keep up the Huzza of a Bonfire. But as in their Application, they are fo remarkably distinguifh'd in the Genius and Temper of those that avow them, that one would think it impoffible they should breath the fame common Air, and live together under the fame Clime; the following Story I prefume may not improperly be prefented, to give fome feint Ideas of the Dif ference between them.:

In the Course of the Great Rebellion, when the People were dreadfully deluded to believe, they could not fet up the Kingdom of Chrift, without pulling down that of their Sovereign; among other Tranfactions, we are told of an Officer belonging to the Rebels, who, after fome Skirmish being taken Prifoner, with his Party, by the Royalifts, was modeftly ask❜d by one of them, how it came to pass, that a Gentle man of his feemingly Good Senfe and Education, could be induc'd to engage in a Cause fo very unjust? His reply was, He had not so strictly examin'd the Merit of the Caufe, as now he was convinced be ought; but one thing he could not but mention, that had prejudiced him (and he believed a great many more against his Majesty's Service) was the Licence taken among the Cavaliers of Swearing and Drinking. The Anfwer to this was, Admitting the Charge were true, it was. highly unpardonable, fo excellent a Prince as his Majesty

Majefty should fuffer for the Irregularities of his Soldiers; and befides, he ought further to have confidered, the Crimes he mention'd were entirely Perfonal, and the Vices of Men; whereas the Malice, Treachery, Hypocrifie, and feveral other unparallel'd Vices, which made up the very Effence of His Caufe, were the Vices of Devils.

Yours, Sir, &c.

No. 3.

No. 31.

MONDAY September 2. 1717.

O full of all Subtilty, and all Mif chief, thon Child of the Devil! Ads xiii. 10.

FOOT has been the conftant Unhappinefs of the English Nation to fuffer the moft terrible Convulfions, and to lie in a fatal Pofture of Confufion and Disorder upon the Account of Religion. The Original Enemy of our Church is the Papift, he appear'd in the Infancy of the Reformation, and ever since has been invincibly induftrious to ruin the Happy Eftablishment; being perfuaded, that the Papal Power and Obedience muft fink low in the Opinion of Mankind, fo long as the Realms of Great-Britain, that bear fo confiderable a Figure in the Chriftian World, continue in a Re

volt from the Faith, and keep wide fo defperate a Breach in the Roman Communion.

The Church of England has been always justly esteem'd the only Baltion of the Prote ftant Intereft, and has produc'd fo illustrious a Succeffion of able Champions for the Truth, as in all Human Profpect, will in Time convince the World of the Apoftacy of Rome from the Chriftianity of the Pureft Ages, and induce them to file off the Shackles of Blind Homage and Submiffion, which Ignorance and the Romish Artifice have fastened upon the Hands of all Princes and Potentates under the Papal Jurifdiction; and whatsoever fome People may imagine, there is nothing at all formidable to Rome in thofe little Sects and Separatists, who by their own eternally fubdividing Principles, will, like the Sheaf of Arrows in the Fable, be feverally broken, without any Difficulty; but the Church of England is a compact Body, firm and well fet together; fhe wears fo much of the Apoftolick Innocence and Antiquity both in Doctrine and Discipline, that St. Peter's Sword can never hope for an univerfal Monarchy, without undermining the Foundations of our Conftitution; to accomplish which Glorious Defign, the Enemy infpires himself and all his Engines, with all poffible Application and Diligence.

And

And fince the Roman Statefmen have long despair'd by Force and Military Violence to recover thefe Kingdoms under the Dominion of the Holy See, they betake themselves to Stra tagem, and artfully attempt to fubvert that Reformation by Divifions, which they were unable to over-throw by a more open Affault; it being a Maxim in the Conclave, That there is no other way to prevent People from turning Hereicks, and for the Recovery of others again to the Mother Church, than by a Diverlity of Doctrines.

Among all the Religious Orders of Rome, the Jefuits were foon diftinguish'd as a Body of Men, Subtil, Enterprifing, and Audacious, acted by invincible Refentments against the English Settlement, and accordingly were ordained to manage in this Meritorious Undertaking, and difpatch'd very early to create Schifms and Separations in this Reform'd Church: Their Commiffion gave them full Powers to revive the most Infamous Herefies, to profefs the most abominable Principles, to Swear and Forfwear, to appear in what ever Difguife, fo that the Populace might be infamed against the Establishment, and fix'd at an irreconcileable distance from the Lawful Communion: And thefe Emiffaries in a fhort Time, became Mafters in this execrable Policy; they infinuated themselves into the Conventi

cles