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DE FOE'S ACCOUNT OF IT.

scrutiny better than any prince that ever sat on the English throne before him; yet, if we come to the nicety, one king's life ought to be no more canvassed and raked into than another."* In another place, he considers Clarendon's work to entail so much reproach upon the memory of the former prince, that, says he, "I need add nothing to that illustrious author, only humbly recommend to the University of Oxford, the honest editors of that work, that they would consider of restoring the book to its juster title, viz.: King Charles I. proved a tyrant; by Edward Earl of Clarendon."+

Review i. Supp. iv. p. 4.

+ Ibid, vi. 132.

CHAPTER VII.

Controversy upon Occasional Conformity continued.—Mr. James Owen publishes "Moderation, a virtue."-Replied to by De Foe, in "The Sincerity of the Dissenters Vindicated."-Also, in "Occasional Conformity a most Unjustifiable Practice.”—And, in “Moderation truly stated."--Mr. Owen publishes a Defence of his Work. Which is replied to by Mr. Grascome.-Merits of De Foe as a Controversialist.—The Occasional Bill revived in Parliament.-The Ministers grow lukewarm upon it.-De Foe publishes his Challenge of Peace to the whole nation.-The Bill passes the Commons. Thrown out by the Lords.-Mortification of the Tories.-Displeasure at the Bishops.-Anecdote of Bishop Patrick.-Burnet's zeal for Religious Liberty.-Hoadly defends the Conduct of the Bishops.-Sir Godfrey Copley's Eulogy upon the Church.-Swift's humorous Account of the Effect produced by the Debates.-Sir Humphrey Mackworth defends the cause of the Exclusionists, in his "Peace at Home."— Remarks upon his Work.-De Foe replies to him in his “Peace without Union." Account of his argument. -Mr. Shute publishes The Rights of Protestant Dissenters, in Answer to Mackworth.-Replies to him.-Sacheverell's Rights of the Church of England.-Its bitter character.-Davenant publishes his " Essays upon Peace at Home."— He is satirized by the Tories for his Apostacy.—His Character and merits as a Writer.- His Chapter on the Danger of Appeals to the People objected to by De Foe.-Who replies to him in Original Right.-Abstract of his Argument.

1703-1704.

THE subject that now engrossed the attention of divines and politicians, nearly to the exclusion of all others, was that of Occasional Conformity. It has been seen that the Dissenters were themselves divided upon the subject; and Mr. Howe had declined the controversy. To support the cause which he had deserted, Mr. James Owen, a learned Dissenting

122 MR. OWEN PUBLISHES MODERATION, A VIRTUE.

minister at Shrewsbury, defended the occasional communicants, in a pamphlet intitled, "Moderation, a virtue; or the Occasional Conformist justified from the imputation of Hypocrisy. Wherein is shewn, The Antiquity, Catholic Principles, and Advantage of Occasional Conformity to the Church of England; and that Dissenters from the Religion of the State, have been employed in most Governments; under the several heads following. I. That Occasional Conformity is no new thing, but is warranted in some cases by the most sacred and incontestable Precedents. II. That the principles of the Occasional Conformists are truly Christian and Catholic. III. That the difference between the Church and Moderate Dissenters is inconsiderable. IV. That the employing of sober Dissenters in public trusts, is so far from being prejudicial to the Church of England, that it really strengthens it. V. That Occasional Conformity is an advantage to the Church, and weakens the Dissenters. VI. That the late Bill against Occasional Conformity, would have been highly prejudicial to the Church of England. VII. That the Dissenters from the religion of the state, have been employed by most governments. Lond. 1703." 4to.

Mr. Owen's pamphlet was dictated more by good feeling than solid argument. Much of his reasoning would have come better from a moderate churchman than from a Dissenter, and could have been pleasing only to that portion of the Presbyterians, who had been long labouring after a comprehension with the Establishment. He was therefore attacked by two parties, who assailed him upon different grounds, and with a widely different spirit.

De Foe replied to him in "The Sincerity of the Dissenters vindicated from the Scandal of Occasional Conformity. With some Considerations on a late Book, intitled, 'Moderation, a Virtue.' London: printed in the year 1703." 4to. pp. 27. After paying a proper compliment to Mr. Owen, as a man of candour and honesty, our author considers him as

REPLIED TO BY DF FOE.

123

virtually giving up the argument by the following concession: "That to conform to the Church of England, and receive the Sacrament, merely to qualify for a civil employment, is a scandalous practice, a reproach to religion, and offensive to all good Christians." De Foe compares the defenders of Occasional Communion, to a resolute garrison, who, when beaten out of a town, retire to the castle, taking refuge now in a general charity, and the lawfulness of the thing in its own nature; but from these strong holds he undertakes to drive them in the present performance.

De Foe goes over the argument with a great deal of precision, shrewdness, and good temper. To a comprehensive knowledge of the subject, he brings a vigorous judgment, and displays much skill, in turning the arguments of his adversary. His language is clear and perspicuous, his reasoning acute; and he writes like a man thoroughly versed in the scriptures, and guided in his religious concerns, solely by a principle of conscience. In short, this is a very masterly pamphlet, and the best that he wrote in the controversy. Although the discussion would afford but little interest, now that the subject is set at rest, yet the following sentiment deserves transcribing, as affording evidence of the author's foresight: "I doubt not but this Occasional Conformity of the Dissenters in this age, is a prologue to a total conformity in the next, and will lead our posterity to quit that dissenting wholly, which they saw their fathers would quit as they found occasion."

Mr. Owen's work gave rise to several publications from writers of the high party, who treated him with less courtesy than De Foe. It found a bitter reply in "Occasional Conformity a most unjustifiable Practice. In Answer to a

late Pamphlet, intitled, 'Moderation, a Virtue.' With a Short Vindication of the Church of England from the Author's groundless Reasons for Separation. And a Postscript in Answer to the Eleventh Section of Dr. Davenant's

124 MR. OWEN PUBLISHES A DEFENCE OF HIS WORK.

Essays of Peace at Home, and War Abroad.' Lond. 1704." 4to. The Author was Samuel Grascome, a learned writer amongst the Non-jurors, and of a kindred spirit with Leslie. Mr. Owen had a female antagonist in Mrs. Mary Astell, who published a bulky pamphlet, called "Moderation truly stated : or, a Review of a late Pamphlet, intitled, 'Moderation, a Virtue.' With a Prefatory Discourse to Dr. Davenant, concerning his late Essays on Peace and War. Lond. 1704." 4to. In the eighty-third page of her work, she glances slightly at De Foe's "New Test of the Church of England's Loyalty;" and speaks of him as "an Author of their own, who lets no spiteful observation escape him." Of Davenant's work, animadverted upon by these writers, some notice will be taken hereafter.

In defence of his former treatise, Mr. Owen published "Moderation still a Virtue: In Answer to several bitter Pamphlets, especially two, intitled, 'Occasional Conformity a most unjustifiable Practice;' and 'The Wolf Stripped of his Shepherd's Clothing;' which contain the substance of the rest. Wherein the Precedents and Christian Principles of conscientious Occasional Conformity are defended: The Government of the Reformed Churches that have no Bishops, Ordination by Presbyters, and the Dissenters' separate Communions, are justified: With a Short Vindication of the Dissenting Academies against Mr. Sacheverell's Misrepresentation of them. By the Author of 'Moderation, a Virtue.' Lond. 1704." 4to. In this work, he replies to the arguments of his various antagonists, with much modesty and good temper. He disclaims any surprise at their zeal against Occasional Conformity, since they made such a breach in their charity as to exclude the Dissenters from the common privileges of Christianity; and, alluding to Leslie, he considers it odd that so violent a storm should be raised by one who was not a member either of church or state. Of" The Wolf Stripped," which was the work of this writer, and