REPEAL of TEST, the Question feems to me to have been put upon a wrong Foot. It is commonly taken for granted, That the TEST was contrized and defigned by the Legiflature, to exclude Diffenters of all Denominations from Places of Profit and Truft under the GoA vernment. Whereas it is notoriously true, that it neither was defign'd for this Purpofe, nor ever had this Effect. The known and undoubted Defign of it was, to exclude Popish Recufants, and them only, from having any Share in the Government ef a Proteftant People. As fuch it was brought into Parliament, intitled, An ACT to prevent Dangers which may happen from Popish Recufants. In this Light it was considered and debated; not as the Cause of one Set of Prote

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midst of all the Wonders they were açcuftom'd to. There appear'd to the South, a great Space of the Sky tinged with fo lively a Red, that the whole Conftellation of Orion look'd as if it had been dipt in Blood. The Light, which was fix'd at firft, foon moved, and changing into other Colours, Violet and Blue, fettled into a Dome, whofe Top ftood a little to the Southwest of the Zenith. The Moon fhone bright, but did not in the leaft efface it. In this Country, where there are Lights of fo many different Coours, I never faw but two (fays the Author) that were red, and fuch are taken for Prefages of fome great Misfortune; and when People look on thefe Phenomena with an unphilofophic Eye, no wonder they discover in them fiery Cha riots, Armies engaged, and a thousand other Prodigies. April 7, at 5 in the Morning, the Thermometer was fallen to 20 Divilions below the Freezing Point, tho' every Afternoon it rofe 2 or 3 Divifions above it; a Difference not much lefs than what the greateft Heats and Colds produce at Paris. Here in the Space of 12 Hours they had all the Variety that is felt in the temperate Zones in a whole Year. Mean time Suu being come nearer, or rather no more leaving them, it was pleafant enough to fee him enlighten, for fo long a time, a whole Hori. zon of Ice, and to fee Summer in the Heavens, while Winter ftill kept Poffeffion of the Earth. May 6, it began to rain, and fome Water appear'd on the Ice of the River; at Noon a little Snow melted, but in the Evening Winter refumed his Rights. May 10, the Earth began to appear, and fome high Parts, expofed to the Sun, fhewed themselves, as the Top of the Mountains did after the Deluge, and all the Fowls of the Country returned. Towards the Beginning of June Winter yielded up both Earth and Sea; and June 9, the Company fet out on their Return to Stockholm, being fully convinc'd, that Sir Ifaac Newton's Figure of a flat Spheriod, in contradiction to Mr Caffini's of a long one, is what belongs to the Earth, which, from the niceft Obfervations, and most exact Menfuration, with all the Helps and Instruments they could defire, and in a Tract of Land, as it were, mark'd out for fuch an Operation, they foud to be confiderably depress'd towards the Pole.

ftants against another, but the Struggle was altogether between Protestants and Papifts All fincere Preteftants of all C Denominations zealously contending for, and heartily concurring in, & paffing of it.

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The Defign of the ACT being known, I beg leave to confider it firft in a Politi cal View only. And in this View, the Point in difpute will very much (I think entirely) depend upon the Determination of the following Questions: Whether the Defign of the ACT was a good one; Whether it has effectually answered the Purpofe for which it was defign'd; and whether any TEST fo effectual can be fubftituted in the room of it. If Papifts ought to be excluded from al! Share in the Government of a Proteftant People; if the TEST-ACT has effectually ferved that Purpofe; and no other TEST fo effectual has yet been proposed or thought of; then I think good Policy obliges us to be cautious how we give it up, and a fincere Proteftant Diffenter may be reckoned imprudent as well as unreasonable to defire it.

I. Upon the firft Queftion, I apprehend, all fincere Proteftants are agreed; That the Defign of the ACT is just and commendable, and that Popish Recufants ought

to have no Share in the Government of this Kingdom.

II. That the TEST-ACT has effectually ferved this Purpose, is likewife an undoubted Truth. Every Man that is acquainted with the Hiftory of James II. muft allow, that it was (under God) the principal Means of faving us, when we were upon the Brink of Ruin; and that there is no one ACT in the whole StaHtute Book, to which we are fo much indebted for the prefent fecure Enjoyment of our Religion, Laws, and Liberties. This Confideration alone fhould have

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The whole Debate therefore, fo far as Proteftants are concerned in it, is reduced to this fingle Queftion, Whether any TEST equally Safe and Effectual can be fubftituted in the Room of it. It has been generally thought, that Oaths and Declarations, be they never fo ftrict and B folemn, will not ferve the Purposes of the TEST. It has been faid likewife, that the Efficacy of the prefent TEST, above all other Means, was a Secret blabbed out by a fubtle politic Prieft over his Cups. But be this as it will; fomething ought to be propofed on the Part C of the Petitioners for the REPEAL, as a Supplemental Security; otherwise they cannot reasonably expect to be heard. I have read their Petition, and endeavoured to inform myfelf by other Means, whether they have any Scheme to fecure us against Popish Recufants in the Abfence of the TEST: But I find none; nothing offered to Parliament but general Complaints of Hardships + fuffered by Proteftant Diffenters through the TEST, and the Right they have to Relief: As if the Parliament were obliged to find out a Supplemental Security whether it be poffible or not. This is treating the Par- E liament very oddly, or the Caufe of Protestants against their avowed Enemies very carelefly.

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It may, perhaps, be imagined, that our Circumftances do not require fuch a Strong Fence against Popish Recufants (now the Proteftant Succeffion to the Crown has taken Effect) as in the two Reigns preceding the Revolution: There being no apparent Danger, that our prefent moft graciousSovereign,or his Succeffors should be inclined to employ any Perfons, fo much as fufpected to be Popifhly affected in the Adminiftration. I have as much Confidence in his Majefty, and the prefent G Royal Family, and as high an Opinion of their ftrict Attachment to the Prote ftant Intereft, as any Proteftant whatfoever. Yet I cannot help thinking it a great Weakening to our Safety (greater than in Prudence we ought to confent

+ Happy People! whole greateft Grievance is the want of Power and Preferment. I might alfo add, Uniappy People! who reckon the cant of Power and Preferment a great Grievange

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to) that it fhould be fo much as pollible for Popish Recufants to be imployed in the Adminiftration. When James I. fucceeded to the Crown of England, there was little Reafon to apprehend, that we should be fo foon, and fo greatly alarmed with the Dangers from the Growth of a Popish Intereft; which Alarms increased continually for fourfcore Years together, till we were brought to the Brink of Ruin. And what was the greatest human Means of faving us at that last Gafp, I have obferved already.

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But the Confideration, which engages me moft in favour of the TEST, is this; That it is our prefent beft Security against the Growth of Popery and a Popish Intereft in thefe Kingdoms. It mult certainly be a great Damp to the Zeal of Papifts on behalf of the Pretender, to con◄ fider, that if they could place him on the Throne, he would have little Power to ferve them, while the TEST-ACT Con tinued in Force; and he would be as ill able to keep his Ground, as his fuppofed Father was, for the fame Reafon. TEST was, and ever will be a Thorn in the Side of any Popib Prince, which will make the Crown of England hardly worth his wearing, and therefore hardly worth his fecking, till he has Hopes of getting rid of it. But fhould a British Parliament be fo complaifant as to pull out this Thorn for him, and substitute nothing in its ftead, but what may be quali fied by Difpenfations from Rome; this will naturally give new Life and Vigour to the whole Popish Faction, engage all their Emiffaries to double their Diligence in making Profelytes, and to foment Divifions among those whom they cannot convert: Then, if any favourable Opportunity fhould offer, either through Distractions at home, or thro' Broils with any Popith Power abroad, they will be encouraged, at almost any Hazard and Expence, to push on the Pretender's Intereft, knowing that, if he be once placed in the Saddle, he may ride on triumphantly, that Obftacle, at which his Father ftumbled and fell, being taken out of his Way. We are as likely, as any People this Day in Europe, to give our Enemies this Advantage over us by our unnatural Divifions. Since therefore we have fo little Dependence upon our Unanimity among ourselves, to fave us out of Popish Hands, it highly concerns us, not to part with any kind of external Security, which by the Wisdom and Zeal of our Forefathers has been procured and tranf mitted down to us. S. K.

Extract of a LETTER to a Member of Parliament, containing a Propofal for bring ing in a Bill to Kevife and Amend certain Obfolete Statutes, commonly called The TEN COMMANDMENTS.

HAT thefe Commandments were

Toriginally given to the Jews, is be

yond all Difpute; and as their great Law. giver himself declar'd, and their whole Hiftory confirms, that they were a ftiff necked, perverfe Generation; lo it is more than probable that thefe Commandments were folely intended to correct the Mifunderstandings, reftrain the Exceffes, and regulate the Conduct of that stubborn, wrong-headed People, who had not Reafon, nor Learning, nor Politenefs enough to regulate their own moral Behaviour; but are no more binding to a fenfible, learned, juft, righteous, polite, free-thinking People, than the Laws concerning Circumcifion and Sacrifices. And as the happy Inhabitants of these reformed Nations have long ago got rid of all the fuperftitious Impofitions of Chriftian Pricftcraft, it is a Shame and Reproach to them to be still in Bondage to Jewish Ordinances; efpecially if it can be made appear that they are an intolerable Impofition upon a free People, without having the leaft moral or natural Aptitude to promote the Welfare of Civil Society, and the temporal Good and Benefit of Mankind, which are now generally acknowledged to be the great End and Foundation of all civil, moral and religious Inftitution.

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The first Hint that was publickly given of this kind was in an accidental Converfation betwixt the Devil and the late Dr Tindal, as the Story is merrily told by the A Author of Apparition. And a devilish unlucky Difcovery it would prove, if the Thing could be fairly made out, and the Interpolation directly proved. Tho', to fay the Truth, the Sufpicion feems to have been much antienter than the a forefaid Converfation; for we are told, that in the Reign of King Charles the Firft, fome bold Printer had the Courage to leave out the fufpicious Particle only in one of the Commandments, to feel the Pulfe of the People, and fee whether they were ripe for further Discoveries, and a thorough Reformation; and accordingly in a new Edition of the Liturgy, the Seventh Commandment was printed thus, Thou shalt commit Adul tery. But as the poor Devil happened to live in the evil Days of Bigotry and Superftition, under a grave formal Prince, and an old, four, morofe Archbishop, who had no more Taste of Gallantry than Criticifm, he was feverely fwinged, and the whole Impreffion called in, to the great Difcouragement of all Attempts of that kind for the future. Tho' many of the polite People feemed fo well fatisfy'd with the new Reading, that they thought it an excellent Emendation, and directed their Conduct accordingly. And I cannot but hope that confidering the great Encouragement that is now publickly given for free Debate and Enquiry into thefe and fuch-like fuperftitious Frauds, we fhall foon fee this dark Affair fet in a true Light, and perhaps it may be thought worth while to give publick Encouragement to the Learned to bend their Thoughts this Way, by propofing a competent Reward to any that fhall be able to make and publish a full Dif covery of this Corruption and Interpo lation, as it would contribute to the quieting of many Confciences, and promoting and establishing an unbounded Liberty in Thought, Word and Deed.

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Paffing by first four, & Fifth Commandment seems unneceffary, and was plainly calculated for the Jews, to ferve fome political Purposes, as appears plainly from the Promife of length of Days, or long Enjoyment of their new Poffeffions. Whereas among us it is generally a Rule, Children of courfe will honour their Parents, if they think they deserve it; that is, if they lay no Reftraints upon them, nor teaze their tender Ears with difagreeable Lectures about Religion, Temperance, Sobernefs and Chastity. Such Parents will be fure to be honoured by fuch Children; but thofe that act otherwife are not like G to receive much Honour from their Children in this polite, well-bred Generation, tho' there were ten thousand Commandments to enjoin it.

The Five laft Commandments lie under a general Prejudice, upon a Sufpicion of Corruption and Interpolation. It has been fufpected by fome very fagacious H Criticks, that the negative Particle (not) has by Negligence or Design been inferted into each of them, tho' no direct Proof has been yet made of the Fraud.

However, if the Wisdom of our Su periors fhall think fit to continue those faid obfolete Statutes or Commandments ftill in Force, till fuch Difcoveries fhall be happily made, I beg leave to propofe certain Heads of a Bill to be offered to the Houfe, upon a proper Occofion, as follows:

Whereas a certain immemorial, fuperftitious Practice has prevailed in these Nations, for certain old Women of both Sexes, fuch as Grandmothers, Nurses, Maiden Aunts, School-dames, and Par

fons,

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ons, to teach and inftru&t the Children even of Protestant Parents in certain antient Jewish Laws, commonly called The Ten Commandments; which faid fuperftitious Practice, notwithstanding the many Attempts which from time to time have been made by certain judicious and wellmeaning Perfons towards a thorough Reformation, ftill fubfifts among us, in de fiance of all the natural and religious Rights and Privileges of a free Proteftant People; it has been long thought by all true Lovers of Liberty, to be almost an infupportable Burden, who therefore wish and hope to be relieved from it by a proper Authority. But whereas the faid Jewish Laws and Precepts have been by the Ignorance and Superftition of our Forefathers unhappily incorporated in the Laws of our Country, and made a part of our legal Conftitution, and cannot without the Appearance of Difficulty and Danger be entirely repealed; it is therefore thought proper fo to limit and explain their Meaning and Obligation, as in a grear meafure to prevent the feveral Hardships and Inconveniencies arifing from the mistaken Notions and Prejudices about them.

The Writer proceeds to lay his Objections gainst the Commandments in order: But thofe against the four first, we shall pass as they may appear shocking to fome who do not readily apprehend the Force of Ridicule and Irony.

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polite Aflemblies of the Fair, the Witty, and the Young, where they only ferve to spoil Sport, to damp the Mirth, and lay a Reftraint upon the Frolicks of the good Company, have really no occafion for any thing but warm Cloaching, and comfortable nourishing Food, Soups, Broths, and Jellies, good Fires, warin Beds, and a few religious Books; Nature itself dictates that they fhould betimes relign to the Heirs of their Bodies thofe Superfluities of Fortune, which they neither want, nor know how to en joy with Relifh or Decency.

Be it therefore enacted-, That if any Father or Mother are blefied with any Iffue Male or Female, who are arrived at the proper Age of Defire and Discretion, warm Inclinations, and good Understand. ings, who are too big to be corrected, and too wife to be taught; that is to fay, C Sons that have attained to the full Age of feventeen or eighteen at the most, and Daughters to the Age of thirteen or four teen at the moft: That the faid Fathers and Mothers of fuch Children shall forth. with relign to the faid Heirs of their Bodies, all that Superfluity of Fortune, which their faid Heirs fhall judge reafonDable and convenient for themfelves, and unneceffary and buidenfome to their faid Parents. Which reafonable Condition, if their faid Parents fhall refufe to comply with, they shall be taught by their faid Children, who are reasonably prefumed The Fifth Commandment feems to be a to be better Judges than themfelves, the Precept of a very indifferent Nature; E Abfurdity and Injustice of fuch their Confor as it is certain that no Children of duct and Behaviour toward their own tolerable Senfe, or good Manners, would Offspring, by that regligent and contemprefufe to pay due Honour and Respect to tuous Treatment as fuch Parents may be fuch Parents as fhall appear to deferve reafonably prefumed to deferve from any it; fo it is as certain that they nei fenfible, polre, well-bred Children. But ther will nor can to those that do not. if any Parents fhall be found fo difcreet Which neceffarily implies a Duty in all and indulgent as freely and chearfully to Parents fo to behave towards their Chil refign all fuch unncceflary Superfluity of dren, as to deserve that Honour from Eitates, Jointures, Settlements, Pentions them, which this Commandment obliges or Payments whatfoever, for the Behoof them to pay; and what are the Terms and Benefit of their faid hopeful Proof this mutual Obligation, Nature itself geny, that they fhall from thenceforth be feems to determine. The State and Con- entitled to all that Honour, Refpect and dition of young People require that they Efteem, which they may be justly and fhould drefs, converfe, and behave in fuch G reasonably prefumed to deferve, accord a Manner, as to fhine in all publick Afing to the full Intent and Meaning of this femblies, and diftinguish themselves by Commandment. [See more in our next.] an apparent Superiority of Figure, Drefs, and Equipage, agreeable to the Superio rity of their Birtan Fostand, the Sexparad or Expectá

Condition of Parents, i. e. Old Men and Old Women, require nothing but the mere wholefore and cleanly Necefiaries of Life; That they, who are or ought to be of courfe excluded from the gay Meetings and

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SIR,

F.65.

Normity is the greatest Beauty in Beauty is deficient and difagrecable.

The Author of Nature molt eminently poffefles this Excellence. There is no In confiftency ta be found in him, nor is there any Incongruity or Abfurdity in the

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2. His fceond Reason is akin to his first. These vehement Strugglings for the Repeal infer a greater Odium on the Diffenters, than the Acts they would have repeal'd. That is to fay, as he afterwards explains it himself, they, whofe fincere and firm Attachment to the prefent Royal Family no body doubts, and whole Abilities to ferve his Majesty, whether natural or acquired, are equal to those of their Neighbours, are guilty of afpiring, ambitious, avaritious Defires, in deliring only to have an equal Opportunity of exercising these their Abi- H lities with their Neighbours. To thus much does the fuppofed Odium, arising from their Endeavours to procure the Repeal of thefe Acts, in reality amount. And can.