OCCASIONAL PAPER. NUM B. XII. SOME REMARKS On a late PAMPHLET ENTITLED, The CHURCH of ENGLAND the fole WITH A LETTER to the Author of this Paper; fully Confuting the chief Things infifted on in that Pamphlet. Well knowing that nothing but this wide and ftrong Foundation well laid (viz. That all Chriftians have a Right to look into the Gospel Themfelves; to depend upon Chrift alone for their Religion; and upon his final Determination alone for their Salvation ;) can effectually guard against thofe Schemes or Platforms of a Superftitious Tyranny, which may to fome appear harmless at firft; but from which in Truth the whole dreadful Fabrick of Popery bath by degrees grown up to its full Strength and Maturity. Bifh. Bangor's Prefervative, Pref. LONDON: Printed for J. Harrison under the Royal Exchange, and A. Dodd without Temple-Bar. 1716. Price 3 d. SOME REMARKS On a late PAMPHLET ENTITLED, The CHURCH of ENGLAND the fole Encourager of FREE THINKING, Uc. T HE Occafional Paper ftands profeffedly * engaged to ferve the Caufe of Truth, Liberty, and Freedom of Thought. And I have had no fmall Pleasure, in obferving how many Trea tifes, of one kind or other, have come from the Prefs fince the publishing my firft, which have happily confpir'd to promote the fame just and generous Sentiments. *See the large Advertisement, publish'd at the End of some of the firft Occafional Papers. There are fome Pieces that have been writ with a great deal of Strength and Beauty, upon the Head of Civil Liberty; and others that have appear'd to very great Advantage upon the Argument of Liberty in Matters of Religion; and I muft confefs my felf tranfported to read fuch a Treatife as the Bishop of Bangor's Prefervative againft the Principles and Practices of the Nonjurors, on both thefe Accounts. There we fee what thofe Sentiments are, that must make both Church and State Eafy and Happy. I was in hopes to have met with Tomething of the like Nature in that Pamphlet the Title Page of this Paper promises Remarks upon: But I cannot forbear declaring my felf to be under a Difappointment, the greateft, of that kind, I ever knew in my Life. If I had not been more concern'd for the Honour of the true Proteftant Church of England, than the Author of that Effay feems to be, I fhould have thrown By his learned Performance with my firft Thoughts of it: That it was ori ginally a Sermon, deliver'd to fome Audience where the Preacher thought he reign'd enough to fay any Thing; but was afterwards fublim'd into an Effay for the Ufe and Entertainment of those who might not have the Art of Proving Things as this Writer imagines he has done. To put on an affuming Air, and boldly to affert what may ferve his Turn, is this Man's Way of producing Proofs. I really blush'd for him, to think what would become of him, if He fhould be forced to purfue the common Methods of maintaining what he has afferted: And was vex'd to think of the Advantages he had given both to Papifts and Presbyterians, if either of them them fhould refolve to enter the Lifts with him. -I with fuch Writers as He would be quiet, and not hinder the good Effect of those Labours of our learned Men that he boafts of; from which the Church muft certainly gain great Advantage, were not their Writings fo ill judg'd, and represented as they are, by Men of our Author's Temper, and Turn of Mind. To make the Encouragement of Free-Thinking that Mark of a true Church, which diftinguishes the Church of England from all others, muft be the Contrivance of one that knows little of Religion, of the World, or even of the Conftitu tion of his own Church, I fhall not plead the Caufe of any of those Sects, or Adverfaries of the Church of England, this Pofition is levell'd againft: Let them, if they please, speak for themselves: But I wish, for the fake of thofe Differences now amongst Us, on a Political Account, that this Effay Writer had put fome Things he has mention'd in a clearer Light; or else, that he had let them alone. 2 N. B. Those who are in the Intereft of the prefent Government well know, That it is a Popish Stratagem, to fet one Branch of Proteftants against another And one would think, that by this Time there fhould not be found a Country Curate fo Ignorant as to need telling of this: "Tis alfo a manifeft Proof of a little, narrow Spirit, and a Spirit that is utterly eftranged from the Charity, and Enlargedness of true Chriftianity, latitude to aim at raising a Reputation to ones felf, or to a particular Party, meerly upon the degrading and running down of others: So |