But what need I _ludicrously_ to handle the Letter of our Saviour's Miracles? Because some Sort of Stories are the proper Subjects of _Ridicule_; and because, _Ridiculum acri fortius & melius_, Ridicule will cut the Pate of an Ecclesiastical Numbskull, which calm and sedate Reasoning will make no Impression on. To speak then the Truth in few Words. As I am resolv'd at any Rate to run down the _Letter_, in order to make way for the _Spirit_ of the Scriptures, so certainly will our Clergy, for their Interests and Honour, as Ministers of the Letter, vilify and reproach me, and pursue me with an implacable Hatred: But I should think it meet for them to use a little more Temper in their Revilings, for fear the Torrent of Reproaches should sometime or other turn on them. It is asserted and predicted by the Fathers that, after a certain Time of the Church's Apostacy to the _Letter_, the _Spirit of Life_, or the allegorical Sense will re-enter the Scriptures, to the Advancement of divine Knowledge and true Religion; in the mean while the _Clergy_ will do well to see to it. But, 2. The Second Design which, as a Christian, I have in View, and which occasionally I write for, is an universal and unbounded Toleration of Religion, without any Restrictions or Impositions on Men's Consciences; for which Design, the _Clergy_ will hate and defame me, and, if possible, make an Infidel of me, as well as for the former. Upon an universal Toleration the World would be at quiet: That Hatred of one another, which is now so visible among different Sects, would then be terminated by a Unity of their Interests, when they are all upon the Level in the Eye of the Civil Magistrate, who would choose Men to Places of Trust, not for their Faith and Affection to Theological Doctrines, but for their Abilities to serve the Publick. In this Case, Ten thousand different _Notions_ in Religion would no more obstruct the Welfare of the Community, than so many different _Noses_ do the Happiness of this City. The Variety of their Theological Opinions, would be the Diversion and Amusement of each other; and so long as it was out of their Power to oppress, they could not hate one another for them. Such a Toleration, the _Clergy_ would persuade us, tends to Confusion and Distraction, as if Men would go to _Loggerheads_ upon it. But this is one of their Mistakes; there would be a perfect Calm upon it, if such Incendiaries as they are did not disturb the publick Tranquillity. They'll tell us again, that such a Toleration makes Way for Dissoluteness of Morals, and would let in Sin like a Deluge upon us; but this is another of their Errors. Such a Toleration would promote Virtue, in as much as different Sects of Religion are a Check upon each other against Looseness of Morals, because every Sect would endeavour to approve itself above others, by the Goodness of their Lives, as well as by the Excellency of their Doctrine. But the _Clergy_ will never hearken to such a Toleration,