ous appellations, charging their adverfaries with horrid opinions, and then reproaching them for the want of charity; et neuter falfo

In order to remove thefe prejudices, I have thought nothing could be more effectual, than to defcribe the fentiments of a church-of-England man, with refpect to religion and government. This I hall endeavour to do, in fuch a manner, as may not be liable to the least objection from either party, and which, I am confident, would be affented to by great numbers in both, if they were not mifled to those mutual misreprefentations, by fuch motives as they would be ashamed

to own.

I shall begin with religion.

And here, though it makes an odd found, yet it is necessary to say, that whoever profeffeth himfelf a member of the church of England, ought to believe a God, and his Providence, together with revealed religion, and the divinity of Christ. For befides, thofe many thousands, who (to speak in the phrase of divines) do practically deny all this by the immorality of their lives, there is no fmall number, who, in their converfation and writings, directly, or by confequence, endeavour to overthrow it: yet all these place themselves in the lift of the national church, though, at the fame time (as it is highly reasonable) they are great fticklers for liberty of confcience.

To enter upon particulars: A church-of-England man has a true veneration for the scheme established

ftablished among us of ecclefiaftic government; and though he will not determine, whether Epif copacy be of divine right, he is fure it is moft agreeable to primitive inftitution; fittest of all others, for preferving order and purity, and, under its prefent regulations, beft calculated for our civil ftate: he should therefore think the abolithment of that order among us, would prove a mighty fcandal and corruption to our faith, and manifeftly dangerous to our monarchy; nay, he would defend it by arms against all the powers on earth, except our own legislature; in which cafe he would fubmit as to a general calamity, a dearth or a peftilence.

As to rites and ceremonies, and forms of prayer, he allows there might be fome ufeful alterations; and more, which in the profpect of uniting Chriftians might be very fupportable, as things declared in their own nature indifferent; to which he would therefore readily comply, if the clergy, or (though this be not fo fair a method) if the legiflature fhould direct: yet, at the fame time, he cannot altogether blame the former for their unwillingness to confent to any alteration; which, befide the trouble, and perhaps difgrace, would certainly never produce the good effects intended by it. The only condition that could make it prudent and juft for the clergy to comply in altering the ceremonial, or any other indifferent part, would be a firm refolution in the legiflature to interpofe, by fome ftrict and effectual laws, to

prevent

prevent the rifing and spreading of new fects, how plausible foever, for the future; else there must never be an end; and it would be to act like a man who fhould pull down and change the ornaments of his house, in compliance with every one who was disposed to find fault as he paffed by; which, befides the perpetual trouble and expence, would very much damage, and perhaps, in time, destroy the building. Sects in a ftate feem only tolerated with any reafon, be-. cause they are already fpread; and because it would not be agreeable with fo mild a government, or fo pure a religion as ours, to use violent methods against great numbers of mistaken people, while they do not manifeftly endanger the conftitution of either. But the greatest advocates for general liberty of confcience, will allow, that they ought to be checked in their beginnings, if they will allow them to be an evil at all, or, which is the fame thing, if they will only grant it were better for the peace of the state, that there should be none. But while the clergy confider the natural temper of mankind in general, or of our own country in particular, what affurances can they have, that any compliances. they shall make, will remove the evil of diffention, while the liberty ftill continues of profes fing whatever new opinions we please? Or how can it be imagined, that the body of diffenting teachers, who must be all undone by fuch a revolution, will not caft about for some new objections

tions to withhold their flocks, and draw in fresh profelytes by fome further innovations or refinements?

Upon these reasons, he is for tolerating fuch different forms in religious worship, as are already admitted; but by no means for leaving it in the power of those who are tolerated, to advance their own models upon the ruin of what is already eftablished; which it is natural for all fects to defire, and which they cannot be juftified by any confiftent principles, if they do not endeavour; and yet, which they cannot fucceed in, without the utmost danger to the public peace.

To prevent thefe inconveniencies, he thinks it highly juft, that all rewards of truft, profit, or dignity, which the ftate leaves in the difpofal of the administration, fhould be given only to thofe whofe principles direct them to preserve the conftitution in all its parts. In the late affair of occafional conformity, the general argument of those who were against it, was not, to deny it an evil in itself, but that the remedy propofed, was violent, untimely, and improper; which is the Bishop of Salisbury's opinion, in the speech he made and published against the bill. But, however juft their fears or complaints might have been upon that score, he thinks it a little too grofs and precipitate, to employ their writers already in arguments for repealing the facramental test, upon no wiser a maxim, than that no man VOL. II.. fhould,

*

* Dr. Burnet.

I

should, on the account of confcience, be depriv ed the liberty of ferving his country; a topic which may be equally applied to admit Papifts, Atheists, Mahometans, Heathens, and Jews. If the church wants members of its own to employ in the fervice of the public, or be fo unhappily contrived, as to exclude from its communion such persons who are likelieft to have great abilities, it is time it fhould be altered, and reduced into fome more perfect, or at leaft more popular form: but, in the mean while, it is not altogether improbable, that when those who diflike the conftitution, are so very zealous in their offers for the fervice of their country, they are not wholly unmindful of their party, or of themselves.

The Dutch, whofe practice is fo often quoted to prove and celebrate the great advantages of a general liberty of conscience, have yet a national religion profeffed by all who bear office among them. But why should they be a precedent for us, either in religion or government? Our country differs from theirs, as well in fituation, foil, and productions of nature, as in the genius and complexion of inhabitants. They are a commonwealth founded on a fudden, by a defperate attempt, in a defperate condition; not formed or digefted into a regular fystem, by mature thought and reason, but huddled up under the preffure of fudden exigencies; calculated for no long duration, and hitherto fubfifting by accident in the midst of contending powers, who cannot yet a

gree