Brewer, Baker, &c. and by the fame Reason he ought to chufe his own Spiritual Conductor. 'Tis abfurd to imagine every Chriftian is not capable Ib. p. 137. of fuch Circumftances as praying aloud, diftributing the Bread and Wine, or (according to the present Mode) of fprinkling an Infant, and repeating a fet Form of Words. Have they not (the Clergy) inferted this Power of Ib. p.402. theirs in an Article of the Creed, commonly call'd the Apoftles, viz. I believe in the Catholick Church. Many of our first Reformers, 'tis fear'd, Letter concerning En• were little better than Enthusiasts. thufiafm, p. 44. Speaking of the Reformation; fo that had not the Priefts, as is ufual, preferr'd the Love of Blood to all other Paffions, they might in a merrier way perhaps have evaded the greatest Force of our Reforming Spi rits. Review, Nov.22.1705. Numb.112. Vol. 2. p.447, This Review is wholly Spent against impofing our Liturgy, Rites and Ceremonies; particularly against the Act of Uniformity; and after having question'd, Whether our Fathers had 448. a Neceffity to make those exclufive Laws, and impofe as neceffary their different Things acknowledg'd to be fo, as Terms of Communion: He fays, Nor is this all, but fuppofing they had, which nevertheless I do not grant; then this Addrefs is farther prefs'd to Your Lordships, to examine whether that Neceffity does yet continue. or no? either of which will be the fame thing; for if there either was not a Neceffity at the time of their enacting, or that Neceffity does not yet remain, let which will happen to fall out, the A&t of Uniformity impofing fuch and fuch indifferent Things as Terms of Communion, will appear fcandalous to the Church, injurious to the Publick Peace, and a Grievance to the whole Nation. I can, with fubmiffion, fee no Neceffity for a Religious Teft in Civil Affairs (a thing unheard of till the times of Popery) fince it is a Mark of Difgrace and Infamy, as well as a Badge of Servitude. Left it become a new, proverbial Jeft, All Mankind ought to worry HighChurch as a prodigious, unfizable Monfter, begot by a Prieft, and nourifh'd by a Tyrant, with Hands inftead of Feet, and Feet inftead of Hands. L13 Rights of the Church, p, 287. The Author of the Hymn to Peace, p. 40. quoted in Review. Vol.3.p. 106. Obfervator, from Jaz. 5. to Jan. 9. 1756. Vol. 4. Numb. 81. You Olfervator, from Feb. 2. to Feb. 6. 1706. Vol.4. Numb. 89. You know the Church he means is High-Church, which is a Fiction, a Church of the Brain, fupported by a little, infignificant, trifling Number of Brainless People; and the People of England are no more concern'd about That Church, than about the Inftitutions of Government laid down in Moo's Entopia, Harington's Oceana, or Bacon's New Atlantis; and all the Canons, Rites, and Ceremonies of that Church are no more to be confider'd by You, or me, than fo many Ballads, or Duck-Lane Penny Hiftories. The Universities have large Endowments, which I fancy may be better employ'd for the Publick Good than at pie fent. Let You, and I, vote 'em ufelefs. Obfervator, from Nov. 17. to Nov. 21. 1705. Vol. 4. Numb. 67. Review, March 2. 1706. Country-m. With all my Heart, Mafter. I cannot but tell Him, fhould I publish the Matters of Fact which I am Master of, with refpect to the High-flying Gentlemen of the Clergy; fhould I give a faithful Account of the most infamous, and fcandalous Behaviour, the notorious Lives, the beaftly Exceffes, and the furious Treatment of their Brethren, the Diffenters, which on a fmall Search I have been acquainted with; the inferior Clergy of his Party would appear the most wretched, provoking abominable Crew, that ever God fuf fer'd to live unpunifh'd, fince He deftroy'd Sodom and Gomorrah by Fire from Heaven. Review, Nov. 3. 1705. Vol. 2. Numb. 105.p.418 Review, May 26. 1705. Vol. 2. Numb. 36. p. Review, an. 7. 1709. Vol. 6. Numb. 118. p.471. If Words could be made Treafon, one Third at least of the Inferior Clergy in England would be hang'd. I again appeal to You, Gentlemen, whether, generally fpeaking, all over this unhappy Nation, the Clergy are not, three Parts in five, in a clofe Conjunction with the Enemies of the Church's Peace, and the profefs'd Enemies of the Government? Others, not fo directly, but altogether as fatally, and tending to the fame End, with fubtle Defigns to divide and amuse the People, by Preaching, Writing, and Printing, endeavour to revive the faid exploded Doctrines of NonRefiftance and abfolute uncondition'd Obedience, as Things the People of England ought to think themfelves oblig'd by; which tho' in themfelves of no force, yet manifeftly tend to unravel the Conftitution, to invalidate the Queens Title to the Crown, and deftroy the legal Authority of Parliaments in the Nation. An eminent Proof of which is now depending before the Houfe. Druns Drunkennefs, Oaths, and abominable Lewdnefs, Ignorance, Negligence, and fcandalous Infufficiency, abhorr'd Error, Deifm, and Socinianifm, have over-run the Clergy. Review, Tuesday, Nov. 8. 1709. Vol. 6. Numb. 93. P. 371. The Queen, State, and Ministry Review, Septemb. 6. 1705. Numb. 80. Vol. 2. p. 319. In fhort, if Jure Divino comes upon the Stage, the Queen has no more Title to the Crown than my Lord-Mayor's Horfe; all the People are bound, by the Laws of God, to depofe Her as an Ufurper, and restore their rightful and lawful King, James the Third. Speaking of the Family of the Stuarts, calls it, The Line of all the World fam'd for Blood, and that had ravag'd the best Families of the Kingdom. Ever fince the Coming of King James the First to the Crown, this Nation has been perplex'd with Divifions, Uneafineffes, OPPRESSIONS, and Murmurings, both in SOVEREIGN and Subject. Review, Off. 12. 1706. Numb. 122. Vol. 3. p. 486. Review, June 12. 1705. Vol. 2. Numb. 43. p. 170. Review, Nov. 22. 1705. Numb. 112. Vol. 2. Speaking of the Liturgy and Ceremonies; Is there any Neceffity for the impofing thefe indifferent Things? Has not then the Civil 5 Authority incurr'd a Guilt, when impofing by its Power what is not neceffary to be impos'd, it has err'd in Judgment, and commanded that which it ought not to have commanded ? Review, June 14. 1705. Either the Diffenters had reafon for førmer Difcontents, and reafon to complain of Oppreffion, Perfecution, and Infringment of Privileges, or they had not. If they had; the Church was cruel, and the State unjuft before in laying those Loads upon them. If they had not; both Church and State were infatuated and delirious in granting them the Toleration and Liberties fince conceded. If the next Parliament fhould purfue the Steps of the laft, the Nation, in my Opinion, will be fo much nearer that Crisis of Time when English Liberty being brought to the laft Extremity, muft open the Magazine of Original Power. L14 Review, June 19, 1705 Vol. 2. Numb. 46. p. 181, 182. What Review, May 5. 1705. Vol. 2. Numb. 27. p. 106. Review, Dec. 18. 1705. Vol.2. Numb.123.p.489. What can be faid for Members fitting in the Houfe to do nothing, making long Speeches without Meaning, and voting Bills without defign to have 'em pafs ? The Balance between 41 and 88 will appear to run against Him; and the Dif ference between the dry Martyrdom of King James, by his Paffive-Óbedience Church Subjects, and the wet Martyrdom of King Charles I. by People that never made any fuch Prewill appear fo fmall, that 'tis not worth -'s while to meddle with it. tence, Obfervator, from Feb.9. to Feb. 12. 1703-4. Vol. 2. Numb. 89. Country-m. Pray, Sir, are there a great many of thofe People alive that cut off the Head of King Charles the Firft? Obf. No, no; They are dead, and gone a long Time ago. However, the Story ferves fome Men as RawHead and Bloody-Bones, to affrighten fome, and calumniate others. Now for my part, I know nothing of the Bufinefs of King Charles the First; I was born fince the Reftauration, and I have so high a Value for the Prudence and Justice of our Forefathers, as not to condemn any of their A&tions for the Common Good We are unkind to our felves in cenfuring the Justice of our Forefathers Actions, and thereby do give a Handle to our Succeffors to cenfure Ours. Did our Forefathers detruncate the Father? Did not we depofe the Son, and put one more righteous in his ftead? Did we not diveft Him of all his Regalities, and make Him a Fugitive on the Earth? And may not future Ages examine the difference between the Decollation and the Abdication. Obferv. from March 2. to March 6. 1706. Vol. 4. Numb. 97. Ibid. I recite this to let You know the Encouragement the Papifts have had in this Reign; when by their Intereft they can get fuch as write against them profe cuted, &c. Should I tell You honeft Country-man, the Accounts I have had of the Numbers of Popish Priests and Emiffaries come into England the first Two Years of her Majefty's Reign, it would make your Hair ftand on end. Obferv. from May 10. to May 13. 1704. Vol.3. Num 15. They would have but a forry FootSoldier of the Obfervator; and yet I have been where thofe People that would fend me durft not come; and where perhaps I have commanded better Men than themfelves. It has been my Fortune to be in a Fighting Army, under a General that we now dearly want; who did not use to return from the War fine clade clade Victor, and then ride in Triumph over his Queen on a Medal. Obferv. from March 24. to March 28. 1705. Vol. 3. Numb. 99. Speaking of the House of Commons; I am forry that the Folly of fome, and the Bribery of others, have brought us into fuch amazing and difmal Circumftances, that either our Liberties must be loft, or be maintain'd by a Body that is neither of us, nor from us. I fhall produce my felf as an Example of the Arbitrary Power of this Parliament; and the Man that does not acknowledge their Proceedings against me to be Arbitrary, muft affert that an Arbitrary Power was never executed. Ibid. Now if this ben't Arbitrary I don't know what to Ibid. call fo. The Spanish Inquifitors have fo much Regard to Juftice, or the Shew of it at leaft, that they'll fuffer a Man to speak in his own Behalf, &c. Now, Country-man, do but confider my Cafe; I was fentenc'd to the Lofs of my Liberty without being heard. Which plainly fhews that what the Commons condemn'd me for would not bear an Action at Law. My Intent is to inform fuch as You, honeft Roger, how much You have been abus'd by Your Reprefentatives. This Parliament is the very Reverse of former Parliaments; as they were merciful, this was cruel; as they made good and wholfome Laws to preserve the Liberties of their Electors, thefe took away the Freedom of their Electors without any Law; as they us'd all means to keep their Electors out of Jayl, thefe us'd all means to put 'em into Jayl. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Obfervator, from June 27. to June 30. 1705. Vol. 4. Numb. 25. So in fhort, honeft Country-man, 'twas Your Parliament loft Newfoundland. If Your Trade be deftroy'd, Your Traffick neglected, Your Liberties invaded. the Publick Treasure mifapply'd, the Funds for National Service converted to private Ufes, Frauds. encourag'd, and Honefty difregarded, 'tis long of Your Parliament. By that inglorious Treaty of Ryfwick a great part of that Country (Newfoundland) was given to the Trench. Gountry-m. Well; have You any more talk of ? Obf. Honeft Country-man, what would'ft thou have me do? If I muft run thro' all the Lift of Knaves, I must bring in all the Courts, all the Employments, all the Claffes of Publick Affairs in the Nation. Obfervator, from June 23. to June 27. 1705 Vol. 4. Numb. 25. Knaves to Obfervator, from March 15. to March 18. 1704. Vol. 2. Numb. 99. I |