E 5 Hurt ofreal Chriflianitÿ, is nowbecome" aScience) is to heighten the Importance of the Point in Difpute. Matters which to a cool and impartial Man, not en- gaged in the Controverfy, appear of little Moment, by a skilful Manage- ment in this fort of Difputation, may be reprefented as of the utmoft Confe- quence. Hence Men are led to a vaft Opinion of themfelves, for being, as they imagine, fo much wifer than their Neighbours, in an Affair thought very momentous. Mr. N's Hiftory amply confirms this unpleafant Truth. In this Narration the World is reminded of thofe Difputes equally fierce and un- happy, which had for their chief Foun- dation nothing of greater Confequence than the Habit in which the Clergy were to officiate, and a few (very few they were) harmlefs Ceremonies of the fame indifferent Nature. By thus di- viding the Proteftants, they weakened that Intereíl in the Infancyof it, when itswhole ùnited Strength feem'd fcarce fufficient againft Popery. And for what Reafon was this ill-tim'd hurtful Con- tention raifed, but chiefly that divine Service might be perform'd in a black Garb rather than a white one ; that the Cloak of Geneva, and not the common Surplice, might be the ella- B 3 blifh'd
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