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member from whence we are fallen, and repent, and do the firft works.

I. First, the evils with which we are threaten'd are no lefs than the lofs of all that is dear and valuable to us, both as Men and Englishmen, and as Chriftians and Proteftants. For we are now engag'd in war with two of the most powerful princes in Europe, and it is not a fair and generous war that they carry on against us, but they have fomented a most unnatural rebellion among us, in order to impofe a popish and abjur'd Pretender upon the throne of these kingdoms. And if Providence for the punishment of our fins fhould fuffer our enemies to prevail over us, one of the first things that we must expect is to be deprived of the free exercife of our holy religion, and to be compelled into the Romish communion. Our candlestick will then indeed be reE 4 moved

moved out of his place; we shall no longer be blessed with the pure light of the gofpel, but fhall be condemned to the darkness of fuperftition; our bibles we must exchange for vain legends and traditions, our excellent liturgy for prayers in an unknown tongue; and inftead of worfhipping God in fpirit and in truth, we must bow down to images, and worship departed faints and angels. All freedom of debate and controverfy will then be taken away. Examine and prove and profess the truth you must not; that church requires implicit obedience, and allows of no toleration; and you must either conform, or fubmit to go to the ftake, or to the galleys, or to prifon, or be forced to fly your native country. But it may be thought that the milder kind of popery may be established here as in France; but popery in any shape is terrible, and

bad

bad is the best, as appears by the cruelties exercised towards the proteftants of that kingdom in the last reign, and very lately in the present. Ask any of our French proteftants or their children, and they will tell you the blessings of French popery as well as of French government. But is it not much more probable, that a native of Italy, a pupil and penfioner of the Pope, from principle, from gratitude, from intereft devoted to the court of Rome, will endevor to fix and establish popery among us in the fulness of its authority? It is fometimes indeed fuggefted in his commendation (and ftrange kind of commendation it is) that he is a perfon of no religion; but he is the fitter therefore to be made a bigot and the tool of bigots; and none so likely to perfecute, plunder, and murder the profeffors of the true religion, as an infidel or an atheist. England

has

has been long confider'd as a fheep gone aftray, and muft by all means be fetched back to the fold, and be well fleeced to make amends for fo many years as fhe hath been loft. They therefore who have any religion, must pray against this monftrous rebellion, as they would preferve their religion in any purity; and they who have no religion, muft yet wifh against it, as they would not be ridden by priests, nor be liable to ecclefiaftical cenfures. They are too apt to fay, that all religions are the fame; but they would foon find and feel a very fenfible difference. They would not then be fuffered to neglect the fervice of a falfe church, as they do now of the true; but must be obliged to go frequently to mafs and to confeffion. They murmur that the revenues, of the church are fo large; and what then will they fay to the immense wealth of the Romifh clergy, and

and their impofitions and exactions for private maffes, for prayers for the dead, for pardons and indulgences, for offerings to the faints, and numberlefs other inventions? They cannot bear even the moderate powers and privileges of the bifhops and clergy of the church of England; and how then will they submit to the tyranny and dominion of the Romish hierarchy, the church's infallibility, the Pope's fupremacy, penances, ecclefiaftical commiffions, and perhaps an office of Inquifition? They may then complain of Prieftcraft indeed, and will feel the little finger of popery to be Kings heavier than the loins of the church xii. 10. of England.

But if we were more indifferent than I hope we are about religion, yet what is to become of our property? which is a confideration that may affect thofe, whom perhaps the other would not. All the lands belonging

to

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