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ties and stupidity, never made the leaft improvement while they were there. I have above forty of the latter fort now in my eye; feveral of them in this town, whofe learning, manners, temperance, probity, good nature, and politics, are all of a piece: others of them, in the country, oppreffing their tenants, tyrannifing over the neighbourhood, cheating the vicar, talking nonfenfe, and getting drunk at the feffions. It is from fuch feminaries as thefe, that the world is provided with the feveral tribes and denominations of Freethinkers; who, in my judgment, are not to be reformed by arguments offered to prove the truth of the Christian religion, because reasoning will never make a man correct an ill opinion, which by reasoning he never acquired; for, in the courfe of things, men always grow vicious, before they become unbelievers. But if you could once convince the town or country profligate, by topics drawn from the view of their own quiet, reputation, health, and advantage, their infidelity would foon drop off. This, I confefs, is no eafy talk; because it is, almost in a literal fenfe, to fight with beafts. Now, to make it clear, that we are to look for no other original of this infide. lity, whereof divines fo much complain, it is allow. ed on all hands, that the people of England are more corrupt in their morals, than any other nation at this day under the fun : and this corruption is manifeftly owing to other caufes, both numerous and obvious, much more than to the publication of irreligious books, which indeed are but the confequence of the former; for all the writers against Christianity, fince the revolution, have been of the lowest rank among men in regard to literature, wit, and good fenfe, and upon that account wholly unqualified to propogate herefies, unless among a people already abandoned.

In an age, where every thing difliked by those who think with the majority is called diffaffection,

it may perhaps be ill interpreted, when I venture to tell you, that this univerfal depravation of manners is owing to the perpetual bandying of factions among us for thirty years paft; when, without weighing the motives of justice, law, confcience, or honour, every man adjufts his principles to those of the party he hath chofen, and among whom he may best find his own account: but, by reafon of our frequent viciffitudes, men who were impatient of being out of play, have been forced to recant, or at least to reconcile their former tenets with every new fyftem of adminiftration. Add to this, that the old fundamental custom of annual parliaments being wholly laid afide, and elections growing chargeable, fince gentlemen found that their country-feats brought them in lefs than a feat in the houfe, the voters, that is to fay, the bulk of the common people, have been univerfally feduced into bribery, perjury, drunkenness, malice, and flander.

Not to be farther tedious, or rather invidious, thefe are a few, among other caufes, which have contributed to the ruin of our morals, and confequently to the contempt of religion for imagine to yourself, if you pleafe, a landed youth, whom his mother would never fuffer to look into a book, for fear of fpoiling his eyes, got into parliament, and obferving all enemies to the clergy heard with the utmost applaufe, what notions he must imbibe, how readily he will join in the cry, what an esteem he will conceive of himself, and what a contempt he muft entertain, not only for his vicar at home, but for the whole order.

I therefore again conclude, that the trade of infidelity hath been taken up only for an expedient to keep in countenance that univerfal corruption of morals, which many other caufes firft contributed to introduce and to cultivate. And thus Mr. Hobbes's faying upon reafon may be much

more

more properly applied to religion, That" if reli "gion will be against a man, a man will be against "religion." Though, after all, I have heard a proAigate offer much stronger arguments against pay ing his debts, than ever he was known to do againft Chriftianity. Indeed the reafon was, because in that juncture he happened to be closer preffed by the bailiff than the parfon.

Ignorance may perhaps be the mother of fuperfition; but experience hath not proved it to be fo of devotion; for Chriftianity always made the moft eafy and quickest progress in civilized countries. I mention this, because it is affirmed, that the clergy are in moft credit where ignorance prevails, (and furely this kingdom would be called the paradife of elergymen, if that opinion were true); for which they inftance England in the times of Popery. But whoever knoweth any thing of three or four centuves before the reformation, will find the little learning then stirring was more equally divided be tween the English clergy and laity, than it is at prefent. There were feveral famous lawyers in that period, whose writings are still in the highest repute; and fome hiftorians and poets, who were not of the church. Whereas now-a-days our edu. cation is fo corrupted, that you will hardly find a young perfon of quality with the leaft tincture of knowledge,' at the fame time that many of the clergy were never more learned, or fo fcurvily treated. Here among us, at least, a man of letters, out of the three profeffions, is almoft a prodigy. And thofe few who have preferved any rudiments of learning, are (except perhaps one or two finatterers) the clergy's friends to a man: and I dare appeal to any clergyman in this kingdom, whether the greateft dunce in his parish be not always the moft proud, wicked, fraudulent, and intractable, of his flock.

I think

I think the clergy have almoft given over perplexing themfelves and their hearers with obftrufe points of predeftination, election, and the like; at leaft, it is time they fhould; and therefore I fhall not trouble you further upon this head.

I have now faid all I could think convenient with relation to your conduct in the pulpit. Your behaviour in the world is another scene, upon which I fhall readily offer you my thoughts, if you appear to defire them from me, by your approbation of what I have here written; If not, I have alrendy troubled you tổồ much.

1 am, SIN,

Your affectionate

friend and fervant.

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An ESSAY on the FATES of CLERGY MEN *.

Here is no talent fo ufeful towards rifing in the world, or which puts men more out of the reach of fortune, than that quality generally poffeffed by the dulleft fort of men, and in common fpeech called difcretion: a fpecies of lower prudence, by the affiftance of which people of the meanest intellectuals, without any other qualification, pafs through the world in great tranquillity, and with univerfal good treatment, neither giving. nor taking offence. Courts are feldom unprovided of perfons under this character; on whom, if they happen to be of great quality, moft employments, even the greateft, naturally fall, when competitors will not agree; and in fuch promotions no body rejoices or grieves. The truth of this I could prove by feveral instances within my own memory; for I fay nothing of present times.

And indeed, as regularity and forms are of great ufe in carrying on the bufinefs of the world, fo it is very convenient, that perfons endued with this kind. of discretion fhould have that fhare which is proper to their talents, in the conduct of affairs, but by no means meddle in matters which require "genius, learning, ftrong comprehenfion, quick"nefs of conception, magnanimity, generofity, fa"gacity," or any other fuperior gift of human minds; because this fort of difcretion is usually attended with a strong defire of money, and few

This effay was printed in the Intelligencer, No 5. and No 7.

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