Fears and Jealousies Ceased, Tract
Fears and Jealouſies Ceas'd: Or, an Impartial Diſcourſe, tending to Demonſtrate, from the Folly and ill Succeſs of the Romiſh Politicks, that there is no Reaſon to Apprehend any Danger from Popery. In a Letter to a Friend.
SIR,
YOurs I receiv'd, and to my no ſmall admiration, find that you ſtill continue to ſtuff your Letters with the old Common place Diſcourſes of Fears and Jealouſies, and of the Dangers we are in at preſent; but not content with this, you are pleas'd to give me a moſt Tragical Deſcription of our future condition; How our Church is to be deſtroy'd, Proteſtants ſet together by the Ears, whilſt our Popiſh Enemies ſhall ſtand by, clap us on the back, ſpit in our mouths, and hearten us on to cut one anothers Throats: Who (as you ſay) when they ſhall be cloy'd with the Sport, will take the Sword out of our Hands, finiſh the Work we have ſo bravely begun, by diſpatching thoſe that remain; or at leaſt, reducing them to ſubmit to that heavy Yoak, which we ſee our Miſerable Brethren of France groan under at this day.
Theſe things ſet off with the advantages of your Popular Air and Stile, ſome Weeks ago, might perhaps have made a deep Impreſſion, not only in the thick Skulls of your Country Neighbours, but likewiſe in the Minds of thoſe that are more converſant in the World; certain it is, that ſomething of that Nature did ſtartle many, that in all outward appearance, ſeem'd to be much clearer ſighted than our common Pretenders to Politicks. Nor indeed were they much to be blam'd, who cou'd ſcarce perſwade themſelves that our Church was deſign'd to be maintain'd in its Ancient Splendor, when ſuch undue Methods were taken to extinguiſh the moſt eminent Lights within it. What hopes had we of enjoying our former Peace and Tranquillity, when we ſaw every little Canting Pamphleteer not only ſuffer'd, but encouraged, nay hired, to foment our Animoſities, to widen our breaches with their ſcurrilous Libels, and by impudent Forgeries, endeavour to exaſperate the Rabble againſt their Superiors; whilſt in the mean time our Diſſenting Brethren without, inſtead of joyning with us againſt the Common Enemy, were allur'd with Penſions to purſue their petty Quarrels with all the Rancour imaginable; and our dangerous Aſſenting Brethren tempted with Preferments to betray us from within. Who cou'd imagine that our Government was ſafe, when we ſaw all thoſe Prudent Laws which our Wiſe Anceſtors were a making for above theſe hundred years, ready to be blown away at one blaſt? What Perſon cou'd be ſecure of his Birth-right, or Body Politick of its Rights and Priviledges, conſidering the havock that was lately made in our Corporations and Univerſities? Theſe Conſiderations, I ſay, ſome ſmall time ago, were able, no doubt, to Conjure up again the Old Devil of Fears and Jealouſies, which perhaps, had things remain'd in the ſame Condition, all the Eloquence of our State Orators could never have been able to lay. But now to uſe the Learned Expreſſion of a late Dull Philoſophical Scribler, Ceſſante Cauſa tollitur Effectum. His Majesty has by one Act render'd the Malice of our Enemies as impotent as their Arguments; he has made all our Fears to vaniſh; he has ſecur'd our Rights, Laws, and Religion; in a word, he has as it were re-eſtabliſh'd the Church of England. It is this inſurmountable Bulwark that muſt be firſt undermin'd, before any attempts can be made, with the leaſt ſucceſs, upon our Religion and Government: But whilſt it ſtands firm and unſhaken, as we have now all the Reaſon in the World to believe it ever will, in vain torment we our ſelves with Jealouſies, in vain do the Factious Male-Contents ſuggeſt to us their Chimerical Dangers of Popery, and its inſeparable Concomitants, Tyranny and Slavery: And I don't doubt, but I ſhall be able in the following Diſcourſe, to make it clearly evident, That all Inſinuations of that Nature, are at this time of the Day, altogether as groundleſs, as the ſpreaders thereof ſhew themſelves the moſt ingrateful of Men towards his Sacred Majeſty.
I ſuppoſe, by the Liberty I have already taken, you will not ſuſpect that I would go about to Banter you with the Shams of an Occurrencer, or endeavour to wheedle you into a deſtructive ſecurity, by the baſe and deteſtable Artifices of the French Politicians, who at that very Inſtant of time, when the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes was drawing up, gave out ſeveral Declarations, in which they made the moſt ſolemn Proteſtations that it ſhould be kept inviolable. No, I ſhall diſcover my thoughts to you with the Sincerity of a Proteſtant, and that Freedom of Speech which is the Inborn Right of an Engliſhman. I ſhall Impartially weigh, to the beſt of my Capacity, all thoſe Reaſons which make this Phantom of Popery appear ſo terrible to us, and don't at all doubt but that I ſhall eaſily make it evident that it is but a vain Shadow, and that we are ſo well ſprinkled with Holy Water, that it has no power to approach to hurt us.
Now in the firſt place, I ſuppoſe you'll agree with me, that before Popery can gain any ground upon us here in England, it muſt firſt take poſſeſſion of, and ſtrongly fortifie it ſelf in the Noddles of a great part of the Rabble, it is from hence that the Booted-Apoſtles muſt be rais'd, This muſt be the Seminary to furniſh us with Miſſionaries, to Convert ſuch as have any Brains in their Heads, which as Dear Joy ſays very well, muſt certainly be firſt beaten out, before there be any room for Popery. Let us ſee therefore, whether it be ſeazible for our Romiſh Friends to gain ſuch a Party amongſt us, as thereby to entertain any hopes of effecting their Deſigns.
If we conſider the good old Popery in its pure Naturals, we ſhall find it to be ſuch a hideous Monſter, as the moſt Ignorant and Stupid amongſt us, will be ſo far from being enamour'd with, that the moſt effectual way to create in them an irreconcileable averſion to it, is to let them but have a view of it. But its Holy Mother, the Church, you'll ſay has been a long time a Tricking up this ſweet Babe of hers: The Damm has been above theſe Hundred and Fifty years a licking her Cubb into ſome more agreeable Shape, it is confeſs'd; and inſtead of a ſhapeleſs innocent Lump (I mean in Compariſon of what it is at preſent) has produc'd a moſt Ravenous Beaſt of Prey, one Paw of which, is certainly more terrible to us than its whole Body was to our Forefathers. Let us caſt our eyes a little upon our Neighbouring Kingdom of France, where, as it is confeſs'd by all, that above any place in Europe the moſt Refin'd Popery is eſtabliſh'd; (for as for Spain, it does for the moſt part jogg on after the old rate ſtill; and in Italy, that's an Article of Faith one Poſt Day, which is Damnable Hereſie another.) If we look into France, I ſay, and behold with what barbarous cruelty they uſe the poor Proteſtants there, what unheard of Torments they make 'em endure, we ſhall find that Hanging, Burning, and Cutting of Throats, is but Plain Work, in compariſon of the more exquiſite Inventions of thoſe Modern Executioners. Now if theſe be the Effects of Refin'd Popery, I leave you to determine what Stomach People can have to fall in love with our Super-Refiners.
But you'll object perhaps, that whatever concerns France, is wholly Forreign to us; and that the greateſt part of our Nation is not to be mov'd with any thing but what we our ſelves ſee acted, or at leaſt remember done. As to the former part of this objection, I anſwer that the ſame Cauſes muſt neceſſarily produce the ſame Effects; We ſee that our Converters brought over their Doctrine along with them from France, a little mended I muſt confeſs according to their poor Abillities: They purſued the ſame Methods to propagate it as the French did before they took off the Mask, and had not his Majeſty been Graciouſly pleas'd to ſtop their Proceedings, there is no doubt but that their Endeavours wou'd not have been wanting to imitate to the Life, if not to improve the Original.
As to the ſecond part of the objection, I will ſuppoſe it at preſent to be true; that moſt men here are wholly ignorant of the Affairs of their Brethren abroad: Yet have they learn't from the Actions and Writings of the Propagators themſelves, enough to make them for ever deteſt that Religion, which ſuggeſts to her Followers ſuch treacherous means, as they have uſed to introduce it: To prove which I need only put you in mind of ſome of their brave exploits for which they will never be forgotten in England; and from hence you may eaſily imagin how mightily they are like to prevail amongſt us.
You cannot but remember how in his late Majeſties Reign, the greateſt part of thoſe Perſons who had diſtinguiſht themſelves for their Loyalty to their Prince, and Affection to their Church, ſeeing a moſt Powerful Party of the Nation furiouſly enrag'd againſt the whole Canaille of theſe Miſcreants, took compaſſion on their ſufferings, and without over-curiouſly examining their Caſe, but judging by themſelves that it was impoſſible for Animals in Human ſhape to be guilty of what they were accus'd, ſnatch't them out of the fire, tho' they burnt their own hands by the bargain; ſtood in the Gap betwixt them and Death, and abandon'd themſelves to the Fury of the incens'd Multitude, to preſerve theſe Wretches. Now after ſuch ſignal obligations one might reaſonably expect ſome ſmall ſigns of Gratitude from them to their Protectors; But they that did ſo knew them not; and they that had unwarily Nouriſht them in their Boſoms, ſoon found what a Generation of Vipers they had to deal with: Who as ſoon as they were warm fell a Hiſſing and Spitting their Venom at their Benefactors. Surely we might have hop'd for at leaſt that Favour at their hands which the Cyclops gave to Ulyſſes, to be the laſt objects of their outragious Malice: But theſe more Savage Monſters of Ingratitude ſcorn'd to follow the ſteps of any in their Villanies, and were reſolv'd to become an Original themſelves never to be imitated.
But I will yet ſuppoſe that there are many Engliſhmen, who out of the abundance of their Charity, will abſolve theſe good Fathers of what has been hitherto ſaid, and lay all the fault at the door of Holy Church. The C. of E. they'll ſay was the greateſt obſtacle to the Introduction of Popery, ſhe therefore muſt be deſtroy'd, let the means to bring it about be never ſo Infamous: Their Religion diſpenſes with all thoſe petty toys call'd Honour, Conſcience, and Morality, whenſoever her own advancement is concern'd. Well, granting theſe to be the Principles they ſuck'd from the Breaſts of their Holy Mother, yet a Man would think they might have the ſenſe to conceal them from us Hereticks, or the Common People at leaſt; the moſt part of which are not ſo very converſant with the Caſuiſts, as to have their ſtomachs prepar'd to digeſt ſo crude a Doctrine. But if we take a ſhort view of their late Actions, we ſhall find it to be a matter of Controverſie, whether they have not ſhown themſelves not only to the Diſcerning part of Mankind, but even to thoſe of the meaneſt Capacity, to be greater Fools than Villains.
This is a bold Aſſertion, I confeſs, eſpecially in a matter where the Reverend Fathers the Jeſuits are concern'd: But I'll appeal to any one whether it be poſſible for a more ſtupendious piece of Folly to enter into the thoughts of Man, than that which our Wiſe and Politick Miſſionaries were guilty of, when they had the Confidence to maintain, not in a Corner, but in the Face of the whole World, ſuch Forgeries, which there was not a Boy, whoſe Memory ſerv'd him for five years, but might diſcover, and at the ſame time give the Good Fathers the Lye in their Teeth. Who would bluſh for theſe men, when he ſees in their Writings the Church of England accus'd of all the Extravagancies of ſome fiery Diſſenting Zealots in the late Plot time: The Church of England men, not excepting the Biſhops themſelves, repreſented as the Contrivers, Promoters, and Managers of the Bill of Excluſion: Nay, and one that had never known any thing of our concerns, would gueſs by their Libels that the whole Church had been reſolv'd into a Camp in the time of Monmouth's Invaſion, and that all her Members had ſworn to live and dye with the Rebel; when at the ſame time, I need not tell you how notorious it is to all that have ever heard any thing of our late Tranſactions, that it was for the Heighth of their Loyalty to their late Soveraign, their Zeal for His preſent Majeſties Service, in oppoſing the Bill before, and the quelling of the laſt and dying efforts of his Enemies, ſince his coming to the Crown, that was the great occaſion of all thoſe Heats and Animoſities, which our Common Adverſaries (whoſe preſervation was not the leaſt ingredient towards the enflaming of them) have endeavour'd ſince to make ſo great an advantage of. But ſhall we be angry with theſe Ingenuous men who have thus Repreſented us? By no means; let them alone and have Rope, and (as the Proverb ſays) they'll hang themſelves. They can do us no greater Service than continue to rail at us; the beſt Arguments in the World to make People deteſt and abhor them, are their own elaborate Writings: For can you think it poſſible that any Idiots ſhould be ſo ſenſlleſs as to believe theſe Perſons in the Stories they tell, of ſome Hundreds of years ſtanding, when they find ſo many groſs Impoſtures in reports they make of things that were done, as it were, but Yeſterday?
I cannot therefore help ſmiling, to ſee you ſo ſerious in bringing forth one of your main Reaſons for your Fear of Popery; and that is forſooth the profound Politicks, which the Managers of that Party have been always ſo famous for. Not many years ago we might perhaps have apprehended ſomething from them of that Nature, whilſt we are ſtill prejudic'd in their Favour; by all the Hiſtories of the laſt age, whereby we learn that in thoſe days they never acted any of their more eminent Villanies, till their Plots were ſo laid that they cou'd ſcarce fail of ſucceſs, and apparent advantages to the Cauſe.
It was only upon ſuch well grounded Deſigns that they rais'd Rebellions, and Murthered Princes and others in their Perſons and Reputations; It was for the Advancement of the Catholick Church, that they contriv'd, and carried on the Holy League in France; againſt Henry the 3d, and his Majeſties Grandfather Henry the 4th, and to ſecure it, Murthered them both. It was to put this Nation into perpetual Confuſion that they endeavour'd to blow up his Majeſties other Grandfather King James the firſt, together with the beſt part of the Nobility and Gentry. They Encouraged and aſſiſted the Scotch Rebels againſt his Father K. Charles the first, that they might ſet us Hereticks a cutting one anothers Throats: It was to reduce the Low Countries to the Obedience of the Holy See that the Prince of Orange was Aſſaſſinated. It was to create an abhorrence in the minds of people againſt Hereſy, that they Banter'd the Poor Ignorant Spaniards, and made them believe that Engliſhmen ever ſince the Reformation were ſhap'd like Dragons; and reported all about the World that the Devil was run away with Luther alive.
But, as there are certain Periods of time for the Riſe and Fall of all other Arts and Sciences, ſo it is no wonder if we find a ſenſible Decay in the once ſo flourſhing Politiques of the Religious Society; It is manifeſt to all men what wretched Bunglers our Preſent Aukward Pretenders to them have ſhew'd themſelves. For tho' it cannot be denied that they, Poor Souls, have always diſcover'd a willing mind to imitate the moſt Notorious of their Predeceſſors in their moſt execrable Crimes; nay, and I dare ſay that for them, they are ſo well become Conſcience proof, that as far as the promoting of any Miſchief goes, their weak endeavours ſhall never be wanting to ſurpaſs them if it were poſſible. Yet if one ſhoud enquire how the Catholick Cauſe has thriv'd under their hands; he'l ſoon find that inſtead of Effecting any of thoſe Glorious Enterpriſes which their Brave Anceſtors by executing, have render'd their Names deſervedly Infamous, to all ſucceeding Ages; they with all the Buſtle and Clutter they have made in the World, have gain'd nothing but the Odium of all Mankind; without being guilty of any thing that look'd like a deſign, or at leaſt but ſuch as has been ſo poorly laid, that the moſt ſhort-ſighted might be able to look through with half an Eye; they have expos'd the Weakneſs of their Cauſe to the Contempt of Wiſe men, and its Deformities to the ſcorn and deteſtation of all others. Theſe things being certainly true, as I am able further to prove, if you or any one ſhall make the leaſt doubt of them, I muſt beg pardon of the Reverend Fathers of the Miſſion, if I entertain ſo mean an Opinion of them, as to think that their Common Senſe is at laſt vaniſh't, as well as their Honeſty and Learning.
By mentioning their Learning, I find I had almoſt forgot that to be one of the weighty reaſons of your Fears; which I cannot but wonder to ſee you lay ſo great a ſtreſs upon at this time of the Day. Time was indeed when we entertained a very Favourable opinion of their Learning, of which they, eſpecially the Jeſuits, have made ſuch Noiſy Brags all over Europe; a while ago we thought it was in the power of their Elaborate Eloquence to lead Captive ſome ſilly Women; Ay, and that they could by pure dint of Sophiſtry, confound the addle brains of ſome Crazy-men too. But now the Good Fathers have by indefatigable Induſtry, and all the ſucceſs imaginable laboured to undeceive the World in this point, and let us, who expected ſuch mighty things from them, know that we were much miſtaken in thinking that they, Poor Men, were in the leaſt guilty of any thing that looks like a Scholar.
I can't adviſe you, my Friend, to a more infallible Remedy to cure your Ignorance in this point, nor inflict a more ſevere Pennance upon you for it, than to deſire you to read ſome of their Writings; and if you are not then fully convinc'd, beyond all contradiction, by undeniable Arguments of their own, that they are as perfectly endued with all the Dullneſs, Stupidity, and Duncery as is poſſible for Pedants, that have receiv'd any tincture of Letters, to be, I'll be content to give up the Cauſe. But leſt your Mortification ſhou'd be too great, in toyling your ſelf by turning over that great and nauſeous. Dunghil which the Rabble of their Writers have made; to deal as gently with you as I can, I ſhall (letting alone their moſt Incomparable Preachers,) only recommend to your peruſal a brace of their Cock Controvertiſts, and ſuch I'll aſſure you as are leading men among the Jeſuits too, and when you are become a little acquainted with them, you may eaſily gueſs what the Poor Under-pullers are.
The two mighty Heroes I mean, are the Profound Sabran, and the Accurate Pulton. Now were it poſſible for the Fable to be true, of the Mountains being with Child, lying in, and being brought to Bed of a Mouſe, (O how will the little Curs ſnarl at me here for my Nonſenſe) and I were invited to the Labour as Goſſip, I am ſure the whole Comedy wou'd not force a greater laughter from me, then I find my ſelf inclin'd to, when I ſeriouſly think of theſe men, when I conſider with my ſelf what a couple of Tools they have here ſent us over from beyond Sea, to perſwade three Nations out of their Senſes.
When you firſt ſet your eyes upon the Great Sabran, you'll find him look ſo big, that Captain Hackum himſelf, with his truſs'd up Whiskers, does not carry half the terror in his Countenance: But, alas, when he comes to enter the Liſts, you'll ſee his Learned Adverſary Mr. G. put him to ſuch miſerable ſhifts, by tracing his Thefts, diſcovering his Forgeries, and Baffling him when he makes but the leaſt offer of an Argument to defend himſelf withal, that even you will pity him; I am ſure I did as far as the great Eſteem and Affection I bear for the whole Party wou'd permit me.
But yet, not to defraud the Father of his due praiſe, I cannot forbear doing him Juſtice, by taking notice of a very notable Stratagem of his. (You may wonder perhaps, after what has been ſaid to hear that any ſuch thing ſhou'd proceed from him) but a Stratagem I do aſſure you it was, and ſuch a one as had it but hit, would have ſmelt not a little of the Genuin Spirit of an Ancient Jeſuit. When his Antagoniſt, like another Peleus, had Maul'd this our Proteus, firſt in the form of Sabran, then in the likeneſs of Natalis Alexander, and batter'd him under the Shapes of ſo many ſuppoſititious Fathers, he was reſolv'd at laſt to appear as fierce as a Lion, (a Smithfield one) and up ſtarts he in the figure of a Non-Con-Parſon, and falls a bleating moſt terribly at his Adverſary. But that Jilting Baggage Fortune, which loves to thwart all Wiſe undertakings, brought our Sly Man under the ſame Misfortune as ſhe did a more ſubtil Animal of the ſame ſpecies, who had cloathed himſelf with the Lions Skin, and was diſcover'd by his long ears. For to confeſs the truth, he manag'd the Intrigue ſo clumſily, that the ſubtil Mr. G. preſently ſpies out the Jeſuit under the borrow'd Cloak, ſtrips him of his Diſguiſe, and expoſes him to the laughter of all men.
But now to help a poor lame Dog over the Stile, and wipe off the ſcandal that might be caſt upon the Holy Church, out comes another Reverend Father of the Society; who with Hands and Eyes, as it were, lifted up to Heaven, ſolemnly declares that they never have been tampering with Diſſenters, never appear in Jumps and little Bands, but abhor, renounce, and deteſt, all manner of Diſſimulation and Diſguiſements, in what ever concerns Religion.
But to ſay nothing of the R. Dr. Sh. whom I will not diſhonor by bringing him into competition with this Varlet, I muſt beg Mr. G's pardon for keeping him in ſuch bad company all this while: What ſhall we do then for one to match this our Dreadful Champion? Truly we ſhall be at a great loſs, for the Footman has ſo often foil'd, tript him up, and laid him on his Back, that henceforward, even Porters and Cobblers will think it a Diſgrace to be put into the Ring againſt him.
But tho' the Unfortunate Sabran has been thus ſtript of his Learning, Politicks, and Common Senſe; yet his Philoſophy will never forſake him; there's none, I'm ſure, that can deny him to be perfectly endued but more eſpecially about the Forehead) with all the Apathy of a moſt accompliſh'd Stoick; for notwithſtanding all his Diſgraces, he has ſtill the Courage to live, and in England too, the Scene of his Follies.
The Judicious Mr. Pulton, may perhaps take it ill that I have been ſo long a coming to him, but it is very probable that I ſhall ſome other time take an occaſion of ſtaying with him a little longer than he deſires. I am a little out of breath at preſent, and therefore ſhall only tell him that I have read ſome of his Works, with as little prejudice as it is poſſible for one to entertain, that has the leaſt knowledge of Popery; and all the puniſhment I would deſire ſhould be inflicted on the overgrown Grammarian, for all the Nonſenſical Ribaldry wherewith he has peſter'd the World, is, That he were put a little while under old Busbys laſh, he would then find, that did he uſe no better Arguments in a Declamation, than he does for his Religion, he'd receive more ſtripes then Choerilus, for betraying his Cauſe.
But to conclude, Sir, I doubt not but that by this time you perceive how deſpicable a thing this once ſo terrible a Bugbear is, you ſee what ſmall reaſon we have to be afraid, where no occaſion of Fear is; If that party ever had any advantage over us, it proceeded from our own timerous Apprehenſions of them. But they have now been ſo kind as to let us know that all their Plots and Contrivances againſt us, ought to be ſo little the objects of our Dread that they are beneath even our Contempt and Scorn. Our ſafety, as it is inſeparable from that of the C. of E. ſo it is now together with it eſtabliſht upon ſo ſolid a Baſis, that it is impoſſible for all the Southern blaſts to ſhake it. His Majeſty has at laſt ſo effectually ſecured us in the enjoyment of our Religion and Laws, by reſtoring to the Church ſuch Prelats as are Infer…our to none of thoſe of the Primitive times, to the State, ſuch of the Nobility and Gentry, whoſe Integrity and Honour are Proof againſt the ſtrongeſt Temptations. Let us not therefore ſhow our ſelves unworthy of ſuch Great Favours from our King, and Injurious to thoſe Worthy Perſons, to whom he has entruſted our Welfare, by continuing to entertain our Groundleſs Suſpicions. We have now nothing to Fear, but the Diſmal Effects of Popular Fears. Let us therefore endeavour as much as in us lyes, to Allay them, leſt we run our ſelves into greater Dangers than thoſe we ſeem to Apprehend.
Sir, I am Yours, T. D.
End of the text · Thomas Doolittle, Fears and Jealousies Ceased (1688)