HOW d'ye Friend Will? have you heard the News?

What News d' ye mean Jack? We have little cause to fear ill News, now we have Peace?

No? I'm sure I have a piece of ill News to tell you. Did not you hear that my Lord-Mayor went to Salters-Hall on Sun­day last, with the Sword carried before him?

To Salters-Hall, what to do? to a Play, or a Ball there?

Pox on ye for a numps-skull'd Fel­low, to a Play or a Ball on Sundays!

Why all this Fury, Jack? I'm sure I have read a Play that was acted at White-Hall on a Sunday in the Blessed Martyrs' time, present King, Queen, Prince, and God knows how many Stars and Garters: but indeed I don't know whether the Sword was carried thither in State or no.

Come, come, VVill; you love to play the Rogue; you know the Lord Mayor went thither on no such Account.

Why so? how sho'd I know? do ye think I am a Conjurer? What did he go thither for then? was it to hear Archbishop Laud's Book of Sports? I hear my Lord Mayor is a brisk Man, perhaps he loves Sport and Pastime, and is a good Gamester; for you know we use to say of such, that they play a Sundays.

Plague on ye, leave off your Banter, I tell you he went thither to a Conventicle.

Pish▪ what is that your ill News I was afraid that you'd have told me that he had gone to treat the Pope's Nuncio at dinner at Guildhall; or that you had had some such frightful Story to tell me, as that the Town was on fire again, and we should have been fore'd to be at the Expence of a New Monu­ment, which would have ruin'd the Orphans to all Intents and Purposes.

Well well, Friend VVill; tho the [Page 4]Town be not a fire, I am sure the Church is.

Nay then Friend Jack, my Lord Mayor did very well to carry the wooden sword away from it, for that would have added Fewel to the Flames.

Prethee leave off thy Fooling, and let's discourse the Point in good Earnest; thou always pretendest to be a true Church of England Man, and don't ye think that the Lord Mayor's going to a Conventicle with the Sword is an Injury to the Church of England?

Why truly Jack, whether thou believest it or not, I am as much for the Church of England as any Man alive, and for my part I think that my Lord Mayor's going to Meetings with the Sword is a ve­ry noble Act: for it seems to me, that by carrying the Sword thither, he designs to make a Conquest of 'em for the Church of England.

Well, I see you love to banter: but you know that by going thither with the Sword he makes a Surrender of the Church of England's Authority to a pitiful little Con­venticle.

Why prethee man, if the Sword be all, no matter if it had been burnt a dozen Years ago: Thou knowest very well, that in the late Blessed Reigns it was the pecu­liar [Page 5]Doctrine of the Pulpits, that the Church had no other Weapons but Prayers and Tears and why dost make all this pother about a wooden Sword? Sure thou art not afraid it will produce as strange Effects as the old rusty Sword in VVestminster-Abbey, with which they say the Norman Duke cor quer'd England.

Thou talk'st like a mad man; it's not the very individual Sword that I mean, but it's the Badg and Ensign of Authority that is carried away from the Church to a nasty lowzy Conventicle: a Pox on 'em, damn 'em, I hope to see 'em fast in the Pin­fold yet once more before I die; and then we'll make 'em pay for their Insolence, and Contempt of the Church.

Prethee don't rage so: thou hast been so out of Humour ever since Lewis XIV was necessitated to resign his new Conquests. and abjure King James, thou art fitter for Bedlam than any Place else. Come, I tell thee, that my Lord Mayor's carrying the Sword thirher, neither adds to the Authori­ty of the Meetings, nor derogates from the Authority of the Church of England, but rather enlarges her Pale. But after all the doe and stir you make about the Church, I beleive I may say to you as the little Boy said to his Mother. Mother, what need you talk so [Page 6]much of the Church? you don't go so often to it

That's nothing to you Will: do you make out your Assertion, and the I'll say something to thee.

Have but Patience, and I will. Thou knowest that the Diss [...]nters [...]re allowed their Meetings by Act of Parliament which I hope is another kind of Authority than my Lord Mayor's Sword; and most honest Men think it but reasonable they should have that Liberty, notwithstanding the threatning Words of the D—n of C. that if King Will­iam did not take away the damn'd Act of To­leration they'd send him back again to the Bogs of Holland.

Prethee let your Stories alone, and come to the matter. I own that an Act of Parliament is a better Authority than my Lord Mayor's Sword.

Why then it's certain that my Lord Mayor could not go thither with nor with­out his Sword, if the Dissenters did not qua­lify themselves according to the Terms of the Act.

No, he could not.

Is it plain then, that if my Lord May­or's [Page 7]Sword sign fy any thing, it comes to de­fend the Doctrine of the Church of England at the Meeting as well as in the Church: And is not his Presence there with the Ensign of Authority an Evidence that the Doctrine of our Church is preach'd there? whereas in former times the Meetings were look'd upon to be quite another thing than the Church of England. So that I think it is plain to any Man's Understanding, that his being there is only a Declaration that the pale of the Church is enlarg'd, and that we now own them for Brethren, that by the heat of some ill Men were formerly accounted our Ene­mies!

Nay but you Mistake the Matter. The Mettings have only a Liberty, but ours is the Church establish'd by Law; their Meetings must not be accounted the Church, because they have neither B [...]shops, nor Cere­monies, nor Benefices.

Prethee Jack don't talk such Non­sense. The Meettings are as much establish'd by Law as the Church of England, if an Act of Parliament be a Law: and you know that it's only the Acts of Parliament that defend you in the practice of those things wherein you differ from them. And our wise Law­givers finding the mischievous Consequence of having one Party of Protestants impow­er'd [Page 8]to destroy another that differed from them only in Circumstantials, as if they had been Hereticks, Schismaticks, and God knows what, thought fit to take those Edg­tools out of the hands of a set of Men that know not how to use them; but to the wrong of their Neighbours, and to throw the Na­tion into Convulsions; and have granted Li­berty to our Brethern to worship God in the very same Ordinances that we do, tho they don't observe all those Modes and Forms which by our selves are accounted in different.

How do you mean ind [...]fferent? Is it a thing indifferent to observe the Direc­tions and Commands of the Church? that's fine Work indeed!

By Indifferent I mean a thing that may be done or left undone, and so the Law means otherwise it would never have left me at my Liberty to go to a Meeting where there are no Ceremonies, or to a Church where there are Ceremonies.

I am sure the Church is Apostolical, and enjoin'd those things upon her Members on pain of Excommunication, both as to Be­lief and Practices, if we may believe her Canons.

Thou art in a grand Mistake. Jack. I grant you there was once such a Set of men as arrogated to themselves the Name of the [Page 9]Church, that did so; but you know that the greatest Divines of the Church of England did always account those things indifferent even in Queen Elizabeth's time: Read but the Lord Bishop of Salisbury's Letters, and you will there find plain Proofs of it, un­der the Hands of our greatest Bishops to the Divines in Switzerland: and for what hath been done since, you know that it was a Court, and a Popish Faction that enjoin'd those things on such and such Penalties, mere­ly to widen the Differences amongst Prote­stants, that they might swallow up both our Religion and Liberties; but the Church of England hath altered her Mind since.

How! the Church of England al­ter'd her mind; What? d'ye make her akin to Mahomet? as if her Religion depended up­on the Moon, and were as changeable as she.

Prethee not so fast Jack, I know what I say; the Church of England hath al­ter'd her mind oftner than once; and no Dis­grace to her neither. Protestants hold no Church nor Council Infallible; we have in­deed an infallible Rule, the Scriptures, but so long as we are clogg'd with Humani­ty, we are either like to come short of it, or shoot beyond it; and in both these Cases, must alter our mind, or set our selves in op­position to the Almighty.

This is Fanatical Cant. When did the Church of England alter her Mind?

Nay Jack, if you be so forgetful, I'll tell you: The Church of England in Queen Elizabeth's time prayed her to cut off Mary Queen of the Scots, the Heir apparent or presumptive at least, to the Crown, and a Crown'd Head too, because she was at the Head of a Popish Plot. In Charles the Se­cond's Time the Church of England damn'd all them that were but for excluding the Duke of York upon the like Account. In Queen Elizabeth's time the Church of Eng­land made an Act of Parliament, that the King and Parliament might limit and alter the Succession; it is the 13th of Eliz. as I take it: In Charles the First and Second's time, they accounted it damnable doctrine to recede in the least from the Hereditary Line-Succession. In Charles the First and Second's time she held it damnable not to believe the Doctrines of Passive Obedience and Non-Re­sistance, and all her Clergy were sworn to it in her Sense: but in the End of James the Second's Reign, when he came to touch their own Copy-hold, then the Church bellow'd so loud, that she was heard as far as the Hague, she put on a blue Cloak and Jack­boots, and fought against her Soveraign with Jack and Spear, and after all settled King Villiam, our present glorious Monarch, on [Page 11]the Throne, contrary to all her former avow'd Principles. So that you must either own that the Church of England hath alter'd her Mind, or declare your self a rank Jacobite, and disown any Church but their Faction: and to tell you the truth, it's that wretched Cabal that blows all these Sparks of Contenti­on among the hot-headed Party of our Church and I know you keep Company with them.

Thou hast said a great deal to convince me; but pray le [...] me see how the Church of England hath alter'd her Mind as to that Point of the Dissenters.

Why they alter'd it in giving them their Liberty by a Law, whereas they formerly persecuted them.

How strangely do you talk? It was the Parliament that gave them the Li­berty, and not the Church; if she had done it, it must have been by Convocation.

Nay Jack, you talk strangely, and not I. Is not all the People of England re­presented by the Parliament?

Who doubts that? Will. Is not the Church then represented in Parliament.

That's another thing: The Church is the Bishops and their Clergy.

Grant it be so: The Bishops you know do actually sit in Parliament in the House of Lords; so that you must own the [Page 12]Church is well enough represented there where all her Fathers meet; and you like­wise know that the Clergy as Freeholders have their Votes in chusing Members of the House of Commons, so that there the Cler­gy is sufficiently represented, nay better and more universally than in any Convoca­tion. Then you know the Laity of the Church is truly represented in Parliament, whereas they have no Room in the Convo­cation, which is only the Officers of the Church, and can no more be call'd the Church it self, then Officers without Soul­diers can be call'd an Army. So that when you inveigh against the Liberty given to our Dissenting Brethren, you inveigh against the Church of England her self, who by her Bishops and other Representatives in Parlia­ment have granted them that Liberty: And though they have reserv'd the Sacramental Test as a Quit-rent, to make all those who come into any Place of Power and Trust, acknowledge their being Members of that Body of Protestants who are known by the Name of the Church, yet they have not restrain'd any of those members from frequenting other Meetings where the Do­ctrine of the Church is preach'd either with or without the Ensigns and Badges of their Office. So that those Gentlemen who by [Page 13]their Order would go to restrain an Act of Parliament, might do well to consider how they will be able to justifie themselves if the Parliament should call them in question for it; which they are more like to do than to turn his Lordship out for acting conformably to the Law, and the Practice of other Corporations, to whom London ought rather to set a Pattern for asserting the Li­berties of the Subject, then to follow them.

Nay now thou speakest big, VVill. ill. I have reason for what I say. Its the Parliament that hath settled the Limits of our Church, and given her all the Autho­rity he has, otherwise 'tis a mere Bull to call her the Church by Law establish'd; and that same Authority may enlarge her Bounds and Pale when they please: and therefore to be so angry at the Parliament for taking in all those that embrace the Doctrine of the Church under the Protecti­on of the Law, though it has not admitted 'em to Partake of the Benefices, is a horrid piece of Ingratitude to that August Assem­bly, who have all along defended the Church of England in the Possession of what she enjoys: more then her Brethren the Dissenters; and by this Liberty the Parliament have added to her Strength, by giving those a Legal Authority to defend [Page 14]her Doctrine without Wages, which for many of those that profess themselves to be her Sons, have either slily undermined, or but faintly asserted, notwithstanding their Benefices. And you know, Jack, that the Dissenters have been as stanch Patriots of their Country, and Defenders of our Reli­gion and Liberties, as any Men in the Na­tion: and therefore it's the Interest of all Men that wish well to either of 'em, to pro­mote a hearty Union amongst. Protestants of all Denominations whatsoever. So that for my own part I can see no harm in my Lord Mayor's carrying the Sword to a Meet­ing as well as to a Church; it has heard Pas­sive Obedience preach'd long enough, and it will do it no hart to be taught the Do­ctrine of Self-defence in its turn: for if the latter Doctrine had not been more servicea­ble to us then the former, we had neither had a Protestant Church nor Meeting-House to have carried the Sword to long e're this.

Well, but for all that you can't but say it's an ill thing to carry the Sword thither.

Prithee in what Sense is it ill? For my part I think the Sword ought to be carried thither rather then any where else; because to give the Dissenters their due, they always held that it was lawful to make use [Page 15]of the Sword in defence of their Religion and Liberties; as well against Tyrants at home, as from Invaders abroad; whereas many of our Church-men would allow of no other Weapons against a Tyrant at home but Prayers and Tears: but to say the Truth, and no more, that was only while the Tyrant impowered them to Tyrannize over the Bodies, Consciences and Estates of their Fellow-Christians and Subjects; for when he came to touch themselves, nay but one one of their Fingers, as a famous Au­thor has it, they made use of Guns and Spears, instead of Prayers and Tears, a­gainst him; and let him understand, as the same Author says, that they had given him only a Spiritual Kingdom, and not a King­dom of this VVorld: for if his Kingdom had been of this World, then would his Ser­vants have fought for him.

Ay but a pox on't, though we al­low our selves to do so, yet we would not have the Dissenters use the Sword; ours is the Apostolical Church, and they are but Schismaticks.

That's easier said then prov'd; they hold the Doctrine of our Church, and live up to it as well, if not better then many of our selves: so that we must not call Men Schismaticks for differing from us in those [Page 16]things which we our selves account Indiffe­rent. And as for the Sword, though some Centlemen have thought fit to endeavour the preventing its being carried to Meetings by an Order, I cannot think that the Act of Parliament did ever intend to make better Provision for our Swords than for our Souls or for the Ensigns of Magistracy then for Ma­gistrates themselves. So that for any Party of Men to take upon them to bind up any Person, especially a Magistrate of so great Power and Trust as the Lord May or of Lon­don, where the Law has left him at Liber­ty, seems to me to be a manifest Incro [...]ch­ment upon the Legislative Power: and I wish wi [...]h all my Heart there may not be mo [...]e of Envy and particular Pique (in such especially that are angry to see the Lord Mayor have more Courage then some of his Predecessors) than of Zeal for the Church of England, at the bottom of this Oppositi­on. So farewell Jack till next Meeting.

I have not had such a rude Mercu­rial this good while; I'll go to Sam's and get a Glass of Cordial Water, and then to the Commons, and recruit my self over a Bottle, and muster up more Forces against next meeting. Farewel.