JAMBS THE SECOND.

63

tlon which purported to give them entire freedom of con-science, they had never once heard the Gospel boldly andfaithfully preached. Formerly they had been forced to snatchtheir spiritual nutriment by stealth; but, when they hadsnatched it, they had found it seasoned exactly to their taste.They were now at liberty to feed: but their food had lost allits savour. They met by daylight, and in commodiousedifices: but they heard discourses far less to their taste thanthey would have heard from the rector. At the parish churchthe will worship and idolatry of Rome were every Sundayattacked with energy: but, at the meetinghouse, the pastor,who had a few months before reviled the established clergyas little better than Papists, now carefully abstained fromcensuring Popery, or conveyed his censures in language toodelicate to shock even the ears of Father Petre. Nor was itpossible to assign any creditable reason for this change. TheRoman Catholic doctrines had undergone no alteration.Within living memory never had Roman Catholic priests beenso active in the work of making proselytes: never had somany Roman Catholic publications issued from the press;never had the attention of all who cared about religion beenso closely fixed on the dispute between the Roman Catholicsand the Protestants. What could be thought of the sincerityof theologians who had never been weary of railing at Poperywhen Popery was comparatively harmless and helpless, andwho now, when a time of real danger to the reformed faithhad arrived, studiously avoided uttering one word whichcould give offence to a Jesuit? Their conduct was indeedeasily explained. It was known that some of them had ob-tained pardons. It was suspected that others had obtainedmoney. Their prototype might be found in that weak apostlewho from fear denied the Master to whom he had boastfullyprofessed the firmest attachment, or in that baser apostle whosold his Lord for a handful of silver.*

Thus the dissenting ministers who had been gained by theCourt were rapidly losing the influence which they had once

* See, among other contemporary pamphlets, one entitled a Repre-sentation of the threatening Dangers impending over Protestants.

CHAP.

VII.

ltiST.