v^ie 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNI 
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 A Look to the Laft Century : 
 
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 WEIGHED 
 
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 U 8 2 79 - 6
 
 5Z0Z 
 L81 
 
 SI- 
 
 2 Jr ROM the conduct of the DirTenters 
 
 UJ 
 
 1/3 at the prefent time, their language, and 
 the affociations into which they are 
 
 03 J 
 
 forming in different parts of the king 
 
 dom, one would fuppofe that our con- 
 
 ooflitution as much needed reformation, 
 
 CO r 
 
 ^as that of France; and that, inftead of 
 being, as they fometimes cannot but 
 
 < allow themfelves, " one of the beft con- 
 " ftitutions in the world," we are la- 
 bouring under all the oppreflions of the 
 
 Hmoft arbitrary government; and that it 
 
 < is now the crifis for us to emerge from 
 
 B flavery 
 
 301076
 
 ( * ) 
 
 ilavery and oppreffion, and aflert the 
 rights of men. 
 
 No one, unacquainted with our confti- 
 tution, and a flranger to the object of 
 their zeal, could fuppofe that we are in 
 pofTeflion of the liberty that our neigh- 
 bours are contending for j and that our 
 form of government is already fo perfect, 
 as to be confidered as a model for theirs : 
 that the only ground for all this clamour 
 and complaint, is the requifition of a 
 Tell from thofe who are admitted into 
 offices of truft, that they are friends to 
 the prefent eftablifhment in church and 
 ftate ; and, as fuch, may be entrusted with 
 power, without the danger of their em- 
 ploying that power to fubvert the go- 
 vernment, and involve their country in 
 confufion and ruin; and that that Tefl;
 
 ( 3 ) 
 
 is nothing more than their uniting in an 
 Ordinance above all others unexception- 
 able, becaufe not of human, but divine 
 appointment; and which might rather 
 be confidered as a teft not fufficiently 
 difcriminating to fatisfy government that 
 they are its friends, than a grievance of 
 that magnitude to call for aflbciations, 
 provincial and national, to obtain its 
 repeal. 
 
 It is fomething remarkable, that the 
 clamours and difcontent of the DilTenters 
 fhould increafe in proportion to the libe- 
 rality with which they are treated ; and 
 that they fhould be more diflatisfied and 
 more hoftile to the eftablimment at the 
 prefent moment, than they have been at 
 any period fince the Reftoration ; when, 
 by their own confeflion, " they enjoy 
 B 2 " privileges
 
 ( 4 ) 
 " privileges far fuperior to what their* 
 " anceftors enjoyed."* It feems as if 
 conceffions only ferved to ftrengthen 
 their claims; that the removal of one 
 object of their complaint, operated to 
 their louder demand in others -, and that 
 they were determined to remain the dis- 
 contented people that their forefathers 
 were, of whom it was the obfervation 
 of Queen Elizabeth, " that fhe knew 
 u very well what would content the Ca- 
 <( tholics, but that me never could know 
 " what would content the Puritans." 
 
 It muft ftrike every one at all attentive 
 
 ,to the meafures that are going forward, 
 
 that in all this apparatus of provincial 
 
 and national aflbciations, of delegates 
 
 from 
 
 * Proteftant Difienter's Catechifm.
 
 .( 5 ) 
 
 from counties to diftricts, and from di- 
 ftricts to the national ajfembly of in- 
 frructions to members of parliament 
 to fupport their application, and refo- 
 lutions to require from candidates at 
 the general election, a declaration that 
 they will db it there muft be fome- 
 thing more intended than barely the 
 repeal of a teft which does not at all 
 affect the diflenting Minifters, who are 
 mod forward upon this occafion, and is 
 feldom found a bar to the ambition or 
 the intereft of the Lay DuTenters. It 
 leads us to fufpect that, under the cloak 
 of confcience, fome other motive may 
 be concealed; and, under the pretext of 
 liberty, chains may be preparing for thofe 
 who are at prefent perfectly free. 
 
 I confefs
 
 ( 6 ) 
 
 1 confefs I am not one who is caught 
 by every fair profeflion, or who can admit 
 the fincerity of every motive that appears 
 to be virtuous and pure. I have often 
 found, under the mafk of fanctity, much 
 deceit; and under the pretext of liberty, 
 the mod dangerous difpolitions and de- 
 figns concealed. I am therefore led, when 
 I hear them talking of their confcience, 
 to confider whether this be the real 
 ground of their complaint; or whether, 
 under the pretext of confcience, power, 
 and worldly intereft, and ambition, be 
 not the latent objects of their aim. 
 
 It is not pleafant to look back upon pad 
 injuries, or to call back the remembrance 
 of fufferings, which, as Chriftians, it 
 becomes us both to forget and to forgive r 
 but it is very natural, upon the return of 
 
 danger,
 
 ( 7 ) 
 
 danger, to recoiled and review the paft ; 
 and in this cafe it is due to them, as well 
 as to ourfelves, when the appeal is made 
 to their paft conduct for a proof *? that 
 " their behaviour has been ever peaceable 
 " and loyal." 
 
 They who, meaning well themfelves, 
 fufpect no lurking defign in others, but 
 from the loudnefs of their complaints, 
 and the violence of their proceedings, 
 might be inclined to believe that the 
 DifTenters of the prefent day have fome 
 ground for difcontent, and that, if the 
 object of their prefent application were 
 obtained, all would be quiet and well, 
 will learn fomething of their views, and 
 have fome apprehenfion of their own 
 danger, if they will give themfelves the 
 trouble to take a review of thofe times 
 
 in
 
 ( 8 ) 
 
 in which the loud clamour of reforma- 
 tion effected the overthrow of the con- 
 stitution both in church and ftate, and 
 their principles had full play to evince 
 of what fort they were. 
 
 Reformation, liberty of confcience, na- 
 tural rights and liberties, were at that 
 time the pretext, as they are at prefent. 
 To be admitted into places of power, 
 honour, and profit, was their aim; and 
 the means were not very unlike thofe 
 which they are taking at this time to 
 effect their end. 
 
 That the cry of Reformation was then 
 very flrong, we learn from the humour- 
 ous Poet and Hiftorian of the times. 
 
 When
 
 ( $ ) 
 
 u When Tinkers bawl'd aloud to fettle 
 
 u Church difcipline for patching kettle, 
 
 * c No fow-gelder did blow his horn 
 
 " To geld a cat, but cry'd Reform ; 
 
 *' The oyfter-women lock'd their fifh up, 
 
 u And trudg'd away to cry No Bl/bop. 
 . 
 
 " Inftead of kitchen fluff, fome cry, 
 (t A Gofpel-preathing Minijlry y 
 " And fome for old fuits, coats, or cloak, 
 " No furplicesy nor fer vice book, 
 " A ftrange harmonious inclination 
 " Of all degrees to Reformation.''* 
 
 Hud. P. I. Cant. 2. 
 
 But let us not take upon truft what 
 poets fay; let us hear the Reformers 
 themfelves. 
 
 In a fermon preached before the Com- 
 mons, on their monthly fail, in 1644, 
 C one
 
 ( 1 ) 
 
 one * of thefe zealous friends of Refor- 
 mation fays, " The Lord doth abfolutely 
 " require the reformation of religion at 
 " this time, both in doctrine, worfhip, 
 " difcipline and government in the 
 * church. We muft out with idols ; 
 " not only thofe in wood, ftone, or 
 " glafs, that is in walls and windows ; 
 " but thefe living idols, that are in pews, 
 u and in fome pulpits: they mujl out: 
 ** I mean all idol fhepherds and dumb 
 " dogs." And in his addrefs to the 
 Commons, prefixed to the fame fermon, 
 If you may not be permitted to do fo 
 " much as Solomon or David, yet at 
 " leaft let us endecrcoar to play the Sam- 
 "fons in this work. What is that ? You 
 
 " mall 
 
 * Salvation in a Myftery, by John Bond, B.LL. 
 preached March 27, 1644.
 
 ( II ) 
 
 " (hall read it, Judges xvi, 29. My 
 " meaning is, Better for us, if we can- 
 " not outlive Antichrift, outlive Baby- 
 " Ion and the enemies of Reformation, 
 " to adventure, as far as we are war- 
 " ranted, ourfelves to death in the caufej 
 " yea, let us take hold of the pillars of 
 " the houfe of Dagon, of the temple 
 " of Antichrifl, Rome, and Babylon- 
 " Better fo, I fay, than to live with the 
 " eyes of our religion put out, and to 
 " grind in the mill of flavery; for by 
 " this means, the children that fhall 
 " come after us mall fit upon our tombs, 
 " and fay that they had active parents, 
 " which with their blood and carcafles 
 u did drefs the ground for Reformation to 
 " fpring up after them." 
 
 " The time is now," faid another, 
 
 " for bringing in more kingdoms from 
 
 C 2 Satan
 
 ( 12 ) 
 
 " Satan to God, from Antichrift to 
 " Chrift : What elfe make all the fha- 
 " kings in all the kingdoms of the 
 " world, at this time ? Study this time 
 " of God, and work with Providence, 
 " now you have a feafon to help up 
 " God's holy mountain." And again, 
 " This work of the Lord and his Chrift 
 " mail not go backward any more in the 
 " whole: the great apoftacy is paft; and 
 " now kingdoms muft be given to God, 
 '* and Reformation by degrees mail be 
 " nnimed: oppofition of the wicked mall 
 u be but flrong gales of wind, to drive it 
 *' home the fooner. God's word is fure : 
 " Babel mail fall, and never rife; and Zion 
 " mail be raifed, and never fall."* 
 
 So 
 
 . . i . 
 
 * Hughes, Fall Sermon before the Commons, 
 March 26, 1647.
 
 ( i3 ) 
 
 So confident were they of the favour- 
 ablenefs of the times,* and that they 
 were carrying on the " work of the 
 u Lord," this " glorious myftery" the 
 " all-in-all of Reformation" t( one of the 
 great eft works that mortal men had been 
 " employed in thefe many hundreds of 
 " years* "-f* 
 
 " Our times," faid another of the Re- 
 formers, f* are times of deliverances ; the 
 " greateft deliverances that, I think, the 
 " Lord hath wrought fince he brought 
 " Ifrael out of Egypt ; fuch deliverances, 
 
 "as 
 
 * Dr. Price fpeaks, I think, of the favourable- 
 nefs of the prefent times to all exertions in the 
 caufe of liberty. 
 
 t Stephen- Marfh all, Sermon before the Com- 
 mons, December 30, 1746.
 
 ( i4 ) 
 
 "as we ourfelves are like men in a 
 94 dream -, fuch deliverances, that there 
 u have been but few fteps of ordinary 
 ** Providence in them ; deliverances that 
 " have been the fruit of prayer, the fruit 
 " of covenanting, the fruit of fafting ; 
 " and in all thefe, the fruit of free grace, 
 " wherein the Lord hath exceeded not 
 u only our faith, but our prayers; and 
 " hath meafured out to us all that he 
 " hath done by the fhekel of the fanc- 
 ** tuary, his own fhekel that is double of 
 " ours."* 
 
 But this glorious work, this holy my- 
 flery, this divine and fupernatural caufe, 
 was " too hard a faying for common 
 
 " worldlings 
 
 * Stephen Marfhall, Sermon before the Com* 
 mons, December 30, 1746.
 
 ft 
 
 ( IS ) 
 
 worldlings and carnal politicians." 
 Thofe jh allow -beaded, narrow-hearted 
 " carnalifls were puzzled in this bar a Uef- 
 " fin of a myjlery : they were not fo 
 u much as A-B-Cedarians in the Lord's 
 " archives, in his manufcripts, in his 
 M brachygraphy ; I mean in the ftrange 
 " language of Reformation, and myfte- 
 " rious Babylonifh redemptions : they 
 ' wanted both dictionaries and fpeftacles 
 ** in thofe particulars."* 
 
 There were, we fee, even at that time, 
 fome eafy, peace-loving people, who did 
 not think quite fo well of this glorious 
 work, or perhaps did not, poor fouls ! fee 
 the need of all this reformation -, but their 
 blindnefs, and their unwillingnefs to be 
 
 reformed, 
 
 * ^Bond's Sermon before the Commons, 1642. 

 
 ( I ) 
 
 reformed, haftened then, as we are told 
 it will at prefent, the work of Reforma- 
 tion. 
 
 " The enemy, by projecting and 
 " righting againft Reformation, hath 
 " both haftened and heightened it more 
 " than ourfelves could (perhaps would) 
 " have done in that time." " The men 
 " would not furTer us, if we would, to 
 "pare and clip prelacy: no, they will 
 " have it plucked up root and branch"* 
 
 " The 
 
 * Bond's Sermon before the Commons. And 
 Dr. Price, in one of his Sermons, fays, " The 
 *' enemies of Reformation do not fufficiently 
 " confider that, by oppofing in enlightened 
 " times, all attempts to remove fuch fhocking 
 " blemifhes from our eftablifhed code of faith 
 " and worfhip, they expofe the Hierarchy to 
 " particular danger of a fudden and total over- 
 " throtf."
 
 ( '7 , 
 
 > " The work of Reformation frill goes 
 < on : there do we get ground, as to per- 
 94 feci a protefiation into a covenant ; to 
 99 ripen an impeachment into a root and 
 44 branch ; and, in a word, to fettle an 
 44 ajfembly of Divines, as a general re- 
 " finer 's fire, to try all metals in the 
 94 Cburchr* 
 
 Such was their zeal for Reformation, 
 and their fentiments of what the Lord had 
 done, and was at that time doing for them. 
 The commencement of the unhappy con- 
 teft between the King and Parliament, was 
 confidered as the epoch of their liberty* 
 " Oh, let the 4th of January, 1641, be 
 " unto you as the 5th of November^. 
 94 1605 !" was the language of one :-f- it 
 D was 
 
 * Bond, Sermon before the Commons. 
 f Ibid.
 
 ( 8 ) 
 
 was called annus mirabilis 164 1, by ano- 
 ther:* "and fo it is," faid a third,-f- 
 " a wonderful year of God's mercies to 
 " England" Indeed it is rather won- 
 derful that the anniverfary of this day 
 is not obferved by the zealots of Refor- 
 mation, to whom it would be left, with- 
 out difpute, as more peculiarly belong- 
 ing than that of the Revolution, which 
 they feem to confider, I know not why,, 
 as the occafion of joy and exultation only 
 to themfelves.J In the one, we come 
 
 in 
 
 * William Crompton, Parlor of Lancefton. 
 \ G. Hughes, Sermon at the funeral of 
 Crompton. 
 
 \ ** Who with more care keep holy-day, 
 ' The wrong than others the right day.". 
 
 Hud. Cant. I. 
 i( Which (the Revolution), for more than a 
 ** century, it has been ufual for the friends of 
 
 " freedom,
 
 ( 19 ') 
 
 in for our (hare of thankfgiving and ad- 
 vantage; in the other, the benefits and 
 praifes were entirely their own. 
 
 D 2 Liberty 
 
 " freedom, and more efpecially Proteftant Dif- 
 " fenters, under the title of the Revolution So- 
 (t ciety, to celebrate, with expreffions of joy and 
 " exultation." Dr. Price's Sermon. But have 
 not the friends of the eftabliihment equal caufe 
 for joy and exultation ; and have they not always 
 expreffed it, not in convivial fongs and feflive en- 
 tertainments, but in a folemn al of thankfgiving 
 to the Almighty, " for bringing his Majefty 
 c< King William, on this day, for the deliver- 
 * c ance of our Church and Nation from Popifh 
 " tyranny, and arbitrary power j" as on the 
 29th of May, " for the wonderful deliver- 
 M ancc of thcfe kingdoms from the great rebel- 
 " lion, and all the miferies and oppreflions con- 
 " fequent thereupon, under which they had fo 
 " long groaned; and for reftoring the public 
 " and free profeflion of religion and worihip, 
 u together with our former peace and profpe- 
 rity."
 
 ( 2 ) 
 
 Liberty of confcience was the cry at 
 that time, as it is at prefent: " all error,'* 
 faid one of them, M is now chriftened and 
 " called confcience, tender confcience"* 
 
 " The Devi]," faid the Prefbyterians 
 of the Sectaries (who thought they had as 
 good a right as the Prefbyterians, to make 
 ufe of this plea), " for fome thoufands 
 " of years had not found out this engine, 
 " nor made ufe of it to fupport his king- 
 " dom. We fhall never read of it in 
 " the Old Teftament ; but upon the 
 V coming of Chrift in the flefh, that 
 " the lying oracles were dhTolved, the 
 " Devil then beftirred himfelf, and fet 
 "pretended liberty of confcience a-foot, 
 " after the experience of fome thoufands 
 
 "of 
 
 * Edwards, Gangraena, Part III. p. 235.
 
 ( ) 
 
 u of years in the world, as the mod likely 
 * 6 means to recover and ftrengthen his 
 " kingdom -, and hath ever fince, from 
 " time to time, made ufe of this engine, 
 " ejpecially in times of Reformation, and 
 " places where there is a cafting out; 
 " ufing this pretence of liberty of con-* 
 u fcience as a means, either to keep his 
 " own porTeffion, or, being caft out, to 
 " enter in again."* 
 
 " The Sectaries hypocrify," faith he 
 in another place, '* appears by their 
 " pretending a bare liberty only peace- 
 " ably and quietly to enjoy their own 
 " confciences, and that without any of- 
 " fence or moleftation to others. "-f- 
 
 The 
 
 * Gangraena, Part I. p. 60. 
 t Ibid, Part III. p. 240.
 
 ( 22 ) 
 
 The liberty of the fubjeft was, too, a 
 favourite plea. 
 
 49 The Sectaries," faith the fame zea- 
 lous Prefbyterian, " have pretended the 
 " liberty oftbefubjeB, the public liber- 
 *' ties of the kingdom: this they have 
 " much held out; and this they have 
 f fought for, they fay, and not religion ; 
 " and this is much fpoken of in all their 
 *' pamphlets and fpeeches."* 
 
 " In divers pamphlets, and fome fer^ 
 " mons, declaring againfl monarchy and 
 99 arijlocracy ; and for democracy, they 
 " have exprelfed themfelves in fuch a 
 " manner, that they make it no other 
 *' than an anarchy-, making all alike, 
 
 99 con- 
 1 
 * Gangraena, Part III. p. 240.
 
 ( 23 ) 
 
 *' confounding of all ranks and orders, 
 ** reducing all to Adams time and condi- 
 tion, and devolving all power upon the 
 ftate univerfal, and promifcuous mul- 
 titude, whom they make the creator 
 and deftroyer of kings, parliaments, 
 and all magiftrates, at their mere plea- 
 " fure, without tying them to any rule, 
 " or binding them by any laws."* 
 
 " Inftead of legal rights, and the laws 
 " and cuftoms of the nation, the Sedla- 
 M ries talk and plead for ?iatural rights 
 " and liberties, fuch as men have from 
 ' Adam by birth;"-)- " for natural 
 " primitive rights"% And he remarks 
 
 upon 
 
 * Grangrsena, Preface to Part III. 
 
 t Ibid. 
 
 % Gangraena, Part III. p. 217.
 
 ( *4 ) 
 
 upon w this infolent, outrageous car* 
 " riage," as he calls it, " of many See-* 
 " taries, that, if it be well considered, 
 " it will be found treafon in the highefi 
 m form ', not only againft, the king, but 
 <c the kingdom too; as my Lord Coke 
 " fpake in the cafe of the Gunpowder 
 " Traitors ; they having plotted, endea- 
 " voured, written many books, done 
 <c many actions, to overthrow the fun- 
 ,e damental conjiitution and laws of this 
 " kingdom; and that, not by blowing-up 
 " one parliament, but by their gunpow* 
 " der fpirits labouring to dejlroy all par ~ 
 <( liaments, in their constitution of three 
 '* eftates, for ever."* 
 
 " Monarchy and aristocracy, both king 
 " and lords, have been cried down in 
 
 " many 
 
 * Gangrxna, Part III. p. 217.
 
 ( 25 ) 
 
 *' many books, fpeeches, yea, in fermons, 
 * of the Sectaries : and for democracy, 
 " though in divers pamphlets they feem 
 " to contend for that, as in oppofition to 
 " all kingly and lordly government; yet, 
 " in pleading for it, they have laid down 
 " fuch pojitions as are not co7ifijlent with 
 " any government at a//, but what necef- 
 " farily would bring any commonwealth 
 M the moil popular, into a chaos and 
 M confufion: and, had they any reafon 
 " or wifdom, they could not but fee the 
 " weaknefs of their own principles, and 
 *' the dreadful confequences that muft 
 " neceffarily follow thereupon : in a 
 " word, nothing pleafes them; not the 
 " government, nor any part of it; not 
 " the laws: their dejign is, to have all 
 ** pulled down, to have a total change 
 " made-, that, being abrafa tabula, they 
 
 E " might
 
 ( 26 ) 
 
 " might write in it what they pleafed, 
 " and might come to have the new-model- 
 " ling of the church and commonwealth"* 
 
 To be admitted into places of power 
 
 and emolument, was then, as well as 
 
 now, their claim. " The greatefl thing 
 
 " in the City remonftrance, that the 
 
 ?! Sectaries are offended at, is that about 
 
 " places of public truft: they take that 
 
 f* moft heinoufly, that Sectaries fhould 
 
 " not have places of honour, profit, and 
 
 " power. -f* " A toleration, and liberty 
 
 " of confcience, contents them not; but a 
 
 ft liberty of offices, and a power of great 
 
 " places, both in civil and military af- 
 
 " fairs, they ftand for."f 
 
 And 
 
 . ' ^ 
 
 * Gangnena, Part III, p. 262. 
 f Part III. p. 180. 
 % Ibid.
 
 ( 27 ) 
 
 And that the means they took to effect 
 their ends, were not unlike the prefent, 
 one extract more will be iufficient to 
 evince. 
 
 n They have been, and are, poluprag- 
 ft matical, indefatigably active, ftirring, 
 " reftlefs night and day, in city, country, 
 " in all places having their agents to do 
 " their work, and promote their caufe: 
 " their eyes are intent upon every thing 
 " that may make for them or againfl 
 " them; and they have a hand in every 
 " thing: they are men of a hundred eyes 
 " and hands, out-acting and out- working 
 " all the Prefbyterians ; they deal with 
 " this man, to take him off, and work 
 " with another, to qualify him: they have 
 " got mofi of the weekly writers of news, 
 " to plead their caufe, commend their per- 
 E 2 fins.
 
 { 28 ) 
 
 "fons, cry up their acJions ; they have 
 " fent eminaries to feveral countries to 
 " preach, carry letters, deal with perfons 
 "for choojing of burgefjes in Parliament, 
 "for their way J'* 
 
 The flrong refemblance between the 
 reforming fpirit and the language and 
 profeffions of that time and the prefent, 
 cannot but fir ike the reader very forcibly, 
 and lead him to recollect what the con- 
 feculence of all this reformation and li- 
 berty of confcience was, when, under the 
 fame pretext of oppofing hierarchical ty- 
 ranny and afferting the rights of men, the 
 conftitution in church and ftate was over- 
 turned, the monarch was murdered by his 
 fubjects, prelacy was not only M clipped 
 u and pared" but entirely aboliihed, and 
 
 they 
 
 Gangrsna, Part I, p. 6u
 
 ( V ) 
 
 they had no longer any of the restraint* 
 of ecclefiaftical power to check the pro- 
 grefs of free enquiry, or deprive them of 
 their rights and liberties in their fulleft 
 extent. 
 
 The hierarchy, to pull down the hie- 
 rarchy, was the object of their united zeal; 
 and they were not unfuccefsful in the at- 
 tempt : they were able to effect the over- 
 throw of the conflitution both in church 
 and ftate. But what was the confe- 
 quence ? Did it effect any change for the 
 better, in the religion or the morals of the 
 nation ? Did they enjoy more liberty of 
 confcience, than they had enjoyed before? 
 Did they, who were loud in their com- 
 plaints of ecclefiaftical oppreffion, give 
 that liberty to others, which they had 
 contended for themfelves? or did they, 
 when they had got the power they con- 
 tended
 
 ( 3 ) 
 
 tended for, prove more tyrannical them-* 
 felves ? 
 
 " From the time of Conftantine to the 
 the prefent, the doctrine of our Sa- 
 ' viour, we are told, has not had a fair 
 " trial in the world;"* and that, " when 
 " every man has the liberty of expound- 
 " ing the Scriptures, our understandings 
 " will be gradually enlightened, and our 
 c< errors reformed."-}- 
 
 Now, if we have not this liberty at 
 prefent, which perhaps thofe who are 
 converfant with the writings of Dr. 
 Prieftley, will think we have they muft 
 have had it in its full perfection at that 
 time, when the progrefs of free inquiry 
 was not obftructed by creeds or fubferip- 
 
 tions, 
 
 * Friend. f Ibid,
 
 ( 3' ) 
 
 tions ; when the pulpit and the prefs were 
 no longer under the influence of prelates 
 and priefts. But was the effect what 
 Dr. Prieftley fuppofes it would be, if 
 thefe creeds and fubfcriptions, thefe pre- 
 lates and priefts, were removed? Were 
 their underftandings enlightened, their 
 errors reformed; and did it produce that 
 uniformity of opinion, that we are to ex- 
 pect from the progrefs of free inquiry ? 
 So far from it, that " there were as many 
 " faiths abroad, as fancies." 
 
 " Our times," faid one of the prime 
 minifters of Reformation, " are times of 
 " errors, horrible errors! 2l new genera - 
 *' tion of men are rifen up, and fpread all 
 * the points of Arminianifm, univerfal 
 " redemption, apoftacy from grace, man's 
 
 free
 
 ( 32 ) 
 
 " free will : multitudes of others cry 
 " down the law, as not having any thing 
 " to do with God's people : others, de- 
 " nying that the Saints of God mould 
 *' ever any more confefs fin to God, in 
 " prayer : others, queflioning whether 
 " there be any church or miniftry, this 
 "day, upon the face of the earth; and 
 ' whether there mail be, till new apoftles 
 " arife. Nay, beyond all thefe, many de- 
 " nying the Lord Jelus, that bought us 
 " with his blood, to be God, or the Holy 
 * c Ghoft to be God ; others denying the 
 " Three Perfons in the Trinity, and con- 
 fequently affirming that we, and all the 
 c Chriftian world with us, do worfhip 
 " idols inftead of God. Thefe, and 
 *' abundance of fuch horrid things as 
 " thefe, do fpread and fcatter like wild- 
 
 " fire
 
 ( 33 ) 
 
 H fire every where, in all corners of the 
 land."* 
 
 " It is lamentable," faid another, 
 " what fuccefs errors have had among 
 u ourfelves, in thefe laft three or four 
 " years of ecclefiajtical anarchy and con- 
 fuionr\ 
 
 " Were it poffible for us," faid a 
 member of the affembly, " to weep 
 " tears of blood, they could hardly 
 " be poured out upon a more preffing 
 " occafion, than to bewail the bleeding 
 " condition of our ftate, at this day, 
 " through ftate divifions ; and of our 
 F n church, 
 
 * Stephen Marihall, Sermon before the Com- 
 mons, December 30, 1746. 
 
 t Haerefcomachia, p. 5.
 
 ( 34 ) 
 
 "church, through church dirTenfions* 
 " Now, that the Lord hath ftirred up 
 " the hearts of many worthies, and af- 
 " forded them an opportunity to fit as a 
 " College of State Phyfcians, to advife of 
 " the healing of the land, the iniquity 
 " of our kingdom is greatly difcovered: 
 " now church divilions are by too many 
 "fomented, intefline jealoufies main- 
 " tained, and corrupt doctrines, as feeds 
 " of everlailing diflenfion and divifion, 
 " fowed amongft us."* 
 
 " Certainly," faid another, " more 
 " damnable doctrines, herefies, and blaf- 
 " phemies, have been of late vented among 
 "us, than in fourfcore years before: lb 
 
 "that 
 
 * Chambers, Faft. Sermon before the Com- 
 mons, September 27, 1643.
 
 ( 35 ) 
 
 ** that we fee in all thefe great changes 
 *' how the Devil hath beftirred himfelf, 
 ** and what improvement he hath made of 
 " thefe times,"* " Our God and all re- 
 f( ligion is taking away, and how can we 
 M be fi'lent and content ? The Scrip- 
 M tures are denied to be the word of 
 r * God, and blafphemed. The doctrine 
 " of the Trinity is called a tradition of 
 " Rome, a fiction. The Godhead of 
 " (Thrift is oppofed ; and his human na- 
 " ture is made to be defiled with origi- 
 " nal fin, as well as other men's. The 
 " Holy Ghoffc is fcoffed at: the moral 
 w law is taken away ; yea gofpel, mini- 
 " ftry, church, faith, facraments, finging 
 *' of pfalms, prayers, are overthrown, as 
 ** holding there are none on earth. "-f* 
 
 F 2 "We 
 
 * Edwards, Gangraena, Part I. p. 68. 
 f Gangraena, Parti, p. 71.
 
 ( 36 ) 
 
 " We have worfe things among us, M 
 continues this zealous Prefbyterian, who 
 wrote three treatifes upon the prevailing 
 herefies and errors of the times, " than 
 (( ever were in all the Bi/hops days: more 
 " corrupt doctrines, and unheard-of prac- 
 " tices, than in eighty years before; 
 " thefe monfters, of denying the Scrip- 
 " tures to be the word of God; of de- 
 *' nying the Trinity, and the Divinity of 
 " Chrift; the immortality of the foul, 
 *' and the refurrection of the body, Hell 
 ' and Heaven."* 
 
 And, in another place, he fays, 
 " Things are grown to a itrange pafs 
 " (though nothing now is ftrange), and 
 " every day they grow worfe and worfe $ 
 
 "and 
 
 Gangraena, jPart I. p. 74.
 
 ( 37 ) . 
 
 M and you can hardly conceive and ima- 
 *' gine them fo bad as they are : no kind 
 " of blafphemy, berefy, diforder, confufion, 
 *' but either is found among us, or coming 
 ' in upon us; for we, inftead of a Refor- 
 u mation, are grown from one extreme 
 " to another ; fallen from Scylla to Cha- 
 f rybdis; from Popifh innovations, fu- 
 " perflations, and prelatical tyranny, to 
 f* damnable herefies, horrid blafphemies, 
 f libertinifm, and fearful anarchy: our 
 u evils are not removed and cured, but 
 '* only changed; one difeafe and devil hath 
 " left us, and another as bad is come in the 
 " room,"* 
 
 Again, " You have made a Reformat 
 " tion -, and blefled be God, who put it 
 
 " into 
 
 * Ep. Ded. to Gangraena. 
 
 301076
 
 ( 38 ) 
 
 "into your hearts, to do fuch things: 
 * but, with the Reformation, have we not 
 " a deformation, and worfe things come 
 t( in upon us than ever we had before ? 
 I* You have put down the book of 
 M Common Prayer ; and there are many 
 *' among us, have put down the Scrip- 
 " tures, flighting, yea, blafpheming them. 
 " You have broken down images of the 
 " Trinity, Chrift, Virgin Mary, Apoftles ; 
 " and we have thofe who overthrow the 
 " doctrine of the Trinity, oppofe the 
 " Divinity of Chrift, fpeak evil of the 
 st Virgin Mary, flight the Apoftles. Tou 
 " have caft out the bijhops and their officers ; 
 " and we have many that caft down to 
 * I the ground, all miniflers in all the re- 
 " formed churches. You have caft out 
 " ceremonies in the Sacraments, as the 
 M trofs, kneeling at the Lord's Supper; 
 
 " and
 
 it 
 
 ( 39 ) 
 
 " we have many caft out the Sacraments, 
 " Baptifm, and the Lord's Supper. You 
 " have put down Saints days ; and we 
 " have many make nothing of the Lord's 
 " days, and faft days. You have taken 
 " away the fuperrluous, exceffive main- 
 tenance of the Bifhops and Deans -, and 
 V we have many take away, and cry 
 <( down, the necefTary maintenance of the 
 " minifters. In the Bifhops days we 
 " had ringing of pfalms taken away in 
 " fome places, conceived prayer, preach- 
 " ing; and, in their room, anthems, 
 " ftinted forms, and reading, brought in: 
 " and now we have ringing of pfalms 
 " fpoken againft, and caft out of fome 
 " churches; yea, all public prayer quef- 
 " tioned, and all minifterial preaching 
 *' denied. In the Bifhops times, Popifh 
 " innovations were introduced, as bowing 
 
 "at
 
 ( 40 ) 
 
 * at altars, &c. and now we have anoint-* 
 ' ing the fick with oil : then we had 
 
 bifhoping of children ; now we have 
 ' bifhoping of men and women, by 
 ' ftrange laying- on of hands. In the 
 
 * Bifhops days, we had many unlearned 
 
 minifters ; and have we not now a 
 
 * company of Jeroboam's priefts ? In 
 ' the Bifhops days, we had the fourth 
 ' commandment taken away ; but now 
 1 we have all ten commandments at once, 
 ' by the Antinomians ; yea, all faith and 
 
 * the go/pel denied, as by the Seekers. 
 e The worft of the Prelates, in the midft 
 c of many Popifh Arminian tenets, and 
 ' Popifh innovations, held many found 
 1 doctrines, and had many commendable 
 'practices: but many of the Sedls and 
 
 * Sectaries, in our days, deny all principles 
 
 of religion -, are enemies to all holy duties, 
 
 ft order,
 
 ( 4i ) 
 
 " order, learning', overthrowing all, being 
 " vertiginofi fpiritus, whirligig fpirits : 
 " and the great opinion of an univerfal 
 " toleration tends to the laying of all 
 " wafte, and diflblution of all religion 
 " and good manners."* 
 
 From this antithefis of their own be- 
 tween former times and theirs, and the 
 lamentable account they give, themfelves, 
 of the diverfity of doctrines and errors 
 with which the country was over- run, 
 we have no great reafon to expect that the 
 caufe of truth would be any great gainer, 
 or the national religion be much mended, 
 by again cajiing out the Bi/hops, and giving 
 full fcope to the fame^m- inquiry, and 
 the fame zeal for Reformation. Truth, 
 G however 
 
 * Gangrsena, Ep. Ded.
 
 ( 42 ) 
 
 however obfcured before, did not, in all 
 this bleffed period, break through the 
 clouds with which it had been enveloped 
 in the Bifhops days ; and errors, however 
 plentiful before, became ftill more pro- 
 lific, when foftered by ignorance and 
 conceit. It was now, as the Satyrift re- 
 lates, that 
 
 (t Religion fpawn'd a various rout 
 " Of petulant capricious fefts, 
 '* The maggots of corrupted texts ; 
 " That firft run all religion down, 
 " And after every fvvarm, its own." 
 
 Hud. 
 
 It was not in doctrine, then, that the 
 good effects of their reforming fpirit were 
 to be feen. What, let us fee, were its 
 effects upon the morals of the nation? 
 Were they more virtuous, when they had 
 
 got
 
 ( 43 ) 
 
 got rid of epifcopacy; and did they di- 
 ftinguifh themfelves from the times of 
 prelatic and prieftly corruption, by the 
 greater purity of their lives ? 
 
 Stephen Marfhall, in his Sermon before 
 the Commons, from which I have already 
 prefented the reader with fome extracts, 
 confeifes that their times were " times 
 " of ?noji prodigious ivickednefs, horrible 
 " abominations in men's manners. I 
 " am confident," fays he, " never fuch 
 " abominable drunkennefs, and general 
 " loofenefs in that kind; never more 
 " univerfal liberty of whoring, inceftu- 
 " ous marriages, opprefiions, cruelty, in- 
 "juflice, malice, revenge, and every 
 ". thing that might fill a land with un- 
 " godlinefs. Since we or our forefathers 
 
 ^" were born, never was there a greater 
 G 2 "deluge
 
 (, 44 ) 
 
 " deluge of wickednefs than in thefe our 
 " times."* 
 
 And Mr. Edwards, in his Gangrana, 
 fays " he is perfuaded there never was a 
 " more hypocritical, falfe, dirTembling, 
 " cunning generation in England: they 
 " have covered all their practices and 
 " defigns, under the pretences of godli- 
 " nefs, honefty, faintfhip, purity of ordi- 
 " nances, tendernefs of confcience, a per- 
 " feci: thorough reformation, new glorious 
 " truths; giving to themfelves, and their 
 " party, the name of faints: and under 
 " that covert they deftroy all godlinefs, 
 " good confcience, truth; are enemies to 
 " all holy duties, ftricl: obferving the 
 " Lord's day, humiliation, &c. encou- 
 " rage, and protect, and cry up for faints, 
 
 " faints, 
 
 * Sermon before the Commons, Dec. 30, 1746.
 
 ( 45 ) 
 
 " faints, fons of Belial, and the vileft of 
 * men. They have pretended ', and talked 
 " of Reformation , but are all for a tolera- 
 tion, and a liberty for all their party to 
 " believe and live as they luft."* 
 
 Another of their writers, fpeaking of 
 the general apoftacy from godlinefs to 
 open profanenefs, fince the unreftrained 
 inundation of their errors, accounts for it 
 by faying, n that time which might be 
 " better employed in the examination of 
 " the confcience, is laid out in the exa- 
 " mination of opinions: all the care is 
 " taken up about the notions of the 
 " brain, which ought to have been in- 
 " tended to the bettering of the heart. "-f- 
 
 Should 
 
 * Gangraena, Part III. p. 240. 
 j- Haerefeomachia, p, 1$,
 
 ( 46 ) 
 
 Should the Prefbyterians here remark 
 that this was faid, not of them, but of 
 the Sectaries, we muft refer them to what 
 the Royal Martyr faid of both. 
 
 His fentiments were thefe:- " Did I 
 " fee any thing more of Chrift, as to 
 " meeknefs, juftice, order, charity, and 
 " loyalty, in thofe that pretend to other 
 " modes of government, I might fuipect 
 " my judgement to be biarTed and fore- 
 " flailed with fome prejudice and wan- 
 " tednefs of opinion -, but I have hitherto 
 " fo much caufe to fufpect the contrary 
 ' in the manners of many of thofe men, 
 " that I cannot from them gain the leaft 
 " reputation for their, new ways of go- 
 " vernment: nor can I find that in any 
 " reformed churches (whofe patterns are 
 M fo cried up and obtruded upon the 
 
 " churches
 
 ( 47 ) 
 
 n churches under my dominion), that 
 " either learning or religion, works of 
 " piety or charity, have fo flourished be- 
 " yond what they have done in my king- 
 " doms (by God's bleffing), which might 
 " make me believe either Prejbytery or 
 " Independency have a more benign in- 
 M fluence upon the church and men's 
 " hearts and lives, than Epifcopacy in its 
 " right conftitution."* 
 
 In doclrine, or in morals, nothing 
 then was gained by this innovation, re- 
 formation, or whatever elfe they wifh it 
 to be called ; on the contrary, errors 
 were multiplied, and a greater deluge of 
 wickednefs than ever poured in upon the 
 nation. 
 
 Let
 
 ( 48 ) 
 
 Let us fee whether liberty of conference, 
 the great pretext for dethroning the mo- 
 narch and reforming the conftitution, 
 was one of the fruits of their pious zeal. 
 
 Such is the liberality and moderation 
 of the eftablifhment at prefent, fuch the 
 unlimited toleration that every one en- 
 joys, and yet fo loud their complaints 
 that it is not enough, that the reader will 
 expect to find it in much greater extent 
 and perfection, when they had got rid of 
 thofe deadly foes the Bifhops, and had 
 effected the glorious work of pulling 
 down the church, which flood in the 
 way of their liberty and rights. But did 
 they, when they had effected this, and 
 had got the power in their own hands, 
 grant that liberty to one another, which 
 they each contended for themfelves ? 
 
 Were
 
 i 
 
 ( 49 ) 
 
 Were they difpofed to tolerate what they 
 called berefy in others -, that is, every 
 opinion which differed from their own ? 
 And when they had it in their power to 
 evince that thefe were their real fenti- 
 ments, did they allow " that every man 
 *' has a right to profefs and pradtife, 
 without moleftation, or the lofs of any 
 " civil privilege, that mode of religious 
 *' faith and worfhip which he thinks 
 " mod acceptable to his Maker?"* 
 
 Very different was their language then. 
 One of them, in his Sermon before the 
 Commons, fays, " If none of thefe lies 
 * muft be in Heaven, it is man's duty 
 ^* not to allow them on earth : if herefies 
 u yet muff be, let us mourn for what we 
 H " cannot 
 
 ~ i i n i ii i . j 
 
 Appendix to Dr. Price's Sermon, Nov. 4, 1790. 

 
 ( 5 ) 
 
 ' cannot help. It is a miferable necefc 
 " fity, when not allowed : it will be re^- 
 "joking in iniquity, either for church 
 " or ftate wilfully to tolerate."* 
 
 " You may," faid another to the fame 
 aiTembly, U you ought to covenant for 
 " the whole kingdom, for time, place, 
 " and maintenance of God's worfhip. 
 '* You have (as the great Sanhedrim of ' 
 " the kingdom) power to judge of falfe 
 " worfhip. You may make ufe of the 
 " fword, to drive out idolatry and evil 
 ** worfhip; and accordingly may require 
 " all men in the kingdom to come to the 
 " feveral pariih churches of their abode; 
 " and require fuch as you receive for the 
 " preachers of truth, to fend able men 
 
 "to 
 
 Hughes, Sermon before the Commons,, 
 May 26, 1647.
 
 ( * ) 
 
 " to fupply the places, and that without 
 " any regard to the allowance of the 
 " people."* 
 
 "It is time," faid the fame, " fome 
 " courfe were taken to bring men to 
 " church, which independent principles 
 " make fcruple whether the magiftrate 
 " ought to do, unlefs they like their mi- 
 " nifter: and I could wifh, before this 
 " aflembly were diffolved, a clear and full 
 ** catechifm were agreed on, fhort and 
 " pithy, that might be required of all 
 " communicants in the kingdom, old 
 " and young, high and low, and all com- 
 " pelled to it by your authority, that fo 
 " the fame thing might be taught through- 
 u out the kingdom. "-f 
 
 H 2 Another, 
 
 
 
 * Plea for Chriftian Magiftracy. 1646. 
 t Ibid.
 
 ( 5* ) 
 
 Another, in his zeal for reftraining 
 toleration, addreffes the parliament to 
 " fupprefs thofe fet private meetings, in 
 " which Jeroboam's priefts vent their 
 " myftery of iniquity."* And farther, " I 
 " think I fpeak the thoughts of all the 
 " godly minifters in the land: they will 
 "be fo far from charging you with 
 " harming prophets for punifotng and 
 N putting out tbefe, that they will think 
 t no action of yours will do them more 
 i( right than freeing them from fuch 
 " botches of that honourable calling. 
 " Thofe I plead for, are the faithful, 
 " orthodox, able, and confcientious paf- 
 " tors : ufe them well, as you love your- 
 " felves and the kingdom, which, I am 
 
 " confident, 
 
 * Great Intereft of States and Kingdoms, by 
 S. Ford. 1646. p. 14.
 
 ( 53 ) 
 
 " confident, (if they perifh from the 
 " land) will not long furvive them.*'* 
 
 a 
 
 They were, at that time, no enemies 
 to an eftablimed miniftry, nor to the 
 payment of tithes for their fupport, pro- 
 vided that eftablifhment were their own, 
 and the tithes did not go into the polluted 
 hands of prelates and priefts. 
 
 " What makes a church a den of thieves I 
 " A Dean and Chapter, and lawn fleeves. 
 " And what would ferve, if thefe were gonff, 
 " To make it orthodox ? Our own. 
 
 Hud. 
 
 And the Poet hath not in his merri- 
 ment exceeded the truth; for though 
 they could not, when they had united in 
 
 pulling 
 
 * Great Intereftof States and Kingdoms, p. 25.
 
 ( 54 ) 
 
 pulling down one, unite in building up 
 another in its place, yet were they agreed 
 that fome eftablifhment there mould be. 
 
 41 You will," faid one, " upon your 
 " ram and weak perfuafion, hinder Pref- 
 " bytery all you can, the administration 
 " of the facraments in a Prefbyterial way. 
 " May not the magiftrate, upon ftrong 
 " perfuafions, after ferious debates by a 
 " learned aflcmbly, and fcripture grounds, 
 " fatisfying their confciences, enatt by a 
 " law Prejbytery> and forbid Indepen- 
 dency ?"* 
 
 Provided it were their own, they had 
 no objection to an eftablimed church : 
 nay, they allowed and contended for 
 
 the 
 
 * Gangraena, Part III. p. 247.
 
 ( 5S ) 
 
 the neceffity that there mould be one. 
 H Whatever feels are enemies to a regular 
 " miniftry, 'tis no wonder if they bring 
 " themfelves, and the places where they 
 v are, into fuch turbulent and anti-ma- 
 " giftratical practices. And truly, 'tis 
 " no wonder to me," faid this advocate 
 for an eftablifhment, " when I confider 
 " that the principles of their e?imity to mi- 
 " nijlry, will eafily be improved to an over- 
 il throw of magijtracy"* 
 
 And as to tithes, their language was, 
 " Thofe that would perfuade you that 
 " public provifion ought not to be made 
 " for preaching the Gofpel, by tithes or 
 " otherwife, would make all nations hea- 
 " thens and idolaters, not to have any 
 
 " public 
 
 * Great Intercft of States and Kingdoms, p. 26.
 
 (' 56 ) 
 
 *' public intereft in the Gofpel -, thofe 
 " would have the State always to ftand 
 " at defiance with Religion."* 
 
 Even the Univerjittes were to be borne 
 with, when they were no longer under 
 the direction of the Church, but con- 
 Hituted a part of their own reformed 
 Hierarchy. 
 
 ** For, when young ftudents can fee 
 " Galen and Juftinian, the ftudy of the 
 " Law or Phyfic, can give them wealth 
 " and honour, and the Miniftry nothing 
 " but beggary, it will be a great fnare to 
 H them: though the work of the mini- 
 " ftry be honourable, and hath abundant 
 
 " reward 
 
 * Plea for Chriflian Magiftracy Addrefs to 
 the Lords and Commons prefixed. 1646. -'
 
 ( 57 ) 
 
 u reward with God, yet, for want of 
 M maintenance, the houfe of God will be 
 M forfaken. Sint Mcecenates, non deerunt 
 ** Marones. Men of parts muft have en- 
 *' couragement; and, in your provifion 
 M for them, forget not the fchools of the 
 " prophets, remember the Univerjities"* 
 
 Neither an EJlabltJhment, Tithes, or JJni- 
 verfities, were, in their own hands, fuch 
 terrible things that they were willing to 
 part with them. 
 
 But did they, while they enjoyed thefe 
 envied advantages, allow to others the 
 liberty of diflenting from them ? Hear 
 what they fay themfelves. 
 
 I " Here 
 
 * Stephen Marfhall, Sermon before the Com- 
 mons, December 30, 1746.
 
 ( 58 ) 
 
 ' Here are fuch and fiich men hoTd 
 " all kind of errors, and vent them up 
 t and down, and they fay 'tis their con- 
 "fcience: would you have them fuf- 
 " fered to preach, write, and infecl: all 
 " that come near them?"* 
 
 M You have covenanted, not only to root 
 " out all error, herefies, fchifm, pro- 
 f* fanenefs, &c. but to affift all that do 
 " fo. Affift your minifters, whofe main 
 " work it is. They have well led you 
 " the way, by reprefenting the evils of 
 " toleration. Second them in this/'-f* 
 
 " Seek out and punifo irregular anem- 
 " blies, and feditious preachers and prac- 
 
 M tices, 
 
 * Gangra?na, Part III. p. 248. 
 
 + Great Interefl of States and Kingdoms, p. 33.
 
 ( 59 ) 
 
 '* ticeSj and fear not the bug-bear word of 
 " perfecuting faints, when they are out of 
 " the way of faints,"* 
 
 M This I defire, above all, may ftick 
 " with you, that if the Lord hath given 
 " you power , he hath not given you liberty 
 " to forbear fucb men"-\ 
 
 '* You have," faid another zealous ad- 
 vocate for an eftablifhment of his own, 
 u moil noble Senators! done worthily 
 " againft Papifts, Prelates, and fcanda- 
 " lous Minifters ; in cafting down ima- 
 " ges, altars, crucifixes, throwing out 
 I 2 " cere- 
 
 
 
 * Great Intereft of States and Kingdoms, 
 p. 36. 
 
 t Stephen Marlhall, Sermon before the Com- 
 mons, 1746.
 
 ( 6 ) 
 
 * ceremonies, &c. But what have you 
 * done again ft other kinds of growing 
 " evils, herefy, fchifm, diforderj againft 
 " Seekers, Anabaptifts, Antinomians, 
 * Brownifts , Libertines , and other 
 " feels ?"* 
 
 " A Toleration doth eclipfe and darken 
 " the glory of the moft excellent Refor- 
 " mation." " God accounts all thofe er- 
 " rors, herefies, fchifms, &c. committed 
 "in a land, but let alone, and fuffered 
 " without punijhment, by thofe who have 
 " authority and power, to be the fins of 
 ' thofe who have power; and he will 
 " proceed againft them, as if they were 
 " the authors of them/'-f- 
 
 "A 
 
 * Dedication to Gangrasna, 
 t Ep. Ded. to Gangraena,
 
 ( 6i ) 
 
 " A Toleration is the grand defign of 
 " the Devil, his mafterpiece."* 
 
 It's a fad thing, to think that fo 
 " much blood hath been fpilt, and vaft 
 " funis of money fpent, if in the end we 
 " flail have a Toleration "-\- 
 
 " If the parliament, city, yea, all the 
 " people, were for a Toleration of all the 
 u Sects, &c. yet minifters ought to pre- 
 " fent their reafons againft, preach, and 
 " cry out of the evil of it; never confent 
 M to it, but proteft againft and withstand 
 " it by all lawful ways and means within 
 " our callings and places, venturing the 
 
 " lofs 
 
 * Gangraena, Part I. p. 58. 
 t Id. Part I. p. 42.
 
 ( 62 ) 
 
 " lofs of liberties, eftates, lives, and all, 
 * in that caufe."* 
 
 " It is a grievous fault in any church, 
 *' not to reftrain the authors and main- 
 " tainers of feels and falfe doctrines, and 
 u of opinions which fland not with the 
 " truth of God's word." , f" 
 
 C 
 
 Prejhyterian government" faid one 
 of them in its praife, " as foon as an 
 ** error doth but peep out, will find it 
 " and take it fingle, before it grows into 
 " a body ; and crufh it in the egg t before 
 " it comes to be a flying ferpent; which 
 " is made good by the experience of it 
 
 in 
 
 tt 1*1 
 
 * Gangrama, Part I. p. 86. 
 f Id. Part I. P . 88.
 
 ( 63 ) 
 
 " in all the reformed churches where it 
 *' is fettled in power"* 
 
 And he offers, from the word of God, 
 to prove, that if the City of London 
 would " ufe the power they have by 
 " their charter, and the laws in force, to 
 <( punijh heretics and Jeclaries, and dijlurb 
 " their meetings ; the plague would fooner 
 u be removed from them"-f\ 
 
 Nay, as a minifter of God, he folemnly 
 pronounces " that if thefe audacious 
 " men, and their daring books, (hall 
 " efcape without exemplary punijhment, 
 " the plague of God will fall upon the 
 
 " heads 
 
 * Gangraena, Part I. p. 102. 
 f Id. Part III. p. 141.
 
 I 64 ) 
 
 <r heads of thofe who are the caufe of 
 " it- * 
 
 <c We might, in a fhort time," faid 
 he in another place, " break the hearts 
 " and neck of that faction (Indepen- 
 " dency), if the City of London, and 
 '* the government of it, would appear as 
 " they might; and when they have be- 
 " gun it, follow and profecute it in the 
 " beginning, to put the laws in execution 
 " againfi thofe who come not to church; in 
 '* punijhing thofe fefiaries who live under 
 ** their jurifdiction and government, for 
 tc abufing them in print', in -taking care 
 " that no Sectary have any office or place 
 <e of government in the city/'-f 
 
 Such 
 
 * Gangraena, Part III. p. 217, 
 + Id. Part III. p. 281.
 
 ( 5 ) 
 
 Such was the fpirit of the Prefbyterians, 
 and their opinion of toleration, at that 
 time; and yet, this was not one of the 
 mod intolerant of them. " I am fo 
 ' far," faid he, " from a fpirit of perfe- 
 " cution, that I would be glad to find 
 " the fame meafure from Independents, 
 " Brownifls, Anabaptifts, and others, 
 " which I would meafure unto them, if 
 " it were in my power; namely, I would 
 ' not imprifon, banifh them, and fuch 
 1 like ; only hinder them from all places of 
 ' power and trufl in the kingdom, and 
 
 * from fpreading their errors and opi- 
 
 nions to the hurting of others; keep 
 1 the unfound from the found : which, 
 ' if I differed in judgment from what was 
 ' ejlablified in a church, and had nothing 
 1 elfe done unto me, I fiould never com- 
 ' plain of perf cution and violence for 
 
 K "that;
 
 ( 66 ) 
 
 { that ; for 'tis abfolutely neceflary for 
 " the peace and welfare of the civil ftate ; 
 t( befides what 'tis for the honour of God, 
 " in the preventing the fpreading of all 
 " errors and herelies."* 
 
 And let it not be imagined that they 
 were greater friends to the liberty of the 
 prefs, than of the pulpit. In fupport of 
 priejlcraft and tyranny, we are told by 
 Dr. Price that Licenfers of the Profs 
 have been appointed : but one would 
 little have expected to find them in that 
 sera of light and liberty, when the ufur- 
 pations of oppreflbrs were expofed, when 
 their power was fubverted, and the na- 
 tion was emancipated.* And yet, Li- 
 cenfers 
 
 * Grangraena, Preface to Part III. 
 
 f Pr. Price's Sermon, November 4, 1789,
 
 ( 6 7 ) 
 
 cenfers of the Prefs there were, without 
 whofe Imprimatur, not even Dr. Price 
 could have fent forth his fentiments, fa- 
 vourable as they may be to the caufe of 
 civil and religious liberty. 
 
 As a proof and a fpecimen, I will beg 
 leave to tranfcribe one Imprimatur, and 
 that prefixed to a book which has fur- 
 nifhed the reader with much information 
 refpecting the fpirit of the times : it is 
 Edwards's Gangrana, to which the Li- 
 cenfer of the Prefs gives his fanction, in 
 thefe words : 
 
 " That thou mayft difcern the mifchief 
 " of ' Ecclefiajlical anarchy ', the monjlrouf- 
 " nefs of the much-offered Toleration, and 
 " be warned to be wife to fobriety, and 
 !* fear and fufpect the pretended new 
 K 2 " lights
 
 ( 68 ) 
 
 " lights I approve that this Treatife, 
 " difcovering the gangrene of fo many 
 " flrange opinions, mould be imprinted. 
 
 " James Cranford." 
 
 From fuch well-fan&ioned authori- 
 ties as this, and their own writings, do 
 we learn the notions that they had of 
 eflabliJJjments, tithes, toleration, and the li- 
 berty of the pulpit and the prefs. It is 
 unneceffary to call in other witneiTes to 
 confirm their own confeflions ; but it 
 may perhaps affift the reader in forming 
 a comparative view of the liberty which 
 he enjoys at prefent, and what he might 
 enjoy under a Preibyterial government 
 fettled in power, if we add, from the ex- 
 perience of the Independents, their opi- 
 nion of it. Thefe Sectaries, at that time 
 
 the
 
 ( 9 ) 
 
 the fubjects of their feverity, and fpeak- 
 ing from their own feelings, give us 
 a ftill worfe account of their intolerant 
 ipirit. 
 
 Paul Hobfon, a noted Independent, is 
 quoted by Edwards, as threatening to 
 make their ufage the leading cafe of the 
 kingdom, for all the godly party j faying, 
 " That if the godly and well-affected 
 " party were thus perfecuted, they mould 
 u be forced to make a worfe breach than 
 ** was yet, when they had done with the 
 " King's party that when they have 
 " made an end of the war with the Ca- 
 " valiers, they mould be forced to raife a 
 " new army to fight with them (the 
 " Prefbyterians)."* 
 
 It 
 
 * Gangraena, Part I. p. 33.
 
 cc 
 
 < 7 ) 
 
 It was the complaint of the Se&a- 
 ries, that " the Bifhops tyranny was no- 
 " thing to the Prefbyterians : their 
 te finger would be heavier than theBifiop's 
 " loins:* that Prefbyterial government 
 " was a hundred times worfe than Epif 
 < copal. -f that' it was Antichriftian, a 
 " limb of Antichrift, tyrannical, lordly, 
 cruel, a worfe bondage than under the 
 Prelates :% a fpirit of Antichriftian 
 pride and tyranny, of rebellion and 
 treafon, in lifting up a Papal throne 
 " above kings and Kefars, above king- 
 " doms and commonwealths, to the en* 
 "Jlaving the whole nation in their fouls, 
 " bodies, and eflates: that it fets up in the 
 
 " church 
 
 * Gangraena, Part I. p. 43. 
 f Id. Part III. p. 172. 
 % Id. Part III. p. 221, 
 
 t
 
 ( 7' ) 
 
 church an oracle of infallibility, and 
 " fuch a fupremacy, as no true-bred 
 " Englifli Chriftinn can interpret for 
 " other than Antichriftian tyranny ; and 
 " all under the name of a Chrijlian 
 " Prejbyterian government ; that if that 
 M Prefbyterian government be fet up, 
 " thereby our fundamental laws, privi- 
 " leges, and power of Parliaments, liber- 
 " ties, and freedom of all true-bred Eng- 
 " lifh fubjects, would be brought under 
 " perpetual bondage, worfe than that 
 " either of Egypt or Babylon"* 
 
 Thefe are the fentiments of the Secta- 
 ries, which Edwards, from their own 
 pulpits and books, charges them with 
 daring to entertain and declare of the 
 
 Prefbyterians. 
 
 * Gangrcena, Part III. p. 244.
 
 ( 72 ) 
 
 Prefbyterians. And, in a quotation from 
 a book entituled Ordinance for Tithes 
 demounted, the writer afks " whether 
 *' there can be the leaft dream of ho- 
 " nefty or religion in them, or refpect 
 ?* to the liberty of this free-born nation 
 " therein, feeing that they lay upon us 
 " a heavier yoke than ever was laid upon 
 " us in the days of the Bi/hops .- "* . 
 
 And Richard Bacon, an Independent 
 Minifter, who had done and fuffered 
 much in the Parliament caufe, afks, 
 with much juftice, of his perfecuting 
 allies, ** whether it be not an infringe - 
 " ment of the liberty of the fubjecl, to 
 " thruft me out of the city for matters 
 
 " of religion ?"-|- 
 
 No 
 
 * Gangrana, Part IH. p. 222. 
 
 t Spirit of Prelacy yet working. 1746.
 
 ( 73 ) 
 
 No wonder, when they faw and 
 fmarted under the feverity of the Pref- 
 byterians, that they were willing " ra- 
 " ther to have Ep if copal government and 
 " a Toleration, than a flridt Prejbyterial 
 '* and thorough Reformation"* 
 
 They felt with the Poet, that 
 
 " Prefbytery does but tranflate 
 
 M The Papacy to a free State; 
 
 ** A commonwealth of Popery, 
 
 " Where every village is a See, 
 
 ** As well as Rome, and muft maintain 
 
 " A Tithe-pig Metropolitan ; 
 
 if Where ev'ry Prefbyter and Deacon 
 
 * f Commands the keys for cheefe and bacon; 
 
 " And ev'ry hamlet's governed 
 
 " By 's Holinefs, the Church's head, 
 
 More haughty and fevere in 's place, 
 
 " Than Gregory and Boniface." 
 
 Hud. 
 
 L After 
 
 * Gangraena, Part I. p. 48.
 
 ( 74 ) 
 
 After reviewing the fpirit of the Pref- 
 byterian party, their ftruggle for power, 
 and their endeavour to eftablifh their own 
 inftead of the religion they had united to 
 overthrow, the different denominations of 
 DhTenters who may be difpofed, in the 
 prefent day,' to unite for the fame purpofe, 
 will be very cautious how they truft 
 themfelves again in the power of thofe 
 whofe government they have experienced 
 to be a hundred times ivorfe than Epif copal. 
 
 They will wifely coniider that they 
 have that Toleration in pofTemon which 
 the Prefbyterians refufed to grant them; 
 that they have it in its utmoft extent -, 
 that it is the name of Toleration only 
 that diftinguifhes their religious rights 
 and liberties from thofe enjoyed by the 
 eftablifhed church ; that, under the fanc- 
 
 tioji
 
 ( 75 ) 
 
 tion of the fame laws which have eila- 
 blifhed ours as the national religion, they 
 have an equal right to the exercife of 
 theirs; to preach, to publifh, to profefs 
 whatever fentiments they pleafe, and to 
 worfhip how and where they pleafe : but 
 that, if a rival feci: ftould chance to get 
 the upper hand, they would fue perhaps 
 in vain for the liberty they enjoy at pre- 
 fent; for that toleration which, in a much 
 more limited extent, they were once re- 
 fufed. And, to the confideration of their 
 own intereft, which could not be bet- 
 tered, but might be materially injured 
 by the change, they will confcientioufly 
 reflect that the caufe of Chriftianity 
 could be no gainer; for what was then, 
 would again be the effect licentioufnefs 
 and immorality would ftill more abound. 
 
 L 2 Inftead
 
 ( 76 ) 
 
 Inftead of being caught by the bait of 
 Liberty, and the Rights of men, about* 
 which there is fo much talk, they will 
 confider for themfelves, whether they do 
 not already enjoy all the liberty and all the 
 rights that men in a flate of civilized fo- 
 ciety can wifh for, and will therefore not 
 look to fuch an Utopian government as 
 is " not confident with any government 
 " at all, but would neceilarily bring" (as 
 they themfelves contended, when they 
 had got the power in their hands) " any 
 " commonwealth, the moil popular, into 
 " a chaos and confunon." They will 
 fufpecl: that, under all the fine profeffions 
 and pretexts of liberality and greater li- 
 berty, there may lie concealed the fame 
 ambition to build upon the ruins of one, 
 another eftablifhment which would not 
 be fo liberal as the prefent: or, without 
 
 fuppofing
 
 ( 77 ) 
 
 iuppofing that there is any fuch premedi- 
 tated defign, that fuch might be the con- 
 fequence; and, in the general wreck that 
 would enfue, one or other of the united 
 feels of DLTenters would rife triumphant, 
 and give law to the reft. 
 
 To unite them in their hoftility to the 
 eftablifhed church, it is faid that their 
 object is the common concern of every 
 friend to religious liberty, and the rights 
 of men. So it was, or fo it was pre- 
 tended, in the times we look to. 
 
 " And yet, for all this Gofpel union, 
 
 " And outward fhew of Church communion, 
 
 " They 'd ne'er admit us to our (hares 
 
 " Of ruling Church or State affairs, 
 
 " Nor give us leave t* abfolve, or fentence, 
 
 " T' our own condition of repentance ; 
 
 " But fhar'd our dividend o' th' crown, 
 
 u We had fo painfully preach'd down - 9 
 
 " And
 
 ( 7 ) 
 
 " And forcM us, though againft the grain, 
 '* T* have calls to preach it up again." 
 
 Hud. 
 
 I know not which, in the prefent day, 
 is the moft numerous feci: of DhTenters, 
 or which would be likely to gain the 
 afcendant, if they could effect the object 
 of their united aim. But be it which it 
 may, whatever hopes their flrength may 
 give them of building their own upon the 
 ruins of the prefent Church, other fedts 
 might prove more powerful and fuccefsful 
 than theirs, and give law to them, in- 
 ftead of their giving law to others. The 
 recollection of what has been the cafe 
 with the Prefbyterians and Independents 
 in their turn, mould be a warning to both 
 of the danger of attempting a change 
 which is hardly poffible to be for the 
 
 better,
 
 ( 79 ) 
 
 better, but is very likely to be materially 
 
 worfe. 
 
 The Prefbyterians themfelves, if they 
 recoiled the fpirit of their rivals, cannot 
 but feel with fatisfaction the fecurity 
 they enjoy at prefent, and fear the confe- 
 quences of a change; for, though the 
 Sectaries, as they called all but thofe of 
 their own denomination, complained fo 
 bitterly of the tyranny and intolerance of 
 the Prefbyterians, they were, in return, 
 no lefs intolerant themfelves. 
 
 If the Independents mould come to 
 have power, the Prefbyterians knew the 
 treatment they were to expect. "If 
 " things mall come to that pafs, I jhall 
 u be firry ," faid one of them, " to take 
 
 "the
 
 ( 8o ) 
 
 t the liberty of confcience they will then 
 u give me, who now plead mojl for it them- 
 "felveu"* 
 
 And again, " God forbid that they 
 u fliould ever proceed fo far as to per- 
 " fuade you to enable them to a<5t what 
 u they have in their thoughts againfl 
 " thofe, without whom neither they 
 " nor yourfelves had ever had the com- 
 *' mon enemy at fuch a lift as (God be 
 " blefled!) you now have."-f 
 
 44 God keep the Prefbyterians," faid 
 another, " out of the hands of the Inde- 
 ' pendents and Sectaries, when they come 
 
 " to 
 
 * Great Interefl of States and Kingdoms, 
 t Id. p. 14.
 
 ( 8i ) 
 
 " to have power, and think they areftrong 
 u enough to mafier them /"* 
 
 " 'Tis not a bare toleration of their 
 u confciencesj and of enjoying their own 
 " perfonal eftates in the land, that they 
 u feek, or which would content them; 
 c< fo that 'tis a domination > and to be in 
 94 fuch a condition, that others may feek 
 " to them to be tolerated, that they aim 
 * at."-f " Pretending a bare liberty 
 *' only peaceably and quietly to enjoy 
 tf their own confciences, and that with- 
 M out any offence or moleftation to others, 
 w But, by thefe and many other fpecious 
 11 pretences, being increafed in number 
 * and power, and having gotten the fword 
 M into 
 
 * Gangraena, Part II. p. 54* 
 t W. Part III. F , 180,
 
 ( 82 ) 
 
 H into their hands, now they /peak outi 
 " and are not contented with a bare tole- 
 *' ration,* but fland for all the places of 
 ** power, honour, and profit, in the king- 
 f* dom."* 
 
 " The domination and infolences of 
 f* the Sectaries in England, both in city 
 " and country, are infufferable, and be- 
 ? yond all example/'-f* 
 
 Inftances of the infolence of the Cate- 
 chifed Soldiery, and Red-coat Seculars, 
 interrupting and difturbing minifters in 
 their duty, forcibly taking pofieffion of 
 their pulpits, preaching themfelves, or 
 putting up preachers of their own, J will 
 
 occur 
 
 * Gangraena, Part III. p. 240. 
 + Id. Part III. p. 270* 
 t Ibid.
 
 ( 8 3 ) 
 
 occur to the recollection of every reader at 
 all acquainted with the hiftory of thofe 
 times. The character which the Prefby- 
 terians gave the Independents, was not 
 without foundation; for, by their own 
 confeffion , the toleration which they 
 contended for, was only for themfelves. 
 " If any man/' faid Thomas Goodwin, 
 an Independent minifter, " think I am 
 " pleading for a liberty of all opinions, 
 " of what nature, and how grofs foever, 
 " I humbly defire them to remember 
 f* that I only plead for Saints."* 
 
 And their own fubfequent conduct:, 
 
 when they came into power, proved that 
 
 they, no more than their rivals, were to 
 
 be trufted with it; " that they hold not'' 
 
 M 2 (as 
 
 * Gangraena, Part II. p. 52.
 
 ( U ) 
 
 (as the one accufed the other) " to their 
 *' principles of toleration and liberty of 
 " confcience, but only in receiving it: 
 " they will not give it when and where 
 " they have the power of giving it unto 
 others. 5 '* 
 
 For as the Prefbyterians, when then- 
 party was uppermost, were jealous of the 
 Independents j fo thefe, when they came 
 into power, wifhed to keep that power 
 to themfelves. 
 
 <* Poor Prefbyter was now reduc'd, 
 ** Secluded, and cafhier'd, and chous'd; 
 * s Turn'd out and excommunicate 
 " From all affairs of Church and State ; 
 ** Reform'd t' a Reformado Saint, 
 M And glad to turn Itinerant; 
 
 " To 
 
 * Gangraena, Part HI. p. 271,
 
 ( 8 S ) 
 
 f { To ft roll and teach from town to town, 
 
 " And thofe he had taught ijp, teach down* 
 
 u And make thofe ufes ferve agen, 
 
 " Againft the new enlighten'd men, 
 
 " As fit as when at firft they were 
 
 ' Reveal'd againft the Cavalier - 9 
 
 (t Damn Anabaptifl and Fanatic, 
 
 " As pat as Popifli and Prelaticj 
 
 *' And with as little variation 
 
 " To ferye for any feft i' th* nation." 
 
 Hud* 
 
 The review we have taken of a period 
 when hypocrify and pretended reforma- 
 tion overturned the conftitution and en- 
 (laved the nation, if it does not warn the 
 DifTenters of their danger, in rifking the 
 advantages they enjoy at prefent, muffc 
 imprefs the mind of every friend to the 
 eftablifhment with alarm at the mofl 
 diftant profpect of like anarchy and con- 
 fufion. 
 
 Every
 
 ( 86 ) 
 
 Every thing* is now peaceable and 
 quiet. Should the reftlefs fpirit of am- 
 bition or difcontent difturb the prefent 
 ftate of things, all would be again eon- 
 fufion, anarchy, and oppreffion. 
 
 Whichever feci: might rife fuperior 
 to the reft, the eftablifhment would be 
 trodden under foot. They mud expect 
 no favour ; none of that liberty of con- 
 fcience which they allow to others ; no 
 churches or chapels wherein to exercife 
 the right of worfhip, which they cheer- 
 fully, and without difpute, concede to 
 all who differ in religious opinions or 
 modes from them. 
 
 But we are told that the fpirit of the 
 DifTenters, in the prefent day, is not 
 what it was; that " at that tirne the 
 
 " principle^
 
 ( 7 ) 
 
 t 
 
 principles of liberty were not tho- 
 *' roughly underftood by any denomi- 
 " nation of Christians $"* that the age is 
 more enlightened, and the fubject better 
 underftood; that the minds of men are 
 now too free either to bear or to impofe 
 fuch restraints. But, before we give any 
 credit to this plaufible language, let us 
 consider whether fuch were not the pre- 
 texts at that time alfo; in what we are 
 more enlightened ; and whether the fpirit 
 of the Diflenters is notjuft the Same. 
 
 They talked, as the Diflenters now do, 
 much about liberty of confcience, and the 
 rights of men ; and yet, when they had 
 got into power, they were as tyrannical 
 
 and 
 
 * Proteftant Diffenter's Catechifnu
 
 ( 88 ) 
 
 Intolerant as men could be. Their ideas 
 of liberty went full as far as any in the 
 prefent day: they contended for their 
 natural rights, the jujl rights and prero- 
 gative of man: and what do the Dif- 
 fenters more ? A toleration and liberty 
 of confcience contented them not; but 
 a liberty of offices and power of great 
 places was their claim : and is not thi 
 their claim at prefent t 
 
 To talk of the fubject being better 
 underftood, is to fuppofe that we are 
 totally ignorant of the hiftory of that 
 time, and unacquainted with our own; 
 that we know nothing of the artifices 
 that are at all times ufed to effect the 
 purpofes of interested and ambitious men; 
 and that we have no difcernment what- 
 ever to difcover, under the cloak of con- 
 fcience,
 
 ( 9 ) 
 
 fcience, the real defigns that lie con- 
 cealed. 
 
 It is very much the fafhion of the age 
 to boafl of thefe enlightened times ; as if 
 our forefathers knew nothing, and re- 
 ligion and learning were now firft com- 
 municated, or difcovered, by ourfelves: 
 but it is a puerile conceit, that does not 
 become enlightened minds : it better be~ 
 fits the vanity of youth, who think them- 
 felves wifer than their fathers ; and are 
 only to be convinced, by experience and 
 maturer years, that their fathers are wifer 
 than they. 
 
 No doubt, in natural philofophy and 
 the arts we have made, and ftill are 
 making, great advances. But, in reli- 
 gious learning, are we advanced, or 
 N likely
 
 ( 90 ) 
 
 likely to advance, a (ingle ftep? Th 
 Bible was open to the man of learning 
 in the laffc century as well as in this : the 
 languages were as well underftood : every 
 thing neceflary to elucidate the Sacred 
 Writings was as acceffible to them as 
 to ourfelves : and have we not as great 
 a variety of fects and opinions as ever ? 
 Are we not as far as ever from that 
 " uniformity" of opinion that Dr. Priefr- 
 ley conceives will be the confequence of 
 ojir enlightened ftate ?* 
 
 It is therefore conceit to talk of 
 bringing this or that queftion to an iflue; 
 of the time approaching in which this 
 or that doctrine will be univerfally under- 
 flood and received ; " the time when the 
 
 " whole 
 I i i i 
 
 Letter to Mr. Pitt.
 
 ( 9i ) 
 
 " whole Chriftian world will embrace 
 " their opinion (Drs. Prieftley and Price) ; 
 ** when all thofe who now think diffe- 
 ** rently from them, will come to think 
 M juft as they do, and wonder that they 
 " ihould ever have thought otherwife."* 
 
 In point of religious liberty, and the 
 rights of men, it is alike conceit to talk 
 of our advances, and that the fubject 
 is better underftood. What fentiments 
 more juft and liberal can we pretend to 
 thanthefej " that all men fliould have 
 N z " liberty 
 
 * Defences of Unitarianifm, 1787. Equally 
 confident is a late advocate for Polytheifm, of 
 the eftablifliment of bis religion in the world. 
 ** The revolution," he fays, M is certain, how- 
 " ever remote ;" but M this mull be the bufi- 
 " nefs of a more enlightened and philofophic 
 * age.' 1 Editor of Proclus.
 
 ( 92 ) 
 
 " liberty peaceably and quietly to enjoy 
 " their own confciences, without offence 
 " or moleftation from others/'* that, in 
 the fupport of religion, " no other means 
 " muft be ufed, but reafons and argu- 
 " ments ?"-}- What can the beft advo- 
 cate for the rights of confcience fay 
 more? And yet thefe were the fenti- 
 ments of that very time, when all the 
 evils of anarchy and confufion, of ty- 
 ranny and intolerance, prevailed. 
 
 It was not becaufe the fubject was not 
 underftood, that they were rebellious fub- 
 jecls, and oppreffive mailers : it was be- 
 caufe knowledge and practice, profeflions 
 and actions, do not always go together: 
 
 and 
 
 * Gangraena, Part III. p. 240. 
 f* Toleration juftified. 1646.
 
 ( 93 ) 
 
 and might not the prefent contenders for 
 liberty forget, in power, the principles 
 they now profefs ? and, after a fuccefsfui 
 ftruggle to gratify their ambition, might 
 they not, even in thefe enlightened times, 
 refufe to tolerate others, to fecure their 
 advantages to themfelves ? 
 
 As to the more liberal fpirit of the 
 Diffenters, where fhall we look to find 
 it ? Is it their writings, or their actions, 
 that will mow it ? 
 
 The Church of England does, with 
 a liberality that becomes her, mow all 
 the tendernefs of a parent to thofe who 
 differ in fentiment, and feparate from he* 
 worfhip: me allows them the unenvied 
 liberty to worfhip where and how they 
 pleafej to preach, to publifh, what they 
 
 pleafe ;
 
 ( 9+ ) 
 
 pleafe: fhe lays no hard necefiity upon 
 them to join in a worfhip which they 
 diflike, or to be hearers of doctrines 
 which they do not approve : fhe allows 
 no one to moleft them in the exercife of 
 this right : fhe only, from a prudent re- 
 gard to her own fafety and the public 
 peace, does not wifh to fee them fettled 
 in power: fhe bears, with a generofi ty 
 truly chriflian, the provocations of every 
 feparatift, who, from the pulpit and the 
 prefs, are continually vilifying her doc- 
 trines, her ordinances, her liturgy, her 
 rulers, and her clergy : her members, 
 though they differ in opinion, or do not 
 in their worfhip unite in one mode, or 
 under one roof, flill feel all the affections 
 of fellow worfhippers, and coniider every 
 Chriflian, of whatever denomination, as 
 their brother : they make no diftinctions, 
 
 in
 
 ( 95 ) 
 
 in their regards or dealings, between 
 Churchmen and DifTenters : they are 
 as ready to afTociate with, to ferve, to 
 employ one as the other in their private 
 concerns; and it is with pain that they 
 cannot, with fafety, be united in the 
 public fervice of the State. 
 
 But are thefe the fentiments, and is 
 this the return, of the DifTenters ? Do 
 they look with the fame tendernefs and 
 liberality upon our fuppofed miftakes in 
 doctrine, or in worfhip, as we do upon 
 theirs ? Do they content themfelves with 
 the quiet enjoyment of their own opinions 
 and modes, and leave the members of the 
 eftablifhment in the peaceable enjoyment 
 of theirs ? Is it not oftener the aim of 
 their difcourfes, from the pulpit and the 
 prefs, to controvert the doctrines and the 
 
 modes
 
 ( 96 ) 
 
 modes of the Church from which they 
 feparate, than to further the caufe of 
 religion by confining their labours to 
 the more effential doctrines and practi- 
 cal duties of it ? And is this contro- 
 verfial fpirit, in itfelf not much to be 
 commended, guided by that liberality of 
 fentiment and manner which becomes 
 every enlightened mind, but is peculiarly 
 due to thofe whofe treatment is fo liberal 
 to them ? 
 
 Do they, in the intercourfes of bufinefs 
 or of focial regard, make no diflin&ions 
 between the members of the Church and 
 thofe of their own perfuafion -, giving no 
 preference to one above the other ; and 
 never confining their cuftom, their inte- 
 tereft, their favours, and their focial con- 
 nexions, exclufively to their own? 
 
 The
 
 ( 97 ) 
 
 Th reader's own obfervation muft de- 
 termine the claim which they make to a 
 more liberal fpirit than their ancefiors 
 poflefled. The liberality of the members 
 of the eftablifhment I venture to make 
 the ftandard by which his judgement 
 fhall be formed. If that be defective, 
 fo much the greater the advantage to 
 them. 
 
 But let it not reft upon this ; let us 
 hear what impartial judges think, or let 
 us take their character from themfelves* 
 
 Mr. Newton, who will not be fuf- 
 pe&ed of being a very rigid Churchman, 
 in his Apologia, written to mow the rea- 
 fons of his choofing the Church of Eng- 
 land in preference to either of the Inde- 
 pendent fedts between which he halted, 
 O fays,
 
 ( 98 ) 
 
 fays, " I had reviewed and compared the 
 " fentiments of a number of refpectable 
 <c writers and minifters of different names. 
 ** In efTentials, I agreed with them all; 
 " and, in cireumftantials, I differed no 
 " more from any of them, than they 
 " differed among themfelves. They all 
 *' confeffed they were fallible, yet they 
 " all decided with an air of infallibility; 
 " for they all expected me to unite with 
 u them, if I had any regard to the au- 
 " thority and honour of the Lord Jefus 
 " as head of the Church : but the 
 " very confideration they propofed, re- 
 " drained me from uniting with any .of 
 *' them; for I cannot think that I fhould 
 " honour the headship and kingly office 
 " of Chrifl, by acknowledging him as 
 " the head of a party and fubdivifion of 
 his people, to the exclufion of the reft. 
 
 " Every 
 
 (C
 
 ( 99 r 
 
 " Every party ufes fair -founding words 
 " of liberty -, but when an explanation is 
 " made, it amounts to little more than 
 " this: that they will give me liberty to 
 " think as they think, and to at~l as they 
 m act, which, to me, who claim the fame 
 *' right of thinking for myfelf, and of 
 M acting according to the dictates of my 
 *' own confcience, is no liberty at all."* 
 
 "7 loved liberty, and therefore gave a 
 u preference to the Church of England '; 
 " believing I might, in that fituation, 
 " exercife my miniftry with the moft 
 *' freedom. I have made the experi- 
 ' ment, and have no reafon to repent of 
 " it."-f- "I cannot become a Dijfcnter, 
 ** till I am weary of my liberty."^ 
 
 O 2 To 
 
 * Page ii2. f Page 141. J Page 121,
 
 ( io ) 
 
 To the teflimony of Mr. Newton, I 
 will add that of Mr. Berrington, who* 
 being a Roman Catholic, will be flill lefs 
 fufpected of partiality to our Church. 
 
 In his Treatife on the Rights of the 
 Dijfenters, he fays, " In this country, 
 " probably, where the ftrength of fecta- 
 " ries is great and daily growing, a change 
 " will be ejfeBed; but it will be a change 
 " from one eftablifoment to another^ as it 
 " happened at the Reformation: let u$ 
 V then remain as we are; for a better 
 " eftablifhment, as I have faid, more 
 " confonant with the rights of the people, 
 " and the prerogative of the crown, Eng- 
 * land can never enjoy. Who would be 
 " p leafed with the eftablifhment of Prejby- 
 " terianifm, muft have a very forry tafle 
 " indeed! As our national Church is in 
 
 " quiet
 
 ( "I ) 
 
 *' quiet pofleffion of its dignities and emo- 
 *' luments, there may they remain."* 
 
 It would not be fair, perhaps, to form 
 our judgement of them entirely from the 
 opinion of others, however impartial they 
 may be. Let us then hear what they fay 
 themfelves: I do not mean, what they 
 profefs, or what they fay of their own in- 
 tentions. If we give credit to their profef- 
 fions, we mull believe them to be the beil 
 of citizens. " Their behaviour," they lay, 
 " has been ever peaceable and loyal: 
 " they repel, with fcorn, the imputation 
 ' e of all bafer and meaner motives ; they 
 " have no latent ambition, under the 
 " mafk of religion; they are as fuperior 
 " to hypocrify, as they are to fear; they 
 
 " afpire 
 
 * See Monthly Review, Auguft 1789.
 
 ( I** ) 
 
 " afpire not to one emolument, or ho- 
 ' nour of the Church."* All this is- 
 very fine: .but fine profeffions, and fpe- 
 cious pretexts, are not unufual. What 
 they once profelTed, and what they were 
 notwithstanding their profeffions, we have 
 feen : and what has been, might be again. 
 
 It is their profeffion, that " they are 
 " now friends to an univerfal toleration ; 
 *i and no denomination among them, 
 ** wilhes to have its own way of worfhip 
 *' eftablifhed as the national religion. "-f* 
 But what faid one of their own writers, 
 in the times of which we have been 
 
 fpeaking > 
 
 * Refolutions of the Deputies of the Pro- 
 teftant Difienters, within the Midland diflrift. 
 Gazetteer, Jan. 25, 1790. 
 
 f The Proteftant I)ifienter'$ Catechifra, p. 12,
 
 ( ">3 ) 
 
 fpeaking ? "A young lion will not bite ; 
 ' and you boaft that your churches are 
 " according to primitive times : what 
 " they will come to, after-times will fee"*. 
 And it was afked by another, " Would 
 " thefe men, that (o hotly defend it, grant 
 " that toleration, if they had power in 
 " their hands, to others, which they de- 
 " fire for themfelves?"-)- 
 
 Certain it is, even in the prefent time, 
 that Dr. Price differs in opinion from 
 Mr. Palmer, J with refpect to eftablifh- 
 ments. He fays, " There is a difference 
 " of opinion among Diffenters, on the 
 " fubjecl: of civil eftablifhments of reli- 
 " gion ; fome approving of them in ge- 
 
 " neral, 
 
 * Plea for Chriftian Magiftracy, p. n. 
 
 f Hserefeomachia, p. 12. 
 
 $ Troteftant Diflenter's Catechifm.
 
 ( 104 ) 
 
 * neral, and only diiliking that particular 
 " form of religion which happens to be 
 <c eftablifhed in this country; while others 
 " object to all fuch eftablifhments. The 
 ** former fort of DifTenters mujl wifh to 
 "fee their own religion fubftituted for that 
 which is ejlab lifted."* 
 
 << 
 
 One fays, no denomination among 
 them willies to have its own way of 
 worfhip eftablifhed. Another fays, there 
 are among them thofe that do. To 
 which mall we give credit? Mufl we 
 not fear that neither can be trufted with 
 the power they wifh ? For, to form a 
 judgement of either, we 'mufl: look not 
 
 to 
 
 * Sermon before the Supporters of a new Aca- 
 demical Inftitution among Diffenters, April 25, 
 1787.
 
 ( io 5 ) 
 
 to their profeffions, or their character, 
 while candidates for power, but when 
 they have been put into the pofleffion 
 of it. 
 
 The Church of England is already in 
 pofleffion of the power which others are 
 contending for. How do they ufe it ? 
 With liberality and forbearance. The 
 Diflenters tell us they would do fo too. 
 Which fhall we truft? Them who, 
 when they have it, ufe it well -, or thofe 
 who, having had it and abufed it, only 
 now profefs that they would not abufe 
 it fo again ? What Churchmen are, we 
 know. What Diflenters would be, re- 
 mains to be difcovered: and paft expe- 
 rience leaves us little room to hope that 
 they would ufe the power they might 
 have with equal moderation. 
 
 P That
 
 ( io6 ) 
 
 That they are at leaft as much at en- 
 mity with the eftabliihment as they ever 
 were, appears from the language of their 
 publications. 
 
 One of the prefent zealots of Reforma- 
 tion folemnly exhorts his flock to fly 
 from the worfhip of the Church of Eng- 
 land, as if there were fomething pefti- 
 lential in it.* 
 
 Another, left the moderation of the 
 efrablimment mould influence the mode- 
 rate among the Diflenters to conform and 
 " defert the diflenting intereft," has com- 
 piled a Catechifm-f* to keep up the fpirit 
 of diflent, and make it "a branch of 
 
 " their 
 
 * Dr. PrLcc's Sermons, p. 197. . . 
 f Proteftant Diffenter's Catechifm.
 
 ( i7 ) 
 
 u their education." To this end, the 
 doclxines, the liturgy, the difcipline and 
 government of the Church, are moft un- 
 mercifully abufed; and the proficiency of 
 their children, in this necefTary part of 
 their education, is to be examined by 
 afking them the principal queftions con- 
 tained in the catechifm ; which does not 
 look much like cordiality to the Church 
 from which they are fo zealous to make 
 DhTenters. 
 
 Dr. Prieftley's gunpowder fpirit is pret- 
 ty well known. A few extracts from his 
 writings may, however, be a fit comment 
 upon their pacific and difinterefted pro- 
 feflions. 
 
 " We are," he fays, " as it were, lay- 
 " ing gunpowder under the old building 
 
 P 2 "Of
 
 ( 8 ) 
 
 " of error and fuperftition, which a (ingle 
 " fpark may hereafter inflame, fo as to 
 " produce an injlantaneous explqfion-, in 
 " confluence of which, that edifice, 
 " the creation of which has been the 
 i( work of ages, may be overturned in a 
 " moment, and fo effectually, as that the 
 " fame foundation can never be built 
 M upon again."* 
 
 This flaming language his friends 
 affedt to be nothing more than figura- 
 tive; but, whether literally or figuratively 
 meant, it is ill fuited to the mild fpirit 
 of Chriftianity, which admits not of 
 means (o forcible to fupport it. In 
 whatever fenfe we understand that paf- 
 
 fage, 
 < ' ' ' ' ' - - " ' ' " i ' - 
 
 * The Importance and Extent of Free Inquiry,
 
 ( *9 ) 
 
 fage, the following will admit of no fuch 
 convenient folution. 
 
 " Afmall change in the political ftate of 
 *' things, fuch as no man can forefee be- 
 " fore it actually takes place, and which 
 u may be at no great dijlance, may fuffice 
 " to overturn the beft-compat~ied efiablijh- 
 e ments at once, before the bigoted friends 
 " of them fufpett any danger" 
 
 And he goes on to fay, that u things 
 u are already in fuch a train, that though 
 " no perfon can forefee the particular time 
 M and manner of the change in favour 
 " of Unitarians, we may be as certain of 
 '* its taking place, as if we actually faw 
 " it accomplifhed; and till things are 
 ft perfectly ripe for fuch a revolution, it 
 
 u would
 
 ( no ) 
 
 " would be abfurd to expett it, and in vain 
 to attempt it"* 
 
 And he talks of motion to effect it. 
 ** Nothing is wanting but motion ; it be- 
 " ing impoilible for that motion, from 
 " whatever quarter it arrive, to operate 
 u unfavourably, "-j- 
 
 Such were the defigns which he rafhly 
 ventured to divulge before their firfl ap- 
 plication to parliament; and a few days 
 after their firfl defeat, in a letter to Mr. 
 Pitt, written in the heat of refentment, 
 he tells him, that, " in fpite of all the 
 * efforts of Churchmen, and of all that, 
 " as a Statcfman, he can do to affifr. 
 " them, the doctrines which conflitute 
 
 " the 
 
 * Importance and Extent of Free Inquiry. 
 t Ibid.
 
 ( III ) 
 
 <c the peculiar faith of the Church of 
 " England muft fall before it (his Uni- 
 u tarian doctrine) -, and if the Hierarchy 
 u will obftinately retain thefe doctrines, 
 " and keep up the fubfcription to them, 
 M it muft in time fall with them."* 
 And, fpeaking of the argument which 
 had frequently been oppofed to their ap- 
 plication for the repeal of the Teft, \* It 
 " has been faid, that if the Diffenters 
 " gain this point, they will aim at fome- 
 " thing more. This," fays he, " I ac- 
 " knowledge : we Jloall ajk many things 
 " more-, becaufe there are' many things 
 " more that we conceive ourfelves entitled 
 " to." -( " We feel them to be bur- 
 " thens, and mail take every fair oppor- 
 
 " t unity 
 
 * Letter to Mr. Pitt, 
 f Ibid.
 
 ( U2 ) 
 
 ' f unity of endeavouring to relieve our- 
 " felves." " Let the Bench of Bifhops 
 ' be fully apprifed of this, and take their 
 " meafures accordingly."* And among 
 other objects of his reforming zeal, he 
 glances at a time * when there may be 
 m no more Bifhops"^ And left all thefe 
 terrors mould not fufficiently intimidate 
 vthe Minifter into a compliance with his 
 demands, he reminds him, that " we 
 " have never had the generofity to do 
 * what is right, till we were, in a man- 
 ' ner, compelled to do it, and did it to 
 c avoid a greater evil"% 
 
 In another publication of his, I find 
 this unequivocal declaration of his fen- 
 
 timents, 
 
 * Letter to Mr. Pitt, 
 t Ibid. 
 X Ibid.
 
 ( "3 ) 
 
 timents, which no ingenuity of himfelf 
 or friends can explain away. " It is 
 u nothing but the alliance of the king- 
 " dom of Chrift with the kingdoms of 
 " this world (an alliance which our Lord 
 V himfelfexprefslydifclaimed), that fup- 
 ports the groffeft corruptions of Ghrif- 
 " tianity ; and perhaps we mujl wait for 
 " the fall of the civil powers, before this 
 ** moft unnatural alliance be broken. Ca- 
 " lamitous, no doubt, will that time be. 
 " But what convulfion in the political world 
 " ought to be a fubjeft of lamentation, if it 
 ** be attended with fo defirable aneffeB?"* 
 
 The language of Dr. Price is not much 
 
 behind. He fpeaks of the obftinacy of 
 
 Q^. the 
 
 * Hift. of the Corruptions of Chriftianity, 
 Vol. II. p, 484.
 
 { "4 ) 
 
 the enemies of Reformation " expofing 
 " the Hierarchy to particular danger of a 
 " fudden and total overthrow ; and, as a 
 " friend to the free progrefs of truth, and 
 f* an enemy to all Jlavijh hierarchies, I 
 " could almoft wifh," he adds, " they 
 " may perfevere in their obflinacy."* 
 
 And in his Sermon, in the year 1787, 
 before the Supporters of a new Academi- 
 cal Inflitution among DirTenters, he fays, 
 " I am greatly miflaken if the obflinacy 
 " with which abufes fo grofs as to be 
 " palpable to all the world are retained 
 ** in the prefent age, and even in this 
 " country, will not, in the end, prove a 
 " great public benefit, by caufing a more 
 u quick and complete overthrow of them 
 
 and 
 
 * Dr. Price's Sermons, p. 63.
 
 ( 5 ) 
 
 " and the ejlablijhments that fupport them, 
 " and thus giving a better opportunity 
 " for the introduction of ejlablifiments 
 " more favourable to truth , and liberty, 
 " and virtue "* 
 
 In the fame fermon he tells them, that 
 " the period to which he has been carry - 
 " ing their views, muft be preceded by 
 " the downfall of all Jlavijh and anti- 
 " chrijlian Hierarchies, The liberality 
 " of the times has already loofened their 
 " foundation; the obftinacy of their ad- 
 " herents is increafing their danger; and 
 " the wife and virtuous of all defcriptions 
 " mould make themfelves willing inftru- 
 " ments, in the hands of Providence, to 
 Qji " hafien 
 
 * Dr. Price's Sermon, p. 27.
 
 ( ) 
 
 " haften their removal" But not by 
 any methods of violence ! No. So faid 
 Dr. Prieftley. He, too, has only in his 
 meaning the quiet influence of reafon 
 and conviction, when he talks of " a 
 94 change in the political Jlate of things t 
 " fuch as no man can forefee before it 
 " actually takes place" " of overturn- 
 " ing the bejl-compacled eflablijhments at 
 " once, before the bigoted friends of them 
 <( fufpecl any danger* " of an infant a- 
 *' neous explofon" " of not attempting it 
 " till things are perfectly ripe for fuch a re- 
 " volution." Metaphors not more con- 
 gruous or happily chofen than his friend's 
 fudden and total overthrow, if the effect 
 be no more than the quiet flow-paced 
 influence of reafon and conviction: but it 
 is not fo ealy to allay, as to alarm, our 
 
 fears.
 
 ( r ) 
 
 fears. Friends to peace, and attached as 
 we may be fuppofed to our prefent efta~ 
 blifhment, we cannot, from fiich lan- 
 guage as this, but take alarm at the dan- 
 ger of our Church ; we cannot but have 
 fears ; and, notwithflanding Dr. Prieft- 
 ley's endeavours " to quiet our apprehen- 
 "fions," the intimations of a fomething 
 intended, and the fufpicion of more even 
 than might be meant, cannot but make 
 an impreffion upon our minds, too ftrong 
 for any aflurances or explanations that 
 may be made by themfelves, or any dis- 
 avowal of fuch intentions on the part of 
 their friends, to quiet our fears. 
 
 Contrary to the declaration of their 
 afibciations, it appears from the language 
 of thefe leaders of the diflenting interest 
 
 (who,
 
 ( "8 ) 
 
 (who, whatever the party may think it 
 prudent to difavow, are too intimately 
 connected with them in their prefent ap- 
 plication, to be unacquainted with their 
 real fentiments and deligns), that they do 
 afpire to the emoluments of the Church ; 
 that they have further objects in their 
 view than the repeal of the Teft and 
 Corporation Adtsj that they wijh, and 
 will endeavour, the overthrow of the pre- 
 fent eflablimment, to which they are 
 declared enemies; and that they want an 
 eitablifliment of their own, " more fa- 
 ' vourable to truth, and liberty, and 
 " virtue." 
 
 That their fentiments have undergone 
 no change fmce the time in which thefe 
 views were divulged, is plain, from the 
 whole language of Dr. Price's kit Re- 
 volution
 
 ( "9 ) 
 
 volution fermon, and from the following 
 paffage, in which he takes care to keep 
 up the alarm which he and his friend 
 had fpread through the nation. 
 
 u Tremble, all ye oppreflbrs of the 
 M world! Take warning, all ye fup- 
 " porters ofjlavijh governments, and Jla- 
 " vijh hierarchies! Call no more (ab- 
 " furdly and wickedly) Reformation, 
 "Innovation: you cannot now hold 
 " the world in darknefs :* ftruggle no 
 " longer againfl: increafing light and li- 
 " berality : reftore to mankind their 
 " rights, and confent to the correction 
 u of abufes, before they and you are de- 
 ' ' jlroyed together . " * 
 
 From 
 Dr. Price's Sermon, p. 31.
 
 ( 12 ) 
 
 From fach language as this, we can 
 have very little reafon to think that the 
 fpirit of the Diffenters, in the prefent 
 day, is at all different from what it ever 
 was. The opportunity feems only to 
 be wanting; not merely " to clip and 
 '* pare Prelacy" but entirely to over- 
 throw the prefent eftablifhment, and 
 introduce the fame fcenes of anarchy 
 and confufion, of which the laft cen- 
 tury has fupplied us with fuch ample 
 fpecimens; and from the ruins of the 
 prefent to build up a Church which, 
 whatever other feels it might tolerate, 
 would mew no favour to ours. 
 
 It cannot but have occurred to the ob- 
 fervation of thofe who have much inter- 
 courfe with the Diffenters, with what 
 pleafure they contemplate the anarchy 
 
 and
 
 ( 121 ) 
 
 and confufions of France, not as tending 
 to reftore the liberties which had been 
 infringed (which every friend of liberty 
 muft rejoice to fee), but as making off 
 all authority, and leveling all diftindlions. 
 It looks as if thofe leveling principles 
 which, with the horrid infhnces of their 
 effects, every lover of peace and man of 
 feeling cannot but fhudder to read of, 
 were fubjecls of congratulation to them- 
 felves, as affording a gleam of hope, that, 
 however diffimilar the condition of their 
 own country, the populace, without 
 confidering that they are already as free 
 and happy as they can be, might be 
 induced, with the aid of a little cry of 
 religious oppreffion, to take part with 
 fhem in effecting a revolution in this, 
 
 R To
 
 ( 122 ) 
 
 To a relation of Dr. Price's, a difTenting 
 Minifter, not more nearly related in kin- 
 dred than in fpirit, as his fentiments mow, 
 and who was in Paris at the time, to fee 
 " a king dragged in fub mi/five triumph 
 " by his conquering fubjecls, was one of 
 " thofe appearances of grandeur which 
 '* feldom rife in the profpect of human 
 affairs, and which, during the remain- 
 " der of his life, he mould think of with 
 " wonder and gratification."* 
 
 And in another letter to his uncle, he 
 fays, " the fpirit of the people in this 
 " place is inconceivably great, and has 
 " abolifhed all the proud diftinctions 
 u which the King and the Nobles had 
 " ufurped in their minds. Whether 
 
 " they 
 ' > > 
 
 * Letter in the Gazetteer, Sept. 14, 1785.
 
 ( 1*3 ) 
 
 x< they talk of the King, the Nobles, or the 
 w Priejl, their whole language is that of 
 " the w^/? enlightened and liberal amongfi 
 " Afc Englijh:* 
 
 Mr. </<? Lanjuinais, in a fpeech in the 
 National AfTembly,-)- advanced, about the 
 fame time, a pofition which I hope is not 
 true, that '* the people of England, 
 u whofe conftitution is fo loudly boafted 
 u of, were anxious for the overthrow aad 
 " extinction of their Houfe of Lords Jpi-> 
 " ritual and temporal." Whence he had 
 his information, I cannot fay; but, if 
 there be any whofe wifh it is, the reader 
 may be better able than myfelf to judge 
 who they are. 
 
 R 2 I will 
 
 * Gazetteer, Auguft 13, 1789. 
 f- Id. September 14, 1789.
 
 ( 124 ) 
 
 I will appeal but to one more autho- 
 rity, to prove that the fentiments of the 
 Diffenters are not more friendly to the 
 eftablifhment than they were: and that 
 is, to their prefent affociations, and the 
 language of them ; a language before fuf- 
 iiciently ftrong, but of late much louder 
 and plainer than at any former time, 
 except the time which we have been 
 reviewing. 
 
 The " decided tofie"* in which they 
 fpeak, feems as if they thought that pe- 
 riod come, when " we are, in a manner, 
 ff compelled to grant their demands, to 
 " avoid a greater evil," as if the revolu- 
 tion in France had raifed their expecta- 
 tions 
 
 * Refolutions of the meeting of Proteftant 
 Diflenters within the Middle Diftrift of Lei- 
 cefter, Jan. 13, 1790.
 
 ( '*5 ) 
 
 tions and demands, and our only alterna- 
 tive were to concede what they afk f or 
 feel the effect of their power. 
 
 I know that, in the fame breath that 
 they fpeak in this decided tone, they tell 
 us that they have no fuch intention as we 
 fear. They profefs to be friends to peace, 
 and to the conftitution. But, do not 
 their very afTociations contradict the pro- 
 feffions that they make ? Have they not 
 a tendency, in themfelves, to difturb the 
 public peace? If they were really the 
 friends to the conftitution that they pro- 
 fefs, would they not bear fome little mare 
 of inconvenience, rather than rifle the 
 peace of their country, by fuch clamorous 
 cries of oppreflion, and fuch afTociations 
 to obtain its redrefs ? 
 
 No
 
 ( 126 ) 
 
 No lover of peace, or friend to his 
 country, can recoiled!: the aflbciation in 
 1780, without trembling at the thought 
 of calling forth again the paffions of the 
 people, and involving them in the tu- 
 multuous ftruggle into which their reli- 
 gious prejudices may lead them. 
 
 Not content with having twice laid 
 their complaints before the prefent Par- 
 liament, nor fatisfied with having re- 
 courfe again to the fame legal means of 
 redrefs, counties combine together to 
 exert their united ftrength and pufh their 
 demands ; and, that they may come nearer 
 to the example which France has fet 
 them, their united efforts are to centre 
 in a National Meeting, The eve of a ge- 
 neral election is chofen for the ftruggle, 
 when the minds of the people are fuffi- 
 
 ciently
 
 ( *7 ) 
 
 ciently averfe to the restraints of order 
 and law, and their paffions eafily fer- 
 mented beyond the power of authority to 
 reprefs them. Threats are held out by 
 fome, to intimidate their reprefentatives 
 into a compliance with their demands: 
 and of thofe who affed: to difclaim the 
 obligation of a teft from others while 
 they feek to be releafed from one them- 
 felves, their reprefentatives know that the 
 lofs of their fupport will be the fure con- 
 fequence of their voting againft the re- 
 peal. All thefe circumftances, and the 
 fpirit that pervades the whole, do not 
 look as if they were difpofed to truft to 
 the flow procefs of truth, and the quiet 
 influence of reafon and conviction. 
 
 That the Church is in danger, is an alarm 
 that they laugh at our allowing to diiturb 
 
 our
 
 ( 123 ) . 
 
 our 'repofej bat fbber, cautious people 
 cannot help looking back to fee what has 
 endangered it, and looking forward to 
 what again might do it. Dr. Prieftley 
 fays, " Whatever mifchief any perfon 
 ** may intend to do me, I never think of 
 ** ufing any precaution again ft him, if I 
 *' know that it is not in his power to 
 " execute his intentions."* I confefs, 
 for myfelf, that I am more wary; that I 
 cannot help endeavouring to guard againft 
 probable, as well as actual danger; againft 
 the future, as well as the prefent. The 
 whole is made up of parts ; and, though 
 each of the component parts may be too 
 weak in itfelf to difturb our repofe, there 
 is no knowing how foon, by little and 
 little, the acquifi tiqn of itrength may be 
 
 fuch 
 
 Letter to Mr. Pity
 
 ( i2 9 ) 
 
 fuch as to give them a power too great 
 to withstand. 
 
 If we afk the DiiTenters why they are 
 afraid to admit the Roman Catholics into 
 power they will fay, becaufe they are 
 not to be trufted with power they are 
 enemies to our civil and religious liber- 
 ties; and would, if they had ftxength fuf- 
 ficient to effect it, extirpate ours, and re- 
 eftablifh their own religion in its place. 
 For the fame reafon is it, that we fear to 
 truft the DiiTenters with power: they are 
 enemies to our Church, and would, if 
 they had flrength to do it, root out ours, 
 and replace it with their own. 
 
 But the Roman Catholics are intole- 
 rant. And have not the DiiTenters proved 
 themfelves the fame? 
 
 S Yes ;
 
 ( *3 ) 
 
 Yes; but the Roman Catholics are 
 enemies to our civil, as well as to our re- 
 ligious liberties. They will, perhaps, 
 fay otherwife themfelves, and bring their 
 late revolution in the government of 
 France, as a proof that they are not fo. 
 To the Diffenters, who have fecti with 
 fo much exultation their exertions in the 
 caufe of liberty, and allow them to be fo 
 much more enlightened than they were, 
 they may appeal, and afk if they are not 
 equally entitled to civil honours or emo- 
 luments 'with the mofi favoured and ho- 
 noured fubjeBf And on what ground 
 the Di {Tenters could refufe their claim, 
 I am at a lofs to conceive. 
 
 We defend the exclufion of them, and of 
 the DiiTenters too, on the fame ground 
 that they are enemies to our Church, and 
 
 would,
 
 ( |$ ) 
 
 would, if they had power, make ufe of it 
 to fubvert the eitablifhed religion, and 
 introduce their own. To us they appear, 
 at prefent, lefs dangerous than the Dif- 
 fenters : their number is not fo great, nor 
 do they declare with fo much violence 
 againfl the eftablimed Church. On the 
 contrary, it appears, from a paffage which 
 I have already quoted, to be the opinion, 
 at leafl of one of their writers, that * a 
 " better ejlablijlment England can never 
 *' enjoy," But it is not on their prefent 
 numbers, or their profeffions, that we can 
 depend that they would not make ufe of 
 power, if they had it, to ftrengthen their 
 caufe, and reinftate themfelves. 
 
 In Flanders, the fame fpirit of liberty 
 
 hath effected a revolution in government, 
 
 without at all affecting the national reli- 
 
 S 2 gion:
 
 ( '32 ) 
 
 gion: nay, that revolution in the civil 
 government was brought about in fup- 
 port of, and by the means of, the eccle- 
 fiaftical. 
 
 It is one reafon afligned in their mani- 
 
 fefto, for the fteps which thefe Friends to 
 
 liberty had taken for the recovery of their 
 
 rights, that " the Emperor commenced 
 
 ** the execution of his fyftem of Reform, 
 
 " by the tolerance of Religions, while, 
 
 " according to our rights, the Catholic, 
 
 u Apojlolky and Roman Religion, is the 
 
 " only one fuffered in the country, and 
 
 " which was one of the reafons that pre- 
 
 M vented our forefathers from fubmitting 
 
 u to the dominion of the Houfe of Auf- 
 
 " tria, during the reign of Philip the 
 
 " Second." 
 
 And
 
 ( 133 ) 
 
 And thefe Patriots, inftead of follow- 
 ing the example of the Patriots in France, 
 in plundering the Church of its property 
 and rights, without even the formality 
 ofjuftice, complain of the Emperor for 
 having himfelf done fo, and make it one 
 of the reafons of their reliftance, that 
 (t their effects were feized, the temples 
 u converted into ftables, the filver and 
 " facred vafes carried to the mint, and 
 " the wreck of all the pious houfes 
 " formed a gulph which abforbed all 
 u under the ridiculous and hypocritical 
 " title of CaiJJe de Religion, at the dif- 
 M pofal of government." 
 
 What will the DhTenters fay to thefe 
 ftrong attachments to the Church of 
 Rome, in thefe fame enlightened times ? 
 Men's zeal for liberty does not, they fee, 
 
 always
 
 ( '36 ) 
 
 always operate to the extinction of their , 
 zeal for religion, or their wifli to preferve, 
 and even to extend, their own. 
 
 Even in France, the jirft->born Jons of 
 Freedom may have fome attachment left 
 to their own religion, and fome wim frill 
 to make converts to the Holy and Apo- 
 flolic Church of Rome. If we diftin- 
 guifh between an aflembly of men who 
 are perhaps alike indifferent to all reli- 
 gions, and attached to none, and the ma- 
 jority of the people whom we have yet 
 feen no reafon to fufpecl of lefs attach- 
 ment to their Church than before; per- 
 haps we have not much reafon, from 
 their flruggle for their civil, to fuppofe 
 they will not at length wim to reftrain 
 religious, liberty. 
 
 Suppofe,
 
 ( *37 ) 
 
 Suppofe, though the National Affem- 
 bly fliould have no religion at all, or no 
 great zeal for their own, Roman Catho- 
 lics in general, even in that country, and 
 without much doubt in others, mould 
 flill retain all their partiality and their 
 prejudices for their religion, and think it 
 their duty to propagate and fpread it 
 as much as poffible, for the glory of 
 God, and the good of fouls -, to carry it 
 into other countries, or re-eflablifh it in 
 this are thofe men to be trufled with 
 the power to do it ? The DifTenters will 
 fay, No. Why then the Diffenters ? 
 For have they not the fame partiality and 
 attachment to theirs? the fame defire 
 to extend, and to eftablifh it as the Ca- 
 tholics? Each have mown the defire, 
 and each again might do it, " when 
 
 " things
 
 ( '38 ) 
 
 " things are perfectly ripe for fuch a re- 
 ft volution," 
 
 At prefent the DiiTenters, with equal 
 zeal, have greater power and probability 
 of fuccefs ; their numbers are much more 
 formidable than the Catholics ; and they 
 have declared, in the moil unequivocal 
 terms, their hoftility to the eflablifhed 
 Church, 
 
 By their own confeffion, there are Dif- 
 fenters " who wifh to fee their own re- 
 " ligion fubflituted for that which is 
 ** eflablifhed. " And what fecurity can 
 we have, that this would not be the at- 
 tempt of thofe who * now only wifh to 
 " fee all unjufl preferences, on account 
 " of modes of faith and worfhip, abo- 
 lifted?" 
 
 Confcience,
 
 ( ^39 ) 
 
 Confcience, liberty, and the rights of 
 men, we know, have been made the pre- 
 text to cover all the latent defigns which 
 the moft apprehenfive can fufpect at pre- 
 fent. It is not the character of the Church 
 of England to be fufpicious ; but having 
 fmarted under the rod of oppreffion, ha- 
 ving been once trodden under foot, and 
 refufed the toleration which fhe grants, 
 it would be a carelefs fecurity indeed, not 
 to ufe the precautions which prudence 
 points out, and Providence hath put in 
 her power, to avoid the return of dan- 
 ger. 
 
 Such is the liberality of the members 
 
 of the eftablifhed Church, that it is with 
 
 reluctance that they come forward to 
 
 oppofe the meafures of the DhTenters. 
 
 T They
 
 ( HO ) 
 
 They would willingly believe that they 
 mean nothing hoftile to the prefent efta- 
 blifhment; that their motives are con- 
 scientious and pure: but their language 
 and their meafures force them to enter- 
 tain fufpicions of their dengns. They 
 fee their hoftility is not abated; that their 
 2eal for their own, and their enmity to 
 the national religion, are as great as ever; 
 and that the confequences would be the 
 fame, if they mould gain the power which 
 they want. 
 
 The moderation of the friends to the 
 eftablifhed Church, inftead of appearing 
 the heat and conciliating the affections 
 of the Diffenters, hath only ferved to 
 ftrengthen their demands: their filence 
 has been brought as a proof of their in- 
 
 fincerity,
 
 ( I 4 I ) 
 
 fincerity, and their want of attachment 
 to their Church. They have been re- 
 luctantly called upon to declare their 
 fentimentSj to oppofe the further pro- 
 grefs of a fpirit which they conceive to 
 be dangerous to the peace, and fubver- 
 five of the liberties, of their country; 
 to declare themfelves the friends of 
 toleration in its larger! extent, and to 
 give their decided opinion that the Dif- 
 fenters already have that toleration com- 
 plete. 
 
 As far as religion and the rights 
 of confcience are concerned, the Dif- 
 fenters have all the liberty they can 
 have. The moderate part of them are 
 perfectly fatisfied; and, knowing the 
 advantages they enjoy at prefent, they 
 
 have
 
 ( H2 ) 
 
 have juft and reafbnable fears of Hiking 
 their liberty, by transferring the power 
 into other hands. 
 
 The more zealous of them, and in par- 
 ticular their minifters, in Head of keeping 
 alive a ipirit of difcontent among their 
 people, and fpreading difcord and di- 
 vilions through the nation, would be 
 better employed in ufing the liberty 
 which they have to preach the Gofpel, 
 and fpread the principles of truth and 
 virtue within their refpective fpheres* 
 Here their exertions can have no ob- 
 ftructions ; and the depraved morals of 
 the people will afford full employment 
 for all their abilities and zeal. Let them 
 do this, and they will make the beft re- 
 turn to Providence for the bleffings they 
 
 enjoy *
 
 ( 143 ) 
 
 enjoy. Their country will reap the ad- 
 vantage of their labours, and will have 
 reafon to think them the peaceable y loyal, 
 and good fubjefts they profefs themfelves 
 to be. 
 
 THE END.
 
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