venom'd Pens neither the Memory of the late Pope Clement XI. Author of the Conftitution, nor the Bishops who accepted it, nor even the good Intention of those who zealously endeavour'd to procure Peace to the Church.

His Indifcretion carries him even to renew the Remembrance of fuch Opinions as ought to be condemned to an eternal Oblivion, the Enormity whereof has filled our Forefathers with Horror, and which they have ftifled as Monsters; all which he does as it were to fhew, that there are still fome who dare affert them, or that it is to be feared the fame may be revived before your Eyes, and go unpunished.

Such a bold and unwarrantable Writing cannot but raise your Indignation; and we think it useless to fay more of it, in order to justify the Severity of our Conclufions, which we leave to the Confideration of the Court,

The King's Council being withdrawn, the abovementioned Libel fhewn, and the Matter taken into Confideration, the Court ordained, that the faid Libel be torn in pieces and burnt by the common Hangman in the Court of the Palace, at the Foot of the great Stair-cafe: Forbidding moreover all Printers, Bookfellers, Hawkers, and others, to print, fell, or otherwise distribute the fame; and enjoining all those who have any Copies thereof, ta bring them forthwith to the Chainber of the Roll, in order to be fuppreffed, &c. Which Sentence was accordingly executed on Thursday the 29th of August, 1726.

то

ΤΟ ΤΗΕ

Right Reverend Father in God,

BENJAMIN,

Lord Bishop of

SARUM.

May it please your Lordship,

Do my self the Honour to attend your Lordship with the Copy, if I may fo call it, of an Original Painting in two Parts, which, with your Lordship's Indulgence, I will

venture to compare to a Night piece and a Storm. In the former, are represented the beautiful Rays of Light which glimmer'd in the dark Ages of rude uncultivated Nature: In the latter, fome of the blackest Clouds that have appear'd in the Chriftian Horizon fince the Revelation of the Glorious Light of the Gofpel; attended with the fatal Shipwreck that many drunken Pilots of Believers have made of the Faith in Chrift.

Tis

in other words, my LORD, a Tranflation of a Treatise writ by a Foreign Divine, to fhew the different, the contrary Lessons taught by the PAGANS and JESUITS, concerning the Knowledge, Love, and Fear of the DIVINE BEING, as well as the Practice of Moral Virtue and Vice.

The

The Original, was no fooner printed in a neighbouring Kingdom, than it was suppress'd, and even smother'd by the Flames of Authority; but after having been brought over to England with great Hazard and Difficulty, was directed to be tranflated into English.

This Tranflation, my LORD, I have most humbly prefum'd to dedicate to your Lordship, and to fubmit to your favourable Conftruction, not doubting but the Reverend Author, who feems to have had TRUTH always in View, and to have pursued it with equal Courage and Candour, and who must on this Account be the more acceptable to your LORDSHIP, wou'd have made the fame Choice if he had writ it within the English

A 2

English Pale. But unhappy for him, he has follow'd fo close at the Heels of Truth, that he has difgufted an imperious implacable Order of Men abroad, who, finding him deftitute of fuch a PATRON as your LORDSHIP, have taken a fummary Method to convince him, to his dear Experience, that THEIR Sovereign's KINGDOM IS OF THIS WORLD.

I perfwade my self however, that it will be no fmall Comfort to him to find his Work infcrib'd to your Lordship, whofe Conftancy and Succefs in Defence of the TRUTH, has made YOUR NAME dear to all Pious Christians wherefoever difpers'd; and whose candid Reception of it in what Language foever it comes, encourages me to hope alfo that you will please to honour this Tranflation with your Countenance.