Life. Now, if this could be made plainly appear, without Doubt we ought to withdraw ourselves from all other Sects, as soon as we can, and join with that alone with which Truth makes such Objections against all others. For not only this present short Life lies at Stake, which is subject to innumerable Evils and Misfortunes, let us live how we will; but we render ourselves liable to the Punishments which God has threatened to those who do not believe the Gospel, and hazard that Happiness which has no Defect, and will have no End. Yet 'there are some Men, not indeed very learned, nor very much addicted to reading the Scriptures seriously, in order to judge of the Divisions amongst Christians, and to find out on which Side the Truth lies, for they have no Concern at all for that; but their Notion of these Divisions is, that they think it all one, let their Opinions be what they will, and that it is the same Thing, whatever Worship they follow: They imagine it to be quite indifferent what Party of Christians we really join ourselves with, or indeed only profess to join ourselves with. I do not now speak of the common People only; there are Kingdoms, in which not only the common People, but the Magistrates and Nobility have separated from the See of Rome, and yet in a very short Time, upon having a new King, have returned to it again; and then after this, have been assisting to the supreme Power in opposing the same See. In the Reign of Henry VIII. of England, there were many Acts made not only by the King, but agreed to by the Parliament, against the See of Rome, which King Henry was angry with for a Reason that few People approved of.

After his Death, when his Son Edward VI. joined in with that Party, who had not only renounced all the Authority of the See of Rome, as his Father had done; but also had embraced other

Opinions,

Opinions, which were condemned by that See; they likewise openly declared that they approved of them. A little after King Edward died, when Queen Mary, a great Bigot to the Pope of Rome, succeeded her Brother; this very Nobility assisted this Queen to oppress that Party who had despised the Authority of the Pope, and were in so flourishing a Condition when Edward was King. Some Time after, upon the Death of Mary, Queen Elizabeth succeeded, who was of the same Sect with her Brother Edward, and so strongly established it by a long Reign, that it remains to this Day upon the same Foundation on which it was then built. Whoever peruses the History of those Times, will see how fluctuating the Nobility of that Nation were; and he will hardly be able to persuade himself, but that they were of the same Mind with those that believe it to be all one with Respect to their eternal Salvation, what Sect of Christians they join themselves with. I agree with those who ascribe these Changes in a good Measure to Fear; but when I consider the Constancy, Courage, and Contempt of Death, which we so frequently see in the English Nation, I can hardly persuade myself, but that the Love of this present Life, and an Indifference about Religion, were the principal Causes of these several Changes.

SECT. III.

That an Indifference in Religion is in its own Nature unlawful, forbidden by the Laws of God, and condemned by all Sects of Christians.

FOR any one to think that Religion is one of those Things that are of an indifferent Nature; sa that we may change it as we do our Clothes; or

at

at least, that we may profess or deny it just as the Times change; is a most heinous Crime, as will appear by many Reasons, the principal of which we will produce from the Nature of the Thing, the Laws of God, and the Consent of all Christian Nations.

FIRST, to tell a Lye, is a very dishonest Thing, especially in an Affair of any great Moment, when it is not so much as allowed in trifling Matters, unless perhaps in such Particulars where a Lye is, upon the Whole, more advantageous than the Truth. But in the Affair of Religion, it must be a very grievous Fault for Men to lye, or even to dissemble; because thereby they do all in their Power to confirm a Lye, in a Thing of the greatest Importance; to stifle Truth which is contrary to it, and to condemn it to perpetual Obscurity. It is the worst Example that can be set, especially in Persons advanced to any Dignity, which the People of a lower Rank are but too apt to imitate; whence it comes to pass, that they are not only Offenders themselves, but they cause others to offend also by their Example; which has the greatest Influence over the common People, because they give a much greater Attention to the Actions of those they have a great Respect for, than to their Words.

Ir is also a very dishonourable Thing, and altogether unworthy a Man of Courage, to tell a Lye for the Sake of this short Life, and to choose to displease God rather than Men. For this Reason the most eminent Philosophers chose rather to expose themselves to certain Death, than to do a Thing which they thought was displeasing to the Deity; as we see (a) in the Instance of Socrates, who chose rather to drink a Dose of Poison, than to leave off

(a) In the Instance of Socrates, &c.] See what I have collected about him in my Silva Philologica, Book I. Chap. 3. the

the Study of Philosophy, which he had so much accustomed himself to, and live. Other Philosophers also chose rather (a) to go to the Plough, than give up those Notions which they believed to be true, and had undertaken to defend. And there have been such valiant Men among the Heathens, who by their good Lives severely reproached the Age they lived in; and thought it much more preferable to die, than to flatter Tyrants, and thereby forsake the true Way of Life; of which were (b) Thrascus Pætus and (c) Helvidius Priscus, who chose to die rather than to dissemble or approve of the Vices and wicked Actions of the Roman Emperors. Now if this was done by Men who had but faint Hopes of another and more happy Life hereafter; how much more are they obliged to do it, who have so much plainer and more certain Hope of an eternal Happiness afforded them!

ALL Ages have seen and commended such as have, with an intrepid Mind, submitted to Death for the Sake of their earthly Country. Now after this, who is it but must applaud all those who pre

(a) To go to the Plough, &c.] See Galen in that Book, where he says, "That the Passions and Affections of the Mind depend upon the Constitution of the Body." In the last Chapter, towards the End, where speaking of the Stoics, They "were fully persuaded, that they ought to forsake their Coun186 try rather than their Opinions."

(b) Thraseus Pietus, &c.] Who was put to Death by Nero, because he would not flatter him. See Tacitus's Annals, Book XVI. 24, and following Sections.

(c) Helvidius Priscus, &c.] The Son-in-Law of Thrascus, who, as Tacitus there tells us, was commanded to depart out of Italy at the same Time. He was afterwards slain by Vespasian, because he would not pay sufficient Reverence to his new Master, as Suetonius informs us in the XVth Chapter of the Life of that Emperor: His Son was slain by Domitian. See Suetonius's Life of him, and Tacitus in the Life of Agricola, Chapter XLV.

fet

fer a heavenly Country to an earthly one; and that eternal Life which the Scriptures have revealed to us, to a temporal one? Who can forbear despising those mean Creatures that choose to preserve such a Life as they have in common with brute Beasts, and which they must lose in a short Time; rather than to take the first Opportunity of obtaining a Life that can never be lost? We see Soldiers with great Bravery face the most imminent Dangers, in order to obtain the Favour of Kings or Princes to themselves, or their Families after them; and rejoice within themselves that they got such Wounds as they must in a very short Time die of. Nay, even hired Troops themselves will fight very valiantly, and venture their Lives for those who employ them, though it be but for very small Wages; and yet there are some who will not expose themselves to any Hazard, I do not say of their Lives, but of the Loss of their Goods, or of their uncertain Dignities, for the Defence of Truth, which will last to Eternity, is most acceptable to God, and has the highest Reward annexed to it.

THEREFORE, what Christ has commanded us in this Respect, is in the following Words: (a) Whosoever shall confess me before Men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven; but whosoever shall deny me before Men, him will 1 also deny before my Father which is in Heaven. In which Words he tells us, that he will own all those for his Disciples, and will give them eternal Life at the Day of Judgment, who have not dissembled his Doctrine, either in their Deeds or Words. He does, indeed, in another Place, declare, that this ought to be done with Prudence; when he says, (b) That we should not cast Pearls before Swine. But (a) Whosoever shall confess, &c.] Matt. x. 32. (b) That we should not cast, &c.] Matt. viii. 6.