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| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 04:39:25 -0700 |
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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/12252-0.txt b/12252-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8f81bd5 --- /dev/null +++ b/12252-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11119 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 12252 *** + +BOHN'S STANDARD LIBRARY + +THE PROSE WORKS OF JONATHAN SWIFT + +VOL. III + + +[Illustration: _Jonathan Swift, + +from a picture by Frances Bindon + +In the possession of Sir F R Falkiner_] + + +THE PROSE WORKS + +OF + +JONATHAN SWIFT, D.D. + +EDITED BY + +TEMPLE SCOTT + +WITH A BIOGRAPHICAL INTRODUCTION BY + +THE RT. HON. W. E. H. LECKY, M.P. + +VOL III + +1898 + + +SWIFT'S + +WRITINGS ON RELIGION AND THE CHURCH + +VOL. I + +EDITED BY + +TEMPLE SCOTT + +1898 + + + + +PREFACE. + + +The inquiry into the religious thought of the eighteenth century forms +one of the most interesting subjects for speculation in the history of +the intellectual development of western nations. It is true, that in +that history Swift takes no special or distinguished part; but he forms +a figure of peculiar interest in a special circle of his own. Swift had +no natural bent for the ministry of a church; his instincts, his +temperament, his intellect, were of that order which fitted him for +leadership and administration. He was a born magistrate and commander of +men. It is, therefore, one of the finest compliments we can pay Swift to +say, that no more faithful, no more devoted, no stauncher servant has +that Church possessed; for we must remember the proud and haughty temper +which attempted to content itself with the humdrum duties of a parish +life. Swift entered the service of that Church at a time when its need +for such a man was great; and in spite of its disdain of his worth, in +spite of its failure to recognize and acknowledge his transcendent +qualities, he never forgot his oath, and never shook in his allegiance. +To any one, however, who reads carefully his sermons, his "Thoughts on +Religion," and his "Letter to a Young Clergyman," there comes a +question--whether, for his innermost conscience, Swift found a +satisfying conviction in the doctrines of Christianity. "I am not +answerable to God," he says, "for the doubts that arise in my own +breast, since they are the consequence of that reason which he hath +planted in me, if I take care to conceal those doubts from others, if I +use my best endeavours to subdue them, and if they have no influence on +the conduct of my life." We search in vain, in any of his writings, for +any definite expression of doubt or want of faith in these doctrines. +When he touches on them, as he does in the sermon "On the Trinity," he +seems to avoid of set purpose, rational inquiry, and contents himself +with insisting on the necessity for a belief in those mysteries +concerning God about which we cannot hope to know anything. "I do not +find," he says, in his "Letter to a Young Clergyman," "that you are +anywhere directed in the canons or articles to attempt explaining the +mysteries of the Christian religion; and, indeed, since Providence +intended there should be mysteries, I don't see how it can be agreeable +to piety, orthodoxy, or good sense to go about such a work. For to me +there seems a manifest dilemma in the case; if you explain them, they +are mysteries no longer; if you fail, you have laboured to no purpose." + +It must at once be admitted that Swift had not the metaphysical bent; +philosophy--in our modern sense of the word--was to him only a species +of word spinning. That only was valuable which had a practical bearing +on life--and Christianity had that. He found in Christianity, as he knew +it--in the Church of England, that is to say--an excellent organization, +which recognized the frailties of human nature, aimed at making +healthier men's souls, and gave mankind a reasonable guidance in the +selection of the best motives to action. He himself, as a preacher, made +it his principal business, "first to tell the people what is their duty, +and then to convince them that it is so." He had a profound faith in +existing institutions, which to him were founded on the fundamental +traits of humanity. The Church of England he considered to be such an +institution; and it was, moreover, regulated and settled by order of the +State. To follow its teachings would lead men to become good citizens, +honest dealers, truthful and cleanly companions, upright friends. What +more could be demanded of any religion? + +The Romish Church led away from the Constitution as by law established. +Dissent set up private authority, which could no more be permitted in +religious than it was in political matters; it meant dissension, +revolution, and the upheaval of tried and trusted associations. +Therefore, the Church of Rome and the teachings of Dissent were alike +dangerous; and against both, whenever they attempted the possession of +political power, he waged a fierce and uncompromising war. "Where sects +are tolerated in a State," he says, in his "Sentiments of a Church of +England Man," "it is fit they should enjoy a full liberty of conscience, +and every other privilege of free-born subjects, to which no power is +annexed. And to preserve their obedience upon all emergencies, a +government cannot give them too much ease, nor trust them with too +little power." + +Swift had no passionate love for ideals--indeed, he may have thought +ideals to be figments of an overheated and, therefore, aberrated +imagination. The practically real was the best ideal; and by the real he +would understand that power which most capably and most regulatively +nursed, guided, and assisted the best instincts of the average man. The +average man was but a sorry creature, and required adventitious aids for +his development. Gifted as he was with a large sympathy, Swift yet was +seemingly incapable of appreciating those thought-forms which help us to +visualize mentally our religious aspirations and emotions. A mere +emotion was but subject-matter for his satire. He suspected any zeal +which protested too much for truth, and considered it "odds on" it being +"either petulancy, ambition, or pride." + +Whatever may have been his private speculations as to the truth of the +doctrines of Christianity they never interfered with his sense of his +responsibilities as a clergyman. "I look upon myself," he says, "in the +capacity of a clergyman, to be one appointed by Providence for defending +a post assigned me, and for gaining over as many enemies as I can. +Although I think my cause is just, yet one great motive is my submitting +to the pleasure of Providence, and to the laws of my country." If anyone +had asked him, what was the pleasure of Providence, he would probably +have answered, that it was plainly shown in the Scriptures, and required +not the aid of the expositions of divines who were "too curious, or too +narrow, in reducing orthodoxy within the compass of subtleties, +niceties, and distinctions." Truth was no abstraction--that was truth +which found its expression in the best action; and this explains Swift's +acceptance of any organization which made for such expression. He found +one ready in the Church of England; and whatever his doubts were, those +only moved him which were aroused by action from those who attempted to +interfere with the working of that organization. And this also helps to +explain his political attitude at the time when it was thought he had +deserted his friends. The Church was always his first consideration. He +was not a Churchman because he was a politician, but a politician +because he was a Churchman. These, however, are matters which are more +fully entered into by Swift himself in the tracts herewith reprinted, +and in the notes prefixed to them by the editor. + +It was originally intended that Swift's writings on Religion and the +Church should occupy a single volume of this edition of his works. They +are, however, so numerous that it has been found more convenient to +divide them into two volumes--the first including all the tracts, except +those relating to the Sacramental Test; the second containing the Test +pamphlets and the twelve sermons, with the Remarks on Dr. Gibbs's +paraphrase of the Psalms, in an appendix. It is hoped that this +division, while it entails upon the student the necessity for a double +reference, will yet preserve the continuity of form enabling him to view +Swift's religious standpoint and work with as much advantage as he would +have obtained by the original plan. + +The editor again takes the opportunity to thank Colonel F. Grant for the +service he has rendered him in placing at his disposal his fine +collection of Swift's tracts. The portrait which forms the frontispiece +to this volume is one of those painted by Francis Bindon, and was +formerly in the possession of Judge Berwick. For permission to +photograph and reproduce it here, thanks are due to Sir Frederick R. +Falkiner, Recorder of Dublin. + +TEMPLE SCOTT. + + + + +CONTENTS: + +ARGUMENT AGAINST ABOLISHING CHRISTIANITY + +PROJECT FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF RELIGION + +SENTIMENTS OF A CHURCH OF ENGLAND MAN + +REMARKS UPON "THE RIGHTS OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH" + +PREFACE TO THE BISHOP OF SARUM'S "INTRODUCTION" + +ABSTRACT OF COLLINS'S "DISCOURSE OF FREETHINKING" + +SOME THOUGHTS ON FREETHINKING + +LETTER TO A YOUNG CLERGYMAN + +ARGUMENTS AGAINST ENLARGING THE POWER OF BISHOPS IN LETTING LEASES + +REASONS OFFERED TO THE ARCHBISHOP OF DUBLIN + +ON THE BILL FOR THE CLERGY'S RESIDING ON THEIR LIVINGS + +CONSIDERATIONS UPON TWO BILLS RELATING TO THE CLERGY OF IRELAND + +REASONS AGAINST THE MODUS + +ESSAY ON THE FATES OF CLERGYMEN + +CONCERNING THAT UNIVERSAL HATRED WHICH PREVAILS AGAINST THE CLERGY + +THOUGHTS ON RELIGION + +FURTHER THOUGHTS ON RELIGION + +PRAYERS FOR MRS. JOHNSON + +AN EVENING PRAYER + +OBSERVATIONS ON HEYLIN'S "HISTORY OF PRESBYTERIANS" + +***** ***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +AN ARGUMENT + +TO PROVE THAT THE + +ABOLISHING OF CHRISTIANITY IN ENGLAND + +MAY, AS THINGS NOW STAND, BE ATTENDED WITH SOME INCONVENIENCES, AND +PERHAPS NOT PRODUCE THOSE MANY GOOD EFFECTS PROPOSED THEREBY. + +WRITTEN IN THE YEAR 1708. + + +NOTE. + +In November, 1707, Swift left Dublin in the train of the then Lord +Lieutenant, Lord Pembroke. His travelling companion was Sir Andrew +Fountaine, who, on landing in England, set out with Lord Pembroke for +Wilton, while Swift went on to Leicester to visit his mother. He stayed +with her until some time in December, but, by the middle of the same +month, he was in London. During this absence from Ireland Swift +corresponded somewhat freely with Archbishop King of Dublin, and with +Archdeacon Walls--the letters to the former were first printed in +Forster's "Life of Swift." For these Forster was indebted to the Rev. +Mr. Reeves (vicar of Lusk, co. Dublin), who discovered them in the +record-room of the see of Armagh (see "Life," p. 205 et seq. and note). +One of Swift's intentions, while in the metropolis, was to push forward +the claim of the Irish clergy for the remission of the First Fruits and +Tenths, a grant which had already been conceded to the English clergy; +and his letters to King often include requests for the necessary papers +by means of which he could lay the matter before either Godolphin or +Somers. Walls had written to Swift of the vacancy of the see of +Waterford, and, from the reply to the archdeacon, we learn that even at +so early a date Swift suffered a grievous disappointment; for in +January, 1708, the bishopric, of which Swift had hopes, was presented to +Dr. Thomas Milles. In his letter to Walls Swift confesses that he "once +had a glimpse that things would have gone otherwise.... But let us +talk no further on this subject. I am stomach-sick of it already. ... +Pray send me an account of some smaller vacancy in the Government's +gift." It was to Somers, and through him to Lord Halifax, that Swift +looked for recognition, either for services rendered, or because of +their appreciation of his abilities. But, however much he may have been +disappointed at their inaction, it may not be argued, as it has been, +that Swift's so-called change in his political opinions was the outcome +either of spleen or chagrin against the Whigs for their ingratitude +towards him. It is, indeed, questionable whether Swift ever changed his +political opinions, speaking of these as party opinions. From the day of +his entrance, it may be said, into the orders of the Church, his first +thought was for it; and on all political questions which touched Church +matters Swift was neither Whig nor Tory, but churchman. It was because +of the attitude of the Whigs towards the Church that Swift left them; +and in his writings he does not spare the Tories even when he finds them +taking up similar attitudes. On purely political questions Swift was too +independent a thinker to be influenced by mere party views. That he +wrote for the Tories must be put down to Harley's personal influence, +and to his foresight which saw in Swift a man who must be treated as an +equal with the highest in the land. Swift's intercourse with the leading +men of his day only served to accentuate his consciousness of his +superiority; and a party which would permit him the free play of his +powers would be the party to which Swift would give his adhesion. +Godolphin, Somers, and Walpole either did not recognize the genius of +the man, or their own "points of view" did not permit them to give him +the free play they felt he would obtain. Be that as it may, Harley +gained not only a splendid party fighter, but a friend on whose +affection he could ever rely. + +In these tracts on Religion and the Church, which he wrote in the year +1708, Swift is not a party man, speaking for party purposes. He +believed, and sincerely believed, that for such beings as were the men +and women of this kingdom, the Church was, if not the highest and +noblest instrument for good, yet the worthiest and ablest they had. +Swift never lost himself in theories. He was, however, not blind to the +dangers which an established religion might engender; but whatever its +dangers, these would be inevitable to the most perfect system so long as +human nature was as base as it was. The "Argument" is written in a vein +of satirical banter; but the Swiftian cynicism permeates every line. It +is the first of four tracts which form Swift's most important expression +of his thoughts on Religion and the Church. Scott well describes it as +"one of the most felicitous efforts in our language, to engage wit and +humour on the side of religion," and Forster speaks of it as "having +also that indefinable subtlety of style which conveys not the writer's +knowledge of the subject only, but his power and superiority over it." + +I have not been able to find a copy of the original edition of the +"Argument" upon which to base the present text--for that I have gone to +the first edition of the "Miscellanies," published in 1711; but I have +collated this with those given by the "Miscellanies" (1728), Faulkner, +Hawkesworth, Scott, Morley, and Craik. + +[T. S.] + + +AN ARGUMENT AGAINST ABOLISHING CHRISTIANITY. + + +I am very sensible what a weakness and presumption it is, to reason +against the general humour and disposition of the world. I remember it +was with great justice, and a due regard to the freedom both of the +public and the press, forbidden upon several penalties to write,[1] or +discourse, or lay wagers against the Union, even before it was confirmed +by parliament, because that was looked upon as a design, to oppose the +current of the people, which, besides the folly of it, is a manifest +breach of the fundamental law that makes this majority of opinion the +voice of God. In like manner, and for the very same reasons, it may +perhaps be neither safe nor prudent to argue against the abolishing of +Christianity, at a juncture when all parties appear[2] so unanimously +determined upon the point, as we cannot but allow from their actions, +their discourses, and their writings. However, I know not how, whether +from the affectation of singularity, or the perverseness of human +nature, but so it unhappily falls out, that I cannot be entirely of this +opinion. Nay, though I were sure an order were issued for my immediate +prosecution by the Attorney-General, I should still confess that in the +present posture of our affairs at home or abroad, I do not yet see the +absolute necessity of extirpating the Christian religion from among us. + +[Footnote 1: This refers to the Jacobitism of the time, particularly +among those who were opposed to the Union. A reference to Lord Mahon's +"Reign of Queen Anne" will show how strong was the opposition in +Scotland, and how severe were the measures taken to put down that +opposition. [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 2: Craik and Hawkesworth print the word "seem," but the +"Miscellanies," Faulkner, and Scott give it as in the text. [T.S.]] + +This perhaps may appear too great a paradox even for our wise and +paradoxical age to endure; therefore I shall handle it with all +tenderness, and with the utmost deference to that great and profound +majority which is of another sentiment. + +And yet the curious may please to observe, how much the genius of a +nation is liable to alter in half an age. I have heard it affirmed for +certain by some very old people, that the contrary opinion was even in +their memories as much in vogue as the other is now; and, that a project +for the abolishing of Christianity would then have appeared as singular, +and been thought as absurd, as it would be at this time to write or +discourse in its defence. + +Therefore I freely own that all appearances are against me. The system +of the Gospel, after the fate of other systems is generally antiquated +and exploded, and the mass or body of the common people, among whom it +seems to have had its latest credit, are now grown as much ashamed of it +as their betters; opinions, like fashions, always descending from those +of quality to the middle sort, and thence to the vulgar, where at length +they are dropped and vanish. + +But here I would not be mistaken, and must therefore be so bold as to +borrow a distinction from the writers on the other side, when they make +a difference between nominal and real Trinitarians. I hope no reader +imagines me so weak to stand up in the defence of real Christianity, +such as used in primitive times (if we may believe the authors of those +ages) to have an influence upon men's belief and actions: To offer at +the restoring of that would indeed be a wild project; it would be to dig +up foundations; to destroy at one blow all the wit, and half the +learning of the kingdom; to break the entire frame and constitution of +things; to ruin trade, extinguish arts and sciences with the professors +of them; in short, to turn our courts, exchanges, and shops into +deserts; and would be full as absurd as the proposal of Horace,[3] where +he advises the Romans all in a body to leave their city, and seek a new +seat in some remote part of the world, by way of cure for the corruption +of their manners. + +[Footnote 3: This proposal is embodied in the 16th Epode, where, in an +appeal "to the Roman people," Horace advises them to fly the evils of +tyranny and civil war by sailing away to "the happy land, those islands +of the blest:" + + "Nos manet Oceanus circumvagus! arva, beata + Petamus arva, divites et insulas!" +[T.S.]] + +Therefore I think this caution was in itself altogether unnecessary, +(which I have inserted only to prevent all possibility of cavilling) +since every candid reader will easily understand my discourse to be +intended only in defence of nominal Christianity; the other having been +for some time wholly laid aside by general consent, as utterly +inconsistent with our present schemes of wealth and power. + +But why we should therefore cast off the name and title of Christians, +although the general opinion and resolution be so violent for it, I +confess I cannot (with submission) apprehend the consequence +necessary.[4] However, since the undertakers propose such wonderful +advantages to the nation by this project, and advance many plausible +objections against the system of Christianity, I shall briefly consider +the strength of both, fairly allow them their greatest weight, and offer +such answers as I think most reasonable. After which I will beg leave to +shew what inconveniences may possibly happen by such an innovation, in +the present posture of our affairs. + +[Footnote 4: I give the reading of the "Miscellanies" (1711), Faulkner +and Hawkesworth. Scott and Craik print it: "I confess I cannot (with +submission) apprehend, nor is the consequence necessary." [T.S.]] + +_First,_ One great advantage proposed by the abolishing of Christianity +is, that it would very much enlarge and establish liberty of conscience, +that great bulwark of our nation, and of the Protestant Religion, which +is still too much limited by priestcraft, notwithstanding all the good +intentions of the legislature, as we have lately found by a severe +instance. For it is confidently reported, that two young gentlemen of +real hopes, bright wit, and profound judgment, who upon a thorough +examination of causes and effects, and by the mere force of natural +abilities, without the least tincture of learning, having made a +discovery, that there was no God, and generously communicating their +thoughts for the good of the public, were some time ago, by an +unparalleled severity, and upon I know not what obsolete law, broke for +blasphemy.[5] And as it hath been wisely observed, if persecution once +begins, no man alive knows how far it may reach, or where it will end. + +[Footnote 5: No record of this "breaking" has been discovered. [T.S.]] + +In answer to all which, with deference to wiser judgments, I think this +rather shews the necessity of a nominal religion among us. Great wits +love to be free with the highest objects; and if they cannot be allowed +a God to revile or renounce, they will speak evil of dignities, abuse +the government, and reflect upon the ministry; which I am sure few will +deny to be of much more pernicious consequence, according to the saying +of Tiberius, _Deorum offensa diis curae._[6] As to the particular fact +related, I think it is not fair to argue from one instance, perhaps +another cannot be produced; yet (to the comfort of all those who may be +apprehensive of persecution) blasphemy we know is freely spoken a +million of times in every coffeehouse and tavern, or wherever else good +company meet. It must be allowed indeed, that to break an English +free-born officer only for blasphemy, was, to speak the gentlest of such +an action, a very high strain of absolute 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 speaking blasphemy, +may some time or other proceed so far as to raise a mutiny, the +consequence is by no means to be admitted; for, surely the commander of +an English army is likely to be but ill obeyed, whose soldiers fear and +reverence him as little as they do a Deity. + +[Footnote 6: Tacitus, "Annals," bk. i., c. lxxiii. [T.S.]] + +It is further objected against the Gospel System, that it obliges men to +the belief of things too difficult for free-thinkers, and such who have +shaken off the prejudices that usually cling to a confined education. To +which I answer, that men should be cautious how they raise objections +which reflect upon the wisdom of the nation. Is not every body freely +allowed to believe whatever he pleases, and to publish his belief to the +world whenever he thinks fit, especially if it serves to strengthen the +party which is in the right? Would any indifferent foreigner, who should +read the trumpery lately written by Asgil, Tindal, Toland, Coward,[7] +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 desire to have it thought that he says he believes one +syllable of the matter? And is any man worse received upon that score, +or does he find his want of nominal faith a disadvantage to him in the +pursuit of any civil or military employment? What if there be an old +dormant statute or two against him, are they not now obsolete, to a +degree, that Empsom and Dudley[8] themselves if they were now alive, +would find it impossible to put them in execution? + +[Footnote 7: John Asgill (1659-1738), became a member of Lincoln's Inn, +and went over to Ireland in 1697, where he practised as a barrister, +amassed a large fortune, and was elected to the Irish parliament. For +writing "An Argument, proving that Man may be translated from hence +without passing through Death," he was, in 1700, expelled the House, and +the book ordered to be burnt. On returning to England he was elected to +parliament for Bramber, but suffered a second expulsion in 1712, also on +account of this book. He was imprisoned for debt, and remained under the +rules of the Fleet and King's Bench for thirty years, during which time +he wrote and published various political tracts. His "Argument" +attempted to "interpret the relations between God and man by the +technical rules of English law," and Coleridge thought no little of its +power and style. + +Matthew Tindal (1657-1733) was born at Beer Ferrers, in Devonshire. He +studied at Oxford, and obtained a fellowship in All Souls. He was made +LL.D. in 1685, and, although he professed himself a Roman Catholic in +James II.'s reign, he managed to keep his fellowship after that +monarch's flight by becoming Protestant again. His most important work +was "The Rights of the Christian Church Asserted," which the House of +Commons in 1710 adjudged fit for burning by the hangman. In 1730 he +published anonymously, the first part of "Christianity as Old as +Creation," a work which attacked strongly the authority of the +Scriptures; a second volume was never published. + +John Toland (1669-1722), born near Londonderry, and educated in a +Catholic school. He professed himself a Protestant, and was sent to +Glasgow and Edinburgh. In the latter university he graduated in his +master's degree. While studying at Leyden he became a sceptic, and in +1695 published his "Christianity not Mysterious," a work which aroused a +wide controversy. In his "Life of Milton" (1698) he denied that King +Charles was the author of "Eikon Basilikae," and also attacked the +Gospels. This also brought upon him rejoinders from Dr. Blackall and Dr. +Samuel Clarke. He died at Putney, in easy circumstances, due to the +presents made him while visiting German courts. He wrote other works, +chief among which may be mentioned, "Socinianism truly Stated" (1705), +"Nazarenas" (1718), and "Tetradymus." His "Posthumous Works" were issued +in two volumes in 1726, with a life by Des Maizeaux. Craik calls him "a +man of utterly worthless character," and refers to his being "mixed up +in some discreditable episodes as a political spy." + +William Coward (1656?--1724?) was born at Winchester. He studied +medicine and became a fellow of Wadham College, Oxford. His "Second +Thoughts concerning Human Souls," published in 1702, occasioned fierce +disputes, on account of its materialism. The House of Commons ordered +the work to be burnt by the hangman. + +Asgill, Toland, Tindal, Collins, and Coward are classed as the Deistical +writers of the eighteenth century. In his "History of English Thought in +the Eighteenth Century" Mr. Leslie Stephen gives an admirable exposition +of their views, and their special interpretation of Locke's theories. +[T.S.]] + +[Footnote 8: Of Henry VII. notoriety, who aided the king, by illegal +exactions, to amass his large fortune. They were executed by Henry VIII. +[T.S.]] + +It is likewise urged, that there are, by computation, in this kingdom, +above ten thousand parsons, whose revenues added to those of my lords +the bishops, would suffice to maintain at least two hundred young +gentlemen of wit and pleasure, and freethinking, enemies to priestcraft, +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 consideration of some weight: But then, on the other side, +several things deserve to be considered likewise: As, first, whether it +may not be thought necessary that in certain tracts of country, like +what we call parishes, there shall be one man at least of abilities to +read and write. Then it seems a wrong computation, that the revenues of +the Church throughout this island would be large enough to maintain two +hundred young gentlemen, or even half that number, after the present +refined way of living; that is, to allow each of them such a rent, as in +the modern form of speech, would make them easy. But still there is in +this project a greater mischief 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 would become of the race of men in the next age, if +we had nothing to trust to beside the scrofulous, consumptive +productions, furnished by our men of wit and pleasure, when, having +squandered away their vigour, health and estates, they are forced by +some disagreeable marriage to piece up their broken fortunes, and entail +rottenness and politeness on their posterity? Now, here are ten thousand +persons reduced by the wise regulations of Henry the Eighth,[9] to the +necessity of a low diet, and moderate exercise, who are the only great +restorers of our breed, without which the nation would in an age or two +become one great hospital. + +[Footnote 9: His seizures of the revenues of the Church. [T.S.]] + +Another advantage proposed by the abolishing of Christianity, is the +clear gain of one day in seven, which is now entirely lost, and +consequently the kingdom one seventh less considerable in trade, +business, and pleasure, besides the loss to the public of so many +stately structures now in the hands of the Clergy, which might be +converted into playhouses, exchanges, market houses, common dormitories, +and other public edifices. + +I hope I shall be forgiven a hard word, if I call this a perfect +_cavil._ I readily own there has been an old custom time out of mind, +for people to assemble in the churches every Sunday, and that shops are +still frequently shut, in order as it is conceived, to preserve the +memory of that ancient practice, but how this can prove a hindrance to +business 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 +houses?[10] Are not the taverns and coffeehouses open? Can there be a +more convenient season for taking a dose of physic? Are fewer claps got +upon Sundays than other days? Is not that the chief day for traders to +sum up the accounts of the week, and for lawyers to prepare their +briefs? But I would fain know how it can be pretended that the churches +are misapplied? Where are more appointments and rendezvouzes 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 sorts? And where so many conveniences or +enticements to sleep? + +[Footnote 10: The chocolate houses seem to have been largely used for +gambling purposes. They were not so numerous as the coffee houses. +[T.S.]] + +There is one advantage greater than any of the foregoing, proposed by +the abolishing of Christianity: that it will utterly extinguish parties +among us, by removing those factious distinctions of High and Low +Church, of Whig and Tory, Presbyterian and Church of England, which are +now so many mutual clogs upon public proceedings, and are apt to prefer +the gratifying themselves, or depressing their adversaries, before the +most important interest of the state. + +I confess, if it were certain that so great an advantage would redound +to the nation by this expedient, I would submit and be silent: But will +any man say, that if the words _whoring, drinking, cheating, lying, +stealing_, were by act of parliament ejected out of the English tongue +and dictionaries, we should all awake next morning chaste and temperate, +honest and just, and lovers of truth? Is this a fair consequence? Or, if +the physicians would forbid us to pronounce the words _pox, gout, +rheumatism_ and _stone_, would that expedient serve like so many +talismans to destroy the diseases themselves? Are party and faction +rooted in men's hearts no deeper than phrases borrowed from religion, or +founded upon no firmer principles? And is our language so poor that we +cannot find other terms to express them? Are _envy, pride, avarice_ and +_ambition_ such ill nomenclators, that they cannot furnish appellations +for their owners? Will not _heydukes_ and _mamalukes, mandarins_ and +_patshaws_, or any other words formed at pleasure, serve to distinguish +those who are in the ministry from others who would be in it if they +could? What, for instance, is easier than to vary the form of speech, +and instead of the word church, make it a question in politics, whether +the Monument be in danger? Because religion was nearest at hand to +furnish a few convenient phrases, is our invention so barren, we can +find no other? Suppose, for argument sake, that the Tories favoured +Margarita, the Whigs Mrs. Tofts,[11] and the Trimmers[12] Valentini,[13] +would not _Margaritians, Toftians,_ and _Valentinians_ be very tolerable +marks of distinction? The _Prasini_ and _Veniti,_[14] two most virulent +factions in Italy, began (if I remember right) by a distinction of +colours in ribbons, which we might do with as good a grace[15] about the +dignity of the blue and the green, and would serve as properly to divide +the Court, the Parliament, and the Kingdom between them, as any terms of +art whatsoever, borrowed from religion. And therefore I think, there is +little force in this objection against Christianity, or prospect of so +great an advantage as is proposed in the abolishing of it. + +[Footnote 11: Margarita was a famous Italian singer of the day. Her name +was Francesca Margherita de l'Epine, and she was known as "the Italian +woman." In his "Journal to Stella" for August 6th, 1711, Swift writes: +"We have a music meeting in our town [Windsor] to-night. I went to the +rehearsal of it, and there was Margarita and her sister, and another +drab, and a parcel of fiddlers; I was weary, and would not go to the +meeting, which I am sorry for, because I heard it was a great assembly." +(See present edition, vol. ii. p. 219). + +Mrs. Catherine Tofts was an Englishwoman, who also sang in Italian +opera. She had a fine figure and a beautiful voice. Steele in the +"Tatler," No. 20, refers to her when in her state of insanity. Her mind, +evidently, could not stand the strain of her great popularity, and she +became mad in 1709. In the "Tatler" she is called Camilla; and Cibber +also speaks of the "silver tone of her voice." [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 12: By the Trimmers Swift referred to the nickname given to +the party in the time of Charles II., which consisted of those who +wished to compromise between the advocates of the Crown and the +supporters of the Protestant succession as against the Duke of York. +[T.S.]] + +[Footnote 13: Another Italian singer of the time, who was the rival of +Margarita and Mrs. Tofts. [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 14: This refers to the Roman chariot races. They gave rise to +the factions called _Albati, Russati, Prasini,_ and _Veniti._ The +Prasini (green) and Veniti (blue) were the principal, and their rivalry +landed the empire, under Justinian, in a civil war. [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 15: Scott has "and we might contend with as good a grace," &c. +Craik follows Scott. The reading in the text is that of the +"Miscellanies" (1711), Faulkner, and Hawkesworth. [T.S.]] + +'Tis again objected, as a very absurd ridiculous custom, that a set of +men should be suffered, much less employed and hired, to bawl one day in +seven against the lawfulness of those methods most in use toward the +pursuit of greatness, riches and pleasure, which are the constant +practice of all men alive on the other six. But this objection is, I +think, a little unworthy so refined an age as ours. Let us argue this +matter calmly: I appeal to the breast of any polite freethinker, whether +in the pursuit of gratifying a predominant passion, he hath not always +felt a wonderful incitement, by reflecting it was a thing forbidden; and +therefore we see, in order to cultivate this taste, the wisdom of the +nation hath taken special care, that the ladies should be furnished with +prohibited silks, and the men with prohibited wine. And indeed it were +to be wished, that some other prohibitions were promoted, in order to +improve the pleasures of the town; which, for want of such expedients +begin already, as I am told, to flag and grow languid, giving way daily +to cruel inroads from the spleen. + +'Tis likewise proposed as a great advantage to the public, that if we +once discard the system of the Gospel, all religion will of course be +banished for ever; and consequently, along with it, those grievous +prejudices of education, which under the names of _virtue, conscience, +honour, justice,_ and the like, are so apt to disturb the peace of human +minds, and the notions whereof are so hard to be eradicated by right +reason or freethinking, sometimes during the whole course of our lives. + +Here first, I observe how difficult it is to get rid of a phrase, which +the world is once grown fond of, though the occasion that first produced +it, be entirely taken away. For several years past, if a man had but an +ill-favoured nose, the deep-thinkers of the age would some way or other +contrive to impute the cause to the prejudice of his education. From +this fountain were said to be derived all our foolish notions of +justice, piety, love of our country, all our opinions of God, or a +future state, Heaven, Hell, and the like: And there might formerly +perhaps have been some pretence for this charge. But so effectual care +has been taken to remove those prejudices, by an entire change in the +methods of education, that (with honour I mention it to our polite +innovators) the young gentlemen who are now on the scene, seem to have +not the least tincture of those infusions, or string of those weeds; +and, by consequence, the reason for abolishing nominal Christianity upon +that pretext, is wholly ceased. + +For the rest, it may perhaps admit a controversy, whether the banishing +of all notions of religion whatsoever, would be convenient for the +vulgar. Not that I am in the least of opinion with those who hold +religion to have been the invention of politicians, to keep the lower +part of the world in awe by the fear of invisible powers; unless mankind +were then very different to what it is now: For I look upon the mass or +body of our people here in England, to be as freethinkers, that is to +say, as staunch unbelievers, as any of the highest rank. But I conceive +some scattered notions about a superior power to be of singular use for +the common people, as furnishing excellent materials to keep children +quiet when they grow peevish, and providing topics of amusement in a +tedious winter-night. + +Lastly, 'tis proposed as a singular advantage, that the abolishing of +Christianity will very much contribute to the uniting of Protestants, by +enlarging the terms of communion so as to take in all sorts of +dissenters, who are now shut out of the pale upon account of a few +ceremonies which all sides confess to be things indifferent: That this +alone will effectually answer the great ends of a scheme for +comprehension, by opening a large noble gate, at which all bodies may +enter; whereas the chaffering with dissenters, and dodging about this or +t'other ceremony, is but like opening a few wickets, and leaving them at +jar, by which no more than one can get in at a time, and that, not +without stooping, and sideling, and squeezing his body.[16] + +[Footnote 16: "In this passage," says Scott, "the author's High Church +principles, and jealousy of the Dissenters, plainly shew themselves; and +it is, perhaps, in special reference to what is here said, that he ranks +it among the pamphlets he wrote in opposition to the party then in +power." [T. S.]] + +To all this I answer: that there is one darling inclination of mankind, +which usually affects to be a retainer to religion, though she be +neither its parent, its godmother, or its friend; I mean the spirit of +opposition, that lived long before Christianity, and can easily subsist +without it. Let us, for instance, examine wherein the opposition of +sectaries among us consists, we shall find Christianity to have no share +in it at all Does the Gospel any where prescribe a starched, squeezed +countenance, a stiff, formal gait, a singularity of manners and habit, +or any affected modes of speech different from the reasonable part of +mankind? Yet, if Christianity did not lend its name to stand in the gap, +and to employ or divert these humours, they must of necessity be spent +in contraventions to the laws of the land, and disturbance of the public +peace. There is a portion of enthusiasm assigned to every nation, which, +if it hath not proper objects to work on, will burst out, and set all +into a flame. If the quiet of a state can be bought by only flinging men +a few ceremonies to devour, it is a purchase no wise man would refuse +Let the mastiffs amuse themselves about a sheep's skin stuffed with hay, +provided it will keep them from worrying the flock The institution of +convents abroad, seems in one point a strain of great wisdom, there +being few irregularities in human passions, which may not have recourse +to vent themselves in some of those orders, which are so many retreats +for the speculative, the melancholy, the proud, the silent, the politic +and the morose, to spend themselves, and evaporate the noxious +particles, for each of whom we in this island are forced to provide a +several sect of religion, to keep them quiet And whenever Christianity +shall be abolished, the legislature must find some other expedient to +employ and entertain them For what imports it how large a gate you open, +if there will be always left a number who place a pride and a merit in +not coming in?[17] + +[Footnote 17: So the "Miscellanies" (1711) and Hawkesworth Faulkner, +Scott, and Craik print, "in refusing to enter." [T. S.]] + +Having thus considered the most important objections against +Christianity, and the chief advantages proposed by the abolishing +thereof, I shall now with equal deference and submission to wiser +judgments as before, proceed to mention a few inconveniences that may +happen, if the Gospel should be repealed, which perhaps the projectors +may not have sufficiently considered. + +And first, I am very sensible how much the gentlemen of wit and pleasure +are apt to murmur, and be choqued[18] at the sight of so many draggled +tail parsons, that happen to fall in their way, and offend their eyes, +but at the same time, these wise reformers do not consider what an +advantage and felicity it is, for great wits to be always provided with +objects of scorn and contempt, in order to exercise and improve their +talents, and divert their spleen from falling on each other or on +themselves, especially when all this may be done without the least +imaginable danger to their persons. + +[Footnote 18: Shocked Swift's habit when using a word of French origin +was to keep the French spelling. [T. S.]] + +And to urge another argument of a parallel nature. If Christianity were +once abolished, how could the freethinkers, the strong reasoners, and +the men of profound learning, be able to find another subject so +calculated in all points whereon to display their abilities? What +wonderful productions of wit should we be deprived of, from those whose +genius by continual practice hath been wholly turned upon raillery and +invectives against religion, and would therefore never be able to shine +or distinguish themselves upon any other subject! We are daily +complaining of the great decline of wit among us, and would we take away +the greatest, perhaps the only topic we have left? Who would ever have +suspected Asgil for a wit, or Toland for a philosopher, if the +inexhaustible stock of Christianity had not been at hand to provide them +with materials? What other subject, through all art or nature, could +have produced Tindal for a profound author, or furnished him with +readers? It is the wise choice of the subject that alone adorns and +distinguishes the writer. For, had a hundred such pens as these been +employed on the side of religion, they would have immediately sunk into +silence and oblivion. + +Nor do I think it wholly groundless, or my fears altogether imaginary, +that the abolishing of Christianity may perhaps bring the Church into +danger, or at least put the senate to the trouble of another securing +vote. I desire I may not be mistaken; I am far from presuming to affirm +or think that the Church is in danger at present, or as things now +stand; but we know not how soon it may be so when the Christian religion +is repealed. As plausible as this project seems, there may a dangerous +design lurk under it:[19] Nothing can be more notorious, than that the +Atheists, Deists, Socinians, Anti-trinitarians, and other subdivisions +of freethinkers, are persons of little zeal for the present +ecclesiastical establishment: Their declared opinion is for repealing +the Sacramental Test; they are very indifferent with regard to +ceremonies; nor do they hold the _jus divinum_ of Episcopacy. Therefore +this may be intended as one politic step toward altering the +constitution of the Church established, and setting up Presbytery in the +stead, which I leave to be further considered by those at the helm. + +[Footnote 19: Craik follows Scott in altering this sentence to "there +may be a dangerous design lurking under it"; but all other editors, +except Morley and Roscoe, give it as printed in the text. [T.S.]] + +In the last place, I think nothing can be more plain, than that by this +expedient, we shall run into the evil we chiefly pretend to avoid; and +that the abolishment of the Christian religion will be the readiest +course we can take to introduce popery. And I am the more inclined to +this opinion, because we know it has been the constant practice of the +Jesuits to send over emissaries, with instructions to personate +themselves members of the several prevailing sects among us. So it is +recorded, that they have at sundry times appeared in the guise of +Presbyterians, Anabaptists, Independents and Quakers, according as any +of these were most in credit; so, since the fashion hath been taken up +of exploding religion, the popish missionaries have not been wanting to +mix with the freethinkers; among whom, Toland the great oracle of the +Antichristians is an Irish priest, the son of an Irish priest; and the +most learned and ingenious author of a book called "The Rights of the +Christian Church,"[20] was in a proper juncture reconciled to the Romish +faith, whose true son, as appears by a hundred passages in his treatise, +he still continues. Perhaps I could add some others to the number; but +the fact is beyond dispute, and the reasoning they proceed by is right: +For, supposing Christianity to be extinguished, the people will never be +at ease till they find out some other method of worship; which will as +infallibly produce superstition, as this will end in popery. + +[Footnote 20: Dr. Matthew Tindal (see previous note, p. 9). The book was +afterwards specially criticised by Swift in his "Remarks upon a Book +entitled 'The Rights of the Christian Church.'" See also note to the +present reprint of these "Remarks." [T.S.]] + +And therefore, if notwithstanding all I have said, it still be thought +necessary to have a bill brought in for repealing Christianity, I would +humbly offer an amendment; that instead of the word, Christianity, may +be put religion in general; which I conceive will much better answer all +the good ends proposed by the projectors of it. For, as long as we leave +in being a God and his providence, with all the necessary consequences +which curious and inquisitive men will be apt to draw from such +premises, we do not strike at the root of the evil, though we should +ever so effectually annihilate the present scheme of the Gospel: For, of +what use is freedom of thought, if it will not produce freedom of +action, which is the sole end, how remote soever in appearance, of all +objections against Christianity? And therefore, the freethinkers +consider it as a sort of edifice, wherein all the parts have such a +mutual dependence on each other, that if you happen to pull out one +single nail, the whole fabric must fall to the ground. This was happily +expressed by him who had heard of a text brought for proof of the +Trinity, which in an ancient manuscript was differently read; he +thereupon immediately took the hint, and by a sudden deduction of a long +_sorites_, most logically concluded; "Why, if it be as you say, I may +safely whore and drink on, and defy the parson." From which, and many +the like instances easy to be produced, I think nothing can be more +manifest, than that the quarrel is not against any particular points of +hard digestion in the Christian system, but against religion in general; +which, by laying restraints on human nature, is supposed the great enemy +to the freedom of thought and action. + +Upon the whole, if it shall still be thought for the benefit of Church +and State, that Christianity be abolished; I conceive however, it may be +more convenient to defer the execution to a time of peace, and not +venture in this conjuncture to disoblige our allies, who, as it falls +out, are all Christians, and many of them, by the prejudices of their +education, so bigoted, as to place a sort of pride in the appellation. +If upon being rejected by them, we are to trust an alliance with the +Turk, we shall find ourselves much deceived: For, as he is too remote, +and generally engaged in war with the Persian emperor, so his people +would be more scandalized at our infidelity, than our Christian +neighbours. For they [the Turks] are not only strict observers of +religious worship, but what is worse, believe a God; which is more than +required of us even while we preserve the name of Christians. + +To conclude: Whatever some may think of the great advantages to trade by +this favourite scheme, I do very much apprehend, that in six months time +after the act is passed for the extirpation of the Gospel, the Bank, and +East-India Stock, may fall at least one _per cent._ And since that is +fifty times more than ever the wisdom of our age thought fit to venture +for the preservation of Christianity, there is no reason we should be at +so great a loss, merely for the sake of destroying it. + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +FOR THE + +ADVANCEMENT OF RELIGION, + +AND THE + +REFORMATION OF MANNERS. + +BY A PERSON OF QUALITY. + + +NOTE. + +In placing this tract second in chronological order I am following +Forster and Craik. All the collected editions of Swift's works, +including the "Miscellanies" of 1711, begin with "The Sentiments of a +Church of England Man," continue with the "Argument," and then the +"Project." But the short intervals which separated the publication of +all three tracts and the "Letter on the Sacramental Test," make a strict +chronological order of less value than the order of development of the +subject-matter with which they deal, granting even that the "Project" +appeared after "The Sentiments." There seems, however, nothing +improbable in the suggestion made by Forster, that Swift planned the +writing of both the "Argument" and the "Project" while on a visit to the +Earl of Berkeley, at Cranford, in 1708; and his dedication of the latter +to Lady Berkeley lends this suggestion added weight. That the original +edition of the "Project" is dated 1709 is nothing to the point, since it +is well-known that the booksellers often antedated their publications, +as publishers do now, when the issue occurred towards the end of a year. +Moreover, the letter of the Earl of Berkeley to Swift, which Scott +misdates 1706-1707, but which should be 1708, makes special reference to +this very tract, showing that it was certainly published in 1708. "I +earnestly entreat you," writes the earl, "if you have not done it +already, that you would not fail of having your bookseller enable the +Archbishop of York [Dr. Sterne] to give a book to the queen; for, with +Mr. Nelson, I am entirely of opinion, that Her Majesty's reading of that +book on the Progress for the Increase of Morality and Piety, may be of +very great use to that end." I have never seen a copy of the first +edition of "The Sentiments," and I cannot fix the exact date of its +publication; but it was certainly not written before the "Project." The +"Project," therefore, must be considered in the light of a preliminary +essay to the fuller and more digested statement of "The Sentiments of a +Church of England man"; and I have, on this account, placed it as the +second tract written by Swift in the year 1708. + +Whatever may be thought of the particular methods which Swift suggested +for realizing his reformatory scheme, and they were, no doubt, +artificial and wooden enough; the tract itself remains an excellent +survey of the evils and gross habits of the time. The methods may be +Utopian (Swift himself thought they were open to discussion), but the +spirit of sincerity and piety is unmistakable. It is worth remembering, +however, that several of the proposals, such as those for closing the +public-houses at twelve o'clock at night; the penalizing of publicans +who supplied drink to drunken customers; the building of churches, have +since been adopted. + +I cannot agree with Mr. Churton Collins ("Jonathan Swift," pp. 59-61) in +suspecting Swift of a special policy of self-interest in writing the +"Project." Swift was too honest a man to use the religious sentiment for +the purpose of counteracting any bad impression his previous writings +had made on those who had the power to advance him. However much he +might delight in the possession of high worldly station, he would never +so prostitute himself to obtain it. Nor did he care to let the world +into the secret of his heart. Indeed, all his life Swift seemed to hide, +almost jealously, the genuine piety of his nature. Whatever suspicion of +policy has surrounded the tract must be ascribed to the well-intentioned +letter of the Earl of Berkeley above quoted; and the Earl would not have +written thus had he felt Swift's motive to be any other than a purely +impersonal one. + +Steele, in his review of the "Project" in the fifth "Tatler" (April +20th, 1709), makes some interesting observations, and seems to take +special note of the "Person of Honour," in the character of which Swift +wrote it. Writing from Will's Coffee-House, Steele says: "This week +being sacred to holy things, and no public diversions allowed, there has +been taken notice of even here, a little Treatise, called 'A Project for +the Advancement of Religion: dedicated to the Countess of Berkeley.' The +title was so uncommon, and promised so peculiar a way of thinking, that +every man here has read it, and as many as have done so have approved +it. It is written with the spirit of one who has seen the world enough +to undervalue it with good breeding. The author must certainly be a man +of wisdom, as well as piety, and have spent as much time in the exercise +of both. The real causes of the decay of the interests of religion are +set forth in a clear and lively manner, without unseasonable passions; +and the whole air of the book, as to the language, the sentiments, and +the reasonableness, show it was written by one whose virtue sits easy +about him, and to whom vice is thoroughly contemptible. It was said by +one of this company, alluding to that knowledge of the world the author +seems to have, the man writes much like a gentleman, and goes to Heaven +with a very good mien." + +In his "Apology" Steele refers to this "Tatler" note, and remarks: "The +gentleman I here intended was Dr. Swift, this kind of man I thought him +at that time. We have not met of late, but I hope he deserves this +character still." + +The present text is based upon the first edition; but this edition was +so wretchedly printed that I have carefully collated it with those given +in the "Miscellanies" (1711), Faulkner (1735), and Hawkesworth (1762). + +[T. S.] + + + A + PROJECT + FOR THE + ADVANCEMENT OF RELIGION, + AND THE + REFORMATION OF MANNERS. + BY A PERSON OF QUALITY. + + + _O quisquis volet impias + Caedes, & rabiem tollere civicam: + Si quaeret pater urbium + Subscribi statuis, indomitam audeat + Refraenare licentiam._ + +Hor. + +_LONDON:_ + +Printed and Sold by _H. Hills_, in _Black-fryars_, near the Water-side. +For the Benefit of the Poor. 1709. + + +TO THE COUNTESS OF BERKELEY.[1] + +MADAM, + +My intention in prefixing your Ladyship's name, is not after the common +form, to desire your protection of the following papers; which I take to +be a very unreasonable request; since, by being inscribed to your +Ladyship, though without your knowledge, and from a concealed hand, you +cannot recommend them without some suspicion of partiality. My real +design is, I confess, the very same I have often detested in most +dedications; that of publishing your praises to the world. Not upon the +subject of your noble birth, for I know others as noble; or of the +greatness of your fortune, for I know others far greater; or of that +beautiful race (the images of their parents) which call you mother: for +even this may perhaps have been equalled in some other age or country. +Besides, none of these advantages do derive any accomplishments to the +owners, but serve at best only to adorn what they really possess. What I +intend, is your piety, truth, good sense, and good nature, affability, +and charity; wherein I wish your Ladyship had many equals, or any +superiors; and I wish I could say I knew them too, for then your +Ladyship might have had a chance to escape this address. In the +meantime, I think it highly necessary, for the interest of virtue and +religion, that the whole kingdom should be informed in some parts of +your character: For instance, that the easiest and politest +conversation, joined with the truest piety, may be observed in your +Ladyship, in as great perfection, as they were ever seen apart in any +other persons. That by your prudence and management under several +disadvantages, you have preserved the lustre of that most noble family +into which you are grafted, and which the immeasurable profusion of +ancestors for many generations had too much eclipsed. Then, how happily +you perform every office of life to which Providence has called you: In +the education of those two incomparable daughters, whose conduct is so +universally admired; in every duty of a prudent, complying, affectionate +wife; in that care which descends to the meanest of your domestics; and, +lastly, in that endless bounty to the poor, and discretion where to +distribute it. I insist on my opinion, that it is of importance for the +public to know this and a great deal more of your Ladyship; yet whoever +goes about to inform them, shall instead of finding credit, perhaps be +censured for a flatterer. To avoid so usual a reproach, I declare this +to be no dedication, but properly an introduction to a proposal for the +advancement of religion and morals, by tracing, however imperfectly, +some few lineaments in the character of a Lady, who hath spent all her +life in the practice and promotion of both. + +[Footnote 1: This is the same Countess of Berkeley whom Swift hoaxed +with his "Meditation on a Broomstick." She was the daughter of Viscount +Campden and sister to the Earl of Gainsborough. [T.S.]] + +Among all the schemes offered to the public in this projecting age, I +have observed with some displeasure, that there have never been any for +the improvement of religion and morals; which beside the piety of the +design from the consequence of such a reformation in a future life, +would be the best natural means for advancing the public felicity of the +state, as well as the present happiness of every individual. For, as +much as faith and morality are declined among us, I am altogether +confident, they might in a short time, and with no very great trouble, +be raised to as high a perfection as numbers are capable of receiving. +Indeed, the method is so easy and obvious, and some present +opportunities so good, that, in order to have this project reduced to +practice, there seems to want nothing more than to put those in mind, +who by their honour, duty, and interest, are chiefly concerned. + +But because it is idle to propose remedies before we are assured of the +disease, or to be in pain,[2] till we are convinced of the danger; I +shall first shew in general, that the nation is extremely corrupted in +religion and morals; and then I will offer a short scheme for the +reformation of both. + +[Footnote 2: Scott follows Faulkner in using the word "fear." The +reading in the text is that of the first edition, the "Miscellanies" +(1711), and of Hawkesworth. [T.S.]] + +As to the first; I know it is reckoned but a form of speech, when +divines complain of the wickedness of the age: However, I believe, upon +a fair comparison with other times and countries, it would be found an +undoubted truth. + +For, first; to deliver nothing but plain matter of fact without +exaggeration or satire; I suppose it will be granted, that hardly one in +a hundred among our people of quality or gentry, appears to act by any +principle of religion; that great numbers of them do entirely discard +it, and are ready to own their disbelief of all revelation in ordinary +discourse. Nor is the case much better among the vulgar, especially in +great towns where the profaneness and ignorance of handicraftsmen, small +traders, servants, and the like, are to a degree very hard to be +imagined greater. Then, it is observed abroad, that no race of mortals +hath so little sense of religion, as the English soldiers; to confirm +which, I have been often told by great officers in the army, that in the +whole compass of their acquaintance, they could not recollect three of +their profession, who seemed to regard or believe one syllable of the +Gospel: And the same, at least, may be affirmed of the fleet. The +consequences of all which upon the actions of men are equally manifest. +They never go about, as in former time, to hide or palliate their vices, +but expose them freely to view, like any other common occurrences of +life, without the least reproach from the world, or themselves. For +instance; any man will tell you he intends to be drunk this evening, or +was so last night, with as little ceremony or scruple, as he would tell +you the time of the day. He will let you know he is going to a whore, or +that he has got a clap, with as much indifferency, as he would a piece +of public news. He will swear, curse, or blaspheme, without the least +passion or provocation. And, though all regard for reputation is not +quite laid aside in the other sex, 'tis, however, at so low an ebb, that +very few among them seem to think virtue and conduct of absolute +necessity for preserving it. If this be not so, how comes it to pass, +that women of tainted reputations find the same countenance and +reception in all public places, with those of the nicest virtue, who +pay, and receive visits from them without any manner of scruple? which +proceeding, as it is not very old among us, so I take it to be of most +pernicious consequence: It looks like a sort of compounding between +virtue and vice, as if a woman were allowed to be vicious, provided she +be not a profligate; as if there were a certain point, where gallantry +ends, and infamy begins, or that a hundred criminal amours were not as +pardonable as half a score. + +Besides those corruptions already mentioned, it would be endless to +enumerate such as arise from the excess of play or gaming: The cheats, +the quarrels, the oaths and blasphemies among the men; among the women, +the neglect of household affairs, the unlimited freedoms, the indecent +passion; and lastly, the known inlet to all lewdness, when after an ill +run, the person must answer the defects of the purse; the rule on such +occasions holding true in play as it does in law; _quod non habet in +crumena, luat in corpore._ + +But all these are trifles in comparison, if we step into other scenes, +and consider the fraud and cozenage of trading men and shopkeepers; that +insatiable gulf of injustice and oppression, the law. The open traffic +for all civil and military employments, (I wish it rested there) without +the least regard to merit or qualifications; the corrupt management of +men in office; the many detestable abuses in choosing those who +represent the people, with the management of interest and factions among +the representatives. To which I must be bold to add, the ignorance of +some of the lower clergy; the mean servile temper of others; the pert +pragmatical demeanour of several young stagers in divinity, upon their +first producing themselves into the world; with many other +circumstances, needless, or rather invidious, to mention; which falling +in with the corruptions already related, have, however unjustly, almost +rendered the whole order contemptible. + +This is a short view of the general depravities among us, without +entering into particulars, which would be an endless labour. Now, as +universal and deep-rooted as these appear to be, I am utterly deceived, +if an effectual remedy might not be applied to most of them; neither am +I at present upon a wild speculative project, but such a one as may be +easily put in execution. + +For, while the prerogative of giving all employments continues in the +Crown, either immediately, or by subordination; it is in the power of +the Prince to make piety and virtue become the fashion of the age, if, +at the same time, he would make them necessary qualifications for favour +and preferment. + +It is clear, from present experience, that the bare example of the best +prince will not have any mighty influence, where the age is very +corrupt. For, when was there ever a better prince on the throne than the +present Queen? I do not talk of her talent for government, her love of +the people, or any other qualities that are purely regal; but her piety, +charity, temperance, conjugal love, and whatever other virtues do best +adorn a private life; wherein, without question or flattery, she hath no +superior: yet, neither will it be satire or peevish invective to affirm, +that infidelity and vice are not much diminished since her coming to the +crown, nor will, in all probability, till some more effectual remedies +be provided. + +Thus human nature seems to lie under this disadvantage, that the example +alone of a vicious prince, will, in time, corrupt an age; but that of a +good one, will not be sufficient to reform it, without further +endeavours. Princes must therefore supply this defect by a vigorous +exercise of that authority, which the law has left them, by making it +every man's interest and honour, to cultivate religion and virtue; by +rendering vice a disgrace, and the certain ruin to preferment or +pretensions: All which they should first attempt in their own courts and +families. For instance; might not the Queen's domestics of the middle +and lower sort, be obliged, upon penalty of suspension, or loss of their +employments, to a constant weekly attendance, at least, on the service +of the church; to a decent behaviour in it; to receive the Sacrament +four times in the year; to avoid swearing and irreligious profane +discourses; and, to the appearance, at least, of temperance and +chastity? Might not the care of all this be committed to the strict +inspection of proper persons? Might not those of higher rank, and nearer +access to her Majesty's person, receive her own commands to the same +purpose, and be countenanced, or disfavoured, according as they obey? +Might not the Queen lay her injunctions on the Bishops, and other great +men of undoubted piety, to make diligent enquiry, to give her notice, if +any person about her should happen to be of libertine principles or +morals? Might not all those who enter upon any office in her Majesty's +family, be obliged to take an oath parallel with that against simony, +which is administered to the clergy? 'Tis not to be doubted, but that if +these, or the like proceedings, were duly observed, morality and +religion would soon become fashionable court virtues; and be taken up as +the only methods to get or keep employments there, which alone would +have mighty influence upon many of the nobility and principal gentry. + +But, if the like methods were pursued as far as possible, with regard to +those who are in the great employments of state, it is hard to conceive +how general a reformation they might in time produce among us. For, if +piety and virtue were once reckoned qualifications necessary to +preferment; every man thus endowed, when put into great stations, would +readily imitate the Queen's example, in the distribution of all offices +in his disposal; especially if any apparent transgression, through +favour or partiality, would be imputed to him for a misdemeanour, by +which he must certainly forfeit his favour and station: And there being +such great numbers in employment, scattered through every town and +county in this kingdom; if all these were exemplary in the conduct of +their lives, things would soon take a new face, and religion receive a +mighty encouragement: Nor would the public weal be less advanced; since, +of nine offices in ten that are ill executed, the defect is not in +capacity or understanding, but in common honesty. I know no employment, +for which piety disqualifies any man; and if it did, I doubt the +objection would not be very seasonably offered at present; because, it +is perhaps too just a reflection, that in the disposal of places, the +question whether a person be _fit_ for what he is recommended to, is +generally the last that is thought on, or regarded. + +I have often imagined, that something parallel to the office of censors +anciently in Rome, would be of mighty use among us, and could be easily +limited from running into any exorbitances. The Romans understood +liberty at least as well as we, were as jealous of it, and upon every +occasion as bold assertors. Yet I do not remember to have read any great +complaint of the abuses in that office among them; but many admirable +effects of it are left upon record. There are several pernicious vices +frequent and notorious among us, that escape or elude the punishment of +any law we have yet invented, or have had no law at all against them; +such as atheism, drunkenness, fraud, avarice, and several others; which, +by this institution, wisely regulated, might be much reformed. Suppose, +for instance, that itinerary commissioners were appointed to inspect +everywhere throughout the kingdom, into the conduct (at least) of men in +office, with respect to their morals and religion, as well as their +abilities; to receive the complaints and informations that should be +offered against them, and make their report here upon oath, to the +court, or the ministry, who should reward or punish accordingly. I avoid +entering into the particulars of this, or any other scheme, which, +coming from a private hand, might be liable to many defects, but would +soon be digested by the wisdom of the nation; and surely, six thousand +pounds a year would not be ill laid out among as many commissioners duly +qualified, who, in three divisions, should be personally obliged to take +their yearly circuits for that purpose. + +But this is beside my present design, which was only to show what degree +of reformation is in the power of the Queen, without the interposition +of the legislature, and which her Majesty is, without question, obliged +in conscience to endeavour by her authority, as much as she does by her +practice. + +It will be easily granted, that the example of this great town hath a +mighty influence over the whole kingdom; and it is as manifest, that the +town is equally influenced by the court, and the ministry, and those +who, by their employments, or their hopes, depend upon them. Now, if +under so excellent a princess as the present Queen, we would suppose a +family strictly regulated, as I have above proposed; a ministry, where +every single person was of distinguished piety; if we should suppose all +great offices of state and law filled after the same manner, and with +such as were equally diligent in choosing persons, who, in their several +subordinations, would be obliged to follow the examples of their +superiors, under the penalty of loss of favour and place; will not +everybody grant, that the empire of vice and irreligion would be soon +destroyed in this great metropolis, and receive a terrible blow through +the whole island, which hath so great an intercourse with it, and so +much affects to follow its fashions? + +For, if religion were once understood to be the necessary step to favour +and preferment; can it be imagined that any man would openly offend +against it, who had the least regard for his reputation or his fortune? +There is no quality so contrary to any nature, which men cannot affect, +and put on upon occasions, in order to serve an interest, or gratify a +prevailing passion. The proudest man will personate humility, the +morosest learn to flatter, the laziest will be sedulous and active, +where he is in pursuit of what he has much at heart. How ready, +therefore, would most men be to step into the paths of virtue and piety, +if they infallibly led to favour and fortune! + +If swearing and profaneness, scandalous and avowed lewdness, excessive +gaming and intemperance, were a little discountenanced in the army, I +cannot readily see what ill consequences could be apprehended; if +gentlemen of that profession were at least obliged to some external +decorum in their conduct; or even if a profligate life and character +were not a means of advancement, and the appearance of piety a most +infallible hindrance, it is impossible the corruptions there should be +so universal and exorbitant. I have been assured by several great +officers, that no troops abroad are so ill disciplined as the English; +which cannot well be otherwise, while the common soldiers have +perpetually before their eyes the vicious example of their leaders; and +it is hardly possible for those to commit any crime, whereof these are +not infinitely more guilty, and with less temptation. + +It is commonly charged upon the gentlemen of the army, that the beastly +vice of drinking to excess, hath been lately, from their example, +restored among us; which for some years before was almost dropped in +England. But, whoever the introducers were, they have succeeded to a +miracle; many of the young nobility and gentry are already become great +proficients, and are under no manner of concern to hide their talent, +but are got beyond all sense of shame or fear of reproach. + +This might soon be remedied, if the Queen would think fit to declare, +that no young person of quality whatsoever, who was notoriously addicted +to that, or any other vice, should be capable of her favour, or even +admitted into her presence, with positive command to her ministers, and +others in great office, to treat them in the same manner; after which, +all men, who had any regard for their reputation, or any prospect of +preferment, would avoid their commerce. This would quickly make that +vice so scandalous, that those who could not subdue, would at least +endeavour to disguise it. + +By the like methods, a stop might be put to that ruinous practice of +deep gaming; and the reason why it prevails so much is, because a +treatment, directly opposite in every point, is made use of to promote +it; by which means, the laws enacted against this abuse are wholly +eluded. + +It cannot be denied, that the want of strict discipline in the +universities, hath been of pernicious consequence to the youth of this +nation, who are there almost left entirely to their own management, +especially those among them of better quality and fortune; who, because +they are not under a necessity of making learning their maintenance, are +easily allowed to pass their time, and take their degrees, with little +or no improvement; than which there cannot well be a greater absurdity. +For, if no advancement of knowledge can be had from those places, the +time there spent is at best utterly lost, because every ornamental part +of education is better taught elsewhere: And as for keeping youths out +of harm's way, I doubt, where so many of them are got together, at full +liberty of doing what they please, it will not answer the end. But, +whatever abuses, corruptions, or deviations from statutes, have crept +into the universities through neglect, or length of time; they might in +a great degree be reformed, by strict injunctions from court (upon each +particular) to the visitors and heads of houses; besides the peculiar +authority the queen may have in several colleges, whereof her +predecessors were the founders. And among other regulations, it would be +very convenient to prevent the excess of drink, with that scurvy custom +among the lads, and parent of the former vice, the taking of tobacco, +where it is not absolutely necessary in point of health. + +From the universities, the young nobility, and others of great fortunes, +are sent for early up to town, for fear of contracting any airs of +pedantry, by a college education. Many of the younger gentry retire to +the Inns of Court, where they are wholly left to their own discretion. +And the consequence of this remissness in education appears, by +observing that nine in ten of those, who rise in the church or the +court, the law, or the army, are younger brothers, or new men, whose +narrow fortunes have forced them upon industry and application. + +As for the Inns of Court, unless we suppose them to be much degenerated, +they must needs be the worst instituted seminaries in any Christian +country; but whether they may be corrected without interposition of the +legislature, I have not skill enough to determine. However, it is +certain, that all wise nations have agreed in the necessity of a strict +education, which consisted, among other things, in the observance of +moral duties, especially justice, temperance, and chastity, as well as +the knowledge of arts, and bodily exercises: But all these among us are +laughed out of doors. + +Without the least intention to offend the clergy, I cannot but think, +that through a mistaken notion and practice, they prevent themselves +from doing much service, which otherwise might lie in their power, to +religion and virtue: I mean, by affecting so much to converse with each +other, and caring so little to mingle with the laity. They have their +particular clubs, and particular coffee-houses, where they generally +appear in clusters: A single divine dares hardly shew his person among +numbers of fine gentlemen; or if he happens to fall into such company, +he is silent and suspicious, in continual apprehension that some pert +man of pleasure should break an unmannerly jest, and render him +ridiculous. Now, I take this behaviour of the clergy to be just as +reasonable, as if the physicians should agree to spend their time in +visiting one another, or their several apothecaries, and leave their +patients to shift for themselves. In my humble opinion, the clergy's +business lies entirely among the laity; neither is there, perhaps, a +more effectual way to forward the salvation of men's souls, than for +spiritual persons to make themselves as agreeable as they can, in the +conversations of the world; for which a learned education gives them +great advantage, if they would please to improve and apply it. It so +happens that the men of pleasure, who never go to church, nor use +themselves to read books of devotion, form their ideas of the clergy +from a few poor strollers they often observe in the streets, or sneaking +out of some person of quality's house, where they are hired by the lady +at ten shillings a month; while those of better figure and parts, do +seldom appear to correct these notions. And let some reasoners think +what they please, 'tis certain that men must be brought to esteem and +love the clergy, before they can be persuaded to be in love with +religion. No man values the best medicine, if administered by a +physician, whose person he hates or despises. If the clergy were as +forward to appear in all companies, as other gentlemen, and would a +little study the arts of conversation to make themselves agreeable, they +might be welcome at every party where there was the least regard for +politeness or good sense; and consequently prevent a thousand vicious or +profane discourses, as well as actions; neither would men of +understanding complain, that a clergyman was a constraint upon the +company, because they could not speak blasphemy, or obscene jests before +him. While the people are so jealous of the clergy's ambition, as to +abhor all thoughts of the return of ecclesiastic discipline among them, +I do not see any other method left for men of that function to take, in +order to reform the world, than by using all honest arts to make +themselves acceptable to the laity. This, no doubt, is part of that +wisdom of the serpent, which the Author of Christianity directs, and is +the very method used by St. Paul, who _became all things to all men, to +the Jews a Jew, and a Greek to the Greeks._ + +How to remedy these inconveniences, may be a matter of some difficulty; +since the clergy seem to be of an opinion, that this humour of +sequestering themselves is a part of their duty; nay, as I remember, +they have been told so by some of their bishops in their pastoral +letters, particularly by one[3] among them of great merit and +distinction, who yet, in his own practice, hath all his lifetime taken a +course directly contrary. But I am deceived, if an awkward shame and +fear of ill usage from the laity, have not a greater share in this +mistaken conduct, than their own inclinations: However, if the outward +profession of religion and virtue, were once in practice and countenance +at court, as well as among all men in office, or who have any hopes or +dependence for preferment, a good treatment of the clergy would be the +necessary consequence of such a reformation; and they would soon be wise +enough to see their own duty and interest in qualifying themselves for +lay-conversation, when once they were out of fear of being chocqued by +ribaldry or profaneness. + +[Footnote 3: Bishop Burnet of Salisbury. See Swift's "Remarks on the +Bishop of Sarum's Introduction." [T.S.]] + +There is one further circumstance upon this occasion, which I know not +whether it will be very orthodox to mention: The clergy are the only set +of men among us, who constantly wear a distinct habit from others; the +consequence of which (not in reason but in fact) is this, that as long +as any scandalous persons appear in that dress, it will continue in some +degree a general mark of contempt. Whoever happens to see a scoundrel in +a gown, reeling home at midnight, (a sight neither frequent nor +miraculous), is apt to entertain an ill idea of the whole order, and at +the same time to be extremely comforted in his own vices. Some remedy +might be put to this, if those straggling gentlemen, who come up to town +to seek their fortunes, were fairly dismissed to the West Indies, where +there is work enough, and where some better provision should be made for +them, than I doubt there is at present. Or, what if no person were +allowed to wear the habit, who had not some preferment in the church, or +at least some temporal fortune sufficient to keep him out of contempt? +Though, in my opinion, it were infinitely better, if all the clergy +(except the bishops) were permitted to appear like other men of the +graver sort, unless at those seasons when they are doing the business of +their function. + +There is one abuse in this town, which wonderfully contributes to the +promotion of vice, that such men are often put into the commission of +the peace, whose interest it is, that virtue should be utterly banished +from among us, who maintain, or at least enrich themselves, by +encouraging the grossest immoralities, to whom all the bawds of the ward +pay contribution, for shelter and protection from the laws. Thus these +worthy magistrates, instead of lessening enormities, are the occasion of +just twice as much debauchery as there would be without them. For those +infamous women are forced upon doubling their work and industry, to +answer double charges, of paying the justice, and supporting themselves. +Like thieves who escape the gallows, and are let out to steal, in order +to discharge the gaoler's fees. + +It is not to be questioned, but the Queen and ministry might easily +redress this abominable grievance, by enlarging the number of justices +of the peace, by endeavouring to choose men of virtuous principles, by +admitting none who have not considerable fortunes, perhaps, by receiving +into the number some of the most eminent clergy. Then, by forcing all of +them, upon severe penalties, to act when there is occasion, and not +permitting any who are offered to refuse the commission, but in these +two last cases, which are very material, I doubt there will be need of +the legislature. + +The reformation of the stage is entirely in the power of the Queen, and +in the consequences it hath upon the minds of the younger people, does +very well deserve the strictest care. Besides the indecent and profane +passages, besides the perpetual turning into ridicule the very function +of the priesthood, with other irregularities, in most modern comedies, +which have by others been objected to them, it is worth observing the +distributive justice of the authors, which is constantly applied to the +punishment of virtue, and the reward of vice, directly opposite to the +rules of their best critics, as well as to the practice of dramatic +poets, in all other ages and countries. For example, a country squire, +who is represented with no other vice but that of being a clown, and +having the provincial accent upon his tongue, which is neither a fault, +nor in his power to remedy, must be condemned to marry a cast wench, or +a cracked chambermaid. On the other side, a rakehell of the town, whose +character is set off with no other accomplishment, but excessive +prodigality, profaneness, intemperance, and lust, is rewarded with a +lady of great fortune to repair his own, which his vices had almost +ruined. And as in a tragedy, the hero is represented to have obtained +many victories in order to raise his character in the minds of the +spectators; so the hero of a comedy is represented to have been +victorious in all his intrigues, for the same reason. I do not remember, +that our English poets ever suffered a criminal amour to succeed upon +the stage, till the reign of King Charles the Second. Ever since that +time, the alderman is made a cuckold, the deluded virgin is debauched, +and adultery and fornication are supposed to be committed behind the +scenes, as part of the action. These and many more corruptions of the +theatre, peculiar to our age and nation, need continue no longer, than +while the court is content to connive at or neglect them. Surely a +pension would not be ill employed on some men of wit, learning, and +virtue, who might have power to strike out every offensive or unbecoming +passage, from plays already written, as well as those that may be +offered to the stage for the future. By which, and other wise +regulations, the theatre might become a very innocent and useful +diversion, instead of being a scandal and reproach to our religion and +country. + +The proposals I have hitherto made for the advancement of religion and +morality, are such as come within reach of the administration; such as a +pious active prince, with a steady resolution, might soon bring to +effect. Neither am I aware of any objections to be raised against what I +have advanced; unless it should be thought, that making religion a +necessary step to interest and favour might increase hypocrisy among us; +and I readily believe it would. But if one in twenty should be brought +over to true piety by this, or the like methods, and the other nineteen +be only hypocrites, the advantage would still be great. Besides, +hypocrisy is much more eligible than open infidelity and vice; it wears +the livery of religion; it acknowledges her authority, and is cautious +of giving scandal. Nay, a long continued disguise is too great a +constraint upon human nature, especially an English disposition; men +would leave off their vices out of mere weariness, rather than undergo +the toil and hazard, and perhaps expense, of practising them perpetually +in private. And I believe it is often with religion, as it is with love; +which, by much dissembling, at last grows real. + +All other projects to this great end have proved hitherto ineffectual. +Laws against immorality have not been executed; and proclamations +occasionally issued out to enforce them are wholly unregarded as things +of form. Religious societies, though begun with excellent intention, and +by persons of true piety,[4] have dwindled into factious clubs, and +grown a trade to enrich little knavish informers of the meanest rank, +such as common constables, and broken shopkeepers. + +[Footnote 4: The original edition omits here the words, "are said, I +know not whether truly or not." All other editions give these words. [T. +S.]] + +And that some effectual attempt should be made toward such a +reformation, is perhaps more necessary than people commonly apprehend; +because the ruin of a state is generally preceded by a universal +degeneracy of manners, and contempt of religion; which is entirely our +case at present. + + "Dis te minorem quod geris imperas."--HOR. [5] + +[Footnote 5: "Carmina," iii. 6. 5.] + +Neither is this a matter to be deferred till a more convenient time of +peace and leisure: Because a reformation in men's faith and morals is +the best natural, as well as religious means, to bring the war to a good +conclusion. For, if men in trust performed their duty for conscience +sake, affairs would not suffer through fraud, falsehood, and neglect, as +they now perpetually do. And if they believed a God, and his Providence, +and acted accordingly, they might reasonably hope for his divine +assistance, in so just a cause as ours. + +Nor could the majesty of the English Crown appear, upon any occasion, in +a greater lustre, either to foreigners or subjects, than by an +administration, which, producing such great effects, would discover so +much power. And power being the natural appetite of princes, a limited +monarch cannot so well gratify it in anything, as a strict execution of +the laws. + +Besides; all parties would be obliged to close with so good a work as +this, for their own reputation: Neither is any expedient more likely to +unite them. For the most violent party men, I have ever observed, are +such, as in the conduct of their lives have discovered least sense of +religion or morality; and when all such are laid aside, at least those +among them as shall be found incorrigible, it will be a matter perhaps +of no great difficulty to reconcile the rest. + +The many corruptions at present in every branch of business are almost +inconceivable. I have heard it computed by skilful persons, that of six +millions raised every year for the service of the public, one third, at +least, is sunk and intercepted through the several classes and +subordinations of artful men in office, before the remainder is applied +to the proper use. This is an accidental ill effect of our freedom. And +while such men are in trust, who have no check from within, nor any +views but toward their interest, there is no other fence against them, +but the certainty of being hanged upon the first discovery, by the +arbitrary will of an unlimited monarch, or his vizier. Among us, the +only danger to be apprehended is the loss of an employment; and that +danger is to be eluded a thousand ways. Besides, when fraud is great, it +furnishes weapons to defend itself: And at worst, if the crimes be so +flagrant, that a man is laid aside out of perfect shame, (which rarely +happens) he retires loaded with the spoils of the nation; _et fruitur +diis iratis_. I could name a commission, where several persons, out of a +salary of five hundred pounds, without other visible revenues, have +always lived at the rate of two thousand, and laid out forty or fifty +thousand upon purchases of lands or annuities. A hundred other instances +of the same kind might easily be produced. What remedy, therefore, can +be found against such grievances, in a constitution like ours, but to +bring religion into countenance, and encourage those, who, from the hope +of future reward, and dread of future punishment, will be moved to act +with justice and integrity? + +This is not to be accomplished any other way, but by introducing +religion, as much as possible, to be the turn and fashion of the age; +which only lies in the power of the administration; the prince with +utmost strictness regulating the court, the ministry, and other persons +in great employment; and these, by their example and authority, +reforming all who have dependence on them. + +It is certain, that a reformation successfully carried on in this great +town, would in time spread itself over the whole kingdom, since most of +the considerable youth pass here that season of their lives, wherein the +strongest impressions are made, in order to improve their education, or +advance their fortune, and those among them, who return into their +several counties, are sure to be followed and imitated, as the greatest +patterns of wit and good breeding. + +And if things were once in this train, that is, if virtue and religion +were established as the necessary titles to reputation and preferment, +and if vice and infidelity were not only loaded with infamy, but made +the infallible ruin of all men's pretensions, our duty, by becoming our +interest, would take root in our natures, and mix with the very genius +of our people, so that it would not be easy for the example of one +wicked prince to bring us back to our former corruptions. + +I have confined myself (as it is before observed) to those methods for +the advancement of piety, which are in the power of a prince, limited +like ours, by a strict execution of the laws already in force. And this +is enough for a project, that comes without any name or recommendation, +I doubt, a great deal more than will suddenly be reduced into practice. +Though, if any disposition should appear towards so good a work, it is +certain, that the assistance of the legislative power would be necessary +to make it more complete. I will instance only a few particulars. + +In order to reform the vices of this town, which, as we have said, hath +so mighty an influence on the whole kingdom, it would be very +instrumental to have a law made, that all taverns and alehouses should +be obliged to dismiss their company at twelve at night, and shut up +their doors, and that no woman should be suffered to enter any tavern or +alehouse, upon any pretence whatsoever. It is easy to conceive what a +number of ill consequences such a law would prevent, the mischiefs of +quarrels, and lewdness, and thefts, and midnight brawls, the diseases of +intemperance and venery, and a thousand other evils needless to mention. +Nor would it be amiss, if the masters of those public-houses were +obliged, upon the severest penalties, to give only a proportioned +quantity of drink to every company, and when he found his guests +disordered with excess, to refuse them any more. + +I believe there is hardly a nation in Christendom, where all kind of +fraud is practised in so immeasurable a degree as with us. The lawyer, +the tradesman, the mechanic, have found so many arts to deceive in their +several callings, that they far outgrow the common prudence of mankind, +which is in no sort able to fence against them. Neither could the +legislature in anything more consult the public good, than by providing +some effectual remedy against this evil, which, in several cases, +deserves greater punishment than many crimes that are capital among us. +The vintner, who, by mixing poison with his wines, destroys more lives +than any one disease in the bill of mortality; the lawyer, who persuades +you to a purchase which he knows is mortgaged for more than the worth, +to the ruin of you and your family; the goldsmith or scrivener, who +takes all your fortune to dispose of, when he has beforehand resolved to +break the following day, do surely deserve the gallows much better than +the wretch who is carried thither for stealing a horse. + +It cannot easily be answered to God or man, why a law is not made for +limiting the press; at least so far as to prevent the publishing of such +pernicious books, as, under pretence of freethinking, endeavour to +overthrow those tenets in religion which have been held inviolable, +almost in all ages, by every sect that pretend to be Christian; and +cannot, therefore, with any colour of reason, be called points in +controversy, or matters of speculation, as some would pretend. The +Doctrine of the Trinity, the Divinity of Christ, the Immortality of the +Soul, and even the truth of all revelation, are daily exploded and +denied in books openly printed; though it is to be supposed neither +party will avow such principles, or own the supporting of them to be any +way necessary to their service.[6] + +[Footnote 6: This passage refers to the deistical publications of +Asgill, Toland, Tindal, and Collins, already noted. [T. S.]] + +It would be endless to set down every corruption or defect which +requires a remedy from the legislative power. Senates are like to have +little regard for any proposals that come from without doors; though, +under a due sense of my own inabilities, I am fully convinced, that the +unbiassed thoughts of an honest and wise man, employed on the good of +his country, may be better digested than the results of a multitude, +where faction and interest too often prevail; as a single guide may +direct the way better than five hundred, who have _contrary views_, or +_look asquint_, or _shut their eyes_. + +I shall therefore mention but one more particular, which I think the +Parliament ought to take under consideration; whether it be not a shame +to our country, and a scandal to Christianity, that in many towns, where +there is a prodigious increase in the number of houses and inhabitants, +so little care should be taken for the building of churches, that five +parts in six of the people are absolutely hindered from hearing divine +service? Particularly here in London, where a single minister, with one +or two sorry curates, hath the care sometimes of above twenty thousand +souls incumbent on him. A neglect of religion so ignominious, in my +opinion, that it can hardly be equalled in any civilized age or +country.[7] + +[Footnote 7: This paragraph is known to have given the first hint to +certain bishops, particularly to Bishop Atterbury, to procure a fund for +building fifty new churches in London. [T. S.]] + +But, to leave these airy imaginations of introducing new laws for the +amendment of mankind; what I principally insist on is, a due execution +of the old, which lies wholly in the crown, and in the authority derived +from thence. I return, therefore, to my former assertion; that if +stations of power, trust, profit, and honour, were constantly made the +rewards of virtue and piety, such an administration must needs have a +mighty influence on the faith and morals of the whole kingdom: And men +of great abilities would then endeavour to excel in the duties of a +religious life, in order to qualify themselves for public service. I may +possibly be wrong in some of the means I prescribe towards this end; but +that is no material objection against the design itself. Let those who +are at the helm contrive it better, which, perhaps, they may easily do. +Everybody will agree that the disease is manifest, as well as dangerous; +that some remedy is necessary, and that none yet applied hath been +effectual, which is a sufficient excuse for any man who wishes well to +his country, to offer his thoughts, when he can have no other end in +view but the public good. The present Queen is a princess of as many and +great virtues as ever filled a throne: How would it brighten her +character to the present and after ages, if she would exert her utmost +authority to instil some share of those virtues into her people, which +they are too degenerate to learn only from her example! And, be it spoke +with all the veneration possible for so excellent a sovereign, her best +endeavours in this weighty affair are a most important part of her duty, +as well as of her interest and her honour. + +But, it must be confessed, that as things are now, every man thinks that +he has laid in a sufficient stock of merit, and may pretend to any +employment, provided he has been loud and frequent in declaring himself +hearty for the government. 'Tis true, he is a man of pleasure, and a +freethinker, that is, in other words, he is profligate in his morals, +and a despiser of religion; but in point of party, he is one to be +confided in; he is an assertor of liberty and property; he rattles it +out against Popery and Arbitrary Power, and Priestcraft and High Church. +'Tis enough: He is a person fully qualified for any employment, in the +court or the navy, the law or the revenue; where he will be sure to +leave no arts untried, of bribery, fraud, injustice, oppression, that he +can practise with any hope of impunity. No wonder such men are true to a +government where liberty runs high, where property, however attained, is +so well secured, and where the administration is at least so gentle: +'Tis impossible they could choose any other constitution, without +changing to their loss. + +Fidelity to a present establishment is indeed the principal means to +defend it from a foreign enemy, but without other qualifications, will +not prevent corruptions from within; and states are more often ruined by +these than the other. + +To conclude. Whether the proposals I have offered toward a reformation, +be such as are most prudent and convenient, may probably be a question; +but it is none at all, whether some reformation be absolutely necessary; +because the nature of things is such, that if abuses be not remedied, +they will certainly increase, nor ever stop, till they end in the +subversion of a commonwealth. As there must always of necessity be some +corruptions, so, in a well-instituted state, the executive power will be +always contending against them, by _reducing things_ (as Michiaevel +speaks) _to their first principles_; never letting abuses grow +inveterate, or multiply so far, that it will be hard to find remedies, +and perhaps impossible to apply them. As he that would keep his house in +repair, must attend every little breach or flaw, and supply it +immediately; else time alone will bring all to ruin; how much more the +common accidents of storms and rain? He must live in perpetual danger of +his house falling about his ears; and will find it cheaper to throw it +quite down, and build it again from the ground, perhaps upon a new +foundation, or at least in a new form, which may neither be so safe, nor +so convenient, as the old. + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +THE SENTIMENTS + +OF A + +CHURCH OF ENGLAND MAN, + +WITH RESPECT TO + +RELIGION AND GOVERNMENT. + +WRITTEN IN THE YEAR 1708. + + +NOTE. + +The writing of this tract, as has been already observed, placed Swift in +a position where allegiance to party was not easy to maintain. It +amounted to a warning to Whigs as well as Tories. To the former he urged +that the Church of England was wide enough for the highest principles of +civil liberty; to the latter he tried to show that to be a religious and +God-fearing man it was not absolutely necessary to be a Tory in +politics. "Whoever has examined the conduct and proceedings of both +parties for some years past, whether in or out of power, cannot well +conceive it possible to go far towards the extremes of either, without +offering some violence to his integrity or understanding." It is true +that Whiggism and "fanatical genius" were almost synonymous terms for +Swift; but that was because the Church was of prime consideration with +him, and the Whigs numbered in their ranks the great army of Dissent. +Swift, in his famous letter to Pope, dated Dublin, January 10th, +1720-21, reviews his political opinions of 1708 to justify himself +against the misrepresentations of "the virulence of libellers: whose +malice has taken the same train in both, by fathering dangerous +principles in government upon me, which I never maintained, and insipid +productions, which I am not capable of writing." That review is but a +summary of what is given fully in this tract. No appeal was ever better +intentioned. "I only wish," he says to Pope, "my endeavours had +succeeded better in the great point I had at heart, which was that of +reconciling the ministers to each other." But High Church and Low Church +were cries which had divided politicians as if they did not belong to +one nation. To Swift it was easy enough to be a staunch Churchman and at +the same time expose the fallacies underlying the faith in the sovereign +power; but then Swift was here no party fanatic who would use the +"Church in danger" cry for party purposes. "If others," he writes twelve +years later, "who had more concern and more influence, would have acted +their parts," his appeal had not been made in vain. As it was it failed +in its intended purpose, and Swift lost what hold he had on Somers, +Godolphin, and the rest. It remains, however, to testify to Swift's +principles in a manner least expected by those who have set him down as +intemperate and inconsistent. Certainly, no principles were ever more +moderately expressed; and, assuredly, no expression of principles found +fitter realization in conduct. + +The text of this edition is based on that given in the "Miscellanies" of +1711. I have not succeeded in obtaining a copy of the original issue; +but I have collated the various texts given in the re-issues by +Faulkner, Hawkesworth, Scott, and the "Miscellanies" of 1728 (vol. i.) +and 1747 (vol. i.). + +[T. S.] + + + THE SENTIMENTS OF A CHURCH OF + ENGLAND MAN, WITH RESPECT TO + RELIGION AND GOVERNMENT. + + +Whosoever hath examined the conduct and proceedings of both parties for +some years past, whether in or out of power, cannot well conceive it +possible to go far towards the extremes of either, without offering some +violence to his integrity or understanding. A wise and a good man may +indeed be sometimes induced to comply with a number whose opinion he +generally approves, though it be perhaps against his own. But this +liberty should be made use of upon very few occasions, and those of +small importance, and then only with a view of bringing over his own +side another time to something of greater and more public moment. But to +sacrifice the innocency of a friend, the good of our country, or our own +conscience to the humour, or passion, or interest of a party, plainly +shews that either our heads or our hearts are not as they should be: Yet +this very practice is the fundamental law of each faction among us, as +may be obvious to any who will impartially, and without engagement, be +at the pains to examine their actions, which however is not so easy a +task: For it seems a principle in human nature, to incline one way more +than another, even in matters where we are wholly unconcerned. And it is +a common observation, that in reading a history of facts done a thousand +years ago, or standing by at play among those who are perfect strangers +to us, we are apt to find our hopes and wishes engaged on a sudden in +favour of one side more than another. No wonder then, we are all so +ready to interest ourselves in the course of public affairs, where the +most inconsiderable have some _real_ share, and by the wonderful +importance which every man is of to himself, a very great _imaginary_ +one. + +And indeed, when the two parties that divide the whole commonwealth, +come once to a rupture, without any hopes left of forming a third with +better principles, to balance the others; it seems every man's duty to +choose a side,[1] though he cannot entirely approve of either; and all +pretences to neutrality are justly exploded by both, being too stale and +obvious, only intending the safety and ease of a few individuals while +the public is embroiled. This was the opinion and practice of the latter +Cato, whom I esteem to have been the wisest and best of all the Romans. +But before things proceed to open violence, the truest service a private +man may hope to do his country, is, by unbiassing his mind as much as +possible, and then endeavouring to moderate between the rival powers; +which must needs be owned a fair proceeding with the world, because it +is of all others the least consistent with the common design, of making +a fortune by the merit of an opinion. + +[Footnote 1: Faulkner and Scott have "one of the two sides." [T. S.]] + +I have gone as far as I am able in qualifying myself to be such a +moderator: I believe I am no bigot in religion, and I am sure I am none +in government. I converse in full freedom with many considerable men of +both parties, and if not in equal number, it is purely accidental and +personal, as happening to be near the court, and to have made +acquaintance there, more under one ministry than another. Then, I am not +under the necessity of declaring myself by the prospect of an +employment. And lastly, if all this be not sufficient, I industriously +conceal my name, which wholly exempts me from any hopes and fears in +delivering my opinion. + +In consequence of this free use of my reason, I cannot possibly think so +well or so ill of either party, as they would endeavour to persuade the +world of each other, and of themselves. For instance; I do not charge it +upon the body of the Whigs or the Tories, that their several principles +lead them to introduce Presbytery, and the religion of the Church of +Rome, or a commonwealth and arbitrary power. For, why should any party +be accused of a principle which they solemnly disown and protest +against? But, to this they have a mutual answer ready; they both assure +us, that their adversaries are not to be believed, that they disown +their principles out of fear, which are manifest enough when we examine +their practices. To prove this, they will produce instances, on one +side, either of avowed Presbyterians, or persons of libertine and +atheistical tenets, and on the other, of professed Papists, or such as +are openly in the interest of the abdicated family. Now, it is very +natural for all subordinate sects and denominations in a state, to side +with some general party, and to choose that which they find to agree +with themselves in some general principle. Thus at the restoration, the +Presbyterians, Anabaptists, Independents, and other sects, did all with +very good reason unite and solder up their several schemes to join +against the Church, who without regard to their distinctions, treated +them all as equal adversaries. Thus, our present dissenters do very +naturally close in with the Whigs, who profess moderation, declare they +abhor all thoughts of persecution, and think it hard that those who +differ only in a few ceremonies and speculations, should be denied the +privilege and profit of serving their country in the highest employments +of state. Thus, the atheists, libertines, despisers of religion and +revelation in general, that is to say, all those who usually pass under +the name of freethinkers, do properly join with the same body; because +they likewise preach up moderation, and are not so overnice to +distinguish between an unlimited liberty of conscience, and an unlimited +freedom of opinion. Then on the other side, the professed firmness of +the Tories for Episcopacy as an apostolical institution: Their aversion +to those sects who lie under the reproach of having once destroyed their +constitution, and who they imagine, by too indiscreet a zeal for +reformation have defaced the primitive model of the Church: Next, their +veneration for monarchical government in the common course of +succession, and their hatred to republican schemes: These, I say, are +principles which not only the nonjuring zealots profess, but even +Papists themselves fall readily in with. And every extreme here +mentioned flings a general scandal upon the whole body it pretends to +adhere to. + +But surely no man whatsoever ought in justice or good manners to be +charged with principles he actually disowns, unless his practices do +openly and without the least room for doubt contradict his profession: +Not upon small surmises, or because he has the misfortune to have ill +men sometimes agree with him in a few general sentiments. However, +though the extremes of Whig and Tory seem with little justice to have +drawn religion into their controversies, wherein they have small +concern; yet they both have borrowed one leading principle from the +abuse of it; which is, to have built their several systems of political +faith, not upon enquiries after truth, but upon opposition to each +other, upon injurious appellations, charging their adversaries with +horrid opinions, and then reproaching them for the want of charity; _et +neuter falso_. + +In order to remove these prejudices, I have thought nothing could be +more effectual than to describe the sentiments of a Church of England +man with respect to religion and government. This I shall endeavour to +do in such a manner as may not be liable to least objection from either +party, and which I am confident would be assented to by great numbers in +both, if they were not misled to those mutual misrepresentations, by +such motives as they would be ashamed to own. + +I shall begin with religion. + +And here, though it makes an odd sound, yet it is necessary to say, that +whoever professes himself 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 beside those many thousands, who (to speak +in the phrase of divines) do practically deny all this by the immorality +of their lives; there is no small number, who in their conversation and +writings directly or by consequence endeavour to overthrow it; yet all +these place themselves in the list of the National Church, though at the +same time (as it is highly reasonable) they are great sticklers for +liberty of conscience. + +To enter upon particulars: A Church of England man hath a true +veneration for the scheme established among us of ecclesiastic +government; and though he will not determine whether Episcopacy be of +divine right, he is sure it is most agreeable to primitive institution, +fittest of all others for preserving order and purity, and under its +present regulations best calculated for our civil state: He should +therefore think the abolishment of that order among us would prove a +mighty scandal and corruption to our faith, and manifestly dangerous to +our monarchy; nay, he would defend it by arms against all the powers on +earth, except our own legislature; in which case he would submit as to a +general calamity, a dearth, or a pestilence. + +As to rites and ceremonies, and forms of prayer; he allows there might +be some useful alterations, and more, which in the prospect of uniting +Christians might be very supportable, as things declared in their own +nature indifferent; to which he therefore would readily comply, if the +clergy, or, (though this be not so fair a method) if the legislature +should direct: Yet at the same time he cannot altogether blame the +former for their unwillingness to consent to any alteration; which +beside the trouble, and perhaps disgrace, would certainly never produce +the good effects intended by it. The only condition that could make it +prudent and just for the clergy to comply in altering the ceremonial or +any other indifferent part, would be, a firm resolution in the +legislature to interpose by some strict and effectual laws to prevent +the rising and spreading of new sects how plausible soever, for the +future; else there must never be an end: And it would be to act like a +man who should pull down and change the ornaments of his house, in +compliance to every one who was disposed to find fault as he passed by, +which besides the perpetual trouble and expense, would very much damage, +and perhaps in time destroy the building. Sects in a state seem only +tolerated with any reason because they are already spread; and because +it would not be agreeable with so mild a government, or so pure a +religion as ours, to use violent methods against great numbers of +mistaken people, while they do not manifestly endanger the constitution +of either. But the greatest advocates for general liberty of conscience, +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 same thing, if +they will only grant, it were better for the peace of the state, that +there should be none. But while the clergy consider the natural temper +of mankind in general, or of our own country in particular, what +assurances can they have, that any compliances they shall make, will +remove the evil of dissension, while the liberty still continues of +professing whatever new opinion we please? Or how can it be imagined +that the body of dissenting teachers, who must be all undone by such a +revolution, will not cast about for some new objections to withhold +their flocks, and draw in fresh proselytes by some further innovations +or refinements? + +Upon these reasons he is for tolerating such 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 established, which it is natural for +all sects to desire, and which they cannot justify by any consistent +principles if they do not endeavour; and yet, which they cannot succeed +in without the utmost danger to the public peace. + +To prevent these inconveniences, he thinks it highly just, that all +rewards of trust, profit, or dignity, which the state leaves in the +disposal of the administration, should be given only to those whose +principles direct them to preserve the constitution in all its parts. In +the late affair of Occasional Conformity, the general argument of those +who were against it, was not, to deny it an evil in itself, but that the +remedy proposed 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 just their fears or complaints might have been upon +that score, he thinks it a little too gross and precipitate to employ +their writers already in arguments for repealing the sacramental test, +upon no wiser a maxim, than that no man should on the account of +conscience be deprived the liberty of serving his country; a topic which +may be equally applied to admit Papists, Atheists, Mahometans, Heathens, +and Jews. If the Church wants members of its own to employ in the +service of the public; or be so unhappily contrived as to exclude from +its communion such persons who are likeliest to have great abilities, it +is time it should be altered and reduced into some more perfect, or at +least more popular form: But in the meanwhile, it is not altogether +improbable, that when those who dislike the constitution, are so very +zealous in their offers for the service of their country, they are not +wholly unmindful of their party or of themselves. + +The Dutch whose practice is so often quoted to prove and celebrate the +great advantages of a general liberty of conscience, have yet a national +religion professed 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 situation, soil, and productions of +nature, as in the genius and complexion of inhabitants. They are a +commonwealth founded on a sudden by a desperate attempt in a desperate +condition, not formed or digested into a regular system by mature +thought and reason, but huddled up under the pressure of sudden +exigencies; calculated for no long duration, and hitherto subsisting by +accident in the midst of contending powers, who cannot yet agree about +sharing it among them. These difficulties do indeed preserve them from +any great corruptions, which their crazy constitution would extremely +subject them to in a long peace. That confluence of people in a +persecuting age, to a place of refuge nearest at hand, put them upon the +necessity of trade, to which they wisely gave all ease and +encouragement: And if we could think fit to imitate them in this last +particular, there would need no more to invite foreigners among us; who +seem to think no further than how to secure their property and +conscience, without projecting any share in that government which gives +them protection, or calling it persecution if it be denied them. But I +speak it for the honour of our administration, that although our sects +are not so numerous as those in Holland, which I presume is not our +fault, and I hope is not our misfortune, we much excel them and all +Christendom besides in our indulgence to tender consciences.[2] One +single compliance with the national form of receiving the sacrament, is +all we require to qualify any sectary among us for the greatest +employments in the state, after which he is at liberty to rejoin his own +assemblies for the rest of his life. Besides, I will suppose any of the +numerous sects in Holland, to have so far prevailed as to have raised a +civil war, destroyed their government and religion, and put their +administrators to death; after which I will suppose the people to have +recovered all again, and to have settled on their old foundation. Then I +would put a query, whether that sect which was the unhappy instrument of +all this confusion, could reasonably expect to be entrusted for the +future with the greatest employments, or indeed to be hardly tolerated +among them? + +[Footnote 2: When this was written there was no law against Occasional +Conformity. [Faulkner, 1735.]] + +To go on with the sentiments of a Church of England man: He does not see +how that mighty passion for the Church which some men pretend, can well +consist with those indignities and that contempt they bestow on the +persons of the clergy.[3] Tis a strange mark whereby to distinguish High +Churchmen, that they are such who imagine the clergy can never be too +low. He thinks the maxim these gentlemen are so fond of, that they are +for an humble clergy, is a very good one; and so is he, and for an +humble laity too, since humility is a virtue that perhaps equally +benefits and adorns every station of life. + +[Footnote 3: "I observed very well with what insolence and haughtiness +some lords of the High-Church party treated, not only their own +chaplains, but all other clergy whatsoever, and thought this was +sufficiently recompensed by their professions of zeal to the church."] + +But then, if the scribblers on the other side freely speak the +sentiments of their party, a divine of the Church of England cannot look +for much better quarter thence. You shall observe nothing more frequent +in their weekly papers than a way of affecting to confound the terms of +Clergy and High Church, of applying both indifferently, and then loading +the latter with all the calumny they can invent. They will tell you they +honour a clergyman; but talk, at the same time, as if there were not +three in the kingdom, who could fall in with their definition.[4] After +the like manner they insult the universities, as poisoned fountains, and +corrupters of youth. + +[Footnote 4: "I had likewise observed how the Whig lords took a direct +contrary measure, treated the persons of particular clergymen with great +courtesy, but shewed much ill-will and contempt for the order in +general."] + +Now, it seems clear to me, that the Whigs might easily have procured and +maintained a majority among the clergy, and perhaps in the universities, +if they had not too much encouraged or connived at this intemperance of +speech and virulence of pen, in the worst and most prostitute of their +party; among whom there has been for some years past such a perpetual +clamour against the ambition, the implacable temper, and the +covetousness of the priesthood: Such a cant of High Church, and +persecution, and being priest-ridden; so many reproaches about narrow +principles, or terms of communion: Then such scandalous reflections on +the universities, for infecting the youth of the nation with arbitrary +and Jacobite principles, that it was natural for those, who had the care +of religion and education, to apprehend some general design of altering +the constitution of both. And all this was the more extraordinary, +because it could not easily be forgot, that whatever opposition was made +to the usurpations of King James, proceeded altogether from the Church +of England, and chiefly from the clergy, and one of the universities. +For, if it were of any use to recall matters of fact, what is more +notorious than that prince's applying himself first to the Church of +England? And upon their refusal to fall in with his measures, making the +like advances to the dissenters of all kinds, who readily and almost +universally complied with him, affecting in their numerous addresses and +pamphlets, the style of Our Brethren the Roman Catholics, whose +interests they put on the same foot with their own: And some of +Cromwell's officers took posts in the army raised against the Prince of +Orange.[5] These proceedings of theirs they can only extenuate by urging +the provocations they had met from the Church in King Charles's reign, +which though perhaps excusable upon the score of human infirmity, are +not by any means a plea of merit equal to the constancy and sufferings +of the bishops and clergy, or of the head and fellows of Magdalen +College, that furnished the Prince of Orange's declaration with such +powerful arguments to justify and promote the Revolution. + +[Footnote 5: De Foe's "History of Addresses" contains some humbling +instances of the applause with which the sectaries hailed their old +enemy, James II., when they saw him engaged in hostility with the +established Church. [T. S.]] + +Therefore a Church of England man abhors the humour of the age in +delighting to fling scandals upon the clergy in general; which besides +the disgrace to the Reformation, and to religion itself, casts an +ignominy upon the kingdom that it does not deserve. We have no better +materials to compound the priesthood of, than the mass of mankind, which +corrupted as it is, those who receive orders must have some vices to +leave behind them when they enter into the Church, and if a few do still +adhere, it is no wonder, but rather a great one that they are no worse. +Therefore he cannot think ambition, or love of power more justly laid to +their charge than to other men, because, that would be to make religion +itself, or at least the best constitution of Church-government, +answerable for the errors and depravity of human nature. + +Within these last two hundred years all sorts of temporal power have +been wrested from the clergy, and much of their ecclesiastic, the reason +or justice of which proceeding I shall not examine; but, that the +remedies were a little too violent with respect to their possessions, +the legislature hath lately confessed by the remission of their First +Fruits.[6] Neither do the common libellers deny this, who in their +invectives only tax the Church with an insatiable desire of power and +wealth (equally common to all bodies of men as well as individuals) but +thank God, that the laws have deprived them of both. However, it is +worth observing the justice of parties: The sects among us are apt to +complain, and think it hard usage to be reproached now after fifty years +for overturning the state, for the murder of a king, and the indignity +of a usurpation; yet these very men and their partisans, are continually +reproaching the clergy, and laying to their charge the pride, the +avarice, the luxury, the ignorance, and superstition, of Popish times +for a thousand years past. + +[Footnote 6: The first fruits were the first year's income of +ecclesiastical benefices. In the middle ages they were taken by the Pope +as a right; but were handed over to the English crown in 1534. Anne in +1703 gave them back to the Church by letters patent, an act confirmed by +Parliament in 1704. The "Bounty" of Queen Anne, however, did not extend +to Ireland; and one of Swift's missions in London was to obtain this +remission of the first fruits for the Irish clergy also. [T. S.]] + +He thinks it a scandal to government that such an unlimited liberty +should be allowed of publishing books against those doctrines in +religion, wherein all Christians have agreed, much more to connive at +such tracts as reject all revelation, and by their consequences often +deny the very being of a God. Surely 'tis not a sufficient atonement for +the writers, that they profess much loyalty to the present government, +and sprinkle up and down some arguments in favour of the dissenters; +that they dispute as strenuously as they can for liberty of conscience, +and inveigh largely against all ecclesiastics, under the name of High +Church; and, in short, under the shelter of some popular principles in +politics and religion, undermine the foundations of all piety and +virtue. + +As he doth not reckon every schism of that damnable nature which some +would represent, so he is very far from closing with the new opinion of +those who would make it no crime at all, and argue at a wild rate, that +God Almighty is delighted with the variety of faith and worship, as He +is with the varieties of nature. To such absurdities are men carried by +the affectation of freethinking, and removing the prejudices of +education, under which head they have for some time begun to list +morality and religion. It is certain that before the rebellion in 1642, +though the number of Puritans (as they were then called) was as great as +it is with us, and though they affected to follow pastors of that +denomination, yet those pastors had episcopal ordination, possessed +preferments in the Church, and were sometimes promoted to bishoprics +themselves.[7] But, a breach in the general form of worship was in those +days reckoned so dangerous and sinful in itself, and so offensive to +Roman Catholics at home and abroad, and that it was too unpopular to be +attempted; neither, I believe, was the expedient then found out of +maintaining separate pastors out of private purses. + +[Footnote 7: In the reign of Elizabeth, and even in that of James, the +Puritans were not, properly speaking, Dissenters; but, on the contrary, +formed a sort of Low Church party in the national establishment. +Archbishop Abbot himself has been considered as a Puritan. [T. S.]] + +When a schism is once spread in a nation, there grows at length a +dispute which are the schismatics. Without entering on the arguments, +used by both sides among us, to fix the guilt on each other; 'tis +certain, that, in the sense of the law, the schism lies on that side +which opposes itself to the religion of the state. I leave it among the +divines to dilate upon the danger of schism, as a spiritual evil, but I +would consider it only as a temporal one. And I think it clear that any +great separation from the established worship, though to a new one that +is more pure and perfect, may be an occasion of endangering the public +peace, because it will compose a body always in reserve, prepared to +follow any discontented heads upon the plausible pretext of advancing +true religion, and opposing error, superstition, or idolatry. For this +reason Plato lays it down as a maxim, that, _men ought to worship the +gods according to the laws of the country_, and he introduces Socrates +in his last discourse utterly disowning the crime laid to his charge, of +teaching new divinities or methods of worship. Thus the poor Huguenots +of France were engaged in a civil war, by the specious pretences of +some, who under the guise of religion sacrificed so many thousand lives +to their own ambition and revenge. Thus was the whole body of Puritans +in England drawn to be instruments, or abettors of all manner of +villainy, by the artifices of a few men whose[8] designs from the first +were levelled to destroy the constitution both of religion and +government. And thus, even in Holland itself, where it is pretended that +the variety of sects live so amicably together, and in such perfect +obedience to the magistrate, it is notorious how a turbulent party +joining with the Arminians, did in the memory of our fathers attempt to +destroy the liberty of that republic. So that upon the whole, where +sects are tolerated in a state, 'tis fit they should enjoy a full +liberty of conscience, and every other privilege of freeborn subjects to +which no power is annexed. And to preserve their obedience upon all +emergencies, a government cannot give them too much ease, nor trust them +with too little power. + +[Footnote 8: Lord Clarendon's History; but see also Gardiner's "History +of England." [T. S.]] + +The clergy are usually charged with a persecuting spirit, which they are +said to discover by an implacable hatred to all dissenters; and this +appears to be more unreasonable, because they suffer less in their +interests by a toleration than any of the conforming laity: For while +the Church remains in its present form, no dissenter can possibly have +any share in its dignities, revenues, or power; whereas, by once +receiving the sacrament, he is rendered capable of the highest +employments in the state. And it is very possible, that a narrow +education, together with a mixture of human infirmity, may help to beget +among some of the clergy in possession such an aversion and contempt for +all innovators, as physicians are apt to have for empirics, or lawyers +for pettifoggers, or merchants for pedlars: But since the number of +sectaries doth not concern the clergy either in point of interest or +conscience, (it being an evil not in their power to remedy) 'tis more +fair and reasonable to suppose their dislike proceeds from the dangers +they apprehend to the peace of the commonwealth, in the ruin whereof +they must expect to be the first and greatest sufferers. + +To conclude this section, it must be observed, there is a very good +word, which hath of late suffered much by both parties, and that is, +MODERATION, which the one side very justly disowns, and the other as +unjustly pretends to. Beside what passeth every day in conversation; any +man who reads the papers published by Mr. Lesley[9] and others of his +stamp, must needs conclude, that if this author could make the nation +see his adversaries under the colours he paints them in, we have nothing +else to do, but rise as one man and destroy such wretches from the face +of the earth. On the other side, how shall we excuse the advocates for +moderation? among whom, I could appeal to a hundred papers of universal +approbation by the cause they were writ for, which lay such principles +to the whole body of the Tories, as, if they were true, and believed; +our next business should in prudence be, to erect gibbets in every +parish, and hang them out of the way. But I suppose it is presumed, the +common people understand raillery, or at least, rhetoric, and will not +take hyperboles in too literal a sense; which however in some junctures +might prove a desperate experiment. + +[Footnote 9: This was Charles Leslie, the second son of the Bishop of +Clogher (1650-1722). He was educated for the bar, but forsook that, and +entered into holy orders. In his zeal for the established Church he +persecuted the Catholics; but this did not interfere with his adhesion +to Jacobite political principles. He settled in London, and wrote a +weekly paper called "The Rehearsal, or a Review of the Times," in which +he attacked Locke and Hoadly. He did all he could for the cause of the +exiled James, but he gave up the work when he found it hopeless, and +died in Ireland. He wrote many virulent theological works, as well as a +host of political tracts. [T. S.]] + +And this is moderation in the modern sense of the word, to which, +speaking impartially, the bigots of both parties are equally entitled. + +SECTION II. + +_The Sentiments of a Church of England Man with respect to Government_. + +We look upon it as a very just reproach, though we cannot agree where to +fix it, that there should be so much violence and hatred in religious +matters, among men who agree in all fundamentals, and only differ in +some ceremonies, or at most mere speculative points. Yet is not this +frequently the case between contending parties in a state? For instance: +Do not the generality of Whigs and Tories among us, profess to agree in +the same fundamentals, their loyalty to the Queen, their abjuration of +the Pretender, the settlement of the crown in the protestant line, and a +revolution principle? Their affection to the Church established, with +toleration of dissenters? Nay sometimes they go further, and pass over +into each other's principles; the Whigs become great assertors of the +prerogative, and the Tories of the people's liberty; these crying down +almost the whole set of bishops, and those defending them; so that the +differences fairly stated, would be much of a sort with those in +religion among us, and amount to little more than, _who should take +place_ or _go in and out first_, or _kiss the Queen's hand_; and what +are these but a few court ceremonies? Or, _who should be in the +ministry_? And what is that to the body of the nation, but a mere +speculative point? Yet I think it must be allowed, that no religious +sects ever carried their aversions for each other to greater heights +than our state-parties have done, who the more to inflame their passions +have mixed religious and civil animosities together; borrowing one of +their appellations from the Church, with the addition of High and Low, +how little soever their disputes relate to the term as it is generally +understood. + +I now proceed to deliver the sentiments of a Church of England man with +respect to government. + +He doth not think the Church of England so narrowly calculated, that it +cannot fall in with any regular species of government; nor does he think +any one regular species of government more acceptable to God than +another. The three generally received in the schools have all of them +their several perfections, and are subject to their several +depravations. However, few states are ruined by any defect in their +institution, but generally by the corruption of manners, against which +the best institution is no long security, and without which a very ill +one may subsist and flourish: Whereof there are two pregnant instances +now in Europe. The first is the aristocracy of Venice, which founded +upon the wisest maxims, and digested by a great length of time, hath in +our age admitted so many abuses through the degeneracy of the nobles, +that the period of its duration seems to approach. The other is the +united republics of the States-general, where a vein of temperance, +industry, parsimony, and a public spirit, running through the whole body +of the people, hath preserved an infant commonwealth of an untimely +birth and sickly constitution, for above an hundred years, through so +many dangers and difficulties, as a much more healthy one could never +have struggled against, without those advantages. + +Where security of person and property are preserved by laws which none +but the Whole can repeal, there the great ends of government are +provided for whether the administration be in the hands of One, or of +Many. Where any one person or body of men, who do not represent the +Whole, seize into their hands the power in the last resort, there is +properly no longer a government, but what Aristotle and his followers +call the abuse and corruption of one. This distinction excludes +arbitrary power in whatever numbers; which notwithstanding all that +Hobbes, Filmer[10] and others have said to its advantage, I look upon as +a greater evil than anarchy itself; as much as a savage is in a happier +state of life than a slave at the oar. + +[Footnote 10: Hobbes, Thomas (1588-1679), the English philosopher, and +author of "De Cive" (1642), "Treatise on Human Nature" (1650), "De +Corpore Politico" (1650), "Leviathan" (1651), and other works. Swift is +here combating Hobbes's advocacy for a sovereign power, as vested in a +single person. + +Filmer, Sir Robert (died 1647), author of "The Anarchy of a limited and +mixed Monarchy," "Patriarcha," and "The Freeholder's Grand Inquest." In +the "Patriarcha" Filmer attempted to prove that absolute government by a +monarch was a patriarchal institution. Locke replied to this work in his +"Two Treatises on Government." [T.S.]] + +It is reckoned ill manners, as well as unreasonable, for men to quarrel +upon difference in opinion; because that is usually supposed to be a +thing which no man can help in himself; which however I do not conceive +to be an universal infallible maxim, except in those cases where the +question is pretty equally disputed among the learned and the wise; +where it is otherwise, a man of tolerable reason, small experience, and +willing to be instructed, may apprehend he is got into a wrong opinion, +though the whole course of his mind and inclination would persuade him +to believe it true: He may be convinced that he is in error though he +does not see where it lies, by the bad effects of it in the common +conduct of his life, and by observing those persons for whose wisdom and +goodness he has the greatest deference, to be of a contrary sentiment. +According to Hobbes's comparison of reasoning with casting up accounts, +whoever finds a mistake in the sum total, must allow himself out, +though, after repeated trials he may not see in which article he has +misreckoned. I will instance in one opinion, which I look upon every man +obliged in conscience to quit, or in prudence to conceal; I mean, that +whoever argues in defence of absolute power in a single person, though +he offers the old plausible plea, that, _it is his opinion, which he +cannot help unless he be convinced_, ought, in all free states to be +treated as the common enemy of mankind. Yet this is laid as a heavy +charge upon the clergy of the two reigns before the Revolution, who +under the terms of Passive Obedience and Non-Resistance are said to have +preached up the unlimited power of the prince, because they found it a +doctrine that pleased the Court, and made way for their preferment. And +I believe there may be truth enough in this accusation, to convince us, +that human frailty will too often interpose itself among persons of the +holiest function. However, it may be offered in excuse for the clergy, +that in the best societies there are some ill members, which a corrupted +court and ministry will industriously find out and introduce. Besides, +it is manifest that the greater number of those who held and preached +this doctrine, were misguided by equivocal terms, and by perfect +ignorance in the principles of government, which they had not made any +part of their study. The question originally put, and as I remember to +have heard it disputed in public schools, was this; _whether under any +pretence whatsoever it may be lawful to resist the supreme magistrate?_ +which was held in the negative; and this is certainly the right opinion. +But many of the clergy, and other learned men, deceived by dubious +expression, mistook the object to which passive obedience was due. By +the supreme magistrate is properly understood the legislative power, +which in all government must be absolute and unlimited. But the word +magistrate seeming to denote a single person, and to express the +executive power, it came to pass, that the obedience due to the +legislature was for want of knowing or considering this easy +distinction, misapplied to the administration. Neither is it any wonder, +that the clergy or other well-meaning people should fall into this +error, which deceived Hobbes himself so far, as to be the foundation of +all the political mistakes in his book, where he perpetually confounds +the executive with the legislative power, though all well-instituted +states have ever placed them in different hands, as may be obvious to +those who know anything of Athens, Sparta, Thebes, and other republics +of Greece, as well as the greater ones of Carthage and Rome. + +Besides, it is to be considered that when these doctrines began to be +preached among us, the kingdom had not quite worn out the memory of that +unhappy rebellion, under the consequences of which it had groaned almost +twenty years. And a weak prince in conjunction with a succession of most +prostitute ministers, began again to dispose the people to new attempts, +which it was, no doubt, the clergy's duty to endeavour to prevent, if +some of them had not for want of knowledge in temporal affairs, and +others perhaps from a worse principle, proceeded upon a topic that +strictly followed would enslave all mankind. + +Among other theological arguments made use of in those times, in praise +of monarchy, and justification of absolute obedience to a prince, there +seemed to be one of a singular nature: It was urged that Heaven was +governed by a monarch, who had none to control his power, but was +absolutely obeyed: Then it followed, that earthly governments were the +more perfect, the nearer they imitated the government in Heaven. All +which I look upon as the strongest argument against despotic power that +ever was offered; since no reason can possibly be assigned why it is +best for the world that God Almighty hath such a power, which doth not +directly prove that no mortal man should ever have the like. + +But though a Church of England man thinks every species of government +equally lawful, he does not think them equally expedient; or for every +country indifferently. There may be something in the climate, naturally +disposing men toward one sort of obedience, as is manifest all over +Asia, where we never read of any commonwealth, except some small ones on +the western coasts established by the Greeks. There may be a great deal +in the situation of a country, and in the present genius of the people. +It hath been observed, that the temperate climates usually run into +moderate governments, and the extremes into despotic power. 'Tis a +remark of Hobbes, that the youth of England are corrupted in their +principles of government, by reading the authors of Greece and Rome who +writ under commonwealths. But it might have been more fairly offered for +the honour of liberty, that while the rest of the known world was +overrun with the arbitrary government of single persons; arts and +sciences took their rise, and flourished only in those few small +territories were the people were free. And though learning may continue +after liberty is lost, as it did in Rome, for a while, upon the +foundations laid under the commonwealth, and the particular patronage of +some emperors; yet it hardly ever began under a tyranny in any nation: +Because slavery is of all things the greatest clog and obstacle to +speculation. And indeed, arbitrary power is but the first natural step +from anarchy or the savage life; the adjusting of power and freedom +being an effect and consequence of maturer thinking: And this is nowhere +so duly regulated as in a limited monarchy: Because I believe it may +pass for a maxim in state, that the administration cannot be placed in +too few hands, nor the legislature in too many. Now in this material +point, the constitution of the English government far exceeds all others +at this time on the earth, to which the present establishment of the +Church doth so happily agree, that I think, whoever is an enemy to +either, must of necessity be so to both. + +He thinks, as our monarchy is constituted, a hereditary right is much to +be preferred before election. Because the government here, especially by +some late amendments, is so regularly disposed in all its parts, that it +almost executes itself. And therefore upon the death of a prince among +us, the administration goes on without any rub or interruption. For the +same reasons we have little to apprehend from the weakness or fury of +our monarchs, who have such wise councils to guide the first, and laws +to restrain the other. And therefore this hereditary right should be +kept so sacred, as never to break the succession, unless where the +preserving of it may endanger the constitution; which is not from any +intrinsic merit, or unalienable right in a particular family, but to +avoid the consequences that usually attend the ambition of competitors, +to which elective kingdoms are exposed; and which is the only obstacle +to hinder them from arriving at the greatest perfection that government +can possibly reach. Hence appears the absurdity of that distinction +between a king _de facto_, and one _de jure_, with respect to us. For +every limited monarch is a king _de jure_, because he governs by the +consent of the whole, which is authority sufficient to abolish all +precedent right. If a king come in by conquest, he is no longer a +limited monarch, if he afterward consent to limitations, he becomes +immediately king _de jure_ for the same reason. + +The great advocates for succession, who affirm it ought not to be +violated upon any regard or consideration whatsoever, do insist much +upon one argument that seems to carry little weight. They would have it, +that a crown is a prince's birthright, and ought at least to be as well +secured to him and his posterity as the inheritance of any private man: +In short, that he has the same title to his kingdom which every +individual has to his property. Now the consequence of this doctrine +must be, that as a man may find several ways to waste, misspend, or +abuse his patrimony, without being answerable to the laws; so a king may +in like manner do what he will with his own, that is, he may squander +and misapply his revenues, and even alienate the crown, without being +called to an account by his subjects. They allow such a prince to be +guilty indeed of much folly and wickedness, but for those he is to +answer to God, as every private man must do that is guilty of +mismanagement in his own concerns. Now the folly of this reasoning will +best appear, by applying it in a parallel case. Should any man argue, +that a physician is supposed to understand his own art best; that the +law protects and encourages his profession; and therefore although he +should manifestly prescribe poison to all his patients, whereof they +should immediately die, he cannot be justly punished, but is answerable +only to God: Or should the same be offered in behalf of a divine, who +would preach against religion and moral duties; in either of these two +cases everybody would find out the sophistry, and presently answer, that +although common men are not exactly skilled in the composition or +application of medicines, or in prescribing the limits of duty; yet the +difference between poisons and remedies is easily known by their +effects, and common reason soon distinguishes between virtue and vice: +And it must be necessary to forbid both these the further practice of +their professions, because their crimes are not purely personal to the +physician or the divine, but destructive to the public. All which is +infinitely stronger in respect to a prince, with whose good or ill +conduct the happiness or misery of a whole nation is included; whereas +it is of small consequence to the public, farther than examples, how any +private person manages his property. + +But granting that the right of a lineal successor to a crown were upon +the same foot with the property of a subject, still It may at any time +be transferred by the legislative power, as other properties frequently +are. The supreme power in a state can do no wrong, because whatever that +doth, is the action of all; and when the lawyers apply this maxim to the +king, they must understand it only in that sense as he is administrator +of the supreme power, otherwise it is not universally true, but may be +controlled in several instances easy to produce. + +And these are the topics we must proceed upon to justify our exclusion +of the young Pretender in France; that of his suspected birth being +merely popular, and therefore not made use of as I remember, since the +Revolution in any speech, vote, or proclamation where there was occasion +to mention him. + +As to the abdication of King James, which the advocates on that side +look upon to have been forcible and unjust, and consequently void in +itself, I think a man may observe every article of the English Church, +without being in much pain about it. 'Tis not unlikely that all doors +were laid open for his departure, and perhaps not without the privity of +the Prince of Orange, as reasonably concluding that the kingdom might be +settled in his absence: But to affirm he had any cause to apprehend the +same treatment with his father, is an improbable scandal flung upon the +nation by a few bigotted French scribblers, or the invidious assertion +of a ruined party at home, in the bitterness of their souls: Not one +material circumstance agreeing with those in 1648; and the greatest part +of the nation having preserved the utmost horror for that ignominious +murder: But whether his removal were caused by his own fears or other +men's artifices, 'tis manifest to me, that supposing the throne to be +vacant, which was the foot they went upon, the body of the people were +thereupon left at liberty, to choose what form of government they +pleased, by themselves or their representatives. + +The only difficulty of any weight against the proceedings at the +Revolution, is an obvious objection, to which the writers upon that +subject have not yet given a direct or sufficient answer, as if they +were in pain at some consequences which they apprehend those of the +contrary opinion might draw from it, I will repeat this objection as it +was offered me some time ago, with all its advantages, by a very pious, +learned, and worthy gentleman[11] of the nonjuring party. + +[Footnote 11: Mr. Nelson, author of "The Feasts and Fasts of the Church +of England."] + +The force of his argument turned upon this; that the laws made by the +supreme power, cannot otherwise than by the supreme power be annulled: +That this consisting in England of a King, Lords, and Commons, whereof +each have a negative voice, no two of them can repeal or enact a law +without consent of the third; much less may any one of them be entirely +excluded from its part of the legislature by a vote of the other two. +That all these maxims were openly violated at the Revolution; where an +assembly of the nobles and people, not summoned by the king's writ +(which was an essential part of the constitution) and consequently no +lawful meeting, did merely upon their own authority, declare the king to +have abdicated, the throne vacant, and gave the crown by a vote to a +nephew, when there were three children to inherit; though by the +fundamental laws of the realm the next heir is immediately to succeed. +Neither does it appear how a prince's abdication can make any other sort +of vacancy in the throne, than would be caused by his death, since he +cannot abdicate for his children (who claim their right of succession by +act of parliament) otherwise than by his own consent in form to a bill +from the two houses. + +And this is the difficulty that seems chiefly to stick with the most +reasonable of those, who from a mere scruple of conscience refuse to +join with us upon the revolution principle; but for the rest, are I +believe as far from loving arbitrary government, as any others can be, +who are born under a free constitution, and are allowed to have the +least share of common good sense. + +In this objection there are two questions included: First, whether upon +the foot of our constitution, as it stood in the reign of the late King +James, a king of England may be deposed? The second is, whether the +people of England convened by their own authority, after the king had +withdrawn himself in the manner he did, had power to alter the +succession? + +As for the first; it is a point I shall not presume to determine, and +shall therefore only say, that to any man who holds the negative, I +would demand the liberty of putting the case as strongly as I please. I +will suppose a prince limited by laws like ours, yet running into a +thousand caprices of cruelty like Nero or Caligula. I will suppose him +to murder his mother and his wife, to commit incest, to ravish matrons, +to blow up the senate, and burn his metropolis, openly to renounce God +and Christ, and worship the devil. These and the like exorbitances are +in the power of a single person to commit without the advice of a +ministry, or assistance of an army. And if such a king as I have +described, cannot be deposed but by his own consent in parliament, I do +not well see how he can be resisted, or what can be meant by a limited +monarchy; or what signifies the people's consent in making and repealing +laws, if the person who administers hath no tie but conscience, and is +answerable to none but God. I desire no stronger proof that an opinion +must be false, than to find very great absurdities annexed to it; and +there cannot be greater than in the present case: For it is not a bare +speculation that kings may run into such enormities as are +above-mentioned; the practice may be proved by examples not only drawn +from the first Caesars or later emperors, but many modern princes of +Europe; such as Peter the Cruel, Philip the Second of Spain, John +Basilovitz[12] of Muscovy, and in our own nation, King John, Richard the +Third, and Henry the Eighth. But there cannot be equal absurdities +supposed in maintaining the contrary opinion; because it is certain, +that princes have it in their power to keep a majority on their side, by +any tolerable administration; till provoked by continual oppressions, no +man indeed can then answer where the madness of the people will stop. + +[Footnote 12: Peter the Cruel is Pedro of Castile. Ivan Basilovitz was +the first emperor of Russia who assumed the title of Czar. He was born +in 1529, and died in 1584.] + +As to the second part of the objection; whether the people of England +convened by their own authority, upon King James's precipitate +departure, had power to alter the succession? + +In answer to this, I think it is manifest from the practice of the +wisest nations, and who seem to have had the truest notions of freedom, +that when a prince was laid aside for mal-administration, the nobles and +people, if they thought it necessary for the public weal, did resume the +administration of the supreme power (the power itself having been always +in them) and did not only alter the succession, but often the very form +of government too; because they believed there was no natural right in +one man to govern another, but that all was by institution, force, or +consent. Thus, the cities of Greece, when they drove out their +tyrannical kings, either chose others from a new family, or abolished +the kingly government, and became free states. Thus the Romans upon the +expulsion of Tarquin found it inconvenient for them to be subject any +longer to the pride, the lust, the cruelty and arbitrary will of single +persons, and therefore by general consent entirely altered the whole +frame of their government. Nor do I find the proceedings of either, in +this point, to have been condemned by any historian of the succeeding +ages. + +But a great deal hath been already said by other writers upon this +invidious and beaten subject; therefore I shall let it fall, though the +point is commonly mistaken, especially by the lawyers; who of all others +seem least to understand the nature of government in general; like +under-workmen, who are expert enough at making a single wheel in a +clock, but are utterly ignorant how to adjust the several parts, or +regulate the movements. + +To return therefore from this digression: It is a Church of England +man's opinion, that the freedom of a nation consists in an absolute +unlimited legislative power, wherein the whole body of the people are +fairly represented, and in an executive duly limited; because on this +side likewise there may be dangerous degrees, and a very ill extreme. +For when two parties in a state are pretty equal in power, pretensions, +merit, and virtue, (for these two last are with relation to parties and +a court, quite different things) it hath been the opinion of the best +writers upon government, that a prince ought not in any sort to be under +the guidance or influence of either, because he declines by this means +from his office of presiding over the whole, to be the head of a party; +which besides the indignity, renders him answerable for all public +mismanagements and the consequences of them; and in whatever state this +happens, there must either be a weakness in the prince or ministry, or +else the former is too much restrained by the legislature.[1] + +[Footnote 1: This is as given in the "Miscellanies" (1711). Scott and +Faulkner print "by the nobles, or those who represent the people." [T. +S.]] + +To conclude: A Church of England man may with prudence and a good +conscience approve the professed principles of one party more than the +other, according as he thinks they best promote the good of Church and +State; but he will never be swayed by passion or interest, to advance an +opinion merely because it is that of the party he most approves; which +one single principle he looks upon as the root of all our civil +animosities. To enter into a party as into an order of friars with so +resigned an obedience to superiors, is very unsuitable both with the +civil and religious liberties we so zealously assert. Thus the +understandings of a whole senate are often enslaved by three or four +leaders on each side; who instead of intending the public weal, have +their hearts wholly set upon ways and means how to get or to keep +employments. But to speak more at large, how has this spirit of faction +mingled itself with the mass of the people, changed their nature and +manners, and the very genius of the nation; broke all the laws of +charity, neighbourhood, alliance and hospitality; destroyed all ties of +friendship, and divided families against themselves! And no wonder it +should be so, when in order to find out the character of a person, +instead of inquiring whether he be a man of virtue, honour, piety, wit, +good sense, or learning; the modern question is only, whether he be a +Whig or a Tory, under which terms all good and ill qualities are +included. + +Now, because it is a point of difficulty to choose an exact middle +between two ill extremes, it may be worth enquiring in the present case, +which of these, a wise and good man would rather seem to avoid: Taking +therefore their own good and ill characters with due abatements and +allowances for partiality and passion; I should think that in order to +preserve the constitution entire in Church and State, whoever has a true +value for both, would be sure to avoid the extremes of Whig for the sake +of the former, and the extremes of Tory on account of the latter. + +I have now said all that I could think convenient upon so nice a +subject, and find I have the ambition common with other reasoners, to +wish at least that both parties may think me in the right, which would +be of some use to those who have any virtue left, but are blindly drawn +into the extravagancies of either, upon false representations, to serve +the ambition or malice of designing men, without any prospect of their +own. But if that is not to be hoped for, my next wish should be, that +both might think me in the wrong; which I would understand as an ample +justification of myself, and a sure ground to believe, that I have +proceeded at least with impartiality, and perhaps with truth. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +REMARKS + +UPON A + +BOOK, + +INTITULED, + +"THE RIGHTS OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH, &c." + +WRITTEN IN THE YEAR 1708, BUT LEFT UNFINISHED. + + +NOTE. + +Dr. Matthew Tindal, of whom a short account has already been given (see +note, p. 9), issued his "Rights of the Christian Church" in 1706. In +1707 it had already gone through three editions. The full title of the +work is: "The Rights of the Christian Church asserted, against the +Romish and all other Priests, who claim an independent Power over it: +with a Preface concerning the Government of the Church of England, as by +law established." Ostensibly the book was an attack on the Roman +Catholic Church, but the attack was so cleverly veiled that it included +in its criticisms the Church of England also; and must take its place +among the works of the deistical writers of the time who aimed at +subverting the foundations of the relationships between the Church and +the State. According to Dr. Hicks, who wrote several works in reply to +Tindal's book, Tindal told a gentleman, who found him at work on it, +that "he was writing a book which would make the clergy mad." If so, he +did not fall short of his intention; for not only the clergy, but even +learned laymen became "mad." In addition to Dr. Hicks of Oxford, the +Church of England found champions in Dr. William Wotton, Samuel Hill, +Conyers-Place, Mr. Oldisworth, and Swift. Swift delayed the preparation +of the materials for his reply, or else he found other matters to occupy +his time--the Sacheverel business came on soon after, and the Tindal +controversy lost interest in this more immediate and more important +affair. So that Swift's criticism remained unfinished, and was only +published when his editors came to search among his papers. In 1710 +Tindal's work was ordered, by a vote of the House of Commons, to be +publicly burned by the hangman. The grand jury of Middlesex were +presented that the author, printer, and publisher of "The Rights of the +Christian Church" to be dangerous and disaffected persons, and promoters +of sedition and profaneness; and this charge was grounded on the +following extracts. I take these from Scott's note, and I find that the +page references are to the second edition of Tindal's work issued in +1706. + +"The church is a private society, and no more power belonging to it than +to other private companies and clubs, and, consequently, all the right +anyone has to be an ecclesiastical officer, and the power he is +entrusted with, depends on the consent of the parties concerned, and is +no greater than they can bestow." Preface, p. xxx. + +"The Scriptures nowhere make the receiving the Lord's Supper from the +hands of a priest necessary." p. 104. + +"The remembrance of Christ's sufferings a mere grace-cup delivered to be +handed about." p. 105. + +"Among Christians, one no more than another can be reckoned a priest +from Scripture"--"And the clerk has as good a title to the priesthood as +the parson ... Every one, as well as the minister, rightly consecrateth +the elements to himself ... Anything farther than this, may rather be +called Conjuration than Consecration." p. 108. + +"The absurdities of bishops being by divine appointment, governors of +the Christian Church, and no others are capable of being of that number, +who derive not their right by an uninterrupted succession of bishops in +the Catholic Church." p. 313. + +"The supreme powers had no way to escape the heavier oppressions, and +more insupportable usurpations of their own clergy, than by submitting +to the Pope's milder yoke and gentler authority." p. 255. + +"One grand cause of mistake is, not considering when God acts as +governor of the universe, and when as prince of a particular nation. The +Jews, when they came out of the land of bondage, were under no settled +government, till God was pleased to offer himself to be their king, to +which all the people expressly consented ... God's laws bound no nation, +except those that agreed to the Horeb contract." p. 151. + +"Not only an independent power of excommunication, but of ordination in +the clergy, is inconsistent with the magistrate's right to protect the +commonwealth." p. 87. + +"Priests, no better than spiritual make-baits, baraters, boute-feux, and +incendiaries, and who make churches serve to worse purposes than bear +gardens." p. 118. + +"It is a grand mistake to suppose the magistrate's power extends to +indifferent things ... Men have liberty as they please, and a right ... +to form what clubs, companies, or meetings, they think fit, either for +business or pleasure, which the magistrate ... cannot hinder, without +manifest injustice." p. 15. + +"God ... interposed not among the Jews, until they had chosen him for +their king." p. 312. + +For a full account of Tindal and his work, see the "Memoirs of the Life +and Writings of Matthew Tindal, with a History of the Controversies +wherein he was engaged," published in 1733. The text of the present +reprint of Swift's "Remarks" is based on that given in "Works," vol. +vii. of the 4to edition of 1764. It has also been collated with the 8vo +edition of same date (vol. xiii.) and with that of 1762 (vol. xiii.). + +[T. S.] + + + REMARKS UPON A BOOK INTITULED + "THE RIGHTS OF THE CHRISTIAN + CHURCH, &c." + + +Before I enter upon a particular examination of this treatise, it will +be convenient to do two things: + +_First_, To give some account of the author, together with the motives, +that might probably engage him in such a work. And, + +_Secondly_, to discover the nature and tendency in general, of the work +itself. + +The first of these, although it hath been objected against, seems highly +reasonable, especially in books that instil pernicious principles. For, +although a book is not intrinsically much better or worse, according to +the stature or complexion of the author, yet, when it happens to make a +noise, we are apt, and curious, as in other noises, to look about from +whence it cometh. But however, there is something more in the matter. + +If a theological subject be well handled by a layman, it is better +received than if it came from a divine; and that for reasons obvious +enough, which, although of little weight in themselves, will ever have a +great deal with mankind. + +But, when books are written with ill intentions, to advance dangerous +opinions, or destroy foundations; it may be then of real use to know +from what quarter they come, and go a good way towards their +confutation. For instance, if any man should write a book against the +lawfulness of punishing felony with death; and, upon enquiry, the author +should be found in Newgate under condemnation for robbing a house; his +arguments would not very unjustly lose much of their force, from the +circumstances he lay under. So, when Milton writ his book of divorces, +it was presently rejected as an occasional treatise; because every body +knew, he had a shrew for his wife. Neither can there be any reason +imagined, why he might not, after he was blind, have writ another upon +the danger and inconvenience of eyes. But, it is a piece of logic which +will hardly pass on the world; that because one man hath a sore nose, +therefore all the town should put plasters upon theirs. So, if this +treatise about the rights of the church should prove to be the work of a +man steady in his principles, of exact morals, and profound learning, a +true lover of his country, and a hater of Christianity, as what he +really believes to be a cheat upon mankind, whom he would undeceive +purely for their good; it might be apt to check unwary men, even of good +dispositions towards religion. But if it be found the production of a +man soured with age and misfortunes, together with the consciousness of +past miscarriages; of one, who, in hopes of preferment, was reconciled +to the Popish religion;[1] of one wholly prostitute in life and +principles, and only an enemy to religion, because it condemns them: In +this case, and this last I find is the universal opinion, he is like to +have few proselytes, beside those, who, from a sense of their vicious +lives, require to be perpetually supplied by such amusements as this; +which serve to flatter their wishes, and debase their understandings. + +[Footnote 1: Dr. Matthew Tindal became a convert to the Romish religion +during the reign of James II. What share interest had in his conversion +may be easily imagined; but it is uncertain whether it was the +disappointment of his expectations, or conviction, that, in 1687, +induced him to reconcile himself to the Church of England, and become a +decided favourer of those doctrines which produced the Revolution. He +often sat as a judge in the Court of Delegates, but did not practise +much as an advocate in Doctor's Commons. His chief means of support was +a pension from government of £200. Tindal died in 1733, three years +after publication of his grand deistical work, "Christianity as Old as +the Creation." His effects, amounting to £2,000 and upwards, were +appropriated by the noted Eustace Budgell, to the prejudice of the heir +at law, under a will attended with circumstances of great suspicion. [T. +S.]] + +I know there are some who would fain have it, that this discourse was +written by a club of freethinkers, among whom the supposed author only +came in for a share. But, sure, we cannot judge so meanly of any party, +without affronting the dignity of mankind. If this be so, and if here be +the product of all their quotas and contributions, we must needs allow, +that freethinking is a most confined and limited talent. It is true +indeed, the whole discourse seemeth to be a motley, inconsistent +composition, made up of various shreds of equal fineness, although of +different colours. It is a bundle of incoherent maxims and assertions, +that frequently destroy one another. But still there is the same +flatness of thought and style; the same weak advances towards wit and +raillery; the same petulancy and pertness of spirit; the same train of +superficial reading; the same thread of threadbare quotations: the same +affectation of forming general rules upon false and scanty premises. +And, lastly, the same rapid venom sprinkled over the whole; which, like +the dying impotent bite of a trodden benumbed snake, may be nauseous and +offensive, but cannot be very dangerous. + +And, indeed, I am so far from thinking this libel to be born of several +fathers, that it hath been the wonder of several others, as well as +myself; how it was possible for any man, who appeareth to have gone the +common circle of academical education;[2] who hath taken so universal a +liberty, and hath so entirely laid aside all regards, not only of +Christianity, but common truth and justice; one who is dead to all sense +of shame, and seemeth to be past the getting or losing a reputation, +should, with so many advantages, and upon so unlimited a subject, come +out with so poor, so jejune a production. Should we pity or be amazed at +so perverse a talent, which, instead of qualifying an author to give a +new turn to old matter, disposeth him quite contrary to talk in an old +beaten trivial manner upon topics wholly new. To make so many sallies +into pedantry without a call, upon a subject the most alien, and in the +very moments he is declaiming against it, and in an age too, where it is +so violently exploded, especially among those readers he proposeth to +entertain. + +[Footnote 2: See note, p. 9, where it will be seen that Tindal was an +Oxford man. [T.S.]] + +I know it will be said, that this is only to talk in the common style of +an answerer; but I have not so little policy. If there were any hope of +reputation or merit from such victory, I should be apt like others to +cry up the courage and conduct of an enemy. Whereas to detect the +weakness, the malice, the sophistry, the falsehood, the ignorance of +such a writer, requireth little more than to rank his perfections in +such an order, and place them in such a light, that the commonest reader +may form a judgment of them. + +It may still be a wonder how so heavy a book, written upon a subject in +appearance so little instructive or diverting, should survive to three +editions, and consequently find a better reception than is usual with +such bulky spiritless volumes; and this, in an age that pretendeth so +soon to be nauseated with what is tedious and dull. To which I can only +return, that, as burning a book by the common hangman, is a known +expedient to make it sell; so, to write a book that deserveth such +treatment, is another: And a third, perhaps as effectual as either, is +to ply an insipid, worthless tract with grave and learned answers, as +Dr. Hickes, Dr. Potter,[3] and Mr. Wotton have done. Design and +performances, however commendable, have glanced a reputation upon the +piece; which oweth its life to the strength of those hands and weapons, +that were raised to destroy it; like flinging a mountain upon a worm, +which, instead of being bruised, by the advantage of its littleness, +lodgeth under it unhurt. + +[Footnote 3: George Hickes, D.D. (1642-1715), born at Newsham, Yorks, +and educated at Oxford. He visited Scotland with his patron, the Duke of +Lauderdale, in 1677, and was presented by the St. Andrews University +with the degree of LL.D. Became Dean of Worcester in 1683, but lost that +office at the Revolution, for not taking the oaths. The nonjuring +prelates, in 1693, consecrated him Bishop of Thetford. Dr. Hickes was a +profound scholar, and well versed in northern literature. Among his +works may be named, "Institutiones Grammaticae Anglo-Saxonicae et +Maeso-Gothicae," "Antiquae Literaturae Septentrionalis Thesaurus." + +John Potter, D.D. (1674-1747), born at Wakefield, and educated at +Oxford. In 1707 he published a "Discourse on Church Government," and +eight years later became Bishop of Oxford. On the death of Wake, in +1737, he was appointed to the Archbishopric of Canterbury. [T.S.]] + +But neither is this all. For the subject, as unpromising as it seemeth +at first view, is no less than that of Lucretius, to free men's minds +from the bondage of religion; and this not by little hints and by +piecemeal, after the manner of those little atheistical tracts that +steal into the world, but in a thorough wholesale manner; by making +religion, church, Christianity, with all their concomitants, a perfect +contrivance of the civil power. It is an imputation often charged on +this sort of men, that, by their invectives against religion, they can +possibly propose no other end than that of fortifying themselves and +others against the reproaches of a vicious life; it being necessary for +men of libertine practices to embrace libertine principles, or else they +cannot act in consistence with any reason, or preserve any peace of +mind. Whether such authors have this design, (whereof I think they have +never gone about to acquit themselves) thus much is certain; that no +other use is made of such writings: Neither did I ever hear this +author's book justified by any person, either Whig or Tory, except such +who are of that profligate character. And, I believe, whoever examineth +it, will be of the same opinion; although indeed such wretches are so +numerous, that it seemeth rather surprising, why the book hath had no +more editions, than why it should have so many. + +Having thus endeavoured to satisfy the curious with some account of this +author's character, let us examine what might probably be the motives to +engage him in such a work. I shall say nothing of the principal, which +is a sum of money; because that is not a mark to distinguish him from +any other trader with the press. I will say nothing of revenge and +malice, from resentment of the indignities and contempt he hath +undergone for his crime of apostasy. To this passion he has thought fit +to sacrifice order, propriety, discretion, and common sense, as may be +seen in every page of his book: But, I am deceived, if there were not a +third motive as powerful as the other two; and that is, vanity. About +the latter end of King James's reign he had almost finished a learned +discourse in defence of the Church of Rome, and to justify his +conversion: All which, upon the Revolution, was quite out of season. +Having thus prostituted his reputation, and at once ruined his hopes, he +had no course left, but to shew his spite against religion in general; +the false pretensions to which, had proved so destructive to his credit +and fortune: And, at the same time, loth to employ the speculations of +so many years to no purpose; by an easy turn, the same arguments he had +made use of to advance Popery, were full as properly levelled by him +against Christianity itself; like the image, which, while it was new and +handsome, was worshipped for a saint, and when it came to be old and +broken, was still good enough to make a tolerable devil. And, therefore +every reader will observe, that the arguments for Popery are much the +strongest of any in his book, as I shall further remark when I find them +in my way. + +There is one circumstance in his title-page, which I take to be not +amiss, where he calleth his book, "Part the First." This is a project to +fright away answerers, and make the poor advocates for religion believe, +he still keepeth further vengeance in _petto_. It must be allowed, he +hath not wholly lost time, while he was of the Romish communion. This +very trick he learned from his old father, the Pope; whose custom it is +to lift up his hand, and threaten to fulminate, when he never meant to +shoot his bolts; because the princes of Christendom had learned the +secret to avoid or despise them. Dr. Hickes knew this very well, and +therefore, in his answer to this "Book of Rights," where a second part +is threatened, like a rash person he desperately crieth, "Let it come." +But I, who have not too much phlegm to provoke angry wits of his +standard, must tell the author, that the doctor plays the wag, as if he +were sure, it were all grimace. For my part, I declare, if he writeth a +second part, I will not write another answer; or, if I do, it shall be +published, before the other part cometh out.[4] + +[Footnote 4: Tindal did, however, attempt to maintain his ground against +his numerous opponents, in "A Defence of the Rights of the Christian +Church, against a late Visitation Sermon, 8vo. 1707;" and also in "A +Second Defence of the Rights of the Christian Church considered, in two +late Indictments against a Bookseller and His Servant, for selling one +of the said Books, 1707." [T. S.]] + +There may have been another motive, although it be hardly credible, both +for publishing this work, and threatening a second part: It is not soon +conceived how far the sense of a man's vanity will transport him. This +man must have somewhere heard, that dangerous enemies have been often +bribed to silence with money or preferment: And, therefore, to shew how +formidable he is, he hath published his first essay; and, in hopes of +hire to be quiet, hath frighted us with his design of another. What must +the clergy do in these unhappy circumstances? If they should bestow this +man bread enough to stop his mouth, it will but open those of a hundred +more, who are every whit as well qualified to rail as he. And truly, +when I compare the former enemies to Christianity, such as Socinus,[5] +Hobbes, and Spinosa,[6] with such of their successors, as Toland, Asgil, +Coward, Gildon,[7] this author of the "Rights," and some others; the +church appeareth to me like the sick old lion in the fable, who, after +having his person outraged by the bull, the elephant, the horse, and the +bear, took nothing so much to heart, as to find himself at last insulted +by the spurn of an ass. + +[Footnote 5: Laelius Socinus (1525-1562), born at Siena. He studied at +Bologna, and in 1546 became a member of a secret freethinking society in +Venice. The society, however, was broken up, and Socinus left Italy for +Switzerland and Poland. He died at Zurich. His papers were published by +his nephew, Faustus Socinus, who founded a sect on the tenets they +taught.] + +[Footnote 6: Benedict or Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677), born at Amsterdam, +of a Portuguese Jewish family. He was excommunicated by his people for +atheism. He retired to the Hague and took to making lenses, and the +study of philosophy. His "Ethics" and "Tractatus Theologico-Politicus" +constitute a system of philosophy which has had no little influence on +modern thought. See Pollock's "Spinoza."] + +[Footnote 7: Charles Gildon (1665-1723-4) was educated at Douay. He +printed a book called "The Deist's Manual." For accounts of Coward, +Toland, and Asgil, see note, p. 9.] I will now add a few words to give +the reader some general notion of the nature and tendency of the work +itself. + +I think I may assert, without the least partiality, that it is a +treatise wholly devoid of wit or learning, under the most violent and +weak endeavours and pretences to both. That it is replenished throughout +with bold, rude, improbable falsehoods, and gross misinterpretations; +and supported by the most impudent sophistry and false logic I have +anywhere observed. To this he hath added a paltry, traditional cant of +"priestrid" and "priestcraft," without reason or pretext as he applyeth +it. And when he raileth at those doctrines in Popery (which no +Protestant was ever supposed to believe) he leads the reader, however, +by the hand, to make applications against the English clergy, and then +he never faileth to triumph, as if he had made a very shrewd and notable +stroke. And because the court and kingdom seemeth disposed to moderation +with regard to Dissenters, more perhaps than is agreeable to the hot +unreasonable temper of some mistaken men among us; therefore under the +shelter of that popular opinion, he ridiculeth all that is sound in +religion, even Christianity itself, under the names of Jacobite, +Tackers, High Church, and other terms of factious jargon. All which, if +it were to be first rased from his book (as just so much of nothing to +the purpose) how little would remain to give the trouble of an answer! +To which let me add, that the spirit or genius, which animates the +whole, is plainly perceived to be nothing else but the abortive malice +of an old neglected man,[8] who hath long lain under the extremes of +obloquy, poverty and contempt; that have soured his temper, and made him +fearless. But where is the merit of being bold, to a man that is secure +of impunity to his person, and is past apprehension of anything else? He +that hath neither reputation nor bread hath very little to lose, and +hath therefore as little to fear. And, as it is usually said, "Whoever +values not his own life, is master of another man's;" so there is +something like it in reputation: He that is wholly lost to all regards +of truth or modesty, may scatter so much calumny and scandal, that some +part may perhaps be taken up before it fall to the ground; because the +ill talent of the world is such, that those who will be at pains enough +to inform themselves in a malicious story, will take none at all to be +undeceived, nay, will be apt with some reluctance to admit a favourable +truth. + +[Footnote 8: Tindal was not an old man at the time Swift wrote, +certainly not older than was Swift himself. [T. S.]] + +To expostulate, therefore, with this author for doing mischief to +religion, is to strew his bed with roses; he will reply in triumph, that +this was his design; and I am loth to mortify him, by asserting he hath +done none at all. For I never yet saw so poor an atheistical scribble, +which would not serve as a twig for sinking libertines to catch at. It +must be allowed in their behalf, that the faith of Christians is not as +a grain of mustard seed in comparison of theirs, which can remove such +mountains of absurdities, and submit with so entire a resignation to +such apostles. If these men had any share of that reason they pretend +to, they would retire into Christianity, merely to give it ease. And +therefore men can never be confirmed in such doctrines, until they are +confirmed in their vices; which last, as we have already observed, is +the principal design of this and all other writers against revealed +religion. + +I am now opening the book which I propose to examine. An employment, as +it is entirely new to me, so it is that to which, of all others, I have +naturally the greatest antipathy. And, indeed, who can dwell upon a +tedious piece of insipid thinking, and false reasoning, so long as I am +likely to do, without sharing the infection? + +But, before I plunge into the depths of the book itself, I must be +forced to wade through the shallows of a long preface. + +This preface, large as we see it, is only made up of such supernumerary +arguments against an independent power in the church, as he could not, +without nauseous repetition, scatter into the body of his book: And it +is detached, like a forlorn hope, to blunt the enemy's sword that +intendeth to attack him. Now, I think, it will be easy to prove, that +the opinion of _imperium in imperio_, in the sense he chargeth it upon +the clergy of England, is what no one divine of any reputation, and very +few at all, did ever maintain; and, that their universal sentiment in +this matter is such as few Protestants did ever dispute. But, if the +author of the "Regale," or two or three more obscure writers, have +carried any points further than Scripture and reason will allow, (which +is more than I know, or shall trouble myself to enquire) the clergy of +England is no more answerable for those, than the laity is for all the +folly and impertinence of this treatise. And, therefore, that people may +not be amused, or think this man is somewhat, that he hath advanced or +defended any oppressed truths, or overthrown any growing dangerous +errors, I will set in as clear a light as I can, what I conceive to be +held by the established clergy and all reasonable Protestants in this +matter. + +Everybody knows and allows, that in all government there is an absolute, +unlimited, legislative power, which is originally in the body of the +people, although, by custom, conquest, usurpation, or other accidents, +sometimes fallen into the hands of one or a few. This in England is +placed in the three estates (otherwise called the two Houses of +Parliament) in conjunction with the King. And whatever they please to +enact or to repeal in the settled forms, whether it be ecclesiastical or +civil, immediately becometh law or nullity. Their decrees may be against +equity, truth, reason and religion, but they are not against law; +because law is the will of the supreme legislature, and that is, +themselves. And there is no manner of doubt, but the same authority, +whenever it pleaseth, may abolish Christianity, and set up the Jewish, +Mahometan, or heathen religion. In short, they may do anything within +the compass of human power. And, therefore, who will dispute that the +same law, which deprived the church not only of lands, misapplied to +superstitious uses, but even the tithes and glebes, (the ancient and +necessary support of parish priests) may take away all the rest, +whenever the lawgivers please, and make the priesthood as primitive, as +this writer, or others of his stamp, can desire. + +But as the supreme power can certainly do ten thousand things more than +it ought, so there are several things which some people may think it can +do, although it really cannot. For, it unfortunately happens, that +edicts which cannot be executed, will not alter the nature of things. +So, if a king and parliament should please to enact, that a woman who +hath been a month married, is _virgo intacta_, would that actually +restore her to her primitive state? If the supreme power should resolve +a corporal of dragoons to be a doctor of divinity, law or physic, few, I +believe, would trust their souls, fortunes, or bodies to his direction; +because that power is neither fit to judge or teach those qualifications +which are absolutely necessary to the several professions. Put the case +that walking on the slack rope were the only talent required by act of +parliament for making a man a bishop; no doubt, when a man had done his +feat of activity in form, he might sit in the House of Lords, put on his +robes and his rochet, go down to his palace, receive and spend his +rents; but it requireth very little Christianity to believe this tumbler +to be one whit more a bishop than he was before; because the law of God +hath otherwise decreed; which law, although a nation may refuse to +receive it, cannot alter in its own nature. + +And here lies the mistake of this superficial man, who is not able to +distinguish between what the civil power can hinder, and what it can do. +"If the parliament can annul ecclesiastical laws, they must be able to +make them, since no greater power is required for one than the other." +See pref., p. viii. This consequence he repeateth above twenty times, +and always in the wrong. He affecteth to form a few words into the shape +and size of a maxim, then trieth it by his ear, and, according as he +likes the sound or cadence, pronounceth it true. Cannot I stand over a +man with a great pole, and hinder him from making a watch, although I am +not able to make one myself. If I have strength enough to knock a man on +the head, doth it follow I can raise him to life again? The parliament +may condemn all the Greek and Roman authors; can it therefore create new +ones in their stead? They may make laws, indeed, and call them canon and +ecclesiastical laws, and oblige all men to observe them under pain of +high treason. And so may I, who love as well as any man to have in my +own family the power in the last resort, take a turnip, then tie a +string to it, and call it a watch, and turn away all my servants, if +they refuse to call it so too. + +For my own part, I must confess that this opinion of the independent +power of the Church, or _imperium in imperio_, wherewith this writer +raiseth such a dust, is what I never imagined to be of any consequence, +never once heard disputed among divines, nor remember to have read, +otherwise than as a scheme in one or two authors of middle rank, but +with very little weight laid on it. And I dare believe, there is hardly +one divine in ten that ever once thought of this matter. Yet to see a +large swelling volume written only to encounter this doctrine, what +could one think less than that the whole body of the clergy were +perpetually tiring the press and the pulpit with nothing else? + +I remember some years ago, a virtuoso writ a small tract about worms, +proved them to be in more places than was generally observed, and made +some discoveries by glasses. This having met with some reception, +presently the poor man's head was full of nothing but worms; all we eat +and drink, all the whole consistence of human bodies, and those of every +other animal, the very air we breathe, in short, all nature throughout +was nothing but worms: And, by that system, he solved all difficulties, +and from thence all causes in philosophy. Thus it hath fared with our +author, and his independent power. The attack against occasional +conformity, the scarcity of coffee, the invasion of Scotland, the loss +of kerseys and narrow cloths, the death of King William, the author's +turning Papist for preferment, the loss of the battle of Almanza, with +ten thousand other misfortunes, are all owing to this _imperium in +imperio_. + +It will be therefore necessary to set this matter in a clear light, by +enquiring whether the clergy have any power independent of the civil, +and of what nature it is. + +Whenever the Christian religion was embraced by the civil power in any +nation, there is no doubt but the magistrates and senates were fully +instructed in the rudiments of it. Besides, the Christians were so +numerous, and their worship so open before the conversion of princes, +that their discipline, as well as doctrine, could not be a secret: They +saw plainly a subordination of ecclesiastics, bishops, priests, and +deacons: That these had certain powers and employments different from +the laity: That the bishops were consecrated, and set apart for that +office by those of their own order: That the presbyters and deacons were +differently set apart, always by the bishops: That none but the +ecclesiastics presumed to pray or preach in places set apart for God's +worship, or to administer the Lord's Supper: That all questions relating +either to discipline or doctrine, were determined in ecclesiastical +conventions. These and the like doctrines and practices, being most of +them directly proved, and the rest by very fair consequences deduced +from the words of our Saviour and His apostles, were certainly received +as a divine law by every prince or state which admitted the Christian +religion: and, consequently, what they could not justly alter +afterwards, any more than the common laws of nature. And, therefore, +although the supreme power can hinder the clergy or Church from making +any new canons, or executing the old; from consecrating bishops, or +refuse those that they do consecrate; or, in short, from performing any +ecclesiastical office, as they may from eating, drinking, and sleeping; +yet they cannot themselves perform those offices, which are assigned to +the clergy by our Saviour and His apostles; or, if they do, it is not +according to the divine institution, and, consequently, null and void. +Our Saviour telleth us, "His kingdom is not of this world;" and +therefore, to be sure, the world is not of His kingdom, nor can ever +please Him by interfering in the administration of it, since He hath +appointed ministers of His own, and hath empowered and instructed them +for that purpose: So that, I believe, the clergy, who, as he sayeth, are +good at distinguishing, would think it reasonable to distinguish between +their power, and the liberty of exercising this power. The former they +claim immediately from Christ, and the latter from the permission, +connivance, or authority of the civil government; with which the +clergy's power, according to the solution I have given, cannot possibly +interfere. + +But this writer, setting up to form a system upon stale, scanty topics, +and a narrow circle of thought, falleth into a thousand absurdities. And +for a further help, he hath a talent of rattling out phrases, which seem +to have sense, but have none at all: the usual fate of those who are +ignorant of the force and compass of words, without which it is +impossible for a man to write either pertinently or intelligibly upon +the most obvious subjects. + +So, in the beginning of his preface, page iv, he says, "The Church of +England being established by acts of parliament, is a perfect creature +of the civil power; I mean the polity and discipline of it, and it is +that which maketh all the contention; for as to the doctrines expressed +in the articles, I do not find high church to be in any manner of pain; +but they who lay claim to most orthodoxy can distinguish themselves out +of them." It is observable in this author, that his style is naturally +harsh and ungrateful to the ear, and his expressions mean and trivial; +but whenever he goeth about to polish a period, you may be certain of +some gross defect in propriety or meaning: So the lines just quoted seem +to run easily over the tongue: and, upon examination, they are perfect +nonsense and blunder: To speak in his own borrowed phrase, what is +contained in the idea of established? Surely, not existence. Doth +establishment give being to a thing? He might have said the same thing +of Christianity in general, or the existence of God, since both are +confirmed by acts of parliament. But, the best is behind: for, in the +next line, having named the church half a dozen times before, he now +says, he meaneth only "the polity and discipline of it": As if, having +spoke in praise of the art of physic, a man should explain himself, that +he meant only the institution of a college of physicians into a +president and fellows. And it will appear, that this author, however +versed in the practice, hath grossly transgressed the rules of nonsense, +(whose property it is neither to affirm nor deny) since every visible +assertion gathered from those few lines is absolutely false: For where +was the necessity of excepting the doctrines expressed in the articles, +since these are equally creatures of the civil power, having been +established by acts of parliament as well as the others. But the Church +of England is no creature of the civil power, either as to its polity or +doctrines. The fundamentals of both were deduced from Christ and His +apostles, and the instructions of the purest and earliest ages, and were +received as such by those princes or states who embraced Christianity, +whatever prudential additions have been made to the former by human +laws, which alone can be justly altered or annulled by them. + +What I have already said, would, I think, be a sufficient answer to his +whole preface, and indeed to the greatest part of his book, which is +wholly turned upon battering down a sort of independent power in the +clergy; which few or none of them ever claimed or defended. But there +being certain peculiarities in this preface, that very much set off the +wit, the learning, the raillery, reasoning and sincerity of the author; +I shall take notice of some of them, as I pass. + +But here, I hope, it will not be expected, that I should bestow remarks +upon every passage in this book, that is liable to exception for +ignorance, falsehood, dulness, or malice. Where he is so insipid, that +nothing can be struck out for the reader's entertainment, I shall +observe Horace's rule: + +"Quae desperes tractata nitescere posse, relinquas." + +Upon which account I shall say nothing of that great instance of his +candour and judgment in relation to Dr. Stillingfleet,[9] who (happening +to lie under his displeasure upon the fatal test of _imperium in +imperio_) is High Church and Jacobite, took the oaths of allegiance to +save him from the gallows,[10] and subscribed the articles only to keep +his preferment: Whereas the character of that prelate is universally +known to have been directly the reverse of what this writer gives him. + +[Footnote 9: Edward Stillingfleet (1635-1699), educated at Cambridge, +wrote in 1659 his "Irenicum, or Weapon Salve for the Church's Wounds." +He also published a "Rational Account of the Protestant Religion" in +1664. He occupied successively the important clerical offices of +Prebendary of St. Paul's, Archdeaconry of London, Deanery of St. Paul's, +and Bishopric of Worcester. The later years of his life were occupied in +a controversy with Locke on that writer's "Essay on the Human +Understanding." [T. S.]] + +[Footnote 10: Page v, he quotes Bishop Stillingfleet's "Vindication of +the Doctrine of the Trinity," where the bishop says, that a man might be +very right in the belief of an article, though mistaken in the +explication of it. Upon which Tindal observes: "These men treat the +articles, as they do the oath of allegiance, which, they say, obliges +them not actually to assist the government, but to do nothing against +it; that is, nothing that would bring 'em to the gallows." [Note in +edition 1764, 4to.]] + +But before he can attempt to ruin this damnable opinion of two +independent powers, he telleth us; page vi., "It will be necessary to +shew what is contained in the idea of government" Now, it is to be +understood, that this refined way of speaking was introduced by Mr. +Locke; after whom the author limpeth as fast as he is able. All the +former philosophers in the world, from the age of Socrates to ours, +would have ignorantly put the question, _Quid est imperium_? But now it +seemeth we must vary our phrase; and, since our modern improvement of +human understanding, instead of desiring a philosopher to describe or +define a mouse-trap, or tell me what it is; I must gravely ask, what is +contained in the idea of a mouse-trap? But then to observe how deeply +this new way of putting questions to a man's self, maketh him enter into +the nature of things; his present business is to show us, what is +contained in the idea of government. The company knoweth nothing of the +matter, and would gladly be instructed; which he doth in the following +words, p. 5. + +"It would be in vain for one intelligent being to pretend to set rules +to the actions of another, if he had it not in his power to reward the +compliance with, or punish the deviations from, his rules by some good, +or evil, which is not the natural consequence of those actions; since +the forbidding men to do or forbear an action on the account of that +convenience or inconvenience which attendeth it, whether he who forbids +it will or no, can be no more than advice." + +I shall not often draw such long quotations as this, which I could not +forbear to offer as a specimen of the propriety and perspicuity of this +author's style. And, indeed, what a light breaketh out upon us all, as +soon as we have read these words! How thoroughly are we instructed in +the whole nature of government? What mighty truths are here discovered; +and how clearly conveyed to our understandings? And therefore let us +melt this refined jargon into the old style for the improvement of such, +who are not enough conversant in the new. + +If the author were one who used to talk like one of us, he would have +spoke in this manner: "I think it necessary to give a full and perfect +definition of government, such as will shew the nature and all the +properties of it; and my definition is thus: One man will never cure +another of stealing horses, merely by minding him of the pains he hath +taken, the cold he hath got, and the shoe-leather he hath lost in +stealing that horse; nay, to warn him, that the horse may kick or fling +him, or cost him more than he is worth in hay and oats, can be no more +than advice. For the gallows is not the natural effect of robbing on the +highway, as heat is of fire: and therefore, if you will govern a man, +you must find out some other way of punishment, than what he will +inflict upon himself." + +Or, if this will not do, let us try it in another case (which I +instanced before) and in his own terms. Suppose he had thought it +necessary (and I think it was as much so as the other) to shew us what +is contained in the idea of a mousetrap, he must have proceeded in these +terms. "It would be in vain for an intelligent being, to set rules for +hindering a mouse from eating his cheese, unless he can inflict upon +that mouse some punishment, which, is not the natural consequence of +eating the cheese. For, to tell her, it may lie heavy on her stomach; +that she will grow too big to get back into her hole, and the like, can +be no more than advice: therefore, we must find out some way of +punishing her, which hath more inconveniences than she will ever suffer +by the mere eating of cheese." After this, who is so slow of +understanding, as not to have in his mind a full and complete idea of a +mouse-trap? Well.--The Free thinkers may talk what they please of +pedantry, and cant, and jargon of schoolmen, and insignificant terms in +the writings of the clergy, if ever the most perplexed and perplexing +follower of Aristotle from Scotus to Suarez[11] could be a match for +this author. + +[Footnote 11: Duns Scotus flourished in the thirteenth century. He +studied at Oxford and Paris, and his learning and acumen in reasoning +earned for him the title _The Subtle Doctor_. He died at Cologne in +1308. He was a strong upholder of the doctrine of the Immaculate +Conception. His works are published in twelve volumes folio. + +Francis Suarez (1548-1617) was a Spanish Jesuit who wrote a work by +command of the Pope against the English Reformation. He published some +very able religio-philosophical treatises, from the Roman Catholic point +of view; but, indeed, his writings altogether were enormous, so far as +their number are concerned. [T. S.]] + +But the strength of his arguments is equal to the clearness of his +definitions. For, having most ignorantly divided government into three +parts, whereof the first contains the other two; he attempteth to prove +that the clergy possess none of these by a divine right. And he argueth +thus, p. vii. "As to a legislative power, if that belongs to the clergy +by a divine right, it must be when they are assembled in convocation: +but the 25 Hen. VIII. c. 19 is a bar to any such divine right, because +that act makes it no less than a _praemunire_ for them, so much so as to +meet without the king's writ, &c." So that the force of his argument +lieth here; if the clergy had a divine right, it is taken away by the +25th of Henry the Eighth. And as ridiculous as this argument is, the +preface and book are founded upon it. + +Another argument against the legislative power in the clergy of England, +is, p. viii. that Tacitus telleth us; that in great affairs, the Germans +consulted the whole body of the people. "_De minoribus rebus principes +consultant, de majoribus omnes: Ita tamen, ut ea quoque, quorum penes +plebem arbitrium est, apud principes pertractentur."--Tacitus de Moribus +et Populis Germaniae_. Upon which Tindal observeth thus: "_De majoribus +omnes_, was a fundamental amongst our ancestors long before they arrived +in Great Britain, and matters of religion were ever reckoned among their +_majora_." (See Pref. p. viii. and ix.) Now it is plain, that our +ancestors, the Saxons, came from Germany: It is likewise plain, that +religion was always reckoned by the heathens among their _majora_: And +it is plain, the whole body of the people could not be the clergy, and +therefore, the clergy of England have no legislative power. + +_Thirdly_, p. ix. They have no legislative power, because Mr. +Washington, in his "Observations on the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of +the Kings of England," sheweth, from "undeniable authorities, that in +the time of William the Conqueror, and several of his successors, there +were no laws enacted concerning religion, but by the great council of +the kingdom." I hope, likewise, Mr. Washington observeth that this great +council of the kingdom, as appeareth by undeniable authorities, was +sometimes entirely composed of bishops and clergy, and called the +parliament, and often consulted upon affairs of state, as well as +church, as it is agreed by twenty writers of three ages; and if Mr. +Washington says otherwise, he is an author just fit to be quoted by +beaux. + +_Fourthly_,--But it is endless to pursue this matter any further; in +that, it is plain, the clergy have no divine right to make laws; because +Henry VIII, Edward VI, and Queen Elizabeth, with their parliaments will +not allow it them. Now, without examining what divine right the clergy +have, or how far it extendeth; is it any sort of proof that I have no +right, because a stronger power will not let me exercise it? Or doth +all, that this author says through his preface, or book itself, offer +any other sort of argument but this, or what he deduces the same way? + +But his arguments and definitions are yet more supportable than the +grossness of historical remarks, which are scattered so plentifully in +his book, that it would be tedious to enumerate, or to shew the fraud +and ignorance of them. I beg the reader's leave to take notice of one +here just in my way; and, the rather, because I design for the future to +let hundreds of them pass without further notice. "When," says he, p. x. +"by the abolishing of the Pope's power, things were brought back to +their ancient channel, the parliament's right in making ecclesiastical +laws revived of course." What can possibly be meant by this "ancient +channel?" Why, the channel that things ran in before the Pope had any +power in England: that is to say, before Austin the monk converted +England, before which time, it seems, the parliament had a right to make +ecclesiastical laws. And what parliament could this be? Why, the Lords +Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons met at Westminster. + +I cannot here forbear reproving the folly and pedantry of some lawyers, +whose opinions this poor creature blindly followeth, and rendereth yet +more absurd by his comments. The knowledge of our constitution can be +only attained by consulting the earliest English histories, of which +those gentlemen seem utterly ignorant, further than a quotation or an +index. They would fain derive our government as now constituted, from +antiquity: And, because they have seen Tacitus quoted for his _majoribus +omnes_; and have read of the Goths' military institution in their +progresses and conquests, they presently dream of a parliament. Had +their reading reached so far, they might have deduced it much more +fairly from Aristotle and Polybius, who both distinctly name the +composition of _rex, seniores, et populus_; and the latter, as I +remember particularly, with the highest approbation. The princes, in the +Saxon Heptarchy, did indeed call their nobles sometimes together upon +weighty affairs, as most other princes of the world have done in all +ages. But they made war and peace, and raised money by their own +authority: They gave or mended laws by their charters, and they raised +armies by their tenures. Besides, some of those kingdoms fell in by +conquests, before England was reduced under one head, and therefore +could pretend no rights, but by the concessions of the conqueror. + +Further, which is more material, upon the admission of Christianity, +great quantities of land were acquired by the clergy, so that the great +council of the nation was often entirely of churchmen, and ever a +considerable part. But, our present constitution is an artificial thing, +not fairly to be traced, in my opinion, beyond Henry I. Since which time +it hath in every age admitted several alterations; and differeth now as +much, even from what it was then, as almost any two species of +government described by Aristotle. And, it would be much more reasonable +to affirm, that the government of Rome continued the same under +Justinian, as it was in the time of Scipio, because the senate and +consuls still remained, although the power of both had been several +hundred years transferred to the emperors. + + +REMARKS ON THE PREFACE.[12] + +[Footnote 12: References to Tindal's book, and remarks upon it, which +the author left thus indigested, being hints for himself to use in +answering the said book.] + +Page iv, v. "If men of opposite sentiments can subscribe the same +articles, they are as much at liberty as if there were none." May not a +man subscribe the whole articles, because he differs from another in the +explication of one? How many oaths are prescribed, that men may differ +in the explication of some part of them? Instance, &c. + +Page vi. "Idea of Government." A canting pedantic way, learned from +Locke; and how prettily he sheweth it. Instance-- + +Page vii, "25 Hen. VIII. c. 19 is a bar to any such divine right [of a +legislative power in the clergy.]" Absurd to argue against the clergy's +divine right, because of the statute of Henry VIII. How doth that +destroy divine right? The sottish way of arguing; from what the +parliament can do; from their power, &c. + +Page viii. "If the parliament did not think they had a plenitude of +power in this matter, they would not have damned all the canons of +1640." What doth he mean? A grave divine could not answer all his +playhouse and Alsatia[13] cant, &c. He hath read Hudibras, and many +plays. + +[Footnote 13: Or Whitefriars, then a place of asylum, and frequented by +sharpers, of whose gibberish there are several specimens in Shadwell's +comedy, "The Squire of Alsatia." [T. S.]] + + +_Ibid_. "If the parliament can annul ecclesiastical laws, they must be +able to make them." Distinguish, and shew the silliness, &c. + +_Ibid_. All that he saith against the discipline, he might say the same +against the doctrine, nay, against the belief of a God, _viz_. That the +legislature might forbid it. The Church formeth and contriveth canons; +and the civil power, which is compulsive, confirms them. + +Page ix. "There were no laws enacted but by the great council of the +kingdom." And that was very often, chiefly, only bishops. + +_Ibid_. "Laws settled by parliament to punish the clergy." What laws +were those? + +Page x. "The people are bound to no laws but of their own choosing." It +is fraudulent; for they may consent to what others choose, and so people +often do. + +Page xiv. paragraph 6. "The clergy are not supposed to have any divine +legislature, because that must be superior to all worldly power; and +then the clergy might as well forbid the parliament to meet but when and +where they please, &c." No such consequence at all. They have a power +exclusive from all others. Ordained to act as clergy, but not govern in +civil affairs; nor act without leave of the civil power. + +Page xxv. "The parliament suspected the love of power natural to +churchmen." Truly, so is the love of pudding, and most other things +desirable in this life; and in that they are like the laity, as in all +other things that are not good. And, therefore, they are held not in +esteem for what they are like in, but for their virtues. The true way to +abuse them with effect, is to tell us some faults of theirs, that other +men have not, or not so much of as they, &c. Might not any man speak +full as bad of senates, diets, and parliaments, as he can do about +councils; and as bad of princes, as he does of bishops? + +Page xxxi. "They might as well have made Cardinals Campegi and de +Chinuchii, Bishops of Salisbury and Worcester, as have enacted that +their several sees and bishoprics were utterly void." No. The +legislature might determine who should not be a bishop there, but not +make a bishop. + +_Ibid_. "Were not a great number deprived by parliament upon the +Restoration?" Does he mean presbyters? What signifies that? + +_Ibid_. "Have they not trusted this power with our princes?" Why, aye. +But that argueth not right, but power. Have they not cut off a king's +head, &c. The Church must do the best they can, if not what they would. + +Page xxxvi. "If tithes and first-fruits are paid to spiritual persons as +such, the king or queen is the most spiritual person, &c." As if the +first-fruits, &c. were paid to the king, as tithes to a spiritual +person. + +Page xliii. "King Charles II. thought fit that the bishops in Scotland +should hold their bishoprics during will and pleasure; I do not find +that the High Church complained of this as an encroachment, &c." No; but +as a pernicious counsel of Lord Loch.[14] + +[Footnote 14: Scott thinks this refers to Lord Lauderdale. [T.S.]] + +Page xliv. "The common law judges have a power to determine, whether a +man has a legal right to the sacrament." They pretend it, but what we +complain of as most abominable hardship, &c. + +Page xlv. "Giving men thus blindly to the devil, is an extraordinary +piece of complaisance to a lay chancellor." He is something in the +right; and therefore it is a pity there are any; and I hope the Church +will provide against it. But if the sentence be just, it is not the +person, but the contempt. And, if the author attacketh a man on the +highway, and taketh but twopence, he shall be sent to the gallows, more +terrible to him than the devil, for his contempt of the law, &c. +Therefore he need not complain of being sent to hell. + +Page xliv. Mr. Leslie may carry things too far, as it is natural, +because the other extreme is so great. But what he says of the king's +losses, since the Church lands were given away, is too great a truth, +&c. + +Page lxxvi. "To which I have nothing to plead, except the zeal I have +for the Church of England." You will see some pages further, what he +meaneth by the Church; but it is not fair not to begin with telling us +what is contained in the idea of a Church, &c. + +Page lxxxiii. "They will not be angry with me for thinking better of the +Church than they do, &c." No, but they will differ from you; because the +worse the Queen is pleased, you think her better. I believe the Church +will not concern themselves much about your opinion of them, &c. + +Page lxxxiv. "But the Popish, Eastern, Presbyterian and Jacobite clergy, +&c." This is like a general pardon, with such exceptions as make it +useless, if we compute it, &c. + +Page lxxxvii. "Misapplying of the word church, &c." This is cavilling. +No doubt his project is for exempting the people: But that is not what +in common speech we usually mean by the Church. Besides, who doth not +know that distinction? + +_Ibid_. "Constantly apply the same ideas to them." This is, in old +English, meaning the same thing. + +Page lxxxix. "Demonstrates I could have no design but the promoting of +truth, &c." Yes, several designs, as money, spleen, atheism, &c. What? +will any man think truth was his design, and not money and malice? Doth +he expect the House will go into a committee for a bill to bring things +to his scheme, to confound everything, &c. + +Some deny Tindal to be the author, and produce stories of his dulness +and stupidity. But what is there in all this book, that the dullest man +in England might not write, if he were angry and bold enough, and had no +regard to truth? + +REMARKS UPON THE BOOK, &c. + +Page 4. "Whether Lewis XIV. has such a power over Philip V?" He speaketh +here of the unlimited, uncontrollable authority of fathers. A very +foolish question; and his discourse hitherto, of government, weak and +trivial, and liable to objections. + +_Ibid_. "Whom he is to consider not as his own, but the Almighty's +workmanship." A very likely consideration for the Ideas of the state of +nature. A very wrong deduction of paternal government; but that is +nothing to the dispute, &c. + +Page 12. "And as such might justly be punished by every one in the state +of nature." False; he doth not seem to understand the state of nature, +although he hath borrowed it from Hobbes, &c. + +Page 14. "Merely speculative points, and other indifferent things, &c." +And why are speculative opinions so insignificant? Do not men proceed in +their practice according to their speculations? So, if the author were a +chancellor and one of his speculations were, that the poorer the clergy +the better; would not that be of great use, if a cause came before him +of tithes or Church lands? + +_Ibid_. "Which can only be known by examining whether men had any power +in the state of nature over their own, or others' actions in these +matters." No, that is a wrong method, unless where religion hath not +been revealed; in natural religion. + +_Ibid_. "Nothing at first sight can be more obvious, than that in all +religious matters, none could make over the right of judging for +himself, since that would cause his religion to be absolutely at the +disposal of another." At his rate of arguing (I think I do not +misrepresent him, and I believe he will not deny the consequence) a man +may profess Heathenism, Mahometism, &c. and gain as many proselytes as +he can; and they may have their assemblies, and the magistrate ought to +protect them, provided they do not disturb the state: And they may enjoy +all secular preferments, be lords chancellors, judges, &c. But there are +some opinions in several religions, which, although they do not directly +make men rebel, yet lead to it. Instance some. Nay we might have temples +for idols, &c. A thousand such absurdities follow from his general +notions, and ill-digested schemes. And we see in the Old Testament, that +kings were reckoned good or ill, as they suffered or hindered +image-worship and idolatry, &c. which was limiting conscience. + +Page 15. "Men may form what clubs, companies, or meetings they think +fit, &c, which the magistrate, as long as the public sustains no damage, +cannot hinder, &c." This is false; although the public sustain no +damage, they will forbid clubs, where they think danger may happen. + +Page 16. "The magistrate is as much obliged to protect them in the way +they choose of worshipping Him, as in any other indifferent +matter."--Page 17. "The magistrate to treat all his subjects alike, how +much soever they differ from him or one another in these matters." This +shews, that although they be Turks, Jews, or Heathens, it is so. But we +are sure Christianity is the only true religion, &c. and therefore it +should be the magistrate's chief care to propagate it; and that God +should be worshipped in that that those who are the teachers think most +proper, &c. + +Page 18. "So that persecution is the most comprehensive of all crimes, +&c." But he hath not told us what is concluded in the idea of +persecution. State it right. + +_Ibid_. "But here it may be demanded, If a man's conscience make him do +such acts, &c." This doth not answer the above objection: For, if the +public be not disturbed with atheistical principles preached, nor +immoralities, all is well. So that still, men may be Jews, Turks, &c. + +Page 22. "The same reason which obliges them to make statutes of +mortmain, and other laws, against the people's giving estates to the +clergy, will equally hold for their taking them away when given." A +great security for property! Will this hold to any other society in the +state, as merchants, &c. or only to ecclesiastics? A pretty project: +Forming general schemes requires a deeper head than this man's. + +_Ibid_. "But the good of the society being the only reason of the +magistrate's having any power over men's properties, I cannot see why he +should deprive his subjects of any part thereof, for the maintenance of +such opinions as have no tendency that way, &c." Here is a paragraph +(_vide_ also _infra_) which has a great deal in it. The meaning is, that +no man ought to pay tithes, who doth not believe what the minister +preacheth. But how came they by this property? When they purchased the +land, they paid only for so much; and the tithes were exempted. It is an +older title than any man's estate is, and if it were taken away +to-morrow, it could not without a new law belong to the owners of the +other nine parts, any more than impropriations do. + +_Ibid_. "For the maintenance of such opinions, as no ways contribute to +the public good," By such opinions as the public receive no advantage +by, he must mean Christianity. + +Page 23. "Who by reason of such articles are divided into different +sects." A pretty cause of sects! &c. + +Page 24. "So the same reason as often as it occurs, will oblige him to +leave that Church." This is an excuse for his turning Papist. + +_Ibid_. "Unless you suppose churches like traps, easy to admit one; but +when once he is in, there he must always stick, either for the pleasure +or profit of the trap-setters." Remark his wit. + +Page 29. "Nothing can be more absurd than maintaining there must be two +independent powers in the same society." This is abominably absurd; shew +it. + +Page 33. "The whole hierarchy as built on it, must necessarily fall to +the ground, and great will be the fall of this spiritual Babylon." I +will do him justice, and take notice, when he is witty, &c. + +Page 36. "For if there may be two such [independent powers] in every +society on earth, why may there not be more than one in heaven?" A +delicate consequence. + +Page 37. "Without having the less, he could not have the greater, in +which that is contained." Sophistical; instance wherein. + +Page 42. "Some since, subtler than the Jews, have managed commutations +more to their own advantage, by enriching themselves, and beggaring, if +Fame be not a liar, many an honest dissenter." It is fair to produce +witnesses, is she a liar or not? The report is almost impossible. +Commutations were contrived for roguish registers and proctors, and lay +chancellors, but not for the clergy. + +Page 43. "Kings and people, who (as the Indians do the Devil) adored the +Pope out of fear." I am in doubt, whether I shall allow that for wit or +no, &c. Look you, in these cases, preface it thus: If one may use an old +saying. + +Page 44. "One reason why the clergy make what they call schism, to be so +heinous a sin." There it is now; because he hath changed churches, he +ridiculeth schism; as Milton wrote for divorces, because he had an ill +wife. For ten pages on, we must give the true answer, that makes all +these arguments of no use. + +Page 60. "It possibly will be said, I have all this while been doing +these gentlemen a great deal of wrong." To do him justice, he sets forth +the objections of his adversaries with great strength, and much to their +advantage. No doubt those are the very objections we would offer. + +Page 68. "Their executioner." He is fond of this word in many places, +yet there is nothing in it further than it is the name for the hangman, +&c. + +Page 69. "Since they exclude both from having anything in the ordering +of Church matters." Another part of his scheme: For by this the people +ought to execute ecclesiastical offices without distinction, for he +brings the other opinion as an absurd one. + +Page 72, "They claim a judicial power, and, by virtue of it the +government of the Church, and thereby (pardon the expression) become +traitors both to God and man." Who doth he desire to pardon him? or is +this meant of the English clergy? So it seemeth. Doth he desire them to +pardon him? They do it as Christians. Doth he desire the government to +do it? But then how can they make examples? He says, the clergy do so, +&c. so he means all. + +Page 74. "I would gladly know what they mean by giving the Holy Ghost." +Explain what is really meant by giving the Holy Ghost, like a king +empowering an ambassador.[15] + +[Footnote 15: See Hooker's "Eccl. Pol.," book v. § 77.] + +Page 76. "The Popish clergy make very bold with the Three Persons of the +Trinity." Why then, don't mix them, but we see whom this glanceth on +most. As to the _Congé d'Élire_, and _Nolo episcopari_, not so absurd; +and, if omitted, why changed. + +Page 78. "But not to digress"--Pray, doth he call scurrility upon the +clergy, a digression? The apology needless, &c. + +_Ibid_. "A clergyman, it is said, is God's ambassador." But you know an +ambassador may have a secretary, &c. + +_Ibid_. "Call their pulpit speeches, the word of God." That is a +mistake. + +Page 79. "Such persons to represent Him." Are not they that own His +power, fitter to represent Him than others? Would the author be a fitter +person? + +_Ibid_. "Puffed up with intolerable pride and insolence." Not at all; +for where is the pride to be employed by a prince, whom so few own, and +whose being is disputed by such as this author? + +_Ibid_. "Perhaps from a poor servitor, &c. to be a prime minister in +God's kingdom." That is right. God taketh notice of the difference +between poor servitors, &c. Extremely foolish--shew it. The argument +lieth strongly against the apostles, poor fishermen; and St. Paul, a +tentmaker. So gross and idle! + +Page 80. "The formality of laying hand over head on a man." A pun; but +an old one. I remember, when Swan[16] made that pun first, he was +severely checked for it. + +[Footnote 16: Captain Swan was a celebrated low humorist and punster who +frequented Will's Coffee-house when it was the fashionable resort of men +of wit and pleasure. [T. S.]] + +_Ibid_. "What more is required to give one a right, &c." Here shew, what +power is in the church, and what in the state to make priests. + +Page 85. "To bring men into, and not turn them out of the ordinary way +of salvation." Yes; but as one rotten sheep doth mischief--and do you +think it reasonable, that such a one as this author, should converse +with Christians, and weak ones. + +Page 86. See his fine account of spiritual punishment. + +Page 87. "The clergy affirm, that if they had not the power to exclude +men from the Church, its unity could not be preserved." So to expel an +ill member from a college, would be to divide the college; as in +All-Souls, &c. Apply it to him.[17] + +[Footnote 17: Tindal was a fellow of All Souls College. [T. S.]] + +Page 88. "I cannot see but it is contrary to the rules of charity, to +exclude men from the Church, &c." All this turns upon the falsest +reasoning in the world. So, if a man be imprisoned for stealing a horse, +he is hindered from other duties: And, you might argue, that a man who +doth ill, ought to be more diligent in minding other duties, and not to +be debarred from them. It is for contumacy and rebellion against that +power in the church, which the law hath confirmed. So a man is outlawed +for a trifle, upon contumacy. + +Page 92. "Obliging all by penal laws to receive the sacrament." This is +false. + +Page 93. "The want of which means can only harden a man in his +impenitence." It is for his being hardened that he is excluded. Suppose +a son robbeth his father on the highway, and his father will not see him +till he restoreth the money and owneth his fault. It is hard to deny him +paying his duty in other things, &c. How absurd this! + +Page 95. "And that only _they_ had a right to give it." Another part of +his scheme, that the people have a right to give the sacrament. See more +of it, pp. 135 and 137. + +Page 96. "Made familiar to such practices by the heathen priests." Well; +and this shews the necessity of it for peace' sake. A silly objection of +this and other enemies to religion, to think to disgrace it by applying +heathenism, which only concerns the political part wherein they were as +wise as others, and might give rules. Instance in some, &c. + +Page 98. "How differently from this do the great pretenders to primitive +practice act, &c." This is a remarkable passage. Doth he condemn or +allow this mysterious way? It seems the first--and therefore these words +are a little turned, but infallibly stood in the first draught as a +great argument for Popery. + +Page 100. "They dress them up in a _sanbenito_." So, now we are to +answer for the inquisition. One thing is, that he makes the fathers +guilty of asserting most of the corruptions about the power of priests. + +Page 104. "Some priests assume to themselves an arbitrary power of +excluding men from the Lord's Supper." His scheme; that any body may +administer the sacraments, women or children, &c. + +Page 108. "One no more than another can be reckoned a priest." See his +scheme. Here he disgraces what the law enacts, about the manner of +consecrating, &c. + +Page 118. "Churches serve to worse purposes than bear-gardens." This +from Hudibras. + +Page 119. "In the time of that wise heathen Ammianus Marcellinus."[18] +Here he runs down all Christianity in general. + +[Footnote 18: Ammianus Marcellinus (died _c_. 390) wrote a history of +Rome in thirty-one books, of which Gibbon thought rather highly. The +history may be taken as a continuation of Tacitus and Suetonius. [T. +S.]] + +Page 120. "I shall, in the following part of my discourse, shew that +this doctrine is so far from serving the ends of religion, that, 1. It +prevents the spreading of the gospel, &c." This independent power in the +church is like the worms; being the cause of all diseases. + +Page 124. "How easily could the Roman emperors have destroyed the +Church?" Just as if he had said; how easily could Herod kill Christ +whilst a child, &c. + +Page 125. "The people were set against bishops by reason of their +tyranny." Wrong. For the bishops were no tyrants: Their power was +swallowed up by the Popes, and the people desired they should have more. +It were the regulars that tyrannized and formed priestcraft. He is +ignorant. + +Page 139. "He is not bound by the laws of Christ to leave his friends in +order to be baptized, &c." This directly against the Gospel.--One would +think him an emissary, by his preaching schism. + +Page 142. "Then will the communion of saints be practicable, to which +the principles of all parties, the occasional conformists only excepted, +stand in direct opposition, &c." So that all are wrong but they. The +Scripture is fully against schism. Tindal promoteth it and placeth in it +all the present and future happiness of man. + +Page 144. All he has hitherto said on this matter, with a very little +turn, were arguments for Popery: For, it is certain, that religion had +share in very few wars for many hundred years before the Reformation, +because they were all of a mind. It is the ambition of rebels, preaching +upon the discontents of sectaries, that they are not supreme, which hath +caused wars for religion. He is mistaken altogether. His little narrow +understanding and want of learning. + +Page 145. "Though some say the high-fliers' lives might serve for a very +good rule, if men would act quite contrary to them," Is he one of those +some? Beside the new turn of wit, &c. all the clergy in England come +under his notion of high-fliers, as he states it. + +Page 147. "None of them (Churchmen) could be brought to acknowledge it +lawful upon any account whatever, to exclude the Duke of York." This +account false in fact. + +_Ibid_. "And the body-politic, whether ecclesiastical or civil, must be +dealt with after the same manner, as the body-natural." What, because it +is called a body, and is a simile, must it hold in all circumstances? + +Page 148. "We find all wise legislators have had regard to the tempers, +inclinations, and prejudices, &c." This paragraph false.--It was +directly contrary in several, as Lycurgus, &c. + +Page 152. "All the skill of the prelatists is not able to discover the +least distinction between bishop and presbyter." Yet, God knows, this +hath been done many a time. + +Page 158. "The Epistle to the Philippians is directed to the bishops and +deacons, I mean in due order after the people, _viz_, to the saints with +their bishops and deacons." I hope he would argue from another place, +that the people precede the king, because of these words: "Ye shall be +destroyed both you and your king." + +Page 167. "The Pope and other great Church dons." I suppose, he meaneth +bishops: But I wish, he would explain himself, and not be so very witty +in the midst of an argument; it is like two mediums; not fair in +disputing. + +Page 168. "Clemens Romanus blames the people not for assuming a power, +but for making a wrong use of it, &c." His great error all along is, +that he doth not distinguish between a power, and a liberty of +exercising that power, &c. I would appeal to any man, whether the clergy +have not too little power, since a book like this, that unsettleth +foundations and would destroy all, goes unpunished, &c. + +Page 171. "By this or some such method the bishops obtained their power +over their fellow presbyters, and both over the people. The whole tenor +of the Gospel directly contrary to it." Then it is not an allowable +means: This carries it so far as to spoil his own system; it is a sin to +have bishops as we have them. + +Page 172. "The preservation of peace and unity, and not any divine +right, was the reason of establishing a superiority of one of the +presbyters over the rest. Otherwise there would, as they say, have been +as many schismatics as Presbyters. No great compliment to the clergy of +those days." Why so? It is the natural effect of a worse independency, +which he keepeth such a clatter about; an independency of churches on +each other, which must naturally create schism. + +Page 183. "How could the Christians have asserted the disinterestedness +of those who first preached the Gospel, particularly their having a +right to the tenth part." Yes, that would have passed easy enough; for +they could not imagine teachers could live on air; and their heathen +priests were much more unreasonable. + +Page 184. "Men's suffering for such opinions is not sufficient to +support the weight of them." This is a glance against Christianity. +State the case of converting infidels; the converters are supposed few; +the bulk of the priests must be of the converted country. It is their +own people therefore they maintain. What project or end can a few +converters propose? they can leave no power to their families, &c. State +this, I say, at length, and give it a true turn. Princes give +corporations power to purchase lands. + +Page 187. "That it became an easy prey to the barbarous nations." +Ignorance in Tindal. The empire long declined before Christianity was +introduced. This a wrong cause, if ever there was one. + +Page 190, "It is the clergy's interest to have religion corrupted." +Quite the contrary; prove it. How is it the interest of the English +clergy to corrupt religion? The more justice and piety the people have, +the better it is for them; for that would prevent the penury of farmers, +and the oppression of exacting covetous landlords, &c. That which hath +corrupted religion, is the liberty unlimited of professing all opinions. +Do not lawyers render law intricate by their speculations, &c. And +physicians, &c. + +Page 209. "The spirit and temper of the clergy, &c." What does this man +think the clergy are made of? Answer generally to what he says against +councils in the ten pages before. Suppose I should bring quotations in +their praise. + +Page 211. "As the clergy, though few in comparison of the laity, were +the inventors of corruptions." His scheme is, that the fewer and poorer +the clergy the better, and the contrary among the laity. A noble +principle; and delicate consequences from it. + +Page 207. "Men are not always condemned for the sake of opinions, but +opinions sometimes for the sake of men." And so, he hopes, that if his +opinions are condemned, people will think, it is a spite against him, as +having been always scandalous. + +Page 210. "The meanest layman as good a judge as the greatest priest, +for the meanest man is as much interested in the truth of religion as +the greatest priest." As if one should say, the meanest sick man hath as +much interest in health as a physician, therefore is as good a judge of +physic as a physician, &c. + +_Ibid_. "Had synods been composed of laymen, none of those corruptions +which tend to advance the interest of the clergy, &c." True, but the +part the laity had in reforming, was little more than plundering. He +should understand, that the nature of things is this, that the clergy +are made of men, and, without some encouragement, they will not have the +best, but the worst. + +Page 215. "They who gave estates to, rather than they who took them +from, the clergy, were guilty of sacrilege." Then the people are the +Church, and the clergy not; another part of his scheme. + +Page 219. "The clergy, as they subsisted by the alms of the people, &c." +This he would have still. Shew the folly of it. Not possible to shew any +civilized nation ever did it Who would be clergymen then? The absurdity +appears by putting the case, that none were to be statesmen, lawyers, or +physicians, but who were to subsist by alms. + +Page 222. "These subtle clergymen work their designs, who lately cut out +such a tacking job for them, &c." He is mistaken--Everybody was for the +bill almost: though not for the tack. The Bishop of Sarum was for it, as +appears by his speech against it. But it seems, the tacking is owing to +metaphysical speculations. I wonder whether is most perplexed, this +author in his style, or the writings of our divines. In the judgment of +all people our divines have carried practical preaching and writing to +the greatest perfection it ever arrived to; which shews, that we may +affirm in general, our clergy is excellent, although this or that man be +faulty. As if an army be constantly victorious, regular, &c. we may say, +it is an excellent victorious army: But Tindal; to disparage it, would +say, such a serjeant ran away; such an ensign hid himself in a ditch; +nay, one colonel turned his back, therefore, it is a corrupt, cowardly +army, &c. + +Page 224. "They were as apprehensive of the works of Aristotle, as some +men are of the works of a late philosopher, which, they are afraid, will +let too much light into the world." Yet just such, another; only a +commentator on Aristotle. People are likely to improve their +understanding much with Locke; It is not his "Human Understanding," but +other works that people dislike, although in that there are some +dangerous tenets, as that of [no] innate ideas. + +Page 226. "Could they, like the popish priests, add to this a restraint +on the press, their business would be done." So it ought: For example, +to hinder his book, because it is written to justify the vices and +infidelity of the age. There can be no other design in it. For, is this +a way or manner to do good? Railing doth but provoke. The opinion of the +whole parliament is, the clergy are too poor. + +_Ibid_. "When some nations could be no longer kept from prying into +learning, this miserable gibberish of the schools was contrived." We +have exploded schoolmen as much as he, and in some people's opinion too +much, since the liberty of embracing any opinion is allowed. They +following Aristotle, who is doubtless the greatest master of arguing in +the world: But it hath been a fashion of late years to explode +Aristotle, and therefore this man hath fallen into it like others, for +that reason, without understanding him. Aristotle's poetry, rhetoric, +and politics, are admirable, and therefore, it is likely, so are his +logics. + +Page 230. "In these freer countries, as the clergy have less power, so +religion is better understood, and more useful and excellent discourses +are made on that subject, &c." Not generally. Holland not very famous, +Spain hath been, and France is. But it requireth more knowledge, than +his, to form general rules, which people strain (when ignorant) to false +deductions to make them out. + +Page 232. Chap. VII. "That this hypothesis of an independent power in +any set of clergymen, makes all reformation unlawful, except where those +who have this power, do consent." The title of this chapter, A Truism. + +Page 234. "If God has not placed mankind in respect to civil matters +under an absolute power, but has permitted them in every society to act +as they judge best for their own safety, &c." Bad parallels; bad +politics; want of due distinction between teaching and government. The +people may know when they are governed well, but not be wiser than their +instructors. Shew the difference. + +_Ibid_. "If God has allowed the civil society these privileges can we +suppose He hath less kindness for His church, &c." Here they are +distinguished, then, here it makes for him. It is a sort of turn of +expression, which is scarce with him, and he contradicts himself to +follow it. + +Page 235. "This cursed hypothesis had, perhaps, never been thought on +with relation to civils, had not the clergy (who have an inexhaustible +magazine of oppressive doctrines) contrived first in ecclesiasticals, +&c." The seventh paragraph furious and false. Were there no tyrants +before the clergy, &c.? + +Page 236. "Therefore in order to serve them, though I expect little +thanks, &c." And, why so? Will they not, as you say, follow their +interest? I thought you said so. He has three or four sprightly turns of +this kind, that look, as if he thought he had done wonders, and had put +all the clergy in a ferment. Whereas, I do assure him, there are but two +things wonderful in his book: First, how any man in a Christian country +could have the boldness and wickedness to write it: And, how any +government would neglect punishing the author of it, if not as an enemy +of religion, yet a profligate trumpeter of sedition. These are hard +words, got by reading his book. + +_Ibid_. "The light of nature as well as the Gospel, obliges people to +judge of themselves, &c. to avoid false prophets, seducers, &c." The +legislature can turn out a priest, and appoint another ready-made, but +not make one; as you discharge a physician, and may take a farrier; but +he is no physician, unless made as he ought to be. + +_Ibid_. "Since no more power is required for the one than the other." +That is, I dislike my physician, and can turn him off, therefore I can +make any man a physician, &c. "_Cujus est destruere_, &c." Jest on it: +Therefore because he lays schemes for destroying the Church, we must +employ him to raise it again. See, what danger lies in applying maxims +at random. So, because it is the soldiers' business to knock men on the +head, it is theirs likewise to raise them to life, &c. + +Page 237. "It can belong only to the people to appoint their own +ecclesiastical officers." This word "people" is so delicious in him, +that I cannot tell what is included in the idea of the "people." Doth he +mean the rabble or the legislature, &c. In this sense it may be true, +that the legislature giveth leave to the bishops to appoint, and they +appoint themselves, I mean, the executive power appoints, &c. He sheweth +his ignorance in government. As to High Church he carrieth it a +prodigious way, and includeth, in the idea of it, more than others will +allow. + +Page 239 "Though it be customary to admit none to the ministry who are +not approved by the bishops or priests, &c." One of his principles to +expose. + +_Ibid_ "If every one has not an inherent right to choose his own guide, +then a man must be either of the religion of his guide, or, &c." That +would make delicate work in a nation. What would become of all our +churches? They must dwindle into conventicles. Show what would be the +consequence of this scheme in several points. This great reformer, if +his projects were reduced to practice, how many thousand sects, and +consequently tumults, &c. Men must be governed in speculation, at least +not suffered to vent them, because opinions tend to actions, which are +most governed by opinions, &c. If those who write for the church writ +no better, they would succeed but scurvily. But to see whether he be a +good writer, let us see when he hath published his second part. + +Page 253 "An excellent author in his preface to the Account of Denmark." +This man judgeth and writeth much of a level. Molesworth's preface full +of stale profligate topics. That author wrote his book in spite to a +nation, as this doth to religion, and both perhaps on poor personal +piques[1]. + +[Footnote 19: This was Robert, Viscount Molesworth (1656-1725), who +was born in Dublin, and educated at Trinity College there. He was +ambassador at Copenhagen, but had to resign on account of a dispute with +the Danish king. The "Account of Denmark," which he wrote on his +return, was answered by Dr. King. [T. S.]] + +_Ibid_ "By which means, and not by any difference in speculative +matters, they are more rich and populous." As if ever anybody thought +that a difference in speculative opinions made men richer or poorer, for +example, &c. + +Page 258 "Play the Devil for God's sake." If this is meant for wit, I +would be glad to observe it, but in such cases I first look whether +there be common sense, &c. + +Page 261 "Christendom has been the scene of perpetual wars, massacres, +&c." He doth not consider that most religious wars have been caused by +schisms, when the dissenting parties were ready to join with any +ambitious discontented man. The national religion always desireth peace, +even in her notions, for its interests. + +Page 270. "Some have taken the liberty to compare a high church priest +in politics to a monkey in a glass-shop, where, as he can do no good, so +he never fails of doing mischief enough." That is his modesty, it is his +own simile, and it rather fits a man that does so and so, (meaning +himself.) Besides the comparison is foolish: So it is with _men_, as +with _stags_. + +Page 276. "Their interest obliges them directly to promote tyranny." The +matter is, that Christianity is the fault, which spoils the priests, for +they were like other men, before they were priests. Among the Romans, +priests did not do so; for they had the greatest power during the +republic. I wonder he did not prove they spoiled Nero. + +Page 277. "No princes have been more insupportable and done greater +violence to the commonwealth than those the clergy have honoured for +saints and martyrs." For example in our country, the princes most +celebrated by our clergy are, &c. &c. &c. And the quarrels since the +Conquest were nothing at all of the clergy, but purely of families, &c. +wherein the clergy only joined like other men. + +Page 279. "After the Reformation,[20]I desire to know whether the +conduct of the clergy was anyways altered for the better, &c." Monstrous +misrepresentation. Does this man's spirit of declaiming let him forget +all truth of fact, as here, &c.? Shew it. Or doth he flatter himself, a +time will come in future ages, that men will believe it on his word? In +short, between declaiming, between misrepresenting, and falseness, and +charging Popish things, and independency huddled together, his whole +book is employed. + +[Footnote 20: "Reformation" in 4to and 8vo editions, but Tindal's word +is "Restoration." [T.S.]] + +Set forth at large the necessity of union in religion, and the +disadvantage of the contrary, and answer the contrary in Holland, where +they have no religion, and are the worst constituted government in the +world to last. It is ignorance of causes and appearances which makes +shallow people judge so much to their advantage. They are governed by +the administration and almost legislature of Holland through advantage +of property; nor are they fit to be set in balance with a noble kingdom, +&c. like a man that gets a hundred pounds a year by hard labour, and one +that has it in land. + +Page 280. "It may be worth enquiring, whether the difference between the +several sects in England, &c." A noble notion started, that union in the +Church must enslave the kingdom: reflect on it. This man hath somewhere +heard, that it is a point of wit to advance paradoxes, and the bolder +the better. But the wit lies in maintaining them, which he neglecteth, +and formeth imaginary conclusions from them, as if they were true and +uncontested. + +He adds, "That in the best constituted Church, the greatest good which, +can be expected of the ecclesiastics, is from their divisions." This is +a maxim deduced from a gradation of false suppositions. If a man should +turn the tables, and argue that all the debauchery, atheism, +licentiousness, &c. of the times, were owing to the poverty of the +clergy, &c. what would he say? There have been more wars of religion +since the ruin of the clergy, than before, in England. All the civil +wars before were from other causes. + +Page 283. "Prayers are made in the loyal university of Oxford, to +continue the throne free from the contagion of schism. See Mather's +sermon on the 29th of May, 1705." Thus he ridicules the university while +he is eating their bread. The whole university comes with the most loyal +addresses, yet that goes for nothing. If one indiscreet man drops an +indiscreet word, all must answer for it. + +Page 286. "By allowing all, who hold no opinions prejudicial to the +state, and contribute equally with their fellow-subjects to its support, +equal privileges in it." But who denies that of the dissenters? The +Calvinist scheme, one would not think, proper for monarchy. Therefore, +they fall in with the Scotch, Geneva, and Holland; and when they had +strength here, they pulled down the monarchy. But I will tell an opinion +they hold prejudicial to the state in his opinion; and that is, that +they are against toleration, of which, if I do not shew him ten times +more instances from their greatest writers, than he can do of passive +obedience among the clergy, I have done. + +"Does not justice demand, that they who alike contribute to the burden, +should alike receive the advantage?" Here is another of his maxims +closely put without considering what exceptions may be made. The Papists +have contributed doubly (being so taxed) therefore by this rule they +ought to have double advantage. Protection in property, leave to trade +and purchase, &c. are enough for a government to give. Employments in a +state are a reward for those who entirely agree with it, &c. For +example, a man, who upon all occasions declared his opinion of a +commonwealth to be preferable to a monarchy, would not be a fit man to +have employments; let him enjoy his opinion, but not be in a capacity of +reducing it to practice, &c. + +Page 287. "There can be no alteration in the established mode of Church +discipline, which is not made in a legal way." Oh, but there are several +methods to compass this legal way, by cunning, faction, industry. The +common people, he knows, may be wrought upon by priests; these may +influence the faction, and so compass a very pernicious law, and in a +legal way ruin the state; as King Charles I. began to be ruined in a +legal way, by passing bills, &c. + +Page 288. "As everything is persecution, which puts a man in a worse +condition than his neighbours." It is hard to think sometimes whether +this man is hired to write for or against dissenters and the sects. This +is their opinion, although they will not own it so roundly. Let this be +brought to practice: Make a quaker lord chancellor, who thinketh paying +tithes unlawful. And bring other instances to shew that several +employments affect the Church. + +_Ibid_. "Great advantage which both Church and state have got by the +kindness already shewn to dissenters." Let them then be thankful for +that. We humour children for their good sometimes, but too much may +hurt. Observe that this 64th paragraph just contradicts the former. For, +if we have advantage by kindness shewn dissenters, then there is no +necessity of banishment, or death. + +Page 290. "Christ never designed the holy Sacrament should be +prostituted to serve a party. And that people should be bribed by a +place to receive unworthily." Why, the business is, to be sure, that +those who are employed are of the national church; and the way to know +it is by receiving the sacrament, which all men ought to do in their own +church; and if not, are hardly fit for an office; and if they have those +moral qualifications he mentioneth, joined to religion, no fear of +receiving unworthily. And for this there might be a remedy: To take an +oath, that they are of the same principles, &c. for that is the end of +receiving; and that it might be no bribe, the bill against occasional +conformity would prevent entirely. + +_Ibid_. "Preferring men not for their capacity, but their zeal to the +Church." The misfortune is, that if we prefer dissenters to great posts, +they will have an inclination to make themselves the national church, +and so there will be perpetual struggling; which case may be dangerous +to the state. For men are naturally wishing to get over others to their +own opinion: Witness this writer, who hath published as singular and +absurd notions as possible, yet hath a mighty zeal to bring us over to +them, &c. + +Page 292. Here are two pages of scurrilous faction, with a deal of +reflections on great persons. Under the notion of High-Churchmen, he +runs down all uniformity and church government. Here is the whole Lower +House of Convocation, which represents the body of the clergy and both +universities, treated with rudeness by an obscure, corrupt member, while +he is eating their bread. + +Page 294. "The reason why the middle sort of people retain so much of +their ancient virtue &c. is because no such pernicious notions are the +ingredients of their education; which 'tis a sign are infinitely absurd, +when so many of the gentry and nobility can, notwithstanding their +prepossession, get clear of them." Now the very same argument lies +against religion, morality, honour, and honesty, which are, it seems, +but prejudices of education, and too many get clear of them. The middle +sort of people have other things to mind than the factions of the age. +He always assigneth many causes, and sometimes with reason, since he +maketh imaginary effects. He quarrels at power being lodged in the +clergy: When there is no reasonable Protestant, clergy, or laity, who +will not readily own the inconveniences by too great power and wealth, +in any one body of men, ecclesiastics, or seculars: But on that account +to weed up the wheat with the tares; to banish all religion, because it +is capable of being corrupted; to give unbounded licence to all sects, +&c.--And if heresies had not been used with some violence in the +primitive age, we should have had, instead of true religion, the most +corrupt one in the world. + +Page 316. "The Dutch, and the rest of our presbyterian allies, &c." The +Dutch will hardly thank him for this appellation. The French Huguenots, +and Geneva Protestants themselves, and others, have lamented the want of +episcopacy, and approved ours, &c. In this and the next paragraph, the +author introduceth the arguments he formerly used, when he turned papist +in King James's time; and loth to lose them, he gives them a new turn; +and they are the strongest In his book, at least have most artifice. + +Page 333. "'Tis plain, all the power the bishops have, is derived from +the people, &c." In general the distinction lies here. The permissive +power of exercising jurisdiction, lies in the people, or legislature, or +administrator of a kingdom; but not of making him a bishop. As a +physician that commenceth abroad, may be suffered to practise in London +or be hindered; but they have not the power of creating him a doctor, +which is peculiar to a university. This is some allusion; but the thing +is plain, as it seemeth to me, and wanteth no subterfuge, &c. + +Page 338. "A journeyman bishop to ordain for him." Doth any man think, +that writing at this rate, does the author's cause any service? Is it +his wit or his spleen that he cannot govern? + +Page 364. "Can any have a right to an office without having a right to +do those things in which the office consists?" I answer, the ordination +is valid. But a man may prudentially forbid to do some things. As a +clergyman may marry without licence or banns; the marriage is good; yet +he is punishable for it. + +Page 368. "A choice made by persons who have no right to choose, is an +error of the first concoction." That battered simile again; this is +hard. I wish the physicians had kept that a secret, it lieth so ready +for him to be witty with. + +Page 370. "If prescription can make mere nullities to become good and +valid, the laity may be capable of all manner of ecclesiastical power, +&c." There is a difference; for here the same way is kept, although +there might be breaches; but it is quite otherwise, if you alter the +whole method from what it was at first. We see bishops: There always +were bishops: It is the old way still. So a family is still held the +same, although we are not sure of the purity of every one of the race. + +Page 380. "It is said, That every nation is not a complete body politic +within itself as to ecclesiasticals. But the whole church, say they, +composes such a body, and Christ is the head of it. But Christ's +headship makes Christians no more one body politic with respect to +ecclesiasticals than to civils." Here we must shew the reason and +necessity of the Church being a corporation all over the world: To avoid +heresies, and preserve fundamentals, and hinder corrupting of Scripture, +&c. But there are no such necessities in government, to be the same +everywhere, &c. It is something like the colleges in a university; they +all are independent, yet, joined, are one body. So a general council +consisteth of many persons independent of one another, &c. + +However there is such a thing as _jus gentium_, &c. And he that is +doctor of physic, or law, is so in any university of Europe, like the +_Respublica Literaria_. Nor to me does there seem anything +contradicting, or improper in this notion of the Catholic Church; and +for want of such a communion, religion is so much corrupted, and would +be more, if there were [not] more communion in this than in civils. It +is of no import to mankind how nations are governed; but the preserving +the purity of religion is best held up by endeavouring to make it one +body over the world. Something like as there is in trade. So to be able +to communicate with all Christians we come among, is at least to be +wished and aimed at as much as we can. + +Page 384. "In a word, if the bishops are not supreme, &c." Here he +reassumeth his arguments for Popery, that there cannot be a body politic +of the Church through the whole world, without a visible head to have +recourse to. These were formerly writ to advance Popery, and now to put +an absurdity upon the hypothesis of a Catholic Church. As they say in +Ireland, in King James's time, they built mass-houses, which we make +very good barns of. + +Page 388. "Bishops are, under a _premunire_ obliged to confirm and +consecrate the person named in the _congé d'Élire_." This perhaps is +complained of. He is permitted to do it. We allow the legislature may +hinder if they please; as they may turn out Christianity, if they think +fit. + +Page 389. "It is the magistrate who empowers them to do more for other +bishops than they can for themselves, since they cannot appoint their +own successors." Yes they could, if the magistrate would let them. Here +is an endless splutter, and a parcel of perplexed distinctions upon no +occasion. All that the clergy pretend to, is a right of qualifying men +for the ministry, something like what a university doth with degrees. +This power they claim from God, and that the civil power cannot do it as +pleasing to God without them; but they may choose whether they will +suffer it or no. A religion cannot be crammed down a nation's throat +against their will; but when they receive a religion, it is supposed +they receive as their converters give it; and, upon that foot, they +cannot justly mingle their own methods, that contradict that religion, +&c. + +Page 390. "With us the bishops act only ministerially and by virtue of +the regal commission, by which the prince firmly enjoins and commands +them to proceed in choosing, confirming, and consecrating, &c." Suppose +we held it unlawful to do so: How can we help it? but does that make it +rightful, if it be not so? Suppose the author lived in a heathen +country, where a law would be made to call Christianity idolatrous; +would that be a topic for him to prove it so by, &c.? And why do the +clergy incur a _pre-munire;_--To frighten them--Because the law +understandeth, that, if they refuse, the chosen cannot be a bishop: But, +if the clergy had an order to do it otherwise than they have prescribed, +they ought and would incur an hundred rather. + +Page 402. "I believe the Catholic Church, &c." Here he ridicules the +Apostles' Creed.--Another part of his scheme.--By what he says in these +pages, it is certain, his design is either to run down Christianity, or +set up Popery; the latter it is more charitable to think, and, from his +past life, highly probable. + +Page 405. "That which gave the Papists so great advantage was, +clergymen's talking so very inconsistent with themselves, &c." State the +difference here between our separation from Rome, and the dissenters +from us, and shew the falseness of what he sayeth. I wish he would tell +us what he leaveth for a clergyman to do, if he may not instruct the +people in religion, and if they should not receive his instructions. + +Page 411. "The restraint of the press a badge of Popery." Why is that a +badge of Popery? Why not restrain the press to those who would confound +religion, as in civil matters? But this toucheth himself. He would +starve, perhaps, &c, Let him get some honester livelihood then. It is +plain, all his arguments against constraint, &c. favour the papists as +much as dissenters; for both have opinions that may affect the peace of +the state. + +Page 413. "Since this discourse, &c." And must we have another volume on +this one subject of independency? Or, is it to fright us? I am not of +Dr. Hickes's mind, _Qu'il venge_. I pity the readers, and the clergy +that must answer it, be it ever so insipid. Reflect on his sarcastic +conclusion, &c. + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +A + +PREFACE + +TO THE + +B---P OF S----M'S + +INTRODUCTION, &c. + + +NOTE. + +AT the time of writing this scathing piece of invective, Swift was busy +dealing out to an old friend a similar specimen of his terrible power of +rejoinder. Steele, in the newly established "Guardian," as Mr. Churton +Collins well puts it, "drunk with party spirit, had so far forgotten +himself as to insert ... a coarse and ungenerous reflection on Swift." +Swift sought an explanation through Addison, but Steele's egotism was +stronger than the feeling of friendship, and the insult remained for +Swift to wipe out in "The Importance of the 'Guardian' Considered." +Probably this severance from his friend, due to political +differences--for Steele glowed in Whiggism--deepened, if possible, his +hatred to Whigs of whatever degree; and in Burnet he found another +object for his wit. But apart from such a suggestion, there was enough +in the Bishop's attitude towards the Tories to rouse Swift to his task. +It was not enough that Burnet should accuse his political opponents of +sympathy with the French, Jacobitism, and Popery, but he must needs +flaunt his vanity in issuing, in advance, for purposes of advertisement, +the introduction to a work which was to come later. This was enough for +Swift, and the prelate who "could smell popery at five hundred miles +distance better than fanaticism under his nose," became the recipient of +one of the most amusing and yet most virulent attacks which even that +controversial age produced. "The whole pamphlet," Mr. Collins truly +says, "is inimitable. Its irony, its humour, its drollery, are +delicious." + +It must not, however, be imagined that Swift's opinion of Burnet is only +that which can be gathered from this "Preface." He fully appreciated the +sterling qualities of scholarship and good nature, since in his +"Remarks" on Burnet's "History of My Own Time," he says: "after all he +was a man of generosity and good nature, and very communicative; but in +his last ten years was absolutely party-mad, and fancied he saw Popery +under every bush." Lord Dartmouth has left an excellent sketch of +Burnet's character in a note to the "History of My Own Time": "Bishop +Burnet was a man of the most extensive knowledge I ever met with; had +read and seen a great deal, with a prodigious memory, and a very +indifferent judgment: he was extremely partial, and readily took +everything for granted that he heard to the prejudice of those he did +not like: which made him pass for a man of less truth than he really +was. I do not think he designedly published anything he believed to be +false. He had a boisterous, vehement manner of expressing himself, which +often made him ridiculous, especially in the House of Lords, when what +he said would not have been thought so, delivered in a lower voice, and +a calmer behaviour. His vast knowledge occasioned his frequent rambling +from the point he was speaking to, which ran him into discourses of so +universal a nature, that there was no end to be expected but from a +failure of his strength and spirits, of both which he had a larger share +than most men; which were accompanied with a most invincible assurance." +(Note to the Preface of Burnet's "History of My Own Time," vol. i. p. +xxxiii, Oxford, 1897.) + +It may not be altogether out of place to give here a short biographical +sketch of Bishop Burnet. + +Gilbert Burnet was born at Edinburgh in 1643. He studied first at +Aberdeen and then in Holland. In 1665, after he was elected a Fellow of +the Royal Society, he entered holy orders, became vicar of Saltoun, and, +in 1669, professor of divinity at Glasgow. The year 1673 found him in +London, engaged on his "History of the Reformation," and fulfilling the +duties of chaplain to the king, preacher to the Rolls, and lecturer of +St. Clement's. The "Reformation" appeared in three folio volumes; the +first in 1679, the second in 1681, and the third in 1714. He had already +written the "Lives of the Dukes of Hamilton," the "Life of Sir Matthew +Hale," and a "Life of the Earl of Rochester." Getting into some +political trouble he was deprived of his offices, and left England for +the continent. After travelling in France he settled in Holland, and +married a Dutch lady. When the Prince of Orange came to England to +assume the government of the country, Burnet accompanied him, and in +1689 was installed into the bishopric of Salisbury. Evidently he had too +zealous a sentiment for William and Mary, for his pastoral letter to the +clergy of his diocese, commenting on the new sovereign, was condemned by +the parliament, and ordered to be burnt by the common hangman. He +married again, on the death of his Dutch wife, a rich widow, Mrs. +Berkeley, who was his third spouse--hence Swift's caustic reference. He +died March 17th, 1714-15. In addition to his histories of the +Reformation and his own times, he wrote an "Exposition of the +Thirty-Nine Articles" (1699), the "Life of Bishop Bedell" and the other +lives already named, and several sermons and controversial pieces. + +The text of this pamphlet is that of the first edition, collated with, +those given by Faulkner, Hawkesworth, the "Miscellanies" of 1745, and +Scott. It was originally published in 1713. + +[T.S.] + + + A + PREFACE[1] + T O T H E + B--p of S--r--m's + INTRODUCTION + To the Third Volume of the + History of the Reformation + of the + Church of _England_. + +_By GREGORY MISOSARVM._ + +_----Spargere voces + In vulgum ambiguas; & quaerere confcius arma._ + +The Second Edition + +_LONDON_: + +Printed for _John Morphew, _near _Stationers Hall_. 1713. Price +_6d_. + + +THE PREFACE.[2] + + +MR. MORPHEW, + +Your care in putting an advertisement in the _EXAMINER_ has been of +great use to me. I do now send you my Preface to the B----p of +S----r----m's INTRODUCTION to his third volume, which I desire you to +print in such a form, as in the bookseller's phrase will make a sixpenny +touch; hoping it will give such a public notice of my design, that it +may come into the hands of those who perhaps look not into the B----p's +Introduction. I desire you will prefix to this a passage out of Virgil, +which does so perfectly agree with my present thoughts of his +L----dsh----p, that I cannot express them better, nor more truly, than +those words do. + +I am, Sir, + +Your most humble servant, + +G. MISOSARUM. + +[Footnote 1: Mr. Nichols quotes from the "Speculum Sarisburianum," "That +the frequent and hasty repetitions of such prefaces and introductions, +no less than three new ones in about one year's time, beside an old +serviceable one republished concerning persecution--are preludes to +other practical things, beside pastoral cares, sermons, and histories." +[T. S.]] + +[Footnote 2: This preface "to the bookseller" is in imitation of the +bishop's own preface to the bookseller in the "Introduction," which was +signed "G. Sarum." [T. S.]] + +This way of publishing introductions to books that are, God knows when, +to come out, is either wholly new, or so long unpractised, that my small +reading cannot trace it. However we are to suppose, that a person of his +Lordship's great age and experience, would hardly act such a piece of +singularity without some extraordinary motives. I cannot but observe, +that his fellow-labourer, the author of the paper called _The +Englishman_,[3] seems, in some of his late performances, to have almost +transcribed the notions of the Bishop: these notions, I take to have +been dictated by the same masters, leaving to each writer that peculiar +manner of expressing himself, which the poverty of our language forces +me to call their style. When the _Guardian_ changed his title, and +professed to engage in faction, I was sure the word was given, that +grand preparations were making against next sessions; that all +advantages would be taken of the little dissensions reported to be among +those in power; and that the _Guardian_ would soon be seconded by some +other piqueerers[4] from the same camp. But I will confess, my +suspicions did not carry me so far as to conjecture that this venerable +champion would be in such mighty haste to come into the field, and serve +in the quality of an _enfant perdu_,[5] armed only with a pocket pistol, +before his great blunderbuss could be got ready, his old rusty +breastplate scoured, and his cracked headpiece mended. + +[Footnote 3: Steele.] + +[Footnote 4: Piqueerer = pickeerer (modern) = a marauder, a skirmisher +in advance of an army. From French _picorer_ = to maraud. [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 5: _Enfant perdu_, one of the advanced guard; or, as +Hawkesworth notes it, "one of the forlorn hope." [T.S.]] + +I was debating with myself, whether this hint of producing a small +pamphlet to give notice of a large folio, was not borrowed from the +ceremonial in Spanish romances, where a dwarf is sent out upon the +battlements to signify to all passengers, what a mighty giant there is +in the castle; or whether the Bishop copied this proceeding from the +_fanfarronade_ of Monsieur Boufflers, when the Earl of Portland and that +general had an interview. Several men were appointed at certain periods +to ride in great haste toward the English camp, and cry out, +_Monseigneur vient, Monseigneur vient:_ Then, small parties advanced +with the same speed and the same cry, and this foppery held for many +hours, until the mareschal himself arrived. So here, the Bishop (as we +find by his dedication to Mr. Churchill the bookseller) has for a long +time sent warning of his arrival by advertisements in _Gazettes_, and +now his Introduction advances to tell us again, _Monseigneur vient:_ In +the mean time, we must gape and wait and gaze the Lord knows how long, +and keep our spirits in some reasonable agitation, until his Lordship's +real self shall think fit to appear in the habit of a folio. + +I have seen the same sort of management at a puppet-show. Some puppets +of little or no consequence appeared several times at the window to +allure the boys and the rabble: The trumpeter sounded often, and the +doorkeeper cried a hundred times till he was hoarse, that they were just +going to begin; yet after all, we were forced sometimes to wait an hour +before Punch himself in person made his entry. + +But why this ceremony among old acquaintance? The world and he have long +known one another: Let him appoint his hour and make his visit, without +troubling us all day with a succession of messages from his laqueys and +pages. + +With submission, these little arts of getting off an edition, do ill +become any author above the size of Marten[6] the surgeon. My Lord tells +us, that "many thousands of the two former parts of his History are in +the kingdom,"[7] and now he perpetually advertises in the gazette, that +he intends to publish the third: This is exactly in the method and style +of Marten: "The seventh edition (many thousands of the former editions +having been sold off in a small time) of Mr. Marten's book concerning +secret diseases," &c. + +[Footnote 6: This is John Marten, the author of two treatises on the +gout, and a "Treatise of all the Degrees and Symptoms of the Venereal +Disease" (1708?-9). His notoriety brought on him the ire of a "licens'd +practitioner in physick and surgery," one J. Spinke, who, in a pamphlet +entitled "Quackery Unmask'd" (1709), dealt Marten some most uncourteous +blows. From the pamphlet, it is difficult to judge whether Spinke or +Marten were the greater quack; we should judge the former. Certainly +Marten deserves our sympathy, if only for Spinke's virulence. [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 7: Page 26.] + +Does his Lordship intend to publish his great volume by subscription, +and is this Introduction only by way of specimen? I was inclined to +think so, because, in the prefixed letter to Mr. Churchill, which +introduces this Introduction, there are some dubious expressions: He +says, "the advertisements he published were in order to move people to +furnish him with materials, which might help him to finish his work with +great advantage." If he means half-a-guinea upon the subscription, and +t'other half at the delivery, why does he not tell us so in plain terms? + +I am wondering how it came to pass, that this diminutive letter to Mr. +Churchill should understand the business of introducing better than the +Introduction itself; or why the Bishop did not take it into his head to +send the former into the world some months before the latter; which +would have been a greater improvement upon the solemnity of the +procession? + +Since I writ these last lines, I have perused the whole pamphlet (which +I had only dipped in before) and found I have been hunting upon a wrong +scent; for the author hath in several parts of his piece, discovered the +true motives which put him upon sending it abroad at this juncture; I +shall therefore consider them as they come in my way. + +My Lord begins his Introduction with an account of the reasons why he +was guilty of so many mistakes in the first volume of his "History of +the Reformation:" His excuses are just, rational, and extremely +consistent. He says, "he wrote in haste,"[8] which he confirms by +adding, "that it lay a year after he wrote it before it was put into the +press:"[9] At the same time he mentioned a passage extremely to the +honour of that pious and excellent prelate, Archbishop Sancroft, which +demonstrates his Grace to have been a person of great sagacity, and +almost a prophet. Dr. Burnet, then a private divine, "desired admittance +to the Cotton library, but was prevented by the archbishop, who told Sir +John Cotton, that the said doctor was no friend to the prerogative of +the crown, nor to the constitution of the kingdom." This judgment was +the more extraordinary, because the doctor had not long before published +a book in Scotland, with his name prefixed, which carries the regal +prerogative higher than any writer of the age:[10] however, the good +archbishop lived to see his opinion become universal in the kingdom. + +[Footnote 8: Page 6.] + +[Footnote 9: Page 10.] + +[Footnote 10: This was Burnet's "Vindication of the Authority, +Constitution, and Laws of the Church and State of Scotland," dedicated +to the Duke of Lauderdale, and published in 1672. The dedication +contains an eulogium of the duke, and the work a defence of episcopacy +and monarchy against Buchanan and his followers. At a later period, the +author did not probably recollect this juvenile publication with, much +complacence. + +It is somewhat remarkable to see the progress of this story. In the +first edition of this "Introduction," it should seem, "he was prevented +by the Archbishop," &c. When the "Introduction" was reprinted a year +after with the "History," it stands: "A great prelate had been +beforehand and possessed him [Sir John Cotton] against me--That unless +the Archbishop of Canterbury would recommend me--he desired to be +excused--The Bishop of Worcester could not prevail on the Archbishop to +interpose." This is somewhat less than preventing, unless the Archbishop +be meant by the "great prelate." Which is not very probable. 1. Because +in the Preface to this very third volume, p. 4, he says, "It was by +Archbishop Sancroft's order he had the free use of everything that lay +in the Lambeth Library." 2. Because the Author of "Speculum +Sarisburianum" (p. 6), tells us, "His access to the Library was owing +solely to the recommendation of Archbishop Sancroft, as I have been +informed by some of the family." 3. Because Bishop Burnet, in his +"History of My Own Times," vol. i. p. 396, says it was "Dolben, Bishop +of Rochester (at the instigation of the Duke of Lauderdale), that +diverted Sir John Cotton from suffering me to search his Library." +["Miscellanies," vol. viii. 1745.]] + +The Bishop goes on for many pages, with an account of certain facts +relating to the publishing of his two former volumes of the Reformation, +the great success of that work, and the adversaries who appeared against +it. These are matters out of the way of my reading; only I observe that +poor Mr. Henry Wharton,[11] who has deserved so well of the commonwealth +of learning, and who gave himself the trouble of detecting some hundreds +of the Bishop's mistakes, meets with very ill quarter from his Lordship. +Upon which I cannot avoid mentioning a peculiar method which this +prelate takes to revenge himself upon those who presume to differ from +him in print. The Bishop of Rochester[12] happened some years ago to be +of this number. My Lord of Sarum in his reply ventured to tell the +world, that the gentleman who had writ against him, meaning Dr +Atterbury, was one upon whom he had conferred great obligations; which +was a very generous Christian contrivance of charging his adversary with +ingratitude. But it seems the truth happened to be on the other side; +which the doctor made appear in such a manner as would have silenced his +Lordship for ever, if he had not been writing proof. Poor Mr. Wharton in +his grave is charged with the same accusation, but with circumstances +the most aggravating that malice and something else could invent[13]; +and which I will no more believe than five hundred passages in a certain +book of travels[14]. See the character he gives of a divine, and a +scholar, who shortened his life in the service of God and the church. +"Mr. Wharton desired me to intercede with Tillotson for a prebend of +Canterbury. I did so, but Wharton would not believe it; said he would be +revenged, and so writ against me. Soon after he was convinced I had +spoke for him, said he was set on to do what he did, and, if I would +procure any thing for him, he would discover every thing to me[15]." +What a spirit of candour, charity, and good nature, generosity, and +truth, shines through this story, told of a most excellent and pious +divine, twenty years after his death, without one single voucher[16]! + +[Footnote 11: Henry Wharton (1664-1694-5), a divine, born at Worstead, +Norfolk, and educated at Cambridge. Became chaplain to Archbishop +Sancroft in 1688, and then rector of Chartham. Wrote "A Treatise on the +Celibacy of the Clergy;" "The Enthusiasm of the Church of Rome +demonstrated in the Life of Ignatius Loyola;" "A Defence of +Pluralities;" "Specimen of Errors in Burnet's 'History of the +Reformation;'" "Anglia Sacra, sive Collectio Historiarum;" and "History +of Archbishop Laud." The criticism on Burnet's "History" was written +under the _nom de guerre_ of Anthony Farmar. [T. S.]] + +[Footnote 12: Dr. Atterbury.] + +[Footnote 13: Page 22.] + +[Footnote 14: Burnet's "Travels."] + +[Footnote 15: Page 23.] + +[Footnote 16: Burnet's account of this matter was reprinted in the +Preface to his "History of the Reformation," and it contains also the +bishop's rejoinder against Wharton's method of criticism in the +"Specimen": "He had examined the dark ages before the Reformation with +much diligence, and so knew many things relating to those times beyond +any man of the age; he pretended that he had many more errors in +reserve, and that this specimen was only a hasty collection of a few, +out of many other discoveries he could make. This consisted of some +trifling and minute differences in some dates and transactions of no +importance, upon which nothing depended; so I cannot tell whether I took +these too easily from printed books, or if I committed any errors in my +notes taken in the several offices. He likewise follows me through the +several recapitulations I had made of the state of things before the +Reformation, and finds errors and omissions in most of these; he adds +some things out of papers I had never seen. The whole was writ with so +much malice, and such contempt, that I must give some account of the +man, and of his motives. He had expressed great zeal against popery, in +the end of King James's reign, being then chaplain to Archbishop +Sancroft, who, as he said, had promised him the first of those prebends +of Canterbury that should fall in his gift: for when he saw that the +archbishop was resolved not to take the oaths, but to forsake the post, +he made an earnest application to me, to secure that for him at +Archbishop Tillotson's hands. I pressed him in it as much as was decent +for me to do, but he said he would not encourage these aspiring men, by +promising any thing, before it should fall; as indeed none of them fell +during his time. Wharton, upon this answer, thought I had neglected him, +looking on it as a civil denial, and said he would be revenged; and so +he published that specimen: upon which, I, in a letter that I printed, +addressed to the present Bishop of Worcester, charged him again and +again to bring forth all that he pretended to have reserved at that +time, for, till that was done, I would not enter upon the examination of +that specimen. It was received with contempt, and Tillotson justified my +pressing him to take Wharton under his particular protection so fully, +that he sent and asked me pardon. He said he was set on to it; and that, +if I would procure any thing for him, he would discover any thing to me. +I despised that offer, but said that I would at any price buy of him +those discoveries that he pretended to have in reserve. But Mr. Chiswell +(at whose house he then lay) being sick, said he could draw nothing of +that from him, and he believed he had nothing. He died about a year +after."--BURNET'S _History of the Reformation_ III, vii. [T. S.]] + +Come we now to the reasons, which moved his lordship to set about this +work at this time. He "could delay it no longer, because the reasons of +his engaging in it at first seem to return upon him[17]." He was then +frightened with "the danger of a popish successor in view, and the +dreadful apprehensions of the power of France. England has forgot these +dangers, and yet is nearer to them than ever[18]," and therefore he is +resolved to "awaken them" with his third volume; but in the mean time, +sends this Introduction to let them know they are asleep. He then goes +on in describing the condition of the kingdom[19], after such a manner +as if destruction hung over us by a single hair; as if the Pope, the +devil, the Pretender, and France, were just at our doors. + +[Footnote 17: Page 27.] + +[Footnote 18: Page 28.] + +[Footnote 19: Page 28.] + +When the Bishop published his History, there was a popish plot on foot, +the Duke of York a known papist was presumptive heir to the crown, the +House of Commons would not hear of any expedient for securing their +religion under a popish prince, nor would the King or Lords, consent to +a bill of exclusion: The French King was in the height of his grandeur, +and the vigour of his age. At this day the presumptive heir, with that +whole illustrious family, are Protestants, the Popish Pretender excluded +for ever by several acts of Parliament, and every person in the smallest +employment, as well as the members in both Houses, obliged to abjure +him. The French King is at the lowest ebb of life; his armies have been +conquered and his towns won from him for ten years together, and his +kingdom is in danger of being torn by divisions during a long minority. +Are these cases parallel? Or are we now in more danger of France and +popery than we were thirty years ago? What can be the motive for +advancing such false, such detestable assertions? What conclusions would +his Lordship draw from such premises as these? If injurious appellations +were of any advantage to a cause, (as the style of our adversaries would +make us believe) what appellations would those deserve who thus +endeavour to sow the seeds of sedition, and are impatient to see the +fruits? "But," saith he[20], "the deaf adder stops her ear let the +charmer charm never so wisely." True, my Lord, there are indeed too many +adders in this nation's bosom, adders in all shapes, and in all habits, +whom neither the Queen nor parliament can charm to loyalty, truth, +religion, or honour. + +[Footnote 20: Page 28.] Among other instances produced by him of the +dismal condition we are in, he offers one which could not easily be +guessed. It is this: That the little factious pamphlets written about +the end of King Charles II's reign, "lie dead in shops, are looked on as +waste paper, and turned to pasteboard." How many are there of his +Lordship's writings which could otherwise never have been of any real +service to the public? Has he indeed so mean an opinion of our taste, to +send us at this time of day into all the corners of Holborn, Duck Lane, +and Moorfields, in quest after the factious trash published in those +days by Julian Johnson, Hickeringil, Dr. Oates, and himself[21]? + +[Footnote 21: The Rev. Samuel Johnson, degraded from his clerical +rank, scourged, and imprisoned, for a work called "Julian's Arts to +undermine Christianity," in which he drew a parallel between that +apostate and James, then Duke of York. [S.] + +Edmund Hickeringil, a fanatic preacher at Colchester. He appears, from +the various pamphlets which he wrote during the reigns of Charles II. +and his brother, to have been a meddling crazy fool. He was born in +Essex, 1630, and was educated at Cambridge. He entered the army, and +went to Jamaica, of which place he wrote a very curious account. +Afterwards he entered holy orders, and became rector of All Saints, +Colchester. He was a most eccentric individual. [T. S.]] + +His Lordship, taking it for a _postulatum_, that the Queen and ministry, +both Houses of Parliament, and a vast majority of the landed gentlemen +throughout England are running headlong into Popery, lays hold on the +occasion to describe "the cruelties in Queen Mary's reign, an +inquisition setting up faggots in Smithfield, and executions all over +the kingdom. Here is that" (says he) "which those that look toward a +popish successor must look for."[22] And he insinuates through his whole +pamphlet, that all who are not of his party, "look toward a popish +successor." These he divides into two parts, the Tory laity, and the +Tory clergy. He tells the former, though they have no religion at all, +but "resolve to change with every wind and tide; yet they ought to have +compassion on their countrymen and kindred."[23] Then he applies himself +to the Tory clergy, assures them, that "the fires revived in Smithfield, +and all over the nation, will have no amiable view; but least of all to +them, who if they have any principle at all, must be turned out of their +livings, leave their families, be hunted from place to place into parts +beyond the seas, and meet with that contempt with which they treated +foreigners who took sanctuary among us." + +[Footnote 22: Page 36.] + +[Footnote 23: Page 36.] + +This requires a recapitulation, with some remarks. First, I do affirm, +that of every hundred professed atheists, deists, and socinians in the +kingdom, ninety-nine at least are staunch thorough-paced Whigs, entirely +agreeing with his Lordship in politics and discipline; and therefore +will venture all the fires of hell, rather than singe one hair of their +beards in Smithfield. Secondly, I do likewise affirm, that those whom we +usually understand by the appellation of Tory or high-church clergy, +were the greatest sticklers against the exorbitant proceedings of King +James, the best writers against popery, and the most exemplary sufferers +for the established religion. Thirdly, I do pronounce it to be a most +false and infamous scandal upon the nation in general, and on the clergy +in particular, to reproach them for "treating foreigners with +haughtiness and contempt:" The French Huguenots are many thousand +witnesses to the contrary; and I wish they deserved a thousandth part of +the good treatment they have received.[24] + +[Footnote 24: Swift's disparaging reference to the Huguenots must be put +down to the fact that he included them among Dissenters, on account of +their Calvinism. [T. S.]] + +Lastly, I observe that the author of the paper called _The Englishman_, +hath run into the same cant, gravely advising the whole body of the +clergy not to bring in Popery, because that will put them under a +necessity of parting with their wives, or losing their livings. + +The bulk of the kingdom, both clergy and laity, happens to differ +extremely from this prelate, in many principles both of politics and +religion: Now I ask, whether if any man of them had signed his name to a +system of atheism, or Popery, he could have argued with them otherwise +than he does? Or, if I should write a grave letter to his Lordship with +the same advice, taking it for granted that he was half an atheist, and +half a papist, and conjuring him by all he held dear to have compassion +upon all those who believed a God, "not to revive the fires in +Smithfield," that he must either forfeit his bishopric, or not marry a +fourth wife;[25] I ask whether he would not think I intended him the +highest injury and affront? + +[Footnote 25: Bishop Burnet had already been married three times. [T. +S.]] + +But as to the Tory laity; he gives them up in a lump for abandoned +atheists: They are a set of men so "impiously corrupted in the point of +religion, that no scene of cruelty can fright them from leaping into it +[Popery] and perhaps acting such a part in it, as may be assigned +them."[26] He therefore despairs of influencing them by any topics drawn +from religion or compassion, and advances the consideration of interest, +as the only powerful argument to persuade them against Popery. + +[Footnote 26: Page 37.] + +What he offers upon this head is so very amazing from a Christian, a +clergyman, and a prelate of the Church of England, that I must in my own +imagination strip him of those three capacities, and put him among the +number of that set of men he mentions in the paragraph before; or else +it will be impossible to shape out an answer. + +His Lordship, in order to dissuade the Tories from their design of +bringing in Popery, tells them, "how valuable a part of the whole soil +of England, the abbey lands, the estates of the bishops, of the +cathedrals, and the tithes are;"[27] how difficult such "a resumption +would be to many families; yet all these must be thrown up; for +sacrilege in the church of Rome, is a mortal sin." I desire it may be +observed, what a jumble here is made of ecclesiastical revenues, as if +they were all upon the same foot, were alienated with equal justice, and +the clergy had no more reason to complain of the one than the other. +Whereas the four branches mentioned by him are of very different +consideration. If I might venture to guess the opinion of the clergy +upon this matter, I believe they could wish that some small part of the +abbey lands had been applied to the augmentation of poor bishoprics, and +a very few acres to serve for glebes in those parishes where there are +none; after which I think they would not repine that the laity should +possess the rest. If the estates of some bishops and cathedrals were +exorbitant before the Reformation, I believe the present clergy's wishes +reach no further than that some reasonable temper had been used, instead +of paring them to the quick: But as to the tithes, without examining +whether they be of divine institution, I conceive there is hardly one of +that sacred order in England, and very few even among the laity that +love the Church, who will not allow the misapplying of those revenues to +secular persons, to have been at first a most flagrant act of injustice +and oppression: Though at the same time, God forbid they should be +restored any other way than by gradual purchase, by the consent of those +who are now the lawful possessors, or by the piety and generosity of +such worthy spirits as this nation sometimes produceth. The Bishop knows +very well that the application of tithes to the maintenance of +monasteries, was a scandalous usurpation even in popish times: That the +monks usually sent out some of their fraternity to supply the cures; and +that when the monasteries were granted away by Henry VIII., the parishes +were left destituted, or very meanly provided of any maintenance for a +pastor: So that in many places, the whole ecclesiastical dues, even to +mortuaries, Easter-offerings, and the like, are in lay hands, and the +incumbent lies wholly at the mercy of his patron for his daily bread. By +these means there are several hundred parishes in England under £20 a +year, and many under ten. I take his Lordship's bishopric to be worth +near £2,500 annual income; and I will engage at half a year's warning to +find him above 200 beneficed clergymen who have not so much among them +all to support themselves and their families; most of them orthodox, of +good life and conversation, as loth to see the fires kindled in +Smithfield, as his Lordship, and at least as ready to face them under a +popish persecution. But nothing is so hard for those who abound in +riches, as to conceive how others can be in want. How can the +neighbouring vicar feel cold or hunger, while my Lord is seated by a +good fire in the warmest room in his palace, with a dozen dishes before +him? I remember one other prelate much of the same stamp; who when his +clergy would mention their wishes that some act of parliament might be +thought of for the good of the Church, would say, "Gentlemen, _we_ are +very well as _we_ are; if they would let _us_ alone, _we_ should ask no +more."[28] + +[Footnote 27: Page 38.] + +[Footnote 28: Scott, in a note, thinks this reflection on Burnet to be +unjust, because of that prelate's zeal "in forwarding a scheme in 1704 +for Improving the livings of the poorer clergy." [T. S.]] + +"Sacrilege" (says my Lord) "in the church of Rome, is a mortal sin;"[29] +and is it only so in the church of Rome? Or is it but a venial sin in +the Church of England? Our litany calls fornication a deadly sin; and I +would appeal to his Lordship for fifty years past, whether he thought +that or sacrilege the deadliest? To make light of such a sin, at the +same moment that he is frighting us from an idolatrous religion, should +seem not very consistent. "_Thou_ that sayest, a man should not commit +adultery, dost _thou_ commit adultery? _Thou_ that abhorrest idols, dost +_thou_ commit sacrilege?" + +[Footnote 29: Page 38.] + +To smooth the way for the return of Popery in Queen Mary's time, the +grantees were confirmed by the Pope in the possession of the abbey +lands. But the Bishop tells us, that "this confirmation was fraudulent +and invalid" I shall believe it to be so, though I happen to read in his +Lordship's history: But he adds, that although the confirmation had been +good, the priests would have got their land again by these two methods; +"first,[30] the Statute of Mortmain was repealed for 20 years, in which +time no doubt they reckoned they would recover the best part of what +they had lost; besides that, engaging the clergy to renew no leases, was +a thing entirely in their own power, and this in forty years time would +raise their revenues to be about ten times their present value." These +two expedients for increasing the revenues of the Church, he represents +as pernicious designs, fit only to be practised in times of Popery, and +such as the laity ought never to consent to: Whence, and from what he +said before about tithes, his Lordship has freely declared his opinion, +that the clergy are rich enough, and that the least addition to their +subsistence would be a step toward Popery. Now it happens, that the two +only methods, which could be thought on, with any probability of +success, toward some reasonable augmentation of ecclesiastical revenues, +are here rejected by a Bishop, as a means for introducing Popery, and +the nation publicly warned against them. The continuance of the Statute +of Mortmain in full force, after the Church had been so terribly +stripped, appeared to Her Majesty and the kingdom a very unnecessary +hardship; upon which account it was at several times relaxed by the +legislature. Now as the relaxation of that statute is manifestly one of +the reasons which gives the Bishop those terrible apprehensions of +Popery coming on us; so I conceive another ground of his fears, is the +remission of the first-fruits and tenths. But where the inclination to +Popery lay, whether in Her Majesty who proposed this benefaction, the +parliament which confirmed, or the clergy who accepted it, his Lordship +hath not thought fit to determine. + +[Footnote 30: Page 39.] + +The other popish expedient for augmenting church-revenues, is "engaging +the clergy to renew no leases."[31] Several of the most eminent +clergymen have assured me, that nothing has been more wished for by good +men, than a law to prevent (at least) bishops from setting leases for +lives. I could name ten bishoprics in England whose revenues one with +another do not amount to £600 a-year for each; and if his lordship's, +for instance, would be above ten times the value when the lives are +expired, I should think the overplus would not be ill disposed toward an +augmentation of such as are now shamefully poor. But I do assert, that +such an expedient was not always thought popish and dangerous by this +right reverend historian. I have had the honour formerly to converse +with him; and he has told me several years ago, that he lamented +extremely the power which bishops had of letting leases for lives, +whereby, as he said, they were utterly deprived of raising their +revenues, whatever alterations might happen in the value of money by +length of time: I think the reproach of betraying private conversation +will not upon this account be laid to my charge. Neither do I believe he +would have changed his opinion upon any score, but to take up another, +more agreeable to the maxims of his party; that "the least addition of +property to the Church, is one step toward Popery." + +[Footnote 31: Page 39.] + +The Bishop goes on with much earnestness and prolixity to prove that the +Pope's confirmation of the church lands to those who held them by King +Henry's donation, was null and fraudulent: Which is a point that I +believe no Protestant in England would give threepence to have his +choice whether it should be true or false: It might indeed serve as a +passage in his history, among a thousand other instances, to detect the +knavery of the court of Rome; but I ask, where could be the use of it in +this Introduction? Or why all this haste in publishing it at this +juncture; and so out of all method apart, and before the work itself? He +gives his reasons in very plain terms; we are now, it seems, "in more +danger of Popery than toward the end of King Charles II.'s reign. That +set of men (the Tories) is so impiously corrupted in the point of +religion, that no scene of cruelty can fright them from leaping into it, +and perhaps from acting such a part in it as may be assigned them."[32] +He doubts whether the High-Church clergy have any principles, and +therefore will be ready to turn off their wives, and look on the fires +kindled in Smithfield as an amiable view. These are the facts he all +along takes for granted, and argues accordingly; therefore, in despair +of dissuading the nobility and gentry of the land from introducing +Popery by any motives of honour, religion, alliance or mercy, he assures +them, that "the Pope has not duly confirmed their titles to the church +lands in their possession," which therefore must infallibly be restored, +as soon as that religion is established among us. + +[Footnote 32: Page 37.] + +Thus, in his Lordship's opinion, there is nothing wanting to make the +majority of the kingdom, both for number, quality and possession, +immediately embrace Popery, except a "firm bull from the Pope," to +secure the abbey and other church lands and tithes to the present +proprietors and their heirs; if this only difficulty could now be +adjusted, the Pretender would be restored next session, the two Houses +reconciled to the church of Rome against Easter term, and the fires +lighted in Smithfield by Midsummer. Such horrible calumnies against a +nation are not the less injurious to decency, good-nature, truth, +honour, and religion, because they may be vented with safety. And I will +appeal to any reader of common understanding, whether this be not the +most natural and necessary deduction from the passages I have cited and +referred to. + +Yet all this is but friendly dealing, in comparison with what he affords +the clergy upon the same article. He supposes[33] all that reverend +body, who differ from him in principles of church or state, so far from +disliking Popery, upon the above-mentioned motives of perjury, "quitting +their wives, or burning their relations;" that the hopes of "enjoying +the abbey lands" would soon bear down all such considerations, and be an +effectual incitement to their perversion; and so he goes gravely on, as +with the only argument which he thinks can have any force, to assure +them, that "the parochial priests in Roman Catholic countries are much +poorer than in ours, the several orders of regulars, and the +magnificence of their church, devouring all their treasure," and by +consequence "their hopes are vain of expecting to be richer after the +introduction of Popery." + +[Footnote 33: Page 46.] + +But after all, his Lordship despairs, that even this argument will have +any force with our abominable clergy, because, to use his own words, +"They are an insensible and degenerate race, who are thinking of nothing +but their present advantages; and so that they may now support a +luxurious and brutal course of irregular and voluptuous practices, they +are easily hired to betray their religion, to sell their country, and +give up that liberty and those properties, which are the present +felicities and glories of this nation."[34] He seems to reckon all these +evils as matters fully determined on, and therefore falls into the last +usual form of despair, by threatening the authors of these miseries with +"lasting infamy, and the curses of posterity upon perfidious betrayers +of their trust."[35] + +[Footnote 34: Page 47.] + +[Footnote 35: Page 47.] + +Let me turn this paragraph into vulgar language for the use of the poor, +and strictly adhere to the sense of the words. I believe it may be +faithfully translated in the following manner: "The bulk of the clergy, +and one-third of the bishops, are stupid sons of whores, who think of +nothing but getting money as soon as they can: If they may but produce +enough to supply them in gluttony, drunkenness, and whoring, they are +ready to turn traitors to God and their country, and make their +fellow-subjects slaves." The rest of the period, about threatening +"infamy," and "the curses of posterity upon such dogs and villains," may +stand as it does in the Bishop's own phrase, and so make the paragraph +all of a piece. + +I will engage, on the other side, to paraphrase all the rogues and +rascals in the _Englishman_, so as to bring them up exactly to his +Lordship's style: But, for my own part, I much prefer the plain +Billingsgate way of calling names, because it expresses our meaning full +as well, and would save abundance of time which is lost by +circumlocution; so, for instance, John Dunton,[36] who is retained on +the same side with the Bishop, calls my Lord-treasurer and Lord +Bolingbroke, traitors, whoremasters, and Jacobites, which three words +cost our right reverend author thrice as many lines to define them; and +I hope his Lordship does not think there is any difference in point of +morality, whether a man calls me traitor in one word, or says I am one +"hired to betray my religion and sell my country."[37] + +[Footnote 36: See note on p. 50 of vol. i. of this edition of Swift's +works. [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 37: Page 51.] + +I am not surprised to see the Bishop mention with contempt all +Convocations of the Clergy;[38] for Toland, Collins, Tindal,[39] and +others of the fraternity, talk the very same language. His Lordship +confesses he "is not" inclined "to expect much from the assemblies of +clergymen." There lies the misfortune; for if he and some more of his +order would correct their "inclinations," a great deal of good might be +expected from such assemblies, as much as they are now cramped by that +submission, which a corrupt clergy brought upon their innocent +successors. He will not deny that his copiousness in these matters is, +in his own opinion, one of the meanest parts of his new work. I will +agree with him, unless he happens to be more "copious" in any thing +else. However, it is not easy to conceive why he should be so "copious" +upon a subject he so much despises, unless it were to gratify his talent +of railing at the clergy, in the number of whom he disdains to be +reckoned, because he is a Bishop. For it is a style I observe some +prelates have fallen into of late years, to talk of clergymen as if +themselves were not of the number: You will read in many of their +speeches at Dr. Sacheverel's[40] trial, expressions to this or the like +effect: "My lords, if clergymen be suffered," &c. wherein they seem to +have reason; and I am pretty confident, that a great majority of the +clergy were heartily inclined to disown any relation they had to the +managers in lawn. However, it was a confounding argument against +Presbytery, that those who are most suspected to lean that way, treating +their inferior brethren with haughtiness, rigour, and contempt: +Although, to say the truth, nothing better could be hoped for; because, +I believe, it may pass for a universal rule, that in every diocese +governed by bishops of the Whig species, the clergy (especially the +poorer sort) are under double discipline, and the laity left to +themselves. The opinion of Sir Thomas More, which he produces to prove +the ill consequences or insignificancy of Convocations, advances no such +thing, but says, "if the clergy assembled often, and might act as other +assemblies of clergy in Christendom, much good might have come: but the +misfortune lay in their long disuse, and that in his own and a good part +of his father's time, they never came together, except at the command of +the prince."[41] + +[Footnote 38: Page 47.] + +[Footnote 39: See note, p. 9. [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 40: Henry Sacheverell, D.D., was educated at Marlborough and +Oxford. At Magdalen College he was a fellow-student with Addison, and +obtained there his fellowship and doctor's degree. In 1709 he preached +two sermons, one at the Derby Assizes, and the other at St. Paul's, in +which he urged the imminent danger of the Church. For these sermons, +which the parliament considered highly inflammatory, he was, by the +House of Commons, at the instigation of Godolphin, impeached, and tried +before the Lords in 1710. He was found guilty of a misdemeanour, and was +suspended from preaching for three years. The trial made a great stir at +the time, and served but to increase the popularity of a man who, had he +been let alone, would, probably, never have been heard of. He died in +1724, holding the living of St. Andrew, Holborn, to which he was +presented after the expiration of his sentence. [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 41: See Sir Thomas More's "Apology," 1533, p. 241.] + +I suppose his lordship thinks, there is some original impediment in the +study of divinity, or secret incapacity in a gown and cassock without +lawn, which disqualifies all inferior clergymen from debating upon +subjects of doctrine or discipline in the church. It is a famous saying +of his, that "he looks upon every layman to be an honest man, until he +is by experience convinced to the contrary; and on every clergyman as a +knave, till he finds him to be an honest man." What opinion then must we +have of a Lower House of Convocation:[42] where I am confident he will +hardly find three persons that ever convinced him of their honesty, or +will ever be at the pains to do it? Nay, I am afraid they would think +such a conviction might be no very advantageous bargain, to gain the +character of an honest man with his Lordship, and lose it with the rest +of the world. + +[Footnote 42: It must not be forgotten, that, during the reign of Queen +Anne, the body of the clergy were high-church men; but the bishops, who +had chiefly been promoted since the Revolution, were Whiggish in +politics, and moderate in their sentiments of church government. Hence +the Upper and Lower Houses of Convocation rarely agreed in sentiment on +affairs of church or state. [T. S.]] + +In the famous Concordate that was made between Francis I. of France and +Pope Leo X., the Bishop tells us, that "the king and pope came to a +bargain, by which they divided the liberties of the Gallican Church +between them, and indeed quite enslaved it."[43] He intends, in the +third part of his History which he is going to publish, "to open this +whole matter to the world." In the mean time, he mentions some ill +consequences to the Gallican Church from that Concordate, which are +worthy to be observed; "The church of France became a slave, and this +change in their constitution put an end not only to national, but even +to provincial synods in that kingdom. The assemblies of the clergy +there, meet now only to give subsidies," &c. and he says, "our nation +may see by that proceeding, what it is to deliver up the essential +liberties of a free constitution to a court." [44] + +[Footnote 43: Page 53.] + +[Footnote 44: Page 53.] + +All I can gather from this matter is, that our King Henry made a better +bargain than his contemporary Francis, who divided the liberties of the +church between himself and the Pope, while the King of England seized +them all to himself. But how comes he to number the want of synods in +the Gallican church among the grievances of that Concordate, and as a +mark of their slavery, since he reckons all Convocations of the Clergy +in England to be useless and dangerous? Or what difference in point of +liberty was there between the Gallican Church under Francis, and the +English under Harry? For, the latter was as much a papist as the former, +unless in the point of obedience to the see of Rome; and in every +quality of a good man, or a good prince, (except personal courage +wherein both were equal) the French monarch had the advantage by as many +degrees as is possible for one man to have over another. + +Henry VIII. had no manner of intention to change religion in his +kingdom; he still continued to persecute and burn Protestants after he +had cast off the Pope's supremacy, and I suppose this seizure of +ecclesiastical revenues (which Francis never attempted) cannot be +reckoned as a mark of the church's liberty. By the quotation the Bishop +sets down to show the slavery of the French church, he represents it as +a grievance, that "bishops are not now elected there as formerly, but +wholly appointed by the prince; and that those made by the court have +been ordinarily the chief advancers of schisms, heresies, and +oppressions of the church." [45] He cites another passage from a Greek +writer, and plainly insinuates, that it is justly applicable to Her +Majesty's reign: "Princes choose such men to that charge [of a bishop] +who may be their slaves, and in all things obsequious to what they +prescribe; and may lie at their feet, and have not so much as a thought +contrary to their commands." [46] + +[Footnote 45: Page 55.] + +[Footnote 46: Page 55.] + +These are very singular passages for his Lordship to set down in order +to show the dismal consequences of the French Concordate, by the slavery +of the Gallican Church, compared with the freedom of ours. I shall not +enter into a long dispute, whether it were better for religion that +bishops should be chosen by the clergy, or people, or both together: I +believe our author would give his vote for the second (which however +would not have been of much advantage to himself, and some others that I +could name). But I ask, Whether bishops are any more elected in England +than in France? And the want of synods are in his own opinion rather a +blessing than a grievance, unless he will affirm that more good can be +expected from a popish synod than an English Convocation. Did the French +clergy ever receive a greater blow to their liberties, than the +submission made to Henry VIII., or so great a one as the seizure of +their lands? The Reformation owed nothing to the good intentions of K. +Henry: He was only an instrument of it, (as the logicians speak) by +accident; nor doth he appear through his whole reign to have had any +other views than those of gratifying his insatiable love of power, +cruelty, oppression, and other irregular appetites. But this kingdom as +well as many other parts of Europe, was, at that time, generally weary +of the corruptions and impositions of the Roman court and church, and +disposed to receive those doctrines which Luther and his followers had +universally spread. Cranmer the archbishop, Cromwell, and others of the +court, did secretly embrace the Reformation; and the King's abrogating +the Pope's supremacy, made the people in general run into the new +doctrines with greater freedom, because they hoped to be supported in it +by the authority and example of their prince, who disappointed them so +far that he made no other step than rejecting the Pope's supremacy as a +clog upon his own power and passions, but retained every corruption +beside, and became a cruel persecutor, as well of those who denied his +own supremacy, as of all others who professed any Protestant doctrine. +Neither hath any thing disgusted me more in reading the histories of +those times, than to see one of the worst princes of any age or country, +celebrated as an instrument in that glorious work of the Reformation. + +The Bishop having gone over all the matters that properly fall within +his Introduction, proceeds to expostulate with several sorts of +people;[47] First with Protestants who are no Christians, such as +atheists, deists, freethinkers, and the like enemies to Christianity. +But these he treats with the tenderness of a friend, because they are +all of them of sound Whig principles in church and state. However, to do +him justice, he lightly touches some old topics for the truth of the +Gospel; and concludes by wishing that the freethinkers would consider +well, if (_Anglice,_ whether) they think it possible to bring a nation +to be without any religion at all, and what the consequences of that may +prove; [48] and in case they allow the negative, he gives it clearly for +Christianity. + +[Footnote 47: Page 56.] + +[Footnote 48: Page 59.] + +Secondly, he applies himself (if I take his meaning right) to Christian +papists "who have a taste of liberty," and desires them to "compare the +absurdities of their own religion with the reasonableness of the +reformed:" [49] Against which, as good luck would have it, I have +nothing to object. + +[Footnote 49: Page 59.] + +Thirdly, he is somewhat rough against his own party, "who having tasted +the sweets of Protestant liberty, can look back so tamely on Popery +coming on them; it looks as if they were bewitched, or that the devil +were in them, to be so negligent. It is not enough that they resolve not +to turn papists themselves: They ought to awaken all about them, even +the most ignorant and stupid, to apprehend their danger, and to exert +themselves with their utmost industry to guard against it, and to resist +it. If after all their endeavours to prevent it, the corruption of the +age, and the art and power of our enemies, prove too hard for us, then, +and not until then, we must submit to the will of God, and be silent, +and prepare ourselves for all the extremity of suffering and of +misery:"[50] with a great deal more of the same strain. + +[Footnote 50: Pages 60, 61.] + +With due submission to the profound sagacity of this prelate, who can +smell Popery at 500 miles distance, better than fanaticism just under +his nose; I take leave to tell him, that this reproof to his friends, +for want of zeal and clamour against Popery, slavery, and the Pretender, +is what they have not deserved. Are the pamphlets and papers, daily +published by the sublime authors of his party full of any thing else? +Are not the Queen, the ministers, the majority of Lords and Commons, +loudly taxed in print with this charge against them at full length? Is +it not the perpetual echo of every Whig coffeehouse and club? Have they +not quartered Popery and the Pretender upon the peace, and treaty of +commerce; upon the possessing, and quieting, and keeping, and +demolishing of Dunkirk? Have they not clamoured because the Pretender +continued in France, and because he left it? Have they not reported, +that the town swarmed with many thousand papists, when upon search there +were never found so few of that religion in it before? If a clergyman +preaches obedience to the higher powers, is he not immediately traduced +as a papist? Can mortal man do more? To deal plainly, my Lord, your +friends are not strong enough yet to make an insurrection, and it is +unreasonable to expect it from them, until their neighbours are ready. + +My Lord, I have a little seriousness at heart upon this point, where +your Lordship affects to show so much. When you can prove, that one +single word has ever dropped from any minister of state, in public or +private, in favour of the Pretender, or his cause; when you can make it +appear, that in the course of this administration, since the Queen +thought fit to change her servants, there hath one step been made toward +weakening the Hanover title, or giving the least countenance to any +other whatsoever; then, and not until then, go dry your chaff and +stubble, give fire to the zeal of your faction, and reproach them with +lukewarmness. + +Fourthly, the Bishop applies himself to the Tories in general. Taking it +for granted, after his charitable manner, that they are all ready +prepared to introduce Popery, he puts an excuse into their mouths, by +which they would endeavour to justify their change of religion. That +"Popery is not what it was before the Reformation: Things are now much +mended; and further corrections might be expected, if we would enter +into a treaty with them: In particular, they see the error of proceeding +severely with heretics; so that there is no reason to apprehend the +returns of such cruelties as were practised an age and a half ago."[51] + +[Footnote 51: Page 62.] + +This, he assures us, is a plea offered by the Tories in defence of +themselves, for going about at this juncture to establish the Popish +religion among us: What argument does he bring to prove the fact itself? + + "Quibus indiciis, quo teste, probavit? + Nil horum: verbosa et grandis epistola venit" [52] + +[Footnote 52: Juvenal, "Sat." x. 70-71. [T. S.]] + +Nothing but this tedious Introduction, wherein he supposes it all along +as a thing granted. That there might be a perfect union in the whole +Christian Church, is a blessing which every good man wishes, but no +reasonable man can hope. That the more polite Roman Catholics have in +several places given up some of their superstitious fopperies, +particularly concerning legends, relics, and the like, is what nobody +denies. But the material points in difference between us and them are +universally retained and asserted, in all their controversial writings. +And if his Lordship really thinks that every man who differs from him, +under the name of a Tory in some church and state opinions, is ready to +believe transubstantiation, purgatory, the infallibility of pope or +councils, to worship saints and angels, and the like; I can only pray +God to enlighten his understanding, or graft in his heart the first +principles of charity; a virtue which some people ought not by any means +wholly to renounce, "because it covers a multitude of sins." + +Fifthly, the Bishop applies himself to his own party in both Houses of +Parliament, whom he exhorts to "guard their religion and liberty against +all danger at what distance soever it may appear. If they are absent and +remiss on critical occasions," that is to say, if they do not attend +close next sessions, to vote upon all occasions whatsoever against the +proceedings of the Queen and Her Ministry; "or, if any views of +advantage to themselves prevail on them." [53] In other words, if any of +them vote for the Bill of Commerce, in hopes of a place or a pension, a +title, or a garter; "God may work a deliverance for us another way." +That is to say, by inviting the Dutch. "But they and their families," +(id est) those who are negligent or revolters, "shall perish." By which +is meant; they shall be hanged as well as the present ministry and their +abettors, as soon as we recover our power. "Because they let in +idolatry, superstition, and tyranny." Because they stood by and suffered +the peace to be made, the Bill of Commerce to pass, and Dunkirk to lie +undemolished longer than we expected, without raising a rebellion. + +[Footnote 53: Pages 67, 68.] + +His last application is to the Tory clergy, a parcel of "blind, +ignorant, dumb, sleeping, greedy, drunken dogs."[54] A pretty artful +episcopal method is this, of calling his brethren as many injurious +names as he pleases. It is but quoting a text of Scripture, where the +characters of evil men are described, and the thing is done; and at the +same time the appearances of piety and devotion preserved. I would +engage, with the help of a good Concordance, and the liberty of +perverting Holy Writ, to find out as many injurious appellations, as the +_Englishman_ throws out in any of his politic papers, and apply them to +those persons "who call good evil, and evil good;" to those who cry +without cause, "Every man to his tent, O Israel! and to those who curse +the Queen in their hearts!" + +[Footnote 54: This is the bishop's reference to the Tory clergy: "But, +in the last place, Those who are appointed to be the watchmen, who ought +to give warning, and to lift up their voice as a trumpet, when they see +those wolves ready to break in and devour the flock, have the heaviest +account of all others to make, if they neglect their duty; much more if +they betray their trust. If they are so set on some smaller matters, and +are so sharpened upon that account, that they will not see their danger, +nor awaken others to see it, and to fly from it; the guilt of those +souls who have perished by their means, God will require at their hands. +If they, in the view of any advantage to themselves, are silent when +they ought to cry out day and night, they will fall under the character +given by the prophet, of the watchmen in his time: 'They are blind, they +are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark, sleeping, lying down, loving to +slumber: Yea, they are greedy dogs, which can never have enough. And +they are shepherds that cannot understand; they all look to their own +way, every one for his gain from his quarter; that say, come, I will +fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; to-morrow +shall be as this day, and much more abundant.'"--BURNET'S _History of +the Reformation_, vol. iii. p. xxii. [T. S.]] + +These decent words he tells us, make up a "lively description of such +pastors, as will not study controversy, nor know the depths of Satan." +He means I suppose, the controversy between us and the papists; for as +to the freethinkers and dissenters of every denomination, they are some +of the best friends to the cause. Now I have been told, there is a body +of that kind of controversy published by the London divines, which is +not to be matched in the world. I believe likewise, there is a good +number of the clergy at present, thoroughly versed in that study; after +which I cannot but give my judgment, that it would be a very idle thing +for pastors in general to busy themselves much in disputes against +Popery. It being a dry heavy employment of the mind at best, especially +when, God be thanked, there is so little occasion for it, in the +generality of parishes throughout the kingdom, and must be daily less +and less by the just severity of the laws, and the utter aversion of our +people from that idolatrous superstition. + +If I might be so bold as to name those who have the honour to be of his +Lordship's party, I would venture to tell him, that pastors have much +more occasion to study controversies against the several classes of +freethinkers and dissenters; the former (I beg his Lordship's pardon for +saying so) being a little worse than papists, and both of them more +dangerous at present to our constitution both in church and state. Not +that I think Presbytery so corrupt a system of Christian religion as +Popery; I believe it is not above one-third as bad: but I think the +Presbyterians, and their clans of other fanatics of freethinkers and +atheists that dangle after them, are as well inclined to pull down the +present establishment of monarchy and religion, as any set of Papists in +Christendom, and therefore that our danger as things now stand, is +infinitely greater from our Protestant enemies; because they are much +more able to ruin us, and full as willing. There is no doubt, but +Presbytery, and a commonwealth, are less formidable evils than Popery, +slavery, and the Pretender; for if the fanatics were in power, I should +be in more apprehension of being starved than burned. But there are +probably in England forty dissenters of all kinds, including their +brethren the freethinkers, for one papist; and, allowing one papist to +be as terrible as three dissenters, it will appear by arithmetic, that +we are thirteen times and one-third more in danger of being ruined by +the latter than the former. + +The other qualification necessary for all pastors, if they will not be +"blind, ignorant, greedy, drunken dogs," &c., is, "to know the depths of +Satan." This is harder than the former; that a poor gentleman ought not +to be parson, vicar, or curate of a parish, except he be cunninger than +the devil. I am afraid it will be difficult to remedy this defect for +one manifest reason, because whoever had only half the cunning of the +devil, would never take up with a vicarage of £10 a-year, "to live on at +his ease," as my Lord expresseth it; but seek out for some better +livelihood. His Lordship is of a nation very much distinguished for that +quality of cunning (though they have a great many better) and I think he +was never accused for wanting his share. However upon a trial of skill I +would venture to lay six to four on the devil's side, who must be +allowed to be at least the older practitioner. Telling truth shames him, +and resistance makes him fly: But to attempt outwitting him, is to fight +him at his own weapon, and consequently no cunning at all. Another thing +I would observe is, that a man may be "in the depths of Satan," without +knowing them all, and such a man may be so far in Satan's depths as to +be out of his own. One of the depths of Satan, is to counterfeit an +angel of light. Another, I believe, is, to stir up the people against +their governors, by false suggestions of danger. A third is to be a +prompter to false brethren, and to send wolves about in sheep's +clothing. Sometimes he sends Jesuits about England in the habit and cant +of fanatics, at other times he has fanatic missionaries in the habits of +----. I shall mention but one more of Satan's depths, for I confess I +know not the hundredth part of them; and that is, to employ his +emissaries in crying out against remote imaginary dangers, by which we +may be taken off from defending ourselves against those which are real +and just at our elbows. + +But his Lordship draws towards a conclusion, and bids us "look about, to +consider the danger we are in, before it is too late;" for he assures +us, we are already "going into some of the worst parts of popery;"[55] +like the man who was so much in haste for his new coat, that he put it +on the wrong side out. "Auricular confession, priestly absolution, and +the sacrifice of the mass," have made great progress in England, and +nobody has observed it: several other popish points "are carried higher +with us than by the papists themselves."[56] And somebody, it seems, +"had the impudence to propose a union with the Gallican church."[57] I +have indeed heard that Mr. Lesley[58] published a discourse to that +purpose, which I have never seen; nor do I perceive the evil in +proposing an union between any two churches in Christendom. Without +doubt Mr. Lesley is most unhappily misled in his politics; but if he be +the author of the late tract against Popery[59], he has given the world +such a proof of his soundness in religion, as many a bishop ought to be +proud of. I never saw the gentleman in my life: I know he is the son of +a great and excellent prelate, who upon several accounts was one of the +most extraordinary men of his age. Mr. Lesley has written many useful +discourses upon several subjects, and hath so well deserved of the +Christian religion, and the Church of England in particular, that to +accuse him of "impudence for proposing an union" in two very different +faiths, is a style which I hope few will imitate. I detest Mr. Lesley's +political principles as much as his Lordship can do for his heart; but I +verily believe he acts from a mistaken conscience, and therefore I +distinguish between the principles and the person. However, it is some +mortification to me, when I see an avowed nonjuror contribute more to +the confounding of Popery, than could ever be done by a hundred thousand +such Introductions as this. + +[Footnote 55: Page 70.] + +[Footnote 56: Page 70.] + +[Footnote 57: Swift here disowns a charge loudly urged by the Whigs of +the time against the high churchmen. There were, however, strong +symptoms of a nearer approach on their part to the church of Rome. +Hickes, the head of the Jacobite writers, had insinuated, that there was +a proper sacrifice in the Eucharist; Brett had published a Sermon on the +"Doctrine of Priestly Absolution as essential to Salvation;" Dodwell had +written against Lay-Baptism, and his doctrine at once excluded all the +dissenters (whose teachers are held as lay-men) from the pale of +Christianity; and, upon the whole, there was a general disposition +among the clergy to censure, if not the Reformation itself, at least the +mode in which it was carried on. [S.]] + +[Footnote 58: Charles Lesley, or Leslie, the celebrated nonjuror. He +published a Jacobite paper, called the "Rehearsal," and was a strenuous +assertor of divine right; but he was also so steady a Protestant, that +he went to Bar-le-Duc to convert the Chevalier de St George from the +errors of Rome. [S.] See note on p. 63. [T. S.]] + +[Footnote 59: "The Case stated between the Church of Rome and the Church +of England," 1713.] + +His Lordship ends with discovering a small ray of comfort. "God be +thanked there are many among us that stand upon the watch-tower, and +that give faithful warning; that stand in the breach, and make +themselves a wall for their church and country; that cry to God day and +night, and lie in the dust mourning before him, to avert those judgments +that seem to hasten towards us. They search into the mystery of iniquity +that is working among us, and acquaint themselves with that mass of +corruption that is in popery."[60] He prays "that the number of these +may increase, and that he may be of that number, ready either to die in +peace, or to seal that doctrine he has been preaching above fifty years, +with his blood."[61] This being his last paragraph, I have made bold to +transcribe the most important parts of it. His design is to end after +the manner of orators, with leaving the strongest impression possible +upon the minds of his hearers. A great breach is made; "the mystery of +popish iniquity is working among us;" may God avert those "judgments +that are hastening towards us!" I am an old man, "a preacher above fifty +years," and I now expect and am ready to die a martyr for the doctrines +I have preached. What an amiable idea does he here leave upon our minds, +of Her Majesty and her government! He has been poring so long upon Fox's +Book of Martyrs, that he imagines himself living in the reign of Queen +Mary, and is resolved to set up for a knight-errant against Popery. Upon +the supposition of his being in earnest, (which I am sure he is not) it +would require but a very little more heat of imagination, to make a +history of such a knight's adventures. What would he say, to behold the +"fires kindled in Smithfield, and all over the town," on the 17th of +November; to behold the Pope borne in triumph on the shoulders of the +people, with a cardinal on the one side, and the Pretender on the other? +He would never believe it was Queen Elizabeth's day, but that of her +persecuting sister: In short, how easily might a windmill be taken for +the whore of Babylon, and a puppet-show for a popish procession? + +[Footnote 60: Page 71] + +[Footnote 61: Page 72] + +But enthusiasm is none of his Lordship's faculty: I am inclined to +believe he might be melancholy enough when he writ this Introduction: +The despair at his age of seeing a faction restored, to which he hath +sacrificed so great a part of his life: The little success he can hope +for in case he should resume those High-Church Principles, in defence of +which he first employed his pen: No visible expectation of removing to +Farnham or Lambeth: And lastly, the misfortune of being hated by every +one, who either wears the habit, or values the profession of a +clergyman: No wonder such a spirit, in such a situation, is provoked +beyond the regards of truth, decency, religion, or self-conviction. To +do him justice, he seems to have nothing else left, but to cry out, +halters, gibbets, faggots, inquisition, Popery, slavery, and the +Pretender. But in the meantime, he little considers what a world of +mischief he does to his cause. It is very convenient, for the present +designs of that faction, to spread the opinion of our immediate danger +from Popery and the Pretender. His directors therefore ought, in my +humble opinion, to have employed his Lordship in publishing a book, +wherein he should have asserted, by the most solemn asseverations, that +all things were safe and well; for the world has contracted so strong a +habit of believing him backwards, that I am confident, nine parts in ten +of those who have read or heard of his Introduction, have slept in +greater security ever since. It is like the melancholy tone of a +watchman at midnight, who thumps with his pole, as if some thief were +breaking in, but you know by the noise, that the door is fast. + +However, he "thanks God there are many among us who stand in the +breach:" I believe they may; 'tis a breach of their own making, and they +design to come forward, and storm and plunder, if they be not driven +back. "They make themselves a wall for their church and country." A +south wall, I suppose, for all the best fruit of the church and country +to be nailed on. Let us examine this metaphor: The wall of our church +and country is built of those who love the constitution in both: Our +domestic enemies undermine some parts of the wall, and place themselves +in the breach; and then they cry, "We are the wall!" We do not like such +patchwork, they build with untempered mortar; nor can they ever cement +with us, till they get better materials and better workmen: God keep us +from having our breaches made up with such rubbish! "They stand upon the +watch-tower;" they are indeed pragmatical enough to do so; but who +assigned them that post, to give us false intelligence, to alarm us with +false dangers, and send us to defend one gate, while their accomplices +are breaking in at another? "They cry to God, day and night to avert the +judgment of Popery which seems to hasten towards us." Then I affirm, +they are hypocrites by day, and filthy dreamers by night. When they cry +unto him, he will not hear them: For they cry against the plainest +dictates of their own conscience, reason, and belief. + +But lastly, "They lie in the dust, mourning before him." Hang me if I +believe that, unless it be figuratively spoken. But suppose it to be +true; why do "they lie in the dust?" Because they love to raise it: For +what do "they mourn?" Why, for power, wealth, and places. There let the +enemies of the Queen, and monarchy, and the church, lie, and mourn, and +lick the dust, like serpents, till they are truly sensible of their +ingratitude, falsehood, disobedience, slander, blasphemy, sedition, and +every evil work! + +I cannot find in my heart to conclude without offering his Lordship a +little humble advice upon some certain points. + +First, I would advise him, if it be not too late in his life, to +endeavour a little at mending his style, which is mighty defective in +the circumstances of grammar, propriety, politeness, and smoothness;[62] +I fancied at first, it might be owing to the prevalence of his passion, +as people sputter out nonsense for haste when they are in a rage. And +indeed I believe this piece before me has received some additional +imperfections from that occasion. But whoever has heard his sermons, or +read his other tracts, will find him very unhappy in his choice and +disposition of his words, and, for want of variety, repeating them, +especially the particles, in a manner very grating to an English ear. +But I confine myself to this Introduction, as his last work, where +endeavouring at rhetorical flowers, he gives us only bunches of +thistles; of which I could present the reader with a plentiful crop; but +I refer him to every page and line of the pamphlet itself. + +[Footnote 62: In Swift's notes on Burnet's "History of his Own Times," +he points out many instances of the deficiency here stated. [S.]] + +Secondly, I would most humbly advise his Lordship to examine a little +into the nature of truth, and sometimes to hear what she says. I shall +produce two instances among a hundred. When he asserts that we are "now +in more danger of Popery than toward the end of King Charles II.'s +reign," and gives the broadest hints, that the Queen, the ministry, the +parliament, and the clergy, are just going to introduce it; I desire to +know, whether he really thinks truth is of his side, or whether he be +not sure she is against him? If the latter, then truth and he will be +found in two different stories; and which are we to believe? Again, when +he gravely advises the clergy and laity of the Tory side, not to "light +the fires in Smithfield," and goes on in twenty places already quoted, +as if the bargain was made for Popery and slavery to enter: I ask again, +whether he has rightly considered the nature of truth? I desire to put a +parallel case. Suppose his Lordship should take it into his fancy to +write and publish a letter to any gentleman of no infamous character for +his religion or morals; and there advise him with great earnestness, not +to rob or fire churches, ravish his daughter, or murder his father; show +him the sin and the danger of these enormities, that if he flattered +himself, he could escape in disguise, or bribe his jury, he was +grievously mistaken: That he must in all probability forfeit his goods +and chattels, die an ignominious death, and be cursed by posterity; +Would not such a gentleman justly think himself highly injured, though +his Lordship did not affirm that the said gentleman had his picklocks or +combustibles ready, that he had attempted his daughter, and drawn his +sword against his father in order to stab him? Whereas, in the other +case, this writer affirms over and over, that all attempts for +introducing Popery and slavery are already made, the whole business +concerted, and that little less than a miracle can prevent our ruin. + +Thirdly, I could heartily wish his Lordship would not undertake to +charge the opinions of one or two, and those probably nonjurors, upon +the whole body of the nation that differs from him. Mr. Lesley writ a +"Proposal for a Union with the Gallican Church;" somebody else has +"carried the necessity of priesthood in the point of baptism farther +than popery;" a third has "asserted the independency of the church on +the state, and in many things arraigned the supremacy of the crown." +Then he speaks in a dubious insinuating way, as if some other popish +tenets had been already advanced: And at last concludes in this affected +strain of despondency, "What will all these things end in? and on what +design are they driven? Alas, it is too visible!" 'Tis as clear as the +sun, that these authors are encouraged by the ministry with a design to +bring in Popery; and in Popery all these things will end. + +I never was so uncharitable as to believe, that the whole party of which +his Lordship professeth himself a member, had a real formed design of +establishing atheism among us. The reason why the Whigs have taken the +atheists, or freethinkers, into their body, is because they wholly agree +in their political schemes, and differ very little in church power and +discipline. However, I could turn the argument against his Lordship with +very great advantage, by quoting passages from fifty pamphlets wholly +made up of Whiggism and atheism, and then conclude; "What will all these +things end in? And on what design are they driven? Alas, it is too +visible!" + +Lastly, I would beg his Lordship not to be so exceedingly outrageous +upon the memory of the dead; because it is highly probable, that, in a +very short time he will be one of the number. He has in plain words +given Mr. Wharton the character of a "most malicious, revengeful, +treacherous, lying, mercenary villain." To which I shall only say, that +the direct reverse of this amiable description is what appears from the +works of that most learned divine, and from the accounts given me by +those who knew him much better than the Bishop seems to have done. I +meddle not with the moral part of his treatment. God Almighty forgive +his Lordship this manner of revenging himself; and then there will be +but little consequence from an accusation which the dead cannot feel, +and which none of the living will believe. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +MR. COLLINS'S DISCOURSE OF + +FREETHINKING; + +PUT INTO PLAIN ENGLISH, + +BY WAY OF ABSTRACT, + +FOR THE USE OF THE POOR. + +BY A FRIEND OF THE AUTHOR. + +FIRST PRINTED IN 1713 + + +NOTE. + +Of the deistical writers of the early eighteenth century, Anthony +Collins (1676-1729) is, perhaps, the most celebrated. He was born near +Hounslow and educated at Eton and Cambridge. His writings were mainly +attacks on Christianity, and, in addition to the "Discourse on +Freethinking," he published: "Discourse of the Grounds and Reasons of +the Christian Religion;" "Scheme of Literal Prophecy Considered;" +"Priestcraft in Perfection;" "Historical and Critical Essay on the +Thirty-Nine Articles;" and "A Philosophical Enquiry concerning Human +Liberty." Most of these writings engaged him in many and violent +controversies with some of the ablest divines of his time. Among these, +beside Swift, may be named, Whiston, Hare, Hoadly, Bentley, and Samuel +Clarke. Steele, also, had his fling at Collins, and thought that "if +ever man deserved to be denied the common benefits of air and water, it +is the author of 'A Discourse upon Freethinking'" ("Guardian," No. 3). +But then Steele's opinion on such a matter was of no great moment. What +was of more, was the fact that the school to which Collins belonged +found a decided opponent in Locke, from the writings of whom the members +of the school professed to draw their strongest arguments. For a +philosophical appreciation of Toland, Collins, and the rest, see Mr. +Leslie Stephen's "English Thought in the Eighteenth Century" (chaps. +iii. and iv. of vol. i. 1881). + +Swift took an entirely different attitude towards Collins from that +assumed by the professional controversialists. He refused to take him +seriously, and no doubt he felt that ridicule would as effectually serve +his purpose as another method. Moreover, he sought to use the +opportunity for scoring a point against the Whigs, by insisting on the +political side of the matter, and, in the person of an assumed defender +of Collins, betrayed undoubted Whig leanings. Swift, at this time, was +deep in work, pamphleteering for Harley and St. John. He had already +written "The Conduct of the Allies," and "Some Remarks on the Barrier +Treaty," and was soon to write "The Public Spirit of the Whigs." The +assumed and sarcastic defence of Collins must be taken as a Swiftian +dodge to bring odium and suspicion on the opponents of the Tory +ministry, by showing that the propounders of the hateful and ridiculous +atheism were themselves Whigs. + +Sir Henry Craik, in a note to his reprint of this tract ("Selections +from Swift," Oxford, 1893, vol. ii. p. 42), agrees with Scott as to the +motive which urged Swift in writing it. "In this later tract," he says, +"Swift makes no attempt to cloak his enmity; and he boldly assumes the +character of a Whig as the propounder of those atheistical absurdities, +which he wished, as a useful political move, but without any scrupulous +regard to fairness, to represent as part and parcel of the tenets of +that party." "What gave colour," says Scott, "though only a colour, to +his charge was, that Toland, Tindal, Collins, and most of those who +carried to licence their abhorrence of Church-government, were naturally +enough enrolled among that party in politics who professed most +attachment to freedom of sentiment." It must not, however, be forgotten, +that Swift's attachment to his Church, as it influenced him against the +Whigs, would naturally influence him against the deistical writers also, +and that he must be credited, to that extent, with honesty of purpose. +That these writers were Whigs was, if one may so put it, an accident, of +which it would have been more than a human act for Swift not to take +advantage, for party purposes. + +Curiously enough, none of Swift's more modern biographers have thought +this imitation of Collins's "Discourse" worthy of a mention; yet it is, +in its way, as fine a performance as his castigation of Bishop Burnet +and his "Introduction." The fooling is admirably carried on, and the +intention, as explained in the introduction, is excellently well +realized. It frightened Collins into Holland. To appreciate the +cleverness with which it has been done, one should read Swift's +"Abstract" side by side with Collins's "Discourse." + +The pamphlet was advertised for sale in "The Examiner" for Tuesday, +January 26th, 1712-13. In His "Letters to Stella" (January 16th and +21st, 1712-13), Swift makes the following references to it: "I came home +at seven, and began a little whim which just came into my head, and will +make a three-penny pamphlet. It shall be finished in a week; and, if it +succeeds, you shall know what it is; otherwise not. ... I was to-day +with my printer, to give him a little pamphlet I have written; but not +politics. It will be out by Monday." + +The present text is based on that of the first edition, collated with +those given by Nichols, Hawkesworth and Scott. None of the +"Miscellanies" prints this tract, nor is it given in Faulkner's edition +of 1735-38 (6 vols.). It is fully annotated and edited by Nichols in the +first volume of his "Supplement to Swift's Works" (1779). + +[T. S.] + + + Mr. COLLIN'S + DISCOURSE + OF + FREE-THINKING, + PUT INTO PLAIN ENGLISH, + BY WAY OF ABSTRACT, + FOR THE + USE OF THE POOR. + +BY A FRIEND OF THE AUTHOR. + +1713. + + +INTRODUCTION. + +Our party having failed, by all their political arguments, to +re-establish their power; the wise leaders have determined, that the +last and principal remedy should be made use of, for opening the eyes of +this blinded nation; and that a short, but perfect, system of their +divinity, should be published, to which we are all of us ready to +subscribe, and which we lay down as a model, bearing a close analogy to +our schemes in religion. Crafty, designing men, that they might keep the +world in awe, have, in their several forms of government, placed a +_Supreme Power_ on earth, to keep human-kind in fear of being hanged; +and a supreme power in heaven, for fear of being damned. In order to +cure men's apprehensions of the former, several of our learned members +have writ many profound treatises on Anarchy; but a brief complete body +of Atheology seemed yet wanting, till this irrefragable Discourse +appeared. However, it so happens, that our ablest brethren, in their +elaborate disquisitions upon this subject, have written with so much +caution, that ignorant unbelievers have edified very little by them. I +grant that those daring spirits, who first adventured to write against +the direct rules of the gospel, the current of antiquity, the religion +of the magistrate, and the laws of the land, had some measures to keep; +and particularly when they railed at religion, were in the right to use +little artful disguises, by which a jury could only find them guilty of +abusing heathenism or popery. But the mystery is now revealed, that +there is no such thing as mystery or revelation; and though our friends +are out of place and power, yet we may have so much confidence in the +present ministry, to be secure, that those who suffer so many free +speeches against their sovereign and themselves, to pass unpunished, +will never resent our expressing the freest thoughts against their +religion; but think with Tiberius, that if there be a God, he is able +enough to revenge any injuries done to himself, without expecting the +civil power to interpose.[1] + +[Footnote 1: Swift was evidently very fond of this reference, since he +uses it several times in his writings. [T. S.]] + +_By these reflections I was brought to think, that the most ingenious +author of the Discourse upon Freethinking, in a letter to Somebody, +Esq.; although he hath used less reserve than any of his predecessors, +might yet have been more free and open. I considered, that several +well-witters to infidelity, might be discouraged by a show of logic, and +a multiplicity of quotations, scattered through his book, which to +understandings of that size, might carry an appearance of something like +book-learning, and consequently fright them from reading for their +improvement; I could see no reason why these great discoveries should be +hid from our youth of quality, who frequent Whites and Tom's; why they +should not be adapted to the capacities of the Kit-Cat and Hanover +Clubs,[2] who might then be able to read lectures on them to their +several toasts: and it will be allowed on all hands, that nothing can +sooner help to restore our abdicated cause, than a firm universal belief +of the principles laid down by this sublime author._ + +[Footnote 2: These were chocolate houses of the time, supported mainly +by the aristocracy and the gamblers. White's is still in existence, and +has had the honour of having had a special history written about it. +Tom's was in Russell Street, and so-called after its landlord, Tom West. +The Kit-Cat Club was the resort of the Whig wits of the day, and the +Hanover Club of those who favoured the Hanover succession. [T. S.]] + +For I am sensible that nothing would more contribute to "the continuance +of the war" and the restoration of the late ministry, than to have the +doctrines delivered in this treatise well infused into the people. I +have therefore compiled them into the following Abstract, wherein I have +adhered to the very words of our author, only adding some few +explanations of my own, where the terms happen to be too learned, and +consequently a little beyond the comprehension of those for whom the +work was principally intended, I mean the nobility and gentry of our +party. After which I hope it will be impossible for the malice of a +Jacobite, highflying, priestridden faction, to misrepresent us. The few +additions I have made are for no other use than to help the transition, +which could not otherwise be kept in an abstract; but I have not +presumed to advance anything of my own; which besides would be needless +to an author who hath so fully handled and demonstrated every +particular. I shall only add, that though this writer, when he speaks of +priests, desires chiefly to be understood to mean the English clergy, +yet he includes all priests whatsoever, except the ancient and modern +heathens, the Turks, Quakers, and Socinians. + + +THE LETTER. + +SIR, + +I send you this apology for Freethinking,[3] without the least hopes of +doing good, but purely to comply with your request; for those truths +which nobody can deny, will do no good to those who deny them. The +clergy, who are so impudent to teach the people the doctrines of faith, +are all either cunning knaves or mad fools; for none but artificial, +designing men, and crack-brained enthusiasts, presume to be guides to +others in matters of speculation, which all the doctrines of +Christianity are; and whoever has a mind to learn the Christian +religion, naturally chooses such knaves and fools to teach them. Now the +Bible, which contains the precepts of the priests' religion, is the most +difficult book in the world to be understood; it requires a thorough +knowledge in natural, civil, ecclesiastical history, law, husbandry, +sailing, physic, pharmacy, mathematics, metaphysics, ethics, and +everything else that can be named: And everybody who believes it ought +to understand it, and must do so by force of his own freethinking, +without any guide or instructor. + +[Footnote 3: The chief strain of Collins's "Discourse" is an eulogium +upon the necessity and advantage of Freethinking; in which it is more +than insinuated that the advocates of revealed religion are enemies to +the progress of enlightened inquiry. This insidious position is +ridiculed in the following parody. [S.]] + +How can a man think at all, if he does not think freely? A man who does +not eat and drink freely, does not eat and drink at all. Why may not I +be denied the liberty of freeseeing, as well as freethinking? Yet nobody +pretends that the first is unlawful, for a cat may look on a king; +though you be near-sighted, or have weak or sore eyes, or are blind, you +may be a free-seer; you ought to see for yourself, and not trust to a +guide to choose the colour of your stockings, or save you from falling +into a ditch. + +In like manner, there ought to be no restraint at all on thinking freely +upon any proposition, however impious or absurd. There is not the least +hurt in the wickedest thoughts, provided they be free; nor in telling +those thoughts to everybody, and endeavouring to convince the world of +them; for all this is included in the doctrine of freethinking, as I +shall plainly show you in what follows; and therefore you are all along +to understand the word freethinking in this sense. + +If you are apt to be afraid of the devil, think freely of him, and you +destroy him and his kingdom. Freethinking has done him more mischief +than all the clergy in the world ever could do; they believe in the +devil, they have an interest in him, and therefore are the great +supports of his kingdom. The devil was in the States-General before they +began to be freethinkers. For England and Holland[4] were formerly the +Christian territories of the devil; I told you how he left Holland; and +freethinking and the revolution banished him from England; I defy all +the clergy to shew me when they ever had such success against him. My +meaning is, that to think freely of the devil, is to think there is no +devil at all; and he that thinks so, the devil's in him if he be afraid +of the devil. + +[Footnote 4: Collins is supposed to have imbibed his freethinking +philosophy during his repeated visits to Holland. [S.]] + +But, within these two or three years, the devil has come into England +again, and Dr. Sacheverell[5] has given him commission to appear in the +shape of a cat, and carry old women about upon broomsticks: And the +devil has now so many "ministers ordained to his service," that they +have rendered freethinking odious, and nothing but the second coming of +Christ can restore it. + +[Footnote 5: See note on p. 147.] + +The priests tell me, I am to believe the Bible, but freethinking tells +me otherwise in many particulars: The Bible says, the Jews were a nation +favoured by God; but I who am a freethinker say, that cannot be, because +the Jews lived in a corner of the earth, and freethinking makes it +clear, that those who live in corners cannot be favourites of God. The +New Testament all along asserts the truth of Christianity, but +freethinking denies it; because Christianity was communicated but to a +few; and whatever is communicated but to a few, cannot be true; for that +is like whispering, and the proverb says, that there is no whispering +without lying. + +Here is a society in London for propagating freethinking throughout the +world, encouraged and supported by the Queen and many others. You say, +perhaps, it is for propagating the Gospel. Do you think the missionaries +we send will tell the heathens that they must not think freely? No, +surely; why then, it is manifest, those missionaries must be +freethinkers, and make the heathens so too. But why should not the king +of Siam, whose religion is heathenism and idolatry, send over a parcel +of his priests to convert us to his church, as well as we send +missionaries there? Both projects are exactly of a piece, and equally +reasonable; and if those heathen priests were here, it would be our duty +to hearken to them, and think freely whether they may not be in the +right rather than we. I heartily wish a detachment of such divines as Dr +Atterbury, Dr. Smallridge,[6] Dr. Swift, Dr. Sacheverell, and some others, +were sent every year to the farthest part of the heathen world, and that +we had a cargo of their priests in return, who would spread freethinking +among us; then the war would go on, the late ministry be restored, and +faction cease, which our priests inflame by haranguing upon texts, and +falsely call that preaching the Gospel. + +[Footnote 6: Dr. Smallridge, it will be remembered, was the gentleman +who indignantly denied the authorship of "A Tale of a Tub" (see vol. i. +of this edition). He became Bishop of Bristol in 1714, and died in 1719. +His style was well thought of at the time. [T.S.]] + +I have another project in my head, which ought to be put in execution, +in order to make us freethinkers: It is a great hardship and injustice, +that our priests must not be disturbed while they are prating in the +pulpit. For example: Why should not William Penn the Quaker, or any +Anabaptist, Papist, Muggletonian, Jew, or Sweet-Singer,[7] have liberty +to come into St Paul's Church, in the midst of divine service, and +endeavour to convert first the aldermen, then the preacher, and +singing-men? Or pray, why might not poor Mr. Whiston,[8] who denies the +divinity of Christ, be allowed to come into the Lower House of +Convocation, and convert the clergy? But, alas! we are overrun with such +false notions, that, if Penn or Whiston should do their duty, they would +be reckoned fanatics, and disturbers of the holy synod, although they +have as good a title to it as St Paul had to go into the synagogues of +the Jews; and their authority is full as divine as his. + +[Footnote 7: The Sweet-Singers were a fanatical sect of wailers, founded +in Scotland, but which had no long life. [T.S.]] Christ himself commands +us to be freethinkers; for he bids us search the scriptures, and take +heed what and whom we hear; by which he plainly warns us, not to believe +our bishops and clergy; for Jesus Christ, when he considered that all +the Jewish and heathen priests, whose religion he came to abolish, were +his enemies, rightly concluded that those appointed by him to preach his +own gospel, would probably be so too; and could not be secure, that any +set of priests, of the faith he delivered, would ever be otherwise; +therefore it is fully demonstrated that the clergy of the Church of +England are mortal enemies to Christ, and ought not to be believed. + +[Footnote 8: Yet Whiston, who receives this side-cut, was himself an +anxious combatant of Collins, in his "Reflections on an Anonymous +Pamphlet, entitled, 'A Defence of Freethinking.'" 1713. [S.]] + +But, without the privilege of freethinking, how is it possible to know +which is the right Scripture? Here are perhaps twenty sorts of +Scriptures in the several parts of the world, and every set of priests +contend that their Scripture is the true one. The Indian Brahmins have a +book of scripture called the Shaster; the Persees their Zundivastaw;[9] +the Bonzes in China have theirs, written by the disciples of Fo-he, whom +they call _God and Saviour of the world, who was born to teach the way +of salvation, and to give satisfaction for all men's sins_: which, you +see, is directly the same with what our priests pretend of Christ. And +must we not think freely, to find out which are in the right, whether +the Bishops or the Bonzes? But the Talapoins, or heathen clergy of Siam, +approach yet nearer to the system of our priests; they have a Book of +Scripture written by Sommonocodam, who, the Siamese say, was "born of a +virgin," and was "the God expected by the Universe;" just as our priests +tell us, that Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary, and was the +Messiah so long expected. The Turkish priests, or dervises, have their +Scripture which they call the Alcoran. The Jews have the Old Testament +for their Scripture, and the Christians have both the Old and the New. +Now among all these Scriptures, there cannot above one be right; and how +is it possible to know which is that, without reading them all, and then +thinking freely, every one of us for ourselves, without following the +advice or instruction of any guide, before we venture to choose? The +parliament ought to be at the charge of finding a sufficient number of +these Scriptures, for every one of Her Majesty's subjects, for there are +twenty to one against us, that we may be in the wrong: But a great deal +of freethinking will at last set us all right, and every one will adhere +to the Scripture he likes best; by which means, religion, peace, and +wealth, will be for ever secured in Her Majesty's realms. + +[Footnote 9: Swift means here, of course, the Zendavesta, the +commentaries on the sacred books of the Parsees. Not that Swift could +have known much of these Oriental religions; but the names were good +enough for his purpose. [T.S.]] + +And it is the more necessary that the good people of England should have +liberty to choose some other Scripture, because all Christian priests +differ so much about the copies of theirs, and about the various +readings of the several manuscripts, which quite destroys the authority +of the Bible: for what authority can a book pretend to, where there are +various readings?[10] And for this reason, it is manifest that no man +can know the opinions of Aristotle or Plato, or believe the facts +related by Thucydides or Livy, or be pleased with the poetry of Homer +and Virgil, all which books are utterly useless, upon account of their +various readings. Some books of Scripture are said to be lost, and this +utterly destroys the credit of those that are left: some we reject, +which the Africans and Copticks receive; and why may we not think +freely, and reject the rest? Some think the scriptures wholly inspired, +some partly; and some not at all. Now this is just the very case of the +Bramins, Persees, Bonzes, Talapoins, Dervises, Rabbis, and all other +priests, who build their religion upon books, as our priests do upon +their Bibles; they all equally differ about the copies, various readings +and inspirations, of their several Scriptures, and God knows which are +in the right: Freethinking alone can determine it. + +[Footnote 10: In the discourse on "Freethinking," p. 80, Collins insists +much on a passage in Victor of Tunis, from which he infers, that the +Gospels were corrected and altered in the fourth century. [S.]] + +It would be endless to show in how many particulars the priests of the +Heathen and Christian churches, differ about the meaning even of those +Scriptures which they universally receive as sacred. But, to avoid +prolixity, I shall confine myself to the different opinions among the +priests of the Church of England, and here only give you a specimen, +because even these are too many to be enumerated. + +I have found out a bishop, (though indeed his opinions are condemned by +all his brethren,) who allows the Scriptures to be so difficult, that +God has left them rather as a trial of our industry than a repository of +our faith, and furniture of creeds and articles of belief; with several +other admirable schemes of freethinking, which you may consult at your +leisure. + +The doctrine of the Trinity is the most fundamental point of the whole +Christian religion. Nothing is more easy to a freethinker, yet what +different notions of it do the English priests pretend to deduce from +Scripture, explaining it by "specific unities, eternal modes of +subsistence," and the like unintelligible jargon? Nay, it is a question +whether this doctrine be fundamental or no; for though Dr. South and +Bishop Bull affirm it, yet Bishop Taylor and Dr. Wallis deny it.[11] And +that excellent freethinking prelate, Bishop Taylor, observes, that +Athanasius's example was followed with too much greediness; by which +means it has happened, that the greater number of our priests are in +that sentiment, and think it necessary to believe the Trinity, and +incarnation of Christ.[12] + +[Footnote 11: Dr. Robert South (1633-1716), rector of Islip. The +reference by Swift is to his controversy with Sherlock on the doctrine +of the Trinity. The two disputants got into such depths that both were +charged with heresy. + +Dr. George Bull (1634-1710), Bishop of St. David's, wrote the "Defensio +Fidei Nicenae." For his exposition of the necessity for the belief in the +divinity of the Son of God he received the thanks of Bossuet. + +Dr. Jeremy Taylor, Bishop of Down and Connor (1613-1667), and author of +"Holy Living" and "Holy Dying," wrote also "Unum Necessarium, or the +Doctrine and Practice of Repentance." His treatment, in this work, of +the doctrine of original sin was considered heterodox by Bishop Warner +and Dr. Sanderson, and a controversy ensued, in the course of which +Taylor was imprisoned in Chepstow Castle on a charge of being concerned +in a Royalist insurrection. + +Dr. John Wallis (1616-1703), here referred to, is the famous +mathematician and divine, and one of the original members of the Royal +Society. He is mentioned in the text by Swift because of a work he +published on the Trinity, which brought him into collision with the +Arians. But the Doctor seems to have been addicted to views of a +controversial nature, for his opinions on infant baptism and the keeping +of the Sabbath found many objectors. He was Savilian Professor of +Geometry at Oxford in 1648. [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 12: See Swift's opinion of controversies on this subject in +his "Sermon upon the Trinity." [S.]] + +Our priests likewise dispute several circumstances about the +resurrection of the dead, the nature of our bodies after the +resurrection, and in what manner they shall be united to our souls. They +also attack one another "very weakly with great vigour," about +predestination. And it is certainly true, (for Bishop Taylor and Mr. +Whiston the Socinian say so,) that all churches in prosperity alter +their doctrines every age, and are neither satisfied with themselves, +nor their own confessions; neither does any clergyman of sense believe +the Thirty-nine Articles. + +Our priests differ about the eternity of hell torments. The famous Dr +Henry More,[13] and the most pious and rational of all priests, Dr +Tillotson,[14] (both freethinkers,) believe them to be not eternal. They +differ about keeping the sabbath, the divine right of episcopacy, and +the doctrine of original sin; which is the foundation of the whole +Christian religion; for if men are not liable to be damned for Adam's +sin, the Christian religion is an imposture: Yet this is now disputed +among them; so is lay baptism; so was formerly the lawfulness of usury, +but now the priests are common stock-jobbers, attorneys, and scriveners. +In short there is no end of disputing among priests, and therefore I +conclude, that there ought to be no such thing in the world as priests, +teachers, or guides, for instructing ignorant people in religion; but +that every man ought to think freely for himself. + +[Footnote 13: Dr. Henry More (1614-1687), the Platonist theologian, +wrote a philosophical poem entitled, "Psycho-Zoia, or the Life of the +Soul" (1640). [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 14: Dr. John Tillotson (1630-1694) succeeded Bancroft as +Archbishop of Canterbury. He published some eloquent sermons and several +controversial tracts against Catholicism. [T.S.]] + +I will tell you the meaning in all this; the priests dispute every point +in the Christian religion, as well as almost every text in the Bible; +and the force of my argument lies here, that whatever point is disputed +by one or two divines, however condemned by the Church, not only that +particular point, but the whole article to which it relates, may +lawfully be received or rejected by any freethinker. For instance, +suppose More and Tillotson deny the eternity of hell torments, a +freethinker may deny all future punishments whatsoever. The priests +dispute about explaining the Trinity; therefore a freethinker may reject +one or two, or the whole three persons; at least he may reject +Christianity, because the Trinity is the most fundamental doctrine of +that religion. So I affirm original sin, and that men are now liable to +be damned for Adam's sin, to be the foundation of the whole Christian +religion; but this point was formerly, and is now disputed, therefore, a +freethinker may deny the whole. And I cannot help giving you one farther +direction, how I insinuate all along, that the wisest freethinking +priests, whom you may distinguish by the epithets I bestow them, were +those who differed most from the generality of their brethren. + +But besides, the conduct of our priests in many other points, makes +freethinking unavoidable; for some of them own, that the doctrines of +the Church are contradictory to one another, as well as to reason; which +I thus prove: Dr. Sacheverell says in his speech at his trial, That by +abandoning passive obedience we must render ourselves the most +inconsistent Church in the world: Now 'tis plain, that one inconsistency +could not make the most inconsistent Church in the world; _ergo_, there +must have been a great many inconsistencies and contradictory doctrines +in the Church before. Dr. South describes the incarnation of Christ, as +an astonishing mystery, impossible to be conceived by man's reason; +_ergo_, it is contradictory to itself, and to reason, and ought to be +exploded by all freethinkers. + +Another instance of the priests' conduct, which multiplies freethinkers, +is their acknowledgment of abuses, defects, and false doctrines, in the +Church; particularly that of eating black pudding,[15] which is so +plainly forbid in the Old and New Testament, that I wonder those who +pretend to believe a syllable in either will presume to taste it. Why +should I mention the want of discipline, and of a sideboard at the +altar, with complaints of other great abuses and defects made by some of +the priests, which no man can think on without freethinking, and +consequently rejecting Christianity? + +[Footnote 15: Collins in his pamphlet quotes a Dr. Grabe, who, following +the Jewish code of rules as regards food, considered the eating of blood +one of the points on which the Church did not insist against. In the +text Swift ridicules this in the reference to "black pudding." [T. S.]] + +When I see an honest freethinking bishop endeavour to destroy the power +and privileges of the Church, and Dr. Atterbury angry with him for it, +and calling it "dirty work," what can I conclude, by virtue of being a +freethinker, but that Christianity is all a cheat? + +Mr. Whiston has published several tracts, wherein he absolutely denies +the divinity of Christ: A bishop tells him, "Sir, in any matter where +you have the Church's judgment against you, you should be careful not to +break the peace of the Church, by writing against it, though you are +sure you are in the right."[16] Now my opinion is directly contrary; and +I affirm, that if ten thousand freethinkers thought differently from the +received doctrine, and from each other, they would be all in duty bound +to publish their thoughts (provided they were all sure of being in the +right) though it broke the peace of the Church and state ten thousand +times. + +[Footnote 16: Swift's "Sermon on the Trinity," as well as a passage in +his "Thoughts upon Religion," shews the weight which he attached to this +important argument. [S.]] + +And here I must take leave to tell you, although you cannot but have +perceived it from what I have already said, and shall be still more +amply convinced by what is to follow; that freethinking signifies +nothing, without freespeaking and freewriting. It is the indispensable +duty of a freethinker, to endeavour forcing all the world to think as he +does, and by that means make them freethinkers too. You are also to +understand, that I allow no man to be a freethinker, any further than as +he differs from the received doctrines of religion. Where a man falls +in, though by perfect chance, with what is generally believed, he is in +that point a confined and limited thinker; and you shall see by and by, +that I celebrate those for the noblest freethinkers in every age, who +differed from the religion of their countries in the most fundamental +points, and especially in those which bear any analogy to the chief +fundamentals of religion among us. + +Another trick of the priests is, to charge all men with atheism, who +have more wit than themselves; which therefore I expect will be my case +for writing this discourse: This is what makes them so implacable +against Mr. Gildon, Dr. Tindal, Mr. Toland,[17] and myself, and when they +call us wits, atheists, it provokes us to be freethinkers. + +[Footnote 17: See notes on pp. 9, 79, 80, 82.] + +Again; the priests cannot agree when their Scripture was written. They +differ about the number of canonical books, and the various readings. +Now those few among us who understand Latin, are careful to tell this to +our disciples, who presently fall a-freethinking, that the Bible is a +book not to be depended upon in anything at all. + +There is another thing, that mightily spreads freethinking, which I +believe you would hardly guess. The priests have got a way of late of +writing books against freethinking; I mean treatises in dialogue, where +they introduce atheists, deists, sceptics, and Socinians offering their +several arguments. Now these freethinkers are too hard for the priests +themselves in their own books; and how can it be otherwise? For if the +arguments usually offered by atheists, are fairly represented in these +books, they must needs convert everybody that reads them; because +atheists, deists, sceptics, and Socinians, have certainly better +arguments to maintain their opinions, than any the priests can produce +to maintain the contrary. + +Mr. Creech,[18] a priest, translated Lucretius into English, which is a +complete system of atheism; and several young students, who were +afterwards priests, wrote verses in praise of this translation. The +arguments against Providence in that book are so strong, that they have +added mightily to the number of freethinkers. + +[Footnote 18: This is Thomas Creech, the translator of Horace, to whom +Swift refers in "The Battle of the Books" (see vol. i. p. 180). The +translation of Lucretius was published in English verse in 1682. [T. +S.]] + +Why should I mention the pious cheats of the priests, who in the New +Testament translate the word _ecclesia_ sometimes the _church_, and +sometimes the _congregation_; and _episcopus_, sometimes a _bishop_, and +sometimes an _overseer_? A priest,[19] translating a book, left out a +whole passage that reflected on the king, by which he was an enemy to +political freethinking, a most considerable branch of our system. +Another priest, translating a book of travels,[20] left out a lying +miracle, out of mere malice, to conceal an argument for freethinking. In +short, these frauds are very common in all books which are published by +priests: But however, I love to excuse them whenever I can: And as to +this accusation, they may plead the authority of the ancient fathers of +the Church, for forgery, corruption, and mangling of authors, with more +reason than for any of their articles of faith. St Jerom, St Hilary, +Eusebius Vercellensis, Victorinus,[21] and several others, were all +guilty of arrant forgery and corruption: For when they translated the +works of several freethinkers, whom they called heretics, they omitted +all their heresies or freethinkings, and had the impudence to own it to +the world. + +[Footnote 19: Collins refers to the Rev. Mr. Brown, who translated +Father Paul's "Letters," and omitted the words, "If the King of England +[James I.] were not more a doctor than a king."] + +[Footnote 20: Baumgarten's "Travels." [T. S.]] + +[Footnote 21: Jerome, or St. Hieronymus (_circa_ 340-420), wrote the +Latin vulgate translation of the Scriptures. Is accepted as one of the +Fathers of the Church. + +St. Hilary, another accepted Father, was bishop of Poictiers. He died +367 or 368. + +The Eusebius here named was Bishop of Vercelli, a city of Liguria. He +flourished about A.D. 360, and distinguished himself at the Council of +Milan in A.D. 355, for his attacks against Arianism. He was exiled to +Upper Thebais, with several other bishops who refused to subscribe to +the condemnation of Athanasius; but was recalled with Lucifer, bishop of +Cagliari, Sardinia. In conjunction with Athanasius he attended an +Alexandrian synod which declared the Trinity consubstantial. He +travelled much, in the Eastern provinces and Italy, engaging in +missionary work. He died about A.D. 373. + +Fabius Marius Victorinus was born in Africa, and died at Rome in 370. He +was a distinguished orator, grammarian, and rhetorician. His chief work +was a treatise entitled "De Orthographia." He also wrote many +theological books. [T. S.]] + +From these many notorious instances of the priests' conduct, I conclude +they are not to be relied on in any one thing relating to religion; but +that every man must think freely for himself. + +But to this it may be objected, that the bulk of mankind is as well +qualified for flying as thinking, and if every man thought it his duty +to think freely, and trouble his neighbour with his thoughts (which is +an essential part of freethinking,) it would make wild work in the +world. I answer; whoever cannot think freely, may let it alone if he +pleases, by virtue of his right to think freely; that is to say, if such +a man freely thinks that he cannot think freely, of which every man is a +sufficient judge, why, then, he need not think freely, unless he thinks +fit. + +Besides, if the bulk of mankind cannot think freely in matters of +speculation, as the being of a God, the immortality of the soul, &c. why +then, freethinking is indeed no duty: But then the priests must allow, +that men are not concerned to believe whether there is a God or no. But +still those who are disposed to think freely, may think freely if they +please. + +It is again objected, that freethinking will produce endless divisions +in opinion, and by consequence disorder society. To which I answer; + +When every single man comes to have a different opinion every day from +the whole world, and from himself, by virtue of freethinking, and thinks +it his duty to convert every man to his own freethinking (as all we +freethinkers do) how can that possibly create so great a diversity of +opinions, as to have a set of priests agree among themselves to teach +the same opinions in their several parishes to all who will come to hear +them? Besides, if all people were of the same opinion, the remedy would +be worse than the disease; I will tell you the reason some other time. + +Besides, difference in opinion, especially in matters of great moment, +breeds no confusion at all. Witness Papist and Protestant, Roundhead and +Cavalier, Whig and Tory, now among us. I observe, the Turkish empire is +more at peace within itself, than Christian princes are with one +another. Those noble Turkish virtues of charity and toleration, are what +contribute chiefly to the flourishing state of that happy monarchy. +There Christians and Jews are tolerated, and live at ease, if they can +hold their tongues and think freely, provided they never set foot within +the mosques, nor write against Mahomet: A few plunderings now and then +by the janissaries are all they have to fear. + +It is objected, that by freethinking, men will think themselves into +atheism; and indeed I have allowed all along, that atheistical books +convert men to freethinking. But suppose that to be true; I can bring +you two divines who affirm superstition and enthusiasm to be worse than +atheism, and more mischievous to society, and in short it is necessary +that the bulk of the people should be atheists or superstitious. + +It is objected, that priests ought to be relied on by the people, as +lawyers and physicians, because it is their faculty. + +I answer, 'Tis true, a man who is no lawyer is not suffered to plead for +himself; but every man may be his own quack if he pleases, and he only +ventures his life; but in the other case the priest tells him he must be +damned: Therefore do not trust the priest, but think freely for +yourself, and if you happen to think there is no hell, there certainly +is none, and consequently you cannot be damned; I answer further, that +wherever there is no lawyer, physician, or priest, the country is +paradise. Besides, all priests, (except the orthodox, and those are not +ours, nor any that I know,) are hired by the public to lead men into +mischief; but lawyers and physicians are not, you hire them yourself. + +It is objected, (by priests no doubt, but I have forgot their names) +that false speculations are necessary to be imposed upon men, in order +to assist the magistrate in keeping the peace, and that men ought +therefore to be deceived, like children, for their own good. I answer, +that zeal for imposing speculations, whether true or false (under which +name of speculations I include all opinions of religion, as the belief +of a God, Providence, immortality of the soul, future rewards and +punishments, &c.) has done more hurt than it is possible for religion to +do good. It puts us to the charge of maintaining ten thousand priests in +England, which is a burden upon society never felt upon any other +occasion; and a greater evil to the public than if these ecclesiastics +were only employed in the most innocent offices of life, which I take to +be eating and drinking. Now if you offer to impose anything on mankind +besides what relates to moral duties, as to pay your debts, not pick +pockets, nor commit murder, and the like; that is to say, if, besides +this, you oblige them to believe in God and Jesus Christ, what you add +to their faith will take just so much off from their morality. By this +argument it is manifest, that a perfect moral man must be a perfect +atheist; every inch of religion he gets loses him an inch of morality: +For there is a certain _quantum_ belongs to every man, of which there is +nothing to spare. This is clear from the common practice of all our +priests, they never once preach to you to love your neighbour, to be +just in your dealings, or to be sober and temperate. The streets of +London are full of common whores, publicly tolerated in their +wickedness; yet the priests make no complaints against this enormity, +either from the pulpit or the press: I can affirm, that neither you nor +I, sir, have ever heard one sermon against whoring since we were boys. +No, the priests allow all these vices, and love us the better for them, +provided we will promise not "to harangue upon a text," nor to sprinkle +a little water in a child's face, which they call baptizing, and would +engross it all to themselves. + +Besides, the priests engage all the rogues, villains, and fools in their +party, in order to make it as large as they can: By this means they +seduced Constantine the Great[22] over to their religion, who was the +first Christian emperor, and so horrible a villain, that the heathen +priests told him they could not expiate his crimes in their church; so +he was at a loss to know what to do, till an AEgyptian bishop assured +him, that there was no villainy so great, but was to be expiated by the +sacraments of the Christian religion; upon which he became a Christian, +and to him that religion owes its first settlement. + +[Footnote 22: The reference here is to the luminous cross which +Constantine said he saw in the heavens, and which influenced him to +embrace Christianity. [T. S.]] + +It is objected, that freethinkers themselves are the most infamous, +wicked, and senseless of all mankind. + +I answer, first, we say the same of priests, and other believers. But +the truth is, men of all sects are equally good and bad; for no religion +whatsoever contributes in the least to mend men's lives. + +I answer, secondly, that freethinkers use their understanding, but those +who have religion do not; therefore the first have more understanding +than the others; witness Toland, Tindal, Gildon[23], Clendon, Coward, +and myself. For, use legs and have legs. + +[Footnote 23: John Clendon, of the Middle Temple, published in +1709-1710, "Tractatus Philosophico-Theologicus de Persona; or, a +Treatise of the Word Person." This singular book appears to have been +written principally to prove that the doctrine of the Trinity was very +well explained by an Act of Parliament, 9 and 10 Will. III. It was +complained of in the House of Commons, March 25th, 1710, and was judged +to be a scandalous, seditious, and blasphemous libel .... and was burnt +by the common hangman at the same time with Tindal's "Rights." [N.] ] + +I answer, thirdly, that freethinkers are the most virtuous persons in +the world; for all freethinkers must certainly differ from the priests, +and from nine hundred ninety-nine of a thousand of those among whom they +live; and are therefore virtuous of course, because everybody hates +them. + +I answer, fourthly, that the most virtuous people in all ages have been +freethinkers; of which I shall produce several instances[24]. + +[Footnote 24: What follows is in ridicule of a long list of +freethinkers, as he calls them, with which Collins has graced his +discourse; in which he includes not only the ancient philosophers, but +the inspired prophets, and even "King Solomon the wise." [S.] ] + +Socrates was a freethinker; for he disbelieved the gods of his country, +and the common creeds about them, and declared his dislike when he heard +men attribute "repentance, anger, and other passions to the gods, and +talk of wars and battles in heaven, and of the gods getting women with +child," and such like fabulous and blasphemous stones. I pick out these +particulars, because they are the very same with what the priests have +in their Bibles, where repentance and anger are attributed to God; where +it is said, there was "war in heaven;" and that "the Virgin Mary was +with child by the Holy Ghost," whom the priests call God; all fabulous +and blasphemous stories. Now, I affirm Socrates to have been a true +Christian. You will ask, perhaps, how that can be, since he lived three +or four hundred years before Christ? I answer, with Justin Martyr, that +Christ is nothing else but reason, and I hope you do not think Socrates +lived before reason. Now, this true Christian Socrates never made +notions, speculations, or mysteries, any part of his religion, but +demonstrated all men to be fools who troubled themselves with enquiries +into heavenly things. Lastly, 'tis plain that Socrates was a +freethinker, because he was calumniated for an atheist, as freethinkers +generally are, only because he was an enemy to all speculations and +inquiries into heavenly things. For I argue thus, that if I never +trouble myself to think whether there be a God or no, and forbid others +to do it, I am a freethinker, but not an atheist. + +Plato was a freethinker, and his notions are so like some in the Gospel, +that a heathen charged Christ with borrowing his doctrine from Plato. +But Origen[25] defends Christ very well against this charge, by saying +he did not understand Greek, and therefore could not borrow his doctrine +from Plato. However their two religions agreed so well, that it was +common for Christians to turn Platonists, and Platonists Christians. +When the Christians found out this, one of their zealous priests (worse +than any atheist) forged several things under Plato's name, but +conformable to Christianity, by which the heathens were fraudulently +converted. + +[Footnote 25: Origen, a Father of the Church, was born about 185. He +carried to extremes the celibate life taught in the Gospel; and his +"Treatise against Celsus" contains, according to St. Jerome and +Eusebius, the refutation of "all the objections which have been made, +and all which ever will be made against Christianity." [T. S.] ] + +Epicurus was the greatest of all freethinkers, and consequently the most +virtuous man in the world. His opinions in religion were the most +complete system of atheism that ever appeared. Christians ought to have +the greatest veneration for him, because he taught a higher point of +virtue than Christ; I mean the virtue of friendship, which in the sense +we usually understand it, is not so much as named in the New Testament. + +Plutarch was a freethinker, notwithstanding his being a priest; but +indeed he was a heathen priest. His freethinking appears by showing the +innocence of atheism, (which at worst is only false reasoning,) and the +mischiefs of superstition; and explains what superstition is, by calling +it a conceit of immortal ills after death, the opinion of hell torments, +dreadful aspects, doleful groans, and the like. He is likewise very +satirical upon the public forms of devotion in his own country (a +qualification absolutely necessary to a freethinker) yet those forms +which he ridicules, are the very same that now pass for true worship in +almost all countries: I am sure some of them do so in ours; such as +abject looks, distortions, wry faces, beggarly tones, humiliation, and +contrition. + +Varro,[26] the most learned among the Romans, was a freethinker; for he +said, the heathen divinity contained many fables below the dignity of +immortal beings; such, for instance, as Gods BEGOTTEN and PROCEEDING +from other Gods. These two words I desire you will particularly remark, +because they are the very terms made use of by our priests in their +doctrine of the Trinity: He says likewise, that there are many things +false in religion, and so say all freethinkers; but then he adds; "which +the vulgar ought not to know, but it is expedient they should believe." +In this last he indeed discovers the whole secret of a statesman and +politician, by denying the vulgar the privilege of freethinking, and +here I differ from him. However, it is manifest from hence, that the +Trinity was an invention of statesmen and politicians. + +[Footnote 26: Marcus Terentius Varro (born B.C. 117) was the friend of +Cicero. He was a profound grammarian, historian, and philosopher. The +expression Swift applies to him as "the most learned among the Romans" +is one by which he is generally called. [T. S.] ] + +The grave and wise Cato the censor will for ever live in that noble +freethinking saying--"I wonder," said he, "how one of our priests can +forbear laughing when he sees another!" (For contempt of priests is +another grand characteristic of a freethinker). This shews that Cato +understood the whole mystery of the Roman religion "as by law +established." I beg you, sir, not to overlook these last words, +"religion as by law established." I translate _hanisfax,_ into the +general word, _priest_. Thus I apply the sentence to our priests in +England, and, when Dr. Smallridge sees Dr. Atterbury, I wonder how either +of them can forbear laughing at the cheat they put upon the people, by +making them believe their "religion as by law established." + +Cicero, that consummate philosopher, and noble patriot, though he was a +priest, and consequently more likely to be a knave; gave the greatest +proofs of his freethinking. First, he professed the sceptic philosophy, +which doubts of everything. Then, he wrote two treatises;[27] in the +first, he shews the weakness of the Stoics' arguments for the being of +the Gods: In the latter, he has destroyed the whole revealed religion of +the Greeks and Romans (for why should not theirs be a revealed religion +as well as that of Christ?) Cicero likewise tells us, as his own +opinion, that they who study philosophy, do not believe there are any +Gods: He denies the immortality of the soul, and says, there can be +nothing after death. + +[Footnote 27: "De Natura Deomm." [T. S.] ] + +And because the priests have the impudence to quote Cicero in their +pulpits and pamphlets, against freethinking; I am resolved to disarm +them of his authority. You must know, his philosophical works are +generally in dialogues, where people are brought in disputing against +one another: Now the priests when they see an argument to prove a God, +offered perhaps by a Stoic, are such knaves or blockheads, to quote it +as if it were Cicero's own; whereas Cicero was so noble a freethinker, +that he believed nothing at all of the matter, nor ever shews the least +inclination to favour superstition, or the belief of a God, and the +immortality of the soul; unless what he throws out sometimes to save +himself from danger, in his speeches to the Roman mob; whose religion +was, however, much more innocent and less absurd, than that of popery at +least: And I could say more--but you understand me. + +Seneca was a great freethinker, and had a noble notion of the worship of +the gods, for which our priests would call any man an atheist: He laughs +at morning devotions, or worshipping upon Sabbath-days; he says God has +no need of ministers and servants, because he himself serves mankind. +This religious man, like his religious brethren the Stoics, denies the +immortality of the soul, and says, all that is feigned to be so terrible +in hell, is but a fable: Death puts an end to all our misery, &c. Yet +the priests were anciently so fond of Seneca, that they forged a +correspondence of letters between him and St. Paul. + +Solomon himself, whose writings are called "the word of God," was such a +freethinker, that if he were now alive, nothing but his building of +churches could have kept our priests from calling him an atheist. He +affirms the eternity of the world almost in the same manner with +Manilius,[28] the heathen philosophical poet, (which opinion entirely +overthrows the history of the creation by Moses, and all the New +Testament): He denies the immortality of the soul, assures us that men +die like beasts, and that both go to one place. + +[Footnote 28: Marcus Manilius, who probably flourished under Theodosius +the Great, was a Latin poet, who wrote a poem entitled "Astronomica." +[T.S.] ] + +The prophets of the Old Testament were generally freethinkers: you must +understand, that their way of learning to prophesy was by music and +drinking.[29] These prophets writ against the established religion of +the Jews, (which those people looked upon as the institution of God +himself,) as if they believed it was all a cheat: that is to say, with +as great liberty against the priests and prophets of Israel, as Dr. +Tindal did lately against the priests and prophets of our Israel, who +has clearly shewn them and their religion to be cheats. To prove this, +you may read several passages in Isaiah, Ezekiel, Amos, Jeremiah, &c., +wherein you will find such instances of freethinking, that, if any +Englishman had talked so in our days, their opinions would have been +registered in Dr. Sacheverell's trial, and in the representation of the +Lower House of Convocation, and produced as so many proofs of the +profaneness, blasphemy, and atheism of the nation; there being nothing +more profane, blasphemous, or atheistical in those representations, than +what these prophets have spoke, whose writings are yet called by our +priests, "the word of God." And therefore these prophets are as much +atheists as myself, or as any of my freethinking brethren whom I lately +named to you. + +[Footnote 29: Collins, after making the charge, which has been repeated +by all freethinkers down to Thomas Paine, that the prophets acquired +their fervour of spirit by the aid of music and wine, allows, +nevertheless, that they were great freethinkers, and "writ with as great +liberty against the established religion of the Jews, which the people +looked on as the institution of God himself as if they looked upon it +all to be imposture."--_Discourse_, p. 153, _et sequen._ [S.] ] + +Josephus was a great freethinker: I wish he had chosen a better subject +to write on, than those ignorant, barbarous, ridiculous scoundrels, the +Jews, whom God (if we may believe the priests) thought fit to choose for +his own people. I will give you some instances of his freethinking. He +says, Cain travelled through several countries, and kept company with +rakes and profligate fellows; he corrupted the simplicities of former +times, &c., which plainly supposes men before Adam, and consequently +that the priests' history of the creation by Moses, is an imposture. He +says, the Israelites' passing through the Red Sea, was no more than +Alexander's passing at the Pamphilian sea; that as for the appearance of +God at Mount Sinai, the reader may believe it as he pleases; that Moses +persuaded the Jews he had God for his guide, just as the Greeks +pretended they had their laws from Apollo. These are noble strains of +freethinking, which the priests knew not how to solve, but by thinking +as freely: For one of them says, that Josephus writ this to make his +work acceptable to the heathens, by striking out everything that was +incredible. + +Origen, who was the first Christian that had any learning, has left a +noble testimony of his freethinking; for a general council has +determined him to be damned; which plainly shews he was a freethinker, +and was no saint; for people were only sainted because of their want of +learning and excess of zeal; so that all the fathers, who are called +saints by the priests, were worse than atheists. + +Minutius Felix[30] seems to be a true modern latitudinarian, +freethinking Christian; for he is against altars, churches, public +preaching, and public assemblies; and likewise against priests; for, he +says, there were several great flourishing empires before there were any +orders of priests in the world. + +[Footnote 30: Marcus Minutius Felix is said to have been born in Africa. +He flourished in the third century, and wrote a defence of Christianity, +in dialogue form, entitled, "Octavius." The work has been translated +into English by Lord Hailes. [T.S.]] + +Synesius,[31] who had too much learning and too little zeal for a saint, +was for some time a great freethinker; he could not believe the +resurrection till he was made a bishop, and then pretended to be +convinced by a lying miracle. + +[Footnote 31: Synesius of Cyrene, born 379, is the Platonic philosopher +who became Bishop of Ptolemais. [T.S.]] + +To come to our own country: My Lord Bacon was a great freethinker, when +he tells us, that whatever has the least relation to religion, is +particularly liable to suspicion; by which he seems to suspect all the +facts whereon most of the superstitions (that is to say, what the +priests call the religions) of the world are grounded. He also +prefers atheism before superstition. + +Mr. Hobbes was a person of great learning, virtue, and freethinking, +except in the high church politics. + +But Archbishop Tillotson is the person whom all English freethinkers own +as their head; and his virtue is indisputable for this manifest reason; +that Dr. Hickes, a priest, calls him an atheist; says, he caused several +to turn atheists, and to ridicule the priesthood and religion. These +must be allowed to be noble effects of freethinking. This great prelate +assures us, that all the duties of the Christian religion, with respect +to God, are no other but what natural light prompts men to, except the +two sacraments, and praying to God in the name and mediation of Christ. +As a priest and prelate, he was obliged to say something of +Christianity; but pray observe, sir, how he brings himself off. He +justly affirms that even these things are of less moment than natural +duties; and because mothers' nursing their children is a natural duty, +it is of more moment than the two sacraments, or than praying to God in +the name and by the mediation of Christ. This freethinking archbishop +could not allow a miracle sufficient to give credit to a prophet who +taught anything contrary to our natural notions: By which it is plain, +he rejected at once all the mysteries of Christianity. + +I could name one-and-twenty more great men, who were all freethinkers; +but that I fear to be tedious: For, 'tis certain that all men of sense +depart from the opinions commonly received; and are consequently more or +less men of sense, according as they depart more or less from the +opinions commonly received; neither can you name an enemy to +freethinking, however he be dignified or distinguished, whether +archbishop, bishop, priest, or deacon, who has not been either "a +crack-brained enthusiast, a diabolical villain, or a most profound +ignorant brute." + +Thus, sir, I have endeavoured to execute your commands, and you may +print this Letter, if you please; but I would have you conceal my name. +For my opinion of virtue is, that we ought not to venture doing +ourselves harm, by endeavouring to do good. + + +I am yours, &c. + + + +_I have here given the public a brief, but faithful abstract of this +most excellent Essay; wherein I have all along religiously adhered to +our author's notions, and generally to his words, without any other +addition than that of explaining a few necessary consequences, for the +sake of ignorant readers; for, to those who have the least degree of +learning, I own they will be wholly useless. I hope I have not, in any +single instance, misrepresented the thoughts of this admirable writer. +If I have happened to mistake through inadvertency, I entreat he will +condescend to inform me, and point out the place, upon which I will +immediately beg pardon both of him and the world. The design of his +piece is to recommend freethinking, and one chief motive is the example +of many excellent men who were of that sect. He produces as the +principal points of their freethinking; that they denied the Being of a +God, the Torments of Hell, the Immortality of the Soul, the Trinity, +Incarnation, the history of the creation by Moses, with many other such +"fabulous and blasphemous stories," as he judiciously calls them: And he +asserts, that whoever denies the most of these, is the completest +freethinker, and consequently the wisest and most virtuous man. The +author, sensible of the prejudices of the age, does not directly affirm +himself an atheist; he goes no further than to pronounce that atheism is +the most perfect degree of freethinking; and leaves the reader to form +the conclusion. However, he seems to allow, that a man may be a +tolerable freethinker, though he does believe a God; provided he utterly +rejects "Providence, Revelation, the Old and New Testament, Future +Rewards and Punishments, the Immortality of the Soul," and other the +like impossible absurdities. Which mark of superabundant caution, +sacrificing truth to the superstition of priests, may perhaps be +forgiven, but ought not to be imitated by any who would arrive (even in +this author's judgment) at the true perfection of freethinking._ + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +SOME THOUGHTS + +ON + +FREETHINKING. + +WRITTEN IN ENGLAND, BUT LEFT UNFINISHED. + + +Discoursing one day with a prelate of the kingdom of Ireland, who is a +person of excellent wit and learning, he offered a notion applicable to +the subject we were then upon, which I took to be altogether new and +right. He said, that the difference betwixt a madman and one in his +wits, in what related to speech, consisted in this; that the former +spoke out whatever came into his mind, and just in the confused manner +as his imagination presented the ideas: The latter only expressed such +thoughts as his judgment directed him to choose, leaving the rest to die +away in his memory; and that, if the wisest man would, at any time, +utter his thoughts in the crude indigested manner as they come into his +head, he would be looked upon as raving mad. And, indeed, when we +consider our thoughts, as they are the seeds of words and actions, we +cannot but agree that they ought to be kept under the strictest +regulation; and that in the great multiplicity of ideas which one's mind +is apt to form, there is nothing more difficult than to select those +which are most proper for the conduct of life. So that I cannot imagine +what is meant by the mighty zeal in some people for asserting the +freedom of thinking; because, if such thinkers keep their thoughts +within their own breasts, they can be of no consequence, farther than to +themselves. If they publish them to the world, they ought to be +answerable for the effects their thoughts produce upon others. There are +thousands in this kingdom, who, in their thoughts, prefer a republic, or +absolute power of a prince, before a limited monarchy; yet, if any of +these should publish their opinions, and go about, by writing or +discourse, to persuade the people to innovations in government, they +would be liable to the severest punishments the law can inflict; and +therefore they are usually so wise as to keep their sentiments to +themselves. But, with respect to religion, the matter is quite +otherwise: and the public, at least here in England, seems to be of +opinion with _Tiberius_, that _Deorum injuriae diis curae_. They leave it +to God Almighty to vindicate the injuries done to himself, who is no +doubt sufficiently able, by perpetual miracles, to revenge the affronts +of impious men. And, it should seem, that is what princes expect from +him, though I cannot readily conceive the grounds they go upon; nor why, +since they are God's vicegerents, they do not think themselves at least +equally obliged to preserve their master's honour as their own; since +this is what they expect from those they depute, and since they never +fail to represent the disobedience of their subjects, as offences +against God. It is true, the visible reason of this neglect is obvious +enough: The consequences of atheistical opinions, published to the +world, are not so immediate, or so sensible, as doctrines of rebellion +and sedition, spread in a proper season. However, I cannot but think the +same consequences are as natural and probable from the former, though +more remote: And whether these have not been in view among our great +planters of infidelity in England, I shall hereafter examine. + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +A LETTER + +TO + +A YOUNG CLERGYMAN, + +LATELY ENTERED INTO + +HOLY ORDERS. + +1719-20. + + +NOTE. + +No stronger proof could be adduced of Swift's genuine and earnest belief +in the dignity of a clergyman of the Church than this letter. In spite +of the sarcasms which here and there are levelled against the mediocre +members of the class, it is evident Swift felt that these might be made +worthy teachers and preachers of the doctrines of an institution +founded, in his opinion, for the best regulation of mankind. The letter +serves also to present us with an outline of a picture of the clergyman +of his day; and if this picture be not flattering, it seems faithfully +to reflect the social conditions which we know to have prevailed at the +time. + +The letter was written in the years of quiet which Swift enjoyed between +the pamphleteering crusade against the Whigs, when Harley and St. John +were in power, and the famous social and political troubles which began +with Wood's halfpence. + +The text of this letter is practically that of the first edition; but I +have collated this with the texts given by Hawkesworth, Scott, the first +volume of the "Miscellanies" of 1728, and the second volume of the +"Miscellanies" of 1745. In the original edition, and in the reprints +published to the time of Faulkner's collected edition, the title reads +"A Letter to a Young Gentleman," etc. + +[T.S.] + + + A + LETTER + TO A + YOUNG GENTLEMAN, + LATELY ENTER'D INTO + HOLY ORDERS + +By a Person of QUALITY. + +It is certainly known, that the following Treatise was writ in Ireland +by the Reverend Dr. Swift, Dean of St. Patrick's in that Kingdom. + + +Dublin, _January the 9th,_ 1719-20. + +Sir, + +Although it was against my knowledge or advice, that you entered into +holy orders, under the present dispositions of mankind toward the +Church, yet since it is now supposed too late to recede, (at least +according to the general practice and opinion,) I cannot forbear +offering my thoughts to you upon this new condition of life you are +engaged in. + +I could heartily wish that the circumstances of your fortune, had +enabled you to have continued some years longer in the university; at +least till you were ten years standing; to have laid in a competent +stock of human learning, and some knowledge in divinity, before you +attempted to appear in the world: For I cannot but lament the common +course, which at least nine in ten of those who enter into the ministry +are obliged to run. When they have taken a degree, and are consequently +grown a burden to their friends, who now think themselves fully +discharged, they get into orders as soon as they can; (upon which I +shall make no remarks,) first solicit a readership, and if they be very +fortunate, arrive in time to a curacy here in town, or else are sent to +be assistants in the country, where they probably continue several +years, (many of them their whole lives,) with thirty or forty pounds +a-year for their support, till some bishop, who happens to be not +overstocked with relations, or attached to favourites, or is content to +supply his diocese without colonies from England, bestows upon them some +inconsiderable benefice, when it is odds they are already encumbered +with a numerous family. I should be glad to know what intervals of life +such persons can possibly set apart for the improvement of their minds; +or which way they could be furnished with books, the library they +brought with them from their college being usually not the most +numerous, or judiciously chosen. If such gentlemen arrive to be great +scholars, it must, I think, be either by means supernatural, or by a +method altogether out of any road yet known to the learned. But I +conceive the fact directly otherwise, and that many of them lose the +greatest part of the small pittance they receive at the university. + +I take it for granted, that you intend to pursue the beaten track, and +are already desirous to be seen in a pulpit, only I hope you will think +it proper to pass your quarantine among some of the desolate churches +five miles round this town, where you may at least learn to read and to +speak before you venture to expose your parts in a city congregation; +not that these are better judges, but because, if a man must needs +expose his folly, it is more safe and discreet to do so before few +witnesses, and in a scattered neighbourhood. And you will do well if you +can prevail upon some intimate and judicious friend to be your constant +hearer, and allow him with the utmost freedom to give you notice of +whatever he shall find amiss either in your voice or gesture; for want +of which early warning, many clergymen continue defective, and sometimes +ridiculous, to the end of their lives; neither is it rare to observe +among excellent and learned divines, a certain ungracious manner, or an +unhappy tone of voice, which they never have been able to shake off. + +I should likewise have been glad, if you had applied yourself a little +more to the study of the English language, than I fear you have done; +the neglect whereof is one of the most general defects among the +scholars of this kingdom, who seem not to have the least conception of a +style, but run on in a flat kind of phraseology, often mingled with +barbarous terms and expressions, peculiar to the nation: Neither do I +perceive that any person, either finds or acknowledges his wants upon +this head, or in the least desires to have them supplied. Proper words +in proper places, make the true definition of a style. But this would +require too ample a disquisition to be now dwelt on: however, I shall +venture to name one or two faults, which are easy to be remedied, with a +very small portion of abilities. + +The first is the frequent use of obscure terms, which by the women are +called hard words, and by the better sort of vulgar, fine language; than +which I do not know a more universal, inexcusable, and unnecessary +mistake, among the clergy of all distinctions, but especially the +younger practitioners. I have been curious enough to take a list of +several hundred words in a sermon of a new beginner, which not one of +his hearers among a hundred could possibly understand, neither can I +easily call to mind any clergyman of my own acquaintance who is wholly +exempt from this error, although many of them agree with me in the +dislike of the thing. But I am apt to put myself in the place of the +vulgar, and think many words difficult or obscure, which they will not +allow to be so, because those words are obvious to scholars, I believe +the method observed by the famous Lord Falkland[1] in some of his +writings, would not be an ill one for young divines: I was assured by an +old person of quality who knew him well, that when he doubted whether a +word was perfectly intelligible or no, he used to consult one of his +lady's chambermaids, (not the waiting-woman, because it was possible she +might be conversant in romances,) and by her judgment was guided whether +to receive or reject it. And if that great person thought such a caution +necessary in treatises offered to the learned world, it will be sure at +least as proper in sermons, where the meanest hearer is supposed to be +concerned, and where very often a lady's chambermaid may be allowed to +equal half the congregation, both as to quality and understanding. But I +know not how it comes to pass, that professors in most arts and sciences +are generally the worst qualified to explain their meanings to those who +are not of their tribe: a common farmer shall make you understand in +three words, that his foot is out of joint, or his collar-bone broken, +wherein a surgeon, after a hundred terms of art, if you are not a +scholar, shall leave you to seek. It is frequently the same case in law, +physic, and even many of the meaner arts. + +[Footnote 1: Lucius Cary, second Viscount Falkland (1610-1643), who was +killed at the battle of Newbury in the great Civil War, was a generous +patron of learning and of the literary men of his day. He was himself a +fine scholar and able writer. Clarendon has recorded his character in +the seventh book of his "History of the Great Rebellion": "A person of +such prodigious parts of learning and knowledge, of that inimitable +sweetness and delight in conversation, of so flowing and obliging an +humanity and goodness to mankind, that, if there were no other brand +upon this odious and accursed Civil War than that single loss, it must +be infamous and execrable to all posterity." Falkland has been made the +hero of a romance by Lord Lytton. [T. S. ] ] + +And upon this account it is, that among hard words, I number likewise +those which are peculiar to divinity as it is a science, because I have +observed several clergymen, otherwise little fond of obscure terms, yet +in their sermons very liberal of those which they find in ecclesiastical +writers, as if it were our duty to understand them; which I am sure it +is not. And I defy the greatest divine to produce any law either of God +or man, which obliges me to comprehend the meaning of _omniscience, +omnipresence, ubiquity, attribute, beatific vision,_ with a thousand +others so frequent in pulpits, any more than that of _eccentric, +idiosyncracy, entity,_ and the like. I believe I may venture to insist +farther, that many terms used in Holy Writ, particularly by St Paul, +might with more discretion be changed into plainer speech, except when +they are introduced as part of a quotation.[2] + +[Footnote 2: Swift refers to this point in his "Thoughts on Religion," +and regrets that the explanation of matters of doctrine, which St. Paul +expressed in the current eastern vocabulary, should have been +perpetuated in terms founded on the same terminology. [T. S.] ] + +I am the more earnest in this matter, because it is a general complaint, +and the justest in the world. For a divine has nothing to say to the +wisest congregation of any parish in this kingdom, which he may not +express in a manner to be understood by the meanest among them. And this +assertion must be true, or else God requires from us more than we are +able to perform. However, not to contend whether a logician might +possibly put a case that would serve for an exception, I will appeal to +any man of letters, whether at least nineteen in twenty of those +perplexing words might not be changed into easy ones, such as naturally +first occur to ordinary men, and probably did so at first to those very +gentlemen who are so fond of the former. + +We are often reproved by divines from the pulpits, on account of our +ignorance in things sacred, and perhaps with justice enough. However, it +is not very reasonable for them to expect, that common men should +understand expressions which are never made use of in common life. No +gentleman thinks it safe or prudent to send a servant with a message, +without repeating it more than once, and endeavouring to put it into +terms brought down to the capacity of the bearer: yet after all this +care, it is frequent for servants to mistake, and sometimes to occasion +misunderstandings among friends. Although the common domestics in some +gentlemen's families have more opportunities of improving their minds +than the ordinary sort of tradesmen. + +It is usual for clergymen who are taxed with this learned defect, to +quote Dr. Tillotson, and other famous divines, in their defence; without +considering the difference between elaborate discourses upon important +occasions, delivered to princes or parliaments, written with a view of +being made public, and a plain sermon intended for the middle or lower +size of people. Neither do they seem to remember the many alterations, +additions, and expungings, made by great authors in those treatises +which they prepare for the public. Besides, that excellent prelate +above-mentioned, was known to preach after a much more popular manner in +the city congregations: and if in those parts of his works he be any +where too obscure for the understandings of many who may be supposed to +have been his hearers, it ought to be numbered among his omissions. + +The fear of being thought pedants hath been of pernicious consequence to +young divines. This hath wholly taken many of them off from their +severer studies in the university, which they have exchanged for plays, +poems, and pamphlets, in order to qualify them for tea-tables and +coffee-houses. This they usually call "polite conversation; knowing the +world; and reading men instead of books." These accomplishments, when +applied to the pulpit, appear by a quaint; terse, florid style, rounded +into periods and cadences, commonly without either propriety or meaning. +I have listen'd with my utmost attention for half an hour to an orator +of this species, without being able to understand, much less to carry +away one single sentence out of a whole sermon. Others, to shew that +their studies have not been confined to sciences, or ancient authors, +will talk in the style of a gaming ordinary, and White Friars[3], when I +suppose the hearers can be little edified by the terms _palming, +shuffling, biting, bamboozling_ and the like, if they have not been +sometimes conversant among pick-pockets and sharpers. And truly, as they +say, a man is known by his company, so it should seem that a man's +company may be known by his manner of expressing himself, either in +public assemblies, or private conversation. + +[Footnote 3: See note on "Alsatia," p. 100. [T. S.] ] + +It would be endless to run over the several defects of style among us; I +shall therefore say nothing of the mean and paltry (which are usually +attended by the fustian), much less of the slovenly or indecent. Two +things I will just warn you against; the first is the frequency of flat +unnecessary epithets, and the other is the folly of using old threadbare +phrases, which will often make you go out of your way to find and apply +them, are nauseous to rational hearers, and will seldom express your +meaning as well as your own natural words. + +Although, as I have already observed, our English tongue is too little +cultivated in this kingdom; yet the faults are nine in ten owing to +affectation, and not to the want of understanding. When a man's thoughts +are clear, the properest words will generally offer themselves first, +and his own judgment will direct him in what order to place them, so as +they may be best understood. Where men err against this method, it is +usually on purpose, and to shew their learning, their oratory, their +politeness, or their knowledge of the world. In short, that simplicity +without which no human performance can arrive to any great perfection, +is nowhere more eminently useful than in this. + +I have been considering that part of oratory which relates to the moving +of the passions; this I observe is in esteem and practice among some +church divines, as well as among all the preachers and hearers of the +fanatic or enthusiastic strain. I will here deliver to you (perhaps with +more freedom than prudence) my opinion upon the point. + +The two great orators of Greece and Rome, Demosthenes and Cicero, though +each of them a leader (or as the Greeks call it a demagogue) in a +popular state, yet seem to differ in their practice upon this branch of +their art; the former who had to deal with a people of much more +politeness, learning, and wit, laid the greatest weight of his oratory +upon the strength of his arguments, offered to their understanding and +reason: whereas Tully considered the dispositions of a sincere, more +ignorant, and less mercurial nation, by dwelling almost entirely on the +pathetic part. + +But the principal thing to be remembered is, that the constant design of +both these orators in all their speeches, was to drive some one +particular point, either the condemnation or acquittal of an accused +person, a persuasive to war, the enforcing of a law, and the like; which +was determined upon the spot, according as the orators on either side +prevailed. And here it was often found of absolute necessity to inflame +or cool the passions of the audience, especially at Rome where Tully +spoke, and with whose writings young divines (I mean those among them +who read old authors) are more conversant than with those of +Demosthenes, who by many degrees excelled the other at least as an +orator. But I do not see how this talent of moving the passions can be +of any great use toward directing Christian men in the conduct of their +lives, at least in these northern climates, where I am confident the +strongest eloquence of that kind will leave few impressions upon any of +our spirits deep enough to last till the next morning, or rather to the +next meal.[4] + +[Footnote 4: Swift's own sermons rarely appealed to the emotions; they +were, in his own phrase, political pamphlets, and aimed at convincing +the reason. [T. S.] ] + +But what hath chiefly put me out of conceit with this moving manner of +preaching, is the frequent disappointment it meets with. I know a +gentleman, who made it a rule in reading, to skip over all sentences +where he spied a note of admiration at the end. I believe those +preachers who abound in _epiphonemas_,[5] if they look about them, would +find one part of their congregation out of countenance, and the other +asleep, except perhaps an old female beggar or two in the aisles, who +(if they be sincere) may probably groan at the sound. + +[Footnote 5: _Epiphonema_ is a figure in rhetoric, signifying a +sententious kind of exclamation. [S.] ] + +Nor is it a wonder, that this expedient should so often miscarry, which +requires so much art and genius to arrive at any perfection in it, as +any man will find, much sooner than learn by consulting Cicero himself. + +I therefore entreat you to make use of this faculty (if you ever be so +unfortunate as to think you have it) as seldom, and with as much caution +as you can, else I may probably have occasion to say of you as a great +person said of another upon this very subject. A lady asked him coming +out of church, whether it were not a very moving discourse? "Yes," said +he, "I was extremely sorry, for the man is my friend." + +If in company you offer something for a jest, and nobody second you in +your own laughter, nor seems to relish what you said, you may condemn +their taste, if you please, and appeal to better judgments; but in the +meantime, it must be agreed you make a very indifferent figure; and it +is at least equally ridiculous to be disappointed in endeavouring to +make other folks grieve, as to make them laugh. + +A plain convincing reason may possibly operate upon the mind both of a +learned and ignorant hearer as long as they live, and will edify a +thousand times more than the art of wetting the handkerchiefs of a whole +congregation, if you were sure to attain it. + +If your arguments be strong, in God's name offer them in as moving a +manner as the nature of the subject will properly admit, wherein reason +and good advice will be your safest guides; but beware of letting the +pathetic part swallow up the rational: For I suppose, philosophers have +long agreed, that passion should never prevail over reason. + +As I take it, the two principal branches of preaching are first to tell +the people what is their duty, and then to convince them that it is so. +The topics for both these, we know, are brought from Scripture and +reason. Upon this first, I wish it were often practised to instruct the +hearers in the limits, extent, and compass of every duty, which requires +a good deal of skill and judgment: the other branch is, I think, not so +difficult. But what I would offer them both, is this; that it seems to +be in the power of a reasonable clergyman, if he will be at the pains, +to make the most ignorant man comprehend what is his duty, and to +convince him by argument drawn to the level of his understanding, that +he ought to perform it. + +But I must remember that my design in this paper was not so much to +instruct you in your business either as a clergyman or a preacher, as to +warn you against some mistakes which are obvious to the generality of +mankind as well as to me; and we who are hearers, may be allowed to have +some opportunities in the quality of being standers-by. Only perhaps I +may now again transgress by desiring you to express the heads of your +divisions in as few and clear words as you possibly can, otherwise, I +and many thousand others will never be able to retain them, nor +consequently to carry away a syllable of the sermon. + +I shall now mention a particular wherein your whole body will be +certainly against me, and the laity almost to a man on my side. However +it came about, I cannot get over the prejudice of taking some little +offence at the clergy for perpetually reading their sermons[6]; perhaps +my frequent hearing of foreigners, who never made use of notes, may have +added to my disgust. And I cannot but think, that whatever is read, +differs as much from what is repeated without book, as a copy does from +an original. At the same time, I am highly sensible what an extreme +difficulty it would be upon you to alter this method, and that, in such +a case, your sermons would be much less valuable than they are, for want +of time to improve and correct them. I would therefore gladly come to a +compromise with you in this matter. I knew a clergyman of some +distinction, who appeared to deliver his sermon without looking into his +notes, which when I complimented him upon, he assured me he could not +repeat six lines; but his method was to write the whole sermon in a +large plain hand, with all the forms of margin, paragraph, marked page, +and the like; then on Sunday morning he took care to run it over five or +six times, which he could do in an hour; and when he deliver'd it, by +pretending to turn his face from one side to the other, he would (in his +own expression) pick up the lines, and cheat his people by making them +believe he had it all by heart. He farther added, that whenever he +happened by neglect to omit any of these circumstances, the vogue of the +parish was, "Our doctor gave us but an indifferent sermon to-day." Now +among us, many clergymen act too directly contrary to this method, that +from a habit of saving time and paper, which they acquired at the +University, they write in so diminutive a manner, with such frequent +blots and interlineations, that they are hardly able to go on without +perpetual hesitations or extemporary expletives: And I desire to know +what can be more inexcusable, than to see a divine and a scholar, at a +loss in reading his own compositions, which it is supposed he has been +preparing with much pains and thought for the instruction of his people? +The want of a little more care in this article, is the cause of much +ungraceful behaviour. You will observe some clergymen with their heads +held down from the beginning to the end, within an inch of the cushion, +to read what is hardly legible; which, besides the untoward manner, +hinders them from making the best advantage of their voice: others again +have a trick of popping up and down every moment from their paper to the +audience, like an idle school-boy on a repetition day. + +[Footnote 6: "The custom of reading sermons," notes Scott, "seems +originally to have arisen in opposition to the practice of Dissenters, +many of whom affected to trust to their Inspiration in their _extempore_ +harangues." [T. S.] ] + +Let me entreat you, therefore, to add one half-crown a year to the +article of paper; to transcribe your sermons in as large and plain a +manner as you can, and either make no interlineations, or change the +whole leaf; for we your hearers would rather you should be less correct +than perpetually stammering, which I take to be one of the worst +solecisms in rhetoric: And lastly, read your sermon once or twice for a +few days before you preach it: to which you will probably answer some +years hence, "that it was but just finished when the last bell rang to +church:" and I shall readily believe, but not excuse you. + +I cannot forbear warning you in the most earnest manner against +endeavouring at wit in your sermons, because by the strictest +computation, it is very near a million to one that you have none; and +because too many of your calling have consequently made themselves +everlastingly ridiculous by attempting it. I remember several young men +in this town, who could never leave the pulpit under half a dozen +conceits; and this faculty adhered to those gentlemen a longer or +shorter time exactly in proportion to their several degrees of dulness: +accordingly, I am told that some of them retain it to this day. I +heartily wish the brood were at an end. + +Before you enter into the common insufferable cant of taking all +occasions to disparage the heathen philosophers, I hope you will differ +from some of your brethren, by first enquiring what those philosophers +can say for themselves. The system of morality to be gathered out of the +writings or sayings of those ancient sages, falls undoubtedly very short +of that delivered in the Gospel, and wants besides, the divine sanction +which our Saviour gave to His. Whatever is further related by the +evangelists, contains chiefly, matters of fact, and consequently of +faith, such as the birth of Christ, His being the Messiah, His Miracles, +His death, resurrection, and ascension. None of which can properly come +under the appellation of human wisdom, being intended only to make us +wise unto salvation. And therefore in this point nothing can justly be +laid to the charge of the philosophers further than that they were +ignorant of certain facts that happened long after their death. But I am +deceived, if a better comment could be anywhere collected, upon the +moral part of the Gospel, than from the writings of those excellent men; +even that divine precept of loving our enemies, is at large insisted on +by Plato, who puts it, as I remember, into the mouth of Socrates.[7] And +as to the reproach of heathenism, I doubt they had less of it than the +corrupted Jews in whose time they lived. For it is a gross piece of +ignorance among us to conceive that in those polite and learned ages, +even persons of any tolerable education, much less the wisest +philosophers did acknowledge or worship any more than one almighty +power, under several denominations, to whom they allowed all those +attributes we ascribe to the Divinity: and as I take it, human +comprehension reacheth no further: neither did our Saviour think it +necessary to explain to us the nature of God, because I suppose it would +be impossible without bestowing on us other faculties than we possess at +present. But the true misery of the heathen world appears to be what I +before mentioned, the want of a Divine Sanction, without which the +dictates of the philosophers failed in the point of authority, and +consequently the bulk of mankind lay indeed under a great load of +ignorance even in the article of morality, but the philosophers +themselves did not. Take the matter in this light, it will afford field +enough for a divine to enlarge on, by showing the advantages which the +Christian world has over the heathen, and the absolute necessity of +Divine Revelation, to make the knowledge of the true God, and the +practice of virtue more universal in the world. + +[Footnote 7: This is in the "Crito" of Plato, where Socrates says it is +wrong to do harm to our enemies. [T. S.] ] + +I am not ignorant how much I differ in this opinion from some ancient +fathers in the Church, who arguing against the heathens, made it a +principal topic to decry their philosophy as much as they could: which, +I hope, is not altogether our present case. Besides, it is to be +considered, that those fathers lived in the decline of literature; and +in my judgment (who should be unwilling to give the least offence) +appear to be rather most excellent, holy persons, than of transcendent +genius and learning. Their genuine writings (for many of them have +extremely suffered by spurious editions) are of admirable use for +confirming the truth of ancient doctrines and discipline, by shewing the +state and practice of the primitive church. But among such of them as +have fallen in my way, I do not remember any whose manner of arguing or +exhorting I could heartily recommend to the imitation of a young divine +when he is to speak from the pulpit. Perhaps I judge too hastily; there +being several of them in whose writings I have made very little +progress, and in others none at all. For I perused only such as were +recommended to me, at a time when I had more leisure and a better +disposition to read, than have since fallen to my share.[8] + +[Footnote 8: Swift must refer here to the years he spent at Moor Park, +in the house of Sir William Temple. The "Tale of a Tub," however, shows +that he had not idled his time, and that his acquaintance with the +writings of the fathers was fairly intimate. [T, S.] ] + +To return then to the heathen philosophers, I hope you will not only +give them quarter, but make their works a considerable part of your +study: To these I will venture to add the principal orators and +historians, and perhaps a few of the poets: by the reading of which, you +will soon discover your mind and thoughts to be enlarged, your +imagination extended and refined, your judgment directed, your +admiration lessened, and your fortitude increased; all which advantages +must needs be of excellent use to a divine, whose duty it is to preach +and practise the contempt of human things. + +I would say something concerning quotations, wherein I think you cannot +be too sparing, except from Scripture, and the primitive writers of the +Church. As to the former, when you offer a text as a proof of an +illustration, we your hearers expect to be fairly used, and sometimes +think we have reason to complain, especially of you younger divines, +which makes us fear that some of you conceive you have no more to do +than to turn over a concordance, and there having found the principal +word, introduce as much of the verse as will serve your turn, though in +reality it makes nothing for you. I do not altogether disapprove the +manner of interweaving texts of scripture through the style of your +sermons, wherein however, I have sometimes observed great instances of +indiscretion and impropriety, against which I therefore venture to give +you a caution. + +As to quotations from ancient fathers, I think they are best brought in +to confirm some opinion controverted by those who differ from us: in +other cases we give you full power to adopt the sentence for your own, +rather than tell us, "as St. Austin excellently observes." But to +mention modern writers by name, or use the phrase of "a late excellent +prelate of our Church," and the like, is altogether intolerable, and for +what reason I know not, makes every rational hearer ashamed. Of no +better a stamp is your "heathen philosopher" and "famous poet," and +"Roman historian," at least in common congregations, who will rather +believe you on your own word, than on that of Plato or Homer. + +I have lived to see Greek and Latin almost entirely driven out of the +pulpit, for which I am heartily glad. The frequent use of the latter was +certainly a remnant of Popery which never admitted Scripture in the +vulgar language; and I wonder, that practice was never accordingly +objected to us by the fanatics. + +The mention of quotations puts me in mind of commonplace books, which +have been long in use by industrious young divines, and I hear do still +continue so. I know they are very beneficial to lawyers and physicians, +because they are collections of facts or cases, whereupon a great part +of their several faculties depend; of these I have seen several, but +never yet any written by a clergyman; only from what I am informed, they +generally are extracts of theological and moral sentences drawn from +ecclesiastical and other authors, reduced under proper heads, usually +begun, and perhaps finished, while the collectors were young in the +church, as being intended for materials or nurseries to stock future +sermons. You will observe the wise editors of ancient authors, when they +meet a sentence worthy of being distinguished, take special care to have +the first word printed in capital letters, that you may not overlook it: +Such, for example, as the INCONSTANCY of FORTUNE, the GOODNESS of PEACE, +the EXCELLENCY of WISDOM, the CERTAINTY of DEATH: that PROSPERITY makes +men INSOLENT, and ADVERSITY HUMBLE; and the like eternal truths, which +every ploughman knows well enough before Aristotle or Plato were +born.[9] If theological commonplace books be no better filled, I think +they had better be laid aside, and I could wish that men of tolerable +intellectuals would rather trust their own natural reason, improved by a +general conversation with books, to enlarge on points which they are +supposed already to understand. If a rational man reads an excellent +author with just application, he shall find himself extremely improved, +and perhaps insensibly led to imitate that author's perfections, +although in a little time he should not remember one word in the book, +nor even the subject it handled: for books give the same turn to our +thoughts and way of reasoning, that good and ill company do to our +behaviour and conversation; without either loading our memories, or +making us even sensible of the change. And particularly I have observed +in preaching, that no men succeed better than those who trust entirely +to the stock or fund of their own reason, advanced indeed, but not +overlaid by commerce with books. Whoever only reads in order to +transcribe wise and shining remarks, without entering into the genius +and spirit of the author, as it is probable he will make no very +judicious extract, so he will be apt to trust to that collection in all +his compositions, and be misled out of the regular way of thinking, in +order to introduce those materials, which he has been at the pains to +gather and the product of all this will be found a manifest incoherent +piece of patchwork. + +[Footnote 9: Thus in first edition. Scott and Hawkesworth have: "though +he never heard of Aristotle or Plato." [T.S.]] + +Some gentlemen abounding in their university erudition, are apt to fill +their sermons with philosophical terms and notions of the metaphysical +or abstracted kind, which generally have one advantage, to be equally +understood by the wise, the vulgar, and the preacher himself. I have +been better entertained, and more informed by a chapter[10] in the +"Pilgrim's Progress," than by a long discourse upon the will and the +intellect, and simple or complex ideas. Others again, are fond of +dilating on matter and motion, talk of the fortuitous concourse of +atoms, of theories, and phenomena, directly against the advice of St +Paul, who yet appears to have been conversant enough in those kinds of +studies. + +[Footnote 10: Thus in first edition. Scott and Hawkesworth have "a few +pages" instead of "a chapter" [T. S ]] + +I do not find that you are anywhere directed in the canons or articles, +to attempt explaining the mysteries of the Christian religion. And +indeed since Providence intended there should be mysteries, I do not see +how it can be agreeable to piety, orthodoxy or good sense, to go about +such a work. For, to me there seems to be a manifest dilemma in the case +if you explain them, they are mysteries no longer, if you fail, you have +laboured to no purpose. What I should think most reasonable and safe for +you to do upon this occasion is, upon solemn days to deliver the +doctrine as the Church holds it, and confirm it by Scripture. For my +part, having considered the matter impartially, I can see no great +reason which those gentlemen you call the freethinkers can have for +their clamour against religious mysteries, since it is plain, they were +not invented by the clergy, to whom they bring no profit, nor acquire +any honour. For every clergyman is ready either to tell us the utmost he +knows, or to confess that he does not understand them; neither is it +strange that there should be mysteries in divinity as well as in the +commonest operations of nature. + +And here I am at a loss what to say upon the frequent custom of +preaching against atheism, deism, freethinking, and the like, as young +divines are particularly fond of doing especially when they exercise +their talent in churches frequented by persons of quality, which as it +is but an ill compliment to the audience; so I am under some doubt +whether it answers the end. + +Because persons under those imputations are generally no great +frequenters of churches, and so the congregation is but little edified +for the sake of three or four fools who are past grace. Neither do I +think it any part of prudence to perplex the minds of well-disposed +people with doubts, which probably would never have otherwise come into +their heads. But I am of opinion, and dare be positive in it, that not +one in an hundred of those who pretend to be freethinkers, are really so +in their hearts. For there is one observation which I never knew to +fail, and I desire you will examine it in the course of your life, that +no gentleman of a liberal education, and regular in his morals, did ever +profess himself a freethinker: where then are these kind of people to be +found? Among the worst part of the soldiery made up of pages, younger +brothers of obscure families, and others of desperate fortunes; or else +among idle town fops, and now and then a drunken 'squire of the country. +Therefore nothing can be plainer, than that ignorance and vice are two +ingredients absolutely necessary in the composition of those you +generally call freethinkers, who in propriety of speech, are no thinkers +at all. And since I am in the way of it, pray consider one thing +farther: as young as you are, you cannot but have already observed, what +a violent run there is among too many weak people against university +education. Be firmly assured, that the whole cry is made up by those who +were either never sent to a college; or through their irregularities and +stupidity never made the least improvement while they were there. I have +at least[11] forty of the latter sort now in my eye; several of them in +this town, whose learning, manners, temperance, probity, good-nature, +and politics, are all of a piece. Others of them in the country, +oppressing their tenants, tyrannizing over the neighbourhood, cheating +the vicar, talking nonsense, and getting drunk at the sessions. It is +from such seminaries as these, that the world is provided with the +several 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 course of +things, men always grow vicious before they become unbelievers; but if +you would once convince the town or country profligate, by topics drawn +from the view of their own quiet, reputation, health, and advantage, +their infidelity would soon drop off: This I confess is no easy task, +because it is almost in a literal sense, to fight with beasts. Now, to +make it clear, that we are to look for no other original of this +infidelity, whereof divines so much complain, it is allowed on all +hands, that the people of England are more corrupt in their morals than +any other nation at this day under the sun: and this corruption is +manifestly owing to other causes, both, numerous and obvious, much more +than to the publication of irreligious books, which indeed are but the +consequence of the former. For all the writers against Christianity +since the Revolution have been of the lowest rank among men in regard to +literature, wit, and good sense, and upon that account wholly +unqualified to propagate heresies, unless among a people already +abandoned. + +[Footnote 11: Scott and Hawkesworth print "above forty." [T. S.]] + +In an age where everything disliked by those who think with the majority +is called disaffection, it may perhaps be ill interpreted, when I +venture to tell you that this universal depravation of manners is owing +to the perpetual bandying of factions among us for thirty years past; +when without weighing the motives of justice, law, conscience, or +honour, every man adjusts his principles to those of the party he hath +chosen, and among whom he may best find his own account: But by reason +of our frequent vicissitudes, 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 system of administration. Add to this, that the +old fundamental custom of annual parliaments being wholly laid aside, +and elections growing chargeable, since gentlemen found that their +country seats brought them in less than a seat in the House, the voters, +that is to say, the bulk of the common people have been universally +seduced into bribery, perjury, drunkenness, malice, and slanders. + +Not to be further tedious, or rather invidious, these are a few among +other causes which have contributed to the ruin of our morals, and +consequently to the contempt of religion: For imagine to yourself, if +you please, a landed youth, whom his mother would never suffer to look +into a book for fear of spoiling his eyes, got into parliament, and +observing all enemies to the clergy heard with the utmost applause, 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 must +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 universal +corruption of morals, which many other causes first contributed to +introduce and to cultivate. And thus, Mr. Hobbes' saying upon reason may +be much more properly applied to religion: that, "if religion will be +against a man, a man will be against religion." Though after all, I have +heard a profligate offer much stronger arguments against paying his +debts, than ever he was known to do against Christianity; indeed the +reason was, because in that juncture he happened to be closer pressed by +the bailiff than the parson. + +Ignorance may perhaps be the mother of superstition; but experience hath +not proved it to be so of devotion: for Christianity always made the +most easy and quickest progress in civilized countries. I mention this +because it is affirmed that the clergy are in most credit where +ignorance prevails (and surely this kingdom would be called the paradise +of clergymen if that opinion were true) for which they instance England +in the times of Popery. But whoever knows anything of three or four +centuries before the Reformation, will find the little learning then +stirring was more equally divided between the English clergy and laity +than it is at present. There were several famous lawyers in that period, +whose writings are still in the highest repute, and some historians and +poets who were not of the Church.[12] Whereas now-a-days our education +is so corrupted, that you will hardly find a young person of quality +with the least tincture of knowledge, at the same time that many of the +clergy were never more learned, or so scurvily treated. Here among us, +at least, a man of letters out of the three professions, is almost a +prodigy. And those few who have preserved any rudiments of learning are +(except perhaps one or two smatterers) the clergy's friends to a man: +and I dare appeal to any clergyman in this kingdom, whether the greatest +dunce in the parish be not always the most proud, wicked, fraudulent, +and intractable of his flock. + +[Footnote 12: What Swift calls learning was, in his day, the property, +so to speak, of professional men, such as divines, lawyers, and +university teachers. The common man was too poor or too much taxed to +acquire it; the aristocrat often too lazy or too fond of +pleasure-seeking to bother about it. The Pre-Reformation days, to which +Swift refers, could boast such men as Fabyan, Hall, Chaucer, Gower, and +Caxton, as well as Lord Berners, Sir Thomas More, and Lydgate, who were +not, in any sense, professional men. [T.S.]] + +I think the clergy have almost given over perplexing themselves and +their hearers with abstruse points of Predestination, Election, and the +like; at least it is time they should; and therefore I shall not trouble +you further upon this head. + +I have now said all I could think convenient with relation to your +conduct in the pulpit: your behaviour in life[13] is another scene, upon +which I shall readily offer you my thoughts, if you appear to desire +them from me by your approbation of what I have here written; if not, I +have already troubled you too much. + +[Footnote 13: Scott and Hawkesworth print "your behaviour in the world." +The above is the reading of the first edition. [T. S.]] + + I am, Sir, + Your Affectionate + Friend and Servant + A.B. + + January 9th. + 1719-20. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +SOME ARGUMENTS AGAINST ENLARGING + +THE POWER OF BISHOPS IN + +LETTING OF LEASES. + + +NOTE. + +The years between that which saw the publication of the "Drapier +Letters," and that which rang with the fame of "Gulliver's Travels," +were busy fighting years for Swift. Apart from his vigorous championship +of the Test, and his war against the Dissenters, he espoused the cause +of the inferior clergy of his own Church, as against the bishops. The +business of filling the vacant sees of Ireland had degenerated into what +we should now call "jobbery"; and during the period of Sir Robert +Walpole's administration it was rarely that an Irishman was selected. On +any question, therefore, which affected the welfare of the lower clergy, +it will at once be seen, that the Lords Spiritual, sitting in the Irish +Upper House, would find little difficulty in coming to a solution. That +the solution should also be one which only increased the clergy's +difficulties, might be expected from a body which aimed chiefly at +acquiring wealth and power for itself. + +In the reign of Charles I. an act was passed, "prohibiting all bishops, +and other ecclesiastical corporations, from setting their lands for +above the term of twenty-one years: the rent reserved to be half the +real value of such lands at the time they were set." As Swift points +out, about the time of the Reformation, a trade was carried on by the +popish bishops, who felt that their terms of office would be short, and +who, consequently, to get what benefit they could while in office, "made +long leases and fee-farms of great part of their lands, reserving very +inconsiderable rents, sometimes only a chiefry." It was owing to a +continuance in this traffic by the bishops when they became Protestants, +and to a recognition of the injustice of such alienation, that the +legislature passed the act. In 1723, however, an attempt was made for +its repeal. Swift was not the man to permit the bishops to have their +way, if he could help it. His opinion of Irish bishops is well known. +"No blame," he said, "rested with the court for these appointments. +Excellent and moral men had been selected upon every occasion of +vacancy, but it unfortunately happened, that as these worthy divines +crossed Hounslow Heath, on their way to Ireland, to take possession of +their bishoprics, they have been regularly robbed and murdered by the +highwaymen frequenting that common, who seize upon their robes and +patents, come over to Ireland, and are consecrated bishops in their +stead." To prevent, therefore, the encroachments of such individuals he +wrote this tract, in which he clearly demonstrates the justice and +salutariness of Charles's act. His contention, as Monck Mason points out +("History of St. Patrick's Cathedral," p. 392, note 1) "is confirmed by +all writers upon the subject," and quotes from Carte's "Life of James, +Duke of Ormond," where it is stated that the bishoprics in Ireland had, +"the greatest part of them, been depauperated in the change of religion +by absolute grants and long leases (made generally by the popish bishops +that conformed)--some of them not able to maintain a bishop, several +were, by these means, reduced to £50 a year, as Waterford, Kilfenora, +and others, and some to five marks, as Cloyne and Kilmacduagh." To Swift +is largely due the fact that the House of Commons, when they received +the bill from the Lords, threw it out. + +Scott, in his note on this pamphlet (amended from one by Lord Orrery), +takes his usual course when considering Swift's attitude of opposition +--he implies a motive or prejudice. In his opinion, Swift considered the +bill for the repeal of Charles's act, "an indirect mode of gratifying +the existing bishops, whom he did not regard with peculiar respect or +complacency, at the expense of the Church establishment," and that, +therefore, "the spirit of his opposition is, in this instance, +peculiarly caustic." As a matter of fact, the spirit of Swift's +opposition was always peculiarly caustic, in this case no more so than +in any other. But to imply that his motive was a self gratifying one +only, is to treat Swift unfairly. If the bishops required an example as +to how they should deal with their lands, they could easily have found +one in Swift himself. In all the renewals of the leases of the Deanery +lands, Swift never sought his own immediate advantage, his terms were +based on the consideration that the lands were his only in trust for a +successor. To take one instance only, the instance of the parish of +Kilberry in county Kildare, cited by Monck Mason (p. 27, note h). In +1695 the rent of this parish was reserved at £100 English sterling, in +1717, Swift raised this rent to £150, in 1731 to £170, and in 1741 to +£200 per annum, with a proportionable loss of fine upon each occasion. + +The tract is dated October 21st, 1723, but as I have not come across a +copy of the original separate issue, I have based the text on that given +by Faulkner (vol. iv, 1735), and the title page here reproduced is from +that edition. The fifth volume of "Miscellanies," also issued in 1735, +contains this tract, and I have compared the texts of the two. The notes +given in Scott's edition are, in the main, altered from Faulkner's +edition. + +[T.S.] + + + SOME + ARGUMENTS + AGAINST ENLARGING the + POWER OF BISHOPS + In LETTING OF + LEASES. + WITH + REMARKS on some _Queries_ + lately published. + +_Mibi credite, major haereditas venit unicuique vestraem in iisdem bonis ae +jure & ae legibus, quam ab iis ae quibus illa ipsa bona relicta sunt._ + +Cicero _pro_ A. Caecina. + +Written in the Year 1723. + +Printed in the Year MDCCXXXIII. + + +In handling this subject, I shall proceed wholly upon the supposition, +that those of our party, who profess themselves members of the church +established, and under the apostolical government of bishops, do desire +the continuance and transmission of it to posterity, at least, in as +good a condition as it is at present. Because, as this discourse is not +calculated for dissenters of any kind; so neither will it suit the talk +or sentiments of those persons, who, with the denomination of churchmen, +are oppressors of the inferior clergy, and perpetually quarrelling at +the great incomes of the bishops; which is a traditional cant delivered +down from former times, and continued with great reason, although it be +now near 200 years since almost three parts in four of the church +revenues have been taken from the clergy: Besides the spoils that have +been gradually made ever since, of glebes and other lands, by the +confusion of times, the fraud of encroaching neighbours, or the power of +oppressors, too great to be encountered. + +About the time of the Reformation, many popish bishops of this kingdom, +knowing they must have been soon ejected, if they would not change their +religion, made long leases and fee-farms of great part of their lands, +reserving very inconsiderable rents, sometimes only a chiefry; by a +power they assumed, directly contrary to many ancient canons, yet +consistent enough with the common law. This trade held on for many years +after the bishops became Protestants; and some of their names are still +remembered with infamy, on account of enriching their families by such +sacrilegious alienations. By these means, episcopal revenues were so low +reduced, that three or four sees were often united to make a tolerable +competency. For some remedy to this evil, King James the First, by a +bounty that became a good Christian prince, bestowed several forfeited +lands on the northern bishoprics: But in all other parts of the kingdom, +the Church continued still in the same distress and poverty; some of the +sees hardly possessing enough to maintain a country vicar. About the +middle of King Charles the First's reign, the legislature here thought +fit to put a stop, at least, to any farther alienations; and so a law +was enacted, prohibiting all bishops, and other ecclesiastical +corporations, from setting their lands for above the term of twenty-one +years; the rent reserved to be one half of the real value of such lands +at the time they were set, without which condition the lease to be void. + +Soon after the restoration of King Charles the Second, the parliament +taking into consideration the miserable estate of the Church, certain +lands, by way of augmentation, were granted to eight bishops in the act +of settlement, and confirmed in the act of explanation; of which bounty, +as I remember, three sees were, in a great measure, defeated; but by +what accidents, it is not here of any importance to relate. + +This, at present, is the condition of the Church in Ireland, with regard +to Episcopal revenues: Which I have thus briefly (and, perhaps, +imperfectly) deduced for some information to those, whose thoughts do +not lead them to such considerations. + +By virtue of the statute, already mentioned, under King Charles the +First, limiting ecclesiastical bodies to the term of twenty-one years, +under the reserved rent of half real value, the bishops have had some +share in the gradual rise of lands, without which they could not have +been supported, with any common decency that might become their station. +It is above eighty years since the passing of that act: The see of +Meath, one of the best in the kingdom, was then worth about £400 _per +annum_; the poorer ones in the same proportion. If this were their +present condition, I cannot conceive how they would have been able to +pay for their patents, or buy their robes: But this will certainly be +the condition of their successors, if such a bill should pass, as they +say is now intended, which I will suppose, and believe, many persons, +who may give a vote for it, are not aware of. + +However, this is the act which is now attempted to be repealed, or, at +least, eluded; some are for giving bishops leave to let fee-farms; +others would allow them to let leases for lives; and the most moderate +would repeal that clause, by which the bishops are bound to let their +lands at half value. + +The reasons for the rise of value in lands, are of two kinds. Of the +first kind, are long peace and settlement after the devastations of war; +plantations, improvements of bad soil, recovery of bogs and marshes, +advancement of trade and manufactures, increase of inhabitants, +encouragement of agriculture, and the like. + +But there is another reason for the rise of land, more gradual, constant +and certain; which will have its effects in countries that are very far +from flourishing in any of the advantages I have just mentioned: I mean +_the perpetual decrease in the value of gold and silver_. I shall +discourse upon these two different kinds, with a view towards the bill +now attempted. + +As to the first: I cannot see how this kingdom is at any height of +improvement, while four parts in five of the plantations for 30 years +past, have been real disimprovements; nine in ten of the quick-set +hedges being ruined for want of care or skill. And as to forest trees, +they being often taken out of woods, and planted in single rows on the +tops of ditches, it is impossible they should grow to be of use, beauty, +or shelter. Neither can it be said, that the soil of Ireland is improved +to its full height, while so much lies all winter under water, and the +bogs made almost desperate by the ill cutting of the turf. There hath, +indeed, been some little improvement in the manufactures of linen and +woollen, although very short of perfection: But our trade was never in +so low a condition: And as to agriculture, of which all wise nations +have been so tender, the desolation made in the country by engrossing +graziers, and the great yearly importation of corn from England, are +lamentable instances under what discouragement it lies. + +But, notwithstanding all these mortifications, I suppose there is no +well-wisher to his country, without a little hope, that in time the +kingdom may be on a better foot in some of the articles above mentioned. +But it would be hard, if ecclesiastical bodies should be the only +persons excluded from any share in public advantages; which yet can +never happen, without a greater share of profit to their tenants: If God +"sends rain equally upon the just and the unjust;" why should those who +wait at His altars, and are instructors of the people, be cut off from +partaking in the general benefits of law, or of nature? + +But, as this way of reasoning may seem to bear a more favourable eye +to the clergy, than perhaps will suit with the present disposition, or +fashion of the age; I shall, therefore, dwell more largely upon the +second reason for the rise of land, which is the perpetual decrease of +the value of gold and silver. + +This may be observed from the course of the Roman history, above two +thousand years before those inexhaustible silver mines of Potosi were +known. The value of an obolus, and of every other coin between the time +of Romulus and that of Augustus, gradually sunk about five parts in six, +as appears by several passages out of the best authors. And yet, the +prodigious wealth of that state did not arise from the increase of +bullion in the world, by the discovery of new mines, but from a much +more accidental cause, which was, the spreading of their conquests, and +thereby importing into Rome and Italy, the riches of the east and west. + +When the seat of empire was removed to Constantinople, the tide of money +flowed that way, without ever returning; and was scattered in Asia. But +when that mighty empire was overthrown by the northern people, such a +stop was put to all trade and commerce, that vast sums of money were +buried, to escape the plundering of the conquerors; and what remained +was carried off by those ravagers. + +It were no difficult matter to compute the value of money in England, +during the Saxon reigns; but the monkish and other writers since the +Conquest, have put that matter in a clearer light, by the several +accounts they have given us of the value of corn and cattle, in years of +dearth and plenty. Every one knows, that King John's whole portion, +before he came to the crown, was but five thousand pounds, without a +foot of land. + +I have likewise seen the steward's accounts, of an ancient noble family +in England, written in Latin, between three and four hundred years ago, +with the several prices of wine and victuals, to confirm my +observations. + +I have been at the trouble of computing (as others have done) the +different values of money for about four hundred years past. Henry Duke +of Lancaster, who lived about that period, founded an hospital in +Leicester, for a certain number of old men; charging his lands with a +groat a week to each for their maintenance, which is to this day duly +paid them. In those times, a penny was equal to ten-pence half-penny, +and somewhat more than half a farthing in ours; which makes about eight +ninths' difference. + +This is plain also, from the old custom upon many estates in England, to +let for leases of lives, (renewable at pleasure) where the reserved rent +is usually about twelve-pence a pound, which then was near the half real +value: And although the fines be not fixed, yet the landlord gets +altogether not above three shillings in the pound of the worth of his +land: And the tenants are so wedded to this custom, that if the owner +suffer three lives to expire, none of them will take a lease on other +conditions; or, if he brings in a foreigner who will agree to pay a +reasonable rent, the other tenants, by all manner of injuries, will make +that foreigner so uneasy, that he must be forced to quit the farm; as +the late Earl of Bath felt, by the experience of above ten thousand +pounds loss. + +The gradual decrease for about two hundred years after, was not +considerable, and therefore I do not rely on the account given by some +historians, that Harry the Seventh left behind him eighteen hundred +thousand pounds; for although the West Indies were discovered before his +death, and although he had the best talents and instruments for exacting +of money, ever possessed by any prince since the time of Vespasian, +(whom he resembled in many particulars); yet I conceive, that in his +days the whole coin of England could hardly amount to such a sum. For in +the reign of Philip and Mary, Sir Thomas Cokayne of Derbyshire, [1] the +best housekeeper of his quality in the county, allowed his lady fifty +pounds a year for maintaining the family, one pound a year wages to each +servant, and two pounds to the steward; as I was told by a person of +quality who had seen the original account of his economy. Now this sum +of fifty pound, added to the advantages of a large domain, might be +equal to about five hundred pounds a year at present, or somewhat more +than four-fifths. + +[Footnote 1: Sir Thomas Cokayne (1519?-1592), known as "a professed +hunter and not a scholler." He was the eldest son of Francis Cokayne, or +Cockaine, of Ashbourne, Derbyshire. One of his sons, Edward, was the +father of Thomas Cokayne, the lexicographer. Sir Thomas, in 1591, +published "A Short Treatise of Hunting, compyled for the Delight of +Noblemen and Gentlemen." [T. S.]] + +The great plenty of silver in England began in Queen Elizabeth's reign, +when Drake, and others, took vast quantities of coin and bullion from +the Spaniards, either upon their own American coasts, or in their return +to Spain. However, so much hath been imported annually from that time to +this, that the value of money in England, and most parts of Europe, is +sunk above one half within the space of an hundred years, +notwithstanding the great export of silver for about eighty years past, +to the East Indies, from whence it never returns. But gold being not +liable to the same accident, and by new discoveries growing every day +more plentiful, seems in danger of becoming a drug. + +This hath been the progress of the value of money in former ages, and +must of necessity continue so for the future, without some new invasion +of Goths and Vandals to destroy law, property and religion, alter the +very face of nature; and turn the world upside down. + +I must repeat, that what I am to say upon this subject, is intended only +for the conviction of those among our own party, who are true lovers of +the Church, and would be glad it should continue in a tolerable degree +of prosperity to the end of the world. + +The Church is supposed to last for ever, both in its discipline and +doctrine; which is a privilege common to every petty corporation, who +must likewise observe the laws of their foundation. If a gentleman's +estate which now yields him a thousand pounds a year, had been set for +ever at the highest value, even in the flourishing days of King Charles +the Second, would it now amount to above four or five hundred at most? +What if this had happened two or three hundred years ago; would the +reserved rent at this day be any more than a small chiefry? Suppose the +revenues of a bishop to have been under the same circumstances; could he +now be able to perform works of hospitality and charity? Thus, if the +revenues of a bishop be limited to a thousand pounds a year; how will +his successor be in a condition to support his station with decency, +when the same denomination of money shall not answer an half, a quarter, +or an eighth part of that sum? Which must unavoidably be the consequence +of any bill to elude the limiting act, whereby the Church was preserved +from utter ruin. + +The same reason holds good in all corporations whatsoever, who cannot +follow a more pernicious practice than that of granting perpetuities, +for which many of them smart to this day; although the leaders among +them are often so stupid as not to perceive it, or sometimes so knavish +as to find their private account in cheating the community. + +Several colleges in Oxford, were aware of this growing evil about an +hundred years ago; and, instead of limiting their rents to a certain sum +of money, prevailed with their tenants to pay the price of so many +barrels of corn, to be valued as the market went, at two seasons (as I +remember) in the year. For a barrel of corn is of a real intrinsic +value, which gold and silver are not: And by this invention, these +colleges have preserved a tolerable subsistence, for their fellows and +students, to this day. + +The present bishops will, indeed be no sufferers by such a bill; +because, their ages considered, they cannot expect to see any great +decrease in the value of money; or, at worst, they can make it up in the +fines, which will probably be greater than usual, upon the change of +leases into fee-farms, or lives; or without the power of obliging their +tenants to a real half value. And, as I cannot well blame them for +taking such advantages, (considering the nature of human kind) when the +question is only, whether the money shall be put into their own or +another man's pocket: So they will be never excusable before God or man, +if they do not to the death oppose, declare, and protest against any +such bill, as must in its consequences complete the ruin of the Church, +and of their own order in this kingdom. + +If the fortune of a private person be diminished by the weakness, or +inadvertency of his ancestors, in letting leases for ever at low rents, +the world lies open to his industry for purchasing of more; but the +Church is barred by a _dead hand_; or if it were otherwise, yet the +custom of making bequests to it, hath been out of practice for almost +two hundred years, and a great deal directly contrary hath been its +fortune. + +I have been assured by a person of some consequence, to whom I am +likewise obliged for the account of some other facts already related, +that the late Bishop of Salisbury,[2] (the greatest Whig of that bench +in his days) confessed to him, that the liberty which bishops in England +have of letting leases for lives, would, in his opinion, be one day the +ruin of Episcopacy there; and thought the Church in this kingdom happy +by the limitation act. + +[Footnote 2: Dr. Barnet.] + +And have we not already found the effect of this different proceeding in +both kingdoms? Have not two English prelates quitted their peerage and +seats in Parliament, in a nation of freedom, for the sake of a more +ample revenue, even in this unhappy kingdom, rather than lie under the +mortification of living below their dignity at home? For which, however, +they cannot be justly censured. I know indeed, some persons, who offer, +as an argument for repealing the limiting bill, that it may in future +ages prevent the practice of providing this kingdom with bishops from +England, when the only temptation will be removed. And they allege, +that, as things have gone for some years past, gentlemen will grow +discouraged from sending their sons to the university, and from +suffering them to enter into holy orders, when they are likely to +languish under a curacy, or small vicarage, to the end of their lives: +But this is all a vain imagination; for the decrease in the value of +money will equally affect both kingdoms: And besides, when bishoprics +here grow too small to invite over men of credit and consequence, they +will be left more fully to the disposal of a chief governor, who can +never fail of some worthless illiterate chaplain, fond of a title and +precedence. Thus will that whole bench, in an age or two, be composed of +mean, ignorant, fawning gownmen, humble suppliants and dependants upon +the court for a morsel of bread, and ready to serve every turn that +shall be demanded from them, in hopes of getting some _commendam_ tacked +to their sees; which must then be the trade, as it is now too much in +England, to the great discouragement of the inferior clergy. Neither is +that practice without example among us. + +It is now about eighty-five years since the passing of that limiting +act, and there is but one instance, in the memory of man, of a bishop's +lease broken upon the plea of not being statutable; which, in +everybody's opinion, could have been lost by no other person than he who +was then tenant, and happened to be very ungracious in his county. In +the present Bishop of Meath's[3] case, that plea did not avail, although +the lease were notoriously unstatutable; the rent reserved, being, as I +have been told, not a seventh part of the real value; yet the jury, upon +their oaths, very gravely found it to be according to the statute; and +one of them was heard to say, That he would _eat his shoes_ before he +would give a verdict for the bishop. A very few more have made the same +attempt with as little success. Every bishop, and other ecclesiastical +body, reckon forty pounds in an hundred to be a reasonable half value; +or if it be only a third part, it seldom, or never, breeds any +difference between landlord and tenant. But when the rent is from five +to nine or ten parts less than the worth; the bishop, if he consults the +good of his see, will be apt to expostulate; and the tenant, if he be an +honest man, will have some regard to the reasonableness and justice of +the demand, so as to yield to a moderate advancement, rather than engage +in a suit, where law and equity are directly against him. By these +means, the bishops have been so true to their trusts, as to procure some +small share in the advancement of rents; although it be notorious that +they do not receive the third penny (fines included) of the real value +of their lands throughout the kingdom. + +[Footnote 3: Dr. Evans, a Welchman. [Faulkner, 1735.]] + +I was never able to imagine what inconvenience could accrue to the +public, by one or two thousand pounds a year, in the hands of a +Protestant bishop, any more than of a lay person.[4] The former, +generally speaking, liveth as piously and hospitably as the other; pays +his debts as honestly, and spends as much of his revenue among his +tenants: Besides, if they be his immediate tenants, you may distinguish +them, at first sight, by their habits and horses; or if you go to their +houses, by their comfortable way of living. But the misfortune is, that +such immediate tenants, generally speaking, have others under them, and +so a third and fourth in subordination, till it comes to the welder (as +they call him) who sits at a rack-rent, and lives as miserably as an +Irish farmer upon a new lease from a lay landlord. But suppose a bishop +happens to be avaricious, (as being composed of the same stuff with +other men) the consequence to the public is no worse than if he were a +squire; for he leaves his fortune to his son, or near relation, who, if +he be rich enough, will never think of entering into the Church. + +[Footnote 4: This part of the paragraph is to be applied to the period +when the whole was written, which was in 1723, when several of Queen +Anne's bishops were living. [Note in edition of 1761, as amended from +the edition of 1735. T.S.]] + +And, as there can be no disadvantage to the public, in a Protestant +country, that a man should hold lands as a bishop, any more than if he +were a temporal person; so it is of great advantage to the community, +where a bishop lives as he ought to do. He is bound, in conscience, to +reside in his diocese, and, by a solemn promise, to keep hospitality; +his estate is spent in the kingdom, not remitted to England; he keeps +the clergy to their duty, and is an example of virtue both to them and +the people. Suppose him an ill man; yet his very character will withhold +him from any great or open exorbitancies. But, in fact, it must be +allowed, that some bishops of this kingdom, within twenty years past, +have done very signal and lasting acts of public charity; great +instances whereof, are the late[5] and present[6] Primate, the Lord +Archbishop of Dublin[7] that now is, who hath left memorials of his +bounty in many parts of his province. I might add, the Bishop of +Raphoe,[8] and several others: Not forgetting the late Dean of Down, Dr. +Pratt, who bestowed one thousand pounds upon the university: Which +foundation, (that I may observe by the way) if the bill proposed should +pass, would be in the same circumstances with the bishops, nor ever able +again to advance the stipends of the fellows and students, as lately +they found it necessary to do; the determinate sum appointed by the +statute for commons, being not half sufficient, by the fall of money, to +afford necessary sustenance. But the passing of such a bill must put an +end to all ecclesiastical beneficence for the time to come; and whether +this will be supplied by those who are to reap the benefit, better than +it hath been done by the grantees of impropriate tithes, who received +them upon the old church conditions of keeping hospitality; it will be +easy to conjecture. + +[Footnote 5: Dr. Marsh.] + +[Footnote 6: Dr. Lindsay.] + +[Footnote 7: Dr. King.] + +[Footnote 8: Dr. Forster.] + +To allege, that passing such a bill would be a good encouragement to +improve bishops' lands, is a great error. Is it not the general method +of landlords, to wait the expiration of a lease, and then cant[9] their +lands to the highest bidder? And what should hinder the same course to +be taken in church leases, when the limitation is removed of paying half +the real value to the bishop? In riding through the country, how few +improvements do we see upon the estates of laymen, farther than about +their own domains? To say the truth, it is a great misfortune as well to +the public as to the bishops themselves, that their lands are generally +let to lords and great squires, who, in reason, were never designed to +be tenants; and therefore may naturally murmur at the payment of rent, +as a subserviency they were not born to. If the tenants to the Church +were honest farmers, they would pay their fines and rents with +cheerfulness, improve their lands, and thank God they were to give but a +moderate half value for what they held. I have heard a man of a thousand +pounds a year, talk with great contempt of bishops' leases, as being on +a worse foot than the rest of his estate; and he had certainly reason: +My answer was, that such leases were originally intended only for the +benefit of industrious husbandmen, who would think it a great blessing +to be so provided for, instead of having his farm screwed up to the +height, not eating one comfortable meal in a year, nor able to find +shoes for his children. + +[Footnote 9: To cant means to call for bidders at an auction sale. +Probably derived from the O. French _cant = quantum_ = how much. [T.S.]] + +I know not any advantage that can accrue by such a bill, except the +preventing of perjury in jurymen, and false dealing in tenants; which is +a remedy like that of giving my money to an highwayman, before he +attempts to take it by force; and so I shall be sure to prevent the sin +of robbery. + +I had wrote thus far, and thought to have put an end; when a bookseller +sent me a small pamphlet, entitled, "The Case of the Laity, with some +Queries;" full of the strongest malice against the clergy, that I have +anywhere met with since the reign of Toland, and others of that tribe. +These kinds of advocates do infinite mischief to OUR GOOD CAUSE, by +giving grounds to the unjust reproaches of TORIES and JACOBITES, who +charge us with being enemies to the Church. If I bear an hearty +unfeigned loyalty to his Majesty King George, and the House of Hanover, +not shaken in the least by the hardships we lie under, which never can +be imputable to so gracious a prince: If I sincerely abjure the +Pretender, and all Popish successors; if I bear a due veneration to the +glorious memory of the late King William, who preserved these kingdoms +from Popery and slavery, with the expense of his blood, and hazard of +his life: And lastly, if I am for a proper indulgence to all dissenters; +I think nothing more can be reasonably demanded of me as a WHIG, and +that my political catechism is full and complete. But whoever, under the +shelter of that party denomination, and of many great professions of +loyalty, would destroy, or undermine, or injure the Church established; +I utterly disown him, and think he ought to choose another name of +distinction for himself, and his adherents. I came into the cause upon +other principles, which, by the grace of God, I mean to preserve as long +as I live. Shall we justify the accusations of our adversaries? _Hoc +Ithacus velit_--The Tories and Jacobites will behold us with a malicious +pleasure, determined upon the ruin of our friends: For is not the +present set of bishops almost entirely of that number, as well as a +great majority of the principal clergy? And a short time will reduce the +whole, by vacancies upon death. + +An impartial reader, if he pleases to examine what I have already said, +will easily answer the bold "Queries" in the pamphlet I mentioned: He +will be convinced, that "the reason still strongly exists, for which" +that limiting law was enacted. A reasonable man will wonder, where can +be the insufferable grievance, that an ecclesiastical landlord should +expect a moderate, or third part value in rent for his lands, when his +title is, _at least_, as ancient and as legal as that of a layman; who +is yet but seldom guilty of giving such beneficial bargains. Has "the +nation been thrown into confusion"? And have "many poor families been +ruined" by rack-rents paid for the lands of the church? Does "the nation +cry out" to have a law that must, in time, send their bishops a-begging? +But, God be thanked, the clamour of enemies to the Church is not yet the +cry, and, I hope, will never prove the voice of the nation. The clergy, +I conceive, will hardly allow that "the people maintain them," any more +than in the sense, that all landlords whatsoever are maintained by the +people. Such assertions as these, and the insinuations they carry along +with them, proceed from principles which cannot be avowed by those who +are for preserving the happy constitution in Church and State. Whoever +were the proposers of such "queries," it might have provoked a bold +writer to retaliate, perhaps with more justice than prudence, by shewing +at whose door the grievance lies, and that the bishops, _at least_, are +not to answer for the poverty of tenants. + +To gratify this great reformer, who enlarges the episcopal rent-roll +almost one half; let me suppose that all the Church lands in the kingdom +were thrown up to the laity; would the tenants, in such a case, sit +easier in their rents than they do now? Or, would the money be equally +spent in the kingdom? No: The farmer would be screwed up to the utmost +penny, by the agents and stewards of absentees, and the revenues +employed in making a figure at London; to which city a full third part +of the whole income of Ireland is annually returned, to answer that +single article of maintenance for Irish landlords. + +Another of his quarrels is against pluralities and non-residence: As to +the former, it is a word of ill name, but not well understood. The +clergy having been stripped of the greatest part of their revenues, the +glebes being generally lost, the tithes in the hands of laymen, the +churches demolished, and the country depopulated; in order to preserve a +face of Christianity, it was necessary to unite small vicarages, +sufficient to make a tolerable maintenance for a minister. The profit of +ten or a dozen of these unions, do seldom amount to above eighty or an +hundred pounds a year: If there be a very few dignitaries, whose +preferments are, perhaps, more liable to this accusation, it is to be +supposed, they may be favourites of the time, or persons of superior +merit, for whom there hath ever been some indulgence in all governments. + +As to non-residence, I believe there is no Christian country upon earth, +where the clergy have less to answer for upon that article. I am +confident there are not ten clergymen in the kingdom, who, properly +speaking, can be termed non-residents: For surely, we are not to reckon +in that number, those who, for want of glebes, are forced to retire to +the nearest neighbouring village for a cabin to put their heads in; the +leading man of the parish, when he makes the greatest clamour, being +least disposed to accommodate the minister with an acre of ground. And, +indeed, considering the difficulties the clergy lie under upon this +head, it hath been frequent matter of wonder to me, how they are able to +perform that part of their duty as well as they do. + +There is a noble author,[10] who hath lately addressed to the House of +Commons, an excellent discourse for the "Encouragement of Agriculture"; +full of most useful hints, which, I hope, that honourable assembly will +consider as they deserve. I am not a stranger to his lordship; and, +excepting in what relates to the Church, there are few persons with +whose opinions I am better pleased to agree; and am, therefore, grieved +when I find him charging the inconveniencies in the payment of tithes +upon the clergy and their proctors. His lordship is above considering a +very known and vulgar truth, that the meanest farmer hath all manner of +advantages against the most powerful clergyman, by whom it is impossible +he can be wronged, although the minister were ever so evil disposed; the +whole system of teasing, perplexing, and defrauding the proctor, or his +master, being as well known to every ploughman, as the reaping or sowing +of his corn, and much more artfully practised. Besides, the leading man +in the parish must have his tithes at his own rate, which is hardly ever +above one quarter of the value. And I have heard it computed by many +skilful observers, whose interest was not concerned, that the clergy did +not receive, throughout the kingdom, one half of what the laws have made +their due. + +[Footnote 10: The late Lord Molesworth.] + +As to his lordship's discontent against the Bishops' Courts, I shall not +interpose further than in venturing my private opinion, that the clergy +would be very glad to recover their just dues by a more short, decisive, +and compulsive method, than such a cramped and limited jurisdiction will +allow. + +His lordship is not the only person disposed to give the clergy the +honour of being the _sole_ encouragers of all new improvements. If hops, +hemp, flax, and twenty things more are to be planted, the clergy, +_alone_, must reward the industrious farmer, by abatement of the tithe. +What if the owner of nine parts in ten would please to abate +proportionably in his rent, for every acre thus improved? Would not a +man just dropped from the clouds, upon a full hearing, judge the demand +to be, at least, as reasonable? + +I believe no man will dispute his lordship's title to his estate; nor +will I the _jus divinum_ of tithes, which he mentions with some emotion. +I suppose the affirmative would be of little advantage to the clergy, +for the same reason that a maxim in law hath more weight in the world +than an article of faith. And yet, I think there may be such a thing as +sacrilege; because it is frequently mentioned by Greek and Roman +authors, as well as described in Holy Writ. This I am sure of; that his +lordship would, at any time, excuse a parliament for not concerning +itself in his properties, without his own consent. + +The observations I have made upon his lordship's discourse, have not, I +confess, been altogether proper to my subject: However, since he hath +been pleased therein to offer some proposals to the House of Commons, +with relation to the clergy, I hope he will excuse me for differing from +him; which proceeds from his own principle, the desire of defending +liberty and property, that he hath so strenuously and constantly +maintained. + +But the other writer openly declares for a law, empowering the bishops +to set fee-farms; and says, "Whoever intimates that they will deny their +consent to such a reasonable law, which the whole nation cries for, are +enemies to them and the Church." Whether this be his real opinion, or +only a strain of mirth and irony, the matter is not much. However, my +sentiments are so directly contrary to his; that I think, whoever +impartially reads and considers what I have written upon this argument, +hath either no regard for the Church established under the hierarchy of +bishops, or will never consent to any law that shall repeal, or elude +the limiting clause, relating to the real half value, contained in the +act of parliament _decimo Caroli_, "For the preservation of the +inheritance, rights and profits of lands belonging to the Church, and +persons ecclesiastical"; which was grounded upon reasons that do still, +and must for ever subsist. + +October 21, 1723. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +[REASONS HUMBLY OFFERED] + +TO HIS GRACE + +WILLIAM, LORD ARCHBISHOP OF + +DUBLIN, &c. + +THE HUMBLE REPRESENTATION OF THE CLERGY + +OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN. + + +NOTE. + +Scott's text has been collated with that given in volume eight of the +quarto edition of Swift's Works (1765). In that edition the title is +given as: "The Representation of the Clergy of Dublin," &c. + +[T.S.] + + + [REASONS HUMBLY OFFERED] TO HIS + GRACE WILLIAM, LORD ARCHBISHOP + OF DUBLIN, &c.[1] + THE HUMBLE REPRESENTATION OF THE CLERGY + OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN. + +[Footnote 1: William King, D.D. (1650-1729), Archbishop of Dublin, was +born in Antrim, and educated at a school at Dungannon and Trinity +College, Dublin. He was installed Dean of St. Patrick's in 1688-9 +(February 1st). For his open espousal of the Prince of Orange, he was +confined to the Castle, and suffered many indignities. In 1690-1 +(January 9th) he was promoted to the see of Derry. His conduct through +life was that of an ardent Irish Protestant patriot. He fought against +Sectarianism, Roman Catholicism, and the interference of the English +Parliament in Irish affairs. He opposed the Toleration Bill, and +protested against the act confirming the Articles of Limerick. His +relationship with Swift became close when he sent the vicar of Laracor +to London, to obtain for the Irish clergy the restoration of the +first-fruits and twentieth parts; but it was a relationship never +cemented by feelings warmer than those of esteem. King acknowledged the +ability of Swift, but found him ambitious and overbearingly proud. +Throughout life he remained a consistent High Churchman, and a strenuous +supporter of the rights of the Church in Ireland, but his attempt, in +1727, to interfere with the affairs of the Deanery of St. Patrick's, +brought down upon him Swift's wrath, and an open quarrel ensued which +was partly softened by the Archbishop retiring from the matter and +tacitly acknowledging Swift's right. + +King's chief published work is his treatise "De Origine Mali," published +in 1702, and received with respectful consideration by the eminent +thinkers of the day. He wrote other minor works, but none of any +distinguished merit. He succeeded Narcissus Marsh as Archbishop of +Dublin in 1702-3 (March 11th). Swift's letters to King during the +former's embassy on the matter of first-fruits, make a most interesting +chapter in the six volumes which Scott devotes to Swift's +correspondence. T. S.] + +Jan. 1724. + +MY LORD, + +Your Grace having been pleased to communicate to us a certain brief, by +letters patents, for the relief of one Charles M'Carthy, whose house in +College-Green, Dublin, was burnt by an accidental fire; and having +desired us to consider of the said brief, and give our opinions thereof +to your Grace; + +We the Clergy of the city of Dublin, in compliance with your Grace's +desire, and with great acknowledgments for your paternal tenderness +towards us, having maturely considered the said brief by letters +patents, compared the several parts of it with what is enjoined us by +the rubric, (which is confirmed by act of parliament) and consulted +persons skilled in the laws of the Church; do, in the names of ourselves +and of the rest of our brethren, the Clergy of the diocese of Dublin, +most humbly represent to your Grace: + +First, That, by this brief, your Grace is required and commanded, to +recommend and command all the parsons, vicars, &c., to advance so great +an act of charity. + +We shall not presume to determine how far your Grace may be commanded by +the said brief; but we humbly conceive that the Clergy of your diocese +cannot, by any law now in being, be commanded by your Grace to advance +the said act of charity, any other ways than by reading the said brief +in our several churches, as prescribed by the rubric. + +Secondly, Whereas it is said in the said brief, "That the parsons, +vicars, &c. upon the first Lord's day, or opportunity after the receipt +of the copy of the said brief, shall, deliberately and affectionately, +publish and declare the tenor thereof to His Majesty's subjects, and +earnestly persuade, exhort, and stir them up to contribute freely and +cheerfully towards the relief of the said sufferer;" + +We do not comprehend what is meant by the word _opportunity_. We never +do preach upon any day except the Lord's day, or some solemn days +legally appointed; neither is it possible for the strongest constitution +among us to obey this command (which includes no less than a whole +sermon) upon any other opportunity than when our people are met together +in the church; and to perform this work in every house where the +parishes are very populous, consisting sometimes here in town of 900 or +1,000 houses, would take up the space of a year, although we should +preach in two families every day; and almost as much time in the +country, where the parishes are of large extent, the roads bad, and the +people too poor to receive us, and give charity at once. + +But, if it be meant that these exhortations are commanded to be made in +the church, upon the Lord's day, we are humbly of opinion, that it is +left to the discretion of the clergy, to choose what subjects they think +most proper to preach on, and at what times; and, if they preach either +false doctrine or seditious principles, they are liable to be punished. + +It may possibly happen that the sufferer recommended may be a person not +deserving the favour intended by the brief; in which case no minister, +who knows the sufferer to be an undeserving person, can with a safe +conscience, deliberately and affectionately publish the brief, much less +earnestly persuade, exhort, and stir up the people to contribute freely +and cheerfully towards the relief of such a sufferer.[2] + +[Footnote 2: This M'Carthy's house was burnt in the month of August +1723, and the universal opinion of mankind was, that M'Carthy himself +was the person who had set fire to the house. [Note in edition of +Swift's Works, vol. viii., 1765, 4to.]] + +Thirdly, Whereas in the said brief the ministers and curates are +required, "on the week-days next after the Lord's day when the brief was +read, to go from house to house, with their church-wardens, to ask and +receive from all persons the said charity:" We cannot but observe here, +that the said ministers are directly made collectors of the said charity +in conjunction with the church-wardens; which however, we presume, was +not intended, as being against all law and precedent: And therefore, we +apprehend, there may be some inconsistency, which leaves us at a loss +how to proceed. For, in the next paragraph, the ministers and curates +are only required, where they conveniently can, to accompany the +church-wardens, or procure some other of the chief inhabitants, to do +the same. And, in a following paragraph, the whole work seems left +entirely to the church-wardens, who are required to use their utmost +diligence to gather and collect the said charity, and to pay the same, +in ten days after, to the parson, vicar, &c. + +In answer to this, we do represent to your Grace our humble opinion, +that neither we nor our church-wardens can be legally commanded or +required to go from house to house to receive the said charity; because +your Grace hath informed us in your order, at your visitation An. Dom. +1712, that neither we nor our church-wardens are bound to make any +collections for the poor, save in the church; which also appears plainly +by the rubric, that appoints both time and place, as your Grace hath +observed in your said order. + +We do likewise assure your Grace, that it is not in our power to procure +some of the chief inhabitants of our parishes to accompany the +church-wardens from house to house in these collections: And we have +reason to believe, that such a proposal, made to our chief inhabitants +(particularly in this city, where our chief inhabitants are often peers +of the land) would be received in a manner very little to our own +satisfaction, or to the advantage of the said collections. + +Fourthly, The brief doth will, require, and command the bishops, and all +other dignitaries of the Church, that they make their contributions +distinctly, to be returned in the several provinces to the several +archbishops of the same. + +Upon which we take leave to observe that the terms of expression here +are of the strongest kind, and in a point that may subject the said +dignitaries (for we shall say nothing of the bishops) to great +inconveniencies. + +The said dignitaries are here willed, required, and commanded to make +their contributions distinctly; by which it should seem that they are +absolutely commanded to make contributions (for the word _distinctly_ is +but a circumstance), and may be understood not very agreeable to a +voluntary, cheerful contribution. And therefore, if any bishop or +dignitary should refuse to make his contribution, (perhaps for very good +reasons) he may be thought to incur the crime of disobedience to His +Majesty, which all good subjects abhor, when such a command is according +to law. + +Most dignities of this kingdom consist only of parochial tithes, and the +dignitaries are ministers of parishes. A doubt may therefore arise, +whether the said dignitaries are willed, required, and commanded, to +make their contributions in both capacities, distinctly as dignitaries, +and jointly as parsons or vicars. + +Many dignities in this kingdom are the poorest kind of benefices; and it +should seem hard to put poor dignitaries under the necessity either of +making greater contributions than they can afford, or of exposing +themselves to the censure of wanting charity, by making their +contributions public. + +Our Saviour commands us, in works of charity, to "let not our left hand +know what our right hand doeth;" which cannot well consist with our +being willed, required, and commanded by any earthly power, where no law +is prescribed, to publish our charity to the world, if we have a mind to +conceal it. + +Fifthly, Whereas it is said in the said brief, "That the parson, vicar, +&c. of every parish, shall, in six days after the receipt of the said +charity, return it to his respective chancellor, &c." This may be a +great grievance, hazard, and expense to the said parson, in remote and +desolate parts of the country, where often an honest messenger (if such +a one can be got) must be hired to travel forty or fifty miles going and +coming; which will probably cost more than the value of the contribution +he carries with him. And this charge, if briefs should happen to be +frequent, would be enough to undo many a poor clergyman in the kingdom. + +Sixthly, We observe in the said brief, that the provost and fellows of +the University, judges, officers of the courts, and professors of laws +common and civil, are neither willed, required, nor commanded to make +their contributions; but that so good a work is only recommended to +them. Whereas we conceive, that all His Majesty's subjects are equally +obliged, with or without His Majesty's commands, to promote works of +charity according to their power; and that the clergy, in their +ecclesiastical capacity, are only liable to such commands as the rubric, +or any other law shall enjoin, being born to the same privileges of +freedom with the rest of His Majesty's subjects. + +We cannot but observe to your Grace, that, in the English act of the +fourth year of Queen Anne, for the better collecting charity money on +briefs by letters-patent, &c. the ministers are obliged only to read the +briefs in their churches, without any particular exhortations; neither +are they commanded to go from house to house with the church-wardens, +nor to send the money collected to their respective chancellors, but pay +it to the undertaker or agent of the sufferer. So that, we humbly hope, +the clergy of this kingdom shall not, without any law in being, be put +to greater hardships in this case than their brethren in England, where +the legislature, intending to prevent the abuses in collecting charity +money on briefs, did not think fit to put the clergy under any of those +difficulties we now complain of, in the present brief by letters patent, +for the relief of Charles M'Carthy aforesaid. + +The collections upon the Lord's day are the principal support of our own +numerous poor in our several parishes; and therefore every single brief, +with the benefit of a full collection over the whole kingdom, must +deprive several thousands of poor of their weekly maintenance, for the +sake only of one person, who often becomes a sufferer by his own folly +or negligence, and is sure to overvalue his losses double or treble: So +that, if this precedent be followed, as it certainly will if the present +brief should succeed, we may probably have a new brief every week; and +thus, for the advantage of fifty-two persons, whereof not one in ten is +deserving, and for the interest of a dozen dexterous clerks and +secretaries, the whole poor in the kingdom will be likely to starve. + +We are credibly informed, that neither the officers of the Lord Primate, +in preparing the report of his Grace's opinion, nor those of the +great-seal, in passing the patent for briefs, will remit any of their +fees, both which do amount to a considerable sum: And thus the good +intentions of well-disposed people are in a great measure disappointed, +a large part of their charity being anticipated, and alienated by fees +and gratuities. + +Lastly, We cannot but represent to your Grace our great concern and +grief, to see the pains and labour of our church-wardens so much +increased, by the injunctions and commands put upon them in this brief, +to the great disadvantage of the clergy and the people, as well as to +their own trouble, damage, and loss of time, to which great additions +have been already made, by laws appointing them to collect the taxes for +the watch and the poor-house, which they bear with great unwillingness; +and, if they shall find themselves further laden with such briefs as +this of M'Carthy, it will prove so great a discouragement, that we shall +never be able to provide honest and sufficient persons for that weighty +office of church-warden, so necessary to the laity as well as the +clergy, in all things that relate to the order and regulation of +parishes. + +Upon all these considerations, we humbly hope that your Grace, of whose +fatherly care, vigilance, and tenderness, we have had so many and great +instances, will represent our case to his Most Excellent Majesty, or to +the chief governor in this kingdom, in such a manner, that we may be +neither under the necessity of declining His Majesty's commands in his +letters patent, or of taking new and grievous burthens upon ourselves +and our church-wardens, to which neither the rubric nor any other law in +force oblige us to submit. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +ON + +THE BILL + +FOR + +THE CLERGY'S RESIDING ON THEIR LIVINGS. + + +NOTE. + +In the note to the tract, "Some Arguments against enlarging the Power of +Bishops in letting Leases" (p. 219), it was pointed out that the Bill +against which this tract was written was an attempt on the part of the +bishops to get back a power which they once had abused. Failing in this +attempt, in 1723, they renewed the attack in 1731 by promoting two +bills, one called a Bill of Residence, the other a Bill of Division. + +The ostensible object of the Bill of Residence was to compel the clergy +to reside on their livings. By this bill, any person taking a benefice, +with cure of souls, of the annual value of £100, was forced, if the land +attached to that benefice had no house fit for residence, to build one +thereon, in any situation the bishop might think suitable, this house to +cost one year and a half's income, and to be completed within a time +fixed by the bishop. It will at once be seen that the power over the +inferior clergy which this bill placed in the bishops' hands was by no +means insignificant; and Swift felt that to make such a bill law would +not only tend to impoverish, the inferior clergy, but would place them +in a position of subjection at once degrading and dispiriting. He +opposed the bill, with the consequence that the House of Commons +rejected it. + +By the Bill of Division "it was intended to be enacted that whenever a +church should become vacant, although the incumbent should refuse his +consent, it might be lawful for the chief governor, with the assent of +the major part of the Privy Council, six at least consenting, by and +with the consent of the ordinary and the patron, to subdivide any parish +into as many portions as they might think fit, provided that, after such +division, the church of the old parish should continue worth, at the +least, £300 per annum." This bill, which passed the House of Lords two +days after the Bill of Residence, Swift opposed in a spirited and +somewhat bitter manner. His opposition largely influenced the Lower +House in rejecting it. The two tracts which state the grounds of his +opposition to both bills are the present one, and the following tract, +"Considerations upon two Bills, sent down from the House of Lords to the +House of Commons in Ireland, relating to the Clergy." + +Scott notes that the "tone of _aigreur_," which is more distinctly felt +in the second of these tracts, intimates a "deep dissatisfaction with +late ecclesiastical preferments, which may perhaps be traced as much to +personal disappointment as to any better cause;" a statement which it +was hardly worth making; since, however deep may have been Swift's +personal feelings, he never allowed them to be the impelling motive to +his work. It should suffice us to know that the cause which Swift +espoused was a disinterested one. As Vicar of Laracor he knew what it +was to make a shift of living on an insufficient income; and it may have +been, this experience as much as "personal disappointment" which gave +pungency to his criticism. It is easy enough to find questionable +motives for a satirist, especially when that satirist is Swift; let us +not, however, forget that in his case the personal element was never +permitted to overweight the impersonal purpose. Other men when they +reach prosperity often forget or ignore the hard conditions of their +previous state; to Swift these conditions were always existing factors +in his considerations for the amelioration of his fellow-men. This it is +which gives to his writings so much of the "tone of _aigreur_." + +In his letter to John Stearne, Bishop of Clogher, dated July, 1733, +which is one of Swift's most characteristic epistles--characteristic, +because the embodiment of truthful candour--he gives no equivocal +expression of opinion on these two bills. He calls them, "abominable +bills, for enslaving and beggaring the clergy, (which took their birth +from hell)." "I call God to witness," he adds, "that I did then, and do +now, and shall for ever, firmly believe, that every Bishop who gave his +vote for either of these bills, did it with no other view (bating +further promotion), than a premeditated design, from the spirit of +ambition, and love of arbitrary power, to make the whole body of the +clergy their slaves and vassals until the day of judgment, under the +load of poverty and contempt." + +About the same time, 1732, appeared another pamphlet entitled, "The +Reconciler ... shewing how all the good ends proposed by either of those +bills, may, by a more gentle and easy method, be attained, without +injury to the rights of my lords the bishops; or rigour and violence to +the inferior clergy." In the main, the writer agrees with Swift; but the +tract is valuable as showing that the controversy was no small one, and +it furnishes also what is, apparently, an impartial history of the whole +affair. Three Irish prelates voted against the bills on a +division--Theophilus Bolton, Archbishop of Cashel, Charles Carr, Bishop +of Killaloe, and Robert Howard, Bishop of Elphin. + +The text of this tract is based on that which appeared in a volume of +"Miscellanies in Prose and Verse" in the year 1789. It has been collated +with those given by Scott, Hawkesworth, and other editors. + +[T.S.] + + + ON THE BILL FOR THE CLERGY'S + RESIDING ON THEIR LIVINGS. + + +Those gentlemen who have been promoted to bishoprics in this kingdom for +several years past, are of two sorts: first, certain private clergymen +from England, who, by the force of friends, industry, solicitation, or +other means and merits to me unknown, have been raised to that character +by the _mero motu_ of the crown. + +Of the other sort, are some clergymen born in this kingdom, who have +most distinguished themselves by their warmth against Popery, their +great indulgence to Dissenters, and all true loyal Protestants; by their +zeal for the House of Hanover, abhorrence of the Pretender, and an +implicit readiness to fall into any measures that will make the +government easy to those who represent His Majesty's person. + +Some of the former kind are such as are said to have enjoyed tolerable +preferments in England; and it is therefore much to their commendation +that they have condescended to leave their native country, and come over +hither to be bishops, merely to promote Christianity among us; and +therefore in my opinion, both their lordships, and the many defenders +they bring over, may justly claim the merit of missionaries sent to +convert a nation from heresy and heathenism. + +Before I proceed farther, it may be proper to relate some particulars +wherein the circumstances of the English clergy differ from those of +Ireland. + +The districts of parishes throughout England continue much the same as +they were before the Reformation; and most of the churches are of the +gothic architecture, built some hundred years ago; but the tithes of +great numbers of churches having been applied by the Pope's pretended +authority to several abbeys, and even before the Reformation bestowed by +that sacrilegious tyrant Henry VIII., on his ravenous favourites, the +maintenance of an incumbent in most parts of the kingdom is contemptibly +small; and yet a vicar there of forty pounds a year, can live with more +comfort, than one of three times the nominal value with us. For his +forty pounds are duly paid him, because there is not one farmer in a +hundred, who is not worth five times the rent he pays to his landlord, +and fifty times the sum demanded for the tithes; which, by the small +compass of his parish, he can easily collect or compound for; and if his +behaviour and understanding be supportable, he will probably receive +presents now and then from his parishioners, and perhaps from the +squire; who, although he may sometimes be apt to treat his parson a +little superciliously, will probably be softened by a little humble +demeanour. The vicar is likewise generally sure to find upon his +admittance to his living, a convenient house and barn in repair, with a +garden, and a field or two to graze a few cows, and one horse for +himself and his wife. He hath probably a market very near him, perhaps +in his own village. No entertainment is expected from his visitor beyond +a pot of ale, and a piece of cheese. He hath every Sunday the comfort of +a full congregation, of plain, cleanly people of both sexes, well to +pass, and who speak his own language. The scene about him is fully +cultivated (I mean for the general) and well inhabited. He dreads no +thieves for anything but his apples, for the trade of universal stealing +is not so epidemic there as with us. His wife is little better than +Goody, in her birth, education, or dress; and as to himself, we must let +his parentage alone. If he be the son of a farmer it is very sufficient, +and his sister may very decently be chambermaid to the squire's wife. He +goes about on working days in a grazier's coat, and will not scruple to +assist his workmen in harvest time. He is usually wary and thrifty, and +often more able to provide for a numerous family than some of ours can +do with a rectory called 300_l_. a year. His daughters shall go to +service, or be sent 'prentice to the sempstress of the next town; and +his sons are put to honest trades. This is the usual course of an +English country vicar from twenty to sixty pounds a year. + +As to the clergy of our own kingdom, their livings are generally larger. +Not originally, or by the bounty of princes, parliaments, or charitable +endowments, for the same degradations (and as to glebes, a much greater) +have been made here, but, by the destruction and desolation in the long +wars between the invaders and the natives; during which time a great +part of the bishops' lands, and almost all the glebes, were lost in the +confusion. The first invaders had almost the whole kingdom divided +amongst them. New invaders succeeded, and drove out their predecessors +as native Irish. These were expelled by others who came after, and upon +the same pretensions. Thus it went on for several hundred years, and in +some degree even to our own memories. And thus it will probably go on, +although not in a martial way, to the end of the world. For not only the +purchasers of debentures forfeited in 1641, were all of English birth, +but those after the Restoration, and many who came hither even since the +Revolution, are looked upon as perfect Irish; directly contrary to the +practice of all wise nations, and particularly of the Greeks and Romans, +in establishing their colonies, by which name Ireland is very absurdly +called. + +Under these distractions the conquerors always seized what lands they +could with little ceremony, whether they belonged to the Church or not: +Thus the glebes were almost universally exposed to the first seizers, +and could never be recovered, although the grants, with the particular +denominations, are manifest, and still in being. The whole lands of the +see of Waterford were wholly taken by one family; the like is reported +of other bishoprics. + +King James the First, who deserves more of the Church of Ireland than +all other princes put together, having the forfeitures of vast tracts of +land in the northern parts (I think commonly called the escheated +counties), having granted some hundred thousand acres of these lands to +certain Scotch and English favourites, was prevailed on by some great +prelates to grant to some sees in the north, and to many parishes there, +certain parcels of land for the augmentation of poor bishoprics, did +likewise endow many parishes with glebes for the incumbents, whereof a +good number escaped the depredations of 1641 and 1688. These lands, when +they were granted by King James, consisted mostly of woody ground, +wherewith those parts of this island were then overrun. This is well +known, universally allowed, and by some in part remembered; the rest +being, in some places, not stubbed out to this day. And the value of the +lands was consequently very inconsiderable, till Scotch colonies came +over in swarms upon great encouragement to make them habitable; at least +for such a race of strong-bodied people, who came hither from their own +bleak barren highlands, as it were into a paradise; who soon were able +to get straw for their bedding, instead of a bundle of heath spread on +the ground, and sprinkled with water. Here, by degrees, they acquired +some degree of politeness and civility, from such neighbouring Irish as +were still left after Tyrone's last rebellion, and are since grown +almost entirely possessors of the north. Thus, at length, the woods +being rooted up, the land was brought in, and tilled, and the glebes +which could not before yield two-pence an acre, are equal to the best, +sometimes affording the minister a good demesne, and some land to let. + +These wars and desolations in their natural consequences, were likewise +the cause of another effect, I mean that of uniting several parishes +under one incumbent. For, as the lands were of little value by the want +of inhabitants to cultivate them, and many of the churches levelled to +the ground, particularly by the fanatic zeal of those rebellious saints +who murdered their king, destroyed the Church, and overthrew monarchy +(for all which there is a humiliation day appointed by law, and soon +approaching); so, in order to give a tolerable maintenance to a +minister, and the country being too poor, as well as devotion too low, +to think of building new churches, it was found necessary to repair some +one church which had least suffered, and join sometimes three or more, +enough for a bare support to some clergyman, who knew not where to +provide himself better. This was a case of absolute necessity to prevent +heathenism, as well as popery, from overrunning the nation. The +consequence of these unions was very different, in different parts; for, +in the north, by the Scotch settlement, their numbers daily increasing +by new additions from their own country, and their prolific quality +peculiar to northern people; and lastly by their universally feeding +upon oats (which grain, under its several preparations and +denominations, is the only natural luxury of that hardy people) the +value of tithes increased so prodigiously, that at this day, I confess, +several united parishes ought to be divided, taking in so great a +compass, that it is almost impossible for the people to travel timely to +their own parish church, or their little churches to contain half their +number, though the revenue would be sufficient to maintain two, or +perhaps three worthy clergymen with decency; provided the times mend, or +that they were honestly dealt with, which I confess is seldom the case. +I shall name only one, and it is the deanery of Derry; the revenue +whereof, if the dean could get his dues, exceeding that of some +bishoprics, both by the compass and fertility of the soil, the number as +well as industry of the inhabitants, the conveniency of exporting their +corn to Dublin and foreign parts; and, lastly, by the accidental +discovery of marl in many places of the several parishes. Yet all this +revenue is wholly founded upon corn, for I am told there is hardly an +acre of glebe for the dean to plant and build on. + +I am therefore of opinion, that a real undefalcated revenue of six +hundred pounds a year, is a sufficient income for a country dean in this +kingdom; and since the rents consist wholly of tithes, two parishes, to +the amount of that value, should be united, and the dean reside as +minister in that of Down, and the remaining parishes be divided among +worthy clergymen, to about 300_l_. a year to each. The deanery of Derry, +which is a large city, might be left worth 800_l_. a year, and Rapho +according as it shall be thought proper. These three are the only +opulent deaneries in the whole kingdom, and, as I am informed, consist +all of tithes, which was an unhappy expedient in the Church, occasioned +by the sacrilegious robberies during the several times of confusion and +war; insomuch that at this day there is hardly any remainder left of +dean and chapter lands in Ireland, that delicious morsel swallowed so +greedily in England, under the fanatic usurpations. + +As to the present scheme of a bill for obliging the clergy to residence, +now or lately in the privy council, I know no more of the particulars +than what hath been told me by several clergymen of distinction; who +say, that a petition in the name of them all hath been presented to the +lord lieutenant and council, that they might be heard by their counsel +against the bill, and that the petition was rejected, with some reasons +why it was rejected; for the bishops know best what is proper for the +clergy. It seems the bill consists of two parts: First, a power in the +bishops, with consent of the archbishop, and the patron, to take off +from any parish whatever, it is worth above £300 a year; and this to be +done without the incumbent's consent, which before was necessary in all +divisions. The other part of the bill obligeth all clergymen, from forty +pounds a year and upwards, to reside, and build a house in his parish. +But those of £40 are remitted till they shall receive £100 out of the +revenue of first-fruits granted by Her late Majesty. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +CONSIDERATIONS + +UPON + +TWO BILLS, &c. + + +NOTE. + +"In the year 1731 a Bill was brought into the House of Lords by a great +majority of the Right Reverend the Bishops, for enabling them to divide +the livings of the inferior Clergy; which Bill was approved of in the +Privy-Council of Ireland, and passed by the Lords in Parliament. It was +afterwards sent to the House of Commons for their approbation; but was +rejected by them with a great majority. The supposed author of the +following Considerations, who hath always been the best friend to the +inferior Clergy of the Church of England, as may be seen by many parts +of his writings, opposed this pernicious project with great success; +which, if it had passed into law, would have been of the worst +consequence to this nation." [Advertisement to the reprint of this +pamphlet in Swift's Works, vol. vi. Dublin: Faulkner, 1738.] + +Fuller details of the circumstances which gave Swift the opportunity for +writing this tract are given in the note prefixed to the previous +pamphlet (see p. 250). + +The text here given is that of the first edition. + +[T.S.] + + + CONSIDERATIONS + UPON TWO + BILLS + Sent down from the R---- H---- the + H---- of L---- + To the H----ble + H---- of C---- + Relating to the + CLERGY + OF + _I----D_. + +LONDON. + +Printed for A. MOORE, near St. _Paul's_, and Sold by the Booksellers of +_Westminster_ and _Southwark_, 1732. + + +I have often, for above a month past, desired some few clergymen, who +are pleased to visit me, that they would procure an extract of two +bills, brought into the council by some of the bishops, and both of them +since passed in the House of Lords: but I could never obtain what I +desired, whether by the forgetfulness, or negligence of those whom I +employed, or the difficulty of the thing itself. Therefore, if I shall +happen to mistake in any fact of consequence, I desire my remarks upon +it, may pass for nothing; for my information is no better than what I +received in words from several divines, who seemed to agree with each +other. I have not the honour to be acquainted with any one single +prelate of the kingdom, and am a stranger to their characters, further +than as common fame reports them, which is not to be depended on. +Therefore, I cannot be supposed to act upon a principle of resentment. I +esteem their functions (if I may be allowed to say so without offence) +as truly apostolical, and absolutely necessary to the perfection of a +Christian Church. + +There are no qualities more incident to the frailty and corruption of +human kind, than an indifference, or insensibility for other men's +sufferings, and a sudden forgetfulness of their own former humble state, +when they rise in the world. These two dispositions have not, I think, +anywhere so strongly exerted themselves, as in the order of bishops with +regard to the inferior clergy; for which I can find no reasons, but such +as naturally should seem to operate a quite contrary way. The +maintenance of the Clergy, throughout the kingdom, is precarious and +uncertain, collected from a most miserable race of beggarly farmers; at +whose mercy every minister lies to be defrauded: His office, as rector +or vicar, if it be duly executed, is very laborious. As soon as he is +promoted to a bishopric, the scene is entirely and happily changed; his +revenues are large, and as surely paid as those of the king; his whole +business is once a-year, to receive the attendance, the submission, and +the proxy-money of all his clergy, in whatever part of the diocese he +shall please to think most convenient for himself. Neither is his +personal presence necessary, for the business may be done by a +Vicar-General. The fatigue of ordination, is just what the bishops +please to make it, and as matters have been for some time, and may +probably remain, the fewer ordinations the better. The rest of their +visible office, consists in the honour of attending parliaments and +councils, and bestowing preferments in their own gift; in which last +employment, and in their spiritual and temporal courts, the labour falls +to their Vicars-General, Secretaries, Proctors, Apparitors, Seneschals, +and the like. Now, I say, in so quick a change, where their brethren in +a few days, are become their subjects, it would be reasonable, at least, +to hope, that the labour, confinement, and subjection from which they +have so lately escaped, like a bird out of the snare of the fowler, +might a little incline them to remember the condition of those, who were +but last week their equals, probably their companions or their friends, +and possibly, as reasonable expectants. There is a known story of +Colonel Tidcomb, who, while he continued a subaltern officer, was every +day complaining against the pride, oppression, and hard treatment of +colonels toward their officers; yet in a very few minutes after he had +received his commission for a regiment, walking with a friend on the +Mall, he confessed that the spirit of colonelship, was coming fast upon +him, which spirit is said to have daily increased to the hour of his +death. + +It is true, the Clergy of this kingdom, who are promoted to bishoprics, +have always some great advantages; either that of rich deaneries, +opulent and multiplied rectories and dignities, strong alliances by +birth or marriage, fortified by a superlative degree of zeal and +loyalty; but, however, they were all at first no more than young +beginners; and before their great promotion, were known by their plain +Christian names, among their old companions, the middling rate of +clergymen; nor could, therefore, be strangers to their condition, or +with any good grace, forget it so soon as it hath sometimes happened. + +I confess, I do not remember to have observed any body of men, acting +with so little concert as our clergy have done, in a point where their +opinions appeared to be unanimous: a point where their whole temporal +support was concerned, as well as their power of serving God and his +Church, in their spiritual functions. This hath been imputed to their +fear of disobliging, or hopes of further favours upon compliance; +because it was observed, that some who appeared at first with the +greatest zeal, thought fit suddenly to absent themselves from the usual +meetings; yet, we know what expert solicitors the Quakers, the +Dissenters, and even the Papists have sometimes found, to drive a point +of advantage, or present an impending evil. + +I have not seen any extract from the two bills introduced into the Privy +Council by the bishops; where the Clergy, upon some failure in favour, +or through the timorousness of many among their brethren, were refused +to be heard by the Council. It seems these bills were both returned, +agreed to by the King and Council in England; and the House of Lords +hath, with great expedition, passed them both, and it is said they are +immediately to be sent down to the Commons for their consent. + +The particulars, as they have been imperfectly reported to me, are as +follow: + +By one of the bills, the bishops have power to oblige the country +clergy, to build a mansion-house upon whatever part of their glebes +their lordships shall command; and if the living be above £50 a-year, +the minister is bound to build, after three years, a house that shall +cost one year and a half's rent of his income. For instance, if a +clergyman with a wife and seven children gets a living of £55 per annum, +he must after three years, build a house that shall cost £77 10s., and +must support his family during the time the bishop shall appoint for the +building of it with the remainder. But, if the living be under £50 +a-year, the minister shall be allowed an £100 out of the first-fruits. + +But, there is said to be one circumstance a little extraordinary; that +if there be a single spot in the glebe more barren, more marshy, more +expos'd to winds, more distant from the church, or skeleton of a church, +or from any conveniency of building: the rector, or vicar may be obliged +by the caprice, or pique of the bishop, to build, under pain of +sequestration, (an office, which ever falls into the most knavish +hands,) upon whatever point his lordship shall command; although the +farmers have not paid one quarter of his due. + +I believe, under the present distresses of the kingdom (which +inevitably, without a miracle, must increase for ever) there are not ten +country clergymen in Ireland reputed to possess a parish of £100 per +annum who, for some years past, have actually received £60, and that +with the utmost difficulty and vexation. I am, therefore, at a loss what +kind of valuators the bishops will make use of, and whether the starving +vicar, shall be forced to build his house with the money he never +received. + +The other bill, which passed in two days after the former, is said to +concern the division of parishes into as many parcels as the bishop +shall think fit, only leaving £300 a-year to the Mother Church; which +£300 by another act passed some years ago, they can divide likewise, and +crumble as low as their will and pleasure will dispose them. So that +instead of 600 clergymen, which, I think, is the usual computation, we +may have, in a small compass of years, almost as many thousands to live +with decency and comfort, provide for their children, &c., be charitable +to the poor, and maintain hospitality. + +But it is very reasonable to hope, and heartily to be wished by all +those who have the least regard to our holy religion, as hitherto +established, or to a learned, pious, diligent, conversible clergyman, or +even to common humanity; that the honourable House of Commons will in +their great wisdom, justice, and tenderness to innocent men, consider +these bills in another light. It is said, they well know this kingdom +not to be so over stocked with neighbouring gentry; but a discreet, +learned clergyman, with a competency fit for one of his education, may +be an entertaining, a useful, and sometimes a necessary companion. That +although such a clergyman may not be able constantly to find BEEF and +WINE for his own family, yet he may be allowed sometimes to afford both +to a neighbour, without distressing himself; and the rather, because he +may expect at least as good a return. It will probably be considered, +that in many desolate parts, there may not be always a sufficient number +of persons considerable enough to be trusted with commissions of the +peace, which several of the Clergy now supply much better, than a +little, hedge, contemptible, illiterate vicar from twenty to fifty +pounds a-year, the son of a weaver, pedlar, tailor, or miller, can be +presumed to do. + +The landlords and farmers by this scheme can find no profit, but will +certainly be losers; for instance, if the large northern livings be +split into a dozen parishes, or more, it will be very necessary for the +little threadbare gownman, with his wife, his proctor and every child +who can crawl, to watch the fields at harvest time, for fear of losing a +single sheaf, which he could not afford under peril of a day's starving; +for according to the Scotch proverb, a hungry louse bites sore. This +would of necessity, breed an infinite number of brangles and litigious +suits in the spiritual courts, and put the wretched pastor at perpetual +variance with his whole parish. But, as they have hitherto stood, a +clergyman established in a competent living is not under the necessity +of being so sharp, vigilant, and exacting. On the contrary, it is well +known and allowed, that the Clergy round the kingdom think themselves +well treated, if they lose only one single third of their legal demands. + +The honourable House may perhaps be inclined to conceive, that my lords +the bishops enjoy as ample a power, both spiritual and temporal, as will +fully suffice to answer every branch of their office; that they want no +laws to regulate the conduct of those clergymen, over whom they preside; +that if non-residence be a grievance, it is the patron's fault, who +makes not a better choice, or caused the plurality. That if the general +impartial character of persons chosen into the Church had been more +regarded, and the motive of party, alliance, kindred, flatterers, ill +judgment, or personal favour regarded less, there would be fewer +complaints of non-residence, neglect of care, blameable behaviour, or +any other part of misconduct, not to mention ignorance and stupidity. + +I could name certain gentlemen of the gown, whose awkward, spruce, prim, +sneering, and smirking countenances, the very tone of their voices, and +an ungainly strut in their walk, without one single talent for any one +office, have contrived to get good preferment by the mere force of +flattery and cringing: for which two virtues (the only two virtues they +pretend to) they were, however, utterly unqualified. And whom, if I were +in power, although they were my nephews or had married my nieces, I +could never in point of good conscience or honour, have recommended to a +curacy in Connaught. + +The honourable House of Commons may likewise perhaps consider, that the +gentry of this kingdom differ from all others upon earth, being less +capable of employments in their own country, than any others who come +from abroad, and that most of them have little expectation of providing +for their younger children, otherwise than by the Church, in which there +might be some hopes of getting a tolerable maintenance. For after the +patrons should have settled their sons, their nephews, their nieces, +their dependants, and their followers, invited over from t'other side, +there would still remain an overplus of smaller church preferments, to +be given to such clergy of the nation, who shall have their quantum of +whatever merit may be then in fashion. But by these bills, they will be +all as absolutely excluded, as if they had passed under the denomination +of Tories, unless they can be contented at the utmost with £50 a-year, +which by the difficulties of collecting tithes in Ireland, and the daily +increasing miseries of the people, will hardly rise to half the sum. + +It is observed, that the divines sent over hither to govern this Church, +have not seemed to consider the difference between both kingdoms, with +respect to the inferior clergy. As to themselves, indeed, they find a +large revenue in lands let at one quarter value, which consequently must +be paid while there is a penny left among us; and, the public distress +so little affects their interests, that their fines are now higher than +ever, they content themselves to suppose that whatever a parish is said +to be worth, comes all into the parson's pocket. + +The poverty of great numbers among the Clergy of England, hath been the +continual complaint of all men who wish well to the Church, and many +schemes have been thought on to redress it; yet an English vicar of £40 +a-year, lives much more comfortably than one of double the value in +Ireland. His farmers generally speaking, are able and willing to pay him +his full dues. He hath a decent church of ancient standing, filled every +Lord's day with a large congregation of plain people, well clad, and +behaving themselves as if they believed in God and Christ. He hath a +house and barn in repair, a field or two to graze his cows, with a +garden and orchard. No guest expects more from him than a pot of ale; he +lives like an honest, plain farmer, as his wife is dressed but little +better than Goody. He is sometimes graciously invited by the squire, +where he sits at humble distance; if he gets the love of his people, +they often make him little useful presents; he is happy by being born to +no higher expectation, for he is usually the son of some ordinary +tradesman or middling farmer. His learning is much of a size with his +birth and education, no more of either than what a poor hungry servitor +can be expected to bring with him from his college. It would be tedious +to shew the reverse of all this in our distant poorer parishes, through +most parts of Ireland, wherein every reader may make the comparison. + +Lastly, the honourable House of Commons may consider, whether the scheme +of multiplying beggarly clergymen through the whole kingdom who must all +have votes for choosing parliament men (provided they can prove their +freeholds to be worth 40s. per annum, _ultra reprisas_) may not, by +their numbers, have great influence upon elections, being entirely under +the dependance of their bishops. For by a moderate computation, after +all the divisions and subdivisions of parishes, that, my lords, the +bishops, have power to make by their new laws, there will, as soon as +the present set of clergy go off, be raised an army of ecclesiastical +militants, able enough for any kind of service, except that of the +altar. + +I am, indeed, in some concern about a fund for building a thousand or +two churches, wherein these probationers may read their wall lectures, +and begin to doubt they must be contented with barns; which barns will +be one great advancing step towards an accommodation with our true +Protestant brethren, the Dissenters. + +The scheme of encouraging clergymen to build houses by dividing a living +of £500 a-year into ten parts, is a contrivance, the meaning whereof +hath got on the wrong side of my comprehension; unless it may be argued, +that bishops build no houses, because they are so rich; and therefore, +the inferior clergy will certainly build, if you reduce them to beggary. +But I knew a very rich man of quality in England, who could never be +persuaded to keep a servant out of livery; because such servants would +be expensive, and apt, in time, to look like gentlemen; whereas the +others were ready to submit to the basest offices, and at a cheaper +pennyworth might increase his retinue. + +I hear, it is the opinion of many wise men, that before these bills pass +both Houses, they should be sent back to England with the following +clauses inserted: + +First, that whereas there may be about a dozen double bishoprics in +Ireland, those bishoprics should be split and given to different +persons; and those of a single denomination be also divided into two, +three, or four parts, as occasion shall require; otherwise there may be +a question started, whether twenty-two prelates can effectually extend +their paternal care and unlimited power, for the protection and +correction of so great a number of spiritual subjects. But this proposal +will meet with such furious objections, that I shall not insist upon it, +for I well remember to have read, what a terrible fright the frogs were +in, upon a report that the sun was going to marry. + +Another clause should be, that none of these twenty, thirty, forty, or +fifty pounders may be suffered to marry, under the penalty of immediate +deprivation, their marriages declared null, and their children bastards; +for some desponding people, take the kingdom to be not in a condition of +encouraging so numerous a breed of beggars. + +A third clause will be necessary, that these humble gentry should be +absolutely disqualified from giving votes in elections for parliament +men. + +Others add a fourth, which is a clause of indulgence, that these reduced +divines may be permitted to follow any lawful ways of living, that will +not call them too often or too far from their spiritual offices (for +unless I misapprehend, they are supposed to have episcopal ordination). +For example, they may be lappers of linen, bailiffs of the manor, they +may let blood, or apply plasters, for three miles round; they may get a +dispensation to hold the clerkship and sextonship of their own parish +_in commendam_. Their wives and daughters may make shirts for the +neighbourhood, or if a barrack be near, for the soldiers. In linen +countries, they may card and spin, and keep a few looms in the house: +they may let lodgings, and sell a pot of ale without doors, but not at +home, unless to sober company, and at regular hours. It is by some +thought a little hard, that in an affair of the last consequence, to the +very being of the Clergy, in the points of liberty and property, as well +as in their abilities to perform their duty; this whole reverend body, +who are the established instructors of the nation in Christianity and +moral virtues, and are the only persons concerned, should be the sole +persons not consulted. Let any scholar shew the like precedent in +Christendom for twelve hundred years past. An act of parliament for +settling or selling an estate in a private family, is never passed till +all parties give consent. But in the present case the whole body of the +Clergy is, as themselves apprehend, determined to utter ruin, without +once expecting or asking their opinion, and this by a scheme contrived +only by one part of the convocation, while the other part which hath +been chosen in the usual forms, wants only the regal permission to +assemble, and consult about the affairs of the Church, as their +predecessors have always done in former ages; where it is presumed, the +Lower House hath a power of proposing canons, and a negative voice, as +well as the Upper. And God forbid (say these objectors) that there +should be a real separate interest between the bishops and Clergy, any +more than there is between a man and his wife, a king and his people, or +Christ and his Church. + +It seems there is a provision in the bill, that no parish shall be cut +into scraps, without the consent of several persons, who can be no +sufferers in the matter; but I cannot find that the Clergy lay much +weight on this caution, because they argue, that the very persons from +whom these Bills took their rise, will have the greatest share in the +decision. + +I do not, by any means, conceive the crying sin of the Clergy in this +kingdom, to be that of non-residence. I am sure, it is many degrees less +so here than in England, unless the possession of pluralities may pass +under that name; and if this be a fault, it is well known to whom it +must be imputed: I believe, upon a fair inquiry (and I hear an inquiry +is to be made) they will appear to be most pardonably few, especially +considering how many parishes have not an inch of glebe, and how +difficult it is upon any reasonable terms, to find a place of +habitation. And, therefore, God knows, whether my lords the bishops will +be soon able to convince the Clergy, or those who have any regard for +that venerable body, that the chief motive in their lordships' minds, by +procuring these bills, was to prevent the sin of non-residence, while +the universal opinion of almost every clergyman in the kingdom, without +distinction of party, taking in even those who are not likely to be +sufferers, stands directly against them. + +If some livings in the north may be justly thought too large a compass +of land, which makes it inconvenient for the remotest inhabitant to +attend the service of the Church, which in some instances may be true; +no reasonable clergyman would oppose a proper remedy by particular acts +of parliament. + +Thus for instance, the deanery of Down, a country deanery, I think, +without a cathedral, depending wholly upon an union of parishes joined +together, in a time when the land lay waste and thinly inhabited; since +those circumstances are so prodigiously changed for the better, may +properly be lessened, leaving a decent competency to the dean, and +placing rectories in the remaining churches, which are now served only +by stipendiary curates. + +The case may be probably the same in other parts: and such a proceeding +discreetly managed would be truly for the good of the Church. + +For it is to be observed, that the dean and chapter lands, which, in +England were all seized under the fanatic usurpation, are things unknown +in Ireland, having been long ravished from the Church, by a succession +of confusions, and tithes applied in their stead, to support that +ecclesiastical dignity. + +The late Archbishop of Dublin[1] had a very different way of encouraging +the clergy of his diocese to residence: When a lease had run out seven +years or more, he stipulated with the tenant to resign up twenty or +thirty acres to the minister of the parish where it lay convenient, +without lessening his former rent; and with no great abatement of the +fine; and this he did in the parts near Dublin, where land is at the +highest rates, leaving a small chiefry for the minister to pay, hardly a +sixth part of the value. I doubt not that almost every bishop in the +kingdom may do the same generous act with less damage to their sees than +his late Grace of Dublin; much of whose lands were out in fee-farms, or +leases for lives, and I am sorry that the good example of that prelate +hath not been followed. + +[Footnote 1: The Right Rev. Dr. William King (see p. 241). [T. S.]] + +But a great majority of the Clergy's friends cannot hitherto reconcile +themselves to this project, which they call a levelling principle, that +must inevitably root out the seeds of all honest emulation, the legal +parent of the greatest virtues, and most generous actions among men; but +which, in the general opinion (for I do not pretend to offer my own,) +will never more have room to exert itself in the breast of any clergyman +whom this kingdom shall produce. + +But, whether the consequences of these Bills may, by the virtues and +frailties of future bishops, sent over hither to rule the Church, +terminate in good or evil, I shall not presume to determine, since God +can work the former out of the latter. But one thing I can venture to +assert, that from the earliest ages of Christianity to the minute I am +now writing, there never was a precedent of SUCH a proceeding, much less +to be feared, hoped, or apprehended from such hands in any Christian +country, and so it may pass for more than a phoenix, because it hath +risen without any assistance from the ashes of its sire. + +The appearance of so many dissenters at the hearing of this cause, is +what, I am told, hath not been charged to the account of their prudence +or moderation; because that action hath been censured as a mark of +triumph and insult before the victory is complete; since neither of +these bills hath yet passed the House of Commons, and some are pleased +to think it not impossible that they may be rejected. Neither do I hear, +that there is an enacting clause in either of the Bills to apply any +part of the divided or subdivided tithes, towards increasing the +stipends of the sectaries. So that these gentlemen seem to be gratified +like him, who, after having been kicked downstairs, took comfort when he +saw his friend kicked down after him. + +I have heard many more objections against several particulars of both +these Bills, but they are of a high nature, and carry such dreadful +innuendos, that I dare not mention them, resolving to give no offence +because I well know how obnoxious I have long been (although I conceive +without any fault of my own) to the zeal and principles of those, who +place all difference in opinion concerning public matters, to the score +of disaffection, whereof I am at least as innocent as the loudest of my +detractors. + + DUBLIN, + _Feb_. 24, 1731-2. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +SOME + +REASONS + +AGAINST + +THE BILL FOR SETTLING THE TITHE + +OF + +HEMP, FLAX, &c., BY A MODUS. + + +NOTE. + +About the end of 1733 the Irish House of Commons had under consideration +a bill for the encouragement of the growth of flax and the manufacture +of linen. This bill contained a clause by which the tithe upon flax +should be commuted by a _modus_ or money composition. The clergy, to +whom this tithe was an important source of revenue, and, naturally, not +wishing to lose its advantage, took steps to petition Parliament to be +heard by counsel against the bill. Swift signed the petition, which set +forth the injury which would be done to their order if the clause in the +bill, then before the House, were allowed to become law. In addition to +this he committed and arranged his arguments to writing, and issued them +in the following pamphlet. The activity against the bill proved so +efficacious that the House of Commons dropped it. It may be remarked +that Swift's interference was purely disinterested, since no part of the +revenue of St. Patrick's, as Monck Mason points out, comes from the +"district appropriated to the culture of flax;" nor did Swift, "or any +of his predecessors or successors, ever receive one shilling upon +account of that tithe." + +This attempt on the part of the House of Commons to regulate the affairs +of the clergy of Ireland seems to have been one of a series which +divided laity and clergy into two strongly opposing parties. On the one +side were the House of Commons and its supporters, on the other the +general body of the Irish clergy, with, for a time, at any rate, Swift +at the head. The tithe of pasturage, or, as it was called, the tithe of +agistment, was being strongly resisted at the time, and many of the +clergy were forced to sue in court before they could obtain it. The +matter of this tithe had been already before an Irish court in 1707, and +had been settled in favour of the suing clergyman, one Archdeacon Neal; +and although the cause was removed to King's Bench in England, the +previous judgment was confirmed. In spite of this decision, however, the +tithe continued to be a subject of litigation, and the landed +proprietors even formed themselves into associations for the purpose of +resisting the clergy's claim. In 1734 the House of Commons aggravated +matters by passing resolutions against the claims, many of which were +then the subject of legal actions, and prevented decisions being come to +while it had the matter under its consideration. From the pamphlets +written at the time it may easily be seen that this interference on the +part of the lower House was both unseemly and unjust. Its conduct so +roused Swift that his indignation found expression in one of his +bitterest and most terrible poetical satires--"The Legion Club"--a +satire so bitter and so scathing that reading it now, after the lapse of +more than a century and a half, one shudders at its invective--"a +blasting flood of filth and vitriol, out of some hellish fountain," Mr. +Churton Collins calls it. We are told that its composition brought on a +violent attack of vertigo, and it remained unfinished. + +The text here given is that of the first edition collated with those +given by Faulkner, Hawkesworth, and Scott. + +[T.S.] + + + SOME + REASONS + AGAINST THE + Bill for settling the Tyth of _Hemp, Flax,_ &c. by a _Modus_. + +MDCCXXIV. + + +The Clergy did little expect to have any cause of complaint against the +present House of Commons; who in the last sessions, were pleased to +throw out a Bill[1] sent them from the Lords, which that reverend body +apprehended would be very injurious to them, if it passed into a law; +and who, in the present sessions, defeated the arts and endeavours of +schismatics to repeal the Sacramental Test. + +[Footnote 1: For the bishops to divide livings. See the two preceding +Tracts. [T. S.]] + +For, although it hath been allowed on all hands, that the former of +those Bills might, by its necessary consequences, be very displeasing to +the lay gentlemen of the kingdom, for many reasons purely secular; and, +that this last attempt for repealing the Test, did much more affect, at +present, the temporal interest than the spiritual; yet the whole body of +the lower Clergy have, upon both these occasions, expressed equal +gratitude to that honourable House, for their justice and steadiness, as +if the clergy alone were to receive the benefit. + +It must needs be, therefore, a great addition to the Clergy's grief, +that such an assembly as the present House of Commons; should now, with +an expedition more than usual, agree to a bill for encouraging the linen +manufacture; with a clause, whereby the Church is to lose two parts in +three, of the legal tithe in flax and hemp. + +Some reasons, why the Clergy think such a law will be a great hardship +upon them, are, I conceive, those that follow. I shall venture to +enumerate them with all deference due to that honourable assembly. + +_First_; the Clergy suppose that they have not, by any fault or demerit, +incurred the displeasure of the nation's representatives: neither can +the declared loyalty of the present set, from the highest prelate to the +lowest vicar, be in the least disputed: because, there are hardly ten +clergymen, through the whole kingdom, for more than nineteen years past, +who have not been either preferred entirely upon account of their +declared affection to the Hanover line; or higher promoted as the due +reward of the same merit. + +There is not a landlord in the whole kingdom, residing some part of the +year at his country-seat, who is not, in his own conscience, fully +convinced, that the tithes of his minister have gradually sunk, for some +years past, one-third, or at least one-fourth of their former value, +exclusive of all non-solvencies. + +The payment of tithes in this kingdom, is subject to so many frauds, +brangles, and other difficulties, not only from Papists and Dissenters, +but even from those who profess themselves Protestants; that by the +expense, the trouble, and vexation of collecting, or bargaining for +them, they are, of all other rents, the most precarious, uncertain, and +ill paid. + +The landlords in most parishes expect, as a compliment, that they shall +pay little more than half the value of their tithes for the lands they +hold in their own hands; which often consist of large domains: And it is +the minister's interest to make them easy upon that article, when he +considers what influence those gentlemen have upon their tenants. + +The Clergy cannot but think it extremely severe, that in a bill for +encouraging the linen manufacture, they alone must be the sufferers, who +can least afford it: If, as I am told, there be a tax of three thousand +pounds a year, paid by the public, for a further encouragement to the +said manufacture; are not the Clergy equal sharers in the charge with +the rest of their fellow subjects? What satisfactory reason can be +therefore given, why they alone should bear the whole additional weight, +unless it will be alleged that their property is not upon an equal foot +with the properties of other men? They acquire their own small pittance, +by at least as honest means, as their neighbours, the landlords, possess +their estates; and have been always supposed, except in rebellious or +fanatical times, to have as good a title: For, no families now in being +can shew a more ancient. Indeed, if it be true, that some persons (I +hope they were not many) were seen to laugh when the rights of the +Clergy were mentioned; in this case, an opinion may possibly be soon +advanced, that they have no rights at all. And this is likely enough to +gain ground, in proportion as the contempt of all religion shall +increase; which is already in a very forward way. + +It is said, there will be also added to this Bill a clause for +diminishing the tithe of hops, in order to cultivate that useful plant +among us: And here likewise the load is to lie entirely on the shoulders +of the Clergy, while the landlords reap all the benefit. It will not be +easy to foresee where such proceedings are like to stop: Or whether by +the same authority, in civil times, a parliament may not as justly +challenge the same power in reducing all things titheable, not below the +tenth part of the product, (which is and ever will be the Clergy's +equitable right) but from a tenth-part to a sixtieth or eightieth, and +from thence to nothing. + +I have heard it granted by skilful persons, that the practice of taxing +the Clergy by parliament, without their own consent, is a new thing, not +much above the date of seventy years: before which period, in times of +peace, they always taxed themselves. But things are extremely altered at +present: It is not now sufficient to tax them in common with their +fellow subjects, without imposing an additional tax upon them, from +which, or from anything equivalent, all their fellow-subjects are +exempt; and this in a country professing Christianity. + +The greatest part of the Clergy throughout this kingdom, have been +stripped of their glebes by the confusion of times, by violence, fraud, +oppression, and other unlawful means: All which glebes are now in the +hands of the laity. So that they now are generally forced to lie at the +mercy of landlords, for a small piece of ground in their parishes, at a +most exorbitant rent, and usually for a short term of years; whereon to +build a house, and enable them to reside. Yet, in spite of these +disadvantages, I am a witness that they are generally more constant +residents than their brethren in England; where the meanest vicar hath a +convenient dwelling, with a barn, a garden, and a field or two for his +cattle; besides the certainty of his little income from honest farmers, +able and willing, not only to pay him his dues, but likewise to make him +presents, according to their ability, for his better support. In all +which circumstances, the Clergy of Ireland meet with a treatment +directly contrary. + +It is hoped, the honourable House will consider that it is impossible +for the most ill-minded, avaricious, or cunning clergyman, to do the +least injustice to the meanest cottager in his parish, in any bargain +for tithes, or other ecclesiastical dues. He can, at the utmost, only +demand to have his tithe fairly laid out; and does not once in a hundred +times obtain his demand. But every tenant, from the poorest cottager to +the most substantial farmer, can, and generally doth impose upon the +minister, by fraud, by theft, by lies, by perjuries, by insolence, and +sometimes by force; notwithstanding the utmost vigilance and skill of +himself and his proctor. Insomuch, that it is allowed, that the Clergy +in general receive little more than one-half of their legal dues; not +including the charges they are at in collecting or bargaining for them. + +The land rents of Ireland are computed to about two millions, whereof +one-tenth amounts to two hundred thousand pounds. The benefited +clergymen, excluding those of this city, are not reckoned to be above +five hundred; by which computation, they should each of them possess two +hundred pounds a year, if those tithes were equally divided, although in +well cultivated corn countries it ought to be more; whereas they hardly +receive one half of that sum; with great defalcations, and in very bad +payments. There are indeed, a few glebes in the north pretty +considerable, but if these and all the rest were in like manner equally +divided, they would not add five pounds a year to every clergyman. +Therefore, whether the condition of the Clergy in general among us be +justly liable to envy, or able to bear a heavy burden, which neither the +nobility, nor gentry, nor tradesmen, nor farmers, will touch with one of +their fingers; this, I say, is submitted to the honourable House. + +One terrible circumstance in this Bill, is, that of turning the tithe of +flax and hemp into what the lawyers call a _Modus_, or a certain sum in +lieu of a tenth part of the product. And by this practice of claiming a +_Modus_ in many parishes by ancient custom, the Clergy in both kingdoms +have been almost incredible sufferers. Thus, in the present case, the +tithe of a tolerable acre of flax, which by a medium is worth twelve +shillings, is by the present Bill reduced to four shillings. Neither is +this the worst part in a _Modus_; every determinate sum must in process +of time sink from a fourth to a four-and-twentieth part, or a great deal +lower, by that necessary fall attending the value of money, which is now +at least nine tenths lower all over Europe than it was four hundred +years ago, by a gradual decline; and even a third part at least within +our own memories, in purchasing almost everything required for the +necessities or conveniencies of life; as any gentleman can attest, who +hath kept house for twenty years past. And this will equally affect poor +countries as well as rich. For, although, I look upon it as an +impossibility that this kingdom should ever thrive under its present +disadvantages, which without a miracle must still increase; yet, when +the whole cash of the nation shall sink to fifty thousand pounds; we +must in all our traffic abroad, either of import or export, go by the +general rate at which money is valued in those countries that enjoy the +common privileges of human kind. For this reason, no corporation, (if +the Clergy may presume to call themselves one) should by any means grant +away their properties in perpetuity upon any consideration whatsoever; +Which is a rock that many corporations have split upon, to their great +impoverishment, and sometimes to their utter undoing. Because they are +supposed to subsist for ever; and because no determination of money is +of any certain perpetual intrinsic value. This is known enough in +England, where estates let for ever, some hundred years ago, by several +ancient noble families, do not at this present pay their posterity a +twentieth part of what they are now worth at an easy rate. + +A tax affecting one part of a nation, which already bears its full share +in all parliamentary impositions, cannot possibly be just, except it be +inflicted as a punishment upon that body of men which is taxed, for some +great demerit or danger to the public apprehended from those upon whom +it is laid: Thus the Papists and Nonjurors have been doubly taxed for +refusing to give proper securities to the government; which cannot be +objected against the Clergy. And therefore, if this Bill should pass; I +think it ought to be with a preface, shewing wherein they have offended, +and for what disaffection or other crime they are punished. + +If an additional excise upon ale, or a duty upon flesh and bread, were +to be enacted, neither the victualler, butcher, or baker would bear any +more of the charge than for what themselves consumed; but it would be an +equal general tax through the whole kingdom: Whereas, by this Bill, the +Clergy alone are avowedly condemned to be deprived of their ancient, +inherent, undisputed rights, in order to encourage a manufacture by +which all the rest of the kingdom are supposed to be gainers. + +This Bill is directly against _Magna Charta_, whereof the first clause +is for confirming the inviolable rights of Holy Church; as well as +contrary to the oath taken by all our kings at their coronation, where +they swear to defend and protect the Church in all its rights. + +A tax laid upon employments is a very different thing. The possessors of +civil and military employments are no corporation; neither are they any +part of our constitution: Their salaries, pay, and perquisites are all +changeable at the pleasure of the prince who bestows them, although the +army be paid from funds raised and appropriated by the legislature. But +the Clergy as they have little reason to expect, so they desire no more +than their ancient legal dues; only indeed with the removal of many +grievous impediments in the collection of them; which it is to be feared +they must wait for until more favourable times. It is well known, that +they have already of their own accord shewn great indulgence to their +people upon this very article of flax, seldom taking above a fourth part +of their tithe for small parcels, and oftentimes nothing at all from new +beginners; waiting with patience until the farmers were able, and until +greater quantities of land were employed in that part of husbandry; +never suspecting that their good intentions should be perverted in so +singular a manner to their detriment, by that very assembly, which, +during the time that convocations (which are an original part of our +constitution ever since Christianity became national among us) are +thought fit to be suspended, God knows for what reason, or from what +provocations; I say, from that very assembly, who, during the intervals +of convocations, should rather be supposed to be guardians of the rights +and properties of the Clergy, than to make the least attempt upon +either. + +I have not heard upon inquiry, that any of those gentlemen, who, among +us without doors, are called the Court Party, discover the least zeal in +this affair. If they had thoughts to interpose, it might be conceived +they would shew their displeasure against this Bill, which must very +much lessen the value of the King's patronage upon promotion to vacant +sees; in the disposal of deaneries, and other considerable preferments +in the Church, which are in the donation of the Crown; whereby the +viceroys will have fewer good preferments to bestow on their dependants, +as well as upon the kindred of members, who may have a sufficient stock +of that sort of merit, whatever it may be, which may in future times +most prevail. + +The Dissenters, by not succeeding in their endeavours to procure a +repeal of the Test, have lost nothing, but continue in full enjoyment of +their toleration; while the Clergy without giving the least offence, are +by this Bill deprived of a considerable branch of their ancient legal +rights, whereby the schismatical party will have the pleasure of +gratifying their revenge. _Hoc Graii voluere._ + +The farmer will find no relief by this _Modus_, because, when his +present lease shall expire, his landlord will infallibly raise the rent +in an equal proportion, upon every part of land where flax is sown, and +have so much a better security for payment at the expense of the Clergy. + +If we judge by things past, it little avails that this Bill is to be +limited to a certain time of ten, twenty, or thirty years. For no +landlord will ever consent that a law shall expire, by which he finds +himself a gainer; and of this there are many examples, as well in +England, as in this kingdom. + +The great end of this Bill is, by proper encouragement to extend the +linen manufacture into those counties where it hath hitherto been little +cultivated: But this encouragement _of lessening the tithe of flax and +hemp_ is one of such a kind as, it is to be feared, will have a directly +contrary effect. Because, if I am rightly informed, no set of men hath +for their number and fortunes been more industrious and successful than +the Clergy, in introducing that manufacture into places which were +unacquainted with it; by persuading their people to sow flax and hemp, +by procuring seed for them and by having them instructed in the +management thereof; and this they did not without reasonable hopes of +increasing the value of their parishes after some time, as well as of +promoting the benefit of the public. But if this _Modus_ should take +place, the Clergy will be so far from gaining that they will become +losers by any extraordinary care, by having their best arable lands +turned to flax and hemp, which are reckoned great impoverishers of land: +They cannot therefore be blamed, if they should shew as much zeal to +prevent its being introduced or improved in their parishes as they +hitherto have shewed in the introducing and improving of it. This, I am +told, some of them have already declared at least so far as to resolve +not to give themselves any more trouble than other men about promoting a +manufacture by the success of which, they only of all men are to be +sufferers. Perhaps the giving them even a further encouragement than the +law doth, as it now stands, to a set of men who might on many accounts +be so useful to this purpose, would be no bad method of having the great +end of the Bill more effectually answered: But this is what they are far +from desiring; all they petition for is no more than to continue on the +same footing with the rest of their fellow-subjects. + +If this _Modus_ of paying by the acre be to pass into a law, it were to +be wished that the same law would appoint one or more sworn surveyors in +each parish to measure the lands on which flax and hemp are sown, as +also would settle the price of surveying, and determine whether the +incumbent or farmer is to pay for each annual survey. Without something +of this kind, there must constantly be disputes between them, and the +neighbouring justices of peace must be teazed as often as those disputes +happen. + +I had written thus far, when a paper was sent to me with several reasons +against the Bill, some whereof although they have been already touched, +are put in a better light, and the rest did not occur to me. I shall +deliver them in the author's own words. + +N.B. Some Alterations have been made in the Bill about the _Modus_, +since the above paper was writ; but they are of little moment. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +SOME + +FURTHER REASONS + +AGAINST + +THE BILL FOR SETTLING THE TITHE + +OF + +HEMP, FLAX, &c. + + +I. That tithes are the patrimony of the Church: And if not of Divine +original, yet at least of great antiquity. + +II. That all purchases and leases of titheable lands, for many centuries +past, have been made and taken, subject to the demand of tithes, and +those lands sold and taken just so much the cheaper on that account. + +III. That if any lands are exempted from tithes; or the legal demands +of such tithes lessened by act of parliament, so much value is taken +from the proprietor of the tithes, and vested in the proprietor of the +lands, or his head tenants. + +IV. That no innocent unoffending person can be so deprived of his +property without the greatest violation of common justice. + +V. That to do this upon a prospect of encouraging the linen, or any +other manufacture, is acting upon a very mistaken and unjust +supposition, inasmuch as the price of the lands so occupied will be no +way lessened to the farmer by such a law. + +VI. That the Clergy are content cheerfully to bear (as they now do) any +burden in common with their fellow-subjects, either for the support of +his Majesty's government, or the encouragement of the trade of the +nation but think it very hard, that they should be singled out to pay +heavier taxes than others, at a time when by the decrease of the value +of their parishes they are less able to bear them. + +VII. That the legislature hath heretofore distinguished the Clergy by +exemptions, and not by additional loads, and the present Clergy of the +kingdom hope they have not deserved worse of the legislature than their +predecessors. + +VIII. That by the original constitution of these kingdoms, the Clergy +had the sole right of taxing themselves, and were in possession of that +right as low as the Restoration: And if that right be now devolved upon +the Commons by the cession of the Clergy, the Commons can be considered +in this case in no other light than as the guardians of the Clergy. + +IX. That besides those tithes always in the possession of the Clergy; +there are some portion of tithes lately come into their possession by +purchase; that if this clause should take place, they would not be +allowed the benefit of these purchases, upon an equal footing of +advantage with the rest of their fellow-subjects. And that some tithes +in the hands of impropriators, are under settlements and mortgages. + +X. That the gentlemen of this House should consider, that loading the +Clergy is loading their own younger brothers and children; with this +additional grievance, that it is taking from the younger and poorer, to +give to the elder and richer. And, + +_Lastly_, That, if it were at any time just and proper to do this, it +would however be too severe to do it now, when all the tithes of the +kingdom are known for some years past to have sunk above one-third part +in their value. + +Any income in the hands of the Clergy, is at least as useful to the +public, as the same income in the hands of the laity. + +It were more reasonable to grant the clergy in three parts of the nation +an additional support, than to diminish their present subsistence. + +Great employments are and will be in the hands of Englishmen; nothing +left for the younger sons of Irishmen but vicarages, tide-waiters' +places, &c.; therefore no reason to make them worse. + +The _Modus_ upon the flax in England, affects only lands reclaimed since +the year 1690, and is at the rate of five shillings the English acre, +which is equivalent to eight shillings and eightpence Irish, and that to +be paid before the farmer removed it from the field. Flax is a +manufacture of little consequence in England, but is the staple in +Ireland, and if it increases (as it probably will) must in many places +jostle out corn, because it is more gainful. + +The Clergy of the Established Church, have no interest like those of the +Church of Rome, distinct from the true interest of their country; and +therefore ought to suffer under no distinct impositions or taxes of any +kind. + +The Bill for settling the _Modus_ of flax in England, was brought in, in +the first year of the reign of King George I., when the Clergy lay very +unjustly under the imputation of some disaffection. And to encourage the +bringing in of some fens in Lincolnshire, which were not to be continued +under flax: But it left all lands where flax had been sown before that +time, under the same condition of tithing, in which they were before the +passing of that Bill: Whereas this bill takes away what the Clergy are +actually possessed of. + +That the woollen manufacture is the staple of England, as the linen is +that of Ireland, yet no attempt was ever made in England to reduce the +tithe of wool, for the encouragement of that manufacture. + +This manufacture hath already been remarkably favoured by the Clergy, +who have hitherto been generally content with less than half--some with +sixpence a garden--and some have taken nothing. + +Employments they say have been taxed, the reasons for which taxation +will not hold with regard to property, at least till employments become +inheritances. + +The Commons always have had so tender a regard to property; that they +never would suffer any law to pass, whereby any particular persons might +be aggrieved without their own consent. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +AN ESSAY + +ON THE + +FATES OF CLERGYMEN. + + +NOTE. + +This essay was first printed in Nos. v. and vii. of "The Intelligencer" +(Dublin, 1728). In that periodical it bore the title: "A Description of +what the World calls Discretion;" and had the following lines from Ben +Jonson as a text: + + "Described it's thus: Defined would you it have? + Then the World's honest Man's an errant knave." + +The text here printed is based on the original issue, and collated with +the "Miscellanies," vol. iii. of 1732, and the "Miscellanies," vol. ii., +1747. + +[T.S.] + + + AN ESSAY ON THE FATES OF + CLERGYMEN. + + +There is no talent so useful towards rising in the world, or which puts +men more out of the reach of fortune, than that quality generally +possessed by the dullest sort of people, and is in common speech called +discretion; a species of lower prudence, by the assistance of which, +people of the meanest intellectuals, without any other qualification, +pass through the world in great tranquillity, and with universal good +treatment, neither giving nor taking offence. Courts are seldom +unprovided of persons under this character, on whom, if they happen to +be of great quality, most employments, even the greatest, naturally +fall, when competitors will not agree; and in such promotions, nobody +rejoices or grieves. The truth of this I could prove by several +instances within my own memory; for I say nothing of present times. + +And, indeed, as regularity and forms are of great use in carrying on the +business of the world, so it is very convenient, that persons endued +with this kind of discretion, should have that share which is proper to +their talents, in the conduct of affairs, but by no means meddle in +matters which require genius, learning, strong comprehension, quickness +of conception, magnanimity, generosity, sagacity, or any other superior +gift of human minds. Because this sort of discretion is usually attended +with a strong desire of money, and few scruples about the way of +obtaining it; with servile flattery and submission; with a want of all +public spirit or principle; with a perpetual wrong judgment, when the +owners come into power and high place, how to dispose of favour and +preferment; having no measures for merit and virtue in others, but those +very steps by which themselves ascended; nor the least intention of +doing good or hurt to the public, farther than either one or t'other is +likely to be subservient to their own security or interest. Thus, being +void of all friendship and enmity, they never complain or find fault +with the times, and indeed never have reason to do so. + +Men of eminent parts and abilities, as well as virtues, do sometimes +rise in the court, sometimes in the law, and sometimes even in the +Church. Such were the Lord Bacon, the Earl of Strafford, Archbishop +Laud, in the reign of King Charles I., and others in our own times, whom +I shall not name; but these, and many more, under different princes, and +in different kingdoms, were disgraced or banished, or suffered death, +merely in envy to their virtues and superior genius, which emboldened +them in great exigencies and distresses of state, (wanting a reasonable +infusion of this aldermanly discretion,) to attempt the service of their +prince and country, out of the common forms. + +This evil fortune, which generally attends extraordinary men in the +management of great affairs, has been imputed to divers causes that need +not be here set down, when so obvious a one occurs, if what a certain +writer observes be true, that when a great genius appears in the world, +the dunces are all in confederacy against him. And if this be his fate +when he employs his talents[1] wholly in his closet, without interfering +with any man's ambition or avarice, what must he expect, when he +ventures out to seek for preferment in a court, but universal opposition +when he is mounting the ladder, and every hand ready to turn him off +when he is at the top? And in this point, fortune generally acts +directly contrary to nature; for in nature we find, that bodies full of +life and spirits mount easily, and are hard to fall, whereas heavy +bodies are hard to rise, and come down with greater velocity, in +proportion to their weight; but we find fortune every day acting just +the reverse of this. + +[Footnote 1: "And thus although he employs his talents." This is the +reading of "The Intelligencer." [T.S.]] + +This talent of discretion, as I have described it in its several +adjuncts and circumstances, is nowhere so serviceable as to the clergy, +to whose preferment nothing is so fatal as the character of wit, +politeness in reading or manners, or that kind of behaviour which we +contract by having too much conversation with persons of high station +and eminency: these qualifications being reckoned, by the vulgar of all +ranks, to be marks of levity, which is the last crime the world will +pardon in a clergyman; to this I may add a free manner of speaking in +mixed company, and too frequent an appearance in places of much resort, +which are equally noxious to spiritual promotion. + +I have known, indeed, a few exceptions to some parts of these +observations.[2] I have seen some of the dullest men alive aiming at +wit, and others, with as little pretensions, affecting politeness in +manners and discourse: But never being able to persuade the world of +their guilt, they grew into considerable stations, upon the firm +assurance which all people had of their discretion, because they were of +a size too low to deceive the world to their own disadvantage. But this, +I confess, is a trial too dangerous often to engage in. + +[Footnote 2: This word is "regulations" in "The Intelligencer." [T.S.]] + +There is a known story of a clergyman, who was recommended for a +preferment by some great men at court, to an archbishop.[3] His grace +said, "he had heard that the clergyman used to play at whist and +swobbers;[4] that as to playing now and then a sober game at whist for +pastime, it might be pardoned, but he could not digest those wicked +swobbers;" and it was with some pains that my Lord Somers could +undeceive him. I ask, by what talents we may suppose that great prelate +ascended so high, or what sort of qualifications he would expect in +those whom he took into his patronage, or would probably recommend to +court for the government of distant churches? + +[Footnote 3: Archbishop Tenison, who, by all contemporary accounts, was +a very dull man. There was a bitter sarcasm upon him usually ascribed to +Swift, "That he was as hot and heavy as a tailor's goose." [S.] + +In "The Intelligencer" the word "archbishop" is replaced by the letters +A.B.C.T. [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 4: "Swobbers" were four privileged cards used, at one time, +for betting purposes, in the game of whist. [T.S.]] + +Two clergymen, in my memory, stood candidates for a small free school in +Yorkshire, where a gentleman of quality and interest in the country, who +happened to have a better understanding than his neighbours, procured +the place for him who was the better scholar, and more gentlemanly +person, of the two, very much to the regret of all the parish: The +other, being disappointed, came up to London, where he became the +greatest pattern of this lower discretion that I have known, and +possessed it with as heavy intellectuals; which, together with the +coldness of his temper, and gravity of his deportment, carried him safe +through many difficulties, and he lived and died in a great station; +while his competitor is too obscure for fame to tell us what became of +him. + +This species of discretion, which I so much celebrate, and do most +heartily recommend, hath one advantage not yet mentioned, that it will +carry a man safe through all the malice and variety of parties, so far, +that whatever faction happens to be uppermost, his claim is usually +allowed for a share of what is going. And the thing seems to me highly +reasonable: For in all great changes, the prevailing side is usually so +tempestuous, that it wants the ballast of those whom the world calls +moderate men, and I call men of discretion; whom people in power may, +with little ceremony, load as heavy as they please, drive them through +the hardest and deepest roads without danger of foundering, or breaking +their backs, and will be sure to find them neither rusty nor vicious. + +I[5] will here give the reader a short history of two clergymen in +England, the characters of each, and the progress of their fortunes in +the world; by which the force of worldly discretion, and the bad +consequences from the want of that virtue, will strongly appear. + +[Footnote 5: In "The Intelligencer," No. v., this paragraph reads as +follows: "In some following Paper I will give the reader a short history +of two Clergymen in England, the characters of each, and the progress of +their fortunes in the world. By which the force of worldly discretion, +and the bad consequences from the want of that virtue, will strongly +appear." In No. vii. the subject is continued as in the next paragraph. +[T.S.]] + +Corusodes, an Oxford student, and a farmer's son, was never absent from +prayers or lecture, nor once out of his college, after Tom had tolled. +He spent every day ten hours in his closet, in reading his courses, +dozing, clipping papers, or darning his stockings; which last he +performed to admiration. He could be soberly drunk at the expense of +others, with college ale, and at those seasons was always most devout. +He wore the same gown five years without draggling or tearing. He never +once looked into a playbook or a poem. He read Virgil and Ramus in the +same cadence, but with a very different taste. He never understood a +jest, or had the least conception of wit. + +For one saying he stands in renown to this day. Being with some other +students over a pot of ale, one of the company said so many pleasant +things, that the rest were much diverted, only Corusodes was silent and +unmoved. When they parted, he called this merry companion aside, and +said, "Sir, I perceive by your often speaking, and your friends +laughing, that you spoke many jests; and you could not but observe my +silence: But sir, this is my humour, I never make a jest myself, nor +ever laugh at another man's." + +Corusodes, thus endowed, got into holy orders; having, by the most +extreme parsimony, saved thirty-four pounds out of a very beggarly +fellowship, he went up to London, where his sister was waitingwoman to a +lady, and so good a solicitor, that by her means he was admitted to read +prayers in the family twice a-day, at fourteen[1] shillings a month. He +had now acquired a low, obsequious, awkward bow, and a talent of gross +flattery both in and out of season; he would shake the butler by the +hand; he taught the page his catechism, and was sometimes admitted to +dine at the steward's table. In short, he got the good word of the whole +family, and was recommended by my lady for chaplain to some other noble +houses, by which his revenue (besides vales) amounted to about thirty +pounds a-year: His sister procured him a scarf from my lord, who had a +small design of gallantry upon her; and by his lordship's solicitation +he got a lectureship in town of sixty pounds a-year; where he preached +constantly in person, in a grave manner, with an audible voice, a style +ecclesiastic, and the matter (such as it was) well suited to the +intellectuals of his hearers. Some time after, a country living fell in +my lord's disposal; and his lordship, who had now some encouragement +given him of success in his amour, bestowed the living on Corusodes, who +still kept his lectureship and residence in town; where he was a +constant attendant at all meetings relating to charity, without ever +contributing further than his frequent pious exhortations. If any woman +of better fashion in the parish happened to be absent from church, they +were sure of a visit from him in a day or two, to chide and to dine with +them. + +[Footnote 6: Scott has "ten shillings." [T.S.]] + +He had a select number of poor constantly attending at the street door +of his lodgings, for whom he was a common solicitor to his former +patroness, dropping in his own halfcrown among the collection, and +taking it out when he disposed of the money. At a person of quality's +house, he would never sit down till he was thrice bid, and then upon the +corner of the most distant chair. His whole demeanour was formal and +starch, which adhered so close, that he could never shake it off in his +highest promotion. + +His lord was now in high employment at court, and attended by him with +the most abject assiduity; and his sister being gone off with child to a +private lodging, my lord continued his graces to Corusodes, got him to +be a chaplain in ordinary, and in due time a parish in town, and a +dignity in the Church. + +He paid his curates punctually, at the lowest salary, and partly out of +the communion money; but gave them good advice in abundance. He married +a citizen's widow, who taught him to put out small sums at ten per +cent., and brought him acquainted with jobbers in Change-alley. By her +dexterity he sold the clerkship of his parish, when it became vacant. + +He kept a miserable house, but the blame was laid wholly upon madam; for +the good doctor was always at his books, or visiting the sick, or doing +other offices of charity and piety in his parish. + +He treated all his inferiors of the clergy with a most sanctified pride; +was rigorously and universally censorious upon all his brethren of the +gown, on their first appearance in the world, or while they continued +meanly preferred; but gave large allowance to the laity of high rank, or +great riches, using neither eyes nor ears for their faults: He was never +sensible of the least corruption in courts, parliaments, or ministries, +but made the most favourable constructions of all public proceedings; +and power, in whatever hands, or whatever party, was always secure of +his most charitable opinion. He had many wholesome maxims ready to +excuse all miscarriages of state: Men are but men; _Erunt vitia donec +homines_; and, _Quod supra nos, nil ad nos_; with several others of +equal weight. + +It would lengthen my paper beyond measure to trace out the whole system +of his conduct; his dreadful apprehensions of Popery; his great +moderation toward dissenters of all denominations; with hearty wishes, +that, by yielding somewhat on both sides, there might be a general union +among Protestants; his short, inoffensive sermons in his turns at court, +and the matter exactly suited to the present juncture of prevailing +opinions; the arts he used to obtain a mitre, by writing against +Episcopacy; and the proofs he gave of his loyalty, by palliating or +defending the murder of a martyred prince. + +Endowed with all these accomplishments, we leave him in the full career +of success, mounting fast toward the top of the Ladder Ecclesiastical, +which he hath a fair probability to reach; without the merit of one +single virtue, moderately stocked with the least valuable parts of +erudition, utterly devoid of all taste, judgment, or genius; and, in his +grandeur, naturally choosing to haul up others after him, whose +accomplishments most resemble his own, except his beloved sons, nephews, +or other kindred, be in competition; or, lastly, except his inclinations +be diverted by those who have power to mortify, or further advance him. + +Eugenio set out from the same university, and about the same time with +Corusodes; he had the reputation of an arch lad at school, and was +unfortunately possessed with a talent for poetry; on which account he +received many chiding letters from his father, and grave advice from his +tutor. He did not neglect his college learning, but his chief study was +the authors of antiquity, with a perfect knowledge in the Greek and +Roman tongues. He could never procure himself to be chosen fellow: For +it was objected against him, that he had written verses, and +particularly some wherein he glanced at a certain reverend doctor famous +for dulness: That he been seen bowing to ladies, as he met them in the +streets; and it was proved, that once he had been found dancing in a +private family, with half a dozen of both sexes. + +He was the younger son to a gentleman of good birth, but small estate; +and his father dying, he was driven to London to seek his fortune: He +got into orders, and became reader in a parish church at twenty pounds +a-year; was carried by an Oxford friend to Will's coffee-house, +frequented in those days by men of wit, where in some time he had the +bad luck to be distinguished. His scanty salary compelled him to run +deep in debt for a new gown and cassock, and now and then forced him to +write some paper of wit or humour, or preach a sermon for ten shillings, +to supply his necessities. He was a thousand times recommended by his +poetical friends to great persons, as a young man of excellent parts who +deserved encouragement, and received a thousand promises; but his +modesty, and a generous spirit, which disdained the slavery of continual +application and attendance, always disappointed him, making room for +vigilant dunces, who were sure to be never out of sight. + +He had an excellent faculty in preaching, if he were not sometimes a +little too refined, and apt to trust too much to his own way of thinking +and reasoning. + +When, upon the vacancy of a preferment, he was hardly drawn to attend +upon some promising lord, he received the usual answer, "That he came +too late, for it had been given to another the very day before." And he +had only this comfort left, that everybody said, "It was a thousand +pities something could not be done for poor Mr. Eugenio." + +The remainder of his story will be dispatched in a few words: Wearied +with weak hopes, and weaker pursuits, he accepted a curacy in +Derbyshire, of thirty pounds a-year, and when he was five-and-forty, had +the great felicity to be preferred by a friend of his father's to a +vicarage worth annually sixty pounds, in the most desert parts of +Lincolnshire; where, his spirit quite sunk with those reflections that +solitude and disappointments bring, he married a farmer's widow, and is +still alive, utterly undistinguished and forgotten; only some of the +neighbours have accidentally heard, that he had been a notable man in +his youth. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +CONCERNING THAT + +UNIVERSAL HATRED, + +WHICH PREVAILS + +AGAINST THE CLERGY. + + +May 24, 1736. + +I have been long considering and conjecturing, what could be the causes +of that great disgust, of late, against the clergy of both kingdoms, +beyond what was ever known till that monster and tyrant, Henry VIII. who +took away from them, against law, reason, and justice, at least +two-thirds of their legal possessions; and whose successors (except +Queen Mary) went on with their rapine, till the accession of King James +I. That detestable tyrant Henry VIII. although he abolished the Pope's +power in England, as universal bishop, yet what he did in that article, +however just it were in itself, was the mere effect of his irregular +appetite, to divorce himself from a wife he was weary of, for a younger +and more beautiful woman, whom he afterwards beheaded. But, at the same +time, he was an entire defender of all the Popish doctrines, even those +which were the most absurd. And, while he put people to death for +denying him to be head of the Church, he burned every offender against +the doctrines of the Roman faith; and cut off the head of Sir Thomas +More, a person of the greatest virtue this kingdom ever produced, for +not directly owning him to be head of the Church. Among all the princes +who ever reigned in the world there was never so infernal a beast as +Henry VIII. in every vice of the most odious kind, without any one +appearance of virtue: But cruelty, lust, rapine, and atheism, were his +peculiar talents. He rejected the power of the Pope for no other reason, +than to give his full swing to commit sacrilege, in which no tyrant, +since Christianity became national, did ever equal him by many degrees. +The abbeys, endowed with lands by the mistaken notions of well-disposed +men, were indeed too numerous, and hurtful to the kingdom; and, +therefore, the legislature might, after the Reformation, have justly +applied them to some pious or public uses. + +In a very few centuries after Christianity became national in most parts +of Europe, although the church of Rome had already introduced many +corruptions in religion; yet the piety of early Christians, as well as +new converts, was so great, and particularly of princes, as well as +noblemen and other wealthy persons, that they built many religious +houses, for those who were inclined to live in a recluse or solitary +manner, endowing those monasteries with land. It is true, we read of +monks some ages before, who dwelt in caves and cells, in desert places. +But, when public edifices were erected and endowed, they began gradually +to degenerate into idleness, ignorance, avarice, ambition, and luxury, +after the usual fate of all human institutions. The Popes, who had +already aggrandized themselves, laid hold of the opportunity to subject +all religious houses with their priors and abbots, to their peculiar +authority; whereby these religious orders became of an interest directly +different from the rest of mankind, and wholly at the Pope's devotion. I +need say no more on this article, so generally known and so frequently +treated, or of the frequent endeavours of some other princes, as well as +our own, to check the growth, and wealth, and power of the regulars. + +In later times, this mistaken piety, of erecting and endowing abbeys, +began to decrease. And therefore, when some new-invented sect of monks +and friars began to start up, not being able to procure grants of land, +they got leave from the Pope to appropriate the tithes and glebes of +certain parishes, as contiguous or near as they could find, obliging +themselves to send out some of their body to take care of the people's +souls: And, if some of those parishes were at too great a distance from +the abbey, the monks appointed to attend them were paid, for the cure, +either a small stipend of a determined sum, or sometimes a third part, +or what are now called the vicarial tithes. + +As to the church-lands, it hath been the opinion of many writers, that, +in England, they amounted to a third part of the whole kingdom. And +therefore, if that wicked prince above-mentioned, when he had cast off +the Pope's power, had introduced some reformation in religion, he could +not have been blamed for taking away the abbey-lands by authority of +parliament. But, when he continued the most cruel persecutor of all +those who differed in the least article of the Popish religion, which +was then the national and established faith, his seizing on those lands, +and applying them to profane uses, was absolute sacrilege, in the +strongest sense of the word; having been bequeathed by princes and pious +men to sacred uses. + +In the reign of this prince, the church and court of Rome had arrived to +such a height of corruption, in doctrine and discipline, as gave great +offence to many wise, learned, and pious men, through most parts of +Europe; and several countries agreed to make some reformation in +religion. But, although a proper and just reformation were allowed to be +necessary, even to preserve Christianity itself, yet the passions and +vices of men had mingled themselves so far, as to pervert and confound +all the good endeavours of those who intended well: And thus the +reformation, in every country where it was attempted, was carried on in +the most impious and scandalous manner that can possibly be conceived. +To which unhappy proceedings we owe all the just reproachings that Roman +Catholics have cast upon us ever since. For, when the northern kingdoms +and states grew weary of the Pope's tyranny, and when their preachers, +beginning with the scandalous abuses of indulgencies, and proceeding +farther to examine several points of faith, had credit enough with their +princes, who were in some fear lest such a change might affect the peace +of their countries, because their bishops had great influence on the +people by their wealth and power; these politic teachers had a ready +answer to this purpose. "Sir, your Majesty need not be in any pain or +apprehension: Take away the lands, and sink the authority of the +bishops: Bestow those lands on your courtiers, on your nobles, and your +great officers in your army; and then you will be secure of the people." +This advice was exactly followed. And, in the Protestant monarchies +abroad, little more than the shadow of Episcopacy is left; but, in the +republics, is wholly extinct. + +In England, the Reformation was brought in after a somewhat different +manner, but upon the same principle of robbing the Church. However, +Henry VIII. with great dexterity, discovered an invention to gratify his +insatiable thirst for blood, on both religions. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. + + +NOTE. + +In the "Gent. Mag.," vol. xxxv., p. 372 (August, 1765), is a reprint of +these "Thoughts," and "Further Thoughts" from Deane Swift's edition of +his relative's works, just then published. The note introducing the +reprint is signed "T.B."; but neither the note nor T.B.'s remarks are of +much importance. The present text is that of Scott, and collated with +the quarto edition of Swift's Works, vol. viii. 1765. + +[T.S.] + + + THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. + + +I am in all opinions to believe according to my own impartial reason; +which I am bound to inform and improve, as far as my capacity and +opportunities will permit. + +It may be prudent in me to act sometimes by other men's reason, but I +can think only by my own. + +If another man's reason fully convinceth me, it becomes my own reason. + +To say a man is bound to believe, is neither truth nor sense. + +You may force men, by interest or punishment, to say or swear they +believe, and to act as if they believed: You can go no further. + +Every man, as a member of the commonwealth, ought to be content with the +possession of his own opinion in private, without perplexing his +neighbour or disturbing the public. + +Violent zeal for truth hath an hundred to one odds to be either +petulancy, ambition, or pride. + +There is a degree of corruption wherein some nations, as bad as the +world is, will proceed to an amendment; till which time particular men +should be quiet. + +To remove opinions fundamental in religion is impossible, and the +attempt wicked, whether those opinions be true or false; unless your +avowed design be to abolish that religion altogether. So, for instance, +in the famous doctrine of Christ's divinity, which hath been universally +received by all bodies of Christians, since the condemnation of Arianism +under Constantine and his successors: Wherefore the proceedings of the +Socinians are both vain and unwarrantable; because they will be never +able to advance their own opinion, or meet any other success than +breeding doubts and disturbances in the world. _Qui ratione suae +disturbant moenia mundi._ + +The want of belief is a defect that ought to be concealed when it cannot +be overcome. + +The Christian religion, in the most early times, was proposed to the +Jews and heathens without the article of Christ's divinity; which, I +remember, Erasmus accounts for, by its being too strong a meat for +babes. Perhaps, if it were now softened by the Chinese missionaries, the +conversion of those infidels would be less difficult: And we find by the +Alcoran, it is the great stumbling-block of the Mahometans. But, in a +country already Christian, to bring so fundamental a point of faith into +debate, can have no consequences that are not pernicious to morals and +public peace. + +I have been often offended to find St. Paul's allegories, and other +figures of Grecian eloquence, converted by divines into articles of +faith. + +God's mercy is over all His works, but divines of all sorts lessen that +mercy too much. + +I look upon myself, in the capacity of a clergyman, to be one appointed +by Providence for defending a post assigned me, and for gaining over as +many enemies as I can. Although I think my cause is just, yet one great +motive is my submitting to the pleasure of Providence, and to the laws +of my country. + +I am not answerable to God for the doubts that arise in my own breast, +since they are the consequence of that reason which He hath planted in +me; if I take care to conceal those doubts from others, if I use my best +endeavours to subdue them, and if they have no influence on the conduct +of my life. + +I believe that thousands of men would be orthodox enough in certain +points, if divines had not been too curious, or too narrow, in reducing +orthodoxy within the compass of subtleties, niceties, and distinctions, +with little warrant from Scripture and less from reason or good policy. + +I never saw, heard, nor read, that the clergy were beloved in any nation +where Christianity was the religion of the country. Nothing can render +them popular but some degree of persecution. + +Those fine gentlemen who affect the humour of railing at the clergy, +are, I think, bound in honour to turn parsons themselves, and shew us +better examples. + +Miserable mortals! Can we contribute to the honour and glory of God? I +wish that expression were struck out of our Prayer-books. + +Liberty of conscience, properly speaking, is no more than the liberty of +possessing our own thoughts and opinions, which every man enjoys without +fear of the magistrate: But how far he shall publicly act in pursuance +of those opinions, is to be regulated by the laws of the country. +Perhaps, in my own thoughts, I prefer a well-instituted commonwealth +before a monarchy; and I know several others of the same opinion. Now, +if, upon this pretence, I should insist upon liberty of conscience, form +conventicles of republicans, and print books preferring that government +and condemning what is established, the magistrate would, with great +justice, hang me and my disciples. It is the same case in religion, +although not so avowed, where liberty of conscience, under the present +acceptation, equally produces revolutions, or at least convulsions and +disturbances in a state; which politicians would see well enough, if +their eyes were not blinded by faction, and of which these kingdoms, as +well as France, Sweden, and other countries, are flaming instances. +Cromwell's notion upon this article was natural and right; when, upon +the surrender of a town in Ireland, the Popish governor insisted upon an +article for liberty of conscience, Cromwell said, he meddled with no +man's conscience; but, if by liberty of conscience, the governor meant +the liberty of the mass, he had express orders from the Parliament of +England against admitting any such liberty at all. + +It is impossible that anything so natural, so necessary, and so +universal as death, should ever have been designed by Providence as an +evil to mankind. + +Although reason were intended by Providence to govern our passions, yet +it seems that, in two points of the greatest moment to the being and +continuance of the world, God hath intended our passions to prevail over +reason. The first is, the propagation of our species, since no wise man +ever married from the dictates of reason. The other is, the love of +life, which, from the dictates of reason, every man would despise, and +wish it at an end, or that it never had a beginning. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +FURTHER THOUGHTS ON + +RELIGION. + + +The Scripture system of man's creation is what Christians are bound to +believe, and seems most agreeable of all others to probability and +reason. Adam was formed from a piece of clay, and Eve from one of his +ribs. The text mentioneth nothing of his Maker's intending him for, +except to rule over the beasts of the field and birds of the air. As to +Eve, it doth not appear that her husband was her monarch, only she was +to be his help meet, and placed in some degree of subjection. However, +before his fall, the beasts were his most obedient subjects, whom he +governed by absolute power. After his eating the forbidden fruit, the +course of nature was changed, the animals began to reject his +government; some were able to escape by flight, and others were too +fierce to be attacked. The Scripture mentioneth no particular acts of +royalty in Adam over his posterity, who were cotemporary with him, or of +any monarch until after the flood; whereof the first was Nimrod, the +mighty hunter, who, as Milton expresseth it, made men, and not beasts, +his prey. For men were easier caught by promises, and subdued by the +folly or treachery of their own species. Whereas the brutes prevailed +only by their courage or strength, which, among them, are peculiar to +certain kinds. Lions, bears, elephants, and some other animals are +strong or valiant, and their species never degenerates in their native +soil, except they happen to be enslaved or destroyed by human fraud: But +men degenerate every day, merely by the folly, the perverseness, the +avarice, the tyranny, the pride, the treachery, or inhumanity of their +own kind. + + +THREE PRAYERS + +USED BY THE DEAN FOR MRS JOHNSON, + +IN HER LAST SICKNESS, 1727.[1] + +[Footnote 1: "Dr. Swift, after his return to Ireland in the beginning of +October [1727], having visited her [Stella] frequently during her +sickness, not only as a friend, but a clergyman; he used the following +prayers on that occasion; which are here printed from his own +handwriting." [Note in volume viii. of Swift's Works, Dublin, 1746.]] + + +I. + +A PRAYER FOR STELLA. + +Almighty and most gracious Lord God, extend, we beseech Thee, Thy pity +and compassion towards this Thy languishing servant: Teach her to place +her hope and confidence entirely in Thee; give her a true sense of the +emptiness and vanity of all earthly things; make her truly sensible of +all the infirmities of her life past, and grant to her such a true +sincere repentance as is not to be repented of. Preserve her, O Lord, in +a sound mind and understanding, during this Thy visitation: Keep her +from both the sad extremes of presumption and despair. If Thou shalt +please to restore her to her former health, give her grace to be ever +mindful of that mercy, and to keep those good resolutions she now makes +in her sickness, so that no length of time, nor prosperity, may entice +her to forget them. Let no thought of her misfortunes distract her mind, +and prevent the means towards her recovery, or disturb her in her +preparations for a better life. We beseech Thee also, O Lord, of Thy +infinite goodness to remember the good actions of this Thy servant; that +the naked she hath clothed, the hungry she hath fed, the sick and the +fatherless whom she hath relieved, may be reckoned according to Thy +gracious promise, as if they had been done unto Thee. Hearken, O Lord, +to the prayers offered up by the friends of this Thy servant in her +behalf, and especially those now made by us unto Thee. Give Thy blessing +to those endeavours used for her recovery; but take from her all violent +desire, either of life or death, further than with resignation to Thy +holy will. And now, O Lord, we implore Thy gracious favour towards us +here met together; grant that the sense of this Thy servant's weakness +may add strength to our faith, that we, considering the infirmities of +our nature, and the uncertainty of life, may, by this example, be drawn +to repentance before it shall please Thee to visit us in the like +manner. Accept these prayers, we beseech Thee, for the sake of Thy dear +Son Jesus Christ, our Lord; who, with Thee and the Holy Ghost, liveth +and reigneth ever one God world without end. Amen. + + +II. + +A PRAYER USED BY THE DEAN FOR MRS JOHNSON IN HER LAST SICKNESS, +WRITTEN OCT. 17, 1727. + +Most merciful Father, accept our humblest prayers in behalf of this Thy +languishing servant: Forgive the sins, the frailties, and infirmities of +her life past. Accept the good deeds she hath done, in such a manner, +that at whatever time Thou shalt please to call her, she may be received +into everlasting habitations. Give her grace to continue sincerely +thankful to Thee for the many favours Thou hast bestowed upon her; The +ability and inclination and practice to do good, and those virtues, +which have procured the esteem and love of her friends, and a most +unspotted name in the world. O God, Thou dispensest Thy blessings and +Thy punishments, as it becometh infinite justice and mercy; and since it +was Thy pleasure to afflict her with a long, constant, weakly state of +health, make her truly sensible, that it was for very wise ends, and was +largely made up to her in other blessings, more valuable and less +common. Continue to her, O Lord, that firmness and constancy of mind, +where with Thou hast most graciously endowed her, together with that +contempt of worldly things and vanities, that she hath shewn in the +whole conduct of her life. O all-powerful Being, the least motion of +Whose will can create or destroy a world; pity us the mournful friends +of Thy distressed servant, who sink under the weight of her present +condition, and the fear of losing the most valuable of our friends: +Restore her to us, O Lord, if it be Thy gracious will, or inspire us +with constancy and resignation, to support ourselves under so heavy an +affliction. Restore her, O Lord, for the sake of those poor, who by +losing her will be desolate, and those sick, who will not only want her +bounty, but her care and tending: Or else, in Thy mercy, raise up some +other in her place with equal disposition and better abilities. Lessen, +O Lord, we beseech Thee, her bodily pains, or give her a double strength +of mind to support them. And if Thou wilt soon take her to Thyself, turn +our thoughts rather upon that felicity, which we hope she shall enjoy, +than upon that unspeakable loss we shall endure. Let her memory be ever +dear unto us; and the example of her many virtues, as far as human +infirmity will admit, our constant imitation. Accept, O Lord, these +prayers poured from the very bottom of our hearts, in Thy mercy, and for +the merits of our blessed Saviour. Amen. + + +III. + +WRITTEN Nov. 6, 1727. + +O Merciful Father, Who never afflictest Thy children, but for their own +good, and with justice, over which Thy mercy always prevaileth, either +to turn them to repentance, or to punish them in the present life, in +order to reward them in a better; take pity, we beseech Thee, upon this +Thy poor afflicted servant, languishing so long and so grievously under +the weight of Thy hand. Give her strength, O Lord, to support her +weakness; and patience to endure her pains, without repining at Thy +correction. Forgive every rash and inconsiderate expression which her +anguish may at any time force from her tongue, while her heart +continueth in an entire submission to Thy will. Suppress in her, O Lord, +all eager desires of life, and lessen her fears of death, by inspiring +into her an humble, yet assured, hope of Thy mercy. Give her a sincere +repentance for all her transgressions and omissions, and a firm +resolution to pass the remainder of her life in endeavouring to her +utmost to observe all Thy precepts. We beseech Thee likewise to compose +her thoughts; and preserve to her the use of her memory and reason +during the course of her sickness. Give her a true conception of the +vanity, folly, and insignificancy of all human things; and strengthen +her so as to beget in her a sincere love of Thee in the midst of her +sufferings. Accept and impute all her good deeds, and forgive her all +those offences against Thee, which she hath sincerely repented of, or +through the frailty of memory hath forgot. And now, O Lord, we turn to +Thee in behalf of ourselves, and the rest of her sorrowful friends. Let +not our grief afflict her mind, and thereby have an ill effect on her +present distempers. Forgive the sorrow and weakness of those among us, +who sink under the grief and terror of losing so dear and useful a +friend. Accept and pardon our most earnest prayers and wishes for her +longer continuance in this evil world, to do what Thou art pleased to +call Thy service, and is only her bounden duty; that she may be still a +comfort to us, and to all others who will want the benefit of her +conversation, her advice, her good offices, or her charity. And since +Thou hast promised, that where two or three are gathered together in Thy +name, Thou wilt be in the midst of them, to grant their request; O +gracious Lord, grant to us who are here met in Thy name, that those +requests, which in the utmost sincerity and earnestness of our hearts we +have now made in behalf of this Thy distressed servant, and of +ourselves, may effectually be answered; through the merits of Jesus +Christ our Lord. Amen. + + +AN EVENING PRAYER, + +FROM THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT FOUND AMONGST DR LYON'S PAPERS. + +OH! Almighty God, the searcher of all hearts, and from whom no secrets +are hid, who hast declared that all such as shall draw nigh to thee with +their lips, when their hearts are far from thee, are an abomination unto +thee; cleanse, we beseech thee, the thoughts of our hearts, by the +inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that no wandering, vain, nor idle +thoughts may put out of our minds that reverence and godly fear, that +becomes all those who come in thy presence. + +We know, O Lord, that while we are in these bodies, we are absent from +the Lord, for no man can see thy face and live. The only way that we can +draw near unto thee in this life, is by prayer; but, O Lord, we know not +how to pray, nor what to ask for as we ought. We cannot pretend by our +supplications or prayers to turn or change thee, for thou art the same +yesterday, to-day, and for ever; but the coming into thy presence, the +drawing near unto thee, is the only means to be changed ourselves, to +become like thee in holiness and purity, to be followers of thee as thy +dear children. O, therefore, turn not away thy face from us, but let us +see so much of the excellencies of thy divine nature, of thy goodness, +and justice, and mercy, and forbearance, and holiness, and purity, as +may make us hate everything in ourselves that is unlike to thee, that so +we may abhor and repent of and forsake those sins that we so often fall +into when we forget thee. Lord! We acknowledge and confess we have lived +in a course of sin, and folly, and vanity, from our youth up, forgetting +our latter end, and our great account that we must one day make, and +turning a deaf ear to thy many calls to us, either by thy holy word, by +our teachers, or by our own consciences; and even thy more severe +messages by afflictions, sicknesses, crosses, and disappointments, have +not been of force enough to turn us from the vanity and folly of our own +ways. What then can we expect in justice, when thou shalt enter into +judgment with us, but to have our portion with the hypocrites and +unbelievers? to depart for ever from the presence of the Lord; to be +turned into hell with those that forget God! But, O God, most holy! O +God, most mighty! O holy and most merciful Saviour, deliver us not into +the bitter pains of eternal death, but have mercy upon us, most merciful +Father, and forgive us our sins for thy name's sake; for thou hast +declared thyself to be a God slow to anger, full of goodness, +forbearance, and long-suffering, and forgiving iniquity, transgression, +and sin. O Lord, therefore, shew thy mercy upon us. O let it be in +pardoning our sins past, and in changing our natures, in giving us a new +heart, and a new spirit, that we may lead a new life, and walk before +thee in newness of life, that so sin may not have dominion over us for +the time to come. O let thy good Spirit, without which we can do +nothing, O let that work in us both to will and do such things as may be +well pleasing to thee. O let it change our thoughts and minds, and take +them off the vain pleasures of this world, and place them there where +only the true joys are to be found. O fill our minds every day more and +more with the happiness of that blessed state of living for ever with +thee, that we may make it our great work and business to work out our +salvation,--to improve in the knowledge of thee, whom to know is life +eternal. But, Lord, since we cannot know thee but by often drawing near +unto thee, and coming into thy presence, which in this life, we can do +only by prayer, O make us, therefore, ever sensible of these great +benefits of prayer, that we may rejoice at all opportunities of coming +into thy presence, and may ever find ourselves the better and more +heavenly minded by it, and may never wilfully neglect any opportunity of +thy worship and service. Awaken thoroughly in us a serious sense of +these things, that so to-day, while it is called to-day, we may see and +know the things that belong to our peace, before they be hid from our +eyes, before that long night cometh when no man can work. O that every +night may so effectually put us in mind of our last, that we may every +day take care so to live, as we shall then wish we had lived when we +come to die; that so when that night shall come, we may as willingly put +off these bodies, as we now put off our clothes, and may rejoice to rest +from our labours, and that our war with the world, the devil, and our +own corrupt nature, is at an end. In the meanwhile, we beseech thee to +take us, and ours, and all that belongs to us, into thy fatherly care +this night. Let thy holy angels be our guard, while we are not in a +condition to defend ourselves, that we may not be under the power of +devils or wicked men; and preserve us also, O Lord, from every evil +accident, that, after a comfortable and refreshing sleep, we may find +ourselves, and all that belongs to us, in peace and safety. And now, O +Lord, being ourselves still in the body, and compassed about with +infirmities, we can neither be ignorant nor unmindful of the sufferings +of our fellow-creatures. O Lord, we must acknowledge, that they are all +but the effects of sin; and, therefore, we beseech thee so to sanctify +their several chastisements to them, that at length they may bring forth +the peaceable fruits of righteousness, and then be thou graciously +pleased to remove thy heavy and afflicting hand from them. And O that +the rest of mankind, who are not under such trials, may, by thy +goodness, be led to repentance, that the consciences of hard-hearted +sinners may be awakened, and the understandings of poor ignorant +creatures enlightened, and that all that love and fear thee may ever +find the joy and comfort of a good conscience, beyond all the +satisfactions that this world can afford. And now, blessed Lord, from +whom every good gift comes, it is meet, right, and our bounden duty, +that we should offer up unto thee our thanks and praise for all thy +goodness towards us, for preserving peace in our land, the light of thy +Gospel, and the true religion in our churches; for giving us the fruits +of the earth in due season, and preserving us from the plague and +sickness that rages in other lands. We bless thee for that support and +maintenance, which thou art pleased to afford us, and that thou givest +us a heart to be sensible of this thy goodness, and to return our thanks +at this time for the same; and as to our persons, for that measure of +health that any of us do enjoy, which is more than any of us do deserve. +We bless thee, more particularly, for thy protection over us the day +past; that thy good spirit has kept us from falling into even the +greatest sins, which, by our wicked and corrupt nature, we should +greedily have been hurried into; and that, by the guard of thy holy +angels, we have been kept safe from any of those evils that might have +befallen us, and which many are now groaning under, who rose up in the +morning in safety and peace as well as we. But above all, for that great +mercy of contriving and effecting our redemption, by the death of our +Saviour Jesus Christ, whom, of thy great love to mankind, thou didst +send into this world, to take upon him our flesh, to teach us thy will, +and to bear the guilt of our transgressions, to die for our sins, and to +rise again for our justification; and for enabling us to lay hold of +that salvation, by the gracious assistances of thy Holy Spirit. Lord, +grant that the sense of this wonderful love of thine to us, may +effectually encourage us to walk in thy fear, and live to thy glory, +that so when we shall put off this mortal state, we may be made +partakers of that glory that shall then be revealed, which we beg of +thee, for the sake of thy Son Jesus Christ, who died to procure it for +us, and in whose name and words we do offer up the desires of our souls +unto thee, saying, + +"Our Father," &c. + + +OBSERVATIONS + +ON + +HEYLIN'S HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIANS.[1] + +[Footnote 1: Written by the Dean in the beginning of the book, on one of +the blank leaves. [Note in vol. ix. 1775 edition of Swift's Works.]] + +This book, by some errors and neglects in the style, seems not to have +received the author's[2] last correction. It is written with some +vehemence, very pardonable in one who had been an observer and a +sufferer, in England, under that diabolical fanatic sect which then +destroyed Church and State. But, by comparing in my memory what I have +read in other histories, he neither aggravates nor falsifies any facts. +His partiality appears chiefly in setting the actions of the Calvinists +in the strongest light, without equally dwelling on those of the other +side; which, however, to say the truth, was not his proper business. And +yet he might have spent some more words on the inhuman massacre of Paris +and other parts of France, which no provocation (and yet the King had +the greatest possible) could excuse, or much extenuate. The author, +according to the current opinion of the age he lived in, had too high +notions of regal power; led by the common mistake of the term Supreme +Magistrate, and not rightly distinguishing between the legislature and +administration: into which mistake the clergy fell, or continued, in the +reign of Charles II., as I have shewn and explained in a treatise, &c. +J. SWIFT. March 6, 1727-8. + +[Footnote 2: Peter Heylin, D.D. (1600-1662) was born at Burford, +Oxfordshire. Educated at Magdalen College, Oxford, and became in +succession, chaplain to Charles I., rector of Hemmingford, rector of +Islip, and a prebendary of Westminster. He wrote the weekly paper, +"Mercurius Auhcus," and lost his estates during the Civil War. He was +reinstated at the Restoration into all his preferments. His works are +voluminous, consisting of a "Cosmography," "A Help to English History," +a "Life of Charles I.," a "History of the Reformation," a "History of +Presbyterians," a "Life of Archbishop Laud," and a few theological +works. The work on the Presbyterians, here referred to by Swift, was +published in 1670. [T.S.]] + + + * * * * * + + +CHISWICK PRESS:--CHARLES WHITTINGHAM AND CO. TOOKS COURT, CHANCERY LANE, +LONDON. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Prose Works of Jonathan Swift, +Vol. III.: Swift's Writings on Religion and the Church, Vol. I., by Jonathan Swift + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 12252 *** diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8899987 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #12252 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/12252) diff --git a/old/12252-8.txt b/old/12252-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d64e4eb --- /dev/null +++ b/old/12252-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11544 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Prose Works of Jonathan Swift, Vol. +III.: Swift's Writings on Religion and the Church, Vol. I., by Jonathan Swift + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Prose Works of Jonathan Swift, Vol. III.: Swift's Writings on Religion and the Church, Vol. I. + +Author: Jonathan Swift + +Release Date: May 4, 2004 [EBook #12252] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SWIFT'S WRITINGS ON RELIGION *** + + + + +Produced by Terry Gilliland and PG Distributed Proofreaders. Produced +from images provided by the Million Book Project. + + + + + + + +BOHN'S STANDARD LIBRARY + +THE PROSE WORKS OF JONATHAN SWIFT + +VOL. III + + +[Illustration: _Jonathan Swift, + +from a picture by Frances Bindon + +In the possession of Sir F R Falkiner_] + + +THE PROSE WORKS + +OF + +JONATHAN SWIFT, D.D. + +EDITED BY + +TEMPLE SCOTT + +WITH A BIOGRAPHICAL INTRODUCTION BY + +THE RT. HON. W. E. H. LECKY, M.P. + +VOL III + +1898 + + +SWIFT'S + +WRITINGS ON RELIGION AND THE CHURCH + +VOL. I + +EDITED BY + +TEMPLE SCOTT + +1898 + + + + +PREFACE. + + +The inquiry into the religious thought of the eighteenth century forms +one of the most interesting subjects for speculation in the history of +the intellectual development of western nations. It is true, that in +that history Swift takes no special or distinguished part; but he forms +a figure of peculiar interest in a special circle of his own. Swift had +no natural bent for the ministry of a church; his instincts, his +temperament, his intellect, were of that order which fitted him for +leadership and administration. He was a born magistrate and commander of +men. It is, therefore, one of the finest compliments we can pay Swift to +say, that no more faithful, no more devoted, no stauncher servant has +that Church possessed; for we must remember the proud and haughty temper +which attempted to content itself with the humdrum duties of a parish +life. Swift entered the service of that Church at a time when its need +for such a man was great; and in spite of its disdain of his worth, in +spite of its failure to recognize and acknowledge his transcendent +qualities, he never forgot his oath, and never shook in his allegiance. +To any one, however, who reads carefully his sermons, his "Thoughts on +Religion," and his "Letter to a Young Clergyman," there comes a +question--whether, for his innermost conscience, Swift found a +satisfying conviction in the doctrines of Christianity. "I am not +answerable to God," he says, "for the doubts that arise in my own +breast, since they are the consequence of that reason which he hath +planted in me, if I take care to conceal those doubts from others, if I +use my best endeavours to subdue them, and if they have no influence on +the conduct of my life." We search in vain, in any of his writings, for +any definite expression of doubt or want of faith in these doctrines. +When he touches on them, as he does in the sermon "On the Trinity," he +seems to avoid of set purpose, rational inquiry, and contents himself +with insisting on the necessity for a belief in those mysteries +concerning God about which we cannot hope to know anything. "I do not +find," he says, in his "Letter to a Young Clergyman," "that you are +anywhere directed in the canons or articles to attempt explaining the +mysteries of the Christian religion; and, indeed, since Providence +intended there should be mysteries, I don't see how it can be agreeable +to piety, orthodoxy, or good sense to go about such a work. For to me +there seems a manifest dilemma in the case; if you explain them, they +are mysteries no longer; if you fail, you have laboured to no purpose." + +It must at once be admitted that Swift had not the metaphysical bent; +philosophy--in our modern sense of the word--was to him only a species +of word spinning. That only was valuable which had a practical bearing +on life--and Christianity had that. He found in Christianity, as he knew +it--in the Church of England, that is to say--an excellent organization, +which recognized the frailties of human nature, aimed at making +healthier men's souls, and gave mankind a reasonable guidance in the +selection of the best motives to action. He himself, as a preacher, made +it his principal business, "first to tell the people what is their duty, +and then to convince them that it is so." He had a profound faith in +existing institutions, which to him were founded on the fundamental +traits of humanity. The Church of England he considered to be such an +institution; and it was, moreover, regulated and settled by order of the +State. To follow its teachings would lead men to become good citizens, +honest dealers, truthful and cleanly companions, upright friends. What +more could be demanded of any religion? + +The Romish Church led away from the Constitution as by law established. +Dissent set up private authority, which could no more be permitted in +religious than it was in political matters; it meant dissension, +revolution, and the upheaval of tried and trusted associations. +Therefore, the Church of Rome and the teachings of Dissent were alike +dangerous; and against both, whenever they attempted the possession of +political power, he waged a fierce and uncompromising war. "Where sects +are tolerated in a State," he says, in his "Sentiments of a Church of +England Man," "it is fit they should enjoy a full liberty of conscience, +and every other privilege of free-born subjects, to which no power is +annexed. And to preserve their obedience upon all emergencies, a +government cannot give them too much ease, nor trust them with too +little power." + +Swift had no passionate love for ideals--indeed, he may have thought +ideals to be figments of an overheated and, therefore, aberrated +imagination. The practically real was the best ideal; and by the real he +would understand that power which most capably and most regulatively +nursed, guided, and assisted the best instincts of the average man. The +average man was but a sorry creature, and required adventitious aids for +his development. Gifted as he was with a large sympathy, Swift yet was +seemingly incapable of appreciating those thought-forms which help us to +visualize mentally our religious aspirations and emotions. A mere +emotion was but subject-matter for his satire. He suspected any zeal +which protested too much for truth, and considered it "odds on" it being +"either petulancy, ambition, or pride." + +Whatever may have been his private speculations as to the truth of the +doctrines of Christianity they never interfered with his sense of his +responsibilities as a clergyman. "I look upon myself," he says, "in the +capacity of a clergyman, to be one appointed by Providence for defending +a post assigned me, and for gaining over as many enemies as I can. +Although I think my cause is just, yet one great motive is my submitting +to the pleasure of Providence, and to the laws of my country." If anyone +had asked him, what was the pleasure of Providence, he would probably +have answered, that it was plainly shown in the Scriptures, and required +not the aid of the expositions of divines who were "too curious, or too +narrow, in reducing orthodoxy within the compass of subtleties, +niceties, and distinctions." Truth was no abstraction--that was truth +which found its expression in the best action; and this explains Swift's +acceptance of any organization which made for such expression. He found +one ready in the Church of England; and whatever his doubts were, those +only moved him which were aroused by action from those who attempted to +interfere with the working of that organization. And this also helps to +explain his political attitude at the time when it was thought he had +deserted his friends. The Church was always his first consideration. He +was not a Churchman because he was a politician, but a politician +because he was a Churchman. These, however, are matters which are more +fully entered into by Swift himself in the tracts herewith reprinted, +and in the notes prefixed to them by the editor. + +It was originally intended that Swift's writings on Religion and the +Church should occupy a single volume of this edition of his works. They +are, however, so numerous that it has been found more convenient to +divide them into two volumes--the first including all the tracts, except +those relating to the Sacramental Test; the second containing the Test +pamphlets and the twelve sermons, with the Remarks on Dr. Gibbs's +paraphrase of the Psalms, in an appendix. It is hoped that this +division, while it entails upon the student the necessity for a double +reference, will yet preserve the continuity of form enabling him to view +Swift's religious standpoint and work with as much advantage as he would +have obtained by the original plan. + +The editor again takes the opportunity to thank Colonel F. Grant for the +service he has rendered him in placing at his disposal his fine +collection of Swift's tracts. The portrait which forms the frontispiece +to this volume is one of those painted by Francis Bindon, and was +formerly in the possession of Judge Berwick. For permission to +photograph and reproduce it here, thanks are due to Sir Frederick R. +Falkiner, Recorder of Dublin. + +TEMPLE SCOTT. + + + + +CONTENTS: + +ARGUMENT AGAINST ABOLISHING CHRISTIANITY + +PROJECT FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF RELIGION + +SENTIMENTS OF A CHURCH OF ENGLAND MAN + +REMARKS UPON "THE RIGHTS OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH" + +PREFACE TO THE BISHOP OF SARUM'S "INTRODUCTION" + +ABSTRACT OF COLLINS'S "DISCOURSE OF FREETHINKING" + +SOME THOUGHTS ON FREETHINKING + +LETTER TO A YOUNG CLERGYMAN + +ARGUMENTS AGAINST ENLARGING THE POWER OF BISHOPS IN LETTING LEASES + +REASONS OFFERED TO THE ARCHBISHOP OF DUBLIN + +ON THE BILL FOR THE CLERGY'S RESIDING ON THEIR LIVINGS + +CONSIDERATIONS UPON TWO BILLS RELATING TO THE CLERGY OF IRELAND + +REASONS AGAINST THE MODUS + +ESSAY ON THE FATES OF CLERGYMEN + +CONCERNING THAT UNIVERSAL HATRED WHICH PREVAILS AGAINST THE CLERGY + +THOUGHTS ON RELIGION + +FURTHER THOUGHTS ON RELIGION + +PRAYERS FOR MRS. JOHNSON + +AN EVENING PRAYER + +OBSERVATIONS ON HEYLIN'S "HISTORY OF PRESBYTERIANS" + +***** ***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +AN ARGUMENT + +TO PROVE THAT THE + +ABOLISHING OF CHRISTIANITY IN ENGLAND + +MAY, AS THINGS NOW STAND, BE ATTENDED WITH SOME INCONVENIENCES, AND +PERHAPS NOT PRODUCE THOSE MANY GOOD EFFECTS PROPOSED THEREBY. + +WRITTEN IN THE YEAR 1708. + + +NOTE. + +In November, 1707, Swift left Dublin in the train of the then Lord +Lieutenant, Lord Pembroke. His travelling companion was Sir Andrew +Fountaine, who, on landing in England, set out with Lord Pembroke for +Wilton, while Swift went on to Leicester to visit his mother. He stayed +with her until some time in December, but, by the middle of the same +month, he was in London. During this absence from Ireland Swift +corresponded somewhat freely with Archbishop King of Dublin, and with +Archdeacon Walls--the letters to the former were first printed in +Forster's "Life of Swift." For these Forster was indebted to the Rev. +Mr. Reeves (vicar of Lusk, co. Dublin), who discovered them in the +record-room of the see of Armagh (see "Life," p. 205 et seq. and note). +One of Swift's intentions, while in the metropolis, was to push forward +the claim of the Irish clergy for the remission of the First Fruits and +Tenths, a grant which had already been conceded to the English clergy; +and his letters to King often include requests for the necessary papers +by means of which he could lay the matter before either Godolphin or +Somers. Walls had written to Swift of the vacancy of the see of +Waterford, and, from the reply to the archdeacon, we learn that even at +so early a date Swift suffered a grievous disappointment; for in +January, 1708, the bishopric, of which Swift had hopes, was presented to +Dr. Thomas Milles. In his letter to Walls Swift confesses that he "once +had a glimpse that things would have gone otherwise.... But let us +talk no further on this subject. I am stomach-sick of it already. ... +Pray send me an account of some smaller vacancy in the Government's +gift." It was to Somers, and through him to Lord Halifax, that Swift +looked for recognition, either for services rendered, or because of +their appreciation of his abilities. But, however much he may have been +disappointed at their inaction, it may not be argued, as it has been, +that Swift's so-called change in his political opinions was the outcome +either of spleen or chagrin against the Whigs for their ingratitude +towards him. It is, indeed, questionable whether Swift ever changed his +political opinions, speaking of these as party opinions. From the day of +his entrance, it may be said, into the orders of the Church, his first +thought was for it; and on all political questions which touched Church +matters Swift was neither Whig nor Tory, but churchman. It was because +of the attitude of the Whigs towards the Church that Swift left them; +and in his writings he does not spare the Tories even when he finds them +taking up similar attitudes. On purely political questions Swift was too +independent a thinker to be influenced by mere party views. That he +wrote for the Tories must be put down to Harley's personal influence, +and to his foresight which saw in Swift a man who must be treated as an +equal with the highest in the land. Swift's intercourse with the leading +men of his day only served to accentuate his consciousness of his +superiority; and a party which would permit him the free play of his +powers would be the party to which Swift would give his adhesion. +Godolphin, Somers, and Walpole either did not recognize the genius of +the man, or their own "points of view" did not permit them to give him +the free play they felt he would obtain. Be that as it may, Harley +gained not only a splendid party fighter, but a friend on whose +affection he could ever rely. + +In these tracts on Religion and the Church, which he wrote in the year +1708, Swift is not a party man, speaking for party purposes. He +believed, and sincerely believed, that for such beings as were the men +and women of this kingdom, the Church was, if not the highest and +noblest instrument for good, yet the worthiest and ablest they had. +Swift never lost himself in theories. He was, however, not blind to the +dangers which an established religion might engender; but whatever its +dangers, these would be inevitable to the most perfect system so long as +human nature was as base as it was. The "Argument" is written in a vein +of satirical banter; but the Swiftian cynicism permeates every line. It +is the first of four tracts which form Swift's most important expression +of his thoughts on Religion and the Church. Scott well describes it as +"one of the most felicitous efforts in our language, to engage wit and +humour on the side of religion," and Forster speaks of it as "having +also that indefinable subtlety of style which conveys not the writer's +knowledge of the subject only, but his power and superiority over it." + +I have not been able to find a copy of the original edition of the +"Argument" upon which to base the present text--for that I have gone to +the first edition of the "Miscellanies," published in 1711; but I have +collated this with those given by the "Miscellanies" (1728), Faulkner, +Hawkesworth, Scott, Morley, and Craik. + +[T. S.] + + +AN ARGUMENT AGAINST ABOLISHING CHRISTIANITY. + + +I am very sensible what a weakness and presumption it is, to reason +against the general humour and disposition of the world. I remember it +was with great justice, and a due regard to the freedom both of the +public and the press, forbidden upon several penalties to write,[1] or +discourse, or lay wagers against the Union, even before it was confirmed +by parliament, because that was looked upon as a design, to oppose the +current of the people, which, besides the folly of it, is a manifest +breach of the fundamental law that makes this majority of opinion the +voice of God. In like manner, and for the very same reasons, it may +perhaps be neither safe nor prudent to argue against the abolishing of +Christianity, at a juncture when all parties appear[2] so unanimously +determined upon the point, as we cannot but allow from their actions, +their discourses, and their writings. However, I know not how, whether +from the affectation of singularity, or the perverseness of human +nature, but so it unhappily falls out, that I cannot be entirely of this +opinion. Nay, though I were sure an order were issued for my immediate +prosecution by the Attorney-General, I should still confess that in the +present posture of our affairs at home or abroad, I do not yet see the +absolute necessity of extirpating the Christian religion from among us. + +[Footnote 1: This refers to the Jacobitism of the time, particularly +among those who were opposed to the Union. A reference to Lord Mahon's +"Reign of Queen Anne" will show how strong was the opposition in +Scotland, and how severe were the measures taken to put down that +opposition. [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 2: Craik and Hawkesworth print the word "seem," but the +"Miscellanies," Faulkner, and Scott give it as in the text. [T.S.]] + +This perhaps may appear too great a paradox even for our wise and +paradoxical age to endure; therefore I shall handle it with all +tenderness, and with the utmost deference to that great and profound +majority which is of another sentiment. + +And yet the curious may please to observe, how much the genius of a +nation is liable to alter in half an age. I have heard it affirmed for +certain by some very old people, that the contrary opinion was even in +their memories as much in vogue as the other is now; and, that a project +for the abolishing of Christianity would then have appeared as singular, +and been thought as absurd, as it would be at this time to write or +discourse in its defence. + +Therefore I freely own that all appearances are against me. The system +of the Gospel, after the fate of other systems is generally antiquated +and exploded, and the mass or body of the common people, among whom it +seems to have had its latest credit, are now grown as much ashamed of it +as their betters; opinions, like fashions, always descending from those +of quality to the middle sort, and thence to the vulgar, where at length +they are dropped and vanish. + +But here I would not be mistaken, and must therefore be so bold as to +borrow a distinction from the writers on the other side, when they make +a difference between nominal and real Trinitarians. I hope no reader +imagines me so weak to stand up in the defence of real Christianity, +such as used in primitive times (if we may believe the authors of those +ages) to have an influence upon men's belief and actions: To offer at +the restoring of that would indeed be a wild project; it would be to dig +up foundations; to destroy at one blow all the wit, and half the +learning of the kingdom; to break the entire frame and constitution of +things; to ruin trade, extinguish arts and sciences with the professors +of them; in short, to turn our courts, exchanges, and shops into +deserts; and would be full as absurd as the proposal of Horace,[3] where +he advises the Romans all in a body to leave their city, and seek a new +seat in some remote part of the world, by way of cure for the corruption +of their manners. + +[Footnote 3: This proposal is embodied in the 16th Epode, where, in an +appeal "to the Roman people," Horace advises them to fly the evils of +tyranny and civil war by sailing away to "the happy land, those islands +of the blest:" + + "Nos manet Oceanus circumvagus! arva, beata + Petamus arva, divites et insulas!" +[T.S.]] + +Therefore I think this caution was in itself altogether unnecessary, +(which I have inserted only to prevent all possibility of cavilling) +since every candid reader will easily understand my discourse to be +intended only in defence of nominal Christianity; the other having been +for some time wholly laid aside by general consent, as utterly +inconsistent with our present schemes of wealth and power. + +But why we should therefore cast off the name and title of Christians, +although the general opinion and resolution be so violent for it, I +confess I cannot (with submission) apprehend the consequence +necessary.[4] However, since the undertakers propose such wonderful +advantages to the nation by this project, and advance many plausible +objections against the system of Christianity, I shall briefly consider +the strength of both, fairly allow them their greatest weight, and offer +such answers as I think most reasonable. After which I will beg leave to +shew what inconveniences may possibly happen by such an innovation, in +the present posture of our affairs. + +[Footnote 4: I give the reading of the "Miscellanies" (1711), Faulkner +and Hawkesworth. Scott and Craik print it: "I confess I cannot (with +submission) apprehend, nor is the consequence necessary." [T.S.]] + +_First,_ One great advantage proposed by the abolishing of Christianity +is, that it would very much enlarge and establish liberty of conscience, +that great bulwark of our nation, and of the Protestant Religion, which +is still too much limited by priestcraft, notwithstanding all the good +intentions of the legislature, as we have lately found by a severe +instance. For it is confidently reported, that two young gentlemen of +real hopes, bright wit, and profound judgment, who upon a thorough +examination of causes and effects, and by the mere force of natural +abilities, without the least tincture of learning, having made a +discovery, that there was no God, and generously communicating their +thoughts for the good of the public, were some time ago, by an +unparalleled severity, and upon I know not what obsolete law, broke for +blasphemy.[5] And as it hath been wisely observed, if persecution once +begins, no man alive knows how far it may reach, or where it will end. + +[Footnote 5: No record of this "breaking" has been discovered. [T.S.]] + +In answer to all which, with deference to wiser judgments, I think this +rather shews the necessity of a nominal religion among us. Great wits +love to be free with the highest objects; and if they cannot be allowed +a God to revile or renounce, they will speak evil of dignities, abuse +the government, and reflect upon the ministry; which I am sure few will +deny to be of much more pernicious consequence, according to the saying +of Tiberius, _Deorum offensa diis curae._[6] As to the particular fact +related, I think it is not fair to argue from one instance, perhaps +another cannot be produced; yet (to the comfort of all those who may be +apprehensive of persecution) blasphemy we know is freely spoken a +million of times in every coffeehouse and tavern, or wherever else good +company meet. It must be allowed indeed, that to break an English +free-born officer only for blasphemy, was, to speak the gentlest of such +an action, a very high strain of absolute 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 speaking blasphemy, +may some time or other proceed so far as to raise a mutiny, the +consequence is by no means to be admitted; for, surely the commander of +an English army is likely to be but ill obeyed, whose soldiers fear and +reverence him as little as they do a Deity. + +[Footnote 6: Tacitus, "Annals," bk. i., c. lxxiii. [T.S.]] + +It is further objected against the Gospel System, that it obliges men to +the belief of things too difficult for free-thinkers, and such who have +shaken off the prejudices that usually cling to a confined education. To +which I answer, that men should be cautious how they raise objections +which reflect upon the wisdom of the nation. Is not every body freely +allowed to believe whatever he pleases, and to publish his belief to the +world whenever he thinks fit, especially if it serves to strengthen the +party which is in the right? Would any indifferent foreigner, who should +read the trumpery lately written by Asgil, Tindal, Toland, Coward,[7] +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 desire to have it thought that he says he believes one +syllable of the matter? And is any man worse received upon that score, +or does he find his want of nominal faith a disadvantage to him in the +pursuit of any civil or military employment? What if there be an old +dormant statute or two against him, are they not now obsolete, to a +degree, that Empsom and Dudley[8] themselves if they were now alive, +would find it impossible to put them in execution? + +[Footnote 7: John Asgill (1659-1738), became a member of Lincoln's Inn, +and went over to Ireland in 1697, where he practised as a barrister, +amassed a large fortune, and was elected to the Irish parliament. For +writing "An Argument, proving that Man may be translated from hence +without passing through Death," he was, in 1700, expelled the House, and +the book ordered to be burnt. On returning to England he was elected to +parliament for Bramber, but suffered a second expulsion in 1712, also on +account of this book. He was imprisoned for debt, and remained under the +rules of the Fleet and King's Bench for thirty years, during which time +he wrote and published various political tracts. His "Argument" +attempted to "interpret the relations between God and man by the +technical rules of English law," and Coleridge thought no little of its +power and style. + +Matthew Tindal (1657-1733) was born at Beer Ferrers, in Devonshire. He +studied at Oxford, and obtained a fellowship in All Souls. He was made +LL.D. in 1685, and, although he professed himself a Roman Catholic in +James II.'s reign, he managed to keep his fellowship after that +monarch's flight by becoming Protestant again. His most important work +was "The Rights of the Christian Church Asserted," which the House of +Commons in 1710 adjudged fit for burning by the hangman. In 1730 he +published anonymously, the first part of "Christianity as Old as +Creation," a work which attacked strongly the authority of the +Scriptures; a second volume was never published. + +John Toland (1669-1722), born near Londonderry, and educated in a +Catholic school. He professed himself a Protestant, and was sent to +Glasgow and Edinburgh. In the latter university he graduated in his +master's degree. While studying at Leyden he became a sceptic, and in +1695 published his "Christianity not Mysterious," a work which aroused a +wide controversy. In his "Life of Milton" (1698) he denied that King +Charles was the author of "Eikon Basilikae," and also attacked the +Gospels. This also brought upon him rejoinders from Dr. Blackall and Dr. +Samuel Clarke. He died at Putney, in easy circumstances, due to the +presents made him while visiting German courts. He wrote other works, +chief among which may be mentioned, "Socinianism truly Stated" (1705), +"Nazarenas" (1718), and "Tetradymus." His "Posthumous Works" were issued +in two volumes in 1726, with a life by Des Maizeaux. Craik calls him "a +man of utterly worthless character," and refers to his being "mixed up +in some discreditable episodes as a political spy." + +William Coward (1656?--1724?) was born at Winchester. He studied +medicine and became a fellow of Wadham College, Oxford. His "Second +Thoughts concerning Human Souls," published in 1702, occasioned fierce +disputes, on account of its materialism. The House of Commons ordered +the work to be burnt by the hangman. + +Asgill, Toland, Tindal, Collins, and Coward are classed as the Deistical +writers of the eighteenth century. In his "History of English Thought in +the Eighteenth Century" Mr. Leslie Stephen gives an admirable exposition +of their views, and their special interpretation of Locke's theories. +[T.S.]] + +[Footnote 8: Of Henry VII. notoriety, who aided the king, by illegal +exactions, to amass his large fortune. They were executed by Henry VIII. +[T.S.]] + +It is likewise urged, that there are, by computation, in this kingdom, +above ten thousand parsons, whose revenues added to those of my lords +the bishops, would suffice to maintain at least two hundred young +gentlemen of wit and pleasure, and freethinking, enemies to priestcraft, +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 consideration of some weight: But then, on the other side, +several things deserve to be considered likewise: As, first, whether it +may not be thought necessary that in certain tracts of country, like +what we call parishes, there shall be one man at least of abilities to +read and write. Then it seems a wrong computation, that the revenues of +the Church throughout this island would be large enough to maintain two +hundred young gentlemen, or even half that number, after the present +refined way of living; that is, to allow each of them such a rent, as in +the modern form of speech, would make them easy. But still there is in +this project a greater mischief 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 would become of the race of men in the next age, if +we had nothing to trust to beside the scrofulous, consumptive +productions, furnished by our men of wit and pleasure, when, having +squandered away their vigour, health and estates, they are forced by +some disagreeable marriage to piece up their broken fortunes, and entail +rottenness and politeness on their posterity? Now, here are ten thousand +persons reduced by the wise regulations of Henry the Eighth,[9] to the +necessity of a low diet, and moderate exercise, who are the only great +restorers of our breed, without which the nation would in an age or two +become one great hospital. + +[Footnote 9: His seizures of the revenues of the Church. [T.S.]] + +Another advantage proposed by the abolishing of Christianity, is the +clear gain of one day in seven, which is now entirely lost, and +consequently the kingdom one seventh less considerable in trade, +business, and pleasure, besides the loss to the public of so many +stately structures now in the hands of the Clergy, which might be +converted into playhouses, exchanges, market houses, common dormitories, +and other public edifices. + +I hope I shall be forgiven a hard word, if I call this a perfect +_cavil._ I readily own there has been an old custom time out of mind, +for people to assemble in the churches every Sunday, and that shops are +still frequently shut, in order as it is conceived, to preserve the +memory of that ancient practice, but how this can prove a hindrance to +business 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 +houses?[10] Are not the taverns and coffeehouses open? Can there be a +more convenient season for taking a dose of physic? Are fewer claps got +upon Sundays than other days? Is not that the chief day for traders to +sum up the accounts of the week, and for lawyers to prepare their +briefs? But I would fain know how it can be pretended that the churches +are misapplied? Where are more appointments and rendezvouzes 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 sorts? And where so many conveniences or +enticements to sleep? + +[Footnote 10: The chocolate houses seem to have been largely used for +gambling purposes. They were not so numerous as the coffee houses. +[T.S.]] + +There is one advantage greater than any of the foregoing, proposed by +the abolishing of Christianity: that it will utterly extinguish parties +among us, by removing those factious distinctions of High and Low +Church, of Whig and Tory, Presbyterian and Church of England, which are +now so many mutual clogs upon public proceedings, and are apt to prefer +the gratifying themselves, or depressing their adversaries, before the +most important interest of the state. + +I confess, if it were certain that so great an advantage would redound +to the nation by this expedient, I would submit and be silent: But will +any man say, that if the words _whoring, drinking, cheating, lying, +stealing_, were by act of parliament ejected out of the English tongue +and dictionaries, we should all awake next morning chaste and temperate, +honest and just, and lovers of truth? Is this a fair consequence? Or, if +the physicians would forbid us to pronounce the words _pox, gout, +rheumatism_ and _stone_, would that expedient serve like so many +talismans to destroy the diseases themselves? Are party and faction +rooted in men's hearts no deeper than phrases borrowed from religion, or +founded upon no firmer principles? And is our language so poor that we +cannot find other terms to express them? Are _envy, pride, avarice_ and +_ambition_ such ill nomenclators, that they cannot furnish appellations +for their owners? Will not _heydukes_ and _mamalukes, mandarins_ and +_patshaws_, or any other words formed at pleasure, serve to distinguish +those who are in the ministry from others who would be in it if they +could? What, for instance, is easier than to vary the form of speech, +and instead of the word church, make it a question in politics, whether +the Monument be in danger? Because religion was nearest at hand to +furnish a few convenient phrases, is our invention so barren, we can +find no other? Suppose, for argument sake, that the Tories favoured +Margarita, the Whigs Mrs. Tofts,[11] and the Trimmers[12] Valentini,[13] +would not _Margaritians, Toftians,_ and _Valentinians_ be very tolerable +marks of distinction? The _Prasini_ and _Veniti,_[14] two most virulent +factions in Italy, began (if I remember right) by a distinction of +colours in ribbons, which we might do with as good a grace[15] about the +dignity of the blue and the green, and would serve as properly to divide +the Court, the Parliament, and the Kingdom between them, as any terms of +art whatsoever, borrowed from religion. And therefore I think, there is +little force in this objection against Christianity, or prospect of so +great an advantage as is proposed in the abolishing of it. + +[Footnote 11: Margarita was a famous Italian singer of the day. Her name +was Francesca Margherita de l'Epine, and she was known as "the Italian +woman." In his "Journal to Stella" for August 6th, 1711, Swift writes: +"We have a music meeting in our town [Windsor] to-night. I went to the +rehearsal of it, and there was Margarita and her sister, and another +drab, and a parcel of fiddlers; I was weary, and would not go to the +meeting, which I am sorry for, because I heard it was a great assembly." +(See present edition, vol. ii. p. 219). + +Mrs. Catherine Tofts was an Englishwoman, who also sang in Italian +opera. She had a fine figure and a beautiful voice. Steele in the +"Tatler," No. 20, refers to her when in her state of insanity. Her mind, +evidently, could not stand the strain of her great popularity, and she +became mad in 1709. In the "Tatler" she is called Camilla; and Cibber +also speaks of the "silver tone of her voice." [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 12: By the Trimmers Swift referred to the nickname given to +the party in the time of Charles II., which consisted of those who +wished to compromise between the advocates of the Crown and the +supporters of the Protestant succession as against the Duke of York. +[T.S.]] + +[Footnote 13: Another Italian singer of the time, who was the rival of +Margarita and Mrs. Tofts. [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 14: This refers to the Roman chariot races. They gave rise to +the factions called _Albati, Russati, Prasini,_ and _Veniti._ The +Prasini (green) and Veniti (blue) were the principal, and their rivalry +landed the empire, under Justinian, in a civil war. [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 15: Scott has "and we might contend with as good a grace," &c. +Craik follows Scott. The reading in the text is that of the +"Miscellanies" (1711), Faulkner, and Hawkesworth. [T.S.]] + +'Tis again objected, as a very absurd ridiculous custom, that a set of +men should be suffered, much less employed and hired, to bawl one day in +seven against the lawfulness of those methods most in use toward the +pursuit of greatness, riches and pleasure, which are the constant +practice of all men alive on the other six. But this objection is, I +think, a little unworthy so refined an age as ours. Let us argue this +matter calmly: I appeal to the breast of any polite freethinker, whether +in the pursuit of gratifying a predominant passion, he hath not always +felt a wonderful incitement, by reflecting it was a thing forbidden; and +therefore we see, in order to cultivate this taste, the wisdom of the +nation hath taken special care, that the ladies should be furnished with +prohibited silks, and the men with prohibited wine. And indeed it were +to be wished, that some other prohibitions were promoted, in order to +improve the pleasures of the town; which, for want of such expedients +begin already, as I am told, to flag and grow languid, giving way daily +to cruel inroads from the spleen. + +'Tis likewise proposed as a great advantage to the public, that if we +once discard the system of the Gospel, all religion will of course be +banished for ever; and consequently, along with it, those grievous +prejudices of education, which under the names of _virtue, conscience, +honour, justice,_ and the like, are so apt to disturb the peace of human +minds, and the notions whereof are so hard to be eradicated by right +reason or freethinking, sometimes during the whole course of our lives. + +Here first, I observe how difficult it is to get rid of a phrase, which +the world is once grown fond of, though the occasion that first produced +it, be entirely taken away. For several years past, if a man had but an +ill-favoured nose, the deep-thinkers of the age would some way or other +contrive to impute the cause to the prejudice of his education. From +this fountain were said to be derived all our foolish notions of +justice, piety, love of our country, all our opinions of God, or a +future state, Heaven, Hell, and the like: And there might formerly +perhaps have been some pretence for this charge. But so effectual care +has been taken to remove those prejudices, by an entire change in the +methods of education, that (with honour I mention it to our polite +innovators) the young gentlemen who are now on the scene, seem to have +not the least tincture of those infusions, or string of those weeds; +and, by consequence, the reason for abolishing nominal Christianity upon +that pretext, is wholly ceased. + +For the rest, it may perhaps admit a controversy, whether the banishing +of all notions of religion whatsoever, would be convenient for the +vulgar. Not that I am in the least of opinion with those who hold +religion to have been the invention of politicians, to keep the lower +part of the world in awe by the fear of invisible powers; unless mankind +were then very different to what it is now: For I look upon the mass or +body of our people here in England, to be as freethinkers, that is to +say, as staunch unbelievers, as any of the highest rank. But I conceive +some scattered notions about a superior power to be of singular use for +the common people, as furnishing excellent materials to keep children +quiet when they grow peevish, and providing topics of amusement in a +tedious winter-night. + +Lastly, 'tis proposed as a singular advantage, that the abolishing of +Christianity will very much contribute to the uniting of Protestants, by +enlarging the terms of communion so as to take in all sorts of +dissenters, who are now shut out of the pale upon account of a few +ceremonies which all sides confess to be things indifferent: That this +alone will effectually answer the great ends of a scheme for +comprehension, by opening a large noble gate, at which all bodies may +enter; whereas the chaffering with dissenters, and dodging about this or +t'other ceremony, is but like opening a few wickets, and leaving them at +jar, by which no more than one can get in at a time, and that, not +without stooping, and sideling, and squeezing his body.[16] + +[Footnote 16: "In this passage," says Scott, "the author's High Church +principles, and jealousy of the Dissenters, plainly shew themselves; and +it is, perhaps, in special reference to what is here said, that he ranks +it among the pamphlets he wrote in opposition to the party then in +power." [T. S.]] + +To all this I answer: that there is one darling inclination of mankind, +which usually affects to be a retainer to religion, though she be +neither its parent, its godmother, or its friend; I mean the spirit of +opposition, that lived long before Christianity, and can easily subsist +without it. Let us, for instance, examine wherein the opposition of +sectaries among us consists, we shall find Christianity to have no share +in it at all Does the Gospel any where prescribe a starched, squeezed +countenance, a stiff, formal gait, a singularity of manners and habit, +or any affected modes of speech different from the reasonable part of +mankind? Yet, if Christianity did not lend its name to stand in the gap, +and to employ or divert these humours, they must of necessity be spent +in contraventions to the laws of the land, and disturbance of the public +peace. There is a portion of enthusiasm assigned to every nation, which, +if it hath not proper objects to work on, will burst out, and set all +into a flame. If the quiet of a state can be bought by only flinging men +a few ceremonies to devour, it is a purchase no wise man would refuse +Let the mastiffs amuse themselves about a sheep's skin stuffed with hay, +provided it will keep them from worrying the flock The institution of +convents abroad, seems in one point a strain of great wisdom, there +being few irregularities in human passions, which may not have recourse +to vent themselves in some of those orders, which are so many retreats +for the speculative, the melancholy, the proud, the silent, the politic +and the morose, to spend themselves, and evaporate the noxious +particles, for each of whom we in this island are forced to provide a +several sect of religion, to keep them quiet And whenever Christianity +shall be abolished, the legislature must find some other expedient to +employ and entertain them For what imports it how large a gate you open, +if there will be always left a number who place a pride and a merit in +not coming in?[17] + +[Footnote 17: So the "Miscellanies" (1711) and Hawkesworth Faulkner, +Scott, and Craik print, "in refusing to enter." [T. S.]] + +Having thus considered the most important objections against +Christianity, and the chief advantages proposed by the abolishing +thereof, I shall now with equal deference and submission to wiser +judgments as before, proceed to mention a few inconveniences that may +happen, if the Gospel should be repealed, which perhaps the projectors +may not have sufficiently considered. + +And first, I am very sensible how much the gentlemen of wit and pleasure +are apt to murmur, and be choqued[18] at the sight of so many draggled +tail parsons, that happen to fall in their way, and offend their eyes, +but at the same time, these wise reformers do not consider what an +advantage and felicity it is, for great wits to be always provided with +objects of scorn and contempt, in order to exercise and improve their +talents, and divert their spleen from falling on each other or on +themselves, especially when all this may be done without the least +imaginable danger to their persons. + +[Footnote 18: Shocked Swift's habit when using a word of French origin +was to keep the French spelling. [T. S.]] + +And to urge another argument of a parallel nature. If Christianity were +once abolished, how could the freethinkers, the strong reasoners, and +the men of profound learning, be able to find another subject so +calculated in all points whereon to display their abilities? What +wonderful productions of wit should we be deprived of, from those whose +genius by continual practice hath been wholly turned upon raillery and +invectives against religion, and would therefore never be able to shine +or distinguish themselves upon any other subject! We are daily +complaining of the great decline of wit among us, and would we take away +the greatest, perhaps the only topic we have left? Who would ever have +suspected Asgil for a wit, or Toland for a philosopher, if the +inexhaustible stock of Christianity had not been at hand to provide them +with materials? What other subject, through all art or nature, could +have produced Tindal for a profound author, or furnished him with +readers? It is the wise choice of the subject that alone adorns and +distinguishes the writer. For, had a hundred such pens as these been +employed on the side of religion, they would have immediately sunk into +silence and oblivion. + +Nor do I think it wholly groundless, or my fears altogether imaginary, +that the abolishing of Christianity may perhaps bring the Church into +danger, or at least put the senate to the trouble of another securing +vote. I desire I may not be mistaken; I am far from presuming to affirm +or think that the Church is in danger at present, or as things now +stand; but we know not how soon it may be so when the Christian religion +is repealed. As plausible as this project seems, there may a dangerous +design lurk under it:[19] Nothing can be more notorious, than that the +Atheists, Deists, Socinians, Anti-trinitarians, and other subdivisions +of freethinkers, are persons of little zeal for the present +ecclesiastical establishment: Their declared opinion is for repealing +the Sacramental Test; they are very indifferent with regard to +ceremonies; nor do they hold the _jus divinum_ of Episcopacy. Therefore +this may be intended as one politic step toward altering the +constitution of the Church established, and setting up Presbytery in the +stead, which I leave to be further considered by those at the helm. + +[Footnote 19: Craik follows Scott in altering this sentence to "there +may be a dangerous design lurking under it"; but all other editors, +except Morley and Roscoe, give it as printed in the text. [T.S.]] + +In the last place, I think nothing can be more plain, than that by this +expedient, we shall run into the evil we chiefly pretend to avoid; and +that the abolishment of the Christian religion will be the readiest +course we can take to introduce popery. And I am the more inclined to +this opinion, because we know it has been the constant practice of the +Jesuits to send over emissaries, with instructions to personate +themselves members of the several prevailing sects among us. So it is +recorded, that they have at sundry times appeared in the guise of +Presbyterians, Anabaptists, Independents and Quakers, according as any +of these were most in credit; so, since the fashion hath been taken up +of exploding religion, the popish missionaries have not been wanting to +mix with the freethinkers; among whom, Toland the great oracle of the +Antichristians is an Irish priest, the son of an Irish priest; and the +most learned and ingenious author of a book called "The Rights of the +Christian Church,"[20] was in a proper juncture reconciled to the Romish +faith, whose true son, as appears by a hundred passages in his treatise, +he still continues. Perhaps I could add some others to the number; but +the fact is beyond dispute, and the reasoning they proceed by is right: +For, supposing Christianity to be extinguished, the people will never be +at ease till they find out some other method of worship; which will as +infallibly produce superstition, as this will end in popery. + +[Footnote 20: Dr. Matthew Tindal (see previous note, p. 9). The book was +afterwards specially criticised by Swift in his "Remarks upon a Book +entitled 'The Rights of the Christian Church.'" See also note to the +present reprint of these "Remarks." [T.S.]] + +And therefore, if notwithstanding all I have said, it still be thought +necessary to have a bill brought in for repealing Christianity, I would +humbly offer an amendment; that instead of the word, Christianity, may +be put religion in general; which I conceive will much better answer all +the good ends proposed by the projectors of it. For, as long as we leave +in being a God and his providence, with all the necessary consequences +which curious and inquisitive men will be apt to draw from such +premises, we do not strike at the root of the evil, though we should +ever so effectually annihilate the present scheme of the Gospel: For, of +what use is freedom of thought, if it will not produce freedom of +action, which is the sole end, how remote soever in appearance, of all +objections against Christianity? And therefore, the freethinkers +consider it as a sort of edifice, wherein all the parts have such a +mutual dependence on each other, that if you happen to pull out one +single nail, the whole fabric must fall to the ground. This was happily +expressed by him who had heard of a text brought for proof of the +Trinity, which in an ancient manuscript was differently read; he +thereupon immediately took the hint, and by a sudden deduction of a long +_sorites_, most logically concluded; "Why, if it be as you say, I may +safely whore and drink on, and defy the parson." From which, and many +the like instances easy to be produced, I think nothing can be more +manifest, than that the quarrel is not against any particular points of +hard digestion in the Christian system, but against religion in general; +which, by laying restraints on human nature, is supposed the great enemy +to the freedom of thought and action. + +Upon the whole, if it shall still be thought for the benefit of Church +and State, that Christianity be abolished; I conceive however, it may be +more convenient to defer the execution to a time of peace, and not +venture in this conjuncture to disoblige our allies, who, as it falls +out, are all Christians, and many of them, by the prejudices of their +education, so bigoted, as to place a sort of pride in the appellation. +If upon being rejected by them, we are to trust an alliance with the +Turk, we shall find ourselves much deceived: For, as he is too remote, +and generally engaged in war with the Persian emperor, so his people +would be more scandalized at our infidelity, than our Christian +neighbours. For they [the Turks] are not only strict observers of +religious worship, but what is worse, believe a God; which is more than +required of us even while we preserve the name of Christians. + +To conclude: Whatever some may think of the great advantages to trade by +this favourite scheme, I do very much apprehend, that in six months time +after the act is passed for the extirpation of the Gospel, the Bank, and +East-India Stock, may fall at least one _per cent._ And since that is +fifty times more than ever the wisdom of our age thought fit to venture +for the preservation of Christianity, there is no reason we should be at +so great a loss, merely for the sake of destroying it. + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +FOR THE + +ADVANCEMENT OF RELIGION, + +AND THE + +REFORMATION OF MANNERS. + +BY A PERSON OF QUALITY. + + +NOTE. + +In placing this tract second in chronological order I am following +Forster and Craik. All the collected editions of Swift's works, +including the "Miscellanies" of 1711, begin with "The Sentiments of a +Church of England Man," continue with the "Argument," and then the +"Project." But the short intervals which separated the publication of +all three tracts and the "Letter on the Sacramental Test," make a strict +chronological order of less value than the order of development of the +subject-matter with which they deal, granting even that the "Project" +appeared after "The Sentiments." There seems, however, nothing +improbable in the suggestion made by Forster, that Swift planned the +writing of both the "Argument" and the "Project" while on a visit to the +Earl of Berkeley, at Cranford, in 1708; and his dedication of the latter +to Lady Berkeley lends this suggestion added weight. That the original +edition of the "Project" is dated 1709 is nothing to the point, since it +is well-known that the booksellers often antedated their publications, +as publishers do now, when the issue occurred towards the end of a year. +Moreover, the letter of the Earl of Berkeley to Swift, which Scott +misdates 1706-1707, but which should be 1708, makes special reference to +this very tract, showing that it was certainly published in 1708. "I +earnestly entreat you," writes the earl, "if you have not done it +already, that you would not fail of having your bookseller enable the +Archbishop of York [Dr. Sterne] to give a book to the queen; for, with +Mr. Nelson, I am entirely of opinion, that Her Majesty's reading of that +book on the Progress for the Increase of Morality and Piety, may be of +very great use to that end." I have never seen a copy of the first +edition of "The Sentiments," and I cannot fix the exact date of its +publication; but it was certainly not written before the "Project." The +"Project," therefore, must be considered in the light of a preliminary +essay to the fuller and more digested statement of "The Sentiments of a +Church of England man"; and I have, on this account, placed it as the +second tract written by Swift in the year 1708. + +Whatever may be thought of the particular methods which Swift suggested +for realizing his reformatory scheme, and they were, no doubt, +artificial and wooden enough; the tract itself remains an excellent +survey of the evils and gross habits of the time. The methods may be +Utopian (Swift himself thought they were open to discussion), but the +spirit of sincerity and piety is unmistakable. It is worth remembering, +however, that several of the proposals, such as those for closing the +public-houses at twelve o'clock at night; the penalizing of publicans +who supplied drink to drunken customers; the building of churches, have +since been adopted. + +I cannot agree with Mr. Churton Collins ("Jonathan Swift," pp. 59-61) in +suspecting Swift of a special policy of self-interest in writing the +"Project." Swift was too honest a man to use the religious sentiment for +the purpose of counteracting any bad impression his previous writings +had made on those who had the power to advance him. However much he +might delight in the possession of high worldly station, he would never +so prostitute himself to obtain it. Nor did he care to let the world +into the secret of his heart. Indeed, all his life Swift seemed to hide, +almost jealously, the genuine piety of his nature. Whatever suspicion of +policy has surrounded the tract must be ascribed to the well-intentioned +letter of the Earl of Berkeley above quoted; and the Earl would not have +written thus had he felt Swift's motive to be any other than a purely +impersonal one. + +Steele, in his review of the "Project" in the fifth "Tatler" (April +20th, 1709), makes some interesting observations, and seems to take +special note of the "Person of Honour," in the character of which Swift +wrote it. Writing from Will's Coffee-House, Steele says: "This week +being sacred to holy things, and no public diversions allowed, there has +been taken notice of even here, a little Treatise, called 'A Project for +the Advancement of Religion: dedicated to the Countess of Berkeley.' The +title was so uncommon, and promised so peculiar a way of thinking, that +every man here has read it, and as many as have done so have approved +it. It is written with the spirit of one who has seen the world enough +to undervalue it with good breeding. The author must certainly be a man +of wisdom, as well as piety, and have spent as much time in the exercise +of both. The real causes of the decay of the interests of religion are +set forth in a clear and lively manner, without unseasonable passions; +and the whole air of the book, as to the language, the sentiments, and +the reasonableness, show it was written by one whose virtue sits easy +about him, and to whom vice is thoroughly contemptible. It was said by +one of this company, alluding to that knowledge of the world the author +seems to have, the man writes much like a gentleman, and goes to Heaven +with a very good mien." + +In his "Apology" Steele refers to this "Tatler" note, and remarks: "The +gentleman I here intended was Dr. Swift, this kind of man I thought him +at that time. We have not met of late, but I hope he deserves this +character still." + +The present text is based upon the first edition; but this edition was +so wretchedly printed that I have carefully collated it with those given +in the "Miscellanies" (1711), Faulkner (1735), and Hawkesworth (1762). + +[T. S.] + + + A + PROJECT + FOR THE + ADVANCEMENT OF RELIGION, + AND THE + REFORMATION OF MANNERS. + BY A PERSON OF QUALITY. + + + _O quisquis volet impias + Caedes, & rabiem tollere civicam: + Si quaeret pater urbium + Subscribi statuis, indomitam audeat + Refraenare licentiam._ + +Hor. + +_LONDON:_ + +Printed and Sold by _H. Hills_, in _Black-fryars_, near the Water-side. +For the Benefit of the Poor. 1709. + + +TO THE COUNTESS OF BERKELEY.[1] + +MADAM, + +My intention in prefixing your Ladyship's name, is not after the common +form, to desire your protection of the following papers; which I take to +be a very unreasonable request; since, by being inscribed to your +Ladyship, though without your knowledge, and from a concealed hand, you +cannot recommend them without some suspicion of partiality. My real +design is, I confess, the very same I have often detested in most +dedications; that of publishing your praises to the world. Not upon the +subject of your noble birth, for I know others as noble; or of the +greatness of your fortune, for I know others far greater; or of that +beautiful race (the images of their parents) which call you mother: for +even this may perhaps have been equalled in some other age or country. +Besides, none of these advantages do derive any accomplishments to the +owners, but serve at best only to adorn what they really possess. What I +intend, is your piety, truth, good sense, and good nature, affability, +and charity; wherein I wish your Ladyship had many equals, or any +superiors; and I wish I could say I knew them too, for then your +Ladyship might have had a chance to escape this address. In the +meantime, I think it highly necessary, for the interest of virtue and +religion, that the whole kingdom should be informed in some parts of +your character: For instance, that the easiest and politest +conversation, joined with the truest piety, may be observed in your +Ladyship, in as great perfection, as they were ever seen apart in any +other persons. That by your prudence and management under several +disadvantages, you have preserved the lustre of that most noble family +into which you are grafted, and which the immeasurable profusion of +ancestors for many generations had too much eclipsed. Then, how happily +you perform every office of life to which Providence has called you: In +the education of those two incomparable daughters, whose conduct is so +universally admired; in every duty of a prudent, complying, affectionate +wife; in that care which descends to the meanest of your domestics; and, +lastly, in that endless bounty to the poor, and discretion where to +distribute it. I insist on my opinion, that it is of importance for the +public to know this and a great deal more of your Ladyship; yet whoever +goes about to inform them, shall instead of finding credit, perhaps be +censured for a flatterer. To avoid so usual a reproach, I declare this +to be no dedication, but properly an introduction to a proposal for the +advancement of religion and morals, by tracing, however imperfectly, +some few lineaments in the character of a Lady, who hath spent all her +life in the practice and promotion of both. + +[Footnote 1: This is the same Countess of Berkeley whom Swift hoaxed +with his "Meditation on a Broomstick." She was the daughter of Viscount +Campden and sister to the Earl of Gainsborough. [T.S.]] + +Among all the schemes offered to the public in this projecting age, I +have observed with some displeasure, that there have never been any for +the improvement of religion and morals; which beside the piety of the +design from the consequence of such a reformation in a future life, +would be the best natural means for advancing the public felicity of the +state, as well as the present happiness of every individual. For, as +much as faith and morality are declined among us, I am altogether +confident, they might in a short time, and with no very great trouble, +be raised to as high a perfection as numbers are capable of receiving. +Indeed, the method is so easy and obvious, and some present +opportunities so good, that, in order to have this project reduced to +practice, there seems to want nothing more than to put those in mind, +who by their honour, duty, and interest, are chiefly concerned. + +But because it is idle to propose remedies before we are assured of the +disease, or to be in pain,[2] till we are convinced of the danger; I +shall first shew in general, that the nation is extremely corrupted in +religion and morals; and then I will offer a short scheme for the +reformation of both. + +[Footnote 2: Scott follows Faulkner in using the word "fear." The +reading in the text is that of the first edition, the "Miscellanies" +(1711), and of Hawkesworth. [T.S.]] + +As to the first; I know it is reckoned but a form of speech, when +divines complain of the wickedness of the age: However, I believe, upon +a fair comparison with other times and countries, it would be found an +undoubted truth. + +For, first; to deliver nothing but plain matter of fact without +exaggeration or satire; I suppose it will be granted, that hardly one in +a hundred among our people of quality or gentry, appears to act by any +principle of religion; that great numbers of them do entirely discard +it, and are ready to own their disbelief of all revelation in ordinary +discourse. Nor is the case much better among the vulgar, especially in +great towns where the profaneness and ignorance of handicraftsmen, small +traders, servants, and the like, are to a degree very hard to be +imagined greater. Then, it is observed abroad, that no race of mortals +hath so little sense of religion, as the English soldiers; to confirm +which, I have been often told by great officers in the army, that in the +whole compass of their acquaintance, they could not recollect three of +their profession, who seemed to regard or believe one syllable of the +Gospel: And the same, at least, may be affirmed of the fleet. The +consequences of all which upon the actions of men are equally manifest. +They never go about, as in former time, to hide or palliate their vices, +but expose them freely to view, like any other common occurrences of +life, without the least reproach from the world, or themselves. For +instance; any man will tell you he intends to be drunk this evening, or +was so last night, with as little ceremony or scruple, as he would tell +you the time of the day. He will let you know he is going to a whore, or +that he has got a clap, with as much indifferency, as he would a piece +of public news. He will swear, curse, or blaspheme, without the least +passion or provocation. And, though all regard for reputation is not +quite laid aside in the other sex, 'tis, however, at so low an ebb, that +very few among them seem to think virtue and conduct of absolute +necessity for preserving it. If this be not so, how comes it to pass, +that women of tainted reputations find the same countenance and +reception in all public places, with those of the nicest virtue, who +pay, and receive visits from them without any manner of scruple? which +proceeding, as it is not very old among us, so I take it to be of most +pernicious consequence: It looks like a sort of compounding between +virtue and vice, as if a woman were allowed to be vicious, provided she +be not a profligate; as if there were a certain point, where gallantry +ends, and infamy begins, or that a hundred criminal amours were not as +pardonable as half a score. + +Besides those corruptions already mentioned, it would be endless to +enumerate such as arise from the excess of play or gaming: The cheats, +the quarrels, the oaths and blasphemies among the men; among the women, +the neglect of household affairs, the unlimited freedoms, the indecent +passion; and lastly, the known inlet to all lewdness, when after an ill +run, the person must answer the defects of the purse; the rule on such +occasions holding true in play as it does in law; _quod non habet in +crumena, luat in corpore._ + +But all these are trifles in comparison, if we step into other scenes, +and consider the fraud and cozenage of trading men and shopkeepers; that +insatiable gulf of injustice and oppression, the law. The open traffic +for all civil and military employments, (I wish it rested there) without +the least regard to merit or qualifications; the corrupt management of +men in office; the many detestable abuses in choosing those who +represent the people, with the management of interest and factions among +the representatives. To which I must be bold to add, the ignorance of +some of the lower clergy; the mean servile temper of others; the pert +pragmatical demeanour of several young stagers in divinity, upon their +first producing themselves into the world; with many other +circumstances, needless, or rather invidious, to mention; which falling +in with the corruptions already related, have, however unjustly, almost +rendered the whole order contemptible. + +This is a short view of the general depravities among us, without +entering into particulars, which would be an endless labour. Now, as +universal and deep-rooted as these appear to be, I am utterly deceived, +if an effectual remedy might not be applied to most of them; neither am +I at present upon a wild speculative project, but such a one as may be +easily put in execution. + +For, while the prerogative of giving all employments continues in the +Crown, either immediately, or by subordination; it is in the power of +the Prince to make piety and virtue become the fashion of the age, if, +at the same time, he would make them necessary qualifications for favour +and preferment. + +It is clear, from present experience, that the bare example of the best +prince will not have any mighty influence, where the age is very +corrupt. For, when was there ever a better prince on the throne than the +present Queen? I do not talk of her talent for government, her love of +the people, or any other qualities that are purely regal; but her piety, +charity, temperance, conjugal love, and whatever other virtues do best +adorn a private life; wherein, without question or flattery, she hath no +superior: yet, neither will it be satire or peevish invective to affirm, +that infidelity and vice are not much diminished since her coming to the +crown, nor will, in all probability, till some more effectual remedies +be provided. + +Thus human nature seems to lie under this disadvantage, that the example +alone of a vicious prince, will, in time, corrupt an age; but that of a +good one, will not be sufficient to reform it, without further +endeavours. Princes must therefore supply this defect by a vigorous +exercise of that authority, which the law has left them, by making it +every man's interest and honour, to cultivate religion and virtue; by +rendering vice a disgrace, and the certain ruin to preferment or +pretensions: All which they should first attempt in their own courts and +families. For instance; might not the Queen's domestics of the middle +and lower sort, be obliged, upon penalty of suspension, or loss of their +employments, to a constant weekly attendance, at least, on the service +of the church; to a decent behaviour in it; to receive the Sacrament +four times in the year; to avoid swearing and irreligious profane +discourses; and, to the appearance, at least, of temperance and +chastity? Might not the care of all this be committed to the strict +inspection of proper persons? Might not those of higher rank, and nearer +access to her Majesty's person, receive her own commands to the same +purpose, and be countenanced, or disfavoured, according as they obey? +Might not the Queen lay her injunctions on the Bishops, and other great +men of undoubted piety, to make diligent enquiry, to give her notice, if +any person about her should happen to be of libertine principles or +morals? Might not all those who enter upon any office in her Majesty's +family, be obliged to take an oath parallel with that against simony, +which is administered to the clergy? 'Tis not to be doubted, but that if +these, or the like proceedings, were duly observed, morality and +religion would soon become fashionable court virtues; and be taken up as +the only methods to get or keep employments there, which alone would +have mighty influence upon many of the nobility and principal gentry. + +But, if the like methods were pursued as far as possible, with regard to +those who are in the great employments of state, it is hard to conceive +how general a reformation they might in time produce among us. For, if +piety and virtue were once reckoned qualifications necessary to +preferment; every man thus endowed, when put into great stations, would +readily imitate the Queen's example, in the distribution of all offices +in his disposal; especially if any apparent transgression, through +favour or partiality, would be imputed to him for a misdemeanour, by +which he must certainly forfeit his favour and station: And there being +such great numbers in employment, scattered through every town and +county in this kingdom; if all these were exemplary in the conduct of +their lives, things would soon take a new face, and religion receive a +mighty encouragement: Nor would the public weal be less advanced; since, +of nine offices in ten that are ill executed, the defect is not in +capacity or understanding, but in common honesty. I know no employment, +for which piety disqualifies any man; and if it did, I doubt the +objection would not be very seasonably offered at present; because, it +is perhaps too just a reflection, that in the disposal of places, the +question whether a person be _fit_ for what he is recommended to, is +generally the last that is thought on, or regarded. + +I have often imagined, that something parallel to the office of censors +anciently in Rome, would be of mighty use among us, and could be easily +limited from running into any exorbitances. The Romans understood +liberty at least as well as we, were as jealous of it, and upon every +occasion as bold assertors. Yet I do not remember to have read any great +complaint of the abuses in that office among them; but many admirable +effects of it are left upon record. There are several pernicious vices +frequent and notorious among us, that escape or elude the punishment of +any law we have yet invented, or have had no law at all against them; +such as atheism, drunkenness, fraud, avarice, and several others; which, +by this institution, wisely regulated, might be much reformed. Suppose, +for instance, that itinerary commissioners were appointed to inspect +everywhere throughout the kingdom, into the conduct (at least) of men in +office, with respect to their morals and religion, as well as their +abilities; to receive the complaints and informations that should be +offered against them, and make their report here upon oath, to the +court, or the ministry, who should reward or punish accordingly. I avoid +entering into the particulars of this, or any other scheme, which, +coming from a private hand, might be liable to many defects, but would +soon be digested by the wisdom of the nation; and surely, six thousand +pounds a year would not be ill laid out among as many commissioners duly +qualified, who, in three divisions, should be personally obliged to take +their yearly circuits for that purpose. + +But this is beside my present design, which was only to show what degree +of reformation is in the power of the Queen, without the interposition +of the legislature, and which her Majesty is, without question, obliged +in conscience to endeavour by her authority, as much as she does by her +practice. + +It will be easily granted, that the example of this great town hath a +mighty influence over the whole kingdom; and it is as manifest, that the +town is equally influenced by the court, and the ministry, and those +who, by their employments, or their hopes, depend upon them. Now, if +under so excellent a princess as the present Queen, we would suppose a +family strictly regulated, as I have above proposed; a ministry, where +every single person was of distinguished piety; if we should suppose all +great offices of state and law filled after the same manner, and with +such as were equally diligent in choosing persons, who, in their several +subordinations, would be obliged to follow the examples of their +superiors, under the penalty of loss of favour and place; will not +everybody grant, that the empire of vice and irreligion would be soon +destroyed in this great metropolis, and receive a terrible blow through +the whole island, which hath so great an intercourse with it, and so +much affects to follow its fashions? + +For, if religion were once understood to be the necessary step to favour +and preferment; can it be imagined that any man would openly offend +against it, who had the least regard for his reputation or his fortune? +There is no quality so contrary to any nature, which men cannot affect, +and put on upon occasions, in order to serve an interest, or gratify a +prevailing passion. The proudest man will personate humility, the +morosest learn to flatter, the laziest will be sedulous and active, +where he is in pursuit of what he has much at heart. How ready, +therefore, would most men be to step into the paths of virtue and piety, +if they infallibly led to favour and fortune! + +If swearing and profaneness, scandalous and avowed lewdness, excessive +gaming and intemperance, were a little discountenanced in the army, I +cannot readily see what ill consequences could be apprehended; if +gentlemen of that profession were at least obliged to some external +decorum in their conduct; or even if a profligate life and character +were not a means of advancement, and the appearance of piety a most +infallible hindrance, it is impossible the corruptions there should be +so universal and exorbitant. I have been assured by several great +officers, that no troops abroad are so ill disciplined as the English; +which cannot well be otherwise, while the common soldiers have +perpetually before their eyes the vicious example of their leaders; and +it is hardly possible for those to commit any crime, whereof these are +not infinitely more guilty, and with less temptation. + +It is commonly charged upon the gentlemen of the army, that the beastly +vice of drinking to excess, hath been lately, from their example, +restored among us; which for some years before was almost dropped in +England. But, whoever the introducers were, they have succeeded to a +miracle; many of the young nobility and gentry are already become great +proficients, and are under no manner of concern to hide their talent, +but are got beyond all sense of shame or fear of reproach. + +This might soon be remedied, if the Queen would think fit to declare, +that no young person of quality whatsoever, who was notoriously addicted +to that, or any other vice, should be capable of her favour, or even +admitted into her presence, with positive command to her ministers, and +others in great office, to treat them in the same manner; after which, +all men, who had any regard for their reputation, or any prospect of +preferment, would avoid their commerce. This would quickly make that +vice so scandalous, that those who could not subdue, would at least +endeavour to disguise it. + +By the like methods, a stop might be put to that ruinous practice of +deep gaming; and the reason why it prevails so much is, because a +treatment, directly opposite in every point, is made use of to promote +it; by which means, the laws enacted against this abuse are wholly +eluded. + +It cannot be denied, that the want of strict discipline in the +universities, hath been of pernicious consequence to the youth of this +nation, who are there almost left entirely to their own management, +especially those among them of better quality and fortune; who, because +they are not under a necessity of making learning their maintenance, are +easily allowed to pass their time, and take their degrees, with little +or no improvement; than which there cannot well be a greater absurdity. +For, if no advancement of knowledge can be had from those places, the +time there spent is at best utterly lost, because every ornamental part +of education is better taught elsewhere: And as for keeping youths out +of harm's way, I doubt, where so many of them are got together, at full +liberty of doing what they please, it will not answer the end. But, +whatever abuses, corruptions, or deviations from statutes, have crept +into the universities through neglect, or length of time; they might in +a great degree be reformed, by strict injunctions from court (upon each +particular) to the visitors and heads of houses; besides the peculiar +authority the queen may have in several colleges, whereof her +predecessors were the founders. And among other regulations, it would be +very convenient to prevent the excess of drink, with that scurvy custom +among the lads, and parent of the former vice, the taking of tobacco, +where it is not absolutely necessary in point of health. + +From the universities, the young nobility, and others of great fortunes, +are sent for early up to town, for fear of contracting any airs of +pedantry, by a college education. Many of the younger gentry retire to +the Inns of Court, where they are wholly left to their own discretion. +And the consequence of this remissness in education appears, by +observing that nine in ten of those, who rise in the church or the +court, the law, or the army, are younger brothers, or new men, whose +narrow fortunes have forced them upon industry and application. + +As for the Inns of Court, unless we suppose them to be much degenerated, +they must needs be the worst instituted seminaries in any Christian +country; but whether they may be corrected without interposition of the +legislature, I have not skill enough to determine. However, it is +certain, that all wise nations have agreed in the necessity of a strict +education, which consisted, among other things, in the observance of +moral duties, especially justice, temperance, and chastity, as well as +the knowledge of arts, and bodily exercises: But all these among us are +laughed out of doors. + +Without the least intention to offend the clergy, I cannot but think, +that through a mistaken notion and practice, they prevent themselves +from doing much service, which otherwise might lie in their power, to +religion and virtue: I mean, by affecting so much to converse with each +other, and caring so little to mingle with the laity. They have their +particular clubs, and particular coffee-houses, where they generally +appear in clusters: A single divine dares hardly shew his person among +numbers of fine gentlemen; or if he happens to fall into such company, +he is silent and suspicious, in continual apprehension that some pert +man of pleasure should break an unmannerly jest, and render him +ridiculous. Now, I take this behaviour of the clergy to be just as +reasonable, as if the physicians should agree to spend their time in +visiting one another, or their several apothecaries, and leave their +patients to shift for themselves. In my humble opinion, the clergy's +business lies entirely among the laity; neither is there, perhaps, a +more effectual way to forward the salvation of men's souls, than for +spiritual persons to make themselves as agreeable as they can, in the +conversations of the world; for which a learned education gives them +great advantage, if they would please to improve and apply it. It so +happens that the men of pleasure, who never go to church, nor use +themselves to read books of devotion, form their ideas of the clergy +from a few poor strollers they often observe in the streets, or sneaking +out of some person of quality's house, where they are hired by the lady +at ten shillings a month; while those of better figure and parts, do +seldom appear to correct these notions. And let some reasoners think +what they please, 'tis certain that men must be brought to esteem and +love the clergy, before they can be persuaded to be in love with +religion. No man values the best medicine, if administered by a +physician, whose person he hates or despises. If the clergy were as +forward to appear in all companies, as other gentlemen, and would a +little study the arts of conversation to make themselves agreeable, they +might be welcome at every party where there was the least regard for +politeness or good sense; and consequently prevent a thousand vicious or +profane discourses, as well as actions; neither would men of +understanding complain, that a clergyman was a constraint upon the +company, because they could not speak blasphemy, or obscene jests before +him. While the people are so jealous of the clergy's ambition, as to +abhor all thoughts of the return of ecclesiastic discipline among them, +I do not see any other method left for men of that function to take, in +order to reform the world, than by using all honest arts to make +themselves acceptable to the laity. This, no doubt, is part of that +wisdom of the serpent, which the Author of Christianity directs, and is +the very method used by St. Paul, who _became all things to all men, to +the Jews a Jew, and a Greek to the Greeks._ + +How to remedy these inconveniences, may be a matter of some difficulty; +since the clergy seem to be of an opinion, that this humour of +sequestering themselves is a part of their duty; nay, as I remember, +they have been told so by some of their bishops in their pastoral +letters, particularly by one[3] among them of great merit and +distinction, who yet, in his own practice, hath all his lifetime taken a +course directly contrary. But I am deceived, if an awkward shame and +fear of ill usage from the laity, have not a greater share in this +mistaken conduct, than their own inclinations: However, if the outward +profession of religion and virtue, were once in practice and countenance +at court, as well as among all men in office, or who have any hopes or +dependence for preferment, a good treatment of the clergy would be the +necessary consequence of such a reformation; and they would soon be wise +enough to see their own duty and interest in qualifying themselves for +lay-conversation, when once they were out of fear of being chocqued by +ribaldry or profaneness. + +[Footnote 3: Bishop Burnet of Salisbury. See Swift's "Remarks on the +Bishop of Sarum's Introduction." [T.S.]] + +There is one further circumstance upon this occasion, which I know not +whether it will be very orthodox to mention: The clergy are the only set +of men among us, who constantly wear a distinct habit from others; the +consequence of which (not in reason but in fact) is this, that as long +as any scandalous persons appear in that dress, it will continue in some +degree a general mark of contempt. Whoever happens to see a scoundrel in +a gown, reeling home at midnight, (a sight neither frequent nor +miraculous), is apt to entertain an ill idea of the whole order, and at +the same time to be extremely comforted in his own vices. Some remedy +might be put to this, if those straggling gentlemen, who come up to town +to seek their fortunes, were fairly dismissed to the West Indies, where +there is work enough, and where some better provision should be made for +them, than I doubt there is at present. Or, what if no person were +allowed to wear the habit, who had not some preferment in the church, or +at least some temporal fortune sufficient to keep him out of contempt? +Though, in my opinion, it were infinitely better, if all the clergy +(except the bishops) were permitted to appear like other men of the +graver sort, unless at those seasons when they are doing the business of +their function. + +There is one abuse in this town, which wonderfully contributes to the +promotion of vice, that such men are often put into the commission of +the peace, whose interest it is, that virtue should be utterly banished +from among us, who maintain, or at least enrich themselves, by +encouraging the grossest immoralities, to whom all the bawds of the ward +pay contribution, for shelter and protection from the laws. Thus these +worthy magistrates, instead of lessening enormities, are the occasion of +just twice as much debauchery as there would be without them. For those +infamous women are forced upon doubling their work and industry, to +answer double charges, of paying the justice, and supporting themselves. +Like thieves who escape the gallows, and are let out to steal, in order +to discharge the gaoler's fees. + +It is not to be questioned, but the Queen and ministry might easily +redress this abominable grievance, by enlarging the number of justices +of the peace, by endeavouring to choose men of virtuous principles, by +admitting none who have not considerable fortunes, perhaps, by receiving +into the number some of the most eminent clergy. Then, by forcing all of +them, upon severe penalties, to act when there is occasion, and not +permitting any who are offered to refuse the commission, but in these +two last cases, which are very material, I doubt there will be need of +the legislature. + +The reformation of the stage is entirely in the power of the Queen, and +in the consequences it hath upon the minds of the younger people, does +very well deserve the strictest care. Besides the indecent and profane +passages, besides the perpetual turning into ridicule the very function +of the priesthood, with other irregularities, in most modern comedies, +which have by others been objected to them, it is worth observing the +distributive justice of the authors, which is constantly applied to the +punishment of virtue, and the reward of vice, directly opposite to the +rules of their best critics, as well as to the practice of dramatic +poets, in all other ages and countries. For example, a country squire, +who is represented with no other vice but that of being a clown, and +having the provincial accent upon his tongue, which is neither a fault, +nor in his power to remedy, must be condemned to marry a cast wench, or +a cracked chambermaid. On the other side, a rakehell of the town, whose +character is set off with no other accomplishment, but excessive +prodigality, profaneness, intemperance, and lust, is rewarded with a +lady of great fortune to repair his own, which his vices had almost +ruined. And as in a tragedy, the hero is represented to have obtained +many victories in order to raise his character in the minds of the +spectators; so the hero of a comedy is represented to have been +victorious in all his intrigues, for the same reason. I do not remember, +that our English poets ever suffered a criminal amour to succeed upon +the stage, till the reign of King Charles the Second. Ever since that +time, the alderman is made a cuckold, the deluded virgin is debauched, +and adultery and fornication are supposed to be committed behind the +scenes, as part of the action. These and many more corruptions of the +theatre, peculiar to our age and nation, need continue no longer, than +while the court is content to connive at or neglect them. Surely a +pension would not be ill employed on some men of wit, learning, and +virtue, who might have power to strike out every offensive or unbecoming +passage, from plays already written, as well as those that may be +offered to the stage for the future. By which, and other wise +regulations, the theatre might become a very innocent and useful +diversion, instead of being a scandal and reproach to our religion and +country. + +The proposals I have hitherto made for the advancement of religion and +morality, are such as come within reach of the administration; such as a +pious active prince, with a steady resolution, might soon bring to +effect. Neither am I aware of any objections to be raised against what I +have advanced; unless it should be thought, that making religion a +necessary step to interest and favour might increase hypocrisy among us; +and I readily believe it would. But if one in twenty should be brought +over to true piety by this, or the like methods, and the other nineteen +be only hypocrites, the advantage would still be great. Besides, +hypocrisy is much more eligible than open infidelity and vice; it wears +the livery of religion; it acknowledges her authority, and is cautious +of giving scandal. Nay, a long continued disguise is too great a +constraint upon human nature, especially an English disposition; men +would leave off their vices out of mere weariness, rather than undergo +the toil and hazard, and perhaps expense, of practising them perpetually +in private. And I believe it is often with religion, as it is with love; +which, by much dissembling, at last grows real. + +All other projects to this great end have proved hitherto ineffectual. +Laws against immorality have not been executed; and proclamations +occasionally issued out to enforce them are wholly unregarded as things +of form. Religious societies, though begun with excellent intention, and +by persons of true piety,[4] have dwindled into factious clubs, and +grown a trade to enrich little knavish informers of the meanest rank, +such as common constables, and broken shopkeepers. + +[Footnote 4: The original edition omits here the words, "are said, I +know not whether truly or not." All other editions give these words. [T. +S.]] + +And that some effectual attempt should be made toward such a +reformation, is perhaps more necessary than people commonly apprehend; +because the ruin of a state is generally preceded by a universal +degeneracy of manners, and contempt of religion; which is entirely our +case at present. + + "Dis te minorem quod geris imperas."--HOR. [5] + +[Footnote 5: "Carmina," iii. 6. 5.] + +Neither is this a matter to be deferred till a more convenient time of +peace and leisure: Because a reformation in men's faith and morals is +the best natural, as well as religious means, to bring the war to a good +conclusion. For, if men in trust performed their duty for conscience +sake, affairs would not suffer through fraud, falsehood, and neglect, as +they now perpetually do. And if they believed a God, and his Providence, +and acted accordingly, they might reasonably hope for his divine +assistance, in so just a cause as ours. + +Nor could the majesty of the English Crown appear, upon any occasion, in +a greater lustre, either to foreigners or subjects, than by an +administration, which, producing such great effects, would discover so +much power. And power being the natural appetite of princes, a limited +monarch cannot so well gratify it in anything, as a strict execution of +the laws. + +Besides; all parties would be obliged to close with so good a work as +this, for their own reputation: Neither is any expedient more likely to +unite them. For the most violent party men, I have ever observed, are +such, as in the conduct of their lives have discovered least sense of +religion or morality; and when all such are laid aside, at least those +among them as shall be found incorrigible, it will be a matter perhaps +of no great difficulty to reconcile the rest. + +The many corruptions at present in every branch of business are almost +inconceivable. I have heard it computed by skilful persons, that of six +millions raised every year for the service of the public, one third, at +least, is sunk and intercepted through the several classes and +subordinations of artful men in office, before the remainder is applied +to the proper use. This is an accidental ill effect of our freedom. And +while such men are in trust, who have no check from within, nor any +views but toward their interest, there is no other fence against them, +but the certainty of being hanged upon the first discovery, by the +arbitrary will of an unlimited monarch, or his vizier. Among us, the +only danger to be apprehended is the loss of an employment; and that +danger is to be eluded a thousand ways. Besides, when fraud is great, it +furnishes weapons to defend itself: And at worst, if the crimes be so +flagrant, that a man is laid aside out of perfect shame, (which rarely +happens) he retires loaded with the spoils of the nation; _et fruitur +diis iratis_. I could name a commission, where several persons, out of a +salary of five hundred pounds, without other visible revenues, have +always lived at the rate of two thousand, and laid out forty or fifty +thousand upon purchases of lands or annuities. A hundred other instances +of the same kind might easily be produced. What remedy, therefore, can +be found against such grievances, in a constitution like ours, but to +bring religion into countenance, and encourage those, who, from the hope +of future reward, and dread of future punishment, will be moved to act +with justice and integrity? + +This is not to be accomplished any other way, but by introducing +religion, as much as possible, to be the turn and fashion of the age; +which only lies in the power of the administration; the prince with +utmost strictness regulating the court, the ministry, and other persons +in great employment; and these, by their example and authority, +reforming all who have dependence on them. + +It is certain, that a reformation successfully carried on in this great +town, would in time spread itself over the whole kingdom, since most of +the considerable youth pass here that season of their lives, wherein the +strongest impressions are made, in order to improve their education, or +advance their fortune, and those among them, who return into their +several counties, are sure to be followed and imitated, as the greatest +patterns of wit and good breeding. + +And if things were once in this train, that is, if virtue and religion +were established as the necessary titles to reputation and preferment, +and if vice and infidelity were not only loaded with infamy, but made +the infallible ruin of all men's pretensions, our duty, by becoming our +interest, would take root in our natures, and mix with the very genius +of our people, so that it would not be easy for the example of one +wicked prince to bring us back to our former corruptions. + +I have confined myself (as it is before observed) to those methods for +the advancement of piety, which are in the power of a prince, limited +like ours, by a strict execution of the laws already in force. And this +is enough for a project, that comes without any name or recommendation, +I doubt, a great deal more than will suddenly be reduced into practice. +Though, if any disposition should appear towards so good a work, it is +certain, that the assistance of the legislative power would be necessary +to make it more complete. I will instance only a few particulars. + +In order to reform the vices of this town, which, as we have said, hath +so mighty an influence on the whole kingdom, it would be very +instrumental to have a law made, that all taverns and alehouses should +be obliged to dismiss their company at twelve at night, and shut up +their doors, and that no woman should be suffered to enter any tavern or +alehouse, upon any pretence whatsoever. It is easy to conceive what a +number of ill consequences such a law would prevent, the mischiefs of +quarrels, and lewdness, and thefts, and midnight brawls, the diseases of +intemperance and venery, and a thousand other evils needless to mention. +Nor would it be amiss, if the masters of those public-houses were +obliged, upon the severest penalties, to give only a proportioned +quantity of drink to every company, and when he found his guests +disordered with excess, to refuse them any more. + +I believe there is hardly a nation in Christendom, where all kind of +fraud is practised in so immeasurable a degree as with us. The lawyer, +the tradesman, the mechanic, have found so many arts to deceive in their +several callings, that they far outgrow the common prudence of mankind, +which is in no sort able to fence against them. Neither could the +legislature in anything more consult the public good, than by providing +some effectual remedy against this evil, which, in several cases, +deserves greater punishment than many crimes that are capital among us. +The vintner, who, by mixing poison with his wines, destroys more lives +than any one disease in the bill of mortality; the lawyer, who persuades +you to a purchase which he knows is mortgaged for more than the worth, +to the ruin of you and your family; the goldsmith or scrivener, who +takes all your fortune to dispose of, when he has beforehand resolved to +break the following day, do surely deserve the gallows much better than +the wretch who is carried thither for stealing a horse. + +It cannot easily be answered to God or man, why a law is not made for +limiting the press; at least so far as to prevent the publishing of such +pernicious books, as, under pretence of freethinking, endeavour to +overthrow those tenets in religion which have been held inviolable, +almost in all ages, by every sect that pretend to be Christian; and +cannot, therefore, with any colour of reason, be called points in +controversy, or matters of speculation, as some would pretend. The +Doctrine of the Trinity, the Divinity of Christ, the Immortality of the +Soul, and even the truth of all revelation, are daily exploded and +denied in books openly printed; though it is to be supposed neither +party will avow such principles, or own the supporting of them to be any +way necessary to their service.[6] + +[Footnote 6: This passage refers to the deistical publications of +Asgill, Toland, Tindal, and Collins, already noted. [T. S.]] + +It would be endless to set down every corruption or defect which +requires a remedy from the legislative power. Senates are like to have +little regard for any proposals that come from without doors; though, +under a due sense of my own inabilities, I am fully convinced, that the +unbiassed thoughts of an honest and wise man, employed on the good of +his country, may be better digested than the results of a multitude, +where faction and interest too often prevail; as a single guide may +direct the way better than five hundred, who have _contrary views_, or +_look asquint_, or _shut their eyes_. + +I shall therefore mention but one more particular, which I think the +Parliament ought to take under consideration; whether it be not a shame +to our country, and a scandal to Christianity, that in many towns, where +there is a prodigious increase in the number of houses and inhabitants, +so little care should be taken for the building of churches, that five +parts in six of the people are absolutely hindered from hearing divine +service? Particularly here in London, where a single minister, with one +or two sorry curates, hath the care sometimes of above twenty thousand +souls incumbent on him. A neglect of religion so ignominious, in my +opinion, that it can hardly be equalled in any civilized age or +country.[7] + +[Footnote 7: This paragraph is known to have given the first hint to +certain bishops, particularly to Bishop Atterbury, to procure a fund for +building fifty new churches in London. [T. S.]] + +But, to leave these airy imaginations of introducing new laws for the +amendment of mankind; what I principally insist on is, a due execution +of the old, which lies wholly in the crown, and in the authority derived +from thence. I return, therefore, to my former assertion; that if +stations of power, trust, profit, and honour, were constantly made the +rewards of virtue and piety, such an administration must needs have a +mighty influence on the faith and morals of the whole kingdom: And men +of great abilities would then endeavour to excel in the duties of a +religious life, in order to qualify themselves for public service. I may +possibly be wrong in some of the means I prescribe towards this end; but +that is no material objection against the design itself. Let those who +are at the helm contrive it better, which, perhaps, they may easily do. +Everybody will agree that the disease is manifest, as well as dangerous; +that some remedy is necessary, and that none yet applied hath been +effectual, which is a sufficient excuse for any man who wishes well to +his country, to offer his thoughts, when he can have no other end in +view but the public good. The present Queen is a princess of as many and +great virtues as ever filled a throne: How would it brighten her +character to the present and after ages, if she would exert her utmost +authority to instil some share of those virtues into her people, which +they are too degenerate to learn only from her example! And, be it spoke +with all the veneration possible for so excellent a sovereign, her best +endeavours in this weighty affair are a most important part of her duty, +as well as of her interest and her honour. + +But, it must be confessed, that as things are now, every man thinks that +he has laid in a sufficient stock of merit, and may pretend to any +employment, provided he has been loud and frequent in declaring himself +hearty for the government. 'Tis true, he is a man of pleasure, and a +freethinker, that is, in other words, he is profligate in his morals, +and a despiser of religion; but in point of party, he is one to be +confided in; he is an assertor of liberty and property; he rattles it +out against Popery and Arbitrary Power, and Priestcraft and High Church. +'Tis enough: He is a person fully qualified for any employment, in the +court or the navy, the law or the revenue; where he will be sure to +leave no arts untried, of bribery, fraud, injustice, oppression, that he +can practise with any hope of impunity. No wonder such men are true to a +government where liberty runs high, where property, however attained, is +so well secured, and where the administration is at least so gentle: +'Tis impossible they could choose any other constitution, without +changing to their loss. + +Fidelity to a present establishment is indeed the principal means to +defend it from a foreign enemy, but without other qualifications, will +not prevent corruptions from within; and states are more often ruined by +these than the other. + +To conclude. Whether the proposals I have offered toward a reformation, +be such as are most prudent and convenient, may probably be a question; +but it is none at all, whether some reformation be absolutely necessary; +because the nature of things is such, that if abuses be not remedied, +they will certainly increase, nor ever stop, till they end in the +subversion of a commonwealth. As there must always of necessity be some +corruptions, so, in a well-instituted state, the executive power will be +always contending against them, by _reducing things_ (as Michiaevel +speaks) _to their first principles_; never letting abuses grow +inveterate, or multiply so far, that it will be hard to find remedies, +and perhaps impossible to apply them. As he that would keep his house in +repair, must attend every little breach or flaw, and supply it +immediately; else time alone will bring all to ruin; how much more the +common accidents of storms and rain? He must live in perpetual danger of +his house falling about his ears; and will find it cheaper to throw it +quite down, and build it again from the ground, perhaps upon a new +foundation, or at least in a new form, which may neither be so safe, nor +so convenient, as the old. + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +THE SENTIMENTS + +OF A + +CHURCH OF ENGLAND MAN, + +WITH RESPECT TO + +RELIGION AND GOVERNMENT. + +WRITTEN IN THE YEAR 1708. + + +NOTE. + +The writing of this tract, as has been already observed, placed Swift in +a position where allegiance to party was not easy to maintain. It +amounted to a warning to Whigs as well as Tories. To the former he urged +that the Church of England was wide enough for the highest principles of +civil liberty; to the latter he tried to show that to be a religious and +God-fearing man it was not absolutely necessary to be a Tory in +politics. "Whoever has examined the conduct and proceedings of both +parties for some years past, whether in or out of power, cannot well +conceive it possible to go far towards the extremes of either, without +offering some violence to his integrity or understanding." It is true +that Whiggism and "fanatical genius" were almost synonymous terms for +Swift; but that was because the Church was of prime consideration with +him, and the Whigs numbered in their ranks the great army of Dissent. +Swift, in his famous letter to Pope, dated Dublin, January 10th, +1720-21, reviews his political opinions of 1708 to justify himself +against the misrepresentations of "the virulence of libellers: whose +malice has taken the same train in both, by fathering dangerous +principles in government upon me, which I never maintained, and insipid +productions, which I am not capable of writing." That review is but a +summary of what is given fully in this tract. No appeal was ever better +intentioned. "I only wish," he says to Pope, "my endeavours had +succeeded better in the great point I had at heart, which was that of +reconciling the ministers to each other." But High Church and Low Church +were cries which had divided politicians as if they did not belong to +one nation. To Swift it was easy enough to be a staunch Churchman and at +the same time expose the fallacies underlying the faith in the sovereign +power; but then Swift was here no party fanatic who would use the +"Church in danger" cry for party purposes. "If others," he writes twelve +years later, "who had more concern and more influence, would have acted +their parts," his appeal had not been made in vain. As it was it failed +in its intended purpose, and Swift lost what hold he had on Somers, +Godolphin, and the rest. It remains, however, to testify to Swift's +principles in a manner least expected by those who have set him down as +intemperate and inconsistent. Certainly, no principles were ever more +moderately expressed; and, assuredly, no expression of principles found +fitter realization in conduct. + +The text of this edition is based on that given in the "Miscellanies" of +1711. I have not succeeded in obtaining a copy of the original issue; +but I have collated the various texts given in the re-issues by +Faulkner, Hawkesworth, Scott, and the "Miscellanies" of 1728 (vol. i.) +and 1747 (vol. i.). + +[T. S.] + + + THE SENTIMENTS OF A CHURCH OF + ENGLAND MAN, WITH RESPECT TO + RELIGION AND GOVERNMENT. + + +Whosoever hath examined the conduct and proceedings of both parties for +some years past, whether in or out of power, cannot well conceive it +possible to go far towards the extremes of either, without offering some +violence to his integrity or understanding. A wise and a good man may +indeed be sometimes induced to comply with a number whose opinion he +generally approves, though it be perhaps against his own. But this +liberty should be made use of upon very few occasions, and those of +small importance, and then only with a view of bringing over his own +side another time to something of greater and more public moment. But to +sacrifice the innocency of a friend, the good of our country, or our own +conscience to the humour, or passion, or interest of a party, plainly +shews that either our heads or our hearts are not as they should be: Yet +this very practice is the fundamental law of each faction among us, as +may be obvious to any who will impartially, and without engagement, be +at the pains to examine their actions, which however is not so easy a +task: For it seems a principle in human nature, to incline one way more +than another, even in matters where we are wholly unconcerned. And it is +a common observation, that in reading a history of facts done a thousand +years ago, or standing by at play among those who are perfect strangers +to us, we are apt to find our hopes and wishes engaged on a sudden in +favour of one side more than another. No wonder then, we are all so +ready to interest ourselves in the course of public affairs, where the +most inconsiderable have some _real_ share, and by the wonderful +importance which every man is of to himself, a very great _imaginary_ +one. + +And indeed, when the two parties that divide the whole commonwealth, +come once to a rupture, without any hopes left of forming a third with +better principles, to balance the others; it seems every man's duty to +choose a side,[1] though he cannot entirely approve of either; and all +pretences to neutrality are justly exploded by both, being too stale and +obvious, only intending the safety and ease of a few individuals while +the public is embroiled. This was the opinion and practice of the latter +Cato, whom I esteem to have been the wisest and best of all the Romans. +But before things proceed to open violence, the truest service a private +man may hope to do his country, is, by unbiassing his mind as much as +possible, and then endeavouring to moderate between the rival powers; +which must needs be owned a fair proceeding with the world, because it +is of all others the least consistent with the common design, of making +a fortune by the merit of an opinion. + +[Footnote 1: Faulkner and Scott have "one of the two sides." [T. S.]] + +I have gone as far as I am able in qualifying myself to be such a +moderator: I believe I am no bigot in religion, and I am sure I am none +in government. I converse in full freedom with many considerable men of +both parties, and if not in equal number, it is purely accidental and +personal, as happening to be near the court, and to have made +acquaintance there, more under one ministry than another. Then, I am not +under the necessity of declaring myself by the prospect of an +employment. And lastly, if all this be not sufficient, I industriously +conceal my name, which wholly exempts me from any hopes and fears in +delivering my opinion. + +In consequence of this free use of my reason, I cannot possibly think so +well or so ill of either party, as they would endeavour to persuade the +world of each other, and of themselves. For instance; I do not charge it +upon the body of the Whigs or the Tories, that their several principles +lead them to introduce Presbytery, and the religion of the Church of +Rome, or a commonwealth and arbitrary power. For, why should any party +be accused of a principle which they solemnly disown and protest +against? But, to this they have a mutual answer ready; they both assure +us, that their adversaries are not to be believed, that they disown +their principles out of fear, which are manifest enough when we examine +their practices. To prove this, they will produce instances, on one +side, either of avowed Presbyterians, or persons of libertine and +atheistical tenets, and on the other, of professed Papists, or such as +are openly in the interest of the abdicated family. Now, it is very +natural for all subordinate sects and denominations in a state, to side +with some general party, and to choose that which they find to agree +with themselves in some general principle. Thus at the restoration, the +Presbyterians, Anabaptists, Independents, and other sects, did all with +very good reason unite and solder up their several schemes to join +against the Church, who without regard to their distinctions, treated +them all as equal adversaries. Thus, our present dissenters do very +naturally close in with the Whigs, who profess moderation, declare they +abhor all thoughts of persecution, and think it hard that those who +differ only in a few ceremonies and speculations, should be denied the +privilege and profit of serving their country in the highest employments +of state. Thus, the atheists, libertines, despisers of religion and +revelation in general, that is to say, all those who usually pass under +the name of freethinkers, do properly join with the same body; because +they likewise preach up moderation, and are not so overnice to +distinguish between an unlimited liberty of conscience, and an unlimited +freedom of opinion. Then on the other side, the professed firmness of +the Tories for Episcopacy as an apostolical institution: Their aversion +to those sects who lie under the reproach of having once destroyed their +constitution, and who they imagine, by too indiscreet a zeal for +reformation have defaced the primitive model of the Church: Next, their +veneration for monarchical government in the common course of +succession, and their hatred to republican schemes: These, I say, are +principles which not only the nonjuring zealots profess, but even +Papists themselves fall readily in with. And every extreme here +mentioned flings a general scandal upon the whole body it pretends to +adhere to. + +But surely no man whatsoever ought in justice or good manners to be +charged with principles he actually disowns, unless his practices do +openly and without the least room for doubt contradict his profession: +Not upon small surmises, or because he has the misfortune to have ill +men sometimes agree with him in a few general sentiments. However, +though the extremes of Whig and Tory seem with little justice to have +drawn religion into their controversies, wherein they have small +concern; yet they both have borrowed one leading principle from the +abuse of it; which is, to have built their several systems of political +faith, not upon enquiries after truth, but upon opposition to each +other, upon injurious appellations, charging their adversaries with +horrid opinions, and then reproaching them for the want of charity; _et +neuter falso_. + +In order to remove these prejudices, I have thought nothing could be +more effectual than to describe the sentiments of a Church of England +man with respect to religion and government. This I shall endeavour to +do in such a manner as may not be liable to least objection from either +party, and which I am confident would be assented to by great numbers in +both, if they were not misled to those mutual misrepresentations, by +such motives as they would be ashamed to own. + +I shall begin with religion. + +And here, though it makes an odd sound, yet it is necessary to say, that +whoever professes himself 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 beside those many thousands, who (to speak +in the phrase of divines) do practically deny all this by the immorality +of their lives; there is no small number, who in their conversation and +writings directly or by consequence endeavour to overthrow it; yet all +these place themselves in the list of the National Church, though at the +same time (as it is highly reasonable) they are great sticklers for +liberty of conscience. + +To enter upon particulars: A Church of England man hath a true +veneration for the scheme established among us of ecclesiastic +government; and though he will not determine whether Episcopacy be of +divine right, he is sure it is most agreeable to primitive institution, +fittest of all others for preserving order and purity, and under its +present regulations best calculated for our civil state: He should +therefore think the abolishment of that order among us would prove a +mighty scandal and corruption to our faith, and manifestly dangerous to +our monarchy; nay, he would defend it by arms against all the powers on +earth, except our own legislature; in which case he would submit as to a +general calamity, a dearth, or a pestilence. + +As to rites and ceremonies, and forms of prayer; he allows there might +be some useful alterations, and more, which in the prospect of uniting +Christians might be very supportable, as things declared in their own +nature indifferent; to which he therefore would readily comply, if the +clergy, or, (though this be not so fair a method) if the legislature +should direct: Yet at the same time he cannot altogether blame the +former for their unwillingness to consent to any alteration; which +beside the trouble, and perhaps disgrace, would certainly never produce +the good effects intended by it. The only condition that could make it +prudent and just for the clergy to comply in altering the ceremonial or +any other indifferent part, would be, a firm resolution in the +legislature to interpose by some strict and effectual laws to prevent +the rising and spreading of new sects how plausible soever, for the +future; else there must never be an end: And it would be to act like a +man who should pull down and change the ornaments of his house, in +compliance to every one who was disposed to find fault as he passed by, +which besides the perpetual trouble and expense, would very much damage, +and perhaps in time destroy the building. Sects in a state seem only +tolerated with any reason because they are already spread; and because +it would not be agreeable with so mild a government, or so pure a +religion as ours, to use violent methods against great numbers of +mistaken people, while they do not manifestly endanger the constitution +of either. But the greatest advocates for general liberty of conscience, +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 same thing, if +they will only grant, it were better for the peace of the state, that +there should be none. But while the clergy consider the natural temper +of mankind in general, or of our own country in particular, what +assurances can they have, that any compliances they shall make, will +remove the evil of dissension, while the liberty still continues of +professing whatever new opinion we please? Or how can it be imagined +that the body of dissenting teachers, who must be all undone by such a +revolution, will not cast about for some new objections to withhold +their flocks, and draw in fresh proselytes by some further innovations +or refinements? + +Upon these reasons he is for tolerating such 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 established, which it is natural for +all sects to desire, and which they cannot justify by any consistent +principles if they do not endeavour; and yet, which they cannot succeed +in without the utmost danger to the public peace. + +To prevent these inconveniences, he thinks it highly just, that all +rewards of trust, profit, or dignity, which the state leaves in the +disposal of the administration, should be given only to those whose +principles direct them to preserve the constitution in all its parts. In +the late affair of Occasional Conformity, the general argument of those +who were against it, was not, to deny it an evil in itself, but that the +remedy proposed 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 just their fears or complaints might have been upon +that score, he thinks it a little too gross and precipitate to employ +their writers already in arguments for repealing the sacramental test, +upon no wiser a maxim, than that no man should on the account of +conscience be deprived the liberty of serving his country; a topic which +may be equally applied to admit Papists, Atheists, Mahometans, Heathens, +and Jews. If the Church wants members of its own to employ in the +service of the public; or be so unhappily contrived as to exclude from +its communion such persons who are likeliest to have great abilities, it +is time it should be altered and reduced into some more perfect, or at +least more popular form: But in the meanwhile, it is not altogether +improbable, that when those who dislike the constitution, are so very +zealous in their offers for the service of their country, they are not +wholly unmindful of their party or of themselves. + +The Dutch whose practice is so often quoted to prove and celebrate the +great advantages of a general liberty of conscience, have yet a national +religion professed 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 situation, soil, and productions of +nature, as in the genius and complexion of inhabitants. They are a +commonwealth founded on a sudden by a desperate attempt in a desperate +condition, not formed or digested into a regular system by mature +thought and reason, but huddled up under the pressure of sudden +exigencies; calculated for no long duration, and hitherto subsisting by +accident in the midst of contending powers, who cannot yet agree about +sharing it among them. These difficulties do indeed preserve them from +any great corruptions, which their crazy constitution would extremely +subject them to in a long peace. That confluence of people in a +persecuting age, to a place of refuge nearest at hand, put them upon the +necessity of trade, to which they wisely gave all ease and +encouragement: And if we could think fit to imitate them in this last +particular, there would need no more to invite foreigners among us; who +seem to think no further than how to secure their property and +conscience, without projecting any share in that government which gives +them protection, or calling it persecution if it be denied them. But I +speak it for the honour of our administration, that although our sects +are not so numerous as those in Holland, which I presume is not our +fault, and I hope is not our misfortune, we much excel them and all +Christendom besides in our indulgence to tender consciences.[2] One +single compliance with the national form of receiving the sacrament, is +all we require to qualify any sectary among us for the greatest +employments in the state, after which he is at liberty to rejoin his own +assemblies for the rest of his life. Besides, I will suppose any of the +numerous sects in Holland, to have so far prevailed as to have raised a +civil war, destroyed their government and religion, and put their +administrators to death; after which I will suppose the people to have +recovered all again, and to have settled on their old foundation. Then I +would put a query, whether that sect which was the unhappy instrument of +all this confusion, could reasonably expect to be entrusted for the +future with the greatest employments, or indeed to be hardly tolerated +among them? + +[Footnote 2: When this was written there was no law against Occasional +Conformity. [Faulkner, 1735.]] + +To go on with the sentiments of a Church of England man: He does not see +how that mighty passion for the Church which some men pretend, can well +consist with those indignities and that contempt they bestow on the +persons of the clergy.[3] Tis a strange mark whereby to distinguish High +Churchmen, that they are such who imagine the clergy can never be too +low. He thinks the maxim these gentlemen are so fond of, that they are +for an humble clergy, is a very good one; and so is he, and for an +humble laity too, since humility is a virtue that perhaps equally +benefits and adorns every station of life. + +[Footnote 3: "I observed very well with what insolence and haughtiness +some lords of the High-Church party treated, not only their own +chaplains, but all other clergy whatsoever, and thought this was +sufficiently recompensed by their professions of zeal to the church."] + +But then, if the scribblers on the other side freely speak the +sentiments of their party, a divine of the Church of England cannot look +for much better quarter thence. You shall observe nothing more frequent +in their weekly papers than a way of affecting to confound the terms of +Clergy and High Church, of applying both indifferently, and then loading +the latter with all the calumny they can invent. They will tell you they +honour a clergyman; but talk, at the same time, as if there were not +three in the kingdom, who could fall in with their definition.[4] After +the like manner they insult the universities, as poisoned fountains, and +corrupters of youth. + +[Footnote 4: "I had likewise observed how the Whig lords took a direct +contrary measure, treated the persons of particular clergymen with great +courtesy, but shewed much ill-will and contempt for the order in +general."] + +Now, it seems clear to me, that the Whigs might easily have procured and +maintained a majority among the clergy, and perhaps in the universities, +if they had not too much encouraged or connived at this intemperance of +speech and virulence of pen, in the worst and most prostitute of their +party; among whom there has been for some years past such a perpetual +clamour against the ambition, the implacable temper, and the +covetousness of the priesthood: Such a cant of High Church, and +persecution, and being priest-ridden; so many reproaches about narrow +principles, or terms of communion: Then such scandalous reflections on +the universities, for infecting the youth of the nation with arbitrary +and Jacobite principles, that it was natural for those, who had the care +of religion and education, to apprehend some general design of altering +the constitution of both. And all this was the more extraordinary, +because it could not easily be forgot, that whatever opposition was made +to the usurpations of King James, proceeded altogether from the Church +of England, and chiefly from the clergy, and one of the universities. +For, if it were of any use to recall matters of fact, what is more +notorious than that prince's applying himself first to the Church of +England? And upon their refusal to fall in with his measures, making the +like advances to the dissenters of all kinds, who readily and almost +universally complied with him, affecting in their numerous addresses and +pamphlets, the style of Our Brethren the Roman Catholics, whose +interests they put on the same foot with their own: And some of +Cromwell's officers took posts in the army raised against the Prince of +Orange.[5] These proceedings of theirs they can only extenuate by urging +the provocations they had met from the Church in King Charles's reign, +which though perhaps excusable upon the score of human infirmity, are +not by any means a plea of merit equal to the constancy and sufferings +of the bishops and clergy, or of the head and fellows of Magdalen +College, that furnished the Prince of Orange's declaration with such +powerful arguments to justify and promote the Revolution. + +[Footnote 5: De Foe's "History of Addresses" contains some humbling +instances of the applause with which the sectaries hailed their old +enemy, James II., when they saw him engaged in hostility with the +established Church. [T. S.]] + +Therefore a Church of England man abhors the humour of the age in +delighting to fling scandals upon the clergy in general; which besides +the disgrace to the Reformation, and to religion itself, casts an +ignominy upon the kingdom that it does not deserve. We have no better +materials to compound the priesthood of, than the mass of mankind, which +corrupted as it is, those who receive orders must have some vices to +leave behind them when they enter into the Church, and if a few do still +adhere, it is no wonder, but rather a great one that they are no worse. +Therefore he cannot think ambition, or love of power more justly laid to +their charge than to other men, because, that would be to make religion +itself, or at least the best constitution of Church-government, +answerable for the errors and depravity of human nature. + +Within these last two hundred years all sorts of temporal power have +been wrested from the clergy, and much of their ecclesiastic, the reason +or justice of which proceeding I shall not examine; but, that the +remedies were a little too violent with respect to their possessions, +the legislature hath lately confessed by the remission of their First +Fruits.[6] Neither do the common libellers deny this, who in their +invectives only tax the Church with an insatiable desire of power and +wealth (equally common to all bodies of men as well as individuals) but +thank God, that the laws have deprived them of both. However, it is +worth observing the justice of parties: The sects among us are apt to +complain, and think it hard usage to be reproached now after fifty years +for overturning the state, for the murder of a king, and the indignity +of a usurpation; yet these very men and their partisans, are continually +reproaching the clergy, and laying to their charge the pride, the +avarice, the luxury, the ignorance, and superstition, of Popish times +for a thousand years past. + +[Footnote 6: The first fruits were the first year's income of +ecclesiastical benefices. In the middle ages they were taken by the Pope +as a right; but were handed over to the English crown in 1534. Anne in +1703 gave them back to the Church by letters patent, an act confirmed by +Parliament in 1704. The "Bounty" of Queen Anne, however, did not extend +to Ireland; and one of Swift's missions in London was to obtain this +remission of the first fruits for the Irish clergy also. [T. S.]] + +He thinks it a scandal to government that such an unlimited liberty +should be allowed of publishing books against those doctrines in +religion, wherein all Christians have agreed, much more to connive at +such tracts as reject all revelation, and by their consequences often +deny the very being of a God. Surely 'tis not a sufficient atonement for +the writers, that they profess much loyalty to the present government, +and sprinkle up and down some arguments in favour of the dissenters; +that they dispute as strenuously as they can for liberty of conscience, +and inveigh largely against all ecclesiastics, under the name of High +Church; and, in short, under the shelter of some popular principles in +politics and religion, undermine the foundations of all piety and +virtue. + +As he doth not reckon every schism of that damnable nature which some +would represent, so he is very far from closing with the new opinion of +those who would make it no crime at all, and argue at a wild rate, that +God Almighty is delighted with the variety of faith and worship, as He +is with the varieties of nature. To such absurdities are men carried by +the affectation of freethinking, and removing the prejudices of +education, under which head they have for some time begun to list +morality and religion. It is certain that before the rebellion in 1642, +though the number of Puritans (as they were then called) was as great as +it is with us, and though they affected to follow pastors of that +denomination, yet those pastors had episcopal ordination, possessed +preferments in the Church, and were sometimes promoted to bishoprics +themselves.[7] But, a breach in the general form of worship was in those +days reckoned so dangerous and sinful in itself, and so offensive to +Roman Catholics at home and abroad, and that it was too unpopular to be +attempted; neither, I believe, was the expedient then found out of +maintaining separate pastors out of private purses. + +[Footnote 7: In the reign of Elizabeth, and even in that of James, the +Puritans were not, properly speaking, Dissenters; but, on the contrary, +formed a sort of Low Church party in the national establishment. +Archbishop Abbot himself has been considered as a Puritan. [T. S.]] + +When a schism is once spread in a nation, there grows at length a +dispute which are the schismatics. Without entering on the arguments, +used by both sides among us, to fix the guilt on each other; 'tis +certain, that, in the sense of the law, the schism lies on that side +which opposes itself to the religion of the state. I leave it among the +divines to dilate upon the danger of schism, as a spiritual evil, but I +would consider it only as a temporal one. And I think it clear that any +great separation from the established worship, though to a new one that +is more pure and perfect, may be an occasion of endangering the public +peace, because it will compose a body always in reserve, prepared to +follow any discontented heads upon the plausible pretext of advancing +true religion, and opposing error, superstition, or idolatry. For this +reason Plato lays it down as a maxim, that, _men ought to worship the +gods according to the laws of the country_, and he introduces Socrates +in his last discourse utterly disowning the crime laid to his charge, of +teaching new divinities or methods of worship. Thus the poor Huguenots +of France were engaged in a civil war, by the specious pretences of +some, who under the guise of religion sacrificed so many thousand lives +to their own ambition and revenge. Thus was the whole body of Puritans +in England drawn to be instruments, or abettors of all manner of +villainy, by the artifices of a few men whose[8] designs from the first +were levelled to destroy the constitution both of religion and +government. And thus, even in Holland itself, where it is pretended that +the variety of sects live so amicably together, and in such perfect +obedience to the magistrate, it is notorious how a turbulent party +joining with the Arminians, did in the memory of our fathers attempt to +destroy the liberty of that republic. So that upon the whole, where +sects are tolerated in a state, 'tis fit they should enjoy a full +liberty of conscience, and every other privilege of freeborn subjects to +which no power is annexed. And to preserve their obedience upon all +emergencies, a government cannot give them too much ease, nor trust them +with too little power. + +[Footnote 8: Lord Clarendon's History; but see also Gardiner's "History +of England." [T. S.]] + +The clergy are usually charged with a persecuting spirit, which they are +said to discover by an implacable hatred to all dissenters; and this +appears to be more unreasonable, because they suffer less in their +interests by a toleration than any of the conforming laity: For while +the Church remains in its present form, no dissenter can possibly have +any share in its dignities, revenues, or power; whereas, by once +receiving the sacrament, he is rendered capable of the highest +employments in the state. And it is very possible, that a narrow +education, together with a mixture of human infirmity, may help to beget +among some of the clergy in possession such an aversion and contempt for +all innovators, as physicians are apt to have for empirics, or lawyers +for pettifoggers, or merchants for pedlars: But since the number of +sectaries doth not concern the clergy either in point of interest or +conscience, (it being an evil not in their power to remedy) 'tis more +fair and reasonable to suppose their dislike proceeds from the dangers +they apprehend to the peace of the commonwealth, in the ruin whereof +they must expect to be the first and greatest sufferers. + +To conclude this section, it must be observed, there is a very good +word, which hath of late suffered much by both parties, and that is, +MODERATION, which the one side very justly disowns, and the other as +unjustly pretends to. Beside what passeth every day in conversation; any +man who reads the papers published by Mr. Lesley[9] and others of his +stamp, must needs conclude, that if this author could make the nation +see his adversaries under the colours he paints them in, we have nothing +else to do, but rise as one man and destroy such wretches from the face +of the earth. On the other side, how shall we excuse the advocates for +moderation? among whom, I could appeal to a hundred papers of universal +approbation by the cause they were writ for, which lay such principles +to the whole body of the Tories, as, if they were true, and believed; +our next business should in prudence be, to erect gibbets in every +parish, and hang them out of the way. But I suppose it is presumed, the +common people understand raillery, or at least, rhetoric, and will not +take hyperboles in too literal a sense; which however in some junctures +might prove a desperate experiment. + +[Footnote 9: This was Charles Leslie, the second son of the Bishop of +Clogher (1650-1722). He was educated for the bar, but forsook that, and +entered into holy orders. In his zeal for the established Church he +persecuted the Catholics; but this did not interfere with his adhesion +to Jacobite political principles. He settled in London, and wrote a +weekly paper called "The Rehearsal, or a Review of the Times," in which +he attacked Locke and Hoadly. He did all he could for the cause of the +exiled James, but he gave up the work when he found it hopeless, and +died in Ireland. He wrote many virulent theological works, as well as a +host of political tracts. [T. S.]] + +And this is moderation in the modern sense of the word, to which, +speaking impartially, the bigots of both parties are equally entitled. + +SECTION II. + +_The Sentiments of a Church of England Man with respect to Government_. + +We look upon it as a very just reproach, though we cannot agree where to +fix it, that there should be so much violence and hatred in religious +matters, among men who agree in all fundamentals, and only differ in +some ceremonies, or at most mere speculative points. Yet is not this +frequently the case between contending parties in a state? For instance: +Do not the generality of Whigs and Tories among us, profess to agree in +the same fundamentals, their loyalty to the Queen, their abjuration of +the Pretender, the settlement of the crown in the protestant line, and a +revolution principle? Their affection to the Church established, with +toleration of dissenters? Nay sometimes they go further, and pass over +into each other's principles; the Whigs become great assertors of the +prerogative, and the Tories of the people's liberty; these crying down +almost the whole set of bishops, and those defending them; so that the +differences fairly stated, would be much of a sort with those in +religion among us, and amount to little more than, _who should take +place_ or _go in and out first_, or _kiss the Queen's hand_; and what +are these but a few court ceremonies? Or, _who should be in the +ministry_? And what is that to the body of the nation, but a mere +speculative point? Yet I think it must be allowed, that no religious +sects ever carried their aversions for each other to greater heights +than our state-parties have done, who the more to inflame their passions +have mixed religious and civil animosities together; borrowing one of +their appellations from the Church, with the addition of High and Low, +how little soever their disputes relate to the term as it is generally +understood. + +I now proceed to deliver the sentiments of a Church of England man with +respect to government. + +He doth not think the Church of England so narrowly calculated, that it +cannot fall in with any regular species of government; nor does he think +any one regular species of government more acceptable to God than +another. The three generally received in the schools have all of them +their several perfections, and are subject to their several +depravations. However, few states are ruined by any defect in their +institution, but generally by the corruption of manners, against which +the best institution is no long security, and without which a very ill +one may subsist and flourish: Whereof there are two pregnant instances +now in Europe. The first is the aristocracy of Venice, which founded +upon the wisest maxims, and digested by a great length of time, hath in +our age admitted so many abuses through the degeneracy of the nobles, +that the period of its duration seems to approach. The other is the +united republics of the States-general, where a vein of temperance, +industry, parsimony, and a public spirit, running through the whole body +of the people, hath preserved an infant commonwealth of an untimely +birth and sickly constitution, for above an hundred years, through so +many dangers and difficulties, as a much more healthy one could never +have struggled against, without those advantages. + +Where security of person and property are preserved by laws which none +but the Whole can repeal, there the great ends of government are +provided for whether the administration be in the hands of One, or of +Many. Where any one person or body of men, who do not represent the +Whole, seize into their hands the power in the last resort, there is +properly no longer a government, but what Aristotle and his followers +call the abuse and corruption of one. This distinction excludes +arbitrary power in whatever numbers; which notwithstanding all that +Hobbes, Filmer[10] and others have said to its advantage, I look upon as +a greater evil than anarchy itself; as much as a savage is in a happier +state of life than a slave at the oar. + +[Footnote 10: Hobbes, Thomas (1588-1679), the English philosopher, and +author of "De Cive" (1642), "Treatise on Human Nature" (1650), "De +Corpore Politico" (1650), "Leviathan" (1651), and other works. Swift is +here combating Hobbes's advocacy for a sovereign power, as vested in a +single person. + +Filmer, Sir Robert (died 1647), author of "The Anarchy of a limited and +mixed Monarchy," "Patriarcha," and "The Freeholder's Grand Inquest." In +the "Patriarcha" Filmer attempted to prove that absolute government by a +monarch was a patriarchal institution. Locke replied to this work in his +"Two Treatises on Government." [T.S.]] + +It is reckoned ill manners, as well as unreasonable, for men to quarrel +upon difference in opinion; because that is usually supposed to be a +thing which no man can help in himself; which however I do not conceive +to be an universal infallible maxim, except in those cases where the +question is pretty equally disputed among the learned and the wise; +where it is otherwise, a man of tolerable reason, small experience, and +willing to be instructed, may apprehend he is got into a wrong opinion, +though the whole course of his mind and inclination would persuade him +to believe it true: He may be convinced that he is in error though he +does not see where it lies, by the bad effects of it in the common +conduct of his life, and by observing those persons for whose wisdom and +goodness he has the greatest deference, to be of a contrary sentiment. +According to Hobbes's comparison of reasoning with casting up accounts, +whoever finds a mistake in the sum total, must allow himself out, +though, after repeated trials he may not see in which article he has +misreckoned. I will instance in one opinion, which I look upon every man +obliged in conscience to quit, or in prudence to conceal; I mean, that +whoever argues in defence of absolute power in a single person, though +he offers the old plausible plea, that, _it is his opinion, which he +cannot help unless he be convinced_, ought, in all free states to be +treated as the common enemy of mankind. Yet this is laid as a heavy +charge upon the clergy of the two reigns before the Revolution, who +under the terms of Passive Obedience and Non-Resistance are said to have +preached up the unlimited power of the prince, because they found it a +doctrine that pleased the Court, and made way for their preferment. And +I believe there may be truth enough in this accusation, to convince us, +that human frailty will too often interpose itself among persons of the +holiest function. However, it may be offered in excuse for the clergy, +that in the best societies there are some ill members, which a corrupted +court and ministry will industriously find out and introduce. Besides, +it is manifest that the greater number of those who held and preached +this doctrine, were misguided by equivocal terms, and by perfect +ignorance in the principles of government, which they had not made any +part of their study. The question originally put, and as I remember to +have heard it disputed in public schools, was this; _whether under any +pretence whatsoever it may be lawful to resist the supreme magistrate?_ +which was held in the negative; and this is certainly the right opinion. +But many of the clergy, and other learned men, deceived by dubious +expression, mistook the object to which passive obedience was due. By +the supreme magistrate is properly understood the legislative power, +which in all government must be absolute and unlimited. But the word +magistrate seeming to denote a single person, and to express the +executive power, it came to pass, that the obedience due to the +legislature was for want of knowing or considering this easy +distinction, misapplied to the administration. Neither is it any wonder, +that the clergy or other well-meaning people should fall into this +error, which deceived Hobbes himself so far, as to be the foundation of +all the political mistakes in his book, where he perpetually confounds +the executive with the legislative power, though all well-instituted +states have ever placed them in different hands, as may be obvious to +those who know anything of Athens, Sparta, Thebes, and other republics +of Greece, as well as the greater ones of Carthage and Rome. + +Besides, it is to be considered that when these doctrines began to be +preached among us, the kingdom had not quite worn out the memory of that +unhappy rebellion, under the consequences of which it had groaned almost +twenty years. And a weak prince in conjunction with a succession of most +prostitute ministers, began again to dispose the people to new attempts, +which it was, no doubt, the clergy's duty to endeavour to prevent, if +some of them had not for want of knowledge in temporal affairs, and +others perhaps from a worse principle, proceeded upon a topic that +strictly followed would enslave all mankind. + +Among other theological arguments made use of in those times, in praise +of monarchy, and justification of absolute obedience to a prince, there +seemed to be one of a singular nature: It was urged that Heaven was +governed by a monarch, who had none to control his power, but was +absolutely obeyed: Then it followed, that earthly governments were the +more perfect, the nearer they imitated the government in Heaven. All +which I look upon as the strongest argument against despotic power that +ever was offered; since no reason can possibly be assigned why it is +best for the world that God Almighty hath such a power, which doth not +directly prove that no mortal man should ever have the like. + +But though a Church of England man thinks every species of government +equally lawful, he does not think them equally expedient; or for every +country indifferently. There may be something in the climate, naturally +disposing men toward one sort of obedience, as is manifest all over +Asia, where we never read of any commonwealth, except some small ones on +the western coasts established by the Greeks. There may be a great deal +in the situation of a country, and in the present genius of the people. +It hath been observed, that the temperate climates usually run into +moderate governments, and the extremes into despotic power. 'Tis a +remark of Hobbes, that the youth of England are corrupted in their +principles of government, by reading the authors of Greece and Rome who +writ under commonwealths. But it might have been more fairly offered for +the honour of liberty, that while the rest of the known world was +overrun with the arbitrary government of single persons; arts and +sciences took their rise, and flourished only in those few small +territories were the people were free. And though learning may continue +after liberty is lost, as it did in Rome, for a while, upon the +foundations laid under the commonwealth, and the particular patronage of +some emperors; yet it hardly ever began under a tyranny in any nation: +Because slavery is of all things the greatest clog and obstacle to +speculation. And indeed, arbitrary power is but the first natural step +from anarchy or the savage life; the adjusting of power and freedom +being an effect and consequence of maturer thinking: And this is nowhere +so duly regulated as in a limited monarchy: Because I believe it may +pass for a maxim in state, that the administration cannot be placed in +too few hands, nor the legislature in too many. Now in this material +point, the constitution of the English government far exceeds all others +at this time on the earth, to which the present establishment of the +Church doth so happily agree, that I think, whoever is an enemy to +either, must of necessity be so to both. + +He thinks, as our monarchy is constituted, a hereditary right is much to +be preferred before election. Because the government here, especially by +some late amendments, is so regularly disposed in all its parts, that it +almost executes itself. And therefore upon the death of a prince among +us, the administration goes on without any rub or interruption. For the +same reasons we have little to apprehend from the weakness or fury of +our monarchs, who have such wise councils to guide the first, and laws +to restrain the other. And therefore this hereditary right should be +kept so sacred, as never to break the succession, unless where the +preserving of it may endanger the constitution; which is not from any +intrinsic merit, or unalienable right in a particular family, but to +avoid the consequences that usually attend the ambition of competitors, +to which elective kingdoms are exposed; and which is the only obstacle +to hinder them from arriving at the greatest perfection that government +can possibly reach. Hence appears the absurdity of that distinction +between a king _de facto_, and one _de jure_, with respect to us. For +every limited monarch is a king _de jure_, because he governs by the +consent of the whole, which is authority sufficient to abolish all +precedent right. If a king come in by conquest, he is no longer a +limited monarch, if he afterward consent to limitations, he becomes +immediately king _de jure_ for the same reason. + +The great advocates for succession, who affirm it ought not to be +violated upon any regard or consideration whatsoever, do insist much +upon one argument that seems to carry little weight. They would have it, +that a crown is a prince's birthright, and ought at least to be as well +secured to him and his posterity as the inheritance of any private man: +In short, that he has the same title to his kingdom which every +individual has to his property. Now the consequence of this doctrine +must be, that as a man may find several ways to waste, misspend, or +abuse his patrimony, without being answerable to the laws; so a king may +in like manner do what he will with his own, that is, he may squander +and misapply his revenues, and even alienate the crown, without being +called to an account by his subjects. They allow such a prince to be +guilty indeed of much folly and wickedness, but for those he is to +answer to God, as every private man must do that is guilty of +mismanagement in his own concerns. Now the folly of this reasoning will +best appear, by applying it in a parallel case. Should any man argue, +that a physician is supposed to understand his own art best; that the +law protects and encourages his profession; and therefore although he +should manifestly prescribe poison to all his patients, whereof they +should immediately die, he cannot be justly punished, but is answerable +only to God: Or should the same be offered in behalf of a divine, who +would preach against religion and moral duties; in either of these two +cases everybody would find out the sophistry, and presently answer, that +although common men are not exactly skilled in the composition or +application of medicines, or in prescribing the limits of duty; yet the +difference between poisons and remedies is easily known by their +effects, and common reason soon distinguishes between virtue and vice: +And it must be necessary to forbid both these the further practice of +their professions, because their crimes are not purely personal to the +physician or the divine, but destructive to the public. All which is +infinitely stronger in respect to a prince, with whose good or ill +conduct the happiness or misery of a whole nation is included; whereas +it is of small consequence to the public, farther than examples, how any +private person manages his property. + +But granting that the right of a lineal successor to a crown were upon +the same foot with the property of a subject, still It may at any time +be transferred by the legislative power, as other properties frequently +are. The supreme power in a state can do no wrong, because whatever that +doth, is the action of all; and when the lawyers apply this maxim to the +king, they must understand it only in that sense as he is administrator +of the supreme power, otherwise it is not universally true, but may be +controlled in several instances easy to produce. + +And these are the topics we must proceed upon to justify our exclusion +of the young Pretender in France; that of his suspected birth being +merely popular, and therefore not made use of as I remember, since the +Revolution in any speech, vote, or proclamation where there was occasion +to mention him. + +As to the abdication of King James, which the advocates on that side +look upon to have been forcible and unjust, and consequently void in +itself, I think a man may observe every article of the English Church, +without being in much pain about it. 'Tis not unlikely that all doors +were laid open for his departure, and perhaps not without the privity of +the Prince of Orange, as reasonably concluding that the kingdom might be +settled in his absence: But to affirm he had any cause to apprehend the +same treatment with his father, is an improbable scandal flung upon the +nation by a few bigotted French scribblers, or the invidious assertion +of a ruined party at home, in the bitterness of their souls: Not one +material circumstance agreeing with those in 1648; and the greatest part +of the nation having preserved the utmost horror for that ignominious +murder: But whether his removal were caused by his own fears or other +men's artifices, 'tis manifest to me, that supposing the throne to be +vacant, which was the foot they went upon, the body of the people were +thereupon left at liberty, to choose what form of government they +pleased, by themselves or their representatives. + +The only difficulty of any weight against the proceedings at the +Revolution, is an obvious objection, to which the writers upon that +subject have not yet given a direct or sufficient answer, as if they +were in pain at some consequences which they apprehend those of the +contrary opinion might draw from it, I will repeat this objection as it +was offered me some time ago, with all its advantages, by a very pious, +learned, and worthy gentleman[11] of the nonjuring party. + +[Footnote 11: Mr. Nelson, author of "The Feasts and Fasts of the Church +of England."] + +The force of his argument turned upon this; that the laws made by the +supreme power, cannot otherwise than by the supreme power be annulled: +That this consisting in England of a King, Lords, and Commons, whereof +each have a negative voice, no two of them can repeal or enact a law +without consent of the third; much less may any one of them be entirely +excluded from its part of the legislature by a vote of the other two. +That all these maxims were openly violated at the Revolution; where an +assembly of the nobles and people, not summoned by the king's writ +(which was an essential part of the constitution) and consequently no +lawful meeting, did merely upon their own authority, declare the king to +have abdicated, the throne vacant, and gave the crown by a vote to a +nephew, when there were three children to inherit; though by the +fundamental laws of the realm the next heir is immediately to succeed. +Neither does it appear how a prince's abdication can make any other sort +of vacancy in the throne, than would be caused by his death, since he +cannot abdicate for his children (who claim their right of succession by +act of parliament) otherwise than by his own consent in form to a bill +from the two houses. + +And this is the difficulty that seems chiefly to stick with the most +reasonable of those, who from a mere scruple of conscience refuse to +join with us upon the revolution principle; but for the rest, are I +believe as far from loving arbitrary government, as any others can be, +who are born under a free constitution, and are allowed to have the +least share of common good sense. + +In this objection there are two questions included: First, whether upon +the foot of our constitution, as it stood in the reign of the late King +James, a king of England may be deposed? The second is, whether the +people of England convened by their own authority, after the king had +withdrawn himself in the manner he did, had power to alter the +succession? + +As for the first; it is a point I shall not presume to determine, and +shall therefore only say, that to any man who holds the negative, I +would demand the liberty of putting the case as strongly as I please. I +will suppose a prince limited by laws like ours, yet running into a +thousand caprices of cruelty like Nero or Caligula. I will suppose him +to murder his mother and his wife, to commit incest, to ravish matrons, +to blow up the senate, and burn his metropolis, openly to renounce God +and Christ, and worship the devil. These and the like exorbitances are +in the power of a single person to commit without the advice of a +ministry, or assistance of an army. And if such a king as I have +described, cannot be deposed but by his own consent in parliament, I do +not well see how he can be resisted, or what can be meant by a limited +monarchy; or what signifies the people's consent in making and repealing +laws, if the person who administers hath no tie but conscience, and is +answerable to none but God. I desire no stronger proof that an opinion +must be false, than to find very great absurdities annexed to it; and +there cannot be greater than in the present case: For it is not a bare +speculation that kings may run into such enormities as are +above-mentioned; the practice may be proved by examples not only drawn +from the first Caesars or later emperors, but many modern princes of +Europe; such as Peter the Cruel, Philip the Second of Spain, John +Basilovitz[12] of Muscovy, and in our own nation, King John, Richard the +Third, and Henry the Eighth. But there cannot be equal absurdities +supposed in maintaining the contrary opinion; because it is certain, +that princes have it in their power to keep a majority on their side, by +any tolerable administration; till provoked by continual oppressions, no +man indeed can then answer where the madness of the people will stop. + +[Footnote 12: Peter the Cruel is Pedro of Castile. Ivan Basilovitz was +the first emperor of Russia who assumed the title of Czar. He was born +in 1529, and died in 1584.] + +As to the second part of the objection; whether the people of England +convened by their own authority, upon King James's precipitate +departure, had power to alter the succession? + +In answer to this, I think it is manifest from the practice of the +wisest nations, and who seem to have had the truest notions of freedom, +that when a prince was laid aside for mal-administration, the nobles and +people, if they thought it necessary for the public weal, did resume the +administration of the supreme power (the power itself having been always +in them) and did not only alter the succession, but often the very form +of government too; because they believed there was no natural right in +one man to govern another, but that all was by institution, force, or +consent. Thus, the cities of Greece, when they drove out their +tyrannical kings, either chose others from a new family, or abolished +the kingly government, and became free states. Thus the Romans upon the +expulsion of Tarquin found it inconvenient for them to be subject any +longer to the pride, the lust, the cruelty and arbitrary will of single +persons, and therefore by general consent entirely altered the whole +frame of their government. Nor do I find the proceedings of either, in +this point, to have been condemned by any historian of the succeeding +ages. + +But a great deal hath been already said by other writers upon this +invidious and beaten subject; therefore I shall let it fall, though the +point is commonly mistaken, especially by the lawyers; who of all others +seem least to understand the nature of government in general; like +under-workmen, who are expert enough at making a single wheel in a +clock, but are utterly ignorant how to adjust the several parts, or +regulate the movements. + +To return therefore from this digression: It is a Church of England +man's opinion, that the freedom of a nation consists in an absolute +unlimited legislative power, wherein the whole body of the people are +fairly represented, and in an executive duly limited; because on this +side likewise there may be dangerous degrees, and a very ill extreme. +For when two parties in a state are pretty equal in power, pretensions, +merit, and virtue, (for these two last are with relation to parties and +a court, quite different things) it hath been the opinion of the best +writers upon government, that a prince ought not in any sort to be under +the guidance or influence of either, because he declines by this means +from his office of presiding over the whole, to be the head of a party; +which besides the indignity, renders him answerable for all public +mismanagements and the consequences of them; and in whatever state this +happens, there must either be a weakness in the prince or ministry, or +else the former is too much restrained by the legislature.[1] + +[Footnote 1: This is as given in the "Miscellanies" (1711). Scott and +Faulkner print "by the nobles, or those who represent the people." [T. +S.]] + +To conclude: A Church of England man may with prudence and a good +conscience approve the professed principles of one party more than the +other, according as he thinks they best promote the good of Church and +State; but he will never be swayed by passion or interest, to advance an +opinion merely because it is that of the party he most approves; which +one single principle he looks upon as the root of all our civil +animosities. To enter into a party as into an order of friars with so +resigned an obedience to superiors, is very unsuitable both with the +civil and religious liberties we so zealously assert. Thus the +understandings of a whole senate are often enslaved by three or four +leaders on each side; who instead of intending the public weal, have +their hearts wholly set upon ways and means how to get or to keep +employments. But to speak more at large, how has this spirit of faction +mingled itself with the mass of the people, changed their nature and +manners, and the very genius of the nation; broke all the laws of +charity, neighbourhood, alliance and hospitality; destroyed all ties of +friendship, and divided families against themselves! And no wonder it +should be so, when in order to find out the character of a person, +instead of inquiring whether he be a man of virtue, honour, piety, wit, +good sense, or learning; the modern question is only, whether he be a +Whig or a Tory, under which terms all good and ill qualities are +included. + +Now, because it is a point of difficulty to choose an exact middle +between two ill extremes, it may be worth enquiring in the present case, +which of these, a wise and good man would rather seem to avoid: Taking +therefore their own good and ill characters with due abatements and +allowances for partiality and passion; I should think that in order to +preserve the constitution entire in Church and State, whoever has a true +value for both, would be sure to avoid the extremes of Whig for the sake +of the former, and the extremes of Tory on account of the latter. + +I have now said all that I could think convenient upon so nice a +subject, and find I have the ambition common with other reasoners, to +wish at least that both parties may think me in the right, which would +be of some use to those who have any virtue left, but are blindly drawn +into the extravagancies of either, upon false representations, to serve +the ambition or malice of designing men, without any prospect of their +own. But if that is not to be hoped for, my next wish should be, that +both might think me in the wrong; which I would understand as an ample +justification of myself, and a sure ground to believe, that I have +proceeded at least with impartiality, and perhaps with truth. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +REMARKS + +UPON A + +BOOK, + +INTITULED, + +"THE RIGHTS OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH, &c." + +WRITTEN IN THE YEAR 1708, BUT LEFT UNFINISHED. + + +NOTE. + +Dr. Matthew Tindal, of whom a short account has already been given (see +note, p. 9), issued his "Rights of the Christian Church" in 1706. In +1707 it had already gone through three editions. The full title of the +work is: "The Rights of the Christian Church asserted, against the +Romish and all other Priests, who claim an independent Power over it: +with a Preface concerning the Government of the Church of England, as by +law established." Ostensibly the book was an attack on the Roman +Catholic Church, but the attack was so cleverly veiled that it included +in its criticisms the Church of England also; and must take its place +among the works of the deistical writers of the time who aimed at +subverting the foundations of the relationships between the Church and +the State. According to Dr. Hicks, who wrote several works in reply to +Tindal's book, Tindal told a gentleman, who found him at work on it, +that "he was writing a book which would make the clergy mad." If so, he +did not fall short of his intention; for not only the clergy, but even +learned laymen became "mad." In addition to Dr. Hicks of Oxford, the +Church of England found champions in Dr. William Wotton, Samuel Hill, +Conyers-Place, Mr. Oldisworth, and Swift. Swift delayed the preparation +of the materials for his reply, or else he found other matters to occupy +his time--the Sacheverel business came on soon after, and the Tindal +controversy lost interest in this more immediate and more important +affair. So that Swift's criticism remained unfinished, and was only +published when his editors came to search among his papers. In 1710 +Tindal's work was ordered, by a vote of the House of Commons, to be +publicly burned by the hangman. The grand jury of Middlesex were +presented that the author, printer, and publisher of "The Rights of the +Christian Church" to be dangerous and disaffected persons, and promoters +of sedition and profaneness; and this charge was grounded on the +following extracts. I take these from Scott's note, and I find that the +page references are to the second edition of Tindal's work issued in +1706. + +"The church is a private society, and no more power belonging to it than +to other private companies and clubs, and, consequently, all the right +anyone has to be an ecclesiastical officer, and the power he is +entrusted with, depends on the consent of the parties concerned, and is +no greater than they can bestow." Preface, p. xxx. + +"The Scriptures nowhere make the receiving the Lord's Supper from the +hands of a priest necessary." p. 104. + +"The remembrance of Christ's sufferings a mere grace-cup delivered to be +handed about." p. 105. + +"Among Christians, one no more than another can be reckoned a priest +from Scripture"--"And the clerk has as good a title to the priesthood as +the parson ... Every one, as well as the minister, rightly consecrateth +the elements to himself ... Anything farther than this, may rather be +called Conjuration than Consecration." p. 108. + +"The absurdities of bishops being by divine appointment, governors of +the Christian Church, and no others are capable of being of that number, +who derive not their right by an uninterrupted succession of bishops in +the Catholic Church." p. 313. + +"The supreme powers had no way to escape the heavier oppressions, and +more insupportable usurpations of their own clergy, than by submitting +to the Pope's milder yoke and gentler authority." p. 255. + +"One grand cause of mistake is, not considering when God acts as +governor of the universe, and when as prince of a particular nation. The +Jews, when they came out of the land of bondage, were under no settled +government, till God was pleased to offer himself to be their king, to +which all the people expressly consented ... God's laws bound no nation, +except those that agreed to the Horeb contract." p. 151. + +"Not only an independent power of excommunication, but of ordination in +the clergy, is inconsistent with the magistrate's right to protect the +commonwealth." p. 87. + +"Priests, no better than spiritual make-baits, baraters, boute-feux, and +incendiaries, and who make churches serve to worse purposes than bear +gardens." p. 118. + +"It is a grand mistake to suppose the magistrate's power extends to +indifferent things ... Men have liberty as they please, and a right ... +to form what clubs, companies, or meetings, they think fit, either for +business or pleasure, which the magistrate ... cannot hinder, without +manifest injustice." p. 15. + +"God ... interposed not among the Jews, until they had chosen him for +their king." p. 312. + +For a full account of Tindal and his work, see the "Memoirs of the Life +and Writings of Matthew Tindal, with a History of the Controversies +wherein he was engaged," published in 1733. The text of the present +reprint of Swift's "Remarks" is based on that given in "Works," vol. +vii. of the 4to edition of 1764. It has also been collated with the 8vo +edition of same date (vol. xiii.) and with that of 1762 (vol. xiii.). + +[T. S.] + + + REMARKS UPON A BOOK INTITULED + "THE RIGHTS OF THE CHRISTIAN + CHURCH, &c." + + +Before I enter upon a particular examination of this treatise, it will +be convenient to do two things: + +_First_, To give some account of the author, together with the motives, +that might probably engage him in such a work. And, + +_Secondly_, to discover the nature and tendency in general, of the work +itself. + +The first of these, although it hath been objected against, seems highly +reasonable, especially in books that instil pernicious principles. For, +although a book is not intrinsically much better or worse, according to +the stature or complexion of the author, yet, when it happens to make a +noise, we are apt, and curious, as in other noises, to look about from +whence it cometh. But however, there is something more in the matter. + +If a theological subject be well handled by a layman, it is better +received than if it came from a divine; and that for reasons obvious +enough, which, although of little weight in themselves, will ever have a +great deal with mankind. + +But, when books are written with ill intentions, to advance dangerous +opinions, or destroy foundations; it may be then of real use to know +from what quarter they come, and go a good way towards their +confutation. For instance, if any man should write a book against the +lawfulness of punishing felony with death; and, upon enquiry, the author +should be found in Newgate under condemnation for robbing a house; his +arguments would not very unjustly lose much of their force, from the +circumstances he lay under. So, when Milton writ his book of divorces, +it was presently rejected as an occasional treatise; because every body +knew, he had a shrew for his wife. Neither can there be any reason +imagined, why he might not, after he was blind, have writ another upon +the danger and inconvenience of eyes. But, it is a piece of logic which +will hardly pass on the world; that because one man hath a sore nose, +therefore all the town should put plasters upon theirs. So, if this +treatise about the rights of the church should prove to be the work of a +man steady in his principles, of exact morals, and profound learning, a +true lover of his country, and a hater of Christianity, as what he +really believes to be a cheat upon mankind, whom he would undeceive +purely for their good; it might be apt to check unwary men, even of good +dispositions towards religion. But if it be found the production of a +man soured with age and misfortunes, together with the consciousness of +past miscarriages; of one, who, in hopes of preferment, was reconciled +to the Popish religion;[1] of one wholly prostitute in life and +principles, and only an enemy to religion, because it condemns them: In +this case, and this last I find is the universal opinion, he is like to +have few proselytes, beside those, who, from a sense of their vicious +lives, require to be perpetually supplied by such amusements as this; +which serve to flatter their wishes, and debase their understandings. + +[Footnote 1: Dr. Matthew Tindal became a convert to the Romish religion +during the reign of James II. What share interest had in his conversion +may be easily imagined; but it is uncertain whether it was the +disappointment of his expectations, or conviction, that, in 1687, +induced him to reconcile himself to the Church of England, and become a +decided favourer of those doctrines which produced the Revolution. He +often sat as a judge in the Court of Delegates, but did not practise +much as an advocate in Doctor's Commons. His chief means of support was +a pension from government of £200. Tindal died in 1733, three years +after publication of his grand deistical work, "Christianity as Old as +the Creation." His effects, amounting to £2,000 and upwards, were +appropriated by the noted Eustace Budgell, to the prejudice of the heir +at law, under a will attended with circumstances of great suspicion. [T. +S.]] + +I know there are some who would fain have it, that this discourse was +written by a club of freethinkers, among whom the supposed author only +came in for a share. But, sure, we cannot judge so meanly of any party, +without affronting the dignity of mankind. If this be so, and if here be +the product of all their quotas and contributions, we must needs allow, +that freethinking is a most confined and limited talent. It is true +indeed, the whole discourse seemeth to be a motley, inconsistent +composition, made up of various shreds of equal fineness, although of +different colours. It is a bundle of incoherent maxims and assertions, +that frequently destroy one another. But still there is the same +flatness of thought and style; the same weak advances towards wit and +raillery; the same petulancy and pertness of spirit; the same train of +superficial reading; the same thread of threadbare quotations: the same +affectation of forming general rules upon false and scanty premises. +And, lastly, the same rapid venom sprinkled over the whole; which, like +the dying impotent bite of a trodden benumbed snake, may be nauseous and +offensive, but cannot be very dangerous. + +And, indeed, I am so far from thinking this libel to be born of several +fathers, that it hath been the wonder of several others, as well as +myself; how it was possible for any man, who appeareth to have gone the +common circle of academical education;[2] who hath taken so universal a +liberty, and hath so entirely laid aside all regards, not only of +Christianity, but common truth and justice; one who is dead to all sense +of shame, and seemeth to be past the getting or losing a reputation, +should, with so many advantages, and upon so unlimited a subject, come +out with so poor, so jejune a production. Should we pity or be amazed at +so perverse a talent, which, instead of qualifying an author to give a +new turn to old matter, disposeth him quite contrary to talk in an old +beaten trivial manner upon topics wholly new. To make so many sallies +into pedantry without a call, upon a subject the most alien, and in the +very moments he is declaiming against it, and in an age too, where it is +so violently exploded, especially among those readers he proposeth to +entertain. + +[Footnote 2: See note, p. 9, where it will be seen that Tindal was an +Oxford man. [T.S.]] + +I know it will be said, that this is only to talk in the common style of +an answerer; but I have not so little policy. If there were any hope of +reputation or merit from such victory, I should be apt like others to +cry up the courage and conduct of an enemy. Whereas to detect the +weakness, the malice, the sophistry, the falsehood, the ignorance of +such a writer, requireth little more than to rank his perfections in +such an order, and place them in such a light, that the commonest reader +may form a judgment of them. + +It may still be a wonder how so heavy a book, written upon a subject in +appearance so little instructive or diverting, should survive to three +editions, and consequently find a better reception than is usual with +such bulky spiritless volumes; and this, in an age that pretendeth so +soon to be nauseated with what is tedious and dull. To which I can only +return, that, as burning a book by the common hangman, is a known +expedient to make it sell; so, to write a book that deserveth such +treatment, is another: And a third, perhaps as effectual as either, is +to ply an insipid, worthless tract with grave and learned answers, as +Dr. Hickes, Dr. Potter,[3] and Mr. Wotton have done. Design and +performances, however commendable, have glanced a reputation upon the +piece; which oweth its life to the strength of those hands and weapons, +that were raised to destroy it; like flinging a mountain upon a worm, +which, instead of being bruised, by the advantage of its littleness, +lodgeth under it unhurt. + +[Footnote 3: George Hickes, D.D. (1642-1715), born at Newsham, Yorks, +and educated at Oxford. He visited Scotland with his patron, the Duke of +Lauderdale, in 1677, and was presented by the St. Andrews University +with the degree of LL.D. Became Dean of Worcester in 1683, but lost that +office at the Revolution, for not taking the oaths. The nonjuring +prelates, in 1693, consecrated him Bishop of Thetford. Dr. Hickes was a +profound scholar, and well versed in northern literature. Among his +works may be named, "Institutiones Grammaticae Anglo-Saxonicae et +Maeso-Gothicae," "Antiquae Literaturae Septentrionalis Thesaurus." + +John Potter, D.D. (1674-1747), born at Wakefield, and educated at +Oxford. In 1707 he published a "Discourse on Church Government," and +eight years later became Bishop of Oxford. On the death of Wake, in +1737, he was appointed to the Archbishopric of Canterbury. [T.S.]] + +But neither is this all. For the subject, as unpromising as it seemeth +at first view, is no less than that of Lucretius, to free men's minds +from the bondage of religion; and this not by little hints and by +piecemeal, after the manner of those little atheistical tracts that +steal into the world, but in a thorough wholesale manner; by making +religion, church, Christianity, with all their concomitants, a perfect +contrivance of the civil power. It is an imputation often charged on +this sort of men, that, by their invectives against religion, they can +possibly propose no other end than that of fortifying themselves and +others against the reproaches of a vicious life; it being necessary for +men of libertine practices to embrace libertine principles, or else they +cannot act in consistence with any reason, or preserve any peace of +mind. Whether such authors have this design, (whereof I think they have +never gone about to acquit themselves) thus much is certain; that no +other use is made of such writings: Neither did I ever hear this +author's book justified by any person, either Whig or Tory, except such +who are of that profligate character. And, I believe, whoever examineth +it, will be of the same opinion; although indeed such wretches are so +numerous, that it seemeth rather surprising, why the book hath had no +more editions, than why it should have so many. + +Having thus endeavoured to satisfy the curious with some account of this +author's character, let us examine what might probably be the motives to +engage him in such a work. I shall say nothing of the principal, which +is a sum of money; because that is not a mark to distinguish him from +any other trader with the press. I will say nothing of revenge and +malice, from resentment of the indignities and contempt he hath +undergone for his crime of apostasy. To this passion he has thought fit +to sacrifice order, propriety, discretion, and common sense, as may be +seen in every page of his book: But, I am deceived, if there were not a +third motive as powerful as the other two; and that is, vanity. About +the latter end of King James's reign he had almost finished a learned +discourse in defence of the Church of Rome, and to justify his +conversion: All which, upon the Revolution, was quite out of season. +Having thus prostituted his reputation, and at once ruined his hopes, he +had no course left, but to shew his spite against religion in general; +the false pretensions to which, had proved so destructive to his credit +and fortune: And, at the same time, loth to employ the speculations of +so many years to no purpose; by an easy turn, the same arguments he had +made use of to advance Popery, were full as properly levelled by him +against Christianity itself; like the image, which, while it was new and +handsome, was worshipped for a saint, and when it came to be old and +broken, was still good enough to make a tolerable devil. And, therefore +every reader will observe, that the arguments for Popery are much the +strongest of any in his book, as I shall further remark when I find them +in my way. + +There is one circumstance in his title-page, which I take to be not +amiss, where he calleth his book, "Part the First." This is a project to +fright away answerers, and make the poor advocates for religion believe, +he still keepeth further vengeance in _petto_. It must be allowed, he +hath not wholly lost time, while he was of the Romish communion. This +very trick he learned from his old father, the Pope; whose custom it is +to lift up his hand, and threaten to fulminate, when he never meant to +shoot his bolts; because the princes of Christendom had learned the +secret to avoid or despise them. Dr. Hickes knew this very well, and +therefore, in his answer to this "Book of Rights," where a second part +is threatened, like a rash person he desperately crieth, "Let it come." +But I, who have not too much phlegm to provoke angry wits of his +standard, must tell the author, that the doctor plays the wag, as if he +were sure, it were all grimace. For my part, I declare, if he writeth a +second part, I will not write another answer; or, if I do, it shall be +published, before the other part cometh out.[4] + +[Footnote 4: Tindal did, however, attempt to maintain his ground against +his numerous opponents, in "A Defence of the Rights of the Christian +Church, against a late Visitation Sermon, 8vo. 1707;" and also in "A +Second Defence of the Rights of the Christian Church considered, in two +late Indictments against a Bookseller and His Servant, for selling one +of the said Books, 1707." [T. S.]] + +There may have been another motive, although it be hardly credible, both +for publishing this work, and threatening a second part: It is not soon +conceived how far the sense of a man's vanity will transport him. This +man must have somewhere heard, that dangerous enemies have been often +bribed to silence with money or preferment: And, therefore, to shew how +formidable he is, he hath published his first essay; and, in hopes of +hire to be quiet, hath frighted us with his design of another. What must +the clergy do in these unhappy circumstances? If they should bestow this +man bread enough to stop his mouth, it will but open those of a hundred +more, who are every whit as well qualified to rail as he. And truly, +when I compare the former enemies to Christianity, such as Socinus,[5] +Hobbes, and Spinosa,[6] with such of their successors, as Toland, Asgil, +Coward, Gildon,[7] this author of the "Rights," and some others; the +church appeareth to me like the sick old lion in the fable, who, after +having his person outraged by the bull, the elephant, the horse, and the +bear, took nothing so much to heart, as to find himself at last insulted +by the spurn of an ass. + +[Footnote 5: Laelius Socinus (1525-1562), born at Siena. He studied at +Bologna, and in 1546 became a member of a secret freethinking society in +Venice. The society, however, was broken up, and Socinus left Italy for +Switzerland and Poland. He died at Zurich. His papers were published by +his nephew, Faustus Socinus, who founded a sect on the tenets they +taught.] + +[Footnote 6: Benedict or Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677), born at Amsterdam, +of a Portuguese Jewish family. He was excommunicated by his people for +atheism. He retired to the Hague and took to making lenses, and the +study of philosophy. His "Ethics" and "Tractatus Theologico-Politicus" +constitute a system of philosophy which has had no little influence on +modern thought. See Pollock's "Spinoza."] + +[Footnote 7: Charles Gildon (1665-1723-4) was educated at Douay. He +printed a book called "The Deist's Manual." For accounts of Coward, +Toland, and Asgil, see note, p. 9.] I will now add a few words to give +the reader some general notion of the nature and tendency of the work +itself. + +I think I may assert, without the least partiality, that it is a +treatise wholly devoid of wit or learning, under the most violent and +weak endeavours and pretences to both. That it is replenished throughout +with bold, rude, improbable falsehoods, and gross misinterpretations; +and supported by the most impudent sophistry and false logic I have +anywhere observed. To this he hath added a paltry, traditional cant of +"priestrid" and "priestcraft," without reason or pretext as he applyeth +it. And when he raileth at those doctrines in Popery (which no +Protestant was ever supposed to believe) he leads the reader, however, +by the hand, to make applications against the English clergy, and then +he never faileth to triumph, as if he had made a very shrewd and notable +stroke. And because the court and kingdom seemeth disposed to moderation +with regard to Dissenters, more perhaps than is agreeable to the hot +unreasonable temper of some mistaken men among us; therefore under the +shelter of that popular opinion, he ridiculeth all that is sound in +religion, even Christianity itself, under the names of Jacobite, +Tackers, High Church, and other terms of factious jargon. All which, if +it were to be first rased from his book (as just so much of nothing to +the purpose) how little would remain to give the trouble of an answer! +To which let me add, that the spirit or genius, which animates the +whole, is plainly perceived to be nothing else but the abortive malice +of an old neglected man,[8] who hath long lain under the extremes of +obloquy, poverty and contempt; that have soured his temper, and made him +fearless. But where is the merit of being bold, to a man that is secure +of impunity to his person, and is past apprehension of anything else? He +that hath neither reputation nor bread hath very little to lose, and +hath therefore as little to fear. And, as it is usually said, "Whoever +values not his own life, is master of another man's;" so there is +something like it in reputation: He that is wholly lost to all regards +of truth or modesty, may scatter so much calumny and scandal, that some +part may perhaps be taken up before it fall to the ground; because the +ill talent of the world is such, that those who will be at pains enough +to inform themselves in a malicious story, will take none at all to be +undeceived, nay, will be apt with some reluctance to admit a favourable +truth. + +[Footnote 8: Tindal was not an old man at the time Swift wrote, +certainly not older than was Swift himself. [T. S.]] + +To expostulate, therefore, with this author for doing mischief to +religion, is to strew his bed with roses; he will reply in triumph, that +this was his design; and I am loth to mortify him, by asserting he hath +done none at all. For I never yet saw so poor an atheistical scribble, +which would not serve as a twig for sinking libertines to catch at. It +must be allowed in their behalf, that the faith of Christians is not as +a grain of mustard seed in comparison of theirs, which can remove such +mountains of absurdities, and submit with so entire a resignation to +such apostles. If these men had any share of that reason they pretend +to, they would retire into Christianity, merely to give it ease. And +therefore men can never be confirmed in such doctrines, until they are +confirmed in their vices; which last, as we have already observed, is +the principal design of this and all other writers against revealed +religion. + +I am now opening the book which I propose to examine. An employment, as +it is entirely new to me, so it is that to which, of all others, I have +naturally the greatest antipathy. And, indeed, who can dwell upon a +tedious piece of insipid thinking, and false reasoning, so long as I am +likely to do, without sharing the infection? + +But, before I plunge into the depths of the book itself, I must be +forced to wade through the shallows of a long preface. + +This preface, large as we see it, is only made up of such supernumerary +arguments against an independent power in the church, as he could not, +without nauseous repetition, scatter into the body of his book: And it +is detached, like a forlorn hope, to blunt the enemy's sword that +intendeth to attack him. Now, I think, it will be easy to prove, that +the opinion of _imperium in imperio_, in the sense he chargeth it upon +the clergy of England, is what no one divine of any reputation, and very +few at all, did ever maintain; and, that their universal sentiment in +this matter is such as few Protestants did ever dispute. But, if the +author of the "Regale," or two or three more obscure writers, have +carried any points further than Scripture and reason will allow, (which +is more than I know, or shall trouble myself to enquire) the clergy of +England is no more answerable for those, than the laity is for all the +folly and impertinence of this treatise. And, therefore, that people may +not be amused, or think this man is somewhat, that he hath advanced or +defended any oppressed truths, or overthrown any growing dangerous +errors, I will set in as clear a light as I can, what I conceive to be +held by the established clergy and all reasonable Protestants in this +matter. + +Everybody knows and allows, that in all government there is an absolute, +unlimited, legislative power, which is originally in the body of the +people, although, by custom, conquest, usurpation, or other accidents, +sometimes fallen into the hands of one or a few. This in England is +placed in the three estates (otherwise called the two Houses of +Parliament) in conjunction with the King. And whatever they please to +enact or to repeal in the settled forms, whether it be ecclesiastical or +civil, immediately becometh law or nullity. Their decrees may be against +equity, truth, reason and religion, but they are not against law; +because law is the will of the supreme legislature, and that is, +themselves. And there is no manner of doubt, but the same authority, +whenever it pleaseth, may abolish Christianity, and set up the Jewish, +Mahometan, or heathen religion. In short, they may do anything within +the compass of human power. And, therefore, who will dispute that the +same law, which deprived the church not only of lands, misapplied to +superstitious uses, but even the tithes and glebes, (the ancient and +necessary support of parish priests) may take away all the rest, +whenever the lawgivers please, and make the priesthood as primitive, as +this writer, or others of his stamp, can desire. + +But as the supreme power can certainly do ten thousand things more than +it ought, so there are several things which some people may think it can +do, although it really cannot. For, it unfortunately happens, that +edicts which cannot be executed, will not alter the nature of things. +So, if a king and parliament should please to enact, that a woman who +hath been a month married, is _virgo intacta_, would that actually +restore her to her primitive state? If the supreme power should resolve +a corporal of dragoons to be a doctor of divinity, law or physic, few, I +believe, would trust their souls, fortunes, or bodies to his direction; +because that power is neither fit to judge or teach those qualifications +which are absolutely necessary to the several professions. Put the case +that walking on the slack rope were the only talent required by act of +parliament for making a man a bishop; no doubt, when a man had done his +feat of activity in form, he might sit in the House of Lords, put on his +robes and his rochet, go down to his palace, receive and spend his +rents; but it requireth very little Christianity to believe this tumbler +to be one whit more a bishop than he was before; because the law of God +hath otherwise decreed; which law, although a nation may refuse to +receive it, cannot alter in its own nature. + +And here lies the mistake of this superficial man, who is not able to +distinguish between what the civil power can hinder, and what it can do. +"If the parliament can annul ecclesiastical laws, they must be able to +make them, since no greater power is required for one than the other." +See pref., p. viii. This consequence he repeateth above twenty times, +and always in the wrong. He affecteth to form a few words into the shape +and size of a maxim, then trieth it by his ear, and, according as he +likes the sound or cadence, pronounceth it true. Cannot I stand over a +man with a great pole, and hinder him from making a watch, although I am +not able to make one myself. If I have strength enough to knock a man on +the head, doth it follow I can raise him to life again? The parliament +may condemn all the Greek and Roman authors; can it therefore create new +ones in their stead? They may make laws, indeed, and call them canon and +ecclesiastical laws, and oblige all men to observe them under pain of +high treason. And so may I, who love as well as any man to have in my +own family the power in the last resort, take a turnip, then tie a +string to it, and call it a watch, and turn away all my servants, if +they refuse to call it so too. + +For my own part, I must confess that this opinion of the independent +power of the Church, or _imperium in imperio_, wherewith this writer +raiseth such a dust, is what I never imagined to be of any consequence, +never once heard disputed among divines, nor remember to have read, +otherwise than as a scheme in one or two authors of middle rank, but +with very little weight laid on it. And I dare believe, there is hardly +one divine in ten that ever once thought of this matter. Yet to see a +large swelling volume written only to encounter this doctrine, what +could one think less than that the whole body of the clergy were +perpetually tiring the press and the pulpit with nothing else? + +I remember some years ago, a virtuoso writ a small tract about worms, +proved them to be in more places than was generally observed, and made +some discoveries by glasses. This having met with some reception, +presently the poor man's head was full of nothing but worms; all we eat +and drink, all the whole consistence of human bodies, and those of every +other animal, the very air we breathe, in short, all nature throughout +was nothing but worms: And, by that system, he solved all difficulties, +and from thence all causes in philosophy. Thus it hath fared with our +author, and his independent power. The attack against occasional +conformity, the scarcity of coffee, the invasion of Scotland, the loss +of kerseys and narrow cloths, the death of King William, the author's +turning Papist for preferment, the loss of the battle of Almanza, with +ten thousand other misfortunes, are all owing to this _imperium in +imperio_. + +It will be therefore necessary to set this matter in a clear light, by +enquiring whether the clergy have any power independent of the civil, +and of what nature it is. + +Whenever the Christian religion was embraced by the civil power in any +nation, there is no doubt but the magistrates and senates were fully +instructed in the rudiments of it. Besides, the Christians were so +numerous, and their worship so open before the conversion of princes, +that their discipline, as well as doctrine, could not be a secret: They +saw plainly a subordination of ecclesiastics, bishops, priests, and +deacons: That these had certain powers and employments different from +the laity: That the bishops were consecrated, and set apart for that +office by those of their own order: That the presbyters and deacons were +differently set apart, always by the bishops: That none but the +ecclesiastics presumed to pray or preach in places set apart for God's +worship, or to administer the Lord's Supper: That all questions relating +either to discipline or doctrine, were determined in ecclesiastical +conventions. These and the like doctrines and practices, being most of +them directly proved, and the rest by very fair consequences deduced +from the words of our Saviour and His apostles, were certainly received +as a divine law by every prince or state which admitted the Christian +religion: and, consequently, what they could not justly alter +afterwards, any more than the common laws of nature. And, therefore, +although the supreme power can hinder the clergy or Church from making +any new canons, or executing the old; from consecrating bishops, or +refuse those that they do consecrate; or, in short, from performing any +ecclesiastical office, as they may from eating, drinking, and sleeping; +yet they cannot themselves perform those offices, which are assigned to +the clergy by our Saviour and His apostles; or, if they do, it is not +according to the divine institution, and, consequently, null and void. +Our Saviour telleth us, "His kingdom is not of this world;" and +therefore, to be sure, the world is not of His kingdom, nor can ever +please Him by interfering in the administration of it, since He hath +appointed ministers of His own, and hath empowered and instructed them +for that purpose: So that, I believe, the clergy, who, as he sayeth, are +good at distinguishing, would think it reasonable to distinguish between +their power, and the liberty of exercising this power. The former they +claim immediately from Christ, and the latter from the permission, +connivance, or authority of the civil government; with which the +clergy's power, according to the solution I have given, cannot possibly +interfere. + +But this writer, setting up to form a system upon stale, scanty topics, +and a narrow circle of thought, falleth into a thousand absurdities. And +for a further help, he hath a talent of rattling out phrases, which seem +to have sense, but have none at all: the usual fate of those who are +ignorant of the force and compass of words, without which it is +impossible for a man to write either pertinently or intelligibly upon +the most obvious subjects. + +So, in the beginning of his preface, page iv, he says, "The Church of +England being established by acts of parliament, is a perfect creature +of the civil power; I mean the polity and discipline of it, and it is +that which maketh all the contention; for as to the doctrines expressed +in the articles, I do not find high church to be in any manner of pain; +but they who lay claim to most orthodoxy can distinguish themselves out +of them." It is observable in this author, that his style is naturally +harsh and ungrateful to the ear, and his expressions mean and trivial; +but whenever he goeth about to polish a period, you may be certain of +some gross defect in propriety or meaning: So the lines just quoted seem +to run easily over the tongue: and, upon examination, they are perfect +nonsense and blunder: To speak in his own borrowed phrase, what is +contained in the idea of established? Surely, not existence. Doth +establishment give being to a thing? He might have said the same thing +of Christianity in general, or the existence of God, since both are +confirmed by acts of parliament. But, the best is behind: for, in the +next line, having named the church half a dozen times before, he now +says, he meaneth only "the polity and discipline of it": As if, having +spoke in praise of the art of physic, a man should explain himself, that +he meant only the institution of a college of physicians into a +president and fellows. And it will appear, that this author, however +versed in the practice, hath grossly transgressed the rules of nonsense, +(whose property it is neither to affirm nor deny) since every visible +assertion gathered from those few lines is absolutely false: For where +was the necessity of excepting the doctrines expressed in the articles, +since these are equally creatures of the civil power, having been +established by acts of parliament as well as the others. But the Church +of England is no creature of the civil power, either as to its polity or +doctrines. The fundamentals of both were deduced from Christ and His +apostles, and the instructions of the purest and earliest ages, and were +received as such by those princes or states who embraced Christianity, +whatever prudential additions have been made to the former by human +laws, which alone can be justly altered or annulled by them. + +What I have already said, would, I think, be a sufficient answer to his +whole preface, and indeed to the greatest part of his book, which is +wholly turned upon battering down a sort of independent power in the +clergy; which few or none of them ever claimed or defended. But there +being certain peculiarities in this preface, that very much set off the +wit, the learning, the raillery, reasoning and sincerity of the author; +I shall take notice of some of them, as I pass. + +But here, I hope, it will not be expected, that I should bestow remarks +upon every passage in this book, that is liable to exception for +ignorance, falsehood, dulness, or malice. Where he is so insipid, that +nothing can be struck out for the reader's entertainment, I shall +observe Horace's rule: + +"Quae desperes tractata nitescere posse, relinquas." + +Upon which account I shall say nothing of that great instance of his +candour and judgment in relation to Dr. Stillingfleet,[9] who (happening +to lie under his displeasure upon the fatal test of _imperium in +imperio_) is High Church and Jacobite, took the oaths of allegiance to +save him from the gallows,[10] and subscribed the articles only to keep +his preferment: Whereas the character of that prelate is universally +known to have been directly the reverse of what this writer gives him. + +[Footnote 9: Edward Stillingfleet (1635-1699), educated at Cambridge, +wrote in 1659 his "Irenicum, or Weapon Salve for the Church's Wounds." +He also published a "Rational Account of the Protestant Religion" in +1664. He occupied successively the important clerical offices of +Prebendary of St. Paul's, Archdeaconry of London, Deanery of St. Paul's, +and Bishopric of Worcester. The later years of his life were occupied in +a controversy with Locke on that writer's "Essay on the Human +Understanding." [T. S.]] + +[Footnote 10: Page v, he quotes Bishop Stillingfleet's "Vindication of +the Doctrine of the Trinity," where the bishop says, that a man might be +very right in the belief of an article, though mistaken in the +explication of it. Upon which Tindal observes: "These men treat the +articles, as they do the oath of allegiance, which, they say, obliges +them not actually to assist the government, but to do nothing against +it; that is, nothing that would bring 'em to the gallows." [Note in +edition 1764, 4to.]] + +But before he can attempt to ruin this damnable opinion of two +independent powers, he telleth us; page vi., "It will be necessary to +shew what is contained in the idea of government" Now, it is to be +understood, that this refined way of speaking was introduced by Mr. +Locke; after whom the author limpeth as fast as he is able. All the +former philosophers in the world, from the age of Socrates to ours, +would have ignorantly put the question, _Quid est imperium_? But now it +seemeth we must vary our phrase; and, since our modern improvement of +human understanding, instead of desiring a philosopher to describe or +define a mouse-trap, or tell me what it is; I must gravely ask, what is +contained in the idea of a mouse-trap? But then to observe how deeply +this new way of putting questions to a man's self, maketh him enter into +the nature of things; his present business is to show us, what is +contained in the idea of government. The company knoweth nothing of the +matter, and would gladly be instructed; which he doth in the following +words, p. 5. + +"It would be in vain for one intelligent being to pretend to set rules +to the actions of another, if he had it not in his power to reward the +compliance with, or punish the deviations from, his rules by some good, +or evil, which is not the natural consequence of those actions; since +the forbidding men to do or forbear an action on the account of that +convenience or inconvenience which attendeth it, whether he who forbids +it will or no, can be no more than advice." + +I shall not often draw such long quotations as this, which I could not +forbear to offer as a specimen of the propriety and perspicuity of this +author's style. And, indeed, what a light breaketh out upon us all, as +soon as we have read these words! How thoroughly are we instructed in +the whole nature of government? What mighty truths are here discovered; +and how clearly conveyed to our understandings? And therefore let us +melt this refined jargon into the old style for the improvement of such, +who are not enough conversant in the new. + +If the author were one who used to talk like one of us, he would have +spoke in this manner: "I think it necessary to give a full and perfect +definition of government, such as will shew the nature and all the +properties of it; and my definition is thus: One man will never cure +another of stealing horses, merely by minding him of the pains he hath +taken, the cold he hath got, and the shoe-leather he hath lost in +stealing that horse; nay, to warn him, that the horse may kick or fling +him, or cost him more than he is worth in hay and oats, can be no more +than advice. For the gallows is not the natural effect of robbing on the +highway, as heat is of fire: and therefore, if you will govern a man, +you must find out some other way of punishment, than what he will +inflict upon himself." + +Or, if this will not do, let us try it in another case (which I +instanced before) and in his own terms. Suppose he had thought it +necessary (and I think it was as much so as the other) to shew us what +is contained in the idea of a mousetrap, he must have proceeded in these +terms. "It would be in vain for an intelligent being, to set rules for +hindering a mouse from eating his cheese, unless he can inflict upon +that mouse some punishment, which, is not the natural consequence of +eating the cheese. For, to tell her, it may lie heavy on her stomach; +that she will grow too big to get back into her hole, and the like, can +be no more than advice: therefore, we must find out some way of +punishing her, which hath more inconveniences than she will ever suffer +by the mere eating of cheese." After this, who is so slow of +understanding, as not to have in his mind a full and complete idea of a +mouse-trap? Well.--The Free thinkers may talk what they please of +pedantry, and cant, and jargon of schoolmen, and insignificant terms in +the writings of the clergy, if ever the most perplexed and perplexing +follower of Aristotle from Scotus to Suarez[11] could be a match for +this author. + +[Footnote 11: Duns Scotus flourished in the thirteenth century. He +studied at Oxford and Paris, and his learning and acumen in reasoning +earned for him the title _The Subtle Doctor_. He died at Cologne in +1308. He was a strong upholder of the doctrine of the Immaculate +Conception. His works are published in twelve volumes folio. + +Francis Suarez (1548-1617) was a Spanish Jesuit who wrote a work by +command of the Pope against the English Reformation. He published some +very able religio-philosophical treatises, from the Roman Catholic point +of view; but, indeed, his writings altogether were enormous, so far as +their number are concerned. [T. S.]] + +But the strength of his arguments is equal to the clearness of his +definitions. For, having most ignorantly divided government into three +parts, whereof the first contains the other two; he attempteth to prove +that the clergy possess none of these by a divine right. And he argueth +thus, p. vii. "As to a legislative power, if that belongs to the clergy +by a divine right, it must be when they are assembled in convocation: +but the 25 Hen. VIII. c. 19 is a bar to any such divine right, because +that act makes it no less than a _praemunire_ for them, so much so as to +meet without the king's writ, &c." So that the force of his argument +lieth here; if the clergy had a divine right, it is taken away by the +25th of Henry the Eighth. And as ridiculous as this argument is, the +preface and book are founded upon it. + +Another argument against the legislative power in the clergy of England, +is, p. viii. that Tacitus telleth us; that in great affairs, the Germans +consulted the whole body of the people. "_De minoribus rebus principes +consultant, de majoribus omnes: Ita tamen, ut ea quoque, quorum penes +plebem arbitrium est, apud principes pertractentur."--Tacitus de Moribus +et Populis Germaniae_. Upon which Tindal observeth thus: "_De majoribus +omnes_, was a fundamental amongst our ancestors long before they arrived +in Great Britain, and matters of religion were ever reckoned among their +_majora_." (See Pref. p. viii. and ix.) Now it is plain, that our +ancestors, the Saxons, came from Germany: It is likewise plain, that +religion was always reckoned by the heathens among their _majora_: And +it is plain, the whole body of the people could not be the clergy, and +therefore, the clergy of England have no legislative power. + +_Thirdly_, p. ix. They have no legislative power, because Mr. +Washington, in his "Observations on the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of +the Kings of England," sheweth, from "undeniable authorities, that in +the time of William the Conqueror, and several of his successors, there +were no laws enacted concerning religion, but by the great council of +the kingdom." I hope, likewise, Mr. Washington observeth that this great +council of the kingdom, as appeareth by undeniable authorities, was +sometimes entirely composed of bishops and clergy, and called the +parliament, and often consulted upon affairs of state, as well as +church, as it is agreed by twenty writers of three ages; and if Mr. +Washington says otherwise, he is an author just fit to be quoted by +beaux. + +_Fourthly_,--But it is endless to pursue this matter any further; in +that, it is plain, the clergy have no divine right to make laws; because +Henry VIII, Edward VI, and Queen Elizabeth, with their parliaments will +not allow it them. Now, without examining what divine right the clergy +have, or how far it extendeth; is it any sort of proof that I have no +right, because a stronger power will not let me exercise it? Or doth +all, that this author says through his preface, or book itself, offer +any other sort of argument but this, or what he deduces the same way? + +But his arguments and definitions are yet more supportable than the +grossness of historical remarks, which are scattered so plentifully in +his book, that it would be tedious to enumerate, or to shew the fraud +and ignorance of them. I beg the reader's leave to take notice of one +here just in my way; and, the rather, because I design for the future to +let hundreds of them pass without further notice. "When," says he, p. x. +"by the abolishing of the Pope's power, things were brought back to +their ancient channel, the parliament's right in making ecclesiastical +laws revived of course." What can possibly be meant by this "ancient +channel?" Why, the channel that things ran in before the Pope had any +power in England: that is to say, before Austin the monk converted +England, before which time, it seems, the parliament had a right to make +ecclesiastical laws. And what parliament could this be? Why, the Lords +Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons met at Westminster. + +I cannot here forbear reproving the folly and pedantry of some lawyers, +whose opinions this poor creature blindly followeth, and rendereth yet +more absurd by his comments. The knowledge of our constitution can be +only attained by consulting the earliest English histories, of which +those gentlemen seem utterly ignorant, further than a quotation or an +index. They would fain derive our government as now constituted, from +antiquity: And, because they have seen Tacitus quoted for his _majoribus +omnes_; and have read of the Goths' military institution in their +progresses and conquests, they presently dream of a parliament. Had +their reading reached so far, they might have deduced it much more +fairly from Aristotle and Polybius, who both distinctly name the +composition of _rex, seniores, et populus_; and the latter, as I +remember particularly, with the highest approbation. The princes, in the +Saxon Heptarchy, did indeed call their nobles sometimes together upon +weighty affairs, as most other princes of the world have done in all +ages. But they made war and peace, and raised money by their own +authority: They gave or mended laws by their charters, and they raised +armies by their tenures. Besides, some of those kingdoms fell in by +conquests, before England was reduced under one head, and therefore +could pretend no rights, but by the concessions of the conqueror. + +Further, which is more material, upon the admission of Christianity, +great quantities of land were acquired by the clergy, so that the great +council of the nation was often entirely of churchmen, and ever a +considerable part. But, our present constitution is an artificial thing, +not fairly to be traced, in my opinion, beyond Henry I. Since which time +it hath in every age admitted several alterations; and differeth now as +much, even from what it was then, as almost any two species of +government described by Aristotle. And, it would be much more reasonable +to affirm, that the government of Rome continued the same under +Justinian, as it was in the time of Scipio, because the senate and +consuls still remained, although the power of both had been several +hundred years transferred to the emperors. + + +REMARKS ON THE PREFACE.[12] + +[Footnote 12: References to Tindal's book, and remarks upon it, which +the author left thus indigested, being hints for himself to use in +answering the said book.] + +Page iv, v. "If men of opposite sentiments can subscribe the same +articles, they are as much at liberty as if there were none." May not a +man subscribe the whole articles, because he differs from another in the +explication of one? How many oaths are prescribed, that men may differ +in the explication of some part of them? Instance, &c. + +Page vi. "Idea of Government." A canting pedantic way, learned from +Locke; and how prettily he sheweth it. Instance-- + +Page vii, "25 Hen. VIII. c. 19 is a bar to any such divine right [of a +legislative power in the clergy.]" Absurd to argue against the clergy's +divine right, because of the statute of Henry VIII. How doth that +destroy divine right? The sottish way of arguing; from what the +parliament can do; from their power, &c. + +Page viii. "If the parliament did not think they had a plenitude of +power in this matter, they would not have damned all the canons of +1640." What doth he mean? A grave divine could not answer all his +playhouse and Alsatia[13] cant, &c. He hath read Hudibras, and many +plays. + +[Footnote 13: Or Whitefriars, then a place of asylum, and frequented by +sharpers, of whose gibberish there are several specimens in Shadwell's +comedy, "The Squire of Alsatia." [T. S.]] + + +_Ibid_. "If the parliament can annul ecclesiastical laws, they must be +able to make them." Distinguish, and shew the silliness, &c. + +_Ibid_. All that he saith against the discipline, he might say the same +against the doctrine, nay, against the belief of a God, _viz_. That the +legislature might forbid it. The Church formeth and contriveth canons; +and the civil power, which is compulsive, confirms them. + +Page ix. "There were no laws enacted but by the great council of the +kingdom." And that was very often, chiefly, only bishops. + +_Ibid_. "Laws settled by parliament to punish the clergy." What laws +were those? + +Page x. "The people are bound to no laws but of their own choosing." It +is fraudulent; for they may consent to what others choose, and so people +often do. + +Page xiv. paragraph 6. "The clergy are not supposed to have any divine +legislature, because that must be superior to all worldly power; and +then the clergy might as well forbid the parliament to meet but when and +where they please, &c." No such consequence at all. They have a power +exclusive from all others. Ordained to act as clergy, but not govern in +civil affairs; nor act without leave of the civil power. + +Page xxv. "The parliament suspected the love of power natural to +churchmen." Truly, so is the love of pudding, and most other things +desirable in this life; and in that they are like the laity, as in all +other things that are not good. And, therefore, they are held not in +esteem for what they are like in, but for their virtues. The true way to +abuse them with effect, is to tell us some faults of theirs, that other +men have not, or not so much of as they, &c. Might not any man speak +full as bad of senates, diets, and parliaments, as he can do about +councils; and as bad of princes, as he does of bishops? + +Page xxxi. "They might as well have made Cardinals Campegi and de +Chinuchii, Bishops of Salisbury and Worcester, as have enacted that +their several sees and bishoprics were utterly void." No. The +legislature might determine who should not be a bishop there, but not +make a bishop. + +_Ibid_. "Were not a great number deprived by parliament upon the +Restoration?" Does he mean presbyters? What signifies that? + +_Ibid_. "Have they not trusted this power with our princes?" Why, aye. +But that argueth not right, but power. Have they not cut off a king's +head, &c. The Church must do the best they can, if not what they would. + +Page xxxvi. "If tithes and first-fruits are paid to spiritual persons as +such, the king or queen is the most spiritual person, &c." As if the +first-fruits, &c. were paid to the king, as tithes to a spiritual +person. + +Page xliii. "King Charles II. thought fit that the bishops in Scotland +should hold their bishoprics during will and pleasure; I do not find +that the High Church complained of this as an encroachment, &c." No; but +as a pernicious counsel of Lord Loch.[14] + +[Footnote 14: Scott thinks this refers to Lord Lauderdale. [T.S.]] + +Page xliv. "The common law judges have a power to determine, whether a +man has a legal right to the sacrament." They pretend it, but what we +complain of as most abominable hardship, &c. + +Page xlv. "Giving men thus blindly to the devil, is an extraordinary +piece of complaisance to a lay chancellor." He is something in the +right; and therefore it is a pity there are any; and I hope the Church +will provide against it. But if the sentence be just, it is not the +person, but the contempt. And, if the author attacketh a man on the +highway, and taketh but twopence, he shall be sent to the gallows, more +terrible to him than the devil, for his contempt of the law, &c. +Therefore he need not complain of being sent to hell. + +Page xliv. Mr. Leslie may carry things too far, as it is natural, +because the other extreme is so great. But what he says of the king's +losses, since the Church lands were given away, is too great a truth, +&c. + +Page lxxvi. "To which I have nothing to plead, except the zeal I have +for the Church of England." You will see some pages further, what he +meaneth by the Church; but it is not fair not to begin with telling us +what is contained in the idea of a Church, &c. + +Page lxxxiii. "They will not be angry with me for thinking better of the +Church than they do, &c." No, but they will differ from you; because the +worse the Queen is pleased, you think her better. I believe the Church +will not concern themselves much about your opinion of them, &c. + +Page lxxxiv. "But the Popish, Eastern, Presbyterian and Jacobite clergy, +&c." This is like a general pardon, with such exceptions as make it +useless, if we compute it, &c. + +Page lxxxvii. "Misapplying of the word church, &c." This is cavilling. +No doubt his project is for exempting the people: But that is not what +in common speech we usually mean by the Church. Besides, who doth not +know that distinction? + +_Ibid_. "Constantly apply the same ideas to them." This is, in old +English, meaning the same thing. + +Page lxxxix. "Demonstrates I could have no design but the promoting of +truth, &c." Yes, several designs, as money, spleen, atheism, &c. What? +will any man think truth was his design, and not money and malice? Doth +he expect the House will go into a committee for a bill to bring things +to his scheme, to confound everything, &c. + +Some deny Tindal to be the author, and produce stories of his dulness +and stupidity. But what is there in all this book, that the dullest man +in England might not write, if he were angry and bold enough, and had no +regard to truth? + +REMARKS UPON THE BOOK, &c. + +Page 4. "Whether Lewis XIV. has such a power over Philip V?" He speaketh +here of the unlimited, uncontrollable authority of fathers. A very +foolish question; and his discourse hitherto, of government, weak and +trivial, and liable to objections. + +_Ibid_. "Whom he is to consider not as his own, but the Almighty's +workmanship." A very likely consideration for the Ideas of the state of +nature. A very wrong deduction of paternal government; but that is +nothing to the dispute, &c. + +Page 12. "And as such might justly be punished by every one in the state +of nature." False; he doth not seem to understand the state of nature, +although he hath borrowed it from Hobbes, &c. + +Page 14. "Merely speculative points, and other indifferent things, &c." +And why are speculative opinions so insignificant? Do not men proceed in +their practice according to their speculations? So, if the author were a +chancellor and one of his speculations were, that the poorer the clergy +the better; would not that be of great use, if a cause came before him +of tithes or Church lands? + +_Ibid_. "Which can only be known by examining whether men had any power +in the state of nature over their own, or others' actions in these +matters." No, that is a wrong method, unless where religion hath not +been revealed; in natural religion. + +_Ibid_. "Nothing at first sight can be more obvious, than that in all +religious matters, none could make over the right of judging for +himself, since that would cause his religion to be absolutely at the +disposal of another." At his rate of arguing (I think I do not +misrepresent him, and I believe he will not deny the consequence) a man +may profess Heathenism, Mahometism, &c. and gain as many proselytes as +he can; and they may have their assemblies, and the magistrate ought to +protect them, provided they do not disturb the state: And they may enjoy +all secular preferments, be lords chancellors, judges, &c. But there are +some opinions in several religions, which, although they do not directly +make men rebel, yet lead to it. Instance some. Nay we might have temples +for idols, &c. A thousand such absurdities follow from his general +notions, and ill-digested schemes. And we see in the Old Testament, that +kings were reckoned good or ill, as they suffered or hindered +image-worship and idolatry, &c. which was limiting conscience. + +Page 15. "Men may form what clubs, companies, or meetings they think +fit, &c, which the magistrate, as long as the public sustains no damage, +cannot hinder, &c." This is false; although the public sustain no +damage, they will forbid clubs, where they think danger may happen. + +Page 16. "The magistrate is as much obliged to protect them in the way +they choose of worshipping Him, as in any other indifferent +matter."--Page 17. "The magistrate to treat all his subjects alike, how +much soever they differ from him or one another in these matters." This +shews, that although they be Turks, Jews, or Heathens, it is so. But we +are sure Christianity is the only true religion, &c. and therefore it +should be the magistrate's chief care to propagate it; and that God +should be worshipped in that that those who are the teachers think most +proper, &c. + +Page 18. "So that persecution is the most comprehensive of all crimes, +&c." But he hath not told us what is concluded in the idea of +persecution. State it right. + +_Ibid_. "But here it may be demanded, If a man's conscience make him do +such acts, &c." This doth not answer the above objection: For, if the +public be not disturbed with atheistical principles preached, nor +immoralities, all is well. So that still, men may be Jews, Turks, &c. + +Page 22. "The same reason which obliges them to make statutes of +mortmain, and other laws, against the people's giving estates to the +clergy, will equally hold for their taking them away when given." A +great security for property! Will this hold to any other society in the +state, as merchants, &c. or only to ecclesiastics? A pretty project: +Forming general schemes requires a deeper head than this man's. + +_Ibid_. "But the good of the society being the only reason of the +magistrate's having any power over men's properties, I cannot see why he +should deprive his subjects of any part thereof, for the maintenance of +such opinions as have no tendency that way, &c." Here is a paragraph +(_vide_ also _infra_) which has a great deal in it. The meaning is, that +no man ought to pay tithes, who doth not believe what the minister +preacheth. But how came they by this property? When they purchased the +land, they paid only for so much; and the tithes were exempted. It is an +older title than any man's estate is, and if it were taken away +to-morrow, it could not without a new law belong to the owners of the +other nine parts, any more than impropriations do. + +_Ibid_. "For the maintenance of such opinions, as no ways contribute to +the public good," By such opinions as the public receive no advantage +by, he must mean Christianity. + +Page 23. "Who by reason of such articles are divided into different +sects." A pretty cause of sects! &c. + +Page 24. "So the same reason as often as it occurs, will oblige him to +leave that Church." This is an excuse for his turning Papist. + +_Ibid_. "Unless you suppose churches like traps, easy to admit one; but +when once he is in, there he must always stick, either for the pleasure +or profit of the trap-setters." Remark his wit. + +Page 29. "Nothing can be more absurd than maintaining there must be two +independent powers in the same society." This is abominably absurd; shew +it. + +Page 33. "The whole hierarchy as built on it, must necessarily fall to +the ground, and great will be the fall of this spiritual Babylon." I +will do him justice, and take notice, when he is witty, &c. + +Page 36. "For if there may be two such [independent powers] in every +society on earth, why may there not be more than one in heaven?" A +delicate consequence. + +Page 37. "Without having the less, he could not have the greater, in +which that is contained." Sophistical; instance wherein. + +Page 42. "Some since, subtler than the Jews, have managed commutations +more to their own advantage, by enriching themselves, and beggaring, if +Fame be not a liar, many an honest dissenter." It is fair to produce +witnesses, is she a liar or not? The report is almost impossible. +Commutations were contrived for roguish registers and proctors, and lay +chancellors, but not for the clergy. + +Page 43. "Kings and people, who (as the Indians do the Devil) adored the +Pope out of fear." I am in doubt, whether I shall allow that for wit or +no, &c. Look you, in these cases, preface it thus: If one may use an old +saying. + +Page 44. "One reason why the clergy make what they call schism, to be so +heinous a sin." There it is now; because he hath changed churches, he +ridiculeth schism; as Milton wrote for divorces, because he had an ill +wife. For ten pages on, we must give the true answer, that makes all +these arguments of no use. + +Page 60. "It possibly will be said, I have all this while been doing +these gentlemen a great deal of wrong." To do him justice, he sets forth +the objections of his adversaries with great strength, and much to their +advantage. No doubt those are the very objections we would offer. + +Page 68. "Their executioner." He is fond of this word in many places, +yet there is nothing in it further than it is the name for the hangman, +&c. + +Page 69. "Since they exclude both from having anything in the ordering +of Church matters." Another part of his scheme: For by this the people +ought to execute ecclesiastical offices without distinction, for he +brings the other opinion as an absurd one. + +Page 72, "They claim a judicial power, and, by virtue of it the +government of the Church, and thereby (pardon the expression) become +traitors both to God and man." Who doth he desire to pardon him? or is +this meant of the English clergy? So it seemeth. Doth he desire them to +pardon him? They do it as Christians. Doth he desire the government to +do it? But then how can they make examples? He says, the clergy do so, +&c. so he means all. + +Page 74. "I would gladly know what they mean by giving the Holy Ghost." +Explain what is really meant by giving the Holy Ghost, like a king +empowering an ambassador.[15] + +[Footnote 15: See Hooker's "Eccl. Pol.," book v. § 77.] + +Page 76. "The Popish clergy make very bold with the Three Persons of the +Trinity." Why then, don't mix them, but we see whom this glanceth on +most. As to the _Congé d'Élire_, and _Nolo episcopari_, not so absurd; +and, if omitted, why changed. + +Page 78. "But not to digress"--Pray, doth he call scurrility upon the +clergy, a digression? The apology needless, &c. + +_Ibid_. "A clergyman, it is said, is God's ambassador." But you know an +ambassador may have a secretary, &c. + +_Ibid_. "Call their pulpit speeches, the word of God." That is a +mistake. + +Page 79. "Such persons to represent Him." Are not they that own His +power, fitter to represent Him than others? Would the author be a fitter +person? + +_Ibid_. "Puffed up with intolerable pride and insolence." Not at all; +for where is the pride to be employed by a prince, whom so few own, and +whose being is disputed by such as this author? + +_Ibid_. "Perhaps from a poor servitor, &c. to be a prime minister in +God's kingdom." That is right. God taketh notice of the difference +between poor servitors, &c. Extremely foolish--shew it. The argument +lieth strongly against the apostles, poor fishermen; and St. Paul, a +tentmaker. So gross and idle! + +Page 80. "The formality of laying hand over head on a man." A pun; but +an old one. I remember, when Swan[16] made that pun first, he was +severely checked for it. + +[Footnote 16: Captain Swan was a celebrated low humorist and punster who +frequented Will's Coffee-house when it was the fashionable resort of men +of wit and pleasure. [T. S.]] + +_Ibid_. "What more is required to give one a right, &c." Here shew, what +power is in the church, and what in the state to make priests. + +Page 85. "To bring men into, and not turn them out of the ordinary way +of salvation." Yes; but as one rotten sheep doth mischief--and do you +think it reasonable, that such a one as this author, should converse +with Christians, and weak ones. + +Page 86. See his fine account of spiritual punishment. + +Page 87. "The clergy affirm, that if they had not the power to exclude +men from the Church, its unity could not be preserved." So to expel an +ill member from a college, would be to divide the college; as in +All-Souls, &c. Apply it to him.[17] + +[Footnote 17: Tindal was a fellow of All Souls College. [T. S.]] + +Page 88. "I cannot see but it is contrary to the rules of charity, to +exclude men from the Church, &c." All this turns upon the falsest +reasoning in the world. So, if a man be imprisoned for stealing a horse, +he is hindered from other duties: And, you might argue, that a man who +doth ill, ought to be more diligent in minding other duties, and not to +be debarred from them. It is for contumacy and rebellion against that +power in the church, which the law hath confirmed. So a man is outlawed +for a trifle, upon contumacy. + +Page 92. "Obliging all by penal laws to receive the sacrament." This is +false. + +Page 93. "The want of which means can only harden a man in his +impenitence." It is for his being hardened that he is excluded. Suppose +a son robbeth his father on the highway, and his father will not see him +till he restoreth the money and owneth his fault. It is hard to deny him +paying his duty in other things, &c. How absurd this! + +Page 95. "And that only _they_ had a right to give it." Another part of +his scheme, that the people have a right to give the sacrament. See more +of it, pp. 135 and 137. + +Page 96. "Made familiar to such practices by the heathen priests." Well; +and this shews the necessity of it for peace' sake. A silly objection of +this and other enemies to religion, to think to disgrace it by applying +heathenism, which only concerns the political part wherein they were as +wise as others, and might give rules. Instance in some, &c. + +Page 98. "How differently from this do the great pretenders to primitive +practice act, &c." This is a remarkable passage. Doth he condemn or +allow this mysterious way? It seems the first--and therefore these words +are a little turned, but infallibly stood in the first draught as a +great argument for Popery. + +Page 100. "They dress them up in a _sanbenito_." So, now we are to +answer for the inquisition. One thing is, that he makes the fathers +guilty of asserting most of the corruptions about the power of priests. + +Page 104. "Some priests assume to themselves an arbitrary power of +excluding men from the Lord's Supper." His scheme; that any body may +administer the sacraments, women or children, &c. + +Page 108. "One no more than another can be reckoned a priest." See his +scheme. Here he disgraces what the law enacts, about the manner of +consecrating, &c. + +Page 118. "Churches serve to worse purposes than bear-gardens." This +from Hudibras. + +Page 119. "In the time of that wise heathen Ammianus Marcellinus."[18] +Here he runs down all Christianity in general. + +[Footnote 18: Ammianus Marcellinus (died _c_. 390) wrote a history of +Rome in thirty-one books, of which Gibbon thought rather highly. The +history may be taken as a continuation of Tacitus and Suetonius. [T. +S.]] + +Page 120. "I shall, in the following part of my discourse, shew that +this doctrine is so far from serving the ends of religion, that, 1. It +prevents the spreading of the gospel, &c." This independent power in the +church is like the worms; being the cause of all diseases. + +Page 124. "How easily could the Roman emperors have destroyed the +Church?" Just as if he had said; how easily could Herod kill Christ +whilst a child, &c. + +Page 125. "The people were set against bishops by reason of their +tyranny." Wrong. For the bishops were no tyrants: Their power was +swallowed up by the Popes, and the people desired they should have more. +It were the regulars that tyrannized and formed priestcraft. He is +ignorant. + +Page 139. "He is not bound by the laws of Christ to leave his friends in +order to be baptized, &c." This directly against the Gospel.--One would +think him an emissary, by his preaching schism. + +Page 142. "Then will the communion of saints be practicable, to which +the principles of all parties, the occasional conformists only excepted, +stand in direct opposition, &c." So that all are wrong but they. The +Scripture is fully against schism. Tindal promoteth it and placeth in it +all the present and future happiness of man. + +Page 144. All he has hitherto said on this matter, with a very little +turn, were arguments for Popery: For, it is certain, that religion had +share in very few wars for many hundred years before the Reformation, +because they were all of a mind. It is the ambition of rebels, preaching +upon the discontents of sectaries, that they are not supreme, which hath +caused wars for religion. He is mistaken altogether. His little narrow +understanding and want of learning. + +Page 145. "Though some say the high-fliers' lives might serve for a very +good rule, if men would act quite contrary to them," Is he one of those +some? Beside the new turn of wit, &c. all the clergy in England come +under his notion of high-fliers, as he states it. + +Page 147. "None of them (Churchmen) could be brought to acknowledge it +lawful upon any account whatever, to exclude the Duke of York." This +account false in fact. + +_Ibid_. "And the body-politic, whether ecclesiastical or civil, must be +dealt with after the same manner, as the body-natural." What, because it +is called a body, and is a simile, must it hold in all circumstances? + +Page 148. "We find all wise legislators have had regard to the tempers, +inclinations, and prejudices, &c." This paragraph false.--It was +directly contrary in several, as Lycurgus, &c. + +Page 152. "All the skill of the prelatists is not able to discover the +least distinction between bishop and presbyter." Yet, God knows, this +hath been done many a time. + +Page 158. "The Epistle to the Philippians is directed to the bishops and +deacons, I mean in due order after the people, _viz_, to the saints with +their bishops and deacons." I hope he would argue from another place, +that the people precede the king, because of these words: "Ye shall be +destroyed both you and your king." + +Page 167. "The Pope and other great Church dons." I suppose, he meaneth +bishops: But I wish, he would explain himself, and not be so very witty +in the midst of an argument; it is like two mediums; not fair in +disputing. + +Page 168. "Clemens Romanus blames the people not for assuming a power, +but for making a wrong use of it, &c." His great error all along is, +that he doth not distinguish between a power, and a liberty of +exercising that power, &c. I would appeal to any man, whether the clergy +have not too little power, since a book like this, that unsettleth +foundations and would destroy all, goes unpunished, &c. + +Page 171. "By this or some such method the bishops obtained their power +over their fellow presbyters, and both over the people. The whole tenor +of the Gospel directly contrary to it." Then it is not an allowable +means: This carries it so far as to spoil his own system; it is a sin to +have bishops as we have them. + +Page 172. "The preservation of peace and unity, and not any divine +right, was the reason of establishing a superiority of one of the +presbyters over the rest. Otherwise there would, as they say, have been +as many schismatics as Presbyters. No great compliment to the clergy of +those days." Why so? It is the natural effect of a worse independency, +which he keepeth such a clatter about; an independency of churches on +each other, which must naturally create schism. + +Page 183. "How could the Christians have asserted the disinterestedness +of those who first preached the Gospel, particularly their having a +right to the tenth part." Yes, that would have passed easy enough; for +they could not imagine teachers could live on air; and their heathen +priests were much more unreasonable. + +Page 184. "Men's suffering for such opinions is not sufficient to +support the weight of them." This is a glance against Christianity. +State the case of converting infidels; the converters are supposed few; +the bulk of the priests must be of the converted country. It is their +own people therefore they maintain. What project or end can a few +converters propose? they can leave no power to their families, &c. State +this, I say, at length, and give it a true turn. Princes give +corporations power to purchase lands. + +Page 187. "That it became an easy prey to the barbarous nations." +Ignorance in Tindal. The empire long declined before Christianity was +introduced. This a wrong cause, if ever there was one. + +Page 190, "It is the clergy's interest to have religion corrupted." +Quite the contrary; prove it. How is it the interest of the English +clergy to corrupt religion? The more justice and piety the people have, +the better it is for them; for that would prevent the penury of farmers, +and the oppression of exacting covetous landlords, &c. That which hath +corrupted religion, is the liberty unlimited of professing all opinions. +Do not lawyers render law intricate by their speculations, &c. And +physicians, &c. + +Page 209. "The spirit and temper of the clergy, &c." What does this man +think the clergy are made of? Answer generally to what he says against +councils in the ten pages before. Suppose I should bring quotations in +their praise. + +Page 211. "As the clergy, though few in comparison of the laity, were +the inventors of corruptions." His scheme is, that the fewer and poorer +the clergy the better, and the contrary among the laity. A noble +principle; and delicate consequences from it. + +Page 207. "Men are not always condemned for the sake of opinions, but +opinions sometimes for the sake of men." And so, he hopes, that if his +opinions are condemned, people will think, it is a spite against him, as +having been always scandalous. + +Page 210. "The meanest layman as good a judge as the greatest priest, +for the meanest man is as much interested in the truth of religion as +the greatest priest." As if one should say, the meanest sick man hath as +much interest in health as a physician, therefore is as good a judge of +physic as a physician, &c. + +_Ibid_. "Had synods been composed of laymen, none of those corruptions +which tend to advance the interest of the clergy, &c." True, but the +part the laity had in reforming, was little more than plundering. He +should understand, that the nature of things is this, that the clergy +are made of men, and, without some encouragement, they will not have the +best, but the worst. + +Page 215. "They who gave estates to, rather than they who took them +from, the clergy, were guilty of sacrilege." Then the people are the +Church, and the clergy not; another part of his scheme. + +Page 219. "The clergy, as they subsisted by the alms of the people, &c." +This he would have still. Shew the folly of it. Not possible to shew any +civilized nation ever did it Who would be clergymen then? The absurdity +appears by putting the case, that none were to be statesmen, lawyers, or +physicians, but who were to subsist by alms. + +Page 222. "These subtle clergymen work their designs, who lately cut out +such a tacking job for them, &c." He is mistaken--Everybody was for the +bill almost: though not for the tack. The Bishop of Sarum was for it, as +appears by his speech against it. But it seems, the tacking is owing to +metaphysical speculations. I wonder whether is most perplexed, this +author in his style, or the writings of our divines. In the judgment of +all people our divines have carried practical preaching and writing to +the greatest perfection it ever arrived to; which shews, that we may +affirm in general, our clergy is excellent, although this or that man be +faulty. As if an army be constantly victorious, regular, &c. we may say, +it is an excellent victorious army: But Tindal; to disparage it, would +say, such a serjeant ran away; such an ensign hid himself in a ditch; +nay, one colonel turned his back, therefore, it is a corrupt, cowardly +army, &c. + +Page 224. "They were as apprehensive of the works of Aristotle, as some +men are of the works of a late philosopher, which, they are afraid, will +let too much light into the world." Yet just such, another; only a +commentator on Aristotle. People are likely to improve their +understanding much with Locke; It is not his "Human Understanding," but +other works that people dislike, although in that there are some +dangerous tenets, as that of [no] innate ideas. + +Page 226. "Could they, like the popish priests, add to this a restraint +on the press, their business would be done." So it ought: For example, +to hinder his book, because it is written to justify the vices and +infidelity of the age. There can be no other design in it. For, is this +a way or manner to do good? Railing doth but provoke. The opinion of the +whole parliament is, the clergy are too poor. + +_Ibid_. "When some nations could be no longer kept from prying into +learning, this miserable gibberish of the schools was contrived." We +have exploded schoolmen as much as he, and in some people's opinion too +much, since the liberty of embracing any opinion is allowed. They +following Aristotle, who is doubtless the greatest master of arguing in +the world: But it hath been a fashion of late years to explode +Aristotle, and therefore this man hath fallen into it like others, for +that reason, without understanding him. Aristotle's poetry, rhetoric, +and politics, are admirable, and therefore, it is likely, so are his +logics. + +Page 230. "In these freer countries, as the clergy have less power, so +religion is better understood, and more useful and excellent discourses +are made on that subject, &c." Not generally. Holland not very famous, +Spain hath been, and France is. But it requireth more knowledge, than +his, to form general rules, which people strain (when ignorant) to false +deductions to make them out. + +Page 232. Chap. VII. "That this hypothesis of an independent power in +any set of clergymen, makes all reformation unlawful, except where those +who have this power, do consent." The title of this chapter, A Truism. + +Page 234. "If God has not placed mankind in respect to civil matters +under an absolute power, but has permitted them in every society to act +as they judge best for their own safety, &c." Bad parallels; bad +politics; want of due distinction between teaching and government. The +people may know when they are governed well, but not be wiser than their +instructors. Shew the difference. + +_Ibid_. "If God has allowed the civil society these privileges can we +suppose He hath less kindness for His church, &c." Here they are +distinguished, then, here it makes for him. It is a sort of turn of +expression, which is scarce with him, and he contradicts himself to +follow it. + +Page 235. "This cursed hypothesis had, perhaps, never been thought on +with relation to civils, had not the clergy (who have an inexhaustible +magazine of oppressive doctrines) contrived first in ecclesiasticals, +&c." The seventh paragraph furious and false. Were there no tyrants +before the clergy, &c.? + +Page 236. "Therefore in order to serve them, though I expect little +thanks, &c." And, why so? Will they not, as you say, follow their +interest? I thought you said so. He has three or four sprightly turns of +this kind, that look, as if he thought he had done wonders, and had put +all the clergy in a ferment. Whereas, I do assure him, there are but two +things wonderful in his book: First, how any man in a Christian country +could have the boldness and wickedness to write it: And, how any +government would neglect punishing the author of it, if not as an enemy +of religion, yet a profligate trumpeter of sedition. These are hard +words, got by reading his book. + +_Ibid_. "The light of nature as well as the Gospel, obliges people to +judge of themselves, &c. to avoid false prophets, seducers, &c." The +legislature can turn out a priest, and appoint another ready-made, but +not make one; as you discharge a physician, and may take a farrier; but +he is no physician, unless made as he ought to be. + +_Ibid_. "Since no more power is required for the one than the other." +That is, I dislike my physician, and can turn him off, therefore I can +make any man a physician, &c. "_Cujus est destruere_, &c." Jest on it: +Therefore because he lays schemes for destroying the Church, we must +employ him to raise it again. See, what danger lies in applying maxims +at random. So, because it is the soldiers' business to knock men on the +head, it is theirs likewise to raise them to life, &c. + +Page 237. "It can belong only to the people to appoint their own +ecclesiastical officers." This word "people" is so delicious in him, +that I cannot tell what is included in the idea of the "people." Doth he +mean the rabble or the legislature, &c. In this sense it may be true, +that the legislature giveth leave to the bishops to appoint, and they +appoint themselves, I mean, the executive power appoints, &c. He sheweth +his ignorance in government. As to High Church he carrieth it a +prodigious way, and includeth, in the idea of it, more than others will +allow. + +Page 239 "Though it be customary to admit none to the ministry who are +not approved by the bishops or priests, &c." One of his principles to +expose. + +_Ibid_ "If every one has not an inherent right to choose his own guide, +then a man must be either of the religion of his guide, or, &c." That +would make delicate work in a nation. What would become of all our +churches? They must dwindle into conventicles. Show what would be the +consequence of this scheme in several points. This great reformer, if +his projects were reduced to practice, how many thousand sects, and +consequently tumults, &c. Men must be governed in speculation, at least +not suffered to vent them, because opinions tend to actions, which are +most governed by opinions, &c. If those who write for the church writ +no better, they would succeed but scurvily. But to see whether he be a +good writer, let us see when he hath published his second part. + +Page 253 "An excellent author in his preface to the Account of Denmark." +This man judgeth and writeth much of a level. Molesworth's preface full +of stale profligate topics. That author wrote his book in spite to a +nation, as this doth to religion, and both perhaps on poor personal +piques[1]. + +[Footnote 19: This was Robert, Viscount Molesworth (1656-1725), who +was born in Dublin, and educated at Trinity College there. He was +ambassador at Copenhagen, but had to resign on account of a dispute with +the Danish king. The "Account of Denmark," which he wrote on his +return, was answered by Dr. King. [T. S.]] + +_Ibid_ "By which means, and not by any difference in speculative +matters, they are more rich and populous." As if ever anybody thought +that a difference in speculative opinions made men richer or poorer, for +example, &c. + +Page 258 "Play the Devil for God's sake." If this is meant for wit, I +would be glad to observe it, but in such cases I first look whether +there be common sense, &c. + +Page 261 "Christendom has been the scene of perpetual wars, massacres, +&c." He doth not consider that most religious wars have been caused by +schisms, when the dissenting parties were ready to join with any +ambitious discontented man. The national religion always desireth peace, +even in her notions, for its interests. + +Page 270. "Some have taken the liberty to compare a high church priest +in politics to a monkey in a glass-shop, where, as he can do no good, so +he never fails of doing mischief enough." That is his modesty, it is his +own simile, and it rather fits a man that does so and so, (meaning +himself.) Besides the comparison is foolish: So it is with _men_, as +with _stags_. + +Page 276. "Their interest obliges them directly to promote tyranny." The +matter is, that Christianity is the fault, which spoils the priests, for +they were like other men, before they were priests. Among the Romans, +priests did not do so; for they had the greatest power during the +republic. I wonder he did not prove they spoiled Nero. + +Page 277. "No princes have been more insupportable and done greater +violence to the commonwealth than those the clergy have honoured for +saints and martyrs." For example in our country, the princes most +celebrated by our clergy are, &c. &c. &c. And the quarrels since the +Conquest were nothing at all of the clergy, but purely of families, &c. +wherein the clergy only joined like other men. + +Page 279. "After the Reformation,[20]I desire to know whether the +conduct of the clergy was anyways altered for the better, &c." Monstrous +misrepresentation. Does this man's spirit of declaiming let him forget +all truth of fact, as here, &c.? Shew it. Or doth he flatter himself, a +time will come in future ages, that men will believe it on his word? In +short, between declaiming, between misrepresenting, and falseness, and +charging Popish things, and independency huddled together, his whole +book is employed. + +[Footnote 20: "Reformation" in 4to and 8vo editions, but Tindal's word +is "Restoration." [T.S.]] + +Set forth at large the necessity of union in religion, and the +disadvantage of the contrary, and answer the contrary in Holland, where +they have no religion, and are the worst constituted government in the +world to last. It is ignorance of causes and appearances which makes +shallow people judge so much to their advantage. They are governed by +the administration and almost legislature of Holland through advantage +of property; nor are they fit to be set in balance with a noble kingdom, +&c. like a man that gets a hundred pounds a year by hard labour, and one +that has it in land. + +Page 280. "It may be worth enquiring, whether the difference between the +several sects in England, &c." A noble notion started, that union in the +Church must enslave the kingdom: reflect on it. This man hath somewhere +heard, that it is a point of wit to advance paradoxes, and the bolder +the better. But the wit lies in maintaining them, which he neglecteth, +and formeth imaginary conclusions from them, as if they were true and +uncontested. + +He adds, "That in the best constituted Church, the greatest good which, +can be expected of the ecclesiastics, is from their divisions." This is +a maxim deduced from a gradation of false suppositions. If a man should +turn the tables, and argue that all the debauchery, atheism, +licentiousness, &c. of the times, were owing to the poverty of the +clergy, &c. what would he say? There have been more wars of religion +since the ruin of the clergy, than before, in England. All the civil +wars before were from other causes. + +Page 283. "Prayers are made in the loyal university of Oxford, to +continue the throne free from the contagion of schism. See Mather's +sermon on the 29th of May, 1705." Thus he ridicules the university while +he is eating their bread. The whole university comes with the most loyal +addresses, yet that goes for nothing. If one indiscreet man drops an +indiscreet word, all must answer for it. + +Page 286. "By allowing all, who hold no opinions prejudicial to the +state, and contribute equally with their fellow-subjects to its support, +equal privileges in it." But who denies that of the dissenters? The +Calvinist scheme, one would not think, proper for monarchy. Therefore, +they fall in with the Scotch, Geneva, and Holland; and when they had +strength here, they pulled down the monarchy. But I will tell an opinion +they hold prejudicial to the state in his opinion; and that is, that +they are against toleration, of which, if I do not shew him ten times +more instances from their greatest writers, than he can do of passive +obedience among the clergy, I have done. + +"Does not justice demand, that they who alike contribute to the burden, +should alike receive the advantage?" Here is another of his maxims +closely put without considering what exceptions may be made. The Papists +have contributed doubly (being so taxed) therefore by this rule they +ought to have double advantage. Protection in property, leave to trade +and purchase, &c. are enough for a government to give. Employments in a +state are a reward for those who entirely agree with it, &c. For +example, a man, who upon all occasions declared his opinion of a +commonwealth to be preferable to a monarchy, would not be a fit man to +have employments; let him enjoy his opinion, but not be in a capacity of +reducing it to practice, &c. + +Page 287. "There can be no alteration in the established mode of Church +discipline, which is not made in a legal way." Oh, but there are several +methods to compass this legal way, by cunning, faction, industry. The +common people, he knows, may be wrought upon by priests; these may +influence the faction, and so compass a very pernicious law, and in a +legal way ruin the state; as King Charles I. began to be ruined in a +legal way, by passing bills, &c. + +Page 288. "As everything is persecution, which puts a man in a worse +condition than his neighbours." It is hard to think sometimes whether +this man is hired to write for or against dissenters and the sects. This +is their opinion, although they will not own it so roundly. Let this be +brought to practice: Make a quaker lord chancellor, who thinketh paying +tithes unlawful. And bring other instances to shew that several +employments affect the Church. + +_Ibid_. "Great advantage which both Church and state have got by the +kindness already shewn to dissenters." Let them then be thankful for +that. We humour children for their good sometimes, but too much may +hurt. Observe that this 64th paragraph just contradicts the former. For, +if we have advantage by kindness shewn dissenters, then there is no +necessity of banishment, or death. + +Page 290. "Christ never designed the holy Sacrament should be +prostituted to serve a party. And that people should be bribed by a +place to receive unworthily." Why, the business is, to be sure, that +those who are employed are of the national church; and the way to know +it is by receiving the sacrament, which all men ought to do in their own +church; and if not, are hardly fit for an office; and if they have those +moral qualifications he mentioneth, joined to religion, no fear of +receiving unworthily. And for this there might be a remedy: To take an +oath, that they are of the same principles, &c. for that is the end of +receiving; and that it might be no bribe, the bill against occasional +conformity would prevent entirely. + +_Ibid_. "Preferring men not for their capacity, but their zeal to the +Church." The misfortune is, that if we prefer dissenters to great posts, +they will have an inclination to make themselves the national church, +and so there will be perpetual struggling; which case may be dangerous +to the state. For men are naturally wishing to get over others to their +own opinion: Witness this writer, who hath published as singular and +absurd notions as possible, yet hath a mighty zeal to bring us over to +them, &c. + +Page 292. Here are two pages of scurrilous faction, with a deal of +reflections on great persons. Under the notion of High-Churchmen, he +runs down all uniformity and church government. Here is the whole Lower +House of Convocation, which represents the body of the clergy and both +universities, treated with rudeness by an obscure, corrupt member, while +he is eating their bread. + +Page 294. "The reason why the middle sort of people retain so much of +their ancient virtue &c. is because no such pernicious notions are the +ingredients of their education; which 'tis a sign are infinitely absurd, +when so many of the gentry and nobility can, notwithstanding their +prepossession, get clear of them." Now the very same argument lies +against religion, morality, honour, and honesty, which are, it seems, +but prejudices of education, and too many get clear of them. The middle +sort of people have other things to mind than the factions of the age. +He always assigneth many causes, and sometimes with reason, since he +maketh imaginary effects. He quarrels at power being lodged in the +clergy: When there is no reasonable Protestant, clergy, or laity, who +will not readily own the inconveniences by too great power and wealth, +in any one body of men, ecclesiastics, or seculars: But on that account +to weed up the wheat with the tares; to banish all religion, because it +is capable of being corrupted; to give unbounded licence to all sects, +&c.--And if heresies had not been used with some violence in the +primitive age, we should have had, instead of true religion, the most +corrupt one in the world. + +Page 316. "The Dutch, and the rest of our presbyterian allies, &c." The +Dutch will hardly thank him for this appellation. The French Huguenots, +and Geneva Protestants themselves, and others, have lamented the want of +episcopacy, and approved ours, &c. In this and the next paragraph, the +author introduceth the arguments he formerly used, when he turned papist +in King James's time; and loth to lose them, he gives them a new turn; +and they are the strongest In his book, at least have most artifice. + +Page 333. "'Tis plain, all the power the bishops have, is derived from +the people, &c." In general the distinction lies here. The permissive +power of exercising jurisdiction, lies in the people, or legislature, or +administrator of a kingdom; but not of making him a bishop. As a +physician that commenceth abroad, may be suffered to practise in London +or be hindered; but they have not the power of creating him a doctor, +which is peculiar to a university. This is some allusion; but the thing +is plain, as it seemeth to me, and wanteth no subterfuge, &c. + +Page 338. "A journeyman bishop to ordain for him." Doth any man think, +that writing at this rate, does the author's cause any service? Is it +his wit or his spleen that he cannot govern? + +Page 364. "Can any have a right to an office without having a right to +do those things in which the office consists?" I answer, the ordination +is valid. But a man may prudentially forbid to do some things. As a +clergyman may marry without licence or banns; the marriage is good; yet +he is punishable for it. + +Page 368. "A choice made by persons who have no right to choose, is an +error of the first concoction." That battered simile again; this is +hard. I wish the physicians had kept that a secret, it lieth so ready +for him to be witty with. + +Page 370. "If prescription can make mere nullities to become good and +valid, the laity may be capable of all manner of ecclesiastical power, +&c." There is a difference; for here the same way is kept, although +there might be breaches; but it is quite otherwise, if you alter the +whole method from what it was at first. We see bishops: There always +were bishops: It is the old way still. So a family is still held the +same, although we are not sure of the purity of every one of the race. + +Page 380. "It is said, That every nation is not a complete body politic +within itself as to ecclesiasticals. But the whole church, say they, +composes such a body, and Christ is the head of it. But Christ's +headship makes Christians no more one body politic with respect to +ecclesiasticals than to civils." Here we must shew the reason and +necessity of the Church being a corporation all over the world: To avoid +heresies, and preserve fundamentals, and hinder corrupting of Scripture, +&c. But there are no such necessities in government, to be the same +everywhere, &c. It is something like the colleges in a university; they +all are independent, yet, joined, are one body. So a general council +consisteth of many persons independent of one another, &c. + +However there is such a thing as _jus gentium_, &c. And he that is +doctor of physic, or law, is so in any university of Europe, like the +_Respublica Literaria_. Nor to me does there seem anything +contradicting, or improper in this notion of the Catholic Church; and +for want of such a communion, religion is so much corrupted, and would +be more, if there were [not] more communion in this than in civils. It +is of no import to mankind how nations are governed; but the preserving +the purity of religion is best held up by endeavouring to make it one +body over the world. Something like as there is in trade. So to be able +to communicate with all Christians we come among, is at least to be +wished and aimed at as much as we can. + +Page 384. "In a word, if the bishops are not supreme, &c." Here he +reassumeth his arguments for Popery, that there cannot be a body politic +of the Church through the whole world, without a visible head to have +recourse to. These were formerly writ to advance Popery, and now to put +an absurdity upon the hypothesis of a Catholic Church. As they say in +Ireland, in King James's time, they built mass-houses, which we make +very good barns of. + +Page 388. "Bishops are, under a _premunire_ obliged to confirm and +consecrate the person named in the _congé d'Élire_." This perhaps is +complained of. He is permitted to do it. We allow the legislature may +hinder if they please; as they may turn out Christianity, if they think +fit. + +Page 389. "It is the magistrate who empowers them to do more for other +bishops than they can for themselves, since they cannot appoint their +own successors." Yes they could, if the magistrate would let them. Here +is an endless splutter, and a parcel of perplexed distinctions upon no +occasion. All that the clergy pretend to, is a right of qualifying men +for the ministry, something like what a university doth with degrees. +This power they claim from God, and that the civil power cannot do it as +pleasing to God without them; but they may choose whether they will +suffer it or no. A religion cannot be crammed down a nation's throat +against their will; but when they receive a religion, it is supposed +they receive as their converters give it; and, upon that foot, they +cannot justly mingle their own methods, that contradict that religion, +&c. + +Page 390. "With us the bishops act only ministerially and by virtue of +the regal commission, by which the prince firmly enjoins and commands +them to proceed in choosing, confirming, and consecrating, &c." Suppose +we held it unlawful to do so: How can we help it? but does that make it +rightful, if it be not so? Suppose the author lived in a heathen +country, where a law would be made to call Christianity idolatrous; +would that be a topic for him to prove it so by, &c.? And why do the +clergy incur a _pre-munire;_--To frighten them--Because the law +understandeth, that, if they refuse, the chosen cannot be a bishop: But, +if the clergy had an order to do it otherwise than they have prescribed, +they ought and would incur an hundred rather. + +Page 402. "I believe the Catholic Church, &c." Here he ridicules the +Apostles' Creed.--Another part of his scheme.--By what he says in these +pages, it is certain, his design is either to run down Christianity, or +set up Popery; the latter it is more charitable to think, and, from his +past life, highly probable. + +Page 405. "That which gave the Papists so great advantage was, +clergymen's talking so very inconsistent with themselves, &c." State the +difference here between our separation from Rome, and the dissenters +from us, and shew the falseness of what he sayeth. I wish he would tell +us what he leaveth for a clergyman to do, if he may not instruct the +people in religion, and if they should not receive his instructions. + +Page 411. "The restraint of the press a badge of Popery." Why is that a +badge of Popery? Why not restrain the press to those who would confound +religion, as in civil matters? But this toucheth himself. He would +starve, perhaps, &c, Let him get some honester livelihood then. It is +plain, all his arguments against constraint, &c. favour the papists as +much as dissenters; for both have opinions that may affect the peace of +the state. + +Page 413. "Since this discourse, &c." And must we have another volume on +this one subject of independency? Or, is it to fright us? I am not of +Dr. Hickes's mind, _Qu'il venge_. I pity the readers, and the clergy +that must answer it, be it ever so insipid. Reflect on his sarcastic +conclusion, &c. + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +A + +PREFACE + +TO THE + +B---P OF S----M'S + +INTRODUCTION, &c. + + +NOTE. + +AT the time of writing this scathing piece of invective, Swift was busy +dealing out to an old friend a similar specimen of his terrible power of +rejoinder. Steele, in the newly established "Guardian," as Mr. Churton +Collins well puts it, "drunk with party spirit, had so far forgotten +himself as to insert ... a coarse and ungenerous reflection on Swift." +Swift sought an explanation through Addison, but Steele's egotism was +stronger than the feeling of friendship, and the insult remained for +Swift to wipe out in "The Importance of the 'Guardian' Considered." +Probably this severance from his friend, due to political +differences--for Steele glowed in Whiggism--deepened, if possible, his +hatred to Whigs of whatever degree; and in Burnet he found another +object for his wit. But apart from such a suggestion, there was enough +in the Bishop's attitude towards the Tories to rouse Swift to his task. +It was not enough that Burnet should accuse his political opponents of +sympathy with the French, Jacobitism, and Popery, but he must needs +flaunt his vanity in issuing, in advance, for purposes of advertisement, +the introduction to a work which was to come later. This was enough for +Swift, and the prelate who "could smell popery at five hundred miles +distance better than fanaticism under his nose," became the recipient of +one of the most amusing and yet most virulent attacks which even that +controversial age produced. "The whole pamphlet," Mr. Collins truly +says, "is inimitable. Its irony, its humour, its drollery, are +delicious." + +It must not, however, be imagined that Swift's opinion of Burnet is only +that which can be gathered from this "Preface." He fully appreciated the +sterling qualities of scholarship and good nature, since in his +"Remarks" on Burnet's "History of My Own Time," he says: "after all he +was a man of generosity and good nature, and very communicative; but in +his last ten years was absolutely party-mad, and fancied he saw Popery +under every bush." Lord Dartmouth has left an excellent sketch of +Burnet's character in a note to the "History of My Own Time": "Bishop +Burnet was a man of the most extensive knowledge I ever met with; had +read and seen a great deal, with a prodigious memory, and a very +indifferent judgment: he was extremely partial, and readily took +everything for granted that he heard to the prejudice of those he did +not like: which made him pass for a man of less truth than he really +was. I do not think he designedly published anything he believed to be +false. He had a boisterous, vehement manner of expressing himself, which +often made him ridiculous, especially in the House of Lords, when what +he said would not have been thought so, delivered in a lower voice, and +a calmer behaviour. His vast knowledge occasioned his frequent rambling +from the point he was speaking to, which ran him into discourses of so +universal a nature, that there was no end to be expected but from a +failure of his strength and spirits, of both which he had a larger share +than most men; which were accompanied with a most invincible assurance." +(Note to the Preface of Burnet's "History of My Own Time," vol. i. p. +xxxiii, Oxford, 1897.) + +It may not be altogether out of place to give here a short biographical +sketch of Bishop Burnet. + +Gilbert Burnet was born at Edinburgh in 1643. He studied first at +Aberdeen and then in Holland. In 1665, after he was elected a Fellow of +the Royal Society, he entered holy orders, became vicar of Saltoun, and, +in 1669, professor of divinity at Glasgow. The year 1673 found him in +London, engaged on his "History of the Reformation," and fulfilling the +duties of chaplain to the king, preacher to the Rolls, and lecturer of +St. Clement's. The "Reformation" appeared in three folio volumes; the +first in 1679, the second in 1681, and the third in 1714. He had already +written the "Lives of the Dukes of Hamilton," the "Life of Sir Matthew +Hale," and a "Life of the Earl of Rochester." Getting into some +political trouble he was deprived of his offices, and left England for +the continent. After travelling in France he settled in Holland, and +married a Dutch lady. When the Prince of Orange came to England to +assume the government of the country, Burnet accompanied him, and in +1689 was installed into the bishopric of Salisbury. Evidently he had too +zealous a sentiment for William and Mary, for his pastoral letter to the +clergy of his diocese, commenting on the new sovereign, was condemned by +the parliament, and ordered to be burnt by the common hangman. He +married again, on the death of his Dutch wife, a rich widow, Mrs. +Berkeley, who was his third spouse--hence Swift's caustic reference. He +died March 17th, 1714-15. In addition to his histories of the +Reformation and his own times, he wrote an "Exposition of the +Thirty-Nine Articles" (1699), the "Life of Bishop Bedell" and the other +lives already named, and several sermons and controversial pieces. + +The text of this pamphlet is that of the first edition, collated with, +those given by Faulkner, Hawkesworth, the "Miscellanies" of 1745, and +Scott. It was originally published in 1713. + +[T.S.] + + + A + PREFACE[1] + T O T H E + B--p of S--r--m's + INTRODUCTION + To the Third Volume of the + History of the Reformation + of the + Church of _England_. + +_By GREGORY MISOSARVM._ + +_----Spargere voces + In vulgum ambiguas; & quaerere confcius arma._ + +The Second Edition + +_LONDON_: + +Printed for _John Morphew, _near _Stationers Hall_. 1713. Price +_6d_. + + +THE PREFACE.[2] + + +MR. MORPHEW, + +Your care in putting an advertisement in the _EXAMINER_ has been of +great use to me. I do now send you my Preface to the B----p of +S----r----m's INTRODUCTION to his third volume, which I desire you to +print in such a form, as in the bookseller's phrase will make a sixpenny +touch; hoping it will give such a public notice of my design, that it +may come into the hands of those who perhaps look not into the B----p's +Introduction. I desire you will prefix to this a passage out of Virgil, +which does so perfectly agree with my present thoughts of his +L----dsh----p, that I cannot express them better, nor more truly, than +those words do. + +I am, Sir, + +Your most humble servant, + +G. MISOSARUM. + +[Footnote 1: Mr. Nichols quotes from the "Speculum Sarisburianum," "That +the frequent and hasty repetitions of such prefaces and introductions, +no less than three new ones in about one year's time, beside an old +serviceable one republished concerning persecution--are preludes to +other practical things, beside pastoral cares, sermons, and histories." +[T. S.]] + +[Footnote 2: This preface "to the bookseller" is in imitation of the +bishop's own preface to the bookseller in the "Introduction," which was +signed "G. Sarum." [T. S.]] + +This way of publishing introductions to books that are, God knows when, +to come out, is either wholly new, or so long unpractised, that my small +reading cannot trace it. However we are to suppose, that a person of his +Lordship's great age and experience, would hardly act such a piece of +singularity without some extraordinary motives. I cannot but observe, +that his fellow-labourer, the author of the paper called _The +Englishman_,[3] seems, in some of his late performances, to have almost +transcribed the notions of the Bishop: these notions, I take to have +been dictated by the same masters, leaving to each writer that peculiar +manner of expressing himself, which the poverty of our language forces +me to call their style. When the _Guardian_ changed his title, and +professed to engage in faction, I was sure the word was given, that +grand preparations were making against next sessions; that all +advantages would be taken of the little dissensions reported to be among +those in power; and that the _Guardian_ would soon be seconded by some +other piqueerers[4] from the same camp. But I will confess, my +suspicions did not carry me so far as to conjecture that this venerable +champion would be in such mighty haste to come into the field, and serve +in the quality of an _enfant perdu_,[5] armed only with a pocket pistol, +before his great blunderbuss could be got ready, his old rusty +breastplate scoured, and his cracked headpiece mended. + +[Footnote 3: Steele.] + +[Footnote 4: Piqueerer = pickeerer (modern) = a marauder, a skirmisher +in advance of an army. From French _picorer_ = to maraud. [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 5: _Enfant perdu_, one of the advanced guard; or, as +Hawkesworth notes it, "one of the forlorn hope." [T.S.]] + +I was debating with myself, whether this hint of producing a small +pamphlet to give notice of a large folio, was not borrowed from the +ceremonial in Spanish romances, where a dwarf is sent out upon the +battlements to signify to all passengers, what a mighty giant there is +in the castle; or whether the Bishop copied this proceeding from the +_fanfarronade_ of Monsieur Boufflers, when the Earl of Portland and that +general had an interview. Several men were appointed at certain periods +to ride in great haste toward the English camp, and cry out, +_Monseigneur vient, Monseigneur vient:_ Then, small parties advanced +with the same speed and the same cry, and this foppery held for many +hours, until the mareschal himself arrived. So here, the Bishop (as we +find by his dedication to Mr. Churchill the bookseller) has for a long +time sent warning of his arrival by advertisements in _Gazettes_, and +now his Introduction advances to tell us again, _Monseigneur vient:_ In +the mean time, we must gape and wait and gaze the Lord knows how long, +and keep our spirits in some reasonable agitation, until his Lordship's +real self shall think fit to appear in the habit of a folio. + +I have seen the same sort of management at a puppet-show. Some puppets +of little or no consequence appeared several times at the window to +allure the boys and the rabble: The trumpeter sounded often, and the +doorkeeper cried a hundred times till he was hoarse, that they were just +going to begin; yet after all, we were forced sometimes to wait an hour +before Punch himself in person made his entry. + +But why this ceremony among old acquaintance? The world and he have long +known one another: Let him appoint his hour and make his visit, without +troubling us all day with a succession of messages from his laqueys and +pages. + +With submission, these little arts of getting off an edition, do ill +become any author above the size of Marten[6] the surgeon. My Lord tells +us, that "many thousands of the two former parts of his History are in +the kingdom,"[7] and now he perpetually advertises in the gazette, that +he intends to publish the third: This is exactly in the method and style +of Marten: "The seventh edition (many thousands of the former editions +having been sold off in a small time) of Mr. Marten's book concerning +secret diseases," &c. + +[Footnote 6: This is John Marten, the author of two treatises on the +gout, and a "Treatise of all the Degrees and Symptoms of the Venereal +Disease" (1708?-9). His notoriety brought on him the ire of a "licens'd +practitioner in physick and surgery," one J. Spinke, who, in a pamphlet +entitled "Quackery Unmask'd" (1709), dealt Marten some most uncourteous +blows. From the pamphlet, it is difficult to judge whether Spinke or +Marten were the greater quack; we should judge the former. Certainly +Marten deserves our sympathy, if only for Spinke's virulence. [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 7: Page 26.] + +Does his Lordship intend to publish his great volume by subscription, +and is this Introduction only by way of specimen? I was inclined to +think so, because, in the prefixed letter to Mr. Churchill, which +introduces this Introduction, there are some dubious expressions: He +says, "the advertisements he published were in order to move people to +furnish him with materials, which might help him to finish his work with +great advantage." If he means half-a-guinea upon the subscription, and +t'other half at the delivery, why does he not tell us so in plain terms? + +I am wondering how it came to pass, that this diminutive letter to Mr. +Churchill should understand the business of introducing better than the +Introduction itself; or why the Bishop did not take it into his head to +send the former into the world some months before the latter; which +would have been a greater improvement upon the solemnity of the +procession? + +Since I writ these last lines, I have perused the whole pamphlet (which +I had only dipped in before) and found I have been hunting upon a wrong +scent; for the author hath in several parts of his piece, discovered the +true motives which put him upon sending it abroad at this juncture; I +shall therefore consider them as they come in my way. + +My Lord begins his Introduction with an account of the reasons why he +was guilty of so many mistakes in the first volume of his "History of +the Reformation:" His excuses are just, rational, and extremely +consistent. He says, "he wrote in haste,"[8] which he confirms by +adding, "that it lay a year after he wrote it before it was put into the +press:"[9] At the same time he mentioned a passage extremely to the +honour of that pious and excellent prelate, Archbishop Sancroft, which +demonstrates his Grace to have been a person of great sagacity, and +almost a prophet. Dr. Burnet, then a private divine, "desired admittance +to the Cotton library, but was prevented by the archbishop, who told Sir +John Cotton, that the said doctor was no friend to the prerogative of +the crown, nor to the constitution of the kingdom." This judgment was +the more extraordinary, because the doctor had not long before published +a book in Scotland, with his name prefixed, which carries the regal +prerogative higher than any writer of the age:[10] however, the good +archbishop lived to see his opinion become universal in the kingdom. + +[Footnote 8: Page 6.] + +[Footnote 9: Page 10.] + +[Footnote 10: This was Burnet's "Vindication of the Authority, +Constitution, and Laws of the Church and State of Scotland," dedicated +to the Duke of Lauderdale, and published in 1672. The dedication +contains an eulogium of the duke, and the work a defence of episcopacy +and monarchy against Buchanan and his followers. At a later period, the +author did not probably recollect this juvenile publication with, much +complacence. + +It is somewhat remarkable to see the progress of this story. In the +first edition of this "Introduction," it should seem, "he was prevented +by the Archbishop," &c. When the "Introduction" was reprinted a year +after with the "History," it stands: "A great prelate had been +beforehand and possessed him [Sir John Cotton] against me--That unless +the Archbishop of Canterbury would recommend me--he desired to be +excused--The Bishop of Worcester could not prevail on the Archbishop to +interpose." This is somewhat less than preventing, unless the Archbishop +be meant by the "great prelate." Which is not very probable. 1. Because +in the Preface to this very third volume, p. 4, he says, "It was by +Archbishop Sancroft's order he had the free use of everything that lay +in the Lambeth Library." 2. Because the Author of "Speculum +Sarisburianum" (p. 6), tells us, "His access to the Library was owing +solely to the recommendation of Archbishop Sancroft, as I have been +informed by some of the family." 3. Because Bishop Burnet, in his +"History of My Own Times," vol. i. p. 396, says it was "Dolben, Bishop +of Rochester (at the instigation of the Duke of Lauderdale), that +diverted Sir John Cotton from suffering me to search his Library." +["Miscellanies," vol. viii. 1745.]] + +The Bishop goes on for many pages, with an account of certain facts +relating to the publishing of his two former volumes of the Reformation, +the great success of that work, and the adversaries who appeared against +it. These are matters out of the way of my reading; only I observe that +poor Mr. Henry Wharton,[11] who has deserved so well of the commonwealth +of learning, and who gave himself the trouble of detecting some hundreds +of the Bishop's mistakes, meets with very ill quarter from his Lordship. +Upon which I cannot avoid mentioning a peculiar method which this +prelate takes to revenge himself upon those who presume to differ from +him in print. The Bishop of Rochester[12] happened some years ago to be +of this number. My Lord of Sarum in his reply ventured to tell the +world, that the gentleman who had writ against him, meaning Dr +Atterbury, was one upon whom he had conferred great obligations; which +was a very generous Christian contrivance of charging his adversary with +ingratitude. But it seems the truth happened to be on the other side; +which the doctor made appear in such a manner as would have silenced his +Lordship for ever, if he had not been writing proof. Poor Mr. Wharton in +his grave is charged with the same accusation, but with circumstances +the most aggravating that malice and something else could invent[13]; +and which I will no more believe than five hundred passages in a certain +book of travels[14]. See the character he gives of a divine, and a +scholar, who shortened his life in the service of God and the church. +"Mr. Wharton desired me to intercede with Tillotson for a prebend of +Canterbury. I did so, but Wharton would not believe it; said he would be +revenged, and so writ against me. Soon after he was convinced I had +spoke for him, said he was set on to do what he did, and, if I would +procure any thing for him, he would discover every thing to me[15]." +What a spirit of candour, charity, and good nature, generosity, and +truth, shines through this story, told of a most excellent and pious +divine, twenty years after his death, without one single voucher[16]! + +[Footnote 11: Henry Wharton (1664-1694-5), a divine, born at Worstead, +Norfolk, and educated at Cambridge. Became chaplain to Archbishop +Sancroft in 1688, and then rector of Chartham. Wrote "A Treatise on the +Celibacy of the Clergy;" "The Enthusiasm of the Church of Rome +demonstrated in the Life of Ignatius Loyola;" "A Defence of +Pluralities;" "Specimen of Errors in Burnet's 'History of the +Reformation;'" "Anglia Sacra, sive Collectio Historiarum;" and "History +of Archbishop Laud." The criticism on Burnet's "History" was written +under the _nom de guerre_ of Anthony Farmar. [T. S.]] + +[Footnote 12: Dr. Atterbury.] + +[Footnote 13: Page 22.] + +[Footnote 14: Burnet's "Travels."] + +[Footnote 15: Page 23.] + +[Footnote 16: Burnet's account of this matter was reprinted in the +Preface to his "History of the Reformation," and it contains also the +bishop's rejoinder against Wharton's method of criticism in the +"Specimen": "He had examined the dark ages before the Reformation with +much diligence, and so knew many things relating to those times beyond +any man of the age; he pretended that he had many more errors in +reserve, and that this specimen was only a hasty collection of a few, +out of many other discoveries he could make. This consisted of some +trifling and minute differences in some dates and transactions of no +importance, upon which nothing depended; so I cannot tell whether I took +these too easily from printed books, or if I committed any errors in my +notes taken in the several offices. He likewise follows me through the +several recapitulations I had made of the state of things before the +Reformation, and finds errors and omissions in most of these; he adds +some things out of papers I had never seen. The whole was writ with so +much malice, and such contempt, that I must give some account of the +man, and of his motives. He had expressed great zeal against popery, in +the end of King James's reign, being then chaplain to Archbishop +Sancroft, who, as he said, had promised him the first of those prebends +of Canterbury that should fall in his gift: for when he saw that the +archbishop was resolved not to take the oaths, but to forsake the post, +he made an earnest application to me, to secure that for him at +Archbishop Tillotson's hands. I pressed him in it as much as was decent +for me to do, but he said he would not encourage these aspiring men, by +promising any thing, before it should fall; as indeed none of them fell +during his time. Wharton, upon this answer, thought I had neglected him, +looking on it as a civil denial, and said he would be revenged; and so +he published that specimen: upon which, I, in a letter that I printed, +addressed to the present Bishop of Worcester, charged him again and +again to bring forth all that he pretended to have reserved at that +time, for, till that was done, I would not enter upon the examination of +that specimen. It was received with contempt, and Tillotson justified my +pressing him to take Wharton under his particular protection so fully, +that he sent and asked me pardon. He said he was set on to it; and that, +if I would procure any thing for him, he would discover any thing to me. +I despised that offer, but said that I would at any price buy of him +those discoveries that he pretended to have in reserve. But Mr. Chiswell +(at whose house he then lay) being sick, said he could draw nothing of +that from him, and he believed he had nothing. He died about a year +after."--BURNET'S _History of the Reformation_ III, vii. [T. S.]] + +Come we now to the reasons, which moved his lordship to set about this +work at this time. He "could delay it no longer, because the reasons of +his engaging in it at first seem to return upon him[17]." He was then +frightened with "the danger of a popish successor in view, and the +dreadful apprehensions of the power of France. England has forgot these +dangers, and yet is nearer to them than ever[18]," and therefore he is +resolved to "awaken them" with his third volume; but in the mean time, +sends this Introduction to let them know they are asleep. He then goes +on in describing the condition of the kingdom[19], after such a manner +as if destruction hung over us by a single hair; as if the Pope, the +devil, the Pretender, and France, were just at our doors. + +[Footnote 17: Page 27.] + +[Footnote 18: Page 28.] + +[Footnote 19: Page 28.] + +When the Bishop published his History, there was a popish plot on foot, +the Duke of York a known papist was presumptive heir to the crown, the +House of Commons would not hear of any expedient for securing their +religion under a popish prince, nor would the King or Lords, consent to +a bill of exclusion: The French King was in the height of his grandeur, +and the vigour of his age. At this day the presumptive heir, with that +whole illustrious family, are Protestants, the Popish Pretender excluded +for ever by several acts of Parliament, and every person in the smallest +employment, as well as the members in both Houses, obliged to abjure +him. The French King is at the lowest ebb of life; his armies have been +conquered and his towns won from him for ten years together, and his +kingdom is in danger of being torn by divisions during a long minority. +Are these cases parallel? Or are we now in more danger of France and +popery than we were thirty years ago? What can be the motive for +advancing such false, such detestable assertions? What conclusions would +his Lordship draw from such premises as these? If injurious appellations +were of any advantage to a cause, (as the style of our adversaries would +make us believe) what appellations would those deserve who thus +endeavour to sow the seeds of sedition, and are impatient to see the +fruits? "But," saith he[20], "the deaf adder stops her ear let the +charmer charm never so wisely." True, my Lord, there are indeed too many +adders in this nation's bosom, adders in all shapes, and in all habits, +whom neither the Queen nor parliament can charm to loyalty, truth, +religion, or honour. + +[Footnote 20: Page 28.] Among other instances produced by him of the +dismal condition we are in, he offers one which could not easily be +guessed. It is this: That the little factious pamphlets written about +the end of King Charles II's reign, "lie dead in shops, are looked on as +waste paper, and turned to pasteboard." How many are there of his +Lordship's writings which could otherwise never have been of any real +service to the public? Has he indeed so mean an opinion of our taste, to +send us at this time of day into all the corners of Holborn, Duck Lane, +and Moorfields, in quest after the factious trash published in those +days by Julian Johnson, Hickeringil, Dr. Oates, and himself[21]? + +[Footnote 21: The Rev. Samuel Johnson, degraded from his clerical +rank, scourged, and imprisoned, for a work called "Julian's Arts to +undermine Christianity," in which he drew a parallel between that +apostate and James, then Duke of York. [S.] + +Edmund Hickeringil, a fanatic preacher at Colchester. He appears, from +the various pamphlets which he wrote during the reigns of Charles II. +and his brother, to have been a meddling crazy fool. He was born in +Essex, 1630, and was educated at Cambridge. He entered the army, and +went to Jamaica, of which place he wrote a very curious account. +Afterwards he entered holy orders, and became rector of All Saints, +Colchester. He was a most eccentric individual. [T. S.]] + +His Lordship, taking it for a _postulatum_, that the Queen and ministry, +both Houses of Parliament, and a vast majority of the landed gentlemen +throughout England are running headlong into Popery, lays hold on the +occasion to describe "the cruelties in Queen Mary's reign, an +inquisition setting up faggots in Smithfield, and executions all over +the kingdom. Here is that" (says he) "which those that look toward a +popish successor must look for."[22] And he insinuates through his whole +pamphlet, that all who are not of his party, "look toward a popish +successor." These he divides into two parts, the Tory laity, and the +Tory clergy. He tells the former, though they have no religion at all, +but "resolve to change with every wind and tide; yet they ought to have +compassion on their countrymen and kindred."[23] Then he applies himself +to the Tory clergy, assures them, that "the fires revived in Smithfield, +and all over the nation, will have no amiable view; but least of all to +them, who if they have any principle at all, must be turned out of their +livings, leave their families, be hunted from place to place into parts +beyond the seas, and meet with that contempt with which they treated +foreigners who took sanctuary among us." + +[Footnote 22: Page 36.] + +[Footnote 23: Page 36.] + +This requires a recapitulation, with some remarks. First, I do affirm, +that of every hundred professed atheists, deists, and socinians in the +kingdom, ninety-nine at least are staunch thorough-paced Whigs, entirely +agreeing with his Lordship in politics and discipline; and therefore +will venture all the fires of hell, rather than singe one hair of their +beards in Smithfield. Secondly, I do likewise affirm, that those whom we +usually understand by the appellation of Tory or high-church clergy, +were the greatest sticklers against the exorbitant proceedings of King +James, the best writers against popery, and the most exemplary sufferers +for the established religion. Thirdly, I do pronounce it to be a most +false and infamous scandal upon the nation in general, and on the clergy +in particular, to reproach them for "treating foreigners with +haughtiness and contempt:" The French Huguenots are many thousand +witnesses to the contrary; and I wish they deserved a thousandth part of +the good treatment they have received.[24] + +[Footnote 24: Swift's disparaging reference to the Huguenots must be put +down to the fact that he included them among Dissenters, on account of +their Calvinism. [T. S.]] + +Lastly, I observe that the author of the paper called _The Englishman_, +hath run into the same cant, gravely advising the whole body of the +clergy not to bring in Popery, because that will put them under a +necessity of parting with their wives, or losing their livings. + +The bulk of the kingdom, both clergy and laity, happens to differ +extremely from this prelate, in many principles both of politics and +religion: Now I ask, whether if any man of them had signed his name to a +system of atheism, or Popery, he could have argued with them otherwise +than he does? Or, if I should write a grave letter to his Lordship with +the same advice, taking it for granted that he was half an atheist, and +half a papist, and conjuring him by all he held dear to have compassion +upon all those who believed a God, "not to revive the fires in +Smithfield," that he must either forfeit his bishopric, or not marry a +fourth wife;[25] I ask whether he would not think I intended him the +highest injury and affront? + +[Footnote 25: Bishop Burnet had already been married three times. [T. +S.]] + +But as to the Tory laity; he gives them up in a lump for abandoned +atheists: They are a set of men so "impiously corrupted in the point of +religion, that no scene of cruelty can fright them from leaping into it +[Popery] and perhaps acting such a part in it, as may be assigned +them."[26] He therefore despairs of influencing them by any topics drawn +from religion or compassion, and advances the consideration of interest, +as the only powerful argument to persuade them against Popery. + +[Footnote 26: Page 37.] + +What he offers upon this head is so very amazing from a Christian, a +clergyman, and a prelate of the Church of England, that I must in my own +imagination strip him of those three capacities, and put him among the +number of that set of men he mentions in the paragraph before; or else +it will be impossible to shape out an answer. + +His Lordship, in order to dissuade the Tories from their design of +bringing in Popery, tells them, "how valuable a part of the whole soil +of England, the abbey lands, the estates of the bishops, of the +cathedrals, and the tithes are;"[27] how difficult such "a resumption +would be to many families; yet all these must be thrown up; for +sacrilege in the church of Rome, is a mortal sin." I desire it may be +observed, what a jumble here is made of ecclesiastical revenues, as if +they were all upon the same foot, were alienated with equal justice, and +the clergy had no more reason to complain of the one than the other. +Whereas the four branches mentioned by him are of very different +consideration. If I might venture to guess the opinion of the clergy +upon this matter, I believe they could wish that some small part of the +abbey lands had been applied to the augmentation of poor bishoprics, and +a very few acres to serve for glebes in those parishes where there are +none; after which I think they would not repine that the laity should +possess the rest. If the estates of some bishops and cathedrals were +exorbitant before the Reformation, I believe the present clergy's wishes +reach no further than that some reasonable temper had been used, instead +of paring them to the quick: But as to the tithes, without examining +whether they be of divine institution, I conceive there is hardly one of +that sacred order in England, and very few even among the laity that +love the Church, who will not allow the misapplying of those revenues to +secular persons, to have been at first a most flagrant act of injustice +and oppression: Though at the same time, God forbid they should be +restored any other way than by gradual purchase, by the consent of those +who are now the lawful possessors, or by the piety and generosity of +such worthy spirits as this nation sometimes produceth. The Bishop knows +very well that the application of tithes to the maintenance of +monasteries, was a scandalous usurpation even in popish times: That the +monks usually sent out some of their fraternity to supply the cures; and +that when the monasteries were granted away by Henry VIII., the parishes +were left destituted, or very meanly provided of any maintenance for a +pastor: So that in many places, the whole ecclesiastical dues, even to +mortuaries, Easter-offerings, and the like, are in lay hands, and the +incumbent lies wholly at the mercy of his patron for his daily bread. By +these means there are several hundred parishes in England under £20 a +year, and many under ten. I take his Lordship's bishopric to be worth +near £2,500 annual income; and I will engage at half a year's warning to +find him above 200 beneficed clergymen who have not so much among them +all to support themselves and their families; most of them orthodox, of +good life and conversation, as loth to see the fires kindled in +Smithfield, as his Lordship, and at least as ready to face them under a +popish persecution. But nothing is so hard for those who abound in +riches, as to conceive how others can be in want. How can the +neighbouring vicar feel cold or hunger, while my Lord is seated by a +good fire in the warmest room in his palace, with a dozen dishes before +him? I remember one other prelate much of the same stamp; who when his +clergy would mention their wishes that some act of parliament might be +thought of for the good of the Church, would say, "Gentlemen, _we_ are +very well as _we_ are; if they would let _us_ alone, _we_ should ask no +more."[28] + +[Footnote 27: Page 38.] + +[Footnote 28: Scott, in a note, thinks this reflection on Burnet to be +unjust, because of that prelate's zeal "in forwarding a scheme in 1704 +for Improving the livings of the poorer clergy." [T. S.]] + +"Sacrilege" (says my Lord) "in the church of Rome, is a mortal sin;"[29] +and is it only so in the church of Rome? Or is it but a venial sin in +the Church of England? Our litany calls fornication a deadly sin; and I +would appeal to his Lordship for fifty years past, whether he thought +that or sacrilege the deadliest? To make light of such a sin, at the +same moment that he is frighting us from an idolatrous religion, should +seem not very consistent. "_Thou_ that sayest, a man should not commit +adultery, dost _thou_ commit adultery? _Thou_ that abhorrest idols, dost +_thou_ commit sacrilege?" + +[Footnote 29: Page 38.] + +To smooth the way for the return of Popery in Queen Mary's time, the +grantees were confirmed by the Pope in the possession of the abbey +lands. But the Bishop tells us, that "this confirmation was fraudulent +and invalid" I shall believe it to be so, though I happen to read in his +Lordship's history: But he adds, that although the confirmation had been +good, the priests would have got their land again by these two methods; +"first,[30] the Statute of Mortmain was repealed for 20 years, in which +time no doubt they reckoned they would recover the best part of what +they had lost; besides that, engaging the clergy to renew no leases, was +a thing entirely in their own power, and this in forty years time would +raise their revenues to be about ten times their present value." These +two expedients for increasing the revenues of the Church, he represents +as pernicious designs, fit only to be practised in times of Popery, and +such as the laity ought never to consent to: Whence, and from what he +said before about tithes, his Lordship has freely declared his opinion, +that the clergy are rich enough, and that the least addition to their +subsistence would be a step toward Popery. Now it happens, that the two +only methods, which could be thought on, with any probability of +success, toward some reasonable augmentation of ecclesiastical revenues, +are here rejected by a Bishop, as a means for introducing Popery, and +the nation publicly warned against them. The continuance of the Statute +of Mortmain in full force, after the Church had been so terribly +stripped, appeared to Her Majesty and the kingdom a very unnecessary +hardship; upon which account it was at several times relaxed by the +legislature. Now as the relaxation of that statute is manifestly one of +the reasons which gives the Bishop those terrible apprehensions of +Popery coming on us; so I conceive another ground of his fears, is the +remission of the first-fruits and tenths. But where the inclination to +Popery lay, whether in Her Majesty who proposed this benefaction, the +parliament which confirmed, or the clergy who accepted it, his Lordship +hath not thought fit to determine. + +[Footnote 30: Page 39.] + +The other popish expedient for augmenting church-revenues, is "engaging +the clergy to renew no leases."[31] Several of the most eminent +clergymen have assured me, that nothing has been more wished for by good +men, than a law to prevent (at least) bishops from setting leases for +lives. I could name ten bishoprics in England whose revenues one with +another do not amount to £600 a-year for each; and if his lordship's, +for instance, would be above ten times the value when the lives are +expired, I should think the overplus would not be ill disposed toward an +augmentation of such as are now shamefully poor. But I do assert, that +such an expedient was not always thought popish and dangerous by this +right reverend historian. I have had the honour formerly to converse +with him; and he has told me several years ago, that he lamented +extremely the power which bishops had of letting leases for lives, +whereby, as he said, they were utterly deprived of raising their +revenues, whatever alterations might happen in the value of money by +length of time: I think the reproach of betraying private conversation +will not upon this account be laid to my charge. Neither do I believe he +would have changed his opinion upon any score, but to take up another, +more agreeable to the maxims of his party; that "the least addition of +property to the Church, is one step toward Popery." + +[Footnote 31: Page 39.] + +The Bishop goes on with much earnestness and prolixity to prove that the +Pope's confirmation of the church lands to those who held them by King +Henry's donation, was null and fraudulent: Which is a point that I +believe no Protestant in England would give threepence to have his +choice whether it should be true or false: It might indeed serve as a +passage in his history, among a thousand other instances, to detect the +knavery of the court of Rome; but I ask, where could be the use of it in +this Introduction? Or why all this haste in publishing it at this +juncture; and so out of all method apart, and before the work itself? He +gives his reasons in very plain terms; we are now, it seems, "in more +danger of Popery than toward the end of King Charles II.'s reign. That +set of men (the Tories) is so impiously corrupted in the point of +religion, that no scene of cruelty can fright them from leaping into it, +and perhaps from acting such a part in it as may be assigned them."[32] +He doubts whether the High-Church clergy have any principles, and +therefore will be ready to turn off their wives, and look on the fires +kindled in Smithfield as an amiable view. These are the facts he all +along takes for granted, and argues accordingly; therefore, in despair +of dissuading the nobility and gentry of the land from introducing +Popery by any motives of honour, religion, alliance or mercy, he assures +them, that "the Pope has not duly confirmed their titles to the church +lands in their possession," which therefore must infallibly be restored, +as soon as that religion is established among us. + +[Footnote 32: Page 37.] + +Thus, in his Lordship's opinion, there is nothing wanting to make the +majority of the kingdom, both for number, quality and possession, +immediately embrace Popery, except a "firm bull from the Pope," to +secure the abbey and other church lands and tithes to the present +proprietors and their heirs; if this only difficulty could now be +adjusted, the Pretender would be restored next session, the two Houses +reconciled to the church of Rome against Easter term, and the fires +lighted in Smithfield by Midsummer. Such horrible calumnies against a +nation are not the less injurious to decency, good-nature, truth, +honour, and religion, because they may be vented with safety. And I will +appeal to any reader of common understanding, whether this be not the +most natural and necessary deduction from the passages I have cited and +referred to. + +Yet all this is but friendly dealing, in comparison with what he affords +the clergy upon the same article. He supposes[33] all that reverend +body, who differ from him in principles of church or state, so far from +disliking Popery, upon the above-mentioned motives of perjury, "quitting +their wives, or burning their relations;" that the hopes of "enjoying +the abbey lands" would soon bear down all such considerations, and be an +effectual incitement to their perversion; and so he goes gravely on, as +with the only argument which he thinks can have any force, to assure +them, that "the parochial priests in Roman Catholic countries are much +poorer than in ours, the several orders of regulars, and the +magnificence of their church, devouring all their treasure," and by +consequence "their hopes are vain of expecting to be richer after the +introduction of Popery." + +[Footnote 33: Page 46.] + +But after all, his Lordship despairs, that even this argument will have +any force with our abominable clergy, because, to use his own words, +"They are an insensible and degenerate race, who are thinking of nothing +but their present advantages; and so that they may now support a +luxurious and brutal course of irregular and voluptuous practices, they +are easily hired to betray their religion, to sell their country, and +give up that liberty and those properties, which are the present +felicities and glories of this nation."[34] He seems to reckon all these +evils as matters fully determined on, and therefore falls into the last +usual form of despair, by threatening the authors of these miseries with +"lasting infamy, and the curses of posterity upon perfidious betrayers +of their trust."[35] + +[Footnote 34: Page 47.] + +[Footnote 35: Page 47.] + +Let me turn this paragraph into vulgar language for the use of the poor, +and strictly adhere to the sense of the words. I believe it may be +faithfully translated in the following manner: "The bulk of the clergy, +and one-third of the bishops, are stupid sons of whores, who think of +nothing but getting money as soon as they can: If they may but produce +enough to supply them in gluttony, drunkenness, and whoring, they are +ready to turn traitors to God and their country, and make their +fellow-subjects slaves." The rest of the period, about threatening +"infamy," and "the curses of posterity upon such dogs and villains," may +stand as it does in the Bishop's own phrase, and so make the paragraph +all of a piece. + +I will engage, on the other side, to paraphrase all the rogues and +rascals in the _Englishman_, so as to bring them up exactly to his +Lordship's style: But, for my own part, I much prefer the plain +Billingsgate way of calling names, because it expresses our meaning full +as well, and would save abundance of time which is lost by +circumlocution; so, for instance, John Dunton,[36] who is retained on +the same side with the Bishop, calls my Lord-treasurer and Lord +Bolingbroke, traitors, whoremasters, and Jacobites, which three words +cost our right reverend author thrice as many lines to define them; and +I hope his Lordship does not think there is any difference in point of +morality, whether a man calls me traitor in one word, or says I am one +"hired to betray my religion and sell my country."[37] + +[Footnote 36: See note on p. 50 of vol. i. of this edition of Swift's +works. [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 37: Page 51.] + +I am not surprised to see the Bishop mention with contempt all +Convocations of the Clergy;[38] for Toland, Collins, Tindal,[39] and +others of the fraternity, talk the very same language. His Lordship +confesses he "is not" inclined "to expect much from the assemblies of +clergymen." There lies the misfortune; for if he and some more of his +order would correct their "inclinations," a great deal of good might be +expected from such assemblies, as much as they are now cramped by that +submission, which a corrupt clergy brought upon their innocent +successors. He will not deny that his copiousness in these matters is, +in his own opinion, one of the meanest parts of his new work. I will +agree with him, unless he happens to be more "copious" in any thing +else. However, it is not easy to conceive why he should be so "copious" +upon a subject he so much despises, unless it were to gratify his talent +of railing at the clergy, in the number of whom he disdains to be +reckoned, because he is a Bishop. For it is a style I observe some +prelates have fallen into of late years, to talk of clergymen as if +themselves were not of the number: You will read in many of their +speeches at Dr. Sacheverel's[40] trial, expressions to this or the like +effect: "My lords, if clergymen be suffered," &c. wherein they seem to +have reason; and I am pretty confident, that a great majority of the +clergy were heartily inclined to disown any relation they had to the +managers in lawn. However, it was a confounding argument against +Presbytery, that those who are most suspected to lean that way, treating +their inferior brethren with haughtiness, rigour, and contempt: +Although, to say the truth, nothing better could be hoped for; because, +I believe, it may pass for a universal rule, that in every diocese +governed by bishops of the Whig species, the clergy (especially the +poorer sort) are under double discipline, and the laity left to +themselves. The opinion of Sir Thomas More, which he produces to prove +the ill consequences or insignificancy of Convocations, advances no such +thing, but says, "if the clergy assembled often, and might act as other +assemblies of clergy in Christendom, much good might have come: but the +misfortune lay in their long disuse, and that in his own and a good part +of his father's time, they never came together, except at the command of +the prince."[41] + +[Footnote 38: Page 47.] + +[Footnote 39: See note, p. 9. [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 40: Henry Sacheverell, D.D., was educated at Marlborough and +Oxford. At Magdalen College he was a fellow-student with Addison, and +obtained there his fellowship and doctor's degree. In 1709 he preached +two sermons, one at the Derby Assizes, and the other at St. Paul's, in +which he urged the imminent danger of the Church. For these sermons, +which the parliament considered highly inflammatory, he was, by the +House of Commons, at the instigation of Godolphin, impeached, and tried +before the Lords in 1710. He was found guilty of a misdemeanour, and was +suspended from preaching for three years. The trial made a great stir at +the time, and served but to increase the popularity of a man who, had he +been let alone, would, probably, never have been heard of. He died in +1724, holding the living of St. Andrew, Holborn, to which he was +presented after the expiration of his sentence. [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 41: See Sir Thomas More's "Apology," 1533, p. 241.] + +I suppose his lordship thinks, there is some original impediment in the +study of divinity, or secret incapacity in a gown and cassock without +lawn, which disqualifies all inferior clergymen from debating upon +subjects of doctrine or discipline in the church. It is a famous saying +of his, that "he looks upon every layman to be an honest man, until he +is by experience convinced to the contrary; and on every clergyman as a +knave, till he finds him to be an honest man." What opinion then must we +have of a Lower House of Convocation:[42] where I am confident he will +hardly find three persons that ever convinced him of their honesty, or +will ever be at the pains to do it? Nay, I am afraid they would think +such a conviction might be no very advantageous bargain, to gain the +character of an honest man with his Lordship, and lose it with the rest +of the world. + +[Footnote 42: It must not be forgotten, that, during the reign of Queen +Anne, the body of the clergy were high-church men; but the bishops, who +had chiefly been promoted since the Revolution, were Whiggish in +politics, and moderate in their sentiments of church government. Hence +the Upper and Lower Houses of Convocation rarely agreed in sentiment on +affairs of church or state. [T. S.]] + +In the famous Concordate that was made between Francis I. of France and +Pope Leo X., the Bishop tells us, that "the king and pope came to a +bargain, by which they divided the liberties of the Gallican Church +between them, and indeed quite enslaved it."[43] He intends, in the +third part of his History which he is going to publish, "to open this +whole matter to the world." In the mean time, he mentions some ill +consequences to the Gallican Church from that Concordate, which are +worthy to be observed; "The church of France became a slave, and this +change in their constitution put an end not only to national, but even +to provincial synods in that kingdom. The assemblies of the clergy +there, meet now only to give subsidies," &c. and he says, "our nation +may see by that proceeding, what it is to deliver up the essential +liberties of a free constitution to a court." [44] + +[Footnote 43: Page 53.] + +[Footnote 44: Page 53.] + +All I can gather from this matter is, that our King Henry made a better +bargain than his contemporary Francis, who divided the liberties of the +church between himself and the Pope, while the King of England seized +them all to himself. But how comes he to number the want of synods in +the Gallican church among the grievances of that Concordate, and as a +mark of their slavery, since he reckons all Convocations of the Clergy +in England to be useless and dangerous? Or what difference in point of +liberty was there between the Gallican Church under Francis, and the +English under Harry? For, the latter was as much a papist as the former, +unless in the point of obedience to the see of Rome; and in every +quality of a good man, or a good prince, (except personal courage +wherein both were equal) the French monarch had the advantage by as many +degrees as is possible for one man to have over another. + +Henry VIII. had no manner of intention to change religion in his +kingdom; he still continued to persecute and burn Protestants after he +had cast off the Pope's supremacy, and I suppose this seizure of +ecclesiastical revenues (which Francis never attempted) cannot be +reckoned as a mark of the church's liberty. By the quotation the Bishop +sets down to show the slavery of the French church, he represents it as +a grievance, that "bishops are not now elected there as formerly, but +wholly appointed by the prince; and that those made by the court have +been ordinarily the chief advancers of schisms, heresies, and +oppressions of the church." [45] He cites another passage from a Greek +writer, and plainly insinuates, that it is justly applicable to Her +Majesty's reign: "Princes choose such men to that charge [of a bishop] +who may be their slaves, and in all things obsequious to what they +prescribe; and may lie at their feet, and have not so much as a thought +contrary to their commands." [46] + +[Footnote 45: Page 55.] + +[Footnote 46: Page 55.] + +These are very singular passages for his Lordship to set down in order +to show the dismal consequences of the French Concordate, by the slavery +of the Gallican Church, compared with the freedom of ours. I shall not +enter into a long dispute, whether it were better for religion that +bishops should be chosen by the clergy, or people, or both together: I +believe our author would give his vote for the second (which however +would not have been of much advantage to himself, and some others that I +could name). But I ask, Whether bishops are any more elected in England +than in France? And the want of synods are in his own opinion rather a +blessing than a grievance, unless he will affirm that more good can be +expected from a popish synod than an English Convocation. Did the French +clergy ever receive a greater blow to their liberties, than the +submission made to Henry VIII., or so great a one as the seizure of +their lands? The Reformation owed nothing to the good intentions of K. +Henry: He was only an instrument of it, (as the logicians speak) by +accident; nor doth he appear through his whole reign to have had any +other views than those of gratifying his insatiable love of power, +cruelty, oppression, and other irregular appetites. But this kingdom as +well as many other parts of Europe, was, at that time, generally weary +of the corruptions and impositions of the Roman court and church, and +disposed to receive those doctrines which Luther and his followers had +universally spread. Cranmer the archbishop, Cromwell, and others of the +court, did secretly embrace the Reformation; and the King's abrogating +the Pope's supremacy, made the people in general run into the new +doctrines with greater freedom, because they hoped to be supported in it +by the authority and example of their prince, who disappointed them so +far that he made no other step than rejecting the Pope's supremacy as a +clog upon his own power and passions, but retained every corruption +beside, and became a cruel persecutor, as well of those who denied his +own supremacy, as of all others who professed any Protestant doctrine. +Neither hath any thing disgusted me more in reading the histories of +those times, than to see one of the worst princes of any age or country, +celebrated as an instrument in that glorious work of the Reformation. + +The Bishop having gone over all the matters that properly fall within +his Introduction, proceeds to expostulate with several sorts of +people;[47] First with Protestants who are no Christians, such as +atheists, deists, freethinkers, and the like enemies to Christianity. +But these he treats with the tenderness of a friend, because they are +all of them of sound Whig principles in church and state. However, to do +him justice, he lightly touches some old topics for the truth of the +Gospel; and concludes by wishing that the freethinkers would consider +well, if (_Anglice,_ whether) they think it possible to bring a nation +to be without any religion at all, and what the consequences of that may +prove; [48] and in case they allow the negative, he gives it clearly for +Christianity. + +[Footnote 47: Page 56.] + +[Footnote 48: Page 59.] + +Secondly, he applies himself (if I take his meaning right) to Christian +papists "who have a taste of liberty," and desires them to "compare the +absurdities of their own religion with the reasonableness of the +reformed:" [49] Against which, as good luck would have it, I have +nothing to object. + +[Footnote 49: Page 59.] + +Thirdly, he is somewhat rough against his own party, "who having tasted +the sweets of Protestant liberty, can look back so tamely on Popery +coming on them; it looks as if they were bewitched, or that the devil +were in them, to be so negligent. It is not enough that they resolve not +to turn papists themselves: They ought to awaken all about them, even +the most ignorant and stupid, to apprehend their danger, and to exert +themselves with their utmost industry to guard against it, and to resist +it. If after all their endeavours to prevent it, the corruption of the +age, and the art and power of our enemies, prove too hard for us, then, +and not until then, we must submit to the will of God, and be silent, +and prepare ourselves for all the extremity of suffering and of +misery:"[50] with a great deal more of the same strain. + +[Footnote 50: Pages 60, 61.] + +With due submission to the profound sagacity of this prelate, who can +smell Popery at 500 miles distance, better than fanaticism just under +his nose; I take leave to tell him, that this reproof to his friends, +for want of zeal and clamour against Popery, slavery, and the Pretender, +is what they have not deserved. Are the pamphlets and papers, daily +published by the sublime authors of his party full of any thing else? +Are not the Queen, the ministers, the majority of Lords and Commons, +loudly taxed in print with this charge against them at full length? Is +it not the perpetual echo of every Whig coffeehouse and club? Have they +not quartered Popery and the Pretender upon the peace, and treaty of +commerce; upon the possessing, and quieting, and keeping, and +demolishing of Dunkirk? Have they not clamoured because the Pretender +continued in France, and because he left it? Have they not reported, +that the town swarmed with many thousand papists, when upon search there +were never found so few of that religion in it before? If a clergyman +preaches obedience to the higher powers, is he not immediately traduced +as a papist? Can mortal man do more? To deal plainly, my Lord, your +friends are not strong enough yet to make an insurrection, and it is +unreasonable to expect it from them, until their neighbours are ready. + +My Lord, I have a little seriousness at heart upon this point, where +your Lordship affects to show so much. When you can prove, that one +single word has ever dropped from any minister of state, in public or +private, in favour of the Pretender, or his cause; when you can make it +appear, that in the course of this administration, since the Queen +thought fit to change her servants, there hath one step been made toward +weakening the Hanover title, or giving the least countenance to any +other whatsoever; then, and not until then, go dry your chaff and +stubble, give fire to the zeal of your faction, and reproach them with +lukewarmness. + +Fourthly, the Bishop applies himself to the Tories in general. Taking it +for granted, after his charitable manner, that they are all ready +prepared to introduce Popery, he puts an excuse into their mouths, by +which they would endeavour to justify their change of religion. That +"Popery is not what it was before the Reformation: Things are now much +mended; and further corrections might be expected, if we would enter +into a treaty with them: In particular, they see the error of proceeding +severely with heretics; so that there is no reason to apprehend the +returns of such cruelties as were practised an age and a half ago."[51] + +[Footnote 51: Page 62.] + +This, he assures us, is a plea offered by the Tories in defence of +themselves, for going about at this juncture to establish the Popish +religion among us: What argument does he bring to prove the fact itself? + + "Quibus indiciis, quo teste, probavit? + Nil horum: verbosa et grandis epistola venit" [52] + +[Footnote 52: Juvenal, "Sat." x. 70-71. [T. S.]] + +Nothing but this tedious Introduction, wherein he supposes it all along +as a thing granted. That there might be a perfect union in the whole +Christian Church, is a blessing which every good man wishes, but no +reasonable man can hope. That the more polite Roman Catholics have in +several places given up some of their superstitious fopperies, +particularly concerning legends, relics, and the like, is what nobody +denies. But the material points in difference between us and them are +universally retained and asserted, in all their controversial writings. +And if his Lordship really thinks that every man who differs from him, +under the name of a Tory in some church and state opinions, is ready to +believe transubstantiation, purgatory, the infallibility of pope or +councils, to worship saints and angels, and the like; I can only pray +God to enlighten his understanding, or graft in his heart the first +principles of charity; a virtue which some people ought not by any means +wholly to renounce, "because it covers a multitude of sins." + +Fifthly, the Bishop applies himself to his own party in both Houses of +Parliament, whom he exhorts to "guard their religion and liberty against +all danger at what distance soever it may appear. If they are absent and +remiss on critical occasions," that is to say, if they do not attend +close next sessions, to vote upon all occasions whatsoever against the +proceedings of the Queen and Her Ministry; "or, if any views of +advantage to themselves prevail on them." [53] In other words, if any of +them vote for the Bill of Commerce, in hopes of a place or a pension, a +title, or a garter; "God may work a deliverance for us another way." +That is to say, by inviting the Dutch. "But they and their families," +(id est) those who are negligent or revolters, "shall perish." By which +is meant; they shall be hanged as well as the present ministry and their +abettors, as soon as we recover our power. "Because they let in +idolatry, superstition, and tyranny." Because they stood by and suffered +the peace to be made, the Bill of Commerce to pass, and Dunkirk to lie +undemolished longer than we expected, without raising a rebellion. + +[Footnote 53: Pages 67, 68.] + +His last application is to the Tory clergy, a parcel of "blind, +ignorant, dumb, sleeping, greedy, drunken dogs."[54] A pretty artful +episcopal method is this, of calling his brethren as many injurious +names as he pleases. It is but quoting a text of Scripture, where the +characters of evil men are described, and the thing is done; and at the +same time the appearances of piety and devotion preserved. I would +engage, with the help of a good Concordance, and the liberty of +perverting Holy Writ, to find out as many injurious appellations, as the +_Englishman_ throws out in any of his politic papers, and apply them to +those persons "who call good evil, and evil good;" to those who cry +without cause, "Every man to his tent, O Israel! and to those who curse +the Queen in their hearts!" + +[Footnote 54: This is the bishop's reference to the Tory clergy: "But, +in the last place, Those who are appointed to be the watchmen, who ought +to give warning, and to lift up their voice as a trumpet, when they see +those wolves ready to break in and devour the flock, have the heaviest +account of all others to make, if they neglect their duty; much more if +they betray their trust. If they are so set on some smaller matters, and +are so sharpened upon that account, that they will not see their danger, +nor awaken others to see it, and to fly from it; the guilt of those +souls who have perished by their means, God will require at their hands. +If they, in the view of any advantage to themselves, are silent when +they ought to cry out day and night, they will fall under the character +given by the prophet, of the watchmen in his time: 'They are blind, they +are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark, sleeping, lying down, loving to +slumber: Yea, they are greedy dogs, which can never have enough. And +they are shepherds that cannot understand; they all look to their own +way, every one for his gain from his quarter; that say, come, I will +fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; to-morrow +shall be as this day, and much more abundant.'"--BURNET'S _History of +the Reformation_, vol. iii. p. xxii. [T. S.]] + +These decent words he tells us, make up a "lively description of such +pastors, as will not study controversy, nor know the depths of Satan." +He means I suppose, the controversy between us and the papists; for as +to the freethinkers and dissenters of every denomination, they are some +of the best friends to the cause. Now I have been told, there is a body +of that kind of controversy published by the London divines, which is +not to be matched in the world. I believe likewise, there is a good +number of the clergy at present, thoroughly versed in that study; after +which I cannot but give my judgment, that it would be a very idle thing +for pastors in general to busy themselves much in disputes against +Popery. It being a dry heavy employment of the mind at best, especially +when, God be thanked, there is so little occasion for it, in the +generality of parishes throughout the kingdom, and must be daily less +and less by the just severity of the laws, and the utter aversion of our +people from that idolatrous superstition. + +If I might be so bold as to name those who have the honour to be of his +Lordship's party, I would venture to tell him, that pastors have much +more occasion to study controversies against the several classes of +freethinkers and dissenters; the former (I beg his Lordship's pardon for +saying so) being a little worse than papists, and both of them more +dangerous at present to our constitution both in church and state. Not +that I think Presbytery so corrupt a system of Christian religion as +Popery; I believe it is not above one-third as bad: but I think the +Presbyterians, and their clans of other fanatics of freethinkers and +atheists that dangle after them, are as well inclined to pull down the +present establishment of monarchy and religion, as any set of Papists in +Christendom, and therefore that our danger as things now stand, is +infinitely greater from our Protestant enemies; because they are much +more able to ruin us, and full as willing. There is no doubt, but +Presbytery, and a commonwealth, are less formidable evils than Popery, +slavery, and the Pretender; for if the fanatics were in power, I should +be in more apprehension of being starved than burned. But there are +probably in England forty dissenters of all kinds, including their +brethren the freethinkers, for one papist; and, allowing one papist to +be as terrible as three dissenters, it will appear by arithmetic, that +we are thirteen times and one-third more in danger of being ruined by +the latter than the former. + +The other qualification necessary for all pastors, if they will not be +"blind, ignorant, greedy, drunken dogs," &c., is, "to know the depths of +Satan." This is harder than the former; that a poor gentleman ought not +to be parson, vicar, or curate of a parish, except he be cunninger than +the devil. I am afraid it will be difficult to remedy this defect for +one manifest reason, because whoever had only half the cunning of the +devil, would never take up with a vicarage of £10 a-year, "to live on at +his ease," as my Lord expresseth it; but seek out for some better +livelihood. His Lordship is of a nation very much distinguished for that +quality of cunning (though they have a great many better) and I think he +was never accused for wanting his share. However upon a trial of skill I +would venture to lay six to four on the devil's side, who must be +allowed to be at least the older practitioner. Telling truth shames him, +and resistance makes him fly: But to attempt outwitting him, is to fight +him at his own weapon, and consequently no cunning at all. Another thing +I would observe is, that a man may be "in the depths of Satan," without +knowing them all, and such a man may be so far in Satan's depths as to +be out of his own. One of the depths of Satan, is to counterfeit an +angel of light. Another, I believe, is, to stir up the people against +their governors, by false suggestions of danger. A third is to be a +prompter to false brethren, and to send wolves about in sheep's +clothing. Sometimes he sends Jesuits about England in the habit and cant +of fanatics, at other times he has fanatic missionaries in the habits of +----. I shall mention but one more of Satan's depths, for I confess I +know not the hundredth part of them; and that is, to employ his +emissaries in crying out against remote imaginary dangers, by which we +may be taken off from defending ourselves against those which are real +and just at our elbows. + +But his Lordship draws towards a conclusion, and bids us "look about, to +consider the danger we are in, before it is too late;" for he assures +us, we are already "going into some of the worst parts of popery;"[55] +like the man who was so much in haste for his new coat, that he put it +on the wrong side out. "Auricular confession, priestly absolution, and +the sacrifice of the mass," have made great progress in England, and +nobody has observed it: several other popish points "are carried higher +with us than by the papists themselves."[56] And somebody, it seems, +"had the impudence to propose a union with the Gallican church."[57] I +have indeed heard that Mr. Lesley[58] published a discourse to that +purpose, which I have never seen; nor do I perceive the evil in +proposing an union between any two churches in Christendom. Without +doubt Mr. Lesley is most unhappily misled in his politics; but if he be +the author of the late tract against Popery[59], he has given the world +such a proof of his soundness in religion, as many a bishop ought to be +proud of. I never saw the gentleman in my life: I know he is the son of +a great and excellent prelate, who upon several accounts was one of the +most extraordinary men of his age. Mr. Lesley has written many useful +discourses upon several subjects, and hath so well deserved of the +Christian religion, and the Church of England in particular, that to +accuse him of "impudence for proposing an union" in two very different +faiths, is a style which I hope few will imitate. I detest Mr. Lesley's +political principles as much as his Lordship can do for his heart; but I +verily believe he acts from a mistaken conscience, and therefore I +distinguish between the principles and the person. However, it is some +mortification to me, when I see an avowed nonjuror contribute more to +the confounding of Popery, than could ever be done by a hundred thousand +such Introductions as this. + +[Footnote 55: Page 70.] + +[Footnote 56: Page 70.] + +[Footnote 57: Swift here disowns a charge loudly urged by the Whigs of +the time against the high churchmen. There were, however, strong +symptoms of a nearer approach on their part to the church of Rome. +Hickes, the head of the Jacobite writers, had insinuated, that there was +a proper sacrifice in the Eucharist; Brett had published a Sermon on the +"Doctrine of Priestly Absolution as essential to Salvation;" Dodwell had +written against Lay-Baptism, and his doctrine at once excluded all the +dissenters (whose teachers are held as lay-men) from the pale of +Christianity; and, upon the whole, there was a general disposition +among the clergy to censure, if not the Reformation itself, at least the +mode in which it was carried on. [S.]] + +[Footnote 58: Charles Lesley, or Leslie, the celebrated nonjuror. He +published a Jacobite paper, called the "Rehearsal," and was a strenuous +assertor of divine right; but he was also so steady a Protestant, that +he went to Bar-le-Duc to convert the Chevalier de St George from the +errors of Rome. [S.] See note on p. 63. [T. S.]] + +[Footnote 59: "The Case stated between the Church of Rome and the Church +of England," 1713.] + +His Lordship ends with discovering a small ray of comfort. "God be +thanked there are many among us that stand upon the watch-tower, and +that give faithful warning; that stand in the breach, and make +themselves a wall for their church and country; that cry to God day and +night, and lie in the dust mourning before him, to avert those judgments +that seem to hasten towards us. They search into the mystery of iniquity +that is working among us, and acquaint themselves with that mass of +corruption that is in popery."[60] He prays "that the number of these +may increase, and that he may be of that number, ready either to die in +peace, or to seal that doctrine he has been preaching above fifty years, +with his blood."[61] This being his last paragraph, I have made bold to +transcribe the most important parts of it. His design is to end after +the manner of orators, with leaving the strongest impression possible +upon the minds of his hearers. A great breach is made; "the mystery of +popish iniquity is working among us;" may God avert those "judgments +that are hastening towards us!" I am an old man, "a preacher above fifty +years," and I now expect and am ready to die a martyr for the doctrines +I have preached. What an amiable idea does he here leave upon our minds, +of Her Majesty and her government! He has been poring so long upon Fox's +Book of Martyrs, that he imagines himself living in the reign of Queen +Mary, and is resolved to set up for a knight-errant against Popery. Upon +the supposition of his being in earnest, (which I am sure he is not) it +would require but a very little more heat of imagination, to make a +history of such a knight's adventures. What would he say, to behold the +"fires kindled in Smithfield, and all over the town," on the 17th of +November; to behold the Pope borne in triumph on the shoulders of the +people, with a cardinal on the one side, and the Pretender on the other? +He would never believe it was Queen Elizabeth's day, but that of her +persecuting sister: In short, how easily might a windmill be taken for +the whore of Babylon, and a puppet-show for a popish procession? + +[Footnote 60: Page 71] + +[Footnote 61: Page 72] + +But enthusiasm is none of his Lordship's faculty: I am inclined to +believe he might be melancholy enough when he writ this Introduction: +The despair at his age of seeing a faction restored, to which he hath +sacrificed so great a part of his life: The little success he can hope +for in case he should resume those High-Church Principles, in defence of +which he first employed his pen: No visible expectation of removing to +Farnham or Lambeth: And lastly, the misfortune of being hated by every +one, who either wears the habit, or values the profession of a +clergyman: No wonder such a spirit, in such a situation, is provoked +beyond the regards of truth, decency, religion, or self-conviction. To +do him justice, he seems to have nothing else left, but to cry out, +halters, gibbets, faggots, inquisition, Popery, slavery, and the +Pretender. But in the meantime, he little considers what a world of +mischief he does to his cause. It is very convenient, for the present +designs of that faction, to spread the opinion of our immediate danger +from Popery and the Pretender. His directors therefore ought, in my +humble opinion, to have employed his Lordship in publishing a book, +wherein he should have asserted, by the most solemn asseverations, that +all things were safe and well; for the world has contracted so strong a +habit of believing him backwards, that I am confident, nine parts in ten +of those who have read or heard of his Introduction, have slept in +greater security ever since. It is like the melancholy tone of a +watchman at midnight, who thumps with his pole, as if some thief were +breaking in, but you know by the noise, that the door is fast. + +However, he "thanks God there are many among us who stand in the +breach:" I believe they may; 'tis a breach of their own making, and they +design to come forward, and storm and plunder, if they be not driven +back. "They make themselves a wall for their church and country." A +south wall, I suppose, for all the best fruit of the church and country +to be nailed on. Let us examine this metaphor: The wall of our church +and country is built of those who love the constitution in both: Our +domestic enemies undermine some parts of the wall, and place themselves +in the breach; and then they cry, "We are the wall!" We do not like such +patchwork, they build with untempered mortar; nor can they ever cement +with us, till they get better materials and better workmen: God keep us +from having our breaches made up with such rubbish! "They stand upon the +watch-tower;" they are indeed pragmatical enough to do so; but who +assigned them that post, to give us false intelligence, to alarm us with +false dangers, and send us to defend one gate, while their accomplices +are breaking in at another? "They cry to God, day and night to avert the +judgment of Popery which seems to hasten towards us." Then I affirm, +they are hypocrites by day, and filthy dreamers by night. When they cry +unto him, he will not hear them: For they cry against the plainest +dictates of their own conscience, reason, and belief. + +But lastly, "They lie in the dust, mourning before him." Hang me if I +believe that, unless it be figuratively spoken. But suppose it to be +true; why do "they lie in the dust?" Because they love to raise it: For +what do "they mourn?" Why, for power, wealth, and places. There let the +enemies of the Queen, and monarchy, and the church, lie, and mourn, and +lick the dust, like serpents, till they are truly sensible of their +ingratitude, falsehood, disobedience, slander, blasphemy, sedition, and +every evil work! + +I cannot find in my heart to conclude without offering his Lordship a +little humble advice upon some certain points. + +First, I would advise him, if it be not too late in his life, to +endeavour a little at mending his style, which is mighty defective in +the circumstances of grammar, propriety, politeness, and smoothness;[62] +I fancied at first, it might be owing to the prevalence of his passion, +as people sputter out nonsense for haste when they are in a rage. And +indeed I believe this piece before me has received some additional +imperfections from that occasion. But whoever has heard his sermons, or +read his other tracts, will find him very unhappy in his choice and +disposition of his words, and, for want of variety, repeating them, +especially the particles, in a manner very grating to an English ear. +But I confine myself to this Introduction, as his last work, where +endeavouring at rhetorical flowers, he gives us only bunches of +thistles; of which I could present the reader with a plentiful crop; but +I refer him to every page and line of the pamphlet itself. + +[Footnote 62: In Swift's notes on Burnet's "History of his Own Times," +he points out many instances of the deficiency here stated. [S.]] + +Secondly, I would most humbly advise his Lordship to examine a little +into the nature of truth, and sometimes to hear what she says. I shall +produce two instances among a hundred. When he asserts that we are "now +in more danger of Popery than toward the end of King Charles II.'s +reign," and gives the broadest hints, that the Queen, the ministry, the +parliament, and the clergy, are just going to introduce it; I desire to +know, whether he really thinks truth is of his side, or whether he be +not sure she is against him? If the latter, then truth and he will be +found in two different stories; and which are we to believe? Again, when +he gravely advises the clergy and laity of the Tory side, not to "light +the fires in Smithfield," and goes on in twenty places already quoted, +as if the bargain was made for Popery and slavery to enter: I ask again, +whether he has rightly considered the nature of truth? I desire to put a +parallel case. Suppose his Lordship should take it into his fancy to +write and publish a letter to any gentleman of no infamous character for +his religion or morals; and there advise him with great earnestness, not +to rob or fire churches, ravish his daughter, or murder his father; show +him the sin and the danger of these enormities, that if he flattered +himself, he could escape in disguise, or bribe his jury, he was +grievously mistaken: That he must in all probability forfeit his goods +and chattels, die an ignominious death, and be cursed by posterity; +Would not such a gentleman justly think himself highly injured, though +his Lordship did not affirm that the said gentleman had his picklocks or +combustibles ready, that he had attempted his daughter, and drawn his +sword against his father in order to stab him? Whereas, in the other +case, this writer affirms over and over, that all attempts for +introducing Popery and slavery are already made, the whole business +concerted, and that little less than a miracle can prevent our ruin. + +Thirdly, I could heartily wish his Lordship would not undertake to +charge the opinions of one or two, and those probably nonjurors, upon +the whole body of the nation that differs from him. Mr. Lesley writ a +"Proposal for a Union with the Gallican Church;" somebody else has +"carried the necessity of priesthood in the point of baptism farther +than popery;" a third has "asserted the independency of the church on +the state, and in many things arraigned the supremacy of the crown." +Then he speaks in a dubious insinuating way, as if some other popish +tenets had been already advanced: And at last concludes in this affected +strain of despondency, "What will all these things end in? and on what +design are they driven? Alas, it is too visible!" 'Tis as clear as the +sun, that these authors are encouraged by the ministry with a design to +bring in Popery; and in Popery all these things will end. + +I never was so uncharitable as to believe, that the whole party of which +his Lordship professeth himself a member, had a real formed design of +establishing atheism among us. The reason why the Whigs have taken the +atheists, or freethinkers, into their body, is because they wholly agree +in their political schemes, and differ very little in church power and +discipline. However, I could turn the argument against his Lordship with +very great advantage, by quoting passages from fifty pamphlets wholly +made up of Whiggism and atheism, and then conclude; "What will all these +things end in? And on what design are they driven? Alas, it is too +visible!" + +Lastly, I would beg his Lordship not to be so exceedingly outrageous +upon the memory of the dead; because it is highly probable, that, in a +very short time he will be one of the number. He has in plain words +given Mr. Wharton the character of a "most malicious, revengeful, +treacherous, lying, mercenary villain." To which I shall only say, that +the direct reverse of this amiable description is what appears from the +works of that most learned divine, and from the accounts given me by +those who knew him much better than the Bishop seems to have done. I +meddle not with the moral part of his treatment. God Almighty forgive +his Lordship this manner of revenging himself; and then there will be +but little consequence from an accusation which the dead cannot feel, +and which none of the living will believe. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +MR. COLLINS'S DISCOURSE OF + +FREETHINKING; + +PUT INTO PLAIN ENGLISH, + +BY WAY OF ABSTRACT, + +FOR THE USE OF THE POOR. + +BY A FRIEND OF THE AUTHOR. + +FIRST PRINTED IN 1713 + + +NOTE. + +Of the deistical writers of the early eighteenth century, Anthony +Collins (1676-1729) is, perhaps, the most celebrated. He was born near +Hounslow and educated at Eton and Cambridge. His writings were mainly +attacks on Christianity, and, in addition to the "Discourse on +Freethinking," he published: "Discourse of the Grounds and Reasons of +the Christian Religion;" "Scheme of Literal Prophecy Considered;" +"Priestcraft in Perfection;" "Historical and Critical Essay on the +Thirty-Nine Articles;" and "A Philosophical Enquiry concerning Human +Liberty." Most of these writings engaged him in many and violent +controversies with some of the ablest divines of his time. Among these, +beside Swift, may be named, Whiston, Hare, Hoadly, Bentley, and Samuel +Clarke. Steele, also, had his fling at Collins, and thought that "if +ever man deserved to be denied the common benefits of air and water, it +is the author of 'A Discourse upon Freethinking'" ("Guardian," No. 3). +But then Steele's opinion on such a matter was of no great moment. What +was of more, was the fact that the school to which Collins belonged +found a decided opponent in Locke, from the writings of whom the members +of the school professed to draw their strongest arguments. For a +philosophical appreciation of Toland, Collins, and the rest, see Mr. +Leslie Stephen's "English Thought in the Eighteenth Century" (chaps. +iii. and iv. of vol. i. 1881). + +Swift took an entirely different attitude towards Collins from that +assumed by the professional controversialists. He refused to take him +seriously, and no doubt he felt that ridicule would as effectually serve +his purpose as another method. Moreover, he sought to use the +opportunity for scoring a point against the Whigs, by insisting on the +political side of the matter, and, in the person of an assumed defender +of Collins, betrayed undoubted Whig leanings. Swift, at this time, was +deep in work, pamphleteering for Harley and St. John. He had already +written "The Conduct of the Allies," and "Some Remarks on the Barrier +Treaty," and was soon to write "The Public Spirit of the Whigs." The +assumed and sarcastic defence of Collins must be taken as a Swiftian +dodge to bring odium and suspicion on the opponents of the Tory +ministry, by showing that the propounders of the hateful and ridiculous +atheism were themselves Whigs. + +Sir Henry Craik, in a note to his reprint of this tract ("Selections +from Swift," Oxford, 1893, vol. ii. p. 42), agrees with Scott as to the +motive which urged Swift in writing it. "In this later tract," he says, +"Swift makes no attempt to cloak his enmity; and he boldly assumes the +character of a Whig as the propounder of those atheistical absurdities, +which he wished, as a useful political move, but without any scrupulous +regard to fairness, to represent as part and parcel of the tenets of +that party." "What gave colour," says Scott, "though only a colour, to +his charge was, that Toland, Tindal, Collins, and most of those who +carried to licence their abhorrence of Church-government, were naturally +enough enrolled among that party in politics who professed most +attachment to freedom of sentiment." It must not, however, be forgotten, +that Swift's attachment to his Church, as it influenced him against the +Whigs, would naturally influence him against the deistical writers also, +and that he must be credited, to that extent, with honesty of purpose. +That these writers were Whigs was, if one may so put it, an accident, of +which it would have been more than a human act for Swift not to take +advantage, for party purposes. + +Curiously enough, none of Swift's more modern biographers have thought +this imitation of Collins's "Discourse" worthy of a mention; yet it is, +in its way, as fine a performance as his castigation of Bishop Burnet +and his "Introduction." The fooling is admirably carried on, and the +intention, as explained in the introduction, is excellently well +realized. It frightened Collins into Holland. To appreciate the +cleverness with which it has been done, one should read Swift's +"Abstract" side by side with Collins's "Discourse." + +The pamphlet was advertised for sale in "The Examiner" for Tuesday, +January 26th, 1712-13. In His "Letters to Stella" (January 16th and +21st, 1712-13), Swift makes the following references to it: "I came home +at seven, and began a little whim which just came into my head, and will +make a three-penny pamphlet. It shall be finished in a week; and, if it +succeeds, you shall know what it is; otherwise not. ... I was to-day +with my printer, to give him a little pamphlet I have written; but not +politics. It will be out by Monday." + +The present text is based on that of the first edition, collated with +those given by Nichols, Hawkesworth and Scott. None of the +"Miscellanies" prints this tract, nor is it given in Faulkner's edition +of 1735-38 (6 vols.). It is fully annotated and edited by Nichols in the +first volume of his "Supplement to Swift's Works" (1779). + +[T. S.] + + + Mr. COLLIN'S + DISCOURSE + OF + FREE-THINKING, + PUT INTO PLAIN ENGLISH, + BY WAY OF ABSTRACT, + FOR THE + USE OF THE POOR. + +BY A FRIEND OF THE AUTHOR. + +1713. + + +INTRODUCTION. + +Our party having failed, by all their political arguments, to +re-establish their power; the wise leaders have determined, that the +last and principal remedy should be made use of, for opening the eyes of +this blinded nation; and that a short, but perfect, system of their +divinity, should be published, to which we are all of us ready to +subscribe, and which we lay down as a model, bearing a close analogy to +our schemes in religion. Crafty, designing men, that they might keep the +world in awe, have, in their several forms of government, placed a +_Supreme Power_ on earth, to keep human-kind in fear of being hanged; +and a supreme power in heaven, for fear of being damned. In order to +cure men's apprehensions of the former, several of our learned members +have writ many profound treatises on Anarchy; but a brief complete body +of Atheology seemed yet wanting, till this irrefragable Discourse +appeared. However, it so happens, that our ablest brethren, in their +elaborate disquisitions upon this subject, have written with so much +caution, that ignorant unbelievers have edified very little by them. I +grant that those daring spirits, who first adventured to write against +the direct rules of the gospel, the current of antiquity, the religion +of the magistrate, and the laws of the land, had some measures to keep; +and particularly when they railed at religion, were in the right to use +little artful disguises, by which a jury could only find them guilty of +abusing heathenism or popery. But the mystery is now revealed, that +there is no such thing as mystery or revelation; and though our friends +are out of place and power, yet we may have so much confidence in the +present ministry, to be secure, that those who suffer so many free +speeches against their sovereign and themselves, to pass unpunished, +will never resent our expressing the freest thoughts against their +religion; but think with Tiberius, that if there be a God, he is able +enough to revenge any injuries done to himself, without expecting the +civil power to interpose.[1] + +[Footnote 1: Swift was evidently very fond of this reference, since he +uses it several times in his writings. [T. S.]] + +_By these reflections I was brought to think, that the most ingenious +author of the Discourse upon Freethinking, in a letter to Somebody, +Esq.; although he hath used less reserve than any of his predecessors, +might yet have been more free and open. I considered, that several +well-witters to infidelity, might be discouraged by a show of logic, and +a multiplicity of quotations, scattered through his book, which to +understandings of that size, might carry an appearance of something like +book-learning, and consequently fright them from reading for their +improvement; I could see no reason why these great discoveries should be +hid from our youth of quality, who frequent Whites and Tom's; why they +should not be adapted to the capacities of the Kit-Cat and Hanover +Clubs,[2] who might then be able to read lectures on them to their +several toasts: and it will be allowed on all hands, that nothing can +sooner help to restore our abdicated cause, than a firm universal belief +of the principles laid down by this sublime author._ + +[Footnote 2: These were chocolate houses of the time, supported mainly +by the aristocracy and the gamblers. White's is still in existence, and +has had the honour of having had a special history written about it. +Tom's was in Russell Street, and so-called after its landlord, Tom West. +The Kit-Cat Club was the resort of the Whig wits of the day, and the +Hanover Club of those who favoured the Hanover succession. [T. S.]] + +For I am sensible that nothing would more contribute to "the continuance +of the war" and the restoration of the late ministry, than to have the +doctrines delivered in this treatise well infused into the people. I +have therefore compiled them into the following Abstract, wherein I have +adhered to the very words of our author, only adding some few +explanations of my own, where the terms happen to be too learned, and +consequently a little beyond the comprehension of those for whom the +work was principally intended, I mean the nobility and gentry of our +party. After which I hope it will be impossible for the malice of a +Jacobite, highflying, priestridden faction, to misrepresent us. The few +additions I have made are for no other use than to help the transition, +which could not otherwise be kept in an abstract; but I have not +presumed to advance anything of my own; which besides would be needless +to an author who hath so fully handled and demonstrated every +particular. I shall only add, that though this writer, when he speaks of +priests, desires chiefly to be understood to mean the English clergy, +yet he includes all priests whatsoever, except the ancient and modern +heathens, the Turks, Quakers, and Socinians. + + +THE LETTER. + +SIR, + +I send you this apology for Freethinking,[3] without the least hopes of +doing good, but purely to comply with your request; for those truths +which nobody can deny, will do no good to those who deny them. The +clergy, who are so impudent to teach the people the doctrines of faith, +are all either cunning knaves or mad fools; for none but artificial, +designing men, and crack-brained enthusiasts, presume to be guides to +others in matters of speculation, which all the doctrines of +Christianity are; and whoever has a mind to learn the Christian +religion, naturally chooses such knaves and fools to teach them. Now the +Bible, which contains the precepts of the priests' religion, is the most +difficult book in the world to be understood; it requires a thorough +knowledge in natural, civil, ecclesiastical history, law, husbandry, +sailing, physic, pharmacy, mathematics, metaphysics, ethics, and +everything else that can be named: And everybody who believes it ought +to understand it, and must do so by force of his own freethinking, +without any guide or instructor. + +[Footnote 3: The chief strain of Collins's "Discourse" is an eulogium +upon the necessity and advantage of Freethinking; in which it is more +than insinuated that the advocates of revealed religion are enemies to +the progress of enlightened inquiry. This insidious position is +ridiculed in the following parody. [S.]] + +How can a man think at all, if he does not think freely? A man who does +not eat and drink freely, does not eat and drink at all. Why may not I +be denied the liberty of freeseeing, as well as freethinking? Yet nobody +pretends that the first is unlawful, for a cat may look on a king; +though you be near-sighted, or have weak or sore eyes, or are blind, you +may be a free-seer; you ought to see for yourself, and not trust to a +guide to choose the colour of your stockings, or save you from falling +into a ditch. + +In like manner, there ought to be no restraint at all on thinking freely +upon any proposition, however impious or absurd. There is not the least +hurt in the wickedest thoughts, provided they be free; nor in telling +those thoughts to everybody, and endeavouring to convince the world of +them; for all this is included in the doctrine of freethinking, as I +shall plainly show you in what follows; and therefore you are all along +to understand the word freethinking in this sense. + +If you are apt to be afraid of the devil, think freely of him, and you +destroy him and his kingdom. Freethinking has done him more mischief +than all the clergy in the world ever could do; they believe in the +devil, they have an interest in him, and therefore are the great +supports of his kingdom. The devil was in the States-General before they +began to be freethinkers. For England and Holland[4] were formerly the +Christian territories of the devil; I told you how he left Holland; and +freethinking and the revolution banished him from England; I defy all +the clergy to shew me when they ever had such success against him. My +meaning is, that to think freely of the devil, is to think there is no +devil at all; and he that thinks so, the devil's in him if he be afraid +of the devil. + +[Footnote 4: Collins is supposed to have imbibed his freethinking +philosophy during his repeated visits to Holland. [S.]] + +But, within these two or three years, the devil has come into England +again, and Dr. Sacheverell[5] has given him commission to appear in the +shape of a cat, and carry old women about upon broomsticks: And the +devil has now so many "ministers ordained to his service," that they +have rendered freethinking odious, and nothing but the second coming of +Christ can restore it. + +[Footnote 5: See note on p. 147.] + +The priests tell me, I am to believe the Bible, but freethinking tells +me otherwise in many particulars: The Bible says, the Jews were a nation +favoured by God; but I who am a freethinker say, that cannot be, because +the Jews lived in a corner of the earth, and freethinking makes it +clear, that those who live in corners cannot be favourites of God. The +New Testament all along asserts the truth of Christianity, but +freethinking denies it; because Christianity was communicated but to a +few; and whatever is communicated but to a few, cannot be true; for that +is like whispering, and the proverb says, that there is no whispering +without lying. + +Here is a society in London for propagating freethinking throughout the +world, encouraged and supported by the Queen and many others. You say, +perhaps, it is for propagating the Gospel. Do you think the missionaries +we send will tell the heathens that they must not think freely? No, +surely; why then, it is manifest, those missionaries must be +freethinkers, and make the heathens so too. But why should not the king +of Siam, whose religion is heathenism and idolatry, send over a parcel +of his priests to convert us to his church, as well as we send +missionaries there? Both projects are exactly of a piece, and equally +reasonable; and if those heathen priests were here, it would be our duty +to hearken to them, and think freely whether they may not be in the +right rather than we. I heartily wish a detachment of such divines as Dr +Atterbury, Dr. Smallridge,[6] Dr. Swift, Dr. Sacheverell, and some others, +were sent every year to the farthest part of the heathen world, and that +we had a cargo of their priests in return, who would spread freethinking +among us; then the war would go on, the late ministry be restored, and +faction cease, which our priests inflame by haranguing upon texts, and +falsely call that preaching the Gospel. + +[Footnote 6: Dr. Smallridge, it will be remembered, was the gentleman +who indignantly denied the authorship of "A Tale of a Tub" (see vol. i. +of this edition). He became Bishop of Bristol in 1714, and died in 1719. +His style was well thought of at the time. [T.S.]] + +I have another project in my head, which ought to be put in execution, +in order to make us freethinkers: It is a great hardship and injustice, +that our priests must not be disturbed while they are prating in the +pulpit. For example: Why should not William Penn the Quaker, or any +Anabaptist, Papist, Muggletonian, Jew, or Sweet-Singer,[7] have liberty +to come into St Paul's Church, in the midst of divine service, and +endeavour to convert first the aldermen, then the preacher, and +singing-men? Or pray, why might not poor Mr. Whiston,[8] who denies the +divinity of Christ, be allowed to come into the Lower House of +Convocation, and convert the clergy? But, alas! we are overrun with such +false notions, that, if Penn or Whiston should do their duty, they would +be reckoned fanatics, and disturbers of the holy synod, although they +have as good a title to it as St Paul had to go into the synagogues of +the Jews; and their authority is full as divine as his. + +[Footnote 7: The Sweet-Singers were a fanatical sect of wailers, founded +in Scotland, but which had no long life. [T.S.]] Christ himself commands +us to be freethinkers; for he bids us search the scriptures, and take +heed what and whom we hear; by which he plainly warns us, not to believe +our bishops and clergy; for Jesus Christ, when he considered that all +the Jewish and heathen priests, whose religion he came to abolish, were +his enemies, rightly concluded that those appointed by him to preach his +own gospel, would probably be so too; and could not be secure, that any +set of priests, of the faith he delivered, would ever be otherwise; +therefore it is fully demonstrated that the clergy of the Church of +England are mortal enemies to Christ, and ought not to be believed. + +[Footnote 8: Yet Whiston, who receives this side-cut, was himself an +anxious combatant of Collins, in his "Reflections on an Anonymous +Pamphlet, entitled, 'A Defence of Freethinking.'" 1713. [S.]] + +But, without the privilege of freethinking, how is it possible to know +which is the right Scripture? Here are perhaps twenty sorts of +Scriptures in the several parts of the world, and every set of priests +contend that their Scripture is the true one. The Indian Brahmins have a +book of scripture called the Shaster; the Persees their Zundivastaw;[9] +the Bonzes in China have theirs, written by the disciples of Fo-he, whom +they call _God and Saviour of the world, who was born to teach the way +of salvation, and to give satisfaction for all men's sins_: which, you +see, is directly the same with what our priests pretend of Christ. And +must we not think freely, to find out which are in the right, whether +the Bishops or the Bonzes? But the Talapoins, or heathen clergy of Siam, +approach yet nearer to the system of our priests; they have a Book of +Scripture written by Sommonocodam, who, the Siamese say, was "born of a +virgin," and was "the God expected by the Universe;" just as our priests +tell us, that Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary, and was the +Messiah so long expected. The Turkish priests, or dervises, have their +Scripture which they call the Alcoran. The Jews have the Old Testament +for their Scripture, and the Christians have both the Old and the New. +Now among all these Scriptures, there cannot above one be right; and how +is it possible to know which is that, without reading them all, and then +thinking freely, every one of us for ourselves, without following the +advice or instruction of any guide, before we venture to choose? The +parliament ought to be at the charge of finding a sufficient number of +these Scriptures, for every one of Her Majesty's subjects, for there are +twenty to one against us, that we may be in the wrong: But a great deal +of freethinking will at last set us all right, and every one will adhere +to the Scripture he likes best; by which means, religion, peace, and +wealth, will be for ever secured in Her Majesty's realms. + +[Footnote 9: Swift means here, of course, the Zendavesta, the +commentaries on the sacred books of the Parsees. Not that Swift could +have known much of these Oriental religions; but the names were good +enough for his purpose. [T.S.]] + +And it is the more necessary that the good people of England should have +liberty to choose some other Scripture, because all Christian priests +differ so much about the copies of theirs, and about the various +readings of the several manuscripts, which quite destroys the authority +of the Bible: for what authority can a book pretend to, where there are +various readings?[10] And for this reason, it is manifest that no man +can know the opinions of Aristotle or Plato, or believe the facts +related by Thucydides or Livy, or be pleased with the poetry of Homer +and Virgil, all which books are utterly useless, upon account of their +various readings. Some books of Scripture are said to be lost, and this +utterly destroys the credit of those that are left: some we reject, +which the Africans and Copticks receive; and why may we not think +freely, and reject the rest? Some think the scriptures wholly inspired, +some partly; and some not at all. Now this is just the very case of the +Bramins, Persees, Bonzes, Talapoins, Dervises, Rabbis, and all other +priests, who build their religion upon books, as our priests do upon +their Bibles; they all equally differ about the copies, various readings +and inspirations, of their several Scriptures, and God knows which are +in the right: Freethinking alone can determine it. + +[Footnote 10: In the discourse on "Freethinking," p. 80, Collins insists +much on a passage in Victor of Tunis, from which he infers, that the +Gospels were corrected and altered in the fourth century. [S.]] + +It would be endless to show in how many particulars the priests of the +Heathen and Christian churches, differ about the meaning even of those +Scriptures which they universally receive as sacred. But, to avoid +prolixity, I shall confine myself to the different opinions among the +priests of the Church of England, and here only give you a specimen, +because even these are too many to be enumerated. + +I have found out a bishop, (though indeed his opinions are condemned by +all his brethren,) who allows the Scriptures to be so difficult, that +God has left them rather as a trial of our industry than a repository of +our faith, and furniture of creeds and articles of belief; with several +other admirable schemes of freethinking, which you may consult at your +leisure. + +The doctrine of the Trinity is the most fundamental point of the whole +Christian religion. Nothing is more easy to a freethinker, yet what +different notions of it do the English priests pretend to deduce from +Scripture, explaining it by "specific unities, eternal modes of +subsistence," and the like unintelligible jargon? Nay, it is a question +whether this doctrine be fundamental or no; for though Dr. South and +Bishop Bull affirm it, yet Bishop Taylor and Dr. Wallis deny it.[11] And +that excellent freethinking prelate, Bishop Taylor, observes, that +Athanasius's example was followed with too much greediness; by which +means it has happened, that the greater number of our priests are in +that sentiment, and think it necessary to believe the Trinity, and +incarnation of Christ.[12] + +[Footnote 11: Dr. Robert South (1633-1716), rector of Islip. The +reference by Swift is to his controversy with Sherlock on the doctrine +of the Trinity. The two disputants got into such depths that both were +charged with heresy. + +Dr. George Bull (1634-1710), Bishop of St. David's, wrote the "Defensio +Fidei Nicenae." For his exposition of the necessity for the belief in the +divinity of the Son of God he received the thanks of Bossuet. + +Dr. Jeremy Taylor, Bishop of Down and Connor (1613-1667), and author of +"Holy Living" and "Holy Dying," wrote also "Unum Necessarium, or the +Doctrine and Practice of Repentance." His treatment, in this work, of +the doctrine of original sin was considered heterodox by Bishop Warner +and Dr. Sanderson, and a controversy ensued, in the course of which +Taylor was imprisoned in Chepstow Castle on a charge of being concerned +in a Royalist insurrection. + +Dr. John Wallis (1616-1703), here referred to, is the famous +mathematician and divine, and one of the original members of the Royal +Society. He is mentioned in the text by Swift because of a work he +published on the Trinity, which brought him into collision with the +Arians. But the Doctor seems to have been addicted to views of a +controversial nature, for his opinions on infant baptism and the keeping +of the Sabbath found many objectors. He was Savilian Professor of +Geometry at Oxford in 1648. [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 12: See Swift's opinion of controversies on this subject in +his "Sermon upon the Trinity." [S.]] + +Our priests likewise dispute several circumstances about the +resurrection of the dead, the nature of our bodies after the +resurrection, and in what manner they shall be united to our souls. They +also attack one another "very weakly with great vigour," about +predestination. And it is certainly true, (for Bishop Taylor and Mr. +Whiston the Socinian say so,) that all churches in prosperity alter +their doctrines every age, and are neither satisfied with themselves, +nor their own confessions; neither does any clergyman of sense believe +the Thirty-nine Articles. + +Our priests differ about the eternity of hell torments. The famous Dr +Henry More,[13] and the most pious and rational of all priests, Dr +Tillotson,[14] (both freethinkers,) believe them to be not eternal. They +differ about keeping the sabbath, the divine right of episcopacy, and +the doctrine of original sin; which is the foundation of the whole +Christian religion; for if men are not liable to be damned for Adam's +sin, the Christian religion is an imposture: Yet this is now disputed +among them; so is lay baptism; so was formerly the lawfulness of usury, +but now the priests are common stock-jobbers, attorneys, and scriveners. +In short there is no end of disputing among priests, and therefore I +conclude, that there ought to be no such thing in the world as priests, +teachers, or guides, for instructing ignorant people in religion; but +that every man ought to think freely for himself. + +[Footnote 13: Dr. Henry More (1614-1687), the Platonist theologian, +wrote a philosophical poem entitled, "Psycho-Zoia, or the Life of the +Soul" (1640). [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 14: Dr. John Tillotson (1630-1694) succeeded Bancroft as +Archbishop of Canterbury. He published some eloquent sermons and several +controversial tracts against Catholicism. [T.S.]] + +I will tell you the meaning in all this; the priests dispute every point +in the Christian religion, as well as almost every text in the Bible; +and the force of my argument lies here, that whatever point is disputed +by one or two divines, however condemned by the Church, not only that +particular point, but the whole article to which it relates, may +lawfully be received or rejected by any freethinker. For instance, +suppose More and Tillotson deny the eternity of hell torments, a +freethinker may deny all future punishments whatsoever. The priests +dispute about explaining the Trinity; therefore a freethinker may reject +one or two, or the whole three persons; at least he may reject +Christianity, because the Trinity is the most fundamental doctrine of +that religion. So I affirm original sin, and that men are now liable to +be damned for Adam's sin, to be the foundation of the whole Christian +religion; but this point was formerly, and is now disputed, therefore, a +freethinker may deny the whole. And I cannot help giving you one farther +direction, how I insinuate all along, that the wisest freethinking +priests, whom you may distinguish by the epithets I bestow them, were +those who differed most from the generality of their brethren. + +But besides, the conduct of our priests in many other points, makes +freethinking unavoidable; for some of them own, that the doctrines of +the Church are contradictory to one another, as well as to reason; which +I thus prove: Dr. Sacheverell says in his speech at his trial, That by +abandoning passive obedience we must render ourselves the most +inconsistent Church in the world: Now 'tis plain, that one inconsistency +could not make the most inconsistent Church in the world; _ergo_, there +must have been a great many inconsistencies and contradictory doctrines +in the Church before. Dr. South describes the incarnation of Christ, as +an astonishing mystery, impossible to be conceived by man's reason; +_ergo_, it is contradictory to itself, and to reason, and ought to be +exploded by all freethinkers. + +Another instance of the priests' conduct, which multiplies freethinkers, +is their acknowledgment of abuses, defects, and false doctrines, in the +Church; particularly that of eating black pudding,[15] which is so +plainly forbid in the Old and New Testament, that I wonder those who +pretend to believe a syllable in either will presume to taste it. Why +should I mention the want of discipline, and of a sideboard at the +altar, with complaints of other great abuses and defects made by some of +the priests, which no man can think on without freethinking, and +consequently rejecting Christianity? + +[Footnote 15: Collins in his pamphlet quotes a Dr. Grabe, who, following +the Jewish code of rules as regards food, considered the eating of blood +one of the points on which the Church did not insist against. In the +text Swift ridicules this in the reference to "black pudding." [T. S.]] + +When I see an honest freethinking bishop endeavour to destroy the power +and privileges of the Church, and Dr. Atterbury angry with him for it, +and calling it "dirty work," what can I conclude, by virtue of being a +freethinker, but that Christianity is all a cheat? + +Mr. Whiston has published several tracts, wherein he absolutely denies +the divinity of Christ: A bishop tells him, "Sir, in any matter where +you have the Church's judgment against you, you should be careful not to +break the peace of the Church, by writing against it, though you are +sure you are in the right."[16] Now my opinion is directly contrary; and +I affirm, that if ten thousand freethinkers thought differently from the +received doctrine, and from each other, they would be all in duty bound +to publish their thoughts (provided they were all sure of being in the +right) though it broke the peace of the Church and state ten thousand +times. + +[Footnote 16: Swift's "Sermon on the Trinity," as well as a passage in +his "Thoughts upon Religion," shews the weight which he attached to this +important argument. [S.]] + +And here I must take leave to tell you, although you cannot but have +perceived it from what I have already said, and shall be still more +amply convinced by what is to follow; that freethinking signifies +nothing, without freespeaking and freewriting. It is the indispensable +duty of a freethinker, to endeavour forcing all the world to think as he +does, and by that means make them freethinkers too. You are also to +understand, that I allow no man to be a freethinker, any further than as +he differs from the received doctrines of religion. Where a man falls +in, though by perfect chance, with what is generally believed, he is in +that point a confined and limited thinker; and you shall see by and by, +that I celebrate those for the noblest freethinkers in every age, who +differed from the religion of their countries in the most fundamental +points, and especially in those which bear any analogy to the chief +fundamentals of religion among us. + +Another trick of the priests is, to charge all men with atheism, who +have more wit than themselves; which therefore I expect will be my case +for writing this discourse: This is what makes them so implacable +against Mr. Gildon, Dr. Tindal, Mr. Toland,[17] and myself, and when they +call us wits, atheists, it provokes us to be freethinkers. + +[Footnote 17: See notes on pp. 9, 79, 80, 82.] + +Again; the priests cannot agree when their Scripture was written. They +differ about the number of canonical books, and the various readings. +Now those few among us who understand Latin, are careful to tell this to +our disciples, who presently fall a-freethinking, that the Bible is a +book not to be depended upon in anything at all. + +There is another thing, that mightily spreads freethinking, which I +believe you would hardly guess. The priests have got a way of late of +writing books against freethinking; I mean treatises in dialogue, where +they introduce atheists, deists, sceptics, and Socinians offering their +several arguments. Now these freethinkers are too hard for the priests +themselves in their own books; and how can it be otherwise? For if the +arguments usually offered by atheists, are fairly represented in these +books, they must needs convert everybody that reads them; because +atheists, deists, sceptics, and Socinians, have certainly better +arguments to maintain their opinions, than any the priests can produce +to maintain the contrary. + +Mr. Creech,[18] a priest, translated Lucretius into English, which is a +complete system of atheism; and several young students, who were +afterwards priests, wrote verses in praise of this translation. The +arguments against Providence in that book are so strong, that they have +added mightily to the number of freethinkers. + +[Footnote 18: This is Thomas Creech, the translator of Horace, to whom +Swift refers in "The Battle of the Books" (see vol. i. p. 180). The +translation of Lucretius was published in English verse in 1682. [T. +S.]] + +Why should I mention the pious cheats of the priests, who in the New +Testament translate the word _ecclesia_ sometimes the _church_, and +sometimes the _congregation_; and _episcopus_, sometimes a _bishop_, and +sometimes an _overseer_? A priest,[19] translating a book, left out a +whole passage that reflected on the king, by which he was an enemy to +political freethinking, a most considerable branch of our system. +Another priest, translating a book of travels,[20] left out a lying +miracle, out of mere malice, to conceal an argument for freethinking. In +short, these frauds are very common in all books which are published by +priests: But however, I love to excuse them whenever I can: And as to +this accusation, they may plead the authority of the ancient fathers of +the Church, for forgery, corruption, and mangling of authors, with more +reason than for any of their articles of faith. St Jerom, St Hilary, +Eusebius Vercellensis, Victorinus,[21] and several others, were all +guilty of arrant forgery and corruption: For when they translated the +works of several freethinkers, whom they called heretics, they omitted +all their heresies or freethinkings, and had the impudence to own it to +the world. + +[Footnote 19: Collins refers to the Rev. Mr. Brown, who translated +Father Paul's "Letters," and omitted the words, "If the King of England +[James I.] were not more a doctor than a king."] + +[Footnote 20: Baumgarten's "Travels." [T. S.]] + +[Footnote 21: Jerome, or St. Hieronymus (_circa_ 340-420), wrote the +Latin vulgate translation of the Scriptures. Is accepted as one of the +Fathers of the Church. + +St. Hilary, another accepted Father, was bishop of Poictiers. He died +367 or 368. + +The Eusebius here named was Bishop of Vercelli, a city of Liguria. He +flourished about A.D. 360, and distinguished himself at the Council of +Milan in A.D. 355, for his attacks against Arianism. He was exiled to +Upper Thebais, with several other bishops who refused to subscribe to +the condemnation of Athanasius; but was recalled with Lucifer, bishop of +Cagliari, Sardinia. In conjunction with Athanasius he attended an +Alexandrian synod which declared the Trinity consubstantial. He +travelled much, in the Eastern provinces and Italy, engaging in +missionary work. He died about A.D. 373. + +Fabius Marius Victorinus was born in Africa, and died at Rome in 370. He +was a distinguished orator, grammarian, and rhetorician. His chief work +was a treatise entitled "De Orthographia." He also wrote many +theological books. [T. S.]] + +From these many notorious instances of the priests' conduct, I conclude +they are not to be relied on in any one thing relating to religion; but +that every man must think freely for himself. + +But to this it may be objected, that the bulk of mankind is as well +qualified for flying as thinking, and if every man thought it his duty +to think freely, and trouble his neighbour with his thoughts (which is +an essential part of freethinking,) it would make wild work in the +world. I answer; whoever cannot think freely, may let it alone if he +pleases, by virtue of his right to think freely; that is to say, if such +a man freely thinks that he cannot think freely, of which every man is a +sufficient judge, why, then, he need not think freely, unless he thinks +fit. + +Besides, if the bulk of mankind cannot think freely in matters of +speculation, as the being of a God, the immortality of the soul, &c. why +then, freethinking is indeed no duty: But then the priests must allow, +that men are not concerned to believe whether there is a God or no. But +still those who are disposed to think freely, may think freely if they +please. + +It is again objected, that freethinking will produce endless divisions +in opinion, and by consequence disorder society. To which I answer; + +When every single man comes to have a different opinion every day from +the whole world, and from himself, by virtue of freethinking, and thinks +it his duty to convert every man to his own freethinking (as all we +freethinkers do) how can that possibly create so great a diversity of +opinions, as to have a set of priests agree among themselves to teach +the same opinions in their several parishes to all who will come to hear +them? Besides, if all people were of the same opinion, the remedy would +be worse than the disease; I will tell you the reason some other time. + +Besides, difference in opinion, especially in matters of great moment, +breeds no confusion at all. Witness Papist and Protestant, Roundhead and +Cavalier, Whig and Tory, now among us. I observe, the Turkish empire is +more at peace within itself, than Christian princes are with one +another. Those noble Turkish virtues of charity and toleration, are what +contribute chiefly to the flourishing state of that happy monarchy. +There Christians and Jews are tolerated, and live at ease, if they can +hold their tongues and think freely, provided they never set foot within +the mosques, nor write against Mahomet: A few plunderings now and then +by the janissaries are all they have to fear. + +It is objected, that by freethinking, men will think themselves into +atheism; and indeed I have allowed all along, that atheistical books +convert men to freethinking. But suppose that to be true; I can bring +you two divines who affirm superstition and enthusiasm to be worse than +atheism, and more mischievous to society, and in short it is necessary +that the bulk of the people should be atheists or superstitious. + +It is objected, that priests ought to be relied on by the people, as +lawyers and physicians, because it is their faculty. + +I answer, 'Tis true, a man who is no lawyer is not suffered to plead for +himself; but every man may be his own quack if he pleases, and he only +ventures his life; but in the other case the priest tells him he must be +damned: Therefore do not trust the priest, but think freely for +yourself, and if you happen to think there is no hell, there certainly +is none, and consequently you cannot be damned; I answer further, that +wherever there is no lawyer, physician, or priest, the country is +paradise. Besides, all priests, (except the orthodox, and those are not +ours, nor any that I know,) are hired by the public to lead men into +mischief; but lawyers and physicians are not, you hire them yourself. + +It is objected, (by priests no doubt, but I have forgot their names) +that false speculations are necessary to be imposed upon men, in order +to assist the magistrate in keeping the peace, and that men ought +therefore to be deceived, like children, for their own good. I answer, +that zeal for imposing speculations, whether true or false (under which +name of speculations I include all opinions of religion, as the belief +of a God, Providence, immortality of the soul, future rewards and +punishments, &c.) has done more hurt than it is possible for religion to +do good. It puts us to the charge of maintaining ten thousand priests in +England, which is a burden upon society never felt upon any other +occasion; and a greater evil to the public than if these ecclesiastics +were only employed in the most innocent offices of life, which I take to +be eating and drinking. Now if you offer to impose anything on mankind +besides what relates to moral duties, as to pay your debts, not pick +pockets, nor commit murder, and the like; that is to say, if, besides +this, you oblige them to believe in God and Jesus Christ, what you add +to their faith will take just so much off from their morality. By this +argument it is manifest, that a perfect moral man must be a perfect +atheist; every inch of religion he gets loses him an inch of morality: +For there is a certain _quantum_ belongs to every man, of which there is +nothing to spare. This is clear from the common practice of all our +priests, they never once preach to you to love your neighbour, to be +just in your dealings, or to be sober and temperate. The streets of +London are full of common whores, publicly tolerated in their +wickedness; yet the priests make no complaints against this enormity, +either from the pulpit or the press: I can affirm, that neither you nor +I, sir, have ever heard one sermon against whoring since we were boys. +No, the priests allow all these vices, and love us the better for them, +provided we will promise not "to harangue upon a text," nor to sprinkle +a little water in a child's face, which they call baptizing, and would +engross it all to themselves. + +Besides, the priests engage all the rogues, villains, and fools in their +party, in order to make it as large as they can: By this means they +seduced Constantine the Great[22] over to their religion, who was the +first Christian emperor, and so horrible a villain, that the heathen +priests told him they could not expiate his crimes in their church; so +he was at a loss to know what to do, till an AEgyptian bishop assured +him, that there was no villainy so great, but was to be expiated by the +sacraments of the Christian religion; upon which he became a Christian, +and to him that religion owes its first settlement. + +[Footnote 22: The reference here is to the luminous cross which +Constantine said he saw in the heavens, and which influenced him to +embrace Christianity. [T. S.]] + +It is objected, that freethinkers themselves are the most infamous, +wicked, and senseless of all mankind. + +I answer, first, we say the same of priests, and other believers. But +the truth is, men of all sects are equally good and bad; for no religion +whatsoever contributes in the least to mend men's lives. + +I answer, secondly, that freethinkers use their understanding, but those +who have religion do not; therefore the first have more understanding +than the others; witness Toland, Tindal, Gildon[23], Clendon, Coward, +and myself. For, use legs and have legs. + +[Footnote 23: John Clendon, of the Middle Temple, published in +1709-1710, "Tractatus Philosophico-Theologicus de Persona; or, a +Treatise of the Word Person." This singular book appears to have been +written principally to prove that the doctrine of the Trinity was very +well explained by an Act of Parliament, 9 and 10 Will. III. It was +complained of in the House of Commons, March 25th, 1710, and was judged +to be a scandalous, seditious, and blasphemous libel .... and was burnt +by the common hangman at the same time with Tindal's "Rights." [N.] ] + +I answer, thirdly, that freethinkers are the most virtuous persons in +the world; for all freethinkers must certainly differ from the priests, +and from nine hundred ninety-nine of a thousand of those among whom they +live; and are therefore virtuous of course, because everybody hates +them. + +I answer, fourthly, that the most virtuous people in all ages have been +freethinkers; of which I shall produce several instances[24]. + +[Footnote 24: What follows is in ridicule of a long list of +freethinkers, as he calls them, with which Collins has graced his +discourse; in which he includes not only the ancient philosophers, but +the inspired prophets, and even "King Solomon the wise." [S.] ] + +Socrates was a freethinker; for he disbelieved the gods of his country, +and the common creeds about them, and declared his dislike when he heard +men attribute "repentance, anger, and other passions to the gods, and +talk of wars and battles in heaven, and of the gods getting women with +child," and such like fabulous and blasphemous stones. I pick out these +particulars, because they are the very same with what the priests have +in their Bibles, where repentance and anger are attributed to God; where +it is said, there was "war in heaven;" and that "the Virgin Mary was +with child by the Holy Ghost," whom the priests call God; all fabulous +and blasphemous stories. Now, I affirm Socrates to have been a true +Christian. You will ask, perhaps, how that can be, since he lived three +or four hundred years before Christ? I answer, with Justin Martyr, that +Christ is nothing else but reason, and I hope you do not think Socrates +lived before reason. Now, this true Christian Socrates never made +notions, speculations, or mysteries, any part of his religion, but +demonstrated all men to be fools who troubled themselves with enquiries +into heavenly things. Lastly, 'tis plain that Socrates was a +freethinker, because he was calumniated for an atheist, as freethinkers +generally are, only because he was an enemy to all speculations and +inquiries into heavenly things. For I argue thus, that if I never +trouble myself to think whether there be a God or no, and forbid others +to do it, I am a freethinker, but not an atheist. + +Plato was a freethinker, and his notions are so like some in the Gospel, +that a heathen charged Christ with borrowing his doctrine from Plato. +But Origen[25] defends Christ very well against this charge, by saying +he did not understand Greek, and therefore could not borrow his doctrine +from Plato. However their two religions agreed so well, that it was +common for Christians to turn Platonists, and Platonists Christians. +When the Christians found out this, one of their zealous priests (worse +than any atheist) forged several things under Plato's name, but +conformable to Christianity, by which the heathens were fraudulently +converted. + +[Footnote 25: Origen, a Father of the Church, was born about 185. He +carried to extremes the celibate life taught in the Gospel; and his +"Treatise against Celsus" contains, according to St. Jerome and +Eusebius, the refutation of "all the objections which have been made, +and all which ever will be made against Christianity." [T. S.] ] + +Epicurus was the greatest of all freethinkers, and consequently the most +virtuous man in the world. His opinions in religion were the most +complete system of atheism that ever appeared. Christians ought to have +the greatest veneration for him, because he taught a higher point of +virtue than Christ; I mean the virtue of friendship, which in the sense +we usually understand it, is not so much as named in the New Testament. + +Plutarch was a freethinker, notwithstanding his being a priest; but +indeed he was a heathen priest. His freethinking appears by showing the +innocence of atheism, (which at worst is only false reasoning,) and the +mischiefs of superstition; and explains what superstition is, by calling +it a conceit of immortal ills after death, the opinion of hell torments, +dreadful aspects, doleful groans, and the like. He is likewise very +satirical upon the public forms of devotion in his own country (a +qualification absolutely necessary to a freethinker) yet those forms +which he ridicules, are the very same that now pass for true worship in +almost all countries: I am sure some of them do so in ours; such as +abject looks, distortions, wry faces, beggarly tones, humiliation, and +contrition. + +Varro,[26] the most learned among the Romans, was a freethinker; for he +said, the heathen divinity contained many fables below the dignity of +immortal beings; such, for instance, as Gods BEGOTTEN and PROCEEDING +from other Gods. These two words I desire you will particularly remark, +because they are the very terms made use of by our priests in their +doctrine of the Trinity: He says likewise, that there are many things +false in religion, and so say all freethinkers; but then he adds; "which +the vulgar ought not to know, but it is expedient they should believe." +In this last he indeed discovers the whole secret of a statesman and +politician, by denying the vulgar the privilege of freethinking, and +here I differ from him. However, it is manifest from hence, that the +Trinity was an invention of statesmen and politicians. + +[Footnote 26: Marcus Terentius Varro (born B.C. 117) was the friend of +Cicero. He was a profound grammarian, historian, and philosopher. The +expression Swift applies to him as "the most learned among the Romans" +is one by which he is generally called. [T. S.] ] + +The grave and wise Cato the censor will for ever live in that noble +freethinking saying--"I wonder," said he, "how one of our priests can +forbear laughing when he sees another!" (For contempt of priests is +another grand characteristic of a freethinker). This shews that Cato +understood the whole mystery of the Roman religion "as by law +established." I beg you, sir, not to overlook these last words, +"religion as by law established." I translate _hanisfax,_ into the +general word, _priest_. Thus I apply the sentence to our priests in +England, and, when Dr. Smallridge sees Dr. Atterbury, I wonder how either +of them can forbear laughing at the cheat they put upon the people, by +making them believe their "religion as by law established." + +Cicero, that consummate philosopher, and noble patriot, though he was a +priest, and consequently more likely to be a knave; gave the greatest +proofs of his freethinking. First, he professed the sceptic philosophy, +which doubts of everything. Then, he wrote two treatises;[27] in the +first, he shews the weakness of the Stoics' arguments for the being of +the Gods: In the latter, he has destroyed the whole revealed religion of +the Greeks and Romans (for why should not theirs be a revealed religion +as well as that of Christ?) Cicero likewise tells us, as his own +opinion, that they who study philosophy, do not believe there are any +Gods: He denies the immortality of the soul, and says, there can be +nothing after death. + +[Footnote 27: "De Natura Deomm." [T. S.] ] + +And because the priests have the impudence to quote Cicero in their +pulpits and pamphlets, against freethinking; I am resolved to disarm +them of his authority. You must know, his philosophical works are +generally in dialogues, where people are brought in disputing against +one another: Now the priests when they see an argument to prove a God, +offered perhaps by a Stoic, are such knaves or blockheads, to quote it +as if it were Cicero's own; whereas Cicero was so noble a freethinker, +that he believed nothing at all of the matter, nor ever shews the least +inclination to favour superstition, or the belief of a God, and the +immortality of the soul; unless what he throws out sometimes to save +himself from danger, in his speeches to the Roman mob; whose religion +was, however, much more innocent and less absurd, than that of popery at +least: And I could say more--but you understand me. + +Seneca was a great freethinker, and had a noble notion of the worship of +the gods, for which our priests would call any man an atheist: He laughs +at morning devotions, or worshipping upon Sabbath-days; he says God has +no need of ministers and servants, because he himself serves mankind. +This religious man, like his religious brethren the Stoics, denies the +immortality of the soul, and says, all that is feigned to be so terrible +in hell, is but a fable: Death puts an end to all our misery, &c. Yet +the priests were anciently so fond of Seneca, that they forged a +correspondence of letters between him and St. Paul. + +Solomon himself, whose writings are called "the word of God," was such a +freethinker, that if he were now alive, nothing but his building of +churches could have kept our priests from calling him an atheist. He +affirms the eternity of the world almost in the same manner with +Manilius,[28] the heathen philosophical poet, (which opinion entirely +overthrows the history of the creation by Moses, and all the New +Testament): He denies the immortality of the soul, assures us that men +die like beasts, and that both go to one place. + +[Footnote 28: Marcus Manilius, who probably flourished under Theodosius +the Great, was a Latin poet, who wrote a poem entitled "Astronomica." +[T.S.] ] + +The prophets of the Old Testament were generally freethinkers: you must +understand, that their way of learning to prophesy was by music and +drinking.[29] These prophets writ against the established religion of +the Jews, (which those people looked upon as the institution of God +himself,) as if they believed it was all a cheat: that is to say, with +as great liberty against the priests and prophets of Israel, as Dr. +Tindal did lately against the priests and prophets of our Israel, who +has clearly shewn them and their religion to be cheats. To prove this, +you may read several passages in Isaiah, Ezekiel, Amos, Jeremiah, &c., +wherein you will find such instances of freethinking, that, if any +Englishman had talked so in our days, their opinions would have been +registered in Dr. Sacheverell's trial, and in the representation of the +Lower House of Convocation, and produced as so many proofs of the +profaneness, blasphemy, and atheism of the nation; there being nothing +more profane, blasphemous, or atheistical in those representations, than +what these prophets have spoke, whose writings are yet called by our +priests, "the word of God." And therefore these prophets are as much +atheists as myself, or as any of my freethinking brethren whom I lately +named to you. + +[Footnote 29: Collins, after making the charge, which has been repeated +by all freethinkers down to Thomas Paine, that the prophets acquired +their fervour of spirit by the aid of music and wine, allows, +nevertheless, that they were great freethinkers, and "writ with as great +liberty against the established religion of the Jews, which the people +looked on as the institution of God himself as if they looked upon it +all to be imposture."--_Discourse_, p. 153, _et sequen._ [S.] ] + +Josephus was a great freethinker: I wish he had chosen a better subject +to write on, than those ignorant, barbarous, ridiculous scoundrels, the +Jews, whom God (if we may believe the priests) thought fit to choose for +his own people. I will give you some instances of his freethinking. He +says, Cain travelled through several countries, and kept company with +rakes and profligate fellows; he corrupted the simplicities of former +times, &c., which plainly supposes men before Adam, and consequently +that the priests' history of the creation by Moses, is an imposture. He +says, the Israelites' passing through the Red Sea, was no more than +Alexander's passing at the Pamphilian sea; that as for the appearance of +God at Mount Sinai, the reader may believe it as he pleases; that Moses +persuaded the Jews he had God for his guide, just as the Greeks +pretended they had their laws from Apollo. These are noble strains of +freethinking, which the priests knew not how to solve, but by thinking +as freely: For one of them says, that Josephus writ this to make his +work acceptable to the heathens, by striking out everything that was +incredible. + +Origen, who was the first Christian that had any learning, has left a +noble testimony of his freethinking; for a general council has +determined him to be damned; which plainly shews he was a freethinker, +and was no saint; for people were only sainted because of their want of +learning and excess of zeal; so that all the fathers, who are called +saints by the priests, were worse than atheists. + +Minutius Felix[30] seems to be a true modern latitudinarian, +freethinking Christian; for he is against altars, churches, public +preaching, and public assemblies; and likewise against priests; for, he +says, there were several great flourishing empires before there were any +orders of priests in the world. + +[Footnote 30: Marcus Minutius Felix is said to have been born in Africa. +He flourished in the third century, and wrote a defence of Christianity, +in dialogue form, entitled, "Octavius." The work has been translated +into English by Lord Hailes. [T.S.]] + +Synesius,[31] who had too much learning and too little zeal for a saint, +was for some time a great freethinker; he could not believe the +resurrection till he was made a bishop, and then pretended to be +convinced by a lying miracle. + +[Footnote 31: Synesius of Cyrene, born 379, is the Platonic philosopher +who became Bishop of Ptolemais. [T.S.]] + +To come to our own country: My Lord Bacon was a great freethinker, when +he tells us, that whatever has the least relation to religion, is +particularly liable to suspicion; by which he seems to suspect all the +facts whereon most of the superstitions (that is to say, what the +priests call the religions) of the world are grounded. He also +prefers atheism before superstition. + +Mr. Hobbes was a person of great learning, virtue, and freethinking, +except in the high church politics. + +But Archbishop Tillotson is the person whom all English freethinkers own +as their head; and his virtue is indisputable for this manifest reason; +that Dr. Hickes, a priest, calls him an atheist; says, he caused several +to turn atheists, and to ridicule the priesthood and religion. These +must be allowed to be noble effects of freethinking. This great prelate +assures us, that all the duties of the Christian religion, with respect +to God, are no other but what natural light prompts men to, except the +two sacraments, and praying to God in the name and mediation of Christ. +As a priest and prelate, he was obliged to say something of +Christianity; but pray observe, sir, how he brings himself off. He +justly affirms that even these things are of less moment than natural +duties; and because mothers' nursing their children is a natural duty, +it is of more moment than the two sacraments, or than praying to God in +the name and by the mediation of Christ. This freethinking archbishop +could not allow a miracle sufficient to give credit to a prophet who +taught anything contrary to our natural notions: By which it is plain, +he rejected at once all the mysteries of Christianity. + +I could name one-and-twenty more great men, who were all freethinkers; +but that I fear to be tedious: For, 'tis certain that all men of sense +depart from the opinions commonly received; and are consequently more or +less men of sense, according as they depart more or less from the +opinions commonly received; neither can you name an enemy to +freethinking, however he be dignified or distinguished, whether +archbishop, bishop, priest, or deacon, who has not been either "a +crack-brained enthusiast, a diabolical villain, or a most profound +ignorant brute." + +Thus, sir, I have endeavoured to execute your commands, and you may +print this Letter, if you please; but I would have you conceal my name. +For my opinion of virtue is, that we ought not to venture doing +ourselves harm, by endeavouring to do good. + + +I am yours, &c. + + + +_I have here given the public a brief, but faithful abstract of this +most excellent Essay; wherein I have all along religiously adhered to +our author's notions, and generally to his words, without any other +addition than that of explaining a few necessary consequences, for the +sake of ignorant readers; for, to those who have the least degree of +learning, I own they will be wholly useless. I hope I have not, in any +single instance, misrepresented the thoughts of this admirable writer. +If I have happened to mistake through inadvertency, I entreat he will +condescend to inform me, and point out the place, upon which I will +immediately beg pardon both of him and the world. The design of his +piece is to recommend freethinking, and one chief motive is the example +of many excellent men who were of that sect. He produces as the +principal points of their freethinking; that they denied the Being of a +God, the Torments of Hell, the Immortality of the Soul, the Trinity, +Incarnation, the history of the creation by Moses, with many other such +"fabulous and blasphemous stories," as he judiciously calls them: And he +asserts, that whoever denies the most of these, is the completest +freethinker, and consequently the wisest and most virtuous man. The +author, sensible of the prejudices of the age, does not directly affirm +himself an atheist; he goes no further than to pronounce that atheism is +the most perfect degree of freethinking; and leaves the reader to form +the conclusion. However, he seems to allow, that a man may be a +tolerable freethinker, though he does believe a God; provided he utterly +rejects "Providence, Revelation, the Old and New Testament, Future +Rewards and Punishments, the Immortality of the Soul," and other the +like impossible absurdities. Which mark of superabundant caution, +sacrificing truth to the superstition of priests, may perhaps be +forgiven, but ought not to be imitated by any who would arrive (even in +this author's judgment) at the true perfection of freethinking._ + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +SOME THOUGHTS + +ON + +FREETHINKING. + +WRITTEN IN ENGLAND, BUT LEFT UNFINISHED. + + +Discoursing one day with a prelate of the kingdom of Ireland, who is a +person of excellent wit and learning, he offered a notion applicable to +the subject we were then upon, which I took to be altogether new and +right. He said, that the difference betwixt a madman and one in his +wits, in what related to speech, consisted in this; that the former +spoke out whatever came into his mind, and just in the confused manner +as his imagination presented the ideas: The latter only expressed such +thoughts as his judgment directed him to choose, leaving the rest to die +away in his memory; and that, if the wisest man would, at any time, +utter his thoughts in the crude indigested manner as they come into his +head, he would be looked upon as raving mad. And, indeed, when we +consider our thoughts, as they are the seeds of words and actions, we +cannot but agree that they ought to be kept under the strictest +regulation; and that in the great multiplicity of ideas which one's mind +is apt to form, there is nothing more difficult than to select those +which are most proper for the conduct of life. So that I cannot imagine +what is meant by the mighty zeal in some people for asserting the +freedom of thinking; because, if such thinkers keep their thoughts +within their own breasts, they can be of no consequence, farther than to +themselves. If they publish them to the world, they ought to be +answerable for the effects their thoughts produce upon others. There are +thousands in this kingdom, who, in their thoughts, prefer a republic, or +absolute power of a prince, before a limited monarchy; yet, if any of +these should publish their opinions, and go about, by writing or +discourse, to persuade the people to innovations in government, they +would be liable to the severest punishments the law can inflict; and +therefore they are usually so wise as to keep their sentiments to +themselves. But, with respect to religion, the matter is quite +otherwise: and the public, at least here in England, seems to be of +opinion with _Tiberius_, that _Deorum injuriae diis curae_. They leave it +to God Almighty to vindicate the injuries done to himself, who is no +doubt sufficiently able, by perpetual miracles, to revenge the affronts +of impious men. And, it should seem, that is what princes expect from +him, though I cannot readily conceive the grounds they go upon; nor why, +since they are God's vicegerents, they do not think themselves at least +equally obliged to preserve their master's honour as their own; since +this is what they expect from those they depute, and since they never +fail to represent the disobedience of their subjects, as offences +against God. It is true, the visible reason of this neglect is obvious +enough: The consequences of atheistical opinions, published to the +world, are not so immediate, or so sensible, as doctrines of rebellion +and sedition, spread in a proper season. However, I cannot but think the +same consequences are as natural and probable from the former, though +more remote: And whether these have not been in view among our great +planters of infidelity in England, I shall hereafter examine. + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +A LETTER + +TO + +A YOUNG CLERGYMAN, + +LATELY ENTERED INTO + +HOLY ORDERS. + +1719-20. + + +NOTE. + +No stronger proof could be adduced of Swift's genuine and earnest belief +in the dignity of a clergyman of the Church than this letter. In spite +of the sarcasms which here and there are levelled against the mediocre +members of the class, it is evident Swift felt that these might be made +worthy teachers and preachers of the doctrines of an institution +founded, in his opinion, for the best regulation of mankind. The letter +serves also to present us with an outline of a picture of the clergyman +of his day; and if this picture be not flattering, it seems faithfully +to reflect the social conditions which we know to have prevailed at the +time. + +The letter was written in the years of quiet which Swift enjoyed between +the pamphleteering crusade against the Whigs, when Harley and St. John +were in power, and the famous social and political troubles which began +with Wood's halfpence. + +The text of this letter is practically that of the first edition; but I +have collated this with the texts given by Hawkesworth, Scott, the first +volume of the "Miscellanies" of 1728, and the second volume of the +"Miscellanies" of 1745. In the original edition, and in the reprints +published to the time of Faulkner's collected edition, the title reads +"A Letter to a Young Gentleman," etc. + +[T.S.] + + + A + LETTER + TO A + YOUNG GENTLEMAN, + LATELY ENTER'D INTO + HOLY ORDERS + +By a Person of QUALITY. + +It is certainly known, that the following Treatise was writ in Ireland +by the Reverend Dr. Swift, Dean of St. Patrick's in that Kingdom. + + +Dublin, _January the 9th,_ 1719-20. + +Sir, + +Although it was against my knowledge or advice, that you entered into +holy orders, under the present dispositions of mankind toward the +Church, yet since it is now supposed too late to recede, (at least +according to the general practice and opinion,) I cannot forbear +offering my thoughts to you upon this new condition of life you are +engaged in. + +I could heartily wish that the circumstances of your fortune, had +enabled you to have continued some years longer in the university; at +least till you were ten years standing; to have laid in a competent +stock of human learning, and some knowledge in divinity, before you +attempted to appear in the world: For I cannot but lament the common +course, which at least nine in ten of those who enter into the ministry +are obliged to run. When they have taken a degree, and are consequently +grown a burden to their friends, who now think themselves fully +discharged, they get into orders as soon as they can; (upon which I +shall make no remarks,) first solicit a readership, and if they be very +fortunate, arrive in time to a curacy here in town, or else are sent to +be assistants in the country, where they probably continue several +years, (many of them their whole lives,) with thirty or forty pounds +a-year for their support, till some bishop, who happens to be not +overstocked with relations, or attached to favourites, or is content to +supply his diocese without colonies from England, bestows upon them some +inconsiderable benefice, when it is odds they are already encumbered +with a numerous family. I should be glad to know what intervals of life +such persons can possibly set apart for the improvement of their minds; +or which way they could be furnished with books, the library they +brought with them from their college being usually not the most +numerous, or judiciously chosen. If such gentlemen arrive to be great +scholars, it must, I think, be either by means supernatural, or by a +method altogether out of any road yet known to the learned. But I +conceive the fact directly otherwise, and that many of them lose the +greatest part of the small pittance they receive at the university. + +I take it for granted, that you intend to pursue the beaten track, and +are already desirous to be seen in a pulpit, only I hope you will think +it proper to pass your quarantine among some of the desolate churches +five miles round this town, where you may at least learn to read and to +speak before you venture to expose your parts in a city congregation; +not that these are better judges, but because, if a man must needs +expose his folly, it is more safe and discreet to do so before few +witnesses, and in a scattered neighbourhood. And you will do well if you +can prevail upon some intimate and judicious friend to be your constant +hearer, and allow him with the utmost freedom to give you notice of +whatever he shall find amiss either in your voice or gesture; for want +of which early warning, many clergymen continue defective, and sometimes +ridiculous, to the end of their lives; neither is it rare to observe +among excellent and learned divines, a certain ungracious manner, or an +unhappy tone of voice, which they never have been able to shake off. + +I should likewise have been glad, if you had applied yourself a little +more to the study of the English language, than I fear you have done; +the neglect whereof is one of the most general defects among the +scholars of this kingdom, who seem not to have the least conception of a +style, but run on in a flat kind of phraseology, often mingled with +barbarous terms and expressions, peculiar to the nation: Neither do I +perceive that any person, either finds or acknowledges his wants upon +this head, or in the least desires to have them supplied. Proper words +in proper places, make the true definition of a style. But this would +require too ample a disquisition to be now dwelt on: however, I shall +venture to name one or two faults, which are easy to be remedied, with a +very small portion of abilities. + +The first is the frequent use of obscure terms, which by the women are +called hard words, and by the better sort of vulgar, fine language; than +which I do not know a more universal, inexcusable, and unnecessary +mistake, among the clergy of all distinctions, but especially the +younger practitioners. I have been curious enough to take a list of +several hundred words in a sermon of a new beginner, which not one of +his hearers among a hundred could possibly understand, neither can I +easily call to mind any clergyman of my own acquaintance who is wholly +exempt from this error, although many of them agree with me in the +dislike of the thing. But I am apt to put myself in the place of the +vulgar, and think many words difficult or obscure, which they will not +allow to be so, because those words are obvious to scholars, I believe +the method observed by the famous Lord Falkland[1] in some of his +writings, would not be an ill one for young divines: I was assured by an +old person of quality who knew him well, that when he doubted whether a +word was perfectly intelligible or no, he used to consult one of his +lady's chambermaids, (not the waiting-woman, because it was possible she +might be conversant in romances,) and by her judgment was guided whether +to receive or reject it. And if that great person thought such a caution +necessary in treatises offered to the learned world, it will be sure at +least as proper in sermons, where the meanest hearer is supposed to be +concerned, and where very often a lady's chambermaid may be allowed to +equal half the congregation, both as to quality and understanding. But I +know not how it comes to pass, that professors in most arts and sciences +are generally the worst qualified to explain their meanings to those who +are not of their tribe: a common farmer shall make you understand in +three words, that his foot is out of joint, or his collar-bone broken, +wherein a surgeon, after a hundred terms of art, if you are not a +scholar, shall leave you to seek. It is frequently the same case in law, +physic, and even many of the meaner arts. + +[Footnote 1: Lucius Cary, second Viscount Falkland (1610-1643), who was +killed at the battle of Newbury in the great Civil War, was a generous +patron of learning and of the literary men of his day. He was himself a +fine scholar and able writer. Clarendon has recorded his character in +the seventh book of his "History of the Great Rebellion": "A person of +such prodigious parts of learning and knowledge, of that inimitable +sweetness and delight in conversation, of so flowing and obliging an +humanity and goodness to mankind, that, if there were no other brand +upon this odious and accursed Civil War than that single loss, it must +be infamous and execrable to all posterity." Falkland has been made the +hero of a romance by Lord Lytton. [T. S. ] ] + +And upon this account it is, that among hard words, I number likewise +those which are peculiar to divinity as it is a science, because I have +observed several clergymen, otherwise little fond of obscure terms, yet +in their sermons very liberal of those which they find in ecclesiastical +writers, as if it were our duty to understand them; which I am sure it +is not. And I defy the greatest divine to produce any law either of God +or man, which obliges me to comprehend the meaning of _omniscience, +omnipresence, ubiquity, attribute, beatific vision,_ with a thousand +others so frequent in pulpits, any more than that of _eccentric, +idiosyncracy, entity,_ and the like. I believe I may venture to insist +farther, that many terms used in Holy Writ, particularly by St Paul, +might with more discretion be changed into plainer speech, except when +they are introduced as part of a quotation.[2] + +[Footnote 2: Swift refers to this point in his "Thoughts on Religion," +and regrets that the explanation of matters of doctrine, which St. Paul +expressed in the current eastern vocabulary, should have been +perpetuated in terms founded on the same terminology. [T. S.] ] + +I am the more earnest in this matter, because it is a general complaint, +and the justest in the world. For a divine has nothing to say to the +wisest congregation of any parish in this kingdom, which he may not +express in a manner to be understood by the meanest among them. And this +assertion must be true, or else God requires from us more than we are +able to perform. However, not to contend whether a logician might +possibly put a case that would serve for an exception, I will appeal to +any man of letters, whether at least nineteen in twenty of those +perplexing words might not be changed into easy ones, such as naturally +first occur to ordinary men, and probably did so at first to those very +gentlemen who are so fond of the former. + +We are often reproved by divines from the pulpits, on account of our +ignorance in things sacred, and perhaps with justice enough. However, it +is not very reasonable for them to expect, that common men should +understand expressions which are never made use of in common life. No +gentleman thinks it safe or prudent to send a servant with a message, +without repeating it more than once, and endeavouring to put it into +terms brought down to the capacity of the bearer: yet after all this +care, it is frequent for servants to mistake, and sometimes to occasion +misunderstandings among friends. Although the common domestics in some +gentlemen's families have more opportunities of improving their minds +than the ordinary sort of tradesmen. + +It is usual for clergymen who are taxed with this learned defect, to +quote Dr. Tillotson, and other famous divines, in their defence; without +considering the difference between elaborate discourses upon important +occasions, delivered to princes or parliaments, written with a view of +being made public, and a plain sermon intended for the middle or lower +size of people. Neither do they seem to remember the many alterations, +additions, and expungings, made by great authors in those treatises +which they prepare for the public. Besides, that excellent prelate +above-mentioned, was known to preach after a much more popular manner in +the city congregations: and if in those parts of his works he be any +where too obscure for the understandings of many who may be supposed to +have been his hearers, it ought to be numbered among his omissions. + +The fear of being thought pedants hath been of pernicious consequence to +young divines. This hath wholly taken many of them off from their +severer studies in the university, which they have exchanged for plays, +poems, and pamphlets, in order to qualify them for tea-tables and +coffee-houses. This they usually call "polite conversation; knowing the +world; and reading men instead of books." These accomplishments, when +applied to the pulpit, appear by a quaint; terse, florid style, rounded +into periods and cadences, commonly without either propriety or meaning. +I have listen'd with my utmost attention for half an hour to an orator +of this species, without being able to understand, much less to carry +away one single sentence out of a whole sermon. Others, to shew that +their studies have not been confined to sciences, or ancient authors, +will talk in the style of a gaming ordinary, and White Friars[3], when I +suppose the hearers can be little edified by the terms _palming, +shuffling, biting, bamboozling_ and the like, if they have not been +sometimes conversant among pick-pockets and sharpers. And truly, as they +say, a man is known by his company, so it should seem that a man's +company may be known by his manner of expressing himself, either in +public assemblies, or private conversation. + +[Footnote 3: See note on "Alsatia," p. 100. [T. S.] ] + +It would be endless to run over the several defects of style among us; I +shall therefore say nothing of the mean and paltry (which are usually +attended by the fustian), much less of the slovenly or indecent. Two +things I will just warn you against; the first is the frequency of flat +unnecessary epithets, and the other is the folly of using old threadbare +phrases, which will often make you go out of your way to find and apply +them, are nauseous to rational hearers, and will seldom express your +meaning as well as your own natural words. + +Although, as I have already observed, our English tongue is too little +cultivated in this kingdom; yet the faults are nine in ten owing to +affectation, and not to the want of understanding. When a man's thoughts +are clear, the properest words will generally offer themselves first, +and his own judgment will direct him in what order to place them, so as +they may be best understood. Where men err against this method, it is +usually on purpose, and to shew their learning, their oratory, their +politeness, or their knowledge of the world. In short, that simplicity +without which no human performance can arrive to any great perfection, +is nowhere more eminently useful than in this. + +I have been considering that part of oratory which relates to the moving +of the passions; this I observe is in esteem and practice among some +church divines, as well as among all the preachers and hearers of the +fanatic or enthusiastic strain. I will here deliver to you (perhaps with +more freedom than prudence) my opinion upon the point. + +The two great orators of Greece and Rome, Demosthenes and Cicero, though +each of them a leader (or as the Greeks call it a demagogue) in a +popular state, yet seem to differ in their practice upon this branch of +their art; the former who had to deal with a people of much more +politeness, learning, and wit, laid the greatest weight of his oratory +upon the strength of his arguments, offered to their understanding and +reason: whereas Tully considered the dispositions of a sincere, more +ignorant, and less mercurial nation, by dwelling almost entirely on the +pathetic part. + +But the principal thing to be remembered is, that the constant design of +both these orators in all their speeches, was to drive some one +particular point, either the condemnation or acquittal of an accused +person, a persuasive to war, the enforcing of a law, and the like; which +was determined upon the spot, according as the orators on either side +prevailed. And here it was often found of absolute necessity to inflame +or cool the passions of the audience, especially at Rome where Tully +spoke, and with whose writings young divines (I mean those among them +who read old authors) are more conversant than with those of +Demosthenes, who by many degrees excelled the other at least as an +orator. But I do not see how this talent of moving the passions can be +of any great use toward directing Christian men in the conduct of their +lives, at least in these northern climates, where I am confident the +strongest eloquence of that kind will leave few impressions upon any of +our spirits deep enough to last till the next morning, or rather to the +next meal.[4] + +[Footnote 4: Swift's own sermons rarely appealed to the emotions; they +were, in his own phrase, political pamphlets, and aimed at convincing +the reason. [T. S.] ] + +But what hath chiefly put me out of conceit with this moving manner of +preaching, is the frequent disappointment it meets with. I know a +gentleman, who made it a rule in reading, to skip over all sentences +where he spied a note of admiration at the end. I believe those +preachers who abound in _epiphonemas_,[5] if they look about them, would +find one part of their congregation out of countenance, and the other +asleep, except perhaps an old female beggar or two in the aisles, who +(if they be sincere) may probably groan at the sound. + +[Footnote 5: _Epiphonema_ is a figure in rhetoric, signifying a +sententious kind of exclamation. [S.] ] + +Nor is it a wonder, that this expedient should so often miscarry, which +requires so much art and genius to arrive at any perfection in it, as +any man will find, much sooner than learn by consulting Cicero himself. + +I therefore entreat you to make use of this faculty (if you ever be so +unfortunate as to think you have it) as seldom, and with as much caution +as you can, else I may probably have occasion to say of you as a great +person said of another upon this very subject. A lady asked him coming +out of church, whether it were not a very moving discourse? "Yes," said +he, "I was extremely sorry, for the man is my friend." + +If in company you offer something for a jest, and nobody second you in +your own laughter, nor seems to relish what you said, you may condemn +their taste, if you please, and appeal to better judgments; but in the +meantime, it must be agreed you make a very indifferent figure; and it +is at least equally ridiculous to be disappointed in endeavouring to +make other folks grieve, as to make them laugh. + +A plain convincing reason may possibly operate upon the mind both of a +learned and ignorant hearer as long as they live, and will edify a +thousand times more than the art of wetting the handkerchiefs of a whole +congregation, if you were sure to attain it. + +If your arguments be strong, in God's name offer them in as moving a +manner as the nature of the subject will properly admit, wherein reason +and good advice will be your safest guides; but beware of letting the +pathetic part swallow up the rational: For I suppose, philosophers have +long agreed, that passion should never prevail over reason. + +As I take it, the two principal branches of preaching are first to tell +the people what is their duty, and then to convince them that it is so. +The topics for both these, we know, are brought from Scripture and +reason. Upon this first, I wish it were often practised to instruct the +hearers in the limits, extent, and compass of every duty, which requires +a good deal of skill and judgment: the other branch is, I think, not so +difficult. But what I would offer them both, is this; that it seems to +be in the power of a reasonable clergyman, if he will be at the pains, +to make the most ignorant man comprehend what is his duty, and to +convince him by argument drawn to the level of his understanding, that +he ought to perform it. + +But I must remember that my design in this paper was not so much to +instruct you in your business either as a clergyman or a preacher, as to +warn you against some mistakes which are obvious to the generality of +mankind as well as to me; and we who are hearers, may be allowed to have +some opportunities in the quality of being standers-by. Only perhaps I +may now again transgress by desiring you to express the heads of your +divisions in as few and clear words as you possibly can, otherwise, I +and many thousand others will never be able to retain them, nor +consequently to carry away a syllable of the sermon. + +I shall now mention a particular wherein your whole body will be +certainly against me, and the laity almost to a man on my side. However +it came about, I cannot get over the prejudice of taking some little +offence at the clergy for perpetually reading their sermons[6]; perhaps +my frequent hearing of foreigners, who never made use of notes, may have +added to my disgust. And I cannot but think, that whatever is read, +differs as much from what is repeated without book, as a copy does from +an original. At the same time, I am highly sensible what an extreme +difficulty it would be upon you to alter this method, and that, in such +a case, your sermons would be much less valuable than they are, for want +of time to improve and correct them. I would therefore gladly come to a +compromise with you in this matter. I knew a clergyman of some +distinction, who appeared to deliver his sermon without looking into his +notes, which when I complimented him upon, he assured me he could not +repeat six lines; but his method was to write the whole sermon in a +large plain hand, with all the forms of margin, paragraph, marked page, +and the like; then on Sunday morning he took care to run it over five or +six times, which he could do in an hour; and when he deliver'd it, by +pretending to turn his face from one side to the other, he would (in his +own expression) pick up the lines, and cheat his people by making them +believe he had it all by heart. He farther added, that whenever he +happened by neglect to omit any of these circumstances, the vogue of the +parish was, "Our doctor gave us but an indifferent sermon to-day." Now +among us, many clergymen act too directly contrary to this method, that +from a habit of saving time and paper, which they acquired at the +University, they write in so diminutive a manner, with such frequent +blots and interlineations, that they are hardly able to go on without +perpetual hesitations or extemporary expletives: And I desire to know +what can be more inexcusable, than to see a divine and a scholar, at a +loss in reading his own compositions, which it is supposed he has been +preparing with much pains and thought for the instruction of his people? +The want of a little more care in this article, is the cause of much +ungraceful behaviour. You will observe some clergymen with their heads +held down from the beginning to the end, within an inch of the cushion, +to read what is hardly legible; which, besides the untoward manner, +hinders them from making the best advantage of their voice: others again +have a trick of popping up and down every moment from their paper to the +audience, like an idle school-boy on a repetition day. + +[Footnote 6: "The custom of reading sermons," notes Scott, "seems +originally to have arisen in opposition to the practice of Dissenters, +many of whom affected to trust to their Inspiration in their _extempore_ +harangues." [T. S.] ] + +Let me entreat you, therefore, to add one half-crown a year to the +article of paper; to transcribe your sermons in as large and plain a +manner as you can, and either make no interlineations, or change the +whole leaf; for we your hearers would rather you should be less correct +than perpetually stammering, which I take to be one of the worst +solecisms in rhetoric: And lastly, read your sermon once or twice for a +few days before you preach it: to which you will probably answer some +years hence, "that it was but just finished when the last bell rang to +church:" and I shall readily believe, but not excuse you. + +I cannot forbear warning you in the most earnest manner against +endeavouring at wit in your sermons, because by the strictest +computation, it is very near a million to one that you have none; and +because too many of your calling have consequently made themselves +everlastingly ridiculous by attempting it. I remember several young men +in this town, who could never leave the pulpit under half a dozen +conceits; and this faculty adhered to those gentlemen a longer or +shorter time exactly in proportion to their several degrees of dulness: +accordingly, I am told that some of them retain it to this day. I +heartily wish the brood were at an end. + +Before you enter into the common insufferable cant of taking all +occasions to disparage the heathen philosophers, I hope you will differ +from some of your brethren, by first enquiring what those philosophers +can say for themselves. The system of morality to be gathered out of the +writings or sayings of those ancient sages, falls undoubtedly very short +of that delivered in the Gospel, and wants besides, the divine sanction +which our Saviour gave to His. Whatever is further related by the +evangelists, contains chiefly, matters of fact, and consequently of +faith, such as the birth of Christ, His being the Messiah, His Miracles, +His death, resurrection, and ascension. None of which can properly come +under the appellation of human wisdom, being intended only to make us +wise unto salvation. And therefore in this point nothing can justly be +laid to the charge of the philosophers further than that they were +ignorant of certain facts that happened long after their death. But I am +deceived, if a better comment could be anywhere collected, upon the +moral part of the Gospel, than from the writings of those excellent men; +even that divine precept of loving our enemies, is at large insisted on +by Plato, who puts it, as I remember, into the mouth of Socrates.[7] And +as to the reproach of heathenism, I doubt they had less of it than the +corrupted Jews in whose time they lived. For it is a gross piece of +ignorance among us to conceive that in those polite and learned ages, +even persons of any tolerable education, much less the wisest +philosophers did acknowledge or worship any more than one almighty +power, under several denominations, to whom they allowed all those +attributes we ascribe to the Divinity: and as I take it, human +comprehension reacheth no further: neither did our Saviour think it +necessary to explain to us the nature of God, because I suppose it would +be impossible without bestowing on us other faculties than we possess at +present. But the true misery of the heathen world appears to be what I +before mentioned, the want of a Divine Sanction, without which the +dictates of the philosophers failed in the point of authority, and +consequently the bulk of mankind lay indeed under a great load of +ignorance even in the article of morality, but the philosophers +themselves did not. Take the matter in this light, it will afford field +enough for a divine to enlarge on, by showing the advantages which the +Christian world has over the heathen, and the absolute necessity of +Divine Revelation, to make the knowledge of the true God, and the +practice of virtue more universal in the world. + +[Footnote 7: This is in the "Crito" of Plato, where Socrates says it is +wrong to do harm to our enemies. [T. S.] ] + +I am not ignorant how much I differ in this opinion from some ancient +fathers in the Church, who arguing against the heathens, made it a +principal topic to decry their philosophy as much as they could: which, +I hope, is not altogether our present case. Besides, it is to be +considered, that those fathers lived in the decline of literature; and +in my judgment (who should be unwilling to give the least offence) +appear to be rather most excellent, holy persons, than of transcendent +genius and learning. Their genuine writings (for many of them have +extremely suffered by spurious editions) are of admirable use for +confirming the truth of ancient doctrines and discipline, by shewing the +state and practice of the primitive church. But among such of them as +have fallen in my way, I do not remember any whose manner of arguing or +exhorting I could heartily recommend to the imitation of a young divine +when he is to speak from the pulpit. Perhaps I judge too hastily; there +being several of them in whose writings I have made very little +progress, and in others none at all. For I perused only such as were +recommended to me, at a time when I had more leisure and a better +disposition to read, than have since fallen to my share.[8] + +[Footnote 8: Swift must refer here to the years he spent at Moor Park, +in the house of Sir William Temple. The "Tale of a Tub," however, shows +that he had not idled his time, and that his acquaintance with the +writings of the fathers was fairly intimate. [T, S.] ] + +To return then to the heathen philosophers, I hope you will not only +give them quarter, but make their works a considerable part of your +study: To these I will venture to add the principal orators and +historians, and perhaps a few of the poets: by the reading of which, you +will soon discover your mind and thoughts to be enlarged, your +imagination extended and refined, your judgment directed, your +admiration lessened, and your fortitude increased; all which advantages +must needs be of excellent use to a divine, whose duty it is to preach +and practise the contempt of human things. + +I would say something concerning quotations, wherein I think you cannot +be too sparing, except from Scripture, and the primitive writers of the +Church. As to the former, when you offer a text as a proof of an +illustration, we your hearers expect to be fairly used, and sometimes +think we have reason to complain, especially of you younger divines, +which makes us fear that some of you conceive you have no more to do +than to turn over a concordance, and there having found the principal +word, introduce as much of the verse as will serve your turn, though in +reality it makes nothing for you. I do not altogether disapprove the +manner of interweaving texts of scripture through the style of your +sermons, wherein however, I have sometimes observed great instances of +indiscretion and impropriety, against which I therefore venture to give +you a caution. + +As to quotations from ancient fathers, I think they are best brought in +to confirm some opinion controverted by those who differ from us: in +other cases we give you full power to adopt the sentence for your own, +rather than tell us, "as St. Austin excellently observes." But to +mention modern writers by name, or use the phrase of "a late excellent +prelate of our Church," and the like, is altogether intolerable, and for +what reason I know not, makes every rational hearer ashamed. Of no +better a stamp is your "heathen philosopher" and "famous poet," and +"Roman historian," at least in common congregations, who will rather +believe you on your own word, than on that of Plato or Homer. + +I have lived to see Greek and Latin almost entirely driven out of the +pulpit, for which I am heartily glad. The frequent use of the latter was +certainly a remnant of Popery which never admitted Scripture in the +vulgar language; and I wonder, that practice was never accordingly +objected to us by the fanatics. + +The mention of quotations puts me in mind of commonplace books, which +have been long in use by industrious young divines, and I hear do still +continue so. I know they are very beneficial to lawyers and physicians, +because they are collections of facts or cases, whereupon a great part +of their several faculties depend; of these I have seen several, but +never yet any written by a clergyman; only from what I am informed, they +generally are extracts of theological and moral sentences drawn from +ecclesiastical and other authors, reduced under proper heads, usually +begun, and perhaps finished, while the collectors were young in the +church, as being intended for materials or nurseries to stock future +sermons. You will observe the wise editors of ancient authors, when they +meet a sentence worthy of being distinguished, take special care to have +the first word printed in capital letters, that you may not overlook it: +Such, for example, as the INCONSTANCY of FORTUNE, the GOODNESS of PEACE, +the EXCELLENCY of WISDOM, the CERTAINTY of DEATH: that PROSPERITY makes +men INSOLENT, and ADVERSITY HUMBLE; and the like eternal truths, which +every ploughman knows well enough before Aristotle or Plato were +born.[9] If theological commonplace books be no better filled, I think +they had better be laid aside, and I could wish that men of tolerable +intellectuals would rather trust their own natural reason, improved by a +general conversation with books, to enlarge on points which they are +supposed already to understand. If a rational man reads an excellent +author with just application, he shall find himself extremely improved, +and perhaps insensibly led to imitate that author's perfections, +although in a little time he should not remember one word in the book, +nor even the subject it handled: for books give the same turn to our +thoughts and way of reasoning, that good and ill company do to our +behaviour and conversation; without either loading our memories, or +making us even sensible of the change. And particularly I have observed +in preaching, that no men succeed better than those who trust entirely +to the stock or fund of their own reason, advanced indeed, but not +overlaid by commerce with books. Whoever only reads in order to +transcribe wise and shining remarks, without entering into the genius +and spirit of the author, as it is probable he will make no very +judicious extract, so he will be apt to trust to that collection in all +his compositions, and be misled out of the regular way of thinking, in +order to introduce those materials, which he has been at the pains to +gather and the product of all this will be found a manifest incoherent +piece of patchwork. + +[Footnote 9: Thus in first edition. Scott and Hawkesworth have: "though +he never heard of Aristotle or Plato." [T.S.]] + +Some gentlemen abounding in their university erudition, are apt to fill +their sermons with philosophical terms and notions of the metaphysical +or abstracted kind, which generally have one advantage, to be equally +understood by the wise, the vulgar, and the preacher himself. I have +been better entertained, and more informed by a chapter[10] in the +"Pilgrim's Progress," than by a long discourse upon the will and the +intellect, and simple or complex ideas. Others again, are fond of +dilating on matter and motion, talk of the fortuitous concourse of +atoms, of theories, and phenomena, directly against the advice of St +Paul, who yet appears to have been conversant enough in those kinds of +studies. + +[Footnote 10: Thus in first edition. Scott and Hawkesworth have "a few +pages" instead of "a chapter" [T. S ]] + +I do not find that you are anywhere directed in the canons or articles, +to attempt explaining the mysteries of the Christian religion. And +indeed since Providence intended there should be mysteries, I do not see +how it can be agreeable to piety, orthodoxy or good sense, to go about +such a work. For, to me there seems to be a manifest dilemma in the case +if you explain them, they are mysteries no longer, if you fail, you have +laboured to no purpose. What I should think most reasonable and safe for +you to do upon this occasion is, upon solemn days to deliver the +doctrine as the Church holds it, and confirm it by Scripture. For my +part, having considered the matter impartially, I can see no great +reason which those gentlemen you call the freethinkers can have for +their clamour against religious mysteries, since it is plain, they were +not invented by the clergy, to whom they bring no profit, nor acquire +any honour. For every clergyman is ready either to tell us the utmost he +knows, or to confess that he does not understand them; neither is it +strange that there should be mysteries in divinity as well as in the +commonest operations of nature. + +And here I am at a loss what to say upon the frequent custom of +preaching against atheism, deism, freethinking, and the like, as young +divines are particularly fond of doing especially when they exercise +their talent in churches frequented by persons of quality, which as it +is but an ill compliment to the audience; so I am under some doubt +whether it answers the end. + +Because persons under those imputations are generally no great +frequenters of churches, and so the congregation is but little edified +for the sake of three or four fools who are past grace. Neither do I +think it any part of prudence to perplex the minds of well-disposed +people with doubts, which probably would never have otherwise come into +their heads. But I am of opinion, and dare be positive in it, that not +one in an hundred of those who pretend to be freethinkers, are really so +in their hearts. For there is one observation which I never knew to +fail, and I desire you will examine it in the course of your life, that +no gentleman of a liberal education, and regular in his morals, did ever +profess himself a freethinker: where then are these kind of people to be +found? Among the worst part of the soldiery made up of pages, younger +brothers of obscure families, and others of desperate fortunes; or else +among idle town fops, and now and then a drunken 'squire of the country. +Therefore nothing can be plainer, than that ignorance and vice are two +ingredients absolutely necessary in the composition of those you +generally call freethinkers, who in propriety of speech, are no thinkers +at all. And since I am in the way of it, pray consider one thing +farther: as young as you are, you cannot but have already observed, what +a violent run there is among too many weak people against university +education. Be firmly assured, that the whole cry is made up by those who +were either never sent to a college; or through their irregularities and +stupidity never made the least improvement while they were there. I have +at least[11] forty of the latter sort now in my eye; several of them in +this town, whose learning, manners, temperance, probity, good-nature, +and politics, are all of a piece. Others of them in the country, +oppressing their tenants, tyrannizing over the neighbourhood, cheating +the vicar, talking nonsense, and getting drunk at the sessions. It is +from such seminaries as these, that the world is provided with the +several 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 course of +things, men always grow vicious before they become unbelievers; but if +you would once convince the town or country profligate, by topics drawn +from the view of their own quiet, reputation, health, and advantage, +their infidelity would soon drop off: This I confess is no easy task, +because it is almost in a literal sense, to fight with beasts. Now, to +make it clear, that we are to look for no other original of this +infidelity, whereof divines so much complain, it is allowed on all +hands, that the people of England are more corrupt in their morals than +any other nation at this day under the sun: and this corruption is +manifestly owing to other causes, both, numerous and obvious, much more +than to the publication of irreligious books, which indeed are but the +consequence of the former. For all the writers against Christianity +since the Revolution have been of the lowest rank among men in regard to +literature, wit, and good sense, and upon that account wholly +unqualified to propagate heresies, unless among a people already +abandoned. + +[Footnote 11: Scott and Hawkesworth print "above forty." [T. S.]] + +In an age where everything disliked by those who think with the majority +is called disaffection, it may perhaps be ill interpreted, when I +venture to tell you that this universal depravation of manners is owing +to the perpetual bandying of factions among us for thirty years past; +when without weighing the motives of justice, law, conscience, or +honour, every man adjusts his principles to those of the party he hath +chosen, and among whom he may best find his own account: But by reason +of our frequent vicissitudes, 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 system of administration. Add to this, that the +old fundamental custom of annual parliaments being wholly laid aside, +and elections growing chargeable, since gentlemen found that their +country seats brought them in less than a seat in the House, the voters, +that is to say, the bulk of the common people have been universally +seduced into bribery, perjury, drunkenness, malice, and slanders. + +Not to be further tedious, or rather invidious, these are a few among +other causes which have contributed to the ruin of our morals, and +consequently to the contempt of religion: For imagine to yourself, if +you please, a landed youth, whom his mother would never suffer to look +into a book for fear of spoiling his eyes, got into parliament, and +observing all enemies to the clergy heard with the utmost applause, 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 must +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 universal +corruption of morals, which many other causes first contributed to +introduce and to cultivate. And thus, Mr. Hobbes' saying upon reason may +be much more properly applied to religion: that, "if religion will be +against a man, a man will be against religion." Though after all, I have +heard a profligate offer much stronger arguments against paying his +debts, than ever he was known to do against Christianity; indeed the +reason was, because in that juncture he happened to be closer pressed by +the bailiff than the parson. + +Ignorance may perhaps be the mother of superstition; but experience hath +not proved it to be so of devotion: for Christianity always made the +most easy and quickest progress in civilized countries. I mention this +because it is affirmed that the clergy are in most credit where +ignorance prevails (and surely this kingdom would be called the paradise +of clergymen if that opinion were true) for which they instance England +in the times of Popery. But whoever knows anything of three or four +centuries before the Reformation, will find the little learning then +stirring was more equally divided between the English clergy and laity +than it is at present. There were several famous lawyers in that period, +whose writings are still in the highest repute, and some historians and +poets who were not of the Church.[12] Whereas now-a-days our education +is so corrupted, that you will hardly find a young person of quality +with the least tincture of knowledge, at the same time that many of the +clergy were never more learned, or so scurvily treated. Here among us, +at least, a man of letters out of the three professions, is almost a +prodigy. And those few who have preserved any rudiments of learning are +(except perhaps one or two smatterers) the clergy's friends to a man: +and I dare appeal to any clergyman in this kingdom, whether the greatest +dunce in the parish be not always the most proud, wicked, fraudulent, +and intractable of his flock. + +[Footnote 12: What Swift calls learning was, in his day, the property, +so to speak, of professional men, such as divines, lawyers, and +university teachers. The common man was too poor or too much taxed to +acquire it; the aristocrat often too lazy or too fond of +pleasure-seeking to bother about it. The Pre-Reformation days, to which +Swift refers, could boast such men as Fabyan, Hall, Chaucer, Gower, and +Caxton, as well as Lord Berners, Sir Thomas More, and Lydgate, who were +not, in any sense, professional men. [T.S.]] + +I think the clergy have almost given over perplexing themselves and +their hearers with abstruse points of Predestination, Election, and the +like; at least it is time they should; and therefore I shall not trouble +you further upon this head. + +I have now said all I could think convenient with relation to your +conduct in the pulpit: your behaviour in life[13] is another scene, upon +which I shall readily offer you my thoughts, if you appear to desire +them from me by your approbation of what I have here written; if not, I +have already troubled you too much. + +[Footnote 13: Scott and Hawkesworth print "your behaviour in the world." +The above is the reading of the first edition. [T. S.]] + + I am, Sir, + Your Affectionate + Friend and Servant + A.B. + + January 9th. + 1719-20. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +SOME ARGUMENTS AGAINST ENLARGING + +THE POWER OF BISHOPS IN + +LETTING OF LEASES. + + +NOTE. + +The years between that which saw the publication of the "Drapier +Letters," and that which rang with the fame of "Gulliver's Travels," +were busy fighting years for Swift. Apart from his vigorous championship +of the Test, and his war against the Dissenters, he espoused the cause +of the inferior clergy of his own Church, as against the bishops. The +business of filling the vacant sees of Ireland had degenerated into what +we should now call "jobbery"; and during the period of Sir Robert +Walpole's administration it was rarely that an Irishman was selected. On +any question, therefore, which affected the welfare of the lower clergy, +it will at once be seen, that the Lords Spiritual, sitting in the Irish +Upper House, would find little difficulty in coming to a solution. That +the solution should also be one which only increased the clergy's +difficulties, might be expected from a body which aimed chiefly at +acquiring wealth and power for itself. + +In the reign of Charles I. an act was passed, "prohibiting all bishops, +and other ecclesiastical corporations, from setting their lands for +above the term of twenty-one years: the rent reserved to be half the +real value of such lands at the time they were set." As Swift points +out, about the time of the Reformation, a trade was carried on by the +popish bishops, who felt that their terms of office would be short, and +who, consequently, to get what benefit they could while in office, "made +long leases and fee-farms of great part of their lands, reserving very +inconsiderable rents, sometimes only a chiefry." It was owing to a +continuance in this traffic by the bishops when they became Protestants, +and to a recognition of the injustice of such alienation, that the +legislature passed the act. In 1723, however, an attempt was made for +its repeal. Swift was not the man to permit the bishops to have their +way, if he could help it. His opinion of Irish bishops is well known. +"No blame," he said, "rested with the court for these appointments. +Excellent and moral men had been selected upon every occasion of +vacancy, but it unfortunately happened, that as these worthy divines +crossed Hounslow Heath, on their way to Ireland, to take possession of +their bishoprics, they have been regularly robbed and murdered by the +highwaymen frequenting that common, who seize upon their robes and +patents, come over to Ireland, and are consecrated bishops in their +stead." To prevent, therefore, the encroachments of such individuals he +wrote this tract, in which he clearly demonstrates the justice and +salutariness of Charles's act. His contention, as Monck Mason points out +("History of St. Patrick's Cathedral," p. 392, note 1) "is confirmed by +all writers upon the subject," and quotes from Carte's "Life of James, +Duke of Ormond," where it is stated that the bishoprics in Ireland had, +"the greatest part of them, been depauperated in the change of religion +by absolute grants and long leases (made generally by the popish bishops +that conformed)--some of them not able to maintain a bishop, several +were, by these means, reduced to £50 a year, as Waterford, Kilfenora, +and others, and some to five marks, as Cloyne and Kilmacduagh." To Swift +is largely due the fact that the House of Commons, when they received +the bill from the Lords, threw it out. + +Scott, in his note on this pamphlet (amended from one by Lord Orrery), +takes his usual course when considering Swift's attitude of opposition +--he implies a motive or prejudice. In his opinion, Swift considered the +bill for the repeal of Charles's act, "an indirect mode of gratifying +the existing bishops, whom he did not regard with peculiar respect or +complacency, at the expense of the Church establishment," and that, +therefore, "the spirit of his opposition is, in this instance, +peculiarly caustic." As a matter of fact, the spirit of Swift's +opposition was always peculiarly caustic, in this case no more so than +in any other. But to imply that his motive was a self gratifying one +only, is to treat Swift unfairly. If the bishops required an example as +to how they should deal with their lands, they could easily have found +one in Swift himself. In all the renewals of the leases of the Deanery +lands, Swift never sought his own immediate advantage, his terms were +based on the consideration that the lands were his only in trust for a +successor. To take one instance only, the instance of the parish of +Kilberry in county Kildare, cited by Monck Mason (p. 27, note h). In +1695 the rent of this parish was reserved at £100 English sterling, in +1717, Swift raised this rent to £150, in 1731 to £170, and in 1741 to +£200 per annum, with a proportionable loss of fine upon each occasion. + +The tract is dated October 21st, 1723, but as I have not come across a +copy of the original separate issue, I have based the text on that given +by Faulkner (vol. iv, 1735), and the title page here reproduced is from +that edition. The fifth volume of "Miscellanies," also issued in 1735, +contains this tract, and I have compared the texts of the two. The notes +given in Scott's edition are, in the main, altered from Faulkner's +edition. + +[T.S.] + + + SOME + ARGUMENTS + AGAINST ENLARGING the + POWER OF BISHOPS + In LETTING OF + LEASES. + WITH + REMARKS on some _Queries_ + lately published. + +_Mibi credite, major haereditas venit unicuique vestraem in iisdem bonis ae +jure & ae legibus, quam ab iis ae quibus illa ipsa bona relicta sunt._ + +Cicero _pro_ A. Caecina. + +Written in the Year 1723. + +Printed in the Year MDCCXXXIII. + + +In handling this subject, I shall proceed wholly upon the supposition, +that those of our party, who profess themselves members of the church +established, and under the apostolical government of bishops, do desire +the continuance and transmission of it to posterity, at least, in as +good a condition as it is at present. Because, as this discourse is not +calculated for dissenters of any kind; so neither will it suit the talk +or sentiments of those persons, who, with the denomination of churchmen, +are oppressors of the inferior clergy, and perpetually quarrelling at +the great incomes of the bishops; which is a traditional cant delivered +down from former times, and continued with great reason, although it be +now near 200 years since almost three parts in four of the church +revenues have been taken from the clergy: Besides the spoils that have +been gradually made ever since, of glebes and other lands, by the +confusion of times, the fraud of encroaching neighbours, or the power of +oppressors, too great to be encountered. + +About the time of the Reformation, many popish bishops of this kingdom, +knowing they must have been soon ejected, if they would not change their +religion, made long leases and fee-farms of great part of their lands, +reserving very inconsiderable rents, sometimes only a chiefry; by a +power they assumed, directly contrary to many ancient canons, yet +consistent enough with the common law. This trade held on for many years +after the bishops became Protestants; and some of their names are still +remembered with infamy, on account of enriching their families by such +sacrilegious alienations. By these means, episcopal revenues were so low +reduced, that three or four sees were often united to make a tolerable +competency. For some remedy to this evil, King James the First, by a +bounty that became a good Christian prince, bestowed several forfeited +lands on the northern bishoprics: But in all other parts of the kingdom, +the Church continued still in the same distress and poverty; some of the +sees hardly possessing enough to maintain a country vicar. About the +middle of King Charles the First's reign, the legislature here thought +fit to put a stop, at least, to any farther alienations; and so a law +was enacted, prohibiting all bishops, and other ecclesiastical +corporations, from setting their lands for above the term of twenty-one +years; the rent reserved to be one half of the real value of such lands +at the time they were set, without which condition the lease to be void. + +Soon after the restoration of King Charles the Second, the parliament +taking into consideration the miserable estate of the Church, certain +lands, by way of augmentation, were granted to eight bishops in the act +of settlement, and confirmed in the act of explanation; of which bounty, +as I remember, three sees were, in a great measure, defeated; but by +what accidents, it is not here of any importance to relate. + +This, at present, is the condition of the Church in Ireland, with regard +to Episcopal revenues: Which I have thus briefly (and, perhaps, +imperfectly) deduced for some information to those, whose thoughts do +not lead them to such considerations. + +By virtue of the statute, already mentioned, under King Charles the +First, limiting ecclesiastical bodies to the term of twenty-one years, +under the reserved rent of half real value, the bishops have had some +share in the gradual rise of lands, without which they could not have +been supported, with any common decency that might become their station. +It is above eighty years since the passing of that act: The see of +Meath, one of the best in the kingdom, was then worth about £400 _per +annum_; the poorer ones in the same proportion. If this were their +present condition, I cannot conceive how they would have been able to +pay for their patents, or buy their robes: But this will certainly be +the condition of their successors, if such a bill should pass, as they +say is now intended, which I will suppose, and believe, many persons, +who may give a vote for it, are not aware of. + +However, this is the act which is now attempted to be repealed, or, at +least, eluded; some are for giving bishops leave to let fee-farms; +others would allow them to let leases for lives; and the most moderate +would repeal that clause, by which the bishops are bound to let their +lands at half value. + +The reasons for the rise of value in lands, are of two kinds. Of the +first kind, are long peace and settlement after the devastations of war; +plantations, improvements of bad soil, recovery of bogs and marshes, +advancement of trade and manufactures, increase of inhabitants, +encouragement of agriculture, and the like. + +But there is another reason for the rise of land, more gradual, constant +and certain; which will have its effects in countries that are very far +from flourishing in any of the advantages I have just mentioned: I mean +_the perpetual decrease in the value of gold and silver_. I shall +discourse upon these two different kinds, with a view towards the bill +now attempted. + +As to the first: I cannot see how this kingdom is at any height of +improvement, while four parts in five of the plantations for 30 years +past, have been real disimprovements; nine in ten of the quick-set +hedges being ruined for want of care or skill. And as to forest trees, +they being often taken out of woods, and planted in single rows on the +tops of ditches, it is impossible they should grow to be of use, beauty, +or shelter. Neither can it be said, that the soil of Ireland is improved +to its full height, while so much lies all winter under water, and the +bogs made almost desperate by the ill cutting of the turf. There hath, +indeed, been some little improvement in the manufactures of linen and +woollen, although very short of perfection: But our trade was never in +so low a condition: And as to agriculture, of which all wise nations +have been so tender, the desolation made in the country by engrossing +graziers, and the great yearly importation of corn from England, are +lamentable instances under what discouragement it lies. + +But, notwithstanding all these mortifications, I suppose there is no +well-wisher to his country, without a little hope, that in time the +kingdom may be on a better foot in some of the articles above mentioned. +But it would be hard, if ecclesiastical bodies should be the only +persons excluded from any share in public advantages; which yet can +never happen, without a greater share of profit to their tenants: If God +"sends rain equally upon the just and the unjust;" why should those who +wait at His altars, and are instructors of the people, be cut off from +partaking in the general benefits of law, or of nature? + +But, as this way of reasoning may seem to bear a more favourable eye +to the clergy, than perhaps will suit with the present disposition, or +fashion of the age; I shall, therefore, dwell more largely upon the +second reason for the rise of land, which is the perpetual decrease of +the value of gold and silver. + +This may be observed from the course of the Roman history, above two +thousand years before those inexhaustible silver mines of Potosi were +known. The value of an obolus, and of every other coin between the time +of Romulus and that of Augustus, gradually sunk about five parts in six, +as appears by several passages out of the best authors. And yet, the +prodigious wealth of that state did not arise from the increase of +bullion in the world, by the discovery of new mines, but from a much +more accidental cause, which was, the spreading of their conquests, and +thereby importing into Rome and Italy, the riches of the east and west. + +When the seat of empire was removed to Constantinople, the tide of money +flowed that way, without ever returning; and was scattered in Asia. But +when that mighty empire was overthrown by the northern people, such a +stop was put to all trade and commerce, that vast sums of money were +buried, to escape the plundering of the conquerors; and what remained +was carried off by those ravagers. + +It were no difficult matter to compute the value of money in England, +during the Saxon reigns; but the monkish and other writers since the +Conquest, have put that matter in a clearer light, by the several +accounts they have given us of the value of corn and cattle, in years of +dearth and plenty. Every one knows, that King John's whole portion, +before he came to the crown, was but five thousand pounds, without a +foot of land. + +I have likewise seen the steward's accounts, of an ancient noble family +in England, written in Latin, between three and four hundred years ago, +with the several prices of wine and victuals, to confirm my +observations. + +I have been at the trouble of computing (as others have done) the +different values of money for about four hundred years past. Henry Duke +of Lancaster, who lived about that period, founded an hospital in +Leicester, for a certain number of old men; charging his lands with a +groat a week to each for their maintenance, which is to this day duly +paid them. In those times, a penny was equal to ten-pence half-penny, +and somewhat more than half a farthing in ours; which makes about eight +ninths' difference. + +This is plain also, from the old custom upon many estates in England, to +let for leases of lives, (renewable at pleasure) where the reserved rent +is usually about twelve-pence a pound, which then was near the half real +value: And although the fines be not fixed, yet the landlord gets +altogether not above three shillings in the pound of the worth of his +land: And the tenants are so wedded to this custom, that if the owner +suffer three lives to expire, none of them will take a lease on other +conditions; or, if he brings in a foreigner who will agree to pay a +reasonable rent, the other tenants, by all manner of injuries, will make +that foreigner so uneasy, that he must be forced to quit the farm; as +the late Earl of Bath felt, by the experience of above ten thousand +pounds loss. + +The gradual decrease for about two hundred years after, was not +considerable, and therefore I do not rely on the account given by some +historians, that Harry the Seventh left behind him eighteen hundred +thousand pounds; for although the West Indies were discovered before his +death, and although he had the best talents and instruments for exacting +of money, ever possessed by any prince since the time of Vespasian, +(whom he resembled in many particulars); yet I conceive, that in his +days the whole coin of England could hardly amount to such a sum. For in +the reign of Philip and Mary, Sir Thomas Cokayne of Derbyshire, [1] the +best housekeeper of his quality in the county, allowed his lady fifty +pounds a year for maintaining the family, one pound a year wages to each +servant, and two pounds to the steward; as I was told by a person of +quality who had seen the original account of his economy. Now this sum +of fifty pound, added to the advantages of a large domain, might be +equal to about five hundred pounds a year at present, or somewhat more +than four-fifths. + +[Footnote 1: Sir Thomas Cokayne (1519?-1592), known as "a professed +hunter and not a scholler." He was the eldest son of Francis Cokayne, or +Cockaine, of Ashbourne, Derbyshire. One of his sons, Edward, was the +father of Thomas Cokayne, the lexicographer. Sir Thomas, in 1591, +published "A Short Treatise of Hunting, compyled for the Delight of +Noblemen and Gentlemen." [T. S.]] + +The great plenty of silver in England began in Queen Elizabeth's reign, +when Drake, and others, took vast quantities of coin and bullion from +the Spaniards, either upon their own American coasts, or in their return +to Spain. However, so much hath been imported annually from that time to +this, that the value of money in England, and most parts of Europe, is +sunk above one half within the space of an hundred years, +notwithstanding the great export of silver for about eighty years past, +to the East Indies, from whence it never returns. But gold being not +liable to the same accident, and by new discoveries growing every day +more plentiful, seems in danger of becoming a drug. + +This hath been the progress of the value of money in former ages, and +must of necessity continue so for the future, without some new invasion +of Goths and Vandals to destroy law, property and religion, alter the +very face of nature; and turn the world upside down. + +I must repeat, that what I am to say upon this subject, is intended only +for the conviction of those among our own party, who are true lovers of +the Church, and would be glad it should continue in a tolerable degree +of prosperity to the end of the world. + +The Church is supposed to last for ever, both in its discipline and +doctrine; which is a privilege common to every petty corporation, who +must likewise observe the laws of their foundation. If a gentleman's +estate which now yields him a thousand pounds a year, had been set for +ever at the highest value, even in the flourishing days of King Charles +the Second, would it now amount to above four or five hundred at most? +What if this had happened two or three hundred years ago; would the +reserved rent at this day be any more than a small chiefry? Suppose the +revenues of a bishop to have been under the same circumstances; could he +now be able to perform works of hospitality and charity? Thus, if the +revenues of a bishop be limited to a thousand pounds a year; how will +his successor be in a condition to support his station with decency, +when the same denomination of money shall not answer an half, a quarter, +or an eighth part of that sum? Which must unavoidably be the consequence +of any bill to elude the limiting act, whereby the Church was preserved +from utter ruin. + +The same reason holds good in all corporations whatsoever, who cannot +follow a more pernicious practice than that of granting perpetuities, +for which many of them smart to this day; although the leaders among +them are often so stupid as not to perceive it, or sometimes so knavish +as to find their private account in cheating the community. + +Several colleges in Oxford, were aware of this growing evil about an +hundred years ago; and, instead of limiting their rents to a certain sum +of money, prevailed with their tenants to pay the price of so many +barrels of corn, to be valued as the market went, at two seasons (as I +remember) in the year. For a barrel of corn is of a real intrinsic +value, which gold and silver are not: And by this invention, these +colleges have preserved a tolerable subsistence, for their fellows and +students, to this day. + +The present bishops will, indeed be no sufferers by such a bill; +because, their ages considered, they cannot expect to see any great +decrease in the value of money; or, at worst, they can make it up in the +fines, which will probably be greater than usual, upon the change of +leases into fee-farms, or lives; or without the power of obliging their +tenants to a real half value. And, as I cannot well blame them for +taking such advantages, (considering the nature of human kind) when the +question is only, whether the money shall be put into their own or +another man's pocket: So they will be never excusable before God or man, +if they do not to the death oppose, declare, and protest against any +such bill, as must in its consequences complete the ruin of the Church, +and of their own order in this kingdom. + +If the fortune of a private person be diminished by the weakness, or +inadvertency of his ancestors, in letting leases for ever at low rents, +the world lies open to his industry for purchasing of more; but the +Church is barred by a _dead hand_; or if it were otherwise, yet the +custom of making bequests to it, hath been out of practice for almost +two hundred years, and a great deal directly contrary hath been its +fortune. + +I have been assured by a person of some consequence, to whom I am +likewise obliged for the account of some other facts already related, +that the late Bishop of Salisbury,[2] (the greatest Whig of that bench +in his days) confessed to him, that the liberty which bishops in England +have of letting leases for lives, would, in his opinion, be one day the +ruin of Episcopacy there; and thought the Church in this kingdom happy +by the limitation act. + +[Footnote 2: Dr. Barnet.] + +And have we not already found the effect of this different proceeding in +both kingdoms? Have not two English prelates quitted their peerage and +seats in Parliament, in a nation of freedom, for the sake of a more +ample revenue, even in this unhappy kingdom, rather than lie under the +mortification of living below their dignity at home? For which, however, +they cannot be justly censured. I know indeed, some persons, who offer, +as an argument for repealing the limiting bill, that it may in future +ages prevent the practice of providing this kingdom with bishops from +England, when the only temptation will be removed. And they allege, +that, as things have gone for some years past, gentlemen will grow +discouraged from sending their sons to the university, and from +suffering them to enter into holy orders, when they are likely to +languish under a curacy, or small vicarage, to the end of their lives: +But this is all a vain imagination; for the decrease in the value of +money will equally affect both kingdoms: And besides, when bishoprics +here grow too small to invite over men of credit and consequence, they +will be left more fully to the disposal of a chief governor, who can +never fail of some worthless illiterate chaplain, fond of a title and +precedence. Thus will that whole bench, in an age or two, be composed of +mean, ignorant, fawning gownmen, humble suppliants and dependants upon +the court for a morsel of bread, and ready to serve every turn that +shall be demanded from them, in hopes of getting some _commendam_ tacked +to their sees; which must then be the trade, as it is now too much in +England, to the great discouragement of the inferior clergy. Neither is +that practice without example among us. + +It is now about eighty-five years since the passing of that limiting +act, and there is but one instance, in the memory of man, of a bishop's +lease broken upon the plea of not being statutable; which, in +everybody's opinion, could have been lost by no other person than he who +was then tenant, and happened to be very ungracious in his county. In +the present Bishop of Meath's[3] case, that plea did not avail, although +the lease were notoriously unstatutable; the rent reserved, being, as I +have been told, not a seventh part of the real value; yet the jury, upon +their oaths, very gravely found it to be according to the statute; and +one of them was heard to say, That he would _eat his shoes_ before he +would give a verdict for the bishop. A very few more have made the same +attempt with as little success. Every bishop, and other ecclesiastical +body, reckon forty pounds in an hundred to be a reasonable half value; +or if it be only a third part, it seldom, or never, breeds any +difference between landlord and tenant. But when the rent is from five +to nine or ten parts less than the worth; the bishop, if he consults the +good of his see, will be apt to expostulate; and the tenant, if he be an +honest man, will have some regard to the reasonableness and justice of +the demand, so as to yield to a moderate advancement, rather than engage +in a suit, where law and equity are directly against him. By these +means, the bishops have been so true to their trusts, as to procure some +small share in the advancement of rents; although it be notorious that +they do not receive the third penny (fines included) of the real value +of their lands throughout the kingdom. + +[Footnote 3: Dr. Evans, a Welchman. [Faulkner, 1735.]] + +I was never able to imagine what inconvenience could accrue to the +public, by one or two thousand pounds a year, in the hands of a +Protestant bishop, any more than of a lay person.[4] The former, +generally speaking, liveth as piously and hospitably as the other; pays +his debts as honestly, and spends as much of his revenue among his +tenants: Besides, if they be his immediate tenants, you may distinguish +them, at first sight, by their habits and horses; or if you go to their +houses, by their comfortable way of living. But the misfortune is, that +such immediate tenants, generally speaking, have others under them, and +so a third and fourth in subordination, till it comes to the welder (as +they call him) who sits at a rack-rent, and lives as miserably as an +Irish farmer upon a new lease from a lay landlord. But suppose a bishop +happens to be avaricious, (as being composed of the same stuff with +other men) the consequence to the public is no worse than if he were a +squire; for he leaves his fortune to his son, or near relation, who, if +he be rich enough, will never think of entering into the Church. + +[Footnote 4: This part of the paragraph is to be applied to the period +when the whole was written, which was in 1723, when several of Queen +Anne's bishops were living. [Note in edition of 1761, as amended from +the edition of 1735. T.S.]] + +And, as there can be no disadvantage to the public, in a Protestant +country, that a man should hold lands as a bishop, any more than if he +were a temporal person; so it is of great advantage to the community, +where a bishop lives as he ought to do. He is bound, in conscience, to +reside in his diocese, and, by a solemn promise, to keep hospitality; +his estate is spent in the kingdom, not remitted to England; he keeps +the clergy to their duty, and is an example of virtue both to them and +the people. Suppose him an ill man; yet his very character will withhold +him from any great or open exorbitancies. But, in fact, it must be +allowed, that some bishops of this kingdom, within twenty years past, +have done very signal and lasting acts of public charity; great +instances whereof, are the late[5] and present[6] Primate, the Lord +Archbishop of Dublin[7] that now is, who hath left memorials of his +bounty in many parts of his province. I might add, the Bishop of +Raphoe,[8] and several others: Not forgetting the late Dean of Down, Dr. +Pratt, who bestowed one thousand pounds upon the university: Which +foundation, (that I may observe by the way) if the bill proposed should +pass, would be in the same circumstances with the bishops, nor ever able +again to advance the stipends of the fellows and students, as lately +they found it necessary to do; the determinate sum appointed by the +statute for commons, being not half sufficient, by the fall of money, to +afford necessary sustenance. But the passing of such a bill must put an +end to all ecclesiastical beneficence for the time to come; and whether +this will be supplied by those who are to reap the benefit, better than +it hath been done by the grantees of impropriate tithes, who received +them upon the old church conditions of keeping hospitality; it will be +easy to conjecture. + +[Footnote 5: Dr. Marsh.] + +[Footnote 6: Dr. Lindsay.] + +[Footnote 7: Dr. King.] + +[Footnote 8: Dr. Forster.] + +To allege, that passing such a bill would be a good encouragement to +improve bishops' lands, is a great error. Is it not the general method +of landlords, to wait the expiration of a lease, and then cant[9] their +lands to the highest bidder? And what should hinder the same course to +be taken in church leases, when the limitation is removed of paying half +the real value to the bishop? In riding through the country, how few +improvements do we see upon the estates of laymen, farther than about +their own domains? To say the truth, it is a great misfortune as well to +the public as to the bishops themselves, that their lands are generally +let to lords and great squires, who, in reason, were never designed to +be tenants; and therefore may naturally murmur at the payment of rent, +as a subserviency they were not born to. If the tenants to the Church +were honest farmers, they would pay their fines and rents with +cheerfulness, improve their lands, and thank God they were to give but a +moderate half value for what they held. I have heard a man of a thousand +pounds a year, talk with great contempt of bishops' leases, as being on +a worse foot than the rest of his estate; and he had certainly reason: +My answer was, that such leases were originally intended only for the +benefit of industrious husbandmen, who would think it a great blessing +to be so provided for, instead of having his farm screwed up to the +height, not eating one comfortable meal in a year, nor able to find +shoes for his children. + +[Footnote 9: To cant means to call for bidders at an auction sale. +Probably derived from the O. French _cant = quantum_ = how much. [T.S.]] + +I know not any advantage that can accrue by such a bill, except the +preventing of perjury in jurymen, and false dealing in tenants; which is +a remedy like that of giving my money to an highwayman, before he +attempts to take it by force; and so I shall be sure to prevent the sin +of robbery. + +I had wrote thus far, and thought to have put an end; when a bookseller +sent me a small pamphlet, entitled, "The Case of the Laity, with some +Queries;" full of the strongest malice against the clergy, that I have +anywhere met with since the reign of Toland, and others of that tribe. +These kinds of advocates do infinite mischief to OUR GOOD CAUSE, by +giving grounds to the unjust reproaches of TORIES and JACOBITES, who +charge us with being enemies to the Church. If I bear an hearty +unfeigned loyalty to his Majesty King George, and the House of Hanover, +not shaken in the least by the hardships we lie under, which never can +be imputable to so gracious a prince: If I sincerely abjure the +Pretender, and all Popish successors; if I bear a due veneration to the +glorious memory of the late King William, who preserved these kingdoms +from Popery and slavery, with the expense of his blood, and hazard of +his life: And lastly, if I am for a proper indulgence to all dissenters; +I think nothing more can be reasonably demanded of me as a WHIG, and +that my political catechism is full and complete. But whoever, under the +shelter of that party denomination, and of many great professions of +loyalty, would destroy, or undermine, or injure the Church established; +I utterly disown him, and think he ought to choose another name of +distinction for himself, and his adherents. I came into the cause upon +other principles, which, by the grace of God, I mean to preserve as long +as I live. Shall we justify the accusations of our adversaries? _Hoc +Ithacus velit_--The Tories and Jacobites will behold us with a malicious +pleasure, determined upon the ruin of our friends: For is not the +present set of bishops almost entirely of that number, as well as a +great majority of the principal clergy? And a short time will reduce the +whole, by vacancies upon death. + +An impartial reader, if he pleases to examine what I have already said, +will easily answer the bold "Queries" in the pamphlet I mentioned: He +will be convinced, that "the reason still strongly exists, for which" +that limiting law was enacted. A reasonable man will wonder, where can +be the insufferable grievance, that an ecclesiastical landlord should +expect a moderate, or third part value in rent for his lands, when his +title is, _at least_, as ancient and as legal as that of a layman; who +is yet but seldom guilty of giving such beneficial bargains. Has "the +nation been thrown into confusion"? And have "many poor families been +ruined" by rack-rents paid for the lands of the church? Does "the nation +cry out" to have a law that must, in time, send their bishops a-begging? +But, God be thanked, the clamour of enemies to the Church is not yet the +cry, and, I hope, will never prove the voice of the nation. The clergy, +I conceive, will hardly allow that "the people maintain them," any more +than in the sense, that all landlords whatsoever are maintained by the +people. Such assertions as these, and the insinuations they carry along +with them, proceed from principles which cannot be avowed by those who +are for preserving the happy constitution in Church and State. Whoever +were the proposers of such "queries," it might have provoked a bold +writer to retaliate, perhaps with more justice than prudence, by shewing +at whose door the grievance lies, and that the bishops, _at least_, are +not to answer for the poverty of tenants. + +To gratify this great reformer, who enlarges the episcopal rent-roll +almost one half; let me suppose that all the Church lands in the kingdom +were thrown up to the laity; would the tenants, in such a case, sit +easier in their rents than they do now? Or, would the money be equally +spent in the kingdom? No: The farmer would be screwed up to the utmost +penny, by the agents and stewards of absentees, and the revenues +employed in making a figure at London; to which city a full third part +of the whole income of Ireland is annually returned, to answer that +single article of maintenance for Irish landlords. + +Another of his quarrels is against pluralities and non-residence: As to +the former, it is a word of ill name, but not well understood. The +clergy having been stripped of the greatest part of their revenues, the +glebes being generally lost, the tithes in the hands of laymen, the +churches demolished, and the country depopulated; in order to preserve a +face of Christianity, it was necessary to unite small vicarages, +sufficient to make a tolerable maintenance for a minister. The profit of +ten or a dozen of these unions, do seldom amount to above eighty or an +hundred pounds a year: If there be a very few dignitaries, whose +preferments are, perhaps, more liable to this accusation, it is to be +supposed, they may be favourites of the time, or persons of superior +merit, for whom there hath ever been some indulgence in all governments. + +As to non-residence, I believe there is no Christian country upon earth, +where the clergy have less to answer for upon that article. I am +confident there are not ten clergymen in the kingdom, who, properly +speaking, can be termed non-residents: For surely, we are not to reckon +in that number, those who, for want of glebes, are forced to retire to +the nearest neighbouring village for a cabin to put their heads in; the +leading man of the parish, when he makes the greatest clamour, being +least disposed to accommodate the minister with an acre of ground. And, +indeed, considering the difficulties the clergy lie under upon this +head, it hath been frequent matter of wonder to me, how they are able to +perform that part of their duty as well as they do. + +There is a noble author,[10] who hath lately addressed to the House of +Commons, an excellent discourse for the "Encouragement of Agriculture"; +full of most useful hints, which, I hope, that honourable assembly will +consider as they deserve. I am not a stranger to his lordship; and, +excepting in what relates to the Church, there are few persons with +whose opinions I am better pleased to agree; and am, therefore, grieved +when I find him charging the inconveniencies in the payment of tithes +upon the clergy and their proctors. His lordship is above considering a +very known and vulgar truth, that the meanest farmer hath all manner of +advantages against the most powerful clergyman, by whom it is impossible +he can be wronged, although the minister were ever so evil disposed; the +whole system of teasing, perplexing, and defrauding the proctor, or his +master, being as well known to every ploughman, as the reaping or sowing +of his corn, and much more artfully practised. Besides, the leading man +in the parish must have his tithes at his own rate, which is hardly ever +above one quarter of the value. And I have heard it computed by many +skilful observers, whose interest was not concerned, that the clergy did +not receive, throughout the kingdom, one half of what the laws have made +their due. + +[Footnote 10: The late Lord Molesworth.] + +As to his lordship's discontent against the Bishops' Courts, I shall not +interpose further than in venturing my private opinion, that the clergy +would be very glad to recover their just dues by a more short, decisive, +and compulsive method, than such a cramped and limited jurisdiction will +allow. + +His lordship is not the only person disposed to give the clergy the +honour of being the _sole_ encouragers of all new improvements. If hops, +hemp, flax, and twenty things more are to be planted, the clergy, +_alone_, must reward the industrious farmer, by abatement of the tithe. +What if the owner of nine parts in ten would please to abate +proportionably in his rent, for every acre thus improved? Would not a +man just dropped from the clouds, upon a full hearing, judge the demand +to be, at least, as reasonable? + +I believe no man will dispute his lordship's title to his estate; nor +will I the _jus divinum_ of tithes, which he mentions with some emotion. +I suppose the affirmative would be of little advantage to the clergy, +for the same reason that a maxim in law hath more weight in the world +than an article of faith. And yet, I think there may be such a thing as +sacrilege; because it is frequently mentioned by Greek and Roman +authors, as well as described in Holy Writ. This I am sure of; that his +lordship would, at any time, excuse a parliament for not concerning +itself in his properties, without his own consent. + +The observations I have made upon his lordship's discourse, have not, I +confess, been altogether proper to my subject: However, since he hath +been pleased therein to offer some proposals to the House of Commons, +with relation to the clergy, I hope he will excuse me for differing from +him; which proceeds from his own principle, the desire of defending +liberty and property, that he hath so strenuously and constantly +maintained. + +But the other writer openly declares for a law, empowering the bishops +to set fee-farms; and says, "Whoever intimates that they will deny their +consent to such a reasonable law, which the whole nation cries for, are +enemies to them and the Church." Whether this be his real opinion, or +only a strain of mirth and irony, the matter is not much. However, my +sentiments are so directly contrary to his; that I think, whoever +impartially reads and considers what I have written upon this argument, +hath either no regard for the Church established under the hierarchy of +bishops, or will never consent to any law that shall repeal, or elude +the limiting clause, relating to the real half value, contained in the +act of parliament _decimo Caroli_, "For the preservation of the +inheritance, rights and profits of lands belonging to the Church, and +persons ecclesiastical"; which was grounded upon reasons that do still, +and must for ever subsist. + +October 21, 1723. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +[REASONS HUMBLY OFFERED] + +TO HIS GRACE + +WILLIAM, LORD ARCHBISHOP OF + +DUBLIN, &c. + +THE HUMBLE REPRESENTATION OF THE CLERGY + +OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN. + + +NOTE. + +Scott's text has been collated with that given in volume eight of the +quarto edition of Swift's Works (1765). In that edition the title is +given as: "The Representation of the Clergy of Dublin," &c. + +[T.S.] + + + [REASONS HUMBLY OFFERED] TO HIS + GRACE WILLIAM, LORD ARCHBISHOP + OF DUBLIN, &c.[1] + THE HUMBLE REPRESENTATION OF THE CLERGY + OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN. + +[Footnote 1: William King, D.D. (1650-1729), Archbishop of Dublin, was +born in Antrim, and educated at a school at Dungannon and Trinity +College, Dublin. He was installed Dean of St. Patrick's in 1688-9 +(February 1st). For his open espousal of the Prince of Orange, he was +confined to the Castle, and suffered many indignities. In 1690-1 +(January 9th) he was promoted to the see of Derry. His conduct through +life was that of an ardent Irish Protestant patriot. He fought against +Sectarianism, Roman Catholicism, and the interference of the English +Parliament in Irish affairs. He opposed the Toleration Bill, and +protested against the act confirming the Articles of Limerick. His +relationship with Swift became close when he sent the vicar of Laracor +to London, to obtain for the Irish clergy the restoration of the +first-fruits and twentieth parts; but it was a relationship never +cemented by feelings warmer than those of esteem. King acknowledged the +ability of Swift, but found him ambitious and overbearingly proud. +Throughout life he remained a consistent High Churchman, and a strenuous +supporter of the rights of the Church in Ireland, but his attempt, in +1727, to interfere with the affairs of the Deanery of St. Patrick's, +brought down upon him Swift's wrath, and an open quarrel ensued which +was partly softened by the Archbishop retiring from the matter and +tacitly acknowledging Swift's right. + +King's chief published work is his treatise "De Origine Mali," published +in 1702, and received with respectful consideration by the eminent +thinkers of the day. He wrote other minor works, but none of any +distinguished merit. He succeeded Narcissus Marsh as Archbishop of +Dublin in 1702-3 (March 11th). Swift's letters to King during the +former's embassy on the matter of first-fruits, make a most interesting +chapter in the six volumes which Scott devotes to Swift's +correspondence. T. S.] + +Jan. 1724. + +MY LORD, + +Your Grace having been pleased to communicate to us a certain brief, by +letters patents, for the relief of one Charles M'Carthy, whose house in +College-Green, Dublin, was burnt by an accidental fire; and having +desired us to consider of the said brief, and give our opinions thereof +to your Grace; + +We the Clergy of the city of Dublin, in compliance with your Grace's +desire, and with great acknowledgments for your paternal tenderness +towards us, having maturely considered the said brief by letters +patents, compared the several parts of it with what is enjoined us by +the rubric, (which is confirmed by act of parliament) and consulted +persons skilled in the laws of the Church; do, in the names of ourselves +and of the rest of our brethren, the Clergy of the diocese of Dublin, +most humbly represent to your Grace: + +First, That, by this brief, your Grace is required and commanded, to +recommend and command all the parsons, vicars, &c., to advance so great +an act of charity. + +We shall not presume to determine how far your Grace may be commanded by +the said brief; but we humbly conceive that the Clergy of your diocese +cannot, by any law now in being, be commanded by your Grace to advance +the said act of charity, any other ways than by reading the said brief +in our several churches, as prescribed by the rubric. + +Secondly, Whereas it is said in the said brief, "That the parsons, +vicars, &c. upon the first Lord's day, or opportunity after the receipt +of the copy of the said brief, shall, deliberately and affectionately, +publish and declare the tenor thereof to His Majesty's subjects, and +earnestly persuade, exhort, and stir them up to contribute freely and +cheerfully towards the relief of the said sufferer;" + +We do not comprehend what is meant by the word _opportunity_. We never +do preach upon any day except the Lord's day, or some solemn days +legally appointed; neither is it possible for the strongest constitution +among us to obey this command (which includes no less than a whole +sermon) upon any other opportunity than when our people are met together +in the church; and to perform this work in every house where the +parishes are very populous, consisting sometimes here in town of 900 or +1,000 houses, would take up the space of a year, although we should +preach in two families every day; and almost as much time in the +country, where the parishes are of large extent, the roads bad, and the +people too poor to receive us, and give charity at once. + +But, if it be meant that these exhortations are commanded to be made in +the church, upon the Lord's day, we are humbly of opinion, that it is +left to the discretion of the clergy, to choose what subjects they think +most proper to preach on, and at what times; and, if they preach either +false doctrine or seditious principles, they are liable to be punished. + +It may possibly happen that the sufferer recommended may be a person not +deserving the favour intended by the brief; in which case no minister, +who knows the sufferer to be an undeserving person, can with a safe +conscience, deliberately and affectionately publish the brief, much less +earnestly persuade, exhort, and stir up the people to contribute freely +and cheerfully towards the relief of such a sufferer.[2] + +[Footnote 2: This M'Carthy's house was burnt in the month of August +1723, and the universal opinion of mankind was, that M'Carthy himself +was the person who had set fire to the house. [Note in edition of +Swift's Works, vol. viii., 1765, 4to.]] + +Thirdly, Whereas in the said brief the ministers and curates are +required, "on the week-days next after the Lord's day when the brief was +read, to go from house to house, with their church-wardens, to ask and +receive from all persons the said charity:" We cannot but observe here, +that the said ministers are directly made collectors of the said charity +in conjunction with the church-wardens; which however, we presume, was +not intended, as being against all law and precedent: And therefore, we +apprehend, there may be some inconsistency, which leaves us at a loss +how to proceed. For, in the next paragraph, the ministers and curates +are only required, where they conveniently can, to accompany the +church-wardens, or procure some other of the chief inhabitants, to do +the same. And, in a following paragraph, the whole work seems left +entirely to the church-wardens, who are required to use their utmost +diligence to gather and collect the said charity, and to pay the same, +in ten days after, to the parson, vicar, &c. + +In answer to this, we do represent to your Grace our humble opinion, +that neither we nor our church-wardens can be legally commanded or +required to go from house to house to receive the said charity; because +your Grace hath informed us in your order, at your visitation An. Dom. +1712, that neither we nor our church-wardens are bound to make any +collections for the poor, save in the church; which also appears plainly +by the rubric, that appoints both time and place, as your Grace hath +observed in your said order. + +We do likewise assure your Grace, that it is not in our power to procure +some of the chief inhabitants of our parishes to accompany the +church-wardens from house to house in these collections: And we have +reason to believe, that such a proposal, made to our chief inhabitants +(particularly in this city, where our chief inhabitants are often peers +of the land) would be received in a manner very little to our own +satisfaction, or to the advantage of the said collections. + +Fourthly, The brief doth will, require, and command the bishops, and all +other dignitaries of the Church, that they make their contributions +distinctly, to be returned in the several provinces to the several +archbishops of the same. + +Upon which we take leave to observe that the terms of expression here +are of the strongest kind, and in a point that may subject the said +dignitaries (for we shall say nothing of the bishops) to great +inconveniencies. + +The said dignitaries are here willed, required, and commanded to make +their contributions distinctly; by which it should seem that they are +absolutely commanded to make contributions (for the word _distinctly_ is +but a circumstance), and may be understood not very agreeable to a +voluntary, cheerful contribution. And therefore, if any bishop or +dignitary should refuse to make his contribution, (perhaps for very good +reasons) he may be thought to incur the crime of disobedience to His +Majesty, which all good subjects abhor, when such a command is according +to law. + +Most dignities of this kingdom consist only of parochial tithes, and the +dignitaries are ministers of parishes. A doubt may therefore arise, +whether the said dignitaries are willed, required, and commanded, to +make their contributions in both capacities, distinctly as dignitaries, +and jointly as parsons or vicars. + +Many dignities in this kingdom are the poorest kind of benefices; and it +should seem hard to put poor dignitaries under the necessity either of +making greater contributions than they can afford, or of exposing +themselves to the censure of wanting charity, by making their +contributions public. + +Our Saviour commands us, in works of charity, to "let not our left hand +know what our right hand doeth;" which cannot well consist with our +being willed, required, and commanded by any earthly power, where no law +is prescribed, to publish our charity to the world, if we have a mind to +conceal it. + +Fifthly, Whereas it is said in the said brief, "That the parson, vicar, +&c. of every parish, shall, in six days after the receipt of the said +charity, return it to his respective chancellor, &c." This may be a +great grievance, hazard, and expense to the said parson, in remote and +desolate parts of the country, where often an honest messenger (if such +a one can be got) must be hired to travel forty or fifty miles going and +coming; which will probably cost more than the value of the contribution +he carries with him. And this charge, if briefs should happen to be +frequent, would be enough to undo many a poor clergyman in the kingdom. + +Sixthly, We observe in the said brief, that the provost and fellows of +the University, judges, officers of the courts, and professors of laws +common and civil, are neither willed, required, nor commanded to make +their contributions; but that so good a work is only recommended to +them. Whereas we conceive, that all His Majesty's subjects are equally +obliged, with or without His Majesty's commands, to promote works of +charity according to their power; and that the clergy, in their +ecclesiastical capacity, are only liable to such commands as the rubric, +or any other law shall enjoin, being born to the same privileges of +freedom with the rest of His Majesty's subjects. + +We cannot but observe to your Grace, that, in the English act of the +fourth year of Queen Anne, for the better collecting charity money on +briefs by letters-patent, &c. the ministers are obliged only to read the +briefs in their churches, without any particular exhortations; neither +are they commanded to go from house to house with the church-wardens, +nor to send the money collected to their respective chancellors, but pay +it to the undertaker or agent of the sufferer. So that, we humbly hope, +the clergy of this kingdom shall not, without any law in being, be put +to greater hardships in this case than their brethren in England, where +the legislature, intending to prevent the abuses in collecting charity +money on briefs, did not think fit to put the clergy under any of those +difficulties we now complain of, in the present brief by letters patent, +for the relief of Charles M'Carthy aforesaid. + +The collections upon the Lord's day are the principal support of our own +numerous poor in our several parishes; and therefore every single brief, +with the benefit of a full collection over the whole kingdom, must +deprive several thousands of poor of their weekly maintenance, for the +sake only of one person, who often becomes a sufferer by his own folly +or negligence, and is sure to overvalue his losses double or treble: So +that, if this precedent be followed, as it certainly will if the present +brief should succeed, we may probably have a new brief every week; and +thus, for the advantage of fifty-two persons, whereof not one in ten is +deserving, and for the interest of a dozen dexterous clerks and +secretaries, the whole poor in the kingdom will be likely to starve. + +We are credibly informed, that neither the officers of the Lord Primate, +in preparing the report of his Grace's opinion, nor those of the +great-seal, in passing the patent for briefs, will remit any of their +fees, both which do amount to a considerable sum: And thus the good +intentions of well-disposed people are in a great measure disappointed, +a large part of their charity being anticipated, and alienated by fees +and gratuities. + +Lastly, We cannot but represent to your Grace our great concern and +grief, to see the pains and labour of our church-wardens so much +increased, by the injunctions and commands put upon them in this brief, +to the great disadvantage of the clergy and the people, as well as to +their own trouble, damage, and loss of time, to which great additions +have been already made, by laws appointing them to collect the taxes for +the watch and the poor-house, which they bear with great unwillingness; +and, if they shall find themselves further laden with such briefs as +this of M'Carthy, it will prove so great a discouragement, that we shall +never be able to provide honest and sufficient persons for that weighty +office of church-warden, so necessary to the laity as well as the +clergy, in all things that relate to the order and regulation of +parishes. + +Upon all these considerations, we humbly hope that your Grace, of whose +fatherly care, vigilance, and tenderness, we have had so many and great +instances, will represent our case to his Most Excellent Majesty, or to +the chief governor in this kingdom, in such a manner, that we may be +neither under the necessity of declining His Majesty's commands in his +letters patent, or of taking new and grievous burthens upon ourselves +and our church-wardens, to which neither the rubric nor any other law in +force oblige us to submit. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +ON + +THE BILL + +FOR + +THE CLERGY'S RESIDING ON THEIR LIVINGS. + + +NOTE. + +In the note to the tract, "Some Arguments against enlarging the Power of +Bishops in letting Leases" (p. 219), it was pointed out that the Bill +against which this tract was written was an attempt on the part of the +bishops to get back a power which they once had abused. Failing in this +attempt, in 1723, they renewed the attack in 1731 by promoting two +bills, one called a Bill of Residence, the other a Bill of Division. + +The ostensible object of the Bill of Residence was to compel the clergy +to reside on their livings. By this bill, any person taking a benefice, +with cure of souls, of the annual value of £100, was forced, if the land +attached to that benefice had no house fit for residence, to build one +thereon, in any situation the bishop might think suitable, this house to +cost one year and a half's income, and to be completed within a time +fixed by the bishop. It will at once be seen that the power over the +inferior clergy which this bill placed in the bishops' hands was by no +means insignificant; and Swift felt that to make such a bill law would +not only tend to impoverish, the inferior clergy, but would place them +in a position of subjection at once degrading and dispiriting. He +opposed the bill, with the consequence that the House of Commons +rejected it. + +By the Bill of Division "it was intended to be enacted that whenever a +church should become vacant, although the incumbent should refuse his +consent, it might be lawful for the chief governor, with the assent of +the major part of the Privy Council, six at least consenting, by and +with the consent of the ordinary and the patron, to subdivide any parish +into as many portions as they might think fit, provided that, after such +division, the church of the old parish should continue worth, at the +least, £300 per annum." This bill, which passed the House of Lords two +days after the Bill of Residence, Swift opposed in a spirited and +somewhat bitter manner. His opposition largely influenced the Lower +House in rejecting it. The two tracts which state the grounds of his +opposition to both bills are the present one, and the following tract, +"Considerations upon two Bills, sent down from the House of Lords to the +House of Commons in Ireland, relating to the Clergy." + +Scott notes that the "tone of _aigreur_," which is more distinctly felt +in the second of these tracts, intimates a "deep dissatisfaction with +late ecclesiastical preferments, which may perhaps be traced as much to +personal disappointment as to any better cause;" a statement which it +was hardly worth making; since, however deep may have been Swift's +personal feelings, he never allowed them to be the impelling motive to +his work. It should suffice us to know that the cause which Swift +espoused was a disinterested one. As Vicar of Laracor he knew what it +was to make a shift of living on an insufficient income; and it may have +been, this experience as much as "personal disappointment" which gave +pungency to his criticism. It is easy enough to find questionable +motives for a satirist, especially when that satirist is Swift; let us +not, however, forget that in his case the personal element was never +permitted to overweight the impersonal purpose. Other men when they +reach prosperity often forget or ignore the hard conditions of their +previous state; to Swift these conditions were always existing factors +in his considerations for the amelioration of his fellow-men. This it is +which gives to his writings so much of the "tone of _aigreur_." + +In his letter to John Stearne, Bishop of Clogher, dated July, 1733, +which is one of Swift's most characteristic epistles--characteristic, +because the embodiment of truthful candour--he gives no equivocal +expression of opinion on these two bills. He calls them, "abominable +bills, for enslaving and beggaring the clergy, (which took their birth +from hell)." "I call God to witness," he adds, "that I did then, and do +now, and shall for ever, firmly believe, that every Bishop who gave his +vote for either of these bills, did it with no other view (bating +further promotion), than a premeditated design, from the spirit of +ambition, and love of arbitrary power, to make the whole body of the +clergy their slaves and vassals until the day of judgment, under the +load of poverty and contempt." + +About the same time, 1732, appeared another pamphlet entitled, "The +Reconciler ... shewing how all the good ends proposed by either of those +bills, may, by a more gentle and easy method, be attained, without +injury to the rights of my lords the bishops; or rigour and violence to +the inferior clergy." In the main, the writer agrees with Swift; but the +tract is valuable as showing that the controversy was no small one, and +it furnishes also what is, apparently, an impartial history of the whole +affair. Three Irish prelates voted against the bills on a +division--Theophilus Bolton, Archbishop of Cashel, Charles Carr, Bishop +of Killaloe, and Robert Howard, Bishop of Elphin. + +The text of this tract is based on that which appeared in a volume of +"Miscellanies in Prose and Verse" in the year 1789. It has been collated +with those given by Scott, Hawkesworth, and other editors. + +[T.S.] + + + ON THE BILL FOR THE CLERGY'S + RESIDING ON THEIR LIVINGS. + + +Those gentlemen who have been promoted to bishoprics in this kingdom for +several years past, are of two sorts: first, certain private clergymen +from England, who, by the force of friends, industry, solicitation, or +other means and merits to me unknown, have been raised to that character +by the _mero motu_ of the crown. + +Of the other sort, are some clergymen born in this kingdom, who have +most distinguished themselves by their warmth against Popery, their +great indulgence to Dissenters, and all true loyal Protestants; by their +zeal for the House of Hanover, abhorrence of the Pretender, and an +implicit readiness to fall into any measures that will make the +government easy to those who represent His Majesty's person. + +Some of the former kind are such as are said to have enjoyed tolerable +preferments in England; and it is therefore much to their commendation +that they have condescended to leave their native country, and come over +hither to be bishops, merely to promote Christianity among us; and +therefore in my opinion, both their lordships, and the many defenders +they bring over, may justly claim the merit of missionaries sent to +convert a nation from heresy and heathenism. + +Before I proceed farther, it may be proper to relate some particulars +wherein the circumstances of the English clergy differ from those of +Ireland. + +The districts of parishes throughout England continue much the same as +they were before the Reformation; and most of the churches are of the +gothic architecture, built some hundred years ago; but the tithes of +great numbers of churches having been applied by the Pope's pretended +authority to several abbeys, and even before the Reformation bestowed by +that sacrilegious tyrant Henry VIII., on his ravenous favourites, the +maintenance of an incumbent in most parts of the kingdom is contemptibly +small; and yet a vicar there of forty pounds a year, can live with more +comfort, than one of three times the nominal value with us. For his +forty pounds are duly paid him, because there is not one farmer in a +hundred, who is not worth five times the rent he pays to his landlord, +and fifty times the sum demanded for the tithes; which, by the small +compass of his parish, he can easily collect or compound for; and if his +behaviour and understanding be supportable, he will probably receive +presents now and then from his parishioners, and perhaps from the +squire; who, although he may sometimes be apt to treat his parson a +little superciliously, will probably be softened by a little humble +demeanour. The vicar is likewise generally sure to find upon his +admittance to his living, a convenient house and barn in repair, with a +garden, and a field or two to graze a few cows, and one horse for +himself and his wife. He hath probably a market very near him, perhaps +in his own village. No entertainment is expected from his visitor beyond +a pot of ale, and a piece of cheese. He hath every Sunday the comfort of +a full congregation, of plain, cleanly people of both sexes, well to +pass, and who speak his own language. The scene about him is fully +cultivated (I mean for the general) and well inhabited. He dreads no +thieves for anything but his apples, for the trade of universal stealing +is not so epidemic there as with us. His wife is little better than +Goody, in her birth, education, or dress; and as to himself, we must let +his parentage alone. If he be the son of a farmer it is very sufficient, +and his sister may very decently be chambermaid to the squire's wife. He +goes about on working days in a grazier's coat, and will not scruple to +assist his workmen in harvest time. He is usually wary and thrifty, and +often more able to provide for a numerous family than some of ours can +do with a rectory called 300_l_. a year. His daughters shall go to +service, or be sent 'prentice to the sempstress of the next town; and +his sons are put to honest trades. This is the usual course of an +English country vicar from twenty to sixty pounds a year. + +As to the clergy of our own kingdom, their livings are generally larger. +Not originally, or by the bounty of princes, parliaments, or charitable +endowments, for the same degradations (and as to glebes, a much greater) +have been made here, but, by the destruction and desolation in the long +wars between the invaders and the natives; during which time a great +part of the bishops' lands, and almost all the glebes, were lost in the +confusion. The first invaders had almost the whole kingdom divided +amongst them. New invaders succeeded, and drove out their predecessors +as native Irish. These were expelled by others who came after, and upon +the same pretensions. Thus it went on for several hundred years, and in +some degree even to our own memories. And thus it will probably go on, +although not in a martial way, to the end of the world. For not only the +purchasers of debentures forfeited in 1641, were all of English birth, +but those after the Restoration, and many who came hither even since the +Revolution, are looked upon as perfect Irish; directly contrary to the +practice of all wise nations, and particularly of the Greeks and Romans, +in establishing their colonies, by which name Ireland is very absurdly +called. + +Under these distractions the conquerors always seized what lands they +could with little ceremony, whether they belonged to the Church or not: +Thus the glebes were almost universally exposed to the first seizers, +and could never be recovered, although the grants, with the particular +denominations, are manifest, and still in being. The whole lands of the +see of Waterford were wholly taken by one family; the like is reported +of other bishoprics. + +King James the First, who deserves more of the Church of Ireland than +all other princes put together, having the forfeitures of vast tracts of +land in the northern parts (I think commonly called the escheated +counties), having granted some hundred thousand acres of these lands to +certain Scotch and English favourites, was prevailed on by some great +prelates to grant to some sees in the north, and to many parishes there, +certain parcels of land for the augmentation of poor bishoprics, did +likewise endow many parishes with glebes for the incumbents, whereof a +good number escaped the depredations of 1641 and 1688. These lands, when +they were granted by King James, consisted mostly of woody ground, +wherewith those parts of this island were then overrun. This is well +known, universally allowed, and by some in part remembered; the rest +being, in some places, not stubbed out to this day. And the value of the +lands was consequently very inconsiderable, till Scotch colonies came +over in swarms upon great encouragement to make them habitable; at least +for such a race of strong-bodied people, who came hither from their own +bleak barren highlands, as it were into a paradise; who soon were able +to get straw for their bedding, instead of a bundle of heath spread on +the ground, and sprinkled with water. Here, by degrees, they acquired +some degree of politeness and civility, from such neighbouring Irish as +were still left after Tyrone's last rebellion, and are since grown +almost entirely possessors of the north. Thus, at length, the woods +being rooted up, the land was brought in, and tilled, and the glebes +which could not before yield two-pence an acre, are equal to the best, +sometimes affording the minister a good demesne, and some land to let. + +These wars and desolations in their natural consequences, were likewise +the cause of another effect, I mean that of uniting several parishes +under one incumbent. For, as the lands were of little value by the want +of inhabitants to cultivate them, and many of the churches levelled to +the ground, particularly by the fanatic zeal of those rebellious saints +who murdered their king, destroyed the Church, and overthrew monarchy +(for all which there is a humiliation day appointed by law, and soon +approaching); so, in order to give a tolerable maintenance to a +minister, and the country being too poor, as well as devotion too low, +to think of building new churches, it was found necessary to repair some +one church which had least suffered, and join sometimes three or more, +enough for a bare support to some clergyman, who knew not where to +provide himself better. This was a case of absolute necessity to prevent +heathenism, as well as popery, from overrunning the nation. The +consequence of these unions was very different, in different parts; for, +in the north, by the Scotch settlement, their numbers daily increasing +by new additions from their own country, and their prolific quality +peculiar to northern people; and lastly by their universally feeding +upon oats (which grain, under its several preparations and +denominations, is the only natural luxury of that hardy people) the +value of tithes increased so prodigiously, that at this day, I confess, +several united parishes ought to be divided, taking in so great a +compass, that it is almost impossible for the people to travel timely to +their own parish church, or their little churches to contain half their +number, though the revenue would be sufficient to maintain two, or +perhaps three worthy clergymen with decency; provided the times mend, or +that they were honestly dealt with, which I confess is seldom the case. +I shall name only one, and it is the deanery of Derry; the revenue +whereof, if the dean could get his dues, exceeding that of some +bishoprics, both by the compass and fertility of the soil, the number as +well as industry of the inhabitants, the conveniency of exporting their +corn to Dublin and foreign parts; and, lastly, by the accidental +discovery of marl in many places of the several parishes. Yet all this +revenue is wholly founded upon corn, for I am told there is hardly an +acre of glebe for the dean to plant and build on. + +I am therefore of opinion, that a real undefalcated revenue of six +hundred pounds a year, is a sufficient income for a country dean in this +kingdom; and since the rents consist wholly of tithes, two parishes, to +the amount of that value, should be united, and the dean reside as +minister in that of Down, and the remaining parishes be divided among +worthy clergymen, to about 300_l_. a year to each. The deanery of Derry, +which is a large city, might be left worth 800_l_. a year, and Rapho +according as it shall be thought proper. These three are the only +opulent deaneries in the whole kingdom, and, as I am informed, consist +all of tithes, which was an unhappy expedient in the Church, occasioned +by the sacrilegious robberies during the several times of confusion and +war; insomuch that at this day there is hardly any remainder left of +dean and chapter lands in Ireland, that delicious morsel swallowed so +greedily in England, under the fanatic usurpations. + +As to the present scheme of a bill for obliging the clergy to residence, +now or lately in the privy council, I know no more of the particulars +than what hath been told me by several clergymen of distinction; who +say, that a petition in the name of them all hath been presented to the +lord lieutenant and council, that they might be heard by their counsel +against the bill, and that the petition was rejected, with some reasons +why it was rejected; for the bishops know best what is proper for the +clergy. It seems the bill consists of two parts: First, a power in the +bishops, with consent of the archbishop, and the patron, to take off +from any parish whatever, it is worth above £300 a year; and this to be +done without the incumbent's consent, which before was necessary in all +divisions. The other part of the bill obligeth all clergymen, from forty +pounds a year and upwards, to reside, and build a house in his parish. +But those of £40 are remitted till they shall receive £100 out of the +revenue of first-fruits granted by Her late Majesty. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +CONSIDERATIONS + +UPON + +TWO BILLS, &c. + + +NOTE. + +"In the year 1731 a Bill was brought into the House of Lords by a great +majority of the Right Reverend the Bishops, for enabling them to divide +the livings of the inferior Clergy; which Bill was approved of in the +Privy-Council of Ireland, and passed by the Lords in Parliament. It was +afterwards sent to the House of Commons for their approbation; but was +rejected by them with a great majority. The supposed author of the +following Considerations, who hath always been the best friend to the +inferior Clergy of the Church of England, as may be seen by many parts +of his writings, opposed this pernicious project with great success; +which, if it had passed into law, would have been of the worst +consequence to this nation." [Advertisement to the reprint of this +pamphlet in Swift's Works, vol. vi. Dublin: Faulkner, 1738.] + +Fuller details of the circumstances which gave Swift the opportunity for +writing this tract are given in the note prefixed to the previous +pamphlet (see p. 250). + +The text here given is that of the first edition. + +[T.S.] + + + CONSIDERATIONS + UPON TWO + BILLS + Sent down from the R---- H---- the + H---- of L---- + To the H----ble + H---- of C---- + Relating to the + CLERGY + OF + _I----D_. + +LONDON. + +Printed for A. MOORE, near St. _Paul's_, and Sold by the Booksellers of +_Westminster_ and _Southwark_, 1732. + + +I have often, for above a month past, desired some few clergymen, who +are pleased to visit me, that they would procure an extract of two +bills, brought into the council by some of the bishops, and both of them +since passed in the House of Lords: but I could never obtain what I +desired, whether by the forgetfulness, or negligence of those whom I +employed, or the difficulty of the thing itself. Therefore, if I shall +happen to mistake in any fact of consequence, I desire my remarks upon +it, may pass for nothing; for my information is no better than what I +received in words from several divines, who seemed to agree with each +other. I have not the honour to be acquainted with any one single +prelate of the kingdom, and am a stranger to their characters, further +than as common fame reports them, which is not to be depended on. +Therefore, I cannot be supposed to act upon a principle of resentment. I +esteem their functions (if I may be allowed to say so without offence) +as truly apostolical, and absolutely necessary to the perfection of a +Christian Church. + +There are no qualities more incident to the frailty and corruption of +human kind, than an indifference, or insensibility for other men's +sufferings, and a sudden forgetfulness of their own former humble state, +when they rise in the world. These two dispositions have not, I think, +anywhere so strongly exerted themselves, as in the order of bishops with +regard to the inferior clergy; for which I can find no reasons, but such +as naturally should seem to operate a quite contrary way. The +maintenance of the Clergy, throughout the kingdom, is precarious and +uncertain, collected from a most miserable race of beggarly farmers; at +whose mercy every minister lies to be defrauded: His office, as rector +or vicar, if it be duly executed, is very laborious. As soon as he is +promoted to a bishopric, the scene is entirely and happily changed; his +revenues are large, and as surely paid as those of the king; his whole +business is once a-year, to receive the attendance, the submission, and +the proxy-money of all his clergy, in whatever part of the diocese he +shall please to think most convenient for himself. Neither is his +personal presence necessary, for the business may be done by a +Vicar-General. The fatigue of ordination, is just what the bishops +please to make it, and as matters have been for some time, and may +probably remain, the fewer ordinations the better. The rest of their +visible office, consists in the honour of attending parliaments and +councils, and bestowing preferments in their own gift; in which last +employment, and in their spiritual and temporal courts, the labour falls +to their Vicars-General, Secretaries, Proctors, Apparitors, Seneschals, +and the like. Now, I say, in so quick a change, where their brethren in +a few days, are become their subjects, it would be reasonable, at least, +to hope, that the labour, confinement, and subjection from which they +have so lately escaped, like a bird out of the snare of the fowler, +might a little incline them to remember the condition of those, who were +but last week their equals, probably their companions or their friends, +and possibly, as reasonable expectants. There is a known story of +Colonel Tidcomb, who, while he continued a subaltern officer, was every +day complaining against the pride, oppression, and hard treatment of +colonels toward their officers; yet in a very few minutes after he had +received his commission for a regiment, walking with a friend on the +Mall, he confessed that the spirit of colonelship, was coming fast upon +him, which spirit is said to have daily increased to the hour of his +death. + +It is true, the Clergy of this kingdom, who are promoted to bishoprics, +have always some great advantages; either that of rich deaneries, +opulent and multiplied rectories and dignities, strong alliances by +birth or marriage, fortified by a superlative degree of zeal and +loyalty; but, however, they were all at first no more than young +beginners; and before their great promotion, were known by their plain +Christian names, among their old companions, the middling rate of +clergymen; nor could, therefore, be strangers to their condition, or +with any good grace, forget it so soon as it hath sometimes happened. + +I confess, I do not remember to have observed any body of men, acting +with so little concert as our clergy have done, in a point where their +opinions appeared to be unanimous: a point where their whole temporal +support was concerned, as well as their power of serving God and his +Church, in their spiritual functions. This hath been imputed to their +fear of disobliging, or hopes of further favours upon compliance; +because it was observed, that some who appeared at first with the +greatest zeal, thought fit suddenly to absent themselves from the usual +meetings; yet, we know what expert solicitors the Quakers, the +Dissenters, and even the Papists have sometimes found, to drive a point +of advantage, or present an impending evil. + +I have not seen any extract from the two bills introduced into the Privy +Council by the bishops; where the Clergy, upon some failure in favour, +or through the timorousness of many among their brethren, were refused +to be heard by the Council. It seems these bills were both returned, +agreed to by the King and Council in England; and the House of Lords +hath, with great expedition, passed them both, and it is said they are +immediately to be sent down to the Commons for their consent. + +The particulars, as they have been imperfectly reported to me, are as +follow: + +By one of the bills, the bishops have power to oblige the country +clergy, to build a mansion-house upon whatever part of their glebes +their lordships shall command; and if the living be above £50 a-year, +the minister is bound to build, after three years, a house that shall +cost one year and a half's rent of his income. For instance, if a +clergyman with a wife and seven children gets a living of £55 per annum, +he must after three years, build a house that shall cost £77 10s., and +must support his family during the time the bishop shall appoint for the +building of it with the remainder. But, if the living be under £50 +a-year, the minister shall be allowed an £100 out of the first-fruits. + +But, there is said to be one circumstance a little extraordinary; that +if there be a single spot in the glebe more barren, more marshy, more +expos'd to winds, more distant from the church, or skeleton of a church, +or from any conveniency of building: the rector, or vicar may be obliged +by the caprice, or pique of the bishop, to build, under pain of +sequestration, (an office, which ever falls into the most knavish +hands,) upon whatever point his lordship shall command; although the +farmers have not paid one quarter of his due. + +I believe, under the present distresses of the kingdom (which +inevitably, without a miracle, must increase for ever) there are not ten +country clergymen in Ireland reputed to possess a parish of £100 per +annum who, for some years past, have actually received £60, and that +with the utmost difficulty and vexation. I am, therefore, at a loss what +kind of valuators the bishops will make use of, and whether the starving +vicar, shall be forced to build his house with the money he never +received. + +The other bill, which passed in two days after the former, is said to +concern the division of parishes into as many parcels as the bishop +shall think fit, only leaving £300 a-year to the Mother Church; which +£300 by another act passed some years ago, they can divide likewise, and +crumble as low as their will and pleasure will dispose them. So that +instead of 600 clergymen, which, I think, is the usual computation, we +may have, in a small compass of years, almost as many thousands to live +with decency and comfort, provide for their children, &c., be charitable +to the poor, and maintain hospitality. + +But it is very reasonable to hope, and heartily to be wished by all +those who have the least regard to our holy religion, as hitherto +established, or to a learned, pious, diligent, conversible clergyman, or +even to common humanity; that the honourable House of Commons will in +their great wisdom, justice, and tenderness to innocent men, consider +these bills in another light. It is said, they well know this kingdom +not to be so over stocked with neighbouring gentry; but a discreet, +learned clergyman, with a competency fit for one of his education, may +be an entertaining, a useful, and sometimes a necessary companion. That +although such a clergyman may not be able constantly to find BEEF and +WINE for his own family, yet he may be allowed sometimes to afford both +to a neighbour, without distressing himself; and the rather, because he +may expect at least as good a return. It will probably be considered, +that in many desolate parts, there may not be always a sufficient number +of persons considerable enough to be trusted with commissions of the +peace, which several of the Clergy now supply much better, than a +little, hedge, contemptible, illiterate vicar from twenty to fifty +pounds a-year, the son of a weaver, pedlar, tailor, or miller, can be +presumed to do. + +The landlords and farmers by this scheme can find no profit, but will +certainly be losers; for instance, if the large northern livings be +split into a dozen parishes, or more, it will be very necessary for the +little threadbare gownman, with his wife, his proctor and every child +who can crawl, to watch the fields at harvest time, for fear of losing a +single sheaf, which he could not afford under peril of a day's starving; +for according to the Scotch proverb, a hungry louse bites sore. This +would of necessity, breed an infinite number of brangles and litigious +suits in the spiritual courts, and put the wretched pastor at perpetual +variance with his whole parish. But, as they have hitherto stood, a +clergyman established in a competent living is not under the necessity +of being so sharp, vigilant, and exacting. On the contrary, it is well +known and allowed, that the Clergy round the kingdom think themselves +well treated, if they lose only one single third of their legal demands. + +The honourable House may perhaps be inclined to conceive, that my lords +the bishops enjoy as ample a power, both spiritual and temporal, as will +fully suffice to answer every branch of their office; that they want no +laws to regulate the conduct of those clergymen, over whom they preside; +that if non-residence be a grievance, it is the patron's fault, who +makes not a better choice, or caused the plurality. That if the general +impartial character of persons chosen into the Church had been more +regarded, and the motive of party, alliance, kindred, flatterers, ill +judgment, or personal favour regarded less, there would be fewer +complaints of non-residence, neglect of care, blameable behaviour, or +any other part of misconduct, not to mention ignorance and stupidity. + +I could name certain gentlemen of the gown, whose awkward, spruce, prim, +sneering, and smirking countenances, the very tone of their voices, and +an ungainly strut in their walk, without one single talent for any one +office, have contrived to get good preferment by the mere force of +flattery and cringing: for which two virtues (the only two virtues they +pretend to) they were, however, utterly unqualified. And whom, if I were +in power, although they were my nephews or had married my nieces, I +could never in point of good conscience or honour, have recommended to a +curacy in Connaught. + +The honourable House of Commons may likewise perhaps consider, that the +gentry of this kingdom differ from all others upon earth, being less +capable of employments in their own country, than any others who come +from abroad, and that most of them have little expectation of providing +for their younger children, otherwise than by the Church, in which there +might be some hopes of getting a tolerable maintenance. For after the +patrons should have settled their sons, their nephews, their nieces, +their dependants, and their followers, invited over from t'other side, +there would still remain an overplus of smaller church preferments, to +be given to such clergy of the nation, who shall have their quantum of +whatever merit may be then in fashion. But by these bills, they will be +all as absolutely excluded, as if they had passed under the denomination +of Tories, unless they can be contented at the utmost with £50 a-year, +which by the difficulties of collecting tithes in Ireland, and the daily +increasing miseries of the people, will hardly rise to half the sum. + +It is observed, that the divines sent over hither to govern this Church, +have not seemed to consider the difference between both kingdoms, with +respect to the inferior clergy. As to themselves, indeed, they find a +large revenue in lands let at one quarter value, which consequently must +be paid while there is a penny left among us; and, the public distress +so little affects their interests, that their fines are now higher than +ever, they content themselves to suppose that whatever a parish is said +to be worth, comes all into the parson's pocket. + +The poverty of great numbers among the Clergy of England, hath been the +continual complaint of all men who wish well to the Church, and many +schemes have been thought on to redress it; yet an English vicar of £40 +a-year, lives much more comfortably than one of double the value in +Ireland. His farmers generally speaking, are able and willing to pay him +his full dues. He hath a decent church of ancient standing, filled every +Lord's day with a large congregation of plain people, well clad, and +behaving themselves as if they believed in God and Christ. He hath a +house and barn in repair, a field or two to graze his cows, with a +garden and orchard. No guest expects more from him than a pot of ale; he +lives like an honest, plain farmer, as his wife is dressed but little +better than Goody. He is sometimes graciously invited by the squire, +where he sits at humble distance; if he gets the love of his people, +they often make him little useful presents; he is happy by being born to +no higher expectation, for he is usually the son of some ordinary +tradesman or middling farmer. His learning is much of a size with his +birth and education, no more of either than what a poor hungry servitor +can be expected to bring with him from his college. It would be tedious +to shew the reverse of all this in our distant poorer parishes, through +most parts of Ireland, wherein every reader may make the comparison. + +Lastly, the honourable House of Commons may consider, whether the scheme +of multiplying beggarly clergymen through the whole kingdom who must all +have votes for choosing parliament men (provided they can prove their +freeholds to be worth 40s. per annum, _ultra reprisas_) may not, by +their numbers, have great influence upon elections, being entirely under +the dependance of their bishops. For by a moderate computation, after +all the divisions and subdivisions of parishes, that, my lords, the +bishops, have power to make by their new laws, there will, as soon as +the present set of clergy go off, be raised an army of ecclesiastical +militants, able enough for any kind of service, except that of the +altar. + +I am, indeed, in some concern about a fund for building a thousand or +two churches, wherein these probationers may read their wall lectures, +and begin to doubt they must be contented with barns; which barns will +be one great advancing step towards an accommodation with our true +Protestant brethren, the Dissenters. + +The scheme of encouraging clergymen to build houses by dividing a living +of £500 a-year into ten parts, is a contrivance, the meaning whereof +hath got on the wrong side of my comprehension; unless it may be argued, +that bishops build no houses, because they are so rich; and therefore, +the inferior clergy will certainly build, if you reduce them to beggary. +But I knew a very rich man of quality in England, who could never be +persuaded to keep a servant out of livery; because such servants would +be expensive, and apt, in time, to look like gentlemen; whereas the +others were ready to submit to the basest offices, and at a cheaper +pennyworth might increase his retinue. + +I hear, it is the opinion of many wise men, that before these bills pass +both Houses, they should be sent back to England with the following +clauses inserted: + +First, that whereas there may be about a dozen double bishoprics in +Ireland, those bishoprics should be split and given to different +persons; and those of a single denomination be also divided into two, +three, or four parts, as occasion shall require; otherwise there may be +a question started, whether twenty-two prelates can effectually extend +their paternal care and unlimited power, for the protection and +correction of so great a number of spiritual subjects. But this proposal +will meet with such furious objections, that I shall not insist upon it, +for I well remember to have read, what a terrible fright the frogs were +in, upon a report that the sun was going to marry. + +Another clause should be, that none of these twenty, thirty, forty, or +fifty pounders may be suffered to marry, under the penalty of immediate +deprivation, their marriages declared null, and their children bastards; +for some desponding people, take the kingdom to be not in a condition of +encouraging so numerous a breed of beggars. + +A third clause will be necessary, that these humble gentry should be +absolutely disqualified from giving votes in elections for parliament +men. + +Others add a fourth, which is a clause of indulgence, that these reduced +divines may be permitted to follow any lawful ways of living, that will +not call them too often or too far from their spiritual offices (for +unless I misapprehend, they are supposed to have episcopal ordination). +For example, they may be lappers of linen, bailiffs of the manor, they +may let blood, or apply plasters, for three miles round; they may get a +dispensation to hold the clerkship and sextonship of their own parish +_in commendam_. Their wives and daughters may make shirts for the +neighbourhood, or if a barrack be near, for the soldiers. In linen +countries, they may card and spin, and keep a few looms in the house: +they may let lodgings, and sell a pot of ale without doors, but not at +home, unless to sober company, and at regular hours. It is by some +thought a little hard, that in an affair of the last consequence, to the +very being of the Clergy, in the points of liberty and property, as well +as in their abilities to perform their duty; this whole reverend body, +who are the established instructors of the nation in Christianity and +moral virtues, and are the only persons concerned, should be the sole +persons not consulted. Let any scholar shew the like precedent in +Christendom for twelve hundred years past. An act of parliament for +settling or selling an estate in a private family, is never passed till +all parties give consent. But in the present case the whole body of the +Clergy is, as themselves apprehend, determined to utter ruin, without +once expecting or asking their opinion, and this by a scheme contrived +only by one part of the convocation, while the other part which hath +been chosen in the usual forms, wants only the regal permission to +assemble, and consult about the affairs of the Church, as their +predecessors have always done in former ages; where it is presumed, the +Lower House hath a power of proposing canons, and a negative voice, as +well as the Upper. And God forbid (say these objectors) that there +should be a real separate interest between the bishops and Clergy, any +more than there is between a man and his wife, a king and his people, or +Christ and his Church. + +It seems there is a provision in the bill, that no parish shall be cut +into scraps, without the consent of several persons, who can be no +sufferers in the matter; but I cannot find that the Clergy lay much +weight on this caution, because they argue, that the very persons from +whom these Bills took their rise, will have the greatest share in the +decision. + +I do not, by any means, conceive the crying sin of the Clergy in this +kingdom, to be that of non-residence. I am sure, it is many degrees less +so here than in England, unless the possession of pluralities may pass +under that name; and if this be a fault, it is well known to whom it +must be imputed: I believe, upon a fair inquiry (and I hear an inquiry +is to be made) they will appear to be most pardonably few, especially +considering how many parishes have not an inch of glebe, and how +difficult it is upon any reasonable terms, to find a place of +habitation. And, therefore, God knows, whether my lords the bishops will +be soon able to convince the Clergy, or those who have any regard for +that venerable body, that the chief motive in their lordships' minds, by +procuring these bills, was to prevent the sin of non-residence, while +the universal opinion of almost every clergyman in the kingdom, without +distinction of party, taking in even those who are not likely to be +sufferers, stands directly against them. + +If some livings in the north may be justly thought too large a compass +of land, which makes it inconvenient for the remotest inhabitant to +attend the service of the Church, which in some instances may be true; +no reasonable clergyman would oppose a proper remedy by particular acts +of parliament. + +Thus for instance, the deanery of Down, a country deanery, I think, +without a cathedral, depending wholly upon an union of parishes joined +together, in a time when the land lay waste and thinly inhabited; since +those circumstances are so prodigiously changed for the better, may +properly be lessened, leaving a decent competency to the dean, and +placing rectories in the remaining churches, which are now served only +by stipendiary curates. + +The case may be probably the same in other parts: and such a proceeding +discreetly managed would be truly for the good of the Church. + +For it is to be observed, that the dean and chapter lands, which, in +England were all seized under the fanatic usurpation, are things unknown +in Ireland, having been long ravished from the Church, by a succession +of confusions, and tithes applied in their stead, to support that +ecclesiastical dignity. + +The late Archbishop of Dublin[1] had a very different way of encouraging +the clergy of his diocese to residence: When a lease had run out seven +years or more, he stipulated with the tenant to resign up twenty or +thirty acres to the minister of the parish where it lay convenient, +without lessening his former rent; and with no great abatement of the +fine; and this he did in the parts near Dublin, where land is at the +highest rates, leaving a small chiefry for the minister to pay, hardly a +sixth part of the value. I doubt not that almost every bishop in the +kingdom may do the same generous act with less damage to their sees than +his late Grace of Dublin; much of whose lands were out in fee-farms, or +leases for lives, and I am sorry that the good example of that prelate +hath not been followed. + +[Footnote 1: The Right Rev. Dr. William King (see p. 241). [T. S.]] + +But a great majority of the Clergy's friends cannot hitherto reconcile +themselves to this project, which they call a levelling principle, that +must inevitably root out the seeds of all honest emulation, the legal +parent of the greatest virtues, and most generous actions among men; but +which, in the general opinion (for I do not pretend to offer my own,) +will never more have room to exert itself in the breast of any clergyman +whom this kingdom shall produce. + +But, whether the consequences of these Bills may, by the virtues and +frailties of future bishops, sent over hither to rule the Church, +terminate in good or evil, I shall not presume to determine, since God +can work the former out of the latter. But one thing I can venture to +assert, that from the earliest ages of Christianity to the minute I am +now writing, there never was a precedent of SUCH a proceeding, much less +to be feared, hoped, or apprehended from such hands in any Christian +country, and so it may pass for more than a phoenix, because it hath +risen without any assistance from the ashes of its sire. + +The appearance of so many dissenters at the hearing of this cause, is +what, I am told, hath not been charged to the account of their prudence +or moderation; because that action hath been censured as a mark of +triumph and insult before the victory is complete; since neither of +these bills hath yet passed the House of Commons, and some are pleased +to think it not impossible that they may be rejected. Neither do I hear, +that there is an enacting clause in either of the Bills to apply any +part of the divided or subdivided tithes, towards increasing the +stipends of the sectaries. So that these gentlemen seem to be gratified +like him, who, after having been kicked downstairs, took comfort when he +saw his friend kicked down after him. + +I have heard many more objections against several particulars of both +these Bills, but they are of a high nature, and carry such dreadful +innuendos, that I dare not mention them, resolving to give no offence +because I well know how obnoxious I have long been (although I conceive +without any fault of my own) to the zeal and principles of those, who +place all difference in opinion concerning public matters, to the score +of disaffection, whereof I am at least as innocent as the loudest of my +detractors. + + DUBLIN, + _Feb_. 24, 1731-2. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +SOME + +REASONS + +AGAINST + +THE BILL FOR SETTLING THE TITHE + +OF + +HEMP, FLAX, &c., BY A MODUS. + + +NOTE. + +About the end of 1733 the Irish House of Commons had under consideration +a bill for the encouragement of the growth of flax and the manufacture +of linen. This bill contained a clause by which the tithe upon flax +should be commuted by a _modus_ or money composition. The clergy, to +whom this tithe was an important source of revenue, and, naturally, not +wishing to lose its advantage, took steps to petition Parliament to be +heard by counsel against the bill. Swift signed the petition, which set +forth the injury which would be done to their order if the clause in the +bill, then before the House, were allowed to become law. In addition to +this he committed and arranged his arguments to writing, and issued them +in the following pamphlet. The activity against the bill proved so +efficacious that the House of Commons dropped it. It may be remarked +that Swift's interference was purely disinterested, since no part of the +revenue of St. Patrick's, as Monck Mason points out, comes from the +"district appropriated to the culture of flax;" nor did Swift, "or any +of his predecessors or successors, ever receive one shilling upon +account of that tithe." + +This attempt on the part of the House of Commons to regulate the affairs +of the clergy of Ireland seems to have been one of a series which +divided laity and clergy into two strongly opposing parties. On the one +side were the House of Commons and its supporters, on the other the +general body of the Irish clergy, with, for a time, at any rate, Swift +at the head. The tithe of pasturage, or, as it was called, the tithe of +agistment, was being strongly resisted at the time, and many of the +clergy were forced to sue in court before they could obtain it. The +matter of this tithe had been already before an Irish court in 1707, and +had been settled in favour of the suing clergyman, one Archdeacon Neal; +and although the cause was removed to King's Bench in England, the +previous judgment was confirmed. In spite of this decision, however, the +tithe continued to be a subject of litigation, and the landed +proprietors even formed themselves into associations for the purpose of +resisting the clergy's claim. In 1734 the House of Commons aggravated +matters by passing resolutions against the claims, many of which were +then the subject of legal actions, and prevented decisions being come to +while it had the matter under its consideration. From the pamphlets +written at the time it may easily be seen that this interference on the +part of the lower House was both unseemly and unjust. Its conduct so +roused Swift that his indignation found expression in one of his +bitterest and most terrible poetical satires--"The Legion Club"--a +satire so bitter and so scathing that reading it now, after the lapse of +more than a century and a half, one shudders at its invective--"a +blasting flood of filth and vitriol, out of some hellish fountain," Mr. +Churton Collins calls it. We are told that its composition brought on a +violent attack of vertigo, and it remained unfinished. + +The text here given is that of the first edition collated with those +given by Faulkner, Hawkesworth, and Scott. + +[T.S.] + + + SOME + REASONS + AGAINST THE + Bill for settling the Tyth of _Hemp, Flax,_ &c. by a _Modus_. + +MDCCXXIV. + + +The Clergy did little expect to have any cause of complaint against the +present House of Commons; who in the last sessions, were pleased to +throw out a Bill[1] sent them from the Lords, which that reverend body +apprehended would be very injurious to them, if it passed into a law; +and who, in the present sessions, defeated the arts and endeavours of +schismatics to repeal the Sacramental Test. + +[Footnote 1: For the bishops to divide livings. See the two preceding +Tracts. [T. S.]] + +For, although it hath been allowed on all hands, that the former of +those Bills might, by its necessary consequences, be very displeasing to +the lay gentlemen of the kingdom, for many reasons purely secular; and, +that this last attempt for repealing the Test, did much more affect, at +present, the temporal interest than the spiritual; yet the whole body of +the lower Clergy have, upon both these occasions, expressed equal +gratitude to that honourable House, for their justice and steadiness, as +if the clergy alone were to receive the benefit. + +It must needs be, therefore, a great addition to the Clergy's grief, +that such an assembly as the present House of Commons; should now, with +an expedition more than usual, agree to a bill for encouraging the linen +manufacture; with a clause, whereby the Church is to lose two parts in +three, of the legal tithe in flax and hemp. + +Some reasons, why the Clergy think such a law will be a great hardship +upon them, are, I conceive, those that follow. I shall venture to +enumerate them with all deference due to that honourable assembly. + +_First_; the Clergy suppose that they have not, by any fault or demerit, +incurred the displeasure of the nation's representatives: neither can +the declared loyalty of the present set, from the highest prelate to the +lowest vicar, be in the least disputed: because, there are hardly ten +clergymen, through the whole kingdom, for more than nineteen years past, +who have not been either preferred entirely upon account of their +declared affection to the Hanover line; or higher promoted as the due +reward of the same merit. + +There is not a landlord in the whole kingdom, residing some part of the +year at his country-seat, who is not, in his own conscience, fully +convinced, that the tithes of his minister have gradually sunk, for some +years past, one-third, or at least one-fourth of their former value, +exclusive of all non-solvencies. + +The payment of tithes in this kingdom, is subject to so many frauds, +brangles, and other difficulties, not only from Papists and Dissenters, +but even from those who profess themselves Protestants; that by the +expense, the trouble, and vexation of collecting, or bargaining for +them, they are, of all other rents, the most precarious, uncertain, and +ill paid. + +The landlords in most parishes expect, as a compliment, that they shall +pay little more than half the value of their tithes for the lands they +hold in their own hands; which often consist of large domains: And it is +the minister's interest to make them easy upon that article, when he +considers what influence those gentlemen have upon their tenants. + +The Clergy cannot but think it extremely severe, that in a bill for +encouraging the linen manufacture, they alone must be the sufferers, who +can least afford it: If, as I am told, there be a tax of three thousand +pounds a year, paid by the public, for a further encouragement to the +said manufacture; are not the Clergy equal sharers in the charge with +the rest of their fellow subjects? What satisfactory reason can be +therefore given, why they alone should bear the whole additional weight, +unless it will be alleged that their property is not upon an equal foot +with the properties of other men? They acquire their own small pittance, +by at least as honest means, as their neighbours, the landlords, possess +their estates; and have been always supposed, except in rebellious or +fanatical times, to have as good a title: For, no families now in being +can shew a more ancient. Indeed, if it be true, that some persons (I +hope they were not many) were seen to laugh when the rights of the +Clergy were mentioned; in this case, an opinion may possibly be soon +advanced, that they have no rights at all. And this is likely enough to +gain ground, in proportion as the contempt of all religion shall +increase; which is already in a very forward way. + +It is said, there will be also added to this Bill a clause for +diminishing the tithe of hops, in order to cultivate that useful plant +among us: And here likewise the load is to lie entirely on the shoulders +of the Clergy, while the landlords reap all the benefit. It will not be +easy to foresee where such proceedings are like to stop: Or whether by +the same authority, in civil times, a parliament may not as justly +challenge the same power in reducing all things titheable, not below the +tenth part of the product, (which is and ever will be the Clergy's +equitable right) but from a tenth-part to a sixtieth or eightieth, and +from thence to nothing. + +I have heard it granted by skilful persons, that the practice of taxing +the Clergy by parliament, without their own consent, is a new thing, not +much above the date of seventy years: before which period, in times of +peace, they always taxed themselves. But things are extremely altered at +present: It is not now sufficient to tax them in common with their +fellow subjects, without imposing an additional tax upon them, from +which, or from anything equivalent, all their fellow-subjects are +exempt; and this in a country professing Christianity. + +The greatest part of the Clergy throughout this kingdom, have been +stripped of their glebes by the confusion of times, by violence, fraud, +oppression, and other unlawful means: All which glebes are now in the +hands of the laity. So that they now are generally forced to lie at the +mercy of landlords, for a small piece of ground in their parishes, at a +most exorbitant rent, and usually for a short term of years; whereon to +build a house, and enable them to reside. Yet, in spite of these +disadvantages, I am a witness that they are generally more constant +residents than their brethren in England; where the meanest vicar hath a +convenient dwelling, with a barn, a garden, and a field or two for his +cattle; besides the certainty of his little income from honest farmers, +able and willing, not only to pay him his dues, but likewise to make him +presents, according to their ability, for his better support. In all +which circumstances, the Clergy of Ireland meet with a treatment +directly contrary. + +It is hoped, the honourable House will consider that it is impossible +for the most ill-minded, avaricious, or cunning clergyman, to do the +least injustice to the meanest cottager in his parish, in any bargain +for tithes, or other ecclesiastical dues. He can, at the utmost, only +demand to have his tithe fairly laid out; and does not once in a hundred +times obtain his demand. But every tenant, from the poorest cottager to +the most substantial farmer, can, and generally doth impose upon the +minister, by fraud, by theft, by lies, by perjuries, by insolence, and +sometimes by force; notwithstanding the utmost vigilance and skill of +himself and his proctor. Insomuch, that it is allowed, that the Clergy +in general receive little more than one-half of their legal dues; not +including the charges they are at in collecting or bargaining for them. + +The land rents of Ireland are computed to about two millions, whereof +one-tenth amounts to two hundred thousand pounds. The benefited +clergymen, excluding those of this city, are not reckoned to be above +five hundred; by which computation, they should each of them possess two +hundred pounds a year, if those tithes were equally divided, although in +well cultivated corn countries it ought to be more; whereas they hardly +receive one half of that sum; with great defalcations, and in very bad +payments. There are indeed, a few glebes in the north pretty +considerable, but if these and all the rest were in like manner equally +divided, they would not add five pounds a year to every clergyman. +Therefore, whether the condition of the Clergy in general among us be +justly liable to envy, or able to bear a heavy burden, which neither the +nobility, nor gentry, nor tradesmen, nor farmers, will touch with one of +their fingers; this, I say, is submitted to the honourable House. + +One terrible circumstance in this Bill, is, that of turning the tithe of +flax and hemp into what the lawyers call a _Modus_, or a certain sum in +lieu of a tenth part of the product. And by this practice of claiming a +_Modus_ in many parishes by ancient custom, the Clergy in both kingdoms +have been almost incredible sufferers. Thus, in the present case, the +tithe of a tolerable acre of flax, which by a medium is worth twelve +shillings, is by the present Bill reduced to four shillings. Neither is +this the worst part in a _Modus_; every determinate sum must in process +of time sink from a fourth to a four-and-twentieth part, or a great deal +lower, by that necessary fall attending the value of money, which is now +at least nine tenths lower all over Europe than it was four hundred +years ago, by a gradual decline; and even a third part at least within +our own memories, in purchasing almost everything required for the +necessities or conveniencies of life; as any gentleman can attest, who +hath kept house for twenty years past. And this will equally affect poor +countries as well as rich. For, although, I look upon it as an +impossibility that this kingdom should ever thrive under its present +disadvantages, which without a miracle must still increase; yet, when +the whole cash of the nation shall sink to fifty thousand pounds; we +must in all our traffic abroad, either of import or export, go by the +general rate at which money is valued in those countries that enjoy the +common privileges of human kind. For this reason, no corporation, (if +the Clergy may presume to call themselves one) should by any means grant +away their properties in perpetuity upon any consideration whatsoever; +Which is a rock that many corporations have split upon, to their great +impoverishment, and sometimes to their utter undoing. Because they are +supposed to subsist for ever; and because no determination of money is +of any certain perpetual intrinsic value. This is known enough in +England, where estates let for ever, some hundred years ago, by several +ancient noble families, do not at this present pay their posterity a +twentieth part of what they are now worth at an easy rate. + +A tax affecting one part of a nation, which already bears its full share +in all parliamentary impositions, cannot possibly be just, except it be +inflicted as a punishment upon that body of men which is taxed, for some +great demerit or danger to the public apprehended from those upon whom +it is laid: Thus the Papists and Nonjurors have been doubly taxed for +refusing to give proper securities to the government; which cannot be +objected against the Clergy. And therefore, if this Bill should pass; I +think it ought to be with a preface, shewing wherein they have offended, +and for what disaffection or other crime they are punished. + +If an additional excise upon ale, or a duty upon flesh and bread, were +to be enacted, neither the victualler, butcher, or baker would bear any +more of the charge than for what themselves consumed; but it would be an +equal general tax through the whole kingdom: Whereas, by this Bill, the +Clergy alone are avowedly condemned to be deprived of their ancient, +inherent, undisputed rights, in order to encourage a manufacture by +which all the rest of the kingdom are supposed to be gainers. + +This Bill is directly against _Magna Charta_, whereof the first clause +is for confirming the inviolable rights of Holy Church; as well as +contrary to the oath taken by all our kings at their coronation, where +they swear to defend and protect the Church in all its rights. + +A tax laid upon employments is a very different thing. The possessors of +civil and military employments are no corporation; neither are they any +part of our constitution: Their salaries, pay, and perquisites are all +changeable at the pleasure of the prince who bestows them, although the +army be paid from funds raised and appropriated by the legislature. But +the Clergy as they have little reason to expect, so they desire no more +than their ancient legal dues; only indeed with the removal of many +grievous impediments in the collection of them; which it is to be feared +they must wait for until more favourable times. It is well known, that +they have already of their own accord shewn great indulgence to their +people upon this very article of flax, seldom taking above a fourth part +of their tithe for small parcels, and oftentimes nothing at all from new +beginners; waiting with patience until the farmers were able, and until +greater quantities of land were employed in that part of husbandry; +never suspecting that their good intentions should be perverted in so +singular a manner to their detriment, by that very assembly, which, +during the time that convocations (which are an original part of our +constitution ever since Christianity became national among us) are +thought fit to be suspended, God knows for what reason, or from what +provocations; I say, from that very assembly, who, during the intervals +of convocations, should rather be supposed to be guardians of the rights +and properties of the Clergy, than to make the least attempt upon +either. + +I have not heard upon inquiry, that any of those gentlemen, who, among +us without doors, are called the Court Party, discover the least zeal in +this affair. If they had thoughts to interpose, it might be conceived +they would shew their displeasure against this Bill, which must very +much lessen the value of the King's patronage upon promotion to vacant +sees; in the disposal of deaneries, and other considerable preferments +in the Church, which are in the donation of the Crown; whereby the +viceroys will have fewer good preferments to bestow on their dependants, +as well as upon the kindred of members, who may have a sufficient stock +of that sort of merit, whatever it may be, which may in future times +most prevail. + +The Dissenters, by not succeeding in their endeavours to procure a +repeal of the Test, have lost nothing, but continue in full enjoyment of +their toleration; while the Clergy without giving the least offence, are +by this Bill deprived of a considerable branch of their ancient legal +rights, whereby the schismatical party will have the pleasure of +gratifying their revenge. _Hoc Graii voluere._ + +The farmer will find no relief by this _Modus_, because, when his +present lease shall expire, his landlord will infallibly raise the rent +in an equal proportion, upon every part of land where flax is sown, and +have so much a better security for payment at the expense of the Clergy. + +If we judge by things past, it little avails that this Bill is to be +limited to a certain time of ten, twenty, or thirty years. For no +landlord will ever consent that a law shall expire, by which he finds +himself a gainer; and of this there are many examples, as well in +England, as in this kingdom. + +The great end of this Bill is, by proper encouragement to extend the +linen manufacture into those counties where it hath hitherto been little +cultivated: But this encouragement _of lessening the tithe of flax and +hemp_ is one of such a kind as, it is to be feared, will have a directly +contrary effect. Because, if I am rightly informed, no set of men hath +for their number and fortunes been more industrious and successful than +the Clergy, in introducing that manufacture into places which were +unacquainted with it; by persuading their people to sow flax and hemp, +by procuring seed for them and by having them instructed in the +management thereof; and this they did not without reasonable hopes of +increasing the value of their parishes after some time, as well as of +promoting the benefit of the public. But if this _Modus_ should take +place, the Clergy will be so far from gaining that they will become +losers by any extraordinary care, by having their best arable lands +turned to flax and hemp, which are reckoned great impoverishers of land: +They cannot therefore be blamed, if they should shew as much zeal to +prevent its being introduced or improved in their parishes as they +hitherto have shewed in the introducing and improving of it. This, I am +told, some of them have already declared at least so far as to resolve +not to give themselves any more trouble than other men about promoting a +manufacture by the success of which, they only of all men are to be +sufferers. Perhaps the giving them even a further encouragement than the +law doth, as it now stands, to a set of men who might on many accounts +be so useful to this purpose, would be no bad method of having the great +end of the Bill more effectually answered: But this is what they are far +from desiring; all they petition for is no more than to continue on the +same footing with the rest of their fellow-subjects. + +If this _Modus_ of paying by the acre be to pass into a law, it were to +be wished that the same law would appoint one or more sworn surveyors in +each parish to measure the lands on which flax and hemp are sown, as +also would settle the price of surveying, and determine whether the +incumbent or farmer is to pay for each annual survey. Without something +of this kind, there must constantly be disputes between them, and the +neighbouring justices of peace must be teazed as often as those disputes +happen. + +I had written thus far, when a paper was sent to me with several reasons +against the Bill, some whereof although they have been already touched, +are put in a better light, and the rest did not occur to me. I shall +deliver them in the author's own words. + +N.B. Some Alterations have been made in the Bill about the _Modus_, +since the above paper was writ; but they are of little moment. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +SOME + +FURTHER REASONS + +AGAINST + +THE BILL FOR SETTLING THE TITHE + +OF + +HEMP, FLAX, &c. + + +I. That tithes are the patrimony of the Church: And if not of Divine +original, yet at least of great antiquity. + +II. That all purchases and leases of titheable lands, for many centuries +past, have been made and taken, subject to the demand of tithes, and +those lands sold and taken just so much the cheaper on that account. + +III. That if any lands are exempted from tithes; or the legal demands +of such tithes lessened by act of parliament, so much value is taken +from the proprietor of the tithes, and vested in the proprietor of the +lands, or his head tenants. + +IV. That no innocent unoffending person can be so deprived of his +property without the greatest violation of common justice. + +V. That to do this upon a prospect of encouraging the linen, or any +other manufacture, is acting upon a very mistaken and unjust +supposition, inasmuch as the price of the lands so occupied will be no +way lessened to the farmer by such a law. + +VI. That the Clergy are content cheerfully to bear (as they now do) any +burden in common with their fellow-subjects, either for the support of +his Majesty's government, or the encouragement of the trade of the +nation but think it very hard, that they should be singled out to pay +heavier taxes than others, at a time when by the decrease of the value +of their parishes they are less able to bear them. + +VII. That the legislature hath heretofore distinguished the Clergy by +exemptions, and not by additional loads, and the present Clergy of the +kingdom hope they have not deserved worse of the legislature than their +predecessors. + +VIII. That by the original constitution of these kingdoms, the Clergy +had the sole right of taxing themselves, and were in possession of that +right as low as the Restoration: And if that right be now devolved upon +the Commons by the cession of the Clergy, the Commons can be considered +in this case in no other light than as the guardians of the Clergy. + +IX. That besides those tithes always in the possession of the Clergy; +there are some portion of tithes lately come into their possession by +purchase; that if this clause should take place, they would not be +allowed the benefit of these purchases, upon an equal footing of +advantage with the rest of their fellow-subjects. And that some tithes +in the hands of impropriators, are under settlements and mortgages. + +X. That the gentlemen of this House should consider, that loading the +Clergy is loading their own younger brothers and children; with this +additional grievance, that it is taking from the younger and poorer, to +give to the elder and richer. And, + +_Lastly_, That, if it were at any time just and proper to do this, it +would however be too severe to do it now, when all the tithes of the +kingdom are known for some years past to have sunk above one-third part +in their value. + +Any income in the hands of the Clergy, is at least as useful to the +public, as the same income in the hands of the laity. + +It were more reasonable to grant the clergy in three parts of the nation +an additional support, than to diminish their present subsistence. + +Great employments are and will be in the hands of Englishmen; nothing +left for the younger sons of Irishmen but vicarages, tide-waiters' +places, &c.; therefore no reason to make them worse. + +The _Modus_ upon the flax in England, affects only lands reclaimed since +the year 1690, and is at the rate of five shillings the English acre, +which is equivalent to eight shillings and eightpence Irish, and that to +be paid before the farmer removed it from the field. Flax is a +manufacture of little consequence in England, but is the staple in +Ireland, and if it increases (as it probably will) must in many places +jostle out corn, because it is more gainful. + +The Clergy of the Established Church, have no interest like those of the +Church of Rome, distinct from the true interest of their country; and +therefore ought to suffer under no distinct impositions or taxes of any +kind. + +The Bill for settling the _Modus_ of flax in England, was brought in, in +the first year of the reign of King George I., when the Clergy lay very +unjustly under the imputation of some disaffection. And to encourage the +bringing in of some fens in Lincolnshire, which were not to be continued +under flax: But it left all lands where flax had been sown before that +time, under the same condition of tithing, in which they were before the +passing of that Bill: Whereas this bill takes away what the Clergy are +actually possessed of. + +That the woollen manufacture is the staple of England, as the linen is +that of Ireland, yet no attempt was ever made in England to reduce the +tithe of wool, for the encouragement of that manufacture. + +This manufacture hath already been remarkably favoured by the Clergy, +who have hitherto been generally content with less than half--some with +sixpence a garden--and some have taken nothing. + +Employments they say have been taxed, the reasons for which taxation +will not hold with regard to property, at least till employments become +inheritances. + +The Commons always have had so tender a regard to property; that they +never would suffer any law to pass, whereby any particular persons might +be aggrieved without their own consent. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +AN ESSAY + +ON THE + +FATES OF CLERGYMEN. + + +NOTE. + +This essay was first printed in Nos. v. and vii. of "The Intelligencer" +(Dublin, 1728). In that periodical it bore the title: "A Description of +what the World calls Discretion;" and had the following lines from Ben +Jonson as a text: + + "Described it's thus: Defined would you it have? + Then the World's honest Man's an errant knave." + +The text here printed is based on the original issue, and collated with +the "Miscellanies," vol. iii. of 1732, and the "Miscellanies," vol. ii., +1747. + +[T.S.] + + + AN ESSAY ON THE FATES OF + CLERGYMEN. + + +There is no talent so useful towards rising in the world, or which puts +men more out of the reach of fortune, than that quality generally +possessed by the dullest sort of people, and is in common speech called +discretion; a species of lower prudence, by the assistance of which, +people of the meanest intellectuals, without any other qualification, +pass through the world in great tranquillity, and with universal good +treatment, neither giving nor taking offence. Courts are seldom +unprovided of persons under this character, on whom, if they happen to +be of great quality, most employments, even the greatest, naturally +fall, when competitors will not agree; and in such promotions, nobody +rejoices or grieves. The truth of this I could prove by several +instances within my own memory; for I say nothing of present times. + +And, indeed, as regularity and forms are of great use in carrying on the +business of the world, so it is very convenient, that persons endued +with this kind of discretion, should have that share which is proper to +their talents, in the conduct of affairs, but by no means meddle in +matters which require genius, learning, strong comprehension, quickness +of conception, magnanimity, generosity, sagacity, or any other superior +gift of human minds. Because this sort of discretion is usually attended +with a strong desire of money, and few scruples about the way of +obtaining it; with servile flattery and submission; with a want of all +public spirit or principle; with a perpetual wrong judgment, when the +owners come into power and high place, how to dispose of favour and +preferment; having no measures for merit and virtue in others, but those +very steps by which themselves ascended; nor the least intention of +doing good or hurt to the public, farther than either one or t'other is +likely to be subservient to their own security or interest. Thus, being +void of all friendship and enmity, they never complain or find fault +with the times, and indeed never have reason to do so. + +Men of eminent parts and abilities, as well as virtues, do sometimes +rise in the court, sometimes in the law, and sometimes even in the +Church. Such were the Lord Bacon, the Earl of Strafford, Archbishop +Laud, in the reign of King Charles I., and others in our own times, whom +I shall not name; but these, and many more, under different princes, and +in different kingdoms, were disgraced or banished, or suffered death, +merely in envy to their virtues and superior genius, which emboldened +them in great exigencies and distresses of state, (wanting a reasonable +infusion of this aldermanly discretion,) to attempt the service of their +prince and country, out of the common forms. + +This evil fortune, which generally attends extraordinary men in the +management of great affairs, has been imputed to divers causes that need +not be here set down, when so obvious a one occurs, if what a certain +writer observes be true, that when a great genius appears in the world, +the dunces are all in confederacy against him. And if this be his fate +when he employs his talents[1] wholly in his closet, without interfering +with any man's ambition or avarice, what must he expect, when he +ventures out to seek for preferment in a court, but universal opposition +when he is mounting the ladder, and every hand ready to turn him off +when he is at the top? And in this point, fortune generally acts +directly contrary to nature; for in nature we find, that bodies full of +life and spirits mount easily, and are hard to fall, whereas heavy +bodies are hard to rise, and come down with greater velocity, in +proportion to their weight; but we find fortune every day acting just +the reverse of this. + +[Footnote 1: "And thus although he employs his talents." This is the +reading of "The Intelligencer." [T.S.]] + +This talent of discretion, as I have described it in its several +adjuncts and circumstances, is nowhere so serviceable as to the clergy, +to whose preferment nothing is so fatal as the character of wit, +politeness in reading or manners, or that kind of behaviour which we +contract by having too much conversation with persons of high station +and eminency: these qualifications being reckoned, by the vulgar of all +ranks, to be marks of levity, which is the last crime the world will +pardon in a clergyman; to this I may add a free manner of speaking in +mixed company, and too frequent an appearance in places of much resort, +which are equally noxious to spiritual promotion. + +I have known, indeed, a few exceptions to some parts of these +observations.[2] I have seen some of the dullest men alive aiming at +wit, and others, with as little pretensions, affecting politeness in +manners and discourse: But never being able to persuade the world of +their guilt, they grew into considerable stations, upon the firm +assurance which all people had of their discretion, because they were of +a size too low to deceive the world to their own disadvantage. But this, +I confess, is a trial too dangerous often to engage in. + +[Footnote 2: This word is "regulations" in "The Intelligencer." [T.S.]] + +There is a known story of a clergyman, who was recommended for a +preferment by some great men at court, to an archbishop.[3] His grace +said, "he had heard that the clergyman used to play at whist and +swobbers;[4] that as to playing now and then a sober game at whist for +pastime, it might be pardoned, but he could not digest those wicked +swobbers;" and it was with some pains that my Lord Somers could +undeceive him. I ask, by what talents we may suppose that great prelate +ascended so high, or what sort of qualifications he would expect in +those whom he took into his patronage, or would probably recommend to +court for the government of distant churches? + +[Footnote 3: Archbishop Tenison, who, by all contemporary accounts, was +a very dull man. There was a bitter sarcasm upon him usually ascribed to +Swift, "That he was as hot and heavy as a tailor's goose." [S.] + +In "The Intelligencer" the word "archbishop" is replaced by the letters +A.B.C.T. [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 4: "Swobbers" were four privileged cards used, at one time, +for betting purposes, in the game of whist. [T.S.]] + +Two clergymen, in my memory, stood candidates for a small free school in +Yorkshire, where a gentleman of quality and interest in the country, who +happened to have a better understanding than his neighbours, procured +the place for him who was the better scholar, and more gentlemanly +person, of the two, very much to the regret of all the parish: The +other, being disappointed, came up to London, where he became the +greatest pattern of this lower discretion that I have known, and +possessed it with as heavy intellectuals; which, together with the +coldness of his temper, and gravity of his deportment, carried him safe +through many difficulties, and he lived and died in a great station; +while his competitor is too obscure for fame to tell us what became of +him. + +This species of discretion, which I so much celebrate, and do most +heartily recommend, hath one advantage not yet mentioned, that it will +carry a man safe through all the malice and variety of parties, so far, +that whatever faction happens to be uppermost, his claim is usually +allowed for a share of what is going. And the thing seems to me highly +reasonable: For in all great changes, the prevailing side is usually so +tempestuous, that it wants the ballast of those whom the world calls +moderate men, and I call men of discretion; whom people in power may, +with little ceremony, load as heavy as they please, drive them through +the hardest and deepest roads without danger of foundering, or breaking +their backs, and will be sure to find them neither rusty nor vicious. + +I[5] will here give the reader a short history of two clergymen in +England, the characters of each, and the progress of their fortunes in +the world; by which the force of worldly discretion, and the bad +consequences from the want of that virtue, will strongly appear. + +[Footnote 5: In "The Intelligencer," No. v., this paragraph reads as +follows: "In some following Paper I will give the reader a short history +of two Clergymen in England, the characters of each, and the progress of +their fortunes in the world. By which the force of worldly discretion, +and the bad consequences from the want of that virtue, will strongly +appear." In No. vii. the subject is continued as in the next paragraph. +[T.S.]] + +Corusodes, an Oxford student, and a farmer's son, was never absent from +prayers or lecture, nor once out of his college, after Tom had tolled. +He spent every day ten hours in his closet, in reading his courses, +dozing, clipping papers, or darning his stockings; which last he +performed to admiration. He could be soberly drunk at the expense of +others, with college ale, and at those seasons was always most devout. +He wore the same gown five years without draggling or tearing. He never +once looked into a playbook or a poem. He read Virgil and Ramus in the +same cadence, but with a very different taste. He never understood a +jest, or had the least conception of wit. + +For one saying he stands in renown to this day. Being with some other +students over a pot of ale, one of the company said so many pleasant +things, that the rest were much diverted, only Corusodes was silent and +unmoved. When they parted, he called this merry companion aside, and +said, "Sir, I perceive by your often speaking, and your friends +laughing, that you spoke many jests; and you could not but observe my +silence: But sir, this is my humour, I never make a jest myself, nor +ever laugh at another man's." + +Corusodes, thus endowed, got into holy orders; having, by the most +extreme parsimony, saved thirty-four pounds out of a very beggarly +fellowship, he went up to London, where his sister was waitingwoman to a +lady, and so good a solicitor, that by her means he was admitted to read +prayers in the family twice a-day, at fourteen[1] shillings a month. He +had now acquired a low, obsequious, awkward bow, and a talent of gross +flattery both in and out of season; he would shake the butler by the +hand; he taught the page his catechism, and was sometimes admitted to +dine at the steward's table. In short, he got the good word of the whole +family, and was recommended by my lady for chaplain to some other noble +houses, by which his revenue (besides vales) amounted to about thirty +pounds a-year: His sister procured him a scarf from my lord, who had a +small design of gallantry upon her; and by his lordship's solicitation +he got a lectureship in town of sixty pounds a-year; where he preached +constantly in person, in a grave manner, with an audible voice, a style +ecclesiastic, and the matter (such as it was) well suited to the +intellectuals of his hearers. Some time after, a country living fell in +my lord's disposal; and his lordship, who had now some encouragement +given him of success in his amour, bestowed the living on Corusodes, who +still kept his lectureship and residence in town; where he was a +constant attendant at all meetings relating to charity, without ever +contributing further than his frequent pious exhortations. If any woman +of better fashion in the parish happened to be absent from church, they +were sure of a visit from him in a day or two, to chide and to dine with +them. + +[Footnote 6: Scott has "ten shillings." [T.S.]] + +He had a select number of poor constantly attending at the street door +of his lodgings, for whom he was a common solicitor to his former +patroness, dropping in his own halfcrown among the collection, and +taking it out when he disposed of the money. At a person of quality's +house, he would never sit down till he was thrice bid, and then upon the +corner of the most distant chair. His whole demeanour was formal and +starch, which adhered so close, that he could never shake it off in his +highest promotion. + +His lord was now in high employment at court, and attended by him with +the most abject assiduity; and his sister being gone off with child to a +private lodging, my lord continued his graces to Corusodes, got him to +be a chaplain in ordinary, and in due time a parish in town, and a +dignity in the Church. + +He paid his curates punctually, at the lowest salary, and partly out of +the communion money; but gave them good advice in abundance. He married +a citizen's widow, who taught him to put out small sums at ten per +cent., and brought him acquainted with jobbers in Change-alley. By her +dexterity he sold the clerkship of his parish, when it became vacant. + +He kept a miserable house, but the blame was laid wholly upon madam; for +the good doctor was always at his books, or visiting the sick, or doing +other offices of charity and piety in his parish. + +He treated all his inferiors of the clergy with a most sanctified pride; +was rigorously and universally censorious upon all his brethren of the +gown, on their first appearance in the world, or while they continued +meanly preferred; but gave large allowance to the laity of high rank, or +great riches, using neither eyes nor ears for their faults: He was never +sensible of the least corruption in courts, parliaments, or ministries, +but made the most favourable constructions of all public proceedings; +and power, in whatever hands, or whatever party, was always secure of +his most charitable opinion. He had many wholesome maxims ready to +excuse all miscarriages of state: Men are but men; _Erunt vitia donec +homines_; and, _Quod supra nos, nil ad nos_; with several others of +equal weight. + +It would lengthen my paper beyond measure to trace out the whole system +of his conduct; his dreadful apprehensions of Popery; his great +moderation toward dissenters of all denominations; with hearty wishes, +that, by yielding somewhat on both sides, there might be a general union +among Protestants; his short, inoffensive sermons in his turns at court, +and the matter exactly suited to the present juncture of prevailing +opinions; the arts he used to obtain a mitre, by writing against +Episcopacy; and the proofs he gave of his loyalty, by palliating or +defending the murder of a martyred prince. + +Endowed with all these accomplishments, we leave him in the full career +of success, mounting fast toward the top of the Ladder Ecclesiastical, +which he hath a fair probability to reach; without the merit of one +single virtue, moderately stocked with the least valuable parts of +erudition, utterly devoid of all taste, judgment, or genius; and, in his +grandeur, naturally choosing to haul up others after him, whose +accomplishments most resemble his own, except his beloved sons, nephews, +or other kindred, be in competition; or, lastly, except his inclinations +be diverted by those who have power to mortify, or further advance him. + +Eugenio set out from the same university, and about the same time with +Corusodes; he had the reputation of an arch lad at school, and was +unfortunately possessed with a talent for poetry; on which account he +received many chiding letters from his father, and grave advice from his +tutor. He did not neglect his college learning, but his chief study was +the authors of antiquity, with a perfect knowledge in the Greek and +Roman tongues. He could never procure himself to be chosen fellow: For +it was objected against him, that he had written verses, and +particularly some wherein he glanced at a certain reverend doctor famous +for dulness: That he been seen bowing to ladies, as he met them in the +streets; and it was proved, that once he had been found dancing in a +private family, with half a dozen of both sexes. + +He was the younger son to a gentleman of good birth, but small estate; +and his father dying, he was driven to London to seek his fortune: He +got into orders, and became reader in a parish church at twenty pounds +a-year; was carried by an Oxford friend to Will's coffee-house, +frequented in those days by men of wit, where in some time he had the +bad luck to be distinguished. His scanty salary compelled him to run +deep in debt for a new gown and cassock, and now and then forced him to +write some paper of wit or humour, or preach a sermon for ten shillings, +to supply his necessities. He was a thousand times recommended by his +poetical friends to great persons, as a young man of excellent parts who +deserved encouragement, and received a thousand promises; but his +modesty, and a generous spirit, which disdained the slavery of continual +application and attendance, always disappointed him, making room for +vigilant dunces, who were sure to be never out of sight. + +He had an excellent faculty in preaching, if he were not sometimes a +little too refined, and apt to trust too much to his own way of thinking +and reasoning. + +When, upon the vacancy of a preferment, he was hardly drawn to attend +upon some promising lord, he received the usual answer, "That he came +too late, for it had been given to another the very day before." And he +had only this comfort left, that everybody said, "It was a thousand +pities something could not be done for poor Mr. Eugenio." + +The remainder of his story will be dispatched in a few words: Wearied +with weak hopes, and weaker pursuits, he accepted a curacy in +Derbyshire, of thirty pounds a-year, and when he was five-and-forty, had +the great felicity to be preferred by a friend of his father's to a +vicarage worth annually sixty pounds, in the most desert parts of +Lincolnshire; where, his spirit quite sunk with those reflections that +solitude and disappointments bring, he married a farmer's widow, and is +still alive, utterly undistinguished and forgotten; only some of the +neighbours have accidentally heard, that he had been a notable man in +his youth. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +CONCERNING THAT + +UNIVERSAL HATRED, + +WHICH PREVAILS + +AGAINST THE CLERGY. + + +May 24, 1736. + +I have been long considering and conjecturing, what could be the causes +of that great disgust, of late, against the clergy of both kingdoms, +beyond what was ever known till that monster and tyrant, Henry VIII. who +took away from them, against law, reason, and justice, at least +two-thirds of their legal possessions; and whose successors (except +Queen Mary) went on with their rapine, till the accession of King James +I. That detestable tyrant Henry VIII. although he abolished the Pope's +power in England, as universal bishop, yet what he did in that article, +however just it were in itself, was the mere effect of his irregular +appetite, to divorce himself from a wife he was weary of, for a younger +and more beautiful woman, whom he afterwards beheaded. But, at the same +time, he was an entire defender of all the Popish doctrines, even those +which were the most absurd. And, while he put people to death for +denying him to be head of the Church, he burned every offender against +the doctrines of the Roman faith; and cut off the head of Sir Thomas +More, a person of the greatest virtue this kingdom ever produced, for +not directly owning him to be head of the Church. Among all the princes +who ever reigned in the world there was never so infernal a beast as +Henry VIII. in every vice of the most odious kind, without any one +appearance of virtue: But cruelty, lust, rapine, and atheism, were his +peculiar talents. He rejected the power of the Pope for no other reason, +than to give his full swing to commit sacrilege, in which no tyrant, +since Christianity became national, did ever equal him by many degrees. +The abbeys, endowed with lands by the mistaken notions of well-disposed +men, were indeed too numerous, and hurtful to the kingdom; and, +therefore, the legislature might, after the Reformation, have justly +applied them to some pious or public uses. + +In a very few centuries after Christianity became national in most parts +of Europe, although the church of Rome had already introduced many +corruptions in religion; yet the piety of early Christians, as well as +new converts, was so great, and particularly of princes, as well as +noblemen and other wealthy persons, that they built many religious +houses, for those who were inclined to live in a recluse or solitary +manner, endowing those monasteries with land. It is true, we read of +monks some ages before, who dwelt in caves and cells, in desert places. +But, when public edifices were erected and endowed, they began gradually +to degenerate into idleness, ignorance, avarice, ambition, and luxury, +after the usual fate of all human institutions. The Popes, who had +already aggrandized themselves, laid hold of the opportunity to subject +all religious houses with their priors and abbots, to their peculiar +authority; whereby these religious orders became of an interest directly +different from the rest of mankind, and wholly at the Pope's devotion. I +need say no more on this article, so generally known and so frequently +treated, or of the frequent endeavours of some other princes, as well as +our own, to check the growth, and wealth, and power of the regulars. + +In later times, this mistaken piety, of erecting and endowing abbeys, +began to decrease. And therefore, when some new-invented sect of monks +and friars began to start up, not being able to procure grants of land, +they got leave from the Pope to appropriate the tithes and glebes of +certain parishes, as contiguous or near as they could find, obliging +themselves to send out some of their body to take care of the people's +souls: And, if some of those parishes were at too great a distance from +the abbey, the monks appointed to attend them were paid, for the cure, +either a small stipend of a determined sum, or sometimes a third part, +or what are now called the vicarial tithes. + +As to the church-lands, it hath been the opinion of many writers, that, +in England, they amounted to a third part of the whole kingdom. And +therefore, if that wicked prince above-mentioned, when he had cast off +the Pope's power, had introduced some reformation in religion, he could +not have been blamed for taking away the abbey-lands by authority of +parliament. But, when he continued the most cruel persecutor of all +those who differed in the least article of the Popish religion, which +was then the national and established faith, his seizing on those lands, +and applying them to profane uses, was absolute sacrilege, in the +strongest sense of the word; having been bequeathed by princes and pious +men to sacred uses. + +In the reign of this prince, the church and court of Rome had arrived to +such a height of corruption, in doctrine and discipline, as gave great +offence to many wise, learned, and pious men, through most parts of +Europe; and several countries agreed to make some reformation in +religion. But, although a proper and just reformation were allowed to be +necessary, even to preserve Christianity itself, yet the passions and +vices of men had mingled themselves so far, as to pervert and confound +all the good endeavours of those who intended well: And thus the +reformation, in every country where it was attempted, was carried on in +the most impious and scandalous manner that can possibly be conceived. +To which unhappy proceedings we owe all the just reproachings that Roman +Catholics have cast upon us ever since. For, when the northern kingdoms +and states grew weary of the Pope's tyranny, and when their preachers, +beginning with the scandalous abuses of indulgencies, and proceeding +farther to examine several points of faith, had credit enough with their +princes, who were in some fear lest such a change might affect the peace +of their countries, because their bishops had great influence on the +people by their wealth and power; these politic teachers had a ready +answer to this purpose. "Sir, your Majesty need not be in any pain or +apprehension: Take away the lands, and sink the authority of the +bishops: Bestow those lands on your courtiers, on your nobles, and your +great officers in your army; and then you will be secure of the people." +This advice was exactly followed. And, in the Protestant monarchies +abroad, little more than the shadow of Episcopacy is left; but, in the +republics, is wholly extinct. + +In England, the Reformation was brought in after a somewhat different +manner, but upon the same principle of robbing the Church. However, +Henry VIII. with great dexterity, discovered an invention to gratify his +insatiable thirst for blood, on both religions. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. + + +NOTE. + +In the "Gent. Mag.," vol. xxxv., p. 372 (August, 1765), is a reprint of +these "Thoughts," and "Further Thoughts" from Deane Swift's edition of +his relative's works, just then published. The note introducing the +reprint is signed "T.B."; but neither the note nor T.B.'s remarks are of +much importance. The present text is that of Scott, and collated with +the quarto edition of Swift's Works, vol. viii. 1765. + +[T.S.] + + + THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. + + +I am in all opinions to believe according to my own impartial reason; +which I am bound to inform and improve, as far as my capacity and +opportunities will permit. + +It may be prudent in me to act sometimes by other men's reason, but I +can think only by my own. + +If another man's reason fully convinceth me, it becomes my own reason. + +To say a man is bound to believe, is neither truth nor sense. + +You may force men, by interest or punishment, to say or swear they +believe, and to act as if they believed: You can go no further. + +Every man, as a member of the commonwealth, ought to be content with the +possession of his own opinion in private, without perplexing his +neighbour or disturbing the public. + +Violent zeal for truth hath an hundred to one odds to be either +petulancy, ambition, or pride. + +There is a degree of corruption wherein some nations, as bad as the +world is, will proceed to an amendment; till which time particular men +should be quiet. + +To remove opinions fundamental in religion is impossible, and the +attempt wicked, whether those opinions be true or false; unless your +avowed design be to abolish that religion altogether. So, for instance, +in the famous doctrine of Christ's divinity, which hath been universally +received by all bodies of Christians, since the condemnation of Arianism +under Constantine and his successors: Wherefore the proceedings of the +Socinians are both vain and unwarrantable; because they will be never +able to advance their own opinion, or meet any other success than +breeding doubts and disturbances in the world. _Qui ratione suae +disturbant moenia mundi._ + +The want of belief is a defect that ought to be concealed when it cannot +be overcome. + +The Christian religion, in the most early times, was proposed to the +Jews and heathens without the article of Christ's divinity; which, I +remember, Erasmus accounts for, by its being too strong a meat for +babes. Perhaps, if it were now softened by the Chinese missionaries, the +conversion of those infidels would be less difficult: And we find by the +Alcoran, it is the great stumbling-block of the Mahometans. But, in a +country already Christian, to bring so fundamental a point of faith into +debate, can have no consequences that are not pernicious to morals and +public peace. + +I have been often offended to find St. Paul's allegories, and other +figures of Grecian eloquence, converted by divines into articles of +faith. + +God's mercy is over all His works, but divines of all sorts lessen that +mercy too much. + +I look upon myself, in the capacity of a clergyman, to be one appointed +by Providence for defending a post assigned me, and for gaining over as +many enemies as I can. Although I think my cause is just, yet one great +motive is my submitting to the pleasure of Providence, and to the laws +of my country. + +I am not answerable to God for the doubts that arise in my own breast, +since they are the consequence of that reason which He hath planted in +me; if I take care to conceal those doubts from others, if I use my best +endeavours to subdue them, and if they have no influence on the conduct +of my life. + +I believe that thousands of men would be orthodox enough in certain +points, if divines had not been too curious, or too narrow, in reducing +orthodoxy within the compass of subtleties, niceties, and distinctions, +with little warrant from Scripture and less from reason or good policy. + +I never saw, heard, nor read, that the clergy were beloved in any nation +where Christianity was the religion of the country. Nothing can render +them popular but some degree of persecution. + +Those fine gentlemen who affect the humour of railing at the clergy, +are, I think, bound in honour to turn parsons themselves, and shew us +better examples. + +Miserable mortals! Can we contribute to the honour and glory of God? I +wish that expression were struck out of our Prayer-books. + +Liberty of conscience, properly speaking, is no more than the liberty of +possessing our own thoughts and opinions, which every man enjoys without +fear of the magistrate: But how far he shall publicly act in pursuance +of those opinions, is to be regulated by the laws of the country. +Perhaps, in my own thoughts, I prefer a well-instituted commonwealth +before a monarchy; and I know several others of the same opinion. Now, +if, upon this pretence, I should insist upon liberty of conscience, form +conventicles of republicans, and print books preferring that government +and condemning what is established, the magistrate would, with great +justice, hang me and my disciples. It is the same case in religion, +although not so avowed, where liberty of conscience, under the present +acceptation, equally produces revolutions, or at least convulsions and +disturbances in a state; which politicians would see well enough, if +their eyes were not blinded by faction, and of which these kingdoms, as +well as France, Sweden, and other countries, are flaming instances. +Cromwell's notion upon this article was natural and right; when, upon +the surrender of a town in Ireland, the Popish governor insisted upon an +article for liberty of conscience, Cromwell said, he meddled with no +man's conscience; but, if by liberty of conscience, the governor meant +the liberty of the mass, he had express orders from the Parliament of +England against admitting any such liberty at all. + +It is impossible that anything so natural, so necessary, and so +universal as death, should ever have been designed by Providence as an +evil to mankind. + +Although reason were intended by Providence to govern our passions, yet +it seems that, in two points of the greatest moment to the being and +continuance of the world, God hath intended our passions to prevail over +reason. The first is, the propagation of our species, since no wise man +ever married from the dictates of reason. The other is, the love of +life, which, from the dictates of reason, every man would despise, and +wish it at an end, or that it never had a beginning. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +FURTHER THOUGHTS ON + +RELIGION. + + +The Scripture system of man's creation is what Christians are bound to +believe, and seems most agreeable of all others to probability and +reason. Adam was formed from a piece of clay, and Eve from one of his +ribs. The text mentioneth nothing of his Maker's intending him for, +except to rule over the beasts of the field and birds of the air. As to +Eve, it doth not appear that her husband was her monarch, only she was +to be his help meet, and placed in some degree of subjection. However, +before his fall, the beasts were his most obedient subjects, whom he +governed by absolute power. After his eating the forbidden fruit, the +course of nature was changed, the animals began to reject his +government; some were able to escape by flight, and others were too +fierce to be attacked. The Scripture mentioneth no particular acts of +royalty in Adam over his posterity, who were cotemporary with him, or of +any monarch until after the flood; whereof the first was Nimrod, the +mighty hunter, who, as Milton expresseth it, made men, and not beasts, +his prey. For men were easier caught by promises, and subdued by the +folly or treachery of their own species. Whereas the brutes prevailed +only by their courage or strength, which, among them, are peculiar to +certain kinds. Lions, bears, elephants, and some other animals are +strong or valiant, and their species never degenerates in their native +soil, except they happen to be enslaved or destroyed by human fraud: But +men degenerate every day, merely by the folly, the perverseness, the +avarice, the tyranny, the pride, the treachery, or inhumanity of their +own kind. + + +THREE PRAYERS + +USED BY THE DEAN FOR MRS JOHNSON, + +IN HER LAST SICKNESS, 1727.[1] + +[Footnote 1: "Dr. Swift, after his return to Ireland in the beginning of +October [1727], having visited her [Stella] frequently during her +sickness, not only as a friend, but a clergyman; he used the following +prayers on that occasion; which are here printed from his own +handwriting." [Note in volume viii. of Swift's Works, Dublin, 1746.]] + + +I. + +A PRAYER FOR STELLA. + +Almighty and most gracious Lord God, extend, we beseech Thee, Thy pity +and compassion towards this Thy languishing servant: Teach her to place +her hope and confidence entirely in Thee; give her a true sense of the +emptiness and vanity of all earthly things; make her truly sensible of +all the infirmities of her life past, and grant to her such a true +sincere repentance as is not to be repented of. Preserve her, O Lord, in +a sound mind and understanding, during this Thy visitation: Keep her +from both the sad extremes of presumption and despair. If Thou shalt +please to restore her to her former health, give her grace to be ever +mindful of that mercy, and to keep those good resolutions she now makes +in her sickness, so that no length of time, nor prosperity, may entice +her to forget them. Let no thought of her misfortunes distract her mind, +and prevent the means towards her recovery, or disturb her in her +preparations for a better life. We beseech Thee also, O Lord, of Thy +infinite goodness to remember the good actions of this Thy servant; that +the naked she hath clothed, the hungry she hath fed, the sick and the +fatherless whom she hath relieved, may be reckoned according to Thy +gracious promise, as if they had been done unto Thee. Hearken, O Lord, +to the prayers offered up by the friends of this Thy servant in her +behalf, and especially those now made by us unto Thee. Give Thy blessing +to those endeavours used for her recovery; but take from her all violent +desire, either of life or death, further than with resignation to Thy +holy will. And now, O Lord, we implore Thy gracious favour towards us +here met together; grant that the sense of this Thy servant's weakness +may add strength to our faith, that we, considering the infirmities of +our nature, and the uncertainty of life, may, by this example, be drawn +to repentance before it shall please Thee to visit us in the like +manner. Accept these prayers, we beseech Thee, for the sake of Thy dear +Son Jesus Christ, our Lord; who, with Thee and the Holy Ghost, liveth +and reigneth ever one God world without end. Amen. + + +II. + +A PRAYER USED BY THE DEAN FOR MRS JOHNSON IN HER LAST SICKNESS, +WRITTEN OCT. 17, 1727. + +Most merciful Father, accept our humblest prayers in behalf of this Thy +languishing servant: Forgive the sins, the frailties, and infirmities of +her life past. Accept the good deeds she hath done, in such a manner, +that at whatever time Thou shalt please to call her, she may be received +into everlasting habitations. Give her grace to continue sincerely +thankful to Thee for the many favours Thou hast bestowed upon her; The +ability and inclination and practice to do good, and those virtues, +which have procured the esteem and love of her friends, and a most +unspotted name in the world. O God, Thou dispensest Thy blessings and +Thy punishments, as it becometh infinite justice and mercy; and since it +was Thy pleasure to afflict her with a long, constant, weakly state of +health, make her truly sensible, that it was for very wise ends, and was +largely made up to her in other blessings, more valuable and less +common. Continue to her, O Lord, that firmness and constancy of mind, +where with Thou hast most graciously endowed her, together with that +contempt of worldly things and vanities, that she hath shewn in the +whole conduct of her life. O all-powerful Being, the least motion of +Whose will can create or destroy a world; pity us the mournful friends +of Thy distressed servant, who sink under the weight of her present +condition, and the fear of losing the most valuable of our friends: +Restore her to us, O Lord, if it be Thy gracious will, or inspire us +with constancy and resignation, to support ourselves under so heavy an +affliction. Restore her, O Lord, for the sake of those poor, who by +losing her will be desolate, and those sick, who will not only want her +bounty, but her care and tending: Or else, in Thy mercy, raise up some +other in her place with equal disposition and better abilities. Lessen, +O Lord, we beseech Thee, her bodily pains, or give her a double strength +of mind to support them. And if Thou wilt soon take her to Thyself, turn +our thoughts rather upon that felicity, which we hope she shall enjoy, +than upon that unspeakable loss we shall endure. Let her memory be ever +dear unto us; and the example of her many virtues, as far as human +infirmity will admit, our constant imitation. Accept, O Lord, these +prayers poured from the very bottom of our hearts, in Thy mercy, and for +the merits of our blessed Saviour. Amen. + + +III. + +WRITTEN Nov. 6, 1727. + +O Merciful Father, Who never afflictest Thy children, but for their own +good, and with justice, over which Thy mercy always prevaileth, either +to turn them to repentance, or to punish them in the present life, in +order to reward them in a better; take pity, we beseech Thee, upon this +Thy poor afflicted servant, languishing so long and so grievously under +the weight of Thy hand. Give her strength, O Lord, to support her +weakness; and patience to endure her pains, without repining at Thy +correction. Forgive every rash and inconsiderate expression which her +anguish may at any time force from her tongue, while her heart +continueth in an entire submission to Thy will. Suppress in her, O Lord, +all eager desires of life, and lessen her fears of death, by inspiring +into her an humble, yet assured, hope of Thy mercy. Give her a sincere +repentance for all her transgressions and omissions, and a firm +resolution to pass the remainder of her life in endeavouring to her +utmost to observe all Thy precepts. We beseech Thee likewise to compose +her thoughts; and preserve to her the use of her memory and reason +during the course of her sickness. Give her a true conception of the +vanity, folly, and insignificancy of all human things; and strengthen +her so as to beget in her a sincere love of Thee in the midst of her +sufferings. Accept and impute all her good deeds, and forgive her all +those offences against Thee, which she hath sincerely repented of, or +through the frailty of memory hath forgot. And now, O Lord, we turn to +Thee in behalf of ourselves, and the rest of her sorrowful friends. Let +not our grief afflict her mind, and thereby have an ill effect on her +present distempers. Forgive the sorrow and weakness of those among us, +who sink under the grief and terror of losing so dear and useful a +friend. Accept and pardon our most earnest prayers and wishes for her +longer continuance in this evil world, to do what Thou art pleased to +call Thy service, and is only her bounden duty; that she may be still a +comfort to us, and to all others who will want the benefit of her +conversation, her advice, her good offices, or her charity. And since +Thou hast promised, that where two or three are gathered together in Thy +name, Thou wilt be in the midst of them, to grant their request; O +gracious Lord, grant to us who are here met in Thy name, that those +requests, which in the utmost sincerity and earnestness of our hearts we +have now made in behalf of this Thy distressed servant, and of +ourselves, may effectually be answered; through the merits of Jesus +Christ our Lord. Amen. + + +AN EVENING PRAYER, + +FROM THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT FOUND AMONGST DR LYON'S PAPERS. + +OH! Almighty God, the searcher of all hearts, and from whom no secrets +are hid, who hast declared that all such as shall draw nigh to thee with +their lips, when their hearts are far from thee, are an abomination unto +thee; cleanse, we beseech thee, the thoughts of our hearts, by the +inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that no wandering, vain, nor idle +thoughts may put out of our minds that reverence and godly fear, that +becomes all those who come in thy presence. + +We know, O Lord, that while we are in these bodies, we are absent from +the Lord, for no man can see thy face and live. The only way that we can +draw near unto thee in this life, is by prayer; but, O Lord, we know not +how to pray, nor what to ask for as we ought. We cannot pretend by our +supplications or prayers to turn or change thee, for thou art the same +yesterday, to-day, and for ever; but the coming into thy presence, the +drawing near unto thee, is the only means to be changed ourselves, to +become like thee in holiness and purity, to be followers of thee as thy +dear children. O, therefore, turn not away thy face from us, but let us +see so much of the excellencies of thy divine nature, of thy goodness, +and justice, and mercy, and forbearance, and holiness, and purity, as +may make us hate everything in ourselves that is unlike to thee, that so +we may abhor and repent of and forsake those sins that we so often fall +into when we forget thee. Lord! We acknowledge and confess we have lived +in a course of sin, and folly, and vanity, from our youth up, forgetting +our latter end, and our great account that we must one day make, and +turning a deaf ear to thy many calls to us, either by thy holy word, by +our teachers, or by our own consciences; and even thy more severe +messages by afflictions, sicknesses, crosses, and disappointments, have +not been of force enough to turn us from the vanity and folly of our own +ways. What then can we expect in justice, when thou shalt enter into +judgment with us, but to have our portion with the hypocrites and +unbelievers? to depart for ever from the presence of the Lord; to be +turned into hell with those that forget God! But, O God, most holy! O +God, most mighty! O holy and most merciful Saviour, deliver us not into +the bitter pains of eternal death, but have mercy upon us, most merciful +Father, and forgive us our sins for thy name's sake; for thou hast +declared thyself to be a God slow to anger, full of goodness, +forbearance, and long-suffering, and forgiving iniquity, transgression, +and sin. O Lord, therefore, shew thy mercy upon us. O let it be in +pardoning our sins past, and in changing our natures, in giving us a new +heart, and a new spirit, that we may lead a new life, and walk before +thee in newness of life, that so sin may not have dominion over us for +the time to come. O let thy good Spirit, without which we can do +nothing, O let that work in us both to will and do such things as may be +well pleasing to thee. O let it change our thoughts and minds, and take +them off the vain pleasures of this world, and place them there where +only the true joys are to be found. O fill our minds every day more and +more with the happiness of that blessed state of living for ever with +thee, that we may make it our great work and business to work out our +salvation,--to improve in the knowledge of thee, whom to know is life +eternal. But, Lord, since we cannot know thee but by often drawing near +unto thee, and coming into thy presence, which in this life, we can do +only by prayer, O make us, therefore, ever sensible of these great +benefits of prayer, that we may rejoice at all opportunities of coming +into thy presence, and may ever find ourselves the better and more +heavenly minded by it, and may never wilfully neglect any opportunity of +thy worship and service. Awaken thoroughly in us a serious sense of +these things, that so to-day, while it is called to-day, we may see and +know the things that belong to our peace, before they be hid from our +eyes, before that long night cometh when no man can work. O that every +night may so effectually put us in mind of our last, that we may every +day take care so to live, as we shall then wish we had lived when we +come to die; that so when that night shall come, we may as willingly put +off these bodies, as we now put off our clothes, and may rejoice to rest +from our labours, and that our war with the world, the devil, and our +own corrupt nature, is at an end. In the meanwhile, we beseech thee to +take us, and ours, and all that belongs to us, into thy fatherly care +this night. Let thy holy angels be our guard, while we are not in a +condition to defend ourselves, that we may not be under the power of +devils or wicked men; and preserve us also, O Lord, from every evil +accident, that, after a comfortable and refreshing sleep, we may find +ourselves, and all that belongs to us, in peace and safety. And now, O +Lord, being ourselves still in the body, and compassed about with +infirmities, we can neither be ignorant nor unmindful of the sufferings +of our fellow-creatures. O Lord, we must acknowledge, that they are all +but the effects of sin; and, therefore, we beseech thee so to sanctify +their several chastisements to them, that at length they may bring forth +the peaceable fruits of righteousness, and then be thou graciously +pleased to remove thy heavy and afflicting hand from them. And O that +the rest of mankind, who are not under such trials, may, by thy +goodness, be led to repentance, that the consciences of hard-hearted +sinners may be awakened, and the understandings of poor ignorant +creatures enlightened, and that all that love and fear thee may ever +find the joy and comfort of a good conscience, beyond all the +satisfactions that this world can afford. And now, blessed Lord, from +whom every good gift comes, it is meet, right, and our bounden duty, +that we should offer up unto thee our thanks and praise for all thy +goodness towards us, for preserving peace in our land, the light of thy +Gospel, and the true religion in our churches; for giving us the fruits +of the earth in due season, and preserving us from the plague and +sickness that rages in other lands. We bless thee for that support and +maintenance, which thou art pleased to afford us, and that thou givest +us a heart to be sensible of this thy goodness, and to return our thanks +at this time for the same; and as to our persons, for that measure of +health that any of us do enjoy, which is more than any of us do deserve. +We bless thee, more particularly, for thy protection over us the day +past; that thy good spirit has kept us from falling into even the +greatest sins, which, by our wicked and corrupt nature, we should +greedily have been hurried into; and that, by the guard of thy holy +angels, we have been kept safe from any of those evils that might have +befallen us, and which many are now groaning under, who rose up in the +morning in safety and peace as well as we. But above all, for that great +mercy of contriving and effecting our redemption, by the death of our +Saviour Jesus Christ, whom, of thy great love to mankind, thou didst +send into this world, to take upon him our flesh, to teach us thy will, +and to bear the guilt of our transgressions, to die for our sins, and to +rise again for our justification; and for enabling us to lay hold of +that salvation, by the gracious assistances of thy Holy Spirit. Lord, +grant that the sense of this wonderful love of thine to us, may +effectually encourage us to walk in thy fear, and live to thy glory, +that so when we shall put off this mortal state, we may be made +partakers of that glory that shall then be revealed, which we beg of +thee, for the sake of thy Son Jesus Christ, who died to procure it for +us, and in whose name and words we do offer up the desires of our souls +unto thee, saying, + +"Our Father," &c. + + +OBSERVATIONS + +ON + +HEYLIN'S HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIANS.[1] + +[Footnote 1: Written by the Dean in the beginning of the book, on one of +the blank leaves. [Note in vol. ix. 1775 edition of Swift's Works.]] + +This book, by some errors and neglects in the style, seems not to have +received the author's[2] last correction. It is written with some +vehemence, very pardonable in one who had been an observer and a +sufferer, in England, under that diabolical fanatic sect which then +destroyed Church and State. But, by comparing in my memory what I have +read in other histories, he neither aggravates nor falsifies any facts. +His partiality appears chiefly in setting the actions of the Calvinists +in the strongest light, without equally dwelling on those of the other +side; which, however, to say the truth, was not his proper business. And +yet he might have spent some more words on the inhuman massacre of Paris +and other parts of France, which no provocation (and yet the King had +the greatest possible) could excuse, or much extenuate. The author, +according to the current opinion of the age he lived in, had too high +notions of regal power; led by the common mistake of the term Supreme +Magistrate, and not rightly distinguishing between the legislature and +administration: into which mistake the clergy fell, or continued, in the +reign of Charles II., as I have shewn and explained in a treatise, &c. +J. SWIFT. March 6, 1727-8. + +[Footnote 2: Peter Heylin, D.D. (1600-1662) was born at Burford, +Oxfordshire. Educated at Magdalen College, Oxford, and became in +succession, chaplain to Charles I., rector of Hemmingford, rector of +Islip, and a prebendary of Westminster. He wrote the weekly paper, +"Mercurius Auhcus," and lost his estates during the Civil War. He was +reinstated at the Restoration into all his preferments. His works are +voluminous, consisting of a "Cosmography," "A Help to English History," +a "Life of Charles I.," a "History of the Reformation," a "History of +Presbyterians," a "Life of Archbishop Laud," and a few theological +works. The work on the Presbyterians, here referred to by Swift, was +published in 1670. [T.S.]] + + + * * * * * + + +CHISWICK PRESS:--CHARLES WHITTINGHAM AND CO. TOOKS COURT, CHANCERY LANE, +LONDON. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Prose Works of Jonathan Swift, +Vol. III.: Swift's Writings on Religion and the Church, Vol. I., by Jonathan Swift + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SWIFT'S WRITINGS ON RELIGION *** + +***** This file should be named 12252-8.txt or 12252-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/2/2/5/12252/ + +Produced by Terry Gilliland and PG Distributed Proofreaders. Produced +from images provided by the Million Book Project. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Prose Works of Jonathan Swift, Vol. III.: Swift's Writings on Religion and the Church, Vol. I. + +Author: Jonathan Swift + +Release Date: May 4, 2004 [EBook #12252] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SWIFT'S WRITINGS ON RELIGION *** + + + + +Produced by Terry Gilliland and PG Distributed Proofreaders. Produced +from images provided by the Million Book Project. + + + + + + + +BOHN'S STANDARD LIBRARY + +THE PROSE WORKS OF JONATHAN SWIFT + +VOL. III + + +[Illustration: _Jonathan Swift, + +from a picture by Frances Bindon + +In the possession of Sir F R Falkiner_] + + +THE PROSE WORKS + +OF + +JONATHAN SWIFT, D.D. + +EDITED BY + +TEMPLE SCOTT + +WITH A BIOGRAPHICAL INTRODUCTION BY + +THE RT. HON. W. E. H. LECKY, M.P. + +VOL III + +1898 + + +SWIFT'S + +WRITINGS ON RELIGION AND THE CHURCH + +VOL. I + +EDITED BY + +TEMPLE SCOTT + +1898 + + + + +PREFACE. + + +The inquiry into the religious thought of the eighteenth century forms +one of the most interesting subjects for speculation in the history of +the intellectual development of western nations. It is true, that in +that history Swift takes no special or distinguished part; but he forms +a figure of peculiar interest in a special circle of his own. Swift had +no natural bent for the ministry of a church; his instincts, his +temperament, his intellect, were of that order which fitted him for +leadership and administration. He was a born magistrate and commander of +men. It is, therefore, one of the finest compliments we can pay Swift to +say, that no more faithful, no more devoted, no stauncher servant has +that Church possessed; for we must remember the proud and haughty temper +which attempted to content itself with the humdrum duties of a parish +life. Swift entered the service of that Church at a time when its need +for such a man was great; and in spite of its disdain of his worth, in +spite of its failure to recognize and acknowledge his transcendent +qualities, he never forgot his oath, and never shook in his allegiance. +To any one, however, who reads carefully his sermons, his "Thoughts on +Religion," and his "Letter to a Young Clergyman," there comes a +question--whether, for his innermost conscience, Swift found a +satisfying conviction in the doctrines of Christianity. "I am not +answerable to God," he says, "for the doubts that arise in my own +breast, since they are the consequence of that reason which he hath +planted in me, if I take care to conceal those doubts from others, if I +use my best endeavours to subdue them, and if they have no influence on +the conduct of my life." We search in vain, in any of his writings, for +any definite expression of doubt or want of faith in these doctrines. +When he touches on them, as he does in the sermon "On the Trinity," he +seems to avoid of set purpose, rational inquiry, and contents himself +with insisting on the necessity for a belief in those mysteries +concerning God about which we cannot hope to know anything. "I do not +find," he says, in his "Letter to a Young Clergyman," "that you are +anywhere directed in the canons or articles to attempt explaining the +mysteries of the Christian religion; and, indeed, since Providence +intended there should be mysteries, I don't see how it can be agreeable +to piety, orthodoxy, or good sense to go about such a work. For to me +there seems a manifest dilemma in the case; if you explain them, they +are mysteries no longer; if you fail, you have laboured to no purpose." + +It must at once be admitted that Swift had not the metaphysical bent; +philosophy--in our modern sense of the word--was to him only a species +of word spinning. That only was valuable which had a practical bearing +on life--and Christianity had that. He found in Christianity, as he knew +it--in the Church of England, that is to say--an excellent organization, +which recognized the frailties of human nature, aimed at making +healthier men's souls, and gave mankind a reasonable guidance in the +selection of the best motives to action. He himself, as a preacher, made +it his principal business, "first to tell the people what is their duty, +and then to convince them that it is so." He had a profound faith in +existing institutions, which to him were founded on the fundamental +traits of humanity. The Church of England he considered to be such an +institution; and it was, moreover, regulated and settled by order of the +State. To follow its teachings would lead men to become good citizens, +honest dealers, truthful and cleanly companions, upright friends. What +more could be demanded of any religion? + +The Romish Church led away from the Constitution as by law established. +Dissent set up private authority, which could no more be permitted in +religious than it was in political matters; it meant dissension, +revolution, and the upheaval of tried and trusted associations. +Therefore, the Church of Rome and the teachings of Dissent were alike +dangerous; and against both, whenever they attempted the possession of +political power, he waged a fierce and uncompromising war. "Where sects +are tolerated in a State," he says, in his "Sentiments of a Church of +England Man," "it is fit they should enjoy a full liberty of conscience, +and every other privilege of free-born subjects, to which no power is +annexed. And to preserve their obedience upon all emergencies, a +government cannot give them too much ease, nor trust them with too +little power." + +Swift had no passionate love for ideals--indeed, he may have thought +ideals to be figments of an overheated and, therefore, aberrated +imagination. The practically real was the best ideal; and by the real he +would understand that power which most capably and most regulatively +nursed, guided, and assisted the best instincts of the average man. The +average man was but a sorry creature, and required adventitious aids for +his development. Gifted as he was with a large sympathy, Swift yet was +seemingly incapable of appreciating those thought-forms which help us to +visualize mentally our religious aspirations and emotions. A mere +emotion was but subject-matter for his satire. He suspected any zeal +which protested too much for truth, and considered it "odds on" it being +"either petulancy, ambition, or pride." + +Whatever may have been his private speculations as to the truth of the +doctrines of Christianity they never interfered with his sense of his +responsibilities as a clergyman. "I look upon myself," he says, "in the +capacity of a clergyman, to be one appointed by Providence for defending +a post assigned me, and for gaining over as many enemies as I can. +Although I think my cause is just, yet one great motive is my submitting +to the pleasure of Providence, and to the laws of my country." If anyone +had asked him, what was the pleasure of Providence, he would probably +have answered, that it was plainly shown in the Scriptures, and required +not the aid of the expositions of divines who were "too curious, or too +narrow, in reducing orthodoxy within the compass of subtleties, +niceties, and distinctions." Truth was no abstraction--that was truth +which found its expression in the best action; and this explains Swift's +acceptance of any organization which made for such expression. He found +one ready in the Church of England; and whatever his doubts were, those +only moved him which were aroused by action from those who attempted to +interfere with the working of that organization. And this also helps to +explain his political attitude at the time when it was thought he had +deserted his friends. The Church was always his first consideration. He +was not a Churchman because he was a politician, but a politician +because he was a Churchman. These, however, are matters which are more +fully entered into by Swift himself in the tracts herewith reprinted, +and in the notes prefixed to them by the editor. + +It was originally intended that Swift's writings on Religion and the +Church should occupy a single volume of this edition of his works. They +are, however, so numerous that it has been found more convenient to +divide them into two volumes--the first including all the tracts, except +those relating to the Sacramental Test; the second containing the Test +pamphlets and the twelve sermons, with the Remarks on Dr. Gibbs's +paraphrase of the Psalms, in an appendix. It is hoped that this +division, while it entails upon the student the necessity for a double +reference, will yet preserve the continuity of form enabling him to view +Swift's religious standpoint and work with as much advantage as he would +have obtained by the original plan. + +The editor again takes the opportunity to thank Colonel F. Grant for the +service he has rendered him in placing at his disposal his fine +collection of Swift's tracts. The portrait which forms the frontispiece +to this volume is one of those painted by Francis Bindon, and was +formerly in the possession of Judge Berwick. For permission to +photograph and reproduce it here, thanks are due to Sir Frederick R. +Falkiner, Recorder of Dublin. + +TEMPLE SCOTT. + + + + +CONTENTS: + +ARGUMENT AGAINST ABOLISHING CHRISTIANITY + +PROJECT FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF RELIGION + +SENTIMENTS OF A CHURCH OF ENGLAND MAN + +REMARKS UPON "THE RIGHTS OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH" + +PREFACE TO THE BISHOP OF SARUM'S "INTRODUCTION" + +ABSTRACT OF COLLINS'S "DISCOURSE OF FREETHINKING" + +SOME THOUGHTS ON FREETHINKING + +LETTER TO A YOUNG CLERGYMAN + +ARGUMENTS AGAINST ENLARGING THE POWER OF BISHOPS IN LETTING LEASES + +REASONS OFFERED TO THE ARCHBISHOP OF DUBLIN + +ON THE BILL FOR THE CLERGY'S RESIDING ON THEIR LIVINGS + +CONSIDERATIONS UPON TWO BILLS RELATING TO THE CLERGY OF IRELAND + +REASONS AGAINST THE MODUS + +ESSAY ON THE FATES OF CLERGYMEN + +CONCERNING THAT UNIVERSAL HATRED WHICH PREVAILS AGAINST THE CLERGY + +THOUGHTS ON RELIGION + +FURTHER THOUGHTS ON RELIGION + +PRAYERS FOR MRS. JOHNSON + +AN EVENING PRAYER + +OBSERVATIONS ON HEYLIN'S "HISTORY OF PRESBYTERIANS" + +***** ***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +AN ARGUMENT + +TO PROVE THAT THE + +ABOLISHING OF CHRISTIANITY IN ENGLAND + +MAY, AS THINGS NOW STAND, BE ATTENDED WITH SOME INCONVENIENCES, AND +PERHAPS NOT PRODUCE THOSE MANY GOOD EFFECTS PROPOSED THEREBY. + +WRITTEN IN THE YEAR 1708. + + +NOTE. + +In November, 1707, Swift left Dublin in the train of the then Lord +Lieutenant, Lord Pembroke. His travelling companion was Sir Andrew +Fountaine, who, on landing in England, set out with Lord Pembroke for +Wilton, while Swift went on to Leicester to visit his mother. He stayed +with her until some time in December, but, by the middle of the same +month, he was in London. During this absence from Ireland Swift +corresponded somewhat freely with Archbishop King of Dublin, and with +Archdeacon Walls--the letters to the former were first printed in +Forster's "Life of Swift." For these Forster was indebted to the Rev. +Mr. Reeves (vicar of Lusk, co. Dublin), who discovered them in the +record-room of the see of Armagh (see "Life," p. 205 et seq. and note). +One of Swift's intentions, while in the metropolis, was to push forward +the claim of the Irish clergy for the remission of the First Fruits and +Tenths, a grant which had already been conceded to the English clergy; +and his letters to King often include requests for the necessary papers +by means of which he could lay the matter before either Godolphin or +Somers. Walls had written to Swift of the vacancy of the see of +Waterford, and, from the reply to the archdeacon, we learn that even at +so early a date Swift suffered a grievous disappointment; for in +January, 1708, the bishopric, of which Swift had hopes, was presented to +Dr. Thomas Milles. In his letter to Walls Swift confesses that he "once +had a glimpse that things would have gone otherwise.... But let us +talk no further on this subject. I am stomach-sick of it already. ... +Pray send me an account of some smaller vacancy in the Government's +gift." It was to Somers, and through him to Lord Halifax, that Swift +looked for recognition, either for services rendered, or because of +their appreciation of his abilities. But, however much he may have been +disappointed at their inaction, it may not be argued, as it has been, +that Swift's so-called change in his political opinions was the outcome +either of spleen or chagrin against the Whigs for their ingratitude +towards him. It is, indeed, questionable whether Swift ever changed his +political opinions, speaking of these as party opinions. From the day of +his entrance, it may be said, into the orders of the Church, his first +thought was for it; and on all political questions which touched Church +matters Swift was neither Whig nor Tory, but churchman. It was because +of the attitude of the Whigs towards the Church that Swift left them; +and in his writings he does not spare the Tories even when he finds them +taking up similar attitudes. On purely political questions Swift was too +independent a thinker to be influenced by mere party views. That he +wrote for the Tories must be put down to Harley's personal influence, +and to his foresight which saw in Swift a man who must be treated as an +equal with the highest in the land. Swift's intercourse with the leading +men of his day only served to accentuate his consciousness of his +superiority; and a party which would permit him the free play of his +powers would be the party to which Swift would give his adhesion. +Godolphin, Somers, and Walpole either did not recognize the genius of +the man, or their own "points of view" did not permit them to give him +the free play they felt he would obtain. Be that as it may, Harley +gained not only a splendid party fighter, but a friend on whose +affection he could ever rely. + +In these tracts on Religion and the Church, which he wrote in the year +1708, Swift is not a party man, speaking for party purposes. He +believed, and sincerely believed, that for such beings as were the men +and women of this kingdom, the Church was, if not the highest and +noblest instrument for good, yet the worthiest and ablest they had. +Swift never lost himself in theories. He was, however, not blind to the +dangers which an established religion might engender; but whatever its +dangers, these would be inevitable to the most perfect system so long as +human nature was as base as it was. The "Argument" is written in a vein +of satirical banter; but the Swiftian cynicism permeates every line. It +is the first of four tracts which form Swift's most important expression +of his thoughts on Religion and the Church. Scott well describes it as +"one of the most felicitous efforts in our language, to engage wit and +humour on the side of religion," and Forster speaks of it as "having +also that indefinable subtlety of style which conveys not the writer's +knowledge of the subject only, but his power and superiority over it." + +I have not been able to find a copy of the original edition of the +"Argument" upon which to base the present text--for that I have gone to +the first edition of the "Miscellanies," published in 1711; but I have +collated this with those given by the "Miscellanies" (1728), Faulkner, +Hawkesworth, Scott, Morley, and Craik. + +[T. S.] + + +AN ARGUMENT AGAINST ABOLISHING CHRISTIANITY. + + +I am very sensible what a weakness and presumption it is, to reason +against the general humour and disposition of the world. I remember it +was with great justice, and a due regard to the freedom both of the +public and the press, forbidden upon several penalties to write,[1] or +discourse, or lay wagers against the Union, even before it was confirmed +by parliament, because that was looked upon as a design, to oppose the +current of the people, which, besides the folly of it, is a manifest +breach of the fundamental law that makes this majority of opinion the +voice of God. In like manner, and for the very same reasons, it may +perhaps be neither safe nor prudent to argue against the abolishing of +Christianity, at a juncture when all parties appear[2] so unanimously +determined upon the point, as we cannot but allow from their actions, +their discourses, and their writings. However, I know not how, whether +from the affectation of singularity, or the perverseness of human +nature, but so it unhappily falls out, that I cannot be entirely of this +opinion. Nay, though I were sure an order were issued for my immediate +prosecution by the Attorney-General, I should still confess that in the +present posture of our affairs at home or abroad, I do not yet see the +absolute necessity of extirpating the Christian religion from among us. + +[Footnote 1: This refers to the Jacobitism of the time, particularly +among those who were opposed to the Union. A reference to Lord Mahon's +"Reign of Queen Anne" will show how strong was the opposition in +Scotland, and how severe were the measures taken to put down that +opposition. [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 2: Craik and Hawkesworth print the word "seem," but the +"Miscellanies," Faulkner, and Scott give it as in the text. [T.S.]] + +This perhaps may appear too great a paradox even for our wise and +paradoxical age to endure; therefore I shall handle it with all +tenderness, and with the utmost deference to that great and profound +majority which is of another sentiment. + +And yet the curious may please to observe, how much the genius of a +nation is liable to alter in half an age. I have heard it affirmed for +certain by some very old people, that the contrary opinion was even in +their memories as much in vogue as the other is now; and, that a project +for the abolishing of Christianity would then have appeared as singular, +and been thought as absurd, as it would be at this time to write or +discourse in its defence. + +Therefore I freely own that all appearances are against me. The system +of the Gospel, after the fate of other systems is generally antiquated +and exploded, and the mass or body of the common people, among whom it +seems to have had its latest credit, are now grown as much ashamed of it +as their betters; opinions, like fashions, always descending from those +of quality to the middle sort, and thence to the vulgar, where at length +they are dropped and vanish. + +But here I would not be mistaken, and must therefore be so bold as to +borrow a distinction from the writers on the other side, when they make +a difference between nominal and real Trinitarians. I hope no reader +imagines me so weak to stand up in the defence of real Christianity, +such as used in primitive times (if we may believe the authors of those +ages) to have an influence upon men's belief and actions: To offer at +the restoring of that would indeed be a wild project; it would be to dig +up foundations; to destroy at one blow all the wit, and half the +learning of the kingdom; to break the entire frame and constitution of +things; to ruin trade, extinguish arts and sciences with the professors +of them; in short, to turn our courts, exchanges, and shops into +deserts; and would be full as absurd as the proposal of Horace,[3] where +he advises the Romans all in a body to leave their city, and seek a new +seat in some remote part of the world, by way of cure for the corruption +of their manners. + +[Footnote 3: This proposal is embodied in the 16th Epode, where, in an +appeal "to the Roman people," Horace advises them to fly the evils of +tyranny and civil war by sailing away to "the happy land, those islands +of the blest:" + + "Nos manet Oceanus circumvagus! arva, beata + Petamus arva, divites et insulas!" +[T.S.]] + +Therefore I think this caution was in itself altogether unnecessary, +(which I have inserted only to prevent all possibility of cavilling) +since every candid reader will easily understand my discourse to be +intended only in defence of nominal Christianity; the other having been +for some time wholly laid aside by general consent, as utterly +inconsistent with our present schemes of wealth and power. + +But why we should therefore cast off the name and title of Christians, +although the general opinion and resolution be so violent for it, I +confess I cannot (with submission) apprehend the consequence +necessary.[4] However, since the undertakers propose such wonderful +advantages to the nation by this project, and advance many plausible +objections against the system of Christianity, I shall briefly consider +the strength of both, fairly allow them their greatest weight, and offer +such answers as I think most reasonable. After which I will beg leave to +shew what inconveniences may possibly happen by such an innovation, in +the present posture of our affairs. + +[Footnote 4: I give the reading of the "Miscellanies" (1711), Faulkner +and Hawkesworth. Scott and Craik print it: "I confess I cannot (with +submission) apprehend, nor is the consequence necessary." [T.S.]] + +_First,_ One great advantage proposed by the abolishing of Christianity +is, that it would very much enlarge and establish liberty of conscience, +that great bulwark of our nation, and of the Protestant Religion, which +is still too much limited by priestcraft, notwithstanding all the good +intentions of the legislature, as we have lately found by a severe +instance. For it is confidently reported, that two young gentlemen of +real hopes, bright wit, and profound judgment, who upon a thorough +examination of causes and effects, and by the mere force of natural +abilities, without the least tincture of learning, having made a +discovery, that there was no God, and generously communicating their +thoughts for the good of the public, were some time ago, by an +unparalleled severity, and upon I know not what obsolete law, broke for +blasphemy.[5] And as it hath been wisely observed, if persecution once +begins, no man alive knows how far it may reach, or where it will end. + +[Footnote 5: No record of this "breaking" has been discovered. [T.S.]] + +In answer to all which, with deference to wiser judgments, I think this +rather shews the necessity of a nominal religion among us. Great wits +love to be free with the highest objects; and if they cannot be allowed +a God to revile or renounce, they will speak evil of dignities, abuse +the government, and reflect upon the ministry; which I am sure few will +deny to be of much more pernicious consequence, according to the saying +of Tiberius, _Deorum offensa diis curae._[6] As to the particular fact +related, I think it is not fair to argue from one instance, perhaps +another cannot be produced; yet (to the comfort of all those who may be +apprehensive of persecution) blasphemy we know is freely spoken a +million of times in every coffeehouse and tavern, or wherever else good +company meet. It must be allowed indeed, that to break an English +free-born officer only for blasphemy, was, to speak the gentlest of such +an action, a very high strain of absolute 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 speaking blasphemy, +may some time or other proceed so far as to raise a mutiny, the +consequence is by no means to be admitted; for, surely the commander of +an English army is likely to be but ill obeyed, whose soldiers fear and +reverence him as little as they do a Deity. + +[Footnote 6: Tacitus, "Annals," bk. i., c. lxxiii. [T.S.]] + +It is further objected against the Gospel System, that it obliges men to +the belief of things too difficult for free-thinkers, and such who have +shaken off the prejudices that usually cling to a confined education. To +which I answer, that men should be cautious how they raise objections +which reflect upon the wisdom of the nation. Is not every body freely +allowed to believe whatever he pleases, and to publish his belief to the +world whenever he thinks fit, especially if it serves to strengthen the +party which is in the right? Would any indifferent foreigner, who should +read the trumpery lately written by Asgil, Tindal, Toland, Coward,[7] +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 desire to have it thought that he says he believes one +syllable of the matter? And is any man worse received upon that score, +or does he find his want of nominal faith a disadvantage to him in the +pursuit of any civil or military employment? What if there be an old +dormant statute or two against him, are they not now obsolete, to a +degree, that Empsom and Dudley[8] themselves if they were now alive, +would find it impossible to put them in execution? + +[Footnote 7: John Asgill (1659-1738), became a member of Lincoln's Inn, +and went over to Ireland in 1697, where he practised as a barrister, +amassed a large fortune, and was elected to the Irish parliament. For +writing "An Argument, proving that Man may be translated from hence +without passing through Death," he was, in 1700, expelled the House, and +the book ordered to be burnt. On returning to England he was elected to +parliament for Bramber, but suffered a second expulsion in 1712, also on +account of this book. He was imprisoned for debt, and remained under the +rules of the Fleet and King's Bench for thirty years, during which time +he wrote and published various political tracts. His "Argument" +attempted to "interpret the relations between God and man by the +technical rules of English law," and Coleridge thought no little of its +power and style. + +Matthew Tindal (1657-1733) was born at Beer Ferrers, in Devonshire. He +studied at Oxford, and obtained a fellowship in All Souls. He was made +LL.D. in 1685, and, although he professed himself a Roman Catholic in +James II.'s reign, he managed to keep his fellowship after that +monarch's flight by becoming Protestant again. His most important work +was "The Rights of the Christian Church Asserted," which the House of +Commons in 1710 adjudged fit for burning by the hangman. In 1730 he +published anonymously, the first part of "Christianity as Old as +Creation," a work which attacked strongly the authority of the +Scriptures; a second volume was never published. + +John Toland (1669-1722), born near Londonderry, and educated in a +Catholic school. He professed himself a Protestant, and was sent to +Glasgow and Edinburgh. In the latter university he graduated in his +master's degree. While studying at Leyden he became a sceptic, and in +1695 published his "Christianity not Mysterious," a work which aroused a +wide controversy. In his "Life of Milton" (1698) he denied that King +Charles was the author of "Eikon Basilikae," and also attacked the +Gospels. This also brought upon him rejoinders from Dr. Blackall and Dr. +Samuel Clarke. He died at Putney, in easy circumstances, due to the +presents made him while visiting German courts. He wrote other works, +chief among which may be mentioned, "Socinianism truly Stated" (1705), +"Nazarenas" (1718), and "Tetradymus." His "Posthumous Works" were issued +in two volumes in 1726, with a life by Des Maizeaux. Craik calls him "a +man of utterly worthless character," and refers to his being "mixed up +in some discreditable episodes as a political spy." + +William Coward (1656?--1724?) was born at Winchester. He studied +medicine and became a fellow of Wadham College, Oxford. His "Second +Thoughts concerning Human Souls," published in 1702, occasioned fierce +disputes, on account of its materialism. The House of Commons ordered +the work to be burnt by the hangman. + +Asgill, Toland, Tindal, Collins, and Coward are classed as the Deistical +writers of the eighteenth century. In his "History of English Thought in +the Eighteenth Century" Mr. Leslie Stephen gives an admirable exposition +of their views, and their special interpretation of Locke's theories. +[T.S.]] + +[Footnote 8: Of Henry VII. notoriety, who aided the king, by illegal +exactions, to amass his large fortune. They were executed by Henry VIII. +[T.S.]] + +It is likewise urged, that there are, by computation, in this kingdom, +above ten thousand parsons, whose revenues added to those of my lords +the bishops, would suffice to maintain at least two hundred young +gentlemen of wit and pleasure, and freethinking, enemies to priestcraft, +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 consideration of some weight: But then, on the other side, +several things deserve to be considered likewise: As, first, whether it +may not be thought necessary that in certain tracts of country, like +what we call parishes, there shall be one man at least of abilities to +read and write. Then it seems a wrong computation, that the revenues of +the Church throughout this island would be large enough to maintain two +hundred young gentlemen, or even half that number, after the present +refined way of living; that is, to allow each of them such a rent, as in +the modern form of speech, would make them easy. But still there is in +this project a greater mischief 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 would become of the race of men in the next age, if +we had nothing to trust to beside the scrofulous, consumptive +productions, furnished by our men of wit and pleasure, when, having +squandered away their vigour, health and estates, they are forced by +some disagreeable marriage to piece up their broken fortunes, and entail +rottenness and politeness on their posterity? Now, here are ten thousand +persons reduced by the wise regulations of Henry the Eighth,[9] to the +necessity of a low diet, and moderate exercise, who are the only great +restorers of our breed, without which the nation would in an age or two +become one great hospital. + +[Footnote 9: His seizures of the revenues of the Church. [T.S.]] + +Another advantage proposed by the abolishing of Christianity, is the +clear gain of one day in seven, which is now entirely lost, and +consequently the kingdom one seventh less considerable in trade, +business, and pleasure, besides the loss to the public of so many +stately structures now in the hands of the Clergy, which might be +converted into playhouses, exchanges, market houses, common dormitories, +and other public edifices. + +I hope I shall be forgiven a hard word, if I call this a perfect +_cavil._ I readily own there has been an old custom time out of mind, +for people to assemble in the churches every Sunday, and that shops are +still frequently shut, in order as it is conceived, to preserve the +memory of that ancient practice, but how this can prove a hindrance to +business 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 +houses?[10] Are not the taverns and coffeehouses open? Can there be a +more convenient season for taking a dose of physic? Are fewer claps got +upon Sundays than other days? Is not that the chief day for traders to +sum up the accounts of the week, and for lawyers to prepare their +briefs? But I would fain know how it can be pretended that the churches +are misapplied? Where are more appointments and rendezvouzes 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 sorts? And where so many conveniences or +enticements to sleep? + +[Footnote 10: The chocolate houses seem to have been largely used for +gambling purposes. They were not so numerous as the coffee houses. +[T.S.]] + +There is one advantage greater than any of the foregoing, proposed by +the abolishing of Christianity: that it will utterly extinguish parties +among us, by removing those factious distinctions of High and Low +Church, of Whig and Tory, Presbyterian and Church of England, which are +now so many mutual clogs upon public proceedings, and are apt to prefer +the gratifying themselves, or depressing their adversaries, before the +most important interest of the state. + +I confess, if it were certain that so great an advantage would redound +to the nation by this expedient, I would submit and be silent: But will +any man say, that if the words _whoring, drinking, cheating, lying, +stealing_, were by act of parliament ejected out of the English tongue +and dictionaries, we should all awake next morning chaste and temperate, +honest and just, and lovers of truth? Is this a fair consequence? Or, if +the physicians would forbid us to pronounce the words _pox, gout, +rheumatism_ and _stone_, would that expedient serve like so many +talismans to destroy the diseases themselves? Are party and faction +rooted in men's hearts no deeper than phrases borrowed from religion, or +founded upon no firmer principles? And is our language so poor that we +cannot find other terms to express them? Are _envy, pride, avarice_ and +_ambition_ such ill nomenclators, that they cannot furnish appellations +for their owners? Will not _heydukes_ and _mamalukes, mandarins_ and +_patshaws_, or any other words formed at pleasure, serve to distinguish +those who are in the ministry from others who would be in it if they +could? What, for instance, is easier than to vary the form of speech, +and instead of the word church, make it a question in politics, whether +the Monument be in danger? Because religion was nearest at hand to +furnish a few convenient phrases, is our invention so barren, we can +find no other? Suppose, for argument sake, that the Tories favoured +Margarita, the Whigs Mrs. Tofts,[11] and the Trimmers[12] Valentini,[13] +would not _Margaritians, Toftians,_ and _Valentinians_ be very tolerable +marks of distinction? The _Prasini_ and _Veniti,_[14] two most virulent +factions in Italy, began (if I remember right) by a distinction of +colours in ribbons, which we might do with as good a grace[15] about the +dignity of the blue and the green, and would serve as properly to divide +the Court, the Parliament, and the Kingdom between them, as any terms of +art whatsoever, borrowed from religion. And therefore I think, there is +little force in this objection against Christianity, or prospect of so +great an advantage as is proposed in the abolishing of it. + +[Footnote 11: Margarita was a famous Italian singer of the day. Her name +was Francesca Margherita de l'Epine, and she was known as "the Italian +woman." In his "Journal to Stella" for August 6th, 1711, Swift writes: +"We have a music meeting in our town [Windsor] to-night. I went to the +rehearsal of it, and there was Margarita and her sister, and another +drab, and a parcel of fiddlers; I was weary, and would not go to the +meeting, which I am sorry for, because I heard it was a great assembly." +(See present edition, vol. ii. p. 219). + +Mrs. Catherine Tofts was an Englishwoman, who also sang in Italian +opera. She had a fine figure and a beautiful voice. Steele in the +"Tatler," No. 20, refers to her when in her state of insanity. Her mind, +evidently, could not stand the strain of her great popularity, and she +became mad in 1709. In the "Tatler" she is called Camilla; and Cibber +also speaks of the "silver tone of her voice." [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 12: By the Trimmers Swift referred to the nickname given to +the party in the time of Charles II., which consisted of those who +wished to compromise between the advocates of the Crown and the +supporters of the Protestant succession as against the Duke of York. +[T.S.]] + +[Footnote 13: Another Italian singer of the time, who was the rival of +Margarita and Mrs. Tofts. [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 14: This refers to the Roman chariot races. They gave rise to +the factions called _Albati, Russati, Prasini,_ and _Veniti._ The +Prasini (green) and Veniti (blue) were the principal, and their rivalry +landed the empire, under Justinian, in a civil war. [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 15: Scott has "and we might contend with as good a grace," &c. +Craik follows Scott. The reading in the text is that of the +"Miscellanies" (1711), Faulkner, and Hawkesworth. [T.S.]] + +'Tis again objected, as a very absurd ridiculous custom, that a set of +men should be suffered, much less employed and hired, to bawl one day in +seven against the lawfulness of those methods most in use toward the +pursuit of greatness, riches and pleasure, which are the constant +practice of all men alive on the other six. But this objection is, I +think, a little unworthy so refined an age as ours. Let us argue this +matter calmly: I appeal to the breast of any polite freethinker, whether +in the pursuit of gratifying a predominant passion, he hath not always +felt a wonderful incitement, by reflecting it was a thing forbidden; and +therefore we see, in order to cultivate this taste, the wisdom of the +nation hath taken special care, that the ladies should be furnished with +prohibited silks, and the men with prohibited wine. And indeed it were +to be wished, that some other prohibitions were promoted, in order to +improve the pleasures of the town; which, for want of such expedients +begin already, as I am told, to flag and grow languid, giving way daily +to cruel inroads from the spleen. + +'Tis likewise proposed as a great advantage to the public, that if we +once discard the system of the Gospel, all religion will of course be +banished for ever; and consequently, along with it, those grievous +prejudices of education, which under the names of _virtue, conscience, +honour, justice,_ and the like, are so apt to disturb the peace of human +minds, and the notions whereof are so hard to be eradicated by right +reason or freethinking, sometimes during the whole course of our lives. + +Here first, I observe how difficult it is to get rid of a phrase, which +the world is once grown fond of, though the occasion that first produced +it, be entirely taken away. For several years past, if a man had but an +ill-favoured nose, the deep-thinkers of the age would some way or other +contrive to impute the cause to the prejudice of his education. From +this fountain were said to be derived all our foolish notions of +justice, piety, love of our country, all our opinions of God, or a +future state, Heaven, Hell, and the like: And there might formerly +perhaps have been some pretence for this charge. But so effectual care +has been taken to remove those prejudices, by an entire change in the +methods of education, that (with honour I mention it to our polite +innovators) the young gentlemen who are now on the scene, seem to have +not the least tincture of those infusions, or string of those weeds; +and, by consequence, the reason for abolishing nominal Christianity upon +that pretext, is wholly ceased. + +For the rest, it may perhaps admit a controversy, whether the banishing +of all notions of religion whatsoever, would be convenient for the +vulgar. Not that I am in the least of opinion with those who hold +religion to have been the invention of politicians, to keep the lower +part of the world in awe by the fear of invisible powers; unless mankind +were then very different to what it is now: For I look upon the mass or +body of our people here in England, to be as freethinkers, that is to +say, as staunch unbelievers, as any of the highest rank. But I conceive +some scattered notions about a superior power to be of singular use for +the common people, as furnishing excellent materials to keep children +quiet when they grow peevish, and providing topics of amusement in a +tedious winter-night. + +Lastly, 'tis proposed as a singular advantage, that the abolishing of +Christianity will very much contribute to the uniting of Protestants, by +enlarging the terms of communion so as to take in all sorts of +dissenters, who are now shut out of the pale upon account of a few +ceremonies which all sides confess to be things indifferent: That this +alone will effectually answer the great ends of a scheme for +comprehension, by opening a large noble gate, at which all bodies may +enter; whereas the chaffering with dissenters, and dodging about this or +t'other ceremony, is but like opening a few wickets, and leaving them at +jar, by which no more than one can get in at a time, and that, not +without stooping, and sideling, and squeezing his body.[16] + +[Footnote 16: "In this passage," says Scott, "the author's High Church +principles, and jealousy of the Dissenters, plainly shew themselves; and +it is, perhaps, in special reference to what is here said, that he ranks +it among the pamphlets he wrote in opposition to the party then in +power." [T. S.]] + +To all this I answer: that there is one darling inclination of mankind, +which usually affects to be a retainer to religion, though she be +neither its parent, its godmother, or its friend; I mean the spirit of +opposition, that lived long before Christianity, and can easily subsist +without it. Let us, for instance, examine wherein the opposition of +sectaries among us consists, we shall find Christianity to have no share +in it at all Does the Gospel any where prescribe a starched, squeezed +countenance, a stiff, formal gait, a singularity of manners and habit, +or any affected modes of speech different from the reasonable part of +mankind? Yet, if Christianity did not lend its name to stand in the gap, +and to employ or divert these humours, they must of necessity be spent +in contraventions to the laws of the land, and disturbance of the public +peace. There is a portion of enthusiasm assigned to every nation, which, +if it hath not proper objects to work on, will burst out, and set all +into a flame. If the quiet of a state can be bought by only flinging men +a few ceremonies to devour, it is a purchase no wise man would refuse +Let the mastiffs amuse themselves about a sheep's skin stuffed with hay, +provided it will keep them from worrying the flock The institution of +convents abroad, seems in one point a strain of great wisdom, there +being few irregularities in human passions, which may not have recourse +to vent themselves in some of those orders, which are so many retreats +for the speculative, the melancholy, the proud, the silent, the politic +and the morose, to spend themselves, and evaporate the noxious +particles, for each of whom we in this island are forced to provide a +several sect of religion, to keep them quiet And whenever Christianity +shall be abolished, the legislature must find some other expedient to +employ and entertain them For what imports it how large a gate you open, +if there will be always left a number who place a pride and a merit in +not coming in?[17] + +[Footnote 17: So the "Miscellanies" (1711) and Hawkesworth Faulkner, +Scott, and Craik print, "in refusing to enter." [T. S.]] + +Having thus considered the most important objections against +Christianity, and the chief advantages proposed by the abolishing +thereof, I shall now with equal deference and submission to wiser +judgments as before, proceed to mention a few inconveniences that may +happen, if the Gospel should be repealed, which perhaps the projectors +may not have sufficiently considered. + +And first, I am very sensible how much the gentlemen of wit and pleasure +are apt to murmur, and be choqued[18] at the sight of so many draggled +tail parsons, that happen to fall in their way, and offend their eyes, +but at the same time, these wise reformers do not consider what an +advantage and felicity it is, for great wits to be always provided with +objects of scorn and contempt, in order to exercise and improve their +talents, and divert their spleen from falling on each other or on +themselves, especially when all this may be done without the least +imaginable danger to their persons. + +[Footnote 18: Shocked Swift's habit when using a word of French origin +was to keep the French spelling. [T. S.]] + +And to urge another argument of a parallel nature. If Christianity were +once abolished, how could the freethinkers, the strong reasoners, and +the men of profound learning, be able to find another subject so +calculated in all points whereon to display their abilities? What +wonderful productions of wit should we be deprived of, from those whose +genius by continual practice hath been wholly turned upon raillery and +invectives against religion, and would therefore never be able to shine +or distinguish themselves upon any other subject! We are daily +complaining of the great decline of wit among us, and would we take away +the greatest, perhaps the only topic we have left? Who would ever have +suspected Asgil for a wit, or Toland for a philosopher, if the +inexhaustible stock of Christianity had not been at hand to provide them +with materials? What other subject, through all art or nature, could +have produced Tindal for a profound author, or furnished him with +readers? It is the wise choice of the subject that alone adorns and +distinguishes the writer. For, had a hundred such pens as these been +employed on the side of religion, they would have immediately sunk into +silence and oblivion. + +Nor do I think it wholly groundless, or my fears altogether imaginary, +that the abolishing of Christianity may perhaps bring the Church into +danger, or at least put the senate to the trouble of another securing +vote. I desire I may not be mistaken; I am far from presuming to affirm +or think that the Church is in danger at present, or as things now +stand; but we know not how soon it may be so when the Christian religion +is repealed. As plausible as this project seems, there may a dangerous +design lurk under it:[19] Nothing can be more notorious, than that the +Atheists, Deists, Socinians, Anti-trinitarians, and other subdivisions +of freethinkers, are persons of little zeal for the present +ecclesiastical establishment: Their declared opinion is for repealing +the Sacramental Test; they are very indifferent with regard to +ceremonies; nor do they hold the _jus divinum_ of Episcopacy. Therefore +this may be intended as one politic step toward altering the +constitution of the Church established, and setting up Presbytery in the +stead, which I leave to be further considered by those at the helm. + +[Footnote 19: Craik follows Scott in altering this sentence to "there +may be a dangerous design lurking under it"; but all other editors, +except Morley and Roscoe, give it as printed in the text. [T.S.]] + +In the last place, I think nothing can be more plain, than that by this +expedient, we shall run into the evil we chiefly pretend to avoid; and +that the abolishment of the Christian religion will be the readiest +course we can take to introduce popery. And I am the more inclined to +this opinion, because we know it has been the constant practice of the +Jesuits to send over emissaries, with instructions to personate +themselves members of the several prevailing sects among us. So it is +recorded, that they have at sundry times appeared in the guise of +Presbyterians, Anabaptists, Independents and Quakers, according as any +of these were most in credit; so, since the fashion hath been taken up +of exploding religion, the popish missionaries have not been wanting to +mix with the freethinkers; among whom, Toland the great oracle of the +Antichristians is an Irish priest, the son of an Irish priest; and the +most learned and ingenious author of a book called "The Rights of the +Christian Church,"[20] was in a proper juncture reconciled to the Romish +faith, whose true son, as appears by a hundred passages in his treatise, +he still continues. Perhaps I could add some others to the number; but +the fact is beyond dispute, and the reasoning they proceed by is right: +For, supposing Christianity to be extinguished, the people will never be +at ease till they find out some other method of worship; which will as +infallibly produce superstition, as this will end in popery. + +[Footnote 20: Dr. Matthew Tindal (see previous note, p. 9). The book was +afterwards specially criticised by Swift in his "Remarks upon a Book +entitled 'The Rights of the Christian Church.'" See also note to the +present reprint of these "Remarks." [T.S.]] + +And therefore, if notwithstanding all I have said, it still be thought +necessary to have a bill brought in for repealing Christianity, I would +humbly offer an amendment; that instead of the word, Christianity, may +be put religion in general; which I conceive will much better answer all +the good ends proposed by the projectors of it. For, as long as we leave +in being a God and his providence, with all the necessary consequences +which curious and inquisitive men will be apt to draw from such +premises, we do not strike at the root of the evil, though we should +ever so effectually annihilate the present scheme of the Gospel: For, of +what use is freedom of thought, if it will not produce freedom of +action, which is the sole end, how remote soever in appearance, of all +objections against Christianity? And therefore, the freethinkers +consider it as a sort of edifice, wherein all the parts have such a +mutual dependence on each other, that if you happen to pull out one +single nail, the whole fabric must fall to the ground. This was happily +expressed by him who had heard of a text brought for proof of the +Trinity, which in an ancient manuscript was differently read; he +thereupon immediately took the hint, and by a sudden deduction of a long +_sorites_, most logically concluded; "Why, if it be as you say, I may +safely whore and drink on, and defy the parson." From which, and many +the like instances easy to be produced, I think nothing can be more +manifest, than that the quarrel is not against any particular points of +hard digestion in the Christian system, but against religion in general; +which, by laying restraints on human nature, is supposed the great enemy +to the freedom of thought and action. + +Upon the whole, if it shall still be thought for the benefit of Church +and State, that Christianity be abolished; I conceive however, it may be +more convenient to defer the execution to a time of peace, and not +venture in this conjuncture to disoblige our allies, who, as it falls +out, are all Christians, and many of them, by the prejudices of their +education, so bigoted, as to place a sort of pride in the appellation. +If upon being rejected by them, we are to trust an alliance with the +Turk, we shall find ourselves much deceived: For, as he is too remote, +and generally engaged in war with the Persian emperor, so his people +would be more scandalized at our infidelity, than our Christian +neighbours. For they [the Turks] are not only strict observers of +religious worship, but what is worse, believe a God; which is more than +required of us even while we preserve the name of Christians. + +To conclude: Whatever some may think of the great advantages to trade by +this favourite scheme, I do very much apprehend, that in six months time +after the act is passed for the extirpation of the Gospel, the Bank, and +East-India Stock, may fall at least one _per cent._ And since that is +fifty times more than ever the wisdom of our age thought fit to venture +for the preservation of Christianity, there is no reason we should be at +so great a loss, merely for the sake of destroying it. + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +FOR THE + +ADVANCEMENT OF RELIGION, + +AND THE + +REFORMATION OF MANNERS. + +BY A PERSON OF QUALITY. + + +NOTE. + +In placing this tract second in chronological order I am following +Forster and Craik. All the collected editions of Swift's works, +including the "Miscellanies" of 1711, begin with "The Sentiments of a +Church of England Man," continue with the "Argument," and then the +"Project." But the short intervals which separated the publication of +all three tracts and the "Letter on the Sacramental Test," make a strict +chronological order of less value than the order of development of the +subject-matter with which they deal, granting even that the "Project" +appeared after "The Sentiments." There seems, however, nothing +improbable in the suggestion made by Forster, that Swift planned the +writing of both the "Argument" and the "Project" while on a visit to the +Earl of Berkeley, at Cranford, in 1708; and his dedication of the latter +to Lady Berkeley lends this suggestion added weight. That the original +edition of the "Project" is dated 1709 is nothing to the point, since it +is well-known that the booksellers often antedated their publications, +as publishers do now, when the issue occurred towards the end of a year. +Moreover, the letter of the Earl of Berkeley to Swift, which Scott +misdates 1706-1707, but which should be 1708, makes special reference to +this very tract, showing that it was certainly published in 1708. "I +earnestly entreat you," writes the earl, "if you have not done it +already, that you would not fail of having your bookseller enable the +Archbishop of York [Dr. Sterne] to give a book to the queen; for, with +Mr. Nelson, I am entirely of opinion, that Her Majesty's reading of that +book on the Progress for the Increase of Morality and Piety, may be of +very great use to that end." I have never seen a copy of the first +edition of "The Sentiments," and I cannot fix the exact date of its +publication; but it was certainly not written before the "Project." The +"Project," therefore, must be considered in the light of a preliminary +essay to the fuller and more digested statement of "The Sentiments of a +Church of England man"; and I have, on this account, placed it as the +second tract written by Swift in the year 1708. + +Whatever may be thought of the particular methods which Swift suggested +for realizing his reformatory scheme, and they were, no doubt, +artificial and wooden enough; the tract itself remains an excellent +survey of the evils and gross habits of the time. The methods may be +Utopian (Swift himself thought they were open to discussion), but the +spirit of sincerity and piety is unmistakable. It is worth remembering, +however, that several of the proposals, such as those for closing the +public-houses at twelve o'clock at night; the penalizing of publicans +who supplied drink to drunken customers; the building of churches, have +since been adopted. + +I cannot agree with Mr. Churton Collins ("Jonathan Swift," pp. 59-61) in +suspecting Swift of a special policy of self-interest in writing the +"Project." Swift was too honest a man to use the religious sentiment for +the purpose of counteracting any bad impression his previous writings +had made on those who had the power to advance him. However much he +might delight in the possession of high worldly station, he would never +so prostitute himself to obtain it. Nor did he care to let the world +into the secret of his heart. Indeed, all his life Swift seemed to hide, +almost jealously, the genuine piety of his nature. Whatever suspicion of +policy has surrounded the tract must be ascribed to the well-intentioned +letter of the Earl of Berkeley above quoted; and the Earl would not have +written thus had he felt Swift's motive to be any other than a purely +impersonal one. + +Steele, in his review of the "Project" in the fifth "Tatler" (April +20th, 1709), makes some interesting observations, and seems to take +special note of the "Person of Honour," in the character of which Swift +wrote it. Writing from Will's Coffee-House, Steele says: "This week +being sacred to holy things, and no public diversions allowed, there has +been taken notice of even here, a little Treatise, called 'A Project for +the Advancement of Religion: dedicated to the Countess of Berkeley.' The +title was so uncommon, and promised so peculiar a way of thinking, that +every man here has read it, and as many as have done so have approved +it. It is written with the spirit of one who has seen the world enough +to undervalue it with good breeding. The author must certainly be a man +of wisdom, as well as piety, and have spent as much time in the exercise +of both. The real causes of the decay of the interests of religion are +set forth in a clear and lively manner, without unseasonable passions; +and the whole air of the book, as to the language, the sentiments, and +the reasonableness, show it was written by one whose virtue sits easy +about him, and to whom vice is thoroughly contemptible. It was said by +one of this company, alluding to that knowledge of the world the author +seems to have, the man writes much like a gentleman, and goes to Heaven +with a very good mien." + +In his "Apology" Steele refers to this "Tatler" note, and remarks: "The +gentleman I here intended was Dr. Swift, this kind of man I thought him +at that time. We have not met of late, but I hope he deserves this +character still." + +The present text is based upon the first edition; but this edition was +so wretchedly printed that I have carefully collated it with those given +in the "Miscellanies" (1711), Faulkner (1735), and Hawkesworth (1762). + +[T. S.] + + + A + PROJECT + FOR THE + ADVANCEMENT OF RELIGION, + AND THE + REFORMATION OF MANNERS. + BY A PERSON OF QUALITY. + + + _O quisquis volet impias + Caedes, & rabiem tollere civicam: + Si quaeret pater urbium + Subscribi statuis, indomitam audeat + Refraenare licentiam._ + +Hor. + +_LONDON:_ + +Printed and Sold by _H. Hills_, in _Black-fryars_, near the Water-side. +For the Benefit of the Poor. 1709. + + +TO THE COUNTESS OF BERKELEY.[1] + +MADAM, + +My intention in prefixing your Ladyship's name, is not after the common +form, to desire your protection of the following papers; which I take to +be a very unreasonable request; since, by being inscribed to your +Ladyship, though without your knowledge, and from a concealed hand, you +cannot recommend them without some suspicion of partiality. My real +design is, I confess, the very same I have often detested in most +dedications; that of publishing your praises to the world. Not upon the +subject of your noble birth, for I know others as noble; or of the +greatness of your fortune, for I know others far greater; or of that +beautiful race (the images of their parents) which call you mother: for +even this may perhaps have been equalled in some other age or country. +Besides, none of these advantages do derive any accomplishments to the +owners, but serve at best only to adorn what they really possess. What I +intend, is your piety, truth, good sense, and good nature, affability, +and charity; wherein I wish your Ladyship had many equals, or any +superiors; and I wish I could say I knew them too, for then your +Ladyship might have had a chance to escape this address. In the +meantime, I think it highly necessary, for the interest of virtue and +religion, that the whole kingdom should be informed in some parts of +your character: For instance, that the easiest and politest +conversation, joined with the truest piety, may be observed in your +Ladyship, in as great perfection, as they were ever seen apart in any +other persons. That by your prudence and management under several +disadvantages, you have preserved the lustre of that most noble family +into which you are grafted, and which the immeasurable profusion of +ancestors for many generations had too much eclipsed. Then, how happily +you perform every office of life to which Providence has called you: In +the education of those two incomparable daughters, whose conduct is so +universally admired; in every duty of a prudent, complying, affectionate +wife; in that care which descends to the meanest of your domestics; and, +lastly, in that endless bounty to the poor, and discretion where to +distribute it. I insist on my opinion, that it is of importance for the +public to know this and a great deal more of your Ladyship; yet whoever +goes about to inform them, shall instead of finding credit, perhaps be +censured for a flatterer. To avoid so usual a reproach, I declare this +to be no dedication, but properly an introduction to a proposal for the +advancement of religion and morals, by tracing, however imperfectly, +some few lineaments in the character of a Lady, who hath spent all her +life in the practice and promotion of both. + +[Footnote 1: This is the same Countess of Berkeley whom Swift hoaxed +with his "Meditation on a Broomstick." She was the daughter of Viscount +Campden and sister to the Earl of Gainsborough. [T.S.]] + +Among all the schemes offered to the public in this projecting age, I +have observed with some displeasure, that there have never been any for +the improvement of religion and morals; which beside the piety of the +design from the consequence of such a reformation in a future life, +would be the best natural means for advancing the public felicity of the +state, as well as the present happiness of every individual. For, as +much as faith and morality are declined among us, I am altogether +confident, they might in a short time, and with no very great trouble, +be raised to as high a perfection as numbers are capable of receiving. +Indeed, the method is so easy and obvious, and some present +opportunities so good, that, in order to have this project reduced to +practice, there seems to want nothing more than to put those in mind, +who by their honour, duty, and interest, are chiefly concerned. + +But because it is idle to propose remedies before we are assured of the +disease, or to be in pain,[2] till we are convinced of the danger; I +shall first shew in general, that the nation is extremely corrupted in +religion and morals; and then I will offer a short scheme for the +reformation of both. + +[Footnote 2: Scott follows Faulkner in using the word "fear." The +reading in the text is that of the first edition, the "Miscellanies" +(1711), and of Hawkesworth. [T.S.]] + +As to the first; I know it is reckoned but a form of speech, when +divines complain of the wickedness of the age: However, I believe, upon +a fair comparison with other times and countries, it would be found an +undoubted truth. + +For, first; to deliver nothing but plain matter of fact without +exaggeration or satire; I suppose it will be granted, that hardly one in +a hundred among our people of quality or gentry, appears to act by any +principle of religion; that great numbers of them do entirely discard +it, and are ready to own their disbelief of all revelation in ordinary +discourse. Nor is the case much better among the vulgar, especially in +great towns where the profaneness and ignorance of handicraftsmen, small +traders, servants, and the like, are to a degree very hard to be +imagined greater. Then, it is observed abroad, that no race of mortals +hath so little sense of religion, as the English soldiers; to confirm +which, I have been often told by great officers in the army, that in the +whole compass of their acquaintance, they could not recollect three of +their profession, who seemed to regard or believe one syllable of the +Gospel: And the same, at least, may be affirmed of the fleet. The +consequences of all which upon the actions of men are equally manifest. +They never go about, as in former time, to hide or palliate their vices, +but expose them freely to view, like any other common occurrences of +life, without the least reproach from the world, or themselves. For +instance; any man will tell you he intends to be drunk this evening, or +was so last night, with as little ceremony or scruple, as he would tell +you the time of the day. He will let you know he is going to a whore, or +that he has got a clap, with as much indifferency, as he would a piece +of public news. He will swear, curse, or blaspheme, without the least +passion or provocation. And, though all regard for reputation is not +quite laid aside in the other sex, 'tis, however, at so low an ebb, that +very few among them seem to think virtue and conduct of absolute +necessity for preserving it. If this be not so, how comes it to pass, +that women of tainted reputations find the same countenance and +reception in all public places, with those of the nicest virtue, who +pay, and receive visits from them without any manner of scruple? which +proceeding, as it is not very old among us, so I take it to be of most +pernicious consequence: It looks like a sort of compounding between +virtue and vice, as if a woman were allowed to be vicious, provided she +be not a profligate; as if there were a certain point, where gallantry +ends, and infamy begins, or that a hundred criminal amours were not as +pardonable as half a score. + +Besides those corruptions already mentioned, it would be endless to +enumerate such as arise from the excess of play or gaming: The cheats, +the quarrels, the oaths and blasphemies among the men; among the women, +the neglect of household affairs, the unlimited freedoms, the indecent +passion; and lastly, the known inlet to all lewdness, when after an ill +run, the person must answer the defects of the purse; the rule on such +occasions holding true in play as it does in law; _quod non habet in +crumena, luat in corpore._ + +But all these are trifles in comparison, if we step into other scenes, +and consider the fraud and cozenage of trading men and shopkeepers; that +insatiable gulf of injustice and oppression, the law. The open traffic +for all civil and military employments, (I wish it rested there) without +the least regard to merit or qualifications; the corrupt management of +men in office; the many detestable abuses in choosing those who +represent the people, with the management of interest and factions among +the representatives. To which I must be bold to add, the ignorance of +some of the lower clergy; the mean servile temper of others; the pert +pragmatical demeanour of several young stagers in divinity, upon their +first producing themselves into the world; with many other +circumstances, needless, or rather invidious, to mention; which falling +in with the corruptions already related, have, however unjustly, almost +rendered the whole order contemptible. + +This is a short view of the general depravities among us, without +entering into particulars, which would be an endless labour. Now, as +universal and deep-rooted as these appear to be, I am utterly deceived, +if an effectual remedy might not be applied to most of them; neither am +I at present upon a wild speculative project, but such a one as may be +easily put in execution. + +For, while the prerogative of giving all employments continues in the +Crown, either immediately, or by subordination; it is in the power of +the Prince to make piety and virtue become the fashion of the age, if, +at the same time, he would make them necessary qualifications for favour +and preferment. + +It is clear, from present experience, that the bare example of the best +prince will not have any mighty influence, where the age is very +corrupt. For, when was there ever a better prince on the throne than the +present Queen? I do not talk of her talent for government, her love of +the people, or any other qualities that are purely regal; but her piety, +charity, temperance, conjugal love, and whatever other virtues do best +adorn a private life; wherein, without question or flattery, she hath no +superior: yet, neither will it be satire or peevish invective to affirm, +that infidelity and vice are not much diminished since her coming to the +crown, nor will, in all probability, till some more effectual remedies +be provided. + +Thus human nature seems to lie under this disadvantage, that the example +alone of a vicious prince, will, in time, corrupt an age; but that of a +good one, will not be sufficient to reform it, without further +endeavours. Princes must therefore supply this defect by a vigorous +exercise of that authority, which the law has left them, by making it +every man's interest and honour, to cultivate religion and virtue; by +rendering vice a disgrace, and the certain ruin to preferment or +pretensions: All which they should first attempt in their own courts and +families. For instance; might not the Queen's domestics of the middle +and lower sort, be obliged, upon penalty of suspension, or loss of their +employments, to a constant weekly attendance, at least, on the service +of the church; to a decent behaviour in it; to receive the Sacrament +four times in the year; to avoid swearing and irreligious profane +discourses; and, to the appearance, at least, of temperance and +chastity? Might not the care of all this be committed to the strict +inspection of proper persons? Might not those of higher rank, and nearer +access to her Majesty's person, receive her own commands to the same +purpose, and be countenanced, or disfavoured, according as they obey? +Might not the Queen lay her injunctions on the Bishops, and other great +men of undoubted piety, to make diligent enquiry, to give her notice, if +any person about her should happen to be of libertine principles or +morals? Might not all those who enter upon any office in her Majesty's +family, be obliged to take an oath parallel with that against simony, +which is administered to the clergy? 'Tis not to be doubted, but that if +these, or the like proceedings, were duly observed, morality and +religion would soon become fashionable court virtues; and be taken up as +the only methods to get or keep employments there, which alone would +have mighty influence upon many of the nobility and principal gentry. + +But, if the like methods were pursued as far as possible, with regard to +those who are in the great employments of state, it is hard to conceive +how general a reformation they might in time produce among us. For, if +piety and virtue were once reckoned qualifications necessary to +preferment; every man thus endowed, when put into great stations, would +readily imitate the Queen's example, in the distribution of all offices +in his disposal; especially if any apparent transgression, through +favour or partiality, would be imputed to him for a misdemeanour, by +which he must certainly forfeit his favour and station: And there being +such great numbers in employment, scattered through every town and +county in this kingdom; if all these were exemplary in the conduct of +their lives, things would soon take a new face, and religion receive a +mighty encouragement: Nor would the public weal be less advanced; since, +of nine offices in ten that are ill executed, the defect is not in +capacity or understanding, but in common honesty. I know no employment, +for which piety disqualifies any man; and if it did, I doubt the +objection would not be very seasonably offered at present; because, it +is perhaps too just a reflection, that in the disposal of places, the +question whether a person be _fit_ for what he is recommended to, is +generally the last that is thought on, or regarded. + +I have often imagined, that something parallel to the office of censors +anciently in Rome, would be of mighty use among us, and could be easily +limited from running into any exorbitances. The Romans understood +liberty at least as well as we, were as jealous of it, and upon every +occasion as bold assertors. Yet I do not remember to have read any great +complaint of the abuses in that office among them; but many admirable +effects of it are left upon record. There are several pernicious vices +frequent and notorious among us, that escape or elude the punishment of +any law we have yet invented, or have had no law at all against them; +such as atheism, drunkenness, fraud, avarice, and several others; which, +by this institution, wisely regulated, might be much reformed. Suppose, +for instance, that itinerary commissioners were appointed to inspect +everywhere throughout the kingdom, into the conduct (at least) of men in +office, with respect to their morals and religion, as well as their +abilities; to receive the complaints and informations that should be +offered against them, and make their report here upon oath, to the +court, or the ministry, who should reward or punish accordingly. I avoid +entering into the particulars of this, or any other scheme, which, +coming from a private hand, might be liable to many defects, but would +soon be digested by the wisdom of the nation; and surely, six thousand +pounds a year would not be ill laid out among as many commissioners duly +qualified, who, in three divisions, should be personally obliged to take +their yearly circuits for that purpose. + +But this is beside my present design, which was only to show what degree +of reformation is in the power of the Queen, without the interposition +of the legislature, and which her Majesty is, without question, obliged +in conscience to endeavour by her authority, as much as she does by her +practice. + +It will be easily granted, that the example of this great town hath a +mighty influence over the whole kingdom; and it is as manifest, that the +town is equally influenced by the court, and the ministry, and those +who, by their employments, or their hopes, depend upon them. Now, if +under so excellent a princess as the present Queen, we would suppose a +family strictly regulated, as I have above proposed; a ministry, where +every single person was of distinguished piety; if we should suppose all +great offices of state and law filled after the same manner, and with +such as were equally diligent in choosing persons, who, in their several +subordinations, would be obliged to follow the examples of their +superiors, under the penalty of loss of favour and place; will not +everybody grant, that the empire of vice and irreligion would be soon +destroyed in this great metropolis, and receive a terrible blow through +the whole island, which hath so great an intercourse with it, and so +much affects to follow its fashions? + +For, if religion were once understood to be the necessary step to favour +and preferment; can it be imagined that any man would openly offend +against it, who had the least regard for his reputation or his fortune? +There is no quality so contrary to any nature, which men cannot affect, +and put on upon occasions, in order to serve an interest, or gratify a +prevailing passion. The proudest man will personate humility, the +morosest learn to flatter, the laziest will be sedulous and active, +where he is in pursuit of what he has much at heart. How ready, +therefore, would most men be to step into the paths of virtue and piety, +if they infallibly led to favour and fortune! + +If swearing and profaneness, scandalous and avowed lewdness, excessive +gaming and intemperance, were a little discountenanced in the army, I +cannot readily see what ill consequences could be apprehended; if +gentlemen of that profession were at least obliged to some external +decorum in their conduct; or even if a profligate life and character +were not a means of advancement, and the appearance of piety a most +infallible hindrance, it is impossible the corruptions there should be +so universal and exorbitant. I have been assured by several great +officers, that no troops abroad are so ill disciplined as the English; +which cannot well be otherwise, while the common soldiers have +perpetually before their eyes the vicious example of their leaders; and +it is hardly possible for those to commit any crime, whereof these are +not infinitely more guilty, and with less temptation. + +It is commonly charged upon the gentlemen of the army, that the beastly +vice of drinking to excess, hath been lately, from their example, +restored among us; which for some years before was almost dropped in +England. But, whoever the introducers were, they have succeeded to a +miracle; many of the young nobility and gentry are already become great +proficients, and are under no manner of concern to hide their talent, +but are got beyond all sense of shame or fear of reproach. + +This might soon be remedied, if the Queen would think fit to declare, +that no young person of quality whatsoever, who was notoriously addicted +to that, or any other vice, should be capable of her favour, or even +admitted into her presence, with positive command to her ministers, and +others in great office, to treat them in the same manner; after which, +all men, who had any regard for their reputation, or any prospect of +preferment, would avoid their commerce. This would quickly make that +vice so scandalous, that those who could not subdue, would at least +endeavour to disguise it. + +By the like methods, a stop might be put to that ruinous practice of +deep gaming; and the reason why it prevails so much is, because a +treatment, directly opposite in every point, is made use of to promote +it; by which means, the laws enacted against this abuse are wholly +eluded. + +It cannot be denied, that the want of strict discipline in the +universities, hath been of pernicious consequence to the youth of this +nation, who are there almost left entirely to their own management, +especially those among them of better quality and fortune; who, because +they are not under a necessity of making learning their maintenance, are +easily allowed to pass their time, and take their degrees, with little +or no improvement; than which there cannot well be a greater absurdity. +For, if no advancement of knowledge can be had from those places, the +time there spent is at best utterly lost, because every ornamental part +of education is better taught elsewhere: And as for keeping youths out +of harm's way, I doubt, where so many of them are got together, at full +liberty of doing what they please, it will not answer the end. But, +whatever abuses, corruptions, or deviations from statutes, have crept +into the universities through neglect, or length of time; they might in +a great degree be reformed, by strict injunctions from court (upon each +particular) to the visitors and heads of houses; besides the peculiar +authority the queen may have in several colleges, whereof her +predecessors were the founders. And among other regulations, it would be +very convenient to prevent the excess of drink, with that scurvy custom +among the lads, and parent of the former vice, the taking of tobacco, +where it is not absolutely necessary in point of health. + +From the universities, the young nobility, and others of great fortunes, +are sent for early up to town, for fear of contracting any airs of +pedantry, by a college education. Many of the younger gentry retire to +the Inns of Court, where they are wholly left to their own discretion. +And the consequence of this remissness in education appears, by +observing that nine in ten of those, who rise in the church or the +court, the law, or the army, are younger brothers, or new men, whose +narrow fortunes have forced them upon industry and application. + +As for the Inns of Court, unless we suppose them to be much degenerated, +they must needs be the worst instituted seminaries in any Christian +country; but whether they may be corrected without interposition of the +legislature, I have not skill enough to determine. However, it is +certain, that all wise nations have agreed in the necessity of a strict +education, which consisted, among other things, in the observance of +moral duties, especially justice, temperance, and chastity, as well as +the knowledge of arts, and bodily exercises: But all these among us are +laughed out of doors. + +Without the least intention to offend the clergy, I cannot but think, +that through a mistaken notion and practice, they prevent themselves +from doing much service, which otherwise might lie in their power, to +religion and virtue: I mean, by affecting so much to converse with each +other, and caring so little to mingle with the laity. They have their +particular clubs, and particular coffee-houses, where they generally +appear in clusters: A single divine dares hardly shew his person among +numbers of fine gentlemen; or if he happens to fall into such company, +he is silent and suspicious, in continual apprehension that some pert +man of pleasure should break an unmannerly jest, and render him +ridiculous. Now, I take this behaviour of the clergy to be just as +reasonable, as if the physicians should agree to spend their time in +visiting one another, or their several apothecaries, and leave their +patients to shift for themselves. In my humble opinion, the clergy's +business lies entirely among the laity; neither is there, perhaps, a +more effectual way to forward the salvation of men's souls, than for +spiritual persons to make themselves as agreeable as they can, in the +conversations of the world; for which a learned education gives them +great advantage, if they would please to improve and apply it. It so +happens that the men of pleasure, who never go to church, nor use +themselves to read books of devotion, form their ideas of the clergy +from a few poor strollers they often observe in the streets, or sneaking +out of some person of quality's house, where they are hired by the lady +at ten shillings a month; while those of better figure and parts, do +seldom appear to correct these notions. And let some reasoners think +what they please, 'tis certain that men must be brought to esteem and +love the clergy, before they can be persuaded to be in love with +religion. No man values the best medicine, if administered by a +physician, whose person he hates or despises. If the clergy were as +forward to appear in all companies, as other gentlemen, and would a +little study the arts of conversation to make themselves agreeable, they +might be welcome at every party where there was the least regard for +politeness or good sense; and consequently prevent a thousand vicious or +profane discourses, as well as actions; neither would men of +understanding complain, that a clergyman was a constraint upon the +company, because they could not speak blasphemy, or obscene jests before +him. While the people are so jealous of the clergy's ambition, as to +abhor all thoughts of the return of ecclesiastic discipline among them, +I do not see any other method left for men of that function to take, in +order to reform the world, than by using all honest arts to make +themselves acceptable to the laity. This, no doubt, is part of that +wisdom of the serpent, which the Author of Christianity directs, and is +the very method used by St. Paul, who _became all things to all men, to +the Jews a Jew, and a Greek to the Greeks._ + +How to remedy these inconveniences, may be a matter of some difficulty; +since the clergy seem to be of an opinion, that this humour of +sequestering themselves is a part of their duty; nay, as I remember, +they have been told so by some of their bishops in their pastoral +letters, particularly by one[3] among them of great merit and +distinction, who yet, in his own practice, hath all his lifetime taken a +course directly contrary. But I am deceived, if an awkward shame and +fear of ill usage from the laity, have not a greater share in this +mistaken conduct, than their own inclinations: However, if the outward +profession of religion and virtue, were once in practice and countenance +at court, as well as among all men in office, or who have any hopes or +dependence for preferment, a good treatment of the clergy would be the +necessary consequence of such a reformation; and they would soon be wise +enough to see their own duty and interest in qualifying themselves for +lay-conversation, when once they were out of fear of being chocqued by +ribaldry or profaneness. + +[Footnote 3: Bishop Burnet of Salisbury. See Swift's "Remarks on the +Bishop of Sarum's Introduction." [T.S.]] + +There is one further circumstance upon this occasion, which I know not +whether it will be very orthodox to mention: The clergy are the only set +of men among us, who constantly wear a distinct habit from others; the +consequence of which (not in reason but in fact) is this, that as long +as any scandalous persons appear in that dress, it will continue in some +degree a general mark of contempt. Whoever happens to see a scoundrel in +a gown, reeling home at midnight, (a sight neither frequent nor +miraculous), is apt to entertain an ill idea of the whole order, and at +the same time to be extremely comforted in his own vices. Some remedy +might be put to this, if those straggling gentlemen, who come up to town +to seek their fortunes, were fairly dismissed to the West Indies, where +there is work enough, and where some better provision should be made for +them, than I doubt there is at present. Or, what if no person were +allowed to wear the habit, who had not some preferment in the church, or +at least some temporal fortune sufficient to keep him out of contempt? +Though, in my opinion, it were infinitely better, if all the clergy +(except the bishops) were permitted to appear like other men of the +graver sort, unless at those seasons when they are doing the business of +their function. + +There is one abuse in this town, which wonderfully contributes to the +promotion of vice, that such men are often put into the commission of +the peace, whose interest it is, that virtue should be utterly banished +from among us, who maintain, or at least enrich themselves, by +encouraging the grossest immoralities, to whom all the bawds of the ward +pay contribution, for shelter and protection from the laws. Thus these +worthy magistrates, instead of lessening enormities, are the occasion of +just twice as much debauchery as there would be without them. For those +infamous women are forced upon doubling their work and industry, to +answer double charges, of paying the justice, and supporting themselves. +Like thieves who escape the gallows, and are let out to steal, in order +to discharge the gaoler's fees. + +It is not to be questioned, but the Queen and ministry might easily +redress this abominable grievance, by enlarging the number of justices +of the peace, by endeavouring to choose men of virtuous principles, by +admitting none who have not considerable fortunes, perhaps, by receiving +into the number some of the most eminent clergy. Then, by forcing all of +them, upon severe penalties, to act when there is occasion, and not +permitting any who are offered to refuse the commission, but in these +two last cases, which are very material, I doubt there will be need of +the legislature. + +The reformation of the stage is entirely in the power of the Queen, and +in the consequences it hath upon the minds of the younger people, does +very well deserve the strictest care. Besides the indecent and profane +passages, besides the perpetual turning into ridicule the very function +of the priesthood, with other irregularities, in most modern comedies, +which have by others been objected to them, it is worth observing the +distributive justice of the authors, which is constantly applied to the +punishment of virtue, and the reward of vice, directly opposite to the +rules of their best critics, as well as to the practice of dramatic +poets, in all other ages and countries. For example, a country squire, +who is represented with no other vice but that of being a clown, and +having the provincial accent upon his tongue, which is neither a fault, +nor in his power to remedy, must be condemned to marry a cast wench, or +a cracked chambermaid. On the other side, a rakehell of the town, whose +character is set off with no other accomplishment, but excessive +prodigality, profaneness, intemperance, and lust, is rewarded with a +lady of great fortune to repair his own, which his vices had almost +ruined. And as in a tragedy, the hero is represented to have obtained +many victories in order to raise his character in the minds of the +spectators; so the hero of a comedy is represented to have been +victorious in all his intrigues, for the same reason. I do not remember, +that our English poets ever suffered a criminal amour to succeed upon +the stage, till the reign of King Charles the Second. Ever since that +time, the alderman is made a cuckold, the deluded virgin is debauched, +and adultery and fornication are supposed to be committed behind the +scenes, as part of the action. These and many more corruptions of the +theatre, peculiar to our age and nation, need continue no longer, than +while the court is content to connive at or neglect them. Surely a +pension would not be ill employed on some men of wit, learning, and +virtue, who might have power to strike out every offensive or unbecoming +passage, from plays already written, as well as those that may be +offered to the stage for the future. By which, and other wise +regulations, the theatre might become a very innocent and useful +diversion, instead of being a scandal and reproach to our religion and +country. + +The proposals I have hitherto made for the advancement of religion and +morality, are such as come within reach of the administration; such as a +pious active prince, with a steady resolution, might soon bring to +effect. Neither am I aware of any objections to be raised against what I +have advanced; unless it should be thought, that making religion a +necessary step to interest and favour might increase hypocrisy among us; +and I readily believe it would. But if one in twenty should be brought +over to true piety by this, or the like methods, and the other nineteen +be only hypocrites, the advantage would still be great. Besides, +hypocrisy is much more eligible than open infidelity and vice; it wears +the livery of religion; it acknowledges her authority, and is cautious +of giving scandal. Nay, a long continued disguise is too great a +constraint upon human nature, especially an English disposition; men +would leave off their vices out of mere weariness, rather than undergo +the toil and hazard, and perhaps expense, of practising them perpetually +in private. And I believe it is often with religion, as it is with love; +which, by much dissembling, at last grows real. + +All other projects to this great end have proved hitherto ineffectual. +Laws against immorality have not been executed; and proclamations +occasionally issued out to enforce them are wholly unregarded as things +of form. Religious societies, though begun with excellent intention, and +by persons of true piety,[4] have dwindled into factious clubs, and +grown a trade to enrich little knavish informers of the meanest rank, +such as common constables, and broken shopkeepers. + +[Footnote 4: The original edition omits here the words, "are said, I +know not whether truly or not." All other editions give these words. [T. +S.]] + +And that some effectual attempt should be made toward such a +reformation, is perhaps more necessary than people commonly apprehend; +because the ruin of a state is generally preceded by a universal +degeneracy of manners, and contempt of religion; which is entirely our +case at present. + + "Dis te minorem quod geris imperas."--HOR. [5] + +[Footnote 5: "Carmina," iii. 6. 5.] + +Neither is this a matter to be deferred till a more convenient time of +peace and leisure: Because a reformation in men's faith and morals is +the best natural, as well as religious means, to bring the war to a good +conclusion. For, if men in trust performed their duty for conscience +sake, affairs would not suffer through fraud, falsehood, and neglect, as +they now perpetually do. And if they believed a God, and his Providence, +and acted accordingly, they might reasonably hope for his divine +assistance, in so just a cause as ours. + +Nor could the majesty of the English Crown appear, upon any occasion, in +a greater lustre, either to foreigners or subjects, than by an +administration, which, producing such great effects, would discover so +much power. And power being the natural appetite of princes, a limited +monarch cannot so well gratify it in anything, as a strict execution of +the laws. + +Besides; all parties would be obliged to close with so good a work as +this, for their own reputation: Neither is any expedient more likely to +unite them. For the most violent party men, I have ever observed, are +such, as in the conduct of their lives have discovered least sense of +religion or morality; and when all such are laid aside, at least those +among them as shall be found incorrigible, it will be a matter perhaps +of no great difficulty to reconcile the rest. + +The many corruptions at present in every branch of business are almost +inconceivable. I have heard it computed by skilful persons, that of six +millions raised every year for the service of the public, one third, at +least, is sunk and intercepted through the several classes and +subordinations of artful men in office, before the remainder is applied +to the proper use. This is an accidental ill effect of our freedom. And +while such men are in trust, who have no check from within, nor any +views but toward their interest, there is no other fence against them, +but the certainty of being hanged upon the first discovery, by the +arbitrary will of an unlimited monarch, or his vizier. Among us, the +only danger to be apprehended is the loss of an employment; and that +danger is to be eluded a thousand ways. Besides, when fraud is great, it +furnishes weapons to defend itself: And at worst, if the crimes be so +flagrant, that a man is laid aside out of perfect shame, (which rarely +happens) he retires loaded with the spoils of the nation; _et fruitur +diis iratis_. I could name a commission, where several persons, out of a +salary of five hundred pounds, without other visible revenues, have +always lived at the rate of two thousand, and laid out forty or fifty +thousand upon purchases of lands or annuities. A hundred other instances +of the same kind might easily be produced. What remedy, therefore, can +be found against such grievances, in a constitution like ours, but to +bring religion into countenance, and encourage those, who, from the hope +of future reward, and dread of future punishment, will be moved to act +with justice and integrity? + +This is not to be accomplished any other way, but by introducing +religion, as much as possible, to be the turn and fashion of the age; +which only lies in the power of the administration; the prince with +utmost strictness regulating the court, the ministry, and other persons +in great employment; and these, by their example and authority, +reforming all who have dependence on them. + +It is certain, that a reformation successfully carried on in this great +town, would in time spread itself over the whole kingdom, since most of +the considerable youth pass here that season of their lives, wherein the +strongest impressions are made, in order to improve their education, or +advance their fortune, and those among them, who return into their +several counties, are sure to be followed and imitated, as the greatest +patterns of wit and good breeding. + +And if things were once in this train, that is, if virtue and religion +were established as the necessary titles to reputation and preferment, +and if vice and infidelity were not only loaded with infamy, but made +the infallible ruin of all men's pretensions, our duty, by becoming our +interest, would take root in our natures, and mix with the very genius +of our people, so that it would not be easy for the example of one +wicked prince to bring us back to our former corruptions. + +I have confined myself (as it is before observed) to those methods for +the advancement of piety, which are in the power of a prince, limited +like ours, by a strict execution of the laws already in force. And this +is enough for a project, that comes without any name or recommendation, +I doubt, a great deal more than will suddenly be reduced into practice. +Though, if any disposition should appear towards so good a work, it is +certain, that the assistance of the legislative power would be necessary +to make it more complete. I will instance only a few particulars. + +In order to reform the vices of this town, which, as we have said, hath +so mighty an influence on the whole kingdom, it would be very +instrumental to have a law made, that all taverns and alehouses should +be obliged to dismiss their company at twelve at night, and shut up +their doors, and that no woman should be suffered to enter any tavern or +alehouse, upon any pretence whatsoever. It is easy to conceive what a +number of ill consequences such a law would prevent, the mischiefs of +quarrels, and lewdness, and thefts, and midnight brawls, the diseases of +intemperance and venery, and a thousand other evils needless to mention. +Nor would it be amiss, if the masters of those public-houses were +obliged, upon the severest penalties, to give only a proportioned +quantity of drink to every company, and when he found his guests +disordered with excess, to refuse them any more. + +I believe there is hardly a nation in Christendom, where all kind of +fraud is practised in so immeasurable a degree as with us. The lawyer, +the tradesman, the mechanic, have found so many arts to deceive in their +several callings, that they far outgrow the common prudence of mankind, +which is in no sort able to fence against them. Neither could the +legislature in anything more consult the public good, than by providing +some effectual remedy against this evil, which, in several cases, +deserves greater punishment than many crimes that are capital among us. +The vintner, who, by mixing poison with his wines, destroys more lives +than any one disease in the bill of mortality; the lawyer, who persuades +you to a purchase which he knows is mortgaged for more than the worth, +to the ruin of you and your family; the goldsmith or scrivener, who +takes all your fortune to dispose of, when he has beforehand resolved to +break the following day, do surely deserve the gallows much better than +the wretch who is carried thither for stealing a horse. + +It cannot easily be answered to God or man, why a law is not made for +limiting the press; at least so far as to prevent the publishing of such +pernicious books, as, under pretence of freethinking, endeavour to +overthrow those tenets in religion which have been held inviolable, +almost in all ages, by every sect that pretend to be Christian; and +cannot, therefore, with any colour of reason, be called points in +controversy, or matters of speculation, as some would pretend. The +Doctrine of the Trinity, the Divinity of Christ, the Immortality of the +Soul, and even the truth of all revelation, are daily exploded and +denied in books openly printed; though it is to be supposed neither +party will avow such principles, or own the supporting of them to be any +way necessary to their service.[6] + +[Footnote 6: This passage refers to the deistical publications of +Asgill, Toland, Tindal, and Collins, already noted. [T. S.]] + +It would be endless to set down every corruption or defect which +requires a remedy from the legislative power. Senates are like to have +little regard for any proposals that come from without doors; though, +under a due sense of my own inabilities, I am fully convinced, that the +unbiassed thoughts of an honest and wise man, employed on the good of +his country, may be better digested than the results of a multitude, +where faction and interest too often prevail; as a single guide may +direct the way better than five hundred, who have _contrary views_, or +_look asquint_, or _shut their eyes_. + +I shall therefore mention but one more particular, which I think the +Parliament ought to take under consideration; whether it be not a shame +to our country, and a scandal to Christianity, that in many towns, where +there is a prodigious increase in the number of houses and inhabitants, +so little care should be taken for the building of churches, that five +parts in six of the people are absolutely hindered from hearing divine +service? Particularly here in London, where a single minister, with one +or two sorry curates, hath the care sometimes of above twenty thousand +souls incumbent on him. A neglect of religion so ignominious, in my +opinion, that it can hardly be equalled in any civilized age or +country.[7] + +[Footnote 7: This paragraph is known to have given the first hint to +certain bishops, particularly to Bishop Atterbury, to procure a fund for +building fifty new churches in London. [T. S.]] + +But, to leave these airy imaginations of introducing new laws for the +amendment of mankind; what I principally insist on is, a due execution +of the old, which lies wholly in the crown, and in the authority derived +from thence. I return, therefore, to my former assertion; that if +stations of power, trust, profit, and honour, were constantly made the +rewards of virtue and piety, such an administration must needs have a +mighty influence on the faith and morals of the whole kingdom: And men +of great abilities would then endeavour to excel in the duties of a +religious life, in order to qualify themselves for public service. I may +possibly be wrong in some of the means I prescribe towards this end; but +that is no material objection against the design itself. Let those who +are at the helm contrive it better, which, perhaps, they may easily do. +Everybody will agree that the disease is manifest, as well as dangerous; +that some remedy is necessary, and that none yet applied hath been +effectual, which is a sufficient excuse for any man who wishes well to +his country, to offer his thoughts, when he can have no other end in +view but the public good. The present Queen is a princess of as many and +great virtues as ever filled a throne: How would it brighten her +character to the present and after ages, if she would exert her utmost +authority to instil some share of those virtues into her people, which +they are too degenerate to learn only from her example! And, be it spoke +with all the veneration possible for so excellent a sovereign, her best +endeavours in this weighty affair are a most important part of her duty, +as well as of her interest and her honour. + +But, it must be confessed, that as things are now, every man thinks that +he has laid in a sufficient stock of merit, and may pretend to any +employment, provided he has been loud and frequent in declaring himself +hearty for the government. 'Tis true, he is a man of pleasure, and a +freethinker, that is, in other words, he is profligate in his morals, +and a despiser of religion; but in point of party, he is one to be +confided in; he is an assertor of liberty and property; he rattles it +out against Popery and Arbitrary Power, and Priestcraft and High Church. +'Tis enough: He is a person fully qualified for any employment, in the +court or the navy, the law or the revenue; where he will be sure to +leave no arts untried, of bribery, fraud, injustice, oppression, that he +can practise with any hope of impunity. No wonder such men are true to a +government where liberty runs high, where property, however attained, is +so well secured, and where the administration is at least so gentle: +'Tis impossible they could choose any other constitution, without +changing to their loss. + +Fidelity to a present establishment is indeed the principal means to +defend it from a foreign enemy, but without other qualifications, will +not prevent corruptions from within; and states are more often ruined by +these than the other. + +To conclude. Whether the proposals I have offered toward a reformation, +be such as are most prudent and convenient, may probably be a question; +but it is none at all, whether some reformation be absolutely necessary; +because the nature of things is such, that if abuses be not remedied, +they will certainly increase, nor ever stop, till they end in the +subversion of a commonwealth. As there must always of necessity be some +corruptions, so, in a well-instituted state, the executive power will be +always contending against them, by _reducing things_ (as Michiaevel +speaks) _to their first principles_; never letting abuses grow +inveterate, or multiply so far, that it will be hard to find remedies, +and perhaps impossible to apply them. As he that would keep his house in +repair, must attend every little breach or flaw, and supply it +immediately; else time alone will bring all to ruin; how much more the +common accidents of storms and rain? He must live in perpetual danger of +his house falling about his ears; and will find it cheaper to throw it +quite down, and build it again from the ground, perhaps upon a new +foundation, or at least in a new form, which may neither be so safe, nor +so convenient, as the old. + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +THE SENTIMENTS + +OF A + +CHURCH OF ENGLAND MAN, + +WITH RESPECT TO + +RELIGION AND GOVERNMENT. + +WRITTEN IN THE YEAR 1708. + + +NOTE. + +The writing of this tract, as has been already observed, placed Swift in +a position where allegiance to party was not easy to maintain. It +amounted to a warning to Whigs as well as Tories. To the former he urged +that the Church of England was wide enough for the highest principles of +civil liberty; to the latter he tried to show that to be a religious and +God-fearing man it was not absolutely necessary to be a Tory in +politics. "Whoever has examined the conduct and proceedings of both +parties for some years past, whether in or out of power, cannot well +conceive it possible to go far towards the extremes of either, without +offering some violence to his integrity or understanding." It is true +that Whiggism and "fanatical genius" were almost synonymous terms for +Swift; but that was because the Church was of prime consideration with +him, and the Whigs numbered in their ranks the great army of Dissent. +Swift, in his famous letter to Pope, dated Dublin, January 10th, +1720-21, reviews his political opinions of 1708 to justify himself +against the misrepresentations of "the virulence of libellers: whose +malice has taken the same train in both, by fathering dangerous +principles in government upon me, which I never maintained, and insipid +productions, which I am not capable of writing." That review is but a +summary of what is given fully in this tract. No appeal was ever better +intentioned. "I only wish," he says to Pope, "my endeavours had +succeeded better in the great point I had at heart, which was that of +reconciling the ministers to each other." But High Church and Low Church +were cries which had divided politicians as if they did not belong to +one nation. To Swift it was easy enough to be a staunch Churchman and at +the same time expose the fallacies underlying the faith in the sovereign +power; but then Swift was here no party fanatic who would use the +"Church in danger" cry for party purposes. "If others," he writes twelve +years later, "who had more concern and more influence, would have acted +their parts," his appeal had not been made in vain. As it was it failed +in its intended purpose, and Swift lost what hold he had on Somers, +Godolphin, and the rest. It remains, however, to testify to Swift's +principles in a manner least expected by those who have set him down as +intemperate and inconsistent. Certainly, no principles were ever more +moderately expressed; and, assuredly, no expression of principles found +fitter realization in conduct. + +The text of this edition is based on that given in the "Miscellanies" of +1711. I have not succeeded in obtaining a copy of the original issue; +but I have collated the various texts given in the re-issues by +Faulkner, Hawkesworth, Scott, and the "Miscellanies" of 1728 (vol. i.) +and 1747 (vol. i.). + +[T. S.] + + + THE SENTIMENTS OF A CHURCH OF + ENGLAND MAN, WITH RESPECT TO + RELIGION AND GOVERNMENT. + + +Whosoever hath examined the conduct and proceedings of both parties for +some years past, whether in or out of power, cannot well conceive it +possible to go far towards the extremes of either, without offering some +violence to his integrity or understanding. A wise and a good man may +indeed be sometimes induced to comply with a number whose opinion he +generally approves, though it be perhaps against his own. But this +liberty should be made use of upon very few occasions, and those of +small importance, and then only with a view of bringing over his own +side another time to something of greater and more public moment. But to +sacrifice the innocency of a friend, the good of our country, or our own +conscience to the humour, or passion, or interest of a party, plainly +shews that either our heads or our hearts are not as they should be: Yet +this very practice is the fundamental law of each faction among us, as +may be obvious to any who will impartially, and without engagement, be +at the pains to examine their actions, which however is not so easy a +task: For it seems a principle in human nature, to incline one way more +than another, even in matters where we are wholly unconcerned. And it is +a common observation, that in reading a history of facts done a thousand +years ago, or standing by at play among those who are perfect strangers +to us, we are apt to find our hopes and wishes engaged on a sudden in +favour of one side more than another. No wonder then, we are all so +ready to interest ourselves in the course of public affairs, where the +most inconsiderable have some _real_ share, and by the wonderful +importance which every man is of to himself, a very great _imaginary_ +one. + +And indeed, when the two parties that divide the whole commonwealth, +come once to a rupture, without any hopes left of forming a third with +better principles, to balance the others; it seems every man's duty to +choose a side,[1] though he cannot entirely approve of either; and all +pretences to neutrality are justly exploded by both, being too stale and +obvious, only intending the safety and ease of a few individuals while +the public is embroiled. This was the opinion and practice of the latter +Cato, whom I esteem to have been the wisest and best of all the Romans. +But before things proceed to open violence, the truest service a private +man may hope to do his country, is, by unbiassing his mind as much as +possible, and then endeavouring to moderate between the rival powers; +which must needs be owned a fair proceeding with the world, because it +is of all others the least consistent with the common design, of making +a fortune by the merit of an opinion. + +[Footnote 1: Faulkner and Scott have "one of the two sides." [T. S.]] + +I have gone as far as I am able in qualifying myself to be such a +moderator: I believe I am no bigot in religion, and I am sure I am none +in government. I converse in full freedom with many considerable men of +both parties, and if not in equal number, it is purely accidental and +personal, as happening to be near the court, and to have made +acquaintance there, more under one ministry than another. Then, I am not +under the necessity of declaring myself by the prospect of an +employment. And lastly, if all this be not sufficient, I industriously +conceal my name, which wholly exempts me from any hopes and fears in +delivering my opinion. + +In consequence of this free use of my reason, I cannot possibly think so +well or so ill of either party, as they would endeavour to persuade the +world of each other, and of themselves. For instance; I do not charge it +upon the body of the Whigs or the Tories, that their several principles +lead them to introduce Presbytery, and the religion of the Church of +Rome, or a commonwealth and arbitrary power. For, why should any party +be accused of a principle which they solemnly disown and protest +against? But, to this they have a mutual answer ready; they both assure +us, that their adversaries are not to be believed, that they disown +their principles out of fear, which are manifest enough when we examine +their practices. To prove this, they will produce instances, on one +side, either of avowed Presbyterians, or persons of libertine and +atheistical tenets, and on the other, of professed Papists, or such as +are openly in the interest of the abdicated family. Now, it is very +natural for all subordinate sects and denominations in a state, to side +with some general party, and to choose that which they find to agree +with themselves in some general principle. Thus at the restoration, the +Presbyterians, Anabaptists, Independents, and other sects, did all with +very good reason unite and solder up their several schemes to join +against the Church, who without regard to their distinctions, treated +them all as equal adversaries. Thus, our present dissenters do very +naturally close in with the Whigs, who profess moderation, declare they +abhor all thoughts of persecution, and think it hard that those who +differ only in a few ceremonies and speculations, should be denied the +privilege and profit of serving their country in the highest employments +of state. Thus, the atheists, libertines, despisers of religion and +revelation in general, that is to say, all those who usually pass under +the name of freethinkers, do properly join with the same body; because +they likewise preach up moderation, and are not so overnice to +distinguish between an unlimited liberty of conscience, and an unlimited +freedom of opinion. Then on the other side, the professed firmness of +the Tories for Episcopacy as an apostolical institution: Their aversion +to those sects who lie under the reproach of having once destroyed their +constitution, and who they imagine, by too indiscreet a zeal for +reformation have defaced the primitive model of the Church: Next, their +veneration for monarchical government in the common course of +succession, and their hatred to republican schemes: These, I say, are +principles which not only the nonjuring zealots profess, but even +Papists themselves fall readily in with. And every extreme here +mentioned flings a general scandal upon the whole body it pretends to +adhere to. + +But surely no man whatsoever ought in justice or good manners to be +charged with principles he actually disowns, unless his practices do +openly and without the least room for doubt contradict his profession: +Not upon small surmises, or because he has the misfortune to have ill +men sometimes agree with him in a few general sentiments. However, +though the extremes of Whig and Tory seem with little justice to have +drawn religion into their controversies, wherein they have small +concern; yet they both have borrowed one leading principle from the +abuse of it; which is, to have built their several systems of political +faith, not upon enquiries after truth, but upon opposition to each +other, upon injurious appellations, charging their adversaries with +horrid opinions, and then reproaching them for the want of charity; _et +neuter falso_. + +In order to remove these prejudices, I have thought nothing could be +more effectual than to describe the sentiments of a Church of England +man with respect to religion and government. This I shall endeavour to +do in such a manner as may not be liable to least objection from either +party, and which I am confident would be assented to by great numbers in +both, if they were not misled to those mutual misrepresentations, by +such motives as they would be ashamed to own. + +I shall begin with religion. + +And here, though it makes an odd sound, yet it is necessary to say, that +whoever professes himself 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 beside those many thousands, who (to speak +in the phrase of divines) do practically deny all this by the immorality +of their lives; there is no small number, who in their conversation and +writings directly or by consequence endeavour to overthrow it; yet all +these place themselves in the list of the National Church, though at the +same time (as it is highly reasonable) they are great sticklers for +liberty of conscience. + +To enter upon particulars: A Church of England man hath a true +veneration for the scheme established among us of ecclesiastic +government; and though he will not determine whether Episcopacy be of +divine right, he is sure it is most agreeable to primitive institution, +fittest of all others for preserving order and purity, and under its +present regulations best calculated for our civil state: He should +therefore think the abolishment of that order among us would prove a +mighty scandal and corruption to our faith, and manifestly dangerous to +our monarchy; nay, he would defend it by arms against all the powers on +earth, except our own legislature; in which case he would submit as to a +general calamity, a dearth, or a pestilence. + +As to rites and ceremonies, and forms of prayer; he allows there might +be some useful alterations, and more, which in the prospect of uniting +Christians might be very supportable, as things declared in their own +nature indifferent; to which he therefore would readily comply, if the +clergy, or, (though this be not so fair a method) if the legislature +should direct: Yet at the same time he cannot altogether blame the +former for their unwillingness to consent to any alteration; which +beside the trouble, and perhaps disgrace, would certainly never produce +the good effects intended by it. The only condition that could make it +prudent and just for the clergy to comply in altering the ceremonial or +any other indifferent part, would be, a firm resolution in the +legislature to interpose by some strict and effectual laws to prevent +the rising and spreading of new sects how plausible soever, for the +future; else there must never be an end: And it would be to act like a +man who should pull down and change the ornaments of his house, in +compliance to every one who was disposed to find fault as he passed by, +which besides the perpetual trouble and expense, would very much damage, +and perhaps in time destroy the building. Sects in a state seem only +tolerated with any reason because they are already spread; and because +it would not be agreeable with so mild a government, or so pure a +religion as ours, to use violent methods against great numbers of +mistaken people, while they do not manifestly endanger the constitution +of either. But the greatest advocates for general liberty of conscience, +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 same thing, if +they will only grant, it were better for the peace of the state, that +there should be none. But while the clergy consider the natural temper +of mankind in general, or of our own country in particular, what +assurances can they have, that any compliances they shall make, will +remove the evil of dissension, while the liberty still continues of +professing whatever new opinion we please? Or how can it be imagined +that the body of dissenting teachers, who must be all undone by such a +revolution, will not cast about for some new objections to withhold +their flocks, and draw in fresh proselytes by some further innovations +or refinements? + +Upon these reasons he is for tolerating such 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 established, which it is natural for +all sects to desire, and which they cannot justify by any consistent +principles if they do not endeavour; and yet, which they cannot succeed +in without the utmost danger to the public peace. + +To prevent these inconveniences, he thinks it highly just, that all +rewards of trust, profit, or dignity, which the state leaves in the +disposal of the administration, should be given only to those whose +principles direct them to preserve the constitution in all its parts. In +the late affair of Occasional Conformity, the general argument of those +who were against it, was not, to deny it an evil in itself, but that the +remedy proposed 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 just their fears or complaints might have been upon +that score, he thinks it a little too gross and precipitate to employ +their writers already in arguments for repealing the sacramental test, +upon no wiser a maxim, than that no man should on the account of +conscience be deprived the liberty of serving his country; a topic which +may be equally applied to admit Papists, Atheists, Mahometans, Heathens, +and Jews. If the Church wants members of its own to employ in the +service of the public; or be so unhappily contrived as to exclude from +its communion such persons who are likeliest to have great abilities, it +is time it should be altered and reduced into some more perfect, or at +least more popular form: But in the meanwhile, it is not altogether +improbable, that when those who dislike the constitution, are so very +zealous in their offers for the service of their country, they are not +wholly unmindful of their party or of themselves. + +The Dutch whose practice is so often quoted to prove and celebrate the +great advantages of a general liberty of conscience, have yet a national +religion professed 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 situation, soil, and productions of +nature, as in the genius and complexion of inhabitants. They are a +commonwealth founded on a sudden by a desperate attempt in a desperate +condition, not formed or digested into a regular system by mature +thought and reason, but huddled up under the pressure of sudden +exigencies; calculated for no long duration, and hitherto subsisting by +accident in the midst of contending powers, who cannot yet agree about +sharing it among them. These difficulties do indeed preserve them from +any great corruptions, which their crazy constitution would extremely +subject them to in a long peace. That confluence of people in a +persecuting age, to a place of refuge nearest at hand, put them upon the +necessity of trade, to which they wisely gave all ease and +encouragement: And if we could think fit to imitate them in this last +particular, there would need no more to invite foreigners among us; who +seem to think no further than how to secure their property and +conscience, without projecting any share in that government which gives +them protection, or calling it persecution if it be denied them. But I +speak it for the honour of our administration, that although our sects +are not so numerous as those in Holland, which I presume is not our +fault, and I hope is not our misfortune, we much excel them and all +Christendom besides in our indulgence to tender consciences.[2] One +single compliance with the national form of receiving the sacrament, is +all we require to qualify any sectary among us for the greatest +employments in the state, after which he is at liberty to rejoin his own +assemblies for the rest of his life. Besides, I will suppose any of the +numerous sects in Holland, to have so far prevailed as to have raised a +civil war, destroyed their government and religion, and put their +administrators to death; after which I will suppose the people to have +recovered all again, and to have settled on their old foundation. Then I +would put a query, whether that sect which was the unhappy instrument of +all this confusion, could reasonably expect to be entrusted for the +future with the greatest employments, or indeed to be hardly tolerated +among them? + +[Footnote 2: When this was written there was no law against Occasional +Conformity. [Faulkner, 1735.]] + +To go on with the sentiments of a Church of England man: He does not see +how that mighty passion for the Church which some men pretend, can well +consist with those indignities and that contempt they bestow on the +persons of the clergy.[3] Tis a strange mark whereby to distinguish High +Churchmen, that they are such who imagine the clergy can never be too +low. He thinks the maxim these gentlemen are so fond of, that they are +for an humble clergy, is a very good one; and so is he, and for an +humble laity too, since humility is a virtue that perhaps equally +benefits and adorns every station of life. + +[Footnote 3: "I observed very well with what insolence and haughtiness +some lords of the High-Church party treated, not only their own +chaplains, but all other clergy whatsoever, and thought this was +sufficiently recompensed by their professions of zeal to the church."] + +But then, if the scribblers on the other side freely speak the +sentiments of their party, a divine of the Church of England cannot look +for much better quarter thence. You shall observe nothing more frequent +in their weekly papers than a way of affecting to confound the terms of +Clergy and High Church, of applying both indifferently, and then loading +the latter with all the calumny they can invent. They will tell you they +honour a clergyman; but talk, at the same time, as if there were not +three in the kingdom, who could fall in with their definition.[4] After +the like manner they insult the universities, as poisoned fountains, and +corrupters of youth. + +[Footnote 4: "I had likewise observed how the Whig lords took a direct +contrary measure, treated the persons of particular clergymen with great +courtesy, but shewed much ill-will and contempt for the order in +general."] + +Now, it seems clear to me, that the Whigs might easily have procured and +maintained a majority among the clergy, and perhaps in the universities, +if they had not too much encouraged or connived at this intemperance of +speech and virulence of pen, in the worst and most prostitute of their +party; among whom there has been for some years past such a perpetual +clamour against the ambition, the implacable temper, and the +covetousness of the priesthood: Such a cant of High Church, and +persecution, and being priest-ridden; so many reproaches about narrow +principles, or terms of communion: Then such scandalous reflections on +the universities, for infecting the youth of the nation with arbitrary +and Jacobite principles, that it was natural for those, who had the care +of religion and education, to apprehend some general design of altering +the constitution of both. And all this was the more extraordinary, +because it could not easily be forgot, that whatever opposition was made +to the usurpations of King James, proceeded altogether from the Church +of England, and chiefly from the clergy, and one of the universities. +For, if it were of any use to recall matters of fact, what is more +notorious than that prince's applying himself first to the Church of +England? And upon their refusal to fall in with his measures, making the +like advances to the dissenters of all kinds, who readily and almost +universally complied with him, affecting in their numerous addresses and +pamphlets, the style of Our Brethren the Roman Catholics, whose +interests they put on the same foot with their own: And some of +Cromwell's officers took posts in the army raised against the Prince of +Orange.[5] These proceedings of theirs they can only extenuate by urging +the provocations they had met from the Church in King Charles's reign, +which though perhaps excusable upon the score of human infirmity, are +not by any means a plea of merit equal to the constancy and sufferings +of the bishops and clergy, or of the head and fellows of Magdalen +College, that furnished the Prince of Orange's declaration with such +powerful arguments to justify and promote the Revolution. + +[Footnote 5: De Foe's "History of Addresses" contains some humbling +instances of the applause with which the sectaries hailed their old +enemy, James II., when they saw him engaged in hostility with the +established Church. [T. S.]] + +Therefore a Church of England man abhors the humour of the age in +delighting to fling scandals upon the clergy in general; which besides +the disgrace to the Reformation, and to religion itself, casts an +ignominy upon the kingdom that it does not deserve. We have no better +materials to compound the priesthood of, than the mass of mankind, which +corrupted as it is, those who receive orders must have some vices to +leave behind them when they enter into the Church, and if a few do still +adhere, it is no wonder, but rather a great one that they are no worse. +Therefore he cannot think ambition, or love of power more justly laid to +their charge than to other men, because, that would be to make religion +itself, or at least the best constitution of Church-government, +answerable for the errors and depravity of human nature. + +Within these last two hundred years all sorts of temporal power have +been wrested from the clergy, and much of their ecclesiastic, the reason +or justice of which proceeding I shall not examine; but, that the +remedies were a little too violent with respect to their possessions, +the legislature hath lately confessed by the remission of their First +Fruits.[6] Neither do the common libellers deny this, who in their +invectives only tax the Church with an insatiable desire of power and +wealth (equally common to all bodies of men as well as individuals) but +thank God, that the laws have deprived them of both. However, it is +worth observing the justice of parties: The sects among us are apt to +complain, and think it hard usage to be reproached now after fifty years +for overturning the state, for the murder of a king, and the indignity +of a usurpation; yet these very men and their partisans, are continually +reproaching the clergy, and laying to their charge the pride, the +avarice, the luxury, the ignorance, and superstition, of Popish times +for a thousand years past. + +[Footnote 6: The first fruits were the first year's income of +ecclesiastical benefices. In the middle ages they were taken by the Pope +as a right; but were handed over to the English crown in 1534. Anne in +1703 gave them back to the Church by letters patent, an act confirmed by +Parliament in 1704. The "Bounty" of Queen Anne, however, did not extend +to Ireland; and one of Swift's missions in London was to obtain this +remission of the first fruits for the Irish clergy also. [T. S.]] + +He thinks it a scandal to government that such an unlimited liberty +should be allowed of publishing books against those doctrines in +religion, wherein all Christians have agreed, much more to connive at +such tracts as reject all revelation, and by their consequences often +deny the very being of a God. Surely 'tis not a sufficient atonement for +the writers, that they profess much loyalty to the present government, +and sprinkle up and down some arguments in favour of the dissenters; +that they dispute as strenuously as they can for liberty of conscience, +and inveigh largely against all ecclesiastics, under the name of High +Church; and, in short, under the shelter of some popular principles in +politics and religion, undermine the foundations of all piety and +virtue. + +As he doth not reckon every schism of that damnable nature which some +would represent, so he is very far from closing with the new opinion of +those who would make it no crime at all, and argue at a wild rate, that +God Almighty is delighted with the variety of faith and worship, as He +is with the varieties of nature. To such absurdities are men carried by +the affectation of freethinking, and removing the prejudices of +education, under which head they have for some time begun to list +morality and religion. It is certain that before the rebellion in 1642, +though the number of Puritans (as they were then called) was as great as +it is with us, and though they affected to follow pastors of that +denomination, yet those pastors had episcopal ordination, possessed +preferments in the Church, and were sometimes promoted to bishoprics +themselves.[7] But, a breach in the general form of worship was in those +days reckoned so dangerous and sinful in itself, and so offensive to +Roman Catholics at home and abroad, and that it was too unpopular to be +attempted; neither, I believe, was the expedient then found out of +maintaining separate pastors out of private purses. + +[Footnote 7: In the reign of Elizabeth, and even in that of James, the +Puritans were not, properly speaking, Dissenters; but, on the contrary, +formed a sort of Low Church party in the national establishment. +Archbishop Abbot himself has been considered as a Puritan. [T. S.]] + +When a schism is once spread in a nation, there grows at length a +dispute which are the schismatics. Without entering on the arguments, +used by both sides among us, to fix the guilt on each other; 'tis +certain, that, in the sense of the law, the schism lies on that side +which opposes itself to the religion of the state. I leave it among the +divines to dilate upon the danger of schism, as a spiritual evil, but I +would consider it only as a temporal one. And I think it clear that any +great separation from the established worship, though to a new one that +is more pure and perfect, may be an occasion of endangering the public +peace, because it will compose a body always in reserve, prepared to +follow any discontented heads upon the plausible pretext of advancing +true religion, and opposing error, superstition, or idolatry. For this +reason Plato lays it down as a maxim, that, _men ought to worship the +gods according to the laws of the country_, and he introduces Socrates +in his last discourse utterly disowning the crime laid to his charge, of +teaching new divinities or methods of worship. Thus the poor Huguenots +of France were engaged in a civil war, by the specious pretences of +some, who under the guise of religion sacrificed so many thousand lives +to their own ambition and revenge. Thus was the whole body of Puritans +in England drawn to be instruments, or abettors of all manner of +villainy, by the artifices of a few men whose[8] designs from the first +were levelled to destroy the constitution both of religion and +government. And thus, even in Holland itself, where it is pretended that +the variety of sects live so amicably together, and in such perfect +obedience to the magistrate, it is notorious how a turbulent party +joining with the Arminians, did in the memory of our fathers attempt to +destroy the liberty of that republic. So that upon the whole, where +sects are tolerated in a state, 'tis fit they should enjoy a full +liberty of conscience, and every other privilege of freeborn subjects to +which no power is annexed. And to preserve their obedience upon all +emergencies, a government cannot give them too much ease, nor trust them +with too little power. + +[Footnote 8: Lord Clarendon's History; but see also Gardiner's "History +of England." [T. S.]] + +The clergy are usually charged with a persecuting spirit, which they are +said to discover by an implacable hatred to all dissenters; and this +appears to be more unreasonable, because they suffer less in their +interests by a toleration than any of the conforming laity: For while +the Church remains in its present form, no dissenter can possibly have +any share in its dignities, revenues, or power; whereas, by once +receiving the sacrament, he is rendered capable of the highest +employments in the state. And it is very possible, that a narrow +education, together with a mixture of human infirmity, may help to beget +among some of the clergy in possession such an aversion and contempt for +all innovators, as physicians are apt to have for empirics, or lawyers +for pettifoggers, or merchants for pedlars: But since the number of +sectaries doth not concern the clergy either in point of interest or +conscience, (it being an evil not in their power to remedy) 'tis more +fair and reasonable to suppose their dislike proceeds from the dangers +they apprehend to the peace of the commonwealth, in the ruin whereof +they must expect to be the first and greatest sufferers. + +To conclude this section, it must be observed, there is a very good +word, which hath of late suffered much by both parties, and that is, +MODERATION, which the one side very justly disowns, and the other as +unjustly pretends to. Beside what passeth every day in conversation; any +man who reads the papers published by Mr. Lesley[9] and others of his +stamp, must needs conclude, that if this author could make the nation +see his adversaries under the colours he paints them in, we have nothing +else to do, but rise as one man and destroy such wretches from the face +of the earth. On the other side, how shall we excuse the advocates for +moderation? among whom, I could appeal to a hundred papers of universal +approbation by the cause they were writ for, which lay such principles +to the whole body of the Tories, as, if they were true, and believed; +our next business should in prudence be, to erect gibbets in every +parish, and hang them out of the way. But I suppose it is presumed, the +common people understand raillery, or at least, rhetoric, and will not +take hyperboles in too literal a sense; which however in some junctures +might prove a desperate experiment. + +[Footnote 9: This was Charles Leslie, the second son of the Bishop of +Clogher (1650-1722). He was educated for the bar, but forsook that, and +entered into holy orders. In his zeal for the established Church he +persecuted the Catholics; but this did not interfere with his adhesion +to Jacobite political principles. He settled in London, and wrote a +weekly paper called "The Rehearsal, or a Review of the Times," in which +he attacked Locke and Hoadly. He did all he could for the cause of the +exiled James, but he gave up the work when he found it hopeless, and +died in Ireland. He wrote many virulent theological works, as well as a +host of political tracts. [T. S.]] + +And this is moderation in the modern sense of the word, to which, +speaking impartially, the bigots of both parties are equally entitled. + +SECTION II. + +_The Sentiments of a Church of England Man with respect to Government_. + +We look upon it as a very just reproach, though we cannot agree where to +fix it, that there should be so much violence and hatred in religious +matters, among men who agree in all fundamentals, and only differ in +some ceremonies, or at most mere speculative points. Yet is not this +frequently the case between contending parties in a state? For instance: +Do not the generality of Whigs and Tories among us, profess to agree in +the same fundamentals, their loyalty to the Queen, their abjuration of +the Pretender, the settlement of the crown in the protestant line, and a +revolution principle? Their affection to the Church established, with +toleration of dissenters? Nay sometimes they go further, and pass over +into each other's principles; the Whigs become great assertors of the +prerogative, and the Tories of the people's liberty; these crying down +almost the whole set of bishops, and those defending them; so that the +differences fairly stated, would be much of a sort with those in +religion among us, and amount to little more than, _who should take +place_ or _go in and out first_, or _kiss the Queen's hand_; and what +are these but a few court ceremonies? Or, _who should be in the +ministry_? And what is that to the body of the nation, but a mere +speculative point? Yet I think it must be allowed, that no religious +sects ever carried their aversions for each other to greater heights +than our state-parties have done, who the more to inflame their passions +have mixed religious and civil animosities together; borrowing one of +their appellations from the Church, with the addition of High and Low, +how little soever their disputes relate to the term as it is generally +understood. + +I now proceed to deliver the sentiments of a Church of England man with +respect to government. + +He doth not think the Church of England so narrowly calculated, that it +cannot fall in with any regular species of government; nor does he think +any one regular species of government more acceptable to God than +another. The three generally received in the schools have all of them +their several perfections, and are subject to their several +depravations. However, few states are ruined by any defect in their +institution, but generally by the corruption of manners, against which +the best institution is no long security, and without which a very ill +one may subsist and flourish: Whereof there are two pregnant instances +now in Europe. The first is the aristocracy of Venice, which founded +upon the wisest maxims, and digested by a great length of time, hath in +our age admitted so many abuses through the degeneracy of the nobles, +that the period of its duration seems to approach. The other is the +united republics of the States-general, where a vein of temperance, +industry, parsimony, and a public spirit, running through the whole body +of the people, hath preserved an infant commonwealth of an untimely +birth and sickly constitution, for above an hundred years, through so +many dangers and difficulties, as a much more healthy one could never +have struggled against, without those advantages. + +Where security of person and property are preserved by laws which none +but the Whole can repeal, there the great ends of government are +provided for whether the administration be in the hands of One, or of +Many. Where any one person or body of men, who do not represent the +Whole, seize into their hands the power in the last resort, there is +properly no longer a government, but what Aristotle and his followers +call the abuse and corruption of one. This distinction excludes +arbitrary power in whatever numbers; which notwithstanding all that +Hobbes, Filmer[10] and others have said to its advantage, I look upon as +a greater evil than anarchy itself; as much as a savage is in a happier +state of life than a slave at the oar. + +[Footnote 10: Hobbes, Thomas (1588-1679), the English philosopher, and +author of "De Cive" (1642), "Treatise on Human Nature" (1650), "De +Corpore Politico" (1650), "Leviathan" (1651), and other works. Swift is +here combating Hobbes's advocacy for a sovereign power, as vested in a +single person. + +Filmer, Sir Robert (died 1647), author of "The Anarchy of a limited and +mixed Monarchy," "Patriarcha," and "The Freeholder's Grand Inquest." In +the "Patriarcha" Filmer attempted to prove that absolute government by a +monarch was a patriarchal institution. Locke replied to this work in his +"Two Treatises on Government." [T.S.]] + +It is reckoned ill manners, as well as unreasonable, for men to quarrel +upon difference in opinion; because that is usually supposed to be a +thing which no man can help in himself; which however I do not conceive +to be an universal infallible maxim, except in those cases where the +question is pretty equally disputed among the learned and the wise; +where it is otherwise, a man of tolerable reason, small experience, and +willing to be instructed, may apprehend he is got into a wrong opinion, +though the whole course of his mind and inclination would persuade him +to believe it true: He may be convinced that he is in error though he +does not see where it lies, by the bad effects of it in the common +conduct of his life, and by observing those persons for whose wisdom and +goodness he has the greatest deference, to be of a contrary sentiment. +According to Hobbes's comparison of reasoning with casting up accounts, +whoever finds a mistake in the sum total, must allow himself out, +though, after repeated trials he may not see in which article he has +misreckoned. I will instance in one opinion, which I look upon every man +obliged in conscience to quit, or in prudence to conceal; I mean, that +whoever argues in defence of absolute power in a single person, though +he offers the old plausible plea, that, _it is his opinion, which he +cannot help unless he be convinced_, ought, in all free states to be +treated as the common enemy of mankind. Yet this is laid as a heavy +charge upon the clergy of the two reigns before the Revolution, who +under the terms of Passive Obedience and Non-Resistance are said to have +preached up the unlimited power of the prince, because they found it a +doctrine that pleased the Court, and made way for their preferment. And +I believe there may be truth enough in this accusation, to convince us, +that human frailty will too often interpose itself among persons of the +holiest function. However, it may be offered in excuse for the clergy, +that in the best societies there are some ill members, which a corrupted +court and ministry will industriously find out and introduce. Besides, +it is manifest that the greater number of those who held and preached +this doctrine, were misguided by equivocal terms, and by perfect +ignorance in the principles of government, which they had not made any +part of their study. The question originally put, and as I remember to +have heard it disputed in public schools, was this; _whether under any +pretence whatsoever it may be lawful to resist the supreme magistrate?_ +which was held in the negative; and this is certainly the right opinion. +But many of the clergy, and other learned men, deceived by dubious +expression, mistook the object to which passive obedience was due. By +the supreme magistrate is properly understood the legislative power, +which in all government must be absolute and unlimited. But the word +magistrate seeming to denote a single person, and to express the +executive power, it came to pass, that the obedience due to the +legislature was for want of knowing or considering this easy +distinction, misapplied to the administration. Neither is it any wonder, +that the clergy or other well-meaning people should fall into this +error, which deceived Hobbes himself so far, as to be the foundation of +all the political mistakes in his book, where he perpetually confounds +the executive with the legislative power, though all well-instituted +states have ever placed them in different hands, as may be obvious to +those who know anything of Athens, Sparta, Thebes, and other republics +of Greece, as well as the greater ones of Carthage and Rome. + +Besides, it is to be considered that when these doctrines began to be +preached among us, the kingdom had not quite worn out the memory of that +unhappy rebellion, under the consequences of which it had groaned almost +twenty years. And a weak prince in conjunction with a succession of most +prostitute ministers, began again to dispose the people to new attempts, +which it was, no doubt, the clergy's duty to endeavour to prevent, if +some of them had not for want of knowledge in temporal affairs, and +others perhaps from a worse principle, proceeded upon a topic that +strictly followed would enslave all mankind. + +Among other theological arguments made use of in those times, in praise +of monarchy, and justification of absolute obedience to a prince, there +seemed to be one of a singular nature: It was urged that Heaven was +governed by a monarch, who had none to control his power, but was +absolutely obeyed: Then it followed, that earthly governments were the +more perfect, the nearer they imitated the government in Heaven. All +which I look upon as the strongest argument against despotic power that +ever was offered; since no reason can possibly be assigned why it is +best for the world that God Almighty hath such a power, which doth not +directly prove that no mortal man should ever have the like. + +But though a Church of England man thinks every species of government +equally lawful, he does not think them equally expedient; or for every +country indifferently. There may be something in the climate, naturally +disposing men toward one sort of obedience, as is manifest all over +Asia, where we never read of any commonwealth, except some small ones on +the western coasts established by the Greeks. There may be a great deal +in the situation of a country, and in the present genius of the people. +It hath been observed, that the temperate climates usually run into +moderate governments, and the extremes into despotic power. 'Tis a +remark of Hobbes, that the youth of England are corrupted in their +principles of government, by reading the authors of Greece and Rome who +writ under commonwealths. But it might have been more fairly offered for +the honour of liberty, that while the rest of the known world was +overrun with the arbitrary government of single persons; arts and +sciences took their rise, and flourished only in those few small +territories were the people were free. And though learning may continue +after liberty is lost, as it did in Rome, for a while, upon the +foundations laid under the commonwealth, and the particular patronage of +some emperors; yet it hardly ever began under a tyranny in any nation: +Because slavery is of all things the greatest clog and obstacle to +speculation. And indeed, arbitrary power is but the first natural step +from anarchy or the savage life; the adjusting of power and freedom +being an effect and consequence of maturer thinking: And this is nowhere +so duly regulated as in a limited monarchy: Because I believe it may +pass for a maxim in state, that the administration cannot be placed in +too few hands, nor the legislature in too many. Now in this material +point, the constitution of the English government far exceeds all others +at this time on the earth, to which the present establishment of the +Church doth so happily agree, that I think, whoever is an enemy to +either, must of necessity be so to both. + +He thinks, as our monarchy is constituted, a hereditary right is much to +be preferred before election. Because the government here, especially by +some late amendments, is so regularly disposed in all its parts, that it +almost executes itself. And therefore upon the death of a prince among +us, the administration goes on without any rub or interruption. For the +same reasons we have little to apprehend from the weakness or fury of +our monarchs, who have such wise councils to guide the first, and laws +to restrain the other. And therefore this hereditary right should be +kept so sacred, as never to break the succession, unless where the +preserving of it may endanger the constitution; which is not from any +intrinsic merit, or unalienable right in a particular family, but to +avoid the consequences that usually attend the ambition of competitors, +to which elective kingdoms are exposed; and which is the only obstacle +to hinder them from arriving at the greatest perfection that government +can possibly reach. Hence appears the absurdity of that distinction +between a king _de facto_, and one _de jure_, with respect to us. For +every limited monarch is a king _de jure_, because he governs by the +consent of the whole, which is authority sufficient to abolish all +precedent right. If a king come in by conquest, he is no longer a +limited monarch, if he afterward consent to limitations, he becomes +immediately king _de jure_ for the same reason. + +The great advocates for succession, who affirm it ought not to be +violated upon any regard or consideration whatsoever, do insist much +upon one argument that seems to carry little weight. They would have it, +that a crown is a prince's birthright, and ought at least to be as well +secured to him and his posterity as the inheritance of any private man: +In short, that he has the same title to his kingdom which every +individual has to his property. Now the consequence of this doctrine +must be, that as a man may find several ways to waste, misspend, or +abuse his patrimony, without being answerable to the laws; so a king may +in like manner do what he will with his own, that is, he may squander +and misapply his revenues, and even alienate the crown, without being +called to an account by his subjects. They allow such a prince to be +guilty indeed of much folly and wickedness, but for those he is to +answer to God, as every private man must do that is guilty of +mismanagement in his own concerns. Now the folly of this reasoning will +best appear, by applying it in a parallel case. Should any man argue, +that a physician is supposed to understand his own art best; that the +law protects and encourages his profession; and therefore although he +should manifestly prescribe poison to all his patients, whereof they +should immediately die, he cannot be justly punished, but is answerable +only to God: Or should the same be offered in behalf of a divine, who +would preach against religion and moral duties; in either of these two +cases everybody would find out the sophistry, and presently answer, that +although common men are not exactly skilled in the composition or +application of medicines, or in prescribing the limits of duty; yet the +difference between poisons and remedies is easily known by their +effects, and common reason soon distinguishes between virtue and vice: +And it must be necessary to forbid both these the further practice of +their professions, because their crimes are not purely personal to the +physician or the divine, but destructive to the public. All which is +infinitely stronger in respect to a prince, with whose good or ill +conduct the happiness or misery of a whole nation is included; whereas +it is of small consequence to the public, farther than examples, how any +private person manages his property. + +But granting that the right of a lineal successor to a crown were upon +the same foot with the property of a subject, still It may at any time +be transferred by the legislative power, as other properties frequently +are. The supreme power in a state can do no wrong, because whatever that +doth, is the action of all; and when the lawyers apply this maxim to the +king, they must understand it only in that sense as he is administrator +of the supreme power, otherwise it is not universally true, but may be +controlled in several instances easy to produce. + +And these are the topics we must proceed upon to justify our exclusion +of the young Pretender in France; that of his suspected birth being +merely popular, and therefore not made use of as I remember, since the +Revolution in any speech, vote, or proclamation where there was occasion +to mention him. + +As to the abdication of King James, which the advocates on that side +look upon to have been forcible and unjust, and consequently void in +itself, I think a man may observe every article of the English Church, +without being in much pain about it. 'Tis not unlikely that all doors +were laid open for his departure, and perhaps not without the privity of +the Prince of Orange, as reasonably concluding that the kingdom might be +settled in his absence: But to affirm he had any cause to apprehend the +same treatment with his father, is an improbable scandal flung upon the +nation by a few bigotted French scribblers, or the invidious assertion +of a ruined party at home, in the bitterness of their souls: Not one +material circumstance agreeing with those in 1648; and the greatest part +of the nation having preserved the utmost horror for that ignominious +murder: But whether his removal were caused by his own fears or other +men's artifices, 'tis manifest to me, that supposing the throne to be +vacant, which was the foot they went upon, the body of the people were +thereupon left at liberty, to choose what form of government they +pleased, by themselves or their representatives. + +The only difficulty of any weight against the proceedings at the +Revolution, is an obvious objection, to which the writers upon that +subject have not yet given a direct or sufficient answer, as if they +were in pain at some consequences which they apprehend those of the +contrary opinion might draw from it, I will repeat this objection as it +was offered me some time ago, with all its advantages, by a very pious, +learned, and worthy gentleman[11] of the nonjuring party. + +[Footnote 11: Mr. Nelson, author of "The Feasts and Fasts of the Church +of England."] + +The force of his argument turned upon this; that the laws made by the +supreme power, cannot otherwise than by the supreme power be annulled: +That this consisting in England of a King, Lords, and Commons, whereof +each have a negative voice, no two of them can repeal or enact a law +without consent of the third; much less may any one of them be entirely +excluded from its part of the legislature by a vote of the other two. +That all these maxims were openly violated at the Revolution; where an +assembly of the nobles and people, not summoned by the king's writ +(which was an essential part of the constitution) and consequently no +lawful meeting, did merely upon their own authority, declare the king to +have abdicated, the throne vacant, and gave the crown by a vote to a +nephew, when there were three children to inherit; though by the +fundamental laws of the realm the next heir is immediately to succeed. +Neither does it appear how a prince's abdication can make any other sort +of vacancy in the throne, than would be caused by his death, since he +cannot abdicate for his children (who claim their right of succession by +act of parliament) otherwise than by his own consent in form to a bill +from the two houses. + +And this is the difficulty that seems chiefly to stick with the most +reasonable of those, who from a mere scruple of conscience refuse to +join with us upon the revolution principle; but for the rest, are I +believe as far from loving arbitrary government, as any others can be, +who are born under a free constitution, and are allowed to have the +least share of common good sense. + +In this objection there are two questions included: First, whether upon +the foot of our constitution, as it stood in the reign of the late King +James, a king of England may be deposed? The second is, whether the +people of England convened by their own authority, after the king had +withdrawn himself in the manner he did, had power to alter the +succession? + +As for the first; it is a point I shall not presume to determine, and +shall therefore only say, that to any man who holds the negative, I +would demand the liberty of putting the case as strongly as I please. I +will suppose a prince limited by laws like ours, yet running into a +thousand caprices of cruelty like Nero or Caligula. I will suppose him +to murder his mother and his wife, to commit incest, to ravish matrons, +to blow up the senate, and burn his metropolis, openly to renounce God +and Christ, and worship the devil. These and the like exorbitances are +in the power of a single person to commit without the advice of a +ministry, or assistance of an army. And if such a king as I have +described, cannot be deposed but by his own consent in parliament, I do +not well see how he can be resisted, or what can be meant by a limited +monarchy; or what signifies the people's consent in making and repealing +laws, if the person who administers hath no tie but conscience, and is +answerable to none but God. I desire no stronger proof that an opinion +must be false, than to find very great absurdities annexed to it; and +there cannot be greater than in the present case: For it is not a bare +speculation that kings may run into such enormities as are +above-mentioned; the practice may be proved by examples not only drawn +from the first Caesars or later emperors, but many modern princes of +Europe; such as Peter the Cruel, Philip the Second of Spain, John +Basilovitz[12] of Muscovy, and in our own nation, King John, Richard the +Third, and Henry the Eighth. But there cannot be equal absurdities +supposed in maintaining the contrary opinion; because it is certain, +that princes have it in their power to keep a majority on their side, by +any tolerable administration; till provoked by continual oppressions, no +man indeed can then answer where the madness of the people will stop. + +[Footnote 12: Peter the Cruel is Pedro of Castile. Ivan Basilovitz was +the first emperor of Russia who assumed the title of Czar. He was born +in 1529, and died in 1584.] + +As to the second part of the objection; whether the people of England +convened by their own authority, upon King James's precipitate +departure, had power to alter the succession? + +In answer to this, I think it is manifest from the practice of the +wisest nations, and who seem to have had the truest notions of freedom, +that when a prince was laid aside for mal-administration, the nobles and +people, if they thought it necessary for the public weal, did resume the +administration of the supreme power (the power itself having been always +in them) and did not only alter the succession, but often the very form +of government too; because they believed there was no natural right in +one man to govern another, but that all was by institution, force, or +consent. Thus, the cities of Greece, when they drove out their +tyrannical kings, either chose others from a new family, or abolished +the kingly government, and became free states. Thus the Romans upon the +expulsion of Tarquin found it inconvenient for them to be subject any +longer to the pride, the lust, the cruelty and arbitrary will of single +persons, and therefore by general consent entirely altered the whole +frame of their government. Nor do I find the proceedings of either, in +this point, to have been condemned by any historian of the succeeding +ages. + +But a great deal hath been already said by other writers upon this +invidious and beaten subject; therefore I shall let it fall, though the +point is commonly mistaken, especially by the lawyers; who of all others +seem least to understand the nature of government in general; like +under-workmen, who are expert enough at making a single wheel in a +clock, but are utterly ignorant how to adjust the several parts, or +regulate the movements. + +To return therefore from this digression: It is a Church of England +man's opinion, that the freedom of a nation consists in an absolute +unlimited legislative power, wherein the whole body of the people are +fairly represented, and in an executive duly limited; because on this +side likewise there may be dangerous degrees, and a very ill extreme. +For when two parties in a state are pretty equal in power, pretensions, +merit, and virtue, (for these two last are with relation to parties and +a court, quite different things) it hath been the opinion of the best +writers upon government, that a prince ought not in any sort to be under +the guidance or influence of either, because he declines by this means +from his office of presiding over the whole, to be the head of a party; +which besides the indignity, renders him answerable for all public +mismanagements and the consequences of them; and in whatever state this +happens, there must either be a weakness in the prince or ministry, or +else the former is too much restrained by the legislature.[1] + +[Footnote 1: This is as given in the "Miscellanies" (1711). Scott and +Faulkner print "by the nobles, or those who represent the people." [T. +S.]] + +To conclude: A Church of England man may with prudence and a good +conscience approve the professed principles of one party more than the +other, according as he thinks they best promote the good of Church and +State; but he will never be swayed by passion or interest, to advance an +opinion merely because it is that of the party he most approves; which +one single principle he looks upon as the root of all our civil +animosities. To enter into a party as into an order of friars with so +resigned an obedience to superiors, is very unsuitable both with the +civil and religious liberties we so zealously assert. Thus the +understandings of a whole senate are often enslaved by three or four +leaders on each side; who instead of intending the public weal, have +their hearts wholly set upon ways and means how to get or to keep +employments. But to speak more at large, how has this spirit of faction +mingled itself with the mass of the people, changed their nature and +manners, and the very genius of the nation; broke all the laws of +charity, neighbourhood, alliance and hospitality; destroyed all ties of +friendship, and divided families against themselves! And no wonder it +should be so, when in order to find out the character of a person, +instead of inquiring whether he be a man of virtue, honour, piety, wit, +good sense, or learning; the modern question is only, whether he be a +Whig or a Tory, under which terms all good and ill qualities are +included. + +Now, because it is a point of difficulty to choose an exact middle +between two ill extremes, it may be worth enquiring in the present case, +which of these, a wise and good man would rather seem to avoid: Taking +therefore their own good and ill characters with due abatements and +allowances for partiality and passion; I should think that in order to +preserve the constitution entire in Church and State, whoever has a true +value for both, would be sure to avoid the extremes of Whig for the sake +of the former, and the extremes of Tory on account of the latter. + +I have now said all that I could think convenient upon so nice a +subject, and find I have the ambition common with other reasoners, to +wish at least that both parties may think me in the right, which would +be of some use to those who have any virtue left, but are blindly drawn +into the extravagancies of either, upon false representations, to serve +the ambition or malice of designing men, without any prospect of their +own. But if that is not to be hoped for, my next wish should be, that +both might think me in the wrong; which I would understand as an ample +justification of myself, and a sure ground to believe, that I have +proceeded at least with impartiality, and perhaps with truth. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +REMARKS + +UPON A + +BOOK, + +INTITULED, + +"THE RIGHTS OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH, &c." + +WRITTEN IN THE YEAR 1708, BUT LEFT UNFINISHED. + + +NOTE. + +Dr. Matthew Tindal, of whom a short account has already been given (see +note, p. 9), issued his "Rights of the Christian Church" in 1706. In +1707 it had already gone through three editions. The full title of the +work is: "The Rights of the Christian Church asserted, against the +Romish and all other Priests, who claim an independent Power over it: +with a Preface concerning the Government of the Church of England, as by +law established." Ostensibly the book was an attack on the Roman +Catholic Church, but the attack was so cleverly veiled that it included +in its criticisms the Church of England also; and must take its place +among the works of the deistical writers of the time who aimed at +subverting the foundations of the relationships between the Church and +the State. According to Dr. Hicks, who wrote several works in reply to +Tindal's book, Tindal told a gentleman, who found him at work on it, +that "he was writing a book which would make the clergy mad." If so, he +did not fall short of his intention; for not only the clergy, but even +learned laymen became "mad." In addition to Dr. Hicks of Oxford, the +Church of England found champions in Dr. William Wotton, Samuel Hill, +Conyers-Place, Mr. Oldisworth, and Swift. Swift delayed the preparation +of the materials for his reply, or else he found other matters to occupy +his time--the Sacheverel business came on soon after, and the Tindal +controversy lost interest in this more immediate and more important +affair. So that Swift's criticism remained unfinished, and was only +published when his editors came to search among his papers. In 1710 +Tindal's work was ordered, by a vote of the House of Commons, to be +publicly burned by the hangman. The grand jury of Middlesex were +presented that the author, printer, and publisher of "The Rights of the +Christian Church" to be dangerous and disaffected persons, and promoters +of sedition and profaneness; and this charge was grounded on the +following extracts. I take these from Scott's note, and I find that the +page references are to the second edition of Tindal's work issued in +1706. + +"The church is a private society, and no more power belonging to it than +to other private companies and clubs, and, consequently, all the right +anyone has to be an ecclesiastical officer, and the power he is +entrusted with, depends on the consent of the parties concerned, and is +no greater than they can bestow." Preface, p. xxx. + +"The Scriptures nowhere make the receiving the Lord's Supper from the +hands of a priest necessary." p. 104. + +"The remembrance of Christ's sufferings a mere grace-cup delivered to be +handed about." p. 105. + +"Among Christians, one no more than another can be reckoned a priest +from Scripture"--"And the clerk has as good a title to the priesthood as +the parson ... Every one, as well as the minister, rightly consecrateth +the elements to himself ... Anything farther than this, may rather be +called Conjuration than Consecration." p. 108. + +"The absurdities of bishops being by divine appointment, governors of +the Christian Church, and no others are capable of being of that number, +who derive not their right by an uninterrupted succession of bishops in +the Catholic Church." p. 313. + +"The supreme powers had no way to escape the heavier oppressions, and +more insupportable usurpations of their own clergy, than by submitting +to the Pope's milder yoke and gentler authority." p. 255. + +"One grand cause of mistake is, not considering when God acts as +governor of the universe, and when as prince of a particular nation. The +Jews, when they came out of the land of bondage, were under no settled +government, till God was pleased to offer himself to be their king, to +which all the people expressly consented ... God's laws bound no nation, +except those that agreed to the Horeb contract." p. 151. + +"Not only an independent power of excommunication, but of ordination in +the clergy, is inconsistent with the magistrate's right to protect the +commonwealth." p. 87. + +"Priests, no better than spiritual make-baits, baraters, boute-feux, and +incendiaries, and who make churches serve to worse purposes than bear +gardens." p. 118. + +"It is a grand mistake to suppose the magistrate's power extends to +indifferent things ... Men have liberty as they please, and a right ... +to form what clubs, companies, or meetings, they think fit, either for +business or pleasure, which the magistrate ... cannot hinder, without +manifest injustice." p. 15. + +"God ... interposed not among the Jews, until they had chosen him for +their king." p. 312. + +For a full account of Tindal and his work, see the "Memoirs of the Life +and Writings of Matthew Tindal, with a History of the Controversies +wherein he was engaged," published in 1733. The text of the present +reprint of Swift's "Remarks" is based on that given in "Works," vol. +vii. of the 4to edition of 1764. It has also been collated with the 8vo +edition of same date (vol. xiii.) and with that of 1762 (vol. xiii.). + +[T. S.] + + + REMARKS UPON A BOOK INTITULED + "THE RIGHTS OF THE CHRISTIAN + CHURCH, &c." + + +Before I enter upon a particular examination of this treatise, it will +be convenient to do two things: + +_First_, To give some account of the author, together with the motives, +that might probably engage him in such a work. And, + +_Secondly_, to discover the nature and tendency in general, of the work +itself. + +The first of these, although it hath been objected against, seems highly +reasonable, especially in books that instil pernicious principles. For, +although a book is not intrinsically much better or worse, according to +the stature or complexion of the author, yet, when it happens to make a +noise, we are apt, and curious, as in other noises, to look about from +whence it cometh. But however, there is something more in the matter. + +If a theological subject be well handled by a layman, it is better +received than if it came from a divine; and that for reasons obvious +enough, which, although of little weight in themselves, will ever have a +great deal with mankind. + +But, when books are written with ill intentions, to advance dangerous +opinions, or destroy foundations; it may be then of real use to know +from what quarter they come, and go a good way towards their +confutation. For instance, if any man should write a book against the +lawfulness of punishing felony with death; and, upon enquiry, the author +should be found in Newgate under condemnation for robbing a house; his +arguments would not very unjustly lose much of their force, from the +circumstances he lay under. So, when Milton writ his book of divorces, +it was presently rejected as an occasional treatise; because every body +knew, he had a shrew for his wife. Neither can there be any reason +imagined, why he might not, after he was blind, have writ another upon +the danger and inconvenience of eyes. But, it is a piece of logic which +will hardly pass on the world; that because one man hath a sore nose, +therefore all the town should put plasters upon theirs. So, if this +treatise about the rights of the church should prove to be the work of a +man steady in his principles, of exact morals, and profound learning, a +true lover of his country, and a hater of Christianity, as what he +really believes to be a cheat upon mankind, whom he would undeceive +purely for their good; it might be apt to check unwary men, even of good +dispositions towards religion. But if it be found the production of a +man soured with age and misfortunes, together with the consciousness of +past miscarriages; of one, who, in hopes of preferment, was reconciled +to the Popish religion;[1] of one wholly prostitute in life and +principles, and only an enemy to religion, because it condemns them: In +this case, and this last I find is the universal opinion, he is like to +have few proselytes, beside those, who, from a sense of their vicious +lives, require to be perpetually supplied by such amusements as this; +which serve to flatter their wishes, and debase their understandings. + +[Footnote 1: Dr. Matthew Tindal became a convert to the Romish religion +during the reign of James II. What share interest had in his conversion +may be easily imagined; but it is uncertain whether it was the +disappointment of his expectations, or conviction, that, in 1687, +induced him to reconcile himself to the Church of England, and become a +decided favourer of those doctrines which produced the Revolution. He +often sat as a judge in the Court of Delegates, but did not practise +much as an advocate in Doctor's Commons. His chief means of support was +a pension from government of L200. Tindal died in 1733, three years +after publication of his grand deistical work, "Christianity as Old as +the Creation." His effects, amounting to L2,000 and upwards, were +appropriated by the noted Eustace Budgell, to the prejudice of the heir +at law, under a will attended with circumstances of great suspicion. [T. +S.]] + +I know there are some who would fain have it, that this discourse was +written by a club of freethinkers, among whom the supposed author only +came in for a share. But, sure, we cannot judge so meanly of any party, +without affronting the dignity of mankind. If this be so, and if here be +the product of all their quotas and contributions, we must needs allow, +that freethinking is a most confined and limited talent. It is true +indeed, the whole discourse seemeth to be a motley, inconsistent +composition, made up of various shreds of equal fineness, although of +different colours. It is a bundle of incoherent maxims and assertions, +that frequently destroy one another. But still there is the same +flatness of thought and style; the same weak advances towards wit and +raillery; the same petulancy and pertness of spirit; the same train of +superficial reading; the same thread of threadbare quotations: the same +affectation of forming general rules upon false and scanty premises. +And, lastly, the same rapid venom sprinkled over the whole; which, like +the dying impotent bite of a trodden benumbed snake, may be nauseous and +offensive, but cannot be very dangerous. + +And, indeed, I am so far from thinking this libel to be born of several +fathers, that it hath been the wonder of several others, as well as +myself; how it was possible for any man, who appeareth to have gone the +common circle of academical education;[2] who hath taken so universal a +liberty, and hath so entirely laid aside all regards, not only of +Christianity, but common truth and justice; one who is dead to all sense +of shame, and seemeth to be past the getting or losing a reputation, +should, with so many advantages, and upon so unlimited a subject, come +out with so poor, so jejune a production. Should we pity or be amazed at +so perverse a talent, which, instead of qualifying an author to give a +new turn to old matter, disposeth him quite contrary to talk in an old +beaten trivial manner upon topics wholly new. To make so many sallies +into pedantry without a call, upon a subject the most alien, and in the +very moments he is declaiming against it, and in an age too, where it is +so violently exploded, especially among those readers he proposeth to +entertain. + +[Footnote 2: See note, p. 9, where it will be seen that Tindal was an +Oxford man. [T.S.]] + +I know it will be said, that this is only to talk in the common style of +an answerer; but I have not so little policy. If there were any hope of +reputation or merit from such victory, I should be apt like others to +cry up the courage and conduct of an enemy. Whereas to detect the +weakness, the malice, the sophistry, the falsehood, the ignorance of +such a writer, requireth little more than to rank his perfections in +such an order, and place them in such a light, that the commonest reader +may form a judgment of them. + +It may still be a wonder how so heavy a book, written upon a subject in +appearance so little instructive or diverting, should survive to three +editions, and consequently find a better reception than is usual with +such bulky spiritless volumes; and this, in an age that pretendeth so +soon to be nauseated with what is tedious and dull. To which I can only +return, that, as burning a book by the common hangman, is a known +expedient to make it sell; so, to write a book that deserveth such +treatment, is another: And a third, perhaps as effectual as either, is +to ply an insipid, worthless tract with grave and learned answers, as +Dr. Hickes, Dr. Potter,[3] and Mr. Wotton have done. Design and +performances, however commendable, have glanced a reputation upon the +piece; which oweth its life to the strength of those hands and weapons, +that were raised to destroy it; like flinging a mountain upon a worm, +which, instead of being bruised, by the advantage of its littleness, +lodgeth under it unhurt. + +[Footnote 3: George Hickes, D.D. (1642-1715), born at Newsham, Yorks, +and educated at Oxford. He visited Scotland with his patron, the Duke of +Lauderdale, in 1677, and was presented by the St. Andrews University +with the degree of LL.D. Became Dean of Worcester in 1683, but lost that +office at the Revolution, for not taking the oaths. The nonjuring +prelates, in 1693, consecrated him Bishop of Thetford. Dr. Hickes was a +profound scholar, and well versed in northern literature. Among his +works may be named, "Institutiones Grammaticae Anglo-Saxonicae et +Maeso-Gothicae," "Antiquae Literaturae Septentrionalis Thesaurus." + +John Potter, D.D. (1674-1747), born at Wakefield, and educated at +Oxford. In 1707 he published a "Discourse on Church Government," and +eight years later became Bishop of Oxford. On the death of Wake, in +1737, he was appointed to the Archbishopric of Canterbury. [T.S.]] + +But neither is this all. For the subject, as unpromising as it seemeth +at first view, is no less than that of Lucretius, to free men's minds +from the bondage of religion; and this not by little hints and by +piecemeal, after the manner of those little atheistical tracts that +steal into the world, but in a thorough wholesale manner; by making +religion, church, Christianity, with all their concomitants, a perfect +contrivance of the civil power. It is an imputation often charged on +this sort of men, that, by their invectives against religion, they can +possibly propose no other end than that of fortifying themselves and +others against the reproaches of a vicious life; it being necessary for +men of libertine practices to embrace libertine principles, or else they +cannot act in consistence with any reason, or preserve any peace of +mind. Whether such authors have this design, (whereof I think they have +never gone about to acquit themselves) thus much is certain; that no +other use is made of such writings: Neither did I ever hear this +author's book justified by any person, either Whig or Tory, except such +who are of that profligate character. And, I believe, whoever examineth +it, will be of the same opinion; although indeed such wretches are so +numerous, that it seemeth rather surprising, why the book hath had no +more editions, than why it should have so many. + +Having thus endeavoured to satisfy the curious with some account of this +author's character, let us examine what might probably be the motives to +engage him in such a work. I shall say nothing of the principal, which +is a sum of money; because that is not a mark to distinguish him from +any other trader with the press. I will say nothing of revenge and +malice, from resentment of the indignities and contempt he hath +undergone for his crime of apostasy. To this passion he has thought fit +to sacrifice order, propriety, discretion, and common sense, as may be +seen in every page of his book: But, I am deceived, if there were not a +third motive as powerful as the other two; and that is, vanity. About +the latter end of King James's reign he had almost finished a learned +discourse in defence of the Church of Rome, and to justify his +conversion: All which, upon the Revolution, was quite out of season. +Having thus prostituted his reputation, and at once ruined his hopes, he +had no course left, but to shew his spite against religion in general; +the false pretensions to which, had proved so destructive to his credit +and fortune: And, at the same time, loth to employ the speculations of +so many years to no purpose; by an easy turn, the same arguments he had +made use of to advance Popery, were full as properly levelled by him +against Christianity itself; like the image, which, while it was new and +handsome, was worshipped for a saint, and when it came to be old and +broken, was still good enough to make a tolerable devil. And, therefore +every reader will observe, that the arguments for Popery are much the +strongest of any in his book, as I shall further remark when I find them +in my way. + +There is one circumstance in his title-page, which I take to be not +amiss, where he calleth his book, "Part the First." This is a project to +fright away answerers, and make the poor advocates for religion believe, +he still keepeth further vengeance in _petto_. It must be allowed, he +hath not wholly lost time, while he was of the Romish communion. This +very trick he learned from his old father, the Pope; whose custom it is +to lift up his hand, and threaten to fulminate, when he never meant to +shoot his bolts; because the princes of Christendom had learned the +secret to avoid or despise them. Dr. Hickes knew this very well, and +therefore, in his answer to this "Book of Rights," where a second part +is threatened, like a rash person he desperately crieth, "Let it come." +But I, who have not too much phlegm to provoke angry wits of his +standard, must tell the author, that the doctor plays the wag, as if he +were sure, it were all grimace. For my part, I declare, if he writeth a +second part, I will not write another answer; or, if I do, it shall be +published, before the other part cometh out.[4] + +[Footnote 4: Tindal did, however, attempt to maintain his ground against +his numerous opponents, in "A Defence of the Rights of the Christian +Church, against a late Visitation Sermon, 8vo. 1707;" and also in "A +Second Defence of the Rights of the Christian Church considered, in two +late Indictments against a Bookseller and His Servant, for selling one +of the said Books, 1707." [T. S.]] + +There may have been another motive, although it be hardly credible, both +for publishing this work, and threatening a second part: It is not soon +conceived how far the sense of a man's vanity will transport him. This +man must have somewhere heard, that dangerous enemies have been often +bribed to silence with money or preferment: And, therefore, to shew how +formidable he is, he hath published his first essay; and, in hopes of +hire to be quiet, hath frighted us with his design of another. What must +the clergy do in these unhappy circumstances? If they should bestow this +man bread enough to stop his mouth, it will but open those of a hundred +more, who are every whit as well qualified to rail as he. And truly, +when I compare the former enemies to Christianity, such as Socinus,[5] +Hobbes, and Spinosa,[6] with such of their successors, as Toland, Asgil, +Coward, Gildon,[7] this author of the "Rights," and some others; the +church appeareth to me like the sick old lion in the fable, who, after +having his person outraged by the bull, the elephant, the horse, and the +bear, took nothing so much to heart, as to find himself at last insulted +by the spurn of an ass. + +[Footnote 5: Laelius Socinus (1525-1562), born at Siena. He studied at +Bologna, and in 1546 became a member of a secret freethinking society in +Venice. The society, however, was broken up, and Socinus left Italy for +Switzerland and Poland. He died at Zurich. His papers were published by +his nephew, Faustus Socinus, who founded a sect on the tenets they +taught.] + +[Footnote 6: Benedict or Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677), born at Amsterdam, +of a Portuguese Jewish family. He was excommunicated by his people for +atheism. He retired to the Hague and took to making lenses, and the +study of philosophy. His "Ethics" and "Tractatus Theologico-Politicus" +constitute a system of philosophy which has had no little influence on +modern thought. See Pollock's "Spinoza."] + +[Footnote 7: Charles Gildon (1665-1723-4) was educated at Douay. He +printed a book called "The Deist's Manual." For accounts of Coward, +Toland, and Asgil, see note, p. 9.] I will now add a few words to give +the reader some general notion of the nature and tendency of the work +itself. + +I think I may assert, without the least partiality, that it is a +treatise wholly devoid of wit or learning, under the most violent and +weak endeavours and pretences to both. That it is replenished throughout +with bold, rude, improbable falsehoods, and gross misinterpretations; +and supported by the most impudent sophistry and false logic I have +anywhere observed. To this he hath added a paltry, traditional cant of +"priestrid" and "priestcraft," without reason or pretext as he applyeth +it. And when he raileth at those doctrines in Popery (which no +Protestant was ever supposed to believe) he leads the reader, however, +by the hand, to make applications against the English clergy, and then +he never faileth to triumph, as if he had made a very shrewd and notable +stroke. And because the court and kingdom seemeth disposed to moderation +with regard to Dissenters, more perhaps than is agreeable to the hot +unreasonable temper of some mistaken men among us; therefore under the +shelter of that popular opinion, he ridiculeth all that is sound in +religion, even Christianity itself, under the names of Jacobite, +Tackers, High Church, and other terms of factious jargon. All which, if +it were to be first rased from his book (as just so much of nothing to +the purpose) how little would remain to give the trouble of an answer! +To which let me add, that the spirit or genius, which animates the +whole, is plainly perceived to be nothing else but the abortive malice +of an old neglected man,[8] who hath long lain under the extremes of +obloquy, poverty and contempt; that have soured his temper, and made him +fearless. But where is the merit of being bold, to a man that is secure +of impunity to his person, and is past apprehension of anything else? He +that hath neither reputation nor bread hath very little to lose, and +hath therefore as little to fear. And, as it is usually said, "Whoever +values not his own life, is master of another man's;" so there is +something like it in reputation: He that is wholly lost to all regards +of truth or modesty, may scatter so much calumny and scandal, that some +part may perhaps be taken up before it fall to the ground; because the +ill talent of the world is such, that those who will be at pains enough +to inform themselves in a malicious story, will take none at all to be +undeceived, nay, will be apt with some reluctance to admit a favourable +truth. + +[Footnote 8: Tindal was not an old man at the time Swift wrote, +certainly not older than was Swift himself. [T. S.]] + +To expostulate, therefore, with this author for doing mischief to +religion, is to strew his bed with roses; he will reply in triumph, that +this was his design; and I am loth to mortify him, by asserting he hath +done none at all. For I never yet saw so poor an atheistical scribble, +which would not serve as a twig for sinking libertines to catch at. It +must be allowed in their behalf, that the faith of Christians is not as +a grain of mustard seed in comparison of theirs, which can remove such +mountains of absurdities, and submit with so entire a resignation to +such apostles. If these men had any share of that reason they pretend +to, they would retire into Christianity, merely to give it ease. And +therefore men can never be confirmed in such doctrines, until they are +confirmed in their vices; which last, as we have already observed, is +the principal design of this and all other writers against revealed +religion. + +I am now opening the book which I propose to examine. An employment, as +it is entirely new to me, so it is that to which, of all others, I have +naturally the greatest antipathy. And, indeed, who can dwell upon a +tedious piece of insipid thinking, and false reasoning, so long as I am +likely to do, without sharing the infection? + +But, before I plunge into the depths of the book itself, I must be +forced to wade through the shallows of a long preface. + +This preface, large as we see it, is only made up of such supernumerary +arguments against an independent power in the church, as he could not, +without nauseous repetition, scatter into the body of his book: And it +is detached, like a forlorn hope, to blunt the enemy's sword that +intendeth to attack him. Now, I think, it will be easy to prove, that +the opinion of _imperium in imperio_, in the sense he chargeth it upon +the clergy of England, is what no one divine of any reputation, and very +few at all, did ever maintain; and, that their universal sentiment in +this matter is such as few Protestants did ever dispute. But, if the +author of the "Regale," or two or three more obscure writers, have +carried any points further than Scripture and reason will allow, (which +is more than I know, or shall trouble myself to enquire) the clergy of +England is no more answerable for those, than the laity is for all the +folly and impertinence of this treatise. And, therefore, that people may +not be amused, or think this man is somewhat, that he hath advanced or +defended any oppressed truths, or overthrown any growing dangerous +errors, I will set in as clear a light as I can, what I conceive to be +held by the established clergy and all reasonable Protestants in this +matter. + +Everybody knows and allows, that in all government there is an absolute, +unlimited, legislative power, which is originally in the body of the +people, although, by custom, conquest, usurpation, or other accidents, +sometimes fallen into the hands of one or a few. This in England is +placed in the three estates (otherwise called the two Houses of +Parliament) in conjunction with the King. And whatever they please to +enact or to repeal in the settled forms, whether it be ecclesiastical or +civil, immediately becometh law or nullity. Their decrees may be against +equity, truth, reason and religion, but they are not against law; +because law is the will of the supreme legislature, and that is, +themselves. And there is no manner of doubt, but the same authority, +whenever it pleaseth, may abolish Christianity, and set up the Jewish, +Mahometan, or heathen religion. In short, they may do anything within +the compass of human power. And, therefore, who will dispute that the +same law, which deprived the church not only of lands, misapplied to +superstitious uses, but even the tithes and glebes, (the ancient and +necessary support of parish priests) may take away all the rest, +whenever the lawgivers please, and make the priesthood as primitive, as +this writer, or others of his stamp, can desire. + +But as the supreme power can certainly do ten thousand things more than +it ought, so there are several things which some people may think it can +do, although it really cannot. For, it unfortunately happens, that +edicts which cannot be executed, will not alter the nature of things. +So, if a king and parliament should please to enact, that a woman who +hath been a month married, is _virgo intacta_, would that actually +restore her to her primitive state? If the supreme power should resolve +a corporal of dragoons to be a doctor of divinity, law or physic, few, I +believe, would trust their souls, fortunes, or bodies to his direction; +because that power is neither fit to judge or teach those qualifications +which are absolutely necessary to the several professions. Put the case +that walking on the slack rope were the only talent required by act of +parliament for making a man a bishop; no doubt, when a man had done his +feat of activity in form, he might sit in the House of Lords, put on his +robes and his rochet, go down to his palace, receive and spend his +rents; but it requireth very little Christianity to believe this tumbler +to be one whit more a bishop than he was before; because the law of God +hath otherwise decreed; which law, although a nation may refuse to +receive it, cannot alter in its own nature. + +And here lies the mistake of this superficial man, who is not able to +distinguish between what the civil power can hinder, and what it can do. +"If the parliament can annul ecclesiastical laws, they must be able to +make them, since no greater power is required for one than the other." +See pref., p. viii. This consequence he repeateth above twenty times, +and always in the wrong. He affecteth to form a few words into the shape +and size of a maxim, then trieth it by his ear, and, according as he +likes the sound or cadence, pronounceth it true. Cannot I stand over a +man with a great pole, and hinder him from making a watch, although I am +not able to make one myself. If I have strength enough to knock a man on +the head, doth it follow I can raise him to life again? The parliament +may condemn all the Greek and Roman authors; can it therefore create new +ones in their stead? They may make laws, indeed, and call them canon and +ecclesiastical laws, and oblige all men to observe them under pain of +high treason. And so may I, who love as well as any man to have in my +own family the power in the last resort, take a turnip, then tie a +string to it, and call it a watch, and turn away all my servants, if +they refuse to call it so too. + +For my own part, I must confess that this opinion of the independent +power of the Church, or _imperium in imperio_, wherewith this writer +raiseth such a dust, is what I never imagined to be of any consequence, +never once heard disputed among divines, nor remember to have read, +otherwise than as a scheme in one or two authors of middle rank, but +with very little weight laid on it. And I dare believe, there is hardly +one divine in ten that ever once thought of this matter. Yet to see a +large swelling volume written only to encounter this doctrine, what +could one think less than that the whole body of the clergy were +perpetually tiring the press and the pulpit with nothing else? + +I remember some years ago, a virtuoso writ a small tract about worms, +proved them to be in more places than was generally observed, and made +some discoveries by glasses. This having met with some reception, +presently the poor man's head was full of nothing but worms; all we eat +and drink, all the whole consistence of human bodies, and those of every +other animal, the very air we breathe, in short, all nature throughout +was nothing but worms: And, by that system, he solved all difficulties, +and from thence all causes in philosophy. Thus it hath fared with our +author, and his independent power. The attack against occasional +conformity, the scarcity of coffee, the invasion of Scotland, the loss +of kerseys and narrow cloths, the death of King William, the author's +turning Papist for preferment, the loss of the battle of Almanza, with +ten thousand other misfortunes, are all owing to this _imperium in +imperio_. + +It will be therefore necessary to set this matter in a clear light, by +enquiring whether the clergy have any power independent of the civil, +and of what nature it is. + +Whenever the Christian religion was embraced by the civil power in any +nation, there is no doubt but the magistrates and senates were fully +instructed in the rudiments of it. Besides, the Christians were so +numerous, and their worship so open before the conversion of princes, +that their discipline, as well as doctrine, could not be a secret: They +saw plainly a subordination of ecclesiastics, bishops, priests, and +deacons: That these had certain powers and employments different from +the laity: That the bishops were consecrated, and set apart for that +office by those of their own order: That the presbyters and deacons were +differently set apart, always by the bishops: That none but the +ecclesiastics presumed to pray or preach in places set apart for God's +worship, or to administer the Lord's Supper: That all questions relating +either to discipline or doctrine, were determined in ecclesiastical +conventions. These and the like doctrines and practices, being most of +them directly proved, and the rest by very fair consequences deduced +from the words of our Saviour and His apostles, were certainly received +as a divine law by every prince or state which admitted the Christian +religion: and, consequently, what they could not justly alter +afterwards, any more than the common laws of nature. And, therefore, +although the supreme power can hinder the clergy or Church from making +any new canons, or executing the old; from consecrating bishops, or +refuse those that they do consecrate; or, in short, from performing any +ecclesiastical office, as they may from eating, drinking, and sleeping; +yet they cannot themselves perform those offices, which are assigned to +the clergy by our Saviour and His apostles; or, if they do, it is not +according to the divine institution, and, consequently, null and void. +Our Saviour telleth us, "His kingdom is not of this world;" and +therefore, to be sure, the world is not of His kingdom, nor can ever +please Him by interfering in the administration of it, since He hath +appointed ministers of His own, and hath empowered and instructed them +for that purpose: So that, I believe, the clergy, who, as he sayeth, are +good at distinguishing, would think it reasonable to distinguish between +their power, and the liberty of exercising this power. The former they +claim immediately from Christ, and the latter from the permission, +connivance, or authority of the civil government; with which the +clergy's power, according to the solution I have given, cannot possibly +interfere. + +But this writer, setting up to form a system upon stale, scanty topics, +and a narrow circle of thought, falleth into a thousand absurdities. And +for a further help, he hath a talent of rattling out phrases, which seem +to have sense, but have none at all: the usual fate of those who are +ignorant of the force and compass of words, without which it is +impossible for a man to write either pertinently or intelligibly upon +the most obvious subjects. + +So, in the beginning of his preface, page iv, he says, "The Church of +England being established by acts of parliament, is a perfect creature +of the civil power; I mean the polity and discipline of it, and it is +that which maketh all the contention; for as to the doctrines expressed +in the articles, I do not find high church to be in any manner of pain; +but they who lay claim to most orthodoxy can distinguish themselves out +of them." It is observable in this author, that his style is naturally +harsh and ungrateful to the ear, and his expressions mean and trivial; +but whenever he goeth about to polish a period, you may be certain of +some gross defect in propriety or meaning: So the lines just quoted seem +to run easily over the tongue: and, upon examination, they are perfect +nonsense and blunder: To speak in his own borrowed phrase, what is +contained in the idea of established? Surely, not existence. Doth +establishment give being to a thing? He might have said the same thing +of Christianity in general, or the existence of God, since both are +confirmed by acts of parliament. But, the best is behind: for, in the +next line, having named the church half a dozen times before, he now +says, he meaneth only "the polity and discipline of it": As if, having +spoke in praise of the art of physic, a man should explain himself, that +he meant only the institution of a college of physicians into a +president and fellows. And it will appear, that this author, however +versed in the practice, hath grossly transgressed the rules of nonsense, +(whose property it is neither to affirm nor deny) since every visible +assertion gathered from those few lines is absolutely false: For where +was the necessity of excepting the doctrines expressed in the articles, +since these are equally creatures of the civil power, having been +established by acts of parliament as well as the others. But the Church +of England is no creature of the civil power, either as to its polity or +doctrines. The fundamentals of both were deduced from Christ and His +apostles, and the instructions of the purest and earliest ages, and were +received as such by those princes or states who embraced Christianity, +whatever prudential additions have been made to the former by human +laws, which alone can be justly altered or annulled by them. + +What I have already said, would, I think, be a sufficient answer to his +whole preface, and indeed to the greatest part of his book, which is +wholly turned upon battering down a sort of independent power in the +clergy; which few or none of them ever claimed or defended. But there +being certain peculiarities in this preface, that very much set off the +wit, the learning, the raillery, reasoning and sincerity of the author; +I shall take notice of some of them, as I pass. + +But here, I hope, it will not be expected, that I should bestow remarks +upon every passage in this book, that is liable to exception for +ignorance, falsehood, dulness, or malice. Where he is so insipid, that +nothing can be struck out for the reader's entertainment, I shall +observe Horace's rule: + +"Quae desperes tractata nitescere posse, relinquas." + +Upon which account I shall say nothing of that great instance of his +candour and judgment in relation to Dr. Stillingfleet,[9] who (happening +to lie under his displeasure upon the fatal test of _imperium in +imperio_) is High Church and Jacobite, took the oaths of allegiance to +save him from the gallows,[10] and subscribed the articles only to keep +his preferment: Whereas the character of that prelate is universally +known to have been directly the reverse of what this writer gives him. + +[Footnote 9: Edward Stillingfleet (1635-1699), educated at Cambridge, +wrote in 1659 his "Irenicum, or Weapon Salve for the Church's Wounds." +He also published a "Rational Account of the Protestant Religion" in +1664. He occupied successively the important clerical offices of +Prebendary of St. Paul's, Archdeaconry of London, Deanery of St. Paul's, +and Bishopric of Worcester. The later years of his life were occupied in +a controversy with Locke on that writer's "Essay on the Human +Understanding." [T. S.]] + +[Footnote 10: Page v, he quotes Bishop Stillingfleet's "Vindication of +the Doctrine of the Trinity," where the bishop says, that a man might be +very right in the belief of an article, though mistaken in the +explication of it. Upon which Tindal observes: "These men treat the +articles, as they do the oath of allegiance, which, they say, obliges +them not actually to assist the government, but to do nothing against +it; that is, nothing that would bring 'em to the gallows." [Note in +edition 1764, 4to.]] + +But before he can attempt to ruin this damnable opinion of two +independent powers, he telleth us; page vi., "It will be necessary to +shew what is contained in the idea of government" Now, it is to be +understood, that this refined way of speaking was introduced by Mr. +Locke; after whom the author limpeth as fast as he is able. All the +former philosophers in the world, from the age of Socrates to ours, +would have ignorantly put the question, _Quid est imperium_? But now it +seemeth we must vary our phrase; and, since our modern improvement of +human understanding, instead of desiring a philosopher to describe or +define a mouse-trap, or tell me what it is; I must gravely ask, what is +contained in the idea of a mouse-trap? But then to observe how deeply +this new way of putting questions to a man's self, maketh him enter into +the nature of things; his present business is to show us, what is +contained in the idea of government. The company knoweth nothing of the +matter, and would gladly be instructed; which he doth in the following +words, p. 5. + +"It would be in vain for one intelligent being to pretend to set rules +to the actions of another, if he had it not in his power to reward the +compliance with, or punish the deviations from, his rules by some good, +or evil, which is not the natural consequence of those actions; since +the forbidding men to do or forbear an action on the account of that +convenience or inconvenience which attendeth it, whether he who forbids +it will or no, can be no more than advice." + +I shall not often draw such long quotations as this, which I could not +forbear to offer as a specimen of the propriety and perspicuity of this +author's style. And, indeed, what a light breaketh out upon us all, as +soon as we have read these words! How thoroughly are we instructed in +the whole nature of government? What mighty truths are here discovered; +and how clearly conveyed to our understandings? And therefore let us +melt this refined jargon into the old style for the improvement of such, +who are not enough conversant in the new. + +If the author were one who used to talk like one of us, he would have +spoke in this manner: "I think it necessary to give a full and perfect +definition of government, such as will shew the nature and all the +properties of it; and my definition is thus: One man will never cure +another of stealing horses, merely by minding him of the pains he hath +taken, the cold he hath got, and the shoe-leather he hath lost in +stealing that horse; nay, to warn him, that the horse may kick or fling +him, or cost him more than he is worth in hay and oats, can be no more +than advice. For the gallows is not the natural effect of robbing on the +highway, as heat is of fire: and therefore, if you will govern a man, +you must find out some other way of punishment, than what he will +inflict upon himself." + +Or, if this will not do, let us try it in another case (which I +instanced before) and in his own terms. Suppose he had thought it +necessary (and I think it was as much so as the other) to shew us what +is contained in the idea of a mousetrap, he must have proceeded in these +terms. "It would be in vain for an intelligent being, to set rules for +hindering a mouse from eating his cheese, unless he can inflict upon +that mouse some punishment, which, is not the natural consequence of +eating the cheese. For, to tell her, it may lie heavy on her stomach; +that she will grow too big to get back into her hole, and the like, can +be no more than advice: therefore, we must find out some way of +punishing her, which hath more inconveniences than she will ever suffer +by the mere eating of cheese." After this, who is so slow of +understanding, as not to have in his mind a full and complete idea of a +mouse-trap? Well.--The Free thinkers may talk what they please of +pedantry, and cant, and jargon of schoolmen, and insignificant terms in +the writings of the clergy, if ever the most perplexed and perplexing +follower of Aristotle from Scotus to Suarez[11] could be a match for +this author. + +[Footnote 11: Duns Scotus flourished in the thirteenth century. He +studied at Oxford and Paris, and his learning and acumen in reasoning +earned for him the title _The Subtle Doctor_. He died at Cologne in +1308. He was a strong upholder of the doctrine of the Immaculate +Conception. His works are published in twelve volumes folio. + +Francis Suarez (1548-1617) was a Spanish Jesuit who wrote a work by +command of the Pope against the English Reformation. He published some +very able religio-philosophical treatises, from the Roman Catholic point +of view; but, indeed, his writings altogether were enormous, so far as +their number are concerned. [T. S.]] + +But the strength of his arguments is equal to the clearness of his +definitions. For, having most ignorantly divided government into three +parts, whereof the first contains the other two; he attempteth to prove +that the clergy possess none of these by a divine right. And he argueth +thus, p. vii. "As to a legislative power, if that belongs to the clergy +by a divine right, it must be when they are assembled in convocation: +but the 25 Hen. VIII. c. 19 is a bar to any such divine right, because +that act makes it no less than a _praemunire_ for them, so much so as to +meet without the king's writ, &c." So that the force of his argument +lieth here; if the clergy had a divine right, it is taken away by the +25th of Henry the Eighth. And as ridiculous as this argument is, the +preface and book are founded upon it. + +Another argument against the legislative power in the clergy of England, +is, p. viii. that Tacitus telleth us; that in great affairs, the Germans +consulted the whole body of the people. "_De minoribus rebus principes +consultant, de majoribus omnes: Ita tamen, ut ea quoque, quorum penes +plebem arbitrium est, apud principes pertractentur."--Tacitus de Moribus +et Populis Germaniae_. Upon which Tindal observeth thus: "_De majoribus +omnes_, was a fundamental amongst our ancestors long before they arrived +in Great Britain, and matters of religion were ever reckoned among their +_majora_." (See Pref. p. viii. and ix.) Now it is plain, that our +ancestors, the Saxons, came from Germany: It is likewise plain, that +religion was always reckoned by the heathens among their _majora_: And +it is plain, the whole body of the people could not be the clergy, and +therefore, the clergy of England have no legislative power. + +_Thirdly_, p. ix. They have no legislative power, because Mr. +Washington, in his "Observations on the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of +the Kings of England," sheweth, from "undeniable authorities, that in +the time of William the Conqueror, and several of his successors, there +were no laws enacted concerning religion, but by the great council of +the kingdom." I hope, likewise, Mr. Washington observeth that this great +council of the kingdom, as appeareth by undeniable authorities, was +sometimes entirely composed of bishops and clergy, and called the +parliament, and often consulted upon affairs of state, as well as +church, as it is agreed by twenty writers of three ages; and if Mr. +Washington says otherwise, he is an author just fit to be quoted by +beaux. + +_Fourthly_,--But it is endless to pursue this matter any further; in +that, it is plain, the clergy have no divine right to make laws; because +Henry VIII, Edward VI, and Queen Elizabeth, with their parliaments will +not allow it them. Now, without examining what divine right the clergy +have, or how far it extendeth; is it any sort of proof that I have no +right, because a stronger power will not let me exercise it? Or doth +all, that this author says through his preface, or book itself, offer +any other sort of argument but this, or what he deduces the same way? + +But his arguments and definitions are yet more supportable than the +grossness of historical remarks, which are scattered so plentifully in +his book, that it would be tedious to enumerate, or to shew the fraud +and ignorance of them. I beg the reader's leave to take notice of one +here just in my way; and, the rather, because I design for the future to +let hundreds of them pass without further notice. "When," says he, p. x. +"by the abolishing of the Pope's power, things were brought back to +their ancient channel, the parliament's right in making ecclesiastical +laws revived of course." What can possibly be meant by this "ancient +channel?" Why, the channel that things ran in before the Pope had any +power in England: that is to say, before Austin the monk converted +England, before which time, it seems, the parliament had a right to make +ecclesiastical laws. And what parliament could this be? Why, the Lords +Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons met at Westminster. + +I cannot here forbear reproving the folly and pedantry of some lawyers, +whose opinions this poor creature blindly followeth, and rendereth yet +more absurd by his comments. The knowledge of our constitution can be +only attained by consulting the earliest English histories, of which +those gentlemen seem utterly ignorant, further than a quotation or an +index. They would fain derive our government as now constituted, from +antiquity: And, because they have seen Tacitus quoted for his _majoribus +omnes_; and have read of the Goths' military institution in their +progresses and conquests, they presently dream of a parliament. Had +their reading reached so far, they might have deduced it much more +fairly from Aristotle and Polybius, who both distinctly name the +composition of _rex, seniores, et populus_; and the latter, as I +remember particularly, with the highest approbation. The princes, in the +Saxon Heptarchy, did indeed call their nobles sometimes together upon +weighty affairs, as most other princes of the world have done in all +ages. But they made war and peace, and raised money by their own +authority: They gave or mended laws by their charters, and they raised +armies by their tenures. Besides, some of those kingdoms fell in by +conquests, before England was reduced under one head, and therefore +could pretend no rights, but by the concessions of the conqueror. + +Further, which is more material, upon the admission of Christianity, +great quantities of land were acquired by the clergy, so that the great +council of the nation was often entirely of churchmen, and ever a +considerable part. But, our present constitution is an artificial thing, +not fairly to be traced, in my opinion, beyond Henry I. Since which time +it hath in every age admitted several alterations; and differeth now as +much, even from what it was then, as almost any two species of +government described by Aristotle. And, it would be much more reasonable +to affirm, that the government of Rome continued the same under +Justinian, as it was in the time of Scipio, because the senate and +consuls still remained, although the power of both had been several +hundred years transferred to the emperors. + + +REMARKS ON THE PREFACE.[12] + +[Footnote 12: References to Tindal's book, and remarks upon it, which +the author left thus indigested, being hints for himself to use in +answering the said book.] + +Page iv, v. "If men of opposite sentiments can subscribe the same +articles, they are as much at liberty as if there were none." May not a +man subscribe the whole articles, because he differs from another in the +explication of one? How many oaths are prescribed, that men may differ +in the explication of some part of them? Instance, &c. + +Page vi. "Idea of Government." A canting pedantic way, learned from +Locke; and how prettily he sheweth it. Instance-- + +Page vii, "25 Hen. VIII. c. 19 is a bar to any such divine right [of a +legislative power in the clergy.]" Absurd to argue against the clergy's +divine right, because of the statute of Henry VIII. How doth that +destroy divine right? The sottish way of arguing; from what the +parliament can do; from their power, &c. + +Page viii. "If the parliament did not think they had a plenitude of +power in this matter, they would not have damned all the canons of +1640." What doth he mean? A grave divine could not answer all his +playhouse and Alsatia[13] cant, &c. He hath read Hudibras, and many +plays. + +[Footnote 13: Or Whitefriars, then a place of asylum, and frequented by +sharpers, of whose gibberish there are several specimens in Shadwell's +comedy, "The Squire of Alsatia." [T. S.]] + + +_Ibid_. "If the parliament can annul ecclesiastical laws, they must be +able to make them." Distinguish, and shew the silliness, &c. + +_Ibid_. All that he saith against the discipline, he might say the same +against the doctrine, nay, against the belief of a God, _viz_. That the +legislature might forbid it. The Church formeth and contriveth canons; +and the civil power, which is compulsive, confirms them. + +Page ix. "There were no laws enacted but by the great council of the +kingdom." And that was very often, chiefly, only bishops. + +_Ibid_. "Laws settled by parliament to punish the clergy." What laws +were those? + +Page x. "The people are bound to no laws but of their own choosing." It +is fraudulent; for they may consent to what others choose, and so people +often do. + +Page xiv. paragraph 6. "The clergy are not supposed to have any divine +legislature, because that must be superior to all worldly power; and +then the clergy might as well forbid the parliament to meet but when and +where they please, &c." No such consequence at all. They have a power +exclusive from all others. Ordained to act as clergy, but not govern in +civil affairs; nor act without leave of the civil power. + +Page xxv. "The parliament suspected the love of power natural to +churchmen." Truly, so is the love of pudding, and most other things +desirable in this life; and in that they are like the laity, as in all +other things that are not good. And, therefore, they are held not in +esteem for what they are like in, but for their virtues. The true way to +abuse them with effect, is to tell us some faults of theirs, that other +men have not, or not so much of as they, &c. Might not any man speak +full as bad of senates, diets, and parliaments, as he can do about +councils; and as bad of princes, as he does of bishops? + +Page xxxi. "They might as well have made Cardinals Campegi and de +Chinuchii, Bishops of Salisbury and Worcester, as have enacted that +their several sees and bishoprics were utterly void." No. The +legislature might determine who should not be a bishop there, but not +make a bishop. + +_Ibid_. "Were not a great number deprived by parliament upon the +Restoration?" Does he mean presbyters? What signifies that? + +_Ibid_. "Have they not trusted this power with our princes?" Why, aye. +But that argueth not right, but power. Have they not cut off a king's +head, &c. The Church must do the best they can, if not what they would. + +Page xxxvi. "If tithes and first-fruits are paid to spiritual persons as +such, the king or queen is the most spiritual person, &c." As if the +first-fruits, &c. were paid to the king, as tithes to a spiritual +person. + +Page xliii. "King Charles II. thought fit that the bishops in Scotland +should hold their bishoprics during will and pleasure; I do not find +that the High Church complained of this as an encroachment, &c." No; but +as a pernicious counsel of Lord Loch.[14] + +[Footnote 14: Scott thinks this refers to Lord Lauderdale. [T.S.]] + +Page xliv. "The common law judges have a power to determine, whether a +man has a legal right to the sacrament." They pretend it, but what we +complain of as most abominable hardship, &c. + +Page xlv. "Giving men thus blindly to the devil, is an extraordinary +piece of complaisance to a lay chancellor." He is something in the +right; and therefore it is a pity there are any; and I hope the Church +will provide against it. But if the sentence be just, it is not the +person, but the contempt. And, if the author attacketh a man on the +highway, and taketh but twopence, he shall be sent to the gallows, more +terrible to him than the devil, for his contempt of the law, &c. +Therefore he need not complain of being sent to hell. + +Page xliv. Mr. Leslie may carry things too far, as it is natural, +because the other extreme is so great. But what he says of the king's +losses, since the Church lands were given away, is too great a truth, +&c. + +Page lxxvi. "To which I have nothing to plead, except the zeal I have +for the Church of England." You will see some pages further, what he +meaneth by the Church; but it is not fair not to begin with telling us +what is contained in the idea of a Church, &c. + +Page lxxxiii. "They will not be angry with me for thinking better of the +Church than they do, &c." No, but they will differ from you; because the +worse the Queen is pleased, you think her better. I believe the Church +will not concern themselves much about your opinion of them, &c. + +Page lxxxiv. "But the Popish, Eastern, Presbyterian and Jacobite clergy, +&c." This is like a general pardon, with such exceptions as make it +useless, if we compute it, &c. + +Page lxxxvii. "Misapplying of the word church, &c." This is cavilling. +No doubt his project is for exempting the people: But that is not what +in common speech we usually mean by the Church. Besides, who doth not +know that distinction? + +_Ibid_. "Constantly apply the same ideas to them." This is, in old +English, meaning the same thing. + +Page lxxxix. "Demonstrates I could have no design but the promoting of +truth, &c." Yes, several designs, as money, spleen, atheism, &c. What? +will any man think truth was his design, and not money and malice? Doth +he expect the House will go into a committee for a bill to bring things +to his scheme, to confound everything, &c. + +Some deny Tindal to be the author, and produce stories of his dulness +and stupidity. But what is there in all this book, that the dullest man +in England might not write, if he were angry and bold enough, and had no +regard to truth? + +REMARKS UPON THE BOOK, &c. + +Page 4. "Whether Lewis XIV. has such a power over Philip V?" He speaketh +here of the unlimited, uncontrollable authority of fathers. A very +foolish question; and his discourse hitherto, of government, weak and +trivial, and liable to objections. + +_Ibid_. "Whom he is to consider not as his own, but the Almighty's +workmanship." A very likely consideration for the Ideas of the state of +nature. A very wrong deduction of paternal government; but that is +nothing to the dispute, &c. + +Page 12. "And as such might justly be punished by every one in the state +of nature." False; he doth not seem to understand the state of nature, +although he hath borrowed it from Hobbes, &c. + +Page 14. "Merely speculative points, and other indifferent things, &c." +And why are speculative opinions so insignificant? Do not men proceed in +their practice according to their speculations? So, if the author were a +chancellor and one of his speculations were, that the poorer the clergy +the better; would not that be of great use, if a cause came before him +of tithes or Church lands? + +_Ibid_. "Which can only be known by examining whether men had any power +in the state of nature over their own, or others' actions in these +matters." No, that is a wrong method, unless where religion hath not +been revealed; in natural religion. + +_Ibid_. "Nothing at first sight can be more obvious, than that in all +religious matters, none could make over the right of judging for +himself, since that would cause his religion to be absolutely at the +disposal of another." At his rate of arguing (I think I do not +misrepresent him, and I believe he will not deny the consequence) a man +may profess Heathenism, Mahometism, &c. and gain as many proselytes as +he can; and they may have their assemblies, and the magistrate ought to +protect them, provided they do not disturb the state: And they may enjoy +all secular preferments, be lords chancellors, judges, &c. But there are +some opinions in several religions, which, although they do not directly +make men rebel, yet lead to it. Instance some. Nay we might have temples +for idols, &c. A thousand such absurdities follow from his general +notions, and ill-digested schemes. And we see in the Old Testament, that +kings were reckoned good or ill, as they suffered or hindered +image-worship and idolatry, &c. which was limiting conscience. + +Page 15. "Men may form what clubs, companies, or meetings they think +fit, &c, which the magistrate, as long as the public sustains no damage, +cannot hinder, &c." This is false; although the public sustain no +damage, they will forbid clubs, where they think danger may happen. + +Page 16. "The magistrate is as much obliged to protect them in the way +they choose of worshipping Him, as in any other indifferent +matter."--Page 17. "The magistrate to treat all his subjects alike, how +much soever they differ from him or one another in these matters." This +shews, that although they be Turks, Jews, or Heathens, it is so. But we +are sure Christianity is the only true religion, &c. and therefore it +should be the magistrate's chief care to propagate it; and that God +should be worshipped in that that those who are the teachers think most +proper, &c. + +Page 18. "So that persecution is the most comprehensive of all crimes, +&c." But he hath not told us what is concluded in the idea of +persecution. State it right. + +_Ibid_. "But here it may be demanded, If a man's conscience make him do +such acts, &c." This doth not answer the above objection: For, if the +public be not disturbed with atheistical principles preached, nor +immoralities, all is well. So that still, men may be Jews, Turks, &c. + +Page 22. "The same reason which obliges them to make statutes of +mortmain, and other laws, against the people's giving estates to the +clergy, will equally hold for their taking them away when given." A +great security for property! Will this hold to any other society in the +state, as merchants, &c. or only to ecclesiastics? A pretty project: +Forming general schemes requires a deeper head than this man's. + +_Ibid_. "But the good of the society being the only reason of the +magistrate's having any power over men's properties, I cannot see why he +should deprive his subjects of any part thereof, for the maintenance of +such opinions as have no tendency that way, &c." Here is a paragraph +(_vide_ also _infra_) which has a great deal in it. The meaning is, that +no man ought to pay tithes, who doth not believe what the minister +preacheth. But how came they by this property? When they purchased the +land, they paid only for so much; and the tithes were exempted. It is an +older title than any man's estate is, and if it were taken away +to-morrow, it could not without a new law belong to the owners of the +other nine parts, any more than impropriations do. + +_Ibid_. "For the maintenance of such opinions, as no ways contribute to +the public good," By such opinions as the public receive no advantage +by, he must mean Christianity. + +Page 23. "Who by reason of such articles are divided into different +sects." A pretty cause of sects! &c. + +Page 24. "So the same reason as often as it occurs, will oblige him to +leave that Church." This is an excuse for his turning Papist. + +_Ibid_. "Unless you suppose churches like traps, easy to admit one; but +when once he is in, there he must always stick, either for the pleasure +or profit of the trap-setters." Remark his wit. + +Page 29. "Nothing can be more absurd than maintaining there must be two +independent powers in the same society." This is abominably absurd; shew +it. + +Page 33. "The whole hierarchy as built on it, must necessarily fall to +the ground, and great will be the fall of this spiritual Babylon." I +will do him justice, and take notice, when he is witty, &c. + +Page 36. "For if there may be two such [independent powers] in every +society on earth, why may there not be more than one in heaven?" A +delicate consequence. + +Page 37. "Without having the less, he could not have the greater, in +which that is contained." Sophistical; instance wherein. + +Page 42. "Some since, subtler than the Jews, have managed commutations +more to their own advantage, by enriching themselves, and beggaring, if +Fame be not a liar, many an honest dissenter." It is fair to produce +witnesses, is she a liar or not? The report is almost impossible. +Commutations were contrived for roguish registers and proctors, and lay +chancellors, but not for the clergy. + +Page 43. "Kings and people, who (as the Indians do the Devil) adored the +Pope out of fear." I am in doubt, whether I shall allow that for wit or +no, &c. Look you, in these cases, preface it thus: If one may use an old +saying. + +Page 44. "One reason why the clergy make what they call schism, to be so +heinous a sin." There it is now; because he hath changed churches, he +ridiculeth schism; as Milton wrote for divorces, because he had an ill +wife. For ten pages on, we must give the true answer, that makes all +these arguments of no use. + +Page 60. "It possibly will be said, I have all this while been doing +these gentlemen a great deal of wrong." To do him justice, he sets forth +the objections of his adversaries with great strength, and much to their +advantage. No doubt those are the very objections we would offer. + +Page 68. "Their executioner." He is fond of this word in many places, +yet there is nothing in it further than it is the name for the hangman, +&c. + +Page 69. "Since they exclude both from having anything in the ordering +of Church matters." Another part of his scheme: For by this the people +ought to execute ecclesiastical offices without distinction, for he +brings the other opinion as an absurd one. + +Page 72, "They claim a judicial power, and, by virtue of it the +government of the Church, and thereby (pardon the expression) become +traitors both to God and man." Who doth he desire to pardon him? or is +this meant of the English clergy? So it seemeth. Doth he desire them to +pardon him? They do it as Christians. Doth he desire the government to +do it? But then how can they make examples? He says, the clergy do so, +&c. so he means all. + +Page 74. "I would gladly know what they mean by giving the Holy Ghost." +Explain what is really meant by giving the Holy Ghost, like a king +empowering an ambassador.[15] + +[Footnote 15: See Hooker's "Eccl. Pol.," book v. Sec. 77.] + +Page 76. "The Popish clergy make very bold with the Three Persons of the +Trinity." Why then, don't mix them, but we see whom this glanceth on +most. As to the _Conge d'Elire_, and _Nolo episcopari_, not so absurd; +and, if omitted, why changed. + +Page 78. "But not to digress"--Pray, doth he call scurrility upon the +clergy, a digression? The apology needless, &c. + +_Ibid_. "A clergyman, it is said, is God's ambassador." But you know an +ambassador may have a secretary, &c. + +_Ibid_. "Call their pulpit speeches, the word of God." That is a +mistake. + +Page 79. "Such persons to represent Him." Are not they that own His +power, fitter to represent Him than others? Would the author be a fitter +person? + +_Ibid_. "Puffed up with intolerable pride and insolence." Not at all; +for where is the pride to be employed by a prince, whom so few own, and +whose being is disputed by such as this author? + +_Ibid_. "Perhaps from a poor servitor, &c. to be a prime minister in +God's kingdom." That is right. God taketh notice of the difference +between poor servitors, &c. Extremely foolish--shew it. The argument +lieth strongly against the apostles, poor fishermen; and St. Paul, a +tentmaker. So gross and idle! + +Page 80. "The formality of laying hand over head on a man." A pun; but +an old one. I remember, when Swan[16] made that pun first, he was +severely checked for it. + +[Footnote 16: Captain Swan was a celebrated low humorist and punster who +frequented Will's Coffee-house when it was the fashionable resort of men +of wit and pleasure. [T. S.]] + +_Ibid_. "What more is required to give one a right, &c." Here shew, what +power is in the church, and what in the state to make priests. + +Page 85. "To bring men into, and not turn them out of the ordinary way +of salvation." Yes; but as one rotten sheep doth mischief--and do you +think it reasonable, that such a one as this author, should converse +with Christians, and weak ones. + +Page 86. See his fine account of spiritual punishment. + +Page 87. "The clergy affirm, that if they had not the power to exclude +men from the Church, its unity could not be preserved." So to expel an +ill member from a college, would be to divide the college; as in +All-Souls, &c. Apply it to him.[17] + +[Footnote 17: Tindal was a fellow of All Souls College. [T. S.]] + +Page 88. "I cannot see but it is contrary to the rules of charity, to +exclude men from the Church, &c." All this turns upon the falsest +reasoning in the world. So, if a man be imprisoned for stealing a horse, +he is hindered from other duties: And, you might argue, that a man who +doth ill, ought to be more diligent in minding other duties, and not to +be debarred from them. It is for contumacy and rebellion against that +power in the church, which the law hath confirmed. So a man is outlawed +for a trifle, upon contumacy. + +Page 92. "Obliging all by penal laws to receive the sacrament." This is +false. + +Page 93. "The want of which means can only harden a man in his +impenitence." It is for his being hardened that he is excluded. Suppose +a son robbeth his father on the highway, and his father will not see him +till he restoreth the money and owneth his fault. It is hard to deny him +paying his duty in other things, &c. How absurd this! + +Page 95. "And that only _they_ had a right to give it." Another part of +his scheme, that the people have a right to give the sacrament. See more +of it, pp. 135 and 137. + +Page 96. "Made familiar to such practices by the heathen priests." Well; +and this shews the necessity of it for peace' sake. A silly objection of +this and other enemies to religion, to think to disgrace it by applying +heathenism, which only concerns the political part wherein they were as +wise as others, and might give rules. Instance in some, &c. + +Page 98. "How differently from this do the great pretenders to primitive +practice act, &c." This is a remarkable passage. Doth he condemn or +allow this mysterious way? It seems the first--and therefore these words +are a little turned, but infallibly stood in the first draught as a +great argument for Popery. + +Page 100. "They dress them up in a _sanbenito_." So, now we are to +answer for the inquisition. One thing is, that he makes the fathers +guilty of asserting most of the corruptions about the power of priests. + +Page 104. "Some priests assume to themselves an arbitrary power of +excluding men from the Lord's Supper." His scheme; that any body may +administer the sacraments, women or children, &c. + +Page 108. "One no more than another can be reckoned a priest." See his +scheme. Here he disgraces what the law enacts, about the manner of +consecrating, &c. + +Page 118. "Churches serve to worse purposes than bear-gardens." This +from Hudibras. + +Page 119. "In the time of that wise heathen Ammianus Marcellinus."[18] +Here he runs down all Christianity in general. + +[Footnote 18: Ammianus Marcellinus (died _c_. 390) wrote a history of +Rome in thirty-one books, of which Gibbon thought rather highly. The +history may be taken as a continuation of Tacitus and Suetonius. [T. +S.]] + +Page 120. "I shall, in the following part of my discourse, shew that +this doctrine is so far from serving the ends of religion, that, 1. It +prevents the spreading of the gospel, &c." This independent power in the +church is like the worms; being the cause of all diseases. + +Page 124. "How easily could the Roman emperors have destroyed the +Church?" Just as if he had said; how easily could Herod kill Christ +whilst a child, &c. + +Page 125. "The people were set against bishops by reason of their +tyranny." Wrong. For the bishops were no tyrants: Their power was +swallowed up by the Popes, and the people desired they should have more. +It were the regulars that tyrannized and formed priestcraft. He is +ignorant. + +Page 139. "He is not bound by the laws of Christ to leave his friends in +order to be baptized, &c." This directly against the Gospel.--One would +think him an emissary, by his preaching schism. + +Page 142. "Then will the communion of saints be practicable, to which +the principles of all parties, the occasional conformists only excepted, +stand in direct opposition, &c." So that all are wrong but they. The +Scripture is fully against schism. Tindal promoteth it and placeth in it +all the present and future happiness of man. + +Page 144. All he has hitherto said on this matter, with a very little +turn, were arguments for Popery: For, it is certain, that religion had +share in very few wars for many hundred years before the Reformation, +because they were all of a mind. It is the ambition of rebels, preaching +upon the discontents of sectaries, that they are not supreme, which hath +caused wars for religion. He is mistaken altogether. His little narrow +understanding and want of learning. + +Page 145. "Though some say the high-fliers' lives might serve for a very +good rule, if men would act quite contrary to them," Is he one of those +some? Beside the new turn of wit, &c. all the clergy in England come +under his notion of high-fliers, as he states it. + +Page 147. "None of them (Churchmen) could be brought to acknowledge it +lawful upon any account whatever, to exclude the Duke of York." This +account false in fact. + +_Ibid_. "And the body-politic, whether ecclesiastical or civil, must be +dealt with after the same manner, as the body-natural." What, because it +is called a body, and is a simile, must it hold in all circumstances? + +Page 148. "We find all wise legislators have had regard to the tempers, +inclinations, and prejudices, &c." This paragraph false.--It was +directly contrary in several, as Lycurgus, &c. + +Page 152. "All the skill of the prelatists is not able to discover the +least distinction between bishop and presbyter." Yet, God knows, this +hath been done many a time. + +Page 158. "The Epistle to the Philippians is directed to the bishops and +deacons, I mean in due order after the people, _viz_, to the saints with +their bishops and deacons." I hope he would argue from another place, +that the people precede the king, because of these words: "Ye shall be +destroyed both you and your king." + +Page 167. "The Pope and other great Church dons." I suppose, he meaneth +bishops: But I wish, he would explain himself, and not be so very witty +in the midst of an argument; it is like two mediums; not fair in +disputing. + +Page 168. "Clemens Romanus blames the people not for assuming a power, +but for making a wrong use of it, &c." His great error all along is, +that he doth not distinguish between a power, and a liberty of +exercising that power, &c. I would appeal to any man, whether the clergy +have not too little power, since a book like this, that unsettleth +foundations and would destroy all, goes unpunished, &c. + +Page 171. "By this or some such method the bishops obtained their power +over their fellow presbyters, and both over the people. The whole tenor +of the Gospel directly contrary to it." Then it is not an allowable +means: This carries it so far as to spoil his own system; it is a sin to +have bishops as we have them. + +Page 172. "The preservation of peace and unity, and not any divine +right, was the reason of establishing a superiority of one of the +presbyters over the rest. Otherwise there would, as they say, have been +as many schismatics as Presbyters. No great compliment to the clergy of +those days." Why so? It is the natural effect of a worse independency, +which he keepeth such a clatter about; an independency of churches on +each other, which must naturally create schism. + +Page 183. "How could the Christians have asserted the disinterestedness +of those who first preached the Gospel, particularly their having a +right to the tenth part." Yes, that would have passed easy enough; for +they could not imagine teachers could live on air; and their heathen +priests were much more unreasonable. + +Page 184. "Men's suffering for such opinions is not sufficient to +support the weight of them." This is a glance against Christianity. +State the case of converting infidels; the converters are supposed few; +the bulk of the priests must be of the converted country. It is their +own people therefore they maintain. What project or end can a few +converters propose? they can leave no power to their families, &c. State +this, I say, at length, and give it a true turn. Princes give +corporations power to purchase lands. + +Page 187. "That it became an easy prey to the barbarous nations." +Ignorance in Tindal. The empire long declined before Christianity was +introduced. This a wrong cause, if ever there was one. + +Page 190, "It is the clergy's interest to have religion corrupted." +Quite the contrary; prove it. How is it the interest of the English +clergy to corrupt religion? The more justice and piety the people have, +the better it is for them; for that would prevent the penury of farmers, +and the oppression of exacting covetous landlords, &c. That which hath +corrupted religion, is the liberty unlimited of professing all opinions. +Do not lawyers render law intricate by their speculations, &c. And +physicians, &c. + +Page 209. "The spirit and temper of the clergy, &c." What does this man +think the clergy are made of? Answer generally to what he says against +councils in the ten pages before. Suppose I should bring quotations in +their praise. + +Page 211. "As the clergy, though few in comparison of the laity, were +the inventors of corruptions." His scheme is, that the fewer and poorer +the clergy the better, and the contrary among the laity. A noble +principle; and delicate consequences from it. + +Page 207. "Men are not always condemned for the sake of opinions, but +opinions sometimes for the sake of men." And so, he hopes, that if his +opinions are condemned, people will think, it is a spite against him, as +having been always scandalous. + +Page 210. "The meanest layman as good a judge as the greatest priest, +for the meanest man is as much interested in the truth of religion as +the greatest priest." As if one should say, the meanest sick man hath as +much interest in health as a physician, therefore is as good a judge of +physic as a physician, &c. + +_Ibid_. "Had synods been composed of laymen, none of those corruptions +which tend to advance the interest of the clergy, &c." True, but the +part the laity had in reforming, was little more than plundering. He +should understand, that the nature of things is this, that the clergy +are made of men, and, without some encouragement, they will not have the +best, but the worst. + +Page 215. "They who gave estates to, rather than they who took them +from, the clergy, were guilty of sacrilege." Then the people are the +Church, and the clergy not; another part of his scheme. + +Page 219. "The clergy, as they subsisted by the alms of the people, &c." +This he would have still. Shew the folly of it. Not possible to shew any +civilized nation ever did it Who would be clergymen then? The absurdity +appears by putting the case, that none were to be statesmen, lawyers, or +physicians, but who were to subsist by alms. + +Page 222. "These subtle clergymen work their designs, who lately cut out +such a tacking job for them, &c." He is mistaken--Everybody was for the +bill almost: though not for the tack. The Bishop of Sarum was for it, as +appears by his speech against it. But it seems, the tacking is owing to +metaphysical speculations. I wonder whether is most perplexed, this +author in his style, or the writings of our divines. In the judgment of +all people our divines have carried practical preaching and writing to +the greatest perfection it ever arrived to; which shews, that we may +affirm in general, our clergy is excellent, although this or that man be +faulty. As if an army be constantly victorious, regular, &c. we may say, +it is an excellent victorious army: But Tindal; to disparage it, would +say, such a serjeant ran away; such an ensign hid himself in a ditch; +nay, one colonel turned his back, therefore, it is a corrupt, cowardly +army, &c. + +Page 224. "They were as apprehensive of the works of Aristotle, as some +men are of the works of a late philosopher, which, they are afraid, will +let too much light into the world." Yet just such, another; only a +commentator on Aristotle. People are likely to improve their +understanding much with Locke; It is not his "Human Understanding," but +other works that people dislike, although in that there are some +dangerous tenets, as that of [no] innate ideas. + +Page 226. "Could they, like the popish priests, add to this a restraint +on the press, their business would be done." So it ought: For example, +to hinder his book, because it is written to justify the vices and +infidelity of the age. There can be no other design in it. For, is this +a way or manner to do good? Railing doth but provoke. The opinion of the +whole parliament is, the clergy are too poor. + +_Ibid_. "When some nations could be no longer kept from prying into +learning, this miserable gibberish of the schools was contrived." We +have exploded schoolmen as much as he, and in some people's opinion too +much, since the liberty of embracing any opinion is allowed. They +following Aristotle, who is doubtless the greatest master of arguing in +the world: But it hath been a fashion of late years to explode +Aristotle, and therefore this man hath fallen into it like others, for +that reason, without understanding him. Aristotle's poetry, rhetoric, +and politics, are admirable, and therefore, it is likely, so are his +logics. + +Page 230. "In these freer countries, as the clergy have less power, so +religion is better understood, and more useful and excellent discourses +are made on that subject, &c." Not generally. Holland not very famous, +Spain hath been, and France is. But it requireth more knowledge, than +his, to form general rules, which people strain (when ignorant) to false +deductions to make them out. + +Page 232. Chap. VII. "That this hypothesis of an independent power in +any set of clergymen, makes all reformation unlawful, except where those +who have this power, do consent." The title of this chapter, A Truism. + +Page 234. "If God has not placed mankind in respect to civil matters +under an absolute power, but has permitted them in every society to act +as they judge best for their own safety, &c." Bad parallels; bad +politics; want of due distinction between teaching and government. The +people may know when they are governed well, but not be wiser than their +instructors. Shew the difference. + +_Ibid_. "If God has allowed the civil society these privileges can we +suppose He hath less kindness for His church, &c." Here they are +distinguished, then, here it makes for him. It is a sort of turn of +expression, which is scarce with him, and he contradicts himself to +follow it. + +Page 235. "This cursed hypothesis had, perhaps, never been thought on +with relation to civils, had not the clergy (who have an inexhaustible +magazine of oppressive doctrines) contrived first in ecclesiasticals, +&c." The seventh paragraph furious and false. Were there no tyrants +before the clergy, &c.? + +Page 236. "Therefore in order to serve them, though I expect little +thanks, &c." And, why so? Will they not, as you say, follow their +interest? I thought you said so. He has three or four sprightly turns of +this kind, that look, as if he thought he had done wonders, and had put +all the clergy in a ferment. Whereas, I do assure him, there are but two +things wonderful in his book: First, how any man in a Christian country +could have the boldness and wickedness to write it: And, how any +government would neglect punishing the author of it, if not as an enemy +of religion, yet a profligate trumpeter of sedition. These are hard +words, got by reading his book. + +_Ibid_. "The light of nature as well as the Gospel, obliges people to +judge of themselves, &c. to avoid false prophets, seducers, &c." The +legislature can turn out a priest, and appoint another ready-made, but +not make one; as you discharge a physician, and may take a farrier; but +he is no physician, unless made as he ought to be. + +_Ibid_. "Since no more power is required for the one than the other." +That is, I dislike my physician, and can turn him off, therefore I can +make any man a physician, &c. "_Cujus est destruere_, &c." Jest on it: +Therefore because he lays schemes for destroying the Church, we must +employ him to raise it again. See, what danger lies in applying maxims +at random. So, because it is the soldiers' business to knock men on the +head, it is theirs likewise to raise them to life, &c. + +Page 237. "It can belong only to the people to appoint their own +ecclesiastical officers." This word "people" is so delicious in him, +that I cannot tell what is included in the idea of the "people." Doth he +mean the rabble or the legislature, &c. In this sense it may be true, +that the legislature giveth leave to the bishops to appoint, and they +appoint themselves, I mean, the executive power appoints, &c. He sheweth +his ignorance in government. As to High Church he carrieth it a +prodigious way, and includeth, in the idea of it, more than others will +allow. + +Page 239 "Though it be customary to admit none to the ministry who are +not approved by the bishops or priests, &c." One of his principles to +expose. + +_Ibid_ "If every one has not an inherent right to choose his own guide, +then a man must be either of the religion of his guide, or, &c." That +would make delicate work in a nation. What would become of all our +churches? They must dwindle into conventicles. Show what would be the +consequence of this scheme in several points. This great reformer, if +his projects were reduced to practice, how many thousand sects, and +consequently tumults, &c. Men must be governed in speculation, at least +not suffered to vent them, because opinions tend to actions, which are +most governed by opinions, &c. If those who write for the church writ +no better, they would succeed but scurvily. But to see whether he be a +good writer, let us see when he hath published his second part. + +Page 253 "An excellent author in his preface to the Account of Denmark." +This man judgeth and writeth much of a level. Molesworth's preface full +of stale profligate topics. That author wrote his book in spite to a +nation, as this doth to religion, and both perhaps on poor personal +piques[1]. + +[Footnote 19: This was Robert, Viscount Molesworth (1656-1725), who +was born in Dublin, and educated at Trinity College there. He was +ambassador at Copenhagen, but had to resign on account of a dispute with +the Danish king. The "Account of Denmark," which he wrote on his +return, was answered by Dr. King. [T. S.]] + +_Ibid_ "By which means, and not by any difference in speculative +matters, they are more rich and populous." As if ever anybody thought +that a difference in speculative opinions made men richer or poorer, for +example, &c. + +Page 258 "Play the Devil for God's sake." If this is meant for wit, I +would be glad to observe it, but in such cases I first look whether +there be common sense, &c. + +Page 261 "Christendom has been the scene of perpetual wars, massacres, +&c." He doth not consider that most religious wars have been caused by +schisms, when the dissenting parties were ready to join with any +ambitious discontented man. The national religion always desireth peace, +even in her notions, for its interests. + +Page 270. "Some have taken the liberty to compare a high church priest +in politics to a monkey in a glass-shop, where, as he can do no good, so +he never fails of doing mischief enough." That is his modesty, it is his +own simile, and it rather fits a man that does so and so, (meaning +himself.) Besides the comparison is foolish: So it is with _men_, as +with _stags_. + +Page 276. "Their interest obliges them directly to promote tyranny." The +matter is, that Christianity is the fault, which spoils the priests, for +they were like other men, before they were priests. Among the Romans, +priests did not do so; for they had the greatest power during the +republic. I wonder he did not prove they spoiled Nero. + +Page 277. "No princes have been more insupportable and done greater +violence to the commonwealth than those the clergy have honoured for +saints and martyrs." For example in our country, the princes most +celebrated by our clergy are, &c. &c. &c. And the quarrels since the +Conquest were nothing at all of the clergy, but purely of families, &c. +wherein the clergy only joined like other men. + +Page 279. "After the Reformation,[20]I desire to know whether the +conduct of the clergy was anyways altered for the better, &c." Monstrous +misrepresentation. Does this man's spirit of declaiming let him forget +all truth of fact, as here, &c.? Shew it. Or doth he flatter himself, a +time will come in future ages, that men will believe it on his word? In +short, between declaiming, between misrepresenting, and falseness, and +charging Popish things, and independency huddled together, his whole +book is employed. + +[Footnote 20: "Reformation" in 4to and 8vo editions, but Tindal's word +is "Restoration." [T.S.]] + +Set forth at large the necessity of union in religion, and the +disadvantage of the contrary, and answer the contrary in Holland, where +they have no religion, and are the worst constituted government in the +world to last. It is ignorance of causes and appearances which makes +shallow people judge so much to their advantage. They are governed by +the administration and almost legislature of Holland through advantage +of property; nor are they fit to be set in balance with a noble kingdom, +&c. like a man that gets a hundred pounds a year by hard labour, and one +that has it in land. + +Page 280. "It may be worth enquiring, whether the difference between the +several sects in England, &c." A noble notion started, that union in the +Church must enslave the kingdom: reflect on it. This man hath somewhere +heard, that it is a point of wit to advance paradoxes, and the bolder +the better. But the wit lies in maintaining them, which he neglecteth, +and formeth imaginary conclusions from them, as if they were true and +uncontested. + +He adds, "That in the best constituted Church, the greatest good which, +can be expected of the ecclesiastics, is from their divisions." This is +a maxim deduced from a gradation of false suppositions. If a man should +turn the tables, and argue that all the debauchery, atheism, +licentiousness, &c. of the times, were owing to the poverty of the +clergy, &c. what would he say? There have been more wars of religion +since the ruin of the clergy, than before, in England. All the civil +wars before were from other causes. + +Page 283. "Prayers are made in the loyal university of Oxford, to +continue the throne free from the contagion of schism. See Mather's +sermon on the 29th of May, 1705." Thus he ridicules the university while +he is eating their bread. The whole university comes with the most loyal +addresses, yet that goes for nothing. If one indiscreet man drops an +indiscreet word, all must answer for it. + +Page 286. "By allowing all, who hold no opinions prejudicial to the +state, and contribute equally with their fellow-subjects to its support, +equal privileges in it." But who denies that of the dissenters? The +Calvinist scheme, one would not think, proper for monarchy. Therefore, +they fall in with the Scotch, Geneva, and Holland; and when they had +strength here, they pulled down the monarchy. But I will tell an opinion +they hold prejudicial to the state in his opinion; and that is, that +they are against toleration, of which, if I do not shew him ten times +more instances from their greatest writers, than he can do of passive +obedience among the clergy, I have done. + +"Does not justice demand, that they who alike contribute to the burden, +should alike receive the advantage?" Here is another of his maxims +closely put without considering what exceptions may be made. The Papists +have contributed doubly (being so taxed) therefore by this rule they +ought to have double advantage. Protection in property, leave to trade +and purchase, &c. are enough for a government to give. Employments in a +state are a reward for those who entirely agree with it, &c. For +example, a man, who upon all occasions declared his opinion of a +commonwealth to be preferable to a monarchy, would not be a fit man to +have employments; let him enjoy his opinion, but not be in a capacity of +reducing it to practice, &c. + +Page 287. "There can be no alteration in the established mode of Church +discipline, which is not made in a legal way." Oh, but there are several +methods to compass this legal way, by cunning, faction, industry. The +common people, he knows, may be wrought upon by priests; these may +influence the faction, and so compass a very pernicious law, and in a +legal way ruin the state; as King Charles I. began to be ruined in a +legal way, by passing bills, &c. + +Page 288. "As everything is persecution, which puts a man in a worse +condition than his neighbours." It is hard to think sometimes whether +this man is hired to write for or against dissenters and the sects. This +is their opinion, although they will not own it so roundly. Let this be +brought to practice: Make a quaker lord chancellor, who thinketh paying +tithes unlawful. And bring other instances to shew that several +employments affect the Church. + +_Ibid_. "Great advantage which both Church and state have got by the +kindness already shewn to dissenters." Let them then be thankful for +that. We humour children for their good sometimes, but too much may +hurt. Observe that this 64th paragraph just contradicts the former. For, +if we have advantage by kindness shewn dissenters, then there is no +necessity of banishment, or death. + +Page 290. "Christ never designed the holy Sacrament should be +prostituted to serve a party. And that people should be bribed by a +place to receive unworthily." Why, the business is, to be sure, that +those who are employed are of the national church; and the way to know +it is by receiving the sacrament, which all men ought to do in their own +church; and if not, are hardly fit for an office; and if they have those +moral qualifications he mentioneth, joined to religion, no fear of +receiving unworthily. And for this there might be a remedy: To take an +oath, that they are of the same principles, &c. for that is the end of +receiving; and that it might be no bribe, the bill against occasional +conformity would prevent entirely. + +_Ibid_. "Preferring men not for their capacity, but their zeal to the +Church." The misfortune is, that if we prefer dissenters to great posts, +they will have an inclination to make themselves the national church, +and so there will be perpetual struggling; which case may be dangerous +to the state. For men are naturally wishing to get over others to their +own opinion: Witness this writer, who hath published as singular and +absurd notions as possible, yet hath a mighty zeal to bring us over to +them, &c. + +Page 292. Here are two pages of scurrilous faction, with a deal of +reflections on great persons. Under the notion of High-Churchmen, he +runs down all uniformity and church government. Here is the whole Lower +House of Convocation, which represents the body of the clergy and both +universities, treated with rudeness by an obscure, corrupt member, while +he is eating their bread. + +Page 294. "The reason why the middle sort of people retain so much of +their ancient virtue &c. is because no such pernicious notions are the +ingredients of their education; which 'tis a sign are infinitely absurd, +when so many of the gentry and nobility can, notwithstanding their +prepossession, get clear of them." Now the very same argument lies +against religion, morality, honour, and honesty, which are, it seems, +but prejudices of education, and too many get clear of them. The middle +sort of people have other things to mind than the factions of the age. +He always assigneth many causes, and sometimes with reason, since he +maketh imaginary effects. He quarrels at power being lodged in the +clergy: When there is no reasonable Protestant, clergy, or laity, who +will not readily own the inconveniences by too great power and wealth, +in any one body of men, ecclesiastics, or seculars: But on that account +to weed up the wheat with the tares; to banish all religion, because it +is capable of being corrupted; to give unbounded licence to all sects, +&c.--And if heresies had not been used with some violence in the +primitive age, we should have had, instead of true religion, the most +corrupt one in the world. + +Page 316. "The Dutch, and the rest of our presbyterian allies, &c." The +Dutch will hardly thank him for this appellation. The French Huguenots, +and Geneva Protestants themselves, and others, have lamented the want of +episcopacy, and approved ours, &c. In this and the next paragraph, the +author introduceth the arguments he formerly used, when he turned papist +in King James's time; and loth to lose them, he gives them a new turn; +and they are the strongest In his book, at least have most artifice. + +Page 333. "'Tis plain, all the power the bishops have, is derived from +the people, &c." In general the distinction lies here. The permissive +power of exercising jurisdiction, lies in the people, or legislature, or +administrator of a kingdom; but not of making him a bishop. As a +physician that commenceth abroad, may be suffered to practise in London +or be hindered; but they have not the power of creating him a doctor, +which is peculiar to a university. This is some allusion; but the thing +is plain, as it seemeth to me, and wanteth no subterfuge, &c. + +Page 338. "A journeyman bishop to ordain for him." Doth any man think, +that writing at this rate, does the author's cause any service? Is it +his wit or his spleen that he cannot govern? + +Page 364. "Can any have a right to an office without having a right to +do those things in which the office consists?" I answer, the ordination +is valid. But a man may prudentially forbid to do some things. As a +clergyman may marry without licence or banns; the marriage is good; yet +he is punishable for it. + +Page 368. "A choice made by persons who have no right to choose, is an +error of the first concoction." That battered simile again; this is +hard. I wish the physicians had kept that a secret, it lieth so ready +for him to be witty with. + +Page 370. "If prescription can make mere nullities to become good and +valid, the laity may be capable of all manner of ecclesiastical power, +&c." There is a difference; for here the same way is kept, although +there might be breaches; but it is quite otherwise, if you alter the +whole method from what it was at first. We see bishops: There always +were bishops: It is the old way still. So a family is still held the +same, although we are not sure of the purity of every one of the race. + +Page 380. "It is said, That every nation is not a complete body politic +within itself as to ecclesiasticals. But the whole church, say they, +composes such a body, and Christ is the head of it. But Christ's +headship makes Christians no more one body politic with respect to +ecclesiasticals than to civils." Here we must shew the reason and +necessity of the Church being a corporation all over the world: To avoid +heresies, and preserve fundamentals, and hinder corrupting of Scripture, +&c. But there are no such necessities in government, to be the same +everywhere, &c. It is something like the colleges in a university; they +all are independent, yet, joined, are one body. So a general council +consisteth of many persons independent of one another, &c. + +However there is such a thing as _jus gentium_, &c. And he that is +doctor of physic, or law, is so in any university of Europe, like the +_Respublica Literaria_. Nor to me does there seem anything +contradicting, or improper in this notion of the Catholic Church; and +for want of such a communion, religion is so much corrupted, and would +be more, if there were [not] more communion in this than in civils. It +is of no import to mankind how nations are governed; but the preserving +the purity of religion is best held up by endeavouring to make it one +body over the world. Something like as there is in trade. So to be able +to communicate with all Christians we come among, is at least to be +wished and aimed at as much as we can. + +Page 384. "In a word, if the bishops are not supreme, &c." Here he +reassumeth his arguments for Popery, that there cannot be a body politic +of the Church through the whole world, without a visible head to have +recourse to. These were formerly writ to advance Popery, and now to put +an absurdity upon the hypothesis of a Catholic Church. As they say in +Ireland, in King James's time, they built mass-houses, which we make +very good barns of. + +Page 388. "Bishops are, under a _premunire_ obliged to confirm and +consecrate the person named in the _conge d'Elire_." This perhaps is +complained of. He is permitted to do it. We allow the legislature may +hinder if they please; as they may turn out Christianity, if they think +fit. + +Page 389. "It is the magistrate who empowers them to do more for other +bishops than they can for themselves, since they cannot appoint their +own successors." Yes they could, if the magistrate would let them. Here +is an endless splutter, and a parcel of perplexed distinctions upon no +occasion. All that the clergy pretend to, is a right of qualifying men +for the ministry, something like what a university doth with degrees. +This power they claim from God, and that the civil power cannot do it as +pleasing to God without them; but they may choose whether they will +suffer it or no. A religion cannot be crammed down a nation's throat +against their will; but when they receive a religion, it is supposed +they receive as their converters give it; and, upon that foot, they +cannot justly mingle their own methods, that contradict that religion, +&c. + +Page 390. "With us the bishops act only ministerially and by virtue of +the regal commission, by which the prince firmly enjoins and commands +them to proceed in choosing, confirming, and consecrating, &c." Suppose +we held it unlawful to do so: How can we help it? but does that make it +rightful, if it be not so? Suppose the author lived in a heathen +country, where a law would be made to call Christianity idolatrous; +would that be a topic for him to prove it so by, &c.? And why do the +clergy incur a _pre-munire;_--To frighten them--Because the law +understandeth, that, if they refuse, the chosen cannot be a bishop: But, +if the clergy had an order to do it otherwise than they have prescribed, +they ought and would incur an hundred rather. + +Page 402. "I believe the Catholic Church, &c." Here he ridicules the +Apostles' Creed.--Another part of his scheme.--By what he says in these +pages, it is certain, his design is either to run down Christianity, or +set up Popery; the latter it is more charitable to think, and, from his +past life, highly probable. + +Page 405. "That which gave the Papists so great advantage was, +clergymen's talking so very inconsistent with themselves, &c." State the +difference here between our separation from Rome, and the dissenters +from us, and shew the falseness of what he sayeth. I wish he would tell +us what he leaveth for a clergyman to do, if he may not instruct the +people in religion, and if they should not receive his instructions. + +Page 411. "The restraint of the press a badge of Popery." Why is that a +badge of Popery? Why not restrain the press to those who would confound +religion, as in civil matters? But this toucheth himself. He would +starve, perhaps, &c, Let him get some honester livelihood then. It is +plain, all his arguments against constraint, &c. favour the papists as +much as dissenters; for both have opinions that may affect the peace of +the state. + +Page 413. "Since this discourse, &c." And must we have another volume on +this one subject of independency? Or, is it to fright us? I am not of +Dr. Hickes's mind, _Qu'il venge_. I pity the readers, and the clergy +that must answer it, be it ever so insipid. Reflect on his sarcastic +conclusion, &c. + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +A + +PREFACE + +TO THE + +B---P OF S----M'S + +INTRODUCTION, &c. + + +NOTE. + +AT the time of writing this scathing piece of invective, Swift was busy +dealing out to an old friend a similar specimen of his terrible power of +rejoinder. Steele, in the newly established "Guardian," as Mr. Churton +Collins well puts it, "drunk with party spirit, had so far forgotten +himself as to insert ... a coarse and ungenerous reflection on Swift." +Swift sought an explanation through Addison, but Steele's egotism was +stronger than the feeling of friendship, and the insult remained for +Swift to wipe out in "The Importance of the 'Guardian' Considered." +Probably this severance from his friend, due to political +differences--for Steele glowed in Whiggism--deepened, if possible, his +hatred to Whigs of whatever degree; and in Burnet he found another +object for his wit. But apart from such a suggestion, there was enough +in the Bishop's attitude towards the Tories to rouse Swift to his task. +It was not enough that Burnet should accuse his political opponents of +sympathy with the French, Jacobitism, and Popery, but he must needs +flaunt his vanity in issuing, in advance, for purposes of advertisement, +the introduction to a work which was to come later. This was enough for +Swift, and the prelate who "could smell popery at five hundred miles +distance better than fanaticism under his nose," became the recipient of +one of the most amusing and yet most virulent attacks which even that +controversial age produced. "The whole pamphlet," Mr. Collins truly +says, "is inimitable. Its irony, its humour, its drollery, are +delicious." + +It must not, however, be imagined that Swift's opinion of Burnet is only +that which can be gathered from this "Preface." He fully appreciated the +sterling qualities of scholarship and good nature, since in his +"Remarks" on Burnet's "History of My Own Time," he says: "after all he +was a man of generosity and good nature, and very communicative; but in +his last ten years was absolutely party-mad, and fancied he saw Popery +under every bush." Lord Dartmouth has left an excellent sketch of +Burnet's character in a note to the "History of My Own Time": "Bishop +Burnet was a man of the most extensive knowledge I ever met with; had +read and seen a great deal, with a prodigious memory, and a very +indifferent judgment: he was extremely partial, and readily took +everything for granted that he heard to the prejudice of those he did +not like: which made him pass for a man of less truth than he really +was. I do not think he designedly published anything he believed to be +false. He had a boisterous, vehement manner of expressing himself, which +often made him ridiculous, especially in the House of Lords, when what +he said would not have been thought so, delivered in a lower voice, and +a calmer behaviour. His vast knowledge occasioned his frequent rambling +from the point he was speaking to, which ran him into discourses of so +universal a nature, that there was no end to be expected but from a +failure of his strength and spirits, of both which he had a larger share +than most men; which were accompanied with a most invincible assurance." +(Note to the Preface of Burnet's "History of My Own Time," vol. i. p. +xxxiii, Oxford, 1897.) + +It may not be altogether out of place to give here a short biographical +sketch of Bishop Burnet. + +Gilbert Burnet was born at Edinburgh in 1643. He studied first at +Aberdeen and then in Holland. In 1665, after he was elected a Fellow of +the Royal Society, he entered holy orders, became vicar of Saltoun, and, +in 1669, professor of divinity at Glasgow. The year 1673 found him in +London, engaged on his "History of the Reformation," and fulfilling the +duties of chaplain to the king, preacher to the Rolls, and lecturer of +St. Clement's. The "Reformation" appeared in three folio volumes; the +first in 1679, the second in 1681, and the third in 1714. He had already +written the "Lives of the Dukes of Hamilton," the "Life of Sir Matthew +Hale," and a "Life of the Earl of Rochester." Getting into some +political trouble he was deprived of his offices, and left England for +the continent. After travelling in France he settled in Holland, and +married a Dutch lady. When the Prince of Orange came to England to +assume the government of the country, Burnet accompanied him, and in +1689 was installed into the bishopric of Salisbury. Evidently he had too +zealous a sentiment for William and Mary, for his pastoral letter to the +clergy of his diocese, commenting on the new sovereign, was condemned by +the parliament, and ordered to be burnt by the common hangman. He +married again, on the death of his Dutch wife, a rich widow, Mrs. +Berkeley, who was his third spouse--hence Swift's caustic reference. He +died March 17th, 1714-15. In addition to his histories of the +Reformation and his own times, he wrote an "Exposition of the +Thirty-Nine Articles" (1699), the "Life of Bishop Bedell" and the other +lives already named, and several sermons and controversial pieces. + +The text of this pamphlet is that of the first edition, collated with, +those given by Faulkner, Hawkesworth, the "Miscellanies" of 1745, and +Scott. It was originally published in 1713. + +[T.S.] + + + A + PREFACE[1] + T O T H E + B--p of S--r--m's + INTRODUCTION + To the Third Volume of the + History of the Reformation + of the + Church of _England_. + +_By GREGORY MISOSARVM._ + +_----Spargere voces + In vulgum ambiguas; & quaerere confcius arma._ + +The Second Edition + +_LONDON_: + +Printed for _John Morphew, _near _Stationers Hall_. 1713. Price +_6d_. + + +THE PREFACE.[2] + + +MR. MORPHEW, + +Your care in putting an advertisement in the _EXAMINER_ has been of +great use to me. I do now send you my Preface to the B----p of +S----r----m's INTRODUCTION to his third volume, which I desire you to +print in such a form, as in the bookseller's phrase will make a sixpenny +touch; hoping it will give such a public notice of my design, that it +may come into the hands of those who perhaps look not into the B----p's +Introduction. I desire you will prefix to this a passage out of Virgil, +which does so perfectly agree with my present thoughts of his +L----dsh----p, that I cannot express them better, nor more truly, than +those words do. + +I am, Sir, + +Your most humble servant, + +G. MISOSARUM. + +[Footnote 1: Mr. Nichols quotes from the "Speculum Sarisburianum," "That +the frequent and hasty repetitions of such prefaces and introductions, +no less than three new ones in about one year's time, beside an old +serviceable one republished concerning persecution--are preludes to +other practical things, beside pastoral cares, sermons, and histories." +[T. S.]] + +[Footnote 2: This preface "to the bookseller" is in imitation of the +bishop's own preface to the bookseller in the "Introduction," which was +signed "G. Sarum." [T. S.]] + +This way of publishing introductions to books that are, God knows when, +to come out, is either wholly new, or so long unpractised, that my small +reading cannot trace it. However we are to suppose, that a person of his +Lordship's great age and experience, would hardly act such a piece of +singularity without some extraordinary motives. I cannot but observe, +that his fellow-labourer, the author of the paper called _The +Englishman_,[3] seems, in some of his late performances, to have almost +transcribed the notions of the Bishop: these notions, I take to have +been dictated by the same masters, leaving to each writer that peculiar +manner of expressing himself, which the poverty of our language forces +me to call their style. When the _Guardian_ changed his title, and +professed to engage in faction, I was sure the word was given, that +grand preparations were making against next sessions; that all +advantages would be taken of the little dissensions reported to be among +those in power; and that the _Guardian_ would soon be seconded by some +other piqueerers[4] from the same camp. But I will confess, my +suspicions did not carry me so far as to conjecture that this venerable +champion would be in such mighty haste to come into the field, and serve +in the quality of an _enfant perdu_,[5] armed only with a pocket pistol, +before his great blunderbuss could be got ready, his old rusty +breastplate scoured, and his cracked headpiece mended. + +[Footnote 3: Steele.] + +[Footnote 4: Piqueerer = pickeerer (modern) = a marauder, a skirmisher +in advance of an army. From French _picorer_ = to maraud. [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 5: _Enfant perdu_, one of the advanced guard; or, as +Hawkesworth notes it, "one of the forlorn hope." [T.S.]] + +I was debating with myself, whether this hint of producing a small +pamphlet to give notice of a large folio, was not borrowed from the +ceremonial in Spanish romances, where a dwarf is sent out upon the +battlements to signify to all passengers, what a mighty giant there is +in the castle; or whether the Bishop copied this proceeding from the +_fanfarronade_ of Monsieur Boufflers, when the Earl of Portland and that +general had an interview. Several men were appointed at certain periods +to ride in great haste toward the English camp, and cry out, +_Monseigneur vient, Monseigneur vient:_ Then, small parties advanced +with the same speed and the same cry, and this foppery held for many +hours, until the mareschal himself arrived. So here, the Bishop (as we +find by his dedication to Mr. Churchill the bookseller) has for a long +time sent warning of his arrival by advertisements in _Gazettes_, and +now his Introduction advances to tell us again, _Monseigneur vient:_ In +the mean time, we must gape and wait and gaze the Lord knows how long, +and keep our spirits in some reasonable agitation, until his Lordship's +real self shall think fit to appear in the habit of a folio. + +I have seen the same sort of management at a puppet-show. Some puppets +of little or no consequence appeared several times at the window to +allure the boys and the rabble: The trumpeter sounded often, and the +doorkeeper cried a hundred times till he was hoarse, that they were just +going to begin; yet after all, we were forced sometimes to wait an hour +before Punch himself in person made his entry. + +But why this ceremony among old acquaintance? The world and he have long +known one another: Let him appoint his hour and make his visit, without +troubling us all day with a succession of messages from his laqueys and +pages. + +With submission, these little arts of getting off an edition, do ill +become any author above the size of Marten[6] the surgeon. My Lord tells +us, that "many thousands of the two former parts of his History are in +the kingdom,"[7] and now he perpetually advertises in the gazette, that +he intends to publish the third: This is exactly in the method and style +of Marten: "The seventh edition (many thousands of the former editions +having been sold off in a small time) of Mr. Marten's book concerning +secret diseases," &c. + +[Footnote 6: This is John Marten, the author of two treatises on the +gout, and a "Treatise of all the Degrees and Symptoms of the Venereal +Disease" (1708?-9). His notoriety brought on him the ire of a "licens'd +practitioner in physick and surgery," one J. Spinke, who, in a pamphlet +entitled "Quackery Unmask'd" (1709), dealt Marten some most uncourteous +blows. From the pamphlet, it is difficult to judge whether Spinke or +Marten were the greater quack; we should judge the former. Certainly +Marten deserves our sympathy, if only for Spinke's virulence. [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 7: Page 26.] + +Does his Lordship intend to publish his great volume by subscription, +and is this Introduction only by way of specimen? I was inclined to +think so, because, in the prefixed letter to Mr. Churchill, which +introduces this Introduction, there are some dubious expressions: He +says, "the advertisements he published were in order to move people to +furnish him with materials, which might help him to finish his work with +great advantage." If he means half-a-guinea upon the subscription, and +t'other half at the delivery, why does he not tell us so in plain terms? + +I am wondering how it came to pass, that this diminutive letter to Mr. +Churchill should understand the business of introducing better than the +Introduction itself; or why the Bishop did not take it into his head to +send the former into the world some months before the latter; which +would have been a greater improvement upon the solemnity of the +procession? + +Since I writ these last lines, I have perused the whole pamphlet (which +I had only dipped in before) and found I have been hunting upon a wrong +scent; for the author hath in several parts of his piece, discovered the +true motives which put him upon sending it abroad at this juncture; I +shall therefore consider them as they come in my way. + +My Lord begins his Introduction with an account of the reasons why he +was guilty of so many mistakes in the first volume of his "History of +the Reformation:" His excuses are just, rational, and extremely +consistent. He says, "he wrote in haste,"[8] which he confirms by +adding, "that it lay a year after he wrote it before it was put into the +press:"[9] At the same time he mentioned a passage extremely to the +honour of that pious and excellent prelate, Archbishop Sancroft, which +demonstrates his Grace to have been a person of great sagacity, and +almost a prophet. Dr. Burnet, then a private divine, "desired admittance +to the Cotton library, but was prevented by the archbishop, who told Sir +John Cotton, that the said doctor was no friend to the prerogative of +the crown, nor to the constitution of the kingdom." This judgment was +the more extraordinary, because the doctor had not long before published +a book in Scotland, with his name prefixed, which carries the regal +prerogative higher than any writer of the age:[10] however, the good +archbishop lived to see his opinion become universal in the kingdom. + +[Footnote 8: Page 6.] + +[Footnote 9: Page 10.] + +[Footnote 10: This was Burnet's "Vindication of the Authority, +Constitution, and Laws of the Church and State of Scotland," dedicated +to the Duke of Lauderdale, and published in 1672. The dedication +contains an eulogium of the duke, and the work a defence of episcopacy +and monarchy against Buchanan and his followers. At a later period, the +author did not probably recollect this juvenile publication with, much +complacence. + +It is somewhat remarkable to see the progress of this story. In the +first edition of this "Introduction," it should seem, "he was prevented +by the Archbishop," &c. When the "Introduction" was reprinted a year +after with the "History," it stands: "A great prelate had been +beforehand and possessed him [Sir John Cotton] against me--That unless +the Archbishop of Canterbury would recommend me--he desired to be +excused--The Bishop of Worcester could not prevail on the Archbishop to +interpose." This is somewhat less than preventing, unless the Archbishop +be meant by the "great prelate." Which is not very probable. 1. Because +in the Preface to this very third volume, p. 4, he says, "It was by +Archbishop Sancroft's order he had the free use of everything that lay +in the Lambeth Library." 2. Because the Author of "Speculum +Sarisburianum" (p. 6), tells us, "His access to the Library was owing +solely to the recommendation of Archbishop Sancroft, as I have been +informed by some of the family." 3. Because Bishop Burnet, in his +"History of My Own Times," vol. i. p. 396, says it was "Dolben, Bishop +of Rochester (at the instigation of the Duke of Lauderdale), that +diverted Sir John Cotton from suffering me to search his Library." +["Miscellanies," vol. viii. 1745.]] + +The Bishop goes on for many pages, with an account of certain facts +relating to the publishing of his two former volumes of the Reformation, +the great success of that work, and the adversaries who appeared against +it. These are matters out of the way of my reading; only I observe that +poor Mr. Henry Wharton,[11] who has deserved so well of the commonwealth +of learning, and who gave himself the trouble of detecting some hundreds +of the Bishop's mistakes, meets with very ill quarter from his Lordship. +Upon which I cannot avoid mentioning a peculiar method which this +prelate takes to revenge himself upon those who presume to differ from +him in print. The Bishop of Rochester[12] happened some years ago to be +of this number. My Lord of Sarum in his reply ventured to tell the +world, that the gentleman who had writ against him, meaning Dr +Atterbury, was one upon whom he had conferred great obligations; which +was a very generous Christian contrivance of charging his adversary with +ingratitude. But it seems the truth happened to be on the other side; +which the doctor made appear in such a manner as would have silenced his +Lordship for ever, if he had not been writing proof. Poor Mr. Wharton in +his grave is charged with the same accusation, but with circumstances +the most aggravating that malice and something else could invent[13]; +and which I will no more believe than five hundred passages in a certain +book of travels[14]. See the character he gives of a divine, and a +scholar, who shortened his life in the service of God and the church. +"Mr. Wharton desired me to intercede with Tillotson for a prebend of +Canterbury. I did so, but Wharton would not believe it; said he would be +revenged, and so writ against me. Soon after he was convinced I had +spoke for him, said he was set on to do what he did, and, if I would +procure any thing for him, he would discover every thing to me[15]." +What a spirit of candour, charity, and good nature, generosity, and +truth, shines through this story, told of a most excellent and pious +divine, twenty years after his death, without one single voucher[16]! + +[Footnote 11: Henry Wharton (1664-1694-5), a divine, born at Worstead, +Norfolk, and educated at Cambridge. Became chaplain to Archbishop +Sancroft in 1688, and then rector of Chartham. Wrote "A Treatise on the +Celibacy of the Clergy;" "The Enthusiasm of the Church of Rome +demonstrated in the Life of Ignatius Loyola;" "A Defence of +Pluralities;" "Specimen of Errors in Burnet's 'History of the +Reformation;'" "Anglia Sacra, sive Collectio Historiarum;" and "History +of Archbishop Laud." The criticism on Burnet's "History" was written +under the _nom de guerre_ of Anthony Farmar. [T. S.]] + +[Footnote 12: Dr. Atterbury.] + +[Footnote 13: Page 22.] + +[Footnote 14: Burnet's "Travels."] + +[Footnote 15: Page 23.] + +[Footnote 16: Burnet's account of this matter was reprinted in the +Preface to his "History of the Reformation," and it contains also the +bishop's rejoinder against Wharton's method of criticism in the +"Specimen": "He had examined the dark ages before the Reformation with +much diligence, and so knew many things relating to those times beyond +any man of the age; he pretended that he had many more errors in +reserve, and that this specimen was only a hasty collection of a few, +out of many other discoveries he could make. This consisted of some +trifling and minute differences in some dates and transactions of no +importance, upon which nothing depended; so I cannot tell whether I took +these too easily from printed books, or if I committed any errors in my +notes taken in the several offices. He likewise follows me through the +several recapitulations I had made of the state of things before the +Reformation, and finds errors and omissions in most of these; he adds +some things out of papers I had never seen. The whole was writ with so +much malice, and such contempt, that I must give some account of the +man, and of his motives. He had expressed great zeal against popery, in +the end of King James's reign, being then chaplain to Archbishop +Sancroft, who, as he said, had promised him the first of those prebends +of Canterbury that should fall in his gift: for when he saw that the +archbishop was resolved not to take the oaths, but to forsake the post, +he made an earnest application to me, to secure that for him at +Archbishop Tillotson's hands. I pressed him in it as much as was decent +for me to do, but he said he would not encourage these aspiring men, by +promising any thing, before it should fall; as indeed none of them fell +during his time. Wharton, upon this answer, thought I had neglected him, +looking on it as a civil denial, and said he would be revenged; and so +he published that specimen: upon which, I, in a letter that I printed, +addressed to the present Bishop of Worcester, charged him again and +again to bring forth all that he pretended to have reserved at that +time, for, till that was done, I would not enter upon the examination of +that specimen. It was received with contempt, and Tillotson justified my +pressing him to take Wharton under his particular protection so fully, +that he sent and asked me pardon. He said he was set on to it; and that, +if I would procure any thing for him, he would discover any thing to me. +I despised that offer, but said that I would at any price buy of him +those discoveries that he pretended to have in reserve. But Mr. Chiswell +(at whose house he then lay) being sick, said he could draw nothing of +that from him, and he believed he had nothing. He died about a year +after."--BURNET'S _History of the Reformation_ III, vii. [T. S.]] + +Come we now to the reasons, which moved his lordship to set about this +work at this time. He "could delay it no longer, because the reasons of +his engaging in it at first seem to return upon him[17]." He was then +frightened with "the danger of a popish successor in view, and the +dreadful apprehensions of the power of France. England has forgot these +dangers, and yet is nearer to them than ever[18]," and therefore he is +resolved to "awaken them" with his third volume; but in the mean time, +sends this Introduction to let them know they are asleep. He then goes +on in describing the condition of the kingdom[19], after such a manner +as if destruction hung over us by a single hair; as if the Pope, the +devil, the Pretender, and France, were just at our doors. + +[Footnote 17: Page 27.] + +[Footnote 18: Page 28.] + +[Footnote 19: Page 28.] + +When the Bishop published his History, there was a popish plot on foot, +the Duke of York a known papist was presumptive heir to the crown, the +House of Commons would not hear of any expedient for securing their +religion under a popish prince, nor would the King or Lords, consent to +a bill of exclusion: The French King was in the height of his grandeur, +and the vigour of his age. At this day the presumptive heir, with that +whole illustrious family, are Protestants, the Popish Pretender excluded +for ever by several acts of Parliament, and every person in the smallest +employment, as well as the members in both Houses, obliged to abjure +him. The French King is at the lowest ebb of life; his armies have been +conquered and his towns won from him for ten years together, and his +kingdom is in danger of being torn by divisions during a long minority. +Are these cases parallel? Or are we now in more danger of France and +popery than we were thirty years ago? What can be the motive for +advancing such false, such detestable assertions? What conclusions would +his Lordship draw from such premises as these? If injurious appellations +were of any advantage to a cause, (as the style of our adversaries would +make us believe) what appellations would those deserve who thus +endeavour to sow the seeds of sedition, and are impatient to see the +fruits? "But," saith he[20], "the deaf adder stops her ear let the +charmer charm never so wisely." True, my Lord, there are indeed too many +adders in this nation's bosom, adders in all shapes, and in all habits, +whom neither the Queen nor parliament can charm to loyalty, truth, +religion, or honour. + +[Footnote 20: Page 28.] Among other instances produced by him of the +dismal condition we are in, he offers one which could not easily be +guessed. It is this: That the little factious pamphlets written about +the end of King Charles II's reign, "lie dead in shops, are looked on as +waste paper, and turned to pasteboard." How many are there of his +Lordship's writings which could otherwise never have been of any real +service to the public? Has he indeed so mean an opinion of our taste, to +send us at this time of day into all the corners of Holborn, Duck Lane, +and Moorfields, in quest after the factious trash published in those +days by Julian Johnson, Hickeringil, Dr. Oates, and himself[21]? + +[Footnote 21: The Rev. Samuel Johnson, degraded from his clerical +rank, scourged, and imprisoned, for a work called "Julian's Arts to +undermine Christianity," in which he drew a parallel between that +apostate and James, then Duke of York. [S.] + +Edmund Hickeringil, a fanatic preacher at Colchester. He appears, from +the various pamphlets which he wrote during the reigns of Charles II. +and his brother, to have been a meddling crazy fool. He was born in +Essex, 1630, and was educated at Cambridge. He entered the army, and +went to Jamaica, of which place he wrote a very curious account. +Afterwards he entered holy orders, and became rector of All Saints, +Colchester. He was a most eccentric individual. [T. S.]] + +His Lordship, taking it for a _postulatum_, that the Queen and ministry, +both Houses of Parliament, and a vast majority of the landed gentlemen +throughout England are running headlong into Popery, lays hold on the +occasion to describe "the cruelties in Queen Mary's reign, an +inquisition setting up faggots in Smithfield, and executions all over +the kingdom. Here is that" (says he) "which those that look toward a +popish successor must look for."[22] And he insinuates through his whole +pamphlet, that all who are not of his party, "look toward a popish +successor." These he divides into two parts, the Tory laity, and the +Tory clergy. He tells the former, though they have no religion at all, +but "resolve to change with every wind and tide; yet they ought to have +compassion on their countrymen and kindred."[23] Then he applies himself +to the Tory clergy, assures them, that "the fires revived in Smithfield, +and all over the nation, will have no amiable view; but least of all to +them, who if they have any principle at all, must be turned out of their +livings, leave their families, be hunted from place to place into parts +beyond the seas, and meet with that contempt with which they treated +foreigners who took sanctuary among us." + +[Footnote 22: Page 36.] + +[Footnote 23: Page 36.] + +This requires a recapitulation, with some remarks. First, I do affirm, +that of every hundred professed atheists, deists, and socinians in the +kingdom, ninety-nine at least are staunch thorough-paced Whigs, entirely +agreeing with his Lordship in politics and discipline; and therefore +will venture all the fires of hell, rather than singe one hair of their +beards in Smithfield. Secondly, I do likewise affirm, that those whom we +usually understand by the appellation of Tory or high-church clergy, +were the greatest sticklers against the exorbitant proceedings of King +James, the best writers against popery, and the most exemplary sufferers +for the established religion. Thirdly, I do pronounce it to be a most +false and infamous scandal upon the nation in general, and on the clergy +in particular, to reproach them for "treating foreigners with +haughtiness and contempt:" The French Huguenots are many thousand +witnesses to the contrary; and I wish they deserved a thousandth part of +the good treatment they have received.[24] + +[Footnote 24: Swift's disparaging reference to the Huguenots must be put +down to the fact that he included them among Dissenters, on account of +their Calvinism. [T. S.]] + +Lastly, I observe that the author of the paper called _The Englishman_, +hath run into the same cant, gravely advising the whole body of the +clergy not to bring in Popery, because that will put them under a +necessity of parting with their wives, or losing their livings. + +The bulk of the kingdom, both clergy and laity, happens to differ +extremely from this prelate, in many principles both of politics and +religion: Now I ask, whether if any man of them had signed his name to a +system of atheism, or Popery, he could have argued with them otherwise +than he does? Or, if I should write a grave letter to his Lordship with +the same advice, taking it for granted that he was half an atheist, and +half a papist, and conjuring him by all he held dear to have compassion +upon all those who believed a God, "not to revive the fires in +Smithfield," that he must either forfeit his bishopric, or not marry a +fourth wife;[25] I ask whether he would not think I intended him the +highest injury and affront? + +[Footnote 25: Bishop Burnet had already been married three times. [T. +S.]] + +But as to the Tory laity; he gives them up in a lump for abandoned +atheists: They are a set of men so "impiously corrupted in the point of +religion, that no scene of cruelty can fright them from leaping into it +[Popery] and perhaps acting such a part in it, as may be assigned +them."[26] He therefore despairs of influencing them by any topics drawn +from religion or compassion, and advances the consideration of interest, +as the only powerful argument to persuade them against Popery. + +[Footnote 26: Page 37.] + +What he offers upon this head is so very amazing from a Christian, a +clergyman, and a prelate of the Church of England, that I must in my own +imagination strip him of those three capacities, and put him among the +number of that set of men he mentions in the paragraph before; or else +it will be impossible to shape out an answer. + +His Lordship, in order to dissuade the Tories from their design of +bringing in Popery, tells them, "how valuable a part of the whole soil +of England, the abbey lands, the estates of the bishops, of the +cathedrals, and the tithes are;"[27] how difficult such "a resumption +would be to many families; yet all these must be thrown up; for +sacrilege in the church of Rome, is a mortal sin." I desire it may be +observed, what a jumble here is made of ecclesiastical revenues, as if +they were all upon the same foot, were alienated with equal justice, and +the clergy had no more reason to complain of the one than the other. +Whereas the four branches mentioned by him are of very different +consideration. If I might venture to guess the opinion of the clergy +upon this matter, I believe they could wish that some small part of the +abbey lands had been applied to the augmentation of poor bishoprics, and +a very few acres to serve for glebes in those parishes where there are +none; after which I think they would not repine that the laity should +possess the rest. If the estates of some bishops and cathedrals were +exorbitant before the Reformation, I believe the present clergy's wishes +reach no further than that some reasonable temper had been used, instead +of paring them to the quick: But as to the tithes, without examining +whether they be of divine institution, I conceive there is hardly one of +that sacred order in England, and very few even among the laity that +love the Church, who will not allow the misapplying of those revenues to +secular persons, to have been at first a most flagrant act of injustice +and oppression: Though at the same time, God forbid they should be +restored any other way than by gradual purchase, by the consent of those +who are now the lawful possessors, or by the piety and generosity of +such worthy spirits as this nation sometimes produceth. The Bishop knows +very well that the application of tithes to the maintenance of +monasteries, was a scandalous usurpation even in popish times: That the +monks usually sent out some of their fraternity to supply the cures; and +that when the monasteries were granted away by Henry VIII., the parishes +were left destituted, or very meanly provided of any maintenance for a +pastor: So that in many places, the whole ecclesiastical dues, even to +mortuaries, Easter-offerings, and the like, are in lay hands, and the +incumbent lies wholly at the mercy of his patron for his daily bread. By +these means there are several hundred parishes in England under L20 a +year, and many under ten. I take his Lordship's bishopric to be worth +near L2,500 annual income; and I will engage at half a year's warning to +find him above 200 beneficed clergymen who have not so much among them +all to support themselves and their families; most of them orthodox, of +good life and conversation, as loth to see the fires kindled in +Smithfield, as his Lordship, and at least as ready to face them under a +popish persecution. But nothing is so hard for those who abound in +riches, as to conceive how others can be in want. How can the +neighbouring vicar feel cold or hunger, while my Lord is seated by a +good fire in the warmest room in his palace, with a dozen dishes before +him? I remember one other prelate much of the same stamp; who when his +clergy would mention their wishes that some act of parliament might be +thought of for the good of the Church, would say, "Gentlemen, _we_ are +very well as _we_ are; if they would let _us_ alone, _we_ should ask no +more."[28] + +[Footnote 27: Page 38.] + +[Footnote 28: Scott, in a note, thinks this reflection on Burnet to be +unjust, because of that prelate's zeal "in forwarding a scheme in 1704 +for Improving the livings of the poorer clergy." [T. S.]] + +"Sacrilege" (says my Lord) "in the church of Rome, is a mortal sin;"[29] +and is it only so in the church of Rome? Or is it but a venial sin in +the Church of England? Our litany calls fornication a deadly sin; and I +would appeal to his Lordship for fifty years past, whether he thought +that or sacrilege the deadliest? To make light of such a sin, at the +same moment that he is frighting us from an idolatrous religion, should +seem not very consistent. "_Thou_ that sayest, a man should not commit +adultery, dost _thou_ commit adultery? _Thou_ that abhorrest idols, dost +_thou_ commit sacrilege?" + +[Footnote 29: Page 38.] + +To smooth the way for the return of Popery in Queen Mary's time, the +grantees were confirmed by the Pope in the possession of the abbey +lands. But the Bishop tells us, that "this confirmation was fraudulent +and invalid" I shall believe it to be so, though I happen to read in his +Lordship's history: But he adds, that although the confirmation had been +good, the priests would have got their land again by these two methods; +"first,[30] the Statute of Mortmain was repealed for 20 years, in which +time no doubt they reckoned they would recover the best part of what +they had lost; besides that, engaging the clergy to renew no leases, was +a thing entirely in their own power, and this in forty years time would +raise their revenues to be about ten times their present value." These +two expedients for increasing the revenues of the Church, he represents +as pernicious designs, fit only to be practised in times of Popery, and +such as the laity ought never to consent to: Whence, and from what he +said before about tithes, his Lordship has freely declared his opinion, +that the clergy are rich enough, and that the least addition to their +subsistence would be a step toward Popery. Now it happens, that the two +only methods, which could be thought on, with any probability of +success, toward some reasonable augmentation of ecclesiastical revenues, +are here rejected by a Bishop, as a means for introducing Popery, and +the nation publicly warned against them. The continuance of the Statute +of Mortmain in full force, after the Church had been so terribly +stripped, appeared to Her Majesty and the kingdom a very unnecessary +hardship; upon which account it was at several times relaxed by the +legislature. Now as the relaxation of that statute is manifestly one of +the reasons which gives the Bishop those terrible apprehensions of +Popery coming on us; so I conceive another ground of his fears, is the +remission of the first-fruits and tenths. But where the inclination to +Popery lay, whether in Her Majesty who proposed this benefaction, the +parliament which confirmed, or the clergy who accepted it, his Lordship +hath not thought fit to determine. + +[Footnote 30: Page 39.] + +The other popish expedient for augmenting church-revenues, is "engaging +the clergy to renew no leases."[31] Several of the most eminent +clergymen have assured me, that nothing has been more wished for by good +men, than a law to prevent (at least) bishops from setting leases for +lives. I could name ten bishoprics in England whose revenues one with +another do not amount to L600 a-year for each; and if his lordship's, +for instance, would be above ten times the value when the lives are +expired, I should think the overplus would not be ill disposed toward an +augmentation of such as are now shamefully poor. But I do assert, that +such an expedient was not always thought popish and dangerous by this +right reverend historian. I have had the honour formerly to converse +with him; and he has told me several years ago, that he lamented +extremely the power which bishops had of letting leases for lives, +whereby, as he said, they were utterly deprived of raising their +revenues, whatever alterations might happen in the value of money by +length of time: I think the reproach of betraying private conversation +will not upon this account be laid to my charge. Neither do I believe he +would have changed his opinion upon any score, but to take up another, +more agreeable to the maxims of his party; that "the least addition of +property to the Church, is one step toward Popery." + +[Footnote 31: Page 39.] + +The Bishop goes on with much earnestness and prolixity to prove that the +Pope's confirmation of the church lands to those who held them by King +Henry's donation, was null and fraudulent: Which is a point that I +believe no Protestant in England would give threepence to have his +choice whether it should be true or false: It might indeed serve as a +passage in his history, among a thousand other instances, to detect the +knavery of the court of Rome; but I ask, where could be the use of it in +this Introduction? Or why all this haste in publishing it at this +juncture; and so out of all method apart, and before the work itself? He +gives his reasons in very plain terms; we are now, it seems, "in more +danger of Popery than toward the end of King Charles II.'s reign. That +set of men (the Tories) is so impiously corrupted in the point of +religion, that no scene of cruelty can fright them from leaping into it, +and perhaps from acting such a part in it as may be assigned them."[32] +He doubts whether the High-Church clergy have any principles, and +therefore will be ready to turn off their wives, and look on the fires +kindled in Smithfield as an amiable view. These are the facts he all +along takes for granted, and argues accordingly; therefore, in despair +of dissuading the nobility and gentry of the land from introducing +Popery by any motives of honour, religion, alliance or mercy, he assures +them, that "the Pope has not duly confirmed their titles to the church +lands in their possession," which therefore must infallibly be restored, +as soon as that religion is established among us. + +[Footnote 32: Page 37.] + +Thus, in his Lordship's opinion, there is nothing wanting to make the +majority of the kingdom, both for number, quality and possession, +immediately embrace Popery, except a "firm bull from the Pope," to +secure the abbey and other church lands and tithes to the present +proprietors and their heirs; if this only difficulty could now be +adjusted, the Pretender would be restored next session, the two Houses +reconciled to the church of Rome against Easter term, and the fires +lighted in Smithfield by Midsummer. Such horrible calumnies against a +nation are not the less injurious to decency, good-nature, truth, +honour, and religion, because they may be vented with safety. And I will +appeal to any reader of common understanding, whether this be not the +most natural and necessary deduction from the passages I have cited and +referred to. + +Yet all this is but friendly dealing, in comparison with what he affords +the clergy upon the same article. He supposes[33] all that reverend +body, who differ from him in principles of church or state, so far from +disliking Popery, upon the above-mentioned motives of perjury, "quitting +their wives, or burning their relations;" that the hopes of "enjoying +the abbey lands" would soon bear down all such considerations, and be an +effectual incitement to their perversion; and so he goes gravely on, as +with the only argument which he thinks can have any force, to assure +them, that "the parochial priests in Roman Catholic countries are much +poorer than in ours, the several orders of regulars, and the +magnificence of their church, devouring all their treasure," and by +consequence "their hopes are vain of expecting to be richer after the +introduction of Popery." + +[Footnote 33: Page 46.] + +But after all, his Lordship despairs, that even this argument will have +any force with our abominable clergy, because, to use his own words, +"They are an insensible and degenerate race, who are thinking of nothing +but their present advantages; and so that they may now support a +luxurious and brutal course of irregular and voluptuous practices, they +are easily hired to betray their religion, to sell their country, and +give up that liberty and those properties, which are the present +felicities and glories of this nation."[34] He seems to reckon all these +evils as matters fully determined on, and therefore falls into the last +usual form of despair, by threatening the authors of these miseries with +"lasting infamy, and the curses of posterity upon perfidious betrayers +of their trust."[35] + +[Footnote 34: Page 47.] + +[Footnote 35: Page 47.] + +Let me turn this paragraph into vulgar language for the use of the poor, +and strictly adhere to the sense of the words. I believe it may be +faithfully translated in the following manner: "The bulk of the clergy, +and one-third of the bishops, are stupid sons of whores, who think of +nothing but getting money as soon as they can: If they may but produce +enough to supply them in gluttony, drunkenness, and whoring, they are +ready to turn traitors to God and their country, and make their +fellow-subjects slaves." The rest of the period, about threatening +"infamy," and "the curses of posterity upon such dogs and villains," may +stand as it does in the Bishop's own phrase, and so make the paragraph +all of a piece. + +I will engage, on the other side, to paraphrase all the rogues and +rascals in the _Englishman_, so as to bring them up exactly to his +Lordship's style: But, for my own part, I much prefer the plain +Billingsgate way of calling names, because it expresses our meaning full +as well, and would save abundance of time which is lost by +circumlocution; so, for instance, John Dunton,[36] who is retained on +the same side with the Bishop, calls my Lord-treasurer and Lord +Bolingbroke, traitors, whoremasters, and Jacobites, which three words +cost our right reverend author thrice as many lines to define them; and +I hope his Lordship does not think there is any difference in point of +morality, whether a man calls me traitor in one word, or says I am one +"hired to betray my religion and sell my country."[37] + +[Footnote 36: See note on p. 50 of vol. i. of this edition of Swift's +works. [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 37: Page 51.] + +I am not surprised to see the Bishop mention with contempt all +Convocations of the Clergy;[38] for Toland, Collins, Tindal,[39] and +others of the fraternity, talk the very same language. His Lordship +confesses he "is not" inclined "to expect much from the assemblies of +clergymen." There lies the misfortune; for if he and some more of his +order would correct their "inclinations," a great deal of good might be +expected from such assemblies, as much as they are now cramped by that +submission, which a corrupt clergy brought upon their innocent +successors. He will not deny that his copiousness in these matters is, +in his own opinion, one of the meanest parts of his new work. I will +agree with him, unless he happens to be more "copious" in any thing +else. However, it is not easy to conceive why he should be so "copious" +upon a subject he so much despises, unless it were to gratify his talent +of railing at the clergy, in the number of whom he disdains to be +reckoned, because he is a Bishop. For it is a style I observe some +prelates have fallen into of late years, to talk of clergymen as if +themselves were not of the number: You will read in many of their +speeches at Dr. Sacheverel's[40] trial, expressions to this or the like +effect: "My lords, if clergymen be suffered," &c. wherein they seem to +have reason; and I am pretty confident, that a great majority of the +clergy were heartily inclined to disown any relation they had to the +managers in lawn. However, it was a confounding argument against +Presbytery, that those who are most suspected to lean that way, treating +their inferior brethren with haughtiness, rigour, and contempt: +Although, to say the truth, nothing better could be hoped for; because, +I believe, it may pass for a universal rule, that in every diocese +governed by bishops of the Whig species, the clergy (especially the +poorer sort) are under double discipline, and the laity left to +themselves. The opinion of Sir Thomas More, which he produces to prove +the ill consequences or insignificancy of Convocations, advances no such +thing, but says, "if the clergy assembled often, and might act as other +assemblies of clergy in Christendom, much good might have come: but the +misfortune lay in their long disuse, and that in his own and a good part +of his father's time, they never came together, except at the command of +the prince."[41] + +[Footnote 38: Page 47.] + +[Footnote 39: See note, p. 9. [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 40: Henry Sacheverell, D.D., was educated at Marlborough and +Oxford. At Magdalen College he was a fellow-student with Addison, and +obtained there his fellowship and doctor's degree. In 1709 he preached +two sermons, one at the Derby Assizes, and the other at St. Paul's, in +which he urged the imminent danger of the Church. For these sermons, +which the parliament considered highly inflammatory, he was, by the +House of Commons, at the instigation of Godolphin, impeached, and tried +before the Lords in 1710. He was found guilty of a misdemeanour, and was +suspended from preaching for three years. The trial made a great stir at +the time, and served but to increase the popularity of a man who, had he +been let alone, would, probably, never have been heard of. He died in +1724, holding the living of St. Andrew, Holborn, to which he was +presented after the expiration of his sentence. [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 41: See Sir Thomas More's "Apology," 1533, p. 241.] + +I suppose his lordship thinks, there is some original impediment in the +study of divinity, or secret incapacity in a gown and cassock without +lawn, which disqualifies all inferior clergymen from debating upon +subjects of doctrine or discipline in the church. It is a famous saying +of his, that "he looks upon every layman to be an honest man, until he +is by experience convinced to the contrary; and on every clergyman as a +knave, till he finds him to be an honest man." What opinion then must we +have of a Lower House of Convocation:[42] where I am confident he will +hardly find three persons that ever convinced him of their honesty, or +will ever be at the pains to do it? Nay, I am afraid they would think +such a conviction might be no very advantageous bargain, to gain the +character of an honest man with his Lordship, and lose it with the rest +of the world. + +[Footnote 42: It must not be forgotten, that, during the reign of Queen +Anne, the body of the clergy were high-church men; but the bishops, who +had chiefly been promoted since the Revolution, were Whiggish in +politics, and moderate in their sentiments of church government. Hence +the Upper and Lower Houses of Convocation rarely agreed in sentiment on +affairs of church or state. [T. S.]] + +In the famous Concordate that was made between Francis I. of France and +Pope Leo X., the Bishop tells us, that "the king and pope came to a +bargain, by which they divided the liberties of the Gallican Church +between them, and indeed quite enslaved it."[43] He intends, in the +third part of his History which he is going to publish, "to open this +whole matter to the world." In the mean time, he mentions some ill +consequences to the Gallican Church from that Concordate, which are +worthy to be observed; "The church of France became a slave, and this +change in their constitution put an end not only to national, but even +to provincial synods in that kingdom. The assemblies of the clergy +there, meet now only to give subsidies," &c. and he says, "our nation +may see by that proceeding, what it is to deliver up the essential +liberties of a free constitution to a court." [44] + +[Footnote 43: Page 53.] + +[Footnote 44: Page 53.] + +All I can gather from this matter is, that our King Henry made a better +bargain than his contemporary Francis, who divided the liberties of the +church between himself and the Pope, while the King of England seized +them all to himself. But how comes he to number the want of synods in +the Gallican church among the grievances of that Concordate, and as a +mark of their slavery, since he reckons all Convocations of the Clergy +in England to be useless and dangerous? Or what difference in point of +liberty was there between the Gallican Church under Francis, and the +English under Harry? For, the latter was as much a papist as the former, +unless in the point of obedience to the see of Rome; and in every +quality of a good man, or a good prince, (except personal courage +wherein both were equal) the French monarch had the advantage by as many +degrees as is possible for one man to have over another. + +Henry VIII. had no manner of intention to change religion in his +kingdom; he still continued to persecute and burn Protestants after he +had cast off the Pope's supremacy, and I suppose this seizure of +ecclesiastical revenues (which Francis never attempted) cannot be +reckoned as a mark of the church's liberty. By the quotation the Bishop +sets down to show the slavery of the French church, he represents it as +a grievance, that "bishops are not now elected there as formerly, but +wholly appointed by the prince; and that those made by the court have +been ordinarily the chief advancers of schisms, heresies, and +oppressions of the church." [45] He cites another passage from a Greek +writer, and plainly insinuates, that it is justly applicable to Her +Majesty's reign: "Princes choose such men to that charge [of a bishop] +who may be their slaves, and in all things obsequious to what they +prescribe; and may lie at their feet, and have not so much as a thought +contrary to their commands." [46] + +[Footnote 45: Page 55.] + +[Footnote 46: Page 55.] + +These are very singular passages for his Lordship to set down in order +to show the dismal consequences of the French Concordate, by the slavery +of the Gallican Church, compared with the freedom of ours. I shall not +enter into a long dispute, whether it were better for religion that +bishops should be chosen by the clergy, or people, or both together: I +believe our author would give his vote for the second (which however +would not have been of much advantage to himself, and some others that I +could name). But I ask, Whether bishops are any more elected in England +than in France? And the want of synods are in his own opinion rather a +blessing than a grievance, unless he will affirm that more good can be +expected from a popish synod than an English Convocation. Did the French +clergy ever receive a greater blow to their liberties, than the +submission made to Henry VIII., or so great a one as the seizure of +their lands? The Reformation owed nothing to the good intentions of K. +Henry: He was only an instrument of it, (as the logicians speak) by +accident; nor doth he appear through his whole reign to have had any +other views than those of gratifying his insatiable love of power, +cruelty, oppression, and other irregular appetites. But this kingdom as +well as many other parts of Europe, was, at that time, generally weary +of the corruptions and impositions of the Roman court and church, and +disposed to receive those doctrines which Luther and his followers had +universally spread. Cranmer the archbishop, Cromwell, and others of the +court, did secretly embrace the Reformation; and the King's abrogating +the Pope's supremacy, made the people in general run into the new +doctrines with greater freedom, because they hoped to be supported in it +by the authority and example of their prince, who disappointed them so +far that he made no other step than rejecting the Pope's supremacy as a +clog upon his own power and passions, but retained every corruption +beside, and became a cruel persecutor, as well of those who denied his +own supremacy, as of all others who professed any Protestant doctrine. +Neither hath any thing disgusted me more in reading the histories of +those times, than to see one of the worst princes of any age or country, +celebrated as an instrument in that glorious work of the Reformation. + +The Bishop having gone over all the matters that properly fall within +his Introduction, proceeds to expostulate with several sorts of +people;[47] First with Protestants who are no Christians, such as +atheists, deists, freethinkers, and the like enemies to Christianity. +But these he treats with the tenderness of a friend, because they are +all of them of sound Whig principles in church and state. However, to do +him justice, he lightly touches some old topics for the truth of the +Gospel; and concludes by wishing that the freethinkers would consider +well, if (_Anglice,_ whether) they think it possible to bring a nation +to be without any religion at all, and what the consequences of that may +prove; [48] and in case they allow the negative, he gives it clearly for +Christianity. + +[Footnote 47: Page 56.] + +[Footnote 48: Page 59.] + +Secondly, he applies himself (if I take his meaning right) to Christian +papists "who have a taste of liberty," and desires them to "compare the +absurdities of their own religion with the reasonableness of the +reformed:" [49] Against which, as good luck would have it, I have +nothing to object. + +[Footnote 49: Page 59.] + +Thirdly, he is somewhat rough against his own party, "who having tasted +the sweets of Protestant liberty, can look back so tamely on Popery +coming on them; it looks as if they were bewitched, or that the devil +were in them, to be so negligent. It is not enough that they resolve not +to turn papists themselves: They ought to awaken all about them, even +the most ignorant and stupid, to apprehend their danger, and to exert +themselves with their utmost industry to guard against it, and to resist +it. If after all their endeavours to prevent it, the corruption of the +age, and the art and power of our enemies, prove too hard for us, then, +and not until then, we must submit to the will of God, and be silent, +and prepare ourselves for all the extremity of suffering and of +misery:"[50] with a great deal more of the same strain. + +[Footnote 50: Pages 60, 61.] + +With due submission to the profound sagacity of this prelate, who can +smell Popery at 500 miles distance, better than fanaticism just under +his nose; I take leave to tell him, that this reproof to his friends, +for want of zeal and clamour against Popery, slavery, and the Pretender, +is what they have not deserved. Are the pamphlets and papers, daily +published by the sublime authors of his party full of any thing else? +Are not the Queen, the ministers, the majority of Lords and Commons, +loudly taxed in print with this charge against them at full length? Is +it not the perpetual echo of every Whig coffeehouse and club? Have they +not quartered Popery and the Pretender upon the peace, and treaty of +commerce; upon the possessing, and quieting, and keeping, and +demolishing of Dunkirk? Have they not clamoured because the Pretender +continued in France, and because he left it? Have they not reported, +that the town swarmed with many thousand papists, when upon search there +were never found so few of that religion in it before? If a clergyman +preaches obedience to the higher powers, is he not immediately traduced +as a papist? Can mortal man do more? To deal plainly, my Lord, your +friends are not strong enough yet to make an insurrection, and it is +unreasonable to expect it from them, until their neighbours are ready. + +My Lord, I have a little seriousness at heart upon this point, where +your Lordship affects to show so much. When you can prove, that one +single word has ever dropped from any minister of state, in public or +private, in favour of the Pretender, or his cause; when you can make it +appear, that in the course of this administration, since the Queen +thought fit to change her servants, there hath one step been made toward +weakening the Hanover title, or giving the least countenance to any +other whatsoever; then, and not until then, go dry your chaff and +stubble, give fire to the zeal of your faction, and reproach them with +lukewarmness. + +Fourthly, the Bishop applies himself to the Tories in general. Taking it +for granted, after his charitable manner, that they are all ready +prepared to introduce Popery, he puts an excuse into their mouths, by +which they would endeavour to justify their change of religion. That +"Popery is not what it was before the Reformation: Things are now much +mended; and further corrections might be expected, if we would enter +into a treaty with them: In particular, they see the error of proceeding +severely with heretics; so that there is no reason to apprehend the +returns of such cruelties as were practised an age and a half ago."[51] + +[Footnote 51: Page 62.] + +This, he assures us, is a plea offered by the Tories in defence of +themselves, for going about at this juncture to establish the Popish +religion among us: What argument does he bring to prove the fact itself? + + "Quibus indiciis, quo teste, probavit? + Nil horum: verbosa et grandis epistola venit" [52] + +[Footnote 52: Juvenal, "Sat." x. 70-71. [T. S.]] + +Nothing but this tedious Introduction, wherein he supposes it all along +as a thing granted. That there might be a perfect union in the whole +Christian Church, is a blessing which every good man wishes, but no +reasonable man can hope. That the more polite Roman Catholics have in +several places given up some of their superstitious fopperies, +particularly concerning legends, relics, and the like, is what nobody +denies. But the material points in difference between us and them are +universally retained and asserted, in all their controversial writings. +And if his Lordship really thinks that every man who differs from him, +under the name of a Tory in some church and state opinions, is ready to +believe transubstantiation, purgatory, the infallibility of pope or +councils, to worship saints and angels, and the like; I can only pray +God to enlighten his understanding, or graft in his heart the first +principles of charity; a virtue which some people ought not by any means +wholly to renounce, "because it covers a multitude of sins." + +Fifthly, the Bishop applies himself to his own party in both Houses of +Parliament, whom he exhorts to "guard their religion and liberty against +all danger at what distance soever it may appear. If they are absent and +remiss on critical occasions," that is to say, if they do not attend +close next sessions, to vote upon all occasions whatsoever against the +proceedings of the Queen and Her Ministry; "or, if any views of +advantage to themselves prevail on them." [53] In other words, if any of +them vote for the Bill of Commerce, in hopes of a place or a pension, a +title, or a garter; "God may work a deliverance for us another way." +That is to say, by inviting the Dutch. "But they and their families," +(id est) those who are negligent or revolters, "shall perish." By which +is meant; they shall be hanged as well as the present ministry and their +abettors, as soon as we recover our power. "Because they let in +idolatry, superstition, and tyranny." Because they stood by and suffered +the peace to be made, the Bill of Commerce to pass, and Dunkirk to lie +undemolished longer than we expected, without raising a rebellion. + +[Footnote 53: Pages 67, 68.] + +His last application is to the Tory clergy, a parcel of "blind, +ignorant, dumb, sleeping, greedy, drunken dogs."[54] A pretty artful +episcopal method is this, of calling his brethren as many injurious +names as he pleases. It is but quoting a text of Scripture, where the +characters of evil men are described, and the thing is done; and at the +same time the appearances of piety and devotion preserved. I would +engage, with the help of a good Concordance, and the liberty of +perverting Holy Writ, to find out as many injurious appellations, as the +_Englishman_ throws out in any of his politic papers, and apply them to +those persons "who call good evil, and evil good;" to those who cry +without cause, "Every man to his tent, O Israel! and to those who curse +the Queen in their hearts!" + +[Footnote 54: This is the bishop's reference to the Tory clergy: "But, +in the last place, Those who are appointed to be the watchmen, who ought +to give warning, and to lift up their voice as a trumpet, when they see +those wolves ready to break in and devour the flock, have the heaviest +account of all others to make, if they neglect their duty; much more if +they betray their trust. If they are so set on some smaller matters, and +are so sharpened upon that account, that they will not see their danger, +nor awaken others to see it, and to fly from it; the guilt of those +souls who have perished by their means, God will require at their hands. +If they, in the view of any advantage to themselves, are silent when +they ought to cry out day and night, they will fall under the character +given by the prophet, of the watchmen in his time: 'They are blind, they +are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark, sleeping, lying down, loving to +slumber: Yea, they are greedy dogs, which can never have enough. And +they are shepherds that cannot understand; they all look to their own +way, every one for his gain from his quarter; that say, come, I will +fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; to-morrow +shall be as this day, and much more abundant.'"--BURNET'S _History of +the Reformation_, vol. iii. p. xxii. [T. S.]] + +These decent words he tells us, make up a "lively description of such +pastors, as will not study controversy, nor know the depths of Satan." +He means I suppose, the controversy between us and the papists; for as +to the freethinkers and dissenters of every denomination, they are some +of the best friends to the cause. Now I have been told, there is a body +of that kind of controversy published by the London divines, which is +not to be matched in the world. I believe likewise, there is a good +number of the clergy at present, thoroughly versed in that study; after +which I cannot but give my judgment, that it would be a very idle thing +for pastors in general to busy themselves much in disputes against +Popery. It being a dry heavy employment of the mind at best, especially +when, God be thanked, there is so little occasion for it, in the +generality of parishes throughout the kingdom, and must be daily less +and less by the just severity of the laws, and the utter aversion of our +people from that idolatrous superstition. + +If I might be so bold as to name those who have the honour to be of his +Lordship's party, I would venture to tell him, that pastors have much +more occasion to study controversies against the several classes of +freethinkers and dissenters; the former (I beg his Lordship's pardon for +saying so) being a little worse than papists, and both of them more +dangerous at present to our constitution both in church and state. Not +that I think Presbytery so corrupt a system of Christian religion as +Popery; I believe it is not above one-third as bad: but I think the +Presbyterians, and their clans of other fanatics of freethinkers and +atheists that dangle after them, are as well inclined to pull down the +present establishment of monarchy and religion, as any set of Papists in +Christendom, and therefore that our danger as things now stand, is +infinitely greater from our Protestant enemies; because they are much +more able to ruin us, and full as willing. There is no doubt, but +Presbytery, and a commonwealth, are less formidable evils than Popery, +slavery, and the Pretender; for if the fanatics were in power, I should +be in more apprehension of being starved than burned. But there are +probably in England forty dissenters of all kinds, including their +brethren the freethinkers, for one papist; and, allowing one papist to +be as terrible as three dissenters, it will appear by arithmetic, that +we are thirteen times and one-third more in danger of being ruined by +the latter than the former. + +The other qualification necessary for all pastors, if they will not be +"blind, ignorant, greedy, drunken dogs," &c., is, "to know the depths of +Satan." This is harder than the former; that a poor gentleman ought not +to be parson, vicar, or curate of a parish, except he be cunninger than +the devil. I am afraid it will be difficult to remedy this defect for +one manifest reason, because whoever had only half the cunning of the +devil, would never take up with a vicarage of L10 a-year, "to live on at +his ease," as my Lord expresseth it; but seek out for some better +livelihood. His Lordship is of a nation very much distinguished for that +quality of cunning (though they have a great many better) and I think he +was never accused for wanting his share. However upon a trial of skill I +would venture to lay six to four on the devil's side, who must be +allowed to be at least the older practitioner. Telling truth shames him, +and resistance makes him fly: But to attempt outwitting him, is to fight +him at his own weapon, and consequently no cunning at all. Another thing +I would observe is, that a man may be "in the depths of Satan," without +knowing them all, and such a man may be so far in Satan's depths as to +be out of his own. One of the depths of Satan, is to counterfeit an +angel of light. Another, I believe, is, to stir up the people against +their governors, by false suggestions of danger. A third is to be a +prompter to false brethren, and to send wolves about in sheep's +clothing. Sometimes he sends Jesuits about England in the habit and cant +of fanatics, at other times he has fanatic missionaries in the habits of +----. I shall mention but one more of Satan's depths, for I confess I +know not the hundredth part of them; and that is, to employ his +emissaries in crying out against remote imaginary dangers, by which we +may be taken off from defending ourselves against those which are real +and just at our elbows. + +But his Lordship draws towards a conclusion, and bids us "look about, to +consider the danger we are in, before it is too late;" for he assures +us, we are already "going into some of the worst parts of popery;"[55] +like the man who was so much in haste for his new coat, that he put it +on the wrong side out. "Auricular confession, priestly absolution, and +the sacrifice of the mass," have made great progress in England, and +nobody has observed it: several other popish points "are carried higher +with us than by the papists themselves."[56] And somebody, it seems, +"had the impudence to propose a union with the Gallican church."[57] I +have indeed heard that Mr. Lesley[58] published a discourse to that +purpose, which I have never seen; nor do I perceive the evil in +proposing an union between any two churches in Christendom. Without +doubt Mr. Lesley is most unhappily misled in his politics; but if he be +the author of the late tract against Popery[59], he has given the world +such a proof of his soundness in religion, as many a bishop ought to be +proud of. I never saw the gentleman in my life: I know he is the son of +a great and excellent prelate, who upon several accounts was one of the +most extraordinary men of his age. Mr. Lesley has written many useful +discourses upon several subjects, and hath so well deserved of the +Christian religion, and the Church of England in particular, that to +accuse him of "impudence for proposing an union" in two very different +faiths, is a style which I hope few will imitate. I detest Mr. Lesley's +political principles as much as his Lordship can do for his heart; but I +verily believe he acts from a mistaken conscience, and therefore I +distinguish between the principles and the person. However, it is some +mortification to me, when I see an avowed nonjuror contribute more to +the confounding of Popery, than could ever be done by a hundred thousand +such Introductions as this. + +[Footnote 55: Page 70.] + +[Footnote 56: Page 70.] + +[Footnote 57: Swift here disowns a charge loudly urged by the Whigs of +the time against the high churchmen. There were, however, strong +symptoms of a nearer approach on their part to the church of Rome. +Hickes, the head of the Jacobite writers, had insinuated, that there was +a proper sacrifice in the Eucharist; Brett had published a Sermon on the +"Doctrine of Priestly Absolution as essential to Salvation;" Dodwell had +written against Lay-Baptism, and his doctrine at once excluded all the +dissenters (whose teachers are held as lay-men) from the pale of +Christianity; and, upon the whole, there was a general disposition +among the clergy to censure, if not the Reformation itself, at least the +mode in which it was carried on. [S.]] + +[Footnote 58: Charles Lesley, or Leslie, the celebrated nonjuror. He +published a Jacobite paper, called the "Rehearsal," and was a strenuous +assertor of divine right; but he was also so steady a Protestant, that +he went to Bar-le-Duc to convert the Chevalier de St George from the +errors of Rome. [S.] See note on p. 63. [T. S.]] + +[Footnote 59: "The Case stated between the Church of Rome and the Church +of England," 1713.] + +His Lordship ends with discovering a small ray of comfort. "God be +thanked there are many among us that stand upon the watch-tower, and +that give faithful warning; that stand in the breach, and make +themselves a wall for their church and country; that cry to God day and +night, and lie in the dust mourning before him, to avert those judgments +that seem to hasten towards us. They search into the mystery of iniquity +that is working among us, and acquaint themselves with that mass of +corruption that is in popery."[60] He prays "that the number of these +may increase, and that he may be of that number, ready either to die in +peace, or to seal that doctrine he has been preaching above fifty years, +with his blood."[61] This being his last paragraph, I have made bold to +transcribe the most important parts of it. His design is to end after +the manner of orators, with leaving the strongest impression possible +upon the minds of his hearers. A great breach is made; "the mystery of +popish iniquity is working among us;" may God avert those "judgments +that are hastening towards us!" I am an old man, "a preacher above fifty +years," and I now expect and am ready to die a martyr for the doctrines +I have preached. What an amiable idea does he here leave upon our minds, +of Her Majesty and her government! He has been poring so long upon Fox's +Book of Martyrs, that he imagines himself living in the reign of Queen +Mary, and is resolved to set up for a knight-errant against Popery. Upon +the supposition of his being in earnest, (which I am sure he is not) it +would require but a very little more heat of imagination, to make a +history of such a knight's adventures. What would he say, to behold the +"fires kindled in Smithfield, and all over the town," on the 17th of +November; to behold the Pope borne in triumph on the shoulders of the +people, with a cardinal on the one side, and the Pretender on the other? +He would never believe it was Queen Elizabeth's day, but that of her +persecuting sister: In short, how easily might a windmill be taken for +the whore of Babylon, and a puppet-show for a popish procession? + +[Footnote 60: Page 71] + +[Footnote 61: Page 72] + +But enthusiasm is none of his Lordship's faculty: I am inclined to +believe he might be melancholy enough when he writ this Introduction: +The despair at his age of seeing a faction restored, to which he hath +sacrificed so great a part of his life: The little success he can hope +for in case he should resume those High-Church Principles, in defence of +which he first employed his pen: No visible expectation of removing to +Farnham or Lambeth: And lastly, the misfortune of being hated by every +one, who either wears the habit, or values the profession of a +clergyman: No wonder such a spirit, in such a situation, is provoked +beyond the regards of truth, decency, religion, or self-conviction. To +do him justice, he seems to have nothing else left, but to cry out, +halters, gibbets, faggots, inquisition, Popery, slavery, and the +Pretender. But in the meantime, he little considers what a world of +mischief he does to his cause. It is very convenient, for the present +designs of that faction, to spread the opinion of our immediate danger +from Popery and the Pretender. His directors therefore ought, in my +humble opinion, to have employed his Lordship in publishing a book, +wherein he should have asserted, by the most solemn asseverations, that +all things were safe and well; for the world has contracted so strong a +habit of believing him backwards, that I am confident, nine parts in ten +of those who have read or heard of his Introduction, have slept in +greater security ever since. It is like the melancholy tone of a +watchman at midnight, who thumps with his pole, as if some thief were +breaking in, but you know by the noise, that the door is fast. + +However, he "thanks God there are many among us who stand in the +breach:" I believe they may; 'tis a breach of their own making, and they +design to come forward, and storm and plunder, if they be not driven +back. "They make themselves a wall for their church and country." A +south wall, I suppose, for all the best fruit of the church and country +to be nailed on. Let us examine this metaphor: The wall of our church +and country is built of those who love the constitution in both: Our +domestic enemies undermine some parts of the wall, and place themselves +in the breach; and then they cry, "We are the wall!" We do not like such +patchwork, they build with untempered mortar; nor can they ever cement +with us, till they get better materials and better workmen: God keep us +from having our breaches made up with such rubbish! "They stand upon the +watch-tower;" they are indeed pragmatical enough to do so; but who +assigned them that post, to give us false intelligence, to alarm us with +false dangers, and send us to defend one gate, while their accomplices +are breaking in at another? "They cry to God, day and night to avert the +judgment of Popery which seems to hasten towards us." Then I affirm, +they are hypocrites by day, and filthy dreamers by night. When they cry +unto him, he will not hear them: For they cry against the plainest +dictates of their own conscience, reason, and belief. + +But lastly, "They lie in the dust, mourning before him." Hang me if I +believe that, unless it be figuratively spoken. But suppose it to be +true; why do "they lie in the dust?" Because they love to raise it: For +what do "they mourn?" Why, for power, wealth, and places. There let the +enemies of the Queen, and monarchy, and the church, lie, and mourn, and +lick the dust, like serpents, till they are truly sensible of their +ingratitude, falsehood, disobedience, slander, blasphemy, sedition, and +every evil work! + +I cannot find in my heart to conclude without offering his Lordship a +little humble advice upon some certain points. + +First, I would advise him, if it be not too late in his life, to +endeavour a little at mending his style, which is mighty defective in +the circumstances of grammar, propriety, politeness, and smoothness;[62] +I fancied at first, it might be owing to the prevalence of his passion, +as people sputter out nonsense for haste when they are in a rage. And +indeed I believe this piece before me has received some additional +imperfections from that occasion. But whoever has heard his sermons, or +read his other tracts, will find him very unhappy in his choice and +disposition of his words, and, for want of variety, repeating them, +especially the particles, in a manner very grating to an English ear. +But I confine myself to this Introduction, as his last work, where +endeavouring at rhetorical flowers, he gives us only bunches of +thistles; of which I could present the reader with a plentiful crop; but +I refer him to every page and line of the pamphlet itself. + +[Footnote 62: In Swift's notes on Burnet's "History of his Own Times," +he points out many instances of the deficiency here stated. [S.]] + +Secondly, I would most humbly advise his Lordship to examine a little +into the nature of truth, and sometimes to hear what she says. I shall +produce two instances among a hundred. When he asserts that we are "now +in more danger of Popery than toward the end of King Charles II.'s +reign," and gives the broadest hints, that the Queen, the ministry, the +parliament, and the clergy, are just going to introduce it; I desire to +know, whether he really thinks truth is of his side, or whether he be +not sure she is against him? If the latter, then truth and he will be +found in two different stories; and which are we to believe? Again, when +he gravely advises the clergy and laity of the Tory side, not to "light +the fires in Smithfield," and goes on in twenty places already quoted, +as if the bargain was made for Popery and slavery to enter: I ask again, +whether he has rightly considered the nature of truth? I desire to put a +parallel case. Suppose his Lordship should take it into his fancy to +write and publish a letter to any gentleman of no infamous character for +his religion or morals; and there advise him with great earnestness, not +to rob or fire churches, ravish his daughter, or murder his father; show +him the sin and the danger of these enormities, that if he flattered +himself, he could escape in disguise, or bribe his jury, he was +grievously mistaken: That he must in all probability forfeit his goods +and chattels, die an ignominious death, and be cursed by posterity; +Would not such a gentleman justly think himself highly injured, though +his Lordship did not affirm that the said gentleman had his picklocks or +combustibles ready, that he had attempted his daughter, and drawn his +sword against his father in order to stab him? Whereas, in the other +case, this writer affirms over and over, that all attempts for +introducing Popery and slavery are already made, the whole business +concerted, and that little less than a miracle can prevent our ruin. + +Thirdly, I could heartily wish his Lordship would not undertake to +charge the opinions of one or two, and those probably nonjurors, upon +the whole body of the nation that differs from him. Mr. Lesley writ a +"Proposal for a Union with the Gallican Church;" somebody else has +"carried the necessity of priesthood in the point of baptism farther +than popery;" a third has "asserted the independency of the church on +the state, and in many things arraigned the supremacy of the crown." +Then he speaks in a dubious insinuating way, as if some other popish +tenets had been already advanced: And at last concludes in this affected +strain of despondency, "What will all these things end in? and on what +design are they driven? Alas, it is too visible!" 'Tis as clear as the +sun, that these authors are encouraged by the ministry with a design to +bring in Popery; and in Popery all these things will end. + +I never was so uncharitable as to believe, that the whole party of which +his Lordship professeth himself a member, had a real formed design of +establishing atheism among us. The reason why the Whigs have taken the +atheists, or freethinkers, into their body, is because they wholly agree +in their political schemes, and differ very little in church power and +discipline. However, I could turn the argument against his Lordship with +very great advantage, by quoting passages from fifty pamphlets wholly +made up of Whiggism and atheism, and then conclude; "What will all these +things end in? And on what design are they driven? Alas, it is too +visible!" + +Lastly, I would beg his Lordship not to be so exceedingly outrageous +upon the memory of the dead; because it is highly probable, that, in a +very short time he will be one of the number. He has in plain words +given Mr. Wharton the character of a "most malicious, revengeful, +treacherous, lying, mercenary villain." To which I shall only say, that +the direct reverse of this amiable description is what appears from the +works of that most learned divine, and from the accounts given me by +those who knew him much better than the Bishop seems to have done. I +meddle not with the moral part of his treatment. God Almighty forgive +his Lordship this manner of revenging himself; and then there will be +but little consequence from an accusation which the dead cannot feel, +and which none of the living will believe. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +MR. COLLINS'S DISCOURSE OF + +FREETHINKING; + +PUT INTO PLAIN ENGLISH, + +BY WAY OF ABSTRACT, + +FOR THE USE OF THE POOR. + +BY A FRIEND OF THE AUTHOR. + +FIRST PRINTED IN 1713 + + +NOTE. + +Of the deistical writers of the early eighteenth century, Anthony +Collins (1676-1729) is, perhaps, the most celebrated. He was born near +Hounslow and educated at Eton and Cambridge. His writings were mainly +attacks on Christianity, and, in addition to the "Discourse on +Freethinking," he published: "Discourse of the Grounds and Reasons of +the Christian Religion;" "Scheme of Literal Prophecy Considered;" +"Priestcraft in Perfection;" "Historical and Critical Essay on the +Thirty-Nine Articles;" and "A Philosophical Enquiry concerning Human +Liberty." Most of these writings engaged him in many and violent +controversies with some of the ablest divines of his time. Among these, +beside Swift, may be named, Whiston, Hare, Hoadly, Bentley, and Samuel +Clarke. Steele, also, had his fling at Collins, and thought that "if +ever man deserved to be denied the common benefits of air and water, it +is the author of 'A Discourse upon Freethinking'" ("Guardian," No. 3). +But then Steele's opinion on such a matter was of no great moment. What +was of more, was the fact that the school to which Collins belonged +found a decided opponent in Locke, from the writings of whom the members +of the school professed to draw their strongest arguments. For a +philosophical appreciation of Toland, Collins, and the rest, see Mr. +Leslie Stephen's "English Thought in the Eighteenth Century" (chaps. +iii. and iv. of vol. i. 1881). + +Swift took an entirely different attitude towards Collins from that +assumed by the professional controversialists. He refused to take him +seriously, and no doubt he felt that ridicule would as effectually serve +his purpose as another method. Moreover, he sought to use the +opportunity for scoring a point against the Whigs, by insisting on the +political side of the matter, and, in the person of an assumed defender +of Collins, betrayed undoubted Whig leanings. Swift, at this time, was +deep in work, pamphleteering for Harley and St. John. He had already +written "The Conduct of the Allies," and "Some Remarks on the Barrier +Treaty," and was soon to write "The Public Spirit of the Whigs." The +assumed and sarcastic defence of Collins must be taken as a Swiftian +dodge to bring odium and suspicion on the opponents of the Tory +ministry, by showing that the propounders of the hateful and ridiculous +atheism were themselves Whigs. + +Sir Henry Craik, in a note to his reprint of this tract ("Selections +from Swift," Oxford, 1893, vol. ii. p. 42), agrees with Scott as to the +motive which urged Swift in writing it. "In this later tract," he says, +"Swift makes no attempt to cloak his enmity; and he boldly assumes the +character of a Whig as the propounder of those atheistical absurdities, +which he wished, as a useful political move, but without any scrupulous +regard to fairness, to represent as part and parcel of the tenets of +that party." "What gave colour," says Scott, "though only a colour, to +his charge was, that Toland, Tindal, Collins, and most of those who +carried to licence their abhorrence of Church-government, were naturally +enough enrolled among that party in politics who professed most +attachment to freedom of sentiment." It must not, however, be forgotten, +that Swift's attachment to his Church, as it influenced him against the +Whigs, would naturally influence him against the deistical writers also, +and that he must be credited, to that extent, with honesty of purpose. +That these writers were Whigs was, if one may so put it, an accident, of +which it would have been more than a human act for Swift not to take +advantage, for party purposes. + +Curiously enough, none of Swift's more modern biographers have thought +this imitation of Collins's "Discourse" worthy of a mention; yet it is, +in its way, as fine a performance as his castigation of Bishop Burnet +and his "Introduction." The fooling is admirably carried on, and the +intention, as explained in the introduction, is excellently well +realized. It frightened Collins into Holland. To appreciate the +cleverness with which it has been done, one should read Swift's +"Abstract" side by side with Collins's "Discourse." + +The pamphlet was advertised for sale in "The Examiner" for Tuesday, +January 26th, 1712-13. In His "Letters to Stella" (January 16th and +21st, 1712-13), Swift makes the following references to it: "I came home +at seven, and began a little whim which just came into my head, and will +make a three-penny pamphlet. It shall be finished in a week; and, if it +succeeds, you shall know what it is; otherwise not. ... I was to-day +with my printer, to give him a little pamphlet I have written; but not +politics. It will be out by Monday." + +The present text is based on that of the first edition, collated with +those given by Nichols, Hawkesworth and Scott. None of the +"Miscellanies" prints this tract, nor is it given in Faulkner's edition +of 1735-38 (6 vols.). It is fully annotated and edited by Nichols in the +first volume of his "Supplement to Swift's Works" (1779). + +[T. S.] + + + Mr. COLLIN'S + DISCOURSE + OF + FREE-THINKING, + PUT INTO PLAIN ENGLISH, + BY WAY OF ABSTRACT, + FOR THE + USE OF THE POOR. + +BY A FRIEND OF THE AUTHOR. + +1713. + + +INTRODUCTION. + +Our party having failed, by all their political arguments, to +re-establish their power; the wise leaders have determined, that the +last and principal remedy should be made use of, for opening the eyes of +this blinded nation; and that a short, but perfect, system of their +divinity, should be published, to which we are all of us ready to +subscribe, and which we lay down as a model, bearing a close analogy to +our schemes in religion. Crafty, designing men, that they might keep the +world in awe, have, in their several forms of government, placed a +_Supreme Power_ on earth, to keep human-kind in fear of being hanged; +and a supreme power in heaven, for fear of being damned. In order to +cure men's apprehensions of the former, several of our learned members +have writ many profound treatises on Anarchy; but a brief complete body +of Atheology seemed yet wanting, till this irrefragable Discourse +appeared. However, it so happens, that our ablest brethren, in their +elaborate disquisitions upon this subject, have written with so much +caution, that ignorant unbelievers have edified very little by them. I +grant that those daring spirits, who first adventured to write against +the direct rules of the gospel, the current of antiquity, the religion +of the magistrate, and the laws of the land, had some measures to keep; +and particularly when they railed at religion, were in the right to use +little artful disguises, by which a jury could only find them guilty of +abusing heathenism or popery. But the mystery is now revealed, that +there is no such thing as mystery or revelation; and though our friends +are out of place and power, yet we may have so much confidence in the +present ministry, to be secure, that those who suffer so many free +speeches against their sovereign and themselves, to pass unpunished, +will never resent our expressing the freest thoughts against their +religion; but think with Tiberius, that if there be a God, he is able +enough to revenge any injuries done to himself, without expecting the +civil power to interpose.[1] + +[Footnote 1: Swift was evidently very fond of this reference, since he +uses it several times in his writings. [T. S.]] + +_By these reflections I was brought to think, that the most ingenious +author of the Discourse upon Freethinking, in a letter to Somebody, +Esq.; although he hath used less reserve than any of his predecessors, +might yet have been more free and open. I considered, that several +well-witters to infidelity, might be discouraged by a show of logic, and +a multiplicity of quotations, scattered through his book, which to +understandings of that size, might carry an appearance of something like +book-learning, and consequently fright them from reading for their +improvement; I could see no reason why these great discoveries should be +hid from our youth of quality, who frequent Whites and Tom's; why they +should not be adapted to the capacities of the Kit-Cat and Hanover +Clubs,[2] who might then be able to read lectures on them to their +several toasts: and it will be allowed on all hands, that nothing can +sooner help to restore our abdicated cause, than a firm universal belief +of the principles laid down by this sublime author._ + +[Footnote 2: These were chocolate houses of the time, supported mainly +by the aristocracy and the gamblers. White's is still in existence, and +has had the honour of having had a special history written about it. +Tom's was in Russell Street, and so-called after its landlord, Tom West. +The Kit-Cat Club was the resort of the Whig wits of the day, and the +Hanover Club of those who favoured the Hanover succession. [T. S.]] + +For I am sensible that nothing would more contribute to "the continuance +of the war" and the restoration of the late ministry, than to have the +doctrines delivered in this treatise well infused into the people. I +have therefore compiled them into the following Abstract, wherein I have +adhered to the very words of our author, only adding some few +explanations of my own, where the terms happen to be too learned, and +consequently a little beyond the comprehension of those for whom the +work was principally intended, I mean the nobility and gentry of our +party. After which I hope it will be impossible for the malice of a +Jacobite, highflying, priestridden faction, to misrepresent us. The few +additions I have made are for no other use than to help the transition, +which could not otherwise be kept in an abstract; but I have not +presumed to advance anything of my own; which besides would be needless +to an author who hath so fully handled and demonstrated every +particular. I shall only add, that though this writer, when he speaks of +priests, desires chiefly to be understood to mean the English clergy, +yet he includes all priests whatsoever, except the ancient and modern +heathens, the Turks, Quakers, and Socinians. + + +THE LETTER. + +SIR, + +I send you this apology for Freethinking,[3] without the least hopes of +doing good, but purely to comply with your request; for those truths +which nobody can deny, will do no good to those who deny them. The +clergy, who are so impudent to teach the people the doctrines of faith, +are all either cunning knaves or mad fools; for none but artificial, +designing men, and crack-brained enthusiasts, presume to be guides to +others in matters of speculation, which all the doctrines of +Christianity are; and whoever has a mind to learn the Christian +religion, naturally chooses such knaves and fools to teach them. Now the +Bible, which contains the precepts of the priests' religion, is the most +difficult book in the world to be understood; it requires a thorough +knowledge in natural, civil, ecclesiastical history, law, husbandry, +sailing, physic, pharmacy, mathematics, metaphysics, ethics, and +everything else that can be named: And everybody who believes it ought +to understand it, and must do so by force of his own freethinking, +without any guide or instructor. + +[Footnote 3: The chief strain of Collins's "Discourse" is an eulogium +upon the necessity and advantage of Freethinking; in which it is more +than insinuated that the advocates of revealed religion are enemies to +the progress of enlightened inquiry. This insidious position is +ridiculed in the following parody. [S.]] + +How can a man think at all, if he does not think freely? A man who does +not eat and drink freely, does not eat and drink at all. Why may not I +be denied the liberty of freeseeing, as well as freethinking? Yet nobody +pretends that the first is unlawful, for a cat may look on a king; +though you be near-sighted, or have weak or sore eyes, or are blind, you +may be a free-seer; you ought to see for yourself, and not trust to a +guide to choose the colour of your stockings, or save you from falling +into a ditch. + +In like manner, there ought to be no restraint at all on thinking freely +upon any proposition, however impious or absurd. There is not the least +hurt in the wickedest thoughts, provided they be free; nor in telling +those thoughts to everybody, and endeavouring to convince the world of +them; for all this is included in the doctrine of freethinking, as I +shall plainly show you in what follows; and therefore you are all along +to understand the word freethinking in this sense. + +If you are apt to be afraid of the devil, think freely of him, and you +destroy him and his kingdom. Freethinking has done him more mischief +than all the clergy in the world ever could do; they believe in the +devil, they have an interest in him, and therefore are the great +supports of his kingdom. The devil was in the States-General before they +began to be freethinkers. For England and Holland[4] were formerly the +Christian territories of the devil; I told you how he left Holland; and +freethinking and the revolution banished him from England; I defy all +the clergy to shew me when they ever had such success against him. My +meaning is, that to think freely of the devil, is to think there is no +devil at all; and he that thinks so, the devil's in him if he be afraid +of the devil. + +[Footnote 4: Collins is supposed to have imbibed his freethinking +philosophy during his repeated visits to Holland. [S.]] + +But, within these two or three years, the devil has come into England +again, and Dr. Sacheverell[5] has given him commission to appear in the +shape of a cat, and carry old women about upon broomsticks: And the +devil has now so many "ministers ordained to his service," that they +have rendered freethinking odious, and nothing but the second coming of +Christ can restore it. + +[Footnote 5: See note on p. 147.] + +The priests tell me, I am to believe the Bible, but freethinking tells +me otherwise in many particulars: The Bible says, the Jews were a nation +favoured by God; but I who am a freethinker say, that cannot be, because +the Jews lived in a corner of the earth, and freethinking makes it +clear, that those who live in corners cannot be favourites of God. The +New Testament all along asserts the truth of Christianity, but +freethinking denies it; because Christianity was communicated but to a +few; and whatever is communicated but to a few, cannot be true; for that +is like whispering, and the proverb says, that there is no whispering +without lying. + +Here is a society in London for propagating freethinking throughout the +world, encouraged and supported by the Queen and many others. You say, +perhaps, it is for propagating the Gospel. Do you think the missionaries +we send will tell the heathens that they must not think freely? No, +surely; why then, it is manifest, those missionaries must be +freethinkers, and make the heathens so too. But why should not the king +of Siam, whose religion is heathenism and idolatry, send over a parcel +of his priests to convert us to his church, as well as we send +missionaries there? Both projects are exactly of a piece, and equally +reasonable; and if those heathen priests were here, it would be our duty +to hearken to them, and think freely whether they may not be in the +right rather than we. I heartily wish a detachment of such divines as Dr +Atterbury, Dr. Smallridge,[6] Dr. Swift, Dr. Sacheverell, and some others, +were sent every year to the farthest part of the heathen world, and that +we had a cargo of their priests in return, who would spread freethinking +among us; then the war would go on, the late ministry be restored, and +faction cease, which our priests inflame by haranguing upon texts, and +falsely call that preaching the Gospel. + +[Footnote 6: Dr. Smallridge, it will be remembered, was the gentleman +who indignantly denied the authorship of "A Tale of a Tub" (see vol. i. +of this edition). He became Bishop of Bristol in 1714, and died in 1719. +His style was well thought of at the time. [T.S.]] + +I have another project in my head, which ought to be put in execution, +in order to make us freethinkers: It is a great hardship and injustice, +that our priests must not be disturbed while they are prating in the +pulpit. For example: Why should not William Penn the Quaker, or any +Anabaptist, Papist, Muggletonian, Jew, or Sweet-Singer,[7] have liberty +to come into St Paul's Church, in the midst of divine service, and +endeavour to convert first the aldermen, then the preacher, and +singing-men? Or pray, why might not poor Mr. Whiston,[8] who denies the +divinity of Christ, be allowed to come into the Lower House of +Convocation, and convert the clergy? But, alas! we are overrun with such +false notions, that, if Penn or Whiston should do their duty, they would +be reckoned fanatics, and disturbers of the holy synod, although they +have as good a title to it as St Paul had to go into the synagogues of +the Jews; and their authority is full as divine as his. + +[Footnote 7: The Sweet-Singers were a fanatical sect of wailers, founded +in Scotland, but which had no long life. [T.S.]] Christ himself commands +us to be freethinkers; for he bids us search the scriptures, and take +heed what and whom we hear; by which he plainly warns us, not to believe +our bishops and clergy; for Jesus Christ, when he considered that all +the Jewish and heathen priests, whose religion he came to abolish, were +his enemies, rightly concluded that those appointed by him to preach his +own gospel, would probably be so too; and could not be secure, that any +set of priests, of the faith he delivered, would ever be otherwise; +therefore it is fully demonstrated that the clergy of the Church of +England are mortal enemies to Christ, and ought not to be believed. + +[Footnote 8: Yet Whiston, who receives this side-cut, was himself an +anxious combatant of Collins, in his "Reflections on an Anonymous +Pamphlet, entitled, 'A Defence of Freethinking.'" 1713. [S.]] + +But, without the privilege of freethinking, how is it possible to know +which is the right Scripture? Here are perhaps twenty sorts of +Scriptures in the several parts of the world, and every set of priests +contend that their Scripture is the true one. The Indian Brahmins have a +book of scripture called the Shaster; the Persees their Zundivastaw;[9] +the Bonzes in China have theirs, written by the disciples of Fo-he, whom +they call _God and Saviour of the world, who was born to teach the way +of salvation, and to give satisfaction for all men's sins_: which, you +see, is directly the same with what our priests pretend of Christ. And +must we not think freely, to find out which are in the right, whether +the Bishops or the Bonzes? But the Talapoins, or heathen clergy of Siam, +approach yet nearer to the system of our priests; they have a Book of +Scripture written by Sommonocodam, who, the Siamese say, was "born of a +virgin," and was "the God expected by the Universe;" just as our priests +tell us, that Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary, and was the +Messiah so long expected. The Turkish priests, or dervises, have their +Scripture which they call the Alcoran. The Jews have the Old Testament +for their Scripture, and the Christians have both the Old and the New. +Now among all these Scriptures, there cannot above one be right; and how +is it possible to know which is that, without reading them all, and then +thinking freely, every one of us for ourselves, without following the +advice or instruction of any guide, before we venture to choose? The +parliament ought to be at the charge of finding a sufficient number of +these Scriptures, for every one of Her Majesty's subjects, for there are +twenty to one against us, that we may be in the wrong: But a great deal +of freethinking will at last set us all right, and every one will adhere +to the Scripture he likes best; by which means, religion, peace, and +wealth, will be for ever secured in Her Majesty's realms. + +[Footnote 9: Swift means here, of course, the Zendavesta, the +commentaries on the sacred books of the Parsees. Not that Swift could +have known much of these Oriental religions; but the names were good +enough for his purpose. [T.S.]] + +And it is the more necessary that the good people of England should have +liberty to choose some other Scripture, because all Christian priests +differ so much about the copies of theirs, and about the various +readings of the several manuscripts, which quite destroys the authority +of the Bible: for what authority can a book pretend to, where there are +various readings?[10] And for this reason, it is manifest that no man +can know the opinions of Aristotle or Plato, or believe the facts +related by Thucydides or Livy, or be pleased with the poetry of Homer +and Virgil, all which books are utterly useless, upon account of their +various readings. Some books of Scripture are said to be lost, and this +utterly destroys the credit of those that are left: some we reject, +which the Africans and Copticks receive; and why may we not think +freely, and reject the rest? Some think the scriptures wholly inspired, +some partly; and some not at all. Now this is just the very case of the +Bramins, Persees, Bonzes, Talapoins, Dervises, Rabbis, and all other +priests, who build their religion upon books, as our priests do upon +their Bibles; they all equally differ about the copies, various readings +and inspirations, of their several Scriptures, and God knows which are +in the right: Freethinking alone can determine it. + +[Footnote 10: In the discourse on "Freethinking," p. 80, Collins insists +much on a passage in Victor of Tunis, from which he infers, that the +Gospels were corrected and altered in the fourth century. [S.]] + +It would be endless to show in how many particulars the priests of the +Heathen and Christian churches, differ about the meaning even of those +Scriptures which they universally receive as sacred. But, to avoid +prolixity, I shall confine myself to the different opinions among the +priests of the Church of England, and here only give you a specimen, +because even these are too many to be enumerated. + +I have found out a bishop, (though indeed his opinions are condemned by +all his brethren,) who allows the Scriptures to be so difficult, that +God has left them rather as a trial of our industry than a repository of +our faith, and furniture of creeds and articles of belief; with several +other admirable schemes of freethinking, which you may consult at your +leisure. + +The doctrine of the Trinity is the most fundamental point of the whole +Christian religion. Nothing is more easy to a freethinker, yet what +different notions of it do the English priests pretend to deduce from +Scripture, explaining it by "specific unities, eternal modes of +subsistence," and the like unintelligible jargon? Nay, it is a question +whether this doctrine be fundamental or no; for though Dr. South and +Bishop Bull affirm it, yet Bishop Taylor and Dr. Wallis deny it.[11] And +that excellent freethinking prelate, Bishop Taylor, observes, that +Athanasius's example was followed with too much greediness; by which +means it has happened, that the greater number of our priests are in +that sentiment, and think it necessary to believe the Trinity, and +incarnation of Christ.[12] + +[Footnote 11: Dr. Robert South (1633-1716), rector of Islip. The +reference by Swift is to his controversy with Sherlock on the doctrine +of the Trinity. The two disputants got into such depths that both were +charged with heresy. + +Dr. George Bull (1634-1710), Bishop of St. David's, wrote the "Defensio +Fidei Nicenae." For his exposition of the necessity for the belief in the +divinity of the Son of God he received the thanks of Bossuet. + +Dr. Jeremy Taylor, Bishop of Down and Connor (1613-1667), and author of +"Holy Living" and "Holy Dying," wrote also "Unum Necessarium, or the +Doctrine and Practice of Repentance." His treatment, in this work, of +the doctrine of original sin was considered heterodox by Bishop Warner +and Dr. Sanderson, and a controversy ensued, in the course of which +Taylor was imprisoned in Chepstow Castle on a charge of being concerned +in a Royalist insurrection. + +Dr. John Wallis (1616-1703), here referred to, is the famous +mathematician and divine, and one of the original members of the Royal +Society. He is mentioned in the text by Swift because of a work he +published on the Trinity, which brought him into collision with the +Arians. But the Doctor seems to have been addicted to views of a +controversial nature, for his opinions on infant baptism and the keeping +of the Sabbath found many objectors. He was Savilian Professor of +Geometry at Oxford in 1648. [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 12: See Swift's opinion of controversies on this subject in +his "Sermon upon the Trinity." [S.]] + +Our priests likewise dispute several circumstances about the +resurrection of the dead, the nature of our bodies after the +resurrection, and in what manner they shall be united to our souls. They +also attack one another "very weakly with great vigour," about +predestination. And it is certainly true, (for Bishop Taylor and Mr. +Whiston the Socinian say so,) that all churches in prosperity alter +their doctrines every age, and are neither satisfied with themselves, +nor their own confessions; neither does any clergyman of sense believe +the Thirty-nine Articles. + +Our priests differ about the eternity of hell torments. The famous Dr +Henry More,[13] and the most pious and rational of all priests, Dr +Tillotson,[14] (both freethinkers,) believe them to be not eternal. They +differ about keeping the sabbath, the divine right of episcopacy, and +the doctrine of original sin; which is the foundation of the whole +Christian religion; for if men are not liable to be damned for Adam's +sin, the Christian religion is an imposture: Yet this is now disputed +among them; so is lay baptism; so was formerly the lawfulness of usury, +but now the priests are common stock-jobbers, attorneys, and scriveners. +In short there is no end of disputing among priests, and therefore I +conclude, that there ought to be no such thing in the world as priests, +teachers, or guides, for instructing ignorant people in religion; but +that every man ought to think freely for himself. + +[Footnote 13: Dr. Henry More (1614-1687), the Platonist theologian, +wrote a philosophical poem entitled, "Psycho-Zoia, or the Life of the +Soul" (1640). [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 14: Dr. John Tillotson (1630-1694) succeeded Bancroft as +Archbishop of Canterbury. He published some eloquent sermons and several +controversial tracts against Catholicism. [T.S.]] + +I will tell you the meaning in all this; the priests dispute every point +in the Christian religion, as well as almost every text in the Bible; +and the force of my argument lies here, that whatever point is disputed +by one or two divines, however condemned by the Church, not only that +particular point, but the whole article to which it relates, may +lawfully be received or rejected by any freethinker. For instance, +suppose More and Tillotson deny the eternity of hell torments, a +freethinker may deny all future punishments whatsoever. The priests +dispute about explaining the Trinity; therefore a freethinker may reject +one or two, or the whole three persons; at least he may reject +Christianity, because the Trinity is the most fundamental doctrine of +that religion. So I affirm original sin, and that men are now liable to +be damned for Adam's sin, to be the foundation of the whole Christian +religion; but this point was formerly, and is now disputed, therefore, a +freethinker may deny the whole. And I cannot help giving you one farther +direction, how I insinuate all along, that the wisest freethinking +priests, whom you may distinguish by the epithets I bestow them, were +those who differed most from the generality of their brethren. + +But besides, the conduct of our priests in many other points, makes +freethinking unavoidable; for some of them own, that the doctrines of +the Church are contradictory to one another, as well as to reason; which +I thus prove: Dr. Sacheverell says in his speech at his trial, That by +abandoning passive obedience we must render ourselves the most +inconsistent Church in the world: Now 'tis plain, that one inconsistency +could not make the most inconsistent Church in the world; _ergo_, there +must have been a great many inconsistencies and contradictory doctrines +in the Church before. Dr. South describes the incarnation of Christ, as +an astonishing mystery, impossible to be conceived by man's reason; +_ergo_, it is contradictory to itself, and to reason, and ought to be +exploded by all freethinkers. + +Another instance of the priests' conduct, which multiplies freethinkers, +is their acknowledgment of abuses, defects, and false doctrines, in the +Church; particularly that of eating black pudding,[15] which is so +plainly forbid in the Old and New Testament, that I wonder those who +pretend to believe a syllable in either will presume to taste it. Why +should I mention the want of discipline, and of a sideboard at the +altar, with complaints of other great abuses and defects made by some of +the priests, which no man can think on without freethinking, and +consequently rejecting Christianity? + +[Footnote 15: Collins in his pamphlet quotes a Dr. Grabe, who, following +the Jewish code of rules as regards food, considered the eating of blood +one of the points on which the Church did not insist against. In the +text Swift ridicules this in the reference to "black pudding." [T. S.]] + +When I see an honest freethinking bishop endeavour to destroy the power +and privileges of the Church, and Dr. Atterbury angry with him for it, +and calling it "dirty work," what can I conclude, by virtue of being a +freethinker, but that Christianity is all a cheat? + +Mr. Whiston has published several tracts, wherein he absolutely denies +the divinity of Christ: A bishop tells him, "Sir, in any matter where +you have the Church's judgment against you, you should be careful not to +break the peace of the Church, by writing against it, though you are +sure you are in the right."[16] Now my opinion is directly contrary; and +I affirm, that if ten thousand freethinkers thought differently from the +received doctrine, and from each other, they would be all in duty bound +to publish their thoughts (provided they were all sure of being in the +right) though it broke the peace of the Church and state ten thousand +times. + +[Footnote 16: Swift's "Sermon on the Trinity," as well as a passage in +his "Thoughts upon Religion," shews the weight which he attached to this +important argument. [S.]] + +And here I must take leave to tell you, although you cannot but have +perceived it from what I have already said, and shall be still more +amply convinced by what is to follow; that freethinking signifies +nothing, without freespeaking and freewriting. It is the indispensable +duty of a freethinker, to endeavour forcing all the world to think as he +does, and by that means make them freethinkers too. You are also to +understand, that I allow no man to be a freethinker, any further than as +he differs from the received doctrines of religion. Where a man falls +in, though by perfect chance, with what is generally believed, he is in +that point a confined and limited thinker; and you shall see by and by, +that I celebrate those for the noblest freethinkers in every age, who +differed from the religion of their countries in the most fundamental +points, and especially in those which bear any analogy to the chief +fundamentals of religion among us. + +Another trick of the priests is, to charge all men with atheism, who +have more wit than themselves; which therefore I expect will be my case +for writing this discourse: This is what makes them so implacable +against Mr. Gildon, Dr. Tindal, Mr. Toland,[17] and myself, and when they +call us wits, atheists, it provokes us to be freethinkers. + +[Footnote 17: See notes on pp. 9, 79, 80, 82.] + +Again; the priests cannot agree when their Scripture was written. They +differ about the number of canonical books, and the various readings. +Now those few among us who understand Latin, are careful to tell this to +our disciples, who presently fall a-freethinking, that the Bible is a +book not to be depended upon in anything at all. + +There is another thing, that mightily spreads freethinking, which I +believe you would hardly guess. The priests have got a way of late of +writing books against freethinking; I mean treatises in dialogue, where +they introduce atheists, deists, sceptics, and Socinians offering their +several arguments. Now these freethinkers are too hard for the priests +themselves in their own books; and how can it be otherwise? For if the +arguments usually offered by atheists, are fairly represented in these +books, they must needs convert everybody that reads them; because +atheists, deists, sceptics, and Socinians, have certainly better +arguments to maintain their opinions, than any the priests can produce +to maintain the contrary. + +Mr. Creech,[18] a priest, translated Lucretius into English, which is a +complete system of atheism; and several young students, who were +afterwards priests, wrote verses in praise of this translation. The +arguments against Providence in that book are so strong, that they have +added mightily to the number of freethinkers. + +[Footnote 18: This is Thomas Creech, the translator of Horace, to whom +Swift refers in "The Battle of the Books" (see vol. i. p. 180). The +translation of Lucretius was published in English verse in 1682. [T. +S.]] + +Why should I mention the pious cheats of the priests, who in the New +Testament translate the word _ecclesia_ sometimes the _church_, and +sometimes the _congregation_; and _episcopus_, sometimes a _bishop_, and +sometimes an _overseer_? A priest,[19] translating a book, left out a +whole passage that reflected on the king, by which he was an enemy to +political freethinking, a most considerable branch of our system. +Another priest, translating a book of travels,[20] left out a lying +miracle, out of mere malice, to conceal an argument for freethinking. In +short, these frauds are very common in all books which are published by +priests: But however, I love to excuse them whenever I can: And as to +this accusation, they may plead the authority of the ancient fathers of +the Church, for forgery, corruption, and mangling of authors, with more +reason than for any of their articles of faith. St Jerom, St Hilary, +Eusebius Vercellensis, Victorinus,[21] and several others, were all +guilty of arrant forgery and corruption: For when they translated the +works of several freethinkers, whom they called heretics, they omitted +all their heresies or freethinkings, and had the impudence to own it to +the world. + +[Footnote 19: Collins refers to the Rev. Mr. Brown, who translated +Father Paul's "Letters," and omitted the words, "If the King of England +[James I.] were not more a doctor than a king."] + +[Footnote 20: Baumgarten's "Travels." [T. S.]] + +[Footnote 21: Jerome, or St. Hieronymus (_circa_ 340-420), wrote the +Latin vulgate translation of the Scriptures. Is accepted as one of the +Fathers of the Church. + +St. Hilary, another accepted Father, was bishop of Poictiers. He died +367 or 368. + +The Eusebius here named was Bishop of Vercelli, a city of Liguria. He +flourished about A.D. 360, and distinguished himself at the Council of +Milan in A.D. 355, for his attacks against Arianism. He was exiled to +Upper Thebais, with several other bishops who refused to subscribe to +the condemnation of Athanasius; but was recalled with Lucifer, bishop of +Cagliari, Sardinia. In conjunction with Athanasius he attended an +Alexandrian synod which declared the Trinity consubstantial. He +travelled much, in the Eastern provinces and Italy, engaging in +missionary work. He died about A.D. 373. + +Fabius Marius Victorinus was born in Africa, and died at Rome in 370. He +was a distinguished orator, grammarian, and rhetorician. His chief work +was a treatise entitled "De Orthographia." He also wrote many +theological books. [T. S.]] + +From these many notorious instances of the priests' conduct, I conclude +they are not to be relied on in any one thing relating to religion; but +that every man must think freely for himself. + +But to this it may be objected, that the bulk of mankind is as well +qualified for flying as thinking, and if every man thought it his duty +to think freely, and trouble his neighbour with his thoughts (which is +an essential part of freethinking,) it would make wild work in the +world. I answer; whoever cannot think freely, may let it alone if he +pleases, by virtue of his right to think freely; that is to say, if such +a man freely thinks that he cannot think freely, of which every man is a +sufficient judge, why, then, he need not think freely, unless he thinks +fit. + +Besides, if the bulk of mankind cannot think freely in matters of +speculation, as the being of a God, the immortality of the soul, &c. why +then, freethinking is indeed no duty: But then the priests must allow, +that men are not concerned to believe whether there is a God or no. But +still those who are disposed to think freely, may think freely if they +please. + +It is again objected, that freethinking will produce endless divisions +in opinion, and by consequence disorder society. To which I answer; + +When every single man comes to have a different opinion every day from +the whole world, and from himself, by virtue of freethinking, and thinks +it his duty to convert every man to his own freethinking (as all we +freethinkers do) how can that possibly create so great a diversity of +opinions, as to have a set of priests agree among themselves to teach +the same opinions in their several parishes to all who will come to hear +them? Besides, if all people were of the same opinion, the remedy would +be worse than the disease; I will tell you the reason some other time. + +Besides, difference in opinion, especially in matters of great moment, +breeds no confusion at all. Witness Papist and Protestant, Roundhead and +Cavalier, Whig and Tory, now among us. I observe, the Turkish empire is +more at peace within itself, than Christian princes are with one +another. Those noble Turkish virtues of charity and toleration, are what +contribute chiefly to the flourishing state of that happy monarchy. +There Christians and Jews are tolerated, and live at ease, if they can +hold their tongues and think freely, provided they never set foot within +the mosques, nor write against Mahomet: A few plunderings now and then +by the janissaries are all they have to fear. + +It is objected, that by freethinking, men will think themselves into +atheism; and indeed I have allowed all along, that atheistical books +convert men to freethinking. But suppose that to be true; I can bring +you two divines who affirm superstition and enthusiasm to be worse than +atheism, and more mischievous to society, and in short it is necessary +that the bulk of the people should be atheists or superstitious. + +It is objected, that priests ought to be relied on by the people, as +lawyers and physicians, because it is their faculty. + +I answer, 'Tis true, a man who is no lawyer is not suffered to plead for +himself; but every man may be his own quack if he pleases, and he only +ventures his life; but in the other case the priest tells him he must be +damned: Therefore do not trust the priest, but think freely for +yourself, and if you happen to think there is no hell, there certainly +is none, and consequently you cannot be damned; I answer further, that +wherever there is no lawyer, physician, or priest, the country is +paradise. Besides, all priests, (except the orthodox, and those are not +ours, nor any that I know,) are hired by the public to lead men into +mischief; but lawyers and physicians are not, you hire them yourself. + +It is objected, (by priests no doubt, but I have forgot their names) +that false speculations are necessary to be imposed upon men, in order +to assist the magistrate in keeping the peace, and that men ought +therefore to be deceived, like children, for their own good. I answer, +that zeal for imposing speculations, whether true or false (under which +name of speculations I include all opinions of religion, as the belief +of a God, Providence, immortality of the soul, future rewards and +punishments, &c.) has done more hurt than it is possible for religion to +do good. It puts us to the charge of maintaining ten thousand priests in +England, which is a burden upon society never felt upon any other +occasion; and a greater evil to the public than if these ecclesiastics +were only employed in the most innocent offices of life, which I take to +be eating and drinking. Now if you offer to impose anything on mankind +besides what relates to moral duties, as to pay your debts, not pick +pockets, nor commit murder, and the like; that is to say, if, besides +this, you oblige them to believe in God and Jesus Christ, what you add +to their faith will take just so much off from their morality. By this +argument it is manifest, that a perfect moral man must be a perfect +atheist; every inch of religion he gets loses him an inch of morality: +For there is a certain _quantum_ belongs to every man, of which there is +nothing to spare. This is clear from the common practice of all our +priests, they never once preach to you to love your neighbour, to be +just in your dealings, or to be sober and temperate. The streets of +London are full of common whores, publicly tolerated in their +wickedness; yet the priests make no complaints against this enormity, +either from the pulpit or the press: I can affirm, that neither you nor +I, sir, have ever heard one sermon against whoring since we were boys. +No, the priests allow all these vices, and love us the better for them, +provided we will promise not "to harangue upon a text," nor to sprinkle +a little water in a child's face, which they call baptizing, and would +engross it all to themselves. + +Besides, the priests engage all the rogues, villains, and fools in their +party, in order to make it as large as they can: By this means they +seduced Constantine the Great[22] over to their religion, who was the +first Christian emperor, and so horrible a villain, that the heathen +priests told him they could not expiate his crimes in their church; so +he was at a loss to know what to do, till an AEgyptian bishop assured +him, that there was no villainy so great, but was to be expiated by the +sacraments of the Christian religion; upon which he became a Christian, +and to him that religion owes its first settlement. + +[Footnote 22: The reference here is to the luminous cross which +Constantine said he saw in the heavens, and which influenced him to +embrace Christianity. [T. S.]] + +It is objected, that freethinkers themselves are the most infamous, +wicked, and senseless of all mankind. + +I answer, first, we say the same of priests, and other believers. But +the truth is, men of all sects are equally good and bad; for no religion +whatsoever contributes in the least to mend men's lives. + +I answer, secondly, that freethinkers use their understanding, but those +who have religion do not; therefore the first have more understanding +than the others; witness Toland, Tindal, Gildon[23], Clendon, Coward, +and myself. For, use legs and have legs. + +[Footnote 23: John Clendon, of the Middle Temple, published in +1709-1710, "Tractatus Philosophico-Theologicus de Persona; or, a +Treatise of the Word Person." This singular book appears to have been +written principally to prove that the doctrine of the Trinity was very +well explained by an Act of Parliament, 9 and 10 Will. III. It was +complained of in the House of Commons, March 25th, 1710, and was judged +to be a scandalous, seditious, and blasphemous libel .... and was burnt +by the common hangman at the same time with Tindal's "Rights." [N.] ] + +I answer, thirdly, that freethinkers are the most virtuous persons in +the world; for all freethinkers must certainly differ from the priests, +and from nine hundred ninety-nine of a thousand of those among whom they +live; and are therefore virtuous of course, because everybody hates +them. + +I answer, fourthly, that the most virtuous people in all ages have been +freethinkers; of which I shall produce several instances[24]. + +[Footnote 24: What follows is in ridicule of a long list of +freethinkers, as he calls them, with which Collins has graced his +discourse; in which he includes not only the ancient philosophers, but +the inspired prophets, and even "King Solomon the wise." [S.] ] + +Socrates was a freethinker; for he disbelieved the gods of his country, +and the common creeds about them, and declared his dislike when he heard +men attribute "repentance, anger, and other passions to the gods, and +talk of wars and battles in heaven, and of the gods getting women with +child," and such like fabulous and blasphemous stones. I pick out these +particulars, because they are the very same with what the priests have +in their Bibles, where repentance and anger are attributed to God; where +it is said, there was "war in heaven;" and that "the Virgin Mary was +with child by the Holy Ghost," whom the priests call God; all fabulous +and blasphemous stories. Now, I affirm Socrates to have been a true +Christian. You will ask, perhaps, how that can be, since he lived three +or four hundred years before Christ? I answer, with Justin Martyr, that +Christ is nothing else but reason, and I hope you do not think Socrates +lived before reason. Now, this true Christian Socrates never made +notions, speculations, or mysteries, any part of his religion, but +demonstrated all men to be fools who troubled themselves with enquiries +into heavenly things. Lastly, 'tis plain that Socrates was a +freethinker, because he was calumniated for an atheist, as freethinkers +generally are, only because he was an enemy to all speculations and +inquiries into heavenly things. For I argue thus, that if I never +trouble myself to think whether there be a God or no, and forbid others +to do it, I am a freethinker, but not an atheist. + +Plato was a freethinker, and his notions are so like some in the Gospel, +that a heathen charged Christ with borrowing his doctrine from Plato. +But Origen[25] defends Christ very well against this charge, by saying +he did not understand Greek, and therefore could not borrow his doctrine +from Plato. However their two religions agreed so well, that it was +common for Christians to turn Platonists, and Platonists Christians. +When the Christians found out this, one of their zealous priests (worse +than any atheist) forged several things under Plato's name, but +conformable to Christianity, by which the heathens were fraudulently +converted. + +[Footnote 25: Origen, a Father of the Church, was born about 185. He +carried to extremes the celibate life taught in the Gospel; and his +"Treatise against Celsus" contains, according to St. Jerome and +Eusebius, the refutation of "all the objections which have been made, +and all which ever will be made against Christianity." [T. S.] ] + +Epicurus was the greatest of all freethinkers, and consequently the most +virtuous man in the world. His opinions in religion were the most +complete system of atheism that ever appeared. Christians ought to have +the greatest veneration for him, because he taught a higher point of +virtue than Christ; I mean the virtue of friendship, which in the sense +we usually understand it, is not so much as named in the New Testament. + +Plutarch was a freethinker, notwithstanding his being a priest; but +indeed he was a heathen priest. His freethinking appears by showing the +innocence of atheism, (which at worst is only false reasoning,) and the +mischiefs of superstition; and explains what superstition is, by calling +it a conceit of immortal ills after death, the opinion of hell torments, +dreadful aspects, doleful groans, and the like. He is likewise very +satirical upon the public forms of devotion in his own country (a +qualification absolutely necessary to a freethinker) yet those forms +which he ridicules, are the very same that now pass for true worship in +almost all countries: I am sure some of them do so in ours; such as +abject looks, distortions, wry faces, beggarly tones, humiliation, and +contrition. + +Varro,[26] the most learned among the Romans, was a freethinker; for he +said, the heathen divinity contained many fables below the dignity of +immortal beings; such, for instance, as Gods BEGOTTEN and PROCEEDING +from other Gods. These two words I desire you will particularly remark, +because they are the very terms made use of by our priests in their +doctrine of the Trinity: He says likewise, that there are many things +false in religion, and so say all freethinkers; but then he adds; "which +the vulgar ought not to know, but it is expedient they should believe." +In this last he indeed discovers the whole secret of a statesman and +politician, by denying the vulgar the privilege of freethinking, and +here I differ from him. However, it is manifest from hence, that the +Trinity was an invention of statesmen and politicians. + +[Footnote 26: Marcus Terentius Varro (born B.C. 117) was the friend of +Cicero. He was a profound grammarian, historian, and philosopher. The +expression Swift applies to him as "the most learned among the Romans" +is one by which he is generally called. [T. S.] ] + +The grave and wise Cato the censor will for ever live in that noble +freethinking saying--"I wonder," said he, "how one of our priests can +forbear laughing when he sees another!" (For contempt of priests is +another grand characteristic of a freethinker). This shews that Cato +understood the whole mystery of the Roman religion "as by law +established." I beg you, sir, not to overlook these last words, +"religion as by law established." I translate _hanisfax,_ into the +general word, _priest_. Thus I apply the sentence to our priests in +England, and, when Dr. Smallridge sees Dr. Atterbury, I wonder how either +of them can forbear laughing at the cheat they put upon the people, by +making them believe their "religion as by law established." + +Cicero, that consummate philosopher, and noble patriot, though he was a +priest, and consequently more likely to be a knave; gave the greatest +proofs of his freethinking. First, he professed the sceptic philosophy, +which doubts of everything. Then, he wrote two treatises;[27] in the +first, he shews the weakness of the Stoics' arguments for the being of +the Gods: In the latter, he has destroyed the whole revealed religion of +the Greeks and Romans (for why should not theirs be a revealed religion +as well as that of Christ?) Cicero likewise tells us, as his own +opinion, that they who study philosophy, do not believe there are any +Gods: He denies the immortality of the soul, and says, there can be +nothing after death. + +[Footnote 27: "De Natura Deomm." [T. S.] ] + +And because the priests have the impudence to quote Cicero in their +pulpits and pamphlets, against freethinking; I am resolved to disarm +them of his authority. You must know, his philosophical works are +generally in dialogues, where people are brought in disputing against +one another: Now the priests when they see an argument to prove a God, +offered perhaps by a Stoic, are such knaves or blockheads, to quote it +as if it were Cicero's own; whereas Cicero was so noble a freethinker, +that he believed nothing at all of the matter, nor ever shews the least +inclination to favour superstition, or the belief of a God, and the +immortality of the soul; unless what he throws out sometimes to save +himself from danger, in his speeches to the Roman mob; whose religion +was, however, much more innocent and less absurd, than that of popery at +least: And I could say more--but you understand me. + +Seneca was a great freethinker, and had a noble notion of the worship of +the gods, for which our priests would call any man an atheist: He laughs +at morning devotions, or worshipping upon Sabbath-days; he says God has +no need of ministers and servants, because he himself serves mankind. +This religious man, like his religious brethren the Stoics, denies the +immortality of the soul, and says, all that is feigned to be so terrible +in hell, is but a fable: Death puts an end to all our misery, &c. Yet +the priests were anciently so fond of Seneca, that they forged a +correspondence of letters between him and St. Paul. + +Solomon himself, whose writings are called "the word of God," was such a +freethinker, that if he were now alive, nothing but his building of +churches could have kept our priests from calling him an atheist. He +affirms the eternity of the world almost in the same manner with +Manilius,[28] the heathen philosophical poet, (which opinion entirely +overthrows the history of the creation by Moses, and all the New +Testament): He denies the immortality of the soul, assures us that men +die like beasts, and that both go to one place. + +[Footnote 28: Marcus Manilius, who probably flourished under Theodosius +the Great, was a Latin poet, who wrote a poem entitled "Astronomica." +[T.S.] ] + +The prophets of the Old Testament were generally freethinkers: you must +understand, that their way of learning to prophesy was by music and +drinking.[29] These prophets writ against the established religion of +the Jews, (which those people looked upon as the institution of God +himself,) as if they believed it was all a cheat: that is to say, with +as great liberty against the priests and prophets of Israel, as Dr. +Tindal did lately against the priests and prophets of our Israel, who +has clearly shewn them and their religion to be cheats. To prove this, +you may read several passages in Isaiah, Ezekiel, Amos, Jeremiah, &c., +wherein you will find such instances of freethinking, that, if any +Englishman had talked so in our days, their opinions would have been +registered in Dr. Sacheverell's trial, and in the representation of the +Lower House of Convocation, and produced as so many proofs of the +profaneness, blasphemy, and atheism of the nation; there being nothing +more profane, blasphemous, or atheistical in those representations, than +what these prophets have spoke, whose writings are yet called by our +priests, "the word of God." And therefore these prophets are as much +atheists as myself, or as any of my freethinking brethren whom I lately +named to you. + +[Footnote 29: Collins, after making the charge, which has been repeated +by all freethinkers down to Thomas Paine, that the prophets acquired +their fervour of spirit by the aid of music and wine, allows, +nevertheless, that they were great freethinkers, and "writ with as great +liberty against the established religion of the Jews, which the people +looked on as the institution of God himself as if they looked upon it +all to be imposture."--_Discourse_, p. 153, _et sequen._ [S.] ] + +Josephus was a great freethinker: I wish he had chosen a better subject +to write on, than those ignorant, barbarous, ridiculous scoundrels, the +Jews, whom God (if we may believe the priests) thought fit to choose for +his own people. I will give you some instances of his freethinking. He +says, Cain travelled through several countries, and kept company with +rakes and profligate fellows; he corrupted the simplicities of former +times, &c., which plainly supposes men before Adam, and consequently +that the priests' history of the creation by Moses, is an imposture. He +says, the Israelites' passing through the Red Sea, was no more than +Alexander's passing at the Pamphilian sea; that as for the appearance of +God at Mount Sinai, the reader may believe it as he pleases; that Moses +persuaded the Jews he had God for his guide, just as the Greeks +pretended they had their laws from Apollo. These are noble strains of +freethinking, which the priests knew not how to solve, but by thinking +as freely: For one of them says, that Josephus writ this to make his +work acceptable to the heathens, by striking out everything that was +incredible. + +Origen, who was the first Christian that had any learning, has left a +noble testimony of his freethinking; for a general council has +determined him to be damned; which plainly shews he was a freethinker, +and was no saint; for people were only sainted because of their want of +learning and excess of zeal; so that all the fathers, who are called +saints by the priests, were worse than atheists. + +Minutius Felix[30] seems to be a true modern latitudinarian, +freethinking Christian; for he is against altars, churches, public +preaching, and public assemblies; and likewise against priests; for, he +says, there were several great flourishing empires before there were any +orders of priests in the world. + +[Footnote 30: Marcus Minutius Felix is said to have been born in Africa. +He flourished in the third century, and wrote a defence of Christianity, +in dialogue form, entitled, "Octavius." The work has been translated +into English by Lord Hailes. [T.S.]] + +Synesius,[31] who had too much learning and too little zeal for a saint, +was for some time a great freethinker; he could not believe the +resurrection till he was made a bishop, and then pretended to be +convinced by a lying miracle. + +[Footnote 31: Synesius of Cyrene, born 379, is the Platonic philosopher +who became Bishop of Ptolemais. [T.S.]] + +To come to our own country: My Lord Bacon was a great freethinker, when +he tells us, that whatever has the least relation to religion, is +particularly liable to suspicion; by which he seems to suspect all the +facts whereon most of the superstitions (that is to say, what the +priests call the religions) of the world are grounded. He also +prefers atheism before superstition. + +Mr. Hobbes was a person of great learning, virtue, and freethinking, +except in the high church politics. + +But Archbishop Tillotson is the person whom all English freethinkers own +as their head; and his virtue is indisputable for this manifest reason; +that Dr. Hickes, a priest, calls him an atheist; says, he caused several +to turn atheists, and to ridicule the priesthood and religion. These +must be allowed to be noble effects of freethinking. This great prelate +assures us, that all the duties of the Christian religion, with respect +to God, are no other but what natural light prompts men to, except the +two sacraments, and praying to God in the name and mediation of Christ. +As a priest and prelate, he was obliged to say something of +Christianity; but pray observe, sir, how he brings himself off. He +justly affirms that even these things are of less moment than natural +duties; and because mothers' nursing their children is a natural duty, +it is of more moment than the two sacraments, or than praying to God in +the name and by the mediation of Christ. This freethinking archbishop +could not allow a miracle sufficient to give credit to a prophet who +taught anything contrary to our natural notions: By which it is plain, +he rejected at once all the mysteries of Christianity. + +I could name one-and-twenty more great men, who were all freethinkers; +but that I fear to be tedious: For, 'tis certain that all men of sense +depart from the opinions commonly received; and are consequently more or +less men of sense, according as they depart more or less from the +opinions commonly received; neither can you name an enemy to +freethinking, however he be dignified or distinguished, whether +archbishop, bishop, priest, or deacon, who has not been either "a +crack-brained enthusiast, a diabolical villain, or a most profound +ignorant brute." + +Thus, sir, I have endeavoured to execute your commands, and you may +print this Letter, if you please; but I would have you conceal my name. +For my opinion of virtue is, that we ought not to venture doing +ourselves harm, by endeavouring to do good. + + +I am yours, &c. + + + +_I have here given the public a brief, but faithful abstract of this +most excellent Essay; wherein I have all along religiously adhered to +our author's notions, and generally to his words, without any other +addition than that of explaining a few necessary consequences, for the +sake of ignorant readers; for, to those who have the least degree of +learning, I own they will be wholly useless. I hope I have not, in any +single instance, misrepresented the thoughts of this admirable writer. +If I have happened to mistake through inadvertency, I entreat he will +condescend to inform me, and point out the place, upon which I will +immediately beg pardon both of him and the world. The design of his +piece is to recommend freethinking, and one chief motive is the example +of many excellent men who were of that sect. He produces as the +principal points of their freethinking; that they denied the Being of a +God, the Torments of Hell, the Immortality of the Soul, the Trinity, +Incarnation, the history of the creation by Moses, with many other such +"fabulous and blasphemous stories," as he judiciously calls them: And he +asserts, that whoever denies the most of these, is the completest +freethinker, and consequently the wisest and most virtuous man. The +author, sensible of the prejudices of the age, does not directly affirm +himself an atheist; he goes no further than to pronounce that atheism is +the most perfect degree of freethinking; and leaves the reader to form +the conclusion. However, he seems to allow, that a man may be a +tolerable freethinker, though he does believe a God; provided he utterly +rejects "Providence, Revelation, the Old and New Testament, Future +Rewards and Punishments, the Immortality of the Soul," and other the +like impossible absurdities. Which mark of superabundant caution, +sacrificing truth to the superstition of priests, may perhaps be +forgiven, but ought not to be imitated by any who would arrive (even in +this author's judgment) at the true perfection of freethinking._ + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +SOME THOUGHTS + +ON + +FREETHINKING. + +WRITTEN IN ENGLAND, BUT LEFT UNFINISHED. + + +Discoursing one day with a prelate of the kingdom of Ireland, who is a +person of excellent wit and learning, he offered a notion applicable to +the subject we were then upon, which I took to be altogether new and +right. He said, that the difference betwixt a madman and one in his +wits, in what related to speech, consisted in this; that the former +spoke out whatever came into his mind, and just in the confused manner +as his imagination presented the ideas: The latter only expressed such +thoughts as his judgment directed him to choose, leaving the rest to die +away in his memory; and that, if the wisest man would, at any time, +utter his thoughts in the crude indigested manner as they come into his +head, he would be looked upon as raving mad. And, indeed, when we +consider our thoughts, as they are the seeds of words and actions, we +cannot but agree that they ought to be kept under the strictest +regulation; and that in the great multiplicity of ideas which one's mind +is apt to form, there is nothing more difficult than to select those +which are most proper for the conduct of life. So that I cannot imagine +what is meant by the mighty zeal in some people for asserting the +freedom of thinking; because, if such thinkers keep their thoughts +within their own breasts, they can be of no consequence, farther than to +themselves. If they publish them to the world, they ought to be +answerable for the effects their thoughts produce upon others. There are +thousands in this kingdom, who, in their thoughts, prefer a republic, or +absolute power of a prince, before a limited monarchy; yet, if any of +these should publish their opinions, and go about, by writing or +discourse, to persuade the people to innovations in government, they +would be liable to the severest punishments the law can inflict; and +therefore they are usually so wise as to keep their sentiments to +themselves. But, with respect to religion, the matter is quite +otherwise: and the public, at least here in England, seems to be of +opinion with _Tiberius_, that _Deorum injuriae diis curae_. They leave it +to God Almighty to vindicate the injuries done to himself, who is no +doubt sufficiently able, by perpetual miracles, to revenge the affronts +of impious men. And, it should seem, that is what princes expect from +him, though I cannot readily conceive the grounds they go upon; nor why, +since they are God's vicegerents, they do not think themselves at least +equally obliged to preserve their master's honour as their own; since +this is what they expect from those they depute, and since they never +fail to represent the disobedience of their subjects, as offences +against God. It is true, the visible reason of this neglect is obvious +enough: The consequences of atheistical opinions, published to the +world, are not so immediate, or so sensible, as doctrines of rebellion +and sedition, spread in a proper season. However, I cannot but think the +same consequences are as natural and probable from the former, though +more remote: And whether these have not been in view among our great +planters of infidelity in England, I shall hereafter examine. + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +A LETTER + +TO + +A YOUNG CLERGYMAN, + +LATELY ENTERED INTO + +HOLY ORDERS. + +1719-20. + + +NOTE. + +No stronger proof could be adduced of Swift's genuine and earnest belief +in the dignity of a clergyman of the Church than this letter. In spite +of the sarcasms which here and there are levelled against the mediocre +members of the class, it is evident Swift felt that these might be made +worthy teachers and preachers of the doctrines of an institution +founded, in his opinion, for the best regulation of mankind. The letter +serves also to present us with an outline of a picture of the clergyman +of his day; and if this picture be not flattering, it seems faithfully +to reflect the social conditions which we know to have prevailed at the +time. + +The letter was written in the years of quiet which Swift enjoyed between +the pamphleteering crusade against the Whigs, when Harley and St. John +were in power, and the famous social and political troubles which began +with Wood's halfpence. + +The text of this letter is practically that of the first edition; but I +have collated this with the texts given by Hawkesworth, Scott, the first +volume of the "Miscellanies" of 1728, and the second volume of the +"Miscellanies" of 1745. In the original edition, and in the reprints +published to the time of Faulkner's collected edition, the title reads +"A Letter to a Young Gentleman," etc. + +[T.S.] + + + A + LETTER + TO A + YOUNG GENTLEMAN, + LATELY ENTER'D INTO + HOLY ORDERS + +By a Person of QUALITY. + +It is certainly known, that the following Treatise was writ in Ireland +by the Reverend Dr. Swift, Dean of St. Patrick's in that Kingdom. + + +Dublin, _January the 9th,_ 1719-20. + +Sir, + +Although it was against my knowledge or advice, that you entered into +holy orders, under the present dispositions of mankind toward the +Church, yet since it is now supposed too late to recede, (at least +according to the general practice and opinion,) I cannot forbear +offering my thoughts to you upon this new condition of life you are +engaged in. + +I could heartily wish that the circumstances of your fortune, had +enabled you to have continued some years longer in the university; at +least till you were ten years standing; to have laid in a competent +stock of human learning, and some knowledge in divinity, before you +attempted to appear in the world: For I cannot but lament the common +course, which at least nine in ten of those who enter into the ministry +are obliged to run. When they have taken a degree, and are consequently +grown a burden to their friends, who now think themselves fully +discharged, they get into orders as soon as they can; (upon which I +shall make no remarks,) first solicit a readership, and if they be very +fortunate, arrive in time to a curacy here in town, or else are sent to +be assistants in the country, where they probably continue several +years, (many of them their whole lives,) with thirty or forty pounds +a-year for their support, till some bishop, who happens to be not +overstocked with relations, or attached to favourites, or is content to +supply his diocese without colonies from England, bestows upon them some +inconsiderable benefice, when it is odds they are already encumbered +with a numerous family. I should be glad to know what intervals of life +such persons can possibly set apart for the improvement of their minds; +or which way they could be furnished with books, the library they +brought with them from their college being usually not the most +numerous, or judiciously chosen. If such gentlemen arrive to be great +scholars, it must, I think, be either by means supernatural, or by a +method altogether out of any road yet known to the learned. But I +conceive the fact directly otherwise, and that many of them lose the +greatest part of the small pittance they receive at the university. + +I take it for granted, that you intend to pursue the beaten track, and +are already desirous to be seen in a pulpit, only I hope you will think +it proper to pass your quarantine among some of the desolate churches +five miles round this town, where you may at least learn to read and to +speak before you venture to expose your parts in a city congregation; +not that these are better judges, but because, if a man must needs +expose his folly, it is more safe and discreet to do so before few +witnesses, and in a scattered neighbourhood. And you will do well if you +can prevail upon some intimate and judicious friend to be your constant +hearer, and allow him with the utmost freedom to give you notice of +whatever he shall find amiss either in your voice or gesture; for want +of which early warning, many clergymen continue defective, and sometimes +ridiculous, to the end of their lives; neither is it rare to observe +among excellent and learned divines, a certain ungracious manner, or an +unhappy tone of voice, which they never have been able to shake off. + +I should likewise have been glad, if you had applied yourself a little +more to the study of the English language, than I fear you have done; +the neglect whereof is one of the most general defects among the +scholars of this kingdom, who seem not to have the least conception of a +style, but run on in a flat kind of phraseology, often mingled with +barbarous terms and expressions, peculiar to the nation: Neither do I +perceive that any person, either finds or acknowledges his wants upon +this head, or in the least desires to have them supplied. Proper words +in proper places, make the true definition of a style. But this would +require too ample a disquisition to be now dwelt on: however, I shall +venture to name one or two faults, which are easy to be remedied, with a +very small portion of abilities. + +The first is the frequent use of obscure terms, which by the women are +called hard words, and by the better sort of vulgar, fine language; than +which I do not know a more universal, inexcusable, and unnecessary +mistake, among the clergy of all distinctions, but especially the +younger practitioners. I have been curious enough to take a list of +several hundred words in a sermon of a new beginner, which not one of +his hearers among a hundred could possibly understand, neither can I +easily call to mind any clergyman of my own acquaintance who is wholly +exempt from this error, although many of them agree with me in the +dislike of the thing. But I am apt to put myself in the place of the +vulgar, and think many words difficult or obscure, which they will not +allow to be so, because those words are obvious to scholars, I believe +the method observed by the famous Lord Falkland[1] in some of his +writings, would not be an ill one for young divines: I was assured by an +old person of quality who knew him well, that when he doubted whether a +word was perfectly intelligible or no, he used to consult one of his +lady's chambermaids, (not the waiting-woman, because it was possible she +might be conversant in romances,) and by her judgment was guided whether +to receive or reject it. And if that great person thought such a caution +necessary in treatises offered to the learned world, it will be sure at +least as proper in sermons, where the meanest hearer is supposed to be +concerned, and where very often a lady's chambermaid may be allowed to +equal half the congregation, both as to quality and understanding. But I +know not how it comes to pass, that professors in most arts and sciences +are generally the worst qualified to explain their meanings to those who +are not of their tribe: a common farmer shall make you understand in +three words, that his foot is out of joint, or his collar-bone broken, +wherein a surgeon, after a hundred terms of art, if you are not a +scholar, shall leave you to seek. It is frequently the same case in law, +physic, and even many of the meaner arts. + +[Footnote 1: Lucius Cary, second Viscount Falkland (1610-1643), who was +killed at the battle of Newbury in the great Civil War, was a generous +patron of learning and of the literary men of his day. He was himself a +fine scholar and able writer. Clarendon has recorded his character in +the seventh book of his "History of the Great Rebellion": "A person of +such prodigious parts of learning and knowledge, of that inimitable +sweetness and delight in conversation, of so flowing and obliging an +humanity and goodness to mankind, that, if there were no other brand +upon this odious and accursed Civil War than that single loss, it must +be infamous and execrable to all posterity." Falkland has been made the +hero of a romance by Lord Lytton. [T. S. ] ] + +And upon this account it is, that among hard words, I number likewise +those which are peculiar to divinity as it is a science, because I have +observed several clergymen, otherwise little fond of obscure terms, yet +in their sermons very liberal of those which they find in ecclesiastical +writers, as if it were our duty to understand them; which I am sure it +is not. And I defy the greatest divine to produce any law either of God +or man, which obliges me to comprehend the meaning of _omniscience, +omnipresence, ubiquity, attribute, beatific vision,_ with a thousand +others so frequent in pulpits, any more than that of _eccentric, +idiosyncracy, entity,_ and the like. I believe I may venture to insist +farther, that many terms used in Holy Writ, particularly by St Paul, +might with more discretion be changed into plainer speech, except when +they are introduced as part of a quotation.[2] + +[Footnote 2: Swift refers to this point in his "Thoughts on Religion," +and regrets that the explanation of matters of doctrine, which St. Paul +expressed in the current eastern vocabulary, should have been +perpetuated in terms founded on the same terminology. [T. S.] ] + +I am the more earnest in this matter, because it is a general complaint, +and the justest in the world. For a divine has nothing to say to the +wisest congregation of any parish in this kingdom, which he may not +express in a manner to be understood by the meanest among them. And this +assertion must be true, or else God requires from us more than we are +able to perform. However, not to contend whether a logician might +possibly put a case that would serve for an exception, I will appeal to +any man of letters, whether at least nineteen in twenty of those +perplexing words might not be changed into easy ones, such as naturally +first occur to ordinary men, and probably did so at first to those very +gentlemen who are so fond of the former. + +We are often reproved by divines from the pulpits, on account of our +ignorance in things sacred, and perhaps with justice enough. However, it +is not very reasonable for them to expect, that common men should +understand expressions which are never made use of in common life. No +gentleman thinks it safe or prudent to send a servant with a message, +without repeating it more than once, and endeavouring to put it into +terms brought down to the capacity of the bearer: yet after all this +care, it is frequent for servants to mistake, and sometimes to occasion +misunderstandings among friends. Although the common domestics in some +gentlemen's families have more opportunities of improving their minds +than the ordinary sort of tradesmen. + +It is usual for clergymen who are taxed with this learned defect, to +quote Dr. Tillotson, and other famous divines, in their defence; without +considering the difference between elaborate discourses upon important +occasions, delivered to princes or parliaments, written with a view of +being made public, and a plain sermon intended for the middle or lower +size of people. Neither do they seem to remember the many alterations, +additions, and expungings, made by great authors in those treatises +which they prepare for the public. Besides, that excellent prelate +above-mentioned, was known to preach after a much more popular manner in +the city congregations: and if in those parts of his works he be any +where too obscure for the understandings of many who may be supposed to +have been his hearers, it ought to be numbered among his omissions. + +The fear of being thought pedants hath been of pernicious consequence to +young divines. This hath wholly taken many of them off from their +severer studies in the university, which they have exchanged for plays, +poems, and pamphlets, in order to qualify them for tea-tables and +coffee-houses. This they usually call "polite conversation; knowing the +world; and reading men instead of books." These accomplishments, when +applied to the pulpit, appear by a quaint; terse, florid style, rounded +into periods and cadences, commonly without either propriety or meaning. +I have listen'd with my utmost attention for half an hour to an orator +of this species, without being able to understand, much less to carry +away one single sentence out of a whole sermon. Others, to shew that +their studies have not been confined to sciences, or ancient authors, +will talk in the style of a gaming ordinary, and White Friars[3], when I +suppose the hearers can be little edified by the terms _palming, +shuffling, biting, bamboozling_ and the like, if they have not been +sometimes conversant among pick-pockets and sharpers. And truly, as they +say, a man is known by his company, so it should seem that a man's +company may be known by his manner of expressing himself, either in +public assemblies, or private conversation. + +[Footnote 3: See note on "Alsatia," p. 100. [T. S.] ] + +It would be endless to run over the several defects of style among us; I +shall therefore say nothing of the mean and paltry (which are usually +attended by the fustian), much less of the slovenly or indecent. Two +things I will just warn you against; the first is the frequency of flat +unnecessary epithets, and the other is the folly of using old threadbare +phrases, which will often make you go out of your way to find and apply +them, are nauseous to rational hearers, and will seldom express your +meaning as well as your own natural words. + +Although, as I have already observed, our English tongue is too little +cultivated in this kingdom; yet the faults are nine in ten owing to +affectation, and not to the want of understanding. When a man's thoughts +are clear, the properest words will generally offer themselves first, +and his own judgment will direct him in what order to place them, so as +they may be best understood. Where men err against this method, it is +usually on purpose, and to shew their learning, their oratory, their +politeness, or their knowledge of the world. In short, that simplicity +without which no human performance can arrive to any great perfection, +is nowhere more eminently useful than in this. + +I have been considering that part of oratory which relates to the moving +of the passions; this I observe is in esteem and practice among some +church divines, as well as among all the preachers and hearers of the +fanatic or enthusiastic strain. I will here deliver to you (perhaps with +more freedom than prudence) my opinion upon the point. + +The two great orators of Greece and Rome, Demosthenes and Cicero, though +each of them a leader (or as the Greeks call it a demagogue) in a +popular state, yet seem to differ in their practice upon this branch of +their art; the former who had to deal with a people of much more +politeness, learning, and wit, laid the greatest weight of his oratory +upon the strength of his arguments, offered to their understanding and +reason: whereas Tully considered the dispositions of a sincere, more +ignorant, and less mercurial nation, by dwelling almost entirely on the +pathetic part. + +But the principal thing to be remembered is, that the constant design of +both these orators in all their speeches, was to drive some one +particular point, either the condemnation or acquittal of an accused +person, a persuasive to war, the enforcing of a law, and the like; which +was determined upon the spot, according as the orators on either side +prevailed. And here it was often found of absolute necessity to inflame +or cool the passions of the audience, especially at Rome where Tully +spoke, and with whose writings young divines (I mean those among them +who read old authors) are more conversant than with those of +Demosthenes, who by many degrees excelled the other at least as an +orator. But I do not see how this talent of moving the passions can be +of any great use toward directing Christian men in the conduct of their +lives, at least in these northern climates, where I am confident the +strongest eloquence of that kind will leave few impressions upon any of +our spirits deep enough to last till the next morning, or rather to the +next meal.[4] + +[Footnote 4: Swift's own sermons rarely appealed to the emotions; they +were, in his own phrase, political pamphlets, and aimed at convincing +the reason. [T. S.] ] + +But what hath chiefly put me out of conceit with this moving manner of +preaching, is the frequent disappointment it meets with. I know a +gentleman, who made it a rule in reading, to skip over all sentences +where he spied a note of admiration at the end. I believe those +preachers who abound in _epiphonemas_,[5] if they look about them, would +find one part of their congregation out of countenance, and the other +asleep, except perhaps an old female beggar or two in the aisles, who +(if they be sincere) may probably groan at the sound. + +[Footnote 5: _Epiphonema_ is a figure in rhetoric, signifying a +sententious kind of exclamation. [S.] ] + +Nor is it a wonder, that this expedient should so often miscarry, which +requires so much art and genius to arrive at any perfection in it, as +any man will find, much sooner than learn by consulting Cicero himself. + +I therefore entreat you to make use of this faculty (if you ever be so +unfortunate as to think you have it) as seldom, and with as much caution +as you can, else I may probably have occasion to say of you as a great +person said of another upon this very subject. A lady asked him coming +out of church, whether it were not a very moving discourse? "Yes," said +he, "I was extremely sorry, for the man is my friend." + +If in company you offer something for a jest, and nobody second you in +your own laughter, nor seems to relish what you said, you may condemn +their taste, if you please, and appeal to better judgments; but in the +meantime, it must be agreed you make a very indifferent figure; and it +is at least equally ridiculous to be disappointed in endeavouring to +make other folks grieve, as to make them laugh. + +A plain convincing reason may possibly operate upon the mind both of a +learned and ignorant hearer as long as they live, and will edify a +thousand times more than the art of wetting the handkerchiefs of a whole +congregation, if you were sure to attain it. + +If your arguments be strong, in God's name offer them in as moving a +manner as the nature of the subject will properly admit, wherein reason +and good advice will be your safest guides; but beware of letting the +pathetic part swallow up the rational: For I suppose, philosophers have +long agreed, that passion should never prevail over reason. + +As I take it, the two principal branches of preaching are first to tell +the people what is their duty, and then to convince them that it is so. +The topics for both these, we know, are brought from Scripture and +reason. Upon this first, I wish it were often practised to instruct the +hearers in the limits, extent, and compass of every duty, which requires +a good deal of skill and judgment: the other branch is, I think, not so +difficult. But what I would offer them both, is this; that it seems to +be in the power of a reasonable clergyman, if he will be at the pains, +to make the most ignorant man comprehend what is his duty, and to +convince him by argument drawn to the level of his understanding, that +he ought to perform it. + +But I must remember that my design in this paper was not so much to +instruct you in your business either as a clergyman or a preacher, as to +warn you against some mistakes which are obvious to the generality of +mankind as well as to me; and we who are hearers, may be allowed to have +some opportunities in the quality of being standers-by. Only perhaps I +may now again transgress by desiring you to express the heads of your +divisions in as few and clear words as you possibly can, otherwise, I +and many thousand others will never be able to retain them, nor +consequently to carry away a syllable of the sermon. + +I shall now mention a particular wherein your whole body will be +certainly against me, and the laity almost to a man on my side. However +it came about, I cannot get over the prejudice of taking some little +offence at the clergy for perpetually reading their sermons[6]; perhaps +my frequent hearing of foreigners, who never made use of notes, may have +added to my disgust. And I cannot but think, that whatever is read, +differs as much from what is repeated without book, as a copy does from +an original. At the same time, I am highly sensible what an extreme +difficulty it would be upon you to alter this method, and that, in such +a case, your sermons would be much less valuable than they are, for want +of time to improve and correct them. I would therefore gladly come to a +compromise with you in this matter. I knew a clergyman of some +distinction, who appeared to deliver his sermon without looking into his +notes, which when I complimented him upon, he assured me he could not +repeat six lines; but his method was to write the whole sermon in a +large plain hand, with all the forms of margin, paragraph, marked page, +and the like; then on Sunday morning he took care to run it over five or +six times, which he could do in an hour; and when he deliver'd it, by +pretending to turn his face from one side to the other, he would (in his +own expression) pick up the lines, and cheat his people by making them +believe he had it all by heart. He farther added, that whenever he +happened by neglect to omit any of these circumstances, the vogue of the +parish was, "Our doctor gave us but an indifferent sermon to-day." Now +among us, many clergymen act too directly contrary to this method, that +from a habit of saving time and paper, which they acquired at the +University, they write in so diminutive a manner, with such frequent +blots and interlineations, that they are hardly able to go on without +perpetual hesitations or extemporary expletives: And I desire to know +what can be more inexcusable, than to see a divine and a scholar, at a +loss in reading his own compositions, which it is supposed he has been +preparing with much pains and thought for the instruction of his people? +The want of a little more care in this article, is the cause of much +ungraceful behaviour. You will observe some clergymen with their heads +held down from the beginning to the end, within an inch of the cushion, +to read what is hardly legible; which, besides the untoward manner, +hinders them from making the best advantage of their voice: others again +have a trick of popping up and down every moment from their paper to the +audience, like an idle school-boy on a repetition day. + +[Footnote 6: "The custom of reading sermons," notes Scott, "seems +originally to have arisen in opposition to the practice of Dissenters, +many of whom affected to trust to their Inspiration in their _extempore_ +harangues." [T. S.] ] + +Let me entreat you, therefore, to add one half-crown a year to the +article of paper; to transcribe your sermons in as large and plain a +manner as you can, and either make no interlineations, or change the +whole leaf; for we your hearers would rather you should be less correct +than perpetually stammering, which I take to be one of the worst +solecisms in rhetoric: And lastly, read your sermon once or twice for a +few days before you preach it: to which you will probably answer some +years hence, "that it was but just finished when the last bell rang to +church:" and I shall readily believe, but not excuse you. + +I cannot forbear warning you in the most earnest manner against +endeavouring at wit in your sermons, because by the strictest +computation, it is very near a million to one that you have none; and +because too many of your calling have consequently made themselves +everlastingly ridiculous by attempting it. I remember several young men +in this town, who could never leave the pulpit under half a dozen +conceits; and this faculty adhered to those gentlemen a longer or +shorter time exactly in proportion to their several degrees of dulness: +accordingly, I am told that some of them retain it to this day. I +heartily wish the brood were at an end. + +Before you enter into the common insufferable cant of taking all +occasions to disparage the heathen philosophers, I hope you will differ +from some of your brethren, by first enquiring what those philosophers +can say for themselves. The system of morality to be gathered out of the +writings or sayings of those ancient sages, falls undoubtedly very short +of that delivered in the Gospel, and wants besides, the divine sanction +which our Saviour gave to His. Whatever is further related by the +evangelists, contains chiefly, matters of fact, and consequently of +faith, such as the birth of Christ, His being the Messiah, His Miracles, +His death, resurrection, and ascension. None of which can properly come +under the appellation of human wisdom, being intended only to make us +wise unto salvation. And therefore in this point nothing can justly be +laid to the charge of the philosophers further than that they were +ignorant of certain facts that happened long after their death. But I am +deceived, if a better comment could be anywhere collected, upon the +moral part of the Gospel, than from the writings of those excellent men; +even that divine precept of loving our enemies, is at large insisted on +by Plato, who puts it, as I remember, into the mouth of Socrates.[7] And +as to the reproach of heathenism, I doubt they had less of it than the +corrupted Jews in whose time they lived. For it is a gross piece of +ignorance among us to conceive that in those polite and learned ages, +even persons of any tolerable education, much less the wisest +philosophers did acknowledge or worship any more than one almighty +power, under several denominations, to whom they allowed all those +attributes we ascribe to the Divinity: and as I take it, human +comprehension reacheth no further: neither did our Saviour think it +necessary to explain to us the nature of God, because I suppose it would +be impossible without bestowing on us other faculties than we possess at +present. But the true misery of the heathen world appears to be what I +before mentioned, the want of a Divine Sanction, without which the +dictates of the philosophers failed in the point of authority, and +consequently the bulk of mankind lay indeed under a great load of +ignorance even in the article of morality, but the philosophers +themselves did not. Take the matter in this light, it will afford field +enough for a divine to enlarge on, by showing the advantages which the +Christian world has over the heathen, and the absolute necessity of +Divine Revelation, to make the knowledge of the true God, and the +practice of virtue more universal in the world. + +[Footnote 7: This is in the "Crito" of Plato, where Socrates says it is +wrong to do harm to our enemies. [T. S.] ] + +I am not ignorant how much I differ in this opinion from some ancient +fathers in the Church, who arguing against the heathens, made it a +principal topic to decry their philosophy as much as they could: which, +I hope, is not altogether our present case. Besides, it is to be +considered, that those fathers lived in the decline of literature; and +in my judgment (who should be unwilling to give the least offence) +appear to be rather most excellent, holy persons, than of transcendent +genius and learning. Their genuine writings (for many of them have +extremely suffered by spurious editions) are of admirable use for +confirming the truth of ancient doctrines and discipline, by shewing the +state and practice of the primitive church. But among such of them as +have fallen in my way, I do not remember any whose manner of arguing or +exhorting I could heartily recommend to the imitation of a young divine +when he is to speak from the pulpit. Perhaps I judge too hastily; there +being several of them in whose writings I have made very little +progress, and in others none at all. For I perused only such as were +recommended to me, at a time when I had more leisure and a better +disposition to read, than have since fallen to my share.[8] + +[Footnote 8: Swift must refer here to the years he spent at Moor Park, +in the house of Sir William Temple. The "Tale of a Tub," however, shows +that he had not idled his time, and that his acquaintance with the +writings of the fathers was fairly intimate. [T, S.] ] + +To return then to the heathen philosophers, I hope you will not only +give them quarter, but make their works a considerable part of your +study: To these I will venture to add the principal orators and +historians, and perhaps a few of the poets: by the reading of which, you +will soon discover your mind and thoughts to be enlarged, your +imagination extended and refined, your judgment directed, your +admiration lessened, and your fortitude increased; all which advantages +must needs be of excellent use to a divine, whose duty it is to preach +and practise the contempt of human things. + +I would say something concerning quotations, wherein I think you cannot +be too sparing, except from Scripture, and the primitive writers of the +Church. As to the former, when you offer a text as a proof of an +illustration, we your hearers expect to be fairly used, and sometimes +think we have reason to complain, especially of you younger divines, +which makes us fear that some of you conceive you have no more to do +than to turn over a concordance, and there having found the principal +word, introduce as much of the verse as will serve your turn, though in +reality it makes nothing for you. I do not altogether disapprove the +manner of interweaving texts of scripture through the style of your +sermons, wherein however, I have sometimes observed great instances of +indiscretion and impropriety, against which I therefore venture to give +you a caution. + +As to quotations from ancient fathers, I think they are best brought in +to confirm some opinion controverted by those who differ from us: in +other cases we give you full power to adopt the sentence for your own, +rather than tell us, "as St. Austin excellently observes." But to +mention modern writers by name, or use the phrase of "a late excellent +prelate of our Church," and the like, is altogether intolerable, and for +what reason I know not, makes every rational hearer ashamed. Of no +better a stamp is your "heathen philosopher" and "famous poet," and +"Roman historian," at least in common congregations, who will rather +believe you on your own word, than on that of Plato or Homer. + +I have lived to see Greek and Latin almost entirely driven out of the +pulpit, for which I am heartily glad. The frequent use of the latter was +certainly a remnant of Popery which never admitted Scripture in the +vulgar language; and I wonder, that practice was never accordingly +objected to us by the fanatics. + +The mention of quotations puts me in mind of commonplace books, which +have been long in use by industrious young divines, and I hear do still +continue so. I know they are very beneficial to lawyers and physicians, +because they are collections of facts or cases, whereupon a great part +of their several faculties depend; of these I have seen several, but +never yet any written by a clergyman; only from what I am informed, they +generally are extracts of theological and moral sentences drawn from +ecclesiastical and other authors, reduced under proper heads, usually +begun, and perhaps finished, while the collectors were young in the +church, as being intended for materials or nurseries to stock future +sermons. You will observe the wise editors of ancient authors, when they +meet a sentence worthy of being distinguished, take special care to have +the first word printed in capital letters, that you may not overlook it: +Such, for example, as the INCONSTANCY of FORTUNE, the GOODNESS of PEACE, +the EXCELLENCY of WISDOM, the CERTAINTY of DEATH: that PROSPERITY makes +men INSOLENT, and ADVERSITY HUMBLE; and the like eternal truths, which +every ploughman knows well enough before Aristotle or Plato were +born.[9] If theological commonplace books be no better filled, I think +they had better be laid aside, and I could wish that men of tolerable +intellectuals would rather trust their own natural reason, improved by a +general conversation with books, to enlarge on points which they are +supposed already to understand. If a rational man reads an excellent +author with just application, he shall find himself extremely improved, +and perhaps insensibly led to imitate that author's perfections, +although in a little time he should not remember one word in the book, +nor even the subject it handled: for books give the same turn to our +thoughts and way of reasoning, that good and ill company do to our +behaviour and conversation; without either loading our memories, or +making us even sensible of the change. And particularly I have observed +in preaching, that no men succeed better than those who trust entirely +to the stock or fund of their own reason, advanced indeed, but not +overlaid by commerce with books. Whoever only reads in order to +transcribe wise and shining remarks, without entering into the genius +and spirit of the author, as it is probable he will make no very +judicious extract, so he will be apt to trust to that collection in all +his compositions, and be misled out of the regular way of thinking, in +order to introduce those materials, which he has been at the pains to +gather and the product of all this will be found a manifest incoherent +piece of patchwork. + +[Footnote 9: Thus in first edition. Scott and Hawkesworth have: "though +he never heard of Aristotle or Plato." [T.S.]] + +Some gentlemen abounding in their university erudition, are apt to fill +their sermons with philosophical terms and notions of the metaphysical +or abstracted kind, which generally have one advantage, to be equally +understood by the wise, the vulgar, and the preacher himself. I have +been better entertained, and more informed by a chapter[10] in the +"Pilgrim's Progress," than by a long discourse upon the will and the +intellect, and simple or complex ideas. Others again, are fond of +dilating on matter and motion, talk of the fortuitous concourse of +atoms, of theories, and phenomena, directly against the advice of St +Paul, who yet appears to have been conversant enough in those kinds of +studies. + +[Footnote 10: Thus in first edition. Scott and Hawkesworth have "a few +pages" instead of "a chapter" [T. S ]] + +I do not find that you are anywhere directed in the canons or articles, +to attempt explaining the mysteries of the Christian religion. And +indeed since Providence intended there should be mysteries, I do not see +how it can be agreeable to piety, orthodoxy or good sense, to go about +such a work. For, to me there seems to be a manifest dilemma in the case +if you explain them, they are mysteries no longer, if you fail, you have +laboured to no purpose. What I should think most reasonable and safe for +you to do upon this occasion is, upon solemn days to deliver the +doctrine as the Church holds it, and confirm it by Scripture. For my +part, having considered the matter impartially, I can see no great +reason which those gentlemen you call the freethinkers can have for +their clamour against religious mysteries, since it is plain, they were +not invented by the clergy, to whom they bring no profit, nor acquire +any honour. For every clergyman is ready either to tell us the utmost he +knows, or to confess that he does not understand them; neither is it +strange that there should be mysteries in divinity as well as in the +commonest operations of nature. + +And here I am at a loss what to say upon the frequent custom of +preaching against atheism, deism, freethinking, and the like, as young +divines are particularly fond of doing especially when they exercise +their talent in churches frequented by persons of quality, which as it +is but an ill compliment to the audience; so I am under some doubt +whether it answers the end. + +Because persons under those imputations are generally no great +frequenters of churches, and so the congregation is but little edified +for the sake of three or four fools who are past grace. Neither do I +think it any part of prudence to perplex the minds of well-disposed +people with doubts, which probably would never have otherwise come into +their heads. But I am of opinion, and dare be positive in it, that not +one in an hundred of those who pretend to be freethinkers, are really so +in their hearts. For there is one observation which I never knew to +fail, and I desire you will examine it in the course of your life, that +no gentleman of a liberal education, and regular in his morals, did ever +profess himself a freethinker: where then are these kind of people to be +found? Among the worst part of the soldiery made up of pages, younger +brothers of obscure families, and others of desperate fortunes; or else +among idle town fops, and now and then a drunken 'squire of the country. +Therefore nothing can be plainer, than that ignorance and vice are two +ingredients absolutely necessary in the composition of those you +generally call freethinkers, who in propriety of speech, are no thinkers +at all. And since I am in the way of it, pray consider one thing +farther: as young as you are, you cannot but have already observed, what +a violent run there is among too many weak people against university +education. Be firmly assured, that the whole cry is made up by those who +were either never sent to a college; or through their irregularities and +stupidity never made the least improvement while they were there. I have +at least[11] forty of the latter sort now in my eye; several of them in +this town, whose learning, manners, temperance, probity, good-nature, +and politics, are all of a piece. Others of them in the country, +oppressing their tenants, tyrannizing over the neighbourhood, cheating +the vicar, talking nonsense, and getting drunk at the sessions. It is +from such seminaries as these, that the world is provided with the +several 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 course of +things, men always grow vicious before they become unbelievers; but if +you would once convince the town or country profligate, by topics drawn +from the view of their own quiet, reputation, health, and advantage, +their infidelity would soon drop off: This I confess is no easy task, +because it is almost in a literal sense, to fight with beasts. Now, to +make it clear, that we are to look for no other original of this +infidelity, whereof divines so much complain, it is allowed on all +hands, that the people of England are more corrupt in their morals than +any other nation at this day under the sun: and this corruption is +manifestly owing to other causes, both, numerous and obvious, much more +than to the publication of irreligious books, which indeed are but the +consequence of the former. For all the writers against Christianity +since the Revolution have been of the lowest rank among men in regard to +literature, wit, and good sense, and upon that account wholly +unqualified to propagate heresies, unless among a people already +abandoned. + +[Footnote 11: Scott and Hawkesworth print "above forty." [T. S.]] + +In an age where everything disliked by those who think with the majority +is called disaffection, it may perhaps be ill interpreted, when I +venture to tell you that this universal depravation of manners is owing +to the perpetual bandying of factions among us for thirty years past; +when without weighing the motives of justice, law, conscience, or +honour, every man adjusts his principles to those of the party he hath +chosen, and among whom he may best find his own account: But by reason +of our frequent vicissitudes, 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 system of administration. Add to this, that the +old fundamental custom of annual parliaments being wholly laid aside, +and elections growing chargeable, since gentlemen found that their +country seats brought them in less than a seat in the House, the voters, +that is to say, the bulk of the common people have been universally +seduced into bribery, perjury, drunkenness, malice, and slanders. + +Not to be further tedious, or rather invidious, these are a few among +other causes which have contributed to the ruin of our morals, and +consequently to the contempt of religion: For imagine to yourself, if +you please, a landed youth, whom his mother would never suffer to look +into a book for fear of spoiling his eyes, got into parliament, and +observing all enemies to the clergy heard with the utmost applause, 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 must +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 universal +corruption of morals, which many other causes first contributed to +introduce and to cultivate. And thus, Mr. Hobbes' saying upon reason may +be much more properly applied to religion: that, "if religion will be +against a man, a man will be against religion." Though after all, I have +heard a profligate offer much stronger arguments against paying his +debts, than ever he was known to do against Christianity; indeed the +reason was, because in that juncture he happened to be closer pressed by +the bailiff than the parson. + +Ignorance may perhaps be the mother of superstition; but experience hath +not proved it to be so of devotion: for Christianity always made the +most easy and quickest progress in civilized countries. I mention this +because it is affirmed that the clergy are in most credit where +ignorance prevails (and surely this kingdom would be called the paradise +of clergymen if that opinion were true) for which they instance England +in the times of Popery. But whoever knows anything of three or four +centuries before the Reformation, will find the little learning then +stirring was more equally divided between the English clergy and laity +than it is at present. There were several famous lawyers in that period, +whose writings are still in the highest repute, and some historians and +poets who were not of the Church.[12] Whereas now-a-days our education +is so corrupted, that you will hardly find a young person of quality +with the least tincture of knowledge, at the same time that many of the +clergy were never more learned, or so scurvily treated. Here among us, +at least, a man of letters out of the three professions, is almost a +prodigy. And those few who have preserved any rudiments of learning are +(except perhaps one or two smatterers) the clergy's friends to a man: +and I dare appeal to any clergyman in this kingdom, whether the greatest +dunce in the parish be not always the most proud, wicked, fraudulent, +and intractable of his flock. + +[Footnote 12: What Swift calls learning was, in his day, the property, +so to speak, of professional men, such as divines, lawyers, and +university teachers. The common man was too poor or too much taxed to +acquire it; the aristocrat often too lazy or too fond of +pleasure-seeking to bother about it. The Pre-Reformation days, to which +Swift refers, could boast such men as Fabyan, Hall, Chaucer, Gower, and +Caxton, as well as Lord Berners, Sir Thomas More, and Lydgate, who were +not, in any sense, professional men. [T.S.]] + +I think the clergy have almost given over perplexing themselves and +their hearers with abstruse points of Predestination, Election, and the +like; at least it is time they should; and therefore I shall not trouble +you further upon this head. + +I have now said all I could think convenient with relation to your +conduct in the pulpit: your behaviour in life[13] is another scene, upon +which I shall readily offer you my thoughts, if you appear to desire +them from me by your approbation of what I have here written; if not, I +have already troubled you too much. + +[Footnote 13: Scott and Hawkesworth print "your behaviour in the world." +The above is the reading of the first edition. [T. S.]] + + I am, Sir, + Your Affectionate + Friend and Servant + A.B. + + January 9th. + 1719-20. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +SOME ARGUMENTS AGAINST ENLARGING + +THE POWER OF BISHOPS IN + +LETTING OF LEASES. + + +NOTE. + +The years between that which saw the publication of the "Drapier +Letters," and that which rang with the fame of "Gulliver's Travels," +were busy fighting years for Swift. Apart from his vigorous championship +of the Test, and his war against the Dissenters, he espoused the cause +of the inferior clergy of his own Church, as against the bishops. The +business of filling the vacant sees of Ireland had degenerated into what +we should now call "jobbery"; and during the period of Sir Robert +Walpole's administration it was rarely that an Irishman was selected. On +any question, therefore, which affected the welfare of the lower clergy, +it will at once be seen, that the Lords Spiritual, sitting in the Irish +Upper House, would find little difficulty in coming to a solution. That +the solution should also be one which only increased the clergy's +difficulties, might be expected from a body which aimed chiefly at +acquiring wealth and power for itself. + +In the reign of Charles I. an act was passed, "prohibiting all bishops, +and other ecclesiastical corporations, from setting their lands for +above the term of twenty-one years: the rent reserved to be half the +real value of such lands at the time they were set." As Swift points +out, about the time of the Reformation, a trade was carried on by the +popish bishops, who felt that their terms of office would be short, and +who, consequently, to get what benefit they could while in office, "made +long leases and fee-farms of great part of their lands, reserving very +inconsiderable rents, sometimes only a chiefry." It was owing to a +continuance in this traffic by the bishops when they became Protestants, +and to a recognition of the injustice of such alienation, that the +legislature passed the act. In 1723, however, an attempt was made for +its repeal. Swift was not the man to permit the bishops to have their +way, if he could help it. His opinion of Irish bishops is well known. +"No blame," he said, "rested with the court for these appointments. +Excellent and moral men had been selected upon every occasion of +vacancy, but it unfortunately happened, that as these worthy divines +crossed Hounslow Heath, on their way to Ireland, to take possession of +their bishoprics, they have been regularly robbed and murdered by the +highwaymen frequenting that common, who seize upon their robes and +patents, come over to Ireland, and are consecrated bishops in their +stead." To prevent, therefore, the encroachments of such individuals he +wrote this tract, in which he clearly demonstrates the justice and +salutariness of Charles's act. His contention, as Monck Mason points out +("History of St. Patrick's Cathedral," p. 392, note 1) "is confirmed by +all writers upon the subject," and quotes from Carte's "Life of James, +Duke of Ormond," where it is stated that the bishoprics in Ireland had, +"the greatest part of them, been depauperated in the change of religion +by absolute grants and long leases (made generally by the popish bishops +that conformed)--some of them not able to maintain a bishop, several +were, by these means, reduced to L50 a year, as Waterford, Kilfenora, +and others, and some to five marks, as Cloyne and Kilmacduagh." To Swift +is largely due the fact that the House of Commons, when they received +the bill from the Lords, threw it out. + +Scott, in his note on this pamphlet (amended from one by Lord Orrery), +takes his usual course when considering Swift's attitude of opposition +--he implies a motive or prejudice. In his opinion, Swift considered the +bill for the repeal of Charles's act, "an indirect mode of gratifying +the existing bishops, whom he did not regard with peculiar respect or +complacency, at the expense of the Church establishment," and that, +therefore, "the spirit of his opposition is, in this instance, +peculiarly caustic." As a matter of fact, the spirit of Swift's +opposition was always peculiarly caustic, in this case no more so than +in any other. But to imply that his motive was a self gratifying one +only, is to treat Swift unfairly. If the bishops required an example as +to how they should deal with their lands, they could easily have found +one in Swift himself. In all the renewals of the leases of the Deanery +lands, Swift never sought his own immediate advantage, his terms were +based on the consideration that the lands were his only in trust for a +successor. To take one instance only, the instance of the parish of +Kilberry in county Kildare, cited by Monck Mason (p. 27, note h). In +1695 the rent of this parish was reserved at L100 English sterling, in +1717, Swift raised this rent to L150, in 1731 to L170, and in 1741 to +L200 per annum, with a proportionable loss of fine upon each occasion. + +The tract is dated October 21st, 1723, but as I have not come across a +copy of the original separate issue, I have based the text on that given +by Faulkner (vol. iv, 1735), and the title page here reproduced is from +that edition. The fifth volume of "Miscellanies," also issued in 1735, +contains this tract, and I have compared the texts of the two. The notes +given in Scott's edition are, in the main, altered from Faulkner's +edition. + +[T.S.] + + + SOME + ARGUMENTS + AGAINST ENLARGING the + POWER OF BISHOPS + In LETTING OF + LEASES. + WITH + REMARKS on some _Queries_ + lately published. + +_Mibi credite, major haereditas venit unicuique vestraem in iisdem bonis ae +jure & ae legibus, quam ab iis ae quibus illa ipsa bona relicta sunt._ + +Cicero _pro_ A. Caecina. + +Written in the Year 1723. + +Printed in the Year MDCCXXXIII. + + +In handling this subject, I shall proceed wholly upon the supposition, +that those of our party, who profess themselves members of the church +established, and under the apostolical government of bishops, do desire +the continuance and transmission of it to posterity, at least, in as +good a condition as it is at present. Because, as this discourse is not +calculated for dissenters of any kind; so neither will it suit the talk +or sentiments of those persons, who, with the denomination of churchmen, +are oppressors of the inferior clergy, and perpetually quarrelling at +the great incomes of the bishops; which is a traditional cant delivered +down from former times, and continued with great reason, although it be +now near 200 years since almost three parts in four of the church +revenues have been taken from the clergy: Besides the spoils that have +been gradually made ever since, of glebes and other lands, by the +confusion of times, the fraud of encroaching neighbours, or the power of +oppressors, too great to be encountered. + +About the time of the Reformation, many popish bishops of this kingdom, +knowing they must have been soon ejected, if they would not change their +religion, made long leases and fee-farms of great part of their lands, +reserving very inconsiderable rents, sometimes only a chiefry; by a +power they assumed, directly contrary to many ancient canons, yet +consistent enough with the common law. This trade held on for many years +after the bishops became Protestants; and some of their names are still +remembered with infamy, on account of enriching their families by such +sacrilegious alienations. By these means, episcopal revenues were so low +reduced, that three or four sees were often united to make a tolerable +competency. For some remedy to this evil, King James the First, by a +bounty that became a good Christian prince, bestowed several forfeited +lands on the northern bishoprics: But in all other parts of the kingdom, +the Church continued still in the same distress and poverty; some of the +sees hardly possessing enough to maintain a country vicar. About the +middle of King Charles the First's reign, the legislature here thought +fit to put a stop, at least, to any farther alienations; and so a law +was enacted, prohibiting all bishops, and other ecclesiastical +corporations, from setting their lands for above the term of twenty-one +years; the rent reserved to be one half of the real value of such lands +at the time they were set, without which condition the lease to be void. + +Soon after the restoration of King Charles the Second, the parliament +taking into consideration the miserable estate of the Church, certain +lands, by way of augmentation, were granted to eight bishops in the act +of settlement, and confirmed in the act of explanation; of which bounty, +as I remember, three sees were, in a great measure, defeated; but by +what accidents, it is not here of any importance to relate. + +This, at present, is the condition of the Church in Ireland, with regard +to Episcopal revenues: Which I have thus briefly (and, perhaps, +imperfectly) deduced for some information to those, whose thoughts do +not lead them to such considerations. + +By virtue of the statute, already mentioned, under King Charles the +First, limiting ecclesiastical bodies to the term of twenty-one years, +under the reserved rent of half real value, the bishops have had some +share in the gradual rise of lands, without which they could not have +been supported, with any common decency that might become their station. +It is above eighty years since the passing of that act: The see of +Meath, one of the best in the kingdom, was then worth about L400 _per +annum_; the poorer ones in the same proportion. If this were their +present condition, I cannot conceive how they would have been able to +pay for their patents, or buy their robes: But this will certainly be +the condition of their successors, if such a bill should pass, as they +say is now intended, which I will suppose, and believe, many persons, +who may give a vote for it, are not aware of. + +However, this is the act which is now attempted to be repealed, or, at +least, eluded; some are for giving bishops leave to let fee-farms; +others would allow them to let leases for lives; and the most moderate +would repeal that clause, by which the bishops are bound to let their +lands at half value. + +The reasons for the rise of value in lands, are of two kinds. Of the +first kind, are long peace and settlement after the devastations of war; +plantations, improvements of bad soil, recovery of bogs and marshes, +advancement of trade and manufactures, increase of inhabitants, +encouragement of agriculture, and the like. + +But there is another reason for the rise of land, more gradual, constant +and certain; which will have its effects in countries that are very far +from flourishing in any of the advantages I have just mentioned: I mean +_the perpetual decrease in the value of gold and silver_. I shall +discourse upon these two different kinds, with a view towards the bill +now attempted. + +As to the first: I cannot see how this kingdom is at any height of +improvement, while four parts in five of the plantations for 30 years +past, have been real disimprovements; nine in ten of the quick-set +hedges being ruined for want of care or skill. And as to forest trees, +they being often taken out of woods, and planted in single rows on the +tops of ditches, it is impossible they should grow to be of use, beauty, +or shelter. Neither can it be said, that the soil of Ireland is improved +to its full height, while so much lies all winter under water, and the +bogs made almost desperate by the ill cutting of the turf. There hath, +indeed, been some little improvement in the manufactures of linen and +woollen, although very short of perfection: But our trade was never in +so low a condition: And as to agriculture, of which all wise nations +have been so tender, the desolation made in the country by engrossing +graziers, and the great yearly importation of corn from England, are +lamentable instances under what discouragement it lies. + +But, notwithstanding all these mortifications, I suppose there is no +well-wisher to his country, without a little hope, that in time the +kingdom may be on a better foot in some of the articles above mentioned. +But it would be hard, if ecclesiastical bodies should be the only +persons excluded from any share in public advantages; which yet can +never happen, without a greater share of profit to their tenants: If God +"sends rain equally upon the just and the unjust;" why should those who +wait at His altars, and are instructors of the people, be cut off from +partaking in the general benefits of law, or of nature? + +But, as this way of reasoning may seem to bear a more favourable eye +to the clergy, than perhaps will suit with the present disposition, or +fashion of the age; I shall, therefore, dwell more largely upon the +second reason for the rise of land, which is the perpetual decrease of +the value of gold and silver. + +This may be observed from the course of the Roman history, above two +thousand years before those inexhaustible silver mines of Potosi were +known. The value of an obolus, and of every other coin between the time +of Romulus and that of Augustus, gradually sunk about five parts in six, +as appears by several passages out of the best authors. And yet, the +prodigious wealth of that state did not arise from the increase of +bullion in the world, by the discovery of new mines, but from a much +more accidental cause, which was, the spreading of their conquests, and +thereby importing into Rome and Italy, the riches of the east and west. + +When the seat of empire was removed to Constantinople, the tide of money +flowed that way, without ever returning; and was scattered in Asia. But +when that mighty empire was overthrown by the northern people, such a +stop was put to all trade and commerce, that vast sums of money were +buried, to escape the plundering of the conquerors; and what remained +was carried off by those ravagers. + +It were no difficult matter to compute the value of money in England, +during the Saxon reigns; but the monkish and other writers since the +Conquest, have put that matter in a clearer light, by the several +accounts they have given us of the value of corn and cattle, in years of +dearth and plenty. Every one knows, that King John's whole portion, +before he came to the crown, was but five thousand pounds, without a +foot of land. + +I have likewise seen the steward's accounts, of an ancient noble family +in England, written in Latin, between three and four hundred years ago, +with the several prices of wine and victuals, to confirm my +observations. + +I have been at the trouble of computing (as others have done) the +different values of money for about four hundred years past. Henry Duke +of Lancaster, who lived about that period, founded an hospital in +Leicester, for a certain number of old men; charging his lands with a +groat a week to each for their maintenance, which is to this day duly +paid them. In those times, a penny was equal to ten-pence half-penny, +and somewhat more than half a farthing in ours; which makes about eight +ninths' difference. + +This is plain also, from the old custom upon many estates in England, to +let for leases of lives, (renewable at pleasure) where the reserved rent +is usually about twelve-pence a pound, which then was near the half real +value: And although the fines be not fixed, yet the landlord gets +altogether not above three shillings in the pound of the worth of his +land: And the tenants are so wedded to this custom, that if the owner +suffer three lives to expire, none of them will take a lease on other +conditions; or, if he brings in a foreigner who will agree to pay a +reasonable rent, the other tenants, by all manner of injuries, will make +that foreigner so uneasy, that he must be forced to quit the farm; as +the late Earl of Bath felt, by the experience of above ten thousand +pounds loss. + +The gradual decrease for about two hundred years after, was not +considerable, and therefore I do not rely on the account given by some +historians, that Harry the Seventh left behind him eighteen hundred +thousand pounds; for although the West Indies were discovered before his +death, and although he had the best talents and instruments for exacting +of money, ever possessed by any prince since the time of Vespasian, +(whom he resembled in many particulars); yet I conceive, that in his +days the whole coin of England could hardly amount to such a sum. For in +the reign of Philip and Mary, Sir Thomas Cokayne of Derbyshire, [1] the +best housekeeper of his quality in the county, allowed his lady fifty +pounds a year for maintaining the family, one pound a year wages to each +servant, and two pounds to the steward; as I was told by a person of +quality who had seen the original account of his economy. Now this sum +of fifty pound, added to the advantages of a large domain, might be +equal to about five hundred pounds a year at present, or somewhat more +than four-fifths. + +[Footnote 1: Sir Thomas Cokayne (1519?-1592), known as "a professed +hunter and not a scholler." He was the eldest son of Francis Cokayne, or +Cockaine, of Ashbourne, Derbyshire. One of his sons, Edward, was the +father of Thomas Cokayne, the lexicographer. Sir Thomas, in 1591, +published "A Short Treatise of Hunting, compyled for the Delight of +Noblemen and Gentlemen." [T. S.]] + +The great plenty of silver in England began in Queen Elizabeth's reign, +when Drake, and others, took vast quantities of coin and bullion from +the Spaniards, either upon their own American coasts, or in their return +to Spain. However, so much hath been imported annually from that time to +this, that the value of money in England, and most parts of Europe, is +sunk above one half within the space of an hundred years, +notwithstanding the great export of silver for about eighty years past, +to the East Indies, from whence it never returns. But gold being not +liable to the same accident, and by new discoveries growing every day +more plentiful, seems in danger of becoming a drug. + +This hath been the progress of the value of money in former ages, and +must of necessity continue so for the future, without some new invasion +of Goths and Vandals to destroy law, property and religion, alter the +very face of nature; and turn the world upside down. + +I must repeat, that what I am to say upon this subject, is intended only +for the conviction of those among our own party, who are true lovers of +the Church, and would be glad it should continue in a tolerable degree +of prosperity to the end of the world. + +The Church is supposed to last for ever, both in its discipline and +doctrine; which is a privilege common to every petty corporation, who +must likewise observe the laws of their foundation. If a gentleman's +estate which now yields him a thousand pounds a year, had been set for +ever at the highest value, even in the flourishing days of King Charles +the Second, would it now amount to above four or five hundred at most? +What if this had happened two or three hundred years ago; would the +reserved rent at this day be any more than a small chiefry? Suppose the +revenues of a bishop to have been under the same circumstances; could he +now be able to perform works of hospitality and charity? Thus, if the +revenues of a bishop be limited to a thousand pounds a year; how will +his successor be in a condition to support his station with decency, +when the same denomination of money shall not answer an half, a quarter, +or an eighth part of that sum? Which must unavoidably be the consequence +of any bill to elude the limiting act, whereby the Church was preserved +from utter ruin. + +The same reason holds good in all corporations whatsoever, who cannot +follow a more pernicious practice than that of granting perpetuities, +for which many of them smart to this day; although the leaders among +them are often so stupid as not to perceive it, or sometimes so knavish +as to find their private account in cheating the community. + +Several colleges in Oxford, were aware of this growing evil about an +hundred years ago; and, instead of limiting their rents to a certain sum +of money, prevailed with their tenants to pay the price of so many +barrels of corn, to be valued as the market went, at two seasons (as I +remember) in the year. For a barrel of corn is of a real intrinsic +value, which gold and silver are not: And by this invention, these +colleges have preserved a tolerable subsistence, for their fellows and +students, to this day. + +The present bishops will, indeed be no sufferers by such a bill; +because, their ages considered, they cannot expect to see any great +decrease in the value of money; or, at worst, they can make it up in the +fines, which will probably be greater than usual, upon the change of +leases into fee-farms, or lives; or without the power of obliging their +tenants to a real half value. And, as I cannot well blame them for +taking such advantages, (considering the nature of human kind) when the +question is only, whether the money shall be put into their own or +another man's pocket: So they will be never excusable before God or man, +if they do not to the death oppose, declare, and protest against any +such bill, as must in its consequences complete the ruin of the Church, +and of their own order in this kingdom. + +If the fortune of a private person be diminished by the weakness, or +inadvertency of his ancestors, in letting leases for ever at low rents, +the world lies open to his industry for purchasing of more; but the +Church is barred by a _dead hand_; or if it were otherwise, yet the +custom of making bequests to it, hath been out of practice for almost +two hundred years, and a great deal directly contrary hath been its +fortune. + +I have been assured by a person of some consequence, to whom I am +likewise obliged for the account of some other facts already related, +that the late Bishop of Salisbury,[2] (the greatest Whig of that bench +in his days) confessed to him, that the liberty which bishops in England +have of letting leases for lives, would, in his opinion, be one day the +ruin of Episcopacy there; and thought the Church in this kingdom happy +by the limitation act. + +[Footnote 2: Dr. Barnet.] + +And have we not already found the effect of this different proceeding in +both kingdoms? Have not two English prelates quitted their peerage and +seats in Parliament, in a nation of freedom, for the sake of a more +ample revenue, even in this unhappy kingdom, rather than lie under the +mortification of living below their dignity at home? For which, however, +they cannot be justly censured. I know indeed, some persons, who offer, +as an argument for repealing the limiting bill, that it may in future +ages prevent the practice of providing this kingdom with bishops from +England, when the only temptation will be removed. And they allege, +that, as things have gone for some years past, gentlemen will grow +discouraged from sending their sons to the university, and from +suffering them to enter into holy orders, when they are likely to +languish under a curacy, or small vicarage, to the end of their lives: +But this is all a vain imagination; for the decrease in the value of +money will equally affect both kingdoms: And besides, when bishoprics +here grow too small to invite over men of credit and consequence, they +will be left more fully to the disposal of a chief governor, who can +never fail of some worthless illiterate chaplain, fond of a title and +precedence. Thus will that whole bench, in an age or two, be composed of +mean, ignorant, fawning gownmen, humble suppliants and dependants upon +the court for a morsel of bread, and ready to serve every turn that +shall be demanded from them, in hopes of getting some _commendam_ tacked +to their sees; which must then be the trade, as it is now too much in +England, to the great discouragement of the inferior clergy. Neither is +that practice without example among us. + +It is now about eighty-five years since the passing of that limiting +act, and there is but one instance, in the memory of man, of a bishop's +lease broken upon the plea of not being statutable; which, in +everybody's opinion, could have been lost by no other person than he who +was then tenant, and happened to be very ungracious in his county. In +the present Bishop of Meath's[3] case, that plea did not avail, although +the lease were notoriously unstatutable; the rent reserved, being, as I +have been told, not a seventh part of the real value; yet the jury, upon +their oaths, very gravely found it to be according to the statute; and +one of them was heard to say, That he would _eat his shoes_ before he +would give a verdict for the bishop. A very few more have made the same +attempt with as little success. Every bishop, and other ecclesiastical +body, reckon forty pounds in an hundred to be a reasonable half value; +or if it be only a third part, it seldom, or never, breeds any +difference between landlord and tenant. But when the rent is from five +to nine or ten parts less than the worth; the bishop, if he consults the +good of his see, will be apt to expostulate; and the tenant, if he be an +honest man, will have some regard to the reasonableness and justice of +the demand, so as to yield to a moderate advancement, rather than engage +in a suit, where law and equity are directly against him. By these +means, the bishops have been so true to their trusts, as to procure some +small share in the advancement of rents; although it be notorious that +they do not receive the third penny (fines included) of the real value +of their lands throughout the kingdom. + +[Footnote 3: Dr. Evans, a Welchman. [Faulkner, 1735.]] + +I was never able to imagine what inconvenience could accrue to the +public, by one or two thousand pounds a year, in the hands of a +Protestant bishop, any more than of a lay person.[4] The former, +generally speaking, liveth as piously and hospitably as the other; pays +his debts as honestly, and spends as much of his revenue among his +tenants: Besides, if they be his immediate tenants, you may distinguish +them, at first sight, by their habits and horses; or if you go to their +houses, by their comfortable way of living. But the misfortune is, that +such immediate tenants, generally speaking, have others under them, and +so a third and fourth in subordination, till it comes to the welder (as +they call him) who sits at a rack-rent, and lives as miserably as an +Irish farmer upon a new lease from a lay landlord. But suppose a bishop +happens to be avaricious, (as being composed of the same stuff with +other men) the consequence to the public is no worse than if he were a +squire; for he leaves his fortune to his son, or near relation, who, if +he be rich enough, will never think of entering into the Church. + +[Footnote 4: This part of the paragraph is to be applied to the period +when the whole was written, which was in 1723, when several of Queen +Anne's bishops were living. [Note in edition of 1761, as amended from +the edition of 1735. T.S.]] + +And, as there can be no disadvantage to the public, in a Protestant +country, that a man should hold lands as a bishop, any more than if he +were a temporal person; so it is of great advantage to the community, +where a bishop lives as he ought to do. He is bound, in conscience, to +reside in his diocese, and, by a solemn promise, to keep hospitality; +his estate is spent in the kingdom, not remitted to England; he keeps +the clergy to their duty, and is an example of virtue both to them and +the people. Suppose him an ill man; yet his very character will withhold +him from any great or open exorbitancies. But, in fact, it must be +allowed, that some bishops of this kingdom, within twenty years past, +have done very signal and lasting acts of public charity; great +instances whereof, are the late[5] and present[6] Primate, the Lord +Archbishop of Dublin[7] that now is, who hath left memorials of his +bounty in many parts of his province. I might add, the Bishop of +Raphoe,[8] and several others: Not forgetting the late Dean of Down, Dr. +Pratt, who bestowed one thousand pounds upon the university: Which +foundation, (that I may observe by the way) if the bill proposed should +pass, would be in the same circumstances with the bishops, nor ever able +again to advance the stipends of the fellows and students, as lately +they found it necessary to do; the determinate sum appointed by the +statute for commons, being not half sufficient, by the fall of money, to +afford necessary sustenance. But the passing of such a bill must put an +end to all ecclesiastical beneficence for the time to come; and whether +this will be supplied by those who are to reap the benefit, better than +it hath been done by the grantees of impropriate tithes, who received +them upon the old church conditions of keeping hospitality; it will be +easy to conjecture. + +[Footnote 5: Dr. Marsh.] + +[Footnote 6: Dr. Lindsay.] + +[Footnote 7: Dr. King.] + +[Footnote 8: Dr. Forster.] + +To allege, that passing such a bill would be a good encouragement to +improve bishops' lands, is a great error. Is it not the general method +of landlords, to wait the expiration of a lease, and then cant[9] their +lands to the highest bidder? And what should hinder the same course to +be taken in church leases, when the limitation is removed of paying half +the real value to the bishop? In riding through the country, how few +improvements do we see upon the estates of laymen, farther than about +their own domains? To say the truth, it is a great misfortune as well to +the public as to the bishops themselves, that their lands are generally +let to lords and great squires, who, in reason, were never designed to +be tenants; and therefore may naturally murmur at the payment of rent, +as a subserviency they were not born to. If the tenants to the Church +were honest farmers, they would pay their fines and rents with +cheerfulness, improve their lands, and thank God they were to give but a +moderate half value for what they held. I have heard a man of a thousand +pounds a year, talk with great contempt of bishops' leases, as being on +a worse foot than the rest of his estate; and he had certainly reason: +My answer was, that such leases were originally intended only for the +benefit of industrious husbandmen, who would think it a great blessing +to be so provided for, instead of having his farm screwed up to the +height, not eating one comfortable meal in a year, nor able to find +shoes for his children. + +[Footnote 9: To cant means to call for bidders at an auction sale. +Probably derived from the O. French _cant = quantum_ = how much. [T.S.]] + +I know not any advantage that can accrue by such a bill, except the +preventing of perjury in jurymen, and false dealing in tenants; which is +a remedy like that of giving my money to an highwayman, before he +attempts to take it by force; and so I shall be sure to prevent the sin +of robbery. + +I had wrote thus far, and thought to have put an end; when a bookseller +sent me a small pamphlet, entitled, "The Case of the Laity, with some +Queries;" full of the strongest malice against the clergy, that I have +anywhere met with since the reign of Toland, and others of that tribe. +These kinds of advocates do infinite mischief to OUR GOOD CAUSE, by +giving grounds to the unjust reproaches of TORIES and JACOBITES, who +charge us with being enemies to the Church. If I bear an hearty +unfeigned loyalty to his Majesty King George, and the House of Hanover, +not shaken in the least by the hardships we lie under, which never can +be imputable to so gracious a prince: If I sincerely abjure the +Pretender, and all Popish successors; if I bear a due veneration to the +glorious memory of the late King William, who preserved these kingdoms +from Popery and slavery, with the expense of his blood, and hazard of +his life: And lastly, if I am for a proper indulgence to all dissenters; +I think nothing more can be reasonably demanded of me as a WHIG, and +that my political catechism is full and complete. But whoever, under the +shelter of that party denomination, and of many great professions of +loyalty, would destroy, or undermine, or injure the Church established; +I utterly disown him, and think he ought to choose another name of +distinction for himself, and his adherents. I came into the cause upon +other principles, which, by the grace of God, I mean to preserve as long +as I live. Shall we justify the accusations of our adversaries? _Hoc +Ithacus velit_--The Tories and Jacobites will behold us with a malicious +pleasure, determined upon the ruin of our friends: For is not the +present set of bishops almost entirely of that number, as well as a +great majority of the principal clergy? And a short time will reduce the +whole, by vacancies upon death. + +An impartial reader, if he pleases to examine what I have already said, +will easily answer the bold "Queries" in the pamphlet I mentioned: He +will be convinced, that "the reason still strongly exists, for which" +that limiting law was enacted. A reasonable man will wonder, where can +be the insufferable grievance, that an ecclesiastical landlord should +expect a moderate, or third part value in rent for his lands, when his +title is, _at least_, as ancient and as legal as that of a layman; who +is yet but seldom guilty of giving such beneficial bargains. Has "the +nation been thrown into confusion"? And have "many poor families been +ruined" by rack-rents paid for the lands of the church? Does "the nation +cry out" to have a law that must, in time, send their bishops a-begging? +But, God be thanked, the clamour of enemies to the Church is not yet the +cry, and, I hope, will never prove the voice of the nation. The clergy, +I conceive, will hardly allow that "the people maintain them," any more +than in the sense, that all landlords whatsoever are maintained by the +people. Such assertions as these, and the insinuations they carry along +with them, proceed from principles which cannot be avowed by those who +are for preserving the happy constitution in Church and State. Whoever +were the proposers of such "queries," it might have provoked a bold +writer to retaliate, perhaps with more justice than prudence, by shewing +at whose door the grievance lies, and that the bishops, _at least_, are +not to answer for the poverty of tenants. + +To gratify this great reformer, who enlarges the episcopal rent-roll +almost one half; let me suppose that all the Church lands in the kingdom +were thrown up to the laity; would the tenants, in such a case, sit +easier in their rents than they do now? Or, would the money be equally +spent in the kingdom? No: The farmer would be screwed up to the utmost +penny, by the agents and stewards of absentees, and the revenues +employed in making a figure at London; to which city a full third part +of the whole income of Ireland is annually returned, to answer that +single article of maintenance for Irish landlords. + +Another of his quarrels is against pluralities and non-residence: As to +the former, it is a word of ill name, but not well understood. The +clergy having been stripped of the greatest part of their revenues, the +glebes being generally lost, the tithes in the hands of laymen, the +churches demolished, and the country depopulated; in order to preserve a +face of Christianity, it was necessary to unite small vicarages, +sufficient to make a tolerable maintenance for a minister. The profit of +ten or a dozen of these unions, do seldom amount to above eighty or an +hundred pounds a year: If there be a very few dignitaries, whose +preferments are, perhaps, more liable to this accusation, it is to be +supposed, they may be favourites of the time, or persons of superior +merit, for whom there hath ever been some indulgence in all governments. + +As to non-residence, I believe there is no Christian country upon earth, +where the clergy have less to answer for upon that article. I am +confident there are not ten clergymen in the kingdom, who, properly +speaking, can be termed non-residents: For surely, we are not to reckon +in that number, those who, for want of glebes, are forced to retire to +the nearest neighbouring village for a cabin to put their heads in; the +leading man of the parish, when he makes the greatest clamour, being +least disposed to accommodate the minister with an acre of ground. And, +indeed, considering the difficulties the clergy lie under upon this +head, it hath been frequent matter of wonder to me, how they are able to +perform that part of their duty as well as they do. + +There is a noble author,[10] who hath lately addressed to the House of +Commons, an excellent discourse for the "Encouragement of Agriculture"; +full of most useful hints, which, I hope, that honourable assembly will +consider as they deserve. I am not a stranger to his lordship; and, +excepting in what relates to the Church, there are few persons with +whose opinions I am better pleased to agree; and am, therefore, grieved +when I find him charging the inconveniencies in the payment of tithes +upon the clergy and their proctors. His lordship is above considering a +very known and vulgar truth, that the meanest farmer hath all manner of +advantages against the most powerful clergyman, by whom it is impossible +he can be wronged, although the minister were ever so evil disposed; the +whole system of teasing, perplexing, and defrauding the proctor, or his +master, being as well known to every ploughman, as the reaping or sowing +of his corn, and much more artfully practised. Besides, the leading man +in the parish must have his tithes at his own rate, which is hardly ever +above one quarter of the value. And I have heard it computed by many +skilful observers, whose interest was not concerned, that the clergy did +not receive, throughout the kingdom, one half of what the laws have made +their due. + +[Footnote 10: The late Lord Molesworth.] + +As to his lordship's discontent against the Bishops' Courts, I shall not +interpose further than in venturing my private opinion, that the clergy +would be very glad to recover their just dues by a more short, decisive, +and compulsive method, than such a cramped and limited jurisdiction will +allow. + +His lordship is not the only person disposed to give the clergy the +honour of being the _sole_ encouragers of all new improvements. If hops, +hemp, flax, and twenty things more are to be planted, the clergy, +_alone_, must reward the industrious farmer, by abatement of the tithe. +What if the owner of nine parts in ten would please to abate +proportionably in his rent, for every acre thus improved? Would not a +man just dropped from the clouds, upon a full hearing, judge the demand +to be, at least, as reasonable? + +I believe no man will dispute his lordship's title to his estate; nor +will I the _jus divinum_ of tithes, which he mentions with some emotion. +I suppose the affirmative would be of little advantage to the clergy, +for the same reason that a maxim in law hath more weight in the world +than an article of faith. And yet, I think there may be such a thing as +sacrilege; because it is frequently mentioned by Greek and Roman +authors, as well as described in Holy Writ. This I am sure of; that his +lordship would, at any time, excuse a parliament for not concerning +itself in his properties, without his own consent. + +The observations I have made upon his lordship's discourse, have not, I +confess, been altogether proper to my subject: However, since he hath +been pleased therein to offer some proposals to the House of Commons, +with relation to the clergy, I hope he will excuse me for differing from +him; which proceeds from his own principle, the desire of defending +liberty and property, that he hath so strenuously and constantly +maintained. + +But the other writer openly declares for a law, empowering the bishops +to set fee-farms; and says, "Whoever intimates that they will deny their +consent to such a reasonable law, which the whole nation cries for, are +enemies to them and the Church." Whether this be his real opinion, or +only a strain of mirth and irony, the matter is not much. However, my +sentiments are so directly contrary to his; that I think, whoever +impartially reads and considers what I have written upon this argument, +hath either no regard for the Church established under the hierarchy of +bishops, or will never consent to any law that shall repeal, or elude +the limiting clause, relating to the real half value, contained in the +act of parliament _decimo Caroli_, "For the preservation of the +inheritance, rights and profits of lands belonging to the Church, and +persons ecclesiastical"; which was grounded upon reasons that do still, +and must for ever subsist. + +October 21, 1723. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +[REASONS HUMBLY OFFERED] + +TO HIS GRACE + +WILLIAM, LORD ARCHBISHOP OF + +DUBLIN, &c. + +THE HUMBLE REPRESENTATION OF THE CLERGY + +OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN. + + +NOTE. + +Scott's text has been collated with that given in volume eight of the +quarto edition of Swift's Works (1765). In that edition the title is +given as: "The Representation of the Clergy of Dublin," &c. + +[T.S.] + + + [REASONS HUMBLY OFFERED] TO HIS + GRACE WILLIAM, LORD ARCHBISHOP + OF DUBLIN, &c.[1] + THE HUMBLE REPRESENTATION OF THE CLERGY + OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN. + +[Footnote 1: William King, D.D. (1650-1729), Archbishop of Dublin, was +born in Antrim, and educated at a school at Dungannon and Trinity +College, Dublin. He was installed Dean of St. Patrick's in 1688-9 +(February 1st). For his open espousal of the Prince of Orange, he was +confined to the Castle, and suffered many indignities. In 1690-1 +(January 9th) he was promoted to the see of Derry. His conduct through +life was that of an ardent Irish Protestant patriot. He fought against +Sectarianism, Roman Catholicism, and the interference of the English +Parliament in Irish affairs. He opposed the Toleration Bill, and +protested against the act confirming the Articles of Limerick. His +relationship with Swift became close when he sent the vicar of Laracor +to London, to obtain for the Irish clergy the restoration of the +first-fruits and twentieth parts; but it was a relationship never +cemented by feelings warmer than those of esteem. King acknowledged the +ability of Swift, but found him ambitious and overbearingly proud. +Throughout life he remained a consistent High Churchman, and a strenuous +supporter of the rights of the Church in Ireland, but his attempt, in +1727, to interfere with the affairs of the Deanery of St. Patrick's, +brought down upon him Swift's wrath, and an open quarrel ensued which +was partly softened by the Archbishop retiring from the matter and +tacitly acknowledging Swift's right. + +King's chief published work is his treatise "De Origine Mali," published +in 1702, and received with respectful consideration by the eminent +thinkers of the day. He wrote other minor works, but none of any +distinguished merit. He succeeded Narcissus Marsh as Archbishop of +Dublin in 1702-3 (March 11th). Swift's letters to King during the +former's embassy on the matter of first-fruits, make a most interesting +chapter in the six volumes which Scott devotes to Swift's +correspondence. T. S.] + +Jan. 1724. + +MY LORD, + +Your Grace having been pleased to communicate to us a certain brief, by +letters patents, for the relief of one Charles M'Carthy, whose house in +College-Green, Dublin, was burnt by an accidental fire; and having +desired us to consider of the said brief, and give our opinions thereof +to your Grace; + +We the Clergy of the city of Dublin, in compliance with your Grace's +desire, and with great acknowledgments for your paternal tenderness +towards us, having maturely considered the said brief by letters +patents, compared the several parts of it with what is enjoined us by +the rubric, (which is confirmed by act of parliament) and consulted +persons skilled in the laws of the Church; do, in the names of ourselves +and of the rest of our brethren, the Clergy of the diocese of Dublin, +most humbly represent to your Grace: + +First, That, by this brief, your Grace is required and commanded, to +recommend and command all the parsons, vicars, &c., to advance so great +an act of charity. + +We shall not presume to determine how far your Grace may be commanded by +the said brief; but we humbly conceive that the Clergy of your diocese +cannot, by any law now in being, be commanded by your Grace to advance +the said act of charity, any other ways than by reading the said brief +in our several churches, as prescribed by the rubric. + +Secondly, Whereas it is said in the said brief, "That the parsons, +vicars, &c. upon the first Lord's day, or opportunity after the receipt +of the copy of the said brief, shall, deliberately and affectionately, +publish and declare the tenor thereof to His Majesty's subjects, and +earnestly persuade, exhort, and stir them up to contribute freely and +cheerfully towards the relief of the said sufferer;" + +We do not comprehend what is meant by the word _opportunity_. We never +do preach upon any day except the Lord's day, or some solemn days +legally appointed; neither is it possible for the strongest constitution +among us to obey this command (which includes no less than a whole +sermon) upon any other opportunity than when our people are met together +in the church; and to perform this work in every house where the +parishes are very populous, consisting sometimes here in town of 900 or +1,000 houses, would take up the space of a year, although we should +preach in two families every day; and almost as much time in the +country, where the parishes are of large extent, the roads bad, and the +people too poor to receive us, and give charity at once. + +But, if it be meant that these exhortations are commanded to be made in +the church, upon the Lord's day, we are humbly of opinion, that it is +left to the discretion of the clergy, to choose what subjects they think +most proper to preach on, and at what times; and, if they preach either +false doctrine or seditious principles, they are liable to be punished. + +It may possibly happen that the sufferer recommended may be a person not +deserving the favour intended by the brief; in which case no minister, +who knows the sufferer to be an undeserving person, can with a safe +conscience, deliberately and affectionately publish the brief, much less +earnestly persuade, exhort, and stir up the people to contribute freely +and cheerfully towards the relief of such a sufferer.[2] + +[Footnote 2: This M'Carthy's house was burnt in the month of August +1723, and the universal opinion of mankind was, that M'Carthy himself +was the person who had set fire to the house. [Note in edition of +Swift's Works, vol. viii., 1765, 4to.]] + +Thirdly, Whereas in the said brief the ministers and curates are +required, "on the week-days next after the Lord's day when the brief was +read, to go from house to house, with their church-wardens, to ask and +receive from all persons the said charity:" We cannot but observe here, +that the said ministers are directly made collectors of the said charity +in conjunction with the church-wardens; which however, we presume, was +not intended, as being against all law and precedent: And therefore, we +apprehend, there may be some inconsistency, which leaves us at a loss +how to proceed. For, in the next paragraph, the ministers and curates +are only required, where they conveniently can, to accompany the +church-wardens, or procure some other of the chief inhabitants, to do +the same. And, in a following paragraph, the whole work seems left +entirely to the church-wardens, who are required to use their utmost +diligence to gather and collect the said charity, and to pay the same, +in ten days after, to the parson, vicar, &c. + +In answer to this, we do represent to your Grace our humble opinion, +that neither we nor our church-wardens can be legally commanded or +required to go from house to house to receive the said charity; because +your Grace hath informed us in your order, at your visitation An. Dom. +1712, that neither we nor our church-wardens are bound to make any +collections for the poor, save in the church; which also appears plainly +by the rubric, that appoints both time and place, as your Grace hath +observed in your said order. + +We do likewise assure your Grace, that it is not in our power to procure +some of the chief inhabitants of our parishes to accompany the +church-wardens from house to house in these collections: And we have +reason to believe, that such a proposal, made to our chief inhabitants +(particularly in this city, where our chief inhabitants are often peers +of the land) would be received in a manner very little to our own +satisfaction, or to the advantage of the said collections. + +Fourthly, The brief doth will, require, and command the bishops, and all +other dignitaries of the Church, that they make their contributions +distinctly, to be returned in the several provinces to the several +archbishops of the same. + +Upon which we take leave to observe that the terms of expression here +are of the strongest kind, and in a point that may subject the said +dignitaries (for we shall say nothing of the bishops) to great +inconveniencies. + +The said dignitaries are here willed, required, and commanded to make +their contributions distinctly; by which it should seem that they are +absolutely commanded to make contributions (for the word _distinctly_ is +but a circumstance), and may be understood not very agreeable to a +voluntary, cheerful contribution. And therefore, if any bishop or +dignitary should refuse to make his contribution, (perhaps for very good +reasons) he may be thought to incur the crime of disobedience to His +Majesty, which all good subjects abhor, when such a command is according +to law. + +Most dignities of this kingdom consist only of parochial tithes, and the +dignitaries are ministers of parishes. A doubt may therefore arise, +whether the said dignitaries are willed, required, and commanded, to +make their contributions in both capacities, distinctly as dignitaries, +and jointly as parsons or vicars. + +Many dignities in this kingdom are the poorest kind of benefices; and it +should seem hard to put poor dignitaries under the necessity either of +making greater contributions than they can afford, or of exposing +themselves to the censure of wanting charity, by making their +contributions public. + +Our Saviour commands us, in works of charity, to "let not our left hand +know what our right hand doeth;" which cannot well consist with our +being willed, required, and commanded by any earthly power, where no law +is prescribed, to publish our charity to the world, if we have a mind to +conceal it. + +Fifthly, Whereas it is said in the said brief, "That the parson, vicar, +&c. of every parish, shall, in six days after the receipt of the said +charity, return it to his respective chancellor, &c." This may be a +great grievance, hazard, and expense to the said parson, in remote and +desolate parts of the country, where often an honest messenger (if such +a one can be got) must be hired to travel forty or fifty miles going and +coming; which will probably cost more than the value of the contribution +he carries with him. And this charge, if briefs should happen to be +frequent, would be enough to undo many a poor clergyman in the kingdom. + +Sixthly, We observe in the said brief, that the provost and fellows of +the University, judges, officers of the courts, and professors of laws +common and civil, are neither willed, required, nor commanded to make +their contributions; but that so good a work is only recommended to +them. Whereas we conceive, that all His Majesty's subjects are equally +obliged, with or without His Majesty's commands, to promote works of +charity according to their power; and that the clergy, in their +ecclesiastical capacity, are only liable to such commands as the rubric, +or any other law shall enjoin, being born to the same privileges of +freedom with the rest of His Majesty's subjects. + +We cannot but observe to your Grace, that, in the English act of the +fourth year of Queen Anne, for the better collecting charity money on +briefs by letters-patent, &c. the ministers are obliged only to read the +briefs in their churches, without any particular exhortations; neither +are they commanded to go from house to house with the church-wardens, +nor to send the money collected to their respective chancellors, but pay +it to the undertaker or agent of the sufferer. So that, we humbly hope, +the clergy of this kingdom shall not, without any law in being, be put +to greater hardships in this case than their brethren in England, where +the legislature, intending to prevent the abuses in collecting charity +money on briefs, did not think fit to put the clergy under any of those +difficulties we now complain of, in the present brief by letters patent, +for the relief of Charles M'Carthy aforesaid. + +The collections upon the Lord's day are the principal support of our own +numerous poor in our several parishes; and therefore every single brief, +with the benefit of a full collection over the whole kingdom, must +deprive several thousands of poor of their weekly maintenance, for the +sake only of one person, who often becomes a sufferer by his own folly +or negligence, and is sure to overvalue his losses double or treble: So +that, if this precedent be followed, as it certainly will if the present +brief should succeed, we may probably have a new brief every week; and +thus, for the advantage of fifty-two persons, whereof not one in ten is +deserving, and for the interest of a dozen dexterous clerks and +secretaries, the whole poor in the kingdom will be likely to starve. + +We are credibly informed, that neither the officers of the Lord Primate, +in preparing the report of his Grace's opinion, nor those of the +great-seal, in passing the patent for briefs, will remit any of their +fees, both which do amount to a considerable sum: And thus the good +intentions of well-disposed people are in a great measure disappointed, +a large part of their charity being anticipated, and alienated by fees +and gratuities. + +Lastly, We cannot but represent to your Grace our great concern and +grief, to see the pains and labour of our church-wardens so much +increased, by the injunctions and commands put upon them in this brief, +to the great disadvantage of the clergy and the people, as well as to +their own trouble, damage, and loss of time, to which great additions +have been already made, by laws appointing them to collect the taxes for +the watch and the poor-house, which they bear with great unwillingness; +and, if they shall find themselves further laden with such briefs as +this of M'Carthy, it will prove so great a discouragement, that we shall +never be able to provide honest and sufficient persons for that weighty +office of church-warden, so necessary to the laity as well as the +clergy, in all things that relate to the order and regulation of +parishes. + +Upon all these considerations, we humbly hope that your Grace, of whose +fatherly care, vigilance, and tenderness, we have had so many and great +instances, will represent our case to his Most Excellent Majesty, or to +the chief governor in this kingdom, in such a manner, that we may be +neither under the necessity of declining His Majesty's commands in his +letters patent, or of taking new and grievous burthens upon ourselves +and our church-wardens, to which neither the rubric nor any other law in +force oblige us to submit. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +ON + +THE BILL + +FOR + +THE CLERGY'S RESIDING ON THEIR LIVINGS. + + +NOTE. + +In the note to the tract, "Some Arguments against enlarging the Power of +Bishops in letting Leases" (p. 219), it was pointed out that the Bill +against which this tract was written was an attempt on the part of the +bishops to get back a power which they once had abused. Failing in this +attempt, in 1723, they renewed the attack in 1731 by promoting two +bills, one called a Bill of Residence, the other a Bill of Division. + +The ostensible object of the Bill of Residence was to compel the clergy +to reside on their livings. By this bill, any person taking a benefice, +with cure of souls, of the annual value of L100, was forced, if the land +attached to that benefice had no house fit for residence, to build one +thereon, in any situation the bishop might think suitable, this house to +cost one year and a half's income, and to be completed within a time +fixed by the bishop. It will at once be seen that the power over the +inferior clergy which this bill placed in the bishops' hands was by no +means insignificant; and Swift felt that to make such a bill law would +not only tend to impoverish, the inferior clergy, but would place them +in a position of subjection at once degrading and dispiriting. He +opposed the bill, with the consequence that the House of Commons +rejected it. + +By the Bill of Division "it was intended to be enacted that whenever a +church should become vacant, although the incumbent should refuse his +consent, it might be lawful for the chief governor, with the assent of +the major part of the Privy Council, six at least consenting, by and +with the consent of the ordinary and the patron, to subdivide any parish +into as many portions as they might think fit, provided that, after such +division, the church of the old parish should continue worth, at the +least, L300 per annum." This bill, which passed the House of Lords two +days after the Bill of Residence, Swift opposed in a spirited and +somewhat bitter manner. His opposition largely influenced the Lower +House in rejecting it. The two tracts which state the grounds of his +opposition to both bills are the present one, and the following tract, +"Considerations upon two Bills, sent down from the House of Lords to the +House of Commons in Ireland, relating to the Clergy." + +Scott notes that the "tone of _aigreur_," which is more distinctly felt +in the second of these tracts, intimates a "deep dissatisfaction with +late ecclesiastical preferments, which may perhaps be traced as much to +personal disappointment as to any better cause;" a statement which it +was hardly worth making; since, however deep may have been Swift's +personal feelings, he never allowed them to be the impelling motive to +his work. It should suffice us to know that the cause which Swift +espoused was a disinterested one. As Vicar of Laracor he knew what it +was to make a shift of living on an insufficient income; and it may have +been, this experience as much as "personal disappointment" which gave +pungency to his criticism. It is easy enough to find questionable +motives for a satirist, especially when that satirist is Swift; let us +not, however, forget that in his case the personal element was never +permitted to overweight the impersonal purpose. Other men when they +reach prosperity often forget or ignore the hard conditions of their +previous state; to Swift these conditions were always existing factors +in his considerations for the amelioration of his fellow-men. This it is +which gives to his writings so much of the "tone of _aigreur_." + +In his letter to John Stearne, Bishop of Clogher, dated July, 1733, +which is one of Swift's most characteristic epistles--characteristic, +because the embodiment of truthful candour--he gives no equivocal +expression of opinion on these two bills. He calls them, "abominable +bills, for enslaving and beggaring the clergy, (which took their birth +from hell)." "I call God to witness," he adds, "that I did then, and do +now, and shall for ever, firmly believe, that every Bishop who gave his +vote for either of these bills, did it with no other view (bating +further promotion), than a premeditated design, from the spirit of +ambition, and love of arbitrary power, to make the whole body of the +clergy their slaves and vassals until the day of judgment, under the +load of poverty and contempt." + +About the same time, 1732, appeared another pamphlet entitled, "The +Reconciler ... shewing how all the good ends proposed by either of those +bills, may, by a more gentle and easy method, be attained, without +injury to the rights of my lords the bishops; or rigour and violence to +the inferior clergy." In the main, the writer agrees with Swift; but the +tract is valuable as showing that the controversy was no small one, and +it furnishes also what is, apparently, an impartial history of the whole +affair. Three Irish prelates voted against the bills on a +division--Theophilus Bolton, Archbishop of Cashel, Charles Carr, Bishop +of Killaloe, and Robert Howard, Bishop of Elphin. + +The text of this tract is based on that which appeared in a volume of +"Miscellanies in Prose and Verse" in the year 1789. It has been collated +with those given by Scott, Hawkesworth, and other editors. + +[T.S.] + + + ON THE BILL FOR THE CLERGY'S + RESIDING ON THEIR LIVINGS. + + +Those gentlemen who have been promoted to bishoprics in this kingdom for +several years past, are of two sorts: first, certain private clergymen +from England, who, by the force of friends, industry, solicitation, or +other means and merits to me unknown, have been raised to that character +by the _mero motu_ of the crown. + +Of the other sort, are some clergymen born in this kingdom, who have +most distinguished themselves by their warmth against Popery, their +great indulgence to Dissenters, and all true loyal Protestants; by their +zeal for the House of Hanover, abhorrence of the Pretender, and an +implicit readiness to fall into any measures that will make the +government easy to those who represent His Majesty's person. + +Some of the former kind are such as are said to have enjoyed tolerable +preferments in England; and it is therefore much to their commendation +that they have condescended to leave their native country, and come over +hither to be bishops, merely to promote Christianity among us; and +therefore in my opinion, both their lordships, and the many defenders +they bring over, may justly claim the merit of missionaries sent to +convert a nation from heresy and heathenism. + +Before I proceed farther, it may be proper to relate some particulars +wherein the circumstances of the English clergy differ from those of +Ireland. + +The districts of parishes throughout England continue much the same as +they were before the Reformation; and most of the churches are of the +gothic architecture, built some hundred years ago; but the tithes of +great numbers of churches having been applied by the Pope's pretended +authority to several abbeys, and even before the Reformation bestowed by +that sacrilegious tyrant Henry VIII., on his ravenous favourites, the +maintenance of an incumbent in most parts of the kingdom is contemptibly +small; and yet a vicar there of forty pounds a year, can live with more +comfort, than one of three times the nominal value with us. For his +forty pounds are duly paid him, because there is not one farmer in a +hundred, who is not worth five times the rent he pays to his landlord, +and fifty times the sum demanded for the tithes; which, by the small +compass of his parish, he can easily collect or compound for; and if his +behaviour and understanding be supportable, he will probably receive +presents now and then from his parishioners, and perhaps from the +squire; who, although he may sometimes be apt to treat his parson a +little superciliously, will probably be softened by a little humble +demeanour. The vicar is likewise generally sure to find upon his +admittance to his living, a convenient house and barn in repair, with a +garden, and a field or two to graze a few cows, and one horse for +himself and his wife. He hath probably a market very near him, perhaps +in his own village. No entertainment is expected from his visitor beyond +a pot of ale, and a piece of cheese. He hath every Sunday the comfort of +a full congregation, of plain, cleanly people of both sexes, well to +pass, and who speak his own language. The scene about him is fully +cultivated (I mean for the general) and well inhabited. He dreads no +thieves for anything but his apples, for the trade of universal stealing +is not so epidemic there as with us. His wife is little better than +Goody, in her birth, education, or dress; and as to himself, we must let +his parentage alone. If he be the son of a farmer it is very sufficient, +and his sister may very decently be chambermaid to the squire's wife. He +goes about on working days in a grazier's coat, and will not scruple to +assist his workmen in harvest time. He is usually wary and thrifty, and +often more able to provide for a numerous family than some of ours can +do with a rectory called 300_l_. a year. His daughters shall go to +service, or be sent 'prentice to the sempstress of the next town; and +his sons are put to honest trades. This is the usual course of an +English country vicar from twenty to sixty pounds a year. + +As to the clergy of our own kingdom, their livings are generally larger. +Not originally, or by the bounty of princes, parliaments, or charitable +endowments, for the same degradations (and as to glebes, a much greater) +have been made here, but, by the destruction and desolation in the long +wars between the invaders and the natives; during which time a great +part of the bishops' lands, and almost all the glebes, were lost in the +confusion. The first invaders had almost the whole kingdom divided +amongst them. New invaders succeeded, and drove out their predecessors +as native Irish. These were expelled by others who came after, and upon +the same pretensions. Thus it went on for several hundred years, and in +some degree even to our own memories. And thus it will probably go on, +although not in a martial way, to the end of the world. For not only the +purchasers of debentures forfeited in 1641, were all of English birth, +but those after the Restoration, and many who came hither even since the +Revolution, are looked upon as perfect Irish; directly contrary to the +practice of all wise nations, and particularly of the Greeks and Romans, +in establishing their colonies, by which name Ireland is very absurdly +called. + +Under these distractions the conquerors always seized what lands they +could with little ceremony, whether they belonged to the Church or not: +Thus the glebes were almost universally exposed to the first seizers, +and could never be recovered, although the grants, with the particular +denominations, are manifest, and still in being. The whole lands of the +see of Waterford were wholly taken by one family; the like is reported +of other bishoprics. + +King James the First, who deserves more of the Church of Ireland than +all other princes put together, having the forfeitures of vast tracts of +land in the northern parts (I think commonly called the escheated +counties), having granted some hundred thousand acres of these lands to +certain Scotch and English favourites, was prevailed on by some great +prelates to grant to some sees in the north, and to many parishes there, +certain parcels of land for the augmentation of poor bishoprics, did +likewise endow many parishes with glebes for the incumbents, whereof a +good number escaped the depredations of 1641 and 1688. These lands, when +they were granted by King James, consisted mostly of woody ground, +wherewith those parts of this island were then overrun. This is well +known, universally allowed, and by some in part remembered; the rest +being, in some places, not stubbed out to this day. And the value of the +lands was consequently very inconsiderable, till Scotch colonies came +over in swarms upon great encouragement to make them habitable; at least +for such a race of strong-bodied people, who came hither from their own +bleak barren highlands, as it were into a paradise; who soon were able +to get straw for their bedding, instead of a bundle of heath spread on +the ground, and sprinkled with water. Here, by degrees, they acquired +some degree of politeness and civility, from such neighbouring Irish as +were still left after Tyrone's last rebellion, and are since grown +almost entirely possessors of the north. Thus, at length, the woods +being rooted up, the land was brought in, and tilled, and the glebes +which could not before yield two-pence an acre, are equal to the best, +sometimes affording the minister a good demesne, and some land to let. + +These wars and desolations in their natural consequences, were likewise +the cause of another effect, I mean that of uniting several parishes +under one incumbent. For, as the lands were of little value by the want +of inhabitants to cultivate them, and many of the churches levelled to +the ground, particularly by the fanatic zeal of those rebellious saints +who murdered their king, destroyed the Church, and overthrew monarchy +(for all which there is a humiliation day appointed by law, and soon +approaching); so, in order to give a tolerable maintenance to a +minister, and the country being too poor, as well as devotion too low, +to think of building new churches, it was found necessary to repair some +one church which had least suffered, and join sometimes three or more, +enough for a bare support to some clergyman, who knew not where to +provide himself better. This was a case of absolute necessity to prevent +heathenism, as well as popery, from overrunning the nation. The +consequence of these unions was very different, in different parts; for, +in the north, by the Scotch settlement, their numbers daily increasing +by new additions from their own country, and their prolific quality +peculiar to northern people; and lastly by their universally feeding +upon oats (which grain, under its several preparations and +denominations, is the only natural luxury of that hardy people) the +value of tithes increased so prodigiously, that at this day, I confess, +several united parishes ought to be divided, taking in so great a +compass, that it is almost impossible for the people to travel timely to +their own parish church, or their little churches to contain half their +number, though the revenue would be sufficient to maintain two, or +perhaps three worthy clergymen with decency; provided the times mend, or +that they were honestly dealt with, which I confess is seldom the case. +I shall name only one, and it is the deanery of Derry; the revenue +whereof, if the dean could get his dues, exceeding that of some +bishoprics, both by the compass and fertility of the soil, the number as +well as industry of the inhabitants, the conveniency of exporting their +corn to Dublin and foreign parts; and, lastly, by the accidental +discovery of marl in many places of the several parishes. Yet all this +revenue is wholly founded upon corn, for I am told there is hardly an +acre of glebe for the dean to plant and build on. + +I am therefore of opinion, that a real undefalcated revenue of six +hundred pounds a year, is a sufficient income for a country dean in this +kingdom; and since the rents consist wholly of tithes, two parishes, to +the amount of that value, should be united, and the dean reside as +minister in that of Down, and the remaining parishes be divided among +worthy clergymen, to about 300_l_. a year to each. The deanery of Derry, +which is a large city, might be left worth 800_l_. a year, and Rapho +according as it shall be thought proper. These three are the only +opulent deaneries in the whole kingdom, and, as I am informed, consist +all of tithes, which was an unhappy expedient in the Church, occasioned +by the sacrilegious robberies during the several times of confusion and +war; insomuch that at this day there is hardly any remainder left of +dean and chapter lands in Ireland, that delicious morsel swallowed so +greedily in England, under the fanatic usurpations. + +As to the present scheme of a bill for obliging the clergy to residence, +now or lately in the privy council, I know no more of the particulars +than what hath been told me by several clergymen of distinction; who +say, that a petition in the name of them all hath been presented to the +lord lieutenant and council, that they might be heard by their counsel +against the bill, and that the petition was rejected, with some reasons +why it was rejected; for the bishops know best what is proper for the +clergy. It seems the bill consists of two parts: First, a power in the +bishops, with consent of the archbishop, and the patron, to take off +from any parish whatever, it is worth above L300 a year; and this to be +done without the incumbent's consent, which before was necessary in all +divisions. The other part of the bill obligeth all clergymen, from forty +pounds a year and upwards, to reside, and build a house in his parish. +But those of L40 are remitted till they shall receive L100 out of the +revenue of first-fruits granted by Her late Majesty. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +CONSIDERATIONS + +UPON + +TWO BILLS, &c. + + +NOTE. + +"In the year 1731 a Bill was brought into the House of Lords by a great +majority of the Right Reverend the Bishops, for enabling them to divide +the livings of the inferior Clergy; which Bill was approved of in the +Privy-Council of Ireland, and passed by the Lords in Parliament. It was +afterwards sent to the House of Commons for their approbation; but was +rejected by them with a great majority. The supposed author of the +following Considerations, who hath always been the best friend to the +inferior Clergy of the Church of England, as may be seen by many parts +of his writings, opposed this pernicious project with great success; +which, if it had passed into law, would have been of the worst +consequence to this nation." [Advertisement to the reprint of this +pamphlet in Swift's Works, vol. vi. Dublin: Faulkner, 1738.] + +Fuller details of the circumstances which gave Swift the opportunity for +writing this tract are given in the note prefixed to the previous +pamphlet (see p. 250). + +The text here given is that of the first edition. + +[T.S.] + + + CONSIDERATIONS + UPON TWO + BILLS + Sent down from the R---- H---- the + H---- of L---- + To the H----ble + H---- of C---- + Relating to the + CLERGY + OF + _I----D_. + +LONDON. + +Printed for A. MOORE, near St. _Paul's_, and Sold by the Booksellers of +_Westminster_ and _Southwark_, 1732. + + +I have often, for above a month past, desired some few clergymen, who +are pleased to visit me, that they would procure an extract of two +bills, brought into the council by some of the bishops, and both of them +since passed in the House of Lords: but I could never obtain what I +desired, whether by the forgetfulness, or negligence of those whom I +employed, or the difficulty of the thing itself. Therefore, if I shall +happen to mistake in any fact of consequence, I desire my remarks upon +it, may pass for nothing; for my information is no better than what I +received in words from several divines, who seemed to agree with each +other. I have not the honour to be acquainted with any one single +prelate of the kingdom, and am a stranger to their characters, further +than as common fame reports them, which is not to be depended on. +Therefore, I cannot be supposed to act upon a principle of resentment. I +esteem their functions (if I may be allowed to say so without offence) +as truly apostolical, and absolutely necessary to the perfection of a +Christian Church. + +There are no qualities more incident to the frailty and corruption of +human kind, than an indifference, or insensibility for other men's +sufferings, and a sudden forgetfulness of their own former humble state, +when they rise in the world. These two dispositions have not, I think, +anywhere so strongly exerted themselves, as in the order of bishops with +regard to the inferior clergy; for which I can find no reasons, but such +as naturally should seem to operate a quite contrary way. The +maintenance of the Clergy, throughout the kingdom, is precarious and +uncertain, collected from a most miserable race of beggarly farmers; at +whose mercy every minister lies to be defrauded: His office, as rector +or vicar, if it be duly executed, is very laborious. As soon as he is +promoted to a bishopric, the scene is entirely and happily changed; his +revenues are large, and as surely paid as those of the king; his whole +business is once a-year, to receive the attendance, the submission, and +the proxy-money of all his clergy, in whatever part of the diocese he +shall please to think most convenient for himself. Neither is his +personal presence necessary, for the business may be done by a +Vicar-General. The fatigue of ordination, is just what the bishops +please to make it, and as matters have been for some time, and may +probably remain, the fewer ordinations the better. The rest of their +visible office, consists in the honour of attending parliaments and +councils, and bestowing preferments in their own gift; in which last +employment, and in their spiritual and temporal courts, the labour falls +to their Vicars-General, Secretaries, Proctors, Apparitors, Seneschals, +and the like. Now, I say, in so quick a change, where their brethren in +a few days, are become their subjects, it would be reasonable, at least, +to hope, that the labour, confinement, and subjection from which they +have so lately escaped, like a bird out of the snare of the fowler, +might a little incline them to remember the condition of those, who were +but last week their equals, probably their companions or their friends, +and possibly, as reasonable expectants. There is a known story of +Colonel Tidcomb, who, while he continued a subaltern officer, was every +day complaining against the pride, oppression, and hard treatment of +colonels toward their officers; yet in a very few minutes after he had +received his commission for a regiment, walking with a friend on the +Mall, he confessed that the spirit of colonelship, was coming fast upon +him, which spirit is said to have daily increased to the hour of his +death. + +It is true, the Clergy of this kingdom, who are promoted to bishoprics, +have always some great advantages; either that of rich deaneries, +opulent and multiplied rectories and dignities, strong alliances by +birth or marriage, fortified by a superlative degree of zeal and +loyalty; but, however, they were all at first no more than young +beginners; and before their great promotion, were known by their plain +Christian names, among their old companions, the middling rate of +clergymen; nor could, therefore, be strangers to their condition, or +with any good grace, forget it so soon as it hath sometimes happened. + +I confess, I do not remember to have observed any body of men, acting +with so little concert as our clergy have done, in a point where their +opinions appeared to be unanimous: a point where their whole temporal +support was concerned, as well as their power of serving God and his +Church, in their spiritual functions. This hath been imputed to their +fear of disobliging, or hopes of further favours upon compliance; +because it was observed, that some who appeared at first with the +greatest zeal, thought fit suddenly to absent themselves from the usual +meetings; yet, we know what expert solicitors the Quakers, the +Dissenters, and even the Papists have sometimes found, to drive a point +of advantage, or present an impending evil. + +I have not seen any extract from the two bills introduced into the Privy +Council by the bishops; where the Clergy, upon some failure in favour, +or through the timorousness of many among their brethren, were refused +to be heard by the Council. It seems these bills were both returned, +agreed to by the King and Council in England; and the House of Lords +hath, with great expedition, passed them both, and it is said they are +immediately to be sent down to the Commons for their consent. + +The particulars, as they have been imperfectly reported to me, are as +follow: + +By one of the bills, the bishops have power to oblige the country +clergy, to build a mansion-house upon whatever part of their glebes +their lordships shall command; and if the living be above L50 a-year, +the minister is bound to build, after three years, a house that shall +cost one year and a half's rent of his income. For instance, if a +clergyman with a wife and seven children gets a living of L55 per annum, +he must after three years, build a house that shall cost L77 10s., and +must support his family during the time the bishop shall appoint for the +building of it with the remainder. But, if the living be under L50 +a-year, the minister shall be allowed an L100 out of the first-fruits. + +But, there is said to be one circumstance a little extraordinary; that +if there be a single spot in the glebe more barren, more marshy, more +expos'd to winds, more distant from the church, or skeleton of a church, +or from any conveniency of building: the rector, or vicar may be obliged +by the caprice, or pique of the bishop, to build, under pain of +sequestration, (an office, which ever falls into the most knavish +hands,) upon whatever point his lordship shall command; although the +farmers have not paid one quarter of his due. + +I believe, under the present distresses of the kingdom (which +inevitably, without a miracle, must increase for ever) there are not ten +country clergymen in Ireland reputed to possess a parish of L100 per +annum who, for some years past, have actually received L60, and that +with the utmost difficulty and vexation. I am, therefore, at a loss what +kind of valuators the bishops will make use of, and whether the starving +vicar, shall be forced to build his house with the money he never +received. + +The other bill, which passed in two days after the former, is said to +concern the division of parishes into as many parcels as the bishop +shall think fit, only leaving L300 a-year to the Mother Church; which +L300 by another act passed some years ago, they can divide likewise, and +crumble as low as their will and pleasure will dispose them. So that +instead of 600 clergymen, which, I think, is the usual computation, we +may have, in a small compass of years, almost as many thousands to live +with decency and comfort, provide for their children, &c., be charitable +to the poor, and maintain hospitality. + +But it is very reasonable to hope, and heartily to be wished by all +those who have the least regard to our holy religion, as hitherto +established, or to a learned, pious, diligent, conversible clergyman, or +even to common humanity; that the honourable House of Commons will in +their great wisdom, justice, and tenderness to innocent men, consider +these bills in another light. It is said, they well know this kingdom +not to be so over stocked with neighbouring gentry; but a discreet, +learned clergyman, with a competency fit for one of his education, may +be an entertaining, a useful, and sometimes a necessary companion. That +although such a clergyman may not be able constantly to find BEEF and +WINE for his own family, yet he may be allowed sometimes to afford both +to a neighbour, without distressing himself; and the rather, because he +may expect at least as good a return. It will probably be considered, +that in many desolate parts, there may not be always a sufficient number +of persons considerable enough to be trusted with commissions of the +peace, which several of the Clergy now supply much better, than a +little, hedge, contemptible, illiterate vicar from twenty to fifty +pounds a-year, the son of a weaver, pedlar, tailor, or miller, can be +presumed to do. + +The landlords and farmers by this scheme can find no profit, but will +certainly be losers; for instance, if the large northern livings be +split into a dozen parishes, or more, it will be very necessary for the +little threadbare gownman, with his wife, his proctor and every child +who can crawl, to watch the fields at harvest time, for fear of losing a +single sheaf, which he could not afford under peril of a day's starving; +for according to the Scotch proverb, a hungry louse bites sore. This +would of necessity, breed an infinite number of brangles and litigious +suits in the spiritual courts, and put the wretched pastor at perpetual +variance with his whole parish. But, as they have hitherto stood, a +clergyman established in a competent living is not under the necessity +of being so sharp, vigilant, and exacting. On the contrary, it is well +known and allowed, that the Clergy round the kingdom think themselves +well treated, if they lose only one single third of their legal demands. + +The honourable House may perhaps be inclined to conceive, that my lords +the bishops enjoy as ample a power, both spiritual and temporal, as will +fully suffice to answer every branch of their office; that they want no +laws to regulate the conduct of those clergymen, over whom they preside; +that if non-residence be a grievance, it is the patron's fault, who +makes not a better choice, or caused the plurality. That if the general +impartial character of persons chosen into the Church had been more +regarded, and the motive of party, alliance, kindred, flatterers, ill +judgment, or personal favour regarded less, there would be fewer +complaints of non-residence, neglect of care, blameable behaviour, or +any other part of misconduct, not to mention ignorance and stupidity. + +I could name certain gentlemen of the gown, whose awkward, spruce, prim, +sneering, and smirking countenances, the very tone of their voices, and +an ungainly strut in their walk, without one single talent for any one +office, have contrived to get good preferment by the mere force of +flattery and cringing: for which two virtues (the only two virtues they +pretend to) they were, however, utterly unqualified. And whom, if I were +in power, although they were my nephews or had married my nieces, I +could never in point of good conscience or honour, have recommended to a +curacy in Connaught. + +The honourable House of Commons may likewise perhaps consider, that the +gentry of this kingdom differ from all others upon earth, being less +capable of employments in their own country, than any others who come +from abroad, and that most of them have little expectation of providing +for their younger children, otherwise than by the Church, in which there +might be some hopes of getting a tolerable maintenance. For after the +patrons should have settled their sons, their nephews, their nieces, +their dependants, and their followers, invited over from t'other side, +there would still remain an overplus of smaller church preferments, to +be given to such clergy of the nation, who shall have their quantum of +whatever merit may be then in fashion. But by these bills, they will be +all as absolutely excluded, as if they had passed under the denomination +of Tories, unless they can be contented at the utmost with L50 a-year, +which by the difficulties of collecting tithes in Ireland, and the daily +increasing miseries of the people, will hardly rise to half the sum. + +It is observed, that the divines sent over hither to govern this Church, +have not seemed to consider the difference between both kingdoms, with +respect to the inferior clergy. As to themselves, indeed, they find a +large revenue in lands let at one quarter value, which consequently must +be paid while there is a penny left among us; and, the public distress +so little affects their interests, that their fines are now higher than +ever, they content themselves to suppose that whatever a parish is said +to be worth, comes all into the parson's pocket. + +The poverty of great numbers among the Clergy of England, hath been the +continual complaint of all men who wish well to the Church, and many +schemes have been thought on to redress it; yet an English vicar of L40 +a-year, lives much more comfortably than one of double the value in +Ireland. His farmers generally speaking, are able and willing to pay him +his full dues. He hath a decent church of ancient standing, filled every +Lord's day with a large congregation of plain people, well clad, and +behaving themselves as if they believed in God and Christ. He hath a +house and barn in repair, a field or two to graze his cows, with a +garden and orchard. No guest expects more from him than a pot of ale; he +lives like an honest, plain farmer, as his wife is dressed but little +better than Goody. He is sometimes graciously invited by the squire, +where he sits at humble distance; if he gets the love of his people, +they often make him little useful presents; he is happy by being born to +no higher expectation, for he is usually the son of some ordinary +tradesman or middling farmer. His learning is much of a size with his +birth and education, no more of either than what a poor hungry servitor +can be expected to bring with him from his college. It would be tedious +to shew the reverse of all this in our distant poorer parishes, through +most parts of Ireland, wherein every reader may make the comparison. + +Lastly, the honourable House of Commons may consider, whether the scheme +of multiplying beggarly clergymen through the whole kingdom who must all +have votes for choosing parliament men (provided they can prove their +freeholds to be worth 40s. per annum, _ultra reprisas_) may not, by +their numbers, have great influence upon elections, being entirely under +the dependance of their bishops. For by a moderate computation, after +all the divisions and subdivisions of parishes, that, my lords, the +bishops, have power to make by their new laws, there will, as soon as +the present set of clergy go off, be raised an army of ecclesiastical +militants, able enough for any kind of service, except that of the +altar. + +I am, indeed, in some concern about a fund for building a thousand or +two churches, wherein these probationers may read their wall lectures, +and begin to doubt they must be contented with barns; which barns will +be one great advancing step towards an accommodation with our true +Protestant brethren, the Dissenters. + +The scheme of encouraging clergymen to build houses by dividing a living +of L500 a-year into ten parts, is a contrivance, the meaning whereof +hath got on the wrong side of my comprehension; unless it may be argued, +that bishops build no houses, because they are so rich; and therefore, +the inferior clergy will certainly build, if you reduce them to beggary. +But I knew a very rich man of quality in England, who could never be +persuaded to keep a servant out of livery; because such servants would +be expensive, and apt, in time, to look like gentlemen; whereas the +others were ready to submit to the basest offices, and at a cheaper +pennyworth might increase his retinue. + +I hear, it is the opinion of many wise men, that before these bills pass +both Houses, they should be sent back to England with the following +clauses inserted: + +First, that whereas there may be about a dozen double bishoprics in +Ireland, those bishoprics should be split and given to different +persons; and those of a single denomination be also divided into two, +three, or four parts, as occasion shall require; otherwise there may be +a question started, whether twenty-two prelates can effectually extend +their paternal care and unlimited power, for the protection and +correction of so great a number of spiritual subjects. But this proposal +will meet with such furious objections, that I shall not insist upon it, +for I well remember to have read, what a terrible fright the frogs were +in, upon a report that the sun was going to marry. + +Another clause should be, that none of these twenty, thirty, forty, or +fifty pounders may be suffered to marry, under the penalty of immediate +deprivation, their marriages declared null, and their children bastards; +for some desponding people, take the kingdom to be not in a condition of +encouraging so numerous a breed of beggars. + +A third clause will be necessary, that these humble gentry should be +absolutely disqualified from giving votes in elections for parliament +men. + +Others add a fourth, which is a clause of indulgence, that these reduced +divines may be permitted to follow any lawful ways of living, that will +not call them too often or too far from their spiritual offices (for +unless I misapprehend, they are supposed to have episcopal ordination). +For example, they may be lappers of linen, bailiffs of the manor, they +may let blood, or apply plasters, for three miles round; they may get a +dispensation to hold the clerkship and sextonship of their own parish +_in commendam_. Their wives and daughters may make shirts for the +neighbourhood, or if a barrack be near, for the soldiers. In linen +countries, they may card and spin, and keep a few looms in the house: +they may let lodgings, and sell a pot of ale without doors, but not at +home, unless to sober company, and at regular hours. It is by some +thought a little hard, that in an affair of the last consequence, to the +very being of the Clergy, in the points of liberty and property, as well +as in their abilities to perform their duty; this whole reverend body, +who are the established instructors of the nation in Christianity and +moral virtues, and are the only persons concerned, should be the sole +persons not consulted. Let any scholar shew the like precedent in +Christendom for twelve hundred years past. An act of parliament for +settling or selling an estate in a private family, is never passed till +all parties give consent. But in the present case the whole body of the +Clergy is, as themselves apprehend, determined to utter ruin, without +once expecting or asking their opinion, and this by a scheme contrived +only by one part of the convocation, while the other part which hath +been chosen in the usual forms, wants only the regal permission to +assemble, and consult about the affairs of the Church, as their +predecessors have always done in former ages; where it is presumed, the +Lower House hath a power of proposing canons, and a negative voice, as +well as the Upper. And God forbid (say these objectors) that there +should be a real separate interest between the bishops and Clergy, any +more than there is between a man and his wife, a king and his people, or +Christ and his Church. + +It seems there is a provision in the bill, that no parish shall be cut +into scraps, without the consent of several persons, who can be no +sufferers in the matter; but I cannot find that the Clergy lay much +weight on this caution, because they argue, that the very persons from +whom these Bills took their rise, will have the greatest share in the +decision. + +I do not, by any means, conceive the crying sin of the Clergy in this +kingdom, to be that of non-residence. I am sure, it is many degrees less +so here than in England, unless the possession of pluralities may pass +under that name; and if this be a fault, it is well known to whom it +must be imputed: I believe, upon a fair inquiry (and I hear an inquiry +is to be made) they will appear to be most pardonably few, especially +considering how many parishes have not an inch of glebe, and how +difficult it is upon any reasonable terms, to find a place of +habitation. And, therefore, God knows, whether my lords the bishops will +be soon able to convince the Clergy, or those who have any regard for +that venerable body, that the chief motive in their lordships' minds, by +procuring these bills, was to prevent the sin of non-residence, while +the universal opinion of almost every clergyman in the kingdom, without +distinction of party, taking in even those who are not likely to be +sufferers, stands directly against them. + +If some livings in the north may be justly thought too large a compass +of land, which makes it inconvenient for the remotest inhabitant to +attend the service of the Church, which in some instances may be true; +no reasonable clergyman would oppose a proper remedy by particular acts +of parliament. + +Thus for instance, the deanery of Down, a country deanery, I think, +without a cathedral, depending wholly upon an union of parishes joined +together, in a time when the land lay waste and thinly inhabited; since +those circumstances are so prodigiously changed for the better, may +properly be lessened, leaving a decent competency to the dean, and +placing rectories in the remaining churches, which are now served only +by stipendiary curates. + +The case may be probably the same in other parts: and such a proceeding +discreetly managed would be truly for the good of the Church. + +For it is to be observed, that the dean and chapter lands, which, in +England were all seized under the fanatic usurpation, are things unknown +in Ireland, having been long ravished from the Church, by a succession +of confusions, and tithes applied in their stead, to support that +ecclesiastical dignity. + +The late Archbishop of Dublin[1] had a very different way of encouraging +the clergy of his diocese to residence: When a lease had run out seven +years or more, he stipulated with the tenant to resign up twenty or +thirty acres to the minister of the parish where it lay convenient, +without lessening his former rent; and with no great abatement of the +fine; and this he did in the parts near Dublin, where land is at the +highest rates, leaving a small chiefry for the minister to pay, hardly a +sixth part of the value. I doubt not that almost every bishop in the +kingdom may do the same generous act with less damage to their sees than +his late Grace of Dublin; much of whose lands were out in fee-farms, or +leases for lives, and I am sorry that the good example of that prelate +hath not been followed. + +[Footnote 1: The Right Rev. Dr. William King (see p. 241). [T. S.]] + +But a great majority of the Clergy's friends cannot hitherto reconcile +themselves to this project, which they call a levelling principle, that +must inevitably root out the seeds of all honest emulation, the legal +parent of the greatest virtues, and most generous actions among men; but +which, in the general opinion (for I do not pretend to offer my own,) +will never more have room to exert itself in the breast of any clergyman +whom this kingdom shall produce. + +But, whether the consequences of these Bills may, by the virtues and +frailties of future bishops, sent over hither to rule the Church, +terminate in good or evil, I shall not presume to determine, since God +can work the former out of the latter. But one thing I can venture to +assert, that from the earliest ages of Christianity to the minute I am +now writing, there never was a precedent of SUCH a proceeding, much less +to be feared, hoped, or apprehended from such hands in any Christian +country, and so it may pass for more than a phoenix, because it hath +risen without any assistance from the ashes of its sire. + +The appearance of so many dissenters at the hearing of this cause, is +what, I am told, hath not been charged to the account of their prudence +or moderation; because that action hath been censured as a mark of +triumph and insult before the victory is complete; since neither of +these bills hath yet passed the House of Commons, and some are pleased +to think it not impossible that they may be rejected. Neither do I hear, +that there is an enacting clause in either of the Bills to apply any +part of the divided or subdivided tithes, towards increasing the +stipends of the sectaries. So that these gentlemen seem to be gratified +like him, who, after having been kicked downstairs, took comfort when he +saw his friend kicked down after him. + +I have heard many more objections against several particulars of both +these Bills, but they are of a high nature, and carry such dreadful +innuendos, that I dare not mention them, resolving to give no offence +because I well know how obnoxious I have long been (although I conceive +without any fault of my own) to the zeal and principles of those, who +place all difference in opinion concerning public matters, to the score +of disaffection, whereof I am at least as innocent as the loudest of my +detractors. + + DUBLIN, + _Feb_. 24, 1731-2. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +SOME + +REASONS + +AGAINST + +THE BILL FOR SETTLING THE TITHE + +OF + +HEMP, FLAX, &c., BY A MODUS. + + +NOTE. + +About the end of 1733 the Irish House of Commons had under consideration +a bill for the encouragement of the growth of flax and the manufacture +of linen. This bill contained a clause by which the tithe upon flax +should be commuted by a _modus_ or money composition. The clergy, to +whom this tithe was an important source of revenue, and, naturally, not +wishing to lose its advantage, took steps to petition Parliament to be +heard by counsel against the bill. Swift signed the petition, which set +forth the injury which would be done to their order if the clause in the +bill, then before the House, were allowed to become law. In addition to +this he committed and arranged his arguments to writing, and issued them +in the following pamphlet. The activity against the bill proved so +efficacious that the House of Commons dropped it. It may be remarked +that Swift's interference was purely disinterested, since no part of the +revenue of St. Patrick's, as Monck Mason points out, comes from the +"district appropriated to the culture of flax;" nor did Swift, "or any +of his predecessors or successors, ever receive one shilling upon +account of that tithe." + +This attempt on the part of the House of Commons to regulate the affairs +of the clergy of Ireland seems to have been one of a series which +divided laity and clergy into two strongly opposing parties. On the one +side were the House of Commons and its supporters, on the other the +general body of the Irish clergy, with, for a time, at any rate, Swift +at the head. The tithe of pasturage, or, as it was called, the tithe of +agistment, was being strongly resisted at the time, and many of the +clergy were forced to sue in court before they could obtain it. The +matter of this tithe had been already before an Irish court in 1707, and +had been settled in favour of the suing clergyman, one Archdeacon Neal; +and although the cause was removed to King's Bench in England, the +previous judgment was confirmed. In spite of this decision, however, the +tithe continued to be a subject of litigation, and the landed +proprietors even formed themselves into associations for the purpose of +resisting the clergy's claim. In 1734 the House of Commons aggravated +matters by passing resolutions against the claims, many of which were +then the subject of legal actions, and prevented decisions being come to +while it had the matter under its consideration. From the pamphlets +written at the time it may easily be seen that this interference on the +part of the lower House was both unseemly and unjust. Its conduct so +roused Swift that his indignation found expression in one of his +bitterest and most terrible poetical satires--"The Legion Club"--a +satire so bitter and so scathing that reading it now, after the lapse of +more than a century and a half, one shudders at its invective--"a +blasting flood of filth and vitriol, out of some hellish fountain," Mr. +Churton Collins calls it. We are told that its composition brought on a +violent attack of vertigo, and it remained unfinished. + +The text here given is that of the first edition collated with those +given by Faulkner, Hawkesworth, and Scott. + +[T.S.] + + + SOME + REASONS + AGAINST THE + Bill for settling the Tyth of _Hemp, Flax,_ &c. by a _Modus_. + +MDCCXXIV. + + +The Clergy did little expect to have any cause of complaint against the +present House of Commons; who in the last sessions, were pleased to +throw out a Bill[1] sent them from the Lords, which that reverend body +apprehended would be very injurious to them, if it passed into a law; +and who, in the present sessions, defeated the arts and endeavours of +schismatics to repeal the Sacramental Test. + +[Footnote 1: For the bishops to divide livings. See the two preceding +Tracts. [T. S.]] + +For, although it hath been allowed on all hands, that the former of +those Bills might, by its necessary consequences, be very displeasing to +the lay gentlemen of the kingdom, for many reasons purely secular; and, +that this last attempt for repealing the Test, did much more affect, at +present, the temporal interest than the spiritual; yet the whole body of +the lower Clergy have, upon both these occasions, expressed equal +gratitude to that honourable House, for their justice and steadiness, as +if the clergy alone were to receive the benefit. + +It must needs be, therefore, a great addition to the Clergy's grief, +that such an assembly as the present House of Commons; should now, with +an expedition more than usual, agree to a bill for encouraging the linen +manufacture; with a clause, whereby the Church is to lose two parts in +three, of the legal tithe in flax and hemp. + +Some reasons, why the Clergy think such a law will be a great hardship +upon them, are, I conceive, those that follow. I shall venture to +enumerate them with all deference due to that honourable assembly. + +_First_; the Clergy suppose that they have not, by any fault or demerit, +incurred the displeasure of the nation's representatives: neither can +the declared loyalty of the present set, from the highest prelate to the +lowest vicar, be in the least disputed: because, there are hardly ten +clergymen, through the whole kingdom, for more than nineteen years past, +who have not been either preferred entirely upon account of their +declared affection to the Hanover line; or higher promoted as the due +reward of the same merit. + +There is not a landlord in the whole kingdom, residing some part of the +year at his country-seat, who is not, in his own conscience, fully +convinced, that the tithes of his minister have gradually sunk, for some +years past, one-third, or at least one-fourth of their former value, +exclusive of all non-solvencies. + +The payment of tithes in this kingdom, is subject to so many frauds, +brangles, and other difficulties, not only from Papists and Dissenters, +but even from those who profess themselves Protestants; that by the +expense, the trouble, and vexation of collecting, or bargaining for +them, they are, of all other rents, the most precarious, uncertain, and +ill paid. + +The landlords in most parishes expect, as a compliment, that they shall +pay little more than half the value of their tithes for the lands they +hold in their own hands; which often consist of large domains: And it is +the minister's interest to make them easy upon that article, when he +considers what influence those gentlemen have upon their tenants. + +The Clergy cannot but think it extremely severe, that in a bill for +encouraging the linen manufacture, they alone must be the sufferers, who +can least afford it: If, as I am told, there be a tax of three thousand +pounds a year, paid by the public, for a further encouragement to the +said manufacture; are not the Clergy equal sharers in the charge with +the rest of their fellow subjects? What satisfactory reason can be +therefore given, why they alone should bear the whole additional weight, +unless it will be alleged that their property is not upon an equal foot +with the properties of other men? They acquire their own small pittance, +by at least as honest means, as their neighbours, the landlords, possess +their estates; and have been always supposed, except in rebellious or +fanatical times, to have as good a title: For, no families now in being +can shew a more ancient. Indeed, if it be true, that some persons (I +hope they were not many) were seen to laugh when the rights of the +Clergy were mentioned; in this case, an opinion may possibly be soon +advanced, that they have no rights at all. And this is likely enough to +gain ground, in proportion as the contempt of all religion shall +increase; which is already in a very forward way. + +It is said, there will be also added to this Bill a clause for +diminishing the tithe of hops, in order to cultivate that useful plant +among us: And here likewise the load is to lie entirely on the shoulders +of the Clergy, while the landlords reap all the benefit. It will not be +easy to foresee where such proceedings are like to stop: Or whether by +the same authority, in civil times, a parliament may not as justly +challenge the same power in reducing all things titheable, not below the +tenth part of the product, (which is and ever will be the Clergy's +equitable right) but from a tenth-part to a sixtieth or eightieth, and +from thence to nothing. + +I have heard it granted by skilful persons, that the practice of taxing +the Clergy by parliament, without their own consent, is a new thing, not +much above the date of seventy years: before which period, in times of +peace, they always taxed themselves. But things are extremely altered at +present: It is not now sufficient to tax them in common with their +fellow subjects, without imposing an additional tax upon them, from +which, or from anything equivalent, all their fellow-subjects are +exempt; and this in a country professing Christianity. + +The greatest part of the Clergy throughout this kingdom, have been +stripped of their glebes by the confusion of times, by violence, fraud, +oppression, and other unlawful means: All which glebes are now in the +hands of the laity. So that they now are generally forced to lie at the +mercy of landlords, for a small piece of ground in their parishes, at a +most exorbitant rent, and usually for a short term of years; whereon to +build a house, and enable them to reside. Yet, in spite of these +disadvantages, I am a witness that they are generally more constant +residents than their brethren in England; where the meanest vicar hath a +convenient dwelling, with a barn, a garden, and a field or two for his +cattle; besides the certainty of his little income from honest farmers, +able and willing, not only to pay him his dues, but likewise to make him +presents, according to their ability, for his better support. In all +which circumstances, the Clergy of Ireland meet with a treatment +directly contrary. + +It is hoped, the honourable House will consider that it is impossible +for the most ill-minded, avaricious, or cunning clergyman, to do the +least injustice to the meanest cottager in his parish, in any bargain +for tithes, or other ecclesiastical dues. He can, at the utmost, only +demand to have his tithe fairly laid out; and does not once in a hundred +times obtain his demand. But every tenant, from the poorest cottager to +the most substantial farmer, can, and generally doth impose upon the +minister, by fraud, by theft, by lies, by perjuries, by insolence, and +sometimes by force; notwithstanding the utmost vigilance and skill of +himself and his proctor. Insomuch, that it is allowed, that the Clergy +in general receive little more than one-half of their legal dues; not +including the charges they are at in collecting or bargaining for them. + +The land rents of Ireland are computed to about two millions, whereof +one-tenth amounts to two hundred thousand pounds. The benefited +clergymen, excluding those of this city, are not reckoned to be above +five hundred; by which computation, they should each of them possess two +hundred pounds a year, if those tithes were equally divided, although in +well cultivated corn countries it ought to be more; whereas they hardly +receive one half of that sum; with great defalcations, and in very bad +payments. There are indeed, a few glebes in the north pretty +considerable, but if these and all the rest were in like manner equally +divided, they would not add five pounds a year to every clergyman. +Therefore, whether the condition of the Clergy in general among us be +justly liable to envy, or able to bear a heavy burden, which neither the +nobility, nor gentry, nor tradesmen, nor farmers, will touch with one of +their fingers; this, I say, is submitted to the honourable House. + +One terrible circumstance in this Bill, is, that of turning the tithe of +flax and hemp into what the lawyers call a _Modus_, or a certain sum in +lieu of a tenth part of the product. And by this practice of claiming a +_Modus_ in many parishes by ancient custom, the Clergy in both kingdoms +have been almost incredible sufferers. Thus, in the present case, the +tithe of a tolerable acre of flax, which by a medium is worth twelve +shillings, is by the present Bill reduced to four shillings. Neither is +this the worst part in a _Modus_; every determinate sum must in process +of time sink from a fourth to a four-and-twentieth part, or a great deal +lower, by that necessary fall attending the value of money, which is now +at least nine tenths lower all over Europe than it was four hundred +years ago, by a gradual decline; and even a third part at least within +our own memories, in purchasing almost everything required for the +necessities or conveniencies of life; as any gentleman can attest, who +hath kept house for twenty years past. And this will equally affect poor +countries as well as rich. For, although, I look upon it as an +impossibility that this kingdom should ever thrive under its present +disadvantages, which without a miracle must still increase; yet, when +the whole cash of the nation shall sink to fifty thousand pounds; we +must in all our traffic abroad, either of import or export, go by the +general rate at which money is valued in those countries that enjoy the +common privileges of human kind. For this reason, no corporation, (if +the Clergy may presume to call themselves one) should by any means grant +away their properties in perpetuity upon any consideration whatsoever; +Which is a rock that many corporations have split upon, to their great +impoverishment, and sometimes to their utter undoing. Because they are +supposed to subsist for ever; and because no determination of money is +of any certain perpetual intrinsic value. This is known enough in +England, where estates let for ever, some hundred years ago, by several +ancient noble families, do not at this present pay their posterity a +twentieth part of what they are now worth at an easy rate. + +A tax affecting one part of a nation, which already bears its full share +in all parliamentary impositions, cannot possibly be just, except it be +inflicted as a punishment upon that body of men which is taxed, for some +great demerit or danger to the public apprehended from those upon whom +it is laid: Thus the Papists and Nonjurors have been doubly taxed for +refusing to give proper securities to the government; which cannot be +objected against the Clergy. And therefore, if this Bill should pass; I +think it ought to be with a preface, shewing wherein they have offended, +and for what disaffection or other crime they are punished. + +If an additional excise upon ale, or a duty upon flesh and bread, were +to be enacted, neither the victualler, butcher, or baker would bear any +more of the charge than for what themselves consumed; but it would be an +equal general tax through the whole kingdom: Whereas, by this Bill, the +Clergy alone are avowedly condemned to be deprived of their ancient, +inherent, undisputed rights, in order to encourage a manufacture by +which all the rest of the kingdom are supposed to be gainers. + +This Bill is directly against _Magna Charta_, whereof the first clause +is for confirming the inviolable rights of Holy Church; as well as +contrary to the oath taken by all our kings at their coronation, where +they swear to defend and protect the Church in all its rights. + +A tax laid upon employments is a very different thing. The possessors of +civil and military employments are no corporation; neither are they any +part of our constitution: Their salaries, pay, and perquisites are all +changeable at the pleasure of the prince who bestows them, although the +army be paid from funds raised and appropriated by the legislature. But +the Clergy as they have little reason to expect, so they desire no more +than their ancient legal dues; only indeed with the removal of many +grievous impediments in the collection of them; which it is to be feared +they must wait for until more favourable times. It is well known, that +they have already of their own accord shewn great indulgence to their +people upon this very article of flax, seldom taking above a fourth part +of their tithe for small parcels, and oftentimes nothing at all from new +beginners; waiting with patience until the farmers were able, and until +greater quantities of land were employed in that part of husbandry; +never suspecting that their good intentions should be perverted in so +singular a manner to their detriment, by that very assembly, which, +during the time that convocations (which are an original part of our +constitution ever since Christianity became national among us) are +thought fit to be suspended, God knows for what reason, or from what +provocations; I say, from that very assembly, who, during the intervals +of convocations, should rather be supposed to be guardians of the rights +and properties of the Clergy, than to make the least attempt upon +either. + +I have not heard upon inquiry, that any of those gentlemen, who, among +us without doors, are called the Court Party, discover the least zeal in +this affair. If they had thoughts to interpose, it might be conceived +they would shew their displeasure against this Bill, which must very +much lessen the value of the King's patronage upon promotion to vacant +sees; in the disposal of deaneries, and other considerable preferments +in the Church, which are in the donation of the Crown; whereby the +viceroys will have fewer good preferments to bestow on their dependants, +as well as upon the kindred of members, who may have a sufficient stock +of that sort of merit, whatever it may be, which may in future times +most prevail. + +The Dissenters, by not succeeding in their endeavours to procure a +repeal of the Test, have lost nothing, but continue in full enjoyment of +their toleration; while the Clergy without giving the least offence, are +by this Bill deprived of a considerable branch of their ancient legal +rights, whereby the schismatical party will have the pleasure of +gratifying their revenge. _Hoc Graii voluere._ + +The farmer will find no relief by this _Modus_, because, when his +present lease shall expire, his landlord will infallibly raise the rent +in an equal proportion, upon every part of land where flax is sown, and +have so much a better security for payment at the expense of the Clergy. + +If we judge by things past, it little avails that this Bill is to be +limited to a certain time of ten, twenty, or thirty years. For no +landlord will ever consent that a law shall expire, by which he finds +himself a gainer; and of this there are many examples, as well in +England, as in this kingdom. + +The great end of this Bill is, by proper encouragement to extend the +linen manufacture into those counties where it hath hitherto been little +cultivated: But this encouragement _of lessening the tithe of flax and +hemp_ is one of such a kind as, it is to be feared, will have a directly +contrary effect. Because, if I am rightly informed, no set of men hath +for their number and fortunes been more industrious and successful than +the Clergy, in introducing that manufacture into places which were +unacquainted with it; by persuading their people to sow flax and hemp, +by procuring seed for them and by having them instructed in the +management thereof; and this they did not without reasonable hopes of +increasing the value of their parishes after some time, as well as of +promoting the benefit of the public. But if this _Modus_ should take +place, the Clergy will be so far from gaining that they will become +losers by any extraordinary care, by having their best arable lands +turned to flax and hemp, which are reckoned great impoverishers of land: +They cannot therefore be blamed, if they should shew as much zeal to +prevent its being introduced or improved in their parishes as they +hitherto have shewed in the introducing and improving of it. This, I am +told, some of them have already declared at least so far as to resolve +not to give themselves any more trouble than other men about promoting a +manufacture by the success of which, they only of all men are to be +sufferers. Perhaps the giving them even a further encouragement than the +law doth, as it now stands, to a set of men who might on many accounts +be so useful to this purpose, would be no bad method of having the great +end of the Bill more effectually answered: But this is what they are far +from desiring; all they petition for is no more than to continue on the +same footing with the rest of their fellow-subjects. + +If this _Modus_ of paying by the acre be to pass into a law, it were to +be wished that the same law would appoint one or more sworn surveyors in +each parish to measure the lands on which flax and hemp are sown, as +also would settle the price of surveying, and determine whether the +incumbent or farmer is to pay for each annual survey. Without something +of this kind, there must constantly be disputes between them, and the +neighbouring justices of peace must be teazed as often as those disputes +happen. + +I had written thus far, when a paper was sent to me with several reasons +against the Bill, some whereof although they have been already touched, +are put in a better light, and the rest did not occur to me. I shall +deliver them in the author's own words. + +N.B. Some Alterations have been made in the Bill about the _Modus_, +since the above paper was writ; but they are of little moment. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +SOME + +FURTHER REASONS + +AGAINST + +THE BILL FOR SETTLING THE TITHE + +OF + +HEMP, FLAX, &c. + + +I. That tithes are the patrimony of the Church: And if not of Divine +original, yet at least of great antiquity. + +II. That all purchases and leases of titheable lands, for many centuries +past, have been made and taken, subject to the demand of tithes, and +those lands sold and taken just so much the cheaper on that account. + +III. That if any lands are exempted from tithes; or the legal demands +of such tithes lessened by act of parliament, so much value is taken +from the proprietor of the tithes, and vested in the proprietor of the +lands, or his head tenants. + +IV. That no innocent unoffending person can be so deprived of his +property without the greatest violation of common justice. + +V. That to do this upon a prospect of encouraging the linen, or any +other manufacture, is acting upon a very mistaken and unjust +supposition, inasmuch as the price of the lands so occupied will be no +way lessened to the farmer by such a law. + +VI. That the Clergy are content cheerfully to bear (as they now do) any +burden in common with their fellow-subjects, either for the support of +his Majesty's government, or the encouragement of the trade of the +nation but think it very hard, that they should be singled out to pay +heavier taxes than others, at a time when by the decrease of the value +of their parishes they are less able to bear them. + +VII. That the legislature hath heretofore distinguished the Clergy by +exemptions, and not by additional loads, and the present Clergy of the +kingdom hope they have not deserved worse of the legislature than their +predecessors. + +VIII. That by the original constitution of these kingdoms, the Clergy +had the sole right of taxing themselves, and were in possession of that +right as low as the Restoration: And if that right be now devolved upon +the Commons by the cession of the Clergy, the Commons can be considered +in this case in no other light than as the guardians of the Clergy. + +IX. That besides those tithes always in the possession of the Clergy; +there are some portion of tithes lately come into their possession by +purchase; that if this clause should take place, they would not be +allowed the benefit of these purchases, upon an equal footing of +advantage with the rest of their fellow-subjects. And that some tithes +in the hands of impropriators, are under settlements and mortgages. + +X. That the gentlemen of this House should consider, that loading the +Clergy is loading their own younger brothers and children; with this +additional grievance, that it is taking from the younger and poorer, to +give to the elder and richer. And, + +_Lastly_, That, if it were at any time just and proper to do this, it +would however be too severe to do it now, when all the tithes of the +kingdom are known for some years past to have sunk above one-third part +in their value. + +Any income in the hands of the Clergy, is at least as useful to the +public, as the same income in the hands of the laity. + +It were more reasonable to grant the clergy in three parts of the nation +an additional support, than to diminish their present subsistence. + +Great employments are and will be in the hands of Englishmen; nothing +left for the younger sons of Irishmen but vicarages, tide-waiters' +places, &c.; therefore no reason to make them worse. + +The _Modus_ upon the flax in England, affects only lands reclaimed since +the year 1690, and is at the rate of five shillings the English acre, +which is equivalent to eight shillings and eightpence Irish, and that to +be paid before the farmer removed it from the field. Flax is a +manufacture of little consequence in England, but is the staple in +Ireland, and if it increases (as it probably will) must in many places +jostle out corn, because it is more gainful. + +The Clergy of the Established Church, have no interest like those of the +Church of Rome, distinct from the true interest of their country; and +therefore ought to suffer under no distinct impositions or taxes of any +kind. + +The Bill for settling the _Modus_ of flax in England, was brought in, in +the first year of the reign of King George I., when the Clergy lay very +unjustly under the imputation of some disaffection. And to encourage the +bringing in of some fens in Lincolnshire, which were not to be continued +under flax: But it left all lands where flax had been sown before that +time, under the same condition of tithing, in which they were before the +passing of that Bill: Whereas this bill takes away what the Clergy are +actually possessed of. + +That the woollen manufacture is the staple of England, as the linen is +that of Ireland, yet no attempt was ever made in England to reduce the +tithe of wool, for the encouragement of that manufacture. + +This manufacture hath already been remarkably favoured by the Clergy, +who have hitherto been generally content with less than half--some with +sixpence a garden--and some have taken nothing. + +Employments they say have been taxed, the reasons for which taxation +will not hold with regard to property, at least till employments become +inheritances. + +The Commons always have had so tender a regard to property; that they +never would suffer any law to pass, whereby any particular persons might +be aggrieved without their own consent. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +AN ESSAY + +ON THE + +FATES OF CLERGYMEN. + + +NOTE. + +This essay was first printed in Nos. v. and vii. of "The Intelligencer" +(Dublin, 1728). In that periodical it bore the title: "A Description of +what the World calls Discretion;" and had the following lines from Ben +Jonson as a text: + + "Described it's thus: Defined would you it have? + Then the World's honest Man's an errant knave." + +The text here printed is based on the original issue, and collated with +the "Miscellanies," vol. iii. of 1732, and the "Miscellanies," vol. ii., +1747. + +[T.S.] + + + AN ESSAY ON THE FATES OF + CLERGYMEN. + + +There is no talent so useful towards rising in the world, or which puts +men more out of the reach of fortune, than that quality generally +possessed by the dullest sort of people, and is in common speech called +discretion; a species of lower prudence, by the assistance of which, +people of the meanest intellectuals, without any other qualification, +pass through the world in great tranquillity, and with universal good +treatment, neither giving nor taking offence. Courts are seldom +unprovided of persons under this character, on whom, if they happen to +be of great quality, most employments, even the greatest, naturally +fall, when competitors will not agree; and in such promotions, nobody +rejoices or grieves. The truth of this I could prove by several +instances within my own memory; for I say nothing of present times. + +And, indeed, as regularity and forms are of great use in carrying on the +business of the world, so it is very convenient, that persons endued +with this kind of discretion, should have that share which is proper to +their talents, in the conduct of affairs, but by no means meddle in +matters which require genius, learning, strong comprehension, quickness +of conception, magnanimity, generosity, sagacity, or any other superior +gift of human minds. Because this sort of discretion is usually attended +with a strong desire of money, and few scruples about the way of +obtaining it; with servile flattery and submission; with a want of all +public spirit or principle; with a perpetual wrong judgment, when the +owners come into power and high place, how to dispose of favour and +preferment; having no measures for merit and virtue in others, but those +very steps by which themselves ascended; nor the least intention of +doing good or hurt to the public, farther than either one or t'other is +likely to be subservient to their own security or interest. Thus, being +void of all friendship and enmity, they never complain or find fault +with the times, and indeed never have reason to do so. + +Men of eminent parts and abilities, as well as virtues, do sometimes +rise in the court, sometimes in the law, and sometimes even in the +Church. Such were the Lord Bacon, the Earl of Strafford, Archbishop +Laud, in the reign of King Charles I., and others in our own times, whom +I shall not name; but these, and many more, under different princes, and +in different kingdoms, were disgraced or banished, or suffered death, +merely in envy to their virtues and superior genius, which emboldened +them in great exigencies and distresses of state, (wanting a reasonable +infusion of this aldermanly discretion,) to attempt the service of their +prince and country, out of the common forms. + +This evil fortune, which generally attends extraordinary men in the +management of great affairs, has been imputed to divers causes that need +not be here set down, when so obvious a one occurs, if what a certain +writer observes be true, that when a great genius appears in the world, +the dunces are all in confederacy against him. And if this be his fate +when he employs his talents[1] wholly in his closet, without interfering +with any man's ambition or avarice, what must he expect, when he +ventures out to seek for preferment in a court, but universal opposition +when he is mounting the ladder, and every hand ready to turn him off +when he is at the top? And in this point, fortune generally acts +directly contrary to nature; for in nature we find, that bodies full of +life and spirits mount easily, and are hard to fall, whereas heavy +bodies are hard to rise, and come down with greater velocity, in +proportion to their weight; but we find fortune every day acting just +the reverse of this. + +[Footnote 1: "And thus although he employs his talents." This is the +reading of "The Intelligencer." [T.S.]] + +This talent of discretion, as I have described it in its several +adjuncts and circumstances, is nowhere so serviceable as to the clergy, +to whose preferment nothing is so fatal as the character of wit, +politeness in reading or manners, or that kind of behaviour which we +contract by having too much conversation with persons of high station +and eminency: these qualifications being reckoned, by the vulgar of all +ranks, to be marks of levity, which is the last crime the world will +pardon in a clergyman; to this I may add a free manner of speaking in +mixed company, and too frequent an appearance in places of much resort, +which are equally noxious to spiritual promotion. + +I have known, indeed, a few exceptions to some parts of these +observations.[2] I have seen some of the dullest men alive aiming at +wit, and others, with as little pretensions, affecting politeness in +manners and discourse: But never being able to persuade the world of +their guilt, they grew into considerable stations, upon the firm +assurance which all people had of their discretion, because they were of +a size too low to deceive the world to their own disadvantage. But this, +I confess, is a trial too dangerous often to engage in. + +[Footnote 2: This word is "regulations" in "The Intelligencer." [T.S.]] + +There is a known story of a clergyman, who was recommended for a +preferment by some great men at court, to an archbishop.[3] His grace +said, "he had heard that the clergyman used to play at whist and +swobbers;[4] that as to playing now and then a sober game at whist for +pastime, it might be pardoned, but he could not digest those wicked +swobbers;" and it was with some pains that my Lord Somers could +undeceive him. I ask, by what talents we may suppose that great prelate +ascended so high, or what sort of qualifications he would expect in +those whom he took into his patronage, or would probably recommend to +court for the government of distant churches? + +[Footnote 3: Archbishop Tenison, who, by all contemporary accounts, was +a very dull man. There was a bitter sarcasm upon him usually ascribed to +Swift, "That he was as hot and heavy as a tailor's goose." [S.] + +In "The Intelligencer" the word "archbishop" is replaced by the letters +A.B.C.T. [T.S.]] + +[Footnote 4: "Swobbers" were four privileged cards used, at one time, +for betting purposes, in the game of whist. [T.S.]] + +Two clergymen, in my memory, stood candidates for a small free school in +Yorkshire, where a gentleman of quality and interest in the country, who +happened to have a better understanding than his neighbours, procured +the place for him who was the better scholar, and more gentlemanly +person, of the two, very much to the regret of all the parish: The +other, being disappointed, came up to London, where he became the +greatest pattern of this lower discretion that I have known, and +possessed it with as heavy intellectuals; which, together with the +coldness of his temper, and gravity of his deportment, carried him safe +through many difficulties, and he lived and died in a great station; +while his competitor is too obscure for fame to tell us what became of +him. + +This species of discretion, which I so much celebrate, and do most +heartily recommend, hath one advantage not yet mentioned, that it will +carry a man safe through all the malice and variety of parties, so far, +that whatever faction happens to be uppermost, his claim is usually +allowed for a share of what is going. And the thing seems to me highly +reasonable: For in all great changes, the prevailing side is usually so +tempestuous, that it wants the ballast of those whom the world calls +moderate men, and I call men of discretion; whom people in power may, +with little ceremony, load as heavy as they please, drive them through +the hardest and deepest roads without danger of foundering, or breaking +their backs, and will be sure to find them neither rusty nor vicious. + +I[5] will here give the reader a short history of two clergymen in +England, the characters of each, and the progress of their fortunes in +the world; by which the force of worldly discretion, and the bad +consequences from the want of that virtue, will strongly appear. + +[Footnote 5: In "The Intelligencer," No. v., this paragraph reads as +follows: "In some following Paper I will give the reader a short history +of two Clergymen in England, the characters of each, and the progress of +their fortunes in the world. By which the force of worldly discretion, +and the bad consequences from the want of that virtue, will strongly +appear." In No. vii. the subject is continued as in the next paragraph. +[T.S.]] + +Corusodes, an Oxford student, and a farmer's son, was never absent from +prayers or lecture, nor once out of his college, after Tom had tolled. +He spent every day ten hours in his closet, in reading his courses, +dozing, clipping papers, or darning his stockings; which last he +performed to admiration. He could be soberly drunk at the expense of +others, with college ale, and at those seasons was always most devout. +He wore the same gown five years without draggling or tearing. He never +once looked into a playbook or a poem. He read Virgil and Ramus in the +same cadence, but with a very different taste. He never understood a +jest, or had the least conception of wit. + +For one saying he stands in renown to this day. Being with some other +students over a pot of ale, one of the company said so many pleasant +things, that the rest were much diverted, only Corusodes was silent and +unmoved. When they parted, he called this merry companion aside, and +said, "Sir, I perceive by your often speaking, and your friends +laughing, that you spoke many jests; and you could not but observe my +silence: But sir, this is my humour, I never make a jest myself, nor +ever laugh at another man's." + +Corusodes, thus endowed, got into holy orders; having, by the most +extreme parsimony, saved thirty-four pounds out of a very beggarly +fellowship, he went up to London, where his sister was waitingwoman to a +lady, and so good a solicitor, that by her means he was admitted to read +prayers in the family twice a-day, at fourteen[1] shillings a month. He +had now acquired a low, obsequious, awkward bow, and a talent of gross +flattery both in and out of season; he would shake the butler by the +hand; he taught the page his catechism, and was sometimes admitted to +dine at the steward's table. In short, he got the good word of the whole +family, and was recommended by my lady for chaplain to some other noble +houses, by which his revenue (besides vales) amounted to about thirty +pounds a-year: His sister procured him a scarf from my lord, who had a +small design of gallantry upon her; and by his lordship's solicitation +he got a lectureship in town of sixty pounds a-year; where he preached +constantly in person, in a grave manner, with an audible voice, a style +ecclesiastic, and the matter (such as it was) well suited to the +intellectuals of his hearers. Some time after, a country living fell in +my lord's disposal; and his lordship, who had now some encouragement +given him of success in his amour, bestowed the living on Corusodes, who +still kept his lectureship and residence in town; where he was a +constant attendant at all meetings relating to charity, without ever +contributing further than his frequent pious exhortations. If any woman +of better fashion in the parish happened to be absent from church, they +were sure of a visit from him in a day or two, to chide and to dine with +them. + +[Footnote 6: Scott has "ten shillings." [T.S.]] + +He had a select number of poor constantly attending at the street door +of his lodgings, for whom he was a common solicitor to his former +patroness, dropping in his own halfcrown among the collection, and +taking it out when he disposed of the money. At a person of quality's +house, he would never sit down till he was thrice bid, and then upon the +corner of the most distant chair. His whole demeanour was formal and +starch, which adhered so close, that he could never shake it off in his +highest promotion. + +His lord was now in high employment at court, and attended by him with +the most abject assiduity; and his sister being gone off with child to a +private lodging, my lord continued his graces to Corusodes, got him to +be a chaplain in ordinary, and in due time a parish in town, and a +dignity in the Church. + +He paid his curates punctually, at the lowest salary, and partly out of +the communion money; but gave them good advice in abundance. He married +a citizen's widow, who taught him to put out small sums at ten per +cent., and brought him acquainted with jobbers in Change-alley. By her +dexterity he sold the clerkship of his parish, when it became vacant. + +He kept a miserable house, but the blame was laid wholly upon madam; for +the good doctor was always at his books, or visiting the sick, or doing +other offices of charity and piety in his parish. + +He treated all his inferiors of the clergy with a most sanctified pride; +was rigorously and universally censorious upon all his brethren of the +gown, on their first appearance in the world, or while they continued +meanly preferred; but gave large allowance to the laity of high rank, or +great riches, using neither eyes nor ears for their faults: He was never +sensible of the least corruption in courts, parliaments, or ministries, +but made the most favourable constructions of all public proceedings; +and power, in whatever hands, or whatever party, was always secure of +his most charitable opinion. He had many wholesome maxims ready to +excuse all miscarriages of state: Men are but men; _Erunt vitia donec +homines_; and, _Quod supra nos, nil ad nos_; with several others of +equal weight. + +It would lengthen my paper beyond measure to trace out the whole system +of his conduct; his dreadful apprehensions of Popery; his great +moderation toward dissenters of all denominations; with hearty wishes, +that, by yielding somewhat on both sides, there might be a general union +among Protestants; his short, inoffensive sermons in his turns at court, +and the matter exactly suited to the present juncture of prevailing +opinions; the arts he used to obtain a mitre, by writing against +Episcopacy; and the proofs he gave of his loyalty, by palliating or +defending the murder of a martyred prince. + +Endowed with all these accomplishments, we leave him in the full career +of success, mounting fast toward the top of the Ladder Ecclesiastical, +which he hath a fair probability to reach; without the merit of one +single virtue, moderately stocked with the least valuable parts of +erudition, utterly devoid of all taste, judgment, or genius; and, in his +grandeur, naturally choosing to haul up others after him, whose +accomplishments most resemble his own, except his beloved sons, nephews, +or other kindred, be in competition; or, lastly, except his inclinations +be diverted by those who have power to mortify, or further advance him. + +Eugenio set out from the same university, and about the same time with +Corusodes; he had the reputation of an arch lad at school, and was +unfortunately possessed with a talent for poetry; on which account he +received many chiding letters from his father, and grave advice from his +tutor. He did not neglect his college learning, but his chief study was +the authors of antiquity, with a perfect knowledge in the Greek and +Roman tongues. He could never procure himself to be chosen fellow: For +it was objected against him, that he had written verses, and +particularly some wherein he glanced at a certain reverend doctor famous +for dulness: That he been seen bowing to ladies, as he met them in the +streets; and it was proved, that once he had been found dancing in a +private family, with half a dozen of both sexes. + +He was the younger son to a gentleman of good birth, but small estate; +and his father dying, he was driven to London to seek his fortune: He +got into orders, and became reader in a parish church at twenty pounds +a-year; was carried by an Oxford friend to Will's coffee-house, +frequented in those days by men of wit, where in some time he had the +bad luck to be distinguished. His scanty salary compelled him to run +deep in debt for a new gown and cassock, and now and then forced him to +write some paper of wit or humour, or preach a sermon for ten shillings, +to supply his necessities. He was a thousand times recommended by his +poetical friends to great persons, as a young man of excellent parts who +deserved encouragement, and received a thousand promises; but his +modesty, and a generous spirit, which disdained the slavery of continual +application and attendance, always disappointed him, making room for +vigilant dunces, who were sure to be never out of sight. + +He had an excellent faculty in preaching, if he were not sometimes a +little too refined, and apt to trust too much to his own way of thinking +and reasoning. + +When, upon the vacancy of a preferment, he was hardly drawn to attend +upon some promising lord, he received the usual answer, "That he came +too late, for it had been given to another the very day before." And he +had only this comfort left, that everybody said, "It was a thousand +pities something could not be done for poor Mr. Eugenio." + +The remainder of his story will be dispatched in a few words: Wearied +with weak hopes, and weaker pursuits, he accepted a curacy in +Derbyshire, of thirty pounds a-year, and when he was five-and-forty, had +the great felicity to be preferred by a friend of his father's to a +vicarage worth annually sixty pounds, in the most desert parts of +Lincolnshire; where, his spirit quite sunk with those reflections that +solitude and disappointments bring, he married a farmer's widow, and is +still alive, utterly undistinguished and forgotten; only some of the +neighbours have accidentally heard, that he had been a notable man in +his youth. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +CONCERNING THAT + +UNIVERSAL HATRED, + +WHICH PREVAILS + +AGAINST THE CLERGY. + + +May 24, 1736. + +I have been long considering and conjecturing, what could be the causes +of that great disgust, of late, against the clergy of both kingdoms, +beyond what was ever known till that monster and tyrant, Henry VIII. who +took away from them, against law, reason, and justice, at least +two-thirds of their legal possessions; and whose successors (except +Queen Mary) went on with their rapine, till the accession of King James +I. That detestable tyrant Henry VIII. although he abolished the Pope's +power in England, as universal bishop, yet what he did in that article, +however just it were in itself, was the mere effect of his irregular +appetite, to divorce himself from a wife he was weary of, for a younger +and more beautiful woman, whom he afterwards beheaded. But, at the same +time, he was an entire defender of all the Popish doctrines, even those +which were the most absurd. And, while he put people to death for +denying him to be head of the Church, he burned every offender against +the doctrines of the Roman faith; and cut off the head of Sir Thomas +More, a person of the greatest virtue this kingdom ever produced, for +not directly owning him to be head of the Church. Among all the princes +who ever reigned in the world there was never so infernal a beast as +Henry VIII. in every vice of the most odious kind, without any one +appearance of virtue: But cruelty, lust, rapine, and atheism, were his +peculiar talents. He rejected the power of the Pope for no other reason, +than to give his full swing to commit sacrilege, in which no tyrant, +since Christianity became national, did ever equal him by many degrees. +The abbeys, endowed with lands by the mistaken notions of well-disposed +men, were indeed too numerous, and hurtful to the kingdom; and, +therefore, the legislature might, after the Reformation, have justly +applied them to some pious or public uses. + +In a very few centuries after Christianity became national in most parts +of Europe, although the church of Rome had already introduced many +corruptions in religion; yet the piety of early Christians, as well as +new converts, was so great, and particularly of princes, as well as +noblemen and other wealthy persons, that they built many religious +houses, for those who were inclined to live in a recluse or solitary +manner, endowing those monasteries with land. It is true, we read of +monks some ages before, who dwelt in caves and cells, in desert places. +But, when public edifices were erected and endowed, they began gradually +to degenerate into idleness, ignorance, avarice, ambition, and luxury, +after the usual fate of all human institutions. The Popes, who had +already aggrandized themselves, laid hold of the opportunity to subject +all religious houses with their priors and abbots, to their peculiar +authority; whereby these religious orders became of an interest directly +different from the rest of mankind, and wholly at the Pope's devotion. I +need say no more on this article, so generally known and so frequently +treated, or of the frequent endeavours of some other princes, as well as +our own, to check the growth, and wealth, and power of the regulars. + +In later times, this mistaken piety, of erecting and endowing abbeys, +began to decrease. And therefore, when some new-invented sect of monks +and friars began to start up, not being able to procure grants of land, +they got leave from the Pope to appropriate the tithes and glebes of +certain parishes, as contiguous or near as they could find, obliging +themselves to send out some of their body to take care of the people's +souls: And, if some of those parishes were at too great a distance from +the abbey, the monks appointed to attend them were paid, for the cure, +either a small stipend of a determined sum, or sometimes a third part, +or what are now called the vicarial tithes. + +As to the church-lands, it hath been the opinion of many writers, that, +in England, they amounted to a third part of the whole kingdom. And +therefore, if that wicked prince above-mentioned, when he had cast off +the Pope's power, had introduced some reformation in religion, he could +not have been blamed for taking away the abbey-lands by authority of +parliament. But, when he continued the most cruel persecutor of all +those who differed in the least article of the Popish religion, which +was then the national and established faith, his seizing on those lands, +and applying them to profane uses, was absolute sacrilege, in the +strongest sense of the word; having been bequeathed by princes and pious +men to sacred uses. + +In the reign of this prince, the church and court of Rome had arrived to +such a height of corruption, in doctrine and discipline, as gave great +offence to many wise, learned, and pious men, through most parts of +Europe; and several countries agreed to make some reformation in +religion. But, although a proper and just reformation were allowed to be +necessary, even to preserve Christianity itself, yet the passions and +vices of men had mingled themselves so far, as to pervert and confound +all the good endeavours of those who intended well: And thus the +reformation, in every country where it was attempted, was carried on in +the most impious and scandalous manner that can possibly be conceived. +To which unhappy proceedings we owe all the just reproachings that Roman +Catholics have cast upon us ever since. For, when the northern kingdoms +and states grew weary of the Pope's tyranny, and when their preachers, +beginning with the scandalous abuses of indulgencies, and proceeding +farther to examine several points of faith, had credit enough with their +princes, who were in some fear lest such a change might affect the peace +of their countries, because their bishops had great influence on the +people by their wealth and power; these politic teachers had a ready +answer to this purpose. "Sir, your Majesty need not be in any pain or +apprehension: Take away the lands, and sink the authority of the +bishops: Bestow those lands on your courtiers, on your nobles, and your +great officers in your army; and then you will be secure of the people." +This advice was exactly followed. And, in the Protestant monarchies +abroad, little more than the shadow of Episcopacy is left; but, in the +republics, is wholly extinct. + +In England, the Reformation was brought in after a somewhat different +manner, but upon the same principle of robbing the Church. However, +Henry VIII. with great dexterity, discovered an invention to gratify his +insatiable thirst for blood, on both religions. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. + + +NOTE. + +In the "Gent. Mag.," vol. xxxv., p. 372 (August, 1765), is a reprint of +these "Thoughts," and "Further Thoughts" from Deane Swift's edition of +his relative's works, just then published. The note introducing the +reprint is signed "T.B."; but neither the note nor T.B.'s remarks are of +much importance. The present text is that of Scott, and collated with +the quarto edition of Swift's Works, vol. viii. 1765. + +[T.S.] + + + THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. + + +I am in all opinions to believe according to my own impartial reason; +which I am bound to inform and improve, as far as my capacity and +opportunities will permit. + +It may be prudent in me to act sometimes by other men's reason, but I +can think only by my own. + +If another man's reason fully convinceth me, it becomes my own reason. + +To say a man is bound to believe, is neither truth nor sense. + +You may force men, by interest or punishment, to say or swear they +believe, and to act as if they believed: You can go no further. + +Every man, as a member of the commonwealth, ought to be content with the +possession of his own opinion in private, without perplexing his +neighbour or disturbing the public. + +Violent zeal for truth hath an hundred to one odds to be either +petulancy, ambition, or pride. + +There is a degree of corruption wherein some nations, as bad as the +world is, will proceed to an amendment; till which time particular men +should be quiet. + +To remove opinions fundamental in religion is impossible, and the +attempt wicked, whether those opinions be true or false; unless your +avowed design be to abolish that religion altogether. So, for instance, +in the famous doctrine of Christ's divinity, which hath been universally +received by all bodies of Christians, since the condemnation of Arianism +under Constantine and his successors: Wherefore the proceedings of the +Socinians are both vain and unwarrantable; because they will be never +able to advance their own opinion, or meet any other success than +breeding doubts and disturbances in the world. _Qui ratione suae +disturbant moenia mundi._ + +The want of belief is a defect that ought to be concealed when it cannot +be overcome. + +The Christian religion, in the most early times, was proposed to the +Jews and heathens without the article of Christ's divinity; which, I +remember, Erasmus accounts for, by its being too strong a meat for +babes. Perhaps, if it were now softened by the Chinese missionaries, the +conversion of those infidels would be less difficult: And we find by the +Alcoran, it is the great stumbling-block of the Mahometans. But, in a +country already Christian, to bring so fundamental a point of faith into +debate, can have no consequences that are not pernicious to morals and +public peace. + +I have been often offended to find St. Paul's allegories, and other +figures of Grecian eloquence, converted by divines into articles of +faith. + +God's mercy is over all His works, but divines of all sorts lessen that +mercy too much. + +I look upon myself, in the capacity of a clergyman, to be one appointed +by Providence for defending a post assigned me, and for gaining over as +many enemies as I can. Although I think my cause is just, yet one great +motive is my submitting to the pleasure of Providence, and to the laws +of my country. + +I am not answerable to God for the doubts that arise in my own breast, +since they are the consequence of that reason which He hath planted in +me; if I take care to conceal those doubts from others, if I use my best +endeavours to subdue them, and if they have no influence on the conduct +of my life. + +I believe that thousands of men would be orthodox enough in certain +points, if divines had not been too curious, or too narrow, in reducing +orthodoxy within the compass of subtleties, niceties, and distinctions, +with little warrant from Scripture and less from reason or good policy. + +I never saw, heard, nor read, that the clergy were beloved in any nation +where Christianity was the religion of the country. Nothing can render +them popular but some degree of persecution. + +Those fine gentlemen who affect the humour of railing at the clergy, +are, I think, bound in honour to turn parsons themselves, and shew us +better examples. + +Miserable mortals! Can we contribute to the honour and glory of God? I +wish that expression were struck out of our Prayer-books. + +Liberty of conscience, properly speaking, is no more than the liberty of +possessing our own thoughts and opinions, which every man enjoys without +fear of the magistrate: But how far he shall publicly act in pursuance +of those opinions, is to be regulated by the laws of the country. +Perhaps, in my own thoughts, I prefer a well-instituted commonwealth +before a monarchy; and I know several others of the same opinion. Now, +if, upon this pretence, I should insist upon liberty of conscience, form +conventicles of republicans, and print books preferring that government +and condemning what is established, the magistrate would, with great +justice, hang me and my disciples. It is the same case in religion, +although not so avowed, where liberty of conscience, under the present +acceptation, equally produces revolutions, or at least convulsions and +disturbances in a state; which politicians would see well enough, if +their eyes were not blinded by faction, and of which these kingdoms, as +well as France, Sweden, and other countries, are flaming instances. +Cromwell's notion upon this article was natural and right; when, upon +the surrender of a town in Ireland, the Popish governor insisted upon an +article for liberty of conscience, Cromwell said, he meddled with no +man's conscience; but, if by liberty of conscience, the governor meant +the liberty of the mass, he had express orders from the Parliament of +England against admitting any such liberty at all. + +It is impossible that anything so natural, so necessary, and so +universal as death, should ever have been designed by Providence as an +evil to mankind. + +Although reason were intended by Providence to govern our passions, yet +it seems that, in two points of the greatest moment to the being and +continuance of the world, God hath intended our passions to prevail over +reason. The first is, the propagation of our species, since no wise man +ever married from the dictates of reason. The other is, the love of +life, which, from the dictates of reason, every man would despise, and +wish it at an end, or that it never had a beginning. + + +***** ***** ***** ***** + + + + +FURTHER THOUGHTS ON + +RELIGION. + + +The Scripture system of man's creation is what Christians are bound to +believe, and seems most agreeable of all others to probability and +reason. Adam was formed from a piece of clay, and Eve from one of his +ribs. The text mentioneth nothing of his Maker's intending him for, +except to rule over the beasts of the field and birds of the air. As to +Eve, it doth not appear that her husband was her monarch, only she was +to be his help meet, and placed in some degree of subjection. However, +before his fall, the beasts were his most obedient subjects, whom he +governed by absolute power. After his eating the forbidden fruit, the +course of nature was changed, the animals began to reject his +government; some were able to escape by flight, and others were too +fierce to be attacked. The Scripture mentioneth no particular acts of +royalty in Adam over his posterity, who were cotemporary with him, or of +any monarch until after the flood; whereof the first was Nimrod, the +mighty hunter, who, as Milton expresseth it, made men, and not beasts, +his prey. For men were easier caught by promises, and subdued by the +folly or treachery of their own species. Whereas the brutes prevailed +only by their courage or strength, which, among them, are peculiar to +certain kinds. Lions, bears, elephants, and some other animals are +strong or valiant, and their species never degenerates in their native +soil, except they happen to be enslaved or destroyed by human fraud: But +men degenerate every day, merely by the folly, the perverseness, the +avarice, the tyranny, the pride, the treachery, or inhumanity of their +own kind. + + +THREE PRAYERS + +USED BY THE DEAN FOR MRS JOHNSON, + +IN HER LAST SICKNESS, 1727.[1] + +[Footnote 1: "Dr. Swift, after his return to Ireland in the beginning of +October [1727], having visited her [Stella] frequently during her +sickness, not only as a friend, but a clergyman; he used the following +prayers on that occasion; which are here printed from his own +handwriting." [Note in volume viii. of Swift's Works, Dublin, 1746.]] + + +I. + +A PRAYER FOR STELLA. + +Almighty and most gracious Lord God, extend, we beseech Thee, Thy pity +and compassion towards this Thy languishing servant: Teach her to place +her hope and confidence entirely in Thee; give her a true sense of the +emptiness and vanity of all earthly things; make her truly sensible of +all the infirmities of her life past, and grant to her such a true +sincere repentance as is not to be repented of. Preserve her, O Lord, in +a sound mind and understanding, during this Thy visitation: Keep her +from both the sad extremes of presumption and despair. If Thou shalt +please to restore her to her former health, give her grace to be ever +mindful of that mercy, and to keep those good resolutions she now makes +in her sickness, so that no length of time, nor prosperity, may entice +her to forget them. Let no thought of her misfortunes distract her mind, +and prevent the means towards her recovery, or disturb her in her +preparations for a better life. We beseech Thee also, O Lord, of Thy +infinite goodness to remember the good actions of this Thy servant; that +the naked she hath clothed, the hungry she hath fed, the sick and the +fatherless whom she hath relieved, may be reckoned according to Thy +gracious promise, as if they had been done unto Thee. Hearken, O Lord, +to the prayers offered up by the friends of this Thy servant in her +behalf, and especially those now made by us unto Thee. Give Thy blessing +to those endeavours used for her recovery; but take from her all violent +desire, either of life or death, further than with resignation to Thy +holy will. And now, O Lord, we implore Thy gracious favour towards us +here met together; grant that the sense of this Thy servant's weakness +may add strength to our faith, that we, considering the infirmities of +our nature, and the uncertainty of life, may, by this example, be drawn +to repentance before it shall please Thee to visit us in the like +manner. Accept these prayers, we beseech Thee, for the sake of Thy dear +Son Jesus Christ, our Lord; who, with Thee and the Holy Ghost, liveth +and reigneth ever one God world without end. Amen. + + +II. + +A PRAYER USED BY THE DEAN FOR MRS JOHNSON IN HER LAST SICKNESS, +WRITTEN OCT. 17, 1727. + +Most merciful Father, accept our humblest prayers in behalf of this Thy +languishing servant: Forgive the sins, the frailties, and infirmities of +her life past. Accept the good deeds she hath done, in such a manner, +that at whatever time Thou shalt please to call her, she may be received +into everlasting habitations. Give her grace to continue sincerely +thankful to Thee for the many favours Thou hast bestowed upon her; The +ability and inclination and practice to do good, and those virtues, +which have procured the esteem and love of her friends, and a most +unspotted name in the world. O God, Thou dispensest Thy blessings and +Thy punishments, as it becometh infinite justice and mercy; and since it +was Thy pleasure to afflict her with a long, constant, weakly state of +health, make her truly sensible, that it was for very wise ends, and was +largely made up to her in other blessings, more valuable and less +common. Continue to her, O Lord, that firmness and constancy of mind, +where with Thou hast most graciously endowed her, together with that +contempt of worldly things and vanities, that she hath shewn in the +whole conduct of her life. O all-powerful Being, the least motion of +Whose will can create or destroy a world; pity us the mournful friends +of Thy distressed servant, who sink under the weight of her present +condition, and the fear of losing the most valuable of our friends: +Restore her to us, O Lord, if it be Thy gracious will, or inspire us +with constancy and resignation, to support ourselves under so heavy an +affliction. Restore her, O Lord, for the sake of those poor, who by +losing her will be desolate, and those sick, who will not only want her +bounty, but her care and tending: Or else, in Thy mercy, raise up some +other in her place with equal disposition and better abilities. Lessen, +O Lord, we beseech Thee, her bodily pains, or give her a double strength +of mind to support them. And if Thou wilt soon take her to Thyself, turn +our thoughts rather upon that felicity, which we hope she shall enjoy, +than upon that unspeakable loss we shall endure. Let her memory be ever +dear unto us; and the example of her many virtues, as far as human +infirmity will admit, our constant imitation. Accept, O Lord, these +prayers poured from the very bottom of our hearts, in Thy mercy, and for +the merits of our blessed Saviour. Amen. + + +III. + +WRITTEN Nov. 6, 1727. + +O Merciful Father, Who never afflictest Thy children, but for their own +good, and with justice, over which Thy mercy always prevaileth, either +to turn them to repentance, or to punish them in the present life, in +order to reward them in a better; take pity, we beseech Thee, upon this +Thy poor afflicted servant, languishing so long and so grievously under +the weight of Thy hand. Give her strength, O Lord, to support her +weakness; and patience to endure her pains, without repining at Thy +correction. Forgive every rash and inconsiderate expression which her +anguish may at any time force from her tongue, while her heart +continueth in an entire submission to Thy will. Suppress in her, O Lord, +all eager desires of life, and lessen her fears of death, by inspiring +into her an humble, yet assured, hope of Thy mercy. Give her a sincere +repentance for all her transgressions and omissions, and a firm +resolution to pass the remainder of her life in endeavouring to her +utmost to observe all Thy precepts. We beseech Thee likewise to compose +her thoughts; and preserve to her the use of her memory and reason +during the course of her sickness. Give her a true conception of the +vanity, folly, and insignificancy of all human things; and strengthen +her so as to beget in her a sincere love of Thee in the midst of her +sufferings. Accept and impute all her good deeds, and forgive her all +those offences against Thee, which she hath sincerely repented of, or +through the frailty of memory hath forgot. And now, O Lord, we turn to +Thee in behalf of ourselves, and the rest of her sorrowful friends. Let +not our grief afflict her mind, and thereby have an ill effect on her +present distempers. Forgive the sorrow and weakness of those among us, +who sink under the grief and terror of losing so dear and useful a +friend. Accept and pardon our most earnest prayers and wishes for her +longer continuance in this evil world, to do what Thou art pleased to +call Thy service, and is only her bounden duty; that she may be still a +comfort to us, and to all others who will want the benefit of her +conversation, her advice, her good offices, or her charity. And since +Thou hast promised, that where two or three are gathered together in Thy +name, Thou wilt be in the midst of them, to grant their request; O +gracious Lord, grant to us who are here met in Thy name, that those +requests, which in the utmost sincerity and earnestness of our hearts we +have now made in behalf of this Thy distressed servant, and of +ourselves, may effectually be answered; through the merits of Jesus +Christ our Lord. Amen. + + +AN EVENING PRAYER, + +FROM THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT FOUND AMONGST DR LYON'S PAPERS. + +OH! Almighty God, the searcher of all hearts, and from whom no secrets +are hid, who hast declared that all such as shall draw nigh to thee with +their lips, when their hearts are far from thee, are an abomination unto +thee; cleanse, we beseech thee, the thoughts of our hearts, by the +inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that no wandering, vain, nor idle +thoughts may put out of our minds that reverence and godly fear, that +becomes all those who come in thy presence. + +We know, O Lord, that while we are in these bodies, we are absent from +the Lord, for no man can see thy face and live. The only way that we can +draw near unto thee in this life, is by prayer; but, O Lord, we know not +how to pray, nor what to ask for as we ought. We cannot pretend by our +supplications or prayers to turn or change thee, for thou art the same +yesterday, to-day, and for ever; but the coming into thy presence, the +drawing near unto thee, is the only means to be changed ourselves, to +become like thee in holiness and purity, to be followers of thee as thy +dear children. O, therefore, turn not away thy face from us, but let us +see so much of the excellencies of thy divine nature, of thy goodness, +and justice, and mercy, and forbearance, and holiness, and purity, as +may make us hate everything in ourselves that is unlike to thee, that so +we may abhor and repent of and forsake those sins that we so often fall +into when we forget thee. Lord! We acknowledge and confess we have lived +in a course of sin, and folly, and vanity, from our youth up, forgetting +our latter end, and our great account that we must one day make, and +turning a deaf ear to thy many calls to us, either by thy holy word, by +our teachers, or by our own consciences; and even thy more severe +messages by afflictions, sicknesses, crosses, and disappointments, have +not been of force enough to turn us from the vanity and folly of our own +ways. What then can we expect in justice, when thou shalt enter into +judgment with us, but to have our portion with the hypocrites and +unbelievers? to depart for ever from the presence of the Lord; to be +turned into hell with those that forget God! But, O God, most holy! O +God, most mighty! O holy and most merciful Saviour, deliver us not into +the bitter pains of eternal death, but have mercy upon us, most merciful +Father, and forgive us our sins for thy name's sake; for thou hast +declared thyself to be a God slow to anger, full of goodness, +forbearance, and long-suffering, and forgiving iniquity, transgression, +and sin. O Lord, therefore, shew thy mercy upon us. O let it be in +pardoning our sins past, and in changing our natures, in giving us a new +heart, and a new spirit, that we may lead a new life, and walk before +thee in newness of life, that so sin may not have dominion over us for +the time to come. O let thy good Spirit, without which we can do +nothing, O let that work in us both to will and do such things as may be +well pleasing to thee. O let it change our thoughts and minds, and take +them off the vain pleasures of this world, and place them there where +only the true joys are to be found. O fill our minds every day more and +more with the happiness of that blessed state of living for ever with +thee, that we may make it our great work and business to work out our +salvation,--to improve in the knowledge of thee, whom to know is life +eternal. But, Lord, since we cannot know thee but by often drawing near +unto thee, and coming into thy presence, which in this life, we can do +only by prayer, O make us, therefore, ever sensible of these great +benefits of prayer, that we may rejoice at all opportunities of coming +into thy presence, and may ever find ourselves the better and more +heavenly minded by it, and may never wilfully neglect any opportunity of +thy worship and service. Awaken thoroughly in us a serious sense of +these things, that so to-day, while it is called to-day, we may see and +know the things that belong to our peace, before they be hid from our +eyes, before that long night cometh when no man can work. O that every +night may so effectually put us in mind of our last, that we may every +day take care so to live, as we shall then wish we had lived when we +come to die; that so when that night shall come, we may as willingly put +off these bodies, as we now put off our clothes, and may rejoice to rest +from our labours, and that our war with the world, the devil, and our +own corrupt nature, is at an end. In the meanwhile, we beseech thee to +take us, and ours, and all that belongs to us, into thy fatherly care +this night. Let thy holy angels be our guard, while we are not in a +condition to defend ourselves, that we may not be under the power of +devils or wicked men; and preserve us also, O Lord, from every evil +accident, that, after a comfortable and refreshing sleep, we may find +ourselves, and all that belongs to us, in peace and safety. And now, O +Lord, being ourselves still in the body, and compassed about with +infirmities, we can neither be ignorant nor unmindful of the sufferings +of our fellow-creatures. O Lord, we must acknowledge, that they are all +but the effects of sin; and, therefore, we beseech thee so to sanctify +their several chastisements to them, that at length they may bring forth +the peaceable fruits of righteousness, and then be thou graciously +pleased to remove thy heavy and afflicting hand from them. And O that +the rest of mankind, who are not under such trials, may, by thy +goodness, be led to repentance, that the consciences of hard-hearted +sinners may be awakened, and the understandings of poor ignorant +creatures enlightened, and that all that love and fear thee may ever +find the joy and comfort of a good conscience, beyond all the +satisfactions that this world can afford. And now, blessed Lord, from +whom every good gift comes, it is meet, right, and our bounden duty, +that we should offer up unto thee our thanks and praise for all thy +goodness towards us, for preserving peace in our land, the light of thy +Gospel, and the true religion in our churches; for giving us the fruits +of the earth in due season, and preserving us from the plague and +sickness that rages in other lands. We bless thee for that support and +maintenance, which thou art pleased to afford us, and that thou givest +us a heart to be sensible of this thy goodness, and to return our thanks +at this time for the same; and as to our persons, for that measure of +health that any of us do enjoy, which is more than any of us do deserve. +We bless thee, more particularly, for thy protection over us the day +past; that thy good spirit has kept us from falling into even the +greatest sins, which, by our wicked and corrupt nature, we should +greedily have been hurried into; and that, by the guard of thy holy +angels, we have been kept safe from any of those evils that might have +befallen us, and which many are now groaning under, who rose up in the +morning in safety and peace as well as we. But above all, for that great +mercy of contriving and effecting our redemption, by the death of our +Saviour Jesus Christ, whom, of thy great love to mankind, thou didst +send into this world, to take upon him our flesh, to teach us thy will, +and to bear the guilt of our transgressions, to die for our sins, and to +rise again for our justification; and for enabling us to lay hold of +that salvation, by the gracious assistances of thy Holy Spirit. Lord, +grant that the sense of this wonderful love of thine to us, may +effectually encourage us to walk in thy fear, and live to thy glory, +that so when we shall put off this mortal state, we may be made +partakers of that glory that shall then be revealed, which we beg of +thee, for the sake of thy Son Jesus Christ, who died to procure it for +us, and in whose name and words we do offer up the desires of our souls +unto thee, saying, + +"Our Father," &c. + + +OBSERVATIONS + +ON + +HEYLIN'S HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIANS.[1] + +[Footnote 1: Written by the Dean in the beginning of the book, on one of +the blank leaves. [Note in vol. ix. 1775 edition of Swift's Works.]] + +This book, by some errors and neglects in the style, seems not to have +received the author's[2] last correction. It is written with some +vehemence, very pardonable in one who had been an observer and a +sufferer, in England, under that diabolical fanatic sect which then +destroyed Church and State. But, by comparing in my memory what I have +read in other histories, he neither aggravates nor falsifies any facts. +His partiality appears chiefly in setting the actions of the Calvinists +in the strongest light, without equally dwelling on those of the other +side; which, however, to say the truth, was not his proper business. And +yet he might have spent some more words on the inhuman massacre of Paris +and other parts of France, which no provocation (and yet the King had +the greatest possible) could excuse, or much extenuate. The author, +according to the current opinion of the age he lived in, had too high +notions of regal power; led by the common mistake of the term Supreme +Magistrate, and not rightly distinguishing between the legislature and +administration: into which mistake the clergy fell, or continued, in the +reign of Charles II., as I have shewn and explained in a treatise, &c. +J. SWIFT. March 6, 1727-8. + +[Footnote 2: Peter Heylin, D.D. (1600-1662) was born at Burford, +Oxfordshire. Educated at Magdalen College, Oxford, and became in +succession, chaplain to Charles I., rector of Hemmingford, rector of +Islip, and a prebendary of Westminster. He wrote the weekly paper, +"Mercurius Auhcus," and lost his estates during the Civil War. He was +reinstated at the Restoration into all his preferments. His works are +voluminous, consisting of a "Cosmography," "A Help to English History," +a "Life of Charles I.," a "History of the Reformation," a "History of +Presbyterians," a "Life of Archbishop Laud," and a few theological +works. The work on the Presbyterians, here referred to by Swift, was +published in 1670. [T.S.]] + + + * * * * * + + +CHISWICK PRESS:--CHARLES WHITTINGHAM AND CO. 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