those notions and ceremonies, which bring them, reverence and hire, but methinks it is a little unreasonable to expect that others should, without their motives, adopt their zeal.

P. S. Having in my last paper asserted, that there is no particular priesthood at all directed by the New Testament; I am told, that it is from thence surmised by some, through malice, and by others, through mistake, that I do by this insinuate, that there is therefore no occasion for any church ministry whatsoever, notwithstanding my former declarations upon this head. I particularly say in my third paper, speaking of the clergy;

"Their office is evidently adapted to promote the welfare of human nature, and 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."

I also say in my fourth paper, that " I sincerely think their office to be absolutely necessary to the peace and happiness of society." I could likewise refer to other passages. But to give full satisfaction once for all, to such as will be satisfied, I declare that I do only contend for the right of every national and voluntary society to appoint their own pastors, and to judge of their doctrines and behaviour: Further than this I have no aim. Nor do I desire to lessen the respect due to the clergy from their merit and usefulness; or the dignities, privileges, and revenues which they derive from the law, or from the good will and contributions of the people. And I intend very soon to defend the church of England upon the principles and authority of the scripture and the law; as well as the toleration granted to dissen ters by the same law, and the same scripture, G.

NUMBER 11.

The advantageous situation of the clergy, strangely inconsistent with their common cry of danger.

VIRTUE and innocence were created naked and undisguised; nor did our first parents cover themselves till they had offended. Truth can never sin, and therefore need not, and ought not, ever to appear in masquerade she is most amiable when most uncovered, and appears truly majestick, and in greatest lustre, when disrobed of all gaudy and affected ornaments: her natural features want no varnish or colouring, nor has she any need of dressers and tire-women.

Actors

Knavery and deformity alone want daubing and disguise. do not care that any one should look into the tiring room, nor jugglers or sharpers into their hands or boxes; whereas honesty and sincerity appear always barefaced, and shew themselves most in open day; they scorn all indirect advantages, and borrowed helps, but trust alone to their own native beauty and intrinsick strength; The lion is never known to use cunning.

I confess, that I am not master enough of my temper to avoid faughter, and indignation, by turns, at the noisy clamours of the high clergy against the freedom of the age, and the liberty of the press; as if vittue was inconsistent with good sense, or truth could suffer by knowledge, or religion by a free and thorough examination. What figure would a grave lawyer make in Westminster-ball, if, after he had been tiring his auditors for two hours together, he should desire the judges not to hear the counsel of the other side, lest they should perplex the cause, and mislead the court?

Every stander-by would take it for granted, that he was conscious of the weakness of his client's cause, and that it could no otherwise be defended, than by being not understood. This is, in point, the case of those, who demand of all mankind to be heard by the clock, and will yet hear no body; who talk and rail by wholesale, whilst they cannot bear a single jest, or ludicrous expression; and who write yolumes by the yard themselves, and are in an uproar, and outrageous, at a single half-sheet of other peoples.)

How absurd would it appear for an army of an hundred thousand men, entrenched up to the ears, to call aloud for the assistance of the constable and watch, to defend their camp against the assaults and storms of highwaymen and house-breakers! Just such a request do the popish clergy abroad make, when they cry out, fire, fire! help, help! when they demand the assistance of the secular power; and insist, that no sermons be preached, books printed, or harangues made, but their own. They have already more advantages than truth can desire, and indeed enough to offend her modesty, and to make her ashamed and blush; they are too well armed for a fair adversary, and yet are always complaining of the shortness of their weapons; and declaring themselves overcome by calling out for more help.

Besides the piety and example of their lives, they are vastly numerous, and in possession of great and various dignities, of immense revenues and dependencies; are all bred up to letters; have the preJudices of the people, the sole education of youth, the fears as well as the favours of the fair sex on their side; and have the weekly opportunity of haranguing to the people upon their own usefulness and importance: and they tell us too, that they have a sole right to the scripture prophecy, That the gates of hell shall not prevail against them.

Crowned beads always have thought it their interest to keep measures with them; ministers of state are not able to trick successfully, and play the knave, without their leave and assistance: they take advantage, and make their market of all factions and disturbances in states, and apply them to their own benefit: knaves shelter themselves under their protection; hypocrites court and seem to admire them, and biggots and enthusiasts adore them. Every event of life contributes to their interests: they Christen; they educate; they marry; they church; they bury; they persuade; they frighten; they govern; and scarce any thing is done without them. Notwithstanding all this, they roar aloud, that they cannot keep their ground, but that contempt and infidelity pour in upon them like an inundation.

It is very remarkable, that the first Christians were not only destitute of all the before mentioned advantages, but their enemies enjoy ed then. They themselves were persecuted and contemned, buffeted,

ridiculed and calumniated, constantly in books and libels, published by the greatest philosophers and wits of the heathen world. Yet Christianity every day spread far and wide, and made a wonderful progress; insomuch, that in an age or two, superstition and idolatry were driven from a great part of the earth.

A speculation upon this head, and an enquiry into the causes of so prodigious a change, would be worthy the endeavours of the brightest wits and geniuses of our age and country, who undoubtedly must be found amongst our own genuine clergy. I have long wished to see a dissertation upon this great and useful subject; and with the greatest humility propose to the consideration of the lower house of convocation at their next (so much desired) meeting, to give the world their thoughts upon it, in a second representation of the causes of vice and infidelity. In hopes to encourage them in so public an undertaking, I intend before that happy day, to give them my poor assistance, and in some measure to alleviate their labours, by endeavouring to prove that no part of this misfortune ought to be laid at the door of the laity,

Indeed, it would be unbecoming the respect and reverence, which I have always professed, and hope shall always pay to these reverend gentlemen, even to hint at any thing so improbable as the contrary conjecture for since human nature is always the same, who can en tertain so indecent a thought of their designs, or have such a contempt of their performances, as to imagine that mankind can grow worse under the light of the gospel; in defiance of their pious lives and examples; of the numerous forms of publick and private prayer; of their constant sermons, and godly exhortations; of so many creeds, catechisms, systems, commentaries, and whole cart loads of other ghostly geer, which the world is every day blessed with from the laborious endeavours of above a million of ecclesiasticks, or more; who have always, and do still, cost the people more than their whole civil and military expense put together? since therefore, we may be sure that this great change and degeneracy cannot be owing to any remaining defect amongst the laity, it may well be expected from persons of their penetration and perspicuity, to let us into the true causes of so surprizing a phenomenon.

In the mean time, (though with all the due submission of an humble votary)I shall for once presume to advise them, not to level so many batteries against good sense and human reason, which are impregnably fortified and secure against the fiercest assaults. A great philosopher tells us, when reason is against a man, a man will be against reason. I therefore much fear if these my friends, and patrons should continue to hold forth and exert their eloquence against private judgment, freedom of enquiry, and a daily and diligent search after a religious knowledge of the holy scriptures, that the world may mistake their endeavours, and imagine that all these good things make against them; and yet unfortunately they are in such repute, that there are little hopes of depreciating or putting them out of countenance.

Besides, I humbly conceive it to be impolitick upon other accounts too. It appears to me to be very indiscreet in persons militant, to endeavour to put an end to a war, which for the most part puts an end to themselves and their own pay. A jovial country parson once in a merry mood, passing by a waggon which was overturned, told the

carter that he had killed the devil; to which the profane wretch repli ed, that he was glad of it with all his heart, because then, quoth Ralph, I have spoiled your trade. A word to the wise is sufficient.

Methinks also, it should be doing too much credit to his satanick majesty, to suppose him more than a match for a million of consecrated persons, with all their hierarchical powers, and as they say, divine assistances about them. T.

NUMBER 12.

The enmity of the high clergy to the reformation, and their arts to defeat the end of it.

MACHIAVEL advises any one, who would change the constitution of a state, to keep as much as possible to the old forms; for then the people seeing the same officers, the same formalities, courts of justice, and other outward appearances, are insensible of the alteration, and believe themselves in possesion of their old government.

Thus, Cæsar, when he seized the Roman liberties, caused himself to be chosen dictator, (which was an ancient office) continued the senate, the consuls, the tribunes, the censors, and all other powers of the commonwealth; and yet changed Rome from the most free, to the most tyrannical government in the world.

This policy is yet more necessary to be observed in altering the religion of a country; for very few persons, of any sect or party in faith, are conversant with the speculations or distinguishing tenets of their own church, or so much as know what they are.

Whilst they see the same broad-brimmed hats, band, cassocks, and long gowns; and hear the same psalms sung in the same tone, and in the same fashioned buildings; they think that they have the same religion, and will be angry with any one who shall tell them the contrary.

But if the ceremonies or other forms of religious worship are to be altered too, the change must be made insensibly, and by degrees, that the difference may be unobserved, or thought of no consequence; and all advantages must be taken of revolutions in government, of publick calamities, and of factions, when they beat high, and are ready to fall into any measures to oppose and mortify each other.

The priesthood in all ages have made these arts, and a thousand oth ers, contribute to their greatness; the high-church jacobite clergy of England have put them all in practice to regain every thing which they lost at the reformation; and if they could but have prevailed upon their flocks to have followed them, they had long ago sold them again in the Roman market: but since we of the laity are so refractory, and hang backward, they now seem resolved to gallop away by themselves, and leave us to come our own pace after; insomuch that a clergyman of the church of England, as by law established, is, at present, be

come, I am far from saying an uncommon, I am sure I may say, most agreeable sight, and many of his brethren treat him as a monster..

It must be evident to any one, who has read our ecclesiastical story, that the reformation in England was carried on, not only without, but against the consent of the whole body of the clergy, (very few excepted) who always opposed every step towards their own amendment it was, indeed, every where, properly speaking, an effort, or insurrec tion of the laity, against the pride and oppression of the priests, who had cheated them of their estates, imposed upon their consciences, debauched their wives, and were ever insulting their persons.'

The poor injured people had long felt the malady, but were so intimidated by their own superstition, and the over-grown power of their haughty masters, that they durst not think of a remedy, till a bold and disobliged friar or two dissolved the enchantment; and then the whole Christian world seemed to rise at once against this fairy and fantastical empire.

But people long used to servitude, knowing not what freedom is, or how to preserve it when thrown into their laps, have always recourse to some leaders, of whose honesty and greater wisdom they have conceived an opinion: and these for the most part abuse such confidence, to advance their own views of wealth and power.)

So it happened in this case; and consequently the reformation went partially on, according to the direction under which it fell. Where priests were at the bead of it, they attempted only to make it a reformation of sounds and distinctions: they took no offence at the riches and grandeur of the clergy, (which was the source of all other evils) but were angry that they had not their share of them; and so looked upon the revolt only as a means to aggrandize themselves: they condemned not the tyranny, but the tyrants; and attempted to usurp that power in their own persons, which they loudly exclaimed against in the Romanish priesthood: most sets of them wonderfully well agreed, that there was a divine right in the clergy to dictate to the laity in religious matters; but every sect claimed that power to themselves, independent of all others.

They could not agree about sharing the prey, but each would have had the whole; which had this good effect, however, that they were all obliged to abate much of their pretensions, in order to engage customers; and, I thank God, they have not yet been able to raise the price again to the old market; though, to do them justice, they are no ways answerable to their successours, for having let slip any opportunity to that purpose.

But whilst they were thus carrying on their project for dominion, they found it necessary to throw out a barrel to the whale, and keep -the peoples minds busied, and their passions afloat, with metaphysical subtilties and distinctions, of no use to true religion and morality, though very conducive to their own ambitious and tyrannical designs.

I would gladly know from these reverend venders of trifles, whether it would have been worthy the thousandth part of the combustion which has been made, or the blood which has been spilt, only to have settled a few speculations, if they could have been settled? Pray where is the essential difference between transubstantiation, consubstantiation, and the real presence? what the consequence, whether a child be