Cleo. I don't question your Knowledge; but only mention these Things, that from the Nature of the Dissentions, and the mischiefs that ensued upon them, we might see the Impossibility, that either Party should have acted from a Principle of Christianity. I shall now endeavor to demonstrate to you Two Things; the First is, that Clergymen, by a small Deviation from the Gospel, may so egregiously impose upon their Hearers, as to make even sincere Men act quite contrary to the Precepts of it, at the same Time that those subtle Declaimers shall seem to be full of Zeal, and to have the highest Value for Christianity. The Other is, that in a well disciplin'd Army, Acts of Devotion, and an outward Shew of Religion may do vast Service for the obtaining of Victory, tho' the General who appointed and order'd them, was an _Atheist_; the greatest part of the Clergy, who perform'd and assisted in them, were Hypocrites, and the Generality of the Men were wicked Livers. As to the First, I call a Man sincere in his Religion, who believes the Bible to be the Word of God, and acknowledging the Difficulty he finds in obeying the Dictates of the Gospel, wishes with all his heart, that he could practice the self-denial that is required in it; and is sorry, that he has not the Power to govern and subdue his stubborn Passions so well as he could wish. If to such a one, a Clergyman should preach the Strictness of Morality, and the Necessity of Repentance, that are taught in the Gospel, and moreover inculcate to him, that as to Divine Worship the Ceremonial was abrogated; that what was required of us, was the Sacrifice of the Heart and the Conquest over our darling Lusts; and that in short the Religious Duties of a Christian were summ'd up in loving God as his Neighbour; this Doctrine being every Way agreeable to that of _Christ,_ a sincere man, who had read the _New Testament_, would easily give Ear to a Divine, who should preach it to him; and it is highly probable, that in Matters of Conscience, and every Thing relating to his Deportment, he should be glad of his Counsel. Suppose now, that there was another Clergyman in the same city, who likewise pretending to preach the Gospel, should, on the one Hand, represent the Doctrine of it as very indulging to Human Nature, and the Practice of it easily comply'd with, and, on the other, lay a great Stress on the Honour to be paid to his own Person, and the Performances of a Set of Ceremonies, no where mention'd in the Gospel; it is not likely, that our sincere Man should approve of his Sermons; but if this Second Divine should moreover call them Enemies to God, who should refuse to comply with every Part of these Ceremonies, and give the Name of Hypocrite to Every body, who should assert, that the Gospel required stricter Morality than what he taught; if he should sollicite the Magistrate to have all Persons punish'd, who were not of his Opinion; and if, by his Instigation, our sincere Man should actually be persecuted and