The Samaritan showing that many and unnecessary impositions are not the oil that must…The Samaritan shewing that many and unnecessary impositions are not the oyl that must…

And what follows? When they have banished, ruined, burnt and murdered all the Dissenters of one Age, the next Age furnishes them with more, to exercise their Cruelty upon, and employ their Rage which they call by the name of Love and and Zeal for Union and Peace: And thus for the maintenance of their Impositions and an Imaginary Peace by the means thereof, they are obliged to live in perpetual War, and to maintain some Legions in constant pay, to ruin and destroy those which are much better than themselves, and dearer to God and Christ, as they may also dearly ⟨p. 39⟩know when they come to account to him for it.

And what follows? When they have banished, ruined, burnt and murthered all the Dissenters of one Age, the next Age furnishts them with more, to exercise their Cruelty upon, and imploy their Rage which they call by the name of Love and and Zeal for Union and Peace: And thus for the maintenance of their Impositions and an Imaginary Peace by the means thereof, they are obliged to live in perpetual War, and to maintain some Legions in constant pay, to ruine and destroy those which are much better than themselves, and dearer to God and Christ, as they may also dearly ⟨p. 39⟩know when they come to account to him for it.

But if they chance to ruin all Dissenters, and none arise in succession to them, then must men grow to a carelessness & indifferency in all Religion; they shall retain the name, and perform and exercise some of the exterior parts and formalities thereof, but as for the Power of it, and a conscientious reverence and veneration for the Authority and Laws thereof, they are utter strangers thereunto. Impositions and Prosecutions upon the breach of those Laws that do enforce them, puts a period to all search and enquiry; it gives a check to all endeavours after an Increase in Knowledge: For if men use the means thereof, they will differ in their Sentiments and Apprehensions, and those differences will expose them to the public Rods and Axes; and therefore they must grow utterly negligent therein, choosing rather to be ignorant with security, than to obtain Knowledge to their ruin and destruction; and whatever puts a period to all endeavours after Knowledge and Understanding doth certainly ruin and destroy the Power of Religion. For Ignorance introduces Irreligion, Formality, and Superstition, but is no Mother to, or promoter of true, internal, hearty Religion and Devotion. And this is one of the dismal Effects that Impositions and Laws for the enforcing of men have had in Popish Countries, especially in Spain and Italy. There's nothing left in those Countries, but the name of Christianity, and some outside Formalities of Worship and Devotion;