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felves very zealous for the Church, and cannot with patience bear with others, who cannot go fo high as they do, and yet are notorious Offenders against this Law of the 35th. of Queen Elizabeth.

Now by this method I apprehend I should incur the leffer cenfure, and that the World would be more apt to believe that it was my concern for the Church, that made me fo zealous, provided my Life and Converfation were agreeable to that of a good Christian, or otherwife I fhould have much ado to perfuade the World that my End was good, unless I led a good life: For whenever any have profeffed themselves Zealous for their Church, and their Lives have not been answerable to their Profeffion, in the end it has proved that their Zeal was but a pretended one, to facilitate and carry on fome selfish or ill defign; and of this there are multitudes of inftances, and not one to the contrary that I have met with ; and the reafon of it is obvious to every Man ; for why should he have a real Conferve for the Church, who by his Life difhonours God: Neither do I believe that I fhould convince the World that I was zealous for the Church, if I fell upon the Dif fenters, and did not first begin with the Papifts For to think that the Papiíts can be good Subjects as Papifts, and that the Dif fenters are equally dangerous with the Papifts, proceeds from the fame Principle, which is a falfe one.

Having

Having faid this, I will, in the next place, offer my advice to the Diffenters; That in regard there are fuch Laws which stand unrepealed, and that many are of opinion that they ought to be put in execution, without examining whether any Sedition or Rebellion is hatch'd at thofe Meetings, and that thofe Meetings may be lookt upon as a contemning of the Government, and may give offence; I think they would do very well at this time to forbear their Meetings, at least to be fo moderate in their Numbers, that it may appear, they do not glory in their Multitudes; and by this Moderation I hope they may induce others to have a better opinion of them; and inftead of taking them to be Men who practice against the Government, they may be found to be Men of Peace and of a good Confcience, and to be ready to ftand by the Government against the Papifts and all other Enemies; and then the Government, in due time, may be prevailed upon to pass a Law for the uniting of Proteftants.

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DSICOURSE

Proving the

Reasonableness

OF THE

Prefent REVOLUTION,

From the Nature of Government.

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Har our Religion and Civil Rights were upon the Brink of Destruction, I believe none doubts, or is Difpleafed at our Deliverance,except those who were Inftrumeutal in bringing on our intended ruine, or do wish for an Opportunity to finish it. Ever fince the Reformation the united Council of the whole Popish Interest has been at work to reduce this Nation to the Romish Yoak And firft they attempted to do it by force, but after many Trials they found that Method was ineffectual, and that nothing could ruine England but it felf, and therefore all their Wits were imploy'd how they might fet us at odds amongst our Selves, that we might become

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onr own Executioner: And at laft they car ried their Defign very far, for it is not long fince that we faw a fort of Men amongst us, who were guilty of as much Folly as Solomon's foolfh Woman, that pulls down her Houfe with her Hands, and had fo much ignorance or Villany, as to pretend that all they did was for the Church and Government, and tho' what they did was never fo much against Law, or void of Morality, yet they termed every man difaffected who did not cry Amen to all their Proceedings; and even moft of the Clergy (who might have been fuppofed to have had either more knowlege or integrity) Preach't up and juftifyed in their Pulpits, all the Irregularities that were then practiced, with as much affurance and Zeal as if they had delivered the Oracles of God: Whereas it was obvious to all Men of common Senfe, that the Confequence of these things must be to bring in Popery and Slavery, for it was laid down as undoubted Doctrine, That the King had a Natural Right to the Crown, and That the King was not to be oppofed in any cafe; the fum of all which is, That the King may commit all manner of Oppreffions, and we are bound to fubmit to it for Confcience fake; which if found Doctrine, would make God Almighty unjuft, and the Author of Confufion, contrary to what he has declared of himself in Holy Writ.

Perhaps not rightly understanding the true Nature of Government might occafion thofe Mistakes, and I have that Charity for a great many, that I do believe they were led out of the way for want of true Information in the Point

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