A second discourse of the religion of England further asserting, that reformed Christianity, setled [sic] in its due latitude, is the stability and advancement of this kingdom : wherein is included, an answer to a late book, entitled, A discourse of toleration.

SECT. VIII.

Of placing them in the same rank for Crime and Guilt, with the PAPISTS.

THE Answerer hath not feared to set the Papists, and the Protestant Dissenters, upon the same level, in the guilt of Rebellion, Cruelty and Turbulency. For a high Charge having been made good against Popery, That it di∣sposeth Subjects to Rebellion: That it persecutes all other Re∣ligions within its reach: That wheresoever it finds encourage∣ment, it is restless, till it bear down all, or hath put all in disorder: He comes and tells the World, That the Noncon∣formists are no more innocent of the same Crimes. Can men of sound minds and temperate spirits, believe this? And what greater advantage can be given the Popish Party, then that a Protestant Writer should declare and publish, that so great a part of Protestants are equally involved with them in those heinous Crimes with which the Protestants have al∣ways charged them? And that such a one should tell them, That it will seem unequal to deny a Toleration to them, and grant it unto others that are here pleaded for; which is in effect to say, They have as good reason to expect an In∣dulgence from this State, as others that maintain the Do∣ctrine of the Church of England, yea, such as communicate in her publike Worship. Is there no better way of exalt∣ing Prelacy, and disgracing its supposed Adversaries, then by this Reproach and Damage done to the whole Protestant Profession? Yea, he so far extenuates the guilt of Papists, and brings it down so low, as to make it common to all other Sects. In which one would think he should have been more wary, who in one place stretcheth the notion of Sect so far, as to make its reason to lye in being different from the Established Form of Church Government. Now

for matter of practice, he imputes the same guilt to all other Sects; And if the Papists (saith he) have any Doctrines which countenance those Practises, that is to be accounted as the issue of their insolency in their own greatness. And he im∣plies, That it is onely the want of strength, that other Sects are not so bad as they for such kind of Doctrine, as well as Practice. Such passages falling from a Protestants Pen, may do the Papists better service than their late Apo∣logy. But why doth he say, If the Papists have any such Doctrines? Doth he not know they have? The Church of England was assured of it, when concerning the Adherents of Rome, she used this expression in a publike form of Prayer, Whose Religion is Rebellion, and whose Faith is Fa∣ction. We wish their eyes were open, who cannot see more permanent and effectual causes of the aforesaid Crimes pe∣culiar to that Religion, and rooted in the Principles there∣of. The evidence hereof given in the former Discourse, is not needful to be rehersed in this place.

This Author (as others that oppose the wayes of Amity and Peace) loves to grate upon a string that sounds harsh, To renew the remembrance of the late Warr. Those di∣stracted Times, are the great Storehouse and Armory, out of which such men do fetch their Weapons of offence; and the great Strong-hold, unto which they always retreat when they are vanquished by the force of Reason, and then they think they are safe, though therein they contra∣dict the true intent of the Act of Oblivion. Some of those that now so importunately urge the Injury and Tyranny of those Times, did then suf••iciently comply with Usur∣pers; and left Episcopacy to sink or swim; and did partake of the chiefest Favours and Preferments that were then conferred. And on the other hand, such as they upbraid, and are now Sufferers, did as little comply with those that subverted the Government, and did as zealously appear

for the rescue of our late Sovereign, and for the restitution of His present Majesty, as any sort of men in the Realm. But to intermeddle in the Differences of those Times, and to repeat Odious Matters, and to use Recriminations that will disturb the minds of men, and tend to a perpetual Mis∣chief, is aliene from, and opposite unto my Pacifick Endea∣vours. As for his charging the Nonconformists with certain Doctrines and Positions by him there mentioned (which I know none that maintains) and other Accusations and Re∣ports relating to the time of the Warr; the Truth or Fals∣hood, the Equity or Iniquity, the Candor or Disingenuity of his Testimony in those things, is left to the judgment of the Righteous God, and of Impartial Men.