prevails with either, and a Court-blaft turns them about with equal Facility; but there are fome honeft, true Sons of the Church, who, in the Simplicity of their Hearts, taking these Men for what they appeared to be, have been feduced to go along with them, and acted contrary to their own Intention and Meaning, sor d

Thefe are not a few, and therefore ought to be difabused, and have fome Marks given them, by which they may difcern and diftinguish the Wolf in Sheep's cloathing. The Inclinations of thefe Men are feveral Ways to be difcovered, by their avowed Principles, by their known Practices, by the Party they join, by their Converfation on publick Subjects, and by their Fixedness and wavering in their Refolutions.

It is hard to discover what Men's Principles really are, but not fo hard to difcern whether they act according to the Principles they pretend to own. We have lately known Men, who to the People have fet a Value upon themfelves, and have been well received by them for it, who have laboured to deftroy thofe Rights as Champions for which they recommended themselves. We need not go far for Inftances, the Oppofers of the Triennial Bill, the Promoters of a standing Army in Time of Peace, the Obftructers of neceffary Impeachments, and those who are lately willing to give up the Rights of the People in that Point, are recent and undeniable Inftances.

All thefe Men pretended to be Protectors of the Proteftant Religion, and the best Friends to the Government; but had they half the Merit of the Roman Geefe that faved the Capital, had their Noife and Clamour been half fo ferviceable, or fo innocent, they had deferved Confideration. It is true, they did like the Geefe alarm thofe who were able to preferve the State, but it was fo far from being meritorious in them, that they were the very Enemies against whom it was moft neceffary, and most dangerous to defend it.

By this Clamour for Liberty and Property, and their flavifh Obfequioufnefs to the Court, they wrigled themselves into Pofts at Whitehall, and Credit with the Mob.Their Pretence was a great Zeal for the Government and Proteftant Religion. What was meant by these Words may be worth enquiring.

According to our Conftitution, no other Proteftant Religion ought to be promoted here in England, than that of the Church, by Law established; and tho' a reasonable Indulgence be justly due to all Confciences truly, however erroneously tender, yet no fuch Encouragement ought to have been given to any Sectaries whatfoever, as to animate fo far as to push at the National Church. But thefe Men of meritorious Zeal for the Proteftant Religion were not content to raife Diffenters of all Kinds, even above the Church of England Men, unless they brought the latter into Difgrace likewife. They afperfed them unreasonably as Papifts or Jacobites, and took Care to put all the diftruftiul Hardships upon them that they could invent; they dif placed them as fast as they could, and put Men of oppofite Principles or none into their Room, and perfwaded the King that thefe were the only true faft Friends he had.

They were too fenfible that by thefe Practices they did wrong to the Nation, and provoked the Gentlemen who understood they had, and were almost all the Men of the beft Confideration in the Kingdom; and therefore they laboured to fecure to themselves the mifguided Rabble, whom they amufed with idle Fears, and raised to an infufferable Infolence by the Countenance they gave them. They let fly the publick Money among their Emiffaries, whom they employed to infpire the Mob with a Contempt of the best Gentlemen and Patriots; and fet thofe to work who had no Religion to pull down that Church which only could protect all.

The Form of our Ecclefiaftical Policy resembles fo nearly that of the Civil State, that the Plea of jus divinum apart from either, no Man can have an Abhorrence for one, who has not a hearty Averfion to the other, how well foever he may diffemble it. We ought therefore to obferve very carefully thofe Men, who, in their late Conversations and Difcourfes, whether publick or private, have expreffed a Contempt or Diflike of our Church Government and Difcipline; for as the Authority of the Church in Spirituals ftands almost on the fame Foot, and is difpofed in the fame Manner, with that of the State in Civil Matters, thofe Arguments (if its Enemies had any fuch) that were of Strength to beat down one, would batter the other very forely, were they levelled against it. And we have no Reason to believe that any Man, who confidering and understanding the Nearness of Relation between the Church and the State, and how much they ftand on the fame Bottom, yet thinks fit to affault the firft, but he would attack the latter likewife, if he did not think the temporal Sword was longer and sharper edged than the spiritual

one.

But it is not from Men's Writings, or Talk only, that their Principles or Inclinations are to be collected; their Actions are yet a much furer Guide to their real Sentiments. To diffemble in Words is fo eafy, and grown fo familiar with most People, that it is fcarce fafe to truft to verbal Profeffions, efpecially when those that make them would recommend themselves to the Perfons to whom they are made. The fureft Method to form a right Judgment, is to retrofpect Men's paft Conduct, and enquire how they have behaved themfelves on fuch Occafions heretofore. If a Candidate for Parliament has ever fet in the Houfe before, the Electors ought to be fatisfied how he attended, and how he voted, efpecially in all critical and important Queftions, wherein Men more particularly diftinguifh themselves, either for Affection, Wisdom or Courage, or all of them. If they have misbehaved themselves upon fuch Trials, they ought not to be trufted any more, except a lefs obnoxious Perfon is not to be found.

If the Candidate has never been a Member before, the next certain Indication is, his Conduct in his Country on all publick Occafions. The Electors fhould examine what fort of Men he conftantly favoured, what Party he has always joined; and for want of furer and clofer Information, they may weigh him in their Standard, without Danger of committing any Error of Confequence; but if he has been unsteady in his Management, wavering in

his

his Refolutions, and often changing Sides, it is then the Duty of the Elector to inform himself as well as he can of the true Reafons and Motives of his Inconftancy; and if he finds it not to proceed from any Confideration of the publick Good, he ought to hold him inexcufable. He may then be sure that it is want of Judgment, Levity of Temper, or private Intereft, or particular Pique, or Affection, none of which are honeft warrantable Excufes, except those which carry an Incapacity for fuch Service along with them. For there is no Corporation, how inconfiderable foever, fo low or vile in their own Esteem, as to think Fool or Knave a Qualification to represent them.

There is yet another plain Characteristick by which not only the Leaders, but all the active Men of the Party, whom we ought at this Time to beware of, are most effentially diftinguished, that is, Lying and Defamation. By Virtue of this fingle Quality has their Faction been propagated, and their Projects carried on: By thefe Arts have great Numbers of our braveft Gentlemen, and the Nation's best Friends, been afperfed, and rendered unpopular in most Parts of England, and many Thousands of fimple credulous People bantered almoft out of their Faith and Principles, to the endangering of our Church and Conftitution. When therefore any of the Electors hear these Men lay about them with the tremendous Noife of Popery, and French Gold, thofe Bug-bear Words, which fright the poor filly Vulgar out of their Senfes, they may prepare themselves to hear fome egregious Lie without Proof or Author to defame, and blast the Credit of fome honeft Gentleman or other; but when in the modefteft Fit they find it convenient to stick to Generals, and deal out Slander by Wholefale, even then it is not without fome Glance of particular Direction and Application, by which those that hear them may be led into their Meaning and Purpofts, and themfelves left at Liberty to difown it, if repeated again to the Perfons concerned, and refented by them. This Sort of Profanation there is fcarce any kind of Thing or Place fo facred as to have efcaped, even the Pulpit itself has been proftituted to these unhallowed Practices, and God's Houfe employed in the Service of the Devil. We have been told from the Place from whence we were wont to hear facred Truths, we must take Care at this Juncture whom we chuse, and beware of a popishly affected Party; for fuch a Party there is, who clogged the Profecution of the late War, and bung upon the Wheels of the Government ; who would tear from the King oppreffed Patriots, and true and faithful Minifters; and are now contending for Power, that they may, (as I believe) make a Prefent of us to a Foreign Tyranny. Thefe and the like Words have been heard from the Pulpit a little before an Election, out of the Mouth of one who had no Foundation of Truth for it, or other Authority than a dishonest Forwardness to gratify the Lufts, and to ferve the Purposes of an obnoxious Patron. It were scarce worth the while to have taken Notice of this Practice in particular, were it not to prevent the spreading of fo fcandalous an Abuse, and the Contagion of fo foul an Example, and to warn People, that they may fometimes be furpriz'd, unless they be very careful, from a Quarter whence they would leaft of all fufpect it.

b

Sermon preached at Cambridge before the laft Election, October 1702.

It

It may be juft Matter of Wonder, that Practices fo deteftable, and fo notorious, fhould yet meet with fuch Succefs, contrary to the true Interest and Meaning of the Generality of the People. But there were two Things which, befides their Confidence and Lying, were their main Support; first, a furious pretended Zeal for the Proteftant Religion in indefinite Terms; and next, a fingular and meritorious Affection for the Government: By these they recommended themselves to the People, the lefs difcerning Part of whom took their Noife and Confidence for certain Denonftrations of their Heartinefs and Integrity; but as they were indefinite in their Terms, fo were they likewife in their Actions; for they took care only to fhew that they were neither Papifts, nor the true Church of England Men; whom, because they found them the most understanding Part of the Nation, they reprefented as equally dangerous: For the reft, they took care to avoid appearing particular to any one Sect, but in the whole, very well and kindly difpofed towards them all; and tho' the Principles of many of them were as oppofite to each other as Fire and Water, yet they were equally welcome to them, and carefs'd by. them at feveral Times, provided ftill they would oppofe the Church of England upon all Occafions. All this while they went themfelves to Church, and were as godly conformable Men, as the beft that came there. Their Exceptions to the Liturgy and Church Service were flight, just enough to confirm to their Party, they did not heartily like them, and yet to fupport the Credit of their mercenary Inftruments, the falfe Church-goers, that they were Lovers of the Church, tho' they were Men of Moderation. It had been much for the Reputation of their Moderation, if they had fhewn themselves as cool in the Purfuit of Riches, Power and Honours, as they have done in the Interefts of the Church of England.

་

But as the Proteftant Religion and Moderation, are Terms that have been made Ufe of to feduce Numbers of People, and shake their Refolutions for, and Adherence to, the Church of England, it may be worth while to enquire, in a very few Words, what these Terms naturally import, and what has been the Abuse of them.

The Word Proteftant fignifies no more than a Protefter, and was first appropriated to Religion after the Defection of Luther from the See of Rome, when the Followers of him and other Reformers entered into a folemn Proteftation: againft divers of the Errors and Corruptions of the Church of Rome. The. Name then included no more than thofe who had actually protested; but came in Time to be given indifcriminately to all thofe who embrac'd the Doctrines of the feveral Reformers in Oppofition to the Church of Rome. But it has fince been extended to all Sorts and Sects of Men that call them. felves Chriftians, how oppofite foever to one another in Doctrine, Difcipline, and Worship, if they did not communicate with the Church of Rome.

The chief, and perhaps the only diftinguishing Marks upon which they: affume the Denomination of Proteftants are, Denying of Tranfubftantiation, and rejecting the Supremacy of the Pope. Thefe give us only a negative Idea of the Word Proteftant; nor has it any pofitive one, but that the Perfons that

jay

T

lay Claim to this Name do protest against these two Things; fo that the Jews, Mahometans and Pagans, Men of any or no Religion, have a Title to the Name in the full Extent of it, Papifts alone excepted. For tho' the firft Beginners of that Name were undoubtedly Chriftians, yet the Name itfelf implies no Confent to any one Fundamental of the Chriftian Faith; and we have lived to fee great Bodies of Men lay Claim to it, who would be hard put to it to prove their Title to Chriftianity. It is, therefore, a dangerous, and may be a fatal Error, equally to recommend and encourage all thofe that lay Claim to the Name, as if they were equally orthodox. The natural Confequence of fuch a Mistake is the Propagation of Herefies and Schifm, which has too much disturbed the Chriftian Church, and fometimes fhaken and overturned the Civil Government of this Nation. It therefore highly behoves all those who think themselves at prefent upon a Christian Bottom here, not to truft the Power of Representation to fuch Perfons as are any Way to be fufpected of Difaffection to our prefent Establishment, whether in Church or State, as they will anfwer to their own Confciences for any Miffortune that may befall either upon their contrary Conduct.

Moderation, which is the other Term, of which many People feem not to have a right Notion, deferves likewife to be confidered. The Word imports no more than not to be violent or unreasonable in the Purfuit of any Thing whatsoever. As it is applied to Religion, it means only, that we should have a Christian Charity for our Brethren that diffent from us, how much foever we think them mistaken, and not to profecute, with Rigour and Severities, fimple Errors of Judgment, whatever is the natural Refult of them, unless they tend to the Disturbance of our Peace and Security. Force is an Argument that never alters Men's Opinions, whatever it may do by their outward Profeffion; and those that are profelyted that Way through Fear, are made Hypocrites, not Converts: For this Reafon it is, that Liberty in Point of Faith and Worship ought to be allowed; but they are mistaken that think Moderation requires any more. True Chriftian Zeal allows no more than Compaffion for erroneous Confciences, and Indulgence in Matters purely fpiritual, fuch as relate only to the Worship of God after their own Way. They that demand more, under Pretence of Moderation, are either ignorant. of the Extent of the Word, or indifferent to the Profeffion which they outwardly make; or, which is worse, betray fome evil Defigns which they cover with that Pretence. For it is abfurd to pretend a true Love and Zeal for any Faith, Difcipline, or Worship, while we knowingly labour to put those into Power who wish. the Destruction of them, or fuch as particularly favour those that do.

The Hiftory of the last threefcore Years here in England fufficiently inform us how little we are to trust to the Mercy of any of our Proteftant Diffenters, of whatsoever Denomination, whenever in Power; and how little Candour or Justice we are to expect, whenever they have but a Dawning of Hope to arrive at it. Those therefore, who have any true Love or Value for their Church, or Civil Conftitution, ought to be very cautious that they be not

betrayed