Dr. Sherlock Vindicated, OR, COGENT REASONS, Why that Worthy Person hath complied with the Necessity of the Times, and why he at first refused it.

MEN of that Learning and Sense, as the Gentleman we speak of, are not supposed to act without Ground, nor without more than ordinary Rea­son, for things of so extraordinary a Nature; some of which Reasons, among others, may be assigned for his refusing to Comply with the Act of Parliament, and Swearing to the Present Government as followeth:

  • I. The Clergy had a great Interest, and no small hopes in the Parliament, that they should be excused in the Act, and after, that their Credit and Word might be taken for their fidelity to the King, only on the Reputation of their Sanctity and Zeal for the Protestant Religion: Though at the same time, they would not take the King and Queens Word, without an Oath to uphold all their Pontifical Splendor.
  • II. They thought to possess the People with such an opinion of their Constancy and Cou­rage, in a matter of Conscience, as to gain the Reputation of the Martyrs of the Church, and so make themselves Popular, as a [...]ing might be very useful to them in Case of ano­ther Revolution.
  • III. They were working to possess the King too, with the Considerableness of their Num­ber and Interest in the Nation, that he should not venture to deprive them according to the Act, for fear of disobliging the People.
  • IV. They had a great many Cards to play yet for a new turn, and that Lustre of Re­ward for an untainted Zeal to the Interest of a Popish King, made it necessary to stand Neuter as long as possible.
  • V. They were very loth to Manacle their Endeavours with the Fetters of an Oath, that they might act for a Restoration, without the Clog of Perjury.
  • VI. They had yet great Reason to think, their Interest strong enough at worst, to gain the Grant of their Sallaries to them, though they were deprived, which would render their great Suffering a little comfortable.
  • VII. At last, if all their Expectations were frustrate, there was no Incapacitating Clause in the Act, it was but swearing at last, and all would be well; again, the Re-admission was the least act of Lenity they could receive.— Cum multis aliis, &c.

These Reasons Considered, what strange Con­siderations does the Present Juncture offer for the present Compliance?

Why,

  • I. The Parliament, notwithstanding all the Interest made, has not thought fit to Excuse them, That wise Assembly, finding the bounds of an Oath every jot as need­ful to secure the Allegiance of the Clergy, as of other People.
  • II. The People who are oftner convinced by Demonstration than Pretences, saw thro' the Mask sooner than was expected, and could not believe them to be Martyrs for the Church, who refused to pray for a Pro­testant King, but esteemed them Hypocrites and Jacobites; so one great end of their Suffering, Applause, and Popular Pity was lost.
  • III. As a Consequence of this, their Fi­gure became so despicable, that they lost all their Influence on the Court, and were ra­ther scorned than feared; and they have found the King not to be awed from suffer­ing the Saw to have its Course, and Justice to proceed without Distinction.
  • IV. They have not found that Success on their Prayers and Fastings as was expected, their Church still groaning under, what they have had the Impudence to call, The Fetters of a cruel Usurpation.
  • V. Their great Refuge, the Divine, In­vincible, Most Christian Grand Seignior, Lewis le Grand, has not been able to compleat the Endeavours he has made towards their Rescue, tho' they were not at all wanting in their most Christian Endeavour, to call in a Barbarous and Foreign Nation, into the Bow­els of their Native Country.
  • [Page 2]VI. The Fleet more by the providence of God than otherwise, has escaped betraying, as they had most nobly contrived, and is now put into better hands we hope, that we may not be lyable to another French Invasion: So that Hope is perished.
  • VII. King James, the other Prop of their Hopes, with all his French Succour, and Irish Thousands, with which he was to Land in England every Week, is most courageously run away; and that Kingdom, no more the Center of their defeated expectation.
  • VIII. Scotch hopes are also become like Jonas's Goard, that perished in the Morning: And the Thousands of Hardy Highlanders, are dwindl'd to a few Troops of Banditty, that pray God bless King James, and God bless King William, and send they may never agree, that we may get good Booty by robbing our Neighbours.
  • IX. And which is worst of all, King Willi­am whom they well hoped they had seen the last of, and whom they earnestly pusht on to go in Person into Ireland, (with the same ho­nest intent that David sent Ʋrias into the Bat­tle) is come safe home again; Danger hath not prevailed, nor Difficulties overcome, but the Kingdom is in a likely way of recovery.
  • X. Things look on them generally with a bad aspect as to future hopes, the House of Saul waxes weaker and weaker, and the House of David stronger and stronger: Poor Abdication is gone, the Lord knows whither, and will return the Lord knows when, and be King again the Lord knows how; Hopes decline, and Endeavours fail, and what can one Tribe do whose fingers were never taught to fight, tho' there Priest-ridden Hearers have been so often set together by the Ears, by their Function?
  • XI. The attempt to preach with a Non Ob­stante, to their Soveraign and an Act of Par­liament, is but making the Arch-Bishop Ma­ster of the Revels, to licence what the La [...] prohibits, and has met but with cold Enter­tainment in the present Subject, and wit [...] very much misfortune in some of the Inferi­ors of the Tribe.
  • XII. To relinquish a great Revenue to th [...] weakning the Party, as well as the Individua [...] Person, is a piece of very grievous Self-denial and 500 l. per annum has a great deal of Di­vinity in it; it will buy Books enough to con­vert a Nation, and Arms enough to fix [...] lusty Batalion for the late King. If occasio [...] serve, there are forty nine Reasons in a goo [...] Revenue, besides that prevailing one, that [...] cannot live without it; and its a strange piece of Mortification, rather to vow Allegiance to necessity, who is already voted a Heretick, than to swear Allegiance to a Protestant King.
  • XIII. At last here is a good Salve found which perhaps will not so soon be exploded in England, as it was in Scotland; we can swear to him King de facto, and so long as he is so, we will obey, because we cannot help it.
  • XIV. Because if we take the Oath, we shall again wind into Favour, and perhap [...] have more opportunity, to do our Cause Ser­vice than we had before.

These its hoped may vindicate Dr. Sher­lock in particular, and any other Person that shall think fit to comply, from the Accusation of rash and inconsiderate Men, being I dare say, Men of great Reason, and solid Understanding, that do things with Judgment and Fore-cast. If any are yet dissatisfied, they perhaps may have further endeavour used for their Conviction, and many more Argu­ments laid down to justifie the Reasona­bleness of the Act.

‘Tempora mutantur, &c.’

London, Printed in the Year, 1690.

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