Jesus's driving the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple; which, upon
the Authority of the Fathers, I shew'd to be a Figure of his future
Ejection of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons out of his Church, for
making Merchandise of the Gospel. The _Bishop_ has taken me and that
Miracle to task; and if ever any Man smiled at another's Impertinence,
I then heartily laugh'd when I read him. I begg'd of the _Bishop_
before-hand[344] not to meddle with that Miracle, because it was a hot
one, and would burn his Fingers. But for all my Caution; he has been
so Fool-hardy, as to venture upon it; but has really touch'd and
handled it, as if it was a _burning Coal_. He takes it up, and as soon
drops it again to blow his Fingers; then endeavours to throw a little
Water on _this_ and _that_ Part of it to cool it, but all would not
do. The most fiery Part of it, _viz._ that of its being a Type of
Jesus's future Ejection of mercenary Preachers out of the Church, he
has not, I may say it, at all touch'd, except by calling it[345] _my
allegorical Invective against the Maintenance of the Clergy_; which is
such a Piece of _Corinthian_ Effrontery in the _Bishop_, that was he
not resolv'd to lye and defame at all Rates, for the Support of their
Interests, he could never have had the Face to have utter'd. If the
_Bishop_ had proved that _that_ Miracle (which litterally was such
a----, as I dare not now call it) neither was nor could be a Shadow
and Resemblance of Jesus's Ejection of hired Priests out of the Church
at his second Advent, and that the Fathers were not of this Opinion,
he had knock'd me down at once. As he has done nothing of this, so he
might have spared his Pains in Support of the Letter of this Story.
But I shall have a great deal of Diversion with the _Bishop_, when I
come, in a proper Place, to defend my Exposition of that Miracle. In
the mean Time, as the Bishop has publish'd one of the Articles of my
Christian Faith, thinking to render me odious for it; so here I will
insert another, _viz._[346] "I believe upon the Authority of the
Fathers, that the Spirit and Power of Jesus will _soon_ enter the
Church, and expel Hireling Priests, who make Merchandise of the
Gospel, out of her, after the manner he is supposed to have driven the
_Buyers_ and _Sellers_ out of the Temple."
Now upon all this, whether the _Bishop_, modestly speaking, has not been
unjust, uncharitable, and insincere, to represent me as an _Infidel_, I
appeal to all learned and ingenuous Gentlemen. I am a Christian, though
not upon the _litteral_ Scheme, which I nauseate, yet upon the
_allegorical_ one. And by the following easy and short Argument it may
be proved that I am most certainly a Christian. I heartily and zealously
contend for the allegorical Interpretation of the Scriptures, which the
_Bishop_ allows to be true of me; consequently I must, and do believe
the Scriptures to be of divine Inspiration, or I could not think there
were such Mysteries and Prophecy latent under the Letter of them.
Whether then a Believer of the divine Inspiration of the Scriptures can
be an Infidel (O most monstrous Paradox!) or any other than a Christian,
judge Readers. Nay, if _Origen_'s and St. _Augustin_'s Testimony on my
Behalf may be admitted, I am more truly a Christian and Disciple of the
Holy Jesus, than any _litteral Schemist_ can be. _Origen_ says,[347]
That the Perfection of Christianity consists in a mystical
Interpretation of the Old and New Testament, of the Historical, as well
as other Parts of it. And St. _Augustin_ says,[348] That they who attain
to the Understanding of the spiritual Signification of Jesus's Miracles,
are the best Doctors in his School. The _Bishop_ understands this
Argument as well as any Man, and therefore I charge it home upon him, as
a wilful and malicious Slander, to call and account me an Infidel in his
_Dedication_, on purpose to incense the Government against me at this
Juncture.
But the _Bishop_ moreover calls me, as above, an _Apostate Clergyman_;
And why so? Because I have deserted the _Ministry of the Letter_, and
betaken my self to the _Ministry of the Spirit_ of the Scriptures.
That's like the Wit and Reasoning of his Pate! The _Bishop_ is old
enough, and has read enough to know that _Apostacy_, in the Sense of
the Fathers, is a Desertion of the _Ministry of the Spirit_, and a
Falling into the _Ministry of the Letter_ of the Scriptures; whereupon
I make bold to retort upon the _Bishop_, and say of him, and his
Episcopal Brethren, that they are _Apostate Bishops_.
But to humour the _Bishop_ in his fond _Dedication_, I will suppose my
self to be, what I am the farthest of any Man living from being, an
_Infidel_ and _Apostate_; yet
II. The _Bishop_ is a wilful Calumniator, or, at best, an unhappy
Misrepresenter of me, and of other Infidels, saying in his
_Dedication_, that our Design is _To sap the Foundation of all
Government_, and----_That we were pursuing such Methods, as have a
natural Tendency to introduce Confusion_. If this was true of us
Infidels (for now I speak of my self as one of them) it behoves Civil
Governors to look about them, and to punish and suppress us with all
speed; and we should be the most unreasonable Men alive, if we
complain'd of Persecution, or call'd it hard Usage. And the _Bishop_
of _London_, and other _Divines_ (like this _Bishop_) do commonly
declaim on the Danger of Infidelity to Civil Society, but this is all
Ecclesiastical Cant and Jargon. I thought I had given[349] the
_Bishop_ of _London_ so much on this Head of Complaint against
Infidelity, as I could not suppose the _Bishop_ of St. _David's_ would
ever have repeated it. It is true, what the _Bishop_ says, that
_Religion is the firmest Support of Government_, and _Christianity
especially lays the greatest Obligations, on Men's Consciences, of
Obedience to the Civil Powers_. I believe all this, and that the
better Christians Men are, the more quiet, peaceable, and useful
Subjects, and the greater Friends would they be to the Civil
Authority. But does it follow from hence, that we _Infidels_, because
we have rejected the Belief of some systematical Divinity, as the
_Clergy_ are fond of, should consequently be Enemies to the Civil
Government, and Foes to the Peace, Order, and Welfare of Society? O
fie upon the Drawers of such Consequences! We are, I believe, a
numerous and growing Sect in these Nations, though I am acquainted
with none, no, not so much as with the Great Mr. _Grounds_: But I
could never perceive that any of us, in Principle, were against Civil
Government, and the Welfare of the Community; or were for _Confusion_,
for setting the People together by the Ears, to the Disturbance of the
publick Peace and Tranquillity. No, no, our Interests in the World, as
well as other Men's, oblige us to consult the publick Welfare; and
our Consciences, from the Religion of Nature, bind us to Obedience to
Government; and, was it not agreeable to our Inclination, the
Necessity of Affairs would force us to be as quiet and obedient as are
any Christians: And I thank God, we have hitherto behaved our selves
very peaceably, clear of all Suspicion of Treason and Rebellion to any
Prince or State. The _Bishop_ hints at Experience to the contrary, but
it will puzzle him to give an Instance. One would think, by this
common Harangue, of _Ecclesiasticks_ against us _Infidels_, that
Christians, especially the Priesthood, being, as the _Bishop_ says,
both _under the Penalties of human Laws, and the stronger Impressions
of a future State_, were of a Lamb-like Nature, and never given to
disturb the Civil Authority: And I will own the Christian _Laity_
might be acquitted here, but for the _Clergy_, who have been
repeatedly the _Pest_ and _Bane_ of human Society, the Trumpeters of
Sedition and Rebellion, and mere Make-bates in Cities and Families.
And I dare say, that if the Civil Powers don't curb, and keep our
_Priesthood_ in awe, they will upon this present Occasion be the
Disturbers of the publick Peace. So little Sense and Truth is there
in the _Bishop_'s present Invective against us Infidels! If he had not
been infatuated to a Forgetfulness of the _Rogueries_ of Priests, in
all Ages, against the Civil Powers, he could never have insinuated
such a groundless and senseless Charge against us, to the Provocation
of the Civil Magistrate to fall on us. But
III. The _Bishop_ calumniates us Infidels (for against his Conscience,
whether I will or not, he will have me to be one of them) not only for
being Enemies to Government in general, which he will have us to
advance Principles destructive of; but insinuates and asserts that we
are disaffected to the particular and present Government of these
Kingdoms, saying, that as "we are active in propagating Infidelity, we
do in the last Resort, not only insult the Title of _Defender of the
Faith_, but undermine the undoubted Right of his Majesty and his Royal
Family to the Crown of these Realms, as it is founded on the
Profession of _Christianity_, reform'd, and now legally settled among
us; and therefore Persons of that Character may well be consider'd, as
equally false to the Author of our Faith, and to the present
Government.----Therefore in a just Sense of that Allegiance which is
due to the King, and for the Security of your Majesties, and the
Royal Family, and thereby of the Publick it self, as well as out of a
deep Concern for the Honour and Preservation of our most holy Faith,
the ensuing Treatise is now offer'd, under your Majesty's Protection,
to the View of the Publick." This is all such foolish and manifest
Slander, that I can't but think the _Bishop_ mad with Rage and
Indignation at me, when he writ it. I dare say the _Queen_, who is
firmly attach'd to the Interests of the Christian and Protestant
Religion, did, when she read all this, almost grieve for the _Bishop_,
and pity him for his Weakness and Ignorance. It is a _Maxim_ among all
Parties, that _Infidels_ are heartily affected to the present
Establishment of the State; yea, so far a _Maxim_, that _Jacobites_
and _High-Church-men_ are apt to accuse all the well-affected to the
Government, of Infidelity. From none of the Writings or Practice of
Infidels, much less of my self, could the _Bishop_ gather any of these
his _childish_ Surmises. The Government, since the Succession of the
Illustrious House of _Hanover_, has been twice attempted to be
disturb'd, and both times by profess'd Christians. The Rebellion at
_Preston_ consisted of _Papists_ and _High-Church-men_, and tho'
there were but few _Clergy-men_ in Arms, yet they were join'd with the
Prayers and Wishes of many Thousands of the _Clergy_, and even, as it
was suspected, of some _Oxonian Bishops_. Bishop _Atterbury_'s Plot
too consisted of Rebellious Christians, without the least intermixture
of us _Infidels_, who are the more zealously affected to the
Government, because of the Danger it is sometimes in from the
_High-Church Clergy_. Away then with the _Bishop_'s Slander, which,
for all we may be Unbelievers of Christianity, our Civil Magistrates
will laugh at and deride him for. But,
IV. Another Misrepresentation, more foolish and absurd than the former,
that the _Bishop_ has made of us _Infidels_, is, that we are making Way
for Popery and Slavery: For thus he says of us, "Nothing is more
demonstrable, than that those Adversaries (meaning us _Infidels_) of the
Christian Religion, who are now so busily employ'd in infusing Doubts
into some weak Minds, in giving an Indifference and Coldness to other
well-meaning Persons, and in making others, that are viciously inclin'd,
actual Proselites to Infidelity, are pursuing such Methods as have a
natural Tendency to introduce Confusion, and thereby betray us into
_Popery_." And again he says of Infidels, "That in Consequence of their
own Infidelity, and their wicked Diligence in spreading that Infection,
are bringing in upon us the real Persecutions of the Church of _Rome_;
who likewise, whilst they rail so plentifully at the most rational
Religion in the World as Superstition, give great Advantages towards
restoring the insupportable _Superstitions_ of that Communion. These are
the Persons indeed that appear in favour of an unbounded Liberty, but
God grant it may not terminate in an absolute _Slavery_." _Risum quis
tenerat?_ Who in his Wits could write such Stuff? And who without
Impatience can read it? I was going about a particular Dissection of
these two Paragraphs, and to lay open the Wit, Sense, and Oratory of the
_Bishop_, to the Contemplation of his Admirers; but I find it
unnecessary, as well as tedious to do it: The very transcribing of them,
and exposing them to View, is enough to render him ridiculous. If there
be no more danger of Popery, Slavery, Superstition, Tyranny, and real
Persecution from our _Clergy_, than from us _Infidels_, the Nation is
safe. _Infidels_ find too much Inconvenience in the Power, Craft, and
Follies of a Protestant _Clergy_, to make Way for _Popery_; which, as
the _Bishop_ rightly says, is a _Complication_ of Errors. There are,
what the _Bishop_ should have thought of, many Protestant Priests for an
Accommodation with the Church of _Rome_; and, if I mistake not, upon
such easy Terms as _this_, _viz._ If she'll but part with some of her
Superstitions that are of no Use to her; our _Clergy_ will admit of
others as will be of Advantage to them. But _Infidels_ are
irreconcilable Enemies to the Church of _Rome_, and so far from Wishes
and Endeavours to restore Popery, that it is mere Nonsense to charge
them with either direct or consequential Designs so to enslave Mankind.
But
V. The _Bishop_ says, that we Infidels (for I am one it seems) _labour
industriously to root out all Sense of Virtue and Religion among us_.
This is sad indeed, if true; and very bad Men should we be, and
deserving of the worst Punishment. But this wants Proof. How does he
know that we are for rooting out all Sense of Virtue and Religion
amongst Men? Does it appear so by our Writings or our Practices? Does he
find in our Books any Exhortations to Looseness and Immorality? Nothing
of this I am sure. Is he then so well acquainted with Infidels, as to
know them to be of more depraved and debauch'd Lives than profess'd
Christians? Nor this neither. I have not as yet heard that any of my
Disciples have been hang'd, lamenting his Misfortune of reading my
_Discourses_, as what encouraged him to Sin, and brought him to the
Gallows. No, those unhappy People, hitherto, die in the Faith and
Communion of the Church, either of _England_ or of _Rome_, and hope to
be saved through the Merits of their Saviour, Neither do, I hear of any
Gentleman, old or young, who has given a greater Loose to his Lusts and
Passions, since he read my Books. Such News would trouble me.
But because of this Out-cry of the _Bishop_, and of other Preachers
against us, that we labour industriously to root out all Sense of
Virtue and Religion amongst Men, I wish (for Proof) that _Infidels_
were distinguishable from Christians, that a Comparison might be made,
and the Difference discern'd between them, as to true Religion and
Virtue. Tho' I am one of little Acquaintance with Infidels, yet it is
my Opinion that, on this Score, they may vie with, and, all things
consider'd, do surpass Christians. One would think, by the _Bishop_'s
Insinuation above, that none but _good_ People were of his Christian
Faith; and that all Infidels were profligate Sinners; but he knows
better, and what's more, he should have been more ingenuous than to
charge _Infidels_ with _Labours to root out all Sense of Virtue and
Religion amongst Men_, if it was but in Regard to that learned
Gentleman who is supposed to be at the Head of Infidelity, and who,
they say, is as exemplary for all social Virtues, as any _Bishop_; and
dislikes Vice and Immorality as much as any Saint can do.
Whatever be the _Virtue_ and _Religion_ of _Infidels_, it is all
genuine, natural, and sincere; and consequently more Praise-worthy than
_that_ of hired Priests, who may be suspected of Hypocrisy, because of
their Interests. I heard a wild Spark say, that he could be as grave as
the _Bishop_ of _London_, if he was but as well paid for it. Whether he
believ'd the _Bishop_ would have been as loose as himself, but for his
_Hire_, I can't tell. But this is certain that, what can't be said of
Infidels, there are Priests who put on the Face and Form of Godliness,
and want the Life and Power of it; who lift up their Hands and Eyes unto
God, when their Hearts are far from him; and were not their Interests
more than their Faith, a Restraint to their Lusts, it is commonly
believ'd they would be a Company of loose _Blades_.
What a Pother is here of the Danger and Mischief of Infidelity to
Church and State? Do but take away the Cause of Infidelity, and the
Effect ceases. And what is the Cause of Infidelity? Why, what _Origen_
predicted, I experience to be true, that the _Ministry of the Letter_
is the Cause of it; and I appeal to Mr. _Grounds_, Whether litteral
Expositions on the Scripture, and the absurd Doctrines which the
_Clergy_ have built upon the _Letter_, have not been one Cause of his
calling into Question, the Truth of Christianity, and the divine
Inspiration of the holy Scriptures? But this is not the only Cause of
Infidelity; there are other grand ones, which Dr. _Moore_ writes of,
saying thus:[350] "That Men are exceedingly tempted to think the whole
Business of Religion is at best but a Plot to enrich the Priests, and
keep the People in awe, from observing that they, who make the
greatest Noise about Religion, and are the most zealous therein, do
neglect the Laws of Honesty and common Humanity; that they easily
invade other Men's Rights; that they juggle, dissemble, and lye for
Advantage; that they are proud, conceited, love the Applause of the
People, are envious, fierce, and implacable, unclean and sensual,
merciless and cruel; care not to have Kingdoms flow in Blood, for
maintaining their Tyranny over the Consciences of poor deluded Souls."
If then there is any Danger of any kind in Infidelity, let the
_Clergy_ take the Blame and Shame of it to themselves, and not lay
that Fault, which is their own, upon other Men.
But observing that Dr. _Moore_ above speaks of Priests, their
_neglecting the Laws of Honesty_ and _common Humanity_, as a Cause of
Infidelity, I must here do a piece of Justice to Infidels, who place
the very _Essence_ of all Religion (as I believe the Essence of
Christianity consists) in _common Honesty_. If they keep to their
Principles, and act agreeably, they will work such a Reformation in
the World for the better, as the _Priests_ of all Ages have not been
able to do. The _Clergy_ have made such a Noise in the World about
_Faith_ and _Doctrine_, that the People hardly think they need be
_Honest_ to be good Christians and even many _Clergy-men_ are
conceited of their being _orthodox_ and _sound Divines_, though by
their Dishonesty, Profuseness, and Neglect of a Provision for their
Families, they have, in the Judgment of[351] St. _Paul_, deny'd the
Faith, and are worse than Infidels.
And thus have I consider'd the Slanders and Misrepresentations of my
self and Infidels, contain'd in the _Bishop_'s _Dedication_ to the
_Queen_, which entirely is such a Piece of Fury, Railing, and
Impertinence, as a Man shall hardly meet with. Surely he was not awake
when he wrote his _Dedication_, it is so like the _Dream_ of a
disorder'd Brain which consists of confused Notions, and scatter'd
Ideas, that are never to be so compacted together, as to make tolerable
Sense, Reason, and Truth. If I had not met with much such flaming Stuff
in the Body of his Book, I should have suspected that some-body, more a
Foe than a Friend to him, had palm'd it upon him, and over-persuaded him
to print it, as what would recommend him to her Majesty's Favour.
Whether he'll merit a _Translation_ to an _Arch-Bishoprick_, for this
Dedication, with me is no Question. For all he may take me for his
Enemy, I wish him _translated_, as certainly as the Government has
_transported_ some other Folks, who are no more the Bane of Society.
_Buggs_ in a House, and _Caterpillars_ in a Garden, are not a greater
Grievance, than some sort of Ecclesiastical _Vermin_ in Christ's
Church and Vineyard.
That the _Bishop_ himself admires his _Dedication_, and is pleas'd
with it, I don't doubt. Like as _Bears_ are fond of their ill-favour'd
_Cubbs_, so the Brats of some Men's Brains, as well as those of their
Bodies, are pleasing to than; and however deform'd and irrational in
themselves, are hugg'd by them as so many Wits and Beauties. But
whether many, beside the _Bishop_ himself, will like his _Dedication_,
is a great Question. I don't doubt, but there may be some for
Persecution as well as the _Bishop_, and so far may approve of the
_Dedication_: But whether there is any one that can think, he has not
greatly injured _Infidels_, and made a false Representation of them,
for being Enemies to our Civil Government, and to our present
Establishment, can't surely be question'd. If he be not look'd upon
here, by all Mankind, as a wilful and malicious Misrepresenter of
them, I shall much wonder at it.
But what's the _Dedication_ to the Book it self, will some here say?
Tho' the _Bishop_ may have made some Slips in his _Dedication_ which
betray Weakness and Ignorance; yet his following Performance may be
Strenuous and Nervous, and a compleat Confutation of my _Discourses_. I
answer, that such a Dedication bodes ill to the Book; and a Man may as
well expect to find the inside of a House beautiful and richly adorn'd,
when the Porch and Entrance into it is mean and nasty; as that an
admirable Treatise for Wit, Reason, and Learning, should follow upon
such a poor, simple, and insipid _Dedication_. Commonly Authors take
more care in their _Dedications_, than in their following Treatise; that
is, they see better to the Accuracy of their Expressions, the Exactness
of their Stile, and Beauty of their Thoughts; and if they err at all in
them, it is only in Flattery, and excess of Compliments on their
Patrons. Such Care too, after the best manner he was able, has the
_Bishop_ taken in his _Dedication_ above; and whatever his Readers and
Admirers may think, the _Dedication_ is the best Part of the Book. The
Exceptions I have taken at the _Dedication_ are but small, in Comparison
of the Faults I shall find and expose in the _Book_ it self; which is
such a Complication of Impertinence and Errors, of Rage and Confidence,
and of Calumnies and Reproaches, as is not to be equall'd; and is so
far from deserving the Character of a Confutation of my _Discourses_,
that it has done them Service; and will be, after the Animadversions I
shall make on it, a Confirmation of the Goodness, Usefulness, and
Excellency of my Design in them.
I have not here room to make a compleat Dissection of the _Bishop_'s
Work, and to display its Insufficiency, in answer to my _Discourses_;
neither was it my Design in this _first Part_ of my _Defence_ to do
it. But however, I will spare a Place here for a short Character and
Representation of his Performance, which take as follows.
"The _Bishop_'s sole Aim and Design is to vindicate the _litteral
Story_ of our Saviour's Miracles, against my rational and
authoritative Objections to it. And to this Purpose he wrangles with
me, where he can, about the Sense of this and that Citation out of
the Fathers; and after he has forc'd another Sense on it, than the
Words do naturally bear, then he insults me for a Misrepresentation.
And where he meets with a plain Testimony out of the Fathers, which
he can't mangle nor strain to his Purpose, he fluently passes by it;
tho' he would have his _Readers_ to believe, he has vindicated the
litteral Story against my Authorities, and shewn that the Fathers
were all on his Side.
"He complains of my Mutilations of the Fathers, and of making too
curt Citations out of them; which is true, but more to my own
Disadvantage than to his. But, what is Matter of grand Triumph to
the _Bishop_, is, that I have quoted _spurious_ Works of the
Fathers for _genuine_ ones. And here he takes great Pains, and
wastes Time and Paper, to prove that _this_ and _that_ Book does
not belong to the Author under whose Name I cite it; and then has a
Fling at me for want of Skill in _Criticism_. But can the _Bishop_
be so weak, as to think, I did not know when I quoted a _spurious_
Work? Supposing the _Book_ I quoted do not belong to the reputed
Author, but to some other Writer, what's that to the Question
between us? The Citation is no less the Testimony of Antiquity, and
it's no matter whose Name it bears. If the _Bishop_ had thought a
little on this, he might have spared some Sheets of Paper, which he
has in vain wasted, to the Loss of his Readers Time and Money.