Government, is only fuch a Connivance, as may rather be called a Refpite from Perfecution, than a real Protection. For as to a legal, folid TOLERA TION, POPERY fuffers no fuch Thing, however folemnly ftipulated; witness the faithless and cruel Revocation of the Edict of Nantz, and the many fevere Punishments inflicted fince that Time, to this very Hour, upon Subjects unquestionably loyal.

X. THIS being the State of the Cafe, let us now confider, bow far we may rely on thofe fpecious Declarations fometimes made by the more moderate Par ty of the Romish Communion against Perfecution.

IT is true, they condemn with great Warmth, and we charitably hope with equal Sincerity, the Proceedings against Proteftants in particular Cafes, and fcruple not to blame the Authors and Advifers of them. But let not the unwary Proteftant be deceived by fo fair an Appearance: For though they inveigh against the Practice in particular Inftances, they do not renounce the main Principle on which the fuppofed Right of Perfecution is founded: And it is one Thing to fay with the CONSISTENT PROTESTANT, That the Christian Religion gives NO RIGHT to perfecute Men for mere Matters of Confcience; and another, that there may be a wrong Application, or an improper Ufe made of this imginary Right. Now the former is a Pofition they never can fubfcribe to, as Roman Catholicks, though they may very beartily and fincerely join with the latter. And therefore, while they hold that the Roman Catholick Church bath ftill a Parental Authority, and an inherent Jurif diction over Hereticks, their Declarations againft Perfecution

Perfecution amount to no more, than against the int proper Exercife of it. So that upon the whole, the Claim of Right being fill kept up, there can be no Security for Proteftants against fuffering the dreadful Effects of it, whenever it is judged more expedient to perfecute than to forbear; and of this private Perfons, or particular Writers, are not allowed to be Judges...

XI. THUS much I thought neceffary to lay before the English Reader, concerning the Hardships and Sufferings of his Fellow Proteftants Abroad; and I flatter myself be will not be difpleafed with my Endeavours to place thefe Things before him in their true Light. Mankind are apt to take their Ideas of Foreign Countries, and diftant Things, from those they have been moft accustomed to at Home. And as it is our present Happiness in thefe Kingdoms to enjoy a Liberty of Confcience (whereby those who diffent from the established Church are permitted to live in the utmoft Security) it is natural for us to conceive of the Foreign Proteftants, only as in the Condition of Diffenters from the national Church, or at the worst, as being upon the fame Footing with the Roman Catholicks in Enlgand. But Conclufions of this Nature are extremely fallacious, and might prevent our having that Fellow-feeling for the Sufferings of our Brethren, which we ought to have. For the Laws in England against the Roman Catholicks are upon a very different Foundation from those of the Popish Princes against their Proteftant Subjects; the Roman Catholicks being confidered in this Kingdom, not as a Sect in Religion, but as a Faction against the State, whofe reigning Principles, both as to Religion and Government, lead them to feek

the

the Ruin and Destruction of Proteftants,—and which they have very often, though hitherto (God be praifed) unsuccessfully attempted. But what is the Intent, and what were the Occafions of enacting those feveral Laws?-Not furely to harrass and oppress the Papifts (God forbid) but to fecure ourselves. And therefore, though the Principles of the Englifh Catbolicks can deferve no Favour, or Connivance from a Proteftant Parliament, and a Protestant House of HANOVER, yet as long as their Practice continues to be inoffenfive, thefe Laws are never executed. And the Roman Catholicks in England enjoy the Benefit of a Toleration, as to all the Purposes of Confcience and Religion. Though viewing their Principles in the most favourable Light, Papifts, as fuch, certainly disavow and deny the fupreme Authority of the British Government, and bold themselves fubject to a foreign Jurisdiction, which to them is infallible and fupreme.

LET the candid and benevolent Reader now compare their Cafe with that of the poor, perfecuted Proteftants Abroad: Let him conceive himself in the Situation of thofe unhappy Sufferers, helpless and diftreffed, forced to abandon all his Poffeffions, bis dearest Relations, and his native Country, and fleeing from bis Perfecutors into a Land of Strangers, where be only defires a fecure Retreat, with an Exclufion from all publick Employments, and from Parliament, and upon bis giving the strongest Affurances of Fidelity to the Government, to be received as a faithful SubjeƐt;—and may the Almighty direct him to form fuch a Judgment concerning the Treatment due to Perfons in thefe Circumftances as becomes a CHRISTIAN and & PROTESTANT. IMPORT

Preliminaries relating to popular Prejudices;The Terms Foreigner and Englifhman; And the Service which Foreigners have formerly done to the Commerce of this Nation.

I..

W

HETHER popular Preju

dices are to be confidered as the Teft of Truth? Whe ther there have not been the most violent Oppofitions: a+ gainst Christian Forbearance

and Toleration in each Part of the united King