m one kind only; of purgatory, and praying for the dead therein; of veneration of relics; and of indulgences, or pardons granted by the Pope, and to be bought for money.›

It is thought by some, that these errors, great as they are, do only defile the purity of Christianity: but it is sure the following strike at its very root, and tend to banish true religion out of the world.

5. First, the doctrine of Merit. The very foundation of Christianity is, that a man can merit nothing of God: that we are justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ: not for any of our works, or of our deservings; but by faith in the blood of the covenant.

But the Papists hold, that a man may, by his works, merit or deserve eternal life; and that we are justified, not by faith in Christ alone, but by faith and works together.

This doctrine strikes at the root of Christian faith, the only foundation of true religion.

6. Secondly, the doctrine of praying to saints, and worshipping of images. To the Virgin Mary they pray in these words, "O Mother of GOD, O Queen of Heaven, command

thy Son to have mercy upon us. And "the right use of images (says the council of Trent) is to honour them, by bowing down before them." Sess. 25. Par. 2.

This doctrine strikes at the root of that great commandment, (which the Papists call part of the first,) "Thou shalt not bow down to them, nor worship them," i. e. not any image whatsoever. It is gross, open, palpable idolatry, such as can neither be denied, nor excused; and tends directly to destroy the love of God, which is indeed the first and great commandment.

7. Thirdly, The doctrine of Persecution. This has been for many ages a favourite doctrine of the Church of Rome. And the Papists in general still maintain, That "all hereticks (that is, all who differ from them) ought to be compelled to receive what they call the true faith: to be forced into the church, or out of the world."

Now this strikes at the root of, and utterly tears up, the second great commandment. It directly tends to bring in VOL. XI.

C c

blind, bitter zeal; anger, hatred, malice, variance; every temper, word, and work, that is just contrary to the loving our neighbour as ourselves.

So plain it is, that these grand Popish doctrines of Merit, Idolatry, and Persecution, by destroying both faith and the love of God and of our neighbour, tend to banish true Christianity out of the world.

8. Well might our forefathers protest against these: and hence it was that they were called Protestants: even because they publicly protested, as against all the errors of the Papists, so against these three in particular: the making void Christian faith, by holding that man may merit heaven by his own works, the overthrowing the love of God by idolatry, and the love of our neighbour by persecution.

Are you then a Protestant, truly so called? do you protest, as against all the rest, so in particular, against these three grand, fundamental errors of Popery? Do you publicly protest against all merit in man? all salvation by our own works? against all idolatry of every sort? and against every kind and degree of persecution?

I question not but you do. You publicly protest against all these horrible errors of Popery. But does your heart agree with your lips? Do you not inwardly cherish what you outwardly renounce? It is well, if you, who cry out so much against Papists, are not one yourself. It is well if you are not yourself (as little as you may think it) a rank Papist at the heart.

9. For, first, How do you hope to be saved? By doing thus and thus? By doing no harm, and paying every man his own, and saying your prayers, and going to church and sacrament? Alas! alas! Now you have thrown off the mask. This is Popery barefaced. You may just as well speak plainly, and say, "I trust to be saved by the merit of my own works." But where is Christ all this time? Why, he is not to come in till the end of your prayer. And then you will say, for Jesus Christ's sake, because so it stands in your book. O my friend, your very foundation is popish. You seek salvation by your own works. You trample upon

the "blood of the covenant." And what can a poor Papist do more?

10. But let us go on. Are you clear of idolatry any more than the Papists are? It may be indeed yours is in a different way. But how little does that signify! They set up their idols in their churches: you set up yours in your heart. Their idols are only covered with gold or silver: yours is solid gold. They worship the picture of the Queen of heaven; you, the picture of the Queen or King of England. In another way, they idolize a dead man or woman; whereas your idol is yet alive. O how little is the difference before God! How small pre-eminence has the money-worshipper at London over the image-worshipper at Rome! Or the idolizer of a living sinner, over him that prays to a dead saint!

11. Take one step further. Does the Papist abroad persecute? Does he force another man's conscience? So does the Papist at home, as far as he can; for all he calls himself a Protestant. Will the man in Italy tolerate no opinion but his own? No more, if he could help it, would the man in England. Would you? Do not you think the government much overseen, in bearing with any but those of the church? Do not you wish, they would put down such and such people? You know what you would do, if you were in their place. And by the very same spirit you would continue the inquisition at Rome, and rekindle the fires in Smithfield.

12. It is because our nation is overrun with such Protestants, who are full of their own good deservings, as well as of abominable idolatry, and of blind, fiery zeal, of the whole spirit of Persecution; that the sword of God, the great, the just, the jealous God, is even now drawn in our land that the armies of the aliens are hovering over it, as a vulture over his prey; and that the open Papists are on the very point of swallowing up the pretended Protestants.

13. Do you desire to escape the scourge of God? Then I intreat you, first, Be a real Protestant. By the Spirit of God assisting you, (for without him you know you

can do nothing,) cast away all that trust in your own righteousness, all hope of being saved by your own works. Own, your merit is everlasting damnation; that you deserve the damnation of hell. Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God. Lie in the dust. Let your mouth be stopped. And let all your confidence be in the "blood of sprinkling ;” all your hope in Jesus Christ the righteous; all your faith in "him that justifieth the ungodly, through the redemption that is in Jesus."

O put away your idols out of your heart. "Love not the world, neither the things of the world." Having food to eat and raiment to put on, be content: desire nothing more but God. To-day, hear his voice, who continually cries, "My son, give me thy heart." Give yourself to him, who gave himself for you. May you love God, as he has loved us! Let him be your desire, your delight, your joy, your portion, in time and in eternity.

And if you love God, you will love your brother also: you will be ready to lay down your life for his sake; so far from any desire to take away his life, or to hurt a hair of his head. You will then leave his conscience uncontrolled: you will no more think of forcing him into your own opinions, as neither can he force you, to judge by his conscience. But each shall "give an account of himself to God."

14. It is true, if his conscience be misinformed, you should endeavour to inform him better. But whatever you do, let it be done in charity, in love and meekness of wisdom. Be zealous for God: but remember, that "the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God:" that angry zeal, though opposing sin, is the servant of sin; that true zeal is only the flame of love. Let this be your truly Protestant zeal: while you abhor every kind and degree of persecution, let your heart burn with love to all mankind, to friends and enemies, neighbours and strangers; to Christians, Heathens, Jews, Turks, Papists, heretics, to every soul which God hath made. "Let this your light shine before men that they may glorify your Father which is in heaven."

IX.

A WORD TO A FREEHOLDER.

WHAT are you going to do? To vote for a Parliament man? I hope then you have taken no money. For doubtless you know the strictness of the oath, That you have received no "Gift or Reward, directly or indirectly, nor any Promise of any, on account of your Vote" in the ensuing election. Surely you start at Perjury! at calm, forethought, deliberate, wilful Perjury! If you are guilty already, Stop. Go no farther. It is at the peril of your soul. Will you sell your country? Will you sell your own soul? Will you sell your God, your Saviour? Nay, God' forbid! Rather cast down just now the thirty pieces of silver or gold, and say, "Sir, I will not sell Heaven. Neither you, nor all the world, is able to pay the purchase."

I hope you have received nothing else, neither will receive; no entertainment, no meat or drink. If this be given you on account of your vote, you are perjured still. How can you make oath you have received no gift?* This was a gift, if you did not buy it. What, will you sell your soul to the devil for a draught of drink, or for a morsel of bread ? Oh consider what you do. Act as if the whole election depended on your single vote: and as if the whole parliament (and therein the whole nation) depended on that single person whom you now choose to be a member of it.

But if you can take nothing of any, for whom shall you vote? For the man that loves God. He must love his country, and that from a steady, invariable principle. And by his fruits you shall know him. He is careful to abstain from all appearance of evil. He is zealous of good works, as he has opportunity, doing good to all men. He uses all the ordinances of God, and that both constantly and carefully. And he does this, not barely as something he must do; or what he would willingly be excused from. No; he

* The bare allowing your expense for loss of time and business is not bribery.