exhibited in the life of its Founder, they would then really be the patrons of true religion, and the authors of a new era in the history of mankind. In our future struggles, let religious men throw aside secular views, exact from their representatives an abandonment of all monopolies of secular advantages by particular classes of religious professors, and seek to promote religious objects only by methods which are consistent with the spirit of religion. We shall then have, among men of all grades and classes, less of that cant of religion by the irreligious which so often excites our disgust; and we shall have, I trust, a great increase of that genuine piety, sincerity and charity which are the essence of all true religion, and which it is, not, perhaps, the object, but certainly the plain and manifest tendency of our present institutions to discourage and to exterminate. FINIS. C. GREEN, PRINTER, HACKNEY. ON BEHALF OF RELIGIOUS AND CHRISTIAN LIBERTY: I. FREE SPEECH ON THE SUBJECT OF REFORMATION, IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, IN THE REIGN OF HENRY VIII. 1530. II. PRINCIPLES OF THE RATIONAL REFORMERS IN CHURCH AND STATE, IN 1659. III. AN ACT FOR ESTABLISHING RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, PASSED IN THE ASSEMBLY OF VIRGINIA (U. S. OF AMERICA) IN THE YEAR 1786. IV. SIR GEORGE SAVILE'S SPEECH AGAINST COMPULSORY SUBSCRIPTION TO ARTICLES OF FAITH. V. A PARABLE AGAINST PERSECUTION: COMMONLY ATTRIBUTED TO DR. FRANKLIN. LONDON: EFFINGHAM WILSON, 18, BISHOPSGATE STREET; J. SMALLFIELD, 69, NEWGATE STREET. GOLDEN TESTIMONIES. FREE SPEECH ON THE SUBJECT OF REFORMATION, IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, IN THE REIGN OF HENRY VIII. 1530. We extract the following very singular speech, with the necessary preface, from Cobbett's Parliamentary History of England, I. 501-506 It may be found also in less modern language, in Collier's Eccles. Hist. (folio), II. 45-47. Collier makes this comment upon it:-"This odd speech is not mentioned either by Hollingshead, Goodwin or Stow: neither does Lord Herbert tell us the person's name. All that I shall observe upon this Freethinker is, that he gives too much liberty to private reason. His maxims are dangerous, and his scheme ill suited to the general capacity."-Editors. MANY abuses which the laity received daily from the clergy were loudly complained of; and the king, being now willing that they should be strictly inquired into, referred the redress thereof to the Commons in this parliament. Complaints also being made in that House against exactions for probats of testimonies and mortuaries, for pluralities, non-residence, and against priests that were farmers of lands, tanners, wool-byers, &c., the spirituality were much offended at these proceedings; and, when the bills for regulating these exorbitances were brought before the House of Lords, John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, made a remarkable speech against them, of which the following is a copy, as it is printed in a small treatise on the life and death of that prelate, by Dr. Thomas Bailey. My Lords-Here are certain bills exhibited against the clergy, wherein there are complaints made against the viciousness, idleness, rapacity and cruelty of bishops, abbots, priests and their officials. But my Lords, are all vicious, all idle, all ravenous and cruel priests or bishops? And for such as are such, are there not laws provided already against such? Is there any abuse that we do not seek to rectify? Or can there be such a rectification as that there shall be no abuses? Or are not clergymen to rectify the abuses of the clergy? Or shall men find fault with other men's manners while they forget their own; and punish where they have no authority to correct? If we be not executive in our laws, let each man suffer for his delinquency; or, if we have not power, aid us with your assistance, and we shall give you thanks. But, my Lords, I hear there is a motion made, that the small monasteries should be given up into the king's hands, which makes me fear that it is not so much the good as the goods of the church that is looked after. Truly, my Lords, how this may sound in your ears I cannot tell, but to me it appears no otherwise than as if our holy mother the church were to become a bondmaid, and now brought into servility and thraldom; and by little and little to be quite banished out of those dwelling-places which the piety and liberality of our forefathers, as most bountiful benefactors, have conferred upon her. Otherwise, to what tendeth these portentous and curious petitions from the Commons? To no other intent or purpose, but to bring the clergy in contempt with the laity, that they may seize their patrimony. But, my Lords, beware of yourselves and your country; beware of your holy mother the Catholic church; the people are subject to novelties, and Lutheranism spreads itself amongst us. Remember Germany and Bohemia, what miseries are befallen them already; and let our neighbours' houses that are now on fire teach us how to beware of our own disasters. Wherefore, my Lords, I will tell you plainly what I think; that, except ye resist manfully, by your authorities, this violent heap of mischiefs offered by the Commons, you shall see all obedience first drawn from the clergy, and secondly from yourselves; and if you search into the true causes of all these mischiefs which reign amongst them, you shall find that they all arise through want of faith." The same authority tells us, that this speech pleased or displeased several of the House of Lords, as they were diversely inclined to forward or flatter the King's designs. But none made a reply to it, but only the Duke of Norfolk, who said to the Bishop, "My Lord of Rochester, many of these words might have been well spared; but I wist it is often seen that the greatest clerks are not always |