der the Pope's nofe, where all free inquiries into matters of religion are quite fhut out, every body knows that vice reigns more than in any other part of the world. "The difhonour that the exceffive growth "of herefy, infidelity, and profaneness hath brought on our church and nation, &c." 66 The growth of heresy and infidelity, can bring no dishonour in the world on those who continue in the orthodox faith more than that they may be fuppofed, either through laziness or ignorance, not to have brought good arguments in order to convince them. But if the orthodox believers have acquitted themselves as they should do in this refpect, all the difhonour that remains will belong to the heretics and infidels, "Our ecclefiaftical and civil conftitution "muft needs undergo reproach, as if we either "wanted laws to punifh fuch enormities, or "zeal to turn the edge of thofe laws upon the "daring offenders." As for herefy and infidelity, (for I meddle not with the word profanerefs, not knowing in what fenfe the gentlemen ufe it) no body will reproach us for not punishing them, but fuch as love to copy after popery. I fancy I could name a whole nation, (a nation, the welfare of whofe ftate is pretty much linked with ours) that would have quite another notion of us. 0 3 " Never "Nevertheless, in hopes of the affiftance of "this honourable court, to ftop this torrent of "infidelity and profaneness, which may other"wife draw down the vengeance of heaven on "this church and nation; We the grandjury, &c." It comforts me to think, that I live under the providence of a good God, who will not fend down his vengeance on a nation, whenever a grand-jury thinks fit to call for it. On the other hand, if we heartily beftir ourfelves in endeavouring to confute our adverfaries'; then I hope, we fhall not only ftay God's vengeance, (who would not have deftroyed Sodom, if there had been five righteous men in it) but Jikewife ftop this fame torrent of infidelity. But if we chufe rather to beat our fellow-fervants, and deal about blows upon fuch as we cannot convince by argument; I much more fear, that we fhall draw down the vengeance of heaven for our uncharitablenefs, or rather we fhall have no occafion for it, but may make a fhift to deftroy one another without it: For perfecution, let it begin where it will, if you let it alone, will never reft till it has destroyed good part of mankind. I am, SIR, Your humble Servant, A VIN VINDICATION OF THE QUAKERS: OR, AN ANSWER TO THE Bp. of L-'s* Charge against Them, And the Late DEFENCE of that CHARGE. To which is added, A more full and perfect Account of the QUAKERS and their Doctrines, occafioned by Dr. HENRY MORE'S Opinion of them. First Printed in the YEAR 1730. O 4 * Dr. Smallbroke, Bishop of Litchfield, A VINDICATION OF THE QUAKER S. THE HERE have been in all ages, and all countries, a fet of men, whofe temporal intereft lay in promoting certain doctrines, which they agreed to call religion; and as long as fuch men have power in their hands to get their profitable opinions eftablished by law, fo long there will be two religions in the world: the religion of nations, and the religion of private men; the religion of fashion, and the religion of truth; the religion made by human contrivance for the fake of power and wealth, and the religion revealed by God, and recognized by reafon, to lead us to happiness here, and qualify us for the favour of the fupreme being hereafter. 0 5 Between |