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rable to the

12. 8vo.

From this fome tolerable guess may be made of the value of the rest of the bishops lands, which are those of the province of Canterbury, confifting of that archbifhopric and twenty one bishoprics.A propofal, fome years fince, by a nameless writer, was made for (j) The vefting the whole prefent property of the church in State prefeEngland and Ireland in the crown, not to enrich or Church, p. add to its power, but as a trustee for the people, who fhould be always uppermoft in the confideration of all Lond. 1748. 'true lovers of their country (j).Is it effentially neceffary,' fays that author, that bishops fhould have three, four, five, fix, feven, eight, nine and ten thousand pounds a year? Is it neceffary that an archbishop should die worth 90 000 l. befides providing ⚫ very honourably for his family, in confequence of his power and influence? Is it neceffary that one ⚫ churchman fhall enjoy a ftring of benefices, while ⚫ numbers have none and ftarve? I am willing to fuppose epifcopacy to be an effential branch of the chriftian fyftem; and therefore hold the order in all the • veneration due to it. But I cannot bring myself to ⚫ think that the Holy Ghost delights more to abide with ⚫ them in coaches and palaces, and in parliament, than if they had abided by the primitive fimple way of living, practifed and inculcated by the apoftles. I am no leís willing that our prelates retain their feats in parlia

ment

diers and officers, entered the house, upbraided

ment, if it shall be thought that they have been always heretofore infpired with the fpirit of truth and ⚫ righteousness in their legislative capacity. But admitting, as I do very willingly, that our good lords the bishops add a luftre to the upper houfe, will they fhine the lefs there for being placed more on the level with each other than they are at prefent? The poorest of them can afford clean lawn fleeves in their prefent fituation; and if the two metropolitans fhould be levelled to an annual ftipend of 1500 each,

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and their respective fuffragans to Icool. I don't fee but they might keep a coach in parliament time, notwithstanding the duty on carriage wheels, provided they refide with their flocks the rest of the year. Is it neceflary that the bishoprics and other churchlivings of Ireland, a cheap and plentiful country, 'fhould exceed even thofe in England? or, is it neceffary, that, in the north of that kingdom, where there are scarce ten proteftants of the epifcopal church in a whole parifh, many of the incumbents should poffefs livings of four, fix, and eight hundred pounds a year? It is no uncommon fight in that country, to fee a parfon preach, I fhould fay, read prayers, preaching being difufed, to his clerk, and fuch of his own family as had accompanied him from the parfonage house in his coach and four. Though the value of livings in that kingdom be well known to our clergy, who are never wanting to themfelves in pushing their way ⚫ thither, where they bafk in plenty and eafe, it would feem as if our ftatefmen had acquired none or very little knowledge of the treasure that might be raised there by fale of the prefent poffeffions of the church. To mention but the primacy there, lately conferred on a very young churchman, but, I fuppofe, of dif tinguished piety and erudition, it would fell, at twenty years purchase only, for above 200,000l. no contemptible aid to a bleeding country, obliged to raife above

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braided the members, turned the speaker

out

.

'ten millions annually, though already above four-fcore ' in debt. From this fpecimen may be feen how greatly the trading and induftrious part of the people, that is, the laity, might be eased, if the revenues of the church, tithes and all, were put to fale, and the 'purchase money applied to the ufes of the public. And, furely, in a time of fuch danger and difficulty as the prefent, no good fubject can warrant oppofing the carrying fo falutary a fcheme into execution. 'Tis probable our open foreign, and native fecret enemies might oppofe fuch a healing fcheme; but except the French and Spaniards abroad, and our popish fellowfubjects at home, I cannot perfuade myself that it would meet with the leaft oppofition. Our proteftant laity would unanimously affent to it; and as for the clergy, if their fuffrages were taken collectively, I will anfwer for it, the majority would be with (4) The 'me (k). Poffibly this writer would have found him- State, &c. felf mistaken; for, as there are but few of the inferior P. 14. clergy void of hope, founded on their belief of their own merit, of preferment, thefe would not be overfond of the fcheme and as for the dignified ones, they, would naturally, one and all, cry out against it, as a breach of the alliance between church and ftate, which they would fain perfuade us is productive of many happy confequences to fociety. The ignorant laity, for any thing I know to the contrary, might be pleafed with the carrying fuch a fcheme into execution. After this brief detail of the great actions of the parliament at home and abroad, it is not to be admired that they met with the applaufe of the ableft and best judges. To what the reader will find in the note (NN) it will be proper to add the opinion of the old chancellor Oxenfiern of Sweden, a name of the higheft renown for political abilities in the age in which he lived, the fame, whofe affairs we are now treating of. It is mentioned from M. Chanut, both in the appendix to Keyler's Travels,

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out of the chair (ww), and put an end, for the prefent, to the fupream authority of

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vels, and in Bafnage's Annals of the United-Provinces. Oxenstiern indeed blamed the extream barbarity committed on the person of the late King of Eng and, but commended and admired almost every part of the plan of that great defign which the parliament had formed.' Bafnage adds, that he faid, it had been conducted with diftinguifhed prudence, and that thofe who then governed in England, acted upon fuch principles of policy as were founded in truth and experience. Such readers as are unprejudiced, will not, after this, think, I am perfuaded, that Mr. Hume has done justice to the parliament in the following character: Thefe men, fays he, had not that large thought, nor comprehenfive views, which might lify them for acting the part of legiflators felfish aims and bigotry chiefly engroffed their attention. They carried their rigid aufterity fo far as to enact laws, declaring fornication, after the firft act, to be felony, without benefit of clergy (). Is this a likenefs? Let facts determine.Undoubtedly their Ludlow, vel. law, with refpect to fornication, was much too rigid. But, from a single inftance, to take a character, is and the que- hardly allowable. To be able to fee only one difaWarburton greeable objet amongst feveral more fair and equally in the note obvious, argues, indeed, to ufe this gentleman's own (xx). expreffions, no large thought or comprehenfive views.

(7) Hiftory of Great Britain, vol.

ii. p. 32. Compare this with

ii. p. 453

tation from

-If ever men were qualified for acting the part of legiflators, these were they.- And whoever will excel as fuch, muft copy after them in the main of their conduct. (ww) Cromwell entered the house, and put a period, for a time, to the commonwealth.] Many republicks,' fays an excellent writer, have, with length of time,

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See Ifaiah Puffendorf's Obfervations on the Refolution of the laft Swedish diet, &c. in the Appendix to Keyfler's Travels, vol. iv. p. 51. and Rainage's Annals of the United-Provinces, vol. i. p. 243.

• fallen

the commonwealth of England. It is not

6

to

fallen back into defpotick governments. This feems to be a calamity that inevitably happens to every free government fooner or later. And, indeed, how can it perpetually refift every thing that faps and fup-. plants? How can it always check the ambition of those great men whom it produces, and harbours in its bofom? How can it always watch against the ' dark and fecret practices and machinations of its neighbours, or against the corruption of its own mem'bers, while intereft prevails in the world over every other motive? How fhould it expect always to come ' off with fuccefs in the wars it must needs undertake and fupport for its fecurity? or prevent thofe dangerous conjunctures, thofe critical and decifive moments, when its liberty is at stake, or those unforeseen acci⚫dents that animate and favour the wicked and audacious? If any armies are commanded by timid and unfkilful generals, it falls a prey to any enemies; if they are headed by bold and fuccessful commanders, thefe will be as dangerous in times of peace, as they 'were useful and beneficial during the war. There are few, if any republicks, but have rifen from the abyfs of tyranny to freedom, and from thence have funk again into the dregs of fervitude. The fame • Athenians, who, in the times of Demofthenes, provoked and infulted Philip of Macedon, crouched to Alexander. The Romans, who abhorred royalty, and expelled their kings, fuffered, fome ages after, the most horrible oppreffion and cruelties from their empe

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Lond. 1741.

And the fame Englishmen who rebelled against, imprisoned, and beheaded Charles I. fubmiffively bore (m) Antithe galling yoke of a protector (m).' I have already Machiavel, obferved that the victory at Worcester, fo fatal to the P97.. affairs of Charles II. probably infpired Cromwell with the ambition of lording it over his masters, and feizing the fovereignty. Flufhed with fuccefs the brave and ambitious afpire higher and higher, and dare adventure

on

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