or tithes were laid on our people for the support of the mufti, it would raise up a thousand objections against their religion among so ingenious a laity, and be more likely to detect the imposture of their doctrines than any other expedient that can be thought of. Then again Christianity would probably have the benefit of being persecuted by the established clergy, by which we may be sure both the number and zeal of its professors would in a little time increase prodigiously.

But if it be thought too far to go all the way to Turkey for a state religion, the legislature may make use of the Popish to as good effect both ways; and besides, it is a stately religion, and fitter by far than any other for the magnificence and parade of a highday or a public appearance. I am fully persuaded that, if our laity were to suffer the exactions of the Popish clergy but for two or three years, there would not be a man of them that would not be able to refute a Jesuit, and fully expose the impudent pretensions of the pope. It is as probable likewise that if that church were established among us, and Christianity came to be introduced afterward, it would meet with such opposition and persecution from the inquisition as could not but produce a glorious harvest of martyrs, and wonderfully set forward the conversion of a people who have always distinguished themselves from all other nations by a brave and undaunted spirit of opposition.

When the constitution is once put on the aforesaid footing, several laws may be made to favour and assist the revival of Christianity; such as, that nobody be suffered to harangue the populace in defence of it, because it has been found that such declaimers as have been hitherto licensed to speak publicly in its defence, have often put off their own notions instead of scriptural doctrines, and employed a world of false eloquence to insinuate false principles.

Another law may be made to prohibit disputations on religious subjects, by which means religious zeal having no vent at the tongue, may be turned through its proper channel into a virtuous life and conversation. Virtue has for this age or two been deprived of its due nourishment from religion by a violent flux of disputation, that has carried off the wholesome food, and left nothing but crudities behind.

My authors furnish me likewise with three other schemes, which, though not so promising as the former, do nevertheless deserve to be remembered on account of their singularity, if they had nothing else to recommend them.

The first is, to prohibit all religions whatever under pain of death. Upon the first view of this scheme one would not be apt to imagine it could answer the end proposed, because Christianity must be made a capital crime among the rest. But upon more mature consideration it does not seem altogether so absurd. If all religions were forbid on pain of death, Christianity might nevertheless force its way among us, because it can inspire a contempt of death, and then all others must by that means be effectually kept out. This project would certainly prevent all hypocritical profession of Christianity; and what would be admirable is, that we should have as many martyrs as Christians.

The second is to burn the Bible. This seems even more extraordinary than the former, because its author insists on the destruction of all other books wrote on the Christian religion; so that one would imagine it might by this means be reduced to the necessity of either depending entirely on the broken chain of oral tradition, or else being utterly banished out of the world. But my author maintains that Christianity is as old as the creation of the world, and that the kind of Christianity introduced by Christ is novel and imperfect. Nay, he farther insists, that the Christianity of Christ is destructive of the right old Christianity, and that before the one can be restored to its ancient and universal purity, the other which perverts and corrupts it, must be destroyed. Whether this is so or not, I am not historian enough to determine. For my own part I never heard of such a religion, and universally received too in the world, before the coming of Christ. However, the matter is humbly submitted to the learned reader, who must work it out by himself, the best way he can, because I can neither furnish him with any helps from my author nor myself. I can only advise him to consult the Egyptian and Chinese records which I have never seen; it is possible he may there find Christianity introduced and universally received forty or fifty thousand years ago. If he does I hope he will com

municate his discovery to the public. If it is asked what book or scripture we are to apply to in order to be informed of the old Christian principles, my author answers to our own understandings and hearts. If this be so, the old Christianity must certainly differ very much from the new, which requires a good deal of pains, especially among the illiterate, before it can be thoroughly learned. Several paradoxes necessarily follow from our author's doctrine, such as, that in order to be good Christians we must deny Christ; that if we would believe in the Christian religion, we must first believe Christ to be an impostor; that the doctrines of Christ were planted in the world long before he was born; and that he came into the world only to confound and destroy his own religion. My author, who in King James's time was a Papist, took the hint of this scheme from the church of Rome, that forbids to read the Bible.

The last scheme, which I find supported by more votes and better reason, is to establish all religions. The practice of the old Romans is a strong argument in favour of this scheme, so far as it relates to the good of the state. They no sooner conquered a nation, than they took care to cultivate an interest with its gods, by making them free of the city. The gods of any distinction had temples built for them, and those of inferior note were admitted into the temples of their betters. My memory furnishes me with but one exception to this. There was a constant persecution of onions and garlic, those celebrated Egyptian deities, kept up among the Roman soldiery and populace. If it is asked how this can possibly tend to the advancement of Christianity, I answer, that as by this means all religions will be likely to have a fair hearing, all that can possibly be said for each will soon be known, and disputations will be kept constantly on foot, so that the false continually clashing must at last perish through their unsoundness, and the true one or the Christian survive alone. Besides, where there are many religions publicly authorized, it usually happens that none of them is followed with much zeal. Now this state of indifference is the fittest disposition in the world for the examination of truth. There are few, however, that can be persuaded that a person almost indifferent to all religions may be easier converted to Christianity, than one already preju

diced in favour of some other religion, as if it were harder to excite a religious zeal than convince the understanding by dint of reason.

It is not improbable that these proposals may at first shock some of your prejudiced persons who have been bred up in the slavery of old errors, and a narrow way of thinking; however, I shall not think my pains ill bestowed, if my short sketches be approved of by those clear heads and free spirits, that have so often admired them in the great originals, from whence I have only copied them in miniature. The times seem to be pretty forward, though perhaps not quite ripe for the execution of such great designs; I must therefore expect to be treated as all public spirited projectors usually are, with envy and detraction. But I may comfort myself with this reflection, that I should never have undertaken to propose expedients for the reformation of the times, had I not thought them at the lowest ebb of virtue; and from such, who would hope for either candour or gratitude?

The vulgar may perhaps imagine, that the authors I have borrowed these proposals from, were enemies to Christianity, because they have laid designs to revive it, that are above the comprehension of plain and illiterate people. But I assure them, no canonized saint of the church could give higher encomiums of the truth and excellence of the Christian religion. Now to suspect them after this of a design to subvert Christianity would be most cruel and unchristian.

Our legislators, who have more discernment, it is hoped, will distinguish themselves from the populace, by entertaining none of their bigoted and superstitious apprehensions, and by judging with more freedom and refinement.

However, if none of the foregoing proposals should happen to be approved of, we hope our lawgivers will think of some other expedient more effectual for the revival of Christianity in these countries. There are several very good political reasons for it. First, as religion, which, in the divine poet Herbert's time,

Stood a tip-toes on our land,

Ready to fly to the American strand.

is now flown, so that those who have any regard to it will

be obliged to fly after it; our lawgivers would do well to use their utmost endeavours to have it revived among ourselves, to prevent the decrease of our people, and the wasting our estates. Would it not be absurd that our parliament, while they are with so much diligence concerting measures for raising sufficient quantities of hops, wheat, &c. by the cultivation of our own lands, in order to prevent the sending out our money to procure those commodities from abroad, should in the mean time take no care to revive and cultivate Christianity, which, if revived among us, might keep the inhabitants in the nation?

Christianity is of incomparable efficacy in rendering its professors regardless of riches, and the other good things of this world; nor does it less powerfully inspire patience under oppression and tribulation. A true Christian can resign himself to any kind of treatment, without murmuring; he can bear contempt and poverty without the smallest resentment at him who squeezes or plunders him. Now I humbly submit it, whether it is not extremely the interest of all who have estates, that such a religion be embraced by the lower kind of people.