Secondly, Though there be no law (beside that of God Almighty) against occasional conformity,[5] it would be prudence in the Dissenters to use it as tenderly as they can:  for, besides the infamous hypocrisy of the thing itself, too frequent practice would perhaps make a remedy necessary.  And after all they have said to justify themselves in this point, it still continues hard to conceive, how those consciences can pretend to be scrupulous, upon which an employment has more power than the love of unity.

In the last place, I am humbly of opinion, That the Dissenters would do well to drop that lesson they have learned from their directors, of affecting to be under horrible apprehensions, that the Tories are in the interests of the Pretender, and would be ready to embrace the first opportunity of inviting him over.  It is with the worst grace in the world, that they offer to join in the cry upon this article:  as if those, who alone stood in the gap against all the encroachments of Popery and arbitrary power, are not more likely to keep out both, than a set of schismatics, who to gratify their ambition and revenge, did, by the meanest compliances, encourage and spirit up that unfortunate prince, to fell upon such measures, as must, at last, have ended in the ruin of our liberty and religion.

I wish those who give themselves the trouble to write to the “Examiner” would consider whether what they send be proper for such a paper to take notice of:  I had one letter last week, written, as I suppose, by a divine, to desire I would offer some reasons against a Bill now before the Parliament for Ascertaining the Tithe of Hops;[6] from which the writer apprehends great damage to the clergy, especially the poorer vicars:  If it be, as he says, (and he seems to argue very reasonably upon it) the convocation now sitting, will, no doubt, upon due application, represent the matter to the House of Commons; and he may expect all justice and favour from that great body, who have already appeared so tender of their rights.

A gentleman, likewise, who hath sent me several letters, relating to personal hardships he received from some of the late ministry; is advised to publish a narrative of them, they being too large, and not proper for this paper._

[Footnote 1:  No. 36 in the reprint. [T.S.]]

[Footnote 2: 
“Three different forms, of threefold threads combined,
The selfsame day in common ruin joined.”
[T.S.]]

[Footnote 3:  It is recorded in “The Speeches and Prayers of ...  Mr. John Carew,” 1660, and in “Rebels no Saints,” 1661, that at the execution of John Carew, on October 15th, 1660:  “One asked him if he thought there would be a resurrection of the cause?  He answered, he died in the faith of that, as much as he did that his body should rise again.” [T.S.]]

[Footnote 4:  The Scotch General Assembly approved the “Solemn League and Covenant” on August 17th, 1643; it was publicly taken by the House of Commons at St. Margaret’s, Westminster, on September 25th. [T.S.]]