No More Learning

Q. No certainly. For else there cou'd be no ctmmf-
Jion whatever certain.
C- I suppose you will not dispute with s>e the cam-
mission which Chiist gave to his apostles, As my father Jent me, Istndycu, £sV. that is, with the fame commission. To
,
govern his church. Therefore all others are excluded, but who derive their authority from the apostles.
This is an essirntial part pf the tssice of a governor, tp snake choice pf those whom he entrusts under hin>. How
else can he be anstweratle for their mistcari iages 't
Thus St. Paul instructs Jimethj, whom he conliituttd
hi/t>f
The REHEARSAL.
bishop pf Epbesus, That he should commit what he had
men, who shall able to teach others And fays, that otherwise he par
Tjra. v. 22.
Therefore if the people, or any others, pretend to the
authority of electing the governors and pastors of the church, they must shew such authority committed unto them God. And these texts or passages in scripture upon which they found are uncertain or duhious, their claim abates. And therefore sufsicient, in this case, to shew, that these texts do not certainly conclude for such authority in the people. But the commission granted to the apostles, and their successors, to the end pf the •world (for so long Christ promised to be with them, and assist them in the execution of that commission he then gave them) being certain and undoubted, must be understood exclufive of all others, till they can produce
certain commission granted unto them.
0. But have heard, that the election pf bisho$s and
paflors has been in the people and that in old times.
Yes. That error did creep in degrees, as o- thers have done. But from the beginning was not
And came to that excess. , that the contending par- tits have murdered one another in the church upon the diction of a hi/hop, till the blood has run in streams out into the streets; which gave occasion to an historian to sey? that the pastor was then cons crated the blood of
his stock .
And the consequence of this was natural. For what
other issiue can there be between several contending par
ties, where there no umpire or judge over them
all mob and confufion
Then christian kings, to remedy this horridscqndal to
the church, and the destruction of their subjects, took the election of hisbops into their own hands, Where was
certainly much/%fo- and £f//fr than with the Tho? still an aberration from the institution pf C£W/? and has
receiv'd also, taker
to faithful Tim. ii. 2.
their fins,
187
Juperfdeas of that commission and another as clear and
;
it
it
is !
if it,
I
?
is
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in
by it
it
a byof2 I
so.
a C.
;
; it is
he.
i88 The REHEARSAL.
its own very evil consequences. Kincs turning and 'wind ing religion at their pleasure, and making the church a tool to the intrigues of state.
O. How came the people at sirst by the power ef c hct ion?
C. The apostles and lisbops of the church, considering of how great advantage it was to the labours of the clergy, that their persons shou'd be held in estimation, and well accepted by their socks ; did allow not only of any objections to be made relating to the life or docti ine of the
person elected i but often accepted os recommendations from the people, and encourag'd them to recommend-
And made use of this, on several occasions, to expostu late with the people, when they prov'd refractory against their pastor, that he was put over them by their own
cons nt, and sufsrage, and defire.
Hence, in time, these cor. csstcns came to be chum da
tight, (and the like has been done in other cafes) till the practice grew so scandalous, that, as I faid before, it be
came even necessary to have it taken out of the hands of
the people.
(;. ) It is our principle, that the people ought to have
the election both of their kings and priests.
C. And you prove both alike ! That is, from limi
tations ofconcession you argue to coercion, and original rights. And so make it dangerous to your governors, whether in church or state, whether priests or princes, to
grant conerssions to you.
nors i and their governors more indulgent and careful of them. And these arethe only free subjects.
Whereas the others are (like Lucifer) flaves in their
rebellion ; and force the government to keep a watchful eye over them, and to beware how it grants concessions to them, who misunderstand and rfl/</r them ; and think them so many -weapons put into their hands to fight with
against
are well bestow'd upon an obedient and
ConceJJions
willing people. They are govern'd more eastly, and to their own content. It makes them more loving, and that makes them more dutiful and respectful to their gover
The REHEARS AL.
189
against their governors who granted them; and that they nut less to their governors than before, and are, in ib far, exempted and freed from their subjection ! And this ii their notion of liberty ! which is literally being sons of Belial, the common appellation of rebels through the ho
For the word Belial (as I have been told)
ly scripture.
signisies without yoke, or restraint, that
free from the yoke of government, faying, We will net have this man to reign over us and we will not have this man,
but this, to be our pastor.
And that true liberty And we practise, and
we do.
And shou'd not other men have that liberty, as
well as you
No. When we speak of liberty, we mean only ourselves but to keep all others under the yoke. And this we have shew'd in present instance, of our imposing pastor, which occasions great talk all over
ihe/5-u-,7. And people wonder, at not knowing the cittern of our principles!
And tho' the parish are so much disfatisfy 'd, that they
intend to dispute with us at law and many of them
declare, that they will go no more to that church,
our man be put upon them For that reason we hold
th;m to O this nuts to us and the rather, be
cause we understand the hishop wou'd have the parish
gratify with the person they have recommended. What
have they to do to recommend upon our undoubted sight
Yet, when the bishop or the king, or any other lay-
tiatrms, like yourselves, put in cl:rk; then you roar
Out upon this, as an infraction of the rights of the peo to choose their own pastor, &c And have made this Me cause of your, schism, and your so frequent re-
Millions.
That prosess'd dissenters, and enemies to our church, hou'd have the choice of ow*. pastors That the wolves hoa'd name the shepherds How long can our church land at this rate How can the bishop be answerable
for
?
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!
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The
REHEARSAL.
for such? Must he be partaker of their fins ! thescriptures abolish'd ?
If the foundation he cast dcwn, What can the righteous do ?
An answer to the Flying-post concerning one particul: the monstrous Presbyterian procession at " burgh, the \ph of March last; which is ac" ledg'd and vindicated by him.
Coun. A MONG the, C3V. 1 ani to rehearse, after i
'
Lord,
bow long 'voik thou look on this! From &at. Feb. 24, to &at. March 3, 170s. ti*
Observator (who has fled the pit, except natural Billingsgate) I am now challeng'd by aw author, call'd The Flying-posf, who is mightly cone
for the honour of his country ; which he thinks is flected upon in my Rehearsal, N. 28 ; which tells of horrid cavaleade at Edinburgh. .
O. And is not that a refiection upon Scotland, if it true?
C. No. No more than all the horrid actions of tfac
dissenters in England are chargeable upon the church dt the nation. Their calces-head feasts, and what they represent, the murder os their king, Sec.
They are indeed a curse and a blemish to both nations; which can never be happy, while that bitter root is fuf- ser'd to grow in them.
O. But what fay 'ft thou to the assertion of the Flying- post, that there was no bible burnt in that procession.
C. He fays no such thing. He sets down an inventor (as he calls of the things then burnt, wherein the bible not nam'd. But there are general words of trin
kets and others, which may include many things. And
he names an acl of parliament for the destroying popish books. What needed this, if there were no books burnt
And
of ?
is
it)
The REHEARS AL.
191
And if any books were burnt, none of which are men- tion'd in the inventor, then how does it appear there was not a hible among them ; sew Romish priests are without one. Why did he not produce a certificate, that there were no books burnt ? or if any were burnt, that the vulgar latin hible was not among them . ' that we might be sure it was not included among the other things mention'd in the order of council.
But I told in that fame Rehearsal, that this story was in print before. I took it out of a printect-book. And tae moderate clergy-man there mention'd read it in that bonk ; and justify'd as was there, the burning of the hible and all So that the cause of moderation, of which treated, and for which brought this instance, stands good still, to fliew how far will go, and stop at
mthing
But now suppose, that whoever wrote that story had
been mifinformd. concerning that particular of the hible,
which, does not yet appear confirmation of all the rest that told in that Rehearsal of your dear bre thren in Scotland. Against which, no doubt, the Flying-
sost wou'd have objected, he had found any Ground for it* Then the famous yule-sermon hereby confirm'd! And let me add, the treasonable conspiracy of the presby- terians there, shew'd in their overtures, printed in the Rehear/al but one next before that of which we are now
speaking, that is, N. 26. To arm themselves clandc-
stinely, to raise standing force and to seize and disarm all whom they judge not well-affecied to their cause, of those whom the late ac! allows to be armd, for the
curity of the country. If the queen and parliament arm [hem, they will disarm them
But to leave these small things The Flying-post has
absolutely ascertain'd us of what had the greatest dif siculty to believe, of any thing in that monstrous pres-
byttrian procession
order of the privy-council there.
at Edinburgh, that was perform'd
O. But what fay'st thou to this charge in the Flying-
pofl, We may see how good a protestant the etathor the R*
2
it, it
of
by
se
it
is
!
; I!
it is a
I it
a
if
;
! is
I
!
The REHEARSAL.
Rehearsal is, who calls the host carry d about tbe strati, our Saviour s body,
C. Does not our Saviour fay of the bread in the holy sacrament, this is MY BODY ? Now see what a chrifliem
the Flying-post is, who knows nothing of this! For if he did, how cou'd he object this ? But (as the present
igz
of Dublin has fully prov'd in his excellent discourse concerning The inventions of men in the vcorshit of God, and two following admonitions printed here while he was bishop of Derry in Ireland) this sacrament is so
little us'd among the presbyterians, that a man may live a long life among them, and never receive it once.
And we may suppose, that these most solemn words, words, this is my body, &e. are not always us'd in their celebrations; else so considerable a member, as the author ofthe Flying-Post cou'd not but have heard of it some how or other !
As for the carrying it about the streets, he knows the church of England does neither allow nor practise it. But must be therefore carry about the streets, the hands of the common hangman, and him thrown into
the fire
And must his worship be eloath'd in the robes of
priest, to solemnize his celebration and this, by order of privy-council
His performance and Wylie's were of />z>«. and their authority much the fame they are best company for one another 'tis pity they shou'd be parted.
O. But what fay you to the chalice, and other conse crated utevfils These we call trinkets.
C. That's not strange in you, who gutted our churches, and turn'd them into shops and stables. Your religion lies) in defiling every thing that holy.
The heathen have greater regard to things sacred than the presbyterians. When Titus fack'd Jerujalnr. , he endeavour'd to preserve the Temple. And the holy ves/els whi;h were there, were not put to any common or prophane use. The Romans built the Temple of PtUt
at Rome, to deposite those vessels in, not thinking
ting
arch-bishop
2
a
is
?
it ; by a
.
;
!
!
it
:
!
d by
a
a
it,
The REHEARS AL.
193 ting that what had been dedicated to the service of the great God should rest in any commin place. And there was greater difference betwixt their religion and that of
HM. Jeiiu, than betwixt the church of Rome and us. And
when the Goths and Vandals fack'd Rome, they carry'd
these fame holy vessels to Carthage. Whence Justinian the emperor sent them to Jerusalem, and distributed them among the Christian churches there. These were the fame numerical vessels which Solomon made ; which Nebuchad nezzar carry'd to Babylon, and put in the temple of his
gods, and were restord to Jerusalem by Cyrus. They were preserv'd by a signal providence under all these Heathens ; who, tho' often in great straits, yet never laid hand upon so vast a mass of consecrated wealth. And as the law ended in the gospel, lo these utenfils of the
law were reserv'd for the Christian altars.
But if they had fall'n into the hands ofpresbyterians,
they wou'd have call'd them trinkets, and devoted them into the hands of the hang-man ! or melted them down for the use of the covenant I
I may fay of them, as St. Paul did of the Jews, I Thess ii. 15. Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their
own prophets, and have persecuted us : and they please not God ; and are contrary to all men.
O. How have we iiWd the Lord Jesus ?
C. As much as you can. First, By your notorious schism; which he calls a tearing of his oWn body in pieces, and so is a crucifying of him afresh. Secondly, In
shewing the utmost contempt to what he calls his body in the holy sacrament, as before is faid. Thirdly, By cru
cifying him literally in essegie, for you can reach him no other way.
0. O, this is the pifture you mean. But there was idolatrous use made use of it.
C. Then remove it. But must that be done by the hands of a hangman? And must you re-act the cruci
fixion upon it with your spears and halberts ? What cou'd ijew have done more ?
Vol. I. K What
The REHEARSAL
i94
What more, than to compare it to the banging of •
dog, as in your Yule-sermon.
O. That was only to cure the superstition of the day !
And a piece of wit, like some of those us'd in our pri vate academies here in England in odium to episcopacy, to holy-days, and all their rites and ceremonies ; which Mr. Wesely, who was bred in these academies, has basely dis cover d, as ofhis own knowledge !
C. You alt it more privately in England. But in ' Scotland you have got the pulpits, and brought you*
And
on the whole body of you, till your as publick censors
of him does appear ; since his blasphemy has been made
so publick. ,
O. Ay ! Stay till that day ! We know better things, than to discourage the labours of the godly against the superstition of the church of England, tho' they exceed
prophaneness thither !
John JVylie't
sermon lies
up
sometimes upon the point of discretion ! But we must bear with that, they'll be as good to God another way !
C. I bless God, the legion of the covenant has not vn-chrssten'd Scotland yet. I was told by a speSator
of that anti-christian procession at Edinburgh, that the common people were so mov'd with such blasphe
mous indignities cast upon our Blessed Lord, that
they attempted several times to have interrupted the cavalcade, but were kept off by the guards. They VtwA kept under there by authority ! Tho' their numbers, iim well as their estates and quality, are far superior to tkfl:j christen d Jews of that country.
O. You have crosses here upon your churches, and the Queen wears it upon the top of her crown. But there we put it upon our hangmen ! Will any hereafter en dure to have his child mark'd with a badge, that has been worn by a hangman!
C. Putting the badge of Christ crucify'd upon the head ofa hangman, in that opprobrious manner, was aB~ ing what John Wylie preach'd! It is the foul and spi
rit of you all! You are contrary to all men! They have crossis upon their churches at Geneva, There is
The REHEARSAL.
i95 not upon the face of the earth such another fit os con
trary, peevish, sphnethk, and furious MOdErATION-tow, as we hare got in these kingdoms !
Still so perverse and oppofite,
As ifthey •worshifd Godforspite.
0. Come, come, here's enough of this. Answer to the rest of thy charge. Thou mad'st me hold up my hand at the bar once. And tho' I durst fay nothing to thee, IVe now got a second will mumble thee. Enter Lying
M What a parcel hast got in thy hand ? There'* Neno Affiiiation, Parti, and II. Cassandra Numb, i, and z. Exorhitant grants ; and The cafe of the Regale and Ponti
ficate.
C. Does he lay these upon me?
0. No. But upon thy whole party.
C. Who told him what party I am of? Perhaps I'm
of no party, but
Free as nature first made man !
0. O, he has a plaguy guess ! Doft thou deny thy art an4 part in any of these books ?
C. That I can freely do. But I will not tell thee. Is this your way of proof? But since you think this a tight way to charge books upon parties, read Cassandra, Num. 2. Sect. z. And then see what your party has to answer. See my Rehearsals, N. ic, 16, ly, 18. There's a pretty parcel of precious books for thee and thy Iegion to chew the upon !
0. This isa put of. No matter for /roa/: These
things are, and will be charg'd upon parties. mutt talk with thee.
Come, I
C. Then it shall be next occafion. I will not enter up on a new subject now. It will take more time than I can, at present, allow thee.
K2 Prom
The REHEARSAL.
i96
From ^zat. March 3, to ,f>at. March io, 1 70s- N° 32.
I . The Objections of the Flying- Post against The case of the Regale, dsc. confider 'd. 2. The Dissenters attack
the. creed.
England.
-
3. Their moderation to the Church os
(i,)£iks. 1T 7ELL now I am ready to hear what YV tn0u wert f° foft °f time, some ot-
je&ions which the Flying-Post of last Feb. 20. had against a certain party, from some books he charges upon them.
O. The objection is popery! Rank popery! And it il prov'd out of 77>« o/' Rrgale and Pontificate ; where, p. 262, 263. the author proposes a treaty betwixt the Gallican church and that of England, and fays, WE SHOU'd NOT lONC QUArrEl ABOUT THE PoPE'S supremacy. Thus the Flying-Post.
C. Upon what terms does he propose this treaty?
O. Hang him, he covers himself so, that we cannot
reach him. He speaks vehemently against the Pope's supremacy ; and wou'd persuade the Gallican church,
that they are against it too : and has published their decrees to that, purpose made in the year 1682. And wou'd have a treaty set on foot, for them to reform with Bfci and that we shou'd both join against the church of Rome.
C. Was that a popish design ?
O. Yes, surely I what ! to propose a treaty, a treaty upon any terms with papishes, tho' against the pope and hisfupre macy I
And dosn't he lay, We shoud not long quarrel about the Pope's supremacy f
C. Upon what account does he fay that?
O. Upon supposition, that the Pope wou'd confine these Gallican decrees, which he thinks destroys this
supremacy the Pope pretends to.
C. Thea
The REHEARSAL.
197
C- Then indeed we shoa'd not quarrel long about the pe*s supremacy, if he wou'd give it up. Therefore at author, propos'd, That if the Pope wou'd not agree
the decrees of the Gallican church, they shou'd de-
him thac
, fy remacy,
favour of popery?
1 O. O. the treaty, the treaty, it Ipeaks of a treaty ! But iere is more against that author. It is faid, That, p. 270.
which hich he v cu d not disclaim.
did not cwn, and And was this a propofal
e ajj
t i ts, that the d religion, and that the church reform of
It is full to the point,
iut does that author fay so ?
O. No. He fays no such thing, nor any thing like it.
/"Romeis thesame.
C. That is something indeed !
ifet the Flying-Post proves it fully from these words,
Concors Romanœ & reformats ecchsta fides\ that if, be agreeing faith of the Roman and the reform'd
they
cbztrcfr. \ Now you know, if they agree, they tigree ! And if they agree, they are the samn I Is not this dmxn-
strarton ?
C. Yes. That they agree, wherein they agree! But
did that author fay, that they agreed in every thing, and that they differ d in nothing ? Then indeed they are the same ! But this seems but a part of the sentence. Why
did not Flying-Post quote the whole ?
O. The whole sentence is this,Concors Romano> & refor
mats ecclefire fides, neutrius opinio mihi religio est ; that
as has been interpreted to me, The agreeing faith of the Roman and reform church hut the opinion neither
my religion.
C. Well. Now 'tis all out, what have you to fay to
The Flying-Post thought he cou'd make little of it, he had set down the whole sentence therefore he took
no more than wou'd serve his turn.
O. But what thatfaith wherein the church of Rome
and we agree thought we were to agree in nothing with the papishes
C. Shall we not own God, because the papists do acknowledge him? Must we renounce the creed, because
K they
a 3
; :
? ! I
is
if it
it
is ?
d
of
is,
i98 The REHEARSAL.
they hold it ? Now, as I told thee in my Rehearsal, N. 20. the church of England imposes no terms of cm- munion but only those of the Apostles creed. But the church of Rome has added to these the I z new articles of Trent ; and imposes them as articles of faith. But if they wou'd let them be only opinions, they might be ar- gud by learned men, without any breach of communion :
faith.
which the Flying-Post has quoted one half, but what is
agreeable to the sense of all Christians ; and it is parti
cularly levell'd against the church of Rome, for turning these disputed opinions into articles of faith ; which are receiv'd, as Juch, by no christian church in the world but themselves, nor ever were. This is our dispute with the thurch ofRome.
O. Talk what you will, I'll have nothing to do with the church of Rome ; I'll converse with no papisties, tfco' it were to convert them ; I'll believe nothing they it- lieve, nor do any thing that they do, or ever did.
Which, were there nothing toforhid it, Is impious because they did it.
And after all, he's a rogut who wrote that Latin sen tence, and a downright papish, I'll warrant him ! they use to write Latin sentences. Why cou'd not he have put it in English, to give me the trouble of hunting for
And the common people, who understand them not, wou'd not trouble their heads about them. Now all churches make a difference betwixt probable opinions and articles of
Therefore I can see nothing in that sentence, of
an interpreter ? But he's a papish, for didn't he fay cm- tors f that's agreeing with Rome.
C. Have not I explain'd that to thee ? O. Ay, but didn't he fay it i
C. I told thee in what sense.
O. But didn't he lay it ?
C. What then? what canst thou inser? O. But didn't he fay it ?
C. I own it. What dost mean?
©. Their he faid it.
C This
The REHEARSAL.
199
C. Hhs is all's to be got, by taking pains upon Bayes ! Bray him in a mortar, he'll be Bayes still. So 'tis time to leave thee.
(2. ) O. Stay, stay, I have another stroke yet. What's that thou hast talk'd of creeds? Wb bate all creeds, and creed-makers. The Creed, the Lord s-prayer, and the Ten Commandments are set-forms ! and we have turn'd them off all together.
There's a precious book I have often advertiz'd, which we have re-printed this year 1704, call'd De Laun's
Plea far the Non-consormi/Is, where, p. 15. the 27th ar ticle against the church of England The Apostle's creed; and the 28th is, The Athanasi an creed. Against which Dr. Buknet's History of the Reformation qaoted.
So that you battle us you must desend our creeds Look to yourselves We'11 not yield an inch to any <reeJf
C. That precious hook of De Laun's was burnt 20 years •go, as impious, heretical, and seditious.
0. And we 're so little asham'd of that, that we have put upon the very title page in this new edition and
think will be since those days
wherein we make the church of Eng land popish, in the fame things for which we make
our sine schemes,
recommendation The world's alter'd WVve put in the fame new edition
the church of Rome heathen. And so we reckon them heathens both together.
{3. ) C. Is this your moderation to the church of Eng land?
O. Very good they understood But come, must go on with thee. There another rod in
for thee. The Flying-post fays (ihid. ) that the cafe of the Regale, p. 179. violently against toleration pro
testant diffenters.
C.