advertifes, Page 18. our Governors, of the Fafhood and Treachery, as the Qualifications of thofe, who are entrusted with the Guardianship of our Church and State. For fear her Majefty's Lay-Minifters only fhould feem to be implied in what he has already faid, an After-thought in a Dedication was printed, to befpatter her Majesty's Administration in Ecclefiaftical as well as Civil Affairs. For this Purpose the Doctor fays, That our Conftitution, i. e. Church and State, is fo vigourously attacked from without, and fo lazily defended from within. Here the Managers against the Doctor want to be informed who they are, who in the Doctor's Opinion fo vigourously attack the Church. I'll appeal to thofe who have converfed with the Party, whether they don't think the Miscarriage of the Application to be the greatest Wound the Church ever received; whether they don't call them Enemies to the Church, who have acquiefced under the Queen's Prerogative of Proroguing of the Convocation, and rail at thofe who obftruct the Sitting of the fo long called for Convocation. Who have own'd the Queen's Prerogative, or who are Judges of the Neceffity of the Meeting of the Convocation, but the Queen's faithful Counsellors, the Bishops? who juftly apprehend the ill Confequence of letting fo many diftemper'd Minds meet together, as may be found in that Affembly, whom the Queen has already charged with a plain Invafion of her Supremacy, and branded with Want of Duty to her, as well as to their Superiors.*

·

If the Party will allow the Queen her Supremacy, fhe must be the only Defender of the Faith and Church; and as the Queen does nothing but by an Adminiftration, and for that Purpose the Bifhops are the proper Minifters, I doubt it is too plain, that the Doctor takes their Lordships to be the lazy Defenders, Then the Doctor goes on, and in Page 2. he fays, that the Church is not only to encounter the open Fury and Violence of her profefs'd Enemies, but is to ' be betray'd and perfidiously given up by her own falfe-hearted and infidious Apostles. These Apoftles of the Church, who were in the foregoing Page vigourous Attackers and lazy Defenders, are now become falfe-hearted and infidious Apoftles; and a little forwarder he fays, that fuch is the hard Fortune of the Church, her worst Adverfaries must be let into her Bowels, under the holy Umbrage of Sons, who neither believe her Faith, own her Miffion, submit to her Difcipline, or comply with her Liturgy. The Doctor beftows the Title of Son of the Church on none but himself, as the dutiful Son of the Church. and the Prelates, as that falfe Son of the Church Bishop Grindal.

·

I must recapitulate his Charge upon the Bishops, the falle Sons, who vigour ously attack and lazily defend the Church, her worft Adverfaries, falfe-hearted and infidious Apostles, who neither believe her Faith, own her Miffion, fubmit to her Difcipline, or comply with her Liturgy. If our Hierarchy were fo deteftable as the Doftor has reprefented it, I fhould think the Church in the ex treameft Peril; and if our Nation were fo univerfally corrupted, there would be too much Reason to apprehend God's Vengeance.

The Managers for the Doctor answer all this by telling you, that by those Men of Characters and Stations, the Doctor only meant Church-wardens, Sidef

Queen's Letter to the Convocation, 1707.

теп

1

men, Conftables, and fome Juftices of the Peace, whofe Civil Adminiftration had given great Offence to the Doctor. I confefs I knew not the Dignity, Authority and Power of thofe Magiftrates, till I was informed by them, that Churchwardens and Sidefmen being entrusted with the Guardianship of the Church, have a Power in themselves to weaken and undermine it,and an Opportunity to put in fuch falfe Sons as Bishop Grindal to betray it. A Conftable's Office was never before now thought to be fuch a Station and Character, as that he, in himself could, or was able to put it in the Power of our profefs'd Enemies to over-turn and * destroy the Constitution and Establishment' of either Church or State.

The Doctor himself apprehended this Turn to be ridiculous, and makes a more colourable Defence in his Speech; he argues very fpeciously, that a Man who has printed fo many refpectful Expreffions, and paid fo many Complimentsto the Ministry, cannot be guilty of defaming them, and that nothing ought to be received in Evidence against fuch publick Demonftrations as he had given. It is true, the Doctor did commend the happy Adminiftration of the Government, and the refined Policies of the Parliament and Miniftry,in Page 23.of a Sermon printed in 1702. Then we know the Doctor was pretty well pleafed with the Queen, and entirely fatisfy'd with the refined Policies of the Miniftry. The Doctor is charged with defaming the Miniftry in 1710, and he answers, That can't be, for I commended the Ministry in 1702. Upon this and other Paffages fome People don't stick to fay, that notwithstanding the Doctor's Affeverations, the whole Speech is evafive and falfe, without one fincere Tittle in it: And if the Doctor has been made to fpeak (as he complains, p. 5. of his Speech) what he never thought of, it was done by the Makers of his Speech, when they made him pray, for the Houle of Hanover, and deny his Reflections upon the prefent Adminiftration..

But the Doctor, to purge himself fully, takes a fhort Method to prepare your Belief, tells you of his Holy Miffion from G O D, and his Commiffion from the Holy Ghoft: Then lifting up his Eyes and Hands to Heaven, he appeals to the dreadful Tribunal, at which he and all the World are to be judged; called the Searcher of Hearts to witness, in the most folemn and religious Manner," that he was innocent of any Design to defame the Queen's Administration or Ministry. This folemn Appeal to God, before fuch a venerable Affembly, with fo many religious, Circumftances, pronounced with fo much Vehemence, and fuch fincere Behaviour of a Chriftian, works fo ftrongly upon me, that my Charity has blinded my Senfes, and makes me pray, for his Soul's Sake, that he fpoke nothing but the Truth. Yet fome Gentlemen, who pretend to know the Man, to know his Meaning, who affirm that he has exprefly named one Minifter in Page 22. who have a Key to his Men of Character and Stations, bis Guardians of the Church and Crown, defire to be excufed, if they can't believe a Proteftation, though never fo folemn, against a Matter of Fact. They fay further, that fome of your Managers were astonish'd, and trembled at the Oath, and have own'd that you were chiefly employed to bespatter the prefent Ministry, and fome few finding their Party fo ftrong, are now angry with you for recanting it; but you have infinitely recommended yourself to others by it, who think you now a most useful Perfon.

The

The latter Part of the 4th Article is made out by the Derby Dedica

tion.

6

Now, when the Principles and Interests of our Church and Conftitution are fo fhamefully betray'd and run-down, it can be no little Comfort to those who with their Welfare and Security, to fee, that notwithstanding the Secret Malice and Open Violence they are perfecuted with, there are ftill to be found fuch. worthy Patrons of both, who dare own and defend them, as well against the • rude and presumptuous infults of the one Side, as the bafe undermining Treachery of the other; and who fcorn to fit filently by, and partake in the Sins of thefe affociated Malignants.

Though the Truth feems to be fo much forfaken at prefent, yet, God be thank'd, They fhall yet find, to our Honour, that we have still amongst us thofe who have Courage to fpeak it, as well as those who have Lives and Fortunes to maintain it: And tho' the Age is funk into the lowest Dregs of Corruption, that it cannot endure found Doctrine, there are not wanting fome to pre ch it,and others to fupport it, at the Expence of both: May the Influence of good Examples, which as much animates our Friends, as it terrifies our Enemies, be as diffufively prevailing as 'tis nobly confpicuous, and the Bleffing of that. • Church attend you, which you fo eminently adorn and sustain.'

་

Here we are told from the Pulpit, That the Principles of our Church and Constitution are fhamefully betray'd and run-down with fecret Malice and open Violence. Is not this to inftill Fears and Jealoufies into weak Minds, and to make each Man fufpect the other of fecret Defigns? And are not these Fears and Jealoufies groundless? when our Church is in a moft flourishing Condition, and the Conftitution of our State ftrengthen'd by fo many good Laws, and our good Queen ready to give what more we defire.

When he fays there are fome who fcorn to fit filently by, and partake in the Sins of thefe affociated Malignants, does he not knavishly divide the People by the Diftinction of Malignants? Does not he tell us in his Sermon, who those Church-devouring Malignants are? And does he not immediately threaten thofe affociated Malignants? and tell them, that they fhall find, to our Honour, that we have ftill among us, those who have Courage to speak it, as wellas those who have Lives and Fortunes to maintain it.' Does he not here blow the Trumpet? Does he not here mufter his Forces? Does he not here inform us how refolute fome are to maintain it with their Lives, and how able others are to support it with their Fortunes? Here he excites and stirs them up to Arms: Here he directs them to the Enemy, by pointing out to the affociated Malignants; and at laft very piously gives them the Bleffing of the Church to attend them in the good Enterprize.

Thefe godly Exhortations have had the defign'd Succefs, and open Rebellion has been the immediate Confequence; but the Doctor again profeffes in the Prefence of God, That it was without any Fault of his, or the leaft Encouragement given by him.' This feems to fome People to be another rash Oath, who fay, that the Sermon influenced, and the Doctor's indifcreet Behaviour afterwards encouraged the Mob. But his Managers fay in his Behalf, that when the Gentry of White-Friars attended him at his Chambers, and were so respectful to pull off

their

their Caps to him, he could not be fo rude as not to bow to them: That he could not refufe the Compliment of his Solicitor, Bail, Council and Friends, to attend him with their Equipages, before and behind, like Guards, to the Hall; and who could prevent his ungovernable Footmen from hollowing themselves, and making the Mob do fo too? He never thought this would give the leaft Encouragement; it was but Chriftian-like, to defire the Prayers of the Church when under Perfecution and but Politick, to lay the Perfecution upon the Diffenters.

The Doctor himself (as well as the reft of the World) thinks, that the 'Charge of wickedly wrefting divers Texts of Scripture lies very hard upon him, as a Christian and a Minister of Chrift: Yet he seems to me to ftand very easy under it; when to clear his Holy Character of fo foul a Blot, which he apprehends, if he were even acquitted, must leave a Scar upon his good Name; when to fupport an Opinion of his Integrity, whofe whole Capacity of doing good in the World (he fays) principally depends upon it;' not one Word has been fuggefted in his Defence or Excufe, but he again appeals to another Tribunal to be judged by, when the Sun is not plainer at Noon Day,than feveral Perverfions of Scripture in his Sermon. But, he hopes, indeed, that thofe,whofe particular Profeffion and Studies qualify them to be the most competent Judges of fuch Matters, will abfolve him in this Particular.' If by being abfolved, the Doctor should mean, to be acquitted of wrefting the Scriptures, I believe the molt competent fudges will not abfolve him; but if by Abfolving, he means only Forgiving, he need not fear but that, whether he perverts or blafphemes the Scriptures, whether his Appeals to God be true or falfe, for any Wickednefs he has done, or fhall do, nay, if he were capable of Affaffination, he may be fully abfolved, whilst fuch good Confeffors as Cook, Snat, and Collier, are living.

I have not yet heard any of his Managers deny his corrupting the Scriptures; none yet, but himfelf, have arrived to that invincible Impudence. It will foon appear by the excellent Speech of one of the Managers, how he abuses them, fometimes by adding, fometimes by leaving out Words and Sentences; fometimes he mif-cites Paffages of Holy Writ,and always wickedly mifapplies them. What an infinite Scandal is this Man to the Church, who (unlike a Chriftian Prieft; pronouncing the immutable and plain Truths of the Gofpel) refembles the Hea then Juglers, making their Idols fpeak their own Senfe, adapting their Oracles to all Occafions, and explaining of them to all Purposes! How ftedfaft was the Wickedness! How atheistical the Prefumption, to appeal to God for the Truth thereof, when he ought to have humbled himfelf before God, for the Flegrancy of the Sin!

Let us confider this Man, who fays he is 'fatisfied of the Queen's being an affectionate Nurfing Mother to the Church,' yet reprefents her as an unnatural StepMother, who has committed the Guardianship to fuch lazy: Defenders and put her profeffed Enemies into her Bowels.'

This is the loyal and faithful Subject, who would die for his Queen, and in Defence of her Title; who affirms to her Face, that the Means, ufed to fecure her Succeffion to the Crown were odious and unjustifiable. This is the Afferter of

*Speech, p. 21.

+ Character of a Low-Church Man,

of her Prerogatives, who faid, That the Church groan'd under the Prerogative Act, and Letter Miffive, i. e. ber Supremacy.' +

This Man doubtless must be in earnest, when he commends her Majesty's happy and wife Adminiftration, and the Vigilance of the Ministry; yet, after that he has made the Nation the very Sink of Perdition, he fays, That all 'th fe Mischiefs walk up and down this diftracted Kingdom with Impunity,'

If fome Perfons, through a real Senfe of religion, fhould apprehend any Danger of the Church, by Reafon of Vice and Immorality, infeparable at all Times from all Nations under Heaven, always complain'd of, and never more than now discouraged: Yet the Queen has just Reason to think it very injurious to her, to take a Pretence from thence to infinuate that the Church is in any 'Danger from her Adminiftration, and has as much Reafon to refent the Indignity, and suspect the Design, as her Grandfather the bleffed Martyr had, upon the very fame Occafion. For, fays he, when they did obferve, that many Honeft and Religious Minds in that Houfe did complain of thofe Dangers that did threaten the Church, they likewife took the fame Word in their Mouth, and their Cry was, Templum Domini, Templum Domini, when the true Ca e of the • Church never came into their Hearts; ** and what the one did out of Z-al to Religion, the other took as a plaufible Theme to deprave our Government; as if we, our Clergy, and Council, were either fenfelefs or careless of Religion; and this wicked Practice hath been, to make us feem to walk before our People, as if we balted before Gad.'

This Man muft not be thought to intend to afperfe the Memory of the late King, whofe Government, be fays, was blown up by the Providence of God, and who had ruin'd the Church, had not an opportune Providence interpofed, i.e. bis Death.' ++

This Man prays as heartily (as he fwears) for the Hanover Succeffion, but even there he won't acknowledge their Right to the Succeffion. So high he is for the uninterrupted Succeffion; fo firmly he adheres to the Hereditary, as the only Right; and ftill fuppofes a Parliamentary Right to be the Title of the Mob. He profeffes not to have the leaft Diflike of the Indulgence granted by Law to the Diffenters, and says, he has declared his Approbation in the most exprefs • Words imaginable, viz. Queen Elizabeth, like a Queen of true Refolution, ⚫ and pious Zeal, pronounced, that fuch were the reftlefs Spirits of that Factious People, that no Quiet was to be expected from them, till they were • utterl. fupprefs'd; which, like a prudent Princefs, fhe did by wholesome • Severities, that the Crown for many Years fat eafy, and flourishing upon her Head; and had her Succeffor King James but followed her wife Politicks, &c.' In his Sermon he commends the wholefome Severities used towards them by Queen Elizabeth, wishes that her Succeffors had followed her wife Politicks; and yet he'll take it amifs if we doubt his Sincerity, when in his Speech he defires to be believed, that he approves of the Indulgence now granted to them, who extols Queen Elizabeth for having totally fuppreffed them.

This

+ Character of a Low-Church-Man,p.29. || Speech,p. 15. Ded. to the Lord-Mayor. **Ruthworth, Vol.1.Appendix, f.6. †† Low-Church-Man,p.4, and 16. Speech, p. 8. § St. Paul's Sermon.