because it is that of the Party he moft approveth; which one fingle Principle he looketh upon as the Root of all our Civil Animofities. To enter into a Party as into an Order of Fryars, with fo defigned an Obedience to Superiors, is very unfuitable both with the civil and religious Liberties, we fo zealously affert.. Thus, the Understandings of a whole Senate are of ten enslaved by three or four Leaders on each Side; who, inftead of intending the publick Weal, have their Hearts wholly fet upon Ways and Means how to get, or to keep Employments. But to speak more at large; how has this Spirit of Faction mingled itfelf with the Mafs 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 should be fo, when in order to find out the Character of a Person; instead of inquiring whether he be a Man of Virtue, Honour, Piety, Wit, good Senfe, 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 chufe an exact Middle between two ill Extremes; it may be worth inquiring in the present 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 entire in the Church and State; whoever hath a true Value for both, would be fure to avoid the Extremes of Whig for the Sake of the former; and the Exremes of Tory on account of the latter.

I have now faid all that I could think convenient upon fo nice a Subject; and find, I have the Ambition common with other Reafoners, to wish, at least, that both Parties may think me in the Right; which

would

would be of fome Use to those who have any Virtue left, but are blindly drawn into the Extravagancies of either, upon falfe Representations, to ferve the Ambition or Malice of defigning men, without any Prospect of their own. But if that may not be hoped for; my next Wish should be, that both might think me in the Wrong; which I would understand, as an ample Juftification of myfelf, and a fure Ground to believe, that I have proceeded at leaft with Impartiality, and perhaps with Truth.

AN

ARGUMENT

To prove, That the

Abolishing of Christianity,

IN

ENGLAND,

May, as Things now ftand, be attended with fome Inconveniencies, and perhaps, not produce thofe many good Effects propofed thereby.

I

Written in the Year 1708.

AM very fenfible what a Weakness and Prefumption it is, to reafon against the general Humour and Difpofition of the World. I remember it was with great Juftice, and a due Regard to the Freedom both of the Publick and the Prefs, forbidden upon fevere 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 befides the Folly of it, is a manifest Breach of the fundamental

fundamental Law, that makes this Majority of Opinion the Voice of God. In like Manner, and for the very fame Reasons, it may perhaps be neither fafe nor prudent to argue against the abolishing of Chriftianity, at a Juncture when all Parties appear fo unanimoufly 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 Singularity, or the Perverseness of human Nature; but fo it unhappily falleth out, that I cannot be entirely of this Opinion. Nay, although I were fure an Order were iffued out for my immediate Profecution by the Attorney-General; I fhould 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 Sentiment.

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 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.

THEREFORE I freely own, that all Appearances are against me. The Syftem of the Gofpel, after the Fate of other Systems, is generally antiquated and exploded; and the Mafs or Body of the common People, among whom it seemeth to have had its latest Credit, are now grown as much afhamed of it as their Betters: Opinions, like Fafhions always defcending from those of Quality to the middle Sort, and thence to the Vulgar, where at length they are drop'd and vanish.

BUT