William Stephens

“ When Men (says he) see so much Religion placed by Professors of Christianity in these things which every intelligent Man values but as Forms, or Inventions, or Modes, or Artifices, and yet as great weight laid upon them, as great fervour and animosity us'd for or against them, as almost for any Points of Christian Religion; They are apt presently to censure and throw off all Religion, and reckon all of the same make. ”

“ And therefore I must say 'tis an unwise and a hard Thing for any Church to impose absurd or unintelligible Notions (especially such Speculations, which tend to make no body the better) as necessary to Salvation; for Wise Men, and such who will take Courage to examine what they Believe, will not submit to such an Usurpation; and weak Men are kept all their Life long in Fears and Doubts of their Eternal State, as being always uncertain whether they firmly believe such Doctrines, or no. ”

“ For though nothing be more certain than that the Baseness and Falshood of Man can never disprove the Truth of God; yet when Men are highly Scandaliz'd, and greatly deceived by those for whom they had Esteem, and by whose Authority they in great measure governed themselves, they will stretch their Conclusion beyond their Premisses, and disown Religion in their Principle, because 'tis disregarded by some great Men in their Practice. ”

“ It crusheth and casts down all Pride and Haughtiness, both in a Man's Heart and Carriage, and gives him an humble frame of Soul and Life, both in the sight of God and Men: It regulates and governs the Passions of the Mind, and brings them into due moderation and frame: It gives a Man a right estimate of this present World ”

“ But as there is nothing in this World ever so good, but what hath some appending disadvantage; so by meer Accident this Revolution, which has saved not only the Church of England, but (as I hope) the whole Protestant Interest throughout the World, has wonderfully encreased Mens Prejudices against the Clergy, and so by false Consequence (such as Men through Resentment will make) against the Truth of Religion it self. ”

“ Alas! these good Things are taken out of his hands by the Conquering Bishops, that the Clergy may have a separate Interest from the State on this side the Water, and be led to pay an intire Allegiance to the holy Order. When Hen. VIII. came to know that his Bishops swore Allegiance to the Pope, he began to think of some ways and means how to make himself King of his Clergy, which he saw could not be done but by casting out the Pope's Power; and hence sprung that King's Reformation of his Politicks, rather than Religion. ”

“ What can be the effect of an unintelligible Mystery upon our Minds, but only Amusement? That which is only above Reason must be above a rational Belief, and must I be Saved by an irrational Belief? If a Proposition be inconsistent with it self, I cannot but believe it to be false: 'Twas once to serve a Turn against the Papists your Church held all Doctrines necessary to save Souls, were plainly revealed in Scripture ”

“ It makes him value the love of God and Peace of Conscience above all the Wealth and Honours in the World, and be very vigilant to keep it inviolably: Though he be under a due Apprehension of the Love of God, yet it keeps him humble and watchful, and free from all Presumption; so that he dares not under a vain Confidence of the Indulgence of God, commit or purpose the least injury to man: He performs all his Duties to God in Sincerity, Integrity and Constancy ”

“ If any Clergy-man was so honest as to Preach up his Right, as justly grounded on the Consent of the People, (as Mr. Johnson for instance) he must lie under pain of the Church's highest displeasure, though otherwise ever so Orthodox and Conformable; so that since the beloved Title of Conquest is burnt by the Parliament, and the Matrimonial Title is (to the great grief of all good Men) dead and buried with the Queen; it remaineth according to Holy Church, that he hath no Title at all, but only bare Possession ”

“ The old Deists tell those of their Pupils, who never travelled abroad, that there is now no need of going over the Water to discover that the name Church signifieth only a Self-interested Party, and that the Clergy have no Godliness but Gain. Have you not (say they) for many Years together heard them Preach up the Divine Right, and indefeizable Authority of Kings, together with Passive Obedience, as the chief distinguishing Doctrines whereby their Church approved it self Apostolick beyond all other Churches? ”

“ In fine, (said he) when your Clergy Preach the Law of Christ without turning it to any By-end, or false Interest, you shall meet me at Church. You know the Clergy love Precedency of the Laity; Let them turn Christians first, and I can follow.
6. I have known some, who have alledged as a Reason why they have forsaken the Christian Faith, the impossibility of Believing. Many Doctrines (say these) are made necessary to Salvation, which 'tis impossible to believe, [20] because they are in their nature Absurdities. ”

“ And notwithstanding the Toleration (said he) no Man can enjoy a place of Profit or Trust, though he be ever so dutiful a Subject, and ever so able or honest a Man, unless he hath a Conscience by Law Established: By which Church-device Men are deprived of the Privileges of their Country to which they are born, and for the discharge whereof they never did in any respect incapacitate themselves; and hereby it comes to pass, that the Nation cannot act vigorously in its own defence, being debarr'd the Use of one Moiety of it self ”

“ But since King William's Revolution the Case is alter'd; for the Jacobite Clergy, though turn'd out of their Livings by Law, for refusing Allegiance to the King, yet from the Allegiance they bare to the Bishops, they find such Favour from their Lordships, that if the Livings they lose are in the Bishops gift, he shall present any Friend which the dispossessed Jacobite shall recommend; now what can be more by them desired, than to enjoy the Profits of their Livings, and put in what Curate they please? ”

“ Thus it cometh to pass, that according as an open professed Enemy to the Government shall dictate, a Church-man shall strenuously exert that Power the King has given him, to discourage and oppress his Dutiful and Loyal Subjects. ”

“ It makes the Wealth and Glory of this World, high Places and great Preferments, but of a low and little value to him, so that he is neither covetous nor ambitious, nor over-sollicitous concerning the advantages of it: It brings a Man to that frame, that Righteousness, Justice, Honesty and Fidelity, is as 'twere part of his Nature ”

“ Church and Religion, is only meant to support their own Party, Dominion and Empire?
3. Now the oldest Deists of my Acquaintance having conceiv'd so great a Prejudice against the Christian Faith, from the Behaviour of the Clergy, and having levened their Disciples therewith, it has fal'n out unhappily, that the late Revolution has by another way also confirmed them in this their Prejudice. ”

“ I was told that our Bishops Order was founded in that of the 12 Apostles, and the Presbyters Order in the 70 Disciples: Upon this I resolved to see if the 12 and the 70 were different Orders, or no, and read over the 10th Chap. of Matthew, the 3d and 6th of Mark, and the 9th of Luke, in which places the Power which Christ gave to the 12 is set forth, which amounteth to this, viz. a Charge to Preach the Gospel, a Power to work Miracles in casting out Devils, healing the Sick, &c. ”

“ Besides (said he) do you not observe what a keen Edge Christian Faith puts upon the ill-nature of Divines, when they are disputing about matters of Religion? 'Tis common for Philosophers, Lawyers, Physicians, &c. to differ about matters which concern their Professions, and write one against another: But you will find some Temper and Decorum observed in their Writings. But let the Controversy be about any Branch of Christian Faith; and then see the Odium Theologorum, the Malice of Divines in the late Writings of two of your Church Doctors against each other ”

“ Thus, though King James be at last excluded, his Subjects reign in his stead. And whether an Oath of Abjuration laid upon the Jacobites Proxy-men, will put an end to this Corruption, Time must tell us.
5. But to return to the Reasons, (or Prejudices I may rather call 'em) which occasion Deism; It hath been observed to me, that where the Notion of a Church hath been carried on with the highest Tide, there even natural Religion is at the lowest Ebb; as in Italy of old, and lately in France, where gross Immoralities and Atheism are at the greatest height. ”

“ And I cannot but observe, that your Protestant Malice is under a worse Management than the Popish; they only thirst for the Blood of Protestants, but you are for sucking one anothers Blood; as when for the Service [23] of King Charles the II. (who was Head of your Church) and his Popish Brother, the Blood of the best Protestants in England, (and some of them of your own Church) was to be spilt, the Court Blood-suckers, viz. Attorney general, and Judges, besides Juries and Evidence, were all of 'em chosen Men out of your own Church ”

“ Have they not long since got their Bill of Exclusion to be passed into a Law, whereby no Man can enjoy a Place of Profit or Trust in the State, but whom they qualify at their Altars? where Men were capacitated to be Bumbails, keep Gaming-houses and sell Ale. ”

“ S—— will reserve a Right to King James, though through Success and Settlement he will allow a Right also to King William. And this Notion the Clergy generally adhere to, because thereby they kill two or three Birds with one stone. 1st. They preserve to themselves their ancient Right of giving Titles to Sovereignty. For though both King and Parliament have disclaimed and damned the Conquest, yet the Clergy still insist upon it. 2ly. They make fair Weather with King James, by keeping his Title alive, and by still asserting his Right, open him a Door to recover his Possession again. ”

“ And after all, that they may enjoy the full Profits of their Livings, and pay their Curates another way, these Jacobites may hold their Conventicles where they please, nay, Preach publickly and seditiously in an open Church near Cheap-side, London, without the least offence to the Spiritual Power. ”

“ Thus (cry they) you plainly see, that your Church is nothing but a Party, to which whosoever joineth, himself shall find his Account thereby, notwithstanding any Error, Heresy, Immorality or Disloyalty to the present Government whatsoever; whilst any other who is conformable to the Rubricks and Canons, whose Learning and Morals are an Honour to his Gown, and who is truly dutiful to his Majesty, shall be excluded from all those benefits his Profession would entitle him to. Thus the bold Asserters of King James's Right enjoy some of the best Preferments, and particularly Dr. ”