ARTICLES, 
 
 fRD-fb THE CRITICAL 
 OU have been told long since that " abuse 
 and Billingsgate is your province," and most uniform- 
 c you maintained the ch.-: after, as your monthly drspu- 
 
 mations air>| ". prove. Ycu have been also told, .: " t: \\-. 
 
 " Critics,, 1'ke hawks, hunt for pleasure ; but the Reviewers, 
 
 u like vultures, ,iunt for pry, and for that reasor.^ycu rather 
 
 " become oiije<fls of pity, tua.: resentment; as like ' jnfw: r. 
 
 " you exerutf for bread ; and therefore, that It shoufd qg a 
 
 " considerable advantage to a <vork, to have your censure j 
 
 " for an author may put \vhat price he pleases on a book that 
 
 " is condemned to be burnt by ti/j hands cf the corner, bang- 
 
 /' 
 You have drawn thk copy of your iu? t portrait upon your- 
 
 selves, by your illiberal attack, in your Review fur Decem- 
 
 ber, upon Mr. Hbiw&Ts Dissertations : a v-.v.rk t'riar Joes ho- 
 
 nour to the hrunan hem" . 
 
 to inculcate and support the supremacy 01 theDr:.-;^. \r^rf- 
 
 unsophist' " 
 
 Save, on 
 
 'cn, for> 
 
 he now < 
 
 whoexul! 
 
 escape th> 
 
 brooding ( 
 
 fice bt-ing 
 
 I t>unalj a'r 
 
 unar. 
 
 usual mod 
 I indecent Si 
 \ ing the Cr 
 
 you may h 
 
 but how 
 
 Itttfti THE LIBRARY 
 
 r;re. 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES

 
 ' 
 
 DISSERTATIONS 
 
 ON THE 
 
 ORIGIN NATURE, AND PURSUITS, 
 
 O F 
 
 INTELLIGENT BEINGS, 
 
 AND ON 
 
 PROVIDENCE, 
 
 ' AND RELIGIOUS WORSHIP. 
 By /. Z. HQLWELL, F. R. S. 
 
 Prkt- Two Shillings and Six-pence.]
 
 DISSERTATIONS 
 
 O M THE 
 
 ORIGIN, NATURE, AND PURSUITS, 
 
 O F 
 
 INTELLIGENT BEINGS, 
 
 AND ON 
 
 DIVINE PROVIDENCE, 
 
 RELIGION, AND RELIGIOUS WORSHIP, 
 
 In the Courfe of which, 
 The HONOUR and DIGNITY of 
 
 THE SUPREME BEING 
 
 IS VINDICATED 
 
 From the abfurd, if not impious Suppofition, that by a 
 particular or partial Providence HE interferes^ influ- 
 ences, and directs, the Thoughts and Determinations 
 of Individuals; and the political Government, Changes, 
 and Events, of States and Kingdoms. 
 
 TO WHICH IS ADDED* 
 
 A neceflary and moft equitable Suggeftion and Plan for 
 the RELIEF of the PRESENT EXIGENCIES of the 
 STATE, the BURDENS of the PEOPLE, and a more 
 honourable Mode for SUPPORTING THE CLERGY. 
 
 Alfo, An eflcntial Sketch for a more rational Form of 
 Worfhip, and a NEW LITURGY. 
 
 By y. Z. HOLWELL, F. R. S. 
 
 Moft humbly inscribed, with all Duty, Loyalty, and Reverence, to the KING, 
 
 (as Supreme Head of the Church) 
 And the Legislature of Great-Britain and Ireland. 
 
 BATH, printed by R. Cruttwell, for the AUTHOR ; 
 
 Asd fold by L, BULI, on the Lower Walks; T. CADELL, in the Strand; 
 
 and C. DILLV, Poultry, London. 1786.
 
 PREVIOUS to our entering on the dif- 
 cufiion of our various fubjects, it will be 
 neceflary, by way of introduction, to 
 beflow a few fections on the relative 
 nature and Hate of man, wherein we 
 ifhall not fcruple, occafionally, to jleal 
 from ourfelf. It is alfo neceflary, that 
 we account for the variations in fenti- 
 ment which will frequently occur in the 
 courfe of thefe meditations, when con- 
 trailed with earlier productions fub- 
 mitted to the public eye: To this our 
 apology will be fhort : increafe of years, 
 experience, obfervation, and (we hope) 
 juft reflection, have produced thefe vari- 
 ations. 
 
 B SECTION 
 
 1C8S5S8
 
 I 7 ] 
 
 Setf. i. 
 
 A N inquifitive and philofophic genius will 
 afk, why, and to what purpofe, GOD 
 created intelligent beings? We anfwer in 
 the words and fentiments of the moft ancient 
 Scripture -, at leaft, as far as our imperfect 
 records tell. 
 
 2. 
 
 " THE ETERNAL ONE, abforbed in the 
 " contemplation of his own exiftence, in 
 " the fulnefs of time, refolved to partici- 
 " pate his glory, and efTence, with beings 
 cc capable of feeling and fharing his beati- 
 " tude, and of adminiftering to his glory. 
 " Thefe beings then, were not; The Eternal 
 " One willed, and they were;, He formed 
 " them in part of his own eflence, capable 
 " of perfection, but with the powers of 
 " imperfe6lion, both dependant on their 
 B 2 ^ voluntary
 
 [ 8 ] 
 
 e< voluntary election." And thus ftands ac- 
 counted for, the caufes of the creation of 
 the prime intelligent beings, or angelic 
 bands. 
 
 3- 
 
 HERE, the Supreme Being is reprefented 
 as an abfolute, good, and powerful Sove- 
 reign, without fuhjec~ls; which, in fa6t, is 
 being no Sovereign at all. The caufes af- 
 figned above, for this new creation, are inge- 
 nious and fublime! fome may think them 
 ideal; but the fatt remains beyond difpute, 
 intelligent beings do exi ft; the query is, can 
 the caufes for their creation be better ac- 
 counted for? 
 
 4- 
 
 HENCE it appears, that the powers of 
 perfection and imperfection, or, in other 
 words, the powers of doing good and evil, 
 were coeval, and ftrikingly marks the free 
 
 agency
 
 t 9 ] 
 
 agency or independence of the will, as the 
 birthright of all intelligent beings. 
 
 5- 
 
 THE Scripture before alluded to has 
 the concurring teftimony of all antiquity, 
 and fupport of every fubfequent fyftem of 
 theology refpefting, not only the creation 
 of angels, but alfo to their deviation from 
 rectitude, and difobedience to certain laws 
 and injunctions they were fubjected to at 
 the period of their creation. It is generally 
 fuppofed, that the number created was im- 
 menfe! but that only one-third of them 
 rebelled. It would be derogatory to the 
 Omnipotence of the Deity, to underftand 
 literally the phrafe, " And there was war in 
 " heaven " all that is here fuggefted, is, the 
 rebels were fubdued, tried, judged, con- 
 demned, and fentenced to fuffer certain pu- 
 nimments and degradations, for a certain 
 fpace of time, in a due proportion to the 
 
 culpa-
 
 culpability of the individual: for as they 
 were, in part, emanations of their Creator's 
 eflence, he could not, or rather would not, 
 annihilate them; annihilation precluding 
 punifhment. 
 
 6. 
 
 THIS revolution in the celeftial regions 
 gave rife to a fecond material creation^ 
 flowing from the mercy and benevolence of 
 the Supreme; part of the fentence of the 
 delinquent angels was, banifhment from his 
 prefence, and expulfion from their feats and 
 rank; and confequently, they were plunged 
 into an abyfs, dark, dreary, and horrid to 
 imagination, as more particularly depicted 
 in the ancient fcripture before cited. 
 
 7- 
 
 THE delinquents had remained in the 
 abyfs for &fpace> when the Creator relented, 
 and gracioufly refolved to mitigate their fuf- 
 
 ferings,
 
 t II 1 
 
 ferings, and put it in their power to regain 
 their loft feats; in order to which, he formed 
 the Planetary Univerfe for their refidence, 
 and releafed them from the horrible abyfs. 
 
 8. 
 
 THE ETERNAL ONE formed his new 
 material creation '6ti fuch occult principles 
 and qualities, as it mould exift only during 
 the fpace allotted for the punimment and 
 probation of the fallen fpirits; by the laws of 
 gravity, attraction, repullion, &c. and by the 
 perpetual action and re-action of caufes to 
 ejfetts in all its parts j fubject to fuch changes 
 as He, in his infinite wifdom, mould meditate, 
 and imprefs upon it. It was doubtlefs, in its 
 original ftate, glorious, lovely, and harmoni- 
 ous ! worthy the Great Architect, fuited for 
 every rational enjoyment; befitting, and not 
 unworthy the dignified beings doomed to 
 inhabit it, although in a degraded ftate, com- 
 pared with the high rank they bore in the 
 
 prefence
 
 t I* I. 
 
 prefence of their Creator. Our conceptions, 
 our judgment, fhould be limited to obferva- 
 tions only, on the fmall portion of creation 
 whofe furface we are deftined to occupy; 
 all our conjectures, from fcience and analogy, 
 on all beyond it, is uncertain, vain, futile, 
 and unprofitable; and diverts our attention 
 from the real end and pi*j<pofe of the Deity's 
 placing us here in this temporary ftate of pro- 
 bation. It has been for fome time evident to 
 the reader, that our chain of reafoning is 
 founded on the prefumption and full convic- 
 tion, that ihefou/s orfpirifs, animating every 
 mortal organifed form, are the identical apo- 
 Itate angels ; but fhould any {tumble at this 
 pleating, flattering, comfortable hypothecs, 
 they are at liberty to reject it; as our eflential 
 arguments are equally applicable to all, con- 
 fidered as rational beings only. Yet we 
 muft not quit our fubjetl, without laying 
 before our readers thofe fentiments which in- 
 fluenced and determined us to this belief. 
 
 If
 
 t '3 1 
 
 If we are not the apoftate fpirits, what are 
 we ? Whence came we ? Why, and to what 
 end and rational purpofe, are we ftationed 
 here in an obvious (late of punifhment and 
 degradation? Why all this profufion of 
 wifdom and contrivance that furround us, in 
 the wonderful conftruction, both internal 
 and external, of the expanded univerfe, and 
 of our own temporary mortal prifons ? And 
 laftly, why this perpetual difTolution and re- 
 novation of all thefe mortal organifed and 
 animated forms? Thele amazing and ftu- 
 pendous operations of the Deity, can be no 
 ways fatisfaftorily accounted for, but from 
 this hypothecs -, and that we conclufively are 
 the apoftate fpirits, fuffering here for our 
 pre-exiftent lapfe. All concur in the belief, 
 that the foul or Tpirit exifts after the dilu- 
 tion of the body, fo afluredly did it exift be- 
 fore its union with it, otherwife we muft fup- 
 pofe the Deity is every inftant employed in 
 creating new fouls; a tenet, we think, the 
 
 molt
 
 r 14 J 
 
 moft greedy and ravenous faith cannot fwal- 
 low. But if we totally give up this hypo- 
 thefis, as merely ideal, yet none will difpute, 
 that man and brute are intelligent beings ani- 
 mating corrupt and mortal forms, whether 
 they are the apoftate fpirits or not, (which by 
 the bye is fuppofing we were all created at a 
 venture) yet to thefe, as (imply fuch, our 
 reafoning and deductions are equally appli- 
 cable, as above hinted. 
 
 9- 
 
 NOR is the creation and formation of 
 the various and innumerable mortal forms, 
 allotted for the more immediate imprifon- 
 ment of the offending fpirits, a work lefs 
 wonderful and ftupendous ! although marked 
 and fubjected to offices of the loweft flate of 
 degradation, deeply wounding to that fatal 
 pride and ambition which firft inftigated their 
 lapfe or fall. 
 
 10, WONDER,
 
 [ 15 1 
 
 io. 
 
 WONDER rifes upon wonder, when we 
 meditate on the incomprehenfible mode of 
 animation given to thefe material forms, and 
 the intelligent fpirit's union with them in a 
 kind of mutual dependance one on the other, 
 and yet in fome fort independant of each 
 other j moft of the corporeal functions being 
 carried on independant of the will of the fpi- 
 rit, and yet its component parts are fubject to 
 its inftantaneous commands, although the 
 fpiritual powers can only acquire ftrength of 
 action in proportion to the growth, ftrength, 
 and maturity of the corporeal. The peculiar 
 properties of the fpirit, as thought, reflection, 
 will, &c. feem totally independant of its cor- 
 poreal companion j and yet the fmalleft de- 
 fect, either from external or internal injuries 
 fuftained by the latter, deprives the former of 
 its powers of action, and frequently even of 
 its rationality. The whole is a maze, incom- 
 prehenfible to all but the divine Projector 
 
 and
 
 [ 16 ] 
 
 and Fabricator ! Let us wonder, and be 
 filent ! 
 
 ii. 
 
 OF matters infinitely great and import- 
 ant, we can only form our conceptions from 
 lefTer occurrences which fall within ourprefent 
 finite powers. The hiftories of all nations 
 afford us frequent inflances of fudden, fhort, 
 and fometimes dangerous infurreclions in a 
 ftate, which take their rife from the very dregs 
 of the people 5 but when a total revolution 
 and fubverfion of the ftate and government is 
 meditated and attempted, we ever obferve, it 
 takes its rife from the machinations of the 
 higher ranks. In this laft fpecies of rebel- 
 lion, which is only in point, the prime 
 inftigators and actors are the moft culpable, 
 and confequently fubje6l to the feverefl pu- 
 nifhment. Their abettors and fupporters 
 come next in degree of culpability, and 
 milder punifhment; and the multitude, who 
 
 are
 
 I '7 ] 
 
 are drawn afide from their allegiance rather 
 by the errors of their judgment, than from 
 malevolence, become objecls of the fove. 
 reign clemency. 
 
 12. 
 
 WE are given to underftand by the 
 fcriptures before cited, as well as our own, 
 that when the Supreme Being created the 
 angelic bands, he conftituted them of differ- 
 ent tribes; fome held highly exalted ranks ; 
 others, by due gradations, more fubordinate 
 ones. But although fome of the higher 
 tribes might poflefs fuperior intellectual pow- 
 ers and abilities, yet all were equally en- 
 dowed as free agents. They were not then, 
 as in their prefent (late of exiftence, fettered 
 and chained to corrupt and mortal forms, 
 and their intellectual powers thereby clogged 
 and weakened ; therefore none had a plea of 
 exemption from punifhment in a greater or 
 lefler degree, when their rebellion and apof- 
 tacy was fubdued.
 
 13- 
 
 WE are now to fuppofe (according with 
 our hypothecs ) that the offending fpirits 
 are undergoing the various punifhments 
 allotted for them by their juft Judge. And 
 here it is effential to obferve, that in the con- 
 traction of the human form, there feems to 
 be a pre-eminence annexed, when compared 
 with the reft of the animal creation , although 
 they are all indifcriminately fubjected, as to 
 corporeal functions, to the fame mortifying 
 ftate. There muft have been fome important 
 caufe for this pre-eminence. The offending 
 fpirit, under this form, feems to poffefs almoft 
 the full exertion of thofe intellectual powers 
 with which it was originally endowed; not 
 fo refpecting the reft of the intelligent forms, 
 which we crudely diftinguifh by the title of 
 the Brute Creation. Between whom, and the 
 human form, a line of limitation feems to be 
 drawn by the Deity, touching the exertion of 
 their intelligent powers, which in the brutes 
 
 feew
 
 [ '9 3 
 
 feem at leaft under reftraint, but under the 
 human form more at large; confequently, 
 the former are under a feverer flate of repro- 
 bation, and lower degradation. But as to 
 the extmt of their intellect, as to thought, 
 reflection, &c. we are totally ignorant; but 
 that they are fo endowed, is a truth beyond 
 difpute, although poffibly in an inferior de- 
 gree; and thofe who attribute and confine 
 morals to the human kind, and deny them 
 to the brutes, only prove themfelves fuper- 
 ficial obfervers of their actions. That they 
 are compounded beings, fpirltual and cor- 
 poreal, like ourfelves, none can deny, but 
 thofe who wilfully (hut the eyes of their un- 
 derftanding. That they have finned, as 
 well as we, in a pre-exiftent ftate, is equally 
 certain; that they have an equal right (po. 
 fibly a fuperior) to expect a remiflion of their 
 (ins, and falvation at the confummation of 
 all things, who will be hardy enough to dif- 
 pute? David fays, " Lord, Thou fhalt/zi^ 
 
 " both
 
 [ 20 ] 
 
 " both man and becft" What Paul of Tar- 
 fus (commonly although erroneoufly filled 
 Saint Paul) fays more cogently on the fub- 
 je6t, we mall referve for a fubfequent fection. 
 . That man mould mew no mercy to the brutes, 
 is not wonderful 5 he exhibits none to his 
 own fpecies. 
 
 H- 
 
 REASON (by analogy) has already fug- 
 gefted, that the apoftate fpirits were not 
 equally guilty; confequently, in the eye of 
 a juft and merciful Judge, they could not all 
 be doomed to equal punifhment; therefore, it 
 may be rationally fuppofed, that the Deity, 
 in conftru&ing the mortal forms they were 
 deftined to animate, had a retrofpecl: to the 
 degree of guilt of each individual, or rather 
 of each diftincl Tribe. Thus, we may very 
 confiftently conceive, that the moft atrocious 
 leaders and abettors of the celeflial defection, 
 were doomed to animate the moft ferocious 
 
 forms.
 
 [ 21 1 
 
 forms, as man, lions, tygers, bears, wolves, 
 and every other fpecies, known and fhunned 
 as beajls of prey, and marked for their cruel, 
 oppreffive, tyrannic, and malicious difpofi- 
 tions, either in the terreflrial, aerial, or aqua- 
 tic regions of this globe: and in like wife, the 
 lefTer delinquents to animate the lefs offen- 
 live, which do not come under the denomi- 
 nation of animals of prey, as ufualiy under- 
 flood; fuch as the bulk of the hoofed and 
 horned tribes, &c. : and the leaft offending 
 of the apoflate fpirits, to animate thofe 
 forms which appear to us the mofl innocent 
 and inoffenfive of the various animals which 
 occupy the air, the earth, and the waters ; as 
 the greateft part of the feathered kind, &c. 
 And it may be alfo fuppofed, that it is this 
 laft tribe of fpirits which occafionaliy ani- 
 mate thofe human forms who pafs irioffen- 
 fively through the walks of life, without any 
 mark of confpicuity annexed to their charac- 
 C terj
 
 ter; as is, in general, the ftate of the females 
 of that fpecies. 
 
 15- 
 
 ON a critical review and comparifon of the 
 animal tribes, we fhall find, that their felicity 
 and infelicity are in wide extremes j and all 
 are fo constituted (as an immediate and per- 
 petual punifhment) to be inimical to, and in 
 the general, the natural prey and food of 
 each other, the human kind not excepted. 
 Man and brute's greateft enemy is man-, in 
 every age, and on every portion of this habi- 
 table globe, marked with univerfal havock 
 and deftruclion to the animal forms, the 
 works of nature, art, and labour, we find 
 that man has been the wicked prime agent. 
 Pre-eminent as he is, in the extent and exer- 
 cife of his intellectual powers, he is equally 
 fo in every fpecies of vice; in violation of his 
 fuperior reafon and rank in the fcale of intel- 
 ligent beings. 
 
 16. IT
 
 r 
 
 16. 
 
 IT is moft confiftent with reafon and pro- 
 bability to fuppofe and believe, that the Deity, 
 in the creation of the material forms, def- 
 tined, by a kind of fympathetic movement 
 incomprehenfible to us, that the delinquent 
 fpirits fhould naturally, as we may fay, and 
 fpontaneoufly, enter thofe forms which beft 
 fuited their various degrees of guilt, and 
 difpofitions, without any immediate new ef- 
 fort of the Creator; and that this union 
 fhould in fuch wife be perpetual, on every 
 re-entry of the fpirit (on the diflblution of 
 its former prifon) into the fame fpecies, or 
 into any other form analagous thereto. For 
 inftance; a malignant fpirit, being obliged 
 to take its flight from the expiring tyger, 
 would from that fympathy, forcibly imprefled 
 upon it by the Deity, enter and animate 
 another form of the fame kind, or that of the 
 lion, the wolf, &c. and thus of all the other 
 C 2 tribes
 
 tribes of the delinquent angels, through the 
 various animal creation. 
 
 17- 
 
 ALTHOUGH it appears difficult to compre- 
 hend how the fufferings of the corporeal part 
 of our compofition fhould affect purefpirit, 
 yet the fact is certain; but as the difeafes and 
 pains of the body have their rife, in the ge- 
 neral, from the intemperance and folly of the 
 will in the fpirit, it is but equity it fhould 
 participate in the higher degree, as the greater 
 and indeed the only tranfgreflbrj by a per- 
 verfion of reafon, in the injurious ufes and 
 tafks it impofes on the corporeal functions 
 fubjected to its dominion : hereby entailing a 
 punifhment all its own, and not inflicted by 
 its Creator. Other inevitable confequences 
 attend this perverfion of reafon and the will; 
 namely, the premature diflblution of the 
 body, and more frequent tranfmigration of 
 the fpirit : but of this more hereafter. 
 
 18. THE
 
 i8. 
 
 THE fpirits of angel, man, and brute, 
 being identically, and fpecifically, one and the 
 fame free agents^ are confequently accountable; 
 otherwife, if not free agents, they cannot be 
 accountable beings; they are mere nothings, 
 air and matter, machines only, actuated and 
 moved like puppets, by fome unfeen power 
 behind the curtain; a conclufion, which a 
 confcious principle within us forbids our 
 
 harbouring. Thus far premifed, we will 
 
 clofe this our introductory difquifition on the 
 nature, and relative ftate of man and brute, 
 by a fhort recapitulation of the preceding 
 matters. We have traced the caufes which 
 excited the Deity to the creation of intelli- 
 gent beings : He formed them with powers 
 to obey certain injunctions he had fubjected 
 them to, in the obedience of which he con- 
 flituted their prime felicity; but this obe- 
 dience was optional and free. Ambition and 
 pride urged a portion of them to fpurn at fub- 
 C 3 ordinate
 
 [ 26 ] 
 
 ordinate happinefs, and they rebelled ; juftice 
 doomed them to certain punifhments, for a 
 certain fpace of time; contrition fucceeded, 
 clemency and mercy interfered, and the 
 SUPREME formed a material univerfe for 
 their fojourn, during the fpace of their ba- 
 niihment. He framed this ilupendous work 
 on a GENERAL PROVIDENTIAL plan, for the 
 prefervation and duration of the whole, on 
 the invariable operation of caufes to effe6ts, 
 and implanted in the material mortal forms, 
 deftined for their clofer imprifonment, a cer- 
 tain principle, which fhould excite each 
 individual to renew and propagate its fpecies 
 in perpetuity. And by the laws of diftribu- 
 tive juftice, fo conflituted them, that every 
 virtuous fentiment and acYion, and every vice 
 and deviation from moral rectitude, fhould 
 carry its reward and punijhment along with it, 
 (our own feelings confirm this truth, as do, we 
 have no doubt, the feelings of all others) as 
 natural confequences of caufes and effecls; 
 
 either
 
 [ 27 ] 
 
 either immediately, in their prefentform of 
 exiftence, or relatively, in ^future-, without 
 any interference of the Deity, until the expi- 
 ration of the term immutably decreed for the 
 banifhment, punifhment, and probation of 
 
 the delinquents. Here we beg leave to 
 
 refer our readers to the perufal of our three 
 parts of " Interefting Hiflorical Events of 
 Indoftan," printed for Mr. Becket, London; 
 and to our fhort EfTay, entitled " Primitive 
 Religion elucidated," printed for Mr. Bull, 
 at Bath; as they will fupport and illuftrate 
 our prefent undertaking. 
 
 '9- 
 
 IT is a well-founded principle in philo- 
 fophy, that fupernatural powers fliould never 
 be called in to our aid, when natural prove 
 fufficient for the purpofes under confidera- 
 tion. When this maxim, and the various 
 premifes traced in the foregoing feclions, are 
 duly weighed in the fcale of common fenfe 
 
 and
 
 and reafon, how prepofterous, unworthy, 
 and derogatory, muft it not appear to the 
 dignity and majefty of the Divine Supreme 
 Being, to hear his particular and partial 
 providence or interference wantonly annexed 
 to, and proilituted to the moft trifling, and 
 degrading occurrences which pafs daily and 
 hourly amongft us? And is it not amazing 
 in the extreme, that mankind, from the ear- 
 .lieft records which our crude and limited 
 chronological ideas of the duration of the 
 world have furnifhed us with, fhould have 
 f oftered, broached, and propagated, fuch a 
 grofs, prefumptive, and ignominious concep- 
 tion of their GOD! Let us try if we cannot 
 account for this feemingly unaccountable 
 general infatuation. 
 
 20. 
 
 IT is no lefs aftonifhing, that a portion of 
 mankind, in all ages and in all nations, fhould 
 have acquired the addrefs to fubjugate and 
 
 hood-
 
 C *9 ] 
 
 hoodwink the reafon and faculties of the 
 reft of their fellow creatures, in what is 
 called fpirituals, as well as in temporals, 
 under the various denominations of Prophets, 
 Priejis, &c. Strange as this appears, thefatf 
 is univerfally. notorious. 
 
 21. 
 
 THE fallen fpirits animating this tribe, 
 (ftiled by themfelves the men of God) we may 
 with the higheft certainty conclude, were the 
 very prime projectors, leaders, and moll active 
 abettors, of the revolt in heaven ; and failing 
 in their attempt againft their GOD and Crea- 
 tor, but (till influenced by the fame prin- 
 ciples, namely, an infatiable thirft for power 
 and dominion, they meditated how they 
 fhould fubjecT: their fellow-rebels to their 
 fway and government here below \ which, 
 taking the advantage of their original fupe- 
 rior faculties and art, they were eafily enabled 
 to accomplifh in the following manner. 
 
 22. THEIR
 
 [ 30 ] 
 
 22. 
 
 THEIR firft political movement was the 
 afifuming an external fanclity of manners, 
 and to eflablifti a prepofTeffion on the fur- 
 rounding fpirits of fomething f acred being 
 annexed to their perfons and characters; and 
 to heighten and improve this reverence, 
 they pretended frequent and familiar inter- 
 courfe with the DEITY, and that at their 
 intercefllon, he would grant every petition 
 they preferred to him; and finally they incul- 
 cated the principle we are combating, that 
 GOD, by his peculiar and partial providence, 
 perpetually interfered in the tranfaclions of 
 individuals, and that their daily interpofition 
 on the behalf of finners, was eflentially necef- 
 fary, to foften and deprecate his wrath and 
 vengeance. Thus by flow, but fure degrees, 
 they reached the fummit of their views, and 
 got under their abfolute controul, not only 
 the confciences, but the perfons and property 
 of the bulk of the people, and retain that 
 
 dominion
 
 t 31 ] 
 
 dominion until this hour, over ninety-nine 
 hundred parts of this habitable globe. And 
 thus only can be accounted for this univerfal 
 infatuation, operating on the contrition, 
 fears, and apprehenfions of the multitude, 
 upon their recent expulfion, and banifhment 
 from the celeftial regions, by the crafty infi- 
 nuations of this malignant rfribe j who, by 
 the impious tenet of the conftant interference 
 of the Deity in the tranfaclions of mankind, 
 precluded the firfl gift of their Creator, free 
 agency, thereby making their GOD the author 
 of, or conniver at, all evil. But they flopped 
 not here ; for ambition, power, and avarice 
 know no bounds: in procefs of time, they 
 impioufly afiumed the prerogatives and at- 
 tributes of the DEITY; they made themfelves 
 to be worfhipped and adored I they polfefled 
 themfelves of temporalities and principalities, 
 and trod on the necks of kings j and by the 
 fubordinate agency of their brethren, they 
 fowed diflention religious and civil through- 
 out
 
 t 33 ] 
 
 out every land where they obtained a footing. 
 Upon a retrofpeclive view of the hiftory of 
 all nations, we fhall find them, either openly 
 or covertly, the active promoters of perfe- 
 cutions, blood and flaughter, rebellions, and 
 murders. 
 
 *3- 
 
 To this erroneous principle of a particular 
 and partial providence, are alfo afcribed the 
 rife, revolutions, downfall, and extinction of 
 mighty empires, kingdoms, and ftates; al- 
 though the annals of the world obvioufly 
 fhew they all can be accounted for without 
 the interference of fupernatural powers, by 
 the refult of common and natural caufes and 
 effetfs. Had the Senators of Rome been an- 
 nually elected, as the Confuls were, and the 
 deftructive diftinction of Patrician and Ple- 
 beian never taken place, probably Rome had 
 not fallen. Had there been a legal fucceflbr 
 of mature age to Alexander's dominion, or 
 
 had
 
 [ 33 I 
 
 had he even appointed a fucceflbr, probably 
 the Macedonian empire had fubfifted to this 
 day. And, in a late moft mortifying in- 
 ftancej had an adequate coercive force been 
 immediately exerted by the acting powers; 
 had thefe powers not been milled by falfe 
 intelligence and advice ; had all of thofe 
 entrufted with the executive part, done their 
 duty, as fome individuals did, with exem- 
 plary loyalty, and military prowefsj and had 
 not rebellion abroad been foftered, aided, 
 comforted, and abetted, by traitors at home; 
 this nation had not fuftained an irreparable 
 lofs. And thus of every ftate, that has, 
 does, or may exift; there has ever been, and 
 probably ever will be, fome fundamental 
 error in its rife, or political progrefs, which 
 by the natural operations of caufes and ef- 
 fects, infures its final definition, without 
 any neceffity of intruding fupernatural in- 
 terference. 
 
 24. THE
 
 [ 34 I 
 
 24. 
 
 THE peculiar and partial providence of GOD, 
 is alfo febfurdly ufhered in to account for 
 the mod trifling incidents of life, as before 
 remarked. It is proftituted in every bro- 
 thel, and feminary of vice; it is hackneyed 
 throughout every trumpery novel; and im- 
 ptied, (nay, is the Jlne qua non, the funda- 
 mental,) in the worfhip of every community; 
 for fhould this derogatory principle be ex- 
 ploded, the influence of the tribe who firft 
 eftablifhed it, would ceafe, as well as the 
 temporal emoluments arifmg therefrom. 
 They regarded not in what degree they de- 
 preciated the dignity of their GOD, in cul- 
 tivating this tenet; although confcious that 
 thereby they introduced him on every occa- 
 fion, counteracting his own work of free 
 agency, and totally annihilating the very idea 
 or poffibility of prefent or future rewards 
 and pumihrrients. 
 
 25. WE
 
 f 35 1 
 
 25. 
 
 WE may rationally conceive and conclude, 
 that the Supreme Being, wrapped in the 
 divine contemplation of his own beatitude, 
 and in the adoration and fidelity of the re- 
 maining angelic bands, looks down, with an 
 eye of benevolence and commiferation, on 
 thofe who fell from their allegiance. He 
 fees the perverfion of thofe intellectual pow- 
 ers with which he had originally endowed 
 them, as a paffive fpetfator only. He fees with 
 pity, that in place of exerting tkofe powers in 
 the laudable purfuits, and enjoyment, of fuch 
 temporary local bleilings as he had benevo- 
 lently left within their reach, and in cherifh- 
 ing and protecting each other, under what- 
 foever external form they were inclofed. He 
 obferves them mutually exerted for the diame- 
 trically oppofite purpofes of deceit, perfidy, 
 oppreffion, and cruelty, one to the other 5 or 
 devoted to ufelefs, vain, and prefumptive re- 
 fearches, in purfuit of what are vaguely 
 
 termed
 
 36 ] 
 
 termed knowledge, arts, and fciencesj or 
 devoted to every fpecies of frivolous wanton 
 luxury and diflipation, which fenfuality can 
 dictate j or perpetually exercifing their talents 
 in lawlefs violence, rapine, murder, drunk- 
 ennefs, and fuicide. He marks the multitude, 
 frill under the infatuation and influence of 
 thofe malignant fpirits who firfl drew them 
 from their original purity. He notes thofe 
 fpirits, inftigating and ftirring up the ambi- 
 tion, pride, and avarice of kings, to the 
 definition of each other, with millions of 
 their miferable fubjectsj placing their GOD, 
 or his deftroying angel, at the head of their 
 armies. 
 
 26. 
 
 ON the foregoing furvey of the real flat e of 
 the inhabitants of this globej can we poflibly 
 conceive, that they are the objects of a juft 
 GOD'S providential care and conftant inter- 
 pofhion, with lefs than a degree of blaf- 
 phemy? Surely, no.
 
 [ 37 ] 
 
 =7- 
 IT will be objected, that if this be really 
 
 and truly the cafe, and that the DEITY does 
 not interfere, otherwife than by his general 
 laws and providence in the government of 
 the world and its inhabitants the inutility of 
 all religion and religious worfhip is neceffa- 
 rily Implied. Not fo, abfolutely, as our fub- 
 fequent feclions (hall evidence; but the trade, 
 the traffick, the external pomp, parade, and 
 ceremonials of all religious worfhip exifting, 
 certainly are; and muft undergo a fevere ar- 
 raignment and profecution. Let us ferloujly 
 (if poffible) take a review of all the fyftems 
 of religious worfliip in the known world, 
 from times almoft immemorial to the prefent 
 day; let us comment on their various con- 
 tradictory, idolatrous, puerile, non-efTential, 
 ridiculous, legerdemain tricks and ceremo- 
 nies, and unceafing fchifms, annexed to them 
 all without exception; and then afk ourfelves 
 whether we can conceive, confiftently with 
 D reafon,
 
 [ 38 ] 
 
 reafon, that fuch a motley worfhip can be 
 pleating to GOD, which appears juftly ridi- 
 culous in the eyes of man? 
 
 28. 
 
 WE will next take a view of the daily farce 
 and mockery of religion and religious wor- 
 fhip. Two neighbouring ftates proclaim a 
 diabolical war againft each other, founded 
 on ambition, pride, avarice, punctilio, or 
 other pretences} in the courfe of which, de- 
 flruction dire falls on their refpeclive coun- 
 tries, their people, and a large portion of 
 their fellows of the brute creation; and fa- 
 mine and peftilence not an uncommon con- 
 fequence! The religious worlhip eftablifhed 
 in each of the kingdoms of thefe belligerent 
 powers, fupplicates the DEITY to fan6lion, 
 aifift, and fupport their infernal operations, 
 and 7> Deum on each fide is fung for their 
 various fuccefTes and triumphs in the glorious 
 and pious thiril and purfuit of blood and 
 
 defolation.
 
 [ 39 1 
 
 defolation. Can the peculiar providence of a 
 benevolent GOD, be poflibly conceived to a6l 
 or interfere in fuch fcenes of horror? He 
 can neither permit or connive at evil; nor can 
 it be imagined, without the higheft impiety, 
 that he interpofes or permits that medley of 
 atrocious fin and wickednefs, which are 
 hourly perpetrated in every capital city of 
 the world j or that he interferes, guides, or 
 influences, the deftructive operations of war, 
 excited by malevolent motives, and carried on 
 with unremitting infernal fury on both fides. 
 Is not then the mockery of worfhip jufl 
 above alluded to, moft juflly arraigned? 
 
 29- 
 
 WE will now take a view of religious 
 worfhip in different lights, where the fuppo- 
 fed interfering providence of the DEITY, by 
 the moft unaccountable infatuation of the 
 rational faculties, is invoked to change, fuf- 
 pend, or flop the courfe of his general laws, 
 D 2 to
 
 [ 40 ] 
 
 to gratify the prefent interefted cravings, 
 difcontent, and impatience, of a few greedy 
 individuals. If an uncommon drought hap- 
 pen, he is worried to fend rain upon the 
 earth; if the contrary fall out, he is invoked 
 to give funfhine and fair weather; not ad- 
 verting, that his general laws of diftribution, 
 in either cafe, are impartial and immutable. 
 Two (hips in purfuit of that baneful fcience 
 commerce^ (which ever has been, is, and ever 
 will be, the perpetual fource of mifchievous 
 contentions between nations) are rounding a 
 promontory, in oppofite courfes, the one 
 requiring a north wind, the other a fouth; 
 we will fuppofe them to be at fuch a diftance 
 as to be out of fight ,of each other, with 
 various unfavourable currents of air, and 
 foul tempeftuous weather; in both cafes, the 
 DEITY is worried by prayer to comply with 
 their contrary petitions, for fair winds and 
 weather; and if they fail, the images of their 
 tutelar faints or idols refpeclively, are brought 
 
 out
 
 r 4' ] 
 
 out by their priejls^ carried round in ridicu- 
 lous proceflion, and invoked to mediate with 
 GOD for a fair wind, or to quell the ftorm; 
 and if they are efteemed tardy or idle in their, 
 application, they are fcourged and ducked, 
 to bring them into more compliant order. 
 Now, is it poflible to conceive, that in na- 
 ture there can be any thing fo perfectly 
 ludicrous and farcical, as thefe inconteflible 
 faffs prefent us with ? Infatuated and mif- 
 guided fpirits ! what follies and extravagan- 
 cies will ye not be guilty of, under the 
 continued influence of your prime malig- 
 nant leaders ? Can you believe, that your 
 GOD will liften to, or interpofe his divine 
 providence to your unworthy incongruous 
 fupplications ? or that he will flretch forth 
 his arm to fave and extricate you from perils 
 and dangers which you have avaricioufly and 
 wantonly brought upon yourfelves? No, 
 your cool and uninfluenced reafon will not 
 juftify fuch abfurd and offenlive conceptions 
 of your GOD.
 
 [ 42 ] 
 
 30- 
 TH E foregoing three fpecimens of the 
 
 farce and mockery of religious worfhip fhall 
 fuffice, although we could produce a multi- 
 tude more, equally derogatory to the juft 
 ideas we ought to entertain of the Supreme 
 Being; but a ilricter fcrutiny into ihe prin- 
 ciples and dogmas of all religions remains for 
 difcuflion, which has been only (lightly 
 glanced at in our 27th fe<5lion. He muil be 
 little verfed in ecclefiaftical ftory, who can 
 for a moment doubt that thejy/tems of all, 
 without exception, fall juftly under the lafti 
 of reafon and real piety. They are unworthy 
 GOD, and ourfelves; they are all a ilrange 
 compound of unintelligible fenfelefs jargon, 
 and incomprehenfible contradictory myfteries, 
 illuftrated and decorated with equally fenfe- 
 lefs forms and non-eflential ceremonies. If 
 they had any thing really pure, and worthy 
 the DEITY, in their birth and original infti- 
 tutes, they are fo mutilated, corrupted, and 
 
 adulterated,
 
 [ 43 1 
 
 adulterated, their authors would not know 
 them again, but fpurn at and deteft the 
 fpurious ifTue. We have ftudioufly and can- 
 didly traced them all to the fountain head, and 
 have no doubt remaining but that they were 
 originally founded on pure ethicks, framed, 
 promulged, and propagated, by fome of the 
 leaft offending contrite fpirits, on their firft 
 taking pofleffion of this planet -, and ifTued as 
 laws and principles that would infure their 
 local felicity, and prove at the fame time 
 pleafmg to their merciful Creator. On this 
 pure bafts, the malignant fpirits, in procefs 
 of time, raifed a fuperftructure fubverfive of 
 reafon, and all things facredj they formed 
 fyflems vtreligion and ivorjhip, correfponding 
 with the plan we traced in our 2 ad feftion, 
 infuring to themfelves importance and emolu- 
 ments: tfrey held forth their GOD as a flalk- 
 ing-horfe, a decoy, to enfnare the minds of 
 the unwary multitude in the nets of fuper- 
 ftitious credulity, they fucceeded, and efta- 
 
 bliQied
 
 { 44 ] 
 
 blifhed their power and influence over them. 
 The modern fyftems of BRAMAH, MOSES, 
 and CHRIST, were founded on the unity and 
 fupremacy of the Godhead, and ethicks; the 
 firft and laft on a more exalted, fublime, and 
 refined fcale, and they have all fuffered the 
 fame mutilated and corrupted fate, by the 
 fame mifchievous malignant fpirits. We call 
 thofe fyftems modern^ fetting at nought the 
 waking -dreams of the wifefl of the wife, 
 refpecting the real duration of this globe, 
 and planetary univerfe. The Mahommedan 
 fyftem, although a mere compilation of ex- 
 travagant, incoherent rhapfodies, yet by 
 ftealing from Mofes the pious tenet of the 
 .unity of the Godhead) he eftablifhed to him- 
 felf the character of a divine Prophet and 
 meffenger from GOD, and his Koran was 
 rapidly embraced by nineteen twentieths of 
 the delinquent fpirits of this earth, forming 
 the greateft empires exifting. 
 
 31. WE
 
 [ 45 ] 
 
 3 1 ' 
 WE have occafionally arraigned the pur- 
 
 fuits of mankind, in fearch of knowledge^ arts, 
 andfciences. We fhall not in this expofition 
 tritely quote Solomon as our oracle, although 
 by long experience he found them all futile 
 and vain: our aim is, to prevent the mifap- 
 plication of time, expence, and talents, 
 which might be employed to better purpofes. 
 Whether we fucceed or not, it muft be allowed 
 that our intentions and attempt are laudable; 
 in order to which, we will, with deference, 
 analife a few of the moft capital, and begin 
 with the moft ancient Aftronomy. 
 
 32- 
 
 THE Chaldeans, according to our limited 
 records and ideas, are fuppofed to have been 
 the firft aftronomers. Their obfervations on 
 the annual revolutions and motions of the 
 vifible luminaries, as far as they conduced to 
 inftrucl: them in the return of times and 
 
 feafons
 
 [ 46 1 
 
 feafons for the cultivation of the earth, was 
 natural and proper; it was a fimple and 
 ufeful knowledge, which exifts to this day in 
 all countries, upoii the fame artlefs principles, 
 by a race totally ignorant of aftronomy as a 
 fcience. Of what realufe or importance is it to 
 mankind in general, to know whether the fun 
 moves round the planets, or the planets round 
 the fun? or whether his place in the Zodiac 
 is in Leo, Libra, Taurus, &c. ? of what figni- 
 fication is it to know whether our globe flands 
 Jftill, or has a daily rotation from Weft'to Eaft ? 
 The folution of thefe, and many other phce- 
 nomena, may be ingenious; but the wifely 
 ignorant (if the expreilion may be allowed) 
 in thefe abftrufe and unprofitable refearches 
 are as happy, and probably more fo, than the 
 fewy whom vanity has prompted to fignalize 
 themfelves as beings of a fuperior rank. 
 The unlearned, the multitude, are fatisfied 
 with obferving the ufeful obvious effe&s, 
 without diving for profound and hidden 
 
 caufes,
 
 [ 47 1 
 
 y which lie out of their depth. They 
 fee, with placid minds and gratitude, the fun, 
 moon, and ftars, rife and fet, and the alter- 
 nate viciflitudes of light and darknefs, day and 
 night5 and adore the Being who firft created 
 them, and gave motion to the whole: not fo 
 the Chaldeans i for as they are fuppofed to be 
 the firfl aftronomers, they are alfo deemed to 
 have been the firft idolaters, by the mitiga- 
 tion of the malignant fpirits, who from this 
 aftronomical root branched out the fcience of 
 judicial aftrology, which infamoufly taught, 
 that from certain conjunctions, afpects, and 
 combinations of the ftars and planets, the 
 inevitable fate of every individual was dif- 
 tinctly marked j and that they themfelves 
 only were their infallible interpreters. The 
 Priefthood, in early days, arrogated to them- 
 felves this fpecies of deceit ; and to this day, 
 in the Baft, continue to avail themfelves of 
 it, with confiderable emoluments j but they 
 have dropped it in the more enlightened Weft, 
 
 and
 
 [ 48 1 
 
 and a few needy wretches amongft the laity 
 have taken it up, under the title of fortune- 
 tellers, who never fail of dupes in the lower 
 ranks of the people. On the whole, it mufl 
 appear incongruous to reafon and common 
 fenfe to imagine, that the DEITY can be 
 pleafed with thefe vague purfuits, and at- 
 tempts to penetrate his impenetrable laws of 
 creation. The theories of this fcience have 
 ever been ideal, at variance, and contradic- 
 tory, the one exploding the other j and fo it 
 will be ad infinitum j therefore, the utmofl 
 that can be faid of the celebrated labours of 
 its profeflbrs, is, that they have exhibited a 
 profufion of deep erudition and exalted genius 
 to very little purpofe, refpecling the well- 
 being or felicity of the general; and that 
 the fuperior talents of Pythagoras, Ptolomy, 
 Copernicus, Tycho Brachas, Gallileo, Des 
 Cartes, Newton, and the reft of the ftar- 
 gazers, have been totally mifapplied: and it 
 is our opinion, that the admired line of Pope, 
 " And fhow a NEWTON as we (how an ape,"
 
 t 49 1 
 
 (alluding to the fuppofed wonder of the 
 celeftial beings on his arrival amongft them) 
 which is commonly underflood to be a high 
 compliment paid to that great man, (for 
 great he certainly was) rather carries with it 
 a concealed fatire. 
 
 5 32. 
 
 WE will next confider the art of Naviga- 
 tion, to which aflronomy and geography have 
 been aiders and abettors -, and here we may fay, 
 that the malignant fpirits feem to have reached 
 the neplus ultra, or extreme of their malicious 
 purpofes, for the perpetual confufion and 
 deftruction of all mortal forms. It is highly 
 improbable, that when the DEHT Y planted the 
 different regions of this globe with the fallen 
 fpirits, or intelligent beings, his defign was, 
 they fhould ever have communication with 
 each other; his placing the expanded and oc- 
 occafionally tempefluous ocean between them 
 exhibits an inconteftible proof to the con- 
 trary.
 
 C so ] 
 
 trary. But in this, as in every thing elfe, 
 man has counteracted his wife and benevo- 
 lent intentions, tfhis art firft created dif- 
 content in the minds of men with the lot 
 and ftation marked out for them by their 
 Creator, (for touching the fuppofed difperfion 
 of the original inhabitants of the earth from 
 the plains of Shinar, we look upon it, and 
 we hope without offence, as merely ideal or 
 allegory, as other productions of the fame 
 author undoubtedly are.) It excited new 
 cravings, and imaginary wants, and as men 
 found they had acquired the means of grati- 
 fying them, they fet no bounds to their 
 paflions and appetites ; in procefs of time they 
 invaded every quarter of the globe, and 
 marked their way with horror and defola- 
 tion, under the covert fpecious pretence of 
 extending commerce, (a fcience which cannot 
 be too often execrated) accompliihed by the 
 ruin and murder of millions, to glut the 
 avarice and wanton defires of the few: wit- 
 
 nefs
 
 I Si 1 
 
 nefs the conqueft of Mexico and Peru, the 
 bloody tranfactions and cruelties attending 
 the Eaftern expeditions, the circumnaviga- 
 tors, buccaneers, &c. &c. Surely the inter- 
 fering hand of Providence cannot be fuppofed 
 to have a fhare in fuch atrocious deeds, with- 
 out a degree of blafphemy. 
 
 33- 
 
 THE art of Printing, what dire mifchiefs 
 has it not produced? what difTentions, civil 
 and religious, moral and divine, has it not 
 excited in the bofoms of contending mortals? 
 what favage cruelties, bloodfhed, and murders, 
 has it not been the caufe of? what deflruc~lion 
 to general peace, and tranquility publick and 
 private, has it not been the parent of? It 
 has ever been the fuccefsful weapon of dif- 
 cord, in the hands of the malignant fpirits, 
 to ftimulate to lawlefs ambition, fedition, and 
 rebellion j it has propagated and difleminated 
 controverfial feuds and principles, deroga- 
 tory
 
 I 52 ] 
 
 tory to the being and majefty of GOD, and his 
 divine attributes j it has dared to publifh and 
 circulate productions, whofe tendency could 
 only vitiate and deftroy the morals and virtues 
 of mankind; and for one grain of good this 
 art has produced, it has fown a pound of evil, 
 which has fprung up an hundred-fold. The 
 productions of Romance, Fiction, Novels, 
 Poetry, and Mufic, although poflibly the lean: 
 exceptionable of all the dependant tribes on 
 this art of printing, have neverthelefs, im- 
 proper and dangerous tendencies ; they are 
 all calculated chiefly to amufe, and lull to 
 ftupor the imaginations of thoughtlefs be- 
 ings j to tickle the ears, and feed the fenfes of 
 the voluptuous and extravagant -, and lead 
 aftray the minds, particularly of the youth 
 of both fexes, from more ufeful and eflential 
 applications. The tenets of a few moral 
 writers diffeminated by this art, may have 
 produced fome partial good, but the immo- 
 ralities fcattered and circulated by the fame 
 
 channel,
 
 [ 53 J 
 
 channel, have overbalanced them tenfold. 
 f< Some writers exalt human nature to a de- 
 " gree of excellence they have no claim or 
 " pretenfions to; others debafe it to a degree 
 " too humiliating;" although, by the general 
 bent, the latter feems to have demonftration 
 on their fide. The philofophic difquifitions 
 propagated by this art, have only ferved to 
 miflead and puzzle the multitude, and con- 
 found the understandings of all. Some 
 " Philofophers have fpiritualized matter; 
 ce others have materialized fpirit;" fome have 
 affixed a precife birth to the duration of 
 the world, others make it eternal. In fhort, 
 and to clofe this fectior, there are no abfur- 
 dities or extravagancies that could be flarted 
 in the imagination, that this art has not been 
 the nurfing mother to, to the utter confu- 
 fion of all right and wrong; but in a land of 
 freedom, the liberty, or rather the licentiouf- 
 nefs, of the prefs is not to be retrained, 
 although every evil is attendant on it. Here 
 E it
 
 [ 54 1 
 
 it may be faid, with a fneer, " You, notwith- 
 ftanding, avail yourfelf of this art, to obtrude 
 your crudities on the public." To this we 
 fhall only anfwer, that we wifh every author 
 took up the pen from the fame benevolent 
 motives, the art would then not be a fubjecl: 
 for cenfure. 
 
 34- 
 
 POLITICS, or the arts of legerdemain, 
 finerTe, circumvention, deceit, and fraud. 
 Surely it can be no offence to fay, that the 
 interfering hand of Providence has no {hare 
 in this dirty bufmefs. 
 
 35- 
 
 TACTICS, or the art of war and murder, 
 [We have juft perufed the particular detail of 
 the attack and defence in a late fiege.] O 
 ETERNAL ONE! is it pofliblethou canft par- 
 don the belief and imputation, that thy 
 Divine Providence interferes, or has any 
 
 concern,
 
 [ 55 1 
 
 concern, in the works of this infernal and 
 diabolical art ? If the principles of this art, 
 taken in all its parts and direful confequen- 
 ces, is not a proof that the DEITY is only a 
 pa/five fpettator of the tranfactions of man- 
 kind, we give up the point; but will ftill 
 flatter ourfelves, that on mature reflection 
 every thinking being will conclude as we do. 
 
 36. 
 
 THE art of Painting in all its branches. 
 Although we are moft fenlible that in this 
 feclion we fliall draw upon ourfelves the cen- 
 fure of crowned heads, academical focieties, 
 and the opulent; and the fcorn and refent- 
 ment of the combined groupe of connoifleurs 
 and virtuofi, yet we (hall not hefitate to pro- 
 nounce the general rage for this fcience an 
 irrational, unprofitable, and mifchievous pur- 
 fuit, both in its profeflbrs and admirers ; an 
 art conceived by indolence, brought forth by 
 vanity, nurfed by affectation, and fupported 
 Et by
 
 [ 56 ] 
 
 by pride, oftentation, and prodigality; 
 whereby immenfe treafure is funk y to the 
 injuVy of the ftate,, in ufelefs lumber and 
 dead flock, whilft the poor and indigent are 
 flarving at our gates. But our ipfe dixit fliall 
 not here fuffice. The fupport of ethicks,. 
 or morals, ought to be the prime view and 
 effort of every artift, let his profeffion be 
 what it will; let us try how far the profeflbrs 
 and productions of this art have tended to 
 propagate them. The fubjefls feleled by 
 the moft celebrated artifls have been gene- 
 rally taken from Pagan theology and mytho- 
 logy, which cannot conduce to that great 
 end; others have chofen. fubje&s from the 
 religions of later times, as the Annunciation, 
 Conception, &c. which at the fame time that 
 they excited a veneration for the art, it per- 
 petuated the luperftitions, follies, and ab- 
 furdities it records. Our pen would blufh to 
 enumerate the indecent works of fome of 
 thefe celebrated artifts, whofe names fhould 
 
 be
 
 t 57 .] 
 
 be funk in oblivion, as well as their produc- 
 tions, which act more powerfully and dan- 
 geroufly on the imagination than any immo- 
 ralities conveyed by the prefs. But we will 
 analife this fcience a little farther, and begin 
 with hiflorical paintings, as firft in dignity: 
 This reprefents remarkable events and tranf- 
 actions, exhibits battles, lieges, triumphal 
 entries of heroes, tyrants, and conquerors ; 
 aims to perpetuate incidents, and the memory 
 of a race of beings, which have been a peft to 
 fociety, a difgrace to the human form and 
 intellect, and the bane of all moral rectitude. 
 Not fo was employed the immortal HOGARTH, 
 whofe unequalled genius and pencil laboured 
 to imprefs, on the minds of the vicious, a 
 moral lecture in perpetuity. Landfcape and 
 Paftoral Painting is a vague, futile, inade- 
 quate attempt to copy and reprefent the 
 beauties of nature, which falls infinitely fhort 
 of the original, although executed by the 
 nioft mailerly hand j therefore to what real 
 
 uie
 
 [ 58 ] 
 
 life is this labour beftowed? a wafte of time 
 and talents to cover a wall, when at the fame 
 time a man may look out of his window, 
 and enjoy the fubjecl: in much higher and 
 tranfcendant perfection. Portrait painting 
 can have had no motives for its fource and 
 fupport, but a family pride, vanity, and often- 
 tation. Reafon will whifper, that if the object 
 reprefented be imprefled on the heart, it is 
 totally ufelefsj if it be not, the prefervation 
 of the femblance is truly farcical: again, if a 
 departed object was dear to us, and the re- 
 membrance of it a drawback on our internal 
 peace, prudence will whifper it cannot be too 
 foon forgot. What has been advanced on 
 painting, is equally applicable to Statuary, 
 ancient and modern. The rage for both, 
 amongft the pretended Cognofcenti, has been 
 carried to a moft ridiculous extreme. To 
 clofe this fection, we will readily allow, that 
 prodigies of genius in thefe arts have graced 
 the world in all ages; the more is the pity; 
 
 as
 
 [ 59 ] 
 
 as in general, this clafs of men are polite, 
 inoffenfive in their manners, and of good 
 morals, endowed with penetration, acute ob- 
 fervation, and fagacious: with thefe talents 
 and qualities, they would be ornaments to, 
 and more ufeful members of the community, 
 if their genius had a more active bias for the 
 real benefit of their fellow-creatures. 
 
 37- 
 
 ARCHITECTURE, as far as it conduced to 
 comfort, convenience, and fhelter from the 
 inclemency of feafons, was neceflary; but all 
 beyond, in the eye of reafon, is excited by 
 vanity, profufion, and luxury; and is futile 
 and unftable in the enjoyment, as every day's 
 experience and obfervation fully evince. The 
 great erect palaces they feldom vifit, and up- 
 hold them only for a mow, to be gaped at by 
 thecafual paflenger; thedifeafeis infectious, 
 it pervades the little great , and lower ranks 
 of the people i and we may venture to afiert, 
 
 that
 
 t 60 ] 
 
 that more diftrefs, difficulties, and ruin, have 
 been brought on families and individuals, 
 from this mifchievous fcience and rage of 
 building, than from any other mad propen- 
 iity that ever took pofleffion of the brain of 
 man. 
 
 38- 
 
 WE have yet left a large field to explore, 
 but will flop here, having, to all unprejudiced 
 minds, proved the inutility, fallacy, and mif- 
 chievous tendency, of thofe fciences already 
 handled, refpefting their imaginary real benefit 
 and happinefs to mankind. The utile duke of 
 fcience point out themfelves; as moral, na- 
 tural, and experimental philofophy, agricul- 
 ture, mechanics, &c. wherein the vilible ten- 
 dency promotes and fecures the general good: 
 
 " One moral, or a mere well-natured deed, 
 " Does all defert in fciences exceed." 
 
 The viciffitudes of events have been manifell 
 throughout all ages; our confined records 
 
 have
 
 6i 
 
 have (hewn, that one part of this globe has 
 been enlightened, whilfl another has been 
 obfcured in blindnefs, ignorance, and barba- 
 rifmj and again, thefe enlightened, and the 
 others funk in darknefs. Nor is it at all 
 improbable, but that thofe arts and difcove- 
 ries, which are, by an unwarrantable conceit, 
 attributed as it were to yefterday, may have 
 flourifhed, and been loft alternately, in diffe- 
 rent regions, for a fpace of fifty thoufand or 
 millions of years back, for any thing we really 
 know to the contrary. Chronology is one of 
 the leaft excufable refearches that has em- 
 ployed the genius of indolent, fedentary men; 
 much fludy and pains have been wafted, to 
 affix and adjuft certain aeras, epochas, dynaf- 
 fties, &c. to events which are of no efiential 
 importance. Chronologifts have proceeded 
 on the vague hypothecs of the world having 
 been in exiftence only about fix thoufand 
 years ; but here they all differ in their calcula- 
 tions, and no wonder, as they worked in the 
 
 dark,
 
 [ 62 ] 
 
 dark, without any certain principle. The 
 chronology of the Eaft and Weft differ more 
 than their latitude and longitude. The Egyp - 
 tians, if we may credit Herodotus, prove the 
 exact periods of the fun's riling twice in the 
 <weft> and fetting in the eaft, by the revolu- 
 tions of the planetary fyftem ; the Chinefe go 
 beyond them; and the Gentoos frill exceed, 
 and calculate the birth and duration of the 
 material formed univerfe to a day, upon prin- 
 ciples we have fhewn elfevvhere: and after 
 all, to what valuable purpofe have the la- 
 bours and erudition of an USHER or a NEW- 
 TON, &c. been expended, when it matters 
 not whether the creation of the univerfe was 
 fix thoufand or fixty millions of years paft; 
 whether this, that, or the other incident, 
 event, or tranfa6lion, fell out in this, that, 
 or any other period of time. Equally futile 
 have been the warm and idle contefts between 
 nations, touching their antiquity; but more 
 Superlatively ridiculous in individuals, the 
 
 pride,
 
 I 6 3 ] 
 
 pride, vanity, and folly of pedigree. But 
 
 to refume the principal objects of our dif- 
 quifition. 
 
 39- 
 
 ON a retrofpeclive view of the rife, pro- 
 grefs, fummit, declenfion, and fall, of all 
 empires, kingdoms, and Hates, that ever ex- 
 ifted; according to hiftorical annals^d-cra/and 
 profane, (a diftinction, we confefs, we do not 
 imderfland) we fhall find they were replete, 
 through every period of their various ftages, 
 with fraud, violence, oppreflion, rapine, mur- 
 der, and every other deviation from moral 
 rectitude, which a depraved and diabolical 
 nature can be capable of. For particular 
 inftarices we need not have recourfe to remote 
 times and regions, when we are fupplied with 
 ample recent matter nearer home. We will 
 take the liberty of reciting a few, which fin- 
 gularly mark the vindictive and deflructive 
 genius of man. Let us cafl an indignant eye 
 
 on
 
 t 6 4 ] 
 
 on the {laughter and devaftation following the 
 various invafions of Gaul and Britain, and 
 the long and inveterate conteft for the fubjec- 
 tion of France by the latter ; the wretched and 
 depopulated ftate of thefe our kingdoms, du- 
 ring the barbarous and bloody ftruggle be- 
 tween the Houfes of York and Lancafter j the 
 fire and faggot reign of our firft Mary; the 
 miferable ftate of a neighbouring kingdom, 
 during the long and fanguine conflict between 
 Catholic and Hugonot; the obftinate trial for 
 dominion on one fide, and liberty on the other, 
 between Spain, and the United Seven Nether- 
 land Provinces; and laftly, the civil war in 
 thefe kingdoms, during part, and fubfequent 
 to the reign of Charles I. when an univerfal 
 delirium feized on all ranks of the people, 
 and furious fanatics, fpurred on and aided by 
 fubtle, concealed, political fraud, overthrew 
 the government in church and ftate, pretend- 
 ing on every occafion, an impulfe divine, 
 under the protection of GOD, and his peculiar 
 
 providence^
 
 [ 65 ] 
 
 providence y as a fancYion for the moft atroci- 
 ous crimes, and in violation of every thing 
 facredj as the public manifeftos, addrefles, 
 declarations, &c. of thofe diflra6led times, 
 are amply pregnant with, and fully demon- 
 flrate. Thefe few recent inftances, which 
 exifted as it were but yeflerday, we prefent 
 only as fpecimens, or faraples, of what man- 
 kind has been almoft from his firft deftination. 
 under his prefent form 5 as from the hiftories 
 of all nations, fimilar inftances might be 
 produced in confirmation. This being the 
 real ftate of the cafe, and will be fo we fear, 
 in perpetuity, do we not ftand juftified in 
 concluding and faying, that if fifty thoufand 
 devils, or malignant fpirits, had been invefted 
 with the guidance, interference, and govern- 
 ment of empires, kingdoms, and ftates, and 
 tranfaftions of man, they could not, more 
 fully, effectually, and uniformly, have de- 
 ftroyed his peace and felicity, both here and 
 hereafter, than man himfelf has donej and 
 
 yet
 
 [ 66 ] 
 
 yet thefe are the works we impioufly attri- 
 bute to the interference and influence of our 
 benevolent, juft, and merciful GOD; whereas, 
 on the contrary, it fully proves that man is 
 abandoned, and left to the free operations of 
 his own benevolent or malevolent will. We 
 will clofe this part of our difquifition with 
 this final conclufion, 1 that an immediate in- 
 terfering, peculiar, and partial providence, 
 and. free-agency, are incompatible with each 
 other, and cannot poflibly exifl in the nature 
 of things. 
 
 40. 
 
 PERMIT us now to revert to the inflances 
 of our laft fecYion, and notice the active part 
 the Chrillian Priefthood took in mofl of 
 them, if not in all; but more particularly 
 that clafs of them ftiled Dignatories of the 
 Church. From authentic memoirs we find, 
 that thefe malignant fpirits, in place of 
 preaching up unity, peace, and love, (the 
 
 pious
 
 pious dilates of Him, whom they fome- 
 times, without any meaning, called Lord and 
 Mailer) proved the very firebrands who fet 
 nations in a blaze! by the power and influ- 
 ence they had obtained over the weak minds 
 of Kings and people, we find them incendi- 
 aries, fetting Kings againft their people, and 
 the people againft their Kings j and inflead 
 of inculcating the gofpel of peace, charity, 
 and obedience to the laws, we find them 
 blowing the trumpet of fedition and rebel- 
 lion, and perfonally wielding the fword of 
 blood and (laughter, at the head of armies ! 
 We find them alfo, by the folly of their So- 
 vereigns, pofTeffing themfelves of the firft 
 offices in the ftate, and afluming a jurifdiction 
 fuperior to, and independant of the laws, 
 and arrogating a rank above the nobles of 
 the land 5 and other attributes they ufurped, 
 that are more particularly fpecified in our 
 2ift feftion, to which we beg leave to refer. 
 
 41, THE
 
 [ 68 ] 
 
 4 1 - 
 THE foregoing portrait of this clafs of 
 
 fpirits, although more immediately applied 
 to the Chriftian Clergy of the times above 
 alluded to, yet it is alfo juftly applicable to 
 the fame clafs, in every nation of the globe. 
 It was aptly faid, by a very competent judge 
 of human nature, that " Priefts of all reli- 
 " gions are the fame;" their power, their 
 influence, their confequence, and depreda- 
 tions, have ever been obtained under the 
 infidious mafk of fome religious fyftem or 
 other; the mockery, the fallacy, the impiety 
 of ally will be obvious to every unprejudiced 
 mind, who ftriclly fcrutinizes their internal 
 and external tenets and principles: there- 
 fore, it is full time the mafk fhould be taken 
 off, and mankind releafed from the leading- 
 firings of fuch religious nurfes, and reftored 
 to his native freedom, which has been 
 fhackled for fo many ages, in fuperftitious 
 bondage. It will here, probably be alked, 
 
 What
 
 [ 69 ] 
 
 What does this mortal, this enthufiafl, this, 
 drawcanfir, mean or intend, by all this indif- 
 criminate abufe and fatire? Does he wifh to 
 fow the feeds of difcord, fedition, anarchy, 
 and conf ufion ? Is it his view to embroil the 
 churches and ftates of all nations? Does he 
 aim at overturning all religion, and religious 
 worfhip? GOD forbid: his meaning, inten- 
 tions, views, wifhes, and ideas, are much the 
 reverfe, as the following feftions will clearly 
 prove. 
 
 42. 
 
 To guard againft the cenfure of indifcri- 
 minate fatire, we, from our heart and know- 
 ledge, freely confefs and believe, that there 
 may have exifted, and do exift in all nations, 
 fome even amongft the dignified, as well as 
 fubalterns, of the clerical clafs of fpirits, who 
 have abhorred and detefted the pride, ambi- 
 tion, and avarice of the order, and have 
 ftrictly and pioufly adhered to the duties of 
 their facred function only : but alas ! 
 
 F 43. Hi-
 
 [ 70 ] 
 
 43- 
 
 HITHERTO our ftriftures have been gene- 
 ral and univerfal: we fhall now confine our* 
 felves within the Chriftian pale. Our former 
 labours tended to eftablifh the facred doclrine 
 of the UNITY and SUPREMACY of the GOD- 
 HEAD, which, we humbly conceive, the 
 liturgy and worfhip of every Chriftian Church 
 palpably oppofed and difcountenanced. The 
 incomprehenfible dogmas in favour of Poly- 
 thelfm^ none but one of the prime malignant 
 fpirits animating the form of an Athanafius, 
 could poflibly have meditated, or propagated; 
 and yet we ftill retain thefe incomprehenfibles 
 in our worfhip ! We wifh not the abolition 
 of churches, the priefthood, or religious 
 worfhip ; our aim is, to fee them all reduced 
 to fuch a ftandard as may do honour to GOD, 
 and be confiftent with reafon, true piety, and 
 propriety. It is true, the extenfive arm of 
 facerdotal power and influence, has in thefe 
 latter times beznjhortened, and rendered lefs 
 
 mifchievousj
 
 I 7' ] 
 
 Tnifchievous; but it is {till too long, and it 
 behoves every Chriftian Government to cut it 
 off. Permit us to expatiate on the various 
 miferies, perfecutions, and cruelties, excited 
 and perpetrated by thefe malignant leaders of 
 the Chriftian Church, on every oppofer of 
 the various changes they have rung on the 
 pure, plain, fimple, dictates and doctrines of 
 CHRIST, for the fpace of feventeen centuries 
 back; the recollection pains the imagination, 
 humanity ftarts at the idea of the numerous 
 maflacres and ruin poured on the heads of 
 focieties and individuals; infomuch that a 
 benevolent mind cannot avoid execrating the 
 fatal diftinftion of Catholic and Prcteftant, 
 with their mifchievous tribes of diflenters, 
 under every denomination. The fubjeft is 
 too ferious and important to provoke to 
 mirth, but philanthropy may without offence 
 beftow a pitying fmile on the early divifion 
 and later fubdivifions of the Chriftian Church 
 and its profeflbrs, into Catholic, Lutheran, 
 F 2 Calvinift,
 
 Calvinift, Independant, Puritan, Preibyte- 
 rian, Anabaptifl, Quaker, Methodift, Mora- 
 vian, Sandimonian, with a long et cater a; all 
 harbouring bitter rancour in their hearts 
 againft each other; each of this motley tribe 
 claiming infallibility from fcraps taken from 
 the fame fcriptures, va'rioufly interpreted, by 
 the vain, dark, defigning, felf-interefled, 
 malignant fpirit at their head, as the different 
 genius of each pointed out to their enthufi- 
 aftic and crafty brain, finking the others to 
 everlafting perdition. For our own part, 
 we profefs ourfelves of no particular feel 
 whatfoever, but an adorer of ONE GOD, in 
 fpirit and truth, and an humble follower and 
 fubfcriber to the unadulterated precepts and 
 doctrines of CHRIST. This fhort confefllon 
 of our faith, we think neceflary, to guard 
 againft any mifconception or mifreprefenta- 
 tion of our principles. The above juft 
 ftigmas are fuited to every other fyftem of 
 religion in the world, which is in like 
 
 manner
 
 f 73 ] 
 
 manner divided and fubdivided into feftaries, 
 and flrongly marks the follies and abfurdi- 
 ties of mankind, under the influence and 
 guidance of wicked and interefted leaders. 
 
 44- 
 
 WHEN a religious fyftem is erected into 
 what is called a Church, and endowed with 
 temporalities and powers, framed to overturn 
 ilates and kingdoms, it then becomes a mere 
 political inftitution, and the beft evidence of 
 its divine origin is deftroyedj and when the 
 fallacy of fuch a religion was attempted to 
 be undermined by the profefTors of pure 
 etbicks, the Priefthood, alarmed for their 
 temporalities and powers, convened them- 
 felves together in the devil's name, and 
 propagated a fyflem (originally) of meeknefs, 
 peace, and mercy, by the arguments of fr? 
 and /word! Enthufiafts may boaft " the 
 " influence of an enlightened religion," and 
 draw a juft preference to the original doctrines 
 F 3 of
 
 t 74 ] 
 
 of CHRIST, on a comparifon with the Koran 
 of Mahomet; but, alas! flubborn fafts arc 
 againft our hopes of a converfion to this 
 enlightened religion in the inhabitants of the 
 Eaft, as it is now profefled. It is not the 
 real do6lrines and precepts of CHRIST, that 
 are now either preached or practifed. And 
 does not the annals of Chriftendom, for a 
 feries of centuries, exhibit fuch inftances of 
 fuperftition, perfecution, cruelties and butch- 
 erings, committed under the pretended fanc- 
 tion, influence, and title, of this enlightened 
 religion, which were never yet perpetrated 
 by Jew, Turk, or Pagan? On what grounds 
 or bafis, then, can we expeft converts to fuch 
 a religion, which had neither (lability or 
 uniformity, for half a century from its firft 
 promulgation ? Its divine Author, and divine 
 precepts, may virtually be faid to have been 
 a million of times crucified, fmce the facrifice 
 of himfelf, in fupport of his do6hines; the 
 teachers of the prefent enlightened fyftem, 
 
 fubfcribing
 
 [ 75 ] 
 
 fubfcribing to articles of faith they neither 
 comprehend or believe; and every feel: affu- 
 ming the name and title of Chriftians, 
 without pofleffing one iota of the genuine 
 fpirit of Chriftianity, either in fentiment, 
 purity of ivor/tip, or difcipline. 
 
 45- 
 TH E above being the prefent ftate of the 
 Chriftian fyflem of religion, throughout all 
 Chriftendom, without the fmallefl exaggera- 
 tion, no one, we think, will be hardy enough 
 to deny, that a general reform is elTentially 
 necefTary, and loudly called for, by the voice 
 of true piety and reafon. The radical cure for 
 any evil, and its efefts, cannot be expecled, 
 without minutely tracing it to its original 
 c aufe ; we have glanced at this already, but 
 now we (hall fpeak more openly, and with- 
 out referve pronounce, that all the evils with 
 which mankind has been peftered in all 
 ages, fprung from an undue pre-eminence, 
 
 fewer,
 
 I 76 ] 
 
 power, and emoluments, aflumed by, and 
 weakly granted to the priefthood. According 
 to the political modes of government in 
 ftates, a diftinction offuperior and fubordmate 
 ranks and degrees became effentially necef- 
 faryj but as Politicks and Religion have no 
 relation to each other, but always move in 
 diametrically oppofite directions, there never 
 ebuld have been any neceflity for thofe ranks, 
 degrees, and diftinclions, in the government 
 ,of a Church, or in the adminiftration of the 
 holy functions. Herein our ancient politi- 
 cians committed an egregious and unpardon- 
 able blunder and folecifm in politicks -, but 
 they knew not the artful, encroaching, Ma- 
 chiavelian fpirits they had to deal with, nor 
 adverted to the Eaftern proverb, which fays, 
 " Give fome people a finger, and they will 
 " foon take your whole hand." Touching the 
 emoluments granted to the Priefthood, under 
 the ftile of temporalities and patrimonies of 
 the Church, the impropriety of the meafure 
 
 has
 
 [ 77 1 
 
 has been manifefted in all ages, by the mif- 
 chievous ufe that has been perpetually made 
 of them, as all hiftory demonftrates. A 
 learned and pious Bifhop, above a century 
 and a half back, preached and protefted 
 againft temporalities being annexed to the 
 Church, [vide Sir Richard Baker's ufeful and 
 laborious chronicles] and the opening of our 
 44th fe&ion are the fentiments of a dignified 
 member of the Church, defervedly celebrated 
 as the mod acute moral writer that has 
 graced this latter age. All temporalities an- 
 nexed to Popedoms, Archbifhopricks, Bifliop- 
 ricks, Deaneries, Prebendaries, Vicarages, 
 Reclorfhips, Colleges, &c. were originally 
 alienations from the publick flock, furrepti- 
 tioufly and fraudulently obtained, by the 
 artful fuggeflions and influence the Prieft- 
 hood had acquired, over the minds and con- 
 fciences of their refpeclive weak and incon- 
 iiderate rulers, and fovereigns; it is noto- 
 jious, and confirmed by ecclefiaflical 
 
 hiftory,
 
 [ 7 J 
 
 hiftory, that all feminaries, colleges, &c. for 
 the drilling and training members for the 
 Church, were founded and endowed at the 
 inftigation of the clergy, for the immediate 
 benefit of themfelves or their fucceffors; it is 
 allowed they are alfo feminaries for the ad- 
 vancement of ufelefs arts and fciences: but, 
 query, have they not likewife proved femi- 
 naries of vice, libertinifm, and lewdnefs, to 
 the detriment of real morals and virtue? 
 Let it not therefore appear ftrange or fingu- 
 lar, or facrilege in us, our attempting to 
 diveft the Church of its temporalities -, in facl:, 
 it has no legal right to them, nor is it the 
 Church we diveft j it is the over- fed pofTefTors 
 of them we propofe to ftrip, that they may 
 revert in juftice and equity to the original 
 rightful owners, THE PUBLIC, and be appro- 
 priated to the relief of the prefent heavy and 
 deplorable exigencies of the STATE. And in 
 this, we have no doubt but we (hall be fup- 
 ported by the votes of ninety- nine in the 
 
 hundred
 
 { 79 ] 
 
 hundred of the inhabitants of every Chriftiaa 
 country; and the Clergy themfelves, if they 
 poflefs a grain of confcience, publickfplrit, and 
 love for their country, (which we will not 
 doubt) will not hefitate a moment to fay 
 Amen; efpecially as it is not our intention 
 to fend the Priefthood a grazing, but only 
 to reduce them to a refpeftable level. The 
 abject flavery and dependance of the fubaltern 
 Clergy has long been a reproach to the 
 Church and Legiflature of every Chriftian 
 Government; but if our plan takes place, 
 there (hall not be a ragged Curate, in his 
 Majefty's dominions at leaft. As Propofiti- 
 ons are now become the mode of addrefs on 
 all occafions, we fhall adopt it in our next 
 fe6lion. 
 
 46. 
 
 Proportion i/?. It is humbly propofed, 
 that the dignified Clergy under every deno- 
 mination, be diverted of all Rank, Precedence, 
 
 and
 
 and Title, in the Church and State; faving 
 and excepting that of Dottor in Divinity only, 
 which every member of the Church fhall in- 
 difcriminately enjoy, on the fame refpeftable 
 and rational level. 
 
 Prop. 2. That a period be put to the long, 
 mifchievous, illegal, and irreligious practice 
 of mixing temporalities with fpiritualities j 
 and that all endowments of whatfoever kind, 
 annexed to Cathedrals, Churches, Chapels, 
 and Colleges, be fequeftered, reftored, and 
 appropriated to the relief of the exigencies 
 gf the ftate, and heavy burdens of the people. 
 
 Prop. 3. That the forms of ordination, 
 fubfcription, and degrees, be totally aboliihed 
 as ufelefs, and to the full as farcical as the 
 noli epifcopari-j and that the KING, as fu- 
 preme head of the Church, (hall, by himfelf, 
 or by delegation to his Minifters of State, 
 occafionally ordain and prefent men of found 
 
 and
 
 and tried morals and understanding, to the 
 beft of their knowledge and information; 
 profound learning, and knowledge in the 
 dead languages, being abfolutely non-eflentials r 
 
 Prop. 4. That a confiderable reduction 
 fhall be made in the number of churches, and 
 every church be independant, and but one 
 incumbent to each church; and in cafe of 
 ficknefs, or other inability, his place fhall be 
 fupplied by the incumbent of the next ad- 
 joining parifh, on proper notice given of the 
 neceflary variation of the hour for the com- 
 mencement of the fervice. 
 
 Prop* 5. That a ftipend of five hundred 
 pounds per annum, exempt from all taxes, 
 office fees, and deductions whatfoever, be 
 eftablifhed for every married incumbent, and 
 three hundred for every one unmarried, in 
 lieu of all tithes, furplice-fees, and other 
 perquifites, with a decent and commodious 
 
 parfonage
 
 parfonage houfe, handfomely furnifhed at 
 all points, in the vicinity of the church, the 
 whole to be kept in repair by the govern- 
 ment j the flipend to be paid from the trea* 
 fury half yearly, the firft half year in advance 
 upon their induction: as thefe flipends are 
 more than equal to landed eftates of eight 
 and five hundred pounds per annum, it can- 
 not but be deemed a refpeftable provifion. 
 Whether the exigencies of the ftate can admit 
 of this ample provifion, the legiflature alone 
 are the competent judges. 
 
 Prop. 6. That the reduced Dignitaries, in 
 compenfation for their lofTes in temporali- 
 ties, fhall have the preference on the new 
 prefentations taking place, and next to them 
 the doctors in divinity of the prefent efta- 
 biifhment; but as our plan only propofes one 
 incumbent for each church, the fupernume- 
 raries in orders, which overflow the land, 
 muft not be left to ftarve; therefore we pro* 
 
 pofc
 
 pofe an annuity of one hundred pounds fhall 
 be fettled upon them for their lives 5 and as 
 many of them will drop off annually, the 
 flate will be foon releafed from that burden, 
 
 Prop* 7. That the Doctors fhall ftill retain 
 the honorary titles, infignia, and emoluments, 
 (if there are any) of being chaplains to his 
 Majefty and the nobility. 
 
 47- 
 
 THE foregoing equitable propofitions put 
 a flop to the oppreflions and grievances of 
 ecclefiaflical courts, to the fcandalous and 
 fhameful trade and traffick of religion, as 
 practifed in all Chriflian churches, for fimo- 
 niacal pluralities, lay prefentations, difpen- 
 fations, &c. they fet every member of the 
 church upon an equal and refpectable foot- 
 ingj they preclude tithing, pregnant with 
 dire mifchiefs and cruelties in our fifler 
 kingdom, and the never-ceafmg fource of 
 
 enmity,
 
 I 84 J 
 
 enmity, rancour, and contention, between 
 the clergy and laity,- and confequently raife 
 the value of landed property throughout the 
 realm; and are alfo pregnant with many 
 other falutary confequences, to the honour 
 of GOD and true religion, and the eafe and 
 effentially neceffary emoluments of the ftate; 
 and detrimental only to a very few indivi- 
 duals in comparifon with the whole diftrefled 
 community. We will readily admit, that 
 the prefent dignitaries of our eftablifhed 
 church are as pious, learned, and refpeclable 
 a body, as ever graced any age or nation; but 
 flill theypoflefs and riot in the ipoils of the 
 TUBLIC, fednloufly, fraudulently, and ille- 
 gally obtained by their predecefTors, and 
 therefore cannot in confcience maintain their 
 right to them. We are fenfible, however, we 
 ihall draw onourfelves the bitter indignation 
 and refentment of the dignified priefthood 
 of all Chriftian churches, (it muft be allowed 
 they have fome provocation) but we fhall 
 
 ihelter
 
 [ 85 J 
 
 ilielter ourfelves under the confcious inte- 
 grity of our intentions for the good of the 
 common-weal, and leave the defence of our 
 
 caufe to their fubalterm. 
 
 , 
 
 4 8. 
 
 THE moft arduous part of our various 
 fubjefts, Religious Worjhip^ now only remains 
 for difcuflion j and here we muft lament our 
 inadequate abilities for fo important a matter, 
 relying on the indulgence of our readers, 
 and hoping that wifer heads will correct, 
 fupply, and fill up, the deficiencies of our 
 imperfect outline^ for we will not prefume 
 to arrogate to ourfelves any higher merit. 
 
 49- 
 
 WE cannot open our interefting fubjeft 
 better, than with the words and fentiments 
 of the great Chancellor HYDE, in his cele- 
 brated fpeech to both Houfes of Parliament, 
 (the fe&arifts of thofe times) immediately 
 G after
 
 [ 86 ] 
 
 after the reftoration of Charles the fecond; 
 " How would they (the primitive Chriftians) 
 " look upon our jharp and virulent conten- 
 <e tions and debates on the Chriftian Religion, 
 " and the bloody wars that have proceeded 
 " from thofe contentions ; whilft every one 
 " pretended to all the marks of the true church, 
 " except only that which is infeparable from 
 " it, charity to one another." Thefe were 
 the times, as before remarked, of general 
 diffraction, when fanaticifm and enthufiafm 
 rode triumphant. But what (hall we fay to 
 thofe earlier times, and to thofe v&j primitive 
 Chriftians, whofe examples were only fol- 
 lowed on the fame principles, by thofe of 
 later times. The early feparation of the Greek 
 Church marked the inftability of the fyftem, 
 and the fame virulent contentions and de- 
 bates, and the fame bloody wars, foon fuc- 
 ceeded, ftirred up and inftigated by thofe 
 then (and now to our reproach) ftiled Fathers 
 of the Church. From them thofe diffentions, 
 
 and
 
 t 87 ] 
 
 and confequent cruelties, have had a regular 
 -defcent, without intermiflion, to this hour; 
 and enthufiaftic reformers have ftarted up in 
 every corner of the Chfiftian world, without 
 one grain of charity one to another. Such 
 have been the direful confequences of tor- 
 turing Chriftianity into a non-efTentialj^y&v;/, 
 which its original tenets flood in no need of. 
 The torrents of blood which have been fhed 
 in thefe Chrijlian irreligious dhTentions, have 
 damped an indelible ftain on humanity, 
 never to be wafhed out whilft records and 
 memory exift: it was not the caufe of GOD, 
 or religion, which excited thefe deplorable 
 ftruggles; the real objects were, power and 
 temporalities. 
 
 5- 
 
 It has been manifeft, from the earlieft 
 
 periods fucceeding the death of* its founder, 
 
 that Chriftianity had no fettled and uniform 
 
 principles or doctrines 5 and that like rays 
 
 G 2 diverging
 
 t 
 
 diverging from a center, the farther it ex- 
 tended, the wider its profefTors differed in 
 their tenets and fentiments ; each feel aflfert- 
 ing and arrogating to itfelf the infallible marks 
 (as juft above hinted) of the true Church ', by 
 proofs drawn from the fame fountain, 
 namely THE SCRIPTURES, variously inter- 
 preted, as their fpeculative interefted views 
 and fancies dictated, until at length they left 
 no precijc meaning to any parts of them: the 
 real divine principles, and pure ethicks, they 
 taught, were overwhelmed and frittered 
 away, and in their ftead, fyftems of non- 
 efTential and incomprehenfible tenets, and 
 unintelligible jargon, were inftituted, and 
 even thefe without any uniformity whatfo- 
 ever, as the various and inconfiftent liturgies 
 of every Chriftian Church exhibit ample 
 proof of. In fuch a perplexed fcate .and 
 fituation, what then remains for a rational 
 and anxious enquirer? He cannot poflibly 
 do otherwife than indignantly fpurn at and 
 
 rejecl
 
 reject every liturgy exifting, as warring with 
 reafon, true piety, common-fenfe, and each 
 other; and unworthy our GOD and ourfelves. 
 Benevolently moved for the prefent and future 
 well-being of our fellow creatures, but more 
 particularly for the ftate under whofe pro- 
 tection we breathe, we will humbly attempt 
 to fketch out fuch a form of religious wor- 
 fhip as fhall not be liable to any of the 
 above juft ftrictures and objections, and to 
 which all unprejudiced rational beings will 
 not hefitate to conform j but previous thereto, 
 it becomes eflentially neceflary, firft, to re- 
 move one ftumblmg-block out of our way; 
 and fubfequently, to analize the prefent li- 
 turgy of our eftablifhed Church, and try it 
 by the laws of REASON and PROPRIETY. 
 
 51- 
 
 WE are aware that ibme will urge againft 
 us the old hackneyed plea, that in attempt- 
 ing religious innovations, there is no know- 
 03 ing
 
 I 9 ] 
 
 ing where things will flop; witnefs the 
 Reformation, (as it is called) which was not 
 eftablifhed without much bloodflied, broiling 
 and roafting of foolifh individuals, as well as 
 attended with dangerous commotions in this 
 ftate, and other parts of Chriftendom. But 
 let it be remembered in anfwer, that the 
 genius of men in thefe our days, are widely 
 different from the fuperftitious and fanatic 
 times above Alluded to; prieft craft has loft its 
 power and influence, and mankind now feel 
 their right of thinking for themfelves ; there- 
 fore we venture to afTert, that any juft and 
 neceflary reformation in religious worfhip 
 may be as eafily and peaceably eftablifhed, 
 under a fteady adminiftration, as any other 
 neceflary reform in the ftate; and in this 
 aflertion we are fupported by a claufe in the 
 34th Article of our Religion, which fays, 
 ft Every particular or national Church hath 
 " authority to ordain, change, and abolijb, 
 " ceremonies or rites of the Church, ordained 
 
 < c only
 
 " only by mans authority, fo that all things 
 " be done to edifying." 
 
 52. 
 
 HAVING thus cleared our way, we will 
 proceed in our analyfis. This is not the firft 
 time we have fubmitted to the public our 
 ftriftures on the Liturgy of our Church, as 
 incompatible with the true Chriftian religion, 
 as dictated by its founder. In this we have 
 not been iingular: many learned and pious 
 members of the Church have meditated a 
 partial reform, utterly inadequate to any 
 rational purpofe: our aim is a TOTAL ONE. 
 And firft, the incongruity of mingling in 
 our worfhip the hiftory, infamous wars, 
 and indecent events, of a race of people, 
 detefted and execrated by all nations, is 
 glaringly reprehenfible; the wonder is, 
 how it has obtained fo long, to the difgrace 
 of human wifdom and propriety! But we 
 hope and truft, the period is not far diftant, 
 
 when
 
 t 92 ] 
 
 when neither reafon or the chafte ear (hall 
 be offended, or lulled to fleep, by the tedious, 
 uninterefting recital of a feries of tranfacti- 
 ons, which only tend to mark the depravity 
 of the fpecies throughout all ages and na- 
 tions; nor continue longer half Jew., and 
 balfCbriftian. 
 
 53- 
 
 THE next, and mod reprehenfible parts of 
 our Liturgy, are thofe which pay an ado- 
 ration to CHRIST equal to GOD himfelf, 
 thereby palpably impeaching the UNITY and 
 SUPREMACY of the GODHEAD ; of which 
 egregious error Mahomet took every advan- 
 tage, in the propagation of his abfurd Koran, 
 to the material detriment of the Chriftian 
 faith. We need add little more, on this 
 dangerous and derogatory principle of wor- 
 fhip, than the fentiments of CHRIST himfelf, 
 who openly and ftrongly oppofed and pro- 
 tefted againfl any fort of adoration being 
 
 offered
 
 [ 93 3 
 
 offered up to him; immaculate as he truly 
 was, his humility would not even fuffer 
 himfelf to be ftiled good., as none but GOD, he 
 fays, was really fo. Therefore, let us in fm- 
 cerity of heart, pay every due reverence to 
 his name, life, fufferings, and precepts; but 
 let us not longer devote that worfhip and 
 adoration to him, which he pathetically tells 
 us is only due to bis God, and our God, to his 
 Father, and our Father, which is in heaven: 
 But regardlefs of this, we in our worfhip 
 bo<iv at the name of JESUS, whilfl the name of 
 our GOD pafles unheeded. 
 
 54- 
 
 No lefs fatal and dangerous are thofe parts 
 of our Liturgy, which countenance the effi- 
 cacy of Mediation and Atonement. Hovvfoever 
 thefe doctrines ma^jhave been fophiftically 
 maintained and fupported by interefted 
 prieftcraft, it is morally impoflible to conceive, 
 that the mediations, fufferings, and death of 
 
 any
 
 [ 94 ] 
 
 arty one individual, can atone with a juft 
 GOD for the crimes of millions, or even of 
 one firmer; and we hefitate not to aver, that 
 thefe tenets have operated more to the de- 
 ftruc~lion of all morals, than any other caufe 
 whatfoever. We daily fee that thieves, houfe- 
 breakers, and murderers, whofe lives have 
 been one continued feries of rapine and vio- 
 lence, depend at the gallows (by the fallacious 
 encouragement of the prieflhood) on the 
 remiffion of their fins, by the death and 
 mediation of CHRIST, upon a momentary 
 repentance, when the laws of the land put 
 it out of their power to tranfgrefs any fur- 
 ther, at lead under that mortal form. We 
 have no doubt, but that in fupport of the 
 doctrine of atonement ', the 28th verfe of the 
 2oth chapter of Matthew will be urged 
 againft us; it runs thus, " Even as the Son 
 " of Man came not to be miniftered unto, 
 * but to minifter, and to give his life as a 
 " ranfomfor many" Taking the meaning of 
 
 this
 
 I 95 1 
 
 this verfe in its utmoft latitude, it cannot 
 poflibly imply more, than by giving his life 
 in fupport of his miniilry and doctrines, 
 many would be faved or ranfomed from their 
 fins, by religioufly adhering to his precepts. 
 In this fenfe, his death becomes a virtual ran- 
 fom or atonement j not that it. could, in a 
 literal fenfe, be an atonement for the fins of 
 the whole world, as frequently expreffed in 
 the Liturgy; for if fo, he would be counter- 
 acting his own precept of the neceflity of 
 repentance. Yet on this weak foundation, the 
 fatal and dangerous conftruction was erected 
 by fome feclarifts, that faith was alone fuffi- 
 cient for falvation, without good ivorks^ 
 thereby precluding the neceflity of repentance 
 and amendment, and making moral and free 
 agency only an ideal conception of the ima- 
 gination. In the verfe above cited, and the 
 context in the preceding ones, CHRIST feems 
 merely to be giving a lefTon of humility to 
 his Apoftles, in the miniflration of his doc-r 
 
 trines;
 
 [ 96 ] 
 
 trines; he inftituted no Popes, Patriarchs, 
 Archbiiliops, Bifliops, Deans, &c. he tells 
 them " the Princes of the Gentiles exercifed 
 " dominion" and adds, " but it fhall not be fo 
 " among you-" plainly intimating and prohi- 
 biting their exercifing any dominion or fupe- 
 riority over one another; and yet we have feen 
 Popes, while they humbly ftiled themfelves 
 fervus fervor urn y exercifing univerfal dominion 
 and tyranny over Churches, Dignitaries, 
 Kings, Princes, and Potentates; the fame 
 fpirit of dominion and oppreflion actuating 
 every rank and degree of the facerdotal order 
 throughout all Chriftendoni; thofe above, 
 opprefling, fpurning, kicking, and trampling 
 on thofe below, in violation of their Matter's 
 injunction, that there neither fhould be high 
 or low among them. 
 
 55- 
 
 DIVINE worfhip fhould be as purely fpiri- 
 tual as poilible, unmixed with all indifferent 
 
 temporal
 
 [ 97 ] 
 
 temporal concerns, or political heterogeneous 
 matters, which reafon tells us cannot merit 
 the notice or attention of GOD; here it is 
 obvious, we allude to thofe parts of our Li- 
 turgy which confecrates and commemorates 
 the Fifth of November, the Thirtieth of 
 January, and the Twenty-ninth of May : 
 they have no rational tendency, they ferve 
 only to keep old wounds of the constitution 
 open, and contention alive. We may with 
 propriety execrate and condemn a daring and 
 infamous attempt of inflamed inftigated 
 zealots againft the ftate, detected and pre- 
 vented by a mere natural incident of regard 
 and friendfhip, in one of the confpirators; 
 the confecration of the day might have an- 
 iwered a political purpofe at the time, but 
 now we may juftly pronounce this part of our 
 Liturgy a proilitution of divine worlhip. 
 Equally reprehenfible is the confecration and 
 commemoration of the death of an unhappy 
 Monarch, who being mifled by precedent, and 
 
 weak
 
 J 
 
 weak and evil councils, opprefled the liberty 
 and property of the fubjecl:, and in the end, 
 by a fatal combination of caufes and effeftsy, 
 brought his head to the block. But moft 
 reprehenfible is the confecrating the reftora- 
 tion of a man, whofe morals and politicks, 
 in every point of view, rendered him un- 
 worthy of commemoration. 
 
 56- 
 
 NEXT in turn for difcuffion, comes what 
 are termed the official fervice of our Liturgy, 
 in which we apprehend weak minds may 
 gather caufe of offence , but we fear GOD 
 more than man : and firfl, of the Sacrament 
 of the Lord's Supper, a fubjecl: we fhall 
 labour to treat with that becoming decency 
 and reverence it calls for; although we may, 
 with all humility, diflent from the inflitu- 
 tion, in the principle, letter, conftruction, 
 mode and manner of its adminiftration. In 
 the courfe of this facrament, as well as in the 
 
 Litany,
 
 [ 99. ] 
 
 Litany, and in aim oft every other part of the 
 Liturgy, is manifeftly impeached the UNITY 
 of the GODHEAD, more particularly in the 
 recital of the Creed, where CHRIST is ftiled 
 " God of God, Light of Light, very God of 
 " very God," &c. which we cannot confider 
 in any other wife, than as glaring blafphemy 
 againfl the Supremacy of the DEITY. The 
 whole procefs of this fervice falling eminently 
 under the ftrictures of our $2d and 53d 
 fections, to which we may add the long, 
 tedious, formal, and non-efiential parade of 
 unintelligible repetitions, and needlefs quo- 
 tations from fcripture and canons, the too 
 frequent mention of the body and blood of 
 Chrift, the confecration of the fimple ele- 
 ments of bread and wine, to almofl a fpecies 
 of idolatry, notwithstanding the falvo at the 
 end of the Communion fervice. Here the 
 doctrines of Mediation, Atonement, and 
 Saviour by proxy, form the very bafis of this 
 institution, and the innocent and immacu- 
 late
 
 [ 100 ] 
 
 late Chrift is made the fcape-goat for the 
 remiffion of fins and falvation, and burdened 
 with not only the crimes of Ifrael, which 
 were abundantly fufficient, but with the fins 
 of the whole world, millions of whofe inha- 
 bitants never heard of his name or doctrines. 
 It has been a moot point amongft the learned, 
 whether this institution, fo (imply and une- 
 quivocally enjoined by Chrifl, was intended 
 by him in perpetuity to a//, or appropriated 
 folely to his immediate Apoftles and Difciples, 
 delegated to propagate his doctrines. Be this 
 as it may, it is a truth incontrovertible, that 
 it would have been happy for fucceeding 
 generations, had it been always underftood 
 in the latter fenfe, and never erected into an 
 official inftitution of the Church j for then 
 would have been fpared the deluges of blood, 
 wickedly fpilt in the contentions refpecting 
 the principle, and various modes of its ad- 
 miniflration. We cannot clofe this fection > 
 without arraigning the proftitution of this 
 
 facrament
 
 facrament on various occafions; it is now 
 made a political teft, or qualification for 
 offices of truft and emolument -, and by many 
 never taken from any other call. It is admi- 
 niftered to dying perfons, under the fanftion 
 of a death-bed repentance p , without any previ- 
 ous fcrutiny into the religion or morals of the 
 individual, whofe life may have been a con- 
 ftant violation of both* This was not the kind 
 of repentance preached by Chrift, but on 
 this forlorn hope does man fin on, from day 
 to day, with the futile and groundlefs expec- 
 tation of forgivenefs at the laft. It is alfo 
 adminiftered to notorious malefactors, pre- 
 vious to their execution, upon a fpccious 
 and inadequate contrition. The vicious will 
 eafily fet at nought moral rectitude, on the 
 flattering prefumption that a fecure paflport 
 will be given them at the clofe of their ini - 
 quities, for pardon, peace, and happinefs in 
 a future ftate of exiftence; although their 
 lives have exhibited a continued feries of 
 H oppreflion,
 
 [ 102 ] 
 
 oppreffion, fraud, rapine, and invafion, of the 
 rights, liberty, peace, property, and lives, of 
 their fellow-creatures, in one fhape or other, 
 
 57- 
 
 NEXT comes under our view, the S*acra- 
 ment (as it is called) of the Baptifm of in- 
 fants and grown perfons. We have, in a 
 former eflay, proved the total inutility of 
 this ceremonial, as well as the impropriety 
 of every fpeeies of Creeds y or profeflions of 
 faith - y on which there have been fuch various 
 and mifchievous contentions. In achriftian 
 country, it muft be neceflarily underftood, 
 that every perfon who enters the church is a 
 Chriflian. The tefts of Baptifm, and a Creed, 
 might poffibly have been neceflary in the very 
 primitive times of Chriftianity ; but is now, 
 beyond doubt, utterly ufelefs, as the farce 
 made of it fully proves. When we advert 
 to the queries of the prieft and anfwers of 
 the fponfors, in infant baptifm, it is furely 
 
 difficult
 
 difficult to reftrain the blufh on the coun- 
 tenance of the parties. He, with folemn face 
 and diftion, expatiates on " the remiffion 
 of fins, byfpiritual regeneration, and invokes 
 the fanffiification of 'water , to the myjlical 
 wafhing away of fin," &c.j arid they as fo- 
 lemnly bind themfelves to perform every in- 
 junction he lays them under, although not 
 one in a thoufand ever after trouble their 
 heads about their wards, or the folemn 
 obligations they entered into before GOD. 
 Chriftian kings, tyrants, generals, heroes 
 who have flain their thoufands and tens 
 of thoufands, and every thief that has 
 made his exit at the gallows, have all had 
 their baptifm, and their fponfors. The in- 
 ference to be drawn, we leave to the real 
 Chriftian reader. 
 
 58. 
 
 RESPECTING the other official inftitutes 
 
 of the Liturgy, namely, The Church Care.- 
 
 H 2 chilrn,
 
 I 104 ] 
 
 chifm, and Confirmation, Matrimony, the 
 Vifitation of the Sick, Burial of the Dead, 
 Churching of Women, and the Commina- 
 tion; after we have entered our general 
 proteft againft them all, as militating againft 
 the unity and jupremacy of the GODHEAD, 
 and other fundamentals of. pure worfhip, 
 we purpofe to beilow a fhort feftion on each. 
 
 59- 
 
 THE Church Catechifm, and Confirma- 
 tion, are compofed of doctrines, matters, 
 and things, as well as terms, concerning 
 which the wifeft heads have differed; con- 
 fequently they come not within the reach of 
 the capacity or underftanding of children, 
 or youth ; yet they are taught to repeat it 
 like parrots, to no one prefent or future ufe- 
 ful purpofe; as they hardly ever think of, or 
 revert to it, after they arrive to the years of 
 maturity; befides, in feveral paflages, the very 
 idea of free-agency is deftroyed. And here 
 
 we
 
 r 
 
 we cannot refrain condemning the infatuated, 
 premature, ufelefs, if not dangerous cuftom 
 of making children gallop through the Scrip- 
 tures, before their underftanding can receive 
 any proper impreflion from them ; they are 
 lafhed on from Genefis to the Revelations, 
 and ever after difregard, or deteft them, as 
 objects of their early grievances. 
 
 60. 
 
 THE moft holy ftate of Matrimony, as it 
 is mojl profanely filled in the Liturgy, can- 
 not be looked upon by thofe who enter into 
 it in that light; for daily proofs contradict 
 the fuppofitioiii therefore it is unworthy a 
 place in any fpiritual inftitution of divine 
 worfhip. Hourly experience proves, that it 
 is confidered by a//, as a mere civil, political, 
 temporal, convenient trading compatt-, vio- 
 lated at will by both, or either of the parties, 
 under certain penalties ; and totally difTol- 
 vable by human laws -, confequently, it fhould 
 H 3 in
 
 t 106 ] 
 
 in future be confidered and entered into as a 
 fmple contraft only; and be diverted of the 
 mockery of prayers and benedictions - t of paf- 
 fages bordering upon the ludicrous, and of 
 folemn vows and covenants, which neither 
 party in general ever think of, or regard after 
 their departure from the altar; although 
 their GOD is invoked as a witnefs to their mu- 
 tual obligations. All wilful perjuries are fe- 
 verely punifhed by the laws, except thofe 
 daily committed in this moft holy ftate of 
 Matrimony! 
 
 61. 
 
 IN a former eflay, often alluded to, we 
 have ftated the impropriety of a formal fer- 
 vice for the Vifitation of the Sick ; as parti- 
 cular circumftances, and filiations of the 
 individual, fhould be the guide of the offi- 
 ciating Minifter. 
 
 62. THE
 
 62. 
 
 THE fervice for the Burial of the Dead, 
 when divefted of every part which intrenches 
 on the unity and fupremacy of GOD, and 
 which implies adoration of Chrift, may be 
 retained, as the fined fpecimen of fentiment 
 and language exifting. 
 
 6 3 . 
 
 THE publick fervice for the Churching of 
 Women is a moft indelicate tax upon the 
 fex, and gives caufe to the congregation, and 
 efpecially amongft the youth, for many in- 
 decent allufions. If fuch a ceremonial may 
 be thought necenary by weak minds, let it 
 be confined to the private apartment of 
 the individual. 
 
 6 4 . 
 
 THE laft, and moft tremendous part of 
 our Liturgy, is the Commination, or day of 
 ctirfing, where the benign, good, gracious; 
 
 and
 
 and merciful GOD, is introduced furioufly 
 denouncing wrath and vengeance, unbecoming 
 the idea we ought to entertain of Him. We 
 have no doubt but that mofl of thofe official 
 inftitutes were originally eftabliflied with a 
 view to the fees and emoluments annexed to 
 them; but our proportions put the Clergy 
 on fuch a refpeftable footing as precludes 
 fuch low confiderations. 
 
 WE cannot quit this part of our fubjecli 
 without paying due notice to the Thirty- 
 nine Articles of Religion, as fundamentals 
 of our faith and worfhip; they were efla- 
 blifhed in the reign of Elizabeth, anno 1571, 
 and fubfcribed to by the archbifhops, bifhops, 
 and the whole body of the clergy, in con- 
 vocation afTembled. It will not, we think, 
 be difputed, that thefe Articles were ordained 
 by mans authority only; and therefore we 
 may, we hope, without offence make a little 
 
 free
 
 io 9 
 
 free with them; as they impoliticly figned 
 their own condemnation in the claufe of 
 tl>e 34th Article, recited verbatim in our 
 5 1 ft feclion; and furely it is almoft as in- 
 comprehenfible as the Articles themfelves, 
 that any learned and rational body of men 
 fhould fubfcribe to fuch a medley of blaf- 
 phemous, enthufiaftic, contradictory rhap- 
 fodies. The only apology that remains for 
 them is, that thofe were the times of in- 
 flamed bigotry and fuperftition. But it is ftill 
 a greater marvel that they fhould defcend, 
 without variation, to thefe our more en- 
 lightened days; and ftill remain a teft which 
 every one of the priefthood muft fubfcribe 
 to, if he aims at poffefling any emoluments 
 of the Church. And yet fo prevalent and 
 tempting is the profpecl, they, in the general, 
 fcruple not to fubfcribe to Articles deroga- 
 tory to the dignity of their GOD, and beyond 
 the reach of human underftanding or belief; 
 facrificing every thing that is facred to tem- 
 
 pora
 
 poral views and hopes of future promotion* 
 We have heard it urged in their defence, 
 that their reafon and confciences are fhackled 
 by a fatal neceffity and dependance, from the 
 mode of their training and education, which 
 renders them unfit for any other purfuits in 
 the date j if fo, they cannot too foon be re- 
 leafed from this opprobrious Teji-, the machi- 
 nations, efFufion, and fcum, ifTuing from the 
 ebullitions of diftempered brains, to the fub- 
 verfion of true religion, common fenfe, and 
 reafon. 
 
 66. 
 
 FROM the foregoing analyfis, it muft be 
 confpiGuoufly obvious to every thinking be-< 
 ing, how few parts of our eftablifhed Liturgy^ 
 are admiffible in a rational worfhip of the 
 Deity. Some fettled fowti of divine worfhip 
 is effentially incumbent on every well-regu- 
 lated flat; but then if that form be unwor- 
 thy the Deity, it were better they had jione; 
 
 and
 
 I m ] 
 
 and if we confign every fyftem of religious 
 prayer and worfhip extant, to the tribunal 
 of true philofophy, reafon, and piety j they 
 will all afTuredly fuffer a fentence of con- 
 demnation. Although the Deity does not 
 interfere in the rife or fall of empires and 
 ftates, nor in the thoughts or tranfa6lions of 
 intelligent beings, otherwife than by his 
 primaeval, general, providential laws; yet we 
 are not from thence to conclude they pafs 
 unnoticed by Him. Inconceivable as it is, by 
 what medium, mode, or unifon our thoughts, 
 imaginations, and refolves, are inftantane- 
 oufly conveyed to the knowledge of GOD ; 
 yet the principle is good and eligible. The 
 efficacy of prayer has been doubted by fome 
 learned divines, and feems to be difcounte- 
 nanced by CHRIST himfelf, except in the 
 ftiorteft, and moft comprehenfive way pof- 
 fible. He fays, " But when you pray, ufe 
 " not vain repetitions as the Heathen do." 
 Yet if prayer be an error, we err at leafl on 
 
 the
 
 t * I 
 
 the right fide by the performance, provided 
 the conftrucYion of fuch prayer be wor- 
 thy the acceptance of a benevolent GOD; 
 to which purpofe our humble efforts (hall 
 be exerted, in the courfe of the remaining 
 feclions. 
 
 IF the Communion be deemed eflential in 
 a new Liturgy, it muft be fuppofed that 
 every communicant comes properly prepared, 
 with a contrite heart, in charity with all 
 mankind, ftedfaftly purpoiing to fin no 
 more} this muft be premifed, or they are 
 utterly unworthy to approach the table. 
 Therefore, where is the neceffity of the pa- 
 rade of non-effential preambles, exhorta- 
 tions, prayers, &c. ? Let them all be rejected ; 
 and the following fimple mode of admini- 
 niftration be adopted. The Prieft, admini- 
 flering the bread and wine jointly or fepa- 
 rately, (hall fay: 'fake this y or tbefe, in 
 
 commemoration
 
 I 113 ] 
 
 commemoration of the fujferings and death of 
 Jefus Chrift; 'who died in confirmation of his 
 divine doffrines; the pr attic e of which dctfrines 
 only, are adequate to the remiffion of fins ^ and 
 .indifpenfably necejjary to our prefent well- 
 being, and future fahation. And in this un- 
 equivocal wife let this Sacrament begin and 
 end, as coraprifing every relative effential. 
 
 68. 
 
 As weak fond mothers would think their 
 infants devoted to perdition without the 
 ceremonial of Baptifm, (for we will not call 
 it a Sacrament) it muft in fome fort be re- 
 tained in the church; but here we recom- 
 mend the fame abridgement of fuperfluous 
 matter as enforced in the preceding fe6lion, 
 and the following fhort form: The Minifter, 
 fprinkling the infant with water, (hall fay : 
 / Baptife Thee in the Name of GOD, and re- 
 ceive Thee into the Pale and Bofom of the 
 Chrijlian Church. Some, we doubt not, will 
 
 Hart
 
 [ "4 1 
 
 flart at our omitting the fign of the Crofs ; 
 but as we look upon this part of the ufual 
 ceremonial, as a virtual adoration, and a re- 
 maining relick of that fuperftitious idolatry 
 we condemn in our neighbours, we think it 
 fhould be wholly rejected. Here we are 
 tempted to a fhort digreflion, for which we 
 hope the indulgence of our readers. In fad, 
 the boafted reformation of the proteftants, 
 on their defection from the Mother Church, 
 does not exhibit any traces of material varia- 
 tion, if we except the fuppreflion of mona- 
 fleries, nunneries, auricular confeflion, and 
 the comforts of matrimony, reftored to the 
 clergy. We all know that feparation did not 
 flow from any fpiritual or religious motives, 
 but from carnal and diametrically oppofite 
 caufes; we have varied in difcipline, whilft 
 we continue in profeffion and practice the 
 fame reprehenfible Tenets. We have ar- 
 raigned their principles of purgatory, and 
 withholding the fcriptures from the laity, (as 
 
 repugnant
 
 [ "5 ] 
 
 repugnant to the word of GOD) without fuf- 
 ficient confideration. The fpirit's perpetual 
 fucceflion to animate other mortal forms, 
 on the difTolution of its prefent prifon, is a, 
 virtual purgatory, and an immediate reward 
 or punifhment for their virtues or vices, in 
 their preceding form of exiftence. The de- 
 ceptive and lucrative trade made of this 
 principle by the Priefthood of the Roman 
 Church, is doubtlefs highly culpable. The 
 fliutting up the fcriptures from the laity, 
 was certainly a ftroke of wifdom; and had 
 that prohibition been continued by the Pro- 
 teftants, much mifchief, folly, and madnefs, 
 had been prevented. The. whole Chriftian 
 Priefthood have been at loggerheads perpe- 
 tually about their true and various readings 
 and fignifications ; hence the attack on the 
 fupremacy, fpiritual and temporal powers 
 of the Head of the Roman Church, and fe- 
 paration from itj and hence arofe the infane 
 multitude of feclaries amongft the pro- 
 
 teftants
 
 teftants ; every hot-brained zealot aiming to 
 be a reformer, and head of a feet; until at 
 laft, by this wanton and indifcriminate ufe of 
 the fcriptures, we daily fee Coblers and Tay- 
 lors in our ilreets become Popes and Pre- 
 tenders, to expound them with infallibility. 
 
 6 9 . 
 
 OUR Articles forbid the invocation of 
 SaintSy as repugnant to the Word of GOD, 
 yet by our Creed we are taught to have 
 faith in their communion. In the Collects, 
 Epiftles, and Gofpels, they are diftincHy con* 
 fecrated and commemorated; and if this does 
 not amount to a virtual invocation, it has 
 no meaning; therefore, in either fenfe, they 
 are improper to be retained in any form of 
 divine worfhip. Too frequent Holidays, as 
 they are mifcalled, are injurious to the flate, 
 and uninterefting to religion; and ferve only 
 to encourage idlenefs, debauchery, and drunk- 
 
 ennefs
 
 I "7 J 
 
 ennefs in the people, which is the general 
 mode of celebration. 
 
 7- 
 
 To enumerate the remaining abfurdities 
 of our Liturgy, and in truth the Liturgies 
 of all other Chriftian churches, would be an 
 endlefs tafk; therefore the foregoing (hall 
 fuffice. It remains that we endeavour to fe- 
 paratethe gold from the drofs; and from the 
 former conftitute and fubjoin a connected, 
 fhort, and rational form of worfhip, worthy 
 of our Creator and ourfelves; and to which 
 none can have the leaft reafonable objec- 
 tion. Preparatory thereto, we fhall premife, 
 that True religion fhould only confift of 
 adoration to GOD! confeflion of guilt, con- 
 trition, and thankfgiving, and of a confonant 
 form of worfhip. If we conceive that man- 
 kind is wickeder in thefe our days, than they 
 were in antecedent times, our conclufions are 
 not well founded : David tells us pathetically, 
 I but
 
 [ "8 ] 
 
 but we think rather too feverely, that " The 
 " Lord looked down from heaven upon the 
 " children of men, to fee if there were any 
 " that would underftand, or feek after GOD; 
 et but they are all gone out of the way, they 
 c< are altogether become abominable, there is 
 " none that doeth good, no, not one'' And we 
 have no doubt but the Davids of all the pre- 
 ceding ages might juftly have faid the fame : 
 in fuch a predicament we fland at prefent; 
 we hourly and univerfally fee the exalted ra- 
 tional powers of mind and body, with which 
 we were originally and gracioufly inverted, 
 perverted to every evil purpofe and purfuit : 
 whence then that presumptive claim, right, 
 or expectation, which are implyed in the 
 numerous, tirefome, vain, and contradictory 
 addreffes of deprecation and fupplication, 
 fcattered throughout the Liturgy we arraign 
 and condemn? and whence the flattering, 
 unmerited, deceptive conception of the inter- 
 fering, peculiar providence of the Supreme, 
 
 to
 
 t "9 3 
 
 to extricate us from evils, which are folely 
 the refult of our own folly and madnefs ? 
 
 ?' 
 
 THE whole tenor of our feclions mark our 
 predilection for the hypothecs of our being 
 the very apoftate angelic beings > and the doctrine 
 of the fpirit's tranfmigration through all ani- 
 mated organifed mortal forms 5 and we confefs 
 we fee no incongruity in a firm belief of 
 either. It is on all hands agreed, that we are 
 placed here in a ftate of punifhment, degra- 
 dation, and probation} if fo, it muft have 
 been for fome lapfe or crime committed in a 
 pre-exiftent ftate: a perfuafion in the firft 
 leads to a retrofpeft of our original dignity, 
 and would ftimulate to deeds that do not 
 difgrace it. All thefe doctrines incontrover- 
 tibly conftituted the Creed of our forefathers, 
 and are to this day the firm perfuafion of 
 millions, and fome of them the wifefl of 
 mankind, in various parts of the globe; and 
 I 2 if
 
 t 120 ] 
 
 if univerfally embraced, would at leaft have 
 one falutary effect:; it would work a happy 
 change in favour of the miferable brute 
 creation, who are looked upon and treated 
 as mere material machines, devoid of feeling, 
 and of any future (late of exiftence: not fo 
 thought the fublime philofopher, moralift, 
 and orator, PATJL of Tarfus, [vide his Epiftle 
 to the Romans, in the fervice for the fourth 
 Sunday after Trinity j] and David fays, 
 <( Lord, thou fhalt fave both man and beafl," 
 as before quoted. Without the aid of thefe 
 doctrines, how fhall we account for fome 
 phcenomena that daily occur ? Two children 
 born of the fame parents, nourifhed from the 
 fame breaft, trained and educated in the fame 
 mode, and under the fame inftructors; the 
 one fhall prove an honour to the fpecies, a 
 blefling to the parents, and a ufeful member 
 of focietyj the other, a difgrace to human 
 nature, a curfe to the parents, and an enemy 
 to all focial virtues. Hiflory affords eminent 
 
 inftances
 
 inftances to our purpofe, and demonftrates, 
 that there is no neceflity for the exiftence of 
 any other devil, than the devil within us: 
 the mortal form of the firft, we may fuppofe 
 is animated by a fpirit of the leaft offending 
 tribes of the angelic apoftates; the other, by 
 one of the moft malignant offenders. Again ; 
 the amazing unconquerable unfhaken affec- 
 tion, antipathy, partiality, averfion, and 
 other feelings, that inftantaneoufly ftrike the 
 fenforium at the frftjight of an object, can 
 only be folved by the fympathetic or electric 
 ftroke of a kindred or adverfe fpirit, which 
 animates the object viewed. 
 
 72- 
 
 NOTWITHSTANDING our thoughts on 
 mufic, as given in our 33d lection, we have 
 no antipathy to the found of an organ 3 on 
 the contrary, we propofe no church fhall be 
 without one, in proportion to the magnitude 
 of the church, and that a confiderable portion 
 I 3 of
 
 of our New Liturgy- fliall be conducted in 
 the Cathedral (lile. Nothing fo much ex- 
 cites to devotion, lifts the foul to heaven, 
 and imprefles an awful feeling and idea of 
 the glory of the DEITY, as the divine har- 
 mony of facred mufick : to this intention 
 the art fhould chiefly be appropriated, in 
 place of employing it to the purpofes of idle 
 amufement and highly expenfive diffipation 
 of time and fortune, as is now, and has 
 been for fome years back, the univerfal infa- 
 twated impulfe of all ranks of the people. 
 
 73- 
 
 WE cannot help applauding what may be 
 ililed the magnificence of divine worfhip, re- 
 ipe&ing the decorations of our churches, and 
 the vefhnents of our priefthood, in which par- 
 ticulars we certainly are very remifs; and as 
 we {hew a predilection in the general, for the 
 faihions of our neighbours, why fhould we 
 not imitate them in thefe effentials? We 
 
 caU
 
 I "3 1 
 
 call them efTentials, becaufe thefe exteriors 
 imprefs the multitude with an awe and reve- 
 rence, not only for the place of worfhip, 
 but for thofe deftined for the fervice of it. 
 We wifh to fee the difmal black banifhed, the 
 officiating veftments of the Doctors in 
 Divinity fumptuoufly ornamented, and their 
 common habit purple, diflinguifhed as the 
 uniform of the Church; which colour fhould 
 be prohibited all other ranks. 
 
 A NEW
 
 NEW LITURGY; 
 
 O R, 
 
 FORM 
 
 O F 
 
 COMMON PRAYER.
 
 NEW LITURGY. 
 
 " T THEN the wicked man turneth away 
 * * from his wickednefs, and doeth 
 that which is lawful and right, he fhall fave 
 his foul. 
 
 If we fay that we have no fin, we deceive 
 ourfelves, and the truth is not in us. But 
 if we confefs our fins, and truly repent, God 
 is juft, and will forgive them. 
 
 ITNEARLY beloved brethren, the Scrip- 
 ^~* ture moveth us in fundry places to 
 acknowledge and confefs our manifold fmsj 
 and that we mould not diflemble nor cloke 
 them before the face of Almighty God our 
 heavenly Father, but confefs them with an 
 
 humble,
 
 C "8 ] 
 
 humble, lowly, penitent, and obedient hearty 
 to the end that we might obtain forgivenefs 
 of the fame. And although we ought at 
 all times humbly to acknowledge our fins 
 before God, yet ought we mod chiefly fo to 
 do, when we affemble and meet together, 
 tcr render thanks for the great mercies and 
 benefits we have received at his hands. 
 Therefore I pray and befeech you, to accom- 
 pany me with a pure heart and humble 
 voice, faying, 
 
 A LMIGHTY and moft merciful Father, 
 ^ We have erred and ftrayed from thy 
 ways like loft fheep. We have followed too 
 much the devices and defires of our own 
 hearts. We have offended againft thy holy 
 laws. We have left undone thofe things 
 which we ought to have done; and done 
 thofe things which we ought not to have 
 done> and there is no goodnefs in us. O 
 Lord, have mercy upon us miferable offen- 
 ders.
 
 r 129 ] 
 
 ders. Spare thou them, O God, who con- 
 fefs their faults -, and re/tore thou them that 
 are penitent - y according to the divine doc- 
 trines promulged, preached, and pra&ifed, 
 by the moft perfecl of thy created beings, 
 Jefus Chrift; by which we mall hereafter 
 live a godly, righteous, and fober life, to 
 the glory of thy holy name. Amen. 
 
 HYMN. 
 
 END your hearts and not your gar- 
 
 ments, 
 
 And turn unto the LORD your God : 
 For he is gracious and merciful, 
 
 Slow to anger, and of great kindnefs. 
 
 A LMIGHTY God, the Father and 
 if *- Creator of all that exift, who deiiretli 
 not the death of a linner, but rather that he 
 may turn from his wickednefs and live; and 
 pardoneth and abfolveth all them that truly 
 repent, and unfeignedly believe his holy 
 
 Gofpel,
 
 t 130 1 
 
 Gofpel, through the pure doftrines of Jefus 
 Chrifl: fpare us good Lord. 
 
 HYMN. 
 
 TO the Lord our God 
 Belongeth mercy and forgivenefs, 
 Although we have rebelled againft him; 
 
 Neither have we obeyed 
 The voice of the LORD our God, 
 
 To walk in his laws, which he fet before us. 
 
 /'""AUR Father which art in heaven, Hal- 
 ^^ lowed be thy name; Thy kingdom 
 come; Thy will be done on earth, as it is in 
 heaven: Give us this day our daily bread; 
 And forgive us our trefpafles, as we forgive 
 them that trefpafs againft us; And leave us 
 not in temptation; but deliver us from 
 evil. Amen. 
 
 HYMN,
 
 t 
 
 HYMN. 
 
 "T1TTE acknowledge our tranfgreffions, 
 
 * ^ And our fins are ever before us. 
 
 The facrifices of God are a broken fpirit : 
 
 A broken and contrite heart, 
 O God, thou wilt not defpife. 
 
 Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is 
 at hand. 
 
 GOD, merciful Father, that defpifeth 
 not the fighing of a contrite heart, nor 
 the defires of fuch as be forrowful; merci- 
 fully accept the prayers we make before Thee, 
 in all our troubles and adverfities, whenfo- 
 ever they opprefs us. 
 
 HYMN. 
 
 COME, let us fing unto the Lord, 
 And heartily rejoice in the hope of 
 
 our falvation. 
 
 Let us come before his prefence with 
 thankfgiving, 
 
 And
 
 I 132 3 
 
 And {hew ourfelves glad in him with 
 
 pfalms. 
 For the LORD is a great God, 
 
 And a great King above all Gods : 
 In his hands are all the, corners of the earth, 
 
 And the ftrength of the hills is his alfo. 
 The fea is his, and he made it, 
 
 And his hands prepared the dry land. 
 O come, let us worfhip, and fall down, 
 
 And kneel before the LORD our Maker; 
 For he is the LORD our God. 
 
 "TT TE humbly befeech thee, O Father, 
 * mercifully to look upon -our infir- 
 mities ; and for the glory of thy name, turn 
 from us thofe evils which we mod juftly 
 have deferved, by our original apoftacy from 
 thy holy laws. Our whole truft and confi- 
 dence, O God, is in thy mercy, whilfl we 
 adhere to and follow the pious dictates and 
 pure doctrines of Jefus Chrift. Amen. 
 
 HYMN.
 
 HYMN. 
 
 WE praife Thee, O God: 
 We acknowledge Thee to be the Lord. 
 All the earth doth worfhip Thee: 
 
 The Father everlafting. 
 To Thee all angels cry aloud : 
 
 The heavens, and all the powers therein. 
 To Thee Cherubim and Seraphim 
 
 Continually do cry, 
 Holy, holy, holy! 
 
 LORD God of Sabaoth; 
 Heaven and earth are full 
 
 Of the Majefty of thy Glory. 
 
 O ETERNAL ONE, with unbounded 
 gratitude, love, and adoration, for all 
 thy mercies, all thy bleffings, which Thou 
 haft gracioufly beflowed on us, and all man- 
 kind; We blefs Thee for our creation and 
 prefervation ; and with contrite hearts pre- 
 fume to look up to Thee, our God and 
 K Creator,
 
 t '34 1 
 
 Creator, our ultimate hope and comfort, for 
 pardon, not only of our great original 
 tranfgreflion, but for our accumulated fins 
 in this bur prefent flate of pnnijhment and 
 probation. And we blefs thy lenient hand, 
 and unmerited clemency, moft humbly de- 
 pending that in thy good time, thou wilt 
 mercifully deliver us from thefe corrupt and 
 mortal forms, and^mz//y reftore Us to thy 
 divine prefence, from which, for our difobe- 
 dience, we were moft juftly banifhed. This 
 we hope for, O Lord, through the efficacy 
 of the pure docTrines of Jefus Chrift, to 
 whofe name and memory be all due praife 
 and honour paid, for evermore. Amen. 
 
 HYMN. 
 
 O BE joyful in the Lord, all ye lands: 
 Serve the Lord with gladnefs, 
 And come before his prefence 
 With a fong. 
 
 Be
 
 [ 135 ] 
 
 Be ye fure that the Lord he is God; 
 
 It is he that hath made us, 
 And not we ourfelves : we are his people, 
 
 And the fheep of his pafture. 
 
 Ogo your way into his gates 
 
 With thankfgiving, 
 And into his courts with praife: 
 
 Be thankful unto Him, 
 And fpeak good of his name, 
 
 For the Lord he is gracious, 
 
 His mercy is everlafting: 
 And his truth endureth 
 
 From generation to generation. 
 
 G 
 
 Minifter. 
 
 OD fpake thefe words, and faid, Thou 
 fhalt have none other gods but me. 
 
 People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and 
 accept our endeavours to keep this thy law. 
 K 2 Minifter.
 
 [ 136 ] 
 
 Mintfter. Thou fhalt not make to thyfetf 
 any graven image, nor the likenefs of any 
 thing that is in the heavens above, nor in 
 the earth beneath, nor in the water under the 
 earth. Thou fhalt not bow down before 
 them, nor worlhip them, for I am the Lord 
 
 thy God. 
 
 / 
 
 People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and 
 accept our endeavours to keep this thy law. 
 
 Minijler. Thou (halt not take the name 
 of the Lord thy God in vain : for the Lord 
 will not hold him guiltlefs that taketh his 
 name in vain. 
 
 People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and 
 accept our endeavours to keep this thy law. 
 
 Mlnifter. Remember that thou keep holy 
 the fabbath-day . Six days fhalt thou labour ; 
 but the feventh is the fabbath of the Lord 
 
 thy
 
 ! '37 1 
 
 thy God: in it thou fhalt do no manner of 
 work, thou, and thy fon, and thy daughter, 
 thy man-fervant, and thy maid-fervant, thy 
 cattle, and the flranger that is within thy 
 gates. 
 
 People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and 
 accept our endeavours to keep this thy law. 
 
 Minifter. Honour thy father and mother, 
 that thy days may be long in the land which 
 the Lord thy God giveth thee. 
 
 People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and 
 accept our endeavours to keep this thy law. 
 
 Minifter. Thou fhalt do no murder. 
 
 People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and 
 accept our endeavours to keep this thy law. 
 
 Minifter. Thou fhalt not commit adultery. 
 K 3 People.
 
 [ '38 1 
 
 People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and 
 accept our endeavours to keep this thy law. 
 
 Minijler. Thou (halt not fleal. 
 
 People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and 
 accept our endeavours to keep this thy law. 
 
 Minifter. Thou fhalt not bear falfe wit- 
 nefs againft thy neighbour. 
 
 People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and 
 accept our endeavours to keep this thy law. 
 
 Minijler. Thou fhalt not covet thy neigh- 
 bour's houfe, thou fhalt not covet thy 
 neighbour's wife, nor his fervant, nor his 
 maid, nor his ox, nor his afs, nor any thing 
 that is his. 
 
 People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and 
 accept our endeavours to keep this thy law. 
 
 ANTHEM.
 
 f 139 1 
 
 ANTHEM. 
 
 BLESSED is the man that hath 39$: walked 
 In the counfel of the ungodly; 
 But his delight is in the law of the J-ord, 
 And in his law will he exercife himfelf 
 day and night. 
 
 And he fhall be like a tree planted 
 
 By the water-Jides 
 That will bring forth his fruit 
 
 In due feafon. 
 
 His leaf lhall not wither, and look 
 Whatfoever he doeth 
 
 It fhall profper. 
 
 As for the ungodly, it is not fo with them; 
 
 But they are like the chaff, 
 Which the wind fcattereth away 
 
 From the face of the earth. 
 
 Therefore the ungodly (hall not be able 
 To ftand in the judgment: 
 
 K 4 Neither
 
 Neither the fmners in the congregation 
 Of the righteous. 
 
 But the Lord knoweth 
 
 The way of the righteous : 
 And the way of the ungodly 
 
 Shall perifh. 
 
 The SERMON. 
 
 ANTHEM. 
 
 THE'heavens declare the glory of God, ' 
 And the firmament fheweth his handy 
 
 work. 
 One day telleth another: 
 
 And one night certifieth another. 
 
 There is neither fpeech nor language, 
 
 But their voices are ; heard amorigft them. 
 Their found is gone out into all lands, 
 
 Amliheir words Into 1 Perils : &ti$#biM. 
 
 : T , 
 
 * * In
 
 In them hath he fet a tabernacle for the fun: 
 Which cometh forth as a bridegroom from 
 
 his chamber, 
 And rejoiceth as a giant to run his courfe. 
 
 CHORUS. 
 
 THE Lord defcended from above, 
 And bow'd the heavens fo high; 
 
 And underneath his feet he caft 
 The darknefs of the fky. 
 
 On cherubs and on cherubims 
 
 Full royally he rode: 
 And on the wings of mighty winds 
 
 Came flying all abroad. 
 
 BENEDICTION. 
 
 MAY ye all, by a due exertion of the 
 intellectual powers with which your 
 Creator has fufficiently endowed you, pro- 
 mote your own well-being: and may you, 
 
 by
 
 [ '4* 1 
 
 by adoring your God, loving your neighbour 
 as yourfelves, and praftifmg the di&ates of 
 Jefus Chrift, infure to yourfelves content- 
 ment here, and in due time, joy and happi- 
 nefs everlafting. Amen. 
 
 74. HAVING
 
 y- i 143 1 
 
 - 74- 
 
 HAVING clofed our fhort, conne&ed, ra- 
 tional, and unexceptionable Liturgy, or 
 Form of Common Prayer, we beg leave to 
 enumerate a few of its obvious happy effects, 
 refpefting the Minifter and Congregation. 
 He will here find his yoke eafy, and his 
 burthen light; he will be relieved from a 
 drudgery, which exhaufts his corporeal and 
 mental powers, with the additional mortifi- 
 cation of being conftrained to utter language, 
 fentiments, and principles, which he knows 
 nmft be offenfive to his GOD, and are con- 
 trary to his own confcience, faith, and judg- 
 ment. But now he enters the defk, and 
 afcends the pulpit, with a heartfelt joy and 
 gladnefs, and a fpirit of true devotion, he 
 never before experienced. The Congrega* 
 lion will not have their appetite for devotion 
 glutted and palled with long tirefome repe- 
 titions of the fame unintelligible matter, to 
 the confounding and bewildering of their 
 
 * fenfes
 
 t 14+ I 
 
 fenfes and underftanding, nor be lulled to 
 repofe by tedious hiflorical recitals, totally 
 uninterefling j but their fouls will be kept 
 alert, and alive to the adoration of one objett 
 only, and awake to the pious inflru6lions and 
 doctrines, which will be conveyed to them 
 from the pulpit. 
 
 75- 
 
 THE hiftories of all times are pregnant 
 with glaring and flagrant proofs of the 
 pulpit being too often appropriated to moft 
 unworthy purpofes j therefore our fyflem is 
 incomplete, unlefs we point out certain 
 flriclures, to which the preacher fhall be 
 fubjec~l. Although our ihort fyflem of divine 
 worfhip interdicts almofl the whole reading 
 fervice of the prefent eflablifhed Liturgy, 
 yet we by no means prohibit the preacher 
 the apt and proper ufe of them, occafionally, 
 provided he fleers clear of, and does not 
 touch, and founder himfelf upon, thofe 
 
 dangerous
 
 C 145 1 
 
 dangerous rocks marked in our chart, upon 
 which true religion has hitherto fplit, and 
 been caft away. The duties of the pulpit^ 
 incumbent on the Minifier, are, to enforce 
 gratitude, love, and adoration of the DEITY, 
 and a becoming fubmiflion to his laws and 
 decrees; to inculcate the neceflity of pure 
 ethicks, as that heart, wherein moral recti- 
 tude is not an inhabitant, can know no 
 true peace 3 to imprefs the neceflary love of 
 our neighbour, an ejjentlal repentance, and 
 a due veneration only for the name and re- 
 membrance of Chrift, without any allufions 
 of his equality with his GOD, or to his 
 miraculous conception; properties which he 
 himfelf never afTumed or glanced at. He 
 muft fludioufly abftain from meddling with 
 the myfterious nothings in the Revelations, 
 and from drawing conclufions from prophe- 
 cies; prophecy implying a fatality in events, 
 which deflroys the principle of free-agency. 
 He muft be ftricUy prohibited the difcuffion 
 
 of
 
 of political fubje&s, to which the pulpit has 
 too frequently been proftituted. For all fa- 
 lutary purpofes, he can never be at a lofs for 
 proper texts, taken from the divine doctrines 
 of Chrift, the elaborate morals of Paul of 
 Tarfus, and from numerous felect parts of 
 the Old and New Teftament; carefully 
 avoiding all abftrufe non-eflential points of 
 fpeculative divinity and theology. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 Rational and candid Reader ! 
 
 OUR labours are at an end; they have 
 not been excited by any affectation of fmgu- 
 larity, but have been fpurred on by a pure 
 fpirit of benevolence to all intelligent beings. 
 Singularity of fentiment cannot have been. 
 
 our
 
 [ '47 1 
 
 our motive, becaufe we have no doubt but 
 that millions think as we do, although, from 
 a certain cautious apathy, and indolence of 
 difpofition, or the active fcenes of life they 
 are engaged in, they have not had courage, 
 or leifure, to prefent their fentiments to the 
 public. But for our own part, as our thread 
 of life is fpun fine, and probably will foon 
 break; we wi(h (before our lot takes place 
 for animating fome other mortal form) to 
 leave a legacy to our fellow-creatures, worthy 
 their acceptance; and which, if properly 
 prized, will afiuredly conduce to their pre- 
 fent and future felicity. 
 
 Our vkw has been, to defend the honour 
 and dignity of our CREATOR, from a fatal 
 mifconception: to expofe the fallacy, inade- 
 quacy, and inconfiftency, of all Chriftian re- 
 ligious worfhip: to extricate mankind from 
 the fuperilitious, abject flavery they have for 
 ages groaned under, to a tribe of their own 
 
 fpecies :
 
 [ 148 ] 
 
 fpecies: to arraign the folly and 'in-utility 
 of what are called arts and fciences, and ta 
 ftimulate the genius, fludy, and abilities of 
 men, to more worthy and'ufeful. purfuits : 
 to relieve the prefent and future exigencies 
 of the ftateY and heavy burdens of the peo-> 
 pie, by a moft equitable and necefTary 
 meafure : and finally, to inftitute a form 
 of worfhip more worthy of our Got>, and 
 of ourfelves. 
 
 Howfoever we may have failed in the exe- 
 cutive part of our various views, our inten- 
 tions are laudable, and claim the candour and 
 indulgence of the public tribunal : what fuc- 
 cefs our labours will be attended with, time 
 alone can develope. To what degree the ftate 
 may benefit, by the fequeflration of all Church 
 and College endowments, we muft fubmit 
 to better calculators, for we confefs jpr- 
 iclves little verfed in the minutiae of the 
 fubjeclj but we mould imagine the amount 
 
 muft
 
 [ 149 ] 
 
 muft be important. Be this as it may, three 
 certain, mod efTential, advantages would 
 refult from the meafure: There would be 
 an end to the complex fyftem of ecclefi- 
 aftica/ laws and government, which confti- 
 tute a diftincl:, independant, and improper 
 jurifdic~Hon in the ftate; our GOD would 
 be more rationally and better ferved; and 
 our Clergy more honourably fupported, and 
 confequently more revered and refpefted. 
 
 FINIS.
 
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