this point, to have been condemned by any hiftorian of the fucceeding ages.

But a great deal hath been already said by other writers upon this invidious and beaten fubject; therefore I fhall let it fall; though the point is commonly mistaken, efpecially by the lawyers; who of all others feem leaft to understand the nature of government in general; like under-workmen, who are expert enough at making a fingle wheel in a clock, but are utterly ignorant how to adjust the feveral parts, or regulate the movements.

To return therefore from this digreffion; it is a church of England man's opinion, that the freedom of a nation confists in an abfolute un

mited legijative power, wherein the whole body of the people are fairly reprefented, and in an executive duly limited; because on this fide likewise 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 thefe two laft are, with relation to parties and a court, quite different things) it hath 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, befides the indignity, renders him anfwerable for all public mifmanagements, and the confequences of them; and, in whatever state this happens, there muft either be a weakness in the prince or minifty, or elfe the former is

too

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 confcience approve the profeffed principles of one party more than the other, according as he thinks they beft promote the good of church and ftate; but he will never be fwayed by paffion or intereft to advance an opinion, merely because it is that of the party he moft 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 friers, with fo refigned an obedience to fuperiors, is very unfuitable both with the civil and religious liberties we fo zealously affert. Thus the understandings of a whole fenate are often enflaved by three or four leaders-on each fide, who, instead of intending the public weal, have their hearts wholly fet 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 hofpitality, deftroyed all ties of friendfhip, 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 inquiring 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 terms all good and ill qualities are included, Now, because it is a point of difficulty to chufe an exact middle between two ill extremes, it may be worth inquiring in the prefent cafe, which of thefe a wife and good man would rather feem to avoid taking therefore their own good and ill characters with due abatements and allowances for partiality and paffion, I fhould think that, in order to preferve the conftitution intire in church and state, whoever hath a true value for both, would be fure to avoid the extremes of whig for the fake of the former, and the extremes of tory on account of the latter.

I have now faid all that I could think convenient upon fo nice a fubject, and find I have the ambition common with other reafoners, to wifh at leaft that both parties may think me in the right, which would be of fome ufe to thofe who have any virtue left, but are blindby drawn into the extravagancies of either, upon falfe reprefentations, to ferve the ambition or malice of defigning men, without any profpect of their own. But, if that is not to be hoped for, my next wifh fhould be that both might think me in the wrong which I would understand as an ample juftification of myself, and a fure ground to believe, that I have proceeded at least with impartiality, and perhaps with truth.

:

AN

A N

ARGU

ARGUMENT

To prove that the ABOLISHING of

CHRISTIANITY

IN

ENGLAND

may, as things norv ftand, be attended with jome inconveniences, and perhaps not produce thofe many good effects proposed thereby.

general humour and difpofition of the world. I remember it was with great juftice, and a due regard to the freedom, both of the public and the prefs, forbidden upon severe penalties to write, or difcourfe, or lay wagers against the union, even before it was confirmed by parliament; because that was looked upon as a defign to oppofe the current of the people, which, befides 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 the very fame reafons,

it may perhaps be neither fafe nor prudent to argue against the abolishing of christianity at a juncture, when all parties appear 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 perverfenefs of human nature, but fo it unhappily falls out, that I cannot be intirely of this opinion. Nay, though I were fure an order were issued for my immediate profecution by the attorneygeneral, I fhould ftill confefs, that in the prefent pofture of our affairs at home or abroad I do not yet fee the abfolute neceffity of extirpating the chriftian 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 the tenderness, and with the utmost deference to that great and profound majority, which is of another fentiment.

And yet the curious may please to observe, 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 abolishing 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.

There