A LETTER, &c.

YOUR Friends in this Place rejoiced at the News of your Election, not ſo much out of Love to you as to their Country. We applauded the Hap⯑pineſs or Wiſdom of your Electors, who at a time when England is ſo much in danger, made choice of a Member to ſerve it in Parliament, who ſo truly loves it, and ſo thoroughly underſtands its Intereſt; who has Senſe enough to know that Engliſh Principles alone can make an Engliſhman, and to contemn the unthinking Crowd, who prefer the Name to the Thing; who knows that he is moſt an Engliſhman, who does moſt for England's Happineſs; and who prefers a Foreigner that endeavours to ſupport it, be⯑fore an Engliſhman who attempts to enſlave it; and eſteems one who was born a Dutchman, or perhaps a German, but isbecome an Engliſhman, before one who was born indeed [4] an Engliſhman, but is become an Errant Frenchman. For every Honeſt and Brave Man will love an Honeſt and Brave Man, and hate a Knave and a Coward, which every Traitor to his Country is.

No Man knows better than your ſelf the Nature and End of the Truſt repoſed in you; that Senators are ſent up to the Great Council to preſerve the Pro⯑perties of thoſe who ſent them; which is the Alpha and Omega, the Original and End of Government: that nothing an rightly come within the Compaſs of your Debates, but what has a relation to that Care; and that to do any thing contrary to it is to betray the Truſt repos'd in you. No Man is more fully convinc'd that the Pro⯑perties of the People of England are now in the utmoſt Danger, both from a formidable Enemy abroad, and from a reſtleſs Party at home. No Man conſequent⯑ly can be more ſatisfied, that it is your Duty to do all that lies in your power to enable her Majeſty to reſiſt the Foreign Force that would conquer us, and the Domeſtick Arts of thoſe who by ſowing Diviſions among us, would render us an eaſy Prey to the Con⯑queror.

As ſome among us would ſell us for Money, ſo others would barter us for Dominion, and a third ſort, who are the Tools of the former, would betray us out of Conſcience. But the Artifices of no ſort of Men are ſo dangerous, as of thoſe who pretend them ſacred, and would make them paſs upon the Minds of Men for Religion.

Such ſeems to me to be the Intention of a Book, which was lately publiſhed at Oxford, and licens'd by the Vice Chancellor of that Univerſity, call'd, The Political [5] Union; which is manifeſtly writ with a deſign to take off the Act of Toleration, and to advance the Tem⯑poral Power of the Church, which would not fail to divide and weaken us more and more, and make our Condition deſperate.

The Diſcourſe is founded upon a Text in the 8th of Proverbs and the 15th, By me Kings reign, and Princes decree Juſtice. From which the Author has drawn this following Propoſition, which is the Subject Matter of his Pamphlet.

In all my Life-time I never met with any Diſcourſe that was writ with leſs Religion and leſs Good-manners, or with more Sophiſtry or more Malice; tho indeed he has taken pretty good care to moderate its Venom by Dulneſs, as they who make Venus Treacle are wont to temper Vipers with Opium.

But that we may diſcover the Sophiſtry of the whole Diſcourſe more clearly, let us divide this Propoſition into the following Branches.

• Firſt, Religion is the Grand Support of Government.
• Secondly, The Peace, Happineſs and Proſperity of the Secular Power depend upon that of the Spiritual and Eccleſiaſtical.

Firſt, Religion is the Grand Support of Government. Where by Religion may be meant two things.

• 1. Religion it ſelf, and the Power it has over the Minds of Men.
• 2. Prieſtcraft; which comprehends all that the Arts of deſigning Men cauſe to paſs for Religion with the un⯑thinking part of the World, tho it is neither dictated by the Law of Nature, nor included in the Written Word. And here we ſhall ſhew that Religion taken in the firſt Senſe is the Support of Government; but that taken in the latter it neceſſarily tends to the utter Subverſion of it.

1. Religion, and the Power that it has o'er the Minds of Men, is the Support of Government. For without the Obſervance of Moral Virtue there can be no Govern⯑ment, and moral Virtue is undeniably Religion. But now if Government depends on Religion, what ſort of Reli⯑gion muſt that Perſon have, who endeavours at ſuch a juncture as this to ſet three Nations all in confuſion, and to bring all things to Anarchy? Or whether is He a more able Stateſman, who makes it his buſineſs to ſoment the Diviſions of a People engag'd in a War with a very potent Enemy; or a more pious Churchman, who goes about to extinguiſh the Remains of Charity that are in the Minds of Chriſtians? But,

2. Prieſtcraft is deſtructive to Government. And that we may make this the more plain to the Reader, let us explain a little farther what we mean by Prieſtcraft. Prieſt⯑craft is an Art by which Deſigning Men, in order to their own advantage, make that paſs for Religion upon the unthinking part of the World, that is neither dictated by the Law of Nature, nor included in the written Religion of the Country. From which it follows that that muſt needs be Prieſtcraft with a vengeance, that would make [7] any thing paſs for Religion which is contrary to the Law of Nature, or to the Precepts or Deſign of written Religion. Now the chief Virtues of the Chriſtian Religion are Cha⯑rity, Humility, Meekneſs, Peace-making, Mercy: ſo that among Chriſtian Prieſts every Doctrine is Prieſtcraft that is repugnant to theſe. All then that ſavours of Per⯑ſecution, is Prieſtcraft; becauſe it is contrary to Humility, to Meekneſs, to Mercy, to Peace-making, and above all to Charity; for the want of which no other part of Re⯑ligion, no not the abundance of Faith it ſelf, is able to make amends. All that the Clergy do to advance their Temporal Greatneſs is Prieſtcraft; becauſe that is con⯑trary to Humility, Meekneſs and Purity, and conſequently ſuch Prieſtcraft is deſtructive to Government. For if Government depends on Religion, then any thing that does hurt to the latter muſt do it to the former. But no⯑thing does more hurt to Religion than Prieſtcraft, becauſe this alone makes more Atheiſts than any thing in the world beſides: For many People are apt to imagine that there can be nothing in Religion, when they ſee that the Prieſts who are moſt converſant in it, make it a mere Pretext. And more particularly I believe that Prieſtcraft has done more harm to the Chriſtian Religion even than open Im⯑morality. For what reaſon can be given why Deiſm and avowed Atheiſm ſhould be more propagated ſince the eſta⯑liſhing of the true Religion than ever they were before; unleſs it be this, that perhaps there has been more Prieſt⯑craft in it than ever there has been in any other Religion? But further, when Mr. S. ſays that Religion is the Support of Government, he means either Religion in general, or only the True Religion. If he means Religion in ge⯑neral, can any thing be more abſurd than to write a Book [8] for the proving of that which never any one was ſtupid enough to deny? For as far back as Hiſtory reaches, there is no mention of any Government without a National Re⯑ligion, which ſhews the Senſe of Mankind in the caſe. But now at this rate what occaſion can there be for perſe⯑cuting, or for the Magiſtrates tolerating only one Religi⯑on, when it is plain that Government is ſupported by all? But if Mr. S. means that Government is ſupported only by the True Religion, he manifeſtly errs, becauſe Experience tells us, that ſeveral Governments flouriſh at this preſent time in the World under the Pagan and Mahometan, as well as under the Chriſtian Religion.

But if Mr. S. means that Government is beſt ſupported by the True Religion, we grant it; but even that may ſerve to ſhew the Folly and the Danger of Prieſtcraft. For if Government depends on Religion, and the Chri⯑ſtian Religion hath ſeen more Diviſions, more Confuſions, and more Civil Wars in the Nations in which it has been eſtabliſhed, than ever any Religion did before; why then it follows, that if it is the beſt of Religions, it has had the worſt of Prieſts.

The Deſign of Chriſtianity is certainly to unite Mankind more cloſely; but ſome crafty Perſons who have made that their Pretence, and ſecular Intereſt and Power their Buſineſs, have been induſtrious to wreſt it from its pure Intention, and have made uſe of it to ſow fatal Diviſions in Kingdoms and Commonwealths; Diviſions contrary to their private Happineſs, their Political Safety, and to the Intention of that very Religion which is made the Pretence for ſupporting them.

For what can be the Reaſon that the Chriſtian Religion, whoſe Deſign is Union, has been made uſe of to ſow [9] more Diviſions and more Diſſenſions in the Nations in which it has been eſtabliſh'd, than ever the Pagan Religion did among the antient Romans; but becauſe too many of the Chriſtian Prieſts interfere with Government, which the Romans were by much too wiſe to permit to theirs?

But further, let us ask Mr. S. If the Civil Government is beſt ſupported by the True Religion, which is the True Religion; the Chriſtian Religion in general, or any par⯑ticular Branch of it, as for example, that which is call'd the Church of England? If the Chriſtian Religion in ge⯑neral be the True Religion, then why ſhould any Branch of it be refus'd to be tolerated? But if only the Church of England be the True Religion, I would fain ask Mr. S. if a Chriſtian can be ſav'd in no other Branch of the Chri⯑ſtian Religion? And if he anſwers, that that can be done, I would ask him if that Religion can be falſe which pro⯑cures the Salvation of Souls; or if that Religion which procures the Salvation of Souls, and conſequently is ac⯑ceptable and agreeable to God, ought to Men to be odious and intolerable? But if Mr. S. affirms that no one can be ſav'd out of the Church of England; I muſt ask him once more, in which of the Churches of England a Man may be ſav'd, that I may know in which he muſt be damn'd? Mr. S. would oblige me by telling me which is the falſe Church of England. For ſince he tells us, Pag. 61. that there is a true Church of England, it follows neceſſarily that there muſt be a falſe one. Now which is the true, and which is the falſe one? or which is the True, and which is the Falſe Prieſthood? For we may know the Flock by the Paſtors. Is that the True that neglects and forſakes the Goſpel for a fooliſh little Secular Greatneſs; that is loſt in Covetouſneſs, and the Deſire of Power, the Luſt of the Fleſh, [10] and the Pride of Life; who tho our Saviour commanded his Apoſtles not to take two Coats, Mat. 10. 10. will be ſatisfied each of them with no leſs than four Benefices, and who have nothing that is Apoſtolical in them, but the calling for Fire from Heaven, like James and John, upon thoſe who will not receive them; who breathe forth no⯑thing but Rage and Malice, and the Fury of Perſecution? Is this the True, the Chriſtian Catholick Prieſthood? No, theſe are ſo many Antichriſts, if we will believe St. John, Epiſt. 1. ch. 2. v. 22. Who is a Liar, but he who denieth that Jeſus is the Chriſt? He is Antichriſt who denieth the Father and the Son. Now no Man denies the Saviour of the World ſo effectually as by his Works: St. Peter denied him in Words, and yet believed in him; but he who denies him by his Works, denies him from his very Heart. Now he denies him by his Works the moſt effectually, whoſe Works ſhew leaſt of Charity. In this (ſays St. John in Epiſt. 1. ch. 3. v. 10.) the Children of God are manifeſt, and the Children of the Devil: Whoſoever doth not Righteouſneſs is not of God, neither he who loveth not his Brother.

If the Church of England is the True Religion, that ſure muſt be its true, its Catholick Prieſthood, thoſe Mode⯑rate, Humble, Peace-making, Merciful Men, who breathe forth nothing but Charity; who neglect all Worldly Greatneſs to bear their Maſter's Yoke, and who have learnt of him to be meek and lowly in Heart; who are hearty Foes to Diviſion only, and faithful conſtant Friends to Peace and Union. Theſe are the True Sons of the Church, to uſe Mr. S's Expreſſion. For ſince the very Spirit and Soul of the Chriſtian Religion is the Spirit of Union and Charity, and the Spirit of Diviſion is by conſequence the Spirit of Malice and of the Devil; the True Son of the [11] Church is he who appears the moſt for Union: and a wiſe Man may in this caſe find out the Child by the ſame Method, by which in another Solomon ſo ſagaciouſly found out the Mother. For as ſhe was the true Mother who was not for dividing the Child, he is certainly the true Child who is leaſt for dividing the Mother.

If then the beſt Religion only ought to be tolerated, and the Church of England is the beſt Religion, and the True Church of England, to uſe Mr. S's Expreſſion, is only properly the Church; and the moderate part of that Church be only the true Church, as we have endeavoured to ſhew: and if that violent Party which calls it ſelf the Church of England, differs from the moderate Party more than any other Diſſenters, becauſe they are at a greater diſtance from Charity than any other Diſſenters; why then if Toleration is taken away, it follows that of all the Diſſenters from the True Church, the violent part of the Church of England ought the leaſt to be tolerated.

By which, Sir, it appears that Mr. S. has been making a Rod for himſelf. For if only the True Church of Eng⯑land is to remain, and the moderate Church of England be the True Church of England; if the moſt violent ought the leaſt to be tolerated, becauſe they are the moſt repug⯑nant to Charity, and conſequently are the moſt enclining to diſturb the Publick; why then it evidently follows that Mr. S. who is the moſt violent even of the Violent, ought never to be endur'd in a well-order'd State.

For can any thing be more oppoſite to the Spirit of Chriſtianity, than either his Deſign, or his manner of hand⯑ling it? Is not his Deſign apparently to ſet three Nations at variance? Does not his Stile ſhew a furious Zealot bent upon embroiling the World? Has he not treated the Diſſenters [12] and thoſe of the Church with equal Rancour and Venom? Does he not uſe theſe well-manner'd and well-natur'd Ex⯑preſſions to the latter, viz. Falſe and perfidious Mem⯑bers, ſhuffling treacherous Latitudinarians, Sots and Bigots, Apoſtates and Renegadoes, falſe Traitors, crafty, faithleſs, inſidious Perſons; while the gentleſt Terms he uſes to the others are, Villains, Swarm of Sectaries, Robbers, Vipers, Boars, Beaſts, Devils, Traitors, Baſtard Spawn of a Po⯑piſh Party, Propagators of Schiſm, and Panders of a curſed Train, Sharers in Villany and Rebellion. Is this the Stile of a Chriſtian? Is this the Language of Charity, that ne⯑ver yet was known to revile upon the moſt provoking Trials? The Spirit of the Goſpel would have taught him another Strain. The Evangeliſts never uſed any Invective againſt Judas, Pilate, or any of the Enemies or Execu⯑tioners of Chriſt. And St. Jude tells us in his Epiſtle, That, Michael the Archangel, when contending with the De⯑vil he diſputed about the Body of Moſes, durſt not bring a⯑gainſt him a railing Accuſation, but ſaid, The Lord rebuke thee.

But, Sir, I begin to apprehend, that I ſhall tire your Patience, and therefore it is high time to proceed to the conſideration of the ſecond Branch of Mr. S's Propoſition, which follows.

Firſt, By the Secular Power among us may be meant,

• 1. Either the whole Legiſlative Power, including the King, the Lords, and the Commons, who have Power by the Conſent of the People to enact ſuch Laws as may augment their Strength, and defend and ſecure their Properties. Or by the Secular Power may be meant,
• 2. The Executive Power alone, or the Power which is lodg'd in the hands of the Sovereign by the Conſent of the People, in order to a due Execution of the Laws which are made for the ſecuring their Properties.
• 3. By the Peace and Proſperity of the Legiſlative Power can be meant nothing but the ſucceſsful obtaining the End for which they aſſemble, which is the ſecuring of Property.
• 4. By the Peace and Proſperity of the Executive Power, ſeparate and diſtinct from the Legiſlative, can be meant nothing but an augmentation of Power, or a Power be⯑yond what is given by Law and the Conſent of the Peo⯑ple, and the Enjoyment of that Power unmoleſted and undiſturb'd.

Secondly, What may be meant by the Spiritual and Ec⯑cleſiaſtical Power, and its Peace and Proſperity.

• 1. By the Spiritual Power, and its Peace and Proſperi⯑ty, may be meant the flouriſhing of Religion in the World, [14] and the prevailing Influence it has over the Minds of Men, and its exertion of that Influence unmoleſted and undi⯑ſturb'd.
• 2. By the Eccleſiaſtical Power, as oppos'd to Spiritual, and its Peace and Proſperity, may be meant a Power to do more than is allow'd by Religion, and the Enjoyment of that Power unmoleſted and undiſturb'd.

Thirdly, Let us now ſhew the Dependance that the Peace and Proſperity of the Civil Power has upon that of the Spiritual and Eccleſiaſtical.

1. The Peace and Proſperity of the Legiſlative Power does depend upon the Peace and Proſperity of the Spiri⯑tual Power oppos'd to the Eccleſiaſtical; that is, it depends upon the flouriſhing of Religion in the World, and the prevailing Influence it has o'er the Minds of Men.

We have taken notice above that the Peace and Proſperity of the Legiſlative Power means nothing but the ſucceſsful obtaining the End for which they aſ⯑ſemble, which is the ſecuring the Properties of the People. So that in ſhort, the Proſperity of the Legiſlative Power ſuppoſes the flouriſhing of the People who are the Foun⯑tain of it. Now the more prevalent Religion is upon the Minds of a People, the more will the People flouriſh; for the more Religion prevails, the more will the Rules of Juſtice be kept inviolate, the more will Peace and Union among them be ſtrengthned; and by conſequence, the more ſecure will they be from the encroaching Attempts of each other, and the ſtronger to repel any foreign Force. But from hence it follows that,

2. The Peace and Proſperity of the Legiſlative Power, and by conſequence of the whole Body of the People, [15] does not depend upon that of the Eccleſiaſtical Power, as it is oppos'd to the Spiritual. Where by Eccleſiaſtical Power, I mean the Power of enſlaving the Conſcience, by inflicting Temporal Penalties. For the Clergy, by that Power which they have not from Religion, and which is therefore Secular; by the Uſurpation, I ſay, of ſuch a Power, they promote Libertiniſm and Atheiſtical Principles, and do a great deal of harm to Religion; and ſo by weakning that which ſtrengthens it, weaken the Legiſlative Power. Beſides, the Clergy by the Uſurpation of ſuch a Power, not only encroach upon the Legiſlative, but run counter to it. For the Legiſlative Power is plac'd in ſuch and ſuch hands by the Conſent of the People, in order to the main⯑taining or augmenting the Publick Strength, and the ſecur⯑ing every Man's Property, as long as he does no harm to the Publick, or to particular Perſons. But the Clergy, by the Uſurpation of this Temporal Power, invade the Proper⯑ties of innocent People, and by exaſperating the Minds of the Sufferers, divide and weaken the Publick Strength.

Beſides, the Power which the Clergy have of Perſecut⯑ing, muſt be deriv'd from the Whole or a Part of the Le⯑giſlative. If they derive it only from a Part againſt the Conſent of the reſt, why then they divide and weaken the Legiſlative. If they derive it from the Conſent of the Whole, why then the Legiſlative betrays the Truſt which the People repos'd in them, and run counter to the very End of Government, which is the ſecuring of Property, and by ſo doing deſtroyeth it ſelf. For this is plain, that wherever there is Perſecution, Property cannot be ſecure. For ſince Faith or Belief is not in a Man's power, how can any Man be ſecure of Property in a Nation where he may loſe it to morrow, for no other reaſon than for not believing what he cannot believe? But,

[16] 3. The Peace and Proſperity of the Executive Power, as it has a diſtinct and ſeparate Intereſt from that of the Legiſlative, neither does nor can depend upon the Proſperi⯑ty of the Spiritual Power, that is, upon the flouriſhing Force of Religion. For the Power we ſpeak of is a Power beyond what is allow'd by Law, and the Conſent of the Peo⯑ple. Now the more Virtuous and the more Religious any People are, the leſs that People are in danger of Arbitrary Power. 'Tis want ofVirtue that makes Men factious, and nothing but Faction can make any one Arbitrary. For then a Sovereign grows Arbitrary, when a part of his Subjects, on account of their own miſtaken Intereſt, or violent Reſentment, betray the Rights of the reſt. But,

4. The Peace and Proſperity of the Executive Power, take it upon a diſtinct and ſeparate Intereſt from that of the Legiſlative, does often depend upon the Proſperity of the Eccleſiaſtical Power; that is to ſay, the Arbitrary and Ty⯑rannical Power of the Prince depends upon the illegal im⯑pious Power of the Prieſthood. All Government is cer⯑tainly both for and from the People, who firſt entred into Civil Society for the defence of their Rights. How then came the People ever to give up thoſe Rights, which we ſee they have often done, and to depend upon the Arbitrary Will of their Governors, ſince it is contrary to the very End for which they entred into Society, and does not fail to bring them into a worſe Condition than the State of Nature? Why the common Method by which Princes obtain unlimited Power, is this: They prevail upon the corrupt part of the Clergy to trump up thoſe wretched a⯑bominable Doctrines of Jus Divinum, Non-reſiſtance, and Paſſive Obedience upon the People; which is as much as to tell them, that if their Sovereign Lord and Maſter, who is [17] Abſolute and Independant, and accountable to none but God, will at any time graciouſly condeſcend to do them the honour to lie with any of their Wives or Daughters, they ought moſt obſequiouſly to hold the Door, becauſe he has the Power of doing what he pleaſes from a Right Divine. But if any Man asks this Queſtion, How comes it that the Clergy, who are a part of the Collective Body of the People, ſhould be inſtrumental in making their Princes Arbitrary, ſince in the Peoples Rights they give up their own? I anſwer, that the Clergy are not ſuch Fools, but that in giving up the Peoples Rights they always except their own: Nay, not only that, but in lieu of the Power they convey to the King which he has not by Law, they never fail to ſtipulate a Power for themſelves which they have not by Goſpel. If any Man will but caſt his eye over the different Countries of Europe, he will find that in moſt Dominions where Arbitrary Power prevails, the Tempo⯑ral Power of the Clergy is great; nay, ſo great, that at the ſame time that they ſupport a Power in their Kings of cutting the Throats of their People, they reſerve to them⯑ſelves the Privilege of cutting the Throats of their Kings.

But if at any time it ſhould happen, which I hope ne⯑ver will, but which yet is not impoſſible, that any part of the Engliſh Clergy ſhould prove ſo corrupt, as to enter into the ſame Meaſures which divers of them did in ſome former Reigns, into Meaſures that had like to have prov'd ſo fatal to our Conſtitution, and which, if they ſhould be taken, are likely to prove more fatal now than ever; I deſire them to conſider, that they have not Empire e⯑nough o'er the Minds of Men to make their Princes Ar⯑bitrary, tho perhaps they may have Credit enough to [18] throw us into fatal Diviſions, and ſubject us to a foreign Power. One of our former Princes was very ſenſible of this, and therefore at the ſame time that ſome of the Clergy of the Church of England were endeavouring with all their Might to make him abſolute and independant, by preach⯑ing up Paſſive Obedience, Non reſiſtance, and Jus Divi⯑num upon the People, He, who knew the World very well, and was convinc'd that they had not Authority over the Conſciences and Minds of his Subjects ſufficient to do his buſineſs, was undermining them all the while, and in⯑troducing the Romiſh Clergy. For if He grew abſolute, He did not care by what Religion, having more of the Ty⯑rant in his Humour than the Saint. Thoſe whom he un⯑dermin'd, his Succeſſor aſſaulted openly, as little knowing of what Spirit they were. What was the Event? Why, as ſoon as they ſaw that the Arbitrary Power which they had been helping him and his Predeceſſor to, extended it ſelf to them; that not only Toleration was ſet up, and conſe⯑quently all their Ambition mortified, and their Temporal Power thrown down; but that they were faln into the Snare which themſelves had laid; that their Properties and their Privileges were become a Prey to that unbounded Power which they had deſign'd to ſwallow the Peoples; why then, to the amazement of all the World, they began to ſpeak a Language which they had never been taught, and to cry out aloud, that the King had broken the Contract which he had made with the People; meaning at the ſame time the implicit Compact which he had made with them⯑ſelves.

Thus, Sir, have I diſſected this Sophiſter's Propoſition, and endeavoured to ſhew the Benefit of Religion to Go⯑vernment and the Miſchief of Prieſtcraft. For my own [19] part, Sir, at the ſame time I am not at all alarm'd about keeping up the Toleration. The Queen has given her Word for maintaining it, which I have no reaſon to miſtruſt, be⯑cauſe I never knew that ſhe broke it. However, if I am not miſ-inform'd, there are Perſons beſides Mr. S. who are preparing to have a throw at it, and to do their utmoſt Endeavours to take it away, the very Attempt whereof is at preſent the moſt horrible Wickedneſs that can be con⯑ceiv'd, and the moſt dangerous to Church and State. For the effecting of it would neceſſarily have theſe Conſequen⯑ces: It would weaken the Engliſh Nation among themſelves, and by fomenting the Diviſions among us, and exaſperat⯑ing the Minds of the Parties, make us the leſs able to carry on the War againſt the Enemy of Europe. For a Body that is in Convulſions, when it is about to engage, will be more likely to fall foul on it ſelf than to beat the Enemy.

As the effecting of this Deſign would weaken the Engliſh, ſo in all likelihood it would quite alienate the Scots from us: It would make them believe they have been abus'd and laugh'd at, and the Union from that time would become a general Jeſt. Now of what conſequence the alienating of the Spirits of the Scots at ſuch a juncture as this might be to the Common Intereſt, I leave to be deter⯑min'd by thoſe who have the Management of publick Af⯑fairs.

As the bringing about this Deſign would weaken the two Nations by dividing them among themſelves and from one another, it would leſſen the Queen's Reputation at home, and her Credit abroad. For after ſhe had broken her Word with her Subjects in a Caſe of the higheſt Import⯑ance, how could any of the Allies rely upon it, when ſhe [20] gives it to them only on the behalf of her Subjects? And this Conſideration makes this Attempt as impudently wick⯑ed as it is extremely fooliſh, becauſe all who have any knowledg of the Queen know it will be abſolutely impoſ⯑ſible.

Beſides, ſhould they effect this Deſign, they muſt re⯑ſolve either to maintain Perſecution, or to let it fall again. If they reſolve to let it fall again, why they will provoke their Enemies to no purpoſe, and render themſelves ridicu⯑lous. If they reſolve to carry it on, they muſt at the ſame time determine to break thro the Act of Settlement: Becauſe they know very well that if ever the Houſe of Hanover ſhould come, they would infallibly deliver the Nation from ſo grievous a Burden.

But let us now ſhew the Folly and Wickedneſs of this Attempt, by diſcovering the Miſchief which the effecting it would bring to the Church it ſelf. We have ſaid before, that to maintain Perſecution they muſt break through the Act of Settlement, an Act which is the Security of this Nation, and of the Liberties of Europe. What may we reaſonably believe would follow? Why the next Succeſ⯑ſor would be introduc'd by Men of Arbitrary Principles: For who but Men of ſuch Principles would break through ſuch an Act? Now Men of Arbitrary Principles will cer⯑tainly be for ſecuring their Perſons and their Power. But the only way for Men who act like them, to ſecure both, will be to make their new Monarch as Arbitrary as they can. Well then! they will make uſe of any Method that will beſt conduce to that; and conſequently of any Reli⯑gion. But the Romiſh Religion will be of more uſe to them in the accompliſhment of their Deſigns than the Reformed can be, for Reaſons too well known to be inſerted here; [21] and therefore to compaſs it they will ſet up Toleration a⯑new, and expoſe the Church to the united Fury of Papiſts and Diſſenters, and its too eaſy Clergy to the juſt deriſion of the Reformed Churches abroad.

However viſionary theſe Notions may ſeem to the vio⯑lent part of the Clergy of the Church of England, yet the Impartial World need not be told that this is not the firſt time that they have been making Rods for themſelves. For let any one among them anſwer to this: If the Do⯑ctrines of Jus Divinum, of Paſſive Obedience, and of Non-reſiſtance, Doctrines which they preach'd up with ſo much Earneſtneſs, with ſo much Zeal, had paſs'd upon the credulous Nation, where now had been the Clergy of the Church of England? 'Tis well they had wiſer Men to take care of them, wiſer I mean in the Affairs of the World; for in ſhort they ought not to pry into Matters of State. They have an Employment of a larger Extent, and of a much nobler Conſequence; and they muſt needs prove ill Politicians, if they are good Prieſts. But however, we have this Comfort at preſent, that there are two invincible Obſtacles to the effecting of this Deſign. The one is the unblemiſh'd Honour of the Queen, the other the Honour of the approaching Parliament, in which I know there are ſo many Members of unalterable unſhaken Principles; ſo many Members, to ſay all in a word, ſo exactly reſembling your ſelf, that no Conſideration can e'er prevail upon them to break thro ſo excellent a Conſtitution, and to betray the Truſt repoſed in them: I ſay, no Conſideration can e'er prevail upon them to make the Majority of that Peo⯑ple miſerable, for whoſe Proſperity they were ſent to con⯑ſult; nor to eſtabliſh an Inquiſition in England, which may fall heavy upon their deareſt Friends, nay and perhaps too upon themſelves. For ſince no Man's Belief is within his [22] own power, they themſelves may perhaps be hereafter in⯑volv'd in the Penalties which they ordain. Or if themſelves ſhould not be, their Poſterity probably may; and they are too conſiderate to give a juſt occaſion to their Children or Grandchildren to curſe their Memories for making a Law which muſt render their innocent Lives unhappy. Beſides, they have Wiſdom enough to know that no Op⯑poſition can ſtifle Truth, and that Indulgence is the ſureſt and nobleſt Method of ſuppreſſing Error.

To conclude, I am very far from having any prejudice to the Church of England. I honour and eſteem the mo⯑derate part of it, but cannot for my life eſteem the violent in any Religion whatever. Nor can I think I am much to blame: For ſhall a little rakelly Parſon be juſtly reputed ſcandalous for open Drunkenneſs and Fornication, and ſhall He be accounted venerable whoſe every Action ſhews want of Charity, which is downright Antichriſtian? For this is plain, that Fornication and Drunkenneſs, tho crying Sins of themſelves, yet are leſs damnable than Murder. Now being out of Charity is Murder, if we will believe St. John, 1 Epiſt. 3. 15. Whoſoever hateth his Brother is a Murderer. The Reaſon is plain: He who hates his Bro⯑ther would kill him, if he were not reſtrain'd by Law. For Mankind can have but two Reſtraints upon them, Religion and Law. But the Chriſtian who hates his Bro⯑ther is not reſtrain'd by Religion, becauſe if he were, he would not hate him. Yet after all, the only Harm that I wiſh, even to the violent part of the Clergy, is, that like our Kings they may be reſtrain'd from the doing Miſchief, and confin'd to the doing Good. I am,