An essay upon the change of manners being a second part of The true Protestants appeal to the city and country.

AN ESSAY Upon the Change of MANNERS. BEING A SECOND PART OF THE True Protestants Appeal TO THE CITY and COUNTRY.

IT has been observed, that all Arts, Sciences, Cu∣stoms, and the several Dispositions of Mankind, have acted their Parts by Turns in this World, sometimes One being most in Vogue and Re∣quest in such a Country, where, after having Reign∣ed some Time, it was forced to give ground, and quit the Throne to some other new Humor of the Age, which having had its Turn, was likewise ob∣liged to retire, and make place for another: And all this Remark will reach, I suppose, to Points of Re∣ligion it self; or at least, to those of Heresie. But I believe; it has hardly ever been known, that any one Humor in one and the same Country, has come twice upon the Stage by the same Methods and Pa∣ces the second time as it did the former, within the space of Forty Years; which makes it seem strange, that the present, at least, seeming Designs upon the Church of England, and its Head, next under God, the King, should have that full Carrier; and meet with that kind Reception as they now do; by Num∣bers of People: Indeed the difference is, that the late sad Times were ushered in by a pretended Popish Plot, and the present by a hellish, true and real one; but its Neck being, I hope, broken, I know not why it should be allowed to be made use of for the carrying on the same Designs as brought us so late∣ly into Ruin and Destruction, and made us groan under the heaviest Yoak, and Arbitrary Govern∣ment, that ever any Nation was oppressed with. I say, I cannot imagine how People can be so insen∣sible as to be lured, and blinded by the same Paint and Pretexts, as drew them, and but so lately, into the extreamest misery and Desolation. Was not a pretended Conspiracy of the Papists, a Prologue to those sad Catastrophees? Was not there as full a Cry then as there is now against Arbitrary Govern∣ment, and the Promoters of it? Were not the Chief∣est Ministers, and Pillars of the Royal Authority, first, maliciously and falsly accused, and then pulled down, before they struck at the Crown it self; nay, had the Rebels not, or at least, did they not pretend to have, in the greatest Heat and Fury of the War, that Veneration, Respect and Care for his Late Ma∣jesty, as to insert in all their Generals Commissions, the Clause of endeavouring to save his Sacred Per∣son from Danger? And did they not give out, that they only aimed at securing, and recovering his Person out of the Hands of such as abused his Autho∣rity; and that they had no other Prospect, than Re∣forming the State? But did we not sadly find their Reformation, to be what a Famous Author of this Time, says in one of his Pieces; That it is only lest to Princes to mend the World▪ whose Commands find general Obedience, and Examples Imitation. For all other Men, they must take it as they find it, and good Men enter into Commerce with it, rather upon Caution of not being spoiled themselves, than upon hopes of mending others. At least, this O∣pinion becomes Men of my Level, amongst whom I have observed all Sett Quarrels with the Age, and Pretences of Reforming it by their own Models, to end commonly like the pains of a Man in a Little Boat, who tuggs at a Rope that's fast to a Ship: it looks as if he resolved to draw the Ship to him;

but the Truth, and his Meaning, is, to draw him∣self to the Ship, where he gets in when he can, and does like the rest of the Crew when he is there. And what a sad Crew they were, and what horrid Tra∣gedies they acted, to our Misery and Shame, we are but too well acquainted. I blush to think that we whose Ancestors were the most famous People in the World, and whose Heroick Actions, perhaps, no other Nation ever did, or can parallel, should so degenerate from their Bravery, as to lay the whole Scene of our Honour, in nursing and ushering in Rebellion. The main Cry, is against Arbitrary Government, and at the same time, those who bawl so loud against it, take the right Course to bring in the rankest Tyranny. They would have, or at least, they say, they would, the Religion and Laws of the Nation preserved; but they do not mention, as they are now established. I am apt to think, that those who make all this Bustle, are not People of Quality, Estates, or Sence, but such, whose Fortunes being desperate, hope to mend them by a Change, and are seconded in it by Pamphle∣teers, who are maintained, and get a Livelihood by dispersing all manner of ill Reports, Principles, and every thing that tends, and is capable to help on their Designs, by infusing Jealousies and Distra∣ctions into the People, by irritating and drawing upon us the Fury of some of our Neighbour-Nati∣ons, and rendering us contemptible, neglected and despised by the others, by defaming all those who seem Loyal, and able to assist the Crown; and by elevating to the Skies, and making even Gods of those who are thought to favour their Designs, and by a thousand other Arts and Means, alienate the Peoples minds from the Government, and insinuate into them Disgusts, Dissaffection and Fears of those at the Helm. Such People as take, or favour these Courses, I cannot imagine to be Persons of Estates and Prudence, since, should they take Effect, they would run the Risque of losing what they have, without any probability or prospect of bettering themselves; the Truth of which, we have but too late and deplorable Examples of: For did not even the so called Parliament it self, serve for a Stalking Horse to some Dissaffected People and Upstarts who, when by its means they had got into the Saddle, how they rid and harass'd both it, and generally the Three Kingdoms, is so well known, that, me∣thinks, we should all be so sensible of it, as not to be drawn into the same Snares again. Did any of those Great Men, who were Promoters of the Late Troubles compass or enjoy long that Splendor and Greatness they aimed at? Were they not put by, and turned out, by people that rose from nothing, or at least, if some were kept in, it was in Places, that were of no Profit to them; and only because their Names were advantageous to their Party. It is this that hinders me from giving Credit to those Reports which say, that all this now is the Sence of the Nation, and that it is influenced by several Grandees. Perhaps indeed, there may be some few, whose too greedy Ambition having met with Checks, and being new spirited with Revenge, are glad to find the Nation in a Fever, and its Pulse beat so high; and who instead of seeking Remedies, feed the Disease, and inflame the Humors, not ca∣ring to bring the Kingdom into utter Ruine and Desolation, so they may but have the Opportunities of satisfying their Irregular Appetites and Passions: and perhaps these may have drawn in amongst the rest, several well-meaning People, who having things shewn them in false Lights, are content to go along with the Stream, ignorantly thinking, it is for the Publick Good. It is these, and such like Circum∣stances of this Juncture, that make me lament my Misfortune of being born in an Age, wherein Loy∣alty is run down, the True Protestant Religion, that is the Church of England, as by Law establish∣ed, is trodden under foot, and its Ministers reviled and bespattered by every Fiery Dissenter; and each Faith∣ful Subject is branded with all the Infamous Names and Epithites they are capable of inventing.

Affairs being in this sad and deplorable Posture, I appeal to the whole World, if every True English Man has not reason to be grieved to the very Heart, to see so many endeavouring to sow the Seed of Dis∣sention and Jealousies, instead of procuring Union and a good Understanding between the King and his People, especially in a Juncture, when every Day brings us fresh Tidings of the great Preparations, both by Sea and Land, of some of our Neighbours, whose Ambition, Interest and Revenge, will cer∣tainly prompt them to lay hold of all Opportuni∣ties; at the least, of humbling us, who have been such Obstacles and Opposers of their great Aims and Designs, as they cannot but highly resent it; and will doubtless embrace all Occasions they can meet with of procuring our Ruin. I say, in such a time, to foster, nourish, and spread abroad, Fears, Distractions, and Discontents, can never be the Part of a True English Man, a Loyal Subject, and a Real and Religious Protestant.