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Another instance of altercation between the vicar and curate I well remember, which also was decided in our favour. "Hark you, Mr. Curate, (said a certain vicar one day to his journeyman) I expect you shall take the care of all the souls within my parish, upon yourself; as I have much business of a very different nature on my hands."---" I take the care of them, sir, (replied his curateship) what have I to do with them? I shall take no care of them, I assure you."---" Well, but Mr. Curate," said the vicar, "I hired you on purpose that you should take the care of them, off from me."---" Indeed, sir," rejoined the curate, "I will not, I am resolved; do you think that for the scanty allow. ance of twelve shillings per week, I will put my own soul in the place of your parishioners? No, sir, let him take the care of them who is best paid for so doing."---" Then," said the vicar, "let my lord bishop take care of them, for he is better paid than either vicar or curate." By these means the parishioners may go to heaven or hell, as most suits their inclination, provided always the fees are punctually paid.

IMP. Well, father, I really think those curates were in the right; for as they receive but journeyman's wages for doing the drudgery of the business, it is unreasonable to desire any more than journeyman's labour from them. If they perform the more servile parts of the office, for their scanty allowance, it seems but meet the vicars who receive the far greatest part of the profits, should take the burthen of souls upon themselves. If I am not greatly mistaken, the far greater part of mankind, the vicars and high-priests alone excepted, are of the same opinion with me and the curate. However, that was all in the days of popery, and the church of England, hath since been blessed with a great reformation.

INFID. It has so, Impiator, and been deformed again, almost far enough. Some time after the reformation indeed, the gospel was preached almost every where in England, which made me apprehend the most dreadful consequences, and made me exert my utmost influence in order to reduce the clergy to obedience.

This important point was in a great measure carried by fixing their attention inordinately upon tradition, and kindling relentings in the bosom of many a gownsman, towards the old scarlet lady, whose government had been rejected. So that by degrees I drew them to take counsel, as formerly, from the wise Infidelis; one particular instance of which I shall give you, if you think it will not too long detain you from necessary business.

FAST. That is well thought of, brother. Idleness belongs not to our fraternity; I hold it good, therefore, that we adjourn to cur usual time of meeting

66

DIALOGUE XVI

FASTOSUS.

WHEN we parted yesterday, you mentioned some particular instance of the clergy seeking to you for direction, brother; will it please you to relate it to us now?

INFID. It is only a little confabulation I had with my good friend, parson Out-and-in. The case was this: I set out one morning for Rome, to remove some scruples which infested the mind of his holiness, the father of the world; but passing by parson Out-and-in's garden, I beheld the reverend gentleman in his morning gown and velvet cap, walking slow and pensive, to all appearance in a dejected manner. Charity bid me stop and relieve the thoughtful divine. At her command I stopped, and called "So---ho, Mr. Out-and-in; how do you do?" The good gentleman awaking as from a trance, erected his body into a perpendicular posture, pushed up the snout of his cap from over his eyes, and finding it was me who called, instantly replied, "O my good friend, Rationalis! (for that is the name by which I am known by the clergy of all denominations) am I so happy as to meet with you, in this so difficult season? I pray you, most honourable tutor, be pleased to stop and give me your advice." I went to him, and thus the old Levite began: "Most truly, noble, and intelligent sir, I and my brethren, the genuine children of learning and science, have long been much grieved at the rapid progress of fanaticism, which now prevails amazingly over the people; so prevalent is it, sir, that fanatical preachers are more followed, more esteemed than we, the votaries of almighty reason. In these days, sir, there are some, who in a frantic manner decry the noble powers of the human soul, which we esteem to be almost divine; who preach salvation, by what they call the righteousness of Christ, contrary to the instructions which we receive from that illumination which thou hast given We have long been studying how to suppress this fanaticism, and to promote the more consistent doctrine of salvation by our own works, and the liberty and freedom of our own will to perform perfect righteousness. It is intolerable, sir, to hear men of virtue and piety, placed on a level with vile publicans and sinners, who know not the law, and are therefore accursed. Impious in the highest degree, to suppose that the benevolent Deity will not reward our good endeavours to please him, by working out our own salvation, without trusting in the righte ousness of another."

us.

"To be sure," said I, "to gentlemen of virtue and goodness,

it must be very mortifying to submit to be levelled with those who work not, but believe in him who justifieth the ungodly. Very trying indeed, to own one's self to be an hell-deserving sinner, when your own reason bears witness, that you deserve the inestimable blessings of everlasting happiness, for your own personal goodness. What man of virtue and moral goodness, what gentleman of a clear head and good heart, like yourself, can bear to be told, that harlots and publicans shall enter the kingdom of heaven sooner than you? I wonder not, my worthy sir, that the preaching of salvation by the works of another, should be a stone of perpetual stumbling, and a rock of invincible offence to you. And this offence will never be removed till we can so manage it, that this same book called Scripture, is made to truckle to the more consistent dictates of human reason; by which alone the authenticity of doctrine ought to be attested, independently of any records whatever, either ancient or modern.

"I myself have beheld the preaching of the cross of Christ, with a great deal of uneasiness; but for seeing the self-righteous Jews break their bones by stumbling upon it, and the wise phi-losophic Grecians turning merry-andrews, and laughing at it as foolishness, I should certainly have sunk into despair; because I was unhappy enough to see it prove both the power of God, and the wisdom of God, to those who felt themselves actually in a perishing condition. But, my good Mr. Out-and-in, permit me to tell you, that whatever pain I endure on account of a preached gospel, I can do nothing that will effectually prevent it, without the concurrence of the clergy. By the way, let me not so much as hint any defection of the clergy. No, sir, I thank my auspicious stars, by far the greatest part of them are upon the right side of the question. There are but few, very few, who preach those enthusiastic doctrines, with which the articles, homilies, and rubric are stuffed; very few who concern themselves about what is, or what is not, the doctrine of the Bible.

"But, to the matter of your troubles, sir, I apprehend they may be reduced to these two heads only: To suppress the growth of fanaticism on the one hand, and secure to yourselves the patrimony of the church on the other."---" These are all," returned he, "if we can but accomplish these, we desire no more."

Then, sir, if no more is aimed at, I shall put you in a way by

which you may accomplish them.

"Observe me then, my good friend Mr. Out-and-in, the first thing to be done, is, to draw as thick a vail as possible over the personal excellencies, grace, and righteousness of Immanuel; for these, wherever they are preached, have a tendency to eclipse all human glory, and greatly to diminish the profits of the altar; which you know are the principal things that ought to be advanced. The holy trade of priestcraft can never prosper, but in proportion to your departure from the doctrine of the cross. Yet

this must be done with caution, lest the eyes of the people should be opened, and the propagation of your rational religion be prevented. The important question then is, "How you may retain the character and authority of Christ's ambassadors, whilst at the same time you are labouring to extirpate the doctrine of salvation by his blood, from the rational world; as you cannot expect to be so much regarded by the people, if ever you lose your claim to ambassadorship. Of this therefore you must be very cautious, and by no means declare yourselves avowed enemies to the gospel in so many express words.

"No, sir, you must find out the most glorious names which possibly can be ascribed to the Son of God, yet such names as do not imply his personal divinity; these would spoil your scheme, and therefore must be rejected. For instance, you must not call him Immanuel, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, God manifested in the flesh, Jesus Christ yesterday, to day and for ever the same; Alpha and Omega, &c. &c. These and such like names must absolutely be laid aside, for they make directly against the rational scheme. On the other hand, you must be equally careful not to speak slightly of his person, name, and authority, by barefacedly calling him, but a man like yourselves, as Doctor Priestley has precipitately done; and by so doing betrayed the cause of rational religion, into the hands of the orthodox, to be mangled and tortured after the manner of that wicked Shaver. In short you must consider, that the people are not all rational alike, and therefore a downright denial of the Godhead of Christ, may be attended with very serious consequences. Some people are firmly attached to the Athanasian creed, merely out of deference to the judgment of their ancestors; and others are as firmly attached to the scriptures, from an inward conviction of their divine propriety; so that without the greatest care you may be baffled in your very first attempts to promulgate your rational religion.

"In short, sir, notwithstanding you believe him to be but a man like yourself, or at most but a dignified creature, you must of necessity, for fear of the populace, give him a kind of suffragan deity or deputed Godhead, like that of Mars or Mercury, in the pagan theology. Your friend Mr. Whiston, a man of deep intelligence, has shewn you what may be done in this way; do you, my good Mr. Out-and-in, imitate the same Homer-like minister.* To be more particular, you must never omit when you speak of him, to use great and swelling words of seeming respect, as if you had the most profound veneration for his person; call him the only Son of the most high God---the first born, and most exalted of creatures---a being far above men and

Homer-like minister. Homer was a wonderful creator of gods and goddesses, ard so was Mr. Whiston, from his own account of the Trinity, which he makes to consist of one uncreated, and two created Gods.

angels---under God, the great dispenser of a tnings, both in earth and heaven. Not a syllable of his measuring the seas in the hollow of his hand; of his meting out heaven with the span ; of his comprehending the dust of the earth in a measure; weighing the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance; or of his taking up the isles as a very little thing. That is a description of Jesus, most adverse to what you would have thought to be rational religion, which considers him as no more than a man like yourselves; it is good therefore that such descriptions should never be quoted. By keeping close to those appellations which are proper to him, only as man and mediator, you will vail his real personal dignity, and in time your audience will quite forget all their old orthodox notions, concerning the proper deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, which at present are so very offensive to you and your brethren.

2. "When you happen to hear of any man who is a zealous and diligent preacher of Christ crucified as the only foundation of the sinner's hope, you must look to it that something be speedily done to prevent his success, for such a man is capable of being very injurious to us and our rational religion. His followers will consider you as no better than hirelings, mercenary priests, and enemies to the gospel of salvation. Therefore you must, but always with the greatest art, attack his character. Stigmatize him with such names of reproach as you think will be most likely to take with the vulgar. However you must beware of touching his moral character, for that will be like the body of Achilles, invulnerable even to malice itself. His religious character, because less understood by the common people, will be more easily injured, and therefore the most proper object of your attacks.

"You may call him an enthusiast, which is a name understood by very few; therefore the greatest part of the people will consider him as some outlandish monster, and avoid him as they would shun the path of a crocodile. Or you may call him a methodist; this also is a name well calculated to excite popular abhorrence, as you know many would rather choose to be papists than methodists. Or you may call him an anabaptist or fanatic. In short you may dress him in what names you think will most effectually stir up the people to bait him, as they would do a bull or a bear from the forest; and so far as your influence goes, you may totally prevent his usefulness; which you know will be a great service done to the devil, and to rational religion.

"But, my good Mr. Out-and-in, take care that you be not too barefaced in your slanders, as Doctor Priestley has been in his against the orthodox dissenters. His zeal for rational religion is so furious, that it prompted him to rend the disguise, which ought by all means to have concealed his implacable hatred of the orthodox. This however he has thought proper to discover

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