be glad to observe it, but in such cases I first look whether
there be common sense, &c.

Page 261 "Christendom has been the scene of perpetual wars, massacres,
&c." He doth not consider that most religious wars have been caused by
schisms, when the dissenting parties were ready to join with any
ambitious discontented man. The national religion always desireth peace,
even in her notions, for its interests.

Page 270. "Some have taken the liberty to compare a high church priest
in politics to a monkey in a glass-shop, where, as he can do no good, so
he never fails of doing mischief enough." That is his modesty, it is his
own simile, and it rather fits a man that does so and so, (meaning
himself.) Besides the comparison is foolish: So it is with _men_, as
with _stags_.

Page 276. "Their interest obliges them directly to promote tyranny." The
matter is, that Christianity is the fault, which spoils the priests, for
they were like other men, before they were priests. Among the Romans,
priests did not do so; for they had the greatest power during the
republic. I wonder he did not prove they spoiled Nero.

Page 277. "No princes have been more insupportable and done greater
violence to the commonwealth than those the clergy have honoured for
saints and martyrs." For example in our country, the princes most
celebrated by our clergy are, &c. &c. &c. And the quarrels since the
Conquest were nothing at all of the clergy, but purely of families, &c.
wherein the clergy only joined like other men.

Page 279. "After the Reformation,[20]I desire to know whether the
conduct of the clergy was anyways altered for the better, &c." Monstrous
misrepresentation. Does this man's spirit of declaiming let him forget
all truth of fact, as here, &c.? Shew it. Or doth he flatter himself, a
time will come in future ages, that men will believe it on his word? In
short, between declaiming, between misrepresenting, and falseness, and
charging Popish things, and independency huddled together, his whole
book is employed.

[Footnote 20: "Reformation" in 4to and 8vo editions, but Tindal's word
is "Restoration." [T.S.]]

Set forth at large the necessity of union in religion, and the
disadvantage of the contrary, and answer the contrary in Holland, where
they have no religion, and are the worst constituted government in the
world to last. It is ignorance of causes and appearances which makes
shallow people judge so much to their advantage. They are go