The _Bishop_ of St. _David_'s[204] says, "It is absurd to assert, that the Liberties of any Nation will allow, with Impunity, a Set of distinguish'd Infidels to insult and treat with the greatest Contempt and Scorn the most sacred and important Truths, that are openly professed, by the whole Body of the People, of whatever Denomination." By a Set of Infidels, I suppose, he means me and the Fathers: And by _treating with Contempt and Scorn the most sacred and important Truths_, he means, our burlesquing, bantering and ridiculing the _Clergy_ for their Ministry of the Letter: And for _this_ he would, I conceive, have incensed the _Societies_ for Reformation of Manners to a Prosecution of me. And if they had not been wiser, and more merciful than their Preacher, I must have gone to Pot. But why should the _Bishop_ dislike this way of Writing? Don't he know, that the Fathers of the Church used to jest and scoff at the _Gentiles_ and their Priests for their foolish Superititions? Don't he know, that our _Reformers_ banter'd and ridicul'd Popery out of Doors, and almost within the Memory of Man, it was reckon'd but a dull Sermon, that was not well humm'd for its Puns and Jest on the Papists? why then should the _Bishop_ be against that way of writing, which was of good Use to the _Reformers_, and first _Christians_? The grand Subject for _Burlesque_ and _Banter_, in my Opinion, is _Infidelity_; and that _Bishop_, who can't break two Jests upon _Infidels_ for their one upon Christianity, has but a small Share of Wit. The Christian Religion according to the _Bishop_, will abide the Test of calm and sedate Reasoning against it, but can't bear a Jest; O strange! But to leave these two Contenders for Persecution to the Chastisement of acuter Pens. What I have here pleaded for Liberty is not thro' any Fears of Danger to myself, but for the Love of Truth and Advancement of Christianity, which, without it, can't be defended, propagated and sincerely embraced. And therefore hope, that the Controversy before us, between _Infidels_ and _Apostates_ will be continued by the Indulgence of the Government, till Truth arises and shines bright to the Dissipation of the Mists of Error and Ignorance; like the Light of the Sun to the Dispersion of the Darkness of the Night. I will by God's Leave, go on to bear my part in the Controversy; And, if it was not more against the Interests than Reason of the _Clergy_ to believe me, would again solemnly declare that what I do in it is with a View to the Honour of _Jesus_, our spiritual _Messiah_, to whom be Glory for ever. _Amen._ ~_FINIS._~ [Illustration] FOOTNOTES: [145] _Matt._ Chap. xxi. _Mark_, Chap. xi. [146] Hoc factum, nisi figuratum, stultum invenitur. _In Serm._ lxxvii. [147] Nulla esset Ligni Culpa, quia Lignum sine sensu non habebat Culpam. Augustin _in Serm._ lxxxix.