"The Three Divine Perfons have each of them an Image in human Figure, fymbolically reprefenting "their Adorable Selves. This he proves from feveral Texts of Scripture; but fure he had little Regard to, or had forgot the second Injunction in the Decalogue. I remember the Time when a Book not half fo glaring and barefaced as this, was deemed worthy of a flaming Sacrifice; and I admire that no pious Informer, out of the Abundance of his Zeal for the Athanafian Fundamental of Chriftianity, has been moved by an internal Impulfe of Religion or Malice, to present and profecute this Pamphlet. No Scourge, no wholesome Severites for this audacious Levite ! He is one of the Inferior Clergy, a weak Brother ; and these are Motives fufficient to protect him from the Refentment of other prieftly Deliquents. The Thirteenth Obfervation is, That the Apoftles were strict Followers of their own Conftitutions, or ByLaws. I must confefs, that this Obfervation might very naturally have fallen under the Tenth; but fince I omitted to recite it in that Place, what follows, I hope, may be allowed as an Appendix to it. If I fhould affert, That there is not any Religion whatever, whofe Laws and Canons have not been vio-lated by the Inferior Clergy, I fhould incur the Censure of Zealots and Enthufiafts: But I fee no Reason for loading fuch Affertion with the Calumny of Rah Fudgment, fince it is a Truth daily Obfervation confirms. I fhall not defcend to give particular Inftances of each. Kind, but hope it will fuffice for the present to mention one of our own Canons, and fhew how our High-Church fpiritual Worthies, or Half-Proteftants, do become Delinquents: Which small Sketch may give us an Idea of the whole. Ex pede Herculem. The 55th Canon enjoins every Priest to pray for the King upon the Throne nominatim, in the Prayer preceding the Sermon. But tho' these Conscience-Difpenfers have taken the Oaths to King George, (and would difpenfe with an Hundred more as big as St. Paul's, for a Living half as large) yet what Evafions and Quibbles do they they use! One fays Pray ye; another, we are commanded to pray, but does it not: Such a Servant should be beaten with many Stripes. A Third, Let us pray, but banters his Audience like an Orthodox Juggler; for he does not pray for the King, tho' he mentions his Name. A Fourth, with an hereditary Corinthian Face, legitimately High-Church, regards not the Injunction of the Canon. Now may we not fay to these Hypocrites, what our Bleffed Saviour faid to their Brethren the Scribes and Pharifees? Woe unto ye! T P. S. O avoid the Cenfure of each fnarling Prieft-ridden Cynic, who talks much of the Church and Religion, yet frequents not the one, or practises the other; I am obliged, in Juftification of myfelf, and to fatisfy my Friends and Acquaintance, to declare, That I have not any Defign to ftrike at the Priesthood. For I am thoroughly convinced, that there ought to be: a Regimen in the Church, and its Government by Bifhops is neceffary and fcriptural; but yet I will not prefume to determine, whether they are fuch by a Divine or Human Inftitution.. As Good Clergymen are (to me) like beautiful and ftrong Pillars in an antique and ftately Edifice; but vicious Priefts are the Emblems of corrupted Rafters. among the Apostles there was one falfe Brother, whom the Papifts acknowledge as the Foundation of the Church, viz. Peter; one Traitor, as Judas; ambitious Perfons, as James and John, who prevailed with their Mother to follicit the most honourable Places from Chrift: This to fit on his Right Hand, That on his Left: So likewife there were fome, who were wholly fpiritual, and had no ambitious, no worldly Views before them. And tho' among the Tribe of Levi, there are Proud, Perfecuting, Covetous, Rebellious, Perjured Priests; yet there are fome [and oh! that they were a thoufand times more in Number, than what Abraham propofed to God for the Preservation of Sodom and Gomorrah] who are of an humble and meak Spirit, Religious, Loyal, Charitable Men; Men of Confcience and Moderation. But But after all, I greatly fear that the crying Evils of the Inferior Clergy will never ceafe, till a Stop be put to the Ordination of Beardlefs Boys and indigent Souls. These are the Persons who come before they are called; and creep in at the Window, when they should enter at the Door of the Temple. Thefe are they whom Neceffity obliges, or Prejudice perfuades to act contrary to the Laws of God and Man, to humour their Patrons, and fupport a Party. These are they of whom the Pfalmift speaks, they are corrupt and become abominable, Happy would it be for this Nation, if the Tares which are now growing, and those which are already run to Seed, where rooted out! As I am refolved not to be deluded by Prieftcraft; fò I could wish that every Man would refume his Reason, and. not regard any Clergyman, of what Title or Ďenomination foever, merely because he is a Clergyman; but be guided in this Particular by the Words of St. Ambrose,. and give a more than ordinary Attention to them. Nikil eff in hoc feculo excellentius Sacerdotibus, fublimius Epif copis, fi Nomen congruat Actioni, & Actio refpondeat Nomini; finon, Nomen inane, Crimen immane. Ambrof. de Dignitat. Sacerdot. The End of the SECOND VOLUME, CONTENTS A compleat Hiftory of the late Septennial Parliament ; wherein all their Proceedings are particularly 'enquired into, and faithfully related; with proper Remarks, and many fecret Memoirs interfperfed, concerning the late An Essay on the Practice of Stock-jobbing, and fome Remarks. on the right Ufe, and regular Improvement of Money. In An authentic Narrative of the late Proceedings and cruel Execution at Thorn; with two Letters written upon. that Occafion by Britannicus, in the London Journal. A fhort View of the Confpiracy, with fome Reflections on Place, much in the fame Latitude with that of W-st·~· m-nit―r, related in the unhappy Adventures of Palmiris and Lindamira; in which the Characters of Terfander and Cæfarina are vindicated from the Afperfions that have been, or may be, caft upon them ; and the unfortunate Death of the former fet in a true Light. Done from the French. By T. Gordon, Efq; 160 A Letter to a Gentleman at Edinburgh, concerning the bufy and assuming Spirit of the Ecclefiaflics, and their extravagant Demands upon the Laity. By T. Gordon, Efq; 211 The Craftsmen: A Sermon, or Paraphrafe upon several Verfes of the 19th Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. Compofed in the Style of the late Daniel Burgess. By T. Gordon, Efq; 232 A Serious Expoftulation with the Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of London, on his Letter to the Clergy and People of London and Weftminster. By T. Gordon, Efq; 257 Seafonable Advice to the Electors of Great Britain; with a Word or two relating to the Influence of the Clergy in Elections. By J. Trenchard, Efq; 272 The true Picture of a Modern Tory; or, A High-Churchman painted to the Life. By T. Gordon, Esq; 278 A Sermon preached before the learned Society of Lincoln'sInn, on January 30, 1732, from Job xxxiv. 3o. That the Hypocrite reign not, left the People be infnared. By T. Gordon, Efq; 281 A Supplement to the Sermon preached at Lincoln's-Inn, on January 30. 1732. Addressed to a very important and moft folemn Churchman, Sollicitor-General for Caufes Ecclefiafical. By T. Gordon, Esq; 312 A Letter |