George Downing, and feveral others whofe names are on record. I can therefore fee no reason, why a painful prefbyterian teacher, as soon as the teft fhall be repealed, may not be privileged to hold along with the fpiritual office and ftipend a commiffion in the army or the civil lift in commendam: for, as I take it, the church of England is the only body of Chriftians, which in effect difqualifies thofe, who are employed to preach its doctrine, from fharing in the civil power, further than as fenators: yet this was a privilege begun in times of popery, many hundred years before the Reformation, and woven with the very inftitution of our limited monarchy.

There is indeed another method, whereby the ftipends of diffenting teachers may be raised, and the farmer much relieved; if it should be thought proper to reward a people fo deferving, and fo loyal by their principles. Every bishop upon the vacancy of a church-living can fequefter the profits for the use of the next incumbent. Upon a lapfe of half a year the donation falls to the archbishop, and after a full year to the crown, during plea

fure.

fure. Therefore it would be no hardship for any clergyman alive, if (in those parts of Ireland, where the number of fectaries much exceeds that of the conformists) the profits, when fequeftered, might be applied to the support of the diffenting teacher, who hath fo many fouls to take care of: whereby the poor tenants would be much relieved in those hard times, and in a better condition to pay their rents.

But there is another difficulty in this matter, against which a remedy doth not fo readily occur. For fuppofing the testact repealed, and the diffenters in confequence fully qualified for all fecular employments; the queftion may ftill be put, whether those of Ireland will be often the perfons on whom they fhall be bestowed; because it is imagined, there may be* another feminary in view, more numerous and more needy, as well as more meriting, and more easily contented with fuch low offices; which fome nearer neighbours hardly think it worth ftirring from their chimneyfides to obtain. And I am told, it is the common practice of those who are skilled

*Scotland.

in

in the management of bees, that when they fee a foreign fwarm at some distance, approaching with an intention to plunder their hives, these artists have a trick to divert them into fome neighbouring apiary, there to make what havock they pleafe, This I fhould not have hinted, if I had not known it already to have gotten ground in many fufpecting heads; for it is the peculiar talent of this nation to fee dangers afar off: to all which I can only fay, that our native prefbyterians must by pains and industry raise such a fund of merit, as will answer to a birth fix degrees more to the north. If they cannot arrive at this perfection, as feveral of the established church have compaffed by indefatigable pains, I do not well fee how their affairs will much mend by repealing the test: for to be qualified by law to accept an employment, and yet to be disqualified in fact, as it will much increase the mortification, so it will withdraw the pity of many among their well-wishers, and utterly deprive them of that merit they have so long made, of being a loyal true proteflant people, perfecuted only for religion.

If

If this happen to be their case, they muft wait maturity of time; until they can, by prudent gentle fteps, make their faith become the religion established in the nation; after which, I do not in the leaft doubt that they will take the most effectual methods to fecure their power against those who must then be dissenters in their turn; whereof, if we may form a future opinion from prefent times, and the difpofitions of diffenters, who love to make a thorough reformation, the number and qualities will be very inconfiderable.

Thus I have, with the utmost fincerity, after long thinking, given my judgment upon this arduous affair; but with the utmoft deference and fubmiffion to public wifdom and power.

QUERIES

Relating to the

SACRAMENTAL TEST

Written in the Year 1732.

QUERY, W

HETHER hatred and violence between parties in a ftate be not more inflamed by different views of intereft, than by the greater or leffer differences between them either in religion or government?

Whether it be any part of the question at this time, which of the two religions is worse, popery or fanaticism; or not rather, which of the two (having both the fame good will) is in the hopefulleft condition to ruin the church?

Whether the fectaries, whenever they come to prevail, will not ruin the church as infallibly and effectually as the papists? Whether the prevailing fectaries could allow liberty of confcience to diffenters, without belying all their former practice, and almost all their former writings? VOL. IX.

E e

Whether