RULES for the Discovery of falfe PROPHETS: Or the Dan- tected at the Bar of SCRIPTURE, and Reason. SE A ERMON Preached before the UNIVERSITY At St. MARY'S in OXFORD, On WHITSUNDAY, 1758. WITH A PREF A CE In VINDICATION of CERTAIN Articles propofed AND AN APPEN Ꭰ DIX Containing authentick Vouchers; from the Writings of By JOHN FREE, D. D. Vicar of EAST-COKER in Somersetshire, Thursday-Lecturer of —Καὶ ἐξ ὑμῶν ἀυτῶν ἀναςήσονται ἄνδρες δαλόντες διετραμμένα, τα LONDON: Printed by E. OWEN, in Holborn, for the AUTHOR ; 2 CANTERBURY, PRIMATE, and METROPLITAN of all ENGLAND, &c. &c. I MY LORD, SHOULD not have prefumed to have troubled YOUR GRACE with this Dedication, but that I think there are fome Occafions, when the Intereft of the common Caufe, and the mutual Relation which the Sup porters, and Defenders of that Caufe bear to each other, may require more of Intercourse, and Communication between Superiors and Inferiors, than may be neceffary in peaceable Times, and the ordinary Courfe of Things. YOUR GRACE is by your Station, as well as your Affection, to be efteemed the prefent FATHER of the Church of England: And therefore, confidering both your Au- : thority and good Difpofition towards us, it is no Wonder, that your Clergy fhould apply; as they see a Neceffity, for fuch Indulgences, as may forward their boneft Endeavours, and which, I dare fay, YOUR GRACE will never with hold; I mean your Concurrence, Counfel, and Protection. Α A$ As there feems to be this Privilege allowed Your Clergy, I thought there was an abfolute Neceffity at prefent to use it, and pathetically to lay before YOUR GRACE, the Conduct and Difpofition of an Enemy, which through the Negligence of fome Perfons, who should have been more upon their Guard, have by fecret Advances, fo far ftolen upon the common People, as to feduce many of all Denominations from their proper Paftors, and aided by this mixed Multitude to threaten the CHURCH of ENGLAND, the Bulwark of the Proteftant Cause, with a general Alteration or total Subverfion. To fuch a Pitch of Infolence are they arrived, that Your Clergy are often interrupted by these Enthufiafts as they pafs the Streets, and told to their Faces by the lowest and most ignorant Wretches, that they know nothing of the true GOSPEL; and what still fhews a greater Contempt of our Establishment, we are the more fubject to thefe Indignities and Disturbances, when we appear in that Dress, which the Laws and Customs of this Country affign us, to diftinguish us as Servants of the State, in the now fad Capacity of Ministers of the falling CHURCH of ENGLAND. The Vulgar in the capital Cities, and the Body of Artizans in the most populous trading Towns are moftly in the Hands of these People: And their Purfes being likewife at their Command, they want no Advantages, that Money can give them, for printing and diftributing GRATIS, their lying, blafphemous, and delufive Pamphlets, to the remoteft Corners of the Land; while many of the laborious honeft CLERGY, who do the Service of this Capital, through the ill Returns of Abuses, Depreffion, and Neglect, not having a common Subfiftence, can have no Superfluity to expend in the publick Service, and there-, fore can by no Means fupport at their own Cost, the Expence of Apologies and Defenfes from the Prefs. Such being the proftrate, miferable State of the Church and thofe, who used to defend it, and fuch the triumphant State of its Enemies, I cannot fee how any Order of Men in the English PRIESTHOOD, though they do not stand in the Breach, can expect for their Tameness any better Security or longer Continuance than the Reft: While this Turbulence remains, they all fubfift as it were at Mercy, and |