Chapter XII: Part I (1)

_Res Religionis non Verberibus sed Verbis est peragenda._
Lactant.

_London_: Printed for the Author, and
Sold by him, next Door to the _Star_ in
_Aldermanbury_, and by the Booksellers of
_London_ and _Westminster_, 1729.

[Price _One Shilling_.]

TO THE

QUEEN.

Madam,

_Not long since the_ Bishop _of_ St. David_'s presented to Your_ Majesty _his_ Vindication; as _I would have done this my_ Defence, _if I had known how to get Access to Your Royal Presence_.

_Your_ Majesty _will perceive, that here's a sad War broke out between the_ Bishop _and my self, about_ Miracles; _which, in all probability, will cost a large Effusion of Words; and, unless Your_ Majesty _can accommodate the Difference, will hardly be terminated without the Slaughter of many Notions and Arguments_.

_The_ Bishop _is for making Your_ Majesty _the Arbitress of our Controversy, which I consent to; and he talks of Your singular Qualifications to preside at it, which I as certainly believe, as that a_ Bishop _will not lye nor flatter_.

_Had I known before of Your_ Majesty's _Abilities at this Controversy, I should have gone near to have applauded You for them; and the World would readily have believed my Praises of You to be just, because I had no Bishoprick nor_ Translation _in View for them_.

_If Your_ Majesty _has no extraordinary Talent at this Controversy, I trust, You are wiser than to think the Better of Your self for the_ Bishop_'s Compliment. You'll not be vain; tho' he is fulsome._

_But the Bishop_, Madam, _has done me wrong. He would insinuate, that I am disaffected to the_ King's _Title and Government; which is entirely false. I Love and Honour Your whole Royal Family, and often pray for Your_ Majesty _too_, without Pay, _which is more than any_ Bishop _in_ England _has done for You_.

_And what are my Prayers for Your_ Majesty? _That God may prolong Your Days to the comfort of Your Royal Progeny, and the Joy of these Nations; That the Felicity of Your Life may be uninterrupted by Enemies and Misfortunes; and That after a good old Age, when Life is no longer desirable to the happyest Princes, You may be transferr'd to an heavenly and immortal Crown of Glory. This is the hearty and voluntary Prayer of_,

[Sidenote: London, September 27, 1729.]

Madam,
_Your Majesty's_
_most humble_,
_most obedient_,
_and faithful Servant_,
Thomas Woolston.

A

DEFENCE

OF THE

DISCOURSES on _Miracles_.

At Last, one Volume of _Bishop Smalbroke_'s mountainous Work, that the _Press_ has been so long pregnant with, is brought forth: And I don't doubt, but it answers the Expectations of the _Clergy_, who will extol it to the Skies, and applaud it to the Populace, as an absolute Confutation of my _Discourses_; but I would advise them, if it be not too late, not to be too profuse in their Commendations of it, for fear that an Occasion should be given them to blush for their want of Judgment. We have had Instances of Books before now (and one very remarkable, in the Case of _Boyle_ against _Bently_) that have met with a general Approbation, till they have been sifted into, and upon Examination found empty; and it is not impossible, but _this_ of the _Bishop_ before us, may meet with the same Fate.

I had conceived a great Opinion of this _Bishop_'s Learning and Abilities, and, if he had not sent[338] two simple _Harbingers_ before-hand, should have been so apprehensive of his Acuteness, that nothing, but a thorough Persuasion of the Goodness of my Cause, and of my Power to defend it, could have kept me from Flight before him. But I stand my Ground, and shall, against greater Adversaries than this _Bishop_, who has more weakly and maliciously attack'd me, than you'd have been expected from one of his reputed Candour and Learning; and given me greater Advantages to insult and triumph over him, than I could wish or desire.

Many other little _Whifflers_ in Divinity have before attack'd me with their _Squibs_ and _Squirts_ from the _Press_, but I despised them all, as unworthy of my particular Regard and Notice, reserving my self for Defence against this _Bishop_'s grand Assault; when, by the by, I might have an Opportunity to animadvert on one or other of them. Some of these _Whifflers_, like Men of Honour, have set their Names to their Works; others very prudently have concealed their Names, which, upon the best Enquiry I could make, I have not been able to discover, or I had given them a Rebuke for their Impudence and Slanders. It may be wonder'd, that any polemical Authors, especially when they write on the orthodox and establish'd Side of the Question, should conceal themselves, and that they are not tempted with the Hopes of Reward and Applause to make themselves known. I will say what I think here, that it's never Modesty in such _anonymous_ Authors (for we _Scribblers_ in Divinity, whatever we may pretend, have always a good Conceit of our selves) but Apprehensions of a sharp Reply to their Dishonour. And this is the true Reason, why some of my Adversaries industriously conceal themselves, knowing that they are guilty of wilful and malicious Lies and Calumnies, which I should chastise them for. But, as their Names are supprest, they know, it's to no Purpose for me to expose their Malice, because no body can be put to shame for it.

The _Bishop_ of St. _David's_ acts here a more glorious Part: He comes not behind me, like other _Cowards_, to give me a secret Knock on the Pate, but like a courageous Champion, looks me in the Face, and admonishes me to stand upon my Guard. This is bravely done in him! And I have no Fault to find, but that he is providing himself with _Seconds_ in the Controversy, I mean the _Civil Powers_, and calling upon them to destroy me, before the Battle is well begun, and whether he gets the better of me or not. This is not fairly nor honourably done of the _Bishop_, and I have Reason to complain of it. Tho' I think my self equal, if not superior in the Dispute, to any of our _Bishops_, yet I am not a Match for the _King_'s Power, neither would I lift up my Hand, or use my Pen against him for all the World. If the _Bishop_ will yield to a fair Combat, and desire the Civil Authority to stand by and see fair Play between us, I will engage with him upon any Terms. But to make the _Civil Powers_ Parties in our Quarrel, and to bespeak them, right or wrong, to favour his Side, is intolerable, and what we spiritual Gladiators ought to abhor and detest.

I liked the _Bishop_, when he proposed to the _Queen_ to be _Arbitress_ of our Controversy. As I will not here question her Qualifications to judge in it, so the first Opportunity I have of waiting on her _Majesty_, I will join my Requests to her to accept of the Trouble and Office. After she has fix'd the Terms of Disputation, and thought of a proper Reward for the _Victor_, or a Punishment for the _Conquer'd_, then will we proceed, and either dispute the Matter from the Press, or scold it out in the Queen's Presence, as she shall think it most conducive to the Edification of herself, and of her Court-Ladies.

But the _Bishop_'s Proposal here, and Compliment on the _Queen_, is but the Copy of his Countenance. He'll submit to no Arbitration: No, no, he's for having the Civil Powers to be immediate Executioners (without further hearing what I have to say for my self) of his Wrath and Vengeance upon me. He's for having them to take it for granted, that he has proved me an _Infidel_ and _Blasphemer_, and would have them to inflict some exemplary Punishment upon me, so as to incapacitate me for ever writing more. Wherefore else does he say thus?[339] "Indeed a more proper Occasion cannot possibly happen in a Nation, where Christianity is establish'd by human _Laws_, to invigorate the Zeal of the Magistrate, in putting the Laws in Execution against so flagrant a Sort of Profaneness, that tramples with such Indignity on the Grounds of the _Christian_ Faith; and to convince the World that the _Minister_ of that _God_, who is so highly affronted, _bears not the Sword in vain_. And certainly the Higher Powers have great Reason to exert their Authority on this and the like Occasions."

I was astonish'd at this Passage, with some others, in the _Bishop_'s _Dedication_, and could hardly believe my Eyes when I read it; that a Scholar, a Christian, and a Protestant Bishop, should breath so much Fury and Fire for the kindling again of _Smithfield_ Faggots! That any Thing of human Shape should so thirst after that Destruction of another, which would turn to the Ruin of his own Reputation and Honour! Does the _Bishop_ believe that he has clearly confuted me, or does he not? If he believes, and others know that I am absolutely confuted, then there's an End of the Controversy, the Danger of my _blasphemous_ Books is over; and why should I undergo any Punishment, which would move the Compassion of many, and give a greater Reputation to my Writings than they do deserve? Does the _Bishop_ think he has confuted me? This is Honour and Triumph enough to him; who, of all Men, should not desire me to be otherwise punish'd, for fear of getting the Character of a merciless and implacable Conqueror. Am I in my own Opinion confuted and baffled? This would be Pain and Mortification enough, even worse than Death. For, however we polemical _Writers_ may pretend a Readiness to part with our Errors upon Conviction, as if we could easily yield to our Adversaries, yet it goes to the Hearts of us to be out-done in Reason and Argument. As it is said of _Bishop Stillingfleet_, that, being sensible of his Insufficiency to contend with Mr. _Lock_, he grieved and pined away upon it: So I, upon Supposition the Bishop of St. _David's_ has confuted me, must not only necessarily afflict my self, but undergo the Shame of the Reproaches of the People, for my wicked and impotent Efforts to subvert their Religion: And what would the _Bishop_ have more? He could desire no more, if he had absolutely confuted me: But it's plain he dares not trust to his own Confutation of me; it's plain he's afraid of, what he is conscious may be made, a smart Reply to him, and therefore he calls upon the Civil Magistrate for his Help to prevent it.

After that the _Bishop_ of _London_ had publish'd his _Pastoral Letter_, and it was reported that the _Bishop_ of St. _David's_ was preparing a strenuous Vindication of the _litteral_ Story of _Jesus_'s Miracles, I concluded that the Prosecution would immediately be dropp'd, and that the Clergy were betaking themselves to that Christian, Rational, and Philosophical Course of Confutation, and would no longer make use of Persecution, which is the Armour of hot, furious, and ignorant Bigots. And there is one Passage in the _Bishop_'s _Pastoral Letter_, which I interpreted as a Grant of full Liberty; but, whether I am apt to mistake the Sense of the Fathers of the _Primitive_ Church or not, I find I did misconstrue the Words of a Father of our _English_ Church, and turn'd them to another and better Purpose than he aim'd at. His Words are these[340] "And as to the _blasphemous manner_, in which a late Writer has taken the Liberty to treat our Saviour's Miracles, and the Author of them; tho' I am far from contending, that the Grounds of the Christian Religion, and the Doctrines of it, may not be discuss'd at all Times in a calm, decent, and serious Way (on the contrary, I am sure that the more fully they are discuss'd, the more firmly they will stand) yet I cannot but think it the Duty of the Civil Magistrate, at all Times, to take Care that Religion be not treated in a _ludicrous_ or _reproachful_ Manner, and effectually to discourage such Books and Writings as strike equally at the Foundation of all Religion, _&c._" What the _Bishop_ of _L._ here says, of his _thinking it the Duty of the Civil Magistrate at all Times, to take Care that Religion be not treated in a ludicrous manner_, I understood as an Excuse for what he had done in stirring up the Civil Magistrate to a Prosecution of me; and that now, like a Philosopher, he was for letting Truth and Religion to take its Course, and for leaving it to a free Discussion, whether in a _ludicrous_ or in a _calm_, _decent_ or _serious_ Way. But I confess, I have mistaken the _Bishop_'s Words, finding by Experience, that (for all the natural Import of his Expression, that Liberty should be used to discuss the Grounds of Religion in a _serious_ Manner) he'll no more suffer it, if he can help it, to be contested in a _serious_, than in a _ludicrous_ Way; wherefore else did he move for the Prosecution of a late _London Journal_, which was all _calm_, _decent_, and _serious_ Argument. And the Bishop of St. _David's_ his furious _Dedication_ now, confirms me in this Opinion, that our _Clergy_ (for all their preaching up Liberty with as much Force and Strength of Reason as any Men, and for all their Invitations to _Infidels_, to say and print their worst against Christianity) will by no means, if they can hinder it, suffer any Attacks to be made upon their Religion, nor cease their Importunities and Solicitations of the Civil Magistrate to Persecution. Blessed be God, the _Bishops_ are not my _Judges_ as well as my _Accusers_, or I know, what would become of me.

Mr. _Atkinson_, a little Writer against me, says,[341] "That I call the pretended Divines of the Church my Prosecutors, when they were not my Prosecutors. And _again_, That there was no need of my Supposition, that the _Clergy_ would have more Wit than to prosecute me again for this _Discourse_; for he did not know that they had been concern'd in any Prosecution of me." And again he says, "If the Civil Magistrate thinks it his Duty to chastise me for my Sin and Folly, I am to blame my self, and not the _Clergy_, till I can prove the Zeal of our Christian Government to be excited by the malign Influence of the _Clergy_." Mr. _Atkinson_ is thus far certainly in the right on't, that, strictly speaking, the _Clergy_ are not my Prosecutors, but the King, who, in all probability, knows no more of my Books than the Man in the Moon. But whether Mr. _Atkinson_ could be so ignorant, as not to know the _Clergy_ were the grand Instigators to Prosecution, let others judge. If he really was such a poor _Ignoramus_, I have no more to say: Otherwise, his Expressions above, will be look'd upon as the vilest Piece of Hypocrisy and Prevarication that can be, purposely utter'd to take off the _Odium_ of the Prosecution from the _Clergy_, and to cast it upon the Civil Government; which, whether Mr. _Atkinson_ believes it or not, had never, but for the Solicitations of the _Bishops_, given me any Trouble. Mr. _Atkinson_ above, acts the Part of the Popish Clergy of _France_, upon the Revocation of the Edict of _Nantes_. After that the King, upon the urgent Importunities of the Clergy, had resolv'd to revoke that Edict; the Clergy were for excusing themselves to the Protestants, and laying the Blame only on the King, saying, _The King was bent and resolv'd on't, and they could not help it_; which was such Jesuitical Prevarication in the Popish Clergy, that the Protestants could not forbear _roguing_ them for it. Mr. _Atkinson_ knows how to apply this Story; which I had not told, but for the Use of the Bishop of _L._ who, upon a certain Occasion could say, that it was not He, but the _Government_ that prosecuted Mr. _Woolston_. If Mr. _Atkinson_ was really so ignorant as he seems to be, I suppose he is now of another Mind, upon reading the _Bishop_ of St. _David's_ Dedication; and convinced that the Prosecution against me was began and carried on at the _malign influence_, as he calls it, of the Clergy.

I will here use no Arguments for Liberty of Debate, which Subject has already been copiously handled, and wants nothing, that I can add unto it. But before I enter into the Body of the _Bishop_'s Book, and upon a profess'd Defence of my Discourses against him, let us consider the manifest Lies, Prevarications, and wicked Insinuations in his _Dedication_, whereby he would move the Secular Powers to a severe Punishment of me. I will pass by the _Motto_ of his Book, _viz. But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of Man with a Kiss_; Whereby he would signify and intimate, not to _Scholars_ (for they have more Wit than to think the worse of me for his Abuse of Scripture) but to the ignorant Multitude, that I am another _Judas_, a Traitor and Rebel to _Jesus_. Commonly _Mottos_ of Books are suited to their Authors, and the Design of them; whether the _Bishop_ will be willing to take this _Motto_ to himself or not, I will upon another Occasion give it a pleasant and pertinent Turn upon him. At present I shall only say, what the Learned will observe, that _this_ is of a wicked and malicious Use and Intention, of no less, than to create in the Minds of the People an Hatred and Detestation of me; of no other, than by dressing me up, as it were, in a Bear's Skin, to excite the Ecclesiastical and merciless Mob to worry and destroy me. Such has been the roguish Artifice of priests of all Ages, to represent their Adversaries, whom they would destroy, under odious and borrow'd Names, that their Persecutions of them might be thought the less cruel. But passing this by for the present, the

I. First wicked and wilful Misrepresentation that the _Bishop_, in his Dedication, has made of me, is that of being an _Infidel_, and an _Apostate_ Clergyman. Wherefore else does he say thus to the Queen: "What is now presented to your Royal View, is an Apologetical Defence of our holy Religion, against one of the most virulent Libels on it, by an _Apostate Clergyman_, that has appear'd in any Christian Country; and in Comparison of which, other _Infidels_ have acted a modest Part." And again he calls my _Discourses_, "A flagrant Sort of Profaneness, that tramples with Indignity on the Grounds of the Christian Faith." And again he signifies, "That I am warmly engaged in subverting the Christian Religion, and active in propagating Infidelity." This is all wilful and downright Calumny, to incense the Queen and the Government against me. The _Bishop_ knows in his Heart that I am no _Infidel_, but a Believer of Christianity, notwithstanding my _Discourses_ on Miracles, that have occasion'd such a Clamour against me. In my _Discourses_, I have repeatedly and most solemnly declared, that my Designs are not to do Service to Infidelity, but to advance the Glory of God, the Truth of Christianity, and to demonstrate the _Messiahship_ of the holy _Jesus_. If I have sometimes ridiculed the litteral Story of our Saviour's Miracles, I have profess'd as often that it was with Design to turn Men's Hearts to the mystical Interpretation of them, on which alone _Jesus_'s Authority and Messiahship is founded. I could collect a great Number of Passages out of my _Discourses_ to this Purpose, if it would not be wasting of Time and Paper. And do all these solemn Declarations of my Faith, and of the Integrity of my Heart, and of the Sincerity of my Intentions, stand for nothing? Why should not my Word here be taken? I can think of no other Reason, than because some other Folks are accustom'd to dissemble and prevaricate with God and Man in their Oaths and Subscriptions, therefore I may be suspected here of Hypocrisy, notwithstanding my Professions to the contrary.

Besides, the _Bishop_ knows by my other Writings, that I am certainly a Christian, and a true Believer of the Religion of Christ, though I may have some different Conceptions from other Men about it. It has been my good Luck before, not only to publish more Treatises purposely and professedly in Defence of Christianity, than any _Bishop_ in _England_; but some of them are of such a Nature, as it's impossible for a Man to write without being a Christian, and impossible for him to depart from the Principles of them. This is my good Fortune and Happiness at this Juncture. The _Bishop_ has perused, I see, some of my other Writings, and particularly, my _Old Apology for the Truth of Christianity revived_; and to his Praise, as well as my Comfort be it spoken, he apprehends and rightly relishes it. And as I was well pleased with his Representation of the Design of that Book, from the Principles and allegorical Scheme of which, he says (in Twenty-four Years since) I am not departed; so I would appeal to his Conscience, Whether a Man, who wrote, as I did then, of the Typical and Antitupal Deliverance of the _Jewish_ and _Christian_ Church, can possibly be an Infidel, or ever depart from the Christian Faith? If the _Bishop_ has Ingenuity equal to his Penetration into that Book, he must own and confess to the World, that I was then, and am still a Christian, a Man of fix'd and unalterable Principles from that Day to this.

The _Bishop_ would be thought in his _Preface_ to enumerate all my Writings; but there are three others, whether wilfully or negligently omitted by him, I know not, that are direct Defences of the Truth of Christianity; and there is not a learned _Clergy-man_ in _England_ (I humbly presume to say it) who can read them, and not applaud them. If the _Bishop_ will be pleas'd to read one of them, _viz. The Defence of the Miracle of the Thundering Legion_, and say it from his Heart, that I might write that Book, and believe the Ecclesiastical Story of that Miracle, and yet be no Christian, then I will yield to his Accusation against me for Infidelity.

But why do I trouble my self thus to assert and vindicate my Belief of Christianity? The _Bishop_ would readily come into the Acknowledgment of my being a sincere Christian, but for his Interests and Prejudices, and other political Considerations, which influence him and the _Clergy_ so to decry and defame me, that, if possible, I must be destroy'd, or at least have my Mouth stopp'd.

In short then, it is not because I am an _Infidel_, that the _Clergy_ so exclaim against me and my _Discourses_; but because, as a Christian, I have particular Designs in view, which, if I can compass, will tend to their Dishonour, and the Ruin of their Interests; and therefore, by Defamations and Prosecutions, they will, if they can, in time put a stop to them. The Designs that, for the Truth of Religion, and Good of Mankind, I have in view, and which, maugre all Opposition, Terrors, and Sufferings, I will pursue to the utmost of my Power, are these three.

1. To restore the Allegorical Interpretation of the Old and New Testament, that is call'd, say the Fathers, the sublime Mountain of Vision, on which we shall contemplate the Wisdom and Beauty of the Providence of God; and behold the glorious Transfiguration of _Jesus_ with _Moses_ and _Elias_, that is, the Harmony between the Gospel and the Law and the Prophets, agreeably to _Jesus_'s typical Transfiguration. And this is such a glorious and beatifick Vision, that it's enough to ravish our Hearts with the Hopes and Desires of attaining to it. The old _Jews_ say, that the allegorical Interpretation of the Scriptures will lead us to the sight of God and convert even _Atheists_. The Fathers say, that the allegorical Interpretation will be the Conversion of the _Jews_ in the Perfection of Time; and St. _Augustin_ speaks of a great allegorical _Genius_,[342] that will be sent to that Purpose. I believe all this, and being convinced of the Truth of it, I am much addicted to Allegories. And it is plain enough, and wants no Proof, that the Revival of the allegorical Scheme, which I am fond of, portends Ruin to the _Ministry of the Letter_; and will be such an Argument of the Ignorance and Apostacy of our _Clergy_, that it's no wonder they defame, calumniate, and persecute me for my Attempts towards it.

_Origen_ says,[343] that _litteral Interpreters will run into Infidelity_, which is a Saying I am well pleased with, and thereupon will try if I can't turn the Tables upon our _Clergy_; I'll try if I can't shift from my self the present Load of Reproaches for Infidelity, and lay it upon them. What would the Wife and the Learned then say? That the great _Bishops_ of _London_ and St. _David's_ had caught a _Tartar_.

I have indeed ludicrously treated the Letter of the Scriptures (in my _Discourses_) which by the said _Bishops_ is falsly called _Blasphemy_: But should they either _ludicrously_ or _sedately_ write against the allegorical Sense of them, I could prove _that_ to be real _Blasphemy_. However, I would not complain to the Civil Powers against them; no, it's God's peculiar Prerogative to punish that Sin, which ought not to be committed to the Care of the Civil Magistrate.

But what need I _ludicrously_ to handle the Letter of our Saviour's Miracles? Because some Sort of Stories are the proper Subjects of _Ridicule_; and because, _Ridiculum acri fortius & melius_, Ridicule will cut the Pate of an Ecclesiastical Numbskull, which calm and sedate Reasoning will make no Impression on.

To speak then the Truth in few Words. As I am resolv'd at any Rate to run down the _Letter_, in order to make way for the _Spirit_ of the Scriptures, so certainly will our Clergy, for their Interests and Honour, as Ministers of the Letter, vilify and reproach me, and pursue me with an implacable Hatred: But I should think it meet for them to use a little more Temper in their Revilings, for fear the Torrent of Reproaches should sometime or other turn on them. It is asserted and predicted by the Fathers that, after a certain Time of the Church's Apostacy to the _Letter_, the _Spirit of Life_, or the allegorical Sense will re-enter the Scriptures, to the Advancement of divine Knowledge and true Religion; in the mean while the _Clergy_ will do well to see to it. But,

2. The Second Design which, as a Christian, I have in View, and which occasionally I write for, is an universal and unbounded Toleration of Religion, without any Restrictions or Impositions on Men's Consciences; for which Design, the _Clergy_ will hate and defame me, and, if possible, make an Infidel of me, as well as for the former. Upon an universal Toleration the World would be at quiet: That Hatred of one another, which is now so visible among different Sects, would then be terminated by a Unity of their Interests, when they are all upon the Level in the Eye of the Civil Magistrate, who would choose Men to Places of Trust, not for their Faith and Affection to Theological Doctrines, but for their Abilities to serve the Publick. In this Case, Ten thousand different _Notions_ in Religion would no more obstruct the Welfare of the Community, than so many different _Noses_ do the Happiness of this City. The Variety of their Theological Opinions, would be the Diversion and Amusement of each other; and so long as it was out of their Power to oppress, they could not hate one another for them. Such a Toleration, the _Clergy_ would persuade us, tends to Confusion and Distraction, as if Men would go to _Loggerheads_ upon it. But this is one of their Mistakes; there would be a perfect Calm upon it, if such Incendiaries as they are did not disturb the publick Tranquillity. They'll tell us again, that such a Toleration makes Way for Dissoluteness of Morals, and would let in Sin like a Deluge upon us; but this is another of their Errors. Such a Toleration would promote Virtue, in as much as different Sects of Religion are a Check upon each other against Looseness of Morals, because every Sect would endeavour to approve itself above others, by the Goodness of their Lives, as well as by the Excellency of their Doctrine. But the _Clergy_ will never hearken to such a Toleration, because it would be the Downfall of Ecclesiastical Power; for which Reason, among many others, I am

3. For the Abolition of an hired and establish'd Priesthood. And for this, if for nothing else, I am sure to be prosecuted with Hatred and Violence, and loaded with the Calumnies and Reproaches of Infidelity and Blasphemy: And the _Clergy_, if possible, will have my Mouth stopp'd, and my Hands tied, before I proceed too far in my Labours and Endeavours to this End.

And why should not the _Clergy_ of the Church of _England_ be turn'd to Grass, and be made to seek their Fortune among the People, as well as Preachers of other Denominations? Where's the Sense and Reason of imposing Parochial _Priests_ upon the People to take care of their Souls, more than Parochial _Lawyers_ to look to their Estates, or Parochial _Physicians_ to attend their Bodies, or Parochial _Tinkers_ to mend their Kettles? In secular Affairs every Man chooses the Artist and Mechanick that he likes best; so much more ought he in Spirituals, in as much as the Welfare of the Soul is of greater Importance than that of the Body or Estate. The Church-Lands would go a good, if not a full Step, towards the Payment of the Nation's Debts.

I have promised the World, what, by the Assistance of God, and the Leave of the Government, shall be publish'd, a _Discourse_ on the Mischiefs and Inconveniencies of an Hired and Establish'd Priesthood: In which it shall be shewn,

I. That the Preachers of Christianity in the first Ages of the Church (when the Gospel was far and near spread, and triumph'd over all Opposition of _Jews_ and _Gentiles_) neither received nor insisted on any Wages for their Pains, but were against preaching for Hire; and, as if they had been endew'd with the Spirit of Prophecy, before an Hireling Priesthood was establish'd, predicted their Abolition and Ejection out of Christ's Church.

II. That since the Establishment of an _Hire_ for the Priesthood, the Progress of Christianity has not only been stopt, but lost Ground; the Avarice, Ambition, and Power of the Clergy having been of such unspeakable Mischief to the World, as is enough to make a Man's Heartake to think, read, or write of.

III. That upon an Abolition of our present establish'd Priesthood, and on God's Call of his own Ministers, the Profession of the Gospel will again spread; and Virtue, Religion, and Learning, will more than ever flourish and abound.

The Clergy are forewarn'd of my Design to publish such a _Discourse_; and this is the secret Reason, whatever openly they may pretend, of their Accusations against me for Blasphemy and Infidelity. Their Zeal and Industry will be never wanting to prevent the Publication of this _Discourse_; neither need I doubt of Persecution, if they can excite the Government to it, to that End.

In my first Discourse on Miracles, I happen'd to treat on that of Jesus's driving the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple; which, upon the Authority of the Fathers, I shew'd to be a Figure of his future Ejection of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons out of his Church, for making Merchandise of the Gospel. The _Bishop_ has taken me and that Miracle to task; and if ever any Man smiled at another's Impertinence, I then heartily laugh'd when I read him. I begg'd of the _Bishop_ before-hand[344] not to meddle with that Miracle, because it was a hot one, and would burn his Fingers. But for all my Caution; he has been so Fool-hardy, as to venture upon it; but has really touch'd and handled it, as if it was a _burning Coal_. He takes it up, and as soon drops it again to blow his Fingers; then endeavours to throw a little Water on _this_ and _that_ Part of it to cool it, but all would not do. The most fiery Part of it, _viz._ that of its being a Type of Jesus's future Ejection of mercenary Preachers out of the Church, he has not, I may say it, at all touch'd, except by calling it[345] _my allegorical Invective against the Maintenance of the Clergy_; which is such a Piece of _Corinthian_ Effrontery in the _Bishop_, that was he not resolv'd to lye and defame at all Rates, for the Support of their Interests, he could never have had the Face to have utter'd. If the _Bishop_ had proved that _that_ Miracle (which litterally was such a----, as I dare not now call it) neither was nor could be a Shadow and Resemblance of Jesus's Ejection of hired Priests out of the Church at his second Advent, and that the Fathers were not of this Opinion, he had knock'd me down at once. As he has done nothing of this, so he might have spared his Pains in Support of the Letter of this Story. But I shall have a great deal of Diversion with the _Bishop_, when I come, in a proper Place, to defend my Exposition of that Miracle. In the mean Time, as the Bishop has publish'd one of the Articles of my Christian Faith, thinking to render me odious for it; so here I will insert another, _viz._[346] "I believe upon the Authority of the Fathers, that the Spirit and Power of Jesus will _soon_ enter the Church, and expel Hireling Priests, who make Merchandise of the Gospel, out of her, after the manner he is supposed to have driven the _Buyers_ and _Sellers_ out of the Temple."

Now upon all this, whether the _Bishop_, modestly speaking, has not been unjust, uncharitable, and insincere, to represent me as an _Infidel_, I appeal to all learned and ingenuous Gentlemen. I am a Christian, though not upon the _litteral_ Scheme, which I nauseate, yet upon the _allegorical_ one. And by the following easy and short Argument it may be proved that I am most certainly a Christian. I heartily and zealously contend for the allegorical Interpretation of the Scriptures, which the _Bishop_ allows to be true of me; consequently I must, and do believe the Scriptures to be of divine Inspiration, or I could not think there were such Mysteries and Prophecy latent under the Letter of them. Whether then a Believer of the divine Inspiration of the Scriptures can be an Infidel (O most monstrous Paradox!) or any other than a Christian, judge Readers. Nay, if _Origen_'s and St. _Augustin_'s Testimony on my Behalf may be admitted, I am more truly a Christian and Disciple of the Holy Jesus, than any _litteral Schemist_ can be. _Origen_ says,[347] That the Perfection of Christianity consists in a mystical Interpretation of the Old and New Testament, of the Historical, as well as other Parts of it. And St. _Augustin_ says,[348] That they who attain to the Understanding of the spiritual Signification of Jesus's Miracles, are the best Doctors in his School. The _Bishop_ understands this Argument as well as any Man, and therefore I charge it home upon him, as a wilful and malicious Slander, to call and account me an Infidel in his _Dedication_, on purpose to incense the Government against me at this Juncture.

But the _Bishop_ moreover calls me, as above, an _Apostate Clergyman_; And why so? Because I have deserted the _Ministry of the Letter_, and betaken my self to the _Ministry of the Spirit_ of the Scriptures. That's like the Wit and Reasoning of his Pate! The _Bishop_ is old enough, and has read enough to know that _Apostacy_, in the Sense of the Fathers, is a Desertion of the _Ministry of the Spirit_, and a Falling into the _Ministry of the Letter_ of the Scriptures; whereupon I make bold to retort upon the _Bishop_, and say of him, and his Episcopal Brethren, that they are _Apostate Bishops_.

But to humour the _Bishop_ in his fond _Dedication_, I will suppose my self to be, what I am the farthest of any Man living from being, an _Infidel_ and _Apostate_; yet

II. The _Bishop_ is a wilful Calumniator, or, at best, an unhappy Misrepresenter of me, and of other Infidels, saying in his _Dedication_, that our Design is _To sap the Foundation of all Government_, and----_That we were pursuing such Methods, as have a natural Tendency to introduce Confusion_. If this was true of us Infidels (for now I speak of my self as one of them) it behoves Civil Governors to look about them, and to punish and suppress us with all speed; and we should be the most unreasonable Men alive, if we complain'd of Persecution, or call'd it hard Usage. And the _Bishop_ of _London_, and other _Divines_ (like this _Bishop_) do commonly declaim on the Danger of Infidelity to Civil Society, but this is all Ecclesiastical Cant and Jargon. I thought I had given[349] the _Bishop_ of _London_ so much on this Head of Complaint against Infidelity, as I could not suppose the _Bishop_ of St. _David's_ would ever have repeated it. It is true, what the _Bishop_ says, that _Religion is the firmest Support of Government_, and _Christianity especially lays the greatest Obligations, on Men's Consciences, of Obedience to the Civil Powers_. I believe all this, and that the better Christians Men are, the more quiet, peaceable, and useful Subjects, and the greater Friends would they be to the Civil Authority. But does it follow from hence, that we _Infidels_, because we have rejected the Belief of some systematical Divinity, as the _Clergy_ are fond of, should consequently be Enemies to the Civil Government, and Foes to the Peace, Order, and Welfare of Society? O fie upon the Drawers of such Consequences! We are, I believe, a numerous and growing Sect in these Nations, though I am acquainted with none, no, not so much as with the Great Mr. _Grounds_: But I could never perceive that any of us, in Principle, were against Civil Government, and the Welfare of the Community; or were for _Confusion_, for setting the People together by the Ears, to the Disturbance of the publick Peace and Tranquillity. No, no, our Interests in the World, as well as other Men's, oblige us to consult the publick Welfare; and our Consciences, from the Religion of Nature, bind us to Obedience to Government; and, was it not agreeable to our Inclination, the Necessity of Affairs would force us to be as quiet and obedient as are any Christians: And I thank God, we have hitherto behaved our selves very peaceably, clear of all Suspicion of Treason and Rebellion to any Prince or State. The _Bishop_ hints at Experience to the contrary, but it will puzzle him to give an Instance. One would think, by this common Harangue, of _Ecclesiasticks_ against us _Infidels_, that Christians, especially the Priesthood, being, as the _Bishop_ says, both _under the Penalties of human Laws, and the stronger Impressions of a future State_, were of a Lamb-like Nature, and never given to disturb the Civil Authority: And I will own the Christian _Laity_ might be acquitted here, but for the _Clergy_, who have been repeatedly the _Pest_ and _Bane_ of human Society, the Trumpeters of Sedition and Rebellion, and mere Make-bates in Cities and Families. And I dare say, that if the Civil Powers don't curb, and keep our _Priesthood_ in awe, they will upon this present Occasion be the Disturbers of the publick Peace. So little Sense and Truth is there in the _Bishop_'s present Invective against us Infidels! If he had not been infatuated to a Forgetfulness of the _Rogueries_ of Priests, in all Ages, against the Civil Powers, he could never have insinuated such a groundless and senseless Charge against us, to the Provocation of the Civil Magistrate to fall on us. But

III. The _Bishop_ calumniates us Infidels (for against his Conscience, whether I will or not, he will have me to be one of them) not only for being Enemies to Government in general, which he will have us to advance Principles destructive of; but insinuates and asserts that we are disaffected to the particular and present Government of these Kingdoms, saying, that as "we are active in propagating Infidelity, we do in the last Resort, not only insult the Title of _Defender of the Faith_, but undermine the undoubted Right of his Majesty and his Royal Family to the Crown of these Realms, as it is founded on the Profession of _Christianity_, reform'd, and now legally settled among us; and therefore Persons of that Character may well be consider'd, as equally false to the Author of our Faith, and to the present Government.----Therefore in a just Sense of that Allegiance which is due to the King, and for the Security of your Majesties, and the Royal Family, and thereby of the Publick it self, as well as out of a deep Concern for the Honour and Preservation of our most holy Faith, the ensuing Treatise is now offer'd, under your Majesty's Protection, to the View of the Publick." This is all such foolish and manifest Slander, that I can't but think the _Bishop_ mad with Rage and Indignation at me, when he writ it. I dare say the _Queen_, who is firmly attach'd to the Interests of the Christian and Protestant Religion, did, when she read all this, almost grieve for the _Bishop_, and pity him for his Weakness and Ignorance. It is a _Maxim_ among all Parties, that _Infidels_ are heartily affected to the present Establishment of the State; yea, so far a _Maxim_, that _Jacobites_ and _High-Church-men_ are apt to accuse all the well-affected to the Government, of Infidelity. From none of the Writings or Practice of Infidels, much less of my self, could the _Bishop_ gather any of these his _childish_ Surmises. The Government, since the Succession of the Illustrious House of _Hanover_, has been twice attempted to be disturb'd, and both times by profess'd Christians. The Rebellion at _Preston_ consisted of _Papists_ and _High-Church-men_, and tho' there were but few _Clergy-men_ in Arms, yet they were join'd with the Prayers and Wishes of many Thousands of the _Clergy_, and even, as it was suspected, of some _Oxonian Bishops_. Bishop _Atterbury_'s Plot too consisted of Rebellious Christians, without the least intermixture of us _Infidels_, who are the more zealously affected to the Government, because of the Danger it is sometimes in from the _High-Church Clergy_. Away then with the _Bishop_'s Slander, which, for all we may be Unbelievers of Christianity, our Civil Magistrates will laugh at and deride him for. But,

IV. Another Misrepresentation, more foolish and absurd than the former, that the _Bishop_ has made of us _Infidels_, is, that we are making Way for Popery and Slavery: For thus he says of us, "Nothing is more demonstrable, than that those Adversaries (meaning us _Infidels_) of the Christian Religion, who are now so busily employ'd in infusing Doubts into some weak Minds, in giving an Indifference and Coldness to other well-meaning Persons, and in making others, that are viciously inclin'd, actual Proselites to Infidelity, are pursuing such Methods as have a natural Tendency to introduce Confusion, and thereby betray us into _Popery_." And again he says of Infidels, "That in Consequence of their own Infidelity, and their wicked Diligence in spreading that Infection, are bringing in upon us the real Persecutions of the Church of _Rome_; who likewise, whilst they rail so plentifully at the most rational Religion in the World as Superstition, give great Advantages towards restoring the insupportable _Superstitions_ of that Communion. These are the Persons indeed that appear in favour of an unbounded Liberty, but God grant it may not terminate in an absolute _Slavery_." _Risum quis tenerat?_ Who in his Wits could write such Stuff? And who without Impatience can read it? I was going about a particular Dissection of these two Paragraphs, and to lay open the Wit, Sense, and Oratory of the _Bishop_, to the Contemplation of his Admirers; but I find it unnecessary, as well as tedious to do it: The very transcribing of them, and exposing them to View, is enough to render him ridiculous. If there be no more danger of Popery, Slavery, Superstition, Tyranny, and real Persecution from our _Clergy_, than from us _Infidels_, the Nation is safe. _Infidels_ find too much Inconvenience in the Power, Craft, and Follies of a Protestant _Clergy_, to make Way for _Popery_; which, as the _Bishop_ rightly says, is a _Complication_ of Errors. There are, what the _Bishop_ should have thought of, many Protestant Priests for an Accommodation with the Church of _Rome_; and, if I mistake not, upon such easy Terms as _this_, _viz._ If she'll but part with some of her Superstitions that are of no Use to her; our _Clergy_ will admit of others as will be of Advantage to them. But _Infidels_ are irreconcilable Enemies to the Church of _Rome_, and so far from Wishes and Endeavours to restore Popery, that it is mere Nonsense to charge them with either direct or consequential Designs so to enslave Mankind. But

V. The _Bishop_ says, that we Infidels (for I am one it seems) _labour industriously to root out all Sense of Virtue and Religion among us_. This is sad indeed, if true; and very bad Men should we be, and deserving of the worst Punishment. But this wants Proof. How does he know that we are for rooting out all Sense of Virtue and Religion amongst Men? Does it appear so by our Writings or our Practices? Does he find in our Books any Exhortations to Looseness and Immorality? Nothing of this I am sure. Is he then so well acquainted with Infidels, as to know them to be of more depraved and debauch'd Lives than profess'd Christians? Nor this neither. I have not as yet heard that any of my Disciples have been hang'd, lamenting his Misfortune of reading my _Discourses_, as what encouraged him to Sin, and brought him to the Gallows. No, those unhappy People, hitherto, die in the Faith and Communion of the Church, either of _England_ or of _Rome_, and hope to be saved through the Merits of their Saviour, Neither do, I hear of any Gentleman, old or young, who has given a greater Loose to his Lusts and Passions, since he read my Books. Such News would trouble me.

But because of this Out-cry of the _Bishop_, and of other Preachers against us, that we labour industriously to root out all Sense of Virtue and Religion amongst Men, I wish (for Proof) that _Infidels_ were distinguishable from Christians, that a Comparison might be made, and the Difference discern'd between them, as to true Religion and Virtue. Tho' I am one of little Acquaintance with Infidels, yet it is my Opinion that, on this Score, they may vie with, and, all things consider'd, do surpass Christians. One would think, by the _Bishop_'s Insinuation above, that none but _good_ People were of his Christian Faith; and that all Infidels were profligate Sinners; but he knows better, and what's more, he should have been more ingenuous than to charge _Infidels_ with _Labours to root out all Sense of Virtue and Religion amongst Men_, if it was but in Regard to that learned Gentleman who is supposed to be at the Head of Infidelity, and who, they say, is as exemplary for all social Virtues, as any _Bishop_; and dislikes Vice and Immorality as much as any Saint can do.

Whatever be the _Virtue_ and _Religion_ of _Infidels_, it is all genuine, natural, and sincere; and consequently more Praise-worthy than _that_ of hired Priests, who may be suspected of Hypocrisy, because of their Interests. I heard a wild Spark say, that he could be as grave as the _Bishop_ of _London_, if he was but as well paid for it. Whether he believ'd the _Bishop_ would have been as loose as himself, but for his _Hire_, I can't tell. But this is certain that, what can't be said of Infidels, there are Priests who put on the Face and Form of Godliness, and want the Life and Power of it; who lift up their Hands and Eyes unto God, when their Hearts are far from him; and were not their Interests more than their Faith, a Restraint to their Lusts, it is commonly believ'd they would be a Company of loose _Blades_.

What a Pother is here of the Danger and Mischief of Infidelity to Church and State? Do but take away the Cause of Infidelity, and the Effect ceases. And what is the Cause of Infidelity? Why, what _Origen_ predicted, I experience to be true, that the _Ministry of the Letter_ is the Cause of it; and I appeal to Mr. _Grounds_, Whether litteral Expositions on the Scripture, and the absurd Doctrines which the _Clergy_ have built upon the _Letter_, have not been one Cause of his calling into Question, the Truth of Christianity, and the divine Inspiration of the holy Scriptures? But this is not the only Cause of Infidelity; there are other grand ones, which Dr. _Moore_ writes of, saying thus:[350] "That Men are exceedingly tempted to think the whole Business of Religion is at best but a Plot to enrich the Priests, and keep the People in awe, from observing that they, who make the greatest Noise about Religion, and are the most zealous therein, do neglect the Laws of Honesty and common Humanity; that they easily invade other Men's Rights; that they juggle, dissemble, and lye for Advantage; that they are proud, conceited, love the Applause of the People, are envious, fierce, and implacable, unclean and sensual, merciless and cruel; care not to have Kingdoms flow in Blood, for maintaining their Tyranny over the Consciences of poor deluded Souls." If then there is any Danger of any kind in Infidelity, let the _Clergy_ take the Blame and Shame of it to themselves, and not lay that Fault, which is their own, upon other Men.

But observing that Dr. _Moore_ above speaks of Priests, their _neglecting the Laws of Honesty_ and _common Humanity_, as a Cause of Infidelity, I must here do a piece of Justice to Infidels, who place the very _Essence_ of all Religion (as I believe the Essence of Christianity consists) in _common Honesty_. If they keep to their Principles, and act agreeably, they will work such a Reformation in the World for the better, as the _Priests_ of all Ages have not been able to do. The _Clergy_ have made such a Noise in the World about _Faith_ and _Doctrine_, that the People hardly think they need be _Honest_ to be good Christians and even many _Clergy-men_ are conceited of their being _orthodox_ and _sound Divines_, though by their Dishonesty, Profuseness, and Neglect of a Provision for their Families, they have, in the Judgment of[351] St. _Paul_, deny'd the Faith, and are worse than Infidels.

And thus have I consider'd the Slanders and Misrepresentations of my self and Infidels, contain'd in the _Bishop_'s _Dedication_ to the _Queen_, which entirely is such a Piece of Fury, Railing, and Impertinence, as a Man shall hardly meet with. Surely he was not awake when he wrote his _Dedication_, it is so like the _Dream_ of a disorder'd Brain which consists of confused Notions, and scatter'd Ideas, that are never to be so compacted together, as to make tolerable Sense, Reason, and Truth. If I had not met with much such flaming Stuff in the Body of his Book, I should have suspected that some-body, more a Foe than a Friend to him, had palm'd it upon him, and over-persuaded him to print it, as what would recommend him to her Majesty's Favour.

Whether he'll merit a _Translation_ to an _Arch-Bishoprick_, for this Dedication, with me is no Question. For all he may take me for his Enemy, I wish him _translated_, as certainly as the Government has _transported_ some other Folks, who are no more the Bane of Society. _Buggs_ in a House, and _Caterpillars_ in a Garden, are not a greater Grievance, than some sort of Ecclesiastical _Vermin_ in Christ's Church and Vineyard.