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ther that he should be made to burn his Book with his own hands; and a third defir'd it should be done before the Door of the Houfe, that he might have the pleasure of treading the Ashes under his feet.

I forbear making any remarks here either upon the defign of burning Books in general, or this in particular; nor will [ fhew, as well I might, how fruitless this fort of proceeding has prov'd in all Ages, fince the Custom was first introduc'd by the Popish Inquifitors, who perform'd that Execution on the Book when they could not feize the Author whom they had deftin'd to the Flames. Neither will I infift upon the great Stop and Difcouragement which this Practice brings to all Learning and Discoveries; but, without further Digreffion, I fhall now leave the Reader to perufe Mr. Toland's Letter, and to judg for himself whether it would have given him fatisfaction, had he been a Member of the House of Commons.

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Mr. TOLAND's Letter to a Member of the House of Commons in IRELAND, &c.

Dublin, Septemb.3. 1697.

SIR,

W

Hen the Chriftian Religion is attack'd by Atheists and others, they conftantly charge it with Contradiction or Ob. Scurity; and Mr. Toland's defign in the Publication of his Book was to defend Christianity from fuch unjust Imputations, as he more than once declares in his Preface, and as he thinks it every Christian's Duty to do, according to his Ability or Opportunity. If we might judg of his Performance by his profeft Intentions, we Thould conclude it to be extraordinary good; but we must on the other hand reckon it as bad, if, without further Examination, we regard the ftrange Outcries that are made against it both from the Pulpit and the Prefs. That a Man fhould be run down because it is the fashion, or by

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Interested Perfons,and fuch as are influencd by 'em,is nothing strange; for one way or other the like happens every day but that a Book should be condemn'd by wholefale, without affigning the particular Faults or Mistakes in it, and by many that never read it, is vifibly unjuft. What has contributed to make Mr. Toland (whom neither his Age, nor Fortune, nor Preferment renders formidable) the Object of fo much Heat and Noife, and after what manner his Enemies of all forts have treated him under a zealous pretence,he's like very speedily to inform fuch of the World as will please to concern themselves. But not confidering the Honourable Houfe of Commons, or your felf in particular, among the number of his Adverfaries but as his Judges, he thinks convenient to clear thofe few Points which are reported to afford matter of Exception to fome in the Committee of Religion. But,before this be done,he defires that two or three Particulars may be a little confider'd.

Mr. Toland, in the first place, is of opinion it portends much Happiness to the Nation, that the Commons (who have all the right imaginable to it) should take the cognizance of fuch things into their own Hands, And tho his Book should, as it's

very probable, happen to fall under their Cenfure, yet his love to Mankind cannot but make him extremely pleas'd with the Confequences he forefees must neceffarily follow from fuch an authentick Precedent in this Country, where it was most peculiarly wanting. Nor does he think it more reasonable for him to be angry at his private ill luck, than it would be for fome to be out of love with Parliaments themfelves (which is the best Constitution in the Universe) because they are mistaken fometimes, and that an Act is repeal'd in one Seffion which was establish'd in ano· ther; not confidering that fuch an Inconvenience is infinitely overballanc'd by feve ral excellent Laws, and by the Remedy that may likewise be had to this pretended Disorder from that very Court, upon better Information or Temper.

Secondly, Mr. Toland does not com plain that he alone in the Kingdom is difturb'd for his Opinion, but is heartily glad that no more are troubl'd upon that account. For as he takes Perfecution to be one of the chief Marks and Pillars of the Antichriftian Church, fo he looks upon an impartial Liberty of writing and fpeaking whatever is not deftructive of Civil Society, to be the greatest advantage of any Coun

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try, whether the Learning, or the Commerce, or the very Peace and Tranquillity thereof be confider'd. "Yet it cannot "but look mighty odly to indifferent Per"fons, that all the Diffenters from the "Establish'd Church, that the Papists who

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pervert Christianity it felf, that feveral "declar'd Socinian, ay and Jacobite Pam phlets(hould efcape the burning Zeal of thofe, who fo furiously profecute one young Man only for the fufpected Con"fequences of his Book, as if the very Being or Deftruction of all Religion depended upon the fate of him, or his ❝ Writings.

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Thirdly, As for the Errors commonly laid to Mr. Toland's charge, they are so various and inconfiftent with one another, that no Man of ordinary fenfe could poffibly hold them all at a time; and being credited by his Enemies without book, he may with more Justice deny than they can af firm them. He's not therefore oblig'd to take notice of any thing but what is alledg'd in formal words, or plainly inferr'd from his Book. Indeed fome Confequences an Author might not perceive, which fhould render him the more excufable; but Mr. Toland confeffes he forefaw several Confequences of his Book, even to part of

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