epitome of many of its principal and striking events; while the learned and curious, it is hoped, may alfo find some gratification, and perhaps meet with fome incidents or anecdotes which now are not so commonly known. He hath been particularly careful to afcertain the true doctrine, fpirit, and practical tendency of the religion of Romanists; and whether it can be compatible with the good of fociety in general, or the interests of particular states, that fo the controverfy may be brought directly to a decifion upon the most liberal principles of toleration ever yet vented or adopted among us. As the question, on the matter, refolves itself into a question of fact, an appeal to facts and historic evidence appeared the furest and most effectual way of determining it. To these, therefore, he has had recourse; and, for a reafon very obvious, he hath often employed the authority and testimony of writers of the Romish church, as being the most unexceptionable in this cause. And as we are fometimes told, that the church of Rome hath taught what the never practifed, and, on the contrary, that the obnoxious practices of Papifts were never authorised by their principles, he hath exhibited her faith and practice in conjunction, and in their close and neceffary connection, whereby it may appear, that they have mutually supported and strengthened each other. He will not pretend that he hath been guilty of no inadvertencies in respect to dates, references, or in ftating fome particular facts, which, amidst such a mass of matters, and in fuch a multitude of quotations, (feveral of which neceffarily behoved to be taken at fecond hand), was almoft unavoid able: able: but the indulgent reader will eafily pardon fome leffer mistakes, -quas aut incuria fudit, Aut humana parum cavit natura. Neither will he fay, that the inftances and proofs adduced are always the most proper and pertinent, much lefs, that they are the only ones that could have been found: but they are intended only as a fpecimen, and are fuch as most readily occurred to himself in the courfe of his own reading and thinking on the subject. Some complain as if it were unfair and injurious to urge the former opinions or practices of the Romish church or her members, or to apply the history of past ages and barbarous transactions to the disadvantage of the cause of modern Catholics*. Indeed a retrofpect to past times, and fuch *« The Papists in France about 200 years ago massacred the Parisian Pro"testants, and the Papifts in Ireland acted the like tragedy in the last century "on Irish Proteftants; therefore we are entitled to punish, for those execrable deeds, the Papists of the prefent age in this country, however guiltless of "thofe murders, however harmless in their life and conduct we have hitherto "found them; though we can charge them with no crime, but that they are "Papifs. It is faid to have been a law amongst our clans in ages of barbarity, "that, when a perfon belonging to one clan murdered a man belonging to an"other, the murderer, if found, was to be hanged, as he deserved; but, if he "could not be found, the first man of the fame clan, that could be found, "fhould be hanged in his ftead. There is fuch a fimilarity in this to the mode of retaliation on fects, that both mut certainly have fprung from the fame "fource, fuch an application of the hiftory of them to the prejudice of other parties, political or religious, is often both invidious and unjust. It must always be fo when the obnoxious tenets or tranfactions do not neceffarily belong to the fyftemof the party, and do not arife from its nature and fpirit, and especially when the fyftem itself may admit of variation and change, and when the culpable things, which fome time may have been complicated and interwoven with it, are af terwards exprefsly difclaimed, and fully and confiftently renounced by its adherents. But, with reference to Papists, this method of proceeding and reafoning is neither invidious nor unjust; because every tenet which hath been adopted and maintained by the church of Rome, and every former deed, so far as founded on the spirit and principles of her religion, are still imputable to the Roman Catholics of the present and every future age, as well as to thofe of the past, feeing they rigidly adhere to a fyftem which, according to them, not only hath never been changed, but is, in the na ture of things, for ever unchangeable; whereby they ferve themselves heirs to all the abfurdities, errors, and enormities of their fathers; as will appear more fully in the profe cution of the work. Every Papist, though he should not perhaps fo plainly speak out, is in the fame predicament with that Hibernian, who, making his last speech and con "fource, the fame original code of natural right." Dr. Campbell's Address to the People of Scotland, p. 41. "It is to no purpose to pick, from the hiftory of tumultuous times, exam"ples of fraud or cruelty practised by Papifts: were the Papists inclined to retaliate, they could certainly make heavy retaliations." Letters on religious Moderation, let. vi. feillon at the place of execution, that he might not be damned for not believing enough, declared, "That he was a Ro"man Catholic, and died in the communion of that church, and believed as the Catholic church ever did believe, "C now doth believe, or ever fhall believe." If the writer hath been obliged fometimes to touch ont the fore places of hiftory, and to bring to view fome things not so pleasing; or if he hath been more large or particular on this part of the fubject than fome may think needful, the ignorance or impudence, the difingenuity or fceptical incredulity of fome modern advocates for the Roman Catholic caufe, must bear the blame. He had no intention at firft of dipping fo deeply into the hiftory of Popery, or of fwelling the notes in fome places to fuch a disproportioned length: it was indeed no grateful or eafy task (especially to one fecluded from all accefs to any public li brary, and amidst continual interruptions and avocations). to ranfack the mufty regifters of Rome's errors, of her follies, and her crimes; but the fentiments prevailing, and the turn that the controverfy hath taken in the present time, feemed to render this indifpenfibly neceffary. If he had entirely paffed, or but fuperficially touched this part of the subject, as is frequently done, he had faved himself the greatest part of his trouble; but, at the fame time, would have deprived, in his opinion, the main argument of much of its evidence and force: and perhaps, fome may think, would also have deprived the reader of good part of his entertainment. He chufed not to expofe himfelf to the charge of building a fuperftructure without a foundation, foundation, or of proceeding upon a hypothefis which is either not admitted at all, or may be liable to be controverted at pleasure. However much he might be fatisfied in his own mind, that the common idea and current picture of Popery is juft, yet it is become needful to draw it again from the original, or carefully compare it with it, to discover the true and striking likeness. Befides, after having launched out into fuch an extenfive ocean, he found it difficult to reach again the fhore: he endeavoured, however, all along to keep in view the main object; and to bring the mixed variety of particulars collected in the notes, to converge and concenter in one point, as rays meeting in a focus, reflecting upon it a brighter and strong er light. < 1 He had yet another reafon for taking a greater liberty and latitude here: he apprehended that a bare recital of fome of the doctrines and facts produced, while they tend to illuftrate and confirm the general argument, may alfo ferve indirectly to confute and expofe that religion, which could give birth or fanction to fuch abfurd and monftrous things, and may prove no inconfiderable antidote against the dangerous infection which may attend it when it appears in its new and fafhionable difguife. To disclofe fome ftriking facts, to strip it of its mafk and paint, may impress the human mind with the falfity and odiousness of that baneful fuperftition, and excite an abhorrence of it, more perhaps than laboured arguments, and the most pathetic declamations for the reverfe of what fome have faid of virtue may truly be faid of Popery, " In order to be hated "The |