the Vindication of M. Cross But I must go on with the Catalogue of his Works The next is An ESSAY in DEFENCE of the good old Cause The most glorious Cause in the World accompanied with no less Success p. 2. of the second Alphabet And a VINDICATION of the Honourable Sir Hen. Uane whom not to honour and admire is to be an Enemy to all that is good and vertuous p. 7. second Alphabet from the false Aspersions of M. BAXTER A Philistim Shimei Rabshakeh p. 11. 2d Alph. A LETTER to an Officer of the Army concerning a select Senate which is to consist according to His Model of Independents Anabaptists Fifth Monarchy-men and Quakers excluding all PAPISTS PRELATICAL and PRESBYTERIAN Persons p. 61. A LIGHT SHINING OVT OF DARKNESS a Book against Ministry p. 1 2 3 4 c. Vniversities p. 92 93. and 139 140. School-Divinity and Knowledge of Tongues 94 95 96. Humane Learning p. 101 102. Aristotles Philosophy p. 105. Publick Churches 106. Church-yards 110. Division into Parishes and Tiths p. 112 113. Bells 138. Vniversity Habits and Degrees p. 14.2.143 Black Coats p. 147. Gowns 148. Respect of Persons Complemental Addresses and your Servant p. 163. Swearing before a Magistrate p. 165 166. Containing also an express Apology for the Quakers p. 55.56 I quote from the second Edition An ACCOVNT OF CHOCOLATA by which he wholly obligeth Manking Pref. p. last An ACCOVNT of M. GREATARICK who wrought real Miracles p. 8.10 And did things that never man did except Christ and the Apostles p. 27. These miraculous things he wrought by the Temperament and Composure of his Body p. 11. And antient Miracles and modern ones have been wrought by the efficacy of a corporal Touch p. 11. This of M. Greatarick did not indeed always succeed and there were some Diseases as well as some Devils which even the Apostles could not cast out p. 5. A CENSVRE upon certain Passages contain'd in the History of the Royal Society which he saith are impious and pernicious p. 1. contrary to the Analogy of Faith and Scripture p. 36. a Congeries of gross Vntruths tending to the Dishonour of God and the Destruction of the Protestant Religion introducing a Popish Implicit Faith or something that in effect is the same but attended with more ridiculous Circumstances p. 40. directly contrary to the Constitutions of our Church and better becoming a Socinian from Poland and Amsterdam than a Divine of our Church p. 53. Hath not Religion and the Church of England think you an excellent Champion in this DEFENDER of M. Hobbs Sir Hen. Uane and the Quakers But lastly He hath writ a SPECIMEN of SOME ANIMADVERSIONS VPON THE PLUS ULTRA OF M. GLANVILL in which he proves That the Antients were able to cure cut fingers as particularly Podalirius and Machaon in Homer and Galen compounded several Medicines to that purpose as Diapalma Tripharmacon and another hard word p. 3. and again 159. That 't is a very difficult Iourney to the Moon and a great way p. 175. and many other things that are as much to his purpose as these as will be shewn in the Sequel For the present I only say concerning this Piece in general That with a great deal of Noise and Labour the Animadverter hath proved nothing For all his Force is imployed either against Castles in the Air of his own raising or incidental passages that are little or nothing to the Cause I undertook and of no concern to the main body of my Book And yet I must confess that when I compare this Adversary with my other Antagonist M. Cross I think there are acknowledgments due to him for the Reading and shew of Learning that I find in his Discourse and I may say of it as one did of an impertinent Disputer that was very brisk and fluent in his Argument Bene disputat sed nihil ad rem But the Papers of my other Assailant deserve not as much as this For they contain nothing but opprobrious Names gross Falshoods and contemptible Puerilities no Learning nor any shew of any but such as a Boy of 18 would despise Thus briefly and in general of the Writings of this Aggressor out of Them I now come to give you some more particular Accounts of his Spirit and Temper And because I resolve to abstain from all Expressions that look like the Rhetorick and Civility of M. Cross and his Champion M. Stubb I shall not give those hard Names to the Qualifications I discover that every man else will think they deserve But only make a kind and sober Enquiry after some of the remarkable Virtues he discloseth in his Works I shall only insist here on two And because he tells his Reader in the first Page of the Preface to his Light shining out of Darkness Edition the first That HE IS ONE THAT DESIRES TO LIE LOW IN HIS OWN EYES I shall begin these Enquiries by taking notice 1. OF his singular Modesty This is exceeding eminent in every Leaf of his Writings In his Attempts while but a Boy upon the Reverend Dr. Wallis and M. Baxter and now he hath made it more remarkable by his Assault upon the Royal Society His Majesties Institution and an Assembly consisting of Persons of the greatest Honour Gravity and Learning while he is yet but a young Country Physician as he styles himself in his Preface against my Book Plus ultra And above all it is notorious what a modest man this is in his early Oppositions of MONARCHY and Proposals of a MODEL for the GOVERNMENT of three Nations and Extirpation of those Antient Laws which had had been made and confirmed by the Wisdom of so many Kings and successive Parliaments in his Impugnations of MINISTRY VNIVERSITIES CHVRCHES HVMANE LEARNING and all ORDERS and CONSTITVTIONS whatsoever as Popish and Antichristian But let us take a view of his singular Humility and Lowness in his own Eyes in some Expressions in his Writings I shall recite a few Instances among numerous others which for Brevity I must omit by which you may judge how he excels in this Virtue In the first Page of his Book against Dr. Wallis in Defence of M. Hobbs He expresseth himself to his Friend in these words I have pen'd a further Discourse upon that Subject which you may suppress from going any further if you find that my early Repute abroad doth not call for the Publication nor the Applause of the Ingenious whose Praises were the more to be regarded because they were directed to the Piece which was publick not the Author that was concealed It seems he had writ an Anonymous Book which he tells the World raised him an early Repute and the Applauses and Praises of the Ingenious Very modest And as lowly is that other Saying p. 5. If I find the Doctor produce more Grammars against us I will allow him two to one and venture my Reputation against his no Credit Great Odds M. Stubb ' s Reputation that early
his Spirit and Genius out of his own publish'd Writings I come next to II. HIS Designs of these I shall briefly give his own Account out of his latest Books They were if we may believe him the securing and promoting the Interest of the present Monarchy Pref. against Plus Vltra p. 4. Protestant Religion ibid. and the Church of England Title Pref. c. against Dr. Sprat School-Divinity p. 1. against Plus Vltra Universities p. 1.2.13 In order to the carrying on these great Intendments He design'd further to make the Virtuosi really ridiculous and odious to the Kingdom Pref. p. 4. to avenge his Faculty upon M. Glanvill and by Sacrificing that Virtuoso to publick Obloquy to establish general Repose and Tranquillity Pref. p. 3. Smile not ô Tres-haute tres-agreeable Comediants Pref. 6. M. Marchamont Stubb is the PILLAR of MONARCHY and the PATRIOT of PROTESTANT Religion But you must not ask how long he hath been of this Loyal and Religious Inclination He hath no longer a Concern for Sir H. Vane Disc. of Choc You may choose whether you 'l admire Him now and yet be no Enemy to all that is good and virtuous nor is he concerned for the other Patriots of the long Parliament and Army that were to be so famous when the Worthies of Greece and old Rome should cease to be mention'd ut supra Tower-Hill and Tybourn have alter'd the Case The Good old Cause ceaseth to be the most glorious in the World and Monarchy to be the Norman Yoke more intolerable than the Aegyptian Bondage Our Kings are not now a Succession of Usurpers nor is Their Government the most dismal Part of Egypt We hear no more of Charles Stuart and his Bishops compared to the Inquisition nor of executing Iustice upon the late KING No the Interest of the present Monarchy and the Church of England are now the Cause the glorious Cause and next to the Good old one no doubt the most glorious that ever was M. Politicus is better informed his Eyes are opened and now Monarchy may be as good a Government as M. Harrington's Model that was so like the Pattern in the Mount and General MONK may be as good a Patriot as Sir H. Vane and the Rumpers Thus we hear Sir Hudibras is turn'd zealous Royalist and our Sir Marchamont will pay the Comical Wits for the Prejudice They do the present Monarchy and the Church of England HOW like it is 1. that the Interest of Monarchy should be one ground of M. Stubb's Quarrel with the Virtuosi we have seen already or if it do not yet fully appear from what hath been recited before give me leave to propose to your further Consideration a Paragraph of his in the Beginning of his Vindication of Sir H. V. p. 1.2 The Age saith he wherein we live hath been all Miracles and the coming forth of the Woman out of the Wilderness hath been attended with so many Wonders that a pious Heart can never want imployment in its Contemplation We have seen and our Eyes bear witness of the Actings of our God the overturning of a Monarchy setled upon the Foundation and Vsage of many hundreds of Years strengthened by what Humane Policy could contribute to its Establishments and what of Buttress a complying Clergy could assist it with out of the Pulpit Yet have we seen a Change so brought about by our Iehovah that he may in extraordinary Acknowledgments be proclaimed wonderful Counsellour the mighty God the everlasting Father Prince of Peace We have seen the most glorious Cause in the World accompanied with no less Success and the Lord in his Mercy to us and Iustice to them hath bound our Kings in Chains and Nobles in Fetters of Iron such as wherewith they had formerly opprest the good People of this Land This Honour have all his Saints Psal. 149.9 Vengeance hath he returned upon their heads and their own Shame hath covered them The true anointed ones of the Lord have appeared for their sakes hath he rebuked Monarchs and the former have repeated the Fruits of that Holiness and Sacriety whereunto the latter vainly pretended In this Strain he goes on in imitation of the reformed Style of those Times which is not Canting but the holy Language of the anointed ones for whose sake our King was bound in Chains and our Nobles in Fetters of Iron And are we not to believe that this Anointed Rumper is a Zealot for the Interest of the present Monarchy We have his word for 't and he hath told me that he can say more for Monarchy than all the Virtuosi No doubt It would be very much if M. Stubb could not say more for any thing than the Ignoramus's He knows the man that useth to brag what he can say for MAHOMET and what an Inclination he hath to write the Life of that Brave Fellow And if Turcism were among us I know where the Alcoran would have a Defender and one that can say as much for it as for Monarchy or the Church of England if he may be credited himself but of that no more now We have seen some things whereby we may judge how dear the Interest of Monarchy is to our Anti-Virtuoso and how much Reason we have to believe that to be one ground of his Quarrel with the Royal Society LET us inquire next 2. how probable it is that he should be kindled against them by the Consideration of the Church of England and Religion There was a time you know when the Church of England was in a worse Condiâ—ion than it is in now and Religion in a more ruinous Posture Independents Anabaptists Fifth Monarchy-men and Quakers were as formidable People to both as the Virtuosi and all things were fallen under their destructive Power What did this pious Vindicatour of the Church of England and Religion in that unhappy season No doubt his Zeal burnt like fire and he was sensible then as he is now Pref. p. 4. that he ought not to be silent Then it was that his Light broke out of Darkness that disclosed Truths little less admirable than those Sir H. Vane discover'd that were the most glorious that have been witness'd to these 1500 Years and more ut sup They are proposed modestly in Queries for he tells us They are from one who desires to lie low in his own eyes But the Testimonies and Proof are all for the Heterodox Part for which he declares he had the most esteem â— and that he had a tender Regard to those who made the Subject of those Queries their Assertions These passages make part of the Preface to the first but are in the Conclusion of the second Edition which I now use We shall see in these Queries how he shewed his Friendship to Religion and the Church of England in the Time of their greatest Extremity The first Query is this Q. 1. Whether there be any certain or peculiar Name in the New Testament that signifies a Minister or
of the Antient Christian the Quaker would not have stood in need of an Apology Whether these Passages and the Discourse were more intended to recommend the Quakers or to make the first Christians Protestants and Martyrs contemptible and ridiculous by the Comparison Let those that know M. Stubb and have ever heard him discourse about Religion judge For my part I am satisfied 'T is a pleasant Passage and to the same purpose which I meet in his Vindication of Sir Hen. Vane p. 36. He tells M. Baxter that it was ignorantly said of Him That the Quakers had no being in the World till a few Years ago and in contradiction to it he saith As to the Generality of their Opinions and Deportment I DO AVOW it out of as sure and good Records as any can be produced that they can plead more for themselves for the first 270 Years then M. Baxter for the present Orthodox Religion laid down in the SAINTS EVERLASTING REST or the CONFESSION of the Assembly You may please to mark that he speaks not of any particular Opinions of M. Baxter and the Assembly which have less to be said for them out of primitive Antiquity than the Quakers but of their Religion And when M. Stubb hath proved what he hath here Avowed men are like to have as good an Opinion of Christianity as he can wish And how good a one that is I am loth to call in the Vouchee he cites for M. Cross viz. general Fame to testifie He declares it too frequently in the whole Contexture of his Light out of Darkness and since in his Account of Greatarick he gives hint enough of the Degree of his Faith Christ Iesus and his Apostles appeal continually to their Works those miraculous ones they performed as evidencing the Divineness of their Commission and the Truth of their Doctrines and M. Stubb tells us p. 10. That all Religions have had their real Miracles and so let them dispute or fight it out as they can Miracles must be tried by Truth not Truth by Miracles ibid. But how the Truth shall be tried viz. that of a Divine Commission or Authority 't is not for the Interest of one of his Principles or rather of his no Principles to tell us And when he hath taken away the Testimony of the Spirit in Miracles he knows well enough what will become of Christianity This he endeavours here by many very odd Suggestions M. Greatarick did things miraculous p. 8. and these he performed by the Temperament and Composure of his Body p. 11. So that Healing Miracles are the Effects of the Effluvia of a particular Ferment p. 11. And so Christ Jesus shewed nothing of Divinity in curing Diseases by his Touch. Yea M. Greatarick is mated with Him and the Apostles p. 26. He did the things that never man did but Christ and his Apostles He cured Diseases by the Temperament and Composure of his Body ut sup but no man ever did so besides only the Son of God and his Disciples had the Priviledge And yet p. 10. this in express Words is plainly contradicted for we hear there of others that did the same things with Christ Iesus and M. Greatarick The Alexicaci Salutatores or Bensedevios that cure by anointing with Spittle and by breathing and stroaking of the Patient p. 10. And in Turky also and Africk they have Persons of the like Qualifications ibid. But 't is nothing for M. Stubb to affirm Contradictions and I wish that were the worst could be justly laid to his Charge I have a great deal more to say of his Friendship to Religion which I keep for a Reserve He tells us p. 15. of his Book against my Plus Vltra That Mahomet taking advantage of the Brutal Lives and Ignorance of the Catholicks depending upon the Patriarch of Constantinople did advance the Sect of Christians called Mahometans I wish some do not think that a certain Defender of Religion and the Church of England is a Christian by the same Figure as are those Disciples of Mahomet If a man of Learning and tolerably in his Wits endeavour to make the first Christians Martyrs and Reformers like the Quakers in their Opinions and Deportment He cannot be supposed primarily to design the Crediting those distracted Enthusiasts but to vilifie all Christians except some of M. Stubb's sort called Mahometans and our Defender of Religion knows well enough that the Testimonies he alledgeth to prove those sick-brain'd People to be like all the best Christians will prove as much that the best Christians were like Them and so a more desperate Enemy than the Quakers is gratified How far he intended this let those conjecture who have heard of his Kindness and Concern for M. Hobbs And how far he designs the promoting the Interest of Religion and the Church of England let the most charitable man alive judge upon the whole I but 3. he tells us how much he is for School-Divinity and how far some great matters of Faith are concerned in it we derive great Benefits from Controversal Divinity for the Quieting the Conscience and Convincing our Adversaries and whoever hath any sense of these must detest the Enterprise of M. Glanvill Non Plus p. 1. This He did because he had a Value for the Peace of his Conscience which is to be setled by School-Divinity But how different from this was his Opinion of it when he writ against M. Baxter Then School-Divinity was apt to create everlasting Disputes rather than Rest and made no part of the Rest of the Primitive whether Christians or Antichristians these are his Words p. 18. M. Stubb had another way to quiet his Conscience at that time but now School-Divinity is the only Expedient And whereas in the same first Page of his Book against me he tells us The Distinction of the Trinity of Essence and Personality the Hypostatical Vnion of the two Natures in our Saviour and the meritoriousness of his Death which depends thereupon are undermined with School-Divinity In that he writ against M. Baxter he saith of it That it is an upstart Study unknown to the purer times model'd and profess'd by that Order which now manageth the Inquisition and was at first erected for the suppressing the Truth in the Albigenses p. 13. M. Stubb in his last Book greatly applauds Metaphysicks if he can find any Distinctions in that Learning to solve his own Contradictions he shall have my Vote for the greatest Metaphysician in the World He doth so directly and in terms every where almost affront himself that I cannot possibly write more point-blank against him than Harry doth against Stubb and some think that if he be let alone the next time he scribbles he 'l reduce even his last Book to a Non-plus and confute this also as he hath already done by most of his other Writings The Truth is M. Stubb hath wanted an Adversary to appear publickly against him and therefore he hath challeng'd and provoked all
Presbytery makes Them pay their Forfeit which it unconscionably raiseth from Groats to Crowns and half-Crowns But let that go he proceeds As for the lost Sheep of Israel the poor and the weak whom God hath chosen unless the Salary be good they seem to be under as great a Prohibition from Preaching to them as the Apostles from going to Bithynia p. 145 146. But he hath not yet done with the Popery and Antichristianism of our Vniversities and their Fashions Therefore it follows Qu. 38. Whether the University Hood be not the Product of the old Monkish Melote spoken of by Cassian de Institutione Monachorum and grounded upon the superstitious Exposition of that place in Heb. 11. They wandred about 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Sheep-skins whether it were not a Religious Habit it being a Badg of Monkery according to Cassian and Hierome ibid. Qu. 39. Whether it be not a superstitious and detestable Exposition of that Scripture Stand fast having your Loins girt c. To accommodate it to the Episcoparian Girdles with which they tie in their Canonical Coats ibid. Qu. 40. Whether it be not a pretty Foundation for the Oxford Doctors to stand booted and spurred in the Act because there is mention made in Scripture of being shâ—d with the Preparation of the Gospel p. 146. Q. 41. Whether the Vniversity of Oxford do well to give for their Arms the Book with seven Seals Is not that a gross Abuse of what is laid down in the Revelations as if the seven liberal Arts two whereof are Grammar and Fidling were typified by those Seals which none were worthy to open but the Lamb p. 146 147. Q. 46. Whether any of the Ceremonies and Habits now used in the Vniversities had a very good Original or have been imployed to a good Vse since p. 149. Q. 47. Whether those things which had a good Original and Vse if they be not still necessary or commanded by God when once they have been used to Idolatry and Superstition are not quite to be abolished ibid. Here is the Upshot and Conclusion of the Matter YOV know and own this glorious Truth O ye our Deliverers from AEGYPT and from BABYLON from all Soul-Oppression and Conscience-distressing Persecution Vind. of Sir H. V. p. 57. And you know that Vniversities are some of the Hay and Stubble of Humane Invention and not commanded by God Nor are they necessary The Primitive Christians and first Protestants had them not Soul-saving Truths are not taught by the Words of Mans Wisdom Christ chose illiterate men for Disciples The Gospel of St. John is as bad Greek as the Quakers English Light out of Darkness p. 87. God hath chosen the Foolishness of this World to confound the Wise. ibid. You see O ye PATRIOTS those Schools of Humane Learning are not necessary Yea they were erected by Popery and are Antichristian Popish Superstitious Down with them therefore down with them to the Ground Destroy Babylon and the Garments of the Whore away with the Idols dumb Dogs and Beasts that our Fathers have worshipped This is the Sense of the whole and a grand Expression of M. Stubb's Friendship to the Vniversities BUT he is a Zealot no doubt for the Learning that is taught there so he pretends by his eager Oppositions of what he calls the mechanical Education Non Plus p. 13. now contradistinguish'd as he tells us from the Vniversity-Learning this he here recommends and celebrates and would fain persuade his Reader That the Royal Society have a desire to triumph over the antient Education of the Kingdom Pref. p. 6. All which are mere Chymâ—ra's and malicious or proud Devices to effect his purpose of rendring the Virtuosi odious as he declares it Pref. p. 4. or the other Design of dignifying Himself as the great Patron of antient Learning For the Royal Society doth no way disturb or meddle with Vniversity-Learning and Education The Art of Reasoning the Validity of Consequences The unfolding of Critical Syllogisms and Fallacies the general Doctrine of Topicks the Moral Philosophy and Foundations of civil Prudence Civil and Ecclesiastical History and Languages which M. Stubb himself reckons up as the Learning of the Vniversities p. 17. will proceed all in the same way notwithstanding the Study of Experimental Philosophy which though it may use some of them as they are already taught yet it contradicts none And by the same Reason that M. Stubb suggests the Mechanical way to be prejudicial and contrary to the Vniversity-Learning he might say that All Practical Arts as Chirurgery Architecture Limning and the rest have an Antipathy to those Academical Studies also such a Logician is M. Stubb as not to distinguish between contrary and divers What an impertinent thing is proud Malice But let us see how much M. Stubb hath declared himself a Friend to Vniversity-Learning and all sorts of Literature in the time when they were despised and their utter Extirpation zealously attempted Concerning the first Sort Languages he Queries thus Q. 13. L. D. Whether the Knowledge of Tongues leads us to one Sense of Scripture or many Whether all such dealings lead us not to put our Trust in Man Can any matter of Faith be built upon the Strength of a Criticism p. 97. and Critical Learning is call'd a Gallimaufrey Pref. against Dr. Wallis Q. 18. Whether the first Christians were not against Humane Learning and Heathenish Authors And whether it was more an Effect of Julian the Apostate ' s Malice or Christian Prudence that went about to keep the People of God from Reading Heathen Writers p. 101. For the Affirmative of the Query he alledgeth divers Testimonies and concludes The Greek Church is owned for a true Christian Church and highly magnified by Protestants in Opposition to the Pope yet neither They nor the Picards or Waldenses in Bohemia did value Learning so far were they from esteeming of it as a Prop of true Religion p. 105. This was the way to recommend Learning to the Religieuse of those times whose Favour our Anti-Virtuoso then courted And even in this last Book he hath given proof of his Kindness to one sort of Vniversity-Learning Mathematicks They are less necessary and inutile p. 17. and a little before Geometricians seldom if ever prove Metaphysicians Religieuse or otheâ—wise of tolerable Ratiocination but are said ignorantly to run into Whimsies and Phantastical Ways of Arguing This is the great Friend and Patron of Learning BUT what doth he think of Aristotle who M. Cross tells us in his Book was Artium Partiumque Uir Fundator Artium Maximus Hominum His Credit our Author kindly undertakes in part to readvance Title p. to Non Plus And he did it when he Qâ—eried in his Light out of Darkness p. 105. Q. 19. Whose Sepulchres do our Vniversity-men build up whilst they uphold ARISTOTLE's PHILOSOPHY which hath been so generally condemn'd of late and heretofore by Popish Assemblies and particular men of that way as also by the
that Reverend man see that it is not my Adversaries Love and Respect to Aristotle I deride but the ridiculous Expressions of his fond Admiration which he sufficiently discovered in that Conference that was the Occasion of my Book But enough of M. Stubb and M. Cross as to this particular 'T is evident enough that the former hath not that Kindness for Aristotle he pretends to serve his Designs against the modern Philosophers and the other can say nothing on his behalf more than what Freshmen use to talk of that new great Name they are taught to admire whatever Love he hath for Him And now as to what concerns the modern EXPERIMENTAL PHILOSOPHERS I dare say they are slandered much by those their Adversaries that represent them as such Enemies to Aristotle For I know They have a due Esteem of him and allow Him an eminent place among the wise Men of Antient times They acknowledge the helps he hath afforded us and pay Respects to his Writings as they do to those of other venerable Authors They refuse not nor discourage the reading of his Books nor do they reject any of his Discoveries that may aid us in the Uses of Knowledge or Life yea they embrace them cheerfully and are glad when any useful Truth hath such an Authority to recommend it Thus much I dare undertake for all the Philosophers of the Practical way of whom I have any Knowledge But to make Aristotle a Dictator in Philosophy and to give him an absolute Empire over our minds to admire him as if in him were hid all the Treasures of Natural Wisdom and Knowledge and to be scrupulous in acknowledging that he was ignorant of any thing in Nature as Dr. Casaubon saith Fabricius was in his Reflections on my Plus Vltra such Fondnesses as these those Philosophers by no means approve but look on them as extremely prejudicial to the Advance of Knowledge and the Respect that is due to other excellent Authors both of elder and later times And I think by their modest Judgment of that Philosopher they rather secure the just Praise and Regard to Aristotle's Authority that is his due than any way diminish it For those that raise the Commendations of any man much beyond the Proportion of his Merit and lay more Stress upon his Authority than it will bear do indeed give an occasion to the Contempt of such an over-valued Person and the degrading him below that Respect which his worth might claim So that in earnest those doting men that talk such childish incredible things of Aristotle as I lately quoted from M. Cross are his real Enemies and expose him to Scorn and Opposition whereas the modern Philosophers who give him just but less excessive and flaunting Applauses do more really serve the Interest of his Name And what I particularly have writ against Him hath been designed chiefly to lessen the Hyperbolical Admirations of the little enslaved Sectators not to discourage any from the Study of Aristotle or a modest value of his Authority And that my Sense of Him and his Writings was the same then that I declared but now to be the experimental Philosophers Inclination in reference to that Philosopher may be largely seen in my Defence of the Vanity of Dogmatizing against that famous Adversary the Learned Albius especially p. 7. I have spoken there to the same purpose but 't is too much for my Laziness to transcribe AND now Sir methinks upon the Review of the whole it seems to me very pretty that one who labour'd so industriously and inveighed so bitterly against Monarchy Ministry Churches Universities Aristotle and all Humane Learning when some of these were actually overthrown and All in imminent Danger of Ruine that put on the Fanatical Vsurpers that needed no Spur by gross canting Flatteries of Them and deadly malicious Reproaches and Oppositions of those great concerns of the Kingdom to complete the Destruction They had begun That this man I say should talk as if he were the only zealous Person for the Interest of Monarchy Religion Vniversities and old Learning and the only Patriot that could defend them is a Confidence more than usual and such as very well becomes M. Stubb And on the other hand 'T is as pleasant to hear this Writer representing a Society that is a Royal Institution and consists of a great Number of the most loyal Nobility and Gentry and several of the most venerable Fathers of the Church Archbishops Bishops and divers other Ecclesiastical Governours and men of Eminence among the Clergy I say 't is very fine to hear M. Stubb setting out such an Assembly as an Enemy to Monarchy Religion Vniversities and Learning And we must believe upon the word of the Anti-Virtuoso That a great part of that Body are driving on Designs destructive to the Interests of Religion and the Kingdom and that the Loyal and Religious men of the ROYAL SOCIETY are so dull as not to perceive it while the more sagacious Doctor of Warwick sees those dreadful Projects clearly and therefore cannot be silent but must warn the Nation of the Danger Upon the Consideration of the whole Procedure one would think that M. Stubb had so great an Ambition to gain the Applauses of the envious and ignorant who are glad to see any thing that is worthy railed at and opposed that for their sake he is resolved yet further to expose himself to the Scorns of the sober and judicious And really he writes at that rate as if he were to defie the intelligent part of Mankind and design'd only to be read by those that would believe any thing he said at a venture because he writes against the Virtuosi The Truth of this Censure will appear when I come to my particular Remarques upon his Book which I shall presently do when I have taken a little notice of His other Designs which are yet behind viz. TO represent the Uirtuosi as ridiculous and odious to the Kingdom and to sacrifice me to publick Obloquy To effect the former He clapt his own Cap on the Virtuosi and calls them Prattle-boxes and then without any more ado They are ridiculous He describes them by the other part of his own Character as Persons of irreligious and dangerous Inclination and then they must be odious And when the Virtuoso-Mastix hath proved that these are not Complements but that his Comical Wits are so really like Himself all men no doubt will say that They are as he designed to represent them But if M. Stubb be no better at making Characters than he is at giving Names the Virtuosi I doubt will leave him without their Company to enjoy the Honours he projects for them For why of all things must they be called the Comical Wits I trow How came this to ramble into the mans head Of all the Names that courtly M. Cross bestowed on me there is scarce any that suits less And yet now I remember 't is not improbable but that M. Stubb
might borrow this from that great Repository of Titles For that Master of Ceremonies calls me and all things I do at every turn Romantick And when he had studied a long time to know what I was good for at last he finds this that I might be capable of serving a Stage Hence 't is like his Friend took the hint and the Virtuosi are presently dub'd the Comical Wits and the Tres-haute and tres-agreeable Comediants But it may be too this was intended for a Figure Lucus à non lucendo For there are no men more averse to the profess'd Drolls none that value their Wit less than those that are most concerned for the Institution and Designs of the Royal Society nor hath any sort of Enemies been more injurious to those generous undertakings of the experimental Philosophers than the Buffoons and Comical Wits that have still endeavour'd by their malicious Flouts to render them contemptible in Coffee-Houses and Taverns and have filled the Land with ridiculous Stories of their Designs and Performances Yea These are the men that M. Stubb gratifies by his Book which to give him his own Language will please none but shallow-brain'd and Comical Wits p. 115. How shallow-brain'd I think those of the common Drolling sort and how prejudicial to Religion Government and Knowledge I have sufficiently declared in a short Discourse at the end of my CONSIDERATIONS about WITCH-CRAFT called A WHIP FOR THE DROLL FIDLER TO THE ATHEIST If M. Stubb think fit to look into that Appendix he will see reason there to take me out of the Number of the Comical People And if I sometimes make a little merry with him in these Papers 't is because I would try whether I have any of the Comical Faculty in me or no If I have 't is fit that he who first let me know it should have it first imployed in his Service And indeed M. Stubb is such a pleasant Object as would make a man Comical though his Genius be never so little disposed to that Iollity of Humour The sick man that was dying of an Impostume broke into a loud Laughter when he saw the Ape set the grave gold-laced Night-Cap upon his Head And 't is very hard for one to contain that sees M. Stubb puts on a Pretence for Monarchy and Religion If he thinks there is any thing of Rudeness in the Application of that ridiculous Passage let him thank his Friend M. Cross who gave occasion to the Comparison That renowned Author spends a great deal of serious pains to prove that I was an Ape or very like one and made such Philosophical Observations upon the Nature of that Animal that I could not choose when I lately read it but think of a certain Anti-Virtuoso and that Thought run into my Pen before I was aware But I have done with this Design of our Projector also to make the Comical Wits ridiculous and odious How far he hath effected it he will see when Time and Experience have acquainted him what he hath made himself THE last of his great Intendments that I took notice of was To sacrifice me to publick Obloquy to settle the general Repose and Tranquillity Pref. p. 3. I think I have generosity enough or at least I desire so much as to be content to be so sacrificed upon such an Occasion But will that do it will the Sacrificing me is he sure establish the general Repose I fear there are other Comical Wits will be left when I am gone to disquiet such peaceable men as this and except M. Stubb will assure me that all the World will be quiet when I am faln I will not be sacrific'd by him Yea though he should Non-plus me in ten Title-pages more yet I doubt I shall disturb him if he goes on to settle our Tranquillity in the way he hath begun Well! but publick Obloquy is hungry and must have a Sacrifice to feed it M. Stubb takes hold of me and resolves I shall be the Offering He spits at me and scratches me with his Nails and I fall a Victim without any more ado But let him look to it and make sure of that or else publick Obloquy will catch him by the back and make this her Priest himself the Sacrifice But without Allegory M. Stubb designs to expose me to publick Reproach and to make the Virtuosi odious and ridiculous and so one would think that reads his Book How he hath demeaned himself in it for the effecting of these and his other mighty purposes I come to consider next and it was the Third general Head of which I proposed to treat I cannot now fall upon the particular Examination of all things in his Work but shall only give you those sudden Observations I made upon a cursory Reading the more large and punctual Confutation shall follow III. THEN as to the MANAGEMENT of his DESIGNS I take notice I. That the pretended Reason of his falling on my Book is very idle and impertinent Forsooth a Gentleman at a Person of Honour's Table avowed that all the Antient Methods of Science were vain and useless to a Physician and did not as much as contribute to the Cure of a cut Finger Pref. p. 1. This the Gentleman avowed to be the positive and dogmatical Averment even to a Syllable of M. Glanvill and other Virtuosi p. 1 2. M. Stubb's Beginning brings to my mind what I heard last Year at Oxford Being there with a learned and ingenious Knight at the House of a Doctor of Divinity of great note upon the occasion of some Discourse concerning our Author The Doctor who knew him very well spoke to me to this purpose M. Stubb said he is so great a That if he tell you he was at such a Gentleman's Table where this or that Discourse hapned you are not to believe as much as that he knows that Gentleman or ever saw him I should not have mention'd this Passage but that it fell so pat in my way whether we have the more reason to believe the Doctor concerning M. Stubb or M. Stubb concerning the Gentlemans Discourse at the Person of Honours Table I shall not here dispute But for Peace sake I shall be so courteous at present as to suppose that there was such a Rencounter and that M. Stubb ought to take as an instance of Candour and a very large Charity Be it so then for once There was an Admirer of the Institution of the Royal Society that talked so in the Anti-Virtuoso's Company but he paid him for his Insolence and shewed as he tells us That the Antient Philosophy had not been so sterile in reference to Physick but that it had been the Foundation of the Healing of cut Fingers and green Wounds Pref. p. 2. And thus he sacrificed that Virtuoso to the Obloquy of the Table But yet his Wrath was not appeas'd so he goes on I still retained a Sense of the Injury I supposed done to me and all rational Physicians by