tranflated, that they may pafs for real Beings, and fignify whatever the Priests have occafion for; and fometimes, where they have been tranflated, falfe or unfair Meanings have been affigned to them, and they have been made to convey a quite different Sense from what they import in Scripture: The Word Ecclefia or Affembly is tranflated Church, which there always fignifies the Chriftian People, and in our Articles, is defined to be the Congregation of the Faithful, but is now generally used only for the Clergy; and the Word Epifcopos (which in English is Overfeer) is englifhed Bishop; fo that Women, and the ignorant Croud, are fully fatisfied that they have found in Scripture, a Lord of Parliament, and a Diocesan Prelate, with a Mitre upon his Head, and a Crofier in his Hand; and whenever they hear or read the Word Pref byter, they fancy they fee a Parfon beating his Cufhion in a Pulpit, and believe him to be Jure Divino: Inftances of this kind are endless.

EVEN Literature it felf is perverted, and inftead of being made to improve Mens natural Faculties, is used to extinguish or ftifle the first Principles of Knowledge. Seminaries have been erected and endowed to teach Men backward: The Youth, at a very great Expence, learn to be Blockheads, and accomplished Dunces; and spend the first and most improvable Part of their Manhood to be finished in Folly. The Discovery of Printing, which

brought

brought about the Reformation, is used to deftroy it; and, like the Scotchman's Monkey, is made to bite every one but him who has the fole Cuftody of the Machine.

OF all or most of these Heads, I fhall treat feparately, in order to undeceive Mankind, and to manumit them from the Frauds and Tyranny of Popish and popifhly-affected Clergymen; by fhewing, that they now do, and ever did, make Ufe of all their Influence over the ftupid and unhappy Laity, and of all the Power and Riches which they have been ever trufted with, to drive Religion and Virtue from the Face of the Earth, and therefore have always endeavoured to turn the worst Things into the beft, and the best into the worst.

ONE Drop of Prieftcraft is enough to contaminate the Ocean.

T.

NUM

NUMBER XXIII.

Wednesday, June 22. 1720.

I

Of ZEA L.

Do not know any Word, in any Language, which, next to the Word Church, has fo much Wickedness and Roguery, to answer for, as the Word Zeal. It is indeed an important and dreadful Monofyllable, which, when ufed with proper Gestures and Emphafis, can turn a Cut-Throat into a Saint, and a Mad-man into a Martyr. It can commit Bloodfhed and Butchery, with innocent Hands; deftroy Life and Property with a good Confcience; and difpeople Nations with Applause.

TRUE Zeal is a fincere and warm Concern for the Glory of God, and the Spiritual Welfare of Mankind. This Definition feems to me to take in every Idea which ought to be annexed to the Word Zeal; and fhews it to be a Vir

tue

tue full of Affection, Meeknefs, Humanity and Benevolence, and void of all Choler, Bitternefs, Ill-will, and Severity. This is its Character; and whatever contradicts it, is not Zeal, but Rage.

ESPECIAL Care ought therefore to be taken, effectually to diftinguish true Zeal from false, and the Thing from the Pretence of it. For if it be not well grounded, it falls under the Apostle's Cenfure of a Zeal, which is not according to Knowledge. Of the latter Sort, is that with which crafty Men infatuate the credulous Multitude, who take their Religion upon Truft, and their Faith and Zeal at fecond Hand. Their Godliness confifts in Prejudices and a Set of Names. They hate Diffenters, because they do not come to Church, and because they are ftrict Obfervers of the Lord'sDay, and feek God without Book: And they are zealous for the Church; but if you ask them what they mean by it, you will find it to be either the Organs, the Ring of Bells, or the Parfon. They have a zealous Antipathy. to a black Cloak, which is a certain Sign of a wrong Religion; and they have a doating Fondness for a black Gown, which is an infallible Mark of the true Church: They therefore abhor and infult the former, and honour and bow down to the latter. This Temper and Behaviour in them are wonderful Demonftrations of the Spirit of the Gofpel; and entitle them to the highest Favour and Approbation of their Spiritual Governours. At the Time

when

when Dr. Sacheverel was fuffering the Law for Sedition, I asked one of his Mob, who was ftraggling at some distance from the reft, in Lincoln's-Inn-Fields (as they were proceeding to demolish Daniel Burgefs's Meeting-Houfe) what provoked him to fo much Outrage againft Daniel, and his Congregation? He anfwered; Because they had murthered King Charles the First. I then asked him, What he knew concerning King Charles the Firft? Why, quoth he, He was One of the Twelve Apostles; and Dr. Sacheverel is the best Friend he has in the World. Here he fwore a great Oath, and left me to pity the Ignorance and Phrenzy of the enchanted Croud.

IGNORANCE is the Mother of this fort of Zeal, and Craft its Father: And as its Pedigree is vile, fo is its Behaviour brutal and abominable. It is the Tool of Knavery and Defign, and operates by Folly, Wickedness and Force. It is a Mastiff uncoupled, and hallooed at Conscience, Sobriety, and Peace; and fet on to devour every good Quality, it self poffeffing none. It is rouzed by Lyes, and animated by Liquor. It combats Truth with Curfes, and Moderation with Blows. Its Courage is Madness, and it is bold through Blindnefs. It has never any Mercy upon others, and seldom upon it felf. It takes the Word of its Driver; and mistakes Mischief for Merit, and his Word for God's. It is the most miferable of all Slaves; it is blind, and it is distracted; and its only Freedom is to act Outrages