THE Common-Wealths-Man UNMASQU'D: Or a Just REBUKE To the Author of the Account of Denmark.

IF this be not sufficient to il­lustrate the Vanity of Fallen and Darkened Mankind, I shall give a more full and compre­hensive Character of it, as it lies [Page 2] contracted within the compass of one Man; I mean the puissant and Heroical Author of the late Ac­count of DENMARK; who, while he pretends to new Lights and Discoveries, and more than ordina­ry Refinements; is himself as great an instance, as I know, of the de­pravation of of Humane Nature. He seems to carry at once an infal­lible Chair, and a High Court of Justice within the narrow circum­ference of his Brain; fancies him­self to be wiser than the Clergy, both Universities, the King and Parliament to boot; and there is nothing extraordinary, honoura­ble or sacred, but what he has perverted by a knackish and poli­tick Construction: And all this he has done under the specious pre­tence of the All-attoning Freedom of the Subject, and masque of po­pular Liberty; such a Liberty I suppose, and 'twill appear by the sequel, as happen'd heretofore, when there was no King in Israel, [Page 3] and every Man did that which was right in his own Eyes.

Now in order to carry on this Antimonarchical Project, and that Affairs may go on in true Fanatical Decorum,

'Tis first necessary, That the Clergy should be defam'd, and blacken'd with invidious Reflecti­ons. These are the main support, and known Pillars of the Throne: And therefore that the one may be more advantagiously pull'd down, it is held convenient by the choice and secret ones, to run a Tilt with­out distinction against the other. This was the exact method of the Saints in the days of Civil Broils and Desolation; when they were carrying on the luscious Work and blessed Trade of Sacriledge and Plunder: Every Loyal and Con­forming Minister was render'd as Antichristian, and vile a piece of Formality, as a Dancing-Master was at Geneva, at the beginning of the Reformation; and he that [Page 4] was blest with a comfortable and plump Benifice, was in as Emi­nent Danger as the Fat-man in London-Derry. These things are too universally known, and infam­ous, to be any longer insisted up­on. Let us see how near our Pre­facer's Copy approaches the Ori­ginal.

Pref. The Ecclesiasticks of most Religions, who are allowed to un­derstand and prosecute their own Interest best of any People, tho' they be generally persons whose function obliges them to a sedentary and studious course of life, &c.

As some of the well affected here­tofore blended Popery and Prela­cy together, that they might the better destroy both under one Denomination; so here the Po­pish and conforming Clergy are involv'd in the same condemna­tion; and none seem excepted but the new Mechanical Priest-hood. 'Twould have been much more Civil and ingenious, had he cry'd [Page 5] out in a Language of a Modern Poet, That Priests of all Religi­on's are the same.

This is a very black and in­vidious charge; and only lets us understand that Travellers may talk by Authority: I do inge­niously own, that I know not one Quality more unbecoming a Man, that aspires to true Christian Wisdom and Philosophy, than an immoderate thirst after Wealth and Dignity; and may he be branded with the Name of Judas (for me) that sets too high a value upon this glittering insignificant Lumber of the World, and dare's grasp at more than an Honourable Maintainance, which the Scripture allows, but our Prefacer seems to deny. 'Twas one main scope of the Evangelical Writings, to ex­tinguish in us an inordinate Love of all Earthly Things; and so long as the Primitive Fervours did re­main, all such unchaste and ido­latrous Desires were restrain'd and [Page 6] mortified: But when the love of the World began to be advanc't to an undue pitch, the love of God was proportionably abated, and the mystery of Godliness was quick­ly chang'd into the Mammon of Iniquity. When the Episcopal Office, which was at first account­ed a degree of Martyrdom, was baited with Honours and Wealthy Accommodations, it became the more dangerous thereby; and tho some good Men foresaw the Temp­tation, and declin'd the Charge, yet others, we find, could not be so perfectly consecrated as to apprehend it. And as Riches en­creas'd so did Mens Affections too; till (as Platina himself tells us) The Church was defac't with riotous Pomp, and sordid Luxury; it lookt more like a dissolute Wanton than the holy Spouse of Christ: Nay, to so prodigious a height was the Ecclesiastical Grandeur advanc't towards the latter end of the 4 th. Century, that it gave occasion to [Page 7] this Sarcastical Saying of a heathen Consul, Make me but Bishop of Rome, and I will strait turn Christian.

And now the days of darkness were at hand, when the Roman Clergy, however illiterate (accord­ing to the mode and genius of the Times) wanted not subtilty to ad­vance their secular Designs: Se­veral gainful Articles were in­vented, Canons were forg'd, and Donations pretended, to promote the Royal Splendor of the Church, and abett the Pope's unlimited Jurisdiction.

But do our English Clergy hold any meer pecuniary Doctrines, honorary Articles, or chargeable Propositions? If our Author will be so hardy to assert this, and so acute to prove his Assertion, I do solemnly promise, That (by way of Pennance and Mortification for my Mistake,) I will get all Mr. P— n's and Mr. B—r's Books by heart; a task not to be perform'd standing upon one leg, and when [Page 8] 'tis done, cannot much improve the Christian or the Schollar.

Therefore, whatever degenera­cy of this kind may be found among some few (which ought not cer­tainly to reflect upon the whole Order) must be ascrib'd to an un­happy particularity of Temper, to the weaknesses of Old Age, or some other such like Infirmity; when the Intellectual Fire begins to grow weak and languishing, and the Divine Particle is almost over­whelm'd. For (to speak in the stile of the Learned Annotator upon Lux Orient.) ‘The Constitution of Youth, in those that have not an unhappy Nativity, is far more Heavenly and Angelical, than that of more grown Age, in which the Spirit of the world is more usually awaken'd; men then begin to be wholly intent to get Wealth and Riches, to enlarge their Interests by the friendship of great Persons, and to hunt after Dignities and Preferments, Honours and Em­ployments [Page 9] in Church and State: And so those more heavenly and divine Sentiments through dif­use, and the presence of more fil­ling Impressions are laid asleep, and their Spirits thicken'd and clouded with the gross Fumes and Steams that arise from the desire of earthly things; and it may so fall out, if there be not speci­al care taken, that this mud which they have drawn in by their coarse Desires, may come to that opaque hardness and incru­station, that their Terrestrial Body may prove a real Dungeon, and cast 'em into an utter oblivi­on of their chiefest concerns in another State.’

If that sacred Character, which adorns and distinguishes the Profes­sion of the Clergy, weigh little with our Prefacer; yet, methinks, that Knowledge which (as will appear anon) doe's a little distin­guish 'em from the generality of Canting Travellers, should awe [Page 10] him into some degree of deference and respect: If he were actually as deep a Padder in Politicks as he would seem, he would fear to af­front an Order of Men, the mean­est of which could give him just occasion to hang down the head, to blush, and to look sillily. But we find by daily experience, that as there is a Superiority of Education and Wit, as well as of Authority; so 'tis as natural to sordid and illi­terate Wretches to run a-tilt a­gainst their Betters in Understand­ing, as 'tis to others to despise Do­minion, and speak evil of Dignities.

Here let the generous Reader give me leave to make a stand a while, and complain a little of the hard Fate of Learning in this Age: Suppose a Man has entertain'd and polisht his Mind and rational Fa­culties with the Works of those Ancients, that rescu'd and preserv'd their natural Reason and Religion, amidst all the wildnesses of Pagan Darkness and Coufusion (such as [Page 11] Orpheus, Homer, Euripides, AEschylus, Menander, Xenophon, Socrates, Ari­stotle, Pythagoras, Hierocles, and others,) together with all the Di­vine and Perfective Discourses of Cicero, Seneca, Virgil, Horace, and the rest of the Grecian and Roman Poets and Philosophers; let him add to all these the Pious and Seraphical Discourses of the Fathers; be able to recite and confute all Heresies from Nicholas and Cerinthus, Car­pocrates and Valentinus, successively down to the times of John a Leyden, and all the rest of our Mo­dern Innovators: Nay, though he comprehend all the Rarities and Treasures of the Vatican, the Es­curial, the Ambrosian, Florentine, and Bodleian Libraries; yet that very wretch, whose Politicks and Reading never rais'd him higher than the D [...]or of Hope, Poor Man's Cup, God's loud Call, A Token for Children, The Morning Seeker, None­such Charles, The Assemblie's Works, Scotch Psams, and the Account of [Page 12] DENMARK; shall start up as Grand a Resolver of Cases, ex­pounder of dark Texts, confounder of Heresies, and modeller of States, as the most celebrated Oracle of Divinity or Law: Nay, a con­fident Traveller, by virtue of a hard Forehead, a set of Stories and Legerdemain of the Pen, shall on a sudden transform the most Ex­cellent Body of Men, into a loose pack of Worldlings, and silly grace­less Professors.

Pref. Had these Countries, whilst they were free, committed the Govern­ment of their Youth to Philosophers instead of Priests, they had, &c.

This Passage, if consider'd in it's just and proper connexion and dependance, seems only to relate to the ill management of the Je­suitical Priesthood: But I am ful­ly persuaded by Reasons obvious enough, that he designs here to stab the Canonical Priest-hood in general; and that he would be thus understood by common and [Page 13] injudicious Readers. 'Tis hard and ill fencing with an Enemy that looks a-squint; and such a Cha­racter is truly applicable to a great part of this rambling Preface. This sort of doubtful or double meaning has done far worse execution than the double Sword of the Bishops, which this tender Gentleman seems so much afraid of; and while some white ey'd Jugglers have been rail­ing and making faces against Anti­christ, and the Man of Sin; The Church of England has fall'n a de­sign'd, as well as unlamented Sa­crifice. And here I shall observe, That our Prefacer is not only af­fectedly Vain and Romantick in his Projections, but commits un­happy Blunders in the management of 'em too: The two choice things which he chiefly seems to adore, and exalt above the King and eve­ry thing that is sacred, are the Com­monalty and Old Philosophers; yet the former, even of these, he ex­poses upon the Stage, acting like [Page 14] Madmen out of a Principle of punctilious Baseness: and to render 'em the more contemptible and ri­diculous, he shuffles them and the Clergy into one foolish and re­vengeful Plot, A Plot! to undoe themselves and their Posterity. Account, pag. 49. 50. The latter, while he pretends to celebrate their Vertues, he represents as a vile Rout of Libertines and A­theists; For, says he, speaking of the Philosophers,

Pref. Sometimes they made use of pious Cheats, as Elizian Fields, and an assurance of future Happiness, if they dyed in the cause of their Country; and even deceiv'd their Hearers into greatness.

Here again the Poet seems more ingenuous, and a better Religioso of the Two: For

In Pious Times e're Priestcraft did begin.

Supposes some Golden Age of Innocence, antecedent to all grave and oracular Impostures of this [Page 15] kind: But our Politician, I fear, has been dealing with Mr. Hobbs.

Such pretty and quaint Sayings are neither better nor worse than a dull insipid Reflection upon the Antients; for the belief of a future State and Rewards is universally imprinted on the minds of all mankind, the Multitude as well as Philosophers: The Descripti­tions of 'em are indeed fanciful and various; we read of the Isles of the blessed Souls in Plato, of the Fields of Elizium in H [...]mer; but an assurance of future Happiness to those that died well, was no pious Cheat of the Pagan Mystae, but the natural and universal suffrage of all Ages.

Zamol [...]s was a famous Law­giver among the Thracians; He had been a Traveller indeed; but was likewise a Philosopher, bred up under Pythagoras: Upon his return home, he made many good and agreeable Laws and Sanctions for the better regulation and con­duct [Page 16] of human Life; adding with­all, That if the people industrious­ly adher'd to 'em, they should pass out of this into the other invisible World, in which they should en­joy all manner of intellectual Joy and Satisfaction. This has ever been the Vote of Nations, and the common bent of the rational Frame of Man; and we need not fly to Confutius, and the polish't Philo­sophers of China for discovery of that, of which the Historys of Japan and Mexico, of the most rude and unciviliz'd Nations may sufficiently inform us.

'Tis surely ominous, in a more than ordinary sense, to play with Names and Persons that are sacred; The Heathen could observe, That they, who can do such things, intimate, if it were in their power, they would pull Jupiter out of his Throne: And 'tis eminently con­spicuous, that to vilify the Priest­hood, and depreciate Majesty, is but a lesser kind of Profaneness, and [Page 17] a suspicious Fore-runner of down­right Blasphemy and Atheism.

Indeed 'tis a matter of Experi­mental Observation, that the mind of every Sinner at first is very deli­cate, soft, and impressive; and consequently sin must sit very bur­densom and uneasy upon him, in that he contradicts his natural No [...] ­mata, and the distinguishing taste of good and evil, which he brought with him into the World: 'Tis no pleasant Harmony to hear the loud voice of Infamy and Reproach resounding and hallowing in his Ears; 'tis no easy thing to suppress the clamours of a guilty Conscience, which are a constant Herald pro­claiming an avenging God unto his Soul: In this desperate Junct­ure, some method must be found out, either to mince the Evil, or to mitigate the pain some other way; for he cannot live at ease upon this Rack, he cannot lye down with this Vulture at his Bosom: The modish Entertainments of [Page 18] Musick and Jovial Airs, are no everlasting Diversions; he must sometimes converse with Darkness and lonely Shades; and then a sharp and severe recollection is the sad Entertainment of his solitude and retirement: To tell him of Repentance and a penetrating sor­row for sin past, were but to wound him more; this austere Remedy of Evangelical Mortifi­cation is more unsupportable to him than the Disease: Having therefore resolv'd to gratify the belov'd Herodias of his Breast, some Charm or Stratagem must be at­tempted to bring the sinner to a reconcilement with himself: And having heard of a certain Philoso­pher that can stifle the Murmurs and Complaints of Conscience with wonderful Reasons and infallible Demonstrations; I say, having his mind thus tinctur'd with this plea­sant conceit, he swallows down readily the Arcanums and Nostrums of this profound Oracle, and com­mences [Page 19] at once both his Proselyte and his Slave.

And now he is arriv'd with in­finite satisfaction at the School of Atheism, where he looks back with contempt upon the former Pedantry of his Gospel Education; he has shook hands with his Bible (that holy Wheedle of Reverend Impostors) it may perhaps enter­tain his vacant and his sportive Intervals, but the L [...]viathan wholly engrosses his Devotion. Next, he's prepar'd to solve the Phaenomenon of the Heavens above, as well as the Government of the World here below, without the help of a super­intendent Deity; he laughs at the Pious Cheats and Eutopian Stories of a new Heaven and a new Earth, and the fantastick Geogra­phy of a World to come; Tales as absurd as the Relations of a Pliny, or the Poetical Dreams of E­lizium, and as impossible to Rea­son as the infinite Extramundane space of Epicurus, or the whimsical [Page 20] Discoveries of the Cartesian world. And what is Heaven, but a meer airy Figment and visionary Scene? To what end was it made, since we shall all be as tho we had never been, and our Souls vanish into soft Air? Thus doe's the Libertine change all his Notions into the malignity of his Temper, the pravity of his Disposition. This is the true Account of his most exalted Faith, and a Summary of his Political Creed.

So desperate is the Case of Reli­gion and Reason, when Pride has crept into the Chair, or Affections sway the Scepter; when a Man devotes himself to the Service of the World, no inbred Remon­strances of Conscience can affect, no Schools of Piety or Learning can reclaim him: he takes not up his Profession, upon any wise or good consideration, but upon some Principle of Interest, or false Punctilio of Honour, and so turns his Oratory into a Court or Ex­change. [Page 21] His Religion is not pro­perly an Act of his Soul, but the Exercise of his Body, the meer work and labour of his Nerves and Muscles: And as a late Critick has observ'd of a Poet among the Latines, that he seem'd to side with all Sects, but was really of none: So will this trim Gallantill [...]e still close with that side which is most agree­ably adapted to his design, and be of that Party that can [...]id highest for his Soul.

He frames his whole Life, as the Astronomer doe's his C [...]lestial Schemes, according to his Hypothe­sis and Humour; while Conscience perhaps, like some goodly Intelli­gence, is plac't as superintendent over all the Turnings and Revolu­tions of his Fancy: And when Interest is back't with this sacred Name, it becomes a thing of won­drous Vogue and Authority: It can say to this man, Go, and he go­eth; to another, Come, and he cometh; and to another Servant, [Page 22] Do this, and he doth it. He that considers things round about him, and observes a little these contract­ed Enormities of the Christian State, will be apt to compassionate the blind Devotions of those delud­ed Heathens, that gave Fortune an Apotheosis, that built Temples to Honour, and made Proteus a God.

Our Prefacer takes a special and industrious care, while he exalts the venerable Name of Philosopher above that of Priest, to tell us, That the Ancients recommended ab [...]ve all things the duty to our Country, the preservation of the Laws, and the pub­lick Liberty; but invidiously con­ceals those honourable Titles, and Prerogatives given to Kings by Homer, Plato, and other famous Philosophers among the Greeks: To talk of the Honour, Duty, and Allegiance which we owe to Crown'd Heads, is the business of slavish and mercenary Priests, and below the consideration of brave Republican Spirits, whose Talent [Page 23] is, to despise the smiles of Princes as well as their frowns, if they stand between them and their duty to their Countrey. Methinks he might have done well, if he had put among the Antients (whose Opinions and Lectures he so highly magnisies) some of the Learned Fathers of the Church: Quem Deus elegit—and Dominus Dei Vice of Tertullian; and [...], of Athenago­ras, sounds well and musically to true Christian Ears, and would have help'd to allay the harsher Notes of the great Rights of the Peo­ple, (Pref.) and Voices of the Boors in Denmark. ( Acc. p. 39.)

But since the Example and Au­thority of the Philosophers is own'd to be so Canonical and Sacred, I could heartily wish our Politician and his Admirers, would consider a little their Noble Sentiments a­bout the danger of Ambitious En­terprizes, and Vanity of secular Greatness: This wou'd help, perhaps, to lay some restraint upon [Page 24] the busy and mercurial Tempers of the Age, and check the pert Sal­lies, or impetus of their Blood and Spirits: Now, a consideration or prospect of the mutability and im­perfection of secular Grandeur, in­duc't the Philosophers to be grave and sententious, as well as the Po­ets to be satyrical, upon this Sub­ject: They lookt upon the pub­lick business of the World, as too coarse and material for the abstract­ed Purity of their Thoughts, and likewise repugnant to that true se­renity of Mind, wherein the height of Felicity doe's consist; and tho some of 'em were willing to accept of the Goods of Fortune, if they chanc't to fall in their way, yet they would not creep and fawn, or Adorare Vulgus, & projicere oscu­la (as Tacitus observes of Salvius Otho) in order to their advance­ment: They thought necessity might subject a man to these lower Offices of life, but never esteem'd 'em as matter of choice, or any [Page 25] anxious pursuit. Accordingly we find 'em insisting copiously upon the dispraise of those little and fine things, which the world calls great­ness; and some of the Platonists thought the whole Corporeal or visible World, by reason of its poor and diminutive Entity, beneath the search of elevated Understand­ings.

There are many that account a glittering Title little less than an Apotheosis, and a long Train of Vas­sals, a kind of Glorification: And on the other side, there are those who think, that all this pomp and noise is but a glorious clog and burden to the Mind; that a multi­tude of Servants are rather Spies than Attendants, and not so pro­perly Guards as Executioners; I think the latter is at least the more plausible Folly of the two; methinks there's a pleasant and delightful Harmony, beyond all the charming prettinesses of State, in this one Saying of Horace:

For suppose a man exalted and fixt in a shining Orb, and, as he sancies himself, giving Light to others with his borrow'd Glory; Behold the Man surrounded with all the State and Grandeur, which his hopes could propound or his ambition could desire: May we now salute him by the Name of Fortunate, call him Happy, or pro­nounce him great? No: The more he commands the more he is a Slave; he is a fetter'd Vassel to the Tyranny of his Lusts, and he is to be look't upon as a Malefact­or bound in Chains: He feels a pain amidst all his gaudy Diversions, and wants that quiet and repose of Mind, which may be found in a shady and obscure Retirement; and that generous Poverty, those magnificent Rags, wherein true [Page 27] Honour and Honesty are enthron'd, can supply the possessor with more durable Joys, and enravishing Sa­tisfactions. For, beside the inconve­niences and loss of time which at­tend this Station, his fears of futuri­ty must dash his Enjoyments with some sharp allay; he has doubtless heard of the sad instability of hum­ane Affairs, of their various Turns, and hasty Revolutions: Every slight proverbial Talk about the Inconstancy of Fortune, puts him into an Agony, and makes him tremble with foreboding Apprehen­sions: For how can he tell, but one day may put an end to his Con­sulship, and blast his Expectations with an inglorious Defeat?

Plato had but three Servants, Epictetus but one, and Zeno liv'd without any: 'Tis recorded, to the Glory of Terentius Varro, That he refus'd the Dictorship; and 'twas thought an excellent Exam­ple in Horace, that he could indust­riously decline Honours in the [Page 28] days of Augustus. He that has got the Command of his own time, and the happy liberty of thinking, en­joys a more valuable Empire than Antony fought for, or Caesar him­self enjoy'd. As he is not confin'd by Time, so he is not not cir­cumscrib'd by place; and nothing bounds his soaring thoughts, but Eternity. Certainly, Tranquility is the only true Settlement attain­able in this life; the Furniture of the Mind is the brightest Wealth and Magnificence; and He has gain'd the most honourable Em­ployment, that has enrich't his Understanding with glorious Ideas, and useful Notices of Things.

I had rather contemplate Arist­otle in the Lyceum with the Scep­ter of Philosophy in his hand, and the Crown of Wisdom on his head, than see him shining in the Court of Macedon. Anacharsis, Emp [...]docles, and the Milesi [...]n Thales, were known indeed to have an illustrious Des­cent; but they are famous among [Page 29] Posterity only for their Wisdom, Ovid was born to an ample Inheri­tance and Fortune, but commenc't Immortal only by his Wit. The Poet Pindar was more highly re­verenc't than all the Families of Thebes; and amidst the devastati­on that twice befell that City, his house alone (as if it had been a sa­cred Temple) was inviolably pre­serv'd; and the divine Plato is more justly celebrated for the sweetness of his Philosophy, than for being descended of the Race of S [...]lon, and the Family of the Codri. Demetrius Phalerius had more Sta­tues erected to him (for his Elo­quence) than any great Captain or Hero of his Age; and we have another illustrious instance of this kind in Georgias Lcontinus, Father of the Sophists; who (as Philostra­tus notes) at any Grand Assembly of the Greeks, was used to offer to discourse, with an extemporary fa­cility upon any Subject given: And this he could perform with equal [Page 30] pertinency too, to the surprize and astonishment of all that heard him. And for this he had a Golden Sta­tue erected in the Temple of Apollo; a Dignity which no Man arriv'd to before his time.

And as the Philosophers acquir'd an Immortality to themselves, so they gave a kind of Reputation and Lustre to their Kindred and Ac­quaintance too: 'Twas an Ho­nour heretofore to a Gentleman to have been at Athens, and convers't with the Grecian Sages: Olorus had not been remembred by Poste­rity, but for his Son Thucidides; and Seneca observes, That the name of Sophronischus had been buried in oblivion, but for his Son Socrates. Nor had Aristo and Gryllus been known to after Ages, if it had not been for Xenophon and Plato.

Pref. Germany was freer than any other part of Europe, till at length 'twas Lorded by Captains, which (in process of time grew Princes and E­lectors) [Page 31] and by Bishops with Temporal Authority, who may thank Charles the Great (a very bigotted Prince) for their double Sword of Flesh and Spirit. And again, They ( speaking of the Clergy) have cast off the Opi­nions of Rome, in the Supremacy of the Pope and other Points; but they would retain the Grandeur be­longing to that Church, and applaud us for doing both so dext [...]rously. Ac­count, cap. 16. p. 230.

This is all over the exact Genius and Spirit, and almost the very stile of a broken-hearted Covenant­ing Brother; as will appear to any that shall peruse the Sayings of the great Lights o'th Church, or new Reformation, 1641. &c. Nay, if I well remember, the Sweet-singers of Billingsgate canted in this Tune, and much after the same manner:

[Page 32]Here is a strong mixture of Ig­norance, and Ill-manners; nor is it easy to determine, which is the most predominant Ingredient. Every Prince, it seems, that is zealous for the Honour of the Church and Clergy, is with him an half-witted Bigot (and conse­quently not fit to Govern,) and e­very Modern Prelate and Usurper. Nothing doe's more dazie envious and weak Eyes than Ecclesiastick Splendor, and a peaceable flourish­ing Condition of the Church: He could make, no question, as bold a stroke at the Picture of Constantine himself, upon occasion; and I shall venture to tell him, That he has already libell'd most of the Courts and Governments of Europe: For the European Princes, upon the the first entertainment of the Evan­gelical Codes, admitted the Epis­copal Order into their Courts of Judicature; so doe's Adam Bre­mensis particularly speak in Rela­tion to the State of Denmark; [Page 33] Starovolscius of Poland; Loccenius of Sweden; Hin [...]m [...]r and Bignonius of France; The Toletane Councils of Spain; and Arumaeus a German (a much better Lawer and Prote­stant than our Prefacer) speaking of Bishops sitting in the Diets, both as Prelates and Princes, commends the Wisdom and Justice of that Constitution, in relation to true Polity, and safety of Religion: In­deed, the imperial Constitutions, before the Papacy began, give al­lowance to Bishops to be Judges in Civil Causes, as well as Ecclesia­stical; which, I presume, laid the Foundation of this sort of Episco­pal Rights and Jurisdiction; and all Donations and Favours of this kind from Princes in After-Ages, were only a glorious Transcript of this Original.

The Prefacer seems to have es­pous'd the Doctrine of the Levia­than ( part 3. cap. 47.) where Mr. Hobbs endeavouring to over-throw Christ's Kingdom in this world, [Page 34] represents that Notion as a design or artifice of the Roman Clergy, to support their secular Greatness: But how Christ's Kingdom upon Earth should be a Popish Impo­sture to advance ambitious Ends, when this Doctrine was first preached by our Saviour himself, afterwards by his immediate Dis­ciples, and propagated by succeed­ing Apostolical Men in the Ages of Persecution; is a mysterious Riddle which I cannot compre­hend. But this State of Affliction was not to be perpetual and unal­terable; for when Kings should become Nursing Fathers of the Church, the Evangelical Priesthood was to make a more Glorious Fi­gure in the World: St. Peter men­tions a Royal Priesthood; and this is so far from carrying a new and surprizing sound to the more rational part of Mankind, that it has been ever own'd by the more polish't and civiliz'd Nations. A­mong the Romans, the Pontifices [Page 35] were carried in a Charriot of State to the Capitol, and were allow'd to interpose in matters of Polity, and civil Concernment, as well as of Religion; as Cicero speaks at large in his Oration for his Ho [...]se.

Among the B [...]ylonians and Egyp­tians (as Josephus writes in his Tract against Appion; and which I would have the Author of the Account of Denmark particularly observe,) there were none thought worthy to be honoured and entrusted with the Office of an Historian, but the those of the S [...]cerdo [...]al Character: Every pedling Observator was not then thought fit to communicate the Actions of Princes and brave Men, or recommend the Examples of Heroe's to Posterity: To give an Account of t [...] vast Affairs of State, the Revolutions of Govern­ments, the various turns of Provi­dence in the advancement, decli­nation and fall of Empires, and of great Personages; to discern the more hidden Springs, the private [Page 36] Walks, and all the Masques of Vil­lany; to trace fallen Vertue through the Cloud and Veil, to distinguish nicely betwixt the Prosperous and Brave, the Bad and the Unfortunate, was thought a task that requir'd a great and unwearied industry, a penetrating Judgment, a sublime Learning, an impartial Reason, and other extraordinary Accomplish­ments in the Undertaker. But now each Youthful or Grey-headed Pe­dant aspires to the Historical Fa­culty; 'tis but rambling a little a­bout the Globe, casting his eyes around, and travelling till he is tired; and then he shall lye down, fall into Dreams and Visions, and rise up an illuminated Historian in a moment: and not contented to take the Office out of the Rightful Hands, he fancies it to be his pecu­liar Province to expose the Sacred Office to contempt, and ridicule the Priesthood; like the Evil Spi­rit that perpetually haunts him; he seeks, but can find no rest: And [Page 37] that worm of impertinence that is got into his Brain, can never lye still, till the whole Nation's di­sturb'd by it's wrigling.

Secondly, Another preparatory Step towards the carrying on an Antimonarchial Project, is making a senseless pother and noise about Tyranny and Arbitrary Power: For the people are govern'd by Names, and the power of Words, and seldom see beyond the surface of things; and any little J [...]ggling Poli [...]itian, can, in the view of the people, make an unfortunate Sally, an involuntary Tax, or some other trivial Digression, appear [...] terrible advance towards Tyranny, and absolute Dominion. This was heretofore the Logick of the Saints as well as of Gottam) to up­lift the Good Cause in the days of Regeneration; and to shew, how good Wits can jump upon occasion, I shall set down the very words, nay, the Heart and Soul of the Prefacer [...]

[Page 38] Pref. Good Learning, as well as Travel is a great Antidote against the Plague of Tyranny.—The Heroe's ce­lebrated in the Books of the Antients are for the most part such, as had de­stroy'd or expell'd Tyrants.—

Good Learning indeed (which the Prefacer wants) is an Antidote against all Immorality; against Hy­pocrasy, Impudence, Calumny, and Treason, as well as Tyrannical Do­minion; and I wish, that Travel had always prov'd a Preservative against Scisme, and (which now walks in darkness) the Pestilence of Rebellion. I know not what Notion of Tyranny he entertains, nor what use he intends to make of his own Maxims: With some a King and Tyrant are equivalent Names; but at present 'tis not his proper business to distinguish or define. When a kinder season or opportunity shall give the Alarm, he may, if he pleases, draw Dag­gers, Pistols, Swords, Guns, and all the Artillery of Death, out of [Page 39] such licentious Suggestions. As for my own part, I am much more afraid of the smug and plausible Names of a Free People, and the pre­tious Jewel Li [...]erty, than at all his clutter and noise about a Double Sword, a Bigotted Prince, Tyranny and slavish Opinions. Our puissant Prince has yet given no Reason for such ungenteel and sordid suggesti­ons; and 'tis a crooked piece of in­tollerable Insolence to be perpetu­ally playing thus with hard Names, to hover aloof in Amusements and Generalities, because he dares not yet come to particulars; to lye shrugging, spawling, and making mouths (in the very face of Maje­sty) for want of a little more cou­rage to speak plain. A little more of this artificial Thunder, may make the people believe, that they shall not carry a whole skin to their Graves, nor be permitted to walk uncrop'd along the Streets.

Were his Majesty as truly abso­lute and despo [...]ical as an [...]astern [Page 40] Monarch, or were his meer So­vereign unaccountable Will, the Standard of all his Actions (a Pro­vince to which his Genius seems not to encline him,) yet I should rather choose to live under his pro­tection, than under the imaginary Freedom of the purest popular State.

All Kings are intrinsecally li­mited and bounded by the eter­nal laws of Right Reason; and are under a more immedi­ate influence and direction of the Deity they represent: They must be wilfully and unaccountably wicked indeed, before they can quite forfeit the over-sight and care of those Tutelary Angels that at­tend 'em from their Birth; and when they have done so, no won­der [Page 41] if there is nothing so unlove­ly or impious, which they canno readily commit. This was the case of Nero, and other persecut­ing Emperours; who in the hands of God, were the Real Whips and Scourges of Mankind; and yet, as bad they were, I Believe, they have been overcharged by some Historians, who, under pretence of Liberty, and to please a Party, have written perhaps as licentious­ly, as the other liv'd [...] Under Titus and Aurelius and other Em­perours of the same Stamp and Complexion, there was more se­curity and freedom among the Romans, than in the cry'd up Po­pular State; and even at this day, some of the Eastern Kings (if Travellers oth' better Strain may be Believed) demean them­selves with true Political decorum towards their Subjects, whose pre­rogative 'tis, as well as Duty, to Obey.

[Page 42]But when the People bear Sway, and the multitude decree justice; what true settlement can be hop'd for under Governours so wild and uncertain? what lasting security even in the midst of ease? what Liberty or freedom in the midst of Fears, and dis­tracting apprehensions of Thing [...]? The People, while they move in their proper Sphear, and are in­structed how to obey, may perform their office regularly and well e­nough, like other ordinary parts of the Creation; and 'tis princi­pally [...] the fault of designing Polititi­ans, if they are debauch't from their due Allegiance, which is their undoubted Priviledge and Glory: But if once they are drawn up in­to the Element of authority and pow'r, what Confusions, Storms, and Earthquakes must they raise? Nature is quite untun'd by the discords which they create, and the intellectual World groans un­der their Government and Fury.

[Page 43] What pretious and Brave times should we see again, if a John of Leyden should start out of his grave and set up for a King? or Kett a Tanner should Lord it dapper­ly among us? [...] a Bedlam should [...] h [...]ve [...] ( [...]s a Learned and good Historian) if the inferi­or Ru [...]icks of Kent, Essex, &c. [...]nder Wat Tyler a Taylor, Jack Straw, and other such low born Chief­tains, h [...]d pr [...] against King Richard the [...], who endeavou­red to destroy the King, No [...]ility and Clergy; extirpate all Learning, and overthrow all Government, by their l [...]velling Humours? for which pur­pose, t [...]ey murder'd all Persons of Quality, which fell into their Clut­ches, if not of their Society; burnt and destroyed the best Houses in Lon­don, and had so little respect of Persons, that every Slave amongst them, would sport themselves upon the King's Bed, and impudently in­vite the Kings Mother to kiss with them, whose He [...]d they also broke [Page 44] in a Tyrannizing Frolick: And that their villany might be compleat by a Bloody Sacriledge, they took Simon Tibald, Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, and in their Devilish Fury, by eight Mangling Stroaks, cut off his Head; and for more Infamy, set it upon London-bridge.

The Rebellious Mobb in Valen­tia heretofore, design'd to destroy all the Gentry; which made a poor Woman in the same City, seeing some Gentleman go by, shew 'em to her Children; Tel­ling them withal, when you come to be Men, you may say you have seen Gentlemen.

The worst and rankest Effluvi­um's do not strike more ungrate­fully upon the Organs of Sense, than Moral good upon the highest and Noblest Faculties of the Peo­ple: Madness is their Character upon sacred and inviolable Re­cord [...] Their Minds are so Tin­ctur'd with false Ideas, corrupt Hypotheses, undue apprehensions, [Page 45] and fantastical Images of things, that they scarce retain (when be­wildred with Dreams and Visions of Original Power) the common rudimental Principles of Humane Nature: The [...], or noti­ces of Moral Beauty and Defor­mity, are perfect strangers to their Beings; tell them, if equals be substracted from Equals, what re­mains must be equal, and you may be in danger of being arraign'd for a dealer in Art-magick: what the eyes of Batts and Owls are with respect to the Light, such are their minds in reference to Justice, Gentility, and good Manners; and whosoe­ver pretends to entitle 'em to Grand Rights, Immunities, and Superiority; must do it by that Fi­gure, by which Ideots and Mad­men are under the actual Sanction of no Law.

Pref. In Russia and Muscovy the Government is as Tyrannical, as in any of the more Eastern Monarchies; the Priests there have very much con­tributed [Page 46] to make it so. To the end, that the People may be kept in the re­quisite temper of Obedience, none are permitted to Travel upon pain of Death, except such as have special License, least such Travellers should see the Liberty of other Nations, &c.

Gravely! and Goodly! I find our Prefacer loves Perseverance as well as the best Covenanting Saint among'em all. I warrant, he could hold forth against Priests and Ty­rants a whole week together for the Edification of a Free People; and before he has time to cool (if his power [...] equal to his opinion) he would find in his heart to finish 'em all at a Blow.

But the ca [...]e of Russia and M [...]sc [...] ­vy, is not the case of England; nor is the State of Denmark the conditi­on of our Nation: And why ei­ther of 'em should be so industrious­ly touch't upon at this time, seems to carry more with it of Design than Curiosity: O! but the grand Duke of Muscovy is such a cruel [Page 47] and unnatural Father of his Coun­try, that he will not give License to all his Children to Travel! This is a lamentable story in good earn­est, and touches in a tender and sensible part, when a Child has a mind to play the Truant abroad, or a rambling Fancy shakes him by the Crown. But may it not be worth our while to make a short Enquiry, before we pronounce rash [...]y in this matter, whether this hard Treatment be the meer effect of a sullen and crabbed Humour in the Father, or occasion'd by the undutiful Deportment of his Sons, which may have forc'd the Old Gentleman to this seemingly unde­cent severity. Now 'tis plain to any man, that has made some in­spection into the Affairs of Musco­covy, that the people of that Coun­try are as great affectors of new Schemes and Innovations, as some half-witted Zealots in other parts of the World: And therefore to give leave, without the least excep­tion, [Page 48] to travel to all parts (but es­pecially to Denmark) might be a matter of fatal importance to the Publick; tho I could name an Author that has Fore-head enough to deny it. This various and un­quiet Temper of the Muscovitish people, has oblig'd the Great Duke to put a restraint on Preaching as well as Travelling, and to correct the Follies and Exorbitances of the Pulpit. For when it grew manifest, that by a free and popu­lar use of Sermons, men's Hearts were enflam'd, Errors were ad­vanc't, and the Government began to suffer by such Disorders; he ob­lig'd all Priests to a set number of Homilies of the Greek and Latin Fa­thers, translated faithfully into the Russian Language; which are to be read without the least diminuti­on or addition of their own; and this course I find applauded by some as an eminent instance of his Wis­dom and good Policy.

[Page 49]Our Prefacer makes a mighty wonderment and noise about the rare effects of Travelling into For­reign Countries; as if the main Excellence and Qualification of a Gentleman consisted in viewing the Imperfections or Extravagan­cies of some Governments, and the agreeableness of others, and telling Romantick Stories upon a return home. No Pilgrim that ever foot­ed it to Loretto, or zealously trudg'd to Jerusalem, was ever half so proud of his Performances and hard La­bours: I own, that men of a good Bottom and Education, or of fixt or solid Brains, such as may be bred and qualified in our Universities, ( where, as he notes, Travelling Fellow­ships are establisht,) may possibly make good Discoveries abroad, and happily reap much cultivation and improvement: Nay, many of our Gentry, after spending their time and some Wealth abroad, have made, I believe, a bright and considerable Figure in our Senate.

[Page 50]But every man at thirty or four­ty years of Age is not fit to be trusted abroad without a Gover­nour: For the Generality that make a sally through the World, run into Pedantick, or ingenious whimseys at best; rather gratify their fancies, than improve their understandings; they go out block­heads, and returns Fops; the Ignorance of the one is home-bred and plain, in the other 'tis a little Embroidered; and I know no great material difference (in point of Eminency) betwixt the one and the other: And tho' it may seem a necessary provision, that some Select Persons should be Devoted to this employment, yet our main felicity and Consolation consists in this, that we have Schools of Learning and Polite Education at home, equal to the best in Eu­rope: and here let the Prefacer tell me (if he dare) upon what account our Nobility and braver part of [...]ur Gentry, whose Edu­cation [Page 51] is domestick and yet uni­versal, who have lived always at home, yet have seen all the World in Books and the best Conversa­tion, are inferior to the most ac­complish't Travellers or Courtiers? let him tell me, if he can, where­in they may not vye with the most Celebrated Personages of Athens and Old Rome; in Learning, Bra­very, and an exact decorum, or true Politeness of manners? A­mong these we meet with a gay freedom, a generous Charity, a Triumphant Compassion, Sweet­ness, and Affability; Noble Friend­ships, and a Victorious Constan­cy; a true Philosophical greatness of mind, and yet a chearful Sub­jection to their Prince: And what more can be desired to make up the real Ornaments and accom­plishment of Humane Nature? such Illustrious Personages as these appear like Beings of some Superi­or Order among the vulgar mag­ni [...]ied part of mankind: Such [Page 52] were some of the Antient and Brave Romans, who were most Lovely and Pleasant in their Lives, and at last sedate and compos'd in Death it self: Such were many of the Platonick Order, whose af­fable Deportment, Justice and Be­nignity, render'd 'em the delight and admiration of all about 'em: Such was Plato himself, who had all the Charms and Delicacies of a pleasant Wit, the sweet uncom­mon Graces of Conversation, ex­celling all in the Court of Dionysius; and after a long life elegantly acted (as the Roman Orator words it) breath'd out his quiet and pacifical Soul in a steady Contemplation.

The Prefacer owns, That Travel­ling has hitherto been so mischievous, that 'tis well it has been so little in fashion. (What he affirms, I shall prove by and by, tho in a different way from his meaning and inten­tion.) The most common return is an affected foppishness, or a filthy Disease, for which they sometimes ex­change [Page 53] their Religion. (I shall tell him presently which way Religion has been principally endanger'd by Travelling; and shall plainly shew, That some Religious Affectations, and Diseases of the Brain, and Mind (introduc't this way) have been of more dangerous and pernicious im­portance to us, than all the French Fashions and modish rottenness of the Bones) Travelling seems as necessary to one who desires to be useful to his Country, as, &c. Enter Reason; Such worthy men as are employ'd abroad, may bring home generous Notions of Liberty, and make admirable Remarks on the contrary State; which being in­culcated from the Pulpit, and enforc't by the Learned Arguments of Able Divines, must needs overthrow those servile Opinions, which of late have been too much back't by God's Autho­rity, almost to the Ruine of a Free People. Good Sir [...] Circumstantio, I beseech you, hold a little: My head has ak't almost an hour with the noise and rattle of such Jargon [Page 54] and Impertinence: Therefore now to get a little breathing space, I shall put an end to this Dispute a­bout Travelling. Here we have before us a true Plat-form of our Author's Grand Design; together with an exact delineation of the manner and conduct of the Villa­ny, thro' all it's steps and gradati­ons. This was the darling method which the Rabbi's of the Separation us'd heretofore, to new plant the Gospel, and to pull down the High Places of the Church and Monar­chy together. The Project was first set on foot by English and Sc [...]t [...]h Travellers; who having unhap­pily sojourned a while at Franck­fort, and in the strange Land of Geneva; became bewitch't at length with the Charms of a New Discipline: Upon a return home, they made such a pother with Fan­tastical Notions of Liberty, and such pert Remarks upon the Admira­ble Constitutions of the English Church, that the whole Nation soon [Page 55] rang with the Jingle of Reformati­on: Innovations, Grievances, & dis­obedience to Rulers, were inculca­ted from the Pulpit, and the mul­titude render'd uneasie both to their Governours and themselves, by calumnies, scruples, and such like Arguments of good and able Divines. The Autority of Magist­rates was blasted and run down, by the fair and specious preten­sions of a Free People; and Christi­an Loyalty, patience, and submis­sion, were quiet dash't out of Countenance by the horrible out-cry of dangerous and Slavish O­pinions. Never was any black and infamous project so graduated a­long with good names; nor the pow'r of Godliness so stifled with inward suggestions of the Spirit.

The Ring Leaders of the Fac­tion drew the Rabble after them with the Hallow'd Whistle of Con­science and Inspiration; with pray­ers unmerciful, elevation of hands and voice, and eyes lifted up to [Page 56] Heaven; while their hearts were fixt on Sacriledge and Rapine (that Inheritance of the Saints) and other Creature Comforts here below. The tickling of wanton and itching Ears, was call'd touching the Conscience; and he was thought the fittest Champion to Sacrifice Antichrist to the Beasts of the Field and Fowls of the Air, that could boldly and fluently utter the most edifying Nonsense. They caught the simple, even all the Sons and Daughters of the Sepera­tion, with the Witchcraft of Re­bellion at last; as once a Pied Piper drew Children after him, with the unaccountable strains of Magick and enchantments: And after they had run through the various Stages of Heterodoxy and Schisme, Liberty and Insurrecti­on, Prophaness and Blasphemy, Plunder and Devastation; they Compleated their Reformation in the ruin of the Church and State; the depression of the Nobility, [Page 57] Selling the Gentry for Slaves, the exaltation of Soveraign Mob, and the Murder of the best of Princes.

I do verily Believe, (and sure­ly the Black Annals of those un­happy times have put it beyond all question) that if all the Reli­gious Barbarities and Executions, which were Acted by those, who are now Sainted up to Everlasting Rest, and, as it were, conjur'd to Heaven by the Republican Chaplains of those times; if all the Conse­quences too, under which the whole Reformation groans at this very day, could be represented at once unto the view; 'twould be the most sad and astonishing sight, the most Tremendous Object of Horrour and Compassion, that e­ver Eyes beheld; and would ea­sily convince us, that our Travel­lers and Reformers did not Copy the Example of him who was meek and lowly; and who came not to destroy Men's lives but to save 'em.

[Page 58]Thirdly, Another bold step to­wards pulling down Monarchy, is venting strange Oracles, and a great deal of Hallow'd Gibberish about the vast Rights, Power and Priviledges of the People, publick Liberty, King Killing Doctrine, &c. for instance, When Majestrates cease to do their Duties, God giveth the Sword into the Peoples Hands; for a Portion of the Sword of Justice belongs to the multitude. Dang [...] Posit. Parliaments are the Peoples Servants, the King and all other Magistrates are so too—if they break their trust, they may punish 'em ac­cording to desert, and turn 'em out of Service; Mene Tekel. What had we got if the Prelatical Party had been set up?—Bondage of our Estates, Liberty and Consciences. Burroughs, 164 [...]. Draw this Ar­row, as Jehu did against Jehoram: Green. 1644. Let us be active against the Kings and Princes of the Earth, those Claws of the Cruel Beast. Feak. 1653.

[Page 59]I hope, my Prefacer and Au­thor of the Account will not fail me here, in this Grand Point, out of a Formal and affected Mode­sty: No, we are told, that once upon a Time, Denmark was Go­vern'd by a King chosen by the People of all sorts, nay, even the Boors had their voices, Acc. p. 39.

He might have added out of Saxo Grammaticus's Account (Dan. Hist. lib. 10.) A certain Story of a Bear that fell in Love with a Female, got her into his Den, enjoy'd her, and begot a Son, from whom descended many Nor­thern Kings; if he had also vouch­saft to mention the Favourable neighing of a Horse, which led the way to the Royal so [...]emn inauguration of Darius; it had been almost as applicable and per­tinent in this Case. All which I mention, because we are told in Pref. Every one ought to know how great the Rights of the People were very lately in the Elective King­doms [Page 60] of Sweden and Danmark. As if, in order to carry on the Grand Intrigue, the lowest of the People amongst us ought to assume the same Rights: But he goes on.

Pref. The Estates of the Realm being convened to that intent, were to Elect for their Prince such a Per­son, &c. p. 1.

This looks like a Lucid Interval in our Author; & I would trust him alone, if I knew he could stop here: But I find that good humour is as short and vanishing with him, as Phrenzy is with more Sweet and happy Complexions. Nay he's grown more furious and implacable than he was before; as if he had re­treated to rally with the greater force; for see how he raves and hectors on a sudden.

If after such a choice they found themselves mistaken, and that they had advanc't, a cruel, vitious, Tyran­nical, Covetous, or wastful Person; they frequently deposed him, often­times banished, sometimes destroy'd [Page 61] him—(nay) if grown too pow'rful to be Legally contended with, they dispatch't him without any more Ceremony, the best way they could, Acc. p. 41.

Now add to his the precedent Remark, viz. Every one ought to know &c. And the whole carries with it a pretty stabbing Empha­sis; a brave Heroical Suggestion, becoming the Dignity & Grandeur of a Free-born Subject, that owes small manners and Allegiance to his Prince.

'Tis certainly a very bitter ill natur'd cur, that growls while he is fed; and 'tis more than com­mon insolence and ingratitude, and less than Irish civility in our Au­thor; to give such spiteful and en­couraging Innuendo's: What Prince or Person (especially if he be stampt with a sacred Charac­ter) can we suppose to have such a commanding Aspect, but some will brand him with the name of Cruel, Vitious, Wastful, Covetous, or Tyrannical? We have Men a­mong [Page 62] us, whom a Moses would ex­asperate; a David would disob­lige; and who are too wise in their own conceits, to be Gover­ned by a Solomon: Nay, should our Saviour descend again, and bless the World with his presence; we want not those who would revile his person, dispise his Office, and applaud his Crucifixion.

Pref. The Books that are left us of the Antients are full of Doctrines, Sentences, and Examples, exhorting to the conservation or recovery of the publick Liberty.

Here he would fain shelter him­self again under the authority of the Antients; who (as I have shewn before) have already turn'd him out of their Society, for his Insufficiency and false Accusations. The Antients ne're dream't of such a Liberty as he would inculcate; since't was the main design of their Phylosophy, to curb all irregular sallies of our Nature, and bound our Appetites with a prudential [Page 63] restraint. Publick Liberty in the mouth of a Flaming Enthusiastick Zealot, is, like a naked Sword in the hands of a Lunatick Brother, dangerous and destructive; and the one should no more be trusted alone without a limitation, than the other without a Scabbard. 'Tis a Licence to Kick, Bite, Swear, and play the Libertine thro' all the various Scenes of carnality and lust; to be Covetous, and (what's worse) to Rebel for Conscience­sake, Write Treason Directly or Indirectly, and cheat our neighbour with a zealous twinkling of the Eye, or in saying of a Prayer. He that is Free-born, is likewise born in a State of Subjection to Laws; and though by his Birth-Right he's Entitled to certain Priviledges and Civil Rights, yet he is also Entitled to some cer­tain measures of obedience, as he's a Subject: And whosoever talks so loftily of the one, and industri­ously conceals the other; doe's but [Page 64] abuse the Multitude into danger­ous Sentiments, with a nonsensi­cal jingle of Words; and is so far from being a True English Polititi­an, that he's a down-right shuff­ling Impostor.

Again, tho the Conservation of Publick Liberty (which he so feel­ingly talks of) may admit a soft and easy Interpretation; yet to talk of the Recovery of it at this time (as if it were totally lost) seems to car­ry with it an ill-natur'd Republican Sound, such as can strike musically upon none but the Long [...]ear'd Rout, as the Comick Poet describes 'em. But to proceed:

Pref. Heroe's there celebrated are for the most part such, as had destroy'd or expelled Tyrants; and though Bru­tus be generally declaimed against by Modern School-boys, he was then est­eem'd the true Pattern and Model of exact Vertue.

I am so far from favouring the name of Tyrant, that I am almost sick and nau [...]eated with the Repe­tition: [Page 65] I had rather He had told us some prodigious Tale of Sir Guy, Bevis, Garagantua, or Tom Thumb; such Romantick Raveries would have suited much better with the prerogative of a little Traveller; they had also done as much good to the publick: But then (as he is cunning enough to discern) it seems, He had done less harm and execution. As to the Heroe's which he doats on, and seems to admire, They were, some of 'em (like the celebrated Gods among the Heathens, or the Modern Saints in our New Martyrolo­gy,) the vilest and basest of Mor­tals; and fit only to be extoll'd by such a fulsome Orator as himself. I know but one Modern Hero that comes near him for blust­ering and proud Language; and that is the Great Almanzor in the Play, who in a vaunting stile describes himself after this man­ner:

Seneca advises us, always to bear in our Minds the Idea of some Great Man, for whom we have a singular Veneration: And his Au­thority will help to fix and purify our Thoughts, and be a good Con­ductor of our Lives. Now some perhaps upon perusing this Di­rection, would have thought of the Divine Plato; others of Socrates, who (as Solinus, AElian, and Maxim­us Tyrius report,) was of a sweet and even Temper all his Life: But our Prefacer scorns to be confin'd within such narrow and ordinary Rules; or to soar so mean pitch. No less than Brutus, his beloved, magnanimous, the Brave and King-killing Brutus, must be his [Page 67] Guide and Director; He's the true Pattern and model of exact Vertue.

Apulejus heretofore wrote in fa­vour of an Ass, Sextus Empiricus in commendation of a Dog, Erasmus of Folly, Scaliger of a Goose, and Heinsius of a Louse, all which may pass for ingenious Extravagances, and Innocent Tryals of an Exu­berant Wit and Fancy: But to commend the action of Brutus, touching the Death of Caesar, is a Sally of a different Nature, Cha­racter and Consequence; and ap­pears a flight beyond the Vanity of Cardan himself, who wrote a Panegyrick upon Nero. We meet with but few, even among the Orators and Poets, Euthusiastical enough to justify this Act of Brutus; and they that have done so, had better eternally been sil­ent; for it has left a Stain and Blot upon their Memories: Tho Milton (who durst say any thing in the perillous Times of Darkness and [...] [Page 66] [...] [Page 67] [Page 68] Usurpation) has made use of this instance to grace his Insolent Tri­umphs; yet R. F. (no great pre­tender to Modesty, or Assertor of Kingly Government) has not con­fidence enough to make the least Apology for the Fact, but exposes Cicero for his Justification of the Villany: Adding withal, Had we nothing but the Sentiments of Phi­losophers to conduct us in our Loy­alty, no Prince could be secure. Of Moral Vertue and Grace, p. 229.

I must freely own, That I could never contemplate the Fate of Caesar, without a mixture of com­passion, horror and detestation; I consider, that Men of the most bright and eminent Station and Character, have their Faults and Deviations; and then 'tis custo­mary with mean and obnoxious persons, to make their invidious Remarks and Observations: If the lesser Lights digress, the world is little concern'd; but should the Sun make a false step, the genera­lity [Page 69] of Mankind would immedi­ately fear a bad Omen and Deso­lation. But whatever faults lay mingled with Caesar's Vertues, Brutus must still be his equal; If Caesar was ambitious, Brutus was too aspiring: If Caesar was Tyran­nical, Brutus was ungrateful; and therefore we have in him an A­bridgment of all Iniquity. This celebrated Action was not the ef­fect of Piety to his Country (the everlasting pretence of Villains in such cases) but of a wretched Pride, Popularity, and Affectation: In the Death of Caesar, at least, we may behold all the Lineaments of a Gallant and Brave Soul, while in the Action of Brutus we see no­thing but cowardly Insult, and all the lamentable Marks of a grovel­ing and abject Spirit.

Now, there is nothing gives a more deadly wound to a great and ingenuous Mind, than Desertion in time of Extremity, and a secret treacherous Blow, from the Party [Page 70] whom we love. They that have courted Danger in all its Images and Forms, and have been glad to meet an open generous Enemy in the Field; have grown pale, and trembled at the sight of a sneaking Adversary, under the false Colours of a Friend: This was the Case of Caesar at his last hour; when surrounded with Assassines of meaner Note, he struggled with 'em like a Lyon in the Toyle, and look't Great, as when he Thun­der'd in the Field: But when Brutus at length, his unkind Brutus, joyn'd with the Conspirators; when that Arm which ought to have been weilded in his Defence, was stretch'd forth against his life; The Great Man grew tame and feeble in a moment, & Ingratitude piere't deeper than all the Instru­ments of Death.

But no wonder that he should espouse this Villanous Cause, who can sport himself with the names of Christian Kings, and trample [Page 71] upon the Ashes of our own De­ceased Monarchs: For he tells us, 'Tis a true, though but a Me­lancholly reflection, that our late Kings half undid us, and bred us up as nar­row Spirited as they could—&c. Which piece of disingenious cant, sounds like the Famous Raree Show, in which, one King is charg'd with,

Nor do I wonder that a man of his stern temper and complexi­on, should make so bold with the dead, since 'tis his Talent and Principle to bid defiance to living Princes, to despise their smiles and frowns, nay reproach and death it self, if they stand between him and what he shall call his Duty. All which is precisely Almanzor the Second part; for thus that extra­vagant and Tempestuous Bravo Vaunts it to a King's face:

There is certainly some Civil deference and submission due to Crown'd Heads, though Kings should look angry and frown with a cause: 'Tis thought an excess even of Poetical Licence in Homer, that he represents Achilles sawcy to his Superior, and dispising the Smiles and Frowns of Agamemnon. The world must needs be grow­ing to a fine pass, when a man, that's made up of Burlesque, Ro­mance, Gallimaufry and Raree Show, shall set up for a Critick and Tutor to a whole Nation. As for my part, I am so far from thinking him fit or capable to [Page 73] Read Lectures of Policy for the improvement of the Community, that I cannot find he has made any tolierable Improvement of himself. I will as soon believe, that the whole Corporeal World in a wise Animal (as some of the Antients conceiv'd) as think him qualified to be Governour to a Prince. I see nothing in him like clear Intellectual preception; Imagi­nation is the Noblest and Su­pream faculty about him; his Wis­dom is the meer effect of distem­per, and his Solidity lies no deep­er than his Scull. His Heroical flights are nothing but the Spleen; and the Height of his Puissance, like the courage of a Rat, consists in a deprav'd and irregular fer­ment of his Blood and Spirits; and I dare be bold to prophecy, if his Maxims succeed, that we must shortly make enquiry into New-gate and Bride-well for Free­Spirited Gentlemen, and ransack Bedlam for Hero's.

[Page 74] Pref. 'Tis none of the smallest ad­vantages which his Majesty has pro­cured us by his accession to the Crown, that we now make a greater figure in the World than formerly.

This look like a Wonderful change indeed; a conversion in an Instant: Yet all that I can gather from it is this, That Judas can still Kiss, dispisers of Magistracy can still Address, the Jesuit can Fawn, and Whores and Pick-Pockets Em­brace. 'Tis plain from what we have already said, that all this is Pageantry and Scorn, and not spoken out of a Loyal intention to his Majesty, but meer service to himself: For can he be a Friend to his present Majesty, that insists so studiously (and scur­vily at this time) upon the peo­ples Prerogative of dispatching Kings; and tells us Emphatically we ought to take notice of it? Can he be a Friend to his pre­sent Majesty, that by aspersing the Memories of wise and good [Page 75] natur'd Princes, libells even Mon­archy it self? Can he be a good Subject, or Friend to Monarchy, that gilds o're the memory of A. Sydney (that rare Arcadian Hero) that Died a Martyr for the Good Old Cause, by his own Dying confes­sion; and urg'd a Fanatical Argu­ment in i'ts Defence? No: the Antimonarchical ears peep thro' the borrow'd Skin; such a cloak as this is too trite and thin to hide the Republican Brother. So long as such loose Diabolical Principles are asserted with a magisterial air and haughtiness, and prest with stab­bing hints and innuendo's; the in­termixtures, of a softer and finer di­alect and phrase, will appear but Insignificant and Artificial no­things, like Faith and Grace in the days of Sequestration; and are no more to be valued than some treach­erous Addresses to the late King, which were as truly base and infa­mous (if possible) as the Antient vote of non Addresses to his Father.

[Page 76]And here I might justly enough take occasion to lament the Fate, as well as admire the Glory of puis­sant and great Princes; whom a Symnel, or Jack-straw, a Prefacer, or dawbing Historian may expose to infinite Hazards and Disturban­ces: Though they Govern their People with the mildness and cle­mency of Guardian Angels, yet they must not partake of their Di­vine Tranquillity; their Character is not always their Security, nor their Bravery their Protection. For suppose 'em adorn'd with all Roy­al Qualifications; with the Laws of Generosity, Punctilio's of true Honour, and all the Niceties of Ju­stice; grant that they ascend the Royal Throne with the gladsome Shouts and Acclamations of the People, and gain a Diadem by In­heritance or Desert: Yet they can only hold Intelligence with the Faces of Men, but cannot spell out Intrigues, and converse with Incli­nations. Due Allegiance and Ho­nour [Page 77] is all the Tribute that Sub­jects can defray, or they themselves can exact; and how shall they know, but the most seemingly re­gular and plausible forms of Speech, may be nothing but a neat well acted Hypocracy, and a meer stu­died Disguise? Unnecessary Offers, and over [...]hasty Officiousness smell strong of Interest and dark Design; how then can they tell, Whether the most grave and submissive Ap­plication, be the free result of a good Intention, or meer solemn Flattery, and Artificial Address? Nay, how can they be assur'd, but their greatest enemies may be those of their own Houshold? Whether they that are adopted into the Se­crecy of their Bosoms, that depend on their Smiles, and sport them­selves for a while in their warm Beams, will help to guard the Throne, or to shake it?

Fourthly, Another way to advance the darling Antimonarchical De­sign, [Page 78] is by bringing the Publick Schools and Universities into dis­grace: These are the dangerous strong holds of Antichrist, where Principles of Loyalty, and Passive Doctrines are suck't in with greediness; and therefore 'tis held convenient, to throw some dust in these eyes of the Nation, that the Freeborn Pro­jectors may more commodiously come at the Head. And this was the great Pride and Luxury of the Brotherhood in the former Days of Tyranny and Civil Combustion: When the Sweating Teachers, after a few Winks and Groans, began to thunder against vain Philosophy, and Wet their Handkerchiefs, in running down the necessity of Hu­mane Learning: This was not on­ly inculcated from the Tub, but from the Press also in solemn formidable manner; as may be seen in the Authors of Light out of Darkness, and the White Stone: But here, we find, the Republican Doctors dif­fer'd among themselves: For [Page 79] some were not absolutely for pul­ling down, but only Regulating the Constitution of our Academies, and proposing Expedients for Reform­ing of Schools, and promoting of all kinds of Science: Thus speaks the Author of Academiarum Exam­en, Dedicated to M. General Lam­bert, viz. Seeing Divine Providence hath made you (with the rest of those Faithful and Gallant Men of the Army) signally Instrumental, both in Redeem­ing the English Liberty, almost drown'd in the deluge of Tyranny, and Self-interest, &c. I hope the same Providence will also direct you to be assistant to continue the same, &c. And m [...]reover, guide you to set your hand, and endeavour for the Purging and Reformation of Acade­mies, and the Advancement of Learn­ing, which hitherto hath been little promoted or look't into.

'Tis not my intention to heap Reflections upon the Memory of the Right Honourable Major General Lambert (as the Dedicator stiles [Page 80] him) Tho' our Prefacer has offer'd a fair occasion by insulting over the Tomb of our Deceased Mar­tyr: My Province at present is to speak of a Gentleman of a mean­ner Figure; and to shew how well the Dedicator's Project is follow'd, and Ap'd by the Prefa­cer. Therefore to proceed.

Pref. The Constitution of our U­niversites, as to Learning, seems as Unfortunately Regulated, as it is to Politicks.

Here is a plain Transcript of the Old Reforming Humour; but without the reason, genius, and abilities of the more Learned Dedi­cator: For the Author of the Ex­amen did not meerly find fault, censure and talk magisterially; but, with a seeming modesty (a Quality unknown to our new Re­gulator,) he confesses 'tis far more easie to demolish, than to erect a complete Structure; especially for a single person of a mean Talent: And after he had offer'd some plau­sible [Page 81] Expedients for a rectification of Logick, Metaphysicks, Gram­mar, Mathematicks and Natural Philophy; he owns himself ob­noxious to many Errors; and hopes that better and more Able Pens will help to supply his De­fects.

But the Prefacer's Talent lies wholly in Spanish downright Posi­tivo; and if he can but cast a mist before Vulgar Eyes, he takes no care to understand what he affirms, nor can he move his Pen the breadth of one Letter towards the Proof of what he asserts.

I heartily wish (for a perfect cure of his Distemper'd Imagination,) he would once take heart, and visit our Universities, at some time of publick Festivity; when Juglers, Mountebanks, Jack-puddings, and Punchianello, divert the whole Town with their wonders; and try what a stately Figure he could make.

[Page 82]The spruce and finical Gallant, whose Curiosity led him to visit Athens, expected to have receiv'd little less than Divine Honours for his out-side Qualifications; he went pompously attended, was wonder­fully dress't and garnish't, and took especial care to bow in the right place; least by ducking the head a little immethodically, and moving the hand or leg maladroit­ly, he should seem to spoil the Honour of his Family. But he was soon convinc't of his genteel and conceited Folly by the facetious [...] Remarks of the ingenious Plato­nists; who, though they were well skill'd in all the Arts of Behaviour and Conversation, yet never pro­stituted these Inferior Morals to empty Noise and Formality; but made use of 'em to adorn and set off Essential Goodness: They thought a decent simplicity of man­ners to be the best and purest gen­tility; and a generous bent and [Page 83] inclination to do good, the truest Grandeur and Magnificence.

I am almost persuaded, That our New Regulator would meet with the same Fate, at least the same means of Conversion, if he would but deseend to Travel, and shew himself amongst our Academical Sages. What a woful and sorry wight must he appear (with his new Models, Foreign Experiments, and Idea's of Government, with other Chimerical Bawbles) a­mongst a Learn'd and Venerable Assembly? Nay, how would each Junior Sophister (lately dismiss't from School) give him cause to sneak, beg Pardon, and Repent, in the strength of Hesiod and Homer? The former of these (as Borrichiu [...] notes) has written with so much Wisdom and Acumen, that he may, even now, be read with singular Advantage, by those that apply themselves to Politicks, and Moral Philosophy. The latter (as Rapin thinks) had the vastest, sublimest, [Page 84] and most universal Genius that e­ver was: 'Twas by his Poems that all the Worthies of Antiquity were form'd: From hence the Lawgivers took the first Plat-form of the Laws they gave to Man­kind. The Founders of Monar­chies and Common-Wealths from hence took the Model of their Po­lities. Hence the Philosophers found the first Principles of Mora­lity, which they have taught the People: Hence King's and Princes have learn't the Art to govern, and Captains to form a Battel, to en­camp an Army, to besiege Towns, to fight and to gain Victories, &c.

I have read of one Argentine, a Schollar of Oxford, who about A.D. 1407. had the confidence to go to Cambridge, upon no other Errand, but to challenge the whole Univer­sity to Dispute; and he is justly branded with the Character of impudence to succeeding Genera­tions: And yet, as blustering and impudent as he was, he was tend­er-fronted [Page 85] and bashful in compari­son; for we have now met with one, that has the face and assurance to defy both Universities; nay, condemn 'em too without a Tryal or Dispute. I have no tickling itch or desire, to make the defence of our English Academies my Pro­vince; nor is it highly necessary, to expose the folly of this uncivi­liz'd Barbarian, since 'tis sufficient­ly transparent at first view to dis­creet and rational Judges; Yet something I shall think fit to re­turn to his invidious Charge (as it occurs) for the sake of some fanci­ful weak-headed Gentlemen a­mong us; who may be apt to ad­mire him (as they do Tumblers and Rope-dancers) for uncommon Performances; and doing those things without concern and reluct­ance, which others are afraid, even cautiously, to attempt.

Pref. We receive the Directions of our Studies there, from Statutes made by those, who understood nothing [Page 86] of the matter, who had a quite diffe­rent notion and taste of Learn­ing from what the World has at pre­sent.

The Compilers of those Statutes, which he ignorantly explodes, knew very well what they did; and tho they had a different taste or notion of Learning from what he entertains, yet it follows not, but they may have been in the right. As they could not then understand (as he over-wisely intimates) the present state of Learning in the World; so they never design'd, that Students should be limited and tied all their Lives to a par­ticular System, when the Empire of Knowledge or Philosophy should be enlarg'd. I know no greater Assertors of Philosophical Liberty, than the Gentlemen that have had their Education in our Universi­ties: And if some are particularly (tho' not exclusively) directed to study Aristotle, and his Works, 'tis no more than what's proper, [Page 87] just, nay necessary, upon the account of extrinsical Motives and Induce­ments. For the Peripatetick Terms, and Modes of Expression, are new interwoven, throughout a great part of the Roman-Catholick Theology, which is better defended by Arguments drawn from a Me­taphysical System, than by Reasons, Texts, and Deductions from Holy Writ; and if we cannot confront our Enemies with their own Wea­pons; and define, divide, distin­guish artificially, unravel cryptical Syllogisms, and subtil Arguments, with equal facility and readiness, we may betray the Cause which we would willingly maintain, and give them occasion to Triumph.

The Greek and Latin Fathers en­countred the Pagans, Jews, and Hereticks, with such Philosophi­cal Weapons, as the necessity of those Times requir'd; and it may look at this time like a kind of de­fection, a betraying the Protestant Cause, to slight the Logical and [Page 88] Metaphysical Learning taught in the Universities: But this is no part of the Prefacer's main care, nor do's it (I believe) in the least concern his Conscience. No: a King or no King, is now the Grand Question, and important Controversie among us; and a few generous Republi­can Notions about Liberty, out-weigh with him, all the Learning and Divinity of Europe.

Pref. 'Twas not to learn Foreign Languages, that the Grecian and Ro­man Youths went for so long together to the Academies and Lectures of their Philosophers. 'Twas not then, as now with us, when the Character of a Schol­lar is to be skill'd in words; when one who is well versed in the dark Terms and Subtilties of the Schools, passes for a profound Philosopher, &c.

What profound Notion of Learn­ing our Prefacer has found out, for the Instruction of Mankind, I am not worthy to know; for I am no Interpreter of Dreams. He may value, for ought I know, the Lan­guage [Page 89] of Gypsies above Greek and Hebrew: He may extol, if he pleases, the Inspection of Urine above all parts of Physical Knowledge: He may fancy, perhaps, that the Dissection of a Flea, or the Tail of a Fish, or such like curious employ­ment, is a most admirable and use­ful part of Natural Philosophy: That calculating the Nativity of a Common-Wealth, and the fall of a Monarchy, is an excellent and pro­fitable part of Modern Astrology: This he may call speaking pertinent­ly, and acting like a Man; and the extinguishing all remorse, compassi­on and good nature, may pass for a subduing the Passions in his Phi­losophy.

I find, the Author of Acad. Examen, was a great Admirer of the Feats of Physiognomy, which he calls a laud­able and profitable Science: And this (says he) so necessary a Know­ledge both in the Genus and Spe­cies of it, is altogether omitted by the Schools. They teach nothing of the [Page 90] subcaelestial Physiognomy, whether E­lementary, Met [...]orological or Minera­logical, but are utterly ignorant in all these, contenting themselves with a few frivolous, false, and formal Desi­nitions and Notions, Exam. p. 76.

But I know no reason why these Notions and Definitions, or dark Terms and Subtilties (as the Pre­facer calls 'em) should give place to such Fooleries, and Fascinations of a decrepit Fancy; or be eternal­ly banish't, because men of weak and creeping Intellectuals, are not able to comprehend the use of 'em. The Church and Civil Govern­ment may subsist well enough, tho Mechanicks, Travellers, and Men of ordinary Talents should not un­derstand the heights and depths, and usefulness of School-Divinity; nor is it material or requisite, that men, whose proper business should be to learn, and practice Obedience, should be qualified to set up for Moderators in the Schools: If they complain that School-Terms are too [Page 91] dark and mysterious, there are some that will answer, That the fault lies not in the obscurity of the Terms, but in the incapacity of the Noddle: And no Man ought to be offended at the Sun's Meri­dian Lustre, tho blind men cannot discern it.

'Tis true, in some few cases the School-men appear too definitive and nice, in determining the Mo­dus, where the Scripture is silent, or only asserts the Thing: But, gene­rally speaking, they are of excellent use in the managery of Controver­sies; They teach us to avoid Ab­surdities, help at once both to de­tect and confute the Errors of our Adversaries, and conduct our minds into an exact notion, and true apprehension of things, by a me­thodical Brevity, and regular Dis­putations.

One great reason, I suppose, that induc't the Prefacer to undervalue the Old Philosophy, and Aristotelian Doctrines, is this: Aristotle, it [Page 92] seems, both in his Ethicks and Po­liticks, affirms in plain terms, that of all Forms of Government the Monarchial is the best: He Asserts, That Wise Men are fitted by nature to command, and that others of strong Bodies but weak Intellectu­als, are chiefly design'd for Sub­jection and Obedience; than which nothing can be more grating and disobliging to Men of a Republi­can Temper and Inclination. 'Tis likewise to be remember'd, That his constant Friend and Tutor Mr. Hobbs (in several Chapters of his famous Leviathan) complains of the barbarous Terms, and obscure stile of the School-men; their insignificant Language, and frivolous Distincti­ons; That Aristotle's Metaphysicks are absur'd, his Politicks repugnant to Government, his AEthicks igno­rant, his Natural Philosophy a Dream. Yet after all, I find, that Men of the brightest Wit, and comprehen­sive Genius speak reverently of his Name. Scaliger and Casaubon count [Page 93] him the great Incomparable Hero of the Intellectual World; and esteem those people to be no better than Batts, Owls, and Dunces, that pe­dantickly talk against him: Car­dan admires him, Zanchy applauds him, and Melancthon adds, That 'tis necessary he should be Studied and Read in the Universities, since without him no exact Learning or Method can be attain'd.

Indeed the Old Philosophy (as we vulgarly call it) as well as School-Divinity, has its Imperfections; and I know none among all my Philosophical Acquaintance, that are zealous Sticklers for the Inge­nerability and Incorruptibility of the Celestial Bodies, the Existence of solid Orbs, or the Element of Fire under the suppos'd sphere of the Moon: And 'tis ignorantly or malitiously done by the Prefacer, when he endeavours to extol the Graecian and Roman Education of Youth, above that of the present Age; since we retain what is good [Page 94] of the Ancient Learning, and have the advantage of Modern Improve­ments. I consider, that Philoso­phy, properly speaking, is neither Pythaegorean, nor Socratical, nor Pe­ripatetical, nor Epicurean, but ra­ther a comprehension of those Truths and Dictates, which Hu­mane Understanding, freed from the mixtures of Partiality and Pre­possessions, and assisted by Read­ing, application of Thought, Ex­periments and long Observation, can clearly discern, or make out by necessary consequence and de­ductions. 'Tis not a little System of Doctrines, or the Opinions of a Sect, but whatsoever among all Parties is fit to be approv'd. There is something sure, besides Dark Terms and Subtilties, in Aristotle's Rhetorick, Ethicks, and History of Animals. I will, when he thinks fit to call me to an Account, tell him somewhat of the Diviner Phi­losophy of Plato, of Leucippus, De­mocritus, and Epicurus too (as 'tis [Page 95] illustrated and refin'd by Petrus Gassendus) which may be learn't in the Universities. I will give him some Account of the Excel­lency of the sublime Science of Py­rotechny, and its various State, Al­terations and Refinements from the Times of Hermes, Geber and Lullius, down to Valentinus, Para­celsus, and the acute Helmont. I will acquaint him, if he please, with the condition and state of Anatomi­cal Learning, from the Times of Herophilus, Galen, and the Alexan­drian School, down to the days of Cesalpinus, Harvey, Riolanus, and the young Esculapius of O [...]on.

I will also tell him some of the wonderful Feats of Polygraphy and Steganography, so much talk't of by Claramuel, Cornelius Agrippa, Silenus [Page 96] and Frier Bacon; and for fear of hurting his Head with dark Terms and Subtilties and Old Philosophical Quirks, which breed Stiffness, and Positiveness in Opinion, we'll talk of the stupendious effects of the Magneti­cal Philosophy, improv'd by Cabaeus, Athanasius Kercherus, and the Lear­ned Gilbertus; as also of the great importance of Emblems, Hierogly­phicks, and the Universal Character of great Vogue and Repute (if we may believe the Author of the Ex­amen,) in some of the Oriental Nations. I could here tell some of the strange Performances of the Thermometer, Barometer (or Aero­meter, as some call it,) the disco­veries of the Telescope; and, with­out the help of the Torricellian Ex­periment, or Air-pump, undertake to prove even a coacervate Vacuity in Nature: And, because he is offended with the Greek and Latin Tongues; I think I could oblige his squeamish and diseased Fancy with a luscius and wonderful Secret, [Page 97] (approv'd of by his Old Friend the Author of the Examen, as well as by the divinely inspir'd Teutonick, and Rosicrusian Fraternity) call'd the Language of Nature, or the Paradisical Language of the out­flown Word, which Adam under­stood while he was in the state of Innocence. This is that Angelical Language, which speaks and breaths forth those Central My­steries, that lay hid in the heaven­ly Magick, and wrapp'd up in the Bosom of the eternal Essence, wherein were hidden and involv'd all the Treasury of those Ideal Sig­natures, which were brought to light by the Peripherical Expansi­on, and Evolution of the Out­flowing Fiat, and so became exi­stent in the Womb of that gene­rative and faetiferous Word, from whence sprung up the wonderful and various Seminal Natures, bear­ing the true Signatures of the divine and characteristical Impressions; like so many Harmoniacal and [Page 98] Symphoniacal Voices, sounding forth in an heav'nly Consort, the Wisdom, Power, Glory, and Might of the transcendent central Abyss of Unity, from whence they did arise; and all speaking one Lan­guage, expressing in that mystical Idiom, the hidden Vertues, Nature and Properties of those various Sounds, which tho' one in the Center, become infinitely nume­rous in the Existence and Circum­ference. Exam. p. 27.

The Prefacer, if he please, may consider gravely of this, and im­prove it at his leisure: At present I shall only beg of him (and 'tis a very reasonable request,) that he would be so civil and good natur'd for the future, as to give God leave to Govern the Kingdoms of the Earth in his own way; that he would acknowledge all power is from God, that by him Kings Reign, and Princes decree Justice. That he would have so just and favourable Opinion of the Wisdom [Page 99] of the Parliament, as to think 'em sufficiently qualified (without his help) to contrive good and whol­some Laws for the benefit of the Publick: That he would know, to despise and vilify the Clergy, is to dishonour that Being that sent 'em to instruct him: That, if he cannot curb his busy & impetuous fancy, he would at least direct and bend it some other way; and be­take himself either to Microscopi­cal Curiosities, the solving of Problems, or catching of Flies (as Dometian us'd to do) and dissect­ing 'em, if he will, for the advance­ment of his Knowledge; or, if that be too minute and fine a per­formance, that he would, with Ga­len, Anatomize Apes and Monkeys for the improvement of himself. That instead of too curiously med­ling with the Body Politick, he would with Democtitus, enquire into the Nature and Scituation of that Thing, which has given us this disturbance: That, instead of [Page 100] employing his talent and thoughts about the Mysteries of Govern­ment, he would look into the Wonders of the little World; and lastly, that instead of bewildring his fancy in the Doctrines of Ma­chiavel and Hobbs, he would se­riously read, and endeavour to understand the Creed, Lord's Prayer, and Ten Commandments in the Vulgar Tongue, and be further instructed in the Church Catechism, set forth for that purpose.

Fifthly, Another bold stride to push on the Republican Plot, is to amuse the Multitude with much Talk about a Contract betwixt King and People and drawing wild Inferences from it: If the King fail in his Promise, the People are exempt from their Obedience; The Contract is made void, and the Right of Obligation is of no force. Vindic. Cont. Tyran. This is the Old Stile, and heretofore did great Execution; God send us a good [Page 101] Deliverance. For the Prefacer rally's upon us with this Engine too, and makes it a part of the Duty we owe to our Country, to pre­serve our Constitution upon it's true and natural Basis, the Original Con­tract. All other Foundations being false, nonsensical, and rotten, deroga­tory to the present Government, &c.

He triumphs and shews his mettle in talking proudly of the Rights of the People, and the Duty we owe to our Country; all this he can shrewdly inculcate twice in one page: But instead of meeting with the Rights of Sovereignty, and Allegiance due to their Majesties, we hear nothing but the rough and blustring Sounds of the Plague of Tyranny, and dispatching Kings without Ceremony. This I take to be a strong Symtom of an Antimonarchical Distemper in him. Nay, he do's in effect un­dermine the Present Government, by making it depend upon an ima­ginary Basis, or Foundation that can no where be found, but in such [Page 102] Heads as are stuff'd with Dreams and Visions, and perfect airy Ima­ginations.

The most Learned in the Law, with whom it has been my good-Fortune to converse, know nothing of this Original Contract; and tho some have made as much decla­mation and as horrible din about it, as others do about Original Sin; yet I challenge the Prefacer to afford me half so plain and preg­nant proof of the one, as he has given of the other. Let him not think to trifle, or put us off with fanciful Conjectures, random Infe­rences, ipse dixit's, and wild con­clusions from fantastical Premises (which I value no more than a Jest of Poor Robin's, or a Prophecy of B—y's) the Grand Enquiry is about a Contract upon Record, at the first Erection of the English Monarchy: If he knows where to find it, let him place it in open view, & erit mihi Magnus Apollo.

[Page 103]But methinks I see him stand like a man enchanted, and fumb­ling about the matter: The man of Confidence becomes meal-mouth'd and bashful on a sudden; the high­mettled Hero will not jog on this way: No, 'tis too choice a Nost­rum to be publickly expos'd; 'tis too pretious a commodity to be laid upon the Stall; profane and unsanctified eyes must not behold it.

In Magna Charta (which is the great Record of our Liberties) the People's Rights and Priviledges are fetch'd purely from the Kings Grants and Donations, viz. Of our free and meer Will, we have given and granted to our Bishops, and to all free men of our Realm, these Liberties following: And the higher we as­cend in the Scale of Monarchy, we find the King's more unlimited and free; There were no restrictions or reserves under the first and most Antient Governments; no Laws, but what lay in the Prince's Bosom; as [Page 104] any Beardless Boy, that has read Justin and Virgil, can sufficiently inform him.

And 'twill bring but little Glory to his Cause, if I tell him, that the first notorious Encroachment upon the Rights of Majesty in England, were made by Popish Aggressors: This was first attempted in the time of King William the First, whom we commonly (tho' perhaps not properly) call the Conqueror: But he was too wise and puissant to admit the least diminution of his Regality, and tho' he was very generous and candid in his Conces­sions, yet he dismiss't the Pope's Legate with an Alterum non Ad­misi. In the Reign of Henry the Second, Monarchical Power was at a low ebb indeed, when the im­perious and barbarous Monks of those times dealt with their Prince, as some rude Heathens do by their Gods, viz. chastise and whip 'em, if they do not answer their insolent Expectations. The Case of King [Page 105] John is too derogatory, and sad, for a true Loyal English-man to think on, or to repeat: And the Condition of Poor England in the time of Henry the Third, is a fair indication of what pernicious im­portance it may prove to the Pub­lick, when Princes shall admit a Superior, and controlling Power, even in the softest acceptation of the Word.

Sir W. T. tells of an ingenious Spaniard he met at Brussels, who would needs have it, That the History of Don Quixot had ruined the Spanish Monarchy; for when all the Love and Valour of the Spa­niards was turn'd into Ridicule, they began by degrees to grow asham'd of both, and to laugh at Fighting and Loving: What ill influence and impression, this Fa­bulous and Romantick Account, may leave behind it, by representing persons and things sacred in a Ridiculous Garb and Colours, I cannot yet determine: However, [Page 106] 'tis good to make Provision against the worst; and since an Apologue has had its good as well as evil effects, I shall here confront one Fable with another.

It happen'd, that a great sedi­tion was in Rome, and the com­mon people were so incensed a­gainst the Senate, Nobles, and Rich Men, that all things seem'd now to be a running into confu­sion: Whereupon the Senate sent one Menenius Agrippa, an elo­quent and wise person, to the mul­titude, to persuade 'em: Who being admitted amongst 'em, and finding 'em all in a hurry, is said, to have Address'd himself to 'em after this manner: Upon a time there arose a great Sedition among the Members of the Body against the Belly; the eyes, ears, hands, and feet said, That they all of 'em perform'd their several Offices to the Body; but the Belly doing nothing at all, as a lazy King, enjoy'd their Labours, and idly consumed all those things which were [Page 107] purchased with the sweat of the rest. The Belly replyed, That indeed these things were true, and therefore, if it pleas'd them, from henceforth they should allow it nothing; The Members all agreed, That nothing should be given to it for the time to come: But when this had been observ'd for some little time, the Hands and Feet lost their strength, and all other Mem­bers began to fail; so that at length they perceived, That the Food which was given to the Belly, was also advan­tagious to all the rest, and upon this consideration they return'd to their Obedience.

Upon the hearing of this Fable, the People understood, That the Wealth which was in the hands of Great Men, was also in some sort beneficial to themselves: And upon some kind promises of the Senate, they were reconciled to their Superiours.

It has not been my main busi­ness of late, nor is it worth a [Page 108] thinking man's while, to read o're the Licentious Histories that peep abroad, or the Popular Ac­counts of things: I knew no­thing of the inside of the Account of Denmark, till the Third Editi­on appeared upon the Stage; a­bout which time I was desir'd to make some Remarks upon it, and give it a just Answer and Ca­stigation: Had I had more time and leisure for the performance, I should, perhaps, have been more copious in my Animadversions; but I hope I have said enough to tame a little the impertinence of that Man, who had insulted over the Nobility, Clergy, and both Uni­versities, and made the Names of Princes his Sport. I have bound him to some method, and I hope to better Behaviour for the future; and tho' I find little of Argument throughout the whole, yet I have proceeded fairly and argumenta­tively against him. I have plainly shewn, That all the choice means [Page 109] and expedients used heretofore, to destroy the Monarchy and Church, are exactly transscrib'd by him, and crowded into a Preface: And certainly, That man has a greater share of kind Nature, than good Apprehension, that can think he has singled out the same Anti­christian Methods, without the same black Intention and Design.

I know his Admirers have one Infallible way of answering all opposers, and that is by Ill Names: They have not Wit enough to discern the Reason of things; nor know they when to laugh, or be severe in the Right place: If the Prefacer, without Reason, roul in hard words and Names (such as Ide [...]t, Ass, Tyrant, Non­sensical Blunders, and the like) it passes with 'em for the Mettle of a Pree-orn Subject: But if we upon just provocation, prove the same upon them, O 'tis sad scur­rility and Railing: They are meek, lowly, and poor in Spirit, [Page 110] while they are sawcy to their Su­periors, and despise Dominion: But 'tis pride, and crying presump­tion in us, if we offer to correct a little snarling Republican: If they trample upon Bishops and Blaspheme Kings; They are on­ly Zealous and concern'd for God and his Glory: but if we expose the Scismatical Licentiousness of the disobedient Brother-hood, O 'tis rank Malice, and a degree of persecution. The World has e­ver been full of such pretious Judges and Arbitrators as these: And we know the Pharisees were even (this way) with the Saviour of the World, for telling 'em in plain Words, They were of their Father the Devil.

If Children will be perpetually playing in the dirt, they are de­servedly corrected for it: And if men will be always sporting them­selves with foul and unclean In­vectives against their Betters; they ought not to take it amiss, if they [Page 111] are sometimes snub'd for their Saw­ciness and ill Manners. This is the true State of the matter here before us. If any man can shew, that I have transgress't the limits of Justice or true Decorum; none can be more forward to make a generous Recantation, than my self: In the mean time, I submit what I have written, to the im­partial Censure and Correction of my Superiors, in the Church and Parliament of England.

THE Consolations of the CROSS: OR THE Two Grand PILLARS OF MAN'S SECURITY In this WORLD, &c.

THE Reader will easily dis­cern from what has been said, that some Men who enjoy the Benefit of the Sun, as well as those that are pent up in Dark Rooms, can Fancy themselves to be as great as Popes and Emper­ours: [Page 116] And I can further assure him, that this unhappy Brother and Traveller here before us, who seems to swell, and look big among the living, has been a long time Dead in a True Philosophical Sense, although he may still make a mighty Figure in the Mundus Ple­bejorum.

Now 'twas eagerly maintain'd by some of the Philosophical Sa­ges heretofore, That the Ani­mal Life, which is still drawing down the Soul to unlovely Ob­jects, did more properly deserve the Name and Character of Death; which seems to be the result of wise deliberation, as well as fine thought and Fancy: For certainly Life, in a moral acceptation, do's not consist in breathing common Air, and having a flowing plenty of worldly Accomodations; but in knowledge and contemplation, in Divine and Rational exercises 'Tis certainly a great Disparage­ment to the Dignity of Humane [Page 117] Nature (which is fram'd so near a kin to the Angelical) to place the Essence of Life in the Enjoyment of Outward Things; and the Plea­sure resulting from it is rather a Lethargy, than true Tranquility of Mind: He that has vital pow­ers, and faculties, is potentially a­live; but he alone is actually so who do's Nobly and agreeably exert 'em.

Pref. Health and Liberty are with­out dispute, the greatest natural Bles­sings Mankind is capable of enjoying.

The Health of the Rational Frame consists in acting [...] conformably to the Dictates of right Reason: This the Philosophers called the [...], the Intel­lectual Harmony, Health and good disposition of the Soul of Man.

The Liberty of Man consists principally, in his being Free from Perturbations, or the Dominion of irregular and tumultuary Passions, and vitious Habits, that usurp the place of right Reason: In which [Page 118] sense of Liberty, The Turks them­selves, who are Lords and Masters, and live well and pleasantly (as he notes, Account pag. 241.) are no better than Vassals: And some of their Conquered Slaves (as he calls 'em) do at present enjoy a com­fortable degree of Liberty. And the Popish Religion is not the only one, of all the Christian Sects, pro­per to introduce and establish Slavery in a Nation, as he tells us, Account, pag. 235.

The Gentleman, under my pre­sent care and inspection, talks, as if the condition of Men here below, were a kind of Epicurean State of Carnal Ease and Complacency: Christianity with its dark Train of Passive Doctrines, is a slavish and unintelligible Thing in his Esteem. Never was any fond man so blind an Admirer of his Mist­ress's Charms and Perfections, as he is a lover of his Countrey's Legal Liberties, without any regard to the safety of Religion: Never did [Page 119] good St. Augustin declaim with more vehemence against the salvability of the Heathens; than he has done against these Slavish Opinions suckt in at the Schools; and which some have been so unfortunate, to carry to their Graves; and (he might have added) to Heav'n.

He would fain make the wond­ering World believe, That Passive Obedience and Legal Liberties, are inconsistent things; and that one is fatally destructive of the other: But that is his want of Judgment, and sound Understanding. St. Paul (who was undoubtedly as great an Assertor of Passive Obedi­ence, as ever was in the World) pleaded such Liberties as these un­der Nero, and before the Magist­rates of Philippi: But he likewise knew, that Civil Rights can have only a Civil Defence; and if that fail, there is no higher Appeal, or Remedy to be expected, but the Divine Protection.

[Page 120]My business at present shall be to shew, That these Passive Doct­rines (which he in an insulting and histrionical manner calls Slavish and Unintelligible) are a very Rea­sonable Service; and this I shall make out,

First, With respect to God's So­veraignty or Dominion over us: And,

Secondly, With respect to the pure Essential Goodness of his Nature, as it particularly exerts it self in our Afflictions. And,

First, With respect to his Sove­raignty.

Now by God's Soveraignty, or Dominion over us, the Learned usually understand a Fundamental Right to dispose of all his Creatures, so far as 'tis consistent with the Rules of Justice, Goodness and Truth; for 'tis He that hath made us, and not we our selves; and in [Page 121] Him we live, move, and have our Being. His over-ruling Providence was awake from all Eternity; be­fore the World began, he neither slumber'd nor slept: But by his incomparable Wisdom, he contriv'd the Ranks and Order of every Be­ing, and had before him the exact Idea, and Lineaments of all his Creatures: And when they after­wards commenc't in time by virtue of his Pow'r; he gave them their li­mits and agreeable Stations; he adorn'd them with Usefulness, Ele­gancy, and due Proportion, and saw they were very good: Indeed the whole World was but one Sa­cred Temple, till Man by his Sin and Sacriledge profan'd it: 'Twas founded by God's own immediate Arm, dedicated to his Great Name, are rais'd to his Glory; and tho a ridiculous Affectation hath tempt­ed some to derive the management, as well as Original of it, from no higher Principle than that of Chance; yet God saw, in the bound­less [Page 122] Circuits of his Wisdom, That even in the proper Functions of its Nature, it was dependent on him, and therefore he resolv'd to preside over it; to supply it with a propor­tionable Concurrence of his Might, and render his Name more venera­ble and glorious in the conservati­on and guidance of it. Hence he assumes the Character of the Great King, by the Mouth of his Holy Prophet; and illustrates his own Greatness to Job in the wonderful and astonishing Prospect of his Creatures. Hence Abraham calls him the Judge of all the Earth; and David summons the Sun, Moon, and Stars, nay the whole Creati­on, to sing his Praises: Nay, the very Heathens themselves had such an awful Impression of his Ma­jesty upon their hearts, that they durst scarce approach him with­out a trembling Veneration; they acknowledged him to be the Su­pream Lord and Governour of all the World, and accosted him with [Page 123] all the high-strain'd Epithites of Ho­nour and Jurisdiction.

And certainly, tho' Christianity has enrich't our Natures with many Noble Priviledges, yet it can­not cancel the Obligation of a Creature: Tho' it has entitled us to a brighter participation of the Divine Image, yet it has not brought us to a looser dependance on him; and tho 'twas design'd to draw us nearer to God, yet it doe's not invite us to so bold an intimacy and freedom with him, as to dispute his Authority, or the Wisdom of his Dispensati­ons. The very Angels above are subject to his Will, tho' with this glorious Advantage, that they can­not Disobey: And 'tis a Law in­terwoven in the constitution of Ra­tional Beings, that, since they are capable of Moral Government, they should be govern'd by one that is infinitely more wise and pow'rful than themselves: But who can challenge this great Prerogative, [Page 124] but the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords? 'Tis he that is the imme­diate Donor of our Beings; the great Proprietor of Heav'n and Earth, and all Right is fundamentally vested in himself: In his Hand is the Soul of every living thing, and the Breath of all Mankind: He dis­appointeth the devices of the Crafty, so that their Hands cannot perform their Enterprize: He leadeth Coun­cellors away spoil'd, and maketh the Judges fools. He leadeth Princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty. When Alexander is design'd to be God's Vicegerent over the Na­tions of the Earth, Darius shall not be saved by the multitude of an Host, nor delivered by his strength: And when Caesar is appointed and or­dain'd by God, to be Lord and Master of the Roman World, the Gallant Pompey, that never shrank at the sight of Danger before, shall soon falter and tremble at the Head of his Army, and at length steal [Page 125] away in a poor disguise, like a mean and infamous Coward.

What is the just Latitude or Extent of God's Dominion in re­ference to mankind, has been va­riously asserted by Men of bold and Speculative Inclinations; and some have been so officiously im­pertinent, as to fly to the hid­den determinations of Heaven, to make out this Mystery and amaz­ing Riddle: But what proud Dust and Ashes are we, that we should thus grasp at Mysteries beyond our reach, and pry into those things, which none can see but he who is Invisible, which none can comprehend but he who is Incomprehensible? When we soar aloft into these Regions that are above us, we are bewildred and lost amidst Clouds and Darkness; we exceed the just bounds and Limits of our Creation, and gain nothing else but the Reproach of our own Folly: I shall there­fore Industriously wave this kind [Page 126] of procedure, and confine my self to those clearer Dispensations mention'd in Holy Writ; and which chiefly concern the condi­tion of this present Life.

Now that God do's not Limit his Beneficence and Rewards to a­ny Personal Performances, but sometimes Blesseth one Relative for another's sake, is abundantly E­vident from the Benefits which he confered upon Abraham's Pos­terity, as also from his willing­ness to save Sinful Sodom for the sake of Ten Righteous Persons: And by equality of Reason he may punish one Relative upon the account of another's failance, the one being as consistent with the Rights of his Dominion, as the other with his Goodness. Thus David's Sin in numbering Israel and Judah, (or, as some would have it, in neg­lecting to pay the Shekel) was severely punish't by three Days Pestilence, upon the chosen Men of Israel; and the Iniquity of Ahab, [Page 127] tho pardon'd in himself, was to be punish't in his Children, as God himself pronounces to the Pro­phet in these words; Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? Because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the Evil in his days, but in his Sons days will I bring the Evil upon his House. Now in such singular Incidencies, God doe's not so directly visit as a Judge, but makes use of his Soveraignty to advance the unquestionable Designs of his good Providence; and we are bound to be chearfully Passive and Resign'd, whether he is pleas'd to take away our Lives by Pesti­lence, Famine, the Iron-hands of a Tyrant, or Sword of the Destroying Angel.

And hence I might proceed to make out the Justice of that Ori­ginal Visitation, that defac'd and sullied the whole Scene of Na­ture, and over-whelm'd all Man­kind with Anxiety and Sadness. God made Man happy and upright [Page 128] at first, and endow'd his Nature with all agreeable perfection; but he by his Non-attendance and Disobedience, did soon plunge himself in an Estate of Sin and Misery; and thus proud Man who was so Nobly Descended fell at Odds with his Maker, dis-rob'd himself of all his Original Glories, and shook the whole Universe by his Fall.

We read that the Wise-Men of the Eastern World were sadly concern'd at this unaccountable State of Things: You may hear the Platonist pouring out his Soul in Complaints and mournful strains; and telling strange Sto­ries of some sins committed in a Former State. to make out the Mysterious Vanity of this Life: You may see Aristotle sitting down and weeping by the Water of Eu­ripus lamenting the shortness of his Intellectual Sight, the disor­der and dimness of his under­standing: Nay, Solomon himself [Page 129] the very Boast of Nature and Great Secretary of Heav'n) after he had seen and enjoy'd all the satisfactions of this life, in the little narrow compass of himself, con­cludes at length with this pathetical Exclamation, All is Vanity.

This is now the condition of our Natures; this is our present Case: The Body has lost its Beauty and Gloss, and the bright­ness of those Lineaments, which were at first drawn by the finger of God; the Soul is driven out of her former Paradise into a Region of Diseases, of Tempests and thick Darkness, and expos'd a Prey to all the wretched Calamities of a Mortal Life: And yet, far be it from Faln Man, to renew the Old Apostacy, and Quarrel with those Alotments which are plainly consist­ent with the mildest Justice: God might have made Man the subject of many Temporal In­flictions, without respect to an An­tecedent Fall, and recompenc't all [Page 130] this with the blessed Assurances of a Future State; and certainly, the Light of Nature may inform us, That since we are wholly subor­dinate to another, we ought also to be accountable for every trans­gression, accordingly as our Supe­rior shall determine or think fit; who because he is holy, just, and good, neither can nor will inflict more upon us than what our Sins and Iniquities shall exact.

Secondly, That the Practice of these Passive Doctrines is a very reasonable Service, will yet more eminently appear, if we consider 'em with respect to the Divine Goodness, as it particularly exerts it's self in our Afflictions.

But here we meet with some, that have form'd very dark and dangerous Notions of the Deity which they adore; and, as if they meant to cut-vye even Lucifer himself, have accus'd their Maker of Pride [Page 131] and Moroseness, and an evil Incli­nation towards his Creatures. What Satan only suggested out of design, men have solemnly a­avow'd, and ratified for sound Doctrine: And this was the first Engine which the Devil plaid a­gainst the Happiness of Mankind: 'T was the Argument he used to our first Parents, to make 'em for­feit their Estate of Primitive Per­fection: He endeavour'd to tinct­ure their Minds with an Opinion, that God was of an envious, un­lovely Disposition, and that which was no where to be found but in himself, he fasten'd upon that Being, from whom all Goodness in the World is deriv'd: For God doe's know (says he) that in the day you eat thereof, ye shall be as Gods, knowing Good and Evil.

From this fatal Entercourse and subsequent Fall, there were many Heathens (who had some Frag­ments of Scripture communicated to 'em, or else understood some­what [Page 132] of the matter by the less faithful conveyance of Oral Tradi­tion) that began to entertain ill Notions of God, thinking he had forbid 'em the Tree of Life, out of Pure malignity or ill intention: Hence they proceeded to tell very sad and ominous Tales of the en­vious Temper of the Deity above them; his industrious care to dash all Prosperity with some sharp al­lay, and overwhelm all Greatness with a swift Destruction. And indeed, it had been happy for the Christian World, if such barbarous Notions had kept their due distance on the other-side the Partition Wall, if they had been confin'd for ever to the Outer-Court of Gentilism. Men have been so forward to ad­vance God's Soveraignty above his other Attributes, to oppose his Pro­testation to his Design, and make his Revealed Will such a Mystery to his Creatures, that they seem solemnly to imply, That all the Divine Expostulations and Promi­ses, [Page 133] tho seconded with full Solem­nity of Attestation, are intended only to promote the Credit of the Imposture, and advance the ends of Tyranny and Deceit: An Opi­nion so Romantick, and big with Absurdity! that it represents the Almighty a Bugbear in a worse sense, than the Atheist ever in­tended; and looks as if 'twere de­sign'd to justify the Rebellion even of Lucifer himself; and proclaim to the World, that he fell in a good Old Cause.

In short, Love is the Gospel-Definition of the Divine Essence; and 'tis very plain, without any affected Jingle, or Ambiguity; and infallible true as any demon­stration. If we take away his pow'r, he would be but a kind of Epicurean Deity; but take away his Goodness, and he would be no Deity at all: The Apostate An­gels may partake of his Pow'r, but they cannot of his Goodness; and if it were lawful to reduce our [Page 134] Conceptions of the Divine Essence to Figures and Proportions; we may justly presume (by a little al­tering the Philosopher's Notion) that he would assume Light for his Vehicle, and Love for his very Soul. Every Act of God is a Com­munication of his Beneficence; his most rigorous Justice is nothing else but a certain disposition, a pe­culiar mode of his goodness; he corrects us only out of Love; he doe's not willingly afflict the Chil­dren of Men.

Now that Afflictions are a sign and Character of Adoption, will readily and evidently appear; if we do but consider, that this has been the constant Portion of the greatest Favourites of Heav'n: The Holy Patriarchs spent all their days in sorrow, and in Travel; the Schools of the Prophets were so many Seminaries of Affliction: And it hath pleased God, by an uncontrollable display throughout all Periods and Ages, to render [Page 135] the Sufferings of our Blessed Sa­viour more illustrious than his Miracles, or all the Monuments of his Pow'r: The Crusified Jesus has been prefigur'd by a longer Ca­talogue of Worthies, than the Tri­umphant Redeemer; and he has had more Types of his Passion than of his Glory. The Greatness of man was too imaginary and frail to represent the Majesty of our Sa­viour, and our degeneracy had ren­der'd our Miseries so justly real, as to be weak and imperfect Em­blems of his Sorrow.

Besides, it seem'd a necessary Pro­vision, that some unfortunate Wor­thies should rise up to his Cha­racter, as near as Humanity could aspire, to reconcile his Tribulation to his Integrity, and recommend his Person to the acceptance of the World; and yet, alas! so great was the darkness of benighted Mankind at the Brightness of his rising, that they shut their Eyes against this Sun of Glory; among [Page 136] all the Prophesies which he punctu­ally fullfill'd; this one was too soon, and too fatally verified, He is despised and rejected of Men, a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.

His Birth-day was observ'd with no other Solemnity, than that of a Massacre; and his coming into the world was congratulated with a Conspiracy; and tho' Abrabam afar off rejoyced to see his day, yet his degenerate Off-spring did even scorn and deride it. Never was Majesty so rudely treated, nor Ver­tue exercised with such contume­lious disgraces; his unspotted In­nocence did not so much endear, as exasperate the World against him; his Poverty of Spirit was improv'd into Ambition; and his Miracles courted their Incredulity in vain: And after all the base and inhu­mane Affronts that were levelled against his person; after he had run through all the afflicting Stages of Poverty, Sorrow and Disgrace; [Page 137] He stoop't to the dreadful forma­lity of a Tryal, expected the fatal pleasure of his Enemies, and sub­mitted at length to the most Illegal Sentence that ever came from the mouth of Blasphemy.

And next behold him hanging upon a Cross; behold a dying and a bleeding Saviour embalming cor­ruption with the effusions of his dearest Blood! Behold the brightest Order & Immortality Prefac't with the wrack of Universal Nature, the Crucifixion of the Whole World! Those glorious Bodies whom David calls upon to praise the Lord, did then sympathize with his Agony and Passion. The Heaven's were dark­en'd, the Earth gave up her Dead, and all things see [...]d shuffled into another Chaos to prepare the way for a new Creation. Thus did Christ suffer, and leave us an Example, that we should follow his steps: Thus did he adorn the Cross with his own Practice, and bequeath it to us as the distinguishing Character of [Page 138] a True Disciple. This was his lot, and 'tis our Predestinated portion, for hereunto are we called; and who­soever will list himself a true fol­lower of him, must resolve to par­take of that bitter Cup, whensoever Providence shall give him an A­larm.

And that this is no slavish or un­accountable Doctrin, will yet more abundantly appear, if we consider,

Secondly, The Natural Pow'r and Influence of Affliction upon the Soul.

Health, Liberty, Prosperity and much Ease, are dangerous and be­witching things; and tho' they are lent us as a gentle Remedy a­gainst anxiety and care, yet through our own ill management they often become a Charm, and the Antidote it self turns to a Disease: For since the World cannot so easi­ly fubdue us by Threats and Hosti­lity, by Assaults, and open Force, it immediately flies to all the Arts of Policy, to Stratagem and Re­treat; [Page 139] like a subtil Magitian, it pre­sently turns its Rod into a Serpent; it dazzles our Senses with a delici­ous prospect of its Counterfeit Glories, and so leads us in Golden Fetters to Destruction: For the World, like the Old Enemy of Man­kind, doe's first deceive the Female Parties within us; it caresses each Lust and tender Passion with fair and specious Allurements, and when these have embraced & swallow'd the Golden Delusion, our Masculine Faculties are too soft and flexible to resist the pleasing Temptation, and proselyted Reason begins to hearken to the Dictates of our Senses.

And thus having at length en­slav'd our Understandings, it begins to play the Tyrant over us, to en­gross our Time, our Thoughts, and all our Actions. If we chance to be in a religious or thoughtful mood, the World soon turns it into Hippocrisy and Disguise; if we enter into Discourse about sa­cred [Page 140] Mysteries, it soon perverts it into Burlesque and wanton Talk; and when we would draw forth our honest intentions by the Rules of strict Morality, it brings 'em out in the Dialect of Friends, in Cru­sings and bitter Calumny; when we are busy and employ'd about our necessary Callings, it instructs us in the quaint, and artificial Me­thods of Knavery and Deceit; and when we retire from them for a sober Indulgence and Refreshment of our Natures, the World is ready at hand to overwhelm us with Luxury and Excess: Nay, if we enter into our Closets for the Exer­cise of our Devotion, the World do's there likewise pursue us; it imprints its Image upon our very Hearts and Minds, challenges all our Thoughts and Attention, and so turns our lawful Prayers into Idolatry.

These Dangers of Prosperity have struck such an awe upon the Spi­rits of Great Men in former Ages, [Page 141] that they never consider'd 'em without trembling and astonish­ment. Hence 'tis Recorded of ma­ny Antient Hero's, that after some Signal Victories and Atchievments, they have grown pensive and me­lancholly, and chang'd their August and sprightly Countenances, into a sad dejection and captivity of Spirit: And tho' some late Vertuosi have ascrib'd these effects to the Effluviums and Darts of some envi­ous Eyes about 'em, yet I question not, but this will ever pass, among the thinking part of Mankind, for a very derogatory and ungrounded Fancy. It was not the Envy or the Frowns of Men, but fear of the just Anger of the Gods that made the Renowned Cato cry out in Livy, That the more he prosper'd, the more he grew afraid: And for the same reason Augustus Caesar once every year laid aside his Regalities, and receive'd Alms with all the humble Ceremony of a Beggar; he feared his long uninterrupted Prosperity, sus­pected [Page 142] the Anger of the Over-rul­ing Deity, and therefore endea­vour'd to divert his wrath by a Voluntary Humiliation.

And if we look into the Annals of the Christian Church, we shall meet with some, in the hot Interval of the Heathen Persecution, be­wailing themselves that God not yet called them to the Glories of Tribulation, the Illustrious Toils of Martyrdom; and after this Pagan Storm was blown over, and the Church of God was adorn'd with honourable Endowments, we shall find many wise and venerable Bi­shops climbing very heavily into the Episcopal Chair, and, when they were there plac't, as sadly lament­ing the Danger of their Station; they look't upon such heights as a Temptation rather than a Duty, and more a Punishment than Pro­motion.

And if we cast our eyes for­ward, and observe the succeeding Centuries of the Church, we shall [Page 143] be tempted to think, that this not­ed suspition was no Panick Dread, but a very just and necessary cir­cumspection; for as Tacitus has observ'd of the Roman Empire, that after its martial Humour was abat­ed by Peace and a gentle Discip­line, it became dispirited by Riots and intestine Factions; so may we plainly discern a most deplorable alteration in the State of Christiani­ty, so soon as the Heathen Tyran­ny was overpast.

While the First Christians were treated with Severities, their Lives were a genuine Transcript of their Profession; they convinc't the world with the best Argument of a Religi­ous Conversation, insomuch that the Heathens submitted at length to a tame and a gentle Discipline; and Christianity appear'd a True Mystery of Godliness: But when, through the favour of a milder Pro­vidence, it became the Imperial Profession; when it's Votaries were dismist from the Lectures of the Cross, and the Prevailing Council [Page 144] of Afflictions; they quickly clos'd with the treacherous Sollicitations of Flesh and Blood, and flattering Vanities of the World.

And this was the immediate Doom of Christianity, so soon as the Pagan Tyranny was over-past; for then Christians themselves re­nounc't all Obligations of Meek­ness and Humility, and turn'd the former Glories of the Cross into the Scandal of Persecution; Their for­mer Unity became broken and sub­divided by the Pride of Arrians, Donatists, and Novatians; and those latter Ages were almost as remarkable for Ambition, Luxury, and a Tyrannical Zeal, as the for­mer had been for an incomparable Piety, and victorious Martyrdoms.

So natural is it for Men to turn their Liberty into Vanity, by too high an Admiration of it; and to corrupt their Food by the Poyson of their own Natures: And when Men are become such Vassals to the World, such Votaries of Sense and Pleasure; they must also languish [Page 145] in their Duty towards God, and fall off proportionably from the divine Assistance: For how can they listen to the call of Heav'n, amidst all this Pomp and Secular Dist­raction, or bestow one Thought upon Futurity and Judgment?

But when at length some signal Calamity shall give the daring Sin­ner an Alarm, when Afflictions, the Welcome Harbinger of God's Love, fall like a Dew up­on him; This shews him the Vanity of his Carnal Ease and Secu­rity, and opens a prospect into the Land of the Living: For the ap­prehensions of a God, and of our Duty to him, are so essential to our Souls, and inseparable from our Natures; that tho' Men may seem to drown 'em for a while, they lye dissolv'd in delicacy and plea­sure; yet the least touch of an­guish will sometimes awaken us into severe Reflections, and dash all the Harmony of our Blood and Spirits. 'Tis is very pious Remark [Page 146] of that Great Philosopher, whom wise Antiquity hath justly honour­ed with the Title of Divine; That when a Man perceives, that he is just drawing towards his latter End, [...], &c. He is then seized with a doubtful Trembling, and an Enquiry into those things, which before he would scarce vouchsafe to think upon: And tho' he might once laugh at the Pious and grave Cheats of Immaterial Beings, and Immor­tal Spirits; yet now the very Tales of Ghosts and Fayries will affright him; he will be ready to shrink at the least Shadow of Danger, and be terrified with the Visions of his own Imagination. Indeed 'tis an easy thing for a Man, in the lust­ful Pride of his Nature, to seem Witty and Eloquent against Heav'n, and to out-face the Ferrors of the Invisible World; but when Pro­vidence shall cast him out of his Beloved State of Bodily Health and Security, into a Bed of Sickness, or [Page 147] the confinements of a Prison; when the cold Damps shall appale and allay the gaety of his Temper, and all his worldly Oracles stand mute, and cannot help him; Then he will think of his former Gallantry with reluctance and vexation; he will then experiment the Folly of his own choice; and no longer a­dore the glittering Frailties of hu­mane Wisdom, but Reason will be fwallow'd up in Revelation; he will then confess that every Crea­ture is fearfully and wonderfully made; that every little Insect is a System of Divinity; and his eyes will be opened to spell out a Sove­veraign Disposer of all Events in the Works of his own Creati­on.

Such Considerations as these will be our Entertainment, when we lye under the Discipline of a severer Providence; when God in Mercy has befriended us with Afflictions, and covered us with Misery as with a Garment: For the Soul of Man [Page 148] is active and restless, and must have some Object, whereupon to fix its Desires; and when it has nothing from without to employ it, it will no longer look abroad, but draw its Activity inwards; and then the Appeals of Reason will be heard, and the Cries of Wisdom will not be rejected.

Thirdly, That this Passive State is not a State of Slavery, but of A­doption and Glorious Liberty, will be further evinc't, by considering the divine Supports and Succours that attend it. For since God has [...] promised, That we shall not be tempted beyond what we are able to bear, he stands engaged, when the ordinary means of comfort do for­sake us, to furnish out an extra­ordinary Supply. And tho' this may seem an uncouth Paradox to the Animal Man, a very harsh in­congruity to Flesh and Blood; yet it has been unquestionably made out by the Practice of the Apostles, and many illustrious Examples in [Page 149] the Primitive Church. For there have been some, whose minds have been so fortified by Assistan­ces of the Divine Spirit, that they could even smile in the Grim Face of Persecution; look down with­out concern upon all the frightful Judicatories of the World, and like the Leviathan in Job, could laugh at the shaking of a Spear: Nay, there have been some, who when Persecution has rode in Triumph, have carried the Bible as a Monu­ment to their Graves; when wall'd about with fire, they have hugg'd it in their Arms, while their pains grew rapture, and their burnings extacy: And when their Tongues were no longer able to form faint Sounds into Vocal Hymns, with lifted up Eyes, they have conti­nued their Devotion, and offer'd Dumb Praises to the Saviour of the World.

And certainly 'tis a Sufficient Ground of Consolation to any generous Believer, when he consi­ders [Page 150] that Afflictions are not the Blind Product of a Random desti­ny, but founded on the Basis of God's Decree or Permission: And when we are once fortified with this puissant consideration, that must needs be best for us, that is commissioned by the hand of a good and Gratious God; that he is the Sole Disposer of all E­vents, and that he do's not stand by as an unconcern'd Spectator of the Mournful Scene of our suffer­ings; that the miseries we under­go are the reproach of Christ, and that they are far more Honourable before God, than they can be ignominious before the World; this must needs cause our Souls to bear up bravely against all the Scorn and Terrors of the World, against Natural Contradictions.

Lastly, if we can entertain a strong hope and assurance, that what we sow in sufferings we shall reap in Glory; that a violent Death do's but conduct us a lit­tle [Page 151] sooner to Heav'n, that a glo­rious Martyrdom do's but Antedate Immortality; this is ravishment enough, to tempt us, like Cato, to be our own Executioners, did not God restrain us by his word, as an Angel did the Father of the Faithful: This is enough to make us cling to the Cross, to take Hea­ven by a more than Ordinnry vio­lence; to breath out our Souls in Eucharistical Strains, and return a Psalm of Thanksgiving for every Wound.

He that can thus consider things well about him, will be all peace and calm within himself, when circled around with Wars and Destruction: A Prison or a Dun­geon will be no confinement to him; his Soul is still free to con­verse with his Redeemer, while a good Conscience becomes his Se­curity: Tho he hear the Voice of his Maker in the Clouds, yet he flies not the Adam behind a Tree; nor like the guilty Emperour, be­neath [Page 152] a Bed for Protection. He torments not himself with Jealou­sies and Tears, and superstitious forebodings of Evils to come, but is industriously thankful for those blessings and mercies which at present he enjoys: He knows, that by the assistance of the Di­vine Spirit he can turn a Dun­geon into a House of Prayer; that Christ's presence will Consecrate the horrours of a Prison, and make Darkness it self Glorious: And if the Light of his Countenance do but shine in upon him, he shall be Happy, tho' in the midst of a Roman Furnace, or a Scottish Inquisition.