be feduced by the Zeal and vehemence of fome who are feduced themselves, and the various Arts of others whofe great defign is to feduce as many as they can poffibly: And again, are there not fome Remainders of the Old Army yet alive, Committee-men, Sequeftrators Purchasers of Crown

and Church Lands, and otherwise interested in the late Rebellion ? befides vaft Multitudes of the Common People depending on them, who muft needs be glad of fo many Solemn Occafions of meeting one another, by which they keep up their Acquaintance and Correfpondence, and put a very ferious face upon their good old Canfe, and find many opportunities to be mutually serviceable to one another in their private Affairs, and of joyning Counfels against the Publick. And do they not breed up their Children and Relations in the very fame Principles with themselves? Now the greater Numbers there are of fuch People fo much the greater care there ought to be taken that they be not permitted to meet together. The

Meeting

Meeting-place is very well fitted for a Religious Rendevouz, and the Spiritual Mafter of the Camp may not only deliver out his Orders at the fame time with, but may ftamp upon them the Authority of the Oracles of God.

But in the next Place, if the Government would please but to own it felf, the Numbers of these men would prefently appear to be very inconfiderable; and this hath no oftner been tryed than it hath been found to have been accompanied with good effect. In Queen Elizabeths Dayes, thefe mens Predeceffours were very troublefome,made great noise with their great Numbers, and the great dangers which would arife by difobliging them; and they had fome great Fa vourers in Court upon fome accounts, which were not very Religious; but when by reafon of their Infolent Provocation in the Year 1588. When the Queen was in all her Fears from the Spanish Armado,and in a condition, as they thought to deny them Nothing; they fo far provoked Her, as to alie

nate

nate Her Mind for ever from them : Their boafted of Numbers did immediately abate, and the Laws were immediately submitted to,as foon as ever they did perceive that it was but in vain to think of longer triffling with them: So likewife it hapned in King James His Dayes, their loud Clamours were presently filenced, as foon as ever the King declared Himfelf refolute at the Conference at HamptonCourt: Nor would the Act of Unifor mity have had any less effect, if it had not been accompanied with a general Difcourfe at the fame time of a Toleration to follow immediately upon it. And I appeal to the Confciences of feveral of the Preachers in the Separated Congregations, whether they did not leave their Livings upon this very hope, which without it they would have never done?

Befides, the Numbers of the Diffenters ought by no means to be looked upon, as an Argument for Toleration by any, becaufe, it is not looked upon as fuch by themfelves: This very Point being a thing about which

themselves

themselves are highly divided, and would by no means if they could help it grant to one another.

But befides their Numbers, they are now to be confidered in point of Merit; but this is a part of the Argument in which I do delight so very fo little, as that I muft gratifie my own temper fo far, as to fay very little in it. The Faults of other men are things which I by no means delight to dwell upon, even when it is neceffary, I take it to be very irksome: As they are particular Perfons, I have nothing to fay to any one of them, and whatever Degrees any of them have attained to in Piety and Virtue, in any kind of Intellectual, Moral, and Religious Accomplishments, I pray God that they may every day increase more and more in them, and that both here and hereafter they may receive the comfort and reward of whatever is truly good in them. But as they are a Party, I take it to be very clear, that their Merit hath not been very great, either to the Crown or Nation, and in this it were easie

to

to be very large, for one who delights in that which to me is a very ungrateful Employment. In the Hiftories of Queen Elizabeth, King James, King Charles the Firft; there is too much to be found on this Argument, and His Majesty which now is, when He was in the Hands of these men, what Ufage He did receive from them though His Royal Clemency hath been graciously pleafed to pardon, yet His Loyal Subjects have not quite forgot it.

As to the next Pretence, that it is adviseable to grant thefe men an Indulgence at this time, by reason of the great affistance which they are able to afford us against Popery: This is such an Objection which the Regu lar Sons of the Church will scarce be able to refrain themselves from looking upon without fome Indignation: The Writings of the Bishops and Episcopal Divines have hitherto been had in great Efteem over all the Reformation; no men thought to have had a better Caufe to defend; no men looked upon as better able to defend