Some considerations about union among Protestants, and the preservation of the interest of the…

Allow that the Church-State supposed, may in those who have the Trust, and Power of it, be seduced, corrupted, or any way induced or disposed unto the Interest of Popery, as it may be; It is possible some individual Persons may be found, that for the sake of Truth, will expose their Lives to the stake or otherwise. So did many in the days of Queen Mary, though now esteemed by not a few, foolish Zealots for their pains. But the body of the People through their various legal Relations unto this Church-State, deserting the care of their own Preservation, by their Trust in the conduct thereof, whereunto they are unavoidably compelled, will quickly be inveigled so as not to be able to extricate themselves. But set them at Liberty, so as that every Parliament, every Magistrate, every Minister, every good Christian, may judge that that the Preservation of their Religion is their own Duty in all their capacities, and Popery with all its Arts will know neither how to begin, nor how to proceed with them.

Allow that the Church-State supposed, may in those who have the Trust, and Power of it, be seduced, corrupted, or any way induced or disposed unto the Interest of Popery, as it may be; It is possible some individual Persons may be found, that for the sake of Truth, will expose their Lives to the stake or otherwise. So did many in the days of Queen Mary, though now esteemed by not a few, foolish Zealots for their pains. But the body of the People through their various legal Relations unto this Church-State, deserting the care of their own Preservation, by their Trust in the conduct thereof, whereunto they are unavoidably compelled, will quickly be inveagled so as not to be able to extricate themselves. But set them at Liberty, so as that every Parliament, every Magistrate, every Minister, every good Christian, may judge that that the Preservation of their Religion is their own Duty in all their capacities, and Popery with all its Arts will know neither how to begin, nor how to proceed with them.

If then there were no such Church State as being in the Management of a few, is seduceable, and not difficult to be possessed by the Interest of Popery, whereby the whole Nation would be at once betrayed; the Protestant Religion is now so firmly seated in the Minds of the People, so countenanced by Law, so esteemed by all to be the Principal Interest of the Nation, that the wit of all the Jesuits of the world, knows