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to disgust the popish superstitions. They speak of the Invocation of Saints with contempt; and boldly condemn the excess of it, and callit Idolatry, when they speak of it in private. They with Images were banisht from their Churches, that it might not be a scandal and an offence to us: They begin to confefs, that there was no neceffity for the taking away the Cup. They acknowledge, that a man may be faved without Indulgencies, by the fole merit of I. Chrift. They would restore the reading of the Holy Scriptures to the People. They suppress the Authority of the Pope, and speak of it with scorn. They defpite his Thunders; and if he begin to murmur, they talk as loud, or louder than he: They indeavour to eftablish this Doctrine, that under pretence of Religion, or for the preservation of it, it, 'tis not permitted to to fubjects to take up arms: They mollify and sweeten all the Doctrines of Popery. I have taken notice of this in another place, and again observe it, this cannot hold long, this state and posture of the Papacy is vio lent. Since it is treely confeft, that the adoration of one God is sufficient without that of Saints and Images, they must shortly conclude, that for things unnecessary they ought not to fcandalize one half of the Chriftian World, and shut the Gate against the lews and the Mahometans. Never were there so many in the Church of Romeas now, who acknowledge the vanity & impurity of their Supersti tions. Every man hath the liberty of his own thoughts; but I profess, that to me these are great presages of the approach of the last work of God, for the establishment of his Kingdom, and the ruin of that of Antichrist.

My spirit was in this frame, when this lastand great Perfecution in France began. I therein took notice of several Characters, that confirmed me in

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the belief that we were in the last times of the Period of 1260 years, and that this is the laft Persecution spoken of in the 11th Chap. Revel. And when they shall singular have finiht their Testimony, the Beast who ascendeth Characters in the preout of the bottomless Pit, shall make war against them, fent perieand shall overcome them, and kill them. And their cution, dead Bodies shall lye in the street of the great City three fage that is days and a half. For there are so many thingssingu- laft. lar and irregular in this Persecution, that without prophaness and a denial of Divine Providence , we cannot but acknowledge the hand of God therein. Tis fingular and more than usual, whether we conider the Author's of this Persecution, and the manner of it; or whether we consider the Subjects that fuffer it, and in what manner they suffer.

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As to the Perfecutors themselves, There is First a Prince, who hath the chiefeft obligation to us for the Crown he wears, which entred into his Family by the perfon of his Grand Father; a Prince, to whom we have always paid obedience and fubmiffi on, without the least shadow of Rebellion : a Prince for whom we preserved the Crown in his minority, and who hath not scrupled to testify that we did fo: a Prince, who is wifeand understanding, as to his own Interests, and those of the States of Europe, who yet in despite of his own Interest, hath done all that which the House of Austria would have dictated to him to do if the had imployed her Emissaries in his Council: who destroyshis own Subjects, who makes innumerable Male-contents, who throws eternal feeds of rebellion and war in his ownDominions, who disobliges his Protestant Allies, and alienates them in such a manner almost as never to be reconciled. The Protestant States and Princes have been always the principal Allies of France, Swede, Denmark, England, the Low-Countries, the Switzersz

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Switzers, and the Protestant Princes of Germany. These are they that have fupported it, when the House of Austria threatned the liberty of all Europe. And these are they who assisted France, to humble the House of Austria so low as now it is, and confequently that have advanced France to that point of Grandeur she is now at. But Time will shew how great a wound France hath now made in the heart of all her ancient Allies.

We fee already that this Persecution makes the difcord and dissention cease that was between the Protestants, and brings them nearer an union and reconciliation than before. God will let us see something farther of that kind. However, it must be confeft, that there is fomething therein, which is not to be understood by man, that fo wise a Court should violate all the rules of good policy, which is the Soul of States, and the spring of all their motions.

If we look upon the Clergy, that seems to have been the Sollicitor of this Perfecution, it will appear no less extraordinary. "Tis not an Ignorant and fuperftitious Clergy, as was that of the laft Century. Theseare understanding and knowing perfons, Men of learning and prudence, freed from the ridiculous affectation, and prejudice ofa Monaftis Spirit, who have little zeal for the Romish Ceremonies:who flight their worship, at least for the most part of it; who have much knowledge of the Truth, and at the bottom but very little Religion. Ina word, they are such, asknow very well that we are not in the wrong, or at least, that altogether and in every thing we are not: Nevertheless, they perfecute us more cruelly, than the most furious Monks, or inraged Inquifitors have ever done. They act therefore againft their own light, which is so far very strange and furprizing. But what is more astonishing, they

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act against the most sacred Principles of their Reli gion. There is nothing among them more venerable than the Sacraments, and nothing esteemed more criminal than the violation of them. To adminifter the Sacrament of Pennance, to give absolution to a Sinner, to an Heretick who is not penitent, who faith and declares openly, without hiding or concealing it, that he perseveres from his very heart in his fin and Heresy, and never renounc't it, but by conftraint and violence; to give, I say, absolution to fuch a man, according to the definition of their loofest Cafuifts; 'Tis Sacriledge to give the Sacrament of the Altar to a man, that professeth he believes nothing of it, and acknowledgeth nothing there but meer Bread; 'tis a Sacrilegious Communion. Should it not affect the Hearts, and even the Imaginations of those perfecuting Bishops and Priests, to think of the innumerable Sacriledges that by this means are every day committed? They abfolve a multitude of wretched People, who protest that by meer force and violence, they were constrained to fign the abjuration of their Religion, and to get out of the hands of a thousand Executioners, who devour'd and destroyed'em, and gave them no reft day or night. The Priests and Bishops who abfolved them, know well enough that they are Impenitent and Heretiques, and perfevering in their Herefy; nevertheless, they give them absolution. Moreover, they bring them to their Altarsby force and violence; they must be confeft; they must defire the Sacraments, and they are given them. In the mean time, they know, that they deteft and abhor from their very hearts, as a meer Idol, that which is given them to eat and worship as a God. So that all these are Sacrilegious Communions, and in plain terms, the mostabominable Sacriledge that can be ima

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imagined: what confcience can we suppose these men to have, who are guilty of fuch abominations, fodirectly contrary to their own Principles ?

But by what name shall we call the Oath, which they force men to take, and which they have pubTickly printed; in which the new Convertsswear by the name of God, and upon the H. Evangelists that they have willingly abjured, and without constraint or force? And yet the Bishops know, and all the World is acquainted with it, that they have been forc't to this abjuration, by armies of Butchers and Executioners, let loose upon them. Where are any principles of Morality, even those of the greatest latitude, that will permit this? can there be any more horrible prophanation of an Oath? than which nothing is more facred and venerable.

In what a Itate must such mens Confciences needs be, who force these poor men to commit fo execrable a perjury, and cause the name of God to be used, for the affuring the Truth of a Thing, which is most notorioufly falfe? I confefs, Ishall never comprehend this; and will alway fay, there is fomething in it more than humane, that Men should make profeffion of a Religion, and contradict the most inviolable rules of it, openly before all the World. But to what a pitch of Impudencemust they be arrived, who Printand publish, that no violence at all hath been imployed to make these Converfions? All France abounds with strangers, whoare witnesses of it; the Ministers of the Princes of Europe behold it; forreign Merchants see and know it; An hundred thousand witnesses, who have themselves efcapt out of the hands of these Executioners, carry tidings of it to all the ends of the Earth; and yet there are fome who have the confidence to deny a matter of Fact, that was done in the fight of all Enrope.

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