om the pulpit or the press: I can affirm, that neither you nor
I, sir, have ever heard one sermon against whoring since we were boys.
No, the priests allow all these vices, and love us the better for them,
provided we will promise not "to harangue upon a text," nor to sprinkle
a little water in a child's face, which they call baptizing, and would
engross it all to themselves.

Besides, the priests engage all the rogues, villains, and fools in their
party, in order to make it as large as they can: By this means they
seduced Constantine the Great[22] over to their religion, who was the
first Christian emperor, and so horrible a villain, that the heathen
priests told him they could not expiate his crimes in their church; so
he was at a loss to know what to do, till an AEgyptian bishop assured
him, that there was no villainy so great, but was to be expiated by the
sacraments of the Christian religion; upon which he became a Christian,
and to him that religion owes its first settlement.

[Footnote 22: The reference here is to the luminous cross which
Constantine said he saw in the heavens, and which influenced him to
embrace Christianity. [T. S.]]

It is objected, that freethinkers themselves are the most infamous,
wicked, and senseless of all mankind.

I answer, first, we say the same of priests, and other believers. But
the truth is, men of all sects are equally good and bad; for no religion
whatsoever contributes in the least to mend men's lives.

I answer, secondly, that freethinkers use their understanding, but those
who have religion do not; therefore the first have more understanding
than the others; witness Toland, Tindal, Gildon[23], Clendon, Coward,
and myself. For, use legs and have legs.

[Footnote 23: John Clendon, of the Middle Temple, published in
1709-1710, "Tractatus Philosophico-Theologicus de Persona; or, a
Treatise of the Word Person." This singular book appears to have been
written principally to prove that the doctrine of the Trinity was very
well explained by an Act of Parliament, 9 and 10 Will. III. It was
complained of in the House of Commons, March 25th, 1710, and was judged
to be a scandalous, seditious, and blasphemous libel .... and was burnt
by the common hangman at the same time with Tindal's "Rights." [N.] ]

I answer, thirdly, that freethinkers are the most virtuous persons in
the world; for all freethinkers must certainly differ from the priests,
and from nine hundred ninety-nine of a