Taught ye by mere A. S. and Rotherford ? Men whose life, learning, faith and pure intent 9 Would have been held in high esteem with Paul, Must now be nam'd and printed Heretics Every parish had a congregational or parochial presbytery for the affairs of its own circle; thefe parochial presbyteries were combined into Claffes, which chofe reprefentatives for the provincial affembly, as did the provincial for the national. Thus, the city of London being diftributed into twelve claffes, each clafs chose two minifters and four lay-clders, to reprefent them in a Provincial Assembly, which received appeals from the parochial and claffical presbyteries, &c. These ordinances, which ascertain the age of the piece before us, took place in 1646, and 1647. See Scobell, COLL. P. 1. p. 99. 150. 8. Taught ye by mere A. S. and Rotherford.] Doctor Newton fays, "I know not who is meant by A. S. Some book might have been "published, figned by these letters, and perhaps an equivoque might "alfo be intended." The independents were now contending for toleration. In 1643, their principal leaders published a pamphlet with this title, "An APOLOGETICALL NARRATION of fome Ministers for"merly exiles in the Netherlands, now members of the Affembly of "Divines. Humbly fubmitted to the honourable Houfes of Parlia"ment. By Thomas Goodwyn, Sydrack Sympfon, Philip Nye, Jer. Burroughs, and William Bridge, the authors thereof. Lond. 1643." In quarto. Their fyftem is a middle way betwixt Brownifm and prefbytery. This piece was anfwered by one A. S. the perfon intended by Milton. "Some Obfervations and Annotations upon the APOLOGETICALL NARRATION, humbly fubmitted to the honourable Houses "of Parliament, the most reverend and learned divines of the Affembly, and all the proteftant churches here in this ifland and abroad. "Lond. 1644." In quarto. The Dedication is fubfcribed A. S. The independents then retorted upon A. S. in a pamphlet called "A Reply "of the two Brothers to A. S. Wherein you have Obfervations, An"notations, &c. upon the APOLOGETICALL NARRATION. With a "plea for liberty of confcience for the apologists church-way: against the cavils of the faid A. S. formerly called M. S. to A. S. &c, &c. "Lond. 1644." In quarto. I quote from the fecond edition enlarged. There is another piece by A. S. It is called a "Reply to the fecond “Return.” This I have never seen. His name was never known. ⠀⠀ Samuel Rutherford was one of the chief commiffioners of the church of Scotland who fate with the Affembly at Westminster, and who concurred in fettling the grand points of presbyterian discipline. He was profeffor of divinity in the univerfity of Saint Andrew's, and has By fhallow Edwards and Scotch what d'ye call: But we do hope to find out all your tricks, has left a great variety of Calvinistic tracts. He was an avowed enemy to the independents, as appears from his Difputation on pretended liberty of confcience, 1649. This was anfwered by John Cotton a Separatist of New England. It is hence easy to fee, why Rotherford was an obnoxious character to Milton. 12. By fhallow Edwards. -] It is not the GANGRENA of Thomas Edwards that is here the object of Milton's refentment, as Doctor Newton and Mr. Thyer have fuppofed. Edwards had attacked Milton's favourite plan of independency, in a pamphlet full of miferable invectives, immediately and profeffedly levelled against the APOLOGETICALL NARRATION abovementioned, and entitled, "ANTAPOLOGIA, or a full antwer to the APOLOGETICALL NARRATION, &c. "Wherein is handled many of the Controverfies of thefe times, by "T. Edwards minifter of the golfpel, Lond 1644." In quarto. But Edwards had fome time before published his opinions against congregational churches, "Reafons against the independent government of particular congregations: as alfo against the toleration of fuch "churches to be erected in this kingdome. Together with an answer "to fuch reasons as are commonly alledged for a toleration. Prefented in all humility to the honourable house of Commons, &c. By "Thomas Edwards, &c. Lond. 1641." In quarto. However, in the GANGRENA, not less than in these two tracts, it had been his business to blacken the opponents of presbyterian uniformity, that the parlia ment might check their growth by penal ftatutes. Against fuch enemies, Milton's chief hope of enjoying a liberty of confcience, and a permiffion to be of any religion but popery, was in Cromwell, who for political reafons allowed all profeffions; and who is thus addreffed as the great guardian of religious independence, SONN. xvi, 11. New foes arife, Threatening to bind our souls in SECULAR CHAINS: OF HIRELING WOLVES, whofe gospel is their maw. 12. And Scotch what d'ye call.] Perhaps Henderfon, or George Galafpie, another Scotch minifter with a harder name, and one of the ecclefiaftical commiffioners at Westminster. But I wish not to be wilder myself or my readers any farther in the library of fanaticism. Happily the books, as well as the names, of the enthufiafts on both fides of the question, are almost all configned to oblivion. Your Your plots and packing worse than those of Trent, That fo the Parlament May with their wholesome and preventive shears 16 Clip your phylacteries, though bauk your ears, And fuccour our just fears, When they shall read this clearly in your charge, New Presbyter is but Old Prieft writ large. 20 14. Your plots and packing worse than those of Trent.] The famous council of Trent. 17. Clip your phylatteries, though bauk your ears.] Tickell, I think, is the first who gives baulk, or bauk, from the errata of edition 1673, which has bank. Fenton retains the errour from Tonfon's text. The line ftands thus in the manufcript, Crop ye as close as marginal P―'s ears. That is, Prynne, whofe ears were cropped close in the pillory, and who was fond of oftentatiously loading the margin of his voluminous books with a parade of authorities. But why was the line altered, when this piece was first printed in 1673, as Prynne had been then dead four years? Perhaps he was unwilling to revive, and to expose to the triumph of the royalists now restored, this difgrace of one of the leading heroes of the late faction. Notwithstanding Prynne's apoftacy. The meaning of the prefent context is, "Check your infolence, with"out proceeding to cruel punishments." To balk, is to spare. SONNET S*. I. To the NIGHTINGALE. Nightingale, that on yon bloomy fpray Warbleft at eve, when all the woods are still, Petrarch, fays doctor Newton, has gained the reputation of being the first author and inventor of this fpecies of poetry. This is a great miftake for Guitone d'Arezzo, who flourished about the year 1250, many years before Petrarch was born, firft ufed the measure obferved in the Sonnet; a measure, which the great number of fimilar termipations renders easy in the Italian, but difficult in our language. Dr. J. WARTON. To the Nightingale.] Let it not be deemed invidious, although perhaps Thomson himself might have thought it fo, to compare the following exquifite Ode with this Sonnet of Milton. O Nightingale, beft poct of the grove, But we, vain flaves of interest and of pride, WORKS of Thomson. 4to. vol. i. p. 463. No Thou with fresh hope the lover's heart doft fill, While the jolly hours lead on propitious May. Thy liquid notes that close the eye of day, Firft heard before the fhallow cuccoo's bill, 5 No poet has more frequently celebrated the nightingale than Milton. Where he fays in PARAD. L. B. iv. 603. The wakeful nightingale, She ALL NIGHT LONG her amorous defcant fung, &c. Perhaps he remembered Petrarch, SONN. X. El'rofignuol, che dolcemente a l'ombra TUTTE LE NOTTE fi lamenta e piagne. See alfo PARAD. L. vii. 435. Where doctor Newton observes, "his "fondness for this little bird is very remarkable." 4. While the jolly bours lead on propitious May.] Because the nightingale is fuppofed to begin finging in April. So Sydney, in ENGLAND'S HELICON, Signat. O. edit. 1614. The nightingale, fo foone as Aprill bringeth Vnto her relted fenfe a perfect waking, While late bare earth proud of new clothing fpringeth, 5. Thy liquid notes that close the eye of day.] So in Coмus, v. 978. And those happy climes that lie Where day never SHUTS his EYE. And in LYCIDAS, V. 26. Under the opening EYELIDS of the MORN. Compare Browne, BRIT. PAST. B. ii. S. iii. p. 78. When from a wood, wherein the EYE of DAY Had long a stranger beene. 6. First beard before the shallow cuccoo's bill, &c.] That is, if they happen to be heard before the cuckow, it is lucky for the lover. But Spenfer calls the cuckow the meffenger of fpring, and fuppofes that bis trumpet fbrill warns all lovers to wait upon Cupid, SoNN. XIX. Jonfon gives this appellation to the nightingale, in the SAD SHEPHERD, A. ii. S. vi. But beft, the dear good angel of the spring, ANGEL is meffenger. And the whole expreffion feems to be literally |