Reget artus takes in all that Homer means, and leaves out nothing but the particular mention of oina yovala (friendly knees), which adds not to the beauty or ftrength of the image, and is therefore better omitted than expreffed.

The rife of this reflection is from the gout, which has at prefent laid hold of me; fhould it take away the ufe of my pixa ral, I fhould be nevertheless yours, because I am fo while I breathe.

To-day, to-morrow, always; at Bromley, at Westminster, every where; in Greek, in Latin, in English, and (which is more) in good earnest, I am, Sir, your faithful humble fervant,

FR. ROFFEN.

Reflections on a late fcandalous Report about the Repeal of the Teft A&*; extracted from Vol. II. of the fame Work.

TH

HE peculiar character of the men of this age is, that they readily believe every thing but truth; and, as great infidels as they are in matters of religion, yet in politics, whatever idle report is ftirring, they give into it with an amazing degree of credulity. How elfe could it happen that fo many fhould in good earnest be alarmed with the late rumor we have had of a defign to repeal the Teft; a fiction every way ridiculous and childish, fit only to frighten fuch as believe in Fairies! There are thofe indeed who know

how to make their advantages of a ftate-lye, if they can pafs it upon the world for an hour: but it was impudence in the forger of this to imagine that it could last a moment. For, fet this odd project in what light, and view it on what fide you pleafe, the abfurdities of it are fo evident and glaring, that one would think the weakeft eye could not mifs difcovering them.

Every one knows the original of the Teft A&t; how just the fears were that occafioned it, and how well it was calculated every way to remove them. The dangers which then threatened our conftitution were of two forts: and the wifdom of the legiflature took care equally to guard against both of them. That part of this act, which makes the renouncing the corporal prefence in the Eucharift a neceffary qualification for an office, would have excluded the Papifts as effectually as any addi

tional test whatfoever: and therefore the other part of it, which enjoins receiving the facrament, must have been aimed chiefly at the Diffenters. And if, in that refpect, it were then thought neceffary, with what face can any one pretend that it is unneceffary now? We did not look upon ourfelves as fecure, without a facramental teft, even at a time when a toleration was not as yet granted by law; and he must have an extraordinary turn of head, who, at this time of day, can imagine that there is lefs reafon for continuing, than there was at firft for impofing, it. Since the birth of the

Teft,

Teft, have we, by any new fences, been fheltered against the attacks of Diffenters? or are they grown lefs formidable by the favours of more than one reign, and twenty years legal indulgence? Have they loft their old relish of power, by the late allowances they have had to tafte of it? Or have they given us any reason to think, they would use it better than their moderate predeceffors did in the times of anarchy and confufion; when they were not content to exclude church-of-England- men from civil offices, but made it penal for them even to teach a child, or fay grace in a private family? We have an inftructive inftance, in a neighbouring nation, how the fpirit of fanaticifm works when dominant; and they who will not be convinced by it, neither would they be perfuaded, though Bradshaw and Ireton, Venners and Marfhal, fhould rife from the dead, and once again exercife their dominion over us.

The church of England hath ever juftly been efteemed the great bulwark of the reformation; and, I am fure, the Teft Act may as justly be reckoned the chief bulwark of the church; for, by the means of it, that power which alone can protect or deftroy her has been kept in the hands of her friends, or of thofe at least who defired to be thought fuch, and could not therefore openly do any thing difagreeable to that character. But, whenever those who are not of her communion are let into a fhare of this power, it is as easy to foretell, as it will be impoffible to prevent, the fad con-fequences of it. We must be allowed at that juncture to fay (what

every one will fee) that he is in extreme danger; and that no state-physician, be his skill ever fo great, or his intentions ever fo good, will then be able to fave her. She has perhaps the leaft influence of any church upon earth, by virtue of that difcipline and authority which, fhe is per mitted to exercife; and no method hath been left unattempted to make her loose the hold she had in the affections and reverence of the people. That which fupports her under these disadvantages is, the incapacity that lies on her enemies as to places and power. Let this incapacity be ever removed, fhe is from that moment at mercy, and can fubfift only (as the primitive church was planted) by miracle.

It being evident, that these are the confequences of repealing the Test Act, and as evident that it can be repealed only by thofe who profefs themselves of the church of England, one would wonder, how it was poffible to raise a jealoufy, that, in our prefent circumftances, it would ever be attempted. For who is there likely to make or abet fuch a propofal in public? The Scotch members are pointed at as the men who are to introduce it under the notion of improving the union. As if the proper way of improving the union were, to take the first opportunity of breaking in upon the terms of it! one of which is, that (not only the Statute of uniformity," and the 13th of Eliz. which are exprefsly men. tioned, but)" all and fingular acts of parliament, now in force for the establishment and prefervation of the church of England,

fhall

fhall remain, and be in full force for ever." And if the Teft and Corporation Acts (which must ftand and fall together) be not in the number of thefe, I defpair of finding any fuch in the ftatutebook. Sure we are, the great influence of thefe acts was fo well understood in a late reign, that her enemies, how widely foever differing in other opinions, yet agreed in this, that a repeal of them would be the fureft and readieft way towards her ruin. The church itself thought fo too; and therefore ftruggled for them as for life, and even ventured a revolution to fecure them.

The Scotch members are fenfible that feveral laws anent the fecurity of their kirk are perpetuated by like general words in the Act of Union; and will be wary therefore, how they weaken our fecurity which ftands, upon the fame bottom with theirs, left the precedent, fet here, fhould be followed elsewhere, and a way opened by the means of it to fubvert their prefent ecclefiaftical conftitution. Befides, fuch a propofal for fetting Diffenters upon an equal foot of privilege with the members of the established church, would come with a very ill grace from them, that deny even to tolerate thofe of the epifcopal perfuafion amongst them. An authentic evidence of their principles in this point is, the reprefentation, which the commiffion of their general affembly made to the Scotch parliament, a little before the union, wherein they are bold in the Lord, and in the name of the church of God in their land, earnestly to atteft his grace [the high commiffioner]

and the most honourable estates, that no motion of any legal toleration to thofe of prelatical principles may be entertained by the parliament, being perfuaded that in the prefent cafe and circumftances of that church and nation, to enact a toleration for those of that way (which God of his infinite mercy avert!) would be to eftablish iniquity by a law, and would bring upon the promoters thereof, and upon their families, the dreadful guilt of all thofe fins, and pernicious effects, both in church and ftate, that might enfue thereupon." Thus they then protefted; and, to do them right, however they may have been mifreprefented, their practice ever fince hath been exactly conformable to their opinion.

Well then, no proper advocate for this repeal is to be found among the Scotch members of parliament, and much lefs furely among the English, who are alt fons of that church which would be ftruck at by fuch an attempt, and can no more be out-witted, than out-voted, in a cafe where their intereft is fo evidently concerned. Many of them are of tried virtue, and did, with a memorable firmnefs, oppofe this defign, even when the crown, with all its weight, came in to promote it. And there are none of them but will acknowledge that our prefent fafety and happiness are owing to the honourable stand which was then made. We need not doubt, therefore, but that, if occafion were given them, they would be as ready to imitate that conduct as they are to applaud it.

The Houfe of Commons have already expreffed their opinion,

that

that the Teft Act is a fundamen

tal part of the union, by declaring upon their Journal, that "it is effectually and effentially provided for" by the Act of Security; and the Lords were of the fame mind, when they gave the fame reason in their debates, why an exprefs mention of it was needlefs.

It is impoffible to conceive that the bishops fhould not unanimoufly withstand fuch a project; and we may be fure, they have intereft enough to prevent the bringing in any bill, which touches the church fo nearly, against their concurring opinion. Indeed, if Parker and Cartwright ** were alive, they would be fit tools to work with on this occafion: but I know of no one English prelate now upon the bench that can come within the reach of fuch a fufpicion. My lord of Sarum + has diftinguished himself by his zeal for preferving the Teft A&, and given fuch ftrong reasons for it from the Hague as can never be answered here in England; and we may be fatisfied, from his character, that his lordship will always be found confiftent with himself, and persevere to the death in that opinion. Befides, fuch an infringement of the union here would, as I have fhewed, be attended with fome danger to the conftitution and difcipline of the Scotch kirk, for which his lordship must be allowed, on the account both of his birth and comprehenfive charity, to have a particular tenderness.

From what party, or set of men amongst us, can such a proposal as this probably come? The body of thofe we call Whigs have imbibed revolution principles fo deeply, and remember them fo well, as not to be willingly dipped in a defign of doing that very thing which the revolution was intended to prevent. They cannot forget that one chief motive of the prince's coming over, expreffed in his declaration from the Hague, was, to quafh that "wicked defign" (I fpeak his highness's words)" of repealing the Teft." The attempt will not be thought lefs wicked, or more feasonable now, if we confider either our domeftic or foreign circumftances. Nor can that party be fo fure of their prefent power and numbers, as to be willing to hazard all their credit and intereft upon fo dangerous an experiment.

The Pretender's friends (who are also for revolution principles in their way) cannot hope to advance his intereft by laying fo open and barefaced a scheme for the introduction of popery; which, if ever it takes place here, muft come in upon us by ftealth, and not by act of parliament. Nor will the continuance of that part of the act which affects the Pa

pifts remove this objection: for the taking away one branch of our fecurity evidently weakens the whole; and the repealing acts by piecemeal is a trick fo often tried that every body is aware of it. Befides, this fort of men is too

+ BishopBurnet.,

5

inconfi

inconfiderable for numbers and intereft, to enter on fuch a project, unless joined by others of greater power and popularity. And, were it poffible to conceive that there fhould be any underftanding between the Pretender and fome of his pretended enemies, yet, we may be fure, they would be very shy of owning it, or of doing any thing that might open the fecret of fuch a correfpondence.

The favourers of Diffenters never efpoufed them on any other foot than that of an allowance to worship God in their own way; which they now amply enjoy, and are under no apprehenfions of lofing. To plead for any thing farther in their behalf would be to take off the mask, and to discover to us, that though liberty of confcience was their pretence, yet their true meaning was, power and places.

They who stood up for occafional conformity argued for it upon this principle, that it would, by degrees, win men over to the church, and extinguish the fchifm. And, to fay truth, it has had fome fuccefs that way; and will have more, if we let it continue. But if the Teft be taken off, there is an end of occafional conformity, and of all its boafted advantages, Separatifts will no longer make approaches to the church, when, by ferving God in their own way, they do not find that they are a jot lefs capable of ferving themselves. And therefore, fince occafional conformity has fo neceffary a connexion with the Teft, they who are profeffed friends to the one, cannot poffibly be enemies to the other.

Dutch counfels have fome

times had their influence on our affairs, and we have been warmly preffed to adjust things here at home to the model of Holland. But there is no room for fuch advice at prefent: for our cafe is already much the fame with theirs. They too have their Tests, by which the government of the state is fecured in the hands of thofe who are of the established religion; nor do they think that the tolerated fects have a right to be admitted into fo much power as will enable them to fubvert the conftitution. When the Dutch give up their Tefts, I dare engage, we fhall be ready to part with ours: but, till this is done, no argument drawn from the practice of that wife people can prove any thing, but that we are fools if we furrender.

There is but one fort of men more that can be thought capable of interesting themselves in this affair; perfons of fincere piety, who are offended at the frequent prophanations of the facrament, occafioned by this act. But fuch will confider, that the difcipline of the univerfal church lies open to the very fame objection; fince fet-times, every year, are, we know, prescribed by the Canons, when all adult Chriftians are to receive the facrament, under the penalty of ecclefiaftical cenfures. And though many, by this means, have been induced to receive unworthily, yet the church never thought itself answerable for their ill conduct, or obliged to with draw her injunctions for the avoiding of fcandal. Good men will fee the force of this reafoning, and forbear to take offence. But their number is not great; the oppofers of the Test At have

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