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Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2011 with funding from 
 
 Princeton Theological Seminary Library 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/delaysdangerousnOOflem 
 
Delays Dangerous. 
 
 No Co=morroto 
 
 F O R T H E 
 
 REPEAL 
 
 OF THE 
 
 TEST and CORPORATION 
 
 A C.T S. 
 
 , .,■ r ^r ^. 
 
 The Safety of the Church and the Welfare 
 of the State do immediately require the Re- 
 moval of thefe difqualifying haws. 
 
 Prov'd from Authority, as under. 
 
 Many have preach'' d for fame Years pajl, that the Papifts are 
 better than //^"^ Dissenters ; they hanje /aid this fo long, that 
 the People take them at their Words, and go en; en a little farther, 
 and think them better than Churchmen. 
 
 ^his is one of the principal Caufes ixihy Popery has encreafed 
 fo prodigioujly of late Years : But vo-zv fame of the mojl difcerning 
 tf the Qi,zv.GY begin to fee that the Papists are juji ready to 
 
 get upon their Backs and nvhen Utter DefruSlion threatens, the 
 
 Clergy themfelves may be 'very glad of your (i. e. the Diflenters) 
 JJpftance. Gazetteer, Jan. zz. 1739. 
 
 Lanvs plainly contrary to Truth and natural fuliice may pafs 
 the ufual Forms, and he ftiled La^vs ; yet no fuch Lanv can abro- 
 gate that Lanjj of "Nature and Reafon, to nvhich the Author of our 
 Beings hath fuhjeded us, or make Falfehood to be Truth. 
 
 Wool ASTON. 
 
 Liberty is a fort of Property, nxjhich, methinks, is as ma- 
 terial to us to the full, as that nx:hich fecures us our Lands and 
 Revenues. Ld. Shaftsbury. 
 
 LONDON^ 
 
 Printed fcr D. Farmer, at the Km£s-Arms in 5f. PauVi 
 
 Church-Yard. 1739. Price Six Pence, 
 
[ 3 ] 
 
 Delays Dangerous. 
 
 No Co:=morroio 
 
 FOR THE 
 
 Repeal of the Test and 
 
 Corporation Ad:s. 
 
 IN the GentJet?ians Magazine of December 
 laft, I could not but obferve the two re- 
 markable Letters there inferted, about the 
 Repeal of the Teji and Corporation Adts : The 
 one is call'd, a Letter from a DiJJenter in the 
 Country, to his Friend in London ; contain- 
 ing Reafons againft the DifTenters applying 
 for the Reoeal. The other, is an Abftradtof 
 Old Common Senfe o^ Dec. 23^^. which contains 
 Argumenti for the Repeal. 
 
 The Refled:ions I have made on the Sub- 
 jed: arc a^^ follow. 
 
 Common Senfe has wifely obferved, " that 
 " Reajbn and Religion demand to have the 
 *' Confcience free, and both dtreSi us to re- 
 " fent every Tax 'tis sncumber'd with, as 
 *' the moft grievous of all Impofitions." In 
 this the Diffentcr agrees, for he fays, " thac 
 
 B ** chs 
 
[ 4 ] 
 
 ** the Corporation and Teft ABs are certainiy, 
 ** as they now (land, oppreflive and iniqui- 
 " tons Laws, and, as fuch, ought to be re- 
 " peal'd. " — But notwithftanding this, he is 
 againft the Diflenters diftinguiihing them- 
 feives, by vigorous Endeavours to procure the 
 Repeal^ for the following Reafons. As, i. He 
 thinks that the firft Lay-Nonconformifis firft 
 ■with-held themfelves from the Communion of 
 the Eftablifli'd Church, from Motives purely 
 religious, as, for the fake of a purer Worship, 
 a more fpiritual Difcipline, a better Teach- 
 ing, Cifr. which he hopes is the Cafe with all 
 DifTenters at this prefent Day. 2. He thinks 
 their endeavouring the Repeal, infers a great- 
 er Odium on them than the Ad:s themlelves, 
 which they would have repeal'd, as this their 
 Condud: impeaches them of afpiring, ambi- 
 tious, avaritious Defires. His 3d Reafon is, 
 that the prefent Life is a State of Tryal ; and 
 it is the Will of God that his Servants fhould 
 be tried. 4. He thinks that all the Inflan- 
 ces of Lenity and Favour, that DifTenters 
 have received lince the infamous Bartbolo^ 
 'mew Ad:, have been procured by remarka- 
 ble Interpofitions of divine Providence, fo 
 that as thefe A6ls of the Corporation and 
 T^eli are oppreffive Laws, he believes they 
 will fome time or other be taken away, but 
 he would have the DilTenters wait God's 
 T^inie, which is certainly the firtefl Time. 
 And 5. he fays, that could the DifTenters ob- 
 tain 
 
[ 5 ] 
 tain their Defire, he is afraid the Repeal would 
 not anfwer the propofed Ends; for, fays he, 
 worldly Honour is a dangerous Snare, efpeci- 
 ally to Persons bred in low Life j and 
 he's afraid as to the moft, would neither con- 
 tribute to the Purity of their Hearts or Lives; 
 nay, it were well if it rtiou'd not render them 
 Jefs pious, and lefs virtuous. 
 
 I fliall take fome notice of thefe Reafons 
 affign'd by a pretended DiiTenter. And as to 
 the firft, 1 think the ground of original Dif- 
 fent from the EftabliHied Church, being pure- 
 ly religious, has nothing at all inconfiftent 
 with the Point under Confideration, or, witl; 
 an Attempc of a Repeal : But on the contrary, 
 is a Reafon why the DifTenters (liould apply 5 
 for as much as in the Words of this Letter 
 Writer thefe Lav/s ** occafion a vileAbufe^ an 
 ^' unavoidable Prophanation of one of the 
 " mofl facred Inftitutions of our holy Religi- 
 " on." Now this being the Cafe, and the 
 DifTenters fuppofed to dilTenc, for the fake of 
 a purer Worfhip, are obliged in Confcience 
 to do all they can, to have this Prophanation 
 and Proftitution ren^ov'd, except our Letter 
 Writer fuppofes, that by the »S'/« oftheLegiJla- 
 tive Power s aboui^ing, the Grace of the Dif- 
 fenters 'will much more abound I Will the Re- 
 moval of fuch vile Abufes appear unworthy 
 the Attempt cf Proteflant DifTenters? Surely 
 no, it will rather be a Proof of their confcier^- 
 tious Regard to the mofl divine Inflicutions. 
 
[ 6 ] 
 
 But idly. He fays, " the Attempt will faften 
 *' an Odium on the DifTenters, and impeach- 
 " es them of afpiring, avaritious, ambitious 
 <' Views, ^'hey are to feek that Honour which 
 " comes from God onhy — > — What mercenary 
 Scribbler is this ? Can he prove cimil Go'vern- 
 merit inconfiftent with the pureft Schemes of 
 Chriftianity ? If he cannot, as I defy him to 
 do it, then civil OJices are coniiftent with the 
 Charader of the pureft Chriftians ; and then, 
 the Dipnters may have a Claim to the Exer- 
 cife of fuch Office?, as being born equally free, 
 and equally entitled to all the Privileges of 
 Society : Unlefs this Writer will prove, that 
 places of Profit and Truft are only fit for the 
 wicked and ahandon'd Part of the Nation, who 
 can without Remorfe continue the moft vile 
 Abufe, and unavoidable Prophanation of one 
 of the moft facred Inftitutions of our holy 
 Religion i and then, if he proves this, what 
 muft we think of thofe who enjoy Places of 
 
 Power and Truft? 
 
 Befides, if the Proteftant Diftenters do not 
 apply, who muft? This Letter Writer tells 
 us, '' that he is amaz'd at the culpable Indo- 
 " lence, and (he had almoft faid) irreligious 
 *' Defe<5t of Zeal in the Clergy of the Church 
 *' of Engla?2d, that they do not with one Con- 
 *' fent, petition our Legillators for a Repeal 
 *' of fuch Laws, which are a Scandal to the 
 *' Reformation^ and give too juft a Handle to 
 •' the Libertines and Deifts of the prefenc 
 
 *' Age.': 
 
[ 7 ] 
 
 *f Age." He owns, that there is a culpable 
 Indolence in the Clergy, in their not with one 
 Gonfent petitioning a Repeal ! What hindred 
 him from a full Charge of irreligious DefeSi 
 cirZeal^ I cannot difcern j for if there be a 
 culpable Indolefice, one would think that this 
 being predicated of a religious Subjed:, tha^ it 
 would plainly imply in it an irreligious De~ 
 fedi', and if fo, then the Clergy, if juftly 
 charg'd, are not a Set of Alen from wnom 
 thefe Attempts are to be expe(fled. And if 
 ^not from them, who are immediately concern 
 ed as Instruments in xhhvile Abufe ot a io- 
 lemn and religious Inftitutioji ; then furely 
 the religious and thinking Part of Mankind 
 will efteem that Body of Men as deferving 
 publick Applaufe, who will make this juft, 
 this religious, this pious Attempt. And akho* 
 civil or political Benefits may accrue to them- 
 felves, fhould they fucceed, yet the refcuing 
 an Ordinance of Chrifl from fuch Prophana- 
 tion, will deferve the Approbation of every 
 true Briton and fincere Proteftant. 
 
 Can a bigotted Diflike of DifTenters flia- 
 ring in common their natural Right s^ who 
 are as hearty in the Interefts of Liberty civil 
 and facred, as the eftablifli'd Clergy them- 
 felvesj can this be look'd upon asa Reafon fuf- 
 ficient to cool their Zeal for the Honour and 
 Purity of the Religion of Jesus ? If indeed it 
 can be made appear, that the Clergy of the 
 Eftablifhment, ^^e better Subje(fls for their 
 
 having 
 
r 8 ] 
 
 having a Provifion made, and fecured to them 
 by the Publick ; or, that they, by virtue of a- 
 ny publick Authority, are inverted vi^ith a 
 Right of fetting Boundaries to the Liberty of 
 private Judgment ; or of eftablifhing a pub- 
 lic Conlcience ; or of giving Laws to Minds, 
 by Virtue of that their public Authority ; or, 
 if it can be proved, that this Proftifution of 
 a religious Inflitution, is by any Grant from 
 Heaven; or to be defended upon the Princi- 
 ples of Proteftantifm, or the Reformation ; 
 then indeed they might have fome fort of 
 Pretence: Or, coa'd they prove that the Sa- 
 cramental Teji is any Security of Loyalty, ei- 
 ther among themfelves, or others that take it 
 as a Teji for civil Preferments, they might 
 have fome fort of Plea : But this cannot be 
 faid by them : They are only afraid that 
 thofe Principles on which the Reformation 
 took place, and on which it can only be de- 
 fended, fliould by this means take a larger 
 Extent ; and that Liberty and T'mth (hould 
 
 become more triumphant. Nothing lefs 
 
 than this can be the Obje(ft of their Fear^ 
 for they know that the Protejlant DiJfenterSy 
 upon the moft juft and equitable Laws of 
 Reafon, are entitled to the Benefits of the 
 Community equally with themfelves in all 
 civil Regards. They know, that for any Le- 
 gif.ature to be partial in their Regards, and 
 to make Provifion for the Benefit of one part 
 of the Subjeft, and at the fame time negled 
 
 anotherj 
 
[ 9 ] 
 
 another, which other is equally as loyal, as 
 faithful, and as capable as themfelves, is the 
 mofl: certain way of introducing Animqfities 
 and Difcord I And they know that as Mini- 
 fieri of the Gofpely they have no manner of 
 Claim to Precedence over others, who are 
 Chrijtians as well as themfelves, and to fay 
 the leafl, equally as good Members of Com- 
 munity. 
 
 But alas ! our Letter Writer ftands amaz'd 
 at their culpable Indolence and irreligious De- 
 fe6i of Zeal ; nor docs he fee any Ground of 
 Hope, that they will ever be converted^ fo as 
 to ftrengthen their Brethren. So far from this, 
 he has 
 
 In the 3^ Place, told us, " that the preje?it 
 " Life is a State ofTryal\ and it is the Will of 
 " God^ that in this prefent State his Servants 
 ^^ Jhould be tried. — That it was for this^ among 
 *' other Reafons^ it was permitted that the Se5i 
 " of the Nazarenes fiould he every where fpo- 
 
 *' ken againji. Pofjibly^ therefore in this 
 
 " Day of extenfive Liberty^ God is pleafed to 
 ^^Juffer this Tefi to abide, that by fome evident 
 *^ Jef Denial^ Dijfenters might have an Occa- 
 *^ Jiofi of tejiifying to the World the Sincerity of 
 " their Difjhit from humane Inventions. And 
 *' yet, he does not fay that if is his Will that 
 " his moll facred hiftltiition fiould be prophan d^ 
 *' and prof i tilted to ferve low fecular Ends-, 
 ** (let the Guilt of that lie where it is due) but 
 -" the DifTenters Jhoud have an Opportunity of 
 
 *' approving 
 
[ 10 ] 
 
 " approving the Sincerity of their ConduSf, and 
 ** of evidencing their dijinterefted Zeal for the 
 *' Purity of divine Worjhip, by a generous pi- 
 ** ous Contempt of temporal Power or Profit.** 
 
 Can any thing be more evident, than that 
 this Letter Writer would infinuate that the 
 Coftformijis are not the Servants of God ? for 
 if they were, it wou'd be rational to fuppofe 
 it wou'd h& his Will thzt they fliou'd lie under 
 fome fort of public T>if qualifications for tem- 
 poral Power and Profit. On the other hand, 
 we find they are under 7io kind of Difqualifi- 
 cations or Tryals of the Sincerity of their 
 Condud: from the Publick : But inftead of 
 this, it is they that cherifli the Offence, and 
 it was they who firft gave it being. They 
 are the Satans who are lofft the Dtjfenters as 
 Wheat. They are not the SeB of the Naza^ 
 renesy but they who fpeak againft it j i. e. 
 they, in other Words, are not Chriftians but 
 Perfecutors of Chriftians, in the Language of 
 this Letter Writer! and the accurfed thing is 
 in their own Bofoms ! 'tis to be found only 
 in the Tent of this Achan I They are fo far 
 from (liewing a pious Contempt to Places of 
 temporal Power and Profit^ that they hug the 
 golden Wedge, and will not part with fo 
 much as 2i filing of it to the true Ij'raelites. 
 
 Strange Realbning ! Mr. DiJJhiter^ what 
 would you imagine, that any fober thinking 
 Proteftant can read you without Contempt? 
 What, are not the Members of the the Efta- 
 
 bliHi'd 
 
[ II ] 
 
 blifli'd Church in a State of Tryal ? Are not 
 they the Servants of God as well as Proteftanc 
 Dilienters? and if they be, (hould not the Dif- 
 fenters wifli for the Removal of what is To much 
 to the Reproach and Scandal o^ thoit Brethreriy 
 as that, of fuch an opefi Prophanation of one of 
 Chrift's Inftitutions is ? The Continuance of 
 the Corporation and 'TV/? Acis can never be de- 
 iign'd by God Almighty as neceflary Means of 
 trying the Virtue and Integrity of the Diffen- 
 ters J fince it is matter of great Offence to 
 Him, to them^ and to all fober, moderate, 
 judicious Conformifts. Befide, this would alfo 
 imply in it, that it was the Will of God that 
 his moft facred Inftitution {hou'd be propha- 
 ned and proftituted to ferve loiv^ fecular Ends : 
 i. e. thofe of civil Preferments, in which lies 
 the Iniquity it felf ; thus, Evil may be fuppos'd 
 to be done, as the Decree of Heaven^ in order to 
 procure the good of only one Party of Chrifti- 
 
 ans, viz. Protefant DiJJenters. 
 
 How " the Counfel of Gamaliel (mutatis 
 ** mutandis) fcems to be good in this Cafe, 
 " viz. That the Dijfenters jhoii d let this mat- 
 " ter alone — left haply they be found to fight a- 
 
 " gainfi God,''. 1 fee not ; on the contrary, 
 
 it is a Conclufion, in my Opinion, no way 
 fupported. It is no more than a mere Har- 
 rangue. Can any thing in ih\s Attempt be at- 
 tended with fuch aConfequence? There is no 
 Poffibility of it, even in the Senfe of our 
 Letter Writer i for, if the Laws be oppreffive 
 
 C and 
 
[ 12 ] 
 
 and iniquitous ; if the Continuance of them 
 be wicked and injurious ; if this facramen- 
 tal Teft be a Prophanation and a mle Abufe ; 
 to endeavour to remove this Guilt cannot be 
 to fight againft God. The Interefl of Liber- 
 ty, the Rights of Confcience, the equal Pro- 
 tection and Favour of Governours, are what 
 both Reajbn and Religioii demand the Prote- 
 ftant to contend for, as they are the Caufe of 
 Truth and of God. — This Writer's Conclu- 
 iion mud therefore be v^^eak and impertinent, 
 if not notorioufly wicked. 
 
 But perhaps he has here ufed a Figure^ and 
 intends by God, Men in Power, who are fome- 
 times called Gods. If fo, then we mud fup- 
 pofe him to mean, that if the DilTenters fhou'd 
 apply for the Repeal of thefe difqualifying 
 Laws, haply they may be found to fight againft, 
 that is, oppofe the Meafures of the M— y. 
 
 To this I anfwer, that if thefe Laws are ini- 
 quitous, as all Parties, 1 think, muft own they 
 are ; and if the Proftitution of the Lord's Sup- 
 per be a great Prophanation of that Inftituti- 
 on ; then we may be alTur'd, that a M — y de- 
 termining to fupport any Community onfuch 
 unequal Dijiributiom of Juftice, and on fuch 
 unwarrantable Freedoms with the Chriftian's 
 Sovereign and Lord, may, with infinitely 
 more Propriety, be faid to fight agamfi God: 
 And fuch uneoualAdminiftrations can neither 
 fecure nor promote the Honour of their 
 Prince y nor the Welfare of their Fellow 
 2 Subjeds ; 
 
[ 13 ] 
 
 Subje(5ls ; but will be attended with dire and 
 fatal Confequences. 
 
 If he fhould mean, that the DiJJ'enters will 
 be expofed to Publick Refentment by fuch Ap- 
 plication; and cou'd we fuppofe him to be, 
 in earnefl: a Proteftant Di(fenter^ we muft 
 conclude the Man in high VapounX and with 
 equal Juftice think him afraid of walking 
 through St. Paul's-Church-Tard^ for fear the 
 Dome' fhould tumble upon his Head. — We 
 have a Minijiry\ and great Numbers of the 
 Conftituents of our Legiflature, who under- 
 hand the Nature of Government infinitely 
 better ; who know well the ill Effeds thefe 
 Laws have all along had in weakening and 
 dividing the Proteftant Caufe and Intereft. 
 They know no way of crufiing and perfecu- 
 ting the Body of Proteftant Diflenters, but at 
 the Hazard of being crufh'd and devour d 
 themfelves by the Jaws of Popery; and of 
 thereby facrificing every Remainder of Li- 
 berty. They know the firm Attachment of 
 the auguft Houfe oi Hanover to that of Pr^- 
 teftantifm^ on which Account the immortal 
 William fecur'd to it the Entail to the 
 Crown of thefe Realms! and they cannot be 
 unappriz'd of the fecret and open Efforts of 
 the Romanifts at this Day in the midft of us. 
 *Tis true, if the Government were determin- 
 ed to crufh the Diflenters ; they have help e- 
 nough at hand, Men of the Romijh Church, 
 that are allowed to meet in Thoufands for 
 
 C 2 publick 
 
[ H ] 
 
 publick MafTes ; they may have looooo of. 
 that mercilefs butcherly Communion, who 
 arc eminent in Maffacre! Blood! and Slaugh- 
 ter! But then, let Proteftants of the Eftablifh". 
 ment confider, that (liou'd this ever be the 
 cafe^ their own Religion or Liva muft be the 
 next Sacrifice. I dillent therefore from our 
 Letter Writer, and am fully perfuaded that 
 the Proteftant DiJJenters by their Application 
 for the Repeal, are far from being in any 
 Danger of fighting againft God. 
 
 If it fliould be yet objected, that there is 
 another Senfe in which they may be faid to 
 
 oppofe or fight againft the M y, viz. in 
 
 that there are many dificult Affairs before 
 them, and this Attempt will render their Af- 
 fairs more perplexed, and involv'd. I anfwer, 
 that fuppofing the prefentGonjundlure of Af» 
 fairs ever fo much perplexed, there is pro- 
 portionably the more apparent Reafon for this 
 Application. The Continuance of ihticA^s 
 is 2l public Crime, and the Guilt public ; and if 
 •we will admit that there is a Governour of the 
 World, by whom Kings reign, and Princes 
 decree Juftice ; it will be but juft Reafoning 
 
 in our M- y, under any involv'd Circum- 
 
 ilances, to abrogate and repeal any known 
 iniquitous Laws -, and thereby fpread a greater 
 Harmony, and ftronger Cement and Friend- 
 fhip among the Members of the Community. 
 Nor would this be at all difficult for them to 
 accomplifh, efpecially, when dAmo^xh^ivhole 
 
 Bench 
 
[ ^5 ] 
 
 Bench of B-^ps are entirely at their Beck and 
 Direftion. — With what eafe could our Right 
 Reverend Paftors recommend the Repeal as 
 reafonable and fit ? yea, as highly expedient 
 and neceflary, view'd both in a civil and re- 
 ligious Light ? And thus prove, that they had 
 a fincere and juft Regard to their Chara(fter 
 
 as Minifters of Chrift. 
 
 But the ^th Reafon affign'd by our Letter 
 Writer againft the Diflenters Attempts, is, 
 " that he thinks, that all the Inftafices of Le^ 
 " nity and Favoury that Dijfenters have re- 
 " ceived fince the infamous Bartholomew A<ft, 
 " have been procurd by remarkable Interpoft- 
 " tions of divine Providence j fb that as thefe 
 " A£ls of the Cov^ordiUon and Teft are oppref- 
 ^^ five LawSy he believes they will fome time or 
 " other be taken away, but that they ought to 
 " wait God's Tijney Mr. Dissenter, 1 muft 
 beg leave to differ from you in the Manner of 
 your expreffing this: You talk of Lenity and 
 Favour, and apply this to the feveral Relax- 
 ations of the penal Lawsj and particularly, 
 to the AB of "Toleration. What do you mean 
 by Lenity and Favour f You fay zhe Bartholo' 
 mew AB was infamous ! and fo it was : But 
 neither it, nor any other difqualifying haw 
 cou'd be caird fo, if the Proceftant Diffenters 
 had deferv'd fuch Stigmas of Reproach. But 
 if they deferv'd no fuch Ufage, then thofe 
 Laws were all infamous^ as they were unrigh- 
 teous and iniquitous : And if fo, then any A- 
 
 batements 
 
[ i6 ] 
 
 batements of the Rigour of them cannot be 
 look'd upon as Favours granted to the Difien- 
 ters, they only prov'd the EnaBors of fuch 
 lefs rigorous Laws, were more honeft than 
 thofe who enaded the more rigorous ones : 
 for Lenity and Favour fuppofes fomething 
 that the Party fubjed to fuch Treatment had 
 no Right to, upon the Foot of Equity. But 
 this cannot be faid even of the Eflablifhmenc 
 of the Toleration in King William's Reign; 
 or of the Repeal of the Schifm Aci in the 
 
 Reign of King George I.- Noj far from 
 
 this, for as Old Common Senfe fays, " the A(ft 
 
 * of Toleration is not to be efteem'd any great 
 ' Alleviation : For what is that, but acknow- 
 ' ledging Men Innocent, and yet holding the 
 
 * Lafi over them as ij they were Culpable ? 
 
 * or making a Merit of that as an Indulgence^ 
 ' which is in it felf a matter of Right ? — If 
 ' then the DiiTenters are born equally free 
 
 * with thofe of anv other Perfuafion, and e- 
 'qually contribute to the Support ofGovern- 
 ' ment, and Peace of Society, why (hould a- 
 ' ny innocent ^ if not Laudable Point of 
 ' Speculation, iligmatize fo large and ufeful 
 ' a Body of Men trom the reft of his Maje- 
 'fly's Subjects? I fay jtigmatize ^ becaufe 
 ' Tefls are a fort of negative Punijhments ; 
 *nay, the rendering a Man incapable of 
 
 * Trufls and Offices without the Brand of 
 ' occafional Conformity^ is putting the Mind 
 
 to the Torture, tho' the Body efcape, and 
 
 " with 
 
[ 17 ] 
 *' with the fame Reafon and Juftice that this 
 " Teft was eftablifh'd, as many more may be 
 ** added, as the Exigencies of thofe they are 
 " to oblige may require." For God's fake, is 
 Religion a perfonal Thing, or no ? Has God 
 made Man a moral Agent, and as fuch, pof- 
 fefs'd of a Power and Freedom of Choice ? 
 If fo, what civil Power on Earth can ena(ft 
 Laws to eftablifh Religion ? — It is abfolutely 
 impoffible ; a civil Power may eflabli(h Mi^^d-i 
 ikndFcrins^ and thefe may be varied according 
 to the Tafte and Humour of the civil Power ; 
 but Religion is a thing of too facred a Nature 
 to be under their Dire(Sion ; its Province is 
 the Confciences of Men, and belongs only to 
 the Jurifdidtion of God, the great Judge of 
 the World. 
 
 Shou'd therefore a civil Fewer enadt a Law 
 which obliges to Uniformity in Sentiment and 
 in Modes of religious Worfhip ; this would 
 be exprefly to deny that Alan is a moral A- 
 gent J or, as a religious Creature, to have a 
 Right of Choice ; for as much as the Legis- 
 lature denies him. this Right; and obliges 
 him under Pai?is and Penalties to reiign his 
 moral Capacity, in order to his becoming a 
 RELIGIOUS Thing of their own fafliioning. 
 Than which, nothing can be more abfurd 1 
 Now \iihtA5i of Uniformity was fuch an un- 
 juft and impious Law as to invade the moft 
 facred Property of Man, which is grounded 
 in his very Make, and in his Relation to Al- 
 mighty 
 
[ '8 ] 
 
 mighty God j can we call a Relaxation of fuch 
 an unrighteous Demandj by a Name that fup- 
 pofes thisJcf of Uniformity 2, juft and a righte- 
 ous Law ? furely we cannot : But we (hall do 
 if, if we admit, as Proteftants and Chriftians, 
 that the ^i^f which remov'd thefe iniquitous 
 Obligations from the Subject, is properly a 
 toleration A6f. To tolerate, is to bear with, 
 ro fuffer or permit ; and implies in it Favour^ 
 and a Receding Jro?n flriB Jiiftice : Which 
 can with no Propriety be faid, of Mens being 
 ailow'd thofe Rights which God and Nature 
 has made their unalienable Property. 
 
 By this, I wou'd not be underftood as infi- 
 nuating that the ciijil Magijtrate has not a 
 Right of agreeing upon fome external Form 
 of Worfliip, and of providing for the due 
 
 Support of it on the contrary, I am of 
 
 Opinion, that if the Magi/irate or Legijlature 
 was not fome way to countenance and openly 
 encourage Religious Worlliip, the thoughtlejs 
 Rabble would foon degenerate into greater 
 Degrees of Stupidity and Vice than they are, 
 
 even at this Day And I much queftion 
 
 whether fo much as the Face of Religion 
 wou'd remain among our moji Noble and Po- 
 lite As it flands, they can now and then 
 
 vouchfafe to appear as doing Homage to the 
 great Lord of the World, becaufe it is not 
 yer become quite unpoiite and unfajhiona- 
 tie ! 
 
t '9 ] 
 
 I am therefore far from fuggeftlng that the 
 Legijlature (hould have no concern about en- 
 couraging Religion, that I cou'd wifh Religi- 
 on (hone in its fulled Luftre among our A^^- 
 bility and Gent'-)K All I have here ofFer'd, is, 
 chat the Civil Fower has no Right to invade 
 ihcfole Prerogacive of Heaven, or of violating 
 the moit facred unalienable Property of any 
 Individual. 
 
 Thus evident is it that the DifTenters are in- 
 jur'd by iht Corporation and the Tefi JlSfs, and 
 that they have an undoubted Right to make 
 
 a modejt Claim upon the Legiflature.^ To 
 
 afk the Repeal as a Favour, and to meanly 
 folicit for it, as if they defer v'd the Shackles 
 they vi'ore, is to pay an unrighteous Compli- 
 ment of both their Innoce?icy and Loyalty. The 
 Revolution ow'd its Being to them in a great 
 Meafure ; and fo did the Succeflion of the 
 preient Family 1 For altho' they had been 
 rigoroully perfecuted by their Brethren of 
 the Eftablifhment in King Charles the Se- 
 cond's Time, yet they threw in their Weight 
 to the Aid of the Prince of Orange : And have 
 never been known to defert or betray the Li- 
 berty of their Country. 
 
 Their Importance in the Proteflant Caufe 
 and Intereft is apparent from the Hiftory of 
 all Reigns iince the Reformation j for when- 
 ever 2.uy Def.g?is in Favour of Poj^^r)' have been 
 concerted at the Helm of Affairs, the Proie-;' 
 Jlant DiJJenters have, as a firft Step, been hatid' 
 
 D etifdi 
 
[ 20 ] 
 
 cuff'd: Of the Truth of which, the paffing of 
 the Schifm Bill was a late remarkable Inftance 
 
 If then, Principles of known Fidelity to 
 
 the prefent Royal Family, as Proteftant ; 
 if an hearty Abhorrence of arbitrary defpotic 
 Power; if an earnefl: Endeavour at all times 
 to remain as a Buttrefs to the Proteflant Re- 
 ligion, and the Intereft of it among us, are 
 fufficient Qualifications and Claims to thefe 
 free-born Subjeds, for enjoying equal Immu- 
 nities and Privileges with thofe of the Efta- 
 blifhment, they have an undoubted Demand 
 upon the Legiflature for the Repeal 
 
 But our Letter Writer fays, they muji wait 
 God's time for the Repeal. 
 
 I anjwer^ in his own Words, in the very 
 Sentence before, that they are evidently op- 
 pressive Laws, and as fuch all Times, 
 or any Time is God's Time for their Repeal ; 
 unlefs it can be made appear, that God for 
 any particular Seafon delights in Oppreffions, 
 Injuries, and Unrighteoufneffes, either in Rer- 
 fons or Nations. The Time for Reformation, 
 or a Repeal of iniquitous Laws, is Now, and 
 cannot be deferr'd to an uncertain Hereafter 
 with more Propriety, or lefs Stupidity, or 
 Danger, than the Repentance of a Sinner can 
 to an Hereafter. And this I'll venture to fay, 
 that if a public MiJiifler fees the hiiquity and 
 OppreJJion of any Law in being; he is oblig'd 
 by Virtue of the Confidence repos'd in him, 
 to provide a Redrefs with all Expedition; ;. e. 
 3 if 
 
[ 21 ] 
 
 if he would preferve a Confclence void of 
 Offence towards Almighty God ; his Save- 
 reign Prince ; and the People under hisAdmi- 
 niftration. The DifTenters then in making 
 this Application^ cannot be faid to take the 
 Work out of God's Hands into their own, as 
 this Letter Writer fuggefts ; but on the con- 
 trary, by doing it, they adl with Fidelity as 
 the Servaiits of God, and as fincere Friends to 
 the Community. 
 
 ^thly. Another Reafon of this Letter Wri- 
 ter s againft the Diflenters applying, is " his 
 " Fear that the Repeal will not anfwer fully 
 ** fuch valuable Ends, as the fanguine Hopes 
 
 ** of many are ready to fuggeil." What he 
 
 means by the/anguine Hopes of many I cannot 
 tell J or by the Repeal fully anfwering them. 
 This however is certain, that if the Teji Law 
 i)e iniquitous, and a vileProphanation of one 
 of the moft facred Inftitutions of our holy 
 Religion J the Repeal of it will anfwer this 
 valuable End, viz. that the Abufe and Pro- 
 ■phanatton will no longer be render'd unavoi- 
 dable by a Law; and the Guilt will thereby 
 be removed from the Conftitution. The Cler- 
 gy will be reliev'd from bt'ing tht Injlniments 
 .of this Projiitution -y and Libertines and Deifts 
 will not have the fame Handle of Offence at 
 this Evil. Which mufl be own'd to be valu- 
 able Ends, and worthy of our fanguine Hopes 
 and Defires. — > — We may fafely add, that the 
 Profped: of letting the DifTenters into Places 
 
 D 2 * of 
 
[ 22 ] 
 
 oi Profit and Truft, would not be a Matter uft' 
 worthy their fanguine Hopes: It would nocbe, 
 if a mere zealous SupprefTion of Immoralities, 
 and impartial Diftribution of JuO.ice be wor- 
 thy our Wifli. The very Stigr};-^ ^,^ Reproach 
 and Difqualification on the DilTenters is an 
 effedual Bar in the Way of a mors general 
 Reformation: This animates Party Zeal ; and 
 keeps alive the Spirit of Div'iioo cir.d Difcord. 
 
 Our Letter Writers Fear is, it feems, 
 grounded on " the Diflenters Heads being 
 *• like other Mens Heads, Vv'hich would be 
 ** apt to grow giddy when they gee into Places 
 ** of Power and Truji , and that, at ieaft, if 
 " they retained their Integrity, they would 
 " be very apt to relax their feeming Xt^l : 
 *' Worldly Honour is a dangerous Snare, ef- 
 ** pecially to Perfons bred in Low Life." 
 
 Here, I think, we may begin to guefs at 
 this Writer : And he muft be fome fallen 
 Spirit transform'd into an Angel of Light : 
 For you fee, he has put on the Garb of ce- 
 leftial Sandtity ; he would not have the Dif- 
 Jenters either touch, or tafte, or handle, any 
 of thoje Things which are very lawful to be 
 touched, or tafted, or handled by their Fel- 
 low Chrijiians and Fellow Subje&s ; as if they 
 were a luperior Rank of Beings to Conformifts I 
 bur, by their Coming into Places wou'd be 
 transform'd into the Likenefs of thofe other 
 "Men. Thus far the Seraphic Garment covers ; 
 but unluckily it don't reach low enough to 
 
 hide 
 
[ 23 ] 
 
 hide the cloven Foot : For he lays, it would 
 be very apt to relax their seeming Zeal: 
 Why did he not fay hypocritical Zeal ? And 
 worldly Honour is a dangerous Snare, he fays, 
 efpecially, to Perfons bred in low Life. 
 No Doubt this muft be efteem'd a Compli- 
 ment made by a Diffenter ! But good Sir, 
 
 why this contemptible Sneer? Are DifTenters 
 lefs acquainted with polite Education than 
 their Neighbours? Are your Men in Places 
 of Power and Truft fuch as cannot be equal- 
 led for good Breeding and fine Parts among 
 the DifTenters ? Or would you perfuade the 
 DifTenters to deny themfelves to be naturally 
 capable of filling up Pojis with equal Repu- 
 tation with thofe of the Effablifliment ? 
 
 I am perfuaded, according to their Numbers 
 they are as well furnifh'd both with natural 
 and acquired Abilities,as their Neighboursare? 
 •And the See of Canterbury has, I think, 
 more than once prov'd, as well as the Bench 
 of Bip^ops now does afford Proofs of their 
 Education fufhciently qualifying for Prefer- 
 ment. This you mufl be appriz'd of; but as 
 you thought fuch fort of J'olemn Cant would 
 ilrongly influence fome weak Minds, it might 
 .anfwer your Intention; and ferve to hide 
 your DiQike of the DiJ[e?iters being rendered 
 more capable oi fupprejjing Immoralities^ and 
 of being inflrumental in the more impar- 
 tial Dillribution of Juflice. If you were in 
 earneft in the Caufe of Liberty and Truth, 
 
 and 
 
[ 24 ] 
 
 and were convinced, as you pretend to be, of 
 the Diffemers Juperior Piety and Virtue^ you 
 muft readily conclude, that every wife Man 
 that loves his Country, would wiQi them in 
 Places of Power and Truji ; for as much, as 
 they wou'd rationally expedl them to prove e- 
 minent and extenfive Bleffings to the Com- 
 munity. 
 
 On the contrary, we find this Letter Wri^ 
 ter affigning this Reafon againft their being 
 put into Places of Profit and TruJi , viz.' 
 " that their Adions being more public, wou'd 
 •* be more narrowly examin'd, and every Mi- 
 ** flake magnified into a Crime; by means 
 " whereof many might be offended, and the 
 " greater Reproach brought upon their Chri- 
 " flian Profeflion." A kind of Reafoning di- 
 rectly repugnant to Truth and Virtue, or true 
 Patriotifm ; for, if the DifTenters be what 
 he has reprefented them to be, viz. more 
 pure and holy than their Fellow Chriftians of 
 the Eflablifhmenr, th^n they are, in the Lan- 
 guage of our Lord, the Lights of the World, 
 which fhould not be put under a Bed or a 
 Bufioel, but in a Candleftick ; whereas, he 
 wou'd have them hid, and is afraid of having 
 them as a City Jet on an Hill, or in Places 
 where their Condud: may be more confpicu- 
 ous: He is afraid of their A(5tions being ex- 
 pos'd to too flricfl Examination. O pufilla- 
 nimous! O guilty Wretch! I am afraid thy 
 Hands are full of Iniquity, ocherwiTe, why 
 
 fhouldft 
 
[ 25 ] 
 
 fhouldft thou fear for the DifTenters ? If thou 
 waft a true Patriot, thou wouldft wi{h the 
 Diflenters in Places, for the very Reafon thou 
 affigneft againft it; and wou'dft forefee the 
 happy Confequences of fuch their Situation 
 to the Nation in general ! ~ 
 
 I advife this Letter Writer to review his 
 Performance, to lay his Hand upon his Heart, 
 to repent, recant, and then, if poffible, hope 
 for Remifllon.— — 
 
 I now humbly appeal to the Legisla- 
 ture. 
 
 With great Submiffion, the Repeal of the 
 Corporation and Teji A6fs, is a matter of Right 
 to which the Protefiant Dijfenters have a 
 Claim upon the Foot of Reafon, common Ju- 
 fiice, and true Policy, For, as I have before 
 cited Old Common Senfe, I beg leave to do ic 
 again ; " Reafon a.nd Religion demand to have 
 " the Confcience free, and refent every Tax 
 ** 'tisencumber'd with, as the moft grievous of 
 *' all Impofitions. 'Tis true, if Men under the 
 •* Umbrage of Religion, or Liberty of Con- 
 " fcience, lay down fuch Principles as nacu- 
 " rally terminate in Adtions deftrudlive of the 
 " fame Liberty in their Fellow Subjecfts, 'tis 
 " the Duty of the Magiflrates to reftrain, even 
 " with Pains and Penalties, the Growth of 
 ** fuch obnoxious Tenets, and in this View 
 *' the Roman Catbolicks demand the Atten- 
 " tion of the Government much more than 
 
 " the 
 
[ 26 ] 
 
 " the Diljenters^ who but honestly en- 
 
 ** DEAVOUR TO RECOVER THEIR BlRTH- 
 
 ** RIGHTS. Danger then to the Public being 
 '^ the only Call the Magiftrate has to inter- 
 ** pofe his Authority in matters of Religion, 
 " all Ads of Uniformity are Violations of that 
 " Freedofti, which we are anfwerable for to 
 
 ** God alone." The Protejiant Diffenten 
 
 have a Claim to your Regard, their Demand 
 
 arifing from Equity and Right eoufnefs. 
 
 His moft facred Majefty King George, 
 whom God long preferve, knows, that his 
 Throne has its Foundations in Protestan- 
 tism. That by our Conflitution, he wou'd 
 have had no Claim had he been a Papiji, 
 And he is well affur'd, that the firm Attach- 
 ment of his August House to the Gaufe of 
 Religious and Civil Liberty has been its 
 Glory ! And that the Happinefs and Weal of 
 his Kingdoms depend on his continuing a 
 Guardian of their Liberties. And he cannot 
 but know, that that Part of his People diftin^ 
 gui(h'd by the Name of Protejiant Dijfenters 
 have always been, and yet are, upon the moft 
 undoubted Principles of Loyalty, his faithful 
 Subjecfts ; and have every way an equal Claim 
 to his Favour with thofe of the Eftablifliment 
 as to Places of Civil Employ. And that there- 
 fore thofe difqualifyingLaws of the Corporati- 
 on and Tejl ASfs, arc an undue Limitation of 
 his Prerogative ; as well as in theiriT- Ives ini- 
 quitous and oppreffive. Thatof Confequence, 
 
 the 
 
[ 27 ] 
 the Continuance of thefe Laws, Is weakening 
 the Foundation and Stability of his Throne. 
 And whoever, at any time chufe to reprefent 
 them to his Majejiy in a different Light, are 
 Enemies to their King and Country. 
 
 The Moft Noble the Peers of this Realm^ 
 are many of them aflured of the Truth of 
 what I have affirm'd, concerning thefe LawSy 
 and the Reafonablenefs of the humble De- 
 mand of the Proteftant DifTenters. 
 
 Why the Bench of Bijhops fhould oppofe 
 fuch a Demand, cannot be accounted for upon 
 any Principles of Piety, Truth, or Virtue. 
 Wou'd they have the inferiour Clergy diligent, 
 and fludious, prudent and modeft? there muft 
 be Encouragement given to a Proteftant Dif- 
 fenting Clergy; For, thefe latter, as they 
 have no Provifion made for them by public 
 Authority^ are oblig'd to be circumfpedt in 
 their Conduct, as well as fedulous in their 
 Studies; and innumerable Inflances may be 
 given, where this has had a Check upon the 
 Eflablifh'd Clergy : This fort of Emulation 
 mufl be attended with Advantage to the 
 Church, and greatly preferve its Credit and 
 Reputation. Nay, it is matter of Doubc 
 with me, whether the Face of Proteftant 
 Liberty will remain among us any longer than 
 the Interefl of a Proteftant DifTent from a 
 public Eftablifliment is fupported. The EJia' 
 blijhment ever fince the Reformation has fet- 
 tled on its Leei^ and is fo tenacious of eve- 
 
 E ry 
 
[ 28 ] 
 
 ry of its Forms, Rites, and Ceremonies, that 
 it is too great an Adventure to attempt to ex- 
 punge a Verfion of Pfalms made ufe of in the 
 religious Service ; tho' great Part of them are 
 in a Drefs and Language now perfedly bar- 
 barous ! in fo much Danger is it of finking 
 into great Corruption. And many Inftances 
 of paft Times may be produc'd wherein its 
 Recovery has been owing to this Puritannic 
 Spirit, and the Efforts made by Men who 
 gave Teftimony againft fuch Innovations by 
 an open Diffent. 
 
 It is indeed pretended by fome of the Sa- 
 cred Bench, that the>^^ oj Toleration is ef- 
 fential to the^nVZ/^Conftitution, and that to 
 make any Infringements on that, is to break 
 in upon the Conftitution, and to hazard the 
 Ruin of the whole Fabrick. But with the mofl 
 profound Submiffion to their Lordships, 1 
 would ask how it can be made appear, that 
 an unequal Dijhibiition oj 'Juftice, and an open 
 Prophanation of a religious Inflitution, can be 
 cffential to a Britifli, Proteftant, Chriftian 
 
 Conftitution ? Was zuy Foreigner that 
 
 underflood the Chriftian Revelation, and had 
 form'd juft Sentiments of Liberty, and the 
 Nature of Civil Government; was any fuch 
 Perfon to read over the A^ of Toleration, and 
 enquire of a Britift) Bifhop, what it meant ? 
 he would naturally think of enquiring whe- 
 ther the People io tolerated were not Free- 
 born ? Or, whether they had forfeited an e- 
 
 qual 
 
[ 29 ] 
 qual Right to Liberty with others, by any 
 Overt-a(5ts as a Body? Or, whether they em- 
 braced. Principles deftrudtive of the Govern- 
 ment under which they liv'd ? If in an- 
 
 fwer, the Bifhop fliould be able to fix a £)//- 
 qualification under any one of thefe Heads; 
 which we are aflured he cou'd not. — But for 
 Argument fake, we'll fuppofe he cou'd under 
 every Article of Enquiry ftiew them difqua- 
 lified ; what would he fay to the Stranger^ 
 when he ask'd the following Queftion ? viz. 
 Pray how comes it about, my Lord, that thefe 
 Criminals^ under thefe negative PunijJoinents, 
 lliould be able to wipe off the whole Staifi by 
 once receiving the Lord's Supper according 
 to your eftablilli'd Form ? will that certainly 
 convert, enlighten, and ftrengthen them, ir^ 
 their Principles and Capacities, inftantaneouf- 
 ly ? will that extirpate their heretical, fchif- 
 matical, and dijloyal Principles and Sentiments ? 
 1 never heard, my Lord, of the Sacrament fo 
 applied in my Country; nor do I remember 
 that Chrift ever intended it fliould be fo ap- 
 plied in any Country. But I doubt not, my 
 Lord, but you have good Authority for what 
 you do ; fince you infift upon it as effential 
 lo your Conftitution. — -The Stranger, might 
 yet encreafe his Surprize when he confider'd, 
 that thefe Criminals thus difqualified, are 
 ovvn'd by my Lords the Bifiops to be Chriiti- 
 ans as w^li as themfelyes ; and yet their re- 
 ceiving the fame Euchari/i in their owi> 
 
 E z Churches. 
 
[ 30 1 
 Churches merely as an Inftitution of Chrift, 
 can have no fuch Efficacy, as it can, when 
 receiv'd as a Teji of Civil Capacity enjoin'd 
 
 by public Authority,- Should the Bifhop 
 
 be required to explain the Circumftances in 
 which P rot eft ant Dijj enters dilFer from the 
 Eftablijh'd Church ; and be ask'd, whether he 
 would not keep his Mitre, if the Govern- 
 ment {hculd eftablifh a Preibytei'ialYoiva of 
 Worfhip r I am perfuaded he cou'd not with 
 
 Integrity fay he wou'd quit it. Nor cou'd 
 
 he be capable of proving Ejifcopacy prefera- 
 ble to Presbytery^ when it (hou'd be obferv'd 
 to him, that the very fame Legislature 
 eftabiifhes both j and both are under the e- 
 qual Protection of the fame Defender of the 
 Faith ! unlefs it can be made to appear, that 
 the River Tweed parting the two Eftabli(h- 
 ments, has render'd Presbytery the Caufe of 
 God on the Northern Side, and Epifcopacy 
 
 the fame Caufe on the Southern. 
 
 Why then fhould thefe People be difqua- 
 lified on the Foot of mere Caprice and arbi- 
 trary Pleafure ? There is no Foundation befides 
 this on which the Toleration Act can be 
 
 fupported. Reafon and Juftice, Truth and 
 
 Virtue afford it no Place whereon it can reft ; 
 And yet, forfooth, thefe unreafonable unrigh- 
 teous Laws, which require a vile Prophana- 
 tion of one of Chrift's Inftitutions, muft be 
 efteem'd effential to the Britifh Conftituti- 
 on ! 
 
 I 
 
[ 3' ] 
 
 I wou'd farther humbly fuggeft to their 
 Lordfiiips, that they have not only been be- 
 holden to the Proteftant Dijfenters for the 
 Support of their Eftablirtiment againft Pope- 
 ry and arbitrary defpotick Power and Will; 
 but they muft ever be beholden to them ; for, 
 ihey have not a fufficient Number of Laity 
 and Clerg)\ to make a lland againft yacobites^ 
 and fuch who long for another Revolution. 
 ^The Proteftant DifTenters are an important 
 Ally, and will be yet more fo, if their own 
 Coalition {hou'd, which I hope in God it 
 will, take in that ufeful Body of Men called 
 pickers ; They, as well as the three Denomi- 
 nations of other DifTenters, are now become 
 well acquainted with the Nature and Impor- 
 tance of Britiih, Proteftant, Chriftian Li- 
 berty 
 
 As to the Right Hon. the Commons of Great 
 Britain. 
 
 There are among them a brave Number of 
 Patriots who openly made a Stand, at the 
 laft Application in favour of the Repeal. And 
 I doubt not, but will again readily confent to 
 remove thefe difqualifying Laws, and from a 
 full Convidion of the Oppreftion, and Ini- 
 quity of them, determine their immediate 
 Abrogation. 
 
 It is indeed faid, that the M — y wou'd be 
 willing to take off the Corporation A5ly from 
 the Inconvenience they find attending ib ma- 
 
[ 32 ] 
 
 ny Burroughs who have the Diflenters exclu- 
 ded the Magiftracy and Government of them j 
 and perhaps this wou'd be of great Service 
 in the Choice of Reprefentatives in general, as 
 the Diflenters are as little chargeable with 
 Venality, as any of their Neighbours ; and 
 more generally vote from a confcientious Re-* J 
 gard to the good of their Country, than fori; 
 Hire or Bribery. 
 
 But methinks, altho' I wou'd not prefume 
 to dired:, yet I wou'd humbly hope, that our 
 Reprefentatives would not felfiflily confine 
 their Regards to this fingle Advantage ; when 
 the Removal of the Teji A51 is an Occafion 
 of a vile Abufe, and an unavoidable Propba^ 
 nation of the moft facred Inflicution of our 
 holy Religion. This furely will deferve their 
 Regard; for, altho' they may have taken the 
 Sacrament themfelves as a Ti?/?, only in Form, 
 and not confider'd it as a Rite or Injlitution 
 cf yefus, appointed only for a religious ufe ; 
 yet when they coniider that it is in Ja5f 
 a Propbanation , and will and muft be Cr 
 fteem'd fo, by all fuch v/ho acknowledge 
 Christ to be the Sole Lawgiver in his 
 Kingdom or Church ; they will fee the great 
 Neceflity of eafing every fcrupulous Confci- 
 ence ; and of removing this Oitence out of 
 the Britilh State and Church. 
 
 I fhall conclude, by addreffing my felf to 
 the Body of the Protedant D.ijfcnters, 
 
 I Your 
 
[ 33 ] 
 
 Your DilTent, Gentlemefty is to be defend- 
 ed on the Right of private "Judgment : Li- 
 berty of Confcience is your undoubted Right 
 and Claim, as Men^ ,as Frotejtants^ and more 
 efpecially as Chriftians. The Principles 
 on which you condu(ft are no way fubver- 
 five of Government ; and that faithful and 
 unblemiQi'd Character which you have hi- 
 therto fuftain'd by your firm Attachment to 
 the Principles of the Revolution^ is too con- 
 fpicuous to admit of any doubt about it. You 
 have been long under thefe negative Difcou- 
 ragements, and akho' you have had no Pro- 
 vifion made for the Support of your public 
 Worfhip, yet you can boaft, of not ever ha- 
 ving one Member in Rebellion againft a Pro- 
 teftant King, whilft he was defending the 
 Rights of his Subjects; nor concern'd in any 
 treafonableConfpiracies. The Church of En- 
 gland found you their hearty Allies in the Af- 
 fair of the Revolution, and own d you then as 
 their Brethren : And you have ever been the 
 Butt oi Jacobite and PopifJj Rage, when times 
 have moft favour'd the Return of arbitrary 
 Power and Slavery. Your Neighbours can te- 
 ilif^f' of your Charity, Love, and Affeftion; of 
 your Inregricy and Honour j of your Capa- 
 citicb for "Trade and Commerce, as well as for 
 Law^ Phyfic and Divinity: Nor would a 
 Plough- man in the Parifh where you live, 
 defpile you, or mark you with Reproach, if 
 his Parfon, or his Prieji-ridden Mafter had 
 
 not 
 
r 34 ] 
 
 not imbib*d into him horrid Sentiments a- 
 bout you, and defcrib'd you, as Schifmatics 
 or Hereticks, Nor would this have been 
 able to have fix'd the Stigma y if the Po- 
 pulace had not perceiv*d, that in order to 
 render the beji of you qualified for any im- 
 portant Office, either in Corporations^ or for 
 ihe Country y you muft take the Sacrament 
 according to the Ufage of the Church of En- 
 glandy or clfe you muft not be admitted ! 
 This, at the firft View, muft greatly narrow 
 the Charity of the common People ; and 
 perfuade them to conclude, that if receiving 
 the Sacrament in their Church is a neceflary 
 Qualification for Power and Trztft in this 
 World, it muft follow, that altho* they are 
 not themfeives pofTefs'd of affluent Fortunes, 
 nor are otherwife fit for fuch Employments, 
 yet, as they have been allow'd by Right of 
 Baptifm and Confirmation^ to attend this holy 
 Communion, it will certainly entitle them to 
 future Happinefs! and muft farther lead them 
 to efteem all thofe in a State of Unhappinefs, 
 who are not within the Pale of their own 
 Church. 
 
 This Foundation of fo popular a Prejudice 
 muft have a very hurtful Tendency in Socie- 
 ty J and has no one View worthy of a Prote- 
 ftant Chriftian Church. You have, there- 
 fore, the higheft Reafon to remonftrate a- 
 gainft the Continuance of thefe difqualifying 
 Laws : And till it can be prov'd that your 
 
 Ambi- 
 
[ 35 ] 
 
 Ambition of ferving your King and Country 
 in Places of Power and Truft, is more crimi- 
 nal than that of your Neighbours, or that 
 you are difqualified either by Reafon or Na- 
 ture for fuch Services, you may venture to 
 indulge the laudable Ambition ; and I can fee 
 no Reafon yfhy you ihould fufpedl your Heads 
 will be more giddy than your Neighbours. — 
 Don't be intimidated: — your Caufe is that 
 of Truths and of God : He has made you for 
 the Benefit of Society equally with others j 
 and your Claim being founded in Righteoul^ 
 nefs, you need not defpair of finding an agree- 
 able Reception. 
 
 'Tis true, you have been told, that it will 
 not be done except mov'd from another Quar- 
 ter ! but what then ? Suppofe you fhould re- 
 fer the matter to that other Quarter ; you 
 have been alfo told by that other Quarter, 
 that No Time is a proper Time. * To 
 what purpofe then, your referring it to be 
 done by thofe others, who have fo long pol- 
 luted the holy Thing, that they have loft all 
 Notion of the Sacrednefs of its Nature and 
 
 Appointment.- Remonftrate therefore j as 
 
 good Subjects you are oblig'd to do it, and 
 not to Juffer Sin upon your Brethren ; ex- 
 
 NotBy The grand Argument of the Gazetteer of Jan. zz. 
 1739. is to prove, that your nxjaiting a ivhile, Midi your (laying 
 till Dooms-Day, are convertible Terms, or mean one and the 
 fame Thing. 
 
t 36 i 
 
 pofe the Guilt, and fear not but a British 
 Senate will approve your Conducft. 
 
 You may fFom the fhrone colled: a ground 
 of Confidence; for, if Mercy ^«^ Truth 
 preferve /Z?^ King; and bis Throne is upholden 
 by Mercy y as it certainly does ; then the Want 
 of Truth or Mercy muft fhake its Founda~ 
 tions. 
 
 To conclude, YourCaufe is that of Liber- 
 ty; Britijk, Protejlant Liberty ! the Corpo^ 
 ration and Teft A5ls are an Infringement on 
 Liberty ; and as fuch, a Blot and Stain which 
 is the Reproach of a free People! the Re- 
 moval of thefe T>iJ qualifications will con- 
 vince the Nations around us, that our Legif- 
 lature does efteem Liberty a facred Privilege ; 
 and thereby it will effedtually baffle all far- 
 ther Attempts to divide us. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
 ERRATA. 
 
 Page 17. Line 4. inftead of, For God* s fake, is — , read 
 For God's fake, tell ffie, is. P. 32. 1. 14. inftead of, is an 
 Occafion, read wou^d take away an Occafton, 
 
VV'-V- 
 
JLSiiSi 
 
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