An ingenious Author, Sir _Richard Steel_, has of late made a _Dedication_ to his _Holiness_ the _Pope_ himself, before a Book entitled, _An Account of the State of the Roman Catholick Religion throughout the World_, &c. In which _Dedication_, that most exalted Clergyman the _Pope_, that [suppos'd] infallible Dictator in Religion, and most grave Person; who, if _serious_ Matters and Persons were always to be treated _seriously_, may vie with any other Mortal for a Right to _serious_ Treatment; is expos'd by incomparable _Drollery_ and _Irony_ to the utmost Contempt, to the universal Satisfaction of Protestant Readers, who have been pleas'd to see a gross Impostor, however respected and ador'd by godly and serious Papists, so treated. VI. In fine, it is suited to the common Practice of this Nation to ridicule _Popery_ as well as _Nonconformity_; and tho several _grave_ Books, written among us against Popery, in the Reign of King _James_ II. (of which yet the _Romish_ Priests complain'd, as treating the King's [82] _Religion_ with Contempt) were then very well receiv'd and applauded for Learning and strength of Arguing; yet, I believe, it may with more Propriety be said, that King _James_ II. and _Popery_ were [83] _laugh'd_ or _Lilli-bullero'd_, than that they were _argu'd_ out of the Kingdom. The reading the _King's Declaration of Indulgence_ in Churches 1688, had this fatal _Jest_ put upon it by a reverend Divine, "Who pleasantly told his People, _That tho he was obliged to read it, they were not obliged to hear it_[84]; and stop'd till they all went out, and then he read it to the Walls." To which may be added, the famous Mr. _Wallop_'s excellent Comparison of that _Declaration_ upon the Instant of its Publication, to _the scaffolding of St._ Paul_'s Church; which, as soon as the Building was finish'd, would be pull'd down_.