No More Learning

N. upon my queens And therein echo over again her majesty's exhortation to peace and union at home, while
we are engag'd in war abroad. And the use I make of to turn all the wranglings and anglings among us upon the church-party. And there take opportunity to
have another stroke at my old friend Sir George Rook, way of excuse. fay thus, to have the nation hurrfd
into contention about the conduct one man, that
great in office, when perhaps one hundred part the nati
on knows nothing of the bufiness may be just as much as the towns-men o/'Calnes know the advantage tak
ing Gibraltar fay, when a nation engag'din such little trifling contentions, may give room for our enemies to believe that they may engage us yet in greater divifi ons; when indeed, as her majesty most excellently fays, THErE OUGHT TO BE NO CONTENTION AMONG US,
BUT WHO SHAll MOST PrOMOTE THE PUBlICK WEL FArE.
Here, countryman, make Sir George Rook the great bane of contention thro' the nation which will make him very obnoxious to the common people; that the nation shou'd be kept in divifion, upon his account and you know the natural consequence of that is, that he be remov'd
out of the way, when we clamour against him
C. But you make him unknown to the hundred man
in the nation. How then can he be a national quarrel
O. Thou'rt always putting me out! faid that only
to lessen him, to shew how inconfiderable he that he's- no
64.
grown
is ;
!
of
is
! I
I j
?
;
; of it
of
I
I it
I:
is
of
by
it, is,
-
C. But hark ye, Bays, who is it has made all this stir about Sir George Rook ? For tho* he is known to as ma ny as know there is an English fleet, and spoke of with that esteem and honour he justly has merited: yet his name
made no sir in the nation, nor was blown about in print, but by thee and thy scandalous club, who have been lay ing at him these two years past or more, expofing and ridiculing him in the grossest manner. And even for his taking of Gibraltar, and his victory over the grandsleet of France ; for which I have given thee due correction fae- fore. And the very week after the news of his taking Gibraltar, &c. canae over, out came little Colepeper bark ing at his heels ; and his comical romance v/ts differs 'd ever city and country, and ad•vertisd for a month or more1 to
gether, in all yourscoundrel papers. These things oblig'd some of Sir George's friends to publish a narrative of his expedition, and to do him and the nation right. For fo- exceeding ytas the malice ofthe •o;A»£s against' Sir George, (because a church- man) that rather than he shou'd have the credit of doing any thing that was brave, or useful to England, they took all the pains they cou'd, and thou
The REHEARSAL
$z
no more known in the nation,- than the advantage of taking Gibraltar, (there I have him again ! ) is knowu to the townsmen ofCalnes.
them the foremost man, to turn this iiictotytio the French side ; and to represent the taking of Gibral tar, as of no use ox consequence at all ; tho' thon before mad'st it the key of the Levant ; and reproachcTst this fame Sir George, for not having taken it before. As I hare shew'd in my Rehearsal, N. 10. How then can'st thou lay to the church party all this stir has been about Sir George Rook? . ». •, ■ '. ■,
amongst
O, Most cleverly! for if no body had answer 'd for him, but let us r«z7 on, there had been no dispute ! thoa know'st, it is the second blow that makes the quarrel. Thou Rehearser hast begun the contention, what had'st thou to do to concern thy self for our colepepering and bt-
flawng Sir George Rook ? Art thou one of the twenty cut-throat commissioners of the blood-office? or one of the
The REHEARS AL;
93
some-bodies of officers, that faid they wou'dstab me for abusing of Sir George Rook ? upon which I cry V «tf of assassinations, to «//7ra all the party ! and I'll tell thee,
ourfolks never raZt of assassination, but they zwfa» it ! C. This matter thou and talk'd over in Rehearsal N. ' 12. But I'll tell thee, I have not the honour to be
any relation, or so much as an acquaintance of Sir G. Rookh. But I speak merely as a true hearted Englishman. And cannot refrain from indignation, to see an honorable and gallant gentleman, so vilely traducd by a company of rake-hells, notwithstanding of all the signal services he has done his country ; for no other reason but that he i» true to the church. This shews the implacable spirit of whigism, which regards not country, but only party. And would rather their country should fink, than besavd by the church f
Besides their intolerable impudence, to charge their own crimes upon others, who detest them. As thy now laying upon the church the clamours thou thy self hast rais'd about Sir George Rook ! and so as the cause of that breach of union there is in the nation ! the church is the caa/i of ell!
O. Then let them be quiet ! and not be answering to what we write against them. Tho' we challenge them to answer, and upbraid them for not answering ; and cry victoria I upon that very account. For why shou'4
we lose advantages ? that Is not our manner !
Thus Mr. De Foe begins his new test op
th^ chvrch of England's honesty, in these words, it it
not many months fince the world anas entertain d with a yet un-answer'd pamphlet, entituTd, A NEW TEST OF THE
church of England's loyalty, 13c. And here he makes the church of England as black as belli a pack of the greatest rogues and villains that ever the earth bore ! but concludes, p. 24. with an exhortation to peace and union, recommended by the queen ! and adds an adver tisement, that -whereas he heard of a book preparing Qf the sufferings of the loyal clergy of the church o/'England ;
by which it appears, (fays ne) that notwithstanding her majesty*
94
The REHEARSAL.
majesty s commands of peace and union, the churchmen art resohid to revive all the old quarrels, Sec. And then threatens them with expofing their clergy for sodomy, in- test, adultery, drunkenness, blasphemy, and other scanda lous crimes. Calamy's
C. That book a preparing, is in answer to
abridgment ofBaxter's life, lately printed, and now again re-printing, wherein he gives a long detail of the suffer ings of the non-cons, with most scandalous and false re
O. Well
slections on the church of England.
! that's what I fay ; they will be
answer
ing ! Is that observing the peace and union enjoin'd by
her majesty t
C. But you fay, they have not answer d your church of England loyalty, nor your church of England honesty,
UOr the christianity of the high church confider'd, dedicat
ed to my lord H m : all printed this fame year : and
all exhorting to peace and union : after having left nei
ther loyalty, honesty, nor christianity to the church of England. Is not this pasfive obedience to you, to a great
degree ? and complying with your exhortations to peace and union, tho' they are the sufferers !
O. O ! the rogues cannot answer 4 and we hew them down upon that account! how do we triumph over them in the dissenters answer to the high church challenge
(printed likewise this fame year 1704. ) p. 15, &c. fgr their not having answer'd De Laun'i book? which makes the church of England not only popish and anti- christian, but heathenish. Yet no answer! and to pro voke them, we have about two months since re-printed that precious piece. And in my Observator before nam'd, wherein I too exhort to peace and union, I have adver- tifedit with the huge long title page at full length. Where in we boast, that it was burnt by the common hangman
20 years ago : as the churchmen fay it well deserv'd ; for
its nonsense and filliness, as well as malice and impudence.
And that there is nothing in but what has been an swered over and over again. That there nothing new in but the old job-trot of railing and Billingsgatt
it,
is
it,
The REHEARSAL.
95
against both church and flate, as they fay it is in all we write. But let them fay what they will, we still
insist it is not answer dl come answer ! answer ! why don't you answer ? This is my way to peace and union, to advertise this book over again, which makes very de vils of the church of England; and shews them upon what terms we will make peace with them!
£ Then if they answer, they are the aggressors. And if they don't answer, their caa/i is gone, and you tri
umph !
O. Right, my boy ! thus we have them both ways !
Isn't this brave?
That dog of a Cassandra (whom I have mauTd)
was an aggressor, tho' it was wrote in answer to the oc cafional letter, N. I without 2d.
The wolssiript was an aggressor, tho' wrote in a«- to moderation a vertue, which 21. calls the church of England, men of debauch'd consciences, of the
grossest immoralities, of damnable lusts, enemies
state, and ofstrange disposition to receive the Romish reli gion. Sec.
The new association was an aggressor, tho' wrote in answer to f£e danger ospriest-craft, &c. which makes the church of England all anti-christs, and the least any men to be endur'd, in any well order flate.
'Tis these aggressors disturb the peace and union her ma jesty recommends they will be ripping up oldsores.
C. Yet your little pert Calamy, in postscript to the preface ofhis abridgment, sets down list of authors
where your true principles are to be found, the ^r/? of which was in the reign of old ^ Bess, intitul'd Part of a
register, Sec. which, with much ado, got sight of and found full of treason against the queen, and most diabolical but senseless malice against the church, her
rites, ceremonies, liturgy, and episcopacy. Of the like strain with those that follow, hitter and violent. Invec tives, which declare openiyar, and shew all reconcilia
tion or compounding to be impossible. How will you re
concile your present occafional conformity with what these . , books
the
.
it
I a
aa /.
;
!
da
of
of
st,
96 The REHEARSAL.
books call idolatry, anti-christian, and even beatbenisbi Or would Mr. Calamy recommend these books, without reading them ? You must either quit Calamy, or yous
back to the hangman. Calamy's Ifyou dare stand by
cause, and all your mealy-mouth'd pretences to peace and union ! You must even quit your famous monfieur de Laun, whom you have reprinted, and send his book too
list
will, upon notice, give you such an abstract out of them,
as will make every honest man's hair stand on end, and,
have you bunted out of the kingdom !
But if you will not stand by Calamy, then send his
book whither De Launs went with De Foe's, and the rest of the sike tendency ; and then see whom you will have left behind, ofall your late celebrated writers !
!
of books, I your
It wou'd be the joyfullest bonfire that ever England
faw ! then peace and union ! and I'm afraid not till then
From &at. Nov. 1 1 to i&at. Nov. 1 8, 1704. N° 16.
This Observator of no church. Of mob principles. Their new-old method ofanswering books.
Coun. \\ 7"HO art thou, master? Havel got a net*
VV
?
O. It is no matter who I am. Am not I Observator?
Do'sn't see ? Thou'rt to follow the horse, never mind the
rider. Is not the Objervator carry'd on, the fame volume, numbers, and days, where Touchin left off; ifhe has left
,off? So that the precious -volumes of the Observator will be kept up, and compleat, for the use of the publick. I
am only ajourneyman, to carry on the work, till Touchh has past his sentence. And he gives thee notice in die Flying-Post of last Saturday, that he will write his Obser- •vatoi s again. We know of what use the Observattrs have been to our cause, in spiriting up the mob, thro' die
master
nation. And we must not yet let them fall. There will
be no notice taken, which of them were wrote by Twchn, and
the different
The REHEARSAL.
97 and which not ; which I tell thee, countryman, has been
case, before this time ; as
of them.
be observ'd in the Somesprinklings of wit in some Touchin was ltft to so
of
heavily dull, full of nasty ribaldry and billings-gate as
strains them j others
(where
himself)
nauseated every man of common sense, ox probity. But in the whole, it is a party paper ; and we are answerable for it. Therefore thou may'st go, and talk as freely as formerly.
- C. Then I take thine of last Saturday, N. 68. to be in answer to my Rehearsal, N. 13. where I speak of the
Observator's religion, and of his church
thee again, in thy forefaid Observator, thus, Are you high-church, or low-church, or freely speaking, are
you of no church? And thou anfwIer'st, Those are en-
Jharing questions, countryman ; and
cannot give a cate gorical answer to any of them. The meaning of which I take to be, if I can understand common sense, that thou
art of no church ; and that it is ensnaring to make
theespeak out, and confess so much : Because it is not yet
grown popular enough ! which thou hop'st to see in a short time!
Then thou shift'st the business of church, and com'st to what thou call'st religion in general, and tak'st thy rise from heathen Rome, whose religion thou commend'st ex-
treamly! and mak'st them a pattern (tho' very unjustly) for a toleration of all religions which do not hurt the state. It seems then thy care is not much for their souls ! or
thou think'st that salvation is well enough secur'd in any
even of heathen Rome !
But did not heathen Rome persecute christianity? Or,
do'st thou think that the principles of christianity are oppo fite to government, even tho' in the hands of heathen em
perors ? That sort of christianity would indeed have given umbrage to theRoman emperors, not to give any toleration to it. But the christian doctrine (in those dark times]) was passive obedience to the height, even to the heathen kings and persecutors ! They did not consider, that we
F Yet
religion,
might come in time to have christian-popish-princes !
Vol. I.
may
: And ask
The REHEARSAL.
98
Yet in this very Observator thou pleads for liberty es
conscience, even to papists that live peaceably.
O. That is still except kings ! They must not have
that liberty we allow to our selves ! for look ye, country man, ours are original rights! and kings but derivative from us! liberty and property are only the people's. ' Yoo never heard of the king's liberty and property ! And we
Jimit and tie up his prerogative, as we please.
Thus we claim occafional conformity, as the r/jitf of every subject ; but at the fame time will not allow it to
the crown, but have tyd even the house of Hanover
ever they come) to conformity, without any occafional. Kings may do mischief with therefore must not be trusted with But the people never did any harm in their lives!
or, if they do, may forgive themselves, as being the ori
ginal power and they please, for diverfion, to worry and destroy one another, even to half the nation, who can
fay unto them, What do ye? May they not do what they please with themselves, and with their own Is not this salus populi And not that the fuprema lex?
C. What to destroy one another to the end of the
chapter
O. Ay, to the end of the world! rather than let pre
rogative blow upon hair of our heads
C. Pray, Sir, answer me one thing. What great
harm has come to Englandiiy the arhitrariness of all her kings, since William the conqueror?
O. None that know of, or not worth naming. Bat know what thou'd'st be at. Thou wou'dst bid me lay in the Other scale, the barons-wars, York and Lancaster, the late revolution of forty-one, &c. And then have me
compare, what the people havefuffer'dhy the arhitrariness of kings and what the rebellion of the people But won't compare for thee. And what wilt thou do then
C.
Then must compare my self and see where
the salus populi most fasely deposited, whether in kings, with all their faults or in the mob, with all their vertues! O. But who knows what these kings might have done,
they had not been restrain'd, what thou call'st our rebellions? C. Ay!
if
I
is
I
a
! ! ?
;! I
it !
;
by
if is
by by
it !
;
!
?
! ! I
(if
The REHEARSAL.
99
C. Ay ! who knows indeed ! Do'st thou expect an
answer to thy night-mare ofjealousies and/ears? Wilt thou oppose thy might-bees, and which never have been in England, to all that we have seen and felt of reiellicn and rewlution ? To the hundreds and thousands that have been murder d, and many more utterly undone by popular
commotions ! Wilt thou compare all these with a favour
ite or two (whom you generally hate) disgraced or ruin'd
by a ; or whatever you cou'd call a grievance to the people, in all the arhitrary and illegal acts of our iing? (as I faid) since William the conqueror ! Men must be cs-
chanted, before they can be carry'd away with such ridi culous pretences, to hunt after their own ruin ! whence rebellion is rightly call'd witchcrast by God himself/ And is not that the cafe, when dreams of what we never fi•w, that persuade us out of our fve fenses, and our reason, and experience to boot! And are men thus bewitch'd, thus perniciously bewitch'd, to the endless destruction
of the people, in sapping the foundations of all government,
and laying groundwork for nothing but eternal revolution
and confufion, making all settlement, in what /o/ct of ga-
I'ernment soever, utterly impracticable, by placing the dernier resort of all things in the oto£ ? I fay, are such
men to have what they call their full liberty given them,
to propagate and practise such principles, let them call themselves of what church or denomination they please ?
These thou thy self, master, hast excepted, as being hurt ful, and most dangerous to the stated • .
And how thou, who wilt not ' declare thy self of any church, and so art of no church, and consequently wou'd'it hint no church establish'd; how thou art sit to treat of church matters; especially considering, that the (burch with us, as in all nations, is a part, and the
principal part of the state, I leave thee to thy next to re solve ; and will now prosecute the subject we were last upon, a little further.
In Biy last I shew'd the method of your party towards peace and union, in sending out a numerous,^wuw ofpoi- rcnotts pamphlets against the church ; and then taking equal
F 2 offence
ioo
The REHEARS AL.
offence at their being answer d, or not answered, each a new ground of quarrel!
making
But as if the daily swarms of pamphlets that come from your fide (ten to one in number to those that are wrote on the fide of the chufch ) were not sufficient, you have got a
been long since answer d, as new booh, and cry out foi
new answers to them.
In the year 1660 (you began early, immediately upon
the restauration ) you publish'd a hook with this title, The interest of England, in the matter of religion, unfolded
new-old trick, to re-print your old libels, which have
in thesolution ofthese questions. in 1 . Whether the presbyterian party should
justice, er reason ofstate, he rejected and depressed, or protected and
encouraged?
2. Q;, Whether the presbyterian party may he proteseed
and encouraged, and the episcopal not deserted or disoblig'd? 3. Whether the upholding of both parties, by ajus andequal accommodation, be not in itselfmore defirable cad
more agreeable to the state of England, than the abfohti exalting of the one party, and the total subverfion of tht
ether?
Written by J. C.
This w the title. And in theyear 1661, Sir Roger
VEstrange wrote an excellent answer to well known
by the name of the holy cheat, provingfrom the un
deniable practiccs and pofitions ofthe presbyterians, that the
defign that party, is, to en/lave both king andpeople, un
der the mast religion. This was wrote so pointedly, and the proofs so undeniable, that the party were not able
give any answer to so that went on, and prevail and in the year 1682, received fourth impression.
of all which, the fame book thus an swer and efsectually confuted, came out again, in tie
year 702, under this title, Three questions ofpresent im
portance, modestly resolvd. And the three forefaid queriu set down, with small •variation of some words, but no
thing in substance. And thisj>f<w the fame book come
out again, with the former title but no notice takin, A. ,
Notwithstanding
;
a it
it,
is
a
1
d
it ;
V, to
of of
The REHEARSAL. 101
that it is already answer d, past even their modesty to reply! No! it is now a new, spick andspan new book !
See if any of the church party will give it a new answer ! that we may laugh at them ! and if it should be less pun
gent than that of Sir Rogers, we wou'd catch at the ad
vantage ! and, O smart!
! how we wou'd ! quick! and reply
trick, for
it before. Cartwright the arch-puritan in Q. Elizabeth's
I call this a new-old
your party have done
reign, wrote a book, endeavouring to prove, that the primitive churches which had bishops, were parishes only, and not dioceses ; and that the churches of each city were
but one parishional congregation. This was solidly and learnedly answer d at that time, so as to put an end to
that vain pretence. A friend of mine has the answer
ready to produce. Thus that plea of the dissenters lay asleep, from that time, till about 20 years past, when
Mr. Clarkson wrote his No scripture evidence for diocesan bishops, wherein this topick is again set up, and was tak«n as. a new discovery ! which occalion'd an excellent answer to him by Dr. Maurice, 18 or 19 years ago. To which
no reply has been made to this day. Nor I suppose ever will. Yet De Foe in The dissenters answer to the high-
church challenge, printed thisyear 1704. p. 11. names this book of Clarkson 's as not answer et, and provokes any of the church to answer so great a man as he makes Clark
son, faying of him, That he was as much of both gentle man andscholar, as ever the nation bred ; and tho' a dis
senter, had the honour to be tutor to the learned and mes ex cellent Dr. Tillotson, late archbifoop of Canterbury,
who is not much the better for the charafter of De Foe as we must suppose him not the worse, for having been bred up under such a tutor ! and the telling of it here, was not meant for his advantage. There are some sort offolks, who dirty every thing they touch.
But among their methods of answering, the chief is not to be forgot, which they tell us out of Machiuvel,
in The teew test os the church os England's honesty, p. 2. That wben men argue about religion, ifone side cannot an- F 3 fwer,
!
ioi The REHEARSAL.
of K. Charles I. and in the reign of JL Churls II. in Scotland, where they had twi Battles for it; and a continu'd conspiracy, which broke out every other year in England. And thus they et- t, mpt, d to end it in Elizabeth's time, even to join ani concur veith the Jesuites (who set them up) in opening
powerful nation ofpapists in the world, made that wise tauten more watchful over their off-spring the puritans. She comirar. ded her parliament to give no heed to the nieariscrse felicitations of the PURITANS, •wherewithal
" the late parliament (fays my lord chancellor from the Slueen) have been exceedingly importun'd. They have been always teasers of parliaments.
In the fame speech it is told, that they had the fame, way of answering books, as- they use now ; not to mind what was wrote against them, but repeat their own objec
tions over and over again. I never heard on't before. O. What speech is that ?
C. That's strange ! why it is in a book thou fay'st thou
hast answer d. It is inserted in the second part of that
libel call'd Cassandra, in the Appen. Num. 3. p. 84.
O. Yes, I have answer d but never read and
give good reason for in my Observators, that not worth reading and have sill'd how marty Observa tors with all the old and new-made ill names could think on, which bestow upon the author, some fiw of which begin thy sirst Rehearsal, called only Observator, to put Jham upon me and conclude, that would
have the book burnt, and the author harg^d. Was'n't that Full-an/hver and would have prevented any reply.
Aud
Jhver, it certainly ends in a battle. Thus it ended in the
rc:gn
the dcor, and prepat ing the way to the Spanish INVasios; as thati? »«» told her parliannnt, by her lord chancellor Puckering: But she kept their nails close perV, and fityords out of their hands. She trusted them not in places ofpower, or to have any thing to do with the administra tion of the government ; tho' then daily expecting the Spanijl invafion, which soon after follow'd. This time of •war, tho' against the most bigotted, and then moil
aI
a
a
?
I
!
;
I
it
I
a
it, I
I
is ;
I jj
it it
The RE HEARS AL.
103
And this is the only answer to be given, as my bro ther De Foe has agreed with me, that we must go to bat tle, when we cannot otherwise answer ; and now we are ready for else we would not have given thispublick notice
We have not been able to fay one word in desence of
our mob-original ofgovernment, which attack'd in the first part of Cnssandra nor of those limitations of coercion
we would have over the crown nor can we deny them to
beinconststcntviithmonarchy,ziidcontradi3ory to thenature of government in general, as well as our own constitution, and the laws of England, from the beginning, and still
in being. We have nothing to fay to these thidgs and we willnot be content with limitations of concisjion, nor understand our laws in that sense; what then can we an
swer? We must e'en to baitle! as before faid, the time come! we have had provocation sufsicient! for, as De 1'oe adds, as comment upon what he quoted out of Ma-
chiavel, and may serve as an answer to the author of Cassandra It most natural, when the tongue has done its
heavy cannon, &c. as you have in The new test the church England'. ! honesty, p. 2.
From &at. Nov. to . fiat. Nov. 25, 1704. N° 17;
she difserence betwixt the old and new Obser v ator, as
Of
d«ui. ' X HIS new master of mine, know not what to make of him. I'm afraid thou art a
Rogue, master thou pretends to continue on the Obser- vator,
to fall to work with the hand therefore would
utmost,
advise that gentleman, whose only misfortune to have too little caution, that he would never clench an argument very sasl, as not to leave the adversary one corner to creep tut at for they then immediately fall on him with their
to the state. Advice to the new, as to the church.
late no-answer to Mr. Sach el. Ihe dissenters the aggressors in the paper-war. And more sierce and at*
tackingyJW their toleration.
I !
of
4F
I
;
a
;
*> ; it,
1 8,
;
it
;
is
of I
is
a is
is
;
so !
The REHEARSAL.
•vator, and thou writes directly against him. Why then do'st thou not fay so ? that we might know whereto have thee ! This is worse than the Rehearsal, which was call'd only Observator, and taken as such by many, who thought the Obsrvator was bambooxsd! but John Henv the bocksellers name was not to as to thine; nor the number of the Observator, as thou hast For would ha' been little sort of lye; and may be Jabn Hew might have had ground of action, for interloping upon his cosy, and putting his name to what he did not
print. Hast thou ventur'd upon all this or, Hew too
in the plot to compleat the volumes of his Observators, and not let people think that the paper faH'n, till Tutehin shall be at leisure again to go on with his own work, as he has given publick notice he intends, of which
told, thee in my last.
But w hat blunder will here be when men come
hereafter to read the Observatcrs (if any hereafter will be at the pains to read them) and compare JV. 2. N. 84. andN. So. with Vol. N. 70. which was thy last Sa turday's Obserimtor? In the two former (as in many others) the murder of K. Charles justify and his
apes trampled upon, with the utmost insolence. As like wise of his son K. James II, whom they rejoice to have
J04
all his regalities, and made afugitive upon earth (like Cain and fay, We had done sooner, we
divested
had had an opportunity doing. So that they defigned and were about it, at the fame time that they silled his
ears withtheirfulsome addresses ofperpetualloyalty, and godly sincerity. Pursuant to their constant prac tice and principles, they took God to witness! And in the faid Observators they triumph and insult upon what they scornfully call the de-collation, and de-trun cation of his royal father and compare with his ab dication
But in the faid Observators, Vol. N. 70, There
a severe reprehenfion against the villifying ofprinces, and trampling upon their ashes, especially of these two before nam'd, of whom the first call'd great good king, and
mar
is
;
a
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The REHEARSAL.
105
martyr of pious memory. And that the name of his soie, K. James II. ought to be blessed among us.
Nay, more than all this, the fame Observatcr, N. 70. , makes root and branch -work with the whole republican
foundation, and the clink of all the volumes of the Obser- •vators, by overthrowing the fuppos'd original and radical power of the people, in erecting of government, and that
the royal authority is deriv'dyh>»z them, and by consent,
conserr d upon their sovereigns. That God is no more au
thor of the supreme, than ofsubordinate power ; and that dominion avhich is usurp'd and unjust, while it remains do minion, claims God for its donor, as much as that which is
legal and hereditary. That sovereignty andpower being by conveyance from the people, are conditional and proportimid
according as the community please to confer the trust. That there may be a power co-ordinate, or collateral to that of
the sovereign s ; and that, in some cases, the sovereign it
subordinate to the people, and may be refisted and oppos'd by violence, force and arms. All these tenets he condemns as
seditious, and tending to confufion, as contrary to the prac tice of the best and ancient Christians, and contrary to sound reason, deduc'd from nature, and the befl institutions of po
lity andgovernment.
Nay, he calls all these popish principles, and fays, It
is a thousand pities that such men as pretend so much zeal against popery , should join with papists in the worst, at least, the most pernicious doctrines; but ten thousand times more pity it is, that the reformed protestant religion
shouldsuffer by such men, and that good 'English protestants Jhould be charged with these things in aster ages.
Then he explains that vulgar maxim ofJalus populifu- prema lex esto, from the republican pretence of making
the people judges of who, he fays, are most all mi
st for judging, concerning the preservation os church or state and he makes the salus regis, the safety of the king, to be the safety of the people For that, as he concludes, speak
ing of her, present Majesty, impossible the fiibject can have peace or safety, where the sovereign and her preroga tive art weaken thatshe cannot command andprotest.
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io6 The REHEARSAL.
Now, master, that is Casjandra all over ! and for fay
ing of these things my former master sent that jlut to the
ducking stool, and call'd all this billings-gate in her ; nay, he condemn'd her to the gallows, and her books to the
Unless itbe for thy notion ofa church, whjch is no church, of which I told thee in my last ; in which, if thou wilt clear thy self, I may afford thee my company sometimes upon reasonable terms ; for it seems to me as impossible
. for any country to prosess a religion, without having some church established, as for a state to subsist without a
government establish'd. And the church (so now let me call for speak not of true or false which was
establish'd among the Heathen, as well as among the Jews
and Christians, was always part of thestate, and the principal part of and all contravention to the church
was reckoned an infraction upon the state. Shew where was otherwise.
But thou seems to have no notion at all of church, as society under government but only as afect of indivi
duals being of this or that opinion, like the several sorts of
esta
jlames. He could have no patience with her !
thou his curate ? he has disown'd thee already, and given advertisement of it in his own brother's paper, called the Flying Post. I long to know how he'll handle thee, when he resumes his own office again, after a little laiv- work is over ! thou'lt e'en be sent to bear Cast'andra com pany !
And art
And that man be an Academick, an
philosophers.
Epicurean, Stoick, Cartestan, Copernican, or Aristote lian, or to come nearer to religion, Thomist, or Scotifl and may change his sentiments ten times day, without being accountable to any. And as none of these
blished any law, in opposition to the other so
yours of this Nov. 18.