THere having been a very Abusive Letter Published the last week against Doctor Fowler (whose Eminency in the Church is well known to Wise and Judicious Men) Subscribed only by Two of his six or se­ven notorious Enemies; I could not, considering my great Obligati­ons to him, let it pass unanswered, although I think that it may be slighted of all Sober Men, as it is of him. Their Abuses of Me have been so common, that I value them not; yet having this opportunity, the World shall see how much they are to blame for Reproaching me likewise. They tell me, that I Study but little; I am sure I shall not need to Study much for an An­swer to their Letter.

I might in the first place descant upon their mock title [Reverend Pastor] which they give the Doctor, when they design to cast the greatest Reproaches upon him. But I will let that pass, with all their rude Language, knowing they are the best Expressions they have to shew how much they honour our Function.

I will keep close to Matters of Fact, and not render reviling for reviling. They first Charge the Doctor for bearing hard upon them from the Pulpit, which only pro­ceeds from their Guilty Consciences charging them. I would fain know how the Doctor should discharge his Duty without reproving those Vices which he observes some of his People guilty of, and secretly spreading; so that he cannot otherwise pre­vent the Mischjef of them. But it seems they are most Galled by that which is late­ly sent abroad from the Press. And I doubt not but the Conclusion was as grievous to them and their Associates in the reading, as the Congregation observed it to be when they heard it, though, for very good reasons, they are silent concerning it.

I am Astonished to think how they could have the Face to mention that Certi­ficate, and Confess the Trapan, with which the Doctor charges them. They say, That a great Man told them, It would shake the credit of their Loyalty: And I sup­pose it was the same Great Man, to whom they accus'd him soon after. But what­soever they pretend, it appears, they had too great an opinion of their Loyalty to desire his Certificate concerning it. All Men may see that they desired it on purpose, that they might be credited in the Stories with which they endeavoured to do him the greatest Mischief; and that they might not be thought to be acted by ill-will against Him, who had given them such an undeserved Character. It follows, And so we laid it aside, as a thing we were not proud of: It was time for them to lay it aside, when they had obtained what they designed by it. But though they say, they were not proud of it; yet (to my knowledge) they refus'd to part with it, when the Doctor would have retrieved it. Let all Men judge what name they deserve for the requital which the Doctor had, for being so ready to Certify for Loyal-Men, when they could not have endeavoured to do him greater Mischief if they had received his Denial. It is likewise observable, That as they afterwards make a Certificate for Mr. W. which the Doctor never gave him; so they make such a one for themselves. They say, that He certified they were peaceable and Christian-like spirited men: Where­as he only Certified, that for ought he knew they were such Persons. Which words [Page 2]were of their own penning, as the Doctor hath told them in his Preface.

They do in the next place oblige the Doctor by speaking truth: for they say, that His Opinion is much altered since he gave them that Certificate: And all Men in City and Country would wonder at him, if his Opinion were not altered from that time to this. But before I proceed farther, I must ingenuously confess, That I was the occasion of his being so impos'd upon by them, and that the Character which I had given of them, over-rul'd his suspition of their being otherwise. I hope I have his Pardon, being a true Penitent for it.

As to the Satyrs, Invectives, and Comminations, which, they say, the Doctor hath ven­ted against them in the Pulpit; Let the Congregation judge whether he be not Egre­giously Slandered, unless his general exposing of the damnableness of the sin of Ma­lice and Ill-will before the Sacrament, which is administred every Sunday, be Satyrs, Invectives, and Comminations against them.

They Appeal to all that know them, and to their Consciences also, That They never oppos'd the Doctor out of ill-will to his Person, but only to put a stop to his Latitu­dinarian Designs and Practices by a due course at Law. And I will undertake, That the Doctor shall joyn with them in this Appeal to all that know them, and are not of their Party, and to their own Consciences too, whether they have not been for above a Year and half acted by the greatest Ill-will to him. And whereas they pretend, That their design was only to put a stop to his Latitudinarian Designs and Practices (which word they understand as well as I do their Welch Rhyme) I Challenge them, if they dare, to declare the least Proof of his being Guilty of such Designs and Pra­ctices. They cannot forget, that Sir Thomas Exton declared to them, in his Court, That They had not made the least Proof of any Accusation they had brought against him. And much less can they forget, that Sir Richard Lloyd declared the same to them in His Court, before a great Number of People on Wednesday last. And, whereas they talk of their proceeding against the Doctor in a due course of Law; Their many Journeys made on that account, Proclaim the Hypocrisy of this pretence, as the Doctor knows by sad Experience.

As to the Certificate which the Doctor gave to Mr. W. they say, that He represented him as a truly Loyal and a Conformable Man. But I am Astonished at their Confi­dence, considering, He did not Certify one title for him, more than that he was a Constant attender upon the Prayers, and a frequenter of the holy Communion, according to the Order of the Church, and forward to publique good Works in the Parish. The Truth of which, I am sure they cannot deny. But they Accuse him of antique Gestures, in the time of Prayers. But the Doctor is Confident they Slander him. It is more to be suspected, That they who thus Accuse him, come to the Prayers, rather to be Spyes upon others, than to be Devout themselves. The Doctor hath observ'd him so Reverently and Piously affected at the Communion, that he seldom receives it with­out wet Eyes. They accuse him of being a Dissenter, till he was Church-Warden; but I am able to testify the contrary: For I had often given him the Sacrament before that time, and do really think, that he was a frequenter of the Church about two Years before; and then too, when the Conventicles were undisturbed, and had the greatest Li­berty. But they say, That he was a Souldier under Collonel Hacker; which the Doctor or I never knew of; but, it seems, 'tis true: Yet, if his Enemies had been ingenuous, they should have said, That he was likewise a Souldier under the Command of General Monk, at the time of the KING'S Restauration. Methinks this, and the King's Pardon, should have Dischar'd him from being reproacht for such an old Crime, by Peaceable and Christian-like tempered Men. As for the other Stories, which the Doctor did not know of, he is sorry if they be true; but he must have them asserted by those that do not hate Mr. W. before he believes them, he knowing, by Experience, how false the Reports have been, which have been spread against him­self by the same Authors. If that which Men say in their Rage and Passion be true, one of these Men was as well a Fifth-Monarchy-Man, as the other was a Rebel; for this was told him to his Face in the Doctor's presence. But suppose he had known these ill things of Mr. W. Yet, Who can blame him for Certifying what he knew to be good concerning him? Especially, when he exprest Sorrow for what he had done, and having had such Reproofs, that I really thought there would have been a great Breach between them.

The next Paragraph insinuates, That Mr. Recorder oblig'd them to inform against Mr. W. But one of these two Men may very well remember, That the Recorder did ex­presly deny it in the Doctors hearing, so that they cannot wipe off that charge of [Page 3]drinking to him, and shaking hands with him, and then making their Complaint a­gainst him.

What a bold Affront do they offer to the King's Attorney General in the next words? in that they plainly say, That He was perswaded to grant Mr. W. a noli Prosequi, by great and powerful Sollicitation; and consequently, that his Hearing the whole Cause, and what these Men could say against him, was but a Mock-business. As to that which they say of Mr. W.'s opposing their disturbing of Conventicle-houses: the Doctor profes­ses, That he never knew any thing of it, nor yet of his Behaviour in Guild-Hall, or his being against the Ringing of the Bells upon the 29th. of May, or his Ringing and making Bon-fires upon the Earl of Shaftsbury's discharge by the Grand Jury, whom they call (though not out of any ill-will to his person) the Doctor's good lord and master. And no wonder, that the Doctor should be such a stranger to these things, when he came to live in the Parish, but the Lady-day before he gave him his Certificate; but as to their calling Shaftsbury his good lord and master: The Doctor would have them know, That though he Officiated one Week for his Chaplain (who was his old Friend and School-fellow) in the time of his being Lord Chancellor, yet he was never his lord and master. And that he was so far from being of that Lords principles, that he hath enraged him by his plain Dealing. He adventured, very honestly, to de­clare his mind to him against the Bill of Exclusion, upon which the Earl told him, He per­ceived what Company he kept. He was likewise so provoked once against the Doctor, that he told him, He was not worthy to say Grace at his Table. I must also tell these Men, That a Dignitary of the Church of most Noted Loyalty, as also a worthy Doctor; Nay, and an eminent Prelate likewise, can and will Testify, if there be occasion, That the Doctor had wholly Estranged himself from that Lord (whom he very seldom waited upon) but for their perswasions not to lose all Interest in him, because at one time or other they thought it might be improv'd to the doing some good Service to Loyal-Men; and 'tis known that so it was improved. And the Dean of Worcester can satis­fy all Men, That the Doctor when Phanaticism was most rampant; viz. In the Year 1679. Published an Answer to a very Whiggish Pamphlet, much cried up at that time: For the Dean surprized him in his Study, as he was preparing it for the Press.

In that which follows, they fall very heavily upon my self, but after the Doctor is good Manners, and therefore I will proceed upon their return to him.

They accuse him of making them and some others of his Neighbours a parcel of Lewd, Vicious, Profane, Scandalous, Debaucht Fellowes in private Discourses and publick Preachments, as they very mannerly call his Sermons. But I am sure I can af­firm that as to his private Discourses, they of all Men, are least acquainted with them, and in his Preaching he hates to use any such indecent Language. He never spares Debauchery nor Disloyalty nor Phanaticism in his Pulpit. But when he is upon these Subjects he never reflects upon particular Persons, so as to charge the guilt of these Vices upon any of his Hearers. The Auditors at Coleman-Street can testify for him, to whom he Preaches the same Sermons. But, to return to his private discour­ses, he is so far from delighting to talk against his Adversaries, that nothing hath discomposed him more than when he is put upon telling of their behaviour towards him. And when he hath done it, his own Vindication was that which he insisted upon. He doth not deny that, out of the Pulpit, he hath charged some of them with other Vices besides Malice, and is too well able to make good his Charge, the more is the pity. 'Tis confessed that in the Conclusion of his Sermon against Slandering, he in­timated plainly, that those who carried that dreadful false story to the Court, which occasioned his Preaching it, were some of his Auditors, and such as sometimes received the Sacrament from him, and I suppose they little think upon what grounds he said This.

They say that the Doctor hath not Lest one Stone unturned to defame them with Per­sons of Honour. But it would have saved the Doctor many Pounds in his Purse, and prevented much disturbance to his mind, if This had not been their own Crime. And he tells them by Me, that the greatest Defamation, they can complain of from him, is his not concealing the Barbarous usage, which, God knows, he hath had from them. As to what follows of the Doctors disparaging of them to their Customers: There never was any thing more false; for he professeth, that he knows not any one Person that deals with them. But it may be their having themselves so publisht their restless endeavours to ruine the Doctor both in his Reputation and Estate, may have been the occasion of loss to them, for which they must blame Themselves, and not Him.

I come now to one of the most spiteful suggestions, that malice it self could have invented, viz. That the first visible change of the Doctors Countenance and Carriage towards them was upon their suppressing Six or Seven Conventicles, and after that, upon their endeavour to purge the Vestry of some very ill Men. Now, as to their suppressing of so many Conventicles, he cannot say, that ever he heard of these Mens Suppressing One, tho it may be they have Many, and there is no Divine in England but may as well be charged with being a Favourer of Conventicles as He may. He hath Written no less than four Books against the Principles of Conventiclers, and I never heard any with greater force of Argument, expose them from the Pulpit. Let that one Book of his, Intituled Libertas Evangelica be consulted, which was written and Pub­lished, 1680. when the Fanaticks had the greatest Liberty, and let the Doctor be judged of by that Book, and whether 'tis imaginable he should tack about to them after they were a crusht Party. And I wonder what any Man can imagine he can promise to himself by being a Favourer of Conventicles, considering his Promctions, unless it could be supposed that he loves mischief for the sake of it. As to their en­deavour to purge the Vestry of ill Men, they know in their Consciences, that this was no cause of altering the Doctors Countenance towards them, but it was their tell­ing that shameful untruth of him at Mr. Secretary Jenkings his Office, viz. that he was an encourager of such People in the Vestry; and I think he had little reason to be fond of such Men as should thus abuse him. There is nothing better known in the Parish, than that he had not the least hand in bringing such Men into the Vestry, and that they were chosen by the Vestry it self, and that in the Doctors absence too, and he knowing nothing of it. This he made to appear very fully at Mr. Re­corders Chamber, when these Men began to torment him; and likewise he exprest in my hearing the greatest forwardness to have all such put out, provided it could be legally done after the Act relating to Vestries was expired; and the Recorder was satisfied, that it could not be done any otherwise but by perswading them to resign their places. And let that Gentleman be asked whether the Doctor did not shew great industry in the management of that Affair.

As to his endeavours to hinder the Church-Wardens from presenting Dissenters; all they said is so false, that he appeals to Sir Richard Lloyd and Sir Thomas Exton, whether the Contrary did not fully appear in both their Courts.

Whereas, they call Cripplegate a Sanctuary for Phanaticks, I am perswaded they do not abound more there than in other great Parishes. And every body knows, that the Greatness of Parishes is a sufficient encouragement to those People to take Lodg­ings in them, especially when the Laws against them are put in Execution.

As to the Doctors giving the Sacrament to two Excommunicated persons before Pub­lication, which was the only true Article of many that were exhibited against him, and which he did not put them upon proving; these men might be abundantly satisfied the last Wednesday in the Arches, that the Doctor had all the reason in the world to be­leive, that he did Well in doing this; And that he never used more prudence & caution in any thing that he ever did.

They mind the Doctor of suppressing an order, appointed to be published for the Presenting of all persons that came not to the Sacrament. This was near three years since, and the Doctor did but his Duty therein, for, as the Instrument had no seal, so he satisfied his superiours, the night before, that it was not fit to be read, because it would sound strangely in the Church, to hear the Church-Wardens publiquely required to do a thing impossible, it enjoyning them to Present all that came not that Easter to the Sacrament; For if these men say true, the Communicants in the Parish are no fewer than 30000.

In the Conclusion, The Doctor hath a Scoff given him upon the account of two Vin­dications: The First they twit him with, is his Book against Bunian. But doth it really Offend these great Church-Men, that the Doctor should Write against such a great Phanatique, and confute his mad Principles? But that is the business of that Book, called, Dirt wiped-off; which, by the way, would have been a very good Ti­tle for this Reply. The Other was his Vindication of the Demolishing the Picture of the Blessed Trinity, which the Doctor declar'd to have been done by the Autho­rity of an Act of Chapter. But whereas they intimate, that He could bear that in the Seal, which he accounted Idolatry in the Glass. The Doctor Answers, that Seals are never made the Objects of Worship; and likewise, that it is very hard to discern what it is in the Seal. But especially, that the changing of the Seal, lies not in the power of the Dean and Chapter.

I am now to speak for my self, whom they are pleas'd to salute by the Name of a Grand Informer, and a Tale-bearer between the Doctor and his Parishioners; and then to tell me, that there is not a Curat in England that studies less, or usurps more upon his Neigh­bours. I am sorry they are so uncharitably censorious, as to think that I have so lit­tle regard to the peace of my own Mind, or that they should think me so impolitick as to be a Tale-bearer, or the Doctor so unworthy as to endure it. I have been so far from exasperating him against the Parishioners, or them against him, that I chal­lenge all Men to produce any one Instance of it. These very Men know that I have with all meekness and calmness, endeavoured to make them sensible of their Mistakes concerning him, as well as of their ill Dealings with him. And the Doctor knows what I have done towards a mutual good Understanding.

That which they say of my studying so little, is very disingenuous, considering the Concerns of the Parish to be so great, that I cannot promise to my self the free­dom of one Hour in a day, from the necessary performance of my Ministerial Offices abroad. If they could have charged me of frequenting ill Houses, or keeping ill Com­pany, I know they would not have spared the divulging of it.

I know not what they mean by my usurping upon my Neighbours. I challenge them, and all Men, to produce one Instance of my doing any Man a wilful Injury, or deny­ing the worst Enemy I have any reasonable Courtesy. It hath been a great satis­tisfaction to me, when any of my Enemies have recommended poor People to me, that, by my relieving of them, it might appear I had no Piques against any Man, but that whatever I said which might offend them, proceeded from the discharge of a good Conscience.

That which follows next, relates to my Sermons upon Restitution, and the occasion of them; in which they cast a very false Aspersion upon me.

The true Account of that Business is as followeth.

About nine Years since, I was desir'd to visit a poor Man who was dying of a Con­sumption. He desir'd my Prayers, and that I would give him the Sacrament. Upon examination of his past Actions, he acknowledged that he had exceedingly wronged a great many Trades-men, but had nothing to restore, having very little besides the Bed he lay on. I desir'd him to send to the injur'd Persons his Confession, and beg their Forgiveness. To which he replied, that if he should tell them what he had done, they would tear him out of his Death-bed. I proffer'd to secure him from his Fears, promising, That if he were arrested, I would take care of Bail for him, for I knew that Death would bring the first Execution. I was very desirous to visit those whom he had wronged, and to treat with them on his behalf; but he would not dis­cover them. I was so tender of him, because of his desire to receive the Sacrament, that I consulted with two of the most eminent Divines in the City; who were of opinion that I ought not to give it him; and soon after he died without receiving it:

Upon this, I consess, it was that I preached upon Restitution: but whereas they say that I was offended at the poor Man, I do not know that ever I saw him before that time; nor do I remember that he gave me the least occasion of offence, nor was it possible for me to take any from a Man in that condition. And whereas they say, that I denounc'd Damnation against Ʋsury, Extortion, and Oppression, the World shall shortly judg of it; for I have a Treatise of Restitution now in the Press, which con­tains all that I said in the Pulpit, (as any Man may judg, by comparing the Book with my Notes) with a very large Addition to it; and I pray God it may do as much good as the Sermons did.

I know no reason they have to compare me to Muggleton, or to tell me of damning People from the Pulpit. The Subjects of Charity, the Sacraments, and Instructions of Youth, are those which I have chiefly insisted upon; and I am sure they cannot say, that I choose Texts on purpose to preach Damnation, for they know my usual way is, to proceed in a Chapter from Verse to Verse; and they cannot accuse me of fixing upon any that might lead me into such Discourses. If any serious religious Person shall tell me wherein I am to blame in my Sermons, I will thank them, and amend; but in the mean while, the frequent Thanks which I have had from dying persons for my Sermons, (how broad and coarse soever they are) are such an en­couragement to me, that a thousand Revilers shall never trouble me.

But now comes my great Charge: By my Slanders and Calumnies (they say) I have diverted the Charity of divers good Benefactors, and gotten the Mony into my own hand, of which I give no account.

In the first place; I would know to whom it is that I must give the Account? And when they have told me that, I will produce it, and shew how I have dispos'd of all that ever came into my hands, for I have the Persons Names and Places of abode. If Au­thority commands it, or any Benefactor desires it, I am ready to give them satisfaction. But I suppose these Men know that there was a most vexatious Contest (carried on at the Charge of the Poor) before I came to the Parish; which discouraged Bene­factors (as well it might) from giving Mony into the Officers Hands. And yet my disposing of that which was committed to my Care and Conscience, hath been the occasion of such Fewds and Malice, as I hope the World cannot parallel. They need not be so much offended at me now, for the great Benefactors are dead, by whose Charity, I am sure, I have kept some hundreds from perishing, and I have com­paratively, but very little to dispose of.

Whereas they charge me of Calumnies: All that they can truly alledge is, That I did severely reprove those who imbezell'd the Poors Mony in Drinking-meetings; and that mispent some hundreds of Pounds of Donation-mony, given by deceased Benefactors: The truth of which I am yet able to testify, and do wish that it may be referr'd to the Commissioners for Charitable Uses, whether I have been blame­worthy.

They charge me of encreasing the number of the Poor, by bringing them out of other Parishes into theirs. To which I Answer, That when they can bring the Of­ficers of other Parishes to tell me, that their Poor are decreased by my means, I will give credit to them. If these Men knew what belong'd to ingenuity, they would have acknowledged, that as I have received several Sums into my own hands, so I have procured some hundreds of Pounds (by publick Collections) to be paid into the hands of the Officers, more than they received before I came into the Parish.

My next Accusation is, my Project of a Nursery for poor Children.

'Tis very true, that I had such a Project, and there was a greater number that I took care of than they mention. And had it not been for the peevish and envious Dispositions of some People, it had been one of the greatest Advantages to the Parish that ever they received.

I proffer'd to make it appear, that I took off Eighty Pounds Charge from the Pa­rish in one Year; and considering how many Persons of Quality, and others, have sent to me since to take off Children; I am sure there had been but very few, ex­cept those that are very little Ones, but had been well disposed of. Those Children who were fit to work, were employed, because I knew that it was in vain to put them to School, who must be taken from it, and put to Trades, before they could know their Letters; but the Younger were kept to Learning, and some of them made good proficiency. Whatsoever Mony I took for them, I laid out in Clothes and Provisions, and never trusted their Nurses, lest they should want. 'Tis true, that I took the Parish Pay, because I knew that Benefactors did not give me Mony to dis­charge their Rates. Whoever took notice of them as they went to Church, knew they were Clothed by my Care, but not at my Charge; and I would fain know whether the Children should not go to Church because of that notice? It seems I am obliged to them, for not accusing me of appointing the Nurse to hang a Clog upon some Children that were unruly, which I thought might reclaim them without being beaten.

But there is a very wicked Suggestion at the end of that Paragraph, That some of them dying, it was not thought convenient to give the Searchers the view of them.

To which I answer; That I never concerned my self about Searchers; it was their own fault if they did not do their Duty. The two Children they mention, died (about 7 Years since) of Consumptions; and I am told, by the Nurse, that one of them was not search'd, which I knew nothing of. I think it was a Child that was little less than an Idiot, for which I had great pity; and I do not believe that it ever received the least stroke after it came to my Care. They talk of a Court of Ju­stice, and one of them saith, that there is Affidavit made before one or more Justices of the Peace, that the Child was not search'd. It may be they intend, when the Nurse and others that can testify concerning the Child's Death are dead, to try if they can fix an Accusation against me, by which they may try me for my Life. It was very well, that at the end of this Paragraph they did not think of saying, they had no Malice or Ill-will against me, as they said elsewhere concerning the Doctor. [Page 7]In short, I desire no blessing from the great God of Heaven and Earth, (whose Mi­nister I am) to my self and numerous Family, but according to my faithfulness in that which hath been committed to me for the Poor. Nor do I desire that my own dear Children, when I am dead, should ever be committed to the Care of those who will be more tender and saithful than I was to the poor Children. It was great satis­faction to me, not long since, to hear that one of my Enemies said, he believed, That I endeavoured, by my Preaching to save Mens Souls. And that another, when he took occasion to revile me, said, That he believed I was faithful in the distribution of other Mens Charity.

The next Paragraph, desires the Doctor, as he values his Credit, and theirs, not to be led (by me) into uncharitable Mistakes. I do not think the Doctor is very ambitious that his Credit and Theirs should be Companions. But it seems that his Mistakes are uncharitable by my means. How far I have been from doing ill Offices, I have alrea­dy mentioned, and I am sure, if need be, the Doctor's Death-bed will acquit me from any such Guilt. But it is an odd conceit, that they should charge him of uncharitable Mistakes: As if such a shameful Prosecution, as I believe was never heard of in any Age, their putting him to so vast a Charge, for doing what he did, by the best Advice and Direction, (which these Men acknowledge they did believe) and what many other Ministers had done by the like Advice: Their disregarding our Saviour's Command, of telling him his Fault in private, and falling upon him on a sudden and unexpectedly, was in kindness to him and his Family; and he would have taken it so, if his Curat had not led him into an uncharitable Mistake. 'Tis mighty probable!

Then it follows, Curats do not behave themselves so in other Parishes; and it is hard for Cripplegate to be the only Curat-ridden Parish in London. I can scarcely forbear a merry Answer to this. The Curat was a Rector many Years in a considerable Living, where he hath the respect of all the Parish to this day. And he was a Curat in a Pa­rish in London before he came to Cripplegate, in which he heartily concern'd himself for the Poor, and yet the Parishioners were not offended at him, unless it were for leaving them: But it seems Cripplegate is Curat-ridden. I do not think there is one of many hundreds that will join in that complaint. It is a Parish for which he hath a most sin­cere Affection, and will have till his Death, if he should remove to morrow, and ne­ver come more into it. But I must say, if one of them be ridden, it is the Curat, for I am sure he is very lean, and tires almost every day under his Burden, tho he is very far from repining at it. But these Jockeys cannot be contented, unless they ride the Curat and the Doctor too.

There is one notorious Falshood which came late into their Minds, as appears by their placing it: That I concern'd my self in the choice of Common-Council Men; which I once before denied in Print, and now do it the second time, and challenge any Man, that useth to speak Truth, to charge me of one word that ever I spake to any Man by which it might appear. This is as true, as that I sold the Keys of Pews in the Church, which never entred into my thoughts. Or, that I lost the favour of the Bishop of Glocesier; whereas he was pleased to send many miles for me to attend him upon his Death-bed, and preach his Funeral Sermon. Or, that I was parted from my Wife; which the supposed Penman of the Letter, with others, was pleas'd to publish, when there was not the least absence, nor so much as one angry word, that might be the oc­casion of that Report. And I do bless God for it, few were ever united in that Re­lation, who delight more in the Society of each other. I might mention a great ma­ny more, but that I am so us'd to be slandered by these, and a few other such Men, that my Innocency will not suffer my Memory to stand charged with them.

There is one thing I omitted in its due place, viz. That the Church-Wardens who refused the Oath, were of the Doctor's bringing in, is as great an untruth as ever they told: for the Doctor professeth, that, as to the best of his remembrance, he never held up his hand for any one Church-Warden; so he spoke to no one to give his Voice for either of these; and that he never heard of one of them, before he was nominated for the Office, nor remembers that there was one word of Objection then against him. But as for the other, whereas they say he never received the Sacrament before he was excommunicated, the Doctor declared in the Court that 'tis false, and that for about, or above a year before, he several times received it at his hands, and that he took him for as honest a Man as any in the Parish, tho he had once been a Dissenter.

Another thing worthy to be observed, is, That one of these Men, viz. Mr. N. ne­ver made it his endeavour to get the Vestry purged, till it was carried against the admitting of him; and then immediatly he bestirred himself to be revenged upon those who, he was told, were for keeping him out; so far was his pretended zeal for the Government, the Motive by which he was acted in so doing. And when he and his Companion went about to get Hands to their Petition, they never acquainted the Doctor with it. And whereas, they call the ill Men of the Vestry the Doctor's Party; as he was over impartial, and would side with no Party against the reason of his Mind, as he hath declared to them; so he stifly opposed that Party that opposed Mr. N's being a Vestry-man, (they know likewise that I was extreamly troubled at it); and this was the only ill Thing, if it were so, that the worst of them ever did in the Ve­stry in the Doctor's Time. But as for him, whom he now makes the very worst of these Men, no Man was for a long time greater with him than he was. In short, I desire it may be taken notice of, that the Doctor declared in the Court, last Wednesday, That if good proof could be made, of his shewing undue Favour to any one Dissenter, he will forfeit his Living of S. Giles Cripplegate. And further he declares, That there is no Dissenter in his great Parish, he can call to Mind, to whom he is obliged for the worth of one Farthing, except one who gave him once a Book, and a Trifle not worth refu­sing, but never desired the least kindness of him. And he believes there is no Divine in London, from whom the Dissenters of his Parish do more estrange themselves, than those of Cripplegate have ever done from him. And he is confident, that hardly two of them come at him in a Twelve-month, upon any other Account, than the Business of Conformity.

I will conclude with a few words of Seasonable Advice.

• 1. Let no Man charge the ill-dealings of these Men with the Doctor, upon the Parish of S. Giles Cripple­gate; for I verily believe, that where he hath one Enemy, he hath a thousand Friends in it. It hath in one respect prov'd well for him, in that he hears every day, how great numbers of his People (such as cannot be accused of Disloyalty or Phanaticism) are enquiring for his happy deliverance cut of his Enemies hands, I do not think that any Minister could be more happy in the Love of his Parishionets, than he would be, if six or seven Men lived elsewhere.
• 2. Let none be discouraged from Conformity to the Orders of the Church. I hope such vexatious Persons being in her Communion, will not hinder the Compliance of those that have dissented. Thanks be to God, there are a very great number of very pious Church-of- England Communicants in the Parish of Cripplegate, whose Communion may be very delightful to all good Christians.
• 3. Let every one consider the unhappy Consequence of Miscarriages in Parish-Affairs. Few Ministers ever came to the Service of a Parish more desired than I was. Few Ministers have been more serviceable to any Parish, than I have been to this; and I am sure, no Minister could ever come with greater desire to do Good. But the vexatious Contests, which were carried on at the Charge of the Poor, and continued after my coming: The misimploying the Poors Mony, by which many Donations of deceased Benefactors (of which I do not charge these Men) are utterly lost, were Things which I could not forbear shewing my ab­horrence of: And That hath occasion'd such an hatred against me, as hath put some few Men, for the space of ten Years, upon all endeavours of being injurious to me; and now to the Doctor for my sake. But I can ea­sily look at the Providence of God, and acknowledg that these things are good for me. For my Labour (though every one knows it to be great) is so pleasant to me; the Opportunities of doing good so de­lightful; and the great Respect of the Doctor on the one hand, and of an Attentive and Pious Congrega­tion on the other, so encouraging, that my Cup would be too sweet, if God did not permit my causeless Enemies a little to embitter it. How long these things will continue, I cannot tell, nor what Enemies there are that design the next Mischief. However, I am resolved to publish no more such Vindications, and that in Obedience to my Superiors, who think what is published, more than was necessary, for the clearing of their Reputations, whose Behaviour and Conversations are too well known for their good Names, to be made considerable Sufferers by these Men; who have made themselves to be taken notice of by nothing so much, as by their great Enmity and Ill-will to them.

They have of late had too much leisure from their honest Callings; and it is to be hoped, that there will shortly be that increase of Trade, which will find them other Business, than to be vexatious and re­proachful to their Ministers, who would be glad to hear of the change of their Natures, and that they take more care of the Salvation of their Souls. I can, and do call God to witness, that I ever had a sin­cere kindness for these Men; and that from a true respect to them, it hath grieved me to see these Miscar­riages: But I will never be afraid, in my Sermons, to shew the Evil of any Sin which I see prevailing, tho it should offend all the Friends I have in the World. It would be an unspeakable satisfaction to me, if they; and some others, would consider what causeless Enemies they have been to the Doctor, and do that which may tend to a hearty Reconciliation, which they know he hath exceedingly endeavoured.