1 such proceedings of their governors which do not suit their particular humours, what must become of the credit and reputation of any government, which is so necessary to pre to have endeavoured a confutation of them; There was another piece of evidence produced to your lordships, some proclamations against immorality and profaneness: if there is any thing to be inferred from them in the Doctor's favour, I must own I cannot conceive it. Because the queen commands the magistrates to put the laws in execution, therefore every private divine may arraign his superiors, for a supposed neglect of their duty, as often as he thinks fit; I say, I do not understand this inference, but I can easily apprehend the consequences to all governments that will suffer such presumptions. The Doctor himself was pleased to say, that one of the dangers of the Church mentioned by him was forgot by the managers, that was from Papists and their emissaries: I will do him the justice to remember, that he has bestowed six lines on this danger, but 26 large pages on the danger from those in Church and State. Then it was said, that the Doctor prays for the queen, has taken the oaths to the queen, and therefore he could have no intention to reflect on her majesty, or any part of her administration, either in Church or State. And the Doctor in his own Speech was pleased to acknowledge her majesty to be a nursing mother to the Church: but I could not observe one syllable to the reverend fathers of the Church, of his opinion of their care of it: I could hear him admonish that venerable bench of the guilt of departing from the Church, and abandoning the principles of the Church, if they should punish him, a true son of the Church, for preaching the same doctrine with theirs; as if there was no manner of difference whatever. It seems, my lords, very strange, that after a charge of this nature of reflection upon his ecclesiastical superiors, that, after having studied so much submission, he should not prevail with bimself for so much as a compliment on this occasion. Such behaviour seems to need no explanation. I should be very unwilling to recollect any of the Doctor's charitable opinions of his own brethren, who, as he is pleased to say, can sacrifice their solemn declarations and oaths to complaisance and preferments. I would be so charitable as to believe well, and think favourably of all men ; but when the contrary does so manifestly appear, it would be injustice to the rest of mankind not to judge accordingly. It would be a remissness and negligence of duty, justly blamable, if we were to shut our eyes, and resolve not to see what so evidently threatens the peace and quiet of the kingdom. If men must be allowed to vent their displeasure at Your lordships have heard a great many objections against innuendoes, that they are dangerous things, and never encouraged; and that your lordships have been pleased to shew your dislike of them. I shall not scruple to own, that to lay a meaning to a man when his words will not bear it, to make any invidious construction when it will admit of a favourable one, I can neither approve or desire. But be cause the extreme or ill use of any thing is not to be allowed, that therefore you must never apply it at all, is such logic and law as I have not been used to. My lords, in the case de Libellis famosis, cited by the Doctor's counsel, your lordships will find, that if only plain, positive assertions are libels, there will be no fence against the envy and malice of wicked spirits: and if the law has guarded every private man's reputation, so as not to be blasted by oblique turns and scandalous insinuations, it would be very hard if those in authority should be exposed to the virulence of every discontented humourist. Malice will never want a pretence, or means to convey scandal and reproach by sly parallels and allusions, which may do equal mischief with positive assertions: but I must observe to your lordships, that there are not only oblique insinuations, but positive assertions. Not only those passages which I have produced, which are express, but the whole scope and tenor of his Sermon, relates to the peril of the Church from persons in Church or State, and not those evasive shifts of vice and infidelity, books and pamphlets. If the Doctor had only rebuked immorality, blasphemy, profaneness and irreligion, he might still have attended his flock, and they not have been brought to attend him ;* nor would he have been thought to arraign the resolution of the parliament. But for him to take upon him to censure and expose his superiors, and to insinuate into the minds of the people the danger of the Church from those persons who have the protection of it, is no likely method to suppress immorality and profaneness, and is directly contrary to the words and intent of the resolution of your lordships and the Commons. To what end the Doctor has thought fit thus to disperse his Sermons may be easily imagined; and your lordships cannot be unacquainted with the history of a neighbour nation, what temporal ends were to be accomplished by a loud out-cry of danger to the Church, the Church, Religion and the Church. Whether that will not bear a parallel with the groundless clamours which have occasioned many of *"His parishioners, part of the mob that attended him to and from his Trial." Former Edition. ་ our present unhappy divisions, I submit to your lordships, It remains, my lords, that I answer one of the learned counsel, what the nature of this offence is: I shall only tell him in the words of your lordships and the Commons' Resolution, made public by her majesty's proclamation, "That whoever creates unreasonable distrusts, and groundless jealousies in the minds of the people; whoever distracts the kingdom by false and seditious rumours of the danger of the Church, to cover designs they dare not own; whoever goes about to insinuate that the Church is not in a safe and flourishing condition under her majesty's happy administration, is an enemy to the queen, the Church, and the kingdom." Which, in other words, is, against the law, against the temple, and against Cæsar has he offended. Nay, my lords, has not this bold offender gone yet farther? Has he not told your lordships at your own bar, That notwithstanding the Toleration the Dissenters are Schismatics, and liable to spiritual censure; that by continuing the indulgence to them, you countenance schism; and that while schism is continued, the Church must be in danger? So that resolve what you please, and make what laws you will in their favour, he must still thunder out his vehement anathemas against them, as dangerous to the Church. themselves weaken, undermine and betray, and do encourage, and put it in the power of others, who are professed enemies, to overturn and destroy the constitution and establishment.” This I thought would be plainly made out, if I could shew these two things: 1. That the Doctor has asserted, in express terms, of all False Brethren in general, that they do in themselves weaken, undermine and betray, and do encourage, and put it in the power of others, who are professed enemies, to overturn and destroy the constitution and establishment. And, 2. That he charges persons of characters and stations with False Brotherhood. Apprehending the consequence clear, that if these two things were asserted by the Doctor, the charge was just. I used likewise some farther proofs, which I shall not need repeat. Besides some little cavils as to the two pro positions, which I shall take notice of by the way; great complaint is made, often repeated, and much exaggerated, that I have brought together these two propositions, that are twelve, or nine, or at least seven pages asunder. My lords, I took notice of this trifling objection before; and what I said to it, neither the Doctor nor his counsel have attempted to answer. repeating it, I beg leave to state once more how that matter stands. The Doctor in this Sermon proposes, (1.) To describe False Brotherhood; (2) To shew the mischief; and (3,) the malignity of it. But they all seeming to lay the greatest This, my lords, is a specimen of that inde-stress upon this part, and the counsel every one pendency of the Church that of late has been so much struggled for; and which, if not confuted in time by authority, may soon devour the supremacy and the state. And since the Doctor has and does still thus presume to defy and arraign the Resolution of your lordships and the Commons, he is properly before this tribunal; and I may apply to him the saying to a goat brousing on a vine, and which was applied to one of another function upon such an occasion, who had defied the power of parliaments: Rode Caper vitem, tamen hinc cum stabis ad Aras, In tua quod fundi Cornua possit, erit. My lords, the Commons are so fully assured of your lordships' wisdom and justice, that they cannot question but your determination in this proceeding will be to their satisfaction; therefore I shall trouble you no farther, but submit to your lordships' judgment. Serj. Parker. My lords, having already, by command of the Commons, endeavoured to make good the fourth Article of this Charge; it is now my duty to support what I offered be. fore, both against the particular objections, and the general rules, proposed or insinuated by the counsel, or the prisoner. The first thing I attempted to prove by particular passages, was the second clause of this Article: "That Dr. Sacheverell suggests, that there are men of characters and stations in Church aud State who are False Brethren, and do in And this single consideration would make one expect, that these heads should relate to one another, at whatever distance he takes them up. Under the second head, page 15,* he assorts, of all False Brethren in general, that "they do in themselves weaken, undermine and betray, and do encourage, and put it in the power of others, who are professed enemies, to overturn and destroy the constitution and establishment. This is my first proposition in terms, and nothing is objected to it. Only a little attempt is made to divert the question, by mentioning some particular sorts of False Brethren, and saying he there speaks of False Brethren in some of those senses of the word. I agree it: He that speaks of all, speaks of such as are included in those senses of the word which he mentions; but likewise speaks of all others too; speaks of such as he has mentioned any where else, as well as there, such as are men of characters and stations, as well as such as are not. *Note, the pages of the Sermon are referred to as in the second edition, which was that which was proved and read in evidence. Former Edition. Under the third head, In shewing the malignity of this sin (not in itself, that he had shewn before, but) with regard to the world: He instances first, in the mischiefs arising from men of characters and stations, in the words I formerly cited. This, I thought, made out my second proposition to be the Doctor's, "That men of characters and stations are False Brethren." This is faintly denied; and it is said, he does not here suggest men of characters and stations to be False Brethren; but what is here spoke relates to their private behaviour, and not to the administration. Besides, that this is directly against the plain import of the words: to let your lordships see the candour of this Defence, let us suppose it true; and that it is the Doctor's opinion that the persons he here speaks of, be they great or mean, are not False Brethren. Then the Doctor, to be consistent with this Defence, must affirm, that he here sets forth the malignity of False Brotherhood, by shewing the malignity of another sin which is not False Brotherhood, in persons of characters and stations, who are not False Brethren. This is the wretched shift he is driven 10, taking it the best for him. That these characters and stations relate both to Church and State, all his discourse in the places cited, and every where else, shews; nor has he or his counsel made it an objection that they do not; so that it would be very much misspending your lordships' time, to go to prove, what is not denied, that by men of characters and stations, he intends men of characters and stations in Church and State. The two propositions being thus cleared, let us see if that which is laid hold of to declaim so earnestly upon, have any more weight in it, that is, the joining together these two distant propositions. The objection, rightly stated, is this: He has in one place affirmed of all False Brethren in general, "That they do in themselves weaken, undermine and betray, and put it in the power of others, who are professed enemies, to overturn and destroy the constitution and establishment." And seven pages off, has represented men of characters and stations as False Brethren. And we (very unreasonably!) have charged bim with suggesting, "That there are men of characters and stations in Church and State who are False Brethren, and do in themselves weaken, undermine and betray, and do encourage, and put it in the power of others who are professed enemies, to overturn and destroy the constitution and establishment." This is the true strength of the objection, and the very stating it exposes it. The general mischief he mentions, as common to all False Brethren, page 15, I presume will be admitted to belong to those described, page 7; why then not as well to those page 22 P Must not what is said of all False Brethren, VOL. XV. extend both to those whose crime he describes, and to those whose malignity for that crime he exposes? And, which is most to be regarded, the distance of the place, or the connexion of the scheme, and the nature of the propositions? The Doctor himself seems rather to press the objection thus, that this is inference, and joining independent propositions; which, though spoke by him in general, the unanimity of his counsel in falling upon this part of what I said, shew, it was spoke principally with a view to these two passages. Are then passages that speak of all False Brethren, and that speak of some particular False Brethren, independent? My lords, these are so far from being independent, and so ill have they chosen out what to find fault with, (that if your lordships will pardon the pedantry, considering I have a man of logic and disputation to deal with) the two propositions are the two propositions of a syllogism, concluding in the first figure. And the inference he complains of is the conclusion necessarily arising from them, according to the rules of logic. The whole syllogism runs thus: All False Brethren do in themselves weak en, undermine, and betray, and do encourage and put it in the power of others who are professed enemies, to overturn and destroy the constitution and establishment. Persons of characters and stations are False Brethren. Therefore persons of characters and stations, do, &c. The two first propositions are what I have shewn the Doctor plainly to lay down; the other only a necessary consequence. Would any one expect that the Doctor should be so forgetful of the rules of logic, as when he had laid down the premises, to deny the conclusion? Or to deny the conclusion to be his doctrine, who laid down those premises? Can it be thought, that he laid them down without an intention that his hearers should make the conclusion? Or could he think it possible they should not make it? Or, shall the suppressing a conclusion so plainly arising, which is taken notice of in some that write of logic as an elegance in discourse, pass for an excuse? Let the Doctor describe False Brethren in general as betrayers and destroyers of the Church, and the proper objects of the rage and fury of the people, and then expose as False Brethren those in the administration, persons of characters and stations, from the chief to the least, the people will quickly make the application. If any one should inflame the mob to such a degree of rage and mistaken zeal, as to forget the spirit of the Gospel, and to believe it their duty to serve God by breaking the public peace, and to support his Church, by pulling down all meeting-houses, and rifling the houses of all Dissenters; he needs afterwards only tell 2 G them, This is a meeting-house; here liveth a Dissenter, they are not so dull as to fail of making the conclusion; therefore this house is to be pulled down; therefore this man is to be plundered; and of putting it immediately in execution where they dare. Suppose such a man should, in defence of himself, say, "I did not bid them pull down this house, nor rifle that; my telling them all meeting-houses were to be pulled down, all Dissenters to be marked and plundered, was 'four months before I told them this was a meeting-house, or that man a Dissenter; and to carry back a man's words, spoke only by way of information, to what was said four months before by way of doctrine, is the greatest hardship in the world.” Would this pass for an excuse? Or would it not add to the indignation against so impertinent a trifler on so sad an occasion. My lords, the burning a meeting-house, the burning all the meeting-houses, the laying this metropolis once more in ashes by the enemies of our constitution, is nothing to the inflaming the nation, and rendering the queen and her administration odious to the people. Shall it then be an excuse for the Doctor here, when he has laid down the premises, to say, that he has not in words expressed the conclusion? Shall the meanest of the people, clearly and rightly collect, this is Dr. Sacheverell's doctrine; and shall not we in accusing, and your lordships in judging, be allowed to collect it, when we are endeavouring to preserve the queen and constitution, and all that is dear to us? Surely, my lords, we shall. Nor is the strict consequence that your lordships find in this clause, always necessary in cases of this nature: but I was willing to shew it here, that your lordships may see with what justice this was made the great topic whereupon to declaim against hardships; and to couple such inferences with innuendoes, as if both were the same. As for taking one part of one sentence, and another part of another, whoever makes a conclusion in logic ever does it; and only then does amiss in it, when in doing it he departs from the proper rule, and where the consequence is not just; which I have shewn is not the case here, and nobody has attempted to make out that it is. It is as little to the purpose what is said, that he has not restrained this to persons of the highest characters and stations; which I shewed so fully before, that it has been thought more advisable to pretend I admitted what I believe I plainly disproved, than to offer any answer to my reasons. I will only add, that it is not pretended, that there is one word in the Sermon that looks like the least hint, that only inferior officers were meant; and it is plainly shewn that others were intended: and then the Doctor's excuse amounts, at best, but to this: he has indeed spoke in reproachful terms of magistrates in general, he has pointed to those that have, and those that bestow the honours of the Church, and places and preferments in the state; he has pointed to the chief; his reasoning, when he shews the malignity of the sin from examples of persons of characters and stations, is the stronger, the greater these persons are, as the examples of the greatest are the most contagious; but yet he relies upon it, that since the general mention of persons of characters and stations takes in the meanest as well as the greatest, it is not to be doubted but the all-discerning people, especially when sufficiently fired and enraged, will restrain the words to the most innocent meaning, and apply them only to inferior officers, constables, and those in the nearest degrees to them. This is the sum of this notable excuse. Let this therefore, where, by bending their united force against it, they seemned to have the greatest hopes of making some impression, serve for the specimen chosen by themselves, of the hardships of inferences and innuendoes in this charge. The third clause, "That he chargeth her majesty, and those in authority under her, with a general mal-administration; the first, That he suggests that her majesty's administration, both in ecclesiastical and civil affairs, tends to the destruction of the constitution;" are so manifest, that after what has been said, and is unanswered, it would be but losing time to attempt to make them more plain. And their defence, and the books and pamphlets read on this head, are not to the pur pose. For sure, the shewing that there have been some paltry scribblers, few in number, many long since dead, some mad, some that have undergone the infamous punishment of the pillory, most of them prosecuted or unknown, does not prove that there are seminaries for the open profession of those blasphemies and impieties; much less, that they are suffered by the government, or that their follies can be called an open violence upon the Church, or their faults made the general character of the nation, and charged upon the queen and her administration. When a scandalous book is published, or contagious sin committed, any subject who has a real zeal to prevent the mischief spreading, may apply to the proper magistrate to suppress it; and if inferior magistrates neglect their duty, may carry the complaint, against them and it, to their superiors. But is it to be endured, in any established government, that a man pass over all the magistrates, and make an appeal to the people, not only against the offenders, but against the magistrates too? This is properly faction, this is invading the royal authority; it is in the Doctor's own words, "A rebellious appeal to the people as the dernier resort of justice and dominion;" it is erecting a popular tribunal, where not only 2 scribblers, but the queen and ber authority are to be tried. The Doctor, indeed, pretends that his zeal was only against those offenders, and such as keep not within the bounds of the Toleration Act; that his warmth of speech, was only to stir up the magistrates to put the laws strictly in execution; and he solemnly protests he intended no reflection on the queen, or her ministry; that by the dangers of the Church, he meant only those judgments, which the just anger of a provoked God might be reasonably expected to inflict on so wicked a people. I cannot pretend to repeat his very words, but I apprehend this to be his sense, and beg pardon if I mistake his meaning. My lords, I am amazed at the Doctor's solemo protestations. I will avoid hard words as much as I can; but if, when he calls God to witness in so solemn a manner, he should then speak without foundation of truth, plainly against his Sermon, and be even then using the little arts of evasion, and diverting the question, instead of that sincerity which ought to accompany so solemn an oath, I leave it to your lordships to give a name to such behaviour. Is it possible to say he intended not to reflect on the administration? 6 human society, as religion; for it destroys all common honesty, faith and credit in the world, and in the place of it, sets up an universal trade of cozenage, sharping, dissimulation and downright knavery. For what dependance can there be upon a man of no principles? What trust in equivocations, evasions and lies? Nor indeed could any one be supposed so sottish, as to place the least confidence in these men, did they not bait their hook, and cover their treachery with the sacred and plausible pretences of friendship, whereby they are capable of doing much more mischief, than a bare-facedand professed enemy. In what moving and lively colours does the holy Psalmist paint out the crafty insidiousness of such wily Volpones? Wickedness,' says he, is therein, deceit and guile go not out of their streets. For it is not an open enemy that has done me this dishonour, for then I could have borne it: neither was it mine adversary that did magnify himself against me, for then, peradventure, I would have hid myself from him. But, it 'was even thou! my companion, my guide, ' and mine own familiar friend. We took sweet 'counsel together, and walked in the House of God as friends. There is no faithfulness in their mouths, their inward parts are very wickedness; their throats are open sepulchres, and their words are smoother than oil, yet be 'they very swords.' Like Joab, they pretend to speak peaceably, and smite us mortally under the fifth rib. Give me leave to read to your lordships, two pages in bis Sermon, to which I before referred; and be pleased to observe, as I go along, how much they are applicable to unknown authors, or the dead, to Asgill, the Observator, the Review, or other writers, that he "3. Thirdly, With regard to a man's self, bas made so filthy a collection out of; or to it is hard to distinguish, whether our False Atheists, or Dissenters exceeding the limits Brethren prove themselves guilty of more exprescribed by the Toleration; or to Occasional cessive knavery, or folly. For whatever these Conformists, Dissenters too in the main, but cunning temporizing politicians may think, when the occasion of a place calls them to they will find, after all their shuffling and comChurch; and your lordships will have one in-pliance, that the plain road of truth, honesty, stance of bis sincerity in his solemn protesta tions. and integrity, is both the most prudent, as well as the safest way they can follow, and that the "2. Secondly. In regard to the world, what wisdom of this world is as much foolishness a vast scandal and offence must it give to all with men, as it is with God. For certainly persons of piety and integrity, to see men of there is no sin that so much disappoints its character and stations, thus shift and prevari- own ends as this does. Perhaps the man may cate with their principles, and starting from obtain the present advantage be has in prospect, their religion upon any occasion of difficulty or by relinquishing his old friends and principles; trial, and like the disciples, flying from and for- but is ever such a mercenary convert received saking our Saviour, when his life lay at stake? heartily into the bosom of his former enemies? To see men's opinions sit as loose about them Or, are they ever found so credulous, and goodas their garments, to be put on or off for con-natured, as to forgive, and believe such an venience? What can unwary persons conclude from such tergiversation and hypocrisy but that all religion is state-craft and imposture? That all godliness is gain; and that the doctrines of the Church lie not so much in her articles, as her honours and revenues? Without doubt, this modern latitude and infamous double dealing, as it can proceed from nothing but the rapkest Atheism, so it must propagate it wheresoever it goes; and it is not to be questened, but that the wonderful increase and impulent appearance of all sects and heresies in this kingdom at present, beyond what was ever known in former ages, is chiefly to be attributed to it. But this crime is as pernicious to apostate cordial and sincere, and fit to be trusted in any matter of weight or importance, who has betrayed his own party for the little sordid lucre of a place, or preferment: and is again ready to be retrograde, whenever the wind shall change, and veer about? Such a False Brother may serve the present turn of his adversaries, who may seem, whilst they want the tool, to flatter and caress him; but let such a turn-coat rest assured, he shall meet with hypocrisy for hypocrisy; and since he is got upon the stage, shall act his part and be hissed off when he has done. Such a wise game do our projectors play, they barter and betray their friends only to sell themselves slaves into the |