own shield, or striking with his own proper sword. You know, Sir, that although this controversy may for a time be managed, it can never be finally decided by policy and stratagem, but by the strength of fair and open reasoning.

After all, Sir, I am very far from conceitedly insinuating, that this dialogist is the only person who hath managed the dispute I speak of with candour; or that you may from the performance now in your hands, derive more satisfaction than from several others: for I am as sensible as any man can be, that many who have handled the same topic with the present writer, have done it, so far as they went, with equal honesty and superior ability: but I do insist, that, in general, the chief articles in debate between Deists and Christians, are not handled in so open, or so ingenuous a manner, as here; nor kept so unembarrassed with the discussion of points not necessarily connected with the decisive merits of this important question. Give me leave, therefore, to advertise you, that the present performance is intended by its author, rather as an introduction to a farther and more perfect course of reading, on the reigning controversy, than as a complete system of all that can, or ought, to be said thereon.

Ophiomaches:

OR,

DEISM REVEALED.

DIALOGUE I.

DECHAINE, TEMPLETON, CUNNINGHAM, SHEPHERD. Dechaine. PARSON, a good-morning to you. Does your pretty little garden always raise you so early?

Shep. During the spring and summer it does; and at other seasons I have other things to call me up, for the most part, before five in the morning.

Dech. Mr. Templeton, be acquainted with Mr. Shepherd. Mr. Cunningham, let me present the parson of our parish to you.

Shep. Gentlemen, I am much obliged to you for this favour. Pray will you walk into that turret, and be seated? Dech. Here I suppose you study.

Shep. I read and sleep in the room above; and, when any body comes to see me, here we sit.

Dech. Who lives in the little house, through which we entered the garden.

Shep. It affords shelter to a poor relation, and his wife, with two servants.

Dech. I am told you yourself are still a single man. How comes it to pass that, in so long a time, you have doubled neither your person nor your chin? You don't fast and mortify surely?

Shep. It is no fault in me, that I am not married; for my circumstances are but narrow: nor is it a merit, that I am not fat; for my state of health is but indifferent.

Dech. How modest! with another you would turn all this to saintship.

Shep. No, Sir, I am as far from that species of dissimulation as yourself.

Dech. It is a long time, Shepherd, since you and I were first acquainted.

Shep. Upwards of thirty years, I believe.

Dech. I have been now three months your landlord and neighbour, and you have never been to see me. This, I think, was not kind.

Shep. Indeed, Sir, I went to your house with that design; but your servants said you were not at leisure. Had my visit been a thing of any consequence to you, I suppose they would have told you I was to pay my respects.

Dech. Methinks, however, you might have come a second time.

The

Shep. It is a common remark, that poor clergymen are too intruding on their wealthy neighbours. Their conduct, which in this respect is generally thought forward, and troublesome at least, is ascribed to low and unworthy motives. It was for this reason, Sir, that I thought proper to keep my distance, till you should signify a desire to see me. gentleman from whom you purchased this estate, came every Sunday to church, while he was in the country, and generally asked me to go home with him. This hath been hitherto the custom here; and as it gave me sometimes an opportunity of seeing good company, and at the same time defended the gentleman from my visits, excepting at such seasons as were most convenient to him, I think it was a very good

one.

Dech. Although I do not go so often to church as my predecessor, yet I hope my way of serving God is not the less acceptable for being less public and showy.

Shep. You mistake me, Sir; I did not intend to put you on the defence of your conduct in respect to religion; I only intended to apologize for my own, in point of civility.

Dech. Ah parson! I believe I can guess what you intended well enough; but I must tell you, the great stress laid by your order on the mere externals of religion, is of ill consequence to the thing itself, and leads your hearers to believe, that running to the church and the sacrament may atone for great defects in matters of more real importance. Besides, your particular forwardness in reproving, or say it

were only in throwing out hints like this, by which the conduct of men in station is arraigned, as it proceeds from a mistaken zeal, if not from pride, answers no other end, but to disoblige, and to render your person, and of consequence your advice and function, disagreeable. Your brethren, who know the world better, have, generally speaking, found this method so disobliging and unsuccessful, that they have been forced to lay it aside, and betake themselves to a conduct more conformable to the times. Since the ceasing of miracles, and other divine interpositions, the church, I think, can scarcely be supported by any other, than human means. You must therefore ply to the world, you must keep in with the great ones, you must cultivate their good graces, and engage their countenance and interest, or I must tell you, in a little time you will have no church at all. And take my word for it, sir, this is not to be done by reproofs and such-like freedoms, but by an insinuating and soothing behaviour, by making the duties of religion easy and agreeable, by shaping those and your own carriage to the politeness and freedom of the times you live in.

Shep. As to the duties of religion, it is not in my power to change the shape of them, and I think them agreeable enough to well-disposed persons, as our Saviour and his apostles left them. As to my own carriage, I do not pretend to justify it. All I can say is, that I must speak the truth on pain of my own eternal ruin; and I do not take myself to be any farther answerable for the effect, than as I may happen to hinder it by an improper manner of addressing myself to those with whom I have to do. Now, in that respect, I endeavour to discharge my duty with all the little prudence and conduct I am master of. When I have not the success I could wish, although I am very apt to blame my own weakness for it; yet I cannot help thinking it in some measure owing to the disinclination of those whom 1 speak to. You, sir, I believe, will own I have not yet attacked you in a very rude or shocking style.

Cunn. The style indeed was not uncivil; but your hint was, I think, a little early in a conversation but just commenced.

Dech. It was not altogether on account of Mr. Shepherd's insinuation about my not going to church that I

took the liberty of offering my mite of advice, but because I find he is censured by many people, and even by some of the clergy, for too much boldness and freedom with men of power, in what he takes to be his duty of reproving; and the idea of his temper, which remains upon my memory,' since our acquaintance in the college, made me think a little advice, tending to soften his conduct in this article, not altogether unnecessary.

Cunn. So far from it, that, if I mistake not, he who knows the temper of the age we live in, must be sensible the church, and the interests of the clergy, are not to be supported, as you just now hinted, but by being well with the great.

Shep. That may be; and yet, if I am guilty of the imprudence charged on me, the advice that hath been given me is better intended, than applied. But I hope, sir, I need not prove to you, if you are a clergyman, that the church of Christ hath promises from Scripture of more than human assistance; nor need I remind you, that it gained ground and prevailed in opposition to all the policy and power of greater persons, than the minister of this parish hath occasion to disoblige.

Dech. It prevailed indeed, as you say; but, upon recollection, you will find it did not gain ground, no not a foot of ground, until it had gained the great ones to its party.

Shep. The church lands then, and the wealth of the clergy, are what you mean by the church; and in that sense of the word perhaps you may reason justly; but I mean by it, the whole body of Christians, united in one society, for the preservation of Christian principles, and the practice of Christian duties. Now the church, taken in this sense, is never more in danger of ruin, than when its clergy sacrifice the interests and great ends of their function to worldly views; when they mince and qualify their doctrines to the palate or pride of their hearers; and when people, impatient of all restraints, and averse to plain and salutary truths, do all they can to keep them at a distance from their consciences. If the clergy are to consider themselves as God's ambassadors, they will speak freely; and, if the people look upon them as such, they will receive their messages with some degree of respect, or decency at least.