of herefy; all that are fcandalous, rafh and offensive to pious ears, all that advance any thing against the Rites and Ceremonies of the Holy Sacraments, and all that introduce any novelty inconfiftent with the received Customs and Ufage of the Romish Church and likewife that they fhould correct all words that are any way dubious or ambiguous, or that might mislead the minds of the Readers - from the right Catholic Opinions into those wicked new herefies.

ALL these Rules and Injunctions have been now for a long time most punctually observed wherever the power and influence of the Popes extended. And the Princes of the world, being almost as much afraid of having their Subjects too much enlightend as the Priefts the mfelves, have done all they could to keep them in the dark, and prohibited any Books to be published in their refpective Dominions that had not firft obtained the

Royal

Royal Imprimatur. The English Gentleman had reafon therefore to make this reply to the Frenchman, who was boasting that his nation excelled all the reft of the world in fine Writing, in Poetry, History, Philofophy, &c. Ah Monfieur! Confider, There are but two Subjects worth a wife man's while to write about, Government and Religion, one to make us happy in this world, and the other in the next; and you dare not write about either of them.

WE in this happy Island value ourselves and are envied by the reft of the world, on account of our Liberties both Civil and Religious. What is that preferves thefe invaluable Bleffings to us? Surely it is the Liberty of the Prefs. The Crafty Politicians and imperious Churchmen tremble at this little Engine, which hath been fo often and so fuccefsfully employed to defeat their pernicious projects. No won

der

1

der then that they deteft it, and cry out upon every occafion against the licentioufnefs of the Prefs; and wish for nothing fo much as an Index Expurgatorius to prevent, or blot out, every thing that exposes their Misdoings.

SOME

SOME

REFLECTION S,

MISCELLANEOUS OBSER

VATIONS,

QUOTATIONS AND QUERIES On the Foregoing SUBJECTS.

I

BELIEVE my Readers are now fufficiently apprized of the importance of understanding the meaning of these words which I have undertaken to explane. How happy would it be for Mankind, if we all took them in their proper fenfe! Then Reason would be allowed to be the most noble of all the human Powers, as comprehending every thing in it which exalteth us above the other Animals of this terreftrial Globe. Then we fhould be induced to ferve God with a reasonable fervice; to love him with all our hearts

and fouls, and our Neighbors as ourfelves. If we depreciate and under-value Reason, we give ourselves up either to brutish fenfuality, riot, and excefs; or to the Wild freaks of Enthufiafm or Fanaticifm*, and it is hard to fay which of these has the worst confequences. We fee too many fatal instances of Senfuality every day to question the truth of it's direful effects; and if we look into the present state of Mankind, or read their former history, we shall see what ravages Enthusiasm and Fanaticism make in the human mind, and what dreadful Mischiefs they bring upon the world. The Perfons poffeffed with them pretend, or think themselves, to be under a particular divine influence. This makes them look down with contempt on all who have not attained to this high privilege. They deem the rest of Mankind as neglected or forfaken of

God,

* Enthufiafm is a Greek and Fanaticifm a Latin word, and both fignify a pretence to Divine npiration.