Spurn at their Benefactors, and fly in the Face of their Creators. I am fenfible 'tis a popular Objection, that they are a rich, and a very confiderable Body of People, and it is very impolitick to difoblige them. If their Allegiance, like a flying Robe, fits fo loose upon them, that they must be bribed to their Duty, by greater Privileges and Places, or elfe they grow fullen, or ftrike out into Rebellion; I think there is very little of confcientious Loyalty to be expected from that Quarter.

BUT are the Favourites of the Church become fo inconfiderable all of a fudden, fo few in Number, as not to deserve the Protection, the Regard, the good Nature of the State? Look into our Affemblies, furvey what a glorious Army of Chriftians encompass our Altars; we have no occafion to hire a licentious Rabble, to ftand like Faggots in our Congregations, that we may appear formidable in the Eyes of our Superiors: What a Figure do We bear in the Nation, and what prodigious Conquefts have We lately made over the Diffenting World; when our Governours exprefs that Efteem for our Establishment as to build us fifty new Churches out of the Publick Revenue of the Kingdom? Upon the Whole, I fhall eternally be of this Opinion, that whatever Privileges our wife Legislature

fhall

fhall beftow upon the Fanatick Crew, are defign'd only to ftop the Mouths of an ambitious Faction, that must be hired to be good Subjects, and whofe Fidelity is always understood to be uncertain and precarious; and that whatever Difcouragement they may at any time pleafe to lay upon us, they well know how the Loyalty of the Church of England is always fecure under the feverest Preffures, that the ferves her Prince as the does her God, upon Principle; and as no Terrors will fhake the Foundations of her Faith, fo no Frowns or Force of Power can make her stagger in her Allegiance:

N° 15.

And King, Rehoboam confulted with the Old Men that flood before Solomon his Father and faid, How do you advife that I may answer this People? And. they spake unto him faying, If thou wilt Speak good Words to them, then they will be thy Servants for ever; 1 Kings xii. 6, 7.

Tis the hard Fate, it seems, of this Ellay, to be diftinguifh'd by an unhappy Name, that has given Occafion for abundance of fmart Wit and dangerous Raillery, fince its first appearance in the World; and there are fo many bloodily fevere Jefts depending upon, the Title, that the Author had need have a good Share of Refolution and Innocence to keep up the Spirit of his Pen, and

fup

fupport himself in the future Profecution of his Defign. Ask the Opinion of a Fanatic concerning the Scourge, and he'll fhake his empty Noddle at you, and cry, A very dull Fellow, but let him alone, and he'll foon make a Rod for his own Back! And you shall hear a Wretch, who has no more value for Religion than a Horfe, inhumanly taking Advantage of the Word, and defiring the Scourger might fall, forfooth, under the Scourge of the Law, that is, be usher'd into Cuftody of the Black Rod, or, more probably, be whipt at a Cart's Tail: The Libertine calls him an Ecclefiaftical Bully; and the Drudges in Politicks, refolve to bring him under the Lab, and to make him fmart for't. This is a Specimen in what manner the Diffenting Faction have thought fit to reply to this Weekly Entertainment, which induces the Modefty of the Author to hope, he has not very unhandfomly acquitted himfelf, when the mighty Objections that have conftantly attended the Publication of his Paper, amount to no more than an infipid Collection of Punns, and a Childish Playing upon the Sound of Words.

THE World muft believe that I am not much concern'd at thefe faint and ridiculous Sallies of Wit; and I would give the several Clans of the Separation to understand, that I defpife their Threats with as much Scorn

as I do their Arguments: What? Is the wife Administration of our Government become a Faction! That to contend against the Principles of a Diffenter, must be to fly in the Face of our Superiors? Is He one of our Superiors then? Is it Treason against the Prince to difcover the Hypocrify of a Fanatic? Is a Vindication of the Church become a Watch-word to Rebellion, and to be understood as a Libel upon the State? Is it a greater Crime to fpeak upon the Side of an Establishment, influenc'd and protected by the Laws, than outrageously to defie Authority, and cenfure the prudent Refolutions of a whole Nation? What fort of Adminiftration would thefe Men perfuade us we live under? What can be the Design of these defperate Infinuations, but to foment a Jealoufie between the Ecclefiaftical and Civil Powers, whofe Interests are infeparable, and mutually depend upon a firm Friendship and Unanimity ?

BUT how prepofterous is it for a Separatift to compare the Faction of his Conventicle to the Loyalty of the Church of England? A Presbyterian talk of his Loyalty! Let him mind his Wholesale and Retale, and reserve the poor Stock of his Understanding for the Bufinefs of his Counter, or I affure him I fhall chain up the Hiftory of Pref G

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