"Prieft, with their Face towards the "Earth, and to lick up the Duft of his "Feet: That it is the Royal Office of

Kings and Queens, to carry the Priest "in their Bofom, or on their Shoulders: "That Great Men ought not to fay, My "Chaplain, in any other Senfe than we "fay, MY KING, or MY GOD."

As to the King's Nomination of Bifhops, and the Power that he has over the Convocation, they have maintained, that "The Church fhould as reasonably have "the Nomination and depofing of Kings; "and that it is as reasonable, that the "Parliament' fhould neither meet or act "without the Bishop's Licence and Au"thority: That the Chief Magiftrate is bound to fubmit to the Bishop, who

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may excommunicate him: That it is "a Contradiction, and an Impoffibility, "for any State to have Authority over "the Church, that is, over the Priefts: "That the Priefts Power extends to the

fettling of Fafting, and Feafting, and "Cloaths: That thofe Clergy, who com

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ply with the Government, and yet re"tain their old Principles, are the beft "Part, and most numerous of the Clergy" that is, that thofe of the Clergy, who are perjured, are the best and most numerous. They have decreed, that to maintain the Sovereignty of England is in

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the

the Three Estates of England, namely, in King, Lords, and Commons, is a damnable Principle. They have afferted, that the Lords and Commons have no more Share in the making of Laws, than a Beggar bas in one's Alms: That all Subjects are Slaves, as to Life and Property: "And that Re"fiftance is not lawful for the Mainte.. nance of the Liberties of ourselves or "others; nor for the Defence of Religion; nor for the Prefervation of Church "and State; nor for the Salvation of a "Soul, no, nor for the Redemption of "the whole World."

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THERE is a choice Catalogue of these extravagant Doctrines, collected in a Pamphlet published fome Years fince, and intituled, A new Catechifm, with Dr. Hickes's Thirty-nine Articles; and all of them taken out of the Writings of Men in the higheft Reputation among you. Yes, Gentlemen, all thefe impious, mad, and selfish Doctrines have been maintained by thofe of your Order, and never yet contradicted by any public Act of your Body. On the contrary, with your ufual Charity and Good-nature, you have fallen upon those who expofed them, tho' they were evidently the very Corner-ftones of Popery, and a fat Contradiction to the whole Spirit and Progrefs of the Reformation.

THERE

THERE is no Medium between Popery and the Reformation; that is, between the claiming of any Power in Religion, and the renouncing of all Power in Religion. (as you will find fully made out in the following Sheets). The latter is the Characteristic of a Proteftant Minifter, and the former the black Mark of a Popish Prieft. You have it in your Choice, Gentlemen, which you will chufe to refemble.

IF you do not think fit to accept the Bishop of Bangor's Proteftant Scheme, which is the fame with that of the Reformation, and has been ever fince the Law of the Land, there is but one Choice left you, namely, that of working about a Popifh. Revolution, per fas & nefas; of bringing undifguifed Popery and the Inquifition into the Church; direct Slavery upon your Country; and upon your own Order, the Neceffity of throwing yourselves blindly upon the Mercy of the Court of Rome, for her Protection, and Licence to preserve your Dignities and Revenues.

You have no Poffibility of keeping. clear of the Pope and the Regale both. The King will not part with his Preroga tive; the Parliament will not give up its Authority; nor will the People intirely part with their Senfes. And for the Bifhop of Rome, you would do well to remember

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member what tender Ufage your Predeceffors received at his Hands. He indeed always difcountenanced and oppreffed them. The lazy Monks, and debauched Friers, were his Darlings, and peculiar Care. They were thoroughly detached from the Interests of the Laity, thorough Dependents upon the Holy Father: They were therefore diftinguished as his Spiritual Janizaries, and the Guards of the Papacy; and to them he gave away the Revenues and Maintenance of the Secular Clergy, not fo much trusted by him.

IF you remember this you will eafily judge how much more it is your Interest to fubmit to the easy and gentle Authority of the Prince, to live under the Protection of the Laws, of your Country, by which your Income, and all your Immunities, are afcertained and fecured, than to live expofed to the Diftrufts of a foreign cruel Court, to the Rapine of foreign and needy Priests, who will be perpetually quartered upon you, perpetually drawing Money from you: Nay, probably it will grow a Maxim in the Roman Politics, that you must be kept poor.

BUT befides, however good the Intentions may be of fuch Men amongst yourselves, or of those whom you reprefent, to become the Subjects, or as you

may

may vainly imagine, the Confederates of Rome; they will, in all Likelihood, find it utterly impoffible to execute their Defigns; and muft, in all Appearance, venture their prefent Poffeffions upon the Succefs of fuch Defigns. And if they fhould happen to fucceed, they may have the Glory indeed of the Wickedness; but the Rewards will be, for the most part, reaped by new Comers, who had no Share in the Toil. Foreign Ecclefiaftics will be the first in Favour, and the highest in Place: They will carry off your Honours, and your Preferments: The Sincerity of your Converfion will be queftioned, or pretended to be queftioned: There will quickly grow a Diftinction between Old Papifts and New Converts; as in Spain and Portugal, where a wide Difference is made between old Chriftians and new; which Difference holds for many Generations; and, in fhort, all Countenance will be fhewn, all Favours will be granted, to those who never bowed their Heads to Baal. Your Behaviour to the late K. James will alfo be remembred, tho' you have. forgot his to you; and you will be called Ingrates, New Hypocrites, or Old Rebels.

I AM in hopes, Reverend Sirs, that from all thefe Confiderations, the Gentlemen of thefe Notions will find Reafon to look back to their Original at the Refor A 6 mation,