An account of the growth of deism in England

AN ACCOUNT OF THE GROWTH OF DEISM. SIR,

'TIS now three Years ſince you and I had a ſerious Diſcourſe concerning the riſe and progreſs of Deiſm: which is an Opinion of late Years crept into England, tho not ſo widely ſpread here as in other parts of Europe. I well remember we were both agreed, that there was no ſhadow of Reaſon why any one ſhould ſuſpect the Goſpels of Forgery, ſince the matter contain'd in them hath not the leaſt ſavour of any worldly Intereſt, or indirect Deſign, but all the Lines of them do only center in the higheſt Improvement Humane Nature is capable of. So that in conformity every Man may take great comfort in himſelf, and all Mankind live well with one another. Beſides, the Preachers of this excellent Doctrine had at firſt all the Diſcouragements which an irreligious and idolatrous Age could give them, (as is confeſſed by their Enemies) inſomuch that nothing but their own perſonal full Conviction of the Truths they profeſſed could engage them to Preach 'em; and the intrinſick Goodneſs of the Law of Christ, was ſufficient to gain mens hearts, after Miracles had born down their Prejudices, and gain'd their ſerious Attention. In fine, you and I could ſee no reaſon to doubt of the Truth of any matter of Fact contain'd in the Goſpels, which relate the miraculous Birth, Life, Death, Reſurrection and Aſcenſion of Jeſus Christ; but what would oblige us to deny the truth of all Hiſtory whatſoever. And from theſe Conſiderations laid together, we concluded that the Doctrine of our Lord Jeſus Christ was undoubtedly ſent to us by God.

This ſtill made it appear more ſtrange to us both, how DEISM (which is a denial of all reveal'd Religion) ſhould creep in upon us where the Scriptures are made ſo publick, and where ſo many Learned Treaties are written, which ſo ſtrongly aſſert their Authority to be Divine. I confeſs, I was as deſirous to know upon what Grounds Men rejected the Goſpel, as you your ſelf were, and therefore I willingly undertook the Task you laid on me, viz. To collect and put together thoſe Motives whereby ſome had been induced to lay aſide all Revelation. For which Performance I was the fitter, becauſe it doth not require any Learning and ſtrength of Wit, but only Obſervation, and Inquiry, which I might eaſily make, becauſe of the numerous Acquaintance I have contracted in Town, where (you know) I ſpend the Winter, and in the Country, where I beſtow my Summer Viſits. But all I ſhall do in this matter, is barely to give you a Relation of thoſe Prejudices, and (as I think) falſe Reaſonings, which have drawn ſome of my Acquaintance from Revelation to DEISM.

1. Now, firſt I have obſerved, that ſome who pretend themſelves Deists, are Men of looſe and ſenſual Lives; and I make no wonder that they diſlike the Chriſtian Doctrine of Self-denial, and the ſevere threatnings againſt wilful Sinners. You may be ſure they will not alledge this Reaſon: But having read Spinoſa and Hobbes, and been taught to laugh at the ſtory of Baalam's Aſs, and Sampſon's Locks; they proceed to ridicule the reality of all Miracle and Revelation. I have converſed with ſeveral of this Temper, but could never get any of 'em ſerious enough to debate the reality of Revelation: But a witty Jeſt and t'other Glaſs puts an end to all further Conſideration. Theſe are meer Sceptics, and practical Atheists, rather than real Deists. 2. But there are others, who, although they have not a due regard to Revelation, are Men of Sobriety and Probity, who with great freedom have let me into their Thoughts, whereby I can very clearly and fully (as I think at leaſt) diſcern the riſe and progreſs of this their Opinion, which is this;

1. In the time of King Charles the Firſt, (which confineth my longeſt acquaintance with Men) 'twas uſual for Gentlemen to ſend their Sons abroad into Italy, Spain, France, Germany, &c. to accompliſh themſelves by Travel. But leſt they ſhould be prevail'd upon to change their Religion, care was taken that their Tutor or Governour, who travelled with 'em, ſhould ſhew them the Idolatry and Superſtition of the Roman Religion; and alſo let 'em in to ſee that Popery in all its Branches was only a device of the Prieſthood, to carry on a particular Intereſt of their own; to encreaſe their Wealth, Honours, and Power over the Lay-people; to exalt the Head of their Order above all the Crowned Heads in the World, and equal one whole Order of their Clergy, viz. the Cardinals, to the Princes of Chriſtendom. Nay, ſince all People were obliged to make their Confeſſions to, and receive their Abſolution from the Priest, the meaneſt of which Order could create a God for the People's Worſhip; 'tis plain, that their Religion was calculated for the Profit, Power and Honour of the whole Order of the Prieſthood in this World, whatſoever advantages they might find by it in the other. Now the Young Gentleman being throughly convinced of this Holy Cheat, returneth to Old England; where he meets with very zealous Conteſts about Religion (as was pretended) between the Church of England, headed by Arch-Biſhop Laud on the one part, and the Presbyterian Kirk on the other; and having carefully read the Debate (as it appeared in the Prints) on both ſides, with thoſe very Eyes which he had ſo lately cleared up in Italy or France, he could not forbear to ſee that both theſe Proteſtant Parties, under the pretence of Religion, were only graſping at Power, and that the Controverſy at bottom, was not who's Religion was beſt, but only what Sect of the Clergy ſhould make the beſt Market of the meer Lay-men. And as this Young Gentleman had before reſolved with himſelf not to become a Property to the Popiſh Prieſthood, no longer now will he be ſuch to the Proteſtant Clergy of any Denomination, ſince both purſue the ſame Ends. He perceiveth that our Proteſtant High-Priests do all of them rival the Sovereign Power; the Biſhop's Houſe like that of the King, muſt be called his Palace, he muſt ſtill keep up his claim to the Miter and Croſier, to vie with the Crown and Scepter; and as the Stile of the King's Courts is Anno Regni noſtri, i. e. In the Year of our Reign: So that of the Biſhop's Court is Anno Conſecrationis noſtrae, i. e. In the Year of our Conſecration; the Year of the King's Reign being unknown in the Biſhop's Court: The King ſpeaking to the People doth uſually call 'em his Loving Subjects; the Biſhop doth not make himſelf ſo familiar, but ſtileth the People of his Dioceſe barely his Subjects, Juriſdictioni noſtrae ſubditos: The King is Inthroned, and the Arch-Biſhop Inthronized; both derive their Power from a Divine Right; but the Biſhop is the higher Power, becauſe by the Principles of Epiſcopacy he can Excommunicate the King, i. e. forbid him the very Converſation of his Subjects, and thereby render them uncapable to make good their Oath of Allegiance, in yielding their Aid and Aſſiſtance.

Nor do's he find that the Presbytery claims any inferior Powers; each Party alledge Scriptures and Fathers on their ſide; and for ought I can ſee, (ſays this Gentleman) they are all in the right. Through an exceſs of Prejudice thus occaſion'd, he makes a further ſtep towards Deiſm, and Reaſons after this manner: 'Tis not impoſſible (continues he) that the ancient Clergy might be poſſeſs'd with the ſame Spirit of Pride, which has prevail'd over the modern. If thoſe Writings, which they call Holy Scriptures are of their ſide, as they all ſay they are, I make no doubt but they were of their own inventing; and if Jeſus Christ their Patron, laid the Foundation of thoſe Powers, which both Popiſh and Proteſtant Clergy claim to themſelves from under him, I think the old Romans did him right in puniſhing him with the death of a Slave. After this manner I have heard it ſaid of late, by another of the ſame Conſtitution, that as the Church of Rome was a modelled Faction againſt all other Chriſtians, ſo was the Church of England, by Law Eſtabliſhed, againſt all other Proteſtants, who were by Law excluded from every Office of Profit and Truſt; who were made ſubject to the Piques and Malice of every Church-man, and became a conſtant Revenue to Apparitors and Spiritual Catch-poles. And though at preſent there be a Toleraration by Law granted, yet 'tis ſtill oppoſed by the Spirit of the Church, as appears by Sermons Preached at Viſitations, and the conſtant ordinary Diſcourſes of the Clergy, in which the Church of England is always repreſented, as at this time, in greater danger than ever it was; though I ſhould think the danger had been as great in King James's Time: And notwithſtanding the Toleration (ſaid he) no Man can enjoy a place of Profit or Truſt, though he be ever ſo dutiful a Subject, and ever ſo able or honeſt a Man, unleſs he hath a Conſcience by Law Eſtabliſhed: By which Church-device Men are deprived of the Privileges of their Country to which they are born, and for the diſcharge whereof they never did in any reſpect incapacitate themſelves; and hereby it comes to paſs, that the Nation cannot act vigorouſly in its own defence, being debarr'd the Uſe of one Moiety of it ſelf; and notwithſtanding this, they have the Confidence to tell us Lay-men, that we ought to love our Neighbours as our ſelves. Now if this be the way of the Chriſtians, (concluded he) let my Soul be with the Philoſophers.

2. And this brings to my Thoughts what another Deist ſaid jeſtingly to me, viz. That ſince I was a Chriſtian, 'twas lucky for me that I was of the Biſhop's Church; for though you were ever ſo Loyal (ſaid he) to the King, yet if you did not pay as dutiful an Allegiance to the Biſhops, you could not hold the Place you now enjoy; for as certain as the Croſs is above the Crown, ſo ſure a thing is it, that the Biſhop will be above the King; which he undertook would appear to me if I looked back to King Charles's Reſtoration, or King William's Revolution. The Presbyterians, though they quarrelled with Charles the Firſt, yet became the loving Subjects of Charles the Second; joined with the Epiſcopalians in aſſiſting him to the Throne, and made no ſcruple of Swearing their Allegiance to him, and owning his Supremacy. But after all this, the King was not able to ſupport theſe his Loving Subjects againſt the Power of the Biſhops, who in two Years time outed 'em of their Livelihoods, and after that, drove 'em five Miles diſtance from all Market-Towns; and at laſt the Acts made againſt Papists were extended to them. But ſince King William's Revolution the Caſe is alter'd; for the Jacobite Clergy, though turn'd out of their Livings by Law, for refuſing Allegiance to the King, yet from the Allegiance they bare to the Biſhops, they find ſuch Favour from their Lordſhips, that if the Livings they loſe are in the Biſhops gift, he ſhall preſent any Friend which the diſpoſſeſſed Jacobite ſhall recommend; now what can be more by them deſired, than to enjoy the Profits of their Livings, and put in what Curate they pleaſe? And after all, that they may enjoy the full Profits of their Livings, and pay their Curates another way, theſe Jacobites may hold their Conventicles where they pleaſe, nay, Preach publickly and ſeditiouſly in an open Church near Cheap-ſide, London, without the leaſt offence to the Spiritual Power. And is it not plain (ſaid this Gentleman) from all this, that on this ſide the Water as well as on the other, the Clergies Zeal for their Communion, Church and Religion, is only meant to ſupport their own Party, Dominion and Empire?

3. Now the oldeſt Deists of my Acquaintance having conceiv'd ſo great a Prejudice againſt the Chriſtian Faith, from the Behaviour of the Clergy, and having levened their Diſciples therewith, it has fal'n out unhappily, that the late Revolution has by another way alſo confirmed them in this their Prejudice.

For the late happy Revolution, (which came on too ſoon, and was cut off too ſhort) though it was not ſo highly beneficial to us, as was by ſome expected, was yet of very great Importance. But as there is nothing in this World ever ſo good, but what hath ſome appending diſadvantage; ſo by meer Accident this Revolution, which has ſaved not only the Church of England, but (as I hope) the whole Proteſtant Intereſt throughout the World, has wonderfully encreaſed Mens Prejudices againſt the Clergy, and ſo by falſe Conſequence (ſuch as Men through Reſentment will make) againſt the Truth of Religion it ſelf. The old Deists tell thoſe of their Pupils, who never travelled abroad, that there is now no need of going over the Water to diſcover that the name Church ſignifieth only a Self-intereſted Party, and that the Clergy have no Godlineſs but Gain. Have you not (ſay they) for many Years together heard them Preach up the Divine Right, and indefeizable Authority of Kings, together with Paſſive Obedience, as the chief diſtinguiſhing Doctrines whereby their Church approved it ſelf Apoſtolick beyond all other Churches? Nay, were not the Doctrines of Loyalty to the King, inſiſted upon more than Faith in Christ? and yet when their particular Intereſt required it, their Doctrine of Non-Reſiſtance was qualify'd by Non-Aſſiſtance, the whole Stream of Loyalty was turn'd from the King to the Church, the indefeizable Right was ſuperſeded by a miraculous Conqueſt without Blood, the Oath of Allegiance to the Divinely Rightful King James has its force allay'd by another Oath of the ſame Importance made to the de facto King William and Queen Mary, and all this is Sanctify'd by the name of the Church, i. e. their own Party and Intereſt, for the ſake whereof it is done. This is indeed keeping to the Text—Rem rem quocunque modo rem.

And the wretched Defence they make for this their Apoſtacy (ſay the Deists) maketh the matter worſe. For notwithſtanding King James is, as they will have it, Conquer'd; and his Throne, which was declared vacant, is legally filled by one who by Act of Parliament is declared our Rightful King; yet after all this Dr. S— will reſerve a Right to King James, though through Succeſs and Settlement he will allow a Right alſo to King William. And this Notion the Clergy generally adhere to, becauſe thereby they kill two or three Birds with one ſtone. 1ſt. They preſerve to themſelves their ancient Right of giving Titles to Sovereignty. For though both King and Parliament have diſclaimed and damned the Conqueſt, yet the Clergy ſtill inſiſt upon it. 2ly. They make fair Weather with King James, by keeping his Title alive, and by ſtill aſſerting his Right, open him a Door to recover his Poſſeſſion again. For what honeſt Chriſtian can oppoſe a Rightful King in regaining the Poſſeſſion of his Throne, which is kept from him by a Succeſsful Uſurper? and 3ly. They think they have obliged King William ſufficiently by the formality of an Oath, and owning him in his Poſſeſſion. Put all this together and 'twill prove, that When all the Argument is out, 'Tis Interest ſtill reſolves the doubt.

Thus (cry they) you plainly ſee, that your Church is nothing but a Party, to which whoſoever joineth himſelf ſhall find his Account thereby, notwithſtanding any Error, Hereſy, Immorality or Diſloyalty to the preſent Government whatſoever; whilſt any other who is conformable to the Rubricks and Canons, whoſe Learning and Morals are an Honour to his Gown, and who is truly dutiful to his Majeſty, ſhall be excluded from all thoſe benefits his Profeſſion would entitle him to. Thus the bold Aſſerters of King James's Right enjoy ſome of the beſt Preferments, and particularly Dr. S— ſits D— of St. P— whilſt honeſt Mr. Johnſon is ſtarving upon Charity.

The Church of England is a meer Party, (ſay they again) and has a Watch-word whereby they know one another, which they can vary upon occaſion. Non-Reſistance was the Word in King Charles's days. For though at that time you did conform to every tittle and ceremony, injoin'd by Rubrick and Canon, yet if you failed in the Point of Non-Reſiſtance, you were a Phanatick and Republican, a Rebel, and what not? Now if this Doctrine be contain'd in the Book of Homilies, as the Jacobites ſay, 'tis a Sacred Record of the Unjuſtice of ſome of thoſe who concurred in the late Revolution. The Shiboleth of the Church now is King William's de facto Title; And no Conformity to Homilies and Rubricks will make you owned by the preſent Church, if you ſhould acknowledge the King to be otherwiſe ſaid than a meer de facto. Now (ſay they) although we grant that Men will ſubmit to the Government, upon their own particular Principles, and therefore 'tis reaſonable that the King ſhould admit the Obedience of his Subjects upon what Grounds they pleaſe, yet we know no Reaſon why the Church ſhould ſet up the de facto, as the only Principle of Obedience: And when the King had better Titles to his Crown, as the Conſent of the People in Parliament, and his Matrimonial Title with the Queen, yet he muſt be made to pay the greateſt price for the weakeſt and worſt of all Titles; and give Dr. S— Sixteen Hundred Pounds a Year, for a Defactoſhip only.

You ſee, Sir, that the Deists want not Occaſions for their Prejudices, how far ſoever they are from having Reaſon o' their ſide. And pray reſolve me, why muſt this falſe Title be ſet up as 'twere by the King's Conſent, to worm out the only true one? Why muſt none be preferr'd to Church-Dignities, but ſuch who come in upon this Title only? And thoſe who own the King's Right upon the Conſent of the People, be ſtill labouring under the Church's higheſt diſpleaſure? and poor Johnſon, a Man againſt whom no Immorality was ever objected, that is an Object even of the Deists Compaſſion, be left to ſtarve for the Cauſe? Nay, they have gone ſo far upon the Strength of Dr. S— Convocation-Title, in Oppoſition to that of Parliament, that ſince the good Queen is dead, and the Conſent of the People, according to them, null and void; they have left the King a bare Poſſeſſion, without any Title at all.

4. I am acquainted with a Gentleman, who for ſome Years has not gone to Church, having taken offence at thoſe Practices I was now writing upon. This Man, you muſt know, had an extraordinary Veneration for the profound Learning (ſo he thinks much reading and common-placing to be) of a certain Eminent Divine, who had a fat Biſhoprick beſtow'd on him by King William and Queen Mary. But he to requite their Kindneſs, when a Bill was brought before the Lords, declaring the King and Queen's rightful and lawful Title to the Crown, not only oppoſed and voted againſt it in the Houſe; but when it had paſſed, he entred his Proteſtation againſt it in the Journal. Nay (ſaid this Gentleman) if King William be only King de facto, then the Biſhop is de facto only. Truly Sir, you may believe me, that I was amaz'd at this Relation; for (as I then ſaid) though moſt Men look no further, than only to get Mony de facto, and do not with much ſtrictneſs inquire quo jure; yet 'twas ſtrange that any Man ſhould proteſt that he had no right to that Eſtate, which he openly continued in Poſſeſſion of. But I was ſoon anſwer'd by this his former Admirer, that if that Biſhop had ſtrengthened his own Title to the Biſhoprick from King J. I might ceaſe my wonder.

I am indeed ſorry to hear Stories of this Nature, eſpecially when they aſſure me of the Truth of 'em, and when I ſee the ill Conſequences of them. For though nothing be more certain than that the Baſeneſs and Falſhood of Man can never diſprove the Truth of God; yet when Men are highly Scandaliz'd, and greatly deceived by thoſe for whom they had Eſteem, and by whoſe Authority they in great meaſure governed themſelves, they will ſtretch their Concluſion beyond their Premiſſes, and diſown Religion in their Principle, becauſe 'tis diſregarded by ſome great Men in their Practice.

But though to ſtrict Reaſons, ſuch Arguments for Deiſm appear ridiculous; yet from the Promotion of theſe de facto Men, I am told, hath ariſen great diſadvantage to the King, and thoſe Subjects, whoſe Principles and Practices have been always faithful to his Majeſties Intereſt: Since hereby it is, that it hath always been in the power of the open and profeſſed Enemies of the King to oppreſs his moſt dutiful Subjects. For theſe de facto-men, and the Jacobites, were but lately the ſame ſort of People, both of the ſame Principle and Temper. And though the Jacobites do now rail at them, for their baſe Complyances (as they term it) with the P. of O's Revolution; yet the de factos are unwilling, for old Acquaintance ſake, to paſs by their Railing, and underhand to ſhew 'em any kindneſs: And this they ſubmit to, as being Self-conſcious, that the Jacobites have a Right to reproach them; ſo that they are willing to appeaſe the anger of their old Friends by their beſt Services. Now the Jacobites having always an innate Hatred to the Whigs, (as they now ſtile all thoſe who think themſelves obliged to own the King for their rightful Sovereign) and being willing to keep up their old Maſter's Right to the Crown, (to which the Whigs are irreconcileable Enemies) eaſily prevail upon theſe de factos to oppreſs thoſe other ſort of Men, which is an Office they are as willing to undertake, as the Jacobites can be to put it upon 'em. Thus it cometh to paſs, that according as an open profeſſed Enemy to the Government ſhall dictate, a Church-man ſhall ſtrenuouſly exert that Power the King has given him, to diſcourage and oppreſs his Dutiful and Loyal Subjects. I will only (ſaid a certain Perſon) make a Suppoſition, to ſhew you how this may be; ſuppoſe the King ſhould beſtow a Biſhoprick upon a de facto Doctor, and this Doctor ſhould there find his old Acquaintance Dr. H. and being a Stranger in his Dioceſe, ſhould be willing to inſtruct himſelf in the Characters of Men from the good D., would it not fall out ſo, that the Clergy of that Dioceſe muſt be uſed well or ill, as the moſt open and notorious Enemy the Government hath, ſhall deſign? And was it not poſſible that the E. of N. might oblige his old Friends in the ſame manner? Thus, though King James be at laſt excluded, his Subjects reign in his ſtead. And whether an Oath of Abjuration laid upon the Jacobites Proxy-men, will put an end to this Corruption, Time muſt tell us.

5. But to return to the Reaſons, (or Prejudices I may rather call 'em) which occaſion Deiſm; It hath been obſerved to me, that where the Notion of a Church hath been carried on with the higheſt Tide, there even natural Religion is at the loweſt Ebb; as in Italy of old, and lately in France, where groſs Immoralities and Atheiſm are at the greateſt height. And though in our Reformation we diſcarded ſome Idolatrous and Superſtitious Doctrines and Practices, which were grown ſcandalous among the People, yet ſtill Christ was made to ſerve that turn, which his Holy Vicar can no longer do, viz. Support an Holy Order of Men in as haughty Inſolences, in as proud, ambitious and malicious Deſigns, as thoſe which King Henry (though a Son of the Church) and his Times could not bear. Now in anſwer to this, I bid theſe Deists only read the Bible, and ſee if the Spirit of that Book be not as good as their Thoughts can reach to; or let 'em read the Character of the Chriſtian Religion, given by Sir Matthew Hale in the firſt of his Three Letters concerning Religion, where he ſaith, It teacheth and tuters the Soul to a high Reverence and Veneration of Almighty God, a ſincere and upright Walking, as in the Preſence of the inviſible all-ſeeing God. It makes a Man truly love to Honour, to Obey him, and therefore careful to know what his Will is: It renders the Heart highly thankful to him, both as his Creator, Redeemer and Benefactor: It makes a Man entirely to depend upon, to ſeek to him for Guidance and Direction, and Protection, to ſubmit to his Will with all Patience, and Reſignation of Soul: It gives the Law not only to his Words and Actions, but to his very Thoughts and Purpoſes: It bringeth a Man to ſuch a Deportment both of External and Internal Sobriety, as may be decent in the Preſence of God and his holy Angels: It cruſheth and casts down all Pride and Haughtineſs, both in a Man's Heart and Carriage, and gives him an humble frame of Soul and Life, both in the ſight of God and Men: It regulates and governs the Paſſions of the Mind, and brings them into due moderation and frame: It gives a Man a right eſtimate of this preſent World; and ſets the Heart and Hopes above it, ſo that he never loves it more than it deſerves. It makes the Wealth and Glory of this World, high Places and great Preferments, but of a low and little value to him, ſo that he is neither covetous nor ambitious, nor over-ſollicitous concerning the advantages of it: It brings a Man to that frame, that Righteouſneſs, Juſtice, Honeſty and Fidelity, is as 'twere part of his Nature; he can ſooner dye than commit or purpoſe that which is unjust, diſhonest or unworthy a good Man: It makes him value the love of God and Peace of Conſcience above all the Wealth and Honours in the World, and be very vigilant to keep it inviolably: Though he be under a due Apprehenſion of the Love of God, yet it keeps him humble and watchful, and free from all Preſumption; ſo that he dares not under a vain Confidence of the Indulgence of God, commit or purpoſe the leaſt injury to man: He performs all his Duties to God in Sincerity, Integrity and Conſtancy; and while he lives on Earth, his Converſation, his Hopes, his Treaſure, and the Flower of his Expectation is in Heaven; and he entirely endeavours to walk ſuitably to ſuch a Hope. In Sum, it reſtores the Image of God unto the Soul in Righteouſneſs and true Holineſs.

I prevail'd upon one of my Friends, a Deiſt, to read thoſe three Letters, becauſe therein the Subſtance of the Chriſtian Religion is diſtinguiſh'd from the Circumſtantials and Appendages; for want of which diſtinction being well underſtood, Deiſm has aroſe, as that great Man in the fore-cited Letter hath obſerved. When Men (ſays he) ſee ſo much Religion placed by Profeſſors of Chriſtianity in theſe things which every intelligent Man values but as Forms, or Inventions, or Modes, or Artifices, and yet as great weight laid upon them, as great fervour and animoſity us'd for or againſt them, as almoſt for any Points of Chriſtian Religion; They are apt preſently to cenſure and throw off all Religion, and reckon all of the ſame make. Thus that Upright Judge, whoſe three Letters my Friend having read, did well approve of 'em, acknowledging, that with great Exactneſs he had diſtinguiſhed between Religion and Prieſt-craft: And he added, If you will ſhew me, Sir, any Chriſtian Church where that diſtinction is obſerved, I will become a Member of it. I recommended the Church of England; he preſently told me that he had read the 39 Articles, and obſerved that 3 of them were wholly deſign'd to uphold the Power of the Clergy over the People. And then he bad me only compare the Deſign, which has been, and ſtill is, carrying on under the Name of the Church of England, with the Deſign of the Chriſtian Religion, as 'tis deſcribed by Sir Matthew Hale; and I ſhould find the one in all its parts a Contradiction to the other. 'Tis plain (ſaid he) the Clergy do not allow of Sir Matthew's Notions, nor will they ſuffer us to take any thing for Religion, that is diſtinguiſhed from their particular Intereſt. To what end have ſo many Perfecutions and Penal Laws been ſet a foot by the Clergy in Chriſtendom? was it to bring Men to any one Point of that full Deſcription of Chriſtian Religion, which you cited from Sir Matthew Hale? or only to bring them to that ſhort Article of their Clergy Religion, i. e. to ſubmit to their Power? Did not the Honourable Sir R. H. lately write a Treatiſe, wherein with great Learning and accurate Judgment he diſtinguiſhed betwixt Religion and Prieſt-craft? and was he not treated for it with a true Prieſtly Inſolence and Malice in the Pulpit at White-hall, by A. one of their Majeſties Chaplains, and repreſented as a Scorner and an Atheiſt, becauſe he ſcorns to ſubmit to any Religion but what is of Chriſt's Inſtitution? Suppoſe a Man ſhould govern himſelf by the Law of Chriſt, and go no further, is there any Chriſtian Church which would own ſuch an one for a Member? If you will be a Son of the Church of England you muſt hold Kings and Biſhops to be jure divino, the Apoſtolical Doctrine of Paſſive Obedience; you muſt not be indifferent to their Ceremonies, though declar'd but indifferent things; and the Reaſon is, becauſe you muſt have a profound Reſpect for the Power of the Biſhops, by which theſe Ceremonies were ordain'd: And beſides this, you muſt ſhew a perfect Abhorrence of all who do not ſubmit to the Spiritual Royalties of their Dioceſan Biſhops; for your Churchmanſhip will not appear by any Mark ſo well, as by the Hatred you bear to all Diſſenters, in Conjunction with a deep averſion to all the ancient Rights and juſt Liberties of your Native Country. In fine, (ſaid he) when your Clergy Preach the Law of Chriſt without turning it to any By-end, or falſe Intereſt, you ſhall meet me at Church. You know the Clergy love Precedency of the Laity; Let them turn Chriſtians firſt, and I can follow.

6. I have known ſome, who have alledged as a Reaſon why they have forſaken the Chriſtian Faith, the impoſſibility of Believing. Many Doctrines (ſay theſe) are made neceſſary to Salvation, which 'tis impoſſible to believe, becauſe they are in their nature Abſurdities. I replied, That theſe things were Myſteries, and ſo above our Underſtanding. But he asked me to what end could an unintelligible Doctrine be revealed? not to inſtruct, but to puzzle and amuſe. What can be the effect of an unintelligible Myſtery upon our Minds, but only Amuſement? That which is only above Reaſon muſt be above a rational Belief, and muſt I be Saved by an irrational Belief? If a Propoſition be inconſiſtent with it ſelf, I cannot but believe it to be falſe: 'Twas once to ſerve a Turn againſt the Papiſts your Church held all Doctrines neceſſary to ſave Souls, were plainly revealed in Scripture; How could you ſay plainly revealed unleſs you underſtood the Revelation? Beſides, I cannot think that the belief of any unprofitable Doctrines, i. e. ſuch as admit of no Application to Moral Duties, can be a ſaving Faith ſo much as in part; nor can I imagine that Faith tends to ſave a Soul, becauſe what we believe is only True, (for ſo the belief of Euclids Elements might have a ſaving Effect upon Souls) but becauſe our Belief is Good, it has a practical Effect, and tends to make us better Men. Beſides, you all agree the Belief of your Trinity is abſolutely neceſſary to Salvation, and yet widely differ in what we muſt believe concerning it; whether three Minds or Modes, or Properties, or internal Relations, or Oeconomies, or Manifeſtations, or external Denominations; or elſe no more than a Holy Three, or Three Somewhats; or otherwiſe only one of theſe Three to be God in the higheſt Senſe, and each of the other two to be a God without Self-ſubſiſtence and Independence. I am confident, if I ſhould be perſwaded that an Explanation of the Trinity were neceſſary to ſave my Soul, and ſee the Learned ſo widely differing and hotly diſputing what it is I muſt believe concerning it, I ſhould certainly run mad through deſpair of finding out the Truth: But ſince theſe Doctors cannot agree which Party of 'em ſhall captivate my Belief in Obedience to his Faith, I will reſerve it to be the Hand-maid of Truth; whenever ſhe appears ſhe ſhall command it.

7. I remember one Gentleman objected to the Chriſtian Faith, that it made Men inſolent, quarrelſom and ill-natur'd. From whence I concluded, (as I told him) that he had never read over the Goſpels; truly he could not ſay that he had read 'em carefully, but yet that in reading the Hiſtory of what had paſſed in Chriſtendom, he obſerved that moſt of the Quarrels in which this part of the World had been engaged, aroſe from Contentions among the Chriſtian Prieſthood. Church-Hiſtory is chiefly a Relation of Church-mens Wrangles, and D. Cave in a late Book of his had denominated every Century from ſome eminent Quarrel which aroſe among the Clergy. But beſides this, what was the Holy War, what all the holy Maſſacres and Croiſados which filled Europe with Blood, but the Inventions of Holy Church? And what is holy Inquiſition, but a perpetual Series of Murthers carry'd on in barbarous Forms of Law againſt the common Senſe of Mankind? Does Hiſtory account for any Barbarities ſo great as thoſe committed by the Popes? Any Cruelties ſo ſavage as thoſe of the Holy Inquiſition? Any Murthers ſo ſolemn, and religiouſly brutal as the Acts of Faith? Any Pragmaticalneſs ſo inſufferable as that of the Jeſuits? is not their Humanity extinguiſhed by their Chriſtian Religion? ſuch is their Malice that no Man can eat Bread where they have to do, unleſs he ſubmit his Faith to their guidance, witneſs the preſent French Perſecution. Nor can any Sovereign Prince keep his Word or Oath, though he had only ſworn to maintain thoſe Laws by which he Reigns as King, any longer than this Spiritual Fatherhood will give him leave, as Lewis XIV. of France, and James. II. of England do witneſs. Let theſe Inhumanities be conſidered, as ſupported and carried on by the name of Catholick Church, and (if the Devils believe) you may as decently ſay Church of Hell as Church of Rome.

And as Devotion, continu'd our Deist, to holy Church is the center upon which all things turn on the other ſide the Water, ſo is it the ſame thing here. Do not our Prieſthood of England make as high Pretences to diſpoſe of all Offices and Truſts in the Kingdom, to thoſe of their own Faction, as thoſe of Rome? Have they not long ſince got their Bill of Excluſion to be paſſed into a Law, whereby no Man can enjoy a Place of Profit or Truſt in the State, but whom they qualify at their Altars? where Men were capacitated to be Bumbails, keep Gaming-houſes and ſell Ale. What was it but the Inſolence of the Prieſthood that brought about Father Laud's and Father Peter's Revolutions? Beſides (ſaid he) do you not obſerve what a keen Edge Chriſtian Faith puts upon the ill-nature of Divines, when they are diſputing about matters of Religion? 'Tis common for Philoſophers, Lawyers, Phyſicians, &c. to differ about matters which concern their Profeſſions, and write one againſt another: But you will find ſome Temper and Decorum obſerved in their Writings. But let the Controverſy be about any Branch of Chriſtian Faith; and then ſee the Odium Theologorum, the Malice of Divines in the late Writings of two of your Church Doctors againſt each other; at leaſt this ſhews that Chriſtian Faith doth not improve the Temper of ſuch Men who are of mean Birth, and narrow Education. And I cannot but obſerve, that your Proteſtant Malice is under a worſe Management than the Popiſh; they only thirſt for the Blood of Proteſtants, but you are for ſucking one anothers Blood; as when for the Service of King Charles the II. (who was Head of your Church) and his Popiſh Brother, the Blood of the beſt Proteſtants in England, (and ſome of them of your own Church) was to be ſpilt, the Court Blood-ſuckers, viz. Attorney general, and Judges, beſides Juries and Evidence, were all of 'em choſen Men out of your own Church; and the Poſſe of the Clergy was raiſed to hold their Heads to the Block, by Preaching the Doctrine of Paſſive Obedience.

But in requital, it muſt be confeſſed, that your Clergy require the King to do their Perſecuting Journey-work with the ſame Inſolence as the Popiſh Prieſthood uſe; For muſt not the Sovereign Monarch of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, by his Authority Royal, execute the Decrees and Anathema's of the Arch-deacons and Biſhops Chancellors, by Impriſoning his loyal and uſeful Subjects, for not conforming to their Ceremonies? If a King will ſubmit to this Drudgery, he ſhall have the vox Cleri of his ſide, and be as great as Noiſe and fulſom Flattery can make him; but in the mean time is really King but of one Moiety of his People, whilſt the danger which the other half apprehend from the Secular Arm directed by Spiritual Power of Neceſſity, weaneth their Hearts from the Government. Thus Charles the II. who for two Years after his Return, reigned in the Hearts of all his People, was by the Act of Uniformity reduced to be King of the Church-party; and at laſt, whilſt the Popiſh and Proteſtant Prieſthood zealouſly contended whoſe Property he ſhould be, (like the Truth among Controverſial Divines) he was loſt in the Scuffle.

He inſtanced in likewiſe the late King James, who (ſaid he) had it in his power to be univerſally beloved and obey'd, beyond any King of England this Age has produced. His Right to the Crown was owned by all; his Wilfulneſs had paſſed upon the Church of England Party for Magnanimous Reſolution, which ſtruck ſuch an Awe upon them, that they were coming to a Temper, and would have conſented to a Toleration of Proteſtant Diſſenters, and Roman Catholicks too, provided their Maintenance might be continued to them. Thus the Heart of all England had been ſet upon the King; but the Popiſh Prieſthood would be content with nothing leſs than delivering the whole Nation to Satan, and their King muſt execute the dreadful Anathema, though 'twas manifeſt that he muſt thereby leſſen himſelf to the ſize of one of the 7 Kings of Kent; for he could be Sovereign of no more than the Two hundredth part of the People. For King Charles in numbering the People, had found that the Proportion between Papist and Proteſtant was as 1 to 200: whereas had his own Prieſthood been ſo favourable to him, as to have excuſed him from executing that Satanical Power, which by a Right purely Divine was veſted in Sacred Majeſty, his Reign might have been happy, and his Memory precious. What an unhappy Effect had the Spirit of Father Laud upon King Charles the Firſt? And what hath brought Lewis the XIV. to the preſent Diminution of his Glory, but that haughty Inſolence and unnatural Cruelty in Perſecuting his own Subjects, which Father la Chaiſe has inſpired him with? What Figure will this Grand Monarch make in Story? His Name will pollute the Annals of this Age, and his cowardly Conqueſts be the Scorn of Poſterity. Now from all that he had ſaid, he concluded, that for Luckſake, as well as to preſerve his good Nature, he would be cautious of being (at leaſt) a zealous Chriſtian.

8. 'Twas not long ſince I met one of my old Acquaintance, who told me that he had lately caſt off theſe Prejudices he had conceived againſt the Chriſtian Faith, by the Aſſiſtance of a Book called, The Five Letters of Inſpiration. By the laſt of thoſe Letters he was convinced of the reality of reveal'd Religion, from the Intrinſick value and Excellency thereof; and he was fully confirmed in his Judgment by a late Book called, The Reaſonableneſs of Chriſtianity, as delivered in the Scripture. Upon this, he had read over the Old-Teſtament once, and the New ſeveral times, with great attention of Mind. Indeed he always thought the Moral part of the Bible very good; but then he alſo thought, that by the ſtrength of his own Reaſon, he could have written as good a Moral himſelf. But by the laſt of theſe Books he was convinced, that he was indebted to Revelation more than he thought of, and conſidering how long the Ceremonial Law had obtain'd among the Jews, and what a profound reſpect they paid to the Scribes, Phariſees, and Spiritual Guides and Rulers; he plainly ſaw that there was need enough of Miracle to bear down their Prejudices, to make 'em leave their Ceremonies, and liſten to that excellent Moral which Chriſt gave 'em; nay, he was convinced that no Miracles were ſtrong enough to prevail over the Prieſt, or a Prieſt-ridden People, to become Proſelytes to the Doctrine of univerſal Love and Charity; for (ſaid he) if a Teacher ſhould now be ſent from Heaven with this Meſſage, that all the Proteſtant Parties in England ſhould be reconciled and live well with one another, making nothing neceſſary to their religious Communion, but what Chriſt had appointed, and ſuch Circumſtances as Time and Place, and what in the nature of the thing was needful, and if this Teacher's Miſſion were confirm'd by Miracle, it would have (as he thought) no better effect upon our ſeveral Sects of Clergy, and thoſe who are bigotted to their Parties, than it had upon the Phariſees and their Diſciples of old.

Having heard him ſpeak ſo ſharply againſt the Clergy after his old way, I could not but tell him that I perceived he was but almoſt a Chriſtian; for he who loveth the Inſtitution of Chriſt, cannot but reſpect thoſe who are the Miniſters thereof; at leaſt, I hoped that he would pay a reſpect to the Clergy of the Church of England, which was the beſt Reformed Church in the World; and therefore I expected that he was already a Member of our Church: He reply'd, that he ſhould always be ready to pay his reſpect to every good Man of what Order or Degree ſoever; he ſhould always be willing to hear a good Miniſter Preach the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt to him, and exhort him to the ſincere Practice of it. That he was ready to contribute his ſhare to the Maintenance of ſuch Miniſters, and to join with that Church-of-England Congregation near to which he liv'd, in publick Worſhip; but yet he could not condemn the Worſhip of other Congregations, nor exclude himſelf from joyning with them as occaſion ſhould ſerve him. So that as to Church-memberſhip he could be a Member of any Church, which would own him upon the terms of Faith and Practice, contained in the Book he mentioned, concerning the Reaſonableneſs of the Chriſtian Religion, &c. But ſtill he conceiv'd, that Church-Communion in holy Offices was deſigned only to raiſe his Devotion towards God, not towards the Clergy, which made him admire the unparallell'd Impudence of the Roman Prieſthood, who meaſure the Religion of all Chriſtians by their Devotion to the See of Rome, i. e. indeed to themſelves; and he doubted whether any Church were ſufficiently Reformed from Popery, which made any Doctrines of Faith neceſſary to Salvation that were not declared ſo in the Goſpels, and where the Clergy would always diſtinguiſh between Church and State, and give the Precedency to themſelves. But yet he would join with any Church as far as it promoted the Honour of God, and ſeparate from it, wherein on pretence of Religion, he ſaw, •• at it aimed at a By-end of its own.

Here I urged him again to joyn to our Church, which had no other deſign but God's Glory. To this he ſaid, that he ſhould be glad that the Church of England would own him, though he could not be of their Party: He would willingly paſs as a Church-man for his Credit-ſake; for (ſaid he) though a Man doth ever ſo firmly believe Jeſus Chriſt to be the Meſſiah whom God had of old promiſed, and in due time ſent to give us a perfect Rule of Life, in order to make us truly religious here, and ever happy hereafter; and though a Man ſhould ſhew forth his Faith by an agreeable courſe of Life, in doing Juſtice, loving Mercy, and an humble walking with God; yet if he were not owned as a Member of ſome Church, he would by all Churches be accounted, if not an Atheiſt, yet a Sceptic, a Man of no ſettled Principle, but own who has his Religion to chooſe. For if you look over the State of Religion as it ſtandeth in Chriſtendom, there is no Church whatſoever which will accept you as a Member of its Communion, but upon ſome particular terms of Belief, or Practice, which Chriſt never appointed, and it may be ſuch as an honeſt and a wiſe Chriſtian cannot conſent to. I am not more able to give up my Reaſon to the Church of England, than to give up my Senſes to the Church of Rome; it looks like a Trick in all Churches to take away the uſe of Mens Reaſon, that they may render us Vaſſals and Slaves to all their Dictates and Commands. But what greater ſlavery than to force on Men a Belief of ſuch things as neceſſary to Salvation, of which 'tis not poſſible to form any Idea? Though I am ſatisfied there is no ſuch thing as a change of Bread into the Fleſh of Chriſt, yet I can form an Idea, that ſuch a thing may be, that the ſame Power which changed Earth into a Man, may change Bread into Fleſh: But I can frame to my ſelf no Idea of what your Church Teacheth in the Sacrament, that the Body and Blood of Chriſt are verily and indeed taken and received of the faithful; And when I ask how can this be underſtood by a Proteſtant, who believeth that there is no other Body but that of Bread? I am told that the Church meaneth it in a Spiritual Senſe. Now I have try'd, and find it impoſſible for me to form to my ſelf an Idea of a Body verily and indeed in a Spiritual Senſe.

And therefore I muſt ſay 'tis an unwiſe and a hard Thing for any Church to impoſe abſurd or unintelligible Notions (eſpecially ſuch Speculations, which tend to make no body the better) as neceſſary to Salvation; for Wiſe Men, and ſuch who will take Courage to examine what they Believe, will not ſubmit to ſuch an Uſurpation; and weak Men are kept all their Life long in Fears and Doubts of their Eternal State, as being always uncertain whether they firmly believe ſuch Doctrines, or no.

Beſides this (ſaid he) your Church will require me to believe other Abſurdities as bad as theſe, as that Kings and Biſhops have a Divine Right to that Power, which they exerciſe over us, whereas with my own Eyes I ſaw our Great and Gracious King accept the Crown of England, as the Gift of the People. And I ſee as plainly, that Biſhops are an Order of Men of their own (not of Chriſt's) making. I was told that our Biſhops Order was founded in that of the 12 Apoſtles, and the Presbyters Order in the 70 Diſciples: Upon this I reſolved to ſee if the 12 and the 70 were different Orders, or no, and read over the 10th Chap. of Matthew, the 3d and 6th of Mark, and the 9th of Luke, in which places the Power which Chriſt gave to the 12 is ſet forth, which amounteth to this, viz. a Charge to Preach the Goſpel, a Power to work Miracles in caſting out Devils, healing the Sick, &c. And I alſo read in the 10th Chapter of Luke, that the 70 were ſent forth for the ſame Reaſon, and with the ſame expreſs Power as were the 12, viz. To preach the Goſpel, heal the Sick, and caſt out Devils, verſ. 2.9.17. And he telleth the 70 at the 16th Verſe, That he who heareth them, heareth him; and he who deſpiſeth them, deſpiſeth him, as he had ſaid to the 12, in Matthew 10.40. Indeed they were only added to the number of the 12, Becauſe (as 'tis ſaid there) the Harvest was great, and the Labourers few, i. e. becauſe Multitudes followed Chriſt, and were diſpoſed to become Chriſtians, therefore he encreaſed the number of his Apoſtles, or Teaching Diſciples. I can find no Footſteps of any Juriſdiction given to the 12 over the 70, or indeed over any body elſe; and in the 18th Chapter of Matthew, where Chriſt ſpeaketh of binding and looſing, 'tis manifeſt from the firſt Verſe, that his diſcourſe was made to his Diſciples. So in the 20th of John, the Holy-Ghoſt and Power of remitting and retaining Sins, was given to the Diſciples which met together after Chriſt's death, verſ. 19. in which meeting, there might be ſome of the 70 as well as ſome of the 12: 'Tis certain the 70 received the Holy-Ghoſt, and if Baptiſm be a Key of Admiſſion into the Church, they had it: If binding or looſing be declaring wherein we are bound in duty, and wherein we may uſe our liberty; if remitting and retaining Sins be declaring what Iniquity God will forgive, and what he will not; the 70 ſhared this Power with the 12. As for delivering up to Satan, and inflicting Diſeaſes; ſince 'twas a miraculous Power, which we read not that Chriſt appropriated to the 12, we have no reaſon to think 'twas detained from the 70. If then Chriſt appointed but one Order, viz. that of Teachers, the Order of Rulers dignified themſelves above, and diſtinguiſhed themſelves from their Brothren, yet I am willing to ſubmit to thoſe Powers, which the Laws of England have given to the Biſhops, though what they claim by Divine Right, I eſteem as an Uſurpation.

Moreover (ſays he) although I am become a Chriſtian, I have not ceaſed to be an Engliſh-man, and for that reaſon cannot be in party with the Biſhops, who by their falſe-prerogative Doctrines, and other ſhameful Aſſiſtances, ſo lately betray'd the Charters and Liberties, Rights and Privileges of their Country, were ſetting up an abſolute irreſiſtible Power in K. Charles II. which being demiſed to K. James, endangered not only the Liberty and Property, but Body and Soul of the Nation. Nor can I ſo ſoon forget how their long debates, about admitting the P. of Orange, our Good and Great King, to the Sovereignty, was the occaſion of ſpilling ſo much Proteſtant Blood in Ireland; nor the late Proteſtation of ſome of the chief of their Party againſt his Majeſties Right to the Crown; nor how careful they have been ſince, that (as it now falls out) he ſhould have no pretence to any rightful Title. If any Clergy-man was ſo honeſt as to Preach up his Right, as juſtly grounded on the Conſent of the People, (as Mr. Johnſon for inſtance) he muſt lie under pain of the Church's higheſt diſpleaſure, though otherwiſe ever ſo Orthodox and Conformable; ſo that ſince the beloved Title of Conqueſt is burnt by the Parliament, and the Matrimonial Title is (to the great grief of all good Men) dead and buried with the Queen; it remaineth according to Holy Church, that he hath no Title at all, but only bare Poſſeſſion; and this they mean when they call him de facto.

But I cannot find that they will allow him to be King of the Clergy ſo much as de facto. Alas! his Livings, whereby alone he is capable to oblige them to call to mind their now forgotten Loyalty, which of late years they preached up, as the ſumm of the Law and the Prophets; Alas! theſe good Things are taken out of his hands by the Conquering Biſhops, that the Clergy may have a ſeparate Intereſt from the State on this ſide the Water, and be led to pay an intire Allegiance to the holy Order. When Hen. VIII. came to know that his Biſhops ſwore Allegiance to the Pope, he began to think of ſome ways and means how to make himſelf King of his Clergy, which he ſaw could not be done but by caſting out the Pope's Power; and hence ſprung that King's Reformation of his Politicks, rather than Religion. And if our good King were ſenſible of the Reaſons why an Engliſh Papacy is ſettled in a Committee of Six, viz. to fix the Obedience of the Clergy on themſelves excluſively, (for no Man can ſerve two Maſters) I doubt not but he would think fit to demand what is ſo much wanted, viz. the Allegiance of the Clergy to their King; if he diſſolves this Committee he may ask and have, for where their Treaſure is, there their Hearts will be alſo. For theſe Reaſons (ſaid he) I ſhall be cautious how I enter into Church-memberſhip, ſince I plainly ſee that every Party of Chriſtians embodied, organized, clergy'd and modelled into a National Church, caſteth an awe upon the Sovereign Power, and ſuffereth it not to provide equally for the Common Good of the Subject, but will appropriate the ſalus publica, and influence the Government to ſerve its own particular, its own private Ends.

Thus, Sir, I have given you an account of thoſe Prejudices, which have brought forth Deiſm. But yet theſe very Prejudices without a ſtrong aſſiſtance of Paſſion, could never have wrought upon Men to caſt off Revelation; for you ſee the ſame Prejudices remain in the Deist turn'd Chriſtian. Whoſoever therefore, upon the fore-mentioned Reaſons turneth Deist, cannot be excuſed, tho' I could heartily wiſh all theſe Pretences could be taken away from 'em. I am far from begrudging the Biſhops and Clergy that ſmall Maintenance, which by Law is ſettled upon them; and, I hope, they have no other aim in diſcharging their Offices, but to ſave our Souls, by imprinting on our Hearts the Reaſon, the Excellency and Advantages of the Law of Chriſt. I hope alſo, that they comport themſelves to the Common Intereſt of their Native Country, and of the Proteſtant Religion throughout the World. Truly I could wiſh that Notional Divinity were laid aſide for Practical, and that unintelligible Myſteries were not inſiſted on, as matters of neceſſary Belief. He, who lately wrote his Thoughts of the Cauſes and Occaſions of Atheiſm, might have conſider'd, that he, who cloggeth the Notion of God with Abſurdities, miſ-leadeth Men beyond Deiſm. I pray God give me his Grace, by which I may ſincerely conform my ſelf to the Law of Chriſt, and I will never concern my ſelf with the Speculative Drs. in Divinity. And I heartily join with our Church in that Petition, Give grace, O heavenly Father, to all Biſhops and Curates, that they may both by their Life and Doctrine, ſet forth thy true and lively Word, and rightly and duly Adminiſter thy holy Sacraments. By this they would bring Souls to Heaven, gain the Love of all good People, ſecure their own Temporal Intereſts, ſtop the Mouths of their Adverſaries, and compel the Deists to become Chriſtians.

I am, Sir, Your Affectionate, &c. FINIS.