plaining of the great Decline of Wit among us; and would we take away the greatest, perhaps the only Topick we have left? Who would ever have fufpec.ed Afgill for a Wit, or Toland for a Philofopher, if the inexhauftible Stock of Chriftianity had not been at Hand to provide them with Materials? What other Subject through all Art or Nature could have produced Tindal for a profound Author, or furnished him with Readers? It is the wife Choice of the Subject, that alone adorneth and distinguishes the Writer. For had an hundred fuch Pens as thefe been employed on the Side of Religion, they would have immediately funk into Silence and Oblivion..

NOR do think it wholly groundless, or my Fears altogether imaginary; that the abolishing of Christianity may, perhaps, bring the Church in Danger; or, at leaft, put the Senate to the Trouble of another fecuring Vote.. I defire, I may not be miftaken; I am far from prefuming to affirm or think, that the Church is in Danger at prefent, or as Things now stand; but we know not how foon it may be fo, when the Chriftian Religion is repealed. As plaufible as this Project feems, there may a dangerous Design lurk under it. Nothing can be more notorious, than that the Atheists, Deifts, Socinians, Anti-Trinitarians, and other Subdivifions of Freethinkers, are Perfons of little Zeal for the present Ecclefiaftical Establishment: Their declared Opinion is for repealing the facramental Teft; they are. very indifferent with regard to Ceremonies; nor do they hold the Jus Divinum of Epifcopacy. Therefore this may be intended as one politick Step to-wards altering the Conftitution of the Church establifhed, and fetting up Prefbytery in the Stead; which I leave to be further confidered by thofe at the Helm. In the laft Place, I think nothing can be more plain, than that by this Expedient we fhall run into the Evil we chiefly pretend to avoid; and that the Abolishment of the Christian Religion, will be the readieft

Courfa

Course we can take to introduce Popery. And I am the more inclined to this Opinion, because we know it hath been the conitant Practice of the Jefuits to fend over Emiffaries, with Inftructions to perfonate themselves Members of the feveral prevailing Sects among us. So it is recorded, that they have at fundry Times appeared in the Guife of Prefbyterians, Anabaptifts, Independents, and Quakers; according as any of thefe were moft in Credit: So, fince the Fashion hath been taken up of exploding Religion, the Popish Miffionaries have not been wanting to mix with the Free-thinkers; among whom, Toland, the great Oracle of the Anti-Chriftians, is an Irish Priest, the Son of an Irish Priest; and the most learned and ingenious Author of a Book, called the Rights of the Chriftian Church, was, in a proper Juncture, reconciled to the Romish Faith; whofe true Son, as appeareth by an hundred Paffages in his Treatise, he ftill continueth. Perhaps I could add fome others to the Number; but the Fact is beyond Difpute; and the Reafoning they proceed by, is right; for, fuppofing Chriftianity to be extinguished, the People will never be at Ease, until they find out fome other Method of Worship; which will as infallibly produce Superftition, as this will end in Popery.

AND therefore, if, notwithstanding all I have faid, it fhall fill be thought neceffary to have a Bill brought in for repealing Chriftianity; I would humbly offer an Amendment, that inftead of the Word Chriflianity, may be put Religion in general; which I conceive, will much better anfwer all the good Ends propofed by the Projectors of it. For, as long as we leave in Being a God, and his Providence, with all the neceffary Confequences, which curious and inquifitive Men will be apt to draw from fuch Premifes; we do not strike at the Root of the Evil, although we fhould ever fo effectually annihilate the prefent Scheme of the Gofpel. For, of what Ufe is Freedom of Thought, if it will not produce Free, dom of Action; which is the fole End, how remote foever,

foever, in Appearance, of all Objections againft Chritianity? And therefore, the Free-thinkers confider it as a Sort of Edifice, wherein all the Parts have fuch a mutual Dependence on each other, that if you happen to pull out one fingle Nail, the whole Fabrick muft fall to the Ground.. This was happily expreffed by him, who had heard of a Text brought for Proof of the Trinity, which in an antient Manufcript was differently read; he thereupon immediately took the Hint, and by a fudden Deduction of a long Sorites, moft logically concluded: Why, if it be as you fay, I may fafely whore and drink on, and defy the Parson. From which, and many the like Inftances, easy to be produced, I think nothing can be more manifest, thàn that the Quarrel is not against any particular Points of hard Digeftion in the Chriftian Syftem; but against Religion in general; which, by laying Restraints on human Nature, is fuppofed the great Enemy to the Freedom of Thought and Action.

UPON the whole; if it fhall ftill be thought for the Benefit of Church and State, that Chriftianity be abolished; I conceive, however, it may be more convenient to defer the Execution to a Time of Peace; and not venture in this Conjuncture to disoblige our Allies; who, as it falleth out, are all Chriftians; and many of them, by the Prejudices of their Education, fo bigotted, as to place a Sort of Pride in the Appel-... lation. If, upon being rejected by them, we are to truft to an Alliance with the Turk, we fhall find ourfelves much deceived: for, as he is too remote, and generally engaged in War with the Perfian Emperor; fo his People would be more fcandalized at our Infi- delity, than our Christian Neighbours. Because, the Turks are not only strict Observers of religious Wor fhip; but, what is worse, believe a God; which is more than is required of us, even while we preserve.: the Name of Chriftians.

To conclude: Whatever fome may think of the great Advantages to Trade, by this favourite Scheme; I do very much apprehend, that, in fix Months Time, after the Act is passed for the Extirpation of the Gofpel,, the Bank and East India Stock may fall, at least, One per Cent. And, fince that is fifty Times more than ever the Wisdom of our Age thought fit to ven. ture for the Prefervation of Chriftianity, there is no Reafon we should be at fo great a Lofs, merely for the Sake of deftroying it.

PREDICTIONS

For the YEAR 1708.

Wherein the Month, and Day of the Month are fet down, the Perfons named, and the great Actions and Events of next Year particularly related as they will come to pass.

Written to prevent the People of England from being farther imposed on by vulgar Almanack-Makers.

By ISAAC BICKERSTAFF, Efq;

It is faid, that the Author, when he had writ the following Paper, and being at a Lofs what Name to prefix to it; paffing through Long-Acre, obferved a Sign over a Houfe where a Locksmith dwelt, and found the Name Bickerstaff written under it: Which being a Name fomewhat uncommon, he chose to call himself Ifaac Bickerstaff. This Name was fometime afterward made use of by Sir Richard Steele, and Mr. Addison, in the TATLERS; in which Papers, as well as many of the SPECTATORS, it is well known, that the Author had a confiderable Part.

H

AVING long confidered the grofs Abuse of Aftrology in this Kingdom; upon debating the Matter with myself, I could not poffibly lay the Fault upon the Art, but, upon thofe grofs Impoftors,

who