The continuance of their kindness would be a habit of sin, of which they are to repent; and their absolution is to be had upon no other terms than their promise to destroy you.  You are therefore to be hugged now, only that you may be the better squeezed at another time.  There must be something extraordinary when the Church of Rome setteth up bills, and offereth plaisters, for tender consciences.  By all that hath hitherto appeared, her skill in chirurgery lieth chiefly in a quick hand to cut off limbs; but she is the worst at healing of any that ever pretended to it.

To come so quick from another extreme is such an unnatural motion that you ought to be upon your guard.  The other day you were Sons of Belial; now you are Angels of Light.  This is a violent change, and it will be fit for you to pause upon it before you believe it.  If your features are not altered, neither is their opinion of you, whatever may be pretended.  Do you believe less than you did that there is idolatry in the Church of Rome?  Sure you do not.  See, then, how they treat, both in words and writing, those who entertain that opinion.  Conclude from hence, how inconsistent their favour is with this single article, except they give you a dispensation for this too, and not by a non obstante, secure you that they will not think the worse of you.

Think a little how dangerous it is to build upon a foundation of paradoxes.  Popery now is the only friend to liberty, and the known enemy to persecution.  The men of Taunton and Tiverton are above all other eminent for Loyalty.  The Quakers, from being declared by the Papists not to be Christians, are now made favourites, and taken into their particular protection; they are on a sudden grown the most accomplished men of the kingdom in good breeding, and give thanks with the best grace in double-refined language.  So that I should not wonder, though a man of that persuasion, in spite of his hat, should be Master of the Ceremonies.  Not to say harsher words, these are such very new things, that it is impossible not to suspend our belief, till by a little more experience, we may be informed whether they are realities or apparitions.  We have been under shameful mistakes, if these opinions are true; but for the present we are apt to be incredulous, except that we could be convinced that the priest’s words in this case too are able to make such a sudden and effectual change; and that their power is not limited to the Sacrament, but that it extendeth to alter the nature of all other things, as often as they are so disposed.

Let me now speak of the instruments of your friendship, and then leave you to judge whether they do not afford matter of suspicion.  No sharpness is to be mingled, where healing only is intended; so nothing will be said to expose particular men, how strong soever the temptation may be, or how clear the proofs to make it out.  A word or two in general, for your better caution, shall suffice.  Suppose then, for argument’s sake, that the mediators of this new alliance should be such as have been formerly employed in treaties of the same kind, and there detected to have acted by order, and to have been empowered to give encouragements and rewards.  Would not this be an argument to suspect them?