Whatever there might be of Truth in it, yet they judged the time both of the one and the other, the Preaching and Printing of it, to be somewhat unseasonable. For, they say, that this is a time wherein the Agreement of all Protestants, so far as they have attained, is made more than ordinarily necessary. And whereas the Nonconformists do agree in Religion with all the sober Protestant People of the Nation, which is the Church of England, they do suppose that ordinary Prudence would advise unto a forbearance of them in those few things wherein they dissent; not indeed from the Body of the Protestant People, but from some that would impose them on their Consciences and Practices. Who knows not that the present danger of this Nation is from Popery, and the endeavours that are used both to introduce it and enthrone it, or give it Power and Authority among us? And it is no part of the Popish Design to take away and destroy those things wherein the Nonconformists do dissent from the present Ecclesiastical Establishment, but rather to confirm them. Their contrivance is to ruin and destroy the Religion of the Body of the Protestants in this Kingdom, wherein the Nonconformists are one with them, and equally concerned with any of them. Wherefore it cannot but be grievous unto them as well as useless unto the common Interest of the Protestant Religion, that at such a time and season, they should be reflected on, charged and severely treated on the account of those lesser differences, which no way disenable them from being useful and serviceable unto the Government and Nation in the defence and preservation of the Protestant Religion. And that it is their ⟨p. 2⟩resolution so to be, they have given sufficient evidence, equal at least with that given by any sort of People in the Nation; yea, of their Diligence in opposition unto Popery, and their readiness to observe the direction of the Magistrates therein, whilst the Plot hath been in agitation; they suppose the Honourable Person unto whom this Sermon is dedicated, can and will bear them witness.
Whatever there might be of Truth in it, yet they judged the time both of the one and the other, the Preaching and Printing of it, to be somewhat unseasonable. For, they say, that this is a time wherein the Agreement of all Protestants, so far as they have attained, is made more than ordinarily necessary. And whereas the Nonconformists do agree in Religion with all the sober Protestant People of the Nation, which is the Church of England, they do suppose that ordinary Prudence would advise unto a forbearance of them in those few things wherein they dissent; not indeed from the Body of the Protestant People, but from some that would impose them on their Consciences and Practices. Who knows not that the present danger of this Nation is from Popery, and the endeavors that are used both to introduce it and enthrone it, or give it Power and Authority among us? And it is no part of the Popish Design to take away and destroy those things wherein the Nonconformists do dissent from the present Ecclesiastical Establishment, but rather to confirm them. Their contrivance is to ruine and destroy the Religion of the Body of the Protestants in this Kingdom, wherein the Nonconformists are one with them, and equally concerned with any of them. Wherefore it cannot but be grievous unto them as well as useless unto the common Interest of the Protestant Religion, that at such a time and season, they should be reflected on, charged and severely treated on the account of those lesser differences, which no way disenable them from being useful and serviceable unto the Government and Nation in the defence and preservation of the Protestant Religion. And that it is their ⟨p. 2⟩resolution so to be, they have given sufficient evidence, equal at least with that given by any sort of People in the Nation; yea, of their Diligence in opposition unto Popery, and their readiness to observe the direction of the Magistrates therein, whil'st the Plot hath been in agitation; they suppose the Honourable Person unto whom this Sermon is dedicated, can and will bear them witness.
