of other Mens Pockets. Whether your Government of thofe Schools promotes the Welfare of the Commonwealth, (if you can bear that Word) appears abundantly from the bitter and difaffected Spirit found in them.

BY Morality, therefore, is meant a Thing quite different from fuch good Works. Morality is Natural Religion, which prompts us to do Good to all Men, and to all Men alike, without regard to their Speculations, any more than to their Cloaths, or to the Colour of their Hair; which is as much in their Power as their Faith is. Morality is focial Virtue, or rather the Mother of all focial Virtues: It wishes and promotes unlimited and univerfal Happiness to the whole World: It regards not a Chriftian more than a few or an Indian, any further than as he is a better Citizen; and not fo much, if he be not.

BARBEYR A C, in his excellent Preface to his Translation of Puffendorf de Jure Na turæ & Gentium, has fhewn us, by a fine Detail of Paffages, how the Pagan, the Jewish, and too many Christian Priests, have all ever agreed in concealing, difguiling, mangling, calumniating, and oppofing the eternal Principles of Morality, or Natural Religion. The Religion of thefe holy Hirelings confifted either in a long Rout of Ceremonies, as tedious as ridiculous; or in certain abftrufe Points, which could never

be

be known, and were not worth knowing; always in great Pomp and Pride; and in Dominion, where-ever they could get it. It was either a Religion of the Body, or a Religion of the Imagination, or a Religion of Shew, Profit and Terror. In fine, the bleffed Clubs of Ecclefiaftics of all Religions, in whatever else they differed, yet always accorded in this, that the Religion which they contrived, agreed neither with Heaven nor Earth, neither with Reafon nor Good-humour, but only fitted themfelves, and their own Views.

MR, BARBE YRA C, in his Preface, has given us a diverting Specimen of the Abfurdities and Ravings of thofe Reverend old Gentlemen, whom we call the Fathers. And in all the Inftances that he brings, it is hard, if not impoffible, to fay, whether the Uncharitablenefs, Roguery, or Stupidity of thefe old Saints, appears uppermoft. - THIS Preface is every way fo excellent, that I have prevailed upon a Friend of mine, a Gentleman of Gray's-Inn, to tranflate it into English, for the Inftruction of the Laity. A Reverend Divine or two have tranflated the Book itfelf; but no Divine has yet thought fit to give us the Preface. My Countrymen may therefore foon expect it from him, with an Introduction.

GENTLEMEN, I have but two Queftions to ask of you, and I have done : B 5 Pray,

Pray, to what is it owing, that the ufual Spirit and Zeal of this Nation against Popery are now quite extinct; infomuch that in the Neighbourhood of great Popish Families, your Flocks grow daily thinner, and the Mafs-houses ftronger; as I am able to fhew in fome Inftances? And, Secondly, What is become of the Bundle of Papers fent by Mr. Lefley to a former Convocation, containing a Project for an Union between the Proteftant Church of England and the Popish Church of France? And I defire you will acquaint the World with the Reafons, why no Notice or Cenfure was paffed upon them.

I SHALL fay nothing here of the ufual way taken to answer Antagonists, not by Reason, or Scripture, but by downright Force, Hardships and Oppreffion. The Sermon, called, The Croftfmen, has done this to my Hand, and I have now added it to this Edition; I therefore hafte to conclude, and

I am, GENTLEMEN,

Your moft Humble, and

Meft Obedient Servant,

G.

THE INDEPENDENT WHIG.

TO

TO THE

PUBLISHER

OF THE

INDEPENDENT WHIG.

SIR,

HAVE been informed, that you are now preparing a Fifth Edition of the Independent Whig. I reflect with much Pleafure on the great and lafting Efteem which these Papers have defervedly gained. Far from being written with the Spirit of Party, far from being ever defigned to promote the low and mean Purfuits of private Paffion, they have long out-lived the Date of Party-writings: And as the candid Spirit which produced them, was above fuch ungenerous Contentions, fo will they live beyond them. They will live to a Day when the Names of Parties fhall hardly be remembred, when the Feuds and Contests of those Times in which they were produced, fhall no longer engage the Attention of Men; when Ambition is laid low; when Divifions are laid afide, and even Defamation is filent. Whilft the Love of Truth and Liberty fhall prevail in the World this Collection shall be preferved as facred to the Interests

very

of both; as their noble Foundation is eternal Truth and good Senfe, as their only End is the Prefervation of that common Good which every Man is born to enjoy in Right of his Creation, and which he ought always to enjoy against the exorbitant Claims of fuperftitious Priefts, the vile Art which they practife to deceive, and the Power which they ufurp to opprefs.

THIS then is the Cause of Liberty and Reafon, a Caufe which itself requires, and whofe Friends can wifh it no better Advantage than to be seen and tried in open Day. This is moft worthy of Conqueft and Triumph. It fights to fave, and it conquers to deliver. Slavery flies its Approach, and Liberty attends its Victories. This likewife is that Cause which is fure of Succefs, where the wicked and corrupt Agents of dark Iniquity cannot blind the People with myfterious Delufion, nor put out their Eyes by the Authority of Laws. Against these impudent Pretenfions, and unwarrantable Practices, fatally common to all Ages and Nations, wherever Ambition infpires the Love of Power, or wherever Avarice incites the Luft of Rapine, have the Authors of this Collection appeared with fo great Reputation and fuccefs, that I know not which is the clearest Evidence of their Merit, the Number and Diftinction of their Friends, or the Outrage of their Enemies.

INDEED the Rage of Nonfenfe is too feeble to fupport itself. Even the Cause that gives it Fury, cannot give it Life; it raves, and dies. The moft flaming Stupidity that ever appeared in Defiance of common Senfe, how much foever it might serve to fire ignorant Multitudes for a prefent Hour, loft all its Force, and Credit, and Effect,