Page images
PDF
EPUB

THE

“HE Subject of Tythes is the Great DIANA of the Quakers. They have Bent their Whole Force against Tythe, as the likelieft Means to overthrow the Church. And herein they have Many Abettors. Upon whose Account, I Refolv'd to Confider of Tythe, in a Difcourfe by it felf.

My Controverfie with the Qua kers has led me into Subjects of Different Natures, and Engag'd me among other Parties. As when they began to be Convinced concerning the Neceffity and Bene fit of the Sacraments of Baptifm and The Lord's Supper: But ftuck upon the Adminiftrator to whom they should go for it: To fatisfie them in this, forc'd me Directly upon the Caufe of A * Epif

[ocr errors]

Epifcopacy; This concerned other Diffenters. And received a very Angry Answer from one who Stiles himself a Presbyterian. Wherein I cou'd find Nothing to Reply to but Paffion and Perfonal Reflections, therefor I let it Sleep.

The like Fate I may meet with in this, That it will be Oppos'd by others than the Quakers. And indeed it is for the fake of others more than the Quakers that I write it. Of others who fhou'd have more understanding, as not being Carry'd away with that Blind Enthusiasm which Poffeffes the Quakers. But yet who fuffer themfelves to Swim down the Stream of a Popular Sacrilege.

Ther is nothing needful to thefe Men but to Rouse a little, to open their Eyes, and Confider. And not to follow a Multitude to do Evil.

I

I have not in the following Sheets quoted any of the Quaker-Books, or Repeated their poor Arguments, which they only Pickt up and down the Highway, the Common Objections that were then Running about, and you will meet with every where; they are all Answer'd, tho not Nam'd in what follows.

But it is very obfervable, to what an Excess of Fury and Madness against all the Institutions of God that Spirit of Delufion which Poffefs'd the Quakers did Hurry them. Even to Account this Part of the Worship of God, the Offering of His Tythe, to be a Renouncing of CHRIST, a Denial of his having come in the Flesh, and a Mark of Antichrift. As you may fee in The Snake in the Grass Se&. XIX.

And

[ocr errors]

And there fufficiently Answer'd. Together with their other Defigns they had in their Oppofition to Tythes, on Purpose to Ruin and Destroy the Clergy.

Therefor leaving these Men, I turn to More Confiderable Adverfaries. And firft I Name Milton, only for his Name, left the Party fhould fay, That I had not Confider'd his Performance

against Tythes.

Which has

More Wit, but little more Argument than the Quakers.

His Fancy was too Predomi nant for his Judgment. His Talent lay fo much in Satyr that he hated Reasoning. Or rather, he got not leave to make use of it, while he wrote for Hire against his own Opinion. Which Appears by what he wrote Unbrib'd (which Mr. Toland has not Re

printed)

printed) contrary to what he afterwards had a Penfion to fet up. He facrific'd a Noble Genius to the Vices of the Age. He has thrown away some of his Railery against Tythes, and the Church then underfoot. Which Tickl'd little Toland to that Degree, That tho he has Reprinted that Precious Piece against Tythe call'd Confiderations touching the likelieft Means to Remove HIRELINGS,

c. among the Rest of Milton's SHAME, yet he has thruft Platches of it into that Life he wrote of Milton, the moft Confiderable (we must suppose) that he cou'd find, to be Worth this Repetition, as A Pulpit Divine, a LOLLARD indeed over his ELBOW-CUSHION. And his Sheep fit--- as the Sheep in their PEW'S at SMITHFIELD, And fuch

« PreviousContinue »