Hale - BR120 H364 1684

C2') everyKiingdom`; for wife Politicians, finding that Religion' lath a great impreflionon mens minds, and therefore if it be not managed by the Policy ofRate, may prove an unru- lyBu(nefs, if it be contemperated with Mixture prejudici- al to the State, and that it may be a molt excellent Engine if it 'can be managed and a6tuated for the Benefit of the Ilate, 'do add to it much of 'their own, that it may be ma- naged upon occafion, and they drefs up Religion with State Folicy, whereby, in truth itbecomes nothingelfebut a meer piece of Humane Policy, under the Name ofReligion. And on the other fide, thofe eitherpolitick or difconten- ted Spirits, that would puta Kingdom into Blood andCon- fufion, do mingle Difcontents, and Fancies, and Imaginations, Sufpicions and Frowardnefs withReligion, andcall this'con- fufed mixture of Phancies and Pa rions, Religion: and ma- nage and brandith this Weapon with mighty difadvantage to that State which they oppofe. For it is molt apparent, that as nothing hath' fo great an impulfon "uponmen, as that which comes under 'tlie ap- prehenfionof Religion, inas much as it concerns the greateft good, even their Everlafting Souls and Happinefs ; fo "no- thing is of founiverfal Concernment as this, and therefore like to attract the moil Followers ; for every man bath not an Eliate to care for ; but every man hath a Soul to care for ; andhence it is that fcarce any'great Contefl be- tween Princes hath happened in thefe latter years, nor fcarce any Commotion in a State, but Religion is owned on allfides ; andGod,andhis Cattle, and his Chúrch, owned on 'on all'hands, and therefore fli-ll the fcramble is for Religion, and who thall keep theOpinionofReligion moltfirm to them, and therefore they on all hands infufe into the thing they call Religion thofe things that may molt probably and pa- litickly hold to theirParty. Again,inContelt amongClergymen, every oneTrims and E a Orders

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