checks that which deviates from the fame, as CHAP. making a falfe Pretence to Right. For the Ob- XVII. ject of all true valuable religious Liberty is the aforefaid true and valuable Good in publick Worfhip; and that which would depart from it, is not Liberty, but Licentiousness, tending to Confufion, and to all the Mischief that can arise from dangerous Miftakes, or at least, a dangerous oppofing Zeal, in Things confeffedly indifferent in their own Nature, where Moderation of Zeal fhould always keep its Station: But after they have gain'd the Stamp of publick Authority in any Country, the Scale of Indifferency certainly turns to the Side of Authority, and fhould always fecure the greater Refpect, if not an univerfal Compliance.

As to publick Worship of the Deity, I fhall produce the Religion of Nature delin. "A Man,

fays that Author, may be confider'd as a "Member of Society, and as fuch, he ought "to worship God, (if he has the Opportunity "of doing it: If there are proper Prayers used

66

publickly, which they may refort to; and his "Health, &c. permit.) Or the Society may "be confider'd as one Body that has common "Interefts and Concerns, and as fuch is oblig'd "to worship the Deity, and offer one common "Prayer. Befide, there are many, who know "not of themselves how to pray, perhaps can"not fo much as read. Thefe too must be "taken as they are, and confequently fome Time "and Place, appointed, where they may have "fuitable Prayers read to them, and be guided

in their Devotions. And further, toward "the keeping Mankind in order, it is neceffary "there fhould be fome Religion profefs'd, and

K 4

66 even

CHA P." even eftablish'd; which cannot be without XVII. "fome publick Worfhip. And were it not "for that Sense of Virtue, which is principally preferv'd (fo far as it is preferv'd) by national Forms and Habits of Religion, Men "would foon lofe it all, run wild, prey upon "one another, and do what elfe the worft of "Savages do*."

IN regard of that Reproach and Contempt pour'd out fo plentifully upon the Perfons, officiating in the publick Worship of these Nations, by the two Authors I have been animadverting upon, and others of their Stamp; instead of entring into a Defence of the Ministry, I congratulate them, upon the fenfible Pleasure and Honour they continue to do us, by the abufive Perfecution of their Tongues, and Pens. Efpecially because it is a genuine Sample fo honourably and fincerely confiftent with their boafted Principle of univerfal Benevolence †, which they conftantly proclaim to be due to all Men, and yet as conftantly fhut out Ecclefiafticks of all Perfuafions from any Benefit, or Title to it; as if they were worse than all Men in the Community, for taking an Employment upon them for the general Good. If Chriftianity in a Proteftant Nation is a Trade, as fome affirm, it is however a Trade between God and Man, of God's own

*

Religion of Nature delin. p. 124.

+ The Deifts make the Whole of Religion to confift in Benevolence, or, as they vary the Phrase, in doing as we wou'd be done by; tho' it manifeftly is no more than one Third of the Religion of the End. They defignedly leave out of their Syftem, Duty to God, and Ourfelves; and by that Device would make Religion and Civil Government, this World and the next, to be one and the fame Thing.

erecting;

erecting; and they who are Partners in that CHAP. Trade have all the Profits, whilft the Clerks XVII. have no more than writing Wages and Attendance under the polite Appellations of the black Tribe, &c. *

THE grand Traducer certainly owes them a Shame; they would never else be so much at his Service, as to lay afide all Respect to the Reader, and seek Occafion, and make it at every Turn, and almost in every Chapter, run out into Digreffion, in order to give us a Caft of their Benevolence; and by an egregious Impofition upon the Reader, conftantly endeavouring to involve all Proteftant Clergy under the Odium of Popish Prieftcraft; from Inftances of Mifconduct only applicable to the latter: As if falfe, indifcriminate Accufation was neither Sin, nor Shame, nor any Seducement of the Judgment into Error and Infidelity.

THE Religion of Nat. delin. will affure them the contrary. Among other Prejudices, there "is one of a peculiar Nature, which you must "have obferv'd to be one of the greatest Causes "of modern Irreligion. Whilft fome Opinions "and Rites are carried to fuch an immoderate

Height, as exposes the Abfurdity of them to "the View of almost every body but them who

raise them, not only Gentlemen of the belles "Lettres, but even Men of common Senfe, "many times fee through them; and then out "of Indignation and an exceflive Renitence,

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not feparating that which is true from that which is falfe, they come to deny both, and

*So the Author of the Characteristicks files them.

fall

CHAP." fall back into the contrary Extreme, a Con "tempt of all Religion in general." p. 60, 61.

XVII.

IT is certainly our Honour, that fuch Men, refolving to continue what they are, count us their Enemies for the work fake, and exprefs it fo vehemently in Seafon and out of Seafon; becaufe we are not for their turn, we are clean contrary to their doings; we upbraid them with their offending the law, we object to their infamy the tranfgreffing the true Oracles of Reason, the found certain Nature of Things, the Fountain of Truth and of Religion, and their perverse Usage of the Kindnefs of Heaven; therefore they look on us, only with malevolent Eyes, they speak of us every where, they treat us at all times with despitefulness, Wifd. xi. 12, 19. It is most certain, that if we please fuch Men, we are not, what we ought to be, Servants of Christ, Gal. i. 10. It is the strongest Proof that can be given," the Confeffion of an Enemy," that we retain Integrity to our Master Chrift, and are useful and neceffary to the Support of his Religion; at the fame time it is a ridiculous owning the Weakness of their own Objections against it, as often as they have recourfe to fuch forry Weapons.

σε

THE facred Office can never be hurt by their Sayings, if it is not firft reproached by our Doings." So long as the Ends and Ufes of the Miniftry duly obferv'd, will affuredly establish and endear us to all Chriftians; fo long we have nothing fo much to difvalue, as the Calumny of thefe Haters of that Name; or to dread as their verbal, or written Praises: Their Commendation of Particulars means nothing

more

more than a Signal to Companions of their rea- CHAP. dinefs to betray his Caufe, and go over to their XVII. Defigns of fubverting it. We know whom we have believed, and are well apprifed of our Reward, when Men fpeak evil of us falsly for his fake; therefore fuch Praise ought never to be counted of, because it can never proceed à laudato Viro: Confequently the Ministry have always the most valuable Effects, when we enjoy the Reverse of it. And, I really believe, nay, I prophefy, if they abate not of their Bigotry, they are fo filly, as not to take care to disappoint us of that Encomium, of our Enemies being found Liars against us, and their Defamation our Merit; whilft we feverally have the Confolation of knowing, that the Reproaches of them that reproach Thee, O Chrift, are fallen upon ME! But let them know, the more they rage against us, the less they have to reply to our Arguments; and fo the Caufe and we triumph together over them.

BESIDES, what Advantage, what Alteration for the better has not the true Chriftian Religion imported to thefe Realms with refpect to its Clergy, above thofe of their Religion, the old natural Religion once establish'd in thefe Nations? The Druids were invested with the Prerogative of adjudging Property, deciding all Controverfies, diftributing Rewards and Punishments; and they who did not fubmit to their Determinations were excommunicated from all Honours and Privileges, deprived of the Benefit of the Laws, and held in Abhorrence. Cæfar's Comm. Lib. VI. They have, 'tis true, no Abuse of Holy Times, or Holy Offices to anfwer for, because they

are fo impious as to have neither Time, Perfon,

or

!