THE Trial and Determination OF TRUTH: In ANSWER to The Best Choice for Religion and Government.  
Believe not every Spirit; but try the Spirits, whether they are of God; for many false Prophets are gone out into the World,  1 John 4. 1. 
That thou may'st know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the House of God, which is the Church of the Living God, the Ground and Pillar of the Truth,  1 Tim. 3. 15. 
LONDON: Printed in the Year 16   

THE PREFACE TO THE READER, GENTLE or SIMPLE.  
WE are fallen into a most ill-natured and censorious Age, apt to interpret every thing spoken or acted, designed or written, in the worst sense; 'Tis rare to find a Man who will not take with the Lefthand, what is offered with the Right. Yet, being a Friend to Truth, (which was in danger to suffer by the Mistakes and Errors of a late Book, Entitled, The Best Choice, etc.) I have here ventured to make an Apology, (such as it is) and to say all I honestly could, in the Vindication of the Saints therein mentioned; who out of an unusual Modesty, or for some other Reasons, best known to themselves, have for divers Months concealed their Talon; talked only of an Answer, but published none.  
This Trial of Truth was calculated, and chiefly designed for the Meridian of SCYDROMEDIA, but may indifferently serve any County or Corporation in England, as a fair Intimation to all Freemen and Freeholders', to distinguish betwixt Church and Conventicle, Truth and Falsehood; and on that Side which is safest from Deceits, There to fix, there to vote in all Elections of Future Parliaments. If there should be amongst the Electors, Men disturbed in their Understandings by the Heat of Enthusiasm, or whose Wisdom is altogether sensual and worldly; who presumptuously make Heaven stoop to Earth, hiding their private and secular Designs under the Venerable Name of Saints, or the Sober Party; I don't once concern myself with them in this Endeavour to advance Truth: The former cannot, and the latter will not be convinced. There's no Ear so deaf, as that which Interest has stopped; and none so miserably blind, as those that resolvedly shut their Eyes against the plainest Demonstrations of Truth. The Words of an old Author are at this day verified of the English, 
What they like not, they never understand.  JEOF. CHAUCER.  
Yet Truth ought not to be quite run down for want of an Advocate; nor shall Sir A. and my good Friends be a●●●'d, whilst 'tis in my power to make a tolerable Defence for 'em. And truly, Friends! I have a hard Task on't. The grievous Immoralities of Life, the Blemishes of Humane Nature, the many Designs of this wicked World, appear so plainly at the bottom of our Zeal, and Stifness for our several Opinions, that 'tis more ingenuous and adviseable, to own some things to be sordid and base in our Proceedings, than by an over strict Justification of our Doings, we put the Church up on Inquiries, lest after an impartial Search, we should stand condemned by all Good Men. 'Tis but a folly to deny what we cannot hide; That secular Ends are very apt to mix with, and shelter themselves under the shadow of Religion. This has been the Old Artifice for Mischief in all Ages; we should be wiser than venture our Stake upon a Game so well known, that every Child in Understanding, can now perceive the Cheat.  
Far be it from me to write one Syllable in Dishonour to True Religion: That must needs be a Right Noble and worthy Thing in itself, and very powerful with Mankind, when the bare Show of it can serve to carry on those Designs, which neither Wit nor Force can effect. All I ask of the Whole Body of Dissenters, is, if possible, To be Honest; to aim at nothing but what's good and warrantable, to prosecute all their Affairs by lawful Means. Do no irregular, unworthy or base Act; but with Purity of Soul bear a principal regard to the Rules of their Duty, and the Dictates of a well-informed Conscience. Build their Practice, not upon treacherous Quagmires, bold and impious Opinions, but upon solid, safe, approved, and well-tried Principles, which tend to the Upholding of Virtue, Government, and Humane Society: So that they can be content to have their Thoughts sounded, their Actions sifted to the bottom, could even wish that their Breasts had Windows, that their Hearts were transparent, that all the World might see through them; because the more curiously the Ways of an Honest Man are marked, the more exactly his Dealings are scanned, the more throughly his Intentions are penetrated and known, the greater Approbation he is sure to receive from Good and Wise Men. But Men made up of Deceit and Treachery, desire to keep on the Vizor; are fearful to be laid open, to have the Varnish wiped off, their Intrigues unravelled, and their Intentions quite stripped of the Veils that now enfold them. All agree in this, (even by the Light of Nature) That Honesty is the best Policy, and the most infallible Method of Safety and Security, in all the Transactions of this World: Yet it would puzzle a good Philosopher to find so much of it here in the Sunshine of the Gospel, as is apparent among Turks and Indians in their darkest Night of Ignorance and Infidelity.  
I conclude this in the Words of Salvian, written as a Monition to all Christians. How much is Religion concerned in this, that without comparison we should be better than Heathens? But how 
Sal. lib. 3.  much (with Grief and Horror I bewail it,) does it tend to the Prejudice of Christian Life and Action, if we are worse than Heathens? This is to be worse when we are more guilty. You may be offended perhaps that read this, and at the same time, condemn it. I refuse not thy Censure; Si mentiar, condemna; condemna si non probavero; If I prove not what I say by good Authority, then let me bear the blame. Judge as you see Cause.  
Farewell.   

THE Trial and Determination of TRUTH: In ANSWER to The Best Choice for Religion and Government; Or, The Vindication of the SAINTS in SCYDROMEDIA.  
THIS Ancient BURROW (known formerly by other Titles) goes at present under a strange Disguise; an odd Name will best correspond with some late Transactions there; a Place and People so much changed for the worse, that if the Old Catieuchlani (who had it before the Romans) were now alive, they would fancy themselves unhappily cast upon some wild newfound Land, inhabited by the Family of Error and her Daughters, of which none were alike, unless in this, That all are Deformed. If Saint Augustine the Monk, and Venerable Bede (whom we account Favourers of the worst, that is, the Romish Religion) should once more visit our divided Scydromedia, and consider the irreligious state of it, at this time, they would presently cross themselves, and get out of it with all speed, to avoid Dangers. If those many Christian Bishops, who here held a Conference and Consultation in those elder Times, (Times of less Learning and more Honesty) should have occasion with other Spirits to enter our enchanted Castle and Corporation, they might see sufficient Reasons for the change of its Name, and could not but wonder at the many Vicissitudes of Time, Place, and Manners.  
But Sir Antbony Put and I, will not pretend to be much seen in the Antiquities of our Town and Country; that's a Study we must resign to a more Able, Faithful, and Judicious Antiquary, who has already detected 
Sir H. Ch.  our Mistakes in point of Elections, and will publish them in due time. 'Tis no Prudence for Men of our small Reading, and less Judgement, to print more than they can make out, or come under the Correction of the more Learned. To prevent such farther Disgrace, we ask Pardon of that Worthy Gentleman, for once daring to invade his peculiar Province without leave. Well, waving Antiquity in this case, let's survey the present State and Condition of this Burrow: What deplorable Alterations it has suffered within our Memory! How unnaturally have some Men degenerated from the Principles, Honour, and Temper, of their Ancestors! Where the Grandfather and Father were constant Blessings, in their Piety, Beneficence, and Good Example, to all Men; the Son unlearns all his Parents Virtues, and becomes a Reproach to his Family, a very Curse and Plague to the Plate he wells in. He that a few Years ago passed for an undoubted Oracle, every Word of his was a Law with the Common People, was as Infallible as the Pope Himself, has now, alas! lost Ground to amazement: His Cardinal Dissenters begin to have other Sentiments; to think, in good earnest, they may be safest without him; their Liberty as sure, their Traffic more unlimited, and their Reputation more clear, if, by laying him aside, they free themselves from their unpolitick Practice of opposing the Church. The meanest of the People have their Eyes open; can now see as far into a Millstone as other Men; can tell ye, that all is not Gold that seems so; that there's difference betwixt Words and Deeds, Pretence and Truth, and do mortally hate to be deceived: They see plainly what was meant by setting up the Burrow against the Corporation; the mighty Outcry of, Danger! Danger! like, Fire! Fire! to amuse and confound the Multitude; that had they either not Voted at all, or joined with the Mayor and Aldermen against Sir Anthony, their Danger and Loss had not been so great, in setting aside a Man greedy of Honour, as the Injury and Mischief of destroying the Unity and Friendship of the Town, dividing it into Parties, and begetting Hatred and Malice one against another. They now believe that the Civil Rights and Liberties of Scydromedia, may well be maintained without his Help; and that the Advice and Assistance of Honorary Freemen (in choosing the fittest Men to serve in Parliament) can be no wrong to a Corporation: That to rob Men of their Peace, Reason, and Religion, is a greater Crime than to 
See the Case of Elections stated.  hinder a few insignificant Votes (if that had been intended:) The Poorer sort had not created Enemies, by confronting the Rich, on whom their Work or Relief must depend. Time and Consideration do Wonders; some Men that heretofore would venture starving rather than not Vote for our Worthy Patriot, now are of Opinion they had better stay at home, and stand neuter; and then, tho' they strictly oblige neither Party, yet by leaving it to others of better Judgement, they enrage none. People are afraid of a 
* Case.  Glorious and Just Design, because such a Pretence once ended in the most Barbarous Murder of King Charles I. They made him in truth a Glorious King; but sent him to find a Kingdom in another World; ever since that time, the Wind of Reformation has blown over us; we 
Vid. Case.  have breathed in an unwholesome Air. The Contagion has spread into all adjacent Parts; some leading, busy Dissenters, like diseased Sheep, have infected, not the whole Flock, but very many that came near them. Poor Sir Anthony I'm sure is the worse for 'em; he has no mind to be made a Tool to any Power or Interest whatsoever, if he was not forced to it by his belov'd Honour: Being puffed up with that, he and his Magna Charta pass some corpse Compliments on Mr. Mayor, the Aldermen, and all the Church-Party; calling them Arbitrary, Infolent Magistrates, Multiplyers of Electors, Thiefs, Treasonable, Impudent Fools, Injurious, Time-servers, Carriers on of Tricks, Men of black Designs; Men of no Reason, Frantic Undertakers. But we must suppose, that these Words are to be taken Ironically; that he meant just contrary to what he said: And truly without the help of this deceitful Trope, we had been hard put to't, to take off the Absurdities and Contradictions of that printed Paper.  
Now let's try at the Book, if we can answer that; justify the Saints, and preserve our Members, the Work's done; Sed hic Labour! hoc Opus! In order to it, let Sir A. put on as good a Face as he can, genteely frisk about the Town, visit every diminutive Cottager, say, Sir, I'm your humble, most faithful, and most obedient Servant; you're all mistaken in me; I am the same Man I was in King Charles II. 's Time; that no Revolution can change my Temper; that with all my Faults, you had better have one you do, than one you do not know. If he meets a Man that has but an Hose or Clout on his Head, let our obliging Knight bend his Body with Hat and Hand to the Ground, and in all Circumstances act the Part of Popularity to the life. I Confess he's too great a Master that way than to need my Directions.  
Let my Lady Castle spend no more of her precious Time in vainly Coaching to Park or Play, in making unnecessary, unwelcome Visits to the Gentry; these will never promote our Cause. Mrs. Maggot, or any other of the Holy Sisters, or whatever they are, that will help to carry on our Good Design, must have the Honour of being my Lady's Companions; nay, she shall attend them in House, Street, Coach, in all Places, and seem fond, very fond of 'em, for want of better Society— Let the 'Squire forbear watching and waiting under his amorous Oak; the Prize is taken; and was I fit to advise a Counsellor, that Tree should not longer stand as a living Monument of his dying Honour: Let him not altogether lurk within doors, but try his Skill upon the Dissenting Females; some more than common Familiarity with them, may chance to turn the Tide for all this. The Leading Presbyterians are sure Cards, to oppose Church and Kingly Government; the Independents may be easily wrought into any pious Mischief; and the Quakers are generally too proud to submit to the plainest Truth, or go one step out of their own way. And yet the wisest Heads amongst 'em are staggered at the Book, and know not well what to say against it. But, to our comfort, I perceive all Sects are more inclined to favour Popery (whatever their Clamours may be to the contrary) than to encourage the Church, and vote for the Defence of it.  
For my part I'll try what Service I can do in pursuing this Method:  

1. Inquire out the Author.  
2. Discover the Errors of the Book.  
3. Bring our Cause to a fair Trial.  
4. Determine according to Truth.   
1. First, For the Author. 'Tis hard to find out who this Friend Henry is, whether Quaker or not: If I own the Truth, he was a wise and honest Man and were it not in hopes of securing Voices by People's Ignorance, I could heartily wish all Englishmen knew and considered so much as he has written: O Interest! Interest! I cannot like any thing that crosses Thee. Plain deal's a Jewel; but have a care of the latter part of that known Proverb: Why should any Man create Enemies to himself? Had he not meddled with our Diana, and the Craftsmen, to expose them; had not he defended Monarchy, Episcopacy, and the Whole Religion and Government of the Church of England, (at such a conjuncture in which we are contriving to subvert 'em) I could have more freely excused and pardoned that Author. Now we must wait long enough for a Republic; we have been plagued with Bishops for above Sixteen hundred Years already, and 'tis to be doubted we shall ne'er get rid of 'em while the World endures. We have blackened the Church with more than bare Suspicions of Popery, and must never again use that Trick to deceive the People: All the Dissenters in the Kingdom (if they understand Sense, and the force of Argument) must confess that the Church of England is Orthodox and Apostolical, and that no just Imputation of Popery can be fastened on her.  
I desire the Author in his next Edition, to abate something of his Virgin Modesty, in concealing his Name, and Residence. The Hornets may buzz about, but cannot sting him; or if they do, he has many Friends; Men of Honour, Art, and Integrity, to take care, that the Venom may not prove Mortal. The Danger is not worth naming; when the Religion-Broker is so pleased with his Gainful Recipe, that he offers Twenty Pounds in Requital. Mr. Maggot seems concerned, that the Author would not give him leave to be grateful. Our Knight extravagantly promises a Full Bottle of the Best, and to give him the Honour of seeing the Parliament for his Reward. The Churchmen are more obliged, for those convincing Reasons on their side, which require some Time and Skill to answer; Porringer and Mouth may be excused; for Charity's grown cold among their quondam Benefactors.  
If a Woman, one of the Fair Sex (as some say) was the Author; and is as lovely in Body as Mind; our good Members earnestly desire to be most intimately acquainted with her. If Law, Divinity, and Physic (as most think) were engaged in this Composure; w' are overmatched by far: All we can do, (besides This Trial) is by way of Recrimination; which will neither invalidate the Book, nor extenuate our own Faults. Truth will prevail. We may endeavour to blemish their Reputations, attempt to render these Gentlemen as immoral and vile as we are; yet, without all peradventure, the Envy, Hatred, Malice, Lying, Spiritual-Pride, Beastiality, Deceit and Treachery, too commonly approved and practised among Dissenters, do by as many Grains outweigh the smaller Infirmities and Failures of the Church of England, as the solemn and deliberate Crimes of riper Years, do the Extravagancies of inadverting Youth.  
Whoever was the Composer, we shall hardly dance after his Pipe. He has set a fairer Copy than the Dissenters of Scydromedia will transcribe in one day. In compliance with their Temper, I'll try if I can spoil the Music; blot and blur the Book to make it less valuable: For, though I cannot discover the Author, I have found out,  
2. Secondly, The Errors of the Book, which I intent to bring in as Evidence against it— I should begin at the wrong End; a preposterous Method is most agreeable to all our Proceedings. 'Tis very true, of Making Books there's no End. This is not the first time our choice Friends have been read in Print, and cannot be the last. I doubt not, but we shall daily afford fresh Matter for ingenious Men or Women to try their Wits on. Oh! If we had truly feared God, and kept his Commandments, we had never been troubled to answer this Untoward Book. It may not be judged a Matter of Imprudence, in entering first upon the Conclusion of it; there being but here and there a little in the Body and substantial Part, but what's too firm and unanswerable. However, at present, we'll call it a silly, vain, scurrilous Pamphlet, meriting not so much Regard as the bare reading it amounts to, let the Churchmen say what they will of the Validity of its Arguments, of the Truth of its History; That this Conference has done the Church of England Right, and the Inhabitants of Scydromedia no Wrong; there are yet some Erratas or Mistakes to be retracted or amended in the next Edition, else, by my Consent, it shall never pass Muster amongst the Saints. But for the better Satisfaction of the World, and that Truth and Justice may take place, the COURT has impanell'd a Jury of several Persuasions; that the Book, with the Persons and Matters therein represented, may have fair Play.  
The Jury, indifferently chosen, are, Five Churchmen, Four Presbyterians, Four Independents, and Four Quakers. Honest Men and True, stand together, and hear your Charge! viz.  
Judge. A late bold Pamphlet, called, The Best Choice for Religion and Government, written in favour of Church and King, questioning the Reputation of the Saints, under the Names of Latitudinarians, Presbyterians; Independents, Seekers, etc. who have here put themselves upon this Trial of Truth— You are to inquire therefore, without Favour or Malice, Whether Guilty, or not Guilty? And to take special Care, before Verdict given, That you duly and impartially consider, the Matters and Things urged on both Sides; that Sentence may pass accordingly. You, Gentlemen of the Jury! I am farther to inform you, that the Matters in Question are Matters of Fact, whereof You are the proper Judges: Attend then,  
First, To the Evidence for the Saints, drawn out of the Errors and Insufficiencies of that Book; no less than Fourteen of 'em.  
Mr. Mouth complains of the Book for Flattery and Untruth: His Father 
Error 1.  was no Committee-Man, in the late Blessed Times of Plunder and Rapine; He was one of your honest Sequestrators; one of those conscientious Men, that first seized, and then took away the Goods of Church and Kingdom; Religiously converting them to better and more holy Uses, leaving a well-gotten Inheritance to his Children. We have an English Proverb, Blessed is the Son whose Father goes to the Devil; true enough of such Fathers, who (swelled with Pride, hardened with other Vices, and given over to Invincible Prejudice, Invincible Perverseness,) do seldom end with True Repentance: Yet you know, Gentlemen! That the Son is not to bear the Iniquity of the Father, to be punished for it, if he does no way partake in the Father's Sins. 'Tis very rare, I confess, but not impossible for such a Son to turn Honest, in making full Restitution to every injured Man, though he leaves himself as naked Aesop's Crow. And if Miracles are not ceased, this may be Mr. Mouth's Case, and when 'tis so, the Church has no farther Cause to grate upon him for his unfortunate Descent, but be overjoyed at the true Conversion of so great a Sinner.  
The Book finds mighty fault with the present Choice of rude and illiterate 
Error 2.  Commissioners, few real Gentlemen being employed in that Province. And what of all this? Tho', 'tis true, an honourable Cobbler should not go beyond his Last, nor by ill Management make the public Taxes over-grievous to the People; yet there wants not a Salvo or two for this sore Inadvertence: It serves (if for nothing else) to take off the Odium and Blame from the Gentry; and does good that way: It gives us a bitter Taste of Popular Government, creates a nobler Esteem for the Gentlemen of the County, than if we had never known the difference betwixt Rudeness and Civility, by the Carriage of these Men.  
Is't not a great Incivility to force a Knight and Baronet to confess he's no true Friend to a Corporation, where he expects Favour? That he 
Error 3.  never did or can do good there? What Boldness is this, Gentlemen of the Jury, to assert a thing so apparently absurd! Pray who was it that removed the Soldiers? Who that procured the Assizes? Ask the General, consult the Judge; they'll tell you, perhaps, they heard nothing of our Knight in all this: But may we not believe Sir Anthony's Letter before their Sayings? Litera scripta manet, when Words vanish into Air, and are forgotten. I desire our Trusty Secretary A. B. to produce that Letter in Court, show publicly that 'twas no Shame: And then—  
The Book prates about one John Ponteus— There's no such Man now 
Error 4.  living: and 'tis a great Rudeness, if not Inhumanity, to disturb a dead Man's Ashes: Was he here, you'd see how much he resents this Indignity, to have an ingenious Man's Name fixed on an illiterate Broker. This Man snuffs at the sign of the Devil's cloven Foot, very unwilling to own that this Emblem of Mischief is made out by his endeavour to rend and divide the Church. He denies his having the Pictures of a Woman and Child in the Book mentioned; and thinks it time to forget the old Story of the poor Widow and Orphan, so much talked of to his disgrace. He gained nothing by that Bargain; his offering Twenty Pounds for their Goods above his own Appraisement, when he was entrusted in that Affair (as the most Righteous Man that could be found among the Saints) should be looked on only as his Charity to the Widow and Orphan; and not to conclude from that Offer, that he had left room in the Valuation to be a Knave to them.  
Another of the Book's Erratas is, the bringing a sweet innocent Babe 
Error 5.  upon the Stage of Contempt, to expose him so soon as born. Poor Creature! uncapable of making the least defence for himself; 'twas unfairly done; no Man knows what Bar or Obstruction this may prove to his ensuing Fortune.  
Friend Henry was too plain beyond Good Manners, in telling the Saints 
Error 6.  what the Companion of Vice is; little thinking how near it borders upon Impudence, for him to undertake the Regulation of Elections, or what Mischief he has done by declaring for the Church. All this struck such a Damp among the Dissenters, that they seemed for a while to be void of sense. It brought so great a Disorder into the peevish Constitution of our principal Patron, our modern Thomas Aquinas, that in mere Spleen and Discontent he scarce stayed to bid adieu to the Saints. Ah! had we lost twenty Sir Anthony's, and twice that number of hopeful ' Squires, (if such and so many might be found) and kept this Champion of our Cause alive, our Sorrows would be dry, not half so insupportable as this Loss to the whole Party.  
Old Father - Elymas, with his empty Porringer, looks wondrous sour 
Error 7.  and uneasy, thinks it very hard measure to be damned for Feeling: He might well hope to be exempted out of the Catalogue of Offenders, since so many of his own Saints, are guilty of greater Crimes. Besides, he stiffly pleads Predestination for all things, and excuses himself and others in this Argumentative Way; If Men lie under an inevitable Fate of sinning, 'tis very unreasonable to condemn them for those Faults, not in their own Power to avoid.  
This Book would ridicule Mr. Mouth for his want of Learning; He 
Error 8.  scorns your Bono Fido's, or Stattu-Co's: these were merely put upon him. Pray, Gentlemen hear him speak for himself and Friends.  

MOUTHEI ORATIO.  
SI vitae vilitati, ut Sanctorum non minimus, ausus sim patrocinari; Estote Judices! plurimùm Amoris nostri infelicis delictum, tueri possim. Quidni enim id liceat, quod Majoribus probatum? & sancitum Legibus? Apud Lydios in morem, Filias meretricari; & nactas eo quaestu dotem adferre sponsis. Prostituebantur olim in Templis Virgines, & (si Fides Authoribus) victima crat quaeque polluebatur. Nonnè scortis quondam Romae Vicus? & iis Impunitas quamdiu Suburrâ? Filias Sodomitis Loth ut Hospitibus parcerent, obtulit; & caedem cogitavit, posse stupro redimi; An peccavit tradendo? aut scelere immunis? si Bonum Amor, Quorsùm in omnes non diffunderetur? Id Leges sinunt, quibus corporum usus permittitur; & nihil Natura fecit, quod commune non est. Non me tamen latet, quid Ecclesiae Reverendi (moribus austeri, & apud suos, ob dignitatem in Honore) de his statuunt. In nos, quasi codices sacri pugnarent, & quod Religioni & Communitati sit noxium, à nobis tueretur. Tali autem Virorum Genere, quis pellicatu, Lege aut Scientiâ Inclytus, tangi volet? Trahunt & coercent Fata; Obest consilio Juvenum Ardor, quibus pro ratione Impetus, & pro virtute Temeritas est.  
Dixi.   
If Mr. Mouth was no part of a Scholar at the Penning of that Book, I'll promise you he's wonderfully improved in a little time; He has said more than could well be expected from him, to make it out, That a Community of Women is no Sin. He likes any thing that's common, but Common Prayers; and if that Part of the Book is not sufficiently answered, I'm much mistaken; so far I believe, we have outdone the Church.  
The Church-Party are not generally those very Wise Men, as they are represented. They daily every their Enemies, and give little or no Encouragement 
Error 9  to their true Friends; don't show any great Love or Regard for their Religion; are not half so industrious, so hearty, so united in their Endeavours, to preserve their Church in its due Splendour and Reputation, as others are to eclipse her Glory, and depress her to the very Ground. The Book, you see, is faulty in this Particular. The Dissenters are wise; they do all within the compass of their Power, to keep up their Conventicles with Number and Riches, while the careless Churchmen mind little but to talk, drink, or swear for their Religion, and so leave it.  
As to the fearful Bill, or Charge, drawn up against the young Counsellor; 'tis found defective in Form, tho' the Matter seems true. 'Twas 
Error 10.  at first very surprising; he knew not what in the World to say to it. Now the Saints are inclined to think, 'tis all a perfect Mistake, because He flatly denies the Accusations: begins to appear again in Public, and follows Mr. Month's Ghostly Advice, p. 25. For who can believe the Man guilty of an evil Act, that with Heart of Stone, and Face like Brass, can tell the World he is not so? If the Relations are for Law, He has Skill enough in that to evade their Trial. He knows when to demur, and when plead. If they would punish him in any other Members, than the Offending Ones, out comes an Audita Quaerela; Let 'em demand the Bold Pyrate's full Restitution of the Virgin-Treasure, He returns a Non est invent' in nostrâ Balliuâ. And to secure his Right of Elections, proceeds by a Quare Impedit; and is able to produce divers loose Precedents in these known Cases. But if all these Shifts and Projects fail, he can hide his Head in the Low-Countries, till Time has worn out the Memory of his Crimes; lest by continuing in any Part of this envious Nation, he should be stopped with a Ne Exeat Regno, and be undone for ever.  
'Twas one blind side of the Book, to propose the Best Choice for Religion and Government, as sufficient to persuade Dessenters to unite with the Church, 
Error 11.  where both these are in greatest Perfection. You may silence, but shall hardly persuade them; see it in Mr. Maggot's Case. At first reading the Book, he was startled, and crept close into his Wool for shelter: But now being warmed and revived by his Sheep's Clothing, begins to be more brisk and airy; will not allow the Church to be the Best Choice; because we the dissenting Brethren can't endure to own our Errors and Imperfections. 'Tis a Rarity to find one of a hundred, that will be prevailed on by good Reason and Argument; the far greater number consulting with Men of Stout and Obdurate Consciences, (in which the Spirit of God never dwells) will sooner die, or venture the Ruin of Church and Kingdom, than recede one small step from their belov'd and destructive Practices.  
But why all this noise about the Church? as if the Church was injured 
Error 12.  in our Choice of Sir Anthony: Is not he the Son of a Church? a moderate Churchman? He goes sometimes to Church; and has been heard say, He was never at a Conventicle in all his time. Now, if Sir Anthony does sincerely love the Church, (as every true Member of it ought to do) He'll certainly in all Things, in all Times, Cases, and Circumstances, espouse her Interest; give her all the Demonstrations of Kindness and Fidelity, that can be given: Can any Man consent to pull down that Church, wherein (if at all) he hopes to be saved? To despise or neglect, much less to spurn against a most Pious Mother, that has provided to make him happy in both Worlds?— If by a Moderate Churchman is meant, One that cares not how little he's concerned in the Communion of it; One that's indifferent or cold in all the Parts of its Worship; that is not strictly tied up to the Rules and Orders of it, but is at Liberty to prevaricate, upon any Worldly Consideration; That to please or gratify a Party, can omit, alter, or abbreviate the Church's Prayers; play fast or loose with his Religion; can betray the Church, to serve himself. He's properly no Churchman at all, no true, no sound Member of it: Is rather like a Wooden-Leg, tied on, and taken off at pleasure, than by natural Ligaments and Nerves, knit to the Ecclesiastical Body. The Church often suffered, and can have no good from such loose, such false Professors. I see no Reason to engage the Dissenters to choose such a Moderate Churchman as before described; since it is not very probable, that a Man can be true to another Party, kind to other Religions, who is unfaithful to his own. But if by a Moderate Churchman, is signified one, who being a true Christian, cannot dissemble with God and the World; gives Caesar and the Church their due Respect and Deference; is yet of that sober, meek, patient and charitable Temper, as to pity and pray for his very Enemies; Is not for taking advantages of all Offenders; not for insisting strictly on the Summum Jus, the utmost Rigour or Extremity towards them: But, demeaning himself so equitably and fairly in the Administration of Justice, in Differences and Contests, and generally in his Dealing with all Men, as to promote the Welfare of Mankind, and as much as is possible for an honest Man to do, for preserving of Concord and Amity one with another: Such a Benign, Lovely, Christian Temper does the Church of England, above all others, commend and practice at this day; Has ever esteemed it her Glory to keep the Medium between the Two Extremes of Severity and Remissness: Such Moderation as the Dissenters never used towards her, when they had the Power; nor can they show it to one another, when ever their Circumstances shall happen to require it.  
Oh! But Sir Anthony was a Fellow-Sufferer with the Dissenters; was 
Error 14.  secured, and carried to Prison, (when the Government was in Danger, and he suspected as an Enemy) though he called himself a Churchman. And have not Dissenters Reason to look on him as a Friend, whate'er the Book says to the contrary? 'Tis no matter for considering the Cause; whether our Persecution was or was not for Righteousness sake; whether Dissenters then suffered as Christians, or for some other Reason? But suffer they did, That remains so fresh in our Memories, that we can neither forget nor forgive it.  
We are unwilling to remember (on t'other side) how miserably the Loyal Episcopal Party were plundered, sequestered, decimated; dungeoned, starved and often stunk to death; what Oaths and Covenants were rigorously imposed on the Wicked; what restraints were laid upon their Liberties, both Civil and Ecclesiastical; tho' all this while they had Law and Right standing for them. But the Saints at that time (Ruling by the Law of Liberty and good Conscience) published an Ordinance of Parliament, in the Year 1645. That if any Person hereafter shall at any time use, or cause to be used, The Book of Common-Prayer, in any Church, Public Place of Worship, or in any private House or Family, within the Kingdom; the first Offence Five Pound; the second Ten; the third to suffer One whole Year's Imprisonment without Bail or Mainprize. This had been hard indeed, if the Saints had not done it! But they were encouraged by Honest Cromwell, who published an Order, Novemb. 24. 1655. That no Person who had been sequestered for Delinquency, been in Arms against the Parliament, adhered to, abetted or assisted the Forces raised against them; should keep in their Houses or Families, as Chaplains or Schoolmasters, for the Education of their Children, any sequestered or ejected Minister, Fellow of a College, or Schoolmaster, nor permit any of their Children to be brought up by such— That no such Person of the Church of England, should any where administer Baptism or the Lord's Supper, or Mary any Persons, under some strange and hard Penalties, which I think improper to mention, and I hope our Judges will not insist upon that Point; for than our Argument falls to the Ground, our loud Complaints of Suffering must perfectly cease. I have ever admired the Wisdom and Policy of the Dissenting Guides in this, as in many other things, like that of the Romish Clergy, To keep the People in Darkness, not permitting them to know the Truth, or read the Books that have been written in defence of it; no, not so much as to acquaint themselves with the Common Prayers, to understand them; and all that while the unknowing People might rail with a better Grace, with some show of Honesty; because they not erring against Knowledge, their wilful Ignorance may be some, tho' a very lame excuse for their Separation from the Church of England.  
'Tis needless to multiply Particulars; I might in the Presbyterian Mode increase the Number to Two and fortiethly, when all might be reduced to three or four Heads. If I'm not much mistaken, the Book will be sufficiently baffled, when I have added one more, which I take to be Instar omnium, viz. How unconcluding and inconsequent is it, to say, That because such and such Members have many notorious Faults, therefore the Dissenters ought not to Vote for them? Alas! the Saints themselves are not free from Vices of the same kind (tho' they don't own them) and so the most corrupt Members are the most agreeable Persons to understand their Secrets, to be entrusted with their Designs. To say, A Man's bad, as bad as may be, and offer that as a Reason against the Dissenters Electing him, is altogether as improper, as to deny Birds of a Feather their natural Society: For, if the Blood and Treasure extorted by them, the Spoils and Ravages of the late War, the enslaving and oppressing all Ranks of Men; and (what's above all) the horrible Murder of an excellent, incomparable Prince, amount not so high as to be accounted any Sin; what can it signify to be corporally Vile? To be guilty of that common, that venial Sin of Uncleanness among them? But lest this duller heavy Trot of Prose should tyre the Patience of our prudent Judges, be pleased to take The Vindication of the Saints, in this smother and more delightful Amble of a late Poet.  

Listen, Dear, Holy, my Beloved Friends, 
A new Poem:   
To th'cutting Scandals our Opponent sends;  
And join with me t'assist our Burrough's Knight;  
Let's vindicate our Members to our Might.  
It cuts to th'quick to see our Corporation  
Carry the Looks of Shame and Lamentation;  
We'll not stand still to see our Enemy batter  
Our Tow'ry Castles, and our Knight's bespatter;  
For if we dare but make one Sally out,  
Wormly and Ware will send Recruits, no doubt.  
What tho' our Knight a burning Lecher be?  
What if his Son's to th'full as bad as he?  
What tho' our famous Porringer-Publican  
To tamper with the squeamish Maid began?  
And our Ware - Friend, the Pharisaic Scot,  
A Meal as well as Malt-Prize would have got,  
And run away forthwith? Pray, Sirs, why not?  
For Lust and ripe Deceit are savoury Spices  
With us; not singly seasoned, grant 'em Vices.  
Suppose his Worship, Mr. Openmouth,  
To serve a Turn, swears flatly North is South?  
If Master Maggot, and old Drugs Ponteus,  
From plaguy Popery pretend to free us;  
Tho' they are often forced to trim, to buckle,  
And to the vilest Shifts sometimes to truckle;  
What tho' enlightened Friends for once comply  
To th' Substance, and the outward Form deny,  
To keep up Trade and Christian Liberty?  
What tho' the ven'mous Brazen Serpent vote  
For 's wealthy Lodger? Tho' he'd cut his Throat,  
If 't was not by that means, to gain a Groat.  
When Coin runs thin, when Times are hard and pinching,  
From hungry Justice then methinks best flinching.  
The Scot by vigorous Praying turned the Penny;  
For Women largely drop when they have any.  
Some ask, Why all this Privacy in Prayer?  
Why pretty Cousin, and a Sister fair,  
In one House might not holy Notes compare?  
Some fulsome, rank Hypocrisy can smell,  
In a Religion stooping to the Tail,  
But to my wiser Friends I now appeal.   

Should Prayer or Sanctity be made  
A Tool to work lascivious Ends? 
In Imitation of Hudibras.   
Both, Bad; but sure his midnight Trade  
Abuses less the sober Friends.  
For every one does not espy  
The Husband put to By— by— by,  
When Fowl and Gravy-Sauce appears,  
In pious Lust up to the Ears,  
Nor yet the pretty Dance he takes,  
When Ware - Chimes the Music makes;  
When Friday - night is thought the best  
To play fine Pranks 'bove all the rest;  
The watchful Wives set open Back-doors,  
To be his Proselytes and Whores;  
So paying off the Men's old Scores,  
Whilst they securely lodge above,  
Attending on their Barely-Jove.  
Pity; another brisk young Squire,  
Flasked away Five Pounds like Wildfire,  
To build this Holy Scot an Hive,  
To make his Bees the faster thrive;  
And ne'er once come to tuste the Honey,  
Shedd smelled so rank of Smock and Money.  
Besides he heard from trusty Scout,  
Of the Rencounter that fell out,  
As Questions and Commands i' th' Field,  
The Ladies being forced to yield:  
So truly give his Worship's due,  
In time he prudently withdrew;  
Cuckoldry might have been his Fate,  
His Offspring mungrellized; Estate  
Might dwindled be into decay,  
Whilst Wife and sharping Gamesters play.  
Ah, Scot! thy Handkerchief can't dry  
All Tears that fall from lustful Eye.   

Ye knew his Country-Predecessor  
Was such a Sanctity-Professor;  
His Love one Object must outride;  
He then on two Wives got astride;  
Witness the Wades-Mill Evidence,  
Who had it from a Lard of Sense:  
Nay, as their Pastors, so their Flock,  
Place all their Comfort in the Smock.  
Incestuous Opportunity  
Made one with his Wife's Sister lie;  
Another Saint to London went,  
With Country-Diet not content;  
Nor being used to Town-Intrigue,  
Gave such discoveries of the League,  
That tho' he had secured his Whore,  
Came Towns-man knocking at the Door;  
Your Business, Sir; who want you here?  
Are you not, pray, mistaken, Sir?  
Says shamefaced Miss: With that dashed in  
Friend Tarr, and under Bed of Sin  
Found Fornicator.   

The Daughter of an Indian Weed,  
With many more in place succeed;  
Teach Men the Art of groping Hens,  
And Grope for Grope makes them amends.  
Would every Man his Butt'ry shut,  
Then neither Mealman's Dog, nor yet  
A sharper Cur could steal a bit.  
Cheer up, my Friends, Flesh has its failing;  
What if in Burrough 't is prevailing,  
The matters not worth our bewailing:  
For I have made it very plain,  
Our Neighbouring Saints are much more vain.   
If this piece of Poetry works kindly for the Dissenters, we'll set a pleasant new Tune to 't; it may be more grateful to some of our Saints, than any Hymn or Psalm of David, metred and set by the greatest Art of honest Hopkins and Sternhold in the Beginning of the Reformation.  
Now we have sweetened the Court, and put all into some good Harmony; before the Jury goes out to agree upon their Verdict, 'tis proper to hear some able Counsel on both Sides, relating to this Cause Between the DISSENTERS, and the CHURCH.  Judge. 
If you say no better for the Saints, than has been hitherto offered, in their Defence against the Book, I give my Opinion, That after all their Articles about the Errors and Insufficiencies of it, the sober Party are Ten or Fourteen times worse than they seemed before this Trial. But let the Jury do as they see fit; I am not to prejudicated, I am bound to let you know, what I apprehend to be good Sense and Law; to instruct, not to govern you? Pray attend to the Counsel; for, First, the Dissenters; Secondly, the Church. We'll hear them with Patience.  Dissent. Advoc. 
My Lord and Jury! I'm retained in the GOOD OLD CAUSE; I'm for Conventiclers against Churchmen. I must tell the Court, That the Cause before you at this time, is very weighty; the Peace of our Town, the Welfare of our Country depends upon it. The first Argument I shall offer for the Saints, is their Infallibility: Every Dissenter from the Church, carries an undoubted Pope in his own Breast; so that 'tis strange, nay almost impossible for him to be mistaken, in my Opinion; Though all other Men find the woeful Infirmities of Humane Nature, the Weakness and Short-sightedness of their Understandings, and the daily Experience how prone they are to Errors and Misapprehensions; yet the Saints are always sure, positive, and peremptory, that they are in the Right, and all others in the Wrong that differ from them: The early Prepossessions of their Opinions, the powerful Prejudices of Education, an implicit, and unexamined Belief of what their Guides and Leaders teach 'em, have such mighty irresistible Force upon their minds; That they no more doubt the Truth and Goodness of any Cause they're engaged in, than they question the Certainty of the Scriptures, or the plainest Demonstrations in the Mathematics. Can it be supposed that Men, who pass for Saints, can have any Pride, Partiality, or Self-Conceit, to put them out of the Right Way; or that they can possibly think more highly of themselves, and their Way, than in Duty they ought to think? If not, The Conventicle is better than the Church.  Church Advoc. 
My Lord, and the Court! I am for the honest Churchmen; was in hopes, That the Dissenters had been sick of their Old Cause; I know some of the Wisest of them, wish they had never been at Controversy with the Church; they have had such ill luck as to be worsted in all their Arguments; In answer to this, of Infallibility; The Churchmen truly say, That as there's but one Independent, so but One Infallible Being, which is GOD. We derive all our Gifts from that Fountain; and no Man can be sure of any Point of Faith, but as he's directed by the known Dictates of that Infallible Wisdom. That the Dissenters are not void of Mistakes, seeing they do apparently contradict and oppose each other, and frequently themselves too in Matters of Religion. That the things wherein we differ are confessedly disputable; and therefore not certain; and every Dissenter agrees to this, That the Church is the Best Religion and Government, next to that of his own particular Fancy and Opinion, and by consequence must be really best, as being held so in the most general Esteem and Approbation of Religious Men. The Presbyterian would rather turn Churchman than be an Anabaptist; The Independent would do so, than be a Quaker; The Quaker, was he to change, would choose the Church, sooner than any other Pesuasion in England; so that the Church being voted for on all hands, to have the second Place, to be approved before and above all other, but that which the particular Dissenter pretends to, it may well be concluded by Majority of Voices, to be the BEST, to be preferred to any single Opinion whatsoever, which has no other Foundation to support it, but itself: And this particular Opinion, upon due Enquiry, may proceed from nothing but Humour or Interest; the Conduct of a misinformed Judgement, Passion, Self-Love, Fancy or Mistake, more than the Real Concerns of Truth and Piety; Both which are constantly defended by This Church: A Church founded on the firmest Rock, against which the Storms and Tempests, the Policy and Force of Hell have not yet totally prevailed; nor ever will, unless by our Divisions and Contempt, we provoke the Vengeance of Heaven to remove her from us.  Dissent. Advoc. 
Yet, Brother! we have terribly shaked your Church; and it seems but in a tottering Condition, at this time. Though Hell can never prevail so far, but that there shall be a Church to the end of the World; yet this is not meant of a National, but the Universal Church of Christ.  Ch. Advoc. 
I grant, that many National Churches, where Christian Religion had a long time slourish'd; have been delivered up into the Hands of Turks and Infidels; we have then the greater reason to look about us; And if there should be no Remedy, but that our Church must fall; shall English-Men throw it down? Will it be any Credit to Dissenters, to overturn the Church? or to grow unreasonably fond of those methods (to strengthen the Protestant Interest;) which the Malice and Subtlety of the Devil and his Instruments have contrived to destroy it?  Diss. Advoc. 
That in all their Divisions the Dissenters will tell ye, they have no ill Designs upon the Church; only are for the Advancement of the Reformed Religion, into a greater Perfection than the Church of England is yet arrived at, in these four Points: Doctrine, Worship, Discipline, and Life.  Ch. Advoc. 
I wish you had no worse Ends than these in your Separation! and that upon fair Trial it may appear, that these Ends are possible to be obtained, by this Means; the People are put in Expectation of a Blessed Change; a fine New Church-Government, a Presbytery for an Hierarchy, and perhaps not long after, a Government of State, instead of a King.  Diss. Advoc. 
Let me proceed distinctly; I hope I may be able to satisfy the Court. First, For Doctrine, we are for proposing higher Notions than that Church ever taught; To feed the People with stronger Meat, than with which the Church has fed her Children; To preach the Doctrine of God's Secret Decrees; To make the People Believe, that the Lord has no more to lay to the Charge of an Elect Person yet in the 
D. Crisp, p. 274, 275.  height of Iniquity and Excess of Riot, committing all the Abominations that can be committed, than he has to lay to the Charge of a Saint Triumphant in Glory; That God permits Sin, that there may be room 
Ruth. on Dan. 6. xxvi. before the Commons, in the Year 43.  enough in the Play for Pardoning-Grace; And many other such Doctrines, as tend more to the Edification of the People, than you can meet with in the Church of England.  Ch. Advoc. 
'Tis strange, that Men should glory in their Shame, value themselves for such wild Notions as never before obtained in the Church of God Herein you excel the Church, in Fancy, in Errors, but not in Truth. Our Doctrines are Faith, Hope, Charity, Humility, Peace, Meekness, Justice, Patience, Obedience, and Perseverance to the End: Our Ministers teach the same Truths that our Dear Saviour and his Apostles taught, Sound and Orthodox; The Words of Eternal Life; tending truly to Edification, to build Men up in the Unity of the Church; To grow in Grace, in Knowledge, and in all Virtue. I would to God, the Dissenters might be in Love with such Edifying Doctrines as these are: But, alas! This talk of higher Notions, of greater Edification, is many times mere Wantonness, and Instability of Humour; and too often rather Fancy than Effect: Men conceit that they are better edified, (not when they are more fully instructed in any weighty Point of Faith, or more perfectly informed in some necessary Duty, or more efficaciously moved to the Practice of what they know; but) when they are more gratified and pleased at the hearing of a Sermon, or the like. Those that are troubled with these itching Ears, instead of being edified, are commonly 
2 Tim. 4. 5.  the most ignorant of all Men; they often make an unwise choice in their Teacher; and provoke God to leave them to the Vanity of their own Minds: when they depend rather on the supposed Abilities of a Man, than the Blessed Influences of the Holy Spirit; and look more at Paul that plants, and Apollo's that waters, than at God that gives the increase. For it is the Blessing of God alone, and not any Man's Skill in dispensing them, that make the Word and Ordinances any way beneficial to us; with the help of his Grace, those Means of Instruction, which we sometimes the most undervalue, may be profitable to our Salvation; without it, our Ears or Fancies may be entertained; But we cannot be edified by the most fluent and popular Tongue, nor the most melting and pathetical Expressions in the World; but much less by such Doctrines as were taught by the Dissenters when the Church was down. I tremble to name them! That the Scriptures cannot be said to be the Word of God; and are no 
Vid. Catalogue. and Discovery of Errors.  more to be credited than the Writings of Men, being not a Divine but Humane Tradition. That God has a hand in, and is the Author of the Sinfulness of his People; not of the Actions only, but of the very Pravity which is in them; That all Lies come out of his Mouth; That the Prince of the Air, that rules in the Children of Disobedience, is God. That in the Unity of the Godhead, there is not a Trinity of Persons, but that 'tis a Popish Tradition; That the Doctrine of Repentance is a Soul-destroying Doctrine; That Children are not bound to obey their Parents at all, if they be ungodly. That the Soul of Man is mortal, as the Soul of a Beast; That there is no Resurrection on at all of the Bodies of Men; nor Heaven nor Hell after this Life. These are only a Taste; not all, nor the hundredth part, nor the worst of those Doctrines taught by Dissenters in the late unhappy times; when the wholesome Food of the Soul, and the Dispenser's of it were quite laid aside: So much for Doctrine.  Diss. Advoc. 
I protest, Brother, you have been too hard for me in this; but, Gentlemen of the Jury, Truth may be on our side next time: If we don't excel the Church in Doctrine, let's try for Worship. Do you think that our Spiritual way of Worship, is not better than the Forms of the Church? That a Liturgy, though made and reviewed with that Prudence and Moderation, Care and Circumspection, Wisdom and Piety, as any thing extant in that kind; can be so good, as the sudden, indigested, extempore Effusions of our Gifted Men? Do you imagine, that Inspired Men can be guilty of any undecent, incoherent, irreverent Expressions, as some will complain of 'em for? Or that a Form of Prayer can be so prevalent with the God of Order, as a saying just what the Spirit hints? What say you to that?  Ch. Advoc. 
I am sorry you should so far undervalue the Prayers of our Church, and your own Judgement, in comparing any performances of Prayer in your way, to the most excellent Liturgy of the Church of England: I durst put it upon this Expedient; Let any Prayer made occasionally and extempore, by the ablest and most cautious (of those that magnify the Conventicle way, and despise ours,) be taken exactly in Writing, and published to the World, I am very well assured, that one Man, without any great pains, may find more things exceptionable in that single Prayer, in a short time, than the several Parties of Dissenters, with all the Diligence they have hitherto used, have been able to discover in the whole Service of the Church, in more than a hundred Years. Our Prayers, as to the Substance, are what Christ and his Apostles used, in a Language understood by all those that are concerned in them; to which we may all safely say, Amen. But for sudden Prayers, though they may happen to be good, yet for the greatest part they are dangerous; something of Heresy in every Sentence, some Indecencies and Absurdities may be in every Word. Reflect upon the Dissenters in that time when this Liturgy was out of use, and every one left to his own Liberty. 'Tis scarce possible to believe what wild and prodigious Extravagancies were upon all occasions used in Holy things; especially in Prayer, the most immediate Act of Worship and Address to God. 'Tis an Affront to the Majesty of Religion, that there should be any thing in it, Childish and Trivial, Absurd and Frivolous; that its Sacred Mysteries should be exposed to Contempt and Scandal; by that Levity and Distraction, that Heat and Boldness, those Weaknesses and Indiscretions, those loose, raw and incongruous Effusions, which in most Congregations of those times did too commonly attend it. How can there be that Sobriety, that Sense and true Devotion in an Extempore Prayer, (where the Mind is employed to find out Words; and looks more like studying or making of a Prayer, than Praying,) as in those Public Forms, which are considered and fixed; where the Spirit or Soul has no more to do, than to mount upon to Heaven with the Wings of true Devotion, and offer her Requests (in these Words) at the Throne of Grace? Was it any Amendment, instead of praying, From Fornication, Good Lord, deliver us; to say, with a Dissenter, Lord, Unlust us? To leave out our admirable Collects for the peaceable and orderly Government of the Church, and instead of these, to blaspheme the Almighty! by telling him, If he did not finish the good Work which he had begun, in the Reformation of the Church, 
Vid. View of Troubles, 2d. Part, Edw. Gan.  he would show himself to be a God of Confusion; and such an one, as by cunning Stratagems had contrived the Destruction of his own Children? That God would bless the King, and mollify his hard Heart, that delights in Blood; For that he was fallen from Faith in God, and become an Enemy to his Church? Let thy Hand, we pray thee, O Lord our God, be upon him, and upon his Father's House! But not upon thy People, that they should be plagued. O God O God many are the Hands lift up against us; But there is one God, it is thou thyself. O Father! who dost us more mischief than they all. We know, O Lord! that Abraham made a Covenant, Moses and David made a Covenant, and our Saviour made a Covenant But thy Parliament-Covenant, is greater than all Covenants: with abundance of such intolerable stuff as this. I could name Places, Time, and Persons, but I forbear.  Judge. 
Have you any more to say upon this Head, concerning Worship, for the Dissenters?  Dess. Advoc. 
My Lord, 'Tis the Way they have been used to; and 'twill be hard to persuade them to try any other.  Judge. 
If that be all; go on to the Third Head, about Discipline, or Church-Government; I am willing to hear all out.  Diss. Advoc. 
We thank your Lordship, and the Court; we have not much to say in This; But New Lords, New Laws; we are for Change; and rather than not have some Amendment in those things we have so long preached against; nay if all that old Discipline is not laid aside, we'll venture the losing of all the Religion we have, rather than submit to the Church.  Ch. Advoc. 
I'm sorry you have no better Argument than Obstinacy. When People cannot but acknowledge the Doctrine and Worship of a Church to be according to Truth, 'tis a Weakness, an Absurdity, to find fault with its Discipline, which was appointed for the better Performance of Religion: And the parting from that which is well established, the dissetling of that which is well fixed, is not the way to greater Purity and Perfection, but to the Corruption and Decay of Religion; unless you can show, that the Church was so much over-seen, as to constitute Canons and Orders, inconsistent with, or destructive of the Established Religion. Would the Church be so careful to Reform from Popery, and to deliver a Pure Religion down to Posterity; and not likewise take care of such a Discipline as might preserve the Esteem and Practice of that holy Religion? Prove any Order of our Church sinful, or not correspondent with Religion; that Order, that Usage shall immediately be discontinued. This, I am sure, you and all the Dissenters in England cannot prove. The single and plain Question then is, Whether the Government of the Church, or That among Dissenters, is to be chosen by any Wise Man? Look back upon the Changes made in Church-matters, by Dissenters, in the late Sanctified Times; Those Changes, those Alterations, were not so conducive in their Nature for the Edifying and Well-governing of the Church, as those things which they illegally removed. As for Instance: The Ordination by a Bishop, accompanied with Presbyters, was more certain and satisfactory, than that by Presbyters, without a Bishop. Was it not better to have Forms of well-composed Prayers, than to petition, or rather affront the Almighty with Noise and Nonsense? Was it not better to repeat the Creed standing, than to leave it quite out of the Directory? Was it an Advantage to Christian Piety, to change the Gesture of Kneeling in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, when the Sacred Elements are given, together with Prayer, for that less-reverent one of Sitting? of Sitting especially with the Hat on, as the most uncomely Practice of some was and is? The People being taught to cover the Head, while the Minister was to remain bare among them.— Was the Alteration of giving the Elements, an Amendment? Read the Directory for Public Worship, in the time when the Dissenters did their best to excel the Church; Take ye, eat ye; This is the Body of Christ which is broken for you; This City is the New-Testament in the Blood of Christ, which is shed for the Remission of the Sins of may: The Words denoting Christ's present Crucifixion; and either actually, or in the future certainty of it, give countenance to the Romish Sacrifice of the Mass.— Nor was the Civil Pledge of the Ring in Marriage bettered by the Invention of some Pastors, who took a Ring of their Women-converts, upon admittance into their Church. The Forbidding the Observation of Christ's Nativity, and other holidays, did not add one Hairs-breadth to the Piety of the Nation; but, on the other Hand, it took at least from the Common People one ready Means of fixing in their Memories the most useful History of the Christian Religion.— 'Tis possible for mere Dwarves in Understanding and Policy to contrive an Alteration in Government that may be pleasing to themselves for a time, during their Passion, and the Novelty of the Model in their own Fancy, not yet disturbed by some unforeseen Mischief or Inconvenience: But 'tis extreme difficult, upon the whole matter, to make a true and lasting Improvement, fitted and framed to all Cases and Circumstances of Affairs in Religious Observances. So that if we make a fair Comparison, and let Experience and Reason rule in this Case, we must say, That the Government of the Church is Best still.  Diss. Advoc. 
If we have got no Ground of the Established Church in Matters of Doctrine, Worship, and Discipline, I hope it may be granted we have the Advantage, by much, in the Purity of Life: We are holier and less offensive than other Men. If you'll not allow That, we are certainly far more demure and private in our Vices, more wary and cautious in letting 〈◊〉 Faults be seen by the World; while the Churchmen are most care 〈…〉 n that Point, and seem far worse than they really are.  Ch. Advoc. 
'Tis worth our observation, That no Argument has hitherto been offered in favour of the Dissenters, but carries a sufficient Confutation along with it. I have the Charity to think well of some Men, who, out of a true desire of pleasing God, having no worldly Design at the bottom, do in some Circumstances differ from us. I am persuaded there are many well-meaning Dissenters, who from their Hearts detest all known Wickedness: And such only will rightly consider the Mischiefs of Separation, which every one that truly fears God, ought most carefully to avoid. The Church of England loves Religion and Goodness in all Men; and declares, there's nothing more Valuable in the World; but cannot excuse the Body of Dissenters from being the Occasion of many Impieties in the Nation. Their very Separation destroys the true Spirit of Religion, which is Charity; it le's lose great Numbers, who cannot govern themselves; moving them to live Atheists or Idolaters; to pour Contempt upon the whole Church of Christ; confirms Men in their evil Courses, and exposes the Church as a Prey to the Common Enemy. Gentlemen! give me leave to say, That to propose Maintenance of Charity and all Virtue, by overthrowing the Church, is as improbable a Project, as his who in Henry the Seventh's time proposed a Rebellion without Breach of the Peace. When the Government of King and Bishop was subverted, there were presently as many Religions as Men; monstrous Swarms of Errors and Heresies broke in upon us, more than had been before known in the Church of God; and upon this, an Inundation of all sorts of Wickedness overspread the Land: So horrible was the Effect, that one of their own Authors tells us, That for many hundred Years there had not been a Party pretending Godliness, Tenderness 
Edw. Gangr.  of Conscience, Strictness, above other Men, (as this Party did) that has been guilty of so many Sins, horrible Wickedness, provoking Abominations, as they are. Hell seemed to be broke loose, to have invaded all Quarters, in despite of their Covenant, and all the little Schemes of their so-much-magnified Reformation: That they have overpassed the Deeds of the Prelates, justified the Bishops, in whose Time never so many, nor so great Errors were heard of; much less such Blasphemies, and Confusions. We have worse things amongst us, more corrupt Doctrines, and unheard-of Practices, than ever were in all the Bishop's days. Our Reformation is become a Deformation: We first put down the Common-Prayer, and then some put down the very Scriptures, slighting and blaspheming them: Some cast down Bishops and their Officers; others cast to the Ground all Ministers, and all the Reformed Churches: Some had cast out the Ceremonies in the Sacraments; others had cast out the Sacraments themselves. With abundance more, too tedious to repeat.  
Another of their Authors tells the Parliament, in a Sermon, That the Covenant cries (God grant not against you) for the Reformation 
Jenkyns Serm. 46.  of the Kingdom, the Extirpation of Heresies, Schisms, Profaneness, etc. These Impieties abound, as if we had taken a Covenant to maintain them; since it was taken, These Sins, which we have Covenanted against; have more abounded, than in the space of ten times so many Years before.  
Another makes this Remark, That one of the Fruits of this Blessed 
1648.  Parliament, and of those two Sectaries (Presbyterians and Independents) is, That they have made more Jews and Atheists than are in all Europe besides.  
Gentlemen of the Jury! You may see by what means it was, that this Nation came to be pestered with Opinions and Practices, beyond the Example of former Ages, to the infinite Prejudice and dishonour of our Religion and Nation: You may guests what a blessed Reformation we may expect from the Ruin of the Church: The same Causes, set on foot by the same Principles, will eternally produce the same Effects: And tho' Men at first may mean never so well, yet Temptations will insensibly grow upon them, and Accidents occur, which in the Progress may carry them infinitely beyond the Line of their first Intention, and engage them in such Courses, out of which, when they come to discern their Error, it may be too late for them to retire.  Diss. Advoc. 
'Tis in vain to plead against Matters of Fact; but I would have you know, our Dissenters are more for Spirit and Truth, more modest and peaceable, than those of that Time; we are more conformable to the Laws, less turbulent and offensive to Government; and, generally speaking, did we believe that our Schism or Separation from the Church was a Sin, or the Occasion of Sin, we should no longer remain in the Practice of it, but presently join with the Church, and never more forsake her Communion.  Ch. Advoc. 
You may guests at the Spirit and Temper of the Dissenters, by their obstinate and indefatigable Stiffness in Opposing the Church. Let the World judge; let themselves be Judges in this Case: When the Church requires no Popish, no Antichristian Terms of Communion; when the Dissenters can offer no Argument that has not been abundantly answered; they entrench themselves within their strongest Holds of Stiffness and Resolution, never, never to yield, tho' they are sufficiently convinced and baffled. If the Dissenters have any thing more of Moderation and Peace, than appeared in the late Times of Anarchy and Confusion, we are obliged to the Church, the Pillar and Ground of Truth, and to the Civil and Ecclesiastical Laws, that lay some restraint upon them. But once remove This Church, or quite let lose the Reins of Government, and we shall soon find what manner of Spirit does influence these Men.— The first Race of Dissenters were far more for Unity and Peace, than these are; they meddled not with Things out of their Line, nor mixed themselves with Matters of State: All they desired was, to have no Violence offered to their Consciences. When they could not conform as Ministers, they did as Private Christians. Men that were most eminent amongst 'em for Learning, Piety, Preaching, Writing, Experience, and Fame, have done more towards the Unity of the Church, than our Modern Dissenters do at this day. They have owned our Communion lawful; they have received the Communion kneeling; they have bred up their Children to the Ministry of the Church; they have joined in the Liturgy; they have been married according to the Form of it. The ancient Nonconformists would not separate, tho' they feared to subscribe.  
But now the Government has been so kind to settle Liberty of Conscience by a Law, our Conscionable Men turn their Backs upon the Church, 
Vid. The Lawfulness of hearing the Public Ministry, by Mr. Nye, Mr. Robinson, etc. See Mr. Corbet 's Nonconformist's Plea for Lay-Communion, Mr. Marshal, Hist. Indep.  and make no scruple (tho' by causeless Separation) to cut themselves off from its Communion; not considering, that nothing, next to the Glory of God, should be more heartily desired and endeavoured by all Men, than the Unity and Peace of the Church; and consequently, there's scarce a greater Sin than Schism is, that rends and divides it: A Sin (if you believe the ancient Fathers) that shuts Men out of Heaven; a Sin that cannot be expiated by the Blood of Martyrdom. This is the Sense which the best and most pious Christians that ever lived had of it; That 'tis better to suffer any thing, than that the Church of God should be rend asunder: That 'tis every whit as glorious, and a far greater Martyrdom, to die for not dividing the Church, than for refusing to sacrifice to Idols: That a Person going from Church to Schismatics, tho' in that capacity he should die for Christ, yet can he not receive the 
Dionysius the good Bishop of Alexandria, Vid. Euseb. l. 6. c. 45.  Crown of Martyrdom: That such a one has no Part in the Law of God, or the Faith of Christ, or in Life or Salvation: That without this Unity and Charity, a Man cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; tho' he should deliver up himself to the Flames, or cast his Body to Wild Beasts, yet this would not be the Crown of his Faith, but the Punishment of his Falsehood; not the glorious Exit of a Religious Courage, but the Issue of Despair: He may be killed, but not crowned: He rends the Unity of the Church, destroys the Faith, disturbs the Peace, dissolves Charity, and profanes the Holy Sacrament. These and many other severe things are to be found in St. Cyprian. And 
Cypr. de Unit. Eccl. fol. 181, 182.  now, if the Glory of God, the Peace of the Church, and the Good of Souls, are as necessary, as indispensible in these Days, as they were of old, How dangerous, how desperate is the Condition of those Men, who endeavour to deprive us of them? If Father Mouth, Father Elymas, Father Pen, and the rest of our Dissenting Fathers, can prevail with the unthinking People, to fall in love with their Vices; can be such degenerate Christians (if we may call them Christians) as to make no scruple of Schism and Separation, which are so fearful and damnable; then the Determination will be so natural, the Case so plain, that the Jury will scarce need to go from the Bar to consider any further of it.  Diss. Adu. 
I have no more to offer: We'll leave it to the Court.  Ch. Advoc. 
With all my heart; only beg pardon, that our Plead have been a little too tedious.  Judge. 
You Gentlemen of the Jury, I take you to be wise and honest Men, who will not contend so much for Conquest as Truth: You have heard this Cause debated by Learned Council on both Sides; go and consider duly which of them is Best, for Doctrine, Worship, Discipline, and Life: How dangerous a thing it is to make Public Ruptures in Church or State: Whether Church or Conventicle stands upon the best and surest Foundation: Whether any Man's private Opinion or Fancy, Humour or Interest, aught to be advanced above the Judgement of the Ancient Fathers, the Practice of the Church for many hundred Years, or above the Quiet and Peace of a Nation. Remember, that TRUTH is now upon Trial; and that it will be to your lasting Reputation, if without partiality you do what's Right and Just, in defence of Truth. To that purpose, I give you more than ordinary Time; while I dispatch some other Affairs of less moment, you may agree upon your Verdict.  [Exit Jury. Judge. 
Call in the Quakers.— You stand here Indicted for Coining and Altering the King's current English Language, pretending a greater Findness and Propriety of Expression than other Men; undertaking to teach the most Learned Doctors and Professors in both Universities, and to contradict the whole Nation. You are Lords High Commissioners for Yoving and Thouing; but are under a Foreign, and therefore unlawful Authority: You had your Commission and Example from Ignatius Loyola, the first Broacher of this whimsical Nicety; and may justly be suspected and questioned for it.— What say you, Friends?  1 Quak. 
I say [YOU] to Many, [THOU] to One. Singular, One, Thou. Plural, Many, You.  
The Reasons are,  
1. These Words are so used in the Bible, and all other Literal Translations.  
2. From their Agreement with the Second Persons Singular and Plural in other Languages,  
LATIN, GREEK, and HEBREW. As,  
1. Thou is singular; because in  Latin, Tu is singular. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greek, So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebrew, Attah  
2. You is only plural; because in  Latin, Vos is plural. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greek, Humeis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebrew, Attem  Judge. 
He that has any Judgement in the English Tongue, or is Master of any Sense, will confess, That [THOU] is not of the singular Number, because Tu, Su, or Attah, are so; but because Englishmen use [THOU] in the singular Number; Neither is [YOU] of the plural, because Vos, Humeis, or Attem, are of the plural; but because Englishmen use [YOU] sometimes in the plural Number. 'Tis the Usage of a Nation, that is the Reason of their Language; and all Englishmen, except Quakers, use [YOU] to One, as well as to Many; The Variety of English, in this, being above most other Languages. And though we use [THOU] singular, for the more strict Translation of the Scripture; yet the Original is as capable to be translated into [You] as Thou. The Translations of the Bible may be varied, according to the commonest Use of a Language; but the perpetual Use of a Language does not depend upon one or more Translations. 'Tis plain, that You and Thou, as all other words, have their divers Acceptations. We find in Scripture, and all other English Authors, [YOU] to One, as well as [YOU] to Many.  
Gen. 18. 3, — My Lord!—  
4. Let a little water, I pray YOU, be fetched.  
Job 18. 2. Bildad said to Job, How long will it be 'ere [YOU] make an end?  
Jer. 2. 28, — O Judah—  
29. Wherefore will YOU plead with me?  
Jer. 3. 20. YOU, O house of Israel!  
You, to one Lord, You, to one Job, You, to one Judah, and You, to one Israel.  
We find also that [THOU] is not only used to a singular One, but to a plural One; or a singular Many; as—  
Jer. 4. 1. THOU, O Israel!  
29. THOU, O City!  
Isa. 26. 20. Come, my people, enter THOU.  
In which places Israel, is a plural One, or singular Many; a City, is a plural One, or singular Many; People, is a plural One, or singular Many; and yet  
Thou, O Israel! Thou, O City! Thou, O People!  2 Quak. 
But in strictness, if it be proper for the Scripture to translate Thou to One; why may not I say Thou to a King? to a Judge? a Minister? a Father now? as well as to say Thou to GOD?  Judge. 
'Tis not so proper to say Thou to a King, as to God; because the King cannot judge of our Hearts, as God can: If we say, Thou, O GOD! He understands, whether we speak with that Reverence and Honour to Him, which belongs to our Duty: But the King cannot tell our Honour to him, but by such Words and Actions as declare it: And for other Superiors, (though Thou in Scripture be commonly used to them, according to other Languages, which have not so good distinction of Words for the second Person as English has) yet, [YOU] in our Days being a Term of Respect and Civility, of Honour and Reverence; and [THOU] (except in Scripture, and other Literal Translations) being a Word for the most part of Contempt, Insolence, Imperiousness, and Indignity: We ought to prefer You before Thou, though it be to One; And if other Languages have not so good a Propriety, to set forth their Humility towards, and to show their Estimation of one another, we should not contemn or dispute against our own Language, because others are not so good; but to use our You to a single Person, since it has in it the forenamed Excellencies.  
If you know not what belongs to a Synecdoche, read 2 Cor. 4. and you 
Synecdoche est cum totum ponitur pro parte, aut pars pro toto; Numerus singularis pro plurali, Numerus pluralis pro singulari. Vossius, lib. 4. c. 6.  shall find the plural Number put for the singular, almost throughout the Chapter: He that has looked least into Ancient Authors will find long before Ignatius Loyola, or the Pope, the Plural put for the Singular, and the Singular for the Plural; and this Spiritual Fancy of Yoving and Thouing, could never have taken place, with any sort of Men that had not been Strangers to Grammar, Logic, Metaphysics, good Learning or Sense: If the Quakers are so, 'tis Loss of time, to spend it on so trifling a Subject. Call in the Jury.  Friend Henry. 
Verily Friends! there's enough said, to convince us of great Folly; in standing so much upon this odd proud conceited piece of Singularity.  Judge. 
I'm glad to find any one of your Party so truly ingenuous, as once to confess you're in the wrong; the Court will hear you with greater Regard, in what remains;— Here's a Bill of Complaint, or an Indictment against You, and other Dissenters, for using false Lights, for having false Hearts, false Spirits; for being guided by such Principles as are not of God. The Reasons of this Enquiry are from the many sorts of Lights and Spirits in the World; as, Light Uncreated and Created, Light Proper and Metaphorical, Light of Nature, and of Scripture, Light of Sense and Reason; Light Innate, and Light Created. So there are many sorts of Spirits, besides good Ones; A Familiar Spirit, a Lying Spirit, a Spirit 
Leu. 20. 27. 1 Kings 22. 22.  of Perverseness, a Foul Spirit, a Deaf and Dumb Spirit, a Spirit of Error and Delusion, a Spirit of Slumber, a Spirit of the World, and a 
Isa. 19 14. Mar. 9 25. 2 Th. 2. 11.  Spirit of God. The Question is, Which of these Lights, or Spirits, the Quakers and other Separatists, are guided by?  Quak. 
We are not for troubling ourselves with a speculative Discourse concerning Lights or Spirits; but we declare, that there is in us and in all Men, a Light sufficient to instruct and govern us in Matters of Faith and Life: This is it we desire to walk by; and so long as we do so, we hope none will blame or condemn us for it.  Judge. 
Whom will you be tried by?  Quak. 
By the Sturdiness and Strength of our own Persuasion; which it is our will and pleasure to call, the Testimony within us.  Judge. 
You should be tried by God and the Country; but if you would be tried by the Testimony within, we must examine, whether that be a sure Test or Rule of Trial: For if the Test be false, the Trial must be uncertain and foolish: Let me ask, How you know your Testimony within is from the Holy Ghost?  Quak. 
We know it by this, That God has given us of his Spirit, 1 John 4. 13.  Judge. 
How do you know he has given you of his Spirit?  Quak. 
We know it by this, that we cannot sin, 1 John 3. 9  Judge. 
How are you assured that you cannot sin?  Quak. 
Because we are born of God, 1 John 3. 9  Judge. 
How know ye that ye are born of God?  Quak. 
We know it by this, Because we have a new Name given us, which no Man knows, but he that hath it, Rev. 2. 17.  Judge. 
How do you know of a new Name given you?  Quak. 
We know it by that Spirit which dwelleth in us, Rom. 8. 11.  Judge. 
How do you know the Spirit of Truth from the Spirit of Error?  Quak. 
Our Answer is still at hand, and out of the Scriptures too; He that knoweth God, heareth us; and he that is not of God, heareth not us, 1 John 4. 6.  Judge. 
What Witness have you to prove it?  Quak. 
The Spirit beareth witness with our Spirits, Rom. 8. 16.  Judge. 
Produce your Witness.  Quak. 
He that believeth hath the Witness in himself, 1 John 5. 10.  Judge. 
Friends! I have catechised you till I have lost you; you run in a circular identical way of Discourse, turn round till you grow giddy; you wrest and misapply the Word of Life; God grant it may not be to your own Destruction. You argue very weakly;— You have the Spirit of God, because you are assured of it: You are ass●●'d of it, because of the Spirit that dwells in you.— The best that I like in you, is, your seeming to depend upon the Scriptures: These are the best Criterion, or Touchstone, to try whether your Spirit and Light be True or Counterfeit. But then we must not fix upon dubious, disputable Texts, but the plainest and most easy; whose Sense and Meaning is agreed on by Men of all Judgements: Texts delivered in such clear and univocal Terms, that opposite Parties do apprehend them in the very same way; and these cannot well be Matter of Cavil and Dispute.  Quak. 
I may not object against this.  Judge. 
The Spirit that is of God is, 1. A Spirit of Truth: 2. Of Holiness 
Joh. 14. 17. Rom. 1. 4, 18. Eph. 4. 3, 4. 1 Cor. 4. 12. Isa. 11. 2.  and Purity: 3. Of Unity and Love: 4. Of Meekness and Order: 5. Of Knowledge, Wisdom, and Understanding.— If any Man, who is outwardly of a seeming good Life, is yet of very ill Judgement in Points essential to Christianity; as, to deny the Sacraments and other Parts of Religion, instituted by the Spirit of Truth; he must needs be misinstructed by the Spirit of Error and Fascination; let his outward Conversation be what it will, let his visible Course of Life be never so 
1 John 4. 6.  plausible or severe. On the contrary, If a Man be Orthodox, and at the same time Dishonest; of some good Opinions, but evil Practice; holds the Truth, but in Unrighteousness, so as to allow, abet, and encourage Villainies; he is not seasoned by the Holy, but the Unclean Spirit; let his Judgement be what it can: For an honest Heathen is not so bad as a Christian Knave. If a Man makes Division in a Church or Kingdom, dissolves the Bond of Peace, and shall endeavour to crumble Religion into as many small Pieces, as idle Heads can suggest; they are misled by that Spirit whose Name is Legion; that old cunning Serpent, that deceives the World, Mar. 5. 9 Rev. 12. 9 If any, in pretence of being meek ones, who are by right of Promise to inherit the Earth, demurely tread upon Crowns and Crosiers, and would be levelling all that by God's Providence overtop them, These must be guided by the Spirit of the bottomless Pit, Rev. 9 11. Lastly, If Men do cite and urge Scripture against the whole Tenor and Stream of it, and wander into the wrong way, even by that very Word which does direct them into the right one, we may soon discern what manner of Spirit they are of; the Spirit of Slumber, the Spirit of dead Sleep, that has blinded the Mind, Rom. 11. 8. Isa. 29. 10. These Rules are proper for the Trying of our Quakers, and other Men's Spirits. But, Gentlemen of the Jury, there's one thing more to be added; That Vices are apt many times to pass for Virtues; many Lies, to Flesh and Blood, are more plausible than Truths; hardly any thing can be so false, but may have Colours and Probabilities to set it off; and that a Multitude of ignorant People do often swallow the grossest Errors, in the disguise of the greatest Truths; taking them all down at once, without chewing. For this reason, you cannot pass a right Judgement upon Pretenders to the Spirit, until you have searched into the main or general Current of their Lives, as well as the mere Conduct and Carrying on their Designs; with the Means they make use of, as well as the End they seem to aim at; with all their Actions in a Lump, as well as with the most specious and fairest of them. And when this is done thoroughly, then let the Hypocrites and Impostors be what they will, let the Features of Religion be never so artificially and neatly drawn, let the Colours be laid on with never so delicate a Pencil, and let that Pencil be managed with never so exquisite Address; 'twill be most easy to find the Difference betwixt the Picture and the Life: Let Zeuxes lively Grapes be never so apt to deceive the Birds, yet the Deadness of his Boy will unfold the Cheat. And truly the Arts of Deceiving are very obvious: Men that will be infatuated and deceived by them, must be Men of the lowest Size in Understanding.  Judge. 
In like manner, as the Spirit, so the Light is to be examined; Whether the Light within you, be a true Light, or a false one? Whether indeed it be Light, or only the Appearance of Light in the Soul? Men in this Case should set themselves, as before an Earthly Jury, and say thus; There's a Light which I talk of, and persuade others to walk after: But what? does it show me, That all whatsoever is forbidden in holy Scripture, must be avoided; whatever it requires, must be obeyed?  
1. Does it teach you not to employ yourselves in Things secret and unrevealed? Deut. 49.  
Not in Fables and endless Genealogies, 1 Tim. 1. 4.  
Not in the Tattling of wand'ring, idle Busybodies, 1 Tim. 5. 11, 13.  
Not with them which teach otherwise than the Apostles, or that consent not to wholesome Words, 1 Tim. 6. 3. Rom. 16. 17.  
Not with them which dote about Questions and Strife of Words, 1 Tim. 6. 3, 4, 5.  
Not in opposition of Science, falsely so called, 1 Tim. 6. 20.  
Not in Words to no profit, but the subverting of the Hearers, 2 Tim. 2. 14.  
Not in foolish and unlearned. Questions, 2 Tim. 2. 23.  
Not in thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought, Rom. 12. 3.  
Not to be wise in our own conceit, but to condescend to others, Rom. 12. 16.  
Not in rioting and drunknness, chambering, wantonness, strife, and envying, Rom. 13. 13.  
Not in judging and setting at naught our Brother, Rom. 14. 10.  
Not rendering evil for evil, nor railing for railing, Rom. 27. 17. 1 Pet. 3. 9  
Not using our liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, 1 Pet. 2. 16.  
Not to believe them that say, Christ is in the secret chambers, Mat. 24. 26.  
These are plain undeniable Scriptures: And now, Does thy Light teach thee, that all these things are to be avoided? That Riotting and Drunkenness are to be avoided? Or if perhaps it do, ask farther, Does it show thee that all the other Particulars are to be avoided, as well as Drunkenness? See, my Friend, does thy Light show thee, that thou must not exercise thyself in things that are Secret and Unrevealed? Does it forbid all that the Scripture forbids? O look into thy Soul! Is there a Light in it against all that teach otherwise than the Apostles? that consent not to the form of wholesome words committed to Timothy, and other ordained Ministers? Is there a Light in thee, against those that dote about Questions and Strife of Words; against opposing of Science against Science, one Light against another, Christ the Light, against the Light of Christ; the knowledge of the Quakers conceived Light, to make the Knowledge of the Scripture useless and impertinent? Does the Light direct thee not to think highly? not to be wise in thy own conceit? not to judge or set at nought thy Brother? not to render railing for railing? not to use thy Liberty as a cloak of maliciousness, nor to hearken to or believe them that say, Christ is in the secret Chambers, Meetings and Conventicles? Put the Case to thyself; Does the Light I talk of, direct me to avoid all these, or does it not? If not; then,  
1. It is no Light, Isa. 8. 20. If they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is no Light in 'em.  
2. It is great Darkness, St. Mat. 6. 23. If the Light that is in thee be Darkness, how great is that Darkness?  
3. It is Satan transformed into an Angel of Light, 2 Cor. 11. 14. No marvel (if the false Apostles and deceitful Workers transform themselves into the Apostles of Christ:) For Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of Light.  
This, Friends! is the Light within you, if it teach you not to avoid all these things that are against the Scripture; and, if you find your Light within you doth show, that unrevealed Truths belong not to you; that Doters about Questions, Opposers of Revealed Truths, Non-consenters, Contemners, Railers, Cloakers of their Sins with the Pretence of Liberty, are to be avoided. Then,  
2. Ask farther, How is thy Life? See what Rays thy Light has cast upon all thy Faculties: Does it show you a Light to exercise  
Brotherly Love, in honour preferring one another? Rom. 12. 10.  
If it be possible, to live peaceably with all men? Rom. 12. 18.  
To have Faith to ourselves? Rom. 14. 22.  
To hold fast the Profession of our Faith without wavering? Eph. 4. 14.  
To follow the Churches of God, 1 Thess. 2. 13, 14.  
To study to be quiet, and to do our own business, 1 Thess. 4. 11.  
To esteem the Clergy very highly for their work sake? 1 Thess. 5. 13.  
To please others for their edification, not ourselves? Rom. 15. 2. 1 Cor. 10. 33.  
To be of a condescending and yielding temper? Rom. 12. 16.  
To walk by the same Rule? Phil. 3. 15, 16.  
To practise Godliness, Meekness, Long-suffering, forbearing one another, Unity of the Spirit? Eph. 4. 1, 2, 3.  
Women to keep silence in the Churches, to be under obedience, and learn at home, with all silence and subjection? 1 Cor. 14. 34, 35. 1 Tim. 2. 11, 12, 14.  
This is the Truth of the Infallible Scriptures, which hath been delivered to you and to me, not now only, but by all our Christian Predecessors: This is a sure Word of Prophecy, whereto we must take heed, if we will not be carried about with divers and strange Doctrines.  Henry. 
Truly, my Conscience, as a thousand Witnesses, comes in against me. 'Tis a folly to make a Defence, when a Man finds himself condemned in his own Breast.  Judge. 
I take Friend Henry to be a very honest Man, one that loves and speaks Truth: Pray let's hear him a little farther in this Matter.  Henry. 
I confess, These are Truths not to be denied; many Particulars to be avoided, and many to be practised, by every good Christian. I know that the World is grown to that pass, that the repeating of the plainest Texts is accounted by many as unconcluding in Divinity, as in Philosophy: But 'tis time for us to lay aside all our Sophistry, and to prefer the Wisdom of God before our own. O! my deluded Brethren! have we not troubled the Nation and ourselves too much with unrevealed Secrets; harkening to Fables, and rejecting the Truth? Have we not been for making a Church, a Saint, a Minister, a Heaven, a Christ, a Light, a God, in our own Imagination; while the Truths in Scripture are nothing worth in respect of These? Have we not delighted in Tattle, Wander, busying ourselves in Things which concern us not? Are not our Opinions new Opinions, contrary to the Church? Don't we use our Liberty for a Cloak of Disorder, a Cloak to Sacrilege, a Cloak to usurp the Divinest Employments? To cry, All are one in Christ Jesus; therefore all are one in a Kingdom, a Church, a Family? We are all free from beggarly Rudiments, the Rudiments of the Ceremonial Law; therefore we are free from Ceremonies of Order and Decency among Christians; therefore no Tithes to be paid, no Priests to be maintained; tho' the Priesthood of Christ be not a Levitical, but long before a Levitical Priesthood, a Priesthood after his Order that received Tithes, a Tything Priesthood, before the Levitical Law was instituted; and that not for a short duration, but for ever, after the Order of Melchizedech. We have declaimed against Priest, to destroy Minister; we say, Christ is an Highpriest, and yet have 
Heb. cap. 5, 6, 7.  denied his Ministers to be Priests of an Inferior Order: Our Lives have been questioning, tattling, opposing, railing, damning Lives: And truly, Friends, such Lives are contrary to the Light of Christ, the Light of the Word, or any Light, but that which the Scripture calls Darkness. And however we may come off before an Earthly Judge, 'twill be too hard for you to answer these Things at an higher Tribunal. Then, Brethren, 'twill be better for you to say, Lord, we have believed, trusted, hoped in thy Word; than, We have disputed, questioned, and contemned it: Better for our Light to say, O Lord, we have received thy Prophets in thy Name, give us, we beseech thee, a Prophet's Reward; than, We have slain thy Prophets, reviled and set at naught thy Ministers, and their Ministry. Therefore, as you love your Salvation, as you desire the Favour and Fruition of God; if your Souls, Reputations, and Consciences are dear to you; no more of these Things, which the Light of Eternal Truth tells us we must avoid.  Judge. 
What say you to the Practical Part of Religion? Can you clear yourselves in the foregoing Particulars?  Henry. 
I wish we could do so: But, alas! when I examined my Life by the Rules of Truth, I found little of the Christian in me, while I adhered to my own Light. For, is this Brotherly Love, to separate from the Church, and think nothing worth our Labour, but what opposeth it? Is this to prefer one another in Honour, when we think ourselves so holy, that we abhor the Congregations of Churchmen; think we are polluted, to join in Prayer and Communion with them; so wise, that all Words besides our own are vain Words, all Books but ours are mere Errors; that we, and none else, have the Light, the Word, the Truth, all Privileges? Is it to live peaceably as is possible, when we think it an excellency to disturb Order, to find fault with every thing but our own Inventions, and agree in nothing but to disturb that which is established? Is this the Peace we are to exercise? Is this the Quietness of Illuminated Christians? The True Light shows us, That if we have Faith, we must have it to ourselves, not to disturb the Church of God with it. We may all be Christians, and yet have our several Opinions: But if we have our Opinions different from the received Opinions of the Visible Church, we ought to keep them to ourselves; not to divulge or disperse them, to disturb our Brethren. How can we say, that we hold fast the Profession of our Faith without wavering, when we scarce know what Article of Faith we have not rejected? We dispute of Heaven or Hell, of any Light or Way to Heaven, but that within us. First, We contemned and threw off the Bishops, the Worship and Discipline appointed and approved by them: Next, We contemned the Presbyters, which we used as a Means to destroy Bishops: We rejected the Independents, which showed us a different Way from Presbytery. Is there any thing we now approve in any of them, but the Extempore's? And not them neither, but as they serve a Turn. Is this holding fast, to seek all new? to reject old Doctrines, old Principles, Rules, and Ceremonies? We are Waverers, Questioners of all things, Holder's of nothing.— The Truth tells us, We are to study Quietness, to esteem a Minister very highly in Love for his Works sake, to withdraw from every Brother that walks disorderly, to follow the Churches of God: But our Lives do directly oppose the Truth: Nobis quiet a movere, merces videbatur: We have always been for Troubled Waters; if we could but question or contradict, put an odious Gloss or Interpretation upon the Church, That was a Pleasure to us. We love the Clergy so well, that we would detain their Tithes, that Poverty might make them Blessed: We rail against Tithes, not that we think 'em unlawful, but for other Reasons: We have a long time made it our Business to revile the Clergy of England, to finite the Shepherds that the Sheep might be scattered, and to draw the Hearts of the People from them. Are not we to withdraw from every Brother which walks disorderly? And does not he walk disorderly, who walks contrary to those Duties which the Apostles have taught in their Epistles? Are we not to follow the Churches of God? But we have followed every Separation; a Meetinghouse, a Desert, a Secret-chamber, a Schism-shop, a Seducing-school, any Place but a Steeplehouse. How do we follow the Apostles, if we done't as they require? Do we practise that Lowliness, Meekness, and many other Christian Duties? Do we agree with others as far as we can, and wait till God shall be pleased farther to reconcile us? We should not permit Women to lay aside their Silence and Subjection, and to become Speakers in our Seducinghouses: I'm sure they don't instruct in Meekness, but question with Impudence, evade by Ignorance, gloss by Impertinence, and conquer by no 
Impudentia pro telo; Ignorantia pro scuto.  Dispute, but violent Bawling, and invincible Insolence. Woman's Disputing lost us Paradise; and Woman's Preaching can do no less than lose us the Truth of our Doctrine, and the Peace and Safety of the Church. And if my Brethren would duly consider the Plainness and Authority of these unerring Rules of Christian Light and Life, and what the Spirit has said to the Churches in the Holy Scripture, they would soon be of my mind; the Difference betwixt us and the Church of England would here be ended.  Judge. 
Did not I tell you, that Friend Henry would show himself an honest Man? Has any of that Party more to offer for themselves? Let them come forth, and they shall be heard.  Quakers. 
We object against the Clergy of England, That they are no true Ministers, as being sent by Men; whereas St. Paul declares, that he was not of men, neither by men, but by Jesus Christ, Gal. 1. 1.  Judge. 
The Apostle may be considered, either in respect of his  
First Calling, which we commonly call Internal or Extraordinary Calling; and so indeed St. Paul was not called of man, nor by man, but by Jesus Christ, Acts 9 4, 5, 6. Or in respect of his  
Second Calling, that is, External or Ordinary Calling; and so St. Paul was called by man, as much as any Minister in our Church was called by Man: For,  
1. He had the Hands of Ananias put upon him, to receive his Sight, and to be filled with the Holy Ghost, Acts 9 17.  
2. He was separated in the Church at Antioch, by Fasting and Prayer.  
3. He was not to be believed, till he had the Testimony of Barnabas, as Letters of Orders or Commendation from the Church, Acts 9 27. 2 Cor. 3. 1.  
'Tis necessary, that Extraordinary Ministers should have an extraordinury Assurance of their being sent of God: Moses must work Miracles, and Christ must work Miracles: But, Ordinary Ministers are to give but ordinary Assurance, that they are ordained by the Church, and that they preach nothing contrary to the Form of sound Words revealed in the Scripture, Deut. 13. 1. Gal. 1. 7, 8, 9 1 John 4. 1.  Quak. 
Is this all the Evidence we must expect of the Truth of a Minister?  Judge. 
This is as much as can be expected in Cases of this Nature. Miracles are sometimes required; but never unless upon extraordinary Occasions: And these Miracles our Dissenters can no more pretend to, than the present Clergy of the Church of England; and to reject all their Admonitions, by enquiring into the Proof of their Authority, or Christ's speaking in them, was an old Wile of Christ's and St. Paul's Enemies, which they do not resolve, but pass by, as if that were to be supposed, not disputed. Vid. Mark 11. 28. 2 Cor. 13. 3.  Quak. 
But your Priests take too much upon them? Why all these Robes, Riches, Tithes, Oblations? Why should the Priests be so well provided for? Every one of us is as holy, as deserving as any of Them.  Judge. 
It has ever been the Practice of Separatists, to envy and misapply the Privileges of the Church. Look into the Congregation of Korah; not one of them (thinks he) but was at least as good as Moses and Aaron. Methinks I hear 'em say, How much do they take upon 'em? How do they lift up themselves above the Congregation of the Lord? Why all this Blue, and Purple, and Scarlet? all this Linen, Gold, and Jewels, for one Priest? What a Plating, and a Wyring, and Cunning Work's here? Here's a stir about Ephods, Curious Girdles, Breastplates, and Coats! Cannot the Priest be well enough without these Linen Coats, these Surplices, Mitres, and Bonnets? What a Lording it do they keep with their curious Garments, their costly Hems, their intermixed Bells and Pomegranates? 'Tis not enough for them to have Robes, but they must have plated Gold too; nay, Plates of Gold are not enough neither, but they must have Jewels enclosed in them. What Jewels? Yes, Rows of Jewels. 

1. A Ruby, a Topaz, a Carbuncle, 
Exod. 39 10, 11, 12, 13.   
2. An Emerald, a Saphire, a Diamond,  
3. A Lygure, an Agate, an Amethyst,  
4. A Beryl, an Onyx, a Jasper.    
Here's Pride upon Pride! Here's taking upon 'em to purpose! What are these Priests more than we, that they should be thus robed, we naked and ragged? Gold! Plated Gold! Plates with Jewels! Jewels in whole Rows! Rows engraven! Ingraving of the most curious manner! The Ingraving of a Signet! We may well be poor, whilst we must maintain all this Pride of Aaron and his Sons: This is like to be a Soulsaving Priest, that has as much in every Jewel, as would provide sufficiently for many of us.  
If Judas should be Judge, he would cry, [All this Waste] at the anointing of Jesus. And what did they against Aaron or Christ, which you do not carry on against the Clergy of England? And what do you object against the present Clergy, that was not objected against Moses and Aaron?  
Talk ye of the Pride of the Priests? So did they.  
Talk ye of taking too much upon them? So did they.  
Talk ye of the Priests being above you? So did they.  
Talk ye of the Holiness of your Congregations? So did these abominable Conspirators.  
Ah! Holiness! If this be Holiness, 'tis Holiness to be abhorred; Mouth-Holiness, Heart-Hellish-Holiness! If this be Holiness, then be as plain as the conspiring Jews were against our Saviour, Not this man, but Barrabas; Not Moses, but, Korah; Not Aaron, but Abiram; Not Jesus, but Judas; Not God, but the Devil.  Judge. 
Well, Gentlemen, you have heard a long and fair Debate; the Arguments and Proofs on both Parts, for and against the Church, with divers Objections against The Best Choice for Religion and Government: Tell me, Are you agreed upon your Verdict?  Jury. 
All agreed.  Judge. 
Is the Book Guilty, or Not guilty?  Jury. 
Not guilty, my Lord.  Judge. 
Because I would have no Mistake, Do you find for Church or Conventicle?  Jury. 
Unanimously for the Church, against all Dissenters, and all their Adherents.  Judge. 
The Verdict's just; and you have showed yourselves Men of great Integrity in this Case.— Call the Heads of the Latitudinarians, Presbyterians, Independents, Seekers, and Quakers: Have you any thing more to say why Sentence should not pass upon you?  Young Couns. 
My Lord, we plead the Act of Parliament for Liberty of Conscience, which we all interpret as a sufficient Authority to empower us to do what we please; and may excuse, if not justify, all our Proceedings.  Judge. 
You do strangely abuse and misinterpret that Law; it was designed in favour of Tender Consciences, but not to take away all Conscience. I wish the Dissenters may all show themselves those Good Men who truly deserve Favour.  Quak. 
We are a rich and thriving People, we prosper wherever we go; and this we offer as an Argument, that Heaven favours us; and that we justly expect Encouragements from Men.  Judge. 
Is God's permitting Men to be prosperous, or to sin on with Impunity, any good Reason of his approving them? God permits what he abominates, his own Dishonour: How patiently did he permit the Disobedience of the First Adam? And the Crucifixion of the Second? All the Villainies in the World do come to pass by God's Permission; however contrary they are to his Rules and Precepts. If prosperous Impiety does therefore cease to be Impiety; because 'tis prosperous and permitted; that is, not hindered by Force and Violence, (inconsistent with a free Moral Agent) than the Great Sultan, and the Great Cham, and the Great Mogul, as well as the Great Bishop of Rome, are by an equal Sound-Consequence, the greatest Favourites of Heaven; And then the Argument of Symmachus had been unanswerably conclusive against the Primitive Christians, who for 300 Years and upwards, lay groaning under the Yoke of the Heathens Tyranny: or Lastly, If Permission were still a Mark of Approbation, than Dionysius, or Diagoras, had argued logically well, when having robbed the Delphic Temple, and immediately after escaped a Shipwreck; He gave it out, that the Gods had approved his Sacrilege; Not at all, that he believed, but laughed at Providence. Riches and Prosperity are not always Blessings to the Enjoyers of them; but very often bestowed on the worst of Men to their hurt; The Divine Wisdom reserving a better Reward for his dearest Servants in the World.  Presb. and Indep. 
My Lord! We are not satisfied, that our dividing and separating from the Church of England deserves so bad a Name as that of Schism; if it does, we must expect a very severe Sentence; and the Court must be justified in its Proceedings against us.  Judge. 
You have had enough offered before, by the Church's Advocate; but to leave the Matter more clear, take the Judgement of your Principal Men, who when time was, reasoned thus against those that subdivided from them.  
If we be a Church of Christ, and Christ hold Communion with us, why do you separate from us? If we be the Body of Christ, do not 
A Vindication of the Presbyterian Government, 1649. p. 130.  they that separate from the Body, separate from the Head also? If the Apostle calls those Divisions of the Church of Corinth (wherein Christians did not separate into divers form Congregations, in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper) Schisms, 1 Cor. 1. 10. may not your Secession from us, and professing you cannot join with us as Members, and setting up Congregations of another Communion, be more properly called Schism? You gather Churches together out of your Churches; and set up Churches in an opposite Way to our Churches; and all this you do voluntarily, and unwarrantably, not having any sufficient Cause for it.  
In the same Book, they tell us of a Twofold Schism, Negative and Positive. Negative, when Men do peaceably and quietly withdraw from Communion with a Church, from which they are departed. The other is, when Persons withdrawing, do consociate and withdraw themselves into a distinct and opposite Body, setting up a Church against a Church; which (say they) Camero calls a Schism, by way of Eminence. And farther tells us, there are Four Causes that make a Separation from a Church lawful; 1. When they that separate are grievously and intolerably persecuted. 2. When the Church they separate from is Heretical. 3. When 'tis Idolatrous. 4. When 'tis the Seat of Antichrist. And where none of these Four are found, there the Separation is insufficient, and Schism. Now we are fully assured, that none of these Four Causes can be charged upon our Congregations; Therefore you must not be displeased with us, if we blame you as guilty of positive Schism.  
All which is as true now, as it was then; and as applicable to us and them, and it was to them and their Dissenters. The Presbyterians and Independents, are indeed more guilty of Schism, in separating from the truly Apostolical Church of England; than they could be in dividing from each other.  Seekers. 
But we think there are some things in the Constitution of that Church might be contrived to better Purposes; and we would find out a Church, that needs no Amendment, no Alteration.  Judge. 
Then you must be of no Church on this side Heaven; you seek in vain; because such Perfection is not in this World; yet as great a Degree of it in the Church of England, as in any Church or Congregation on Earth; and for aught yet appears, much greater. But that every supposed Corruption in a Church is not a sufficient Ground of Separation, or Warrant enough to rend and tear the Church in pieces. Let Mr. Calvin judge between us, who says, That wherever the Word of God is duly preached, and reverently 
Instit. lib. 4. Sect. 10, 11, 12. fol. 349.  attended to, and the true Use of the Sacraments kept up, there is the plain Appearance of a True Church; whose Authority no Man may safely despise, or reject its Admonitions, or resist its Counsel, or set at nought its Discipline; much less separate from it, and violate its Unity; For that our Lord, has so great a Regard to the Communion of his Church, That he accounts him an Apostate from his Religion, who obstinately separates from any Christian Society, which keeps up the true Ministry of the Word and Sacraments; That such a Separation is a Denial of God, and of Christ; And that 'tis a dangerous and pernicious Temptation, so much as to think of separating from such a Church, the Communion whereof is never to be rejected, so long as it continues in the true use of the Word and Sacraments — Though otherwise it be overrun with many Blemishes and Corruptions.  
Which is as plain and full a Determination of the Case, as if he particularly designed it against the Doctrine and Practice of the Modern Dissenters from our Church.  Quak. 
I hope the Nation will yet believe us to be very honest harmless Men; who deal fairly and kindly with all Persons; never oppressing, griping, or defrauding any Man; we are at a Word; avoid abundance of that vain unnecessary Talk, which others use in Trading; and therefore I humbly desire that the Court would acquit us.  Judge. 
You have forfeited much of that good Opinion, that the Nation once had of you; and all the Riches you boasted of, were gotten by People's Credulity, trusting you too much, before they tried you: All your Religion is now dwindled into a bare Pretence of Honesty, which at best, is not equal to that of the more Ancient Heathens; Your YEA or NAY, your Single Word shall bite as much as a Thousand; a Lie may soon be told;— and if the World complains of you for any Dishonesty, in overreaching or deceiving your Neighbours, all is put off with your Spiritual Distinction; 'Tis not, (say you) downright Cheating of Men, but a sanctified Out-witting 'em, which is owned and practised amongst you.  Presbyt. 
My Lord! We have two or three Gentlemen to produce in our Vindication.  Judge. 
Who are they?  Presbyt. 
St. Hierome, Aerius, and Honest John Calvin; The first says, That Bishop and Presbyter are all one: The second, That they differ nothing in Order, Dignity, and Power: And the last was so offended with Episcopacy, That he threw out the Bishop of Geneva, and turned the Name of Bishop into that of Superintendent; and under that Title, He and his Godly Successors, have there about one hundred Years, governed that Church.  Judge. 
Hierome must be a Saint now, for letting fall one single Sentence in favour of the Presbyterians: But those that are acquainted with St. Hierome's Writings, well know, that this Passage was intended to beat down the Usurpation of the Deacons at Rome, who then began to out-top the Presbyters; on this Account, he was tempted to magnify and extol the Place and Dignity of Presbyters in the Church; And though he said, that Bishops and Presbyters are all one, He yet in other places excepts the Office of Ordination and Government; And does at other times plainly and frequently assert the Authority of Bishops over Presbyters; and did himself constantly live in Communion with, and Subjection to Bishops. John Calvin could not advance himself at Geneva without the Bishop's Fall; and yet had all things belonging to a Bishop, but the Name; As Old Noll had in the Monarchy but the bare Title of King. The Geneva or Presbyterian Discipline was begotten in Rebellion, born in Sedition, and nursed up by Faction. Aerius was one of the worst Friends you could have produced; he was vexed to see himself slighted, and not preferred to a Bishopric, as his Companion Eustathius was; And this made the haughty Man start aside, and talk extravagantly against Bishops; ●●at the Church branded and excommunicated him for an Heretic, and Epiphanius represents him little better than a Madman, distempered by Pride, Emulation, Envy, Covetousness, Ambition: These were the Causes of his opposing Episcopal Government. If you consult blondel, Salmatius and Daillé, whose great Parts, Learning, and indefatigable Industry, could, if any thing, have made out the contrary; you'll see they have been forced to grant, That Episcopacy obtained in the Church within a few Years after the Apostolic; But our Church can safely carry it higher, even to the Apostles themselves; so much you urged me to speak, concerning the Antiquity, and Dignity of Bishops in the Church.  Dissent. 
We all acknowledge, we have had Freedom enough to speak for ourselves; we have but one thing more to plead; and then we shall submit to your Lordship's Determination.— Our Separation from the Church must be allowed, because there are in it many wicked People, scandalous ill Livers; who for want of due Exercise of Discipline, or by the Inadvertence or Connivance of its Governors, do remain in it; and so give us just occasion of Offence and Separation: There are two Texts of Scripture for us in this Case, 2 Cor. 6. 17. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; so Rev. 18. 4. Come out of her, my people! that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.  Judge. 
This I take to be none of the least Absurdities the Dissenters are guilty of. Are there no such Mixtures, no Offenders, no ill Livers amongst you? Are they all holy, harmless, and pure that come to your Congregations? If not, you have the same Reasons to separate, to come out from among them, as to withdraw from the Church, for fear of Pollution; and by the same Argument, you must never join in any Communion while the World endures. The want of Discipline, we may thank you for; You, You Dissenters, are the Cause that so many Immoralities are now tolerated; That Excommunication, and other necessary Censures of the Church (which formerly kept People in good Order, and preserved the Honour and Reputation of Religion) are by your Encouragement of Disobedience, both omitted and mocked at. And were you truly Men of tender Consciences, this one Consideration would make your Hearts ache. Look into the State of the Church, under the Jewish Administration, and you'll find, that the Sins of neither Priest nor People, owning the True God, became at any time the occasion of Separation to them. What Sins could be greater than those of Eli's Sons? And yet did not the People of God, Elkanah and Hannah by Name, refrain to join with them in the Public Worship? 1 Sam. 2. 17, 24. In Ahab's time, when all Israel halted betwixt God and Belial, yet then did the Prophet Elijah summon all Israel to appear on Mount Carmel, and held a Religious Communion with them, in Preaching, and Praying and Offering a Miraculous Sacrifice, 1 King. 18. All along, when both Prince, Priests, and People were very much depraved and debauched in their Manners, we don't find that the Prophets at any time exhorted the Faithful and Sincere to separate from the rest; or that they themselves set up any separate Meetings, but continued in Communion with the Church, preaching to them, and advising them to Repentance.  
Look into the New Testament, you'll see in the Apostolic Churches of Corinth, Galatia, and the seven Churches of Asia, many of the Members were grown very Bad and Scandalous; yet we don't read the Example of any Good Man separating from the Church, or any one Precept (rightly understood) from the Apostles so to do. They don't tell them that the whole Body was polluted, by those filthy Members; and that if they would be safe themselves, they must withdraw from their Communion; but exhort 'em to use all Means to reclaim them: And if neither private nor public Admonitions and Reproofs would do, then to suspend them from the Communion of the Church, till by Repentance and Amendment, they rendered themselves capable of being restored to Peace and Pardon.  
Our Blessed Saviour knew the Jewish Church to be a corrupt Church; Priests and People lewd and vicious, yet kept in Communion with it, and commanded his Disciples so to do. We read that the Scribes and Pharisees, who ruled the Ecclesiastical Chair at that time, had perverted the Law, corrupted the Worship of God, were blind Guides, devoured Widows houses, 
Matt. 15. 6, 7, 8.  were Hypocrites, and such as only had a Form of Godliness; yet did not our Saviour separate from their Communion; but was made under the Law, freely submitted himself to all the Rites and Ceremonies of it. He was circumcised on the Eighth Day, redeemed by a certain Price, being a Son and a Firstborn, observed the Passover, and other Feasts enjoined by their Law; Yea, and that of the Dedication too, which was but of Human Institution; was baptised amongst them, preached in their Temples and Synagogues, reasoned with 'em about Religion, exhorted his Disciples to hear their Doctrine, though not to follow their Practices. Now, what greater Cause, on the Account of Corruption and Manners, could be given to separate from a Church, than was there? Yet how careful was our Saviour, both by his Example and Precept, to forbid and discountenance it?  
Consider the Representations of a Church, given in Scripture, and elsewhere; to show, that it is a Mixture of Good and Bad; 'Tis called a Field, in which Wheat and Tares grew up together; a Net, wherein are Fishes of all sorts; a Barn, wherein there is Corn and Chaff; a Vine, that has fruitful and barren Branches; an House, in which are Vessels of Gold and Silver, and of lesser Value; a Marriage-Feast, at which were wise and foolish Virgins, etc. St. Hierome compares the Church to Noah's Ark, wherein were preserved the Clean and Unclean. And without Vanity I may speak it, though we have too many wicked People belonging to the Church of England; yet there are at the same time, a far greater Number of truly pious Christians (that live up to the Strictness of Religion) to be found in the Communion of this Church, than amongst all the Dissenters in the whole Kingdom.  
As for the two places in Scripture, produced for your Separation; read like truly Wise Men; consider the Coherence and Design of them, and it will plainly appear, that by the first Text is meant, That Christians in the Church of Corinth, should not meddle with Unclean and Abominable Practices that were used by the Heathens in the Worship of their False Gods: These they were not to touch; to have no Fellowship with them in these, but rather to reprove them; that is, in Judgement to condemn, by Word to reprove, and in Conversation to avoid them. So that this is nothing at all touching the Duty of one Christian communicating with another; though it has too often been so abused and misinterpreted. And for the second Text, it is certainly to be understood also of Idolaters; and, according to most Interpreters, of the Roman Idolatrous Polity; and is a Command to all Christians to forsake the Communion of That Church, lest they endanger their own Salvation, by Communicating with her in her Idolatrous Worship. And if this be the true Sense of the Words, it abundantly justifies our Separation from the Roman Church; but affords not the least Plea for Dissenters to separate from Ours.— And now I pass to  
THE SENTENCE.  
YOU Latitudinarians, Presbyterians, Independents, Seekers, and Quakers: You have had a fair and impartial Trial, upon an Indictment for your Opposing and unjustly Separating from the Church of England: The Jury has brought you in Guilty. You stand condemned by many Laws of this Realm: You are condemned by the Holy Scriptures; you are condemned by the Practice of the Church of Christ, for above 1500 Years together; and by that of all Reformed Churches, who were zealous for Episcopal Government, used Liturgies and Public Forms of Prayer, had Festival Commemorations of Saints, not to pray to 'em, but to praise God for 'em; had their Rites and Ceremonies in their Public Worship, more in Number, and more liable to Exceptions, than those used in our Church at this Day. You are separated from a Church that was planted by our Lord and his Apostles, watered with the Blood of Holy Martyrs, and redeemed by the Blood of the Holy JESUS. You are withdrawn from a Church that proposes no sinful Terms in all her Communion; a Church wherein a Man may be as faithful a Servant of the True God, as Loyal a Subject to his Prince, as Honest a Man in his Dealings, as good a Neighbour, and as firm a Friend, as can be found in any Church or Society of Men in the Christian World. Therefore,  
You, Sir Anthony, 'Squire, Mouth, Maggot, and Ponteus, with all the rest who are obstinate Opposers of so Excellent, so Incomparable a Church; You must go to the Place from whence your many Erroneous Opinions came, (Rome or Geneva) there to be dealt with according to your Merits: And the Lord have mercy upon your Souls.  
Here follow their several CONFESSIONS.  Sir Ant. 
Here now, behold! upon my bended Knees, I confess the Justice of the Court, ask Mercy of this abused Corporation, and bid Adieu to it, and all my silly and credulous Votaries, in these mournful Words: 
Good People, I own that our Rise was unjust;  
Our Fall, the Desert of Deceit and of Lust.   Squire. 
O Pan! aliique Dii! Dat mihi ut intùs,  
Sim pulcher!—  
I know not what God can be a Friend to me! I invoke them all; that tho' I appear in the darkest Colours to the World's Eye, I may not always suffer the gloomy Storms of an evil Conscience, nor be continually frighted with the Deformities of my Soul. 
Siccinè perpetuo cruciantur crimina Luctu?  
Hic turpem spectate virum! & ludibria Fati!  
Ah scelus! Ah Facinus! me vix mercede potitum,  
Sub Veneris Ouercu▪ Threnis▪ mea Musa reliquit.  I who once was a great Man amongst Poets, Historians, Linguists, Orators, (especially in the Opinion of the Fair Sex) have scarce a Word left to plead in my excuse.— I must withdraw: Time and true Repentance may do much; but 'tis impossible I can presently retrieve my lost Reputation; and what signifies a Chair of State, without it? I'll then make a Virtue of Necessity; in this Public Place, abdicate my Office, and with all Humility resign That which I cannot hold. Farewell, Scydromedia! when I am gone, Farewell for ever.  Judge. 
I heartily wish, that All Dissenters would make such ingenuous Confessions, as these two Gentlemen have now made: However, I shall, in another Place, fairly represent this their Civil Behaviour towards the Court, to gain 'em a Reprieve, and, if possible, a Pardon: The first I do, the latter I dare not promise.  Quak. 
Verily, Friends, our Light within us, our Personal Light, we have trusted to, like an Ignis Fatuus, has led us upon many perilous Bogs, and amazing Precepices, and there left us.  Presbyt. 
Ah, Brethren! I that have often preached Hell and Damnation to others, (enough to scare People out of all Sense, as well as Religion) am now under the Sentence of Condemnation. My Soul, alas! is like a glimmering Candle in a dark deceitful Lantern; a Lantern, I say, whose Sides are all Dark. I can give but little or no Direction to the People. I have a small Degree of Light or Comfort now left to support me: And, Oh! I must expect less when I come to die!  Indep. 
My Spirit is like, very like, may well be compared unto; I say, 'tis like a poor, venomous, disturbed Spider, in a broken Cobweb; it makes all the haste it can to escape the Broom of Impartial Justice.  Seeker. 
'Tis as plain as the Sun in a Cowcumber, that there are some few good meaning People among the many Sorts of Dissenters. I have sought, pried, and narrowly looked into them; and truly have never been able to fix in any of their Persuasions, to my content. Since I foolishly departed from the Church of England, in vain have I pursued what is not to be had in Error and Schism; namely, True Peace and Satisfaction of Mind.  Judge. 
I observe, our Fanatical Canters are very unlucky at Similes; and after all their Juggling, when they come to be serious, to make a right Discovery, they're at a loss: Then they cry out, Alas, Sirs! how sadly have we been cheated, misled, and deluded; nay, almost inevitably ruined ourselves and others, by forsaking the Church of England? And I need use no more Words to advise the Dissenters to return speedily to that Pillar and Ground of Truth, which cannot deceive them.  

The SPEECH to the CHURCH.  
ALL you Gentlemen, Lovers of the Church of England, of that most sound incomparable Religion and Government therein established: Be you unbyas'dly true to that Church; lay aside all those unhappy Feuds and Animosities which these English Jesuits, the Dissenters, have raised amongst you. Meet often, understand one another, maintain a friendly Correspondence with all that have any Favour for this Church: Agree as one Man in every Public Election: And let those who are to serve in Parliament, be sure constantly to attend on that Trust reposed in 'em, not to receive the Honour only, but faithfully to do the Service for which they are chosen; not by absenting, or any inadvertency, to leave the Church to the Mercy of those Men, who, whilst their Master is roaming about, sit still there, seeking whom they may devour. Let all honest Churchmen favour and encourage the Conformable Clergy, set a good Example to their Tenants and Neighbours, to fill the Churches. Serve your King and Country with all cheerfulness. Let no Man's Estate or Quality raise him above the Care of seeing Justice duly administered, lest by forcing the Government to find Magistrates and Juries among inferior, illiterate, and ill-principled Men, you venture your Rights and Liberties, Estates, Religion, and Lives, (more valuable than Ease) in very dangerous Hands. Nothing can be carried against you, nor to the prejudice of King or Church, if you appear for yourselves and them. Remember once more, that Dissenters are ever for dividing of you, and by your Divisions to increase their own Party; that so often as you differ, on any Public Occasions, so often you disable the Church, and weaken your own Interest. Can it be any Fault to use the same Policy for preserving the Best Churoh in the World, which the several Sectaries use to advance themselves by? They unite; and besides that, they rarely lay out any Money, but with those of their own Party. So the Donatists upheld their Separation from the Church, and kept their Party fast together, by Trading only within themselves; by employing none to Till their Grounds, or be their Stewards, but those that would be of their Side; nay, sometimes hiring Persons, by large Sums, to be baptised into their Party; as Crispin did the People of Mapalia. How evident is the same Policy among our modern Quakers? It needs neither Proof nor 
Vid. Aug. Ep. 173. ad Crisp.  Observation. Independency was a Faction, not matter of Conscience; needy, broken, decayed Men, who knew not how to live, and hoped to get something, became Sticklers for it: Thus it was in the Late Times, and thus it is Now. Look into the Trading Part of the Nation; and he must be an heedless and indiligent Observer, that does not take notice how Interests are formed, and by what Methods Parties and Factions are kept up: How many thousands of the poorer sort of Dissenters depend on this or that Man for their Work, Livelihood, and Subsistence; how many depend on others for Trade and Custom; whom accordingly these Leading Men can readily produce to give Votes, and increase Parties, on all Public Occasions: And (which is no less remarkable) what very small Encouragement any Man finds from them, that once deserts 'em, and comes over to the Church of England. If we, that are Gentlemen, and all that wish well to the Church, would cease to enrich our Opposers, by Trading or Dealing with them; but would unanimously agree to Encourage our Friends, by dealing with no others; We should never lose the Day at any Election, nor need any more Laws to bring Men to Church: For, the Dissenters would soon grow weary of their ungainful, their unprofitable Separation.  
Here ends the TRIAL.   Court. 
Huzza! Huzza! Church and King! Church and King!   

THE EPILOGUE.  
WHen truest busy Fame, all o'er  
Such Rumours spread, ne'er heard before  
From Stew or Pit, from Carp and Cage,  
(Unless in Conventickling Age)  
Old Put and Tickler slily came  
I an ancient 
* Scydromedia.  Town with fine new Name,  
Thinking, at sight, to have subdued  
The noisy, talking Multitude,  
Or, by their known Dissimulation,  
To Milk, or Ride the Corporation;  
Else, if in Charter but one Flaw,  
To make all void by Dint of Law:  
But, Good Old Cause, the Devil's in't,  
And Members too, appeared in Print:  
Prevailing Truth! that plaguy Book,  
With this Impartial Jury took;  
And Stranger yet, the Cause when tried,  
'Tis thought not one forswore or lied.  
Safely I swear, Whoever writ it,  
Did to all Sorts and Sizes fit it;  
Left nought untouched, not amorous Oak,  
Disguising Periwig, or Cloak,  
Bold Pirate, Chamber-Practice, Rape,  
Could not that Author's Pen escape.  
The Sober Party, justly fitted,  
Lost is their Cause; the Church acquitted.  
Cast and condemned the whigs are, crossed  
With Grief and sore Amazement tossed.  
'Tis vain to boast of Innocence,  
Or colour Vileness with Pretence.  
Say ye, Sir! Say ye! one Saint cried,  
We never more shall stem the Tide;  
Not all our Violence and Spite  
Can take away the Churches Right:  
If Judge Sincere, and Jury Loyal,  
We'll never move for second Trial.  
How well-advised, the Bellman lurks,  
Shunning to try his Water-works?  
While some perhaps of blessed intent,  
Are doomed to suffer Banishment.  
Be gone then, Hotspurs! cross the Main,  
Freach up Presbytery in Spain:  
Why should your Bond of Conscience be  
By Inquisition 's Danger free?  
Bewitching Elymas! no more  
Thy Thievish Porringor adore;  
Tell Pope this Truth, Thy Cant and Whine  
Are Friends to Rome: Then he'll be thine.  
There great Reward thou mayst obtain,  
Till Mischief sends thee back again.  
Mouth! who canst bellow, bray, or bark,  
And speak all Lingua 's of the Ark;  
Go, among Wolves and Tigers go;  
On these thy mighty Gifts bestow:  
Creatures of Reason better know.  
Let Maggot never turn to Fly,  
More generate or multiply,  
Lest he proud Swarms of Infects breed,  
That may this Sheepish Nation bleed;  
Ne'er out of Fleece once show thy Head,  
Till we conclude, The Maggot 's dead.  
Ponteus! purge Presbyter John,  
Much grieved with Superstition,  
Swelled with a Tympany of Pride,  
And damned ill Qualities beside:  
Give him a swinging Dose; repeat,  
Till thou hast made the Cure complete;  
However, carry on the Cheat.  
Friend Henry! Thou, of all the rest,  
Deservest to be accounted Best:  
Stay Friend; Thou hast the Church's Voice,  
The Wise and Good applaud thy Choice.  
No Church-Whiggs, or Dissenters Crew,  
None but the honest Church-man's true;  
None else give God and King their Due.  
FINIS.