It will be said that these things are past and gone ; the po})es have now no such power as formerly; and the kings that are of the Roman church do live as free from impositions on them by the pretensions of papal power as any kings on the earth. But supposing such a change, and that the king of France, as gTeat as he is, do find in the issue that there is such a change, yet if we do not know the reasons of it, they do. Is it because the maintainers of the Papacy have changed their principles and opinions in this matter ? Is it that they have disclaimed the power and authority which they exercised in former ages ? Is it from any abatement of the papal omnipotency in their judgment ? Do they think that the popes had not right to do what they did in those days, or that they have not yet right to do the like again ? It is none of these, nor any reason of this sort, that is the cause of the pretended change. The true and only reason of it is the balancing of their power by the protestant interest. So
54)2 THE STATE AND FATE OF
many kings, princes, potentates, states, and nations, being not only fallen off from that blind obedience and subjection wherein they were universally inthralled unto them in those da3^s, but ready to oppose them in all their attempts to execute their pretended power, they are forced for a season to lower their sails, and to pluck in those horns wherewith formerly they pushed kings and princes unto their ruin. Should there be a restoration of their power and interest in the minds of men, which would ensue on the extirpation of the protestant re- ligion, the greatest kings of Europe should quickly find themselves yoked and overmatched both in their own dominions, and by such as will be ready to execute their designs. And on this supposition, they will cross all experience of former ages if, having weathered their difficulties and conquered their opposers, they be not more haughty and secure in the execution of their power and pretended office than ever they were before.
Whatever delusion, therefore, may befall sovereign princes in their personal capacities, none of them can be so forsaken of common un- derstanding as not to see that by a defection unto the Papacy, they bring a bondage on themselves and their subjects, from which God by his providence, through the light and truth of the protestant re- ligion, had set them free. And it is certain enough that there is at this day so much rational light diffused in the world, that even those who, on various inducements, may comply with any of them in the re-introduction of Popery into any of their territories, will quickly find what condition of slavery and contempt they have brought them- selves into ; and thereon make the new posture of affairs very uneasy to themselves and their rulers. Yea, no sort of men will be given up unto more furious reflections, first on themselves, and then on others, than they will be, when they find themselves ensnared. Those who on such occasions have neither deceived themselves, nor suffered themselves to be deceived by others, may enjoy a sedate tranquillity of mind in all that shall befall them; but these, when they have digested the shame of being deluded, will be restless in their minds, and intent on new occasions. I suppose, therefore, there is no great danger to be feared on this hand, and if there should, that the event of counsels mixed with so much madness and ingratitude will be a sudden catastrophe.
(2.) And as unto the clergy, there can be no defection amongst them, unless it be from a weariness of their present station, upon the principles of the protestant religion ; for they have most of them too much light to be corrupted any way but by interest. Now the prin- cijDles intended are these two: — [1.] That the reverence which they claim, and the revenues which they possess, are not due unto them merely on the account of their offices and the titles which they bear,
THE PROTESTANT EELIGION. 543
but on that of their faithful discharge of their office in dihgent, labo- rious preaching of the gospel, and sedulous endeavours for the con- version and edification of the souls of men. This principle lay at the foundation of the Reformation, and was one of the gi-eatest means of its promotion. [2.] That a distinction from the people by sacred office requires indispensably a distinction from them in gravity, use- fulness, and holiness of conversation. If men should grow weary of their station in the clergy on these principles (and others the pro- testant rehgion will not afford them), it is to be feared that on pro- voking occasions they may verge unto that church-state wherein all thino-s desirable unto them in this world will be secured on easier terms. And the danger will be increased, if they are capable of envy and vexation from those principles of light and liberty, which have been communicated unto the people by the protestant religion, ren- dering all expectations of reverence and honour but what ariseth from and is proportionate unto real worth and usefulness altogether vain. And if hereon they are exposed to impressions from the wealth, ease, and power proposed unto them in the papal church, it is to be feared that they may regulate themselves by opportunities. And on these gTounds not a few ministers in France, being withal at the same time under the dread of trouble and persecution, have gone over unto the adverse party. In the meantime, there is some relief herein, that the generality of mankind is so far enlightened that no pleas or pretences of other reasons for such a change or defection will bear the least admittance, but it will be ascribed unto con'upt affec- tion and carnal interest. However, if it be contained, as many judge it is, in the prophecies of the Revelation, that the cliurches of the nations who were once of the communion and in subjection unto the church of Rome shall be restored unto her power and possession again, at least for a short season, this sort of men must be signally instru- mental therein. And if there be any nations where these two things concur :— that all church or ecclesiastical power and jurisdiction is, by the law of the land, vested in the king, being as unto its whole exer- cise derived from him alone, whereby that which he is, the church is, as to power and jurisdiction, and nothing else ; and where the clergy do hold and derive their spnitual power, their power of order and office, by a flux and descent of it from the church of Rome and the authority thereof, — upon the accession of a Papist unto supreme rule, it will be very difficult, if not impossible, long to secure the public profession of the protestant religion in such nations. I say, in this case, although the protestant religion may be preserved in multitudes of individuals and their voluntary societies in the communion of it, yet in such a church-state its public profession cannot long be con- tmued ; for it will quickly be dissolved by its own intestine diffei-