For the great est part of the people do not read books, most of them cannot read at all, but they will gather together
about one that can read, and listen to an Obfirvator or Review (as have seen them in the streets where all the principles of rebellion are instilled into them, and they are taught the doctrine of priejl-craft, to
banter religion and the holy scriptures, and are told most villainous lies and /lories of the clergy, which
they fuck in greedily, and are prejudiced past ex pression.
about one that can read, and listen to an Obfirvator or Review (as have seen them in the streets where all the principles of rebellion are instilled into them, and they are taught the doctrine of priejl-craft, to
banter religion and the holy scriptures, and are told most villainous lies and /lories of the clergy, which
they fuck in greedily, and are prejudiced past ex pression.
Rehearsal - v1 - 1750
The Rehearsal.
London : Printed for W. Bowen, 1750.
http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hxh1b8
Public Domain, Google-digitized
http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
We have determined this work to be in the public domain, meaning that it is not subject to copyright. Users are free to copy, use, and redistribute the work in part or in whole. It is possible that current copyright holders, heirs or the estate of the authors of individual portions of the work, such as illustrations or photographs, assert copyrights over these portions. Depending on the nature of subsequent use that is made, additional rights may need to be obtained independently of anything we can address. The digital images and OCR of this work were produced by Google, Inc. (indicated by a watermark on each page in the PageTurner). Google requests that the images and OCR not be re-hosted, redistributed or used commercially. The images are provided for educational, scholarly, non-commercial purposes.
GIFT OF
JAMES JENNISON TUTOR IN N. C. CLASS OF 1867
HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY!
t i.
VIEW OFTHE
aA
T
IME
PRINCIPLES
S, THEIR
and PRACTICES : IN THE
First Volume OF THE
REHEARSALS.
PHILALETHES.
Magna Feritas, & prævalebit. x. . Et me, Qui Sidera fulcit. , A .
LONDON:
Printed ForW. Bowen, near St. Paul's.
MDCCL.
By
eft
W/M, 2 0
PREFACE
has perused the following papers, will
WHoevtehris time be fatissied, that the author un by
dertook not this task to make diversion for the town, nor would let himself down to kick and cuff with Tutchin, De Foe, and the rest of the scandalous club (as they were not ashamed to call themselves) if he
had not some prospect in view, which he thought would be worth his while, and would in time top. rescue him from the imputation which he was sensi
ble he must undergo at sirst for mixing himself in such dirty company.
But he thought no condescension unbecoming a ser vant of Chri/l, tho' to wash the seet of the poor, and
bear their reproaches too, where there was prospect ©f doing them good by it.
The case then was this. He faw great• pains ta ken to poison the people of this nation with most pernicious principles, both as to church andslate, and even religion it self, not only as reform'd among us. with respect to popery, but as to all religion in gene ra], and all revelation of God to man, that the boly scriptures, and all built upon them. The ax was laid to the root of Christianity and deism (which they call natural religion) set up its place. And
how monstrously this has prevailed amongst us of late years.
A 2
in ;
is,
PREFACE.
years, I am sorry that I need not inform the reader, for it has not been made a secret, nor can escape the observation of any who reads our pampblets and
papers, or indeed who keeps any conversation !
Their books and pampblets have been solidly and serioufly answered ; but their papers have been neg lected, that their weekly penny papers, which go thro' the nation like news-papers, and have done
much more mischief than the others. For the great est part of the people do not read books, most of them cannot read at all, but they will gather together
about one that can read, and listen to an Obfirvator or Review (as have seen them in the streets where all the principles of rebellion are instilled into them, and they are taught the doctrine of priejl-craft, to
banter religion and the holy scriptures, and are told most villainous lies and /lories of the clergy, which
they fuck in greedily, and are prejudiced past ex pression.
the consequence of this seemed very terrible to me, for though the common people are not the heads, they are the hands of rebellion, them the
work must be done. Besides, the concern for their
iv
of the greatest consideration, to see them thus debauch' and led headlong into all profanenefe and irreligim
The remedy for this was but one of two, either to put stop to these pernicious papers, or to an
swer them. The first was not in my power. And
the second was very difagreeable to me, because the answer vivA be in the same method as these papers,
to come out weekly, and to be read the people,
fouls
by
by
a
!
is
d Iis,
it is
)
PREFACE. v
else it would signify nothing as to them. And to procure them to listen to such an antidote, the de
sign must not appear at sirst, for people so preju- dk'd would not bear it. Therefore it was necessary,, ♦hat at first setting out, these papers should bear an humorous title, and begin with that pleasantry, or
fooling with which they were so much taken in the other papers, but still keeping off from that beastliness and prqfaneness which pastfor wit in the others, and made most part of their dull jests.
For this reason I borrowed the title of that most humorous and ingenious of our plays, called, The Rehearsal, which is indeed a satyr upon the other' plays and lewd poems of those times, and exposes
the blasphemous bounce of their heroes, and their madrigal love scenes, as very ridiculous, and the witfrothy and lean. This seemed something like the task I was about to undertake, to unravel the
more pernicious papers and pampblets of this age, which aimed at wit too, and to gratify the corrupt
passions of mankind ; but they were the more dan
gerous, because they pretended to argument and. reason, and were calculated to debauch the judg
ment of the poor unthinking populace, and make
them wicked by principle ; whereas the poets only
play'd with their affections, and sought to make impressions there, in the softest manner they could.
I waited long for some other to undertake this
and recommended it to some who were much more capable of it, than I knew my felf to be. They all owned the necessity and useful- ness ot the work, but those who were equal to it
were either otherwise engaged, or were afraid to A. 2 ^a
employment,
w PREFACE.
stain their character, in entering the lifts with sucri-
mean combatants, who fought with foot-bags and all- filth, which he could not miss who grappled with, them. And no honour was tp be gained in deftat-
ing them.
Yet the mischief they did was inexpressible, for the camnnn people were greatly debaucbed by them. They were like mad-men throwing fire-brands, and none to fave the people from them, for sear of being dirty 'd by them.
At last, I refolv'd to try my hand with them,- and venture their artillery of foul-moutb'd reproaches and all their hillingsgate, which they have poured upon me plentifully. This I forefaw could not be avoided, but that it would
which would be remedied by putting on a new suit when my fcavinger work was over. And I
hope then none will think the worse of me for this masquerade ; but if they do, I must bear that too.
I think my self abundantly rewarded for the pains I have taken in these papers by the success (far more
tRan I expected) which they have had in recovering not a sew from those errors wherein they were led, not only as to government, and the good of the na tion in its true interests, but even the abstruse points of divinity (whereinto I have been carried) particu larly that of predestination, wherein some, even at the point of despair, have, by the blessing of God, in the perufal of these papers upon that head, re turned to a sound mind, and seen the mistake upon, which all that dispute is built.
only dirty my clothesr
Let.
P R E F A € E.
vii
Let me here give an account I had from a very judicious hand, and of undoubted veracity, that when Dr. Sparrow was bishop of Exeter there rarely passed a day without a note or notes brought to the
priest, vicar or reader for the prayers of the congre gation for persons troubled in mind or possess'd,. which, as some judicious persons conjectured, wa3 occasioned by the frequent preaching up of the rigid
predestination doctrines in some places of that city.
And in the year 1674, or thereabout, there hap
pened a person to be possess' d, as they called and
application was made to the bishop, to appoint
day of fasting, order to the dispossessing of the person, grounding on that text This kind goeth not
out but prayer and fasting, but the bishop wisely deny'd it. Upon which the mouths of the godly
party as they call themselves) were opened against him.
Thus my account. tell here only to shew
the natural propensity of that doclrine to thrust men
into despair and distraction, and the curing of would dispossess great part of this nation, who have, the misfortune to be bred up under such teachers. could give many instances of this which have seen, especially these poor people when they come t» die.
There another thing think worth observing' here, upon another head, which is, that that most perspicuous passage have quoted in these papers,) of Calvin in his epistle to cardinal Sadokt, wherein hedeclares they deserve to be anathematised who reject episcopacy, &c. quite purged out in the two later'
editions oi Beza and Gelasms,. which with several: • otto*
is
in
(
by
is a (I
in it
I
I
I it
I ic
a
it,
P R E F A C E.
other instances of the like done by our dissenters here, is told us by the Reverend Mr. •John Shazv, Rector of Whalion, in his No reformation of the ejia-
Mijhed resormation, p: 172, printed for Charles
Brome at the Gun in St. Paul's Church-yard,
This shews the progress of error, which, like joungstnners, is bashful at the beginning, and seeks pretences, not knowing how far it will go, but by
custom offinning they gain the whore'sforehead, and. are hardened past Jkame^
Calvin and Beza and the sirst reformers could not at the beginning lie under the imputation of throwing off the primitive episcopacy, which had continued without interruption through the whole Christian world, from the days of the apojlles down to their time. Therefore they justified it in the high est terms, and pleaded only necessity for their not
having which they called their great missortune. But afterwards they found greater necessity, which' may be at sirst they thought not of, which was, to- eat their own words, toJlifle them as much as they could, and carry on the war against episcopacy
self. Thus Haxacl faid to the prophet, thy ser
vant a dog, that should do such things? But when'
he had engaged conspiracy and ireason against his king whom he murder' he found those cruelties necessary to maintain the crown he had usurped, which he at sirststarted at the thought of, and could- not believe himself capable of such barbarities! then, the ill that he had done could not be safe but atr- tempting greater. t
Thus.
1685.
by
Is
it
in I a
d, a
it,
PREFACE.
Thus from anathematizing those who reject epis copacy, and calling them mad-men, as Calvin and
Beza did, their followers came to change the ana thema, and six it upon episcopacy it self, making it
a rag of the whore of Babylon, and even anti christian!
And as they proceeded in this train of mending their first principles, they began in new editions to steal out of the works of their originals those flagrant passages, which condemned all their after doings.
This artifice, though it may serve turn for a while, yet when discovered it renders the cause it would sup port much more naked and guilty, and fliews that it regards not truth, and sticks not at any thing that is disingenuous or tricking to carry on a defign.
The church of Rome has suffered extremely in this fort, by her Index Expurgatorius, to give us false editions of the fathers and other writers, with those passages expung'd or alter' d which made against their pretences. It is downright pleading guilty.
For the like practice among our dissenters, I reser you to the book of Mr. Shaw's before quoted. To which let me add, that none of them have been more liable to this than the purest of them (as they fay themselves) the Quakers. For a good many in
stances of which, see the collection (Num. iv. ) at the end of the Defence of the snake in the grass.
Mr. Baxter in two editions of his Saints everlasting rest, printed before the year 1 660, instead of the kingdomofheaven,makesittheparliamjentofheaven,
which
PREFACE,
which he calls parliamentum beatum. And he place* there some of the regicide? and other saints of the fame grass, who were deceased when he wrote. Bu t in the editions after the restoration fae drops them all out of heaven again, and was then content to restore
h to the scripture appellation of the kingdom of God ©r of heaven.
And they who thus make bold with their owa and other men's writings, haye not stopp'd to menel the holy scriptures of God! Thus as the Frencfr new-testaments have alter'd several texts in favour of the doctrines of Rome ; our dissenters in several edi tions of the hible, from 1 640 to 1
the words of the apostles Act. vi, 3. from, -whom we may appoint, to, who? n ye may appoint, that it might
favour the then pretended power of the people to choose their own pastors. And this text thus alter'd was quoted in many of their books for this purpose in those times. And it is not over yet, for it wa> lately thus quoted in letters wrote tp me upofl try*
subject by an author of name.
But I must not run out here. The various sub jects into which the course of these papers has led me, will be seen in the Index, which has taken up
more of my spare time than 1 was aware of, to di gest into order what was wrote so irregularly, and for so long a time- This has detained it longer than 1 thought of.
I make no excuse for stile, I write to the com mon people, and desire only to be plain, and that my meaning be expressed easily-
Fox
*
660, have
chang'd
PREFACE.
For the fame reason, I have kept off from pre sacing the subjects I speak of, giving the various fenses and interpretations, or any circumstantial er-
nament, but endeavoured to come directly to the
and shew the heart of it at once. I had not
cause,
otherwise had time to speak of so many things as
I have done, nor would the compass of these short papers have born it. And they who read them at
a coffee-house accidentally are not supposed to carry the argument in their head from one paper to ano ther, but would have fatisfaction at the present, and in a way that should not be calledstudying, but what might be apprehended at sirst reading, and carried away easily in one's mind. For which reason I com monly insist but upon one topick for proof. And if I have had the good fortune to choose that right, it may do better than many, which often perplex a cause ; but it was necessary in this case, wherein I had not liberty to fay all that might be faid, but only
xj
that which I thought would do, and that very briefly too.
But excuses signify nothing. I cannot mend these papers that are already dispersed, the reader must take them as they are, and if I should court his fa vourable construction, he will grant it never the sooner ; and the less I fay here, he has the less to sind fault with, and so
something else to do.
Only I desire him to correct several errors of the press.
THE
I take
my leave, for
I have
OBS
ER
From jBe&riCs. Aug. 2, to &atur. Aug.
On the Libel tailed Cassand. Of Laud, of St. Andrew'/. Of the publick Post Observator.
1704. N° i-
and the Bishop given to the
Obs
(1) TH E
VAT OR.
TIT "W- E is a dog ofdogs, a son ofa jefait, a son 1 of a—a high-flying— tyrannical —nonjurant
—renegado— tantivy— hair-brained pries, is mad as a Bethlemite. He exercises his talent of lying.
He burnishes his brazen-front of impudence. He is a profound knave, and an immense block-head
Country -m. Hey-day ! hey day ! is my master Observator iun mad? or has he got too much of my October in his
iate ? pray,Sir,what has put you into this violent passion ? O. Why, you dunce, don't you know ? did not I tell iiou what a rogue, what a fool that bull-dog of Cassandra
iias made me? -
C. And what of all that? you are us'd to it. But I
sever saw you so angry at it before. You are a pattern as moderation, and a writer for it. And you mould Ihew something of it in your conversation. Else you'll be a high-flier, a violent, furious, What d'ye call it , ■
come be patient.
O. Why d'ye think any ill words wou'd disturb me ?
I car'nt a farthing what he had call'd me ; if he had call'd me as many knaves and buzzards as Icall'd him. But the dog has pronsd 'it, man.
Vol. I. B C. That
2 The OBSERVATOR.
C. That indeed wou'd vex any body. Yet I wou'd
advise you to keep your temper; and not yelp so very loud, for in our country, when we throw a fione at a dog, and heyewls and hites we are sure has hit him. But proving be his way, cannot you prove as well as he?
O. Prove! yes can, and have done it. set down his very words, deny who can. In my Observator, Vol. N. 32. quote him faying thus, The root and
foundation all our republican schemes and pretences far re bellion, this suppos'd radical power in the people, as
erecting government at the beginning to overturn and change at their pleasure .
C. And what fay you to that
O. told you then. Must repeat my own words too faid thus to you, Don't you know the meaning raillery and scolding the Scots priest, man, has taken his degree at Billingscate, andean scold with any fish- woman 'em all.
C. O now remember. And that this was all yon
faid to
there once,
understand,
in with his cramp of repp, rapp, (what d'ye call pub lican. have heard of these publicans. They were tantivy-men, and higb-siyers, like Kirah, Dathan, and Ahiram. And these schemes, what country-men were they Some high-landers, I'll warrant you, and so high-bred, high fed, and high-church-men, as you delicately prove
in the fame Observator. And there another bard word in what you quoted out of Cassandra, that prin
ciples.
believe was he out scolded an oister-woman using ugly hard words to her, she did not
and so could not answer. And now he comes
some outlandish word. never heard master Observator, from you, or any of our club.
parlus thing, no doubt, that will break folksshins some times. smells of monarchy and flavery. And there
some mischief in the gizard of that radical, what something made of radishes that will hite ones tongue!
and not that scolding and persect Billingsgate out up on him for rogue Master Observator, you cou'd not have
?
i
is is
it
'
I it of
a is byII of
It It
is it
it)
is ?
A it,
?
of
of
I
is
; so
it
?
it
it,
? I I 3. it is
if
I?
I
I
I
it
The OBSE RVATOR.
3
have picks out such another sentence in all the book for
raillery, as you call it. No doubt you wou'd choose what is most sit for your purpose.
For the great est part of the people do not read books, most of them cannot read at all, but they will gather together
about one that can read, and listen to an Obfirvator or Review (as have seen them in the streets where all the principles of rebellion are instilled into them, and they are taught the doctrine of priejl-craft, to
banter religion and the holy scriptures, and are told most villainous lies and /lories of the clergy, which
they fuck in greedily, and are prejudiced past ex pression.
the consequence of this seemed very terrible to me, for though the common people are not the heads, they are the hands of rebellion, them the
work must be done. Besides, the concern for their
iv
of the greatest consideration, to see them thus debauch' and led headlong into all profanenefe and irreligim
The remedy for this was but one of two, either to put stop to these pernicious papers, or to an
swer them. The first was not in my power. And
the second was very difagreeable to me, because the answer vivA be in the same method as these papers,
to come out weekly, and to be read the people,
fouls
by
by
a
!
is
d Iis,
it is
)
PREFACE. v
else it would signify nothing as to them. And to procure them to listen to such an antidote, the de
sign must not appear at sirst, for people so preju- dk'd would not bear it. Therefore it was necessary,, ♦hat at first setting out, these papers should bear an humorous title, and begin with that pleasantry, or
fooling with which they were so much taken in the other papers, but still keeping off from that beastliness and prqfaneness which pastfor wit in the others, and made most part of their dull jests.
For this reason I borrowed the title of that most humorous and ingenious of our plays, called, The Rehearsal, which is indeed a satyr upon the other' plays and lewd poems of those times, and exposes
the blasphemous bounce of their heroes, and their madrigal love scenes, as very ridiculous, and the witfrothy and lean. This seemed something like the task I was about to undertake, to unravel the
more pernicious papers and pampblets of this age, which aimed at wit too, and to gratify the corrupt
passions of mankind ; but they were the more dan
gerous, because they pretended to argument and. reason, and were calculated to debauch the judg
ment of the poor unthinking populace, and make
them wicked by principle ; whereas the poets only
play'd with their affections, and sought to make impressions there, in the softest manner they could.
I waited long for some other to undertake this
and recommended it to some who were much more capable of it, than I knew my felf to be. They all owned the necessity and useful- ness ot the work, but those who were equal to it
were either otherwise engaged, or were afraid to A. 2 ^a
employment,
w PREFACE.
stain their character, in entering the lifts with sucri-
mean combatants, who fought with foot-bags and all- filth, which he could not miss who grappled with, them. And no honour was tp be gained in deftat-
ing them.
Yet the mischief they did was inexpressible, for the camnnn people were greatly debaucbed by them. They were like mad-men throwing fire-brands, and none to fave the people from them, for sear of being dirty 'd by them.
At last, I refolv'd to try my hand with them,- and venture their artillery of foul-moutb'd reproaches and all their hillingsgate, which they have poured upon me plentifully. This I forefaw could not be avoided, but that it would
which would be remedied by putting on a new suit when my fcavinger work was over. And I
hope then none will think the worse of me for this masquerade ; but if they do, I must bear that too.
I think my self abundantly rewarded for the pains I have taken in these papers by the success (far more
tRan I expected) which they have had in recovering not a sew from those errors wherein they were led, not only as to government, and the good of the na tion in its true interests, but even the abstruse points of divinity (whereinto I have been carried) particu larly that of predestination, wherein some, even at the point of despair, have, by the blessing of God, in the perufal of these papers upon that head, re turned to a sound mind, and seen the mistake upon, which all that dispute is built.
only dirty my clothesr
Let.
P R E F A € E.
vii
Let me here give an account I had from a very judicious hand, and of undoubted veracity, that when Dr. Sparrow was bishop of Exeter there rarely passed a day without a note or notes brought to the
priest, vicar or reader for the prayers of the congre gation for persons troubled in mind or possess'd,. which, as some judicious persons conjectured, wa3 occasioned by the frequent preaching up of the rigid
predestination doctrines in some places of that city.
And in the year 1674, or thereabout, there hap
pened a person to be possess' d, as they called and
application was made to the bishop, to appoint
day of fasting, order to the dispossessing of the person, grounding on that text This kind goeth not
out but prayer and fasting, but the bishop wisely deny'd it. Upon which the mouths of the godly
party as they call themselves) were opened against him.
Thus my account. tell here only to shew
the natural propensity of that doclrine to thrust men
into despair and distraction, and the curing of would dispossess great part of this nation, who have, the misfortune to be bred up under such teachers. could give many instances of this which have seen, especially these poor people when they come t» die.
There another thing think worth observing' here, upon another head, which is, that that most perspicuous passage have quoted in these papers,) of Calvin in his epistle to cardinal Sadokt, wherein hedeclares they deserve to be anathematised who reject episcopacy, &c. quite purged out in the two later'
editions oi Beza and Gelasms,. which with several: • otto*
is
in
(
by
is a (I
in it
I
I
I it
I ic
a
it,
P R E F A C E.
other instances of the like done by our dissenters here, is told us by the Reverend Mr. •John Shazv, Rector of Whalion, in his No reformation of the ejia-
Mijhed resormation, p: 172, printed for Charles
Brome at the Gun in St. Paul's Church-yard,
This shews the progress of error, which, like joungstnners, is bashful at the beginning, and seeks pretences, not knowing how far it will go, but by
custom offinning they gain the whore'sforehead, and. are hardened past Jkame^
Calvin and Beza and the sirst reformers could not at the beginning lie under the imputation of throwing off the primitive episcopacy, which had continued without interruption through the whole Christian world, from the days of the apojlles down to their time. Therefore they justified it in the high est terms, and pleaded only necessity for their not
having which they called their great missortune. But afterwards they found greater necessity, which' may be at sirst they thought not of, which was, to- eat their own words, toJlifle them as much as they could, and carry on the war against episcopacy
self. Thus Haxacl faid to the prophet, thy ser
vant a dog, that should do such things? But when'
he had engaged conspiracy and ireason against his king whom he murder' he found those cruelties necessary to maintain the crown he had usurped, which he at sirststarted at the thought of, and could- not believe himself capable of such barbarities! then, the ill that he had done could not be safe but atr- tempting greater. t
Thus.
1685.
by
Is
it
in I a
d, a
it,
PREFACE.
Thus from anathematizing those who reject epis copacy, and calling them mad-men, as Calvin and
Beza did, their followers came to change the ana thema, and six it upon episcopacy it self, making it
a rag of the whore of Babylon, and even anti christian!
And as they proceeded in this train of mending their first principles, they began in new editions to steal out of the works of their originals those flagrant passages, which condemned all their after doings.
This artifice, though it may serve turn for a while, yet when discovered it renders the cause it would sup port much more naked and guilty, and fliews that it regards not truth, and sticks not at any thing that is disingenuous or tricking to carry on a defign.
The church of Rome has suffered extremely in this fort, by her Index Expurgatorius, to give us false editions of the fathers and other writers, with those passages expung'd or alter' d which made against their pretences. It is downright pleading guilty.
For the like practice among our dissenters, I reser you to the book of Mr. Shaw's before quoted. To which let me add, that none of them have been more liable to this than the purest of them (as they fay themselves) the Quakers. For a good many in
stances of which, see the collection (Num. iv. ) at the end of the Defence of the snake in the grass.
Mr. Baxter in two editions of his Saints everlasting rest, printed before the year 1 660, instead of the kingdomofheaven,makesittheparliamjentofheaven,
which
PREFACE,
which he calls parliamentum beatum. And he place* there some of the regicide? and other saints of the fame grass, who were deceased when he wrote. Bu t in the editions after the restoration fae drops them all out of heaven again, and was then content to restore
h to the scripture appellation of the kingdom of God ©r of heaven.
And they who thus make bold with their owa and other men's writings, haye not stopp'd to menel the holy scriptures of God! Thus as the Frencfr new-testaments have alter'd several texts in favour of the doctrines of Rome ; our dissenters in several edi tions of the hible, from 1 640 to 1
the words of the apostles Act. vi, 3. from, -whom we may appoint, to, who? n ye may appoint, that it might
favour the then pretended power of the people to choose their own pastors. And this text thus alter'd was quoted in many of their books for this purpose in those times. And it is not over yet, for it wa> lately thus quoted in letters wrote tp me upofl try*
subject by an author of name.
But I must not run out here. The various sub jects into which the course of these papers has led me, will be seen in the Index, which has taken up
more of my spare time than 1 was aware of, to di gest into order what was wrote so irregularly, and for so long a time- This has detained it longer than 1 thought of.
I make no excuse for stile, I write to the com mon people, and desire only to be plain, and that my meaning be expressed easily-
Fox
*
660, have
chang'd
PREFACE.
For the fame reason, I have kept off from pre sacing the subjects I speak of, giving the various fenses and interpretations, or any circumstantial er-
nament, but endeavoured to come directly to the
and shew the heart of it at once. I had not
cause,
otherwise had time to speak of so many things as
I have done, nor would the compass of these short papers have born it. And they who read them at
a coffee-house accidentally are not supposed to carry the argument in their head from one paper to ano ther, but would have fatisfaction at the present, and in a way that should not be calledstudying, but what might be apprehended at sirst reading, and carried away easily in one's mind. For which reason I com monly insist but upon one topick for proof. And if I have had the good fortune to choose that right, it may do better than many, which often perplex a cause ; but it was necessary in this case, wherein I had not liberty to fay all that might be faid, but only
xj
that which I thought would do, and that very briefly too.
But excuses signify nothing. I cannot mend these papers that are already dispersed, the reader must take them as they are, and if I should court his fa vourable construction, he will grant it never the sooner ; and the less I fay here, he has the less to sind fault with, and so
something else to do.
Only I desire him to correct several errors of the press.
THE
I take
my leave, for
I have
OBS
ER
From jBe&riCs. Aug. 2, to &atur. Aug.
On the Libel tailed Cassand. Of Laud, of St. Andrew'/. Of the publick Post Observator.
1704. N° i-
and the Bishop given to the
Obs
(1) TH E
VAT OR.
TIT "W- E is a dog ofdogs, a son ofa jefait, a son 1 of a—a high-flying— tyrannical —nonjurant
—renegado— tantivy— hair-brained pries, is mad as a Bethlemite. He exercises his talent of lying.
He burnishes his brazen-front of impudence. He is a profound knave, and an immense block-head
Country -m. Hey-day ! hey day ! is my master Observator iun mad? or has he got too much of my October in his
iate ? pray,Sir,what has put you into this violent passion ? O. Why, you dunce, don't you know ? did not I tell iiou what a rogue, what a fool that bull-dog of Cassandra
iias made me? -
C. And what of all that? you are us'd to it. But I
sever saw you so angry at it before. You are a pattern as moderation, and a writer for it. And you mould Ihew something of it in your conversation. Else you'll be a high-flier, a violent, furious, What d'ye call it , ■
come be patient.
O. Why d'ye think any ill words wou'd disturb me ?
I car'nt a farthing what he had call'd me ; if he had call'd me as many knaves and buzzards as Icall'd him. But the dog has pronsd 'it, man.
Vol. I. B C. That
2 The OBSERVATOR.
C. That indeed wou'd vex any body. Yet I wou'd
advise you to keep your temper; and not yelp so very loud, for in our country, when we throw a fione at a dog, and heyewls and hites we are sure has hit him. But proving be his way, cannot you prove as well as he?
O. Prove! yes can, and have done it. set down his very words, deny who can. In my Observator, Vol. N. 32. quote him faying thus, The root and
foundation all our republican schemes and pretences far re bellion, this suppos'd radical power in the people, as
erecting government at the beginning to overturn and change at their pleasure .
C. And what fay you to that
O. told you then. Must repeat my own words too faid thus to you, Don't you know the meaning raillery and scolding the Scots priest, man, has taken his degree at Billingscate, andean scold with any fish- woman 'em all.
C. O now remember. And that this was all yon
faid to
there once,
understand,
in with his cramp of repp, rapp, (what d'ye call pub lican. have heard of these publicans. They were tantivy-men, and higb-siyers, like Kirah, Dathan, and Ahiram. And these schemes, what country-men were they Some high-landers, I'll warrant you, and so high-bred, high fed, and high-church-men, as you delicately prove
in the fame Observator. And there another bard word in what you quoted out of Cassandra, that prin
ciples.
believe was he out scolded an oister-woman using ugly hard words to her, she did not
and so could not answer. And now he comes
some outlandish word. never heard master Observator, from you, or any of our club.
parlus thing, no doubt, that will break folksshins some times. smells of monarchy and flavery. And there
some mischief in the gizard of that radical, what something made of radishes that will hite ones tongue!
and not that scolding and persect Billingsgate out up on him for rogue Master Observator, you cou'd not have
?
i
is is
it
'
I it of
a is byII of
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is it
it)
is ?
A it,
?
of
of
I
is
; so
it
?
it
it,
? I I 3. it is
if
I?
I
I
I
it
The OBSE RVATOR.
3
have picks out such another sentence in all the book for
raillery, as you call it. No doubt you wou'd choose what is most sit for your purpose.
0. Let me alone for that. But by radical, man, he means the root and beginning of what he calls political go vernment, that is, of nations urftler kings. And the sirst
di-viston of the world into nations he makes that menti oned, Gen. x. and fays, that God set a ruler over every one of these nations, all of whose names are there set down. But I think I am even with him for that. For
in the fame Observator I ask him this question, and put it in brave italick and capital letters, that it may be the more taken notice of, as that which will choak the whole kennel of the tant'wyrdogs, and they will never be able to answer. My question is this, Whose successor the FIRST king was, and whether he came to the throne by right of
INHERITANCE?
C. Is not that, master Observator, who was before the
firsts as if Ishou'd alk, who was An au's father? whose successor he was ? and whether he came in by right of
I'll
O. No. He fays there was paternal or patriarchal go vernment over families, some of which might be very great. As Abraham's family was, with which he cou'd tight kings. And such we may suppose the families to be of those call'd mighty men, and men. of renown before
theflood. But he fays, there was no such thing as nati ons which are compos'd of manyfamilies, and a political,
not a natural or paternal government over these nations, before that divistom we are told of Gen. x. And that this
was by institution, not by inheritance, more than the se veral languages were. And that God set a ruler over
every one of these nations at the sirst. Whose right of government did descend by inheritance afterwards. Which
was the way of the whole earth. That these nations did
divide, and go to the several countries allotted to them,
inheritance ? O, my dear Observator, thou hast hit it !
give thee a whole pail full of double october for this. But do's he fay, that there was no government in the world before this diviston of nations f
Bz
each
4 The OBSERVATOR. Ian
each nation under the ruler nam'd Gen. x. to which
swer smartly. Did they there find a person that claim"A a regal authority ever them, come from they knev? not whence, andsent by they knew not vohom ? Then Cassandra tells us, that the government was at sirst wholly dejjiotick in the king. That laws came in afterwards, by degrees, and in process of time, as limitations of concession granted by the king ; but not as any coercion upon him. To which I fay again, as shrewdly, When the people tvere divided into nations, andsettled in countries, did they there
find a scheme of government , and a statute book of latvs placed ready for them by an unknown hand? — this thing is
so very obvious, that the meanest capacity might at the firfi thought determine the point.
C. I vow, Mr. Observator, it is very obvious ! and I observe that thefirst fight is always best with those that shoot flying. I hate poreing and thinking, except when I
am top-heavy with october, seeing you to bed.
O.
London : Printed for W. Bowen, 1750.
http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hxh1b8
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GIFT OF
JAMES JENNISON TUTOR IN N. C. CLASS OF 1867
HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY!
t i.
VIEW OFTHE
aA
T
IME
PRINCIPLES
S, THEIR
and PRACTICES : IN THE
First Volume OF THE
REHEARSALS.
PHILALETHES.
Magna Feritas, & prævalebit. x. . Et me, Qui Sidera fulcit. , A .
LONDON:
Printed ForW. Bowen, near St. Paul's.
MDCCL.
By
eft
W/M, 2 0
PREFACE
has perused the following papers, will
WHoevtehris time be fatissied, that the author un by
dertook not this task to make diversion for the town, nor would let himself down to kick and cuff with Tutchin, De Foe, and the rest of the scandalous club (as they were not ashamed to call themselves) if he
had not some prospect in view, which he thought would be worth his while, and would in time top. rescue him from the imputation which he was sensi
ble he must undergo at sirst for mixing himself in such dirty company.
But he thought no condescension unbecoming a ser vant of Chri/l, tho' to wash the seet of the poor, and
bear their reproaches too, where there was prospect ©f doing them good by it.
The case then was this. He faw great• pains ta ken to poison the people of this nation with most pernicious principles, both as to church andslate, and even religion it self, not only as reform'd among us. with respect to popery, but as to all religion in gene ra], and all revelation of God to man, that the boly scriptures, and all built upon them. The ax was laid to the root of Christianity and deism (which they call natural religion) set up its place. And
how monstrously this has prevailed amongst us of late years.
A 2
in ;
is,
PREFACE.
years, I am sorry that I need not inform the reader, for it has not been made a secret, nor can escape the observation of any who reads our pampblets and
papers, or indeed who keeps any conversation !
Their books and pampblets have been solidly and serioufly answered ; but their papers have been neg lected, that their weekly penny papers, which go thro' the nation like news-papers, and have done
much more mischief than the others. For the great est part of the people do not read books, most of them cannot read at all, but they will gather together
about one that can read, and listen to an Obfirvator or Review (as have seen them in the streets where all the principles of rebellion are instilled into them, and they are taught the doctrine of priejl-craft, to
banter religion and the holy scriptures, and are told most villainous lies and /lories of the clergy, which
they fuck in greedily, and are prejudiced past ex pression.
the consequence of this seemed very terrible to me, for though the common people are not the heads, they are the hands of rebellion, them the
work must be done. Besides, the concern for their
iv
of the greatest consideration, to see them thus debauch' and led headlong into all profanenefe and irreligim
The remedy for this was but one of two, either to put stop to these pernicious papers, or to an
swer them. The first was not in my power. And
the second was very difagreeable to me, because the answer vivA be in the same method as these papers,
to come out weekly, and to be read the people,
fouls
by
by
a
!
is
d Iis,
it is
)
PREFACE. v
else it would signify nothing as to them. And to procure them to listen to such an antidote, the de
sign must not appear at sirst, for people so preju- dk'd would not bear it. Therefore it was necessary,, ♦hat at first setting out, these papers should bear an humorous title, and begin with that pleasantry, or
fooling with which they were so much taken in the other papers, but still keeping off from that beastliness and prqfaneness which pastfor wit in the others, and made most part of their dull jests.
For this reason I borrowed the title of that most humorous and ingenious of our plays, called, The Rehearsal, which is indeed a satyr upon the other' plays and lewd poems of those times, and exposes
the blasphemous bounce of their heroes, and their madrigal love scenes, as very ridiculous, and the witfrothy and lean. This seemed something like the task I was about to undertake, to unravel the
more pernicious papers and pampblets of this age, which aimed at wit too, and to gratify the corrupt
passions of mankind ; but they were the more dan
gerous, because they pretended to argument and. reason, and were calculated to debauch the judg
ment of the poor unthinking populace, and make
them wicked by principle ; whereas the poets only
play'd with their affections, and sought to make impressions there, in the softest manner they could.
I waited long for some other to undertake this
and recommended it to some who were much more capable of it, than I knew my felf to be. They all owned the necessity and useful- ness ot the work, but those who were equal to it
were either otherwise engaged, or were afraid to A. 2 ^a
employment,
w PREFACE.
stain their character, in entering the lifts with sucri-
mean combatants, who fought with foot-bags and all- filth, which he could not miss who grappled with, them. And no honour was tp be gained in deftat-
ing them.
Yet the mischief they did was inexpressible, for the camnnn people were greatly debaucbed by them. They were like mad-men throwing fire-brands, and none to fave the people from them, for sear of being dirty 'd by them.
At last, I refolv'd to try my hand with them,- and venture their artillery of foul-moutb'd reproaches and all their hillingsgate, which they have poured upon me plentifully. This I forefaw could not be avoided, but that it would
which would be remedied by putting on a new suit when my fcavinger work was over. And I
hope then none will think the worse of me for this masquerade ; but if they do, I must bear that too.
I think my self abundantly rewarded for the pains I have taken in these papers by the success (far more
tRan I expected) which they have had in recovering not a sew from those errors wherein they were led, not only as to government, and the good of the na tion in its true interests, but even the abstruse points of divinity (whereinto I have been carried) particu larly that of predestination, wherein some, even at the point of despair, have, by the blessing of God, in the perufal of these papers upon that head, re turned to a sound mind, and seen the mistake upon, which all that dispute is built.
only dirty my clothesr
Let.
P R E F A € E.
vii
Let me here give an account I had from a very judicious hand, and of undoubted veracity, that when Dr. Sparrow was bishop of Exeter there rarely passed a day without a note or notes brought to the
priest, vicar or reader for the prayers of the congre gation for persons troubled in mind or possess'd,. which, as some judicious persons conjectured, wa3 occasioned by the frequent preaching up of the rigid
predestination doctrines in some places of that city.
And in the year 1674, or thereabout, there hap
pened a person to be possess' d, as they called and
application was made to the bishop, to appoint
day of fasting, order to the dispossessing of the person, grounding on that text This kind goeth not
out but prayer and fasting, but the bishop wisely deny'd it. Upon which the mouths of the godly
party as they call themselves) were opened against him.
Thus my account. tell here only to shew
the natural propensity of that doclrine to thrust men
into despair and distraction, and the curing of would dispossess great part of this nation, who have, the misfortune to be bred up under such teachers. could give many instances of this which have seen, especially these poor people when they come t» die.
There another thing think worth observing' here, upon another head, which is, that that most perspicuous passage have quoted in these papers,) of Calvin in his epistle to cardinal Sadokt, wherein hedeclares they deserve to be anathematised who reject episcopacy, &c. quite purged out in the two later'
editions oi Beza and Gelasms,. which with several: • otto*
is
in
(
by
is a (I
in it
I
I
I it
I ic
a
it,
P R E F A C E.
other instances of the like done by our dissenters here, is told us by the Reverend Mr. •John Shazv, Rector of Whalion, in his No reformation of the ejia-
Mijhed resormation, p: 172, printed for Charles
Brome at the Gun in St. Paul's Church-yard,
This shews the progress of error, which, like joungstnners, is bashful at the beginning, and seeks pretences, not knowing how far it will go, but by
custom offinning they gain the whore'sforehead, and. are hardened past Jkame^
Calvin and Beza and the sirst reformers could not at the beginning lie under the imputation of throwing off the primitive episcopacy, which had continued without interruption through the whole Christian world, from the days of the apojlles down to their time. Therefore they justified it in the high est terms, and pleaded only necessity for their not
having which they called their great missortune. But afterwards they found greater necessity, which' may be at sirst they thought not of, which was, to- eat their own words, toJlifle them as much as they could, and carry on the war against episcopacy
self. Thus Haxacl faid to the prophet, thy ser
vant a dog, that should do such things? But when'
he had engaged conspiracy and ireason against his king whom he murder' he found those cruelties necessary to maintain the crown he had usurped, which he at sirststarted at the thought of, and could- not believe himself capable of such barbarities! then, the ill that he had done could not be safe but atr- tempting greater. t
Thus.
1685.
by
Is
it
in I a
d, a
it,
PREFACE.
Thus from anathematizing those who reject epis copacy, and calling them mad-men, as Calvin and
Beza did, their followers came to change the ana thema, and six it upon episcopacy it self, making it
a rag of the whore of Babylon, and even anti christian!
And as they proceeded in this train of mending their first principles, they began in new editions to steal out of the works of their originals those flagrant passages, which condemned all their after doings.
This artifice, though it may serve turn for a while, yet when discovered it renders the cause it would sup port much more naked and guilty, and fliews that it regards not truth, and sticks not at any thing that is disingenuous or tricking to carry on a defign.
The church of Rome has suffered extremely in this fort, by her Index Expurgatorius, to give us false editions of the fathers and other writers, with those passages expung'd or alter' d which made against their pretences. It is downright pleading guilty.
For the like practice among our dissenters, I reser you to the book of Mr. Shaw's before quoted. To which let me add, that none of them have been more liable to this than the purest of them (as they fay themselves) the Quakers. For a good many in
stances of which, see the collection (Num. iv. ) at the end of the Defence of the snake in the grass.
Mr. Baxter in two editions of his Saints everlasting rest, printed before the year 1 660, instead of the kingdomofheaven,makesittheparliamjentofheaven,
which
PREFACE,
which he calls parliamentum beatum. And he place* there some of the regicide? and other saints of the fame grass, who were deceased when he wrote. Bu t in the editions after the restoration fae drops them all out of heaven again, and was then content to restore
h to the scripture appellation of the kingdom of God ©r of heaven.
And they who thus make bold with their owa and other men's writings, haye not stopp'd to menel the holy scriptures of God! Thus as the Frencfr new-testaments have alter'd several texts in favour of the doctrines of Rome ; our dissenters in several edi tions of the hible, from 1 640 to 1
the words of the apostles Act. vi, 3. from, -whom we may appoint, to, who? n ye may appoint, that it might
favour the then pretended power of the people to choose their own pastors. And this text thus alter'd was quoted in many of their books for this purpose in those times. And it is not over yet, for it wa> lately thus quoted in letters wrote tp me upofl try*
subject by an author of name.
But I must not run out here. The various sub jects into which the course of these papers has led me, will be seen in the Index, which has taken up
more of my spare time than 1 was aware of, to di gest into order what was wrote so irregularly, and for so long a time- This has detained it longer than 1 thought of.
I make no excuse for stile, I write to the com mon people, and desire only to be plain, and that my meaning be expressed easily-
Fox
*
660, have
chang'd
PREFACE.
For the fame reason, I have kept off from pre sacing the subjects I speak of, giving the various fenses and interpretations, or any circumstantial er-
nament, but endeavoured to come directly to the
and shew the heart of it at once. I had not
cause,
otherwise had time to speak of so many things as
I have done, nor would the compass of these short papers have born it. And they who read them at
a coffee-house accidentally are not supposed to carry the argument in their head from one paper to ano ther, but would have fatisfaction at the present, and in a way that should not be calledstudying, but what might be apprehended at sirst reading, and carried away easily in one's mind. For which reason I com monly insist but upon one topick for proof. And if I have had the good fortune to choose that right, it may do better than many, which often perplex a cause ; but it was necessary in this case, wherein I had not liberty to fay all that might be faid, but only
xj
that which I thought would do, and that very briefly too.
But excuses signify nothing. I cannot mend these papers that are already dispersed, the reader must take them as they are, and if I should court his fa vourable construction, he will grant it never the sooner ; and the less I fay here, he has the less to sind fault with, and so
something else to do.
Only I desire him to correct several errors of the press.
THE
I take
my leave, for
I have
OBS
ER
From jBe&riCs. Aug. 2, to &atur. Aug.
On the Libel tailed Cassand. Of Laud, of St. Andrew'/. Of the publick Post Observator.
1704. N° i-
and the Bishop given to the
Obs
(1) TH E
VAT OR.
TIT "W- E is a dog ofdogs, a son ofa jefait, a son 1 of a—a high-flying— tyrannical —nonjurant
—renegado— tantivy— hair-brained pries, is mad as a Bethlemite. He exercises his talent of lying.
He burnishes his brazen-front of impudence. He is a profound knave, and an immense block-head
Country -m. Hey-day ! hey day ! is my master Observator iun mad? or has he got too much of my October in his
iate ? pray,Sir,what has put you into this violent passion ? O. Why, you dunce, don't you know ? did not I tell iiou what a rogue, what a fool that bull-dog of Cassandra
iias made me? -
C. And what of all that? you are us'd to it. But I
sever saw you so angry at it before. You are a pattern as moderation, and a writer for it. And you mould Ihew something of it in your conversation. Else you'll be a high-flier, a violent, furious, What d'ye call it , ■
come be patient.
O. Why d'ye think any ill words wou'd disturb me ?
I car'nt a farthing what he had call'd me ; if he had call'd me as many knaves and buzzards as Icall'd him. But the dog has pronsd 'it, man.
Vol. I. B C. That
2 The OBSERVATOR.
C. That indeed wou'd vex any body. Yet I wou'd
advise you to keep your temper; and not yelp so very loud, for in our country, when we throw a fione at a dog, and heyewls and hites we are sure has hit him. But proving be his way, cannot you prove as well as he?
O. Prove! yes can, and have done it. set down his very words, deny who can. In my Observator, Vol. N. 32. quote him faying thus, The root and
foundation all our republican schemes and pretences far re bellion, this suppos'd radical power in the people, as
erecting government at the beginning to overturn and change at their pleasure .
C. And what fay you to that
O. told you then. Must repeat my own words too faid thus to you, Don't you know the meaning raillery and scolding the Scots priest, man, has taken his degree at Billingscate, andean scold with any fish- woman 'em all.
C. O now remember. And that this was all yon
faid to
there once,
understand,
in with his cramp of repp, rapp, (what d'ye call pub lican. have heard of these publicans. They were tantivy-men, and higb-siyers, like Kirah, Dathan, and Ahiram. And these schemes, what country-men were they Some high-landers, I'll warrant you, and so high-bred, high fed, and high-church-men, as you delicately prove
in the fame Observator. And there another bard word in what you quoted out of Cassandra, that prin
ciples.
believe was he out scolded an oister-woman using ugly hard words to her, she did not
and so could not answer. And now he comes
some outlandish word. never heard master Observator, from you, or any of our club.
parlus thing, no doubt, that will break folksshins some times. smells of monarchy and flavery. And there
some mischief in the gizard of that radical, what something made of radishes that will hite ones tongue!
and not that scolding and persect Billingsgate out up on him for rogue Master Observator, you cou'd not have
?
i
is is
it
'
I it of
a is byII of
It It
is it
it)
is ?
A it,
?
of
of
I
is
; so
it
?
it
it,
? I I 3. it is
if
I?
I
I
I
it
The OBSE RVATOR.
3
have picks out such another sentence in all the book for
raillery, as you call it. No doubt you wou'd choose what is most sit for your purpose.
For the great est part of the people do not read books, most of them cannot read at all, but they will gather together
about one that can read, and listen to an Obfirvator or Review (as have seen them in the streets where all the principles of rebellion are instilled into them, and they are taught the doctrine of priejl-craft, to
banter religion and the holy scriptures, and are told most villainous lies and /lories of the clergy, which
they fuck in greedily, and are prejudiced past ex pression.
the consequence of this seemed very terrible to me, for though the common people are not the heads, they are the hands of rebellion, them the
work must be done. Besides, the concern for their
iv
of the greatest consideration, to see them thus debauch' and led headlong into all profanenefe and irreligim
The remedy for this was but one of two, either to put stop to these pernicious papers, or to an
swer them. The first was not in my power. And
the second was very difagreeable to me, because the answer vivA be in the same method as these papers,
to come out weekly, and to be read the people,
fouls
by
by
a
!
is
d Iis,
it is
)
PREFACE. v
else it would signify nothing as to them. And to procure them to listen to such an antidote, the de
sign must not appear at sirst, for people so preju- dk'd would not bear it. Therefore it was necessary,, ♦hat at first setting out, these papers should bear an humorous title, and begin with that pleasantry, or
fooling with which they were so much taken in the other papers, but still keeping off from that beastliness and prqfaneness which pastfor wit in the others, and made most part of their dull jests.
For this reason I borrowed the title of that most humorous and ingenious of our plays, called, The Rehearsal, which is indeed a satyr upon the other' plays and lewd poems of those times, and exposes
the blasphemous bounce of their heroes, and their madrigal love scenes, as very ridiculous, and the witfrothy and lean. This seemed something like the task I was about to undertake, to unravel the
more pernicious papers and pampblets of this age, which aimed at wit too, and to gratify the corrupt
passions of mankind ; but they were the more dan
gerous, because they pretended to argument and. reason, and were calculated to debauch the judg
ment of the poor unthinking populace, and make
them wicked by principle ; whereas the poets only
play'd with their affections, and sought to make impressions there, in the softest manner they could.
I waited long for some other to undertake this
and recommended it to some who were much more capable of it, than I knew my felf to be. They all owned the necessity and useful- ness ot the work, but those who were equal to it
were either otherwise engaged, or were afraid to A. 2 ^a
employment,
w PREFACE.
stain their character, in entering the lifts with sucri-
mean combatants, who fought with foot-bags and all- filth, which he could not miss who grappled with, them. And no honour was tp be gained in deftat-
ing them.
Yet the mischief they did was inexpressible, for the camnnn people were greatly debaucbed by them. They were like mad-men throwing fire-brands, and none to fave the people from them, for sear of being dirty 'd by them.
At last, I refolv'd to try my hand with them,- and venture their artillery of foul-moutb'd reproaches and all their hillingsgate, which they have poured upon me plentifully. This I forefaw could not be avoided, but that it would
which would be remedied by putting on a new suit when my fcavinger work was over. And I
hope then none will think the worse of me for this masquerade ; but if they do, I must bear that too.
I think my self abundantly rewarded for the pains I have taken in these papers by the success (far more
tRan I expected) which they have had in recovering not a sew from those errors wherein they were led, not only as to government, and the good of the na tion in its true interests, but even the abstruse points of divinity (whereinto I have been carried) particu larly that of predestination, wherein some, even at the point of despair, have, by the blessing of God, in the perufal of these papers upon that head, re turned to a sound mind, and seen the mistake upon, which all that dispute is built.
only dirty my clothesr
Let.
P R E F A € E.
vii
Let me here give an account I had from a very judicious hand, and of undoubted veracity, that when Dr. Sparrow was bishop of Exeter there rarely passed a day without a note or notes brought to the
priest, vicar or reader for the prayers of the congre gation for persons troubled in mind or possess'd,. which, as some judicious persons conjectured, wa3 occasioned by the frequent preaching up of the rigid
predestination doctrines in some places of that city.
And in the year 1674, or thereabout, there hap
pened a person to be possess' d, as they called and
application was made to the bishop, to appoint
day of fasting, order to the dispossessing of the person, grounding on that text This kind goeth not
out but prayer and fasting, but the bishop wisely deny'd it. Upon which the mouths of the godly
party as they call themselves) were opened against him.
Thus my account. tell here only to shew
the natural propensity of that doclrine to thrust men
into despair and distraction, and the curing of would dispossess great part of this nation, who have, the misfortune to be bred up under such teachers. could give many instances of this which have seen, especially these poor people when they come t» die.
There another thing think worth observing' here, upon another head, which is, that that most perspicuous passage have quoted in these papers,) of Calvin in his epistle to cardinal Sadokt, wherein hedeclares they deserve to be anathematised who reject episcopacy, &c. quite purged out in the two later'
editions oi Beza and Gelasms,. which with several: • otto*
is
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P R E F A C E.
other instances of the like done by our dissenters here, is told us by the Reverend Mr. •John Shazv, Rector of Whalion, in his No reformation of the ejia-
Mijhed resormation, p: 172, printed for Charles
Brome at the Gun in St. Paul's Church-yard,
This shews the progress of error, which, like joungstnners, is bashful at the beginning, and seeks pretences, not knowing how far it will go, but by
custom offinning they gain the whore'sforehead, and. are hardened past Jkame^
Calvin and Beza and the sirst reformers could not at the beginning lie under the imputation of throwing off the primitive episcopacy, which had continued without interruption through the whole Christian world, from the days of the apojlles down to their time. Therefore they justified it in the high est terms, and pleaded only necessity for their not
having which they called their great missortune. But afterwards they found greater necessity, which' may be at sirst they thought not of, which was, to- eat their own words, toJlifle them as much as they could, and carry on the war against episcopacy
self. Thus Haxacl faid to the prophet, thy ser
vant a dog, that should do such things? But when'
he had engaged conspiracy and ireason against his king whom he murder' he found those cruelties necessary to maintain the crown he had usurped, which he at sirststarted at the thought of, and could- not believe himself capable of such barbarities! then, the ill that he had done could not be safe but atr- tempting greater. t
Thus.
1685.
by
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PREFACE.
Thus from anathematizing those who reject epis copacy, and calling them mad-men, as Calvin and
Beza did, their followers came to change the ana thema, and six it upon episcopacy it self, making it
a rag of the whore of Babylon, and even anti christian!
And as they proceeded in this train of mending their first principles, they began in new editions to steal out of the works of their originals those flagrant passages, which condemned all their after doings.
This artifice, though it may serve turn for a while, yet when discovered it renders the cause it would sup port much more naked and guilty, and fliews that it regards not truth, and sticks not at any thing that is disingenuous or tricking to carry on a defign.
The church of Rome has suffered extremely in this fort, by her Index Expurgatorius, to give us false editions of the fathers and other writers, with those passages expung'd or alter' d which made against their pretences. It is downright pleading guilty.
For the like practice among our dissenters, I reser you to the book of Mr. Shaw's before quoted. To which let me add, that none of them have been more liable to this than the purest of them (as they fay themselves) the Quakers. For a good many in
stances of which, see the collection (Num. iv. ) at the end of the Defence of the snake in the grass.
Mr. Baxter in two editions of his Saints everlasting rest, printed before the year 1 660, instead of the kingdomofheaven,makesittheparliamjentofheaven,
which
PREFACE,
which he calls parliamentum beatum. And he place* there some of the regicide? and other saints of the fame grass, who were deceased when he wrote. Bu t in the editions after the restoration fae drops them all out of heaven again, and was then content to restore
h to the scripture appellation of the kingdom of God ©r of heaven.
And they who thus make bold with their owa and other men's writings, haye not stopp'd to menel the holy scriptures of God! Thus as the Frencfr new-testaments have alter'd several texts in favour of the doctrines of Rome ; our dissenters in several edi tions of the hible, from 1 640 to 1
the words of the apostles Act. vi, 3. from, -whom we may appoint, to, who? n ye may appoint, that it might
favour the then pretended power of the people to choose their own pastors. And this text thus alter'd was quoted in many of their books for this purpose in those times. And it is not over yet, for it wa> lately thus quoted in letters wrote tp me upofl try*
subject by an author of name.
But I must not run out here. The various sub jects into which the course of these papers has led me, will be seen in the Index, which has taken up
more of my spare time than 1 was aware of, to di gest into order what was wrote so irregularly, and for so long a time- This has detained it longer than 1 thought of.
I make no excuse for stile, I write to the com mon people, and desire only to be plain, and that my meaning be expressed easily-
Fox
*
660, have
chang'd
PREFACE.
For the fame reason, I have kept off from pre sacing the subjects I speak of, giving the various fenses and interpretations, or any circumstantial er-
nament, but endeavoured to come directly to the
and shew the heart of it at once. I had not
cause,
otherwise had time to speak of so many things as
I have done, nor would the compass of these short papers have born it. And they who read them at
a coffee-house accidentally are not supposed to carry the argument in their head from one paper to ano ther, but would have fatisfaction at the present, and in a way that should not be calledstudying, but what might be apprehended at sirst reading, and carried away easily in one's mind. For which reason I com monly insist but upon one topick for proof. And if I have had the good fortune to choose that right, it may do better than many, which often perplex a cause ; but it was necessary in this case, wherein I had not liberty to fay all that might be faid, but only
xj
that which I thought would do, and that very briefly too.
But excuses signify nothing. I cannot mend these papers that are already dispersed, the reader must take them as they are, and if I should court his fa vourable construction, he will grant it never the sooner ; and the less I fay here, he has the less to sind fault with, and so
something else to do.
Only I desire him to correct several errors of the press.
THE
I take
my leave, for
I have
OBS
ER
From jBe&riCs. Aug. 2, to &atur. Aug.
On the Libel tailed Cassand. Of Laud, of St. Andrew'/. Of the publick Post Observator.
1704. N° i-
and the Bishop given to the
Obs
(1) TH E
VAT OR.
TIT "W- E is a dog ofdogs, a son ofa jefait, a son 1 of a—a high-flying— tyrannical —nonjurant
—renegado— tantivy— hair-brained pries, is mad as a Bethlemite. He exercises his talent of lying.
He burnishes his brazen-front of impudence. He is a profound knave, and an immense block-head
Country -m. Hey-day ! hey day ! is my master Observator iun mad? or has he got too much of my October in his
iate ? pray,Sir,what has put you into this violent passion ? O. Why, you dunce, don't you know ? did not I tell iiou what a rogue, what a fool that bull-dog of Cassandra
iias made me? -
C. And what of all that? you are us'd to it. But I
sever saw you so angry at it before. You are a pattern as moderation, and a writer for it. And you mould Ihew something of it in your conversation. Else you'll be a high-flier, a violent, furious, What d'ye call it , ■
come be patient.
O. Why d'ye think any ill words wou'd disturb me ?
I car'nt a farthing what he had call'd me ; if he had call'd me as many knaves and buzzards as Icall'd him. But the dog has pronsd 'it, man.
Vol. I. B C. That
2 The OBSERVATOR.
C. That indeed wou'd vex any body. Yet I wou'd
advise you to keep your temper; and not yelp so very loud, for in our country, when we throw a fione at a dog, and heyewls and hites we are sure has hit him. But proving be his way, cannot you prove as well as he?
O. Prove! yes can, and have done it. set down his very words, deny who can. In my Observator, Vol. N. 32. quote him faying thus, The root and
foundation all our republican schemes and pretences far re bellion, this suppos'd radical power in the people, as
erecting government at the beginning to overturn and change at their pleasure .
C. And what fay you to that
O. told you then. Must repeat my own words too faid thus to you, Don't you know the meaning raillery and scolding the Scots priest, man, has taken his degree at Billingscate, andean scold with any fish- woman 'em all.
C. O now remember. And that this was all yon
faid to
there once,
understand,
in with his cramp of repp, rapp, (what d'ye call pub lican. have heard of these publicans. They were tantivy-men, and higb-siyers, like Kirah, Dathan, and Ahiram. And these schemes, what country-men were they Some high-landers, I'll warrant you, and so high-bred, high fed, and high-church-men, as you delicately prove
in the fame Observator. And there another bard word in what you quoted out of Cassandra, that prin
ciples.
believe was he out scolded an oister-woman using ugly hard words to her, she did not
and so could not answer. And now he comes
some outlandish word. never heard master Observator, from you, or any of our club.
parlus thing, no doubt, that will break folksshins some times. smells of monarchy and flavery. And there
some mischief in the gizard of that radical, what something made of radishes that will hite ones tongue!
and not that scolding and persect Billingsgate out up on him for rogue Master Observator, you cou'd not have
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The OBSE RVATOR.
3
have picks out such another sentence in all the book for
raillery, as you call it. No doubt you wou'd choose what is most sit for your purpose.
0. Let me alone for that. But by radical, man, he means the root and beginning of what he calls political go vernment, that is, of nations urftler kings. And the sirst
di-viston of the world into nations he makes that menti oned, Gen. x. and fays, that God set a ruler over every one of these nations, all of whose names are there set down. But I think I am even with him for that. For
in the fame Observator I ask him this question, and put it in brave italick and capital letters, that it may be the more taken notice of, as that which will choak the whole kennel of the tant'wyrdogs, and they will never be able to answer. My question is this, Whose successor the FIRST king was, and whether he came to the throne by right of
INHERITANCE?
C. Is not that, master Observator, who was before the
firsts as if Ishou'd alk, who was An au's father? whose successor he was ? and whether he came in by right of
I'll
O. No. He fays there was paternal or patriarchal go vernment over families, some of which might be very great. As Abraham's family was, with which he cou'd tight kings. And such we may suppose the families to be of those call'd mighty men, and men. of renown before
theflood. But he fays, there was no such thing as nati ons which are compos'd of manyfamilies, and a political,
not a natural or paternal government over these nations, before that divistom we are told of Gen. x. And that this
was by institution, not by inheritance, more than the se veral languages were. And that God set a ruler over
every one of these nations at the sirst. Whose right of government did descend by inheritance afterwards. Which
was the way of the whole earth. That these nations did
divide, and go to the several countries allotted to them,
inheritance ? O, my dear Observator, thou hast hit it !
give thee a whole pail full of double october for this. But do's he fay, that there was no government in the world before this diviston of nations f
Bz
each
4 The OBSERVATOR. Ian
each nation under the ruler nam'd Gen. x. to which
swer smartly. Did they there find a person that claim"A a regal authority ever them, come from they knev? not whence, andsent by they knew not vohom ? Then Cassandra tells us, that the government was at sirst wholly dejjiotick in the king. That laws came in afterwards, by degrees, and in process of time, as limitations of concession granted by the king ; but not as any coercion upon him. To which I fay again, as shrewdly, When the people tvere divided into nations, andsettled in countries, did they there
find a scheme of government , and a statute book of latvs placed ready for them by an unknown hand? — this thing is
so very obvious, that the meanest capacity might at the firfi thought determine the point.
C. I vow, Mr. Observator, it is very obvious ! and I observe that thefirst fight is always best with those that shoot flying. I hate poreing and thinking, except when I
am top-heavy with october, seeing you to bed.
O.
