A Declaration of Egregious Popish Impostures

...of great potentates, until God’s revengeful arm uncases them to the view of the world. Then they suffer the mild stroke of justice with a glorious ostentation, as you in beguiled simplicity do imagine, for their conceited religion. But as the wiser see, the state did always know—and it is of late published in their own writings—they are guilty of high and odious treasons. It is professed by their own masters (who have made them after their own images) to be of a spirit of contradiction to our governors and Prince. And it is wondered at by the priests themselves, considering their treasonable machinations, that her Highness and the state have carried so mild and merciful a hand over them, and that any one of them is left alive to libel against the admirable leniency of her Majesty’s gracious proceedings. Wherein be you well assured, that if the sword of justice were drawn and inflicted according to the weight and measure of their detestable designs, fewer of them would come over, and this covey of night-birds would shroud themselves warm under the gentle wings of their holy father at Rome.

But admit (as you conceive) that they died for the credit of their conceited superstition: what did Lucian’s Peregrinus a Greek philosopher who famously committed suicide by fire at the Olympic Games less, than offer himself in fire at Olympia for the credit of his fascination? What did Empedocles upon the hill Etna a Greek philosopher who reportedly jumped into the volcano to prove his divinity to get himself a name, but cast himself headlong into the burning flames? What do the Indian priests at this day, but sacrifice themselves for the countenancing of their diabolical incantations? It is no new or strange thing for the authors and maintainers of sects and factions in all kinds to die with a seeming show of glorious resolution. Do but seriously recount the quality of this fugitive generation, and see what pious resolution can lodge in their breasts. What are they before they go over, but discontented, ruined, branded, refuse people? They are of a factious, ambitious, exorbitant conversation abroad, having been exploded or cunningly discarded from their own societies where they lived. And how ghostly and priestly they demean themselves here among you at their return, I refer you for demonstration to this short and perspicuous...