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the Practice of moral Dutys; if you impofe any thing on Mankind but what is moral, the Zeal to perform that muft of course abate Mens Zeal in the Practice of moral Dutys, and confequently prejudice the Peace of Society.

(1.) FOR, extending of Zeal to other Objects befides Morality, muft take off a Portion of our Zeal for the Practice of Morality.

(2.) SINCE Mankind can never be perfect in the performance of their Duty, they will ever chufe to be punctual in that which is eafieft to be done: and therefore if you impofe any Speculations on Men, they will not fail in their Zeal for them, and leave a proportionable share of Morality undone.

(3) IT is matter of daily experience, that Zeal for impofing Speculations does deftroy the Practice of Morality; and every Religious Sect gives us a proof of it. For is it not obvious, that if you contend earneftly for the Doctrines of your Sect, and against the Doctrines of all other Sects; and in particular, if you are zealous for the Independent Power of the Prieft, his fole Right to preach, and his Power to damn or fave at his pleasure you shall be so far indulg'd in Vice and Wickedness, as to have it conceal'd

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ceal'd if poffible, and if made públick, to have it colour'd over with the moft charitable Conftruction imaginable? Whereas, if you are against Predeftination in Scotland, or Tranfubftantiation in France, or against the Power of the Prieft in either Country, you fhall be reprefented as the most infamous. Wretch (tho they have no particular Immorality to charge upon you) and all your innocent or virtuous Actions fhall be conftrued after the most uncharitable manner.

FURTHER, Are not the Streets of the City of London (like thofe of Rome, Paris, or Venice) full of common Whores, who are in effect publickly tolerated in their Wickednefs? And are not the Men who have dealings with them free from all Punishment, and almoft from Cenfure ? And yet few or no Complaints are made, of this Wickedness in the open ftreets, either from the Pulpit or the Prefs. But if any man afferts that a Layman may sprinkle Water in a Child's Face, or make a Difcourfe in publick upon a Text of Scripture; the Prefs rings with the Crime, and Dr. SACHEVEREL cries out from the Pulpit, That the English Fanatick, who fets up Lay-Elders, is the greatest Monster upon earth.

*Affize-Sermon at Oxford, Anno 1704.

BESIDES,

BESIDES, they who have an interest to enlarge their Sect and keep it united, know that nothing tends fo much to its Increase and Union, as the Toleration of Vice and Wickedness to as great a degree as they can conveniently: for by that means they are fure to engage all the Rogues and Vicious (and by confequence the Fools, who will ever be led by them) in their Party. And therefore wherever the Power of the Prieft is at the height, they proceed so far in the encouragement of Wickedness, as to make all Churches Sanctuarys or Places of Protection. Pope Pius V. confefs'd this Secret of Supporting a Church, when, upon hearing that the Proteftants were in earneft against Adultery and Fornication, he faid, *If they will not allow of fuch kind of fport in their Religion, it will never be of any long duration. And this Secret was early put in practice with fuccefs; for ZozIMUS tells us, That CONSTANTINE the

* Non fi chiava in quefta Religione, non durera. Confef. Cath. de Sancy. liv. I. c. I. se?

+ Προσήει τοῖς κεράσι καθαρσία των ημαρτημένων αιτων. εἰπον]ων ἢ ὡς ἐ άρα δεδοται καθαρμό τρόπο διαβήματα τηλικαῦτα καθῆραι δυνάμενΘ, Αιγύπτε τις πασης αμαρ το αναιρετική είναι η Χριστιανῶν διεβεβαιώσατο δίξαν. καὶ τότο έχειν επάγγελμα τὸ τὰς ἀσέβεις μεταλαμβανοντας αυτῆς, πάσης αμαρτίας έξω αραχρήμα καθίςαται. Δεξα μενος δὲ ῥάσα Κωνσαντίνο ἢ λόγον, καὶ ἀφεμεν * πατείων μετασχόνΘ δὲ ὧν ὁ ̓Αιγυπτός αὐτῷ μετεδίδε, τῆς ἀσε βειας των αρχην ἐποιήσατο, &c. Edit. Oxon. p. 104.

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Great, after he had committed fuch horrible Villanys which the Pagan Priefts told him were not to be expiated in their Religion, being af fur'd by an Egyptian (* Bishop) that there was no Villany fo great, but was to be expiated by the Sacraments of the Chriftian Religion, embrac'd the new Impiety (fo ZozIMUS impioufly calls the Chriftian Religion) and quitted the Religion of his Ancestors. And this Converfion of the Emperor CONSTANTINE gave occafion to JULIAN to fatyrize thus our Holy Religion: Whoever, fays he, is guilty of Rapes, Murders, Sacrilege, or any other abominable Crime; let him be wash'd with Water, and he will become pure and holy and if he relapfes into the fame Impiety, he will again become pure and holy, by thumping his Breast and beating his Head.

6thly. IT is objected, That Free-Thinkers themselves are the most infamous, wicked, and fenflefs of all Mankind.

THIS Objection of Wickedness and Ignorance is made by all Sects one against another, and ferves to keep the feveral Herds and Folds of Men united together, and a

* Les Cefars de Julien par Spanheim, p. 309.

† Οςις φθορεύς, όςις μιαιφόνος, όςις ἐναγὸς καὶ βδελυρός, ἔτω θαῤῥῶν, ἀποφανῷ γὰ αὐτὸν τετω τω ύδατι λέσας, αυτίκα καθαρὸν καν πάλιν ἔνοχος της αυτοῖς γένεται, δώσω το τῆθος πλήξαντι, καὶ των κεφαλὴν πατάξαι, καθαρῶ γε Veda, Juliani Opera. Lipf. p. 336.

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gainst one another. And tho in reality Men of all Sects are much alike as to Senfe, where Literature equally prevails, and every where the fame as to their Lives and Converfations (as is obvious to any indifferent Perfon) yet thro fuch Spectacles do Men fee the Defects of others, fo partial are they to them. felves, fo ready to believe ill Reports of those with whom they have any difference in Opinion, and to believe good of those with whom they agree in Opinion; fo apt to put an ill Conftruction on any Actions of the former, and a good one on any Actions of the latter; that nothing but the most familiar Intercourfe imaginable can make Men, who are govern'd by one fort of Priefts, think they are like thofe in Understanding and Morals who are govern'd by another fort. But this Objection, as it is urg'd against Free-Thinkers, is ftill with more difficulty to be remov'd by them; because they who have Leifure, Application, Ability and Courage to think freely, are fo few in number in refpect of any other Sect, that they must be less able by Converfation in the World to answer an Objection against themselves, fo early planted in Mens Minds, and fo carefully cultivated. However, I think it may be much eafier anfwer'd upon Paper, and may be fhown to be more unjustly urg'd against Free-Thinkers, than against any other fort of Men whatfoever. In anfwer to it therefore, I observe,

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1. THAT

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