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 POLICY OF INSURANCE 
 
 AGAINST 
 
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 FANATICISM. 
 
 Infeliciter f 
 quam morbo. 
 
 He is an unhappy patient who incurs mm< 
 hazard from the physician than the dis< a 
 
 -\oit\yicii : 
 
 BACON AND K I \ X E IJ R O O i 
 
 AND 
 
 HURST, CHANCE, A X D CO 
 
 j, ST. PAUL'S CHUUCH-YAUD, LON/)ON. 
 1828. 
 
 PUICE TWO SHILLINGS.
 
 HO" BEET! 
 
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 CONDUITS': 
 LONDON : 
 
 Ex Libris 
 C. K. OGDEN 
 
 *
 
 DIE 
 
 AND 
 
 BE DAMNED, 
 
 Oil A 
 
 POLICY OF INSURANCE 
 
 AGAINST 
 
 FANATICISM. 
 
 Infeliciter cegrotat, cut plus periculi medico 
 quam morbo. SBNECA 
 
 He is an unhappy patient who incurs more 
 hazard from the physician than the disease. 
 
 NORWICH : 
 
 BACON AND KINNEBROOK; 
 
 AND 
 
 HURST, CHANCE, AND CO. 
 
 <>'">, S T. PAUL 's CH U R CH-Y A K D, LONDON. 
 
 1828.
 
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 PRINTERS, NORWICH.
 
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 PRESIDENT, 
 
 The HON. JOHN WODEHOUSE, Lieutenant of the County of Norfolk; 
 
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 AND ALL THOSE WHO 
 WERE PRESENT AT THE NORWICH MUS-ICAL FESTIVAL.
 
 TO THE READER. 
 
 THE Republisher, in bringing before the notice of 
 his Countrymen the accompanying Pamphlet, has 
 been solely actuated by a sincere desire to uphold 
 the principles of the Established Church, in contra- 
 distinction to those circulated in a Letter, entitled 
 " Hints on the Musical Festival," previous to the 
 meeting at Norwich in September last. Such principles 
 as are there propagated cannot, in his opinion, be too 
 strongly or too pointedly reprobated, inasmuch as 
 they preach that detestable doctrine of eternal damna- 
 tion to all but the few Elect a doctrine so contrary 
 to the divine and all-merciful intentions of a benejicent 
 Saviour, who, speaking through the mouth of his 
 Apostles, said, " In my Father's house there are 
 many mansions" 
 
 "JUDGE NOT LEST YE BE JUDGED." 
 JAN. 182S.
 
 THE PREFACE. 
 
 AMONG the various blessings we enjoy as En- 
 glishmen, and which give us a pre-eminence 
 over all ,other nations in the known world, the 
 liberty of the press must be acknowledged one 
 of the chief enjoyments we have to boast of ; it 
 may be called the firmest security, if not the 
 foundation of all other liberty ; and I dare ven- 
 ture to affirm, that no innovation in government 
 can possibly take place while this grand bulwark 
 of our lives and fortunes openly subsists. Let 
 it then be remembered with gratitude, and to 
 the immortal honour of the illustrious House of 
 Hanover, that not the least encroachment has 
 been made on this invaluable blessing, during 
 the mild and gracious administration of his pre- 
 sent Majesty, or that of his Royal Father ; and 
 notwithstanding the heavy complaints we are 
 continually making of venality and corruption, 
 it has never yet been in the power of a minister, 
 to stop the current of publication, nor has the 
 arm of authority been lifted to punish any pub-
 
 VIII PREFACE. 
 
 lie writer, except he abused this glorious privi- 
 lege, by prostituting it to the base designs of 
 blasphemy, treason, or abandoned lewdness. 
 Even personal abuse of the great, conveyed in 
 the meanest and most scurrilous terms has 
 escaped unnoticed ; and every public transac- 
 tion has been quietly suffered to undergo the 
 scrutiny of the vilest of the Grub-street race. 
 Witness the low, unmeaning witticisms, imper- 
 tinent queries, and stupid remarks, lately pub- 
 lished on the affairs of the nation. In other 
 countries our liberty of the press, is greatly in- 
 veighed against on account of such productions, 
 but God forbid, we should institute a remedy 
 worse than the disease, and subject every author 
 to the partiality of an Imprimatur, or the dread 
 of a Bastille : if this were to be the case, how 
 many valuable productions would be buried in 
 oblivion for reasons of state by the former, and 
 how many good authors would be deterred by 
 the latter from instructing- and entertaining 
 
 <-> o 
 
 their countrymen ! the enthusiast might then 
 unnoticed, deal out damnation from the pulpit, 
 for the dread of the Bastille, or a more infernal 
 Inquisition, would silence all opposition. I 
 should not then stand up in defence of the 
 powers of reason in matters of religion, or en- 
 deavour to dissuade the unwary from being 
 caught in the snares of religious politicians : a 
 people who had so far lost their liberty as to
 
 PREFACE. IX 
 
 submit to these tyrannical impositions, would 
 not be worth reclaiming : but thanks be to God, 
 far otherwise is the case at present with you my 
 countrymen ! and therefore I shall with freedom 
 address myself to you in the following pages, 
 on a religious enormity which has lately got to 
 such a height, that it calls aloud for the pen of 
 some able writer to put a stop to its rapid pro- 
 gress, and prevent its baneful influence. I mean 
 the modern practice of some divines, who preach 
 eternal damnation, with as much eagerness and 
 industry, as their Heavenly Master, when on 
 earth, preached salvation ; and who make no 
 scruple publicly to declare, that unless you be- 
 lieve in Christ according to the exclusive princi- 
 ples of their fanaticism, you must infallibly die 
 and be damned. 
 
 These words I have had thundered in mv ears 
 
 I 
 
 every time I have attended a once eloquent and 
 sensible preacher : these are the words that gave 
 rise to this publication, and I shall think myself 
 extremely happy, if my weak endeavour to serve 
 the cause of true religion, excite some able 
 writer to prove, that these men are not the true 
 disciples of Christ, and that they are by no 
 means entitled to the character of being Christ's 
 ambassadors here on earth. For my own part, I 
 shall content myself with offering to the public 
 my sentiments on this pernicious method of 
 preaching, and I heartily wish I may so far sue-
 
 X PREFACE. 
 
 ceed, as to lessen the number of their devotees, 
 and consequently their salaries ; for I am con- 
 vinced that wordly interest * is at the bottom 
 of their enthusiastic declamations ; and that all 
 their proceedings are a continued series of reli- 
 gious policy. 
 
 I am now to apologize for the title of this 
 pamphlet, which some may think extremely 
 improper and rude ; but my reason for it was, 
 that I might induce some of the fine gentlemen 
 of the age to inspect it, and surprize them into 
 into the reading of a pamphlet on a religious 
 subject, by this abrupt title page, which bears 
 such a strong resemblance to their favourite ex- 
 pressions in common conversation : had 1 enti- 
 
 * Letter addressed to the Earl of Strafford, by Horace 
 Walpole, dated July 5th, 1761. 
 
 STUAWBEKRY HILL. 
 
 My dear Lord. The apostle Whitfield is come to some 
 shame, he went to Lady Huntingdon, lately, and asked for 
 forty pounds, for some distressed saint or other : she said she 
 had not so much money in the house, but would give it him the 
 first she had. He was very pressing, but in vain ; at last he 
 said, there's your watch and trinkets you don't want such 
 vanities ; I will have that. She would have put him off, but 
 he persisting 1 , she said well, if you must have it, you must. 
 About a fortnight afterwards, going to his house, aud being 
 carried into his wife's chamber, among the paraphernalia of the 
 latter, the Countess found her own offering. This has made a 
 terrible schism, and Lady H. tells the story herself. See 
 IValpole' > s IVorks, 5th vol. page 449.
 
 I'll El ACE. XI 
 
 tied it enthusiasm or fanaticism displayed; the 
 very notion of a spiritual treatise would have 
 disgusted them, and my little production would 
 never have found its way into the catalogues of 
 the polite coffee-houses : but, while under this 
 concise title, a general, a minister of state, a 
 chief magistrate, or even a player, may be hinted 
 at, it is possible it may be bought out of curio- 
 sity, and read for want of other employment, or, 
 as the French call it, pour passer le terns: with the 
 public, I may stand excused for this title, as it 
 is, in fact, the very expression taken from the 
 mouth of one who is a Preacher of Righteousness. 
 I have only to add, that as the laws of the 
 land most prudently forbid the disturbing a 
 minister in his pulpit, and we are thereby ob- 
 liged to hear all absurdities patiently, the press 
 is the only proper means of publishing our 
 objections to them ; and where these absurdities 
 affect the public, it is hoped they will excuse 
 the man, who, with an honest intention exposes 
 them, though he is guilty of inelegance of ex- 
 pression, and is unable to stand the test of 
 literary criticism ; and will look upon the fol- 
 lowing -pages in the light of a friendly letter, 
 which may contain something of utility and in- 
 formation, though not conveyed in that neces- 
 sary form and order, which is observed by those 
 who are professed scholars. 
 
 J.
 
 DIE AND BE DAMNED. 
 
 WHEN the Christian religion was first promul- 
 gated, I think it cannot be disputed that it was 
 taught in its greatest purity and simplicity ; 
 and as it was not to be confined to that age and 
 country alone wherein it was first published, it 
 became necessary to lay a proper foundation for 
 transmitting it down to the latest posterity, in 
 the same purity and simplicity in which it was 
 first delivered by its heavenly founder. Oral 
 tradition could never have answered this valuable 
 purpose : we know how subject it has ever been 
 to impurities and absurdities ; it was therefore 
 necessary that those who had been witnesses of 
 our Saviour's exemplary life, his meritorious 
 death, his glorious resurrection and ascension, 
 should record these wonderful facts in writings, 
 which might be copied, and translations made 
 into the different languages of that part of the 
 known world which then embraced Christianity ; 
 and from them be handed down to remotest 
 ages. 
 
 For this valuable end the evangelists and
 
 apostles wrote ; and these writings or scriptures 
 we of this nation at present enjoy in their 
 greatest purity, in which the terms of our sal- 
 vation are so clearly laid down, and our duty as 
 Christians so obvious, that he that runneth may 
 read ; they are intelligible to the meanest capa- 
 city, and want no forced interpretations, nor 
 scholastic refinements to teach the great duties 
 of a Christian life. What then can have given 
 rise to so many disputes, quarrels, and wars, 
 which have disgraced some of the principal pro- 
 fessors and teachers of Christianity, from the age 
 of the apostles to the present times ? St. Peter 
 has told us : " The unstable and unlearned," 
 says he, " wrest these as they do all other scrip- 
 tures, to their own destruction." 
 
 This they began to do in his time this prac- 
 tice they have continued ever since ; and had 
 the apostles lived to our day and nation, he could 
 not have given a more accurate description of 
 the prevailing disposition o^some of our spiri- 
 tual guides. It is to be feared they wrest the 
 scriptures, not only to their own destruction, 
 but to that of many thousands ; at least to all 
 human appearance ; but who dare set limits to 
 the tender mercies of heaven ? 
 
 It is owing to this false interpretation of scrip- 
 ture to serve the particular purposes of some of 
 the professors of Christianity, that this pure, this 
 holy religion, assumed a different shape in
 
 15 
 
 almost every country where it has been propa- 
 gated ; to this we owe the perverting the sense 
 of the most obvious and easy texts of scripture, 
 to serve the purposes of idolatry, superstition, 
 and cruelty in some countries, and of uncharit- 
 ableness in others. How many passages of holy 
 writ will not the Catholic point out, to support 
 the authority and infalliblity of the Pope, and 
 from the same pure fountains will he not draw 
 the bloody water of persecution ? Will he not 
 quote authority from scripture to canonize and 
 adore men of like infirmities with ourselves ? 
 Nay, will he not make use of the miracles 
 wrought by our Saviour and his apostles to sup- 
 port all the frauds and impositions practised to 
 insnare the credulous in Popish countries ? 
 
 Every sect of religion arm their pretensions 
 to superior rectitude with texts of scripture ; 
 and it often happens that the same passages are 
 used to support tenets as opposite to each other 
 as light to darkness. 
 
 Having thus mentioned some of the motives 
 of wresting the scriptures, such as the making 
 them patronise superstition and cruelty, I shall 
 now confine myself to the various shapes Chris- 
 tianity assumes at present in our day and nation, 
 and endeavour to trace some of the causes of 
 this disunion of Christians amongst us, to the 
 fountain head ; namely, the wresting of the 
 scriptures by the unlearned and unstable ; and
 
 16 
 
 I may add, even by the learned, to promote the 
 gratifications of their particular passions : and 
 if it can be proved according to a celebrated 
 writer, " that the disunion of Christians is more 
 " prejudicial to the cause of Christianity than 
 " the writings of its enemies/ 5 we shall have 
 little reason to accuse the infidelity of the pre- 
 sent age with so much warmth from the pulpit ; 
 as the cause of the cool reception Christianity 
 meets with amongst people of high rank and 
 education : and we shall still have the less reason 
 for this groundless charge, if what an eminent 
 and universally admired writer,* has said, be 
 true, " that infidelity is not the characteristic of 
 " this age ; and that the works of a late Noble 
 " Lord, though fraught with the very marrow of 
 " infidelity, were but badly received :" But 
 divines will ever differ in opinion, and though 
 this eminent doctor tell us, " that this age is not 
 " deep in speculations of infidelity," if you 
 attend on some preachers, you will hear of 
 nothing but the infidelity of the good people of 
 England, and will be told that all our misfor- 
 tunes, public or private are owing to our living 
 in a state of infidelity : I use their own words : 
 " that nothing but the thin vital air which we 
 " breath, separates us from eternal damnation, 
 " and that unless we come unto Christ Jesus 
 
 * Dr. Browne in his Estimate of the Manners and Princi- 
 ples of the Times.
 
 17 
 
 " immediately, we shall all die and be (/(tinned f" 
 In answer to this I say, that it is the different 
 method of preaching the gospel, and the disunion 
 of its professors, proceeding from their misin- 
 terpreting scripture to serve particular purposes, 
 that is the cause of that lukewarmness amongst 
 Christians, which they pretend to amend, by 
 thundering damnation in their ears ; aud by 
 giving it the harsh name of infidelity. 
 
 Ever since the Reformation we have been 
 clearing Christianity from that cloud of super- 
 stition and error which the Romish clergy had 
 thrown over it ; and in this glorious undertak- 
 ing we have as a nation hitherto succeeded, and 
 established a church, in which the rites and cere- 
 monies of the Christian religion, as well as its 
 doctrines seem to be preserved in that purity 
 and simplicity in which they were first taught 
 and observed, and most agreeable to the plain 
 impartial interpretation of scripture. 
 
 Were we to stop here we should do well, and 
 should have no room to complain of so many 
 different sects of Christians, some of them filling 
 our very fields and barns with unlearned and 
 unstable teachers, spreading confusion and error 
 throughout the land. These men, under a pre- 
 tence of further reformation, refine away the very 
 sense of scripture ; and instead of a pure and holy 
 religion, have rendered Christianity an unintel- 
 ligible jargon of enthusiastic mysteries. 
 
 c
 
 18 
 
 In former ages it was reckoned a labour of 
 much study and learning to be able to give a 
 just and instructive explanation of scripture : 
 in our day every disciple of these sectaries not 
 only throws a new light on difficult passages, 
 but tells you with the utmost confidence, that 
 unless you believe in them, according to his in- 
 terpretation, " you are in a state of damnation." 
 
 What can be the motives of their teachers for 
 differing from the established church, and erect- 
 ing spacious edifices, capable of holding such 
 vast congregations ? Is it pure and unbiassed 
 love for mankind ? Is is a desire to settle Chris- 
 tianity on a more sure and lasting foundation 
 than it is at present ? Or is it barely to recom- 
 mend it with uncommon fervor and zeal ? 
 Surely they cannot lay claim to any of these 
 motives ; if they do, what must they think of 
 the whole body of the clergy ? Do not they 
 shew a regard to the welfare of mankind and 
 the propagation of Christianity ? Are there not 
 a sufficient number of them labouring in the 
 vineyard ? Do not they endeavour to settle 
 the Christian religion on a sure foundation ? 
 Are not their societies for propagating the 
 gospel in foreign parts, and the instructions 
 given in the charity schools at home a sufficient 
 proof that they use their utmost endeavours to 
 transmit our holy religion in its native purity 
 to posterity ? Do not they in general recom-
 
 19 
 
 mend it from their pulpits with a becoming- zeal 
 and fervor ? They do. But it is with decency 
 and modesty, not enforcing it with damnation 
 at the end of every sentence, but referring judg- 
 ment and condemnation, with St. Paul, to the 
 coming of the Lord, " who will bring to light 
 " the hidden things of darkness, and make mani- 
 " fest the counsels of the heart."* If therefore 
 none of these laudable purposes engage them to 
 congregate such multitudes, we must conclude 
 that either ambition or interest is at the bottom 
 of their extraordinary preachments. I know 
 they will totally disclaim the latter, and even 
 start at the charge, for they will tell you that 
 they do not aspire after church preferment 
 thereby to enrich themselves ; but in answer to 
 this, give me leave to conjecture that there are 
 many ways of being paid for their extraordinary 
 services, perhaps adequate to the most valuable 
 benefices ; and that a negligent and careless air 
 about temporal concerns, and an affected disre- 
 gard of decency in apparel, do not always denote 
 poverty and abstemiousness. 
 
 There is a secret pride in some men's apparent 
 humility ; and it is often found that great wealth 
 and a mean personal appearance are not incom- 
 patible ; and until it can be proved that these 
 over righteous teachers, are not amassing riches 
 by contributions from their disciples, I shall not 
 * The first epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, chap. ir. ver. 5. 
 
 c 2
 
 20 
 
 readily acquit them of the charge of having 
 worldly interest in their view. 
 
 A popular preacher (who within the very 
 walls of our church), exalts himself into the judg- 
 ment seat of his Lord and Master, and passes 
 sentence of damnation on the admiring crowd, 
 has lately assumed the external appearance of 
 indigence. I suppose he has altered his opinion, 
 and now thinks that a spruce appearance is not 
 consistent with the humility of the gospel. Let 
 not him who is so remarkably uncharitable as 
 to damn mankind by wholesale, wonder at my 
 suspecting that worldly interest is his aim ; my 
 accusation amounts only to suspicion ; his sen- 
 tences of damnation are always peremptory ; 
 and often fatal. 
 
 Since then I have shewn that it is not impro- 
 bable but that some of these teachers may be 
 influenced by self-interest, and having no extra- 
 ordinary talents to recommend them to church 
 preferment, may have found this method of 
 preaching answer their purpose as well, let 
 us waive our further opinion on this head, 
 and proceed to examine how far ambition may 
 be the cause of their sowing the seeds of dis- 
 union among Christians. There are two sorts 
 of ambition, wordly and spiritual. Their pre- 
 sumption and self-conceit deprives them of all 
 hopes of gratifying the former, but is the very 
 foundation of their possessing the highest enjoy-
 
 21 
 
 nients of the latter ; and I make no doubt but 
 there is more pride in the heart of him who has 
 founded a tabernacle, than in his whose modest 
 merit has raised him to an episcopal see. Self- 
 conceit and presumption I chuse to distinguish 
 as the grand characteristics of spiritual pride : 
 these are the steps by which they ascend the 
 ladder of spiritual ambition, and gain the sum- 
 mit of their grandeur, which is an extensive 
 power over deluded multitudes, and a degree 
 of reverence and homage from the vulgar, which 
 we can never suppose was paid even to the 
 apostles, nor indeed required by them. Self- 
 conceit whispers in their ears that they are better 
 men and better Christians than their brethren : 
 that they are selected shepherds to feed the flock 
 of Christ ; hence they begin to dive into scrip- 
 ture for passages which they wrest in favour of 
 their terrific form of preaching the gospel ; and 
 as fear is ever predominant in weak minds, they 
 endeavour to produce vouchers from holy writ 
 to terrify the ignorant into the belief of their 
 particular systems, making their appeals to the 
 passion of fear, instead of endeavouring to im- 
 plant in the minds of men a love of true religion, 
 and a lively faith in Christ, by mild persuasives 
 and the cool dictates of reason and argument ; 
 these will not serve their particular purposes ; 
 they are conscious that the generality of the 
 clergy teach the gospel in this laudable manner ;
 
 22 
 
 and therefore if they only join in the same com- 
 mon method there will be no opportunity of 
 distinguishing themselves, nor any pretence for 
 setting themselves up as the lights of the world, 
 and the only infallible guides to eternal sal- 
 vation. 
 
 It is the business then of every founder of any 
 new sect of Christians in this kingdom, to en- 
 deavour to find out some defect in the manner 
 of preaching, and in the mode of worship prac- 
 tised by the regular clergy ; hence calumny and 
 false accusation, branding the characters of our 
 most eminent divines with negligence and inat- 
 tention to the great duties of their office, and 
 the most impudent and unlimited charges 
 against the laity in general, for atheism and in- 
 fidelity, at the very time they are joining in the 
 public worship of the church, and thereby as- 
 senting to the truth of the Christian religion. 
 Would it not shock any foreigner, who under- 
 stood our language, to hear a preacher in a 
 Christian congregation, tell his audience, " That 
 " they are a set of infidels, that their attendance 
 " on the public worship of God, and their living 
 " in the exactest observation of all moral virtues, 
 " are but shining sins in the sight of God, unless 
 " they come unto Christ, and wash themselves 
 " in the blood of the Lamb ?" Would he not be 
 further surprised to hear another of these zea- 
 lous preachers tell you, " that the majority of
 
 23 
 
 " this great and flourishing kingdom live 
 " without Christ in their hearts ; are deaf to 
 " his awakening calls delivered by these his 
 " righteous ministers, and slumber on in their 
 " sins, all manner of abominations, and eagerly 
 " pursuing eternal damnation, that in this situa- 
 " tion their wives, their children, their estates 
 " and effects are given them for a curse ; that 
 " they had better part w ith them all, than want 
 " that inward light and grace in their hearts, 
 " without which there is no going to heaven : 
 " that the straight gate that leads to eternal hap- 
 " pi ness is too narrow for splendid equipages, 
 " and gaudy apparel, and all the possessors of 
 " these must go into outer darkness?" These and 
 such like low and unmanly expressions make 
 up great part of their sermons, calculated to in- 
 spire vulgar minds with a great veneration for 
 the preacher, and an utter contempt of all per- 
 sons of rank and fortune, in comparison of 
 whom they think themselves saints on earth. 
 Having succeeded thus far, the enthusiastic 
 preacher secures them to himself, by expatiat- 
 ing on the heinousness of apostatizing from him, 
 by enlarging on the great and meritorious suf- 
 ferings he has undergone for the sake of their 
 souls, and from preaching on the passion of our 
 Saviour, makes an easy (though impious) tran- 
 sition to his own indefatigable services, tells 
 them what revilings and bufferings he has met
 
 24 
 
 with ; how hard he has laboured in the vineyard 
 of Christ; how he has struggled for the preser- 
 vation of their precious souls ; and thus with 
 the powerful vociferation, and enthusiastic 
 warmth, he works on the passions of the gaping 
 multitude, till the whole congregation resounds 
 with sobs and sighs, aud spiritual groanings, 
 which he receives as incense offered to his supe- 
 rior piety and excellence ; and, in the warmth 
 of his imagination, conceits himself to be no less 
 than the great apostle to the Gentiles, or perhaps 
 a degree above him. Thus he gratifies his spi- 
 ritual pride, and holds in contempt all the be- 
 coming dignities of the established church ; and 
 in this elevated station of his own making, he 
 does not confine himself to exhortations and 
 edifications, but deals in denunciations of wrath 
 and eternal damnation, and assumes as much 
 arbitrary power over the consciences of men (by 
 means of these engines of terror) as any Bishop 
 of Rome whatever. 
 
 The upright and conscientious clergyman 
 who regularly performs the duties of his office 
 in his church, is forced to preach to very thin 
 congregations ; for most of the poorer sort, ser- 
 vants especially, are not content to hear sound 
 morality, and the pure doctrine of Christianity 
 at their parish churches,, they must run after 
 every popular enthusiast, who rails at their 
 superiors, and tells them " He is commissioned
 
 25 
 
 " to call them to an adoption in Christ, to be his 
 " elect, and to make them rich indeed, and 
 " make them far better men than their worldly 
 " masters :" to him therefore they bow and 
 cringe, and by him they are taught to believe 
 such an instantaneous conversion worked in 
 their souls, that they are regenerate, quite new 
 creatures, and that all the rest of mankind are 
 mere dross, except those of the same persuasion. 
 
 From this I conjecture they are led into con- 
 tributions for defraying the expences of preach- 
 ing the gospel out of the pale of the church; 
 and if so, an unnecessary charge is here laid on 
 those who might hear the gospel at their own 
 parish churches without it ; but this I suppose 
 will be evaded by saying, with their usual can- 
 dour, that our divines do not take so much 
 pains to convert sinners to repentance as they 
 do : and indeed, if the most nonsensical haran- 
 gues, devoid of all form and order, and some- 
 times of decency, is the proper method of 
 preaching, and the best means of conversion ; 
 these are the men to follow ; these are the only 
 true divines. 
 
 If this spiritual pride, which I have here given 
 a sketch of, has a place in the heart of the 
 preacher, it must be transmitted to his disciples ; 
 and every man's experience will furnish him 
 with instances amongst his acquaintance of the 
 behaviour of those who are thus infected: they 
 
 D
 
 26 
 
 contemn all discourses on morality, and the 
 good conduct of life : they take it for granted, 
 that the world believes them to be compleat ob- 
 servers of all the social virtues, and this they are 
 led into by the example of their teachers, who 
 scarce ever touch upon these subjects from the 
 pulpit, either looking upon it as beneath the ex- 
 cellence of their office, or concluding that those of 
 their own persuasion pay such a strict regard to 
 the moral law, that they never violate any part 
 of it, and consequently can never need admoni- 
 tions on that head. This high opinion of them- 
 selves, thus tacitly countenanced from the pulpit, 
 they carry into life, and build on it such arro- 
 gant behaviour and insolent conduct, as must 
 amaze and astonish every man who had the use 
 of reason : their speeches are full of contempt of 
 all such as have not the light within, and all de- 
 grees of subordination to superiors they must in 
 their hearts despise, because they look upon 
 their earthly masters, relations, and friends, as 
 beings far inferior to themselves, w ? ho are the 
 elect of the Lord ; hence they talk of the dread 
 Sovereign of heaven and earth with the greatest 
 familiarity, and, as from his own mouth, pass 
 sentence on every indiscreet word or action of 
 their neighbours, nay urge his authority for 
 disobedience of the just commands of their 
 superiors. 
 A small anecdote will place this in a clearer
 
 27 
 
 light. " Some time since, in a very popular 
 " city of this kingdom, a great disturbance arose 
 " about one of the itinerant, unstable, and un- 
 " learned teachers ; the contest became warm, 
 " and a very worthy general who had the com- 
 " mand of some soldiers quartered in the town, 
 " prudently gave orders that none of his men 
 " should attend this preacher, fearing they should 
 " be induced to interfere in the dispute, and 
 " greatly add to the disturbances already begun : 
 " In the evening he was informed that one of his 
 " men had disobeyed his orders he sent for 
 " him, demanded the reason of his disobedience, 
 " which he knew might be attended with severe 
 " military discipline ? The soldier told him 
 " that it was true he had ordered him not to 
 " attend the preacher, but that a greater cctn- 
 " mander had engaged him to neglect his orders, 
 ' for he had promised God Almighty to meet 
 " him at the Castle-hill, to hear his minister at 
 " six o'clock exactly : The general asked him 
 " how often he had been at sermon ? To which 
 " he replied, but once before, but had conversed 
 " with the preacher twice in private." 
 
 Now let any man judge what must be the 
 pride and presumption of an old disciple, when 
 a new one could talk thus familiarly of the 
 Deity. However these empirics in theology 
 may boast of such instantaneous conversions of 
 the loosest and most profligate of mankind, says 
 
 D 2
 
 28 
 
 an eminent divine, and pretend the most sudden 
 change in moral characters, let me not envy 
 them, but heartily wish them more frequent and 
 sincere ; for it is much to be doubted whether 
 this method of dealing with men be agreeable 
 to the course of divine providence in the works 
 of nature or dispensation of grace. Time and 
 means must be allowed for real changes. The 
 seeds of virtue may be sown in an instant, the 
 growth and perfection must be gradual. 
 
 The light within which the fanatics, and others 
 so strongly contend for, is an instance of great 
 presumption and spiritual pride, it is called by 
 some of them divine inspiration; and , though 
 they are not able to perform any miracles, yet 
 they confidently assert that their teachers are 
 no* less inspired than the apostles, who gave 
 such evident proofs of their divine commissions. 
 What wonder then if these teachers (thus in- 
 spired) should assume an authority to condemn 
 to utter perdition, all who dissent from them in 
 opinion ; or in other words, all who are not con- 
 tributors to the sect they have established. 
 
 This light within or inspiration, calls the 
 meanest and most illiterate mechanic to the 
 sacred functions of the ministry, it enables him 
 to illustrate the divine mysteries of revelation ; 
 and at once constitutes him a fit instrument of 
 converting sinners to repentance, and of pre- 
 serving and comforting those who have already
 
 29 
 
 experienced the saving grace, communicated to 
 them by this inward light. . 
 
 This inspiration serves to promote subscrip- 
 tions and contributions for new assemblies in 
 all parts of the town, under the direction of 
 these unlearned and unstable pastors. Thus 
 our churches, which are conveniently and abun- 
 dantly planted in all parts of the metropolis, 
 are more and more deserted, and the cause of it 
 unjustly imputed to the profaneness and wicked- 
 ness of the age, when at the same time thousands 
 and ten thousands of the deluded multitude are 
 so far from a total disregard of all religion, that 
 they are running in droves after every new doc- 
 trine ; and readily embracing every pretended 
 reformation of our holy religion, which it seems 
 is not taught in the established church with suf- 
 ficient purity for those very people, who are on 
 all hands charged as a nation with open pro- 
 faneness and a total neglect of religion. 
 
 The preacher who is followed by multitudes, 
 and he who is almost totally deserted, equally 
 exclaim against the impiety of the age with the 
 greatest injustice ; for it is owing to the super- 
 lative righteousness of some men, and their 
 growing tired of the good old discipline of the 
 established church, that the latter is deserted, 
 and to a timidity and unbecoming diffidence of 
 the sufficiency of the ordinary practice of piety 
 (which can only be removed by the light within)
 
 30 
 
 that the former is indebted for the great increase 
 of his congregation : but that age can never be 
 distinguished for infidelity and atheism, in which 
 the deepest errors of fanaticism prevail ; nor 
 that city, wherein lectures upon lectures are 
 daily held at all hours and all seasons for the 
 encouragement and support of enthusiastic rant ; 
 and for the maintenance of every illiterate tor- 
 turer of holy writ, who thinks proper to leave 
 his ordinary vocation, (and by the assistance of 
 the light within) to usurp the authority of Christ 
 and his apostles. 
 
 Surely that must needs be a pious age, in 
 which any mechanic who deems himself called 
 to the ministry by inspiration, if he is able to 
 pay for licensing a house opens it as a Christian 
 churcji, and is sure to have a sufficient number 
 of disciples, either to feed his spiritual pride, by 
 allowing his call from within, or by contribu- 
 tions to support him in an easier way of life 
 than his situation and circumstances would 
 otherwise have allowed of. Strange effect of 
 credulity in a Christian country, and under the 
 eye of the best disciplined church on earth, that 
 a man should be deemed an inspired preacher, 
 and followed from one end of the town to the 
 other, that cannot speak good English, and does 
 not understand the first rudiments of his native 
 tongue ? Was his inspiration really from 
 heaven, certainly that fountain of goodness from
 
 3] 
 
 whence flowed the gift of divers tongues to the 
 apostles, would enable these preachers to speak 
 at least in the language of common sense, that 
 the learned as well as the unlearned might par- 
 take of the benefit of their pious instructions, 
 and not to depart from their assemblies with the 
 utmost horror, shocked at men's preaching the 
 gospel in the meanest and most indecent man- 
 ner, using the lowest and most unmanly, and 
 sometimes the rudest expressions, in their ad- 
 dresses to mankind, on the noblest and most 
 exalted subject that ever dignified the tongue 
 of eloquence; and if all orders of men have an 
 equal claim to the preacher's concern for their 
 immortal souls, how careful ought he to be to 
 speak in the language of men, who ascends a 
 pulpit in this our day, when we make so much 
 use of our intellectual powers, and require re- 
 gular arguments to convince us of the truth of 
 any doctrine. 
 
 Our Saviour shewed the same readiness to do 
 acts of mercy for the rich, as the poor ; but 
 these his pretended disciples, instead of drawing 
 them to Christianity by the cords of love, openly 
 abuse and rail at them, and even forbid them 
 their places of worship, if they happen to drop 
 into them by accident : an excellent method this 
 of converting those whose example might lead 
 multitudes into the paths of righteousness, 
 which they pretend to teach the knowledge of.
 
 32 
 
 " But, poor souls, say these charitable divines, 
 " and their lay teachers, let them alone (mean- 
 " ing the rich), they are going to hell headlong 
 " in their tine coaches ; and would to God they 
 " would go by themselves, and not take their 
 " servants along with them ; but what with their 
 " dining so late on the sabbath, and other cliabo- 
 " lical contrivances, the poor servants are hin- 
 " dered from attending the words of life, and 
 " must go to hell with their vile masters." 
 
 Here is fine reasoning, are not these equitable 
 appeals to men of superior birth and education ? 
 Is this the proper method of speaking of our 
 senators, our magistrates, our gentry, and our 
 merchants before a giddy deluded mob ? Cer- 
 tainly no. When a congregation is assembled, 
 and partly composed of persons of rank and 
 fortune, a degree of reverence to his superiors 
 will guide the modest and truly Christian 
 preacher, and teach him more becoming lan- 
 guage. The example of our Saviour, who, even 
 when he was reviled, reviled not again, will 
 teach him more humility than to pronounce sen- 
 tence of condemnation without authority, and 
 even without using the decent and necessary 
 means of amending those whom they thus instan- 
 taneously damn. If vulgar and uncharitable 
 expressions, if a brutal and unrelenting spirit of 
 damning all to hell, who are not of a particular 
 sect, be the effects of the light within, may the
 
 33 
 
 all-wise and infinitely kind Creator of the uni- 
 verse (who causeth his sun to shine on the just 
 and the unjust), preserve us in our happy dark- 
 ness, and sutler us not to be led into temptation 
 by these inspired teachers these false lights of 
 the world. I would not here be understood to 
 insinuate, that a preacher should be ashamed to 
 name such a place as hell before a polite audi- 
 ence ; this is an extreme on the other side : I 
 only would have it remembered, that there is a 
 way of convincing men of the beauty of holi- 
 ness, and the amiableness of Christianity, by 
 sound reason and argument, and which has been 
 practised with success by the most eminent 
 divines in all ages since the foundation of Chris- 
 tianity, and is better adapted to teach the kind 
 and charitable precepts of the gospel, than this 
 enthusiastic thundering out of damnation at the 
 end of every sentence. 
 
 Be ye wise as serpents, but harmless as doves, 
 says our Saviour; but are these the innocent 
 doves who instruct men to go home, and tell 
 every branch of their families, and perhaps their 
 whole neighbourhood, they are in a state of 
 damnation, if they have not the light within, or, 
 in other words, if they are not followers of 
 the most distinguished enthusiastic preachers. 
 Would not oiie think that these men had read 
 our Saviour's precept thus : " Seem ye innocent 
 " as doves, but be venomous as serpents," since 
 
 E
 
 34 
 
 \vith their bitter tongues they thus curse man- 
 kind, and represent the Deity as an implacable 
 Being, not to be appeased, but by continual 
 repetitions of enthusiastic rant, and the most 
 horrid barbarisms. 
 
 Having mentioned the light within, or inward 
 inspiration, give me leave to observe, that if it is 
 derived from heaven, as they assert, whatever 
 experimental knowledge they may have of it 
 within themselves, yet in order to evince reason- 
 able men of the truth of this assertion, it will be 
 necessary that it should enable them to work 
 some miracle ; and we have the highest reason 
 to expect this from the goodness of God, who 
 always afforded this evidence of their divine 
 commission to his inspired ministers, and would 
 certainly give this testimony to our modern en- 
 thusiasts, whenever their own authority failed 
 of converting sinners to repentance and salva- 
 tion, which is the great end of the Christian dis- 
 pensation. And if these men were really the 
 chosen priests of the most high God, he would 
 most certainly, in his great mercy, give some 
 stronger testimony of it (than their bare asser- 
 tion) to convince an unbelieving age, and not 
 let eternal salvation be confined to a few sec- 
 taries : since then no man can have any other 
 evidence of a preacher's inspiration, than mira- 
 cles, which are the natural proofs of it, estab- 
 lished by scripture, and allowed by reason ; and
 
 35 
 
 no sucli evidence lias yet appeared for the dis- 
 tinguished enthusiastic preachers of our daj% 
 let us candidly hope they are mistaken about 
 this inward light, and believe, that it is the-effect 
 of a weak deluded imagination, puffed up with 
 a vain conceit of its own importance, and apt to 
 fancy every enthusiastic rhapsody to be an in- 
 spiration from above. I heartily wish however, 
 that interest or ambition may not be at the bot- 
 tom of this pretended inspiration. 
 
 The modern infidels, who heartily wish our 
 religion to be false, but cannot with all their art 
 prove it so, may reasonably retort on these men, 
 that they do not pretend to prove the truth of 
 it; but rest it solely on the light within, which 
 is the key of all spiritual knowledge, and at 
 once makes a man a Christian. 
 
 What a scandal it is to Christianity, that men 
 should value themselves more upon being called 
 after the name of any particular sect, than on 
 the practice of those duties, which constitute the 
 character of a good Christian ! The question is 
 not now, who is the most charitable and devout, 
 who is most in favour with God and man for 
 uncommon piety to the one, and universal love 
 and benevolence to the other ? But who has 
 received the light within / who has experienced 
 the wildest extasies, the most enthusiastic rap- 
 tures, and hurried away by the workings of a 
 deluded imagination, has lent tlie greatest assist-
 
 36 
 
 ance towards forwarding the purposes of de- 
 signing preachers, " who want to catch the eye, 
 " to be the leaders of sects, to give names to mul- 
 " titudes, to be admired or enriched" View 
 the effects of the modern spirit called by the false 
 name of divine inspiration. " It alternately 
 " sings, it groans, it sighs, it weeps, it thunders 
 " out damnation, it bawls in tabernacles, it 
 " raves in our streets, it exclaims in our houses." 
 It distinguishes itself from the spirit of truth, by 
 its doctrines ; it teaches, for the peaceable, cha- 
 ritable, compassionate dictates of the holy spirit 
 of God, the diabolical dictates of the spirit of 
 delusion : heresies, cursings, and revilings. 
 
 From these hints on the light within, let me 
 now proceed to touch upon the confessions re- 
 quired more especially from the female part of 
 their followers, preparatory to their receiving 
 this inward light. Confessions generally taken 
 at private meetings, and, in my humble opinion, 
 falling little short of the auricular confessions so 
 much practised in the Romish church. Do not 
 these examinations serve to establish the autho- 
 rity of the priest ; and often to expose weak- 
 nesses in families, and particular persons, which 
 may be turned to the advantage of designing 
 men ; and will these inspired priests answer for 
 the purity and integrity of all their lay teachers? 
 If they will not, as 1 think they cannot, cer- 
 tainly this kind of confession is unwarrantable,
 
 ,37 
 
 and neither that, nor the light within, were ever 
 assumed by those celebrated writers, and suc- 
 cessful preachers, Tillotson, South, &c. whose 
 names will stand on record, as eminent orna- 
 ments of the Christian religion, when every 
 species of fanaticism and error shall be buried 
 in oblivion. 
 
 Before 1 conclude these cursory remarks on 
 
 / 
 
 the conduct of those who draw off the vulgar 
 from their attendance on their parish ministers, 
 let me just take notice of the usual behaviour of 
 an enthusiastic mob towards one of their admired 
 preachers. No sooner does he descend from the 
 pulpit, but the pious converts press around him ; 
 and, in spite of all opposition, force their way 
 to his sacred person, happy if they can but touch 
 the hem of his garment, but happier still if they 
 can but conduct him amidst sighs and sobs to 
 the vestry, and there by turns take a peep at this 
 saint upon earth, or if favoured with access, 
 feed his abundant vanity with the most fulsome 
 encomiums on his great and unwearied attention 
 to the concerns of their precious souls. How 
 much more like th^, gospel humility would it be 
 to see one of these divines turn to the attending 
 crowd, and tell them to go regularly to their 
 several parish churches, and bring sufficient 
 proofs from thence of the inability of the minis- 
 ters, (to whose care they are committed) to 
 teach them the law and the gospel, and that till
 
 . 38 
 
 then they should not assemble in such multi- 
 tudes and so far from their home, as if all the 
 clergy of the established church were ignorant, 
 or unwilling to teach them. This behaviour 
 would be more like a Christian priest, than as- 
 cending the pulpit to rail at their brethren ; and 
 by insinuating, that they neglect their duty, to 
 draw aside their congregations, and engage 
 people to contribute to their private meetings 
 and assemblies I would gladly hear of such an 
 exhortation as the above, it would show more 
 candor, however, I am afraid, than would be con- 
 sistent with their interest. 
 
 From the whole I must conclude, that these 
 men have no foundation from scripture, reason, 
 or common humanity, to assert that all men 
 must die and be damned, who are not of their 
 persuasion, or, in other words, who have not ex- 
 perienced the light within, much less to be so 
 blasphemous as to say, " Hear it from the month 
 " of the Lord," such expressions are intolerable 
 before a mixed congregation of Christians. If 
 what I have said should tempt any one to search 
 further into the ways of these men, if he will 
 but take the pure unpolluted word of God, con- 
 tained in the scriptures for his guide, he will 
 have more and more reason to believe, that those 
 preachers are not the true servants of the most 
 high God, who is long-suffering, and of great 
 kindness, who doth not reward men after their
 
 39 
 
 iniquities, nor punish them according- to their 
 sins ; whose tender mercies are over all his 
 works, who is there described to be a God of 
 love, of infinite compassion, and surpassing 
 mercy. Will such a gracious being plunge us 
 into the depths of despair, and sentence us to 
 eternal damnation for doubting in matters of 
 faith ? Or will he doom us to utter darkness for 
 want of the light within ? Oh ! impious thought, 
 how contrary this to the amiable declarations of 
 mercy delivered by his Son. He told a man who 
 had only in part fulfilled the moral law, that he 
 was not far from the kingdom of heaven: How 
 mild is his reproof to Martha, who, as mistress 
 of the family, was not only too busy in prepar- 
 ing an entertainment for him, but neglected 
 attending on his divine precepts, and wanted 
 likewise to take her sister from her devotions. 
 " Martha ! Martha ! says he, thou art cumbered 
 " about many things, but one thing is needful, 
 " &,c." Not, according to the present practice 
 of his pretended disciples in parallel cases, who 
 say to the people of rank and fortune, " Ye are 
 " busy in preparing your entertainments, &c. 
 " which makes ye neglect the words of life, ye 
 " will go to hell, ye will die and be damned." 
 Examine candidly the precepts and doctrines 
 preached by our Saviour, and the life he led on 
 earth. His whole sermon on the mount speaks 
 the highest spirit of peace and charity ; and so
 
 40 
 
 far is he from saying, according to our modern 
 enthusiasts, good works is only washing the out- 
 side of the platter, (I use their own words) that 
 he seems to have made it his peculiar care to 
 establish the noblest system of morality ; and to 
 connect it with our very beings as Christians. 
 View him in his life and conversation, how con- 
 descending ! how mild ! how benevolent ! see 
 him on every occasion, exerercising his divine 
 power, in acts of mercy and compassion, without 
 respect of persons, or persuasions, rejecting the 
 prayers of neither rich nor poor, Jew nor 
 Gentile, when implored to relieve the bodily in- 
 firmities they laboured under, and, by the kind- 
 est demonstrations of love, convincing men of 
 the amiableness of his holy religion, and the 
 great charitableness of its principles. The more 
 you view this portrait of Christ, the greater the 
 unlikeness appears between him and our modern 
 enthusiasts. Did he ever exalt his voice, and 
 disfigure his features, with enthusiastic rage, to 
 damn the greatest part of his audience? No: 
 he very rarely expressed himself in austere 
 terms ; and, if he did: was he not the Lord and 
 giver of life ? And were not his denunciations 
 chiefly against those who had disputed his au- 
 thority, mocked his precepts, and tempted the 
 Holy One of Israel ? Did he appoint any one 
 of his apostles to lord it over his heritage, and 
 revile his brethren ? No: yet his chosen minis-
 
 41 
 
 ters were but twelve in number, whereas I trust 
 in God, that he has now many hundreds in our 
 established churches, who both by their lives 
 and doctrines set forth his true and lively word, 
 and vet have been charged with ignorance of 
 
 / 
 
 Christianity, and neglect of their duty, with a 
 view of perverting the weak members of their 
 congregations, and of turning them aside to 
 hear the gospel, inhumanly mangled, and cruelly 
 misinterpreted, to serve the purposes of interest 
 or ambition. Give but as diligent and unbiassed 
 an attention to your own reading of the scrip- 
 tures, as you do to the false interpretation of it, 
 by these men, and you will soon find the great 
 disparity between their lives and that of our 
 Saviour, betwixt their doctrines and his, and 
 when once you are convinced that there is no 
 occasion for any extraordinary impulses, or fal- 
 lacious light within, to enable you to practice 
 the great truths of the gospel, and that a modest 
 use of your reason, joined to a pious disposition 
 to believe the sacred mysteries of our holy re- 
 ligion, as consonant to that reason, is all the light 
 within, that is required of you ; you will then 
 seriously and devoutly attend on your parochial 
 ministers, and be every day more and more con- 
 vinced of their ability, integrity, and industry 
 to make you good Christians, and useful mem- 
 bers of society : to their care I recommend you, 
 and heartily wish you may regard the advice
 
 42 
 
 given you, as flowing from a heart warmed with 
 a sincere love of mankind, and willing to dis- 
 tinguish true religion from fanaticism and error, 
 to oppose the amiable doctrines of universal love 
 and charity, to the churlish tenets of enthusiasm, 
 and to recommend unity among Christians from 
 a view of the unamiableness of dissention. May 
 the goodness of the intention answer for the de- 
 ficiencies of the execution ; ,and these remarks 
 experience that Christian charity, they were 
 designed to promote.
 
 43 
 
 HINTS 
 
 1 o attempt to stem the tide of public opinion, 
 especially when that opinion is closely connected 
 with self-gratification, may seem a hopeless task ; 
 and the writer of the following observations 
 would shrink from raising a voice on the present 
 occasion, were it not for the belief, that very 
 feeble instruments may be made useful in the 
 hand of Him who chooseth " the foolish things 
 of the world to confound the wise .... and the 
 " weak things of the world to confound the 
 " things that are mighty." 
 
 Thus encouraged, I venture to suggest a few 
 hints for the attentive consideration of those who 
 are looking forward with much pleasure to the 
 attendance of the approaching musical festival. 
 
 F 2
 
 44 
 
 Amongst these may, I believe, be found per- 
 sons of various denominations churchmen and 
 dissenters,* clergymen as well as laymen ; and 
 not only the gay and thoughtless, but some 
 of the more serious and reflecting also. To the 
 latter class, more particularly, I would address 
 the following inquiries. 
 
 First Whether, as responsible beings, we 
 shall not be called upon to give an account of 
 the use of our time, in common with the other 
 talents committed to our charge ? And whether 
 in the attendance of public amusements, our 
 time is not uselessly and even dangerously 
 mis-spent ? 
 
 Secondly Whether the line of life pursued 
 by public performers is not almost inevitably 
 very unfavourable to religious principle and 
 practice ? 
 
 Thirdly -Whether, with the utmost stretch of 
 charity, we can suppose, that when they are 
 engaged in the most solemn and impressive parts 
 of these performances, their hearts enter into 
 
 * We cannot entirely omit the Society of Friends for not- 
 withstanding their excellent and well-known opinions on places 
 of public amusement, a few, although, I hope but a very few, 
 of this respectable body, were observed to attend the last 
 musical festival. These, I doubt not, excited the observation, if 
 not the ridicule, of others ; for worldlings are ever quick of per- 
 ception, to mark the inconsistency of the high professor, when 
 he steps out of his own path, and wanders iirto theirs.
 
 45 
 
 the true spirit and feeling of the words which 
 they utter ; or whether such performances are not 
 rather to be regarded as the mere exhibitions of 
 vocal skill ? If so, whether this may not be 
 considered as profanation, and as a mockery 
 of the Supreme Being ? 
 
 Fourthly and lastly -Whether those who, by 
 their presence and their money, are encouraging 
 this mode of life, are not also partakers in the 
 evil of it ? 
 
 These inquiries will doubtless be readily an- 
 swered by those more serious persons whom I 
 am now particularly addressing, and who, if 
 they closely and impartially investigate the sub- 
 ject, will find that, as accountable beings, we 
 cannot, with consistency and a clear conscience, 
 give our sanction and devote our time to such 
 objects: objects which involve the moral injury 
 of our fellow-creatures, and the mockery of Him 
 whom we are professing, and whom, in other re- 
 spects, we may be endeavouring to serve. Many 
 of you object to attend other places of public 
 amusement ; but this, under the plea of support- 
 ing a charity, silences the consciences of some ; 
 and the name of sacred music beguiles others. 
 But remember, we must not do evil that good 
 may come. A large portion of the receipts is 
 expended in preparations and in remunerating 
 the performers. A part only, and probably a 
 small part, of your money is therefore appro-
 
 priated to the hospital. Would it not then be 
 better to give the whole sum to that excellent 
 institution ; and, so far as regards this act, 
 " have a conscience void of offence towards God 
 " and man ?" Would it not be abundantly 
 more satisfactory to your feelings, to believe 
 you were adding to the bodily relief of one indi- 
 vidual, without promoting the moral injury of 
 another ? 
 
 The oratorios are composed of some of the 
 most beautiful and impressive parts of scripture. 
 When that sacred and sublime acknowledgment, 
 " I know that my Redeemer liveth," sounds so 
 grandly and harmoniously through the vaulted 
 roof, some of your hearts may be alive to its 
 deep import ; and far be it from me to say they 
 are not. But how do the performers stand 
 affected ? Are they alive to the serious and 
 comprehensive words they are repeating ? Do 
 they experimentally know and feel " that their 
 Redeemer liveth ?" Are not their thoughts and 
 attention turned rather to the correctness of the 
 performance, than to the excellency of the sub- 
 ject ? to the keeping of time, and to the har- 
 mony of their notes, rather than to his glory, in 
 the professed praise of whom they make " sweet 
 " melody" with their tongues ? 
 
 And when the full, the almost overpowering, 
 swell of the " Hallelujah" echoes and re-echoes 
 around you, can you suppose that the multi-
 
 47 
 
 plied voices are accompanied by hearts Hlled 
 with the love and adoration of that Omniscient 
 Being', whose name they are thus exalting with 
 their lips ? Must we not rather fear, that to 
 some of these persons the Scripture language is 
 but too applicable ? " This people draweth 
 " nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth 
 " me with their lips ; but their heart is far from 
 " me." And well will it be also for those who 
 partake in these amusements to consider, how 
 far these remarks may apply to themselves. For 
 though there may be a few, who enter into the 
 sacred part of the performance with really de- 
 votional feelings, it is greatly to be feared, that 
 by the great majority of the hearers, it is enjoyed 
 merely as an amusement ; to gratify their natu- 
 ral tastes, or to excite their natural feelings. 
 And if so, they are, as I apprehend, in an awful 
 degree, partaking in the profanation of holy 
 things. 
 
 If then there be any truth in the above obser- 
 vations if the life of a public performer be 
 unfavourable to religion and to the cultivation 
 of the lowly spirit of Jesus if those who utter, 
 and those who go to hear, these and similar 
 sacred expressions, without entering into the 
 spirituality of them, deride, rather than exalt, 
 " the king of glory" how can, or how dare, 
 those who wish to uphold the standard of 
 Christianity partake in these things ? how can
 
 48 
 
 those who earnestly desire to render to their 
 all-seeing Judge a, good account of their steward- 
 ship, thus devote their time, their talents, or their 
 money ? And how can those who pray to be 
 " led out of temptation and delivered from 
 " evil," reconcile this participation of it to their 
 consciencies ? 
 
 These observations proceed not from any 
 harsh, uncharitable, or personal feelings towards 
 any individual, but from a settled conviction of 
 the evils arising from this in common with all 
 other public, worldly, amusements. A sincere 
 desire to promote the best interests of my fellow 
 creatures induces me thus to press upon them a 
 serious, and impartial, examination of the sub- 
 ject ; believing that if such an examination be 
 entered upon in a spirit of candid inquiry, un- 
 prejudiced by the desire of self -gratification, all 
 will arrive at the same conclusion ; namely, 
 that such amusements are inconsistent with the 
 pure principles of the Gospel, and contrary to 
 the spirit of Him who was "holy, harmless, 
 " undefiled, and separate from sinners" Him 
 who set us an example that we should follow 
 his steps. 
 
 May those then who are actively engaged in 
 these performances, as well as those who have 
 hitherto been in the practice of attending them, 
 be led to a serious examination of themselves. 
 May they be brought to a true and living know-
 
 49 
 
 ledge of that Saviour who, through the one 
 eternal Spirit, can enable us rigidly to discern 
 between good and evil ; and by whose power 
 alone we can be prepared to offer acceptable 
 " Hallelujahs" unto God. 
 
 S. fVilkin, Printer, Upper Haymarket, Norwich; 
 AND PUBLISHED AND CIRCULATED BY THE 
 
 New, Solemn League and Covenant, composed 
 of Fanatical, Evangelical Persons (who having 
 deserted the Principles and Doctrines of the 
 Established Protestant Church, yet basely and 
 unconscientiousiy receive its pay and emolu- 
 ments), Quakers, Dippers, Ranters, and Canters 
 of every kind and denomination. 
 
 " Methodism is a composition of Enthusiasm, 
 " Superstition, and Imposture." . 
 
 BISHOP LA.VINGTON. 
 
 " A people that provoketh me to anger, con- 
 " tinually to my face, which say, stand by 
 " thyself, come not near to me, for I am holier 
 " than thou ; these are a smoke in my nose, a 
 " fire that burneth all day." 
 
 65th chapter of Isaiah, 3d and 5th verses, v 
 
 " But they shall proceed no further, for their 
 " folly shall be manifest unto all men." 
 
 3d chapter of St. Paul-'s 2d epistle to Timothy, 9th verse. 
 G
 
 .50 
 
 " Enthusiasts are not aware that nothing in 
 ' this world can succeed which has not reason 
 " for its basis ; and that fanaticism, which is 
 " only religion run rnad, only produces im- 
 " placable feuds, and a dreadful re-action of 
 " profligacy. 
 
 " We should have no schism but for enthu- 
 " siasm ; and there is no enthusiasm where there 
 " is not pride, which being dressed in the garb 
 " and guise of humility, is literally the Devil, 
 " transformed into an Angel of Light, and then 
 " he is most a Devil, because he can most 
 " deceive." 
 
 Snake in the Grass, by the Ret. Charles Leslie, 
 son of Bishop Leslie. 
 
 BACON AND KINNEBROOK, PRINTERS, 
 
 Loudon-Lane, Norwich.
 
 BY BACON AND KINNEBROOK, NORWICH, AND 
 HURST, CHANCE, AND CO. LONDON, 
 
 1 Vol. 4/0. Price \. 5s. 
 
 LETTERS 
 
 FROM THE 
 
 LATE LORD CHEDWORTH 
 
 TO THE 
 
 REV. TUGS. CROMPTON. 
 
 Written in the period from Jan. 1780, to May, 1795. 
 
 IN THE PRESS, 
 
 AN ANSWER 
 
 TO THE 
 
 DIFFICULTIES OF ROMANISM. 
 
 Translated from the M. S. of the Bishop of 
 Strasbourg. 
 
 BY THE REV. F. C. IIUSENBETH. 
 1 VOL. 8vo. 
 
 ALSO, 
 
 REMARKS 
 
 ON THE 
 
 VIOLATION OF THE GRAVE. 
 
 Occasioned by a recent Discovery at Great 
 Yarmouth, and the way in which such Viola- 
 tion has been defended. 
 
 BY PHILOSTORGE.

 
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