CHAP. XIV.] AND RELIGION. 417 



of God without paying money to the Borough- 

 mongers in the shape of tax ; and, to the Parson 

 in the shape of tithe, or, to give a tenth of the 

 hops to the Parson, and not dare pick a single 

 hop till he had sent notice to the Parson! What 

 he did, upon this occasion, T have forgotten ; 

 but, it is likely that he let the hops stand and 

 rot, or cut them down and flung them away 

 as weeds. Now, poor men in England are 

 told to be content with rags and hungry bellies, 

 for that is their lot; that " it has pleased Di- 

 " vine Providence to place them in that state." 

 But, here is a striking instance of the falsehood 

 and blasphemy of this Doctrine; for, provi 

 dence had sent Chalcraft the hops, and he had 

 put poles to them. Providence had brought 

 the hops to perfection ; but then came the Bo- 

 roughmongers and the Parson to take from 

 this poor man this boon of a benevolent Maker; 

 What, did God order a tax with all its vexa 

 tious regulations, to be imposed upon what he 

 had freely given to this poor man? Did God 

 ordain that, in addition to this tax, a tenth 

 should be yielded to a Parson, who had so 

 lemnly vowed at his ordination, that he believed 

 himself called, not by the love of tithes, but by 

 " the Holy Ghost, to take on him the cure of 

 " souls" and to " bring stray sheep into the 

 "fold of the Lord?" Did God ordain these 

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