A vindication of the letter out of the north concerning Bishop Lake's declaration of his dying in the belief of the doctrine of passive obedience, &c. : in answer to a late pamphlet, called, The defence of the profession, &c. of the said Bishop : as far as it concerns the person of quality. Eyre, William, 1612 or 13-1670. 1690 Approx. 81 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 18 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2009-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A39119 Wing E3946 ESTC R6258 12416764 ocm 12416764 61692 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A39119) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 61692) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 889:2) A vindication of the letter out of the north concerning Bishop Lake's declaration of his dying in the belief of the doctrine of passive obedience, &c. : in answer to a late pamphlet, called, The defence of the profession, &c. of the said Bishop : as far as it concerns the person of quality. Eyre, William, 1612 or 13-1670. 35 p. Printed for Awnsham Churchill ..., London : 1690. Reproduction of original in Huntington Library. Attributed to William Eyre by Wing. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Lake, Arthur, 1569-1626. -- Defence of the profession. Church of England -- Clergy. Obedience -- Religious aspects -- Christianity. 2006-11 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2006-11 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2008-03 Elspeth Healey Sampled and proofread 2008-03 Elspeth Healey Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-09 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A VINDICATION OF THE LETTER out of the North , Concerning Bishop LAKE's Declaration of his dying in the Belief of the Doctrine of Passive Obedience , &c. In Answer to a late PAMPHLET , called , The Defence of the Profession , &c. of the said Bishop . As far as it concerns the Person of Quality . LICENS'D , Jan. 27. 1689 / 90. LONDON ; Printed for Awnsham Churchill , at the Sign of the Black Swan , near Amen-Corner . 1690. A VINDICATION OF THE LETTER out of the North , &c. DEAR SIR , I Deferred my Thanks for your Last , till I could tell you I had received the little Pamphlet , wherein you thought I had some concern , therefore if this appear a slow Return to yours , you are to blame the Carrier's pace , which was not like to mend in so bad Weather and Ways . But this is to own that I yesterday received it ; and being at present from my own House , and wanting the convenience of my Books and Papers here , I thought it better to give you an account of those things which a first and second Reading suggested , than to take a longer time to consider of it , and thereby raise your Expectations beyond what I can come up to . But besides , the Letter you sent me being both without Date and Licence , I know not how long I may have been in this worthy Author's Debt , and therefore make all the haste I can to get out of it . For altho I did not intend to have troubled either him or the World with any more of my Pamphlets , yet the Respect that he is pleased to shew to my Quality , is so particular and obliging , that I was afraid I should have disperaged my Breeding , if I had not made my Acknowledgments for it . I might indeed have returned his Complement , and begg'd your Pardon for giving you a trouble for which there is so little occasion ; for I believe there are some that think his Letter does as little need an Answer as mine did . But I 'le assure you I am very sensible of his Favour in taking notice of such a Trifle , when so many learned and weighty Treatises lie by him unanswered ; therefore shall not suppose he pick'd mine out because it was the weakest , but because there was something in it that deserved an Answer . But yet I must not be so vain as to assume all the good Language in the Book to my self ; for , to speak the Truth , he has pretty equally dispenced his Favours between three of us ; but mine being the largest Part , I shall leave the other two to answer for themselves , while I admire the Author's dexterity in knocking down three at one blow ; I have indeed heard of killing two Birds with one stone before , but three at a time , besides routing a whole Party , is so extraordinary , that I begin to fear Bombs will come in fashion in this kind of War also , for one single Bullet could never have made such Destruction : But if there be such Execution by the by , alas , what will become of me , against whom the murderous Engine was directly levelled ? But you will suppose that I have a little too much business on my hands to make a long Preamble , therefore shall proceed to the Letter , and take it as it rises . And in the first place , he presents us with a short , and so very short an Account of the good Bishop's Life , from his Cradle to his last Sickness , that I have nothing to except against it , but that it is no longer ; and to beg leave to inform the Author a little better in one Passage of it , which I must confess I did a little wonder to see insisted on , because that of his exposing himself to the Rabble was not by his Friends look'd on as the most prudent Act of his Life . But the Truth as well as the Short of the Story , is this : They have for a long time at York had a Custom ( which now challenges the Priviledg of a Prescription ) that all the Apprentices , Journy-men , and other Servants of the Town , had the liberty to go into the Cathedral , and ring the Pancake-Bell ( as we call it in the Country ) on Shrove-Tuesday ; and that being a time that a great many came out of the Country to see the City , ( if not their Friends ) and Church ; to oblige the ordinary People , the Minster used to be left open that day , to let them go up to see the Lanthorn and Bells , which were sure to be pretty well exercised , and was thought a more innocent Divertisement than being at the Alehouse . But Dr. Lake , when he came first to reside there , was very much scandaliz'd at this Custom , and was resolved he would break it at first dash , altho all his Brethren of the Clergy did disswade him from it . For altho they had as much Zeal both for the Honour of God and the Church as he could have , yet being better acquainted with the Temper of the People than he was , they knew it would be a vain , as well as hazardous thing to attempt it : but all their Arguments could not prevail , for he was resolved to make the Experiment , for which he had like to have paid very dear , for I 'le assure you 't was very near costing him his Life , and others too , that in kindness came at first to disswade him , but had much ado to secure themselves . But however he did make such a Combustion and Mutiny , that I dare say York never remembred nor saw the like , as many yet living can testify . But how well soever the good Man designed in the thing , ( as I verily believe he did ) yet his Zeal was so indiscreetly managed , that it had like to have produced the worst of Mischiefs ; and therefore in some Peoples Opinion , that were better Judges of the Fact than I was , he did not deserve any Encomium for it . But however at this time it would not be very reasonable to follow such an Example , which was all I took notice of it for . The other memorable Thing he relates , of his entring into Episcopal Orders in the time of the late Distractions , is truly praise-worthy , altho he is not the only Man that did it ; for I know one that now fills as eminent a Place in the Church as Bp Lake ever did , that did the same thing , and that under more discouraging Circumstances , for he had not only the Danger of the Times to contend with , but was to reject the Importunity of his Friends also , nay more than that , to overcome himself , and root out all those Prejudices that a contrary Education ( for he was brought up a strict Presbyterian ) and Prepossession had implanted in him , which were indeed such Difficulties as might have discouraged any body but himself , but by God's Grace he overcame them all , and is now as useful , as eminent in that Church , to which he dedicated himself six years before K. Charles the 2d's Restoration . But I do not say this to derogate from Bp Lake , for the more Instances the better , of such heroick Vertue ; therefore could have wish'd that our Author had given us a larger Account of that excellent Bishop , whose Life I dare say might have furnished him with a great many more remarkable Passages ; however I think there is nothing more that I need insist upon in the first Part , for I do not know that I ever questioned either the Bishop's making of the Profession , or the Solemnity of the Circumstances with which it was done , therefore must crave leave to tell my Author , that he has a little mistaken the Point , for 't was not the making , but the publishing of it that I excepted against : for to another body it would be pretty evident that it was only the publishing of it that seemed so unaccountable to me , although indeed it 's a Parenthesis , and only in that , is said , That there seemed no greater occasion for the making of it , than there was for my Lord Archbishop to put out Manifesto's to tell the People he is suspended on the same account . ( for these are the very Words of the Letter : ) and where the great offence of them lies , or the angry Objection against the making of the Protestation , I must confess I do not yet see . For I hope the putting him in the same form with his Grace of Canterbury , could be no Affront or Disparagement ; however I dare say the good Bishop would not have thought it so . But the Person of Quality is upon all occasions so extreamly obliged to this worthy Author , that 't is all one what I say , for even my own Encomiums meet with this Return ; for these are his Words , His Civility and due Respect for the Memory of the late Reverend Bishop , I should with all Thankfulness most readily acknowledg , if I could think it not designed , with the better Grace and more Ceremony , to cast a blemish upon one of the last and most solemn Acts of his Life . But I wonder how long he and the Person of Quality have been so intimately acquainted ; for although I am sure he does not know my Face , yet he pretends to know my Heart a great deal better than I do my self , ( if the Inferences he is pleased to make in this and some other Places are true ) for I can assure you he tells me of Designs I never thought on . But since he makes such Objections ▪ I hope he will take care to answer them , for I thank God I am not at all concerned to do it . But in the mean time he did very well to slip his own Neck out of the Collar ; and though he pretends to answer my Letter , yet waves the main Point , which was the Design of publishing the Protestation ; which he tells us does not at all concern his Friends , who had no hand in it . But truly that would hardly be credible , if he did not affirm it ; for not many lines before , the Person of Quality is accused for designing to cast a Blemish on the last and most solemn Act of his Life . Upon which , if this be true , it seems his Friends set no very great Value ; for methinks 't is pretty odd that what was signed and asserted so solemnly , should be immediately so exposed , that the Witnesses and Friends , should neither know how , nor why it was made publick ; but that was a Query that I believe it was not convenient to answer , and so did very well to start a new Question ; and although he will not tell you why the Profession was publish'd ( though he knows it as well as most Men in England ) yet he will tell you as good a thing , and that is , the reason why the Bishop made it . But before he can do that , he must have t'other fling at the Person of Quality , in whom he has made such Discoveries , as I dare say , you in so many Years Acquaintance have never made . But Quality indeed , were a very desirable thing , if it would make one more sagacious than other People ; but poor I , am like to lose my Gentility , because I am not so quick-sighted , as to see what is so obvious to Persons of less Rank and Quality , than I would be thought of ; for still he will be divining my Thoughts , but has hitherto been so much out , that I would not advise him to set up for a Fortune-Teller , of all things , unless he can make better Guesses at other Peoples Hands , than he has from my Writing : for although I do extreamly value the Esteem of good Men , yet I never desired either to be , or to be thought a great Man. So that without any Offence , he may believe me a Chimney-Sweeper , or a Cobler , if he pleases . But now he tells us , That all Men of Reason , knew that the Reasons for the Doctrine of Passive Obedience could not be contained in so small a Compass , and are not well consistent with the Design of a Profession . But if the Design of it was to give the World Satisfaction , and that in a Controverted Point , which was no Fundamental of the Faith , nor any way essential either to the Being or Well-being of the Church ; then I cannot think it would have been superfluous to have subjoined the Reasons that made him of that Opinion , rather than of the other . For there being as many great and good Men too , of the other Side , Bishop Lake's bare Name and Opinion is not of Weight enough to turn the Scales , and so we of the Laity must still remain in Suspence : For we must dissent from some of our Reverend Fathers in God , let us take which side we please ; and being willing to hear both , should have been very glad to have seen the Bishop's Reasons for his adhering so stifly to that Doctrine . For , with Submission to the Reverend Author , what Satisfaction soever it might give the good Bishop in the making , the publishing has not given the World very much , for it only tells us , That he lived and died in that Opinion : For really , I cannot yet see any great Weight in that Argument of his having been bred and born in it ; Nay , indeed , I think it is no Argument at all ; for it being common to all Religions , cannot be a Proof of the Truth of any . And those which do lay any great Weight upon that , I should suspect had but very little to say for that Religion , or Opinion , that must be adhered to only on that account . But to prove the Properness of the Argument , the Author is pleased to cite the saying of St. Polycarp , Who when , at his Martyrdom , he was offered his Life if he would revile our Saviour , answered , That he had now served him 86 Years , and he never did me , says he , any Injury , and how can I blaspheme my King and my Saviour ? This was ( adds my Author ) thought so considerable , as to be recorded in Ecclesiastical History , and delivered down to Posterity . Though I suppose it can be no more imagined that Christians only lived then to 86 Years of Age , than that only Men of the Church of England now are bred and born in their Religion . But what then ? for really he would have obliged such a dull Creature as the Person of Quality is mightily , if he would have told him the Inference that he is to make from this extraordinary Comparison : For all that I can make of it is this , In Polycarp's Days , other People besides himself lived to be 86 Years old . Ergo , Bishop Lake's being bred and born in the Doctrine of Passive Obedience , is an undeniable Proof of the Truth of it . And in his next Paragraph he brings another Evidence for the Antiquity of it , that I think is not much short of this , as to the end it was designed for ; for he tells us , The Bishop had lived to hear it affirmed , that Passive Obedience was a Doctrine of but 40 or 50 Years standing . But his Testimony alone being sufficient to confute that Error , it was most proper and requisite for him to aver , that he was educated in that Doctrine , and that it was not only as old as he could remember , who was now 65 Years of Age , but that it was taught him as an ancient Doctrine . And this , Sir ( says he ) was the way of maintaining the Truth of old , by pleading against Hereticks . What ? by bringing a Youth of 15 Years old ( for Bishop Lake was no more 50 Years ago ) to depose for the Antiquity of a Doctrine , and by the single Instance of his being brought up in it , prove the Universality of it . And if this be such convincing Evidence of his side , and if he would please to give us leave to bring in our Witnesses , 't is possible we might produce as ancient and authentick Persons , who would tell us another Story . Although truly for my own part , I can easily believe the Doctrine to be of a much ancienter date than fifty Years , and 't is possible might be taught by some from the Reformation . For there was some reason to cajole Henry the Eighth , and so to make him more favourable to them , they might tell him what good Passive Subjects they were like to make ; which was a thing he liked very well , and therefore it might be a prevalent Argument with him to encourage them as much as he could ; but for all that , I am very far from believing it was the Faith of the whole Clergy , either then , or at any time since ; but yet believe it gained more ground since King Charles's Restauration , and was more generally received than ever it was before ; but yet for all that , Sir , I am sure that both you and I know some of the eminent Fathers of our Church , who never owned it in that Latitude that Bishop Lake and some others preach'd it up at . But after all , the Truth is , no Doctrine ought to be valued for the Antiquity , but the Truth of it . For at that rate Heathenism might claim the Preference to Christianity , because 't is certain it had the Precedence of it ; but Truth is Truth , though reveal'd but yesterday , and Error not the less Error ( but the more to be avoided ) for being of some hundred of Years standing . But for all those weighty Reasons for the Bishop's making this Profession , I cannot say that I yet see any Reason to change my Opinion . For I do still believe that his submitting to a Suspension , was a more convincing Proof of his Opinion , than a thousand Volumns ; nay , I will say , than a thousand such Protestations : For I dare appeal to the Author himself , whether if Bishop Lake had not submitted to Suspension , he would have believed this or any other Protestation of that Nature that he could have made ; so that it still seems very evident to me , that though he made it to please himself , yet there was no Necessity on the Bishop's Account to make it publick ; the World being as much satisfied of his Opinion as they could be . But although the Author does not think fit to tell us what were the Designs of publishing it , yet he is pleased to quarrel with the Inferences I make from it , but how justly , you shall see presently : For I thank him , instead of confuting , he has confirm'd my first Inference , so that truly I have no Reason to be offended , although he says he has now found out the Cause why I am so . But at this time the Person of Quality is not a Community , but speaks only for himself in his private Capacity ; so that I dare not undertake for others , to whom perhaps he has given Provocation enough : but they being to be Judges in that Matter , I have nothing more to say to that , only to observe , that instead of denying what I charged the Profession with , the cutting off the Clergy in Queen Elizabeth's Days , he does now absolutely cut off the greatest part of our Clergy now , that is , I am sure the major part of the Bishops of this Kingdom , from being true Sons of the Church of England ; for which , if you please , you may read his own Words ; where repeating my first Inference , which was to suppose that the Protestation did insinuate that from the beginning of the Reformation , ever since the Church of England was restored to its Purity , Passive Obedience was the Corner-stone of it , for 't is call'd ( though he omits that Clause , which perhaps is the Reason he does not understand the Epithite ) the distinguishing Character of the Church of England . To which he replies , That whatever my meaning may be in calling it the Corner-Stone , he must tell me plainly , That Passive Obedience has been ever the Doctrine of the Church of England . And when I say afterwards , So that it seems none were accounted her true Sons , that did not hold it ; if he means , that none besides were accounted to hold her Doctrines whole and entire , or to hold all the Truth which she teaches , the Design of the Paper is to assert it too . But here I must admire the Author's Cunning extreamly , though I cannot much commend either his Ingenuity or good Nature ; for although he does very peremptorily in his own Name tell the Person of Quality plainly , That Passive Obedience has been ever the Doctrine of the Church of England , yet he is so kind to Bishop Lake as to allow him the Honour of condemning all that did not receive it : For he owns it was the Design of the Paper to assert they were not true Sons that did not . But , first , I would know by what particular Priviledg it is , that Bishop does take upon him to censure so many of his Brethren ; and in the next Place I would be willing to be informed what Authority the Author had to pronounce such a Sentence against so many of his Superiours . But whether he will think fit to answer these two Queries or no , we have got a good Experiment by the by ; for although at first he pretended Ignorance as to the Design of publishing the Paper , he now owns it with a Witness , by which it seems the Person of Quality was not so very much out in his Guess ; but however , he did very wisely to lay all the Blame on the poor Bishop . But by the Treatment the Living Clergy receive from him , you may suppose the Dead had not fared much better ; for they had all certainly been cut off at one slap , but that , by good Fortune for them , he can bring them over to his Party . But that is the thing now to be examined ; though having not at present the command of my Books , ( as I told you at the beginning ) I shall take the Gentleman's Quotations , hoping he has dealt a little more faithfully with his Authors , than he has with the Person of Quality in some places , as I shall shew hereafter . And since for Expedition-sake I allow all his Citations ; all that remains for me to consider , is , Whether his Inferences from them will hold or no. And in answer to what I urged of the Clergies giving Queen Elizabeth three such considerable Subsidies on the account of her assisting and protecting the Scotish and French Protestants , &c. he is pleased to undertake to prove two things : First , That Queen Elizabeth did not assist the Scots or French in any Rebellion , but always declared the contrary . But before he comes to that , he is to premise two things , which I shall very willingly yield him ; The First is , that for Soveraign Princes in War to serve themselves of the Treachery and Revolt of another Prince's Subjects , is no more than what is always done , and is by the Law of Nations held lawful , and the necessity of Affairs seems to require it . Secondly , That it is lawful for Princes to make the best Terms they can , for Subjects that have been serviceable to their Interest in a just War , tho by Rebellion against their own Prince . And now it may not be amiss to collect the Observations these two Positions will afford us : for the Premisses being granted on both sides , I hope the Conclusions will not be denied by either . And from the first we may infer that 't is not only lawful , but sometimes necessary , to encourage Rebellion in a neighbouring Prince's Kingdom ; or else I cannot very easily imagine what he means by saying , The necessity of Affairs seems to require it . For it seems the Good and Preservation of a Nation is a thing of such vast Concern , that Princes are dispensed with , and not obliged by the Rules of common Justice ( as he himself tells us in the same page . ) And since he is pleased to grant this , I know not why he should stick at the further Consequence , which he is sensible does naturally enough flow from the former , and therefore would prevent the Objection : And says , 't is no good Consequence that Subjects may rebel , because foreign Princes may take advantage by their Rebellion to recover their own Rights , or to secure their Dominions . But if it be lawful for a King , for the Security of his own People , to raise or foment a Rebellion in his Neighbour's Country , I cannot see but it may be as lawful for Subjects to assert their own Rights against their own Prince , as it is to secure themselves by setting others Subjects against their King , unless he will please to say that Subjects have no Interest nor Concern in the common Safety , but are obliged to stand still to have their Throats cut , which would be a pretty odd Superstructure upon the Foundation he just now laid . For surely the Dispensation that he says is given to Princes , by which they are exempt from following the Rules of Common Justice , was not given on their own but the Peoples account . And if a petty Prince may lawfully engage all the great Kingdoms of Europe in War and Confusion for the Security of his own Subjects , shall the Rights of those Subjects be so inconsiderable to them , that they must lose them tamely , if their Prince should mistake his Office , or misemploy his Power , and subvert those Rights he is obliged to maintain ? For although , by our Author 's own Position , Kings may lawfully do unjust things for the Preservation of the Rights and Liberties of their Subjects ; yet neither this Author , nor any I have yet met with , will say that it is lawful for a King to destroy his Subjects , or subvert the Government , although indeed some have said that we ought to submit and be passive if they will do it . But truly our Author has given us too high a value of our Priviledges ( which it seems are to be preferr'd before our King's Virtue and Justice ) to make us part with them so easily . But perhaps we may be a little mistaken in the Nature of Rebellion , and it may not be so great a Sin in some Countries as others ; and so we may lawfully excite them to that which we are not to commit our selves : But besides that , this is a little too much encroaching upon the Devil's Office , who was first known by the name of Tempter among Men , ( and truly much upon the same score that he allows Princes to do it for the Preservation and Enlargement of their own Dominions ) but besides this , I say , if it be but a small Sin in comparison in other Countries to what it would be here ; yet since our Saviour hath told us , Mat. 5. 19. That he that teacheth Men to break one of the least Commandments , shall be the least in the Kingdom of Heaven ; I thought this had been as standing a Rule of the Church of England as Passive Obedience it self . For to make another body sin , I always thought not a lesser , but a higher Guilt , than to commit it my self , having his Fact , as well as my own Contrivance , to answer for . For I think I may as lawfully be drunk my self , as designedly make another so . And in another Vice , the Procurer is thought more inexcusable and odious too , than the Party that employed them , who may perhaps be under a greater Temptation . But however , this is evident , that 't is not the doing of the thing , but the taking pleasure in them that do it , that is by the Apostle , Rom. 1. 32. set down for the highest pitch of Sin and Wickedness . Therefore if , as our Auther has observed , the necessity of Affairs should require us to become Tempters , let us not assume the other part of the Devil's Title , and turn Accusers of our Brethren also , and condemn them for that to which we have betrayed them , but find some gentler Name for that which our Author grants may not be only useful , but sometimes necessary , for the Preservation of a Nation . But although I have been longer on this than I designed , yet I must not wholly balk the second Position , for that will afford us some very useful Observations , for he tells us , 'T is lawful for Princes to make the best Terms they can for Subjects that have been serviceable to their Interests in a just War , though by Rebellion against their own Prince . From which we may gather , that our Author thinks it possible for Subjects to be engaged in a just War against their own Prince : And if they may with Justice fight against their King for another Prince's Right , I cannot at all understand why they may not for their own . For surely the Safety of my own Country ought to be dearer to me than all the World besides ; and I have more Reason to defend the Rights and Priviledges of that , than all the Princes Titles in the World. But if our Author should not allow all the Inferences I have made from his Concessions , yet I have a great deal of Reason to thank him for them , because they will not only be of use to me hereafter , but do at present in great measure supercede what I should else have said to his History . For 't is perfectly indifferent to me , whether Queen Elizabeth did assist the French and Scotish Protestants or no , since by his first Position he grants , She might have serv'd her self of the Treachery and Revolt of other Princes Subjects . For 't was the lawfulness of the Action , and not the Fact it self , that was the great point in question : and since he allows she might have assisted them , though they had been Rebels , we will never quarrel about it , whether they were so or no. For truly , the Person of Quality is very well pleased that he has so learned an Author of his side , that proves all he desires should be asserted in the point : For since he will allow the French Protestants were not Rebels , because they had the Law of their side : Nor were the Netherlands guilty of Rebellion against the King of Spain , because he first acted contrary to the Laetus Introitus , and disengaged them from their Obedience , when he had broke the Condition of it . If he will but please to be as gracious to his own Country-men , and allow them the benefit of their own Laws , and suffer the Oaths of Princes to be as binding in England , as it seems they then were in Spain , I know no body that will desire any more of him . Nay , I will go farther than this ; for if he can name any one Person that was a Rebel to King James after the Allowances above are granted him ; rather than he should go unpunish'd , I think I should be his Executioner ; for I hate those that rebel against , and break the Laws , as much as the Author can do : And since Rebellion is so horrid a Sin , I would not have England to have the Enclosure of it ; but only desire that we may be allowed to fight for our Laws and Liberties , as other Nations do , without being thought Rebels for so doing . But if our Author will not allow us the same Priviledges he gives to all the World beside , there would be some reason to suspect that he designs us the Monopoly of that he so exclaims against ; and is so particularly kind to his own Country , as sometimes to lay them under the unhappy necessity of being either Rebels or Slaves . And I have something the more Reason to fear this , because I find he is not so sollicitous to clear the Scots from the imputation of Rebels , as he is the French and Dutch. But let them be what they will , you see 't is evident Queen Elizabeth did not assist them ; she only furnish'd them with Men , Money , and Ammunition . And when the Queen of Scots came and flung her self into her Protection , and implored her Aid for restoring her to her Crown , she then asserted her Cause with a witness . For had that unhappy Princess trusted to the Mercy of her Subjects , as great Rebels as they were , I am sure they could not have treated her worse than she was used by that Queen , who our Author tells us , always declared against any Protection of Subjects in their Resistance , which she always called Rebellion . But I suppose Princes are no more obliged to speak Truth , than they are tied to do Justice ; for which our Author gave them a Dispensation before . But I think it now time to proceed to the 2d thing he undertook to prove , which is , That it was the Doctrine of the Church of England at that time , that it is unlawful for Subjects to resist , and that therefore our Divines justified the French and Dutch no otherwise than upon Principles which are consistent with this Doctrine . And truly if our Author hold in the same mind he was when he promised the two Positions ( before enlarged on ) and acquitted the French from Rebellion , because they had the Law of their Side ; and the Dutch , because their King had forfeited his Right to their Obedience by breaking his part of the Pact and Stipulation between them ; I do not see but he and I shall agree in this , as well as the Divines of this Age do with those in Queen Elizabeth's Days . For I suppose the Convocation at that time did approve of Bishop Bilson his Sentiments as to that matter ; for the Author tells us the Book was perused and allowed by publick Authority , and also dedicated to the Queen ; so that it seems to be that which they were all willing to stand by . And I heartily wish that all our Bishops would do so too , and make that very Passage he cites out of Bishop Bilson the Judg of the Controversy ; for then I think it would be pretty soon decided ; and therefore I shall transcribe the Place in the very same words he has done , page 33. In France , the King of Navar and the Prince of Conde might lawfully defend themselves from Injustice and Violence , and be aided by other Princes their Neighbours . If the King , as too mighty for them , sought to oppress them , to whom they owe not simple Subjection , but respective Homage , as Scotland did to England , and Normandy to France , when the Kings notwithstanding had bitter Wars each with other . The rest of the Nobles that did assist them , if it were the King's Act that did oppress them and not the Guises , except the Laws do permit them means to save the State from open Tyranny , I will not excuse ; and yet the Circumstances must be fully known before the Fact can be rightly discerned , with which I confess I am not so exactly acquainted . Now in this Passage here are three several things observable . First , He absolutely acquits the King of Navar and Prince of Conde , but their Associates only upon Supposition , that the Law permitted them to oppose the King's Tyranny ; but the Guises Oppression they might without Law. But although the Bishop says , he will not excuse those that resist the King without Law , yet it is pretty remarkable that he seems to suppose that even in such a Case , there may be Circumstances which may render them excusable , and which ought to be fully known before the Fact can be discerned , and therefore he does forbear passing his Judgment on them , because he is not thorowly acquainted with the Circumstances . And now were all our Divines of this good Bishop's Faith in this Point , or at least had they but his Charity , and would not condemn their Brethren before they understood the Cause , they would certainly understand one another a little better than they do , or however there would be no Divisions nor Schismes about it , which God grant they do not now make in the Church . But whatever others do , we are I hope sure of our Reverend Author , for he has proved that the Clergy in Q. Elizabeth were of his Faith as to this Question , therefore should have thought it unnecessary to have said any thing more , but that for the Authors Information , I must answer an Objection or two about David , whose Example though so much recommended , might perhaps carry us farther , and give greater Liberties than the Person of Quality ever desired ; for I 'le assure you , defensive Arms will at any time content him . But our Author is pleased to ask how it appears , David took up defensive Arms , for the Homily tells us of no such thing . But I can tell him of as Authentick a Book that does ; nay that tells us a little more of David : for if he will please to read 1 Sam. 28. 2. and 29. 8. he will find it was not David's Fault that he did not use offensive Weapons against Saul , if fighting against him be to be called so ; for if we may believe his own Words , he certainly intended that as you may see , 1 Sam. 28. And it came to pass in those Days , that the Philistines gathered their Armies together for Warfare , to fight with Israel : and Achish said anto David , Know thou assuredly , that thou shalt go out with me to battel , thou and thy Men. And David said to Achish , Surely thou shalt know what thy Servant can do . And Achish said to David , therefore will I make thee Keeper of mine Head for ever . And in Pursuance of this we find David and his Men attending Achish ( the very Day before the Battel ) as his particular Guard , which perhaps might be one thing that disgusted the Lords of the Philistins so , that they would not let him go to fight with them ; and Achish against his Will is forced to dismiss David , whose Expostulation , Chap. 29. 8. is very remarkable , for I think 't is one of the most passionate things of the kind I have met with ; And David said unto Achish ; But what have I done ? and what hast thou found in thy Servant so long as I have been with thee unto this Day ? that I may not go fight against the Enemies of my Lord the King. And Achish was forced to command him a second time , for you see he disputed the first ; which satisfies me that he was in earnest , and was unwilling to return . And now what can be said against so plain a Text ? For my own part I can foresee but two things : the First , That David did dissemble with Achish , and did not intend to fight : but that I think is a very unworthy Thought , for David had been a very base and ungrateful Man to have either deceived or betrayed Achish , who had given him Protection , and was so truly kind to him . The second thing is , That a Subject may list himself under a Forreign Prince , and in his quarrel lawfully fight against their own King ; and if so , then all that listed themselves under the Prince of Orange , might still be as good Subjects to King James as David at that time was to Saul : And as to the proof of his taking up defensive Arms , he may find that 1 Sam. 22. 2. And every one that was in Distress , and every one that was in Debt , and every one that was discontented , gathered themselves unto him , and he became Captain over them . And here is as formal levying of War , as I think can be desired , and if it was not to defend himself , I know not to what purpose it was ; for if he desired only Flight , he might have done that safer as well as privater by himself than with an Army . Nor was that Army of any use as to the gaining of the Crown after Saul's Death ; for God commanded him to go and live at Hebron ; where the Men of Judah of their own Accord went down and made him King , as he will find 2 Sam. 2. So that so many hundred Men from the beginning to the ending were of no use unless it were to defend him against Saul ; and that he did design to have garison'd Keilah , but that God told him the Men of the Place would betray him : I think nothing can be more evident from any Text , in Spight of all the Author's Comments . But now he refers me to the last Homily against Rebellion , as I did him to the second ; and asks me , whether King John's Subjects took up only defensive Arms ? But by Bishop Bilson's excellent Rule above cited , neither he nor I ought to judg them because we do not , nor cannot know all their Circumstances : For Historians are seldom so impartial as to give us all things in their true Colours . But the Design of that Homily was only to shew the Intolerableness of the Romish Yoke , and how impossible it was for them that depended on and obeyed the Pope to be good Subjects . But as for King John himself , he had been as great a Traitor , and used him that should have been his Soveraign , as ill as his Subjects could do him ; for all the World knows that he first usurp'd the Crown , and then killed Prince Arthur that was the true Heir . And truly if their present Majesties would have pursued King John's Method , they might before this have had as indisputable a Title , and had as much Right to have been called Natural Soveraign Lord , as King John had . But shall they have the less Respect , and be the worse thought on , because they spared the Life of our late unfortunate King , and suffered him to escape when he was in their Power , nay would not abridg him of his Liberty , although they knew he would use it against their Interest ? If this be the Quarrel that the Clergy have against King William , I shall admire their Politicks a great deal more than their Divinity . But to return to King John : What Cause our Ancestors might have to repent them of their Wars against him I know not , but I believe their Posterity think they have not much , for it produced those great Priviledges wherein the English Subjects glory . The Charter obtained from him being the first part , or first Draught if you please , of the famous Magna Charta , confirmed afterwards by Henry the 3d. whom the Homily might have cited as well as King John , if it had been the Subjects Rebellion , and not the Pope's Usurpation that they designed to declaim against . But although I am very far from justifying all that was done in those two King's Reigns , yet I think verily the Author would have a harder Task to perswade the People of England to give up the Advantages they hold from it . And I think I may undertake to call back both King James and Popery ( for they deceive themselves that think they are to be separated , for could they have been divided he need never to have forsaken his Crown and Kingdom ) when he shall prevail with the People of this Nation to give up their Magna Charta : For if the former never return ( as I pray God they may not ) till we are willing to part with the latter ; both the Author and I may have Reason to say as Hezekiah does , Isaiah 39. Good is the Word of the Lord , for Peace and Truth shall be in my Days . But although 't is a very true Rule that we must not do Evil , that Good may come of it , yet when Evil is done ( especially if without our Consent ) it is certainly very lawful both to enjoy and rejoice in that Good which God Almighty by his infinite Wisdom shall bring out of it ; and if our Author is so tender conscienced , that he is of another Mind , and will not receive Advantage from any thing which springs from other Peoples Sins , he must not only deny the Priviledges of his Birth-Right as an English-Man , but even his Christianity also : For was there ever so horrid a Sin as crucifying the Son of God ? And yet what a lost undone World has this been , if that had not happened ? And although for ten thousand Worlds I would not be the Traytor Judas , nor any of the impenitent Jews , yet with what Hallelujahs ought we to celebrate that Divine Goodness , that from Man's greatest Sin , and the Devil 's highest Malice could thus work out Mans Salvation . And indeed Events of this Nature seem to be the great Abyss of God's Wisdom , as well as Goodness , which Man 's shallow Reason must never pretend to sound : but however we may adore what we cannot comprehend , and with the Apostle cry out , O Altitudo , Rom. 11. 33. Oh the Height and the Depth of the Riches , both of the Wisdom and Knowledg of God! How unsearchable are his Judgments , and his Ways past finding out ! And perhaps this might be a better Employment for all our Thoughts than to censure and quarrel with our Brethren , because they are not of our Sentiments in all Points , and if they think themselves so much in the Right , yet pray let them remember the Apostle's Rules , That they which are strong ought to bear with the Infirmities of the weak , and not to please themselves , Rom. 15. 1. And he also commands the Galatians , that they bear one anothers Burdens , and so to fulfil the Law of Christ . But alas , instead of following this Method , we rather chuse to imitate the Scribes and Pharisees , who by laying heavy Burdens on other Mens Shoulders , thought to discharge their own Duty . But for all they sat in Moses's Seat , yet all their Comments on the Law were not true , nor were all Conjectures false that contradicted their received Opinions and Infallibility ; which being no more intailed on the Chair now , than it was then , it would be very happy if all sides would remember and observe Gamaliel's Advice to the Jews , who said very well when he told them , Acts 5. 38. If this Counsel and Work be of Men , it will come to nought ; but if it be of God , ye cannot overthrow it , lest happily ye be found to fight against God. Therefore it would be Piety as well as Discretion for both sides to attend a little , and not divide from , much less fall foul upon one another , till they are sure that by so doing they shall not oppose God also . Although I must confess I have some Temptation to believe from what has already happened , that it is the Lords Doing ; and that upon this Consideration , that all the ways of returning to King James , are guarded by the blackest and foulest Sins that a Nation can possibly be guilty of ; and you must break thorow , that is commit all of them before you can open any one Door for his Return . For 1st . There would be the greatest Falseness , and highest Ingratitude in the World , against a Prince that put his Life in his Hand , and exposed his own Person to the greatest Hazard to rescue a perishing Church and sinking Nation . 2dly . No Person can so much as treat of such a thing without incurring the Guilt of Treason , for by the ancient Laws of the Land 't is Treason to conspire against the King de facto . Then 3dly . There would be the same Guilt of Perjury in breaking an Oath to him as to King James . 4thly . They must betray God's Church , and the true Religion , and give up their Country to Ruin and Devastation ; and consequently have all the Blood to answer for , that should be shed in such an unhappy Revolution : So that were King James's Return a good Worth projecting for on other Accounts , yet that standing Rule of St. Paul's , That you must not do Evil that Good may come of it , ought to deter any body from attempting it ; but when the thing it self , if compass'd , would be the greatest Mischief , it would then be the greatest Height of Madness as well as Sin to go about it . For can any body think that the destroying a Church and Nation , nay extirpating the true Faith out of the World ( that is , as far as we can go towards it ) is so meritorious a thing , that it will legitimate the use of those means , which it was not lawful to use , no not for the planting of the Gospel ; and if any Man can think this but a Jesuit ( for a good honest moral Papist I believe will not ) I should indeed think it a great Infatuation ; but however that would not alter the Nature of things , but my Rule would still remain unshaken ; for the way to Duty always lies plain and open , so that he that runs may read . And although sometimes it may be attended with Sufferings , yet I am confident never any Person had the fatal Necessity of sining laid on him , to enable him to discharge any Part of his Duty to God or Man. But I beg Pardon for this Digression which proved longer than I at first designed it , but yet I shall not think it impertinent if it proves useful to the undeceiving of any that have been carried out of the way by the specious Pretence of Loyalty . But to return to my Author . And the next thing we are to consider , is the Epithet of the distinguishing Character of the Church of England ; and you may remember that I ask'd you whether you thought it necessary for particular Churches to have particular distinguishing Doctrines ; for that to me it appear'd so far from necessary , that I thought it very inconvenient . But he tells us as to that , Whether distinguishing Doctrines be convenient or inconvenient , it is according as the Doctrines are good or bad . No doubt it is inconvenient to have bad distinguishing Doctrines , but it is as certain that it is very convenient for a Church to have distinguishing Doctrines , provided they be good ones , unless a Church can be obliged to err for Company , and to avoid Distinction . But I would be very glad to know upon what Thesis it is he grounds this dogmatical Conclusion , That a Church must needs err that holds only the Catholick Faith , and has not some particular Doctrine of its own to distinguish it from other Churches by . This did not seem to be the Rule of the Apostles , who when they were to preach to all the World , were so afraid of Distinction and Divisions in their Churches , that before they parted , it is generally supposed they agreed of a common form of Words ; which they all delivered to their Converts , and was not to be the distinguishing Doctrine of any particular Church , but the common Badg of their Christianity , and is I suppose that to which St. Paul refers , when he charges his Son Timothy , to hold fast the form of sound Words , which thou hast heard of me , 2 Tim. 1. 13. and he also tells us , that the Design of his leaving him at Ephesus was , that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other Doctrine , 1 Tim. 1. 3. And the first Request that St. Paul makes to his Corinthians , is , That you all speak the same things , and there be no Divisions among you , but that you be perfectly joyn'd together in the same Mind , and in the same Judgment , 1 Cor. 1. 10. And this being a thing of such extraordinary Concern , he does not only make use of his own Authority , but as it was the Custom of the Jews to adjure by the Name of God when they would oblige any Person to answer truly , as the High Priest did to our Saviour , Mat. 22. 63. So how the Apostle ushers in his Request with the same Solemnity , Now I beseech you , Brethren , by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ : thereby to oblige them the more carefully to observe what he says , from which you may guess how far he was from thinking distinguishing Doctrines necessary , that he would not tolerate them . And if Unity were so necessary among Christians then , is it less so now ? Or what Necessity is there of being so uncharitable as to suppose all the Churches erroneous in their Creeds but our selves ? That 't is now convenient for particular Churches to make new Articles of Faith , and have their distinguishing Doctrines , unless they will be obliged to err for Company . I thought it had been all along one of the great Charges against the Church of Rome their making such large Addenda's to our Creed , and making the Belief of some Points necessary to Salvation , which neither our Saviour nor his Apostles taught : and that Churches abounding so with distinguishing Doctrines , and imposing them upon others for Catholick Truths , has formerly been look'd upon as one of their great Errors ; but I perceive , Sir , that was a great Mistake , for this Learned Author tells me , That although the avoiding Distinction does not very well agree with the Practice of the Primitive Christians ; yet it agrees admirably with the Principles of Popery thus to avoid Distinction , which has its Numbers to boast on , when nothing else can be said . But if their Unity and Number is the only thing that the Author has to object against the Papists , I could as soon be reconciled to their Uncharitableness as his ; for Heaven I perceive is to be the Enclosure of his distinguishing Doctrines , or at least no body is to be thought a Member of the true Church , unless they hold that , and this strange Uncharitableness is that which does convince me of the great Inconvenience of distinguishing Doctrines ; for generally speaking all sides are so apt to value themselves upon them , that they are ready with the Men in the Prophet Isaiah 65. 5. to cry , Stand by thy self , come not near me , for I am holier than thou . And did we press our selves only for doing our Duty , and adhering to our Common Creed , it might be the more pardonable : But alas , 'T is not the Faith that was once delivered to the Saints , Jude 3. that we thus earnestly contend for ; for a Man may hold all that , and yet be pronounced a Heretick , unless he chance to agree with them in all their Opinions , which are now to be the Standard of our Faith. But whether the breach of Charity and Unity among our selves , is the readiest way to build us up in our most holy Faith , our sad Experience will I doubt too soon shew . But however , sure I am it does not agree very well with Saint Jude's Method , ver . 21. who bids us keep our selves in the Love of God , and then we may look for the Mercy of Christ unto Eternal Life . But because it is so possible to deceive our selves , Saint John has given us an infallible Criterion , whereby we may know whether we love God or no , for he tells us , 1 Epist . 4. 20. If a Man say he loveth God , and hateth his Brother , he is a Liar : for he that loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen , how can he love God whom he hath not seen ? Therefore this Commandment have we from him , that he that loveth God , loveth his Brother also . Therefore since God has made our Brother , as it were , his Proxy to receive the Proofs of our Love to him ; and our Saviour has made it the Badg of our Discipleship , By this shall all Men know that you are my Disciples , if ye love one another : It is very unhappy that those that pretend to be so , should set up another Touch-stone for the Trial of their Sincerity , and think to approve their Love to God by their Zeal against their Brethren , if they chance to dissent from them in a bare Opinion . Although our Saviour did not say , by their Faith and distinguishing Doctrines , but by their Love to one another , Men shall know whether you are my Disciples or no. Therefore I think it is not strange if no Church be fond of those Opinions that will engage them to deposit their Charity ; and if they are , 't is certainly their Failing , not their Excellence . But now it seems I am to beg the Author's Pardon , for thinking that the distinguishing Doctrine of such a Church had been that which was peculiar to it ; for it seems a distinguishing Doctrine is that which they held in common with other Churches , which truly I did not understand before . And if this Doctrine be so , yet the appropriating of it to one , looks as if they had a mind to have the Enclosure of it . But I skipped one short Paragraph , wherein our Author , according to his fair way of treating the Person of Quality , has jumbled two Texts together , which were cited on different Accounts , as will be apparent to any body that consults the Paper . For when from our having but one Lord , one Faith , one Baptism , I was willing to infer the reasonableness of being ( or at least endeavouring to be ) all of one Mind . I did not think that had been such an Error as stood in need of a Confutation . But now he asks , And must not then those , that held one Lord , one Faith , one Baptism , necessarily distinguish themselves from all that held more than one ? But I think there is distinction enough made to our Hands , for those Hereticks that first set up those Errors , and separated from the Church on their account , I hope were distinguishable enough from the true Church ; and if others hold two Gods , or first Principles , with the Manichees , must I therefore have a particular Doctrine to distinguish me from that Church that holds but one ? And because some are to blame in making Factions , and crying up Apollos , or Cephas , must I for fear of mixing with them , distinguish my self from those that are of Christ ? For , God be thanked , there never yet was a time that Truth was left so without witness , but that there was a true Church , to which if we adhered , we need not set up distinguishing Doctrines for our selves , the Inconvenience of which I am now more than ever satisfied of . And now he should come to my second Inference , but he passes it over very gently , only denies the Consequence , for he saith , This doth not imply that all who have taken the Oath , have thereby renounced the Church of England . And in this I must own the Author's Candor , for I believe , Sir , you know some that are of another Mind , and that have urged this very Profession of Bishop Lake's to prove it . Although I never said it was Bishop Lake's Opinion , as he very unjustly accuses me , and although the Charge is some pages off , yet belonging to this Point , I think I may under it , take the opportunity of clearing my self . His Words are these , But when this Gentleman must needs know that his Lordship at the same time received the Holy Sacrament at the Hand of a Reverend Divine who has taken the Oath , to insinuate that he would hardly allow those who have taken the new Oath , to be so much as out-Liers of the Church of England , is a thing I confess I can scarce reconcile to any degree of Charity . But yet I do not question but that all I there said is full as consistent with the great Doctrine of Charity , as first the making a Falsity , and then charging the malicious Inferences of it on their Brother . But I must confess this is a sort of dealing that I did not at all expect from so ingenious an Adversary ; for I know there were weak Places enow in my Paper , that he needed not have been reduced to those pitiful shifts : but the confuting of the Paper would not satisfy , unless he also laid an Odium on the Person , whom I am sure he does not know , but has the good Fortune to have a beter Character from them that do . But the Passage to which he refers , and does so falsly render , is this : After the Story of the dying Papist , I say , That I am confident the Bishop would not have approved of the Argument , had I turned Papist on that dying Man's Declaration . But it seems some think it no great matter what we turn now ; for I hear some are so exceeding fierce , that they will hardly allow those which have taken the new Oaths , to be so much as Out-Liers of the Church of England : And then I add immediately after , But although the indiscreet Zeal of some have made them so uncharitable , I am far from supposing it the Temper of all the worthy Men of that Party . Now I 'le be judg'd by all the World , what there is in this Clause that refers to Bishop Lake , or does so much as insinuate that he was one of those fierce ones : nay , any one may see that I take particular care to free the worthy Men of it ; and if our Author will take Bishop Lake out of that List , and number him with the indiscreetly zealous , ( who are the only People I charge ) I cannot help that ; but be it known to the World , that is his doing , and not mine . But although he accuses me for want of Charity , I think I shall shew that I have a great deal , since I can forgive this . For as I thank God I am ( whatever my Quality is ) above such mean Tricks , so I am above revenging of them too , for such Crimes are commonly their own Lictors . For I am confident he will suffer more by it than I shall , therefore 't is generally my Pity and not my Anger that it excites on such occasions . But now to return , if this be a Digression , I am glad to find our Author think that there are so many accounts on which the Oaths may lawfully be taken , but it is not my Task to examine any Man on which of those different Hypotheses they took it ; for having satisfied the Law , and I am so charitable as to believe their own Consciences also , I have nothing to object against it . For I am so far from disapproving a tender Conscience , that I would have all the liberty in the World allowed to those who are truly so ; so that his Question was a little superfluous as to me , And must those of the Church of England only not be allowed to have tender Consciences ? But I am really sorry to find that any of the Church of England should think they are abridged of the liberty of theirs , if they may not declaim against all those that dissent from them ; for as I think the Author is very free , so I think 't is very fit every body should enjoy their own Sentiments , and I hope I shall not be denied the Liberty I grant , but that is only in private ; for I know no necessity of imposing them on others , nor condemning all that do not approve of them . And that is the main , and indeed the only Exception I have to Bishop Lake's Profession ; for I did suspect , and the Author himself is so ingenuous as to own , that the design of the Paper was to assert that none were true Sons of the Church of England , ( that is , as he himself explains it , did not hold her Doctrine whole and entire ) that did not hold the Doctrine of Passive Obedience in the same sense Bishop Lake did . And now I cannot but say this looks assuming enough , but however our Author assures us , that the making this Profession , was the most proper , and the most seasonable and charitable thing a dying Bishop could do , to declare that nothing but Conscience was the Cause of his Refusal . And although I do verily believe it might be so in the good Man's Intentions , yet I cannot not say it was so , or was likely to be so in the Effects , although we are told it was an Action that did naturally tend to our Peace . For a Surgeon may wish very well to his Patient , and yet mistake in his Applications ; for if he use Corrosives , where Oil and Balsam were needful , he will be more like to fester than heal the Sore . And truly I must needs say , that a dying Man's entring a Protestation against a whole Party , looks as it were designed to perpetuate , not compose a Dispute : However I am sure it is much properer for the former than the latter . For the shortning of this , ( which much exceeds the Bulk I designed ) I have been forced to skip whole Pages , to lay those things together that belonged to one Head , but having all along cited the Author 's own Words , I hope I have done neither him nor the Reader much injury . But now we will go a little back , and pick up what may be of use in the way . And in the first place , I am very well pleased to find him so much concerned for any thing that reflects on their present Majesties , but I am half afraid lest some that should have more Wit , teach us of the Laity the ill-breeding he talks on ; for I could tell him of one , that in the Convocation said , the King had sent them a bantring Message , and they had sent him a bantring Address : But I suppose the Gentleman does not value himself so much on his Jest , but that he is willing enough to have his Name conceal'd . But however , it would be well if the Clergy would set us better Example , although I cannot justify any body for following their ill . I do not at all question what he says of the Dissenting Bishops , for did they but once own themselves to be their Majesties Subjects , I do verily believe they would be as good , if not better Subjects than any they have ; and I am confident one might take their Words in the point , and not exact an Oath from them , if that be all they scruple at , with which they might long ago , I believe , have been dispensed , had they offered any other Security . For I believe their Majesties have as great Respect and Inclination too for the Bishops , as the Bishops can have for them , and particularly to him that he mentions , to whom the whole Nation must ever own a great Obligation , for his Care and Diligence in so well principling the two Royal Sisters ; and 't is a great deal of pity he should deny them the Satisfaction they would take in repaying his great Service . There now follow some Pages , with which I think I have little to do , he that is concerned in them being so able to answer for himself ; but yet rather than have nothing to say to the Person of Quality , he will quarrel with him on his Friend Julian's account . But had the Author observed the Rule he imposes , and not made use of any Arguments that had been urged before , I believe the Person of Quality's part would have been much shorter in his last Pamphlet than it is . But however of all things I thought the Laws and Statutes of a Nation had been in common , and not like a Terra Incognita , only to be appropriated to the use of the first Discoverer , that is in this case the first Citer . But that he may not fear that I should hereafter make any Encroachments on the Prerogatives of so good a Friend , I shall ( and I am sure with Truth ) declare that I am not only a Stranger to his Person , but also so much to his Writings , that I never heard of the conceit of grinning Honour before , but from Sir John Falstaff in the Play ; but however I do believe 't is a very good Jest , because so ingenuous an Author repeats it so often . But for any thing more , I shall say as the Parents of the blind Man did , Ask him , he is of Age , let him speak for himself . But it is well if I can do so for my self , for my hardest Task is yet to come , for alas , I am to answer for a whole Community ; for at last our sagacious Author has discovered that the Person of Quality is so : though to tell you truly , I never knew before that I had Pigs in my Belly , much less that I was with Child of a whole Corporation . But although 't is against the Canon , I doubt I must answer for them all my self , for I fear the Author will not be so kind as to be Godfather to any of my Productions , so I must provide for them as well as I can . But since Charity begins at home , I must first consider my self in my private Capacity , and in that am resolved ( as he sees ) to be as passive as he himself can desire : And altho 't is possible I may have more than one Title to be distinguished by , yet truly I will not vie with the Author in that point , to which purpose I will tell him a Story : An unlucky Fellow met with Doctor Harding on the Road , and knowing that he had divers Preferments , he rides before to the Inn , and told the Host there was a great deal of Company to come to his House that Night , and therefore bid him get all the good things he could provide for Supper ; for , says he , there is the Parson of St. Martins , the Dean of such a Place , the Prebendary of another , and so reckoned up all his Places . And at this rate 't is possible the Author may much better deserve to be thought a Community than poor Me ; but however I shall answer his jocund Discourse a little more seriously . And I am sure I need not tell him that a new Relation does also lay a new Obligation and Duty , and that sometimes so contrary to the former , that what was a Vertue and commendable in one State , may be really a Fault in another . As for Instance , for a single Man to give all his Goods and Possessions to charitable Uses , is counted a great and heroick piece of Charity ; but should the same Person marry and have a great many Children , should he by his Charity disenable himself from providing for his Family , if he will take St. Paul's Word , That Man has denied the Faith , and is worse than an Infidel , for those are the Words of the Censure that he passes , 1 Tim. 5. 8. on him that provides not for his own , especially those of his own House . So that we may see what a vast difference an additional Relation makes in the self-same Action . And me-thinks I should not need to apply this to the Point in hand ; but because he is so apt to mistake the Person of Quality's meaning , I shall tell him that when there is nothing but my own Right in question , I will quietly sacrifice that to my King's Pleasure , and for my Countries Peace . But if I am in a Publick Office , and made it were a Trustee for my Country , to look after and maintain its Rights and Priviledges , neither Fear nor Favour should ever prevail with me to part with one Tittle of it . Therefore I think the House of Commons have proposed very well to lay a Brand on them who did voluntarily deliver up their Charters , and thereby betray those Liberties they were sworn to maintain : for , for my part I cannot understand why I am not as much obliged by the Oath that I take for the Defence of my Country , and the maintaining of the Rights and Franchises of such a Town , as I am by the Oaths of Allegiance to the King ; for if the King break his Oath , and infringe those Liberties he has sworn to protect , yet I do not see how he can absolve or dispence with mine , unless we make him Pope as well as King. But however , if that Doctrine of Passive , or if you please we will call it Implicit Obedience to the King is binding , I cannot see how 't is possible for the Subjects to avoid Perjury under such a Reign as our late King James ; for was it not as downright Perjury for a Mayor of a Town to deliver up the Charter he was so solemnly sworn to maintain , as it would have been to have resisted the King in the Defence of it ? But this of being perjured , take which side you will , is such an unhappy Necessity , as I believe God never laid on any one ; therefore suppose that in such Exigencies there is yet a way to extricate ones self without committing the Sin. And truly to do the Author right , I have not met with a better Resolution of the Law , than what he himself thinks fit to urge in the behalf of the Netherlands , when they flung off their Subjection to the King of Spain ; and if he will please to apply that to his own Scruples , I think he need not go any further for a Solution , therefore suppose it superfluous for me to say any more on that Point , for if he will not be his own Convert , I cannot hope he should ever be mine . And now , at last , SIR , we are come to the concluding , and , as he calls it , stabbing Question of London-Derry . But really , Sir , the Person of Quality had no such murderous Intention , but since the Weapon was so in its own Nature , it was very happy it fell into such unskilful Hands , for else no body knows what Execution it might have done . But how ill soever I managed my Dagger , I perceive he is a little afraid of it , and will not come near the Question ; but that he may be sure to be out of my reach , he is sending me as far as Troy. But methinks I need not go so far for the Answer of one poor Question . But here our Author is forced to his old shifts of shuffling and packing the Cards ; for he has really the best Faculty of singling out one Line out of a Sentence ; and lest it should not appear ridiculous enough by it self , joins it to another I know not how far off , to which it had no Coherence , as he has done in several others as well as this place : for my Query is in these very words ; Whether they did not both wish and pray , that London-Derry should be delivered out of the Hands of those merciless Butchers ? And this the Excellency of their Temper , as well as their Christianity , obliging to , I cannot at all question but they did ; nay , I verily believe they would have gone farther , and assisted them with their Purses , if they had known how to have conveyed them Relief . And how faithfully he renders it , and how fully he answers it , you shall guess from his own Words , which I 'le assure you are transcribed a little exacter than he does mine : It is , says he , the Duty of Christians to pray for Righteousness , and Truth , and Peace to all Mankind : How strange a Question is it therefore to ask , Whether the suspended Clergy did no● both wish and pray that London-Derry should be delivered out of the Hands of merciless Butchers ? ( for those is to be left out in that place for some Reasons best known to himself . ) He believes they did , because there were many thousand innocent Persons whom they never saw , and who never did them any wrong . And now I will appeal to my Reader if here is not a Passage as faithfully cited , and as well applied as ever he saw . For let the Question be what it will , it would be pretty much if it be stranger than the Answer : So that I think the suspended Clergy are not much more obliged to him , for bringing them in so needlesly , and using such weighty Arguments in their behalf , than the Derry-Men , as he says , are to me . There is only this Difference , that by his own Confession mine may be urged for any Place , but truly I know not for what Place or Subject his was calculated . But if what I said of Derry may be applied to any other City in their Circumstances , I see not where the Injury would be to them by it ; nor do I very well discern how the Bigness or Distance of the City should add weight to the Argument , tho to tell him truly , I am very glad I had no occasion to instance nearer home , tho I care not how soon I may in all the Cities in Ireland , provided they conclude as happily . But now was it not very kindly done of our Author , who had so little to say for his own Tribe , to furnish the Inhabitants of Derry with an Apology in Law , when they did not know what to say for themselves ? for his Instance in the Netherlands is as pat to their purpose as if it had been made for them . Altho I think their having so many thousand innocent Persons among them that must certainly have perished , if they had not taken up Arms for their Preservation , was no ill Argument , nor can I believe disapproved by the Dissenting Clergy , if they would be once so ingenuous and kind as to own their Thoughts in the Point : but I suppose they might be committed to the Author under the Seal of Confession , and so are not to be made publick . For else methinks he should not so industriously have avoided the Question , if he had had any thing to have said to it : for I know he has so great Kindness for the Person of Quality that he would shew him all his Errors and weak Places ; therefore I look upon my two Inferences as irrefragable , since he dare not undertake their Confutation . For either they did pray for the Deliverance of London-Derry , and would have contributed to their Relief ; or they would not : If they would , then they are in the same Predicament with them , for 't is with Rebellion as in Murder , there are no Accessaries , but all are Principals : A Maxim of our Law , for which some poor People in the West paid pretty dear after Monmouth's Defeat , as I think the Lady Lisle's Execution will sufficiently convince any body , who did no more than I believe all our dissenting Bishops would have done for them in London-Derry , that is , have kept them from starving if they could : but if they would not , ( I must then repeat what I said before ) It would give me a greater Prejudice against the Doctrine than ever yet I had , since it not only made them put off those Bowels of Mercies which Christians ought to have for one another , but even divested them of Common Humanity . And whether it would not be a greater Crime to sin against Nature , than to break some nice Bands of our own ( not the Laws ) imposing in an Oath of Allegiance ? I should at another time trust our Author to judg . And thus , SIR , I have in haste run over that part of the Pamphlet , wherein I thought I had any Concern , for I do not pretend to answer for , or justify other People . But if I have not acquitted my self so well as you expected , yet considering my disadvantage of having nothing but my Bible , and a very bad Memory to consult , I hope you will wink at small Faults . I shall not enlarge your Trouble by a needless Apology for the length of this , but conclude with the Complement of the Season , this , and many happy New Years being heartily wish'd You , by January 9. 1689. Your most affectionate Friend , and humble Servant . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A39119-e150 Page 4. Page 2. Page 13. Page 14. Page 24. Page 25. Page 25. 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