whigs refurrection; and what ftructures fuch able artists might in a fhort time build upon fuch foundations, I leave others to conjecture. All hopes of a peace cut off; the nation industriously involved in farther debts, to a degree that none would dare undertake the management of affairs, but those whose interest lay in ruining the conftitution. I do not fee, how the wifeft prince under fuch neceffities could be able to extricate himself. Then as to the church; the bishops would by degrees be difmiffed, first from the parliament, next from their revenues, and at laft from their office; and the clergy, instead of their idle claim of independency on the ftate, would be forced to depend for their daily bread on every individual. But what system of future government was defigned; whether it were already digested, or would have been left for time and incidents to mature, I fhall not now examine. Only upon this occafion I cannot help reflecting on a fact, which it is probable the reader knows as well as myself. There was a picture drawn fome time ago, reprefenting five perfons, as large as the life, fitting fitting in council together, like a pentarchy; a void fpace was left for a fixth, which was to have been the QUEEN, to whom they intended that honour: but her majefty having fince fallen under their difpleasure, they have made a fhift to croud in two better friends in her place, which makes it a complete heptarchy*. This piece is now in the country, referved until better times; and hangs in a hall among the pictures of Cromwell, Bradfbaw, Ireton, and fome other predeceffors. I must now defire leave to fay fomething to a gentleman, who hath been pleafed to publish a discourse against a paper of mine relating to the convocation. He promiseth to fet me right without any undue reflections, or indecent language. I fuppose he means, in comparison with others, who pretend to answer the Examiner. So far he is right; but if he thinks he hath behaved himself as becomes a candid antagonist, I believe he is mistaken. He says in his title page, my reprefentations are unfair, and my reflections unjust: and his *This heptarchy was the ferpent with seven heads, mentioned in N° 21, 22. conclufion is yet more fevere; where he doubts I and my friends are enraged against the dutch, because they preferved us from popery and arbitrary power at the revolution; and fince that time from being over-run by the exorbitant power of France, and becoming a prey to the pretender. Because this author feems in general to write with an honeft meaning, I would seriously put to him the queftion, whether he thinks, I and my friends are for popery, arbitrary power, France, and the pretender? I omit other inftances of smaller moment, which however do not fuit in my opinion with due reflection, or decent language. The fact relating to the convocation came from a good hand; and I do not find this author differs from me in any material circumstance about it. My reflections were no more, than what might be obvious to any other gentleman, who had heard of their late proceedings. If the notion be right, which this author gives us of a lower house of convocation; it is a very melancholy one, and to me seems utterly inconfiftent with that of a body of men, whom he owns to have a negative: and therefore, fince a great not my great majority of the clergy differs from him in feveral points he advances, I fhall rather chufe to be of their opinion than his. I fancy, when the whole fynod met in one houfe, as this writer affirms, they were upon a better foot with their bishops; and therefore, whether this treatment, fo extremely de haut en bas, fince their exclufion be fuitable to primitive cuftom or primitive humility towards brethren, is business to enquire. One may allow the divine, or apoftolick right of epifcopacy, and its great fuperiority over prefbyters; and yet difpute the methods of exercifing the latter, which being of human inftitution are fubject to encroachments and ufurpations. I know, every clergyman in a diocefe hath a great deal of dependence upon his bifhop, and owes him canonical obedience: but I was apt to think, that when the whole reprefentative of the clergy met in a fynod, they were confidered in another light; at least fince they are allowed to have a negative. If I am mistaken, I defire to be excused, as talking out of my trade; only there is one thing, wherein I entirely differ from this author: fince in the difputes about privileges one fide muft recede; where fo very few privileges remain, it is a hundred to one odds, that the encroachments are not on the inferior clergy's fide; and no man can blame them for infifting on the fmall number, that is left. There is one fact, wherein I must take occasion to set this author right: that the person*, who first moved the QUEEN to remit the firstfruits and tenths to the clergy, was an eminent inftrument in the late turn of affairs; and as I am told, hath lately prevailed to have the fame favour granted for the clergy of Ireland+. But I must beg leave to inform this author, that my paper is not intended for the management of controverfy; which would be of very little import to most readers, and only mifpend time, that I would gladly employ to better purposes. For where it is a man's business to entertain a whole room-full, it is unmannerly to apply himself to a particular perfon, and turn his back upon the reft of the company. *Earl of Oxford, lord treasurer. + This was done by the author's folicitation. See his letters to archbishop King, vol. xii, NUM |