A DISCOURSE OF Ecclesiastical Politie : WHEREIN The Authority of the Civil Magistrate over the Consciences of Subjects in Matters of External Religion is Asserted .

The Mischiefs and Inconveniences OF Toleration are Represented , And all Pretenses Pleaded in Behalf of Liberty of Conscience are fully Answered .

The Third Edition .

LONDON , Printed for Iohn Martyn at the Bell in St Paul's Church-yard , 1671.

I Cannot Imagine any thing , that our Dissenting Zealots will be able to object against this Ensuing Treatise , unless perhaps in some Places the Vehemence and Severity of its Style ; for cavil I know they must : and if they can raise no Tolerable Exceptions against the Reasonableness of the Discourse it self , it shall suffice to pick quarrels with Words and Phrases . But I will assure thee , the Author is a Person of such a tame and softly humour , and so cold a Complexion , that he thinks himself scarce capable of hot and passionate Impressions : and therefore if he has sometimes twisted Invectives with his Arguments , it proceeded not from Temper but from Choice ; and if there be any Tart and Vpbraiding Expressions , they were not the Dictates of Anger or Passion , but of the Iust and Pious Resentments of his Mind . And I appeal to any Man , who knows upon what sober Grounds and Principles the Reformation of the Church of England stands ; and how that its Forms and Institutions are not only countenanced by the best and purest times of Christianity , but establisht by the Fundamental Laws of the Land ; whether he can so perfectly Charm and Stupifie his Passions , as not to be chafed into some heat & briskness ? when he seriously considers , that this Church so rightly constituted , and so duely authorised should be so savagely worried by a Wild and Fanatique Rabble ; that this Church so soberly modelled , so warrantably reformed , and so handsomly settled , should have been so perpetually beleaguered , and be yet not out of all danger of being rifled , if not utterly demolisht by Folly and Ignorance ; that the publick Peace and Settlement of a Nation should be so wofully discomposed upon such slender and frivolous Pretenses , and that , after they have been so often and so shamefully baffled ; that both Church and State should be so lamentably embroyl'd by the Pride and Insolence of a few peevish ignorant and malepert Preachers ; And lastly , that these Brain-sick People , if not prevented by some speedy and effectual Remedy , may in a little time grow to that Power and Confidence , as to be able ( to use their own Language ) to * * Vide Continuation of the Friendly Debate , pag. 120 ▪ &c. shut the Heavens that they shall not rain , i. e. to restrain the Highest Powers of Church and State from their wonted Influence ; and to have Power over the Waters to turn them into Blood , i. e. to turn the still People of a State or Nation into War and Blood : or , to speak in our own plain English , to tye the Hands of Authority , to instigate the people of God to Rebellion , and once more involve the Kingdom in Blood and Confusion . Let the Reader consider all this , as throughly and seriously as I have done , and then be a Stoick if he can .

But besides this , let any man , that is acquainted with the Wisdom and Sobriety of True Religion , tell me , how 't is possible not to be provoked to scorn and indignation against such proud , ignorant , and supercilious Hypocrites ; who though they utterly defeat all the main Designs of Religion , yet boast themselves its only Friends and Patrons ; signalize their Party by distinctive Titles and Characters of Godliness , and brand all others , howsoever Pious and Peaceable , with bad Names , and worse Suspicions ? who I say , that loves and adores the Spirit of true Religion , can forbear to be sharp and severe to such thick and fulsom abuses ? In that there is not any thing can so much expose or traduce true Piety , as this sort of Hypocrisie ; because whilst Folly and Phantastry appears in the Vizour of Holiness , it makes that seem as ridiculous as it self . And hence the greatest Friends of true Goodness have always been the severest Satyrists upon False Godliness ; and our Blessed Saviour scarce seemed more concern'd to plant and propagate Christianity , than to explode the Pharisaick Hypocrisie , i. e. Religious Pride and Insolence .

I know but one single Instance , in which Zeal , or a high Indignation is just and warrantable ; and that is when it vents it self against the Arrogance of haughty , peevish , and sullen Religionists , that under higher pretences to Godliness supplant all Principles of Civility and good Nature ; that strip Religion of its outside to make it a covering for Spight and Malice ; that adorn their peevishness with the Mask of Piety , and shroud their Ill Nature under the demure pretences of Godly Zeal ; And stroak and applaud themselves as the only Darlings and Favourites of Heaven , and with a scornful pride disdain all the Residue of Mankind , as a Rout of worthless and unregenerate Reprobates . Thus the only hot fit of Zeal we find our Saviour in , was kindled by an Indignation against the Pride and Insolence of the Iews , when he whipt the Buyers and Sellers out of the outward Court of the Temple : For though they bore a blind and superstitious Reverence towards that part of it , that was peculiar to their own Worship , yet as for the outward Court , the place where the Gentiles and Proselytes worship't , that was so unclean & unhallowed , that they thought it could not be prophaned , by being turn'd into an Exchange of Vsury . Now this Insolent Contempt of the Gentiles , and impudent conceit of their own holiness , provoked the mild Spirit of our Blessed Saviour to such an height of Impatience and Indignation as made him with a seeming fury and transport of passion whip the Tradesmen thence , and overthrow the Tables . So hateful is all proud , testy , and factious Zeal to a loving and Divine Temper of mind . And indeed what can we imagine more odious or mischievous than a spirit of Pride , Peevishness , and Animosity adopted into the Service of God ? This divides Religion into Factions and Parties , engenders a sullen and unsociable Niceness towards all that herd not with themselves , breeds nothing but rancour , malice and envy , and every thing that is destructive of the Common Peace and Amity of Mankind . And when People Separate and Rendevouz themselves into distinct Sects and Parties , they always confine all their kind Influences to their own Faction , and look with a scornful and malignant Aspect upon all the rest of Mankind , become Enemies and Outlaws to Humane Society , and shatter in pieces that natural Peace and common Love , that preserves the Welfare and Tranquillity of Humane Nature . Their minds ( like the savage Americans ) are as contracted as their Herds , and all that are not within the Fold of their Church , are without the Sphere of their Charity : this is entirely swallowed up within their own combination , and 't is no part of their duty to commiserate or supply the Wants of the Vnregenerate . As the Poet describes the Jewish Bigots , Non monstrare vias , eadem nisi sacra colenti , Quaesitum ad fontem solos deducere Verpos . They would not so much as direct the way to any but a circumcised Brother , nor bestow a Cup of cold Water upon a thirsty Samaritan . The Elect are confined to their own Party , and all besides are the Wicked and Reprobate of the Earth , hated of God , and unfit to be beloved by his People . And this possesses their minds with a holy Inhumanity ; and then , if the Saints ever get into Power , no Tyrant so cruel and butcherly ; and they have the same esteem of the Wicked as of Insects or Vermin , and use them accordingly : But when they are out of Power , they are then forced to support their Malice with Slanders and Calumnies and proud Comparisons : when they meet and gossip together , How do they congratulate each other , that they are not as this or that Formalist ? and the greatest part of their Idle Tattle is usually spent either in Censuring or Pitying , or Slandering some of their Neighbours , as poor carnal and unconverted Wretches . And when they deign to converse with the Vnregenerate and Men of the World , i. e. all out of their own Rowt , they make them keep their distance ; and the Language of their Deportment is that of their Predecessors in the Prophet Isaiah : stand by thy self , come not near to me ; for I am holier than thou . In brief , whoever is proud and conceited upon the score of Religion , naturally falls into the most savage insolence and baseness of Nature , and is utterly uncapable of being either good Subject , or good Neighbour .

Now to lash these morose and churlish Zealots with smart and twinging Satyrs , is so far from being a criminal passion , that 't is a zeal of Meekness and Charity , and a prosecution of the grand and diffusive duty of humanity , and proceeds only from an earnest desire to maintain the common Love and Amity of Mankind . And though good manners oblige us to treat all other sorts of People with gentle and civil Language ; yet when we have to do with the Scribes and Pharisees , we must point our Reproofs with sharp Invectives , we must discover them to themselves to humble them ; we must lance their Tumour , and take out the Core of their proud Flesh before we can cure them ; Anodynes and softer Medicines make no Impressions upon them , to treat them smoothly does but feed the humour ; soft and tender Words do but tempt their disdain , and sooth up their Vanity ; they think you flatter and fawn upon them , if you speak them fair , your Civility they will interpret Respect , and a forced Esteem of their Godliness . They know that you and the rest of the World hate the people of God , and would use them basely and inhumanely ; but that the greatness of their Piety gives check to your Malice , and , in spight of all your outragious Passion against them , extorts a more gentle usage , if not a secret Love and Veneration . But beside , that soft Reproofs do but cocker their presumption , they would suffer true Goodness to be run down by the violence of Ignorance and Zeal . And to think to argue rude and boystrous Zealots out of their folly meerly by the strength of calm and sober Reason , is as likely a matter as to endeavour by fair words to perswade the Northern Wind into a Southern Point . If you will ever silence them , you must be as vehement as they : nothing but Zeal can encounter Zeal . And he that will oppose the Pharisees , must do it with their Eagerness , though not their Malice . Clamour and Confidence make stronger Impressions upon the common people , than strength of Reason ; and the Rabble ever runs to that Party , that raises the biggest noise . And therefore seeing we are not so ill-bred , as to oppose Clamour to Clamour ; we must supply our want of Noise and Throat ( as our Saviour did in his Invectives against the Pharisees ) by Sharpness and Severity . And though there is but little ground to hope that the keenest Reasons should be able to pierce their thick and inveterate prejudices ; yet however the sharper Edge they have , the deeper they will stick in the minds of those , whose Concern and Interest it is to punish and correct them . For I am not so vain as to design , or expect their own Conviction : as good attempt the Removal of Mountains , as of some mens Scruples . And I remember the Italian proverb , Chi lava la Testa d'al Asino perde il Sapone . And therefore I never proposed to my self any other aim in this following Discourse , than by representing the palpable inconsistency of Fanatick Tempers and Principles with the Welfare and security of Government , to awaken Authority to beware of its worst and most dangerous Enemies , and to force them to that Modesty and Obedience by severity of Laws , to which all the strength of Reason in the world can never perswade them .

When I first resolved upon this Vndertaking , the Main Design in my Thoughts , was to represent to the World the lamentable Folly and Silliness of these mens Religion , aud to shew what pitiful and incompetent Guides of their Actions their own Consciences are ; and that to leave them to the Government of their own Perswasions , is only to deliver them up to be abused by all manner of Vices and Follies ; and that when they have debaucht their minds with Pride , Ignorance , Self-love , Ambition , Peevishness , Malice , Envy , Surliness , and Superstition , &c. they then bestow the Authority and Sacredness of Conscience upon their most violent , boisterous , and ungovernable passions : In brief , that their Consciences are seized on by such morose and surly Principles , as make them , the rudest and most barbarous people in the World ; and that in comparison of them , the most insolent of the Pharisees were Gentlemen , and the most savage of the Americans Philosophers . But in this Design I found my self happily prevented by a late Learned and ingenious Discourse , The Friendly Debate , that has unravel'd all their affected Phrases with so much perspicuity of Wit , discovered the Feebleness of their beloved Notions , with so much Clearness of Reason , demonstrated the Wildness of their Practices by so many pregnant and undeniable Testimonies , exposed the palpable unwarrantableness of their Schism , the shameful Prevarication of their Pretences , and utter inconsistency of their Principles with Publick Peace & Settlement ; and in brief , so evidently convicted the Leaders in the faction of such inexcusable Knavery , and their followers of such a dull and stubborn simplicity ; that 't is impossible any thing should hold out against so much force of Reason and Demonstration , but invincible Impudence and Obstinacy : And when men insconce themselves in their own Wills , they are there Impregnable . Wilfulness is enchanted Armour , upon which the sharpest Steel makes no Impression ; and they are secure from the Power of conviction , that are unalterably resolved never to be convinced . Otherwise nothing could be more apparent to any man ( that has but a competent knowledge of the Nature of the things there debated ) that never any Cause in the world was more shamefully baffled and triumphed over , than this of Schismatical Non-conformity . And though it has gaul'd them into an implacable rage and indignation ( for that as Solomon observes , is the humour of some sorts of men , to rage and be confident , when they are convinced ) yet in spight of Affronts and Provocations , it has found them a tame and patient People , that can generously endure to see themselves so smartly pelted for their Folly and Villany , and never so much as snarl , or attempt to fasten upon those Weapons , that have so sorely bruised them ; and as for those little Cattel that have been so hardy as to nibble at a Reply , they have only put us in mind of the old Fable of the Serpent and the File , and have proved nothing but the strength of their Folly , and weakness of their Teeth ; and all of them may wear their Fangs to the Roots , before they make any Impression upon the Body of the Discourse .

The main and most popular Objection , I could ever meet with against it , is its form and method , viz. it s being written in way of Dialogue ; in which way of writing ( they say ) a witty man may make any thing look as uncouth and ridiculous as he pleases . And this is true , in absurd and inartificial Dialogues ; but when they are skilfully contrived ( as this is ) there is no way of arguing more smart and convictive : For the Design of such Composures is to represent the Authors own thoughts upon occasion of something affirm'd or intimated by the Counter-party ; and therefore if his own Discourse be rational and concluding , there is nothing more required to that of the other Party , than that his talk be agreeable to the pretenses of those men he Personates : So that , if the Authors own Arguments and Opinions ( that are the Substance of the Treatise ) be unreproveable , 't is not material how wise his Adversaries Discourse is , so it be not false . Neither would he require them to defend and justifie every thing that is said in the Person of the Non-conformist ( for many things are collateral , and only design'd to set off his Reasonings with a comical humour and pleasantness ) but only to reply to the Scope and Substance of his Book by justifying their own Notions that he has confuted , and by confuting those that he has asserted . Which unless they shew themselves able to perform , they must acknowledge he has perfectly shamed their Folly , and unmaskt their Hypocrisie .

But besides , this being but a general Exception , must by the Laws of Reasoning pass not only for a precarious but a false Cavil , till it is proved by some particular Instances , & neither needs , nor admits of any other Reply , than barely to challenge them to alledg any thing of moment in their own behalf about the particular matters there debated , that he has not sufficiently represented : If in any thing considerable he has been disingenuous , let them point it out ; but if they cannot , let them not think to satisfie the World , by objecting what they confess they cannot prove , because they do not . 'T is true indeed , the speeches of the Non-conformist are not so large and copious as his Adversaries , because his part consists mainly in hinting Doubts and Objections , which must of necessity be in all forms of Arguing much shorter than their just and satisfactory Replies ; especially when they are not barely answered , but confuted too : And therefore considering the difference of the parts of the Dialogue , he has as clearly represented their sense as his own ; and if all he says for them were composed into one continued Speech , it would be no easie matter to discern it from one of their own Discourses .

But the thing that really grieves them , is , that in this method he has stopt all their Subterfuges , as he proceeds , by preventing their shifting of Phrases , and hiding themselves in a maze of Words ; For , whereas 't is their usual Artifice to tire out the Wise , and amuse the Simple , by rowling up and down in canting and ambiguous Expressions , he has been at the pains to serret them from Phrase to Phrase , and never left his pursuit till they were left quite naked and defenceless , and without one crany whereby to make an escape : In so much , that they can never be able to return any tolerable Answers to one part of his Treatise , that are not already prevented in another .

But that which chiefly tempts less discerning People to suspect some partiality , is , that the Discourse of the Non-conformist looks all along so simply ; though for that they ought to consider , that 't is no wonder if Non-sense runs so lamely , when Truth and Reason tread so close upon its heels ; and the babble of a Fool never appears so fulsom , as when he discourses with a Philosopher ; 't is the smartness and perspicuity of the Reply , that makes their folly so transparent : Remove the Conformist , and then the other talks at as wise a rate , as any of their own Writers .

But I beg the Readers pardon , for having so much tired his patience with satisfying the Cavils and Impertinences of these People ; when I am so well assured that they are uncapable either of being ashamed or argued out of their Follies . 'T is one thing to Baffle , and another to Convince them . And where they want stores of Reason to encounter an Adversary , they never want Magazines of Reproaches : And therefore I shall only advise that excellent Person , the Author of the Debate , to be careful how he lays aside his Vizour ; for if ever they discover him , let him look to be pelted to purpose with Slanders , and blasting Reports : and though he be a Person of the Clearest and most unspotted Innocence , that is no fence against the foulest Aspersions ; but if they ever find out the place of his Residence , let him assure himself , they will quickly find the next Dunghil to it , how clean soever he sweeps his own Door .

As for my own part I am hardned enough to be proof against the poison of Asps , the Stings of Vipers , and the Tongues of — and rest satisfyed in this , that they can never abuse me more than they are pleased to abuse themselves ; it being the most solemn strain of their Devotion to vilifie themselves with large Confessions of the hainousest and most aggravated Sins : they will freely acknowledge their offences against all the Commandments , and that with the foulest and most enhancing Circumstances they can rake together , and confess their Injustice , Vncleanness , and Extortion , and all the Publican and Harlot Sins in the world : And in all their Confessions they stick not to charge themselves with such large Catalogues of Sin , and to amass together such an heap of Impieties , as would make up the compleatest Character of Lewdness and Villany . And if their Consciences do really Arraign them of all those Crimes , whereof they so familiarly endite themselves , there are no such guilty and unpardonable Wretches as they . So that their Confessions are either true , or false : if false , then they fool and trifle with the Almighty ; if true , then I could easily tell them the fittest place to say their Prayers in . But however 't is pity to abridge them the liberty all men have , to abuse themselves : but if they will extend this their Priviledge so far , as to attaint other mens Reputations , I shall only admonish them as a Friend before-hand , that there is somebody in the world that will not fail to requite their slanders , and false aspersions , with their own true Character . And so I take my leave of them , to address my self to those for whom this Discourse was intended . And though I dare not be so sawcy as to teach my Superiours , how to Govern the Kingdom , out of Ezekiel , or the Revelations ; yet I will presume to put up this single Petition , in order to the security of our Publick Peace and Settlement .

That whatsoever Freedom they may think good to Indulge to Religion , they would not suffer Irreligion to share in the Favour , nor permit Atheism to appear openly ( as it begins to do ) under the Protection of Liberty of Conscience . I am not so utterly unacquainted with the Experience of former Ages , as to be over-apt to complain of the degeneracy of our own : the World I know has ever had its Vicissitudes , and Periods of Vertue and Wickedness : and all Common-wealths have advanced themselves to their Power and Grandeur by Sobriety and Wisdom , and a tender Regard of Religion ; and from thence have declined again by Softness and Effeminacy , by Sacrilege and Prophaneness , and a proud Contempt of God and his Worship . This is the Circle of Humane Affairs , and on these constant Turns depend the Periods and certain Fates of Empires . So that though Atheism reigns and prevails more in the present age , than in some that went immediately before it ; yet there have been seasons , when it was mounted up to a greater height of Power and Reputation , than 't is yet advanced to : but then those have always been black and fatal Times , and have certainly brought on Changes and Dissolutions of States . For the Principles of Irreligion unjoynt the Sinews and blow up the very Foundations of Government : This turns all sense of Loyalty into Folly ; this sets men at Liberty from all the effectual Obligations to Obedience , and makes Rebellion as vertuous , when ever it either is , or is thought as advantageous .

And therefore it imports Authority to nip this wanton humour in the Bud , and to crush it whilst 't is young and tender ; for as yet it has found but slender entertainment with wise and sober Persons , and is only propagated among little and unlearned People : discreet men that have not more Religion , have yet at least more wit and manners : The only Zelots in the Cause are the young Nurslings , and small Infantry of the Wits , the wild and hair-brain'd Youths of the Town . A sort of Creatures that study nothing but Sloth and Idleness , that design nothing but Folly and Extravagance , that aspire to no higher Accomplishments than fine Phrases , terse Oaths , and gay Plumes , that pretend to no other stock of Learning , but a few shavings of Wit gathered out of Plays and Comedies ; and these they abuse too , and labour to pervert their chaste Expressions to Obscene and Irreligious Purposes ; and Johnson and Fletcher are prophaned , as well as the Holy Scriptures . They measure the Wit of their Discourse by its Prophaneness and Ribaldry ; and nothing sets it off so handsomly as neat and fashionable Oaths : and the only thing that makes them appear more Witty then other Folk , is their daring to be more wicked : Their Iests are remarkable for nothing but their Presumption , and the picquancy of their Conceit lies in their Boldness . Men laugh not so much at the Wit , as the Sawciness of their Discourse ; and because they dare vent such things , as a discreet or civil man would scorn to say , though he were an Atheist . But these shallow fools are proud and ambitious to gain a Name and Reputation for Debauchery , they slander themselves with false Impieties , and usurp the Wickedness they were never guilty of , only to get a Renown in Villany .

'T is these Apes of Wit , and Pedants of Gentility that would make Atheism the fashion forsooth , and Prophaneness the Character of a Gentleman ; that think it a piece of Gallantry to scoff at Religion , droll upon God and make sport with his Laws ; that account it an Argument of Iudgment and Ingenuity , to be above the Follies of Conscience : and a height of Courage and Magnanimity , at all adventure to brave and defie Heaven , and out-dare the Almighty ; and the noblest part of a gentile Behaviour , to counterfeit an Haughty and Supercilious Disdain of Religious Sneeks ; and to beg all men that are respective to their Consciences , for soft and cowardly Fools , that are scared with Phantastick and Invisible Powers , and easily abused with Tricks , and Juglings , and Publick Tales . Now certainly , these Phantastick Changelings must needs be wonderfully qualified , to judge of the most serious and most difficult Enquiries in the world . Are they not likely ( think you ) to search into the deepest Foundations of Religion , to weigh and examine all the Arguments for the Being of God , and Immortality of the Soul ; to enquire into the Grounds of the Christian Faith , and to take an account of the Truth and Credibility of the Scriptures ? And , when they have so utterly emasculated their Vnderstandings with Softness and Luxury , are not they prodigiously able to examine what Agrees or Quarrels with the Dictates of Pure and Impartial Reason ? Are they not likely to determine what is truely Great and Generous , that never heard of any other Maxims of Philosophy , but what they have pick'd up at Plays , out of the stiff Disputes of Love and Honour ? And are they not likely to give a wonderful Account of the Record of Ancient Times ( without which they are utterly unable to judg of the Truth or Falshood of any Religion ) that were never acquainted with any History , unless perhaps that of the Follies , and Amours of the French Court ? And yet how briskly do these giddy Youths determine these , and a thousand other Difficult Theories , that they never had Learning or Patience enough to understand , much less to make an exact and satisfying search into their Truth and Evidence ?

Alas young men ! you are too rash and forward , your confidence swells above your Vnderstandings : 'T is not for you to pretend to Atheism , 't is too great a Priviledge for Boys and Novices . 'T is sawsiness for you to be Prophane , and to censure Religion Impudence and ill Manners : and whatsoever Rational Pleas Atheism may admit of , 't is not for such as you to pretend to Wit and Learning enough to understand them . And therefore take heed of exposing your Vanity and Weakness ; and , if you will not be Wise , yet at least be Modest : Be advised , not to set up before your time , and better to furnish your Vnderstandings , before you vent your wit . Consider , what a fulsome thing it is , that when the most Learned and Inquisitive of the Philosophers could never raise Atheism above the certainty of a Grand Perhaps : and therefore denied not , but only doubted , the Truth of Religion : For none of them could ever be so utterly forsaken of his Reason , as to attempt to demonstrate there could be no God ; but only by shewing how , to solve the Phaenomena of Nature and Providence without him , that possibly there might be none : and therefore they were never so absurd , as to affront the worship of the Deity ; but thought themselves as effectually obliged in Prudence to the duties of Vertue and Religion by the possibility , as by the certainty of things . Now I say , when these men of Parts and Learning were so Modest and Diffident in their singular perswasions ; what an unhandsome thing is it for such empty Fops as you , with so bold and frontless a Confidence , to defie the Almighty , to deride the wisdom of his Laws , to cavil at his Sacred Oracles , and to give the Lye to the Vniversal Sense of Mankind ; and all this at all adventure ?

And yet , methinks , 't is pretty to hear one of these little Mushrome Wits , Charge Religion with Credulity and easiness of Belief ; and talk confidently , that 't is want of Iudgment and Enquiry that betrays Fools and Ignorant People to be scared with the tales and threatnings of Ambitious Priests : though it be so utterly impossible that any men should be more chargeable with Credulity , than themselves ; and no mans Faith is capable of being more implicit , than their Vnbelief ; nor can the most illiterate Peasant take up his Countries Religion upon more slender Grounds and Motives , than they do their Infidelity : their being equally Ignorant forces them to be equally Credulous . For , not to repeat any of the forementioned particulars , with what a greedy confidence do they swallow down the Principles of the Malmsbury Philosophy , without any chewing , or consideration ? How hussingly will they assert , that the Notion of an Immaterial Substance implies a Contradiction , for no other reason , than because it does ? That men have no Faculties but of Sense and Imagination ; that Vnderstanding is Reaction , and Reason a Train of Phantasmes ; that the Will is a Corporeal Motion , that its determinations are Fatal and Mechanical , and necessitated by the Impressions of External and Irresistible Causes ; that its Liberty of choice is as absurd and insignificant Nonsense , as a round Quadrangle ; that Religion is the belief of Tales publickly allowed ; that Power is Right , and justifies all Actions whatsoever , whether good or bad ; that there is nothing just , or unjust in it self ; that all Right and Wrong is the Result of Humane Contracts ; and that the Laws of Nature are nothing but Maxims and Principles of self-interest ! How boldly do they take up with these and other resembling Principles of Baseness and Irreligion , upon the bare Authority and proofless Assertions of one proud and haughty Philosopher ? How much severe Study and Contemplation is required to a Competent Knowledge of these things ? And yet with what a stiff and peremptory Confidence are they determined by these men , that cannot pretend to any other knowledge , ( and 't is a very candid presumption to allow them so much ) than of the Laws of a Play , or Poem ? In brief , these empty Spunges suck in Opinions , for their agreeableness with their debauched and licentious Practices , without ever considering their Truth and Evidence ; for alas ! they never troubled their heads with such Enquiries : And therefore , whatever they pretend , 't is not their Reasons , but their Lusts and Vices , that cavil at the Principles of Religion ; and they except against it , not because it contradicts their understandings , ( for that they never considered ) but their Appetites : 't is their Sins and sensual Inclinations , that prejudice and bar up their minds against it : and though they were convinced of its Truth , they would however be Infidels still , in spight of all the Reason and Demonstration in the world . Their Irreligion is an after-game of their Debauchery , they are forced to it in their own Defence . Their wickedness has made Infidelity their Interest , and Atheism their Refuge ; and then they cannot , will not believe , for no other Reason , but only because they dare not .

But that I may not pursue their Ignorance too unmercifully , I will venture , before I conclude , to commend their skill : For I cannot but acknowledge them guilty of one little piece of Art and Sophistry , viz. That being Conscious to themselves , that no tolerable exceptions can be raised against the Principles of True Goodness , they affect to reproach it with forged and disingenuous Aspersions , and wittingly disparage its native Beauty and Loveliness , by representing it in false and uncouth Disguises . For , whereas there is nothing more noble and generous , more cheerful and sprightly , more courteous and affable , more free and ingenuous , more sober and rational , than the Spirit and Genius of true Religion ; these witty Gentlemen are pleased to paint it out in sad and melancholy shapes , with poor and wretched Features , with soure and anxious Looks , as an enemy to all Mirth and Cheerfulness , and a thing that delights in nothing but Sighs , and Groans , and discoloured Faces : They dress it up in all the Follies and Deformities of Superstition ; and then , when they have made it ridiculous , they make themselves sport with it : And thus by representing it as a humour unworthy the entertainment of a generous mind , that justifies their contempt of so weak a Passion , and makes a sumptuous Apology for the gallantry of Atheism and Prophaneness . And indeed , if Religion were as mean and absurd , as these men would make it , and others have made it , let it not only excuse but abet their practices ; let it be the mark of an high and gallant Spirit , to be an Atheist ; let it be Gentility to despise , and Wit to droll upon Religion ; let all Devotion be esteemed the Child of Folly and Weakness ; let it be an Argument of Wisdom , to be prophane and vicious , and let Vertue become a name of the greatest Reproach and Infamy . But alas ! when 't is so demonstratively evident , that true Piety ( though it were an Imposture ) is our greatest wisdom and perfection ; that it both adorns , and advances Humane Nature ; that it is so highly advantageous to the peace and happiness of the World ; that it carries in it all that is amiable and lovely , all that is cheerful and ingenuous , all that is useful and profitable ; and that 't is whatever can advance either our Content , or Interest , or Reputation : When all this is so amply evident , What can be more unpardonably base and disingenuous , than for these men , in spight of all Remonstrances , still to upbraid it with the Villanies of Hypocrisie , and blast its Credit with the Absurdities of Superstition , which is the greatest folly in the world , for no other reason , than because it debauches what is the greatest Wisdom ? And therefore they would do well to understand a little better what Religion means , before they take upon them to disgrace and defame it ; and let them not discover their lamentable rawness and ignorance , by laughing at its folly and meanness , till they can first prove a base and selfish spirit to be more noble and generous , than an universal Love and Charity ; Pride and Luxury to be more amiable than Sweetness and Ingenuity ; Revenge and Impatience more honourable than Discretion and Civility ; Excess and Debauchery more healthful than Temperance and Sobriety : to be enslaved to their Lusts and Passions more manly , than to live by the Rules of Reason and Prudence ; Malice and Injustice to be more graceful and becoming a gentile Behaviour , than Kindness and Benignity ; and the horrors of an amazed Spirit to be fuller of Pleasure and Felicity , than that Peace and Calmness of Mind that springs from the Reflections of an exact Conscience . Till all this , and much more is made good , that is , till all the Maxims of Folly and Wisdom are changed , let them be Civil , and Modest , and not scorn too confidently . And though all this could be done , yet , as for their parts they will be so far from ever performing it , that they will never be at the pains of attempting it ; and if they should , 't is ( God knows ) too great a work for their little understandings . And therefore I appeal to all the wise and sober world , Whether they that would make Religion ridiculous , are not infinitely so themselves ? Whether to confute it with Raillery and Bold Iests , be not as void of Wit as Reason ? And whether all the Folly and Madness in the World can equal this of these scoffing Atheists ?

And thus having scourged their Ignorance and Presumption with severity enough , I shall forbear either to expose them for their Pedantry , or to lash them for their rudeness and ill manners : though what can be more pedantick , than to be so big with every little Conceit , as to be in labour to vent it in every Company ? And a pert School-boy is scarce more troublesome with a petty Criticism against Mr. Lilly , than these truantly Youths are with any singular Exception , that they have picked up against the Holy Scriptures . They cannot meet with a person of any Reputation for Learning , but they must be pecking at him with their Objections ; and if he slight their impertinent Pratings ( as all discreet men do ) then the next time they meet their Dear Hearts , with what triumphant shrugs do they boast their success against the man in Black , and so laugh and drink themselves into Confidence and Folly ! And then , as for their want of manners , what deportment can be more course and clownish than to affect to be offensive to all discreet men , and to delight to loath and nauseate all Civil Company with the filthiness of their Discourse ? A behaviour more irkesom to a Gentleman of any Breeding and Civility , than the Buffoonry of Hostlers and Porters . They can scarce meet with a Clergy-man , but they must be pelting him with Oaths , or Ribaldry , or Atheistical Drollery ; i. e. they study to annoy him with such Discourse , as he is obliged ( though he were inwardly as great a Villain as themselves ) to detest by his Place and Profession : a piece of Breeding much like his , that would have refused to entertain a Vestal with any other Discourse , than by describing the Rites of Priapus , or the lascivious Arts of Cleopatra .

And so I leave them to the Correction of the Publick Rods : and 't is high time that Authority check , and chastise the Wantonness of this Boyish humour . For the Infection spreads and grows fashionable , and creeps out of Cities into Villages . To Impeach Religion is become the first exercise of Wit , in which young Gentlemen are to be Disciplined ; and Atheism is the only knowledge and accomplishment they gain by a gentile Education ; and they have nothing to make them fancy themselves more witty and refined People , than illiterate Peasants and Mechanicks , but a readiness and pregnancy to rally upon Religion : and he is a raw Youth , and smells rank of his Grandame and his Catechism , that cannot resolve all the Articles of his Faith into the Cheats and Impostures of Priests . And thus they live here till they have sinned , or fooled away all sense of Honour and Conscience ; and so return home useless , and unserviceable to their Countrey ; and if they turn Sots , they may prove less dangerous : but if not , they are prepared for any designs of Mischief and Publick Disturbance . For at the same time they shake hands with Religion , they bid adieu to Loyalty ; in that whilst they own no tyes of Conscience , they know no honesty but advantage ; and Interest is the only endearment of their Duty to their Prince : and therefore , when-ever this happens to run counter to their Loyalty , 't is then the strongest and most effectual inducement to any attempts of Treason , and Rebellion . And thus they may prove good Subjects , as Rogues and Out-laws are , who will be honest when 't is their Interest ; but when 't is not , then any thing is their Duty , that contributes to their Security . And with these men in all Civil Wars and Dissentions of State , the strongest side has always the justest Cause ; and if Rebels prove successful against their Lawful Prince , they gain their Assistance . And to these Principles we must ascribe the unhappy success of the late Rebellion : the silly and well meaning Zealots were only abused by sly and crafty Incendiaries for the compassing of their own ambitious ends , and by their Councils only was the Cause managed , advanced , and finished ; till they raised their own Fortunes upon the Ruines of the Royal Interest , and establish'd themselves in the Royal Power and Dignity . And though the men and their Designs are perished , yet their Principles thrive and propagate ; and 't is strange , yet easie to observe , how the contempt of Religion works men into a dislike of Monarchy ; and I scarce ever met with any zealous Common-wealths-man , whom I could not easily discover to have more of the Atheist than the Politician ; in brief , all men of this Perswasion are so far from being inclined to love their Prince , that they are engaged by their very Principles to hate the Vsurper : For , take away the Divine Institution of Government , and the Obligations of Conscience to Obedience , and then all Government is Vsurpation , and all sense of Obedience Folly : and Princes have no other Right to their Crowns , but what is founded upon Force and Violence ; their Empire was first gain'd by Wars , Butcheries , and Massacres ; their Diadems hang upon their Swords ; and their Thrones stand deep in Humane Blood ; and all Kingdoms are nothing but Societies of Slaves and Tyrants ; and if any Subject can set himself free from his Sovereigns Oppression , he is the braver man ; and when he can win his Crown , he deserves to wear it . And there is no man that laughs at the Folly of Religion , who is not angry at the Superstition of Government . And therefore I leave it to Authority to consider , how much it concerns them to restrain the Insolence of this wanton Humour ; and to punish those , who make it their business to propagate Irreligious Principles , as the worst and most dangerous Enemies to the State .