A brief and impartial account of the nature of the Protestant religion its present…

Again, the Religious Differences that are amongst them as Churches, do weaken the Political Interest of Protestants. They have done so from the very beginning of the Reformation. And when the first Differences among them were in some measure digested and brought unto some tolerable composure, about sixty years ago there was an inroad made on the Doctrine that had been received among the Reformed Churches by Novel Opinions, which hath grown unto this day to the great weakening of the whole Interest. And as far as I can see, it is in vain to dissuade men from contending about their small Allotments in the House, or it may be but some supposed Appurtenances ⟨p. 17⟩of them, whilst others are visibly digging at the Foundation to oppress them all with the fall of the whole Fabric. In these things lies the Sole outward Political Weakness of the Protestant Interest in the World, whose direful Effects God alone can prevent.

Again, the Religious Differences that are amongst them as Churches, do weaken the Political Interest of Protestants. They have done so from the very beginning of the Reformation. And when the first Differences among them were in some measure digested and brought unto some tolerable composure, about sixty years ago there was an inrode made on the Doctrine that had been received among the Reformed Churches by Novel Opinions, which hath grown unto this day to the great weakning of the whole Interest. And as far as I can see, it is in vain to disswade men from contending about their small Allotments in the House, or it may be but some supposed Appurtenances ⟨p. 17⟩of them, whilest others are visibly digging at the Foundation to oppress them all with the fall of the whole Fabrick. In these things lyes the Sole outward Political Weakness of the Protestant Interest in the World, whose direful Effects God alone can prevent.

We may hereon Enquire, what at present is like to be the Issue and event of this Protestant Religion as unto it's public Profession in the World. For the Adversaries of it do every day discover not only their Desires and Endeavours for its extirpation, but their Expectations also of its speedy ruin. They suppose the time is come when that Heresy, as they call it, which hath so long infested the Northern Nations, shall by their Arts, Contrivances and Power be utterly rooted out. And it is known that those Discoveries of their minds and hopes herein, which have occasionally come unto Light amongst us, are but Indications of those Counsels and Combinations in other places and among other persons, whereby their Hopes are to be accomplished. And if it were unto our present purpose, much might be offered to manifest that those Consultations and Contrivances which are constant in the managers of the Papal Interest both at Rome and elsewhere, for the utter Extirpation of the Protestant Religion, have been Ordered, disposed and cast into such methods, as not only to stir up all means of Expedition, but also with respect unto a speedy immediate Execution.