The character of a trimmer his opinion of I. The laws and government, II. Protestant religion, III. The papists, IV. Foreign affairs / by ... Sir W.C.

The PREFACE.

IT must be more than an ordinary provocation that can tempt a Man to Write in an Age over-run with Scriblers, as Egypt was with Flyes and Locusts: That worst Vermin of swall Authours hath given the World such a Surfeit, that instead of desiring to Write, a Man would be more inclin'd to wish, for his own ease, that he could not Read; but there are some things which do so raise our Pas∣sions, that our Reason can make no Resistance; and when Madmen, in the two Extreams, shall agree to make common sense Treason, and joyn to fix an ill Character upon the only Men in the Nation who deserve a good one; I am no longer Master of my better Resolution to let the World alone, and must break loose from my more reasonalble Thoughts, to expose these false Coyners, who would make their Copper Wares pass upon us for good Payment.

Amongst all the Engines of Dissention, there hath been none more pow∣erful in all Times, than the fixing Names upon one another of Contu∣mely and Reproach, and the reason is plain, in respect of the People, who are generally uncapable of making a Syllogism or forming an Argu∣ment, yet they can pronounce a word; and that serves their turn to throw it with their due malice at the head of those they do not like; such things ever begin in just, and end in Blood, and the same word that maketh the Company merry, grows in time to a Military Signal to cut one anothers Throats.

These Mistakes are to be lamented, tho' not easily cured, being sui∣table enough to the corrupted Nature of Mankind; but 'tis hard that Men will not only invent ill Names, but they will wrest and misinterpret good ones, so afraid some are even of a reconciling sound, that they raise another noise to keep it from being heard, lest it should set up and encourage a dangerous sorts of Men, who prefer Peace and Agreement, before Violence and Confusion.

Were it not for this, why, after we have play'd the Fool with throw∣ing Whig and Tory at one another, as Boys do Snow Balls, do we grow angry at a new Name, which by its true signification might do as much to put us into our Wits, as the other hath done to put us out of them?

This innocent word Trimmer signifies no more than this, That if Men are together in a Boat, and one part of the Company would weigh it down on one side, another would make it lean as much to the contrary, it happens there is a third Opinion of those who conceive it would do as well, if the Boat went even, without endangering the Passengers; now 'tis hard to imagine by what Figure in Language, or by what Rule in Sense this cometh to be a fault, and it is much more a wonder it should become a Heresy.

But so it happens, that the poor Trimmer hath all the Powder spent upon him alone, while the Whig is forgotten, or at least a neg∣lected Enemy; there is no danger now to the State (if some Men be believ'd) but from the Beast called a Trimmer, take heed of him, he is the Instrument that must destory Church and State; a strong kind of Monster, whose deformity is so expos'd, that, were it a true Picture that is made of him, it would be enough to fright Children, and make Women miscarry at the sight of it.

But it may be worth the examining, whether he is such a Beast as he is Painted. I am not of that Opinion, and am so far from think∣ing him an Infidel either in Church or State, that I am neither afraid to expose the Articles of his Faith in Relation to Government, nor to say I prefer them before any other Political Creed, that either our an∣gry Dons, or our refined States-men would impose upon us.

I have therefore in the following Discourse endeavour'd to explain the Trimmer's Principles and Opinions, and then leave it to all Di∣scerning and Impartial Judges, whether he can with Justice be so Ar∣raign'd, and whether those who deliberately pervert a good Name, do not very justly deserve the worst that can be put upon themselves.