioned the raiſing of the Militia of that County, and the City of Worceſter was filled that Night with Horſe and Foot; Nov. 9.Early the next Morning about Two of the Clock, an Officer with a Troop comes to Mr. Yarranton's Houſe, and ſeeing Lights in moſt of the Windows for a Seaſon he made a halt, but anon he drew near the Houſe, and demanded Entrance. Mrs. Yarranton told him, ſhe would open the Doors, provided he would come in with no more than two Perſons beſides himſelf, to which he aſſented, and when he was come in, demanded of Mrs. Yarranton, where her Huſband was? She anſwered, he was not at Home. The Officer replied, he was at Home the Evening before. She told him, he was; but he is now gone to one Mr. Mitchel's Houſe at Hittinton; but to let you ſee that he knows upon what Deſign you come, He hath left his M…n with a Horſe ready Saddled, to Conduct you to him. Some of the Party being Voluntiers out of Worceſter, obſerving the words and deportment of Mrs. Yarranton, went preſently Home again, amongſt whom was Mr. Winter Hains an Apothecary, and ſince Mayor of the City (and ſtill alive,) who hath often ſaid, that very inſtant he ſmelt the Deſign; The Officer with his Party was brought by Henry Cowell, Mr. Yarranton's Servant, to the Houſe of Mr. Mitchel, p. 145where finding the ſaid Yarranton, the Officer told him, he was his Priſoner, and muſt go along with him to Worceſter; and about Ten of the Clock the ſame day they all entred the City, where all the Trained Bands of the County were up in Arms. The ſame day ſeveral other Perſons were ſecured, as Mr. Ambroſe Sparry Miniſter of Martly, (near which place the Sham-Pacquet was pretended to be found) Mr. Henry Oſland Miniſter of Bewdly, Mr. Edward Oſland of the Rock, Dr. Jackſon of Kidderminſter, Mr. Moor Miniſter of Worceſter, Mr. Jarvis Brian Miniſter of Old-Swinford, Capt. Wells, (living now at Bednal-Green) Mr. Henry Baldwin, Mr. George Wilſon, Mr. John Vicars (now living in Smithfield) Mr. Mekine, all four of Worceſter, with ſorne Scores more which I for bear to mention; all which Perſons were diſpoſed of into ſeveral Priſons or Places of Confinement, ſo that they could not ſpeak one with another, having Sentinels always ſtanding at their ſeveral Doors. Amongſt the common People there was a great noiſe of a Horrid Plot, a Presbyterian Plot, and they were ſo confirmed in the belief of it, that the ſeveral Priſoners as they marched with their Guards through the Streets, were greatly reviled and affronted.

All things continued in this Poſture for the ſpace of Ten Days, after which time, the Trained Bands would continue no longer, they were grown a little ſenſible of the Sham; and upon their departure, the Deputy-Lieutenants (out of their great Clemency) Diſcharged all the Priſoners then in Cuſtody, (except Dr. Jackſon, Mr. Sparry, Mr. Hen. and Mr. Edw. Oſland, Capt. Wells, and Capt. Yarranton) only they muſt Pay their Fees, and find good Security not to go five Miles from their Habitations, without leave firſt obtained from the Lord-Lieutenant or two Deputy-Lieutenants, and to appear when they were ſent for, and to keep all the King's Laws Eccleſiaſtical and Civil. This done, Mr. Sparry, Dr. Jackſon, the two Oſlands, and Capt. Yarranton, were ordered to be kept cloſe Priſoners in ſeveral Chambers of the George-Inn in Worceſter; ſo that no Perſon whatſoever muſt come to ſpeak with any of them but in the preſence of the Marſhal. The Trained-Bands being gone, as was ſaid before, Jo. Shuler, Marſhal.to their ſeveral Homes, Care was taken for the Securing of theſe Criminals, by the Dignified Clergy of Worceſter, together with ſome of the fatteſt Clergymen of the County, who provided about 60 Foot Soldiers which they Armed and Paid (as ſome of them ſaid) with double Pay, who were to attend as Sentinels upon each of the Priſoners, and the reſt to keep a Court of Guard at the Town-Hall of Worceſter: Theſe were commonly called the Clergy-Band; and had for their Captain one Mr. William Sheldon of Stoke-Prior, who hath of a long time (as it is ſaid) belonged to the Rules in Southwark.

I cannot omit acquainting you with one renowned Act of Chivalry that was done in this Church-Court-Guard; There came to Worceſter a poor Old Man to enquire after the welfare of Mr. Henry Oſland his Miniſter, p. 146and ſpeaking with one of thoſe Soldiers, the Soldier liberally charged Mr. Oſland with being a Traitor, a Rebel, a Plotter againſt the Government, with ſome other hard Names; he ſtoutly defended his Miniſter, and ſaid he was an honeſt peaceable Man, and he could never believe he was concerned in any Treaſon, or Plot againſt the Government; The Church-Militant-man in great Wrath laid hold of this poor old Zealot, and carried him to the Court of Guard: He that then preſided in that Court Marſhal was alſo a Church-Officer, and no meaner Man than an Apparitor; he commanded the Old Man to be tied Neck and Heels, charged him with having a hand in this Presbyterian Plot, and threatned him with ſevere Uſage unleſs he would make a Confeſſion: The Old Man bore all this with a great deal of Patience, anſwering him never a word; which ſo enraged this Man in Authority, that he put lighted Matches betwixt his Fingers, and burnt them to the very Bone, and all to force from him a Confeſſion of a Presbyterian Plot. The Name of the Perſon thus Tortured is Roger Waldern of Bewdly, who for ought I have heard to the contrary is ſtill alive, and carrieth about him the ſhrivelled Skin cauſed by thoſe burning Matches, and ſo are many others alive that ſaw him in his Miſery, and that contributed their help to the healing of his hands.

This feigned Plot was not only laid in Worceſterſhire, but in other Shires and Counties of England, as I hinted before, I could fill many Sheets of Paper, if I pleaſed, with particulars; but give me leave to inform you only of ſome Paſſages in Oxfordſhire with reſpect to this Plot, which fell out about the ſame time. There dwelt in Oxford one Mr. Matthew Martin, who was then Town-Clerk there, In Old-Street, London.he is now a Brewer in London, and in good reputation both for Eſtate and Integrity; There came one Evening to his Houſe in Oxford, a Stranger with a Letter, who had no ſooner delivered it, but he withdrew and went his away, when Mr. Martin had opened it, and a little conſidered the Contents, he took a Prudent Courſe to carry it to the Mayor, as you'll hear by and by, and to do it immediately; for had he tarried a Night, or an Hour, it might have been found about him, and Oxford had quickly been as full or fuller of Plotters and Priſoners than Worceſter; The Copy of this Memorable Letter I here inſert word for word.

Mr. Martin,

I Pray you warn all theſe Men to be all in their Arms upon Wedneſday next in the Night, you know already where they muſt meet; there will come to Oxford Two hundred Men all in their Arms, you know who doth Command them; Dr. Greenwood has ſent to Mr. Combs the Barber to get his Party of Scholars ready that Night; and I have ſent to Mr. Hickman to get his Men ready at the ſame time, and Dr. Owen has ſent to Mr. Fogg to get his Men ready at the ſame time; and Dr. Gawin has ſent to Mr. Corniſh to p. 147get his Men ready at the ſame time, and I have ſent to Dr. Connaught to get his Men ready, and all the Scholars are to meet in Dr. Rogers his Garden, I pray ſend the Blunderbuſſes thither, for I intend to be there my ſelf, and I pray give the Bearer hereof five Pounds out of the Stock, and I pray remember me to the ſix Men unnamed; five Counties are to riſe that Night without fail: I need write no more to you. The Word is, God is the Word, and pray tell them all ſo.

In this Letter there was a Liſt of the Perſons Names he was to warn; For brevity, I omit the Liſt of Names which Mr Yarranton gives us, p. 9. as alſo the Mayor's Letter to the Lord Falkland, p. 10. at large.the Mayor of Oxford preſently diſpatched a Meſſenger with an Account of theſe Tranſactions to the Lord Falkland, who was then a Member of Parliament, and I think Lord Lieutenant of the County; and another Letter with the like Account was ſent to the Recorder of Oxford, one of their Members in Parliament; wherein they declare their Opinion that it was a Trick, many of the Perſons mentioned being of known Fidelity to the King. Theſe Letters were ſhewed to one of the Secretaries of State, and thus this pretty Project Miſcarries in Oxford by the Providence of God and the Prudent Management of the Diſcoverers, to the regret no doubt of thoſe who had cunningly enough contrived it. I cannot learn that any further Progreſs was made in it, ſave only that two Deputy-Lieutenants ſent next day for Mr. Martin, and threatned at firſt to commit him to Cuſtody; but by and by they diſmiſs'd him with this Injunction, not to go out of the City within Fourteen days, without Special Licenſe; and that very Night came into the Town many of the Militia, who kept Guard for two days in the City.

'Tis high time now that I return to Worceſter and give you an Account of the forementioned Plotters in cloſe Confinement there. Dr. Jackſon by the aſſiſtance of Sir R. C. gets his Enlargement. Mr. Sparry and one of the Oſlands, moved that they might be Bailed or brought to Trial, but could obtain neither. Yarranton, and the other Oſland, were altogether Paſſive and Silent, waiting to ſee what iſſue God in his Providence would put to theſe Arbitrary and Extrajudicial Proceedings, and it was not long ere they were ſtrangely delivered; the manner was thus; Richard H.On the Second of April 1662, the Perſon that was employed (as I have ſhewed you before) to carry the Pacquet of Sham Letters from Sir J. P. to one Cole of Martly, acquaints his Brother how he came by the ſaid Pacquet; his Brother immediately upon this Diſcovery, repairs to Mrs. Yarranton and informs her of it; She went to Worceſter, and prevails with the Marſhal's Maid to deliver a Paper to her Husband wherein was a Relation of the whole Matter. This being done, Mr. Yarranton peruſed the Paper, and being thereby let into the knowledge of this Malicious Deſign, He ordered ſix Actions to be immediately Entred againſt ſome of thoſe that brought him to Priſon: And the next day being Saturday, in the time of high Market, he took two Bedſtaffs in his hands, and broke all the Windows in the Chamber p. 148where he was Confined, The George in the High-Street.and which look'd towards the Street; upon which the Town was in an Uproar, and a Multitude of People crowded before the Chamber in the broad Street to know what the matter was! He told them how he and others were maliciouſly and wrongfully Impriſoned; that he could give an Account of the Contrivance of this Plot, and who were the Contrivers of it.

On the Wedneſday following, the Lord-Lieutenant and Six of his Deputies came to Town, and ſent one Fulk Fiſher (an Officer of theirs) to Mr. Yarranton to know the reaſon of his miſ-behaving himſelf in the place of his Confinement: He ſent them word, He did it on purpoſe that he might be brought the ſooner before them, to make a Diſcovery of the Presbyterian Plot ſo much talk'd of, which he was ready and willing to do. After ſome debate between the Lord-Lieutenant and his Deputies about this Matter, it was at laſt reſolved that Yarranton ſhould be brought before them, which was done; There he offered to diſcover to them the whole Plot how it was laid, and by whom and for what Ends; he deſired that the Doors might be ſet open, for he had many Friends and Witneſſes without; He prayed alſo that he might have Pen, Ink and Paper, and he would write down the whole Matter; for words might be wreſted to wrong intents: This was a while debated, but in reaſon it could not be denied, and Mr. Yarranton no ſooner began to write, but the Lord-Lieutenant and Sir John P. left the Room, and went down the Back Stairs, and after followed the reſt of the Deputy-Lieutenants, only Eſq Bromely of Holt ſtaid behind. He it ſeems was no way Privy to this Deſign, and told Mr. Yarranton, he was Sorry with all his heart to ſee ſuch things practiſed, to the diſturbance of Honeſt Men, and the diſhonour of the Government.

The Enemy having thus fairly quitted the Field, Mr. Yarranton demanded of the Martial, What he had further now to ſay to him? The Marſhal only made it his Requeſt, that he would not trouble him for holding him ſo long in Reſtraint, foraſmuch as he was a Poor Man, and had many Children, and did only follow the Orders of his Superiours in what he had done. Mr. Yarranton told him, He did freely forgive him.

Theſe dangerous Plotters being now at Liberty, they depart every Man to his own Home, and were never proſecuted or further queſtioned about this Matter: There was no need of that, for the Contrivers had now obtained their End, which was to poſſeſs the King and Parliament, that it was abſolutely neceſſary to make ſome ſevere Act againſt this reſtleſs ſort of Men, who not contented with the King's Gracious Pardon, were always Plotting to diſturb the Government: Accordingly when the Parliament met together upon the 20th of November 1661. (to which time they were Adjourned) the King makes a Speech to them, wherein are theſe words:

p. 149My Lords and Gentlemen,

I Am Sorry to find that the General Temper and Affections of the Nation are not ſo well Compoſed as I hoped they would have been, after ſo ſignal Bleſſings of God Almighty upon us all, and after ſo great Indulgence and Condeſcentions from me towards all Intereſts; there are many wicked Inſtruments ſtill as active as ever, who labour Night and Day to diſturb the Publick Peace, and to make People jealous of each other; it may be worthy of your Care and Vigilance to provide proper Remedies for Diſeaſes of that Kind, and if you find new Diſeaſes, you muſt find new Remedies, &c.

No ſooner was this Parliament in their geers, Note, this was before the Sham was diſcovered to Mr. Yarranton.but Sir J. P. one of the Knights for Worceſterſhire, with open mouth informs them of a dangerous Presbyterian Plot that was on foot; that many of the chief Conſpirators were now in Priſon at Worceſter. The like Information was given by ſome of their Members that Served for Oxfordſhire, Herefordſhire, Staffordſhire, and other places; yea, this was the general Vogue, Some ſay, but by a very few Votes.as may appear by the Printed Pamphlets of thoſe times. Hereupon a Bill of Uniformity was excogitated, and carried on in the Parliament, and paſſed that Seſſions.

I have done with the Firſt Part of this Sham Plot, when I have added a Paſſage or two more concerning Mr. Yarranton; As ſoon as he was Diſcharged (as before) he goes up to London, and prevails with the Lord of Briſtol to acquaint the King with the great wrong he had received, and with the wicked Contrivance of ſome of his Miniſters by Sham-Plots to divide the King from his People, and his People from one another: Hereupon an Order of Council was directed to the Deputy-Lieutenants of Worceſterſhire that were then in and about London, to appear before the Council, and to give an Account of this Matter. They ſeemed to clear themſelves from being concerned therein, and deſired ſuch as were in the Country might be conſulted: The next Poſt they inform their Brethren in the Country how Matters ſtood before the Council, and that the Lord of Briſtol did Patronize Mr. Yarranton; upon this Sir J. W. one of the Deputy-Lieutenants, haſtens up to London, and brings with him one Hales an Attorney, his Kinſman and Tenant, (now living in Tenbury) which Hales, with a Conſtable of St. Mary Overies, and one Halborn a Waterman (now living in Pepper-Alley in Southwark) Arreſted Mr. Yarranton (when he was Bowling in Wincheſter-Park) for High Treaſon; and being further aſſiſted by ſome of the Horſe-Guards then in Southwark, conveyed him in Halborn's Boat to White-Hall, where he was that Night in Cuſtody; but on the Morrow, the Earl of Briſtol ſent the King's Privy Seal to a Friend of Mr. Yarranton's, who brought it to him, wherein it was declared, That it was the King's Pleaſure, he ſhould Travel p. 150where he pleaſed, and not to be moleſted by any Perſon whatſoever, without a Special Warrant from the King.

Mr. Yarranton ſeeing how Matters went in London, reſolved to return again into the Country; where he proſecuted Major Wild and others, for Impriſoning of him wrongfully; but within Six Months after, a Deſign is laid by ſome of the Criminals in the former Sham-Plot, to Suborn Perſons to Swear againſt him, that he had ſpoken Treaſonable Words againſt the King and the Government; the Witneſſes were, one Dainty (a Mountebank, formerly an Apothecary in Derby) who afterwards acknowledged that he had Five Pounds for his Pains; The other Witneſs lived in Wales and went by two Names; this was done at the Aſſizes in Worceſter, the Bill being found by the Grand Jury, Twiſden, then Judge.Mr. Yarranton put himſelf upon his Trial, and though he did not except againſt any one of his Jury, yet upon a full Hearing of the Caſe, they preſently acquitted him, to the great diſappointment of the deſigning Gentlemen.

This Narrative Mr. Yarranton Publiſhed under his own Hand, and I never could underſtand that any Anſwer was made to it; and by mentioning the Names of Perſons then living, and therein appealing to them, it appears to be of undoubted credit; and if any ſhall take upon them to contradict it, there are ſo many of the Perſons concerned ſtill alive, as are ſufficient to make out the truth and certainty of it.

This Act of Uniformity which was gained by ſuch an Infamous Stratagem, Some of the Ejected Miniſters had been Sufferers for the King, as Mr. Cook, Mr. Harriſon, Mr. Kirby, Mr. Seddan, ſent up Priſoners about Sir Geo. Booth's Attempt. Collection of Debates, p. 212.obliged all Miniſters to Subſcribe to the Book of Common-Prayer by Bartholomew-Day, upon pain of Deprivation ab officio & beneficio, which about Two thouſand Miniſters could not do, and were accordingly ejected; and it is a wonder that all the Miniſters in England were not Silenced by it; for it is a known and certain Truth, that the Liturgy with its new Alterations to which they aſſented, came not out of the Preſs till about Bartholomew-Eve; ſo that all thoſe that Conformed, excepting perhaps one or two in London, Subſcribed to they knew not what; and thus the Effects of that Edict, were as ſcandalous as the cauſe and riſe of it. An honourable Member of the Houſe of Commons obſerved in Parliament in the Year 1680. If the Laws againſt Diſſenters were projected in favour of the Proteſtant Religion, it is ſtrange they were ſo promoted (as many Members now here, that Served in that Parliament do remember) by Sir Thomas Clifford, Sir Solomon Swale and Sir Roger Strickland, who have all ſince appeared to be Papiſts.

When the lamentable Effects of this Act began to appear more viſible every day than other, and the King was ſenſible how they had been cheated into it, by a pretended Plot, the Forgery whereof was now diſcovered; He ſet forth the very ſame Year Decem. 26. his Declaration of Indulgence, and in February next when the Parliament was met, Journal of the Houſe of Lords, Dit Merc. 18. Feb. 1662.in his Speech to both Houſes, told them, He was willing to ſet bounds to the Hopes of ſome, and the Fears of others; that in his own Nature he was an Enemy to all Severity for Religion and Conſcience, how miſtaken ſoever it be, and wiſh'd he had a Power of Indulgence to uſe upon ſuch Occaſions.

p. 151The Houſe of Lords ordered a Bill to be brought in to enable the King to grant Licences to ſuch of His Majeſties Subject of the Proteſtant Religion, Ibid. Die Veneris 13. die Martii. Commons Journal, Die Mercur. 25. die Feb. 15 Car. 2.of whoſe inoffenſive and peaceable Diſpoſition His Majeſty ſhould be perſwaded, to enjoy and uſe the Exerciſe of their Religion and Worſhip, though differing from the Publick Rule; but the Houſe of Commons when it came before them divided upon it, No's 161, Yea's 119. and ſo it was rejected, and greater Severity uſed than before.

In the Year 1665. That dreadful Plague in London drove a great many Miniſters out of the City, and left open a Door for ſome Nonconformiſts to Preach in their Pulpits; and Men being a little ſtartled and their Spirits ſoftened by that Stupendious Judgment of God, there was a Connivance, and Private Meetings were ſet up and multiplied greatly.

In the Year 1667. The King in his Speech to both Houſes of Parliament Die Lunae, 10 die Febr. thus expreſs'd himſelf—One thing more I hold my ſelf obliged to recommend unto you at this preſent; which is, That you would ſeriouſly think of ſome Courſe to beget a better Union and Compoſure in the Minds of my Proteſtant Subjects in Matters of Religion, whereby they may be induced not only to ſubmit quietly to the Government, but alſo chearfully give their Aſſiſtance to the Support of it. But there was nothing done at that time towards it.

In 1672. The King again gives Liberty of Conſcience, upon what deſign, Conjectures were various; many believed it to be in favour of Popery, but others ſaid the Papiſts had as much Liberty before, being generally winked at, and the Penal Laws wholly turn'd upon Proteſtant Diſſenters; However the Houſe of Commons took notice of it, and would not allow the King any Power to Diſpenſe with the Laws, and yet were grown ſo ſenſible of the Hardſhips put upon Diſſenting Proteſtants, that a Bill was brought in, in favour of them and paſſed the Houſe, and was ſent up to the Houſe of Lords, and it is verily believed had paſſed them too, but for want of time.

In 1675. The Parliament met again, in which the Church and Court Party laid aſide their Zeal againſt Popery, and all the Cry was againſt Diſſenters; and a Bill that was Voted in the former Seſſion, for Marrying our Princes only to Proteſtants, was carried in the Negative by the Unanimous Vote of the Biſhops Bench and rejected; And a Teſt brought in, requiring all Officers in Church and State, and all Members of both Houſes to take this following Oath.

I A. B. do Declare, That it is not Lawful upon any Pretence whatſoever, to take up Arms againſt the King; and that I do abhor that Traiterous Poſition of taking up Arms by his Authority againſt his Commiſſion, or againſt thoſe that are Commiſſioned by him in purſuance of ſuch a Commiſſion. And I do Swear, that I will not at any time endeavour the Alteration of the Government either in Church or State.

p. 152The learned and weighty Reaſons that were brought againſt this Bill by the Country Lords (as they were then diſtinguiſhed from thoſe of the Court and Church) we have publiſhed by one of the proteſting Peers in the ſame Year. This laſted five days, before it was committed to a Committee of the whole Houſe; They Pleaded againſt it as a Breach of the Privilege of Peerage, that it was in Effect to eſtabliſh a Standing Army by Act of Parliament, That if whatever is done by the King's Commiſſion may not be oppoſed, by his Authority, then a Standing Army is Law when ever the King pleaſes; That it ſtruck at the very Root of our Conſtitution, obliging every Man to Abjure all Endeavours to alter the Government in the Church, without regard to any thing that Rules of Prudence in the Government, or Chriſtian Compaſſion to Diſſenters, or the Neceſſity of Affairs at any time may require. The Names of thoſe Noble Peers that with ſo much hazard to their own Perſons endeavoured to ſtem that impetuous torrent, are,

Buckingham,

Bridgwater,

Wincheſter,

Salisbury,

Bedford,

Dorſet,

Denbigh,

Pagett,

Hallifax,

Howard,

Mohun,

Stamford,

Clarendon,

Grey-Roll,

Say & Seal,

Wharton,

Briſtol,

Aylesbury,

Audley,

Fitzwater.

But all was in vain, for (ſays our Honourable Author) the Earl of Winchelſea put an End to the Debate, and the Major Vote Ultima ratio Senatuum & Conciliorum carried the Queſtion as the Court and Biſhops would have it, and all they could do was to enter their Proteſts againſt it, and were menaced for ſo doing.

And thus with Wind and Tide our Church-men bore down furiouſly upon the Diſſenters, and all that durſt but ſeem favourable to them, for two or three Years together, till the Popiſh Plot broke out in 1678. which gave ſuch an Alarm to the Nation, as reduced ſome Men to their Wits, and others to their Wits-end; Now the Humour was diverted another way, and a year or two ſpent in ſearching into the depth of the Deſign, and while ſome zealous Proteſtants were diligently employed in tracing out the Plot; others that called themſelves by the ſame Name, were as buſie by their Counter-mines and Counter-paces to ſpoil the track and make it undiſcernable.

In the mean while the Diſſenters were pretty eaſie, the Meetings encreaſed and were greatly frequented; And there being now a Parliament of true Engliſhmen, they ordered a Bill to be brought into the Houſe of Commons for the Uniting of Proteſtants, and in their Journals we have this Reſolve, That it is the Opinion of this Houſe, that the Proſecution of Diſſenters upon the Penal Laws, is at this time grievous to the Subject, a weakning of the Proteſtant Interest, an Encouragement to Popery, and Dangerous to the Peace of this Kingdom.

But as the Plot died, Perſecution revived; New Sham-plots were forged and faſtened upon Presbyterians: Then was our Land ſtained with the No, p. 153bleſt and moſt Innocent Blood of Eſſex, Ruſſel, Sidney, &c. whoſe invaluable Lives were ſacrificed to the Luſts of Papiſts and Tories, whilſt Eccleſiaſticks ſung Te Deum, and the injured Nation durſt ſcarcely be ſeen to lament their fall.

When the Duke of York arrived at the Crown, the Stream of Perſecution was very ſtrong and violent, and all men thought the unhappy attempt of the Duke of Monmouth, would have made it rage more furiouſly when almoſt all the Gentlemen in England that were counted Whiggs were under Confinement; but not long after a Declaration was ſet forth for a General Liberty of Conſcience; I am ſure it was unexpected by the generality of Diſſenters; it found ſome of them in Priſon, and like a good Angel made their fetters fall off, and the doors fly open; others were forced to abſcond from their Families, and Employments, for fear of the Excommunication Writ, and theſe it reſcued from impending ruine; and indeed it found them all inſulted over, ſcorned and trampled upon by the Bigots of the other Party, but this Declaration put a reſpect upon them, and gave them the Opportunity of letting the World ſee they were neither ſo few, nor ſo bad, nor contemptible as their Adverſaries had repreſented them.

There are two things for which Diſſenters are frequently reproached in the late Reign. Firſt, Their accepting that Liberty with ſuch Addreſſes of Thanks. Secondly, Their writing ſo few Books againſt Popery; I have ſomething to ſay in their juſt Defence upon both Accounts.

As to the Firſt, It had been the greateſt Madneſs in the World for them, to have refuſed the Advantages of that Liberty; they thought themſelves obliged to Worſhip God according to the Dictates of their Conſciences, when they run the Riſque of Priſons, and Baniſhment for ſo doing; and to neglect it, when they were freed from thoſe hazards, would have been ſuch a piece of ſullen unaccountable perverſneſs, as theſe Gentlemen would ſoon have upbraided us with. I know it is commonly ſaid, that Toleration was promoted in favour of the Papiſts, and I believe few of the Diſſenters ever queſtioned it; but they knew very well, that when it was granted, for them to have ſate ſtill, and ſuffer'd the Papiſts alone to enjoy the Benefits of it, would have ſtrengthed Popery much more; the Papiſts would have had never the leſs Liberty, though Diſſenters had been ſilent, and when they were let looſe, it was time for all hands to be at work, to countermine them, and there's no better weapon to ſubdue Errour, than the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

It is objected, this Declaration was founded upon a Diſpenſing Power and to accept of it was owning ſuch a Power; But the Diſſenters never by Word or Writing aſcribed any ſuch Power unto the King as to Diſpenſe with the Laws, that are for the good of the Nation; indeed they always eſteemed the Laws by which they were excluded to be very unjuſt and unreaſonable Edicts, contrary to the Law of God, and the common Intereſt, and that they ought not to have been made, or ever executed when they were made, they never thought them binding in Point of Conſcience, and though they were forced heretofore to ſubmit to the Penalty, yet they were not ſo forſaken of common Sence, as to court the Continuance of that Penalty, or caſt themſelves into Priſon, when the Magiſtrate did not think fit to do it.

p. 154But the Clergy of the Church of England had often in the Pulpit, and from the Preſs told the King that he had ſuch a Power, as the Author of Vox Cleri pro Rege, ſhews us in abundance of Inſtances. And the Judges who were of the Church of England, had given it for Law, as the other had declared it for Goſpel; and all the Magiſtrates in England thought fit to acquieſce in it, which ſurely they would not have done, if they had not thought it a juſt and reaſonable thing; for indeed the Kings Declaration would have ſignified little, if the Magiſtrates had put the Laws in Execution ſtill; and if they did not think thoſe Laws were really ſuſpended, they were bound by their Oaths to have done it, and their forbearance was a plain acknowledgment of ſuch a Power at leaſt, as to ſuch kind of Laws, as were hereby ſuſpended, but the Diſſenters, only perſiſted to do that which they thought themſelves obliged to (as they had opportunity) by the Law of God, any thing in humane Laws to the Contrary notwithſtanding.

And as to their Addreſſes of Thanks, it leaſt becomes the Churchmen of all others to Reflect upon them, not only becauſe it was their Cruelty that made Indulgence ſo very pleaſant, and Oppreſſion ſometimes makes a wiſe man mad, but alſo becauſe they fall vaſtly ſhort of thoſe high flights of Complement, which theſe men themſelves took in their Addreſſes of a far worſe Nature and Occaſion. If it be ſo Criminal to Thank the King, for not ſuffering Proteſtants to deſtroy one another, what ſhall we ſay of thoſe that in the moſt Luxuriant manner, thank'd him for diſſolving one of the beſt of Parliaments, E. of W's Speech.and as a Noble Peer lately told them, Were ſo forward in the Surrender of Charters, and their fulſom Addreſſes and Abhorrences, making no other claim to their Liberties and Civil Rights but Conceſſions from the Crown, telling the King every one of his Commands was ſtamp'd with Gods Authority, &c. Beſides, I am informed by one of thoſe that joined in an Addreſs of Thanks to the King in Cheſhire, that the Nonconformiſts never moved in it till the Churchmen had led them the way; theſe Gentleman therefore are too Imprudent to provoke us to Recriminations that will be ſo vaſtly to their own diſhonour; I am ſure the Diſſenters thank'd the Late King for nothing, but what our preſent King and Parliament have Confirmed to them, as the likelieſt way to unite Proteſtants in Intereſt and Affection, as the Preamble of the Act ſpeaks; and if there was any thing in that Liberty that was ſerviceable to the Papiſts, it muſt be in the manner of giving it, not in the thing it ſelf, as far as we are concerned in it; and if the Epiſcopal Party had been ſo wiſe as to have promoted a legal Comprehenſion when it was in their Power they had diſabled the Papiſts from ſerving themſelves of any Liberty of ours.

As to the Second, That Diſſenters writ ſo little againſt Popery in the Late Reign, it may be very eaſily accounted for.

They have ſufficiently demonſtrated their Abhorrence of Popery at all times, and their Leading Men, as Mr. Baxter, Mr. Pool, and the Preachers of the Morning Lecture, have acquitted themſelves very well in the Confutation of it; and Malice it ſelf cannot really believe that they are in the leaſt favourable to p. 155the Romiſh Hereſie, the Crime that has been generally objected againſt them, has been their too great averſation and diſtance from it.

As for the late Diſcourſes upon that Subject, that are ſo much boaſted of, it is obſervable that moſt of them were begun upon Perſonal Engagements, The Preface to the Exam. of the Council of Trent by Catholick Tradition.as one of the Principal Managers thereof acknowledges; There is (ſays he) a Train in Controverſies as well as in Thoughts, one thing ſtill giving ſtart to another, Conferences produce Letters, Letters, Books, and one diſcourſe gives occaſion for another, &c. Now in ſuch Caſes it would not been have decent, for a Third Perſon to have ſtept in and invaded another mans Province.

Beſides there was no manner of Neceſſity for it, the Papiſts in England have been a baffled party for ſome Ages, and their Errors ſo often expoſed that it was too eaſie a Task theſe Gentlemen were engaged in, to require ſo much help, it's a beaten Road in which they were to Travel; and as I do not find that the Papiſts offered any thing of late, but what has been in ſubſtance anſwered a thouſand times, ſo it was not neceſſary for our Doctors, to ſet their Wits on the Rack for a Reply, not indeed do I perceive any thing, Method and Language excepted, that pretends to be new; nor is this any Diminution of their Honour, but a Peace of Juſtice to the Memory, and worth of thoſe that have gone before them.

And I might add, Fuller C. H. l. 9. p. 74. This clauſe was left out of the Art. in 1571, but A. B Land, would have it inſerted again. Parker, Cartwright, Walker, Boyes, Farmer, Slater, Manby, Good all, &c.the Presbyterians had little Reaſon to fear that any of their Perſwaſion would be perverted, their diſtinguiſhing Principle of the ſufficiency of the Scripture, will infallibly ſecure them, whilſt they adhere unto it; But many of our Churchmen had inſtill'd into their Followers very odd Notions concerning the Power of the Church in Matters of Faith, (as in the twenty Article) and of the Apoſtolical Succeſſion and Authority of Biſhops, and their Power of Judging what is fit and decent in the Worſhip of God to which all others muſt ſubmit; and concerning the binding force of old Canons and Councils; and ſuch Doctrines as theſe would be in danger to betray men into the Arms of that Church, that can pretend as high in theſe matters as any; and it is certain in Fact ſome of their Biſhops and Doctors and Clergy fell in with them, and it was time for them to beſtir themſelves, to deliver their men out of the Snares which they had helped to lay for them.

And the Diſſenters were very well pleaſed to ſee thoſe Learned Men baffling the Papiſts, upon ſuch Principles, as they had reaſon to hope, would ſet the Authors themſelves more upright, than before ſome of them had been; thoſe that read Dr. Sherlocks Preſervatives againſt Popery, and what he there ſays concerning the Nature of Goſpel Worſhip, That God will not now have a Temple, nor is his Preſence appropriated to any place, and the like, and compare it with that he has formerly writ, eſpecially in that Book wherein he told us, Vind. Defence of Dr. St. p. 13.that Chriſtianity is nothing elſe but Myſtical Judaiſm, will find that his late Polemical Engagements, were ſo very beneficial to himſelf that it had been a thouſand pitties, to have taken the work out of his Hands; And what I have collected out of theſe Modern debates concerning Church-Unity, Communion, Succeſſion, &c. may convince any man that we had all the reaſon in the World, to p. 156make them fair way and room, when they were got into the good old Road of Scripture Catholick Notions, that would infallibly confound the Papiſts and when they had done that, would very much contribute to the reconciling of Proteſtants amongſt themſelves.

The Author of the Review takes upon him to affirm, that none of our Miniſters, endeavoured at that time to fortifie his Conventicle againſt Popiſh Deluſions, but how can he expect to be believed in that, which 'tis as impoſſible for him to know, as to be an Ubiquitarian, and in all the Conventicles in England at the ſame time, and as he can never prove it to be true, ſo there are thouſands in England know it to be falſe, and are able to teſtifie, that notwithſtanding their Obligations to the Government, their Miniſters never failed, to confute Popiſh Tenets, when they fell in their way, and that not ſeldom they would go a ſtep or two out of their way to meet them.

As unhappy is he, in the little ſtories that follow, Dr. Owen was in Fee with King James, and yet was dead, ſeveral years before; Our preſent Patrons were the men pickt up at Court to compleat our Ruine; and yet I know of no Patrons we have for our Liberty, but the King, Lords and Commons, I hope he does not mean them. We know very well what Biſhops and others were of the Eccleſiaſtical Commiſſion, in the Biſhop of Londons Caſe, and in that of Cambridge and Maudlin Colledge in Oxford; not one Presbyterian amongſt them. Let this Gentleman prove, that any Miniſters of ours aſſiſted at Jeſuitical Intreagues, or had Mony ſprinkled amongſt them to carry on thoſe deſigns and by my Conſent, whoever is found Guilty ſhall be his Bondſlave, but by no means let Confidence, and Noiſe, and loud Appeals be taken for Evidence againſt them.

Amongſt all that Croud of Writers, that give us the Hiſtory of the late Revolution, there is ſcarcely one of them, but acknowledges that the Diſſenters, were aware of the Popiſh deſign of taking away the Teſt, and would not conſent to it; though for the Penal Laws, they thought many of them might be very well ſpared; and I challenge him to prove that either Mr. Lob or any other Perſon amongſt thoſe called Presbyterian and Congregational (and we have nothing to do with others) ever adviſed King James to any thing, but what our Preſent King and Parliament, have thought fit to eſtabliſh by Law:

If (as this Gentleman tells us) a little Money, Review, p. 33.and a Toleration will make the Diſſenters ſo eaſie and quiet, and well ſatisfied; it is a ſign they are not the worſt tempered People in the World; and it were well if our Churchmen were as eaſily pleaſed, for what my Lord Falkland (a great Royaliſt) ſaid of ſome of the Biſhops in 1641, they were ſo cordially Papiſts, that it was all that fifteen hundred Pounds a Year could do to keep from Confeſſing it; I am afraid is too true concerning many of our Clergy in another reſpect, it is as much as ſome hundreds a year can do to keep them Quiet, and Content under the preſent Government.

However we are obliged to him for telling us, what the ſober thinking People judge of us, it ſeems, They do not ſtick to ſay, that our Zeal againſt Popery p. 157is all Counterfeit, that we would be better Conformiſts if Popery ſhould prevail than we are now; but he ſhould have told us, who theſe ſober thinking People are, for many will preſume to dignifie themſelves with thoſe Epithets, See the Review. Ibid.that have as little right to 'em, as any People in the World; and it is uſual enough, for a Mob of Eccleſiaſtical Politico's to get together, and when they are well heated with drinking Healths to the Church of England, and have liberally Curſed and Damned the Diſſenters, then ſtep forth, and look big, and think themſelves capable of reporting the opinion of all the ſober thinking men of the Nation; and I am the more inclin'd to believe that it is a Cabal of ſuch men as theſe, that have choſen this Gentleman for their Speaker, becauſe our own experience aſſures us, thoſe Conformiſts that are really moſt ſober, have always expreſt far different Sentiments concerning us, and we hope we ſhall never do any thing to forfeit their Friendly reſpect, but be always as ready to return, as receive it.

I muſt not omit, what this Gentleman has replyed to the Vindicator concerning the Penal Laws, as they have been executed upon Proteſtant Diſſenters; He pretends, they reclaimed many, and did a great deal towards bringing Engliſh Proteſtants to Uniformity, it was well he did not ſay to Unity, for that had been one of the groſſeſt Fallacies in the World; And I will not deny but that many Diſſenters went to Church, when they had no where elſe to go, their Miniſters being ſome in Priſon, others beyond Sea, and many not daring to ſhew their Heads, and perhaps ſome of them were forced, by thoſe ſevere Proceedings to comply further than their Conſciences could well allow, and ſuch kind of Converſions the French Dragoons may boaſt of too, but it is nevertheleſs certain that theſe things tend to alienate the Minds of Men one from another, and the preſent numbers of Diſſenters, may convince him ſuch Methods will never effect a general Unity; and it was ſome years ago obſerved in Parliament, by an Honourable Perſon. That neither the Oxford Act, 1680. Coll. of Debates. p. 211.nor that of the thirty fifth of the Queen, nor any other had ever been executed in favour of the Church, that Diſſenters were as many if not more than ever.

And the preſent Biſhop of Worceſter, will tell this Gentleman, Charge in his Primary Viſitation, p. 25, 26.That diſtance and too great ſtiffneſs of behaviour towards Diſſenters, have made ſome of them more their Enemies than they would have been; That Perſecution was a Popular Argument for them, the Complaining ſide having always the moſt pitty, but now that is taken off (ſays he) you may deal with them upon more equal Terms; Some think Severity makes men conſider, I am afraid it heats them too much, and makes them too violent and refractory.

That this Gentleman may ſee, that not the Vindicator only, but the moſt eminent Fathers of the Church of England condemn the Severities that have been uſed towards Proteſtant Diſſenters, and how unbecoming as well as imprudent a thing it is in him to juſtifie them, I ſhall leave their own Words to his Conſideration.

The preſent Arch-Biſhop of Canterbury, who Honours the Metropolitane See, more than he can be honoured by it, in a Faſt Sermon before the Queen, Sept. 16, 1691.ſpeaking of the Clergy expreſſes himſelf thus. And it can never be ſufficiently lamented, p. 158no though it were with Tears of Blood, that we whoſe particular Charge and Imployment it is to build up the Souls of men in a Holy Faith, and in the Reſolution of a good Life, ſhould for want of due Inſtruction, and by the Diſſolute and Profligate Lives of too many amongſt us, and by inflaming our needleſs differences about leſſer things, have ſo great a hand in the pulling down Religion and in betraying the Souls of men, &c.

The Biſhop of Worceſter, in his Viſliation Charge, acknowledges that the Perſecution of Diſſenters, was promoted by the Papiſts, his Words are; I hope they are now convinced, that the Perſecution which they complained lately ſo much of, was carried on by other men and for other deſigns than they would then ſeem to believe. Indeed we always thought the Papiſts had the chief hand in it, and we are glad, others begin to ſee it.

None has ſpoke more freely to this matter than the Biſhop of Sarum, in his Obſervations upon Ridleys Letter to Hooper, P. 4.he puts this Objection. But when the Clergy of the Church of England, ſaw that good and great Men and the glorious Martyrs of Jeſus Chriſt, ſuch as Hooper was, were offended with theſe Ceremonies, they ſhould have uſed their utmoſt endeavours, to have gotten them diſcharged by Law, as they were impos'd by Law, and not have left them to remain, as a ſtanding offence, and a perpetual ſtumbling block to all others of Hoopers mind.

Now to this he Anſwers: This I confeſs would be an Objection very much to the Prejudice of the Church of England, could it not be truly ſaid, that the Clergy did heartily endeavour to procure this eaſe to ſcrupulous Conſciences, though without ſucceſs, for all the eminent Biſhops of England in Queen Elizabeths time did labour in this Point, and could not prevail with the Queen to Conſent to it. And a little further blaming the Nonconformiſts, for crying out ſo much of Perſecution, excuſes it thus. If any man take my right hand, and therewith bruiſe and batter my left hand; is my right hand therefore become a Perſecutor? Is it not really perſecuted as well as the other? and has it not a fellow-feeling and ſhare of the Miſery?

and in his Exhortation to Peace and Union, God be thanked for it that there is an End put to all Perſecution in matters of Religion, P. 27.and that the firſt and chief right of Humane Nature, of following the dictates of Conſcience in the Service of God is ſecured to all men amongſt us, and that we are freed I hope for ever, of all the Remnants of the worſt part of Popery, I mean the Spirit of Perſecution.

The Seven Biſhops, in their Petition to the late King, declared they would not be wanting in due Tenderneſs to Diſſenters, but willingly come to ſuch a temper as ſhould be thought fit when the matter ſhould come to be conſidered and ſettled in Parliament and Convocation; and about the time of the P. of Orange's Landing, all their diſcourſe was of Union & Comprehenſion; inſomuch as that a Reverend Prelate told a diſſenting Miniſter, He need never to fear Perſecution from the Church of England again; adding, If any ſuch thing ſhould ever happen, let me be accounted a falſe Prephet. I hope theſe Gentlemen will not give us occaſion to p. 159ſay as Demades the Orator was wont to ſay of the Athenians, That they never came to conſult of Peace (niſi atrati) but in Mourning under ſome Publick Calamity or Danger.

Our gracious Soveraign, when P. of Orange, in his Declaration. promiſed to endeavour a good Agreement between the Church of England and all Proteſtant Diſſenters, and to cover and ſecure all thoſe who would live peaceably under the Government, from all perſecution upon the account of their Religion, and has all along ſtrictly adhered to that Royal Promiſe and Deſign; and in purſuance thereof, encircled with his Lords and Commons in Parliament, has given us our preſent Indulgence, as that which the Wiſdom of the Nation judged the likelieſt way to Unite us all in Intereſt and Affection; and I hope the Sentiments of all theſe will more than ballance what our Gentleman has offered to Vindicate the Execution of the Penal Laws, and he muſt be a man of more than ordinary aſſurance, that durſt take upon him to oppoſe his private peeviſh opinion to ſuch an auguſt and venerable Determination.

This Gent. as well as T. W. threatens the Vindicator, with I know not what rebukes from the Government, for reflecting upon the Doctrines of Non-Reſiſtance and Paſſive Obedience; but this is a Subject that has been ſo throughly canvaſs'd of late, and the Folly of thoſe Opinions (in the ſence they have been advanced) laid open, that he needs not any one ſhould defend him therein.

The Honourable Sir Robert Howard in his Defence of Mr. Johnſon's Anſwer to Jovian, takes notice of the ſame thing objected againſt him; His Adverſary had ſaid, I know not how theſe Arguments againſt Non-Reſiſtance and Paſſive Obedience can make for their Majeſties Service, and the honour of the Reformation it's poſſible the Noble Author doth.

To which Sir Robert Anſwers, I think I do, and ſhall endeavour to demonſtrate it; But firſt give me leave to be a little ſurprized that Dr. Hicks or his Friend, ſhould be concerned for His Majeſty's Service, or the Safety, and Honour of a Government which Dr. Hicks renounces: And though it ſeems he could not with a ſafe Conſcience officiate in his Calling under an unlawful Power, made ſo by virtue of the Doctrine of Paſſive Obedience; yet, he ſays, he underſtands not how the Oppoſition to this Doctrine can be for the Service of the Government; this is a ſtrange Riddle that the Doctrine of Paſſive Obedience, made Dr. Hicks againſt the Government, and yet he underſtands not how the Oppoſition to that Government can be for the Service of it.—I ſhall readily confeſs, that the Principles I aſſert are for the Safety of one of Dr. Hick's his complicated Tyrants, but they may be for a good Prince that oppoſeth Tyranny. It was againſt theſe Principles (of Paſſive Obedience) that the Nation implored and obtained Relief, and according to their Original Right fixt the Crown upon their Reliever's Head—Then he gives an Excellent Account of the preſent Government and Rights of the Subject; and concludes, I hope by this Account, I have ſhewed my Adverſary, that the Safety and Honour of this Government was procured and founded againſt his Principles of Paſſive Obedience, which had they been as Sacredly obſerved as he would p. 160have them, our Redemption had never been effected, and perhaps he had been better pleaſed— 'tis this true Underſtanding and undivided Intereſt of the King and People that muſt Secure and Preſerve the Honour and Safety of the Government, and the ſhaking of both muſt proceed from the Temptation and Apprehenſion that Paſſive Obedience and the Imperial Law muſt infuſe into the King and People.

Theſe two Pampleteers would gladly poſſeſs the Mi…s of our Governours with Indignation againſt the Vindicator, becauſe he made bold to reflect upon the Miſcarriages of our former Princes; when the Citizen forced him to ſay what he did in defence of himſelf and his Friends, whom the other had abuſed by falſly reporting Matters of Fact; for my part, I take no delight in diſturbing the Aſhes of the Dead, much leſs thoſe of Princes, but when ſuch kind of Men as theſe have ruined them by their Flatteries and infatuated Counſels, and would then caſt the Odium of all upon thoſe that are Innocent, it becomes abſolutely neceſſary to declare the Naked Truth, let it fall where it will.

And as our Preſent Illuſtrious Princes are too Juſt and Righteous in every thing to fear any future Reflections, ſo they are too Wiſe and Generous to be incens'd againſt thoſe that lay open the Faults of ſuch as have gone before, the remembrance whereof is an excellent foyl, to ſet off the unſpotted brightneſs of their own Adminiſtrations; Works of the Learned, p. 206. 1692.and it is a remarkable Paſſage which De la Croſe gives us in his Abſtracts, and fit to be here inſerted, viz. I remember a wiſe Saying of her Preſent Majeſty, which I was told four or five Years ago by a Reverend Divine who was then preſent; Some would have incenſed her Royal Highneſs againſt that famous French Miniſter Monſieur Jurieu, who in his Anſwer to Father Maimbourg, that he might the better juſtifie the Reformation in Scotland, made a very black repreſentation of their Queen Mary. Is it not a ſhame, ſaid one of the Company, that this Man without any Conſideration for your Royal Perſon, ſhould dare to throw ſuch Infamous Calumnies upon a Queen from whom your Royal Highneſs is Deſcended? No, not at all, replied the Ingenious Princeſs; for is it not enough, that by fulſom Praiſes Kings be lulled aſleep all their lives; But muſt Flattery accompany them to their very Graves? How then ſhould Princes fear the Judgment of Poſterity, if Hiſtorians were not allowed to ſpeak the Truth after their Death?

We can never thank God ſufficiently, for giving us Rulers that love plain dealing, and ſcorn to be flattered; and were it not ſo, the truth might be ſmothered, and the Nation impoſed upon by theſe Men, as it has been heretofore; they muſt not expect that our Princes will ſo undervalue themſelves as to be the Executioners of every little Menace of their own; the Royal Lyon will not devour all that the waſpiſh Jackcalls have mark'd out for a Prey: If one party Accuſe, the other ſhall have liberty to make their Defence; though it would be moſt pleaſing to our Superiours, that there might be a mutual forbearance and agreement on both Sides.

FINIS.

End of the text · William Tong, Defense of Brief Inquiry into the Nature of Schism (1693)