fuch as tend to the Deftruction of all Peace, both public and private; all Virtue, Learning, and whatever is praiseworthy among Men. This is practical Atheism: This is the Atheism to be dreaded and feared: This is the Atheism whereof we are in Danger: This is the worst Consequence we have to fear from speculative Atheism; for no Man can fay worse of speculative Atheism, than that it leads neceffarily to all Immorality: And in fine, this Atheism the Priest has, in moft Places of the World, introduced as Religion, to the utter Overthrow of true Religion (which consists chiefly, if not folely, in fuch Particulars as are for the Good of Society); for by making Men wicked out of Confcience, and upon a Principle of Religion, he as effectually destroys true Religion, as if he introduced fpeculative Atheism. What is it to a Believer in Christ, whether he be perfecuted for his Religion by a Papift, who does it religiously, and upon a Principle of Confcience; or by an Atheist, who does it either to protect himself, or to get Credit in the World, or to fhare with the Prieft, in the Advantages arising from Perfecution? Do Men fuffer lefs by a Civil or Foreign War, begun by Zealots, on a Principle of Religion, to promote Religion; than if begun by AtheE 3

ifts,

ifts, for the fake of Ambition, Glory, Power, Rapine, or Murder? Are the Feuds, Animofities, and Paffions, ftirred up by Priests on account of Religion, fewer, and less disturbing of the public Peace, than those of Men left to the Conduct of Atheistical Principles ! Is it not equal to Husbands to be wronged by Atheists, who need no Pardon, as by Popih Priests, who can pardon one another ; or by High Church Men, who, notwithftanding fuch Actions, can be countenanced by the Prieft, and merit greatly with him on account of their Zeal for the Church, that is, the Prieft? Nay, is not the Danger of Cuckoldom equal from a Popish Priest (who, by his Power of Confeffing and Abfolving the Woman, has fo glorious an Opportunity) as from an Atheist ? And would our High Priests, if they could get the Nation to be perfuaded, that they have the fame Power of Confeffing and Abfolving, (as they have of late been attempting to do in their Books and Sermons) be lefs Cuckold-makers than Popif Priefts and Atheifts?

COULD an Atheist be a greater Calumniator than Dr. Se? Could an Atheist, who thinks no Deference due to a Bifhop, have lefs Regard for the Honour of a Chri

ftian Bilhop than Dr. Se, who pretends to think Bishops have Divine Authority? Could an Atheist, after he had been convicted of Calumny, and forced to confefs, that his Evidence for the Calumny failed him, be more hardened in Villainy, than to make no Satisfaction to, and ask no Pardon of, the Perfon injured; but perfift in fuppofing, that Time will discover his Charge to be true? Could a Set of Atheists have patronized Calumny more, than to have called that Doctor to be the Head of their Society? And might they not, with equal Regard to Virtue and Religion, have chofen a Highwayman, or a Pick-pocket, who gives his Money for the Augmentation of poor Livings? Has a modern Bishop more Satisfaction in being thus attacked by a High-Church Prieft, fupported and abetted by others, or is the Society lefs difturbed by fuch Proceedings, than if fuch Priests were all Atheists?

LASTLY, Is it not equally destructive of Liberty and Property, for Ecclefiaftics to use religious Cheats and Tricks to get Money from the People, towards raifing and maintaining a needlefs Army of Black-coats, to live lazily in Monafteries, and other Religious Houses; as for Atheists to use any civil Tricks to main

ain a needless standing Army of Red-coats, for by their Arts to plunder the Public for any of their other Purposes?

THE Design therefore of fome followng Papers shall be to fhew, how the HighChurch Jacobite Clergy promote true Atheism and Irreligion: That the Laity may be put on the true Scent of Atheism: That they may have a juft Dread of the true Atheism: That they may cease to be Atheists, or Worshippers of the Priest, and cease to receive Religion on his Authority; and that they may return to God and Chrift, the fole Authors of all true Religion.

NUMBER

NUMBER XLIII.

Wednesday, November 9. 1720.

Of High-Church ATHEISM. Part 2.

I

Proceed, as I promised in my last,
to fhew, by an Induction of
Particulars, how the High-
Chuch Priefts promote True
Atheism or Irreligion, by which

I mean Practical Atheism.

I. AND first, I will begin with Perjury, or Falfe Swearing.

I WILL venture to lay it down as a Truth in Politics, that Oaths (or fomething equivalent to them) are, on many Occafions, neceffary in Government; and that Peace among Neighbours, Punishment of Rogues, and the Settlement of Property, depend upon them. In the next Place, I will lay down as religious Truths, that an Oath is a folemn Act, both of natural