% 
 
 "i 
 
 Hoy\ 
 
 ev 
 
 
 
^ 
 
 p. U. Duplicate 
 
 
P O L O G Y 
 
 FOR THE 
 
 Minifters of Jesus Christ, 
 
 AND 
 
 Preachers of his GOSPEL: 
 
 Together with 
 
 A Vindication of that Gospel itlelf, 
 
 FROM THE 
 
 MISREPRESENTATIONS 
 
 O F 
 
 Mr. mo. CHUBB; 
 
 In a BOOK, lately piibliflied in his Name, 
 
 Falfely called. 
 
 The True Qofpel of Jefus Chriji ajjerted, 
 
 , _^ ■ y . . _ 
 
 By JOSEPH HORLER, A. B. Mafler of 
 
 the Free-School at Wilto?i, and Prelbyter of the 
 
 Church of England. 
 
 Jesus I know .^ and Paul I knoiv^ but who are ye ? 
 
 A(5ts xix. 1 5. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for the Author ; and fold by 7- and P. Knapton at the 
 C'-OT.vz in LvJyate-Jlreft, London; Mr /Fletcher zt Oxford ', Mr. 
 Croujvfield at Cambridge; Mr- Crojley z.t Brijiol ; Mr. Leak at 
 Bath ; Mr. Eajlcn and Kir. Collins at Sarum ; Mr. Cooke OiXSher- 
 bcurnej and b)' moll Bookfellers in the Country. .^ _ . 
 
 Sc_' 
 
 IVj 
 
T O T H E 
 
 Moft Rev. the Archbishops^ 
 
 T O T H E 
 
 Ri^ht Rev. the Bishops, 
 
 To All and Singular of 
 
 That Reverend Body, the C/er-^ 
 gy of the Church oi England^ 
 as by Law eftabliftied. 
 
 Men^ Brethren J and Fathers ^ 
 
 HEAR ye my defence, which I 
 make now unto you, and unto 
 ail the people, in behalf of your ve- 
 nerable Body, of which I have the 
 honour^ though unworthy, to be one 
 A 2 of 
 
 ^ T ' ' TSo^^S* 1*» 'J* Duplicate 
 
iv Dedication. 
 
 of the inferior members. How I 
 have made good this defence, muft 
 now be left to you and them to 
 judge. Had it been my happinefs 
 to have been brought up longer at 
 the feet of Gamaliel^ which nothing 
 but the narrowneis of mj fortune 
 prevented, I fhould doubtlels have 
 been able to have apologifed better 
 for you and myfelf both. However, 
 as it is, nothing (I hope) very mate- 
 rial, through haile, has been omitted, 
 which miight, or ought to have been 
 urged in our cauie j nor any thing, on 
 the other hand, through warmth fug- 
 gefted, which does not ftricily and 
 properly belong to it j though the 
 iame arguments might probably have 
 been driven home more clolely, and 
 placed lii a better light, had they 
 been handled by many of you, who 
 have been bleiled with the fuperior 
 advantage of having been longer con- 
 verfant in the fchools, and of being 
 
 more 
 
Dedication. 
 
 morp exercifed, and of coarle better 
 skilled in theological di{patations. 
 
 Our adverlary has laid about him 
 moft furioufly for a long time, with- 
 out yj^r or ijoit 5 and has vainly fan- 
 cied himfelf mailer of the field, as 
 if, becaufe no body thought it worth 
 their while, they durft not enter the 
 lifts againtt him. It was high time 
 therefore for Ibmebody to take up 
 the weapons in' oppofitidn to his, 
 with which he was barbaroufly and 
 cruelly mangling your reputations in 
 general, {6 that had his fuccels been 
 equal to his endeavours, you might 
 have joined your exclamation with 
 the Pfalmiji's^'' Our bones lie feat ter^ 
 ed before the pit j like as iiohen one 
 breaketh and heweth fwood upon the 
 earth, I have heard, that it has been 
 iaid indeed by men eminent both 
 for their piety and learning, that it 
 is pity any one ftiould take ^o much 
 
 » Pfalm cxH. 8. 
 
 A 3 notice 
 
yi Dedication. 
 
 notice of him, as to do him the ho- 
 nour of a reply. But did they know, 
 as well as we do, who live in his 
 neighbourhood, what mighty miC- 
 chief he does amongft the populace, 
 by his artful and wicked infinuations 
 againft the Clergy, whoie filence, 
 under all falfe accuiations, they are 
 apt to interpret into guilt ; I am ve- 
 rily periuaded, that they v^^ould 
 change their ientiments, and think 
 with me, that an attempt to unde- 
 ceive the people, and ftop him in 
 his career of malice, would neither 
 be impertinent, nor unfealbnable. 
 This then was what gave riie to the 
 preient undertaking, this is the drift 
 and fcope of the following flieets. 
 So that the deiign, I hope, at leaft, 
 muft be allowed to be laudable and 
 good, how indifferently or meanly 
 loever it be executed * and the vvorft 
 that can be faid upon the occaiion 
 will be, That I v/as ^ ^dotllh?g^ though 
 
 ^ In magnis 'volmjfe fat eji. 
 
 fweak. 
 
Dedicaton. vii 
 
 *wenL To whom then fhould I ad- 
 drels the enfuing treatife bat to you, 
 my Lords and Qentlemeny who are 
 the fubjeci of it? To whom fhould I 
 fly for patronage and prote61:ion, but 
 to you, whole intereft it is to patro- 
 nize and protecS: me. The caufe is 
 common both to you and me, and 
 therefore calls for one common de- 
 fence. The caufe of God and his 
 Christ is blended with that of his 
 Minifters and Preachers of his Gof^- 
 pel. You are therefore bound, for 
 God's lake, for Christ's, and your 
 own, not to defert me , and are led, 
 I hope, as much by choice and in- 
 clination, as from a fenfe of duty and 
 and confcience, to join your ftronger, 
 with my faint endeavours to fupport 
 that J which you are fb deeply con- 
 cerned in, and which you have fb 
 folemnly engaged yourfelves to abide 
 by. I ask not this therefore as a 
 favour, but demand it as my right. 
 A 4 The. 
 
vni Dedication. 
 
 The advanced guard, when opprcfled 
 with numbers, iliall iurely be allow- . 
 ed to retreat, and to fall into their 
 proper ranks, with the body of the 
 grand armvj by way of mutual fuc- 
 cour and defence. It is one common 
 acmfatmi that involves us all, and 
 therefore likewife calls for one com- 
 mon defence, ^vtz. the defence of 
 ourfelves and brethren from the 
 unjuft imputation of betraying , 
 .and having betrayed (one and all) 
 the great truft committed to us, 
 either through the darkeft igno- 
 rance, or the blackeii: villany ; That 
 the priefthood has milled the people 
 from the God of their forefathers j 
 and, like Aaro7i^ their great prede- 
 cellbr, have fiibftituted a molte?i calf 
 in his ftead. 
 
 The enemy therefore, being broke 
 into our camp, and being thus warm- 
 ly attack'd on every fide, in the nam^ 
 of Christ, I found the trumpet'^'as 
 
 Jehu 
 
Dedication. ix 
 
 hu did under Jezebel's window, 
 demand who is oti my Jide^ ixiho ? 
 Not that I think, in reality, the leaft 
 affiftance wanting to enable even me 
 to fupport our caufe, which can ftand 
 its own ground, and defend itfelf 
 without the help of foreign auxilia- 
 ries J but left the enemy, from the 
 imagined number of his forces, 
 Ihould ftrengthen himfelf in his 
 wickedneis^ and, pafling unrebuked, 
 Ihould go on to j peak fo dljdahifully^ 
 and to make fuch proud boaftings. 
 All that I would requeft in behalf of 
 myjfelf is this, that with regard to 
 the undertaking, it be not miftaken 
 for a piece of officious forwardnels, 
 or pragmatical intrufion, with regard 
 to the addrefs \ that it be not conn 
 ftrued into boldnefs and prefump- 
 tion, or a want of deference towards 
 my fuperiors. With the candid and 
 ingenuous, with the generous and 
 humane, (and to fiich I think myfelf 
 
 making 
 
X Dedication. 
 
 making my addrefs) I fhall find it no 
 difficulty to obtain thus much. From 
 thofe that are of a different ftamp, 
 I expeci, I ask no quarter. I have 
 not the vanity to think this a fault- 
 lefs, or a finifhed piece, or that it is 
 altogether ib worthy of your accept- 
 ance as I could wifh. But faulty and 
 unfinillied as it is, I hope the flips, 
 which may have been made through 
 inadvertency, or want of caution, are 
 neither io many as to their number, 
 nor fo coniiderable as to their confe- 
 quence, as to preclude me from all 
 favourable allowances. 
 
 And this is rvhat I am entitled to 
 from the goodnels of my intention, 
 how mean foever the performance 
 may be. 
 
 I am no farther concerned for my 
 own reputation, as an Author, than 
 as the caule of truth is concerned 
 with it. And this, I am perluaded, 
 can never fuffer through my miima- 
 
 nagem.ent j 
 
Dedication. xi 
 
 nagement ; becaafe, though I fhould 
 fail of doing it juftice mylelf, yet it 
 may, be the means of putting others 
 upon it, that are more equal to the 
 undertaking : So that I fhall have this 
 latisfa£i:ion, that I have anfvvered the 
 purpole of an hone, at leaft, which, 
 though it cannot cut itfelf, can yet 
 fharpen, and give the fineft edge to 
 the raibr, lb that the minuteft hair 
 fhall not elcape its ftroke \ 
 
 And the publick will fliare this ad- 
 vantage with mylelf, that it will be 
 better informed at the lame time 
 that I am, for which it will in lome 
 mealure be indebted to me. Be my 
 fate or fortune then what it will, I 
 am in nowife Ibllicitous about it, lb 
 that the caule of God and his 
 Christ prevails. Amidft all the 
 yiciflitades of life, it will be an un^ 
 
 ^ - — Fungar vice cotts, aciiium 
 Redder e qua ferrum valet y ex for s ipfci fe caridl. 
 
 HoR. de arte Poetica. 
 
 Ipeakable 
 
xii Dedication. 
 
 ipeakable pleaiiire to me, which the 
 world can neither give me, nor de- 
 prive me of, that I have by any means, 
 either mediately, or immediately, 
 by mylelf, or by others, contributed 
 any thing to the glory and praife of 
 him, who, by his Apoftle, has com-^ 
 manded that all our afiions fhould be 
 dire£l:ed to that center. All that I 
 defire beyond this is, that I may 
 give no diftafte to my fuperiors by 
 the familiarity of this addrels, which 
 is not defigned as any thing of infor-? 
 mation or inftruSion to them, but 
 rather to excite them to beftow it on 
 me, and others, wherefbever they fee 
 it wanting j fo that if I offend, / of-^ 
 fend U77wittinglyj and not of malici- 
 ous fwickednejs. 
 
 However, this treatile may pofli^ 
 bly be of iome iervice to the younger 
 ftudents in our Univerfities, eipeci- 
 ally fuch as are defigned for holy 
 orders^ to whole peruial I principally 
 
 recommendl 
 
Dedication. xiii 
 
 i-ecommend it 5 as it may furnifh 
 them with fbme arguments, where- 
 with they may ftop the mouths of 
 thofe, -^vho have Jharpened their 
 tongues like a Jerpent agalnjl iiSy 
 fwhlch Imagine mlfchlef In their 
 hearts J and filr up Jlrlfe all the day 
 long ^, 
 
 It is our great infelicity to live in 
 that century, which is very likely to 
 be diftinguifhed above the reft for a 
 contempt of all things facred and di- 
 vine, beyond any preceding ages fince 
 the birth of Chriftianity ; A genera- 
 tion {o fuperlatively wife and good 
 in their own conceits, that they de|9 
 cry the word of God, in order to ex- 
 alt their own, and eftablifh moral 
 virtue upon the ruins of all religion. 
 The Clergy therefore muft expeS to 
 come in for their fhare. It is a natu- 
 ral and a neceflary conlequence. 
 Nor indeed are they diiappointed j 
 
 » Pfalm cxI. z, 3, 
 
 It 
 
Xiv Dedication. 
 
 it being ufual with thofe that Jit in 
 the Jeat of the fcornful to greet theM 
 in the market s^ a?2d in the JireetSj 
 with lomething expreffive of their 
 derifion, even as they pals inoffen- 
 fively along j as though the t'rme ^joas 
 no^jo comey in ^johtch fivhofoever tramps 
 led us under feet^ or threw us 
 againjl the Jlones, thought he did 
 God fervice. 
 
 This likewile may be further fer- 
 viceable by way of caveat to the 
 younger ftudents, that by the ibbri- 
 ety of their lives, and uncorrupted- 
 neis of their morals, they may cut off 
 all handle of reproach, which they 
 fee their enemies lo watchful to lay 
 hold off to their difadvantage * and, 
 by way of admonition, that they 
 itQk.httYmQsfou?idwifdom and dijcre~ 
 tionj fwhich ojoill he as life tmto their 
 fouls ^ and grace to their necks ^ * fo that 
 their adveriaries having nothing,where 
 
 ^ Prov. iii. iz. zi. 
 
 of 
 
Dedication. xv 
 
 of they may juftly accufe thern, may 
 be forced to have recourfe to their ufual 
 and well-known method of forgery 
 and invention, and that all they that 
 fpeak againft them may be found 
 liars in the end, to the encreafe of 
 their own guilt and Ihame j and fb 
 be covered with their own confujionj 
 as with a cloak. This would be an 
 effeflual method to retrieve the cre- 
 dit of our Univerlities, and reftore 
 them to their ancient reputation j 
 would conquer people's prejudices 
 and averfions, which, generally Ipeak- 
 ing, are unjuftly conceived j would 
 make them revive and hold up their 
 heads afrefh , though they have 
 lately held them down^ and hlujhed 
 for Ihame, at the monftrous beha- 
 viour of one of their unworthy mem- 
 bers, on whom the Head of that 
 body, to which he belonged, has 
 done exemplary juftice, by lopping 
 him off as a rotten and infe6iious 
 
 limb. 
 
jcvi Dedication. 
 
 limb, and no longer worthy of vU 
 tal heat and communication with 
 the other members. This would be 
 to anlwer the end of their being 
 fent to thole great and famous feats 
 of learning, to the intent that a 
 fupply might never be wanting of 
 wile and good men, who would be 
 able and willing to be the ornament 
 and fupport both of Church and 
 State ; would be to dilcharge the 
 debt they owe to themlelves, their 
 parents, friends, and relations, to 
 their country, their king, and their 
 God 5 and would convince the 
 nobility and gentry of the landj 
 what little need there is of fend- 
 ing their ions {o early abroad, when- 
 they might be much better edu- 
 cated at home * whither, after large 
 fums of money expended, and a 
 certain number of years ipent in 
 travel, they return not much im- 
 improved, either as to their intel" 
 
 leBs 
 
Dedication. xvli 
 
 leBs or ptorals ; but rather very often 
 impaired in both, by the acquifi- 
 tion of ioioi^n fajh ions y and foreign 
 "viceSj foreign (whesy and foreign 
 dijiempers, I fhould efteem it as a 
 fingular blefling to myfelf, fhould 
 any thing, which I am capable of 
 writing, be fo applied, as to pro- 
 mote the one of thefe, or prevent 
 the other; both which, in a great 
 meafure, depend upon the reception 
 it meets with from you, which 
 either merits your patronage from 
 the goodnefs of its defign, or elfe 
 ftands in need of it from the mean- 
 nels of the performance. Such as 
 it is, I once more humbly infer ibe 
 it to you, defiring, at the fame 
 time, a favourable conftraftion, and 
 that you would join your prayers 
 with mine to Almighty God, for 
 his bleffing upon thele poor en- 
 deavours of mine againft Himy who 
 
 a id 
 
xviii Dedication. 
 
 is the common enemy to all true 
 Preachers of the Golpel, /. e. to you 
 as well as me, who am, with all 
 fubmiffion and devotion, My Lords 
 and Gentlemen, 
 
 Tour mojl dutiful Son^ 
 
 mojl affetlionate Brother^ 
 
 and Fellow-la bourer. 
 
 JOSEPH HORLER. 
 
The Author to his Readers. 
 
 IT is as much expeSfed from a man^ when 
 he jirfi commences Author, that he fioidd 
 fay fomething by ivay of Preface to the 
 publick, as it is that he jhould make his Bo\v, 
 or falute the good Company at his fir ft entrance 
 into a room. In compliance ivith this cufiom, 
 which J like an univerfal monarch, reigns but 
 every where, I beg leave to inform my Readers 
 of thefe two things : Firft, Why it is fo late 
 before this treatife makes its appeara?ice in the 
 world; and, in the next place, why it m%v 
 C077ies out imperfeSi, i. e. hut half fini floe d, an- 
 fwering only that part of my defign, which is feen 
 in the running title. As to the firft of thefe, 
 be it known then, that I entered on this work 
 in June laft, and not before ; and notwithfiand- 
 ing the conjiant care of afchool, the cure of two 
 parifies, my weekly and jometimes daily atten- 
 dance on the County Goal, and a Priory be fides, 
 (which, I hope, may be allowed to be fuffcicnt 
 employment for any one man) had advanced fo 
 far in it before Michaelmas, as to have jufi 
 grounds to think, that I fioidd have been able 
 to have executed the whole defign by Chrifimas. 
 It pleafed GOD, at that time, to interrupt 
 me by a great alteration in my family ; andfoon 
 after, in confe queue e of that, to vift me with 
 an heavy and fore calamity, by depriving me of 
 the near eft and dearefl friend I had in the world \ 
 and thereby rendering me altogether incapable, 
 for a time^ to make any farther progrefs in it. 
 a 2 ' it 
 
XX The Author 
 
 It lay by almofi untcuchedfor about five months^ 
 more or lej's^ being too much difcompofed my- 
 
 felf to think much of Compofition. Nor had 
 I refumed the jubject Jo foon as I did^ had it 
 not been for JGrae Jhrcaftns of our adverfaries, 
 mohich rouzed me from my lethargy^ and jpurred 
 me forwards towards finifmig this firft part^ 
 which then wanted only a few pages to compleat 
 it. This then J I hope^ will be allowed as a 
 
 fiifficient excufe for its delay, with as many as 
 have any thing of humanity about them^ or ever 
 
 felt any Joft emotions^ any generous or tender 
 
 fentiments, in their bofoms. 'The difadvantage 
 is wholly mine^ that it could come abroad fio 
 
 fooner ; becaife (as I fee it in the publick papers) 
 
 fever al anfwers to the fame piece from different 
 quarters are out already^ which ^ .in-all likeli- 
 hood, 772ay prevent many from readi77g this book. 
 Be that as it will. This only I can ajjiire the 
 worlds that thefe produclions (Juch as they are) 
 are genuine. It is doubt lefs, in the courfe of a 
 controverfy^ impojfible but that per fons anjwering 
 the fame book^ and fetching their arguments 
 
 from the fame coimnonfowttain., i. e. the jacred 
 writings of the Old and New Tejlament^ mufi 
 hit upon fome of the fame thoughts, if they think 
 pertinently, or indeed think at all. But, upon 
 this cccafion, give fne leave to declare , as I do 
 with the utmofi fncerity, that I have been fo 
 
 far from taking airy advantage of others coming 
 out before me, that I neither have read, nor 
 were a thoufand more anfwers publifiedy would 
 J read one of them 3 fo caiUioifly have lendea- 
 
 'voitred 
 
to his Readers. xxi 
 
 wured to avoid the imputation of plagiarifm^ 
 whether IJlmdd be fo fortunate as tofiicceed, 
 or not. ihd therefore Ijhould happen tojirike 
 upon the fame argument^ or arguments, which 
 they may have already urged % yet thus much 
 may fafely be depended upon, that they will fee 
 them drejjed, at leaf, in a new garb, and diffe- 
 rent light i being refolved, fince I have under- 
 taken to write, to publijh my own thoughts only, 
 and not artother's, upon this fubjecf. 
 
 This likewife ferves to anfwer the fecond 
 quejiion, i.e. why the firjl part comes out alone, 
 leaving the latter part of the 'Title unfimfied ? 
 Every body, both friends and enemies, that 
 have been acquainted with my defign, have ex- 
 prejjed a longing and impatience to fee that 
 defign executed. So that the former of thefe 
 queftions is an anfwer to the latter ; i. e. it 
 comes out imperfe5i, becaife it comes out fo late, 
 I have tried their patience in waiting for it, I 
 wifi I may not tire it in the reading of it. But 
 though the one part only oftjiy defign is fi?iifhed, 
 yet that alone will be fuff^cient to anfver the full 
 Title, though 1 feculd not live to finijh the reji. 
 Becaife feveral Texts of Scripture, contained in 
 the Gofpels, which Mr. Chubb has either mif- 
 zmdetfiood, or mifapplied, are here viiidicated, 
 andi-eftored to their primitive and genuine mean- 
 ing. But perhaps fomefevere hay-Brother, with 
 an air of importance , may make his remarks, 
 and fay, " What a mighty pother is here about 
 ** nothing to the purpofe all this while ; we ex- 
 " peeled an anfwer^ levelled at Mr. Chubb'^ 
 
 <* whole 
 
xxii The Author 
 
 " whole fyjiem, and- here comes cut an Apology 
 " onh for the Minifters of fefus Chriji^ &c. 
 *' One Clergy fnan takes it upon him to defend 
 *' the refi; what is that to iis ; how does this 
 ^ " concern oraffeSf the Laity?" Why that is the 
 very Thi?ig. It is to the Laity this Apology is 
 direBed -, we need none^ 1 hope^ either to our- 
 Jelves^ or to one another. It was for their fakes ^ 
 more than for the Clergy s^ that this was firfl 
 taken in hand. We canfuffer only in their opi- 
 nion, whilft they conceive its to be either fuch 
 weak or wicked creatures , as Mr. Chubb ha^ 
 reprefented us to be ; but it may be of much 
 worje confequence to the Laity y becaufe fo long 
 as they entertain fuch hard thoughts of us, it 
 will he attended with coldnefs^ and i?idifference 
 in fome, with a total difike and averfon in 
 others y to the performance of all religious du- 
 ties in publicky wh^re we minifler. So that 
 they mufl be the chief f iff erers in the end^ not we. 
 Such Apology y I own, would found much bet- 
 ter out of the mouth of a Layman , than that of 
 a Clergyman. But alas! our Lay- Advocates 
 are gone \ Nelfon and Addifon are fallen afleep. 
 However y the cafe is not quite fo bad^ but what 
 many men of worth a? id merit themfelvss, I was 
 about to fa)\ all men of that character ^ fl ill re- 
 tain kindjentiments towards the Clergy in ge- 
 neral, and will vefiture to efpoufe their caufe fo 
 far as a verbal defence reaches ; nay, many of 
 them willfpeak well even of their own teacher, 
 andfiew him all decent outward marks of ve- 
 neration and efeem ', and many more ^ I believe^ 
 
 would 
 
to his Readers. xxili 
 
 *ivoulddo the fame, was it not for that wicked 
 cruel article, called Tythes, which has proved 
 the Abomination of Defolation in many of our 
 Churches. In the mean time, let me refer my 
 "Readers for information of^cKoi-isfentiments 
 with relation to us, to his Ember WcekSj-whicb 
 are contained in his Fafts and Feftivals of the 
 Church ; and for the latter s, I will tranfcribe a 
 pajjage out of the Guardian, which willfufficient- 
 
 ly [peak for itfelf. " He gives up all title 
 
 to a Free-thinker, with the 7noft apparent 
 prejudice againft a body of ?nen, whom of 
 all other a good man would be moft careful 
 not to violate, 1 mean men in Holy Or- 
 ders. Perfons, who have devoted themfelves 
 to the fervice of God, are venerable to all, 
 who fear him ; and it is a certain cha- 
 racter of a dijjblute ungoverned mind, to 
 rail, or fpeak difrefpeBf idly of them in gene- 
 ral. Jt is certain, that in fo great a croud 
 ofmen,fome will intrude, who are of tempers 
 very unbecoming their funBion ; but becaufe 
 ambition and avarice are fometimes lodged 
 in that bofotn, which ought to be the dwel- 
 ling of fanSlity and devotion ; muft this un- 
 reafonable Author vilify the v^hole order ?" 
 So much then by way of anfwer to the fecond 
 queftion, to which 1 have no more to add, but 
 that I hope to publijh my Second Treatife by 
 the enfuing Feftival, which will conclude the 
 whole dejign, imlefs Mr, Qh.\jhh fiould bepleafed 
 to cut me out frejhwork. I have the pleafure, 
 J muft confefs, to think^ how much the oppojite 
 
 party 
 
xxiv The Author, &c. 
 
 party will be difappointed^ who expeB^ as I ant 
 informed J nothing but raillery injlead of argu- 
 ment y i?ive6li've injlead of proof Mr. Chubb 
 has made a coat^ which will fit no body befdes 
 himfelf I have only helped him on with it, 
 and fiewn him, how clofe it fits. Upon the 
 whole y 1 appeal to the reafon and confcience of 
 all mankind, whether 1 have advanced any one 
 point oppofite to the truth : And as I write not 
 for contention, or viSiory, but for the fake of 
 that only ; fo if IJhoidd have erred from it in 
 any one point, Jhall thank the perfon who will be 
 fo good as to point out my error ; nay, will kifs 
 the hand, that Ihall fmite me friendly, and re- 
 prove me. All the favour, that I defre is^ 
 to be read with an impartial, unprejudiced eye -, 
 and that every one would be determined, either 
 for me or againft me, by the greater moment of 
 reafon, on whofe fide foever the fcale fiall turn, 
 Beijig fleadily refolved within myfelf by the 
 blejjing of Almighty God, without regard to 
 friendjhip, or party, hope of being preferred, or 
 fear of being fiigmatized, zealoufly to purfue 
 truth, as the eldeji daughter of Heaven, and 
 clojely to embrace her, for the fake of her own 
 native charms, when, or wherefoever found-, tho^ 
 fie Jhould proceed out of the mouth of a Jew, 
 Mahometan, or Pagan, or any other unbe- 
 liever. 
 
 London, May 3. FaREWXLL. 
 
 1739. 
 
A N 
 
 APOLOGY 
 
 FOR THE 
 
 Minifters of Jesus Christ, 
 
 AND 
 
 Preachers of his Gofpel, ^c. 
 S E C T I O N L 
 
 WH E N firft I read the title of this 
 Book, as advertlfed in the papers 
 to be coming into light, I muft 
 needs own myfelf to be very much furprized 
 at the oddnefsj and novelty of it. A Tn/t* 
 Go/pel coming out at this time of the day, 
 when we have been fo many Centuries in pof- 
 feflion of the writings of the four Evangelifts, 
 fcem'd to me to carry with it the look of 
 fomething ^ l;or?z out of due time. I was loft 
 in a quick fucceftion of thoughts in guefhng, 
 
 * I Cor. XV. 8. 
 
 R what 
 
a. An ApoLo(JY for the 
 
 what the meaning of it could be. What 
 ( faid I to myfelf ) have v/e been about all 
 this while ? fyi& the Gofpels, which we have 
 hitherto read, and ftudied, falfe ? Or have 
 we (like blind folk) been groveling in the 
 
 dark ; not one lucky hit till now to ftrike 
 
 off the meaning, and fhew the interpretation 
 thereof? Have we fome antique original^ 
 newly diicovered, that have kin long dormant 
 in fome Eaflern repofitory? Or has the Author 
 given us a new verlion of thofe, fo long re- 
 ceived ; and pointed out, wherein his prede- 
 eeffors have tranllated them wrong ? 
 
 After this Book had made its appearance 
 in the world, had been read, and vari- 
 oufly cenfjred; tho' in general condemned y 
 as one of the mofl unchriftian pieces, that 
 ever a profelTor of Chriflianity fet his hand 
 to ; I refolved with myfelf, when it came 
 luckily in my way, to give it a ferious and 
 impartial reading ; and to judge of it myfelf,. 
 not according to the judgment of others, ei- 
 ther pro or con ; but according to that evi- 
 dence, which the thing fliould give of itfelf. 
 
 It callially fell into my hands the other 
 day, where meeting with fome points of do- 
 drine advanced, which feem'd to me too 
 (Irame to be triie^ I determined to read with 
 caution, as well as impartiality, mrewdly 
 fufpeding (notwithilanding the fpecious pre- 
 tence) that all, that Mj\ Chubb /aid, -Ji-as nof 
 
 Qofpeh- 
 
M}??iflers of jEstJS Christ. 
 
 Gofpel. As well for the fatisfacflion of my 
 own confcience, as in compliance with his 
 requcfl to his readers, I have read it over 
 with as ** due a fenfe of, and as ferious a 
 " regard to a future Judgment, and a day of 
 *' Retribution," as he could poffibly write 
 it with. And now, upon the whole, I fo- 
 lemnly declare with the utmoft fairnefs and 
 freedom, that (I think) he is fo far from 
 having performed his promife of afferting the 
 True Gofpel of Jesus Christ, that he has 
 grofsly mifreprefented both Hifu and It j and 
 that he has handled the Word of God either 
 ^ ignorantly^ or deceitfully. That under a 
 pretence of fencing in our holy Religion, in 
 order to protect it from hoftile invaiion, he 
 has treacheroully betrayed it. by fapping its 
 foundation j and ( as far as in him lies ) has 
 thrown down her bulwarks even to the 
 ground. 
 
 This then being the judgment, which I 
 have formed upon the whole (the reafons for 
 which I lliall make known in their proper 
 place) I fhould think myfelf greatly wanting 
 in my duty to God^ my neighbour, and my- 
 felf, did I not endeavour with might and main 
 to refcue our holy religion out of fuch bad 
 hands, and to re-eftabiifh it upon its antient 
 foundation. 
 
 '' ?. Cor. iv. 2. 
 
 B 2 And 
 
An Apology for the 
 
 And here, by the way, give me leave to 
 declare, that no perfonal hatred, or party 
 rage ; no fondnefs for appearing in print, or 
 being reputed an Author i no high conceit of 
 my own abilities, or contempt of his, prompt 
 me to this undertaking : but a well-grounded 
 zeal (as I hope it is) for the honour of GoO, 
 and his Christ j and a refentment of the 
 violences offered to the Perfon and Dod:rine 
 of Him, through whom we look for mercy and 
 falvation^ by faith in his blood ; and in the 
 next place, of the many and great indigni- 
 ties, with which he has loaded the whole 
 body of the Chriftian Priefthood. Indigni- 
 ties, I fay J for fuch might I juftly call them^ 
 was it not for the mighty honour that he 
 hath done us unawares, by joining us with 
 fuch good company, binding us in a fellow- 
 fhip of fufferings with Christ, and thereby 
 uniting us clofer to him as our head. The 
 difciple is not above his Majier, nor the fervant 
 abo^)e his Lord. It is enough for the difciple^ 
 that he be as his Majier, and the jervant as 
 his Lord. If' they have called the Majier of the 
 houje Beelzebub, how much more Jhall they call 
 thoje of his houfiold? " 
 
 Tho' the venom of thefe writings that ap- 
 pear in his name, like that of other poifons, 
 has fpread itfelf far and near, and on that ac- 
 
 '^ St. Matthcv} X. 24, 25. 
 
 count 
 
Mimjlers o/' Jesus Christ. 
 
 count ought to meet with proper repellents, 
 wherefoever it is likely to communicate its 
 malignity j yet becaufe Saritm (the place of 
 his abode) is not only moil in danger of fuck- 
 ing it in, but is already ( as report fays ) greatly 
 tainted, both from reading his works, and 
 perfonal converfation with him ; fo that' the 
 ^plague is begun^ and the infed:ion prevails : 
 From thence therefore ought the antidote 
 immediately to proceed, that the remedy 
 might have the fame advantage with the di- 
 ftemper ; and that the one might be as handy, 
 as the other is contagious. 
 
 This is what I hoped for, and might rea-r 
 fonably have expedled, from a place, where 
 fo many learned and orthodox Divines refide ; 
 becaufe an anfwer coming from that quarter 
 would more effecflually have awakened peo- 
 ples curiofity, and more deeply have engaged 
 their attention. 
 
 Prompted by a principle either of friend- 
 ihip, or ill-will, and a defire- eitlier to com- 
 mend, or blame, moft people would be ready 
 to take in hand the writings of a native^ or 
 'xell known inhabitant ; and the Author's de- 
 lign { if well executed ) from thence might 
 be the more effedually promoted, /. e. by 
 being read by All, it might be ferviceable to 
 All, either by way of cure to thofe, who, 
 
 ^' Numb. x;vi. 46. 
 
 B 3 alrQadjr 
 
An Apology for- the 
 
 already labour under the diftemper, or by 
 way of prefernjative to thofe, who are yet 
 uninfefted. 
 
 But whether for fear of entring into a dif- 
 pute for life with a perfon fo much bent on 
 having the laft word, that he will even tire 
 Echo herfelf, and put her to fibnce ; or whe- 
 ther thro' difdain of an enemy fo unequal, 
 whofe learning ( as it is fuppofed at leail ) 
 reaches not beyond mother-tongue, and an 
 acquaintance only with tranilations, no anfwer 
 ( it feems ) is as yet come, or coming ( as I 
 hear ) from that quarter : And therefore the 
 tafk is devolved to me, who, befides many 
 other difadvantages, thro' a multiplicity of 
 bufinefs, and a variety of avocations, and ob- 
 ftruftions, am the leaft of any one at leifure 
 to give it a reply ; yet this I chearfully un^ 
 dertake, at all hazards, leH: the thing be 
 deemed unanfwerable, becaufe it pafTes un- 
 anfwered j and fo he fmg a Triumph without 
 a Conqiiejl^ or indeed Contention. 
 
 SECT, 
 
Mimjlers of ]ns\js Christ. 
 
 SECT. 11. 
 
 HA V I N G in the preceding fecllon, by 
 way of preliminary, fet forth my de- 
 lign, and the reafons and motives of It ; I pror 
 ceed now to the thing itfelf : which that I 
 may handle methodically, I fliall begin with 
 his Title Page, and the infinuations of the 
 Author to his readers; and from thence fliall 
 proceed regularly to confider the pofitions laid 
 down, and the arguments made ufe of, to 
 maintain them throughout the whole body of 
 the work. 
 
 He calls it the True Gofpel of Jefus Chrift 
 {ijjerted'y by which I would defire to know, 
 whether he means a Gofpel of Jesus Ch r ist's 
 own writing, and publiiliing to the world ? 
 or, Whether he means the Gofpel of, or 
 concerning Jesus Christ ? For perhaps more 
 may depend upon his anfwer to this queftion, 
 than may be at firll apprehended. If the 
 former, we fliould beg the favour to know, 
 where he had it ? how he came by It ? whe- 
 ther we may not have the pleafare and ad- 
 B 4 vantage 
 
% ^n Apology for the 
 
 vantage of perilling it, as well as he ? If the 
 latter ( as I am moil inclin'd to think ) we 
 muft afk, which of the True Gofpels of Je- 
 sus Christ he means? what edition? whole 
 tranllation ? For as there are Four Evangelills, 
 or Writers of the Gofpel of, or concerning 
 Jesus Christ; it would be requilite to 
 know, whether it be the True Gofpel con- 
 cerning Je^^js Christ according to St. Mat- 
 thew, Mark^ Luke, or 'John'^ Whether one 
 of thefe in particular , or all feparately, each 
 one for himlelf, and for tlie ufe of the Church 
 wrote a True Gofpel of, or concerning Jesus 
 Christ ? or whether the Gofpel afcribed to 
 any, or either o£ the Evangelills be in part, 
 or in the whole ^ untrue ? or whether he means 
 a compendium of thefe Gofpels taken toge- 
 ther j a fummary, or brief account of every 
 thing relating to the Perfon and Office of Je- 
 sus Christ ? or laftly, whether he means 
 a fef of tenets cuttd here and there out of the 
 Evangelills, bundled up together, and called 
 by themfelves, exchfroe of all others^ the 
 'ti'iie Gofpel of fefus Chriff. 
 
 Either the Gojpel is true, or it is not true. 
 If true, then all true ; if not all true, then 
 not at all true. It mull, according to the form 
 of oaths adminillred in courts of judicature, 
 fpeak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing 
 but the truth. An error, either by way of 
 excefs or diminution, invalidates, nay, de- 
 
 llroys 
 
Mhujiers of Jesus Christ. 
 
 ftroys the evidence, and pequres the teftator. 
 The conclufion always follows from the worft, 
 or the weaker part of the argument j and a 
 ^efecl of any kind is fufficient to denominate 
 a thing bad. 
 
 The Gofpel then muft be taken whole, 
 and together, as it is ; or elfe muft wholly 
 and entirely be rejec^ted. The whole is fup- 
 ported by the fame authority with the parts ; 
 and therefore they muft ftand, or fall toge- 
 ther. And as the Gofpel muft be wholly 
 true, fo muft it be truly whole, /'. e. muft 
 be the fame in every part. A change, or. 
 alteration of any kind whatfoever, renders it 
 not the fame, and fo far not true j but charges 
 the perfon with fallhood, who aflerts it. The 
 Gofpel then is capable of being altered either 
 of thefe wa3's j either by inferting fads and 
 doctrines, which it does not contain, and 
 teach ; or by ftriking out fadb and dodlrine, 
 which it does contain, and teach j or by 
 reprefenting them otherwife, than as they are 
 there contained and taught. Be the altera- 
 tion either of this kind, or fhaf^ it would 
 be much the fame in effed: j /. e. as ob- 
 ferved before, fo far as altered, it would not 
 be true. 
 
 Here then we call upon Mr. Chithh to fpeak 
 out clearly, without quibbling or referve, fo 
 that every one may hear him ; does he ac- 
 knowledge the ijohole Gofpels of the four Evan- 
 gelifts to be tniL\ or does he not ? If he does 
 
 believe 
 
lo An Apology for the 
 
 believe the 'nohole^ it is pofjible for him to 
 gather from their writings the T!rue Gojpel of, 
 or concerning Jesus Christ; /. e. a fum- 
 mary, or brief account of every thing relat- 
 ing to the Perfon and Office of Je s u s Ch r i s t , 
 But if he believes not the whole of the Gof- 
 pels, and, in confequence of that unbelief, 
 makes an extract out of thofe writings of 
 fomt particular do^rines, tending only to ferve 
 a tU7'n, or a purpofe^ and leaves out others 
 that make directly againfl that purpofe ; and 
 then ftamp the one with his approbation, and 
 cry, T^his is the 'True Gojpel ; and rejedt the 
 other difapproved, and cry, T^his is not the 
 ^rue Gojpel ; let me afk him, or any rational 
 perfon living, whether this is the Gofpel of, 
 or concerning Jesus Christ, according to 
 the EvangelijiSj or according to Thomas Chubb f 
 Is a dipt Shilling of King Charles I. the true 
 coin of that unhappy Monarch ? or is a brafs 
 Shilling of King George II. how finely foever 
 wafh'd, the genuine coin of our prefent Sove-r 
 reign Lord ? 
 
 Kmg Agrippa ( faith ^ St. Paul ) belie"jeji 
 thou the prophets ? to which he ftays not for 
 ' an anfwer, but makes this reply himfelf. Tea. 
 J know ^ that thou believeji. And in confe- 
 quence of that belief it was, that he was 
 ^ abnoji perfuaded to be a Chrijiian. Could 
 "VVe make reply for Mr. Chubb and his difci- 
 
 « A<5ts xxvi. zj. f vcr. 28. 
 
 ple^. 
 
krs of Jesus Christ. i i 
 
 pies in the affirmative, when afked this que- 
 ftion concerning the Gofpel, we fliould foon 
 find them to commence both almofi^ and aU 
 together 8 Chriftiflns. 3ut that he believes not 
 the Gofpel, is manifeft from his own writ- 
 ings, as may be feen from his fixth fedlion, 
 and ^ many other places j v/here at one bold 
 ftroke away go all the hiftorical truths re- 
 lated in the Gofpel of Jesus Christ 3 and 
 ( if we will take his word for it ) thofe fadtg 
 are not the Gofpel of Jesus Christ, either 
 in 'whoL\ or in part. And more from the 
 215'^ page of his Differfation on Providence y 
 where, having given us a long quotation from 
 St. Matthew^ chap. vi. ver, 25. to the end, 
 he roundly tells us, " that as this difcourfe 
 *' was written many years after it was fpokeii 
 " by our Lord; fo, probably, through a 
 " defed: of memory in the Hiftorian, what 
 " our Lord faid immediately before it, was 
 ^' forgotten." 
 
 Now when I fay, I believe the Gofpel, I 
 mean nothing lefs than this, my underftand- 
 ing affents to the truth of every fad:, as there 
 recorded 3 every poiition, or point of dodrine, 
 as there laid down. And this belief of mine 
 is grounded on the credit of thofe perfons, 
 by whom thefe truths are conveyed to me ; 
 i. e. to fpeak more explicitly, I believe, as 
 
 £ A<^s xxvi, 29. *■ Pages 46, 47, 48, 49. 
 
 St, 
 
12, An Apology for the 
 
 ^t. Paul tells his difciple Timothy , ^ that acl 
 Scripture is given by injpiration of God. That 
 the writers of it thus infpired, neither fpake 
 their own words, nor ordered their own con- 
 ceptions : that God fpake by their organs of 
 fpeech, and wrote by their hands • that there 
 was no defect J no room or pofTibility of defeSi 
 m thefe under-agents of his, either moral or 
 mtelleSlual : becaule I look upon the faculties 
 of the Soul as abforbed; the natural ufe and 
 exercife of them as fufpended j fo that they 
 could not mifconceive, becaufe God ordered 
 their conceptions ; nor deliver them erringly 
 to others, ^ becaufe the Spirit gave them ut- 
 terance. 
 
 Thele are my fentiments with relation to 
 thofe facred writings, which we call the Gof- 
 pel, and which I, who knew no better, 
 thought every one, who profefied himielf to 
 be, and really was a Chriftian, entertained in 
 
 common with myfelf. For this perhaps 
 
 Mr. Chubb may call me eafy credulous Bigot ; 
 but I had mther he called me any thing, 
 tlian Infidel. Whatever his doctrine may be 
 to the contrary, fo. we believe, and Jo we: 
 teach. 
 
 And here let me appeal to himfclf, and to 
 as many as lliall do mie the honour to read 
 diefe paperS;^ whether he, who believes not 
 
 *^ z, Tim. iii. J 6. ^ A^ls ii. ^ 
 
 the 
 
Mimjlers of Jesus Christ. i j 
 
 tlie divine authority of the Scriptures himfelf, 
 be a likely perfon to convey to others, who 
 doubt not that authority, the True Gofpel of 
 Jesus Christ ; and to flitw them faithfully 
 what /i, and what is not^ that Gofpel. The 
 facred Hiftorians (as he is pleafed to call them) 
 are thrown by him upon a level with the pro- 
 phcine ; and the lives wrote by Plutarch or 
 Suetonhis are of equal credit and certainty 
 with Ltike^ or * Joh?i -, who are reprefented 
 as mere men unaififted, equally fallible, liable 
 to the fame defeds of memory with them, 
 and altogether as apt to forget. 
 
 It is much, according to this fuppofition, 
 but thefe hiftories, thro' the defedts of their 
 writers, muft have abounded with many er- 
 rors from the time of their firfl: penning them ; 
 befides what has crept into them fince, thro' 
 the revolution of fo many centuries : And if 
 fo, under thefe difadvantages, it muft require 
 a man of more than ordinary fagacity, nay, 
 of fupernatural affiftance, to fpy out, and 
 diftinguifli the genuine from the fpuriom : 
 who ihall be able to fay, after long fearches 
 and refearches, £upv)j(«, look here (good peo- 
 ple) I have pickt it out at laft j here it is, 
 
 * His words in page 48. are thefe : — — To fay that St, 
 "John was divinely infpired in writing his hillory is ( for any 
 thing that appears) groundlefly to prefumc a point, which ii 
 void of proof, and which therefore is not to be admitted. 
 
 W 
 
 hat 
 
14 -^^ Apology y^r the 
 
 what you have fo long been in want of ^ the 
 True Gofpel of Jesus Christ, ^Ah! the 
 fehcity of our days! ah! the happy times, 
 that we are referved for, who have hved to 
 fee 2.Jifth EvangeHft ( ^ I cannot fay deicendji 
 but) rtart up amongft us, who is able to put 
 the other Four out of countenance. 
 
 But how can Mr. Chubb be fure he has 
 feledled all the truths, and rejeded all the 
 untruths of thefe faulty, thefe erroneous pieces 
 called Gofpels ? If he cannot abundantly 
 fatisfy his readers as to this point, they muft 
 ftill have recourfe to thefe fallible writings^ 
 which as fuch can never by any thinking per- 
 fon be depended on, as fufficient guides in 
 matters relating to our eternal falvation. 
 What a ftate of uncertainty then are we re- 
 duc'd to ? how melancholly, and uncomfor- 
 table is the profped: before us I 
 
 If the perfons, by whom this revelation is 
 made, were not ififallible in their conveyance j 
 but related things imperfe(ftiy, thro' a defed: 
 of memory, and liablenefs to forget ; you 
 may give it the name of an Hiftory, or any 
 other name, that will better pleafe : It fhall 
 never (on fuch a fuppofition) be acknowledg- 
 ed as a Divine revelation by me. And yet 
 
 ^ Felicia Tempora', qu^s te 
 Lforibus opponunt 
 ^' Tertius e Qoela cecidit Cato. Juv. Sat. z.. 
 
 thejfe 
 
Minijiers of Jesus Christ. 
 
 thefe are terms made ufe of by our Author 
 himfelf in various places of his Book, tho* 
 with no other defign (one wou'd think) than 
 to abufe them : in ^ one place he calls it the 
 Chriftian Revelation, in ^ another a Divine 
 Revelation. 
 
 Now a Revelation in things relating to Re- 
 , ligion, not Divine^ is a contradiction in terms, 
 and abhorrent from the common fenfe of 
 mankind : and a Divine Revelation^ which 
 is not infallible^ for that very reafon, becaufe 
 it is Divine^ feems to carry with it fomething 
 Very fhocking, and blafphemous in the fup- 
 pofition. Yet fuch a Gofpel is this, which 
 is afferted by Mr. Chubb to be the True Gof- 
 pel of Jesus Christ, as is manifeftly prov'd 
 from his own words ; and this he fo confident- 
 ly plumes himfelf upon, that he is not con- 
 tent to entertain thefe inconiiftent notions in 
 private : but he mufl " offer them (humbly 
 " as he lays) to publick confideration 3 and 
 *' in particular to all thofe, who efteem 
 *' themfelves, or are efteem'd by others to 
 *' be, Minifters of Jesus Christ, and 
 *' preachers of his Gofpel; and more efpeci- 
 ** ally to all thofe, who have obtain'd the 
 *' reputation of being the great Defenders of 
 ** Chriftianity. And left this remarkable 
 ©ifer, this piece oi'mock huinility^ (hou'd pafs 
 
 ^ Page 9th to the readers. ^ Seft. II. page 15. 
 
 unobferved. 
 
i6 An Avoi:oGY for the 
 
 unobfcrved, it is repeated in that part call a 
 the Author to the Reader in the fame Words, 
 only with this addition between the two 
 members of the fentence. " And the reafon 
 *' of this, /. e. why he recommends this par- 
 " ticularly to the ferious conlideration of 
 " thofe, who efteem themfelves, or are 
 " efteem'd by others, &c. is becaufe the 
 ** fubjedlofitj as it enters into thefe impor- 
 ** tant queftions, njtz. what is, and what is 
 " not, the True Gofpel of Jesus Christ ? is 
 *' what they, as preachers of Christ, and 
 " his Gofpel, are particularly interefted in ; 
 " and, if it fhou'd appear to be erroneous, are 
 *'■ particularly concern'd to refute. 
 
 Here then 'tis out. Here the latent pride 
 of this affeBedly humble Gentleman breaks 
 forth, and difplays itfelf in its proper colours. 
 He has a mind to diftinguifli, and make him- 
 felf more confiderable from the credit of thofe 
 antagonifts, who fhall enter the lifts againft 
 him ; and therefore fends forth this daring 
 challenge to all learned chriftians, of what 
 denomination foever, but " more efpecially 
 " to all thofe, who have obtain'd the repu- 
 *' tation of being the great defenders ofChri- 
 " ftianity. 
 
 This work he has purfued with the utmoft 
 furnefs and freedom, (as he fays) which I de- 
 ny : Tho' it muft be confefs'd at the fame 
 time, that what has been wanting in the for- 
 
 mer^ 
 
MiNiJlers of Jescjs Christ. 17 
 
 mer, has been, abundantly made up in the 
 latter. He has been free, 'tis true, and that 
 with a witnefs ; but then 'tis fuch a freedom 
 that he has taken, as is altogether unchriflian, 
 having abus'd his.^ liberty as a cloak of malici- 
 'oufnefs. For do but attend v/ith me, I pray 
 now, a little to thefe words, and you cannot 
 but difcover the greateil: arrogance and vani- 
 ty on the one hand 3 the greateil virulence and 
 Uncharitablenefs on the other. For what do 
 they imply lefs than this, That all thofe 
 who efleem themfelves, or are efteemed by 
 others, to be Miniflers of Jesus Christ and 
 Preachers of his Gofpel ; all the great defen- 
 ders of Chriftianity, from the earliefl accounts 
 to this very time, both have been, and are, 
 either a parcel of i^^f^^, ignorant hi^thxtn^ or 
 (which is worfe) a fett of defigning knaves, 
 and villains ? That none of them have had 
 either Jenfe enough, or learnings rightly to 
 underfland and interpret the Gofpels ; or 
 elfe honejly and i?tge?2iiity^ to kt them in their 
 proper light? *' That the doiftrines and com- 
 ** mandments of men have joftled out the 
 «' dodrir^s of Christ, and commandments 
 *' of God J and that Chriftianity is brought in 
 *' only to countenance their contentions for 
 ** worldly polTeflions, power, and pre-emi- 
 *' , nence." This is an hard faying, who can 
 
 » X Peter ii. 16. 
 
 C hear 
 
i8 An Apology yJr the 
 
 hear it ? Yet this, hard and. cruel as it is, is 
 not confined to that Church alone, of which 
 he is a rotten and corrupt member, viz. 
 the eilabliflied Church of this realm ; but 
 includes the diffenters of all denominations 
 tolerated by that Churchy and extends its 
 charge to all, whether foreign or domeftick, 
 PopiOi or Reformed, Scotch or Genevan^ Cal- 
 mnifi or Lutheran -, away we go together for 
 a fett of foul-felling mifcreants, Clergy with 
 Laity. For company is good (they fay) if it 
 . be but to the Devil. 
 
 Thus all the foundations of the earth are 
 out of courfe, till this Gendeman fliall fet 
 them right. The inhabitants of the villages 
 ceafed, they ceafe din Ij'rael^ until that I Deborah 
 aro/e^ that I arofe a mother in Ifrael. 
 
 This then being the common charge- a- 
 gainft us ; let us bring it to the flandard of 
 reafon, of which this Gentleman is fo pro- 
 fefs'd an admirer, and examine it by that ; 
 and we fhall fee it fall at once to the ground. 
 
 SECT. 
 
Minijlers of Jesus Christ. 19 
 
 SEC T. III. 
 
 THE charge (as obferved in the pre- 
 ceding feStion) coniifts of thcfe two 
 articles, viz. a want either oi fenfe and learn- 
 ings rightly to underftand the Gofpel ; or of 
 hofiefty and ingenittty\ to fet it in its proper 
 light. Of thefe in their order. 
 
 And firft as to the want of fenfe and 
 learning, rightly to interpret the Gofpel. 
 
 As knowledge is either natural or acquired j 
 fo ignorance mult proceed from one of thefe 
 two caufes, either a want of capacity, or 
 want of improvement. From which of thefe 
 two then does this darkeft ignorance proceed ; 
 a want of genius, or want of education ? If 
 from neither, as he muft be convinced (if ca- 
 pable ofconvid:ion) from the number of good 
 fchools, and the bright youth with which 
 many of them, (efpecially our collegiates) a- 
 bound ; whofe early maftery in the learned 
 languages, and beautiful compofitions of every 
 kind, are at once our wonder and delight : 
 tell me, any one that can, what future ill- 
 C 2 nurfing 
 
Q.0 An Apology for the 
 
 imrfing fteps in between, to flop the growth 
 of this hopeful genius, and prevent its arrival 
 to a fuUnefs of llature in knowledge ? Does the 
 entring them in any fociety in either of our 
 univerfities under fome learned (and often pi- 
 ous) tutor, blunt the edge of their underftand- 
 ing, and abate their natural acumen ? Or do 
 many years farther ftudy in the languages, 
 arts and fciences, under the greatefl: helps, 
 and nobleft advantages, lellen their attainments 
 paft, and render them quite changlings and 
 idiots for the future ? Does this feem agreeable 
 to Mr. Chubb\ reafon of things, that the Ef- 
 fect fliould be fo contrary to the Caiife ; or 
 that the End fhould be defeated by the mofl 
 likely Means to promote it ? 
 
 I am aware of but two objections, which 
 my adverfary can lay hold of, and doubt not 
 but, for cavil's fake, (if not obviated) he will j 
 1:1 X. 
 
 Firji^ That all, who enter at our univer- 
 fities, are not fuch bright genius's, as I have 
 been defcribing. And, 
 
 Secondly y Amongft thofe, that are fuch, all 
 do not make this mighty improvement. 
 
 Well, allowing this j and what then ? Why 
 then it follows, I'll warrant you, there- 
 fore, 
 
 Eitlier, that there are none of thefe bright 
 genius's, that enter at our univeriities. 
 
 Or, 
 
Mhnjlers of Jesus Christ. zi 
 
 Or, that none of thofe, fo entered, ply 
 their ftudies with due diligence and applica- 
 tion. 
 
 Or, laflly, that if they do, that none of 
 them are more competent judges in things, 
 about which all their time and Hudy have 
 been employed, than they that are wholly il- 
 literate, and have been lefs converfant about 
 
 them. If thefe inferences cannot be drawn, 
 
 every thing elfe, which can be urged, is be- 
 lides the purpofe. For 
 
 The queftion here is. What iliould hinder 
 the brighteft genius under the greatefl: helps 
 of art, all the advantages of the choiceft books, 
 the moft peaceful retirement, the moil in- 
 tenfe application, the moft faithful inftrudi- 
 on, the mofl: improving converfation j what 
 fliould hinder fuch a genius from reaching 
 the very top of human attainments, even be- 
 yond the ken of vulgar eyes ? And yet fuch, 
 many fuch there nonv are, and always have 
 been, in our univerlities ; efpecially for fome 
 time before, at, and fmce the reformation-, 
 from whence the church has conflantly been 
 fupplied. And tho' many have l>een admit- 
 ted into Holy Orders, who have neither been 
 born with fo fine a genius, nor have made 
 fuch fine improvements ; yet thus much we 
 may venture, without arrogance, to affirm, 
 that a great part of die Clergy confift of fuch ; 
 who, adding the clofcfi: ftudy to the greatefl 
 C 3 {Irength. 
 
An Apology for the 
 
 drength of natural parts, amidll: other acqui- 
 fitlons, have made the languages, in which 
 tlie Holy Scriptures were wrote, and efpeci- 
 ally the New Teftament, fo familiar to them, 
 as to be able to read it, write it, or tranllate 
 it, with the fame eafe, as they can their native 
 tongue. 
 
 To whom then fhould the many-headed, 
 one-tongued multitude have recourfe for the 
 fenfe and interpretation of Scripture, but to 
 thofe vs'ho are able to read it in its native 
 purity and iimplicity ? Nay farther, to whom 
 are they indebted for their ability to read the 
 Scriptures at all, but to the Clergy of the efta- 
 hlijhed Church ? Was it not by them tranflated 
 out of the original into E?2glijh ? And have 
 they any other Scriptures at this time, than 
 what tlie Clergy have put into their hands ? 
 What a nionltrous piece of abfurdity, and 
 iiiipudente blended together, muft it be then 
 ior any little upilart pretender, that knows 
 not one word of the original, and is not fo 
 much as a critick in his own mother-tongue, 
 to prefume to give his fenfe of Scripture in 
 oppoiition to thofe, from whom he received 
 Scripture ? 
 
 Had the very perfons, from whom he has 
 liis ILnglijIo Teftament, agreed to have impofed 
 upon the unlearned and ignorant, and have 
 told them, that Calaphas the High Priefl was 
 crucilied inftcad of our Saviour, and yiidas 
 
 IJcarict 
 
Mimfters oj^ Jesus Christ. i^ 
 
 Ifcariot with him, for betraying his mafler; 
 or that Chr 1ST, at the clofe of his controver- 
 fy with the Devil, kick'd him off the pinacle 
 for quoting Scripture no better j and that St. 
 Paul eat the viper, that bit him by the hand ; 
 how could they have evaded the impofition ? 
 Nay, it may be fo at this day, for ought Mr. 
 Chubb himfelf knows to the contrary. He has 
 nothing elfe to depend on for his fecurity 
 againft deception in this point, but they^///, 
 the honefiy^ the ingenuity^ and veracity of 
 thofe perfons, who at firfl: tranflated it, and 
 are now able to read it in the original. 
 
 Where do the wife and knowing apply 
 for advice in phyfick, but to the phyfician ? 
 Where for advice, in law, but to the lawyer ? 
 Where then, by a parity ofreafon, for know- 
 ledge in divinity, but to thofe who have 
 made theology their ftudy ? Few are there 
 indeed in either of the other profeffions, that 
 fet up for adepts in it without fome previous 
 tuition and attention, in order to prepare and 
 fit them for their office : and fewer are there 
 that "W'ould apply to them, in their way, with- 
 out a prior perfwafion, that they had taken 
 all proper means to qualify themfelves for the 
 difcharge of it. But in divinity we are all 
 cafuijis, and cr i ticks -^ 'tis a (hort flep from 
 the Jlall^ or the counter^ into the Do3lors 
 Chair ; and becaufe fome things lie plain, and 
 level to the meaneft capacity, they v/ili pro- 
 
 C 4 ceed 
 
a4 --^^^ Apology for the 
 
 geed, with confidence, to thofe that are diffi-« 
 cult and abftrufe \ and fetting about them with 
 Alexanders refolution, will venture to cut the 
 Qordiafi Kj20t, which they cannot untie. 
 
 'Tis an eafy tranfition from fcepticifm to 
 infidelity ; firom doubting, and queftioning, 
 how can thefe things be ? to a plain negation, 
 thefe things cannot be. Thefe are bad effeBs 
 fprung from a noble caitfe, i. e. the reading 
 the Scriptures in the vulgar tongue j which 
 notwithflanding, if there be any thing in rea-^ 
 fon, they mull: be (beyond comparifon) more 
 likely to mifinterpret, who can read them 
 only in that tongue. Is it barely probable, 
 that the greatell; natural parts^ without the 
 help of education^ fhould be equal to fiicb 
 farts^ with all the helps and advantages of 
 education ? Will any one be fo fond of con tra- 
 dition, as to fay, that a diamond of the 
 greatell intrinfick value fhines with half that 
 luftre in its native roughncfs 3 as when it has 
 received its poUjh from the lapidary^ and is 
 finely Jet by xhtjeiuellers hand? This way of 
 reafoning would be allowed to be jufl in all 
 cafes, except fuch as relate to Mr. Chubb, 
 For it is not in divini*:y, as it is in arts and 
 fciences, which are liill capable of improve- 
 ment, and of being carried on to a greater 
 height : but the ftandard has been fixed for 
 many centuries back, from which we are nei- 
 ther 
 
Mhnjlers of Jesus Christ. 25 
 
 ther to advance, nor retreat. '' It is written^ 
 fays our Saviour in the controverfy' before 
 quoted ; and this was a ne plus ultra to the 
 Devil himfelf i fuch a bar, as with all his agi- 
 lity, he could not leap over. 
 
 I wiih, that this diitindion was fufficiently 
 attended to j the want of which (I believe) 
 has introduced fo much mifchief and confa- 
 fion among us. For many, feeing what 
 mighty improvements have been made of late 
 in mathematicks, natural philofophy, ^c , 
 that fome merely by the dint of genius, and 
 a clofe application, without thofe vifible affi- 
 fiances of education, which moft others, emi- 
 nent in that way, have had ; have from thence 
 been induced to think, that even our holy 
 Religion itfelf is capable of fome emendations 
 and improvements, from men of clear meta- 
 phyfical heads, of an abflracfled way of thinking 
 and clofe reafoningj how unqualified foever 
 in other refped:s, ever fo illiterate ^ and un- 
 read in thofe languages, in which the facred 
 writings were conveyed to us. Whereas the 
 cafe (as obferved before) is quite different ^ 
 all the reafoning, and all the reading in the 
 world, cannot poflibly make any alteration 
 here. Chrilfianity is founded, immoveably 
 founded, on the writings of the Prophets, 
 Evan^elifts, and Apoftles, Jesus Christ 
 
 '' Luke iv, 4. 
 
 himfeif 
 
26 An Apology y^r the 
 
 hlmfelf being the corner fione : the canon of 
 Scripture has been long fince fettled, the book 
 is clofed, nor can it admit of being added to, 
 or diminifhed from. 
 
 Thus ftands it as to the original ; fome texts 
 indeed admit of fome variation as to their 
 tranfladon, which (I hope) we are not to come 
 to Mr. Chubb for ; which texts, if tranflated 
 otherwife, as fome very learned and good 
 men contend, who are exceedingly well read 
 in the Oriental languages, and have compared 
 parallel paffages in the Old and New Tefta- 
 ment, /. e. the Hebrew with the Helknejiical, 
 would tend greatly to the fubverting of his 
 fchemes, and ftrengthning and elliabliiliing 
 that of the Trinitarians. Shall we appeal now 
 to him in this cafe, and wait his decifion in 
 this nice affair ? Shall the old reading be conti- 
 nued^ or reje5fed? I believe the latter, were it 
 but for the novelty's fake, did it not make 
 diredlly againft his own hypothefis : but ano- 
 ther expedient I could propofe, v/hich (I fan- 
 cy) would pleafe better, i. e. throw them 
 both afide j and let us have no more rout about 
 them. 
 
 ^ How fiall he that occupieth the room of the 
 unlearned, fays St. Paul,/^_y Amen? their ap~ 
 probation or rejeSlion are of no weight in 
 things, they iinderjland not j and therefore 
 
 ^ I Cor. xiv. 1 6. 
 
 have 
 
Mimjiers of Jesus Christ. 27 
 
 have nothing elfe to do in fuch cafes, but 
 humbly to acquiefce in the determinations of 
 the learned, and to fubmit their no judgment 
 to thofe that have judgment. 
 
 I muft indeed do Mr. Chubb the juflice to 
 acknowledge, that, as he knows himfelf to be 
 unlearned, he does not pretend to fay, Amen. 
 Nay, fo far is he from it, that it is but to give 
 any one thefis the epithet of Orthodox,and that 
 will be fiifEcient to fet him in oppolition to it. 
 
 But fuppofing for once, that his judgment 
 fhould naturally be ever fo good j is another's 
 ever the weaker^ for his being fo ftrong ? Or 
 can he command a greater profpecfl in the 
 bottom, than another can on the eminence of 
 a hill ? ^ Sooth his vanity for once with the 
 title of the greateft genius, that ever was. 
 What ? Are the reft of mankind fo far fliort of 
 him, that with all xh^iv Jludies, and learnings 
 and Jine parts, they cannot equal his natural 
 ones, unimproved ? •'Prodigious this! and not 
 to be admitted by any man of ordinary faith. 
 And yet the judicious and intelligent are of 
 opinion, that his moft elaborate and compleat 
 
 'Nihil eji quod credere de fe 
 
 Non pojjity cum laiidatur diis tequa potcjlas. 
 
 Juv. Sat. 4. 
 ^ Majara meris monjlra 'vix capiunt fidem. 
 
 Seneca Troas. 
 
 perfor- 
 
2,8 An Apology yjr the 
 
 performances, when placed in competition 
 with many of thofe whom he defpifes, 
 fliine with as faint and dimiaiilied luitre, •' as 
 the lefTcr ftars do, when the moon appears ia 
 her full tide of light and glory. 
 
 How meanly foever Mr. Chubb may think 
 of the Clergy, and how contemptibly foever 
 he may treat thofe of the eflablidied Church i 
 yet the many excellent books writ by them 
 in all faculdes, and in all kinds, efpecially on 
 fubje6ls peculiar to their own province^ /". e, 
 practical and polemical Divinity, have given 
 them an honourable diflindion abroad, as 
 well as at home ; and juftly entide that body 
 of men to the reputation of being one of the 
 mofl learned in the world : And the Church 
 of England is allowed by all foreigners, to 
 this day, to be the glory and bulwark of the 
 reformation. 
 
 Nor will it avail A'Ir. Chubb, In the cale 
 before us, to object, " that dl thefe men of 
 *' learning, nay, that General Councils of thefe 
 " learned men, may err, and fomedmes have 
 *^ erred, even in things pertaining unto God ; 
 ^ ' according to the language of the twenty-firit 
 " article." For (I hope) this fine reafoner 
 v/ill not infer, that, becaufe it is poiUble for a 
 man to be in tlie wrong, therefore he is not 
 
 ^ Velut inter tgnes suna minor es. Hor. Od- I2. Lib. 'i. 
 
Mimfters of Jesus Christ. 2-9 
 
 in the right ; or that, if General Councils may- 
 err, therefore fingle men are exempted from 
 error ; or that, if learned men may be mis- 
 taken, therefore infallihUity is an appendage 
 to the unlearned. If he does not, (as I think 
 he cannot well) the Argument will conclude 
 ftronger in favour of us, than it does for him : 
 The key of knowledge will be left with its 
 proper owners, the learned ; the charge of ig- 
 norance will be wiped off from thofe, who are 
 efteemed as *' Miniflers of Jesus Christ, 
 " and Preachers of his Gofpel :" And unlefs 
 Mr. Chubb can plead fomething of fuperna- 
 tural afiiftance, which is more than he will 
 allow the Evangelifts and Apoftles, that he h 
 ^ as an angel of God, and therefore may do what 
 is good in his oivn eyes ; the weight of This^ 
 together with that of its concomitants, ar- 
 rogance and vanity, will alight heavily on 
 himfelf ; who, thus diftended beyond all pro- 
 portion, and big with the conceit of his own 
 abilities, in confequence of it, contemns all 
 human oppofition, as weaknefs and folly : 
 and, like Goliah (in imagination) the cham- 
 pion of the Philijiines, {talking out iingly, 
 and at a diftance before them ; with gigantick 
 flrides, defies the armies of IJraelj as at this 
 
 =" 2 Sam. xix. 27. 
 
 day, 
 
JO An Apology ySr the 
 
 day, ^ Give me a mariy that we may fight to-' 
 gether. But let me put Mr. Chubb in mind 
 of the fatal Cataftrophe, with which the 
 fcene clofed upon this boafted Hero, i. e. that 
 a flone and a fling prevailed againll: a fhield 
 and a fpear j that die fword, with which 
 he advanced towards his difdained adverfary, 
 ferved only to fever his own head from his 
 carcafe, which was left a prey to the fowls 
 of the air, and the wild hearts of the earth ; 
 for this very reafon, becaufe he had ^ defyd the 
 armies of the living God. 
 
 * 1 Sam. xvii. lo. '' i Sam. xvli. 36, 
 
 SECT. 
 
Mmijlers of Jesus Christ. 3 1 
 
 SECT. IV. 
 
 WELL, but fuppofing the Miniftcrs 
 of Jesus Christ, and Preachers of 
 his Gofpel, to be purged from the former 
 part of the charge, and that the want of 
 knowledge and ildll to interpret this Gofpel 
 be falfely imputed to them : yet the blacker 
 part of the charge is ftill behind, /'. e. the 
 want of ingenuity and honefly, to iet it in 
 its proper light. This is indeed the blacker 
 part by far j and, if true, would chill the 
 blood in our veins at the reflecftion. 
 
 Either then this accufation is true, or 
 it is not true. If true ; chains, racks, and 
 wheels, and every other torture, that the 
 wittieft malice of our greateft enemy (even 
 Mr. Chubb himfelf) can invent, are too good 
 for us. If not true j the very fame ought to 
 be his portion : that the lying lips may be put 
 to filence^ which thus cruelly, difdainfully and 
 defpitefuUy Ipeaklng again f I the Minifters of 
 Christ; calumniate, without diftindlion, a 
 whole order of men, whom God and the 
 
 laws. 
 
^t. An Apology for the 
 
 laws of his country have placed fo far above 
 himfelf. 
 
 And here (I believe) lies the very core* 
 We might efteem ourlelves long enough as 
 Miniflcrs of Jesus Cl-iRiSTi and Preachers of 
 his Gofpel, were we not eftcemed fo by others 
 likewife. This is what irritates and pxo-^ 
 vokes this Gentleman ; as tho' the objeds of 
 this ef!:eem were millaken, and it was tranf- 
 ferr'd from him to them in his ivrotig. 
 
 And what is all this ill treatment for ? but 
 for maintaining and upholding fuch do6trineS 
 as are plainly fet forth in Holy Writ, but hap* 
 pen not to fquare with his reafon of things ? 
 And yet thefe are the very doctrines, in which 
 the life and foul of Chriftianity con fill: ; with- 
 out which it is not lb much as a deadj unani- 
 mated carcafe^ but is a mere fiadow, and an 
 enipty 7iame. Thefe are the very dodtrines, 
 which we of the Church of England ought 
 firmly to be perfwaded of the truth of, be- 
 fore we can have the leaft thought towards 
 commencing Miniflers of Jesus Christ, 
 and Preachers of his Gofpel. 
 
 ^ The form of our being admitted into 
 either of our univerfities requires a fubfcription 
 to the nine and thirty articles ; nor can any 
 one proceed towards any degi-ee in any faculty, 
 or date his memberfliip of that body, but 
 
 » rUe Statutes of the Univerfity, 228. 
 
 from 
 
Miriijiers ^ Jesus Christ. 
 
 from the time of his matriculation, to which 
 this is p'evioLis and neceflary. This fub- 
 fcription is again repeated, after a more iblemii 
 manner, in prefence of the Biiliop, before we 
 can be^ admitted but in Deacon's Orders • 
 and again, on our admiffion into Prieft's 3 for 
 which, when we offer ourfelves as candidates, 
 it is required of us to exhibit a Teftimonium 
 under the hands of three neighbouring Cler- 
 gymen to this purpofe, that (to the befl of 
 their knowledge) we have neither believed, 
 nor taught, any thing repugnant, but every 
 thing agreeable, to the docflrine and difcipline 
 of the Church of England , as by law efta- 
 blillied. 
 
 Thefe are the fecurities which we are 
 to give to the Church ; thefe the prudent cau- 
 tions ihe takes to prevent any infetfted mem- 
 ber from being incorporated with her. No 
 one therefore [without hlghlj impeaching his 
 moral character) can fo often ^ in fo fokmn a 
 manner, repeat, by fubfcription, his aflent and 
 confent to the truth of thefe articles^ which 
 his own confcience, at the fame time, tells him 
 lie difbelieves. For let this be remember'd 
 by the way, that n,ve do not compel than to. 
 come in. 
 
 The greateft points in difpute betwixt 
 Mr. Chubb and us, are concerning the truth 
 of our firft, fecond, tifth articles, and 
 many others fabfequent to themi. With 
 
 D' what 
 
 :>3 
 
54 -^^^^ Apology y6>r the 
 
 what face then can any one take upon hinrl 
 the office of a Mlnifter of the Church of 
 England^ i. e. a defender of her articles, that 
 denies the very Jirft and fecond of thofe arti- 
 cles ? Is not this a monftrous breach of trufl ? 
 Is it not bafely to betray the caufe, we have 
 undertaken to defend ? If any fuch there are 
 amongft us (which God forbid) either crept 
 into the Church already, or in any of our 
 Colleges, in order to creep in; I will venture 
 to pronounce them, one and all, from the Doc- 
 tor to the Undergraduate, vile hypocrites, and 
 prevaricators with God and Man : That a 
 money-changer, when placed in competition, 
 fcems by fir the honefter man ; and the leaft 
 punifliment that can be inflicted on them, 
 Ihould be what our Saviour applied to thofe 
 of his days, i. e, they Jhoiild be whipped out of 
 the Tcfnpk. And this (I hope) upon cool 
 refledion, will be allowed to be agreeable to 
 his moral Jitnefs of things. 
 
 But what a pretty dilemma are the Preachers 
 of the efiablifhment reduced to at this rate , that 
 they m-ufl: either be felf-condemn'd for betray- 
 ing the truft c(;mmitted to them; or Ckibb-con- 
 demn'd, as traitors for not betraying it ? Is it 
 criminal to difcharge our duty ? And is the 
 omiilion of it venial or innocent ? To me this is 
 a contradiclion in terms ; and we muft either 
 coip new words to exprefs our ideas by, or muft 
 affix new ideas to thofe already coined. Which 
 
 way 
 
Mimjlers of Jes US CHRIST* 55 
 
 Way will it be poflible f®r us to avoid the im- 
 putation or the guilt of infincerity in things of 
 the utmofl moment and concern ? 
 
 He, whoie outward profeffion is contrary 
 to his inward fentiments, is infincere : But 
 he that fubfcribes to the truth of thofe articles, 
 which he believes falfe, makes outward pro- 
 feffion contrary to his inward fentiments ; ergo^ 
 he that makes fuch fubfcription is infincere* 
 Try it again the other way ; he who takes it 
 upon him to preach that doctrine, which he 
 does not preach, is infincere ; but he who is or- 
 dained a Preacher in the Church of Efig/and, 
 takes it upon him to preach the doctrine of the 
 Church of England; therefore he that preaches 
 hot that do(5trine, is infincere : Both the major 
 and the minor of thefe proportions I take to be 
 felf- evident, L e. fuch as need no proof j and 
 therefore that the conclufionj drawn from 
 them, ftands firm and undeniable. 
 
 Either then we do believe, or we 6.6 not 
 believe : If the former, why mufl: we not in- 
 culcate that belief ? If the latter, why do we 
 fubfcribe ? The only way then to avoid this 
 imputation is, to believe^ as we profefs ; and 
 to teach, as we believe. Any one then ading 
 agreeably to his engagements may be allowed 
 to expoftulate thus : " Will Mr. Chubb now 
 " take it upon him to prove that my belief 
 " and profeffion is not of a- piece ; and that 
 " my heart contradidts my tongue ? Nay, 
 
 Da ■'' but 
 
o 
 
 36 ^n Apology /or the 
 
 '' but who made thee a judge? How long 
 " has he invaded the prerogative of the om- 
 " nifcientj and fet up for a fearcher of hearts 
 " and trycr of the reins? The Scripture (was 
 *' that of any weight with him) tells us, that 
 *' no one knows the fpirit of a man, fave 
 " the fpirit of that man which is in him* 
 " Now, unlefs Mr. Chubb knows my fpirit 
 *' better than I do myfelf, I ftand acquitted 
 *' of this charge. My heart never did, and 
 *' (I trull in God) never fliall reproach me, 
 " as long as I live, for making profeffions in 
 *' matters of fuch importance contrary to the 
 *' perfwalion of my foul. If fo, iliall not 
 " God lind me out ? Am I confcious then of 
 *' that, of which my confcience acquits me 5 
 *^ or am I infmcere, for alferting and main- 
 " taining my fincerity ? " Strange fort of 
 idod:rine this, and fcarce reconcileable to com- 
 mon fenfe, and the apprehenfion of mankind. 
 Yet this feems to me naturally to flow from 
 his infinuations againft the Preachers of the 
 Gofpel, efpeclally of the eftabliflied Church; 
 which I iliould not fo long have dwelt upon ^ 
 but that fincerity is fo much cried up by 
 Mr. Chubb, and his adherents, as being fufh- 
 cient of itfelf to recommend a man to the 
 favour of God ; let him be ever fo much 
 under the intluence of an erroneous con- 
 fcience. 
 
 An 
 
Mh/ijlers of Jesus Christ. 57 
 
 An error in the judgment, we muft allow 
 with them, to bear no proportion with an 
 error in the will : But then (we hope) they 
 have not monopoliz'd all the tender mercies 
 pf Gc'D to themfelves on this occafion. If 
 not, are we not equally entitled with them 
 to pardon and forglvenefs for any involuntary 
 miftakes ? But if infincerity be chargeable 
 upon them, who, fubfcribing to the articles 
 of the Church of England, believe and preach 
 agreeably to this Writer's fentiments, which 
 are contrary to thofe articles, (as, I think, I 
 have plainly fliewn) and, of courfc, gain his 
 approbation, (the errors of the judgment are 
 out of the quelHon) away goes this boail:- 
 ed morality, and this darling fincerity toge- 
 ther, both from Preacher an4 Hearer ; '' ivhen 
 thoufdweji a thief, thou waft conjhiting to him^ 
 and waft a partaker of his guilt by that con- 
 fent. If barely to defert, /. e. to turn their 
 backs in the time of danger, be a bafe betray- 
 ing of our caufe ; how great muft their per- 
 fidy and treachery be, who fly over to the 
 other fide, and join the enemy, when the 
 ^ battle is jet in array, army againjl army ; and, 
 receiving our pay, fght againft us with our 
 own arms and ammunition ? 
 
 He that enters a volunteer into the fervice 
 of his Prince, and making the ftrongeft pro- 
 
 » Pfalm XV. 18. ''I Sam. xvii. 21. 
 
 D -: fcffions. 
 
^8 An AvQ-LOGY for the 
 
 feffions of loyalty, takes the military oath of 
 allegiance, fidelity, &c. meerly to cover his 
 defign of rebelling agalnft him, and dethron- 
 ing him the more effeftually, fwells his trea- 
 fon to a monftrous fize by the addition?! guilt 
 of hypocrify and perjury, which paved the 
 way to it ; and it muil appear in every one's 
 eyes a much grciter piece of bafenefs and vil- 
 lainy than if he had never made this profef- 
 lion, never taken this oath. 
 
 This I imagine to be a parallel cafe, without 
 applying it to any one perfon living, but to 
 him who makes the application to himfelf ^ 
 much good may it do, fay I. For let it be 
 confidered, that I am not calumniating my 
 brethren, but defending them from ca- 
 lumny; not accu'fmg and condemning, but 
 purging and acquitting them from the foul- 
 efl of afperfions, the want of ingenuity and 
 honefly in the difcharge of their refped:ive 
 trufls. And, *' this I have purfued with the 
 " utmoft fairnefs and freedom j" /'. e. by turn- 
 ing the enemy's artillery back on himfelf, and 
 proving their fincericy from thofe very argu- 
 ments which he has brought to prove thepi 
 infincere ; and, vice '•ccrfd^ that they could not 
 but be infincere, were they fuch, as he would 
 have them to be : And yet, " Notwidiftand- 
 " ing (fuch is the humour of the age) I may 
 
 " Vide Chubb to the Author, p 8. 
 
 '' poflibly 
 
Afimjlers of Jesus Christ. 39 
 
 " poflibly be deemed, and rcprefented as a 
 " calumniator, and an enemy to Ibme of my 
 " brethren j than which farcly nothing can 
 *^ be more unjuft or ungenerous. 
 
 What will he objed: to thofe illuflrious 
 heroes of old, by whom our religion was re- 
 formed, and our liturgy coilipilcd ? Will he 
 impute to them want of learning and know- 
 ledge, or want of ingenuity and honefly? 
 Let him turn to the Book of Martyrs, whicli 
 the piety and zeal of his once parochial Mi- 
 nifter, but now moft ^ Reverend Primate, 
 placed fo commodioufly in the Parifh- Church, 
 for the ufe and information of his people ; and 
 then let him tell me, wherein lay their igno- 
 rance and difingenuity. Were they not as 
 burning and Jhining lights in our Church in a 
 literal^ as well as a figurative^ fenfe ? Do not 
 their many learned difputations and nice di- 
 ftindions, againft the moft artful fophiilers and 
 amphibologifts of the Church of Romc^ clear 
 them from the former ? Do not the opennefs 
 and boldnefs, with which they fpake in fuch 
 perilous times, fcreen them from the latter ? 
 Had they not fagacity enough to difcover 
 truth, and courage to defend it ? Where is the 
 Man fo hardy as to aflert this ? So brazen as 
 to give matter of fad the lye ? Did they not, 
 by tranflating the Bible into Ei2glifi^ give proof 
 
 ■ Dr. John Hoadh;, once Miniftcr of St. EJ/ntincTs In 
 Sartim, now Archbifnop of Z>aM«, 
 
 E> 4 of 
 
40 An Apology for the 
 
 of their great fincerity j how delirous they 
 were that all men fliould come to the know- 
 ledge of the truth ? And thus by difpelling that 
 cloud of ignorance, which had fo long hung 
 over this nation, in common with other popifh 
 countries, in a fecondary manner, brought 
 life and immortality to light by the Gofpcl ? 
 With what zeal did they begin, with what 
 affidaity did they carry on, v/ith what feli- 
 city did they at laft perfed:, the glorious work 
 of a reformation ? How did they lift and win- 
 now the dodtrines of the Church of Rome ; 
 that they might fever the chaff from the 
 wheat ? With what care and pains did they 
 bring them to the refiner's potj that they 
 mighi purge from them all drofs and alloy, 
 arid bring them up to a ftandard of truth, ca- 
 pable of hearing the nicefl examination of the 
 touch-llone ? So that the ^ ivo?^ds of the Lord, 
 as handed down to us by them, were, in the 
 language of the Pfalmifl, pure words, as Sil- 
 *ver tried in a furnace of earth, purified Jevcn 
 times. 
 
 And afterwards, wlien the florms of per- 
 fecution arofe, and it blew adverfe to them, 
 and to their caufe, from every quarter ; how 
 manfully did they bear up, ^ and hold f aft the 
 profejjion of their faith without ivavering ; and, 
 though they could not out-ride the tempef]:, 
 
 a Pfalm xii. 6. ^ Heb. x, 21. 
 
 dyed 
 
Mimjlcrs of Jesus Christ. 41 
 
 dyed more than conquerors by glorioufly pe- 
 rilling in the attempt ? With what chriftian 
 magnanimity, and comfortable alTurance, did 
 they widiftand all the uni'Led powers of earth 
 and hell, in defence of their own doctrine, and 
 in oppugning that of the Church of Rome F 
 Firjl^ they baffled all the cunning and artifice 
 of their enemies, by the foundnefs of their 
 arguments drawn from the Word of God, 
 and the flrength of their reafonings upon 
 them ; and then confounded their malice, and 
 mocked their cruelty, by the greatnefs of their 
 conftancy and perfeverance ? 
 
 Bifhop Burnet^ an Hiftorian of more credit 
 with our Author, than I take the Four Evan- 
 gelifts to be put together, tells us ; that in 
 1555, in all fixty-feven were burnt this year, 
 of whom four were Bifhops, and thirteen 
 Priefts ; tv/o of which Biiliops, /. e. Latimer 
 and Rtdle\\ he is pleafed thus finely to cha- 
 radterife. Having before told us, how they 
 behaved, when they came to the flake, vi%, 
 *' that they embraced and encouraged one 
 *' another i" and defcribed the quick difpatch 
 of the one, and the lingring torments of 
 the other. " Thus ( fays he ) did thefe 
 " two Bifliops end their days and their mi- 
 '* niftry : The one was edeemed to be the 
 *' ableft of all, that advanced the reformation, 
 ^' both for piety, learning, and folidity of 
 " judgment ; The other was looked on as a 
 
 " truly 
 
42 An Apology y^r the 
 
 » " truly primitive BiOiop, that ieemed to 
 " have more of the fimplicity of the firft 
 ** ages, than the politenefs or the learning of 
 ** later times. 
 
 What will our Opponent /ay concerning 
 thefe people ? Were they in earnefl:, or no ? 
 Did they believe, or did they not believe, the 
 truth of thofe things, which they fealed with 
 their blood ? Were worldly poiTeffions, pov/er, 
 and pre-eminence, what they valued, and 
 thought worth contending for? and vi'as chri- 
 ilianity brought in to countenance their con- 
 tention, that it might appear with a better 
 grace r Nay, ' but the reverfe of this is true, 
 notorioully true, to all, who have the leafl ac- 
 quaintance with the hiilory of thofe times^ 
 All the good things that this life affords, i, e, 
 worldly poiTeffions, power, and pre-eminence, 
 were fo far from being valued, and thought 
 worth contending for ; that they were defpifed 
 and trampled upon like dung under foot ; and 
 nothing appeared to them worth contending 
 for, but pure fnnple Chriftianity, or, in other 
 terms, the ^ faith once delhered to the Saints. 
 
 And this was what they earneftly did con- 
 tend for, not only at the hazard, but at the 
 knov/n lofs, of all the good things of this life ; 
 (which b<^ing already in their poffeffion, they 
 
 =" Jude iii. Vid. Burmt\ Abridgment of the Reformation, 
 Book III. p. 296. ibid. p. 88, 89. 
 
Miniflen of Jesus Christ. 45 
 
 had no need to contend for) and^at a certainty 
 of fubmitting to all the pofitive evils, which 
 are mofl fhocking to human nature, viz, dif- 
 grace, imprifonment, poverty, and mifery; 
 and at kft, to moft dreadful and excruciating 
 death. ^ They forfook their houfes^ and bre- 
 thren^ and fifters, and father y and mother^ 
 and wife^ and children^ and lands^ for 
 Christ'^ namefake^ and took up their crofs 
 and folmvcd him : choojing rather to '^ loofe their 
 lives ^ that they might fave them the more effec- 
 tually ^ and pojlponing the gain of the ivhole 
 Ivor Id ^ to the lofs of their own fouls. 
 
 Thefe were no furious ^ hot-headed zealots, 
 that ruflied on inadvertendy, like an horfe 
 into the battle ; but men eminent for their 
 piety and learning, and folidity of judgment, 
 and limplicity of manners. They had taken 
 an eftimate of the things of this life , and, 
 upon weighing them againft the things of the 
 7iexty found them altogether lighter than va- 
 nity itfelf: And therefore, in confequence of 
 this, with the greateft coolnefs of thought, and 
 maturity of deliberation, they contemned the 
 pomp and fplendor of a palace, the luxury of 
 a court, and the favour of their prince, not 
 as things in their own nature defpicable, or 
 fuch as they could not tafte, or had no relilh 
 for J but as obftacles in their way to the king- 
 
 » Matt. xix. 29. '' Luke ix. 24. 
 
 doii^ 
 
44 '^^'' Apology yir the 
 
 dom of Heaven, and as difqualifications for 
 the favour of God, the fupreme Monarch, 
 who is King of Kings, and Lord of Lord?, 
 Oh ! laudable avarice ! Oh ! glorious ambi- 
 tion 1 which the produce of a whole v/orld 
 was infufficient to gr^^tify ! When tliey loft 
 their all through deiire of gain, and perifned 
 upon the principle of felf-prefervation ! Can 
 any one require, or another man give, ftronger 
 proofs of the fincerity of his heart, than by 
 laying down his life by way of atteftation of 
 it ? And yet nodels than feventeen of this in- 
 viduous body, the Clergy, did this, in one year, 
 in atteftation of the truth of thofe doi^trines, 
 which now are in difpute betwixt Mr. ChM 
 and us. For, 
 
 The doctrine of the Church of Engla^id, as 
 • by law efiablifhed, under Queen Elizabeth^ 
 and continued to this time, is the fame it 
 was in King Edward the iixth's ; which, in all 
 likelihood, thefe Biihops had a handincom- 
 poiing ; as may be gathered from the preface 
 to his forty-two articles. And this v/ill ap- 
 pear to any one, who will be only at the trou- 
 ble to compare the two firft of her 3 9 articles 
 with the fecond of his 42, differing only by 
 the addition of a parenthefis in hers, which is 
 flrongly implied in his. 
 
 Now^ though this deth not directly prove 
 the truth of this dodrine j and tlierefore, it 
 may be faid^ will be of no le;vice to me : ycfc 
 
 ^t 
 
Miri'ijlers of Jesus Christ. 45 
 
 k will be enough for me, that it proves they 
 believed it to be true, and gave (xx^h. convin- 
 cing arguments for the fincerity of that belief. 
 For, in the iirft place, the original fcriptures, 
 which they had in their hands, were the fame 
 with thofe, which we have now in ours ; and 
 the doctrines which they taught and died for, 
 were, in their appreheniion, contained in thofe 
 fcriptures. Nothing but fuch a belief as this 
 could polTibly juftify the condud: of our re- 
 formers in furrendring up fo many good things, 
 and incurring fo many evils : For, upon the 
 bare fuppofal of the contrary, even their 
 friends would * count their lives madnefs^ and 
 ° their departure would be taken for real 
 7?iifery. 
 
 But fuppofnig the dodlrines, which thefe 
 men believed fo fmcerely to be true, were not 
 true in themfelves 3 yet that belief of theirs 
 will be of this fervice to us, who profefs to 
 believe, as they did, that it will entitle us, 
 with them, to the reputation of tlie fame lin- 
 cerity, though we are not called upon to give 
 fo fanguinary a proof of that fincerity. For 
 the fame degree of evidence, which gained 
 their affent to thofe doftrines, as true, may 
 gain the fime degree of allent upon our un- 
 derAandings, as to the truth of them, as it 
 did on theirs. They believed thofe doctrines 
 
 •' Wifdom V. 4. •* ib. iii. 2. 
 
 with 
 
46 An Apology ySr the 
 
 with the fame fincerity, before they were 
 called in queflion about them, as they did 
 after : Which belief was founded on the 
 flrength and clearnefs of thofe teftimonies, 
 which they faw (or at leafl thought they 
 faw) them attended with. In a word, they 
 did not believe them, becaufe they faiFered 
 for them ; but they fuffered for them, be- 
 caufe they believed them. Their faith was 
 prior to their fufferings, and the formal caufe 
 of them. 
 
 Why may not we then put in our claim 
 to fincerity with them, notwithftanding our 
 enemy's cruel infinuations to the contrary ? 
 Nay, I do affirm, and in behalf of inyfelf, 
 and the reft of my brethren, iniift upon it, 
 that we are perfwaded of the truths of thofe 
 doctrines which we teach j and let him per- 
 fwade us out of it, or prove the negative^ if 
 he can. That all thofe pious, good, and 
 learned men, who have wrote on thofe fub- 
 jedls, of what denomination foever, from the 
 reformation to this time, were all in earneft j 
 and, were as firmly perfwaded of the truth 
 of their tenets, as Mr. Chubb can poffibly 
 be of his. 
 
 But, perhaps, our Author may objed; far- 
 ther, and fay, that thefe were men in the 
 , days of yore : that they are mightily fallen 
 off, fince that, from their fimplicity of do- 
 ^rine, and purity of manners ; are nov/ com- 
 menced 
 
M'lmflers of Jesus Christ. 47 
 
 menced the ^children of this world; and, as 
 fuch, become wifer than the childre?t of light : 
 that the '' wifdom of the ferpent has fwal- 
 lowed up the innocence of the dove : and that 
 they purfue their way to worldly polleflions, 
 power, and pre-eminence, more warily and 
 fecurely than formerly they did ; i. e, with- 
 out rilking the lofs of an hair of their head^ 
 or ftanding the chance io much, as whether 
 it fhall be changed^ white^ or black. This 
 may be too true, for ought I know ; perhaps 
 more true, than he is aware of: becaule the 
 charge will reft at their door, that are thus 
 fallen oiF; who will be found to be the dired: 
 oppojites to thofe, where he would have it 
 lodged.. 
 
 This affects thofe only, who have made 
 thefe innovations in doflrihej /. e. thole of 
 his own hue and complexion. But this does 
 not reach thole, who continue to preach the 
 fame Doctrines, as were then taught and 
 maintained, as agreeable to the Word of God. 
 * Articles agreed upon by the Archbilhops, 
 and Bilhops of both Provinces, and the whole 
 Clergy, in the Convocation holden at London^ 
 in the year 1562, for the avoiding diverfities 
 of opinions, and eftablilhing confent in true 
 religion. If they were true then^ fo they 
 
 => Lukcxvi, 8. t Matt. x. 16. 
 
 * i'iJ. Preface to tlie 39 articles. 
 
 continu? 
 
4$ -^^^ Apology for the 
 
 continxaQjiill: if they were not true then^ 
 yet if they were Hiieerely believed to be true 5 
 fo may they continue to be believed now-y 
 which is futticient for my purpofe. 
 
 And as to the other part of the charge; 
 /. e. the falling off from the purity of man- 
 ners i that happens to be entirely out of the 
 queftion. For tnith^ whether it be divine^ 
 or moral, is truth ftilh let it come from 
 what quarter, or from what mouth, it will. 
 
 Should the Devil himfelf, the father of 
 lyes, aflert this proportion ; viz. 'There is one 
 God^ (for that he believes fo, and trembles, 
 St. Jafiies '' tells us) would it not be equally 
 as true, as tho' the alTertion had been St. 
 'Jaiiies's, nay, or even Mr. Chubb' ?,^ own ? 
 Buti if otherwife ; where would that Charge 
 alight moft heavily ? On thofe, who main-- 
 tain and teach, what they have folcmnly 
 taken upon them to maintain and teach j or 
 on thofe, who maintain and teach the very 
 contrary, to what they have folemnly taken 
 upon them to maintain and teach ? And how 
 worldly- wife foever the Clergy of the Church 
 of England may be, in thefe latter days,- 
 become; yet many of them, long within' 
 the memory of man, have given as convincing 
 proofs of the integrity of tlieir hearts, and 
 iincerity of their attachment to the principles 
 
 '' St. James ii. 19. 
 
 they 
 
Mmjiers vf Jesus CnRist. 49 
 
 Ihey profefled (fb far as they were called upon) 
 6s any of their predeceiTors had done. 
 
 What will he think of the feven Bifliops 
 committed to the Tower for refuUng to read 
 King James's declaration for liberty of con- 
 fcience, and for remonftrating againft it in a 
 bold (though modeft) manner ? Had they not 
 the honour of God, and the intereft of reli- 
 gion deeply at heart ? And did they not poft- 
 pone the honour of the King, and their own 
 intereftj to thefe higher confideratiom "^ Was 
 it from a principle of ftubbornnefs (think you) 
 and a fpirit of contradiction , or want of duty 
 * and obedience to his Majefty's commands ; 
 or a due tendernefs towards diflenters, that 
 they refufed to comply with his injunctions ? 
 Nay, but fome of them gave convincing 
 proof of the contrary of that. Thoy judged 
 (according to the apoftle's advice) whether it 
 was right in the Jight of God ^ to hearken unto 
 men^ more than unto God*'; and giving the 
 latter the preference in their efteem, cheer- 
 fully fubmitted to bonds, and imprifonments, 
 not expe5iing deliverance^ (if at all) upon ea- 
 lier terms, than that of deprivation. They 
 went full of that comfortable affarance, with 
 which the three children expreffed themfelves 
 to Nebuchadnezzar^ when about to be caft 
 
 * Vide ^adriennium Jacobi, p. i6o- 
 ^ Afts iv. 9. 
 
 fi int^ 
 
■;a An Av 01.0 gx for the 
 
 into the fiery furnace j ^ JVe cire not careful 
 (/aid they) to anfwer thee innhis matter \ if 
 it be fo, our God, ivhom we ferve^ is able to 
 deliver tisfrom the burning fiery furnace^ and 
 he- will deliver us out of thine hand, King : 
 But if not, be it known unto thee, King, 
 that we will not ferve thy Gods, nor worf/oip 
 the graven image, which thou haft jet up. 
 
 Can any one now call the lincerity of 
 thefe people in queflion, who hazarded the 
 All they had in this life, nay, even life itfelf, 
 rather than do any thing inconfiftent with 
 the didtates of prudence, honour, and con- 
 fcience ? 
 
 I could purfue this argument a great deal' 
 farther, and prove irrefragably, by many par- 
 ticular inilances, from the reformation down 
 to the prefcnt times, the great fincerity of 
 the Qergy, in profcjjing a good profefjion j and 
 their firm and fteady adherence to what they 
 thought the truth. But this I purpofely 
 avoid, left our enemies, on the one hand, 
 glad with the occafion to traduce, fhould re- 
 prcfent me in falfe colours ; /'. e. an Anti-Re- 
 volutionift, than which nothing furtly can be 
 more unjuft, or ungenerous; or left my 
 friends, on the other hand, baulked of their 
 expectations. fl:iould blame me for prolixity,' 
 and fvy-^lling the number of my pages, than 
 
 '' Daniel iii. 16, 17, iS. 
 
 .-; which 
 
Mimjlers of J ESUS CHRIST. 5 1 
 
 which nothing furcly can be more oppoiiic, 
 or foreign to my prefent purpofe. 
 
 To return then to the reformers ; with re- 
 fpe(ft to whom I ihould be glad to know, 
 what fhoiild hinder them, who had exerted 
 abihties fo far fuperioar to the greatefl part 
 of mankind by their attainments in all other 
 learning and knowledge, from difcovering 
 the truth in religious matters, which were the 
 chief fcope and bent of their ftudy ? Other • 
 things ferved only for their amufement, to 
 divert and unbend their minds a little, that 
 they might profecute thefe graver fludies 
 with the more intenfenefs and fuccefs. All 
 their thoughts were taken up in the fearcli 
 after truth ; for which they • took the Scrip- 
 tures as their clue and their guide. Is it 
 agreeable now to the reafon of things, even 
 but to imagine it likely for thefe men not to 
 underftand the meaning of the Scriptures, 
 which they were fo well acquainted Vv^ith 
 in their original tongues, and which they read 
 by day, and meditated by night ? Or is it 
 agreeable, even to Mr. Chiibb's moral cha- 
 rader of God, to think, that he would fuf- 
 fer fuch men with fo much earneftnefs to 
 .feek him, where he has declared he would 
 be found ; and, at the fime time, that he 
 would conceal himfelf from them in clouds, 
 and thick darknefs? Were their eyes fo . 
 (harp-fighted in all other refpects, that they 
 
 E 2 coiUd 
 
52 ^"l^i Apology /^r the 
 
 could cfpy out things abftrufe, and at a 
 diftance, almoft witli a lingle glance j and 
 did they fail them here alone on obje(5ts, 
 where they had fixed them with all poiTible 
 fledfaflnefs, and exercifed all their acumen, 
 attention, infpediion, and penetration ? Xafi" 
 the retro propera-, let the whole courfe of 
 nature for the future be inverted; let the 
 itreams flow refluent to their fountains head ; 
 and afcend to the ftarry height, by defcending 
 into the deeps '. 
 
 If thefe men, with all their fagacity and 
 diligence in fearching, could not difcern thof6 
 difficulties in the Scriptures, thofe knots in a 
 buUrufh, which, he may fancy, he has dif- 
 covered j if they faw fuch dodtrines there, as 
 he did not fee j and, 'Vice I'erja^ faw not thofe 
 dodrines there, which he pretends to fee ; as 
 their writings do plainly teftify ; the queftion 
 only turns upon this, Whofe judgment any 
 wife man would chufe, as moft fafely to be 
 relied on ; whom he would think moft free 
 from error and deception, our Author, or 
 them, fuppofing them equally finccre in de- 
 claring their refpedive judgments ? 
 
 Nov/, as on the one hand, I think, it ap- 
 pears plain, even to demonllration, from the 
 
 -^is neget arduis 
 
 Profms rcluhi pijjfc ?-ivos 
 hiontibu: , ^jf •liherzK rc-verti ? 
 
 Hor. Od. 29. Lib. I. 
 
 grcatnefs 
 
Mmjlers of JESVS CHRIST. 5^ 
 
 greatnefs of their natural and acquired abili- 
 ties, that their judgments niufl: needs be bet- 
 ter informed than his : fo from the purity of 
 their lives, and the fin(5tity of their manners, 
 and a flricft obfervance of all evangelical, as 
 well as moral, duties j that they have, at leaft, 
 an equal title with him to fmcerity in their 
 profeffions : That they firmly and heartily 
 believed the main points in difpute, and the 
 chief and principal things, which are con- 
 tended for, and againft ; i. e. the dodrrines of 
 a propitiatory facrifice, the fatisfadion of 
 Christ, and our redemption wrought by 
 him on the crofs, together with his media- 
 tion and interceffion at the right hand of God 
 for us, confequent upon it, to be real chrifti- 
 anity, and the true Gofpel of Ch r i s t ; " and 
 " not * that they were rather, and in the 
 " main, the dodtrines and commandments, 
 ^* and the interefl and power of men. " 
 
 What purpofe would it ferve, what end 
 would it promote, for them to preach up the 
 dodtrine of imputed righteoufnefs, and falva- 
 tion only, through a faith in Christ's me- 
 rits ? Was heaven to be purchafed by good 
 works alone, and was our own perfonal 
 righteoufnefs the only term of our acceptance 
 with God ? Shew me the man that had a 
 
 ^ Author to the Reader, p. 4. 
 
 E 3 bettei: 
 
54 ^^^^ Apology for the 
 
 better title to it than they j that had ffcronger 
 grounds to build their hopes upon, (nay, con- 
 fidence) o'i being moil gracioully accepted 
 with him. But alas ! they had too well 
 learned that lelTon, which came down from 
 Heaven : /. e. knoiv thyfelf'' : had fearched too 
 c\oh\y into their own bofoms, not to dif- 
 cover by themielves, that ^ man was very far 
 gone from original righteoafnefs ". They 
 were therefore too modefi and humble in their 
 own eyes, to think any man that is naturally 
 engendered from the offspring oi Adam, could 
 be ^ perfonally valuable in the fight of God, 
 who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity j 
 but confeiied with the church % " that we 
 *' are to* be accounted risihteous before God, 
 ' * only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour 
 *' Jesus Christ ; and not for our own 
 " works and defervings." 
 
 There is indeed, notv/ithftanding this, as 
 Mr. Chubb obferves with pity and concern, 
 fometimes great zeal pi'etended to be fhewn 
 for chriftianity, when there is juft ground to 
 prefume, that the true Gofpel of Jesus 
 Christ is leaft at heart : and, that he might 
 not alTcrt -a falflicod here, as in many other 
 
 ■- ___ _ g ^^Iq defcaidii y\^i^t ffiAvjoV- 
 
 Juv. Sat. II. 
 ^ rUtide 9. ^ Chuhh, p, 155. <= Article 11. 
 
 place?« 
 
Mlmjlers of Jesus Christ. ^s 
 
 places, he is refolved to exemplify it for once ; 
 and to give you a flagrant initance of it in his 
 own perfon. For, as in the former part 
 of this defence I have purged my brethren 
 from the imputation of the darkeft ignorance, 
 i. e. a want of fenfc and learning, rightly to 
 underfland and interpret the Scriptures j and 
 therein expofed his arrogance and vanity in 
 oppofing himfelf to them, and undertaking 
 to make it good : So, in this latter part (as I 
 hope at leaft) have I acquitted them from 
 that heavier charge, /. e. that of the biackefl: 
 villainy, the want of ingenuity and honefty 
 to fet them in their proper light ; and thereby 
 have convidled him already (and fliall anon, 
 I truft, more fully convict him) of the greateft - 
 virulence, and uncharitablenefs, in bringing 
 fuch an accufation againft them. 
 
 Thus could I have traced it down from 
 the reformation to this time : And the in- 
 ftances, which I have brought of perfons zea- 
 lous for that way of worfhip in vv^hich we 
 ferve the God of our fathers, were not of 
 ranting, furious enthufiafts ; but were men of 
 cool heads, and devout hearts, who had a 
 ^ zeal according to knowledge ; many of whom 
 were martyrs, and confefTors of the truth, 
 and the reft (though few, named) were men 
 
 * Romans x. 2. 
 
 E 4 of 
 
«;6 An Apology for the 
 
 of the greateft atcainments, not only in learn* 7 
 ing and knowledge, but in virtue and piety < 
 (though exemplary, yet) unfeigned : * Men^ 
 ivho jbught their Gop day by di^y^ and delighu , 
 ed to knoiv his loays^ as a pe^^le, that did 
 lighteoiijhefSj a?id forjbok not the or di fiance of 
 their God, that ajked of him the ordinances of 
 yujiice^ and took delight in approaching to 
 GoD^ 
 
 " What jhall I fay more then"^ For the time 
 ivouldfail me to tell of yeivelly and of An- 
 drc^jss^ zndoi ChilUngTJorth^ and of Hammond y 
 and of Hooker^ and oiStilli?ig fleets and of Taylor^ 
 and of Patrick^ and ofPearjbn^ and of Beveridge, 
 and of PrideaiiXj and of Norr is ^ and of other 
 Preachers and PP^r iters of our Church. Thefe 
 all having obtained a good report through faith, 
 icrought righteoufncfs^ and flopped the months ^ 
 of gain-fayers ; and by the works, which 
 they have left behind theip, as lafting monu- 
 ments both of their learning and piety, have 
 furniflied their fucceiTors (were they other- 
 wife at a lofs) with arguments, whereby to 
 put to filence the ignorance offoolijh men. 
 
 Wherefore y feeing we are compaffed about 
 with Jo great a cloud of witneffes, let us run 
 %i'ith patience the race ivhich is propojed, and " 
 
 = Ifaiah Iviii. 2. '' Ifalah Iviii. z- 
 
 c Heb. xj. 32. «• Heb. xi. 33, 37. 
 
 whids 
 
Mlmjlers of Jesus Christ. 57 
 
 which thefe men have ran before us, Gripping 
 ourfelves of every weighty which might en- 
 cumber and retard us ; and clearing the courfe 
 of every fin, which, like a m^iltitude of fpec- 
 tators, doth fo eajtly befet us "*, /. e. hem us in, 
 entangle, and obilrud: our progrefs towards 
 the Goal ^ And, leji we are wearied^ mid 
 faint in our minds \ and fo delift, and fall 
 fhort of the prize j let us, looking to Jesus, 
 the author and finifher of our Faith, like 
 him, defpife the jhame wherewith our enemies 
 would load us ; like him endure Jiich contra- 
 didlion ofjitiners againfl: us ; For if ever there 
 was a fet of men in the world, who, being 
 legally called, and ordained to be Minifters of 
 Jesus Ch r i s t , and Preachers of his Gofpel, 
 did fmcerely believe the main points in difpute 
 to be the true '* Gofpel of Jesus Christ, 
 " and not to be the dodtrines and command- 
 " ments of men^" and, in confequence of 
 that belief, have maintained, taught, and in- 
 culcated thofe points upon their hearers (with^ 
 out doing which they could not confcien- 
 tioufly have difcharged themfelves of that facred 
 truft committed to them) even that alone, if 
 it be allowed (and furely no one has the front 
 to contradid: it) will be fufficient to juflify 
 
 ^ Heb. xii. I. ^'c. 
 
 * Fid. <Sfrt/>. L€3ficon, p. 705, in locuiti, 
 
 the 
 
58 An kvo-LOQY for the 
 
 the living as well as the d^ad^ in continuing 
 to teach and preach as we now do : whom 
 therefore Mr. Chubby was the word charity in 
 his mouth any more \}s\2sv founding brafs^ or a 
 tinkling Cymbal^ ought ('till he can prove to 
 the contrary) to efteem, as equally iincere in 
 our prefent profefTion as thofe, who went be- 
 fore us, have been ; we having xhtfamefpi^ 
 rit of Faith ^ according as it is written, I be- 
 lieved^ and therefore have Ifpoken^ ive al/o 
 believe, and therefore fpeak^ , 
 
 * » z Cor. iv. 13. 
 
 s E c r. 
 
Mhijflers of Jesus Christ. 59 
 
 SECT. V. 
 
 AND yet this is the Gentleman, that, 
 upon occalion, can take the name of 
 charity in his mouth, as often as any body ; 
 nay, and to fliew how extenfive it is too, will 
 ftretch it even unto unbelievers', whilft the 
 true prof effoT ihall fall vaftly jfhort of it. Hear 
 him, with how much foftnefs, and felf-com- 
 placency, and inward fatisfadion, he declares 
 Jiis good- will towards them in thefe words : 
 " ^ However I will fo far intereft my felf in 
 " the cafe of unbelievers (and who doubts it 
 ** being his own ?) as to fay, they ought to have 
 " juftice done them. And, if they have any 
 *' thing to offer againft chriftianity, as the 
 " ground of their infidelity, they ought to be 
 " heard, and anfwered in the fpirit of the 
 '* Gofpel, which is a fpirit of meeknefs, for- 
 *' bearance, and love." This is a fine time 
 of day indeed to offer any thing againfl chri- 
 ftianity ; which made its way into the world, 
 
 ^ f'i^e Aothor to -his Readers, />age 9. 
 
 ^ when 
 
6o Ah AvohOGY for the 
 
 when an infant, through all the oppodtlons 
 which eouldpolTibiy be m'lde ; all the powers, 
 and learning, and wit, and malice united and 
 combined together againft it, merely by the 
 force of its own naked truth, l^heny if ever^ 
 was the time to crufh it at its birth j when it 
 was weak, and could make but a poor relift-^' 
 ance : And there was the place (or no where) 
 had it been falfe, to prove its falfliood upon 
 the fpotj where every thing relating to it is' 
 afferted to be faid and done. 
 
 Eut this, with all their ftrength and cunning, 
 they could not then effed:, Jo mightily gre^.o 
 the word of God , and prevailed. It is too late 
 therefore, with fubmifiion, to offer anything 
 ;i!^ainil: chriflianitv, as the ground of infi- 
 deiity,.now it is in its ftate of manhood ; now 
 it has flood its ground above thefe 1 700 years ; 
 and it is a very inviduous tafk, even but to 
 attempt to deprive us of that, which we, for 
 ib many centuries, have been in poileflion of;' 
 and have efleem.ed as our richefl treafure, and 
 our greatell: blefTing. Perhaps indeed he may ' 
 think that this^ like other things, if fo old,. 
 fl lould he warn out by this time : That its . 
 antiq^uity fhould be attended with decay .„ 
 But that is a cruel miftake of his, tlie Scriptures 
 are not to be folded itji and changed a^ a vejlurer'y 
 |).ut^ like their Author^ are ahc^ys tl^e Jame^ and 
 
 ^ Heb.. i. 1 V. 
 
Mmjiers of Jesus CHitist. 6t 
 
 their years fiall not fail, ^Heaven and earth 
 jloall pafs away^ but his "jDord Jljoll notpafs 
 <iway. 
 
 Eveiy thing, that could be offered againft 
 chriftianity, as the ground of infidelity, has 
 been brought long fince by his brother 'Ju- 
 lian^ and other apoftates. They have been 
 heard, and anfvvered ovet and over in the 
 fpirit of the Gofpel, which is a fpirit of 
 meeknefs, forbearance, and love» And well 
 indeed it is for him, and all other fuch viru- 
 lent writers as he, that the Church, againft 
 which he draws his penj is fo truly chrirtian ; 
 is poffelTed to fuch a degree with this fpirit of 
 the Gofpel, this fpirit of meeknefs and for^ 
 bearance. Were they to treat any other efta- 
 blidied religion, any other national Church 
 upon the face of the earth, in that contume- 
 lious and unworthy manner, in which the 
 Church of £«^/jW is treated by them, whofe 
 doiflrines, how well foever fupported by fa- 
 cred teflimonies, ferve only for matter of 
 burlefque and ridicule i. and whofe minifters, 
 how able or pious ibcver, mull be brought 
 ibrth with all the little buffoonery of mock- 
 wit, njade poignant by nothing but fcandal 
 and ill nature, to be made a fpeftacle to the 
 world *■', and -^ gazing fiock hcth by reproaches 
 and afflidions, they would focn meet with a 
 
 ^ Luke xxi. 33. « Bom. ii. 8, 9. 
 
 quite 
 
62 An Apology for the , 
 
 quite different return from their hands ; would 
 fcarce find fo much meeknefs or forbearance 
 from any other quarter ; but their conten- 
 tion and difobedience of the truth would be 
 attended with a tribulation and anguifli here ; 
 i. e. with punifliment, even from the fecular 
 arm. But as MzV^j^/ '^ the Archangel, when 
 contending with the Devil, durft not bring 
 againll him a railing accufation ; but faid, The 
 Lord rebuke thee: So we, in the fpirit of 
 the Gofpel, give back all railers and falfe ac* 
 cufers into the hands of God, their proper ' 
 judge for chaftifement j which, that it may 
 not be too fevere, we befeech him earneftly 
 in that moft excellent office of our Church, 
 i. e, the Litany -, that it would pleafe him to 
 forgive our enemies, perfecutors and flande>- . 
 rers, and to turn their hearts. Being reviled^ 
 we blefs ; being perfecufed^ we Juffer it ; being 
 defamdy we intreat ; we are made as the filth 
 of the worlds and are the off scouring of all 
 things unto this day ^. 
 
 Thus unbelievers, if any fuch there arg 
 among us, (and I wonder that he, of all Men, 
 •lliould doubt it ) ought to be heard and anfwer- 
 ed in the fpirit of the Golpelof Ch r ist^ which 
 is a fpirit of meeknefs, forbearance, and love : ^ 
 whilft we, the true believers (as being the 
 
 " Jude V. o. « I Cor. iv. 12 and 13. 
 
 ■ reverfe 
 
Mtmjlers of Jesus Christ. 63 
 
 reverfe of thefe) are to be handled in a manner 
 quite different ; i. e. are to be aflaulted with- 
 out offence or provocation given \ and if we 
 make any reffftance or defence for ourfelves, 
 or for our moft holy religion, are to be heard 
 and anfwered in the fpirit of infidelity, which 
 is a fpirit of bitternefs^ hatred, and revenge. 
 " * We are the bears that are to be brought 
 " out to flake ; that are to be given up to 
 " the rabble to be worried and torn to pieces, 
 " to make cruel fport and paftime for them. 
 " We are the people, whofe throat he is for 
 " putting the knife to ; that he may be 
 " pleafed, and yet complain, to fee too many 
 " of us ffart back." As though it was not 
 enough for us to be thus expojed and faflened 
 down in this wife ; but we muft be muzzled 
 into the bargain, to prevent our biting in re- 
 turn J or even from crying out, when bitten. 
 This is the ufage that we are to put up with, 
 to (hew our bravery, and paffive valour : and 
 ^ as JJxep before their JJoearers are dumb, muji 
 not open our mouths ; that '' our moderation may 
 be made known unto all men. 
 
 And yet the Government (who could think 
 it ? ) " is on our fide all this while. For the . 
 prefervation of this Church, the Revolution 
 was brought about. For the prefervation of 
 this Church, the fucceffion to the throne 
 
 * Chuhh. =• Ifaiah liii. 7. b Phil. iv. 4. 
 
 was 
 
64 -^n Apology for the 
 
 was fettled on the illuflrious houfe 6i Hanb& 
 ijer. For the prefervation of this Churchy 
 lias our prefent Sovereign taken an oath at 
 his coronation -, and from hence derives his 
 moft glorious title ; i. e. that of Defender of 
 the Faith, 
 
 But, Lord! Ho^^v long fhall thine enemies 
 triumph over thee^ ungodly ? How long Jhall 
 they cry over thee. There, there , fo we would 
 have it t Shall they, merely becaufe they pals 
 with impunity from the Government, dare to 
 Ipeak fuch perverfe things } and fliall we of the 
 Eflabliiliment be afraid to oppofej and vindicate 
 ourfelves, when opprefled and wronged ? Shall 
 ^we hear them fpeak wickednefs with their 
 fiwuths, and with their tongues fet forth de- 
 ceit ? Shall they fit, and fpeak againji their 
 brother ; yea, and fander their own 7?iother's 
 Jon ? Thefe thifigs Jhall they do, andJJ:all we hold 
 cur tongue ; that they may think wickedly, and 
 iimt we are even fuch as themfelves ? Or ra- 
 ther, JJmU we not reprove them, and fet before 
 them the things that they have done? 
 
 Indolence, in a time of adion, is equal to 
 defertion , and he, that is not for us, is a- 
 gainji us. What infatuation is it then, that 
 hath feized us; that we fliould hold our 
 tongue, and fay nothing ; "^ when fdence fi'om 
 good words is a jhame, and reproach ; and 
 
 ^ Pfalml. 20, 21, 22- ^ Pfalm xxxix. 3. 
 
 therefore 
 
Mmjlers of ]esv^ Christ. 6s 
 
 the J' ef ore JJmdd be pain ^ and grief to tis ? * 
 And are we the Ions, and fuccellors of thofe, 
 Xvho glorioufly purchafed this reformed 
 Church with their blood 3 that they might 
 convey it down to us pure and undefiled ? 
 And {hall not we dare to ftand in the gap, in 
 its defence j when the powers of the earth 
 are engaged on our lide ? Shall we tamely 
 and quietly fuffer ourfelves to be fpoiled of 
 that, which coft them fo dear, without ftir- 
 ring hand or foot, to proted: and fecure it ? 
 
 What a fatal indifference is this in things 
 not indifferent ? What a deadly lukewarm- 
 nefs in things, which demand our greatefl 
 zeal and ardour ? And yet the Apoflle to the 
 Galatians tells us, ^ It is good to be zeahujly 
 affedied always in a good thing. How deeply 
 then ought we to be affeded on the prefent 
 octafion ; when our all, every thing that is 
 good and valuable, is brought in queftion ; 
 and the difpute turns upon no lefs points than 
 thefCj 'uiz. the means of grace in this lifej 
 and the hope of glory in the next. Thefe 
 ^re important queftions indeed, in which 
 the body of mankind are manifeiily intereft- 
 ed ; and, as nothing lefs than our iaJvation is 
 at flake, ought to put us flrongly upon our 
 
 — JJnde 
 
 * Hat tetigit Gradive tnoi VrtUa Nepoles ? 
 
 Juv. Sat. 2. 
 
 « Gal. iv. 18. 
 
 F • guard, 
 
66 Av Apology for the 
 
 guard, and to make us extremely cautious, 
 how we part with it. 
 
 Shall they contend earnefily againft the 
 faith i and iliall not we contend for it at all? 
 Or, which is much the fame, iliall we fet 
 about it with fuch coldnefs and remifsnefs, 
 as though we cared not , what the ijjue of the 
 contention was ? Shall we be afraid of the 
 faces of men, of offending fome rich and 
 wealthy neighbour, or of being rejeded and 
 thrown off by a party ? God forbid* Nay, 
 but party is not at all concerned here. It is 
 our common chrijlianity which labours j and 
 therefore demands our fuccour and afliftance. 
 Here are neither high nor low, neither Church- 
 man nor Diffenter, neither Jew 7ior Greeks 
 neither bond nor free: But all diflindliori 
 iliould be fwallowed up and loft in that one 
 denomination, /. e. that of Chrifiians. This 
 is (as obferved before) what the whole body 
 of mankind are manifeftly interefled in. Un- 
 awed tlien by the frowns or threats of the 
 great ; unbrib'd by the fmiles or promifes of 
 the powerful, we are to purfue our wa^ 
 fleadily through good report and evil report y 
 regardlefs of the little cenfures of the world. 
 
 For, becaufe the fubjed: of this difpute, as 
 it enters into thofe important queflions, viz. 
 What is, and what is not the Gofpel of Jesus 
 Christ ? is what we, as Preachers of the 
 Goipel, are particularly interefted in : So 
 
 have 
 
Mimjlers of Jesus Christ. 6y 
 
 have we a much higher call than that of 
 Mr. Chubb'Sj if any thing fhould appear erro- 
 neous, to refute it : which call therefore I 
 cannot but think it highly criminal to dif- 
 obey. 
 
 ; And yet, notwithftanding this defiance c^ 
 his, and this ftronger obligation upon us, an- 
 tecedent to it, to /peak with our enemies in the 
 gate, and to prevent the heathen from entering 
 into the inheritance of the hord\ contempt, and 
 reproach, and calumny, and detradlion, muft 
 be expe(5led to be the portion of thofe, who 
 /hall venture to take up the weapons againft 
 him -, and, through a fenfe of honour and du-^ 
 ty both; fhall have the refolution but to at- 
 tempt to fupport a fmking eauiCj and an in- 
 jured leputadon. 
 
 But be that as it will. They know alrea- 
 dy, what they have to trufl to, from the 
 ipecimen given them of it in this new true 
 Go/pel of hisi where all the fcUrrility and 
 abuie is fcraped together, that can poffibly 
 be collected out of the jakes and finks -, as 
 though we were unworthy to be treated 
 even with common decency and good man- 
 hers. 
 
 Firft of all he begins indeed With fly infi- 
 
 nuations to the prejudice of the Preachers of 
 
 the Gofpel in general ; as though they all 
 
 j^piade ufe of a future judgment and retribu* 
 
 tion, only as a proper " topick fgr argument ; 
 
 F 2 '< as 
 
68 ^n Apology y^r the 
 
 " as a fubjedl, which affords matter for a 
 " man handfomely to harangue half an hour 
 " in a pulpit upon, &c. but that they paid 
 " no fuch ferious regard to it, as that it be- 
 *' comes a ground, or reafon of adlion to 
 " them, which might dired and govern 
 " their minds and life." For that this 
 (though covered) is his meaning in this place, 
 is eafily to be gathered, from what he more 
 plentifully bellows upon them in feveral 
 parts of his treatife. In that he takes every 
 little occafion to befpatter, and throw dirt, 
 according as he is more or lefs in fport ; nay, 
 and very often goes out of his way (fuch is 
 his indullry) to pick it up elfewhere, when 
 it is not nigh at hand. 
 
 This, I think, does not at all argue any 
 good opinion he has of his own caufe ; or, 
 that he entertains a bad one of his adverfaries : 
 when he is forced to have recourfe to fuch 
 poor artifices to gain his point j and muff, by 
 any means, right or wrong, prejudice the 
 minds (whether of the girat vulgar, or the 
 finally againft his opponents, in order to fecure 
 fucceis. 'Tis much, thinks he, if they are 
 not caff in their fuit, who have 2i partial 
 judge, and ?i pack' d jury 2,g2!m^ them. 
 
 But, that I might not be thought merely 
 to declaim, or harangue half an hour on this 
 fiibjc6t, I (hall draw together from the feveral 
 pa&ges-of his book a great part of thofe fcur- 
 '-' rilities 
 
Minljlers of Jesus Christ, 6^ 
 
 rillties and invedlives, he has beftowed upon 
 us, into one view ; that fo the Reader, having 
 proper references to the pallages themfelves 
 quoted, upon turning his eye thither may be 
 able, of himfelf, without any reafonings upon 
 them, to judge, whether he is falfely accufed, 
 or not ; and may from thence be the better 
 able to determine, how far he is entitled to 
 be " heard, and anfwered in the fpirit of the 
 " Gofpel of Christ, which is a fpirit of 
 ■ * meeknefs, forbearance, and love." 
 
 F 3 SECT. 
 
yo An Apology for. tM 
 
 SECT. VI. 
 
 THE firft remarkable paflage, that I 
 Ihall clap my finger on (and a re- 
 markable one it is) is tbis^ where ipeaking of 
 our Saviour, he fays, " His holy life and 
 *' doctrine drew on him the unreafonable 
 *' refentment of the Clergy among the Jeivs ; 
 " who ftirred up the reft of the people againft 
 " him." Now I would fain know of Mr. C6aM 
 in which of the Evangelifts he met with this 
 pafTage ? What chapter and verfe will he re- 
 fer us to, that wc may find it ? After all my 
 fearch and inquiry I can difcover no fuch word 
 as Clergy, in all the Epiftles and Gofpels put 
 together. Perhaps he may fay, by way of 
 reply, that the words Priefis and Cbief 
 Prie/is often occur in the Gofpels, who are 
 fet forth as very officious in ftirring up the re- 
 fentment of the people againft Jesus? and 
 therefore that that will be a tantamount. 
 Why, if it would be fo in reality, did he not 
 exprefs this charge in the Evangelifts own 
 words ? If it vv'ould not be fo in reality, with. 
 
 what 
 
Mimjlers of Jesvs Christ, 71 
 
 what deiign, and by what authority hath he 
 
 changed the terms ? Suppoling the terms 
 
 Prie/h and Clergy to be jynonimous, to couch 
 
 under tliem the fame ideas, and to mean the 
 
 iame fett of people j yet the latter (being a 
 
 term more modern and familiar among us) 
 
 ferves to convey a quicker and more general 
 
 apprehenlion of it to the vulgar j and dire(5t 
 
 them immediately to fix their eyes on that 
 
 order of people, now going under that deno-r 
 
 mination. It would not therefore have an- 
 
 fwered his purpofe fo well, to make ufe of the 
 
 Evangelifts own words; left the Clergy of 
 
 this land fliould have no fliare of the odium, 
 
 fhquld pafs un thought of (as well they might, 
 
 being then, and for many ages fince, unborn) 
 
 and therefore they muft be changed, and the 
 
 Clergy brought in neck and Jhoulders^ that, in 
 
 their turn, he may draw on them the unrea- 
 
 fonable refentment of the Laity among Chri- 
 
 ftians, and ftir up all the people againft them. 
 
 This then feems to me to be the genuine dcr 
 
 fign of his £ubfl:ituting the word Clergy in the- 
 
 room of Priejis j which, for fear it fliould 
 
 pafs unobferved, he has diftinguifhed with 
 
 Italicks to make the more obfervable. 
 
 But which of his talents has he a mind to 
 difplay moft here ? Would he make his ma- 
 lice or his ignorance, the more confpicuous ? 
 For either he muft be extreamly unacquaint- 
 ed himfelf with the account given by the 
 
 E 4 Evange^. 
 
72 An kv 01.0GY fir the 
 
 Evangelifts in this matter, and the whole 
 oeconomy of the Jewijh ftate , or muft fap- 
 pofe, that every one elfe is unacquainted with 
 thefe things, and that fo he may palm upon 
 them what he pleafes j or that they muft give 
 up their knowledge, how well foever ground- 
 ed, to his bare ailertion, his bold and mani- 
 feft mifreprefentation of them. 
 
 Not that he has introduced the word 
 Clergy in this place out of any ill-will to the 
 yews in particular, any m.ore than to the Ma- 
 hometans, or any other infidels j but only to 
 prejudice the minds of his readers againft all 
 that go noiv under that denomination. For 
 that tin's was his delign here, and that it pro- 
 ceeded from a ^ mind evil affeBed towards the. 
 brethren, will appear to every impartial judge, 
 that {hall duly read and confider what fol- 
 lows, to which this was intended only as 
 a prologue. He is not content barely to mock 
 and infdlt the high eft of our order, and to. 
 brand the loweji with the moft fcandalous and 
 opprobrious names i but is for robbing the 
 church of its revenue, and the clergy of their 
 maintenance ^ even for Gripping us of our very 
 habits, and for turning us out with no other 
 badges of dillindion, than fuch as fhall render 
 nis the objects of contempt, derifion and re- 
 proach. 
 
 » Afts xiv. z. 
 
 ** ChrisTs 
 
Mmtjlers of Jesus Christ. y^ 
 
 ♦* Christ, fays he, did not lay the foun- 
 ^* dation of friendly focieties to anfwer the 
 " purpofes either of pomp, or wealth, or 
 " power." Which indeed is very true. His 
 views were of an higher nature, i. e. the fal- 
 vation of mens fouls. His kingdom was not 
 of this licofld'y the fon of man had not where 
 to lay his head. He had no power, wealth, 
 or worldly pofTeffions, to inveft his difciples 
 with, when living j or bequeath them, when 
 dead. Nay, fo far was he from it, that he re- 
 quired them to forfake their houfes, and 
 lands ; to difem.barrafs themfelves of the en- 
 cumbrances of this life ; to fell all they had, 
 and give to the poor, before they could com- 
 mence his profclytes. They vftrtfirft to take 
 up theif crofs in this wife, and then to come 
 and follow him. 
 
 Well, and what then? Why then I'll 
 warrant you, it follows, that it is not law- 
 ful for Chriftians now-a-days to be attended 
 with pomp, or to be pofTeffed of wealth or 
 power. . If fo, let Mr. Chubb prevail upon 
 his friends and adherents to begin the re- 
 form ; to ftrip themfelves of all their wealth 
 and power ; and I'll engage for all my bre- 
 thren to a man, that they fliall be the next ^ 
 who <hall follow their example. It is enough, 
 I think, to mention thole things, which is 
 j\ifl the fame as to expofe their abfurdity. 
 
 'y He 
 
^4 -^n Apology for tie 
 
 " He never intended, that among his Dif- 
 " ciplesand followers, that fome fliould be fin- 
 •' gled out from their brethren tobepoffefled 
 ♦* of great revenues, live in ftately palaces, 
 •^ Gff.". So fays Mr. Chuhb -, why then, I 
 fay, it has happened to them better than 
 Christ intended. • But how came he to 
 know our Saviour's intention ? Doubtlefs had 
 he intended the contrary. He who iipholdeth 
 ell things by the word of his power ^ would 
 by his providence have ordered tilings fo, that 
 none of them (hould ever, by inheritance, 
 have obtained a more excellent lot than his 
 primitive Difciples. 
 
 But was Christ's Church always to be 
 in tlie fame afflitfted ftate, as it was in the 
 beginning ? Were his Dilciples and followers, 
 like their elder brethen, always to be hunted 
 from city to city, and to have no refting place 
 for the fole of their feet ? Was the blood of 
 the Martyrs to be the feed of the Church, 
 and none to reap the harvefl fpringing up, 
 from that feed ? Was it to expedt no better 
 ulage after it came to be patronized by 
 princes ; to be received and embraced by 
 whole countries ; and eflabliflied as a religion 
 of nations ; than when all the powers of the 
 earth {"Jews and Gentiles) were confederated 
 againft it, and endeavoured, by all the terrors 
 of human cruelty, in ten general perfecutions, 
 
 not 
 
Mhljlers of Jesus Christ, y^^ 
 
 not only to prevent its growth, but to extir- 
 pate and deflroy it root and branch ? 
 
 Thefe queftions, I think^ anfwer them- 
 |eh'es. But though this be levelled direcMy 
 at the Clergy, as may be gathered from vs^hat 
 foUov^s ; yet has he exprefTed himfelf in this 
 place fo loofely and indeterminately, that it 
 is applicable as well to the Laity, as the 
 Clergy. For, if our Saviour intended, that 
 among his Difciples and followers, none 
 fhould be lingled out from their brethren to 
 have great revenues, ^c. it will follow, ei- 
 ther that no Chriflians are to be poiTeiTed of 
 great revenues, or that all his Difciples were 
 of die Clergy. And are we then to have no 
 chriflian Kings, Princes, and Governors, who 
 are to be fingled out from the reft of their 
 brethren ? Or, are we to be all fuch In com- 
 mon, without this fingllng, or diftindion ? 
 Or, if we have thefe Kings, Princes, and 
 Governours, are they not to be poftefTed of 
 great revenues, and to live in ftately palaces ? 
 Well, but, we will fay, he meant this only 
 to the Clergy, /. e. the Birtiops and other Dig- 
 nitaries of the Church ; that they fhould be 
 cut off from thofe glittering appendages. 
 Pray, what are the Clergy made of different 
 materials from the Laity ? Are they not fel- 
 low fubjedls with them ? Make they not a 
 part of our conftltution ? Are tliey not mem- 
 bers of the body politick ? Are they the Ions.. 
 ' of 
 
jA An Apology ySr th 
 
 of the earth fprung up fpontaneoufly out of 
 the ground ; and have they no parents or kin- 
 dred among us 3 and mufl: they not enjoy the 
 advantages as well as feel the difadvantages, 
 which accrue to that body, in common with 
 the other members ? Or, are we the only 
 parts that muft be expofed to nakednefs and 
 cold J whilft the ^ more uncofnely parts have 
 the more abundant comelinefs ? Are they, that 
 devote their lives to the fervice of the altar, 
 to devote themfelves at the fame time to po- 
 verty and want ? What one then of human 
 race fo much in love with mifery, as wittingly 
 and knowingly to take the miniftry upon him. 
 on thofe mod uncomfortable terms ? Mr. 
 ChtM would then foon gain his point indeed, 
 7. e. the Church muft fodn fmk for want of 
 its proper fupports j and Chriftianity itfelf be 
 foon abolifhed and fet afide. 
 
 But our Author himfelf, how little fbever 
 he is aware of it, is a living inftance in his 
 own perfon, both of the expediency, nay, 
 the neceffity, not only of a fettled and ftand- 
 ing maintenance for the Clergy ; but likewife 
 that that maintenance be handfome and cre- 
 ditable. For, if when attended with thefe 
 Recent and honourable circumftances, and 
 placed in thefe fuperior ftations of life, they 
 are not a whit fecured, or placed out of the 
 
 ' I Cor. xii. 23 « 
 
 reach 
 
Mimjlers of J:esus Christ. 77 
 
 reach of abufe and fcandal from the meaneft 
 plebeian tongue : how had they been defpifed 
 and trampled under feet, liad they been 
 placed lower, and more within their reach ? 
 Expofed upon every occafion, and no occa- 
 iion, to the mercy of thofe, to whom our 
 miferies and hardfhips would be pajiime and 
 delight ^. And how muft we expedl to be 
 brow-beat at every turn, to be dafhed out of 
 countenance by the opulent and great, and 
 denied the privilege either of a reply, or but 
 a look J if the very dbjecfs Jhoidd be allowed 
 to come together agaiiiji us in this wije^ mak" 
 ifjg mows at us^ and ceajing not. 
 
 It is for the good therefore of religion it- 
 felf, and all the profefTors of it in general, 
 that the Clergy htfecurely and amply provided 
 for, as an encouragement for them to endea- 
 vour to excel in learning, and in every good 
 work : Securely^ that they may be thereby 
 defended and protected from the infolencies 
 of the prophane and bufy mocker ; Amply ^ 
 that they may be thereby not only enabled to 
 make a reputable figure themfelves in the 
 world i but may have it in their power like wife 
 to reward and encourage others, in their turn,. 
 
 * Nilhabet infelix pdupertas durim in fe 
 ^am ^uod ridicuhs homines facit-' ■•- 
 
 Juv. Sat. 3, 
 
 whom 
 
f3 \An AvohOGY fur the 
 
 whom they {hall find treading in their own 
 ilepSj and laudably endeavouring to excel. 
 
 Wealth and power, placed in fuch hapds 
 as thefe, aire a firm foundation " for friend- 
 ^* ly and religious focieties:" nor can I think 
 it at all thwarting our Saviour's intention, 
 that fuch as thefe fhould be fingled out 
 from their brethren j to be pofiefled of great 
 revenues, and live in ftately palaces. Singled 
 but, I fay, in Mr. Chubb"?, own words, /'. e, 
 that they fhould be choice feled: men, not 
 taken up with at a venture, without a previous 
 trial had, or diftinguiHied and preferred for 
 being of this or that party : They fliould di- 
 ftinguifh themfelves Jirjl for the foundnefs of 
 their dodtrinCj and the purity of their livesj 
 before they fhould be diftinguillied by others, 
 and placed by them on thrones j and garnifhed 
 flails, and feats of honour j that thk men of 
 the earth might be no more exalted againfl 
 them J but that all men^ feeing virtue reward- 
 fed even in this life, might be enamoured with 
 it the more for being placed in fo fair a point 
 of light; and^witli an inWard pleafure, might 
 give their outward approbation, Such honour 
 have all his faints. 
 
 And where would be the harm of all this 
 now ? And who, but the wicked and the 
 envious, would be the worfe for it ? Such as 
 tkele, we know, have fome times adorned 
 the higheil flations in the Church i and fuch 
 
 as 
 
Mmlflers of Jesus Christ. ^9 
 
 as thefe, I am perfwaded, are yet to be 
 named, who are, and would be its prefent 
 ornament and fupport. And it is an high 
 impeachment of his Majefty's wifdom and 
 goodnefs, or rather of the fidelity of tliat 
 pious and able minifiry^ by which he is fur- 
 rounded and advifed, even but to fuppofe 
 the prefent bench of Bifhops inferior to any 
 of their predeceffors J amongft whom, fure I 
 am, that there are feveral at this time, who 
 have defervedly " obtained the reputation of 
 " being the great defenders of Qoriftianity, 
 
 If fuch a man as this dejireth the ojice of 
 Bijl^op, he defireth a good work ^ Now, 
 amongft other qualifications required by 
 St. Faid to Timothy^ it is faid, ^ he mufi be 
 given to hofpitality^ and to the fame purpofe 
 to Titiis^ ^ ^hat a Bijhop mufi be a lover of 
 hofpitality. I would fain know now where- 
 with this hofpitality muft be kept up ? The 
 hofpitality muft furely be in proportion to the 
 revenue ; fo that if that be ilender and con- 
 tradted, the other muft needs be narrow and 
 confined. They are to ^ be ready to difiribute, 
 willing to communicate. Out of what, I would 
 fain know ? Can you have a painted veft of a 
 naked P?J?, unlefs you ftrip him of his fkin 
 for the fpoil ? Perhaps you will fay, if they 
 
 • X Tim. iii. I. * iiU, z. <= Titus i. 8- 
 
 ^ « Tim.vi. iSk 
 
 are 
 
A'd Apology yor the 
 
 are willing, it is enough : you will be fo fa- 
 vourable as to take the will for the deed. 
 But how much better is it, where inclination 
 and ability go hand in hand, and the former 
 puts the latter into motion ? When they 
 therefore, who are pofTeffed of great revenuesj 
 apply them in the manner here prefcribed ; 
 how much more modeft and chriftian-like 
 would it found to call fuch an application by 
 the name, which the apoftle gives it, to wit, 
 that of "" hojpitality. 
 
 But hard would be the fate of fuch people 
 with all their great revenues, if all were fuch 
 fevere cenfors as Mr. Chubb, where the ufe 
 or difufe of them would equally difpleafe j 
 and they could neither keep a table equal to 
 their income, without the charge of wallow- 
 ing in luxury : If they difpenfe their fubflance 
 with a more fparing hand, muft be accufed 
 ** with fordidly heaping up riches to raife a 
 " family." What an unreafonable man is this^ 
 that is refolved not to be pleafed with us, 
 either full or failing ? And how happy for us 
 is it that the Apoftle, in this difficult fituation, 
 has given us a certain rule of behaviour ; 
 and that the fame perfon who requires BilTiops 
 in particular to be given to hofpitaiity, which 
 J think implies, that they are to have reve- 
 nues to be hofpitable with, has required all 
 
 » Tim. V. S. 
 
 Chriflian^ 
 
Mimjlcrs of JesuS ChrIS t. 8 r 
 
 Chriftians in general to provide for their own 
 families, condemning thoje that do noty as ii;orJe 
 than an infidd'' f 
 
 As to the remainder of the brethren j from 
 whence tbefe are fingled oiitj /. e. the bulk 
 of the inferior Clergy ; I believe, he may fet 
 his heart at refb. It is a general obfervation, ^ 
 (and a melancholy one it is) that they arc 
 more remarkable for raifmg a faimly\ than 
 for heaping up riches to raife it a fortune. 
 The revenues, they are poffciled of^ are not 
 {o great, nor the palaces they live in fo {late- 
 ly, as to give any offence, I hope. Luxury 
 mufl be a ftranger to their table, and fruga- 
 lity muft always prefide there, if they intend 
 to have any thing to it,t on it. But if, amidfl: 
 all this, through providence and good ma- 
 nagement, they chance to be found 1-icaping 
 up riches, they are generally fo wife, as to 
 know, ivho Jhall gather them^ . • 
 
 But why, of all m.en, fhould the Clergy 
 be precluded from heaping up riches to raife 
 a family j when we fee all other profeHions, 
 whether in Law, Phyfick, or Trade j making 
 hafle to get rich, purchafing great ellateSj 
 and mightily flrengthning and aggrandizing 
 tliemfelves and families ? Either he m.uit en- 
 join us celibacy with the Papids ; and deny 
 us that privilege, which St. Paid claims, of 
 
 * Tim. V, 8. ^ Pfalm xxxix 7. 
 
 G leading 
 
u4n Apology for the 
 
 leading about a fifier, a wife ^ ; or elfe he 
 will find it a difficult talk to prove, that we 
 have not the fame calls both from nature 
 and duty, with other parents, to provide for 
 the children whom God has given us. There 
 are hut few amongft us who have an oppor- 
 tunity of doing this in an ample manner -, and 
 they are generally men oi family ^ as well as 
 fortune, v/hofe revenues are encreafed by the 
 addition of a patrimonial inheritance to their 
 ipiritual preferments ; and thefe, I conceive, 
 they are not obliged in confcience to throw 
 up and renounce, any more than laymen 
 are. 
 
 And as to their lording it over thofe, by 
 whofe labours they are maintained ( which^ 
 whether it be for emphafis, or elegance fake, 
 is twice repeated in the compafs of fix lines) 
 they are fo far from it in general, that they 
 think themfelves very happy, if not defraud- 
 ed of their dues, and vilified and degraded 
 into the bargain (as in the prefent cafe) by 
 the meaneft and moft foul-mouthed of the 
 people ; who, infi:ead of labouring to main- 
 tain the Clergy, or even contributing the 
 leaft towards it, hath found out a trick worth 
 two of that, i, e. not to labour to maintain 
 liimfelf Now, even but to attempt to de- 
 fend ourfelves in the pofiTelTion of our rights 
 
 ^ I Cor. ix. 5. ' 
 
 and 
 
Mmijlers of Jesus Christ. 83 
 
 and privileges againft the injuries, the out- 
 rages, and infiilts of thofe, with whom ive 
 •have to do^ muft be termed lording it over 
 thofe, by whofe labours we are maintained \ 
 as tho' not to fubmit to all thofe hardfhips 
 tamely and paffively, was juft the fame as 
 to begin hoftilities, and commence aggref- 
 ibrs. 
 
 The thrones, and garnifhed ftalls, and feats 
 of honour, which he has fuch an averfion 
 to^ are rather decorations and ornaments to 
 the place than the men. The houfe is the 
 Lord's,- which is thus ^ magnijically fet off-y 
 and the fame reafon that prevailed in Soiomoii^ 
 days, will hold good now, /'. e. * The palace 
 is 7iot for man J but for the Lord God. 
 
 And not only the houle itfelf is thus to be 
 fet off, by way of diflin(5lion, from common 
 and ordinary houfes : biit they, who officiate 
 and minifter in thofe houfes, are to be dilHn- 
 guiflied by a peculiar habit and drels. This 
 is the voice of all nations and lanffuaees, and 
 has been the univerfal prad:ice of tue moil 
 barbarous and uncultivated, as well as the 
 mofl: polifhed and refined, from the beginning 
 of the world to this very time. 
 
 The feveral ranks and degrees of men have 
 always had their proper badges of diftincftion, 
 
 fc i Chron. xxii. 5. * Vid. Bifs Beauty of Holinefs. p. 2. 
 
 G a whether 
 
§4 An Apology for the 
 
 wlietlier in Church cr State ^ Civil or Military 
 life. Let him but take his obfervation from 
 the ufages of his own country on thofe points, 
 and he will find this diftindion kept up from 
 the King upon the throne, to the meaneft 
 Biirg-els cr Commori-councli-man in tlie coun- 
 try ; from the Lord Chancellor, to tlie young- 
 ell Barrijler at Law j from a General, to a 
 privii te Centinel in the army. And as thefe 
 diitinclions are kept up by u?, in common 
 wiiih other nations, betwixt magiftrates, men 
 of the Lav/, and other profeffions ; fo have 
 we the like difdndlions made to difcern the 
 Clergy from the Laity, (in which we have 
 likewife their example to keep us in counte- 
 nance) and that for the very fame reafons 
 with then"! j befides one much flronger, and 
 of more weight than a thoufand others put 
 together. Any one, who will give himfelf the 
 trouble; to read over the tVv^enly eighth chapter 
 of Exodus, will find the habits of the High 
 Prieft, and all the other Priefls, to be the care 
 and concern of the Almighty himfelf. That 
 whole chapter, from the beginning to the end, 
 h, taken up with nothing elfe, but inllrudtions 
 from God to Mofes concerning their veft- 
 ments, not only as to the ^ materials of which 
 they were to be compofed, but likewife as to 
 the very ^ colour and ^ fafliion of them ; that 
 
 '' Vcr. 5. « ver. 6. ^ ver. 7. 
 
 they 
 
Aii?/}Jlers of Jesvs Christ. 85 
 
 t/jey might be for glory mid for beauty upon 
 Aaron and his fons^ ivhen they came into the 
 tabernacle of the congregation^ or "xheji they 
 came near unto the altar to mini/ier in the 
 holy place ^. And this was bound upon him, 
 and his feed after him, to be a flatute for ever 
 under this penalty, i. e. that they bear not ini- 
 quity and die. 
 
 It is therefore a fmgular honour done the 
 Clergy among the feivs, that Gop himfelf 
 {hould in this wife appoint that pecuhar drefs, 
 with which they, above all others, fiiould be 
 clothed and diftinguilhed from their brethren 
 of the other tribes. And though this is not 
 brought as an argument to prove, that God 
 Almighty has appointed the very habits, by 
 which the Clergy among Chrirtians are to be. 
 diftinguiflied j yet, I think, it will be fuffi- 
 cient authority for them (in a point v/here 
 the Evangelifts and x^pofcles have been filent) 
 to imitate this great example ; and will jufti- 
 fy them in making diftinctions of habits on 
 the like account. 
 
 For neither our Saviour, nor his Apoilles, 
 gave us any inftrudions concerning building 
 Temples and Synagogues, &c. any m.ore than 
 they did about habits and drefs ; preaching 
 themfelves fometimes on a mountain, or in a 
 fliip, in an upper chamber,or by the water- fide, 
 
 =» Ver, 43. 
 
 G ^ Will 
 
86 An Apology for the 
 
 Will it therefore follow, that Chriftians are 
 not obliged to fanclify and fet apart fome pe- 
 culiar buildings to the honour, and fervice, 
 and worfliip of God ? Nay, but the very 
 voice of nature, as well as of revelation, di- 
 lates other things. If then fuch diftindions 
 of habits betwixt Priefts and People be not 
 only allowed, but commanded by God him- 
 felf under the firfl cove?2a?2t, and are univer- 
 fally kept up by the moil remote uncivilized 
 nations, where ( v/e will fuppofe, at leaft ) 
 the written command of God never reached ; 
 what fhould hinder the Minifters of Jesus 
 Christ, i.e. the- Priefts under the fecond 
 coveitaiit, from being diftinguifhed from their 
 Lay- brethren by dreffes fuited to their office, 
 iind adapted to the genius of that people, a- 
 mongft whom they officiate. 
 
 The externals of religion, fuch as habit, 
 and the like, were left to the dire(5lion and 
 appointment of the Church, under this ge- 
 neral rule of St. PWs, liz. Let all things be 
 done decently, and in order ^. And here I de- 
 fire it may be remarked in this place, that the 
 word, which the tranllators have rendered 
 decently, does not only include habit under it, 
 as a neceifary appendage to it, and attendant 
 on it J hxit primarily and more immediately re- 
 quires decency with regard to habit, as the 
 
 * I Cor. xiv. 40, 
 
 word 
 
Minljlers of jESUS Christ. 87 
 
 word £viTxv]ix6vu;j in the original, fally ex- 
 prefles. 
 
 The only Quaere then here is, Whether the 
 veftments, wherewith the Clergy are dreiTed 
 and diflinguiflied, are becoming and decent, 
 or not ? Mr. Chui^i^ calls them pompous and 
 antick drefles. And herein he dilTents ( I 
 cannot but think for diflentlon's fake ) from 
 the received opinion of the reft of mankind, 
 as much as in any one point befides. It has 
 been faid by men of the moft elegant tafte 
 in drefs, that they thought the bal^it of Clergy- 
 inen the moft decent and becomins;, the moft 
 graceful and venerable, that could be ; every 
 way fo well fuited to the nature of their of- 
 fice, that nothing poftibly could be invented 
 more apt and ligniticant. What is there 
 light, trifling, or fantaftick, either as to the 
 colour or lliape, that the ftri<5teft and moft 
 compofed gravity, the moft fcrupulous and un- 
 afFeded modefty, can poftibly take diftafte at, 
 or be offended with ? But if all things, which 
 every odd-conceited, unreafonable, capricious 
 perfon carps at, and condemns, were to be 
 laid alide for that reafon ; adieu to all order, 
 decency, and decorum amongft us. We 
 might as w^ll ftrip, and commence Adamites 
 at once, as part with our garments- one by 
 one ; which were invented, ufed, and recom- 
 mended to us by men of tl:ie ^reateft piety, 
 fubriety, and moderation in religious matters, 
 G 4 And 
 
8S An Apology for the 
 
 And if Mr. Chubb is fo highly offended at 
 thefe now retained amongft iis^ how had his 
 righteous fpirit been moved with an holy in-» 
 dignation againft Aaron^ and his fons, had he 
 feen him in his pontincals, and them in their 
 girdles and bonnets '^ ? And how had his deli-^ 
 cate and tender ears been offended at the 
 found of his golden bells ? Efpecially confix 
 dering; the cofllinefs and expence of his drefs, 
 and how handfomely it would have paid the 
 perfon, that could have been fo fortunate, as 
 to have uncafed him ? Thus "Judas Ifcariot^ 
 the betrayer of our Saviour, reprehended the 
 great profulion of precious ointment made by 
 Mary\ wherewith her piety direded her to 
 anoint thofe bleiled feet, what time xh^fair 
 penitent^ o'erwhclmed with grief for paft 
 offences, '^ began to ivajh his. feet with tears, 
 (If id did wipe them with the hairs of her head, 
 ^ Why was not this ointment (fays he) fold for 
 three hundred pence, and given to the poor ? 
 This- he did, ?iot that he cared for the poor, but 
 ■ becaufe he was a thief and had the bag, and 
 l)are what was put therein. AH that pru- 
 dence can do, is, to fecure the general appro- 
 bation of the wife, the virtuous, and conli- 
 tlerate. I'he captious and ill-natured will 
 cavil on- without reafon, and without end. 
 
 ^ Exod. xxviii. 40. ^ Luke vii. 38. ^ John xii. 5, 6. 
 
 Thus 
 
Mimjiers of Jesus Christ. 89 
 
 Thus it always was, and always will be in 
 every age. Noc have the mofl iiniihed pro- 
 ductions, eitlier of art or nature^ efcaped 
 uncenfured. Jiomer and Virgil have had 
 their Zoilus and Bavitis. And Ibme amongft 
 us have been fo fliarp-fighted, as to efpy 
 blemiihes in the mooji ; whilft others have 
 blamed the Jim itfelf for an excefs of light 
 and glory, as being too much for their ten- 
 der eyes Uo bear. 
 
 But notwithftanding our adverfary ex- 
 prefTes fuch a feeming diilike, I am verily 
 perfuaded it would pleafe much better, was 
 it lefs graceful and venerable than it is. He 
 cannot conceal his fear upon all occalions, 
 leaft too great a regard be paid to the Cler- 
 gy; and therefore, amongft other things, 
 lliev/s a diflike to " their drefles ; leaft they 
 ** alfo iliould introduce a groundlefs refped: 
 " and veneration for their perfons." But 
 why muft they be called pompous and antick 
 both ? How, by chance, did he couple two 
 fuch epithets together, as are felf repugnant 
 and contradifiory to each other ? Whatever 
 is pompous, muft carry with it fomething 
 of ftate and folemnity, grandeur and magni- 
 ficence. Thus King Agrippa^ with his Queen 
 'Bernice, are faid ^ to come with great pompy 
 (/. e. attended with a great and fplendid 
 
 ^ A<^s XXV, 23. 
 
90 An Apology j^r the 
 
 train) and to enter into the place of hearing 
 (not by themfelves, but) with the chief cap- 
 tains^ ajtd principal men of the city^ which 
 compofed this train. 
 
 This is the acceptation of the word a- 
 mongft the Greek and Roman authors, from 
 whom we have borrowed it, as appears from 
 Scapula's Lexicon in vocem TOF-Trvj • and from 
 "" Ovid, and from ^ Virgil in the paffages un- 
 der quoted, and many other hke places. 
 
 Whatfoever is antick carries with it no- 
 thing but levity and farce, mimickry and ri- 
 dicule. So that there is jufl as much refem- 
 blance betwixt thefe two, as betwixt a Ma^ 
 giftrate and a Merry Andrew, or between a 
 Court of fudicatiire and Bartholome^.v Fair. 
 
 I can think but of one way to bring Mr. 
 Chubb off; and that is, for him to impute 
 this error to the prefs ; to ft and it out, till 
 he is black in the face, that he did not in- 
 tend it fhould be fpelt antick, but antique. 
 This will help the matter mightily, as it will 
 carry a good deal of truth witli it ; which 
 the other wants ; becaufe that habits, pecu- 
 
 * Tu diicibus Latiis aderis, cum IfSta trlumfhum 
 Vox canet j Cif long^e •vifent c a pit alia pompas. 
 
 Ov. Met. lib. i, 
 
 b !■ 11 ,1 ■ yam nimc Jalennes ducere pompas 
 uid delubra juvant *" " •• • • 
 
 Virg. Georg. lib. 3. 
 
 liar 
 
Mimfters of jEsus Christ. 9 j 
 
 liar to Priefts, are as antique, or ancient, as 
 the order of priellhood itfelf. But if Mr. 
 Chubb fliould ungratefully refufe this emenda- 
 tion of mine, and obilinately perfifl in his 
 iirft error : let me give this fcafonable piece 
 of advice to our brethren of the diiTenting 
 perfuafion, that they put themfelves imme- 
 diately upon their guard. For, how fecure 
 foever they may feem to be in the pojT;:ffion 
 and ufe of their outward veftmenis, this they 
 may depend upon, that after he hath taken 
 away our coat, it will not be long before they 
 jnufl let liim have their cloak alfo^, 
 
 f Matth. V. j{o. 
 
 SECT, 
 
9^ -An Apology for the 
 
 SECT. VII. 
 
 I Come now to coniider the other charge, 
 that of alTuming and exerciiing dominion 
 over their brethren, which is juft as true as 
 the reft. 
 
 By afTiiming dominion (if the term will 
 bear) miift I think be underftood, their arro- 
 gating or taking to themfelves a power, which 
 does not belong to them j and by exerciiing 
 dominion over their brethren, that they do- 
 mineer and he6tor, and exert this power in a 
 very arbitrary and tyrannical manner. Now 
 the former of thefe is abfolutely falfe j be- 
 caufe they affume no power at all. The 
 power which they exert is a delegated power, 
 a power derived to them from the fupreme 
 Magiftrate, who is the fountain of power, as 
 well as honour. They take no power upon 
 themfelves, but what they are legally invefted 
 with ; and that poiver miiji be fubmitted to for 
 the Lord's fake, if for no other reafon, but 
 becauie it is the ordinance of man \ They, as 
 
 3 I Pet; u. J3. 
 
 paftors 
 
Minijlers of Jesus ChUisT. 9 j; 
 
 paftors and fhepherds, by the very nature of 
 their office, as well as by divine appointment, 
 are required to feed the Jiock of God y which is 
 amongft us ; and furely if they are to exer- 
 cife a paftoral care,, they are to be inverted 
 widi a paftoral authority. " So that with 
 refpe(5l to thcm^ as well as to the civil magi- 
 fl rates, it may be afferted, that the powers 
 thai be are ordai?ied of Gon. 
 
 As to the other part, i. e. that of exercifing 
 dominion over their brethren, I know of no 
 fuch thing among us. By brethren, I fup- 
 poit% can be meant none other than the inferior 
 Clergy, v/ho are domineered over by " thofe, 
 " who are Tingled oat from among them to 
 *' be poflelTcd of great revenues, and live iii 
 " irately palaces." But why fhould he be thus 
 tenderly concerned for us all on a fudden, and 
 exprefs more regard for us, than we do for 
 ourfelves ? That a Bifhop (hould overfee the 
 Clergy of his diocefe j that he (liould exercifb 
 an epifcopal jurifdidion over them with the 
 authority and mildnefs of a fpiritual father ; 
 that he fliould reprove^ rebuke^ and exhort 
 with all long fuffering and doBrine '^, is what 
 no reafonable Cliriftian can take offence at; 
 becaufe he is folemnly charged fo to do by 
 St. Faul before God, and the Lord Jesus 
 
 ^ I Pet. V. 3. ^ z Tim. iv. 2. 
 
 Christ, 
 
94 ^^ Apology ySr the 
 
 Christ, who Jhall judge the quick and thd 
 dead\ Other dominion than this cxercife 
 they none, that I know, or hear of. If any 
 are ufed otherwife, let them complain : 'till 
 when, let me entreat our ?iew friend to be 
 eafy, fo long as we are j and fo leave us in 
 the fame hands where he found us. 
 
 I am come now to that part, where he is 
 for fetting afide all manner of degree or di- 
 ftinvftion among us ; which, becaufe he offers 
 fomewhat of an argument from Scripture in 
 the fupport of it, I fliall conlider more fully 
 and particularly. 
 
 " Christ, fays he, was fo far from giving 
 *' any countenance to any thing of this kind, 
 " that on the contrary he has ibidly forbid 
 *' it." And tiien comes a long quotation 
 from St. Matthew to prove it, which has no- 
 thing at all to do with it. 
 
 The occaiion was particular on which he 
 fpoke it 3 and the perfons were particular to 
 whom he fpoke it : Had he intended there- 
 fore to have dealt fairly by it, he (hould have 
 given us the whole narrative of the Evange- 
 lift, /. e. He fliould have begun and ended, 
 where he did. But it is an ufual method 
 with him to deliver the facred teftimonies 
 mutilated 'and imperfect, either beginning in 
 thd iiiiddle, or leaving off in the middle, jufl 
 
 ^ 2 Tim. iv. li 
 
Mimjlers of Jesus Christ. 95 
 
 as iliall beft ferve the prefent Occalion. Thus 
 had it been his delign to have dealt fairly 
 here, he fliould have begun this quotation at 
 the twentieth verfe inftead of the twenty- 
 fifth ; but that would have given too much 
 , hght into the matter, and we fhould have 
 had too juft a fenfe of the words, had we 
 known on what account they were fpoken. 
 
 The account, as delivered there, was this : 
 The mother of Zebedee's children^ with her 
 Sons (James ^W John) came to Jesus, wor- 
 JJjipping him, and defiring a certain thing of 
 him J and he faid unto her^ What wilt thou^ 
 She faith unto him, Grant thefe my two fons 
 may fit the one on thy right ha?id, and the other 
 on thy left hand in thy kingdom. Here we find 
 the eafy good-natured old woman, prompted 
 doubtlefs, and fet on by her fons, whom we 
 muft fuppofe her [like other mothers) to be 
 partially fond of, makes this unreafonable re- 
 quefl: to our Saviour, that thefe her two 
 fons fhould be exalted, and preferred above 
 all the reft of his difciples. Nothing lefs (it 
 feems) would do with them, than to be 
 made our Saviour's Prime Minijlers of State ^ 
 i. e. to lit one at his right hand, and the 
 other at the left, in his kingdom ; which re- 
 queft, had our Saviour complied with, it is 
 much but the two brothers had difputed be- 
 
 ■ Matth. iv. 21, 23. 
 
 twixt 
 
96 An Apq-logy Jor the , 
 
 twixt themfclves, and have quarrelled, which 
 fl:iould have had the ' right hand of fellow fiip. 
 This our Saviour, who knew the tlioughts 
 of their hearts, perceived to proceed from the 
 root of pride, and that their defire of being 
 thus nigh him was not founded in a real love 
 and zeal towards his perfon, but rather from 
 felf-love, and a criminal ambition. They 
 had all of them an immoderate thirft after 
 greatnefs and fuperiority. And as each of 
 them had defigned the Primacy of Heaven 
 for himfelf (as being, in his own judgment at 
 leaft, much the propereft perfon for fo high 
 an office ) they all of them unanimoully 
 exprefs their refentment ; the remaining ten^ 
 'when they heard thefe things^ were moved 
 with indignation againfi the two brethren. 
 
 This I look upon as a flrong proof of the 
 corruption of our nature ; fhews that pride is 
 inborn, and congenial with the foul of man. 
 That two fuch poor wretches as thefe, who 
 were called not long before from mending 
 their nets, fhould be thus fired with ambi- 
 tion, and from being mean and humble 
 fiiliermen, (liould afpire at no lefs promo-^ 
 lion, than to be made the chief Mini/ters in 
 the kingdom of Heaven ! 
 
 . ^ Gal. ii 9. 
 
 This 
 
M/mJJcrs of Jesus Christ. 97 
 
 This was not the only Indance tlicy ]^ad 
 klven of the inward iiauo^htinefs of their 
 hearts, which wtiS too great to lie long con- 
 cealed : For we find them in tlie i8th chap- 
 ter, /. c. two preceding this, harping upo:i 
 the ilime firing, as making the moll: agreeable 
 mulick in their ears, y^if t/je fame time^ fays 
 the EvangeliA, came the difcipks unto Jesus, 
 fayingy, Who is the great ejt in the Kingdom of 
 Heaven^ f Thus were they inflated v/ith that 
 leaven of the Fijarifccs, which our Saviour 
 fo of:en, and fo fevercly reprehends : And 
 the anfwer, which he eave in both thefc 
 places tended to purge it out ; kji a little 
 leaven JJjoidd leaven the ^uDkoIe lump ^. T^he So?i 
 of' God was manifefted in the fcf\ that he 
 might deftroy the works of the Devil''. Our 
 Saviour therefore was acting flridly in cha- 
 racter^ and mod: agreeably to his profeflid 
 delign, to begin v;i::h pride'^ ; arid to endea- 
 vour to fubdue that, v^hich, as it is in its 
 own imture moil hellijh and jatamcal, is like- 
 wife the mofc prolifick parent zxai nurfe of all 
 other vices. 
 
 a Matt, xviji. I. ^ i Cor. v. 6. 
 
 *■ I John i.'i. 8. 
 
 ti '„is prid;^ 
 
 Had caft him out from Heaven with all his hoft 
 
 Of rebel angcb, by whofe aid afpiring 
 
 To fet himielf \\\ glory above his Fe e rs. 
 
 He ti'Olled to have em!.: is 'd the mof: high. 
 
 .XJlLTON,//^. I. 
 
 11 This 
 
98 An AvoIjOGY for the 
 
 This then was laying the ax to the root of 
 the tree % was beginning at the right place : 
 Becaufe, when efFed:ually hewn down from 
 thence, it could no longer put forth, or bear 
 fiuit in its branches, And this is what he 
 does here by calling a little child to him, 
 and placing him in the midft of them j and 
 then anfwering their queflion in this wife. 
 Whojccver hiaiibleth himjelj\ fays he, as this 
 child^ the fame is greatejt in the Kingdom of 
 Hea-ven ^'. This was an anfwer as little exped:- 
 ed, as it was defired ; a reply, which morti- 
 fied all their tovrering thoughts, corrected 
 their miftaken notion of Heaven, and points 
 ed out a new and unheard of way to great- 
 nefs • ^ciz. that they muft become little, in 
 order to be o;r^/; and defend, if they had 
 any defign to rife ; that humility was the 
 high road to heavenly preferment ; and that 
 he, which would be chief amor^gil them, 
 Ihould be \h^vi fervant j that \}i\t''hwer they 
 were in their own eyes, the higher they would 
 be in the fight of God ; and that the way to 
 be of any account in their maker s books, was 
 - to be ink, and of no account in their own. 
 
 And fnice they, for their part, were car- 
 ried away with falfe notions concerning his 
 kingdom ; and the fpirit, with wliich they 
 v/ere actuated, was fo oppofite to that, which 
 
 •■ Ivlatth. iii. JO. '•^ Matth. -wiii. 4. 
 
 Cometh 
 
Mimjlers of Jesus Christ. 99 
 
 'Cometh doimfrom above : He afTiires them, by- 
 way of reprimand for their pafl error, and 
 for the better regulation of their future con- 
 dud:, til at except they be convert eel, and be- 
 come as little children, they Ihould be fo far 
 from being greatejt, that they fliould not fo 
 much as enter into the Ki?2gdom of Heaven \ 
 
 But this rebuke, though flrarp and fevcre, 
 fervcd only to flop their mouths for the prc- 
 fent :. It made not fo deep an impreflion oi) 
 their minds as to reftrain all further tliouglus 
 about it. This turbulent palTion would not 
 let them be at refl j but foon broke cut afrelh, 
 and puflied them upon trying new expedients 
 for carry iiig their point j and therefore Ze- 
 bedees two fons, more follicitous than the rell, 
 having flrengthened tlieir party, by adding 
 their mother to the number, come and pufh 
 their joint intereft j not doubting their fuccefsj 
 having got' fo good a fpokefwoman at their 
 head, to whom they thought our Saviour 
 could notealily deny any requeft, w^hich ihe 
 fiiould otFer. Grant, fays flie, that theje m^f 
 tiiv Ions may fit, the one on thy right handj 
 and the other at the left, in thy kingdom. Our 
 Saviour, finding his former reprimand ineffec- 
 tual ; that pride, and a defire of luperiority, 
 flill prevailed; refumes the fubjedl on this 
 freih provocation, and expatiates more copi- 
 
 a Matth. iii. i6. 
 
 H 2 oufly, 
 
ioo An Apology for the 
 
 oufiy, and in a new manner upon it. He 
 had obferved what contention it had kindled 
 amongft them j with what indignation the 
 other ttii were moved againfl thefe tzvo ; and 
 therefore,by way of compoiing their difiereiice, 
 Jesus called them, /. ^. the whole tv/elve, 
 unto him, and faid, Te hioiv that the princes 
 of the Gejitiles exercife dominion over them ; 
 and they, that are great, exercife authority 
 over them \ but it jhall not he fo among you ; 
 hut ivhofoever ivill be great amongd you, let him 
 he your Minijier ; and lihofoever ivill be Chief 
 among you, let' him he your Servant ; even as 
 the Son came not to be minifiered unto, but 
 to minijier, and to give his life a ranfom for 
 many. 
 
 This is the whole account the Evangeliil 
 gives of this matter j and from hence it ap- 
 pears, that thefe words of our Saviour were 
 purely perfo?ml, fpoke only to his twelve Dif- 
 ciples, upon a particular and extraordinary 
 occancn : And ail that can juftly be inferred 
 from it, is this, with regard to his difciples 
 in general, viz. that all pride and contention 
 for fuperiority, amongft his followers, were 
 not only criminal, but contrary to their pro- 
 fejfion. They were to learn of him, who 
 was jneek and loivly -, whofe grandell appear^ 
 ance at his entry into ferufakm, the feat of 
 his fither's empire, amidfl the loud acclaim 
 and hofannah's of the people, v/as.made in an 
 
 ahje3 
 
M'lnifiers ^ Jesus Christ. ioi 
 
 ahjeB and imkingly manner. Tell ye the daugh- 
 ter- of S\on^ Behold thy Ki?ig cometh unto thee^ 
 meek^ and fitting upon an aj's^ and upon a colt, 
 the file of an qfs^. 
 
 The other pafTage, whicli he quotes from 
 St. Matthew, is diredlly to the flxnie purpofe: 
 But this he deals by, as he had by the former, 
 beginning at the eighth verfe inftead of the 
 fecond. He there defcribcs and reprehends 
 the great hypocrify and pride of the Scf'ibes 
 and Fhaj'ifees : That all the works they do, for 
 to be feen of men: That they loved the upper- 
 mojl rooms at feafls, and the chief fats in ih: 
 jynagogue, and greetings in the markets, and to 
 be called of 7nen, Rabbi, Rabbi ^. Such an af- 
 fedlation of honour, on account of their holi- 
 nejs, which was altogether y7;^;^;2 and pretended i 
 fuch an outward form of godH?ief, v/ithout 
 any thing of the poiver or efficacy of it, 
 juiily fell under the cenfure of our Saviour, 
 who faw through all their artifice and dif- 
 guife ; and pronounces many a bitter tct/c" upon 
 them for that reafon. " Woe ! unto you Scribes 
 dnd Pharilees, hypocrites I He had fccn, in the 
 two inflances before-mentioned, the great 
 ambition of his difciplesj how prone they 
 were to ape and imitate tliis fupercilious haugh- 
 tinefs and pedantick pride of the Scribes and 
 
 = Matth. xxi. 5. '" rJatth. xxlii. 6, 7. 
 
 <= IV'Iatt.'i. xxiii. 13, 14, 15, 16, ijc. 
 
 H 3 Pharifees 
 
I02 An Apology for the- 
 
 ' Than fees ^ and therefore juftly cautions and 
 warns them agalnft it ; left they alfo fliould 
 fciH under the fame woes with them. 
 
 ^ But be not ye called Rabbi, for one is your 
 mafter^ even Christ ; and all ye are brethren. 
 This was a great title of honour, which thefe 
 vile hypociites had affumcd to themfelves, 
 without any legal right or claim. So that 
 you might as v/cll honour a beggar for his 
 riches, or a thief for his honeily, as pay 
 them a compliment on account of their 
 rigbteoufnefs. 
 
 Scribes and P bar i fees were terms of di- 
 
 - fl:ind:ion, as wxU as Rabbi; and yet our Sa- 
 viour does not denounce a woe againfl them, 
 bccaufe they were Scribes and Pharijees^ but 
 bccaufe they were hypocrites. Woe unto you 
 Scribes and Pharifees, hypocrites ! For ye de- 
 'UDur ividoios houjes, and, for a pretence^ make 
 long prayers ; thercjcre ye JImU 7'eceinje the 
 greater danniaiion. This damnation then was 
 denounced againft them, not on account of 
 tlicir names and profellions \ but becaufe 
 their pracftice was contrary to their profellion. 
 There was no harm in making long prayers, 
 had their hearts cleaved Jledfajily u?ito God : 
 But it was their making of them by way of 
 a pretence, Jianding in the Jwagogucs, and in 
 the corners of the Jlreets^ that they might be 
 
 '''■ iMattli. >;xiii. 8. 
 
 feen 
 
Mimjlers of ]k^v^ Christ. 105 
 
 feeji of men ; and, from the repute of their ' 
 borrowed fanctity, might be cholen truftees 
 for orphans, and, under that veil, might the 
 more fecurcly and unfufpeitcdly devour wi- 
 dows hoiifes. So here, in the palTage before 
 us, there was no harm in being called Kabbi^ 
 or Doolor^ any more than in being called 
 Scribe or Fharifee -y where the appellation 
 a2;reed with the man. But even then to be 
 fond of the title ; to love to be thus diftinguilh- 
 ed with greetings in the markets ; to be 
 proud, and conceited, and puffed up on ac- 
 count of it ; and to treat others, who are not 
 fo diftinguifhed, with haughty contempt, and 
 four difdain : T/6/i was what our Saviour 
 here condemns as the concomitants of arro- 
 gance and vanity. Be not ye called Rabbi^ 
 for the reafons thus affig-ned. 
 
 But then there was another reafon, which 
 is not here expreffed, which made the term, 
 Rabbi, a term of ignominy to our Saviour. 
 The top attainments in rabbinical learning con- 
 fifted in an acquaintance with the mijhniccd 
 writings, in explaining Mojh and the Prophets 
 by them, and thereby making the word of 
 God void by the tradition of the elders. 
 Thefe our Saviour vehemendy oppofed, and 
 exclaimed againft, upon all occafions ; and, as 
 he came, not to deflroy, but to fulfil the 
 law, forbad his difciples to take to them a 
 name, exprelTing fomcthing fo oppofitc to 
 
 H i. their 
 
I04 ^f^ Apology for the 
 
 their n'laflcr's defign ; and giving reaibn fof 
 fufpicion, that they were of their party, who 
 preferred unwritten verities to the written 
 word of God.' 
 
 But he not ye called Rabbi : For one is your 
 imylcr^ even Christ. For fuch ilUterate 
 poor wretches as thefe to take upon them the 
 title of Rdl?l?Ps, was as prepoilerous as can 
 be conceived ; as being the mcft effectual 
 method to make their ignorance and wide the 
 more conip-icaoiis. They were not Do5iors 
 but Difcipk: \ were not Teachers^ but 
 Learners ; were not Mafters, but Scholars ; 
 and one ^ivas their Mafter, e-ven Christ; 
 under whom they were all brethren, or fellow 
 ^ difciples, upon the fame footing wdth each 
 other, of equal improvements and privileges, 
 equally unlearned, equally in want of an in- 
 ftructer ; and therefore no one v^^as entitled 
 to pre-eminence and fuperiority more than 
 ar.otiicr. For one of thefe, therefore, to take 
 upon him authority and doniinion over the 
 reft, was to arrogate what he had no tide to ; 
 was to for2;ct the relation that fubfifted be- 
 tw^ixt them and Christ, to whom they 
 had all profefTed themfelves drfciples. All 
 that thev had to do, was to come and 
 hearken as children -, to receive their lediures 
 of inftrudtion, v/ith meeknels, humility, and 
 attention, from his mouth ; were to take their 
 places, like other fcholars, according to the 
 
 mafter's 
 
Mi?i}fters o/" Jesus Christ. 105 
 
 mailer's dire6lIon and appointment j and if 
 they ufurped over their fellows, or contend- 
 ed for fuperiority, contrary to that diredlion 
 and appointment, deferved to be expelled, 
 and difmembered from the fociety. 
 
 This would be ading quite out of character ^ 
 would be fetting up their own authority 
 above their mafter's -, and affuming the office 
 of teachers, whilft they profefTed themfelves 
 learners. Thefe were DoBors of their own 
 makings inverted with authority felf-derived ; 
 Doctors with a witnefs, by a figure called 
 /zvTitppao-^ , /. e. from their want of do6trine ; 
 Rabbis, from their ignorance in rabbinical 
 learning. 
 
 SECT. 
 
io6 An Apology for the 
 
 SECT. VIII. 
 
 ND as they were not to afTume 
 more honour to themfelves, than was 
 their due ; fo likewife were they forbid to 
 pay it to others, and call no man yoitr father ^ 
 for 0726 is your father which is in Heaven. 
 Gaught with the external fliew of fandity and 
 wifdom (which was only as a good cloak over 
 a bad defign) the populace was almoft ready 
 to run a mading after the Pharifees, whom 
 they looked on as fuch ftrid: religiqus devo- 
 tees. The honours therefore, which they 
 paid them, were extravagant, and out of 
 meafure ; giving them fuch high titles, and 
 doing fuch homage, as was unbecoming from 
 men to their fellow-creatures. And by this 
 means the honour due to God was impaired, 
 being thus transferred from him to fuch paint- 
 ed fepulchres ; and this ftill encreafed their 
 pride in proportion to the other's deference ; 
 though confcious to themfelves, notwithftand- 
 ing their outward beauty, that they were 
 
 within 
 
Mtmfters of Jesus Christ. loy 
 
 within full of dead men's bones, and all un- 
 cleannefs ^\ 
 
 The title c^ father then was no ways appli- 
 cable to them, who iliut up the Kingdom of 
 Heaven againft men, and would neither go 
 in themfelves, nor fuffer them that were en- 
 tering, to go in. Call therefore no man your 
 father upon earth, none of thefe Fharifees^ 
 hypocrites, efpeclallyi neither think to fiy 
 within youifelves, that ye have Abraham to 
 your father, and that on that account ye jfhall 
 be excufed for omitting; the weio;htier thinsis 
 of the law, WSJ. judgment, mercy, and/^/V/', , 
 which the Prophet Micah calls walking hum- 
 bly with God. For, notwithftanding their 
 boafled privileges on account of their lineal 
 defcent from their father Abraham, I pro- 
 nounce, that they be of their father the Devil^ 
 for the lujls of their father they will do". 
 How were thefe men to receive honour from 
 God, feeing they received honour one from 
 another, which our Saviour recalls, and re- 
 places upon its proper objedl ; when ye pray, 
 fay. Our Father, "which art in Heaven : Call 
 110: man your father upon earth, for one is your 
 father which is in HewDen-, neither be ye called 
 MaJier,for one is your Mafler, even Christ. 
 This is of a piece with the former, /. e. nei- 
 t.her be ye called Rabbi, Rabbi-, which there- 
 
 *> Match, xxiii. 27. <" M.itth. viii. 44. 
 
 for^ 
 
loS An Apology j^r the ' 
 
 fore has been fpoken to already, and its abfur- 
 dity luiKciently expofed. The inference, there- 
 fore which Mr. Chubb draws from hence, is al- 
 together unfair and iinjuftif able, i,e, that here, 
 *' we fee, Christ has taken all poffible care, 
 *' that no authority, ^c. fliould take place 
 " among his Difciples, and followers, confi- 
 *' dered as fuch;" becaufe men of much 
 quicker eye-fidit than he can difcern no 
 ilich thing. 
 
 If by that guarded expreffion, confJersd as 
 fud\ he means our Saviour's immediate dif- 
 ciples and followers, i. e. the Twelve, to 
 'vvhom it was fpoken j or even the feventy 
 difciples, whom he, at another tim.e, com.- 
 miffioned : nay, though he fhould extend it 
 to all thofe, who wxre profelyted to him from 
 hearing his doctrine, and feeing his miracles, 
 I believe he would meet with no opponent to 
 encounter. They w^ere not only equals 
 amongft themfelvcs, becaufe their mafter 
 had placed them in tliat ftate 5 but were call- 
 ed to a fellowflnp of fufterings with hirn^ and 
 with one another. They iu'ere to drink of 
 his cup, and to be baptifcd ivith the baptijm 
 that he was to be baptifcd idth ^. 
 
 Christ as yet had no Church. Thele 
 were to be the founders and mafter-builders 
 pf it upcn himfelf, the great corner /tone, 
 
 a Matth. XX. 23. 
 
 The 
 
M'n/ijlers of Jesus Christ. 109 
 
 The mateiials for this were to be collected 
 from amongft all nations, of all forms of go- 
 vernment, wliich at that time were fo many- 
 enemies to his dotflrine. Will it therefore 
 follow, tliat becaufe there was to be no dif- 
 cipline in his Church before he had one, that 
 therefore there (hould be none after it was 
 eftabliihed ? This eflablifhment depended 
 upon the fuccels of their preaching, v/hom 
 he comtnifiioned and fent out, that they 
 might teach all nations, baptifnig them in the 
 ?2ame of the Father^ ami of the Sofi^ and of f be 
 Holy Ghofi. And as thcfe had the honour to 
 be fellow labourers ninth God, whofe hif 
 bandry and building we are^ fo he left with 
 them a power to fet in order things that were 
 neceffary for the better regulation and govern- 
 ment of it. This was the only proper feaibn 
 for the doing it, which our Saviour knew 
 better than Mr. Chubb can teach him, and 
 was moft agreeable to the reafun of things. 
 For it would found very prepoilerous for any 
 one to give inftrudtions about furnifhing an 
 houfe, before the v/alls were built, or even 
 the foundation laid. 
 
 Though therefore our Savionr fliould not 
 only forbid it, but repeat the prohibition o^'^^ 
 and over, and five hundred times over ; yet this 
 is mifapplied in this place, and is nothing at 
 all to the prefent purpofc. For let it be ob- 
 ferved, with regard to the former of thefe 
 
 places 
 
no An AP01.0GY for the 
 
 places quoted, that though our Saviour takes 
 notice, that the rulers of the Gentiles^ i.e. of 
 all the nations upon earth, exercife dominion 
 over their refpedive fubjeds ^ yet he is very 
 far from condemning all dominion, fuperio- 
 rity, or pre-eminence, in any fettled and fixed 
 government ; for he calls it, in the next claufcj 
 exercifing authority over them^ which he 
 would fcarce do, was it not a power which 
 they were legally in veiled with. So tliat 
 this only feryes to check their pridcj regu- 
 late their miflaken notions, and remind them 
 of their true fl:ate and condition ^ i. e. That io 
 long as he was v/ith themj they were all in a 
 liate of inferiority with refped to him, as their 
 mafterj all coequal, with refped to each 
 other, as fellowMifciples j that they were not 
 to fet their hearts upongreatnefs any more than 
 their mafter had, becaufe they would be dis- 
 appointed, if they did 3 that it would be their 
 lot to be difperfed over the face of the earth in 
 a wretched unfettled afflided ftate j that, like 
 their mafter, they were not to be minifiered 
 imto^ but to minijler in his name to all people; 
 and as he was to give his life a ranjbm for 
 many, fo were they to lay dovv^n their lives in 
 defence of that Gofpel, or great good news, that 
 that ranfom by his death was paid. 
 
 And were not thefe words literally true .? 
 Were they not prophetick of wl^iat they 
 were to do and fuller ? And was not everv 
 
 thincr 
 
Mkijlers of Jesus Christ. 1 1 r 
 
 thing, here foretold to them, exactly com- 
 pleatcd and brought to pafs ? This is what a 
 man of Mr. Chiibb'% great attainments cannot 
 well be ignorant of; and therefore to draw an 
 inference from hence, that becaufe there was 
 not to be, neither in the nature of things 
 could there be, any authority, ^c. n that 
 unfetded ftate, therefo.re there was to be 
 none when it came to be fettled and eftablifli- 
 ed, is what no man of fair reafoning and argu- 
 ment can allow. For he may as well argue 
 that becaufe they minillered and laid down 
 their lives in that wife, therefore it is as 
 neceffary and indifpenfible a duty for ^// his 
 difciples and followers in general, to imitate 
 them in thofe particulars. 
 
 The other paflage, which he has ^o un- 
 fairly quoted, not only confirms what I have 
 laid down; but likewife concludes much 
 ftronger againft him. 
 
 Tihe Scribes and Pharlfees (fays our Saviour) 
 fit in Mofes his feat ; ^//, therefore, that they 
 bid you obferve, that objerve^ and do ^. Here 
 (we fee) Ch r ist is fo far from fetting afide 
 all authority, fuperiority, &c. that he takes 
 all poflible care to connrm and eftablifli it. 
 Whatfoever they bad them ^bferve^ that 
 were they to obferve^ and do : And, that for 
 this reafon, becaufe they fat in Mofes his feat. 
 
 » Matth. xxiii. 3. 
 
 Had 
 
112. An Avoi^OQt for the 
 
 Had our Saviour forefeen as doubtlefs he did, 
 what evil confequences men, in latter times, 
 would draw from his following words, he could 
 not have poffibly taken more care to prevent it 
 l3y the preface. Thefe words were fpoken to 
 the multitude, and to hisdifciples^ whom doubt- 
 lefs he conlidered as fuch ^ and yet he conti- 
 nues them under the fame authority and domi- 
 nion, G?r. under which he found them. For 
 ' what greater fuperiority on the one hand^ and 
 fubjedion on the other, can be implied, than 
 for the one to command^ or fpeak the word, and 
 the other to obey ? And yet this is what our 
 Saviour here enjoins, thoiugh Mr. Chubb 
 denies. 
 
 But why does he deny it ? Why does he 
 thus partially quote our Saviour, and make 
 him fpeak quite contrary to his own words ? 
 And why, but to difguife the deceit, and 
 conceal the fallacy, does he begin at the 
 eighth verie inflead of the fecond ? Does 
 our Saviour pull the Scribes and PhariJ'eei 
 out of Mofes his feat ? No, you fee ; but ap- 
 proves of their being there, as their proper 
 place ; and adds his commands, to enforce 
 and give a fantftion to theirs. Had it been 
 otherwife, in all likelihood, they would have 
 fhared' tlie fame fate with thofe that Jbld 
 doves , in the temple % who propbaned that 
 
 " Mattl). x:d. 13. 
 
 houfe 
 
Mimjters of Jesus ChRist. 113 
 
 houfe, which la^s an houfe of prayer^ and by. 
 their trading and tricking made it a den of 
 thieises. 
 
 What v/as it then, that onr Saviour con- 
 demns here ? Why, their exceeding their com- 
 miflion, and adxing contrary to their profef- 
 iion. And here it is the prohibition begins, 
 viz. ^ But do not ye after their works ^ for they 
 fay and do not. They v/ere to mind the pre- 
 cept (it ieems) but not the example of the 
 preceptor. ^ For they bound heavy burdens on 
 other mens fjoulders ; but they thejif elves would 
 not move the?n with one of their fingers. And 
 therefore, he afTures them elfewhere, that 
 unlefs their righteoifnefs Jhoidd exceed the righ- 
 teoujhefs of the Scribes and Pharifees, whom 
 they had fo great an opinion of, and were fo 
 much miftaken in, they Jhoidd in no wife 
 ehter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Our Sa- 
 viour then not only allows in this place, but 
 encourages, nay, exhorts his difciples to ob- 
 ferve proper dirtin(fi:ions, and to acknowledge 
 a juft fubordination of fuperiors and inferiors, 
 placing their Scribes and Pharifees in the for- 
 mer rank, and the multitude and themfelves. 
 in the latter. 
 
 Nay, and what makes this the more re- 
 markable is, that he binds upon them an ob- 
 
 * Maith. xxih. 3. ^ ibid. 4. 
 
 1 fervance 
 
114 -^^^ At^ology for the 
 
 fervance of whatfoever they bad them, even 
 though their pradice was a lie to their pro- 
 feffion, purely on account of this fuperiority, 
 i. e. their being elevated above them in Mofes 
 his feat. So that the drift of the whole is 
 this J inferiors are not to claim an equality 
 with their fuperiors, equals are not to claim a 
 fuperiority over equals, fuperiors are not to 
 tyrannize or domineer over their inferiors. 
 The line of power is not to be ftretched either 
 to us, or from us, /. e. we are neither to re- 
 ceive, nor pay more honour than is due -, but 
 are firft of all to take care that we are right, 
 with regard to the objeBs, and, in the next 
 place, with regard to the degree. 
 
 Under thefe limitations and reftridlions our 
 Saviour leaves us : Thefe are the boundaries, 
 we muft not pafs ; which whofoever goes be- 
 yond, or does not come up to, may be faid 
 either way to offend equally againft this rule. 
 Thefts re2;ulations being; made and obferved, 
 there is no harm in calling any one Rabbi, or 
 father, or majler, &c\ nor did our Saviour (as 
 I think I have proved, even to demonftration) 
 imply any thing like it in this place. 
 
 Had tliere been any harm in the term 
 Ral?i?i iifelf, our Saviour had never fuffered it 
 to have paiTed unrebuked in thofe perfons, 
 who applied it to himfelf j and yet we find 
 A^^/Zw;/V/ calling him by this name, without 
 
 the 
 
Minifters of Jesus Christ* 115 
 
 the leaft reproof, Rabbi ^ thou art the fin of 
 God ^ : Nay, fo far was he from reproving 
 him, that he gives this honourable teftimony 
 of him, that he was an Ifraelite indeed^ in 
 whom was no guile. 
 
 • John i. 49. 
 
 ■v»ii>i— i«*N»toaMaM 
 
 I 1 SECT. 
 
ii6 ^n kfO'LOGY for the 
 
 SECT. IX. 
 
 ^"T^ O imprint this virtue of humility ililt 
 
 J_ deeper in the minds of his difciples, 
 
 jufl at his eating the pafTover with them, he 
 
 poured water into a bafon, and bega7t to ivafi 
 
 his difciples feet ^ &c. ^ So after he had waflied 
 
 their feet, and was fet down again, he faid 
 
 unto them, Know you what I have done to 
 
 you ? Te call me. Lord, ajid Mafler j and ye 
 
 fay wellj for fo I am. Here, you fee, he 
 
 comrnends them for calling him, Mafter, and 
 
 Lord : 2'e fay well, fays he. And why did 
 
 they fay well ? Fcrfo I ain. Had they called 
 
 him by any other name than what belonged 
 
 to him, they had faid ill, and had met 
 
 with a reprimand. But he was the true 
 
 Rabbi, or Dodtor, as Nicodemus recognizes 
 
 him. Rabbi, fays he, we know that thou art 
 
 a teacher come from God. To acknowledge 
 
 any other teacher befides him ( during his' 
 
 ftay amongft them ) was, in a manner, to 
 
 * John xiii. 4. 5. 
 
 with- 
 
krj of Jesus Christ. 117 
 
 withdraw themfelves from under his tuition, 
 and to fet up themfelves, as it were, in op^ 
 poUtion to liim. 
 
 But when their Mailer was taken from 
 their head, upon his afcenfion into Heaven, 
 and the defcent of the Holy Ghoft, they all, 
 and each of them commenced Rabbi' s, or 
 teachers fent from God. They had before 
 received their commifiion from Chr ist, viz. 
 Go ye, and teach all nations'" ', and, by this 
 means, they were now enabled to put it in 
 execution. They were no longer then to 
 be treated as fcholars, but majiers; not as 
 learners, but as teachers: unlefs Mr. Chubb 
 can find out fome new method to inform us, 
 how they could teach all nations, without 
 being Teachers ? hov/ they could make dif- 
 ciples, without being Majiers ? The cafe was 
 quite altered now\ they fucceeded into the 
 place of him, whom they did well in calling 
 Lord and MaJ'ter ; becaufe he was fo : nor 
 did any one ill in calling them, after this al- 
 teration. Rabbi, or Father, or Mafter, for 
 the fame reafon j /. e. becaufe really, and in 
 iadt, they were fo. Thus we find St. Paul, 
 in many places in his epiftles, challenging the 
 name oi Father to himfelf ; which, I believe, 
 he would fcarce have done, had he not been. 
 
 ' fjt<t^nliv<r<tji '}riiv]<t, to. ^v», make all the Gentiles, or 
 Heathens, your difciples. 
 
 I3 
 
ii8 An Av 01.0 GY for the 
 
 fully affured, that in fo doing he was not 
 guilty of acting contrary to his Lord and 
 Mafter's Prohibition. Thus, in i Cor. iv. 
 14, 15. I write 7iot thefe things^ fays he, to 
 Jha?neyoti, but as my beloved Sons ^ I warn you -, 
 for thd you have ten thoujand inflrudiors in 
 Chrijij yet have ye not many Fathers. For i?i 
 Chriji yefus have I begotten you through the 
 GoJpeL Thus again to the fame Corinthians ^ 
 IJpeak to you, fays he, as unto my children^. 
 
 To heap up quotations of this kind would 
 be needlefs and fuperiiuous. V/erc not thefq 
 fufficient, every one acquainted with the 
 Scriptures can readily furnifli himfelf with 
 more, for ftronger proof. From hence then 
 it appears, that Mr. Chubb has miflaken or 
 mifreprefented our Saviour's meaning in this 
 place, which feems to me to be plainly this, 
 not that there {hould be no manner of diftin- 
 Biojis J but that they {hould not be made, where 
 there is no difference ; and even where a dif- 
 ference was difcernable, that the diftindfion 
 fhould be proportionable to it j fliouid be in 
 nowife extravagant, or beyond meafure ^ leafl 
 the one part, through a m.eannefs and dejed'ion 
 of fpirit, fhould feed the pride and vanity of 
 the other, and thereby pat it into their will 
 and power to treat them as lejs than men, for 
 being treated by them as fomewhat more. 
 
 ^ 2 Cor. vi, 13. 
 
 For 
 
Mimjlers of Jesus Christ. 119 
 
 For fliould this paiHige be iinderilood 
 flridly, and according to the letter, there 
 would be an end to all croil and natural rela- 
 tions. Did this prohibition extend itfelf to 
 all the difciples and folio v/ers of Christ, it 
 would not be lawful for any Clirifiian either 
 to call another, or to be called by him, 71^- 
 Jlcr 3 Neither be ye called^ Mafter-^ for one is 
 yotir Majier^ even Ch'Sli^.t . Nor would it 
 be allowable for any man to call even the 
 parent that begat him, Father -^ becaufe he 
 adds, Qill no man your father upon earth. This 
 would be carrvins; of it much further than 
 ever our Saviour, or than even this judicious 
 expofitor, intended it {hould be carried; and 
 yet notwithftanding, this confequence is un- 
 avoidable, upon the prefent fuppofition. To 
 what purpofe then would be all the dire(ftions 
 of St. Paul concerning relative duties tov/ards 
 each other ? Majiers^ fays he, give unto your 
 fervants that luhich is equal, knowing that ye 
 alj'o have a Mafter in Heaven ^. Servants be 
 obedient to them that are your majiers accor- 
 ding to the jieJJd, with fear, and trembling, and 
 Jinglenefs of heart, as unto Christ ^ Te fa-^ 
 thers, provoke not your children to wrath, hut 
 breed the?n up in the nurture and admonition of 
 ^he Lord^, God commanded, faying. Honour 
 
 ^ Colof. iv. I. ^ Ephef. vi. 5, 6. '' Ephef. vi. 4. 
 I 4 thy 
 
IIP An Apology ySr the 
 
 th^ father and thy mother s And thefe word^ 
 laft quoted are our Saviour's own, fpoke up- 
 on an occafion not very foreign to our pre- 
 fent purpofe. The Scribes and Pharifees ac- 
 cufe our Saviour's difciples to him, for tranf- 
 grefiing the traditions of the Elders, in that 
 tbey eat bread ivith imupajhen hands ^. Upon 
 v/hich our Saviour recriminates upon them, 
 and charges them home witli fomething of a 
 more heinous nature ; /. e. the violation of 
 a pofitive command of God's : "" Why do you 
 alfo^ faid he, tranfgrejs the connnandment of 
 God by your tradition "^ And that his charge 
 might not fall unfupported, he infcances in 
 the fifth commandment, /. e. the firft of thq 
 fecond table, which God had diftinguiflied 
 above all the reft, by annexing the bleffing of 
 length of days to the obfervance of. For 
 God commanded^ fiy^'^S^ Honour thy father 
 and thy mother. But ye fay^ i. e. in oppofi- 
 tion to this commandment of his, ^ JVhoJbever 
 fiall fay to his father or mother^ It is a gift 
 by lohatfoever thou tnightft be profited by me^ 
 and honour not his father or his mother^ he 
 fhall be free. Thus have ye made the command- 
 mcnt of God of none effeB 1)y your traditions. 
 
 Here then thefe hypocrites, who were fo 
 fiudious of men's applaufe, that they loved 
 
 ' ^latth. XV. 4. ^ Ver. 2. <= Ver. 3. ^ Ver. 5, 6. 
 
 tQ 
 
Mimjlers of Jesus Christ. 121 
 
 t.0 be called Rabbi ^ and Mafter^ and Father^ 
 h^d found out a new method to invalidate 
 the precept, and to excufe men for tranf- 
 greffing a duty bound upon them by all the 
 tyes of nature, as well as by the exprefs com- 
 mandment of God. They had transferred 
 to themfelves the honour due to their father 
 and their mother ; and, by enjoining their 
 ov/n tradition in oppolition to God's own 
 words, had thereby greatly difhonoured him, 
 and even denied the aiitkority of the com-r 
 mandment, as the word in the original 
 ( vj/tupwcarg ) ftridly and properly fignifies. So 
 that the words of Ifaiah^ which our Saviour 
 there fubjoins, are as pertinent as they are 
 fevere ; '^Siz. ^ Te hypocrites ! well did Efaias 
 prophejy of you, f^yi^g-, T^^i^ people draweth 
 nigh unto me with their mouths, and honoureth 
 tne with their lips, but their heart is far from 
 me. But in vain do they worjhip me, teach- 
 ing for dodlrines the commandments of men. 
 
 Here then we fee, that our Saviour is for 
 keeping up and maintaining all proper diftin- 
 6tions, whether natural or civil-, is for withr 
 holding from no one the precife honour that 
 is their due j is only for reftraining it as to 
 the objedl and degree : And this is what St. 
 Taul confirms, though it n'eeded not his con- 
 firmation, '' Kender therefore to all their dues^ 
 
 =» Matth. XV. 8, 9. Kom. xiii. 7. 
 
 trihut^^ 
 
122 An Apology yor the 
 
 tribute to ivkom tribute is due, cufiom to ivhom 
 cuJ'tom,fear to ivkom fear, honour to whom honour. 
 The moil ufual and familiar appellation 
 that Chriflians go by in this, and all other 
 nations, whether in fpeech or writing, is that 
 oi Majier, or Sire. Thefe are only terms of 
 civility and mutual refped:^ and, I believe, 
 were fcarce ever underflood as a breach of 
 this negative command of our Saviour's. If 
 fo, we have all been heinous tranfgreilors 
 indeed ! 
 
 How then could Mr. Chubb himfelf call 
 any one Mafier, or be called by him Majter, 
 in com^mon converfation ? And yet, I dare 
 fay, he is as well pleafed with thefe outv/ard 
 marks of civility, as other folks ; and would 
 take it as much amifs to be treated in coarfer 
 terms. How can he jullify himfelf in ac- 
 cofting his readers with the appellation. Sirs? 
 ^ Sirs, I have in the following, ^c. How, for 
 calling any man Father^ as he does a favou- 
 rite writer in many places of his treatife? 
 Father Paul, Father Paul ^. Call no man your 
 Father, neither be ye called Majter. 
 
 This is the charge which Christ has gi- 
 ven, and this the fenfe in which that charge 
 mufl be underRood : and therefore the infe- 
 rence, which Mr. Chubb draws from hence, 
 
 ^ Vide Ckubb to the Reader, p. 6i . ^ Vide page 90 
 
 mice, 93, 9-1, 57, 99. 
 
 is 
 
Mlmjlers of Jesus Christ. 125 
 
 is forced and unnatural, viz, *' and therefore 
 *' reverend^ right reverend^ and mojl reve- 
 " rend fathers in God, and all other badges 
 ** ofdmindion, and marks of honour, pre- 
 *' eminence, and ' fiiperiority, or dominion, 
 " which take place, and which ferve to in- 
 *' troduce a groundlefs refpedl and veneration 
 " for the perfons of men, and a groundlefs 
 ** fubmiirion to their pretended authority, 
 ** are not only not chriftian, but the moil 
 " grofs anti-chriilianifm, as they are fet up in 
 " oppofition to, and in defiance of Christ's 
 " authority, and his fpecial charge and com- 
 *' mand to the contrary." 
 
 For this command of our Saviour's, to the 
 contrary {jpecial as it is in regard to its fab- 
 jed:) is notwithftanding iiniverfal v/ith regard 
 to its extent, and comprehends under it all 
 the difciples, and followers of Christ, v/ith- 
 out exception ; and, as fach, is common both 
 to Laicks and Clergy. So that he might from 
 hence have drawn this inference, as well as ^ 
 what he did, viz, therefore worfmpful^ right 
 'worjhipfid^ honourable , right honourable^ his 
 excellency^ his grace, his royal highnefs, his 
 majejiy, and all other badges of diftinfiion, 
 and marks of honour, &c. are not only not 
 
 =" Vide BiiTiop Hoadlefi briefclefenceof epifcopal ordination. 
 Pgc353> e^aiibi. 
 
 " chriilian, 
 
124 ^'^ Apology yir the 
 
 " chriflian, but the moft grofs anti-chriilla- 
 " nifm, as they are fet up in oppofition to, 
 " and in defiance of Christ's authority, 
 " and his fpecial charge and command to the 
 " contrary." 
 
 But this, at the firfl: glance, muft appear ri- 
 diculous and abfurd to any perfon of mode- 
 rate reafon and refledtion, unlefs he can prove 
 that the perfons, thus dignified and diftin- 
 guifhed amongft us, are not in the number of 
 Christ's difciples and followers. This re- 
 ped; and veneration for the perfons of men, 
 accordino- to thefe diftindlions, is fo far from 
 being groimdlefs, that they are founded in 
 our very notion of the nature and being of a 
 God y are fo far from being fet up in oppo^ 
 lition to, and in defiance of Christ's autho- 
 rity, that it is not only moil: confonant and 
 agreeable to it, but \s fupported by it, and is 
 X^sit fupport of it. That homage and venera- 
 tion, vi^hich we pay to our earthly monarchs ; 
 that title oiMajeJty, with which they are dig- 
 nified and diflinguilhed, are not {lri6lly/>^;yo- 
 nal^ but relative, God is fupreme, the only 
 unoriginated fountain of honour and power 
 both in Heaven and Earth. Kings, and all 
 other fupreme magiftrates of any other de- 
 nominations, are God's vicegerents and re- 
 prefentatives on earth. / have J'aid there be 
 Godsmany\ and Lords manj^ and, as fuch, are 
 
 entitkc( 
 
Mimjlers of Jesus Christ. 125 
 
 entitled to refpedt arid veneration on very 
 good grounds; becaufe the honour paid to 
 them terminates ultimately in that God, by 
 whom Kings reign y and Princes decree jufiice. 
 
 Kings and Princes then being on earth, the 
 fountains of all honour under God, may de- 
 rive what fhare of it they pleafe to their fub- 
 jedts 3 which is greater or lefs, the nearer or 
 more diftant they are from the fountain's 
 head. No marks of honour then, with 
 which they are diftinguifhed by the Prince, 
 introduce a groundlefs refpeSi or ve^ieration for 
 the perfons of thefe men, unlefs ftretched be- 
 yond his Majefty's intention, and their com- 
 mifiion ; nor is a fubmiflion to their autho- 
 rity groiindlefsy or that authority pretended^ 
 unlefs it be firft proved, that that is fo, from 
 whence it is derived. 
 
 The refpedt and veneration therefore paid 
 to the Clergy is no more groundlefs than what 
 is paid to their Lay-brethren^ even on this ac- 
 count ; becaufe it is derived from the fame 
 fountain with theirs, and the badges of di- 
 ftindlion amongft them are affixed by the 
 fame authority j and therefore the terms re- 
 verendj right reverend, and mo/l reverend 
 fathers in God given to them, are no more 
 antichriftian than the terms ivorfiipfid, right 
 'worpnpfuly ^c. are, when given to the 
 Laity. 
 
 This 
 
126 An Apology ^r the 
 
 This then we hold in common with therti* 
 But there is another confideration of a much 
 higher and nobler nature, which neceflarily 
 and unavoidably diftinguiflies its from them^ I 
 mean our being called aiide from fecular 
 things, and fet apart to wait at the altar, to 
 minifter in holy things, /. e. things belonging 
 unto God. And here the diftindion made 
 before holds good again. The terms reve- 
 rend ^ right reverend^ and 7noft reverend fa- 
 thers in God, which are beftowed upon the 
 different orders and degrees of the Clergy, are 
 not perfonal but relative. 
 
 The Ckj^gy ^, as the very name imports in 
 the original, are the peculiar inheritance of the 
 Lord's. We are not only his people in the 
 fame fenfe with them ; but are appointed by 
 God himfelf, and fet over them, as fliepherds 
 over the JJjeep of his pafture. By the very 
 nature therefore, amd delign of our office, 
 which is of God's own inflitution, we are 
 drawn into a clofer alliance, and contrad: a 
 nearer relation unto him. We are called to 
 be the immediate fervants of God, make a 
 part of his own family and houihold. And 
 as the things, about which we are converfant, 
 thus nearly relate to that high and holy one 
 that inhabiteth eternity ; fo both they^ and the 
 perfons officiating in them, receive the deno- 
 
 • Vide Leigh' & Critica facra in 'vocem K^]£$f- 
 
 mination 
 
Mw/Jlers of JESUs Christ. 127 
 
 mination hoiy, purely on account of this 
 office and relation. 
 
 This is no more than is intimated by God 
 himfelf in the cliapter before quoted % where 
 giving to Mojes his fpecial dirediions concern- 
 ing the habits of the Priefls and High Prieft, 
 he charges him to ?/2ake a plate of pure gold^ 
 "ivkich ivas to be put on thefore-front of Aaron *j 
 mitre^ and to grave on it, as with the en- 
 gravings of a fignet, Holinefs unto the Lord. 
 Whatfoever place God has been pleafed to 
 honour with his prefence, whatfoever /j^r/o/? 
 or thing has been honoured with his accept- 
 ance, that is fo far, and on that account, holy. 
 Thus, when God appeared to Mcfes at the 
 burning of the bufh, upon his nearer approach 
 to behold the wondrous iight, God forbad 
 him to draw nigh thither, but to put his 
 fhoes from off his feet, for this reafon, For the 
 place whereon thou ftandeft is holy ground. 
 Thus, the facrifice, (as the word denotes) 
 i. e. the very beafl: was holy that was offer- 
 ed to the Lord, and even the altar on which 
 that offering was made. ^ Seven days, fays 
 God, Jkalt thou make an atonement for the 
 cltar, andfknSlify it, and it Jhall be an altar 
 mo ft holy, whatfoever toucheth the altar paU 
 be holy. 
 
 * Exod. xxviii. *" £xod. xxix. 37. 
 
 And 
 
1x8 -^n Apology y^T the 
 
 And not only the perfons v/aiting at tlii? 
 altar were ^c^, but even the very garments^ 
 wherewith they were clothed, were holy. 
 Thus Aaron and his fons were to be hallow^ 
 ed^^y to be confecrated^ ^ to be fanSiijied^^y 
 that they might minii^er to God in the 
 Priefl's office ; and the holy garment^ of Aaron 
 were to be his fons after him, to be anointed 
 therein^ and to be conj'ecrated in them ^. The 
 oil, wherewith they were to be anointed, 
 was holy; the njeffels anointed with it were 
 holy, and whatfoever toucheth them jhall be 
 holy ^. 
 
 This is the language of Mofes, under the 
 firft covenant, and the phrafe of the Evange- 
 lifts and Apoftles agreeth thereto under the 
 fecond. Thus 'Jenifalem is called 'hpocoKv^cc^ 
 or the holy city j the temple called 'lepov, the 
 holy place ; the lirft tabernacle was called «y/«, 
 the fanBiiary^ the fecond within the vail was 
 called «y^« a.ym'i^ or the holy of holies ; the 
 Priefls, who went always into the firfl taber- 
 nacle, accomplifhing the fervice of God, or, 
 according to our modern phrafe, performing 
 divine fervice, are called 'leps^?, or the holy per- 
 Jons J and the High Prieft, who %ent alone 
 once every year into the fecond tabernacle, 
 ipxi^pevg^ OT chief holy per/bn. 
 
 " Exod. xxJx. I . '' Verfe 9. '^' Terfe 44. 
 
 ^ Verfe 29. ' Verfe 37. 
 
 Fi-omc 
 
Mlmjiers of Jesus Christ. xk) 
 
 From whence, I would fain know, did all 
 thefe receive their feveral denominations of 
 holy f not from any inherent holinefs, I ween ; 
 becaufe things inanimate, at leaft, are incapa- 
 ble of that, but from that relation, which 
 they flood in to God. And if things inani- 
 mate, on that account, were entitled to that 
 appellation j then furely much more fo were 
 the psrfons of the Priefts, whofe daily mi- 
 niftration was about thefe holy things. An4 
 this is what God himfelf not only afferts, 
 but affigns this very reafon for it, ^ Thev fiall 
 be holy unto their God, ^c. For the offerings 
 of their God made by fire ^ and the bread of 
 their God do they offer ; therefcrt they Jhall 
 be holy. This again is repeated, . ^ Thoufialt 
 fan5lify him therefore, for he ofereth the 
 bread of thy God : he Jhallbe holy unto thee, 
 
 => Levit. xxi. 6. ^ Ver. 2. 
 
 K SECT. 
 
tjo An Apology for th 
 
 SEC T. ^0 
 
 N" O W, unlefs Mr. ChM will deny, that 
 re'verence is to be paid to holy things, or 
 things pertaining to God, purely on account 
 of their relation to him j then neither can hq 
 deny it to perfons adminiftring in holy things ; 
 becaufe the arguments, when applied to per- 
 fons, hold, as above, 2i fortiori , i. e, conclude 
 ftronger in favour of them : And if reverence 
 is to be paid to the Clergy for the reafons be- 
 fore affigned ; then the epithet reverend^ 
 when applied to the Clergy^ is very proper 
 ^ndju/ij becaufe the objects of this reverence ^ 
 or veneration, which you pleafe. 
 
 This is not only agreeable to the will of 
 God, as fet forth in holy writ ; but to the 
 very nature and reafon of things. Wherever 
 profeffion has been made of any religion, 
 whether true or falfe, this has been one tenet 
 entertained in common by all mankind, that 
 reverence was to be paid to the Prieji of that 
 deity, whom they were about to worfhip i 
 Nor could they imagine that their offerings 
 ■'■■■■ ^ ■' or 
 
Mlmjlers of Jesus Christ. 131 
 
 or facrifices could be acceptable to him, 
 fliould they dijhomur that per/on, through 
 whofe hands they were to be conveyed. 
 This was one of thofe general impreflions, 
 which God had made on the mind of man; 
 nor wanted he any other guide than the light 
 of nature to direct him into this truth. Nay, 
 fo far had they carried this notion, that they 
 thought the honour^ or diJJjonoiir done to the 
 perfon of the Prieji, refleded back upon the 
 deity, whom he ferved. Thus Homer, in the 
 very opening of his Iliad, tells us, that Apollo 
 fent a plague throughout the Grecian camp, 
 and the people periihed for no other reafon, 
 but becaufe their leader Agamemnon had dij- 
 honoured his Trieji Chryjes ; that when he 
 came with gifts to fupplicate the redemption 
 of his daughter taken captive, he not only 
 lent him a deaf ear, but gave him foul lan- 
 guage ; difmilTed him with a furly anfwer, 
 and an haughty menace. And this, whether 
 blinded through luft, or drunk with excefs of 
 power, he did contrary to the fentiments of 
 all the reft of the Greeks, whofe opinion uni- 
 verfally it was, that he fliould both reverence 
 the Prieft, and accept his prefents. 
 
 For the benefit of Mr. Chubb, and the reft 
 of my Englijld readers, who have no tafte for 
 the original, I have tranfcribed this paflage of 
 Jiis, as it is beautifully tranflated by Fope : 
 from \vhtnce he and they may be able to 
 
 K 2 difcern 
 
IJ2 \An kvoj^OGY for the 
 
 difcern, that it is no new thing for reverence to 
 be paid to the Prie/is^ and that even the 
 heathens themfelves thought it a part of their 
 religious duty j that it was effential to it, and 
 infeparable from it, 
 
 Dechre^ oh Miifel in what ill fated hour 
 Sprung the fierce j'trife f From what offended 
 
 powr ? 
 Latona'j fon a dire contagion Jpread^ 
 And heafd the camp with moimtaim of the 
 
 dead : 
 ^hc King of Kings the reverend Prieft deffd. 
 And for the King'^ ofhice the people dyd^. 
 
 Thus when Chryfes had told his errand, and 
 ended his fpeech to the King and warriors. 
 
 The Greeks injhouts their joint affent declare^ 
 ^he Priefi to reverence, and releafe the fair ^, 
 
 Nay, to fuch an height had they carried their 
 veneration for their perfons, that they thought 
 no honours too great to be conferred upon 
 
 ^ Lib. I. V. 9. 
 
 ■ ■ A\iKCV% '■^ Aalo*t 
 
 OuviKa ^ X^valuj ini{''.ij<j^ dpin'iipcc 
 
 Pope's Homer, p, 8. 
 
 them 
 
M'mifter's of Jesvs Christ. tjj 
 
 them ; and therefore we often find the offices 
 of King and Prieft united in the fame perfon. 
 Two inflances we find of this in the third 
 book of VirgU's Mnead in the perfons of 
 Anim and Helemis ; which, for the reafon 
 above fpecified^ I have chofen to give rather 
 in the tranllation, than in the original j 
 
 ' Our reverence due to Phcebus'i town we pay ^ 
 And holy Anius meets us on the way 5 
 Anius, whoje brow the wreaths and laureh 
 
 grace, 
 Priefi:o/7/'^GoD, ^//^Sov'reign of the place* 
 
 Pitt. 
 
 And again, 
 
 ^ AftonijVd here a ft range report we found, 
 *That Trojan Helenas /?z Greece was crown' d, 
 TJoe captive PriJice, viSiorious Pyrrhus dead I 
 At once fucceeded to his throne and bed. 
 
 Pitt. 
 
 This {ame.Iielenus we find fhortly after offer- 
 ing facrifice to the Gods, and performing 
 other divine rites, whom Mneas accofts in 
 this wife, 
 
 => Pitt's Virgil, page 127. V. 104. 
 ^ Pitt, page 142. V. 393. 
 
 K 4. facred 
 
1^4 ^''^ Apology for the 
 
 » facred Prince of Troy, to whom *fis 
 given 
 
 Tofpeak events^ and fear ch the will of Hea- 
 ven^ 
 
 ll.^e fecret mi?id of Phoebus to declare ^ &c. 
 
 Inftru^l me, facred feer ^c. 
 
 Pitt. 
 
 And as the Pnefts of eveiy denomination 
 amongll: the Romans were counted facred, as 
 well as amongft the Greeks, which that ge- 
 neral Name Sacerdotes (agreeable to their 
 lepeis) by which they were all promifcuoufly 
 called, implies j fo he that prefided over the 
 reft, next to th? chief Pontiff, was called by 
 them, rex facronim, or rex facr if cuius, i. e. 
 King of the holy things, ox facrifices ^, 
 
 If the heathens then, intruded only by 
 nature, held their Priefs in fuch high vene- 
 ration J if fuch revereme was thought due to 
 thofe, who miniftred about xhtw falfe deities, 
 fhall it be with-held from thofe who wait at 
 the altar of the only livi?ig and true God ? 
 But if it was not with-held, nor to be with- 
 held (without an hfiront to the divine Majefty) 
 from the peffons of the Priefts under the 
 legal difpenfation ; then neither can it, with 
 
 » Pitt, page 147. y.^y-j. 
 
 ^ P'iffe Coihuiv'i Antiq'p. 36. Kennet, p. 74. 
 
 fafety^ 
 
Mhitjlers of Jesus Christ. 135 
 
 fdfety, be with-held from the Miniflers of 
 Jesus Christ under the Gofpel. Our 
 claim (if there is ought in the reafon of things) ' 
 
 is ftronger than theirs ; and we are entitled 
 rather to higher degrees o{ reverence than they ; 
 feeing that JesUs, whom we preach, was a 
 lawgiver by far fuperior to Mojes, an High 
 Priefl by far fuperior to Aaroji. For this 
 man^ i.e. Christ Jesus, faith the apoftle, 
 *was counted worthy of more glory than Mofes, 
 inafmuch as he, that buildeth the hoiife, hath 
 more honour than the hoiife =*. Mofes verily was 
 faithfid in all his houfe, as a fervant -, ^ but 
 Christ as a Jon over his own houfe. Jesus 
 was made a jiirety of a better tejiament, being 
 an "" High Friefl for ever after the order of 
 Melchifedec. Vnder the law truly there were 
 many Priefts, becaufe they were not fuffered to 
 continue by reafon of death. But this man, be- 
 taufe he continueth for ever, hath an unchange- 
 nblepriefthood^. The inference therefore pro- 
 pofed to be drawn from hence, I hope, will 
 ftand its ground, viz. that the PrieJ'ts under 
 the fecond covenant, or Minifters of Jesus 
 Christ, fervingthe God of ^^?/, i. e. the 
 fame God, whom the Priefts of the tribe of 
 Levi ferved under the former covenant, are 
 entitled at leaft to equal reverence with them 
 
 » Heb. iii. 3. ^ ver. 5. 
 
 « Heb. V, 6. 10. ib. vii. 21. ib. 24. 
 
 K 4 fro?ri. 
 
136 An KvQiLOGT for the 
 
 from all true worfliippers of this God. And 
 if fo, the term, reverejtd^ will appear peculiarly 
 and properly theirs ; from whence it likewife 
 follows in a chain, that the terms, right reve^ 
 rend, ?noJi r ever end , &c. are equally juft and 
 applicable. 
 
 For let it be remembered, as a general rule 
 of the apoflle's, that all thmgs in the Church 
 were to be doiie^ not only decently, but in order. 
 'Tis necelTary to the government and well* 
 being of every Body, whether great or fmall, 
 that there be a decent and regular fabordina^ 
 tion of the parts one to another. And if fo 
 in all others, why not fo in ^ the Churchy 
 which is the myjlical body 0/" Christ ? God 
 is a God of order, not of confufion j every 
 thing about him therefore mufl be decent and 
 orderly. 
 
 This is what nature didates, and tlie Apo- 
 ' file here enjoins, as the words v."-"^^ T»bv in the 
 original moil fully exprefs. For this I take 
 to be a ?mlitary term, and fignihes flridily 
 according to rraik ; a term fo peculiarly be- 
 longing to the fcldiery, that Tcinnnci (2. word 
 derived from the fame fountain) is ufed by 
 Grt'd'i Authors to fignify the whole artjvjlitary, 
 and, as fuch, is adopted into our language, and 
 called TaBicks ^ to this very day. Can any 
 
 " Ephef. i. 2 2;, 23. 
 
 ^ Vide EiVwpov.T^Vf^iHa.ii'. Scap. Lex in-voccm. Bay/c/s 
 Univerfal Didionaiy. 
 
 thing 
 
Minlfters o/" Jesus Christ. i^y 
 
 thing now be conceived, that can convey to 
 ns a ftronger idea of order and regularity, than 
 a well inftrucfted, well difciplified ixmy-, where 
 there is fuch a gradual afce?it and defcent^ fuch 
 different ranks of commanders and j'ubalterns^ 
 from the general^ down to the private man ? 
 Such, as to its ranks and dijcipUne, ought the 
 Church of God to be; in allulion to which 
 he is fo frequently called the Lord of Hojis in 
 the Old Teftament^ as his fon is called the 
 Captain of our fahation in the 7iew. His Church 
 here on earth is called the Church militant^ 
 ■at our entrance into which we folemnly en- 
 gage ourfelves, by facrament, to continue his 
 faithfid foldiers unto our lives end. 
 
 If there are to be degrees then in the cede- 
 Jiaftical hierarchy^ the meanefl officer . of 
 wliich is entitled to fome iliare of reverence 
 and veneration, purely for God's fike, whofe 
 Minifters they are ; certainly it will fol low, that 
 the r^'u^rd'7zrt' and veneration that is to be paid to. 
 them, muft bear a proportion to that degree in 
 which they are placed ; fo that the higheft 
 in ftation lliould be higheft in reverence ; and 
 if fo, then the terms right reverend^ and mojl 
 reverend fathers in God, i. e. fathers in a figu- 
 rative and fpiritual fenfe, are due to the Clergy 
 of the higheft rank, i.e. the Bidiops and 
 Archbidiops, to whom they are applied. 
 
 Thefe^ and all other badges of dif A net ion made 
 ufe of amongft us, fei ve only to introduce a 
 
 well- 
 
ijS An Av 61^0 GY for the 
 
 well-grounded veneration for the Miiiifters of 
 Jesus Christ, and Preachers of his Gofpel, 
 fuch as is agreeable to the whole tenor of 
 fcriptiire, the prad:ice of all ages and coun- 
 tries, as well barbarous as civilized, and in 
 a fpecial manner agreeable to the nature and 
 reafon of things. And as the power of call- 
 ing forth to this dignity is flill lodged in the 
 hands of the Prince, it would be argument 
 enough, one would think, to flop Mr. Chubb' s 
 clamours, even on his own principles (was 
 he but conliftent with himfelf) to fay in. the 
 words of Hci?nan, Thus Jhall it be done to the 
 inan^ ^whotn the King delighteth to honour ^. 
 
 Our Author, I thank him, is not quite fo 
 flrait lac'd, as to prohibit Chriftians (as Chri- 
 ftians) *'from rendering to their fellow Chri- 
 ** flians honour,^ even double honour, to 
 ** whom it is due : " But then you muft let 
 him prefcribe the bounds, and point out to 
 whom it is due, to v/hom not. It muft be 
 rendered, lays he, to fuch " of their fellow 
 " Chriftians, who by their virtue and good 
 " works have rendered themfelves v/orthy of 
 '' it;" which no body can deny, i.e. pro- 
 'tided all the while they are not of the Clergy: 
 And who, I pray, f]:iall be appointed /^^(^f in 
 •^this matter ? What officers chofen to take ant 
 efliriiate of each man's virtue and good 
 works 3 and to determine proportionably the 
 
 ^ Efther V. 9. » 
 
 precifd 
 
M'pitjlers of jEsus Christ. 159 
 
 precife degree of honour that fliall be his lot ? 
 Shall we truft for dired:ion in thefe matters to 
 the word of God, and the wife injiitutions of 
 GMi forefathers founded thereupon ? Or fliall 
 we fhut our eyes, and give ourfelves up to be 
 led by a blind guide ^ and run the rilk of fliaring 
 one common fate with him ? If the former^ 
 which, I hope, all fober thinking people 
 would befl approve of, that inftrudts us 
 whom we are to pay this double honour to ; 
 Let the "Elders^ faith St. Faid to timothy, that 
 rule ivelly be counted worthy of double homur^ 
 ejpecially they who labour in the word and doc- 
 trine ^, Had our Author read but this chap- 
 ter in the original, underftood it rightly, and 
 behaved according to the Apoftle's injunctions, 
 fuch pofitions, as he has laid down, had 
 never dropped from his pen. The Riders^ 
 as it is rendered in our tranflation, lignify 
 PreJbyterSj or Triefts.^ i.e. the fecond order 
 of the Minifters of Jesus Christ, and 
 Preachers of his Gofpel. And thefe,- you 
 fee (if St. Paulas words may be taken) were 
 fo far from being precluded from all pre- 
 eminence and fuperiority, that they were ad- 
 mitted to rule, i. e. with a fatherly and paflo- 
 ral authority, over their refpeiiive flocks ; 
 were entitled to double honour, if they ruled 
 'well, efpecially if they laboured in the word 
 
 ^ I Tim. V, 17. 
 
 and 
 
140 An Apology y^r the 
 
 mid doBrine. ^ And what was this double ho* 
 nour, think you ? Why, their perfons were 
 to be treated wiih outward decent marks of 
 refped:, and provifion made for the fupport and 
 maintenance of themfelves and families. And 
 this is what may gathered from the follow^ 
 verfe, which otherwife has no coherence with 
 the preceding, though brought in as a reafon 
 and an argument to fupport it. For the Scrips 
 ture faith ^ Thoujhalt not muzzle the ox, that 
 treadeth out the corn " j and the labourer is wor-^ 
 thy of his hire. 
 
 But what is \K\% folemii trifer about all this 
 while J that, like ihejiztyrs guejf, blows both 
 hot and cold, and condemns and approves in 
 the iame breath ? He allows honour, even 
 double honour, to be rendered, to whom it is 
 due J and who they are, I have informed 
 him, by " {hewing fuch outward decent 
 " marks of refpeft, as are agreeable to the 
 " uiages and cuftoms of the age, and place 
 " in which they live ; " which is the very 
 thing he is repreheiiding. The terms rc^e^ 
 rend, right reverend, &;c. are outward de- 
 cent marks of efteem, and either are ufages 
 and cuftoms of the age and place we live in ; 
 and then, "why does he find fault ? Or, are 
 
 '' ^fVp 5/^/«'s Perpetual government of the Church. 
 « Deut, XXV. 4. 
 
 not 
 
Mimjlers of Jesus Christ. 441 
 
 not the ufages and cuftoms of the age and 
 place we live in ; and then, what does he 
 find fault with ? Are thefe ufages and cu- 
 ftoms difagreeable to the age and place in 
 which we live ? or rather, Are they not 
 grown into ufages and cuftoms from their 
 being agreeable ? Oh ! but he is not for in- 
 troducing a groundlefs veneration for the per- 
 fons of men, as aforefaid ; no, nor I neither, 
 nor any one elfe amongfl us, I hope. No 
 other veneration than what is founded in the 
 word of God, " in the nature and rea- 
 " fon of things j and fuch as is agreeable to 
 " the ufages and cuftoms of the age and place 
 " in which we live." 
 
 Either the Church of God muil be go- 
 verned, or it mufl not be governed. If go- 
 verned; tliere muft be in that, as in other 
 bodies, an head, hands, and feet -, a fupe- 
 riority and inferiority between the governors 
 and the governed : If not governed, what a 
 ftate of anarchy and confufion would this^/- 
 ritual leveller throw every thing into ? Where 
 we fliould all be equals and yet all be upper- 
 mofi'y and each man would confent, like 
 Urincalo in the Tempeji^ that his neighbour 
 fhould be Vice-rov^ provided he might be 
 Vice-roy over him. 
 
 I would not be here thought to be plead- 
 ing my own caufe, as being ambitious or 
 
 fond 
 
i^'i' ^n AvoLOGY fir the 
 
 fond of a title. God knows, that is but a 
 poor and empty gratification. No ! let it be 
 the Revere?id Mr. Chubb for me, or any other 
 higher appellation, which, one would think, 
 he aimed at. All that I would infift upon 
 is this J in which I likewife hope the ferious 
 part of mankind will join with me, that it 
 never went better with the caufe of God 
 and religion, than when a due regard was 
 paid to the perfons of the Clergy^ on ac- 
 count of that God, to whom they have the 
 V honour to be fo nearly related. And thefe, 
 and all other badges of diftinftion, would be 
 fo far from elating and puffing them up ; that, 
 to the confiderate and wife, it would have the 
 quite contrary eifed:, /. e, would humble, 
 and bring them down in their own eyes, 
 v/hen they refledled on the great truft re- 
 pofed in them, and their own infufficiency for 
 'thefe things : And the more reverence they 
 received, the more would they be put in 
 mind, what manner of perfons they ought to 
 be in all holinej's and godly converfatlon^ as 
 faithful ftewards over the houfliold of 
 Christ, that they might give an account 
 ivithjoy^ and not ijoith grief , 
 
 SECT. 
 
Mi»lfter J of JKsvs Christ, J4j 
 
 SECT. XI. 
 
 BUT fuppofing our author underllood 
 thofe paflages of fcripture, which he 
 has quoted, ever fo well ; that he had ap- 
 plied them ever fo juftly, and argued ever 
 fo fairly and conclufively from them (nei- 
 ther of which I have abundantly fhewn to 
 t>e the cafe) fuppofing all this (I fay) and 
 that no badges of diftind:ion, and marks of 
 honour^ were to be allowed among us 3 that 
 they were, as he alTerts them to be, not 
 only not Chriftian 5 but the moft grofs An- 
 tichriftianifm, ^c. Let me beg the favour 
 of him to inform us, where he learnt, that 
 badges of diftincftion, and marks of dijloomur 
 were allowable among us ? How he can re- 
 concile fcurrility and invedive, fcandal and 
 abufe, to the precept, or the pattern of the 
 meek and humble Jesus ? Whether " thefe 
 *' likewife are not only not Chriftian, but 
 " the moft grofs Antichriftianifm, as they 
 ** are fet up in oppofition to, and defiance 
 ^^ of Christ's authority, and his fpecial 
 
 *^ cliarge 
 
144 ^^^ Apology for the 
 
 " charge and command to the contrary V* 
 I fay unto you^ love your enemies^ blefs them 
 that curje you^ do good to tbefn that hate 
 you J and pray for them^ that defpitefully life 
 you, and perfeciite you -, that ye may he the 
 children of your father, which is in Heaven *. 
 Thefe are our Saviour's own words, as they 
 are recorded by St. Matthew, which (as they 
 are not hiftorical, but doSlrinal) may be al- 
 ^ lowed, perhaps by our antagonift himfelf, 
 
 to be in pai't the true Gofpel o/'Jesus Chr ist. 
 Let me aik him then, has he received any 
 of this mal-treatment from the hands of 
 the Clergy, or has he not ? If he has : what 
 a noble opportunity lias he put into his hands 
 of Ihewing himfelf a true Difciple of Jesus 
 Christ, an 'adopted child of our Father 
 which is in heaven ? If he has not : What 
 fliould tempt him, unprovoked, to load a 
 whole body of people with calumny and re- 
 proach ? And how heinous mufl the breach 
 of this pofitive command of Ch r i s t be in 
 him, above all others -, who fets himfelf forth 
 as the Great' Reformer of the age, the Re- 
 former of our Morals, and Religion, both 
 Ipeculative, and practical ? 
 
 But if this fhould appear to be the cafe^ 
 (as it really is) that he often has received, 
 5^nd ftill continues to receive inJlruSlion, and 
 
 ■■ Match, iv. 44, 45. 
 
 "■ benediSlion 
 
M'ipMcrs of Jesus Christ. 145 
 
 hciiedidlion fron^ the month of t^ie pried (as 
 often as he comes with a mind duly pre- 
 pared for the receptioiy) if he has been ad- 
 mitted to partake of the ^ cup of blcf/in^^ 
 nvbich "ive blefs, ivbich is the commtmion of the 
 blood of Christ, whereunto he often is ad- 
 mitted : and has returned contrari wife /w///?!?- 
 for injiruSiion^ rnaledlBlon for bJeffng y with 
 what accnniLilated circumuances of ?////^ is 
 the violation of this co??2?itand attended ? AnA 
 how is the crime aggravated, and enhanced,- 
 by a contempt, both of the inftitution, and 
 the rnfti tutor ; blackened yet farther by in-- 
 gratitude *of the deepefl dye, towards thofe 
 perfons, by whofe miniftration thefe bkfjings 
 are conveyed ? 
 
 Be not overcome of evil^ (faith '$>i. Paid) 
 but overcome evil ivith good ^j which our au- 
 thor, by inverjion^ has ilridtly complied v/ith, 
 /. e. will not be overcome with good i but 
 (if it can by any means be done) will over- 
 come good with evil. And yet this is the 
 man^ that would pafs, if you would let 
 him, for the very pink and pattern of wliat 
 a Chriftian lliould be : "As though his life 
 *' was a beautiful picture of human nature,- 
 ^'- when in its native purity and fmiplici- 
 *' ty J and fhewed at once, what excellent 
 '* creatures men would be, when under the 
 
 i Cor. X. 16. '^ Rom. xzi. 21. 
 
 T cc 
 
 mnuence 
 
146 ^'4n Apology for the 
 
 " influence of this true go/pel of his ; fo grace- 
 " fully fet off and exemplified by the Author 
 " of it." 
 
 I fhould be afliamed to draw up fo heavy 
 a charge as this, was I not able to exhi- 
 bit articles againft him, under his own hand j 
 nor rtiould I do it, as it is, but in hopes 
 of this advantage, that, feeing the true 
 portrait of himfelf in that glafs, which I 
 fliall id before him, he may be able to 
 difcern, that the picture is not fo beauti- 
 ful, as he has hitherto miftaken it to be 5 
 and, unlefs he is totally blinded with felf- 
 love, may difcover, as well as others, that 
 the creature is not quite fo excellent, be- 
 caufe not fo much under the power of the 
 Gofpel of Jesus Christ, as he ought, or 
 would be thought, to be. 
 
 It is 2i fmall thing, that the Bifiops^ and 
 Dignitaries of the Churchy which, like a 
 landing army on the eftablifliment of heaven, 
 are kept in conftant pay, that they may be 
 always in readinefs to defend the caufe of 
 their Lord and Mafter, and with the fword 
 of the fpirit to repel the enemy and in- 
 vader : It is a fmall thing, that thefe, 1 
 iay, ihould be reprefented as an ufelefs, 
 fuperfluous fet of people % and in the next 
 X^'^i ftigmatized with the title of Supernu- 
 
 » Chuhb, p. I 70. 
 
 meraries. 
 
M'wijlers of Jesus Christ. 147 
 
 hieraries", i.e, the meaneft expe5iants for an 
 office in the e:^cije ; who, fo that they can 
 but receive the reward .of another's labour, 
 ** take no farther thought nor care about 
 " them ; but, whether they jink or fwim^ 
 *' be faved or damned^ they matter not." 
 
 It is a fmall thing, that the inferior 
 Clergy^ or Curates^ are contemptibly fliled by 
 \i\vci journeymen in one page, and hirelings in 
 another, in order to throw us upon a level 
 with the meaneft mechanick, and equal 
 mrs with the threjhers labour ; and then 
 with an awkard attempt at a little wit^ 
 blended with much real falfiood^ that they 
 are fet forth, as " never coming near their 
 ** people from funday to funday (which I 
 believe few or none fail of, as often as their 
 duty, either to vifit the fick, bury the dead^ 
 ^c. calls upon them) *' and that then it 
 
 * is only haftily^ to read over the church- 
 ' fervice with a fhort lefTon of inflrudlion j 
 ' and when that is done, the horie ftands 
 
 * ready at the hatch, and carries him off; 
 ' and the people are left in the wildernefs 
 
 * of this world, like fheep without a (hep- 
 ' herd." Thefe, I fay, are butyi^j// things, 
 
 though falfe 3 which^ if true, the latter 
 efpecially, ought rather to excite his com'' 
 faj/ion^ than his mii-th. That there are ma- 
 
 ^ Chuhbf p I J 2. 
 
148 -^^ Apology for the 
 
 ny churches robbed of their endowments, and 
 many poor clergy^ which ferv6 thofe churches 
 for 2.'JIender pittance, God and the world 
 knows. Two, and fometimes three of thefe 
 are often put together ; and even then wilt 
 fcarce afford a man a tolerable maintenance." 
 Thefe happen fometimes to be many miiles 
 a-part. Is he willing^ that thefe ^ould be 
 ferved, as Well as the nature of the thing, 
 will admit of, or not ? Stating the cafe then 
 in his own ludicrous, imaginary drefs ; what 
 does this imply, but diligence and hajie in 
 the minifter, that no chrijlian ajjembly fliould 
 wait longer for him, than is abfolutely ne- 
 cefiary ? So that the poor Clergy appear com- 
 rnendahle, inftead of blame-worthy. It is their 
 misfortune, not- their faidt, that there is no 
 better provifion made for them ^ and the 
 priefi and people labour under one joint ca^ 
 lamity, which to all well-difpofed Chriftians, 
 that had the jnterefh of religion at heart, 
 .would be rather matter of grief, than ridi- 
 cule. Thefe are prievajices, which call foj 
 Si re drefs from the legiflafure 5 nor can that 
 ^edrefsht too Jpeedy : But, till it can be ob- 
 tained, we are to be content the beit we 
 can in our prefent fituation, and to wait with 
 •patieju^ and fubmifion, till our governors 
 -ih^ll ht ^ ^t: leifire to take us mere ?2early 
 into their confidcration. But, in the mean 
 lime, let me put Mr. C/jubb iil mind, how 
 '': far 
 
Minijlers ^y" Jesus Christ. 149 
 
 far he runs counter here, as in other points, 
 to the Apoflle's advice. As he cannot pre- 
 tend to charge the injerior rank of Clergy^ 
 with being maintained by any others labour, 
 but their own ; which maintenance is but a 
 wretched fubfillance : So, in order to render 
 their Being the more tolerable, inftead of 
 fneer and grimace^ he ought to render them 
 honour^ even double honour > becaufe tliefe 
 arp they, who, in a literal fenie, cJpeciaUy 
 labour in the ivord afid docirine. 
 
 But what can be expedled from one, who 
 afferts the whole order to be ujelej's^ as he 
 doth in many places, '' fo that the Chrif- 
 *' tian mjniftry has not turned to any great 
 " account, with reiped:~ to its being fubfer- 
 *^ vient towards anfv/ering the true ends and 
 " purpofes of the gofpel% <2?r." and there- 
 fore, good people, be advifed by me (for why 
 fliould the intended inference be fupprcfled) 
 let us difcard tlie ivhole tribe of thefe fuper-^ 
 numerary joupteyfnen^ thefe fuperjluous hire* 
 lings ^ which are a fad clogg upon your 
 Ellates ; take the tythes, and pray for your- - 
 felves. Every one for himfelf, and God for 
 us all. 
 
 Yet thefe things I fliould pafs by, and 
 make but j'mall reckoning of, did he not rife 
 in his charge upon us, ^nd from being un- 
 
 ' ?■ 74- 
 
 Ij 3; profitabk 
 
I5Q An Apology for the 
 
 profitable fervants^ make us quite dijjerviceable 
 to the cmife we (hould promote^ i. f. " I 
 " may farther add, fays he, that the wicked 
 ^' lives of 77imy of the Clergy have been 
 *' highly ifzjurious to the Gojpel of Chr ist, 
 " and ^^ jbuh oi men^ '' God forbid, that 
 I fhould here take it upon me to be an 
 advocate, either for myfelf, or for all my 
 brethren, at a venture ; or, that I fhould 
 dare to affirm, that any mere man in all 
 things walks ivorthy of that vocation^ where^ 
 ivith ive are called^ i. e. is altogether as 
 good and holy^ as he ought to be. None 
 of us pretend to fuch exalted degrees of 
 righteoufnefs, as "to be perjhnally I'ahiable in 
 the light of God. If ive fay, that ive have 
 no fin ^ ive deceive our/elves ^, and the truth, 
 is not in us, any more than in any layman^ 
 that ihould make fuch proud boaftings. 
 
 Neither is it my province, on the other 
 hand, to judge my brother, to cenfure and 
 condemn him, unmindful of myfelf ^ leaft 
 haply I fliould incur the imputation of hy- 
 pocrify ; for faying to my brother, let me 
 pidl out the' mote out of thine eye, when, be- 
 hold, a beam is in jnine own eye ^. Z^et a man 
 examine himfelf fearch into his own bofom j 
 let him trace fin through all the windings, 
 and intricacies of a deceitful heart. T/6/V 
 
 ^ p. 176. ''I John i. 8, 9. ^ Mauh. vii. 4, 5. 
 
 let 
 
Mtmjlers of Jesvs Christ. 151 
 
 let him do faithfully^ and I am much mlf- 
 taken, if he will not difcover too inuch 
 weaknefs and infirmity, too many faults and 
 failings of his own, which call for his im- 
 mediate corre(5tion and amendment, for him 
 to be at leifure very foon to examine into 
 anothers conducft, to arraign, try, and con- 
 demn him. 
 
 Judge therefore yourfelves, bretliren, that 
 ye be not judged. Other judgment than this 
 is not for man^ but for the Lord. 
 . To oblige our antagonift then, we will 
 allow, that fome of the Clergy, by their ill 
 examples, have done diilervice to the caufe 
 of vertue and religion. But, in the firft 
 place, I deny,, what he aflerts, that many of 
 the Clergy, /. e. in proportion to their great 
 number, are notorious for their wicked lives ; 
 and affirm, that many of them may fafely fay 
 with the Pialmift, Lord, thou knowef they laid 
 to my charge things that I knew not. That the 
 world in general is fo fliarpfighted towards 
 them, as to efpie faults, where there are 
 pone J and io ill natured, as both to mul- 
 tiply, and magnify them, where they are. 
 That examples of immoral Clergymen have 
 been too rare, and where they have been, of 
 too little weight, to be affigned, as one of 
 the general caufes of the decay of Christia- 
 nity. That, as far as ever I could obferve^ 
 fuch an example always was attended with 
 
 X-* z^ cordempty 
 
i^z An Apology /i?/ the- 
 
 contempt and deteJlatiGn from the ivicked, 
 raui dl[jolute thcmfelves ; with grief and piiy^ 
 from the vertuous and the ^o^^ 5 that fucb 
 a. charaSier was too o^/Zfi'.Yi in itfeif to at- 
 tra(5t the /c;^y' or imitation of map.y ; that 
 though it tended nothing towards reclaim- 
 ing the finner and impenitent^ yet fcarce 
 cm good perfon was ever drawn aiide from 
 I:iis religious courfe by it. Nay, fuch fee- 
 ing the labiliiy of human nature, have takeu 
 the greater heed in fixing their own feet aright, 
 ' lead they themfeves, how fecurely fosver they 
 feem to ftand, might likeioife fall. 
 
 This is tlie efte6t, which it generally has 
 upon the latter fort of men, who from 
 pitying them, are often led to pray for their 
 converfion. So that the worfr that can be 
 faid (and God knows that is bad enough) is, 
 that they do not fo much good in their 
 calling, as they might, in that little Iphere 
 in which they move j notwithftanding which, 
 tliey are not, cannot be, half fo injurious 
 to Chriiiianiiy in general, as they are here 
 pretended to be. 
 
 Tins is an objedion, I own, which car- 
 ries fomething of a face with it, and, for 
 that reafon, has been often uro;ed with fome 
 fnccefs by th(( enemies of the church ; though 
 it has been as, often refuted. For here again, 
 as in mou other points, the very reverfe of thi^ 
 is true. Though the /// li'ves of fpme of the 
 
 Cleroy 
 
Mmijlers of Jesus Christ. j5 
 
 Ckrgy have been, and perhaps are, a Jlum- 
 bling block^ and an occafion of offence to Ibme 
 weak brethren ; yet the holy, and exem- 
 plary lives of others, which are by far the 
 greater number^ have more than removed 
 that block. Nay, had it not been for their 
 learned, and pious difcourfes from the pulp it^ 
 and writings from the prejs, enforced by the 
 purity of theijr own lives^ which have been 
 oppofed, as fo many mounds to Hem the 
 torrent of ijnmorality and infidelity [both j 
 vice in every form and fliape, like a mighty 
 deluge, had univerfally overfpread the land ; 
 fo that the very name of Chriftianity had 
 been long fmce obliterated, and waflied a- 
 way from amongft us. He might there- 
 fore as well impute the flow progrefs Chri- 
 flianity made in its infancy under the preach- 
 ing and miniftry of the evangelijis and apo- 
 ftles^ to Judas Ifcariofs being numbered with 
 the twelve, as charge the decay of Chriftianity 
 upon the immoral lives of any of the Clergy, 
 either paft or prefent ; /, e. as upon one of 
 its general caufes. Have I not chofen you 
 twelve, fays our Saviour, a7jd behold one of 
 you is a devil ? No, the great decay of Chrif- 
 tianity is to be charged upon your fim 
 reajbners, that want demonftration in matters 
 of faithj your Jiobb\ and Spinoza s, your 
 A/gyl's, and Tola?iisj your JVoolJloji's and 
 Chubb'&. Thefe are the people, thfit have 
 
 done 
 
 » 
 
154 ^'^'- Apology for the 
 
 done the mi/chiefs by depreciating revelation^ 
 and making the word of God not credible 
 upon his own teftimony. 
 
 The ignorant and lavwary being once un- 
 fettled as to their faith^ and being per- 
 plexed and made uncertain about things of 
 2i future il^te, by thefe men's feeming rea- 
 fonings againft them, after having for a time 
 been to[led to and fro in their minds by 
 every mid of do5frine, from being at firft 
 imea/j\ by feveral fteps, become refolute^ 
 defperate, dijjolute^ in their morah : So that, 
 like a veffel driven from her fjworings^ fur- 
 rounded with all the horrors of darknefs and 
 tempeji, without one friendly far to h'ght, 
 or conipafs to diredl: her courfe^ ballaft to 
 keep h.Q-v fteady^ or anchor to hold her fift,^ 
 ihe is at length dafhed to pieces upon fome 
 hidden rock, and fo makes fliipwreck of a 
 good confcience^ as v/ell as of a 'found faith. 
 
 This is the very right and truth of the 
 matter ^ though every one is for fhifting it 
 off from himfelf to fome other ^ and fay-r 
 ing., like our Saviour's difciples at the pafe- 
 ov^r, ^Lord^ is it I? And we may, with all 
 the jujiice in the world, apply his anfwer to 
 the pretended afjerter of his true Gojpel, viz. 
 He that dippeth his hand with me in the 
 (fijh, the fame fall betray me '', 
 
 ^ Matth. xxvi. 22, 25. 
 
 Had 
 
Mimjlers of Jesus Christ, 155 
 
 Had the intereft of the gojpel been really 
 at hearty the preachers of it had met with 
 far different treatment ; the fer'vant mufl: 
 have fared the better for the majiers fake ; 
 even though the charge againfl us. was equal- 
 ly true with that of our Saviours againft 
 the Scribes and Pharifees, viz. thai we J aid 
 and did not. 
 
 If any among ft us are ftrong, they ought 
 td bear the infirmities of the weak ^; to re- 
 prove, if called to and qualified for that of- 
 fice, with all gentknefs and brotherly affec- 
 tion ; not to impair their litde flrength, by 
 giving xhtm^gall for meat '', and inflaming 
 their paffions through bitternefs and re- 
 proaches. Againft an elder, or prefhyter^ 
 faith St. Faid to Timothy, whom he had 
 conftituted Bifioop of Ephefus, and therefore 
 had inverted with proper authority, Receive 
 not an accufation, but before two or thr^e 
 witneffes ": fo far was he to be from taking 
 up with any tales to their prejudice upon 
 furmize, or hear-fay j and even though he 
 found him not altogether blamelefs, he was 
 tp be fo far firom reproaching him, that 
 he was not to rebuke an Rider or Prejhyter^ 
 but to intreat him as a father ^. Thofe that 
 tinned indeed, /'. e. that were notorious finners,^ 
 
 =" Rom. XV. I. ^ Pfra. Ixix, 21, 
 
 « I lim. V. 12. ^ Ver. 1. 
 
 W4^ 
 
1^6 ^n AV01.0GY for the 
 
 was he to rebuke before all^ that others rjiight 
 fear"". And this is the method in which our 
 accufer fliould have proceeded, had St. FauW 
 advice been of any more weight with him than 
 a ^^ private opinion y If any amongft us are 
 fcandaloiis for an ill life, uv have a law, and by 
 that law we ought to be judged. The governours 
 of the church, whom he had repreiented be- 
 fore'' " as affumine; and exercifinG; domi- 
 " nion over their brethren," are not fo very 
 tender to thqfe under their jurifdidion, as to 
 fcreen and proted: them in their vices \ but, 
 upon due complaint, and proof made, are 
 ready to remove him by whom the offence 
 cometh, either by fufpenfion, or deprivation, 
 according to the nature of the offence com- 
 mitted. 
 
 To what purpofe then is this loud com- 
 plaint, this railing accufation, lodged againft 
 majiy of the Clergy ? It is in fome meafu;"e 
 Mr. Chubb'% fault, if there are fo many ; 
 and he is a partaker of other men's fins, 
 in that he does not apply for ecckfiajtical 
 cenfures-y but, inflead of that, is puffed up, 
 and Fath not rather mourned, that he that 
 hath done this Deed might be taken away 
 from amongft us '^. 
 
 '•' Ver. 20. ^ Page 60. 
 
 •^ J Cur. V, z. 
 
 But 
 
Minifters of Jesus Christ. 155^ 
 
 But ftill in the midil of pulgment^ re- 
 member mercy. Some of the Ckrgy^ I 
 hope, at leaft by their holy lives and doc- 
 trine have been highly ferviceable to the 
 Gofpel of Christ, and to the fouls of 
 me?2. Wilt thou then deftroy the righteous 
 with the wicked'''^ Ter adventure there he 
 fifty righteous isoithin the city, wilt thou nlfo 
 deftroy, and not /fare the place for tloe fifty 
 righteous, that be therein^ The generous 
 and compafjionate part of mankind will 
 make all chriftian, that is, charitable al- 
 lowances ; will confider, that when we 
 commence teachers, we ceafe not to be 
 men : Will not he extreme to mark what 
 is done amifs ; but rather throw over it 
 that friendly veil, which covereth a multi- 
 tude of fins, remembring that they alfo are 
 in the hody. 
 
 We are required, it is true, to be more 
 €-xemphry than others^ and to fliew our 
 light in a more particular manner before 
 men : But it is their parts and duties to 
 endeavour to make that light confpicuoiis , 
 and to promote its luftre, not by any pre- 
 judice, or ill will to damp or eclipfe it ; 
 much lefs are they to endeavour to extinguifh 
 it, and to turn our light into darknefs. 
 
 " Gen. xviii, 23. 
 
 If 
 
t58 An Apology yir the 
 
 It would be an unpardonable piece of 
 arrogance in any one of us to make vaunts 
 of his (nvn righteoufnefSy or to fet out him- 
 felf as one exempt jfrom infirmities^" when 
 the Apofile to the Gentilesiihs greateft preacher 
 that ever was) gives this modefi teftimony of 
 himfelf and Barnabas^ to the people of Ly- 
 caonia^ We alfo are men of like pajjtons with 
 you. But what he adds, fhould be an induce- 
 ment to our lay-hrethren to treat us with ten- 
 dernefs and brotherly meek?iefs, viz. JVe preach 
 unto you ^ that ye Jhould turn from n^anities iin-^ 
 to the living GOD\ 
 
 a A£t xiv. 315. 
 
 SECT. 
 
Mimjiers of Jesus Christ. 159 
 
 SECT. XiL 
 
 TH E R E is but one article how be- 
 hind, which I chofe to exhibit laji ^ 
 bccaufe, if triie^ that alone would be fuf- 
 ficient to make good every one preced- 
 ing, as contammg an epitofiie of all wicked- 
 nefs J all impiety, and villany in the ab- 
 fl:ra(5l : And if it be not true, muft recoil upon 
 himfelf, like a piece overladen, and ftrike with 
 the greater force for being doubly charged. 
 
 Having, in page 142, rouncly alTerted, 
 " that the do(flrines of the imputed righte- 
 " oufnefs, the meritorious fufferings, and 
 " the prevailing interceilions of Christ, 
 " being either feparately or conjunctly the 
 *' ground of men's acceptance with God, 
 " and of linners obtaining divine mercyj. 
 ** thefe dodtrines do naturally tend to 
 " weaken, and take off the perfwafive in- 
 *' fluence of the Gofpel, and to render it 
 '* of none effed:, as by them is pointed 
 " out to men another way to God's fa- 
 *' vour and mercy, and another way to 
 *' eternal life, than the gofpel has pointed 
 
 " out 
 
6d ^n AvoTuOGY for the 
 
 " out unto them ; and confequently, the 
 " aforefaid dod:rines render the doitrine of 
 ** the Gofpel an ufelefs and an infignih- 
 " cant thing," (a paflage equally to be ad- 
 mired for tlie juftnefs of its didion, and 
 the orthodoxy of the afTcrtion) he pro- 
 ceeds, in page 145, to put the Preachers 
 of Christ and his Gofpel in mind of their 
 miniflry from the importance of the work, 
 in which they were engaged, and warns 
 us in the ftrongefi: terms, not to preach 
 thefe dodrines of imputed righteoufnefs, 
 &c. For whoever, fays he, points out to 
 men another way to God's favour and eter- 
 nal life than Christ has pointed out, 
 which, in the paiTage above quoted, he af- 
 ferts the doctrines of the imputed righte- 
 oufnefs, " the meritorious fufferings, and 
 ** prevailing interceffion of Christ to be, 
 *' fuch an one preaches another Gofpel ; he is 
 " 2i Deceiver in points of the greateil impor- 
 *' tance, whether he intends it or not, he is 
 *' an Antichrijt^ and a betrayer ofniens fouls. 
 And leafl he fliouid be miftaken as to 
 his meaning in this paffage, and it lliould 
 be unknown ivhat he calls another ivay\ 
 he fpeaks out more fully in the next 
 fentence, and makes an affumption, of what 
 he liad laid down before, in a beautiful 
 tautology. " And as the dodrines, I have 
 " now been confdering, 1-'/;^. the impu- 
 ^^ ted righteoufnefs, . . the meritorious iuf- 
 
 lenngs^- 
 
Mimjhrs of Jesus Christ. i6i 
 
 ^ ferings, and the prevailing intercefiion of 
 ' Christ, are reprefented to be, what they, 
 
 * really are not^ viz. the true grounds of 
 
 * the divine favour to men (either fepa- 
 ' rately or conjund:ly, mind) and of the 
 ' divine mercy to finners j fo to reprefent 
 ' them as fuch, and to teach men fo, is 
 ' in truth to preach another Go/pel than 
 ' Christ hath preached, and to point 
 ' out to men another n.my to God's fa- 
 ' vour, and life eternal, than Christ 
 ' hath pointed out to them." Nay, and 
 
 that his impiety may not want its laft 
 finifhing ftroke, he winds up the v/hole 
 with the moft flagrant and daring blafphs- 
 my, by charging " God hiynfclf with a- 
 
 * manifeft moral imperfeSiion^ ftiouid he a6t 
 ' upon fuch umvorthy niotives (as he is 
 ' pleafed to call them) /. e. as to forgive 
 ' iinners for the fake of Christ'^ rneri- 
 
 * tor ions /uff'erings.'' 
 
 Now we know, that it is profelledly 
 taught, and maintained by the Church of 
 England^ in her eleventh article, before 
 quoted, " that we are accounted righteous 
 " before God only for the merit of our 
 ** Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, by 
 *' faith ; and not for our own works, and' 
 * ' defervings : And in article 3 i//, that the 
 *' offering of Christ once made, is that 
 ** perfeB redemption^ propitiation^ and faiis- 
 '* fail ion for all ih^Jms of the whole worlds 
 M " both 
 
i6i An Apology ySr the 
 
 '* both orightal and aBual '^' ifrom whence 
 it unavoidably follows, that all the Clergy 
 of the Church of 'England^ who, adling con- 
 fiilently with thofe engagements, which they 
 muft fo frequently and fo folemnly have 
 made before, and at their admittance into 
 the Church, as Minifters of Jesus Christ, 
 have preached, and inculcated this doc- 
 trine upon their hearers, are preachers of an- 
 other go/pel^ are deceivers in points of the 
 greatefl importance, are fo many antichrijts 
 and betrayers of men's fouls. And not only 
 the Clergy of the Church of England, as 
 by law ellabliflied, whom he would moft 
 cruelly and wickedly iniinuate to be 
 preachers of this doftrine, merely in 
 " compliance with the law of the flate, 
 ' " or to avoid being harraffed in our fpi- 
 *' ritual courts/' and not from a fenfe of 
 duty, and a confcience perfwaded of the 
 truth of it ; but all the teachers, and 
 preachers of every feparate congregation, or 
 meeting, who teach men fo, fall together 
 with us under the fame heavy cenfure and 
 condemnation. All the reformed Churches 
 abroad, all true Chriflians, through every age, 
 back from the prefent to the Apoftles times ': 
 For even from the beginning it was Jo ^. 
 
 * ThisWill appear in the next took, when we come to 
 f)iew how agreeable the faith and dodrine of the Church of 
 Eyighind is both to the written word of Gon, and to the ex- 
 tant confeffions of all the neighbour Churches chriltianJy re- 
 formed. ^ Match, xix. 8. 
 
 And 
 
Mimjlers of JeSUS Christt. 163 
 
 And are we all then church-men^ and 
 idijjenUrs^ that efteem ourfelves, or are 
 efteemed by others, as Minifters of Jesus 
 Christ, and Preachers of his Gofpel, en- 
 tered into a combination^ to miilead our 
 ieveral hearers, and refpe(flive eongregationsi 
 in matters relating to their eternal falvation ? 
 Are all the paftors and fliepherds wittingly^ 
 knowingly, and defignedly mifleading their 
 flocks from their green paftures, and pleafant 
 ftreams, to feed them with baleful hemlock^ 
 and to flack their thirft at poifoned fountains ? 
 Are wCj with our eyes open, dired:ing our 
 hood-winked followers where to take up 
 their portions in everlajiing burnings ? And 
 inarching at the head ourfelves, for fear they 
 fhould miftake the way ? Hear^ heaven ! 
 mid give ear-^ O earth ! Was there ever 
 (upon fuch a fuppofition) fuch a fett of 
 hardened wretches, fuch a tribe of aban- 
 doned villains before ? That kmimng well the 
 terrors of the Lord, we fliould therefore per- 
 fwade men to fall under the weight of them ; 
 and incur the heaviefl ftrokes of vengeance 
 ourfelves, merely to carry on the delulion. 
 
 This is a dreadful accufation indeed ; as 
 though the habit itfelf was enough to tinge 
 the confcie?ice, and to render it ten times 
 blacker, than that of the greateft criminals, 
 that ever yet expired under the hands of an 
 executioner. What \\^ere Cartouch's robberies 
 and murders to bis, who goes on habitually,- 
 M z day 
 
i'64 ^'^ Apology for the 
 
 day by day, to rob thoufands of eternal hap- 
 pinefs, and to ftab their very fouls ? And 
 what an accumulated load of guilt muft lie 
 at their doors, when we add to the for- 
 , mer charge the great breach of truft im- 
 plied ; i.e. that it was their office, and pro- 
 fejjion to direct men to avoid tho^Q very mi- 
 feries, in which they have involved them ? 
 
 But, beloved, if our conjcience condemn 
 us not, ice have confidence towards God, 
 nctwithftanding the accufations of Vv^icked 
 and malicious men. Very few of us, I hope, 
 are there, but what are able to join with the 
 Apoflle on this occafion, viz. as we are aU 
 lowed of God to be put in truji with the 
 go/pel, even fo we J'peak not as pleafing men, 
 but God, which irieth the heart \ If we 
 have recourfe wito the law a?id the teftimony, 
 i. e. The writings of the Old and New Tef- 
 tament, it will be found that we have Jpoke 
 according to the word of God ^. So that the 
 Church may fay, in the words of the Pjahnifl, 
 the reproaches of them that reproached thee,, 
 have fallen upon me ; and not upon me only, 
 but upon the Evangelifts and Apoftles alfo. 
 For, if this charge againfl the preachers of 
 the gofpel be true, it will appear out of their 
 ovv^n Mouths, that St. Paul himfelf was a be^ 
 trayer of mens foids, and that even Jesus 
 Christ was antichriflian. 
 
 » 1 Theff. ii. 4. 1= Ifaiah vlii. 19, 20. 
 
 Our 
 
Mimjlers of ]'£.svs> Christ. 165 
 
 Oar author indeed is partly aware of this; 
 and therefore adds to his charge of moral ini- 
 perfedion in the diety, on fuch a fuppolition, 
 as was before made, " I am lenfible, that 
 " the fore-mentioned do(ftrines are fiid to be 
 *' contained in the writings of the Apo files, 
 " and more eipecially that doctrine of the 
 " meritorious fufferings of Christ, being 
 " the ground of God's flic wing mercy un- 
 " to finners j but this is not to be admitted." 
 Be it fo then j neither is his negation of it 
 to be admitted, fay we. Let Jesus Christ 
 and the Apoftles be brought forth to fpeak 
 for themfelvcs ; let us hear their own words, 
 uncorrupted with any falfe ghffes^ artful 
 T/ji/repreJentations^ <dx fallacious reajmin^s upon 
 them ; let us admit their own evid<.'nce^ as far 
 as that evidence goes, and ■ no farther ; let 
 us fearch the Scripture, /. e. the Old and 
 New Teftament, as the facred repofitories of 
 all Divine Truths, with 2. fincere dejign of 
 being inftrutfted in them, and ^ firm rejolution 
 to embrace them, ivhen and wherejbever found ; 
 bccaiife in thetn, ive thijtk, we have eternal 
 life ', and thefe are they, fays our Saviour, that 
 tejiify of me. Let thefe tedimonies of theirs 
 then hcjlri^ly examined upon the one hand ; 
 but with candour and impartiality on the o- 
 ther : And if, upon fuch examination mad?, 
 it docs not appear, that the dodrine of 
 Christ's meritorious fuferings , &c. is ex- 
 prefly taught, and fet forth therein j and that 
 
 M 3 tte 
 
i66 An AvoiLOGY for the 
 
 the Prophets, Evangehfts, and Apoftles una- 
 nimouily agree to Jpeak the fame thmg^ as it 
 were, with one mind cind one judgment ; the 
 Clergy will be content to take up with all that 
 load of reproach, vvhich he has laid upon 
 them, to be deemed a fett o^ ufelefs^ fiiperjiu- 
 qus, j'uperniimerary hirelings^ and journeymen^ 
 injurious to the caufe they were intended to 
 promote^ 2ind fubverters of that religion which 
 it is their duty to maintain j and, in confe- 
 quence of this, that they are preachers of ano- 
 ther go [pel ^ deceivers in points of the greateft 
 importance, antichrijis^ and betrayers of men's 
 fouls. 
 
 But if it ihall, on the other hand, be found, 
 that the doOivme of Christ's meritorious J'uf- 
 ferings is taught and upheld by their teftimo- 
 nies ; that it is the grand article of Chriftia- 
 nity, nay, that it is whole Chriftianity in mi- 
 niature, (which we hope to demonftrate in 
 the fucceeding book, to v/hich this is only in- 
 tended as an apparatus) it will then be feen, 
 that thefe high Jbundifig titles^ thefe badges of 
 diftin5fion, and marks of dif honour ^ mofi: pro- 
 perly belong to our adverfary, who has made 
 thefe difti nations : ^o that the pit that he dig-- 
 ged for other s^ he is fallen into himfelf', and the. 
 7mfchief intended for us, is fallen upon his own 
 pate. And if this can be once proved again fl 
 him (which I make no doubt of) his crime 
 will be doubly enhanced, beyond what ours 
 w©uld be on the fame fuppofitipn. ForGoz> 
 
 ipake 
 
MimJIers of Jesus Christ. 167 
 
 ipake thefe words, and faid, T^houjhak not bear 
 falfe witnefs againjl thy neighbottr. TlMs is a 
 a prohibition of very great force and autho- 
 rity, as muft be acknowledged by our adver- 
 fary himfelf, as it makes a part "of the law 
 *' of reafon, or fummary account of man's 
 *' duty contained in, and which is com- 
 *' monly called, the ten commandment s^ as 
 ** the rule of their {i.e. mens) actions j and 
 " made or declared their obedience to be the 
 *' ground of God's favour.^ 
 
 What will he fay then in defence of his be- 
 haviour, in oppofition to this command of 
 the one God, whom, he would have you 
 think, he believes in common with yews and 
 ^iLrks ; efpecially when backed and enforced 
 by this declaration of Christ's: when it 
 fliall be proved upon him, beyond excufe or 
 evafion, that he has born falfe witnefs, not 
 only againft the whole body of the Chriftian 
 Priellhood, but againft the Prophets^ Evati^ 
 gelijis and Apoftles, Martyrs and Co?ife[fors^ 
 from the earlieft ages to the prefent time, 
 nay, and againft Jesus Christ, the fubjedl 
 of their writings ; and againft the Holy Ghoji^ 
 the Author and Infpirer of them : whom he 
 is not content barely to rob of their divinity, 
 and/c deny limply the Lord that bought him ; 
 but muft deny even the fad: itfclf, that ever 
 lie did buy him ; though he laid down no lels 
 
 » ac<Jt. III. p. 24. 
 
 M 4 a price 
 
1 68 An Apology for the 
 
 a price than his own precious blood for the 
 piirchafe, depreciating its value, and boldly 
 affirming, *' that it is as much impoffible 
 "that the ^/W ^Christ, as it is that the 
 *' blood cf bulls and goats J ihould take away fm'? 
 
 This then feems to me fully to lay open our 
 Author's defig;n in writing; //6ij treatife, which 
 we nave at prefent under our confideration, 
 i.e. that it \s2.%jirji to vilify the fon of God, 
 and then to bring the Preachers of his Gofpel 
 into difefleem > nor can I perfwade myfelf, 
 that ever he fet about it with any other inew 
 or intent. 
 
 He knew very well that the dcd;rine of 
 Christ's meritorious fufFerings implied his 
 blood to be of an infinite price; which, was 
 he once to admit of, he knew the confequence 
 that inevitably folhxved^ i. e. that he mull of 
 necefiity be God. 
 
 But having long fince denied that truth, and 
 zealoufly endeavoured for twenty years together 
 to undcify the Son of God, in all his writings 
 and difputes concerning him 3 the latter, of 
 courfe, hiuft be expunged out of his Creed, to 
 keep company with the former, that he might 
 make fure work of what he had taken in hand. 
 Thus oiiQ faljhood is laid as the foundation of 
 another, which flill ferves to carry on his airy 
 building to its deftijied height ; and then, proud 
 of his own performances, and the imaginary 
 
 ^ P.-ige 149. 
 
 loftinels 
 
Mimjlers of JESUS CHRIST. 169 
 
 loftinefs of the ftru(5ture, oftentatloufly cries 
 out, Is not this great Babylon that I have built ? 
 He knew very well, that almoft (would I 
 could fay) iill the Minifters of Jesus Christ, 
 true to the honour and intereft of their Mafter, 
 could not fufFer him to be thus vilely tramp- 
 led under foot, and his Mood to be accounted a 
 prophane things without refenting the injury, 
 railing him up out of the rnire, afferting his 
 high extract, and replacing him at the right 
 hand of God, there to make inter cejjion^ and 
 plead the tnerits of what he has dojie and fuffer- 
 ed for us ^ fo that he fhould never be able to 
 gain his point, fo long as thefe were efteemed 
 by others as the true Preachers of his Gofpel. 
 
 Thefe therefore muft be brought into con- 
 tempt by all the methods of calumny and de- 
 traction, reprefented to the people as deceivers^ 
 (mtichrijts^ and betrayers of mensjouls ; which 
 could he once perfwade the multitude to be- 
 lieve, Cliriftianity would foon be at an end in- 
 deed j and even virtue and 7norality^ for which 
 he pretends fo much fondnefs, muft foon fol- 
 low after, and breath their laft. 
 
 The monftrous wickednefs and prophane- 
 nefs of the prefent age, which the frequent 
 villanies of late years committed almoli: at 
 noon -day, in the very ftreets of one of the 
 moft populous cities "in the world (fpight of 
 all the vigilance and circumfpedtion of the 
 moft prudent and wary magiftrates to pre- 
 vent it) plainly demonftrate to furpafs thofe of 
 
 former 
 
i^a An Apology ySr the 
 
 former times, is in great meafure owing to 
 writings of this nature. 
 
 There is fcarce a paultry fcribler or gar- 
 retteer, that writes for bread, whofe little 
 genius will carry him no higher than z. farce 
 or a droll (for very few of our modern comedies 
 deferve a better name) but what mufl ferve up 
 a roajied Farfon^ as they term it, at one end 
 or another of the entertainment, to make one 
 difh piquant and high-feafoned ; who muft 
 be introduced by the Author, as a pert^ coji-r 
 eel ted coxcomb y or 11 dull, jm-tnal blockhead , or, 
 which is worfe flill, an artfid, dejigtiing 
 knave ; and words are put into his mouth, on 
 purpofe to make him expofe ^ho^facredfundfion 
 to ridicule j and thus the company mufl be 
 diverted at the expence of the whole order ^ 
 fincc he defpairs of being able to effect it by 
 any other method. 
 
 This is to fupply the want of 7fmnly fenfe^ 
 2in6. Jprightly tvity genteel converfation, and in.- 
 ftrii^ive fable, with which the ancieiits, and 
 fome of our oivn writers once abounded. 
 The audience mull be difmifled pleafed fome 
 how or another, or the Author will be at a 
 lofs where to dine to-morrow, and fo be in 
 danger of flarving, and being damned with 
 ^is worI<j3. 
 
 And as this ferves to fliew in general the 
 vitiated talle of the age in which we live, 
 that it can reliOi or digeft nothing of foun^ 
 meat^ i. e. found do(5trine : So^, at the fame 
 
 time. 
 
Mijiljlcrs of Jesus Christ. 1571 
 
 time, it {hews what caufe our adverfary 
 erpoufes in earneft, by the party he has join- 
 ed j whom, by his writings, " whether he in- 
 ^* tends it or not," he has made himfelf one 
 with ; that (as friends and confederates) they 
 may jointly carry on the fame work. 
 
 When the people hold the perfons of their 
 teachers in derifion, what weight or influence^ 
 think you, can their do<5lrines have upon 
 tliem ? When they are fet forth to them as 
 betrayers of mens fouls, how can they think, 
 they believe themfelves, that they have any 
 fouls to be faved ? Surely there is no fuch 
 place as Hell, fay they, whatever thefe hire- 
 lings tell us to the contrary ; or, at leafl:, it is 
 not fo (liocking and dreadful as they defcribe 
 it ; it is a mere ftate- trick to keep the popu- 
 lace in awe, and thefe fitpernumeraries are 
 kept in pay for no other end, but to frighteii 
 us into obedience. 
 
 Thus all the barriers, with which virtue 
 was fenced about and fecured, are rafed, and 
 levelled with the ground; and the caufe of 
 God, and of all religion ^ natural^ as well as 
 revealed^ greatly fuffers by the removal of its 
 flrongeft fand:ion, i.e. the pains and penalties 
 of a future ftate. 
 
 " "" This furely is worthy the moft ferious 
 confideration of all the profelTors of Chri- 
 ftianity in general; but efpecially of our 
 
 * Chuhh, page 143. 
 
 tnock 
 
17^ An Apology j^r the 
 
 mock reformer in particular : left happily 
 he be found fighting under the banner of 
 Jesus Christ, in order to fet; forward the 
 kingdom of darknefs; and difcover himfelf 
 too late to have been in the broad way, vAitn 
 he thought he was juft entering in at the 
 jlrait gate. 
 
 There is one Periphrafis, by which our 
 Author defcribes the Clergy among the Jews, 
 m common with the Chriftian Clergy, which 
 though I have taken no notice of, I cannot 
 but own myfelf highly delighted with. 
 We are called by him in many places the in" 
 terefied in religion -^ which, though intended 
 as a title of ignominy^ is in itfelf the higheffc 
 compliment he could pay us. I thought, 
 'till he was plea fed to inform me other wife, 
 that religion was a point in which all man- 
 kindvftYQ inf ere fled ^ deeply interejled ; and that 
 every one's all (Laity withClergy) was equally 
 engaged on the fame bottom. But that was 
 a miftake of mine (it feem.s) the latter only 
 are the intereiled in Teligion, exclufive of the 
 former, " if he does not tell idle taks." 
 However, fo far as he is concerned, he dif- 
 claims all fliare with us, will have neither 
 part nor lot in this ?natter. If any of the 
 laity think themfelves obliged to him for this 
 excluficn, let them thank him j which I 
 heartily do in the name of the whole body 
 of the Clcr^)\ both for that fino;ular mark 
 of honour and pre-eminence, by which he 
 
 has. 
 
M'tmjiers of Jesus Christ. 173 
 
 has been pleafed thus to diflingulfh them ; 
 and for that remarkable piece of juflice, 
 which he has done upon himfelf, in feparating 
 himielf from them ; being mindful, doubtlefs, 
 at the fame time, of the Apoftle's aflertion, 
 that if any man amongfl you j'eemeth to be reli- 
 gions^ and bridleth not his tongue^ that maris 
 religion is vain"". 
 
 Thus we fee to what unjuftifiable lengths 
 an intemperate zeal^ a zeal that is not accord- 
 ding to knowledge^ will carry people ; with 
 what violence and impetuohty they bear 
 down every thing (whether facred or civil) 
 that ftands in their way, in order to eftablifh 
 {ovno. favourite point or points on their ruins, 
 how groundlefs or erroneous foever thofe 
 points in their own nature be. How incon- 
 lijftent it makes a man with himfelf, even to 
 the tranfgreffing thofe very rules of beha- 
 viour, which he has laid down for others to 
 walk by, and denying that treatment to be- 
 lievers^ which he ftrongly pleads for infidels 
 at our hands ; acting contrary, at the fame 
 time, to all the diftates either of reafon or re- 
 ligion, common decency or good manners, 
 nay, common prudence or policy. Reafon 
 and religion both require, that what/bever we 
 ivould that men jloould do unto iis^ even Jo ive 
 fiould do to them. Common decency and 
 good manners require, that we fliould be 
 
 * James i. xxvi. 
 
 courteous 
 
^4 -^^ Av OOLOGY for the 
 
 courteous to all, and efpecially, that we fhould 
 behave ourfelves laivfy and reverently to all our 
 betters : and common prudence and policy 
 require us, not to provoke an erlemy that is 
 too powerful j left having once forfeited the 
 innocence of the dove, the wijdom of the ferpent 
 (how great foever) fhould be found infuffi- 
 cient to fave his head from being bridfed. 
 
 For let it be remembered, that among 
 this hated body, the Clergy, againft whom he 
 has fpit out his venom fo plentifully, are 
 fome of noblemen's, and many of the beft 
 gentlemen's families in the kingdom ; and 
 'that there is not one of the meaneft of the 
 order, but what (out of a regard to religion) 
 . in every one's account, is looked on as upon 
 a footing with the inferior gentry of the na- 
 tion : And, what may be of more account 
 than all other confiderations , that the ftaff is 
 yet (and eVer I hope will be) in our own 
 hands^ which the ill-treatment of this writer 
 will make us the more loth to part with ; left, 
 being found in a weak defencelefs condition, 
 we ftiould lie expofcd not only to the infults^ 
 but the inroads of every invader, and in our 
 dijirefs we Jlxidd cry aloud, and there foould be 
 none to help. 
 
 But this, I hope, we have no need to ap- 
 prehend the leaft danger of, whatfoever the 
 enemies of our happy eftablifhment, both in 
 Church and State^ may infinuate to the con- 
 trary. Osxv faith i and its d fender, are by God 
 
 too/ 
 
Mimjlers of JEsus Christ. 175 
 
 too nt2x\y joined together, for all the art or 
 malice of men, or devils, I truft, to put 
 cfunder. This muft be confeiTed by all, who 
 have not evil-will at Zion, that his Majefty 
 and the Miniftry never could have fhew^n a 
 more tender regard and concern for the ho- 
 nour and interefl of the Church of Engkuid, 
 as by law eftablifhed, than when they called 
 and placed in the highefl: ftation in it, as the 
 great confervator of its peace its rights and 
 liberties, him, that 'till then filled the mode- 
 rator's chair in one of the moil learned uni- 
 verfities in the world, 'tis hard to fay, whe-». 
 ther with more credit and reputation to him- 
 felf, or to the improvement and edification of 
 all thofe, who had the happinefs to hear thofe 
 theological difputations, over which he pre- 
 fided. 
 
 Let our enemies then rave and rail on with 
 an unbridled tongue, to fhew thtivjpirit of 
 meekjtefs, forbearance, and love : let them 
 gnafh with their teeth, and bite (like the vipe^ 
 againft the file) 'till their mouths are broken, 
 and they conjiane away like a Jhail-, whilft 
 the Church, fecured from within by the 
 truth of her dod:rines, and from without 
 by Kings and Rulers, that are her nur^ 
 fmg fathers ; being, as at prefent, under 
 this double protedion, of having her cauje 
 {o feafonably efpoufed, and patronifed (as 
 of late) by the head of the law, to con- 
 firm and iirengthen the endeavours of her 
 
 own 
 
\*j6 An Apology y^T the 
 
 own head, may be allowed modeilly, but yCt 
 triumphantly, to lift up her voice, and fing,. 
 If the Lord him [elf had not been on our Jide^ 
 ivhen men rofe tip again ft us. BlefTed be the 
 Lord God, who hath ^z// it into the King's 
 heart to choofe fuch 'xife counfellors, to place 
 luch able and faithful governors over us. 
 
 I have now brought my firft deiign to a 
 conclulion, have faid as much as I thought 
 requifite, by way of Apology for the Mini- 
 llers of Jesus Christ, and Preachers of his 
 Gofpel 5 i.e. that they neither W2ii\ifenje or 
 learning rightly to underftand the Scriptures ; 
 nor honefty and ingenuity to fet them in their 
 proper light ; from whence has likewife been 
 evinced the arrogance and vanity of our gain- 
 fayer on the one hand, his great virulence 
 and uncharitablenefs on the other : So 
 that I fliall clofe this treatife with one of our 
 fupplications In the Litany, viz. From all 
 blindnefs of heart, pride, vain-glory, and hypo- 
 Crijy, with reference to the former ; from 
 envy, hatred, and malice, and all unchajitable- 
 nefs, with refped: to the latter. 
 
 Good Lord deliver us* 
 
 Amen a?2d Amen^ 
 
06t 
 
 LIBRARY OF THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY 
 
 PRINCETON, N. J. 
 
 Presented by 
 
 "TV\nceVon\J\n\vera\-Vu Sr \\dyt:ay^ 
 
 n 
 
 Division L^... 
 
 Section /./.... 
 
'^sTYr'^' 
 
 
 ,,?,, ..t»- /#^ 
 
 > >-3 
 
 
 *#^i^- 
 
 ^,i^^-0f^ ' 
 
 ?. -r