haps fufpected that the CHURCH (or at least that party of CHURCH-MEN which had ufurped the name) was become inaufpicious to the facred Æra from whence we were to date the eftablishment of our civil happiness; and therefore deemed it good policy to leffen the credit of a body of men, who had been long in high reverence with the People, and who had so lately and fo fcandaloufly abused their influence in the opprobrious affair of Sacheverell. To this end they invited fome learned men, who in the preceding reign had served the common caufe, to take up the pen once more against these its most peftilent enemies, the JACOBITE CLERGY. They readily affumed the task, and did it fo effectually, that under the profeffed defign of confuting and decrying the ufurpations of a popifh Hierarchy, they virtually deprived the CHURCH of every power and privilege, which, as a fimple Society, fhe had a claim to; and, on the matter, delivered her up gagged and bound, as the

rebel

rebel-Creature of the State. Their fuccefs (with the prejudice of Power, and what is still stronger, the power of Prejudice, on their fide) became yet the eafier, as the Tory Clergy, who opposed these Eraftian notions, fo deftructive to the very being of a Church, reafoned and difputed against the Innovators on the principles commonly received, but indeed fupported on no founder a bottom than the authority of Papal or (if they like it better) of Puritanical ufurpations: principles, to fpeak without referve, ill founded in themselves, and totally inconfiftent with the free administration of Civil-government.

In this then, that is, in humbling difaffected Churchmen, the friends of Liberty and the Acceffion carried their point. But in conducting a purpose so Îaudable at any time, and so neceffary at that time, They had, as we obferve, gone much too far; for inftead of reducing the Church within its native bounds, and thereby preferving

it from its two greatest dishonours, the becoming factious, or the being made the tool of Faction, which was all that true Politics required, and all perhaps that thefe Politicians then thought of; their Inftruments, by difcrediting every right it had, and even ftripping it of fome of them, in a little time brought it into general contempt.

But this was not the worst. These Enemies of obnoxious Churchmen found much affiftance in the forward carriage of the Enemies of Religion itfelf; who, at this time, under pretence of feconding the views of good Patriots, and ferving the State against the encroachments of Churchpower, took all occafions to vent their malice against Revelation itself: And Paffion, inflamed by oppofition, mixing with Politics thro'out the course of this affair, these Lay-writers were connived at; and, to mortify rebellious Church-men ftill more, even cried up for their free reafonings against Reli

2-go

a

gion, just as the Clergy-writers had been, for their exploits against Churchvernment. And one man in particular, the Author of a well-known book called the Independent Whig, early a favourite, and to the last a Pensioner, carried on, in the most audacious and insulting manner, these two several attacks, together: A measure supported perhaps in the execution, by its coinciding with some Statesmens private opinions ; tho' the most trite maxims of Government might have taught such to separate their private from their public. Character. However, certain it is, that the attack never ceased operating till all these various kinds of Free-writing were gotten into the hands of the PEOPLE.

And now the business was done : and the fober Friends of the Government were become, before they were aware, the Dupes of their own policy.

, In their endeavours to take off the in

fluence

fluence of a Church, or rather of a party of Church-men inaufpicious to a free State, they had occafioned at leaft, the loofning all the ties which till then Religion had on the minds of the Populace and which till then, Statesmen had ever thought were the beft fecurity the Magiftrate had for their obedience. For tho' a rule of right may direct the Philofopher to a principle of action; and the point of honour may keep up the thing called Manners amongft Gentlemen; yet nothing but Religion can ever fix a fober ftandard of behaviour amongst the common People.

But those bad effects not immediately appearing, our Politicians were fo little apprehensive that the matter had already gone too far, that they thought of nothing but how to improve fome COLLATERAL advantages they had procured by the bargain; which, amongst other ufes, they faw likewise,

would