The character of a trimmer concerning religion, laws and liberties by a person of honour, Mss. H.

THE TRIMMERS Opinion Concerning PAPISTS.

To speak of Popery leadeth one into such a Sea of matter, that it is not easie to forebear lanching in it being invited, by such a fruithful Theme, and by a variety never to be exhausted; But to confine it to the present subject, I will only say a short word of Religion it self, of its

influence here at this time, And of our Trimmer's Opinion in relation of our manner of living with them. If a Man would speak maliciously of this Religion; One might say it is like these Diseases, where as long as one drop of the infection remaineth, there is still a danger of having the whole mass of Blood corrupted by it. In Swedland there was an ab∣solute cure, and nothing of Popery heard of till Queen Christian (whether moved by Arguments of this or the other World, would not be good manners to enquire) thought fit to change her Religion, and her Coun∣try, and to live at Rome, where she might find better Judges of her ver∣tues, and less ungentle censures of those Princely Liberties she was some¦time deposed to, when she lived at Stockholm where the good breeding of the Climat is much inferiour to that of Rome, as well as the civility of the Religion: And the Cardinals having refined the Church from these clownish methods the Fisher-Men had first introduced, & mended that Pattern so effe∣ctually, that a Man of that Age, if he should now come into the World, would not possibly know it. In Denmark the Reformation was intire. In some States of Germany as well as Geneva, the cure was universal. But in the rest of the World, where the Protestant Religion took place, the Popish hu∣mour was too tough to be totally expelled; And so it was in England, tho' the change was made with all the Advantage imaginable to the Reforma∣tion, it being countenanced and introduced by Legal Authority, and by that means perhaps have been as perfect as in any other place, if the short Reign of Edward the 6th, and the succession of a Popish Queen, had not given such advantage to that Religion, that it hath subsisted ever since under all the hardships that have been put upon it, it hath been a closs compact Body, and made the more so by their sufferings, it was not strong enough to prevail, but it was still able with the help of for∣raign support to carry on an interest which gave the Crown trouble to make a considerable, not to say a dangerous, figure in the Nation, so much as this would not have been without some hopes, nor these hopes kept up, without some considerable grounds.

In Queen Elizabeth's time, the Spanish zeal of their Religion, and their Revenge for (88) gave warmth to the Papists here; And above all, the Right of the Queen of SCOTS to succeed, was whilst she lived, sufficient to give them a better prospect of their Affairs. In King James time, the Spanish Match and his Gentleness towards them, kept them up, which they were ready to interpret more in their Favours, than was either rea∣sonable, or then became them, so little tenderness they have where it is most due, if the interest of their Religion come in competition with it. As for the last King, tho' he gave the most glorious Evidence, that ever

Man did of his being Protestant, yet by the more then ordinary influence the Queen was thought to have over him, and it so happening, that the greater part of his anger was direct against the Puritans, there was such an Advantage given to Men disposed to suspect, that they were rea∣dy to interpret it a leaning towards Popery, without which handl••, it was morally impossible that the ill affected part of the Nation could ever have seduced the rest unto Rebellion; That which helped to confirm many well meaning Men in their misapprehensions of the King, was the long and unusual intermissions of Parliaments, so that every year that passed without one, made up a new Argument to increase their suspiti∣ons, and made them presume that the papists had a principal hand in keeping of them off: This raised such heat in Mens minds, to think that Men who were obnoxious to the Laws, instead of being punished, should have credit enough even to secure themselves, even at the price of de∣stroying the fundamental Constitutions, that it broke out into a flame, which before it could be quenched, had almost reduced the Nation to ashes. Amongst the miserable effects of that unnatural Warr, none hath been more fatal to Us, than the forcing our Princes to breath in an other Air, and to receive the Earthly impression of a Forraign Education. The barbarity of the English toward their King, and the Royal Family, might very well tempt him to think the better of every thing be found abroad, and might naturally produce more g••ntleness towards a Religion, by which he was Hospitally received, at the same time he was thrown off, and persecuted by the Protestants tho' his own Subjects too, to aggravate the Offence. The Queen Mother (as generally Ladies do) with Age grew more devout, and earnest in her Religion, and besides the Tem∣poral Rewards of getting larger subsidies from the French Clergie, she had Motives of another kind to perswade her to shew her zeal: And since by the Roman Dispensatory, a Soul converted to the Church, is a soveraign Remedy, and layeth up a mighty stock of Merit; She was also solici∣tous to secure her self in all events, and therefore first ••et upon the Duke of Glocester, who depended so much upon her good will, That she might for that Reason be induced to believe, that the Conquest would not be difficult: But it so fell out, that he either from his own constancie, or that he had those near him by whom he was otherwise advised, choosed rather to run away from her importunity, than by staving, to bear the continual weight of it. 'Tis believed she had better success with another of her Sons, who if he was not quite brought off from our Religion, at least such beginnings were made, as made them very easie to be finished; his being of a Generous and Aspiring Nature, and in that respect less patient

the Drugery of Arguing; might propably help to recommend a Church to him, that exempteth the Laytie from the vexation of enquiring; Perhaps he might (tho' by mistake) look upon that Religion as more Favourable to the enlarged power of a King, a consideration that might have its weight with a young Prince in his warm blood, and that was brought up in Armies. I cannot hinder my self from a small Digression to consider with Admiration: That this old Lady of Rome, with all her wrinkles should yet have Charms able to subdue great Princes, so far from handsome, and yet so Imperious, so painted and yet so pretending, after having Abused, Destroyed and Murdered so many of her Lovers, she still findeth others glad of her new Charms: A thing so strange to indifferent Judges, that those who will allow no other Miracles in the Church of Rome, must needs grant that this is one not to be contested. She sitteth in her shop, and selleth at dare Rates, her Rattles and her Hoby-Horses, whilst the deluded World still continueth to furnish her with Customers. But whether am I carried with this Contemplation. It is high time to return to my Text, and to consider the wonderful man∣ner of the King's coming home again, led by the hand of Heaven, and called by the voice of his People, who received him, with a joy equall to the blessings which his Restoration brought along with it. By this there was an end put to the Hopes, some might have abroad, of make∣ing use of his less happy circumstances, to throw him into Forreign In∣terests or opinions, which had been wholly inconsistent with our Reli∣gion, our Laws and all other things that are dear to us; yet with all this, something of those Tinctures and Impressions, might so far Re∣main, as tho' they were very Innocent in him, yet they might have ill Effect here, by softning the Animosity which seemeth necessary to the Defender of the Protestant Faith, in opposition to such a powerfull and irre∣concilable Enemy. You may be sure, that among all other sort of Men who applyed themselves to the King, at his first coming for his pro∣tection, the Papists were not the last, nor (as they fain would have flat∣tered themselves) the least welcome, having their past sufferings a swell as their present professions to Recommend them: Since so it happened, That the Indulgence promised to Dissenters at Breda, was carried on in such a manner, that the Papists were to divide with them. And though the Parliament, notwithstanding its Resignation to the Crown in all other things, rejected with Scorn and Anger, a Declaration formed for this purpose, yet the Birth and Steps of it gave such an Alarm, that Mens Suspicions once raised were not easily laid a sleep again. To omit other things, the breach of the Triple League, and the Dutch Warr, with its ap∣pertinences,

raised Jealousies to the highest pitch imaginable; and fed the hopes of one partie, and the Fears of the other to such a Degree, that some very Critical Resolutions were generally expected: when the ill Success of that Warr, and the sacrifice France thought fit to make of the Papists here to their own Interest abroad, gave another checkt, and the Act of enjoining the Test to all in Office, was thought no ill Bargan to the Nation, tho bought at the price of 1200000 lib. and the Mony ap∣plyed to the continuance of the Warr against the Dutch, then which nothing could be more unpopular or less approved. Notwithstanding these Discouragements, Popery is a plant which may be mowed down, but the root will still remain, and in spight of the Laws, it will sprout up and grow again, especially if it should happen, that there will ever be Men in power, who in stead of Weeding it out of our Garden, will take cae to cherish it, and keep it alive And tho the Law of Excluding them from places, was to tolerably kept, as to the outward form, yet there were many Circumstances which being improved by the quick sighted Malice of ill affected Men, did keep up the World in their suspicions, and blow up Jealousies to such a hight, both in and out of Parliament, that the remembrance of them is very unpleasant, and the Examples so Extravagant, that it is hoped in our age, nothing like it will be attem∣pted.

But to come closer to the Case in Question, in this condition we stand with the Papists, what shall now be done according to our Trimmers opinion, in Order to the Better bearing this Grievance; since as I have said before there is no hope of being intirely freed from it. Papists we must have among us, and if their Religion keepeth them from bringing Honey to the Hyve, let the Government try, at lea••t by Gentle and not by Violent Means, to take away the sting from them. The first Foundation to be laid is, that a Distinct consideration is to be had of the Popish Clergy, who have such an eternal Interest against all accommodation, that it is a hopless thing to propose any thing to them less then all; their stomachs having been set for it since the Reformation. They have pined themselves to a princi∣ple, that will admit no Mean, they believe Protestants must be damned, and therefore by an extraordinary Effect of Christian Charity, they would destroy one half of England, that the other might be saved. Then for this World they must be in possession for GOD Almighty, and receive his Rents for him, not to accompt till the day of Iudgement, which is a good kind of Tenure, and you cannot well blame the good Men, that they stir up the Laity to run any hazard, in order to the getting them restored. What is it to the Priest, if the deluded Zelot undoeth himself in the attempt, he

singeth Mass as Jollily; and with as good a voice at Rome, or St. Omers as ever he did; he is a single man and can have no wants, but such as may be easily supplied: Yet that he may not seem altogether in••ensi••le or ungrateful to those who are his Martyrs, He is ready to assure th••ir exe∣cutors, and if they please will procure a Grant sub annulo Piscatoris That the good Man by being hanged hath got a great Bargain, and saved a singing of some hundred of years, which he would else have had in Purgatory. There is no cu••e for this order of Men, no expedient to be proposed: So that tho' the outmost severity of the Laws against them may in some sort be Mitigated, yet no Treaty can be made wi••h them, who in this case have left themselves no free will, but are mus∣led by zeal, tyed by vows, and kept up by such unchangeable Maxims of the Priest-hood; That they are to be left as desperate Patients, and to be looked upon as men who will continue in an eternal State of H••stility, till the Nation is intirely subdued unto them. It is therefore only the Lay Papist that is capable of being Treated with. And we are to Examine of what Temper he is, what Arguments are most like to prevaile u∣pon him, and how far it is adviseable for the Government to be Indul∣gent to him. The Lay Papists generally keep their Religion, rather because they will not break company with those of their own Party, than out of a settled Zeal that hath any Root in them. Most of them do by the Mediation of the Priests, Marrie amongst one another; and so keep up an Ignorant opposition, by hearing only one side. Others look upon it as the better Scutcheon, the more ancient Religion of the two; and as some men of good Pedegree will despise meanner men, tho ne∣ver so much Superior to them by Nature: So those undervalue the Reformation as an upstart, and think that there is more Honour in sup∣porting an old Error, them embracing what seemeth to them a new Truth. The Laws have made men of Pleasure, by excluding them from publick Business, and it hapneth well that they are so, since they will be more easily perswad••d by Arguments of Ease and Conveniencie to them. They have not put off the Man in General, nor the English man in particular; those who in the late Storme against them, went into other Countries, tho they had all the Advan••ages that might recom∣mend them to a good reception, yet after a little while they choose to Steal over again, and live here with Hazard, rather then abroad with Security. There is a smell in our Native Earth, better then all the Perfumes of the East. There is something in a Mother tho never so an∣gry, that the Children will naturally trust sooner then the most studied Civilties of Strangers, let them be never so Hospital. Therefore it is not

adviseable, nor at all agreeing with the Rules of Governing Prudence, to provoke Men by hardships to forget that Nature which else is sure to be on our side. When these Men by fair usage are put again into their Right Senses they will have quite differing Reflections from those which Rigor and Persecution had raised in them. A Lay-Papist will first con∣sider his Abbey Lands, which notwithstanding what ever hath been or can be alledged, must certainly sink considerably in the value the mo∣ment that Popery prevaileth, and it being a disputable matter whether zeal might not in a little time get the better of the Law, in this case a considering man would admit that as an Argument to perswade him to be content with things as they are, rather then run this, and the other hazard by a change, in which perhaps he may have no other advantage, ••han that his own humble Confessor may be raised to a Bishoprick, and from thence look down Superciliously upon his Patron, and which is worse, come to take Possession for God Almighty of his Abbey, in such a manner that the u••urping Land Lord (as he will there be called) shall hardly be admitted to be so much as a Tennent unto his own Land, left his Title might prejudge that of the Church, which will then be the Language. He will think what advantage it is to be looked upon, as a separate Creature, depending upon a Forreign Interest and Authority, and for that reason exposed to the Jealousie and suspicion of his Country∣men. He will reflect what an incumbrance it is to have his house a Pa∣sture for hungry Priests to Grass in, who have such a never failing In∣fluence upon the Foolish, which is the greatest part of every mans Fa∣mily, that a mans Dominion even over his own Children is mangled and divided, if not totally underminded by them. Then to be subject to what Arbitrary Taxes the Popish Convocation shall impose upon them for the carring on the common Interest of that Religion, under the pe∣nalty of being marked out for half an Heretick, by the rest of the party: To have no share in Business, no opportunity of shewing his own value to the World, to live at the best an useless, and by others to be thought a Dangerous Member of the Nation where he is born, is a burden to a Generous Mind that cannot be taken off by all the pleasures of an easie unmanly Life, or by the Nauseous enjoyment of a dull plenty, that pro∣duceth no food for the mind, which will ever be considered in the first place, by a man that hath a Soul. When he shall think, that if his Reli∣gion should after wading through a Sea of Blood, come at last to prevail it would infinitly lessen, if not intirely destroy the Glory, Riches, Strength, and Liberty of his own Country; and what a Sacrifice is this to make to Rome, whe••e they are wise enough to wonder there should be such fools

the World, as to venture, strugle and contend, nav even to die Mar∣tyrs for that, which should it succeed, would prove a Judgement, instead of a Blessing to them.

He will conclude that the Advantages of throwing some of their Chil∣dren back again to God Almighty, when they have too many, are not equal to inconvenie••cies they may either feel or fear by continuing their separation from the Religion established. Mortal things will have their weight in this World; And tho' Zeal may prevail for a time and get yet the better in a Skirmish, yet the War endeth generally on the side of Flesh and Blood, and will do so, till Mankind is another thing then it is at present: And therefore a wise Papist in cold Blood consider∣ing these and many other Circumstances, will believe it worth his pains to try if he can unmufle himself from the Mask of Infalibility, and we think it reasonable to set his imprisoned Senses at Liberty, and that he hath a right to see with his own Eyes, hear with his own Ears, and judge with his own Reason; The consequence of which, migh•• probably by the weighting things in a right Scale, and seeing them in their true colours, be able to make him distinguish between the merit of suffer∣ing for a right Cause, and the foolish ostentation of drawing inconveni∣encies upon himself, and therefore will not be unwilling to be convinced that our Protestant Creed may make him happy in the next, and easier in this World: a few of such wise Prosylites would by their Example draw so many after them, that the Party would insensibly melt away and in a little time, without an angry Word, we should come to an Union, that all good Men would have Reason to rejoyce at. But we are not to pre∣sume upon these conversions, without preparing Men for it, by kind and reconciling Arguments; Nothing is so against our Nature as to believe those can be in the Right, who are too hard upon us? there is a Defor∣mity in every thing that doth us hurt, it will look scurvily in our Eye whilst the smart continueth, and a Man must have an extraordinary measure of Grace to think well of a Religion, that reduceth him and his Fa∣mily to misery; In this respect our Trimmer would consent to a Mitigation of such Laws as were made (as is said, Henry the 8th got Queen Eliza∣beth) in a heat against Rome. It may be said, that even States as well as private Men are subject to passions, a just indignation of a villanous at∣tempt produceth at the time such Remedies as perhaps are not without a mixture of some Revenge: And therefore tho' time cannot Repeal a Law, it may by a Natural Effect soften the Execution of it. There is less danger to rouse Lyons when they are at rest, than to awake Laws that are intended to have their time of sleeping; Nay, more than that,

in some cases their Natural Periods of Life too are dying of themselves, without the Solemnity of being revocked any other wayes, than by the common consent of Mankind, who cease to execute, when the Rea∣sons in great measure fall, that first created and justified the rigour of un∣usual penalties: Our Trimmer is not eager to pick out sore places in Hi∣stories against this or any other Partie; quite contrary, is very solicitous to find out any thing that may be healing, or tend to an Agreement. But to prescribe the means of this Gentleness, so as to make it effectual, must come from the only place that can furnish Remedies for this cure; viz. a Parliament: In the mean t••me it is to be wished, there might be such a mutual calmness of Mind, That the Protestants might not be so J••••••ous, as still to smell the Match which was to have blown up the King and both Houses in the Gun Powder Treason, or to star•• at every ap∣pearance o•• Popery, as if it was just taking Possession. On the other side, that the Papists may not suffer themselves to be led by any hopes, tho' never so flattering, to a Confidence or Ostentation which must pro∣voke men to be less kind to them; that they may use Modesty on their side, and the Protestants Indulgence on theirs. By this means there would ••e an overlooking of all Venial faults, a Tacite connivance at all things that did not cary scandal withthem, & it would amount to a kind of natural Dispensation with the severe Laws, since there would be no more Accusers, were the occasions of Anger and Animosities once re∣moved.

Let the Papists in the mean time remember, that there is a Respect due from all lesser Numbers to Greater. A Deference to be payed by an Opinion that is exploded, to one that is Established: Such a thought well digested, will have an influence upon their behaviours, and pro∣duce such a Temper, as must win their eager Adv••rsaries out of their ill humour to them, and give them a Title to all the favour that may be consistent with the Publick Peace and Securitie.