fidering a very known and vulgar truth, that the meanest farmer hath all manner of advantages against the most powerful clergyman, by whom it is impoffible he can be wronged, although the minifter were ever so evil difpofed; the whole system of teizing, perplexing, and defrauding the proclor, or his master, being as well known to every plowman, as the reaping or fowing of his corn, and much more artfully practifed. Besides, the leading man in the parish muft have his tithes at his own rate, which is hardly ever above one quarter of the value. And I have heard it computed by many fkilful obfervers, whofe intereft was not concerned, that the clergy did not receive, throughout the kingdom, one half of what the laws have made their due. As to his lordship's discontent against the bishop's court, I shall not interpose farther than in venturing my private opinion, that the clergy would be very glad to recover their just dues by a more short, decifive, and compulfive method, than fuch a cramped and limited jurifdiction will allow. His lordship is not the only perfon difpofed to give the clergy the honour of being the fole encouragers of all new improvements. If hops, hemp, flax, and twenty things more are to be planted, the clergy alone muft reward the induftrious farmer by abatement of the tithe. What if the owner of nine parts in ten would pleafe to abate proportionably in his rent for every acre thus improved? Would not a man juft dropt from the clouds, upon a full full hearing, judge the demand to be at least as reasonable? I believe no man will dispute his lordship's title to his estate; nor will I the jus divinum of tithes, which he mentions with fome emotion. I fuppofe the affirmative would be of little advantage to the clergy, for the fame reafon, that a maxim in law hath more weight in the world, than an article of faith. And yet, I think, there may be such a thing as facrilege; because it is frequently mentioned by Greek and Roman authors, as well as defcribed in Holy-writ. This I am fure of; that his lordship would, at any time, excufe a PARLIAMENT for not concerning itself in his properties without his own confent. The obfervations I have made upon his lordship's discourse, have not, I confefs, been altogether proper to my fubject: however, fince he hath been pleased therein to offer fome proposals to the house of commons with relation to the clergy, I hope he will excufe me for differing from him; which proceeds from his own principle, the defire of defending liberty and property, that he hath fo ftrenuously and conftantly maintained. But the other writer openly declares for a law impowering the bishops to set fee-farms; and fays, Whoever intimates that they will deny their confent to fuch a reasonable law, which the whole nation cries for, are enemies to them and the church. Whether this be his real opinion, or only a ftrain of mirth and irony, the matter is not much. However, my fentiments are are fo directly contrary to his, that, I think, whoever impartially reads and confiders what I have written upon this argument, hath either no regard for the church established under the hierarchy of bishops, or will never consent to any law, that shall repeal or elude the limiting clause relating to the real half value, contained in the act of parliament decimo Caroli, For the prefervation of the inheritance, rights, and profits of lands belonging to the church and perfons ecclefiaftical; which was grounded upon reafons that do ftill and must for ever fubfift. October 21, THE E have been told, in the common news W papers, that all attempts are to be made this feffion by the prefbyterians and their abettors for taking off the teft; as a kind of preparatory ftep to make it go down smoother in England. For, if once their light would so shine, the papists, delighted with the blaze, would all come in and dance about it. This I take to be a prudent method; like that of a difcreet phyfician, who first gives a new medicine to a dog, before he prescribes it to a human creature. The prefbyterians have, ever fince the Revolution, directed their learned cafuifts to employ their pens on this subject, by fhewing the merits and preten [m] See a letter on this subject, vol. iii. which was re-printed in Ireland on the fame occafion that produced this and the three following tracts, fions, upon which they claim this juftice, as founded upon the fervices they did towards the Restoration of king Charles the fecond, and at the Revolution under the prince of Orange: which pleas I take to be the moft fingular in their kind, that ever were offered in the face of the fun against the most glaring lights of truth, and against a continuation of public facts known to all Europe for twenty years together. I fhall therefore impartially examine the merits and conduct of the presbyterians upon those two great events; and the pretenfions to favour, which they challenge upon them. Soon after the Reformation of the church in England, under Edward the fixth, upon queen Mary's fucceeding to the crown (who restored popery), many proteflants fled out of England, to escape the perfecution raised against the church, as her brother had left it eftablished. Some of these exiles went to Geneva; which city had received the doctrine of Calvin, and rejected the government of bishops; with many other refinements. These English exiles readily embraced the Geneva fyftem; and having added further improvements of their own, upon queen Mary's death, returned to England; where they preached up their new opinions, inveighing bitterly against episcopacy, and all rites and ceremonies, however innocent and ancient in the church building upon this foundation; to run as far as poffible from papery, even in the moft minute and indifferent circumftances. This faction, under the name of puritan, became very turbulent during 3 |