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their betters; opinions, like fashions, always descending from those of quality to the middle fort, and thence to the vulgar, where at length they are dropped and vanish.

But here I would not be mistaken, and muft therefore be fo bold as to borrow a diftinction from the writers on the other fide, when they make a difference between nominal, and real Trinitarians. I hope no reader imagines me fo weak to stand up in the defence of real chriftianity, fuch as ufed, in primitive times, (if we may believe the authors of those ages) to have an influence upon mens belief and actions to offer at the restoring of that, would indeed be a wild project; it would be to dig up foundations; to destroy at one blow all the wit, and half the learning of the kingdom: to break the entire frame and conftitution of things; to ruin trade, extinguish arts and fciences, with the profeffors of them; in short, to turn our courts, exchanges, and fhops, into defarts; and would be full as abfurd as the proposal of Horace, where he advifes the Romans, all in a body, to leave their city, and feek a new seat in fome remote part of the world, by way of cure for the corruption of their manners.

Therefore I think this caution was in itself altogether unneceffary, (which I have inferted only to prevent all poffibility of cavilling) fince every candid reader will easily understand my discourse to be intended only in defence of nominal christianity; the other, having been for fome time wholly laid afide by general confent, as utterly inconfiftent with our present schemes of wealth and power.

But

But why we should therefore caft off the name and title of chriftians, although the general opinion and refolution be fo violent for it, I confefs I cannot (with fubmiffion) apprehend, nor is the confequence neceffary. However, fince the undertakers propose fuch wonderful advantages to the nation by this project, and advance many plaufible objections against the system of christianity, I shall briefly confider the ftrength of both, fairly allow them their greatest weight, and offer fuch answers as I think most reasonable. After which I will beg leave to fhew, what inconveniencies may poffibly happen by such an innovation, in the present pofture of our affairs.

First, one great advantage proposed by the abolishing of christianity, is, that it would very much enlarge and establish liberty of conscience, that great bulwark of our nation, and of the proteftant religion; which is still too much limited by priestcraft, notwithstanding all the good intentions of the legiflature, as we have lately found by a fevere inftance. For it is confidently reported, that two young gentlemen of real hopes, bright wit, and profound judgment, who, upon a thorough examination of caufes and effects, and by the mere force of natural abilities, without the least tincture of learning, having made a discovery, that there was no God, and generously communicating their thoughts for the good of the publick, were fome time ago, by an unparralleled severity, and upon I know not what obfolete law, broke for blafphemy. And as it has been wifely observed, if persecution once begins, no man alive knows how far it may reach, or where it will end. VOL. II. Cc

In

In anfwer to all which, with deference to wifer judgments, I think this rather fhews the neceffity of a nominal religion among us. Great wits love to be free with the highest objects; and if they cannot be allowed a God to revile or renounce, they will speak evil of dignities, abuse the government, and reflect upon the miniftry; which I am fure few will deny to be of much more pernicious confequence, according to the faying of Tiberius, deorum offenfa diis curæ. As to the particular fact related, I think it is not fair to argue from one inftance, perhaps another cannot be produced: yet (to the comfort of all those who may be apprehenfive of perfecution) blafphemy, we know, is freely spoken a million of times in every coffee-house and tavern, or where-ever elfe good company meet. It must be allowed indeed, that to break an English free-born officer only for blafphemy, was, to fpeak the gentlest of fuch an action, a very high strain of abfolute power. Little can be faid in excufe for the general; perhaps he was afraid it might give offence to the allies, among whom, for ought we know, it may be the custom of the country to believe a God. But if he argued, as fome have done, upon a mistaken principle, that an officer who is guilty of speaking blafphemy, may fome time or other proceed fo far as to raise a mutiny, the confequence is by no means to be admitted; for furely the commander of an english army is likely to be but ill obeyed, whose foldiers fear and reverence him, as little as they do a Deity.

It is further objected against the gospel fyftem, that it obliges men to the belief of things too difficult

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for free-thinkers, and fuch who have fhaken off the prejudices that usually cling to a confined education. To which I anfwer, that men fhould be cautious how they raise objections, which reflect upon the wisdom of the nation. Is not every body freely allowed to believe whatever he pleases, and to publifh his belief to the world whenever he thinks fit, especially if it serves to strengthen the party, which is in the right? Would any indifferent foreigner, who should read the trumpery lately written by Afgil, Tindal, Toland, Coward, and forty more, imagine the gofpel to be our rule of faith, and confirmed by parliaments? Does any man either believe, or fay he believes, or defire to have it thought that he fays he believes, one fyllable of the matter? And is any man worfe received upon that fcore, or does he find his want of nominal faith a disadvantage to him, in the purfuit of any civil or military employment? What if there be an old dormant statute or two against him, are they not now obsolete to a degree, that Empfon and Dudley themselves, if they were now alive, would find it impoffible to put them in execution.

It is likewife urged, that there are, by computation, in this kingdom above ten thousand parfons, whofe revenues, added to thofe of my lords the bishops, would fuffice to maintain at least two hundred young gentlemen of wit and pleasure, and free-thinking, enemies to prieftcraft, narrow principles, pedantry, and prejudices; who might be an ornament to the court and town: and then again,

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so great a number of able [bodied] divines, might be a recruit to our fleet and armies. This indeed

appears to be a confideration of some weight: but then, on the other fide, feveral things deferve to be confidered likewife: as firft, whether it may not be thought neceffary, that in certain tracts of country, like what we call parishes, there fhall be one man at least of abilities to read and write. Then it seems a wrong computation, that the revenues of the church throughout this island, would be large enough to maintain two hundred young gentlemen, or even half that number, after the prefent refined way of living; that is, to allow each of them such a rent, as, in the modern form of fpeech, would make them eafy. But still there is in this project a greater mifchief behind; and we ought to beware of the woman's folly, who killed the hen, that every morning laid her a golden egg. For, pray what would become of the race of men in the next age, if we had nothing to trust to beside the fcrophulous confumptive produc< tions, furnished by our men of wit and pleasure, when, having fquandered away their vigor, health, and eftates, they are forced, by fome difagreeable marriage, to piece up their broken fortunes, and entail rottenness and politeness on their posterity? Now, here are ten thousand perfons reduced, by the wife regulations of Henry the eighth, to the neceffity of a low diet, and moderate exercife, who are the only great restorers of our breed, without which the nation would, in an age or two, become one great hofpital.

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