Moderation a Virtue, Treatise · Section 1

Moderation a Virtue · Treatise · Section 1

p. 5Sect. I.

I. Having done with Mr. Gould, with little more than a Repetition, I will consider a Charge against us, as formed into a Party, under a venerable Nick-name of Grindalizers. This Name is imprinted on us by the Author of the Remarks upon the Growth of Nonconformity. I know not the Author, and can have no pique at him for any private Offence; I cannot conceal my Wishes of him, whoever he be; I had rather he should prove to be a Lay-Person than a Preacher, and a Papist than a Protestant. He may be taken for an Author of Reading and Credit, by such as cannot trace and detect him. He handleth those Weapons against our Dissenters, which the Papists thrust at the Protestants in the former Generation, and which the Leaders in our Militant Church have twisted and wreathed like Bulrushes. For instance, his Imputations upon Calvin and Beza, are the very same which Bishop Bilson doth vindicate, in his Answer to the Jesuit, (True Difference between Christian Subjection, and Antichristian Rebellion, part 3. p. 509.) and other of our Protestant Fathers. He produceth those very Stories against the Nonconformists, which Parsons the Jesuit, Sylvester, Petra sancta, Barclay, Paraenesis ad Scotos, lib. 1. c. 3. Philanax Anglicus, and that cheating Author, called, The Image of both Churches, dedicated to Charles the First, when Prince of Wales, printed at Tournay, 1623, written (as 'tis said) by Pateson. While he exposeth the Nonconformist to open Shame, he brings upon the Stage what, and the very same Things, that the Papists fathered upon the Protestants, and Reformed Churches; and they are cleared of those Forgeries by our eminent Writers: And so the Case of the Nonconformists so far is vindicated, by Bishop Bilson, Morton's Justification of the Protestants from the Charge of Rebellion; in his Full Satisfaction concerning a double Romish Iniquity; by Dr. Andr. Rivet; Jesuit a vapulans; and Du-Moulin. Who suffers most by these Slanders, a Party of Dissenting Protestants, or the Protestant Reformed Churches? Now whether this Work be more proper for a Papist, or a Protestant, not to say a Minister of the Church of England, as some say the Author is, let the Reader judg by his own Words, from pag. 14, to 17.

p. 6A second thing that promotes the Interest and Increase of Separation, is Grindallizing. By Grindallizers, I mean the Conforming Nonconformists, or rather such as are Conformists in their Profession, Half-Conformists in their Practice. Nonconformists in their Judgment, like the old Gnostick Separatists, which the Apostle calls, double-minded Men; or like the Sinner in Eccl. 2.13. that looks two manner of ways; or like the Haven in Creet, Acts 27.12. that bows and bends to the South, and to the North, to the Church of England, and to the Kirk of Scotland, as Interest and Opportunity shall incline.

These are they which down with all Oaths and Subscriptions required, tho what they swallow whole in their Subscriptions, they mince and mangle in their Practice; they conform to all seemingly, but hypocritically; mangle the Common-Prayer, handle the Surplice gently, plow so cunningly with their Ox and Ass together, carry it so cunningly, that they can scarce be known, but per modum opinionis, by their open Compliances with the Enemies of the Church, by their Gallionism in defending the Orders and Ceremonies of the Church, and other Matters of Conformity, which require their proportion of Zeal and Resolution; by their hearing with patience and unconcernedness, the Interest, Honour, and Peace of the Church run down by swaggering Sectaries; by their talking Conformity and Nonconformity, with such compassionate and serious Innuendo's, as may sufficiently signify their favourable opinion of, if not good-will to their Cause; by their defending the popular Election of Bishops; by ambiguously representing the Separation, as if it were no Schism; by their writing fraudulent Pleas for the Nonconformists; by endeavouring to acquit the Presbyterians and Independents of the King's Murther; and in statu quo, by their Votes in chusing Parliaments and Convocations; by their being a secretis with profest Nonconformists; by their self-designing Compliances with them, under pretence of Moderation, & similibus: Whereby they contribute as much to the encouragement of Dissenters, as the professed Encouragers themselves; like King Charles's Presbyterian Murtherers, who had the Villany to manage the Contrivance, but the Cunning to disappear in the Execution. These Half-Conformists are the veriest Church-Moles, that by their blind Principles, and undermining Practices, contribute little less to the Increase and Interest of Nonconformity, to the danger and dishonour of the Church, than the open Enemy, whether Popish or Peevish. And of this we p. 7have frequent Instances, particularly in Arch-bishop Grindal, whose Indulgence to that Party gave them the first revival in England, by his conniving at the Half-Conformists of York-shire, by his complying first with Beza, in procuring a French Church setled in London, on the Geneva-Principle; and afterwards with those, who upon their return from Geneva, Franckford, and other Places, (where they lived during the Marian Persecution) were preferred in the Church, where they lived for some time Half-Conformists; as Cartwright, Minister in Warwick; Whittingham, Dean of Durham; Sampson, Dean of Christ-Church, afterwards turned out for Nonconformity, with great Numbers preferred to Cures in City and Country; where they were not wanting to prepare the People for such Innovations, as were in after-Times to be brought into the Church, and by the profest Nonconformists. As soon as Safety and Impunity permitted, they broke out into open Schism; and still when the Law's just Severity frighted them, they crept within the Pale of the Church, seeming to conform, that they might have the Law's Protection to shelter their Contempt of Authority, and under the Wing of Episcopaey to breed up their Presbytery. When Arch-bishop Whitgift's Zeal and Industry had reduced them to that, that in all probability their Ruptures were crumbling to nothing, their then Refuge was, (as Beza advised in his Letter to Cartwright) to unite themselves again to the main Body of the Church, there to be nurtured into contempt of the Churches Government, under the Indulgence of its Governors. And of this kind of Half-Conformists are those, who at this very day, by outward Conformity have Opportunity, and by masked Nonconformity want not Will, through sneaking Compliance, to betray the Church into her Enemies hands, and themselves (tho they know it not) into the veriest Contempt and Slavery. So that in this Contemplation we might (as the Church of old did by the Waters of Babylon) sit down and weep when we remember Zion, Zion (saith the Prophet) tearing her self with her own hands; or as the Tree in the Apologue, that was rent, and splint, and torn asunder by Wedges that came out of its own sides. Therefore as we would not hypocritize and dissemble with God and Man; as we would not be found Church-Traytors, that have espoused a Cause which we are afraid to defend, and ashamed to own; as we would not be found in Conspiracy against our selves, and in Breach of those solemn Oaths took at our entrance into the Ministry, by a dastardly Compliance with our own and the Churches Enemies; Let us every Man to his Tents, O Israel, with resolution and courage in gain-saying p. 8saying Seducers, in daring to look Faction in the face, and opposing it, tho never so insolent and domineering; according to the advice of Mr. Calvin to Bucer, that he should take care to avoid moderate Counsels in Matters of Religion, intimating the intense Zeal that is required in Ministers, in order to the Interest and Honour of the Church: remembring that of the Wise Man, Eccles. 2.13. Wo unto them that have a fearful Heart, and to the faint Hands, and to the Sinner that goeth two manner of ways.

Pag. 51. That the Grindallizers and Half-Conformists threaten little less to the danger and dishonour of the Church, than the open and profest Nonconformists; that their great familiarity and intimacy with, their complying and conniving at, and (instead of zealous, prudent opposition) their halting and sneaking to them, is that which cannot but work in People a love and liking to their Persons, and their Ways; and so by their Treachery within the Pale, like Moles, undermine the Foundation, when the other, like Wolves and Foxes, can but howl and foam without, the Mound and Fence of the Church being strong enough against them. And that therefore the Eye of Government had need be watchful over these Half-Conformists, as well as over the professed Nonconformists.

We moderate Conformists come, in the second place, as faulty in contributing to the Growth of Nonconformity. But who went before us in a far greater Guilt? Who but Archbishop Grindal, Queen Elizabeth, King James, yea, King Charles the First? saying, That martyred King did meerly comply himself into nothing, by his Toleration and Indulgences towards that Party, pag. 8. And goes on to shew, that Indulgence and Toleration gave growth to Nonconformity; and prescribed Means to pluck it up again, &c. And then, A second way of adding to its Growth, is Grindalizing.

Seeing the Gentleman hath set his Marking-Iron upon us, we have cause to thank him for an Honour and Dignity bestowed on us against his Will. Grindal was a most Reverend Arch-bishop, and I will not be ashamed to wear the Letters of his Name upon my Coat, tho my Coat were made of Silk; and I hope it would be not the less Canonical, I am sure not the less holy, for Grindal's Name. But whether this be more to that excellent Man's Dishonour, or to our Honour, was not so well considered of by the Imposer of it.

Grindalizer is the Badg and Cognizance, but what is the Coat? He makes us a Coat of very Rags, and the Sleeves and parts of it do not hang together by any coherent Pin or Point; it is a loose Coat, made p. 9up of Pieces of Wit and Nonsence, some taken from under the Stall, some from the Dunghill. He sets us out by many rare Qualities, which sit about us as exactly, as if thrown on us with a Fork. I hope a moderate Man may be moderately merry, and therefore there being more of spiteful Raillery, than Logick or Coherence, in the Description of Grindalizers, I'll conform a while to the humor of the Man, and talk a little idly and loosly too; and I entreat the Reader to be merry with us, and lay aside the Sourness of an Artist in Grammar, Logick, Rhetorick.

By Grindalizers I mean the Conforming Nonconformists, or rather, &c. A most clear and ingenious Entrance, to explain what he means by the Name! But there is quid nominis, and quid rei: If he give the quid nominis, then Grindalizer signifies in plain English a Conforming Nonconformist. Against the next Edition of the Signification of Words, let this Author be consulted. If the quid rei, here's a Question starts up pertly, Whether Arch-bishop Grindal was a Conforming Nonconformist, &c. like the old Gnostick Separatist? &c. Or whether the Nonconformists be such as Grindal was? (I do not mean Arch-Bishops as he was, but such Conformists as he was.) If either he was not like us, or we like him, then Harp and Harrow agree as well as Grindal and Grindalizers. But perhaps the Learned Author intended not a Logical Description of a Grindalizer, but a Poetical and Fabulous. And this I rather think, because of the Similitudes, by his Like the old Gnostick Separatist; or, like the Sinner; or, like the Haven of Creet. Now if a Man may be so bold as to look into the Mouth of this Description, here's a Set of Teeth in it, but very broken and rotten. He bites the Grindalizers on one side of his Mouth, but it slips like Brawn from between them on that side; he bites it with the other, and it shews him a slippery Trick on that side, he cannot fasten upon him there neither. A Grindalizer is like something which he never saw, but like what he doth not know. — He compares a Grindalizer to the Title of the Book of pious and worthy Mr. Cheney, the Conforming Nonconformist: Sometimes, if a Man may guess, as it were, to Men that make a Figure of a Half-Moon in the Church, such a Face is the Face of a Half-Conformist: Sometimes to a very Haven; sometimes to a Plowman, with his Ox and his Ass. But upon better study, I see he is more accurate than a Man would expect. Here's a full Description of Something. Here's a Conforming Nonconformist described, by his Profession a whole Conformist; as if a Man would take a C and a C, and turn them face to face, they will make a round O: Described, secondly, by their Practice, and then the O is p. 10slit as it were in two, and there is left but C for a Half-Conformist. Thirdly, he describes him by his Judgment, and dissects his very Soul: He is a Nonconformist in Judgment, like the old Gnostick Separatists. If he had called us by another Name, and not by a Name of Sanctity and Reverence, as the Name of Grindal is, I had not been so moved to tell him, this is like that Inhumanity of the Papists, to rake into the Ashes of Venerable Grindal, and worse, and make Dirt of his Ashes, to bespatter us with his Memory, and to shovel up the Dirt of the filthy Gnosticks, called Borboritae from their Filthiness, upon the Grave of that holy Man, and upon our Holy Profession. If this Dirt were like to stick, I would wipe it off. I pass it over. But what a monstrous Fancy hath the Man! A Half-Conformist is described by his Inside, as having two Souls; so the Gnosticks held that Man had: Secondly, by his Eyes, looking two manner of ways: Thirdly, by his Legs, bending like the Haven of Creet, to two contrary Quarters of the World. This great Wit, not having Comparisons at hand, travels a great way to fetch one, and talks like a Man of Creet, (who are always Liars, as said their own Poet.) But this is but an imperfect Piece, for all his pains. Let us borrow Hands and Legs from Mr. Gould, and then take this Half-Conformist within and without, from head to foot. A Half-Conformist hath two Souls, like the Gnosticks, but one Body; observe that: Two Eyes, or two Pair; but how placed, whether all in his Face, or one in his Neck, he doth not tell us: Two Hands, to subscribe two manner of ways: Two Legs, one for a Tub, another for a Pulpit; one to bend to the North, the other to the South. And if a Man would know how this Half-Conformist bends and bows, it is for all the World like the Haven of Creet. But if a Man may so bold as to examine the Comparison, and stay at the Haven, he might have left out the Comparison. He quotes Scripture, Acts 27.12. where we read of a Haven in Creet, which lies towards the South-West, and the North-West; the Word is, foreign, translated in English, that lieth towards, or looking towards the South-West, and the North-West. Well, but what is that to us, which way the Haven bends or bows? Yes it is, for it shews us how we bow; a Man may see it in the Haven, as in an Emblem, or in a Glass, as it were. Now who would take the Haven of Creet for the Emblem of a Grindalizer? As it bows, just so do we, to the Church of England, and to the Kirk of Scotland, as Interest and Opportunity shall incline. Now to speak, if a Man can speak seriously, we may bow as well towards Ireland, if we bow to the South-West or North-West, as the Haven of Creet doth, as well as towards p. 11Scotland, if Interest and Opportunity incline. But I cannot go along, but Questions interrupt▪ well, Question, what have you to say? why this: May not a Man bow towards Scotland, and be a good Church-man? And doth not the Kirk come to Church, and bow as formally to the South, as if it were towards the rising Sun? But to leave off this Bowing, by the Points to which he saith we bow, and because he and we do not bow one way, let him divide the Points, and take two to himself, as he assigns two to us: To us, the South and North; to himself, the East and West: The East, because both to the Altar and the rising Sun with one Bow, and the same Labour and Devotion; and if Interest and Opportunity incline, bow to St. Peter's Chair, and Church in the West. We thank him for observing our Inclinations to the South, because the Church of England is there; to the Kirk, because the Protestant Religion is there: And whether ever we bow to the East, which was idolatrous in the Persians, we will so f…bow, or rather look towards the West, as the Ethiopians do, when in their Baptism they renounce the Devil.

We have staid long enough in the Haven, let us now launch out into the open Sea of his Discourse, and wish a safe Passage, for indeed the Water is very shallow.

These are they (saith he) which down with Oaths, &c. No Sir, not down with all Oaths; Oaths to the Pope will not down, nor of Canonical Obedience to Italian Bishops, or any like them, nor Subscriptions to the Trent-Council. I hope, Sir, we have swallowed none yet but what you think safe and wholesom: and I beseech you, most candid and charitable Sir, be pleased to give me leave to ask you, Whether we swallow first, and mince afterwards? or do we mince first, and swallow afterwards? We swallow all whole, say you, in Subscriptions; All what? All Oaths and Subscriptions. By what Hocus Pocus, I pray, swallow all whole, in Subscriptions? what our Hands, Pen, Ink, Paper? what all whole, without dividing Letters, Syllables, Words, Sentences? You say, we conform to all seemingly, but hypocritically ▪ Now really, forgetful Sir, if we conform to all seemingly, we conform to all visibly and apparently; and if we down with all that is required, and conform to all seemingly, what's the reason why you call us Half-Conformists, and but half? Because we conform to all seemingly, but hypocritically? If we do all seemingly, how do you know it is hypocritically? But now, Mr. Acuteness, if seemingly … more than hypocritically, why have you made an opposition between them by your But? If they are opposite, then seemingly is … really, and if I may so speak, outwardly sincere; p. 12and so it must be, or else your But is no Adversative. Seemingly is sufficiently for the cognizance of your Court. We mangle the Common-Prayer, &c. Then first, we do not mince it: We mangle! let all Men judg who are the greatest Manglers, you or we: We read all entirely, except the Peoples Part; you read Venite, Te Deum, and the Psalms by parts; you take one Verse, or a piece of an entire Sentence, and the Clark, and a few Men and Women, and Children, take the other, and share it among themselves, hindring the rest of the Congregation, especially them who cannot read, or go along with them, from edifying by a distinct and audible reading of them. This is a plain Disorder in many Congregations, and therefore to be forborn. We read entirely; and you, and perhaps a few in some great Congregations, go away with a Wing or Leg of a Sentence; which is likest mangling?

We handle the Surplice gently say you: Is that a Fault? How should it be handled, if not gently? what rudely; scoursely? what, Carter-like! like Canvass or Fustian? The Surplice is a tender, gentle Thing, and it must be handled according to its Nature and Use. If it be clean, it must be gently touched, that it may not be defiled; if it be foul, that it may not defile. Once I was forced gently to lay by a nasty mouldy Surplice, which made me sicki… and ill; a Surplice wash'd with Lincolnshire Soap, dried at a Tur… Fire, laid up in a mouldy Chest, and strewed with Mice-T—, instead of Lavender-Flowers, very grateful to the Nose, and comfortable for the Head. Gently handled! Is that a Fault? It should be so, for the signification of it, which is Authority and Pleasure: It is made of fine Cloth, gentle Holland, or Scotch-cloth, and must last long; to handle it gently, is to handle it respectfully. But pray, Sir, how do you handle it? As some of our Brethren do, who have altered the fashion of it, from being whole before, to be open before, and button'd at the Collar, in the fashion of a Morning-Gown, turning it from a close Garment, into an Ecclesiastical Manta. And what doth that signify, but that it hangs loose upon your Brethrens Shoulders, and that it is to be laid aside? Yet that it should be thus, is not only convenient, but in some degree necessary; for else a Brother of the whole Head, in the mode of a long, decent, fashionable Perriwig, may, in pulling it over his Head, pluck off his Wig, and shew the Indecency of a bald, or a shaven Crown to his Congregation. Such Accidents have happened. It is true, that you great Men, that have Ten-Pound Men under you, as Mr. G. calls them, and the Conveniency of Vestries, may avoid that danger of a bald Discovery; but where there is none, p. 13either the Surplice must open to the right and left, to make way for the fashionable Head; or the Head gently come out of the same Neckhole it crept in at. And yet to continue a gentle Discourse upon this soft Place, give me leave to address to you by way of Conference. If you and I should discourse the Commodity of a Periwig, and the Decency of the Alb, I grant, you may discourse with a Mouth full of many Reasons for the Cap of Hair: We can produce nothing for the one, but what is old; but for the other, there are many Topicks pretty full of Arguments: As, 1. The Wig is good for Health, it may be made cool for Summer, it is warm in Winter; it makes a Man look young, when he is old; it is unlike the old Puritan and Presbyterian fashion, of wrought Caps, of double Caps, of black upon white, &c. and besides all this, it being so much in fashion, a Man looks something indecent without it: It promotes a new Trade of Hair, (Hair and Wit being great Commodities in our Days, and look how much the Hairy Cap conduceth to the service of the Head, so much it conduceth to the growth of Wit.) If a Man have a mind to hide his Head, it doth it, and so it gives a Man a kind of Protection: If a Massacre should happen, (quod avertat Deus) our Enemies may kill their Friends, and miss their Enemies. And lastly, if Interest and Opportunity shall incline, a Man may throw off his Wig, and wear his Hair, and for a time be as little known without it, as he was before with it. But what can be said for the old-fashion'd Garment? If Decency, the Periwig is decent also; it is hot in Summer, it is cold in Winter; it is chargeable to the Parish, not very profitable to the Common; one gently handled will serve an Age: It saves no Man Clothes; and there is no such need of hiding our Garments at the Parish-Charge, as there was when it had its Name of Super-pellicium, because worn over Garments made of the Skins of dead Beasts, as Durandus writes in his Rationale, lib. 3. And saith he, It is used still in some Churches, to represent Adam cloathed in Leather Garments. And it would be noted, that Durand saith, super tunicas de pellibus mortuorum animalium factas induebantur: That they did not wear them over their Leather Garments, made of the Skins of live Beasts, but dead; and gives us this for a Rationale, because the Beasts wore their own Skins as long as they were alive.

But, Sir, to conclude, having gently handled this Point long enough, I ask you, What think you? when we wear the Surplice, do we wear it seemingly? if seemingly, whether we do not wear it really? if really, whether hypocritically?

p. 14And now let us put off the Surplice, and see how cunningly we plow with our Ox, and our Ass. What! with the Ox and Ass in the same Yoak? What if the Ox be taller than the Ass? Why then if we cannot put them into the same Yoke, plow with them, as the old Irish were wont to do, tie them by their Tails. But pray, Sir, how do you use to plow in your Country? with what Ass, and whose Heiser? We in the Country of Moderation plow with Oxen altogether, and hold the Plow our selves, thresh out our own Corn, winnow it clean, and sow our Land with clean Seed, and pray for a good Harvest: And this we do sincerely, with our whole Soul, and seemingly too, because apparently. An Ass may serve to carry an honest Prophet a short Journey, but having no need of Asses for the Plow, we would accommodate you with them, if we thought you had not enow of them.

We are scarce known but per modum opinionis; we plow cunningly, and carry it cunningly, yet as cunning as we are, you are more cunning, ever to find us out per one modum or other: And for all our Cunning, you declare how we may be known:

1. Per modum Opinionis.

2. Per modum of open Compliances with the Enemies. Now here we fail in our Cunning, that we carry it openly.

3. Per modum of Gallionism. You tell us what you mean by Gallionism, and I tell you, that when we come into the Place of Gallio, to be Deputies, we will take care that there be no Insurrections against Paul; and if any Sosthenes be beaten, he shall be heard and vindicated: But we are almost all laid aside, and if Paul and Sosthenes, we cannot help them. When the proportion of Zeal is stated due to Ceremonies, we will be just, and pay it to an hair; but we cannot rail for Ceremonies, nor divide the Church for them, nor raise a War for them, nor cast our Brethren into Prisons for them, nor die Martyrs for them.

4. We are known, by our hearing with patience the Interest, Honour, and Peace of the Church run down by swaggering Sectaries. Sir, is this an Indictment, or an Accusation against us? If it be, wo ask, Will you swear to the Truth of it? or will you pawn your Verbum Sacerdotis upon it? Were you ever a Witness of our Patience, &c. in this Case? or can you produce Witnesses of it? If you can, inform against particular Persons; if not, we know upon what foot to charge this Account of us. As cunning as we are, we will not conceal, that we can distinguish between the true and real Interest of the Church, and the private Interest of some particular Men; we can p. 15distinguish between the Honour of the Church, and the Humor of some who honour themselves with the Stile and Title of the Church. We can with patience hear or read what Dissenters have to say, and think Swaggering on either side is not the way to defend or overcome. We are heartly concerned for the Peace of the Church, which we seek by Moderation, by qualifying Heats, and taking away all Matters of Contention, if it were in our Power. We think the Peace too great and precious a Thing to be hung and ventured upon Goats-hair, or any Cobweb-Devices spun out of some Mens Brains, or hung at the rotten Girdle of the Superstitious. We are for Peace upon Catholick Terms, of our Lord's making, and not private Articles of dogmatizing, proud, or melancholy Men. Diotrephes knows we concur not with him. We are careful to maintain the just Bounds of Authority, and if ever we sit upon, we will with patience bear all just Claims to Liberty. We would not lay the Vineyard waste, nor open, nor enclose it with a Thorn Hedg, to make a Separation, or exclude any that have good Right to inter-commune with us. We are for following Peace with all Men, and for parting with all that may well be spared, for precious Peace, which is of greater worth and vertue. We are so earnest to maintain the Civil Peace, that we are grieved at the unkind remembrance of our unnatural Wars, except for Caution, or Humiliation; and had rather sit cold in our Studies, than inflame our Auditors into blind Passion and Fury, or hope to warm our selves in Preferments, by temporizing Declamations. If at any time we hear Sectaries swagger, as you call it, we rebuke them: We ought with weight of Reason and Divinity to humble such, with Meekness to instruct and satisfy the Doubting; to be fearful to offend the Weak, and judg them, and heartily to wish them Soundness of Judgment, to direct honest and tender Affections. We would gladly gain and save them, and become one, and carry it to the worst of them, as St. Augustin, whom you quote, did to the Augustines.

5. You say, We are known by our talking, &c. If we talk thus, then we are known more perfectly than per modum Opinionis. Sir, we endeavour to speak of Conformity, and Nonconformity, &c. according to the true state of the Questions: and if Compassion and Seriousness be our Faults, we guess what you account Vertues, by such Innuendo's as these. For popular Elections of Bishops; we know a difference between the Election of the People, and the Consent of the People, and refer our selves to St. Cyprian, St. Augustin, and to Tertullian, &c. But as long as we submit to an Episcopacy, as chosen among us, it is sufficient, tho we may have different Opinions: And p. 16this particular is cast in, (tell true if it be not) to flatter your Patron, for an additional Corps, if you are a Church-man. And as for the Notion of Schism, we consent to the Notion of the Church, Can. 9. and Protestant solid Writers.

6. A sixth way whereby the Grindalizers contribute to Nonconformity, is by their writing fraudulent Pleas for them. Their writing! how many of them wrote the Pleas? Were they written by a Club, or an Association? I know some who had no hand in them. But why fraudulent? Either because of a mind to deceive, which you cannot know, nor bring to your Visitation? or because of the fallacious Management of them? If they plead Things upleadable, then shew them no Kindness; if things pleadable, they shew their Moderation, and a desire of Union and Reconciliation of the Difference. And let it be consider'd, the time when some of the Pleas were printed, even then Union and Moderation were coming into Fashion, I mean, when the House of Commons ordered a Bill to be brought in for Union of Protestants, and for taking away some Penal Laws.

7. By endeavouring to acquit the Presbyterians and Independents of the King's Murder. To this we say in short, We know no Man who ever endeavoured to acquit any kind of Men from that ever to be lamented Murder, that ever imagined, thought, spoke, or acted the least in it, or towards it. And for you to make a Party, and call them Grindalizers, and charge the whole Party with this, and other things, according to your fancy, is, to abuse your faculty of writing, and turn it into an angry impertinent scribble. If you will know us, and believe us, you may know us by our hearty wishing, that the Act of Indempnity, would also prove an Act of Oblivion, and that none that ever were called Christians, had at any time sinn'd against the 13th to the Romans. Were it possible for us, we had rather acquit the Romanists of the Doctrine and Practices of Rebellion, than charge them with it: and do heartily wish there may never be again such occasion or reason for an Act of Grace to any Protestants, either at home or abroad, as there was for ours. If you will not believe us, we cannot help your unbelief, but do again say, We do condemn the Criminals, as, all such were who promoted that horrid Fact, though in the remotest Circumstances; but let not all be blamed for some: at that rate the sacred Office of Apostleship shall be arraigned as guilty, because Judas was a Traitor, and Demus an Apostate.

8. (So I divide your Semi-colons) In statu quo, &c. We say we are for Persons of unstained Loyalty, of greatest Estates, and consequently of standing Interest in the Publick Good, and above the Temptations p. 17of Pensions or Honours; of Wisdom suitable to their Places; of Experience, Courage, and Conscience, that value Religion above their Lives and Fortunes.

If we had our choice of Convocation-Men, we would chuse Men sincere in Faith, conspicuous for Holiness of Conversation, sound Learning, who place their Hopes, Interest and Treasure in Heaven; who preach Christ, the Doctrine according to Godliness; who take heed to themselves and to the Doctrine, to save themselves, and them that hear them; who preach not themselves, but Christ, seek not their own, but the Things of Christ. And if I may in so serious a Point, mix your Fancy, that bend and bow not, like the Haven of Creet, to either South or North, East or West, for Dignities or Preferments; he would have Men that maintain Foundations, other than which no Man can lay; that lay the Churche's Peace and Union upon these Foundations, of one Faith, one Baptism, &c. and not upon Wires, and Pins, and Laces, and such Formalities.

9. The ninth Mark of a Grindalizer, according to my Division, is, their being a secretis, &c. There is a great cause to think this Author doth reflect upon the Debates of some of our great Divines, who have christianly joined honest Hearts to wise Heads to close up our Breaches. But what doth the Author do by this Innuendo, but discover his own schismatical Nature, against all Consultation with Nonconformists for Peace and Communion. But how are they a secretis? How doth he know it? Was his Soul ever with them? By what per modum doth he know the secret Counsels? per modum Visionis? simplices Intelligentiae? Suspicionis? Revelationis? or per modum Observatoris? Or how come you to know these close Cabals? Speak your own Knowledg, or upon certain Information; Have any of them blabb'd any thing to you? or told you all, under an Obligation of Secrecy, which you keep by printing it? Up what Chimney did you creep? behind what Curtain? under what Bed? thorow what Hole did you hear the Consultation? Have you intercepted Letters? broken open Seals, and discovered us? Sir, we can see into the bottom of your Inclination; no doubt but you would suggest the Nonconformists to be big with Evil Purposes against Church and State; and that we are in with them; we can english your a secretis to be so; but we will answer to any charge against us of any evil Conspiracy at any time.

10. By their Self-designing, &c. Sir, Moderation is the Temper we would attain to; it is the Duty we study, and our sincere Exercise, and not Pretence. But what are our Self-designs by Moderation p. 18and similibus? Do we design to make Nonconforming Arch-bishops and Bishops, and hope to be their Sons in Law, their Chaplains, or to rise with them? You said we plowed cunningly, carried it cunningly; but now it is not as much as seemingly cunning; we have not as much as one Ox in our Team, but all Asses; if this be our Design, we shew our selves to be half-witted as well as Half-Conformists; by this self-designing, were we self-designing-Men, we would write as you do; we understand the way on't, but you know and take it. And because Similitudes do illustrate, he compares us to King Charle's Murderers, &c. You know you dare not name one Man alive, of those you call Grindalizers, for it will bear an Action too heavy for your Shoulders. We had been sorry, if the Papists had done such a Fact open-faced, more sorry that any English-man, under any Denomination whatsoever, did contribute a Word to it, or think a Thought of it. And we are desirous to acquit all that can be acquitted from so scarlet a Sin and no more. Who were in the Contrivance and Execution, who disappeared, and who appeared, was best known to his Gracious Majesty, Privy Council, Parliament, and Honourable Court that sat at Hicks's Hall, upon the Trial of the Regicides, Octob. 1660. And according to the degrees of Guilt, we find some excepted, and some prosecuted, condemned, and executed; and if there had been but One, that One had been too many. And it would well become us to be as tender of Mens Honour, as our merciful King, and wise and just Judges, were of the Lives, Fortunes, and Honour of Offenders. If there be any sence in this Paragraph, the sence of this short cut-throat Sentence would be this, if there be any thing in it beside slander upon slander, malice upon malice, to make the odious Comparison perfect; 1. The Dissenters are without distinction, Presbyterian. 2. All the Dissenters are Presbyterian Regicides, or like them. 3. There are some that contribute to the encouragement of these Dissenters, and others are profess'd encouragers of them. 4. Either one or both of these, are like those Presbyterian Murderers of King Charles. 5. Those had the villany to manage the Contrivance, but the cunning to disappear in the Execution. The Apodosis or reddition of this Comparison, should be some such thing as this. 1. The Grindalizers do either contribute to the encouragement or are profess'd encouragers of these disloyal ill-principled Dissenters: But how? By their moderation & similibus. But, pray Sir, in what capacity do we Church-Moles contribute to their encouragement? In the capacity of Church-Moles in black Coats, or in some other colour? In the capacity of Subterraneous p. 19Moles, throwing up the Mole-hills for the Dissenters to build Garrisons, Forts, and Castles upon, or at least to build Meeting-places upon? 2. These Grindalizers have only the villany to manage the Contrivance: But, good Sir, of what? To disappear in the Execution; but still, Sir, of what? Is it left to the Reader's understanding, and charity, to make what he pleases of it? Now here's cunning and no cunning in the Church-Moles; cunning to disappear, and no cunning in disappearing; for the cunning would be not to appear at all, and then they could not disappear: but to disappear, and for this quick-sighted Friend to see them disappear, is too open a disappearance. The Comparison is lame: but what is wanting in the Square of the Comparison, is made perfect by his great love and kindness to us. But, Sir, for all love, be pleased to discover the Contrivance, and then to follow the Disappearing, till you make it to appear. And further, either you know the Contrivance, or do not know it? if you do, and have been a false Contriver with us, be honest and spare not: if you have not, let the Reader make his Consequence. Either you know the Encouragers, or the Contrivers, or do not know them? If you know them, tell; if you do not know them, keep silence hereafter. We Moles have Noses though we have no Eyes; we smell your rank Uncharitableness, though we cannot see your Art: but we never yet did smell those Foxes that you pretend to unkennel; and so in one respect we have neither Eyes nor Noses like yours: and we hope we shall make better use of such Senses we have, than you have done. But whether your Comparisons hit or miss, smite or smite not, be sure to beat out this Conclusion, That there are no Villains, much more villanous, than the new Sect of Grindalizers, that's the scope of all your Comparisons. But, Sir, if a Man were to thatch a House, if he lay on, like a Thatcher, too great a Burden, the Timber will fail him, and either down comes Thatch upon the Thatcher, or the Thatcher upon his Thatch: Even so if a Man lay on great and heavy Comparisons upon crazy or rotten Spars and Timber, down comes the Comparisons, and the maker of them. Build with better Timber, before you venture to thatch and cover your Building with Comparisons.

If all these Lines were Non-sence, we could laugh at his Childishness; but containing Slander, Jealousy, and Malignity, we will pray to be deliver'd from such Men, and wish him a better Mind. After a long-winded draught of Poison, vomited upon us, he takes breath in a shorter Sentence; wherein we are dignified and distinguish'd with other Names, and represented as little better than popish or peevish; and p. 20what should the Scope of this Period be, but that Mole-catchers, and Mole-Traps be provided for us? We thank him however for his great care of the Church, whatever become of us. But I go on, And of this, &c. Now what should be the Substantive to this Article this, is hard for us blind Moles to find. It should be some Word or Sentence supplying the place of a Substantive of the singular Number, but half-Conformists, Church-Moles, blind Principles, undermining Practices, the plural Number; nor contribute, a Verb, cannot agree with it: What then? what shall it be? Nonconformity, Danger, Dishonour, open Enemy, or what should be the Substantive, or Antecedent to the Article or Demonstrative, This? But we will not stand upon This, but follow him through his History, as a Mole-catcher doth his Mole. And refer all he hath said;

1. To his Matters of Tale-telling, instead of History.

2. To his Application.

1. And in this oppose Truth to his Falshood. Altho we are not baptized in the Name of most Reverend Grindal; we honour his Name and Memory, and take this true account of him: Had King Edward the sixth lived, he had been Bishop of London, upon the Translation of Bishop Ridley to Durham. He was a Confessor in Queen Mary's Reign; he was a Disputant for his Religion in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's Reign, and promoted by her first to London, then to the Arch-bishoprick of York, and thence to Canterbury; he was a right, famous, and worthy Prelate; his care was great to further the Glory of God; but through envy of Ill-willers, his Power was but small; his Place was high, but himself made low by some Disgrace by Potent Adversaries, which he meekly and patiently endured to his dying day. (Mark) during the space of this Man's Troubles, Jesuits slocked into the Kingdom, and the Faction at home grew bold. This is the Testimony which is given him by Mr. Tho. Rogers's Preface to his Exposition of the Articles to Arch-bishop Bancroft: How Grindal contributed you see by this Testimony. Hear Mr. Cambden's Character and Report of him; Edmundus Grindallus Vir pius & gravis. He flourished a good while in the Queen's Favour, until he fell quite out of it by cunning undermining Arts, as if he favoured the Conventicles, and Prophesyings of turbulent Ministers, but indeed, the true Cause was, because he condemned the unlawful Marriage of Julius an Italian Physician with another Man's Wife, the Earl of Leicester vainly labouring to the contrary: Camb. Ann. 1583. What those Prophesyings were, and what an excellent p. 21Mind he had, may be seen in his long and good Epistle to Queen Elizabeth, in Fuller's Church History: Also you may see in what Honour he stood in the Minds of the Fathers and Clergy of the Church of England, by a Letter written by Toby Mathew afterwards Arch-bishop of York, in the Name of both Houses of Convocation to the Queen, humbly beseeching the Restauration of the Arch-bishop. But had those Bishops and Members of that Convocation known as much as the Author of these Remarks, or cared as much as he doth for the Danger and Honour of the Church, they h…d not written on his behalf certainly. Grindal had such an Estimation of Bishop Whitgift, then in the time of his Troubles, that he with other great Men were desirous of his Promotion to Canterbury, and Grindal would be content with a Pension, but Arch-bishop Whitgift utterly refused so to do; Sir George Paul in the Life of Arch-bishop Whitgift, p. 26. See now how the whole Convocation by their Letter, and Whitgift by his refusal, did contribute to the Indulgence, by desiring the Restauration and Continuance of Grindal in his Place; and for all I see, if Grindalizers do no worse than Grindal, the Church may be safe enough. Ay, but this Remarker sees more into the ways of the Church-Moles, than they themselves do; and more into the Church-story of those times, than we do. Grindal's fault was, first in complying with Beza in procuring the Settlement of the French Church in London. Where note, if it was a fault to admit a Church on the Geneva Principle, is it not a Grindalizing in our Arch-bishops and Bishops to suffer it now? Here's Charity to reformed Protestants! 2. In complying with the Protestants that returned from Frankford; but did he promote Whittingham to be Dean of Durham, Sampson to be Dean of Christ-Church? was he Patron of all the Preferments? &c. But it's remarkable, how closely he follows the Clew of History. Cartwright was none of the Exiles in Frankford. 2. Was not preferred to Warwick, neither by him, nor in his time, but by Arch-bishop Whitgift: And if Grindal was a Grindalizer, Whitgift was, for he plac'd Cartwright in Warwick, and was by his Connivance, a cause of what Mischief Mr. Cartwright did; and the Queen was offended with Whitgift for conniving at Cartwright, as Sir George Paul writes in the Life of Arch-bishop Whitg. p. 55. And now we Church-Moles have by the Candlelight of History found, that Whitgift was no better than a Grindalizer, and so one of us.

But saith our Author, that when Arch-bishop Whitgift's Zeal had almost crumbled their Ruptures into nothing, then their Refuge was, (as Beza advised Cartwright in his Letter) to unite themselves again p. 22to the main Body of the Church, &c. Whereas indeed upon Examination, I find two Letters written by Beza to Cartwright, in my Edit. of his Epist. From former times he descends to ours, and in Contemplation of our betraying the Church to our Enemies, and our selves into the veriest Contempt and Slavery, he might, as the Church by the Waters of Babylon, sit down and weep when he remembers Zion. But Sir, you say, you might sit down; but have you sate down and wept? and wept to remember Sion? wept at the Waters of Babylon; or sate down with Pleasure to drink of the Cup —? I can find no sign of Harp upon the Willows, that dance after a Pipe, &c. Thus for your Historical Pains.

2. The Application follows. Therefore as we would not Hypocritize, &c. and why not Grindalize? waving little things, we say, 1. To your Tents O Israel, was the Speech of Jeroboam casting off the House of David: And therefore, If Grindalizers must be our Name; We Grindalizers declare this to you, that we will not to our Tents,11King. 12.16. for we have a Portion in David, and an Inheritance in the Son of Jesse. We will not follow Jeroboam, and worship his Golden Calves? Are you thereabouts with your Calves? The Oath which we have sworn unto David, we will by God's Grace perform; we will not comply with our Enemies, nor cut off our Friends; we will gain-say seducing Spirits, and look Faction in the Face: We will follow the Advice of Calvin to Bucer, in the things he wrote of, which were not to avoid moderate Counsels in matters of Religion. To endeavour by all means, ut ritus qui superstitionis aliquid redolent tollantur medio; to take away all Rites that favoured any thing of Superstition. This I commend unto thee by Name, that you may free your self from Envy, with which many lead you, for they do always entitle you either Author or Approver in all moderate and middle Counsels. Nam mediis Consiliis, vel Authorem, vel Approbatorem semper inscribunt Calvin Bucero. And therefore we will let our Moderation be known to all Men, altho we will never reconcile the Articles of the Church to the Council of Trent, according to sancta Clara, no Cassandrian Grotian, Consultation and Reduction.

And now I must leap over the rest of your Book to your Conclusion, where you give a kind Farewel.

In your Conclusion, you thus commend us to the Eye of the Government, not for Favour and Preferment, except it be that which the Nonconformists are dignified with, and distinguished by; which being dissected, presents to our View, 1. The profest Nonconformists threaten Danger and Dishonour to the Church. 2. Grindalizers p. 23and Half-Conformists threaten little less. 3. That their Halting and sneaking works in the People a Love to their Persons and Ways. 4. By their Treachery, like Moles, undermine the Foundation within the Pale; when the other, like Wolves and Foxes, can but howle and foam without the Mound and Fence of the Church, being strong enough against them. Whence the Inference is plain, that if it be time to use the utmost Severity of the Laws against the Nonconformists, some Course must be taken with Grindalizers, as really more dangerous, as undermining the Foundation within, when the others do but foam and howl without. But what can be done with us without another Act of Parliament? And how can that be without a new Parliament? For we conform seemingly, and what can be done with such? But behold the Spirit of the Man!

To conclude, 1. We protest against his Power of imposing Names. 2. We reject his Characters, as Slanders. 3. We see what we are to look for, from them that are of the whole Head, the whole Blood, Church-men, as they call themselves, by an eminency and appropriation, if all should be of this Author's mind, who needs as much Mercy, as they to whom he affords but very little Respect or Kindness.