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THE

OCCASIONAL PAPER.

NUMBER II.

THE

CHARACTER

OF A

PROTESTANT.

When God fhall make Inquifition for that Blood, (Protestant Blood) it is much to be fear'd, that a great Part of the Vengeance which is due for it, will fall upon the Heads of thofe Men, who countenance, encourage, and strengthen the Hands of the Papifts, tho' they be not Papifts themSelves. Sam. Johnson's Diffuaf. from Popery.

LONDON:

Printed for R. BURLEIGH in Amen-Corner. 1716. (Price Three Pence.)

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HE common Cry of the Church's Danger, has been manag'd with fo much Arg by those who were affault, ing the Conftitution, that, by this Feint, their pernicious Designs were conceal'd from General Obfervation. While the At tention and Spirit of the Nation were engag'd,

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gagd, a according to the With of thofe Men; We lay miferably expos'd where our Enemies refolved to try theit Principal Strength

It was the Saying of a famous Patriot of the laft Age, That if the Common People of England once left the Cry against Popery, it would be the eafieft Matter in the World to take away their Liberty. How much fome late Martagers were appriz'd of This, is now but too plain. The Service of the Church was made their Pretence But one would think Proteftant was quite drop'd out of the Notion of it. The Fathers of our Reformation valu'd Themfelves as a Principal Branch of the Proteftant Intereft; and cultivated a ftrict Friendship and Union with Those abroad, who agreed in the General Principles of Separation from Rome, tho' They had different Sentiments of fome particular Doctrines, and chose another Model of Church-Government, and other Circumstances of Worship. But of later Years, and especially in the impe tuous Clamours of our Time, the Church is made the Term of Diftinction from all other Proteftants, rather than from Popery: The People being taught to fay, that 'tis better to be a Papift than a Presbyterian, tho' most of the Foreign Proteftants are fuch.

By thefe new Impreffions the Betrayers of their Country made a Surprizing Progrefs towards the Accomplishment of their Defign. Such as boafted they were the Trueft Sons of the Church, when this prepar'd, could eafily come in to the Settlement of a Bigotted Papift at the Head of the Government, in Oppofition to a Proteftant Succeflor; applaud the ftricteft Measures concerted with the chief Supporters - tak od tog bus

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of the Papal Power; vilify the most Faithful Proteftant Allics; and, at last, join the fworn Slaves of Rome, in open Rebellion, againft a Proteftant Sovereign. And (which is ftranger than all the reft) they could make fo many Advances towards Popery for the Service of the Church. If They had declar'd for Rome, No body would be furpriz'd at their Conduct. But Many of them, if you fhould ask them the Queftion, would ftill call Themselves Proteftants, and infift on their Right to the Name. If They are in earnest, I would hope it may help to fet them right, to trace a Proteftant to His Original, and give a juft Account of Him. Or if it fhould have no Effect that way, yet it will refcue that Glorious Character from the Scandal of their Temper and Spirit,

Indeed fo many Sorts of People pass under the Name, on very different Accounts, that you might divide them, into them who are Proteftants, and them who are not. This may feem an odd Distinction at first View; but 'tis no more in Effect, than what is actually found among moft Parties; to which fome really belong, and others only in Name. In the last Rank the Local, the Syftematic, and the Politic Proteftant may be plac'd.

A Local Proteftant is one who goes by that Name for no other Reafon, but because he lives in a Proteftant Country. 'Tis well known, that Rivers and other Boundaries of Civil Dominions, are made fufficient Divifions of Churches: And All included within the Limits of a Kingdom or State, have that Name in Religion, which is publickly receiv'd and profefs'd there; Except fuch as openly oppofe and

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