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more pernicious confequence; according to the faying of Tiberius, Deorum offenfa diis curæ. 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 apprehensive of prosecution) blafphemy, we know, is freely spoken a million of times in every coffee-house and tavern, or wherever elfe good company meet. It must be allowed, indeed, that to break an English freeborn officer, only for blafphemy, was, to speak the gentlest of such an action, a very high strain of abfolute power. Little can be said in excuse for the General. Perhaps he was afraid it might give offence to the allies, among whom, for aught we know, it may be the custom of the country to believe a God. But if he argued, as some have done, upon a mistaken principle, that an officer who is guilty of fpeaking blafphemy, may, fome time or other, proceed fo far as to raife a mutiny; the confequence is by no means to be admitted: for furely the commander of an English army is like to be but ill obeyed, whofe foldiers fear and reverence him as little as they do a Deity.

It is further objected against the gospel-system, That it obliges men to the belief of things too difficult for free-thinkers, and fuch as have fhaken off the prejudices that usually cling to a confined education. To which I anfwer, That men should be cautious how they raise objections,

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which reflect upon the wisdom of the nation. Is not every body freely allowed to believe whatever he pleaseth, and to publish his belief to the world whenever he thinks fit, efpecially if it ferves to ftrengthen 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 gospel to be our rule of faith, and confirmed by parliaments? Does any man either believe, or say 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 score; or

does he find his want of nominal faith a difadvantage to him, in the purfuit of any civil or military employment? What if there be an old dormant ftatute or two against him? Are they not now obfolete, 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 leaft, two hundred young gentlemen of wit and pleasure,

* Afgil wrote an argument to prove, that man may be tranflated from hence into eternal life, without paffing through death.

Toland published fome deiftical books.

Tindal's writings were blafphemous and atheistical.

Coward afferted the mortality of the foul, and alledged the ft of it to be in the blood. Hawkef

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, 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 fome 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 should be one man, at leaft, of abilities to read and write. Then it seems a wrong computation, that the revenues of the church throughout this ifland, 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 fuch a rent, as, in the modern form of speech, would make them easy. But ftill 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 will become of the race of men in the next age, if we had nothing to trust to, befide the fcrophulous, confumptive productions furnished by our men of wit and pleafure; when, having fquandered away their vigour, health, and eftates, they are forced, by fome disagreeable marriage, to piece up their broken fortunes, and entail rottennefs and politenefs on their pofterity? Now, here are ten thousand perfons reduced, by the wife

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wife regulations of Henry VIII. to the neceffity of a low diet, and moderate exercise, who are the only great reflorers of our breed; without which, the nation would, in an age or two, become one great hofpital.

Another advantage proposed by the abolishing of Chriftianity, is, the clear gain of one day in feven, which is now entirely loft, and confequently the kingdom one feventh lefs confiderable in trade, bufinefs, and pleafure; befides the lofs to the public of fo many ftately ftructures now in the hands of the clergy; which might be converted into play-houfes, market-houses, exchanges, common dormitories, and other public edifices.

I hope I fhall be forgiven a hard word, if I call this a perfect cavil. I readily own there hath been an old cuftom, time out of mind, for people to affemble in the churches every Sunday; and that shops are ftill frequently fhut, in order, as it is conceived, to preferve the memory of that ancient practice. But how this can prove a hindrance to bufinefs or pleasure, is hard to imagine. What if the men of pleasure are forced, one day in the week, to game at home, instead of the chocolate-house? Are not the taverns and coffeehoufes open? Can there be a more convenient feafon for taking a dofe of phyfic? Are fewer claps got upon Sundays than other days? Is not that the chief day for traders to fum up the accounts of the week; and for lawyers to prepare

their

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their briefs? But I would fain know, how it can be pretended, that the churches are mifapplied? Where are more appointments and rendezvoufes of gallantry? where more care to appear in the foremost box, with greater advantage of dress? where more meetings for business? where more bargains driven of all forts? and where fo many conveniencies or incitements to fleep?

There is one advantage, greater than any of the foregoing, propofed by the abolishing of Chriftianity; That it will utterly extinguish parties among us, by removing thofe factious diftinctions of High and Low Church, of Whig and Tory, Presbyterian and Church of England; which are now fo many grievous clogs upon public proceedings, and are apt to dispose men to prefer the gratifying themselves, or depreffing their adverfaries, before the most important intereft of the state.

I confefs, if it were certain, that fo great an advantage would redound to the nation by this expedient, I would fubmit, and be filent. But will any man fay, that if the words whoring, drinking, cheating, lying, stealing, were, by act of parliament, ejected out of the English tongue and dictionaries, we fhould all awake next morning chafte and temperate, honeft and just, and lovers of truth? Is this a fair confequence? Or, if the phyficians would forbid us to pronounce the words, pox, gout, rheumatism, and stone, would that expedient ferve, like fo many talismans, to deftroy the diseases themselves? Are party and

faction

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