An Account of the Growth of Deism in England

by William Stephens

SIR,

'Tis now three Years since you and I had a serious Discourse concerning the rise and progress of Deism: which is an Opinion of late Years crept into England, tho not so widely spread here as in other parts of Europe. I well remember we were both agreed, that there was no shadow of Reason why any one should suspect the Gospels of Forgery, since the matter contain'd in them hath not the least favour of any worldly Interest, or indirect Design, but all the Lines of them do only center in the highest Improvement Humane Nature is capable of. So that in conformity every Man may take great comfort in himself, and all Mankind live well with one another. Besides, the Preachers of this excellent Doctrine had at first all the Discouragements which an irreligious and idolatrous Age could give them, (as is confessed by their Enemies) insomuch that nothing but their own personal full Conviction of the Truths they professed could engage them to Preach 'em; and the intrinsick Goodness of the Law of Christ, was sufficient to gain mens hearts, after Miracles had born down their Prejudices, and gain'd their serious Attention. In fine, you and I could see no reason to doubt of the Truth of any matter of Fact contain'd in the Gospels, which relate the miraculous Birth, Life, Death, Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus Christ; but what would oblige us to deny the truth of all History whatsoever. And from these Considerations laid together, we concluded that the Doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ was undoubtedly sent to us by God.

This still made it appear more strange to us both, how DEISM (which is a denial of all reveal'd Religion) should creep in upon us where the Scriptures are made so publick, and where so many Learned Treaties are written, which so strongly assert their Authority to be Divine. I confess, I was as desirous to know upon what Grounds Men rejected the Gospel, as you your self were, and therefore I willingly undertook the Task you laid on me, viz. To collect and put together those Motives whereby some had been induced to lay aside all Revelation. For which Performance I was the fitter, because it doth not require any Learning and strength of Wit, but only Observation, and Inquiry, which I might easily make, because of the numerous Acquaintance I have contracted in Town, where (you know) I spend the Winter, and in the Country, where I bestow my Summer Visits. But all I shall do in this matter, is barely to give you a Relation of those Prejudices, and (as I think) false Reasonings, which have drawn some of my Acquaintance from Revelation to DEISM.

1. Now, first I have observed, that some who pretend themselves Deists, are Men of loose and sensual Lives; and I make no wonder that they dislike the Christian Doctrine of Self-denial, and the severe threatnings against wilful Sinners. You may be sure they will not alledge this Reason: But having read Spinosa and Hobbes, and been taught to laugh at the story of Baalam's Ass, and Sampson's Locks; they proceed to ridicule the reality of all Miracle and Revelation. I have conversed with several of this Temper, but could never get any of 'em serious enough to debate the reality of Revelation: But a witty Jest and t'other Glass puts an end to all further Consideration. These are meer Sceptics, and practical Atheists, rather than real Deists.

2. But there are others, who, although they have not a due regard to Revelation, are Men of Sobriety and Probity, who with great freedom have let me into their Thoughts, whereby I can very clearly and fully (as I think at least) discern the rise and progress of this their Opinion, which is this;

1. In the time of King Charles the First, (which confineth my longest acquaintance with Men) 'twas usual for Gentlemen to send their Sons abroad into Italy, Spain, France, Germany, &c. to accomplish themselves by Travel. But lest they should be prevail'd upon to change their Religion, care was taken that their Tutor or Governour, who travelled with 'em, should shew them the Idolatry and Superstition of the Roman Religion; and also let 'em in to see that Popery in all its Branches was only a device of the Priesthood, to carry on a particular Interest of their own; to encrease their Wealth, Honours, and Power over the Lay-people; to exalt the Head of their Order above all the Crowned Heads in the World, and equal one whole Order of their Clergy, viz. the Cardinals, to the Princes of Christendom. Nay, since all People were obliged to make their Confessions to, and receive their Absolution from the Priest, the meanest of which Order could create a God for the People's Worship; 'tis plain, that their Religion was calculated for the Profit, Power and Honour of the whole Order of the Priesthood in this World, whatsoever advantages they might find by it in the other. Now the Young Gentleman being throughly convinced of this Holy Cheat, returneth to Old England; where he meets with very zealous Contests about Religion (as was pretended) between the Church of England, headed by Arch-Bishop Laud on the one part, and the Presbyterian Kirk on the other; and having carefully read the Debate (as it appeared in the Prints) on both sides, with those very Eyes which he had so lately cleared up in Italy or France, he could not forbear to see that both these Protestant Parties, under the pretence of Religion, were only grasping at Power, and that the Controversy at bottom, was not who's Religion was best, but only what Sect of the Clergy should make the best Market of the meer Lay-men. And as this Young Gentleman had before resolved with himself not to become a Property to the Popish Priesthood, no longer now will he be such to the Protestant Clergy of any Denomination, since both pursue the same Ends. He perceiveth that our Protestant High-Priests do all of them rival the Sovereign Power; the Bishop's House like that of the King, must be called his Palace, he must still keep up his claim to the Miter and Crosier, to vie with the Crown and Scepter; and as the Stile of the King's Courts is Anno Regni nostri, i.e. In the Year of our Reign: So that of the Bishop's Court is Anno Consecrationis nostræ, i.e. In the Year of our Consecration; the Year of the King's Reign being unknown in the Bishop's Court: The King speaking to the People doth usually call 'em his Loving Subjects; the Bishop doth not make himself so familiar, but stileth the People of his Diocese barely his Subjects, Jurisdictioni nostræ subditos: The King is Inthroned, and the Arch-Bishop Inthronized; both derive their Power from a Divine Right; but the Bishop is the higher Power, because by the Principles of Episcopacy he can Excommunicate the King, i.e. forbid him the very Conversation of his Subjects, and thereby render them uncapable to make good their Oath of Allegiance, in yielding their Aid and Assistance.

Nor do's he find that the Presbytery claims any inferior Powers; each Party alledge Scriptures and Fathers on their side; and for ought I can see, (says this Gentleman) they are all in the right. Through an excess of Prejudice thus occasion'd, he makes a further step towards Deism, and Reasons after this manner: 'Tis not impossible (continues he) that the ancient Clergy might be possess'd with the same Spirit of Pride, which has prevail'd over the modern. If those Writings, which they call Holy Scriptures are of their side, as they all say they are, I make no doubt but they were of their own inventing; and if Jesus Christ their Patron, laid the Foundation of those Powers, which both Popish and Protestant Clergy claim to themselves from under him, I think the old Romans did him right in punishing him with the death of a Slave. After this manner I have heard it said of late, by another of the same Constitution, that as the Church of Rome was a modelled Faction against all other Christians, so was the Church of England, by Law Established, against all other Protestants, who were by Law excluded from every Office of Profit and Trust; who were made subject to the Piques and Malice of every Church-man, and became a constant Revenue to Apparitors and Spiritual Catch-poles. And though at present there be a Toleration by Law granted, yet 'tis full opposed by the Spirit of the Church, as appears by Sermons preached at Visitations, and the constant ordinary Discourses of the Clergy, in which the Church of England is always represented, as at this time, in greater danger than ever it was; though I should think the danger had been as great in King James's Time: And notwithstanding the Toleration (said he) no Man can enjoy a place of Profit or Trust, though he be ever so dutiful a Subject, and ever so able or honest a Man, unless he hath a Conscience by Law Established: By which Church-device Men are deprived of the Privileges of their Country to which they are born, and for the discharge whereof they never did in any respect incapacitate themselves; and hereby it comes to pass, that the Nation cannot act vigorously in its own defence, being debarr'd the Use of one Moiety of it self; and notwithstanding this, they have the Confidence to tell us Lay-men, that we ought to love our Neighbours as our selves. Now if this be the way of the Christians, (concluded he) let my Soul be with the Philosophers.

2. And this brings to my Thoughts what another Deist said jestingly to me, viz. That since I was a Christian, 'twas lucky for me that I was of the Bishop's Church; for though you were ever so Loyal (said he) to the King, yet if you did not pay as dutiful an Allegiance to the Bishops, you could not hold the Place you now enjoy; for as certain as the Cross is above the Crown, so sure a thing is it, that the Bishop will be above the King; which he undertook would appear to me if I looked back to King Charles's Restoration, or King William's Revolution. The Presbyterians, though they quarrelled with Charles the First, yet became the loving Subjects of Charles the Second; joined with the Episcopalians in assisting him to the Throne, and made no scruple of Swearing their Allegiance to him, and owning his Supremacy. But after all this, the King was not able to support these his Loving Subjects against the Power of the Bishops, who in two Years time outed 'em of their Livelihoods, and after that, drove 'em five Miles distance from all Market-Towns; and at last the Acts made against Papists were extended to them. But since King William's Revolution the Case is alter'd; for the Jacobite Clergy, though turn'd out of their Livings by Law, for refusing Allegiance to the King, yet from the Allegiance they bare to the Bishops, they find such Favour from their Lordships, that if the Livings they lose are in the Bishops gift, he shall present any Friend which the dispossessed Jacobite shall recommend; now what can be more by them desired, than to enjoy the Profits of their Livings, and put in what Curate they please? And after all, that they may enjoy the full Profits of their Livings, and pay their Curates another way, these Jacobites may hold their Conventicles where they please, nay, Preach publickly and seditiously in an open Church near Cheap-side, London, without the least offence to the Spiritual Power. And is it not plain (said this Gentleman) from all this, that on this side the Water as well as on the other, the Clergies' Zeal for their Communion, Church and Religion, is only meant to support their own Party, Dominion and Empire?

3. Now the oldest Deists of my Acquaintance having conceiv'd so great a Prejudice against the Christian Faith, from the Behaviour of the Clergy, and having levened their Disciples therewith, it has fal'n out unhappily, that the late Revolution has by another way also confirmed them in this their Prejudice.

For the late happy Revolution, (which came on too soon, and was cut off too short) though it was not so highly beneficial to us, as was by some expected, was yet of very great Importance. But as there is nothing in this World ever so good, but what hath some appending disadvantage; so by meer Accident this Revolution, which has saved not only the Church of England, but (as I hope) the whole Protestant Interest throughout the World, has wonderfully encreased Mens Prejudices against the Clergy, and so by false Consequence (such as Men through Resentment will make) against the Truth of Religion it self. The old Deists tell those of their Pupils, who never travelled abroad, that there is now no need of going over the Water to discover that the name Church signifieth only a Self-interested Party, and that the Clergy have no Godliness but Gain. Have you not (say they) for many Years together heard them Preach up the Divine Right, and indefeizable Authority of Kings, together with Passive Obedience, as the chief distinguishing Doctrines whereby their Church approved it self Apostolick beyond all other Churches? Nay, were not the Doctrines of Loyalty to the King, insisted upon more than Faith in Christ? and yet when their particular Interest required it, their Doctrine of Non-Resistance was qualify'd by Non-Assistance, the whole Stream of Loyalty was turn'd from the King to the Church, the indefeizable Right was superseded by a miraculous Conquest without Blood, the Oath of Allegiance to the Divinely Rightful King James has its force allay'd by another Oath of the same Importance made to the de facto King William and Queen Mary, and all this is Sanctify'd by the name of the Church, i.e. their own Party and Interest, for the sake whereof it is done. This is indeed keeping to the Text-Rem rem quocunque modo rem.