Pedantism and Childishness which are despised by the Judicious and not understood by the rest so that they lose their end and the end of Preaching more they do no good get no hold on the People whereas did even these but aim at instructing the Ignorant seriously and the exciting all to their Duty earnestly and devoutly it would atone for their imperfections with the Judicious and have good effect upon the rest I have spoken freely in this Matter under a great sense of this Evil and I hope I shall not be understood to reflect upon any worthy men of our Church I design'd only to express my just indignation against wanton Witlings Preachers and People whose number thanks be to God lessens daily and among all Intelligent Church-men this way is exploded and every where despised There is another Error in defect in reference to Preaching it is of those that reckon it an indifferent a meerly humane thing when as it is certainly of Divine appointment to continue to the end of the World Mat. 28.20 We ought in the sense of this to be more frequent and heedful in our attendance on Sermons than many are and not shut out Preaching or Hearing under pretence of Zeal for the Church-Prayers Those that pretend one Duty to the prejudice of another do really care for neither Our Zeal should be Vniform and respect every duty proportionably to the Dignity and necessity of it And if generally we had been so disposed thus Zealous as we ought many of the People that now run away from our Communion had still been ours They like Presbyterians and other Sects because the Preachers are earnest and make shew of much Zeal as the People also do not because they are for such or such a Church-Government for this or that Opinion The multitude understand not these things follow them not for that Cause but for the opinion they have of their being Godly and Zealous And we may be we should be as zealous for Religion in the true Way as they seem to be in the wrong Our Church permits requires this from us We ought not to distinguish our selves from them by slighting and avoiding the lawful expressions of Christian Zeal the Interest of our Church doth not require that but the contrary If our Zeal were more proportion'd to the goodness of our Cause that goodness of our Cause would be more known and acknowledg'd and our Adversaries would more easily be reconcil'd unto it CHAP. V. V. ANother occasion of our Dangers is the contrary extream to our Coldness viz. Extravagant Zeal Here I shall first consider the present fury of Atheists and Infidels and then discourse of other sorts of intemperate Heat and Wildness that in the long run will greatly befriend Popery Where there were Atheists in former days they hid their Heads and were afraid ashamed to appear but in these they glory they triumph In no Age did they ever dare so openly in no Christian in no Heathen Country How common is it for lewd men yea for green untaught Youth to question dispute cavil at the most sacred Articles of Religion To do this in Taverns Coffee-Houses in all Companies in the presence of the Ministers of Religion before them to choose How will the young Witlings pride and plume themselves How will they brisle and perk up when they talk with those of the sacred function against Religion How do they despise their Reasons because forsooth the thing they defend is their Interest and vaunt their own arguments as Demonstrations when they are scarce Sense It would turn a man's Stomach to see the insolence and folly of these bold Youngsters which are a scandal to the Reformation and give occasion to our Roman Enemies to brand us all as Atheists or not far from being such whereby they are hardned in their Way and have great advantage to win more to them Particularly at this time these Infidels do Popery great service They are violent in their Out-crys against it violent to Fury none so fierce as they of which there can be no Reason but either the consideration of their Lands or this that Popery is a Religion at least it pretends unto it Now by this their clamour and fierceness by their appearing so forward so in the Front as it were against Popery they give occasion to the Papists to think and say that our Zeal is an Heathen Persecution of Christianity that they are so malign'd so opposed by us because they profess Religion and are not Infidels And it may suggest to others that are yet indifferent that certainly there is some great good in Popery that such run upon it with such violence and 't is natural to men to favour that which the Wicked and those whose ways they have cause to abhor dislike abominate and flie out against So that these harden Papists and recommend their Religion they render it less odious to some because 't is so to them What evil have I done said the surprized Philosopher that these the Multitude applaud me On the contrary what good hath Popery done that vile Atheists rage so against it 'T is a shame to be commended by some and a praise to be condemn'd and persecuted by others See saith the Papist who are furious against our Religion They are the same that blaspheme against God dispute his Being burlesque his Word deride his Son despise revile trample on his Ministers of all sorts these Protestants lead you these you triumphantly attend these you voice up to be Patriots these are they that shew most violent hate and rage against us Whoever gives occasion to such upbraidings as these doth without doubt credit and promote Popery and this the forwardness of many Atheists hath done and doth daily Now for Cure of these Mischiefs we should every where disown declare against the wildness of these Furies despise their pretended Zeal and help shame and reprove their Hypocrisie suffer them not to name Protestant Religion decline their company discountenance all they say and all they do Brand hoot at them let the World see let our Enemies see they are not of us that we have nothing to do with them Thus we should do in Charity to them publick shame and reproach may do them more good than any other Method this we owe to our selves and to the honour of Religion to vindicate it from the Scandal and Reproach these vile men bring upon it If ever there was a time for Zeal against Atheists Debauchees Buffoons it is now It is always seasonable now most so These are our principal Enemies who whenever time serves will be as fierce against us all sorts and professions of Religion as they are now against the Papists These are the common Foes enemies not only to Religion but to all Government and Societies to Mankind and should be used as such These permitted cherish'd will bring God's Judgments upon us and possibly Popery as one Let us then have no fellowship with
of the Church of England They formed our Reformation and divers of them sealed it with their bloud They still are the great Champions of the Protestant Cause They have writ all that is considerable against Popery They by their Writings and Sermons have and do still with great zeal judgment and success oppose those corruptions The unreasonableness of ourvilifying and depressing them while we pretend zeal against Popery Their ill usage briefly described By it Popery is advanced The most common Objections against the Clergy of our Church considered The senslesness of that charge that our Clergy are inclinable to Popery How contrary that is not only to their Principles and Professions but to their Interest This Charge favours and recommends Popery Considerations why we should stand by countenance respect and encourage our Clergy now especially Some humble motions on their behalf for the advantage of the Church and the prevention of Popery CHAP. III. The Third occasion viz. our Divisions Those described They promote Popery by way of Scandal and by giving them direct opportunity to play their game No way to assurance against Popery but Union which is the way to that 1. Toleration is not Liberty of Conscience stated and considered It s destructiveness to all Government That no Party is really for it but use it only for clamour and pretence when they are not uppermost It is Rule all would have 2. Accommodation with Dissenters considered modestly proposed and in the supposable advantages and dangers of it and humbly left to the wisdom of our Governours 3. What ever is thought fit Accommodation or not the Constitution should be made firm and Laws put in execution in order to our Union and security against Popery Objections answered CHAP. IV. The Fourth occasion our carelesness and and indifferency in Religion The necessity of sober Zeal Religion is recommended and secured by it ours much prejudiced by the want of it All Sects advance and grow by zeal though ignorant and mistaken Instances of their zeal we ought to be as zealous in a good cause as they are in a bad in what particulars we should be more zealous viz. in attending Publick Prayers and Sacraments in studying the Constitution of our Church and in observance of the Lords day zeal in Preaching largely discoursed and the folly and mischiefs of the trifling wittisizing way largely represented Preaching vindicated against the opinion of its being a very indifferent and meerly humane thing CHAP. V. The Fifth occasion viz. extravagant Zeal The present fury and pretended zeal of Atheists justly reprehended and scorn'd The mischiefs their Fury against Popery doth the Protestant Religion to prevent which we ought to disown their pretended help and kindness An humble motion for the effectual suppressing of Atheism in order to our security against Popery The extravagant zeal of others mischievous Mens unreasonable multiplying the numbers of Papists an advantage to Popery Their real numbers in this Nation inconsiderable their hopes from Foreign Assistances vain The senselesness of their Plots The unpracticableness of introducing Popery here by force Our multiplying the number and strength of Papifts encourageth Plots The pretence of their many secret Friends considered the mischievous use of that pretence to the confounding of us among our selves as it hath of late been used it effectually doth the Papists business a way of prevention offered Another branch of this injustice viz. uncharitable charging all that profess conversion from Popery as if they were still Papists Another instance viz. the appropriating the name of Protestant to the Sects and other enemies to the Government The mischiefs of it The Conclusion being the Authors Apology FINIS Advertisement concerning the ERRATA THe Reader is desired to take notice of the following Errors of the Press Some of them especially in the first second and fifth Pages are Alterations of the Copy others are mostly mispointings but such as perplex and alter the Sense The rest I leave to common Ingenuity and Charity Errata Page 1. Line 18. Read England the Protestant Reformation p. 2. l. 6. r. is that which we call the Church of England p. 5. l. 21. r. Patrons of the notion p. 7. l. 26. r. model p. 15. l. 21. r. wrest their Rights from them p. 33. l. 4. r. decent uncall'd to offer their opinion l. 5. r. I think p. 40. l. 9. r. wittisizing way p. 44. l. 17. r. Zeal and help p. 47. l. 3. r. Protestant Non-conformists l. 28. r. to which l. 32. r. populous p. 48. l. 6. r. one more or two at most
be still in danger of being out-raged are worse Circumstances and will be so to them than any Poverty any Condition whatsoever in the Service of this Church can possibly be So that could they with the wreck of their Consciences and future hopes be safe under Popery for this World yet they must be very uneasie very miserable in it And though they could be secure of the utmost kindness of the Papists which there is no reason to expect yet they would be in perpetual danger of being torn in pieces or knock'd on the head by the People if any Commotions which we cannot think but such a state of things would be very liable to should happen And if the Tide should turn and that Religion be again expell'd any way they must then be if suffer'd to live the most hated detested Creatures alive And are such Circumstances as these desirable Can any men in their Wits covet and endeavour to arrive at such a condition Who ever really thinks that the Clergy of the Church of England desire or are inclined to Popery thinks they are Ideots or Madmen And what is there so reasonable so lovely in Popery to incline so great a Body of men that know it and have shewn they know ill enough by it to renounce all their Interests in favour of it This would make some believe that Protestants have belied the Popish Religion and cheated the World with false Representations of it if the Clergy of an opposite Christian Church do secretly desire it contrary to all their Professions Oaths and Vows to God and Men and contrary to all their dearest Interests in this World If this be so Popery hath strange Beauties and Charms which the Glergy see but will not acquaint the People with And what can be alledged more to the advantage of Popery Or what can more express the Slanderers extream malice against the Conformable Clergy Which as I have shewn hath a tendency to the advancement of the Popish cause and interest Now to prevent it here also we should countenance and incourage these Adversaries of that Church and Way the Divines of our own 'T is their imployment and hath been their study to discover the errors dangers and malignity of Romish Corruptions and Innovations Divers ingenious Gentlemen of the Court and Country are likewise well instructed in this Knowledg but the Clergie have made it most their Business and are most immediately concern'd By such their Craft must be detected their Pretences exposed their Endeavours defeated Popery will not be kept out by Railing and Noise it must be the light of contrary Conviction that must do it it must be kept from taking hold of the Hearts and Consciences of men and not only be resisted by the exercise of Power so that if we are heartily disaffected to Popery and the increase of it we should shew that inclination by our favour to those who so strenuously so unanimously oppose it We ought to respect our own Clergy for that Reason and for many others for their Character and their Work c. God hath dignified them with highest Titles of his Ministers his Ambassadors Stewards of his Mysteries Angels Stars Light and shall we despise those whom he is pleased to honour Are these titles marks of Infamy and Reproach Their Business also and Imployment requires our respects to them 't is the greatest most honourable most useful they serve us for our noblest part our highest ends these challenge our kindness our countenance and ingenuous and candid thoughts of them which we should shew in dislike of vilifying Discourse and in reproving unjust Reproaches of them Charity thinketh no evil not of any especially not of our Spiritual Guides whom we ought to reckon worthy of double honour for their Work sake We should consider what Enemies they have on all sides to invent and spread Slanders of them to make much of little something of nothing and where we discover faults we should reporve them privately we should endeavour what in us lies to make their Lives comfortable that fo with Courage and Resolution they may address themselves to their great Work Those who are always opprest and kept down will beable to do no great matter The Apostles indeed and Primitive Christians got vigour from Oppositions and Persecutions but their assistances were extraordinary and immediate And thanks be to God we have many resolv'd excellent Men whom no ill treatment will discourage from their Duty though others of lower Form that might otherwise be very useful in some degree may be disheartned We would not have them intermeddle in Secular Matters 't is pity men should make it more necessary than they desire by giving them trouble to get their small Dues Small especially in Cities and Corporations but pay justly chearfully and not divert them from their other Business which is enough by vexations of this sort this is cruel and shameful And 't were greatly to be wish'd that the Government would take care to augment the Livings in Corporations and great Towns where the greatest imployment is and the least incouragement and appoint some speedier easier way for the gaining of small Dues great part of which now is lost or got with incredible Envy Hatred and Toil. This hath been aim'd at and indeavour'd in a late Parliament and 't would be just and for the interest and advantage of the Protestant Religion it should be effectually consider'd The ways that are now through the iniquity of the Times are tedious vexatious odious and scarce practicable at last and the Minister must resolve to sit down either with the loss of his Maintenance or his Reputation and his Peace So that to purchase quietness he must be a Beggar and is under great temptation to lose the interest of his Family and the rights of his Church These discouragements will easily be remov'd when any Parliament shall think fit to set about it And since I am upon Desirables I 'le mention one or two more viz. That Patrons would take consciencious Care in presenting to their Livings that they would consider the fitness of Persons and the Churches Service and not be moved by other undue considerations for want of this many unqualified incompetent men creep in to the great dishonour and prejudice of our Church and Religion And if these things were rectified it is to be suppos'd and hop'd that Care would be taken that Degrees should not be given in the Vniversities but to men of suitable Learning nor holy Orders but to Persons known to be fitly Qualified The rectifying these few things would cure many of the greatest Evils that oppress and disgrace the Clergie and Protestant Reformation They would then be animated to their Duty be Ornaments to the Church have power with the People and so be enabled more effectually to defend the Protestant Interest and Religion whereas our present Proceedings lessen and expose both them and it CHAP. III. III. OVr Divisions which must necessarily follow
want of Authority in the Church and respect to its Ministers are plain and acknowledg'd occasions of our Dangers Never was a People so Broken so Divided What numerous names of Sects have we and scarce any one at Unity within it self all subdivided and broken into diversities that want names We have raked up all the old Heresies and added new Monsters formerly unheard of All that the Phancies all that the Phrensies of conceited and distracted men can invent are Doctrines of Religion and Grounds of Sect-making among us And all are zealous for their particular Conceits all call their own imaginations by the most sacred names Light God's Truth Gospel Ways Holy Mysteries Daunings Illuminations Refinings and a world more of such fondness by which they are infinitely puff'd up in their own Phancies as the only Knowing the only Spiritual Christians and taught to scorn all other Doctrines and Ways as beggarly Rudiments Elements of this World and Carnal Reasonings at the best yea generally to rail bitterly at them as Lyes Popish Babylonish Antichristian trash Doctrines of Devils and such like and consequently to hate and bitterly to revile all different Judgments especially those that are uppermost Establish'd or countenanc'd by the Government now chiefly the Church of England but if any one of them were got into the place it would be the same thing all the rest would flie upon it and tear it with their utmost Rancour Vehemence and Reproaches Which state of things among us is infinitely Scandalous to the Protestant Religion to which they all pretend And those that leave us clamorously object that there is no end of our Factions and Divisions That 't is a sign our Church is not the true one since it is so broken shattered divided Which Divisions they think and say are either the natural consequents of our departure from them or the Judgment of God upon us for that Separation See say they what you Protestants are a medley of wild disagreeing Sects as different from and as fierce one against another as against us one in Name but in Principles in Affections in your particular ways infinitely diverse infinitely opposite You have no Principles are fastned to no Foundation float up and down like the Waves of the Sea still rouling from one Sect to another Whereas we Catholicks are one Body an Edifice firmly built upon the Authority of the Church having no such Fractions among us but being as a City that is at unity in it self By such suggestions to which our Divisions give too much colour they deceive the Hearts of the Simple and draw multitudes into their Snares And as our Divisions promote Popery by way of Scandal and the ill opinion they beget of the Reformation so they do the same by giving the Papists positive and direct opportunity to play their Game They put themselves into all shapes and disguises among our Sects and under those Vizards drive us on towards more Confusion and disseminate their own Doctrines under other Names and Appearances with great advantage to their Cause So that while there are such Separations and Conventicle Meetings among us Popery is still carrying on The Popish Agents will creep into Houses they will hide and shelter themselves under those pretences and drive on their Business by them So that there is no way for us to come to any assurance against Popery but by Vnion by which the Scandal will be removed and the advantages that we give our Enemies by our Divisions But this considering how things are may seem utterly unpracticable union and agreement in Opinions is certainly unfeisable it never was in the World it never will be But yet some External Vnion Subjection Truce fairness among the different minds may And how is that to be attain'd Must all Dissenters from the Church be supprest Or must they have a general Toleration The ordering this Matter must be left to the Wisdom of our Governours only in general I say something must be done for the removing the mischievous effects of our Divisions I will not pretend to direct but I 'le give you my opinion in two things 1. Toleration is not the way Liberty of Conscience must be given there is no help for that no power on Earth can invade it for Liberty of Conscience is liberty of Practical Judgment and the freedom of that none can take away Liberty of Practice then is the thing in dispute that consists either in professing our private Opinions or our walking in private Ways contrary to Establishments and as to these too strictly speaking our Liberty cannot be taken away For whatever the Laws or Penalties are men will still retain natural power and liberty to profess what they believe and to act according to that profession The question then is of Political Liberty whether they should not be determined by Laws and bounded by Prohibitions and Penalties in Ecclesiastical Matters as well as others And so it will come to this whether there should be any Government in the Church or not For if there be a Government there must be Laws if there be Laws there must be Penalties annext to the violation of those Laws otherwise the Government is precarious and at every ones mercy that is 't is none at all the very nature of Government requires Restraints and the bounding the liberty of Practice and to strive for Toleration is to contend against all Government Let it be tried in the Civil State in Armies in Schools in any Societies or publick Bodies And see what work it would make with them None certainly could stand under the practice of such a Principle For if Penalties are forborn to any why should not all expect it when there is occasion And all may have the same pretence when they need it If no one is to be punish'd for doing that which is agreeable to his Conscience or not doing that which is contrary to it every one will quickly learn to say that the thing he would do is his Conscience and the thing he dislikes is against it And 't is impossible for all the wisdom in the World to tell but that it may no one can judg that but a man's self So that here is an effectual loose and out-let to all Government in the Church yea and in the State too For Conscience is as much concern'd in the Duties of the Second Table as in those of the First Conscience void of offence towards God and towards men Acts 24. 16. And there is no Statute of the Realm that can be made but men may find a pretence of Conscience against it And if Conscience every man's peevish humoursome erring Judgment which he will call by that name be so sacred that no one must be punish'd that follows it then every one may be excused when he thinks fit to plead this and so good-night to all Laws and Governments of all sorts If a man steals anothers Goods the Law would punish him But saith he I did
offer'd without the usual Partiality and Prejudice And thus punishments are instruments of real Reformation and amendment The truth of this we have in part seen For while the Act made by the late Parliament against Conventicles was pretty briskly executed our Churches began to be fill'd and the People were from all quarters coming in and had that course been followed as it was begun it would have done the business in likelihood we had been settled and not exposed to such dangers of Popery as we always shall be while the Church is unfixt and so by the Grace of God we might yet be if this Method were retriev'd But then the work must be done with a steady hand and firm resolution constantly universally that all may see we are in earnest for Establishment Such a course I am persuaded would yet bring us into Regularity and External Vnion which would give Beauty and Strength to our Church gratifie all good Men and disappoint the designs of our Popish and other Enemies CHAP. IV. III. OVr carelessness and indifferency in Religion is one of the greatest and most unhappily influencing occasions of our fears and dangers of Popery Religion requires and deserves our highest Affections and most diligent Endeavours It is Zeal so in the truth of things and in the general sense of Mankind So that where Zeal is not People will not believe that Religion is there The Zealous still lead them and have their company and when ever it happens that the generality of a Church or Way are cold dead and unconcern'd either to Religion in general or to their own particular Profession that Church and Profession is like to be deserted by those of warm affections who will betake them thither where they may have company in their Zeal and entertainment for it Here now hath been a principal occasion that many have fall'n off from our Church to the Roman Superstition Blessed be God we have an excellent constitution of Religion reformed according to Primitive Apostolick Doctrine and Usage But the misery is We the Members have by our Carelessness Indifferency Irreligion brought disgrace upon it and laid it low in the opinion of many zealous and devout People for the most will judg of Religions by the Professors of them Our difsenting Adversaries were and are very zealous they have a Zeal for God though not according to Knowledg that heat hath been very wild and very mischievous and by the ill conduct and bad effects of it we are prejudiced many of us against the very Word and against the Thing So that we run as 't is usual into a quite contrary extream and are afraid of any thing that looks like warm Concernment in or for Religion The Sects are earnest in their Prayers so to Folly and Extravagance On the contrary how indifferent are many of us to the Service of our Church those sober grave Devotions which formerly when they were supprest we disputed so earnestly for How little have they of our Company How undevoutly do we demean our selves at them How slightly do many talk of saying Prayers and being Devout as if they were things to be jested with How little Reputation doth Devotion give any one among us How little Shame or Disrepute the contrary The Dissenters are Superstitious as to hearing Sermons are swift to hear place almost all Religion in it Whereas too many of us reckon little of Preaching perform it as an Exercise hear it as an Entertainment at the best divers make nothing of it at least are without any affectionate concernment about it The holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper which the Fanaticks impale within their select numbers but is freely permitted to us how many slight how few attend The greatest part neglect it quite and will not by the most constant and earnest importunities of their Ministers be persuaded to do thus much to testifie their being Christians The Sects are zealous contenders for their dear Models of Government and Discipline But how little do we most of us heed the Government and Discipline of the Church We care not how it is affronted or trampled on yea we are ready upon every occasion and without any sometimes to flie in the Face of the Governours of it and to tear them our selves The Separatists are zealous to Superstition in the observance of the Lords Day Some of us in opposition reckon not much of it most I doubt are too negligent and remiss here In nothing doth the humour of Opposition appear more among us than in this We hold sacredness of places on the account of dedication to religious uses and respect due to them for this the Sects despise us as Superstitious They on the other side hold Sacredness and Divine Separation of some time the Lords Day at least this Doctrine and the consequent Practice some among us impeach as Superstitious and heed not that Day as they ought Frequent Acts of Parliament are made to inforce its Religious observation and to restrain abuses and prophanations of it which yet are the same as before and Magistrates that should execute Laws in many places take little or no notice of them Now the consequence of this unhappy Coldness and Indifferency must be that many People that are affectionate to Religion must needs turn away and joyn themselves either to the Conventicles on the one hand or the Papists on the other both which have great appearance of Zeal and Devotion and many no doubt have gone off to the Roman Church upon this only score being scandaliz'd by our neglects and indevotion This was the temper of Laodicea and the Remedy prescribed to prevent Ruine was Zeal Rev. 3. 19. And except we learn and practise this our Church in he necessary consequence must fall to nothing Our Enemies on both sides are diligent studious zealous and if we continue negligent and careless their designs to destroy us at length must of necessity succeed and here is one of the most considerable Causes they have succeeded so far already The way of Cure and Prevention is sober active Zeal both in Clergy and People As to the Prayers of the Church the Ministers ' ought to read them with more affection and external Devotion the People to attend them with more diligence and constancy and their attendance ought to be more humble and devout There was never more reason for our constancy and zeal in this Duty than now Prayers are always seasonable but most necessary in times of publick Difficulties and Dangers The rude Mariners betook them to their Prayers in the Storm JOB 1. In their affliction they will seek me early Hos. 5. 15. If we do not so in ours it will be a sad symptom We should further express our Zeal in being constant and unanimous in attending on the holy Sacrament our neglect of this is shameful and intolerable Nothing hath given so great a blow to our Religion it hath made some believe and say we have none We are
and at the distance of many Miles it may be another Some few decaied Gentry and here and there an inconsiderable Country-man or Tradesman very few of Note or Riches of either sort And if an exact account were taken of their numbers and condition from London to the Mount in Cornwal Westward the inconsiderableness of both would exceedingly surprise us And I am very confident that of all sorts of men differing from the Church of England in the Kingdom the Papists are the fewest and those that are are so scattered and live so distantly from each other that 't is really very little they are capable of doing in opposition to the rest of the Nation and the less because of the great jealousie and hatred that all universally have conceiv'd of and against them We hear of vast numbers in the North and there are more no doubt in those parts than in the Western but I believe they are much fewer than we hear and no way able by their numbers to make any kind of Ballance for the exceeding disproportion in the West The truth is People are mightily given and generally so to multiply the number of Papists and they do it in common talk at least ten-fold Designs have been and I doubt are still carrying on which this pretence serves A chief thing to be done in order to publick Mischief is to affright the People with the number and strength of Papists And I believe if there were but ten of that sort in the Nation it would be the same thing God forbid I should diminish the real force of our Enemies or endeavour to render us secure in Dangers The malignity and principles of Papists their unwearied Zeal and diligence to overthrow our Religion I very well know and thank God that the whole Kingdom is awakned to apprehend these but I think we shall incourage them and dishearten our selves if we over magnifie their strength and thereby give occasion to other Plots of as dangerous a nature as theirs But to all this I know some will say that though their numbers here are not considerable yet they are very formidable upon the account of foreign Friends and Correspondents And our danger from Abroad is really great but not much the more on the account of Domestick Papists whatever they vainly persuaded themselves If our Neighbours should invade us They if they should be so disposed could do them but little service we know their assistance in the late Wars where they joyn'd was not very considerable And now their numbers being so small and they being so disperst and mingled they being so hated and every Neighbour having so watchful and concern'd an Eye upon every one of them they could scarce signifie any thing yea it may be thought considering how things are that in such a Case the fury of the People would offer them immediate Violence and prevent their doing that little they otherwise might All this Sir I say to shew how little sense and reason there is in the Popish Plots and how much better it would be for them for ever to desist and to sit down in desperation of success And if a Popish Prince should come to rule over us if he knew the real state of things and the weakness of that party he would never think of reducing the Nation to that Religion which cannot be effected but by Miracle The very attempt would hazard the ruining him and the Monarchy for ever The meer jealousie though most groundless ruined one Protestant King and we see in what danger it hath put another And if things are thus as I am confident upon examination and trial you will find let us take care that we promote not Popery by strengthening the hopes of Papists let us not hearten them by false accounts of their numbers and their strength and thereby inspire them with courage to Plot against us The better way I think would be to let them see we despise them and to know how phantastical and sensless their hopes are This would really disable them break their Courage and in likelihood put an end to their audacious Projects from which we have such frequent disturbance But we hear and they are told they have many secret friends Papists in their hearts who will be ready to help them when time shall serve By this way the number of Papists is supplied and those that have ends to serve by it may make it what they please I shall not deny but that they may have some under-hand secret favourers or that there may be divers such in Masquerade among the Sects But is it likely that those whose caution and interest hath kept them all this while from appearing or declaring in times when they safely might have done it should venture all against the excited rage of the whole Nation in so desperate a Cause Or if the number of these were added would it make any proportion to the open declared Enemies of that Religion If they should lean upon such hopes I doubt not but they would prove broken Reeds that would fail and suffer them to sink to the Ground And here I cannot but take notice of an intolerable Practice extremely prejudicial to the Protestant Interest and Religion every where now prevailing it is the Stigmatizing every one that we dislike or hate or design against with the brand of Popery If a Gentleman stands to be a Member of Parliament that is not a Fanatick he is in their Mouths presently a Papist If one speak but an earnest word for the Government and establishments either in Church or State that crosseth and stops some mens contrary violence he is a Papist If a Minister preach up the Peaceable healing Christian Spirit and Principles in opposition to Madness and wild Rage he is a Papist If a man doth not believe every seditious lye that is publish'd in the Domestick Intelligence and Coffee-house Letters he is a Papist So that I am afraid the time is near if seasonable stop be not put to this Rage when every Friend to the King and Church shall be a Papist If there are not real Papists in the Nation enough to keep us in eternal frights till these Plotters have done with us what they please they will make more and we shall have enough ere they have done First They make the Bishops and all the Conformable Clergie such We know they had concluded all the former but three a pretty while ago and they are continually labouring by scandalous Reflections and downright Reproaches in their common Discourses and their more publick lying News to blast the whole Regular Clergy as Papists in Masquerade as they phrase it or favourers of Popery at least And though these have been always and still are as I have shewn the stout zealous defenders of the Protestant Cause though they are the only significant opposers in their way of Popish Errors and Superstitions though they expose them daily by their learned Books and Sermons and no