2. Steno produces fome Mountains, the Doctor all, at the Deluge. 3. Steno's are produced by partial Agents feated near the Surface; the Doctor's by one feated within the Cavity of the great Abyss. 4. Steno tells us what his Agents are; but the Doctor keeps his as a Secret.

I have not Leifure to compare their Differtations in other Things, fuch as the Origin of Springs, which they both bring from the Sea pene-· trating into the Hollowness of the Earth; but more fully explained by Dr. Woodward (Nat. Hift. p. 133 ) nor their Hiftory of the Effects of Earthquakes, (Prod. p. 48.) which the Reader may confult at his Leifure. From the Specimen I have given (wherein I have made ufe of the English Tranflation of Steno's Prodromus) it is plain, 1. That Steno's Hypothesis is not burthened with all the Difficulties of Dr. Woodward's; I will not fay it is liable to none.. 2. That as Nature fhews the fame Face to every Man, fagacious Perfons will jump ftrangely as to their Conjectures about her. 3. That though Dr. Woodward's Hypothefis feems to be liable to many juft Exceptions, the Whole is not to be: exploded; there are a great many Things which I question not but he will make out beyond all Contradiction; and if he takes off the Objections I have proposed, will promife him, I am not in. the leaft difpofed to cavil; only I cannot forbear to wish that People were more diligent in obferving, and more cautious in Syftem-making. First, the World is malicious, and when they write for an Opinion it spoils the Credit of their Obfervations :: They have then taken their Party, and may be fufpected for partial Witneffes. In the next Place, Mankind, in thefe Matters, is naturally too rafh and apt to put more in the Conclufion than there is in the Premifes; yea, fome there are fo fond of

an

an Opinion, that they will take Pleafure to cheat themselves, and would bring every Thing to fit their Hypothefis. Then only we may expect to fucceed in compiling of Theories, when we build upon true and decifive Obfervations; and furvey the Works of Nature with the fame Geometry (though in a more imperfect Degree) by which the divine Architect pur them together.

THE

THE

FREEHOLDER'S

POLITICAL CATECHISM..

ANNO 1733.

Question. W

HO are you?

An. I am T. M. a Freeholder of Great Britain.

Q. What Privilege enjoyeft thou by being a Freeholder of Great Britain?

2

A. By being a Freeholder of Great Britain, I am a greater Man in my civil Capacity than the greatest Subject of an arbitrary Prince; becaufe I am governed by Laws to which I give my Confent, and my Life, Liberty, and Goods cannot be taken from me, but according to thofe Laws: I am a. Freeman..

Q. Who o gave thee this Liberty?

A. No Man gave it me: Liberty is the natural' Right of every human Creature; he is born to the Exercife of it as foon as he has attained to that of his Reafon; but that my Liberty is preferved to me, when loft to a great Part of Mankind, is owing under God to the Wifdom and Valour of my Ancestors,. Freeholders of this Realm.

Q: Does

The Freeholder's Political Catechifm. 233

Q. Does not every Man give up his Liberty to the Government of the Political Society whereof he is a Member?

A. Mankind give up fome Part of their natural Liberty to the Government for the Benefit of Society and mutual Defence (for in Political Society an Infant has the whole Force of the Community to protect him) but no Man can make himself a Slave.

Q. Why?

A. Because no Man can give an abfolute Dominion over his Life, for that is not in his Power, and belongs only to his Creator.

Q. How comes it then that the Civil Magiftrate has a Right to take away Lives?

A. Because, by the Laws of Nature, every Man has a Power of taking away the Life of another in Self-defence, which Power is given up to the Magiftrate, and which Fower returns to every Man, when the Magiftrate cannot defend him, as in the Cafe of being attacked with fudden and lawless Violence.

Q. Has not the Magiftrate a Power to compel thee to be of what Religion he thinks fit.

A. No; Because neither in the Sate of Nature, nor in the State of Civil Society, has any Man an abfolute Power over another Man's Mind or Confcience ; from whence it follows, that in the first of those States no Man could give the Magiftrate a Power which he hath not to give; and that in the fecond of those States, the Exercife of this Power is impoffible; Compulfion without, Conviction making a Man an Hypocrite that is a Criminal, but can never fecure the publick Peace.

Q. Wherein does this Liberty which thou enjoyeft confift?

A. In Laws made by the Confent of the People,

and

and the due Execution of, thofe Laws; I am free, not from the Law, but by the Law.

Q. Wilt thou Atand fast in this Liberty whereunto thou art born and entitled by the Laws of thy Country?

A. Yes verily, by God's Grace I will; and I thank his good Providence that I am born a Member of a Community governed by Laws and not by arbitrary Power.

Q. What doft thou think incumbent upon thee to fecure this Bleffing to thyself and Pofterity?

A. As I am a Freeholder, I think it incumbent upon me to believe aright concerning the fundamental Articles of the Government to which I am fubject; to write, fpcak, and act on all Occafions conformably to this orthodox Faith, to oppose with all the Powers of my Body and Mind fuch as are Enemies of our good Constitution, together with all their fecret and open Abettors, and to be obedient to the King, the fupreme Magiftrate of the Society.

Q. Rehearfe unto me the Articles of thy Political Greed?

A. I believe that the fupreme or legiflative Power of this Realm refides in the King, Lords, and Commons: That his Majefty King George the Se cond is Sovereign or fupreme Executor of the Law, to whom upon that Account all Loyalty is due: That each of the three Members of the Legislature are endowed with their particular Rights and Offices: That the King by his Royal Prerogatives has the Power of determining and appointing the Time and Place of Meeting of Parliaments: That the Confent of King, Lords, and Commons is ne ceffary to the Being of a Law, and all the threemake but one Lawgiver: That as to the Freedom of Confent in making of Laws, those three Powers

are