Obs. 'Tis most Certainly True; and that in this Separation, they set-up an Interest of Direct Spite, as well as Opposition, to That of the Church, and of the State.
Trim. This is the very Course, and Progress of a Popular Jelousy: But pray take Notice as we go, that the People, are thus far, Meerly Passive; and Contribute No Otherwise, to the Ruine of the Publique, then a Snapping Sea does, to the Sinking of a Vessell, when the Billows are Hurry'd-on by the Violence of an Irresistible Tempest: if the Winds would but let the Waves alone, they'd be Quiet. When they come once to Gather into [Private Meetings,] (or as you call them, Conventicles) you may Then accompt upon it, that they are as good as put to School, to Learn the Mystery of their Profession. For there are Canting-Schools, as well as Reading-Schools: and under This Discipline, they come by Insensible Degrees, to part with their English Tongue, as well as with their English Principles, and Manners. Nay, and Effectually, to take up such Uncouth, Novel, and Strange Thoughts, Opinions, and Practices, that it looks, as if the English-Man, the Christian, and the Subject, were all lost in a Disguise. They are now, you must know, under New Lords, and Consequently, under New Laws; where they are Train'd-up to New Ways of Understanding Things, and to a New Idiome of Expressing them. Religion, Law, Government, Conscience, Good Manners, are so Sacred in Themselves, that the Worst of Men cannot but Pretend a Veneration for them; but how to Baffle, or to Elude the Force, the Obligation, and the Authority of them; and, at the Same Time, to set-up for the Asserters, and Supporters of These Publique Rights, Privileges, and Duties, There lies the Difficulty of the Undertaking.
Obs. That is to say, how to Resolve Religion, into an Empty Notion: To Talk Christianity into a Paradox; and, with Christ in our Mouths, at London, to fall down, and Worship Mahomet, in Buda: How to Confound Gods, and the Governments Friends and Enemies, so as to make the Common People take One for T'other. Now This can be no way done, but by setting-up the Counterfeit of Religion, Law, and Conscience, against the Genuine, and Authentique Original; and by making Evil, to be Good, and Good, to be Evil.
Trim. You must Note, further, that in This Opposition, the Main Cause appears to be the very Same, on Both sides; and Both Parts seem to Contend, for the Same Common Principles, of Divine Worship, and of Civil Obedience.
Obs. Only the One Flies to the Invisible Lights and Dictates of the Spirit, in Matter of Religion; (taking Fancy for Revelation) and, in the Matter of Government, has Recourse to Certain Unaccountable Whimsies, of [Powers Reserv'd,] where there never was any Power at all; & These Fooleries, they Trump upon the Little People, under the Pompous Name of [FUNDAMETALS;] while the Rulers, on the Other hand, Stick to the Law, to the Text, and to the Approved Sense of the Best Interpreters of Both, for their Guide.
Trim. Very Good! And after they have Departed from the Common Rule, and Divided themselves from the Common Interest; it is but Reasonable to Expect, that they will Set-up Another Interest, and Another Rule to Themselves.
Obs. Well! But how do they Manage That Province all this while, as to the Subject, I mean, that we were Speaking of?
Trim. Why their way is, only to put Religion, and Government in Another Dress; but under the Name, of [Religion,] and [Government,] Still; and then to lay on a Superstructure, Answerable to the Foundation; I speak of the Leaders only; for their Disciples are Blanck Paper; and ready for any Impression. They Talk, to the Ears, and to the Passions of their Hearers, not to their Understandings: and their Auditors gather more of their Meaning, from their Gestures, Actions, Countenances, and from Pathetical Tones, then from the Words Themselves. As for Sense, or No Sense, 'tis all a Case; for 'tis the Jingle, not the Matter, that does Their Bus'ness. The Less the People Understand, the More they are Edify'd; for they take the Congruities of Carnal Reason, for Vain Philosophy; and Incomprehensible Nonsense, passes for the Work of the Light Within. Their Religion lies alltogether in Groan, and Rapture: They Sacrifice to the Unknown God; and in One Word; They Supply the Want of Knowledge, with an Excess of Zeal; and when they cannot Understand the Plain English of a Discourse, they Wrap Themselves up in the Mystery. The making of a Party, & the Saving of their own Skins, are the Two Main Points of the Leaders; and therefore, they Cover themselves under Ambiguity, & Riddle; & Compass those Matters, by Theatrical Gesticulations, & Actions, which they dare not Venture upon, in Words at Length, or by the Dint of Argument; for there is no Law against making of Faces, and Dusting of Cushions, They are told Mightily, and Plainly, of Heaven, and Hell; but in such a Manner, that they will Never Allow God, and the Government to be Both of a side. Schism is Dignified with the Name of Conscience; the Story of their Grievances, is the Bitterest of Satyrs; Their very Petitions have the force of Invectives; and the Smoother, the Softer, you find the Surface of them, the Falser, and the more Dangerous they are at the Bottom: For betwixt the Persecution that is Insinuated, on the part of the Government, & the Innocence, the Piety, and the Modesty, on that of the Sufferers, Nothing can more Provoke, a Horror, and Indignation for the One, or a Tenderness, & Compassion, for the Other.
Obs. That is to say, among Those that are not Well Enform'd, in the Reason, and Equity of the Cause in Question.
Trim. Come Come. I tell ye Nakedly how things Are, and not how they Ought to be: and I speak of Those Men too, that neither Do, nor Will, nor Can make a Right Judgment upon the Matter in Issue. They do not take down Reasons in Connexion; neither do their Teachers so much as Offer at'em; But their Work is, only to Feed Itching Ears, and Humours, with New-Quoyn'd Words, Affectate Phrases: And briefly, to Instruct their Disciples, by Signs and Tokens, like so many Dancing Horses to fall Lame upon all Four, for the Pope; to come-over, for the Grand Vizier; and at the very Sound of Babylon, Anti-Christ, or Absolute Power, to Snort, and Boggle, as if they Smelt Fire. If I may tell ye the Arrant Truth, and Simplicity of my Heart; This is the very Train of a Popular Institution. They are Tutor'd, and Inur'd, to the Assuming of such and such Passions, upon such and such Occasions; and they do All their Ayres, and Tricks, by the Direction of the Hand, or Eye. They Dance to Sounds, Hints, Nodds, Forms, and Syllables; not to the force of Fair Reasonings, and Natural Conclusions; Nay, they are Taught, when to be Angry; when to be Pleas'd; and their very Inclinations, and Aversions, are none of their Own, Neither: The Whole Bus'ness, in short, is Artifice, Manage, and Practice; for All their Mistakes, and Mis-understandings, take the Same Biass.