Long Livers:

. ¦ Kavs conform to the Example of the Prince , turned Christians too , and the Draug ht of Fishes was so very great that , the Net broke , and there were found infinitely more bad than good . The Truth of it was , the Church then grew at ease , settled her

and had certain Stipends on Priests and Pastors , who now ( so true it is that the Blood of the Martyrs is the Seed of the Church ) living at Ease and Plenty , forgot by Degrees their orig inal Institution , and Conversing with the Courtlearned

, its Modes and Fashions , and took on themselves high Titles ; the poor Pastors or Bishops swelled into Lords , and the humble Successor of St . Peter , the Servant of the Servants of God , from an Overseer into a Sovereign Pontiffor

PONTIgrew , FEX MAXIMUS , which meant no more amongst the ancient Romans than Bridgemaster General . A great number too of Pagan Rites and Ceremonies -were introduced to make it a glorious Church , fit for Emperors and Kingsand People of

, Quality ; but as these Titles were of little moment , and these . Ceremonies innocent enough in themselves , and mig ht conduce to outward Decency , they could not in the

main be any Hindrance to Devotion , and consequently no Cause of Separation , But this was not all ; the Philosophy of Aristotle , and dark obscure Terms and Sophisms were introduced into Christian Schools , with ridiculous Subtilties , vocal and nominal Controversieschimerical

No-, tions , I ' . ' ntia Rationis , Genereitas in Concreto , Ubications , Quandations , with all the confused barbarous Ribaldry , and venerable Gibberish of noisy , empty , positive , conceited , dogmatical , ignorant Paadagoguesand scientifical Blockheads .

, After these Reverend Fooleries , the whole World ran a whoring , as the Israelites did after Gideon ' s Ephod ; and these learned Doctors and Magistri nostri , being thus employed in these sublime Speculations , things of greater Moment ,

forgot to inculcate the Practice of good AYorks , the Mechanical Part of Religion ; so that all Immorality flowed in like an irresistible Deluge , and there was more Wickedness and Impiety practised amongst Christians , than ever amongst the Jews and Infidels ; and nothing left but the very names of Christ and Christianity , which were often abused to carry on the Designs

of wicked , ambitious , and turbulent Men ; so that the Relig ion of the Prince of Peace was made to patronize and countenance all sorts of Violence , Rapine , Murders , Sacrileges , Tyrannies , and Rebellions ; and the holy Scriptures , as the

Casuists knew how , were made a Nose of Wax , and contending Parties , tho' never so diametrically opposite to each other , had God on their side , with whose most adorable Name all their several Parricides , Burnings , Massacres and Plunderings were

sanctified . Neither did things rest here ; People were to be dragooned into Religion ; Whips , Wracks , Tortures , Burnings , Inquisitions , Star-Chambers , Spiritual Courts , Ecclesiastical Censures , Excommunications

( I aim at no Sect or Communion in particular , they were all alike ) were set up as wholesome , Soul-saving Engines to screw People into Peace of Conscience , while perhaps the poor Culprit , tho' he could not express himself in the uncouth

Language of the Schools was as Orthodox as the spiritual inquisitive Bloodhound , who could notwithstanding be so charitable as to change all Penalties into a pecuniary Mulct , if the Party could but provide a sufficient Quantity of that Catholicon which cures all things , tho' never so inveterate and is everywhere orthodoxly

current . quce non miracula prceslas Auri sacra fames I Good Men lamented these Calamities , and the Brethren sighed to Heaven , and wished a Reformation . The several religious Orders in the Churches of Rome , and

Greece aimed at it , and had very good Notions and Designs for that Work ; and tho' amongst these Recluses , Sciences have been in a great Measure encouraged , and to these Bodies we owe several invaluable

Treasures , yet because their Fraternities consist only of single Persons , and lie under particular Restrictions , they do not altogether answer the Ends of the Brotherhood , who cannotsubsistwithoutbeingfree . However , it is earnestly to be wished , that some Prince or Great Men would ( and

they would if they knew us ) cast on us a favourable Eye , by this means would they encourage Arts and Sciences , which have been always worthy the care of the wisest and best of Men ; this would open a