ft m ^ Ex tibris C. K. OGDEN REPLY, T O T H E Rev. Mr. WESLETs ADDRESS TO THE C L E R G T. ridiculum acri. HoRi <&0&C&0&C$3Cfrc&cfrc^^ By the Rev. JAMES BULLER, M. A. ^Cfco&0&0$X&C&C&C$3^^ BRISTOL: .. Printed by S. FARLEY, in CaJlle-Green, 1756. RE PLY, WAS attending a Funeral (admit my I u Apology for Abfence) when your Addrefs, but more aptly your paf- toral Letter to the Clergy > was left at my Houfe ; the very Title-Page of which evinced Madnefs or Infolency to Perfection. Had I been at Home, both your MerTenger F and Prefent had been difmifs'd with a proper Refentment for the Affront. In my humble Opinion, I mould have {hewed too much Ho- nour to any Prejbyter, and too little to any . Bifljop of our Church by accepting fuch a 'Thing. HHHW To be plain with you Sir, it came quite too late for me, who had heard, from a fingle Charge of a worthy Diocefan, In- ftruction fufficient to fuperfede the Neceffity of your Impertinence . My prefent, and fu- ture Province is rather to practife, than learn my Duty. BUT to fome of the Clergy of this City it came unqueftionably very opportune, as they neither heard the above, nor in your Opi- nion is there any Probability of their hearing the 1059541 [4] the like. For furely you conclude, that fome of our Bijhops are leaden Dolors, and cannot -, or that they are infiuenc'd by fome Motive or other, and fo do not difcharge the Offices of their Functions ; otherwife I am entirely at a Lofs to conceive, what cou'd in- duce you, thus {indecently to ufurp their ChairSy and addrefs the whole Body of the Clergy. HAD you tried the Experiment firfl of all upon the Teachers of the feparate Congrega- tions in our Nation, of whatsoever Denomina- tion, whom GOD has called, you fay, to watch over the Souls of others, as they that muft give an Account; your ill Succefs would probably have prevented any farther Attempt of that Kind. I am very much miftaken if in feven Years, with your utmoft Abilities, and moft unwea- ried Endeavours, join'd with the earned Wimes of Succefs from all the Brethren^jmj^^^^ have convinc'd a fingle Female Orn Hariieft being great, and the Labourers few , Women, are admitted Fellow-Helpers with the Men, being allow'd to hold forth in cer- tain Congregations, for the Work of the Mi- niflry, for Edification and Inftruflion in Righ- teoufnefs. However rude and empty in Know- ledge you may find fuch, " they are certainly the moft petulant Creatures in the World, and are far wifcr in their own Eyes, than feventy limes feven Men that can render a Reafon. Reafoning therefore is not the Weapon to be [ 5 ] be ufed with them. You cannot deal with them thus. They fcorn being convinced ; nor can they be filenc'd, but in their own Way," by being talk'd out of Breath, as much as in the Grave. You may "begin with, and infift upon the Gifts that are from Nature, a good Under 'fland- ing, a clear Apprehenfion, a found Judgment ; J * the Anfwer is ready, the Power is of GOD, and not of Us. " Your Capacity of Reafoning with fome Clofenefs* will be as eafily an- fwer'd by a Loquacity almoft endlefs. All your human Learning will be filenc'd, with Science falfly fo call'd-, your " Knowledge of Tongues," with thou has not learn'd thy A. B. C. in CHRIST, and all your " Live- line/* and Readinefs of Thought" with fenfe- lefs Cant. Now if, after exercifing the Patience of Job with this Female Priejlhood you fuc- ceed no better; with their Male Priefthood you will fucceed worfe. For mould you but once mention " Logick, the Matbema- ticks, and Geometry ;" or the acquiring the Knowledge of the <{ Greek and Hebrew Tongues," as neceffary to the Explanation of holy Scripture ; the Law as a Shadow only of better Things to come, is done away, they will tell you, in CHRIST. The written Word they have long lincc rejected, as Du/l, Serpents Meat, the Refufe t and Off-fcouring oi r [6] of all Things. The Go/pel they aver to be written in the inner Man j and the Light within them to be their Index. They will make a Mock and Scorn of you, and your dark Lan- thorn human* Helps, as better adapted for ob- fcuring and extinguiming, than brightening and increafing this all-fufficient Light within them. ADDRESS yourfelf ferioufly to the many ignorant Perfons, that officiate as Priefts, in other feperate Congregations. Alk them, how they dare intrude themfelves into the Prieftbood, having been brought up to Trade ; or how they, who hardly underftand their Mother-Tongue , mould yet undertake to unfold and explain the holy Scriptures - f which as an Apojlle informs us, fome Per- fons that are unlearned, wreji to their own DESTRUCTION ? In Anfwer to this, they will alfo afk you, with what Face you oan put fuch Queftions to them ? You, who have introduced, or permitted to officiate for Priefts in your Conventicles, fome of the loweft Cfafs of the People, worfe qualified than Jeroboams Prie/ls were ? For they received of him their Confccration, whereas thefe may pretend to a Call from GOD, but dont in the leaft pretend to be ordered of Men. You coax and wheedle Folk into your Soci- ety, by the Harmlcfnejs of the Dove-, you fine-draw find cloje-Jfitch fuch, as don't chofe to [ 7] to be linked into your Chain; you compel others by the gentle Twig of your Compaf- fwn ; and Dragoon in the Stragglers by the Sword of the Spirit. You buoy up filly Women laden with Sins y into a fmlefs Per- fetfion. Thofe meek' Lambs of CHRIST, (well learned, howfoever taught,) abound with the moft uncharitable Cenfures towards others, as are not exactly of their Way of thinking. They are fo weak as to expect, that we mould verily believe, their modeft Pretenfions to an Angelical Purity ; tho' the apparent Want of Charity^ the Bond of Per- Jeftnefs, be the clearer! Demonftration of the contrary. The following Inftance may elu- cidate, both the Spirit of your Doffrine and Teachers, A moft ftricl: Follower of you, kd by meer Fancy or Curiofity, rode to a Country Fair j for which his infallible Paftor thundered out, a moft terrible Anathema a- gainft him ; declaring that not only he, but alfo all they that went to that Fair, would be damned: And on fome following LORD'S Day, level'd a whole Sermon againft him. The aforefaid Perfon moft folemnly declares, that having taken a curfory View of the faid Fair, he returned forthwith to his Home; without fitting down, eating, drinking, or fo much as fpeaking a Word to any Perfon. l&s fpiritually difcerningPaftor^ it feems, faw an unpardonable tin in this, with ^frngle Eye? where the other could not perceive the leaft Offence [8] Offence with both ; and therefore cautioufly abftains, from prefuming to defile fuch holy S) with his Prefence. WOULD you addrefs yourfelf, to the Teachers of other feparate Congregations ? You'd receive a {hotter Anfwer; that they were determin'd to fubmit to no other Bijhop, but the great Bijhop of Souls. However all of them are obliged to you, for your Acknow- ledgements of their being call'd by GOD, to watch over the Souls of other S-, and you will high- ly merit their united Thanks, when you mall have proved your Aflertion. WHEN it is objected to fome, what Sort of Doctrine is frequently delivered by the Speak- ers, in their Meetings-, they frankly acknow- ledge, that they permit all to teach amongft them, that think they have the Spirit of GOD. They dont pretend to be infallible Judges ; or to have the Knack., that invaluable Secret, of Spiritual Difcernment. Their Preachers have a moft compendious Method, an eafy Way of proving, each his particular Call'. A tingle fay fo fatisfies thefe plain People, void of all Hypocrify, and all Guile. I cannot imagine, what other Proof befides the fore- going, you will be able to produce for them ; but 'till you have, this weighty Affair muft reft on fo flender, or rather no Manner of Proof at all. THE [9] THE Defenders of Prefbyter- Ordination^ how much foever they would rejoice, to fed their Ordination proved truely Apoftolical^ are too confcious to themfelves, that all has been faid, and all done, in Support of a favourite Caufe ; that human Wit and Learn- ing, rack'd and tortur'd in the higheft De- gree, can produce, and therefore that the ableft Scribe, tho' he bring out of his Trea- fures Things new and old, can never better their Caufe. I fay not this to difcourage your Search, but will undertake to conclude fof you myfelf, that after the ftricteft Perufal pf the Fathers, and all the befl Writers -, your Confeffion will amount to no more, than an ingenious Author's, lately employed in fearch- ing after Proofs, for the Infallibility of the Pope , did ; that the more you read, the lefs you was able to prove it. As to the Power of Laymen to confecrate and ordain Minifters of the Gofpel, it is fuch a Monfter in Nature, that when you are abld to prove, that the Feet ought to give Laws to, rule, and govern the Head-, you may prove the Reafonablenefs and Legality of it. As our Saviour whilft on Earth, Under- went all that he was to fuffer ; fo did he finifh all that, which became him to perform ; as he had undertaken to accomplish, throughout B all all the fucceeding Ages of the World, his Me- diation betwixt an offended GOD, and a rebel- lious and difobedient Creature. Amongft the various Kinds of which, that of embodying his Church under an orderly Government, was none of the leaft ; in order to propagate and perpetuate what he had fo well begun. He ordained firft of all Apoftles, who were to difperfe his Doctrines throughout the World, and gave them alfo Authority to conftitute a Priefthood, fettled upon a new Commiffion, and of another Nature from that of the Jews j not only becaufe of its Spirituality, but by de- volving, and limiting the Power of it by their proper Determination, to a feledt Body of Men. He authorizes them likewife with Refpect to the Difcipline of his Church, to frame fuch a Government for it, as the Spirit of GOD mould direct, to be moft agreeable to thofe extraordinary, to thofe pure Doctrines on which its Eflenfra&y was founded. Which Commiffion of theirs they executed wifely and faithfully ; in diluting and appointing fuch a Miniflry, as neither the Violence of Per- fecutions, nor the more dangerous Defigns of pretended Friends, have been able to move from its ftable Foundation even to this Day, no nor ever (ball be, as long as the World endureth. For to the ApojUes Succejfors is the Promife of our Saviour made : Lo I am with you ahuay , even unto the End of the World. And upon this Account it was, that who- ever ever pretended to lay a Claim to any Office in the Church, without being able to make good his Authority, by Courfe of Succeffion from the vifible Aci of thofe, who were firft entrufted with it, were in St. 'Jerome's Days taken for Fanaticks ; for he tells us that there were in his Time, Perfons that took for Le- vites, Fanaticks- to officiate in GOD'S Worjhip ; even fuch as were not fent, nor call'd as was Aaron. And he further adds in his Com- ments upon Hofea, that they were Men Drunk, but not with Wine, who were as unable to produce a reafonable Plea for fo daring, fo prefumptuous an Action, to any that mould require it of them, as to mew by what Authority they preached, having never been fent. That no Man ought to 'meddle with the Execution of the facred Of- fices of the Miniftry, without an immediate and miraculous Call from GOD j as the Apof- tles and firft Teachers of Chriftianity had; or a mediate, an ordinary One by them or their lawful SuccefTors, to fuch an Office ; is evi- dent from thefe Words, bow (hall they preach, except they be fent ? An immediate Call from GOD will, I doubt not, be alledged as a Rea- fon, why fo many Perfons of the lower Clafs have in thofe few Years paft, undertaken the Work of the Miniftry; to preach the Go/pel-, to be infiant in Seafon and out of Seafon, without any Ordination from thofe that have a lawful Authority Authority to conftitute, and fend Labourers into the LORD'S Vineyard. THAT fome have been too forward in in~ truding themfelves into the Priefts Office, is very notorious under the Law, but more ef- pecially under the Gofpel Difpenfation. Even as early as the Apojlles Days this Zeal began : For we find St. Paul acquainting Timothy, that fome were defirous of being Teachers, whofe Capacities but barely qualified them for the loweft Clafs of Hearers. It is not altoge- ther improbable, that the Perfons before men- tioned had heard from others, the great Com- mendation of his Letters ; they could be but ill Judges for themfelves j and having feen him powerfully and gracefully haranguing his Audience, were quite captivated with the united Charms of a compleat chrifHan Ora- tor. Alarmed by the Subject Matter, rouzed by the Energy of Expreffion, and inraptured with the Propriety of his Action, they were violently hurried into the moft paflionate Longing for the fame Office ; without a pre- vious Confideration of their Incapacity, or of that middle Wall of Partition, placed by GOD between the Minifters and Hearers of his holy Word ; which muft neither be thrown down, nor broken through. The Apoflle frankly owns the Opinion, which his Ap- pearance amongft a polite and learned People, had made them entertain of him j and as he neither ['3] neither blames them for their Remark, nor attempts to palliate it by an Excufe, we may conclude that it was juft. His Letter -j, fay they, are weighty and powerful, but his bodily Prefence is weak and bafe, and his Speech con- temptible. In the following Verfe he feems to promife Amendment, and aflures them that for the future, fuch as he was in Word by Letters, when *abfent, fuch would he be alfo in Deed when prefent. When the Imper- fections of Nature were expelled ; when the contracted ones of Habit and Education were mafter'd and laid afide 5 when the Lineaments of his Face were taught to be ftrongly ex- ' preffive of the real Emotions of the Soul-, when the Rudenefs of his Speech had received the higheft PoliJJo and Refinement of Art ; and ' the Languidnefs of his natural Prefence, had been changed into a Vigour, like unto his Zeal and adequate to his Knowledge ; and when the Word of his LORD and Saviour was his Subject-, what Imprefjions muft he not have made ? But the Misfortune was, that too many of the mofl Ignorant, made a wrong Ufe of thofe Impreffions. They were fired with a Zeal, not of turning to GOD by Faith and Repentance ; or of bringing forth Fruits meet for Repentance j but for turning afide into the Miniftry. And would gladly, without Doubt, have turned out, or elbowed others, however meet or appointed, to make Room enough for themfelves. The Gifts of the I4 the Spirit are more earneflly coveted by ig- norant and foolim Perfons, than the Fruits ; and to fpeak 'with the Tongues of Men and Angels is prefered to Chanty ; tho' we are in- fallibly allured, that Charity is the more ex- cellent. It is no Wonder, if ignorant Perfons, who are always taken with external and out- fide Shews, having feen the unwearied Zeal, the elegant Addrefs, the Gentleman blendrd with the Scholar, the Harmony of the Voice, the Maje/ly of the Action, and all heigh ten 'd by the moft exacl: Correfpondency of the Coun- tenance, preferred thefe to the no iefs refplen- dent, but more invaluable Jewel, the purefl Satjfity of Life and Manners. Human Na- ture is flill the fame, and the fame Cauies will produce the fame Effeds that they did 1700 Years ago. That after fo long and great a Darknefs, an almoft total Eclipfe -, fo many bright Luminaries in Religion mould fuddenly make their Appearance in our Hemifphere, and come, like Mujhrooms, fo foon to their perfe'dt Maturity, may be a My/lery to the mofl deplorably Ignorant ; but others know, that they were all kindled from the fame burning Comet. I DON'T blame you for endeavouring to iilence even now, but think you are quite too late, that many headed H\dra, which you muft be confcious, received its Birth from your Example, and following the fame, is now holding holding forth its Preachments, to the great Scandal of Religion, and the Clergy of the efioblijbcd Church. Mala per longas convaluere Moras. THE Apojlle took Care to crufh the Cockatrice in the Egg: And undoubtedly gave Timothy the forementioned Information, to this very End, that he fhould take fpecial Care in ordaining Minifters of the Gofpel, to reject all ignorant, tho' zealous Candidates'. I THINK I fee plainly, perhaps I fee too much, that you have feledted the " dull^ heavy, blockifh Minifters of all Great-Britain and Ireland, for other Purpofes than their be- ing the yefl of every pert Fool, every lively, airy Coxcomb they meet." To be plain, as Men of (hallow Pates, have commonly the ftrongeft Backs, you are lathing, as I appre- hend, your late Subalterns, fuch as have, or maybe Hill falling off your Service, over their Shoulders. It is true, at firft planting a T'wig is exceeding pliant, nothing more fo ; but it you once fuffer it to take deep Root, you may make the Attempt ; but will never afterwards find it to bend fo well, as for its own Service. You may now///? up your Voice like a Trumpet, from the Metropolis of this Kingdom, to the remoteft Parts of it, and found a Retreat; all as you were Gentlemen, You to yrur Ref- Refpective Troop you to your Board and you to your old trade of Bajket-making ; but who will regard it ? They are got quite Head- ftrong. And mould you found another Alarm, and tell them plainly, that it appertained! not unto them to be Interpreters of the Myfteries of the Gofpely it would prove altogether as unfuccefsful as the firft. Should you thunder out your Anathemas, your lafl Referve, and threaten them with eternal Damnation upon non Complyance, you would certainly find them to a Man, as others have done, letting up each for himfelf. Your military Man would deferve to be pofted for a cowardly Daftard, if he fcrupled either to die in the Attack, or carry your Ajjembly- Room Sword in Hand, provided there was no other Place left to pleafe him. Your Decree of a Point be tween Br-th-r and S-n-x, in Favour of the former, was looked upon as quite arbitrary, and loft you the latter: .Had you decreed in Favour of the latter, you had loft the former: Of two Evils, it was confefled, you prudently chofe by far the leaft. If you can expect no more Reverence or Obedience from fuch as you have been a Nurjing- Father to, and car- ried in your Bofom, you have certainly taken the moft effectual Method to difguft the whole Body of the Clergy. THERE are many Lay-Men of great Repu- tation for Learning and Prudence, that don't ftick t '7 ] ilick to inveigh againft the Arch-Deacon^ who prefume to give a Charge to their Bre- thren 5 and I have often Times heard it called an intolerable Ufurpation over the Clergy-. How then will this your Addrefs, or pafio- ral Letter, appear to the difcerning Laity ^ or Clergy ? If you would effectually ftrike at Religion^ bring the Clergy into Contempt, and the "Thing is done. Many Clergymen, when they are oblig'd to travel, choofe to be incog-. rather than be infuited by every boifterous Calf. But you have (hewn their weak Side; A hard Word or two will reduce them td Silence and greater Contempt. But let me here enter a Caveat in due Time againft the indeterminate Abracadabra^ and the Welch tongue ; or we mall lie at the Mercy of every A/s, that mail be able to pronounce a Word or two of it only. Muft I refrefh your Me- mory? You certainly know, or have heard, that a too common Form of Salutation to a Clergyman, at his Entrance into a Room; iSj G d d mn you, Dodtor, how do you do ? but hold I muft not iwear, here's a Clergy- man in Company^ * c You do not fpeak, you fay y from a Spirit of Anger and Rejentment. You know well the Wrath of Man worketb not the Righteoufnefs of GOD. Much lefs wou'd you utter one Word out of Contempt ; a Spirit juftly abhorr'd by GOD and Man. Neither of thefe can confifl G with ;: ::, c > 8 with the earneft, tender Love, which is the Motive of your prefent Undertaking." I am afraid, you will hardly find any Clergyman in England or Ireland To " dull, heavy, or block- im" as not to perceive the Irreconcileablenefs of thefe mild Expreflions, with the harfher Contents of Page the i6 th and I7 th of your Per- formance. ' But how comes it to pafs, that the Clergy of the ettabltfb'd Church have no Refpeft from your Followers, from fuch of them efpe- cially, as are fo remarkably Hood-wink'd, that they would certainly follow whither foever you fhould be pleas'd to lead them j and implicitly believe whatfoever you fhould advance? Are the Prayers read feldomer in our Churches than formerly ? Are Sermons lefs frequent ? Are the Mintfters lefs capable, or lefs diligent in performing their Duty ? The contrary in many Refpecls is evident. The reviving of the late truly pious and charitable Mr. Col- Jions Leftures, and preaching them gratis, does the Clergy of this City a peculiar Honour. What can be affign'd for fo remarkable an Ebb in the Tide of their jjjfegtionst Ever iince you, Sir, as a principal Agitator > lent a Hand to puddle the Fountains , they have delighted in troubled Waters. Before that fa- tal Time the Current glided on fmoothly, calmly, delightfully ; but now in a rapid and turbulent Stream. Some that would al- moft have been contented, even to pluck out their own Eyes, to give them to their Paftors, will [ '9 ] will now as readily ftigmatize them as blind Leaders. I was told by an Eye-Witnefs, with a great Deal of Concern, what a Shocking Affront was put on a late moft worthy Bijhop of this Dioceje. Your Followers were flock'd together in great Numbers to hear the Rev. Mr. , whofe Turn it was to preach at the College ; but on his Lordflrips mounting the Roftrum, they left the Church with grumb- ling, and as great Precipitation, as tho' his Sermon would have actually poifon'd them, or the whole Fabrick had been falling about their Ears. Whether this great Alteration in Behaviour, be the Effect of direct or indirect Teaching, as it was unquestionably learnt in your Schools, the Clergy are equally oblig'd to you for it ; and if thofe Epithets, which you fo generoufly have difpers'd abroad, be as liberally given to the Clergy in general, with the Addition of others, they know whom to thank for the Donation. What a Noife had we about Religion ? what inceffant feeking and praying to the LORD, that he would be pleas'd to reveal his Will? whilft the Sons of Belial were undermining the Church and Sfate, and unnatural Subjects were moft cruel- ly confpiring againft the Life of GOD'S Anoint- ed ', our then moft gracious Sovereign, Charles the Firft. Great was the Company of Prea- chers. Like the Frogs in Egypt they filled the Houfes j and like the Locufts took Pof- tcfiion of the Fields. The Colonels and C 2 the [20] the Captains, the Drummers and private Centinels of the Soldiery, moft audacioufly became the Trumpeters of the Gofpel \ they effectually pav'd the Way with their Tongues for their bwords, arid prevail' d more with the former, than the latter. " Five Rabble- charming Words, fays a Di- vine of great Note, did all the Mifchief. The Godlinefs that was then in Vogue turned "Religion quite out of Doors.- A lawful Mi- nifter could hardly walk the Streets, without being fpit in the Face. I have liv'd, fays an- other, to fee Religion painted on Banners, and thruft out of Churches. The People are fal- len under the Harrows and Saws of idle and impertinent Preachers, who think all Reli- gion is a Sermon. And he avers that a plain Catechifm can more inftruct a Soul, than the whole Day's Prate which fome daily Jpit forth, to bid get CHRIST, and perfecute his Servants" The woeful Effedts of all this Hy- pocrify and Grimace, are too well known, and too feverely felt at this Time, to need Am- plification. The Tares which Satan, by his wicked Agents in this Confulion, as the moft proper Seafon, fowed amongft the Wheat -, will never, in all Probability, be rooted out, 'till the general Harveft, the End and DtJ/o- lution of all Things. I WILL not endeavour to fet the Govern- yitnt againft you, by publishing the Fears and Jeahufies [21] yealoujies, which many have long fince enter~ tain'd of you j or the Increafe of them by the prefent Situation of our Affairs : But let me tell you in plain Terms, that neither you nor J, have any the leaft Reafon to boafl of the Growth of Piety ; but rather the greater! to la- ment the Decay of it amongft us. If you fay, behold our Numbers -, you know very well by how flender a Clue they are led, and by how much weaker they are tack'd and held toge- ther. Ceafe that almoft inceffant Click-Clack amongll you ; that political Rattle of yours to pleafe Children ; confine them to the more important Duty of Prayer only, and the Con- fequence will foon appear. Come, come, Hugh Peters^ that arch High-Priefl to the Arch -Rebel Cromwell, knew the Force of Oratory or Cant full as well as any Man ever did, or will. The Heur-Glafs being quite fpent before his long-fpunn'd Difcourfe\ he very humouroufly turning it upfide-down, adds, come my Brethren, let us take the other Glafs. I am fure of this, that fome Churches throng'd at a Sermon , are moft mame- fully empty at Prayers only. The EngHJh People are obferv'd to be great Lovers of Oratory ; but furely they are too paffionately fond of it, that prefer a Difcourfe from the moft learned Divine, to the Performance of their own Duty ; and that reckon no Sermon, no Service. Was I allow'd to be the belt Preacher in England, I wou'd facrifice my Re- putation putation in this with Pleafure ; and be content as a Reader only to any Congregation, that would (hew an equal, or a greater Rea- dinefs to attend the Prayers, than the Sermon in the Church. You have another Advantage over us, which is very taking with, and attractive of many People ; and that is extempore Prayer. A little Novelty is well pleafmg to moft, but more efpecially to the Vulgar. A Fricajy or a mini d Pye may pleafe fqueamim Stomachs, better than a good Piece of Beefy but I hope the latter, as well as our moft excellent Li- turgy, will remain two ftanding Dijhes, ne- never out of Fafhion in thefe Dominions. It was an old Complaint of a Divine, there is no Enquiry whether there are to be Pray- ers, but whether there is to be Sermon, ^ueen Elizabeth, that wife Princefs, never heard Sermons but in Lent, affirming that me could .then lay in fufficient Stock for a whole twelve Months Practice. It was wifely forefeen by a certain great Perfonage, that hearing would foon get the Afcendant over the Praclice of our Duty j he therefore gave it the mean Ap- pellation of Pulpeting. You had feveral Reafons, I apprehend, for fending your pa/ioral Letter to this City. The See having been for a longer Time than ufual vacant, there may poffibly be a ftrict Enquiry about about as worthy a Succeffor : His late Lordfhip having been univerfally acknowledged an ex- cellent Divine, as well as Logician. Seafon- ably therefore, highly fo, did this Difplay of your Talents mine forth at this great Crifis. His Lordfiip got his firft, purely by his Merit ; and his laft Preferment was owing to the lame. As you have given the plaineft Indication, that you " can reduce an indirect to a direct Mood; an Hypothetic to a Categorical Syl- logifm, as eafily as turn your Hand j can read into Englim one of Davids Pfalms, or even the firft Chap, of Genefisf in a Word, are Mafter of the whole Circle of Sciences ; if Merit be the only Thing wanting, furely you are a fair Candidate ; and ftand a good Chance for fo honourable an Employment. The Sample you have offered to the Publick, evidently demonstrates, that you are not to feek, or learn your Duty in the higheft Station of the Church -, but can and will enforce the fame, by reproving, rebuking^ and exhorting with all Long- fujj'er ing and Doftrine. BESIDES, I think thofe Extraordinaries, for which you are fo much celebrated and re- nown'd, were exhibited to the Publick firft of all in this City, as the following examin'd Copy of an Original plainly (hews ; this City therefore deferves the higheft Token of your fincerefl Love and Affection. C 24] Being poftively the loft fime of Acting, For the BENEFIT of the AUTHOR, By Mr. W--fld's Company of Tragi-ComedianSj At the NEW THEATRE in BALDWIN-STREET^ This prefent Evening 'will be prefented, a Pious Farce, calfd THE ENTHUSIAST: Or SPIRITUAL MOUNTEBANK. The Part of the Entbufiaft by Mr. W F LD, Regeneratio, by Mr. J. W SL Y, (being the firjl Time of bis appearing upon the Stage, Don Terribello de Damnato by Mr. H CH NS, Don Difmallo de Tonforio, by Mr M -CH--L, Don ColleQerio de Ptlfero, by Mr. W tL Sj The GhofLof Hugh Peters, by Mr. W--TH--N. WOMEN. Sighogroniffa, by Mrs. GR v LE, Confitenda, by Mifs C TL R, The Widow Lackit, by Mrs. P NN u. To which will be introduced, The HUMOURS of 'Squire NOODLE, And the Two RELIGIOUS COBLERS. ''Squire Noodle, by Mr. S w D, Clifierpipero, the Anabaptift Teacher, by Mr. F SK T, Taffy, his Servant, by Mr. Ev NS, Midwife, by Mrs. N RM N. Rabble. Coblers^ Colliers, Whores, Pickpockets, Analaptijli, Quakers, Prejbyterians, Cameronianf, Muggletoniaus, dtbiejls. There will be Singing, and a Chorus of Sighs and Groans. The MUSICK by a SAVOYARD. N. B. That Primitive Jigg, commonly knovin by the Name f ADAMS'S Jigg, will be danced by federal behind the Scenes. To begin at Seven o'Clock precifely. IT pleafed GOD, by a fevere Froft, in the Year 1740, to cut fhort the Staff of our Bread: And all the NecefTaries of Life were at an exceffive high Price. The Matters in this City, greatly to their Praife, allowed and encouraged their Labourers to work an ex- traordinary Quarter each Day, for the better Subfiftance of themfelves and Families. Was it unreafonable in a Hufband to expect, that a Wife, joined by the ftricteft Ties of Duty, mould alfo at fuch a hard Time, join in La- bour and Endeavours ? Your Zeal at that tfime to attract and allure the infatuated Mul- titude^ was not the lead abated. The Itch of hearing kept equal Pace with the Itch of teaching. Your Room was rilled with a mod wretched Crew, the Cloathing of many hardly affording a decent Covering, or fuffi- cient Warmth for their Bodies. If the Ap- pearance in publick was fo mocking and dif- graceful to a Chriftian Nation, what a horrid Scene would an Inspection into their Houfes have difplayed ? you had feen Children foak- ing in their own Pifs, and wallowing in their Dung; the moft certain Method to induce Weaknefs, Diforders, and Death. You had heard them moft loudly and lamentably cry- ing, pinched with Hunger, benumbed with Cold : And happy were they who cried them- felves from fuch mercilefs Mothers, into the kmderEmbraces of their Mother Earth. Whilft the nauseous Sty, and every Thing within it, moft mamefully flood in Need of Clean- D linefs C 26 ] linefs and Labour -, all that has been re- prefented, and much more that may be ad- ded, was unable to balance, much lefs weigh down the unreafonable Longings of an itch- ing Ear. The Hulbands loudly repeated, ye are idle, ye are idle ; but were as often anfwer'd with, we muft ferve the LORD, and fave our Souls. When urged with that plain Text of Holy Scripture, he that provide th not for his own, efpeclally thofe of his oivn Houfoold, hath de- nied the Faith i and is ivorje than an Infidel ; they cou'd reply with fome ct Livelinefs and Readinefs" of Thought, fee k ye jirjt the King- dom of GOD, and his Righteou/nefs, and all thefe Things (hall be added unto you. Some of thofe precious Jewels, the Wives, after private Admonitions, were publickly repri- manded, and feverely threaten'd by their Hufbands ; and a few refractory ones by a fe- verer Method reduc'd to their Duty. THERE is an Argument, which tho' never produc'd by the Schoolmen, yet neither they s you, nor I, can devife a better, when wilful Blindnefs % and Perverfenefs are to be contended with and mafter'd. It has all the Properties of a Noun Subftantive, to be Jeen, felt, heard, and underflood; is called by the Learned, Argumentum batfinum ; by the Colliers, a Chaice Hally-Wand \ and is feldorn or never in the foregoing Cafes well apply'd but but with Succefs. Mr. $ n #, once in the HorJe-F&r, felt the Weight of it, and was fo well convinc'd of its Efficacy - y that I am mi- flaken, if ever He leads about again as a Sifte r, the Wife of another Man, for her Edification and Inftruftion in Righteoufnefs and true Ho- linefsj for a fingle Week j much lefs for fix Weeks together. Was there a Remiffion of your Peter 's Pence, your Capitation Fax, during this intenfely cold and ftarving Sea- fon ? I never heard, but that your Exac- tionSj or modeftly ftiled Contributions, were even then, as at all other Times, moft punc- tually payed. It would have been deemed quite unchriftian to have not done it ; he would undoubtedly have been efteemed worfq than a heathen Man or a Publican, that would not have fpared, or even drawn fo trifling a Sum from his very Bowels. GOD Almighty, the LORD of our Time, has been gracioufly pleafed to referve the 7th Day for his Worihip ; but you moil uncon- fcionably pinched away one out of the re- maining Six. This is a heavy Charge I rea- dily grant, but it is moft certainly true. It would be deemed a Difparagement to your Morning and Evening Soul-edifying Lectures, with their Appurtenances, fhould we fuppofe that lefs than an Hour at a Time can be Ipent in your Room, in their Performance. Add to this the Time loft in coming and going ; (for D 2 many *8 J many of your Hearers liv'd at a great Diltance) in waiting for the Beginning of your Opera- tions ; the great Zeal and Forwardnefs in your Door-keepers, the remarkable ones for always appearing with the firft and difappearing with the laft ; and you have a clear Demonftration of the Truth, q. e. d. HAD you, conforming to the Order of our Church, began with a proper Sentence of holy Scripture, and the Exhortation ; had you added the Con&ffion, the LORD'S Prayer, ge- neral Thankfgiving ; and immediately dif- miffed them to the refpective Bufinefs of their. Callings, or the Care of their Families, with the Bleflingj this Method indeed had been a tetter and more becoming ; but then as you well forefaw and fore-knew, would foon have brought your Addrefs to," dearly be- loved Roger' only. I AM entirely of Opinion with you, that the Blockheaded Boys will by no Means do well enough for Parfons ; but then \ en- tirely difapprove of your turning them over, either to the Phyjiciam or Lawyers. They may indeed, (an Eftate may defcend to them) "ride in a Coach or gilt Chariot-" or being confcious they are in no Likelihood of ac- quiring them, they may put a bold Face upon the Matter, and by marrying rich Widows be enabled to keep them. Perhaps upon fecond Thoughts 2 9 Thoughts, You may approve of the follow- ing Amendment. Let the Blockhead, you propofe as a Pleader at the Bar, be made a Cryer of the Court. A good Pair of Lungs, and a ftrong clear Voice, may effectually cry him up in that Poft 5 but will moft inevita- bly, without other Qualifications, foon cry him down at the Bar of the Court. Let the Blockhead you delign for a Phyjician be ap- prentic'd to a Butcher. A moft injudicious Feeler of the Pulfe may foon learn to feel out with a fingle Ftnger t the exact Place for ftab- bing a Sheep in the throat -, and may very fuccefsfully {laughter Beafts : But would you turn loofe fuch a mercilefs Butcher amongft Mankind ? I am perfuaded that no Parents will thank you for, much lefs follow this notable Piece of Advice of yours : Knaves may and do thrive, admirably in the former Profef- fion ; Fools never : The wife and the learned may fucceed in the latter Profefiion, whilft the ignorant and injudicious ftarve. You may with the greatefl Reafon heartily wi{h,that you never fall into the Hands of ei- ther. You cannot after what has been ad- vanced, prudently trull either your Perfon, or your Caufe in the Hands of the Gentlemen of either Profeffion. Doctor Ignoramus may eafily convince all Men, that he is fufficiently flailed to difpatchfuchan opinionated Perjbn out of the World } fecu?idum Arteni; and the Law- yer - [ 3 o] yer may artfully excufe his lofing your Caufc, by alledging it to be your own Fault, for com- mitting its Care and Management to a Block- head. The Lawyers may excufe you, and be content with laughing at the Affertion j but if a Phyfician mould take a proper Opportunity of publickly feeling your Puffs gratis j by flrongly grafping your Wrift, and kicking your Back- iide q. s. to the rectifying your Error j no one, except yourfelf, will think him a Blockhead for fo doing. i :$< BUT however you efcape, the Clergy of the ertablimed' Church, I fear, will be left in the Lurch. For unlefs the Gentlemen of thofe Profeffions will be fo candid, as to over- look and pardon it j as fpoken by one, bro- ken out of Pale, and a Strayer ; weakly, if at all connected with the main Body ; it is in their Power, as to relent, fo to retaliate it upon us. Are you ignorant that the Determinations at Law, have for a long Time, remarkably ended not in our Favour? Muft I remind you of that open Declaration, and fmart Anfwer return'd to it ? received a moft heavy Impofition, from the 'fore-mention'd Gentleman, for the fame Thing. The Student foon waited upon the Lecturer, with his firft Impofition ; which being perus'd with great Attention by him, he aiks the young Gentleman if it was his own Performance ? to which being anfwer'd in the Affirmative, he defir'd the Student to fit down, and examin'd him in the ftricteft Manner ; 'till being fully fatisfied, he not on- ly excus'd the heavy Tajk^ but thank'd him. It was the general Opinion that this moft pro- found Mathematician, never fo much as once dreamt before that Hour, that it was poflible for [32] for any Scholar to arrive at a Perfection in any Branch, without being Matter of Mathe- matical Learning. My Fellow-Collegian (fuch he was) is now refident upon a Living -, and as the Bifhop that ordain'd him, thought him well qualified in Refpect of his Learn- ing ; it is with Pleafure I hear he employs it to the ivell-pleajing of his Parifhioners, to their Edification and Comfort. As it is frequently feen in tfrade, that a young Lad having his Inclinations crofs'd, turns out good for Nothing; fo in Learning, a Pupil having his Genius thwarted, remains quite ignorant. As the Beauty of the Mind, fre- quently more than compenfates for the Defor- mity of the Body ; fo a Perfection in any (in- gle Science, balances the Incapacity of acquir- ing the others. Who would not prefer the Ability, of playing upon the Violin only, to the Admiration of all, than with the to play upon all Inflruments of Mufick, to the difgu fling the whole Audience? Who is not charm 'd with Clavius's Re/cue, from the Land of Ignorance ; whither he was upon the Point of being baniih'd by the Society, for an utter Incapacity? Who, but thinks, he made more than Amends, by his extraordinary Improvements of a tingle Science, for his intire Ignorance of all the reft ? I once heard a Sermon before the moft illiterate Con- gregation, from a Divine learn'd according to your Heart's Defire ; which I then thought, and t 33 J find do ftill think, the moft barren and uri- 5 profitable one that I ever heard in my Life. It abounded with the Sentiments of the Hea- then PbilpfcpherS) agreeable to a lingle Point reveal'd in Holy Scripture ^ which I never heard difputed or denied by any one. The Quotations evinced much reading, and as much Time was fpent in them, as tho' a moll: neceflary Article of our Faith had depended upon them. The Difcourie being firiimed without drawing a iingle Inference^ the whole Service was concluded with as improper a Prayer as any in the whole common Prayer Book. Grant we befeech thee, Almighty GOD, that the Words which we have heard this Day with our outward Ears, may thro* thy Grace be fo grafted inwardly in our Hearts, that they may bring forth in us the Fruit of good living, to the Honour and Praife of thy Name. throV JESUS CHRIST our LORD.JM-! am humbly of Opinion that you will allow another Minifter, tho' greatly inferior in Learning, might have edified fuch Hearers, full as much as theslearned Gentle- man^ by reading audibly, and diftindly, a Homily only, I think you ought to have highly blamed fuch Patrons, as prefer Clerks to Places, in which, they muft appear with Contempt; and not to have laid on more Stripes, where a fevere P.unijhment is lure to follow. Shame jhall be the Promotion of Fools* E WHAT [34] WHAT you have faid, concerning the In- tention of a Minifter's taking upon him the Charge of a PariCh, and his quitting it j as well as what you have chiefly advanced under that Head, ieems to be very exceptionable and unreaibnable. According to what you have been pleas'd to aflert, 1 cannot lee how any Perfon can take upon him the Miniftry, that is fure of a Competency, or a plentiful Income, &.c. and you know this to be fre- quently the Cafe. It happens fometimes, that a Deacon produces for his Title a Pre^ fentation to a Living, when he offers himfelf a Candidate for Priefts Orders. Surely this he muft be fuppofed to have in his View. What therefore is a Qualification in Part, for his taking holy Orders, in your Senfe utterly unqualifies him.^Suppofe, as it frequently happens, a Gentleman out of Charity, edu^ cates the hopeful Child of poor Parents ; and afterwards is fo imprudent, as to promife upon his being ordain'd, to give him a good Living. How glad foever fuch a Son might be to relieve the Neceffities of his Parents, he cannot, according to you, accept of it ; be- caufe the " plentiful Income would caufe a Mixture in his Intention." Suppofe then fuch a one fettled at firft upon a mean Curacy, hardly affording Food and decent Rayment y how would his Heart be elated ; his Breaft i-nflam'd? And the Bowels of his Companion enlarged CD [353 enlarged, on the Receipt of a Prefentation ? But how wretched a Change would enfue ? What mrinking, what chilling of the Bowels, would follow on the Information, that he muft not remove, he muft not change for the better ; becaufe there was plainly " an Alloy of bafer Metal,, worldly Gain, Jilt by Lucre in the Cafe ? " Suppofe farther, that many Years pafs before the Vacancy happens, and when it does, this polite Gentleman-like Cu- rate (for fuch according to you all Clergy muft be) following your fuperexcellent Advice, ne- ver waits upon the Patron, &c. but wifely tar- ries at Home, cxpeding the Steward at leaft to bring and drop the Prefentation into his open Hands : And fuppofe the Patron, chagrin'd at the Behaviour of the unmannerly Booby, be- ftows the Living upon another Clergyman ; fcarce two Perfons in all Great-Britain will be forry at his Difappointment. By what Com- mandment of the LORD ? By what Precept of his holy Apoftles ? Or how in common Senfe, (to omit Chriftian Prudence) is a Clergyman to be flaked down worfe than a Bear, for his Life ? Will his taking to a better Living dii- qualify him for doing more Good to himfelf, or to his diftrefTed Neighbour ? Or, Will his removing, caufe the Word of GOD and his Sa- craments, to be neither preached, nor admi- niftred in that Parifh any more ? Is the holy Ghoft, in the Senfe you affign, to be confined to him alone ; or is it not to be given thro* E 2 ether [36] other Hands alfo ? Why then fuch ringing of Changes on the Words Money and Gift, Gift and Money ? Why that hard, not to fay, un- charitable Rtfleffton? " He, /. e. the Holy Ghoft, mall be given no more thro' your Lips or Hands, if you have no more Money for your Labour, " Why that Vehemency of Exclamar- tion ? O Simon, Simon ! I cannot compare you with Simon Magus : You are many Degrees beneath him. " What, Prudence in a Clergy- man to fight foolifhly even againfl the Ele- ments ? to contend in a Don Quixotian Way with the violent, but natural Dijbrders of fom'e Places, which feldom fail to attack Stran- gers ? To impair and deftroy his Health, the jnoft precious and invaluableBleffing he enjoys, next to a good Confcience. Did you never read the fecond Edition of Ovid de triftibus, by a Curate ? *' Had mournful Ovid been to Br nt confin'd ? His Triftibus more movingly he'd pen'd. Gladly he'd have exchanged this miry Slough, For colder Pontus, and the Scythian Snow. Agues and Fevers with us as conftant reign, As the Itch in Scotland or the Flux in Spain. Sure this is Nature's Jail, for Rogues defign'd ; Whoever lives in Br nt mufllive confin'd." " But it is not his taking, but his feeking a Salary, that you blame." A poor Curate mufl fit down under the funny Bank of a warm Hedge, and quite unmindful of colder Sea- fon [ 37 ] fons foon fucceeding, fuffer the Ha1t y tht Blind, and the Cripples to get Poffeffion of every good Curacy, 'till the Froft and Snow, Cold and Hunger, correct him for his Folly, and chaf- tize him for his Negligence. THE Intention and Defign of every one in undertaking the Office of aMinifter are, I hope, the Glory of GOD, and the Welfare of Souls committed to his Charge : But why any one that has accepted of a fmall Living, (or rather the Shadow of one) mould not exchange it for a better, is aMyftery to me, if not to you, who pick a monftrous Subfiftence out of the Spoils of the parochial Clergy, and contentedly (helter yourfelf under this moft fanctified Falla- cy on your Audience, " that you deiire or wifh not to die worth more than ten Pounds," which (in Engltjh) means, that you would never wifh. to be poflefs'd of lefs at every Period of your Exiftence. Is a Minifter lefs able to difcharge the weighty Offices of his Trufr, when he is freed and difengag'd from the urgent Cares of providing for the real Neceffities of Life ? Add to this a Wife, and by GOD'S great Blef- jfing a numerous Family j and in what Man- ner will a fmall Living maintain a large Fami- ly ? " It will notcloatb them, you fay, in Pur- ple and fine Linnen, nor enable them to fare fumptuoujly every Day :" but let me tell you, 'tis nobly done, if the firft Garment be wholly paid [ 38 ] paid for, when the fecond is taken up; if the fecond Shirts and Shifts of coarfe Linnen are not enter'd upon Book with the former ; the Calf eaten in the Cows Belly -, and a Meal of Greens go down with a little Salt, exclufiveof Bacon. It will not maintain them, you add, in Pomp and Grandeur, in elegant Luxury, in fafhionable Senfuatity. Let me tell you again, 'tis cruel to expofe, but it is monftrous to tri- umph over Poverty. I know the Parifh very well whofe Incumbent, a living Inftance of the above Diftrefs j being told by a certain Per- fon, that he admir'd how he could fleep, in- volv'd as he was in Debt j replied with great Readme fs of Speech, t That he had more Reafon to wonder how his Creditors, the Payment being fo precarious, could take their Reft. Is it not as well known in the prefent Age, as it has been truly, tho' la- 'mentably confefs'd in the Days of old, that the Minifter is frequently, not by his own Fault, but his Misfortune, the pooreft Man in the Parifh ? It is obvious why in your Pattern to the Flock you have infifted upoa Love, but not mention'd Charity. You had indeed afked a little before, am I zealous of good Works ? As I have Time do I do Good to all Men ? and that in every Kind, and in as high a Degree as I am capable ? You know full well where a Cup of cold Wa- ter is the utmoft Ability of the Donor, Com- pajjion pajfion muft fbnd for Relief-, pitying fupply the Want of proper Remedy in Sicknefs ; and in all other the like Instances the Will muft be accepted for the Deed. What Law of GOD or Man obliseth a Minifter of the o Gofpel to be as forgetful of his Offspring as the Silk-worm ? or that having, like it, fpent his Strength, fpun out his very Bowels for the Service of others ; to leave the Wife of his Boibm, and the Fruit of his Body, as they do their Eggs, to the Care of others ? He whofe ineftfpenfable Duty is, to exhort Parents to lay up for their Children; to re- buke unnatural ones in the fevereft Manner for fo unpardonable a Neglect ; and who ought unqueftionably to recommend it by his own Example, is himlelf utterly defti- tute of the Means. But you have not men- tioned one Word of providing for their ow?2 ; being confcious it would be moft ridiculous to command an Impombility. Nay, what our Forefathers, in great Wifdom, permit- ted the Clergy, for a better Maintenance, to exercife their Hands with harder Labour than that of holding the Pen, you not only dif- courage, but utterly condemn. But many of the Clergy experimentally know, that it is not every one's Lot to live by his Wits-, and are patient and content in endeavouring to get a little better Bread by their Induftry on the ordinary Days, than the Sweat of their Faces would have procui'd them on the LORD'S Day only.- HAD [ 40 ] HAD you lived in the Apoftles Days, and furpriz'd St. Paul, working with his own Hands to fupply his Neceffity ; to what a De- gree of eal and Indignation wou'd your meek Spirit of Refentment have been rais'd ? For furely it wou'd have feem'd but reafon- able, it muft naturally have been thought highly fo ; that he who had proved fuch an over Match by his Reafoning and Deductions for the wife Men and Philofophers at Athens, and had rais'd fuch an Admiration of him- felf at Corinth, mould rather, frifn employ- ing his Needle in Tent-Stick, have been ufmg his Tongue, the bed Member that he had, to the more important Work of the Miniftry, and to the Glory of his GOD. I AM perfwaded that under the Head of good Breeding, you are guilty of another wilful OmifTion. You certainly know that " the Addrefs, the Eafinefs, and all the Courtefy of a Gentleman, joined with the Cor- rectnefs of a Scholar;" make at leaft an im- perfect, if not a ridiculous Figure, without the Embellishments of the Taylor. An Ador perfonating " one of the beft bred Men in the World, one of the fined Gentlemen," knows perfectly well, how vain an Attempt it would prove, to aim at " a Propriety of Behaviour," without a Propriety of Drefs. Nil habet inftelix Paupertas durius in Se r quod ridicules Homines fad t." Many of the inferior Clergy, however tole- rable Matters of the Fiddle and a Dance, muft patiently fubmit to have the Graceful^ nefs of their Motion, and Elegance of their Addrefs, to be proportionably leveled with the Meannefs of their outward Garb. A certain Chancellor beholding to how low an Ebb the Value of the Livings in his Diocefe had been gradually reduced, and that they were ftill finking ; gave it as his Opinion, that in a little Time, few Clergymen in it would be able to afford to purchafe a Goivn and Cajfickfor themfelves. I wifh from the very Bottom of my Soul, that every Clergyman had an Income, enabling him to fupport with Decency the Dignity of his Character j. to brighten it with Love, and enamel it with Charity : In a Word, to be in a Capa- city to do Good unto all Men, and to make a convenient Provilion for his whole Family, or a prudent Referve for himfelf j and if this were the Cafe few wou'd then accept of, and fewer defend Pluralities. WHAT would be imprudent in any Man is highly blameable in a Clergyman, viz. not to provide for future Chances. Whilft he is in the Body he is fubject to Sicknefs, to Acci- dents, and muft bow down under the Infir- mities of Age. Since my Remembrance a Phyficiaris Fee is increas'd three-fourths, and a Surgeons Bill is become equally proverbial with a Taylors. A Friend^ which is as a Mans F own [ 42 ] wn Scut, may alfo fall into fuch Diftrefs as It may be entirely out of his Power to emerge rom. Now it muft be very cutting to any Man, much more to a Clergyman, to be in a Ca- pacity only to fympathize with, but not cafe fuch a one from the preflirtg Weight he labours under. I am very much miftak- cn, if the Lories fuftain'd by the late hard Frofts, are not fenfibly felt by fome Clergy- men to this Day. Much was (own, but very little, efpecially in fome Parts of the King- dom, brought into the Barns. Great Abate- ments were made out of a tender Companion for the heavy LofTes fuftain'd by their Pari- fhioners by fome, who were not only Fel- low-Sufferers, but greatly diftrefs'd themfelves. SHOULD a Clergyman divert himfelf pro- fitably by fhooting fuch Birds, as, like the Quails around the Ifraelites Camp, feem to of- fer themfelves freely, for his Ufe and Bene- fit ; or allift in deftroying with Dogs, fuch Vermin as would foon increafe upon them, to the great Lofs of his own, as well as his Neighbour's Lambs and Poultry ; it would, it feems, according to you, amount to an unpardonable Crime. St. Johns diverting himfelf with a tame Partridge, kept on Purpofe, may raife your Pity rather than provoke your Spleen, as being a certain Indication that Age had got the Afcend- ant over Reafon ; when a Difciple fo belo- ved by his Lord and Mailer could fink fo far beneath [43 ] beneath the Dignity of a Man, not to fay a Chriftian, a$ to (hew a Paffion for cbtidifl) Things. You feern to have an Eye to that Text of holy Scripture, Bodily Exercife pro- fteth little \ but Godlinefs is profitable unto all Things ; and to underftandtne latter Part in its full Extent, but not to allow the former Part to profit a little ; rather, as being en- tirely inconfiftent with the Chriftian Reli- gion, that it doth not profit at all. I am humbly of Opinion, that being feafonably, properly, and fufficiently ufed, that foetid, prurient Matter would be effectually dif- charg'd thro' the Pores of the Body, which is very apt to flow from the Tongues and Pens of fome opinionated Authors. They would foon find it a grand Specifak, powerful to eradicate every Symptom of that Scorbutick Diforder, the Cacoethes of Scribbling, of dog- matically and imperioully dictating to Equals. A CERTAIN 'Squire, having rigidly pro- fecuted, or expell'd from their Homes, fome Perfons for catching a few Fi(h, was drawn into the following Snare. Three Men, well ikill'd in playing at Quarter -ftaff, for his Skill in which the 'Squire piqued himfelf highly, agreed that he mould either beat them fmgly, or that whofoever of them prevail'd, mould drub him foundly. 1 he Time and Place being tix'd on for the Execution, they difpatch'd a VlelTenger to acquaint him, for he had pub- F 2 lickly [44] lickly offer'd a Reward for fo doing, that a Poacher was catching his Trouts. The 'Squire immediately advancing with his Quarter-Staff, his conftant and ufeful Companion, either to annoy others, or to defend himfelf, finds a Fellow groping under the Coverts for Trouts, two or three of which lay dead on the Ground. What Sport, my Friend, fays the 'Squire ? a little, replies the fly Knave, but I hope by and by to have much better. Are thefe all the Trouts you have taken ? No, Sir ; I have a fine String of Filh a little above. Prithee let me fee them : You fhall. Then ftepping forwards, he nimbly draws forth his Quar- ter-Staff from its Concealment, leaps on the Ground, flourishes his Weapon, and cries, this is the String of Fifh I have for you, Ma- fter. Are you in earneft, Friend, fays the 'Squire? I am, was the Reply, and you mail either beat me, or I'll drub you dam- nably. Come on then, fays the "Squire. But alas ! in a Trice he came, he faw, he conquered. The mercilefs Bruifer, having regularly baflinadoed him from the Heel to the Shoulder, turn'd him over, as he layed unluckily on one Side, with his Quar- ter-Staff on the other. On repeating the fame Operation, the 'Squire cries out, doft intend to kill me ? No, replies the Bruifer j I don't love thee well enough to be liang'd for thee ; you'll find me a Man of my Word, being determin'd that one Side of your Body {hall not [45 ] not laugh at the other. The two Confede^ rates, that lay in an adjacent Wood, march'd off triumphantly with their Hero, and left the 'Squire to fneak away to his Home as well as he could. THIS Gentleman killing the leading Dog of a Pack of Hounds purfuing their Game athwart his Lands, was thoroughly convinc'd at common Law, that he might legally pound, but not kill any Creature for a Trefpafs. ; and therefore immediately erects a Pound for Dogs. Poor Pufs, foon after hunted by the fame Pack of Hounds, runs clofe by a Clergyman's Houfe, in the Porch of which he then happened to fit with a Book. The Clergyman doling the Book, quits the Pleafure of reading, for the Diver lion of hunting. The aforefaid 'Squire, hearing the Hounds coming on in full Cry towards his Eftate, fummons his Servants ; who by a Stratagem caught two or three of the Dogs, and actually pounded them. The Clergyman finding his Sport fpoiPd, and be- ing acquainted with the Caufe, immediately attempts a peaceable Retreat to his Houfe. The 'Squire loudly calls after him, and upon his facing about, afks whether he had ever read in his Bible, that any of the ^poflles went a hunting? The Clergyman con- fefs'd, that no Mention being made of hunt- ing in thofe Places where they preach'd, he never read the dpoftles went a hunting j but added, [46 ] added, that he had frequently read they went a fiming. This feems to be a Licence, an Apoftolical one, for the innocent Diverfion of Angling ; the Legality of which no one, it is prefum'd, that reads this, will be fo hardy as to deny. THE Prophets, that formerly haunted the Fields, for you muft not imagine that Device to be primarily yours, had a Profecution com- menced againft them in the Court of Kings- Bench, by Mr. Attorney General. It was concluded, upon a Confutation held by the Leaders of this famous Troop, that they could only quam the Profecution, by bully- ing the Lord Chief Juftice. They declared therefore to his Face, that GOD had imme- diately fent them, to threaten him with eter- nal Damnation, unlefs he put a Stop to the Profecution commenced in his Court, againft the Prophets that were prophefying in this Land for its Good. You may depend upon it, Gentlemen, replied the Lord Chief Ju/tice, that you have received your Direction wrong. The Attorney General -may, but GOD knows it is not in my Power to do it. Thus after your Mountain has been in Labour-, after fo many violent Throws, and Pangs ; you are eafed of your Fardel, to the Mirth of the Spectators, as many a Woman feigning herfelf Pregnant has been ; and the Compofttion evi- dently demonftrates the Parent. Therefore when [47 ] when the Weather-Cock (lands always true to a fmgle Point^ notwithstanding the continual varying and fhifting of the Wind ; when the Moon conftant in nothing but Changes, ex- cells in Glory the Sun invariably the fame ; when a wandering Star be preferred for Direc- tion to a fixed Star ; then may you expect to be confirmed in an ufurped Province of Cur- /itor y Inquifitor, and Director general of the Clergy. If you think by Precept^ to fettle your ^Timothys and T/Vw's, immoveably in the vileft Station, Crete \ when by a more power- ful but fhameful Example you are feducing them to roam at large j '* Nihilo plus agis, ac fi. des Operam, ut cum ratione infanias. Aude aliquid brevibus Gyaris & Carcere dignum ; Si vis efle aliquid," To be notable, is to be excentrick ; to be excentrick, is to be admired. You vainly expert to lead all Men, as you do your blind Followers. You affirm in one Pa^e o what you deny in another. You write a whole Treatife againft Matrimony, and per- fetfitby marrying. Some think you afted in this Manner like a prudent Widow, who locked up her marriageable Daughter for the better difpofing of herfelf. You fent before you a moft expert Officer, to take the Advan- tage of Ground. s.nc?^reat-f3anger of y9ur future Excursions to B . th,at. % G?/^)' ; nor any Hopes of your, hajfin^" Lfiilu*e. to fetch in Perfon wljat they fire fo/tedjoui in fending, an Eclair c ifmeyt of that Affair. If you have burnt your "-Fingers by intenmeddling, it is a Demoiiflration -that you 'are too' old xo learn, and too wife'to. be taught, even by an Apoftle ; and ther.efore you, are the lefs to be pitied when you fuffer as an ' A 000100519 8 i- - .