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for that Pride, Revenge, Railing, Cruelty, which their own Paffion has produced.

And let us all join in admiring Praise to that God, who hath fo oft delivered us from the hellish Fury of the Romish Priests; Men as void of Truth, as they are of Charity: Let us acknowledge his Goodness, who yet delivereth, and live in Hope that he will ftill deliver us.

The End of the SERMON.

THE

Extraordinary CLAIMS

OF THE

CLERGY

Repugnant to

Reason and Christianity;

AND THE

ARGUMENTS advanced in their Defence, in a late APOLOGY for the Clergy of the Church of England, Examined.

In a LETTER from a LAYMAN to the Revd. Dr. STEBBING.

First printed in the Year 1735.

Reverend SIR,

I

Some time ago read a small Tract, intitled, An Apology for the Clergy of the Church of England, touching their Claims of Spiritual Powers, as derived from Chrift, addressed to the Laity of Great Britain; without thinking it worth any farther Notice: Suppofing it the Production of fome diffatisfied Curate, wrote either to please his Patron, or to revenge fome trifling Affront supposed to be given his Gown. But, on my being lately affured it came from a no less mafterly Hand than your own, I prevailed with myself to make a few curfory Remarks on it; in order to convince you how far beneath yourself the near Relation of the Subject has unwarily carried you; and, to prevent your thinking it beyond Anfwer, because no better Pen has thought it deserved one. And I judge it proper here to declare, that no bafe or personal View whatever was the Occafion of this Addrefs; but

a difinterefted Zeal for Truth; to which, you will certainly agree with me, all Confiderations ought to give place.

The Title you have chofe is grand and pomp. ous, An Apology for the Clergy, addressed to the Laity. On reading this, one would imagine the Clergy, at least in your Opinion, willing to fubmit their Claims to our Decifion: But, at your Beginning, you tell us the Caufes of your writing:

(P. 3.) “ The English Clergy have of late "been treated in fo extraordinary a Manner, "that it is high time the Publick should be "made fenfible what Rights they have to the "many Civilities that are daily bestowed upon "them."

If, Sir, the Publick are, till this time o'Day, ignorant of the Rights of the Clergy, they have hitherto paid them extraordinary Reverence and Money to a fine Purpose: For the Publick here, I apprehend, means the whole Nation, except the Clergy; and whence we poor Laymen of all Conditions may judge your Opinion of our Favours. However, our knowing fo little before, will render us the more obliged for your ufeful Discoveries.

(P.

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