moulding of a Government only that they might shape their own shares in it, 'twere impoffible they should find any abettors; for though the multitude are always in preparation for change, yet 'tis not on Intuition of benefit to some private perfons, but of fomewhat wherein themselves may partake: Nor is even the madness of the people mad enough, to expose all their own interest, and most important concerns only to promote those of others. It has therefore always been both the rule and practice for such designers to fuborn the publick interest to countenance and cover their private; to cry up Diana to secure their own gain, and to make the seduced Populacy like the Fackcal to the Lion, hunt that prey which themselves mean to devour. And of all those artifices by which such Incendiaries have set Kingdoms in a flame, none has been more universally fuccesful than the pretext of Religion, which is thought so creditable a cause to engage in, as can convert the infamous titles of Rebel and Traitor into those of Patriot and Saint, and consequently, take off all discouragement arising from the disreputation of such an enterprize: And no less potent is it in solving the scruples of its unlawfulness; for bya dexterous anticipation, it makes Conscience a party, that it may exclude it from being judge, and by that one fallacy of supposing Religion to be a just ground of quarrel, make way for all the wild confequences deducible from that falfe principle: And indeed where that is throughly fastned, the mischiefs are not only great but incurable, & yet the

more so by how much the person is more zealous. For alas, what will it avail to tell such a man,'tis a fin to fight against his King: when he will tell you 'tis a greater not to fight for his God: That he contracts a heinous guilt in violating the peace of the Church, when he with as great confidence believes, he merits in propagating its truth. That he is accountable for the bloud of his Brethren; when he thinks he has like the Levites, Ex. 32. confecrated himself in it, and offer'd it an acceptable facrifice to God. Thus unhappily are these men fortified in their fin, by prefuming it their Vertue, and while the furious zeal of such is made subservient to the wicked craft of others, 'tis a most apt instrument of publick Mischief, there being no attempt so desperate, which such may not be put upon, who are methinks us'd as Hanibal is faid to have done those Oxen, whose horns he first fired, and then fent them to disturb the Roman camp: These men as those beafts are found very useful for the molefting of others; but commonly all they acquire to themselves, is the Smart of their own flames. Few of those who thus in the fimplicity of their heart follow an AbSolom or a Sheba, that do not either miscarry together with the defigr- or else live to difcern how much their credulity was abused; and that both religion (however pretended) and those that fought for it, were only made properties to promote the lufts of those who despised both. But 'tis unneceffary to insist farther on the effects of such religious Fury, of which we of this Nation have had so many and so costly evidences, as far transcend the most tragical descriptions. God grant we may never have other than our paft experiences to measure them by: But certainly there is little reason to be secure, so long as the root of them, our fpeculative differences daily encrease; for unless we could suppose an Age of fuch innocence, that there should be none who would take any undue Advantages, 'tis sure there will be enough given: And indeed when we reflect upon our past Distractions, and confider how trivial the matter of most of those Debates was, whose manner has been so cruelly folemn; how our flightest problemes have been writ in bloud, that many Thousands have been made naked to keep the Surplice off a few mens backs, and we have pulled down our Churches in displeasure at the windows, when I say these and a Thousand the like are confidered, we must conclude that there can never want Occasion to them that (in the Apostles Phrase) defire Occafion. The lightest distempers in the Chuch being contagious, and most apt (when fomented by ambitious designers) to beget an universal Plague in the Common-wealth. And now who can without horror confider these miferably perverted effects of Christian Religion, that that which was design'd the most inviolable bond of unity, should like those curles of entangled snakes with which Erinnys is faid to have infuriated Athemas and Ino, become the fatal incendiary of the mortallest hatred. That that Oeconomy which was meant to regulate, should be the Instrument of confounding and embroyling the World; and

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a Gospel of Peace should thus be made the Incen tive to war, and create fiercer quarrels than those it was to have compos'd. To turn the Grace of God into wantonness, is justly branded as a great Crime, but sure to turn it into malice is yet a greater. And though every fin offers violence to our religion, yet this is of all others the most barbarous, thus to make it Affsaffinate its self, become a kind of Felo de se, and contribute to its own ruine. And that this is the cafe, is I presume sufficiently evident in all the foregoing instances, whichas they are most obviously the effect of our eager Difputes, so are they no less visibly destructive to Chriftianity in all its interefts, leaves it neither root nor branch, neither inward Vigor, nor outward Luster; fo at once rendring it both unfertile and unamiable. 'Twas a piece of hoftile Severity against Moab, to fill the land with stones, thereby to render it barren, 2 King. 3.25. The flingers went about, and smote it: but what that suffered from profest Enemies, the Church daily sustains from those that call themselves her best friends. Our Benjamites are so in love with their skill of flingling to a hairs breadth, their nice Criticisms, Distinctions, and Subtilties, have cast abroad so many stones of contention, that the Church is become perfect quarry, utterly fteril and unfruitful, as to all those good works for the production whereof, she was so peculiarly fenced and cultivated by God; nay, 'twere well if barrenness were the worst, and that she had not on the other fide acquir'd an unhappy degenerous degenerous fertility: But what a numerous and accursed Issue spring from this unpeaceable temper, the foregoing confiderations do too fadly demonstrate; and I doubt not every attentive Observer will be able to add more (though not truer) Instances; and besides to difcern that this Spurious brood like that of Hagar is grown fo wantonly infolent as to despise the right heir of the Promife. The true Gospel Graces of Meekness, Peaceableness and universal Charity are accounted Earthy phlegmatick qualities, we disclaim that Holy Ghost which descends in the appearance of the Dove, nay or in fire either, unless it be like that of Elijah, to confume all that disgust us. Nor do we measure our Religion so much, by the oppofition it makes to our lufts, as to those whom we first make, and then call our enemies. Thus miferably have we changed the Scene, and by calling evil good, and good evil, have accumulated injuries upon our oppreffèd Christianity, not only rob'd it of its rule, but of its reputation also. And do we daily thus see Ishmael mocking Ifaac, and shall we not think it time to cast out the Bond-woman and her Son? shall we for ever cherish this generation of Vipers to tear out the bowels of our common Mother? I pray God the Question have not as much of presage as expostulation. For if we confider the present state of things, how our contentions plead not only right but prescription, there feems not much hope of difpoffeffing them, and yet less, when 'tis remembred, how they have entwisted themselves,

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