ovium sanguinis sitientem à Christi caulis arcere; Ecclesiæ læta et pura pascua à turpi spumantium aprorum dente, et fædo lutulentarum suum rostro pura et intemerata conservare; Æsopicam corniculam Petri et Pauli plumis insolescentem furtivis coloribus nudare; Cuculi Romani, qui Christianos omnes pro Currucis habet, ova in ipso Dei Templo posita pertundere; Meretricem Babylonicam Christiani nominis cerussâ et minio fucatam traducere; et possint, quia doctissimi, et velint, quia integerrimi, et faciant, quia vigilantissimi. Atque, ut odor illâ morte in mortem sit quia Resipiscere dedidicit, denunciet ut totâ mente atque omnibus artubus contremiscat, appetente jam die illo decretorio, quo ardebit Babylon; Meretricis magnæ negotiatores et adulteri omnes lugebunt; Diabolus mundi seductor, Bestia et Pseudopropheta, in stagnum ignis et sulphuris præcipites abibunt, æternas justè irato Numini pœnas daturi; Filiumque Perditionis

Dignus principio exitus exodiúmque sequetur.

Interea temporis, veni, Domine Jesu, veni. Antichristum se truci in unctos tuos rabie efferentem comprime. Hostibus tuis, qui asperum paternæ castigationis tuæ vinum nobis plenis cyathis educendum dedêre, acinosas et pannosas indignationis tuæ fæces plenis doliis exhauriendas invitis et reluctantibus porrige. Captivam Sionis Filiam, ferreo Ægyptiaca servitutis jugo oppressam, liberali causâ manu assere. Ludovici Regis fulgentes hastas, coruscantes enses, arma mortali fulgore crispantia, tormentorum bellicorum horrisona fulmina in ipsum Pseudoprophetam et lutosos Babylonis muros converte; ut fatidicum vatem, veri nescium, sua sibi mala lævâ mente verè profatum esse pudeat et poeniteat. Ecclesiis transmarinis solidam pacem, subdolis ereptam artibus, restitue. Damna nos voti, et hanc quâ Major Britannia tuo solius beneficio fruitur pacem et tranquillitatem nobis fidam, posteris verò nostris perpetuam præsta. Huic autem aureo libello da, ut vivat vigeátque, Antichristo Principum invidiam conflaturus, Ecclesiæ tuæ almam pacem coagmentaturus: ejúsque auctori largiri Beneficus, ut, vitâ honestissimè et sanctissimè in terris actâ, cœlo potiatur, ubi

tecum

Immortali ævo summâ cum pace fruatur

AMEN.

"Et faciant, quia vigilantissimi," is not in the quarto, EDITOR.

A

LETTER PARENETICAL

ΤΟ

A WORTHY KNIGHT,

READY TO REVOLT FROM THE RELIGION ESTABLISHED.

WORTHY SIR:

WHEN lewd and debauched persons drop away from us, we lament their loss, not our own: but, when men of worth leave us, it is not their loss more than ours.

With so much more indignation must we needs think of those Cheaters, (for so I construe St. Paul's xußɛíav), that would fain win you from us with mere tricks of mis-suggestion: the attempt whereof hath given occasion to these warm lines, which my true zeal of your safety hath drawn from me.

So much hath been already spoken to this cavil, that, would you please but to cast your eye upon Bishop Morton's Treatise of "The Grand Imposture," and Bishop Bedell's Epistles to Wardsworth, you could not desire other satisfaction. Thither give me leave to refer you, at your

best leisure.

In the mean time, lest I should seem willing to spare my own endeavours, let me shortly discover the vanity of that stale collusion, which some seducers would put upon you.

Certainly, sir, the more you look into these quarrels, the more you find that Templum Domini was not a more working plea amongst the Jews of old, than Ecclesia Catholica in this day among Christians. Those challenge it whole, that have it not: and those, that have right to it, are excluded with equal importunity.

Blessed be God, you were born and bred in a noble and renowned Daughter of that great and universal Mother, the Church of England. What reason can an enemy show you, why you should repent you of such a parentage, and spit in the face of so gracious a Mother and Nurse?

Nothing, it seems, is urged to you, but her age.

It is a killing word with those Romish Impostors, “Where was your Church before Luther?" than which, there was never any

plea more idle, more frivolous, when it falls under a wise and judicious discussion. For, consider, I beseech you. Did we go about to lay the foundations of a New Church, the challenge were most just. Primum verum, was the old and sure rule of Tertullian. We abhor New Churches, and New Truths: find ours either to be, or to be pretended such, and forsake us. But, when all our claim, all our endeavour is, only the reforming and repairing of an Old Church, faulty in some mouldered stones, and mis-daubed with some untempered and lately laid morter, what a frenzy is this, to ask where that Church was, which we show them sensibly thus repaired. Had it not been before, how could it have been capable of this amendment? and, if it be but reformed by us, it was formed before; and, having been since deformed by their errors, is only restored by us to the former beauty.

As sure as there is any Church, any Truth in the world, this is the true and only state of this controversy; the misprision whereof hath been guilty of the loss of many thousand souls.

To speak plainly, it is only the gross abuses and palpable innovations of the Church of Rome which we have parted from. Set these aside, they and we are and will be one Church. Let this be done, and, if their cruelty and uncharitableness would sever us, our unity of faith and Christian love shail make us one, in spite of malice. If their mis-zealous importunity will needs so incorporate those, which we can convince for new errors, as to make them essential to the very being of their Church, they are more injurious to themselves, than their enemies can be: we can but lament, to see them guilty of their own mischief.

For us, we have erred in nothing but this, that we would not err. To demonstrate this in particulars, were a longsome task; and that, which I have already performed in that my Treatise of "The Old Religion." May it please you, to let fall your eye upon that plain and moderate Discourse, you shall confess this truth made good; every parcel whereof I am ready to justify against all gain

sayers.

When these men, therefore, shall ask where our Church was, answer them boldly, "Where it is."

It is with Churches, as with those several persons whereof they consist. Give me a man, that, having been Romish for opinion, is now grown wiser and reformed, he hath still the same form or essence, though not the same errors: he is the same man, then; yea, I add, he is the same Christian, that he was, while he holds firmly all those Articles of Catholic Faith, which are essential to Christianity. If he now find reason to reject those hideous novelties of the inerrability of a Man of Sin; of the new and monstrous, but invisible, incarnation of his Saviour by charm of a sinful Priest; of marting of sins; of purgatory flames; and the rest of that upstart rabble of the Tridentine Creed; while he undoubtedly believes all those truths, which carried our fathers, who lived before the hatching of these devices, safely and directly to heaven: who can deny him the honour of true Catholicism and Christianity?

No otherwise is it in whole Churches, whereof every believing soul is an abridgment. If any of them find just cause to refuse some newly obtruded opinions, which the rest are set to maintain, while, in the mean time, the foundation remains entire, this can be no ground to dis-Church that differing company of Christians: neither are they other from themselves, upon this diversity of opinion.

But, I hear what some whisperers say: "It is the determination of the Church, which makes what point she thinks fit, de fide, and fundamental:"-Let me confidently say this is the most dangerous innovation, that can fall into the ears, hearts, hands of Christians. If the Church can make another God, another Christ, another Heaven, other Prophets and Apostles, she may also lay another Foundation. But the old rule of the Chosen Vessel, whereon I securely cast my soul, is, Fundamentum aliud ponere nemo potest.

But, that you may perfectly discover the fraud, what Church is it, I beseech you, to whom this power is arrogated? and by whom is it usurped? None, but the Roman: and what is that, but a Particular Church? I speak boldly, there was never so gross a gullery in the world as this. What interest hath Rome in heaven, more than Constantinople, than Paris, than Prague, than Basil, than London, or any other city under heaven? or, what privilege hath the Italian Church, above the Greek, French, German, English? It is the charge of the Apostle, My brethren, have not the faith of God in respect of persons: I may, upon the same grounds, say, in respect of places, the locality of truth is the most idle and childish plea, that ever imposed upon wise men.

Away with this foppery. The true divinity of St. Peter was, and is, In every nation, he, that feareth God and worketh righteousness, is accepted of him. The climate makes no difference: and, if more respect have been anciently given to that See than to others, it was the sovereignty of the City, which then drew on those honours to the Church; which, upon the very same reason, were no less transmitted to Constantinople. Set those aside, and what holiness can Tiber challenge above Rhine, or Thames? Let fools be mocked with these fancies; but you, whom God hath endued with singular judgment and understanding in all things, will easily resent the fraud; and see, that there is no more reason why the English Church should conform in opinion to the Romish, were the doctrines equally indifferent, than the Roman Church to the English. They are but the several limbs of one large and universal body: and if, in respect of outward order, there have been or may be acknowledged a precedency; yet, in regard of the main substance of truth, we cannot admit of any dependance on any Church under heaven.

Here, that, which is the purer from error and corruption, must take the wall, maugre all the loud throats of acclaiming parasites. Yea, so far must we needs be from pinning our faith upon the sleeve of Rome, as that we cannot, without violence offered to our own consciences, but see and say, that there is no particular Church on earth so branded by the Spirit of God in the Scriptures, as Rome.

Insomuch as the best abettors and dearest fautors of that See are glad to plead, that Rome is St. Peter's and St. John's Babylon. We bless God for standing on our own feet; and those feet of ours stand upon the infallible grounds of the Prophets and Apostles, of Primitive Creeds, Councils, Fathers; and, therefore, we can no more deceive you, than they can deceive us.

The censure, that the enemies of our Church cast upon it, is not Untruth, but Defect. They dare not but grant what we say is true; but they blame us for not saying all is true which they say. Now that, which we say, was enough to serve those Ancient Christians, which lived before those lately-devised additions, the refusal whereof is made heinous and deadly to us. How safe, how happy is this erring! Let my soul be with those Blessed Martyrs, Confessors, Fathers, Christians, which never lived to hear of those new Articles of the New Roman Faith; and, I dare say, you will not wish. yours any other where. There can be no danger, in old truths: there can be nothing but danger, in new obtrusions.

But I find how apt my pen is to overrun the bounds of a letter. My zeal of your safety carries me into this length. The errors, into which these seducers would lead you, are deadly; especially, upon a revolt. Your very ingenuity, I hope, besides grace, will suggest better things to you. Hold that, which you have, that no man take your crown. My soul for yours, you go right. So sure as there is a heaven, this way will lead you thither. Go on, confidently and cheerfully, in it. Let me never be happy, if you be not. You will pardon my holy importunity, which shall be ever seconded with my hearty prayers to the God of Truth, that he will stablish your heart in that eternal truth of his Gospel, which you have received; and both work and crown your happy perseverance. Such shall be the fervent apprecations of

Your much devoted Friend,

JOSEPH EXON,