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where the carcase is? Or where shall we see such swarms of reverend doctors as at the University? Those pharisees, those lawyers, those scribes, and those doctors, were all gownsmen; but whether they wore the same uniforms with the gentlemen of Oxford University, my author does not say. Yet this much may be gathered from the history, that if that wandering Jew, who they say has lived ever since the times I am speaking of, should chance in his travels to call at Oxford, he would think upon his longevity, from the manners, of the men, that it was old Jerusalem risen again from its ruins, and that the ancient scribes and pharisees, &c. were all risen from the dead. But we will drop this, and come to the matter in hand, which is to give a just account of those, clergy, that you may see that the Heads of Houses have not departed a jot from the rules, of their clerical

ancestors.

The Jerusalem clergy finding that their living depended upon subscribing the articles given by Moses, and the homilies compiled by the Prophets, they could, for the sake of a venerable reputation, and a fattish living, or as ye would say, for the good of the church, very readily subscribe and attest them upon oath, notwithstanding many of them, called sadducees, did not believe any thing about them. Now, not to take any notice of the vulgar opinion, namely, that there are a great many sadducees in our Universities, I cannot but observe the weakness of those who blame such of the clergy who swear to articles they do not believe, seeing that was practised by the clergy of the first established church that was in the world.

About something more than 1700 years since, there arose some dissenters, who made a great stir among the people, and brought great uneasiness upon the clergy. I do not mean that those were dissenters from the articles of faith which were of old given to the saints butthey were dissenters from the clergy, and did not spare to detect their errors, both in principles and practice; a practice which our modern methodists are said to be guilty of, to the great concern of the Heads of Houses.

Those were laymen, not regularly educated at the University, and who took upon them to preach without receiving authority from the archbishop of Jerusalem; I think his name was Caiaphas, and I wot he was primate of all Judea. Well, those men were not only laymen, but even the riff-raff of them, even fishermen: Note, they were not attornies, or merchants' clerks; nor were they chymists, nor were they apothecaries, but fishermen. And yet they prayed extempore, and yet they preached, and yet they expounded the scriptures to the great confusion of the holy trade of priestcraft. The established church was now thought to be in danger. And how it could be thought so, was something strange, seeing those praying and preaching dissenters proved all their doctrine from the articles and homilies given by Moses and the Prophets, even as our modern methodists prove their doctrine from the articles and homilies of the church of England; and the church of England has been thought in no small danger from these same methodists, upon grounds equally substantial. Believe me, my beloved, the learned, the zealous Doctor Sacheverel, was not the first, nor the last, who was grieved for the church. But he is dead and gone, therefore I return to the clergy at Jerusalem; and cannot but remember how active they were in procuring the destruction of Jesus Christ, and, when he was risen from the dead and ascended into glory, they abated nothing of their zeal for their established church. For no sooner were they aware of the power of the apostles' doctrine (by apostles I mean those who took upon them to pray, read and expound the scriptures in private houses, as you may see in the subsequent part of the history) as these six young men who were expelled the University are said to have done. Seeing I say, their extraordinary fervour in preaching, they cried out against them as persons drunk with new wine, by which we may understand enthusiasm, Acts ii. 13. Well, my beloved, this is the very cry of the clergy against all such as preach Jesus and the resurrection, and from their mouths the

ye

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vulgar catch the sound; and so with many a methodist, and an enthusiast; a dissenter and a fanatic, are thought to be synonimous terms. From hence we may learn that a slander may as well be thrown out in a sermon as in a farce, and will issue with as good a grace from a pulpit as from a theatre. But no more of this, because our time draws towards the other end.

It is very remarkable how zealous those gentlemen of the gown, who aim no higher than a good fat benefice, have always shewed themselves when the doctrine of Christ in its simplicity hath been preached; for why? Truly because it lays the axe to the root of the tree of priest craft, and throws down the importance of the parson into the dirt.-If the clergy were all to observe the rules given by Christ to his disciples in his sermon upon the mount, where would be all their titles, their riches and grandeur, their coaches, their livery-men, and their plate? But ye know that these rules are different from this craft, whereby the parsons get their wealth, as heaven is different from heil. But as priestcraft is lucrative, it will be sure to find supporters, whilst the houses have got one Head left upon them.

In Acts v. we find that Peter and the rest of his praying, reading, and scripture-expoundiug brethren, were brought before the Vice Chancellor and the Heads of Houses for an hearing, and after an hearing of several hours they took counsel to slay them, v. 33. But there was one Dr. Gamaliel, the head of a certain house, who sided with them, and probably proved their doctrine from the articles of the Jewish church as by law established. I trow this same Doctor Gamaliel was tinctured with the doctrine they preached, as the principal of Edmund Hall, who defended the faith of the six young men who were expelled the University of Oxford for praying &c. may be supposed secretly to have believed in the articles which he once subscribed, though he dare now to avow his faith openly.

There is one thing in the account that is something remarkable, namely, the wise motion of Dr. Gama

liel over-ruled the bloody designs of the priests; but it was not so at the other University, for although the principal of Edmund-Hall defended and proved the methodistical doctrine from the articles of the church, and spoke highly of the piety and exemplariness of the lives of the young men, his motion was overruled, and the six young men were expelled; as before observed. What is one methodist among a host of divines?

Another thing we may take notice of, namely, those ancient doctors had a law by which they could put people to death for praying, reading, and expounding the scriptures; but our Universities have no such law, or it is no way doubtful, but that the same zeal which will, under a protestant government, expel, the students of the University for praying, &c. would, for the same reasons, burn offenders at the stake, were they favoured with a popish King. So that if the Heads of Houses were less bloody in their designs. than their ancestors, it is not to be imputed to want of good will, but to the protestant restraints which they are under.

Remarkable was the procedure of the Jews against Stephen, related Acts vi. 9. "Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, &c. disputing with Stephen, &c." This same Stephen was a low churchman, a whig, and a puritan, and therefore was sure to be opposed in that blinded age. But who were they, my beloved, that hear are said to have risen against Stephen? Not bargeman, link-boys, lamplighters, and Irish chairmen; but gentlemen of the synagogue. Certain of the synagogue, i. e. Devout men of the established church; their Lauds, their Calamys, and their Sacheverels. But to what synagogne did they belong, think you? Why, they belonged to the synagogue of the libertines. Was ever one egg more like another, than ancient things are to modern? If the gentlemen of the Synagogue of the libertines would have been quiet, Stephen might have gone on preaching and praying without opposition; but then it would have poiled the priests trade of getting wealth.

D

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This leads me to inquire wherefore they rose up. against him. Was he a drunkard, a murderer or seditious person? or did he speak reproachfully of the miracles of Christ and of Moses? No, none of all these. were alledged against him. But the grand cause of their umbrage was, "The word of God increased, and then numbers of his disciples mutiplied," whereby people forsook their old libertine pastors, insomuch that the parish synagogues, in many places, were almost wholly forsaken. Exactly alike again: Stephen, you must know, was a great ringleader of that sect. that turned the world up-side down;" he was full of faith and power, performing many notable miracles," to the grief of the gentlemen belonging to the libertines; therefore they thought it best to dispatch him out of the way, for the safety of the church.

It would be endless, my beloved, to point out all the instances in which the Jewish and the clergy agree; I shall therefore leave them to another occasion, and shall pass on to another very famous church in that part of the world, and after that I shall come near home within our own ken. And,

:

III. This famous church was that of Diana at Ephesus: And I wot, in this church there was many a good living in the gift of the University and I trow, that the Heads of Houses were very careful that none should enjoy one of them unless he was well known to be a true son of the church, that is to say, a promoter of the sale of the shrines of Diana, and a worshipper of the image that fell down from Jupiter.

This Diana, was, in her day, a lady remarkable for hunting of stags, and ever since, her clergy have been as remarkable for the hunting of (not stags, but) as good benefice. Now, my beloved, this same huntress was the personage worshipped by the most people of Asia, and she had many, very many clergy, who adored her for the sake of gain; for by this craft we have our wealth, say they. A language not yet prac tically laid asside.

There was a famous University for the training up. of young gentlemen in the holy craft of making shrines for the goddess; and a lucrative craft they found it, my beloved, for they had it in their power