REMARKS' FROM THE COUNTRY; Upon the Two LETTERS Relating to the CONVOCATION AND Alterations in the LITURGY.  
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REMARKS' FROM THE COUNTRY.  
I Am sorry to find the Abilities of our English Convocation so much disinherited by some of their Brethren, that it should be thought necessary to send public Letters of advice, by way of charitable assistance to direct them what to do; had they been left to themselves, they might possibly have erred dangerously concerning those Fundamental Points of the Calendar, the old Translation of the Psalms, the Surplice, etc. and have retained a too favourable opinion of the Service and Constitution of England, which is now become the only intolerable and unpardonable Heresy. That Reverend Assembly will I hope pardon me, if at present I wave all vindication of the capacity they may be presumed to have, for the settling of these profound Points; for it would reflect too much upon the wisdom of those Directors, if the Convocation should appear to stand in no need of their charity, and their Letters look like a too forward and solemn impertinence. It is a Thousand Pities so instructive and so Eloquent Papers should ever fall under such an imputation, and be ranked among the Scribble of Elinor James, with this only advantage of having better Language; whereas the Woman Counsellor is judged to have the better meaning.  
But supposing the Convocation so weak indeed as this way of Proceeding does suggest, and that the matters to be brought before them, like children's Meat, must be chewed beforehand, and put into their Mouths; yet the charity had born a better grace, if it had been conveyed more privately, and had concealed those defects of our Church Representative which it pretended to supply. If these Gentlemen intended only to be Prompters to the Convocation, they mistook their part, and spoke much too loud, and instead of Assisting, served only to Disgrace the Actors. Therefore when these instructing Papers were publicly exposed among the Toys of Westminster-Hall, and Proclaimed by Hawkers, together with Scotch News, and Observators, it is no wonder if the Company at Harry the Seventh's Chapel resented the affront, and cried out a Libel, and carried their Complaints as far as Jerusalem-Chamber there to be decently buried in Oblivion.  
It is doubtless out of pure condescension, that one of these Directors is pleased to style himself a Minister in the Country; the undertaking does not agree very well with his Character, and it is seldom that Persons of that Rank take upon them to direct and Chatechise Synods. Country Ministers, Poor Men, are at too great a distance from the Spring of Business to be so early acquainted with these Mysteries, hid from the Country, till these Letters Revealed them. But the Knowledge of affairs, and the assuming that commonly attends too much Knowledge, speaks this Author rather of the Commission than of the Country. But if the Title be serious, it is a great Pity that the obscure Dull Country, that knows not how to value such a Treasure, should possess him any longer so much to his own disadvantage, as well as to the regret of the Court and City.  
The Author of the Letter to a Friend is pleased to give some intimations of his being a Member of the Convocation, which some Persons who wish well to the design of the Letter, will by no means allow; and indeed it seems something odd and preposterous, that a Person of so impetuous and irresistible Eloquence, should in the First place enter his public Protestation, and make his final Appeal to the People, before he had tried the force of one of his Reason's within-doors. But some of our Friends from this rough way of Proceeding, guessed him to be an Undertaker, who was to prepare Men as well as Matter for this Convocation; and not finding the success of his Private application to answer the expectations he had conceived, or the assurances he had given, grew wroth with the disappointment, and fearing to have lost his design, lost his Patience and Discretion to that degree, as to cry out of Obstinacy and Rigour, and in a sort to post the Convocation for Stiff and Inflexible People, before any thing had been in due form laid before them.  
You may imagine from this beginning, that I shall differ from the sense of these Letters in every Point proposed; but to prevent such a Mistake, I will let you see at setting out how easily we are agreed; for I join heartily with the Country Minister in the First thing he lays down, p. 3, 4. as the Foundation of what he afterwards should propose, that there are such things in the Church of England that are in their own nature alterable, and the other Letter notes it as a great mistake in us to hold any thing of this nature not prescribed in Scripture to be unalterable. I have some exception against the words in us, because I do not know the Companions of his Mistake; and I dare be bound to free all Church of England men from the imputation. For how addicted soever they may be thought to their constitution and their forms, I never could meet with any of them so unreasonably stiff, as not readily to allow every thing of Humane Institution and use, to be in its nature changeable. And because I would not have a Point so evidently true as I take this to be, brought under evil suspicion by a False Argument, I desire the Convocation-Man pretended, to Pray in the Aid of somebody who understands the Language, and to look over the Titles of those Twenty Volumes of Greek Liturgies, that he calls to witness p. 13. 4. how much the Greek Church has altered Forms, for fear all these Volumes should happen to be not so many different Forms of their Liturgies, often altered and brought to a Review, but parts of one and the same Service; because I do not remember many Volumes of Greek Liturgies Printed, besides those which as several Offices make up the present Service of the Greek Church. There are indeed Three old ones Printed by Morellius, but all of them not half so big as our Common-Prayer. There is one thing more which I would desire him to consider for the sake of this first Point in which we are agreed, and that is what he affirms in the same place, p. 14, that the Act of King Edward the 6th, was the First Law for an uniform Liturgy in any Church, that was ever Enacted from the beginning of Christianity to that time. Such a man as our Author who speaks of M. SS. in the lump, cannot be ignorant that the Canons of Provincial Synods, for Uniform Liturgies, had the effect of Laws, and especially in these Western parts, where Kings were commonly present in Synods, and ratified what was there concluded. This Men of ordinary Reading may be allowed to know, because it is in Print; but besides many very ordinary Men without affecting to pry into the Secrets of Learning, have heard of such Men as King Pippin and his Son Charles the Great, and that they laid aside the French Service, and established the Roman in its place, and that by such Laws as passed in those times: And Charles in his constitution, de Emendatione Librorum Ecclesiasticorum, expressly ratifies the Service Book so corrected by a Law, nostra eadem volumina authoritate constabilimus, vestraque Religioni in Christi Ecclestis tradimus ad legendum. It was likewise by Law, that the Roman Office was Established in Spain under Alphonsus the 6th, much against the grain of the Church, which could not part with its old Office without Tears. Therefore to conclude this Point, that there are things in their nature alterable, I would desire this Gentleman to alter these Passages, if he thinks fit in the next Edition of his Letter.  
Now that you may not think, that we shake hands here at setting out, in order to part presently; I do willingly agree with the same Author, P. 1. ●. That nothing is more dangerous to Religion, than frequently to make alterations in things pertaining thereto: Nay, though it were in outward Circumstantials only that the Church of England may be justified in her proceedings hitherto, that she has not been forward on every demand of the Dissenters, to unhinge those of her Communion from her long received Establishments, but has to the utmost resisted all alterations from them, hoping by less dangerous methods to cure, etc. When I met with so many passages in these Letters, reflecting with great sharpness upon our Service and present Constitution, I began to be afraid, that we might have been in the wrong, ever since Edward the 6th. Days: But I took courage when I found that hitherto all had been well, and provided we yield ourselves tractable upon this occasion, all our past proceedings and stifness against Dissenters may be justified. It is well for the Church that she needs not apprehend any retrospect into her behaviour; since as Times go with Churchmanship, it must be acknowledged to be no common favour. But good Sir, how can this Liberality consist with those Reflections you make upon the past Conduct of the Church, how can it consist with your Censure of that unreasonable Rigour, whereby we have hitherto maintained them. P. 5. or with this kind Expostulation, have we not already lost our Reputation with the People of the Land, by insisting too rigorously on those things? How can it agree with the frightful Representation you are pleased to give of the faults of the Liturgy. P. 15. for if me are forced to read such ridiculous things to our People instead of the Word of God; if by reading the old Translation of the Psalms we impose that on our People for true Scripture, which in so great a Number of places quite differs from it; and if there be many Grievances, and Defects of this Nature which he could tell us of, to which we are bound: If all this be in earnest, I must needs confess, that I cannot see how we may be justified for the Time past; for were these ridiculous things less ridiculous, or these reading Psalms less differing from true Scripture a hundred years ago? Was it allowable to retain most Religious and Gracious King in the last Reigns, and is it now grown a Flattery not to be warranted? Those things that are now such Grievances and Defects, were they of another Nature in the Days of Queen Elizabeth? In short, the Liturgy and Constitution of the Church of England, are they grown worse and more intolerable now than when these Gentlemen thought fit to declare their Assent and Consent to them? Yet both give the Church and Liturgy very good words; a Church, says one, which I am certain of in respect of its Doctrine, Worship and Order is inferior to none upon upon the Face of the Earth. P. 1. As to the Liturgy of our Church, says the other, I freely acknowledge, and I think no Man can contradict me herein, that it is the best which was ever yet used in any Christian Church, P. 12. Now if this Liturgy, so faulty, so ridiculous, so wicked as to impose false Scripture upon the People be yet the best of any, and if this Church with all the Faults here represented, so unwary as to turn the Sign of the Cross into a Sacrament, be inferior to none; God help the rest I say! I am afraid, that I should be tempted to have a very sorry opinion of Churches and Liturgies, if I had not some hopes that our Authors might be mistaken in many of those things they expose for the Defects of the Church of England: But I must confess, that I cannot see how 'tis possible to reconcile the Compliment with the Reproach. Weigelius indeed pretends, that in the School of Grace Contradictories may be reconciled and united by the mind; but the matter being passed my Skill, all the Service I can do him is to refer him to that Mystical Divine.  
I once thought, these alterations so much talked of, were intended by way of condescension and favour; but when I find these Advocates for the project, lick up the Venom of the Dissenters, and spit it in the face of their own Church; when they try to give new strength to old weak Objections, and affect new Quarrels and Cavils against the Liturgy; there is too great reason to be jealous, that they do not intend to mediate an Accommodation, but to procure a Conquest for the Dissenters. Many therefore that seemed not averse to make some Concessions, provided it might have been to any good effect, were extremely discouraged by the method which these undertakers took to persuade them. For if this new pretended Reformation, cannot be introduced but upon the Disparagement and Condemnation of the old, if it must reflect blemish and infamy upon the Memory of the preceding Generations of our Church, if it must through Contempt and Ignominy upon so many excellent Persons, who have not only consented to this Constitution, but defended and justified it against the frivolous Exceptions of Dissenters; if this be the Case, you must pardon me, if I have not now that inclination to alterations which I own myself to have had heretofore.  
Neither would I be thought so punctilious, as to prefer a Point of Honour to a Case of Necessity. If it be so necessary to make these Changes; if it will unite all Protestants, and create an universal Concord; I am content to discharge all these Circumstantials, and bid them stand out of the way of such mighty Blessings. That so it is, a certain Person positively affirms to a Friend, P. 2. I think now to make such alterations as are proposed, so absolutely necessary as ought no longer to be deferred, and then P. 8. That these things administer only to Schism and Division in the Church, and to Distraction in the State; and again, P. 9 They become mischievous too in the Evils that they bring upon the Church and State. Nay further, P. 10. I here plainly aver, that the Church of England cannot be guiltless in this matter, if ●he do not alter some of these things. And to conclude, The present Posture of Affairs require it: For the greatest hopes of the French for our Destruction is from our Divisions— and what remedy have we left to prevent this terrible Ruin, but to come to as firm a Union among ourselves as we are able? and the hopes of preserving Church and State from the great dangers under which they are both involved, do in a great measure depend upon what we shall do. P. 5. Who could have imagined, that these little things should be of so great Consequence either for good or hurt? If these Trifles had but sense enough to understand the Charge laid against them, they could not but wonder with the Fly upon the Coach-wheel at the mighty Dust they made; and could they but speak for themselves, they might plead with the Officers of the Children of Israel, Exod. 5. 16. Behold thy Servants are beaten, but the fault is in thine own People. However since they are so positively accused of having raised the Tempest, and there is no way to calm it, but by throwing these unhappy occasions overboard: Let us consent, and by way of supposition lay all these things aside. Now Sirs, it is all done as you have ordered: Call the Dissenters in, that the Church may be full: Go to the Quakers, for they are a numerous and very compact Party; and let them know, that there is now neither Apocrypha, nor obsolete Translations, nothing but Scripture in the Lessons; that there are now Collects more spiritual than the old, and in short, a Liturgy, and a Church better than the best. What Answer think ye, the Foreman of a Quaker Assembly would probably return to such an Invitation? You may reasonably expect something to this purpose. Friend, go to thy Steeplehouse and thy dead Letter again, thou mightest have kept thy old Lessons, and thy Prayers for us, and forbear tempting and troubling our Spirit any further.  
But pray Sirs, be not so far discouraged by the obstinacy of one unmannerly Sect, as not to proceed to a Trial of the rest. Carry then your reformed Liturgy to the Anabaptists, and acquaint them what glorious Alterations you have made, and that it is now quite another thing from the old one, at which they were so justly offended: Nay, the Sign of the Cross in Baptism, that great Stumbling-block, is removed, and the Surplice that offended tender Eyes, is turned into Aprons for the Church-warden's Wife: Come Brethren, let us all go into one Church, and then we shall beat the French, and save the Nation. When you had said all you could, the Pastor on behalf of his sworn Congregation would gravely tell you, that you were much mistaken, if you intended to gain them by your Alterations. For you could not but know, that their Exceptions were not against this or that passage in the Common-Prayer, but against the whole; all Forms of Prayer in their opinion tending to suppress the free motions of the Spirit: Besides, what could it avail in respect of them▪ that the Cross in Baptism was removed, since Infant Baptism was to them a greater Offence, than all the Ceremonies of the Church of England? and as for the French, they were willing to join against them; but there was no necessity of making the Church the General Rendezvous.  
The Design is great and generous. I beseech you do not sit down and despair after, but two Denials. Go on to the Independents, for they are civil Men; and tell your Story to the best Advantage. Tell them, that now you have Prayers that Angels would be content to join in; Prayers, that must make all men Saints that use them; come then to our Church, and see the new and heavenly Face of things these Alterations have made; You cannot possibly find fault now with our Parish Churches: Besides, there is an absolute Necessity now for our joining in one national Church, otherwise the French and the Philistines will be upon us. Parish-Churches, and national Churches, reply the Independents; and what can the French and the Philistines do worse? You know we are in Covenant with God, and with our Pastors, from which we cannot recede, though all the World should be destroyed: Those mixed Companies and Parish Assemblies our Souls hate, and therefore do not urge us. We have our Liberty now to meet in our own way, and for aught I know this Disturbance you have given us, may fall within the Compass of the Act: You know the Forfeit, therefore be wise. But before you go, take your Answer in the words of the Prophet; who has required this at your hand?  
Now Gentlemen, if you are weary of walking, send for T. F. and the Socinians; he perhaps may owe you a Visit, and will be glad of an opportunity to show his Coach. Let him understand his Obligation to you, how for his sake you have either taken away the Athanasian Creed, or pulled out the Sting of it. It is therefore more for their Credit to join with us upon this occasion, than to make themselves odious to all Christians, by joining interest and Friendship with Mahometans. A Man of less Pertness than T. F. would return upon you, That you cannot expect any compliance from them, as long as the Nicene Creed, the Spring of all the Doctrine which makes up your Mystery, and their Abomination, does remain; they will do you the civility to hear you Preach, provided you confine yourselves to Morality, and forbear the Doxology at the Conclusion.  
Unfortunate Enterprise! yet surely thou deservest a more favourable Providence, and a more suitable success: But Sirs, be of good comfort, there is yet one hopeful reserve that can never fail you, I mean the good Presbyterians; make haste therefore to Mr. A. and Mr. B. before the Scotch Covenanters have engaged them: make them sensible that the Gates of Iron are broken down, and the Trojan Horse may now enter in with all that he has in his Belly, without any hard Examination that may discover a Conspiracy. Now the Ceremonies are given up as useless and mischievous; now the Communion may be given you Standing, or Sitting, or Lolling if you think it more for Edification; all Superstition and Offence is taken out of the way, and all the old Demands yielded; nay there is nothing left in our new Book, that ever fell under your displeasure: Come in now, for we have engaged for you, and all our Credit is at stake. Methinks I see Mr. A. draw his Mouth, and put this sly Question, And must this new Book be imposed? Why, you will say it is so absolute and so perfect that it were to be wished that it were imposed upon the whole World. Nay saith Mr. A. do you not know the mischief of impositions? Can you be ignorant that it is our Common Doctrine from which we can never depart, That Command changes the nature of the thing? Besides after all your Cobbling, it is still but Common-Prayer, and our People can never endure it; for after they have been used to the excellence and variety of our Spiritual effusions, they will never suffer themselves to be brought down to the Poor and Beggarly Elements of Common-Prayer. To be brief, it is our Fervent pouring out, is the very Brandy of Devotion; those that are once accustomed to it, can never leave it.  
For the last Stage of your Apostleship for Union, address yourselves to the moderate Presbyterians, if any such Creatures there be; you may assure yourselves they are but few, and scarce arise to the number of the Apostles: However they are considerable for the scarcity of them, if for nothing else; these are your own wherever you can find them, for it is impossible they should ever resist the Power of your Alterations, when they come to understand that for their sakes you have changed your constitution, and hazarded the displeasure and separation of your own People. But because it is customary after the first Groan for the Zeal of these Good Men, to Fire against Lords, Bishops, and the Hierarchy, give them the Wink, and whisper them in the Ear, that perhaps it may come now to the turn of such Godly Men as they, to be Bishops: Assure yourself, this will make them much more moderate, especially when they see so many Bishop's Seats upon the point of being pronounced void, and the countenance of the Court to shine so auspiciously upon their merit. And lest they may fear this Hierarchy may lie too heavy upon their Consciences; you may assure them that care shall be taken to relieve them under this Oppression; and they may when they think fit, resign their Dignity and Revenue, and have the Honour of standing last in the Catalogue of that order. And what better course can they take to secure themselves a Name in after Ages, than that it shall be said, that in them the English Hierarchy so much spoken against, did finally expire? One Private Friendly reason in ones ear, proves many times more convincing than all the Arguments that can be alleged in Print or Public Disputation; and to moderate Men, Alterations with Preferments must be irresistible motives of Conformity, unless they think they have a fairer Game than this you would put into their hands, and it shall seem more advisable to them, to stick where they are, than to join in a discouraged sinking Communion. This ramble of imagination is not altogether a Dream, or if it be, it is neither vain nor delusory, but flew abroad through the right Gate.  
But the Letters tell us, that suppose there were never a Dissenter in the Land, those Alterations ought to be made; Minist. P. 27. to gratify ourselves by further Improvements, Amendments and Perfection. Let us then before we comply, consider a little of the State of Perfection into which these Alterations would translate us. Is it for our own sake and perfection that we should leave the Cross in Baptism, and renounce the common badge of Christianity, and the practice of the Universal Church? Is it for Perfection that we should lay aside the Surplice for the short Mantle? Is it for the heightening and perfection of our Devotion, that we should choose to receive the Communion Standing or Sitting, rather than upon our Knees? Is it for our own sake that we should leave the old version of the Psalms, that has generally a plain and determined sense, for the new that affects too much of the Hebrew Phrase, and in which the sense in many places is suspended? Is it for greater Edification, to astonish our People with Reading in our Churches all the hard names in the Chronicles, Ezra and Nehemiah, instead of the Books of Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus? If the Canticles are omitted, because Interpreters of that Mysterious Song are not so easily to be found as Readers, we have the practice of the Synagogue and the Ancient Church to justify us. But Tobit and his Dog are abominable. Give me leave for once to intercede for that Poor Dog, because he is a Dog of good example, for he was faithful and loved his Master; besides that, he never troubles the Church on Sundays when People have their best clothes on: only on a Week day, when Scrupulous Brethren are always absent, the poor Cur makes bold to follow his Master.  
But after all, I would not be thought so fond of our Liturgy, as to pronounce it beyond all improvement; yet I must avow, that in my Judgement the Authors of the Letters have not put us in the right way to perfection. In the last place therefore, although many things in our Church might receive improvement, if our Directors had put us in the right way of retaining them; yet I must declare that in my judgement, the present time is the most improper to try the practice of any that has past since the Reformation. Perfection is certainly a desirable thing, yet if men's minds are averse, and for the present uncapable, if the times are unseasonable, if inconveniences appear inseparable from the experiment, Men may be excused if they do not presently run away with every project of good appearance; and their shieness for meddling with new practices ought to be ascribed rather to their tenderness and godly jealousy and mistrust of consequences, than as one of our Epistlers in his great charity is pleased to judge to their peevishness, stiffness, or what is the hardest charge of all their Wickedness. Nor, can I blame any Men, who in hopes of Fairer Wether, think it advisable to lie short, in compliance with St. Paul's rule, Phil. 3. 16. Nevertheless whereto we have attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same things.  
But why is not this a time? not a Season. Says the Minister, is there any thing can make that not seasonable which is always a duty? I am sorry all our Predecessors have died in the mortal omission of this indispensible duty. But our Minister suggests sometimes, that they were ignorant and knew no better: Here I must leave him to dispute this with his Friend the Author of the other Letter, who takes upon him to justify our Forefathers for refusing Alterations in their time. Let it not displease, if I cite a scrap of Horace upon this occasion, which never gave any offence before this last Convocation; Vixerunt fortes ante Agamemnone,— thus rendered by the Old Translator.  
Before his time the Fool maintains  
That Men were born without their Brains.  
Is it not a Season to remember the tenderness towards Dissenters, and the promise of coming to a temper in the Bishop's Petition? What have we to do with the Bishop's Petition? were they not put in the Tower for it? Who will concern himself with those Forsaken Bishops, whom one of our Authors threatens with Annihilation; Poor Men, that must be immediately crushed and fall to nothing, P. 25. But I hope that without falling under the heavy resentments of the State, I may ask one Question on the behalf of those Reverend Persons against whom every Ass is now lifting up his Heels: Are our Directors sure that they have in their Project of Alterations hit the temper promised by the Bishops? If a Project form, I know not where nor by whom, has not the fortune to be approved, must the Clamour of the People be raised against the Bishops, as a Base False sort of Men, who can promise fair in times of Adversity, and forget all performances when they are over? I wish indeed that the times of Adversity were over with those Good Men, that they may be able to perform their Vows; but there is one circumstance of the time of the Petition generally forgot. All the Penal Laws for the security of the Church of England against Papists and other Dissenters, were then in full force; against these the Dispensing Power was directed, and in the behalf of these the Bishops did Petition; but now all those Laws as far as they concern the Dissenters in their private capacity are Repealed, the greatest part of the Dissenters are not capable of any other temper than Toleration, which they all have, and the Presbyterians, who alone of all our Sects are capable of uniting with a National Church, are so for from desiring an accommodation, that they are raising new Objections against Conformity, and standing off at greater distance than ever. Their very sitting still at this time, without offering any Proposals for Union, while Churchmen are wrangling with one another about giving them satisfaction, declares plainly that they are resolved to stick to their own way after all the Alterations we shall be able to make. So that I do not see what those Bishops, if their Authority were still entire, could possibly do further to make good the temper which they promised.  
Not a Season? says the Minister; what, because the Enemy is withdrawn shall we devour one another, P. 27. This is doubtless an Eloquent vehemence, if I were worthy to reach the sense of it; devour one another! God bless us, we are not such Canabals sure! I cannot devise how this should come in, unless it slipped from some Scripture Common-place-Book made in the time of Vavasor and Lunsford. But are we yet without danger? Now because the Man to his Friend represents the dangers more sensibly, we'll take his Description. We have a formidable Enemy in our Neighbourhood, who thinks of nothing less than of subjugating these Three Kingdoms to his Absolute Tyranny; his greatest hopes for our destruction is our Divisions among ourselves,— these make us unable to resist him with that success, etc. Is there any Prophecy I pray (for it is not Civil to ask this Gentleman for Reason) that Duke Schomberg cannot Reduce Ireland, unless the Cross in Baptism be taken away? Or will not our Fleet engage the French, except Presbyterian Ordinations made in defiance of Bishops and Episcopacy be allowed? Have the Quakers promised to Fight if we Reform the Calendar? Or will not the Independants and Presbyterians strike one Struck, but under the Banner of the New Reformed Church of England, provided always it be not a Cross? Is there no way of joining in Fight, and Paying Taxes without this Church Union so much talked of by us, and never so much as mentioned by the Dissenters? Indeed Sir, the Dissenters are much to blame, if after so ample Toleration, that as you observe has put them upon as good a bottom of Legal Right and Protection as the Church of England, they refuse to assist the Government, unless the poor defective Common-Prayer be put into a state of Perfection. This Church of England is certainly under the Dominion of the most unfortunate of all the Planets, for whoever miscarries, she must bear the Blame. If a Frigate be cast away, the Winds and the Sea, though subject to no Actions in our Courts, are absolved, and the faults laid upon our Rigours, much harder than the Marble Rocks of Plymouth. If a Disease in the Camp, render our Army unfit for Action, the Church of England is the cause, because she does not unite all Protestants: If a Commissary Victuals not the Camp sufficiently, and a French Apothecary provides not proper Drugs, O the lamentable Divisions and Distractions of the Church and State; and our Stiff Churchmen will never come to a healing temper. I have heard some Learned Men say, that the Primitive Christians were in their time in the same office of Blame-beating that we are now; if the Roman Arms wanted success, some Oracle spoke, Away with these Atheistical Christians: If the Year was unfruitful, Hang up the Christians. Let the Dissenters or the Moderate Men say what they please of Bishops and Liturgies and Ceremonies, this one thing at least we may be allowed to have common with the Primitive Church, I have almost filled up my sheet though I write in short hand, and therefore cannot now give you my reasons at length, why I think this an unfit Time for Alterations, if any at all were to be thought of. I will only hint them to you. In the first place the Dissenters do not seem to be in any Disposition to an Accommodation, having never made any Proposals either to the Commissioners or Convocation. 2. The Condition they are in at present by the Act of Toleration raises their expectations too high to be satisfied with any reasonable Terms. 3. The abolishing of Episcopacy by their Brethren of Scotland, may encourage them here to think of such matters as can never be the fruits of a Treaty, and perhaps to dream of a second Conquest. 4. Their insolence in all places since this Revolution declares them to be above the humble Dispensation of an amicable Composure. 5. The great men that influence them, will always think it their interest to keep them separate from the Church, for so they will be most for their turn, and therefore will never suffer them to join with us; or should they come in, will always keep them up as a separate Party within the Church. 6. Several of the most considerable among them have declared, they will never think of treating, unless their Orders are allowed, and then too they will insist upon the Point of Episcopacy. 7. The Church of England Men do not seem to be in a Disposition for altering at this Time; for they find themselves insulted and oppressed in all parts of the Kingdom, where the moderate Men are got into Power and Commission. 8. The Clergy are alarmed with the Destruction of Episcopacy in Scotland, and think they have reason to be jealous, that now the Presbyterians of England hold intelligence with the Scots; because they have always corresponded. 9 Our Laymen find Dissenters even in this State of Separation to have the Preference; and upon a new Model they may have reason to suspect, that the Proselytes may pass for the only Churchmen, and then Veteres migrate Coloni. 10. There seems to want a Plenitude of Authority in the Convocation, to enact these Alterations; the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Five of his Suffragans, Persons of great Consideration and credit in the Church, lying at present under an incapacity. The Objection about their Schism is nothing but a Calumny of their Enemies, and shall have no Answer from me, because it is not agreeable to my temper to give it such an Answer as it deserves: But certainly an Archbishop the Praeses natus of the Convocation, and Five Bishops of the Province must needs be miss in the House, consisting of but Two and Twenty. It is not enough to say that it is a Legal House without them; for a House of Commons of Forty Persons is a Legal House; but there would be great exceptions, if Three times the number, and no more, should take upon them to Repeal a Statute, or alter common Law. And in this Jealousy that one Party has of another, it appears oddly, that this time of all others should be thought most proper to introduce Alterations of such a consequence as these appear to be at the first view. 11. The Kingdom is yet in such a ferment, and many things so unsettled, that to change now in the Church, is like altering Military Exercise in the midst of a Battle, or cavining a Ship in a Storm. The most proper time for Alterations in Religion, is that which is most calm, when the Spirits of Men run low, when there is a mutual confidence between parties, when they all conspire in one desire of accommodation, and when the Ecclesiastical Authority that is to Enact them, is entire, not only in respect of the Law, but of Common Opinion: And whether these circumstances belong to the present time, you will easily discern.  
I will conclude with answering Two Arguments in the Letters, which I had almost forgot; The First is, that if we do not make Alterations, most certainly the Parliament will, and we may provoke them by our stiffness, to follow the Example of Scotland. It is a strange confidence, and scarce of English growth, to declare so certainly beforehand what our Parliament will do. These Gentlemen will pardon me, if I should think the Parliament something wiser than them, and cannot apprehend any thing from them that may prove for the prejudice of the established Church, and to the dissatisfaction of the generality of the Kingdom: For the Example of Scotland, we despise the Threatening▪ I have read of an Owl▪ that appeared in a Roman Council and frighted the whole Assembly; but our Church of England Convocations are not so easily scared. This is the third Time that Episcopacy has been abolished in Scotland, we know it to have revived twice, and we still believe 〈◊〉 Resurrection.  
The second Argument is, that the King is desirous of these Alterations, and the Church of England cannot but be safe in his hands. This is an Argument I must acknowledge myself to be unable to answer yet. I know, that the King's Name and the King's Money are often used without his knowledge; but because I cannot reply directly, I will plead the Privilege of Old Age, and tell you a short Story. In the Beginning of King James the First's Reign, the Presbyterians of this Kingdom entertained violent hopes of an Ecclesiastical Revolution, and gave out every where, that the King having been bred in Scotland in the Presbyterian way, was desirous of a change in favour of it: A great Number of Conformists, and much a greater Number than have yet appeared, for this new Project, joined with the Non conformists; defamed the Common-Prayer beyond Measure; declared they could never subscribe again, though they had done it several Times before; You know the Issue, they found themselves mistaken in the King's Inclinations, the moderate Men were glad to be reconciled to their Common-Prayer, and the Church outlived the too hasty Triumphs of her Enemies, and the Treachery of her pretended Friends.  
FINIS.