of a nation consists in an abfolute unlimited legiflative power, wherein the whole body of the people are fairly represented; and in an executive duty limited; because on this fide likewife, there may be dangerous degrees, and a very ill extreme. For, when two parties in a state are pretty equal in power, pretenfions, merit and virtue, (for these two laft are, with relation to parties and a court, quite different things) it has been the opinion of the best writers upon government, that a prince ought not in any fort to be under the guidance or influence of either; because he declines by this means from his office of prefiding over the whole, to be the head of a party; which, befide the indignity, renders him answerable for all publick mismanagements, and the con❤ fequences of them; and in whatever ftate this happens, there must either be a weakness in the prince or ministry; or elfe the former is too much restrained by the nobles, or those who represent the people,

To conclude: A church of England man may, with prudence and a good conscience, approve the profeffed principles of one party more than the other, according as he thinks they best promote the good of church and state; but he will never be swayed by paffion or intereft, to advance an opinion, merely because it is that of the party he most approves ; which one fingle principle, he looks upon as the root of all our civil animofities. To enter into a party, as into an order of friars, with fo refigned an obedience to superiors, is very unsuitable both * with

It should be unfuitable to,' not unfuitable with.'

the

the civil and religious liberties, we fo zealously affert. Thus the understandings of a whole fenate are often enslaved, by three or four leaders on each fide, who, instead of intending the publick weal, have their hearts wholly set upon ways and means, how to get or to keep employments. But to fpeak more at large, how has this spirit of faction mingled itself with the mass of the people, changed their nature and manners, and the very genius of the nation! broke all the laws of charity, neighbourhood, alliance, and hospitality; destroyed all ties of friendship, and divided families against themselves! and no wonder it fhould be fo, when in order to find out the character of a perfon, instead of enquiring whether he be a man of virtue, honour, piety, wit, good fenfe, or learning; the modern question is only, whether he be a whig or a tory; under which terms, all good, and ill qualities are included.

Now, because it is a point of difficulty to choose an exact middle between two ill extremes, it may be worth enquiring in the present cafe, which of these a wife and good man would rather seem to avoid taking therefore their own good and ill characters, with due abatements and allowances for partiality and paffion, I should think, that in order to preserve the constitution entire in church and state, whoever has a true value for both, would be fure to void the extremes of whig, for the fake of the former; and the extremes of tory, on account of the latter.

I have now said all that I could think convenient, upon fo nice a fubject, and find I have the ambition

com

common with other reafoners, to wifh at least that both parties may think me in the right; which would be of some use to those who have any virtue left, but are blindly drawn into the extravagancies of either, upon false representations, to serve the ambition or malice of defigning men, without any profpect of their own. But if that is not to be hoped for, my next wish should be, that both might think me in the wrong: which I would understand as an ample justification of myself, and a fure ground to believe, that I have proceeded at least with impartiality, and perhaps with truth.

AN

AN

ARGUMENT

To prove that the ABOLISHING of

CHRISTIANITY

IN

ENGLAND

May, as things now ftand, be attended with fome inconve niencies, and perhaps not produce thofe many good effects proposed thereby.

I

Written in the Year 1708.

Am very sensible, what a weakness and prefumption it is, to reason against the general humour and difpofition of the world. I remember it was, with great justice, and a due regard to the freedom both of the publick and the press, forbidden, upon feveral penalties, to write, or discourse, or lay wagers against the union, even before it was confirmed by parliament; because that was looked upon as a defign to oppose the current of the people, which, beside the folly of it, is a manifeft breach of the fundamental law, that makes this majority of opinion the voice of God. In like manner, and for very fame reasons, it may perhaps be neither fafe nor prudent, to argue against the abolishing of

the

christianity, at a juncture, when all parties appear

fo

so unanimously determined upon the point, as we cannot but allow from their actions, their difcourfes and their writings. However, I know not how, whether from the affectation of fingularity, or the perverseness of human nature, but fo it unhappily falls out, that I cannot be entirely of this opinion. Nay, though I were fure an order were issued for my immediate prosecution by the attorney-general, I should still confefs, that in the present posture of our affairs, at home or abroad, I do not yet fee the abfolute neceffity of extirpating the christian religion from among us.

This perhaps may appear too great a paradox, even for our wife and paradoxical age to endure; therefore I fhall handle it with all tenderness, and with the utmost deference to that great and profound majority, which is of another fentiment.

And yet the curious may please to obferve, how much the genius of a nation is liable to alter in half an age: I have heard it affirmed for certain, by fome very old people, that the contrary opinion was, even in their memories, as much in vogue, as the other is now; and that a project for the abolishing of christianity, would then have appeared as fingular, and been thought as abfurd, as it would be, at this time, to write or difcourfe in its defence.

against me.

Therefore I freely own, that all appearances are The fyftem of the gospel, after the fate of other fyftems, is generally antiquated and exploded; and the mafs or body of the common people, among whom it seems to have had its latest credit, are now grown as much ashamed of it as