From the whole account, it appears farther, "That Popery is a religion worfe than Deifm, as "it is contradictory to all the principles of reason, and utterly inconfiftent with our ideas of the per"fections of God. Yea,

"That it is worfe than Atheism itself, which can "only deprive us of all religious motives to be vir"tuous; whereas Popery infpires us with the strong"eft motives to be vitious: it fills us with hatred

to all mankind, but thofe of our own perfuafion : "It tears up every moral principle, and, under a ❝folemn pretence of fupernatural charity, destroys "all bumanity."

But, as furely as there is a God and a providence, as furely as the gospel is true, fo furely these craftsmen will not be always gainers by their craft their trade will fail them.

It is a dark providence, that the priests reign hath endured fo long: It is a fcene which fhews the need, and proveth the certainty of a future judgment.

From the whole it appears, how great is our deliverance from these spiritual tyrants. What a bleffing was the discovery of the powder-plot! what a bleffing king William was! what a bleffing king George, and the present royal family!

See a farther defcription of popish craftsmen in the Ploughman's Prayer: And in a letter from the devil to the popish priests, to thank them for the eminent fervices they had done him, In Fox, vol. i. p. 521, 655.

But

But I expect you are ready to ask the reafon I so foon quit the scene at Ephefus, and the story of the pagan high-church mob there, which is fo much to my purpose ?

Anf. This story is fo well reprefented, embellifhed, and applied in print, that there is scarce room for improvement: However, as few of you have perhaps feen that difcourfe, I fhall, in the lively turns of that author, and in an easy and natural method, give you such a view of this curious piece of hiftory, as will convince you, that all high-church priests, whether at Rome, or elfewhere, are fpiritual crafts-men, traders for the wealth and honours of this world.

To enter, then, upon our curious fubject: At ver. 21. you see what vast and noble designs poffeffed the generous breaft of St. Paul; he aims at fpreading light over all Europe, and delivering fouls from captivity to the devil, and cheating priests in all countries.

From Ephefus he is haftened away by a great ftir, raised against the new gospel-way of worshipping God, ver 23.

If God enjoin and direct men to ever so clear and good a way to heaven, yet many will reject it, only because it is a new way. But surely, it is better to go in a new way to heaven, than to keep in the way to hell. Antiquity, customs of fore-fathers, and universality have been antient pleas to keep people in darkness and error.

Let

Let us further open the contents of this story in fome Enquiries. As,

First, Who raised this commotion?

Anf. It was the crafts-men, with one Demetrius at the head of them. Men who manufactured and traded in religious fopperies; facred toy-men, who dealt in images, beads, wafers, Agnus Dei's, holy water, and holy garments, &c.

Thefe, in Romish churches answer the shrines for Diana in the Pagan church at Ephefus,

ver. 24.

Diana was a fhe-deity, originally the moon, called by the Pagan priests, the queen of heaven, Thefe brines were little capfula's, or cafes, in the form of a temple, with the image of this goddess in them.

Whenever God raifeth up a number of excellent preachers and holy livers, fuperftitious and fenfual priests will raife up a great fir against

them.

Crafts-men, who get money by the folly and ignorance of the people, will oppose God and Christ, and raise war against heaven rather than part with their gain.

The godly trade of image-making must be sup ported whatever become of religion and the fouls of men.

Let us enquire,

Secondly, What method doth this crafts-man, this high church zealot, take to oppose the new way which Chrift and St. Paul were setting up?

He

He affembles all the mafter-workmen and tribe of journeymen, ver. 24, 25. He gathers a mob, fuppofe of hireling priefts, curates, friars, monks, and makes to them an elegant harrangue.

Thus he begins his Sermon.

Sirs! Ye know that by this craft we have our wealth. Very true: Were it not for the craft of cheating the people, and fobbing of poor fouls with shows and geftures, bowings, croffings, and holy fprinklings- -The trade of worldly and knavish priests would be at an end. Religion and real holiness are matters they deal very little in.

If people once throw away relics, images, pardons, holy water, maffes and croffes, the pope's priests are ruined.

Touch but the wealth of these holy men, reform their spiritual courts, and suffer them to get no more money by the fins of the people, and they will raise terrible out-cries, as if all religion was at stake.

Nothing fo gauls worldly churchmen, or fo kindles their zeal as fears of lofing their wealth. They will ftorm like thunder, ride and write like furies, to prevent reformation.

Luther and Calvin threw them into fuch a fright, they have scarce recovered themselves to

this day.

This leads us to enquire,

Thirdly, Who was the man that durft touch this craft of theirs, and endeavour to bring the people to their fenfes ?

4

Ans.

Anf. It was one Paul a protestant minister, who protested against all church corruptions: A diffenting minifter, who diffented from the religion established at Ephefus; and who had disturbed almost one half of the world by his preaching, ver. 26.

One man, with truth and Chrift on his fide, is able to defeat a whole army, a whole hierarchy of crafts-men, if he be allowed a fair hearing.

One Paul, one Luther, one Calvin, is an overmatch for all the hireling-priests in the world.

One poor monk, in whom the light of gospeltruth began to fhine, shakes the whole papal kingdom, and confounds pope, cardinals, bishops and priefs, without any other aid, but the truth and goodness of his cause.

But let us enquire,

Fourthly, What was the great Herefy this Paul preached?

Why, that they be no gods which are made with hands, ver. 26.

Wicked doctrine, indeed! the very heresy of the proteftants; that popish idols are no gods; that croffings, bowing to the altar and to the East, holy garments and holy days, are a parcel of human inventions.

What barbarous murders did the Papifts commit a few years ago at Thorn in Poland, because the

Proteftants