Eyes; no pompous Garments to win their Reverence, nor Wealth to bribe their Affections; he fought no Popularity, by indulging Men in their Vices, or encouraging them in their Errors. In short, all the numerous Advantages of his Adversaries, the Priests, were fo many Obstacles and Disadvantages to him, the Apoftle. To conclude, he had only Truth on his Side; which rendered him an Over-match for all the Priests then in the World. All the Privilege, all the Advantage, which he defired, was a fair Hearing. This, it seems, he had obtained of the Town; and it had its Effect. Here was his Crime, and here began the priestly Fury, the fierceft, the moft brutifh of all others.

SHAMELESS Men! Was it not enough, that Reafon and Religion were both against you; and that you would neither be Profelytes to them yourselves, nor fuffer, with your Wills, that others fhould; but muft you likewise be proclaiming their invincible Power, and your own Imbecillity and Nakedness, by virulently using direct, undisguised Force, to stop their Mouths? What Impudence! What Folly!

WHAT! you that boafted your Conformity to the Law, and your Establishment by the Law! you that were the Poffeffors of all Scholarship that were Proprietors of the Arts and Sciences,

Sciences, and of the great Endowments given for their Support! you that inftructed the Young and the Old, and controuled the Confciences of both! you that were the facred Administrators of Religion! you that fhut and opened Heaven and Hell! you that were the PrivyCounsellors of the Gods! In the Name of Amazement what could undermine you; what could annoy you? Or, if you are not hurt yourfelves, why do you oppress others? By this Method you do but fhew your cloven Feet: Jefus we know, and Paul we know; but who are ye?

G.

A

LETTER

TOA

GENTLEMAN

AT

EDINBURGH,

CONCERNING

The Bufy and Affuming Spirit of the ECCLESIASTICS,

AND

Their Extravagant Demands upon the

LAITY.

The THIRD EDITION.

M.DCC.XLII.

A

LETTER

TO A

GENTLEMAN

A T

EDINBURGH, &c.

SIR,

Y

KOU defire to know fomething of the present Spirit and Conduct of our Clergy; a Curiofity to which

you are prompted by the Behaviour of your own, who, you fay, are so zealous for the Welfare of your Souls, as to concern themselves in all your Affairs, even in fuch as relate only to your Perfons, Families, and Diverfions. That, in former Times, the holy Men their Predeceffors were wont to mix their reverend Spite and Impertinence with their ghoftly Care, to confound Spirituals with Tem

porals,