Catholic Epiftle, 
 
 O R, 
 
 Paftoral -Letter. 
 
 { Price Six-Pence. ) 
 
A 
 
 CATHOLICEPISTLE, 
 
 OR, 
 P A S T O R A L-L E T T E R 5 
 
 HUMBLY DIRECTED 
 
 To all the Chriftian-Proteflant-Churches 
 in England : Whether thofe who ob- 
 ferve an Ejiablijhed Form of Worfhip, 
 or thofe who take the Liberty to 
 
 dijj'ent, 
 
 SHEWING 
 
 How Protejiants of every Rank and Degree, 
 may qualify themfelves for keeping a Day 
 of Public Humiliation with Acceptance, in 
 the Eye of Almighty-God. 
 
 Ufeful for the Perufal of Proteftants, who would at 
 all Times be prepar'd for Public-Salvation. 
 
 -__ ■ ' I ■ h. '' . ■ ■■ ^ J. 
 
 By an Englifh-Catholic, of the Metropolitan^ 
 Diocefe. 
 
 Lift up thy Voice, like a 'trumpet^ andjhew my People 
 their Tranfgrejfion. 
 
 7hou, that ahhorreji Idols, doji thou commit 
 
 Sacrilege F 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed forJosEPHCoLLYER, at Shakefpear's^ 
 Hcad^ in Ludgate-Street, 
 
Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive 
 
 in 2011 witii funding from 
 
 Princeton Tlieological Seminary Library 
 
 littp://www.arcliive.org/details/catliolicepistleoOOflem 
 
(I ) 
 
 A 
 
 Catholic Epistle, 
 
 O R, 
 
 PASTORAL LETTER; 
 
 HUMBLY DIRECTED TO 
 
 All Englijh ProteJia?tts^ of every 
 Ranky Office J and Order ; and 
 of every Denomination. 
 
 Englijh-Mejt^ 'True BritoftSy 
 
 AL T H O I am no Apof^le j not 
 one immediately commiirion'd 
 by Jefiis Chrift ; neither do 
 pretend to any preter or fuper- 
 natural Illuminations^ or to any extraor- 
 dinary Gifts ; yet, as a Chriftian, as a 
 Proteftant, favour'd with the Ufe of 
 Reafon, and with the Light of Truth, 
 from the Gofpel of our common Lordy I 
 B write 
 
(; a ); 
 
 write unto you greeting ; and ivijh 
 Grace and Peace unto you, from God fhi • 
 ■pat her J. and from our Lord J ejus Chrrft': '* 
 
 As our gracious King GEORGE II. 
 whom God long preferve, has (in this 
 Time of our public Tribulation and Dan- 
 ger, from an unnatural Popifj Rebellion) 
 appointed a general Faft to be obferved 
 in Engla?2d, on the Eighteenth Day of 
 December next ; in order to excite, in 
 all his good Subjeds, true Penitency 
 and Humiliation before Almighty God; 
 whofe Judgments, we, by our Sins, 
 have moft righteoully deferved : Fired, 
 with what I iruft will be found a true and 
 rational Zeal for the Glory of God, the 
 Honour of Jefus, the Dignity of my 
 King, and Profperity of my Country, I 
 humbly propofe feme preparatory Mea- 
 fures to be taken by Proteitants, in order 
 to qualify them for obferving fuch a Day 
 of public Humiliation with EfFe(5t. 
 
 To this Purpofe, T^rutb exhorts every 
 'Englifb Proteitant before-hand to exa- 
 mine Limfelf ^-hether he be in the Faith, 
 a?2d prove himjelf. — This he is to do, by 
 comparing his Principles, his Aims, his 
 Priidiices with the Standard of Reafon, 
 and with the written Word, thofe divine 
 Oracle . — This, an Ejiglifi Proteilant 
 
 may 
 
(3) 
 
 may do, but a Papift cannot ; (ince ht 
 has refigned both his Reafon^ and his 
 Bible into the Hands or his Priefi^ or of 
 the Catholic Churchy falfely fo called. 
 
 And whereas nianyj among us, mzj 
 be prevailed upon, by a Fear of Danger 
 to their Lives, their Liberties, and Pro- 
 perties; To comply with this pious Ordi* 
 nance of our King j who-, without fuch 
 Confideratiens, would look upon the 
 Proclamation with Coldneft,. if not with 
 abfblute Contempt j Thefe (huuld con* 
 iider, that they are reproved by the Pro- 
 phet^ as being no other than fuch, who 
 in' their Affliction willfeek God early, 
 orJ in the Morning ; that is, with Zeal 
 arid Ear?iejlnefs ; and yet want the true 
 Principles oi Humiliation. 
 
 The Difference that there is between a 
 Dread and Horror of Mind, excited by 
 a View of Puniihment, and an Abhor- 
 rence of the moral Evil, or Sin, which 
 has cxpofed to fuch Punifhrnent, is very 
 great. The former may be found ex- 
 preffing itfeif in deep Humiliation and 
 Sorrow, where the latter has no manner 
 of Place. 
 
 This is commonly feen among young 
 jyebaiichees j who, upon the firil: At- 
 tittk-made on their Gonllitutions, which 
 ^rj,\y^^'ii g 2 threaten 
 
(4) 
 
 threatens Life, do eagerly fupplicate 
 
 that God will /pare f And how 
 
 many their Promifes of fpeedy Amend- 
 ment ? Yet no fooner is the Danger re- 
 moved, but they, like the Dog, return 
 to their Vomit, or hke the Sow which was 
 wajhed, to their wallowing in the Mire. 
 Similitudes, every way clean and pure 
 enough, to fuit the Cafe of the unre- 
 form'd Sinner ; in whofe Character there 
 is an Impurity and Foidnefs much more of- 
 fenfive ! — 
 
 The Subjedl-matter of our decpeft Hu- 
 miliation before God, muft lie, not in 
 dreading the Rod, fo much as detefting 
 and abhorring the foul Offences which 
 have deferred it. But this will have no 
 Place with us, unlefs we attend with 
 great Care to two things : namely, what 
 have been our Privileges, and in what 
 manner we have abufed them. 
 
 Our privileges, as Proteftant?, have 
 been, the Light and Grace of the Gof- 
 pel, manifeft in our own Language 3 and 
 the Liberty of judging for ourfelves, of 
 its Dodtrines, its Principles, and Rules of 
 religious Condud : A Liberty of wor- 
 fhipping God, according to that Light 
 which our Underftandings have received 
 from the written Word 3 and, of confe- 
 
 fequencCj 
 
(s) 
 
 fequencc, a Freedom from all Prieftly 
 Dominion over our Faith.— Proteftant 
 Minifters only propofing themfelves as 
 the Helpers of our Joy, All conliftent 
 Preachers among Proteftants have ad- 
 drefled us, as reafonable Creatures ; and 
 have exhorted us to judge for ourfehes of 
 the Reafonablenefs of their Inftrudtions,^ 
 They have ever referred us to the Law^ 
 and to the written T'e/limony j and haver 
 told us, that if what they advanced doo» 
 trinally, was not according to this Rule^ 
 their was no Light to be had from that 
 their DoBrine. They have not preten- 
 ded to have in their own keeping the Key 
 to the Senfe of God's Word ; but have 
 affured us, that every Man vnu^ judge for 
 bimfelf of t'ne Senfe of Scripture ; or elfe, 
 his Faith will be an implicite Fairth, a 
 blind Faith, a Faith that cannot poffibly 
 fave him. 
 
 Thefe are fome of the peculiar Privi- 
 leges which we have enjoy'd, as Protef- 
 tants. And they diftinguifh our Con- 
 dition from that oiFapifts^ juft as much 
 as Light diftinguiflies from Darknefs. 
 
 But what has been the Manner or De- 
 gree oi Abufe^ of which we can charge 
 ourfelves before God ? 
 
 Have 
 
( 6 ) 
 
 ^.^feTavi not many, of us at^ed a vcry'fe- 
 confifent Part ?' HaVe (ve not been gnil* 
 ty of treating our Bibles with great Ne- 
 glect ? How many are never the better* 
 for- them- ? How ffew have made Ufe ot 
 thttni as a divine Direcftory ; and as the; 
 rtcheflr Treafury of faving Knowledge ?^ 
 The Z/^fr/y of making Ufe of our Bi" 
 i?e};}hss degenerated into a licentious 
 Negleft ! and a perfed: Unconcerned- 
 
 flefs about them ! ■- 
 
 • On r^ Guilt is here very much aggrava- 
 terfi For we fpeak mth a glowing Vene-* 
 ration of our Fore-fathers, who facrificecf 
 their Fortunes and their Lives, in De- 
 fence of this invaluable Treafure, thef 
 Bihk^ "and yet, we have treated the fa- ^ 
 cred Privilege of converling with the 
 Volume of God's Will, his written Will, 
 TVith fad Negledt. • 
 
 I would fay nothing of the reproachful 
 and blaiphemousTreatmentwhich thtHoIy^ 
 Scriptures have met with from fome. — 
 nor of the daring Infults offered to the 
 divine Charader of Jefus. Since, fuch 
 things are not fit to be named among- 
 ChrilHans ! And the guilty have difavow- 
 cd the Chrijiian Na?ne! With fuch un- 
 happy Creatures I have no Concern, but 
 to dtfire, to follicite the Prayers of Chrif- 
 
 tians 
 
( 7 ) 
 
 tians for them ; that they may be brought 
 to Repentance, and fo obtain Mercy.—. 
 Thefe Perfons are noj exped:ed to joy n 
 our Humiliations for, or on Account of 
 any criminai IN egle6t of the written. Re- 
 velation. ■ :.. : 
 
 Neither will any Man be able, among 
 profefl^ng Proteftant Chrifriuns, to joya 
 this Sort of Confeflion, who is a refohed 
 Devotee of his Luds. The Bible con- 
 tains an authoritative Rule of Life. Not 
 to determine to make it fo to us, is to 
 deny its Ufe and Importance : But as it 
 cenfures all kinds of Immorality, and 
 every Degree of Impiety ; as it forbids, 
 under the feverefl Penalties, all Unrighte- 
 oufnefs, all Unmejcifulnefs, and Impu- 
 rity ;.fo. the unrighteous,, the deceitful, 
 the unmerciful, the unchafte, can hav^ 
 no true Value for the Bible ; for this Rea- 
 fon, namely, becaafe it corcdemm their 
 Vices. And to fucb,. Po^^r)', which 
 treats Vice with great Lenity, and encou- 
 rages all kinds of Barbarity, muilr be more 
 acceptable. 
 
 To qualify for a fuccefsful Humiliation, 
 every Enghjh Protellant, mufl b^ fo far 
 convinced of the evil Nature, and malig- 
 nant Tendency of every Sin, that he muft 
 
 be 
 
( 8 ) 
 
 be determined to forfake^ as well as 
 ccnfefs^ it. 
 
 Only to profefs Sorrow for Sin before 
 God, when the flaming Sword of Judg- 
 ment hangs over us, with an undeter- 
 mined Mind about the fubduing of our 
 Lufts, or a Referve of returning again to 
 our Indulgencies, is to mock God ; who 
 perfedly underftands our whole Intention, 
 and the moft fecret Language of our 
 Spirits. And we may juftly expect, that 
 fuch an hypocritical Humiliation he will 
 rejed; with Abhorrence ! 
 
 But as Men of all Orders, and of every 
 Rank and Degree, are enjoyned this pub" 
 lie Humiliation, it will not only be law- 
 ful, but expedient, that fome diftindl 
 Directions be given about their leveral 
 Qi^alifications. 
 
 And our Princes and Nobles have the 
 firft Place. 
 
 To thefe, with profound Humility, 
 I would propofe, that they approve them- 
 felves truly great and noble, by an exem- 
 plary Reverence of God. Your exalted 
 
 Stations, and dignified Characters require 
 of you, that you cultivate, in the fpread- 
 ing Orbs of your Influence, a becoming, 
 rational Awe and Veneration of the Name, 
 the Majefly, and Dominion of God ! — 
 
 Why 
 
(9) 
 
 Why do you exped: Re'verence and Ho- 
 mage from lower Orders of Men, but 
 becaufe Providence has diflinguilhed you 
 by Eftatej litle and Power ? And if fo -, 
 furely it muft become your princely and 
 noble Charadters, to pay a like reafonable 
 Homage to your Maker. The Reafon 
 is truly as urgent. — You are equally de- 
 pendent on Godj with the meanefl Mor- 
 tal : And he is King of Kings, and Lord 
 of Lords I 
 
 However unfafhionable a Reverence of 
 God may be among you, nothing can re- 
 fled: a greater Luftre on your feveral 
 Titles, or make you of more Importance 
 to civil Society. — Difcountenance all Pro- 
 phanations of his Name, who is more 
 jealous of his Honour, than you are of 
 yotirs ; and can more effedually revenge 
 any Infult ! And wlio has declared, that 
 he will not hold him guiltlefs^ that taketh 
 his Name in vain. 
 
 Did any wife Man ever think, that the 
 Hon. Robert Boyle^ was lefs Honourable, 
 becaufe he never mention d the Name of 
 God without a Fauje f 
 
 I would humbly recom.mend it to our 
 
 Minijiers of State ^ that they fhould con- 
 
 ilantly confider themfelves as accountable 
 
 to God, for the Management of that 
 
 C great 
 
( 10 ) 
 
 great Truft repofed in them, as well as 
 to their King, and their Country. A 
 confideration, iufficient to infpire them 
 with Vigilance, Solicitude and Ardor in 
 acquitting themfelves well. — The men- 
 tion of this, has led me to recoiledl:, what 
 a great Mini ft er of State ^ Cardinal 
 WoLSEY, faid a little before his Death, 
 namely, that if he had but Jerved God as 
 diligently as he had done the King^ he 
 •would not have given him over in hts grey 
 Hairs, 
 
 To our Generals and Admirals^ and all 
 our Commanders^ the fame Principle, a 
 tear and Reverence of God, ftands recom- 
 mended as of unfpeakable Ufe. What 
 but this can prevent Men from purfuing 
 Bye-Interefts, or hinder them from gra- 
 tif/ing their Pride and Paffion, when the 
 Intereft of their Country lies at Staked 
 Has it not been the Want of this, that 
 enabled Men to ncgiecft the Seafon which 
 Providence once gave of humbling the 
 Pride of France and Spain^ in the De- 
 
 ilrud^ion of their Fleets ? If there 
 
 was fach a Negleft, it muft be owing to 
 tl e Want of this Reverence of God, a 
 Principle, that will always cure the Paf- 
 iions ()f Men, and keep them faithful in 
 
 their 
 
( II ) 
 
 their Sphere of Action, and fteady to 
 their Duty. 
 
 Wc might, from this Source, hope 
 for a great Reformation among our Soldiers 
 and Sailors j who, notwithftanding they 
 behave, ordinarily, with much Bravery 
 againft: the Enemy, yet difcover too great 
 an Irreverence of God, by the conrtant 
 Prophanation of his Name, even of his^ 
 to whom the Sailor prays with tlie moft 
 ardent Devotion, when in a Storm ! 
 
 But would Commanders and Subaltern- 
 Officers difcourage all prophane fwearing 
 and curiing, we might expecl a fpeedy 
 Reformation in our Fleets and Armies. 
 
 Our yudgeSj Magijl rates and Peace- 
 Officers^ will difcover a Qualification for 
 obferving a religious Fafc, if they deter- 
 mine to attend to the Duties of their feve- 
 ral Stations with the utmoft Care and 
 
 Diligence. God be thanked^ no public 
 
 complaints are made of our Courts of 
 
 Judicature in Point of Property. 
 
 No ftretching the King's Prerogative, 
 nor opp:effi.;.g the Subjedf, by partial, 
 or known, unrighteous Decrees ! — This is a 
 good Omen J — 
 
 But as to the Negkd:s of our Magif- 
 
 trates, and Peace-QjjlcerSj in executing 
 
 of our Laws againft Popery, Proph<.ne- 
 
 C 2 n^fs. 
 
( 12 ) 
 
 nefs and Immorality, — This is matter of 
 public complaint ! And the Obfervation 
 is full of difmal Truth, viz. 'That none 
 make better Laws, than the BritiJIo Ltgif' 
 lature ; and none have them worfe execu- 
 ted! What can be a more horrid, 
 
 fhocking Charge ! Or what can call 
 
 louder for a Reformation ? Let 
 
 every Magijlrate humble himfelf before 
 God, who is confcious, that he has not 
 been n Terror to Evil-doers^ and an En- 
 courager oj the virtuous ! that he has 
 been negligejit and unfaithful in his 
 Sphere. 
 
 This has occafioned many fevere and 
 iinjufl Reflexions on our Government, 
 when the Legiflature has done its Part 3 
 but the Executors of our Laws have been 
 very criminally remif?. — And till this is 
 remedied, we have little Ground of Hope, 
 that a Reformation of our Manners will 
 be brought about. Public Fafts, often 
 repeated, will fignify little or nothing 
 without it. Informations againft Vice 
 and Prophanenefs, have been' treated with 
 Frowns, in the Men, whofe Office de- 
 mands that they {hould be a Terror to 
 the vicious. And even Fopery has been 
 nouriihed, as a harmlefs thing ! tho' SolO' 
 tno7i has obferved, That a Man cannot 
 
 take 
 
( '3 ) . 
 
 take Fire in his Bofom, avithout^ at Icaft, 
 burning his Clothes. — But the Complai- 
 fance has been, from a fiilfe View of Po- 
 pery ', efleeming the Difcouragement of 
 it, Perfecution, Whereas Popery puts 
 its Profelites into a State of War with all 
 Proteilants ; and profeffedly threatens to 
 cut the Throat of every Heretic, where 
 it prevails. Intolerance of Popery cannot 
 then be any Species or Sort of Perfecu- 
 tion ; but as neceffary a Piece of Self- 
 Defence^ as can be imagined. And every 
 prudent Method, that the merciful Spirit 
 of Proteftantinifm can authorife, fliould 
 betaken to prevent its fpreading among us. 
 We fliould guard againft its Contagion, 
 as we would againft that of the Plague ; 
 pot by knocking Men on the Head, who 
 are infected ; or refufing them any proper 
 Affiftance, in our Power, to cure them 
 of the Evil ; but by preventing their in- 
 finuating of their Poifon into the heal- 
 thy. — The Want of fuch Care, is matter 
 of Humiliation^ whilft we are alarm'd 
 with Danger from this quarter. And 
 here our Magif rates have great con- 
 cern. 
 
 Our Lawyers J thofe Judges of Law, 
 and Defenders of Property, are expos'd 
 in common with others, to the public 
 
 threatning 
 
( 14 ) 
 
 threatening Evil -, and it will become 
 them to refled, how far they have bo^ 
 nejlly pleaded for the Rights of Men j and 
 how far they have fludioully difguifed and 
 hid flom the Court, the T^ruth of the 
 Cafe^ or what they were convinced was 
 fo.' -For furely, it muft be an un- 
 pardonable Crime in thefe, wilfully and 
 knowingly to pervert Judgment. — to rob 
 the Widow and Fatherlefs ; and for the 
 fake of a Fee^ to do the utmoft in their 
 Power, to procure a public San(5lion or 
 Decree in order to eftablifh Falfehood, to 
 the Injury of the Opponent. — An honeji 
 Man would furely tremble to think, that 
 h-^ his Sophiflry in pleading, he fhould 
 fucceed to the fupplanting the rightful 
 Heir of his PofTeffions ! But I for- 
 bear, fince the many fliining Charac- 
 ters in the Law, are undoubtedly the 
 Glory of Britons^ and an unfpeakable 
 Security to our prefent Conflitution ! 
 
 Our Clergy^ of every Denomination, 
 by which I mean, public InftruBors, the 
 Overfeers of Chriftian AlTemblies, of 
 every Denomination of Proteftants, have 
 many of them, too great Reafon of Hu^ 
 miliation. 
 
 I fliall begin with the Clergy of the 
 Churches of England 'y that i?, i\\Q Pajtors 
 
 of 
 
( '5) 
 tors of the feveral Aflemblies and Societies, 
 who worfhip God, according to the fame 
 eflablifhed Form. 
 
 And have not you great Reafon of Hu- 
 miliation, when you refled;, that the 
 ipread of Popery in this Kingdom, is, in 
 a great Meafure, owing to the Negledt 
 of many of your Order, or Body ? I pre- 
 fume this is capable of undoubted Proof: 
 To what can it be owing,but to the Negledt 
 of inftru(5ting the poor, and the ignorant, 
 and of viiiting thofe of the loweft Con- 
 dition ? For, from among thefe, the Ro- 
 miJh-PrieJls reap the greateft Harveil. 
 What httle Pains is there taken to lead 
 the labouring and ignorant Poor into a 
 Knowledge of the true and important 
 Principles of Chriftianity ? Is not this an 
 effential Part of the Cure or Care^ of Souls, 
 that the Clergy take upon them ? And is 
 not the Negled: owing to Noji-rejidence}-" 
 to an TJnconcernedneJ's about the proper 
 Cure. to a firil-Concern being em- 
 ployed about Church-Preferments t 
 This Sin fhould not be concealed ; this 
 ^gag fhould not be fpared 5 for he who 
 cover eth^ or fpareth his Sins fiall not prof- 
 per. — Had they, the Clergy^ fiiewn their 
 People the great Ufe and Importance of 
 Bible-Knowledge^ or of an Acquaintance 
 
 with 
 
( '6) 
 
 with the written- Word of God — or had 
 the People been once led into ajuft Value 
 of the Holy Scriptures, they would not 
 eafily have been prevailed upon to part 
 with them for a Rojjiifh-Miffal, a wretched 
 Majs-Book J no, nor for all the Trumpery of 
 
 their Traditions and lying Legends. • 
 
 Let fuch of the Clergy, who have been 
 guilty of thefe criminal Negligences, re- 
 iledt with becoming Remorfe, and deter- 
 mine a fpeedy Reformation. And with- 
 out this is done, a Complaint of not put- 
 ting the Laws in execution againll Po- 
 pery, will indeed lignify little. The 
 
 Clergy know, that the more ignorant their 
 People, the more prepared they are 
 for fwallowing the Popifh-Bait ; for the 
 
 Prie/l is there, almofl: fure of Succefs. i 
 
 Spread Bible-Knoivledge^ the Principles 
 of pure Christianity, and inculcate the 
 true Spirit of it, and you may, with o- 
 thers doing their parts, bid defiance to any 
 further Attempts from the Miniflers of 
 Rome. 
 
 Furthermore, our Clergy, of all Deno- 
 minations, have reafon to humbly them- 
 felves deeply before God, fo far as they 
 have been guilty of raifing Party- Zeal -, 
 thus teaching their Hearers to violate that 
 great Chriftian-Law, Charitv. This 
 
 is 
 
( »7 ) . 
 
 is effedled, by prompting their People to 
 defpife^ yea, to hate thofe who differ from 
 them ; and to look upon none, but thofe 
 of their own Denomination and w.;y of 
 thinking, to be in the right way to Hea- 
 ven, tho' the difference is Ouiy in fpecu- 
 lative points ! both holding the Head, by 
 believing, that there is but one God, and 
 one Mediator between God and Man^ the 
 
 Man Chrijl J ejus.- Yet they ftigma- 
 
 tize with the Name of Schifmatic or He^ 
 retic^ becaufe not of their Party. So that 
 if a Man dares to judge for himfelf, and 
 does but frankly deliver what appears to 
 him to he the Mind of Chrijl^ he is pre- 
 fently mark'd out by fome Charaifter or 
 other, that may render him obnoxious ; 
 fuch as Arian^ Socinian^ or Arminiany 
 &c. Thus they undermine the very 
 Principles of the Reformation ; and 
 do the greateft Service they can do to the 
 Enemies of it, by contending for a For^ 
 mulary of dogmatic Theology^ and the Suf- 
 frage of mighty venerable, tho' very fal- 
 lible Men ! — And by cenlljiirig fuch as 
 won't fubicribe, as unfound -Jid heteredoXy 
 nay, as Pervert ers of the Faith ^ once deli- 
 vered to the Saints. To contend ear- 
 
 •nellly, rather uncharitably for the Faith, 
 is to ufe .the Devil's Weapons ! 
 
 D But 
 
( >8 ) 
 
 But how inconfiftent is this with the 
 Protejiant Name^ and with the pnnci- 
 pies of the Reformation ? When every one 
 of the Canons and Decrees of all the Coun- 
 cils, that have been held fince the Davs 
 of the Apoftles, have no more Authority 
 or binding Force ^ than the Opinion of any 
 good eld Woman 3 and muft equally with 
 her's, fubmit to be tried by our oivn 
 Judgment, before we admit the Rea- 
 fonablenefs or Truth of it. 
 
 A little more Humility would much 
 better become Proteftant Minifters * ! 
 And if Charity had but the Sceptre^ fhe 
 would quickly fet all to rights 3 but (he 
 feems to be a perfed: Stranger, and quite 
 out of Favour with thofe Clergymen, who 
 are afraid of recommending thefe Apof- 
 tolical Injundlions, *viz, of beijig kindly 
 aff'eSlioned one to another, with brotherly 
 Love, in Honour preferring one another, 
 ljonouri?ig all Men, as well as loving ths 
 Brotherhood; — thefe Injunctions tiy in 
 the Face of Party-Zeal, and put Bigotry 
 itfelf to the Blufh ! 
 
 The imcatholic, the cenforious, the 
 dxinming Spirit fuits be ft the Roman Ca^ 
 tholic Church,' " • but with the moft 
 
 ill 
 
 * Ubi Humilltas, ibi Qwtitas ; ubi Charitas, ibi 
 Tax. 
 
( 19 ) 
 
 ill Grace does it fit on the Brow of Pro- 
 teftants. -for truly, 
 
 It mufl give a conliilent Protefta nt 
 Teacher, of any Denomination, infinite 
 Pleafure, to find People ufing their own 
 Underftandings, and refufing that any 
 Man fliall judge for them in religious 
 Matters : however they differ, whilll: 
 they make the Gofpel their Rule of 
 Faith and Manners, they are the Object 
 of a Cliriftian Minifter's Delight and 
 
 Joy ! *That Mind muft begovern'd 
 
 by fome mean, bafe, pitiful, fordid 
 Principles, which can take Occafion of 
 Difguft at another's making that free Ufe 
 of his intellecflual Powers, in religious 
 matters, which God^ Reafon and Reli^ 
 gion demand. — And thofe Reverend Gen- 
 tlemeny who would impofe Articles of 
 Faith, or violate the Rights of Confcience, 
 are much more fit to confecrate a "Jubilee 
 to the Succefs of a Popijh Rebellion, than 
 join a Public Humiliation in order to de* 
 precate the Judgment. — 
 
 It is the very fame thing, whether they 
 be Epifcopalians^ Prejbyterians^ Indepcn- 
 datits, or Bapti/is^ 6cc. for the Spirit is 
 the fame. And why (hould Men humble 
 themfelves, ov faji^ and />r^^' again ft the 
 Evils of Popery, whilft they themfelves 
 D 2 avow 
 
{ 20 ) 
 
 avow the very worft Principles of it ? — 
 All thofe are guilty, who defame^ reproach^ 
 and brand others, as being dangerous, 
 infectious beings, becaufe they happen to 
 differ from them in fome difputable Points 
 of Doctrine ? — Such Men one may fafely 
 aver, want nothing but Power, and a 
 little Dexterity in Practice, to make them 
 capable of vyeing with the PopiJJo Inqui- 
 
 fitionl And their Faftings are for 
 
 Strife and Dtbate. — 
 
 In oneWord^ difallowing, or difcouraging 
 the ufe of private Judgment, as effential 
 to religious Character, is the very ^/«- 
 iejjence of Popery. And all the Evils 
 "which are found in that Hell barn ^hing^ 
 would foon have vigorous, flaming Shoots, 
 from this poifonous, mortal Root, even 
 among fuch inconfiflent Proteftants, if 
 civil Power was not wanting. 
 
 Should true Humiliation take place 
 among the Clergy, who have been guilty 
 of putting on this Popijh Spirit, I fhall 
 not defpair of Succefs ; for the Guardian 
 of Truth, will make our Popiih Enemies 
 fly before us. — But without a Reformation 
 i n this point, the Reformation from 
 Popery muft wither, languifli and die -, 
 but can never become vigorous and flou- 
 ri(hing 
 
 As 
 
( 21 ) 
 
 As to the Protejlant Laity ; many are 
 the Iniquities and Vices, they fliould 
 lament, and abandon. 
 
 I (hall mention fome of them pretty 
 briefly, and fo conclude. 
 
 Humbleyourfelvesinftantly before Goc^ 
 for your being influenced, by an undue 
 Regard to your T'eachers, to alienate your 
 AffeSiion zndE/leem for your differing from 
 your DiflTenting Brethren. It was wicked 
 in any Clergy-man of the eftablifliment 
 to weaken your Charity to others, who 
 are not of the Eftablifliment, merely be- 
 caufe of their Protejiant Dijfcnt. This 
 is perfectly inconflfl:ent with the Principles 
 of the Reformation ; for your own Efta- 
 bUlhment is no other way to be vindicated 
 but upon the right of private Judgment and 
 it was wicked in you to be thus perverted. 
 
 And you, of the Protejlant DiJJejiters, 
 make it your Lamentation that you have 
 been prevailed upon by your Teachers, to 
 alienate your Affedion and Efl:eem for 
 thofe of the Eftablirhment ; fince it offers 
 no Violence to the Confciences of others, 
 and leaves its Members at Liberty either 
 to conform or dilTenr, without any penal 
 or damnatory Cenfure. Its Members 
 fhould therefore be held in EJleem as 
 Chriflian Brethren, as Fellow- Proteilants, 
 
 and 
 
( 22 ) 
 
 and as dcfcrving your cordial, afFedlionate 
 Regards. — Befides this^ fail not to exprefs 
 Remorfe of Mind, that your teachers 
 have had fo much malignant influence 
 upon you, as to fill your Minds with En- 
 vyings. Hatreds, and Animofities towards 
 Diflenting-Brethren who differ from you : 
 becaufe you can only defend your own 
 DifTent from the Eftablilhment upon a 
 right of thinking for yourfelves.— Why 
 fhould you indulge to a cefiforious Spirit ? 
 who made you the Judges of other Men ? 
 or who gave you a right to perfcribe for 
 them, Articles of Faith, or Rules of 
 Chriflian Worfhip ? you know not, but 
 that thofe whom you condemn as Hete» 
 rodox^ may be more acceptable in the 
 fight of God than you yourfelvQS are, with 
 all your Orthodoxy ! 
 
 Again, lament and bewail all your 
 want oi Honour ^ Veneration^ and Loyalty to 
 your King ; you, who have been guilty 
 of offering Indignity to the Crown. — In a 
 View of the prefent Rebellion, you may 
 learn, as many have already done, that 
 the tender Mercies of a Popifb King are 
 Cruelty^ without a Figure. — Confefs your 
 Folly and Madncfs in wifhing a Change of 
 Government which has only fhewn, that 
 
 you 
 
{ 23 ) 
 
 you have loathed Liberty^ and grown 
 wanton with Eafe and public Profperity ! 
 
 Henceforth refolve, you'll give the 
 Enemies of our Peace no ground of 
 Hope, that you can ever be reconciled to 
 Popilh Darknefs, and all its hellifh Fires 
 of Perfecution. 
 
 And at the fame time you are preparing 
 for a Public Faft, exprefs your Thankf- 
 givings to Almighty God, that he, in his 
 Providence, has fpirited up the nation, 
 under the prefent threatning, to fuch an 
 united abhorrence of this accurfed Rebels- 
 lion. Pray, that our fenfe of the Value 
 of our Bleffings may grow, and fix in us. 
 
 Further^ lament your cafting the Fear 
 of God, behind your backs ; ihewn by 
 your valuing his Word no more ; your 
 iludying his Will no more j and no more 
 conforming to his Statutes. — your propha^ 
 ning his Day : furely one in feven (hould 
 be employ'd in Acts of Piety and Devo- 
 tion, and not in Pleafure. forafmuch 
 
 as a negledl of public Worfhip, will ever 
 be found attended with a Decay of pub- 
 lic Virtue : It ever has been ; and muft ever 
 necefTarily be fo : Since nothing but a 
 public Reverence of God, can preferve 
 public Virtue. And flated Seafons of 
 public Worfhip, are found calculated to 
 
 fpread 
 
(24) 
 
 fprcad a public ReverCiice of God.— — • 
 Moreover, lament the Ingratitude unci Dif* 
 honour done to J^fus, by throwing Coui- 
 tempt on the Inilltutions of Reiigjon, 
 which you have done, tho' you hope to 
 be faved thro' his Mediation /—The 
 further Dijhonour done to the Rehgion of 
 Jefus, by Swearings Lying, Fraud, In-- 
 jufiice, and Opprejjion, in the Intercourfe 
 that you have with one another, you 
 (hould lament and reform. Likewife the 
 Want of Veneration, due Efteem and 
 Honour to all your Fellow - Creatures, 
 occafioned by Pride, Pajjion, SelfiJhrieJSy 
 and many earthly and fenfual Lulls,, 
 ihould be lamented and reform'd. 
 
 Lament alfo your difputing the Reafona- 
 blenefs of thofe Demands which the Gof- 
 pel makes oi Self ^denial and Mortification, 
 in the due Government of your Appe-. 
 tites and Paflions, or your reftraining 
 them in their ExcelTes. — This appears in 
 nothing more, than in the Vice of 
 WHORING ; which gives the open Lye 
 to that Declaration of Jefus, namely. 
 That he who looketh on a Woman to luft after 
 her, hath committed Adultery already with 
 her in his Heart, Can it be thought un- 
 reafonable that bodily Chajlity rtiould be 
 thus demanded, in the pureft Senfe of it ? 
 
 When 
 
(25) 
 
 When e'Oery other Sin is without the Body-, 
 that is, without a Surrender of theCIaim of 
 bodily- Property : but he who commit teth 
 Fornication^^ he finneth againft his own 
 Body. — He ahenates it from 'J ejus ^ who 
 died, rofe, and revivedj that he might 
 
 be Lord of it. It is unbecoming the 
 
 temple of a pure and holy Spirit, as it is 
 joyned to an Harlot^ and become one Body 
 
 with her. And how can fuch a Body 
 
 be fit for putting on a glorious Likenefs 
 to the Body of Jefus, which is thus defe- 
 trated? If it lie down thus filthy, it 
 will be jilthy ftilU the Grave will make 
 no Change for the better. 
 
 It is fuflicient, that a fmgle Commu- 
 nion and Intercourle is provided for, by 
 the Author of our Frame -, and when 
 ever fuch Intercourfe is admitted, the 
 higheft Security fhould be given of the 
 mutual Fidelity of both Male and Female ! 
 otherwife, Diforder is introduced in So- 
 ciety, Virtue is rifk'd or facrific'd, — and 
 Men become quite unworthy the Name 
 of Chriftians, 
 
 Whether the rifiiig Generation Is not 
 in great Danger of an univerfal Corrup- 
 tion from the wicked Example of the 
 prefenL Age, in this Inftance of Vice j I 
 leave, as matter of fober Reflexion I 
 
 E If 
 
( 26 ) 
 
 If it fliould, I will venture to prophecy, 
 that however God may, in his long-fuf- 
 fering Goodnefs, now deliver us from our 
 Popilh Enemies^ this very Debauchery be- 
 coming univerfal, muft inevitably, tho' 
 infenfibly, introduce Popery! As that Re- 
 ligion is calculated to footh the Confciences 
 of Men, to reconcile them to priejlly 7y- 
 ranny^ by indulging them in thefe criminal 
 Gratiiications. 
 
 But as every Luft may have its unlimited 
 Scope under Popery^ on very eafy terms, 
 we fliould look upon the prefent Threat- 
 ning, as defigned to aroufe us to better 
 Confideration : as defigned to engage us to 
 forfakej/Zour Vices, tomortifyand fubdue 
 every Luft, and quit our f elves like Men. — 
 
 Should we be favoured with a deliverance 
 from our Fre?jch and other Popifi Ene- 
 mies, we fliould refolve, that we will 
 ■not forget the Salvation. That hence- 
 forward we will not grow wanton with our 
 I-ibertv, Relicrious or Civil. That we will 
 fliew our grateful Senfe of the Interpofal, 
 in our incrcafing Piety, and growing 
 Virtue. And that this fliall be the Ex- 
 cvrple we will fet our Children, how 
 they fliall ule and improve the Bleflings 
 tranfmitted down to them. Being fully 
 convinced^ that Rightcciijhefs cxalteth a 
 
 Nation, 
 
(27) 
 
 Nation, but that Sin is the Reproach of 
 uny P^o/>/^.— Repent and reform. Then, 
 
 ^he Grace of our Lordjefus Chriji 
 Jhall be with you all. Amen, 
 
 FINIS. 
 
v c 
 
 '/I ';:;^^^