Page:Terræ-filius- or, the Secret History of the University of Oxford.djvu/26

 very unreaonable for them to cry Turn-coat firt, and charge their own ficklenes upon thoe, who chue to abide by their former principles, and will not join with them in their new counels and Tergiverations.—But it is till more ridiculous for any man to exclaim againt Trimming, even uppoing the charge to be true, who has been notoriouly guilty of that practice himelf, whenever his Reentments or Ambition have made it convenient.

For my part, I freely confes (and let my Enemies take it for an handle of triumph) that I have been, for a long time, entirely mitaken in my general opinion of mankind, and the common tranactions of the world. I once thought there was a real difference in Parties, and that there was omething more in thoe ditinctions, which have o long divided up, than a mere truggle for Power, and a tryal of skill, between a few great men, to determine which of them hall be Greatest.

I am now convinced of the contrary: I have een it; I have felt it; and find, by fatal experience, that there is nothing in outward names and profeions; but I begin to conider mot of the great diputes in Politicks and Controveries about Religion only as ingenious devices to aggrandize a few diigning Knaves, at the expence of a vat number of honet, undeigning zealots, who join with them in the ame caue. When this point is once gained, the mask is thrown off,