YOU cannot but ob­serve the restless impor­tunity of the Romish Cler­gy, to gain Proselytes to their Church. And 'tis probable, that you your selves e're long, may happen to hear from them. For they have different forms of Ad­dress, very plausible and insinu­ating, fitted to the Capacities of all sorts of Persons. And therefore that you may not be [Page 2] surprized with these Charmers, nor imposed on by their me­thods of Deceit; I do think it my Duty thus to caution you a­gainst them, by desiring you to observe these two Directions.

• 1. A Holy Life.
• 2. A modest dependance upon your Spiritual Guide.

As to the first of these, let me admonish you in the words of St. James, Shew me thy Faith by thy Works.

For it signifies nothing what Mens Profession is, if their Practice is not answerable. And he who is in earnest to save his Soul, will doubtless be as much afraid of Debauched Courses, as of erroneous Opinions: Since those do as much, nay more than these, occasion his Damnation.

I do therefore beg of you, [Page 3] That as you do profess your selves Members of the Church of England, so you would take great Care, that your Lives and Conversation may be answerable to its Doctrine.

The sum of which Do­ctrine, as it relates to Practice, you do find in the Church-Cate­chism, in answer to those two Questions. What is thy Duty to­wards God? and What is thy Duty towards thy Neighbour? Which I would advise you very of­ten to read, and seriously to consider. And when by the Assistance of God's Blessed Spirit, you have transcribed those Answers into your Lives; Let me then assure you, That the Ten Commandments thus pra­ctised, are the best Exposition of your Creed. If any Man will do [Page 4] his Will, he shall know of the Do­ctrine, whether it be of God, John 7. 17. For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken, even that which he hath, Mark 4. 25. i. e. He who maketh a right use of that Grace and Know­ledg which God hath given him: He who values and im­proves it, and is truly thankful for it, To him shall be given more. And he that hath not; i. e. He who hath not made a right use and improvement of his Grace or Knowledge; from him shall be taken, even that which he hath.

But because you must not ex­pect, that God should now teach and instruct you in an extra­ordinary and miraculous man­ner, as he did the Apostles, [Page 5] but mediately, and in the use of Means: You are therefore to consider what those Means are, which God hath appointed for your Direction and Instruction. The chief of which (to omit o­thers) is,

A modest Dependance upon the Ministerial Function.

I shall not now insist upon the publick Offices of the Church, nor your Obligation to attend them; as Prayers, Sacraments, Preaching, &c. But shall only direct you how to behave your selves, when a­ny one designs to seduce you from the Communion of the Church of England.

And the Expedients I would propose, are these:

1. Let it be your earnest and daily Prayer unto God, to [Page 6] give you his Grace, to hold fast the Profession of your Faith, with­out Wavering; that you may continue in the same unto your Lives End.

2. When you read the Ho­ly Scriptures, and do find some Place which is too difficult for you; do not then pretend to Interpret it your selves. But beg the Direction of your Spi­ritual Guide; and desire him to shew you how it is to be un­derstood.

3. As far as possible avoid all Disputes about Religion. Be not carried about with every Wind of Doctrine, Ephes. 4. 14. i. e. Do not hearken to the Whispers of every bold Pretender.

Which to Persons of your Capacity is very seasonable Ad­vice. For, To convince Gain­sayers, [Page 7] and to answer Objections, is a matter of Skill and Ex­ercise: And therefore You (be­ing a working People, who sweat for your daily Bread) may with great modesty ac­knowledge to your Catholick Missionary, that you have nei­ther Leisure nor Ability for such Disputes. And consequently you may desire him, since he is disposed to discourse of Reli­gion, that he would rather help your Devotion, than disturb your Belief.

You may assure him, That you shall not think your Faith the less firm and orthodox, be­cause you cannot return an Ex­temporary answer to the preme­ditated Objections of a learned Adversary.

'Tis possible that such a sub­tle [Page 8] Disputant, as he is, might pretend to prove to you; That Grass is not green. And he might urge such Arguments as would really baffle you; and to which you could not return any tolera­ble Answer. But yet for all his Sophistry, though he might silence, he would not satisfy. For you would still believe your Senses, and could not think it of any other Colour.

If this will not make him to desist; But that he will still be urging the great Priviledges of the Romish Church: The Security of her Faith; The excellen­cy of her devotion; The great Learn­ing and Piety of her Clergy, &c. To this you may reply

4. That you understand ve­ry little of the Priviledges of the Church of Rome. That [Page 9] to know the State of any Fo­reign Church, requires more Skill and Reading than can be expected from Persons of your mean Condition. That you are Members of the Church of England, which is a true Ca­tholick and Apostolick Church. That into this Church you were admitted by Baptism; and with this Church you have held Communion in all her Offices. And consequently to separate from this Church, without some urging cause, is downright Schism.

For Schism, in the proper noti­on of it, is, A causless separation from that part of the visible Church, of which you are Members.

And therefore he who hath a mind to make you his Proselytes, and will talk pertinently, and to the Point; before he can pre­tend [Page 10] to invite you to the Church of Rome, he must first convince you, That it is your Duty to separate from the Church of Eng­land. In order to which, he must plainly prove, That the Church of England is no sound Member of the Church Catholick; and consequently, That Salvation cannot ordinarily be had in the Church of England: at least not with such safety, certainty, and advantage, as it may in the Church of Rome.

To prove this he must con­vince you, That the Doctrine of the Church of England is ei­ther defective or false. If he pretends that it is defective; he must then shew, that there are some Truths necessarily to be believed, as Articles of Faith, which the Church of England [Page 11] doth not receive as such: And also that there are some necessa­ry Duties, or Parts of Worship, which the Church of England either wholly omits, or else doth not require under any such Necessity. And let him here instance to you; what those Articles and Parts of Worship are, wherein our Church is thus defective.

But if he affirms, Secondly, That the Doctrine of the Church of England is False, he must then prove, That the Church of Eng­land doth require some unlawful Condition of her Communi­on; and that either in Faith or Worship. Plainly thus: He must make it appear, that her Faith is erroneous, and contrary to the written Word of God; The Faith once delivered to the Saints: [Page 12] Or else that her Worship is un­lawful, Superstitious, or Idola­trous. And let him here likewise give you an instance, and di­stinctly shew you, what par­ticular Article of our Faith is thus erroneous: and what parti­cular part of our Worship he thinks unlawful. And when he hath made his Exceptions, you may then tell him

5. That your Memory is but short; and if he please therefore to give you in Writing what he hath now said, toge­ther with one or two of his best Arguments upon those Points; you may then consider them at your Leisure.

If he refuseth to give you such a Paper, suspect him for a Cheat, and that he comes with a de­sign to impose upon you. For [Page 13] Truth doth not Fear the Light, but submits its Tenents to the strictest Examination.

But if he grants your Desire; then bring that Paper to Me, and give me the opportunity to tell you my Thoughts of it. And I do here beg and entreat you, nay (as one who must answer for your Souls, if they Perish through my Neglect) I require and charge all you in this Parish committed to my Care; that you would be so Faithful both to your selves and me, as not to be too confident of your own Skill: nor to think any Argument unanswer­able, because you your selves are not able to answer it.

In the affairs of this World, you do judge it Prudent to con­sult other Men in their several [Page 14] Professions, Physicians, Lawyers, &c.

Should some crafty Compa­nion pretend to your Estates, you would not at the en­tring of his Action, grant him Possession; but would consult the Learned in the Law, how to defend your Title.

Pray therefore do not part with your Religion for a Trick. But be as careful of your Souls as you are of your Estates.