The Independent Whig, vol. 1 (7th ed. 1743)
Trenchard and Gordon wrote articles for this weekly journal during the period 1720-21 just before they began work on their better known periodical Cato’s Letters which appeared 1720-23. In a total of 53 essays they criticized the power and abuses of the ecclesiastical establishment in Britain. As Trenchard died in 1723, Gordon edited the essays for later publication. The second edition was published in 1741. Vol. 1 contains no. 1 (January 20, 1720) to no. 32 (August 24, 1720).
The Independent Whig: or, a Defence of Primitive Christianity, And of Our Ecclesiastical Establishment, against The Exorbitant Claims and Encroachments of Fanatical and Disaffected Clergymen. The Seventh Edition, with Additions and Amendments (London: J. Peele, 1743). Vol. 1.
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- Author: Thomas Gordon
- Author: John Trenchard
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Table of Contents
- TO THE LOWER HOUSE OF CONVOCATION.
- TO THE PUBLISHER OF THE Independent Whig.
- Lib. Causarum per Ann. Dom. 1721.
- To the Reverend Mr. Woods, Episcopal Register, to be communicated to the Clergy of this Diocese, 30 Januarii 1721.
- To the Honourable Alexander Horne, Esq; Governor of this Isle: The Remonstrance of Tho. Bp. of Sodor Mann.
- At Castle Rushen, the 2d of February 1721.
- THE PREFACE.
- THE Independent Whig.
- Number I.: The Introduction.
- Number II.: The Design of this Paper.
- Number III.: Of the Contempt of the Clergy.
- Number IV.: Of the Explication of the Scripture.
- Number V.: The Unfitness of the Clergy to Teach Others.
- Number VI.: Of Creeds and Confessions of Faith.
- Number VII.: Of Uninterrupted Succession.
- Number VIII.: Of Uninterrupted Succession. Pt. II.
- Number IX.: Of the Clearness of Scripture.
- Number X.: Of Ordination.
- Number XI.: The Advantageous Situation of the Clergy, strangely inconsistent with their common Cry of Danger.
- Number XII.: The Enmity of the High Clergy to the Reformation, and their Arts to Defeat the End of it.
- Number XIII.: The Church proved a Creature of the Civil Power, by Acts of Parliament, and the Oaths of the Clergy.
- Number XIV.: The Clergy proved to be Creatures of the Civil Power, by the Canons, and their own public Acts.
- Number XV.: The Absurdity and Impossibility of Church-Power, as independent on the State.
- Number XVI.: The Inconsistency of the Principles and Practices of High-Church; with some Advice to the Clergy.
- Number XVII.: Reasons why the High-Church Priests are the most Wicked of all Men.
- Number XVIII.: A general Idea of Priestcraft.
- Number XIX.: Ecclesiastical Authority, as claimed by the High Clergy, an Enemy to Religion.
- The following Queries, and Letters to a Clergyman, written by the Author of the foregoing Paper, and never before printed, are thought proper to be here inserted.
- A Letter to a Clergyman, shewing the Impossibility of assenting to what we do not understand.
- Number XX.: Of Chaplains.
- Number XXI.: A Comparison between the High-Church and the Quakers.
- Number XXII.: Priestcraft corrupts every thing, and perverts the Use of Words.
- Number XXIII.: Of ZEAL.
- Number XXIV.: Of Persecution.
- Number XXV.: Of Consecration.
- Number XXVI.: Of Faith and Morality.
- Number XXVII.: Of Fasting.
- Number XVIII.: Of Authority.
- Number XXIX.: Of Education.
- Number XXX.: Of Education. Part II.
- Number XXXI.: Of Ceremonies.
- Number XXXII.: Of Ceremonies. Part II.