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XXII.

ND now that CYRIL's name puts me once more in mind of him, how infufferable a burlefquing of God and Man is it to revere fo ambitious, fo turbulent, fo perfidious, and fo cruel a man, as a Saint? fince hiftory fhows that this was his juft character. But in good earneft this fame title of Saint has not seldom been moft wretchedly conferr'd: for the greatest part of the Saints after CONSTANTINE's reign, and especially fince Canonization came in fashion, are made up of three forts of perfons, the least of all others meriting veneration. First, men have been dubb'd Saints, for promoting the grandeur of the Church by all their indeavors, especially, by their writings; which, inftead of imploying for the happiness or inftruction of their fellow citizens, they prostituted to magnify fpiritual authority, to the debafing and inflaving of their spirits. The fecond fort that have been honor'd with Saintfhip, were Princes and other powerful or rich men, however vicious or tyrannical, who gave large poffeffions and legacies to the Church; or that with incapacity, faggot, gibbet, fword, and profcription, chaftis'd the temerity of fuch as dar'd to question her decrees. The third fort, were poor groveling vifionaries, boafting of their delirious enthusiasms and extafies; or impofing on the ignorant by formal mortifications, falfely reputed devotion, and were recompens'd with this imaginary reward, by thofe that defpis'd their au

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fterity,

fterity, at the fame time that they mainly thriv'd by the credit of it. Tis no wonder then, that when the epithet Saint, which peculiarly belong'd to Piety and Innocence, was thus pompously beftow'd on Vice and Impiety, there fhou'd prevail that deluge of Ignorance, Superftition, and Tyranny, which overwhelm'd almost the whole Chriftian world. All the Perfecutions that infu'd, were fo many forcible means, imploy'd to fupprefs any efforts that might be us'd for the reftoring of Virtue and Learning. By that Antichristian spirit fell HYPATIA, to whom the Clergy of her time cou'd never forgive, that the was beautiful yet chafte; farr more learned than themselves, not to be indur'd in the Laity; and in greater credit with the civil Magiftrate, whom the Clergy of that time wou'd needs drive or lead as their Pack-affe.

FINIS

BEING A

DEFENCE

OF

NAZARENUS

ADDREST

To the right reverend JOHN Lord BISHOP of LONDON,

AGAINST

His Lordship's Chaplain Dr. MANGEY, his Dedicator Mr. PATERSON, and (who ought to have been nam'd first) the reverend Dr. BRET, once belonging to his Lordship's Church.

Inultus ut flebo puer

An, fiquis atro dente me petiverit,

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Horat. Epod. 6.

LONDON, Printed in the YEAR 1720.

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MANGO NEUTES.

ONE can juftly wonder (my Lord) at the address I now take the liberty of making to you, when they confider, that of all the arguments, us'd on the behalf of Diocefan Epifcopacy, these two are not the leaft important: firft, the neceffity of a Prefident to admit the Presbyters regularly into the minifterial function, who is confequently to be a judge of their capacities and abilities; fecondly, the neceffity of an Infpector into the behavior and conduct of thofe Presbyters, who are therfore to be fubject to his Government. For these reasons no Bishop can take it ill, if the misconduct or incapacity of any of his Clergy be dutifully laid before him; efpecially by one, that has been grievously injur'd by them in both thefe refpects: and, whatever they may fancy (fome of whom are but too apt not to fancy the best of their fuperiors) I fhou'd look upon my felf as a difparager of Episcopacy, if I did not take it for granted, that every Bishop cou'd not onely effectually regulate the manners of his Clergy, which is no greater talent than Lay-magistrates

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