Christianity is, as I believe, founded on a Rock of Wisdom; and what's more, has an omnipotent and omniscient God on its Side, who can incline the Hearts of Men to believe, and open the Eyes of their Understanding to discern the Truth of it; consequently there can be no Danger in the Attempts of our Adversaries, whether, _Jews_, _Turks_ or Domestick _Infidels_, against it. But Persecution implys Weakness and Impotency in God to defend his own Cause; or his Priests would not move for the Help of the Arm of Flesh in Vindication of it. And if, at this Time of Day, after so many Treatises of _Infidels_, and some of them as yet unanswered, against our Religion, this good Cause should be taken out of the Hands of God, and committed to the Care of the Civil Magistrate; if instead of Reason the Clergy should have Recourse to Force, what will By-standers, and even Well-wishers to Christianity say? Nothing less than that _Infidels_ had gotten the better of _Christ_'s Ministers, and beaten them at their own Weapons of Reason and Argument. The two great Pleaders for Persecution, to the Disgrace of themselves and Dishonour of our Religion, that have lately arose are Dr. _Rogers_ and the _Bishop_ of St. _David_'s. Dr. _Rogers_'s chief Reason against Liberty of Debate, is because, as he says it is pernicious to the Peace and Welfare of the Community, by unsettling the Minds of the People about the Religion established: But here's no consequence, unless it could be proved, that such as the great Mr. _Grounds_ and Mr. _Scheme_, have it in their Hearts to raise Mobbs upon the Government, and to beat out the Brains of the _Clergy_. All the Harm, or rather Good, they aim at, is to exercise the Wits of the _Clergy_ with their Doubts and Objections; and if the Passions of our _Ecclesiasticks_ are not raised upon it, to the doing of Violence to these _Gentlemen_, the Peace of the Publick will never be disturb'd. As to myself, tho' I have a vast and numerous Party on my Side, no less than all the Fathers and primitive Christians for some Ages; yet as we were peaceable and quiet Subjects of old and passively obedient to the _Emperors_ of _Rome_; so we will continue to the Civil Authority of this Nation. We only take the Liberty to awaken the Clergy out of a Lethargy of Dulness and Ignorance; and hope the Civil Magistrate will consider the Goodness and Charity of our Intentions, and guard us against their Insults for it.