A WORD IN SEASON: OR, A LETTER FROM A Reverend Divine TO A justice of the Peace IN LONDON.  

Licenced,  
May the 4th. 1679.   
LONDON, Printed for R. G. in the Year, 1679.   

A WORD in Season, etc.  
SIR,  
IN Answer to Yours, of the 4th. Instant; I cannot but acquaint you, that ever since I heard any thing of this late Hellish Plot, Contrived by the Roman Catholics, against his Majesty's most sacred Person, our Religion, and Government; and have observed what Gracious Proclamations, and Suitable ORDERS of King and Council, have been frequently exhibited for the Extirpation of those Common Enemies of our Land, and perpetual Disturbers of Mankind, Priests, Jesuits, and other Romish Recusants; and yet, to our sad Experience, have seen how both the City and Country still swarm with these Destructive Vermin, who yet hid their Permeradus Heads in every Hole, and Corner of the Nation; and are both ready, and willing too, upon the least Occasion offered them, to Sally out, and make Desperate Excursions; either to the Proselyting, or stirring up Dissension among his Majesty's good Subjects, Firing of Towns or Cities, Committing of Clandestine Murders; or any other Hellish Impiety, be it never so Black, or deep Died, so it may but conduce to the Romish Interest, and Protestant Ruin: I say, Sir, having observed, that these Evils still remain among us; I have been thus bold, partly through that intimate Friendship, wherewith you have been always pleased to Honour me; and partly through an earnest Desire, to satisfy my own Conscience, in the Discharge of that Function, wherein Providence has been pleased to place me; to give you my own Sentiments, (which, I think, I may term Supplicationes Populi, The Wishes of the People) of which, yet I am in no wise fond; but should be glad to have them Returned, when Corrected by your better Judgement.  
The great Thing which I would offer to your Care and Consideration, is, That since our Great City, the Metropolis of our whole Nation, is by the Hellish Conspiracy of our Implacable Enemies, at this Day more particularly threatened with those two most Terrible Judgements of Sword, and Fire; the latter of which, if not seasonably prevented, is in all likelihood, like to be the greatest Incourager of the former: How Commendable would it be, if the  Orders and Proclamations of his Majesties, (wherein he hath divulged all the Marks of a Gracious Sovereign, and a good Christian) were by those his Officers, to whom they are Recommended, put into as strict Execution, as they were at first designed? What, Is it not enough, that we have a God, but we must have a King too, who takes greater Care of us, than We of ourselves? Shall he Condescend so far, as to grant us a Power, and shall not we use the Means for our Security? but like drowsy snails, lie slumbering in our several Houses, till they be either Demolished, or burnt about our Ears? O that I could awake every Dividual Officer out of this Fatal Stupidity, and stir him up to Purge the City of those Skulking Recusants; who, like Crude Humours, infest every Part of Her; and have often set her into such Burning Favours, as have threatened to bring both her, and all her Inhabitants, to speedy Ruin! It would be a good Work therefore, to see where the Fault lies: If Inferior Officers are either Remiss, or Timorous; for fear, forsooth, of offending their Friends, Neighbours, or Relations; and will not take notice of every Papist they know of, because (perhaps) he is one of their Servants, or seems himself to be a harmless, innocent Fellow. I say, for fear of these important Abuses, it would be well, if such Officers were inspected, and punished by their Superiors. This is no time for Ceremony, or Compliment. The Nation is immediately concerned therein; and no less than our Lives, Liberties, and Fortunes, lie at Stake. Besides, no Roman Catholic is now to be trusted, though of never so silly, and unpromising an Aspect: We know, that the subtlest Jesuits have obscured themselves under the meanest Trades, or Callings: And therefore, whilst we Connive at a Tailor, Weaver, or Shoemaker, etc. of that Persuasion, we do not know, but we harbour a Coleman, Staly, or Pickering, amongst us; who, whilst he holds us in suspense with a seeming Friendship, is secretly Contriving how to introduce our Enemies to Cut our Throats. Nay further; I know, that the main Current of their Extravagant Principles, do so encourage and prompt them to Treachery and Blood shed, that were my own Brother a Roman Catholic, and knew me to be otherwise, I would refuse to Bed with him, for fear he should stab me in my Sleep. There is no Faith, no Trust to be found in them: No Obligation can engage them to Peace: No Oaths can tie them to Loyalty, or a civil Conversation, among others of a Different Opinion; which a Reverend Divine took particular Notice of, and upon an urgent Occasion, expressed himself thus before a Great and Learned Auditory, in his Sermon. Conformity (says he) to the Oath of Allegiance, and other outward formal Satisfaction of the State, concurring with a Resolution to continue in Popery, is far more Pernicious to the State, than open and professed Recusancy. For, first, either by Power of Popish Dispensation, which great Men especially, may for their Money easily procure: They may thus become more notoriously Serviceable to the Church of Rome, than before.  
2dly. He declines and diverts the watchful Eye of State-Jealousy, from its ordinary Vigilancy over Popish Villainies and Machinations: Whereby he more securely contrives his Plots and Designs; and thinking himself unsuspected, most dangerously concurs with that Man of Sin; to the wasting of our Church, the distrengthening of the State, and the total Subversion of Religion and Government.  
3dly. He lies more dangerously shrouded under Respect, and the undeserved Reputation of a Good Subject; and so may with greater Bravery, wound and weaken the better Side, vex Goodness and Good Men; promote Popery; hinder the Proceed against Papists, under colourable Ostentations of safer Policy, and flourishing Pretences of deeper Reaches into the Mysteries of State.  
4thly. He that Conforms, in outward Obedience to the STATE, by virtue of a Popish Indulgence, Dispensation, or Pardon, is more than ordinarily obliged to Recompense the Pope's Liberality therein; with some more Remarkable and Notorious Service to the See of Rome than ordinary.  
5thly. He that with wilful Enlargement of Conscience, and secret sturdy Resolution, takes the Oath, is in all probability, most likely to grow Revengful and Inveterate against those that imposed it.  
Upon these Grounds, I cannot but think it dangerous, to put too much Confidence, even in Church-Papists: whose State, while they yet are premeditatedly resolved to continue in Popery, is, if we will Credit their own Doctors, very dangerous; Vide Bernard's Legal Repentance, p. 59  
I speak not, to drive or detain any Papist from the Church: No; If he leaves that obstinate Temper behind him, and enters our Congregation, (as he ought to do) with Humility, Reverence, and Godly Fear; submitting his Understanding to the Illumination of that Powerful Spirit of God, which opened the Heart of Lydia, the Eyes of Saul, and Converted Hundreds to the Primitive Church in a few Hours; I should then rejoice at his Coming, and should for his farther Encouragement, allot him the best seat in the Church. But if, on the Contrary, if he comes merely out of Formality, with no expectation to be benefitted by what he Hears, I look on him no better than a professed Recusant; and verily believe, It had been better he had kept away.  
But it may be some will reply, What can possibly be more required, and exacted from these Men, than Conformity to outward Obedience to the State? what better Security, or surer Bond can be thought on, than an Oath; the Sacred, and Sovereign Instrument of all Justice and Obedience amongst Men? What farther Invention of State shall be able to stay the fearful Mischiefs, that hang over our heads from this Malicious and Murderous Generation?  
I Answer; None in the World, whilst they stay among us; not the most excellent, and Quintesscential Policy of all the wisest States, that lie under the Sun, can afford help in this Case. Idolatry is ever attended with this inseparable Curse, that it will Plague that Kingdom, that Nourishes it; and pay it Home with a Witness, unless some Right Hand, and resolute Course be taken, for the more speedy rooting of it out. For indeed, the Depths of the Mystery of Iniquity are laid so infathomable, that they cannot be Sounded by Honest and Christian Policy: Nor are we ever likely to arrive at the Bottom of this Hellish Plot, without the Immediate Assistance of Almighty God.  
It's true, it were a very Just and Pious Act, to Administer to them the Oath, and bring them to the true Church. But their Violations of Oaths, Dispensations, Absolutions, and Pardons, etc. their Equivocations, Mental Reservations, Evasions, Corruptions of Conscience, and Execrable Violations of all Laws, both of God and Man, of Nations and Nature, are so Infinite, and Endless; and they so mingle their Conclusions of State, with the very Confusions of Hell, that in proportion, it is as easy to Chain up those Damned Spirits from Tempting men on Earth; as to Bridle these Blood-Thursty Monsters, from under-mining and overturning those States, which profess the Truth of Christ, if power and means were answerable to their Malice, and Revenge. Nor can we ever expect to be free from the implacable Malice of Anti Christ Abroad, unless we endeavour to suppress the rising Insolence of those her Followers at Home. Then, and not till then, the Royal Person of our most Gracious King, would be in safety; the Concurrent Fury of our greatest Enemies, durst not entertain a Thought of Invasion: This would cut the Throat of All Plots against the King and Government; and Crush the Pope's Heart, for ever harbouring any Probability of Exacting, or Re-establishing his Tyranny or Idolatry, in this happy Island.  
And this wished for Condition, would be mightily farthered by these 2 Means.  
First, If Laws, worthily provided in such cases, might have their Course and Current, without Opposition, Diversion, Partiality, Diversion by false Friends, or any Cunning Frauds and Delusions, of the Religious Intentions thereof.  
Secondly, If on our side, there were but half the care taken for the Maintenance of Christ's Truth, and Extirpation of the Infectious Heresies of the Man of Sin, as there is Curiousness, and Cruelty in Popish Kingdoms, for the Continuance of Anti-Christianism; and their Banishing, and Barring out even of all possibility of Re-formation, Plantation of Primitive Truth, and Profession of Grace.  
To Conclude; It is the General joint Consent, and Current Conclusion, of all the Christian Orthodox Reformed Churches, upon the Face of Europe; and it is worthily and unanswerably demonstrated by King James, of happy Memory, That the Pope is ANTI-CHRIST; and Rome, the Mystical Babylon. Though I know, some few Authors, either Addicted to Partiality, or Popery have not assented hereunto; which is little available, in a Truth so universally resolved on by Divines of best Learning and Judgement. So that, if we may take their words, before a few partial persons, that writ against them, I would ask any man the meaning of these Scriptures— Reward Her even as She hath rewarded you; And give Her double, according to Her Works. And again, In the Cup She hath Filled you, Fill Her the Double. Rev. 18.6. And in the 7. v. In as much, as She Glorified Herself, and lived in Pleasure; so much give you to Her Torment and Sorrow.  
Sir; Delays are dangerous! and an Impunity to Idolatry, may shake the strongest Pillars in a well settled-State: And though I am far against Cruelty, yet I am mightly for Care; So that, if your Circumspection in that Clasis of a Justice of the Peace, where in his Majesty has been pleased to Honour you, can any wise speedily promote the security of his Royal Person, the Extirpation of Romish Recusants out of the City, that the Citizens may sleep without Watch-lights at their Beds-heads, of fear of being roused by the dismal Outcry of Fire! Fire! In fine, If in your Station, you can Effect any thing, that may Conduce to the safety either of King, Country, or the Protestant Religion, There's no man of private Degree, shall Express himself more thankful,  
Than him whom you have honoured with your Friendship: and Subscribes. R. B.