but to persuade; making it withal appear, in the whole course of their lives and preaching, that they sought no manner of personal advantage, or any manner of jurisdiction over their hearers and converts; yet they who, without their inspiration and manners, called themselves their successours, did by virtue of their names, lay insolent claim to dominion, and carried all things before them, by the dint of terrour and excommunication.

I shall shew that though the clergy, like other militia, were raised and paid for protecting mankind from their spiritual enemy, yet they soon made use of the sword put into their hands against their masters, and set up for themselves. I shall shew that notwithstanding the whole end of their institution was to make men wiser and better, yet wherev er they prevailed, debauchery and ignorance also prevailed; and the constant lesson they taught was blind belief and blind obedience, of both which they made themselves the objects. So that superstition was an inseparable creature of their power, and the perpetual issue of it; and tainted morals and darkened minds were the great props of their dominion. A good understanding, and an inquisitive spirit, led directly to heresy; a pious life was of ill example, and a reproach to the clergy; and if any one gave offence this way, it was but calling him heretick, and delivering him over to satan: the man was then undone, and the clergy safe.

I shall shew how they soon banished the meek spirit of the Christian religion, and growing to as great variance with mercy as they were with reason, perverted religion into rage, and zeal into cruelty. They made the peaceble doctrine of Jesus a doctrine of blood, and excommunicated and damned by that name, by which alone men could be saved. It is true, they damned one another as much as they did the rest of the world; for, agreeing in nothing but the great principle of interest, though they rode upon the necks of their people, yet they never could be at peace, nor ease, among themselves, so long as each individual was not in the highest place: and therefore, because every one of them could not be above all the rest, they were eternally quarrelling, and giving one another to the devil.

If one of them held any proposition, true or false, it was reason enough for another to deny it, and curse him into the bargain. At last, there was not one principle in their system but what was contested, and they agreed in nothing but their own power; though, at the same time, they disputed what that was.

In this everlasting scuffle and civil war, they had so mangled truth, and muffled it up, that few could distinguish it from the false images which they had made of it. And yet these men, who, by their constant discords and debates, confessed themselves in endless uncertainties, were the sure and infallible guides to others, who were obliged to believe their guesses and contradictions, on pain of hell-fire.

I shall shew what a shameful hand they have always had in bringing and keeping mankind under tyranny and bondage to such princes as would divide the spoil with them. In such case, it was a point of conscience, and a religious duty, for subjects to be miserable slaves; and damnation but to strive to be happy. But if the prince happened to be a lover of mankind, and endeavoured to protect his people in their civil and sacred rights; then were they the constant incendiaries of

every popular and wicked faction. They preached nothing but sedi tion and blood, till they had worked up their blind and stupid votaries to rebellions and assassinations. To such conduct is owing a great part of their power and wealth.

I think no one, who is the least conversant with ecclesiastical history, will deny that this was the condition of Christianity before the reformation. The chief intent of this work is to let all the world know it, that they may be upon their guard against the like mischiefs. It is certain, that the demands of the high clergy, upon the laity, are as great, if not greater, than they were at that time. As father Paul says of England, the horse is bridled and saddled, and the old rider is just getting upon his back.

It is time now to conclude this paper, by saying, that if my hearty endeavours shall any ways contribute to detect the impostures, and expose the wicked practises of those, who, under the prostituted name of sanctity, are foes to truth, to liberty, and virtue; I shall think my time and pains well spent. But if not, I shall have the internal satisfaction of having attempted at least to attack vice and corruption, however dignified or distinguished; and the worst which can be said of me, is, Magnis tamen excidit ausis.

G.

NUMBER 3.

Of the contempt of the Clergy.

RING the bells backward! the temple, the temple is on fire! The high-priests look aghast, and the people stare, and all cry out, the craft, the craft is in danger!

This I expected, and was prepared for, when I first engaged in the undertaking: touch a galled horse and he will wince, though 'tis in order to cure him. I know a gentleman, who found out a murderer, by looking stedfastly in his face: when any one is conscious of his own crimes or infirmities, he is jealous of every approach towards a discovery, and often makes one by it.

It is remarkable, that no order or society of men is so apprehensive. of disrespect, or can so little bear the examination into their preten sions, as the greatest part of the ecclesiasticks. If you ridicule or laugh at the professions of law and physic, the lawyers and physicians will laugh with you. The same is true of soldiers, merchants, and the professors of almost all arts and sciences, who generally are the first to expose the knaves and fools amongst them.

If a lawyer, soldier, or merchant, deserve the pillory; neither Westminster-hall, the army, or the East-India company, are in an uproar; or complain that the law, trade, or the soldiery, are wounded through his sides; nor endeavour to raise a mob in his behalf, or rebel in token of their unlimited submission to government. The fair sex de

not think themselves ill used, when a bawd is tied to a cart, or naughty nymph beats hemp: the eleven Apostles lost no credit when Judas hanged himself; nor would any honest clergyman, though ever so many of the other sort did the same, or if it was done for them.

But I do not know by what judgment or fatality it happens, that if you but touch the pretences or vices of the meanest of the ecclesias ticks, so many of their body are in an uproar: they roar aloud, their order is exposed, their mysteries derided and profaned, and religion itself in danger of being subverted; and socinian, deist, or atheist, is the best word, that is often given to their best friend; and sometimes all of them are given.

All other societies of men are contented with the esteem and honour, which result from the usefulness of their employments and professions, from the worth and capacity of their members: yet none stand in such a situation, none have so many advantages to acquire respect and homage, as the clergy.

Their office is evidently adapted to promote the welfare of human nature, to propagate its peace and prosperity in this world, as well as its eternal felicity in the next; so that it is the interest of all men to honour it and none but a madman will condemn and ridicule what has a manifest tendency to the security and happiness of all mankind. The temporal condition of the clergy does likewise place them far above contempt: they have great revenues, dignities, titles, and names of reverence, to distinguish them from the rest of the world; and it is too well known that wealth, power, and learning, carry to the vulgar a kind of mystery, and distant grandeur, and command not only admiration and reverence, but often a superstitious veneration.

Added to this, they have the possession and direction of our fears; they are admitted in health and sickness: every Sunday they have the sole opportunity of gaining our esteem by worthy and useful instructions, and all the week by their good lives: they educate us whilst young, influence us in our middle age, govern us in our dotage, and we neither live nor die without them.

A numerous body of men, so constituted and endowed, so privileged and posted, are capable of being most useful and beneficent to society, if their actions be suitable to their professions. All the world will acknowledge and pay a willing homage to their merit, and there will be no need of demanding, much less of extorting respect, or of complaints and exclamations for want of it. The danger lies on the other side; for there are such seeds of superstition in human nature, that all our prudence and caution will be little enough to prevent even adoration to their persons. If, therefore, they want that respect which they are so fond of, they cannot be to seek for the true reasons, namely, their own corruptions and worthlessness, which must be exceeding great to get the better of so many advantages.

If clergymen would avoid contempt, let them avoid the causes of it. Let them not be starting and maintaining eternal claims to worldly power: let them not be hunting after honours, courting preferments, and bustling for riches: let them not be assuming to give models of human government, or to adjust and determine the titles of princes: let them not pretend to punish any man for his way of worship, and to give him to the devil for his money or opinion: let them not join in factions,

8

and foment rebellions: let them not defy Heaven by swearing falsly let them not promote servitude in the people, and barbarity in the prince: and let them not flatter wicked kings, and plague and disturb good ones.

Let them win respect and wear it; but let them not earn infamy, and demand veneration. Let not those of them, who gratify brutish appetites, and live in all vileness, add want of shame to their want of grace, and bewail that they are contemned, while they are de-. serving it. If a man pretending to great gravity and regard, should dress himself up in a fool's coat, and a pair of horns, would not people laugh at him in spite of themselves? and would not his resentment and rebukes add still to their mirth? A clergyman who is drunk on Saturday, will but, with an ill grace, talk of his dignity and embassadorship on Sunday. Ought we to own and reverence that man as our guide to Heaven, who is himself going a contrary road, and rioting in those vices which his whole duty is to restrain?

The honour therefore of the good clergy is consulted and promoted by exposing the bad. A profane priest is the disgrace and bane of his own order, and they who stand by him, adopt his infamy, and defile themselves. If he neglect God, and disturb human society, how do the clergy suffer though he be whipped or hanged? his punishment is their credit and security, because by it is lopped off from their body a gangrened limb, that incumbred and deformed the rest.

Atheists, who are not restrained by the fear of God, which is stronger than all the laws in the world, ought, in the opinion of politicians, as And shall well as casuists, to be expelled from the society of men.

more mercy be shewn to those who are so hardened in impiety, that though they believe a God, yet dread not his vengeance, but swear by his great and terrible name to an avowed falshood? or can the clergy suffer by the loss of such execrable company?

An unfortunate Levite, some years since, had his head cleft by a butcher, who caught him in bed with his wife; and neither the number of reverend auditors, who attended the trial, a due regard to the cloth, or an apprehension of the carnage it might produce, could hinder the judge from directing the jury to call the crime only man-slaughter. This so provoked the meek spirit, and patience, of a holy brother, then present, that he cried out in the court, here's a fine world! if these things be suffered, there will be no living for us.

No chaste or sober clergyman could be terrified with such an example, or think the church in any danger by it. Does any virtuous member of the holy order suffer either in his person or character, if Biss divert his spectators in a pillory, or parson Paul his auditors upon a gallows? none can share in their disgrace but those who sympathize in their crimes, or censure their punishment. How much more honest, as well as prudent, would it be to remove the guilt from themselves, by throwing it all upon the devoted head; to put the evil thing out of the city; and to imitate the sagacity of the horned herd, who always drive the blown deer from amongst them, where he seeks his refuge, though at the hazard of involving the whole tribe in his misfor

tune!

T. & G.

NUMBER 4.

Of the Explication of the Scriptures.

To fear God, and keep his commandments, is the summary of the Old Testament; and to believe that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is the compendium of the new. Whoever can prove his obedience and faith, by these two plain duties, fulfils the law and the gospel.

It was most agreeable to the infinite goodness and tender mercies of God, to make every thing which he requires of us weak men, obvious and clear. The importance of the duty implies its certainty, which is not to be found in phrases either doubtful or obscure. The scriptures are justly stiled the revealed will of God; they are addressed to all mankind, and given to remain as a rule of faith and manners to the end of the world. It must therefore follow, that whatever is necessary to be known in them, is to be as easy and intelligible at one time as another, and to all men alike.

Where their meaning cannot be positively determined, a new inspiration will be necessary to reduce them to certainty; and if that be wanting, every thing else is but conjecture. Whoever therefore goes about to put a construction upon such passages in scripture, and enjoins us to believe his interpretation, does not demand submission to the word of God, but to his own authority and imagination.

What use is there of an unintelligible proposition? Or of a reve lation which wants to be revealed? Almighty God will never require of us to see in the dark, till he has given us new eyes; nor to believe any article, or obey any precept, till we understand him, and know what he means. A rule which is not plain is no rule at all; nor will he make a law binding, or the transgression of it a sin, till we know what it is.

It is true, that human laws oblige all men to submit to the penalty annexed to the transgression, though many perhaps may never hear of them. But this is to prevent the constant plea of ignorance, which otherwise would be made by all offenders. The corruption and imbecility of human nature makes this procedure necessary. But it is far otherwise in the dispensation of Providence. The author of it sees our hearts, penetrates the most secret recesses of our souls, makes indulgent allowances for our weaknesses, and expects nothing from us but what he has given us the means and abilities of knowing and performing. He requires us not to make brick without straw. He judges by the in tention not the action. We cannot offend him but voluntarily, much less offer him an affront, when we design respect and obedience.

The creator and preserver of mankind cannot take delight in puzzling his creatures with darkness and ambiguities, and in points too, where their souls are in danger. He is not a rigid master, who would reap where he did not sow. This would be a cruel mockery, unworthy of the Divine Being who has brought life and immortality to light.