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 LIBRARY 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
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 /deceived .S&pteml)er-, iS85. 
 
 Accessions No. jLy'/xa Shelf No. 
 
 —SO 
 
A 
 
 PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 AND THE 
 
 ADDRESSED TO 
 
 THE DISCIPLES OF THOMAS PAINE, 
 
 ANJ> 
 
 i) 'A VERJNG CHRISTIANS OF EVERY PERSUASION. 
 
 CONTAINING THE AUTHOR'S DETERMINATION 
 
 ■TO HAfTE RELINQUISHED HIS CHARGE IN THE E^ABLISHED CHURCH, 
 
 AND THE REASONS 
 
 ON WHICH THAT DETERMINATION WAS FOPNDKI). 
 
 BY THE LATE REV. DAVID SIMPSON, M. A. 
 
 MIMSTER or CHRTiX CHURCH, MACCLESFIELD. 
 
 He that believeth shall be sccved ; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 
 
 JESUS CHRIST. 
 
 FIFTH ED'ITION. 
 
 LONDON 
 
 PRINTED FOR AV, BAYNES, PATERN'0-STEn-RO W, 
 
 By William Nicholson, Warner Street, 
 
 l.SOS. 
 
*< Ok^i: 
 
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PREFACE. 
 
 It hath been said by the late excellent Bishop HoRNE, that, 
 " in times when erroneous and noxious tenets are diffused, all 
 men should embrace some opportunity to bear their testimony 
 against them." It will be allowed by every dispassionate 
 observer, that, if. erroneous and noxious tenets Mere ever dif- 
 fused among men in any age, they are eminently so in the pre- 
 sent. I am so far, however, from considering this in the light 
 of a misfortune to the general cause of truth, that I am per- 
 suaded purposes of the most important nature are to be an- 
 swered by it, in the course of Divine Providence. But 
 notwithstanding this persuasion, 1 have thought it my duty, iu 
 the following pages, to bear a decided testimony against some 
 of the most pernicious of those errors which prevail among us, 
 and to stand forward as an advocate in behalf of Religion in se- 
 neral, and the Sacred Writings in particular. If the foundar. 
 tiuns be destroyed, zchat can the righteous do ^ 
 
 One might suppose, prior to experience, Infidelitj/ was a 
 thing of so gloomy and uncomfortable a nature, that no man of 
 the least decency of character could be found, who would em- 
 bark in the desperate scheme. But when we consider the 
 many awful ihreatenings recorded in the Bible against persons 
 of a certain description, the numerous passages apparently 
 liable to very serious objections, the natural darkness of the hu- 
 man understanding, the perverseness of the human will, and 
 the imperious calls of contending passions. M'e need not be sur- 
 prised that a large proportion of irreligious characters, who 
 have little to hope from divine mercy, and much to fear from 
 divine justice, should be induced to embark in any scheme. 
 
vi PREFACE. 
 
 that is calculated to afford them present indulgence, and free^ 
 them from apprehensions of future danger. Thomas 
 Pa ink's dei&tical principles may buoy up the minds of persons 
 of this character, while health and prosperity smile upon them, 
 but they will generally fail us in seasons of adversity, and espe- 
 cially in the views of approaching dissolution*. Give me a 
 Kelicr'wn that will stand by me at all seasons, in prosperity 
 and adversityj in sickness and health, in time and eternity. I 
 would not give a rush for Religion, which will only serve my 
 turn when the sunshifie of worldly favour illumines my steps^ 
 and fail me when I stand in the greatest need of its support. 
 Tliis is the case with Deism, as many have found to their ex-' 
 treme sorrow, when the eternal world drew near, and dawned 
 upon their astonished sight. More than one of the unhappy 
 Mutineers, who have lately been executed oh board his Ma- 
 iestu's ships of war, found themselves in this awful predicament, 
 as their fate approached. Corrupted by Paine's Jge of 
 Reason, when they conceived themselves free from danger, they 
 gloried in their shame ; but w hen the Kii/g of Terrors came to 
 stare them in the face, they saw their folly, repented, believed, 
 and trembled in the views of the eternal world. Difl^rent, in 
 deed, was the conduct of many other of these unhappy men, 
 some of whom were, apparently at least, equally regardless of 
 life or of death. So we read of multitudes of our fellow crea- 
 tures both in our own and in a neighbouring country, who, set 
 free from the salutary restraints of Religion, and the govern- 
 ment of the Divine Being, by a daring and uncontrouled 
 spirit of Infidelity, destroy themselves, and rush into the presence 
 of the Almighty without dismayt. 
 
 * " You have been used," said good Mr. M. Henry, a little 
 before his death,. to a friend, " to take notice of the sayings of dying 
 men. This is mine, that a life spent in the service of GoD, and 
 eommunion with him, is the most comfortable and pleasant Hfe that 
 any one can li\e in this world." 
 
 + The general practice of duelling, among the higher orders of 
 society iii this country, is a sure indication, that a spirit of Infidelity 
 is alarniinglv none abroad. A Christian figlit a duel ? Impossible ! 
 True valour forbids it. And to mend the matter, upon the Lord's 
 dav too! Still more impossible! Every principle of his religion pro- 
 
I>RErACE. vii 
 
 More rcasonuble and bcconiing surely is tlje conduct of 
 those who, when brought to a sense oi' their sin and folly, (cm 
 and tremble before this Dread Sovereign. This scluis to 
 
 have been the case with the late Lord P . This Noui.e- 
 
 MAN after he turned Deist, took every opportunity to shew 
 his contempt of Religion. The clergyman and parishioners of 
 the place where his Lordship's seat in ^Northamptonshire stood, 
 usually passed in sight of the house in their way to church. 
 At the time of going and returning, he frequently ordered his 
 children and servants into the hall, fjr tlie vile purpose of 
 laughing at and ridiculing them. He pursued this course for 
 some time, but at length drew near the close of life. Upon 
 his dying pillow his views were altered. He found, that, how- 
 ever his former sentiments niigiit suit him in health, they ro;i!d 
 not support him in the hour of dissolution ; when in the cold 
 arms of Death, the terrors of the Almighty were heavy upon 
 him. Painful remembrance brought to view ten thousand 
 insults offered to that God, at whose bar he was shortly to 
 stand; and conscience being strongly in^.pvcssed with the solem- 
 nity of that day, he but too justly feareii that the God he had 
 insulted would then consign hiin to de5jMCtion. With his 
 mind thus agitated, he called to a person ni the room, and de- 
 sired him " to go into the library, and fetch the clrsi: d 
 BOOK," meaning that which had made him a Deist. He 
 went, but returned, saying he could not tind it. The Noblf- 
 MAN then cried with veliemence, that '^ he must go again, and 
 look till he did find it, for he could not die till it was de- 
 stroyed." The person having at last met with it, gave it into 
 his hands. It was no sooner committed to him, than he tore it 
 
 hibits the impious AetA. — Kow much pain of mind did not the con- 
 duct of a certain most respectable character give, to all tlie seiiuu^ 
 part of the nation, on a l;;te unhappy occusiou of lliis sort ? Reli<iioi', 
 good morals, souutl policy, true patriotism, all iorhad the unciiii^- 
 
 tian rencounter. — Stake hk lite against the life of a ! 
 
 Were we t<» act thus in common life, a state of coiwfinement would 
 be thought essentiahy necessary lor our welfare, and ti.c public 
 good.-T-Can nothing be done, no measures taken, to put a stoj) to 
 this infamous practice, this national opprobriiiuj ? — L^t tliosc whom 
 it concerns consider. 
 
viil .PREFACE. 
 
 to pieces with mingled liorror and revenge, and committed it to 
 the flames. Having thus taken vengeance on the instrument of 
 his own iuin, he soon after breathed his soul into the hands of 
 his Creator*. 
 
 Affecting as this example is, that of a William Pope, of 
 Bolton, in Laucaehire, is much more so. At this place there 
 is a considerable number of dcislical persons, who assemble to- 
 gether on Sundays to confirm each other in their Infidelity, 
 The oaths and imprecations which are uttered in that meeting 
 are too horrible to relate, while they toss the IVord of God upon 
 the floor, kick it ronnd the house, and tread it under their feet. 
 This W ILLIAM Pope, who had been a steady Methodist for 
 some years, became at length a professed Deist, and joined 
 himself to this hellish crew. After he had been an associate of 
 this company for some time, he was taken ill, and the nature of 
 his complaint was such, that he confessed the hand of God was- 
 upvon him, and declared he longed to die, that he might go to 
 hell ; many times praying earnestly for danmation. Tw o of the 
 Methodist preachers, Messrs. Rhodes and Barrowclough, 
 Mere sent for to tall< to and pray with tlie unhappy man. But he 
 was so far fiom being thankful for their advice and assistance, 
 that he s^pit in their faces, threw at tjiem whatever he could 
 lav his hands upon, struck one of them upon the head with all 
 his might, and often cried out, when they were praying, Lord 
 do not hear their prayers ! If they said. Lord, save his soul! 
 He cried. Lord damn mij soul ! often adding, My damnation 
 is sealed, and 1 long to be in hell ! Li this way he continued, 
 sometimes better, and sometiu:es worse, till he died. He was 
 freqwently visited by his deist ieal brethren during his illness, who 
 would fain have persuadeclthe public he was out of his senses ; 
 Mliich was by no means the case. The writer of this account 
 saw the unhappy man once, but never desired to see him again. 
 Mr. Rhodes justly said. He -zcas as full of the devil as he 
 could hold. This melancholy business happened in the course 
 
 * See Evan. Mas;, for June 17P7, where it is declared this anec- 
 dote may be deijended upon, as it came from the hps of a person 
 wiio was piesent at the scene. 
 
PREFACE. k 
 
 of the present year, and made a great noise in the town and 
 neighbourhood of Bolton^. 
 
 These are shocking instances of the dreadful effects of Iiifi^ 
 dellty upon the minds of our fellow creatures, in those seasons, 
 Mhen we stand in most need of support and consolation. l( 
 living witnesses to the truth and importance of Religion and the 
 Sacred JVi if ifigs~\- m'l^ht have uny consideration with such of 
 my readers as are dtisticallj/ inclined, 1 could produce many of 
 the first characters of the age, from among all the contendjng 
 denominations of Christians. The late Jacob Bryant, Esq. 
 who was unquestionably one of the deepest inquirers into the 
 original of things, and, NO PRIEST, hath not only written a 
 treatise professedly to prove the authenticity of the Xtrc Testa- 
 ment, but hath also, in another of his learned investigations, 
 made the following declaration in favour of these incomparable 
 and invaluable writings : 
 
 " This investigation" (a work written to prove that Troi/ 
 never existed) "I more readily undertook, as it affords an excel- 
 lent contrast with the Sacred Writins:^. Tlie more we search 
 
 * Mr. Rhodes has since published an account of the sickness 
 and deatli of tins unhappy man in the Methodist Mao;azine, for Au- 
 gust 179^) \\hich is or.e of the most atJectins on record. 
 
 t It becomes every objector to the Sacred JVriiins;s to reilecip^ 
 that " the moral and natural evils in the world were not introduced 
 by the Gospel ; why then must the Gospel be called upon to account 
 for them, rather than any other Rtli^ion, or sect of philosophy ? If 
 there never had been an Old Teatair.tnt, never a J\V(/> one, mankind 
 would have been at least as corrupt and miserable as they are at 
 present. What harm then have the Old and ^ew Testament done 
 to you, that you peri>etually challenge them to account to you 
 for the evil you sufl'er ? You dislike perhaps the story of Adam and 
 Eve, and can by no means digest the account of the .SVr/^c^fV tempt- 
 ing, and prevailing against our first parents : yeiy well; let liiis ac- 
 count be laid aside, and what are you now the better? Is there not 
 the same Evil remaining in the world, whether you believe, or believe 
 not the story of the Fall ? And if so, what account do you pretend 
 to give of it ? For if you pretend to any Religion, \on are as liable 
 to be called to this account, as any profe^'or or teacher of the Gospel. 
 No body is exempt in this case, but the Atheist ; and his privilege 
 comes from hence, that he has no account to give of any thing; for 
 all difficulties are alike upon his scheme." — ^n^v^i^oCK on Prophecy, 
 p. 233. 
 
X PREFACE. 
 
 ittto the very ancient records of Rorne or Greece, the greater 
 darkness and uncertainty ensue. None of them can stand the 
 test of close exaniiiuition. Upon a minute inspection, all be- 
 comes dark and doubtful, and often inconsistent : but when vve 
 «ncou)iter the Sacred Folnme, even in parts of far higher anti- 
 quity, the deeper we go, the greater treasure we iind. The va- 
 jrious parts are so consistent, that they aftord mutual illustration ; 
 and liie more earnestly we look, the greater light accrues, and 
 cyiise I leutiy the greater satisfaction. So it has always appeared 
 to me, who have looked diligently, and examined; and 1 trust I 
 have not been mistaken*." 
 
 Various similar testimonies hav€ been adduced in the course 
 
 '■' " When I was in camp with the Duke of Marlborough*^ 
 sajs ihi.-; trjily learned and respectable man, in another place, "an 
 olhcer of my acquaintar.ce desired me, upon my making a short ex- 
 clusion, to lake him with me in my carriage. Our conversation 
 wasraliicr desultory, as is usual upon such occasions; and among 
 other things, he asked me, rather abruptly, Vvliat were my notions 
 about Religion. ,1 answered evasively, or at least indeterminately, 
 as liJS enquiry seemed to proceed merely from an idle curiosity ; 
 «ad I did not see that any happy consequence could ensue from an. 
 ^explanation. Hov.ever, som.e time ai'terwards he made a visit at 
 mv house, and stayed v>ith me a few days. During this interval, 
 one eveuijig he put the question to me again ; and at the same time 
 ■added, that he should be really obliged if I would give him my 
 uioughls in general upon the subject, l^pon this I turned towards 
 him, aiid aflcr a short pause told him that my opinion lay in a small 
 compass: and he should have it in as compendious a manner as the 
 subject would j'ermit. Religioit, I said, is either true, or false. 
 This is the alternaiive: there" is no medium. If it be the latter — 
 merely an idle system, and a cvnniugbi devised fahle, let us eat and 
 drinl\ for io-morroiv we die. The world is before us, let us take ail 
 ^\\\t advantage, and choose what may seem best: for we have no 
 prospect of any life to come; much less any assurances. But if 
 ficligicn be a truth, it is the most serious truth of any with which wc 
 <-an possibiy be cKgaged ; an article of the greatest importance. 
 Jt demauffs our niost diligent enquiry to obtain a knowledge of it: 
 flnd a fixed resolution to abide by it, wlien obtained. ¥or Religion 
 teiiclic!. ii,s, tir.it this life bears no projjortion to the life to come. 
 You see, then, my good friend, that an alternative of the utmost 
 TonsequciK'c lies beibre you. Make, tlierefore, your election, as 
 you may .judge best; and fiEAVEN dire,<L-t you in your determi- 
 dnation!— lie told nie tliut he was much aflected witii the crisis, to 
 which I hi ought the object of enquiry : and I trust that it was 
 att«Mfded \^ iib happy consequences afterwards/' 
 
PREFACE. xi 
 
 of the follovviug work. Mr. Erskine's name is there men-' 
 tioned with honour. But as he hath since come forward in 
 a manner more direct and full in behalf of Religion and the Sa- 
 cred Writings, I cannot do the religious reader a greater 
 pleasure, or render the deistical one a more important ser- 
 vice, than by presenting him in this place, with the sub- 
 stance of the Speech which this celebrated Orator deli- 
 vered upon the trial of Williams, in the Court of King's 
 Bench, for publishing Thomas Paine's Age of Reason j^ 
 the 24th of June 1797, before Lord Ken yon and a Specmt 
 Jury. 
 
 ''Gentlemen! the Defendant stands indicted for having 
 published this book, which I have only read from the obliga- 
 tions of professional duty, and from the reading of w hich I rose 
 with astonishment and disgust. — For my own part, Gen- 
 tlemeNj I have been ever deeply devoted to the truths of 
 Christianity, and my tirm belief in the Holy Gospel is by no 
 means owing to the prejudices of education (though I was 
 religiously educated by the best of parents,) but arises from the 
 fullest and most continued reflections of my riper years and un- 
 derstanding. It forms, at this moment, the great consolation 
 of a life, which, as a shadow, must pass away ; and without it, 
 indeed, I should consider my long course of health and prospe- 
 rity (perhaps too long and too uninterrupted to be good for any 
 man) only as the dust which the wind scatters, and rather as a 
 snare than as a blessing. 
 
 *' This Publication appears to me to be as mischievous and 
 cruel in its probable effects, as it is manifestly illegal in its prin- 
 ciples ; because it strikes at the best, sometimes, alas ! the only 
 refuge and consolation, amidst the distresses and aflHictions of 
 the world. The poor and humble, whom it affects to pity, may 
 be stabbed to the heart by it. Iliey huve more occasion for 
 tirm hopes beyond the grave, than those who have greater com- 
 forts to render life delightful. I can conceive a distressed but 
 virtuous man, surrounded by children looking up to him for 
 bread when he has none to give them, sinking under the last 
 day's labour, and unequal to the next, yet still looking up with 
 
 b 
 
xu 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 confidence to the hour when all tears shall be wiped from the 
 eyes of affliction, bearing the burden laid upon him by a myste- 
 rious Providence which he adores, and looking forward with 
 exultation to the revealed promises of his Creatoe, when he 
 shall be greater than the greatest, and happier than the happiest 
 of mankind. What a change in such a mind might not be 
 wrought by such a merciless publication ?" 
 
 ' But it seems, this is an Age of Reason, and the time and 
 yijie person are at last arrived, that are to dissipate the errors 
 llifch have overspread the past generations of ignorance. 
 The believers in Christianity are many, but it belongs to the 
 few that are wise to correct their credulity. Belief is an act 
 of reason, and superior reason may, therefore, dictate to the 
 weak.' 
 
 " In running the mind along the long list of sincere and de- 
 vout Christians, I cannot help lamenting, that Newton had 
 not lived to this day, to have had his shallowness filled up with 
 this new flood of light. 
 
 ^' But the subject is too awful for irony. I will speak plainly 
 and directly. Newton wvlh ?i Christian ! Newton, whose 
 mind burst forth from the fetters cast by nature upon our finite 
 conceptions — Newton, whose science was truth, and the 
 foundation of ^hose knowledge of it was philosophy: Not 
 those visionary and arrogant presumptions which too often usurp 
 its name, but philosophy resting upon the basis of mathematics, 
 which, like figures, cannot lie — Newton, who carried the line 
 and rule to the utmost barriers of creation, and explored the 
 principles by which, no doubt, all created matter is held together 
 and exists." 
 
 ' But this extraordinary man, in the mighty reafch of his 
 mind, overlooked, perhaps, the errors which a minuter inves- 
 tigation of the created things on this earth might have taught 
 him, of the essence of his Creator.' 
 
 '' What then shall be said of the great Mr. Boyle, who 
 
 looked into the organic structure of all matter, even to the brute 
 
 * inanimate substances, which the foot treads on? Such a man 
 
 may be supposed to have been equally qualified with Mr. 
 
PREFACE. xiii 
 
 Paine to look up through Nature to Nature's God. Yet 
 the result of ull his contemplation was the most confirmed and 
 devout belief ill all wjiicli the other holds in contempt, us des- 
 picable and drivelling- supejstition." 
 
 ' But this error might, perhaps, arise from a want of due at- 
 tention to the foundations of human judgment, and the structure 
 of that understanding, which God has given us lor the iuvestioa- 
 tion of truth.' 
 
 " Let that question be answered by Mr. Locki:, who was 
 to the iiighest pitch of devotion and adoration, a Christian: 
 Mr. Locke, whose office was to detect the errors of thinking 
 by going up to the fountains of thought, and to direct into (he 
 proper track of reasoning, the devious mind of man, by slicvvin* 
 him its whole process, from tlie lirst perceptions of sense to 
 the last conchisions of ratiocination, putting a rein besides up- 
 on false opinion, by practical rules for the conduct of human 
 judgment." 
 
 * But these men were only deep thinkers, a.»l lived in their 
 closets, unaccustomed to the traffic of the world, and to the 
 laws which practically regulate mankind.' 
 
 " Gentlemen ! in the place where we now sit to admi- 
 nister the justice of this great country, above a century ao-o, the 
 never-to-be-forgotten 6V/- Matthew Hale presided; uhose* 
 faith in Chrlstiaiiiti/ is an exalted commentary upon its truth 
 and reason, and whose life \\as a glorious example of its fruits 
 in man, adnjinistering liuiiuin justice with a wisdom and puritv 
 drau n from tlie pure fountain of the C/n istian dispensation 
 which has been, and w ill be, in aii ages, a subject of the hi~hest 
 reverence and admiration." 
 
 ' But it is said by the Author, that the Christian Fable is 
 but the tale of the more ancient superstitions of the world, and 
 may be easily detected by a proper understanding of the mytho- 
 logies of the Htatlicus.' 
 
 " Did Milton understand those mythologies.^ Was he 
 less versed than Mr. Paine in the super-ttions of the woSd .? 
 No; they were the subject of his immortal song; aid ihou^h 
 shut out froiu ail recurrence to them, he poured them fonh 
 
xiv PREFACE. 
 
 from the stores of a memory rich with all that man ever knew, 
 and laid them in their order as the illustration of that real 
 and exalted faith, the uu(|uestionable source of that fervid 
 genius, which cast a sort of shade upon all the other works of 
 man : 
 
 " He pass'd the bounds of flaming space, 
 Where Angels tremble while they gaze; 
 He saw till blasted with excess of light. 
 He clos'd his eyes iu endless night." 
 
 But it was the light of the body only that was extinguished ; 
 the celestial light shone inward, and enabled him to justify the 
 ways of God to man. The result of his thinking was neverthe- 
 less not the same as the Author s. The mysterious incarnation 
 of our Blessed Saviour (which this work blasphemes in 
 words so wholly unlit for the mouth of a Christian or for the 
 ear of a Court of Justice, that I dare not and will not, give 
 them utterance) JNIilton made the grand conclusion of the 
 Paradise Lost, the rest from his finished labours, and the ulti- 
 mate hope, expectation, and glory of the world : — 
 
 " A Virgin is his Mother, but his Sire, 
 The prower of the Most High ; he shall ascend 
 ' The Throne liereditary and bound his reign * 
 With Earth's wide bounds, his glory with the Heav'ns." 
 
 Mr. E. next entered most forcibly and deeply into the Evi- 
 dences of Christianity, particularly those that were founded on 
 that stupendous scheme of prophecy, which formed one of the 
 most unanswerable arguments for the truth of the Christian 
 
 ■" " Piety has found 
 Friends in the friends of science, and tnie prayer 
 Has flow'd from lips wet witli Castalian dews. 
 Such was thy wisdom, Newton, childhke sage! 
 Sagacious reader of the it'orks of God, 
 And in his Word sagacious. Such too thine, 
 Milton, whose genius had angelic wings. 
 And fed on manna. And such thine, in whom 
 Our British Themis gloried with just cause, 
 Immortal Hale! for deep discernment prais'd, 
 And souud integrity not more, than fam'd 
 For sanctity of nianuers uudefird." 
 
PREFACE. XV 
 
 Religion. "It was not," he said, " the purpose of God to 
 destroy free agency by overpowering the hun)an mind with the 
 iiTesistible light and conviction of revelation, but to leave men 
 to collect its truths, as they were gradually illustrated in the 
 accomplishment of the divine promises of the Gospel. Bred 
 as he was to the consideration of evidence, he declared he con- 
 sidered the prophecy concerning the destruction of the Jewish 
 nation, if there was nothing else to support Christianity, ab- 
 solutely irresistible. The division of the Jexcs into tribes, to 
 preserve the genealogy of Christ; the distinction of the tribe 
 of Judah, from which he was to come; the loss of that distinc- 
 tion when that end was accomplished; the predicted departure 
 of the sceptre from Israel; the destruction of the temple of 
 Jerusalem, which imperial munificence in vain attempted to re- 
 build to disgrace the prophecy; the dispersion of this nation 
 over the face of the whole earth ; the spreading of the Gospel 
 throughout the world; the persecutions of its true ministers, 
 and the foretold superstitions which for ages had defiled its 
 ^vorship." These were topics upon which Mr. Erskine ex- 
 patiated with great eloquence, and produced a most powerful ef- 
 fect on every part of the audience *. 
 
 Xo;tZ Kenyon then, in addressing the Jury, among other 
 important things, said, " I sincerely wish that the author of the 
 work in question may become a partaker of that faith in re- 
 vealed religion, which he has so grossly defamed, and may be 
 enabled to make his peace with GoD for that disorder, which he 
 has endeavoured to the utmost of his power to introduce into 
 society. We have heard to-day, that the light of nature, and 
 the contemplation of the works of creation, are sufficient, with- 
 out any other revelation of the divine will. Socrates, 
 Plato, Xenophon, Tully— each of them in their turns 
 professed they wanted other lights; aiid knowing and confessing 
 that God was good, they took it for granted the time would 
 
 * Though I greatly achiiire the. defence of JMr. Erskine in this 
 oration, I am not clear that the prosecution can he justiiied upon the 
 genume principles of Christian liberty. 
 
xvi PREFACE. 
 
 come when he would iir>pait a farther revelation of his will to 
 manl.iud. Though they walked as it were through a cloud 
 darkly, they iiopcd their posterity would almost see God face 
 to face. This condition of mankind has met with reprehension 
 to-day. But I shall not pursue this argument; fully impressed 
 with the great truths of liehgiou, which, thank God, I was 
 taught in my early^ years to believe, and of which t!ie hour of 
 reflection and enquiry, instead of producing any doubt, has fully 
 coniirmed me in." 
 
 He that feels not conviction enough from these reasonings . 
 and aulhorities to make him pause, at least, in his deistical 
 coiuses, is out of the reach of all ordinary means of conviction, 
 and most be deiilt with in some more fearful manner. I pray 
 God that his conscience may be alarmed as ^^ith thunder — that 
 the arrows of the Almighty may stick fast within him — that 
 his soul may feel the terrors of hell following hard after him — 
 that, like the unhappy person just mentioned, he may be made 
 a monument of divine justice in the sight of all men — and that, 
 like the celebrated Kochestee, he may be finally snatched as 
 a brand from the burning by the powti of sovereign grace! 
 May that blood which speaketh better things than the blood of 
 Abel, and on which he now profanely and insolently tramples, 
 be applied to his soul by the energy of the eternal Spirit. 
 And may there bej?Oj/ in the presence of the angels of Gob at 
 his conversion, and heaven's eternal arches resound with hallelu- 
 jahs at the news of a sinner saved 1 
 
 Reader: 
 
 The Author of this book, which is here put 
 into your hand, cannot help being extren.ely alarmed fcr the 
 safety of his friends in this day of abounding Injideliti/, when 
 he considers this declaration of Christ, that. Whosoever shall 
 he ashamed of him, and of his IVords, in this adulterous and 
 sinful generation; of him al<o shall the Son of man be 
 ashamed, zihen he cometh in the glory q/Vi/s Father with the 
 holy angels. 
 
PREFACE. xvii 
 
 It is impossible to add any thing to the weight of these Avord?. 
 The heart that is unappalled by them is liarder than the nether 
 mill-stone, and incapable of religious melioration. 
 
 When you have carefully perused the book two or three times 
 over, if you think it calculated, in ever so small a degree, to 
 impress the mind with conviction; have the goodness to lend it 
 to your unbelieving neighbour, remembering the words of .St. 
 James: Brethren! if a/ii/ of i/ou do err from the tnith, and 
 one convert Iiitn, let him knozc, that he zcho converteth a sinner 
 from the error of his zvays shall save a soul from death, and 
 shall hide a multitude of sins. 
 
 If you are dissatisfied ^ith what is here advanced_, in favour 
 of Religion and the Sacred Writings, by no means give up the 
 cause as desperate ; but do yourself the justice to procure Bishop 
 Watson's Jpologt/ for the Bible, in answer to Thomas 
 Paine, and his Jpology for Christianity, in answer to Mr. 
 Gibbon. They are books small in size, but rich in value. 
 They discover great liberality of mind, much strength of argu- 
 ment, a clear elucidation of difficulties, and vast superiority of 
 ability ou this question to the persons whom he undertook to 
 answer. 
 
 The best edition of the Jpologi/ for the Bible, which is the 
 more popular and seasonable work of the two, xsfour shillina-s; 
 but an inferior one may be had from any of the booksellers at 
 the reduced price of one shilling. 
 
 Considering the sceptical spirit of the present age, and the 
 danger young and inexperienced people are in of being seduced 
 into the paths of irreligion ; this, or some other antidote, ought 
 to be in every man's hand, who has any serious concern, either 
 for his own felicity, or that of his friends and neighbours. 
 
 DAVID SIMPSON 
 
 Macclesfield, 
 Sept. 12, Ijy?. 
 
ADVERTISEMENT 
 
 TO THE SECOND EDITION. 
 
 1 HIS second edition of the Plea for Religion is enlarged 
 w ith a considerable quantity of fresh matter, and is more than 
 double the size of the former. 
 
 The whole of the first edition is retained, ^vith some 
 trifling alterations, and several of its parts enlarged and im- 
 proved. 
 
 The anecdotal additions are many and important, and, it is 
 hoped, will be found to furnish a good degree of profitable 
 amusement. 
 
 Remarkable dehtical conversions, with instances of un- 
 happy and triumphant dissolutions, are here also more nu- 
 merous. 
 
 This edition is also considerably extended in the religious 
 and practical part, and, the author trusts, not without advantage, 
 as a lively and experimental sense of divine things upon the hu- 
 man mind, is vindicated from the charge of enthusiasm, and the 
 vile aspersions of a zcorld that lieth in zcickcdness. 
 
 The prophecies concerning Christ, and his church in 
 these latter days, are treated pretty much at large, with a view 
 to demonstrate the divine authority of the Sacred IVritincts. 
 
 Odier arguments fur the truth and auUienticity of the Scrips 
 turts* are suggested, the most commoo objections stated and 
 
 * Consult Simpson's Kssoy on tlie Authenticity of tiie New 
 Testament, in answer to VoLNEY and EvANSON; but more espe- 
 cially Jones's New and Full .Method of settling the canonical Au- 
 thority of the New Testament, 3 vols, octavo: a most learned, able, 
 valuable, and decisive work, just reprinted by the University of 
 Oi ford, though written by a JJis.<ienting minister: an instance of 
 .liberality not always to be met with. Can any good thing come out 
 of (Jalilee? 
 
sx ADVERTISEMEiNT. 
 
 answered, and the whole rendered as concise and satisfactory as 
 may be. 
 
 M/'. Paine's ol)jections to the Bible are particularly consi- 
 dered, and brief answers returned. His abuse of the Sacred 
 Writers is also noticed with the severity it deserves, and his ig- 
 norance and malignity exposed. 
 
 !Many extiacts from our most celebrated Poets are inter- 
 spersed. This will be considered as an excellence by some, and 
 an imperfection by others. The literary reader will call to 
 mind, that seveial of the most valuable authors among the an- 
 cients have written in the same manner. — 
 
 " A verse may catch liim, wlio a sermon flies. 
 And turn delight mto a sacrifice." 
 
 A compendious account of the present state of Church- 
 preferments is introduced, besides a general view of the Dissent- 
 ing congregations in this kingdom. 
 
 The present state of the Methodist societies in Great Bri- 
 tain, Ireland, America, and the TFest Indies is likewise no- 
 ticed, with some account of the rise and meaning of that deno- 
 mination of Christians. 
 
 Some shameful instances of non-residence, patronage, and 
 pluralities of livings, now in existence among the Bishops 
 and Clergy of the land, are here detailed, and strongly repre- 
 hended. 
 
 The Articles and Canons, the Liturgy, and other Public 
 Offices of our church are reviewed, and, in some respects, re- 
 proved. At the same time, most of the defects in our ecclesi- 
 astical frame are confn-med by the opinions of some of our 
 most learned and respectable writers. 
 
 If the author is thought severe upon the episcopal and clerical 
 ■ orders of men, let it be remarked, that he esteems them all very 
 1ii<rhlij in lore for their office' sake, because he is persuaded it 
 is of divine appointment; and that, if at any time he has given 
 wav to his indignation, and expressed himself in strong terms 
 ao-ainst these orders, it is never intended to aifect any but the 
 culpable part of them ; and that both the Prophets under the 
 Old Testament dispensation, and Christ with his Jposths. 
 
ADVERTISEMENT. xxi 
 
 under the New, have done the same. We cannot follow Letter 
 examples. 
 
 " But, in a Plea for Religion and the Sacred JVritings, 
 where is the propriety of exposing the imperfections of the 
 Church, with her Bishops and Clergy T' 
 
 Because the undisceruing world in general, and our deistical 
 fellow creatures in })articular, constantly unite them together, 
 and uoiind the pure and immortal religion of Jesus Chuist, 
 and the Holy Scriptures, through their sides : whereas they 
 "Ure things essentially different. Wiiat has the character and gos- 
 pel of Christ to do with the treachery of Judas, the 
 cowardice of Peter, the ambition of James and Joiik,. die 
 lukewarmness and worldly spirit of our Bishops and Clergy, or 
 with the superstitious and secular appendages of the Church of 
 Home, the Church of Engla/id, or any other human establish- 
 ment under heaven ? They are things perfectly distinct. And 
 if we mean to defend the Gospel to any purpose, it must be the 
 Gospel alone, independent of every human mixture and addition 
 Corrupt churches and bad men cannot be defended. 
 
 The best part of the book, in the opinion of the author, i^ 
 that, where he has enlarged upon the excellence and utility of 
 the Sacred II ritings. He confesses he is anxious to recom- 
 mend them to the daily perusal of every man ; because he is per- 
 suaded that both our present peace and future welfare very much 
 depend upon the practice. He trusts, therefore, if all the rest 
 of the book be rejected with contempt, this will be attended to 
 with peculiar seriousness. 
 
 The reduction of the national religion to the pure standard 
 of the Gospel, and the moral and religious reformation of all 
 orders of men, are repeatedly insisted on, and w ith singular ear- 
 nestness; as what alone, in his judgment, can save us from 
 impending ruin. This is done, because he is firmly persuaded, 
 there can be no general spread of evangelical principles and 
 practices, while the Hierarchy is in its present contaminated 
 state, and the Bishops and Clergy continue in a condition so 
 generally depraved. The good of his country is what he ha.i 
 
sxii ADVERTISEME^'T. 
 
 exceedingly at heart, ho\vever much he may be mistaken in tiie 
 means he tiiinks necessary to promote that end. 
 
 The missions to the Heathen are here spoken of \Aith zeal 
 and approbation. These noble efforts for the salvation ot man- 
 kind, he believes to be one reason among others, uhy, in the 
 midst of abounding iniquity, our fate, as a nation, is, for a 
 season, suspended*. 
 
 The extravagances of the French governors are incidentally 
 touched upon, and the vileness of their conduct, both towards 
 their own people, and the neighbouring nations exposed -f. 
 
 * Is it not an instance of tlie most unaniiiible bigotry that ever 
 was exhibited in a Christian countn, that when sucli generous, dis- 
 interested, and noble efforts have been making for two or tluee 
 vcars past, by vv.ricuis denonuiiations of men, for the civilization 
 and chribtiauii:ation of the Sotiih Sea islands, \\liich are situated in 
 tlie centre of some hundreds of millions of gross idolaters, scarcely 
 one Bishop o r dignijied CIers:ymaH oft he Chinch oi England; scarcely 
 one Arian or Socinian congregation, those more opulent bodies of 
 I}isse>ittrs; scarcely one Nobleman, and but very few rich Com- 
 moncrs appear to ha\c contributed a single shilling out of their 
 ample revenues towards promoiing this expensive and god-like de- 
 sign ? — The honour and blessedness of the glorious attempt is left 
 to the poor? — Is not such u conduct among our great Ones speak- 
 hkg in the strongest of all language, tliat it is better the poor, miser- 
 able, benighted, f ha then nations should continue iu their j)resent 
 deplorable condition, than that they should be broufjht out of dark- 
 ness into the glorious liberty of the children of God, in any other 
 way than that prescribed by them? Oh! shame to these several 
 Orders of men. V»hat a curse has not bigotry ever been to man- 
 kind? — Master, we saw one casting ont devils in thy name, and we 
 forbad him, because he followed not vs, said the seltish and party- 
 spirited Apostles. Forbid him not, replied the benevolci.t and libe- 
 ral-minded Saviouij, /"or thtre is no man that can icorlc a miracle in 
 my name, who will lightly speak evil of me. — I add, w ith the Apostle, 
 Jf Christ is preached, and souls saved, / therein do rejoice, yea, 
 and will rejoice, whoever is tlie instrument. 
 
 t The ditlereuce between the Ejiglish and French iu point of 
 piety is more than once noticerl in the following pages. I observe 
 here still further, in lionour of the brave Admiral Lord NelsOX, 
 that tiie very next nioniirg after the victory, August '2, 17P8, while 
 all naist ha\e been \et hurry and confusion, he issued the following 
 Memorandum t(» ail the Caploi'-s of his Sijuadron: 
 
 " Al-MIGUTY Cod lic<vi:ig blessed his Majesty s ^rmswiih vnc- 
 torv, tlie Admiral iiitends returning Public Thanksgiving for the 
 san'ie at two o'clock tliis day, and he recommeuds every ship do- 
 iu" the same as soon as eonveiiient." 
 
ADVERTISEMENT. xxlii 
 
 He lias taken the libert)- of mentioning a variety of books up- 
 on different subjects. Some of these he lias particularly re- 
 commended; others are only inserted among those of the same 
 class. Young readers may iliid their advantage in this part of 
 Ills Treatise. 
 
 Both believers and unbelievers, he trusts, will meet with 
 something or another that will be useful to them. Whatever is 
 conceived to be pernicious, they will do well to reject, remem- 
 berinfT that we are enjoined by a very high authority, to prove all 
 tinners, and hold fast that uhkh is good. 
 
 Several other miscellaneous matters are interspersed through 
 the whole, which he wishes may be both protilable and pleasant: 
 —utile dulci. 
 
 If auv of his clerical brethren are so far offended at the free- 
 dom he has taken with his own order, or the established re- 
 ligion of his country, as to make a reply, he shall think himself 
 at liberty to return an answ er, or otherwise, as he may judge ex- 
 pedient. So far as the moral and religious conduct of th» 
 Clergy is concerned, the best answer to his charges w ill be, to 
 correct and amend what is amiss. So far as the durability of 
 the ecclesiastical constitution of the country is in question, he 
 would refer his indignant reader, to the prophetic declarations 
 of St. John of the Old Testament. 
 
 Some repetitions will be found, and some mistakes discover- 
 ed. The reader will have the goodness to excuse the former, 
 and correct the latter. 
 
 Two Appendixes are subjoined, the former of which con- 
 tains some farther thoughts on a national reform, and the latter, 
 the author's reasons for resigning his preferment in the religious 
 Establishment of the country, and declining any longer to offici- 
 ate as a Minister in the Church of England. 
 
 To the whole is added a copious Index, whereby every 
 thing most important may be turned to without loss of time. 
 
 Public thanks were accordingly returned at the hour appointed. 
 
 This solemn act of Gratitude to Heaven seemed to make a very 
 deep impression upon the minds of several of the French prisoners, 
 both officers and men. 
 
xxiv : ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 If the author has advanced any thing that is wrong, unchari- 
 table, unchristian, or unbecoming his station, in the course of 
 these strictures, he is heartily sorry for it, and wishes it unsaid. 
 Let him not, however, accept any mmis person, neither let 
 him give flattering titles unto man; for he knozcsnot to give 
 Ji ottering titles; in so doing his Maker zcould soon take him 
 nxiay. It has been, therefore, his desire to speak the phiin ho- 
 nest truth, as it appears to him, without courting any man's fa- 
 vour, or fearing any man's displeasure *. He makes no question 
 but a large number of good men are to be found both in the 
 church established and out of it. Even the most despised of 
 
 Seetarists, he conceives, are not wholly destitute.-f-. And, in his 
 
 — I, 
 
 * iiTirt^ George II. who was fond of the late Mr. Whiston, 
 happened to be walking Avith liim one day, during the heat of his 
 persecution, in Hampton Court g;tudeus. As they were talking uj)- 
 on this subject his Alajest)/ observed, that " ho\\'ever right he 
 might be in liis opinions, it would be better if he had kept them to 
 himself." — " Is your Majesty really serious in your advice?" an- 
 sweretl the old man. " I really am," replied the King. — " Why 
 then," said WhistoIv, " had Martin Luther been of this 
 way of thinking, where would vour Majesty have been at this 
 tiine?" 
 
 " But why," rejoins the impatient reader, " \yhy speak so freely 
 and openly upon all these public abuses, at a time so critical as the 
 present \" 
 
 Because I may never have another opportunity, and it is proper 
 that somebody should speak. For the public abuses specified in 
 these papers, he conceives nuist either be removed by the gentle 
 hand of reform, or Divine Providence will take the matter in- 
 to its own hand, and subvert them by the rough hand of a most im- 
 placable enemy. I speak these things under correction, and with 
 tl>e most benevolent wishes for the prosperity of my King and 
 Country, and the universal spread of the Gospel of our Lord and 
 Saviour Jesus Christ. 
 
 t The wise ones of this world would do well to call to mind, who 
 it is that hath said, That which is highly esteemed among men is abo- 
 mination in the sight of God. Luke xvi. 15. Compare 1 Cor. i. '26 
 — 2S). Men, sects, and parties, \vhich are held in the highest esti- 
 mation by the world, are usually, j)erhaps generally, held in the low- 
 est estimation by CjOD; and, on the contrary, men, sects, and 
 parties, which are held in the lowest estimation by the world, are 
 usually, perhaps miiversally, held in the highest estimation by the 
 Almighty. 
 
 The way to heaven prescril)ed by the Scripture, and the way to 
 heaven prescribed by worldly-iaiiided men, are as opposite to each 
 
I 
 
 ADVERTISEMENT. xxv 
 
 opinion^ one such character is infinitely more estimable than a 
 million of immoral ParsonSj those most mJseEaJikL and con- 
 ^^temptible of all human beings, \\ ho contaminate every nei<^h- 
 bourhood where they dwell ; or ever so large a body of mere 
 literary Clergyman, however extolled and caressed by the 
 world, who, bloated with pride and self-importance, are a dis- 
 grace to the lowly spirit of the Saviour of mankind. To 
 every truly pious and consistent Christian, literate or illite- 
 rate, he would give the right hand of fellowship, and bid 
 him god-speed in the name of the Lord, wherever he is 
 found. Clerical bigots, however, of every description, he 
 most cordially pities and despises. They are despicable ani- 
 mals. Swollen with an imaginary dignity, they are wise in their 
 ozcn eyes, and prudent in their oun sight, lording it over the 
 poor of Christ's flock, and binding heavy burthens upon 
 them, and grievous to be borne, which they themselves will 
 not move with one of their Jingers. Such characters, whe- 
 ther found among Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Methodists, 
 Quakers, or any other denomination of men, are the Scribes 
 and Pharisees of the day, to whom the great and. inflexible 
 Judge of the world, in just, but terrible, language, exclaimed, 
 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the 
 damnation of hell? To the author of these papers the praise 
 
 other as the east to the west. The former saitli, Strait is the gate 
 and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that 
 find it. The latter say, Wide is the gate and broad is the way that 
 leadeth unto life, and many there be which go in thereat. Persons of 
 this character are usually secure and confident, determined and re- 
 solute, merry and jovial, and perceive little or no danger even when 
 they are dancing blind-fold on the brink of destruction. I remember 
 somewhere reading of a genius of this sort, who, turning all serious 
 godliness into ridicule and contempt, declared there was no need of 
 so much ado, for if he had but time to say three words, " Lord 
 save me," he did not doubt but he should go to heaven. Not long 
 after, this same confident Gallki was riding a spirited horse over 
 a bridge, upon wliich he met a flock of sheep; the horse took fright, 
 leaped over the battlement into the river, where his rider was 
 drowned, and the last three words he was heard to speak were, 
 Devil — take— all. — ^Tis dangerous to provoke a God? 
 
 d 
 
PLEA FORJLEUGION, &c. 
 
 FRIENDS AND CO 
 
 There are few ages of the world, but have 
 produced various instances of persons, who have treated the 
 Divine dispensations, either with neglect or scorn. Of these> 
 some have persisted in their folly to the latest period of their 
 earthly existence; while others have discovered their mistake 
 in time, and both sought and found forgiveness with God. — 
 In most ages too, there have been some, who have piously 
 observed the manifestations of Heaven; who have cordially 
 received the Holy Scriptures as a revelation from on high ; and 
 who have built their everlasting expectations upon the salva- 
 tion which is therein revealed. The hopes of such persons 
 have never been disappointed. If they have lived up, in any 
 good degree, to their religious profession, they have always 
 been favoured with peace of mind, and strong consolation in 
 life; firm confidence in Christ, usually, at the hour of 
 death ; and have frequently gone off the stage of time into 
 eternity rejoicing in hope of the glory of God, with unspeak- 
 able and triumphant joy. Examples of this kind, even among 
 illiterate men, women and children, might be produced in 
 numbers very considerable. — But how extremely different, 
 most commonly, is the last end of those persons, who have 
 denied and scorned the revelations of Heaven; who have 
 rejected the Sacred Writings; and treated serious godliness with 
 sneer and contempt? — Nay, it has frequently been known, 
 that the first rate geniuses, and greatest men of their times, 
 have left the world under much darkness of mind, full of 
 doubts, and fearful apprehensions concerning the Divine fa- 
 vour, owing to their being too deeply immersed in secular, 
 or literary pursuits; to their living beneath their Christian 
 
2 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 privileges ; and spending too small a portion of their time 
 in devout retirement, and religious exercises. Nothing, in- 
 deed, can keep the life of God ligoiousl^ alive in the soul, 
 but these exercises. Where they are either wholly neglected, 
 or frequently interrupted, there the po^er of religion lan- 
 guishes. Faith and hope, peace and love, joy in, and confi- 
 dence towards God, grow weak; doubts and fears, dis- 
 quietude of mind, and scruples of conscience prevail. The 
 sun goes down, and sets, to this world at least, under a dark 
 and cheerless cloud. — But where the humble Believtr in 
 Christ Jesus (the eyes of his understanding being enlighten- 
 ed, and his fears alarmed with a sense of danger,) lavs aside 
 every spiritual encumbrance, and the sin by which he hath been 
 often too easily overcome ; where he resolutely breaks through 
 every snare, and lives to the great purposes for which 
 we were all born; where, with the illustrious philosopher 
 and physician, Boerhaave, and the eminent statesmen. 
 Sir John Barnard, the Duke of Or:mond, and Lord 
 Cap EL*, he spends a due proportion of every day in private 
 
 * It was the custom of three of these great men, to spend an hour 
 every moming, m private prayer and reading the Holy Scriptures', 
 and of the fourth, to meditate half an liour every day u}X)n eternity. 
 Tills gave them comfort and vigour of mind to support the toil and 
 fatigue of the day. Nay, we arc told in the JJje of the Duhe of 
 Ormond, that " he never prepared for bed, or went abroad in a 
 nionung, till he had withdrawn an hour to his closet," 
 
 \\e niiirlit mention a considerable number of similar instances. 
 John Lord Harrington, who died A. D. l6l3, at the age of 22 
 years, was a young nobleman of eminent piety, and rare literary 
 attainments, ile was an early riser, and usually spent a considerable 
 l>art of the moniing hi vrivntt prayer, and reading the Sacred IVrit^ 
 ingx. The same religious exercise was also pursued both in the 
 ev^rJng and at mid-day. 
 
 Sir Habbottle Grimstone, Master of the Rolls, an eminent 
 lawyer, a just judge, and a person of large fortune, who lived in the 
 last fenturs', " was a ven.' pious and devout man, and spent everyday 
 at least iin hour in the morning, and as much at night, in prayer- and 
 meditation. And even i?: winter, wiien he was obliged to be very 
 early on the bench, he took care to rise so soon that he had always 
 the command <>( that time, which he gave to those exercises." 
 
 This biicgs to my mind tlie case of the late Colonel James Gar- 
 diner, who was slain at the battle of Preston Pans, A. D. 1745. 
 This brave man useti constantly to rise at /oi/r in the morning, and 
 to spend " his time till six in the secret exercises cf devotion, reading, 
 nieditation, and prayer. And if at auy time be was obliged to go 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 3 
 
 •prayer, meditation, and reading the Sacred Volume; iherCj 
 with these truly valuable men, he usually hath large enjoy- 
 ment of the consolations of religion, and abounds in peace, 
 and hope through the poicer of the Holy Ghost. He goes 
 through life, if not smoothly and usefully, at least con- 
 tentedly and happily. AVhile, in the eyes of those persons, 
 who boast of their superiority of understiuiding, and freedom 
 from vulgar prejudices, the Redeemer of the world becomes 
 daily more and more contemptible; and in the eyes of the 
 lukewarm Christian less and less desirable; in the estimation 
 of the devout and lively Believer, who, by waiting upon the 
 Lord, renews his strength, the Son of God, in his penon, 
 ojlices and work, appears with encreasing affection, the 
 chiefest among ten thousand, and altogether lovely. Being 
 convinced of sin, and justified by faith, he has peace zcith 
 God through our Lor d Jesus Christ, and the love of GdD 
 is shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost zchich is given 
 xtnto him. He is strengthened with might by his Spirit in 
 the inner man, and Christ dwells in his heart by faith. 
 Being rooted and grounded in love, he comprehends with all 
 saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, 
 and he knows the love of Christ; tliough indeed it passeth 
 knowledge. He is, moreower, filed with all the communicable 
 fulness of God, and a peace passing understanding keepcth 
 his heart and mind throu2.h Christ Jesus. 
 
 A Christiar\ dwells, like Uriel, in the sun: 
 
 Meridian evidence puts doubt to flight; 
 
 And aideut liope auticijiates the skies." — YoUNG. 
 
 The language of the soul is, Whom have I in heaven but 
 fhee, O God! and there is none upon earth that 1 desire in 
 comparison of thee. To do unto others as he would have 
 them to do imto liim, is the great law of his life, in all his 
 dealings between man and man; and whereinsoever he falls 
 
 out before six in the morning, he rose (iroportionably s<)oiu'r; so 
 that when a journey, or march, has recjuirod him to he <»u horse- 
 back by four, he would be at his devotions at farthest by two." 
 
 The same holds true of General Sir William Waller, who 
 was as devout in tlie closet as he was valiant in the held. 
 
 Let the reatler mark \s ell, that none of these religious j)ersons were 
 cither iMonks or Pardons, but men of ^'reat consiiK-ratiou in the 
 world, who were engaged in the most active scenes ol" life. 
 
 B *l 
 
4 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 short of a full compliance with this roygl statute, he laments 
 and bewails his folly; makes satisfaction according to the 
 nature of the case ; flees to the blood of sprinkling for pardon ; 
 and returns with renewed vigour to the path of duty. Giving 
 all diligence, he adds to his faith, virtue; and to virtue, 
 knozoledge ; and to knowledge, temperance ; and to temperance, 
 patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, bro- 
 therly kindness, and to brotherly kindness, charity. With 
 zealous affection he cultivates the holy tempers which were in 
 Christ; bowels of mercy, lowliness, meekness, gentleness, 
 contempt of the world, patience, temperance, long-suffering, 
 a tender love to every human being, bearing, believing, 
 hoping, enduring all things. He submits himself to every 
 ordinance of man for the Lord's sake; whether it be to the 
 KING, as supreme; or M»fo governors, as unto them that 
 are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers, and for the 
 praise of them that do well. He pays all due respect unto 
 men of every rank and degree. He loves with peculiar affec- 
 tion the whole brotherhood of Believers in Christ Jesus, 
 He so fears God as to depart from evil, and so honours the 
 King as to be ready, on every proper call, to sacrifice his life 
 for the good of the public. He endeavours to acquit himself 
 with propriety in every station, whether as niaster, servant, 
 parent, childj magistrate, subject, teacher, learner. In short, 
 whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, 
 whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, what' 
 soever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, 
 to these he attends with the utmost diligence and assiduity. This 
 is the Christianity, which the Son of God taught unto the 
 world*. And he that is of this religion is my brother, my 
 sister, and my mother, by what name soever he is distinguished 
 and called. 
 
 * Dr. PtOBERTSON, our celebrated Historian, tells us, that 
 " Chrialianiti/ is rational and sublime in its doctrines, humane and 
 beneficent in its precepts, pure and simple in its worship." And 
 even Mr. Paine is constramed to confess, that " Jesus Christ was 
 a virtuous and an amiable man ; that the morality which he preached 
 and practised was of the most benevolent kind ; that though similar 
 systems of morality had been preached by Confucius, and by 
 some of the Greek philosophers many years before, and by many 
 good men in all ages ; it has not been exceeded by any." — Import- 
 ant concession! Where is the propriety then of endeavouring to 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 5 
 
 I do not say, however, that this is the religion of the 
 great body of persons who call themselves Chrhtians. INIuch 
 otherwise. Many who are so called are extremely immoral. 
 Others are guilty only of some particular vice. Some are 
 decent in their general conduct, and pretty attentive to religi- 
 ous observances; but yet total strangers to inzcard religion. 
 Great sticklers for their own party, be it w hat it may, they har- 
 bour a strong aversion to all who dare to think for themselves, 
 and presunie to dissent from them in principle or practice. So 
 remote are they from the character and experience of the above 
 evangelical requirements, that they consider them as delusive 
 and enthusiastic. Something of the form of godliness they have 
 gotten, but t/iei/ dtni/, and sometimes even ridicule the j^o^^'^f' 
 Be this as it may, true religion is still the same; and the above 
 is a scriptural sketch of it, rchethcr roe will hear, or rvhether 
 Zi^e nill forbear. So far too are real Christians from being 
 ashamed of this gospf /-method of saving a lost world, that they 
 
 explode the Gospels? Thou art condemned out of thine own 
 
 mouth ! 
 
 Lord BoLiNGBEOKE has made confessions similar to this of 
 Paine: — " No religion," says he, •• ever appeared in the world, 
 whose natural tendency was so much directed to promote the peace 
 and happiness of mankind as Christianity. No system can be 
 more simple and plain than that of natural religion, as it stands in 
 the Gospel. The system of religion which C heist published, and, 
 his Evangelists recorded, is a complete system to all the purposes of 
 religion, natural and revealed. Christianity, as it stands in the 
 Gospel, contains not only a complete, but a very plain system of 
 religion. The Gospel is in all cases one continued lesson of the 
 strictest morality, of justice, of benevolence, and of universal cha- 
 rity." 
 
 These are strange concessions from a profest Deist! And yet, 
 strange as they certainly are, much the same have been made by 
 Blount, Tindal, Morgan, Toland, Chubb, Rousseau, 
 and most of our other real or pretended Unbelievers. 
 
 The truth is, all these deistieal gentlemen could approve the mo- 
 rality, or some parts of the morality, of the New Testament, but they 
 could neither understand nor approve the grand scheme of redemp- 
 tion therein exhibited. Why? Because /Ae NATURAL manreceiveth 
 not the things of the Spirit of God ; they are foolishness unto him; 
 neither can he know them, because ihcy are spiritually discerned. 
 1 Cor. ii. 14. — They were blind to all the glories of the Gospel 
 scheme. They neither saw nor felt their need of such redemption as 
 is therein exhibited. What wonder then if th<^y spent their lives ia 
 opposing its gratious design? 
 
6 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 make it their boast and song all the day through in the house of 
 their pilgrimage. 
 
 " I'll praise my Maker with my breath; 
 And when my voice is lost in death. 
 
 Praise shall employ my nobler pow'rs: 
 My days of praise shall ne'er be past. 
 While life, and thought, and being last. 
 
 Or uumortality endures." 
 
 They experience its effect in raising them from the ruins of 
 their fall. They lament with sincere contrition the sins and follies 
 of their unregenerate state. They discover nothing but condem- 
 nation, while they remain under the covenant of works. They 
 flee for refuge to the only hope of sinful men : and consider 
 themselves as the happiest of God's creatures, in having 
 this plank thrown out, on which they are permitted to escape 
 safe to land. In the mean time, they feel this religion makes 
 them easy, comfortable, happy; and seems adapted with consum- 
 mate w isdom to their state and circumstances. 
 
 " Soft peace she brings, wherever she arrives. 
 She builds our quiet as she forms our lives; 
 Lays the rough j)aths of peevish nature e\'u. 
 And opens in each breast a little heav'n." 
 
 This is the portion of happiness, which the Gospel yields 
 us while we live, and we have not the smallest fear that it will 
 fail us when we die. On the contrary, a'C know, that our 
 fight (liHiction, in this world, which is, comparatively, but for 
 a moment, uorketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal 
 ueight of glory ; and that, if our earth'y house of this taber- 
 nacle nere- dissolved, ne have a building o/'GoD, a house not 
 made nith hands, eternal in the heavens*. 
 
 * " If there is one condition in tiiis life more ha})py than another," 
 says a great author, " it is, surely, that of him, who founds all his 
 hopes of futurity on the promises of the Gospel ; who carefullv 
 endeavours to confonn his actions to its precepts; looking upon the 
 great God Almighty as his protector here, his rewarder here- 
 after, and his everlasting preser\ er. This is a frame of mind so per- 
 fective of our nature, tliat if Christianity, from a belief of which 
 it can only be derived, was as certahily false as it is certauily true, 
 one could not help wishing that it might be universally received in 
 the world.' 
 
 Mr. Pope has a declaration to Bishop Atterbury to the same 
 purport, which is worthy of ir.eniorial. " The boy despises tlie infant, 
 the man the hoy, the phihsopher both, and the Christian ALL," 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 7 
 
 •' Nothing on earth we call our own. 
 But, stratiijers, to tiie world unknown, 
 
 We all their goods despise: 
 We trample on their whole delight. 
 And seek a coiuitn*' out of sight, 
 
 A countrj' in the skies." 
 
 If then the religion of Jesus Cukist be a delusion; it is, 
 at least, a happy delusion; and even a wise man would 
 scarcely wish to be undeceived. He w ould rather be ready 10 
 say with the great Roman Orator, when speaking of the im- 
 mortalit} of the soul: — " If in this I err, I willingly err; nor, 
 while I live, shall any man wrest from me this error, with 
 which I am extremely delighted*." 
 
 If we wished to exemplify these observations, it would be 
 no difficult matter to produce various very striking instances 
 of persons, as well from the Sacred Writings, as from the his- 
 tory of these latter ages, whose conduct and character have 
 been conformable to the above representations. But as the 
 Bible is in everv one's hands, and may be consulted at plea- 
 sure, we will call the attention of the reader to a few instances 
 of persons, who have been eminent in their way, during these 
 latter ages only, and, some of them, even in our own time*?. 
 These may be Dying Infidels — Penitent and Re- 
 covered Infidels — Dying Christians, who have livtd 
 too much in the spirit of the uor/d — and Christians dj/ing, 
 either Kith great composure of mind, or, IN the full 
 
 assurance of FAITHf. 
 
 * " Si in hoc erro, lubenter erro; nee mihi hunc erroreni, quo 
 delector, dura vivo, extorqueri volo." 
 
 Mr. Addison also veiy proj)erly saith, when speaking of the im- 
 mortality of the soul; — *' If it is a dream, let me enjoy it; since it 
 makes lue botJi the happier and the better man." 
 
 Spectator, No. 186. 
 
 + " There is nothing in history," says this elegant writer in anotJier 
 place, " which is so improving to the reader a-s those accounts which 
 we meet with of the deaths of eminent persons, and of their Ijeha- 
 \iour at that dreadful season. I may also add, that there are no 
 parts in history, which affect and please the reader in so sensible a 
 atanner." — Spectator, No. 2b9. 
 
A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 I.— EXAMPLES OF DYING INFIDELS. 
 
 Tlie uicked is driven away in hii own u-ickedness Piot. xiv, 32. 
 
 *' Horrible is the end of the unrighteous generation.".. ..Wis. iii. 19. 
 
 1. Mr. HoBBES was a celebrated Tujidel in the last age, 
 who, ill bravado, would sometimes speak very unbecoming 
 things of God and his Word. Yet, when alone, he was 
 haunted with the most tormenting reflections, and would 
 awake in great terror, if his candle happened only to go out 
 in the night. He could never bear any discourse of death, 
 and seemed to cast off all thoughts of it*. He lived to be 
 upwards of ninety. His last sensible words were, when be 
 found he could live no longer, "■ I shall be glad then to find a 
 hole to creep out of the world at." And, notwithstanding 
 all his high pretensions to learning and philosophy, his uneasi- 
 ness constrained him to confess, when he drew near to the 
 grave, that " he was about to take a leap in the dark." — The 
 writings of this old sinner ruined the jE«r/o/' Rochester, and 
 many other gentlemen of the iirst parts in this nation, as that 
 NobIema7i himself declared, after his conversion. 
 
 2. The account which the celebrated Sully gives us of 
 young Servin is out of the common way. "The beginning 
 of June, 1 623," says he, " I set out for Calais, where I was 
 to embark, having with me a retinue of upwards of two hun- 
 dred gentlemen, or who called themselves such, of whom a 
 considerable number were really of the first distinction. Just 
 before my departure old Servin came and presented his son 
 to me, and begged I would use my endeavours to make him 
 a man of some worth and honesty; but he confessed he dared 
 
 * What an amiable character was the Heathen Socrates, when 
 compared with this Tnji del-Philosopher^ Just before the cup of poison 
 was brought him, entertaining his friends with an admirable discourse 
 on the inuuortality of the soul, he has these words : " Whether or 
 no God will approve my actions, I know not; but this I am sure 
 of, that I have at all times made it my endeavour to please him, 
 and I have a good hope that this my endeavour will be accepted by 
 him." 
 
 Who can doubt, but the merits of the all-atoning Lamb of God 
 were extended to this virtuous Heathen? How few professed Chris- 
 tians can honestly make the same appeal ?— Besides, SocRATES 
 seems to have had as firm a laitli in a Saviour, then to come, as many 
 of the most virtuous of the hraelitiah nation. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITING£^«^^^• 9. ' 
 
 not hope, not through any wan t of understanding or capacity 
 in the young man, but from his natural incHnation to all 
 kinds of vice. The old man was in the right: what he told me 
 having excited my curiosity to gain a thorough knowledge of 
 young Servin, I found him to be at once both a wonder and 
 a monster; for I can give no other idea of that assemblage of 
 the most excellent and most pernicious qualities. Let the 
 reader represent to himself a man of a genius so lively, and an 
 understanding so exstensive, as rendered him scarce ignorant 
 of any thing that could be known; of so vast and ready a com- 
 prehension, that he immediately made himself master of what 
 he attempted; and of so prodigious a memory, that he never 
 forgot what he had once learned; he possessed all parts of 
 philosophy and the mathematics, particularly fortification and 
 drawing. Even in theology he was so well skilled, that he was 
 an excellent preacher, whenever he had a mind to exert that 
 talent, and an able disputant for and against the reformed re- 
 ligion indifferently. He not only understood Greek, Hebreiv, 
 and all the languages which we call learned, but also the 
 different jargons or modern dialects. He accented and pro- 
 nounced them so naturally, and so perfectly imitated the 
 gestures and manners both of the several nations of Europe, 
 and the particular provinces of France, that he might have 
 been taken for a native of all or any of these countries; and 
 this quality he applied to counterfeit all sorts of persons, 
 therein he succeeded wonderfully. He was, moreover, the 
 best comedian and greatest droll that perhaps ever appeared; 
 he liiid a genius for poetry, and wrote many verses; he 
 played upon almost all instruments, was a perfect master of 
 music, and sung most agreeably and justly. He likewise could 
 say mass: for he was ef a disposition to do, as well as to 
 know, all things; his body was perfectly well suited to his 
 mind, he was light, nimble, dexterous, and fit for all exer- 
 cises; he could ride well, and in dancing, wrestling, and leap- 
 ing, he was admired; there are no recreative games which 
 he did not know: and he was skilled in almost all the 
 mechanic arts. But now for the reverse of the medal : here 
 it appeared that he was treacherous, cruel, cowardly, deceit- 
 ful ; a liar, a cheat, a di unkard and glutton ; a sharper in 
 play, immersed iu every species of vice, a blasphemer, an 
 ■ atheist: in a word, in him might be found all the vices con- 
 
10 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 r 
 trary to nature, honour, religion, and society; the truth of 
 which he himself evinced with his latest breath, for he died in 
 the flower of his age, in a common brothel, perfectly cor- 
 rupted by his debaucheries, and expired with a glass in his 
 hand, cursing and denyiag God." 
 
 It is evident from this extraordinary case, that " with the 
 talents of an angel a man may be a fool." There is no 
 iiecessai-y, connection between great natural abilities and reli- 
 gious qualifications. They may go together, but they are fre- 
 quently found asunder. 
 
 3. The /?o»o?/rfl6/e Francis Newport, who died in the 
 year 1692, was favoured both with a liberal and religious 
 education. After spending five years in the University/, he 
 was entered in one of the Inns of Court. Here he fell into 
 the hands of hijidels, lost all his religious impressions, com- 
 menced Injidel himself, and became a most abandoned cha- 
 racter, uniting himself to a club of wretches who met toge- 
 ther constantly to encourge each other in being critically 
 wicked. In this manner he conducted himself for several 
 years, till at length his intemperate courses brought on an 
 illness, which revived all his former religious impressions, 
 accompanied with a inexpressible horror of mhnd. The 
 violence of his torments was such, that he sweat in the most 
 prodigious manner that ever was seen. In nine days he was 
 reduced from a robust state of health to perfect weakness ; 
 during all which time his language \\as the most dreadful that 
 imagination can conceive. At one time, looking towards the 
 fire, he said, " Oh ! that I was to lie and broil upon that fire 
 for a hundred thousand years, to purchase the favour of 
 God, and be reconciled to him again! But it is a fruitless 
 vain wish: millions of millions of years will bring me no 
 nearer to the end of my tortures, than one poor hour. O eter- 
 nity! eternity! who can properly paraphrase upon the words 
 — -for ever and ever!" 
 
 In this kind of strain he went on, till his strength was ex- 
 hausted, and his dissolution approached; when, recovering a 
 little breath, with a groan so dreadful and loud, as if it had 
 not been human, he cried out, " Oh ! the insufterable pangs 
 of hell and damnation!" and so died; death settling the visage 
 of his face in such a form, as if the body, though dead, was 
 sensiUe of the extremity of torments. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. U 
 
 It may he much questioned, whether a more affecting 
 Nanative* was ever composed in any hinguage, than the true 
 history of this unhappy gentleman's last sickness and death. It 
 is greatly to be desired, that men of all denominations would 
 give it a serious perusal. 
 
 Mr. William Emmerson was, at the same time, an 
 Itifidel, and one of the first mathematicians of the age. 
 Though, in some respects, he might be considered as a wor- 
 thy man, his conduct through life was rude, vulgar, and fre- 
 quently immoral. He paid no attention to religious duties, 
 and both intoxication and prophane language were familiar 
 to him. Towards the close of his days, being afflicted with the 
 stone, he would crawl about the floor on his hands and knees, 
 sometimes prayiwg, and sometimes sicearing, as the humour 
 took himi'. — W hat a poor creature is man without Religion ! 
 Sir Isaac Newton died of the same disorder, which was 
 attended, at times, with such severe paroxysms, as forced out 
 large drops of sweat that ran down his face. In these trying 
 circumstances, however, he was never observed to utter 
 any complaint, or to express the least impatience. What a 
 Striking contrast between the conduct of ,thc Irijidel and the 
 Christian! 
 
 5. Monsieur Voltaire, during a long life, was con- 
 tinually treating the TIolj/ Scriptures with contempt, and 
 endeavouring to spread the poison of Infidelity through the 
 nations. See, however, the end of such a conduct. In his 
 last illness he sent for Dr. Tiionciiin; who when he 
 came, found Voltaire in the greatest agonies, exclaim- 
 ing with the utmost horror — / am abandoned by God and 
 man. He then said, Doctor, I zcill give you ha If of ichat I 
 am ivorth, if you zcill give me six months life. The Doctor 
 answered, Sir, you cannot live six tcceks. Voltaire replied, 
 2'he)i I shall go to hell, and you zcill go icith me ! and soon 
 after expired. 
 
 This is the Hero of modern Injidels ! Dare any of them 
 say, — Let me die the death o/* Voltaire, and let my last end 
 
 * It has l)een sometimes called tlie Second Spira. 
 
 "t Tills extraordinary man, by way of justiiyini; his own irrelij^ious 
 conduct, drew up his objections to the Sacred Writings nmcli in the 
 same way as Thomas I'aine; but it does not appear that they 
 were ever laid before the public, as Thomas Paint's have been. " 
 
12 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 be like his'? Wonderful infatuation! This unhappy gentleman 
 occupies the first niche in the French pantheon ! That he was 
 a man of great and various talents, none can deny: but his 
 want of sound learning, and moral qualifications, will ever 
 prevent his being ranked with the benefactors of man- 
 kind, by the wise and good. Such a Hero, indeed, is befit- 
 ing a nation under judicial infatuation, to answer the wise 
 ends of the Governor of the world. If the reader has felt 
 himself injured by the poison of this man's writings, he may 
 find relief for his wounded mind, by perusing carefully Find- 
 ley's Vindication of the Sacred Boohs from the Misrepretent- 
 ations and Cavils of Voltaire; and Lefanu's J.eiters of 
 certain Jeics to Voltaire. The hoary hifidel cuts but a 
 very sorry figure in the hands of the Sons of Abraham. 
 
 Since the publication of the first edition of this little work, 
 we have had an account of the last days of this extraordinary 
 man by the Abhe Barruel, author of The Histoiy of the 
 French Clergy. And it is so extremely interesting, that I 
 will lay it before the reader in a translation of that gentleman's 
 own words, taken from his History of Jacobinism, by the 
 editor of the British Critic. 
 
 " It was during Voltaire's last visit to Paris, Mhen his 
 triumph was complete, and he had even feared he should die 
 witli glory, an^/idst the acclamations of an infatuated theatre, 
 that he was struck by the hand of Providence, and made a 
 very different termination of his career. 
 
 In the midst of his triumphs, a violent hemorrhage raised 
 apprehensions for his life. D'Alembert, Diderot, and 
 Mar MO NT el, hastened to support his resolution in his last 
 moments, but were only witnesses to their mutual ignominy, as 
 well as to his own. 
 
 Here let not the historian fear exaggeration. Rage, re- 
 morse, reproach, and blasphemy, all accompany and cha- 
 racterize the. long agony of the dying Atheist. His death, 
 the most terrible ever recorded to have stricken the im^ 
 pious man, will not be denied by his companions in im- 
 piety. Their silence, ho\\ever much they may wish to deny 
 it, is the least of those corroborative proofs, which might be 
 adduced. Not one of the Sophisters has ever dared to mention 
 any sign given, of resolution or tranquillity, by the premier 
 chief, during the space of three months, which elapsed from 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 13 
 
 the time he was crowned in the theatre, until his decease. 
 Such a silence expresses, how great their humiliation was in his 
 death! 
 
 It was in his return from the theatre, and in the midst of 
 the toils he was resuming in order to acquire fresh applause, 
 when Voltaire was warned, that the long career of his im- 
 piety was drawing to an end. 
 
 In spite of all the Sophislers, flocking around him, in the 
 first days of his illness, he gave signs of wishing to return to the 
 God whom he had so often blasphemed. He calls for the priest, 
 who ministered to Ilim, whom he had sworn to crush, under 
 the appellation of the Wretch*. His danger increasing, he 
 wrote the following note to the j4bbe Gualtier: — You had 
 promised me, Sir, to come and hear me. " 1 intreat you would 
 take the trouble of calling as soon as possible." — Signed Vol- 
 taire. Paris, the 26th Feh. \77S. 
 
 A few days after this, he wrote the following declaration, in pre- 
 sence of the same Abbe Gualtier, the ylhbe Mignot, and 
 the Marquis de Villevieille, copied from the minutes de- 
 posited with JMr. Mo met, notary at Paris: 
 
 " I, the underwritten, declare, that for these four days 
 past, having been afflicted with a vomiting of blood, at the age 
 of eighty-four, and not having been able to drag myself to the 
 church, the Kcv. the Rector of St. Sulp^ce, having been 
 pleased to add to his good works, that of sending to me the 
 j^bbe Gualtier, a priest; I confessed to him; and if it please 
 God to dispose of me, I die in the Hofi/ Catholic Church, m 
 which I was born ; hoping that the divine mercy will deign to 
 pardon all my faults. If ever I have scandalized the Churchy 
 I ask pardon of God and of the Church. Second ©f March, 
 1778." Signed Voltaire; in presence of the J b he Mig- 
 NOT, my nephew, and the Marquis de Villevieille, my 
 friend." 
 
 After the two witnesses had signed this declaration, Vol- 
 taire added these words, copied from the same minutes: — 
 ^' The Abbe Gualtier, my confessor, having apprized me, 
 that it was said among a certain set of people, 1 ' should 
 
 * It had been customary during many years, for Voltaire to 
 call our blessed Saviour — The Wretch. And he vowed that he 
 « ould crush him. He closes many of his letters to his j;j/iWf/-friends 
 with the same words— Ov/sA the Wretch! 
 
14 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 protest against every thing I did, at my death;' I declare I 
 never made such a .speech^ and that it is an old jest, attributed 
 long since to many of the learned, more enlightened than I 
 am." 
 
 Was this declaration a fresh instance of his former hypo- 
 crisy? for he had the mean hypocrisy, even in tiie midst of his 
 efforts against Christianihf, to receive the sacrament regularly, 
 and to do other acts of religion, merely to be able to deny his 
 infidelitif, if accused of it. 
 
 Unfortunately, after the explanations we have seen him 
 give of his exterior acts of religion, might there not be room 
 for doubt? Be that as it may, there is a public homage paid 
 to that religion in which he declared he meant to die, notwith- 
 standing his having perpetually conspired against it during 
 his life. This declaration is also signed by that same friend 
 and adept the Marquis de Villeviei lle, to whom, eleven 
 years before, Voltaire was wont to write, " Conceal your 
 inarch from the enemy, in your endeavours to crush the 
 wretch!" 
 
 Voltaire had permitted this declarAition to be carried to 
 the Rector of St. Sulpice, and to the archbishop of Paris, to 
 know whether it would be sufficient. When the ylbhe Gual- 
 tier returned with the answer, it was impossible for him to 
 gain admittance to the patient. The conspirators had strained 
 every nerve to hinder the Chief from consummating his re- 
 cantation ; and every avenue was shut to the priest, whom 
 Voltaire himself had sent for. The daemons haunted every 
 access; rage succeeds to fury, and fury to rage again, during the 
 remainder of his life. 
 
 Then it was that D'Alembert, Diderot, and about 
 t went J/ others of the conspirators, who had beset his apart- 
 ment, never approached him, but to witness their own igno- 
 miny; and often he would curse them, and exclaim: " Retire! 
 It is you that have brought me to my present state ! , Begone 1 
 I could have done without you all ; but you could not exist 
 
 without me ! And what a wretched glory have you procured 
 
 I" 
 me! 
 
 Tlien would succeed the horrid remembrance of his con- 
 spiracy. They could hear him, the prey of anguish and 
 dread, alternately supplicating or .blaspheming that God, 
 against wlionj he had conspired; and in plaintive accents 
 
• AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. U 
 
 he would cry out, " Oh Christ ! Oh Jesus Christ !" And 
 then complain that he was abandoned by God and man. The 
 hand which had traced in ancient writ the sentence of an im- 
 pious and reviling king^ seemed to trace befoie his eyes. 
 Crush then, do crush the Wretch. In vain he turned 
 his head away; the time was coming apace when he was to ap- 
 pear before the tribunal of Him whom he had blasphemed ; and 
 his physicians, particularly Mr. Tronchin, calling in to admi- 
 nister relief, thunderstruck, retire, dcclniiitg that the death of 
 tht impious man zcas terrible indeed. The pride of the conspi- 
 rators would willingly have suppressed these declarations, but it 
 was in vain. Tlie JSlareschat de Richelieu flies from the 
 bed-side, declaring it to be a sight too terrible to be sustained; 
 and Mr. Tronchin, that the Juries of' Orestes, could give 
 but a faint idea of those o/" Voltaire*." 
 
 6. Mr. Addison mentions a Gentleman in France, who 
 was so zealous a promoter of ht^idelity, that he had got together 
 a select company of disciples, and travelled into all parts of the 
 kingdom to make converts. In the midst of his fantastical 
 success he fell sick, and was reclaimed to such a sense of his 
 condition, that after he had passed some time in great agonies, 
 and horrors of mind, he begged those who had the care of bury- 
 ing him, to dress his body in the habit of a Capuchin, that the 
 
 ■ Diderot and D'Alembert also, his friends and conipauions 
 in Injideliti/, are said to have died with remorse oi conscience some- 
 what similar to the above. 
 
 This account of the unhappy end of ^'oLTAIRE is confirmed by a 
 letter from .17. de Luc, an eminent philosopher, and a man of the 
 strictest honour and probity. 
 
 Let the reader consult D'Alembert's account of the death of 
 ^'OLTAIRE in a letter to the Khii^ of Prussia, and his Eidogium at 
 Berlin, where it is partly denied; but denied in such a way as to irive 
 strong reason to suppose his end was without honour. See King of 
 Prussia's Works, vol. 12, p. 130 — 1.52; and vol. 13, ]). olj. 
 
 iMr. Cow per, in his Poem on Truth, has alluded to the above 
 circumstances hi the character of this Arch-'uifidtl: 
 
 " The Frenchman hrst in literary fame, 
 
 (Mention him if you please — Voltaire? — ^^fhe same.)" 
 
 With sj^irit, genius, eloquence supplied, 
 
 Liv'd long, wrote much, laugh'd heartily, and died; 
 
 The Scripture wai> his jest-book, whence he drew 
 
 Bon-niots to gall the Christian and the Jrw. 
 
 An Injidel in health; but what when sick? 
 
 Oh then, a text would touch him at the (juick!" 
 
16 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 Devil might not run away with it: and, to do furtlier justice 
 upon himself, he desired them to tie a halter about his neck> as 
 a mark of that ignominious punishment^ which in his own 
 thoughts, he had so justly deserved. 
 
 7. The last days of David Hume, that celebrated Infidel, 
 were spent in playing at whist, in cracking his jokes about Cha- 
 ron and his boat, ami in leading Lucian, and other ludicrous 
 books. This is a comiimmatum est worthy of a clever fellow, 
 Zihose conscience xcas seared as u'ith a hot iron ! Dr. Johnson 
 observes upon tbis impenitent death-bed scene — " Hume owned 
 he had never read the Nexv Testament with attention. Here 
 then was a man, who had been at no pains to enquire into the 
 truth of religion, and had continually turned his mind the other 
 way. It was not to be expected that the prospect of death 
 should alter his way of thinking, unless God should send an an- 
 gel to set him right. He had a vanity in being thought easy." 
 Di\^s fared sumiituoush/ c-ien/ da//, and saw no danger: but-~ 
 the next thing we hear of him is — In hell he lifted up his eyes, 
 being in torments* ! 
 
 * It is much to be lamented that a man of Hume's abilities 
 should have prostituted his talents in the mam er it is well known he 
 did. With all his pretensions to philosophy, lie was an advocate for 
 adultery and suicide. Tlie reader will liud a sufficient answ er to his 
 sophistry in Horne's Letters on Infidtlity, Beattie's Essay on 
 the Nature and hnmntahility of Truth, in Opposition to Sophistry 
 and Scepticism, and Campbell on the Miracles of Christ. See also 
 some very just and striking retlections coucemuig Hume, in the 
 Eclectic Review for February 1S08. 
 
 Mr. Gibbon was one of the most resi>ectable Deists of the pre- 
 sent age, and more like Hume, in several respects, than any 
 other of the opposers of Christ iamty. Very sufficient reasoriS, how- 
 ever, may be given for his Infidelity, witliout in the least impeach- 
 ing the credit of the evangelical system. Mr. PoRSON, in the preface 
 to his Letters to Mr. Archdeacon Travis, after giving a very high, 
 and, indeed, just character of ISIr. Gibbon's celebrated history, 
 seems to account for his rejecting the Gospel in a satisfactory 
 manner, from the state of his mind. " He shews," says this learned 
 Gentleman, "so strong a dislike to Christianity, as visibly disqua- 
 lifies him for that society, of which he has created Ammianus 
 Marcellinus president. I confess that I see nothing wrong in 
 Mr. Gibbon's attack on Christianity ■\. It proceeded, I doubt 
 not, from the purest and most virtuous motive. We can only blame 
 him for carrving on the attack in an insidious manner, and with 
 improper motives. He often makes, when he cannot readily find, 
 an occasion to insult our religion; which he hates so cordially that 
 ■f This seems a culpable excess of candour amounting almost ta indifference. 
 
AND THE SACRED ^VRITIXGS. 1? 
 
 Mr. Gibbon says, '* He died the Death of a Philoso- 
 pher*!" liravo! Bravo! If Philosophers die in such a man- 
 ner, may it be my lot to die like an old-fashioned and enthu 
 siastic Christian ! 
 
 S. Of all tlie accounts which are left us, of the latter end 
 of those, Nvho are gone before into the eternal state, several 
 are more horrible, but few so affecting as that which is given 
 us, by his own pen, of the late all accomplished Hari of 
 Chksterfield. It shews incontestibly, what a poor crea- 
 ture man is, notwithstanding the highest polish he is capable of 
 receiving, without the knowledge and experience of those com- 
 forts, which true religion yields; and what egregious fools 
 all those persons are, who squander away their precious lime 
 in what the world, by a strange perveision of language, calls 
 pleasure. 
 
 " I have enjoyed," says this finished character, " all the 
 pleasures of this world, and consequently know their futility, 
 
 he might seem to revenge some petsonal injury. Siidi is ])is eager- 
 liess in the cause, that he stoops to tlie most despicable pun, or to 
 the most aw kward perversion of language, for the pleasure of turn- 
 ing Scripture into ribaldry, or of calling Jesus an impostor. A 
 rage for iyidecenci/ jiervatles the whole work, but especially the 
 last volumes. — If the history were anonymous, I should guess that 
 these disgraceful obscenities were written by some debauchee, who, 
 having from age, or accident, or excess, sinvived the practice of 
 lust, still indulged himself in the luxury of speculation; and exposed 
 (he impotent imbeciUty, after he had lost the vio^our of the passions.'.' 
 
 ■^ Such are the opposers of .Iesus and his Gospel ! — Let us see how 
 this sneering antagonist of Christianity terminated his own mortal 
 career. 
 
 Eager for the continuation of his present existence, having little 
 expectation of any future one, he declared to a friend about twenty- 
 four horns ])revi()ns to his departure, in a How of self-grdtulation,that 
 he thought himself a ijt)od life for ten, twelve, or perhaps twetiti/ 
 years. — And during his short illness, it is observable, that he never 
 gave the least intimation of a future state of existence. This iiiseu- 
 sibility at the iiour of dissolution, is, in the language of scejiticism, 
 dying like a clever fellow, the death of a Philosopher! 
 
 See Evans's Attempt to account for the Infidelity of Edward 
 Gibbon, Esq. 
 
 Among all the numerous volumes that Mr. GiBBON read, it docs 
 not appear that he ever i)eru>ed any able defence, or judicious ex|)li- 
 cation of the Christian religion. — Consult his Memoirs and Dian/ 
 w ritten by himself. His conxersion and re-conversion terminated in 
 Deism ; or rather, perhaps, in a settled inditiereuco to all rt^ligion. 
 He never more gave himseli" much concern about it, 
 
 D 
 
IS A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 and do not regret their loss. I appraise them at their real 
 value, which, in truth, is very low ; whereas those who have 
 not experienced, always over-rate them. They only see their 
 gay outside, and are dazzled with their glare ; but I iiave beeiv 
 behind the scenes* It is a common notion, and like many 
 common ones, a very false one, that those who have led a life 
 of pleasure and business, can never be easy in retirement; 
 whereas I am persuaded that they ar« the only people who 
 can, if they have any sense and reflection. They can look 
 back oculo irretorto (without an evil eye) upon what they from 
 knowledge despise; others have always a hankering after what 
 they are not acquainted with. I look upon all that has passed 
 as one of those romantic dreams which opium commonly occa- 
 sions • and I do by no means desire to repeat the nauseous- 
 dose, for the sake of the fugitive dream. — When 1 say that I 
 have no regret, 1 do not mean that I have no remorse ; for a 
 life eithei- of business, or, still more of pleasure, never was 
 and never will be, a state of innocence. But God, who 
 knows the strength of human passions, and the weakness of 
 human reason, will, it is to be hoped, rather mercifully par- 
 don, than justly punish, acknowledged errors. I have been as 
 wicked and as vain, though not so wise as Solomon : but am 
 now at last wise enough to feel and attest the truth of his reflec- 
 tion, that all is vanity and vexation of spirit. This truth is 
 never sufficiently discovered or felt by mere speculation : expe- 
 rience in this ease is necessary for conviction, thougli perhaps at 
 the expense of some morality. 
 
 " My health is always bad, though sometim-es better and 
 sometimes worse; and my deafness deprives me of the com- 
 forts of society, which other people have in their illnesses. — 
 This, you must allow, is an unfortunate latter end of my life, 
 and consequently a tiresome one; but I must own too, that' 
 it is a sort of balance to the tumultuous and imaginary plea- 
 sures of the former part of it, I consider my present wretched 
 old a"-e as a just compensation for the follies, not to say, sins of 
 my youth. At the same time I am thankful that I feel none 
 of those torturing ills, which frequently attend the last stage of 
 life ; and I flatter myself that 1 shall go oft' quietly, but I am 
 sure with resignation. My stay in this world cannot be long : 
 God, who placed me here, only knows when he will order me 
 out of it; but whenever be does, I shall willingly obey his 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 19 
 
 command. I wait for it, imploring the mercy of my Creator, 
 and deprecating his justice. The best of us must trust to the 
 former, and dread the latter. 
 
 *' I think I am not afraid of my journey's end ; but will 
 not answer for myself, when the object draws very near, and is 
 very sure. For when one does see death near, let the best or 
 the worst people say what they please, it is a serious conside- 
 ration. The divine attribute of Mercy, which gives us com- 
 fort, cannot make us forget, nor ought it, the attribute of Jus- 
 tice, which must blend some fears with our hope. 
 
 " Life is neither a burden nor a pleasure to me; but a 
 certain degree of ennui necessarily attends that neutral state, 
 which makes me very willing to part with it, when He who 
 placed me here thinks fit to call me away. When I reflect, 
 however, upon the poor remainder of my life, I look upon it as 
 a burden that must every day grow heavier and heavier, from 
 the natural progression of physical ills, the usual companions 
 of increasing vears. My reason tells nie, that I should wish 
 for the end of it; but instinct, often stronger than reason, 
 and perhaps oftener in the right, makes me take all proper 
 methods to put it off. This innate sentiment alone makes me 
 tear life with patieiKe ; for I assure you I have no farther 
 iiopes, but, on the contrary, many fears from it. None of the 
 primitive Jnachorites in the Thebais could be more detached 
 from life than I am. I consider it as one who is wholly un- 
 concerned in it, and -even -when I reflect upon what I have 
 seen, what I have heard, and what I have done myselfj I cau 
 hardly persuade myself that all that frivolous hurry and bustle, 
 and pleasures of the world, had any reality, but they seem to 
 have been the dreams of restless nights. This philosophy, 
 however, I thank God, neither makes me sour nor melan- 
 cholic : I see the folly and absurdity of mankind without indig- 
 nation or peevishness. I wish them wiser, and consequently 
 better than they are*." 
 
 * Miscdlaneous Works, vol. iii. passim.— The Letters of this ce- 
 le)>rated yobkmun, which he wrote to \m Son, contain positive 
 rcvidence, that, with all his honours, learning, wit, and politeness, 
 lie was a thorough bad man, with a heart full o( deceit and uncleanness. 
 Those Letters have been a pe>t to the yoiHig JSohility and Gentry of 
 this nation. It may be questioned wliether Rochester's Poems c\ex 
 did more harm. This celebraled nobleman was accounted, not only 
 the most polite and well-bred man, but the greatest wit of his time. 
 
20 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 This is the life, these are the mortifying acknowledgmentsr* 
 and this is the poor sneaking end of the best bred man of the 
 age! Not one word about a il/ef/Za^o/- / He acknowledges, in- 
 deed, his frailties; but yet in such a way as to extenuate his 
 offences. One would suppose he had been an old Ifeathen 
 philosopher, who had never heard of the name of Jesl's; 
 rather than a penitent Christian, whose life had abounded with 
 a variety of vices. 
 
 How little and how poor is man, in his most finished estate, 
 without religion ! Let us hear in what manner the lively Believer 
 in Jesus takes his leave of this mortal scene : — / am-twrc ready 
 to he offered, and the time of mi/ departure is at hand. I 
 have fought a good fight ; I have Jinished my course ; I have 
 ^ kept .the faith ; henceforth there is laid up for me a cromn of 
 
 Various Jeux d' Esprit are accordingly handed about, as having pro- 
 ceeded from him, on different occasions. The two follov ing, which 
 contain an alhision to the Sacred Writings, I will take the liberty of 
 presenting to the reader. 
 
 Chesterfield being invited to dine with the Spanish ambassa- 
 dor, met with tiie JMinister of France, and some others. After din- 
 ner, the Spaniard proposed a toast, and begged to give his Master 
 under the title of the Sun. Tlie French ambassador's turn came next, 
 Tvlio gave ///* under the description of the Moon. JL.or</ Chester- 
 field being asked for his, replied, "Your Excellencies have taken 
 from me all the greatest luminaries of heaven, and the stars are too 
 small for a comparison with my royal Master; I therefore beg leave 
 to give your Excellencies, Joshua!" 
 
 The other instance is still more pertinent. The Earl being at 
 Brussels was waited on by VoLTAiRE, who politely invited him to 
 
 sup witii him and Madame C . His Lordship accepted the 
 
 invitation. The conversation happening to turn upon the affairs of 
 
 England, " I think, my Lord," said Madame C , " that the 
 
 Parliament of England consists of five or six hundred of the best m- 
 formed and most sensible men in the kingdom ?"■ — '* True, Madame ; 
 tliey are generally sui)posed to be so."^-" What then, my Lord, 
 can be the reason that they tolerate so great an absurdity as the 
 Christian religion?" — " I suppose, Madame," replied his Lordship, 
 it is because they have not been able to substitute any thing better in 
 its stead ; when they can I don't doubt but in their wisdom they will 
 readily accept it." 
 
 To have entered into a serious defence of the Gospel of Christ^ 
 with such a pert and flippant lady, would have been the height of 
 folly : but such an answer as this, was better calculated to silence 
 her, than a thousand demonstrations, which she would neither have 
 been able nor willinij to understand. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGj 
 
 ^>'l- 07 
 
 •P0»^ 
 
 21 
 
 righteonsuesK, zchkh the Lord, the righteous J^ogr, zcill 
 give rnc at that day. 
 
 9. The sad evening before the death of the noble Alta- 
 MONT, I was with him. No one was there but his physician, 
 and an intimate friend ^vhomhe loved, and whom he had ruined. 
 At my coming in, he said ; 
 
 " You and the physician, arc come too late, — I have neither 
 life nor hope. You both aim at miracles. You would raise the 
 dead!" 
 
 Heaven, 1 said, was merciful.— 
 
 " Or I could not have been thus guilty. What has it not 
 done to bless and to save me?— I have been too strong for 
 Omnipotence! I plucked down ruin!" I said, the blessed Re- 
 deemer — 
 
 " Hold ! hold! you wound me!— This is the rock on whicli 
 I split — [ denied his name." 
 
 Refusing to hear any thing from me, or take any thing 
 from the physician, he lay silent, as far as sudden darts of 
 pain would permit, till the clock struck. Then with vehe- 
 
 • mence ; 
 
 " Oh, time ! time ! it is fit thou shouldst thus strike thy mur- 
 derer to the heart.— How art thou tied for ever! — A month ! — 
 Oh for a single week ! I ask not for years ; though an age were 
 too little for the much I have to do." 
 
 On my saying, we could not do too much : that heaven was a 
 
 blessed place — 
 
 *' So much the worse. 'Tis lost ! 'tis lost !— Heaven is to 
 
 me the severest part of hell!" 
 
 Soon after I proposed prayer. 
 
 " Pray you that can. 1 never prayed. 1 cannot pray — 
 Nor need I. Is not heaven on my side already? It closes 
 Mith my conscience. Its severest strokes but second my 
 
 own." 
 
 His friend being much touched, even to tears, at this, 
 (who could forbear? 1 could not;) with a most affectionate 
 
 look, he said: 
 
 « Keep those tears for thyself. I have undone thee.— 
 Dost weep for me? That's cruel. What can pain me 
 
 more?" 
 
 Here Jiis friend; too much affected, would have left hun: 
 
22 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 *' No, stay. Thou still mayest hope. Therefore hear mr. 
 How madly have I talked ? How madly hast thou listened 
 aad believed ? But look on my present state, as a full answer 
 to thee, and to myself. This body is all weakness and paui ; 
 ^ut my soul., as if strung up by torment to greater strength and 
 spirit, is full powerful to reason: full mighty to suffer. And 
 that which thus triumphs within the jaws of mortality, is doubt- 
 less, immortal. — And, as for a Deity, nothing less than aa 
 _<^/;72?'o7/^j/ could intiict what I feel," 
 
 I was about to congratulate tliis passive involuntary confessar, 
 on his asserting the two prime articles of his creed, extorted by 
 the rack of nature ; when he thus, very passionately : 
 
 " No, no! let me speak on. I have not long to speak. — My 
 much injured friend! my soul^ as my body, lies in ruins ; in scat- 
 tered fragments of broken thought: remorse for the past, throws 
 my thoughts on the future. Worse dread of the future, strikes 
 it back on the past. I turx), and turn, and find no ray. Didst 
 thou feel half the mountain that is on me, thou wouldst struggle 
 with the martyr for his stake, and bless heaven for the flames; — 
 that is not an everlasting fiame : that is not an unquenchable 
 fire." 
 
 How were we struck ! Yet soon after, still more. With 
 Tvhat an eye of distraction, what a face of despair, he cried out : 
 
 *' ]My principles have poisoned my friend ; my ^extravagance 
 lias beggared my boy ; my unkindness has murdered my wife! 
 And is there another hell r — Oh ! thou blasphemed yet most in- 
 dulgent, Lord God ! Hell itself is a refuge, if it hides me 
 from tliy frown." 
 
 Soon after his understanding failed. His terrified imagination 
 uttered horrors not to be repeated, or ever forgotten. And ere 
 the sun arose, the gay, young, noble, ingenious, accomplished, 
 and most wretched Altamont expired*. 
 
 It is not easy for imagination itself to form a more affect- 
 ing representation of a death-bed scene, thaa that of this noble 
 youth. 
 
 10. " Sir, 
 
 I was not long since called to visit a poor 
 gentleman, ere while of the most robust body, and of the 
 
 * See YouNG^s Centaur not Fabulous^ 
 
AKD THE SACRED \VR1TL\G5. <xs 
 
 gayest temper 1 ever knew. But wlien I visited him ; Oh ; 
 how was the glory departed from him ! I found liim no more 
 that sprightly and vivacious son of joy which lie used to be ;. 
 but languishing, pining away, and withering under the chas- 
 tening hand of God. His limbs feeble and trembling; hi& 
 countenance forlorn and ghastly ; and the little breath he had 
 left, sobbed out in sorrowful sighs ! His body hastening apace 
 to the dust to lodge in the silent grave, the land of darkness 
 and desolation. His soul just going to God who gave it: 
 preparing itself to wing away unto its long home ; to enter 
 upon an unchangeable and eternal state. When I was come 
 wp into his chamber, and had seated myself on his bed, he 
 first cast a most wishful look upon me, and then began as well 
 as he was able to speak. — *^ Oh ! that I had been wise, that I 
 had known this, that 1 had considered my latter end. A\x I 
 
 Mr. , death is knocking at my doors: in a few 
 
 hours more 1 shall draw my last gasp; and then judgement, 
 the tremendous judgement ! how shall I appear, unprepared, 
 as I am, before the all-knowing, and omnipotent God .^ 
 How shall I endure the day of his coming!' When I men- 
 tioned among many other things, that strict holiness which 
 he had formerly so slightly esteemed, he replied with a' hasty 
 eagerness : " Oh ! that holiness is the only tiling I now long 
 for. 1 have not words to tell you ho\v highly I value it. I 
 would gladly part with all my estate, large as it is, or a world to- 
 ©btain it. Now my benighted eyes are enlightened, I clearly 
 discern the things that are excellent, \\hat is there in the 
 place whither 1 am going but God. Or what is there to be 
 desired on earth but religion?" — But if this God should re- 
 store you to health, said T, think you that you should altcF 
 pour former courser — "I call heaven and earth to witness," 
 said he, " I would labour for holiness, as I shall soon laboui- 
 for life. As for riches and pleasures, and the applauses of 
 men, I account them as dross and dung, no more to my hap- 
 piness than the feathers that lie on the jfloor. Oh! if the 
 righteous Judge would try me once more; if he would 
 but reprieve, and spare me a little longer ; in what a spirit 
 would I spend the remainder of my days ! I would know no 
 other business, aim at no other end, than perfecting myself 
 in holiness. Whatever contributed to that; every means of 
 ^race; every opportunity of spiritual improvement, should 
 
£4 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 be dearer to me than thousands of gold and silver. ' But alas ! 
 \vh}- do I amuse myself m ith fond hnaginatious r The best re- 
 solutions are now ingiguiticant, because they are too late. The 
 day in which I should have worked is over and gone, and I see 
 a sad horrible night approaching, bringing with it the black- 
 ness of darkness for ever. Heretofore, woe is me! when God 
 called, 1 refused ; when he invited, I was one of them that 
 made excuse. Now, therefore, I receive the reward of my 
 deeds; fearfulness and trembling are come upon me; I smart, 
 and am in sore anguish already ; and yet this is but the begiu- 
 ing of sorrows ! It doth not yet appear what I shall be ; but 
 sure I shall be ruined, undone, and destroyed with an everlast- 
 ing destruction !" 
 
 This sad scene I saw with mine eyes ; these words, and many 
 more equally affecting, 1 heard with mine ears ; and soon after 
 attended the unhappy gentleman to his tomb*. 
 
 11. il/;-. CuMBEKLAN D, in the Observer, gives us one of 
 the most mournful tales, that ever was related, concerning a 
 gentleman of Ijifidt I principles, whom he denominates An Ti- 
 THEUS. " I remember him," says he, " in the height of his 
 fame, the hero of his party ; no man so caressed, follow- 
 ed, and applauded. He was a little loose, his friends would 
 own, in his moral character, but then he was the honestest 
 fellow in the world. It was not to be denied tliat he was 
 rather free in his notions; but then he was the best creature 
 living. 1 have seen men of the gravest characters wink at 
 
 * Extract of a Letter from Mr. Hervey to Beau Nash, 
 Esquire, at Bath. 
 
 If tlie stings, lashes, twinges, and scorpions of a guilty conscience 
 are so horrible wliile we continue in the body, what must they be when 
 we are dislodged by death, and find that our damnation is sealed bv 
 the Judge Supreme! Let the lost soul in Shakespeare speak 
 some little of future woe : 
 
 *' But that I am forbid 
 
 To tell the secrets of my prison-house, 
 
 I could a tale unfold, whose lightest word 
 
 Would harrow up thy soul ; freeze thy wann blood ; 
 
 iNIake thy t\\ o eyes, like stars, start from their spheres : 
 
 Thy knotted and (•(>m]>iired locks to part. 
 
 And each particular hair to stand on end 
 
 Like quills upon the fretful porcupine : 
 
 But this eternal blazon jnust not be 
 
 To ears of flesh and blood." 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. <ij 
 
 his sallies, because he was so pleasant and so well bred, it 
 was impossible to be angry with him. Every thing went well 
 with him, and Antitheus seemed ta be at the summit of hu- 
 man prosperity, when he was suddenly seized witli the most 
 alarming symptoms. He was at his country house, and (which 
 had rarely happened to him) he at that time chanced to be 
 alone; wife or family he had none, and out of the multitude 
 of his friends no one happened to be near him at the tim6 of 
 his attack. A neighbouring ^^//j/s/f/fl/? was called out of bed in 
 the night, to come to him with all haste in this extremity. He 
 found him sitting up in his bed, supported by pillows, his 
 countenance full of horror, his breath struggling as in the 
 article of death, his pulse intermitting, and at times beaiing 
 with such rapidity, as could hardly be counted. Antitheus 
 dismissed the attendants he had about him, and eagerly de- 
 manded of tlie physician, if he thought him in danger. The 
 physician answered that he must fairly tell him he was in 
 imminent danger.-^" How so! how so! do you think me dying r" 
 — He was sorry to say the symptoms indicated death. — " Impos- 
 sible! you must not let me die: I dare not die: O doctor! 
 save me if you can." — Your situation. Sir, is such, that it is 
 not in mine, or any other man's art to save you; and I 
 think I should not do my duty if I gave you any false hope in 
 these moments, which, if 1 am not mistaken, will not more 
 than suffice to settle any worldly or other concerns which 
 you may have upon your mind. — " My mind is full of horror," 
 cried the dying man, '^ and 1 am incapable of preparing it for 
 death." — He now fell into an agony, accompanied with a 
 shower of tears; a cordial was administered, and he revived 
 in a degree; when turning to the physician, who had his 
 fingers upon his pulse, he eagerly demanded of him, if he did 
 not see that blood upon the feet curtains of his bed. There 
 was none to be seen ; the phi/sician assured him, it was no- 
 thing but the vapour of his fancy. — " I see it plainly," said 
 Antitheus, " in the shape of a human hand: I have been 
 visited with a tremendous appajition. As I was lying sleepless 
 in my bed this night, I took up a letter of a deceased friend to 
 dissipate certain thoughts which made me uneasy. I believed 
 him to be a great philosopher, and was converted to his opinions : 
 persuaded by his arguments and my own experience, that the 
 disorderly aifairs of this evil world could not be administered 
 
 E 
 
26 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 by any wise, just, or provident being; [ had brought myself to 
 think no such being could exist, and that a life, produced by 
 chance, must terminate in annihilation. This is the reasoning 
 of that letter, and such were the thoughts I was revolving in my 
 mind, when the apparition of my dear friend presented itself 
 before me; and unfolding the curtains of my bed, stood at my 
 feet, looking earnestly upon me for a considerable space of time. 
 !My heart sunk within me; for his face was ghastly, full of hor- 
 ror, with an expression of such anguish as I can never describe. 
 His eyes were fixed u})on me, and at length, with a mournful 
 i^iotion of his head — Alas, alas ! he cried, we are in a fatal 
 error! and taking hold of the curtains with his hand, shook 
 them violently and disappeared. — This, I protest to you, I both 
 saw and heard; and look ! where the print of his hand is left in 
 bleod upon the curtains!" 
 
 Antitheus survived the relation of this vision very few 
 hours, and died delirious in great agonies. 
 
 ^V hat a forsaken and disconsolate creature is man without his 
 God and Savjour! 
 
 1'2. RoussKAU has the honour of the second place in the 
 French Pantheon. He was born at Geneva ; and, at a pro- 
 per age, was bound an apprentice to an artist. During his 
 apjuenticesliip he frequently robbed his master as well as other 
 persons. Before his time was expired he decamped, and fled into 
 the dominions of the king of Sardinia, where he changed his 
 religion and became a Catholic. By an unexpected turn of 
 fortune he jjecame a footman; in which capacity he forgot not 
 his old habit of stealing. He is detected with the stolen goods; 
 swears they were given him by a maid servant of the house. 
 The girl, being confronted with him, denies ihe fact, and, weep- 
 in;^, presses him to confess tb.c truth; but the i/oung philosopher 
 still persists in the lie, and the poor girl is driven from her place 
 in disgrace. 
 
 Tired of being a serving man, he went to throw himself 
 on the protection of a lady, whom he had seen once before^ 
 and' who, he protests, was the most virtuous creature of her 
 sex. The lady had so great a regard for him, that she called 
 him her little darling, and he called her mamma. Mamma had 
 a footman, who served her besides, in another capacity, very 
 much resembling that of a husband ; but she had a most tender 
 aJlection for her adopted son Rousseau; and,- as she feared 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 27 
 
 he was forming connections with a certain lady who might 
 spoil his morals, slie herself out of pure virtue took him — to 
 bed with her ! — This virtuous effort to preserve the purity of 
 Rousseau's heart had a dreadful eflect on the po'>r foot- 
 man, and so he poisoned himself. — Rousseau fell sick, and 
 mamma was obliged to part with little darling, while he per- 
 formed a journey to the south of France, for the recovery af 
 his health. On the road he dines with a gentleman, and lies 
 with his wife. As he was returning back, he. debated with 
 himself whether he should pay this lady a second visit or not: 
 but, fearing he might be tempted to seduce her daughter also, 
 virtue got the better, and determined the little darling to fly 
 home into the arms of his mamma ; but, alas ! those arms were 
 filled with another. Mamma's virtue had prompted her to take 
 a substitute, whom she liked too well to part with, and our 
 philosopher was obliged to shift for himself. The reader 
 should be told, that the little darling, while he resided with 
 his mamma, went to make a tour with a young nuisiciau. Their 
 friendship was warm, like that of most young men, and they 
 were besides enjoined to take particular care of each other 
 during their travels. They went on for some time together, 
 agreed perfectly well, and vowed an everlasting friendship for 
 each other. But the musician, being one day taken in a fit, fell 
 down in the street, which furnished the faithful Rousseau 
 w ith an opportunity of slipping off with some of his things, and 
 leaving him to the mercy of the people, in a town where he was 
 a total stranger. 
 
 We seldom meet with so much villainy as this in a youth. 
 His manhood however was worthy of it. He turned apostate 
 a second time, was driven from within the walls of his native 
 city of Geneva, as an incendiary, and an apostle of anarchy 
 and infidelity; nor did he ft)rget how to thieve. — At last the 
 philosopher marries; but like a philosopher; that is, without 
 going to church. He has a family of children, and like a kind 
 philosophical father, for fear they should want afti-r his death, 
 he sends thtin to the poor-house during his life-time! — To con- 
 clude, the philosopher dies, and leaves the philosopher ess, his 
 wife, to the protection of a friend ; she marries a footman, and 
 gets turned into the street. 
 
 This vile wretch has the impudence to say, in the work 
 written by himself, vhich contains a confession of these his 
 
 E 2 
 
'i8 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 crimes> that no man can come to the throne of God and say, 
 / am a better man than Rousseau*. 
 
 Notwithstanding the above unworthy circumstances, it must 
 be owned that Rousseau's writings have great literary merits 
 but then they contain principles which might be expected from 
 such a person. He has exhausted all the powers of reasoning, 
 and all the charms of eloquence in the cause of anarchy and 
 irreligion. And his writings are so much the more dangerous, 
 as he winds himself into favour with the unwary, by an 
 eternal cant about virtue and liberty. He seems to have as- 
 sumed the mask of virtue, for no other purpose than that of 
 propagating, with more certain success, the blackest and most 
 incorrigible vice. 
 
 This was the man and the writer whom the Constituent 
 Assembly held up to the imitation and even adoration of the 
 poor deluded French populace. He and Voltaire, who never 
 could agree in life, are placed by each other's side in death, and 
 made the standard of French principles and religion to all future 
 generations. 
 
 We have seen how Voltaire terminated his earthly career, 
 we shall find Rousseau expiring with a lie in his mouth, and 
 the most impious appeal to the Divine Being, that was ever 
 made by mortal man. 
 
 " Ah: my dear," said he to his wife, or mistress, just before 
 he expired: " how happy a thing is it to die, when one has no 
 reason for remorse, or self-reproach !" — And then, addressing 
 himself to the Almighty, he said, " Eternal Being ! the 
 soul that I am going to give thee back, is as pure, at this 
 moment, as it was when it proceeded from thee : render it 
 partaker of thy felicity !" 
 
 These twelve examples are such as to give but little encou- 
 ragement to any person, who has a proper concern for his 
 own welfare, to embark, either in the atheistic or deistic 
 schemes. In those cases, where conscience was awake, the 
 unhappy men were fillied with anguish and amazement inex- 
 pressible. And in those cases, where conscience seemed to be 
 asleep, there appears nothing enviable in their situation, even 
 upon their own supposition, that there is no after-reckoning. 
 
 * The above account of this strange man is taken from his own 
 Confessions, Peter Porcupine's Bloody Buoy, an(\ the accounts 
 published of his death. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 29 
 
 If to die 'ike an ass be a privilege, I give ihem joy of it! much 
 good may it do tliem ! May I die like a Christian, havin'r a 
 hope blooming rciih immortal expectations! 
 
 Let us turii from these horrible instances of perverted reason, 
 and take a view of some more promising scenes. 
 
 II.—EXAMPLES OF PERSON'S RECOVERED FHOM THEIR 
 INFIDELITY. 
 
 " If, sick of folly, I relent, he •Cfrites 
 " My name in heav'n." 
 
 13. Charles Gildon, author of a book called the Oracles 
 of Reason, v/as convinced of the fallacy of his own arguments 
 against religion, and the danger of his situation, by readin<» 
 Leslie's Short Me^iod with a Deist. He afterwards wrote 
 a defence of Revealed Religion, entitled The Deist's Manual, 
 and died in the Christian faith, 
 
 14. The late Lord Littleton, author of the History of 
 Henri/ the Second, and his friend Gilbert West, Esq. had 
 both imbibed the principles of Lnbe/itf, and had agreed to^^e- 
 ther to write something in favour of Injidelify. To do this 
 more effectually, they judged it necessary, first to acquaint 
 themselves pretty well with the contents of the Bible. By the 
 perusal of that book, however, they were both convinced of 
 their error: both became converts to the religion of Christ 
 Jesus: both took up their pens and wrote in favour of it * ; 
 the formei', his Observations on tht Conversion of St. Paul; 
 
 * Athenagoras, a famous Athenian philosopher in the second 
 century, iia<i entertained so unfa* ounib're an opinion of the Christian 
 religion, thai he was determined to write against it ; but upon an inti- 
 mate enquiry into the facts on which it was supported, in the course 
 of his collecting niaterials for his intended publication, he was con- 
 vinced by the blazt: ■£ evidence in its fi'vour, and turned his designed 
 invective into an elaborate apo!(»gy, which is still in being. 
 
 The above Mr. West, writing co Dr. Doddridge on the pub- 
 lication of his Memoirs of Co/o.-.i/ Gardiner, ascribes his own con- 
 version from a state of Infidelity, into whicli he liad been seduced, to 
 tlie care his motJior had taken in Iris education. " I cannot help takiii" 
 notice,' says lie, «' of your remarks upon the advantage of an earli/ 
 education in the principles of religion, because 1 have myself most 
 happily experienced if; sinre I owe, to thefar/y f erf of a most excel- 
 lent woman, my motlier, that bent and bias to religion, which, with 
 tbe co-operating grace of doD, halh at length brought me back to 
 
30 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 the latter^ his Observations on the Resurrection of Christ; 
 and both died in peace. 
 
 those paths of peace from whence I might have othenvise been in 
 danger of deviating for ever!" ' 
 
 Dr. Johnson tells us, that " Lord Littleton, in the pride of 
 juvenile confidence, with the help of corrupt conversation, enter- 
 tained doubts of the truth of Christianity; but he thought after- 
 wards it was no longer fit to doubt, or believe by chance ; and there- 
 fore applied himself seriously to the p-eat questioyi. His studies 
 being honest, ended in conviction. He found that Religion was true, 
 and, what he had learned, he endeavoured to teach, by Observations 
 on the Conversion of St. Paul; a treatise to which Lifidelitj/ has 
 never been able to fabricate a specious answer." Two days previous 
 to his dissolution, this great and good man addressed his Physician 
 in these memorable words: " Doctor, you shall be my confessor. 
 When I first set out in the world, I had friends who endeavoured to 
 shake my belief in the Christian religion. I saw difficulties which 
 staggered me, but / kept my mind open to conviction. The evi- 
 dences and doctrines of Christianity, studied with attention, made 
 me a most firm and persuaded believer t)f the Christian religion, f 
 have made it the rule of my hfe, and — it is the p'ound of my fu- 
 ture hopes." 
 
 The conversion of the Rer. John Newton, late Rector of St. 
 Mary IVoolnoth, in London, Is also extremely remarkable. He was 
 born of religious parent-, and brought up in his younger years in a 
 religious manner. The impressions of this kind seemed to be strong 
 and deep. At length, however, the admonitions of conscience, which, 
 from successive repulses, had grown weaker and weaker, entirely 
 ceased; he commenced Infidel; and for the space of many months, 
 if not for some years, he does not recollect that he had a single check 
 of that sort. At times he was visited wilh sickness, and believed 
 himself near to death; but he had not, like Mr. Paine in the same 
 situation, the least concern about the consequences. He seemed to 
 have evei-y mark of final impenitence and rejection; neither jud"- 
 nients nor mercies made the least impression on him. 
 
 In this unhappy condition he contintied a ntnnber of years, all the 
 time improving himself under very unpropitious circumstances, in 
 classical and mathematical learning. At the age of about twenty-three 
 or twenty-four, however, it pleased God to call him by his grace; 07tt 
 of darliness and delusion into his marvellous light, and, in due time, 
 into the glorious liberty of the children of God. He has lived now 
 for many years under the power and influence of religion, and has 
 been an eminent instrument of good to many thousands of souls by 
 his preaching and writings. 
 
 It is remarkable, that, in this case, also, a religious education 
 seemed to be the remote means of his conversion, after all his wan- 
 derings from the path of duty. 
 
 An account may be seen at large, in his Letters to the Reverend 
 Dr. Haweis, of this ven,' extraordinary business. The Narrtttice^ 
 is, at the same time, useful and entertaining. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 31 
 
 15. Sir John Pringle, one of the first characters of the 
 present age, though blessed with a rehgious education, con- 
 tracted tlie principles of Injidelity, when he came to travel 
 abroad in the world. But as he scorned to be an implicit Be- 
 liever, he was eqiially averse to being an implicit Unbeliever. 
 He therefore set himself to examine the principles of the Gos- 
 pel of Christ, with all caution and seriousness. The result 
 of his investigation was, a full conviction of the divine ori- 
 gin and authority of the Gospel. The evidence of Revela- 
 tion appeared to him to be solid and invincible ; and the 
 nature of it to be such as demanded his warmest accept- 
 ance. 
 
 16. SoAME Jenyngs, Esq. Member of Parliament for 
 Cambridge, by some means had been warped aside into the 
 paths of hfideliti/, and continued in this state of mind several 
 years. Finding his spirit, however, not at rest, he was in- 
 duced to examine the grounds upon which his Unbelief was 
 founded. He discovered his error; was led to believe in the 
 Saviour of mankind; and wrote a small treatise in defence 
 of the Gospel, entitled, A vieu: of the internal Evidences of 
 Christianity ; a work worthy the perusal of every man who 
 wishes to understand the excellency of the religion he pro- 
 fesses. 
 
 17- Doctor Oliver, a noted Physician at Bath, was a 
 zealous Unbeliever till within a short time of his death. Being 
 convinced of his error, and the danger of his situation, he 
 bewailed his past conduct with strong compunction of heart, 
 and gave up his spirit at last, in confident expectation of mercy 
 from God, through the merit of that Saviour, whom, fur 
 many years he had ridiculed and opposed. " Oh !" said he, 
 that I could undo the mischief which 1 have done ! I was more 
 ardent to poison people with the principles of irrehgion and 
 unbelief, than almost any Christian can be to spread the doc- 
 trines of Christ." 
 
 18. General Dykern received a mortal wound at the bat- 
 tle of Bergen in Germany, A. D. 1759. He was of a noble 
 family, and possessed equal abilities as a minister in the closet, 
 and a general in the field, being favoured with a liberal edu- 
 cation. Having imbibed the principles of hfidelity, by some 
 means or other, he continued a professed Deist, till the lime he 
 received his fatal wound. Duriug his illness, however^ a ureal 
 
32 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 and effectual change was wrought upon his mind by the power 
 of divine grace, and he died in the full assurance of faith, glory- 
 ing in the salvation of Jesus, and wondering at the happy 
 change which had taken place in his soul *! 
 
 19. John, Earl of B,o chest er, was a great man every way; 
 a great wit, a great scholar, a great poet, a great sinner, and a 
 great penitent. His life was written by Bishop Burnet, and 
 his funeral sermon was preached and published by Mr. Par- 
 sons. D;-. Johnson, speaking of Burnet's Life of this 
 Nobleman, says, " The crilic ought to read it for its ele- 
 gance, the philosopher for its argument, and the saint for its 
 « piety." 
 
 His Lordship, it appears, had advanced to an uncommon 
 height of wickedness, having been an advocate in the black 
 cause of atheism, and an encomiast to Bethebub. He had 
 raked too in the very bottom of the jakes of debauchery, and 
 had been a satyrist against religion itself. But when, like the 
 prodigal in the Gospel, he came to himself, his mind was filled 
 with the most extreme horror, which forced sliarp and l)itter 
 invectives from him against himself; terming himself the vilest 
 wretch on whom the sun ever shone ; wishing he had been a 
 crawling leper hi a ditch, a link-boy, or a beggar, or had 
 lived in a dungeon, rather than have offended God in the man- 
 ner he had done. 
 
 Upon the first visit of Mr. Parsons to him on May 26th, 
 1680, after a journey from the (f(s^, he found him labouring 
 under great trouble of mind, and his conscience full of terror. 
 The Earl told him — "When on his journey, he had been 
 arguing with greater vigour against God and Religion, than 
 ever he had done in his life-time before, and that he 
 had been resolved to run them down with all the argument 
 and spite in the world; but like the great convert, St. Paul, 
 be found it hard to kick against God." At this time, how- 
 ever, his heart was so powerfully affected, that he argued as 
 much for God and Religion, as ever he had done against 
 them. He had such tremeudpus apprehensions of the Divine 
 Majesty, mingled with such delightful contemplations of 
 his nature and pefections, and of the amiableness of religion, 
 
 * See this extraordinary case more at large in De Coetlogon's 
 Divine Treasury, p. 27. 
 
AN'D THE SACRED WRITINGS. 33 
 
 diat he said, — '' I never was advanced thus far towards hap- 
 piness in my life before : though upon the commission of 
 some extraordinary suis, I have had some considerable checks 
 and warnings from within; but still I struf^gled with them, 
 and so wore them otf again. One dav, at on atheistical 
 meeting in the house of a person of quality, I undertook to 
 manage the cause, and was the principal disputant against GoD 
 and lieligioji; and for my performances received the ap- 
 plauses of the ^^hole company. Upon this my mind was 
 terribly struck, and I immediately replied thus to myself, — 
 ' Good God, that a man who walks upright, who sees the 
 wonderful works of God, and has the use of his senses and 
 reason, should use them to the defying of his Creator!' — 
 But though this was a good beginning towards my conver- 
 sion, to find my conscience touched for my sins, yet it went 
 off again: nay, all my life long 1 had a secret value and reve- 
 rence for an honest man, and loved morality in others. But I 
 had formed an odd scheme of religion to myself, which would 
 solve all that God or conscieiKe might force upon me ; yet 
 I was never well reconciled to the busi*iess of Christ ianiti/; 
 nor had 1 that reverence for the Gospel of Christ which 
 I ought to have had." 
 
 This state of mind coiitinued, till the fifty-third chapter of 
 Isaiah was read to him, together with some other parts of 
 the Sacred Scriptures ; when it pleased God to till his mind 
 Avith such peace and joy in believing, that it was remarkable to 
 all about him. Afterwards he frequently desired those who 
 were with him, to read the same chapter to him; upon 
 which he used to enlarge in a very familiar and atJ'ectionate 
 manner, applying the whole to his own humiliation and en- 
 couragement. 
 
 " O blessed God," he wouM say, " can such a horrid crea- 
 ture as I am be accepted by thee, who have denied thy being, 
 and contemned thy power ? Can there be mercy and pardon for 
 me? Will God own such a wretch as I am?" 
 
 In the middle of his sickness he said still farther : — *' Shall 
 the unspeakable joys of heaven be conferred on me ? O mighty 
 Saviour, never but through thine infinite love and satisfaction ! 
 O never but by the purchase of thy blood !" adding-^^' that 
 with all abhorrence, he reflecteti upon his former life — that 
 
 F 
 
34 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 from his heart he repented of all that folly and madness of which 
 he iiad been guilt}." 
 
 He had a strong and growing esteem for the Sacred Scrip- 
 tures, and evidenuY saw their divine fulness and excellency ; — - 
 " For having spokcu to his heait, he acknowledged that all the 
 seeming absurdities and contradictions fancied by men of corrupt 
 and reprobate judgments, were vanished ; and the excellency and 
 beauty oi them appeared conspicuously, now that he was come 
 to receive the truth in the love of it." 
 
 Durmg his illness he had a hearty concern for the pious edu- 
 cation of his children, v.ishing, <' his son might never be a 
 wit, one of those wretchtd creatures who pride theinselves in 
 abusin'? God and Religion, denying his Being or his Provi- 
 dence; but that he might become an hoJiest man ; and of a 
 truly religious character, which only could be the support and 
 blessing of his family." 
 
 One of his companions coming tq see him on his death-bed, 
 he said to him: — " O remember that }ou contemn God no 
 more. He is an avenging God, and will visit you for your 
 sins : and will, I hope, in mercy touch your conscience, sooner 
 or later, as he has done mine. Yoii and I liave been friends 
 and sinners together a great while, therefore I am the more free 
 with you. We have been all mistaken in our conceits and opi- 
 nions ; our persuasions have been false and groundless ; therefore 
 I pray God grant you repentance." 
 
 When he drew towards the last stage of his sickness, he said, 
 " If God should spare me yet a little longer time here, I 
 hope to bring glory tQ his name, proportionably to the dis- 
 honour I have done to him in my whole past life; and parti- 
 cularly by my endeavours to convince others, and to assure 
 them of the danger of their condition, if they continued im- 
 penitent; and to tell them how graciously God hath dealt 
 with me." 
 
 And when he pame within still nearer views of dissolution, 
 about three or four days before it, he said, " I shall now die: 
 but, Oh ! what unspeakable glories do I see ! What joys, beyond 
 thought or fxpression am I sensible of! I am assured of God's 
 mercy to me through Jesus Christ! Oh! how 1 long to die, 
 and to be with my SavlourI" 
 
 Foj the admonition of others, and to undo as much as 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 35 
 
 was in his power, the mischief of liis former conduct, he sub- 
 scribed the following Recantation, and ordered it to be pub- 
 lished after his death : 
 
 " For the benefit of all those whom I may have drawn into 
 sin, by ray example and encouragement, I leave to tl:e world 
 this my last declaration ; which I deliver in the presence of the 
 great God, who knows the secrets of all hearts, and before 
 whom I am r.ow appearing to be judged; That from the bfiUom 
 of my soul I detest and abhor the whole course of my former 
 wicked life; ibat 1 think J can never sulhciently admire the 
 goodness of God, who has given me a true seniC of my perni- 
 cious opinions and vik practices^ by winch \ luive hitherto lived 
 without hope, and without God m the world; have bten an 
 open enemy to Jesus Christ, doing the utnnost despite to the 
 Holy Spirit of grace: and that the greatest testimony of my 
 charity to such, is, to warn them in the Name of God, as they 
 regard the welfare of their immortal souls, no more to deny his 
 being or his providence, or despise his goodness : no more to 
 make a mock of sin or contemn 'he pure aiiii eisc -lleiU religion 
 of my ever-blessed Redeemer, through whose merits alone, 
 I, one of the greatest of suiners, do yet hope for mercy and for- 
 giveness. Amen.*" 
 
 20. We have an account of the conversion of another de- 
 termined Deist to the faith of Christ, m six letters, from a 
 Minister of the Reformed Church abroad, to John Newton, 
 late Rector of St. Mary JVooInoth, London. He was born 
 of religious parents, was brought up at school and university 
 for the ministry, became eminent for his literary attaiiiments, 
 but lost all his religion, and commenced Deist. Proud of his 
 
 * The case of Sir Duncomb Colchester, a magistrate in ihe 
 county of Gloucester, towards the close of tlie 1 7th ccr.tury, was some- 
 what like this of Rochester. He was a gentleman of exceiient 
 parts, a generous spirit, and undaiuited courage. Havins, however, 
 spent maiiy years in sundry extravagancies, he was at leugrh, by a 
 long and paintul sickness, brought to a very serious sense of the ex- 
 cellency of Religion, and of his own great sin and folly in the neglect 
 and contempt of it. He accordingly, by way of making some small 
 reparation for the mischief he had done by his v ickedness, drew up 
 an address to his friends and the public, somewhat like to the above 
 of Rochester, signed by divers witnesses, and caused it to be read 
 in two neighbouring churches, and spread abroad among all his 
 friends and neighbours through the comity, as extensively as he was 
 able. 
 
 f2 
 
3Q A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 abilities aiid attainments, and trusting solely to his reasoning 
 powers, he disdained to think with the vulgar, and was too wise 
 in his own esteem to be instructed by Diviue Revelation. 
 But while he was unacquainted with God, he was guilty of 
 secret impurities, and a stranger to peace. Like a ship in a 
 storm, without rudder or pilot, he was hurried along by tumul- 
 tuous! piissions, till he grew weary of life. In such a state of soul, 
 and at such a crisis, the light of heavenly truth broke in upon his 
 mind. The Lord spake and it was done. The sti rm was 
 hushed. The man was powerfully and unexpectedly changed. 
 The servant of sin became the servant of Christ; and he now 
 preaches with energy and success, the faith he befoie laboured 
 to destroy*. 
 
 21. Captain John Lee, who was executed for forgery,, 
 March 4, 1784, became an Injidel, through reading the ele- 
 gant, but sophistical writings of David Hume. Deeply, 
 however, did he repent his folly, when he came to be in dis- 
 tressed circumstances. " I leave to the world," said he, in a 
 letter to a friend the night before his execution, " this mournfut 
 memento, that however much a man may be favoured by per- 
 sonal qualifications, or distiiiguished by mental endowments; 
 genius will be useless, and abilities avail but little, unless accom- 
 panied by a sense of religion, and attended by the practice of 
 virtue." 
 
 22. Another Gentleman, whose name is concealed out 
 of delicacy to his connections, w as descended of a noble and 
 religious family. His life was extremely irregular and disso- 
 lute, but his natural parts and endowments of mind so extraor- 
 dinary,, that they rendered his conversation agreeable to per- 
 sons of the highest rank and quality. Being taken ill, he be- 
 lieved he should die at tlie very beginning of his sickness. His 
 friend, with whom he had frequently disputed against the 
 
 * Similar to this instance, in some respects, is the case of the Rev. 
 Thomas Scott, late Chaplain to the Lock Hospital in London. 
 " I feel myself impelled to declare," says he, " that I once was not 
 much more disposed to credit the Scriptures than 3Ir. Paine: aud 
 having got rid of the shackles of education, was much flattered by 
 my emancipation and superior discernment. But twenty years, em- 
 ployed in diligently investigating the evidences and contents of the 
 Bible, have produced in me an unshaken assurance that it is the 
 Word 0/ Go»." 
 
 Amu'^r to Paine's Age of Reason, p. CJ. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 37 
 
 existence of God and the truths of revealed religion, came to 
 visit him on the second day after he was seized. He asked him 
 how he did, and what made him so dejected ? 
 
 ** Alas !" said he, " are you so void of understanding, as to 
 imagine 1 am afraid to die ? Far be such thoughts from me. 
 . I could meet death with as much courage as 1 Lave encoun- 
 tered an enemy in the field of battle, and embrace it as freely 
 as I ever did any friend whom I entirely loved : for I see no- 
 thing m this world that is worth the pains of keeping. I 
 have made trial of most states and conditions of life. I have 
 continued at home for a considerable time, and travelled 
 abroad in foreign parts. I have been rich aud poor. I have 
 been raised to honour and reversed in a high degree. I have 
 also been exposed to scorn and contempt. I have been wise and 
 foolish. I have experienced the difference between virtue and 
 vice, and every thing that was possible for a man in my sta- 
 tion: so that I am capable of distinguishing what is really 
 good and praisc-\\ orthy, and what is not. Now I .see with a 
 clearer sight than ever, and discern a vast difference between 
 the vain licentious discourse of a Libtitine, and the sound ar^ 
 giimcnt of a true Believer: for though the former may express 
 himself more finely than the latter, so as to puzzle him with 
 hard questions and intricate notions, yet all amount to no more 
 than the fallacy of a few airy repartees, which are never af- 
 fected by sober Christians, nor capable of eluding the force 
 of solid reason. But now I know how to make a distinction be- 
 tween them ; and I wish from the bottom of my heart 1 had 
 been so sensible of my error in the time of my health; then I 
 had never had those dreadful foretastes of hell which I now 
 have. Oh ! what a .sad account have I to give of a long life 
 spent in sin and foily ! I look beyond the fears of a ttmporal 
 death. All the dread that you perceive in me arises from the 
 near approach 1 am making to an eternal death; for I must die 
 to live to all eternity." 
 
 This unhappy Gentleman continued m this manner ta 
 bewail his past folly, atheism and infidelity, for forty days, 
 and then expired. His friend however, took much pain^. 
 with him to encourage his repentance, faith, and return to a 
 proper state of mind; the particulars of which would be too 
 tedious to record in this place. At last, however, he was 
 brought to entertain soine hope, thai the REDtEME» of 
 
33 A PLEA FOR RELIGIOxV 
 
 mankind would take pity on Lis deplorable condition, pnrdon 
 his .sins, and rescue him from that eveiS-islinu destructjou 
 %vhich awaits ail such characters. He told his friend, there- 
 fore, that if he departed \^'ith . a smilt, he might hi»pe for ihe 
 be-st concerning him; but if he should be seen giving up the 
 ghost with a fioicit, there would be reason to fear the 
 worst. 
 
 This was about three o'clock in the afternoon, and he lived 
 till four the next niurniug. A little before he expired he was 
 heard to speak these words softly to himself — " Oh ! that I had 
 possession of the meanest place in htuven, and could but creep 
 into one corner of it." Afterwards he cried out four several times 
 together — '■ O dear.' dear! dear ! dear!" — and near a minute 
 before he expired, his friend perceiving him to look full in his 
 face, with a smiting countenance 
 
 There we leave him till the resurrection morn*. 
 
 23. When Count Struensee, Prime Minister of the 
 kingdom of Denmark, had been disgraced and imprisoned 
 by his Sovereign for certain misdemeanors of ^ which he 
 had been guilty, he was brought from a state of Injidelitj/, 
 to a serious sense of his situation. He then declared, " The 
 more I learn Christianity from Scripture, the more I grow 
 convinced how unjust those objections are with which it is 
 charged. I find, for instance, that all what VoLXAirtE says 
 of the intolerance of Christians, and of blood-shedding caused 
 by Christianity, is a very unjust charge laid upon reli- 
 gion. It is easy to be seen, that those cruelties, said to be 
 caused by religion, if properly considered, were the produc- 
 tion of human passions, selfishness and ambition, and that re- 
 ligion served in such cases only for a cloak, — I am fully con- 
 vinced of the truth of the Christian religion, and I feel its 
 power in quieting my conscience, and informing niy senti- 
 ments. 1 have examined it, during a good stale of health, and 
 
 * It is impossible for any man to say with certainty whether the 
 change, which seems to pass upon the human mind, upon these me- 
 lancholy occasions, is real and saving, or only apparent and delusive. 
 We have known various distances, where ever)' svmptoni of genuine 
 repentance has been exliil)ited upon a sick bed, but no sooiicr Iras 
 health returned, than llicy have returned to folly with accelerated 
 speed ; fulfilling the old Popish distich ; 
 
 " When the Devil was sick, the Devil a Monk would be: 
 When the D«w7 •rot well, the devil a Mo.'j/t was he!" 
 
AND THE SACRED ^VRITINGS. 39 
 
 with all the reason I am niaster of, I tried very argument, 
 I felt no fear, 1 have taken my own time, and I have not 
 been in haste. I own with joy I find Chrhtianity the more 
 amiable, the more I get acqujiinted with it. I never knew it 
 before. I believed it conirtsdicted reason, and the nature of 
 man, whose religion it \vas designed to be. I thought it an art- 
 fully contrived and ambiguous doctrine, full of incompre- 
 hensibilities. Whenever I formerly thought on rcligicni in some 
 serious moments, 1 had always an idea in my mind how it 
 ought to be, which was, it should be simple, aud accommo- 
 dated to the abilities of men in every condition. I now lind 
 Christianity to be exactly so; it answers entirely that idea 
 which I had formed of true religion. Had I but formerly 
 known it was such, I should not lia\e delayed turning Christ inn 
 till this time of my inipnsonment. But 1 had the misfor- 
 tune to be prejudiced against religion, first through my own 
 passions, but afterwards likewise by so many human inven- 
 tions, foisted into it, of which I could see plainly that they 
 had no foundation, though they were styled essential parts of 
 Christianity. 1 was offended when God was always repre- 
 sented to me as an augry, jealous judge, who is much 
 pleased when he has an opportunity of shewing his revenge, 
 though I knew he was love itself; and am now convinced, that 
 though he must punish, yet he takes no kind of delight in 
 it, and is rather for pardoning. From my infancy 1 have known 
 but few Chiisti'ins who had not scandalized me by their en- 
 thusiasm and wickedness, which they wanted to hide under the 
 cloak of piety. I knew indeed that not all Christians were 
 such, or talked such an affected language; but I was too 
 volatile to enquire of better Christians after tlje true spirit of 
 religio;i. Frequently 1 heard sermons in my youth, but they 
 made no impression upon me. That without Christ there 
 was no salvation was the only truth which served for a subject 
 in all sermons; aind this was repeated over and over again in sy- 
 nonimous expressions. But it was never set in its true light, 
 and never properly proved. 1 saw people cry at church., but 
 after their tears were dried up, 1 found them in their actions not 
 in the least better, but rather allowing themselves in every 
 transgression, upon the privilege of being faith iul believers. 
 — He said he ohserved in .SY. Paul a great genius, much 
 wisdom, and true philosophy. The apostles write extremely 
 
40 A PLEA FOR RELIGION. 
 
 well, now and then inimitably beautiful, and at tlie same time 
 with simplicity and clearness. — The Free-thinkers extol the 
 fables of^sop, but the parables and narrations of Christ 
 will not please them ; notwithstanding they are derived from a 
 greater knowledge of nature, and contain more excellent mo- 
 rality. Besides, they are proposed with a more noble and artless 
 simplicity than any writings of the kind, among ancient or mo- 
 dern authors." 
 
 24. Count Brandt, the companion of Struenser in 
 guilt and misfortunes, with great freedom owned before me 
 
 ■ and others, that his imprisonment was the means of setting 
 his soul at liberty ; and he found his chains so little troublesome 
 to him, that he would oftentimes take them up and kiss them." 
 " For," said he, ''' when I believed myself to be free, I was a 
 miserable slave to my passions; and now since I am a prisoner, 
 truth and grace have set me at liberty." He pitied the mi- 
 serable condition of those who were under the yoke of unbe- 
 lief and sin, which he himself had worn, and kept himself in it 
 by reading deistical writings. He mentioned, among the rest, 
 the works of Voltaire, to whom he owed very little that 
 was good. He said he had spent upon his travels four days 
 mih this old advocate for unbelief, and had heard nothing 
 
 from him hut what could corrupt the heart and sound 
 morah. He was very sorry for all this, but was much pleased 
 that he had found a taste for the true Word of God ; whose 
 efBcacy upon his heart, since he read it with a good intention, 
 convinced him of its divine origin*. 
 
 It is usually said, that example has a more powerful effect 
 upon the mind than precept. None can deny that these are re- 
 spectable ones. They are such as every Deist and Sceptic in 
 the kingdom should well consider, before he ventures his sal- 
 vation upon the justness of his own principles. If equal danger, 
 or if any danger attended our embracing the Christian scheme, 
 the Unbeliever would be in a certain degree justified in 
 with-holding his assent to that scheme ; but as all the hazard 
 h on his side of the question, and none on the other, lan- 
 guage furnishes no other words to express the extreme folly 
 of treoiting religion with levity, much less with ridicule and 
 contempt. 
 
 » . .. ^ ■■-■ • ■ - ■ — - - - ■ - ■ 
 
 * See Dr. Hee's History of Count Enevold Brandt. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 41 
 
 III.— EXAMPLES OF DYING CHRISTIANS WHO HAD LIVED 
 IN THE SPIRIT OF THE "WORLD, 
 
 This shal! ye have of my hand, ye shall lie down in sorrow. — Isaiah i. 11. 
 
 25. Hugo Grotius is said to have possessed the brightest 
 genius ever recorded of a youth in the learned world, and was 
 a profound admirer, and a daily reader, of the Sacred IVrit- 
 i/igs; yet after all his attainments, reputation, and labour in the 
 cause of learning, he was constrained at last to cry out, " Ah ! I 
 liave consumed my life in a laborious doing of nothing! — I 
 would give all my learning and honour for the plain integrity of 
 John Urick!"- 
 
 This John Urick was a religious poor man, who spent 
 cigiit hours of the day in prayer, eight in labour, and but eight 
 in meals, sleep, and other necessaries*. 
 
 Grotius had devoted too much of his time to worldly com- 
 pany, secular business, and learned tritles ; too little to the exer- 
 cises of the closet. This is forsaking the fountain of living 
 Tcaters, and hexing out to ourselves broken cisterns that can 
 hold no zcater. 
 
 26. When Salmasius, who was one of the most consum- 
 mate scholars of his time, came to the close of life, he saw 
 cause to exclaim bitterly against himself. " Oh !" said he, " 1 
 have lost a world of time ! time, the most precious thing in the 
 world! whereof had 1 but one year more, it should be spent in 
 David's Psa/ws and Paul's Epistles'." — Oh! " 5Vrs," .said 
 he again to those about him, "" mind the world less, and God 
 
 I" 
 more 1 
 
 27. Dr. Samuejl JoiiNSONf, whose death made such a 
 noise a few years ago, was unquestionably one of the first men 
 of the age, and a serious Believer in Jesus Christ for many 
 years before his death. Mixing, however, too much with men of 
 
 * Alfred the Great, King of England, who fought fifty-six bat- 
 tles with the Danes, m.uiy of w liicli were gained by iiis own personal 
 courage and great example, dodicatfd, with strict punctuality, eight 
 hours every day to acts of devotion, eight hours to public affairs, and 
 as many to sleep, study, and necessary refreslnnent. 
 " t Dr- Johnson's Eife by Bos well ai)pears to mo one of the 
 most entertaining narruti\es in the English language. 
 
 c; 
 
42 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 no religion^ his mind was kept barren of spiritual consolation, 
 and he was grievously haunted with the fear of death through his 
 whole life. " The approach of death," said he to a friend, 
 " is very dreadful. I am afraid to think on that which I 
 know 1 cannot avoid. It is vain to look rouml and round 
 for that help which cannot be had. Yet we hope and hope, 
 and fancy that be who has lived to-day may live to-morrow." 
 To anotlier friend he said, " He never had a moment in which 
 death was not terrible to him," On another occasion he 
 declared in company at Oxford, " 1 am afraid I shall be one 
 of those who shall be damned — sent 'to hell, and punished 
 everlastingly." When this great man, however, actually 
 approached dissolution, '* all his fears were calmed and ab- 
 sorbed by the prevalence of his faith, and his trust in the 
 merits and propitiation of Jesus Christ," He was full of 
 resignation, strong in faith, joyful in hope of his own salva- 
 tion, and anxious for the salvation of his friends. He par- 
 ticularly exhorted Sir Joshua Reynolds, on his dying bed, 
 *' to read the Bible, and to keep holy the Sahbath-day" 
 The last words he was heard to speak were, "God bless 
 you!" 
 
 £8. Baron Halle R, a famous Swiss Physician, the delight 
 and ornament of his counti^, was at the same time a great 
 philosopher, a profound politician, an agreeable poet, and 
 more particularly famous for his skill in botany, anatomy, and 
 physic. Dining his last sickness he had the honour of a visit 
 from Joseph, the late Emperor of Germany. Upon his 
 death-bed, owing probably to the variety of his literary pur- 
 suits, the multiplicity of his engagements, and the honours 
 heaped upon him by the world, he went through sore conflicts 
 of spirit concerning his interest in the salvation of the Re- 
 deemer. His mind was clouded, and his soul destitute of 
 comfort. Li his last moments, however, he expressed renewed 
 confidence in God's mercy through Christ, and left the world 
 in peace. 
 
 29. Sir John Mason, on his death-bed, spoke to those 
 about him in the manner following: — " I have lived to see five 
 princes, and haye been privy-counsellor to four of them. I 
 have seen the most remarkable things in foreign parts, and 
 have been present at most state transactions for thirty years 
 together; and 1 have learnt this after so many years experU 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 43 
 
 ence — That seriousness is the greatest wisdom, temperance 
 the best physic, and a good conscience the best estate. And, 
 were I to live again, I would change the court for a cloister; 
 my privy counsellor's bustle for a hermit's retirement, and the 
 whole life I have lived in tije palace for an hour's enjoyment of 
 God in the chapel*." 
 
 30. Philip the Third, King of Spain, when he drew near 
 the end of his days, expressed his deep regret for a careless 
 and worldly life in the following emphatical words: — " Ah! 
 how happy would it have been for me had I spent these 
 twenty-three years, that I have held my kingdom, in a retire- 
 ment!" 
 
 31. Cardinal Mazarine, one of the greatest statesmen 
 in Europe, cried out a little before his death with astonishment 
 and tears: — " Oh! my poor soul! what will become of thee? 
 Whither wilt thou go r Were I to live again I w ould be a capu- 
 chin rather than a courtier." 
 
 32. George Villiers, the younger, Duke of Buckinsr- 
 ham, was the richest man, and one of the greatest wits in the 
 
 * James Earl of Marlborough, who was killed in a battle at sea 
 on the coast of Holland, A. D. l665, having a kind of presentiment 
 of his own death, wrote to his friend Sir Hugh Pollard a letter, of 
 which tlie following is an extract : — " I will not speak aught of the 
 vanity of this world; your own age and experience will save that la- 
 bour; but there is a certain thing that goetli up and down the world, 
 called Religion, dressed and pretended fantastically, and to puiposes 
 bad enough, which yet by such evil dealing loseth not its being. 
 Moreover, God in his infinite mercy hath given us his Holy Word, in 
 which, as there are many things hard to be understood, so there is 
 enough plain and easy to quiet our minds, and direct us concerning 
 our future being. I confess to God and you, I have been a great neg- 
 lector, and I fear, a despiier of it. GoD, of his infinite mercy, par- 
 don me the dreadful fault. But m hen I retired myself from the noise 
 and deceitful- vanity of the world, I found no comfort in any other 
 resolution than what I had from thence. I commend from the bottom 
 of ray heart, the same to your happy use. Dear Sir Hugh, let us be 
 more generous than to believe we die as the beasts that perish; but 
 with a Christian, manly, brave resolution, look to wh;A is eternal. I 
 will not trouble you further. Shew this letter to my friends, and to 
 whom you please. The only great GoD, and holy GoD, Father, 
 Son, and Holy Ghost, direct you to a happy end of your life, and 
 send us a joyful resurrection. 
 
 So prays your true friend, 
 
 " Marlborough." 
 
 G 2 
 
14 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 court of Charles II. ; and yet such were his vices and extra- 
 vagancies, that, before he died, he was reduced to poverty 
 and general contempt. In this situation, however, he seems 
 to have been brought to a sense of his folly, and the danger of 
 his condition, from the letter which he wrote to Dr. Baelow, 
 of whom he had a high opinion*, on his death-bed; and 
 which is well worth the attention of every man of pleasure and 
 dissipation. 
 
 ** Dear J3octor, 
 
 '^ I always looked upon you as a man of true virtue; 
 and know you to be a person of sound judgment. For, how- 
 ever I n)ay act in opposition to the principles of religion, or 
 the dictates of reason, I can honestly assure you I had always 
 the highest veneration for both. The world and I may shake 
 liands, for I dare affirm we are heartily weary of each other. O 
 Doctor, what a prodigal have I been of the most valuable of all 
 possessions, — Timt! [ have squandered it away with a persua- 
 sion it was lasting: and now, when a few days would be worth a 
 hetacomb of worlds, I cannot flatter myself with a prospect of 
 half a dozen hours. 
 
 " How despicable is that man who never prays to his God, 
 but in the time of his distress! In what manner can he suppli- 
 cate that omnipotent Being in his affliction with reverence, 
 \\honi, in the tide of his prosperity, he never remembered with 
 dread? Do not brand me with injidelitj/, when I tell you I am 
 almost ashamed to offer up my petitions to the throne of grace; 
 or of imploring that divine mercy in the next world which I 
 have so scandalously abused in this. Shall ingratitude to man 
 be looked on as the blackest of crimes, and not ingratitude to 
 God? Shall an insult offered to the king be looked on in the 
 most offensive light ; and yet no notice taken when the King of 
 kings is treated with indignity and disrespect? 
 
 ^< The companions of my former libertinism would scarce 
 believe their eyes, were you to shew them this epistle. They 
 would laugh at me as a dreaming enthusiast, or pity me as a 
 timorous wretch, who was shocked at the appearance of 
 futurity. They are more entitled to my pity than my resent- 
 
 * This ap]^ears in a very strong light from the a?iecdote which is 
 recorded oncernisig the Doctors preaching before King Charles 
 the Second, and the iJukes severe address to him. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRrnNG»i>r" ^'^^ 
 
 ment. A future state inuy very well sliike terror VJ<d any mftn ^ ' i' 
 who has not acted well in this life; and he must \wve an un- 
 common share of courage indeed, who does not smimk at the 
 presence of God. -^\^ 
 
 " You see, my dear Doctor, the apprehensions of death wilt- 
 soon bring the most profligate to a proper use of their under- 
 standing. I am haunted by remorse, despised by my acquain- 
 tance, and, r fear, forsaken by my God. There is nothing so 
 dangerous, my dear Doctor, as extraordinary abilities. I can- 
 not be accused of vanity now, by being sensible that I was once 
 possessed of uncommon qualifications; as I sincerely regret 
 that I was ever blessed with any at all. ]My rank in life still 
 made these accomplishments more conspicuous; and, fasci- 
 nated with the general applause which they procured, 1 never 
 considered about the proper means by which they should be 
 displayed. Hence, to purchase a smile from a blockhead, 
 whom I despised, I have frequently treated the virtuous with 
 disrespect; and sported with the holy name of Heaven, to ob- 
 tain a laugh from a parcel of fools, who were entitled to no- 
 thing but my contempt. 
 
 " Your men of w it, my dear Doctor, look on themselves a^ 
 discharged from the duties of Religio?t : and confine the doc- 
 trines of the Gospel to people of meaner understandings; and 
 look on that man to be of a narrow genius who studies to be 
 good. What a pity that the Flolj/ Writings are not made the 
 criterion of true judgment! Favour me, my dear Dor/or, with 
 a visit as soon as possible. Writing to you gives me some ease. 
 I am of opinion this is the last visit I shall ever solicit from 
 you. !My distemper is powerful. Come and pray for the de- 
 parting spirit of the unhappy — Buckingham*." 
 
 * This Xobleman is described to have been a gay, capricious per- 
 son, of some \\ it, and great vivacity. He was the minister of riot, 
 and counsellor of infamous practices; the slave of iutenijxirance, a 
 pretended Alheiat, witJiout honour or principle, ceconomy or discre- 
 tion. At last, deserted by all his fVieads, and despised i)y all tie 
 world, he died in the greatest want and obscurity. It is of him liial 
 IMr. Pope says: 
 
 " In the worst urn's worst room, with mat half imng. 
 
 With floor of plaister, asid tlie walls of dung — 
 
 Great Villiers lies: Alas! how chung'd from him; 
 
 That life of pleasure, and that soul of whim ! — 
 
 No w\i to flatter left of all his store! 
 
 No fool to laugli at, wliich he valued more! 
 
46 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 33. We have also an ancommon alarm given us in a Letter 
 from another Nobleman, but whose name is concealed from 
 motives of delicacy, on his death-bed^ to an intimate cpmpa- 
 nion ; which no man can seriously read, and not tind himself 
 deeply affected. I v^iil produce it at length. 
 
 ** Dear Sir, 
 
 " Before you receive this, my final state will be deter-- 
 mined by the Judge of all the earth. In a few days at most, 
 perhaps in a few hours, the inevitable sentence will be past. 
 
 There, victor of his health, of fortune, friends 
 And fame, this Loi'd of useless thousands ends." 
 
 Mr. Dryden describes this Nobleman as being — 
 
 " A man so various, that he seem'd to be 
 Not one, but all mankind's epitome : 
 .Stiff ill opinions, always in the wrong ; 
 Was every thing by starts, and nothing long; 
 But, in the course of one revolving moon, 
 Was chymist, fidler, statesmaji and buffoon: 
 Then all for women, jiainting, rhyming, drinking ; 
 . Besides ten thousand freaks that died in thinking.'' 
 
 W^ENT WORTH DiLLON, Earl of RoscommoTi, contemporary with 
 Buckingham, was also a man of considerable learning and abilities, 
 but a man of dissipation and licentious principles. He addicted him- 
 self immoderately to gaining, by which he was engaged in frequent 
 quarrels, ant! brouglit into no little distress. But, however we may 
 be disposed to play the devil wiieu we are in no apparent danger, there 
 is a tiu-.e coming, when we shall all see things in a more serious point 
 of ^iew. Accordingly, we are told, at the moment this meri^ Noble- 
 man expired, he was constrained to utter, with an energy of voice, 
 that expressed the most ardent devotion — 
 
 " My God, my Father, and my Friend, 
 
 Do not forsake me in the end!'' 
 
 Sometliing like the case of Buckingham and Roscommon 
 likewise, was the last scene of .ToHN Sheffield, Duke of Bucking- 
 ham, who died in the reign of George the First, if we may credit 
 the lines inscribed by his own order on his monunient — 
 " Dubius, sed nou improhus vixi. 
 Incertus morior, non perturbatus. 
 Kuniaiuun est nesciie et errare. 
 Christum adveneror, Deo confido. 
 Ens Entium, miserere mei!" 
 
 Sir Richard Steel hatli given us another affecting confession 
 of a_d%ing [nfidel, in No. LXXXI. of the Guardian; and a humorous 
 account of two other gentlemen of the same cast in Nos. CXI. and 
 CXXXV. of the Tatkr, whicii the reader may consult at his pleasure. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 47 
 
 that shall raise me to the heights of happiness, or sink me to the 
 depths of misery. AVhile you read tiiese lines, I shall be either 
 groaning under the agonies of absolute despair, or triumphing in 
 fulness of joy. 
 
 " It is impossible for me to express the present disposition of 
 my soul — the vast uncertainty 1 am struggling with ! No words 
 can paint the force and vivacity of my apprehensions. Every 
 doubt wears the face of horror, and m ouk! perfectly overwhelm 
 me, but for some faint beams of hope, which dart across the 
 tremendous gloom! What tongue can utter the anguish of a soul 
 suspended between the extremes of intinile joy and eternal 
 misery f 1 am throwing my last stake for eternity, and tremble 
 and shudder for the important event. 
 
 " Good God! how have I employed myself! what enchant- 
 ment hath held me? In what delirium has my life been past? 
 What have I been doing, while the sun in its race and the stars 
 in their courses, have lent their beams, perhaps, only to light me 
 to perdition. 
 
 " I never awaked till now. 1 have but just commenced the 
 dignity of a rational being. Till this instant I had a wrong 
 apprehension of every thing in nature. I have pursued sha- 
 dows, and entertained myself with dreams. I have been trea- 
 suring up dust, and sporting myself with the wind. I look 
 back on my past life, and but for some memorials of infamy 
 and guilt, it is all a blank — a perfect vacancy! I might have 
 grazed with the beasts of the field, or sung with the winged 
 inhabitants in the woods, to much better purpose than any for 
 which I have lived. And, Oh! but for some faint hope, a 
 thousand times more blessed had I been, to have slept with the 
 clods of the valley, and never heard the Almighty's fiat; nor 
 waked into life at his command! 
 
 " I never had a just apprehension of the solemnity of the part 
 I am to act till now. 1 have often met death insulting on the 
 hostile plain, and, with a stupid boast, detied his terrors; with a 
 courage, as brutal as that of the ^\ arlike horse, 1 have rushed 
 into the battle, laughed at the glitterring spear, and rejoiced at 
 the sound of the trumpet, nor had a thought of any state beyond 
 the grave, nor the great tribunal to which 1 must have been 
 summoned ; 
 
 Where all my secret guilt had been reveal'd, 
 Nor the minutest circumstance conceal'd. 
 
48 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 It is this which arms death with all its terrors; else I could 
 still mock at fear, and smile in the face of the gloomy mo- 
 narch. It is not giving up my breath; it is not being for ever 
 insensible, is the thought at which I shrink: it is the terrible 
 hereafter, the something beyond the grave at which I recoil. 
 Those great realities, which, in the hours of mirth and vanity, 
 I have treated as phantoms, as the idle dreams of superstitioiis 
 beings; these start forth, and dare me now in their most terri- 
 ble demonstration. My awakened conscience feels something 
 of that eternal vengeance 1 have often deiied. 
 
 " To what heights of madness is it possible for human nature 
 to reach ? What extravagance is it to jest with death ! to laugh 
 at damnation ! to sport with eternal chains, and recreate a jovial 
 fancy with the scenes of infernal misery ! 
 
 " Were there no impiety in this kind of mirth, it would be 
 as ill-bred as to entertain a dying friend with the sight of an 
 Harlequin, or the rehearsal of a Farce. Every thing in 
 nature seems to reproach this levity in human creatures. The 
 whole creation, man excepted, is serious: man, who has the 
 highest reason to be so, while he has affairs of infinite conse- 
 quence depending on this short uncertain duration. A con- 
 demned wretch may with as good a grace go dancing to his 
 execution, as the greatest part of mankind go on w ith such a 
 thoughtless gaiety to their graves. 
 
 " Ohl my friend, with what horror do I recall those hours 
 of vanity we have wasted together ? Return, ye lost neglected 
 moments ! How should I prize you above the Eastern trea- 
 sm-es! Let me dwell with hermits; let me rest on the cold 
 earth; let me converse in cottages; may 1 but once more stand 
 a candidate for an immortal crown and have my probation for 
 celestial happiness. 
 
 " Ye viiisi grandeurs of a court! Ye sounding titles, and 
 perishing riches! what do ye now signify! what consolation, 
 what relief can ye give me? I have a splendid passage to the 
 grave; I die in state, and languish under a gilded canopy; I 
 am expiring on soft and downy pillows, and am respectfully 
 attended by my servants and physicians: my dependants sigh, 
 my sisters weep ; my father bends beneath a load of years and 
 srief! my lovely wife, pale and silent, conceals her inward 
 anwuish; wvj friend, who teas as mij ozcn soul, suppresses his 
 5i"hs, and leaves me to hide his secret grief. But, oh ! which 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 49 
 
 r,f these will answer my summons at the high TrihunaV^ 
 Which of them will bail me from the arrest of death? Who 
 w ill descend into the dark prison of the grave for me ? 
 
 '' Here thev all leave me, after having paid a few idle cere- 
 monies to the breathless clay, which perhaps may lie reposed 
 iu state, while my soul, my only conscious part, may stand 
 trembling before my JudgE; 
 
 " My afflicted friends, it is very probable, with gteat solcm- 
 nitv, will lay the senseless corpse in a stately monument, in" 
 scribed with. 
 
 Here lies the Great 
 
 But could the pale carcase speak, it would soon reply; 
 
 False marble where? 
 Nothing but poor and sordid dust lies here ! 
 
 While some flattering panegyric is pronounced at my inter- 
 ment, I may perhaps be hearing my just condemnation at a 
 superior Tribunal; where an unerring verdict may sentence me 
 to everlasting infamy. But I cast myself on his absolute 
 mercy, through the infinite merits of the Redeemer of lost 
 mankind. Adieu, my dear friend, till we meet in the world 
 of spirits!" **** 
 
 Nothing is so well calculated to convince us of the vast 
 importance of living zvhoUy under the power of the Gospel, as 
 seeing great and valuable men dying in such a low, sneaking, 
 and unworthy manner, as many of the first characters of our 
 world have been known to do. The cases of Grotius and 
 Salmasius, of Johnson, and Haller, are mortifying 
 instances. Great talents, great learning, great celebrity, are 
 all utterly insufficient to constitute a man happy, and give him 
 peace and confidence in a dying hour. W^e know the promises 
 of God are z\\ yea mid amen in Christ Jesus ; but if the 
 promises are sure, and strongly animating to the proper objects 
 of them, the threatenings of God are not less infallible, and at 
 the same time art extremely alarming to the proper objects of 
 them. Nothing within the compass of nature can enable a 
 man, with the eyes of his mind properly enlightened, to face 
 death without fear and dismay, but a strong conscious sense^ 
 founded on scriptural evidence, that our sins are pardoned, thai 
 God is reconciled, and that the Judge of the world is become 
 our friend. 
 
 H 
 
50 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 IV. EXAMPLES OF PERSONS LIVING AND DYING, EITHER \V1TK 
 CONFIDENCE, OR IN THE FULL ASSURANCE OF FAITH. 
 
 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. Psalm cxvi. 15. 
 
 Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last endle like his. Numb.xxiiit \0 
 
 34. Joseph Addison, Usq. uas a very able aiid elegant 
 advocate for tlie Bible, in life and death. Just before his de- 
 parture, having sent for a young ISobleman nearly related to 
 hiui, who requested to know his dying commands — his answer 
 w as — " See in m hat peace a Christian can die !" 
 
 He spake with difficulty, and soon expired. — Through grace 
 divine, how great is man ! Through divine mercy ho\v stingle&s 
 death! 
 
 " He taugljt us liow to hve ; and, oh I too high 
 A price for knowledge, taught us how to die*." 
 
 So. Dr. John Leland, after spending a long and exem- 
 plary life in the service of the Gospel, closed it with the follow- 
 ing words : — " I give my dying testimony to the truth of 
 Christianity. The promises of the Gospel are my support and 
 consolation. They, alone, yield me satisfaction in a dying hour. 
 I am not afraid to die. The Gospel of Christ has raised me 
 above the fear of death; for / kiio-v that my Redeemek 
 Uveth:' 
 
 SQ. Monsieur Pascal was a great man in everyway, and 
 one of the most humble and devout believers in Jesus that 
 ever lived. The celebrated Bayle saith of his life, that '^ a 
 kundred volumes of sermons are not worth so much as this sin- 
 gle life, and are far less capable of disarming men of impiety. 
 The extraordinary humility and devotion of Monsieur Pascal 
 gives a more sensible mortification to the Libertines of the age, 
 than if one was to let loose upon them a dozen of Missionaries. 
 They can now no longer attack us with their favourite and dar- 
 ling objection, that there are none but little and narrow spirits, 
 who profess themselves the votaries of pieti/ and religion: for 
 we can now tell them, and boldly tell them, that both the 
 maxims and practice thereof have been pushed on to the 
 
 ' See Dr. Young's Coni<:ctures on Oriorinal Composition. 
 
AND THE SACREP WRITINGS. 51 
 
 strongest degree, and carried to the greatest height, by one of 
 the profoundest Geometricians, by one of the most subtil 
 Metaphysicians, and by one of the most solid and penetrating 
 Geniuses that ever yet existed on this earth*." 
 
 37. Olympia Fulvia Morata, was one of the earliest 
 and brightest ornaments of the Reformalion. She could de- 
 claim in Latin, converse in Greek, and was a critic in the most 
 difficult classics. But after it pleased God by his grace to 
 open the eyes of her mind to discover the truth, she became 
 enamoured of the Sacred Scriptures above all other books iu 
 ihe world, and studied them by day and by night. And when 
 <lissolution approached, she declared she felt nothing but " an 
 inexpressible tranquillity and peace with God througii Je^sus 
 Chrisi." — Her mouth was full of the praises of God, and 
 she emphatically expressed herself by saying, — " I am nothing 
 l)Utjoy." 
 
 38. William Lord Russel, delivered himself, just be- 
 fore his execution, in the strongest terms of faith and coai- 
 lidence. Besides many other things, he said: — " Neither my 
 imprisonment nor fear of death have been able to discompose 
 me in any d.gree. On the contrary, I have found the assurances 
 of the love and mercy of God, in and througii my blessed 
 Redeemer, in whom I only trust. And I do not question 
 but I am going to partake of that fullness of joy, which is in his 
 presence ; tlie hopes of which do so wonderfully delight me, 
 that I think this is the happiest time of my life, though others 
 may look upon it as the saddest." 
 
 39. Charles the Fifth, Emperor oi Germaiiif, King oi 
 Spain, and Lord of the Netherlaitds, after having alarmed 
 and agitated all Europe for near fifty years, retired from the 
 world, and enjoyed more complete contentment in this situa- 
 tion than all his grandeur had ever yielded him. " I have 
 tasted," said he, '' more satisfaction in my solitude, in one day, 
 than in all the triumplis of my former reign ; and I find that the 
 sincere study_, profession, and practice of the Christian reli- 
 
 * ' This {ireat man, during some of tlie latter years of his life, spent 
 his whole time in prayer, and in reading: tlie Iloli/ Scripturta ; and 
 in this he took incredible delight.' — J esu p's Life of Pascal. 
 
 In his Thoughts on Rtligion tiiere is a tine expostulation uith 
 Unbelievers, which ought most seriously to be uUoiideU to by e\t'ry 
 person of tliut description. 
 
 u C 
 
52 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 gion, hath in it such joys and sweetness as courts are stran- 
 gers to *." 
 
 40. OxENSTiERN Avas ChanctUor of Sutden, and one of 
 the most able and learned men of his time^ and yet he was 
 not too great and too wise to be above being taught by the 
 Sacred Writing<i. " After all my troubles and toilings in the 
 world," says he, " 1 tind that my private life in the country has 
 afforded me more contentment than ever I met with in all my 
 public employments. I have lately applied myself to the study 
 of the Bible, wherein all wisdom, and the greatest delights are 
 to be found. I therefore counsel you (the llnglish ambassador) 
 to make the study and practice of the Word of God your 
 chief contentment and delight : as indeed it will be to every soul 
 who savours the truths of God, which infinitely excel all 
 worldly things." 
 
 41. Mr. Selden, the famous Lawyer, whom Grotius 
 calls, " the glory of the English nation," was, as Sir Mat- 
 thew Hale declared, " a resolved serious Christian, and ^ 
 great adversary to Hobbes's errors." He was generally con- 
 sidered as one of the most eminent philosophers, and most 
 learned men of his time. He had taken a diligent survey of 
 
 * Louis, one of the late Dukes of Grleant\ expressed the delight 
 he found in piety and devotion in the following terms, which are some- 
 what similar to the above of Charles:—" I know by experience, 
 that sublunary grandeur and subhinai-j- pleasure are deceitfiil and 
 vain, and are always infinitely below the conceptions we form of them, 
 But, on the contrary, such happiness and such complacency may be 
 f. und in devotion and piety, as the sensual mind has no idea of." 
 
 GusTAVus Adolphus, the renowned King of Sweden, was also 
 eminent for his piety towards God, and has been known to spend 
 hours together in religious retirement. So too our excellent Al- 
 fred. 
 
 It is said likewise of his late Majesty King George II. that 
 during war time, he would constantly be in his closet bet^veen five 
 and six o'clock in the morning, winter and summer, prayuig for the- 
 success of his fleets and armies. 
 
 A remarkable instance of attention to the blessing of the Divine 
 Being we have also in the conduct of the present truly valiant Ad- 
 miral Lord DuNCAN. Previous to the late action on the coast of 
 Holland, during the awfiil moments of preparation, he called all his 
 officers upon deck, and in their presence prostrated himself in prayer 
 before the GoD of Hosts, committing himself and them, with the 
 cause they maintained, to his sovereign protection, his family to his 
 care, his soul and body to the disposal of his Providence; then, rising 
 from his knees, he gave command to make the attack. 
 
. AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 5 J 
 
 all kinds of learning, and had read as much perhaps as any man 
 ever did ; and yet, towards the latter end of his days, he declared 
 to ylrchbhhop Usher, that notwithstanding he had been so la- 
 borious in his enquiries, and curious in his collections, and had 
 possessed himself of a treasure of books and manuscripts upon 
 all ancient subjects ; yet " he could rest his soul on none, save 
 the Scriptures^." — This is a perfect eulogium on the Sacred 
 f^ohnne. 
 
 42. 3Ionsieiir Claude was a very considerable man among 
 the protestauts, who were driven out of France by Lewis the 
 Fourteenth. When he was taken ill he sent for the senior pastor 
 of the church, to whom in the presence of all his family he ex- 
 pressed himself thus : — ^' Sir, I -was desirous to see you, and to 
 make my dying declaration before you. I am a miserable sinner 
 before God, I most heartily beseech him to shew me mercy 
 for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. I hope he will 
 hear my prayer. He has promised to hear the cries of repent- 
 ing sinners. I adore him for blessing my ministry. It has not 
 been fruitless in his church ; it is an effect of God's grace, and 
 I adore his providence for it." 
 
 After pausing awhile, he added, " I have carefully examined 
 all religions. None appear to me worthy of the wisdom of God, 
 and capable of leading man to happiness, but the Christian reli- 
 gion. I have diligently studied Popery and the Reformation. 
 The protestant religion, I think, is the only good religion. It is 
 all found in the Holy Scriptures, the Word of God. From 
 this, as from a fountain, all religions must be drawn. Scripture 
 is the root, the protestant religion is the trunk and branches of 
 the treo. It becomes you all to keep steady to it." 
 
 About a week before he died, with true patriarchal dignity, 
 he sat up in his bed, and asked to speak with his son and family. 
 '' Son," said he, tenderly embracing him, ^' I am leaving you. 
 The lime of my departure is at hand." Silence and sobs, and 
 floods of tears followed, each clasped in the other's arms. The 
 family all came and asked his blessing. " ]Most willingly," re- 
 plied he, '' will I give it you." Mrs. Claude kneeled down 
 by the bed-side. " My wife," said he, "^ I have always tenderly 
 
 * This is equally true also of that great philosophic soul, Mar- 
 CILIUS FlciNVS, who was as learned u man as Ifali/ ever produced. 
 After he had rea.d all good authors, he restid in the Bibff.is the only 
 book. 
 
 
54 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 loved you. Be not afflicted at my death. The death of the 
 saints is precious in the sight of God. In you 1 have seen a 
 sincere piety. I bless God for it. Be constant in serving hini 
 with your whole heart. He will bless you. I recommend my 
 son and his family to you, and I beseech the Lord to bless 
 you." To his son, who, with an old servant was kneeling by his 
 mother, he said, among other things. *' Son, you have chosen 
 the good part. Perform your office as a good pastor, and God 
 will bless you. Love and respect your mother. Be mindful 
 of this domestic. Take care she wants nothing as long as she 
 lives. I give you all my blessing." 
 
 He afterwards said, at several times : " I am so oppressed that 
 I can attend only to two of the great truths of religion, the mercy 
 of God, and the gracious aids of his Holy Spirit." 
 
 " / knoiv whom I have believed, and I am persuaded he is 
 able to keep that which I have committed unto him against 
 that da J/. — 
 
 " My whole recourse is to the mercy of God. I expect a 
 better life than this. — 
 
 '' Our Lord Jesus Christ is my only righteousness." 
 
 Thus died the venerable and inestimable John Ci.aude, in 
 the sixty-eighth year of his age, A. D. 1687. 
 
 43. The Rev. Samuel Walker, of Truro in Cornwall, 
 was a minister of no ordinary rank in the church of Christ. 
 His excessive labours, however, ruined his constitution, and he 
 died at the age of forty-eight. When his dissolution drew near, 
 after much former darkiiess, but the most assured contidence in 
 God, he broke out to his nurse in this rapturous expression: — 
 " I have been upon the wings of the cherubim! Heaveu has iu 
 a manner been opeiied to me! I shall soon be there!" — Next 
 day to a friend who came to see him, he said, with a joy in his 
 countenance more thai* words can utter : — " O my friend, had I 
 strength to speak, I could tell you such news as w ould rejoice 
 your very soul ! I have had such views of heaveu ! But I am not 
 able to say more." 
 
 44. The Rev. James Hervey is well known to have been 
 an elegant scholar, and a believer in the Bibla, with its most 
 distinguished truths. When he apprehended himself to be near 
 the close of life, and stood, as it were, on the brink of the 
 grave, with eternity full in view, he wrote to a friend at a 
 distance to tell him w hat were his sentiments iu that awful situa* 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 55 
 
 tion. "^ I have been too fond," said he, *^ of reading every 
 thing valuable and elegant that has been penned in our lan- 
 guage, and been peculiarly charmed with the historians, orators, 
 and poets of antiquity : but were I to renew my studies, I 
 would take my leave of those accomplished trifles : I would re- 
 ^n the delight of modem wits, amusements and eloquence, 
 and devote my attention to the Scriptures of Truth. I would 
 sit with much greater assiduity at my divine Master s feet, and 
 desire to know nothing in comparison of Jesus Christ, and 
 him crucified." 
 
 After this, when his dissolution drew still nearer, he said to 
 those about him: — " How thankful am I for death! It is the- 
 passage to the Lord and Giver of eternal life. O welcome, 
 ■welcome death ! Thou mayest well be reckoned among the 
 treasures of the Christian; To live is Christ, but to die is 
 gain! Lord, nozo lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, 
 according to thy most holy and comfortable Word -^ for mine 
 eyes have secji thy precious salvation." 
 
 45. Dr. Leechman, late Principal of the College of 
 Glasgozc, at the close of life, thus addressed the son of a 
 worthy Nobleman, who was designed for the Church, and the 
 early part of whose education had been much under the Doc- 
 tor s eye. 
 
 '* You see the situation I am in : I have not many days to 
 live : I am glad you have had an opportunity of witnessing the 
 tranquillity of my last moments. But it is not tranquillity and 
 composure alone ; it is joy and triumph ; it is complete exulta- 
 tion." — His features kindled, his voice rose as he spake. */ And 
 whence," says he, '^ does this exultation spring? — From that 
 Book (pointing to a Bible that lay on a table) — from that Book, 
 too much neglected indeed, but which contains invaluable trea- 
 sures ! treasures of joy and rejoicing ! for it makes us certain 
 that this mortal shall put on immortality.'^ . 
 
 46. The late Rev. William Rom aine was a zealou> and 
 successful preacher of the Gospel of Jesus, and adorned it by 
 a suitable character above fifty years. In his last illness not 
 one fretful or murmuring word ever escaped his lips. " I 
 have/' said he, " the peace of God in my conscience, and the 
 love of God in my heart. I knew before the doctrines I 
 preached to be truths, but now I experience them to be bles- 
 sings, ^^sus is more precious than rubies^ and all that can be 
 
56 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 desired on earth is not to be compared to him." lie was m fidl 
 possession of his mental powers to the last moment, and near 
 his dissolution cried out, " Holi/, holy, holy, Lord God A l- 
 MIXJHTY ! Glory be to thee on high tor such peace on earth, 
 and good will to men*." 
 
 These are glorious instances of the power of religion upon 
 the human mind, in the most trying circumstances of nature. I 
 know it is fasliionable for Inke-vvarm and pharisaical Chris- 
 tians, who have a form of godliness, but deny the -power, and 
 for philosopkistcrs of every description, to treat all such death- 
 bed scenes as delusive and fanatical. 1 am not, however, 
 ashamed to say, that dissolutions of the above description ap- 
 pear to me honourable to religion, and desirable above all 
 the enjoyments of the world. If this be enthusiasm, may I be 
 the rankest enthusiast that ever existed. Such enthusiasts, 
 thanks be to GoD, have appeared, more or less, in every age 
 of the Gos/?e/-dispensation. They are increasing now in a 
 considerable degree, and they shall abound more and more, 
 maugre all the oppositions of Infidelity, and the cool moral 
 harangues of a secular and luke-warm Clergy. Large num- 
 bers of examples might be produced, of a similar kind, from 
 those who lived before the rise of both methodism and purita- 
 nism, besides these we have mentioned ; but the only one I shall 
 introduce here, by way of contrast to the death-bed scenes 
 of Chesterfield, Voltaire, Rousseau, and the other 
 unhappy characters we have recorded, shall be that of the learned 
 and excellent Bishop Bedell, that scourge of ecclesiastical 
 corruption, that admirable pattern for prelates and clergymen^ 
 and that glory of the Irish hierarchy. 
 
 47. After a life spent in the most laborious service of his 
 Divine Master, when he apprehended his great change to 
 draw near, he called for his sons, and his son's wives, and spake 
 to them, at several times, as he was able, as nearly as could be 
 recollected, "in the following words : 
 
 " I am going the way of all flesh : I am ready to he of- 
 fered up, and the time of my departure is at hand. Knowing, 
 
 * The Editor recommends to the reader's serious attention and 
 perusal, the life of the late Rev. J. Newton, written by Mr. 
 Cecil; and also of the i?ei'. Cornelius Winter, written by 
 Mr. Jay. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 57 
 
 therefore^ tliat shortltf I must put off this taberno.cle, eve7i as 
 our Loud Jesus Christ hath, shewed me. I know also, that 
 if this my earth] i/ house of this tabernacle were dissolved, I have 
 a building of God, a house 7iot made with hands, eternal 
 in the heavens, a fair mansion in the "Sew Jerusalem, zahicfi 
 cometh down out of heaven from my God. Therefore, to 
 tne to live is Christ, and to die is gain; zchich encreaseth my 
 desire even now to depart, and to be icith Christ, which is far 
 ^e//f/- than to continue here iu all transitory, vain, and false 
 pleasures of this world, of which I have seen an end. 
 
 " Hfearken, therefore, unto the last words of your dying 
 father, / am no more in this world, but ye are in the worlds 
 I ascend to my Father and t/our Father, to my God and 
 your God, through the all-sufficient merits of Jesus Christ 
 my Redeemer; who ever lives to maJce intercession for me; 
 who is a propitiation for all my sins, and washed me from 
 them all in his own blood; who is worthy to receive glory ^ 
 and honour, and power ; nho hath created all things, and for 
 whose pleasure they are and were created. 
 
 " My witness is in heaven and my record on high, that I 
 have endeavoured to glorify God on earth; and in the minis- 
 try of the GOSPEL of his dear Son, which was committed to 
 my trust, / have finished the zeork zchich he gave me to do, as 
 a faithful ambassador of Christ, and steward of the mysteries 
 of G o D . I have preached righteousness in the great congrega- 
 tion, lo! I have not refrained my lips, O Lord .' thou knozo- 
 est. I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart ; I have 
 declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation; I have tiot 
 concealed thy loving-kindness and thy truth from the great 
 congregation of mankind. He is near that justijieth me, that 
 / have not concealed the words of the Holy One; but 
 the zoords that he gave to me, I have given to you, and ye have 
 received them. 
 
 " I had a desire and resolution to walk before GoD in every 
 stage of my pilgrimage, from my youth up to this, day, in truth 
 and with an upright heart, and to do that which was upright, 
 in his eyes to the utmost of my power; and zchal things reere 
 gain to me formerly, these things 1 count now loss for Christ: 
 yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss, for the excel- 
 lency of the knozeledge o/"Jesus Christ my Lord ; /or rchom 
 I have suffered the loss of all things : and I count them but 
 
 I 
 
58 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 dung, that I may zcin Christ, and he found in him, not ttaving 
 my own righteousness, rchiclt is of the law, but that which is 
 through the faith of Chuist, the righteousiiess which is of God 
 by faith: that I may know hint, and the power of his resur- 
 ruction, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made con- 
 formable to his death. I press, then fore, towards the mark, 
 J'or the prize of the high calling of Gob in Christ Jesus. 
 
 " Let nothing separate you from the love of Christ, 7iei- 
 ther tribulation, nor distress, nor persecution, nor famine, 
 nor nakedness, 7ior peril, nor szcord ; though, as we hear and 
 see, for his sake zee are killed all the day long, zee are accounted 
 as sheep for the slaughter; yea, in ail these things we are 
 more than conquerors, through Him thai loved us : for I am 
 persuaded^ that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor princi- 
 palities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor 
 height, nor depth, nor any creature shall be able to separate 
 me from the love of God in Christ Jesus, my Lord. 
 Therefore, love ziot the world, nor the things of the world: 
 but prepare daily and hourly for death, which now besieges us on 
 every side; and be faithful unto death, that we may meet to- 
 gether joyfully on the right hand of Christ at the last da}-, 
 nm] follow the IjAUB Zi:hithei soever he goeth: with all those 
 that are clothed in white robes in sign of innocency, and palms 
 in their bauds in sign of victory ; which came out of great tri- 
 bulation, and have washed their robes, and made them zchite 
 in the blood of the }^AUJi. They shall hunger no more, wor 
 thirst, neither shall the sun light on them; nor any heat ; for 
 the Lamb, that is in the midst of the throne, shall feed them, 
 and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters, and God 
 shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. 
 
 " Choo.se rather, zcitli Moses, to suffer affliction zcitli the 
 people oj God, than to enjoy t fie pleasures of sin for a season; 
 which will be bitterness in the latter end. Look, therefore, 
 for sufferings, and to be niaile p4rtakers of the suffering of 
 GiiKiST : to Jill up that zvhich is behind of the affliction of 
 Chris I" inyourjlesh^for his body's sake, zckieh is the church. 
 What can you look for, but one woe after anotlier, while 
 the Man of fin IS thus suffered to rage, and to make havoc 
 of God's people at his pleasure, while men are divided 
 about trilks that ought to be more vigilant over us, and 
 careful of those who.-se blood is precious in God's sight, 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 59 
 
 though now shed every where like water. If }/e suffer for 
 righteousness sake, happy are j/e ; be not afraid of their terror , 
 neither be ye trouhkd ; and be ye /;/ uotJiing terrified hii t/our 
 adversaries; zchich is to them an evident token of perdition, 
 but to i/ou of salvation, and that o/'God. For to you it is 
 given in the beha /J' of Curist, not only to believe on him, but 
 a/so to suferfor his sake. Rejoice, therefore, inasmuch as ye 
 are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that rchen hii glory 
 shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding jot/. 
 And if ye be reproached for the name q/'CmusT, happy are 
 ye; the Spirit of glory and of Cun]sr resteth on you ; on 
 their part he is evil spoken of on your part he is glorified. 
 
 " God will surely visit you in due time, and turn your cap- 
 tivity as the rivers of the south, and bring you back again into 
 your possessionnn this land: though note for a season, if need 
 be, ye are in heaviness through manifold^ temptations ; yet ye 
 .;hall reap in joy, though now ye sozi) in tears; all our losses 
 shall be recompensed with abundant advantages; for tny God 
 zciil supply all your need, according to his riches in glory, bt/ 
 Jests Christ, who is able to do exceeding abundantly for 
 us, above all that zee are able to ask or think." 
 
 After that, l>e blessed his children and those who stood 
 about him in an audible voice, in these words : ''God of his in- 
 linite mercy bless you all^ and present you holy and unblamt- 
 ablc, and irre})roveable in his sight, that ye may meet toge- 
 ther at the right hand of our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ 
 zcilh joy unspeakable and J^ull of glory. Amen!" To which 
 he added these words : " / have J'onght the goodfrrht, I have 
 Jinished the course of my ministry and life together, Tiiough 
 grievous wolves have entered in among us, uot sparin<r the 
 fock ; yet I trust the great Shephkrd of l^is flock zcUl save 
 and deliver them out oj' all places where they Imve been scattered 
 in this cloudy and dark day: and they shall be no more a prey 
 to the heathen, neither shall the beasts of the land devour them; 
 but they shall dzcell safely, and none shall make them afraid. — 
 O Lord, / have awaited for thy salvation f And after a little 
 interval, he said, / have kept the faith once given to the 
 saints ; for the which cause I have also suficred these things ; 
 but / am not ashamed, for I knoro zohom I have believed, and 
 am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have com-' 
 mitted to him against that day." 
 
 I 2 
 
60 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 After thisj the good Bishop spake little more. His sick- 
 ness increased, his speech failed, and' he slumbered the re- 
 mainder of his time away, till his discharge came. 
 
 Let incredulity itself now say, if this was not an admirable 
 close of so laborious and useful a life as this excellent man is 
 known to have lived. 
 
 One may defy all the sons of injidelitij to shew us an 
 example among their brethren, of a life so useful, and a 
 death so great, so noble, so glorious, as this of the good 
 Bishop*. 
 
 Now, MY Friends and Countrymen, these are all so 
 many well-attested matters of fact. Most of the persons men- 
 tioned were of the first reputation in iheir respective spheres 
 of action. It would be prudent to review the whole; to com- 
 pare the several instances ; and weigh thoroughly the issue : 
 for though it is not our province to determine the final fates 
 of men, we may, from such comparison, see clearly whose 
 situation is most eligible at the close of life, and whose 
 case stands fairest for future felicity. Extremely weak, 
 therefore, would it be, to let any man sneer us out of our 
 Bible, our Redeemer, and our Salvation. Did we ever 
 know a person lament, when he came to die, that he had 
 taken too much care to serve his Creator, and save his soul 
 alive ? Did we ever hear of a Deist, w ho gloried in his de- 
 parting moments, that he had been favoured with success, in 
 making converts to the principles of hifidelity'^ Or did we 
 ever see a sound scholar, who was at the same time a chaste, 
 temperate, moral, and conscientious man, that lived and 
 died an Unbeliever -f? Instances of a contrary nature we have 
 
 * Be it observed too, what use this admirable man makes of the 
 Sacred Writings: 
 
 " They know not 
 
 That Scripture is the only cure of woe : 
 That field of promise, how it flings, abroad 
 Its odour o'er the Christian's thorny road; 
 The soul, reposing on assur'd relief. 
 Feels herself happy amidst all her grief. 
 Forgets her labour as she toils along, 
 Weeps tears of joy, and bursts into a song." 
 
 Cow per's Poein on Truth. 
 t Lord BoLiNGBROKE was a man of considerable talents, and 
 lived and died an Injidel. But when we reflect, that he was at the 
 same time a libertine, and much addicted to women and wine, we shall 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. Gl 
 
 knonn rnany, but rarely one which comes up to this descrip- 
 tiou. Persons ot" au affected liberahty of niiud, indeed, are fre- 
 quently found, uho fjcctor, domineer, and $peak great swelling 
 rcords ofvariifi/, while health and prosperity smile upon them; 
 but they generally lose their comage, and appear to infinite 
 disadvantage, wlicn death and judgment stare them in the 
 face. If their souls are not harroweil up with horror, as in 
 the cases of Voltaire, Newport, Altamont, and odiers; 
 at best they are sullen, gloomy, disconsolate, like IJobbes 
 and Cmesterfiei.u ; or, having their coiiscieiices seated as 
 
 cease to wonder that he rejected Christianity, notwilhslariding the 
 liigh compliments he sometimes thought proper to pay it. 
 
 Sir William Temple, too, "was a person of t ue judi^nent 
 in civil ailairs, and very good principles, with relalioii '-. govei .nneat; 
 but in nothing else. He was a vain man, much blovv-i up in iiis own 
 conceit, which he shewed too indecently on all occasions. He seemed 
 to think, that things were as they are from all eteriii-y; at least he 
 thought Religion was tit only for the mob. He was a great admirer 
 of ihe sect of Con FU CI us in China, who were Atheists theuisehes, or 
 left Religion to the rabble. He was a corrupter of all that came near 
 him, and he delivered himself up wholly to study, ease, and pleasure." 
 — Burnet's Own Times, A. D. 1674.. 
 
 Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper, Earl of Shaftesbury, was ''a 
 man of various talents, but a Deist at best, in iiis n;ligion. He had 
 the dotage of astrology hi him to a high degree. He fancied, that 
 after death our souls lived in stars. He had a general knowledge of 
 the slighter parts of learning, but understood little to the bottom: so 
 he triumphed in a rambling way of talking, but argued slightly vvhen 
 he was held close to any point. He had a wonderfid faculty at op- 
 posing, and running things down; but had not the like force in build- 
 ing up. He had such an extravagant vanity in setting himself out, 
 that it was very disagreeable," 
 
 Sir George Saville, afterward Viscount, Ear! nml Marquis 
 o( Halifax, v,,xs "a man of great and ready wit; full of life, and 
 very pleasant ; much turned to satire. He let his wit run much on 
 matters of /?c//g,wj; so that he passed for a bold and determined 
 Atheist; though he often jjrotested he was not one. He confessed he 
 could not swallow down every thing that Divines imposed on the 
 world. He was a (7<r/«^/a« by submission; he believed as much as 
 he could. — In a fit of sickness, I knew him very much touched with 
 a sense of religion. I was then often with him. He seemed full of 
 good purposes; but they went oft' with his sickness." BuRNETsOn-n 
 Times. 
 
 This is a specimen of the general characters of those who reject the 
 Gospel of Christ, Gray, the Poet, serms to have had an ophiion 
 of Shaftesbury equally low with the above of Bishop Burnet. 
 See Johwson's Lives of the English Poets, vol, iv. pp, 45"4, 46S. 
 
62 A PLEA FOR RELIGION ^ 
 
 with an hot iron, they are insensible to the vast realities of tlie 
 invisible world, brave it out and sport blind-fold on the brink 
 of destruction, after the manner of Seuvin, Hume, Emmek- 
 SON, and several of the late French philosophers. But surely a 
 conduct of this kind is highly unbecoming men of wisdom, 
 even upon their own supposition that death is an eternal sleep. 
 Is annihilation so small a matter, that a reasonable man can 
 look upon it with complacency? Hume's conduct was inil- 
 nitely unnatural. It was the effect of pride and sophistical 
 philosophy. " He had a vanity in being thought easy," as 
 Dr. Johnson justly observes. 
 
 " That must be our cure. 
 To be no more. Sad cure ! For who would lose 
 
 this iutellectual being, 
 
 Those thoughts that wander through eternity. 
 To perish rather, swallowed up and lost . 
 In tlie wide womb of uncreated night. 
 Devoid of sense and motion T 
 
 It will be the concern of every wise man, therefore, to take 
 warning in time, to be cautious how he gives credit to the repre- 
 sentations of Unbelievers, and consider well what the end of 
 our present state of trial will be. It is an easy business to revile 
 and stigmatize the Bible. Few things more so. Any smatterer 
 in learning, who hath got a wicked heart, a witty head, and 
 a comfortable How of scurrilous language, is competent to 
 the task. Examples of this kind we meet with in every neigh- 
 bourhood. Profound scholars, however, and modest men, have 
 always been incapable of such conduct. What hord Bacon* 
 
 * Lord Bacon was a serious believer in the Gospel of Christ, 
 and hath given us his Creed at some length, which is worthy the at- 
 tention of the Reader. The above passage is taken from his Essays, 
 Xo. I(). — In a prayer which he wrote ujion a certain occasion, lie 
 addresses the Almighty by saying — " Thy creatures have been my 
 books, but thy Scriptures much more. I have sought thee in the 
 courts, fields, and gardens; but I have found thee in thy temples." 
 
 Sir Richard Steel gives us a tine character of this extraor- 
 dinai-v person. He says, " He was a man who for greatness of 
 genius, and com}iass of knowledge, did honour to his age and coun- 
 try; one miglit almost say, to human nature i.tself. He possessed at 
 once all those extraordinary talents which were divided among the 
 greatest authors of antiquity. He had the sound, distinct comprehen- 
 sive knowledge of Aristotle, with all the beautiful lights, graces 
 andembelhshmeuts of CiCERO. One does not know which to admire 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 63 
 
 saith of J theism is equally true of Deixm : '' A little philo- 
 saphy, inclineth man's mind to AthtUm ; but depth in phi- 
 losophy bringelh men's minds about to Rtligion /'' Our 
 great moral Pod, too, will teach us the same lesson : 
 
 " A little learning is a dangerous thing; 
 Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring. 
 There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain. 
 And drinking largely sobers us aguin*." 
 
 What then if Thomas Paine, uho is well known to be 
 both illiterate and immoral, insolent and satirical (ill qualifi- 
 cations for the discovery of moral and religious truth, which 
 consists in purity, modesty, humility, sobriety, and goodness) 
 though otherw ise a man of good natinal understanding, is an 
 unbeliever in the divine mission of the Son of God: It may 
 be some consolation to remember, that the first characters, 
 who ever adonied our world, in every department of human 
 life, have not been ashamed of the Gospel q/' Christ. Every 
 man would do well to retlect, in these days of abounding 
 licentiousness, by way of supporting the mind against the ridi- 
 cule of professed Deiits, that the Divines, Butler, and Bent- 
 ley, and Barrow, and Berkley, and Cud worth, and 
 Clarke, and Sherlock, and Doddridge, and Larder, 
 and Pearson, and Taylor, and Usher, and a thousand 
 more, were heUevers-\: that the Poets, Spencer, and Waj- 
 
 nrost iu his writings, the strength of reason, force of style, or brightness 
 of imagmatioa." — Tuthr, No ZGj. 
 
 * "The Chriaiicn Relipon," says another great writer, "has 
 notliirg to apprehend from the strictest investigation of the most 
 learned of its adversaries ; it suffers only from the misconceplious of 
 sciolists, and silly pretendeis to superior wisdom, A httle learning 
 is far more dangerous to the faith of those who possess it than igno- 
 rance itself." 
 
 t It has been conceived, through mistake, that the author intended 
 iji this place to vouch for the genuine piety of evei-y iudi\idual 
 of the long list here enumerated. But this was by no nieaiis 
 necLSsarv to his argument, however favourably he might have 
 conceived of the generality of these chaiacters. He is arguiiig 
 simply here for the Truth of the Scriptures; and the drift of Lis 
 ^ argument is, that they have approved themselves, respecting their 
 veracity, to the understandings of the greatest and most enlightened 
 geniuses ; and withstood the scrutiny of the most deep and critical 
 im estigation. This is precisely the argument adopted by Lord 
 Chancellor Erskine, when cotmsel in the prosecution against 
 Williams, referred to m the Preface. Our Author knew too well 
 
64 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 i.iiR;, and Cowley, and Prior, and Thompson, and Gray, 
 and Young, and Milton, were believers: that the Statts- 
 meti, Hyde, and Somers, and Cullen, and Pulteney, 
 audi Howard, and King, and Barrinoton, and Little- 
 ton, with nurnbcilcss more*^ were bcUevcrs: that the Moral- 
 ists, Steel, and Addison, and Hawksworth, and John- 
 son, were believers: that the Pki/sicians, Abbuthnot, and 
 Cheyne, and Brown, and Boeuiiaave, and Princle, 
 and Hartley, and Haller, and Mead^ and Fothergill, 
 were believers: that the Lawyas, Hale, and Melmotii, and 
 Forbes, and Hailes, and Pratt, and Blackstone, and 
 Jones 'f-, were believers: that the Philosophers, Pascal, 
 and Grotius, and Ray, and Cotes, and Ferguson, and 
 Adams, and Locke, and Euler, and Newton, were 
 believers'^. Where is the great misfortune, then, to the in- 
 terests of religion, if lake-worm Christi-fuis of every persuasion 
 betray the cause they pretend to espouse; and if Unbelievers 
 of every description imagine a vain thing against the Re- 
 deemer of mankind, and the Book which he hath caused 
 to be written for our instruction. Nothing less than demon- 
 stration on the side of hrfidelitif should induce any man to 
 
 the difference between the mere assent of the understanding to the 
 truth of the Scri]>tures, and their savmg influence on the iieart, to 
 make any confusion between them. A man may be a true believer m 
 the autlienticity of the Scriptures, while he is a very intidei as to the 
 obedience he pays to them. — Editor. 
 
 * Washington was lately a living character, and generally 
 allowed to be one of the fust of warriors, the lirst of politicians, and 
 worthiest of men. This same gentleman is the delight of " an 
 admiring and astonished world," and yet— hear it, O ye miimte 
 philosophers of degenerate Europe he was a Christian! 
 
 t [t is a pleasure to hear such men as the honourable Thomas 
 (now Lord) Erskine, one of the fnst orators of the age,, 
 come boldly forward in favour of the Gospel of Jesus. "No 
 man ever existed," says he, " who is more alive to every thing con- 
 nected with The Christian faith than I am, or more unalterably nn- 
 pre.?sed with its truths." — Vieic of the Causes, Sfc, p. 56'. 
 
 I We are well aware that the truth of Christianity camiot be 
 estaJjlislied by authority. But if ifs truth cannot be so established; 
 neitiier can its falsehood. Indeed no man can be a competent judge, 
 either of the truth or folsehood of the Gospel, who has not turned his 
 attention to it tor a considerable time with ail seriousness of mind, 
 snd villi a considerable share of literary information. We may 
 experienct: its saving power, but we are ill qualified to defend its 
 veracity. 
 
AND THE SACRED ^VKITINGS. 05 
 
 resist the momentum that these venerable names give in 
 favour of the Gospel. Many of them were the ornaments 
 of human nature, whether we consider the wide range of 
 their abilities, the great extent of their learning and know- 
 ledge, or the pietv, integrity, and beneficence of their lives. 
 These eminent characters, B a c on, X f. wto n, Lo c k i:, Boyle, 
 DiTTON, Addison, Hartley, Littleton, Woodward, 
 Pringle, Haller, Jones, BoERiiAAVE, Milton, Gro- 
 TiL'S, Barrincton and Euler*, in particular, firmly ad- 
 hered to the belief of C/iristianih/, after the most diligent and 
 exact researches into the life of its Founder, the authenticity 
 of its records, the completion of the prophecies, the sublimity 
 qf its doctrines, the purity of its precepts, a^d the arguments 
 of its adversaries. Here, you will remark, was no priest-craft. 
 These were all men of independent principles, and the most 
 liberal and enlarged minds. They investigated the pretensions 
 of the Gospel to the bottom ; they were not only satisfied with 
 the justice of its claims, but they gloried in it as a most be- 
 nevolent and god-like scheme f; and they all endeavoured, 
 
 * It is said of this great Christian philosopher, in the General Bio- 
 graphical Dictionary, ti)at few men of letters have written so nuich 
 as he. His menion, shall endure, continues his oiographer, till science 
 herself is no more, "No geometrician has everenibraced so many objects 
 at one time, or has equalled him, either in the variety or magni- 
 tude of his discoveries. He had read all the Latin classics, could 
 repeat the whole /Enf/W of Virgil by heart; was perfect master 
 of ancient mathematical literature: had the bistort' of all at;es and 
 nations, even to tlie minutest facts, ever ])reseiit to his nind ; was 
 acquainted with pby^ir, botany, and chemistry ; was possessed of 
 everv' qualification that could render a man estimable. Yet this man, 
 accomplished as he was, \\as filled with respect for Relis:ion. His 
 pietv was sincere, and his devotion full of fervour. He went through 
 all his rA?-/,vf/fl7i duties with the greatest attention. He loved all 
 mankind, and, if ever he felt a motion of indignation, it was against 
 the enemies of ReUs:iov, particularly against the declared apostle* of 
 Injideliti/. Against the objections of these men he (leten<Ied Revela- 
 tion in a work published at fierlin, in 1747- 
 
 t Dr. Disney Alexander, a physician now livinii, was fa- 
 voured with a religious education, and brought up with a \\cw to the 
 church. By mixing with the world as he advanced in life, he lost his 
 religious impressions. At this time he began to read the writings of 
 MeMsrs.jEnn, LiNDSEY,and Priestley, and became a confirmed 
 Socinian. In this '^tate of mind, he met with the writings of HeLve- 
 Tius and Voltaire. He read them with avidity, and it w;is not 
 Ions before he connuenced Deist. In this state of mind be continued 
 
 K 
 
66 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 if not by their oral discourses, yet by their immortal writings^ |o 
 recommend it to the general reception of mankind. It was 
 their study in life, and tlieir solace in death. 
 
 AVhy then are so many of our fellow-creatures found to 
 oppose, with such malignant virulence, what tliese great men 
 have so successfully loboured to establish? The reason, in 
 most cases, is obvious. They will not have this man reign 
 over them, because he is not to their taste. And they oppose 
 the Bible, because it condemns their practice. For if Jesus 
 is indeed the only Saviour of mankind, and if the declara- 
 tions of Scripture are at all to be regarded, their situation is 
 desperate, and they cannot escape the condemnation which 
 is therein denounced against all such characters. Other rea- 
 sons, however, may be given for such a preposterous con- 
 duct. Abundance of men are so neglected at first in their 
 religious education, and when grown up to maturity are so 
 immersed in the pleasures and pursuits of life, that they never 
 give themselves leisure to examine into the foundation of re- 
 li<yion. They are as inattentive to it, as if it was none of 
 their concern. This seems to have been the case with the 
 learned Dr. Halley. For when he was throwing out, upon 
 a time, some indecent reflections against Christian it]/, his 
 friend .S'/r Isaac Newton stopt him short, and addressed 
 him in these, or the like words, which imply that this great 
 astronorher had employed his life in studying only the book of 
 nature : — " Dr. Halley, 1 am always glad to hear you, when 
 you speak about astronomy, or other parts of the mathematics, 
 because that is a subject you have studied, and well under- 
 stand : but you should not talk of Christianity, for you have 
 not studied it : I have; and am certain you know nothing of the 
 matter*." 
 
 some vears, applauding his own superior discernment, and triumph- 
 ine in'his boasted freedom from the shackles of tlie Gospel. Nec- 
 ker's book on the Importance of Religioim Opinions^ however, fall- 
 ing accidentally into his hands, the fame^of the author induced him to 
 read it. Here his InfideUty received a shock ; his mind undenvent 
 another change ; and he was partly brought back to Religion. Some 
 mouths after this again Paley's Evidences of Christianity were re- 
 commended to him. He bought the book. He read it eagerly 
 twice over in a little time with great care. He was convinced — and 
 is now a zealous and happy Christian. This is his. own account pub- 
 lished in the Arminian Magazine. 
 
 * See the Life of Mr. Emlyn for this anecdote. There is a 
 
i\ND THE SACRED WRITINGS. C7 
 
 Many other persons, possessed of some discernment, ob- 
 serve the hypocrisy of several of the greatest pretenders to 
 religion : tltey see them no better, and scarce even so good 
 as some who make less pretensions ; and this becomes an 
 insuperable offence to them. If these discerning men, how- 
 ever, would attend more to tlieir own conduct, and less to the 
 misconduct of others, it would be much happier ftDr them, 
 and more to their honour. Can any thing be more unrea- 
 sonable than that the Gospel should be made answerable for 
 all the weaknesses, vices, and follies, of its advocates? Will 
 Philosophy endure to be tried by this test ? The fact is, truth 
 is a stubborn thing, and does not fluctuate with the varying 
 whims and opinions of men. Every person must give an 
 account of himself unto Goo. Hypocrites have no encou- 
 ragement from the Bible. Why should any man, therefore, 
 make their hypocrisy an objection to that Bible 'i Let the 
 blame fall where it belongs. The fate of such persons is tixed 
 by the Judge of the world himself. Tlieir false ])retensions 
 are utterly disclaimed by him. 'Not everij one that saith unto 
 me. Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven ; 
 hut he that doeth the will of my Father tchich is in heaven. 
 Many shall say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have zee 
 not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name cast out devils^ 
 and in thy name done many zoonderful works ; but then will I 
 profess unto them, 1 never knew you ; depart from me, all ye 
 that zeork iniquity. 
 
 The weakness, folly, and enthusiasm ; the noise and non- 
 sense of the Zealots * among all the denominations of Chris- 
 tians, is another cause of the Infidelity of the age. Unbe- 
 lievers see the absurdity of their pretensions and proceedings, 
 
 sufficient account of the reasons for Dr. Halley's Infidelity in 
 Goadby's British Biogruphy, vol, viii. p, 37. 
 
 * The extravagancies of some of the German Anabaptists, the 
 French Prophets, the English Quakers, Puritans, and Methodists, 
 have given great and just offence to many sensible and well-disposed 
 people, and been iustriunental in drivuig no small number into down- 
 right ijidifference to all religion ; while others have contracted the 
 most inveterate principles of Infiddiiy. But shall the follies of a few 
 mistaken individuals subvert the nature of things, and the laws of ever- 
 lasting truth ? Because some me:) arc weak, silly, entliusiastic, and 
 euflametl with spiritual pride, shua ,v(^ take upon us to say, there is 
 no such thing as sound rcligioa and good sense i-.i tlie world ? Tliis 
 would be to make ourselves as weak and culpable as those we 
 
68 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 and they are undistinguishiiig and illiberal enough to compre- 
 hend them, and the pure Gospel of Christ, in one general 
 
 take .ipoii ustocondcmn. — Ail revivals of religion have been attended 
 with excesses; all sect; and parties have had, and will have among 
 thein, men of warm imaguiations and feeble intellects : and wherever 
 persons of this description become strongly impressed with the im- 
 portance of religious truths, they seldom fail to disgrace the party to 
 which they belong. There is no remedy for such unfortunate cases, 
 but to use our best endeavours to restrain and keep them within the 
 bounds of moderation. This however, is usually extremely ditlicult; 
 for all such persons are most commonly iviser than ten men that can 
 render a rea.son. They are blown up w ith self-importance, consider 
 themselves as the peculiar favourites of Heaven, and under the im- 
 mediate teachings and leadings of the Divine Spirit. WJiile this 
 persuasion continues, they treat the directions of Scripture as a dead 
 letter, and in vain you attempt to reduce them to order, and the sober 
 dictates of reason and connnon sense [f]. 
 
 [t] The IVelxh Methodints, among whom there is doubtless, much 
 real piety and goodness, exceed most, if not all others of the present 
 day, in their extravagancies. Regular, and for the most part exem- 
 plary in their private deportment ; in their religious assemblies thev 
 resemble rather the frantic ravings and violent distortions of the an- 
 cient heathen, than the sober conduct of the disciples of Christ. 
 Little are the well meaning ministers who encourage these irregn- 
 Jarities, aware, how sensibly they injure the cause they would pro- 
 mote, and widj how iniamiable an aspect they represent our lovely re- 
 ligion. Who, unaccustomed to these wild scenes, can behold them 
 without miiigled })it\ and disgust? Even little children are taught to 
 express by their vociferations and gesticulations the same emotions 
 w hith agitate the rest of the body. There are a few things in this bu- 
 siness \v()rthy the consideration of the reflecting part of these societies. 
 1 . How is it, if these extacies are really the production of the Holy 
 Spirit, as would, no doubt, be contended, that the ministers them- 
 selves, are rarely, if ever, the subject of them. It is not uncommon 
 to see them sit in their pulpits, enjo\ing with apj)arent self-compla- 
 cence, the eifects w liich their preaching has produced ; but they seldom, 
 it is believed, minule with the tlirong in the exj)ression of their ex- 
 tatic feelings. 2. How is it that this efi'ect should be confined to one 
 sniall spot in Christendom, and that all other parts of the Christian 
 world should join in considering it as a delusion. We have known 
 Chri>tians of the most fenent and exalted piety in other countries, 
 who were never the subjects of such high-flow n extacies. If these 
 emotitms are really the operation of the Spirit of God, and the 
 pledge of his love to his greatest favourites, whv were not tlie ex- 
 cellent Watts, the pious Hervey, the seraphic Rowe favoured 
 witli them. 3. How happens it that a Welshman transported into 
 any other countr\, loses all this.* A Welshman, who had been a 
 jumper in his own country, came to settle in a situation near the 
 writer of this note, but never afK-r that was he so afiected. His 
 fi.a^iter, a serious, but sober Christian, once ventured to ask him the 
 
AND THE SACRED \VRITINGS. 69, 
 
 sentence of reprobation. Such a conduct is surely uncandid, 
 and highly unbecoming the character of men uho would be 
 thought lovers of wisdom. Where we see integrity and good 
 intention at the bottom, we should make all requisite allowance 
 for the intirmities of men. The best and wisest are eniou)- 
 passed with darkness, and know but in part. One grain of 
 piety and moral excellence is of more worth than the highest 
 attainments in the arts and sciences, without those moral and 
 religions qualifications. 
 
 Others again take offence at the absurd doctrines of the 
 several religious Establishments* in Christcudovi. They dis- 
 
 reason of this, to which the man replied, that in England there was 
 nothing worth jumping for. I'oorlionest fellow ! This remark surely 
 contained too just a reflection on the liikewarmness and want of 
 energy in many of our Euglish preachers ; but how is it then that the 
 Welsli preachers do not produce these effects in congregations in 
 England, or even in the \Velsli among them. Of tJiis there is not, 
 we believe, a solitary histance. We have lately witnessed the trntli 
 of this remark on a remarkable occasion. A celebrated and very 
 excellent Welsh preacher lately addressed a most numerous, pious, 
 and zealous congregation, on one of the most animating subjects con- 
 ceivable; but we do not hear of a suigle effect of this kind being pro- 
 duced ; whereas that same gentleman perhaps neve*- addresses an 
 ordinan. Welsh congregation without it. I need not mention that I 
 allude to the Rev. Mr. Charles, preaching to the Missionary So- 
 ciety. The result can leave us no room to doubt but this is a local 
 enthusiasm, encouraged first by some well-meaning, but iu this 
 respect weak leader, and now perhaps not easily remedied, and that 
 Satan has taken advantage of it to }>roraote two of his most tiesired 
 pur])oses, namely, to delude professors of religion into an attention to 
 these violences to the neglect of spiritual religion; and to prevent 
 other men from embracing religion, by a consideration of the extra- 
 vagancies which attend it. — Editor. 
 
 - * " It is the corrui)tion of Establishments, ten thousand times 
 worse than the rudest dominion of tyranny, which has changed and 
 is changing, the lace of the mofleni world." 
 
 Mr. Erskine's Pfimphht on the Causes and Consequences of 
 the present Uar, from which tlicse words are extracted, contains a 
 number of important political truths, but seems to me by no means 
 satisfactory in spoakiog on the Causes of the war. Let any man 
 read with sober consideration the Collection of addresses transmitted 
 by certain E»o;Hsh clubs and Societies, to the Aafional Convention 
 of France — ^lILE'3 Conduct of France towards Great Britain — 
 G\vvokd'% Letter to the Earl of Lauderdale — D'Ivernots's 
 Account of the late Revolution in Geneva — icith Bowles's Real 
 Grounds of the present War with France. This little pamplJct 
 
70 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 cover in them certain peculiarities which they conceive to be 
 irrational. They confound the- doctrines of these human in- 
 stitutions (which were formed in the very dawn of the Refor- 
 matiuii, while men's eyes were yet scarcely open enough to 
 discover truth) with genuine Christianity. Not being at the 
 pains to examine matters, to the bottom, and distinguish ac- 
 curatelyj they suppose them to be alike, and hence contract a 
 rooted indifference, if not an unconquerable aversion to all 
 rehgion. 
 
 Some there are again, ^^ ho, seeing the pomp and pride 
 of many of our Bishops and dignifitd Clergy, how they, in 
 direct opposition to the whole spirit of the Gospel, the exam- 
 ple of primitive clerks, as well as their own holy profession, 
 scramble for emolument, and heap together from two to half 
 a score lucrative places of preferment, while several thousands 
 of their brethren are destitute of the ordinary comforts of life, 
 without further examination, natuially suppose that Religion 
 is all priest-craft and self-interest, honour and conscience 
 
 is sufficiently satisfactory. Lord Mornington's Speech before 
 the House of Commons is to the same purpose with the above. 
 Harper's Observation on the Dispute bttueen the united States 
 and France, is a decisive little work. The designs of the French 
 are therein completely developed. Nothing can be clearer, than that 
 they were the aggressors in the present contest- He that cannot see 
 this, when the evidence is so plainly laid before him, must be blinded 
 by, and given up to, parly, 
 
 "^ In addition to w hat has been advanced by these several authors, 
 I beg leave here to add a declaration of Loi-d Auckland, Jan. 9, 
 1798, in the House of Lords, in reply to Lord Holland. Speak- 
 ing on the causes of the war, he said, " It was a war of necessity and 
 not of choice; for he himself at the time was sent with full powers to 
 preserve peace, if it could be done consistently with the honour and 
 mterest of this country. He was to have met Dumolrier on the 
 subject ; but, before the time appointed for that interview, a confi- 
 dential officer cajue and informed hun, that tlie Directory had de- 
 clared war against England; thus, by this pretended negociation 
 taking the opportunity to seize upon our shipping."'— Lorirfott Chro- 
 nicle, Jan. 9— i-^, '^798- 
 
 Tlie above several publications coutaiii the whole merits of the 
 cause concerning the authors of the war. And let it terminate as it 
 may, they will convince us that it could not have been avoided on 
 any principle of honoin- or s:\fety. lu expectation of subverting the 
 government of the counti7, the' French, encouraged by dissaffected 
 persons in this khigdoin, plunged ioto the war. Indeed, it is, properly 
 sneaking, the war of EnaUsh Jacobins. If the French had not been 
 
AND THE Si\CRED WRITINGS. 71 
 
 having nothing to do in the business. — It may be of use to state 
 this more at hirge. 
 
 It is veil known then, that there are about 18,000 
 Clergymen in England and JVa/ex of the cstahlhhed reli- 
 gion, and nenr 10,000 parishes. The Jiectorks 5098; tlie 
 I'icarages S()S7 ; the Livinga of other descriptions 2970; in 
 all ll,7o5. 
 
 Twenty or thirty of those Livings may be a thousand a 
 vear and upwards : Four or five hundred of them 500 pounds 
 a year and upw ards : Two thousand of them 200 pounds a 
 year and upwards: Five thousand of them under 100 pounds 
 a year. The average value of Livings is about 140 pounds a 
 year, rockoning them at 10,000. 
 
 As these things are not very generally understood, we will be 
 a little more particular. 
 
 in the year 1714, when Queen Awe's Bounfi/ began to be 
 distributed^ there were 
 
 J 071 Livings not more than 10 pounds a year. 
 
 I4G7 - -^ 20 
 
 1120 30 
 
 1149 40 
 
 884 50 
 
 In all 5697 Livings not more than 50 pounds a year apiece. 
 
 All the 10<md 20 pound Livings have now been augmented 
 by the abovfe donation. 
 
 This bounty is about 13,000 pounds a year, clear of deduc- 
 tions, and is, therefore, equal to 65 augmentations annually, at 
 200 pounds a-piece *. 
 
 The whole income of the Church and two Universities is 
 about 1,500,000 pounds a year. There are 26 J3/ shops, whose 
 annual income is 72,000, or according to another account 
 92,000 pounds : Each Bishop, therefore, has on an average 
 
 stimulated by persons here, there had been no \\ ar. — Let us not, 
 however, mumiur aiiainst men — the whole is of God. Great and 
 good purposes aie to be answered by it, in the due order of Divine 
 Providence. 
 
 * The Clergy are indebted to Bishop BuRXET for this applica- 
 tion. The money itself arises from tlie first fniits and tenths of 
 fhurcii-livings, above a certain value, whicli, before the time of 
 llfiNRY tiie Villth, used to go to the Pope of Rome. 
 
72 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 G,770 or 3,538 pounds a year, supposing lie had no other pre- 
 ferment. — There are 28 Deaneries and Chapters, whose income 
 is abont 5000 pounds a year each, making together about 
 140,000 pounds. — The income of the two Universities is 
 together about 180,000 pounds a year. The 10,000 Clergy* 
 have together about 1,108,000 pounds a year among them, 
 M'hich is Uttle more than 100 pounds a-piece. The whole 
 body of the Clergy and their families make near 100,000 souls, 
 that is, about an eightieth part of the nation. And reckoning 
 the population of England and Wales at eight millions of peo- 
 ple, every Clergyman would have a congregation of 444 per- 
 sons to attend to, in the same way of calculation. 
 
 There are, moreover, 28 Cathedrals, 26 Deans, 60 Arch- 
 deacons, and 544 Prebends, Canons, S)C. — Besides tiiese, there 
 are in all about 300 in orders belonging to the different Cathe- 
 drals, and about 800 Lay-officers, such as singing men, 
 organists, &c. who are all paid from the Cathedral emolu- 
 ments ; so that there are about 1700 persons attached to the 
 several Cathedrals who divide among them, the 140,000 
 
 * The Dissenters in England and Wales are said, by tlie late Mr. 
 Robinson, of Cambridge, to make about a fifth part of the nation, 
 consisting of near 1400 congregations. The Quakers are numerous, 
 being about 50,000, but the Baptists are still more numerous than 
 either flie Quakers, or the Presbyterians, or Independants, or Mo- 
 ravians. 
 
 To these should be added the Methodist Preachers of the Gos- 
 pel. The regular circuit Preacho's in Great Britain and Ireland, 
 in the year 1 807, were about 56"0, and the local Preachers are sup- 
 posed to amount to near '2400. 
 
 In addition to these, they have about 3^0 Preachers in America, 
 Ix'sides local assistants. The number of 3Iissionaries in tlie West 
 Indies is 30, besides 50 Negro Preachers. Hence it appears, that 
 the Avlio!*^ number of ])ersons who preach the Gospel to the poor in 
 the Methodist connection at present, is upwards of 4000; of which 
 number 2<)00 are stationed in Great Britain, and the adjacent 
 Islands. 
 
 The number of persons belonging to the societies of the late 
 Perercnd .ToHN Wesley was about 118,500 in this country; 
 24,500 in Ireland; 157,000 in America and the }]'est Indies: in all 
 about 300,000. The number of poor Blacks on the continent of 
 America, belonging to the Methodist societies, and in the West 
 Indies, m<^ke together about 28,000, who have renounced their he- 
 s^i'tting siii — polygamy; and, in the main, live as becomes the 
 GospeL 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 73 
 
 pounds a year, making upon an average near 83 pounds a year 
 a-piece*. 
 
 The whole income of the Kirk of Scotland was in 1755, 
 abr)ut (18,500 pounds a year. This was divided among 944 Mi- 
 nist ITS, and on an average made 72 pounds a-piece per annum. 
 
 Upon a general view of these matters, when it is consi- 
 dered, that all the BisJtoprics, Prebaidaries, Deaneries, 
 Headships of Colleges, and best Church JJvings, are occupied 
 by a smaller number, in all probability, than an eighteenth 
 part of these Clergy ; what a deplorable situation must a large 
 share of the remaining seventeen thousand Ministers be in, 
 especially under the present advanced price of most of the 
 common necessaries of life? And then, it is curious enough, 
 that these Church Dignitaries, who are in possession of seve- 
 ral thousands a year per man, have made laws, directly con- 
 trary to the practice of St. Paul, that the inferior Clergy, 
 who are destitute of all the elegancies, and many of the com- 
 forts of life, shall not be permitted to follow any other calling, 
 whereby to improve their condition, and get bread for their 
 families ! Would there be any thing inconsistent with the 
 character of a Minister of the Gospel of Christ, if the poor 
 Rectors, Vicars, and Curates of the country, should make a 
 common cause, and associate together in one body against 
 their unfeeling oppressorsf? Could there be any impropriety 
 
 The followers of the late Reverend George Whitefield, and 
 Lady Huntingdon, are said to consist of nearly an equal number 
 in Great Britain, though, I should suppose, this calculation is rather 
 exaggerated. 
 
 Tt appears from Dr. Whitehead's Zaesof the Wesley family, 
 that tiie name of Methodist was first bestowed upon Mr. Charles 
 Wesley, in 1728, at Oxford, for the exact method and order which 
 he observed in spending his time, ;uk1 regulating his conduct. An 
 origin surely truly honourable, and of which uo wise man need be 
 ashamed ! 
 
 And then, what a highly respectable compliment do the " blind 
 mouths " of this world pay the Methodists, in calling every man by 
 that name, whose conduct is moral, whose piety is fervent, and whose 
 affections are set upon the things above ? — Good men in all ages have 
 been what the foolish world now call Mtthodists. 
 
 * See an Essay on the Revenues of the Church of England. 
 
 t Every man is an Oppres>^or who holds that which ought to be 
 in the hands of anotlnr.— it does not appear to me, that we can justly 
 blame any man fur being a Deist, while the great body of "*, the 
 Bishops and Clergy, conduct ourselves in the mduner Me usually do. 
 
 L 
 
74 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 in their conduct, if they should peaceably and respectfully 
 address the King, who is temporal Head of the Church, or the 
 Legislature of the land, to take their circumstances into 
 serious consideration? One man — not a whit better than his 
 4)rethren — shall enjoy 20,000 pounds a year— another 15,000; 
 another 10,000 — another 5000— another 3000 — another 2000 ; 
 and another 1000. One shall heap Living upon Living, Pre- 
 ferment upou Preferment — to a vast amoiuit — merely because 
 he has got access — too often by mean compliances — to some 
 
 The spirit of our Hierarchi/ seems, in various respects, in direct op- 
 position to the spirit of the Gospel. A conscientious Deist, if such 
 can be found, who worships GoD in spirit and in truth, is infinitely 
 preferable to a proud haughty pompous Bishop or dignified Clergy- 
 man, who trades in livings and souls; and his condemnation will be 
 far less s-evere. Whatever Bishops and Clergymen of this descrip- 
 tion may profess, they are Infidels at botttjm. They believe nothing 
 of the spirit of Christianity. Religion is their trade, and gain witli 
 them is godliness. They live in the spirit of the ancient Seribes and 
 Pharisees, and they may expect to share in the tate of the Scribes 
 and Pharisees. — Compare Isaiah Ivi. 9 — 12. 
 
 Let the clerical reader return to the Conclusion of Bishop Bur- 
 net's History of his Own Times, and he will find the neghgent 
 Bishops of the land very justly and smartly reprehended for their 
 improper conduct. 
 
 Mr. OsTERVALD, in his excellent Treatise concerning the Caifses 
 of the preyent Corruption of Christians, attributes that corruption 
 chiefly to the Clergy. His words are the«e : — "The cause of the cor- 
 raj)tion of Christians is chiefly to be found in tiie Clergy. I do not 
 mean to speak here of ail Churchmen indifteleutly. We must do right 
 to some, wiio distinguish themselves by their talents, their zeal, and 
 the holiness of their li\es. But the number of these is not conside- 
 rable enough to stoj) thccomse of t'.iose disorders which are occasioned 
 in the Church, by the vast multitude of remiss and corrupt pastors. 
 These pulld«nvnwiiattheothersendeavourto build up."— P. \i. Caused. 
 I'iie inslaiices of extreme blame which attaches to the higher orders 
 of the English clori^y, are very numerous. A certain gentleman, not 
 a hundred miles from my own neighbourhood, whom I could name, 
 is possessed of ubnnt a tiionsand a year private fortune. He is a 
 married man, bur without any children. He has one living in Cheshire, 
 of the value of more than 400 pounds a year: another in Essex, and 
 another clsewheve, the three together making a thousand a year 
 more or less. He is, mtneover. Chaplain to a Company, and private 
 Tutor in a Xolhmans fi.inily. But what is nu)st culpable, is, he 
 resides ui)on none of his livings, and verj- seldom comes near them, 
 t}iouf:h a lusty, healthful man. Can that Church be faultless, which 
 pcrnuts such li'>vrible ;:buses? the Bishops themselves, however, 
 beins^ generally guilty o.^ lioidinji a variety of preferments, and of most 
 hiexcusable non resideiice, are disposed to connive at every thing of 
 the kiir.l among the superior Ciergy who are imder their inspection. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 75 
 
 great man — m hile his more worthy brother is almost iu want 
 of bread for liis chiklren. The late Dr. Law, Bishop of 
 Car/isle, if my memory do not fail me, was possessed, at 
 the time of his decease, of ten or more ditferent Prtfermcnts. 
 He was Bishop — Head of a College — Prebend — Rector — 
 Librarian, &c. &c. &c. and all this bestowed upon him — not 
 because he was a more* holy, useful, and laborious man, than 
 ordinary ; though a man of merit and talents ; but because he 
 wriggled himself into favour with certain great persons, who 
 had influence with men in power. Instances of this kind are 
 not uncommon. They are, however, unjust, impolitic, and 
 unchristian. No wise Legislature ought to permit such abuses, 
 Keligion being out of the question. They are inconsistent 
 with every thing decent and proper, while so many valuable, 
 learned, laborious, humble, modest men, are pining in want. 
 I know well, that reflections of this nature are calculated to 
 disoblige those who are interested ; but regardless of conse- 
 quences, zcithout the least dislike to any man living, or the 
 smallest vierc to any one individual , or a zci^k to have any 
 iking better for myself, and actuated only Kith a love to truth, 
 and the advancement of our common Christianity, I, for one, 
 protest in the face of the sun against all xuch abuses. And I 
 moreover, solemnly avow, that the spirit of the present times 
 is such, that unless these and similar disorders are rectified 
 by the wisdom of the Legislature, the ecclesiastical fabric 
 in this country will, ere long, be as completely overturned 
 as that in France has been *. Nothing can prevent it but a 
 speedy and thorough reformation. If the Bishops of the land 
 as first indignity, would be first in this grand work: if thcv 
 would make a merit of necessity, and, like Bishop Wilson, re- 
 sign voluntarily, what they cannot long possess in safety: If they 
 would make an oflfer to their King and Country of withdraw- 
 ing from the Upper Ilousef; resigning ail their secular honours, 
 
 * The church of France, before the Revolution, consisted of IS 
 archbishops, 118 bislmps, 306,2t>-l' clergy, regular and secular, ^^ho 
 together enjoyed a revenue of al>out five millions sterling. The king- 
 dom was divided into 34,49S parishes, besides 4,6'44 annexed pa- 
 rishes; in all 39,14C parishes. 
 
 t This, I believe, is an abuse unknown in anv other protectant 
 church in Europe, and would never hav« been subniittecl to in the 
 purest ages of Christianity. Would to (Jod our (juveruors in 
 Church and State couhl see jt right to — l»ut what shall I sav ? WJjv 
 
 L 2 
 
76 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 and commence genuine ministers of the Gospel : Or, should this 
 be too much to expect ; if they would renounce their several 
 pluralities*, and quietly retire into their respective dioceses, 
 
 should I desire changes, every thing but impossible? — It is because I 
 wish as well as any man in England to my Kirig and Country, that 
 I desure every thing to be removed that may provoke (he Divine dis- 
 pleasure against us, as a nation and people, and bring on the total 
 dissolution of the political frame of things. The wishes of an ohsnire 
 clergj/nian, however, will be less in the scale, than the small ditst upon 
 the balance, when weighed against the vast body of archbishops, 
 bishops, deans, prebends, cano}is, archdeacons, rectors, vicars, curates, 
 lecturers, commissaries, chancellors, proctoi's, surrogates, iS;c. &c. 
 with which our church abounds. We Clergymen should do well fre- 
 quently to study the 34th chapter of Ezekiel. It might do us much 
 good. The following address of Cow per is also worth our attention; 
 
 " Ye Clergy, while your orbit is your place, 
 
 Lights of the world, and stars of human race; 
 
 But if eccentric ye forsake your sphere. 
 
 Prodigious, ominous, and view'd with fear ; 
 
 The comet's baneful influence is a dream. 
 
 Yours real and pernicious in th' extreme." 
 
 " Oh laugh, or mouni with me, the rueful jest, 
 
 A cassock'd huntsman, and ajiddlins[ priest ; 
 
 He from Italian songsters takes his cue, 
 
 Set Paul to music, he shall quote him too. 
 
 He takes the field ; the Master of the pack 
 
 Cries, Hell done, Saint ! — and claps him on the back. 
 
 Is this the path of sanctity ? Is this 
 
 To stand a way-mark ui the road to bliss ? 
 
 Himself a wand'rer from the narrow way, 
 
 His silly sheep, what wonder if they stray?" 
 
 " The sacred function, in your hands is made. 
 Sad sacrilege ! no function but a trade." 
 
 P^rogress of Error. 
 
 * It is no uncommon thing for the Bishops of our Church to hold 
 such preferments as are utterly incompatible with each other. The 
 late Dr. Hinchcliffe was at the same time Bishop of Petei'-- 
 borough, and Master of Trinity College m Cambridge. As Bishop, 
 he ought, by every law of honour, and conscience, and the gospel, 
 to have been resident in his diocese among his clergy and people. As 
 Master of Trinity, his presence could not, in general, be dispensed 
 with. 
 
 We have had others, who enjoyed, at the same time, several in- 
 compatible preferments — ^Bishopric — a Headship of a College — a 
 Prebendary — a Rectory — and other emoluments. As Bishop, a man 
 ought to be in his own diocese ; as Head of a college, he must be 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 77 
 
 never appearing in the great Council of the nation, bnt 
 nhen absolutely wanted: If they would come among their 
 Clergy — converse with them freely, and treat them as 
 
 roidcnt ; as Prebind, certain duties are due; as Rtctor of a parish, 
 his absence caunot be dispensed wilh. And, I niiirht add, as a Lord 
 of Parlionunt, his preseuce is frequently and ju.>>tly recjuircd. ^^hat 
 account their Lo)dshfj}s can ?ive, cither to God or man, for sucli of 
 the prefcnnenti as are absolutely incompatible one with another, it 
 bdioM's tlifui ^^cll to cousider. Such examples ha\c a deadly efi'cct 
 upon the interests of religion. Were they to preach like St. Paul, 
 who « oidd regard them, w ho sees tiiat they do yot believe their own 
 professions ? No rank, no talents, no learning, no good sense, no re- 
 spectability can excuse such a conduct. — We arc continually liearing 
 of the rapid spread oi ItiJidtUfy. The Bishops oi' Lonc/ou and Dur- 
 ham, in their late excellent Charges, are loud in their compiainfs. 
 But what appears surprising to me is, that they and others should 
 sj>eak so strongly of the overthrow of Christiauih/ in Fraiicc. By 
 tlicir leave, and with all due submission, it is not Christianity winch 
 has experienced a subversion there. It is the doctrine ot' Antichrist ; 
 and its sub\ ersion w ill ultimately prove one of the greatest blessings 
 God could bestow upon the nations. — But who is to blame for the 
 spread of Itifidelity} The Bishops and Clergi/ of the land, more than 
 any other people in it. We, as a body of men, are almost solely 
 and exclusi\ely culpable. Our negligence, luke-w armness, wurldiy- 
 mindedness, and inunorality will ruin the whole country. And v, hen 
 the judgments of God come upon the land, they \\ill fall peculiarly 
 heavy u}K»n the heads of our order of nien. 
 
 One word upon the situation of the unhapj\v Irish. We ci-y out 
 against them tor their rebellious conduct : and to be sure thej arc 
 extremely to blame in many respects. Is there not, however, a cause, 
 an apparent cause, at least, for their dissatisfaction? The grie\ anceii 
 of tlie Prottstant part ot the people are many and considerable. The 
 late Lord Bristol, for mstance. Bishop oi Derry, whose Bishopric 
 is said to ha\e been lj,000 pounds a year, was rambhng over Eu- 
 rope, and did not set ibot u\ his diocese for several vears ; some 
 have reported, for t\\enty-four [']. 
 
 This is a specimen of the treatment which Churchmen meet with. 
 Can we wonder, if they, as well as the Catholics and Dissenters, 
 fcliould nmrnun- ? Ireland would, in all probability, have been lost to 
 England, had not the nmd and bloody zeal of tlie Catholic^, tljose 
 hellish wretches, united the Protestants in their own defence, for the 
 protection of their lives and properties. 
 
 There are twenty-two Bishops, who preside over the es);il>lished 
 church in Ireland, at the expence of 7^,000 pounds a year; which is 
 at the rale of 3,36S pounds per annum a man, besides all their 
 otiier preferments. Some of them are known to be very woithy cha- 
 racters; but others like the one just mentioned, are extremely to 
 blame, though surely not in the same degree. While such are the 
 ^epkerds, no wonder if the Sheep go a.stray. Ought we to be sur- 
 
?8 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 brethren : if they would go about doing good, in all condes- 
 cension and humility, through their several districts, preach- 
 ing the IVord of life, in an evangelical strain, among the 
 
 prised if Catholics, Dissenters, and Methodists succeed in making 
 converts ? if Infidelity abound and run like wild-lire among the jieo- 
 ple? if thev complain, wish to overturn such a system of corruption, 
 and rise in rebellion for the purpose? Nothing but true religion, or a 
 sense of the impolicy of the measure, can restrain them. — I do afhrm 
 again and again, that the slothful and temporising Bishops and Clergy 
 of Europe, are the main authors of the present miseries of jE«;-o//e, and 
 we may justly and infallibly expect. Divine Providence will ere 
 long kick us off our perches, as has been the case in other countries, 
 and give our offices and emoluments to those w ho are more ^^ ortliy of 
 them. Nothing can save us, unless we turn over a ne«" leaf, and be- 
 come alive to the interests — not of the Church as a secular institution 
 — but to the interests of pure, disinterested, evangelical religion. 
 What might not the 1 8,000 Clergymen ui this country do, were we 
 all zealously concerned for the honour of the Lord Jesus, and the 
 salvation of the people committed to our caie ? The face of things in 
 every moral point of view at least, would be extremely diiferent. — 
 What a horrible hell shall we^ Parsons have when we leave our present 
 beds of down? How will the devils exult over myriads of full-fed 
 ■bishops. Doctors, and dignified Dons, who have rioted upon the 
 spoils of the Church, and neglected or abused their holy charge? 
 
 I add further, that among other causes of complaint in our sister- 
 kingdom, many of the bishoprics me tilled up by the Viceroy from 
 among the English clergy, and the best livings are possessed hy Eng- 
 lishmen. Hence a verv frequent non-residence. Every impartial 
 person must consider this as a real grievance. The Irish clergy, in- 
 deed, are, taking them with some few honourable exceptions, in a 
 state truly deplorable, and the great mass of tlielaitv' not less so, con- 
 sidered in every religious point of view. What wonder, if the people, 
 left to perish by their ministers for lack of knowledge, should rise up 
 and cut the throats of those ministers? This is a just re-action of Pro* 
 vidence. We talk of the wild Irish, and speak of them as being little 
 raided above a state of savage nature. Let it be considered who is to 
 blame for all this. The Bishops and Clergy, I vow. But the fault 
 is greatly in the ecclesiastical part of the constitutions of the two 
 coimtries, \a hich will permit the clerical order of men to recei\ e the 
 emoluments of the church, without j)ei-forming the business for which 
 we are paid. No man cau surely say that a reform here would do us 
 any harm ! But if a reform in church-matters is never to be brought 
 about till the Bishops and Clergy themselves embark m it, there is 
 much reason to fear, the event is at no little distance. I must, how- 
 ever, do my own order the justice to observe, that, in fonner periods, 
 whatever reformations in religion have been brought fonvard, some 
 of the Clergy have been the most active -and effective instruments. 
 God send us again a few more WirKLlFFS,CRANMERS,LATiMERS, 
 Ridleys, Hookers, and Gilpins, to deliver us from the remain- 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 79 
 
 people, after the example of the great Shepherd and Bishop 
 of souls, and his Apostles : If they would renounce their 
 pomp and splendour, and set their faces in good earnest 
 against all monopolies of livings; &^^mst tion-resiflcnts ; against 
 all immoral, disorderly, and irreligious Clergi/men: If they 
 would be the zealous and avowed friends and patrons of labo- 
 rious pastors, in particular, and of good men of every descrip^ 
 tion, in general : Then would the Church of England soon be- 
 come, more than ever, the glory of all churches, and the Bishops 
 of that church would be the glory of all Bishops. 
 
 It is, however, not to be doubted, that men, possessed of 
 the loaves and fishes, will laugh at all this as visionary and 
 enthusiastic. 
 
 " I know the warning song is sung in vain. 
 That few will hear, and fewer heed the sti-ain." 
 
 Be it so. — I have only to reply — Look at the Bishops and 
 Clergif of France I — They now think themselves hardly treated. 
 
 ing dre<;s of Popish superstition which cleave to us, that the throne 
 of our excelleut King may be j^rmanent as the days of heaven, and 
 the British churches become the glon. and en\"^• of the whole world! 
 
 " Triumphant here may Jesus reign. 
 And on his vineyard sweetly smile; 
 Wliile all the virtues of his tram. 
 Adorn our church aiid bless our Isle !" 
 
 [*] It is not a little remarkable, that the late act for *' Enforcing 
 *' the residence of sj^.iritual persons on their li\ ings," contains an ex- 
 press exemption in favour of the Bishops, who are tlierefore placed by 
 it under no obligation of residing even on their dioceses, a provision 
 which some may think not without its utility. The pruicipal part of 
 tlie provisions of the act are calculated to facilitate, and even licence 
 non-residence; an abuse, which if we may credit Bishop Burnet, 
 was not even tolerated in the ciiurch of Rome, (see the conclusion 
 of the histoiy of liis oicn times) ; and so little has been the operation 
 of this act in enfbrcinc residence, that the Editor has been told bv 
 persons well informed, that in the diocese of London itself, there are 
 scarcely six instances of clergy who have been compelled to reside 
 under it. It is observed by Selden, (Table Talk 139) that " the peo- 
 ple thought they had a great \"ictory over the clergy, when in Hexry 
 the VIII ih's time they got their bill passed, ' that a clergyman 
 should have b^t two livings.' It will be well if the late acts be not 
 found to estsblish certain ])rinciples, which in the result will make 
 both the cler;:y and the people sensible that they have lost a great 
 victor}- in being deprived of the advanta-,'f s of a Common Law Tri- 
 bunal.— Editor. 
 
so A PLEA rOR RELIGION 
 
 But, as a body, they bad been excessively to blame ; and their 
 present sufferings are proportionate to their former culpability. 
 Happy will it be for us, if their negligence and misfortunes 
 make us w ise and cautious ! The fate of the Jervish clergy of 
 old, and of the French, Dutch, Flemish, Italiati, and Szi'iss 
 Clergy of our own times, comes like a peal of thunder, preach- 
 ing Reform; real, and effectual, and speedy Refokm, to 
 the Clergy of every country. 
 
 You see then, isiY Countrymen, that I, for one, give up 
 all these abuses as indefensible. Every man of common 
 sense and observation, whose eyes are not blinded by preju- 
 dice, and whose mind is not closed by sinful habit and self- 
 ihterest, mnst see that they are wrong. But, be it remem- 
 bered, tliat whatever means Divine Providence may use 
 to correct them— ;/br corrected in due time they must be — the 
 Gospel of Christ is not to be blamed for them. It gives 
 them no countenance ; it predicts their rise, their continu- 
 ance, their downfall: and it denounces nothing less than the 
 most extreme condemnation against all those, who pervert the 
 F>ivine Ordinances to secular and self-interested purposes. 
 It is neither Emperors, nor Kings, nor Popes, nor Jrch- 
 bishops, nor Bishops^ nor Clergymen of any inferior descrip- 
 tion, that shall escape the just sentence of the universal 
 Judge. He will make no distinction. He knows no differ- 
 ence between man and man, but what moral and religious 
 qualifications make. Whatsoever a person sozceth, that shall 
 he also reap. Mighty sinners shall be mightily punished. 
 Eminently good and useful men shall be eminently rewarded. 
 
 To this head let it further be added, that discerning men, 
 observing the conduct, character, and precepts of the Saviour 
 of the world, and comparing them with the conduct and 
 manners of our Church-Dignitaries, cannot help seeing a very 
 striking contrast. His kingdom was not to be of this world : 
 but the conduct of our Bishops, is in a great measure secular. 
 His meat and drink was to do the will of him that sent him. 
 He literally zcent about doing good. He preached every where, 
 and to all descriptions of men. A genuine patriot, he was 
 never weary of contributing to the happiness of his country. 
 He was frequently in the temple, but never in tlie palace, 
 unless when dragged thither by force. Our learned Prelates*, 
 
 * A!i;K>Tig the Bi.shops of the Church of England may be found a 
 considerable number of duirattcrs the most respectable for every 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS^^^^ 
 
 however are so occupied in the great Council of tli^ 'MaHoTl ; 
 ill dancing attendance at Court; m guarding their ^tecswl^ 
 emoluments from Maste; in visiting the nobility and genti^;' of 
 the land; and in otht-r worldly engagements of various descrip- 
 tions ; that they have but little time left, either for reading 
 the Scriptures, for private retirement, or for preaching tha 
 Go>y;t7 to the poor of the tiock, in their respective districts*. 
 
 niorui, liti-ntrv, and relijuious attainment ; and the country is under 
 the utmost uL)!ii:aiion to iheni tor their exertions at ditierent periods of 
 our history. But were any individuals among them ever so desirous, 
 they have it not in their power to rectitA- abuses, and reform what they 
 m.iy conceive to be amiss. The system is too compact and well 
 uijiesteil. Their hands are tied behind them. The prejudices of some, 
 the interests of othei-s, the supineness of not a few, and the fears 
 of distiirliing tlie long established order of things, in most, fonii an 
 iiisiijierable Itarrier auainst e\ery reform; insomuch that nothiiisr, it 
 is to be feiued, ciui accomplish any considerable change for the better, 
 but a convulfion. If, indeed, the Archbishop of Canterbury/, and the 
 u-/iof(' Bench of Bishops, had discernment, and humility, and public 
 spirit, and self-denial enough, to come fonvard of their own accord, 
 and w itli one consent desire an anieiionited state of things, there might 
 be some hope. But, that six and twenty interested men should be 
 brought to concur in a business of this sort, seems next to an impos- 
 sibility. The sacririce is too great ! Human nature is too frail to 
 make it. 
 
 ^ Bishops ought assnreilly to reside in their dioceses among their 
 ilergi/, \ni^Ai:\nnii in season and out of season ; countenancing and 
 enci uragiiig the good ; repiovh)g, exhorting, warning, punishing, 
 the unworthy and innnoral part of their Cters^y. The contrarv to this, 
 ho«e\er, is very frc<|uent!y the case. If a man happens to have 
 got a little more zeal than ordinary, and laboms more diligently to 
 do good than the generality -of his brethren, immediatelv they are all 
 in lunis agahi-t him. Ai.'l nothing is more connnon, than for his 
 ecclesiastical superiors to irmMi upon him, to stigmatize him as a J/c- 
 thodist, and to oppcjse his interests in every, wav they can contri\e. 
 W hf reas, a Clergifnuin may be a man of pleasure and dissipation; gay, 
 foolish, silly, tritliiig; he may s}>end his time in the diversions of the - 
 held; drink, swear, and live as foolishly as the most foolish of his 
 tiick, and yet no harm shall happen. He is no Methodist, and, 
 therefore, every fav(^ur shall be shewn him which he can desire. Me' 
 ihodism is like the sin against the Holy Ghost; it is neither to be 
 forgiven hi this world, nor in the woild to come! 
 
 Be it, liowe\er, obser\ed, that the increase of Dissenters, and 
 the alarming spread of Methodism, are both entirely ow ing to the 
 luke-\\arnuiess, or negligence, or disorderly conduct, or bigotrv, or 
 pcrsecuthig spirit of tlie Clergy in the Establishment. And tJiere is no 
 uay under heaven of preventing tlie most mischievous consequences, 
 but by adoj)tiug new meiisures, reforming whatis aiiiiss, and •ut- 
 
 M 
 
 «'.J?^ 
 
 ■V. 
 
82 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 To hear a Bishop preach, is a sort of phoenomenon in the 
 country. And, if any of that truly respectable body of men 
 
 preaching, out-labouring, and out-living all our ojiposers. The pride 
 of office lias injured us extremely. Tlie disdain frequently expressed 
 by us against the several Sectarists has been highly impolitic, and 
 sometimes unchristian. Has not every man living the same right to 
 worship God accorfliug to tUe tlictates of his own conscience, tliat we 
 have? To his ot^u u. aster each one must give an account. He that 
 worships God most spiritually, and obeys him most universally, 
 believing ii> the name of his only-begotten Son, is the best man, -and 
 ■ most acceptable to the Divine Being, whether he be found in a 
 Church, in a Quaker's meeting-house, in a Dissenthig place of wor- 
 ship, of any other description, or upon the top of a mountain. Hove 
 long sliall we be carried away by weak and superstitions distinctions? 
 In ereru nation, and ainongall denominations of men, he that feareth 
 God, afid u'orketh righteousness, is accepted with him. And if God 
 will accept, why slwuldnot man? Tlte Saviour of the world him- 
 self hath given us an infallible deiinition of a Gospel -chwrch: Where 
 tu'o or three are gathered together in mi/ name, there am Jin the midst 
 of them. Let any man consult Locke on Toleration, and he can 
 have no doubt on his mind concerning the liberality of the genuine 
 Gospel of our blessed Saviour. It has been the custom of the Estab- 
 lished Clergy of all countries, for many ages, to arrogate to them- 
 selves a kind of infallibility. Nay, I might add, there is scarcely a 
 Parson among us all, whether Churchman, Methodist, Quaker, or 
 ' Dissenter of any other description, that has not got a church, a chapel, 
 ©r a meeting-house in his bellj-. We are all Pojjes m our o\ni way ; 
 at least, evei-y denomination has its imperious and over-bearing dic- 
 tators. Let no man, however, think the worse of the Neiv-Testa- 
 ment-religion because of the different hobby-horses which we Parsons 
 think proper to ride. Our Order lias had its day ; and a pretty long 
 day it has been ! The Pope has ridden the Bishops, the Bishops have 
 jidden the Priests, and the Priests have ridden the People. The 
 tables, how ever, are now turning, though late ; and we Parsons must 
 be contented to be ridden by the People. But if the People, in their 
 zeal for freedom, sliould proceed to cast off the Divine yoke — and 
 there is some danger ! — if they should insolently reject the authority 
 of Jesus Christ, our ouly Lord, and Master, and Saviour, he tcill 
 visit their offences ivith a rod, and their siji with scourges. He ha5 
 a right to our services. We are not our own, but are bought with a 
 price, and no man sliall refuse him subjection, and prosper. Eveiy 
 thinking person nmst feel that he is a dependent creature, and 
 insufficient for his own happiness ; a sinful creature, and incapable 
 of atoning for his own transgiessions. 
 
 I have said above, that among the Bishops of the Church of Eng- 
 land may be found a consiflerable number of characters the most 
 respectable for eveiy moral, literary, and religious attainment. I 
 add too, again, that several of the Bishops and Clergy of the Irisl^ 
 church h^ve been also highly respectable, as well as many of the infe- 
 
.AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 83 
 
 —some of whom are both great and good men, and, iude- 
 pendent of such considerations, I hope ever to reverence 
 
 rior orders of our own Cltr^i/. So Hkewise have been many of tlie 
 Hishops and Clers^t/ of the i-ivwcA church. Usher, the Irinh Arch- 
 bia/iop, for instance, was not only a pious niiin, but even a walking 
 library, in point of learning:. The late Archbishop NE^vcoME wasa 
 character of the most resptctabU; litcnu-> kind. Bishop Warbuk- 
 .TON, no mean judije, used to say o{ Bishop Taylor, " he had no 
 conception of a gieater genius upon earth tlian was that holy man." 
 — Where too was there ever a more admirable character tiian the 
 author of Telemachus ? or learned men than Calmet, Du 
 I'l K, Mo XT FAU CO N, and others among tlie French clergy I Our own 
 Cotes, though but a private clcrg\man, and yoiuig m ■s'Cvui at the 
 time of his decease, is said by Bishop Watson to ha\e been second 
 to none but Newton in sublimity of philosopliic genius. But as the 
 learnmg, pitty,. genius, and amiable manners of Fenelon and 
 his brethren, couUl not excuse and make tolerable the corruptions 
 of the church of France ; so neither can tlie leanmig, genius, and 
 piety of tlie Bishops and Clertyy of England and Ireland excuse 
 and make justitiable the more tolerable corruptions of the churches of 
 these two countries. We must either sunplitS' and evangelize our 
 ecclesiastical constitutions, or they must fall. I speak this, not from 
 any personal pique or disappointment, not fiom a love of novelty and 
 change, but upon the authority of the Prophetic Scriptures — with a 
 view to the near completion of the 1 '2t)0 mystical years — and from a 
 solemn and aw ful contemplation of the revolutions which are so 
 rapi<lly taking place through all Europe. England may, and, I trust, 
 will be protected by Divine Providence for a time; the iniquitif 
 of the Aniorites may not yd he full; but the Great Aation, as they 
 vain-gloriously call themselves, must ultimately succeed in their 
 designs, unless a radical refonnation should engage the Lord on our 
 side, and prevent our national ruin. 
 
 Great tenderness, however, ought to be exercised cowards our 
 Goitrnors both in Church and State, upon this delicate subject ; 
 because, w henes er a Ki?is: succeeds to the throne of these lands, he 
 swears to maintain the Church in its present state; because ail im- 
 portant changes are attentled with serious danger to the very existence 
 of society — witness the revolution in France — and because Judge 
 Blackstone, in his Commentaries, delivers it as his ojiuiion, tliat iio 
 alteration can take place, eitlier in the Constitufion or Liturgy of 
 the Church of England, consistently with the Act of Union. —Intro- 
 duction, sect. 4. [*] 
 
 But if this be the case, tlui Act of Union was unwisely managed. 
 ^^ hat right has any one generation to Legislate for all future genera- 
 tions ? and esi)ecially to tie up their hands from making changes and 
 improvements adapted to the ta.-te oCthe revolving ages ? Upon this 
 principle Christianity itself, and e^en the present coustitution of Eng- 
 land, is an unproper innovation on the wisdom of former ages. 
 
 Jt is evident from the opposition of the late Bishop of JiQchfS-i 
 
 m2 
 
84 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 them for their office sake — do vouchsafe, once in a way, as an 
 extreme favour, to indulge the people of theu- dioces'e, 
 
 ter to the aboHlion of Holidays, that we may not expect fioiii tJie 
 Bench of Bishops tiie smallest concession towards a reformation in the 
 ecclesiastical part of our Constitution, To nie, however, ^^llat we 
 usually call lioiuldys appear in the light of very serious evils to tlie 
 community. Ltt a man conscientiously .obsene the Lord's dav; 
 and I will excuse him every other holiday in the calendar. 
 
 [*] Though it was certainly stipulated at the time of the Union 
 that no alteration should ever afterwards tiike place in tlie doc- 
 trine, discipline, worship or government, oi \\\c Church of Ernrland ; 
 yet on two recent occasions the legislature, yielding perhaps to 
 the force of the suggestion contained in our author's next note, has 
 thought fit to break through this restriction, at the solicitations of 
 the Bishops, and for the purpose of augmenting IJieir jjowers. See a 
 }>aniphlet on the recent extension of the powers of their Lordships 
 the Bishops, pubhshed by Longman and Co. Dut whatever might 
 be the occasion, we may draw from the circumstance a most cheering 
 conclusion, which, could it have had its force oii the excellent niind 
 of our Author, would have dissipated much of the gloom, with which 
 on this subject it was evidently oppressed, namely, that the Parlia- 
 ment now no longer considers itself as bound down by the strict 
 conditions of the Union, but at liberty to make any alterations it may 
 deem conducive to the advantage of the Church. From this begin- 
 ning we may doubtless augur the most happy consequences, no less 
 than a full and thorough (tho' perhaps gradual) revision of the 
 whole of our eccle^iaslieal constitution. The old and mouideriiig 
 fabric Mill doubtless undergo a complete re])air, tlie decayed or 
 faulty materials taken down, the goo<l preserved and strengthened, 
 the rubbish cast away. The revenues of the Clergy w ill be more 
 equalized, the powers of the Bishops moderated and defined, the 
 liberties and rights of the inferior Clergy, as a necessary consequence, 
 more regarded and better secured; our ecclesiastical courts, those 
 remaining badges of our spiritual bondage, either totally abolished, 
 or greatly reformed, their proceedings no longer enveloped in the 
 mystery of darkness, but regularly pubhshed like those of oiu' other 
 Courts; the canon law, or, at least, that sore and grievous burden to 
 clerical consciences, the mystical oath of canonical obedience, entirely 
 done away. The cases of collegiate and clerical subscriptions 
 candidly reconsidered. In short, whatever may exist in our church 
 matters, incapable of abiding the test of reason and scripture, will 
 doubtless (now the passiige is free and open,) by our excellent 
 government and present enlightened administration, be rectified. 
 
 As to the Coronation Oath, its purport appears to have been 
 misconceived. According to the old construction of it, nothing 
 could have amounted to a more direct violation, than the acts of 
 Parliament to which I have above alluded; but, according to the 
 present construction, it does not appear to extend to 2i\\y parliamentary 
 proceedings; where the /v7//^ acts only m compliance with the wish 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 85 
 
 where they happen to spend a little time, they usually affect 
 so much pomp and dignity in their manner, and their dis- 
 courses are so dry and uHevangelical ; so stiti', so cool, so 
 essaical, so critical, so elhicai, so heathen-like, that tJie 
 poor of the flock can receive little or no benefit and edifica- 
 tion. 
 
 Tliese learned Gentlemen are so horribly afraid of ap- 
 proaching too near the Methodists*, both in their doctrines, 
 and manner of preaching, that their sermons are most com- 
 monly cast more in the mould of Seneca or Epictj^tus, than 
 in that of S^ Paul; and delivered with all the apathy of an 
 ancient philosopher. 
 
 of the nation, expressed by its two great representative bodies. And 
 this is the view in which of late years it has been regarded. See a 
 letter to a nobleman, by C. BiiTLER, Esq. — Editor. 
 
 * Methodist is a term of reproach which has been made use of for 
 many years, in this country, to stigmatize all the most serious, zea- 
 lous, and li\ elv professors of religion. It is not confined to any one 
 sect or party; but is common, more or less, to all who are pecu- 
 liarly animated in the concerns of religion. In the ( 'hurch of Ens:Ifind, 
 as by law established, all those Dlimsters and people are called 
 Methodists, who believe and preach, and contend for the doctrines 
 of the thirty-nine Arti les of religion. And Jrians, Soeiiiians, Arwi- 
 jj/flfjs, and i-orw/fl/Zi/s of every description, who continue to attend 
 public worship in the Establishment, are considered by the undisceru- 
 ing world as her only true members. In short, all who embrace, with 
 a Uitly and zealous faith, the doctrines of the said thirty-nine Articles, 
 among all the denominations of Christians, are by way of ignominy 
 denoiuinated Methodists. To be zealous, in the most important of 
 all concerns, is to be held as a proverb of reproach ! You may be a 
 zealous philosopher, a zealous politician, or a zealous sciolist of 
 almost e\ev\ descri|)tion, and you shall meet with approbation and 
 praise ; but if you discover any considerable degree of w annth and 
 zeal for the grand peculiarities of the Gospel, and vital, practical, ex- 
 perimental religion, then the de\ il and all his industrious servants w ill 
 stignratize you w ith e\ ciy name ',\ liich they consider as opprobrious and 
 disgraceful. Indeed, Methodist, is, in the nineteenth century, w hat Pu- 
 ritan was in tjie seventeenth. After the Restoration, people, to shew 
 their aversion to the Puritans, turnedevery appearance of religion into 
 ridicule, and from the extreme of hypocrisy, tlew at once to that of 
 prnfligacv; so now abundance of people are so alanne.". at the idea of 
 being thought Methodists, that they absolutely give up the peculiar 
 doctrines of the Gospel, and become as lukewarm, and indift'erent to 
 all religion, as though it was no part of their concern. And yet these 
 Wiseacres, in the true spirit of the ancient Scribes mid Pharisees, keep 
 roaring out, Church and Kins:-' the Church! the Church! the Temple 
 of the LoKp! the Temple of the LoRD are we! 
 
86 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 *' How oft, when Paul has serv'd us with a text. 
 Has Epictetus, Plato, Tully preach'd!" 
 
 Hence these learned Prelates are found to do but little good. 
 Such preaching never was of much use to the Christian church. 
 Chkist crucified, alone, is the power of' Gob unto Salvation. 
 Now and then, indeed, in the course of three, four, five, six, 
 or sometimes even ten or twelve years, these Shepherds of 
 Christ's flock parade through the country, paying their res- 
 pects to the Great, and holding Confirmations ; but where is 
 the spirit of a Peter and a Paul to be discovered ? Or, to 
 come nearer to what might be expected, where is the spirit 
 of a Burnet*, a Leighton^, a Beveridge, a Hall^, 
 a Ken, a Bedell, a Reynolds, or a Wilson, to be seen? 
 Our Confirmations, and I may add, even our Ordinations'^ for 
 
 * " This excelleut man w as extremely laborious in his episcopal 
 office. Every summer he made a tour, for six weeks or two months, 
 through some district of his bishopric, daily preaching and confirm- 
 ing from church to church, 50 as in the compass of three years, 
 besides his triennial visitation, to go through all the principal livings 
 of Ills diocese." — See Biograph. Brit. art. Burnet, by Kippis, vol. 
 iii. p. 29. 
 
 t Leighton was a most exemplaiy character, both in his private 
 and public capacity. The life and writings of few men are more 
 worthy of imitation and perusal. He laboured hard to bring about 
 some reformation in the state of things in his own day, and when he 
 found all his efforts ineffectual, he quietly., withdrew, resigned his 
 preferment, and lived in private. What Burnet says of him can 
 never be too often repeated, and too generally known — " He had the 
 •greatest elevation of soul, the largest compass of knowledge, the 
 most mortified and heavenly disposition, that I ever yet saw in mor^ 
 tal. He Jiad the greatest parts, as well as virtue, w ith the most perfect 
 humility that I ever saw in man ; and had a sublime strain ju preach- 
 ing, with so grave a gesture, and such a majesty both of thought, of 
 language, and pronunciation, that I never once saw a wandering eye 
 where he preached, and I have seen whole assemblies often melt in 
 tears before him; and of whom I can say with great truth, that in a 
 free and frequent conversation ^vith him for above two and twenty 
 years, I never knew him say an idle word, that had not a direct ten- 
 dency to edification ; and I never once saw him in any other temper, 
 but that which I wished to be in, in the last moments of my life." 
 
 Mr. Locke gives us a similar account of Dr. Edward Pococke, 
 " I can say of him what few men can say of any friend of theirs, nor I 
 of any other of my acquaintance ; that I don't remember I ever saw 
 in him any one action, that I did, or could, in my own mind blame, 
 ox thought amiss in him." — Letter to Mr. Smith of Dartmouth. 
 
 X Bishop BuKNET took large pains in preparing young people for 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 87 
 
 the sacred ministry, though good in themselves, appointed by 
 the highest authority, and calculated to serve the interests of 
 rehgion in no small degree, and dwindled uito painful and 
 disg'usting ceremonies, as they are usually administered, to 
 serbus and enlightened minds. Besides, is it to be supposed, 
 that the whole of a Bishops business is to ordain ministers 
 and hold confirmations, to spend their time in secular ea- 
 gasrements, and to attend their place in the House of Lords ^ 
 Is it for thest: purposes solt^ly they are each of them paid by 
 the pubhc from two to twenty thousand pounds a year ? 
 " Good, ray brother, 
 
 Do not, as some ungracious pastors do ; 
 
 Shew me the steep and thorny way to heaven, 
 
 \Vhil5t, like a careless libertine, 
 
 Himself the primrose patii of dalliance treads." 
 
 Can we, or ought we to be surprised^ that many of our 
 worthy countrymen should be drawn aside into tlie paths of 
 Injiddity, when it is considered what is the general conduct 
 of our spiritual Superiors, and how the above sacred ordi- 
 nances are frequently administered.? Is it possible the Scrip- 
 tures should be true, and our secular and luke-warm, our 
 
 Conjiniiaiion, and used even- mean in his power to encourage and 
 excite candidates for Ordination to come with due qualifications. He 
 complains, however, in the most aft'ecting terms, of the low state in 
 whicii thev usually appeared before hun. See the Pre/ace to his 
 Pa.it oral Care; the third edition. The state of things is not much 
 improved since that great Prelates day. We have at this time, 
 indeed, a very considerable number of men in the Establishment, of 
 the utmost lespectabihty both for learning, piety, and diligence in 
 l^ir calling; but, when we consider that the Clergy of this country-, 
 independent of Scotland and Ireland, are supposed to make as before 
 noted, a body of 18,000 men, the number of truly moral, religious, 
 and diligent characters, is, comparatively, small. Tliis is one main 
 reason of tlie prodigious increase of Methodism ; and for the same 
 reason Injideliti/ is at this moment running like wild-fire among the 
 great body of the connnon people. There never was a time when 
 there was a greater need of zeal, and humility, and condescension, 
 and piety, and diligence, and attention to the grand peculiarities of 
 the Gospel in our Bishops and Clergy, than ui the present day. If 
 we, as a great body of men paid by^the State for the purpose, rouse 
 not speedily from our supuie condition, and come boldly and uian- 
 fallv tbnvaid — not in a fiery persecuting spirit, but in the spirit of 
 our'DiviNE Master— we" shall neither have churches to preach in, 
 nor people to preach to. Let the Bishops and Clergy of England 
 look at their brethren iu France — and arise — set out on a new plan 
 — QX be for ever fallen ! 
 
83 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 negligent and iinpreaching Bishops be in favour with the 
 Divine Blcing? If they are in safety for a future state, 
 surely religion must have changed its nature. Their episcopal 
 conduct is the reverse of St. Paul's injunctions to Timothy, 
 and the Bishops of the churches of Asia ; to give themselves 
 wholly to the work of the ministri/, and to take heed to all the 
 jiock, over icliich the Holy Ghost hath made them overseers; 
 to Jeed the church of God, zehich he hath purchased Ziith his 
 own blood. The Lord of the invisible world bath said, and 
 he who hath the keys of death and of liell hath said : Strive 
 to enter into the strait gate, for many shall seek to enter in 
 and shall not be able: Wide is the gate atid broad is the rcay 
 that leadeth to destruction, and many there be zehich go in 
 thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrozo is the icay, 
 zehich leadeth unto life, and feie there be that find it. If 
 commands and declarations like these are true, then woe ! 
 woe! woe! to the Bishops of England! May we not say of 
 them, with too general an application, but with some few 
 iionourable exceptions indeed, as good old Bishop Latimer 
 si^iid of his most reverend and right reverend brethren in his 
 day : — " There is a gap in Hell, as wide as from Calais to 
 Dover, and it is all filled with unpreaching Prelates*!" 
 
 * Latimer's nordsare: — '• O that a man might have the con- 
 templation of iiell, that the devil would allow a man to look into 
 hell, to see the estate of it: — if one were admitted to view hell thus, 
 and beholding it thoroughly, the deviJ should say: On yonder side are 
 pmiished nnpreuchi7ig prelates ; I think a man should see as far as a 
 kenning, and perceive nothing but unpreaching prelates; he might 
 loot as far as Calais, I warrant you." — Sermon 8, vol. i. p. 155. 
 Lond. 171)1. 
 
 I will mention another anecdote to the same purpose: — A learned 
 Friar in Italy, famous for his learning and preaching, was com- 
 manded to {)reach before the Pope at a year of .Jnhilet: and to be 
 the better furnished, he repaired thither a good while before to Romt, 
 to see the fashion of the Conclave, to accomodate his sermon the 
 better. Wiien the day came he was to preach, having ended his 
 pfayer, he, looking a long time about, at last cried with a loud voice 
 three tunes — St. Peter was a Fool! — St. Peter was a Fool ! 
 —St. Peter w as a Fool! — Which words ended, he came out of 
 the pulpit. Being afterwards convented before the PoPE, and asked 
 why lie so carried himself? He aviswered, Surely, Holy Father, if a 
 priest raay go to heaven uboundmg in wealth, honour and preferment, 
 and liv^^ at ease, never or seldom to preach, then surely St. Peter 
 WAS A iFool, who took such a hard way in travelling, in fasting, in 
 preachiii ?, to go thither. — ^AVhiston's MemQirs of liis own Lile, 
 p.36'2. " 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 89 
 
 Let not tlie reader suppose that I have any prejudice against 
 a Bhhop or a Ckrgi/man, as such. There are some whose 
 learning, pi-tv, dili-zence, zeal, and talents, I prodigiously ad- 
 mire; and f myself am of the clerical order by the most consci- 
 entious choice*; but I cannot prevail upon myself to call things 
 bv wrong names, and to give tiattering titles where it is plain 
 
 Most of our Enfrlish Bishops are, at tJiis day, in a very strong 
 sense, tnipreaching Prelates. The Bishop of London, however, and 
 some few more, are exceptions to this general rule. If the present 
 times, and tlie awful predicament in which every Clergyman now 
 stands, w ill not rouse us to a sense of danger, and a greater degree of 
 zeal and diligence in our calling, we sliall richly deserve our ap- 
 proaching, inij)ending, hievitable fate, unless prevented by a speedy 
 and effectual return to evangelical prhiciples, and practices. The 
 Gospel is either true or it is false. If it be folse, let us cast off the 
 mask, and appear in our true colours. If it be true, let us conduct 
 ourselves as though we believed it to be so; and leave no stone un- 
 turned, no means untried, to promote its spread, and influence among 
 the world in general, and among the people committed to our care 
 in particular. 
 
 * How , it may be asked, can this declaration be reconciled w ith 
 the result as contained in the second Appendix ? Were we at liberty 
 to consider the expression " clerical ovder," as referring to the minis- 
 terial office at large, uncontined to the particular denomination of 
 the Church of England, the solution would not be difficult, since the 
 Author himself, who w as not of the Daubenian school^ in that Appen- 
 dix has made the obvious distinction between being a Minister of the 
 gospel in, and out of, the establishment : for after having declared 
 that he did not see how he could, " either in honour or conscience 
 continue to officiate any longer as a Minister of the Gospel, in the 
 establishment," he afterwards declares, " I think it necessary to 
 say, that the doctrines I have preaclied for six and tweni^r" years, I 
 still consider as the truths of God. — I mean to preach the same 
 doctrines, the Lord being my helper, during the whole remamder 
 of my life, w heresoever my lot may be cast." Yet it must be ad- 
 mitted that the w ord " clerical," either in its strict and accepted use, 
 or in the j>resent connection, will scarcely bear this construction. 
 We must therefore suppose, that w hen this sentence was written in 
 the tirst edition, the Author's scru les had not then o|ierated so pow- 
 erfully as to lead him to the conclusion of renouncing his clerical 
 character; and that when h - revised this in the second edition, which 
 is know n to have been a considerable time before he wrote the appen- 
 dix, either he overlooked it, which as his mind was so occujjied w ith 
 the subject is not improbable, or he then continued, on the whole, of 
 the same sentiment, which was only altered by the gradual proce-ss of 
 mature retlection, aided bv firm integrity, and a sense of the pro- 
 priety of a consistency of conduct; and this best accords with the 
 view with which the second Appendix begins. — EDITOR. 
 
 N 
 
90 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 they are not deserved. Gravely and seriously speaking then, I 
 do conceive, that the number of clerical characters, who will 
 be received with approbation by the Shepherd and Bishop 
 of souls, in the great day of final retribution, will be small, 
 comparatively speaking, extremely small. 
 
 I am sure appearances at present are against us. And I con- 
 ceive all this is strongly implied in our Saviour's very solemn 
 discourse to the Bishops and Clergy among the Jews in the 
 twenty-third of St. Mathcw, just before he left our world. In 
 short : — 
 
 The Clergy of every country in Christendom have been, 
 at the same time, the bane and the hulzcark of religion: the 
 bane, by their pride, misconduct, superstition, negligence, and 
 spiritual domination; and the bulwark, by their piety, excellent 
 learning, and admirable defences of the doctrines of religion, or 
 the outworks of Christianity. 
 
 The fact is, the Popish clergy have preached and written so 
 much in defence of the tripal tyj-ant. and the superstitions of their 
 religion, that scepticism and injidelity almost universally prevail 
 among ihuiking men of that denomination. The more eagerly 
 the Clergif contend, the more mischief they do to their cause; 
 for really the things for which they contend are not defensible. 
 
 "We, of the English establishment, too, have so long boasted 
 of the excellence of our church : congratulated ourselves so 
 frequently upon our happy condition ; paid ourselves so 
 many faie compliments upon the unparalleled purity of our 
 hierarchy ; that a stranger would be led to conclude, to be 
 sure we must be the holiest, happiest, and most flourishing 
 church upon the fate of the earth : Whereas, when you go 
 into our most stately and magnificent cathedrals and other 
 sacrtd edifices, you find them almost empty and forsaken. 
 At best ail is deadness and luke-warmness both with priest 
 and people*. In various instances, there is little more appear- 
 
 * Bishop Burnet says, " I have lamented, during my whole life, 
 that I saw so little true zeal among our Clergy. I saw much of it in 
 the Clergii of tiie Church oi Rome, though it is both ill directed and ill 
 conducted. I saw much zeal likewise throughout i\\&foreign churches. 
 The Dissenters have a great deal among them: but I must own, that 
 the main body of our Clergy Las alw ays appeared dead and lifeless 
 to me; and, instead of animatuig one another, they seem rather to lay 
 one another asleep." — Conclusion of the History of his Own Times. 
 
 Let any discerning man take a candid, yet impartial survey of 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. gl 
 
 ance of devotion than in a Jen's synagogue. Go where you 
 will through the kingdom, one or the other of these is very 
 generally the case, except where the officiating Clergyman is 
 strictly moral in his conduct, serious, earnest and lively in his 
 manner, and erangelical in his doctrines. Where this, how- 
 ever, happens to be so, the stigma of Mtthodism is almost 
 universally affixed to his cliaracter, and his name is had 
 for a proverb of reproach, in proportion to his zeal and useful- 
 ness, by the sceptics and injideh all around, in which they are 
 frequently joined by iherich, the fashionable, and the goj/, with 
 the Bishop and Clergy at their head. How many such, 
 " For their bellies sake, 
 
 Creep, and intrude, and climb into the fold? 
 
 Of other care they little reck'ning make, 
 
 Than how to scramble at the shearer's feast. 
 
 And shove away the wortliy bidden guest: 
 
 Blind mouths! that scarce themselves know how to hold 
 
 A sheep-hook, or have learn'd aught else the least 
 
 That to the faithful herdsman's art belongs! 
 
 Wiiat recks it them \ What need they J They are sped ; 
 
 And when the\ list, their lean and flashy songs 
 
 Grate on their scrannal pipes of wretched straw. 
 
 the Clergy, for a circuit of sixty miles round his own neighbourhood, 
 and then let him say, whether the matter is mended since the time 
 in which this good Bishop wrote these words. Let him attend the 
 dissenting ordinations, and clerical meetings; the Methodist confer- 
 ences, and district meetings; let him next proceed to our church 
 confirmations, ordinations, and visitations ; and then let him say, on 
 which side is to be found the greatest appearance of evangelical reli- 
 gion. Be it as it may with others, it is well known that our Confir- 
 mations, are frequently a burlesque, our Ordinations disorderly, and 
 our Visitations riotous and intemperate. These are melancholy 
 facts. The Parson and his Wardens must have a good soaking to- 
 gether once a year at least. 
 
 I obserAe, too, that for a circuit of many miles round our two 
 English universities, a greater degree of ignorance and stupidity 
 pre\ ail among the common people than in most other parts of the 
 country. This is a strange circumstance, but easily accounted fur 
 irom the improper conduct of abundance of the Clergy and Gentle- 
 men of those two seminaries of learning. 
 
 It holds equally true, that, all through the kingdom, wherever 
 there is a Cathedral and a greater number of Parsons than ordinai-v, 
 Hiere is usually the least appearance of real religion among the peo- 
 ple. The general lukewarmness of the Clergy is a curse to every 
 neighbourhood where they abound! It is the same in Catholic coun- 
 tries, and must be so, hi the nature of tilings, through every country, . 
 unless we live in the spirit of the Gospel. 
 
 N a 
 
93 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 The hungry sheep look up, and are not fed, 
 
 But s\\oirn with wind, and the rank mist they draw. 
 
 Rot inwardly, and foul contagion spread: 
 
 Besides what the grim wolf with privy paw 
 
 Daily devours apace ; and nothing said. 
 
 But that two-handed engine at the door, 
 
 Stands ready to smite once, and smite no more.'' 
 
 These words of Milton are certainly severe, but yet not 
 more so than the occasion deserves. If they were applicable 
 in his day, it is to be feared they are not less so in the present. 
 As a body, w'e are of all men in England the most inexcuse- 
 able. The great mass of the people are going headlong to the 
 devil in their sins; the nation, because of its transgressions, ia 
 absolutely verging towards destruction ; and yet a vast majority 
 of the 18,000 Parsons are insensible, both of the temporal and 
 eternal danger, to which we^ our people, and our country are 
 exposed. If this censure seem intemperate, let any man prove 
 that it is not just. I sincerely wish it were wholly undeserved, 
 I know some goodj useful, laborious, and honourable men, 
 among the Clergy; men, the latchet of zohose shoes I am not 
 "isorthy to unloose ; but I know also there is a very considerable 
 number, who are — what shall I say? — Tell it not in Gath, 
 publish it not in the streets of Asktlon; lest the sons of I)ifi- 
 deliti/ rejoice; lest the disciples of Thomas Paine triumph 
 — they are exactly like the Parsons described by the Prophet^ 
 a little before the destruction of Jerusalem. His watchmen 
 are blind: they are all ignorant ; they are all dumb dogs, they 
 cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, 
 they are greedy dogs, zihich can never have enough; and they 
 are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their 
 onn zc-ay, every one for his gain from his quarter. Come ye, 
 say they, I ze.i,ll fetch nine, and we will fill ourselves tfith 
 strong drink ; and to-morrow shall be as this day, and much 
 more abundant. 
 
 I have no pleasure, I say again, in exposing the nakedness of 
 the established religion of my country, or in exciting agamst 
 myself the indignation of my clerical brethren ; but the times 
 are alarming; the great Head of the church is evidently dis- 
 pleased with us ; and there is now no mincing the matter any 
 longer. We ought to examine the ground upon which we 
 stand. If it be in any respect found untenable, we should 
 chan<^e our measu:es, follow the determinations of Heaven ; 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 93 
 
 and by complying uith its hi^h behests, put ourselves under the 
 guardian care of God. If without looking forward, ur giving 
 ourselves any concern what is right or what is wrong, we are 
 determined to defend, through thick and thin, whatever in for- 
 mer acres has received the sanction of law, and, in cur own day, 
 .the force of custom, we must take the consequences. W shall, 
 most assuredly, in due time, share in the general wreck of the 
 nations. I have no more doubt of this, than 1 have of the au- 
 thority of the Sacred irritings. 
 
 The animosity and uucharitableucss, which have evermore 
 prevailed among the different denominations of Christ/a;]^, is 
 another cause of the growing Infideiiti/ of the present age. 
 It is not said now, as in the days ot old, " See lunv these 
 C/iristians love one another:" — but — " See how these C/iris- 
 tians hate one another." Catholics damn Prx)tcstanls, and 
 Frotestafits revile Catholics*. One sect of Protcsfaiits 
 
 " \Miat a hitrriljle curse has Puptry been to Chrhtindo n in puint 
 of population! Frauve alone, we have seen, beiore the Rt'olution, 
 contained upwards of J00,OOU secular and regular Clergy, besides an 
 iiinnensc uuniber of ?\nns. Tins vast body of males and tln-iales weie 
 all enjoined, by the laws of the church, to contuuie in a state of ce- 
 libacy. In the w hole of Christendom there were no less tlnm 'i2a,444 
 monasteries about a century atro. How much greater the number 
 before the Reformation? Now, reckon only twenty persons to one 
 uKfUasteiT, there must be, iii these several siiiks of sin and pt)Uution 
 (see Gavins Master Key to Popery) upwards of 4,5G0,()0O souls 
 debarred from all the comtorts of the married state, and living in 
 direct opposition to the great law of nature— //uvtca^ and ^luUiply. 
 Hasten the completion of the ICOO years, O God! which thou Iiast 
 determined for the reign of the Man of Sin; and whatever it may 
 cosf us, let us see his destruction witii our own eyes; so will we praise 
 thy name, and shout, HuUelujtdi! }J(dIeh:jah ! Babylon is J cuhn ! 
 is fallen! with concordant hearts and voices! 
 
 When \\'lLLTAM the Conqueror came over into England, he 
 found about a third j)art of fhe lands in the possession of the Clirzy. 
 
 Upwards of three thousand one hundred and eighty religious 
 houses were suppressed by Henhy Vill. and his jnedecessors. 
 
 It is computed that tifty thousand |iersons w ere contained in these 
 several religious houses. 
 
 In some respects theie religious institutions were useful, in othei-s 
 extreniely pernicious. 
 
 Such a number of persons, living in a state of celibacy, when the 
 country did not contain more than three or four millions of uiliabi- 
 tants, if so many, must have had a most pernicious eiicct upon its 
 population. 
 
 The 5<iin total of tiie clear vearlv revenue of tiie several religious 
 
94 A PLEA FOR RELIGIOxV 
 
 anathematizes- another sect; every one holding forth the 
 peculiar doctrines of their own party as the truths of God, in 
 
 houses, at the time of their dissolution, of which we have any account, 
 seems to have been, 140,7851. 6"s. aid. And as the value of money 
 is now seren or eight times what it was in the days of Henry VIII. 
 we cannot reckon the whole at less than a million sterling a year. 
 
 Besides this, there were many other religious foundations dis- 
 solved, of which we have no account. The plate and goods of dif- 
 ferent kinds, which came into the hands of the king at the same time, 
 were of immense value. 
 
 A good general view of all these matters may be seen in an ex- 
 tract from Bishop Tanner's Notitia Monastka, in JMr. Justice 
 Burn's Ecclesiastical Laic, under the article Monasteries [ * ]. 
 
 [ * ] It cannot fail of being entertaining to the reader to be pre- 
 sented with the preamble of the statute for the dissolution of the 
 smaller 3Ionasteries, Q7 Hen. VIII. c. 28, as extracted from the 
 Parliament Roll, by Mr. Gwillym, (vide his Treatise on Tithes, 
 p. 23.) especially as it is not usually printed in our statute books. 
 
 " Forasmuch as manifest syune, vicious, carnal and abominable 
 living, is davly used and conmiitted, commonly in such little and 
 small abhei/s, priories, and other religious houses of monks, canons, 
 and nuns, where the congregations of such religious persons are un- 
 der the ninnber ef twelve persons, wliereby the governors of such re- 
 ligious houses and their convent, spoyle, destroye, consume, and utterly 
 waste, as well their churches, monasteries, priories, principal houses, 
 farms, granges, lands, tenements and hereditaments, as the orna- 
 ments of their churches, and their goods and chattels, to the high 
 displeasure of Almighty God, slander of good religion, and to 
 the great infaniv of the king's highness and the realm, if redress 
 should not be had thereof. And albeit that many continual visita- 
 tions have been heretofore had, by the space of two hundred years 
 and more, for an honest and creditable reformation of such unthrifty, 
 carnal, and abominable living, yet neverthelesse little or none amend- 
 ment is hitherto had, but their vicious living shamefully increaseth 
 and augmenteth, and by a cursed custom so rooted and infected, 
 that a great multitude of the religious persons iu'such small houses, 
 do rather choose to rove abroad in apostacy, than to conform them- 
 selves to the observation of good religion ; so that without such small 
 houses be utterly suppressed, and the religious persons therein, com- 
 uiifted to great and honourable monasteries of religion in this realm, 
 where they may be compelled to live religiously, for reformation of 
 their lives, the same else be no redress nor reformation in that behalf. 
 In consideration whereof, the king's most royal majesty, being su- 
 preme head on earth, under God, of tlie church of England, dayly 
 studvirig and devvsing the increase, advancement, and exaltation of 
 true doctrine and virtue in the said church, to the only glory and 
 honour of GoD, and the total extirping and destruction of vice and 
 sin, having knowledge that the premisses be true, as well by Xha 
 accompts of his late visitations, as by sundry credible informations, 
 considering also that diverse and great solemn monasteries of thii 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 93 
 
 opposition to the peculiar doctrines of those who differ from 
 them. It is needless to specify particulars. We have all 
 been to blame. Instead of turning our zeal against the immo- 
 ralities of the age, we have frequently turned it against men, 
 who, in ev^ry moral and religious point of view, were, per- 
 haps better than ourselves. A spirit of infallibility, in a 
 greater or less degree, pervades all parties. In this unchris- 
 tian strife, the pure spirit of the Gospel has been banished 
 from the great bodies of professors, and has taken up its abode 
 among a few solitary individuals, dispersed through the seve- 
 ral churches of Christendom. Men of discernment, seeing 
 this to be the state of things through a/l denominations, arc 
 led to suppose that there is no truth among an^ of them. 
 The fact, however, .is directly the contrary. They have all 
 gotten the saving truth, if they would hold it but in piety, charity, 
 and righteousness. They all believe in the Saviour of the 
 world. Let them only observe the moral and religious pre- 
 cepts of his Gospel, and I do not see what more is necessary 
 to entitle them to our Christian regards. They may not 
 come up to ihe. full orthodox belief of the Gospel; but they 
 are such characters as our Saviour himself would not have 
 treated with severitv. And until religion is reduced to the 
 
 realm, wherein (thanks to GoD) relii^ion is right well kept and ob- 
 served, be destitute of such full nuniber of religious persons, as they 
 ought and may keep, hath thought good, that a plain declaration 
 should be made of the premisses, as well to the lords spiritual and 
 temporal, as to other liis loving subjects, the conunons in this pre- 
 sent Parliament assembled : whereupon the said lords and coinnious, 
 i)y a great deliberation, finally be resolved, that it is, and shall be 
 much more to the pleasure of Almighty God, and for the honour 
 of this his realm, that the possessions of such small religious houses, 
 now being spent, spoiled, and wasted for increase and maintenance 
 of sin, should be used, and committed to hettrr uses : and tiie un- 
 thrifty religious persons, so spending the same, to be compelled to 
 reform their lives: And thereupon most humbly desire tJje king's 
 highness that it may be enacted, 6:c." 
 
 It is singular that so very religious a prince, could in so short a, 
 lime after this, consent to the total suppression of all those " great, 
 honourable, and solemn monasteries, wherein (thanks to God; 
 religion was so right well obsened." With so nmch pure and dis- 
 interested zeal for true religion, and so little regard to his own 
 interest, how can we account for this conduct .' ^^'hy, it seems, all 
 these monasteries, weary of their existence, humbly implored their 
 own destruction, and IIexry, poor man, what alternative had lie, 
 but to consent that it should be ;'s they required.— Editor. 
 
0(5 A PLC A FOR RELICJION 
 
 simple form in whic'i he left it, there never will be an end to 
 the bickerings and uncharitablcness of party, uad h/Jidt/ity will 
 of course prevail. 
 
 The general wickedness and immoral condnct of Chrhtinn^ 
 so called, is anotiicr grand cause of Injidclif)/. For let men 
 profess what they will, they never can peisnudo any thinking 
 person they believe their own principles, while they are seen to 
 transgress every rule of mural and religious obligation, and, in 
 various of their transactions between man and man, conducting 
 themselves in a manner of whkh abimdaiice of the IhatluUy 
 both ancient and modern, would be ashamed. 
 
 All these circumstances, with others of a similar kind, are 
 the causes why so many persons arc now found, who reject the 
 divine mission of Jf.sus Christ*. 
 
 But, MY Countrymen, can we justly argue from the 
 a buac to ilie disuse'^ Is .Jf.sus the most moral and divine of 
 characters, an impostor, because many of his ministers and 
 servants have proved unfaithful and treacherous? Were the 
 other e\evei1 jdposth'S all knaves and rascals, because Judas 
 was a traitor? Are the eternal truths of tlic Gospcf to be ex- 
 ploded, because men have been presumptuous enough to 
 adulterate them with the profane mixtures of human ordi- 
 nances -j-? Or doth oiir obstinacy alter the nature of evi- 
 dence and render the situation of Unhelicvers more securer 
 The course of things is Used and unchangeable. The sun will 
 shine, the tire will burn, water will drown, the wind will blow, 
 ' lime will lly, the tides will iiow_, UKUigrc all the scepticism of 
 Fhilosophcrs. ' 
 
 * Sir Isaac Newton is reported to have said, tiiat InfideHtif 
 will overrun Europe, before the nulleunial reign of Christ com- 
 mences. The conuptions of religion in all tlie Chrislian EsiahUsh- 
 mcnts cannot easily be pureed away in any other manner. They 
 must be subverled by violence and blood. There is much reason 
 to fear it will be impnssiblo to remove them in any other way. See 
 Whiston's Esyaii oiiihf Reidalion oi St. John, p. 321, e.iit. 1744. 
 Dr. Hartley also seeuis to liave been of the same opiinon re- 
 spectiiig the spread of Infiddity as Sir Isaac, in his Observations 
 on Mun, Fart ii. sect. 81*. 
 
 t " Wiio that ever really professed the Chrisiian religion, from 
 the times of t/ie apostles to the jiresent ntomerit, ever considered it 
 as a human estajjiishnuut, the work' of particular men or nations, sub- 
 ject to decline with their chunk's, or h\ perish with Ihoir falls]" — 
 Lrskine, p 5 'J. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 97 
 
 The moral relations of things are not less invariable ; and 
 our being inconsiderate enough to deny those relations, and 
 the obligations that arise from them, will neither destroy 
 them, nor render our situation more secure. My being so 
 foolish as to reject tlie existence of God, and so infatuated as 
 to appose there is no Redeemer, no Sanctifier, no 
 Heaven, no Ihll, no Devil, no Soul, nt» ylngel, ho Spirit, 
 and that the Bible is all a grievous imposition upon mankind, 
 doth not prove, either that there is no God, or that t^iere is 
 no reality in the representations made by the Gospel*. Every 
 man must allow, I tliink, that it is possible for the Al- 
 mighty to reveal his will to the world, if he thinks proper 
 so to do. It will be further granted, I suppose, that some re- 
 velation seems desirable to allay the fears, and confirm the hopes 
 of men. If then it ever should be made, what stronger 
 evidence could be produced of its coming from God, than 
 
 * If the various opinions, sects and parties, which prevail among 
 Cliristians are considered by Unbelievers as an objection to the Gospel 
 itself ; let them call to mind, that there is not a smaller number of 
 contradictory opinions prevalent among those who reject Christianity. 
 This may be seen with strong conviction in Stanley's History of 
 Philosophy, and in the Posthumous J Vorks of the late King of Prussia, 
 — The author of the Connoisseur hath thrown together a few of the 
 Unbelin'tr's tenets, under the contradictory title of 
 THE UNBELIEVERS CREED. 
 
 " I believe that there is no Gad, but tliat matter is God, and 
 God is matter ; and that it is no matter whether there is any God 
 or not. 1 believe also, that titt world was not made ; that the world 
 made itself; that it had no beginning ; that it will last for ever, 
 world without end. 
 
 ■*' I believe that a Hia» is a beast, that the soul is the body, and 
 the body is the *oul; and that after death there is neither body nor 
 
 S<^)Ul. 
 
 " I believe there is no religion ; that natural religion is the only 
 religion; and that all religion is unnatural. I believe not in 
 Mo3£s; I believe in the first philosophy: I believe not in the 
 Evangelists; I believe in Chubb, CoLLiNS, Toland, Tindal, 
 Morgan, Mandeville, Wooloston, Hobbes, Shaftes- 
 bury; I believe in Lord Bolingbroke; I believe not in St. 
 Paul. 
 
 " I believe not in revelation ; I believe in tradition ; I believe in 
 the Talmud; I believe in the Alcoran; I believe not in the B,ble ; 
 I believe in Socrates; I believe in Confucius; I believe in 
 Sanconiathon; I believe in Mahomet; I believe not in 
 Christ. 
 
 " Lastlv, I believe in all unbelief." 
 
98 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 that with M'hich the present Sacred Writings are attended ? 
 The very errors of professors, and the corrupt state of religion 
 in every Christian country, are the literal accomplishment of se- 
 veral prophecies, and, of course^ so far are they from being any 
 just objection to the Oospel, that they are a strong proof of the 
 Divine Mission of its great Author. 
 
 But could it even be solidly evinced, that Jesus was an 
 impostor, that the Virgin Mary was a bad woman, that the 
 Scriptures are false, and that the scheme of redemption 
 therein contained is all a cunningly devised fable of thes^ 
 arch-deceivers, the Priests ; yet still it is found true in fact, that 
 si lively Believer m Christ Jesus, who hath done justly, 
 loved mercy, and rcalked humbly with his God, is much 
 happier than the most accomplished Infidel that ever existed, 
 both in life, and at the approach of death. Turn back your 
 attention to that complete man of the world, Earl Chester- 
 field: in him you see a finished character, all that rank, 
 honour, riches, learning, philosophy can make us. But was he 
 happy ? Read his own account, and be confounded. And 
 are you more at rest in your spirit? What is your life? — 
 You eat, and drink, and sleep, and dress, and dance, and 
 sit down to play. You walk, ride, or are carried abroad. 
 You labour, toil, transact business. You attend the masque- 
 rade, the theatre, the opera, the park, the levee, the draw- 
 ing-room, the card-table, the assembly, the ball, the club, 
 the tavern. In what manner do you spend your time at any 
 of these places ? Why sometimes you talk ; make your obser- 
 vations; look one upon another; dance, play, trifle like the 
 rest of the triflers there. And what are you to do again to- 
 morrow ? The next day ? The next week ? The next year .? 
 — You are to eat, and drink, and sleep, and labour, and 
 dance, and transact - business, and dress, and play, engage 
 in small talk, walk, ride, and be carried abroad again*. 
 
 * The man of fashion is well described by a late poet in the 
 following humourous manner: 
 
 " What is a modem Man af fashion? 
 A man of taste and dissipation : 
 A busy man without employment, 
 A happy man without enjoyment. 
 Who squanders all his time and treasures. 
 On empty joys and tasteless pleasures; 
 Visits, attendance, and attention, 
 ,\nd courtly aits too low to meution. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 99 
 
 And is this all? Was it for this immortal faculties were be- 
 stowed upon us ? Miserable round of secular pursuits, and 
 empty dissipation ! If faith in the Bible be a deception, it 
 hath at least the merit of being a comfortable and beneficial 
 one. It rescues us from this pitiful way of spending our time 
 and money ; it enables us to abound in zt'orks of faith and 
 labours of lovt ; it excites us to live, in some degree,, worthy 
 of our high-raised expectations, and prepares us to die with 
 a hope full of immortality. We quit the stage of life without 
 a sigh or a tear, and we go wind and tide into the haven of ever- 
 lasting rest*. 
 
 In sleep, and dress, and sport, and play, 
 He throws his worthless life away ; 
 Has no opinion of his own. 
 But takes from leading Beaux the ton; 
 With a disdainful smile or frown 
 He on the rif-raf crowd looks down: 
 The world polite, his friends and he. 
 And all the rest, are Nobody ! 
 
 Taught by the Great his smiles to sell. 
 And how to write and how to spell ; 
 The Great his oracles he makes. 
 Copies their vices and mistakes ; 
 Custom pursues, his only rule. 
 And lives an ape, and dies zfool!" 
 
 * Not many men ever trifled more agreeably, and at the same 
 time more perniciously, than Lawrence Sterne, the author of 
 Tristram Shandy. Among the various b.autiful and pathetic pas- 
 sages which occur in his volumes, he administers }>oison in a mamier 
 the most imperceptible and bewitchmg. Few writers ever more cor- 
 rupted tlie public taste. He was a man of considerable, but i>eculiar 
 talents, making great pretensions to sympathy, wit, and benevolence, 
 but with a heart in no small degree depraved. And as he had lived 
 with the reputation of a wit, he was determined to die as such, even 
 tliough he should sacritice every api)*arance of Christian piety and 
 decorum. Accordingly, when this clerical buffoon came to be in dy- 
 ing circumstances ; perceiving death to make his advances upwards, 
 raising liimself and sitting up, he is said, either in a real or pretended 
 rage, to have sworn at the sly assassin, that he should not kill liimyet. 
 
 This remarkable circumstance, tliough not mentioned in his life, 
 is, I believe, strictly true. It is only observed in general in the 
 account prefixed to his works, that " Mr. Sterne died as he lived, 
 the same indiiFerent, careless creature ; as, a day or two before, he 
 seemed not in the least affected with his approaching dissolution." 
 
 This briugs to mind the case of another unhappy man who was a 
 professed Atheist. Dr. Barraby, an emuient physician in London, 
 was intimately acquainted wi^^ him : hisuamewas .» Str — T, Esq, 
 
 o 2 
 
100 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 " Wkh us no melancholy void. 
 
 No period lingers uneuiploy'd. 
 Or uniraprov'd below; 
 
 Our weariness of life is gone. 
 
 Who live to serve our God alone, 
 And only him to know." 
 No raan, however, can prove the falsehood of that hiesti- 
 mable Book. Difficulties, many and considerable, we know 
 it contaii.s. ^^ e are not disposed to conceal them. It Mould 
 be very surprising if a book so circumstanced did not*. But 
 its foundation is built upon the pillais c^ everlasting truth. 
 Conscientious Unhelievers should examine those difficulties 
 with calmness and patience. The whole collective evidence 
 of the Gospel is very considerable, and requires time and 
 application t- It is expected that they attend to the consistency, 
 
 After some time, he was seized with a violent fever, and sent for the 
 Doctor; who came, and prescribed several medicines, but none of 
 them took effect. At length he told him plainly, " Sir,. I know no- 
 thing more that can be done ; you must die." Upon this, he clenched 
 his fists, gnashed his teeth, and said with the utmost f\xry, " GoBf 
 God! I won't die!'' and immediately expired. 
 
 * " It would be a miracle greater than any ^ye are instructed to 
 believe, if there were no difficulties in the Sacred Writings; if a be- 
 ing with but tive scaaty inlets of knowledge, separated but yesterday 
 from his mother earth, and to-day sjnkhig again into her bosom, could 
 fathom the depths of the wisdom and knowledge of the Lord God 
 Almighty."^ 
 
 All arts and sciences al>ound w ith difficulties, and a perfect know- 
 ledge of them is not to be attained without considerable labour and 
 application ; why then should we expect that Theology, the first of 
 sciences, and that to wbich all others ought to be subser^•icnt, should 
 be without it* abstrusities, and capable of being understood without 
 labour and appfication of mind ] Nay, even that practical religion, 
 which is required of the humblest followers of the Redeemer, re- 
 quires a high degree of attention. Agonize to enter in at the strait 
 gate, is the command of the Son of God. And did ever any labour 
 more in the cause of Nirtue than Christ and his Apostles? 
 
 t There are four grand arguments for the truth of the Bible. The 
 first is the miracles it records, 2. The precedes. 3. The goodness 
 of the doctrine. 4. The 7noral character of the penmen. 
 
 The miracles flow from Divine power; the prophecies, from 
 Divine understanding; the excellence of the doctrine, from Divine 
 goodness ; and the moral character of the penmen, frooi Divine 
 purity. 
 
 Thus Christianiti/ is built upon these four immoveable pillars, the 
 yoM'fr, the understanding, the goodness, and \\\e purity of God. 
 
 I add further; 
 
 The Bible must be the mvention, either of good men or angels, 
 bad men or devils, or of God. 
 
AND THE SAGRED WRITINGS. 101 
 
 harmony, and connection of all its various parts; the long 
 chain of prophecies undeniably completed in it; the asto- 
 nishing and well attested miracles uhich attend it ; the perfect 
 sanctity of its Author; the purity of its precepts; the subli- 
 mity of its doctrines ; the amazing rapidity of its progress ; 
 the illustrious company of confessors, saints, and martyrs, 
 who died to confirm its truth ; the testimony of its enemies ; 
 together with an infinite number of collateral proofs and sub- 
 ordinate circumstances, all concurring to form such a body 
 of evidence, as no other truth in the world can shew; such 
 as must necessarily bear down, by its own weight and mag- 
 nitude, all trivial objections to particular parts*. They 
 should consult the best books upon the subject, and call in 
 the assistance of learned and disinterested men, who have 
 made theological subjects their study. They should apply to 
 them as tluey would to a Lazc'i/er about an estate, or a Physi^ 
 cian about their health. And they should make the investi- 
 gation a matter of the most diligent enquiry f. Religion is 
 
 It could not be the invention of good men or angels, for they 
 neither would nor could make a book, and tell lies all the time they 
 were writing it, saying, 77/ m* saith the Lord, when it was their own 
 invention. 
 
 It could not be the invention of bad men or devils, for they 
 would not make a book, which commands all duty, forbids all sin, 
 and condemns their souls to hell to all eternity. 
 
 I therefore draw this conclusion. — ^The Bible must be given bv 
 Divine inspiration. 
 
 * See Bishop Porteus's Sermons, vol. i. p. 41, 42. 
 
 t Bishop \\".-4tson's Apology for Christianity, in answer to Air. 
 Gibbon; and Im Apology for the Bible, in answer to Thomas 
 Paine, before mentioned, are admirably well calculated to remove 
 a considerable number of difficulties attending the records of our 
 salvation. Bishop Horne's Letters on Infidelity are wisely suited 
 to the same purpose. But he that is able and willing to examine 
 thoroughly the grounds of his religion, should have recourse to Bishop 
 Butler's Analogy of Religion, natural and revealed, to the Consti- 
 tution and Course ^ Nature : a work well adapted to give satisfaction 
 to enquiring minds, upon the most important of all subjects. Reli- 
 gion. I need not say, that Grotius on the Truth of Christianity, 
 is an excellent AY^/« work. Doddridge's three Sermons, on the 
 Eeidenoe of Christianity, seem better suited to the understandings 
 of common readers than almost any other. Lardner's Credibility; 
 MiCHAF.his's Introduction to the New Testament; and Paleys 
 Vieiv of the Evidences of Christianity, arc all works of high repu- 
 tation. Beattie's Evidence of the Christian Religion, is a valu- 
 able small work. Baxter on the Trttth of Christianity, is not to 
 
102 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 3 serious thing. It is either all or nothing. A few pert ob- 
 jections, started in mixed company, or hi a circle of friends 
 
 be answered. Ebwards on the Authority, Style, and Perfection of 
 Scripture, is very vahiable. Gildon's Deist's Manual — Kidder's 
 Demotistration of tkeMESsi AS — Stii.li'SGVL'EEt's Origines Sacr^e 
 — Hartley on the Truth of the Christian Religion — Bryant's 
 Treatise on the Authenticity of the Scriptures — Jortin's Discourse 
 concerning the Truth of ilte Christian Religion — Delan y's Revela- 
 tion examined with Candour — Paschal's Thoughts on Religion — 
 Young's Night Thoughts, and Centaur not Fabulous — Ditton on 
 the Resurrection — Cure of Deisin — Foster's Usefulness, Truth, and 
 JExcellency of the Christian Revelation — Clarke's Truth and 
 Certainty of the Christian Revelation — L ally's Principles of the 
 Christian Religion — Pale y's Ho7-<v PauUncB—- Bishop Squire's 
 Indifference for Religion Inexcusable — Locke's Reasonableness of 
 Christianity — Murray's Evidences of the Jewish and Christian 
 'Revelatio7is — Chandler's Plain Reasons for being a Christian — • 
 Addison ort the Truth of Christianity — Bishop Watson's Two 
 Sermons and Charge — Sykes's Essay upon the Truth of the Christian 
 Religion-AW AYiBV rton's Divine Legation of Moses-Dr.Gu'EGonY 
 Sharpe's Two Arguments in Defence of Christianity — Leslie's 
 Short Method ivith Jews and Deists — Bishop Berkley's Minute 
 Philosopher — Dr. R andolps's FiVjro/'o?/;' Saviour's Ministry — 
 ^/sAo/? Clayton's Vindication of the Histories of the Old and Neiv 
 Testament — Z>?'. Bell's Enquity into the Divine Missio7is of John 
 ihe Baptist and Jesus Christ — Lively Oracles, by the Author of 
 iheWhole Duty of Man — Boyle on the Style of the Holy Scripture 
 — Macktjight on the Gospel-actions as probable — West on the 
 Resurrection — Lorrf Lyttleton on the Conversion of St. Pavi. — 
 Le Pluche on the Truth of the Gospel — SociNus's Argument for 
 the Authority of Holy Scripture — Bishop CHA'SJih^R's Defence of 
 Christianity — Priestley's L^/f^rsfo a Philosophical Unbelievei — 
 Priestley's Evidence of Revealed Religion. — These are all works 
 of some reputation. Several of them are unanswerable, and all con- 
 tain more or l«ss matter upon the truth of the Scriptures, that is 
 useful and important. Many others have written upon the same 
 subject, but these I have had an opportunity of perusing, arid cau 
 recommend them every one, as containing much that is valuable. 
 There is, hou-ever, one very small work more, which I would take 
 the liberty of recommending to the common reader, because it is so 
 plain, satisfactoiy, and concise; and that is Dr. David Jenmng's 
 Appeal to Reason and Common Sense for the Truth of the Holy Scrip- 
 tures. For the compass of it, this is a ven>' satisfactory performance. 
 The whole is contained in two sermons of moderate length, and may 
 be obtained for a veiT trifling sum. To these may be added Lel and's 
 Deist ical Writers ; a work of high and desened reputation — Leslie's 
 Truth of Christianity Demonstrated— Bishop Taylor's iMoral 
 Demonstration that the Religion of Jesus Christ is from God. 
 Writings on these subjects of such universal importance are verj* 
 numerous, and, indeed, it is scarcely possible tliey can be too much 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 103 
 
 over the tolas', are indecent and despicable. Shameful herein 
 is the conduct of many vain babblers. They should be ex- 
 cluded society. When the ancient philosopher Anaxagoras 
 had expressed in one of his books a doubt concerning the 
 existence of God, the book was burnt by a public decree of 
 his fellow-citizens, and he himself banished his countr}-. 
 These were Heathens and Republicans. What would they 
 have said to the Pfiilosophisters of the present day ? No 
 person, we may venture to say, ever honestly examined 
 the u-hole of the evidence for the truth of the New Testa- 
 ment, who did not find it satisfactory. Indeed, the Gospel 
 itself is so pure *, that no decent man can reject it. Henoe 
 we find, it has ever been the custom of Unbelievers to attack 
 the corruptions of religion, which more or less prevail in 
 all cuuutries ; and, through the sides of those human ap- 
 pendages, to wound the cause of truth itself. These arts, 
 however, are inconsistent with honour, and no person of the 
 least integrity of mind can be capable of them. Modest 
 men too, who have not thoroughly examined the arguments 
 for and against Scripture, will be silent. If they cannot be- 
 lieve in Jesus, they will be extremely cautious upon what 
 
 so. It may be much questioned whether any objection whatever has 
 been made to the great truths of Religion aud the Sacred Writings. 
 which has ni>t been fairly and houestly answered in one or another of 
 the above autliors. But no writer has taken so much pains to state 
 and answer Objections to the Scriptures, as Mr. Stackhouse in 
 his yew History of the Holy Bible. If the serious Reader finds 
 himself pressed u itli dithculties, h? will do well to apply to tliat grtat 
 work, where he will find them exhibited at lengtli, with such answers 
 as are generally satisfactory. 
 
 To these it may be recommended to the serious reader to add 
 Knox's Christian Philosophy, where he will find the internal t\\- 
 deuce of Christianity iusisted on pretty much at length. The work, 
 however, does not appear to me altogether unexceptionable, thou2:h 
 highly valuable. He seems to set the external and internal evidences 
 of the Gospel too much in opposition one to the other. There is, 
 moreover, an asperity and superciliousness, on some occasions, in his 
 expressions, which ill become the subject on which he writes, and 
 which he very justly condemns in the I'dte Bishop Warbveto}^ and 
 others. The work, however, I trust, will do much good, by calling 
 the public attention to inward religion. 
 
 * The reader may see the purity of the Gospel drawn out at 
 length in New combe's Observations on oitr Lord's Conduct; 
 Hunter's Observations on the History o/" Jesus Christ; 4ud 
 Harwood's Life o/" Christ. 
 
104 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 ground they reject him. They will remember that Newton 
 examined the evidence of his divine mission, and was satis- 
 fied; that Locke examined, and died glorying in his salva- 
 tion. They will recollect that West, Jenyngs, Littleton, 
 and PRiNGLE, were all at one time Unbelievers; all under- 
 took, like wise men, to examine tlie grounds of their /«- 
 fidelity; were all convinced that they had teen danger- 
 ously mistaken ; all became converts to the religion of the 
 Son of God; and all died, declaring their belief in him, 
 and expectations from him. Thomas Paine, therefore, and 
 his humble followers, may abuse and misrepresent the facts 
 and doctrines contained in the Sacred Code, as Boling- 
 BROKE, and other deistical, but immoral men, have frequently 
 done, with learning and ability greatly superior; they may 
 nibble at it, like the viper at the file in the fable ; but they only 
 display their own malignity, and want of solid information. 
 It is not every dabbler in science that is qualified, either 
 to vindicate or oppose the Bible with eKex:t. Deep and 
 ■various learning are necessary for this purpose. The expe- 
 rience of past ages might convince any man, that it will be 
 found hard to kick against the pricks, and to resist the 
 evidence with full satisfaction of mind. Ail bitter sarcasms, 
 therefore, with which Itijidels so unmercifully load the best 
 of books*, are unbecoming, and should be suspended, 
 lest they recoil upon their heads. It hath stood the rude 
 shocks of learned Jews and Heathens, Heretics and U7t- 
 believers, of former ages, and it is not about to receive its 
 death-wound from the feeble assaults which the present nu- 
 merous set of Deists are capable of making upon it. We 
 challenge all the Unbelievers in Christendom to account, upon 
 cn\f merely human principle, for the scriptural prophecies 
 concerning the kingdoms of Israel, Judah, and Egypt ; or 
 concerning the cities of Tyre, Nineveh, Babylon, and Je- 
 
 * For most of the learning that is now in the world we are in- 
 debted to the Bible. To the same book likewise we are indebted 
 for all the morality and religion which prevail among men. Nay, even 
 the absurd tales and fables whicli we read in the writings of the an- 
 cient Greeks and Romans ■axe. nothing more than per\'ersions of the se- 
 veral histories and characters recorded in the Old Testament. See 
 Jortin's First Charge, vol. vii. of his Sei'mons. Gale's Court of 
 the Gentiles: and Bryant's Mythology. Consult too D^yden's 
 Pre/ace to his Religio Laid. 
 
ANi) THE SACREt) WRITINGS. 105 
 
 fusalem. Nay, not to take so large a compass, but to bring 
 the matter to one point, we defy any man, on simple human 
 principles, to account for tlie present state of tlie Jexcs. 
 AVould we give ourselves time soberly to compare the twenty- 
 eighth chapter of Deuteronoini/ with the history and disper- 
 sion of that extraordinary people, we could not fail of having 
 our minds strongly impressed with conviction. This owe 
 argument is invincible, and not to be fairlij got over by all 
 the wit of man, as the late accomplished, but irreligious, 
 Chesterfield, was honest eirough to declare*. 
 
 But, if we turn from these prophecies to those which 
 respect human redemption, and the Saviour of mankind, 
 we shall fmd they are extremely remarkable and minute, 
 and absolutely conclusive for the Mfssia/is/iip of Jesus 
 Christ, the son of Mary. We will consider the predictions 
 and fultilments at some hnigth, and boldly appeal to the 
 common sense and reason of the most prejudiced man upon 
 earth, whether there be not something far beyond the mere 
 powers of nature in these strange coincidences. 
 
 1. It was predicted, many centuries before it came to 
 pass, that Messiah should come into the world for the re- 
 demption of human beings. — Messiah did come into the 
 world, four thousand years after the iirst prediction was 
 uttered f . 
 
 2. Messiah is frequently prophesied of under the character 
 
 of him that was to come Jesus Christ is several times 
 
 described in this form by the writers of the New Testament^ 
 
 * See Jones's Life of Bishop Horne, p. 332. 
 
 t (Jen. iii. 15; Isa. ix.O", 7; Matt. i. 18 — 25. 7>r. Eveleigh 
 in his .Sermons says very justly, "The great object of the prophecies 
 of the Old Testament is tlie redemption of mankind. This, as soon 
 as Adam's fall had made it necessary, the mercy of God was 
 pleased to foretel. And, as the time of his accomplishment drew 
 nearer, the predictions coucerning it became gradually so clear and 
 determinate, as to mark out with historical precision almost eveiy 
 circumstance in the life and character of infinitely the most extraor- 
 dinary Person/igr, that ever a|)peared among men. Any one of these 
 predictions is suHicient to indicate a prescience more than human. 
 But the collective force of all, taken together, is such, that nothing 
 more can be necessary to prove the interposition of Oniriiseienee, than 
 the e-^tablishmentof tluir authenticity. And this, even at so remote 
 a period as the present, is placed beyond all doubt." — Sermon vi. 
 p. 210. ' 
 
 X Compare llab. ii. 3, 4; Psalm cxviii. 2o; Isa, xxxv. 4; Ux, 20; 
 
 p 
 
10(3 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 3. Ill ancient times there were four monarchies in th^: 
 world, one succeeding another, more famous than all the 
 rest. It was foretold, that Messiah should appear under the 
 last of them. — Christ was born after the destruction of the 
 three first, and while the fourth was in all its glory*. 
 
 4. Messiah wasto come among men before the destruc- 
 tion of the second temple. — Jesus Christ preached in that 
 temple ; and it was totally destroyed within forty years after- 
 wards f. 
 
 .5. Messiah was to come into the world before the domi- 
 nion of the Jews was taken away.— Christ was born that 
 very year when Augustus Cjesar imposed a tax upon the 
 Jewish nation, as a token of their subjection to the Romun 
 government %. 
 
 6. When Messiah should make his appearance among 
 men, it was to be a time of general peace, after dreadful 
 wars and convulsions. — When Jesus Christ came into the 
 world, the Roman wars were just terminated, the temple of 
 Janus was shut, and universal peace reigned through the 
 
 empire§. 
 
 7. Messiah was to make his appearence among men, at a 
 time when there should be a general expectation of him.: — When 
 Jesus Christ came into the world, all nations were looking 
 for the advent of some extraordinary person ||. 
 
 Ixii. 11; Dan. ix. 26; Zech. ix. 9; Mai. iii. 1; Matt. xi. 3; John 
 i. 30; iv. 25 ; xi. 27 ; Acts xix. 4, See Chandler's Dejhice, 
 ch.ii.' sect. 1. p. 160—167. 
 
 * Conqwre Daniel ii. and vii. with Luke ii. and iii. 
 
 f Compare Haggai ii. 7, with Matthew xxi. 23. See JoSEPHUS. 
 
 X Compare Genosis xlix. 10, with Luke ii. 1 — 7- 
 
 § Compare Haggai ii. 6, 7, 9, >vith the Roman History of this 
 
 period. .. 1,1- 
 
 ' \\ Compare Haggai ii. 7—9, with Matthew n. 1 — 10, and Jolm 1. 
 
 19 — 45. 
 
 The Heathens, as well as tlie Jews, had a firm persuasion, that 
 some extraordinai-y person should arise in the world about the time 
 of our Saviour's birth. Suetonius says, "There was an old 
 and fixed opinion all over the East, that it was decreed ])y heaven, 
 that about that time some person from Jtidea should obtain the 
 dominion over all." 
 
 Tacitus mentions the same prophecy, and almost in the same 
 
 ^octjs: " IMost of the Jews had a persuasion, that it was contained 
 
 in the ancient books of their priests, that at that very tune, the 
 East should grow powerful, and some person from Judea should 
 gain tlie dominion," 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 107 
 
 8. Messiah was to have existed with God before tlic 
 foundations, of the world were hiid, — Jesus Ciiiiist was iu 
 the beginning with God, and by hiin the worlds were made*. 
 
 9. Messiah was to be one, who had been the fellow, 
 the equal and the companion of the Almighty.— Jests 
 'Christ Ihoughl it not robber ij to be equal with God, and 
 was with him from eternit\ +. 
 
 10. Messiah was to be the Son of God. — Jesus Christ 
 ^vas confessedly the only-begotten Son of GoDif:. 
 
 11. Messiah was to have had an eternal, and ineffable 
 •generation. — Jesus Christ was the Son of God, prior to 
 his being born of the virgin Mary, in a way not to be ex- 
 plained by mortal man§. 
 
 IQ. Messiah was also to be the Son of Man. Jesus 
 Christ sustained this character, and seemed to have a pleasure 
 in being called by that name||. 
 
 13. Messiah was not to be born according to the ordi- 
 nary course of nature, but to descend from a pure I irgin. — 
 Jesus Christ was born of the virgin Mary**. 
 
 To tiiese testimonies of the Scriptures and Heathen writers we 
 may add that of Josephus, who says in his History of the Jnvish 
 War, b. vii. c. 1'2. "That ^vhich chietly excited the Jews to the 
 war against the Romans, was a dubious oracle, found in their 
 Sacred Writings, that about that time, one of them from tJieir 
 parts should reign over the \\orld." 
 
 See this subject drawn out more at large by Mr. Charles 
 Leslie, in his'.S'^or^ and Kusy Method with the Jews, and again in 
 liis Truth of Christianity demonstrated. This last treatise, together 
 with his Short and Easy Method nith the Deists, are absolutely con- 
 clusive in favour of the Gospel. One may defy the most subtile Deist 
 in the world to refute those two treatises". They are indeed unanswer- 
 able, except bv sneer and sarcasm. 
 
 * Compare" Proverbs viii. 22, 23, with John i. 1—3; Colossians 
 i. 16, 17. 
 
 t Compare Zechariah xiii. 7, with Phil. ii. 6, and John i. 1. 
 
 I Compare Psalm ii. 12; Proverbs xxx. 4; Hosca xi. 1; Mat- 
 thew iii. 17 ; xvii. 5. 
 
 § Compare Micah v. 2, with John i. 1. 
 
 Ii Daniel vii. 13 ; Matthew viii. 20. 
 
 ** Compare Genesis iii. 15 ; Isitiah vii. 14; and Jeremiah xxxi. 
 22 ; with Matthew i. 22, 23. — It would be well if the opposers of 
 the supernatural incarnation of our Saviour, would soberly read 
 over Dr. Clakke's verv sensible discourse on the miracxdous Birth 
 of Christ, in the jth volume of his Sermons. My own Essay on 
 the Authenticity of the Mew Testament too may be con.<:ulted, e<;pe- 
 cially the Addenda. 
 
 p'2 
 
108 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 14. Messiah was to be the son of Abraham, the father 
 of the faithful, and the friend of God. — Jesus Chuist was 
 sprung from that illustrious Patriarch *. 
 
 lo. Messiah was to be the son of Isaac, and not of 
 IsnMAEL. — Jesus Christ was sprung from Isaac, and not 
 
 from IsHMAELf. 
 
 16. INIessiah was to be the son of Jacob, and not of 
 Esau. — Jesus Cninsr did descend from Jacob, and not 
 from his brother Esau J. 
 
 17. Jacob had twelve sons. Messiah was not to spring 
 from any other of the twelve, but from Judah. — Jesus 
 Christ claimed Judah as his ancestor in a direct line§. 
 
 18. Messiah was to be sprung from Jesse, the father 
 of David_, king of Israel. — Jesus Christ was his de- 
 scendant If. 
 
 19 Jesse had eight sons. Pavid was the youngest. 
 From none of the seven elder, but from David alone was 
 Messiah to derive his origin. — Jesus Christ was the sou 
 of David**. 
 
 20. Messiah was to be born in a poor and mean con- 
 dition, when the family should be reduced to a very low 
 estate. — Jesus Christ, both on his father and mother's side> 
 was of very low and mean appearance, though descended from 
 such illustrious ancestors -f"!-. 
 
 2 I. Messiah was to have a messenger going before him, 
 to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. — Christ 
 had a messenger going before him, who fully bare witness to 
 his pretensions IJ. 
 
 22. The forerunner of Messiah was either to be Elijah 
 himself, or one in the spirit of Elijah. — John the Baptist, 
 the forerunner of Christ, was altogether in the spirit of that 
 great Prophet ^^. 
 
 * Compare Genesis xxi. 1 — 12, with Matthew i. 1 — 16. 
 i Compare Genesis xvii. l6" — .21, with Matthew i. 1 — 16. 
 
 I Compare Genesis xxv. 24—34; xxvii. 27—29; xxviii. 13, 14; 
 with Matthew i. 1 — 10\ 
 
 § Compare Genesis xlix. 8 — 12, with Matthew i. 1 — 16. 
 
 II Compare Isaiah xi. 1, with Matthew i. \ — l6. 
 
 ** Compare 1 Samuel xvi. 1—13; 2 Samuel vii. 12—15; Psalm 
 Ixxxix. 19— 37; Matthew i. l—i6. 
 
 ft Compare Isaiah liii. 2; Luke i. 48, 52; ii, 7, 24. 
 
 IX Compare Malaclii iii. ], with John i. 19 — 34. and iii. 26 — 36. 
 
 §§ Compare Malachi iv, 5, 6, with Mark i. 1—8. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 109 
 
 Cj. The forerunner of Messiah was to preach in the 
 wilderness, and to prepare the n)inds of the people for his 
 coming. — John the Baptist did preach in the wilderness of 
 Judca, and professed himstlf to be sent to prepare the Jercs 
 for the advent of Christ*'. 
 
 24. The forerunner of Messiah was to be considerably 
 successful in his office. — John the Baptist was treated with 
 great respect by his countrymen, and made large numbers of 
 disciplesf . 
 
 25. Messiah was not to be born at Jerusalem, the ca- 
 pital of liis kingdom, but at Bethlehem^ an obscure country 
 village. — Jesus Christ was born at Bethlehem, by a very 
 peculiar providence;!;. 
 
 26. Messiah was to go down into Egypt, and to be 
 called out from thence. — Jesus Christ, went down into 
 Egypt, soon after his birth, and was called out from thence 
 by an angel of the Lord§. 
 
 27. Messiah was to be a preacher of the law of God 
 to his countrymen in the great congregation. — Jesus Christ 
 was indefatigable in his public ministrations, both in the 
 temple, and in all other places, where the people were dis- 
 posed to hear hiin|}. 
 
 28. The tribes of Zebulon and Naphthali were first 
 to be greatly distressed, and afterwards highly honoured and 
 exalted, by the appearance of Messiah among them. — These 
 tribes principally suffered in the irtrst u4sxyria?i invasion under 
 Tig lath Pilezer, and were afterwards among the first that 
 enjoyed the blessing of Christ's preaching the sospel, and 
 exhibiting his miraculous works among them**. 
 
 29. Messiah was to converse and preach the gospel in 
 tlie region of Galilee. — Jesus Christ lived and conversed 
 so long in that obscure and despicable part of the land of 
 Israel, that he was, by way of contempt, denominated the 
 GolUean-\-\. 
 
 * Compare Isaiah xl. 3 — 5, \\ith Matthew ill. 1 — 6\ 
 
 t Compare Isaiah xl. 3 — 5, with Luke iii. 21. 
 
 X Compare Micah v. 2, with Matthew ii. 2. 
 
 § Compare Hosea xi. 1, with IMatthew ii. 13-^23. See too 
 AVhiston on Prophecy, pp. 12 and 52. 
 
 II Compare P-alni xl. 9, 10, with the four gospels, passim. 
 
 ** Compare Isaiah ix. 1 — 4; 2 Kings xv. 29; 1 Chron. v. 25, 
 and Matthew iv. 12— 16\ 
 
 tt Compare Isaiah ix. 1, 2, with Matthew ii. 22, 23; and Matt 
 iy. 23, 2o. 
 
 r/ 
 
ilO A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 SO. Messiah was to have a temple to -which he should 
 come, when he made his appearance in hunian flesh. — 
 Jesus Christ, as the Son of God, claimed the temple 
 of Jerusalem as his own, in a sense which uo mere mortal 
 could presume*. 
 
 31. Messiah was to be the servant of God, whose name 
 is the Branch. — Jesus Christ was emphatically the Servant 
 of God, and the Daif- Spring from on high'f. 
 
 32. Messiah is spoken of by the ancient Prophets under 
 the characters of an ^in^el — a Messenger — a Redeemer — an 
 Interpreter — One of a thomand — a Plant of renown — a 
 Captain — the Beloved of Goti — the tru€ David. — Jesus 
 Christ was all these, and whatever else was" peculiar to the 
 character of that august Being ; as will more fully appear from 
 the following instances i. 
 
 33. Messiah was .to be the Messenger of the Covenant 
 between God and his j>eople. — Jesus Christ ^\as that 
 Messenger^. 
 
 34. INIessiah was to sustain the office of a Prophet, 
 when he came to redeem mankind. — Jesus Christ sustainc?d 
 that office in all its extent ||. 
 
 35. Messiah was also to sustain the office of a Priest 
 %Then he appeared upon earth. — Jesus Christ \\as a Priest, 
 and offered, not indeed the blood of bullocks and of goats, 
 but his own most precious blood**. 
 
 36. Messiah, though a Priest, Mas not to be of the 
 tribe of Levi, and after the order of Aaron, but after the 
 order of Melchizedec. — Jesus Christ was of the tribe 
 
 * Compare Malachi iii, 1, with Luke ii. 49; and Matthew xxi, 
 12, 13. 
 
 + Compare Isaiah iv. 2 ; xi. 1 ; Jeremiah xxiii. 5 ; Zechariah iii. 
 S;vi. 12; Isaiah xlii. 1; Matthew xii. IS; and Luke i. 78. — It 
 should be observed here, that the word translated Branch signifies 
 also the East, or Day-Spring. 
 
 X Compare Genesis xlviii. l6; xxxii. 24 — 30; Hosea xii. 3, 4; 
 Exod. xxiii. 20 — 23; Malachi iii. 1 ; Job xix. 25; xxxiii. 23; Ezek. 
 xxxiv. 23, 24, 25 ; Joshua v. 13, 14; Isaiah xlii. 1; Rev. i. 1; 
 Matthew iii. 17; Hebrews ii. 10. 
 
 § Compare Jeremiah xxxiii. 20, 21: Malachi iii. 1; Isaiah Ixiii. 
 <?; Hebrews viii. 7 — 13; x, 9; xiii. 20, 21. 
 
 II Compare Deuteronomy xviii. 15, 18; Acts iii. 22; Luke xxiv. 
 15 ; Matthew xxiv. 
 
 ** Compare Zechariah vi. 13; Hebrews ix. 11 — 14. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. iii 
 
 of JuDAH, and had an everlasting priesthood, after tiie order of 
 Melchizedec* 
 
 37. Messiah was, moreover, to sustain the office of a 
 King, when he took on him human nature for the salvation 
 of his elect. — Jesls Christ was a King, even while upou 
 earth; and, now that he is in heaven, his dominion extends 
 ovev all worlds i*. 
 
 38. Messiah was to be a ri«;hteous King, and empha- 
 tically the P/7'«ce q/" Pfflce. — Jesus Christ was eminently 
 distinguished as a righteous person, and the great peace-maker 
 both on earlh and in heaven J. 
 
 39. The kingdom of Messiah was to be universal and 
 everlasting. — Jesus Christ has a kingdom, that, in due 
 time, shall be luiiversal in its extent, and eternal in its 
 duration §• 
 
 40. Messiah was to be the San of Righteousness, who 
 ^hould arise upon the world with salvation in his ravs. — 
 Jesls Christ was the Light of the world, who illuminatcth 
 every 7nan that comcth into it. 
 
 Messiah was also to be the East, or JSIorning Star. — 
 Jesus Christ is called the Day-spring from on high, and 
 the bright and Morning Star\\. 
 
 41. ^Messiah was to be emphatically the Just-One.-^- 
 Jesus Christ not only answered the description, but i& 
 repeatedly called by that name*"^'. 
 
 42. Messiah, to whom belonged the land of Jude-V 
 was to be denominated Emmanuel. — Jesus Christ was the 
 proprietor of that holy land, and was expressly called by the 
 name of Emnianuel'\-\. 
 
 * Compare Genesis xiv. IS; Psalm ex. 4; Hebrews vi. 20; vii. 
 1—28. 
 
 t Compare Psalm ii. 6; Zechariah vi. 13; ix. i) ; with Luke i. 32. 
 33 ; John xxiii. 30, 3/ ; and Rev. xix. 16". 
 
 I Compare Isaiah xxxii. 1; Psalm xlv. 1 — 17; Ixxii. L — IP; 
 Jeremiah xxiii. 5; Zechariah ix. Q; Isaiah ix. 6"; Luke ii. 14; Ephes. 
 ii. 4—22. 
 
 § Daniel vii. 27; Luke i. 32, 33; Rev. v. 12 — 14. 
 
 II Compare Malachi iv. 2 ; John i. 5, 9; viii. 12; ix. 5 ; xii. 
 35, 46"; Isaiah Ix. 1,2; Luke i. 78; and Rev. xxii. l6. 
 
 ** 2 Sanmel xxiii. 3; Isaiah xi. 5; Acts iii. 14; vii. 52; xxii. 
 14. 
 
 ft Compare Isaiali vii, 14; riii. 8; Matthew i. 23; and John 
 1. 11. 
 
in A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 43. Messiah was to be a great Shepherd, and to l;iy 
 down his life for the sheep. — Jesus Christ was the grerft 
 and good Shepherd, and shed his blocd in defence of his* 
 flock*. 
 
 44. Messiah was not only to be a righteous King, and 
 execute judgment and justice in the earth; but his name 
 was to be Jthovah our righteousness. — Jesus Christ is 
 made of God righteousness to every one that believes in his 
 nanie'l'. 
 
 45. Messiah was to be, like the lion, which is the king 
 of animals, of a noble and generous spirit. — Jesus Christ 
 was the lion of the tribe of Judah;};. 
 
 46. Messiah was to be anointed with the Holy Ghost 
 in a larger degree than any other man ever was. — Jesus 
 Christ was favoured in this respect beyond all other persons 
 that ever lived §. 
 
 47. Messiah was to be of a meek and lowly disposi- 
 tion, humbling himself for the redemption of the world. — 
 Jesus Christ was meek and lowly in mind, and answered 
 the proplietic description in €very respect l|. 
 
 48. ISIessiah was to teach mankind the doctrines of 
 salvation without ostentation and noise. — Jesus Christ was 
 quiet and unambitious in all his public as well as private de- 
 portment**. 
 
 49. Messiah was to be endowed with a peculiar degree 
 of wisdom and understanding. — Jesus Christ, his enemies 
 being judges, ijpake as never man spake, and taught a more 
 pure and excellent doctrine than ever had been received among 
 mankind before -f-j-. 
 
 50. The doctrine of Messiah was to be of the most 
 healing, encouraging, and consolatory kind. — llie doctrine 
 
 * Compare Zechariah xiii. 7 ; Isaiah Ix. 11; and Ezek. xxxiv. 23, 
 24: with John x. 1 — 18. 
 
 t Compare Jeremiah xxiii. 5, 6, witJi 1 Corinthians i. 30. 
 
 J Compare Genesis xlix. 9; and Rev. v. 5. 
 
 § Compare Psalm xlv. 7; Avith Matthew iii. 16, 17; and John 
 iii. 34. 
 
 II Compare Zechariah ix. 9; Matthew xi. 28, 29; John xiii. 
 1 — 17; 2 Corintiiians viii. p. 
 
 ** Compare Luiah xiii. 1 — 4; Matthew xii. 14 — 21. 
 
 it Compare Isaiah xi. 1—5; Johtt vii. 46'; Matthew xiii. 
 54 — 08; Matthew v. vi. and vii. eh. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 113 
 
 of Jesus Christ was singularly adapted to the healing of 
 Mouuded minds*. 
 
 51. The doctrioe \vhich Messiah should preach wa? to 
 have a powerfully transforming influence upon the minds of 
 men. — The Gospel of Christ had all this effect upon the dis- 
 positions and conduct of every one of his genuine disciplesf. 
 
 51. Messiah was to be peculiarly kind and affectionate 
 to young, distressed, and tender-spirited persons. — Jesus 
 Christ was singularly attentive to all such characters J. 
 
 53. In confirmation of his divine mission, Messiah was 
 to display many wonderful works among the people. — Jesus 
 Christ wrought abundance of miracles in confirmation of his 
 pretensions, and the doctrines he taught §. 
 
 54. ^Iessiah was to have but little success in preachiu"- the 
 gospel among his countrymen the Jt?is. — Jesus Chuist was 
 almost universally rejected by thera||. 
 
 55. The minds of the Jczcs were to be so veiled that they 
 should not know their ^Iessi ah when he came among them.— ■ 
 The minds of the Jews were so sealed up, and enveloped in 
 prejudice against Jesus Christ when he appeared, that he 
 was treated by them as an impostor and deceiver**. 
 
 5Q. Messiah was to be the chief corner stone in the 
 building of his church, elect, precious. — Jesus Christ was 
 the chief corner stone, elect, and precious ff. 
 
 57. Messiah was to be rejected by the builders, but yet 
 made the head stone in the corner. — Jesus Christ was 
 almost universally rejected by the great men of his nation; but 
 yet he was made both luOrd and Christ %\. 
 
 38. Messiah was to preach the gospel to the poor, and 
 to be embraced by a considerable number of that description. 
 
 * Compare Isaiali Ixi. 1 — 3; Matthew xi. 28 — 30; John xiv. 
 1—3. 
 t Compare Isaiah xi. 6 — 8; with Acts ii. 41 — 4'. 
 
 I Compare Isaiah xi. 11; Iv. 1 — 3; Ixi. 1—3; Matthew xii. 20; 
 and Mark x. 13— -16. 
 
 § Compare Isaiah xxxv> 5, 6; with Matthew viii. and ix. chapters, 
 and John xxi. 15. 
 
 II Compare Isaiah liii. 1 ; xlix. 4; Rom. x. 1 — 3, 21. 
 
 ** Compare Isaiah vi. 9—13; xxix. 9 — 14; 2 Cor. iii.^5 — 18. 
 +t Compare Isaiah xxviii, 16; Acts iv. 11, 12; 1 Peter ii. 6 — 8. 
 XX Compare Psalm cxviii. 22; Isaiah viii. 13, 14; John vii. 48; 
 Matthew xi, 25, 26; 1 Corinthians i, 26 — 31 ; 1 Peter ii. 7, 8, 
 
114 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 —Jesus Christ preached the gospel to the poor, and various 
 of that rank believed in his name *. 
 
 59. Messiah was to be despised and rejected of men; 
 a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. — Jesus Chkist 
 was despised and rejected of men ; a man of sorrows, and ac- 
 quainted with grieff. 
 
 60. Messiah was to be seen riding into Jerusalem, sit- 
 ting upon a young ass, as a token of the humility of his 
 mind. — Jesus Christ answered this prediction, as well as 
 every other that went before concerning him, in the most 
 minute circumstance ;{:. 
 
 61. \Vhen Messiah should enter Jerusalem in this meek 
 and humble manner, great crouds of the common people 
 should welcome him with shouts and rejoicings. — \Vhen 
 Jesus Christ rode into that proud metropolis in low dis- 
 guise, the general cry of the mob was, Hosanna to the Son of 
 David; blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord : 
 Hosamm in the highest %. 
 
 62. Messiah was to be actuated with such a burning zeal 
 for the house of God, as even to be endangered by it.-— Jesus 
 Christ displayed that zeal upon various occasions||. 
 
 63. Messiah was to be betrayed into the hands of his 
 enemies by the treachery of an intimate friend. — Christ was 
 betravcdby one of the disciples whom he had chosen**. 
 
 64. Messiah was to be sold for thirty pieces of silver. — 
 Jesus Christ was sold for the sum predicted ff. 
 
 65. Messi.\h's price, tlie thirty pieces of silver, was to 
 be cast to the potter in the house of the Lord. — ^All this was 
 done when Judas betrayed his Master j:|:. 
 
 6(j. Messiah was to be condemned in judgment, and 
 suffer death under the colour of public justice. — Jesus 
 
 *" Compare Isaiah Ixi. 1; Luke iv. 18; Matthew xi. 5; James 
 
 n. 
 
 t Co;npare Isaiah liii. with Matthew xxvi, and xxvii, chapters 
 
 and Phil, ii. 7, 8. See too Chandler's Dtfcnce., p. 178—194. 
 I Compare Zechariah ix. 9, witli Matthew xxi. 1 — 11. 
 § Ibid. See Chandler's Defence, p. 102—107. 
 1! Compare P^alm Ixix. 9; John ii. 17. 
 
 ** Compare Psuhu xli. 9: Iv. \2, 13; Matthew xxvi. 47—50. 
 tt Compare Zechariah xi. 12; Matthew xxvi. 14 — 16. 
 ♦t Compare Zechariah xi. 13; MattJiew xxvii. 3 — 10. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 115 
 
 Christ underwent a mock trial, was declared innocent by his 
 ver)^ ju'^ge, and yet delivered over to be crucified*. 
 
 67. The followers of ^Iesstah were all to forsake him 
 in tlie time of his greatest need. — When Jksus Christ was 
 apprehended, and put upon his trial, all his disciples forsook 
 him and fled f. 
 
 68. Messiah was to finish his public employment, in 
 confirming the covenant, iu about three years and a half. 
 — Jesus Christ began his public office at thirty years of 
 age, and was put to death at thirty-three and a half;};. 
 
 69. Messiah was to be igiiominiously scourged by his 
 persecutors. — Jesus Christ was treated in this manner§. 
 
 70. Messiah was to be smitten on the face in the day 
 of his humiliation. — Jesus Christ was basely buffeted by the 
 hands of vile slaves \\. 
 
 71. Messiah was to have his face befouled with spittle. — 
 Jesus Christ condescended for our sakes even to this in- 
 dignity without complaining**. 
 
 72. Messiah was to be wounded in his hands, even by his 
 own friends. — Jesus Christ had his hands nailed to the 
 cursed tree by his own countrymen -f-f-. 
 
 73. Messiah was to be so marred and disfigured in his 
 visage by the ill treatment he should receive, that his friends 
 would scarce know him. — And was not Jesus Christ so dis- 
 figured and dispoiled ;}:t ? 
 
 * Compare Isaiah lix. 8, .9; Matthew xxvii. chapter. 
 
 t Compare Zechariah xiii. 7; l!<aiah Ixiii. 5; Matthew xxvi. 56. 
 
 J Compare Daniel ix. "27, with the period of our Lord's ministry 
 in the four Gospels. On this remarkable prediction of Daniel, 
 consult Maclaurin's Essai/on the Prophtcies, p. I03[*], and Sir 
 Isaac Newton's Observations on Daniel, chap. x. II. 
 
 [*] This excellent work may be purchased at a cheap rate at 
 Baynes's, Fater Noster-row. 
 
 § Compare Isaiah 1. 6', with Matthew xxvii. C6\ 
 
 II Compare li-aiah 1. 6; Hi. 14; Micah v. 1; and Matthew xxvi. 
 
 ** Compare Isaiali 1. 6; Matthew xxv. 67. 
 
 tt Compare Zechariali xiii. 6, with John xx. 17. 
 
 X\ Compare Isaiah lii. 14, with Matthew xxvii. 29, 30. — If it 
 should be objected that several of these circumstances are trifling 
 and unworthy of the Spirit of prophecy to reveal, it may be very 
 justly answered, that, "The more minutesomeoftjiese circumstances 
 are in themselves, the greater and more convincing is the evidence 
 of diviuc fore-knowledge iu the prediction of them; because the 
 
 Q2 
 
116 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 74. Messiah was to be oppressed and afflicted, and yet not 
 open his mouth in complaint. He was to be brought as a lamb 
 to the slaughter^ and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so 
 he was not to open his mouth. — Jesus Christ, the Lamb of 
 God that taketh auaj/ the si7is of the world, before Pilate 
 held his peace, ytnd zchen he was accused of the chief priests 
 and elders, he answered nothing^. 
 
 75, ISIessiah was to be taken up with wicked men in 
 his death. — Christ was suspended on a cross between two 
 thieves +. 
 
 couformity between the prediction and the history is so much tlie 
 more circumstantial." 
 
 See INLaclaurin on the Prophecies, p. 63. 
 
 * Compare Isaiah liii. 7, with 3Iatthew xxvi. 63, and xxvii, 
 12—14. 
 
 + Compare Isaiali liii. .9, with Matthew xxvii. 3S, 60. 
 
 See on this whole chajTter Apthorp's seventh discourse on pro- 
 phecy, and Dr. Gregory Sharp's Second Argument in defence of 
 Christianity, p. 222 — 27-1. A comparison of this .53d chapter of 
 Isaiah, with the account given in the/owr Evangelists of ihe suffer- 
 ings of Christ, was made the iristrument of convincing the witty 
 and wicked i-.flr/ o/" Rochester. The narrative given of this re- 
 markable transaction by Bishop Burnet, is worth insertion in this 
 place: — Rochester said to Bishop Burnet," 3Ir. Parsons, in 
 order to his conviction, read to him the o3d chapter of Isaiah, and 
 compared that with our Saviour's passion, that he might there see 
 a prophecy concerning it, written many ages before it was done ; 
 Mhich the Jews that blasphemed Jesus Christ, still kept in their 
 hands as a book divinely inspired. He said to me— that, as he 
 heard it read, he felt an hiward force upon him, which did so en- 
 hghten his mind, and convince him, that he could resist it no longer : 
 for the words had aii authority, which did shoot like rays or beams 
 in his mind, so that he was not only convinced by the reasonings he 
 had about it, which satisfied liis understanding, but by a power, 
 which did so effectually constrain hijn, that he did ever after as 
 firmly believe in his Saviour as if he had seen him in the clouds. 
 He had made it to be read so often to hun, that he had gotten it by 
 heart ; and went through a great part of it in discourse with me, w ith 
 a sort of heavenly pleasure, giving me his reflections upon it. Some 
 few I remember; IVho hath believed our report? Here, he said, was 
 foretold the opposition the gospel was to meet witli from such 
 wretches as he was. He hath no form or comeliness ; and when ive 
 shall see him, there was no beauty, that we should desire him. On 
 this he said, the meanness of his appearance and person has made 
 vain and foolish people disparage him, because he came not in such 
 a fool's coat as they delight in. What he said on tlie other parts, I 
 do not, says the Bishop, well remember." Sharpe's Second Ar-> 
 gument, p! 238—240. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. I17 
 
 76. Messiah \vas to be buried in the sepulchre of a 
 rich man. — Christ was buried in the tomb of a rich coun- 
 sellor*. 
 
 77- jNIessiah was to be put to death at the end of 490 
 years, from the time when a commandment should go forth to 
 restore and to build Jerusalem. — Now it is remarkable, that 
 from the seventh year of Artaxerxes Longimanus, kino- 
 of Persia, from whom Ezra received his commission, eh. vii. 
 S, to the death of Jesus Christ, there are just 490 yearsf. 
 
 7S. Messiah was to be presented by his enemies with 
 vinegar and gall during his sufferings. — In this manner was 
 Jesus Christ treated, as he hung upon the cross];. 
 
 79. The persecutors of Messiah were to pierce his hands 
 and his feet. — So did the bloody Jeus and Konia?is treat the 
 Redeemer of mankind §. 
 
 80. The enemies of Messiah were to laugh him to scorn, 
 and to taunt and reproach him with satyrical language. — So 
 did the Jezcs conduct themselves towards Christ in the day 
 of his distress [|. 
 
 81. When Messiah was put to death, his enemies were to 
 part his garments among them, and for his vesture they were to 
 cast lots. — V\ hen Christ was crucified, these transactions took 
 place**. 
 
 82. When the Messiah should suffer death, not a bone 
 of his body was to be broken. — When Christ was crucified, 
 not a bone of him was injured -j-f-. 
 
 83. When Messiah should be put to death, his side was, 
 by some means, not declared to be pierced. — When Jesus 
 Christ was crucified, his side was pierced with a spear 
 
 +4- 
 
 ++• 
 
 * Compare Isaiah Jiii. g, with Matthew xxvii. 38, 60. 
 
 t Daniel ii. '^4. See Sykes's Essai/ on the TrutJi of the Chris- 
 tian Religion, p. i^O. And for the times of tlie birth aiid passion of 
 Christ, consult the lith chapter of Sir Isaac Newton's Obser- 
 rations upon the Prophecies 0/ Daniel. 
 
 : Compare Psalm Ixix. 21, with Matthew xxvii. 34, and John xix. 
 28—30. 
 
 § Compare Psalm xxii. l6, with Matthew xxvii. 35. — Crucifixion 
 %vas a thing not known among the Jews in the time of David, nor 
 for many ages afterwards. 
 
 |l Compare Psalm xxii. 7, 8, with Matthew xxvii. 39 — 44. 
 
 ** Compare Psalm xxii. 18, with Matthew xxvii. 35. 
 
 ■ft Compare Exodus xii. 45, and Numbers ix, 12, with John xvi. 
 31—36. 
 
 j; Compare Zechariah xii, 10, with John xix. 34, 37. 
 
119 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 84. It was prophesied of Messtah, that he should make 
 intercession for transgressors. — Jesus Christ interceded with 
 God for his very murderers, and now ever liveth at his Fa- 
 ther's right hand to plead the cause of the sinful children of 
 men*. 
 
 85. Messiah was to be cut off, hut not for himself. — 
 Jesls Christ, who teas holy, harmless, undefihd, and sepa- 
 rate from sinners, was cut off by the hands of wicked meUj to 
 reconcile God to his rebellious creatures-]-. 
 
 86. When Messiah should come, there was to be a 
 fountain opened to the house of David, and to the inhabit 
 
 tants of Jerusalem, for sin, and for uncleanness. — When 
 Christ came, he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of 
 himself, and by the shedding of his blood once for all;j:. 
 
 87. ^Iessiah was to make atonement for the iniquities, 
 tiansgressions, and sins of the world. — Jesus Christ was a 
 propitiation for the sins of the whole zvorld^. 
 
 SB. Messiah was to 'make this atonement in the last of 
 Daniel's seventy weeks. — Jesus Christ was crucified ia 
 ihat very week |[. 
 
 89. Messiah was to abolish the old, and introduce a new 
 dispensation. — Jesus Christ abolished the ceremonies of 
 the Law of MosEs, and brought in a more perfect and ra- 
 tional oeconomy*[. 
 
 1)0. The blood of Messiah was to be the blood of the 
 
 - Compare Isaiah liii. 12 ; Hebrews vii. 25. 
 
 + Compare Daniel ix. 26': Isaiah liii. S; Matthew xxvi, and 
 xxvii, chapters. 
 
 X Compare Zechnriiih xiii. 1 ; and Hebrews ix. and x. chapters. 
 
 § Compare Isaiah liii. 5; Daniel ix. 24; 1 Johnii. 1, 2. 
 
 \\ Daniel ix. 27. See tliis remarkable prophecy of Daniel illus- 
 trated at lar^e in Pride Aux, p. 1, b. v. Consult also the fourth 
 and fifth of Apthorp's Discourses, and Chandler's Defence, p. 
 332 — 150. " The doctrine of atonement/' says Bishop Sher- 
 lock, " is that which, together with the principles on which it is 
 founded, and the consequences naturally flowing from it, distinguishes 
 the Christian religion from all other religions whatever.'' 
 
 Sermons, vol. iv. dis. iii. p. SS. 
 
 Tlie present excellent Bishop of London alto tells us, " It is, 
 without dispute, the great distinguishing character of the Christian 
 dispensation, the wall of partition between natural and revealed 
 religion, the main foundation of all our hopes of pai-don and accept- 
 ance hereafter.'' 
 
 1[ Compare Jerfemiah xxxi. 31 — 34, with Hebrews viii. 6 — 13. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 119 
 
 covenant, zchich should bring prisoners out of the pit Zihere 
 there is no water. — The blood of Jesvs Christ was the blood 
 of the new covenant-dispensation, which, whosoever disregards, 
 shall bear the blame for ever*. 
 
 91. JNIessiah was not to lie in the grave and be tunied 
 to corruption like other men. — Jesus Christ did not continue 
 in the grave, nor did he see corruption like the rest of man- 
 kind f. 
 
 92. Messiah was to be raised from the grave on the 
 third day after his interment. — Jesus Christ was buried on 
 the Friday, and rose from the dead on the Sunday nioniiu"- 
 following:};. ' 
 
 93. AVhen Messiah should arise from the dead, he was 
 to bring some tokens with him of his victory over the infer- 
 nal powers. — When Jesus Christ eaitered the state of the 
 dead, he led captiviti/ captive, unloosed the bands of death, 
 and raised many bodies of the saints, which were confined under 
 his dominion |. 
 
 9^' Messiah was to ascend up into heaven, and reign 
 ihere at his Father's right hand, invested with universal 
 dominion. — Jesus Christ did ascend up into heaven in the 
 sight of many witnesses, and took his place at the right hand of 
 power, invested with universal dominion 1|. 
 
 95. When jMessiah ascended into heaven, his ascension 
 was to be attended with the ministers of heaven, to usher 
 him into his Father's presence. — When Jesus Christ 
 ascended up into heaven, two men stood by the Apostles in 
 white apparel, and addressed them on the joyful occasion**. 
 
 96. Messiah was to send down from heaven the gift 
 of the Holy Ghost, as a tok^i and pledge that he was 
 exalted, and that his Father was pleased with what he 
 
 * Compare Zechariah ix. 11, with Hebrews x. 29; xiii. 20. 
 
 t Compare Psalm xvi, 10, with Matthew xxviii. 0. 
 
 X Compare Hosea vi. 2; Matthew xx. 19; Matthew xxvii. 1—7; 
 1 Corinthians xv. 4. 
 
 § Compare Psalm Ixviii. 18, with Matthew xxvii. 52. 
 
 II Compare Psalm xvi. 11 ; Ixviii. 18; Isaiah ix. 6, 7; Luke xxiv. 
 50, 51; Acts i. 9; and Matthew xxviii. 18. 
 
 The excellent TiLLOTSON observes, that " all things which the 
 Prophets had foretold concerning the Messiah were punctually 
 made good in the person, and actions, and sutlerings of our 
 Saviour." — Scrman 104. 
 
 ** Compare Daniel vii. 13, 14, with Acts i. 10, 11. 
 
120 A PLEA FOR RELIGIOxN: 
 
 had done upon earth for the redemption of his people.— 
 Jesus Christ sent down the gift of the Holy Ghost^ in 
 the most conspicuous and miraculous manner*. 
 
 97. The doctrine of Messiah was to^begin to be preached 
 at Jerusalem, and from thence to spread itself through the 
 nations. — The gospel of Christ Mas first preached in that 
 city, and actually dispersed itself through all the neighbouring 
 Cf)untries in the course of a few years -j-. 
 
 98. Though Messiah was to be generally rejected and 
 despised in his life-time ; after his death the pleasure of the 
 Lord, in the conversion and salvation of mankind, icas to 
 jn'osper in his hand. — How exactly these circumstances agree 
 with the history of Jlsus Christ, is well known to every 
 Christian '^. 
 
 Qi). The followers of Messiah should meet with great 
 and severe trials and persecution for their adherence to his 
 
 * Compare Psalm Ixviii. 18; Joel ii. 28—32, with Acts ii. 1 — 4, 
 and Ephes. iv. 8 — 12. 
 
 " V/hen our Lord, after liis resurrection, heginning at MosES 
 and ALL the Prophtts, had expounded unto his Apostles in all the 
 scriptures t he things concerning himstlj, and opened their understand- 
 ing, that they might understand the scriptures: Luke xxiv. 27,45; 
 then they saw plainly (and any one now, who will trace the whole 
 thread of the Old Testament, may plainly see) that there is a conti- 
 nued series of connexion, one unifonn analogy and design, carried on 
 for many ages by divine prescience through a succession of prophe- 
 cies ; which, as in their proper centre, do all meet together in Christ, 
 and in him only ; however the single lines, when considered apart, 
 may many of them be imagined to have another direction, and point 
 to iijiennediate erents. Nothing is more evident, than that the 
 whole succession of prophecies can possibly be applied to none but 
 Christ. Nothing is more miraculous, than that they should all of 
 thtni be capable of being possibly applied to him. And whatever 
 intermediate deliverances or deliverers of God's people may, seem- 
 ingly or really be sjioken of upon particular occasions ; nothing is 
 niore reasonable than to believe (in the Apostk's certainty, who 
 conversed personally with our Lord after his resurrection, nothing 
 could be more reasonable than to believe) that the ultimate and ge- 
 neral view of the prophetic SPIRIT always was fixed on him, of whom 
 in some of the ancient prophecies it is expressly affirmed, that God's 
 servant David shall be the Prince over his people for ever; that 
 bis dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass 
 away; and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." 
 
 Clarke's Sermons, vol. v. ser. 1. 
 
 i Compare Isaiah ii. 1—4; Micah iv. 1 — 4; with Acts 2d chap- 
 ter, and Romans x. 18. 
 
 J Isaiah liii. 10—12. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 121 
 
 cause^- — ^Tlie followers of Jesus Christ had the whole world 
 in arms against them for several ages*. 
 
 100. The rejecters of Messiah should be rejected of 
 God, and his followers called by another name. — Tlie Jews, 
 who would not have Christ to rule over them, were rejected 
 by him, and his followers were called by another name, through 
 divine appointment, as. it should seem, to accomplish this pro- 
 phecy-f-. 
 
 101. Messiah was to be opposed by kings, and persons in 
 authority, with great vigour and resolution. Jesus Christ 
 was very generally opposed, through the whole of his public 
 ministry, by the great Ones of the world, and all the power of 
 the Roman empire was in opposition to his cause and people 
 for upwards of three hundred years ;J;. 
 
 102. Notwithstanding the opposition of the kings and 
 princes of the world for a season, the time was to come when 
 kiugs should be nursing fathers to the church, and queens 
 nursing mothers. — Most of the governors of the nations of Eu- 
 rope have been protectors of the cause of Christ now for 
 many centuries §. 
 
 103. It was upon a great variety of occasions predicted, that 
 Messiah should enlighten the Gentile nartions with the know- 
 ledge of the true God. — Jesus Christ gave particular com- 
 mandment to his Apostles, on longer to confine their minis- 
 trations to the Jeivs, as he had done during his life-time ; 
 but to go out into all the world, and preach the gospel to every 
 creature\^. 
 
 104. Messiah was to destroy the covering of the face 
 which zcas cast over all people, and the vail which zcas spread 
 over all nations. — When Jesus Christ appeared, he, by his 
 IVord, Spirit, and yjpostles, enlightened the minds of men, 
 and effected a most surprising change in all the nations where 
 his gospel was received •[. 
 
 * Compare Isaiah Ixvi. 5. and Malachi iii. 1 — 3, with Matthew x. 
 16 — IS, and 1 Corinthians iv. 9. 
 
 t Compare Isaiah Ixii. 2 ; Ixv. lo, with Acts xi. 26. 
 
 I Compare Psalm ii. 2; ex. 5, 6; Luke xxiii. S — 12. Sv-e the 
 History of the Ciiurch for the First Three Centuries. 
 
 § Isaiah xhx. 23; Ix. 3. 
 
 II Compare Isaiah Ix. with Mark xvi. 15. 
 
 U Compare Ivaiah xxv. 6" — 8; Acts ii. 1 — 1 1 ; xxvi. 17, is. 
 
 B 
 
12a A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 105. To Messiah every knee was to bow, every tongue to 
 swear, and every heart to submit. — The whole Christian 
 vi'orld, professedly at least, pay this obedience to Jesus 
 Christ, the Redeemer of souls, and to no other being 
 whatever. And in due time all opposing power shall be ever- 
 lastingly annihilated*. 
 
 106. It was predicted, that all the enemies of Messiah 
 should be ashamed and confounded. — Jesus Christ has 
 already made an awful example of his enemies, the Jezos ; 
 first, in the destruction of their city and temple ; secondly, in 
 their present dispersion : and, in the proper season, every op- 
 posing power shall be brought into subjection -f-. 
 
 107. It was predicted, that Messiah would make a great 
 and visible difference between his believing and unbelieving 
 countrymen. — When the Romans besieged Jerusalem, near two 
 millions of unbelieving Jezas perished, while every single be- 
 liever fled out of the city, and escaped in safety to the moun- 
 tains J. 
 
 108. Messiah was to appear in the world at the consum- 
 mation of the ages, to raise mankind from the dead, and 
 judge the human race in righteousness. — Jesus Christ 
 is the resurrection and the life, shall appear again at the 
 close of nature, and decide the final fates both of men 
 and angels §. 
 
 109. Messiah was to destroy death itself, triumph over the 
 grave, and create new heavens and a new earth, w herein Ishould 
 dwell universal righteousness. — Jesus Christ is he who alone 
 is equal to the mighty undertaking, and is divinely appointed to 
 that office |(. 
 
 This is a concise view of the predictions contained in the 
 Old Testament, concerning the nature, birth, life, doctrine, 
 
 * Compare Psalm ex. i ; Isaiah xlv. 25 ; 1 Corinthians xv. 24 — 28 ; 
 and Philij)pians ii. 10, 11. 
 
 t Compare Psalm ii. 9 ; Psalm ex. 1 ; Isaiah xlv. 24 ; Ijv. 1 7 ; 
 Ix. 12; with Matthew xxiv; 2 Thess. i. 7 — 9; and the History of 
 the Jews. 
 
 t Compare Malachi 3d and 4th chapters, with the History of that 
 remarkable siege. 
 
 § Compare Job xix. 23 — 27; Isaiah xxv. 8; Daniel xii. 1 — 3; 
 Hosea xiii, 14; Micah ii. 13; Matthew xxv. 31— 46"; John xi. 25 ; 
 Acts xvii. 30, 31 ; 1 Corinthians vi. 3 ; 2 Corinthians v. 10. 
 
 II Compare Hosea xiii. 14; Isaiah Ixv, 17; Ixvi. 22; 1 Corin- 
 thians xv. 54, 55; Revelations XX. 14; xxi. 4. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 103 
 
 suffering, death, resurrection, ascension, and kingdom of our 
 Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. There can be no 
 doubt respecting the priority of the predictions to the birth of 
 Christ, because it is well known by every person, who is at 
 all conversant in these matters, that the Old Testament was 
 translated out of Hthrcw into the Greek language, and dis- 
 persed over the world, many years before Christ came; and 
 that the latest of the predictions was upwards of three cen- 
 turies before the birih of the Redeemer of mankind. Such 
 a variety of circumstances, therefore, predicted concerning one 
 man, so many years before he was born, of so extraordinary a 
 nature, and under such convulsions and revolutions of civil go- 
 vernments, all accomplished in Christ, and in no other person 
 that ever appeared in the world, point him out, with irresistible 
 evidence, as the Saviour of mankind. I call upon, and chal- 
 lenge the most hardened infidel in Christendom to refute the 
 conclusion. 
 
 But to render the investigation more simple, and to bring 
 the enquiry within a narrower compass, let any man, who is 
 sceptically inclined, take the fifty-second and fifty-third 
 chapters of Isaiah, and .compare them seriously with the 
 twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh chapters of St. Matthew's 
 gospel, and then let him deny that Jesus Christ is the true 
 Messiah, if he can. Rochester, and many others have 
 made the experiment, and found it the power of God unto 
 the conviction of their minds, and the salvation of their souls. 
 That all these extremely minute circumstances of time, place, 
 character, and the like, should concentre in Christ, and in no 
 other person that ever appeared in human nature, is truly re- 
 markable, and absolutely demonstrative of his Mesaiahship. 
 Indeed, that he should be born at such a time, in such a place, 
 and under circumstances of poverty ; that he should suffer, 
 and be opposed by those who were strangers to his character, 
 and be finally put to an ignominious death : these thmgs 
 were all common to him with many more of our fellow-crea- 
 tures. But, that he should profess to be the Saviour of 
 mankind — that he should be described as one who was to 
 come — be born under the fourth monarchy — while the second 
 temple was yet standing — before the dominion of the Jens 
 was entirely taken away — in a time of profound and univer- 
 sal peace — when there was a general expectation of some 
 
 R 2 
 
1-24 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 extraordinary person: — that he should have existed with 
 God before the foundations of the world were laid — been the 
 companion of the Almighty — been sprung from the Deity 
 by an iuetiable generation — been the son of God — the son of 
 man — begotten of a pure virgin by divine energy, and not 
 by carnal copulation — that he should be the son of Abra- 
 ham Is A A C J AGO B J U D A H J ESS E D AVI D — bom in 
 
 mean condition — yet having an illustrious herald preceding 
 him — in the spirit of Elijah preaching, not in Jerusalem, 
 but in the wilderness — and successful in his office : — that he 
 should be born in Bethlehem — go down into Egypt — be a 
 preacher of the gospel — exercise his ministry in Galilee — 
 in the neighbourhood of Zehulon and Naphthali — yet be the 
 proprietor of the temple in Jerusalem : — that he should be 
 emphatically the servant of God, whose name is the Branch 
 — a plant of renown — the messenger of the covenant — a pro- 
 phet — a priest; not of the tribe of Levi, and after the order 
 of Aaron, but after the order of Melchizedec — a kino- — 
 a righteous king — the prince of peace — having a universal 
 and everlasting kingdom: — that he should be the sun of 
 righteousness — the East — the Just One — Emanuel — the shep- 
 herd- --Jehovah our righteousness — the lion of the tribe of 
 Judah: — that he should be anointed, not with oil to his 
 offices, but with the Holy Ghost: — that he should be of a 
 most meek, patient, and humble disposition — teaching man- 
 kind the doctrines of salvation without pomp and noise — 
 endowed with a peculiar degree of wisdom and understand- 
 ing—and speaking the most healing words to tender minds 
 and afflicted consciences — changing thereby all the powers of 
 the soul : — that he should contirm the reality of his mission 
 and the divinity of his doctrine by a variety of benevolent 
 miracles —and yet that the principal persons among his coun- 
 trymen should not submit to his pretensions — be the chief 
 corner stone of his church— and, notwithstanding, rejected by 
 the builders — though embraced by many of the common 
 people: — that he should be despised and rejected of men, 
 a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief — seen riding 
 in humble triumph into the capital of his kingdom — the 
 people crying hosannah to the son of David : — that his zeal 
 for the honour of God should transport him almost to ex- 
 cess: — that he should be betrayed by a friend — sold for thirty 
 
r 
 
 AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 125 
 
 pieces of silver : — that these pieces should be thrown do\Mi in 
 the temple — and applied to the purchase of a potter's tielJ: 
 — that he should he condemned in judgment — forsaken by all 
 his friends in his greatest need — finish his public office in 
 three vears and a half — be ignominiously scourged — smitten 
 on tlie face — befouled with spittle — wounded in his hands — 
 bv his friends — marred and disfigured in his countenance — 
 patient and silent under all his ill-treatment — suspended with 
 wicked men — buried in the tomb of a rich man — put to death 
 exactly at the end of 490 years from a particular period — 
 presented with vinegar and gall — wounded in his hands and 
 feet — laughed to scorn under his sufferings: — that his gar- 
 ment should b€ parted among his keepers :-— that lots should be 
 cast for his seamless vesture: — under all his distresses that 
 not a bone of his body should be broken : — that his side 
 should be pierced : — that he should make intercession for 
 transgressors — be cut off', though imiocenl : — that a fountain 
 should be opened to wash away sin — atonement made fur the 
 iniquities of the world — in the last of Daniel's 7O weeks — 
 the old covenant abolished — a new one introduced — the 
 blood of Messiah being the seal of the covenant : — that, 
 though he should be buried, he should not see corruption — 
 but be raised from the grave on the third day : — tiiat he should 
 bring from the dead some tokens of his victory — ascend into 
 heaven — attended with angels — take his place at the right 
 hand of God — and send down the Spirit upon his followers : 
 — that the gospel should be lirst preached in Jtrusalem—muhi- 
 tndes converted to the faith — great persecutions endured bv 
 those who embraced it — the Jezcs rejected — and the church 
 called by a new name: — that the gnspel should be generally 
 opposed bv the kings and governors of the world — yet aftr-r 
 some time they should become favourable, and give it encou- 
 ragement :— -that the Gtntile nations should be enlightened 
 and called :--that every soul should submit to Messiah — 
 those who reject him being confounded — and those who em- 
 brace him being protected : — that he should finally be the 
 judge of the world — destroy death — and crov^n Lis faithful 
 people with everlasting joy : — that all these things should be 
 predicted of some one person, several hundreds, or even 
 some thousand years asunder from each other ; and that they 
 should all receive accomplishment in Jesus Christ, without 
 
Vi6 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 any one exempt case, and in no other person that ever ap- 
 peared upon earth : if under such circumstances Jesus 
 Christ were not the person intended in the divine councils, 
 and the Messiah whom all the Prop/iets were inspired to 
 predict, it would be one of the greatest of miracles. Pro- 
 phecy would be of no use. All evidence would be rendered 
 precarious, and mankind left to roam at large, without any sa- 
 tisfactory guide to direct their steps in pursuit of truth and sal- 
 vation. I think then we may say, with unshaken confidence, in 
 the words of St. Philip to Nathaniel; JVe have found 
 him, of zchomMosEs in the Lazv,and the Prophets did write f 
 Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. 
 
 But, if we turn from these prophecies to those which more 
 immediately respect the condition of the Christian church in 
 these latter days, we sliall find they also are extremely remark- 
 able, and absolutely conclusive for the divine authority of the 
 Sacred Writings. 
 
 Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, invaded the land of 
 Israel about 600 years before the birth of Christ, and 
 carried into captivity a considerable number of the inhabi- 
 tants of the country. Among others, led captive, were Daniel 
 and his three companions, Sh ADR ach, MESHACH,and Abed- 
 NEGo. In the second year of his reign, he had a remarkable 
 dream, which made a strong impression upon his mind, but 
 which he was not able to recollect. He sent for all the 
 wise men of Bahi/Ion, and, however unreasonable the injunc- 
 tion, insisted, that they should make known his dream, together 
 with the interpretation thereof, upon pain of death. After some 
 time, the king's determination was revealed unto Daniel. 
 He requested a little respite might be allowed him, before the 
 decree should be put in execution. This being granted, he 
 went to his three religious companions, and desired them 
 to join with him in fasting and prayer, to entreat the Lord 
 to discover unto him the king's dream, and the interpre- 
 tation thereof. The Lord was intreated of Daniel and 
 his three friends, and the whole matter from first to last, 
 was revealed unto him, to the full satisfaction, and even 
 astonishment of the king. The introduction to the dream is 
 extremely beautiful. See Daniel ii. 1 — 30. The dream is 
 this, Dan. ii SI — 35. The interpretation runs thus: Dan. 
 ii. 37 — 45. The king was so affected with the wonderful 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 127 
 
 manifestation of his inmost thoughts, that he was quite over- 
 come, forgot his own dignity, and fell into an act of idolatry. 
 Dan. ii. 46—49*. 
 
 The dream is so distinct, the interpretation of it so satis- 
 factory, and the whole so perfectly conformable to lljc history 
 of the world, as far as the several ages have hitherto pro- 
 ceeded, that no thoughtful man can help being exceedaigly 
 Ktruck with the accuracy of the divine foreknowledge. 
 
 The dream itself was the tigure of an image in the form 
 of a man, made principally of metal, but yet the metal was 
 of different kinds. Tlit head zca^ of gold. This was an em- 
 blematical representation of Nebl chadnezzar and the 
 7}fl//j//o//?V/?i empire over which he presided. The breast and 
 the arms of the image xcere of silver. This was an emble- 
 matical representation of the empire of Persia, which was to 
 subvert and succeed the Babi/lunian. Nebuchadnezzar 
 waSj at that time, the most powerful monarch in all the 
 earth, and made Babylon, the capital of his kingdom, the 
 wonder of the world. Within sixty years, however, the 
 empire was overturned, and Babylon itself taken by Cyrus 
 the Great, afterwai-ds king of Pe/-s/a. — The belly and thighs 
 of the image uere of brass. This represented a third empire 
 which was to succeed the Babylonian and Persian. Accord- 
 ingly, about 200 years after the establishment of the Persian 
 empire, Alexander, king of Macedonia, a small state in 
 the upper part of Greece, marched against Darius, king of 
 Persia, defeated him in three pitched battles, and totally sub- 
 verted the second of the four empires. The Grecian then 
 became the third. The fourth was represented by legs of 
 iron, and feet part of iron and part of clay. This is the 
 Roman; for it was these people, who subdued the four suc- 
 cessors of Alexander, and reduced their kingdoms into 
 Roman provinces, and particularly Greece and Macedonia, 
 which were subdued by them ISO years after the conquest of 
 Persia by Alexander the Great, and 200 years before 
 the birth of Christ. The Roman empire then was the 
 fourth and the last. It vvas represented in this image by iron 
 legs, and feet of iron and clay. Thou sazcest, says Daniel, 
 
 * Let tlie Reader take his Bible, turn to these several passages, and 
 consider them well, before lie proceed* to the observations which fol- 
 low. 
 
128 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 to tlie King, till that a stone teas cut out ziithout hands, which 
 smote the image upon his feet, that were of iron and clay, and 
 brake them to pieces. Then zvas the iron, the clay, the brass, 
 I he silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became 
 like the chaff, of the summer threshing floors ; and the icind 
 carried them auay, that no place zvas found for them : and 
 the stone, that smote the image, became a great mountain, and 
 filed the whole earth. 
 
 The four empires were all to be destroyed, and a fifth 
 was to succeed, which was to be different from all that had 
 gone before. The fourth too was to be unlike the three 
 former in several respects. The image had iron legs. This 
 iniplied, that the enipire, represented by them, was to be 
 more pow eriul than any of those which had gone before.' 
 But then the feet and toes of the image were part of iron and 
 part of clay. This was to denote, that the latter ages of the 
 Roman empire were partly strong and partly weak. The ten 
 toes too, upon the feet of the image, were designed to repre- 
 sent ten kingdoms into which the Roman empire was to be 
 divided, just as t!ie two feet of a human creature are split 
 into ten ramitlcatioiis. This is expressed by the prophet in 
 the manner following : JVhereas thou sazcest the feet and toes, 
 part of potters clay and part of iron; the kingdom shall he 
 divided ; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron ; 
 forasmuch as thou saxcest the iron mixed with miry clay ; so 
 the k/)i2;dom shall be parr fit/ strong and partly broken. And 
 whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall 
 mingle themselves with the seed of men, but they shall not 
 eleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. 
 The meaning of which seems to be, tiie rulers of the ten 
 kingdoms, into which the Roman empire will be divided, 
 5hail form marriages, alliances, and contracts one witli another 
 from time to time, for supporting each other's interests ; but 
 uoue of their schemes and alliances for obtaining universal 
 empire shall stand. They shall all be broken and come 
 ♦ to nought. No universal empire shall ever exist upon earth 
 again, till the spiritual empire of Jesl's Christ, over the 
 hearts, mind^, souls, consciences, and lives of men takes 
 place. Jksus, maugre all opposition, shall be an universal 
 monarch, and the only universal monarch, who shall ever 
 exist again. 
 
 It is not, however, expressly asserted in the prophecy 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. ]29 
 
 before us, that the Roman empire should be split into ten 
 kingdoms. It is only said the kingdom shall be divided. 
 But though it is not asserted in so many words, it is stron<Tlv 
 intimated by the ten toes of the two feet of the image. And 
 the wliolc is more fully explained in Daniel's vision, re- 
 corded in the seventh chapter, where the beast, which is 
 symbolical of the Roman empire, is represented with ten 
 horns, as here the iniage with ten toes. And, indeed, it is 
 necessary to the full understanding of this dream of Nebuchad- 
 nezzar, that we should compare it with the vision of Daniel, 
 which signities the same thing under different images, with some 
 additional circumstances. This vision of Daniel was near 
 fifty years after the dream of Nebuchadnezzar. The first 
 part of the vision is in Dan. vii. 1 — 8. 
 
 After this, the prophet had a representation of the ever- 
 hisliiig Father of the universe, with his eternal Son, the 
 blessed Jesus, passing sentence upon the little horn in these 
 verses. A horn is a symbolical representation of govern- 
 ment, power, dominion. The government signified by this 
 little horn was to be utterly destioyed, and Jesus is to erect 
 his universal empire upon the ruins of it. See Dan. vii. 
 9 — 14. This is the same glorious and universal kingdom of 
 Messiah, which is described in Nebuchadnezzar's dream. 
 Compare Dan. ii. 35 — 44. 
 
 When Daniel had beheld the judgment of the little 
 horn, he did not understand the meaning of it. He was, 
 therefore, greatly troubled, and very desirous of knowing 
 what the whole signified. After a little time, he took courat^e, 
 and went up to one of the glorious Beings, who stood by, to 
 enquire. Whereupon the happy Spirit, that was in the train of 
 ^Messiah, laid open to Daniel the outlines of the whole 
 history of the corruptions of the Christian church — their rise — 
 their progress — their amazing enormity— their subversion — and 
 their total demolition: See Dan. vii. 13 — C8. 
 
 These are wonderful predictions*, in which we are all 
 
 * The reader will find these, and other predictions of Daniel, 
 ably explained by the late Bishop Newton in liis Dissertations on 
 the Prophecies. Few of our most able w riters on the prophecies, 
 however, seem to nie to have any idea, that they apply to the Pro- 
 testant establishments, as well as to the Catholic kingdoms. All 
 these things are against us, and we are usually extremely backward 
 to believe what we do not wish to be true. 
 
 s 
 
130 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 most nearly concerned; becaase the awful times of which 
 they speak, we have reason to believe, are just at hand ; and 
 none of us know how soon we may be involved in the dis- 
 tresses which are here foretold. The Roman empire, we 
 have seen, was to be broken np, and divided into ten 
 kingdoms. Sometime, soon after the formation of these ten 
 kingdomsy which are denominated horns, there was to arise 
 one little horn, one small dominion, underneath, or from 
 behind, ^/<ree of the ten horns, or kingdoms, into which the 
 empire should be divided. This little horn was to conquer 
 and subdue three of the ten horns, and to usurp their domi- 
 nion. After this, it was to go on and encrease more and 
 more till it had obtained a pecuhar kind of power and juris^ 
 diction over all the seven other horns. This one little horn, 
 which was become so great and powerful, was also to grow 
 proud, and vain, and cruel, and bloody, and tyrannical, and 
 idolatrous, and a vile persecutor of the true servants of the 
 living God. This horribly bloody and tyrannical power, 
 was to be aided and assisted in its oruelties towards the ge- 
 nuine followers of the Lamb, by all the other seven kingdoms, 
 over which it had obtained an unbounded influence. Thi» 
 wicked and cruel dominion was to continue a time and times 
 - and half a time. A tiine here, in prophetic language, signi- 
 fies a Jeziish year, which consisted of only S(iO days. The 
 times then will signify twice 360 days; and half a time will 
 signify half of 360 dnys, or 180 days. But a daj/, in the 
 language of pi ophecy, is put for a ^ear. If, therefore^ we add 
 these numbei.s together, they wil"! be thrice 360 years, and 
 180 years, or exactly 12()0 years, for the continuance of this 
 bloody and tyrannical power; at the end of which period it is to 
 be completely and everlastingly destroyed. 
 
 Now, let us look back and see whether all diese strange pre- 
 dictions of DxVNiEL have ever been accomplished. 
 / The Roman empire was to be destroyed. It was so, in 
 ( the fifth and sixth centuries. It was to be divided into a 
 \ number of small kingdoms : It was so in the fifth, sixth, 
 ) seventh, and eighth centuries. A little horn was to arise, 
 , unperceived, and subdue three of the teJi horns. The Bishop 
 ' of Rome, in a sort of secret and imperceptible maimer, did 
 .arise to temporal dominion, and subdued, by the help of 
 /Pepin, king of /Vfl/u't', three of those ten states, into which 
 \the empire had been divided; the senate of Rome, the king- 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 131 
 
 dom of Lombardy, and the exarchate of Ravenna; threes 
 governments all in Italy. And, it is extremely remarkable, 
 that upon becoming master of these three estates, the Bishop 
 <y( Rome assumed a trip/e crown, which he hath worn ever 
 since, and which he continues to wear at tliis very day! — This 
 is wonderful ! 
 
 Now the Bishop of Ro7ne was to retain his poner over 
 these three states, and his bijiuence over the seven other 
 kingdojTis 1260 years. If we knew exactly when to begin 
 to reckon these years, we should know precisely when the 
 destruction of Antichrist would take place*. Some begin 
 to reckon from the year G06, when the proud Prelate of 
 Rome was declared Universal Bishop. Others begin from 
 llie year 666, the apocalyptic number; and others from the 
 year 756, when he became a temporal prince. If the first 
 period be right, then the Pope of Rome, the undoubted 
 Antichrist of the yciv Testament, will be completely de- 
 stroyed, as a horn, about the year 1866. If the second 
 period be intended by the Spirit of Prophecy, then his end 
 will be near the year 1926. But if the third period be the time, 
 then Antichrist will retain some part of his dominion over the 
 nations till about the year 2016-t'. 
 
 Most evident it is, that he is rapidly falling. There is a 
 great deal, however, yet to be done. But, rchen God works, 
 U'ho shall let? Much has been already done, and all will be 
 Accomplished in due time. Not one word shall fall to the 
 ground of all that the Lord hath spoken. 
 
 Nay, not only shall Antichrist be overthrown, but even 
 Rome itself, the place and city where he hath carried on his 
 abominations for so many ages, shall be everlastingly destroyed. 
 The language of scripture is extremely strong, and seems suf- 
 ficiently clear and precise;};. 
 
 * Tlie tenipoml po\Ner of the Pope is already gone: what furtlier 
 T'^niains to be done, a little more time, a few more deeting years, per- 
 haps months, will shew. How eventful is the present i[>enotl! 
 
 t The number of Bishopn, whom we usually call Popes, who have 
 presided over the Romish church from its fir t institution by the 
 Apostles, is about two. hundred and fifty or sixty; they iiave, there- 
 fore, presided only about seven years apiece upon an average. 
 
 I It is granted, that all the passages ui)on this subject are figurative 
 and prophetic, and therefore must be inteq^retel with caution; but 
 yet they seem so strong and precise, that we c-iunot well understand 
 them in any more moderate sense. The Reader will compare tliem 
 together, and form liis own judgment. 
 
 s 2 
 
132 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 Thus Daniel: — / beheld then because of the voice of the 
 great nords xchich the horn spake : I beheld even till the beast 
 was slain, and his body destroyed and given to the burning 
 FLAME. Thus too St. Paul, where he is probably speaking 
 of Antichrist : — The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from hea- 
 ven zcith his mighty angels, in flaming Jire, taking vengeance 
 on them that knozc not God, and that obey not the Gospel of 
 our Lord Jesus Christ : who shall be punished zeith ever- 
 lasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from 
 the glory of his power. — And again in another place in the 
 same Epistle, where he is certainly and professedly speaking 
 oi Antichrist, he sailh: — And then shall that Wicked bt re- 
 vealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his 
 mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming. — . 
 Thus too St. John : — The Beast goeth into perdition. — 
 Again: — Her plagues shall be in one day, and she shall be 
 utterly burnt with fire. — The kings of the earth shall 
 bewail her, and lament for her, zcken they see the smoke of 
 her BURNING, standing afar ojf for fear of her torment, say- 
 ing, Alas! Alas! that great city Babylon, that mighty city! 
 for in one hour is thy judgment come. — In one hour so 
 great riches are come to nought! — They shall see the smoke 
 of her BURNING ! — And a mighty angel took up a stone like a 
 great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with 
 VIOLENCE, shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, 
 and shall be found no more at all. And the voice of 
 harpers, and musicians, and trumpeters, shall be heard no 
 more at all in thee. And no craftsman, of whatever craft he 
 be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a mill- 
 stone shall be heard no more at all in thee ; and the light of a 
 candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the 
 bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in 
 thee. — Immediately after these words, all the inhabitants of 
 heaven are represented as rejoicing, and saying. Hallelujah! 
 And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. 
 
 It will be allowed, that these are very strong expressions, and 
 imply a punishment extremely severe. It is remarkable too, 
 that all the country about the city of Rome, is a kind of bitu^ 
 men, or pitchy substance. And in the year of our Lord SO, 
 a fire burst out from beneath the ground, in the middle of 
 the city, and burnt four of the principal Heathen temples, 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 133 
 
 with the sncred buildings of tl'.e Capitol, Italy, indeed, is a 
 storehouse of fire. And when the 1260 years are expired. 
 Home itself, with all its magnificence, will be absorbed in a 
 lake of fire, sink into the sea, and rise no more at ail fur 
 ever*. 
 
 It was this grand Antichiht'ian apostacyf, of which we 
 have been speaking, that St. Paul unquestionably alludes to 
 in 2 Thess. ii. 1 — IC; in 1 Tim. iv. 1 — 3; and in £ Tim. iii. 
 ] — 5. St. John sipeaks of tiic same thing, 1 John ii. 18, 
 2.1; and in the book of Revtfation he hath described the 
 abominations of the Church of Ttome at considerable length, 
 but in language highly figurative!. If we will be at the pains 
 to lay all these predictions together, and compare them with 
 those of Daniel, before mentioned, we cannot fail seeing to 
 whom all the characters belong, and- how awful the destruction 
 is, which awaits this mother of abominations. 
 
 " But what is all this to us : Have we not long ago re- 
 nounced the errors and delusions of the Church of Home, 
 and declared ourselves professors of the genuine doctrines 
 of the Redeemer of mankind? May we not expect^ 
 
 * Being persiiadcfl of the destmctiou of this metropolis of the 
 Chrhtlau world, one cannot help feeling pleasure that the French 
 have remo\ed many of the tiiiest pieces of art from this vast repository 
 of curiosities []. 
 
 [*] The great regret is, tliat tlie French should have obtained 
 these valuable acquisitions, in a maimer which proves tiiat they are 
 totally unworthy of them, and are so little capable of properly 
 estimating their value. What a source of wealth and sjileudour 
 misht nf»t such monuments have procured to an honourable j^eople. 
 Di>tini;ui.>hed foreigners of all nations attracted by thein, would have 
 poured into the French metropolis to be gratified with the sight. 
 But the despot, now ruling France, hits given to them such a wani- 
 inii in his equally unjust and impolitic detention of the English, that all 
 foreigners w ill regard his ]Metro{)olis in the light of a Bastile, emd his 
 dominions as the land of cruelty, of blood, and f)f death. — Editor. 
 
 t Alexander Pope, Esq. though a Catholic, as is supposed, 
 to the day of his death, was convinced that the Church of Rome had 
 all the marks of that Antichristian power predicted in the writings of 
 the New Testament. And though he had not courage to profejs 
 himself a Protestant, he was finuiy persuaded of the truths of Chris- 
 tianitif. R u ffh e a d, p. 542. 
 
 I The seven seals in this hieroslyphical book refer to Rome m 
 her PflSi-fl/i state; the seven trumpets to the Roman empire in its 
 Christian state ; and the seven \ iaU to the same Roman empire, 
 broken iuto ten kijigdoms, in its Popish and Antichristian stat^. 
 
134 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 therefore, to be delivered from those judgments, which 
 have aheady fallen upon France and other countries, and 
 uhich .shall assuredly fall on all the Antichristian states in 
 Europe, ^hich formerly made a part of the Roman em- 
 pire '" 
 
 The te7i* kingdoms, before spoken of, we know, are all 
 to fall J at the end of the said 1260 years, from the time they 
 owned the dominion of the little horn. Now, England is 
 universally allowed to be one of the ten. If wc begin to reckon 
 the 1260 years from the time when Gregory tlie Great, 
 Fope of Home, sent over Austin, and his companions, to 
 preach the goi-pel to our idolatix>us ancestors, there are a few 
 vears vet to expire, before our doom shall be sealed in the 
 courts above -f-. The French can have no power against us till 
 the commission is signed by the Goverxor of the world. 
 The times and the seasons he hath reserved in his own hand. 
 Nations do not rise and fall by chance. 
 
 '^ But, is there no possibility of preventing, or avoiding, 
 the universal subversion awaiting both us, and all the other 
 
 \ kingdoms of Europe, which constituted parts of the ancient 
 empire?" 
 
 There seems to be one way \., and but one, in the nature . 
 
 / of things. And what may that be.' I am sorry to say it is 
 
 '' * T}ie>c ten kingdoms began to talce their rise about the year of 
 our I^rd 450, aud proceeded more and more towards permanency 
 
 J for many yen rs. The revolutions and couvidsions of those ages were 
 
 /' horribiy cruel, bloody, and distressing. 
 
 ■ ■\ There is some reason, from the present appearance of things, 
 to suppose, that the I'^GO prophetical years nuist be calculated from 
 a period souiev\ hat earlier than the commencement of the seventh 
 <-entury. The year of our Lord 538 accords with the downfall of 
 the Pope's temporal dominion, A. D. 1798. 
 
 X i am led to think there is still a pof'sibilifi/ of avertuig our un- 
 happy doom, from tlie case of Ainereh in Jonah; and that oiJe- 
 rumliriH in Jeremiah, particularly ch. xwi. 1 — 8. It were happy 
 tor us, if the possibility amounted to a probubility. Compare Jer. 
 xviii. 1 — 10. Our safety by no moans tlepends upon our more fre- 
 quent rej>etitioH oi pharisaical forms, and superstitious ceremonies, 
 but upon correcting what is amiss in our morals, and un-evan^elical 
 in our doctrines and ecclesiastical constitution. Was not the preseut 
 Pope of Rome dethroned at tlie very moment he w as surrounded by 
 his cai'dinals, and celebrating his own exaltation to the Papal chair ? 
 Was there ever a more worthy anfl religious Pope, titan his present 
 Holiness ? Were the ancient Jews e\ er more strictly aud sujierstiti- 
 tmsly religious, tlian when they crucified the Lord oi G lor 1/ ? or, 
 than when their temple and nation were destroyed ? 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 135 
 
 one, vvliich is by no means likely to take place, — It is a tho- 
 rough refoiniation both in theory and practice ; in Church 
 nwA State ; a geficral reformation in the moral and religious 
 conduct of the inhabitants of this country. For these pur- 
 poses, must not religion be reduced to gospel purity and sim- 
 plicity*? must not the Church be totally unconnected with, 
 
 * Consult Dr. Hartley, in his Observations on Man, for a more 
 particular account of the fall of the Establishments in Christendom. 
 Our ecclesiastica/ go\enwYS would do well to weigh seriously what that 
 learned Physician hatli said upon this subject, \\hile yet thei-e is time. 
 See Part 2. Prop. S'2. — But what can Ue expect from men, who are 
 surromided with worldly honours, entitled to a vast patromige of 
 livings, and tempted with near 100,000 pounds a year, to let things 
 continue as they are ? He must be almost more than man, whose \\v- 
 tue rises above such seducements. TiLLOTSON, Burnet, ajid 
 others, will complain all is not right; will profess they wish things to 
 be altered; but how seldom do «e find a Bishop or dignified Clergy- 
 man, who believes the Scriptures so firmly, as to renomice all the 
 riches and honours of this world, and to walk accordi)»g to the un- 
 adulterated Gosyoe/ of the Saviour of nrmkind? \V hen a man is 
 made a D. D. does not the spirit of a D. D. usually come upon him? 
 
 and when a B p, the spirit of a B p? Tiiough he had been 
 
 ever so eager for the removal of abuses bef(.>re, does he not usually 
 endeavour to lull conscience to rest, and even become an advocate 
 for the continuance of things in their present state ? To be sure, he 
 has much to losej and little to gain, by any chai:ge that can take 
 place; and " a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." When a 
 man has subscribed an ind'^fin.jte nu.nber of times to a set of propo- 
 sitions, some ofwiiich he doubts, and others of which he disbelieves, 
 it is a thousand to one, but he goes on to the end of the chapter, and 
 sinks at last hito eternal perdition, as a base prevaricator with God 
 and conscience. If in such a case, we can be in a state of safety for 
 eternity, I am clearly of opinion, religion is all a farce, and it is of 
 little consequence, with respect to the future world, whether we be 
 Christians or Heathens, Jews or jMahometans. — God requiretk 
 truth in the imcard parts! 
 
 It should seem, that the civil part of the British constitution is 
 also capable of considerable unprovement. Every thing of both 
 kinds, however, miglit easily be accomplished by the enhghtened en- 
 deavours of our present legislature. Do not the cr/»i/nfl/ laws of the 
 country likewise stand in need of revisal? Let any man judge of the 
 truth of this, when it is con'sidered that we have upwards of 1 60 
 oftences punishable v>ith death. 
 
 The Jurisprudence also of the country' seems to want reform in a 
 variety of resjiects. The court of chancery in particularis enormously 
 tedious and e\pensive[']. Do not other dej)artments of the law too 
 need much reform I In the count)- of Middlesex alone, in the year 
 1793, the numljer of bailable writs and executions fd^r debts, from 
 ten to twenty pounds, amounted to no less than oJV2, and tlie ag- 
 
136 A PLEA rOR RELIGION 
 
 and separate fiom, the Civil Constitution? This is the opi- 
 nion of some respectable men. Must not our Bis/tops and 
 Clergy be reduced to the sc/vy^i //;•«/ standard? Jesus Chuist 
 left sole king in his own church? and human ordinances, in 
 things sacred, give way to divine prescriptions ? Without 
 these great moral and religious changes, can ve expect to be 
 preserved from the general wreck oi Europe? And whether 
 these changes are likely to take place among us, let any cool 
 and impartial observer judge. Should not our learned Bis/iops 
 and Clergy see these things, and zealously attempt a reforma- 
 tion in themselves, in the eeeleaicntical part of the constitu- 
 tion of the country, and among the great body of the people ? 
 Should they not universally cry aloud and not spare; and 
 iound the trumpet in God's holy mountain? Should we not all 
 set ourselves in good earnest to stem the torrent of iniquity, 
 which overflows these happy lands, and threatens to involve 
 us in one general calamity? The time is come. God hath 
 sent forth the sword among the nations, and it is Retorima- 
 TiON or Ruination *. Without this it may be declared by 
 
 gregate amount of the debts sued for, to 81,791 pounds — ^Tlie costs 
 of these actions, althougli made up and not defended at all, would 
 amount to 6S,7'2S pounds. — Antl, if defended, the aggregate ex- 
 poiice to recover 81,7J)1 pounds, must be no less than 285,920 
 pounds! being considerably more than three times the amount of 
 the debts sued for or defended. — At present, the rule is, to allow the 
 same costs for forty shillings as for 10,000 jtounds. — Why are these 
 abuses permitted to continue? Is not the rase but too clear? la 
 short; the whole head is sich, and the whole heart faint : from the 
 sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness among us, 
 
 The B s play into the hands of the C — — y ; the L s into 
 
 the hands of the A s; the V s into flic hands of the A s, 
 
 &.C. Uc. ike. thus the world goes round. There is more truth in 
 ^Ir. Pope's observation than at hrst appears; that "an honest 
 man's the noblest work of God." \ idc Treat ise on the Police of 
 London. 
 
 [*] The Editor is credibly inforjned that there are causes in this 
 court which have been in prosecution above a century. 
 
 * It is not enough that such men as P s, B n, 
 
 W -n, H y, P ^ — y, and others, should contend in 
 
 favour of the Gospel of Christ, while they themselves, are, by their 
 conduct, the grand suj)))ortcrs of our ecclesiastical hierarchy, with all 
 its corruptions. If they wi-h eilectually to serve their country, and 
 the cause of humanity, they should apply their rare abilities, to re- 
 duce the national religion to the pure standard of the Gospel. But 
 what can we expect, when men's eyes are blinded, and their hearts 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 137 
 
 tlie authority of the JVord of the Lord, that as soon as ever 
 the predicted 1260 years are accomplished, we shall be Suept 
 
 bribed by worldly honours and prelennents ? Abundance of persons 
 in the Church of Rome have seen, and do now see the abuser and 
 corruptions <»f that Church — father I'AUL, for instance, in the la^t 
 age, Dr. (iEDDES and 3//-. Berrington in the present— but they 
 Ciinnot prevail upon themselves to quit their statio.s: Rev. xiv. 
 — 11, should l.'c co!isu!tcd : — so souie persons vitli us have- lone 
 seen the abuses aiid unv.'\augoIi<al traits of our own Church, and\et 
 they make theniseh.es easy, by writing iii defence of the imniortaJ 
 cau:.e of Chrisiirmifjj, while the vessel, in which they themselves are 
 embarked, is in danger of being dashed <- gainst the rocks. If one 
 man has a right to prevaricate, and subscribe v.hat he does not be- 
 lieve, why has not another ? Though of a sentiment in religion very 
 dillercnt, I must say, that Lindsey, Jebf., Hammond, Disney, 
 and others, who have sacriticed their preferiiient to the peace of 
 their own minds, are honourable men, deserving of all praise. But 
 can we say the same of those Clergymen, who go on subscribing and 
 swearing to various jnirticuiar propositions, v, hich they well know or 
 believe to be wrong ] 
 
 There is son.e reason to suppose Mr. Chillincavorth's con- 
 duct has had a considerable effect in reconciling the Clers^y to sub- 
 scribe to doctrines, wluch they avowedly do not believe. For this 
 great man declared, in a letter to Dr. Sheldon, that, " if lie sub- 
 scribed, he subscribed his own damnation," anfl vet, in no long space 
 of time, he actually did subscribe to the Articles of the church again 
 and again! Lord! ivhat ismcinf 
 
 Vide Biog-. Brit, by Kippis, vol. iii. p. 5l6. 
 The salvo by which he and some other Clersrymen, highly respec- 
 table, get over their scruples, is, to subscribe the 3£) Artichs as 
 articles and terms of peace. This, however, ajijiears to me a shame- 
 ful evasion, and inconsistent with common honesty. At this rate, a , 
 inaii in l!ali/ nvay sub>cribe Pope Pius's Creed; in Tiirkei/ the A'o- 
 ran of .>iAHOMET ; or in a Jeicixh govermnent, the Talmud of the 
 Rabhinsl^]. 
 
 Since the above was written, I have been struck with a similar 
 sentiment in the Hrst part of J/>-. Painf/s Age of Reason; and here / 
 at lea^t I have the pleasure of agreeing with that celebrated Debt, < 
 though we ditter toto cfeio upon almost every thing where the Sacred \ 
 U ritiiiscH Are concerned; — "It is impossible," says he ven justU, ' \^ 
 " to calculate the moral mischief, if I may io express it, that mer.tal , 
 lying ha=; produced in society. "\\ lien a man has so far corrupted , 
 au<l prostituted the chastity of liis mind, as to subscribe his profes- 
 sional belief of things he does not beiieve, he has prepared hiniseif 
 for the conmiission of every other < rime. He takes up the trade of 
 a Priest for the sakeof gain, and in order to qualify himself fvjr that 
 trade he begins with a perjury. Can we conceive aiiy thing more 
 destructive to morality than this?" 
 
 This subject is considered in a very serious point of view bv 
 Bishop Burnet m his PaUoral Care, 3d edit. p. S'6 — 99, onlv h'e 
 
 T 
 
13^ A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 with the besom of desfructioffi. For thus saifh the iufallibfe 
 Oracle. — Then was the iron, the clay, the brans, the silver, and 
 the gold, brohen to pieces together, and became like the 
 
 CHAFF OF THE SUMMER THRESHING FLOORS, ANDTflE 
 WIND CARRIED THEM AWAY^ THAT NO PLACE WAS FOUND 
 
 FOR TUEIM. The four empires and ten kingdoms, as they are 
 
 applies it to our declaiiiig we are moved by the Holy Ghost to 
 preach the Gospel. 
 
 A certain res|HTtable Clerg}/nian of our Church, wliose writings 
 on some sul)iects have fev,' equals, hath said — " If any one asks what 
 the expressions in Scripture, regenerate — born of the Spiuit — new 
 creatures, mean? — We answer, that they mean nothiiis; ! nothing 
 to us! — nothin<T to be found, or sought for, in the present ciicum- 
 stances of Christianity." — This gentleman well knows, that these 
 declarations of his are extrenie'y different from the doctrines of the 
 Church oi England, and yet, sii.ce he published these sentiments, he 
 has subscribed more than once, and, as far as appears, would sub- 
 scribe again and again, if two or three more good preferments should 
 fall in his way. 
 
 My indignation compels me to say, that a body of Clergi/ of tbat 
 description — however learned, ingenious, and worthy they may be in 
 other respects — deserve extiipating from the face of the earth; and, 
 if there be a judgment to come, our doom w ill be uncommonly severe. 
 The Scripture declares, all lyars shall have their part in the lake that 
 hurneth withjire and brimstone. And what more solemn lie can there 
 be, than subscribing our rames, that we believe a number of j)ropo- 
 sitions, which in our consciences we judge to be false ? unless it be 
 that other declaration, we " trust we are moved by the Holy Ghost 
 to preach the Gospel," when we fio not believe there is any Holy 
 Ghost, but laugh at every pr«.>tcusion of tlie sort as Mtlhodism and 
 enthusiasm I If the Lord /*• a (tOD of knowledge bif ivhom actions 
 are weighed, we pi-evaricating Pardons shall have a sad account to 
 give another day. We may keep up our hearls a few years now, while 
 in possession of two or three good livings, and the ^A oi Id smiles upon 
 us, but the day of <iarkness is at no great distance, when nothing but 
 integrity and conscious Uj)rightness will stand us in any stead. If 
 once the Clergy become generally prevaricators with their solemn 
 ' subscriptions, the fate of the English church is determined. 
 
 [*] Cc] tain it is, that if a man may lie and prevaricate in order to 
 insure his own peace, or even the peace of the nation, lie may Avith 
 equal propriety commit any other cnmewifh the same view, be it 
 theft, adultery, murder, or what not. But let men take heed that by 
 these prevarications they lose not that j)eace which is of all others 
 the most valuable, the most easily lost, and the most hardly acquired, 
 namely, peace ot conspience, or the testiu-ony of their conscience 
 that they please fiOD. And what a dreadful reflection does this sen- 
 timent convey on Government by some who would probably be 
 thought its best friends, that it allows of peace only on terms vvilU 
 Tihich no conscientious man can comply. — Editor. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 1:39 
 
 now constituted, shall^ aloiij; wit!; the IVhore of Bahijlon, be 
 swept from the face of the earth, and he known no more at 
 all, ill their present fon/is. And m hat >hall he the issue ? Af- 
 flictive as the chaiiije may be, the end shall prove glorious. 
 In the days of these kings shnil the God of heaven set np a 
 kingdom^ which shall never he destroyed, and the kingdom shall 
 not he left to other people, but it shall biirak IxN piecfs, 
 AND coNSLTME ALL THESE KINGDOMS, and it shall Stand for 
 ever. All people, nations, and language?, shall serve the Re- 
 deemer of mankind in the true spirit and power of his reli- 
 gion. His dominion is an everlasting douiinion, zihich shall 
 not pass nicay, and his kingdom that whieh shall not be dp:- 
 STROYED. The kingdom and elominion, and the greatness of 
 the kingdom under the zchole heaven, shall he given to the peo- 
 ple of the saints of the Most High, zchosc kingdom is an 
 everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obe 1/ 
 him. — Then shull the icolf dzcell Kith the lamb, and the leo- 
 pard shall lie doivn Toith the kid ; and the calf, and the young 
 lion, and the fat ling together, and a little child shall lead 
 them, yjnd the coio and the bear shall feed ; thJr young 
 ones shall lie dozen together, and the lion shall lat strata like 
 the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the 
 asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the eoekatrice- 
 den. Tiie followers of Jesus shall never hurt or destroy one 
 another again, but shall heat their sze^ords into plough shares; 
 and their spears into pruning hooks : nation shall not lift up 
 szcord <i gainst nation, neither shall thei/ learn tear am/ more ; 
 for the earth shall befall of the knonUdge of the Lord, as 
 the ivaters cover the sea*. 
 
 " But still, it is not easy to discern, why a Protestant na- 
 tion should share the common fate of the Catholic countries, 
 even upon the principles of ihe prophetic Scriptures'^" 
 
 Possibly: — But have you reflected upon the fate of Hol- 
 land, Geneva, and the refornud Cantons of Switzerland ? 
 They were zr holly Protestant, and made their boast of being 
 more pure than most other churches of the reformed rehgion ; 
 and yet they have undergone the same changes as the Catholic 
 states, though with infinitely less blood and slaughter. And 1 
 
 * Tlie reader may consult and compare other prophecies of a 
 similar kind with the above; particularly JsaiahW. l—5,'Mv\Mi' 
 cah iv. 1 — 5. 
 
 T 2 
 
140 A PLEA POR RELIGION 
 
 strongly suspect, that though the Pope* and Church of Rome 
 tnai/ he, and certain!}/ are at thfe head of the grand 1260 years 
 deiiision^ yet all other churches, of whatever denomination^ 
 \vhether established, or tolerate/1 ^ or persecuted, whicii paiiake 
 of the same spirit, or have instituted doetrineg and ceremoiiies 
 inimical to the pure and nnaduJteralcd Gospel of Christ, 
 shall sooner or later share in the fale of that iuiuiense fabric of 
 human ordinances. 
 
 That we have various things in our ecclesiastical Esta- 
 blishment, which cannot be defended^ upon the pure principles 
 of the Son of Gon, seems to many unquestionable. Our 
 
 * Tlie Pope of Rome may be, and probably is, a v orihy and re- 
 spectable private character. Tiiere have been inauy such in a course 
 of a"es. But, because he is at the head of the great aposiaci/ from 
 the genuine Go y;?/ of Christ, he shall go into perdition, let his own 
 moral conduct be Avhat it may. So tbe late Kirtg of France was a 
 worthv man, and had many and considerable virtues ; yet, because 
 he was at the head of one of the ten antichristian kingdoms which 
 gave its power to the support of ti)e Beast ; and, because the 1260 
 prophetical years in tliat kingdom were exjiired, he v.ent into perdi- 
 tion, in a manner the most attlictive that can be conceived [*]. 
 Kiv^ George too, is a most worthy character, and his successors, 
 we trust, will be tlie same, but unless there shall be piety and wis- 
 dom enough in the government of the countn* , civil and religious, to 
 reform radically the ( onstitufion, and render it consistent with the 
 true spirit of JDivine Revelation, there is reason to tremble for the 
 conse«pience. Private worth, it is evident from a thousand examples, 
 will never protect public and general depravity, from the punishment 
 due, and the destruction denounced. All that can be said for it, is, 
 that the fate of a nation may, for a season, be suspended, till the 
 Noahs, the Daniels, the Jobs, and the Josiahs, are taken out 
 of the way. 
 
 Consult the pamphlet entitled Reform or Ruin, for some useful 
 hints. That pamplilet, however, though containing valuable matter, 
 as far as it goes, leaves the constitutional defiects of the country un- 
 touched, and seems to take for granted ail is there pretty near as it 
 should be. 
 
 [*] Tis somewhat singular that the learned author should no 
 where have noticed tlie celebrated work of Mr. Ilemin'g. That 
 this CTcntleman should in so remarkable and express a manner ha\e 
 foretold the vear of the French Revolution, and the extreme degra- 
 dation of the French ^Monarchy, is surely a circumstance deservuig 
 ' of f^reat attention. His whole work is mterestiug, but it is much to 
 be hoped that his conjecture respecting the general prevalence of 
 Popery is not equally w ell founded. The modesty and piety of the 
 performance carrj with tliem a great recomjneudation.— Editor. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. N^, Ul 
 
 excellent Reformers* did great things, considering how^jidx 
 had been edncated, and the age iu wliich they lived. They 
 were good men, and proceeded, in their regenerating work, 
 much l"arther than miglit have been expected; but their suc- 
 cessors have not foUo\\ied the noble exan-.iile set before them, 
 of reducing the 7e/igiuus EHtablhhinctit of the coimtry to pri- 
 tiiitive purilj/, and evungelical simpliciti/f. ^^ e have been 
 
 •' It has been the opinion of many disinterested persons, that 
 several of oin- church appendages are not only unnecessary, but 
 penndou^. Archbishop Cr x'!\yJ¥.K in particular speaks in strong terms 
 yoainst some, which he ^^as obliged from the necessity of circum- 
 stances to retain. In a letter to Lord Cromwkll he says: " Hav- 
 ing had experience, both in times past, and also in our days, how 
 the sect of Prebendaries have not only spent their time in nuich idle- 
 ness, anfi tlicir substance in superfluous belly-cheer, i think it not to 
 be a convenient state or degree to be maintained and established. 
 Considering, first, that conmionly a Prebindarij is neither a learner, 
 nor a teaciier, but- a good vianiler. Tlien by the same najne, they 
 look to be chief, and to bear all th.e whole rule and pre-eminence in 
 the college v, here they be resident ; by means whereof, the younger 
 of their o\\n nature, given more to pleasure, good cheer, and jxisthue, 
 than to abstinence, study, and learning, shall easily be brought from 
 their books to follow the appetite and example of the same Preben- 
 daries, bei'.-g their heads and rulers. And the state of the Preben- 
 daries hath been so excessively abused, that v. hen learned men have 
 been admitted into such room, many times they have desisted from 
 their good and godiy studies, and all other virtuous exercise of 
 preachii}<i and teaching." BlontJdy Mag. for Mai/, 1798. 
 
 t " There are njauy prophecies, which dechire tlie fall of the 
 ecclesiastical \)o\\ei-i of the Christian world. And though each church 
 seems to flatter itself with the hopes of being exempted; yet it is very 
 plain, that the prophetical characters belong to all. They have all 
 left the true, pure, sisnple religion ; and teach for doctrines the com- 
 mandments of men. They are all merchants of the earth, and have 
 set up a kingdom of this world, abounding in riches, tempoial power, 
 and external pomp. They have all a dogmatizing spirit, and perse- 
 cute such as do not receive their own mark, and v orship the image 
 which thev have set up. — It is very true, that the Church of Rome is 
 Babylon Xhe Great, and tlie J/of/jfr oj harlots, and of t he abomina- 
 tions of the earth: hut all the rest have copied her example." 
 
 Hartley's Observation.i on Man, p. 2. § 82. 
 Be it observed, that Hartley was no Dissenter, but a most se- 
 rious, learned, and candid Churchman ; and wrote near fifty years 
 
 If my memory does not failure, Dr. Downham, sometime since 
 Bishop of Derry in Irduhd, reckoned up 000 gross errors iu the sys- 
 tem of Popery. 
 
142 ^ A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 contented to suffer our religious Constitution, our doctripes, 
 znd ceremonies, and forms of. public uorship, to remain, nearly 
 in the same unpurged, adulterated, and superstitious state, in 
 which the original reformers left them *. At least, the altera- 
 tions which have been made since Edward VFs. tiuje have 
 been few and inconsiderable. And the very last improve- 
 ments, which took place in our ecclesiastical frame of things, 
 were in the reign of that haughty, persecuting, wavering, and 
 yet tyrannical bigot James i. who would bear no contradic- 
 tion, but establish every thhig just according to his own plea- 
 sure -f. 
 
 If any person \\'ill seriously consider the low and superbtitious 
 state of the minds of men in gejieral, in the time of James I. much 
 njore in the reigns of his predecessors, he will not besiirprised to find, 
 that there are various matters in our ecclesiastical constitution, which 
 require some alteration. Our forefathers did great tilings, and we 
 cannot be sufficiently thankful for their labours ; but much more re- 
 mains to be done ; and it will be found a task of no ordinary diffi- 
 culty, peaceably and quietly to reduce things to a pure evangelical 
 state. This never can be done, indeed, but by a strong concurrence 
 of providential circumstances. The apj)robation of his Majesty, with 
 a majority in the two Houses of Parliament, might easily effect every 
 thing that is de-irable. This v.ould render a reformation practicable, 
 without dajiger to the Throne. But it should seem, that, with dan- 
 ger, or without dangerj the prophecies of Daniel being true, such a 
 change )uust take place, sooner or later. This power of reforming 
 whatever is amiss, is one of the peculiar excellencies of the Bi'itish 
 constitution. — Consult Simpson's Key to the Prophecies, in a note 
 on the last sheet, for some thoughts on this subject. 
 ^ *Cranmer, Bucer, Jewel, and others, never considered the 
 "reformation, w hich took place in their o^vn time, as complete. They 
 did what they could, and what the humours of men would then bear, 
 and left to their successors to accomplish what was still lacking, 
 ) Vide Neal's History of the Puritans, vol. i. ch. ]. and 2. where 
 / evidence for these assertions is produced at some length. And now 
 ' that I have mentioned this Work, I beg leave to recommend it in the 
 warmest terms, as containhig abundance of the most important and 
 authentic information concerning the history of the English churches, 
 from the time of the Reformation, in the reign of Henry VIII. to 
 - the Revolution under William III. in the year i68S. The last 
 / edition, enlarged by Dr. Toulmin, is by far the best. No Clergy ' 
 ' man of the Establishment should be without these valuable volumes. 
 It is the interests of truth alone which we should wish to advance. 
 
 t Wdc the Conference at Hampton-Court for the over-bearing 
 conduct of this pedantic king, and the fulsome flattery of court- 
 bishops. Several persons, moreover, were put to death, in this reign, 
 for their religious opinions. Is not this one of the infallible marks of 
 the Beast? 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 143 
 
 Indeed, to many we l-informed persons, it seems ex- 
 tremely questionable, wlietiier the religion of Jesus Christ 
 admits of any civil establisfimcnc at all. They rather suppose, 
 it is inconsistent with the very nature of it, and that it was 
 never dcsigutd to be incorporated with any secular institution 
 whatever*. Certain it is, that it made its way at lirst, not 
 only without human aid, but e\en in opposition to all laws, 
 both civil and religious--, which then prevailed in the Iio}na?i 
 empire. This was the state of it for upwards of 300 years. 
 It seems too, to be the intention of Divine Providence to 
 reduce it again to the same s.niple and unconnected state. 
 j4 tut til a hath set the example. I') a nee, Itali^, liollaud, and 
 Sicifzerland are going the same way. And it is highly pro- 
 bable that ali the other states in Europe will, in due time, follow 
 the same steps. As things now are in this country, the reli- 
 
 The next serious effort for refonnation in our church, was soon 
 after the Rcsf oration. Charles II. behaved handsomely at first 
 ujioii the occasion ; but, acting under the coiitroul of a number of 
 bii^oted arid high-priestly Bishops, whose minds were still sore with 
 resentment, he afterwards forfeited all his merit, as tlie guardian of 
 relii;ious liberty, and became a vile and cruel persecutor. Is not this 
 too au indubitable mark of the Biast f 
 
 After this a<3;aiu, a very serious attempt was made to remove the 
 things objected to in our church, ioou after the Revolution, under the 
 auspices of those excellent men, Tii,LOTSON, Patrick, Tennison, 
 Kidder, Stillingfleet, Burnet, and others; but being opposed 
 by a larger number of old-wifely Bishops, all their efforts came to 
 nothing. Thoy had been accustomed to read nmmpsimns all their 
 hves, and mumpsimnn it shottid be, they were determined ; and the 
 two Houses of Parliament were disposed to acquiesce in their papis- 
 tical and .superstitii)us views. We shall rarely have again, at one 
 time, such a constellation of learned, pious, and liberal minded ■ 
 Bishops as then adorned the English church. 
 
 * It is a remarkable fact, lately brought to light, that the im- 
 mense empire of China, which is said to contain .333 millions of in- 
 habitants, has no established religion. And, in the opinion of many, 
 the Gospel of Jesus Christ will never liave its full and proper 
 elfect upon mankind, till it is completely disentangled from every 
 human institution. Leave it to itself; let it have fair-play ;s, clog it 
 not with civil paius and penalties; let it stand or fall by its own in- 
 trinsic worth ; let neither kings or bishops lay their officious hands 
 upon it ; and then see how it will make its way among men. The 
 greatest po sible motive, by which man can be animated, is, the .sal- 
 vation of iiis own .soul. If this will not move us, nothing ebe will be 
 of imy avail. These are the sentiments of some very sensible and 
 well-iuformed persons. Whetlier they are right in this respect, I 
 leavo others to judge. To me there seems so2j;e weight in them. 
 
144 A PLEA FOR RELlGIOxN 
 
 gioii of Jesus Christ, which was not only not to he of this 
 zoorld *, but in direct opposition to it -\, is certainly in a great 
 degree, a temporal, worldly, civil institution. At least, it is 
 a strange mixture of things, secular and religious if. Jt is 
 nearly as much so, as it is in the Ca/Ao/Zo countries. 
 
 * See John xviii. 36', S", whur-c Christ claims a kitigdom. 
 
 f Compare Mat. v. 3 — 12, niiere he asserts the nature of that 
 kingdom, and the quahiications of his suhjects. 
 
 X One of oiu- Eiit^rish Fuets, who was even a bigot of the church, 
 hath expressed himself on this subject hi the manner following: 
 
 " Iijvci;ti(iiis added in a fatal hour, 
 
 Human appendages of ponp and power, 
 
 Whatever shines in outward grandeur great, 
 
 I give it up— « crcainre of the State. 
 
 Wide of tlie Church, as lieli from heav'n is v>\<Xq, 
 
 The blaze of riches, and the glare of pride. 
 
 The vain desire fo be ciititled Lord, 
 
 The worldly kingdom, and the })rince!y sword. 
 
 But should the bold usurj)ing spirit dare 
 
 Still higher climb, and sit in Moses' chair, 
 
 Pow'r o'er my failJ; apid consiience to maintain. 
 
 Shall I submit, and suffer it to reign ? 
 
 Call it the CJmrch, and darkness put for light, 
 
 Falsehood with truth confound, and ^vroug with riglit? 
 
 No; I dispute the evil's haughty claim. 
 
 The spirit of the world be still its name. 
 
 Whatever call'd by man 'tis ]>uie}y evil, 
 
 'Tis Babel, Antichrist, and Pope, and Devil." 
 
 ^ It is a curious circumstance in the history of Religion m the pre- 
 sent day, tliat while light, and knowledge, and liberality of sentiment 
 
 ! are rapidly diiiusing themselves among mankind, a res{.t'ctabie clergj/- 
 
 j man should be found among us, v. ho cuts off from saltation most of 
 the forei<fn Protestant churciies, and the \\ hole body oi'Di.s.'^enfers of 
 every description in this countiy, but by the uncoveira-.ittjd mercies 
 of God. This is a most serious aiid important consideration. Yet 
 this hath been done by Mr. Daubejjy, in his Guide to the i hnrch; 
 and seejningly too with the full approbatictn of the Editor of the 
 British Critic ["]. It certainly is hicumbent upon Dissealers of all 
 denominations to consider well wiiat Uiis learned gentlemaji has ad- 
 
 [ vanced, and either to refute the' force of his arguments, or conform to 
 the established religion of the country. Sir Richard Hill, id his 
 Ajwlogy for Brolhrrly Love, has given suth unAnsirer to Mr. Dau- 
 beKy's G'«.vV/e as that gentleman will not be easily able to refute. 
 It the doctrine of the Guide be right, 1 do not see how we can be 
 
 : fiiirly justiHcd in leaving the Chinch of Rome. Tiie capital mistake 
 of the whole seems to be, a sub.^titation of the Church oi England, 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 145 
 
 As to the King, or Queen, of any country, as the case is_, ^- 
 being Head of the Church, and having tlie appointment of 
 JBi'ihops, and the nomination to church-l'nings, it is conceived 
 by many to be utterly inconsistent with the very essence of 
 ■the etan^elical dispensation, and the unahenable rights of man- 
 kind. They will tell us, that neither his Majesfi/ — whom 
 God preserve !-^nor the I.urd Chancellor, nur his Majestifs 
 Ministers, have, or can have, any coiicern in ihe government of 
 the Church, or the appointment of officers in it, or to it, 
 directly or indirectly, according to the spirit of the Gospel, 
 but only in their private capacities as individual members of 
 the Chinch. No man upon earth, as it seems to them, is en- 
 titled to any such power. They scruple not to suy, it is one 
 of the very worst traits of Popin/, and an infallible criterion of 
 an (inti-chi istian ussuming. Mat. xx. 20 — 28, and xxiii. 
 1—12, are usually referred to upon this occasion. . 
 
 As the law now stands in this country, the King is abso-/— ^ 
 lute Head of the Church, and the fountain of all ecclesiasticai 
 power; but, so far as the j9fl^/o// age of benefices goes, this is 
 more nominal than real ; for, in truth, there are as many heads 
 as there are patrons of livings. A drunken, swearing, libertine 
 Lord Chancellor, who is living in open fornication or adultery, 
 contrary to every law human and divine, if such chance to be 
 his character, as sometimes is the case, has the appointment ta 
 a large number of livings. A corrupt, vile, unbelieving, immoral, 
 wicked. Minister of Slate, if such happens to be his character, 
 has the nomination to abundance of others. A Roman Catho- 
 lic, or some of the most immoral of the Nohiliti/ or Gentry of 
 the land, veiy frequently have the patronage of others. In not 
 a few instances Ladies have the presentation to church prefer- 
 ments. These are all virtually and substantially so many Heads 
 of the Church; while the King or Queen is only nonsinally and 
 partially so. I'his is surely a lamentable state of things.V Can 
 any man wonder at the spread of infidelity and irreligion ? Can 
 we justly expect other than the downfal of such a s}stem of cor- 
 rupt, worldly policy? It is Wi;ll known how harsh and disagree- 
 
 for the Church of Cht?isT, exactly in the same manner as the) 
 Cathofics substitute the Church of Rome for the Church of Christ. / 
 
 [**] The Editor begs leave to refer to the masterly review of this 
 author? writings m the Clnistian Observer. 
 
 /^ /.',. / / -. ^ y ■ -. tj / - , >^.-< ^^^- d^.M*»- 
 
 o-,.^ /t £-,«.*— ^r^ i^Ci-e^ ^'t*-*^ J, ^L.<-**. iri^* 
 
 4^4u U^:^4^ 
 
146 ' A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 able tliese melancholy truths will sound in the ears of inter- 
 ested men, and men who swallow every thing as gospel, to 
 w hich they have been long accustomed ; but I affirm it with all 
 possible seriousness, again and again, that, as I understand the 
 Scriptures, a radical reform, and the removal of all these secu- 
 lar circumstiMiccs alone, can save us, for ani/ length of time, 
 from natioiial disirtss. I refer our Bis/tops — and beg they will 
 seriously consider the awful declaration — to Dan. ii. 35, 44, be- 
 fore mentioned. Is not the time for its accomplishment fast 
 approaching, and near at hand ? 
 X I have spoken above of the patronage of church livings. 
 Some of my readers may be in a great degree strangers to the 
 state of it. I have taken some pains to inform myself upon the 
 subject, and I find that it stands nearly in the following propor- 
 tions. I speak generally, but yet accurately enough for the 
 purposes of common information. It is well known then, that 
 the church livings of England and JVciles make together, speak- 
 ing in round numbers, about ten thousand. Of these, near a 
 thousand are in the gift of the King. It is customartfy however, 
 for the Lcrd Chancellor to present to all the livings, under the 
 value of twcnti/ pounds, in the Kings Book, and for the Minis- 
 ters of State to present to all the r£st. Those miekr twentt/ 
 pounds are about 780, and those above, near 180. Upwards of 
 l600 pieces of church preferment, of different sizes and de- 
 scriptions, are in the gift of the 26 Bishops : more than 600 in 
 the presentation of the two Universities: about 1000 in the 
 gift of the several Cathedrals, and other clerical institutions : 
 about 5,700 livings are in the nomination of the Nobility and 
 Gentry of the land, men, women, and children: and 50 or 60 
 there may be of a description different from any of the above, 
 and nearer to the propriety of things. These are all so many 
 Heads of the Church, in a very strong sense of the words, the 
 Kiriff or Queen of the country being a kind of Arch-head* , 
 
 jA ■ ~ ■ • — 
 
 * Bishop Jewel, in a Letter dated May 22, 1559, writes, " that 
 the Queen (Elizabeth) relused to be called Head of the Church; 
 and adds, that title could not be justly given to any Mortal, it being 
 due only to Christ ; and that such titles had been so nmch abused 
 by Antichrist, that they ought not to be any longer continued." 
 Bishop BuRNKTs Travels, Let. 1. p. 52. 
 
 Cardinal Woi.sey, under Henry VIII. was head of the English 
 dmrch, and one of the greatest tyrants over the consciences of men 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 147 
 
 Moreover, the Bishops of the Establishment are, contrary to ' 
 all ancient usage, chosen by the civil power, the Clergy and | 
 People over wlioin they are to preside, not having the least 
 Hecrntive upon their election. When they are chosen too, they 
 take their seats in the upper house of parliament, and act in 
 most respects, like unto the temporal Lords. I will not say, 
 that this may not be good human policy, supposing the king- 
 dom of Christ to be a mere zcor/dli/ sovereignty ; but it ap- 
 pears to me utterly inconsistent with the spirituality of our 
 Saviour's empire, and has had for many ages a most unhappy 
 effect upon the interests of his religion in the world*. Their 
 emoluments are of such a nature, their worldly engagements so 
 numerous, and the temptations to the pleasures, honours, and 
 amusements of life so strong, that their minds become secula- 
 rized, and they lose all lively rehsh for die peculiar duties of 
 ministers of the Gospel ; which they, therefore, very generally 
 commit to the inferior orders of the Clergy. They are nearly 
 as much officers of the crown as the Judges and Magistrates 
 of the land. They are chosen by the civil power, they are vir- 
 tually paid by the civil power alone, the clergy and people not 
 possessing the least controul. And then, as to the titles, by 
 which thev are designated, they appear to carry die most indis- 
 putable marks of the ajiti-christiaji ajiostacy. His Grace, 
 THE Most Reverend Father in God, William, by 
 Divine Providence, Lord Archbishop of Canter- 
 Bi :r"v ! — The Right Reverend Fatiier in God, John, 
 BY Divine Permission, Lord Bishop of London! — 
 "What is there in the titles of the Pope of Romef, that is more 
 maiinificent than the sound of these words r How unhke is all 
 
 that ever existed. Blessed be GoD for the Reformation! and the 
 present liberty we enjoy! 
 
 * If the Gospel of Christ gave encouragement to such a state 
 of things as this, much as I now admire it, I would reject all its pre- 
 tensions, as a divine scheme, with indignation. I do not wonder that 
 the world abounds with Infidels z\\A Injidelity ! Wliat pity, however, 
 men will not di-.tinguisli between the useoi \hc Gospel, and the alntse 
 of it ? between tiie Gospel itself, and the additions which have been 
 made to it by interested men? 
 
 t Mr. Paine, speaking of the Reformation, says sensibly enough, 
 " A inuki}>li(ity of uatif)nal Popes grew out of the do\\ nfall of the 
 Pope of Christendom." — .\nd I add, Rome itself scarce ever had a 
 
 u 2 
 
143 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 tliis to the spirit of the Gospel, and ihe character aiid conduct of 
 ■the lowly Saviour of mankind? Mat. xi.'23 — 30; sxiii. 
 1 — 12. Hjw much calculated are such high sounding titles to 
 swell the pride of frail mortals? Popes, and Bishops, and Far-* 
 SOWS' are made ef like stuff with other men ? 
 
 And then, what shall we say to the secular, and lukewarm 
 condition of the generality of the Clergy of tlie land? — -to the 
 patronage of benefices before mentioned ? — to tlie common and 
 abominable sale of livings ?•— to our simoniacal contracts? — our 
 sinecures, pluralities, non-residences*? — to our declaring we 
 
 «iore bloody, libidinous, and detestable bead of the clunch, than was 
 Henry VIII. the self-created Pope of our own ecclesiastical consti- 
 tution. Shew me a worse man among all tliat abhorred race, or a 
 more consummate tyrant over the cor.scieuces of men. 
 
 * The Curates of our church, in many cases are as culpable with 
 respect to non-residence, as the £i.s/iops, and Rectors, and Vicars. 
 In my own neighbourhood, and mostly in my own parish, we have 
 upwards of twelve chajicls, where there is no resident Clergyman. 
 It is much the same in other parts of the kingdom. 
 
 7 he Reader will find several of these defects of tlie CA?/rcA of 
 i^nglavd touched u nm by BuRNET in the Conclusion of the His- 
 tory of his Gun Times. — I add. 
 
 My Lord S — H has got a Mistrrss, of whom he is grown weary. 
 On condition the Rev. A. B. will marry her and make her an houest 
 woman, he shall be Rector of such a living in the gift of his Lord- 
 ship. 
 
 The living of C — h is in the gift of Mr. G>*-T; he has got a 
 daughter; if the Rev. Ch. P swill marry her, he shall be pre- 
 sented to tlie church. 
 
 Mr. G— N has a son, who is neither fit for law, physic, or the 
 army. He has such a living in his patronage. This rip of a son shall 
 be trained to the church, and be the incunibeut of the family 
 Hectory. 
 
 My Lord D N has got four sons; one shall enjoy the title 
 
 and e tate; another shall go into the army, and be made a general; 
 another shall go to sea, and become an admiral ; the fourth shall be 
 trained for the church, and be promoted to a bishopric. 
 
 Sir P— R P— R has in his gift a /?cc/or//, of the value of 2000 
 pounds a year. The Rev. G. \V. agrees to give him live thousand 
 pounds in hand, and five hundred a year for ten years. 
 
 In this manner are daily barteied t/'ie souls of men, like sheep ia 
 a market!— Is it piobabie that such a state of things should be 
 maintained for many ages or years long<?r ? Surely the Legislature of 
 the country ougl.t to take these abuses into consideration, and en- 
 deavour to remove them. If there be a God, who judgeth the earth, 
 he cannot look upon such abominations with indifference. Abuses 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 149 
 
 aro moved by the Holy Ghost to preiich the Go^pel^ 
 when we are moved by nothing more than a desnc to obtain a 
 good livvis, and^ {)Lihap'>, even dtny thut ther«' is any Holy 
 GhostT — to our reading one species of doclrinqs in the desk, 
 aiid pK^ching directly opposite in the pulpit? 
 
 Abundance of persons, moreover, object to several things in 
 the 39 AiticLs of Rt/igion ~lo fc\e\iil things in the book of 
 flomi/iis — and, nbove all, to the imposition of stihscription to 
 any human creeds and explications of doctrines whatever *. 
 No man, or set of men upon earth, as it seems to them, lias a 
 right to demaarl any such thing of a fejlow Cliiisna)/. 
 
 of a similar kind have broivgut deslruLtion upon other countries, and 
 shall E?iglan(i alone be |>eiiiiitted thus to play the devil, and no 
 notice taken of us by the moral Governour of the world ? Such 
 things are iudeleasible, aiid make one blush for the church, in which 
 it is possible they shtai'd take })lace. 
 
 The valuable prefern:eiit> in our Church, are almost universally 
 obtained by nu»iiey, or by interest; merit having ill tie or nothiu2 to 
 do m the business. There are, however, several exceptions to this 
 general lale, under the government of his present Majesty. But, 
 my indignation constrains me to add, that Maurice, the present 
 worthy author o( Indie. ?i Antiquities, &c. (Sec. — O i>hame to a vcDal 
 age! — is left to starve upon a distant and laborious curacy of fifty 
 pounds a year. See his own account in the Hiiiory of Hindostun, 
 vol. i. p. 119, 120, quarto. 
 
 " Ye bards of Britain, break the useless lyre, 
 
 ' And rend, disdainful, your detested lays; 
 Who now shall dare to letter'<! fame aspire. 
 Devotes to penury hi» hapless* days." 
 See Maurice's tine t-legiac Poem on the death of Sir Wm. Jones. 
 
 * It may be farther observed, that subscription to the 39 Ariicles 
 hath kept many a good nran out of the church, but not many bad 
 ones. 
 
 " The requiring subscription to the thirty-nine articles," Bishop 
 Burnet says, " is a great imposition." 
 
 I ren'ember an Anecdote concerning the fanioiis William 
 Whiston and Lord Chancellor King, which is not foreign to our 
 purpose. WiiiSTON being one day in discourse with the ( hanceUor, 
 who was brought up a Dimnier at Ejiefer, but had conformed, a 
 debate arose about signing articles which men do not believe, for the 
 sake of prelerment. This the i hcncellor openly justified, " because," 
 said he, " we must not lose our usefulness for scruples." Whiston, 
 who was quite of an opposite opinion, asked his Lordship, " If in 
 his court they allowed of such prevaricatioii V He answered, " We 
 do not." " Then," said Whiston, " suppose GoD Almightx 
 should be as just in the next world, ai my Lord Chancellor is in this, 
 >here are we then \" 
 
150 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 Can any tWng in the whole absurd system of Popery be 
 more improper, than to make every young man, without excep- 
 tion, subscribe, when he becomes a member of either of our 
 English universities, he believes from his soul, ex animo, that 
 every thing contained in the Articles, Hoiiiilies, Common 
 Prayer, and offices of Ordination, is agreeable to the Word of 
 God? when in all ordinary cases, he has never seriously and 
 attentively read either one or another of them? How is it likely, 
 that a boy, raw from school, should be competent to such a 
 task? And if he is to subscribe upon the faith of others, on the 
 same principle he may subscribe to the jMass-BooJx, the Koran, 
 or any other book whatever. 
 X After a careful exam'ination, I, for my own part, am con- 
 
 i strained to object, pede et ?nanu, to several things in the 141 
 ■ Canon, and consider the requirement, on oalh, of canonical 
 . obedience to the Bishop of the diocese where we officiate, as 
 ! one of the most detestable instances of antichristian imposition 
 i that ever was exercised over a body of Clergy *. And yet, after 
 we have gotten our education, at a considerable expence, pos- 
 ; sibly at the expence of our whole fortune, we must take this 06- 
 horred oath, or renounce the profession to which mc have been 
 trained, after our fortune, with which we should have begun 
 \ business, is gone, and the proper time of life expired. These 
 things ought not so to be. — Let it be observed, however, that 
 this is not the fault of the Bishops, but of the Constitution. 
 /-It is one of the existing laws of the Establishment, and 
 cannot be dispensed with as things now stand ; and the 
 j Bishops are as much bound to administer the oath, as we are to 
 \^ take it. 
 
 Moreover, there are not a few persons again, who object to 
 some things in the Baptismal office — in the office of Con- 
 firmafion — in the office for the Sick — in the Communiotv 
 
 * The 4th, 5th, 6th, /th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, V2\h, 27th, 2Sth, 
 
 I 29th, 38th, 58th, 72d, 139th, 140th, and 141st, C«no»^, are most of 
 
 them peculiarly objectionable. Prior to experience, it would apjiear 
 
 highly incredible, that conscientious and liberal-minded Clergymen 
 
 should be able to swear such kind of obedience. The good LoKD 
 
 pardon his servants, for we surely consider not what we do. 
 
 \ N Let any man seriously read, and soberly consider these several 
 
 1 Canons, and then judge of their tendency. They contain the very 
 
 worst part of j30j3erj/, that is, a spirit of intallibility. They proceed, 
 
 at least upon the infallibility of onr own church, while we disavow 
 
 that infallibility, and condemn the pretension in the chureh of Rome^ 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 151 
 
 office— in the Ordination office — in the Burial office — iu 
 the Common Prayer — in the Litani/ — in Athanaiiuss Creed 
 —in the Calendar — in our Cathedral worship — in our 
 Spi/itual courts — in ihe management of our Briefs* 
 
 * Many persons ha%e an objection to contribute any tiling to- 
 Briefs, because they suppose a principal part of the morKy collected 
 goes' into the hands'of improper persons. The usual charges attend- 
 i!ig them, with the collections thereupon, will be best understood 
 from the instance given in Eurne's Ecclesiastical Law. 
 
 For the parish church of Ravemtondale, m the county of West- 
 moreland. ^' *• "• 
 Lodging the ceiliticate -----0 76 
 
 riat^and signing --1942 
 
 Letters patent - 21 18 2 
 
 Printing and paper ------lO'OO 
 
 Teller and Porter -.---- 5 
 
 Stamps 13 12 6' 
 
 Copy of the brief 5 
 
 Portage to and from the stampers - 5 
 Mats for packing -------040 
 
 Portage to the waggons - - - - 4 
 
 Carriage to the undertaker at Stafford 1 1 1 6 
 Postage of letters and certificate - - 4 8 
 Clerks fee 2 2 
 
 Total of the Patent charges - - - 76 J 6 
 Salary for 99S6 briefs at 6'd each - - - -249 13 
 Additional salary for London ----- oOO 
 
 Tlie whole charges £330 iG 6 
 
 Collection on 9Wo briefs"- - of 6 14 12 9 
 Charges 330 l6 6 
 
 Clear colled iou - - - - - £283 K) 3 
 
 The expence of a brief for St. Mary's Church, in Colchester, is 
 stated in the Gmtleman's Mag. for Feb. 178S, at 54ol. I9s. lOd. 
 
 Thus we see, that according to the more moderate of these cases, 
 if ten Briefs are issued m the course of a year, there would be col- 
 lected upoii them the sura of 6 1401. Js. 6d. of wluch 33081. 5s. is 
 expended in clearing 283SI. 2s. 6d. for the ten charitable purposes. 
 
 But if we take the more extended of these cases, the exi)ence of 
 collecting ten Briefs would be 546'9l. 18s. 4d. which is within 
 67 6\. 9s. 2H. of the whole money in the former case collected I 
 
 There is a deduction of a similar kind from public money hi St. 
 Michael's Chapel in this town. Fifty pounds a year are order-ed by 
 royal grant, to be paid out of the Exchequer to the Mat/or of the 
 Corporation, for tiie time being, for the use of the Mitiister, without 
 fee or reward. Instead of tifty, however, he never receives more 
 than three and thirty. Seventeen pounds are deducted for lees of 
 otiice. So much for, " without fee or reward!" Charitable conci- 
 
15Q. A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 — in the Test and Corporation Acts'* — in our Tithe 
 laws •^. 
 
 There tre some agaiJi, who earnestly deplore our total 
 \vant of discipline, and-our incomplete toleration that our 
 Church holds out other terms of communion than tlie Scrip- 
 ture hath enjoined- — and that she is a mighty encowrager of 
 ambition Among the superiour orders of the Clergy, by the 
 seve-al raul;s, degrees^ honours, and emoluments, \\hich prevail 
 among us. — They are firmly persuaded, that the people of every 
 age and country have an unalienable right to choose their own 
 ministers; and that no king, no ruler, no bishop, no lord, no 
 gentleman, no man, or bodv of men upon earth, has any just 
 claim whatever, to dictate, who shnll adujinisler to them in the 
 concerns of their salvation ; or to say — You shall think this, be- 
 lieve that, worship here, or abstain from worshipping there. 
 
 tions, of «nery kind, sliould be reduced as little as possible by those 
 through -',4 hose hands they must naturally pass. An undue deduc- 
 tion is a sort of sacrilege, aud must be accounted for as such before 
 the JuDfJE Supreme. 
 
 The niinibcr of Church and Chapel Wardens in England and 
 Wales must be cousiderablY above '20,000. Every one of these 
 takes a s< tlenui oath when he enters upon his office. And who will 
 undertake to prove that nine in ten of these church-officers are not 
 perjured? Certain it is, that the oath is of such a nature, it is next 
 to aji inij lossibility to keep it inviolate. Very few of those gentlemen 
 ever attei npt to fuiril their engagements. I'hey make no efforts ta 
 avoid the grievous sin of perjury. 
 
 * " Hast thou by statute, shov'd from its design, 
 
 Th e SAViouRs'fea-t, his own blest bread and wine. 
 
 And made the symbols of atoning grace 
 
 Ai 1 ottire-key, a picklock to a place, 
 
 That Infidtis may prove tlieir title good 
 
 Piy an oath dipp'd in sacrameutal blood ? 
 
 /k'blot that will be still a blot, in spite 
 
 Of all that grave ajiologists may write, 
 
 A.nd tljough a Bishop toil to cleanse the stain. 
 
 He wipes and scours the silver cup in vain." 
 
 Cow fee's Poems, vol. i.p. 1^2, 
 
 See Dr. Sherlock, Dan of Chichester, in favour of the abov« 
 
 two . 4cts, and Ho adly. Bishop of Bangor, in answer to Sherlock. 
 
 This celebrated Bishop used to say, *' Our liturgical forms ought 
 
 to b 8 revised and ainenderl, only for our own sakes, though there 
 
 were no Dissenters in the land." 
 
 t See the article lithe in Burn's Ecclesiastical Law: whence it 
 appe; us that Tithes were not paid in England till the eigthth century, 
 and v /ere then given to the Clergi/ by an act of tyrannical power aiid 
 usurj aiion, by two of our Popish and superstitious kiugs; and, in 
 one V f the instances, as a comniutatiou lor murder. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 153 
 
 For mucli znore than a thousand years, the Christ Ian ^ 
 world was a stranger to reHgious liberty. Even Toleration '\ 
 was unknown till about a centuiy^ago. The Clergy, espe- 
 cially, have usually been unfriendly^'to religious liberty. And 
 when the Act of Toleration was obtained in Kitig William's 
 time, great numbers of men were much against it. — It ap- 
 pears to me, however, that both the name and thing are 
 inconsistent with the very nature of the Gospel of Christ. 
 For, have not I as much right to controul you in your reli- v 
 gious concerns, as you have to controul me ? To talk of l 
 tolerating, implies an authority over me. Yet, who but 
 Christ has any such authority: He is a tyrant, a very pope, 
 who pretends to any such thing. — These matters will be better 
 iniderstood by and bye. The whole Christian world lay in ) 
 darkness, upon this subject, we have observed, for many V^ 
 ages. Dr. Owen was the first I am acquainted with, who ) 
 wrote in favour of it, in the year 1648. Milton followed '. 
 him about the year l65S, in his Treatise of the Ciiil Power ) 
 in Ecclesiastical Causes. And the immortal Locke followed 
 them both with his golden Treatise on Toleration, in 1689' 
 But notw ithstanding these, and many other works which have 
 since been written on the same subject, much still remains to 
 be done in this country. Locke's book has not yet been 
 generally read and understood. Though we have had the 
 honour of being among the first of the nations, which ob- 
 tained a large portion of civil and religious freedom, others 
 are now taking the lead of us, on the rights of conscience. 
 And it does not appear to many, that we ever can be a 
 thoroughly united and happy people, till every good subject 
 enjoys equal civil privileges, without any regard to religious i 
 sects and opinions. If a man be a peaceable, industrious, 
 moral, and religious person, and an obedient subject to the 
 civil government under which he lives, let his religious views 
 of things be what they may, he seems to have a just claim to 
 the enjoyment of every office, privilege, and emolument of 
 that government. And till this is in fact the case, I appre- 
 hend, there nes^r can be a settled state of things. There 
 will be an eternal enmity between the governing and the 
 governed; an eveHasting struggle for superiority. But when 
 every member of society enjoys equal privileges with his 
 fellow members, the bone of contention is removed, and 
 tiiere is nothing for which they should any longer be at 
 
 X 
 
154 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 enmity. Equal and impartial liberty; equal privileges and 
 emoluments, are, or should be, the birth-right of every 
 member of civil society; and would be the glory of any 
 government to bestow upon all its serious, religious, and 
 morally-acting citizensj without any regard to the sect or 
 party to which they belong. Talents and integrity alone 
 should be tiic sine qua noiis to recommend any man to the 
 notice of people in power. This, it should seem, would make 
 us a united and happy people. 
 
 As we have been speaking on the subject of the Patronage 
 of Livings, it may be worth while still farther to observe* 
 
 that the Bishop of enjoys very considerable privileges 
 
 of this nature, which have, on a late occasion, been shame- 
 fully abused. Not less than 130 presentations belong to him! 
 A certain episcopal Gentleman of that diocese, knowing the 
 extensive emoluments he was likely to be possessed of in this 
 way, brought his son up to the church ; and, when he came 
 of proper age, bestowed first one living upon him, and then 
 another, as they became vacant, to a very considerable 
 amount, which this son enjoys at this day. He is now one 
 of our dignijied Clergymen , and in possession of a very un- 
 reasonable number of valuable preferments, to most of which 
 he pays extremely little personal attention. He takes care, 
 however, to secure the fleece, the devil may take the flock. 
 Johnx. 1—18. 
 
 Another Son of Aaron, in a neighbouring district, which 
 xnight be named, possesses preferments in the church, by 
 the procurement of his episcopal father, to the amount of 
 2000 pounds a year. He has for a long season been ex- 
 tremely attentive to his tithes ; but hardly ever man paid less 
 attention to the salvation of the souls of his people, and the 
 sacred duties of his oftice. Seldom, indeed, does he appear 
 among the former, less frequently still does he attend the 
 proper duties of the latter. Fifty or sixty pounds a year he 
 reluctantly pays to a journeyman Parson^ |o supply his own 
 lack of service; but like master, like man ; they are a miserable 
 couple together; the one is penurious, the other dissolute. 
 What must the cojidition of the flock be, under the care of two 
 such wretcbe^. shepherds ? 
 
 I will mention a third curious instance of clerical sagacity. 
 A certain Rectorj/ not fifty miles from this place, is said to 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 156 
 
 be of the value of near '2000 pounds a year. A kind young 
 lady, \^hose friends have sufficient interest uilh the pation, 
 falls in love with a wicked, swearing, dashing officer in the 
 army, and marries him. That a co^ifortable maintenance 
 may be secured for the happy pair, it is agreed, that the 
 gentleman shall change the colour of his clothes, apply 
 himself to the attainment of a smattering of Latin and 
 Greek, and admit himself a member of one of our famous 
 U)iiversities. There he actually now is, qualifying himself 
 to take possession of the bouncing Benefice. The incumbent 
 being dead, a pliable parson is put in for a time as a locum 
 tenens. And when the quondam officer has obtained his 
 proper credentials, this worthy Levite must resign all hhfat 
 pigs in favour of this son of ^[ars. The white washed officer 
 will then come forward, and declare in the face of God and 
 man, with a lie in his mouth, that " he trusts he is moved by the 
 Holy Ghost to preach the Gospel." 
 
 If these were solitary instances of improper proceedings 
 in church-matters, it would not be Morth while to notice 
 them in this manner. But, alas ! they are only specimens 
 of what is by no means uncommon, where valuable livings 
 are concerned. O! were the business of private Patronage 
 and Presentation thoroughly investigated, and laid before 
 the public, the picture would be highly disgusting to every 
 serious mind, and call for reformation with a tone not easy to be 
 resisted. 
 
 It is remarkable, tliat the ecclesiastical and civil parts of ) 
 our constitution are, in some respects, in opposition one to '' 
 the other ; for the former, in the book of Homilies, especially, 
 holds forth the doctrine of passive obedience and non-resistance, j 
 while the latter is founded, by the compact at the Revolution, \ 
 on the reciprocal rights of King and People. In this respect, •' 
 therefore, as well as in several others, a reformation is highly 
 desirable. Every Clergyman particularly should- see and feel 
 this, who is obligpdrto subscribe ex animo, that all and every 
 thing contained in the book of Common Prayer, &c. is agree- 
 able to the Sacred )Vritins,s. 
 
 I add a second circumstance, which seems a hardship 
 to the enlightened and conscientious part of the Clergy. 
 When we baptise children, we thank God "that it hath 
 pleased him to regenerate them with the Holy Spirit, 
 
 x2 
 
156 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 to receive them for his own children by adoption^ and to 
 incorporate them into his holy church." When the .same 
 children are presented to the Bishop for confirmation, he 
 also addresses the Divine Being as having " vouchsafed 
 to regenerate them by water and the Holy Ghost, and 
 as having given unto them the forgiveness of all their 
 sins;" while many of . them are as vile young rogues as 
 ever existed. Then, when we come to bury them, we dare do 
 no other than send them all to heaven, though many of those 
 we commit to the earth have been as wicked in life as 
 men well can be on this side hell. This surely is a great hard- 
 ship. Yet we have no remedy. We must do it, or forfeit our 
 roast beef and plumb pudding. 
 
 But what 1 mean to infer from this view of the matter 
 here, is, that if the doctrines of baptismal regeneration and 
 final perseverance be true; every member" of the clHuch of 
 England is as sure of heaven when he dies, as if he* %ef6 
 already there. I leave those whom it may concern to draw the 
 natural inference. How is this consistent with the 17th 
 Article of Religion ? 
 
 There is another circumstance in our public offices, which 
 seems to affect the credit of our church, and the comfort 
 of its ministers. The morning service formerly consisted of 
 three parts, which were used at three different times in 
 the forenoon. These are now thrown into one, and all used 
 at the same time. Supposing each service taken singly 
 to be ever .so unexceptionable; the conjunction of them 
 renders the whole full of repetition. By this absurd union, 
 the Lo 11 d's prayer is always repeated ^'re times every Sunday 
 morning, and on sacrament days, if there happen to be a 
 baptism and a churching, it is repeated no less than eight times, 
 in the space of about two hours. Use may reconcile us to any 
 thing, how absurd soever it be — witness the popish ceremonies. 
 Now let us suppose, that any of the Sectaries of the country 
 should, in their public devotions, be guilty of the same tautology, 
 what should we think and say of them ? Should we not con- 
 clude they were mad.'' 
 
 By the same absurd conjunction of the three ancient ser- 
 vices into one, we are obliged by the laws of our church to 
 pray for the King, no less than ^Ve times every Lord's day 
 morning; and even six on communion day. If I were a 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 157 
 
 Bishop, or a rich Pluralist, or a fat Rector, my eyes, for 
 any thing I know^ might be so far blinded with gokl dust, 
 that 1 should not see these imperfections of our public service; 
 but, as it is, I do see them, and feel them, and groan under 
 them every sabbath day of my life. They may love such 
 things that will, I confess I do not. 
 
 Some of the objections, which are usually made to 
 several parts of our ecclesiastical code of doctrines and 
 laws, it will be grunted by every candid person, are of no 
 great consequence in themselves ; but as they respectively 
 constitute a part of the general system, and are connected 
 with other things of a more serious and objectionable nature; 
 and as we are compelled to swear obedience to all the 
 Canofisl^,'] and subscribe, ex animo, to all and every thing 
 contained in the Common Prayer, See. as being agreeable 
 to the Holy Scriptures ; the least deviations from those 
 Scriptures become great and weighty. And though there 
 can be no solid objection to the doctrines and ceremonies 
 of the Establishment, in general; yet, seeing there are S07ne 
 things, which certainly are reprehensible, and those too of 
 no very indifferent nature, the imposition of them in a 
 manner so solenm is an extremely great liardship, and not 
 to be justified upon any principle of expedience whatever. 
 There is not a Bishop in England who does not continually , 
 transgress one or more of the 141 Canons; and, I am per- 
 suaded also, there is not an episcopal character in the nation, ) 
 who can lay his hand upon his heart, and appeal to heaven, ( 
 that he believes all and every thing which he subscribes. Why . 
 then not strive to repeal what is faulty ? \Miy not ease the 
 labouring consciences of those ClergynitJi, who are upright 
 in the land ? 
 
 These, and some other matters, which might be brought 
 
 [*] Tills hardly appears to be the true construction of this cele- 
 brated oath, the words of which are "I, A. B, do swear, that I 
 will perform true and canonical obedience to the Bishop of C. and 
 his successors, in all things lawful and honest :" the meaning of 
 which may possibly be, tliat the juror shall obey the Bishop in all 
 those points where the canon law may require such obedience, so far 
 as is consistent with the rules of the common law, and the dictates 
 of common honesty. Were the oath of that latitude contended for 
 by our author, there would certainly not be a clergyman in the king- 
 dom exempt from the sin of most deliberate perjury; yet the terms 
 of the oath are obscure. Editor, 
 
158 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 forward more at large, seem, to many very well informed 
 and respectable persons, truly objectionable, and strong in- 
 dications, that we are not so far removed from the old mere- 
 tricious lady of Babylon, as we would willingly have the 
 world to believe*. Among the several Protestant establish- 
 ments, we must, they fear, be, at least, considered as the eldest 
 daughter of that first-bom of wickedness *f-. 
 
 That I am not singular in supposing there are several 
 things wrong in the Church-Establishment of this country, 
 is evident from the words of Bishop Watson in his reply 
 to il/r. Gibbon : "There are," says this able advocate for 
 regenerated Christianity, " many worthless doctrines, many 
 superstitious observances, which the fraud or folly of mankind 
 have every where annexed to Christianity, especially in the 
 Church of Rome, as essential parts of it. If you take these 
 sorry appendages to Christianity for Christianity itself, as 
 preached by Christ, and by the Apostles — you quite mistake its 
 nature % 
 ^ Many of our Bishops and Clergy will complain in this 
 manner in private, and some few in public, that various 
 things are wrong and want mending; but there are exceed- 
 ingly few who will speak out, remonstrate, and use their 
 influence, that things may be put upon a more defencible 
 footing. We keep reading what we do not approve, — the 
 damnatory seutences in Athanasius's Creed for instance, 
 — professing what we do not believe, subscribing what we 
 know or suspect to be wrong, and swearing to observe laws, 
 which are truly horrible in their tendency, all our lives long, 
 for the sake of a little paltry food and raiiiient, and a moiety 
 of worldly honour. — Is this the way to glory, and honour, 
 and riches everlasting? — If Wickliffe, and Luther, and 
 
 j * See the doctrines of the Church of Rome pretty much at large, 
 
 in the 17th Sect, of Simpson's Key to the Prophecies. — The cruelty 
 
 . of that church is- horrible. Joseph Mede reckons up 1,200,000 
 
 ! of the Vallemes and Alhigenses put to death in 30 years ! The same 
 
 intolerant and persecuting spirit prevailed in our church also for many 
 
 years after the Reformation, and is not yet perfectly done away*. 
 
 * See The Prisoner's Defence against the Rev, George Mahkham ; a well 
 written pamphlet. Brother George cuts but a poor figure in the hands of these 
 Quakers. 
 
 t That Man of Sin — the Son of Perdition — that Wicked. 2Thess. 
 ii. 3, 8. 
 
 X Apology for Christianity, Let. 6. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 159 
 
 Cranmer, and Ridley, and Latimer, and the glorious 
 army of Marti/rs, had acted in the manner we do, no re- 
 fonnation liad ever taken place. We should have been 
 Popisii priests at this day. The same spirit which keeps us 
 quiet in our several snug Protestant preferments now, would 
 have kept us quiet in our several snug Popish preferments 
 then, if such had been our situation. It is much more 
 easy to fawn, and cringe, and flatter, with Erasmus, 
 than face a frowning world, with Luther, and his noble 
 companions. 
 
 From the foregoing short view of these two classes of 
 predictions concerning the Saviour of mankind, and the 
 condition of the Christian Church in the world; every candid 
 and sober-minded man, I think, may see, without the 
 smallest room for deception, that there is something far 
 more than human in the Prophetic Scriptures, It is im- 
 possible to account for all these strange coincidences, upon 
 any principles of nature or art whatever. Here is a long 
 series of predictions running through all time, partly fulfilled, 
 partly fulfilling, and partly to be fulfilled. Let any man 
 account for it, without supernatural interposition, if he can. 
 If he cannot, then the Scriptures are of divine original ; 
 Jesus is the Saviour of mankind; all the great things fore- 
 told shall be accomplished ; Infidels and Infidelity shall be 
 confounded world without end ; and sound, practical be- 
 lievers in Christ Jesus, of every denomination, shall stand 
 secure and joyful, amidst the convulsion of nations, the sub- 
 version of churches, " the wreck of matter, and the crush 
 of worlds.*' 
 
 " Such, in that day of terrors, shall be seen 
 
 To face the thunders with a godlike mien. 
 
 Tiie planets drop; their thoughts are fix'd above: 
 
 The centre shakes: their hearts disdain to move." 
 Are not abundance of these predictions fulfilling at this 
 very day before our eyes ? Is not the religion of Jesus dif- 
 fusing itself far and wide among the nations of the earth ? 
 Did not the corruptions of it commence at a very early 
 period? Did not the Church of Rome assume a universal 
 spiritual enipire in the seventh century, and temporal domi- 
 nion in the eighth*? Is it not expressly predicted, that the 
 
 * It is remarkable, that Mahomet began his inaposture in the 
 very year that the Bishop of Rome, by virtue of a grant from the 
 
160 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 illegitimate empire of that Church should continue the precise 
 period of 1260 years? Does it not seem that those 1260 
 years are upon the point of expiring? Were not great 
 changes to take place among the kingdoms, into which the 
 Boman empire was to be divided, about the expiration of 
 the said term ? Have not great changes already taken place 
 i ih those kingdoms ? Were not the nations, which, for so 
 / many ages, had given t^ieir power unto the Beast, to turn 
 / against that Beast, and use means for its destruction*? Is 
 V not this part of the prophecy also, in a good degree, fulfilled 
 ) at the present moment ? Have not all the Catholic pow ers 
 / forsaken his Holiness of Rome in the time of his greatest 
 Uieed? And is not He, who, a few ages ago, made all 
 ' Europe tremble at the thunder of his voice, now become weak 
 like other men ? Are not the claws of the Beast now cut, 
 and his teeth drawn, so that he can no longer either scratch 
 or bitef? Is he not already, in our oini,day, and before our 
 own eyes, stripped of his temporal dominion ? And doth 
 not the triple crown, even now, dance upon his head ? or 
 rather, has he not for ever lost all right and title to wear it ? 
 Is it not extremely remarkable, and a powerful confirmation 
 of the truth oi Scripture p^'ophecy, that just 1260 years ago 
 from the present 1798, in the very beginning of the year 
 538, Belisarius put an end to the empire of the Goths at 
 Rome, leaving no power therein but the Bishop of that Me- 
 tropolis'^ 
 
 wicked tyrant Phocas, first assumed the title of Universal Pastor; 
 and thereon claimed to himself that supremacy, which he hath been 
 ever since endeavouring to usurp over the church of Christ. This 
 was in the year 60(i, when Mahomet retired to his cave to forge 
 his impostures ; so that Antichrist seems at the same time to set 
 both his feet upon Christendom togetlier; the one in the east, and 
 the other in the west.— Prideaux's Life o/Mahomet, p. 13. 
 
 A valuable Correspondent, thoroughly acquainted with the pro- 
 phetic Scriptures, gives it as his opinion, that we are now in the 
 second period of the seventh vial. Rev. xvi. 17—21. " The battle 
 of the great God has been, and is fighting. Tlie sacknig of the 
 fmtions is come. The Man of ■'■in who has been sitting in the tem- 
 ple of God 1'260 years, all but a few; whom God hath been 
 consuming with the spirit of his mouth since the Reformation ; 
 whom he° is now ready to destroy with the appearance of his 
 presence, we see is ready ior the blmv." 
 
 * Consult the seventeenth cliapter of Revelation. 
 
 t See the treatment which the present Pope of Rome haiJ received 
 from the French. They even took the ring from his finger, and de- 
 prived him of his snufi'! "^Ungenerous Frenclunm! Cruel conquerors! 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. l6l 
 
 Read these things in the prophetic Scriptures* ; compare 
 them coolly with the present state of Europe, and then, I say 
 again, deny the truth of Divine Revtiation, if you can. Open 
 your eyes, and behold these things accomplishing in the face of 
 the whole world. This thing is not done in a corner. 
 
 It would be well, my Countrymen, if ye would seriously 
 consider still further, that the opposers of the Gospel are 
 no other than tools and instruments in tlie hands of that Re- 
 deem ERf, whom ye so cordially despise, and rashly reject. 
 He sitteth in heaven ^at the right hand of power, and 
 laugheth at all your puny and malicious efforts to impede the 
 interests of his kingdom :j:. He permits his w ord, however, to 
 be tried like as silver is tried. But the more it is opposed, 
 the more completely will it be refined. The more it is scru- 
 
 * There is an astonishing chain of prophecy in the Sacred Writings; r 
 and the argument from tlience is invincible. Sir Isaac Newton, i 
 Bishop Newton, and several other writers, have treated upon thera ^ 
 with effect. The prophetic scheme may be ridic uled, but it can never 
 be answered. Consult Simpson's Kei/ to the Prophecies, for a con« 
 cise view of this indissoluble chain. — Bishops HuRD, Hallifax, ' 
 Clayton, and others, have written with ability upon these abstruse 
 parts of Sacred Writ. Dr. Apthorp, 3l7: Maclaurin, and 
 Brown, have thrown pretty nuich light upon them. But of all 
 who have treated upon the book of Revelation, none seems to , 
 me to have excelled Low man. 1 
 
 t See this matter discussed at large in Dr. G ER AR d's Dissertation, 
 entitled Christianity Confirmed by the Opposition of Infidels. 
 
 X Would the reader be at the pains to compare the second and 
 hundred and tenth psalms with the history of those persons who in 
 the several ages have set themselves to oppose either the Jewish or 
 Christian dispensations; he could not fail of receiving strong convic- 
 tion of the truth of these two prophetical compositions. We may, > 
 indeed, deny any thing, and turn into ridicule every prophetical / 
 accomplishment; as Josephus informs us the Jews did in the last 
 dreadful ruin of his unhapi)y countrymen. It was familiar witli 
 them " to make a jest of divine things, aufl to deride, as so many »; 
 senseless tales, and juggling impostures, the sacred oracles of their \ 
 prophets;" though they were then fulfilling before their eyes, and \ 
 even upon themselves. " ^' 
 
 If the reader is disjwsed to examine another prophecy, I will 
 refer him to the ninth chapter of Daniel. The late eminent Phi- 
 losopher and INIathematician Ferguson has written a Dissertation 
 upon it, which he concludes in these words: " Thus we have an astro- 
 nomical demonstration of the trutli of this ancient prophecy, seeiu" 
 that the prophetic year of the Messiah's being cut off, was the vei-y 
 same with the astronomical." Astronomi/, p. 373 — 377. 
 
 V 
 
^ 
 
 162 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 tlnized, the more it will be approved. The severity of your 
 criticisms will serve the cause it is intended to overthrow. 
 Your assistance is advantageous to us, though infinitely danger- 
 ous to yourselves. Ye are co-operating, unintentionally indeed, 
 with" all the zealous servants of Christ, in carrying forward the 
 designs of heaven, in like manner as JuDAS, with the Jews and 
 Romans, contributed to the fulfilment of the ancient prophecies, 
 and the salvation of the world, in betraying the Lord of glory. 
 The greater the learning, the more rancorous the hatred ; the 
 stronger the opposition, the more brilliant the talents of its an- 
 tagonists; the faster will the kingdom of Messiah come for- 
 ward, and the more complete and honourable will be the vic- 
 tory*. The Gospel never triumphed more gloriously, in the 
 first ages, than when Celsus and Porphyry drew their pens, 
 DiocLESiAN and Julian their swords, vowing its annihila- 
 tion. Truth fears nothing more than inattention. It is too 
 important to he treated with indifference. Opposition calls 
 forth and sharpens the powers of the human mind in its de- 
 fence. The cause of the Gospel hath ever gained by investi- 
 gation. Credulity is the bane of it. Sound policy in the 
 Deists would let it alone, and leave it to itself. It was by op- 
 position from all the world that it was originally propagated. 
 When that opposition ceased, and the great ones of the earth 
 smiled upon and fostered it, a worse than Egyptian darkness 
 of i'a-norance and delusion overspread Christendom -f . It is by 
 
 * " Christianity may thank its opponents for much new light, 
 from time to time, thrown iu on the sublime excellence of its nature, 
 and the manifestation of its truth. Opponents, in some sort are more 
 welcome than its friends, as they do it signal service whhout running 
 it in debt ; and have no demand on our gratitude for the favours they 
 confer. The stronger its adversaries, the greater its triumph : the 
 more it is disputed, the more indisputably will it shine/' — Young. 
 
 t In the middle ages, such thick clouds of barbarity and igno- 
 rance had ovenvhelnied all schools of literature, that the maxun 
 then current was — Quanto eris meiior grammaticus, tanto pejor 
 theoloo-us. EsPENCtEUS, who was one of themselves, acknowledges, 
 that amongst their best authors, Grace nosse suspect urn fuerit, He- 
 l braice proprit hcereticum. ZuiNGLlus and CoLLlNUS had like to 
 7 have lost their lives for meddling with Greek and Hetnew. To give 
 ( the derivation of the word Hallelujah racked the wits of whole 
 ^ universities. Doctors of Diviniti/ were created, and pronounced 
 r most sutficient, who had never read the Bible. Erasmus says, 
 \ Divines of SO years of age were all amazement at hearing any thing 
 
AND THE SACRbD WRITINGS. 163 
 
 a revival of that opposition, and probably too, by a revival of 
 the persecution of its most zealous advocates, even unto death, 
 that it must be purified, refined, and restored to its primitive 
 beauty and simplicity. Philosophical Unbelievers, as uell as 
 intolerant Christians, will proceed per fas atque nefas to carry 
 a favourite point. Human nature is the same in all, however 
 modified, and whatever our pretensions. The pure Gospel of 
 Christ, too, never had more determined and well-furnished 
 enemies in these latter ages, than Lewis the Fourteenth*, 
 
 quoted from St. Paul, and, that Preachers of 50 years standing, 
 had never seen the Xew Testament. MuscULUS assures us, that 
 multitudes of them never saw the Scriptures in their Uves. Am AMA 
 tells us of the Archbishop of Menfz, that opening the Bible, he said. 
 In truth, I do not know what this book is, but I perceive that every 
 thing in it is against us. Cardinal Hosius's persuasion was, that , 
 t7 had been bes^ for the Church, if no Gospel had been icritten. 
 
 The Clergi/ of the Church of Rome, all through Europe, in the 
 last and pre^ut ages, though much su}>erior to those in the middle 
 centuries, are still in a situation truly deplorable. They have had, 
 indeed, some verv considerable individuals, esj^ecially among the 
 Jesuits; but, taking them as a body, there has been a most melau- 
 cholv deficiency of literarv attainments. The Frerich Clergy seem 
 to have excelled those of most other countries, which profess the 
 Romish faith. 
 
 Bishop Bl'RNEt's Travels will afford the reader considerable in- 
 formation upon the state of Popery in the close of the 17th century, 
 and Dr. John Moore's t'iew of Society and Manners, in Italy, 
 w ill furnish us with a tolerable knowledge of its present state. 
 
 If it had not been for the Reformation, most of the riches of 
 Christendom would at this day have been in the hands of the Clergy. 
 The revenues of the present Archbishop of Mexico are said to be 
 70,000 pounds a year! The bishopric of Durham is said to be now 
 20,000 pounds a year. Winchester also is very coasiderable, and 
 some others are the same. 
 
 * It is calculated, that the Roman Catholics, since the rise of 
 persecution, in the seventh or eighth century, to the present time, 
 have butchered, m their blind and diabolical zeal for the Church, no 
 less than fifty millions of Protestant Christians of different descrip- 
 tions. Curled be their anger for it was fierce, and their wrath for 
 it teas cruel. A righteous Providence is now taking vengeance on 
 them for their horrible transactions! It is about 300 years since the 
 Spaniards discovered America and the West Indies. The Govee- 
 NOUR of the world has a quarrel with them also for tlieir dreadful 
 cruelties towards the poor unoflending inhabitants. Twelve millions, 
 it is calculated, they butchered on the Continent, besides the many 
 millions who fell in the Islands. Arise, O God, and plead the 
 cause of these thy creatures ! 
 
 Y2 
 
' 164 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 JJoLiNGBROKE, and Voltaire ; never more true and power- 
 ful friends. The sword of the first, the philosophy of the se- 
 
 ^^^ And is England less guilty, with respect to her trade in human 
 beings [*]? In ages to come, it will scarcely meet with credit, that 
 we, who boast ourselves of being the most free nation upon earth, the 
 most rehgious people in Europe, and the purest and best constituted 
 Church in the world, should have been capable of buying and selling 
 annually, upon an average, 6o,000 souls. If there were no other 
 cause, this is enough to bring down the severest of the Divine judg- 
 ments! No political motives whatever can justify the diabolical 
 traffic. And is it not strange, that when the abolition of this trade 
 had passed the 5o8 members of the House of Commons , it should 
 not be able to pass the House of Lords, where are assembled 26 
 Shepherds and Bishops of souls ? Blessings on the head of those 
 few worthy Prelates, who pleaded the cause of humanity, and stood 
 forth as the advocates of universal freedom! 
 - We have long enjoyed a large share both of civil and religious 
 ( liberty- We have made our boast of this privilege, sometimes very 
 '\ insolently insulting other nations, because they did not enjoy the same. 
 ] And yet we have the impudence, the inhumanity, the crueltj, the 
 horrible villahiy, to enslave 6"0,000 poor helpl^s souls every year ! 
 O England! 
 
 " Canst thou, and honour'd with a Christian name. 
 
 Buy what is woman-bora, and teel no shame] 
 
 Trade in the blood of innocence, and plead 
 
 Expedience as a warrant for the deed? 
 
 So may the wolf, whom famine has made bold 
 
 To quit the forest and invade the fold ; 
 
 So may the ruffian, who, with ghostly glide. 
 
 Dagger in hand, steals close to your bed-side ; 
 
 Not he, but his emergence forc'd the door. 
 
 He found it inconvenient to be poor." 
 
 Cowper's Poems. 
 Without being carried away with the violence of any party what 
 ever on this great question, I think, it is clear, upon every Christian 
 principle, and on every principle of sound policy, that the importation 
 oi fresh slaves into the islands should be absolutely prohibited; and 
 that every proper mean should be used to meliorate the condition of 
 those who are already imported. Much wisdom and experience 
 would be necessarj to enable any man. to determine what means 
 would be most proper for these purposes. 
 r-^ It is to be feared we have also a long and dreadful account to 
 settle with Divine Providence for our rapacious conduct in the 
 East Indies. This wonderful country has at the same time enriched 
 and ruined eveiy nation which hath possessed it. So the Spaniards, 
 by a just re-action of a righteous Providence, have been enriched and 
 ruined, by the possession of Mexico and Peru. . Every man who goes 
 to the Edist Indks, with mercantile views, goes to make his f rtune. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS!^ IG5 
 
 cond, and the ridicule of the third, have aheady liad very consi- 
 derable effects. The French themselves at this moment, though 
 
 This is frequently done, and too often in \\aYS the most dishonour- 1 
 able. In the year 1709 thiee millions of the natives of Bengal 
 perished for want, tJirough the avarice and rascality of a fewEngJi^U- 
 men! 
 
 " Hast thou, though suckl'd at fair freedom's breast. 
 
 Exported slavVy to the conquer'd East, 
 
 Puird down the tyrants India serv'd with dread. 
 
 And rais'd thyself a greater in their stead, 
 
 Gone thither arni'd and hungry, return'd full. 
 
 Fed from the richest veins of the Mogul, 
 
 A despot big with power obtained by wealth. 
 
 And that obtain'd by rapine and by stealth] 
 
 With Asiatic vices stor'd thy mind, 
 
 But left their virtues and thine ou-n behind. 
 
 And having truck'd thy soui, brought home the/ec, , 
 
 To tempt the poor to sell himself to thee?" .r^J^^f^.^, <^^*-- '^ 
 
 Cowpek's Poe)7}s. 
 
 For numerous re-actions of Providence, consult the 2i)th and 30th 
 sections of Simpson's Key to the Prophecies. 
 
 By way of softening our resentment against the traders in hmnan 
 creatures, it may be here observed, tliat the most polislied of the 
 ancient nations were over-run with slaves of the most oppressed kind. 
 Every person acquainted with profane history knows well the miser- 
 able condition of the Helots in Sparta. 
 
 Even in Athens, where slaves were treated with less inhumanity, 
 they found their condition so intolerable, that 20,000 of them de- 
 serted during one of the wars in which they were engaged. 
 
 About the year 310 before CuRlST the small state of Attica 
 alone contained 400,000 slaves. 
 
 Slavei-y greatly abounded in the Roman empire also. Among 
 them, slaves were frequently mutilated in their youth, and abandon- 
 ed in their old age. Some whom age or infirmities had rendered un- 
 fit for labour, were conveyed to a small uninhabited island in the 
 Tiber, where they were left to perish with famine. In short, all sorts 
 of pmiishments, which the w ickedness, w antonness, cruelty, or capricx? 
 of their owners could inflict, were frequently made use of. The Ro- 
 man writers are full of horrid tales to this puiport. 
 
 Such has been the general practice of mankind in every age pre- 
 ceding the introduction of the Gospel! And it is the introduction and 
 profession of that Gospel, which render the dealing in slaves so enor- 
 mously wicked ! A Christian buying and selling slaves ! A nam who 
 professes, that the leading law of his life is, to do as he would be done 
 bi/, spending his tune, and amassing a fortune, in buyhig and sclliuij 
 his fellow -men ! 
 
 " Is there not some chosen cur«e. 
 
 Some hidden thunder in the stores of heaven. 
 
>/. 
 
 IG6 A PLEA FOR RELIGION" 
 
 ready to overturn heaven and earth to banish the Saviour out 
 of the world he created by his power, redeemed by his blood, 
 and governs by his wisdom, are but tools in his hand, to bring 
 forward his designs ; to purge the Gospel of its contracted im- 
 purities ; to manifest to mankind the truth of ihe prophetic Scrip' 
 tares ; to punish the khigdonis for dieir abominations; to rouse 
 them from their long sleep of guilty security; to remove all the 
 rubbish of superstition and human ordinances out of the way ; 
 and to bring in the reign of universal righteousness, when con- 
 tending nations shall learn zear 7w more. Much is to be 
 done, and they are suitable instruments, admirably adapted to 
 answer these purposes of Divine Providence. They are 
 made with this view. A virtuous nation would not be fit for the 
 business. In the mean time, there is great reason to apprehend, 
 there will be no small degree of human misery throughout the 
 several countries professing Christianity , before these halcyon 
 days come forward. 
 
 It is a melancholy circumstance, that before the present 
 
 French war broke out, there were fought, in little more than a 
 
 century, a hundred bloody battles by land, besides what were 
 
 , fought by sea, between the several Christian governments of 
 
 • Europe. This state of things is awful. It is the pouring out 
 
 the vials of God's wrath upon the churches. The time, how- 
 
 j ever, is fast approaching, when these miseries shall have an end. 
 
 / The Beast shall be destroyed, and his dominion taken away. 
 
 The several kingdoms which have supported him shall be 
 
 \ overturned. False, superstitious, and idolatrous doctrines, rites, 
 
 I and ceremonies, shall all be swept off, and the pure, simple, 
 
 \ unadulterated Gospel of Jesus shall spring up. The present 
 
 ,t bloody war is of God, The French are God's rod, to scourge 
 
 !:_,.-_ ^ ^ 
 
 Red with unconnnon wrath, to blast the man," 
 Who gains his fortune from the blood of souls 1 
 [*] England will have great reason to exult in the accomplish- 
 ment of that long-wished-for eveut, namely, the total abolition of this 
 most abominable traffic. Those faithful men, who industriously and 
 per^everingly promoted it, should be liailed amongst the greatest 
 benefactors of mankind, and posterity shall eternally bless their me- 
 mory. The greatest statesmen of ancient or modern times, the 
 most celebrated heroes, the most enlightened literati, historians, poets, 
 and philosophers, environed with all the splendour of their various 
 works and atchievemeuts, shall be eclipsed and almost vanish when 
 put into competition with these illustrious patriots and philan- 
 thropists. — Editor. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. l(i7 
 
 the nations of Europe for tlieir unchristian abominations. 
 They are God's besom, and intended to sweep the Christian 
 church of its filth, and nonsense, and superstition, and idolatry. 
 It is true, they have no such intention. They mean no good to 
 the Gospel. But when the Lord has acconjplished his whole 
 work upon the corrupt Christian nations and churches, then he 
 w ill lay them aside, cause the indignation to cease, and pure un- 
 defiled religion shall spring up. This can never be, till the rub- 
 bish is removed. The superstitions of Pope?]/ must iirst be 
 done away. One generation, or perhaps two or three^ must 
 first be swept otF, and in the course of a few centuries, those, 
 who shall then live, will see more peaceable, more happy, and 
 aaory glorious days. But it will be long 'ere the nonsensical 
 superstitious doctrines and practices oi Antichrist can be rooted 
 out of the several popiih countries. And it is exceedingly 
 probaWe, that Injidelitt/ must first become almost general 
 among the several orders of the people, before pure, genuine, 
 purged Christianiti/ can prevail. We Protestants who live in 
 England, and have never been abroad, can have no proper idea 
 of the poor, low, silly, superstitious state, in which the minds of 
 the common people are kept, by the mummery and art of the 
 Priests, in all the catholic countries [*]. In Naples, which- 
 contains only about 300,000 inhabitants, there are ."00 churches, 
 120 convents of men, and 40 of women. The mother-church 
 is dedicated to St. Janijarius, and when any calamitous 
 events arise, this St. Januauius is applied to, his image is 
 carried about in procession, and thousands of prayers are offered 
 up to this supposed Patron, for deliverance*. Processions of 
 a similar kind are extremely common at Pome, and all over 
 Italy, and, indeed, all through the catholic world. At Madrid, 
 the capital of Spain, the Virgin Mary, it seems, is the most 
 favourite Protectress,. Abundance of ceremonies are here con- 
 tinually carrying on in honour of the mother of our Lord. In 
 
 [*] The late treacherous occupation of Portugal by the modern 
 Carthaginians, however lamentable in its iiinnodiate consequences, 
 will, as in other cases, ultimately benetit mankind : as their work aj)- 
 pears to be the destruction of Papal tyranny ; or, as they call it, 
 " the melting down of superstition." Spain will probably share a 
 •imilar fate very speedily. What will become of uniiappy Ireland? 
 
 Editor. 
 
 * See a droll account of this pretended Saint in Moore's View 
 of Society and Munnett in Italy, vol. ii, p. 274 — 2£)l. 
 
163 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 all Madrid not a single street or house is to be found, which is 
 not decorated with a portrait or bust of the Virgin. Incredible 
 is the annual consumption of flowers made use of in Spain for 
 crowning the Virgin s image; incredible the number of hands, 
 which are coutinually employed from moniing till night in 
 dressing her caps, turning her petticoats, and embroidering her 
 ruffles. Every Spaniard regards the Virgin in the Hght of his 
 friend, his confidante, his mistress, whose whole attention is di- 
 rected to himself, and who is perpetually watching over his hap- 
 piness. Hence the name of Mary hangs inces-santly upon his 
 lips, mixes in all his compliments, and forms a part of all his 
 wishes. In speaking, in writing, bis appeal is always to the 
 Virgin, who is the guarantee of all his promises, the witness of 
 all his transactions. It is in the name of the holy, blessed 
 Virgin, that the ladies intrigue with their gallants, write 
 billet-doux, send their portraits^ and appoint nocturnal assig- 
 nations. 
 
 The funeral pomp and parade which characterize the Spa- 
 niards at their burials of the dead, is inexpressibly great. Up- 
 wards of a hundred carriages, five or six hundred priests, and 
 monks, with at least 2000 flambeaus, form the ordinary appen- 
 dage of a common funeral*. 
 
 These things are deplorable, and shew the vePt'low, degraded^ 
 and superstilious state of that nation. 
 
 The use of the Inquisition, however, in that pope-priest- 
 ridden country is still more skocking than all their other super- 
 stitions put together. 
 
 What a curse have the Priests of Ckrisicndom been to 
 Christendom! How many precious souls have been led into 
 the pit of destruction by an ungodly, superstitious, and ido- 
 latrous priesthood! I was almost going to say, that we Par- 
 sons have been the means of damning more souls, than ever 
 we were a mean of saving! From our profession it is, that 
 iniquity difTuses itself through every land! God forgive us! 
 we have been too bad ! instead of being a blessing, and spread- 
 ii^ health and salvation through the nations, as is' the un- 
 doubted design of the Gospel of Christ, and the Christian 
 ministry, we have been playing into each others hands, have 
 
 * Vide Monthly Magazine for Feb, 1798. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 169 
 
 erected a huge fiabric of worldly dominion for ourselves [*], 
 and have brought down, and are at this moment bringing 
 down, the Divine jiitlgments upon every coinitry, where we 
 have erected our standard. We Protestants will be ready 
 enough to allow, that this hath been the case in the Catholic 
 states: but it is also true, if I mistake not, of the Protestant 
 Bishops and Clergi/. We will not sacrifice one inch of the 
 secular dominion we have, tlirough the weakness and folly of 
 men, obtained; no not to save the kindgom from destruction! 
 The secular and superstitious conduct of the Heathen Priest- 
 hood brought ruin upon the Pagan nations ; the secular and 
 superstitious conduct of the Jezcish Priests brought ruin upoa 
 the Jcziish nation; the secular and superstitious conduct of 
 the Catholic Priests hath brought ruin upon the Catholic na- 
 tions ; and the same kind of secular and superstitious conduct 
 of our Protestant Bishops and Clergy will involve us in simi- 
 lar destruction. Nothing can prevent this but the ecclesias- 
 tical reform so frequently mentioned and alluded to in these 
 papers ! ^^ hat reason is there to be given, why a wicked, care- 
 less, lukewarm, and secular Protestant Priesthood should not 
 be punished as well as those of other denominations r As our 
 light and privileges are the greater; we may justly expect 
 our punishment will be the more severe. If there be a God 
 in heaven, who regards the actions of men, and who respects 
 the completion of his own predictions, we may be assured the 
 day of darkness is coming, unless prevented by a change in our 
 conduct. See Jeremiah xviii. 1 — 10. 
 
 Surely at the present dread period, we, of all people, 
 ought to take the alarm, and use every endeavour to remove 
 whatever may subject us to divine judgment.H. My daily 
 prayer is, for the safety, welfare, and .prosperity of my King 
 and Countri/. But when I look around me, I cannot help 
 being exceedingly affected at the present melancholy state 
 pf most of the neighbouring nations. The sun, moon, and 
 stars, are all darkened; and tlie powers of heaven are shaken. 
 Is not the sun set and perished in France and Poland? Are 
 not Holland, Flanders, Switzerland, Geneva, Genoa, Sardinia, 
 Savoy, Treves, Cologne, Venice, Home, the Italian dominions 
 
 [*] It is painful to contemplate that the Bishops should be dis- 
 covering an active disposition to increase the extent of their worldly 
 dominion. — Editor. 
 
17a A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 of the House of Austria, and the little sea-girt empire of the 
 Kiiwhts of Malta, are not all these revolutiouized and fallen I 
 Do not the Kings of Prussia, Naples, Spain, and Portugat^ 
 and even the Emperor himself, at this moment tremble on 
 their thrones ? And doth not the same power, which hath ac- 
 complished, is accomplishing, and will accomplish similar 
 changes in ail the continental states, denomice tlie most com- 
 plete destruction to the British empire? What then can save 
 us from the threatened calamity? Nothing under heaven, but 
 a national reformation, by which we may engage tlie d'ivine 
 protection. Hitherto the Lord hath wondevfullj/ helped us; 
 and I pray God effectually to help us in time to come: bsat 
 this we have no solid reason to expect, for any great number 
 of years, unless the rubbish of human ordinances shall be rc- 
 ijioved out of Christ's kingdom, the church, and a very 
 general moral and religious change take place among us. 
 Oh ! that I could sound an alarm into the heart of our excel- 
 lent King, and into the hearts of our Princes, Nobles, Bishops, 
 Clergy, Gentru, Tradesmen ; and into the hearts also of all 
 the inferior orders of society! lih reform, op ruiti! The 
 1260 prophetical years are expiring! Reduce the Redeemer's 
 religion to its primitive purity and simplicity, or he will eome 
 in judgment, and plead his own rights*. Let any man, any 
 Bishop, any Clergyman, say and prove that these things are 
 not so, and I will openly retract all that is here advanced. 
 T!he Popish constitution is overturned in Rome this very year; 
 and 1260 years from this time the Roman Pontiff began his 
 secular dominion in that proud and idolatrous metropolis of 
 the Christian world, through the expulsion of the Goths by 
 Belisarius the Roman general -j-! — Jlljiesh is as grass, and 
 
 * The propagators of Infidelity m France, before the Revolution, 
 raised among themselves and spent no less a sum annually than 
 900,000 pounds sterling, in purchasing, printing, and dispersing books 
 to corrupt the muids of the people, and prepare them for desperate 
 measures. And similar moans are at this moment can-ying forward 
 in this country, in no small degree, to accomplish the same purposes. 
 While we Parsons are asleep, crying peace and safety, the enemy is 
 sowing his tares! 
 
 t I mention the Goths and Belisarius again in this place, be- 
 cause I wish to draw the Reader's attention to this remarkable ac- 
 complishment of Scripture prophecy. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITIN 
 
 all the glorij of man as ihcjlozcer of grass. The g"Hfli« teither- 
 tth, and the fioTcer f hereof falleth azuai/ : but the zrhr^^Jtke 
 Lord eudurtth for everi '"* — 
 
 Aad shall we be so blind and selfish as to suppose, tiiat all 
 the rest of the nations shall fall, and we alone be preserved ? 
 Amen! Ameui May my King and my Coujitry live for 
 ever! 
 
 We readily grant, tiierefore, you .see, MY Countrymen, 
 that the corruptions of Christ'uuuty shall be purged and done 
 away4 »«i "«e are persuaded the wickedness of Christians, so 
 calleol, the lukfcw<irmness of professors, ar»d tiie reiterated at- 
 tacks of hijideh upon the Gosptl, shall all, under the guidance 
 of irkfinile wisdom, contribute to accomplish this end. Tlte 
 lofty Jotxks of lordly Prelates shall be brought low; the s^-- 
 percilious airs of doze hi/ Doitors and peijured Pluralists shall 
 be himibled; the horrible sacrilege of Nu?i-rtsidtn.ts, wb^ 
 siiear the fieece, and leave the flock .t=lius despoiled to tlie 
 charge of uninterested hijelings ttat care not tor tiiem, shall 
 be avenged ■on their impious heads. Intemperate Priests^ 
 <ivaricioMS Clerks, and buckish Parsojis, those curses of Chris*' 
 tendom, sliall be confounded. All secular Hierarchies in the 
 Church shall be tumbled into ruin; lukewarm Formalists, of 
 everj denomination, shall cull to the rocks and moimtains to 
 hide them from the wrath of the Lamb. Infidek, seeing the 
 prophecies accomplished before their eyes, shall submit them- 
 selves to the long-resisted, but gentle yoke of the Gospel. 
 JVicked and openly ptofane men, Men of Ii<uik, especially, 
 those corrupters and dehauchers of the lower orders of so- 
 ciety, shall be converted, and become righteous, or &wept from 
 the earth zcith the besom of destrucUon. The invidious disdain of 
 illiberal Sectarists shall he succeeded by -equal j>nd .universal 
 benevolence^ and the Loud Jes>us Christ alojie shall be 
 exalted in that day*. The Bible, my Countrymex, the 
 
 * It mav be \'er\' much questioned whether tiie united >\isdoni of 
 jnen be equal to such an <;tfectual reformation in Church and Stat^ 
 as may be thought jncrfectiy consister>t withthe purity and simplicity of 
 the Gospt-L In civil matters, it may be, there is no government de- 
 vised by Imnian wisdom, better calculated to promote the liberty, 
 jirosperity, and hapi)inessof a country than our own, by King, Lords, 
 and Commons, supj)osiug all abuses displaced. Nor do I sec any 
 valid objection to the three r>rders in the Church, of Bishops, Priests, 
 vittd Deacons. It is certain thev have prevailed from the dajs of .the 
 
 '-Z2 
 
 ^ 
 
172 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 liible, stripped of every human appendage, shall rise superior 
 to all opposition; and shall go down with the revolving ages 
 of time, enlightening the faith, enlivening the hope, enkindling 
 the love, enflaming the zeal, and directing the conduct of men, 
 till the world shall be no more. 
 
 " The cloud-capt tov»'ers, the gorgeous palaces. 
 The solemn temples, the great globe itself. 
 Yea, all which it inherits sliall dissolve. 
 And, like the baseless fabric of a vision. 
 Leave not a wreck behind:" 
 
 But the promises and threatenings of the Tfoh/ Writings 
 shall be receiving their awful completion, upon Be/ievers and 
 Unhelievers, throughout those never ending ages, which shall 
 commence when the present scene of things shall be fully ter- 
 minated. Let MY Countrymen, therefore. 
 
 Apostles, in some form or other. But here we have abundance of 
 things to be removed, which are inconsistent with the scriptural mo- 
 del. And if our Governors, ecclesiastical and civil, are determined to 
 hold fast what they lla^ e gotten, and suffer no abuses to be rectihed ; 
 the great Head of the Church, it may be fully expected, will arise, 
 ere long, and plead his own cause in slaughter and blood. It is 
 morally impossible that the present degenerate state of things should 
 continue another century. Without a thorough reformation, both in 
 civil and religious concerns (and even such a reformation is big with 
 danger) a much shorter time must subvert the present order of things, 
 not only through Europe in general, but in England particularly. 
 God grant we may have wisdom to do that of our own accord, which 
 must otherwise be done by constraint. When the iniquity of the 
 Amorites is full, their enemies will receive commission from above to 
 enter their land, and to kill and destroy. 
 
 The charges and denunciatiDns against the several culprits men- 
 tioned in the above page may seem too severe to some gentle spirited 
 persons, who can call evil good and good evil ; but in my opinion, 
 they fall greatly below the propriety of the case. The offending Clergy 
 are the curse and the bane of the country, and the wrath of God shall 
 smoke against the faithless shepherds of Christ's flock. — Men of rank 
 likewise are sometimes uncommonly blameable. I myself ha\e known 
 some, who have corrupted and debauched the whole neighbourhood 
 where they lived. The late L — d S — h w as a pest in this way. The 
 late S--r "\\ — m M — h also did much mischief among the young men 
 and women all around the place where he resided for several miles. 
 No young person, of more decent appearance than ordinary, could 
 well escape his allurements. Boys and girls were equally his prey. 
 W^e have many now living, also, who are extremely culpable ; and 
 when the scourge of Heaven visits the- land, it shall fall peculiarly 
 heavy upon such characters. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 173 
 
 " Eead and revere tlie Sacred Page, a Page 
 Where triumphs iinmortality; a Page 
 Which not the wliole creation could produce; 
 Which not the conflagration >hall destroy; 
 In nature's ruins not cue lett r lost." 
 
 In the mean time, be persuaded also to reflect upon our 
 respective situations. Sujtpose that we vho believe in the 
 Saviour of mankind are mistaken? Upon your own principles 
 we are safe. But suppose you are mistaken r Your loss is 
 immense. For zihat is a man profited, if he shall gain the 
 xchole zvorld, and lose his oun soul? ur xchat shall a man Pive 
 in exchange for his soul? You know who it is that harii said 
 too — He that belicveth oil the Son hatli everlasting life : and 
 he that btlieveth not the Son shall not see life, but the zcrath 
 of Gob abideth on him — he is condemned already! — IVhoso- 
 eter shall fall on this stone shall be broken : but on rchomso- 
 eier it shall fill, it uill grind him to pozcder. Is there no 
 danger to be apprehended from these, and similar declara- 
 tions, with which the Sacred Writings so largely abound? 
 We are persuaded there is danger, and such as is of the most 
 serious kind which can befal a rational creature. 
 
 " Know'st thou th* importance of a soul immortal? 
 
 Behold the midni:;ht glory: worlds on worlds! 
 
 Amazing pomp ! lledouble this amaze ; 
 
 Ten thousand add; add twice ten thousand more; 
 
 Then weigh the «hole; one soul outweighs them all; 
 
 And calls th' astonishing magnificence 
 
 Of unintelligent creation poor." 
 
 Treating, with just contempt, therefore, the scoffs and 
 . sneers (for solid arguments we know they have none) of the 
 whole unbelieving body of our countrymen, whether amon_g 
 the nobility and gentry of the land, or among the ignoble 
 vulgar, the beasts of the people; our determination is, whatever 
 we gain or lose beside, by the grace of God, to secure the 
 salvation of this immortal part. No harm can happen to us in 
 so doing. We are secure in every event of things. If the 
 four sore scourges of the Almighty, the sword, famine, noi- 
 some beasts, and pestilence, should receive their commission 
 to run through the land, we are yet assured it shall be well 
 with them that fear God. Sound religion, rational piety^ 
 solid virtue, and a lively sense of the divine favour, will in- 
 jure no man. They will render us respected, at least by th« 
 
174 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 wise and good, while we live, and be a comfortable evidence 
 of our felicity when we die*. In the mean time, if it be 
 enquired where present happiness is to be found? May we not 
 say witii confidence, 
 
 *• No doubt 'tis in the human breast, 
 When clam'rous conscience Ues at rest, 
 
 Appeas'd by love divine : 
 >Vhere peace has fix'd her snow-white throne. 
 And faith and lioly hope are known. 
 
 And grateful praise erects her shrine." 
 
 After all, suppose there should be no future existence — 
 what do we loser — But, if there should be zl future stated — 
 " and that there is, all nature cries aloud through all her 
 works" — then Mhat shall become of the philosophic Infidd; 
 the immoral Christian; and the mere nominal Professor'^ If 
 the righteous scarcely be savedf where shall the ungodly and 
 the sinner appear? 
 
 *' What can preserve my life f or what destroy ! 
 An angel's arm can't snatcli me from the grave: 
 Legions of angels can't contine me there." 
 
 Reflect then, my Countrymen, upon your situation.- 
 Be the Scriptures true or false; be Jesus Christ a vile 
 impostor, or the only Saviour of the world; yet we are un- 
 deniably reasonable creatures, and under the moral govern- 
 ment of God. This is no mere notion, that may be trne or 
 false; but a plain matter of fact, which every man may be 
 sensible of by looking into his own bosom. Natural religion, 
 therefore, at least, must be binding upon us. And that also 
 requires, on pain of the highest penalties, tliat we should deny 
 vngodliness, all impiety and profaueness — and worldly lusts, 
 all irregular secular pleasures and pursuits — and lire soberly, 
 chastely, temperately; — righteously, doing strict justice in all 
 our dealings, between man and man, and shewing mercy to 
 
 * When that fine writer, and pious author, 3Ir. William Law, 
 came to die, he seemed to enjoy the full assurance of faith : " Away 
 with these filthy garments," said the expiring Saint ; " I feel a sacred 
 fire kindled in my soul, which will destroy every thing contrary to 
 itself, and bum as a flame of divine love to all eternity." 
 
 This learned man, in the latter part of his life, degenerated into 
 all the fooleries of mysticism ; and there is some reason to suppose, 
 his extravagant notions might be one ipean of driving the celebrated 
 CriBBON into a state of infidehtv. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 175 
 
 everv child of distress to the utmost of our power — and godlilij, 
 religiously, piously, worsliipping the Divine Being con- 
 stantly and conscientiously in public and in private, and 
 zealously endeavouring to please him ia every part of our 
 conduct. Deism, as well as Christiamty, requires all this. 
 We gain nothing then, but lose a great deal, by rejecting the 
 merciful dispensation of the Gospel, and having recourse to the 
 religion of nature*. For natural religion^ equally with rc- 
 rfa/r(7, condemns all 2/?2Wo;*«/ men; under the penalty of in- 
 curring the utmost displeasure of our Maker. 
 
 ** But then you have the satisfaction to think there is no 
 Devil: by rejecting the Bible you have at least got clear 
 of this bug-bear, with which we frighten children aiKl old 
 women!" 
 
 If we should ask, how you know there is no such fallea 
 spirit? You can give no rational answer. Are you ac- 
 
 * What a picture does A'oltaire draw of the condition of man? 
 and, indceil, thouirh it is very melancholy, it is very just, upon his own 
 principles, that the way of salvation n.-vealed in ll.e Gospel, has no 
 foundation in tnith. 
 
 " Who can without horror," says this sophist er, " consider the 
 whole earth as the empire of destruction ? It abounds in wonders; 
 it abounds also in a ictims ; it is a vast field of carnr.ge and 
 contagion! — Every species is without i^ity ; pursued and torn to 
 pieces, through the earth and air and water! In man there is more 
 wretchedness than in all other anin^als put together. He smarts 
 continually under two scourges, which other annuals never feel; 
 anxiety and listlessness in appetence, which make him weary of him- 
 self, — He loves life, and yet he knows tliat he must die. If he enjoy 
 some transient good, for wb.ich he is thankful to heaven, he suflers 
 various evils, and is at last devoured by worms. This knowledge is 
 his fatal prerogative; otlier animals have it not. He feels it every 
 moment, rankhng and corroding in his breast. Yet he spends the 
 transient moment of his existence, in diffusing the misery that he 
 suffers; m cutting the thror.ts of his fellow- creatures for pay; in 
 cheating and being cheated; in robbing and being robbed; in serving 
 that he may command; and in repenting of all that he does. — The 
 bulk of mankind are nothing more than a croud of wretches, equally 
 criminal and unfortunate; and the globe contains rather carcases 
 than men. I tremble upon a review of this dreadful p cture, to fmd 
 that it implies a compkuit against Providence; and I wish that I 
 had iieiei- been born .'" 
 
 Let any man consider well this declaration; aftem^ards proceeti 
 to take a view of the last three months, and dying scene of VoL- 
 taire, and then let him say what this old Sinner ever gained by liis 
 boasted Infidelity and Philosophy. 
 
176 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 quainted with all the secrets of the invisible world? Your 
 ipse dixit will go no further than ours. We say there is such 
 a Being, and we appeal to all history ; especially to the 
 writings of the Old and Nero Testaments, the evidence of 
 which is such as no man ever did, or ever can fairly answer. 
 The Son of God, the Messenger from the invisible state, 
 hath taught us this doctrine*; and we are firmly persuaded, 
 it is acting a more lalional part to give credit to his informa- 
 tion, concerning the invisible world, than to trust to the 
 vague, uncertain, and contradictory lights of a vain philo- 
 sophy. What have you to reply r — " There is no such Being 
 in nature." — And so your afhrmation or negation is to be the 
 standard of truth! — A little more modesty might become you 
 well: certainly it would make you the more amiable men, and 
 not less comfortable m your own mind. 
 
 But, suppose there be no Devil; what do you gain? — 
 Still man is a rational creature, and you are under the moral 
 as well as the natural government of the Divine Being. 
 And if you have been dexterous enough to get clear of one 
 enemy, you have two yet left, the world and your ozcn nature 
 — your lusts and passions within you, and the allurements of 
 visible objects without you. Can you deny the existence of 
 these? And are you perfectly sure, that you shall be able to 
 wage a successful warfare with two such potent adversaries? 
 
 You see then, my Countrymen, that when you have 
 hooted the Bible out of the world, proved the Virgin Mart/ 
 to be a bad woman, Jesus Christ to be an illegitimate, 
 child, and annihilated the Devil — wonderful feats! worthy 
 of all praise ! — you must not stop here. There is no safety 
 for you, till you have also annihilated the Maker and 
 Governor of the world. Atheism must be your dernier 
 resort "fi For if there be a God, every immoral man will 
 
 * Tlie Bible is full of the doctrine of fallen angels. See espe- 
 cially Matt. X. 1.— Ibid. xxv. 41. — Mark v. 8, 9. — John viii. 44. — 
 2 Cor. xi. 14, 15.— James ii. 19. — 2 Peter ii. 4. — 1 John iii. 8. — 
 Jude 6. 
 
 t Antiphanes, a very ancient Poet, who lived near a hundred 
 years before Socrates, hath strongly expressed his expectation of 
 future existence: " Be not grieved," says he, "above measure for 
 thy deceased friends. They are not dead, but have only finished 
 that journey which it is necessary for every one of us to take. We 
 ourselves must go to that grtat place of reception in which they 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 177 
 
 be, ere long, a miserable man. You must, therefore, to be 
 consistent, and obtain composure in your irreligious courses, 
 plunge headlong into the gulph of Atheism*. — But then, 
 what will you do with reason and conscience, those trouble- 
 some inmates of the human bosom ? Can you bring your- 
 selves calmly to believe, that this beautiful frame of nature, 
 which displays so much intelligence, wisdom, power, good- 
 ness, justice, art, design, is the work of chance? That 
 
 are all assembled, and, in this general rendezvous of mankind, live 
 together in another state of being." 
 
 Spectator, No. 289. 
 
 * Books proper to be consulted against'^^Amm may be these that 
 tbUow: — NiEUWENTYTS Religious Philosopher — Adams's Lec- 
 tures on Aaiural and Experimental Philosophi/—ChAYikE.'s Dis- 
 course concerning: the Being and Attributes of God — Baxter's 
 Matho — Necker's Importance of Religions Opinions — Bishop 
 Cumberland on the Laws of Nature- Bentley's Boyle's Lec- 
 tures— B-Ay's Wisdom of God in the Works of Creation— Woll\s- 
 ton's Relis[io7i of Nature — Wesley's Survey of theWisdom of God 
 in the Creation — Derham's Physico and Astro-Theology — Cud- 
 worth's True Intellectual System-— Bishop \VlLKll<iS on Natural 
 Religion — Stithm's Reflections on the Works of GoJ) — Spectacle de 
 la Nature, J^LePluche — and Fenelon's Demonstration of the 
 Existence, Wisdom, and Omnipotence 0/ God, drawn from the know- 
 ledge of Nature, paiticularly of 3Ian, and fitted to the meanest ca- 
 pacity. — This is a fine little work, and worthy of its great author. 
 To these may be added also Swammerdam's Book of Nature. — 
 Bo Tenet's Philosophical Researches, and Pierre's Studies of Na- 
 ture, abound with much ingenious matter in proof of the Divine 
 Existence [*]. 
 
 I transcribe the names of such a variety of authors both here, and 
 on former pages, not out of any vain and foolish ostentation; but, to 
 inform the less cxi)erienced reader, to what books he may have re- 
 course, if he find it necessary for the peace and satisfaction of his 
 omi mind. But there is no proof of the existence of GoD, and the 
 truth of Christianity, so consolitary, as the experimental and heart- 
 felt knowledge of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ. Indeed, all 
 otiier proofs, witfiout this, are to little purpose, and this is inde- 
 pendent of every other argnment ; for though it cannot with pro- 
 priety be adducert for the conviction of Unbelievers, it is calculated 
 to yield more satisfaction to our own bosoms than the most laboured 
 arguments that reach the understanding only. Poor j>eople, whose 
 minds have taken a religious tuni, usually rest their salvation upon 
 tins experimental cotJviction alone, 
 
 [*] Great as are the evils tliat PaleY has brought on us, by 
 teaching the clergy the art of prevarication, the christian world is 
 certainly much indebted to him for his able treajises on the Evidences 
 of Christianity, and Natural Theology ; whieb cannot be too wannly 
 recommended.— Editor. 
 
 A A 
 
178 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 admirable piece of mechanism your own body, tlie meanest 
 insect that crawls upon the ground, nay, the very watch in 
 your pocket, will confute the supposition. You must, there- 
 fore, you see, come back to and embrace the Religion of 
 Jesus with us Believers. You cannot find rest, upon the 
 principles of sound reason^ in any other system. For though 
 the Gospel is nltended with various and great difficulties, as 
 every view of both the natural and moral world unquestion- 
 ably is; yet it is attended with the fewest difficulties, and 
 none but such as are honestly superable ; and is, at the sanie 
 time, the most comfortable and happy institution that ever 
 was proposed to the consideration and acceptance of reason- 
 able creatures. Nothing was ever so pure, so benevolent, so 
 divine, so perfective of human nature, so adapted to the 
 wants and circumstances of mankind. To live under the full 
 power of it, is to have the proper enjoyment of life *. To 
 believe and obey it, is to be entitled to a crown that fadeth 
 not away. 
 
 Upon the supposition, that the person, whom we call the 
 Saviour of the world, had no commission from heaven to 
 make the will of God known to mankind, would it not be 
 one of the greatest of miracles, that he and his twelve fol*^' 
 lowers, poor, unlettered, and obscure men, should have 
 brought to light a system of doctrines the most sublime, and 
 of morals the most perfect? that Jesus and the Fishermen 
 of Galilee should have far surpassed Socrates, Plato, 
 Cicero, and all the greatest men of the most enlightened 
 period of the world? that every thing they advanced should 
 perfectly agree both with the natural, civil, and religioiLs 
 history of mankind? that their discourses should still be 
 capable of improving and delighting the most learned and 
 profound geniuses of these latter ages-f? that all modern 
 
 * *' There is not a single precept in the Gospel, witliout excepting 
 that which ordains the forgiveness of injuries, or that which com- 
 mands every one to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour, 
 which is not calculated to promote our happiness." 
 
 Sir Isaac Newton has given us a demonstration of the exist- 
 ence and intelligence of the Divine Being, in the close of his 
 Principia, which the atheistical reader would do well to consider at 
 his leisure. And io the above books against yiM«s?« should be added 
 a very excellent and satisfactory Discoursehy ArchbishopTiiuhOTSon 
 on the Wisdom of being Religious. 
 
 t Newton accounted the Scriptures the most sublime philo- 
 sophy, and never mentioned the word — God — but with a pause. See ; 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 179 
 
 ^wcoveries should bear witness to the truth of the facts re- 
 corded in the most venerable of alt Volumes? and that every 
 book in the world, sacred or profane. Christian, Jevcish, 
 Pagan, or Mahometan, instead of lessening, should estabUsh 
 the credit and authority of the Bible as a revelation from 
 heaven * ! 
 
 Bishop Watson s Two Sfvmons and Charge, p. 9, where this I^ 
 asserted. The saipe thint^ is recorded of the Honourable ROBERT 
 Boyle, by Bi»hop BuRNET. How different the conduct of our 
 Minute Philosophers? 
 
 * 3//-.WH1STON, in his Astronomical Principles of Religion, gives 
 «s a short view of tlie reasons, «hich mduccd liim to believe the 
 Jewish and ( hristian revelations to be true. The«e reasons are the 
 following : 
 
 1. " The revealed religion of tiie Jm-^ and Christians lays the 
 law of nature fur its foundation ; and all along supiwrts aid assists 
 natural rclij,^on ; -as every true revelation ought to do. 
 
 2. " Astronomy, and the rest of our certam mathematic sci- 
 ences, do couhrm the accounts of Scripture, so fiar as they are 
 concerned. 
 
 3. " The most ancient and best historical accounts now known do, 
 generally sjieaking, conlimi the accounts of Scripture, so far as they 
 are concerned. 
 
 4. " The more learning has encreased, tlie more certain, in ge- 
 neral, do the Scripture accounts appear ; and its difficult places are 
 more cleared thereby. 
 
 5. " There are, oV have been generally, standing memorials pre- 
 served of the certain truths of the principal historical facts, which 
 were constant evidences for the certainty of them. 
 
 6. " Neither the Mosaical law, nor the Christian religion, could 
 possibly have been received and established witliout such miracles as 
 the sacred iiiston*' contains. 
 
 7. " Although the Jews all along hated and persecuted the pro- 
 phets of God; yet were they forced to believe they were true 
 prophets, and their writings of divine inspiration. 
 
 8. " The ancient and present state of the Jewish nation are strong 
 arguments for the trutli of their law, and of the Scriptuie prophe- 
 cies relating to them. 
 
 y. " The ancient and present state of the Christian church are 
 also strong arguments for the truth of the Gospel, and of the Scrip- 
 ture prophecies relathig thereto. 
 
 10. " The miracles, whereon the Jeui^h and Christian religion 
 are founded, \\ ere of old owned to be true by their very enemies. 
 
 11." The sacred \\ riters, w ho lived in times and places so re- 
 mote from one another, do vet all carry on one and the same grand 
 design ; namely, that of the salvation of mankind, by the worship 
 of, and obedience to, the one true GoD, in and through the king 
 Alessiah : which, without a divine conduct, could never have beea 
 done. 
 
 A A 2 ■ 
 
ISO A PLEA FOR RELIGION - 
 
 This IS more extraordinary still, when it is considered that 
 the object of our Saviour's religion is new, the doctrines 
 new, his personal character new*, and the religion itself 
 
 12. " The principal doctrines of the Jewish and Christian religicm 
 are agreeable to the most ancient traditions of all other nations. 
 
 13. " The diliiculties-relating to this religion are not such as affect 
 the truth of the facts, but the cocduct of Providence : the reasons of 
 which the sacred writers never pretend fully to know, or to reveal to 
 mankind. 
 
 14. " Natural religion, which is yet so certain in itself, is not 
 wthout such difficulties as to the conduct of Providence, as are ob- 
 jected to Revelation. 
 
 15. " The Sacred History haS the greatest marks of truth, ho- 
 nesty, and impartiality of all other histories whatsoever; and withal 
 has none of the known marks of knavery and imposture. 
 
 1 6. " The predictions of Scripture have been still fulfilled in the 
 several ages of the world whereto they belong. 
 
 17. " No opposite systems of the universe, or -sclieir.es of diviiie 
 re\elation, have any tolerable pretences to be true, but those of the 
 Jeivs and Christians. 
 
 " These are the plain and obvious arguments, which persuade nie 
 of tlie truth of the Jewish and Christian rcAelations, which I 
 earnestly recommend to the farther consideration of the inquisitive 
 reader." 
 
 * " The four Evangelists," of whoui such contemptuous things 
 have been spoken by Mr. Paine and otiiers, " have done, without 
 appearing to have intended it, what Mas ne\er performed by any 
 authors before or since. They have drawn a perfect human character, 
 without a single flaw I They have given the histor\' of one, whose 
 spirit, words, and actions, were in ca ery particular what they ought 
 to have been ; who always did the \ ery thing which v^as proper, and 
 in the best manner imaginable ; who never once deviated from the 
 most coi>summate wisdom, purity, benevolence, com|>assion, meek- 
 ness, humihty, fortitude, patience, piety, zeal, and every otljer ex- 
 cellency ; and who in no instance let one virtue or holy disposition 
 entrench on another ; but exercised them all in entire harmony and 
 exact proportion! The more the liistories of the Evangelists are 
 examined, the clearer will this appear; and tlie more evidently will 
 it be perceived, that they all coincide in the view they give of their 
 Lord's character. This subject challenges investigation, and sets 
 Jnjidelity at defiance ! Either these four men exceeded in genius and 
 capacity all the writers that ever hved, or they wrote under the 
 special guidaiKc of divine inspiration; tor without labour or aft'ec- 
 tation they have effected, wliat hath baffled all others, w ho have set 
 themselves purposely to accomplish it. 
 
 " Industr*', ingenuity, and malice liave, for ages, been employed, in 
 endeavouring to prove the Evangelists inconsistent with each other; 
 but not a single contradiction has been proved upon tlian." 
 
 This quotation is taken from the Rev. T. Scott's Answer to 
 Paine's Age of Reason, The whole forms a satisfactory antidote 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITING^. I8l 
 
 superior io all that was known among men. These are con- 
 siderations which ought to have nuich weight with every man 
 
 against the poison of that virulent Deist's pubhcation, and may be 
 had at the very nicMj«,iate price of One ShilHng. 
 
 Witli this may be compared the line accoiuit that Rousseau has 
 given us of the Gospel, which is tiie more remarkable, as it is from 
 the pen of an enemy. 
 
 " I will confess to you," says he, " that the majesty of the 
 Script urrs strikes me with admiration, as the purity of the Gospel 
 hatli its intluence on my heart. Peruse the works of oar philoso- 
 phers with all their pomp of diction: how mean, how contemptible 
 are they, compared witli the Scripture ! Is it possible that a book, 
 at once so simple and sublime, sliould be mereh the work of man ? 
 Is it possible that the sacred personage, who.-e history it contains, 
 should be himself a mere man J Do we tind that he assumed the 
 tone of an enthusiast or ambitious sectary ? What s\\ ectness, what 
 purity hi his manner J What an affecthiif gracefulness in his delivery I 
 What sublimity in his maxims? What profound wisdom in his dis- 
 courses! What presence of mind, what subtilty, \> hat truth in hi? 
 replies ! How great the command over his passions ! Where is the 
 man, where the philosopher, who could so live, and so die, « irhout 
 weakness, and without ostentation ? When Plato described his 
 imaginary good man, loaded \\'ith all the shame of guilt, vet merit- 
 ing the highest rewards of virtue, he describes exactly the character 
 of Jesus Christ: tljc resemblance was so striking, that all the 
 Fathers perceived it. 
 
 " What prepossession, what blindness must it be, to compare the 
 son of SoPHRONicus to the son of Mary? What an uifinite dis- 
 I)roportion there is between them ? Socrates, dymg without pain or 
 ignominy, easily supported his character to the last ; and if his 
 death, however easy, had not crowned his life, it might have been 
 doubted whether Socrates, with all his wisdom, \\as any thing 
 more than a vain sophist. He invented, it is said, the theory of 
 morals. Others, ho\\ ever, had before put them in practice ; he had 
 only to say therefore what they had done, and to reduce their ex- 
 amples to precepts. Aristides had been just betbre Socrates 
 defined justice ; Leomfjas had giyen up his hfe for his countrs- be- 
 fore Socrates declared patriotism to be a duty; the Spartans were 
 a sober people before Socrates recommended sobriety; before he 
 had even dehned virtue Greece abourided in vutuous men. But 
 where could Jesus learn, among his competitors, that pure and 
 sublime morality, of \\ hich he only hath given us both precept and 
 example. The greatest wisdom was made known among the most 
 bigoted fanaticism, and the simplicity of tiie most heroic virtues did 
 honour to the vilest people upon earth. The death of Socrates, 
 peaceably philosophizing with his fiiends, appears the inost agree- 
 able that could be wished for; that of Jesus expiring in the midst 
 of agonizing pains, abused, insulted, and accused by a whole nation, 
 is the most horrible that could be feared. Socrates in receiving 
 4he cup of jxM'son, blessed indeed the vse^pijig executioner who ad- 
 
182 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 who calls himself a Philosopher, and wishes to be deter- 
 mined in his judgment only by the reason and nature of 
 things*. 
 
 " But, is it possible, any reasonable man should be so 
 weak as to suppose the book, called the Bible, can be the 
 Wordo^GonV' 
 
 No intelligent Christian will distinguish it by that name, 
 without a large restriction of its contents. All we assert re- 
 specting it, is, that it is a collection of writings, containing a 
 history of the divine dispensations to our world, and that the 
 proper lVord-\ oi God, with numberless other particulars, is 
 interwoven all ihe way through these most ancient and inva- 
 luable writings. 
 
 " Is it to be conceived by any man, who hath the least pre- 
 tension to common sense, that the several simple relations 
 recorded in the books of Moses, Joshua, Judges, and 
 those which follow, can be founded in truth?" 
 
 muiistered it; but Jesus, in the midst of excruciating tortures, 
 prated for iiis merciless tormentors. Yes, if the life and death of 
 Socrates were those of a sage, the life and death of Jesus are 
 those of a God, Shall we suppose the evangelic history a mere 
 fiction 1 Indeed, my friend, it bears not the marks of fiction ; on 
 the contrary, tlie history of Socrates, which nobody presumes to 
 doubt, is not so well attested as that of Jesus Christ. Such a 
 supposition, in fact, only shifts tlie difficulty without obviating it; 
 it is more inconceivable that a number of persons should agree 
 to write such a history, than that one only should furnish the sub- 
 ject of it. The Jewish authors were incapable of the diction, 
 and strangers to the morality contained in the Gospel, the marks of 
 whose truth are so striking and inimitable, that the inventor would be 
 a more astonishing character than a hero." — Emilius. 
 
 * It is truly remarkable, and liighly satisfactory to the seriouSu 
 Christian, that all modern discoveries are so far from proving un- 
 favourable to the truth of the Sacred Writings, that they strongly 
 tend to the illustration and confirmation of them. All voyages and 
 travels, into the East especially, are particularly useful in this point 
 of view. Bruce's Travels throw light upon many biblical circum- 
 stances. Mauri ce's Indian Antiquifies,and History of Hindostan, 
 are singularly valuable. Harmer's Obsei-vations on divers passages 
 of Scripture is a work sup'^'or to eveiy thing of the kind, as it con- 
 tains a selection, from a vMiety of voyages and travels, of such cir- 
 cumstances as have a tendency to illustrate the meaning of a large 
 number of obscme passages in the Sacred Writings. [A new edi- 
 tion of this work is just published, with numerous additions, by D?-. 
 Adam Clarke.] 
 
 ■^ See this matter set in a very proper light in the fourth Letter of 
 £isA(>pWAi$0N'6 Apology jor ihe Bibh. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 183 
 
 Most of ouF misapprehensions of this kind arose from not 
 duly considering the infant state of the world, the progressive 
 nature of civil society, and the diiferent manners of the 
 several ages and countries of the earth. The customs of the 
 eastern nations, where, the Bible was originally written, were 
 then, and, indeed, are at this day, extremely different from 
 our own ; almost as much so as between the manners of the 
 inhabitants of the south-sea islands, and those of this coun- 
 try. And while we are wondering at the simplicity of their 
 customs, they are entertaining themselves with the novelty of 
 ours *. 
 
 ^' But then, what occasion was there for a Mediator'^ Is 
 not God the wise and good parent of all his creatures? and 
 cannot he pardon our offences, and make us happy in the fu- 
 ture state, without the interposition of any other being what- 
 ever r" 
 
 AVhat Go I) can do, Nvbat he hath done, and what he will 
 do, are very different considerations. If it were equally con- 
 sistent with his \^ isdom and goodness to save mankind with- 
 out a Mediatoj', we may be assured it would have been done. 
 But as the Divine Being hath thought proper to institute 
 the mediatorial scheme, we may be assured diere are the best 
 reasons for the appcuitment; though we may be incapable 
 of discovering, and even comprehending, what all those rea- 
 sons are. Indeed, even in this state, few of the blessings of 
 Providence are conveyed to us, except by the intervention 
 of mediators. The whole plan of the world is carried for- 
 ward by the assistance of others. How many mediators 
 
 * This objection is well answered in tlie first Letter of Bishop 
 Watson's Apologif. 
 
 The character of Moses and his writings is very amply and satis- 
 factorily vindicated from all the usual objections of Infideh in the- 
 first of Bishop Newton's Dissertations on some parts of the Old 
 Testament. Little more either need qr can be ad<!e<l to what this 
 learned man hnt!) advanced. If tJie reader is disposed, he may add 
 Gray's Kei/ *o tlie Old Testnment. After reading such authors, it 
 is scarcely possible to avoid entertaining an oj^nion extremely con- 
 temptible of Thomas Paine. 
 
 Mr. Hervey's Remarks owLord'Zoi.i-SG-Q-R.O'K.TS.'s Letters oxitloA 
 Study and Use of History contain many pious and saiisfactory ob- 
 servations on the History of the Old testament^ especially on tit? 
 Nvritiags of Moses. 
 
184 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 must there be, before we can be supplied with our daily 
 bread*? 
 
 '* If a revelation must be made to mankind, why was 
 it delivered in die historic form ? Why was it not ratlier 
 given in some set and regular composition, worthy of its 
 authorr" 
 
 The reason of lliis must be resolved into divine wisdom. 
 He, that best knew the nature of man, chose this method in 
 preference to every other; and there is no reason to ques- 
 tion, but that the variety of compositions, of which the Bible 
 is formed, is nuich better adapted to the circumstances of the 
 great bulk of mankind, dian any set and regular discourse in 
 the didactic fornvj-. 
 
 " The books of Moses are thought by many to have been, 
 written some ages after his timeij:?" 
 
 The authenticity of these books is unquestionable, and has 
 been amply vindicated by men every way furnished for the 
 enquiry §. 
 
 ' ' ' . I ... 1 1 II I I .1 . 1(1 I . Ill IP . 
 
 * See SoAME Jenyng's View of the internal Evidence of the 
 Christian Religion, and Butler's Analogy, passim, where the «i 
 doctrine of the mcdiatorship of Messiah is considered at large, 
 with unanswerable evidence. 
 
 t Let the reader consult Mr. Wakefield's Evidence of Chris' 
 tianity, where he will iind a number of remarks well adapted to 
 display the excellence, recommend the purity, illustrate the character, 
 and evince the authenticity of the Christian religion. See too CoB- 
 bold's Essay on the Historic form of Scripture. 
 
 X Le Clerc was of this opinion in his younger days ; but after 
 more reading and a better informed judgment, he changed his mind, 
 and wrote in defence of their genuineness and authenticity. 
 
 " The first, and truly original historians," says another learned 
 man, " are those of the Hebrew Scriptures. The sacred writers, to 
 the unequalled dignity of their subject, unite a nrajestic simpli- 
 city and perspicuity of stile and narration. MosES, the most 
 ancient, is the most perfect of historians. His stile is copious, even, 
 and clear. Like a deep river, he bears his reader with a calm and. 
 majestic course. It was his purpose, to give a body of laws, as 
 well as a thread of history; and by interweavhig them together, 
 he has authenticated both: for it is impossible to forgf; the civil and 
 religious policy of a great nation." 
 
 The ingenious reader will find much entertainment and instruc- 
 tion, and various dithculties ob\iated, in Bryant's Observations on 
 the Plagues of Egypt. 
 
 . § See Prideaux's Connection, b. 6; Kidder's Commentary 
 on the Books of Moses ; WiTSii Miscellanea Sacra; Marsh's Dis- 
 courseon the Authenticity of those Books, and Du Pin's Biblioth^ca. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 185 
 
 "Though some parts of the books of Moses are written 
 •with great beauty and simplicity; yet many of his laws are 
 trirting, aivJ unworthy of a great legislator?" 
 
 This objection arises from a want of due attention to the 
 state of the people, for whon» those laMs were enacted. When 
 the c;rcunist:iiices of the Jezcs are jiroperly considered, the 
 Mosaic iiistiiutions will appear to be adapted with liie most 
 consuniniaie propriety to those circumstances*. It is ex- 
 tremely liaid ihat the Bible should be made accountable for our 
 ignorance. 
 
 " The character and conduct of David, who is called 
 a man ajttr God's onn hea/t, can never be defended by 
 any person who has the least regard to truth and moral 
 excellencv r" 
 
 it is not the business of these papers to enter into a mi- 
 nute defence of alt those parts of the Bible, which may seem 
 objectionable. The character of David, however, stands 
 high in our eslinialion, except in the case of Uriah; and 
 as it has been virulently attacked by some considerable men, 
 so it has been no less ably defended. And to such defence, 
 we beg leave to refer those readers who find themselves con- 
 cerned -f. 
 
 * Consult Lowman's Dissertation on the Civil Goiernnient of 
 the Hebrews, and Dr. Randolph's Excellency of the Jewish 
 Law vindicated. See too Forbes's Thoutrhts on ReH"-ion. 
 
 t Delany's Historical Account of the Life and Reign of Y) win 
 is valuable. — Bishop PoRTEUs's Sermon on the Character of D avid 
 abounds with just remarks. — But Chandlers Critical History of 
 the Life of David enters at large into the subject, and is particu- 
 larly satisfactory. Another learned man says: — 
 
 " If we consider David, in the great variety of his fine quali- 
 fications; the ornaments of his person, and the far more ilhiNtrious 
 endowments of his mind; the surprising revolutions in his foitune; 
 sometimes reduced to the lo\^est ebb of adversity ; sometimes riding 
 upon the highest tide of prosperity; — his singular dexterity in ex- 
 tricating himself from ditficulties, and peculiar felicity in ac<ommo- 
 dating himself to all circumstances;— the prizes he won, as a youthful 
 champion; and the victories he gained, as an experienced general; 
 his masterly hand upon the harp, and his inimitable talent for.poetry; 
 — the admirable regulations of his royal govennnent, and tlie incom- 
 parable usefulness of his public writings; — the depth of his reper>(- 
 ance, and the height of his devotion ;— the vigour of his faith in the 
 tjivine promises, and the ardour of his love to the divine Majesty : 
 — If we consider these, with several other marks of honour dud 
 grace, which ennoble the history of his life; we shall see such, an 
 
 B B 
 
186 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 " The characters and manners of the ancient Prophets 
 were uncouth, and unworthy of the God who is said to have 
 sent them r" 
 
 In general, they were moral and religious men; and 
 their manners were in perfect conformity to the times in 
 ■which they lived, and the people among whom they con- 
 versed. Btbidcs, it is not essential to the character of a 
 prophet of the true God, that he should be a good man. 
 Balaam is an instance to the contrary. God, indeed, in 
 the course of his providence, frequently uses bad men as 
 instruments to accomplish his own purposes. 
 
 " But there are many actions ascribed to the servaots of 
 God in the Old Testament, which very nuich wound the 
 feelings of every good man. Noah was guilty of intoxi- 
 cation; Abraham of dissimulation; Jacob of lying; Aaeon 
 of idolatry; Jael of treachery and murder; David of adultery 
 and murder; Solomon of idolatry and lewdness; and many 
 ethers of crimes of several kinds ?" 
 
 The relation of all these instances of wickedness in the 
 servants of God, is a proof of the disinterestedness and 
 impartiality of the sacred historians; and these crimes are 
 recorded, not for our imitation, but for our admonition. 
 If we attend to the consequences of these several transgres- 
 sions, we shall see no good reason to imitate them. It is 
 not any where recorded, that these faulty parts of their conduct 
 met with the approbation of Heaven. 
 
 '' How may the horrible destruction of the nations of 
 Canaan be reconciled with the principles of mercy and 
 goodness ?" 
 
 Just as pestilence, famine, storms, tempests, and earth- 
 quakes may be reconciled with those lovely perfections. The 
 Moral Governor of the world is at liberty to destroy 
 offending nations and individuals, in any manner he judges 
 meet*. We see this to be the constant course of Divine 
 Providence. 
 
 assemblage of shining qualities, as perhaps were never united in any 
 other merely huiiiaa character." 
 
 * See tlli^ vindicated in Bryant's Treatise on the Saipturrs ; 
 in the first Letter of Watson's Apology ; and in almost every otlier 
 author who has treated upon subjects of this nature. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 187 
 
 " But, you should like to hafe been eye-witnesses of the 
 mighty works wrought by Moses* and Jesus Christ r" 
 
 So should we. Has not every man, in every age, and in 
 every country under heaven, the same right to expect this in- 
 dulgence ? Miracles must, therefore, be wrought at all times, 
 in all places, and before every individual of mankind. And 
 what would be the consequence? Miracles would cease to be 
 miracles, and the whole course of nature would be thrown into 
 contusion and disorder. So unreasonable are the demands of 
 wayward men! 
 
 " Many parts of the Old Testament are extremely dull, un- 
 interesting, and even unintelligible r" 
 
 * The writings of Moses have received much confinnation and 
 elucidation from the learned labours of the late .S7/- William Jones, 
 and the j)iesent Mr. Maurice. All the leaduig circumstances of 
 the Mo-.fiic historv are found detailed, with various degrees of corrujv 
 tion and ))erversion among the writings of the East Indies. The 
 followiiig account of Noah and his three sons, from Mr. Mau- 
 rice's Siinscreet Fragments, is very remarkable, and strongly corro- 
 borative of the Mosaic history. 
 
 1. " To Satyavarman that sovereign of the whole earth, were 
 born three sons, the eldest Sherma; then Charm a; and, thirdly, 
 Jyapeti, by name. 
 
 2. Tf.ey were all men of good morals, excellent in virtue and 
 rirtiious deeds, skilled in the use of weapons to strike with or to be 
 tlirown; brave men, eager for victory in battle. 
 
 3. But Satyavarman, being continually delighted with devout 
 meditation, and seeing his sons tit /or dominion, laid upon them the 
 burden of government. 
 
 4. \\ hilst he remained lionouring and satisfying the gods, and 
 priests, and kfaie, one day, by the act of destiny, the king, liaving 
 drunk mead, 
 
 .5. Became senseless, and lay asleep naked. Then was he seen 
 by Char MA, and by him were his t\vo brothers called: 
 
 6. To ivhom he said, ^^'hat has now befallen ? In what state is 
 this our sire? By those two was he hidden with clothes, and called 
 to his senses again and again. 
 
 7. Having recovered bis intellect, and perfectly knowing what 
 had passed, he cursed Charm a; saying, Thou shalt be servant of 
 servants ; 
 
 8. And, since tliou wast a laughter in their presence, from laughter 
 shalt thou acquire a name. Then he gave to .Sherma the wide do- 
 main on the south of the snowy mountains. 
 
 9. And "to Jyapeti he gave all on tlie north of the snowy 
 mountains; but he, by the power of religious contemplation, attained 
 eupreme bliss." 
 
 Asiatic Researches, vol. iii. p. 467, and Mr. Maurice's Sanscreet 
 Fragments, p. 4*. 
 
 B B 2 
 
188 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 Considering the ages in which it was written; the differ- 
 ent manners which prevailed; the frequency of allusions to 
 ancient customs and circumstances no longer known; con- 
 sidering too that we generally read it in one of the most 
 literal of all translations; and that- many hundreds of places 
 are really inaccurately translated; it is truly wonderful that it 
 should be so intelligible as it is, and appear to so much ad- 
 vantage. Most of our objections to those admirable writings 
 are founded in our own ignorance*. Before vve set up to 
 be critics upon the Bible, let us make ourselves thorough 
 masters of the three languages in which it is written, and of 
 the customs which prevailed in those countries, and in those 
 ages when it was written. An avo\yed Injidel, with these 
 qualifications, I believe, is not this day to be found in 
 Ungland. No person of a serious cast of mind, of pure 
 morals, and a competent share of learning, can be an liijidel. 
 Shew us the mavi of this description, who professedly rejects 
 the divine mission of Jesus Christ, and we shall thmk the 
 cause of Iiijidtlity less desperate. 
 
 " But are there not many contradictions, absurdities, and 
 falsehoods in the books of the ISiero Testdmeut, such as no 
 man can reconcile?" 
 
 We deny that there is either contradiction, absurdity, or 
 falsehood, in this inestimab/e f o/ume-f. There are, we grant, 
 
 * It is no inconsiderable proof of the truth of some of the his- 
 torical books of the Old Testament, that the ten tribes of Israel^ 
 which were carried captive by Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, 
 upwards of 2500 years ago, and which had been supposed to be lost 
 and swallowed up among the nations through which they were 
 scattered, are now found to exist as a distinct people, in the eastern 
 parts of the world, under the name of Afghans. Their traditions 
 are little more than a mutilated and perverted history of the ancient 
 Jews. See the second volume of the Asiatic Researches for a fuller 
 account of these people. 
 
 + " Holi/ Scriptures are an adorable mixture of clearness and obr 
 scurity, which enlighten and humble the children of God, and blind 
 and harden those of this world. The light proceeds from GoD and 
 blindness from the creature." 
 
 This is an observation of that admirable Divine, Dr. Wilson, 
 late Bishop of SoDOR and Man, whose works contain a rich maga- 
 zine of pious and useful observations. If all our Bishops and Clergy 
 had lived, and preached, and wrote in the spirit of this good man, 
 there would have been few Infidels this day in England. — Bishop 
 Wilson, though entitled to the honour, always declined sitting in 
 the House of Lords, saying, " That the Church should have nothing 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 189 
 
 certain apparent blemishes of tliese kinds, but not even one 
 that is real. Learned men have vindicated it from these 
 charges with all reasonable evidence. Can \\c suppose that 
 such a man as Locke would have said, that " it is all pure, 
 all sincere; nothing too much, nothing wanting," if such 
 charges cou'd be made good against it? But supposing the 
 'Nczii Testameut did abound with both contradictions, absur- 
 dities, and ialsehoods, this circumstance, though less honour- 
 able in itself, vvotdd by no means render null the divine 
 mission of .1 [:;sus Christ. He might be tl;e true Messiah 
 notwithstanding. Impartial men should weigh this well, before 
 they make the real or supposed blemishes of :Scripture a ground 
 of their rejecting the Saviour of the world 
 
 " Why was so severe a penalty as everlasting* punishment 
 denounced against sin in the Gospel'? This stems hard, and, 
 indeed, inconsistent with the goodness and mercy of the 
 Divine Being:" 
 
 Guilty man is an improper judge in this matter. Infinite 
 wisdom hath seen good to denounce such punishment against 
 incorrigible transgressors, and, therefore, we may be well 
 assured, it is consistent with infinite goodness and mercy. If 
 the denunciatron of eternal torments v\ ill not restrain men from 
 sin, much less would a shorter duration have done it. 
 
 to do with the State. Christs kingdom is not of this world.' See 
 his Works, vol. i. p. 34, quarto edit. 
 
 The public is greatly indebted to the late Archbishop Newcome, 
 an Irish Prelate, for iiis learned labours on biblical subjects. This 
 sound scholar declares his opinion to be, that " every genuine pro- 
 position in Sc7-ipture, whether doctrinal or historical, contains a truth 
 when it is rightly understood; and that all real ditticulties in the 
 Gospels will at length yield to the etiorts of rational ci iticisni," 
 
 See his Harmony. 
 
 Though Dr. Mill has enumerated more than 30,000 variations 
 in the manuscri|)ts and versions of the Neiv Testament, it is very 
 remarkable, and highly satisfactoiy, that they do not when all put 
 together atl'ect any thing essential, either in tlie doctrines or precepts 
 of the -; . ospel. 
 
 * In the 35th of yirc/i&fs/to/' Tillotson's Sermons everything 
 is said upon the eternity of the torments of hell that can be known 
 with any certainty. It is a discourse well worth the serious atten- 
 tion of the reader, esi>ecially in the present time of relaxed divinity, 
 and more relaxed morality. 
 
 Some very considerable men, among whom may be reckoned the 
 late Binhop Newton and Dr. David Hartley, have been of 
 
190 A PLEA FOR RELIGlON^ 
 
 ''The Gospel of Christ bears too hard upon the 
 pleasures of mankind, and lays us under too severe re- 
 straints r" 
 
 Does it then rob us of any pleasures worthy the rational 
 nature? It restrains us, indeed, but it only restrains us from 
 things that would do us harm, and make us and our fellow 
 creatures miserable. It admits of every rational, manly, 
 benevolent, and humane pleasure. Nay, it allows every 
 sensual enjoyment that is consistent with the real good, and 
 true happiness, of the whole compound nature of man. It 
 enjoins every tiling that can do us good, and it prohibits 
 every thing that will do us harm, under penalties of the most 
 alarming kind. Could a Being of infinite benevolence and 
 perfection do better, or act otherwise, consistently witli. those 
 perfections: 
 
 " How can we at this distance of time know, that the 
 writings contained in the Bible are genuine.- May they not 
 have been corrupted, and many additions made to them by de- 
 signing men in after-ages*.'" 
 
 opinion, that eternal punishment, properiy so called, is no where 
 denounced in Scripture, If so, the objection is of Jio force in any 
 point of view. Consult Scarlett's Neu' Testament on Universal 
 Jiestitution. We may be assured, however, in every event of tilings, 
 the Judge of all the eitrih will do right. 
 
 * Theie are several circumstances, as we have already in part 
 observed, still in existence strongly corroborati\ e of the truth of the 
 Bible. The JSIosaic history of the creation is confirmed by the 
 present appearance of things; Noah's flood by a variety of natural 
 phjenomena, and the general history of the world: The destruction 
 of Sodom, by the face of the countiT around, and the ruins which 
 have been discovered: the passage of the Israelites through the 
 wilderness, by the rock that sup])lied them with water, which is 
 still m existence, and visible to the curious enquirer, besides the 
 names of places, and the traditions of the present inhabitants : the 
 history and prophecies concerning Nineveh, Bahylom, Tyre, Egypt, 
 Jerusalem, and other cities and countries are all confirmed by the 
 present state of tho.se places and countries: the birth and resur- 
 rection of Christ are established by the existing circumstances of 
 the Christ iaii church; and it is remarkable, that the cleft in the 
 rock, which is said to have been made by the earthquake at the 
 crucifixion of Christ, is still visible, and bears witness to the pre- 
 ternatural concussion. Let the curious reader consult Shaw and 
 Maundrell's Travels, together with Bryant's Dissertation on 
 the Divine Mission q/" Moses, and his Observations on the Place of 
 Residence given to the Childtrn of Israel in Egypt, and their Do 
 parture from it, for several of tlie abo\ e particulars. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 191 
 
 Never were auy writings conveyed down with so good 
 evidence of their bein^ genuine as these. Upon their first 
 publication, the books of the Neto Testament, in particuhir, 
 were put into all hands, scattered into all nations, trans- 
 lated into various languages. They have been quoted by 
 innumerable authors, appealed to by all parties of Clirktiam, 
 and made the standard of truth in every question of moment. 
 AVe can trace them back through every age to the period in 
 which they were written. And extremely remarkable and 
 consolatory is the consideration, that notwithstanding the 
 innumerable times they have been copied, and the various 
 errors, sects, and parties which have arisen, the corruptions 
 which liave prevailed in the church, and the revolutions and 
 convulsions which have taken place among the nations, the 
 Bible has continued fundamentally the same ; insomuch that 
 from the very worst copy or translation in the world, we may 
 easily learn the genuine doctrines oT Christiayiiti/. The divi- 
 sions and squabbles of men have been wonderfully overruled to 
 the establishment of God's truth. The gates of hell shall not 
 prevail against it*. 
 
 " But, notwithstanding all the boasted advantages of the 
 Gos/)f/, are not many who profess to believe in Christ, and 
 who attend the ordinances of religion, the arranlest knaves 
 upon earth?*' 
 
 Granted. Do you, therefore, infer that the Gospel itself 
 is an imposture? This argument is good for nothing. It 
 
 Noah's ark is fomid, by the most accurate observations of 
 modem gconietricidiis, to ha\e been contrived after the very best 
 form for the purposes for which it was intended ; and its dimensions 
 perfectly well suited to receive the burden desiu'ied for it. It has 
 been calculated t(» contain upwards of 72,000 tons burden. 
 
 Consult Doddridge's Lectures for Heathen Testimonies to the 
 facts ot the Old Testament. 
 
 * See Lardner's Credibility pas.sim; Simpson's Essay ou the 
 Authenticity uf the Neiv Testament, whce the evidence is brought 
 into one short view ; and Z.o/rf Haile's Disquisitions concerning 
 the Antiquities of the Christian Church. 
 
 The celebrated Philosopher, Bonnet, of Geneva, assures us 
 atjter a very serious and accurate examination of the subject, that 
 there is no ancient history " so well attested, as that of the Mes- 
 senger of the Gospel: that there are no historical facts sui)ported 
 by so gioat a number of proofs; by such striking, solid, and various 
 proof-, as are those facts on which the religion of Jesls Christ is 
 founded." 
 
192 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 proves too much. Some professors of natural religion are 
 bad men; therefore natural leliujion is an imposture; there 
 is no God. Some great pretenders to Philosophy are 
 knaves; therefore Philosophy is all an imposition upon man- 
 kind. Some deists are immoral men; therefore the principles 
 of Deism are for.nded in error and delusion. Was it ever 
 known that any mun grew more moral, pious, virtuous, and 
 heavenly minded, after rejectipg the Gospel? I could pro- 
 duce you a thousand instances wiiere men have become better 
 by cordially embracing it; and we may defy you to produce one 
 instance wheie any man br^came worse. 
 
 " Can any man, of an enlightened and liberal mind, embrace 
 the mysterious doctrines of Christianity? What must such 
 an one think of tlie J'rinity, the Jtonement, the Incarnation, 
 and those clher unaccountable peculiarities of that institution, 
 which have been a stumbling block to many persons in every 
 age of the church*?" 
 
 And are there not also many strange and unaccountable 
 thingt in the book of nature, and in the admini-itration of 
 Divine Providence, the design and use of which we 
 cannot seef? xSay, are there not even some things which to 
 
 * Cousult SiMPSox's Apology for the Doctrine of the Trinity, 
 on this objection, where the subject is treated at large. 
 
 It appears to me indubitable, that all the real doctrines of re- 
 ligion, as contained, not in this or the other human institution, but 
 in the ?\eiv Testament, are defensible on the purest principles of 
 reason, witliout sacrificing any o)ie of its mysterious doctrines. There 
 is no need that we should can-y our candour and complaisance so far, 
 to gain tlie approbation of any man, or set of men whatever. 
 
 The mysterious doctrines of religion have caused some sceptical 
 men to reject tho^e scriptures in which they are contained ; others 
 have explained and retiued tiieni away. So, because the doctrines 
 of religion have been abused to superstition and folly, abundance of 
 our fellow creatures, without due consideration, are disposed to cast 
 off all religion whatever. Ill judging liien ! What is human nature, 
 without religion? How horrible the state of the world without re- 
 ligion] Let Cicero speak its importance to lunnan happiness: 
 Religione sublata, perturbatio vitre sequitur, et magna coufusio. 
 Atque baud scio, an pietate adversus Decs sublata, fides etiam te 
 societas huinani generis, ct una excelientissima virtus, justitia, 
 toliatur. De Nat. Deo. 1, 2. 
 
 How strongly has this been exemplified in the state of France for 
 some years ! 
 
 t What if there should be some incomprehensible doctrines in 
 the Chriniian religion ; some circumstances, which in their causes, 
 or their consequences, pass the reach of human reason ; are they to 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 193 
 
 U9 seem wrong and ill-contrived ? Yet we own the world was 
 created by God, and that he is the Governour thereof. 
 
 be rejected upon that account ? — " Weigh the matter fairly ; and 
 consider whether Revealed Religion be not, in this respect, just 
 upon the same footing, with every other object of your contem- 
 plation. Even in mathematics, the' science of demonstration itself, 
 tljough you get over its tii-st principles, and learn to digest the idea 
 of a point without parts a li»e without breadth, and a surface 
 without lliickness, yet you will tind yourselves at a loss to com- 
 prehend tlie perpe'tuaf appro\iniation of Unes, which can never 
 meet; the doctrine of incommensurables, and of an iuii. ity of 
 infinities, each infinitely greater, or infinitely less, not only than 
 any finite quantity, but than each other. In physics, you cannot 
 comprehend the primary cause of any thing; nor of the light, by 
 which you see ; nor of the elasticity of the air, by which you hear ; 
 nor of the fire, by whicli you are warmed. In phi/siologi/, yo\x 
 cannot tell, what first gave motion to the heart; nor what continues 
 it ; nor why its motion is less voluntary, than that of tlie lungs ; 
 nor why you are able to move your arm, to the right or left, by a 
 simple volition ; you cannot explaui the cause of animal heat ; nor 
 comprehend the principle, by which your body was at first formed, 
 nor by which it is sustained, nor by which it will be reduced to 
 earth. In natural religian, you cannot comprehend the eternity or 
 omnipresence of the Deity; nor easily understand, how his 
 prescience can be consistent with your freedom, or his innnutability 
 with his government of moral agents ; nor why he did not make all 
 his creatures equilly perfect ; nor why he did not create them 
 sooner: iu short, you cannot look into any branch of knowledge, 
 but you will meet with subjects above your comprehension. Tlie 
 fall and the redemption of human kiiid are not more uicomprehen- 
 siblc, than the creation and the conservation of the universe; the 
 infinite Author of the works of providence, and of nature, is 
 etjually inscrutable, equally past our finding out in them both. And 
 it is somewhat remarkable, that the deepest inquirers into nature 
 have ever thought with most reverence, and spoken wiUi most diffi- 
 dence concerning those things which, in revealed religion, may seem 
 hard to be understood ; they have ever avoided that self-sutticiency 
 of knowledge, which springs from ignorance, produces indifference, 
 and ends in IiiJidelUy. 
 
 ** Plato mentions a set of men, who were very ignorant, and 
 thought themselves extremely wise ; and who rejected the argument 
 for tiie being of a God, derived from the harmony and order of the 
 universe, as old and trite. There have been men, it seems, in all 
 ages, who in affecting singularity, have overlooked truth : an argu- 
 ment, however, is not the worse for being old; and surely it would 
 have been a more just mode of reasoning, if you had examined the 
 external evidence for the truth of Christianity, weighed the old 
 arguments from miracles, and from prophecies, before you had 
 rejected the whole account, from the difficulties you met with in it. 
 You would laugh at an Indian, who in peeping into a history ^of 
 
 € c 
 
194 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 And why then shall we not allow that the Scriptures may be 
 from God, notwithstanding these diflScuhies, and seeming 
 incongruities ? Indeed, a revelation, which we could fully 
 comprehend, would not appear the production of an infinite 
 mind: it would bear no resemblance to its heavenly author ; 
 and therefore we should have reason to suspect it spurious. 
 It is extremely probable, that the three grand volumes of 
 nature, jjrovidence, and grace, should all, in some respect 
 or other, bear the stamp of their bein"; ueiived from one 
 
 England, and meeting witli the mention of the Thames being frozen, 
 or of a shower of hail, or of snow, should throw the book aside, as 
 unworthy of his further notice, from his want of ability to comprehend 
 these phoenemena/* — Bhhop Watson's Apology for Christianity. 
 
 The observations of tliis learned prelate, in his Apology for the 
 Bible, are equally striking, p. 1 15. 
 
 " You are lavish in your praise of deism : it is so much better 
 than atheism, that I mean not to say any thing to its discredit ; it 
 is not however without its difficulties. What think you of an un- 
 caused cause of e\er\' thing? Of a being who has no relation to 
 time, not being older to-day than he M'as yesterday, nor younger 
 to-day than he will be to-morrow ? who has no relation to space, 
 not being a part here, or a part there, or a whole any where? What 
 think you of an omniscient being who cannot know the future 
 actions of a man? or if his omniscience enables him to Ijnow 
 them, w hat think you of the contingency of human actions ? And 
 if human actions are not contingent, what think you. of the morality 
 of actions, of the distinction between vice and virtue, crime and 
 innocence, sin and duty ? What think you of the infinite goodness 
 of a being who existed through eternity, without any emanation of 
 his goodness, manifested ia the creation of sensitive beings? Or, if 
 you contend that there has been an eternal creation, what think 
 you of an effect coa^val with its cause, of matter not posterior to its 
 Maker ? What think you of the existence of evil, moral, and 
 natural in the work of an infinite being, powerful, wise, and good ? 
 What think you of the gift of freedom of will, when the abuse of 
 freedom becomes the cause of general nn'sery ? I could propose to 
 your consideration a great many other questions of a similar ten- 
 dency, tlie contemplation of which has driven not a few from 
 deism to atheism, just as the difficulties in revealed religion have 
 driven yourself, and some others, from Christianity to deism. For 
 my own part, I can see no reason why either re\'ealed or natural 
 religion should be abandoned, on account of the difficulties which 
 attend either of them. I look up to the incomprehensible Maker of 
 Heaven and earth with unspeakable admiration, and self-aimihila- 
 tion, and am a deist. — 1 contemi>Iate, with the utmost gratitude and 
 humility of mind, his unsearchable wisdom and goodness in the re- 
 demption of the world from eternal death, through the intervention 
 of his Son Jesus Christ, and am a christian." — Editor. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. JQS 
 
 source. Many things in the volumes of nature an^l provi- 
 dence far exceed our highest powers to comprehend*; it is 
 not improbable, therefoie, that the volume of divine grace 
 should be under a similar predicament> What doth the 
 wisest n)an upon earth know of the nature of God, but what 
 the Scripture hath toll him ? Extremelj little. It may be 
 questioned whether we should have known any thing of iiim, had 
 it not been for some original revel-tiion. 
 
 *' If Christ \vas so necessary to the salvation of the 
 world, why was he seut no sooner? Why, even according to 
 your own account, were four thousand years suffered to elapse 
 before the Su n of righteousness arose r" 
 
 Very sufficient reasons may be given, and have a hundred 
 times been given, for this wise delay. It mav, however, be 
 retorted, if P/iihsophy be medicmal to a foolish world, why 
 wereTnALKs, Solon, Pythagoras, Aristotle, Zeno, 
 Anton IMS, Seneca, and other ancient Heathens, born no 
 sooner, but men suffered to continue so many ages in pro- 
 found ignorance, little superior to the beasts that perish? 
 Answer this with respect to them, and you are answered with 
 respect to the Messiah. I add, moreover, Christ was 
 the Lamb slain from the foundation of the rtor/d. Tlie 
 efficacy of his death extends from the beginning to the end of 
 time. He is an universal Saviour. When we any of us be- 
 stow a favour upon a fellow-creature, we alone are to determine 
 the time and circumstances of doing that favour. 
 
 " If the Gospel, and our natural passions f, both come from 
 one source, why doth the former oppose the latter ?" 
 
 It is well known, that while the inferior powers of human 
 nature assume dominion over the superior, no man can be 
 happy. The intention of the Gospel is, therefore, not to 
 
 * The dispensations of Divine Providtnce are ably vindicated from 
 the objections of Sceptics and Infide's by Ur. Sherlock, in his 
 valuable Treatise on that subject. The reader will also find a very 
 pleasing j aper in the Spectator to the same purport, which he would 
 do well to consult. It is No. 237, in the third volume. 
 
 t See a must remarkable deliverance from the dominion of in- 
 dulged and long continued lust, in the case of Colonel Gardiner, 
 sect. 37, 38, oi his Life by Dr. Doddridge. Every man, who is 
 living under the tyrannical dominion of his lusts, and wishes to ob- 
 tain deliverance, should not fail to consult this extraordinary emaiici- 
 patioiu Nothing is too hard for divine grace to accomplisfa. 
 
 C 2 
 
19^ A PLEA FOR RELIGIOxV 
 
 destroy the affections of men, but to regulate, and restore tliem 
 to due order and harmony, and so to promote the felicity of 
 human life. And, wherever it hath its proper, full, and /ta- 
 tural effect, there it always forms a virtuous, respectable, and 
 happy character. The grand intention of it, however, is to 
 train mankind for glory and injmortality m a future state of 
 existence. 
 
 " If the human race are all sprung from one original pair, 
 and if the several species of animals, insects, and- birds, 
 were produced in the garden of Eden, as the Bible seems 
 to insinuate, how is it possible they should be found dis- 
 persed into the several countries of the world at an im- 
 mense distance, and, in many cases, separated by extensive 
 oceans * f^ 
 
 If we refuse to believe in God, till we understand all the 
 difficulties attending his existence, and in Jesus Christ, till 
 ve are acquainted with all the mysteries of Providence and 
 Grace, we must continue, not only Unbelierers, but Jtheists 
 to eternity. How often must it be repeated, that our compre- 
 hension is not the standard of truth r The evidence for the ge- 
 nuineness and authenticity of the Sacred Records must be the 
 measure of our faith. 
 
 *' Is it at all probable, that we, and the several kinds of 
 black men, should be sprung from the same parents, as the 
 Bible affirms all human creatures were r" 
 
 At first view, this is a considerable difficulty, but has been 
 accounted for upon principles perfectly satisfactory, which we 
 cannot stop here at length to detail f. 
 
 " Why is the Gospel attended with so many difficulties? and 
 why did not infinite wisdom, if infinite w isdom had any concern 
 in the business, take care to make every thing plain and easy to 
 the meanest capacity J r" 
 
 * See Stackhouse on this ditficultv. 
 
 t Consult Mr. Bryant's Treatise on the Christian Relig^ion, 
 p. 267 — 277. See the same work too for answers to several otlier 
 objections. But for a solution of the greatest number of difficul- 
 ties, I repeat again, turn to Stackhouses large work on the 
 Bible. 
 
 X The religion of Jesus Christ, any more than the dispen- 
 sation of MosES, was never mtended to be free from difficulties. 
 It was rather designed to be a touchstoiie for ingenuous and curable 
 dispositions. If we are honest enquirers after saving truth, and 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. ig? 
 
 It IS answered, wilh triumphant gratitude, every thing jieces- 
 sary to sahalioii is plain and easy to the most common appre- 
 hension, if we are humbly disposed to submit our wills and un- 
 derstandings to the will and understanding of God. And if 
 there are some things in the Sacred IVritiiigs, and in the scheme 
 of redemption, difficult to comprehend, it is not less so in the 
 course of nature, and in the principled) of unrevealed religion. 
 But if the Gospel of Christ were attended with abundanily 
 more difficulties dian it is, still there could be no solid objec- 
 tion against substantial proof. A poor illiterate man, in a dark 
 corner of the earth, has preached a scheme of doctrines and 
 morals superior to all human wisdom, and calculated to make 
 all mankind happy, if all mankind would submit to its authority- 
 This he hath spread abroad to the ends of the world, in oppo- 
 sition to all the powers of earth and hell. Let any man account 
 for this phcenomenon, on principles raeiely human, if he can. 
 
 " Has not tlie Gospel been the cause of the greatest misery 
 and destruction to the human race, upon various occasions, al- 
 most ever since it was introduced r" 
 
 It has. And tliis is among the proofs that it came from 
 above. The Author of it predicted that so it should be. But 
 the Gospel itself was no otlierwise the cause of misery and de- 
 struction to the human race, than as Philosophij has been 
 the cause of misery and destruction to the inhabitants of 
 France. As in the latter case, it was not Philosophic, but 
 the abuse of it, which has done so much mischief; so in the 
 former, it was not the Gospel, but a most wicked perversion 
 of its pure and benevolent doctrines, which has produced 
 so much havock among mankind*. And though it has 
 
 persevere in our pui"suit, we shall not be disappointed. What we 
 know not to-day, we shall know to-morrow. That is a fine anecdotr 
 which is given us by Jacob Bryant, Esq. in the above Treatise 
 on the Christian Religion, concernins; the Queen and the Princess 
 Mary. See that Work, and Simpson's Essai/ on the Neiv Testament, 
 p. 123. 
 
 * See this difficulty answered in Bonnen's Interesting View of 
 Christianitjf, p. 230 — 237, and still more fully in the first vol. of 
 Bishop PoRTEUs's Sermons, Discourse the twelfth. 
 
 The Roman emperors of the three first centuries after the birth of 
 Christ are somewhere said by St. Jerome, if I remember right, 
 to have martyred 5000 Christians a day every day in the year, 
 except one ; that is, they put to death at different times, during 
 those centuries, 1,820,000 souls! — These Heathens, however, ac. 
 
198 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 not done all the good that might have been -desired or ex- 
 pected, yet it has already accomplished great tilings for the 
 world. To the Bible we owe all the best laws in our best 
 civil institutions. To the Bible, Europe is indebted for much 
 of the liberty which it now enjoys; and, little as we may 
 think of it, the Bible too was the mean of preserving the 
 small share of learning which was cultivated during the dark 
 ages *. We may close these observations in the words of 
 that great French writer, Montesquieu — " To assert that re- 
 ligion has no restraining power, because it does not always re- 
 strain, is to assert, that civil laws have likewise no restrain- 
 ing power. He reasons ft^lsely against religion, who enu- 
 merates at great length the evils which it has produced, and 
 overlooks the advantages. Were I to recount all the evils 
 which civil laws, monarchical and republican govern nients, 
 have produced in the world, I might exhibit a dreadful pic- 
 ture. — Let us set before our eyes the continual massacres of 
 Greek and Roman khigs and generals on the one h:!ud, and 
 on the other tiie destruction of cities and nations by those 
 very kings and generals; aTiMUR and a Jencizkan ra- 
 vaging Asia ; and we shall see, that we owe to religion a cer- 
 tain political law in government, and in war a certain law of 
 nations ; advantages which human nature cannot sufficiently ac- 
 knowledge "f.'* 
 
 *' If the Gospel. he such a blessing to mankind, why, in these 
 ages, has it not been published in every nation f" 
 
 It is answer sufficient, that God giveth account of none 
 of his matters, and every man shall be judged according to 
 tlie privileges he hath enjoyed, and not according to those 
 
 cording to this calculation, were not half so bloody as the Roman 
 Catholic Christums have been. — The infidel Philosophers of FroncCf 
 who are evermore charging the Gospel with cruelty and murder, 
 though it prohibits every thing of the kind under the most awful 
 sanctions, by a most tremendous retaliation, have turned their 
 arms one against another, and have n;urdered upwards of two 
 millions of tlieir own countrymen m the course of seven years ! 
 Hence it appears, that your vain glorious Philosophers have ieen, 
 and are now, at least as bloody, illiberal, and intolerant as the 
 most bloody, illiberal, and intolerant of us Parsons ! What has the 
 rejection of Christianity, and the introduction of Philosophy done 
 for that enslaved, yet triumphant country ? 
 
 * See this proved by Jortin, ^ol. 7- p. Z5^—377- 
 
 t Spirit of Laws, book 24. cli, 2, 3. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 199 
 
 with which he has not been favoured. No nation hath any 
 right to the blessing. God is a sovereign, and may dispense his 
 favours as his own wisdom shall direct. Moreover, all tlie na- 
 tions of the earth shall be blessed with it in the due course of 
 Divine Providence. 
 
 " Jesus shall reign \\here'er the sun 
 Does Ills successive journeys run ; 
 His kingdom stretch from shore to shore, 
 "nil suns shall wax and wane no more*. " 
 
 " But if God was the original author of the Jezsish and 
 Christian dispensations, why were they permitted to centiact 
 such a mass of ceremonial corruptions ?" 
 
 The fault lay not in either of the institutions, but in the low 
 and superstitious state of human nature. The institutions were 
 good, but the folly of men hath perverted them to unworthy 
 purposes. Is the fountain to be blamed, because the streams 
 have been polluted by the feet of men f 
 
 "Be it so; but why was man created in so low and de- 
 . graded a state ? or rather, why was he permitted, by the bene- 
 volent and all powerful Creator, to sink down into such an 
 idolatrous and superstitious condition r" 
 
 This is a difficulty, be it observed, which affects natural as 
 vyell as revealed religion, Deism as well as Christianity. There 
 is no end to questions of this nature. With equal propriety 
 may we ask why man was not created an angel, a seraph, a 
 Qod = 
 
 *' Presumptuous Man ! the reason wouldst thou find. 
 Why fomi'd so weak, so little, and so blind ? 
 First, if thou canst, tJie harder reason guess, 
 Why form'd no weaker, blinder, and no less." 
 
 "Can you say that Thomas Paine f has not brought 
 mauy verv heavy charges against the writings both of the 
 Old and 'Sew Testaments, and such as cannot easily be 
 answered r" 
 
 * The reader may consult the 90th section of Simpson's Kej/ 
 to th£ Prophecies, for a coucise view of the millennial reign of 
 Christ. 
 
 t Paine's book against the Bible can never stagger the faith of 
 any man, who is well informed upon the subject of religion ; yet 
 thev will have great effect upon all our immoral and lukeitarm pro- 
 ^ssors of the Gospel. But where is the difference between a wicked 
 
200 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 We grant tliis objection in all its force. He is a man of 
 shrewd abilities, and has a method of setting difficulties in a 
 strong point of view. But, if you yourself are a person of 
 any discernment, you cannot help seeing, that he discovers 
 great pride of understanding, much rancour and malignity of 
 heart, and most invincible ignorance of the subject upon 
 which he writes. His intention in his Rights of Man was 
 plainly to subvert, as far as in him lay, the civil government 
 of tiiis country ; and, in his Ji^e of Reason, he meant no 
 other than to convert the common people of England to a 
 state of Infidditij, and so to overturn the religious govern- 
 ment of the country; and, in both, he evidently meant no 
 other than to involve us as a nation in civil and religious de- 
 struction. To men of s^nse, moderation, and information, 
 there is no danger, either from his political or religious 
 efforts ; but there is danger to every reader of his writings, 
 who is not possessed of these qualifications. Bishop Wat- 
 son's Jpology may perfectly satisfy any man that Thomas 
 Paine is by no means qualified to write against the Bible-. 
 Any fool, indeed, may sneer, revile, abuse, and ridicule, 
 the most valuable objects in nature. The late atheistical 
 King of Prussia has had the impudence to treat the Deity 
 himself in this manner. But what shall the end be of them 
 that know not God, and obey not the Gospel of our Lord 
 Je^ijs Christ ? 
 
 If the audacity of this scurrilous Infidel were not equal 
 to his ignorance, he never would have attacked the Clergy 
 
 Injidel and a wicked Christian I Immoral men are incapable of 
 happiiie>s under any dispensation of religion whatever. They must 
 be changed or perish. And it is of little consequence whether a 
 man goes to hell as a Deist or a Christian ; only, it is presumed, the 
 lost Christian will perish under greater aggravations. 
 
 A letter now lies before me, which I this day, July 20th, 1798, 
 received from a Correspondent, who was intimately acquainted with 
 Thomas Paine before he went to France, and in whose house he 
 spent pretty much of his time, which assures me, " that Air. Paine, 
 notwithstanding his superior powers of natural reason, was a prey to 
 chagrin, and apparent disappointment — that he was never at rest in 
 his mind, but truly like the troubled sea, throwing up mire and 
 ^Ith." — This gentiemau further adds — and I have seen tlie saine in- 
 formation in the public prints — " I now understand that Mr. Painb 
 is lost to all sense of decency in Pari», being intoxicated from morn- 
 ing till night/' 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 201 
 
 on the score of literature, as he does, when he insinuates 
 they are acquainted with little more than a b ah, e b eh, and 
 hie, Iiac, hoc. Where does he find, in any period or country 
 of the world, men of more deep, various, and exteniive 
 learning, than are large numbers of the Clergy, among the 
 several denominations of Christians^ Abundance of names 
 are to be found, with whom he is no more fit to be com- 
 pared, than a dwarf with a giant. One does not wonder, 
 indeed, to hear him explode an acquaintance with languages, 
 when, according to his own confession, he is a stranger to 
 all but the English. To see such an Ignoramus prate about 
 the science of astronomy, and the properties of triangles, is 
 enough to sicken any man, who has even a smattering of know- 
 ledge. Let this empty and vain glorious boaster call to mind 
 a small number even of Priests, who have been an honour to 
 human nature, in point of mathematical, philosophical, and 
 literary attainments, at least; — and then let him blush, if he is 
 capable of blushing, at his own vile perversions of Scripture, 
 and misrepresentations of the characters of the friends of 
 Religion. Whatever faults some of the Clergy may have 
 been guilty of, or whatever defects there may be in the jEc- 
 clesiastical constitution of this, or any other country, a large 
 number of clerical names will be handed down with honour, 
 as the benefactors of mankind, while his shall be damned to 
 fame, as a base calumniator of the Sacred Writings, and 
 the characters of men much better than himself. What shall 
 we say, when such scholars as Barrow, Cudw orth, Wil- 
 KiNs, Peauson, Derham, Flamsteed, Hales, Bent- 
 ley, BocHART, Desaglliers, Mede, Baxter, Chil- 
 
 LINGWORTH, ClARKE, BeRKLEY. BuTLER, WaRBURTON, 
 
 Watts, Doddridge, Lowman, Jortin, Lardner, 
 Witherspoon, Robertson, and a thousand others, both 
 living and dead, are involved in the censure of this scurrilous 
 Sciolist? — It is true, the church has had a very long and 
 dark eclipse. Priests have been highly to blame on many 
 occasions. But no age can be produced when they have not 
 been, at least, as learned and religious as any other body of 
 men. There was a time, indeed, when Vigilius was con- 
 demned to be burnt for asserting the existence of the Anti- 
 podes; and, even so late as the beginning of the seventeenth 
 century, Gallileo, who discovered and introduced the use 
 of telescopes, instead of being rewarded for his pains, was 
 
 D D 
 
202 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 imprisoned, and compelled to renounce his opinions result- 
 ing from such discoveries, as damnable heresies. These are 
 lamentable facts, and the Priests, concerned in the perse- 
 cution, deserved to be hanged. But I will take upon me to 
 aver, that even in this enlightened, literary and philosophi- 
 cal age, at the very close of the eighteenth century, Thomas 
 Paine himself hath submitted to the view of the world a 
 nuiiiler of as palpable instances of ignorance, or malicious- 
 ness, or both, as ever an insulted public was cursed with in 
 any one person, who pretended to write for the improvement 
 of mankind. The Jge of Reason, as applied to this vain 
 man's pamphlets, is a burlesque; it is an insult upon common 
 sense; it ought rather to be called. The J^e of Falsehood — 
 The Jge of Infidelity — The Jge of Igyiorancc — The Jge of 
 Calumny — The Jge of Manianism — or, in short, The Jge of 
 any Thing, but that of Reason. 
 
 I will give the reader a few specimens, and leave him to 
 judge. 
 
 1. Mr. Paine alledges, that Moses could not be the 
 author of the five books, which go under his name, because 
 they are frequently written in the third person, 
 
 -■- Xenophon and Cesar will answer this difficulty. 
 
 2. Mr. Paine confounds mathematical with historical 
 evidence. 
 
 Any novice in science, however, knows the difference. 
 
 3. Mr. Paine confounds also a book that is genuine with 
 one that is authentic. 
 
 He ought to have kn^wn that the difference is extremely great 
 and important. 
 
 4. He declares that the prodigies recorded by Livv and 
 Tacitus are attended with as good evidence as the miracles of 
 Christ. 
 
 No man of any information can justify such an assertion. 
 
 5. He asserts, that miracles admit not of proof. 
 
 Let the reader turn to Campbell on the subject and 
 judge. The testimony of 500, or 50, or even 10 credible 
 persons is sufficient to establish the validity of any of the scrip- 
 tural miracles, where there is no counter evidence. 
 
 6. Mr. Paine assures us, there is no affirmative evidence 
 that Moses is the author of the Pentateuch. 
 
 No books in the world ever had more affirmative evi- 
 dence. Bishop Watson has brotight it into one view. — 
 
AND THE SACRED ^VRlTINGS. 203 
 
 Abundance of the most respectable authors, who have written 
 since the lime of Moses, give their testimony to his wriimgs. 
 The books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, ClirunUles, 
 and most of those which follow, all bear witness to them, 
 besides several of the Heathen. 
 
 7. He asserts, that the genealogy from Adam to Saul 
 takes up the first nine chapters of the first book of Chro- 
 uicles. 
 
 Now any man may see, that the descendants of David 
 to four generations after Zerubbabel are found in the 
 third chapter; and the succession of the high priests till 
 the captivity, in the sixth chapter, with various other similar 
 matters. 
 
 8. Mr. Paine considers the books of Clironicles as a re- 
 petition of the two books of Kiugs. 
 
 It is easy to be convinced, however, that this is a very 
 erroneous representation. — Tlie first book of Kings contains 
 an account of the old age and death of David, with the 
 succession and reign of Solomon; the history or Reho- 
 boam, and division of the kingdom; Jeroboam's reign» 
 and several of his successors in the kingdom of Israel till the 
 death of x\iiab. It contains, moreover, some account of Asa, 
 Jehosaphat, and other kings of Judah, so far as connected 
 Mith the contemporary kings of Israel. The history of Elijah 
 is also interwoven in the same book prett)' much at length, with 
 some notice of Eli sh a. 
 
 The second book of Kings finishes the history of Elijah, 
 and carries forward the history of Elisha to some extent, 
 with a kind of joint history of the kings of Israel and Judah, 
 and those with whom they had war, till the captivity of the 
 king of Israel by Shalmaneser, and of the king of J«^a/i 
 by Nebuchadnezzar. 
 
 Let us now examine the contents of the two books of 
 Chronicles. 
 
 The first book contains the genealogies before mentioned, 
 and the history of David, with the setdement of the temple 
 service. 
 
 The second book of Chronicles contains the history of 
 Solomon, Rehoboam, x\bijah, and all the succeeding 
 kings of Judahy pretty much at large, till the Babi/lonisk 
 captivity. 
 
 From this short review of these four books, it appears, that 
 
 D D 2 
 
204 A PLEA FOR KELIGION 
 
 the reigns of Solomon and Rehoboam, with some small 
 variations, are common to the books of Kin^s and Chro- 
 nicles; but that^ in most other respects, they are entirely 
 diflfereut. 
 
 9. Mr. Paine says, the book of JEsra was written im- 
 mediately after the Jews returned from Babylon. 
 
 He should have known, hoM ever, that it was near fourscore 
 years after. 
 
 10. M)-. Paine says, Ezra and Nehemiaii wrote an 
 account of the same affairs in the return of the Jcks from 
 captivity. 
 
 He is as much mistaken here as he was concerning the 
 four books of Kings and Chronicles; for Nehemiah relates 
 few or none of the same events with Ezra. 
 
 1 1 . He says, Satan is no Avhere mentioned in the Old Testa- 
 ment but in Job. 
 
 Let any man consult 2 Sam. xix. 22; 1 Kings, v. 4; 
 S Chron. xxi. 1 ; Psalm, cix. 6; Zech. iii. 1 : and other places, 
 and say what dependance can be placed on this mistaken man's 
 assertions. 
 
 12. He pretends to prove that the book of Job is the work 
 of some Heathen writer, from the words Pleiades, Orio7if 
 and Arcturus, which are found in our translation. See chap. 
 ix. 9; xxxviii. SI, 32. 
 
 In the original Hebrew, however, the words are UnSj Chesil 
 and Kima. Where then is his argument? 
 
 13. He says, the Heathens were a just, moral people, not 
 addicted to cruelty and revenge, neither were they worshippers 
 of images. 
 
 This assertion is in direct opposition, not only to the Bible, 
 but to the general strain of universal history. 
 
 14. 3/r. Paine makes himself merry with supposing that 
 we Priests are of opinion all the Psalms were written by 
 David, and that he must therefore have composed some of 
 them after his death. 
 
 3ut, where does he find any ipaii of character, that asserts 
 they were all written by David? Jhe titles to the Psalms 
 anight convince him to the contrary, 
 
 35, He says. Priests reject reason, 
 
 As a universal proposition, this is utterly false. There are 
 none more reasonable men upon earthy than many of the 
 Christian priests. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. G05 
 
 16. He savs, '■' almost the only parts in the book called 
 the Bible, that convey to us any idea of God, are some 
 chapters in Job, and the 19th Psalm. I recollect no 
 other." 
 
 Very possibly. But then, is he not a very fit man to 
 write against the Bible'i What thinks he of the 8th psalm, 
 the ISth. the '2ith. the CQth. the 83rd. the 34lh. the 36th. 
 the 40th. the 47th. the oOih. the 6jth. the 93rd. the 96th. 
 the 98th. the 103rd. the 104th. the I07th. the I,^9th. the 145tli. 
 and a vast variety of other passages, which speak more or less 
 of the existence, perfections, and government of the Divine 
 Being? 
 
 17. He says, ''some chapters in Job and the 19th psalm 
 are true £Zf/i/?co/ compositions, for they treat of the Deity, 
 through his works. They take the book of creation as the Tcord 
 of God; they refer to no other book; and all the inferences 
 they make are drawn from that volume." 
 
 This declaration is so far from being true, that one half of 
 the 19th psa/m itself is occupied in celebrating the perfection 
 ofthe Laji;of Moses! 
 
 18. He says, the Jts's never prayed but when in trouble. 
 That this is a vile slander, see 1 Kings iii. 6 — 9; 1 Kings viii. 
 
 23 — 53; and a variety of the psalms, which were composed 
 upon joyful occasions. 
 
 The man who can thus wickedly slander a whole nation, 
 is admirably well suited to declaim against the iniquity of 
 priests and prophets! Bolingbroke and Voltaibe were 
 tolerably expert in perversion and defamation, but Thomas 
 Paine, I think, excels them both in these estimable qualifi- 
 cations ! 
 
 19. He says, king Ahaz was defeated and destroyed by 
 Pekah. 
 
 This is utterly false; he was defeated, but not destroyed. 
 He died a natural death; and the promise of the prophet Isaiah 
 was literally fulfilled. 
 
 20. He says, the book of Isaiah is " bombastical rant, 
 extravagant metaphor, such stuff as a school-boy would have 
 been scarcely excusable for writing." 
 
 Better judges than Thomas Paine are of a very diffe- 
 rent opinion. And to go no farther, I challenge him, and 
 »U his friends, to produce, from any book, ancient of 
 
206 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 modeiTi, an oration equally eloquent with the first chapter 
 of this despised book, or any poem more sublime than that in 
 tlie fourteenth. 
 
 21. He says, the prophet of Judah was found dead by the 
 contrivance of the prophet of hrael. 
 
 Where does he find his evidence? He can prove no such 
 thing. There is an old-fashioned book of high authority, 
 which saith — }\ hen the Devil speaheth a lie, he spcaketh of 
 his ozi'N ; for he is a liar, and the father of it. 
 
 22. Solomon had his house full of wives aiid mistresses at 
 the age of one and twenty. 
 
 Let him produce his e%idence. Where is it recorded ? 
 
 23. The hifants were not butchered by Herod, because the 
 baptist was not involved in the destruction. 
 
 Mr. Paine ought to have known, that the parents of the 
 Baptist did not live at Bethlehem ; but at Hebron, which was 
 at a good distance. 
 
 G4. He hitimates, that Christ had in view the deliverance 
 of his country from the Roman yoke. 
 
 Assertions are not proofs; where is the evidence? 
 
 2.5. He says, Christ was not much known, when he was 
 apprehended. 
 
 Where did he learn this? Produce the evidence. 
 
 26. He affirms, Christ did not intend to be apprehended 
 and crucified. 
 
 This is in direct opposition to the GospeU, from whence all 
 his evidence arises. 
 
 27 • He asserts, that Peter was the only one of tlie men 
 called Apostles^ who appears to have been near the spot at the 
 crucifixion. 
 
 It is very plain from this, that Mr. Paine knows very little 
 about what he is so abusive. Where was John? 
 
 28. Mr. Paine calls Luke and Mark apostles. 
 
 Let any person consult the list of these twelve honour- 
 able men, and see if he can find these two names among tiiem. 
 
 29. He says, it appears ^;-o;?z the Evangelists, that the whole 
 time, from the crucifixion to the ascension, was apparently not 
 more than three or four days. 
 
 This assertion shews the most consummate ignorance of the 
 subject upon which he writes. 
 
 30. He says, all the circumstances of Christ's conduct. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 207 
 
 between the resurrection and ascension, are reported to have 
 happened about the same spot. 
 
 Some happened at and near Jerusalem, others in Galilee, 
 which was upwards of Jiff i/ miles from Jerusalem. 
 
 31. He afHrms, that, according to Matthew, Christ met 
 his disciples in Galilee on the dai/ of his resurrection. 
 
 There is a plausibility in this assertion, of which many 
 of the others are destitute, but it is without due considera- 
 tion. 
 
 30.. Mr. Paine insinuates, that Christ appeared only once 
 after his resurrection. 
 
 Read the Gospels, and judge uliat credit is due to such a 
 writer. He appeared upon various occasions.- 
 
 33. He asserts, that we have only the evidence of eight or 
 nine persons to the resurrection of Christ. 
 
 Such afthniations merit nothing but contempt. Were not 
 the twelve Jposflcs witnesses of this event? And what does 
 he make of the 500 witnesses mentioned by Paul? 
 
 34. He sav?, there was nothing miraculous or extraordinary 
 in the conversion of St. Paul: he was struck down with 
 lightning. 
 
 This is the apostle of infidelity! What strange credulity is 
 necessary to make a complete Deist? 
 
 35. Mr. Paine affirms, that ,S7. Paul's di^scourse on the 
 resurrection is " doubtful jargon — as destitute of meaning as 
 the tolling of the bell at the funeral." 
 
 Well done, Tommy Paine, thou art a clever fellow — 
 worthv of a seat in the French convention ! We shall ex- 
 pect, ere long, to hear thou hast obtained one of the most 
 honourable niches in the national Panlheon, as a benefactor of 
 mankind ! 
 
 36. Mr. Pai N e has the audacity repeatedly to call St. Paul 
 a fool. 
 
 Mr. Locke, Lord Littleton, and Mr. Palev, will 
 aenh the nydttcv of ihe Apostle's foolishness with this doughty 
 champion for unbelief. 
 
 After all these instances of ignorance, falsehood, nialicious- 
 7iess, or inivepresentation, will any person undertake to say that 
 Mr. Paine is a zrise man. 
 
 37. Mr. Paine roundly asserts, '^^ that there was no such 
 book as the New Ttstament till more than 300 years after 
 Christ." 
 
S08 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 1( priests and prophets are such " lying rascals, that there is 
 no believing any thing they say/' I close this long catalogue of 
 strange assertions, by asking — IVho is the liar now'^ 
 
 The principal books, of which the 'Sew Testanuiit con- 
 sists, were in existence, and read as sacred writ, from the time 
 they were first composed by the authors whose names they 
 respectively bear. I defy Mr. Paine or any other man to 
 disprove this assertion*. 
 
 1 give these as so many specimens of the false, ignorant, 
 or malicious representations of this vain-glorious man. It 
 were an easy matter to encrease the number. These, how- 
 ever, may suffice. It can be of little use to enlarge the 
 selection. From the whole, it appears, that misapprehen- 
 sion, misrepresentation, false wit, empty declamation, scur- 
 rilous language, and bitter invective, are the sum tetal, that 
 the keenest capacity, and most virulent enmity can produce 
 against the Sacred Writings, I have examined his books 
 repeatedly, and with scrupulous attention, and I declare, 
 ijpon my salvation, that it does not appear to me, he has 
 made good, and fairly substantiated, any one objection to 
 the Sacred Volume, that, in the smallest degree, affects the 
 business of human redemption, or the credit of the Divine 
 Records. He has, indeed, done his best. The book and the 
 authors whom Milton, Locke, Addison, Boyle, Hal- 
 LER, EuLER, and N Ew ton had in reverence, almost to adora- 
 tion, this ignorant and conceited man hath treated with all 
 possible indignity and contempt. We have given the reader a 
 few specimens of his ignorance ; we will produce a few instances 
 of his insolence. — Among other malignant things, with which 
 his pamphlets abound, he says: ^* The books of Moses were 
 written by some very ignorant and stupid pretenders to 
 authorship." — '' Moses wa.s one of the most vain and 
 arrogant of coxcombs." — '' Genesis is but an anonymous book 
 of stories, fables, and traditionary or invented absurdities, 
 or of downright lies." — •'' Among the detestable villains 
 that in any period of the world have disgraced the name 
 of man, it is impossible to find a greater than Moses." — 
 " The Bible is such a book of lies and contradictions, there 
 is no knowing which part to believe, or whether any." — 
 
 ♦ See Simpson's Essay on tlie Authenticity^ of the New Testament, 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. ^09 
 
 " The book of Ruth is an idle, bungling story, foolishly 
 told, nobody knows by whom, about a strolling country girl 
 creeping slvly to bed to her cousin Boaz." — " Wriuckled 
 fanalicism." — '' Priestly ignorance." — " Studied craft of the 
 s.cripture-makers."— " Cant phrase of all the prophets."— 
 " Barefaced perversion." — " The lying prophet and impostor 
 Isaiah, and the book of falsehoods that bears his name." — 
 "The traitor Jeremiah."— '^ Stupidity of the Bible." — 
 " A stupid book-maker, under the name of Jeremiah." — 
 "The prophets are impostors and liars." — " Jeremiah, an- 
 other of the lying prophets." — " The poetical, musical, con- 
 juring, dreaming, strolling gentry, the prophets." — " Elisha 
 was a conjuror." — "The prophets Mere famous for l\ing." — 
 " Some of them exulted in cursing." — " Frantic writing," of 
 the prophets. — " The vicious and malignant character of a 
 Bibh prophet, or a predicting priest." — " The cant language 
 of a ii/i/e-prophet."— " This lying book the Bibh:'— "The 
 virgin Mary %vas debauched by a ghost." — "Matthew was 
 a dashing writer," — " The writer of the book of Matthew 
 was an exceeding weak and foolish man." — " The sum total of 
 a parsons learning." — " Priests and conjurors are of the same 
 trade." — " It is better, far better, that we admitted, if it were 
 possible, a thousand devils to roam at large, and to preach pub- 
 licly the doctrine of devils, if there w ere any such, than that we 
 permitted one such impostor or monster as Moses, Joshua, 
 Samuel, and the B/6/t'-prophets, to come with the pre- 
 tended Word of God in his mouth, and have credit among us." 
 — '/ What is it the Bibh teaches us ?" — " Rapine, cruelty, and 
 murder." — What is it the Testament teaches us? — " To be- 
 lieve that the Almighty committed debauchery with a woman, 
 engaged to be married ; and the belief of this debauchery is 
 called faith." — " Fragments of morality are irregularly and 
 thinly scattered in the books of the New Testa?ncnt." — ^' The 
 obscurity and obscene nonsense of the Testament" — " Faith 
 hath its origin in a supposed debauchery." — " The descent of 
 the Holy Ghost is such absurd stufY as is fit only for tales 
 of witches and w izards." — " The grovling tales and doctrines of 
 the Bibh and the Testament are fit only to excite contempt." 
 
 These are some of the jiozcers of Mr. Paine's Jge of 
 Reason. I have not one word to reply. If any one of my 
 
 £ K 
 
210 A PLEA rOR RELIGION 
 
 readers find a stomach for such stuff, he is very welcome to 
 it. I envy not his taste. If he v.ould give himself the 
 trouble to read over IMshop Watson's Apology for the Bible, 
 he will see most of these scurrilities handsomely chastised. 
 I shall only apply the "words of one of these B/6/e-writers as 
 he contemptuously calls them, to the case in hand: Why 
 boas,test thou thystlf hi iuhchief, O mighty mon? — Thy 
 tongue deviseth mischief; like a sharp razor working deceit- 
 fulli/. Thou loiist all devouring zcords, O thou deceitful 
 io?igue ! But God shall destroy thee for ever, he shall take 
 thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root 
 thee out of the land of the living. The righteous also shall see, 
 and fear , and shall laugh at him. Bo, this is the man, that 
 made not God his strength — but strengthened himself in his 
 wickedness. Psalm lii. 
 
 To proceed to other considerations: 
 
 *' Some men of great ingenuity have very seriously called 
 in question the very existence of Jesus Christ, and have 
 contended, that there never vas any such person upon 
 earth." 
 
 Those, that will call in question whether there ever existed 
 upon earth such a person as Jesus Chbist, may uith much 
 greater reason question the existence of Alexander, Cesar, 
 PoMPEY, and ail the other heroes of antiquity. 
 
 " Others there have been, who have presumed to reject the 
 authority of the New Testament.'^ 
 
 Those \\ho will undertake to deny the genuineness and 
 authenticity oi iXvafonr Gospels, with the writings of Peter, 
 Paul, James, and John, may, with much more appearance 
 of truth, denv the authenticity of the writings of Homer and 
 Hesiod, of Plato and Xenophon, of Horace and Vir- 
 gil; seeing there is much more evidence for the authenticity of 
 the former, than of the latter. 
 
 '^ Does it not appear unaccountable, that the whole 
 Jetc-ish nation should eutertaui such a warm expectation 
 of their Messiah's appearance, and that they should reject 
 Christ when he actually did come, if he had not been an 
 impostor.'" 
 
 It is well known that many thousands of the Jezi's^aud 
 religious proselytes were at first converted to the faith of 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 211 
 
 Christ. This sufficiently proves, that the ver)- general rejec- 
 tion of Christ was not owing to a want of evidence concerning 
 his mission, but to causes of a different nature. 
 
 Lt' it be enquired what tho^e causes were; it may be re- 
 plied — Many false Messiahs arose about that time. Tliis cir- 
 cumstance was calculated to perplex the minds of simple 
 people, and leave them undetermined which was the true. 
 The meanness of our SAViorR's parentage; his dwellhig hi 
 Galilee; his rejecting all worldly honour; the simplicity of 
 his life and doctrine; the ignominy of his death: the sublime 
 language of the prnphcts concerning his kingdom; but, 
 above all, the general wickedness of the generation in which 
 he appeared ; these seem to be sufficient causes for the rejection 
 of the Messiah, without considering him in the light of an 
 impostor. 
 
 Besides; by the infidelity of the Jens, we gain a large 
 number of unsuspected witnesses to the truth of the Old 
 Testament; and by their dispersion into all countries, they 
 are God's witnesses, and as a seed sown for the future con- 
 version of the nations : by their infidelity too are fulfilled 
 abundance of prophecies : it is, moreover, a great advantage 
 to the Gospel to have been first preached in a nation of 
 unbelievers: it is a means of making the prophecies more 
 attended to and more studied: it serves to shew that God 
 did not chuse the Jezcs from among the nations for their own 
 sakes : it is a warning to us to beware of the same infidelity : 
 we are taugiit by it likewise, that it is not being of any par- 
 ticular nation or church which saveth a man: aiwl, lastly, it 
 is well calculated to correct a vain opinion, which every one 
 is apt to entertain, that had we lived in the times of our 
 Saviour, and conversed personally with him, we should have 
 been better Christians, and obeyed without doubt and without 
 reserve. 
 
 " Say what you please, you shall never persuade me to be- 
 lieve abundance of things contained in the book called the 
 Bihkr 
 
 Very good. Take your owu way. I wish not to force 
 your conviction, contrary to evidence. Only weigh the mat- 
 ter seriously and conscientiously, and niay the Author 
 of your being direct your determination ! — But, suppose you 
 feel yourself incapable of receiving the Af.v TiStamenl a.- » 
 
 K E '2 
 
212 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 religions system^ founded in truth, cannot you receive it as a 
 system of morals, founded in policy r This will not make 
 you a religious man indeed, but it may make you a good 
 subject, and a respectable member of civil society. It is well 
 known, that the ifnportance of Religion, to the well-being 
 of every civil community, is a point on which the greatest 
 politicians, no less than the most respected moralists, have 
 been generally agreed; and it is an undisputed fact, esta- 
 blished in the page of history, that, in proportion as the 
 influence of Religion has declined in any country, in that 
 same proportion the state itself has tended to its dissolution. 
 Is not this an unanswerable argument, founded in universal 
 experience, if not for the truth, yet for the utility of 
 Religion. 
 
 " But, suppose I should be convinced of the fallacy of 
 my own opinions, and the truth of Christianity, what must 
 I do? How shall [ know, among all the uncharitable and 
 contending denominations of Christians, who is right, and who 
 is wrong, and to whom I should unite myself in Christian 
 fellowship?" 
 
 Take the Nero Testament into your hand; read it dili- 
 gently, call upon the Lord fur direction iailhfully, and 
 follow \vliitliersoever it leads the way. Take nothing upoji 
 trust; pin your faith upon no man's sleeve; to the law and 
 the testimony*. Believe in Christ, as the Word teaches; 
 
 * Few of the Sectarists of the present day have departed farther 
 from tlie scriptural \'\e\v of things than the Aeiv Church. The lorni 
 of baptism in their Liturgy is this: — "I baptize tliee in the name 
 of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is at once Father, Son, and 
 Holy Spirit." Their confession is this: — " Dost thou believe, 
 that God is One both in essence and in person, in whom is a divine 
 trinity, consisting of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; and 
 that the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is He? I do." The 
 Holi/ Supper is thus admhiistered: — "The Body of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ, which is the divine good of his divine love, nourish and 
 preserve you inito eternal life. Take and eat this, in remembrance 
 that the Lord glorified his human, and thereby became the God of 
 heaven and earth." 
 
 Enough ! One is grieved and surjirized, that any set of people 
 should take such liberties in altering the Sacred IVrifings. To our 
 own master, however, we must each of us stand or fall. 
 
 Some time since there was a Letter written and addressed to the 
 Clergy in behalf of Swedenborg's TlieologicalWorks. The Letter 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 
 
 213 
 
 put your whole trust and confidence in him; obey his precepts; 
 woiship God publicly and privately with sincerity and zeal; 
 do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your Makeu; and 
 look for his mercy through CiiuisT Jesus unto eternal life: 
 and be assured all shall be well. 
 
 " Be all these things, however, as they may, the religion 
 of Jrsus is a thing of which you do hot approve. He 
 might be a very good sort of man, but his doctrines are 
 not to your taste. If you could only get clear of the Bible, 
 and these d — d Priests'^, of every denomination, as the 
 French have done, you then flatter yourselves we should see 
 happier days? ' 
 
 is admirably well written, and in an excellent- spirit, whoeN'er was tiie 
 author. Bat surely a man of his sense nmst see the lallaciousness 
 of his own reasoning on the 13th page of the small edition, where 
 he gi^es his reasons wliy the writings he wis'ies to recommend should 
 be receiveil. The whole force of his rcconunendation rests upon the 
 reasons there given in favour of .SwedenboRg's divuie conmiission, 
 and yet those reasons are altogeth.er without any sound and legitimate 
 foundation. What will not iiioenious men say, and how far w ill they 
 not so, to establish a favourite hypothesis ? 
 
 *^ It is greatly to be lamented, that the C/trgi/, in most ages of 
 the Chrixiiuii Church, have been very generally unfriendly toToleiTt- 
 lion, and that they should iiave been the instruments of calling for, 
 or stirring up, the civil power to persecution. Every good and liberal 
 minded man must confess and bewail this misfortune. This spirit, 
 however, has not been conlined to ministers of the FMablishmcnt. 
 Jtwn, ikathens, and Mnhometunt, Praahijtnians, Ltdcpi/irhnty, aiid 
 Bftpthts, have all, in their turns, Avhen the power Ir.us come into their 
 hands, been guilty of the same intolerant conduct t. It is human 
 nature, and a part of its di-ease. But the Gospel itself, all {.nre, 
 and perfective of reasonable beings, is {Wm; from tlie bloody charge^ 
 Jesus, the author of it, was the most generous, humane, and amiable 
 of characters. But, alas, we have sadly forgotten, or per\'erted his 
 institutions. Persecution and blot)dy deeds are the infullibh' marks 
 of Jntichri.sl. Rev. xvii. 6. That the Profrsta/it churches should 
 have imitated tlie Beast in this worst part of his conduct,, ran never 
 be suihcientlv bewailed. Every reign almost from the Reformation 
 to the Revolution was stained wifli tlie blood of souls — Henry VIII. 
 who contrivctl to remove the Pope of Romi: froni being Head of the 
 English clnirch, and put hiinself in his place, was a vile, lyramhcal, 
 libidinous, and bloody wretcl). A considerable number of peisons 
 were put to death in his reign for conscience sake. Nay, even the 
 excellnt young King, Edward VI. was a persecutor in some cases 
 unto deatii, being over persuaded by those about him, particularly the 
 
 t See the PampUel entitUd, A Look to the Last Century ; or the Diisentm 
 vreighcd in their own Scales. An instructive j^itcc I 
 
214 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 The Bib/e, and the persons appointed by that book to 
 minister in holy things, are unquestionably great restraints 
 upon the passions of men : and blameable as our Order has 
 been, and bad as the world is, there is no little reason to 
 
 good, but mistaken Cranmer. Mary and Elizabeth shed 
 Biudi blood on account of religion. James and Charles were 
 not innocent. Th^y stained their hands in blood on the same ac- 
 count. Cromavell, and the prevailing parties during the Rebellion, 
 made dreadful havoc. After the Resfuration, it is computed, that 
 not less than 8000 persons perished in prison, and the sum of two 
 millons of money was wrested from the sullerers. Sixty thousand 
 persons are said to have suft'ered, in one way or other, from the Res- 
 toration to tlje Revolution, which was only a period of about thirty 
 jearsv. 
 
 Let the reader consult Dr. Doddridge's excellent Sermon, 
 against t!ie damnable spirit of persecution. 
 ^-X. j Indeed, all national religions, whether Pa grin, Jewish, Turkish, or 
 Qoy} { Or/s/iV,'», have ever hitherto been national tyrannies. The last beg-an 
 with CoNSTANTlNK, the first Christian emperor, and continues to 
 this day, our own Estahlishmrnt not excepted. And of what pliable 
 stu^'we Parsons are made has been tried upon various occasions in 
 this country. When Henry VIII. discarded the Pope of Rome, 
 ' and' made Iiiniscif Po/?c in his place, the great boily of Bishops and 
 t'lergi/ followed the example; very few, confparatively, suifered 
 death for refusal. When Edward VI. rejected n.ost of the remain- 
 mg rubbish oi Poptry, anr' became Protestant, almost all tlie Bishops 
 and Clergy again followed liis example. Then when Mary after- 
 wards undid idl that Edward had done, a!id introduced Popery 
 again, near 3000 were turned out of their lAvings,. but not more 
 than four or five hinufred both of the clergy and laity sufiered for 
 refusal to johi her. And then, once more, when Elizabeth re- 
 jected Popery, the Clergy, very generally, imitated her conduct. 
 Not more tlian COO gave up tiseir prefcrn.-eiit. All these changes 
 took place in the course of forty years. But whoever prevailed. 
 Papist or Protestant, they were steafty to theii- purpose of persecut- 
 ing those who refused to comply with their tyrannical injunctions. 
 Nay, even Caia'IN persecuted Servet.us unto death; and the 
 gentle Melancthon approved of v>h.it Calvin had done. Cran- 
 . MER* hv'.d his victims; and, what is worse, the laws of England, 
 in the close of the eighteenth cenlury, contain bl<»ody statutes in full 
 force. Eloo'dy laws, however, on account of religion, though of 
 no force, through the liberality of the times, ought to be repealed, 
 if it- were only for the honour of old England; but there is a higher 
 reason which should influence the professors of an unpersecuting 
 Master. 
 
 * Cranmer was concerned in puttins; five or six persons to death for their 
 religious opinions, and he himself was at last put to death by queen Mary for the 
 «atue cause. A just retaliation f 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 215 
 
 suppose, it would be much worse without that Order. It is 
 probable you have not well considered what the consequence 
 would be of removing these grievances out of the way. A 
 successful invasion from the I'rciuh would, in all likeliiiood, 
 enable you to obtain these ends, for a considerable time. 
 Had we not, however, " better bear those ills we have, than 
 fly to others that we know not ofr" Reformation of the 
 decayed, impolitical, and unevangelical parts of the British 
 constitution — not surely the destruction of the whole — should 
 be the ardent wish of every true friend to liis country, and to 
 human nature. Perfect liberty, civil and reiigioits, is tlie 
 birth-right of man. \\ hatever of this nature is still wanting 
 in this happy land, might be easily obtained from the vmy 
 i^ature of our government. No mau, therefore, who is a 
 friend to his country, could desire to see it involved in poli- 
 tical ruin, for the sake of obtaining what he may conceive to 
 be some considerable advantages. Enlighten the public aiiinci, 
 and it will not be long before all remaining abuses shall be 
 rectified. 
 
 Delenda est Carthago'*- is the uniform language of French- 
 men. What the meaning of that phrase will be, we ;maj 
 form a pretty good idea, from tlie history of Cart ho ge, and 
 the treatment which Lj/ons^ one of iheir own cities, received, 
 when it refused to con) ply with the decrees of the Convention. 
 It is worth while to state this at some lenlh, as a useful lessoa 
 to my Countrymen. 
 
 By the new constitution of France, it was decreed, that the 
 King could not be dethroned, unless found at the head of an 
 army against his country. This was to be regarded as the 
 highest crime he could possibly commit, and even ibr this 
 he could be punished no otherwise than by being dethroned. 
 *' No crime whatever,", says the conslifnlion. " shall be con- 
 strued to affect his life. This constitution every French- 
 man had sworn " to obey, and maintain widi all his might.'^ 
 \Vhen, therefore, it was proposed to the people of Lyons, 
 
 * The city of Carthage v.as taken and plundered by the Romans 
 14-1 years before the birth of Christ. Ic was tweiity-four miles in 
 compass, aiul the biani. g iji it continued seventeen days together- 
 Cato was the author of llie sentence, Dehi-da est Carihairo, and 
 Scipio put it in execution, with inhnite horror, blood, and si«ught^ 
 See the lioinan iiiittory I'ur the account at large. 
 
216 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 by the emissaries of til;? National Convcution, to petition for 
 tlie death of the King, they replied, ahiiost \\ith one voice, 
 '' No: We have swoni, with all Fraitce, to maintain the 
 new comtitulion with all our might. That constitution de- 
 clares, th.at no crime whatsoever shall affect the life of the 
 King. For any thing we have yet seen or heard, we believe 
 him innocent of every crime which has been laid to his charge. 
 The mode of his trial is nnprecedented in the annals of in- 
 justice, the Convention being at once accuser, evidence, and 
 judge. \\'c believe him perfectly innocent; but whether 
 he be or not, the co//s/itiitio)i that we have, by a solemn 
 oath, bound ourselves to maintain with all our might, de- 
 clai-cs, that no crimp whatever shall be construed to aflfcct his 
 life: that life, therefore, we cannot, we will not demand. 
 The rest of the nation may sport with engagements which they 
 have called the i\L mighty to witness; they may add the crime 
 of assassination to that of perjury ; they may stain themselves 
 with the blood of their innocent and unfortunate prince; the 
 Lyoncse never will." 
 
 This was an answer full of good sense, justice, piety, and 
 hoiiour. 
 
 What,- however, was the consequence? The Convention 
 immediately vowed vengeance. A numerous army waS 
 prepared. Siege was laid to the city. Ten thousand of the 
 inhabitants defended it for sixty days against fifteen times 
 their number, though it had neither magazines nor fortifica- 
 tions. Thirty thousand men were slain without the city. 
 Provisions failed within. A capitulation was proposed by the 
 besieged. The besiegers, however, knowing the extremity to 
 which the city was reduced for want of bread, would grant 
 them no terms whatever, without putting to death indiscri- 
 minately all those who had taken up arms within the city. 
 Seeing no hopes of capitulation, the besieged determined, to 
 cut their w ay through the enemy, or fall in the attempt. 
 The besiegers, knowing all that passed from their partizans 
 within the city, were prepared to receive them; insomuch 
 that out of near four thousand persons who made this desperate 
 effort, the whole were either killed or taken, except about 
 fitly*. 
 
 * Tlie French have always been a brave and warlike people. In 
 no war, however, did they ever tight with such desperate and fero- 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 217 
 
 After this the victors shewed such mercy as might be ex- 
 pected from them.- Not content with butchering their prison- 
 ers in cold blood, they took a pleasure in making them die by 
 inches, aud in insulting them in the pangs of death. Placing 
 several together, they killed one of them at a time, to render 
 death more terrible to the rest. Neither sex nor age had any 
 weight with them. Above two lumdied women, thirty of 
 whom had children at the breast, whom conjugal love had led 
 to follow their husbands; more than fifty old men, whom filial 
 piety had snatched from the assassin's stab, were all most sa- 
 vagely butchered. The death of Madame de Visague de- 
 serves particular notice. This young lady was about seventeen 
 years of age, and very near her time of delivery. A party of 
 the democrats found her behind a hedge, to which place she 
 had dja«n her husband, who was mortally wounded. When 
 they discovered her, she was on her knees, supporting his head 
 with her arm. One of them fired upon her with a carabine, 
 
 cious courage as in the present. On the first of June against Lord 
 Howe, aud in the other more recent actions, they displayed the 
 most determined resolution. The Dutch did the same iu the late 
 action against Admiral Duncan. But if the French and Dutch. 
 displaced such feats of braven, what must the English have done? 
 By land too, as well as by sea, the English, in tlie course of the 
 present unhappy struggle, have discovered very eminent superiority. 
 We usually say, Facts are stubborn things. Let the following then 
 speak tiie language of honest tnith : At Lincdle, 1 1 00 British Guards 
 stormed a formidable work, defended by six times their number, 
 completely routed the enemy, aud made themselves masters of the 
 artillery. — In au action near Cateau ISGO British Cavalry defeated 
 their army of '25,000 men, pursued them to the gate of Cambrai/y 
 took their general prisoner, and upwards of fifty pieces of cannon. — 
 At the battle of Tournay, a sniali BritiJi Brigade, under the com- 
 mand of general Fox, drove back general PiCHEGRU's left wing, 
 and deci^led the \ictory, till tliat moment doubtfiil, — At a sortie from 
 Kimeguin, six British Battalions marched out in the middle of the 
 day, threw themselves, without firing a shot, into the enemy^s 
 trenches, dispersed the troops that guarded them, and, after being 
 in possession of them two hours, and completely destroying the 
 works, returned in periect order to the town, without the enemy 
 daring to harrass them. — What feats did not Sir Charles Grey 
 perform in the iVest Indies.^ — What has become of the French East 
 India possessions ? 
 
 See Le Messurier's Thoughts on a French Invasion, and 
 WiLLYAMs's Account of the Camj/aign in the West Indies m the 
 year 179-^- 
 
 F r 
 
218 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 another quartered her with his hanger, while a third held up the 
 expiring husband to be a spectator of their* more than hellish 
 cruelty. 
 
 Several wounded prisoners were collected together, and 
 put into a ditch, with sentinels placed round them, to prevent 
 them from killing themselves, or one another; and thus were 
 they made to liiigt r, some of them two or three days, while 
 their enemies testified their ferocious pleasure by all the insult- 
 ing gesticulations of savages. 
 
 Such was the fury of the triumphant democi'ots*, that the 
 deputies from the Cunventiott gave an order against burying 
 the dead, till they had been cut in morsels. Tollet, the infa- 
 
 * The world has now existed near 6000 years ; and we who live 
 in the present period are favoured with the experience of all former 
 ages. During those ages, every kind of govermnent has been tried. 
 And it is found by experience, that every kind of government has 
 its peculiar advantages and disadvantages. To guard against the in- 
 conveniences peculiar to each, the wisdom of Tacitus conceived, 
 that a mixed fonn of government, consisting of King, Lords, and 
 Commons, if it were practicable, woidd be the most perfect ; but yet 
 he could not conceive such a government to be possible. His words 
 are: " Cunctas nationes aut Reges, aut Primores, aut Populus rex- 
 ** erunt, dilecta ex his et consociata Reipublicje forma laudari 
 *' facilius quam evenire ; aut si eveniat, non diuturna esse, potest.** 
 Tact. Ann. 1. 
 
 The British government, however, has long reduced this idea, by 
 him deemed impossible, to practice : and it should really seem, not 
 only from our own experience in this country, but from the conduct 
 of the Americans in forming their constitution, and from the conduct 
 of the French in forming theirs, that three estates, to act as checks 
 one upon another, forms the most perfect system of government hu- 
 man wisdom can contrive for the happiness of man. The Americans 
 have two houses and a president, who is the same as our king, only 
 called by another name : and the French, during their late sangui- 
 nary revolution, had t\vo estates, and five directors, who occupied the 
 place of our king and his privy council. So that after all their ex- 
 perience, convulsions, and blood, the British government was at last 
 the model tliey are constrained to follow. This consideration ought 
 to induce us Englishmen not only to be contented with, but to glory 
 in our const tution, as a most finished model of human wisdom. 
 We may change, but it is impossible we can change for the better. 
 All that we should desire is, that every thing may be removed from 
 it, which is inconsistent wilh its purity and perfection. Our present 
 Legislature is com etent to the correction of every abuse. — See a 
 just account of the excellence of the British constitution in Mon- 
 tesquieu's Spirit of Laws, b. xi. c. 6. 
 
AND THE SACRED ^VRIT1XGS. 219 
 
 mous apostate priest of Trevour, went, blood-hound like, in 
 quest of a few unhappy wretches, who had escaped destruc- 
 tion ; and when, by p'erfidious promises, he had drawn them 
 from their retreats, he delivered them up to the daggers of their 
 assassins. 
 
 Of the little army that attempted the retreat, six hundred 
 and eighteen were brought back in chains ; some of them died 
 of their wounds, and all those who were not relieved from life 
 this way, were dragged forth to an ignominious death. 
 
 Prior to these misfortunes there was an infamous assembly 
 in Lyons, which took the name of the democratic club. In 
 this club a plot was laid for the assassination of all the rich 
 in one night. Their oath was — " We swear to exterminate all 
 the rich and aristocrats ; their bloody corpses thrown into 
 the Rhone, shall bear our terrors to the affrighted sea." 
 This plot was happily discovered in time to prevent its effects ; 
 and the president Challier with two others were condemned 
 to die. This Challier was looked on as a person of infa- 
 mous character before the revolution ; and, since the revolu- 
 tion, he had imbrued his hands in the blood of his own 
 father ! 
 
 After the capture of the city, the above democratic elub 
 was re-organized, and Javogues, the deputy from the CoH' 
 vent ion, became its new president. After having represented 
 Challier as a mart\r to the cause of liberty, he addressed 
 himself to the assembly in nearly these terms : — *' Think," 
 said he, " of the slavery into which you are plunged^ by 
 being the servants and workmen of others ; the nobles, the 
 priests, the proprietors, the rich of every description, have 
 long been in a combination to rob the democratSy the real 
 sansculotte republicans, of their birth-right. Go, citizens; 
 take what belongs to you, and what you should have enjoved 
 long ago. Nor must you stop here ; while there exists an 
 aristocracy in the buildings, half remains undone. Down 
 with those edifices, raised for the profit or pleasure of tlie 
 rich ; down with them all : commerce and arts are useless 
 to a warlike people, and the destruction of that sublime 
 equality, which France ih determined to spread over the \\hole 
 globe." He told this deluded populace, that it was the 
 duty of every good citizen to discover all those whom he 
 knew to be guilty of having, in thought, word, or deed, cou- 
 
 F F 2 
 
SCO A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 spired against the republic. He exhorted them to fly to tlie 
 oflSces open for receiving such accusations, and not to spare 
 one lazcyer., priest, or nobleman. He conchided this harangue, 
 worthy of one of the damned, with declaring, that for a man 
 to accuse his own father was an act of civism worthy a true re- 
 publican, and that to neglect it was a crime which should be 
 punished with death. 
 
 The deeds which followed this diabolical exhortation were 
 such as might be expected. The bloody democrats left not a 
 house, not a hole unsearched ; men and women were led forth 
 from their houses with as little ceremony as cattle from dieir 
 pens. The square where the guillotine stood was reddened 
 with blood like a slaughter-house ; while the piercing cries of 
 the surviving relations were drowned in die more vociferous 
 howlings of Vive la Republique. 
 
 Soon after this, orders were given from the Convention for 
 the demolition of the city. A hundred houses were destroyed 
 per day. All the hospitals, manufactories, banks, &.c. Sec. 
 were destroyed, without exception. Before the revolution, the 
 city contained above 150,000 inhabitants. It was the second 
 town, with respect to population, in France, and the first ma- 
 nufacturing town in all Europe. It does not now contain 
 70,000 inhabitants, and those are all reduced to beggary and 
 ruin. As for trade, there is no such thing thought of. The 
 last report to the Contention, respecting Lyons, declares the 
 inhabitants without work or bread. 
 
 It is diflicult to stifle the voice of nature, and to stagnate 
 the involuntary movements of the soul; yet even this was 
 attempted, and in some degree eff'ected, by the deputies of the 
 Convention. Perceiving that the above scenes of blood and 
 devastation had spread a gloom over the countenances of the 
 innocent inhabitants, and that even some of their soldiers 
 seemed touched with compunction; they issued a mandate, 
 declaring every one suspected of aristocracy, who should 
 discover the least symptom of pity, either by his words or his 
 looks! 
 
 The preamble of this mandate makes the blood run cold : 
 *' By the thunder of God ! in the name of the representatives 
 of the French people ; on pain of death it is ordered, &c. 
 &c." Who would believe, that this terrific mandate, for- 
 bidding men to weep, or look sorrowful, on pain of death. 
 
, AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 221 
 
 ooncliided with, Vive la Libert?— Liberty for ever! Who 
 Avoiild believe that the people, who suffered this matulatc to be 
 stuck up about their city like a play-bill, haj szcorn to Ike free 
 
 or die * ? 
 
 In spite, however, of all their menaces, they still ^ound, 
 that remorse would sometimes follow the murder of a friend or 
 relation. Conscience is a troublesome guest to the villain, 
 who >et believes in a hereafter. The deputies therefore were 
 resolved to banish this guect from the bosoms of their partizans, 
 as it had already been banished from their own. 
 
 With this ol>ject in view, they ordered a solemn civic festi- 
 val in honour of Ch a llieR. His image was' carried round 
 the citv, and placed in the churches. Those temples which 
 had, many of them, for more than a tliousand years, resounded 
 with hoscifinas to the Supreme Being, were now profaned 
 by the adorations paid to the image of a parricide. 
 
 All this was but a prelude to wliat was to follow the 
 next day. It was Suiidai/ f, the day consecrated to the wor- 
 
 * Under the most extravagant professions of liberty, the Freirch 
 are now become the greatest slaves iu Europe. Wherever they go, 
 thev pretend to ofler the people liberty; but no sooner do the silly 
 folks listen and believe, than they find themselves .plundered and 
 enslaved, 
 
 t The French, before the Revolution, were extremely inattentive 
 to the sanctification of the sabbath; and by a most striking retaliation 
 of Providence, they are now entirely deprived of the sabbath f 
 Many in this country, especially the nobility and gentry, are almost 
 universally treading in the same steps ; and have we reason to sup- 
 pose we shall not, erelong, be treated in the same maimer? Were 
 I an Jiifidtl in principle, I would observe the sabbath day, for the 
 sake, of example. For if religion could be proved to have no foun- 
 dation in trutli, it must be allowed to be extremely convenient for 
 the purpose of keepmg mankind in order. " I go to church some- 
 times," said the late infidel Earl of O\ford, " in order to induce 
 mv servants to go to chnrch. A good moral sennon may instruct 
 and benefit them. I only set them an example of Ustening, not of 
 believing.' And v\hat injury would his Lordship have sustained, if 
 he had both listened, believed, and obeyed ? All hypocrites are base 
 and contemptible ciiaracters, whatever specious attainments they 
 mav possess of a hterai-y, philosophical, or jiolitical kind. It does 
 not appear that his Lordship, any more than Heme and Frank- 
 lin, ever gave Christianity a serious and conscientious investiga- 
 tion. They were all too busy m life, and had little inclination to 
 religions pursuits. The carnal minds of a N»bltmwn and a Phiioso- 
 pher are equally tit emuity against God. 
 
222 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 ship of our blessed Redeemer. A vast concourse of demo- 
 crats, men and women, assembled at a signal agreed on, formed 
 themselves into a sort of mock procession, preceded by the 
 image of Challier, and followed by a little detached troop, 
 each bearing in his hand a chalice, or some other vase of the 
 church. One of these sacrilegious wretches led an ass, co- 
 vered with a priest's vestment, and with a mitre on his head. 
 He was loaded with crucifixes and other symbols of the 
 .Christian religion, and had the 0/d and Nfzy Testaments sus- 
 pended to his tail. Arrived at the square called the Terreaux, 
 they then tbrew the two Testaments, the crucifixes, &c. into a 
 fire, prepared for the purpose, made the ass drink out of the 
 sacramental cup, and were proceeding to conclude their dia- 
 bolical profanations with the massacre of all the prisoners, to 
 appease the ghost of Challier, Avhen a violent thunder-gust 
 put an end to their meeting, and deferred the work of death 
 for a few hours. 
 
 The pause was not long. The deputies, profiting by the 
 impious frenzy with which they had inspired the soldiery and 
 the mob, and by the consternation of the respectable in- 
 habitants, continued their butchery with redoubled fury. 
 Those who led the unhappy sufferers to execution, were no 
 longer ordered to confine themselves to such as were entered 
 on the list of proscription, but were permitted to take whom- 
 soever the}/ themselves thought worthy of death ! To have an 
 enemy among the democrats, to be rich, or even thought rich, 
 was a sufficient crime. The words nobleman, priest, lawyer, 
 merchant, or even honest man, were so many terms of pro- 
 scription. Three times was the place of the guillotine changed ; 
 at every place holes were dug to receive the blood, and yet 
 It ran in the gutters ! The executioners were tired, and the 
 deputies, enraged to see that their work went on so slowly, re- 
 presented to the mob, that they were too merciful, that ven- 
 geance lingered in their hands, and that their enemies ought to 
 perish in mass ! 
 
 Accordingly, the next day, the execution in mass began. 
 The prisoners were led out, from a hundred to three hundred 
 at a time, into the out-skirts of the city, where they were 
 fired upon, or stabbed *. One of these massacres deserves 
 
 "^^ '■ ■■■'■'■ I ■■■■■■■.. -^m ■■■ - II- ■ .1, I. ■■■ , „ ■ I . ■■■ 11, ,. ,1 ■■■■■■ — ■ .■■. I n - 
 
 * See much more to the same purpose in Peter Porcupine's 
 BloQdy Buoy, and in Babru£I^'s History of the French Clergy^ 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. S23 
 
 particular notice. Two hundred and sixty-nine persons, 
 taken indiscriminately among all classes and all ages, were 
 led to Brotteau.v, and there tied to trees. In this situation 
 they were fired upon with grape shot. Numbers of these un- 
 fortunate prisoners had only their limbs broken by the 
 artillery; these were dispatched with the sword or the musket. 
 The greatest part of the bodies were thrown into the Rhone, 
 some of them before they were quite dead. Two men, iu 
 particular, had strength enough to swim to a sand-bank in 
 the river. One would have thought, that, thus saved as it 
 were by a miracle, the vengeance of their enemies would have 
 pursued them no farther ; but no sooner were they perceived^ 
 than a party of the diagootis of Lorraine crossed the arm of 
 the river, stabbed them, and left them a prey to the fowls of 
 the air. 
 
 Among others, who fell into the hands of the democrats, 
 was Mons. Chapuis de Maubourg. one of the first engineers 
 in Europe. They offered to spare i.:is life, if he would serve 
 
 Carrier alone, deputy from the Convention, put to death at A^antx 
 and other places in the south of France, more than 40,000 persons, 
 including men, women, and children. 
 
 Such men are to be considered in" the light of Jehus, who are 
 appointed to execute tlie Divine vengeance upon tliose persons and 
 places, which have incurred the displeasure of the Almighty. 
 Nantz contained the richest merchants in the kingdom, and carried 
 on a very considerable trade in the blood of human creatures. 
 
 Bishop Bdrnet was in France at the time of the horrible perse- 
 cution of tlie Protestants under Lew IS XIV. 
 
 " I do not think," says he, " that, in any age, there ever was such 
 a violation of ail that is sacred, either with relation to God or man; 
 and what I saw and knew there from the first hand, hath so con- 
 finned all the ideas that I had taken from books, of the cruelty of 
 that religion, that I hope tlie impression which this hath made upon 
 me, shall never end but « ith my life. — From the circumstances, it 
 may be well termed, The Act of the whole Clergy of 
 France." Travels, Let. 5. p. 246, 247. 
 
 If we would see other accounts of what may be expected from 
 a succes^ful invasion of this country by the French, we may be amply 
 gratified by Anthony Aufrere's, Esq. Warning to Britain 
 against French Perjidi/ and Cruelty towards the Peasants of Si/abia ; 
 by Peter Porcupine's Democratic Principles Illnstrated; and 
 by Anrcdofes of the conduct of the French in Franconia. To these 
 may be added Turk e A u's History of the Fendean War; Lava- 
 TER's Remonstrance with the French Directory: and a work called, 
 A Rapid Vieiv of the Oveithrow of Switzerland, 
 
224 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 in the armies of the Convention. They repeated this offer, 
 with their carrabints at his breast. " No," replied this gallant 
 man, "1 have never fought but for my God and my King: 
 despicable coN^ards ! fire away * ! " 
 
 * The dying behaviour of various of the victims was very noble 
 and animated. Wliere so ivsaiiv luerit praise, it is difficult to select. 
 
 The King acquitted hiniseif extremely well in the last trying 
 scenes of his Hie ; but he was a main support of t!ie Beast ; and 
 though he died piously, he died a determiaed catholic ; not know- 
 ing tJiat this was one of the main causes of his destruction. 
 
 It is but justice to hla character to observe, wlnit I believe is not 
 generally known, that it was the late Queen of France's *>arty, 
 which forced on the Kiyg the treaty with America, in the view oi" 
 depressing Great Britain. Louis consid< red it as an unffiir mea- 
 sure, and threw away the pen, when urged to sanction it with his sig- 
 nature. But in an evil iiour for himself and his family, he relented, 
 on repeated importLniiy " he signed the fatal instrument which in- 
 volved both heniispheres in the 1 r;irc»rs of war; and, in so doing, he 
 remotely signed the wanantj ''foi' his own execution. Wn it a lesson 
 is this to men of all ranks to be just and honourable in their 
 dealings ! 
 
 The princess of Lambai.le was, after the royal family, one of 
 the most ilkistrious victiuis of that bloody period. She was first 
 confined in the Temple, and was afterwards sent to the prison of 
 La Force, where the massacre began early in the morning. At 
 t/iree o'clock she was Avitness to the preparations making for her 
 destruction. At seeen she was dragged by the hair of her head into 
 tlie coiirt where the victims waited their final sentence. Here she 
 continued, in a standing posture, to witness all the horrid proceed- 
 ings till nine o'clock, when she herself was called before the bloody 
 tiibunal. They asked lier a few questions ; all which she answered 
 with firmness. They charged her with certain crimes ; all which she 
 denied. Being in a very short time condemned, without any proof " 
 of guilt, she was dragged to the gate ; and from the gate conducted 
 through a double line of assassins to the place of execution, through 
 a variety of insults and reproaches. By the side of a pile of dead 
 bodies, she was commanded to kneel, and ask pardon of the nation. 
 Firmly she replied, " I have not injured the nation ; and will not ask 
 pardon!" — Your release is the price of your obedience. " I expect 
 no favour from the hands of ruiiians, who dare to call themselves 
 the nation." — Once more, obey; kneel down, and ask pardon, if 
 you wish to live. — " No: I will not bend my knee — No: I will ask 
 no pardon, no favour from you." — Kueel down and ask pardon, 
 was re-echoed by a thousand voices ; but in vain. She remained 
 superior to fear. Two ruiiiiins seized her by the arms, and were 
 ready to tear her in pieces. V/ilh ail the strength she could 
 gather, she exclainied, " Go on, ruffians, I will not ask pardon." 
 Being enraged at her firmness, the fellow? rush on her with drawn 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS^ 225- r^ V ^ 
 
 The murder in mass did not rob the guillotine oi\its prey ; 
 there the blood flowed without intermission. Deaff» itself 
 was not a refuge from democratic fury. The bodies of the 
 prisoners, who were dead of their wounds, and of those, who, 
 not able to support the idea of an ignominious death, had 
 given themselves the fatal blow, were carried to the scaffold, 
 and there beheaded, receiving thousands of kicks from the 
 snns culottes, because the blood would not run from them. 
 Persons from their sick beds, old men not able to walk, and 
 even women found in child-bed, were carried to the murder- 
 ous machine. The respectable Mans. Lauras was torn 
 from his family of ten children, and his wife big with the 
 eleventh. This distracted matron run with her children, and 
 threw herself at the feet of the brutal depnty Collet 
 D'Herbois. — No mercy! — Her conjugal tenderness, the 
 cries of her children, every thing calculated to soften the 
 heart, presented themselves before him ; but in vain. " Take 
 away," said he to the officious ruffians by whom he was 
 surrounded, *' take away the she-rebel and her wke/ps." Thus 
 spurned from the presence of him, who alone was able to 
 save her beloved husband, she followed him to the place of 
 execution. Her shrieks, when she saw him fall, joined to 
 the wildness of her looks, but too plainly foretold her ap- 
 proaching end. She was seized with the pains of child-birth, 
 and was carried home to her house. But, as if her tormentors 
 had shewn her too much lenity, the sans culotte commissary 
 soon after arrived, took possession of all the effects in the 
 name of the sovereign people, drove her from her bed and 
 her house, from the door of which she fell dead in the street! 
 
 About three hundred women hoped, by their united 
 prayers and tears, to touch the hearts of those ferocious 
 deputies; but all their efforts were in vain as those of J]/. 
 Lauras. They were threatened with a discharge of grape 
 
 swords, lay open her body, cut off her Jiead, take out her heart, 
 bile it with their teeth, put it in a basou, lift the head on a pike, 
 and carry them about the streets of Paris. Her body was stripped, 
 and exposed naked to the populace. — For a fuller account see 
 Barruel. 
 
 This lady was a person of the most amiable manners and be- 
 nevolent heart; faithful to her friend, and kind and liberal to all. 
 During tlie whole time she passed in the prison of La force, she \ 
 
 supported all the poor who happened to be there. 
 
 G C 'i 
 
•226 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 shot. Two of tliem, who, notwithstanding the menaces of 
 the democrats, still had tlie courage to persist, were tied during 
 six hours to the posts of the guillotine; their o"»"n husbands 
 were executed before their eyes, and their blood sprinkled 
 over them ! "* 
 
 M. Servan, a lovely joimg woman of about eighteen 
 years of age, v\as executed, because she would not discover 
 t^ie retreat of lur father ! " What," said she nobly, to the 
 democratic comunttee, "What! betray my father! impious 
 villains ! how dare you suppose it t" 
 
 M. CocHET, a lady equally famed for her beauty and 
 her courage, was accused of having put the match to a 
 cannon during the siege, and having assisted in her husband^s 
 escape. She was condemned to suffer death. She declared 
 herself with child; and the trutk of this declaration was at- 
 tested by two surgeons. In vain did she implore a respite. 
 In vain did she plead the innocence of the child that was in 
 her womb. Her head was severed from her body, amidst the 
 death-howls of the democratic brigands! 
 
 To this long account of horrible villanies must be added 
 another, if possible, still more detestable — libidinous brutality I 
 Javogues, one of the deputies from the Convention, opened 
 the career. His example was followed by the soldiery and 
 the mob in general. The wives and daughters of almost all 
 the respectable inhabitants, particularly of such as had 
 emigrated, or who were murdered, or in prison, were put in 
 a state of requisition, and were ordered, on pain of death, 
 to hold their bodies — I spare the reader the term made use of 
 in the decree — in readiness, for the embraces of the true re- 
 publicans! — Is or were they content with violation: the first 
 ladies of the city were led to the tree of Liberty — Of Liberty ! 
 and there made to take the hands of chimney-sweepers and 
 common felons'*. 
 
 If to these deeds of blood committed at Lyons, we add 
 the murders perpetrated in other parts of France — at Nantz, 
 27,000; at Paris, 150,000: in La Vendee, 300,000; and, 
 in short, through the whole extent of that unhappy country, 
 
 * The facts here related are taken from Mr. John Philips's 
 small pamplilet on the subject, as his is extracted from a French 
 treatise, and Peter Porcupine's Bloody Buoy. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 227 
 
 tx\o millions of persons, within six or seven years; among 
 whom are reckoned 250,000 women; 230,000 children; 
 besides those murdered in the womb; and 24,000 chris- 
 tian priests*; it", moreover, we consider, in what man- 
 ner the French} without just offence, have treated llie small 
 independent state of Gcneva-\, and how many of its most 
 
 * The serious Christian will retueiiiber these are the days of 
 vengeance for the innocent blood which was shed in that wide-extended 
 kingdom, under the predecessors of the late unfortunate Kin^-. 
 The doctrine of retaliation, though littie attejidcd to in jjencral, is 
 an undoubted law of God's kingdom in the government of tlie 
 world. A moral governour nnist be morally ']\xs\.. f 'e that shcddtth 
 man's blood hy fnan shall his blood be shed. Coiisult Simpson's Key 
 to the Prophecies, for a large number of instances, wherein the re- 
 taliating providence of God is visible to the most inattentive 
 observer. Barruel's History of the French Clerg;y during the 
 Revolution, and Peter Porcupine's Bloody Buoy, contain an 
 awful counterpart to Claude's Complaints oJ the Protestants of 
 Frame. The, French Philosophers have scarcely been more cruel to 
 tlie Clergy of France, during the Revolution, than the Clergy of 
 France, at different periods, have been to the Protestants of France. 
 We are all crying out against the wickedness and cruelty of the 
 present govcrnours of that great kingdom, but we forget that the 
 Kings, Biihops, Clergy, Aobles, and Gentry of the land played the 
 same game, and acted the sanje tragedy, not ven*- many years ago. — 
 It is the Lord's controversy for tlie blood of his ser\'ants. — ^Tlie 
 above two millions is the number of persons murdered, besides those 
 who have fallen in battle, 
 
 t " Let the mal-contents in every nation of Europe look at Hol- 
 land, and at Belgium. Holland was a hive of bees; her sons flew 
 on the wings of the wuid to every corner of the globe, and returned 
 laden with the sweets of every climate. Belgium was a garden of 
 herbs, the oxen were strong to labour, the fields were thickly 
 covered with the abundance of the harvest. UiLha|>py Dutchmen ! 
 \e will still toil, but not for your own comfort; ye will still col- 
 lect honey, but not for yourselves; France will seize the hive as 
 often as your industry shall have filled it. Ill-judging l?t-/^- /</«*.' ye 
 will no longer eat in security the fruits of your own grounds; France 
 will find occasion, or \Aill make occasion, to participate largely in 
 your riches; it will be more truly s.iid of yourselves than of your 
 oxen, ye plough the fields, but not for your own profit." 
 
 See Bishop Watson's well-timed Address to the People of Great 
 Britain, for the above extract. I exceedingly approve of tlie sijirit 
 of the whole, but I much question whether Mr. Wakefield's ob- 
 jections to two particulars may not be just, viz. the comparison 
 between 200 pounds a year and the 2000/. ; and the similitude con- 
 cerning the gradual sinkitig of the several parts of a large structuret 
 
228 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 wealthy inhabitants fell a sacrifice to satisfy the rapacity 
 of the deputies from the Convention ; we shall obtain a pretty 
 clear idea of what we may expect, if they should succeed 
 in their designs against us. We should not only see Bibles and 
 Priests removed out of the way, an event, as some affect 
 to think, devoutly to be wished, but the country must undergo 
 every possible calamity. Great Britain and Ire/and 
 %yould become either a province of France, or be divided 
 into two or three small contending republics, like HoUand, 
 dependent upon them. Our navy* would be conveyed 
 into their ports. London-\, and all our great mercantile 
 
 Most of the other parts of 3/r. Wakefield's pamphlet are ex- 
 tremely unworthy of his talents. 
 
 We may now also call the attention of the mal-contents of every 
 nation of Europe to the situation of Italy, Rome, Malt a, Naples, 
 but, above all, to the brave, yet unoftcnding Swiss. 
 
 The learned Bishop, however, forgets in his Address to take into 
 his estimation the state of religion in this country. In my judgment, 
 the corrupt state of the Established religion is the grand and original 
 cause of much of our innnorality ; and these two together are the 
 only true and genuine sources of our national distress. Let us re- 
 move out of the way every unevangelical stumbling block, and turn 
 unto God in good earnest, and he will soon make our enen)ies to be 
 at peace with us. Could this be done, the throne of King George 
 should be as the days of Heaven! 
 
 The French revolution is a most amazing and tremendous event, 
 and \\ ill probably be a means of new-modelling tlie face of Europe, 
 if not of the whole world. The extraordinary efforts which people 
 are making in the arts and sciences, are as vigorous as those they 
 are making in war. The Governour of the universe lias formed 
 them for great purposes, both of judgment and mercy ; of judgment 
 to the present race of men ; of mercy to the generations which shall 
 follow. This, however, we know, in every event of things, it shall 
 be well with them that fear the Lord. 
 
 * In the year 1 693, the royal navy of England consisted of 1 1 1 
 ships of 40 guns and upwards. In the year 1 7^3 it consisted of 
 upwards of 300 ships of w ar, from tlie first to the sixth rate, besides 
 near 200 sloops, &c. 
 
 t London is now what Tyre was in ancient times. One cannot 
 help entertaining strong apprehensions of its sharing the same fate. 
 The trade and riches of it are innnensely large, and the corruption 
 and iniquity of the place are m like proportion. See the account of 
 Tyre in the Prophets. 
 
 This metropolis is unparalleled, in extent and opulence, in the 
 whole habitable globe, except, perhaps, Pekin, in China, Jeddo, in 
 Japan,, and Houssa, in Africa, which are all said to be larger. 
 
 It comprehends, besides London, Westminster, and Southivarh, 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 
 
 229 
 
 towns* would be exiiausted of their riches. Our foreign 
 
 no Icjis than forty Jive liUns^fs, of considerable extent, independent 
 of a vast accession of buildm^s upon the open tieids in the vicinity. 
 Its length is nearly ei^ht miles, its breadth three, and its circum- 
 ference twenty six. It contains above J>,000 streets, lanes, alleys, 
 iuid courts, and more than 0'5 different squares Its houses, ware- 
 houses, and other buildings make 16'2,()U0, besides '24-a churche5 
 and chapels, £07 meeting-houses for Dissenters, -JS chapels for 
 Foreigners, and 0" synagogues for the Jews ; which in all make 502 
 places of public worship. The nundjer of inhabitants during the 
 sitting of ))arliaine'.it is estimated at 1, '250,000. Among these are 
 found about 5(J,000 connnon prostitutes, and no loss than 00,000 
 thieves, cohicrs, and other bad persons of all desc-qnions. The 
 nnnual depredations on the public, by this numerous body of pil- 
 ferers, are estin-.ated at the sum of 2,100,000 sterling, in tills vast 
 city there are, moreover, upwards of 4000 seminaries for e<luca- 
 tion — 8 institutions for promoting morality — 10 institutions for 
 promoting the arts — 122 asylums for the indigent — 1? for the sick 
 and lame — \o dispensaries — 704 charitable institutions — 58 courts 
 of justice — 7>040 professional men connected v ith the various de- 
 })arlments of the law. — There are 13, 500 vessels trading to the river 
 Thames in the course of a year; and 40,000 waggons going and re- 
 turning to the metroj)olis in the same peiiod, including their repeated 
 voyages. — The amount of exports and imports to and from the 
 Thames is estimated at 60,811, 93*21. sterling annually; and the 
 property floating in this vast city every year is 170,000,000 pounds 
 sterling. These circumstances may be sufficient to convince us of 
 the amazing extent and importance of the capital of the British 
 empire. See these things detailed more at large in an excellent 
 Treatise onithe Police of the Metropolis by CoLoroHoy, Esq. 
 
 And is all this national opulence and gi-audeur to be buried in one 
 gcnei"al ruin, througli the tiansgression and growing depravity of the 
 people? 
 
 * About the year 1 700, the town of Manchester contained only 
 one church, and in 1717 the inhabitants were 8,000. The uumbeV 
 of churches and chapels of the establishment of Manchester and 
 Salford is now twehe, and about the same number of dissenting 
 chapels of various descriptions. The inhabitants are between 60 
 and 70,000. 
 
 In 1700, Liverpool bad only 5,145 inhabitants. In 17.00, it 
 had 70,000. In 1709 it had S4*sliips; in 1792, it had 584. 
 
 Several other town^ in this country are encreased nearly in the 
 same proportion. O happy England, if thou did.>>t but know thy 
 hapi>iness! The ingratitude and rebellion of the country, however, 
 aganist the laws of the Divixe Being nnist terminate in our severe 
 chastisement. The wickedness of the inhabitants is inconceivably 
 great. Compare the lives of the Clergy — the Lawyers and Attorniex 
 — the Medical class — the Soldiery — the Sailors — the Common 
 people — with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and how alarming the 
 contrast! The Aobies and Gentry of the land, witli some few ex- 
 
230 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 possessions would fall into their hands. Our trade* would 
 be annihilated ; our real estates -f- change masters ; our per- 
 sonal property be swept into France : our poor would languish 
 and die in the streets for want of bread, none having it in 
 
 ceptions, are become incnrably imnioral, as well as irreligious. The 
 trading part of the nation are all set upon their gain. Serious, uni- 
 form, and conscientious godliness, is only found among a few soiitary 
 individuals. The sabbath-day is fashionably, and very generally, 
 prostituted to secular purposes. The ptfblic ivonhip of Almighty 
 God is grievously neglected by all ranks of men. The Sacrament 
 of the Lord's Supper is very thinly attended, and this only oc- 
 casionally, and not as a serious duty and privilege. In short; the 
 stgiis of the times are such as to give the most serious apprehension 
 to every well-wisher to his Khig and Country. In London there are, 
 I believe, near a million of souls, including childjen, who seldom or 
 never attend public worship under any denomination! — Manchester 
 contains near seventy thousand inhabitants: and between forty and 
 fifty thousand of them absent themselves totally from evei-y place of 
 public worship on the sabbath-day ! 
 
 Birmingham is said to contain about 70,000 inhabitants. There 
 are five churches, and fourteen meeting-houses, of different de- 
 scriptions. It is not supposed that more than 5,000 persons attend 
 any place of public worship on any one day; not more than 10,000 
 attend any public worship at all; so that there are 60,000 souls in 
 that town, who may be said not to have any religion at all; that 
 is, about one in seven, or seven to one. This is a very afiiscting 
 consideration. 
 
 Macclesfield and its environs contain 9 or 10,000 people. We 
 have two churches and five meeting-houses. Not more, however, 
 than 3,000 of the nine attend pubfic worship, in all the places put 
 together. So that here are 6,000 souls, including children, who 
 may be considered as Infidels in principle, or practice, or botli, the 
 same children being exempt from the charge. 
 
 * In 1700, EnglandhnA 2,281 trading vessels, carrying 36' 1,222 
 tons burden. In 1792, Englandhad 10,423 do. carrying 1,168,468 
 tons. 
 
 In 1692, Scot la?id had S,6l8 tons of shipping. In 1 792, Scot- 
 land had 2,143 ships, carrying 1 62,274 tons. 
 
 In 179^> the trading vessels of the British dominions were 
 36,329, niamied with 118,932 sailors, and carrying 1,564,520 
 tons. 
 
 History furnishes us with nothing equal to this account. 
 
 + The quantity of land cultivatctl in England and Wales is about 
 32 niillioiis of acres. The gross produce of the same is about 75 
 millions of pounds sterling annually ; and the neat rental about 24 
 millions. 
 
 The average annual gross produce of the kingdom, arising from 
 land and animals, stands nearly according to the following esti- 
 mate: 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 231 
 
 tlieir power to relieve them*. We should be involved in all 
 the miseries that human nature, in a civilized state, is capable 
 of undergoing. And from being one of the first, most 
 powerful, and happy nations upon the face of the earth, 
 we should become one of the lowest, weakest, and most 
 wretched kingdoms in Eurcrpe. And could any man, for 
 the sake of ridding the coimtry of these bugbears, the Bible 
 and the Priests-\, wish to see ail this evil come upon us I If 
 
 Ten millions of acres of w heat, rye, kc. at 41. per acre 40,000.000 
 
 Four millions of acres of hay, clover, &c. at 50s. per do. 10,000,000 
 
 Eight thousand tons of hops, at 501. per ton 400,000 
 
 One million of beeves fattening ?0 weeks at ISd. p. week 1,500,000 
 
 One million of sheep fattening 13 weeks at 6"d. per week 1,950,000 
 Two millions of milch-cows, 40 weeks milk at 2s. 6d. per 
 
 week 8,050,000 
 
 Wool . 3,200,000 
 
 Ten miUions of lambs, when w eaned at 5s per lamb . . S,,;00 OOO 
 
 Two millions of calves at 20s. per calf 2,000 000 
 
 Four millions of pigs at 5s. per pig 1,000 COO 
 
 Fruits and vegetables for 8,000,000 of people 4,500 000 
 
 Poultry, eggs, &c. &c. tx.c 
 
 75,100,000 
 * The public and private charities of Lcndon amount to 750,000 
 poun.'s annually; and the j>oor-rates of E.iglartd and Malts altoge- 
 ther, make the enonnou , sum of 2,200,000 pounds a year, besides^all 
 private charities and unday-schoois, Arthur VouXG, Esq.XfAU 
 us, in his Letter to Mr. \Vilber force, that the amount of what 
 is paid for labour of all sorts in England is not less than one hundred 
 millions sterling — poor-rates and charities of every sort cannot 
 amount to less liian seven millions. 
 
 t It is a melancholy rellection, that among all the cler<n' in this 
 countiy, there were nut (juite 200 wlio sacrificed tlieir interest to 
 principle in the reign of Queeji Elizabeth. See Gray's Sermons 
 at the Bampton Lecture, p. 238.— In Charles the Second's time 
 however, there v. ere upwards of 2000 clergymen, wJm sacrificed 
 their inteiests to pruitiple, besides a considerable number of con- 
 scientious men, it is to be presumed, who continued in their places^ 
 
 Bigotiy and persecution generally defeat tlieir own purposes' 
 What a consequence did not liiis inad measure give to the dissenting 
 interest in England f The same foolish gdiue was plaved by the 
 Bishops and Uergy in the present century. Instead of eiicoura"Lin£r 
 motleratuig, and regulating the pious zeal of a lew young men iiI 
 Oxford, by gentle and lenient measures, tliev sliut tiieir^'ciiurches 
 against thein, and compelled them to go out into the high-ways and 
 hedges to preach to tliose w ho were inclined to hear them • and 
 
252 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 any person approves not of religion and its ministers, he is 
 at perfect liberty, in this free country, to decline paying 
 
 though they were tiieo but a small band, they are now become a 
 goodly company, and have already overspread Ep.s:i(tnd, Scotland, 
 Ireland^ America, and the West Indies. — All this weight too is thrown 
 mto tlie dissenting scale ! A few more such imprudent measures, 
 and do\vn goes Mother Church ! 
 
 We have spoken oo a former page on pluralities and non-residence. 
 The former, indeed, in all ordinan/ cases, implies the latter. We 
 scarce ever read an account of deaths in the periodical publications, 
 but we find an account of one or more insta. ces of this nature. 
 The poet Mason is a point in hand. Though a worthy man, and a 
 character highly respectable, he had, it appears, accumulated several 
 preferments in the church at the same time. And it is well known 
 to be the custom of great numbers of the Clergj/ in the Establishment 
 to procure as many as their interest will reach. This we call good 
 management, pmdent foresight, taking care for a family and the like. 
 If there be no God, it is all very well. But if we are accountable 
 creatures, and are to exist m a future state, our present trading in 
 Livings and Souls will not yield us satisfaction another day. It is 
 popery, rank poperi/, the worst part oi popery, under the highest pre- 
 tensions to being the most pure and refonned part of Christ's holy 
 catholic ciiurch. I remember an anecdote apposite to the subject in 
 hand. Bishop Burnet, in his Charges to the Clergy of his Diocese, 
 shewed a great deal of disinterested integrity, by vehemently ex- 
 claiming against pluralities, as a most sacrilegious robbeiy. And, in 
 his first visitation at Salisbury, he urged the authority of St. Ber- 
 nard, who being consulted by one of his followers, whether he 
 might accept of t\\ o benefices, replied — And how will you be able to 
 serve them both ? I intend, answerd the priest, to officiate in one of 
 them by a deputy. — If/// your deputy be damned for yon too 1 cried the 
 .saint. Believe me, you may serve your cure by proxy, but you must be 
 damned in person. This expression so affected Mr. Kelsey, a pious 
 and worthy clergyman then present, that he immediately resigned the 
 rectoi7 oiBenierton in Berkshire, ^^'orth 200 pounds a year, which 
 he held then with one of greater value. See Bp. Burnet's Life, 
 by T. Burnet, £a^. 
 
 We have observed, that all the bulk of church-prefermeut, m 
 this country, is engrossed by about one thousand clergymen, out of 
 the eighteen thousand. I do not pretend to be accuiatc in this state- 
 ment; but I should suppose it is not far from the truth. Whereas 
 the emoluments of the Establishment are capable of providing for 
 10,000 persons in a comfortable way, by abolishing plui-alities, 
 without disturbing the present order oi tlirngs. Let every Bishop 
 retire within his diocese, and d\\ ell amoi:g bis dergy', as a father in 
 his familv. Let eveiy i'lergymon reside upon his li\nig, superintend- 
 ing his people, as a shepherd his flock. And let no man be promoted 
 to*the first Livings in tlie kingdom, merely because he is related to 
 or connected with some great personage ; but let the most active. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. Q5S 
 
 lliem any attention. He may think and act according to his 
 own pleasure. Why then should any man desire to see his 
 
 useful, and Ia!)orious ministers, especially when the infiniiities of age 
 come on, be accounted worthy of double honour, by being rewarded 
 for their extraordinary services with the best Livings which the country 
 affords. 
 
 All this, I too well know, is visionary. It is a plausible theory, 
 but never will be reduced to practice. If it should please God, 
 however, to p\it an end to the present inihappy war, and favour us 
 once more with a settled state of things, I think it might be well for 
 tiie great body of the poor Rectors, Vicars, and Curates of the 
 country, to petition Ciovernmentto take their distressed circumstances 
 into consideration. If it should have no other efl'ect, it would call the 
 attention of the public to the horrible monopolies of preferments which 
 prevail among the Bis/iopsm\(\ higher Orders of the clergy. I would 
 recommend that Committees should be formed in every district 
 through England and Wales, to correspond with a grand and super- 
 intending Committee in London. Let them investigate the business 
 of church-preferments thoroughly, and drag to broad day-light all 
 the great ottieuders in this pretended spiritual commerce. See a book 
 called the 3Iiseries and Great Hardships of the Inferior Clergy, for 
 some useful infonnation. 
 
 Out of the 1 8,000 Clergymen belonging to the Establishment of 
 this country, there are several hundreds of zealous and lively men 
 (and the number is much upon the increase) who, properly speaking, 
 are the only true members of the Church of England. They believe, 
 and preach, and live her doctrines. These conscientious men, how- 
 ever, are, as we have already observed, almost universally dubbed 
 Methodists, in a way of contempt, by the majority both of Bishops 
 and Clergy. This is shameful treatment, but so it is. Those " downy 
 doctors, that recumbent virtues preach," who will swear any thing, 
 and subscribe anything, no matter whether they believe it or not, for 
 the sake of a good bishopric, or fat rectory, are among the hrst to 
 exclaim against their more zealous, useful, and pious brethren. 
 Master, so saying, and so doing, thou condemnest us. — Woe unto 
 you, ye scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites ! for ye shut the kingdom of 
 heaven against men : for ye neither go in yourselves, neither sniffer ye 
 them tht are entering to go in ! Sec Ez. xxxiv. chap. 
 " \Mien nations are to perish in their sins, 
 Tis in the Church the leprosy begins." 
 
 " The priestly brotherhood, devout, sincere. 
 From mean self-interest and ambition clear. 
 Their hope in heav'n, servility their scorn. 
 Prompt to persuade, expostulate and warn. 
 Their wirdom pure, and giv'n them from above. 
 Their usefulness insur'd, by zeal and love, 
 H H 
 
254 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 native land involved in a destruction so complete ? Be 
 assured, M'henever it comes, it will be promiscuous. The 
 
 As meek as the man Moses, asid withal 
 
 As bold as in Agrippa's presence Paul, 
 
 Should fly the world's contaminating touch. 
 
 Holy and luipoUuted — are tiiine such ]* 
 
 Except a fev. with Eli's spirit blest, 
 
 HoPHNi and i'HiNEAs may describe the rest," 
 
 * O England. Cowper's Expostulation. 
 
 As a body of men, the established Clergy of this country are 
 by no means deticient in talents, or in learning of any description. 
 So far is this from being th^ case, tliat it is probable there never 
 existed a body 'f men of the same number, who possessed equal 
 natural and acquired qualifications ; but, we are deficient in humility, 
 in self-denial, in piety, and in zeal for the honour of God and the 
 salvation of souls. S\e. want a more serious attention to the grand 
 peculiarities of the Gospel: we are deficient in various of those 
 qualifications which are requisite to make us successful in winning 
 souls to Christ. To our shame be it spoken, with half our 
 literal^ attainments, we sulfer the 3Iethodit!ts, and several of the 
 Dissinters, to out-do us exceedingly in real and positi\ e usefulness to 
 mankmd. We let the cause of Christ suft'er and lose ground in 
 our hands. A large party of our Order is inattentive both to religious 
 and literary pursuits. They are mere men of the world. Another 
 part is so occupied with literary and philosophical studies, that they 
 have neither time nor inclination to attend to the peculiar employ- 
 ment of ministers of the Gospel. There is a third class of our 
 Ckrgi/, which is highly respectable, but whose ministerial labours 
 are so cool and languid, and whose public discourses are so merely 
 moral and so wholly unevangelical, that mankind are made neither 
 much wiser nor bttter by tlieir feeble exertions. In the primitive 
 ages the divine heralds carried the soiuui of the Gospel throughout 
 all lauds, from " the British isles to the banks of the Ganges," in a 
 verv short space of lime. But we ha\ e suffered Heathenism to return 
 again into some countries, DIahometanism to over-run others, and 
 Infidelity to tlift'use itself among all orders of society. And it is not 
 improbable, but in the course of a tew more years, the Gospel of 
 Christ, THROUGH our neglect, luke-avarmness, and su- 
 perstition, will be in a great degree banished from Christendom, 
 We must either awake from our letiiargic state, and return to evan- 
 gelical principles and practices, or all is lost. Most of the higher 
 ranks of society in this country both among the clergy and laity have 
 forsaken the Gospel scheme of saving a ruined world ; and it is ex- 
 ceedmgly probable the supreme Head of the church will ere long 
 remove our candlestick, lay aside the great body of us Parsons, as a 
 useless set of men, and deprive us of those means of grace, which we 
 have so long erijoyed to so liitie purpose. The neglect of the Son 
 and Spirit of God is the master sin of Christendom. 
 
 I could wish the Reader would give huaself the trouble to con« 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 235 
 
 generation then living; will be, in every temporal sense, at 
 kast, totally ruined: and no man shall be able to extricate 
 himself from the general calamity, in that case, and, in- 
 deed, in every other possible case, the Gospel of Christ 
 affords the only sure refuge. It is calculated for both worlds, 
 Tkc Lord God h a sun and shield; the LoRn zciil give 
 grace and glory : no good thing will ht zsithlield froin than 
 that xcaik uprightli/. Those that live in the entire spirit, and 
 under the full intiuence of this Divim Religion, have, even 
 ROW, large enjoyment of its comforts*. And whether we 
 
 sider well what Mr. Wileer force has written upon this subject, iji 
 his Practical View of the prevulUmr religious system of Professed 
 Christians, in I he higher and middle classes in this country/, con- 
 trasted with reulChridiunitif. If we had a number of such able and 
 foitiiful labourers in the cause of Christianiti/ among llie laiti/, much 
 good might be expected lo result from their endeavours. In my opi- 
 nion, men of this de-xriptiou are peculiarly called upon in the present 
 day, wiien lujidelifi/ is makini; such rai)id advances, and the Clergy 
 are in such di>grace, to exet t themselves in every possible way to stem 
 the torrent of Iniquity, which is ready to bear all dowu before it. 
 
 See some useful t!i iughts on the necessity of new measures, in the 
 Dean of Middlehams Political and Moral Consequences of a reli- 
 gious education, and its reverse. 
 
 * Turn back, and consider well the cases of Lord RussEL, 
 MoRATA, Claude, Walker, Hervey, Leland, Romaine, 
 Bedell, and Leechm an. Instead of this small number, we could 
 liave produced some hundreds of characters of a like happy kind, if 
 it had been consistent with our design. 
 
 Bishop Burnet's declaration alone we will here transcribe, as he 
 was a man of piety, and of large exjierience of men, and things, and 
 because he delivers it as his last dying speech, and the sum of all his 
 exj)erience : — 
 
 " True religion," says he, " is the perfection of human nature, 
 and the jov and delight of every one that feels it active and strong 
 within him. — Of this I write with the more concern and emotion, 
 because 1 have felt this the true, and indeed the only joy which runs 
 tJiruugh a man's heart and life. It is that which has been for many 
 years my greatest suj)port. I rejoice daily in it. I feel from it the 
 earnest of that supreme joy, which I pant and long for. I am sure 
 there is notiiing else can atford any true or complete ha])piness. I 
 have, considering my sphere, seen a great deal of ail that is most 
 shuiing and tempting in this w orld. The pleasures of sense I did 
 soon nauseate. Intrigues of state, and the conduct of afl'airs have 
 something in tliem that is more sj>ecious ; and I was fur some 
 years deeply immersed in these, but still w ith hopes of reforming the 
 world, and of makuig mankind wiser and better. But I have found, 
 'Piai which is crooked cannot be made straight. I acquainted myself 
 
 H a 2 
 
236 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 are cut off according to the common course of things, or hur- 
 ried out of the Morld by the violence of wicked men, still we are 
 fully persuaded it shall be well. They may destroy, but they 
 cannot hurt us. They will only send us to our iworivpfible, 
 niidejihdy and unfading inheritance a little before the time 
 allotted by the course of nature. 
 
 You see then, my Friends and Countrymex, it is our 
 firm determination to adhere to the Bible, and the truths therein 
 contained, at the risk of every thing that is held dear among 
 men. ^^ e have counted the cost, and hesitate not a moment in 
 saying. It is our glory and joy ; deartr to us than thousands 
 of gold and silver. 
 
 " I swear, and from my solemn oath 
 
 Will never start aside, 
 That in God's righteous judgments I 
 
 Will steadfastly abide. 
 The world's contempt of his commands. 
 
 But make-: tl.eir value rise 
 In my esteem, who purest gold 
 
 Compar'd ^^ itli them despise." 
 
 Sincerely pitying, therefore, and ardently praying for, the 
 whole generation of those unhappy persons among our Coun- 
 trymen, who have forsaken the only fountain of living 
 uaters, and hercn out to themselves broken cisterns that can 
 hold no nater ; with the great Lord Bacon we declare, 
 " There never was found in any age of the world, either 
 philosophy, or sect, or religion, or law, or discipline, which 
 did so highly exalt the public good as the Christian faith." 
 With jS/r Thomas Brown, " We assume the honourable 
 stile of Christian^ not because it is the religion of our comitrvj 
 but because, having, in our riper years and confirmed judg- 
 ment, seen and examined all, we lind ourselves obliged by 
 the principles of grace, and the law of our own reason, to 
 embrace no other name but this, being of the same belief which 
 our Saviour taught, the Jpostles disseminated, the Fathers 
 
 with knowledge and learning, and that in great variety. — This 
 yielded not happiness. — I cultivated friendship. But this also I liave 
 found was vanity and vexation of spirit, though it be of the best and 
 noblest sort. — ^The sum is. Vanity of vanities, all is vanity, besides 
 fearing God, and keeping his commandments." See the Conclusion 
 of the History of his own Times. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 237 
 
 authorized, and the Martyrs confirmed." With the noble 
 Pic us MiRANDULA, we rest in the Bible " as the only book, 
 therein is found true eloquence and vvisdon)." With Dr. 
 Robinson, the natural philosoplier, we say, ''The Scriptures 
 of the 0/d and New Testament contain a system of human 
 nature, the grandest, the most extensive and complete, that 
 ever was divulged to mankind since the foundation of na- 
 ture." With the excellent physician and philosopher Dr. 
 Grew, we profess, tiiat *' The l^ible contains the laws of 
 CjOd's kingdom in this lower world, and that religion is so 
 far from being inconj^istt-nt with philosophy, that it is the 
 highest point and perfection of it." With the no less excellent 
 physician and phiiusoplier Dr. David Hautley, we say, 
 that " No writers, from the invention of letters to the present 
 times, are equal to the penmen of the books of the 0/d gnd 
 New Ttstmneuts, in true excellence, utility, and dignity." 
 With the very celebrated French poet Boileau we say, 
 " Every word and syllable of the Bible ought to be adored : 
 it not only cannot be enough admired, but it cannot be too 
 much admired." With the very pious and excellent Sir 
 Matthew Male we are clearly of opinion, "There is no 
 book like the Bible, for excellent learning, wisdom, and 
 use." With the celebrated Boyle, we consider it as '' A 
 matchless volume," and believe that " It is impossible we 
 can study it too much, or esteem it too highly*." With 
 the incomparable Newton, " We account the Scriptures of 
 God to be the most sublime philosophy." With Milton, 
 we are of opinion " There are no songs comparable to the 
 songs of Si on, no orations equal to those of the Prophets, 
 
 * Tliis great Philosopher says, " Deists nnist, to maintain their 
 negative creed, swallow greater improbabilities than C/iristians, to 
 maintain the positive creed of the Apostles. And they nmst think it 
 fitter to believe, that chance, or nature, orsuperslition, should perform 
 wonderful, and hardly credible things, than that the great author of 
 nature, God, .should be able to do so." ]VorkSy\o\. 5. p. Oai. 
 
 John Enrloi Orrery, relation to the above Mr. Robert Boyle, 
 is also said to have been a lover of truth, even to adoration. " He 
 was," says the writer of his life, " a real Christian, and, as such, he 
 used to say, he constantly hoped for a better life, there trusting to 
 know the real causes of those eft'ects, which here struck hhn with 
 wonder, but not with doubt." 
 
238 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 and no politics like those which the Scriptures teach." With 
 Rousseau, every ingenious man may say, " I must confess to 
 you, that the majesty of the Scriptures astonishes me, and the 
 holiness of the Evangelists speaks to my heart, and has such 
 strong and striking characters of trutli, and is moreover so per- 
 fectly inimitable, that if it had been the invention of men, the 
 inventors would be greater than the greatest heroes." With the 
 justly renowned Seldon before mentioned, after having taken 
 a deliberate survey of all the learning anjong the ancients, we 
 solemnly profess, " There is no book" in the universe, ^' upon 
 which we can rest our souls, in ad3-ing moment, but the Bible.'* 
 And we therefore boldly declare, before the face of all the 
 unbelieving and disobedient Morld, in the words of the immortal 
 Chillingw ORTH, " Propose to me any thing out of the 
 Bible, and require whether 1 believe it or not; and seem 
 it never so incomprehensible to human reason, I uiil sub- 
 scribe it with hand and heart ; as knowing no demonstration can 
 be stronger than this — " God hath said so, therefore it is 
 true." And may we not, finally, exhort and admonish the 
 sceptical reader in the glowing language of the seraphicT 
 YoUiNG .? 
 
 " Retire, and read thy Bihie, to be gay. 
 There truths abound of sov'reign aid to peace ; 
 Ah ! do not prize them less, because inspii 'd. 
 As thou, and thine, are apt and proud to do. 
 If not inspir'd, that pregnant page had stood 
 Time's treasure ! and the wonder of tiie wise !" 
 
 After these declarations, the warmth of which may seem 
 to need some apology, you cannot wonder, O my Country- 
 men, if we should treat all your stale cavils, which have 
 been a hundred times repeated, and a thousand times con- 
 futed, with the contempt they deserve, and say with the 
 royal Psalmist (no favourite of your's by the bye, but whom 
 we Believers esteem one of the bravest of warriors, sublimest 
 of poets, greatest of prophets, most seraphic of musicians, 
 and worthiest of men>, 2'he law of the Lord is perfect, con- 
 verting ike soul : the testimony of the Lord is sure, making 
 Zi^ise the simple: the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing 
 the heart: the commandment of the I^o^u is pure, enlightening 
 the eyes: the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever ! 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 239 
 
 the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogrether^ 
 more to be desired are they than gold, yea than mucii fine 
 gold : szceeter also than honey, and the choice droppings of the 
 honey-comb*. 
 
 You will excuse tlie freedom of this address, and be as- 
 sured it proceeds from a heart deeply concerned for the 
 ■welfare of his fellow-men. We wish to be happy otrselves, 
 and we wish You to be partakers <^f the same felicity. Many 
 of you are endowed with talents of no mean account. We 
 lament the misapplication of them. Are your spirits per- 
 fectly at , rest in your present state of mind ? And do you 
 feel satisfied with your future prospects ? Give me leave 
 to answer for you, and be not offended if I say, " No ! 
 — Far from it ! — My lusts and passions lead me captive ! 
 I am a slave to evil desires! — Of the proper fear of God, 
 which effectually restraineth from sin, I know but little! — ■ 
 To the genuine love of GoD I am an utter stranger ; I scarcely 
 know what it means ! — The favour of God 1 have no reason 
 to expect, in my present state of moral attainments, be 
 the Bible tiue or be it false ! — With all my pretensions 
 to virtue, in my coolest moments, I feel condemned in 
 my own conscience ! — That Zihich I do, I alloiv not ; but 
 
 * Other great kings have been of the same mind. Robert, 
 King of Sicily, declares of himself, " The Holy Books are dearer 
 to me than my kingdom, and were I under any necessity of quitting 
 one, it should be my diadem." And even the haughty Lewis the 
 XlVth. " sometimeb read his Bible, and was of opinion it is the finest 
 of all books." 
 
 It is recorded too of cur Edward VI. that upon a certain occa- 
 sion, a paper which was called for iji the council-chamber happened 
 to lie out of reach ; the person concerned to produce it^ took a Bible 
 that lay by, and, standuig upon it, reached down the paper. The 
 king, observing w hat v. as done, ran himself to the place, and, taking 
 the Bible hi las hands, kissed it, and laid it up again. This circum- 
 stance, though trilling in itself, implies in his Majesty great reve- 
 rence for and much atfection to that best of books. 
 ' More lately btill, " William 111. king of England, not only 
 believed the truth of the Christian religion veiy firmly, but was most 
 exemplarily decent and devout, in the public exercises of the worship 
 of God. lie was an attentive hearer of sermons, and was constant 
 iji bis private prayers, and in reading the Scriptures. 
 
 Burnet's Own Times, vol. v. p. 71. 
 
C40 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 zchat I would, that do I not ; for rchat I hate, thai 
 
 do ir 
 
 " My reason this, my passion that persuades ; 
 
 I see the right, and i approve it too, 
 
 Condemn the wrong, aiici yet the ivrong pursue." 
 
 O Tcretched man that I am, nho shall deliver me from the 
 *' unhappiness 1 frer-ueiitiy feel, and the misery I have too 
 much reason to fear ? — I ^vould gladly be a thorough- 
 paced Unbeliever ; but for the life of me, 1 cannot get clear 
 of the terror of deatli, the a[(j rehension of a future reckon- 
 ing, and an unaccountable foreboding of something terrible to 
 come !" 
 
 No, MY Countrymen ! nor will you ever find either solid 
 consolation in life, or a just confidence in the hour of death, till 
 you shake off the chains of those sins, \\hich have well nigh led 
 you into the gulph of perdition, and obtained redemption in the 
 blood of that Saviour, of whom^ in your present state of mind, 
 you make so little account. 
 
 Solomon, you know, has the honour of being reputed 
 the vvisest of men. But, notwithstanding his extraordinary 
 wisdom, he was, for many years, at least, guilty of extreme 
 folly. He souglrt for happiness in the gratification of the 
 
 * Dr. Doddridge, in his Life of Colonel Gardiner, informs 
 us, " That his fine constitution, than whirh perhaps there hardly 
 ever was a better, gave him great opportunities of indulging liimself 
 in excesses ; and his good .spirits enabled him to pursue his pleasures 
 of every^ kind, in so alert and sprightly a manner, tliat multitudes 
 envied him, and called him by a dreadful kind of compliment, The 
 happy Rake. Yet still the checks of conscience, and some remain- 
 ing principles of so good an education as he had received, would 
 break in u})on his most licentious hours ; and I particularly remember 
 he told me, that when some of his dissolute companions were once 
 congratulating iiim on his distinguished felicity, a dog happeiiing at 
 that time to come into the room, he could not forbear groaning in- 
 wardly, and sayicg to himself, Oh that J u-ere that dog ! — Such 
 was then his hapi.iness ! and such perhaps is that of hundreds more, 
 who bear themseh es highest in the contempt of Religion, and glory 
 in that infamous Sertitudt- which tliey call Libert i/."— Reader ! how 
 isit with vou in this respect? Tru;t a pr&phet SLud a priest for once — 
 77ie u-icktd are like the troubled sea, ichich cannot rest, whose icaters 
 cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to tlu 
 li'icked. 
 
AXD THE SACRED WRITINGS. 241 
 
 body, its appetites and passions, to the neglect of God, and 
 religion, and the care of his immortal part; but substantial 
 happiness could no where be found. He run through the 
 uhole circle of worldly and sensual pleasures ; happiness 
 however, and ease of mind still fled before him, and eluded 
 }jis pursuit. And after having made a large number of ex- 
 periments for a long season, and to no manner of purpose, 
 he stops and looks back upon what he had been doing; 
 and the book of Ecciesiastes contains his experience. Wish- 
 ing to warn his fellow^ creatures against the mistakes which 
 he himself had committed in life, he turns preacher, and 
 gives us a sermon upon the insufticiency of worldly things to 
 make us happy. The text of the discourse seems to be: 
 J'anity of xanilies, vanitij of vanities; all is vaniti/. 
 
 He begins his sermon by shewing, that all human courses 
 and pursuits are vain, and do not yield full satisfaction to 
 the mind. All things, says he, are full of labour: man 
 cannot utter it : the eye is not satisfied uith seeing ; nor the 
 ear filed uith hearing. 
 
 From this general assertion the royal preacher proceeds 
 to shew, that wisdom, and knowledge, and learning could uot 
 make him happy. 
 
 / the preacher zcas king over Israel in Jerusalem : and I 
 crave my heart to seek and search out by aisdom concerning 
 all things that are done under heaven : this sore travail hath 
 God given to the sons of man to be exercised thereuith. I 
 have seen all the rcorks that are done under the sun; atid, 
 behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. That which is 
 crooked cannot be made straight : and that zchich is wanting 
 cannot be numbered. I communed zcith mine own heart, say^ 
 trig, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more 
 wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem : 
 yea, my heart had great experience ofzcisdom and knowledge. 
 And I gave my heart to know' wisdom, and to know mad- 
 ness and folly: I perceived, that this also is vexation of 
 spirit. 
 
 Not finding rest for his soul in the pursuits of knowledge 
 and learning, tiie wise man deserts them to try if the plea- 
 sures of drinking, planting, building, music, and dancing 
 could make him happy, and afford him that satisfaction 
 which he had hitherto sought for in vaiu. I said in mine heart f 
 
 J I 
 
24^ A PLEA FOR RELIGIOxV 
 
 go to noWf I will prove thee with mirth; therefore evjoij 
 pleamre : and, behold, this also isvaniti/:. I said oj laughter. 
 It is mad: and of mirth, What ooeth it'^ I sought in mine 
 heart to give myself unto wine, ytt acquainting my heart Kith 
 wisdom, and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was 
 that good for the sons of men, zvhich they should do under the 
 heaven all the days of th^ir life. I made me great works ; 
 I builded me houses-, I planted me vineyards \ I made me 
 gardens and orchards, and planted trees in them of all kind 
 of fruits : I made me pools of zcater, to water tJterewith the 
 wood that bringeth forth trees: 1 got me servants and 
 maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had 
 great possessions of great and small cattle, above all that were 
 in Jerusalem before me: I gathered me also silver and gold, 
 and the peculiar treastue of kings and of the provinces : / gat 
 me men-singers, and women-singers ; and the delights pf the 
 sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts^ 
 So I teas great, and increased more than all that were before 
 me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. Jnd 
 whatsoever mine eyes desired 1 kept not from them ; I with- 
 held not my heart from any joy ; for my heart rejoiced in all 
 my labour ; and this teas my portion of all my labour. Then 
 I looked on all the norks that my hands had zcrought, and ott 
 the labour that I had laboured to do; and, behold, all was 
 vanity and vexation oj^ spirit, and there nas no profit under 
 the sun. 
 
 After making many other observations upon human life, 
 and human pursuits, and shewing 1k)w utterly insufficient 
 they all are to constitute any of us truly easy, content, and 
 happy; the royal preacher tinishes his excellent sermon by 
 pointing out, in a few words, what is the state, the duty, 
 and the true interest of man: Let us hear the conclusion of 
 the whole matter : Fear God, and keep his commandments ; 
 for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring 
 every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether 
 it be good, or whether it be evil. 
 
 This is the sum of Solomon's experience and know- 
 ledge of men and things; and this is the experience of all 
 the world. Religion is always our last resource. We must 
 come to it one time or other, or we are undone for ever, and 
 had better never have been bom. Nothing can supply its 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 24S 
 
 |>lace. Tlie fear, the love, the service of God, can alone make- 
 US happy. All other things; all other pursuits; all other 
 pleasures; all other enjoyments, leave us restless, uneasy, 
 tlisconteut, unhappj'. 
 
 *' Tlie soul uneasy, and confin'd from home. 
 Rests and expatiates in a world to come." 
 
 If, to this scriptural sketch, we were disposed to add still 
 more instances from among our own countrymen, of re- 
 ligious wisdom, amidst all the honours, kixurv, and hurry o€ 
 public station, we might observe, that Lord Chancellor 
 Parker, Earl of Macclesfield, and William Pultney 
 Earl of Bath, devoted many of tlieir leisure hours to prayer 
 aeading, and studying the Bible, and afterwards, died zcith a 
 hope full of immortalitij. 
 
 I might call your attention here likewise to a character 
 much more splendid in life, but much less honourable in 
 death. You recollect the extorted and affectin"- declaratioa 
 of the degraded, and almost expiring Cardinal : 
 
 " Had I but sen 'd my God with half tl>e zeal 
 I serv'd my king, he w ould not in mine a^e 
 Have left me naked to mine enemies." 
 
 Take warning by all these examples, my Countrymen : 
 and if by any means you have been led astray from the paths 
 of virtue and i-eligion, be sensible of your folly, and turn back 
 witli all speed into the way of piety. It may be old-fashioned 
 but it is safe and honourable. Keep iiinocenct/ in future, and 
 take heed to the thing that is right, for that aloi>e zcill brincr a 
 man peace at the last. If you make ten thousand efforts to 
 find rest for your mind in any other way, they will all disappoint 
 you. This is the experience of the whole world. And is it not 
 your experience also .'' 
 
 " What nothing earthly gives, or can destroy. 
 The soul's calm sunsliine, and tlie heart- felt jov. 
 Is Virtue's prize." 
 
 Reflect \\\)0\\ the workings of your own hearts, in the 
 tliffcrent periods and circumstances of life, and say what 
 your feelings have been. Was it not better \^ith you, when 
 you were humble minded, and went after the commandments 
 delivered by the Lord, than it is now? Making allowance 
 for th£ ditfereuce of station, may not you say Mith the cele- 
 
244 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 brated Madame cle Maintenon: " Oh! that I could giv? 
 you all my experience; that I could shew you the heaviness 
 which preys upon the spirits of the Great*, and how hard 
 they will find it to put out their days! Don't you see that I 
 pine away with melancholy, in the midst of a fortune, that 
 one could hardly have imagined, and which nothing but God's 
 assistance keeps me from sinking under it ? — [ protest to you, 
 that all stations leave a frightful void, an uneasiness, a weari- 
 ness, a desire to know something else, because in all icorhUtf 
 attainments there is nothing which gives full satisfaction. AVe 
 iind no rest till we have given ourselves to God. — Then we 
 find, that there is nothing farther to be sought ; that we have 
 attained to that, which is the only good thing in this world. 
 - We meet with vexations, but we have af the same time a 
 solid consolation and peace of heart in tlie midst of the 
 greatest afflictions f." — If this, or any thhig like this, be your 
 experience, why will you any longer spend your money for 
 that zohich is not bread, and your labour for that zvhidi 
 satis/ieth not'^ 
 
 " In vain we seek a heav'n below the sky; 
 The world has false, but flatt'ring charms: 
 Its distant joys shew big in our esteem, 
 But lessen still as they draw near the eye ; 
 In our embrace the visions die, 
 And, when we grasp the airy forms. 
 We lose the pleasing dream." 
 
 But the grand objects which Religion holds forth to our 
 acceptance are adequate to the largest desires of the human 
 mind. They are calculated as well for the present as the 
 future world. We may be as happy here, in spite of all the 
 ills of life, as is for our real good, and hereafter our happi- 
 ness shall know neither measure nor end. Be not like the 
 people then described by the weeping Prophet: — Thus saith 
 
 * An anecdote to this purpose occurs to my mind, concerning one 
 of our present Nohkmen, who, being in conversation with a certain 
 gentleman, said, " Oh ! liow weary am I of this d — d attendance 
 upon Court ! Had Providence cast my lot among peasants, I had 
 been a happy man !" 
 
 '* Beware what earth calls happiness ; beware 
 All joys, but joys that never can expire." 
 i Letters of Madame de Maintenon, and otlier eminent per- 
 sons. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 24.5 
 
 the LoEDj Stand rje in the xcayx, and see, and ask for the old 
 paths, Where h the good zc-oi/, and zvalk therein, and ye shall 
 find rest for your soiih. — thit they said, We will not 
 VsALK THEUEiN. — Aho I Set Tcatchmen over yon, saying. 
 Hearken to the sound of the trumpet, — But they said, We 
 
 AVILL NOT HEAIiKEN. 
 
 Laugh not at tliis simjilc relution, neither despise the warn- 
 ing given. Stop rather tor one moment, and consider upon 
 Avhat foundation you are building your future expectations. 
 Tiiough you reject Christianity, I should hope you are 
 not so far gone as to disbelieve a state of future rewards and 
 punishments, of some kind or other*. Your master, Tho- 
 mas Paine, and, indeed, most other Deists, profess thus 
 much at least. Take then into your serious con^-ideration, 
 Avhether you think your actions, tempers, and state of mind 
 such, as will, upon your oun principles, stand the test at the 
 great day of account. It can do you no great harm to reflect 
 upon your condition, to be serious for a season, and to suspect 
 you may be wrong. Consider, that you diflfer essentially 
 from some of the greatest and best men that ever lived. 
 You stake your eternal all upon the justness — Of what? 
 > — Your opinion : — an opinion, in confutation of which mul- 
 titudes have sarriliccd their lives, and which many of the first 
 characters now upon earth would controvert with the last 
 drop of their blood ! This should stagger your confidence. 
 M}riads of the most learned and moral persons of all ranks 
 and degrees, and of all sects and denominations, would 
 this moment burn at a stake in coniirmation of the truth of 
 the Bible, and the divine mission of Jesus Christ. Are 
 they all deceived ? Are you the only wise n)cn upon earth? 
 And would you this moment burn at a stake in proof of 
 Christ's being an impostor? Nothing, surely, but the most 
 palpable demonstration in favour of Injidelify should suflfer 
 
 * For the natural and philosophical arguments in favour of a fu- 
 ture state see Bishop P.utler's Analogy, part 1 . Biahop Portetjs 
 has brought them into a very striking point of ^ievv in three dis- 
 courses on the subject in the first volume of liis Sermons. th\ 
 Craven, too, Pvqfessor oi Arabic, and Master of .S/. John's 
 College in Cambridge, has pui)lished eight discourses on the evidence 
 of a future state of rewards and punishments, which are worth the 
 -attention of all who have any doubt. 
 
U6 A PLEA rOR RELIGION 
 
 you to sleep one night more in your present state of scepti- 
 cisiu and unbelief. If you are mistaken, Sirs! Should you 
 be mistaken ! The very possibility is enough to over\\helm the 
 hnnian mind ! 
 
 * My hopes and fears 
 ' Start up alarm'd, and o'er life's narrow verge 
 ' Look down — on what? A fathomless abyss. — 
 ' A dread eternity ! how surely mine ! " 
 
 Everlasting existence in misery ! — Under the frown and 
 displeasnre of the best Being in the universe, without end ! 
 Debarred of light, and the society of happy spirits! — The 
 associates of lost souls, and miserable angels, throngh end- 
 less ages! — Tlie lake zchich huificth icithjire and brimstone'. — 
 The norm that jiever dies! — The fire that never shall be 
 quenched ! — Everlasting jjuniskment I — Eternal destruction 
 from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his 
 power! 
 
 " Ah ! could I (to use the words of a great author) re- 
 present to you the different states of good and bad men : 
 could I give you the prospect which the blessed martyr St. 
 Stephkn had, and shew you the blessed Jesus at the right 
 hand of God, surrounded with angels, and the spirits of Just 
 men made "perfect ; could I oj)en your ears to hear the never- 
 ceasing hymns of praise, which the blessed above sing to Him 
 that teas, and is, and is to come ; to the Lamb that was 
 dain, but liveth for ever; could 1 lead you through the un- 
 bounded regions of eternal day, and shew the mutual and 
 ever-blooming joys of saints who are at rest from their la- 
 bours, and live for ever in the presence of God! or could 
 1 change the scene, and unbar the iron gates of hell, and 
 carry you, through solid darkness, to the fire that never goes 
 out, and to the worm that never dies: could 1 shew you the 
 apostate angels fast bound in eternal chains, or the souls of 
 wicked men overwhelmed with torment and despair: could I 
 open your ears to hear the deep itself groan with the con- 
 tinual cries of misery; cries which can never reach the 
 throne of mercy, but return in sad echoes, and add even to 
 the very horrors of hell ! could I thus set before you the 
 different ends of Religion and Infidelity, you would want no 
 other proof to convince you, that nothing can recompense 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. G47 
 
 the hazard men run of being for ever miserable through Un- 
 belief." 
 
 We too well know you will make yourselves merry with 
 these representations * ; but you should not laugh where you 
 ought to be serious; vaunt where you should tremble; or 
 sneer where you should argue. In thetic respects you are un* 
 questionably to blame. If any thing in nature is of im- 
 portance, it is surely bow we may "escape the death which 
 never dies/' and attain the end of our creation. Walsing- 
 II AM judged like a man of sense, when he said to the merry 
 Courtiers laughing on every hand of him: — "Ah! while we 
 laugh, all things are serious round about us ; God is serious, 
 
 * When the Duke of Buckiisgham was once talking profanely 
 before King Charles II. Edmund Waller, the Poet, ropnnod 
 him very properly, by saying, " My Lord, I am a great deal older 
 than your Grace, and, I believe, have heard more arginneiits foi- 
 Athttsm than ever your Grace did ; but I have lived long enough to 
 see there is nothing in them, and so I hope your Grace will." 
 
 We have an account in the Gentleman's Mug. for June l/.QS, of 
 a Man of very distiiiguislied talents, well known for the laxity of his 
 principles, and the licentiousness of his conduct, who died ia the 
 course of last year at a very advanced age. He bore the advances 
 of dissolution tolerably well, while death seemed at some distance ; 
 but wl:ep. tleath drew near, his atheistic principles gave way, and he 
 was atHictcd with the most excruciathig mental pangs. When he 
 came to stand on the brink of eternity, all his resolution forsook 
 him. Though fioe from pain, he became restless aud disturbed. 
 His last hours were spent in the agonies and liorrors of remorse. He 
 cried for mercy to that God, whom he had wantonly denied ; and 
 — there let hiu) rest — till the day of account! 
 
 I could wish tlie dcisiical reader would turn to the seventh section 
 of Dr. Prikstlf.y's Obhervations on \\\e Increase oi Injidelity, 
 where he will lind the spirit of Infidelity exemplified in the C'dfhf- 
 spondence between Voltairk and D'Alembhrt. The resolution 
 of these two Dtisfs v> as to live and die laughirig. That thev lived 
 laughing, is partly true ; but how did these gentlemen die? The 
 tune was changed ! 
 
 This too was the case with the witty and facetious Thomas 
 Brown, who used to treat Reffgion very lightly, and would often 
 say, that he understo(jd the world better, than to have the imputation 
 of Righleousness laid to his charge. Nevertheless, upon the approach 
 of death, Jiis heart misgave him, and he began to express sentiments 
 9f remorse for his past life. Thus we see, liowe\er xnen may bully 
 and defy the de\il at coffee-houses and taverns, they are all the while 
 secretly afraid of hi)n, and dare scarcely ventme themselves alone in 
 the dark, for fear he should surprise them with his cloven feet. Se« 
 the Gen. Biog, Dictionary, Article Brown. 
 
243 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 who preservelh us, and hath patience towards us; Christ is 
 serious, who sl.ed iiis blood for us; the Holy Ghost is 
 serious, when he striveth with us ; the whole creation is 
 serious in serving God and us; they are serious in hell and 
 in heaven ; how then can we laugh and be foolish ? " We 
 believe these denunciations of Scripture to be the words of 
 eternal truth ; and till you have demonstratid them to be 
 certainly/ false, you are not wise to treat them with dis- 
 regard. 
 
 " \Vliat none can prove a forg'iy, may be true ; 
 
 What none but bad men wish exploded, must." 
 
 You know what pain of body is, and you are no stranger 
 to a greater or less degree of uneasiness of mind. Experi- 
 ence, therefore, teaches us, that we are capable of such un- 
 comfortable sensations. The goodness of God is not of 
 that nature to prevent human misery. The present state 
 largely abounds therewith. Now, as pain and misery are 
 permitted here, it is not improbable but they will be the same 
 in the future state of existence. Wben only your head, or 
 toothaches; when the gout, stone, or gravel, seize you; or^ 
 when a burning fever makes your moisture like the drought 
 in summer; do you then despise pain and anguish ? We have 
 been told, that when Mirabeau *, the elder, was seized 
 
 * Mirabeau has frequently been stiled au fnjidel. I dare not, 
 however, suppose that he was any ether than a Christ inn, in the 
 latter part of his time, though possibly of a peculiar cast. If one 
 inav judge from his Sprec/i pronounced in the National Assembly of 
 France op the 14th of January 17yi, concerning the civil Constitu- 
 tion of the Clergi/, he was certainly a believer in the Saviolr of 
 mankind, and a most powerful advocate for regenerated Christianity/. 
 It is probable, indeed, he would have carried it no further than a 
 sort of pure system of moral philosophy. 
 
 Speaking of this extraordinaiy genius brings to my mind a re- 
 markable Paper, which was published in the Complete Magazine 
 for the montli of October 1764-, ou the Causes of the Decline of 
 the French Nation. The whole Paper is curious, but the laitcr 
 part is so extremely applicable to the present state of Europe, th?.t 
 one can scarcely consider it as any other than prophetic. The close 
 runs thus : 
 
 " The parliaments of France are obliged to conceal the strong 
 spirit of liberty, with which they are enflamed, under the mask of 
 loyaltv, and of attachment to the monarchy. They remonstrate with 
 force and elevation against every measure which tends to the prejudice 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 219 
 
 with his last illness, he found himself so distressed, that be 
 desired his Phi/sician to dispatch him by poison. His voice 
 having failed him, he wrote, " Would you think that the 
 sensation of death proves so painful r" His speech liaving 
 returned, he said, " My pains are insupportable. I have an 
 age of strength, but not a moment of courage." A convul- 
 sion ensued. It was followed by a loud Scream — and he 
 expired ! 
 
 Thus, you see, how this famous Froich hero roared out 
 under the anguish of his disorder. While he was in health 
 he might, probably, be as full of courage as you now feel. 
 When the hand of God comes to be upon the stoutest of us, 
 we are soon taught, that all our boasted sticngth is perfect 
 weakness, and all our vaunted courage perfect cowardice. 
 We may be permitted for a time to carry on the war against 
 God and his Christ ; but it will not do. A sick-bed, or a 
 dying pillow, will, in all likelihood, bring us to our senses *. 
 
 of the provinces they protect. Tliey can go no further ; but they 
 await the moment to strike tlie blow that shall lay the fabric of 
 despotism in ruins. When this blow is stnick, the efiects of it \\ ill 
 be equal to those of magic. The cottage will be put on a level with 
 the palace; the peasant with the pruice. Ranks shall be con- 
 founiled ; titles, distinctions, and birth, shall tumble into an undis- 
 tinguished heap of confusion. A new moral creation shall strike tbe 
 view of an admiring universe; and France, like old Rome, in her first 
 fliglits to empire, shall appear with the sceptre of universal dominion 
 bourgeoning in her hands. Out of universiil confusion order shall 
 arise: the G/Y<7i of nature's creating will assume their places; and 
 the Great by title and accident, will drop despised into the common 
 mass of the people." 
 
 * A more extraordinary instance of iui|>enitency I have not read, 
 than that of a William Williams, who died in the parish of 
 Tarvin, near Chester, in April 1791. and was buried at Great 
 Acton i'hurch, neaiv Xanticich, by the i?f ji. iVr. Wilson. If my 
 information be right, and I have no reason to call it in question, 
 but from tiie bornbleness of it, this unhappy man had been extremely 
 wicked all his life. When he drew near his end, being about seventy 
 years of age, he determinefl to make his will, and leave all he had 
 from his wife and children, alledi/ing that the latter were none of his. 
 But thougli he bade fifty pounds as a reward, no i)ersons could be 
 found who would sign as witnesses. He desired, when he died, that 
 a pair of clog shoes should be put into his coffin, that he might pound 
 devils and damned souls w ith them in hell. Being reproved for his 
 swearing and wickedness, he told those who reproved him, that he 
 neither regiuded them, nor their ntiv God; he would curse and 
 
 K K 
 
250 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 Or should these be so unfortunate as to fail, a day of judg- 
 ment will assuredly do the business, which they had left 
 undone. 
 
 " To die ;— to sleep i — 
 
 To sleep ! perchance to dream ! ay, tl}ere's the rub ; 
 For in that sleep of death what dreams may come. 
 When we have shuffled off tliis mortal coil. 
 Must give us pause." 
 
 If man be a reasonable creature, there is a Hereafter. 
 And if there be a Hereafter, it must be a state of retribu- 
 tion. A moral Goveknor must deal with moral agents 
 according to their moral conduct. The perfection of his na- 
 ture requires it. I swear by the ETERNAL, therefore, all 
 the denunciations of Scripture shall have their acconiplish- 
 
 swear so long as he had breath. — He did so. — He ordered his body 
 to be drav.n in his own cart to be buried. — It was so. — He charged 
 that five shillings should be spent at every public-house on the road. 
 — Some of it was so. — He desired he might be laid at the corner 
 of the church-yard next the public-house, that he might have the 
 pleasure of hearing the company curse and swear. — He, moreover, 
 requested, that every one of his companions would drink a health 
 standing upon his grave after it v as filled up. — They did so ; and 
 continued to drink and make merry over his grave, for near two 
 hours after the interment. 
 
 This shews us there are cases to be met with of persons, who are 
 so hardened in their sin, and so totally given up of God, that neither 
 sickness nor death can make any impression upon them. I remember 
 one of this unhappy description in the coimty of Essex, whom I both 
 visited during his illness, and hiterred after he was dead. He was a 
 clever fellow, and of a good family, but so totally depraved, that 
 when one of his bottle-companions m rote to inform him, that he was 
 about to die and go to hell, and desired to know what place he should ' 
 bespeak for him there, he sat doM)), and gave him for reply, that he 
 did not care where it was, if there was only brandy and rum enough. 
 Thus he hvcd — and, soon after this, died a martyr to spirituous 
 liquors — cursing and blaspheming, notwithstanding all that could be 
 done to bring him to a better mind. — Being possessed of two bank 
 bills of the value of ten pounds each, which was all the little pro- 
 perty he had left. — " Now," said he to a" person who stood by, 
 "v\hen I have spent these in brandy and rmn, I shall be contented to 
 die and go to hell ! " He sunk, ho\\ever, before they were ex- 
 pended, and left just eiiough to bury him. 
 
 These are shocking instances of obduration, which seem to vie 
 with Pharaoh himself, and ought to warn every man how he trifles 
 with the convictions of liis own mind, and causes the Spirit of 
 God to withdraw from hun. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 231 
 
 meat upon you, if you prevent it not by a compliance with 
 the gracious and equitable demands of the Gospel. 
 
 It surely is a very astonishing consideration, that a being 
 such as man, placed on a small globe of earth in a little 
 corner of the universe, cut off from all communication with 
 the other systems, which are dispersed through the im- 
 mensity of sjjace, imprisoned as it were, on the spot where 
 he happens to be born, almost utterly ignorant of the variety 
 of spiritual existences, and greatly circumscribed in his 
 knowledge of material things by their remoteness, magni- 
 tude, or minuteness, a stranger to the nature of the very 
 pebbles on which he treads; unacquainted, or but very ob- 
 scurely informed by his natural faculties of his condition after 
 death ; it is wonderful that a being, such as this, should 
 reluctaullv receive, or fastidiously reject the instruction of the 
 Eternal God! Or, if this be saying too much, that he 
 .should hastily, and negligently, and triumphantly conclude, 
 that the Slpreme Being never had condescended to in- 
 struct the race of man. It might properly have been ex- 
 pected, that a rational being, so circumstanced, would have 
 sedulously inquired into a subject of such vast importance; 
 that he would not have suflfered himself to have been diverted 
 from the investigation, by the pursuits of wealth, or honour, 
 or any temporal concern ; much less by notions taken up 
 without attention, arguments admitted without examination, 
 or prejudices imbibed in early youth from the profane ridicule, 
 and impious jestings of sensual or immoral men *. 
 
 It is customary with you Gentlemen, who reject the 
 Scriptures, to consider every believer of them as Zieak and 
 credulous -f. T would recommend it to you, ho\^fever, to suspend 
 vour censures, and to reconsider the matter before you form 
 
 * Bishop Watson's Culltction of Theological Tracts, vol. i. p, 9. 
 preface, from whence this paragrajth is taken, \\\l\\ soiiie trifliii" 
 alteration. 
 
 t Let the more solid, rational, and inquisitive Deist, who is in pur- 
 suit of moral and leliijious truth, and wishes to have his mind satisfied 
 in the great things w iiich concern human happiness, have recourse to 
 Lhr. Samuel Clarke's Book on the Truth and Certai?:ti/ of the. 
 Christian Religicn ; and tlien let him say, w hether tdl whu believe in 
 the Saviour of the wurid, are weak and credulous persons. Per- 
 haps a piece of more rational and conclusive arjrunienti'.tion was never 
 presented to the consideration of mankiuJ. 
 
 K K 2 
 
'252 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 a final judgment. — Do you seriously think, tlien, that a man^ 
 who believes in God, that he is the Creator and Governour 
 of the world, and a Rewarder of them that diligently seek 
 him : — that a man who embraces the Gospel as a dispensation 
 of mercy, and conducts himself according to the letter and 
 spirit of it^ is a zceak and despicable character? Can you, 
 in the sober fear of God, esteem all the great men among 
 Christians to have been unreasonable and deluded persons ? 
 and that Thomas Paine and yourselves are the only men 
 upon earth, who have found out the true wisdom ? Is it 
 probable, that men of your description, -who, in general, 
 have never turned your tlioughts seriously and conscientiously 
 that way, and who are neither more moral, more sensible, 
 more learned, more philosophical, nor more inquisitive than 
 large numbers of Christians are found to be, should have 
 made the wonderful discovery, that Religion is all a cheat, 
 and the Bible a ridiculous tale, trumpt up by the Priests, to 
 delude and amuse mankind, while many of our great philo- 
 sophical characters of all professions make it the study of 
 their lives to comply with the former, and spend a consider- 
 able proportion of their time in the investigation of the 
 latter? And then, it is of no little importance to ask. Does 
 your Unbelief make you more moral, pure, chaste, tem- 
 perate, humble, modest, thankful, happy? Are You more 
 amiable in your manners than we Ciiristians usually are, 
 better masters, servants, husbands, wives, children, friends, 
 neighbours ? 
 
 Besides, my Countrymen, (permit me to speak plainly), 
 are not you the most ungrateful of all human Beings, in 
 that you have derived the whole of your present peculiar 
 light, information, ov philosophy (call it which you will) from 
 the writings of the Old and jVew Testaments, and then make 
 use of that light, if formation, or philosophy, to discredit 
 those JTritings, and to make them ridiculous among man- 
 kind ? If we want to know what pure nature can teach, we 
 must divest ourselves of all our present ideas, collected from 
 the writings of the Sacred Code, and learn our religion from 
 the P^gofi page alone. The most emment of them, how- 
 ever, saw and lamented their want of what you now so 
 fastidiously reject. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. '253 
 
 " Pure Plato! liow had tliy chaste spirit hail'd 
 
 A faith so fitted to thy niorai sense! 
 
 What hadst tliou felt, to see the fau- romance 
 
 Of high iniasination, the bright dreaiu 
 
 Of thy pure fancy more than reahzed ! 
 
 O sweet enthusiast! thou hadst l)less'd a scheme 
 
 Fair, good, and perfect. How had thy raj)t soul 
 
 Caught tire, and burnt with a diviner llaiiie! 
 
 For e'en tliy tiiir idea ne'er conceived 
 
 Such plenitude of love, such boundless bliss. 
 
 As Deity made visible to sense." 
 
 Should you not, as men of sense, review the history of 
 the several ancient nations of the world, and compare their 
 religion and morals with the religion and morals of your own 
 couatry, where the Gospel has been preached for so many 
 years? Common sense, and common equity seem to require 
 this of vou, before you commence apostates from that reJigiou 
 in which you have been educated. You will peruiit me iiere 
 to call to your remembrance a few facts culled out of the 
 history of mankind. ^lake what use of tliem you please. 
 Only give them a patient consideration, and a fair comparison 
 with the religion of Jesus, as exhibited in tlie 'Seio Testanunf, 
 and then act as you judge meet. 
 
 The Habyloniam are said to have introduced the un- 
 natural custom of human sacrifices. The Stphaivites, pro- 
 bably a branch of that people, burnt their children in lire to 
 Adrammelech andANAMMELECH, the gods of Scphartaitiif 
 2 Kitigs xvii. 31. 
 
 Among the Phanicians, a father did not scruple to im- 
 molate his only child; a husband to plunge his knife into a 
 heart as dear to him as his own, to avert some public misfortune. 
 PORPHYR. 1. 2. 
 
 In Carthage, the children of the nobility were sacrificed 
 to Saturn. The calamities, which Agathocles brought 
 upon that city, were believed by the inhabitants to be a 
 punishment for the substitution of ignoble blood; and, to 
 appease the Mrath of God, they immolated 200 children of 
 noble blood in one sacrifice. Pllt. de iiujjerstit. — Diod. 
 Sic. 1. 20. 
 
 The ancient Germans also sacrificed human victims. 
 Their priestesses opened the veins of the sufferers, and drew 
 
254 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 omens from the rapidity of the stream of blood. Tact. 
 Ge?/7i. 9. — DioD. Sic. 1. 5. 20. 
 
 The ancient .Britons likewise were equally cruel and 
 superstitious. 
 
 The sacrifice of strangers and prisoners of war seems to 
 have been general, even among the ancient nations which 
 were more civilized. 
 
 Achilles, in Homer, immolates twelve Trojans to the 
 manes of Patkoclus. II. 23. 175. 
 
 And even in the o32d year of Rome, two Greeks and two 
 Ganls were buried alive in a public place of the city, to 
 satisfy the superstitious prejudices of the populace. Liv. . 
 1. 22. c. 57. 
 
 Though the Greeks do not appear to have offered human 
 sacrifices, yet whole states were at times reduced to slavery, 
 and their lands confiscated, and their prisoners of \yar 
 massacred in cold blood. 
 
 Conjugal infidelity among the Athenians was become so 
 common in the time of Pericles, that almost 5000 of their 
 citizens were illegitimate. Plut. in Pericl. 
 
 If at any time a man became eminent among them for 
 virtue, he was generally sentenced to some kind of punish- 
 ment, either to imprisonment, banishment, or death. 
 
 Dark, however, as the picture of the Athenians is ex- 
 hibited, it is sunshine when compared to that of the Lace- 
 dtjcmonians. See their history. By the laws of Sparta, a 
 parent was permitted to destroy a weak or deformed child. 
 
 The llomans, though great and successful, were equally 
 far from being a virtuous nation. They were the murderers 
 and plunderers of the world. We might instance their 
 whole history; but it will suflSce to have observed, that the 
 celebrated Julius Cesar boasted he had taken SOO towns, 
 vanquished 300 states, fought three millions of men, of 
 ^^hom one million had been ciiher slaughtered or reduced to 
 slavery. 
 
 The number of men slain at different periods, even for 
 their diversion and entertainment, was immense! 
 
 A creditor could, at the expiration of thirty days, seize 
 an insolvent debtor, who could not find bail, and keep him 
 bixt}' days in chains. During this time, he was allowed to 
 expose him three market days to public sale, for the amount 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 255 
 
 of liis debt, and, at the expiration of a third, to put 
 him to death. If there were many creditors, they were 
 permitted to tear and divide his body among tliein. It 
 was customary, however, to sell the debtor, and divide tlie 
 money. 
 
 A' father had the right of hfe and death over his children, 
 and, by the laws of Rome, was permitted to expose his child 
 to peri>h. 
 
 The husband was the only judge and arbiter of his wife's 
 fate. If a wife \vas convicted of committing adultery, or 
 of drinking wine, her husband had a right to put her to 
 death without the formality of a public trial; while she was 
 not permitted, on any provocation, to raise her linger against 
 him *, 
 
 To these several facts, add a careful perusal of the first 
 chapter of St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans, and then you 
 will have had a view of the religion and morals of the 
 Heathen world before the advent of Christ. If there be a 
 difference between us and them, it is what the Gospel has 
 made. The Heathens, indeed, excelled greatly in the arts 
 and sciences." Excellence of composition may be produced 
 from their writings, in rich abundance; but we call upon 
 you to shew us any thing fit to be compared with various of 
 the compositions contained in the Bible. You have no 
 History so ancient, so important, so instructive, so enter- 
 taining, so well wiitten-f-; no Poetry so sublime; no Elo- 
 
 * See a learned Sermon of Dr. Valpy, where these testimonies 
 to the depraAed state of the Heathen nations are detailed more at 
 larire. 
 
 + One of the finest and most important passages in all Heathen 
 antiquity is that of Plato, where he introduces Socrates speak- 
 ing of some divine teaeher of whom he was in expectation, and of the 
 mist which is naturally upon the mind of man, wliiii was to be re- 
 moved by that teacher. " He is one," says Socrates, " who has 
 now a concern for us." — " He is a person that has a wonderful 
 readiness and willuigness to take away the mist from the mind of man, 
 and to enable us to distinguish rightly between good and evil." See 
 his second Alcibiades. 
 
 Bishop Hall says, " I durst appeal to the judgment of a carnal 
 reader, (let him not he prejudicetl) that there is no history so plea- 
 sant as the sacred; for should we even set aside the majesty of the 
 Inditer, none can compare with it for magnificence, and the antiquity 
 
256 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 qnence so noble and persuasive; no Proverbs so laconic, so 
 divine, so useful ; no Morality so pure and perfective of 
 human nature; no System of the intellectual world so ration- 
 al. We challenge you, my Countrymen, we dare you 
 to come forward, and shew us any thing of equal excellence 
 in all the authors of antiquity, or among all the stores of 
 modern refinement *. You ought then to be ashamed of 
 your conduct, in treating with such indignity and sovereign 
 contempt, Avritings which were never excelled, never 
 equalled; and which, it is probable, you have never given 
 yourselves thne thoroughly to understand. Your conduct 
 herein is extremely culpable, and what cannot be justified, 
 either on the principles of religion or philosophy. Any man 
 possessed of one grain of modesty, and gratitude to heaven, 
 could not help seeing the impropriety of it A timely at- 
 tention to one of Solomon's jf5^s*f- might do all such per- 
 sons everlasting good: — Judgments are prepared for scor}iers, 
 ond stripes for the hack of fools! '' I can write," says Mr. 
 
 of the matter; the sweetness of compiling; and the strange variety 
 of memorable occurrences." 
 
 " I am very confident," saith Sir Richard Steel, " whoever 
 reads the Gospels, with a heart as much prepared in lavour of them, 
 as when he sits down to Virgil or Homer, will tind no passage 
 there which is not told with more natural force, than any. Episode in 
 either of tiiose wits, who were the chief of mere mankind." 
 
 Mr. Locke somewhere observes, " that morality becomes a 
 gentleman, not barely as a man, but in order to his business as a 
 gentleman ; and the morality of the Gospel," says he, " doth so 
 excel that of all other i>ooks, that to give a man full knowledge of 
 true morality, I should send him to no other book but the Neio 
 Testament. 
 
 " If any person, who takes xxp this book, v.- ishes to be informed 
 where he m«Y find the literary beauties of Holy Scripture pointed 
 out to hini, let him know, that Boyle on the ^"^7//*' of Scripture — ■ 
 Blackw all's Sacred Classics — and Bishop Lowth's Preclec- 
 f loves, are all very valuable in this way. — Hervey's Works contain 
 many beautiful s|)ecimens of sacred criticism. — Smith's Longinus 
 — Blair's i.ec//«T5— Rollin's Belles Letires — Weald's Chis- 
 lian Orator~-?ind the second volume of the Adventurer— -aW contain 
 several good illustrations. — Some instances of the same kind will be 
 metwitii in the Spectator and Guardian.— Maay of these illustra- 
 tions of the beauties of Scripture are collected into one view in the 
 second vol. of Simpson's Sacred Literature. 
 
 t Thomas Paine, by way of shewing his wit, calls Solomon's 
 Proverbs, ajest Book. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS, 257 
 
 Paine, *' a. better book than the Bible myself," We grant 
 this gentleman every merit to which he is entitled; but 1 can- 
 not help recommending to his attention, and that of his 
 friends, another of this Jewish king's witfi/ sayings: Seest 
 thou a man wise in his own conceit'^ There is more hope of a 
 fool than of him! Many other jests, uttered by this sagacious 
 monarch, are equally funnj/ with these two, and not less 
 applicable to such characters as Mr. Paine, and our other 
 vaunting Philosopisthers; but these niay suffice as a speci- 
 men. The reader might be abundantly gratified with others 
 of a similar kind, by having recourse to the jest-hook itself, 
 to which 1 would, therefore, recommend him with all speed 
 to apply, A serious application to a book of such admirable 
 humour could not fail of yielding most exquisite enter- 
 tainment! Let us, however, proceed to other considera- 
 tions. 
 
 How diflferent are the opinions of your Mas^fr Thomas 
 Paine, and .S7/' William Jones*, concerning the Sacred 
 
 * Before this iUustrious scholar went to India, he was by no 
 means free from a scepiical bias. But when he resided in Asia, he 
 investigated, with minute and rigid attention, all those intricate 
 theological points which had occasioned his doubts ; and the result 
 was, not only his own most complete conviction, but the conviction 
 of several eminent scholars, who, till then, had but slightly attended 
 to the proofs for the verity of the Mosaic writings. These gentle- 
 men, from that time, renounced their doubts and errors, and 
 became, like Sir. William himself, not only almost, but altogether 
 Christians. 
 
 See this subject corfsidered more at large in the British Critic for 
 Feb. 1798. 
 
 The above declaration of this excellent man is said to have been 
 written in one of the blank leaves of his common reading Bible. He 
 has advanced the same sentiments more at large in the third volume 
 of the Asiatic Researches, p. 402, " Theological inquiries," says 
 he, " are no part of my present subject; but I cannot refrain from 
 adding, that the collection of tracts, which we call from their ex- 
 cellence The Scriptures, contain, independently of a divine origin, 
 more true sublimity, more exquisite beauty, purer morality, more 
 important history, and hner strains both of poetry and eloquence, 
 than could be collected within the same compass from all other 
 books that were ever composed in any age or in any idioin. The 
 two parts, of which the Scriptures consist, are connected by a chain 
 of couipobitions, which bear no resemblance in form or style to any 
 that can be produced from the stores of Grecian, Indian, Persian, 
 or even Arabian, learning. The antiquity of those compositions no 
 
 I. !• 
 
258 A PLEA FOR RELlGIOxN 
 
 Writings ^ The former, who has betrayed the most paTpafjK^ 
 ignorance, says all manner of evil against them; while the 
 latter, who was an all-accomplished scholar, seems at a loss 
 how sufficiently to express the sense he had of their im- 
 portance. " 1 have regularly and attentivdi/ read the Holy 
 Scriptures," says this great Lawyer, *' and am of opinion 
 this volunie, iiidependeut of its divine origin, contains 
 more sublimity and beauty, more pure morality, more im- 
 portant history, and finer strains of poetry and eloquence, 
 than can be collected from all other books, in whatever lan- 
 guage or age they may have been composed." 
 
 And is it not strange that these contemptible writers, as 
 Thomas Paine affects to consider them, should excel all 
 mankind in every sort of composition ? They must have been 
 extremely dexterous impostors! Christ, the most pious and 
 moral of men, the most ingenious of deceivers! His 
 Apostles, the most ignorant and illiterate of mortals, the 
 wisest and most admirable of writers! What paradoxes a man 
 must embrace before he can become a finished Injidel! 
 
 If then, MY Countrymen, such are the superior ex- 
 cellencies of the Bible; though you find yourselves incapable 
 of receiving it as composed by divine assistance for the in- 
 struction and salvation of mankind, you will do yourselves a 
 very serious injury by exploding it in every other point of 
 view. Read it, at least, if it is only as a collection of com- 
 positions more ancient, more curious, more excellent, more 
 entertaining, and more important, than any other extant. 
 This is a merit you must allow it to possess, if your mind be 
 ever so little improved in literary attainments. And if this 
 
 man doubts; and the unstrained application of them to events long 
 subsequent to their publication is a solid ground of belief, that they 
 were genuine predictions, and consequently inspired." 
 
 Note, that the last hour of the life of tins illustrious character 
 (who was particularly eminent for his attainments in astronomy, 
 chronology, antiquities, languages, music, botany, and the laws of 
 England,) was marked by a solemn act of devotion. Finding his 
 dissolution rapidly approaching, he desired his attendants to carry 
 him into an inner apartment, where, at his desire, they left him. 
 Returning after a short interval, they found him in a kneeling 
 posture, with his hands clasped, and his eyes fixed towards heaven. 
 As they were removing him, he expired. 
 
 See M.\u rice's elegiac Poem on the death of this admirable man. 
 
AND THE SACRED AVRITINGS. --59 
 
 Wn^tion \ou are ill qualiiied to judge of the 
 be uot your -^^^^"^ ^^^^^ ,. l,h ,ast antujuit^,, and 
 trulii or falsehood ot a Dook j 
 
 1 ■ 1 i..;n,« .-iprlvat on rom heaven. N> e nave kuunyu 
 ^viuch cl;nmb denvauon ^nrr^d Code, as we esteem 
 
 sin«- Nvilh our Epic Bard: 
 
 * " Yet not the more 
 
 Cease I to wander, ^vhere tlie Muses haunt 
 Clear spring, or shady grove, or ^"""v/;;; ' 
 Smit Nvith the love oUacredsonr. but chief 
 Thee Sion, and the flow'o brooks beneath 
 That Vlsh thy halloWd feel, and warblmg flow, 
 Niahtlv 1 visit." j • „ 
 
 This' book, «hich you ave unUnppy enough to desp.se, 
 abou r°ve have already seen, «Uh all ihe var.ous beau, es 
 o(Te Gr,ek and Roman classics, and m a much h.gher 
 d » e of pe,fec.,o„. I. cons.s.s. not merely of a collecuon 
 „f%hapters, and vcses, and d,stn,ct "Pho-- - "^^ f 
 .ubiects as too many are apt to conceive; but is as it «ere 
 one »ra„d Ep,c composuion, forming s.x.y-s.. books, of 
 unequtllengths, and various importance. As the sun .noon 
 nhnets and comets, make o.ie systen. and are ead, ot 
 decessa.T to the l.arnrony of the xvhole; so the different 
 books of he Sacnd Code, though separately considered, and 
 ,akt out of their connection, may appear unimpoitant 
 :t s p Its of one large and ccnnpUca.ed system they are 
 ill necessary, useful, or convenient to the perfection of the 
 
 inss are beyond all praise. " ,'' , " * .i-e standard of good taste, 
 
 ^'^'1^/'1v£<;':stiusV "d -^^^^^ 
 
 "k H I;^, «h nuine ou s,«cime,is ,.f noble co.nposit.on m the 
 S m™I o.-a« t^nlhtio... lJ.t luiy man judge .hat tlioy n.ust be 
 in the original! ^ 
 
O60 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 vhole. And though the time be longer than is usually ad- 
 mitted in compositions of the Epic kind, its beginning being 
 ■with the birtii, and its end with the close of Nature itself; 
 yet it should be remembered, that even this circumstance is 
 perfectly consistent with the rest of the adorable plan; a 
 thousand years being icith the Lord an one day, a)td one dai/ 
 as a thousand yea? s. The Action of it too is one, entire, and 
 the greatest that can be conceived. All the Beings in the 
 universe, of which we have any knowledge, are concerned in 
 the Drama. The design of it is to display the perfections of 
 the adorable Creator; to rescue the human race from total 
 misery and ruin; and to form us, by example, to glory, ho- 
 nour, and immortahty. The Epic opens in a mild and calm 
 sublimity, with the creation of the world itself. It is carried 
 on with an astonishing vaiiety of incidents, and unparalleled 
 simplicity and majesty of language*. The least and most 
 trivial episodes, or under actions, w hich are interwoven in it, 
 •are parts either necessary, or convenient, to forward the main 
 design : either so necessar), that without them the work must 
 be imperfect, or so convenient, that no others can be imagined 
 more suitable to the place in which they are. And it closes 
 \\ii\i a book, or, to keep up the figure, with a scene, the most 
 solemn, majestic, and sublime, that ever was composed by any 
 author, sacred or profane -f-. 
 
 ** The human mind," saith one of the best of judges, " can 
 conceive nothing more elevated, more grand, more glowing, 
 more beautiful, and more elegant, than what we meet with 
 in the Sacred Writings of the Hehrerc bards. The most in- 
 effable sublimity of the subjects they treat upon is fully equalled 
 by the energy of the language, and the dignity of the style. 
 Some of these writings too, exceed in antiquity the fabulous 
 ages of Greece, as much as in sublimity they are superior to 
 
 * One of the best judges of the age observes, that " the graceful 
 negligence of nature pleases beyond the truest ornaments that art can 
 devise. Indeed, they are then truest, when they approach the near- 
 est to this negligence. To attain it, is the very triumph of art. The 
 wise artist, therefore, always completes his studies in the great school 
 of creation, where the forms of elegance lie scattered in an endless 
 variety; and the writer who wishes to possess some portion of that 
 sovereign excellence, and simplicity, even though he were an Itifidelf 
 would have recourse to the Scriptures, aud make them his model." 
 
 t See Dryden's Essays ou the Belles Letters. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 26l 
 
 tlie most linislied productions of that celebrated people*. 
 Moses, for instance, stands unrivalled by the best of ihem 
 both as a Poet, Orator, and Historian^\-: David as a Poet% 
 and Musiciaii: Solomon as a Moralist, Naturaiist, and 
 Pastoral writer: Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Nahum, Joel, and 
 some other of the Minor Prophets, as Orators, or Poets, or 
 both: Homer and Virgil must yield the palm to Job§ for 
 true sublime: Isaiah excels all the world iu almost every 
 kind of composition 11 : the four Evaugelists are eminent as 
 Orators and Historians: St. Peter and St. James, St. 
 Luke and St. John, as authors of no ordinary rank: and 
 St. Paul as the most sublime of Writers and eloquent of 0/<i- 
 tors**. All these eulo-iunis upon the sacred penmen are 
 spoken of them merely as Authors, without the least view 
 to their higher order as inspired writers, and messengers of the 
 Lord of Hosts tt- If this lust consideration be taken into 
 the account, and added to the former, what an all-important 
 book must the Bible be? what a blessing to mankind! Lan- 
 guage cannot express the value of it. If the exhortation of a 
 late noble author, as improperly applied to the Grecian bard, 
 were applied to this inestimable volume, it would be used with 
 the strictest propriety and decorum! 
 
 * Lowth's Prrelectiones. 
 
 t LoNGlNUS, the best critic of the Heathen world, speaks of 
 Moses as no ordinary writer, and cites his account of the creation 
 as an instance of the true subhnie. 
 
 I Mr. Addison says, " After perusing the book of Psalms, let a 
 judge of the beauties of poetry read a literal translation of Horace 
 or Pindar, and he will Hnd in these two last such an absurdity and 
 confusion of style, with suoh a comparative poverty of imagination, as 
 will make him sensible of the vast superiority of Scripture style." 
 
 § The Rev. George Costard, famous for oriental learning, 
 considers Job as an exalted and regular piece of eastern poetry, of 
 the dramatic kind, consisting of five acts. The three first end at the 
 32d chapter; from the32dtothe 38th is the fourth act; from thence 
 to the end is the fifth act. 
 
 II Let the reader consult Bishop Lowth's Proilcctiones f(»r the 
 character of the several prophets of the Old Testament, w here he will 
 find much useful information. 
 
 ** The above LoNGiNUs ranks Paul o( Tarsus among t|iemost 
 famous orators. 
 
 tt Madame Daci RR, the celebrated French Critic, in the Preface 
 to her translation of Homer, assures us, that, " the books of the 
 Prophets and the Psalms even in the Vulgate, are full of such pas- 
 sages, as the greatest poet in the world could not put into verse^ 
 without losing much of their majesty and pathos." 
 
*62 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 " Read God's Word once, ynd you can road no more; 
 For all books else appear so mean, so poor, 
 Verse wiil seem prose, but still {>ersist to read, 
 And God's JVurd will be all the books you need." 
 
 In short, my Countrymen, the Bible abounds with a 
 vast variety of matter, a confused magniticence above all 
 order; and is the fittest book in the world to be the standard 
 of doctrines, and the model of good writing. "S\ e defy all 
 the Sons of lufidtlity to shew us any thing like it, or second to 
 it. "Where will you meet with such a number of instructive 
 Proverbs — fervent Prayers — sublime songs — beneficent Mi- 
 yacUs — apposite Parables — infallible Prophecies^ — affec- 
 
 * A valuable Correspondent, s^edikmooiihe prophetic Scriptures, 
 expresses himself in the fullowiiig manner: — "Next to Astronomy, 
 feAv subjects expand the human mind more, than the view which 
 prophecy opens to us of the government of the Great King. To 
 see the vast mass of materials, kingdoms, and centuries, in motion, 
 onlv to the accomplishmen.t of his purposes: to see refractory man 
 eniploved to preserve the harmony of his designs; and the disorderly 
 passions, while apparently working solely in their own narrow circle, 
 ignorantly advancing the fullilment of his determination! This is a 
 study delightfully interesting, and ^^llich, in connnon with the con- 
 templation'of all' the Great Creator's doings, elevates the mind 
 above the oppression of human cares and sorrows, and seems to leave 
 her in that serenity of admiration, ^^hicll one may imagine an imper- 
 fect foretaste of part of the employment and happiness of angels." 
 
 Abraham Cowley tells us, that " all the b(»oks of the Bible are 
 either aheadv most admirable and exalted pieces of pcetrj-, or are the 
 best materials in the world for it." 
 
 Sir. Richard Blackmore says, that "for sense, and for noble 
 and sublime thoughts, the poeti-al paits of Scripture have an intinite 
 advantage above all others put together." 
 
 Matthew" Prior, Esq. is oi rijinion, that "the writings of 6b- 
 lomon afford subjects for fi::er poems in evei-y kind, tlian ha\e yet 
 appeared in the Greek, Lntni, of ai.y modern language." 
 
 Alexander Pope, JtV^. assures us, that " the pure and uoble, 
 the graceful and dignified simplicity of language, is no where in such 
 pei-fection as in the Scripture and Homer; and that the uhole book 
 of Job, with regard both to sublimity of thought and morality, 
 exceeds beyond all comparison the mo-t noble parts of Homer." 
 
 Mr. Nicholas Rowe too, the F"et, after having read most of 
 the Greek and Roman histories in thei; original languages, and most 
 that are written in English, French, Ita iun, and Spanish, was fully 
 persuaded of the truth of Revealed Religion, expressed it upon all 
 occasions, took great deliiiht in di\ inity and ecclesiastical history, and 
 died at last likeli Christian and Philosopher, with an absolute resig- 
 natiott to the will of God, 
 
ANIJ THE SACRED WRITINGS. 203 
 
 tionate Epistles — eloquent Orations — instructive Histories — 
 pure Lazes — rich- Promises — awful Deniuiciations — useful 
 
 There are few anecdotes of our celehrated English Poets which 
 have given me more pleasure than that of poor Collins, who, in the 
 latter pai-t of his mortal career, "with.dvew from study, and travelled 
 with no otJier hook than an English Testament, such as children 
 carry to school. When a Iriend took it into his hand, out of curiosity 
 to see what companion a Man of Letters had chosen — / have only 
 ane book," said Collins, "but that is the best." — See Johnson's 
 Lives of the Poets, vol. iv. 
 
 I must own that such an anecdote as this knits my heart to Col- 
 lins more than all the excellencies of his poetry. Sick and intirm, 
 in the spirit of Mary, he sits at the divuie Redeemer's feet, Hs- 
 tening to tlie words of eternal life. In such a state of body and 
 mind, one single promise, from his gracious and infallible lips, is of 
 more real vahie and importance than all the pompous learniiig of the 
 most celebrated Philosophers. This, mdeed, will ne\er be properly 
 felt and understood till we come to be in similar circumstances. 
 When Dr. Watts was almost worn out, and broken do^^T^ by liis 
 inlirmities, he observed ui conversation with a friend, " he remem- 
 bered an aged minister used to say, that the most learned and know- 
 ing Cbiistians, m lien they coine to die, have only the same plain pro- 
 mises of the Gospel for their support, as the coimiion and nnle-amed: 
 and so, said he, I rind it. It is the plain promises of tlie Gospel tirdt 
 are my support; and I bless God, they are plahi promises, that do 
 not require nnuh labour and pains to understimd them, for I can do 
 nothing now, but look into my Bible for some promise to support 
 me, and hve upon that." 
 
 This was likewise the case with the pious and excellent J/?-. Her- 
 VEY. He writes about two months betV)re his death: — " I now 
 speiKl," says he, " almost my whole time, in reading and praying 
 o\er the Bible." — And again, near the same time to anoliier friend : 
 — " I am now reduced to a state of infant weakness, and given over 
 by my physician. — ^ly grand consolation is to meditate on 
 Christ; and I am hourly repeathig those heart-reviving lines of 
 Dr, Young: 
 
 " This — only this subdues the fear of death: 
 
 And vhat is this? — Survey the wond'rous cure; 
 
 And at each step let higher wonder rise! 
 
 1. Pardon for inlinite otTence! — '2. And pardcu 
 
 Through means that speak its value infinite! — 
 
 3. A })ardon bouglit with blood! — 4. Willi blood divine!— 
 
 5. With blood divine of him I made my fue! 
 
 6'. Persisted to provoke! — J. Though woo'd and aw'd, 
 
 Bless'd and chastis'd, a llagrant rebel still! — 
 
 8. A rebel ')nidst the thunders of his throne; — 
 
 9. Nor I alone! — 10. A rebel universe! — 
 
 J I. My species up in arms! — 12. Not one exempt:— 
 
264 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 Emomples, as are set before us in this richly fraught magazine 
 of ail true excellence in matter and composition, the Holt/ Biblt'f 
 We may say with Propertius, on another occasion, 
 
 Cedite, Romani scriptores; cedite, Graii*: 
 
 And recommend to the Gentleman^', the Scholar, and the 
 Phi'osuplur, as well as to the illiterate Christian, the daily 
 perusal or the Bible, with nrfinitely greater propriety, than 
 ever Horace did to the learned Romans the study of the 
 Grecian models. 
 
 Nocturna versa te manu, versate diurnat. 
 
 There is another circumstance, my Countrymen, I besr 
 leave to submit lo your consideration, which is, that though 
 there are several of your Unbelieving brethren, who are men 
 of considerable natural abilities, of some learning, and of de- 
 cent morals, yet there are not a few among yon, as among ns, 
 who are profane and debauched in no small degree; and who, 
 therefore, are not capable of being reasoned with upon any 
 religious topic whatever. These are a disgrace to any cause. 
 And the more zealously they avow their party, the less ho- 
 nourable it is to that party. Such men are little raised above 
 
 1 3. Yet for the foulest of the foul he dies ! 
 
 14. Most joy'd for the redeem'd from deepest guilt! — 
 
 15. As if our race were held of highest rank; 
 And Godhead dearer, as more kind to man." 
 
 We have just read Godwin's Memoirs of 3Irs. Godwin, other- 
 wise Mrs. Mary Wollstonecroft. She was a woman of con- 
 siderable powers, but of a lewd character in life, living with a 3Ir. 
 Iml AY, as a wife, and having a child by him: and then when for- 
 saken by him, living with, and being pregnant by Mr. Godwin, who 
 afterwards manied her. I mention these circumstances, because 
 they were both professed Philosophers and Unbelievers, and as a 
 constrast to the above pious Christians, - She attended no public 
 worship, and during her last illness, no religious expressions escaped 
 her philosophic lips. 
 
 * Let both the Greek and Roman authors yield the palm to the 
 Sacred iVrifings. 
 
 f Dr. South observes, that " he who would not read the 
 Scripture for fear of spoiling his style, shewed himself as much a 
 blockhead as an atheist, and to liave as small a gust of the elegancies 
 of expressi'rn, as of the sacredacis of the matter." Sermons, vol. iv. 
 p. 32. 
 
 I Read therein by day, meditate by night. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 2/55 
 
 the brutes that perish, being earthli/, sensual, devilish. Let 
 them but eat, drink, sleep, and indulge the baser passions of 
 
 the human frame, they ask no more, they look no higher. 
 
 To intt-llectual and refined enjoyments they are strano-ers. 
 Of literary gratifications they know little. For moral and 
 religious pleasures they have no taste. Immortal expecta- 
 tions, which exalt and enoble the mind of man, thev are wil- 
 ling to forego. The language of their sensual souls, which 
 are brutalized with indulgence, is no other than that of the an- 
 cient Epicureans : — Let us eat and drink ; for to-morrow 
 ■K'e die. And did they die to-morrow, the public would have 
 no great loss of them : could they make good their hopes, 
 that death is an eternal cessation from sensibility, they them- 
 selves would sustain no material inconvenience. The best thev 
 can expect is, to cease to be: a consummation, for such cha- 
 racters, devoutly to be wished ! 
 
 These are the men, however,, who make the greatest noise, 
 and most violently oppose the Religion of the Sot^ of Gou, 
 and the Sacred JVritings* ! 
 
 It is an honour to that Religion, and those Writings, that 
 such men are Infidels, and avow their Unheliefm the face of 
 the world! May every unreasonable and immoral \x\nn do the 
 same ! 
 
 After all, my Countrymen', if every thing besides in these 
 papers shall be despised by you, let the several examples herein 
 recorded have their due weight upon your minds. If there be 
 iinportunce in any thing, it is usually found in the sentiments 
 and behaviour of men, when they draw near the close of their 
 earthly existence. 
 
 " Men may live fools ; but fools they cannot die." 
 
 We may, indeed, be hardened in our sins, when that eveiit 
 
 * It is calculated, thdt, when trade goes pretty well, there are, 
 upon an average, 200,000 n:auuiactureis in this country, who con- 
 stantly spend their working hours in idleness, drinking, gambling and 
 debauchei-y. This large body of men uiuy li'.ewisc be considered as in- 
 fidels in principle, aflicists in practice, and ripe for any wicked and 
 desperate enterprize which may arise. They aiethe cuise and scum 
 of the country ; and yet they are usually ex.cessivel\ irise in their own 
 fyes, and prudent in their oa-n conceit. All the world aie l<jols be^ 
 sides themselves. They are great politicians, gr^at philosophers, 
 sreat divinen — over their cups! — and wisdom shall die with them! 
 
 M M 
 
266 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 draws nigli. We may brave it owt against death- VVe mny 
 set at defja ice all tlie threats of heaven. But, usually, we 
 discover certain symptoms, even here, of v\hat our future 
 destiny is like to be. Fear, horror, indifferewce, hope, trust, 
 faith, reliance, joy, \\'\\\ all more or less prevail, according as 
 the state of our minds shall be, in those solemn moments, 
 whrn (Icrlh is makmg his approach *. So it was in the seve- 
 
 * There is a very atlecting narrative just published by a John 
 Cooke, oi Maidenhead, in Berks, entitled Reason paying Homage 
 to Revelation, in the Confession of a Deist at the gates of death. 
 The gentleman in question was a very respectable peison of the medi- 
 cal profession in that town, and died at the age of thirty-three. He was 
 a nwn of pleasure, as far as business would pennit ; but his favourite 
 annisenicnt was the card-fable, at which he spent much time, and 
 would fiequently say to iMr. Cooke, who seems to be a dissenting 
 minister, " I am prodigiously fond of cards." While he was visiting 
 one of his patients, he was suddenly taken ill. His conscience was 
 alamied. His dcistical principles, of which he had long made his 
 boast while in health, gave way. He lamented hfs sad condition in 
 most allecting and pitiable accents. Among other things, he acknow- 
 ledged, with unutterable distress, his neglect of the LoRi>'s day, and 
 the public u'orship of God. When he was well, he could say, " he 
 was easy without the Bible, he had no fears for his soul — he believed 
 it would die with his body— and he was never disturbed about these 
 tIjijio;s— he could read profane history with as much pleasure as 
 anotlier reads his Bible." But, when he was ill, and apprehended 
 himself to be on the brink of the grave, he was thrown into such un- 
 ntterable agoi.y, as to be bereft, at times, of his reason. In the most 
 bitter termriie bewailed his past folly — mourned over his lost oppor- 
 tunities—declared his full purpose, if restored, of attending to the 
 <»reat concerns of his soul— and solemnly warned his comj)anions not 
 to follow his example —and cried unto God for mercy. At length, 
 after luring lain for some time in a senseless state, he breathed out 
 his snul with a dismal groan. 
 
 If Thomas Paine was as easy and confident in bis deislical prin- 
 ciples under the views of approaching dissolution, as he pretends, and, 
 as I suppose, he really was, this is by no means a sure criterion of 
 those principles being the only true ones. No man's private persua- 
 sion, or conviction, can be a "sure test of truth. For we find men 
 fnllv p.ersuadtd of the truth of their sentiments under the most vari- 
 ous^ and even contradictory opinions. The most, therefore, that can 
 be inferred from a declaratRm of this nature, is, that Thomas Pain e 
 fhci/zlii his opinions were according to truth, not that they really 
 werAo. BoLiNGBROKE was an immoral man, and yet he too died 
 a iki^t.' Rousseau had been a wretch, and yet he died avowing 
 liis im ocencv even to the Almighty himself. Thomas Paine is 
 bv no means an excellent moral character, and yet he rejects every 
 id'-a of aSAVioUR. What tljen ? Shall their self-righteous cenviclious 
 
AND THE SACRED WRlTINGSc > (267 
 
 r&l cases we have recorded in these pages. And tfhstime is 
 not at any great distance when we too, must bear our final 
 
 be ihe standard of truth? If Thomas Paine had well read and 
 considered Sterne's Sermons on the Abuses of Conscience iu 
 Tristram Shandy^ he never would have produced his beiiiji; easy ui 
 tJie views of apparent dissolution, as a proof tiiat his deistical princi- 
 ples are founded in truth. Conscience may be lulled to rest by a 
 vast multitude of soporilics. And there is such a thing too as hav- 
 it stared as ivith a hot iron ! 
 
 One of the most remarkable instances of the po\^ er of conscience, 
 ! recollect to have read, is related by Mr. Fordyce, in his Dialogneft 
 on Education, vol. ii. p. 401 ; and inserted in the Encyclopccdia 
 JBritannica, vol. v. p. 1 ; and in the Evang. Mag;, vol. vi. |). 327. 
 
 If dying with ease, and a conviction that our ow n reiiijious prin- 
 ciples are the only true ones, were a certain proof of truth, and that 
 we are right, the.i would the most absurd and couti-adictory opinions 
 be proved to be true. How many Christians of the most opposite 
 sentiments depart this life, umler tlie iirmest persuasion of the truth 
 of their principles, and the most confident assurance that they are 
 going to eternal rest I Would Thomas Paine allow this to be a just; 
 proof, tliat their opinions are founded in truth ? Besides, Spinoza, 
 the Atheist, wds both a much greater, and a much more moral man 
 than Thomas Paine, and he died avowing his atheistic ]n-vn€i\)\t^. 
 Is this a proof that those principles are true ? Shall we conclude there 
 is no God, Ijecause a poor misguided man is Jiiad eirough to die in 
 that persuasion? Because Bruno is such a fool to bum at a stake, 
 in defence of the same atheistic principles, shall the whole deistic 
 scheme be thereby subverted, and atheism considered as the only true 
 doctrine ? If this be conclusive reasoning, vvliat becomes of Mr. 
 Paine's boasted principles? 
 
 How ditlererit are men's convictions under the afflicting hand of 
 Got! Thomas Paine continues hardened, and resolves to die in 
 his Infidelity. Casper Bartholin, tlie celebrated Danish Phy- 
 sician, when affliction was iieavy upon him, made" a vow and promise 
 to Heaven, if he was restored to liealtli, tluit be would gi\e up his 
 medical pursuits, and apply himself wholly to his religious concerns. 
 He was restored, and kept the vow he had so solemnly made unto 
 God. Thomas Paine is restored, aud rages more than ever 
 against the Lord and his Christ! 
 
 Priests, of every denomination, are objects of the highest possible 
 contempt to all our deistical gentlemen. One of that fraternity who 
 has since been taught tlie error of his \\a\s, in a manner very much 
 out of the conmioft way, was known to declare, " He ho}>ed to see 
 the day, when tliere would not be a priest — and that he would not 
 believe the Christian religion while lie had his senses." — Though 
 then m a good state of health, within a couple of hours he became 
 deranged,aHd soon after made various etforts to destroy himself, wish- 
 ing to be in hell as soon as possible, that he might feel the worst ofjrts 
 <rs(Sf:. Three physicians attended him for some lime ; and tiie rich 
 
 M M 2 
 
'268 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 testimony ; when the scene of life shall close ; and our eternal 
 state commence. If so, 
 
 " Nothing is worth a thought beneath. 
 But how we may escape the deatli. 
 
 That never, never dies ! 
 How make our own election sure. 
 And, when we tail on earth, secure 
 *A mansion in the skies." 
 
 If you are hardy enough to reject the scriptural representa- 
 tions of future misery, give credit, at least, to your own Bible, 
 rthe writings of the most respectable of the Heathen. They* 
 had their Elysium and Tartarus as we our Heaven and Hell. 
 Nor was there ever any religious histitution, which held not 
 out promises of reward to the obedient, and threatenings of pu- 
 nishment to the disobedient. Indeed, every -government whe- 
 ther human or divine, nujst naturally and necesssarily do it, 
 or there is an end to all order. Every law must have its sanc- 
 tion. Accordingly, we find Homer, Plato, Virgil*, and 
 others, have said every thing that is horrible concerning the fu- 
 ture misery of lost souls. Our great English Dramatist, who 
 has copied from their writings, shall speak their opinions ; 
 
 " Ay, but to die, and go we know not where; 
 
 To lie in cold obstruction, and to rot ; 
 
 This sensible \\ arm motion to become 
 
 A kneaded clod; and the delighted spirit 
 
 To bathe in fiery floods, or to reside 
 
 In tjirilliug regions of thick-ribbed ice; 
 
 To be imprison'd in the viewless winds. 
 
 And blown with restless violence round about 
 
 Tlie pendent world ; or to be worse dian \\ orst 
 
 Of those, that lawless and incertain thoughts 
 
 Imaguie howling : 'Tis too horrible ! 
 
 The weariest and most loathed worldly life. 
 
 That age, ache, penury, imprisonment, 
 
 Can lay on nature is a paradise 
 
 To what we fear of death." 
 
 promises of tlie Gospel being held out to him, lie was at length re- 
 stored to a sound mind, and is now a happy witness of the power of 
 redeeming grace. — Vide Evang. Mag. for Sep. 1798. 
 
 * The reader will find an account of the rewards of the righteous, 
 and the punishments of the wicked, in Homer's fourth and eleventh 
 books of his Odyssey: in Vi^ato's Phcedon, or Dialogue on the Im- 
 mortality of the Soul; and in the sixth book of Virgil's Mneid. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 269 
 
 If tills, or any thing like this, is to be the future destiny 
 of a certain class of our fellow-creatures, \vc shall gain little 
 by rejecting the Go'ipel representations.- We shall be ex- 
 tremely unwise to suffer our probationary period to pass away 
 unimproved. If our race be indeed in a state of moral ruin ; 
 if the Almighty hath devised means for our recovery; if, 
 among other messengers, he hath sent a person higher than 
 the heavens to be our Redeem liR*; we shall be strangely 
 wanting to ourselves, if we treat this glorious peison, and tlie 
 doctrines of salvation which he hath taught, with neglect or con- 
 tempt. At all events, therefore, let us examine well the 
 ground upon which we stand. Negiiucnce in such a cause, is 
 nearly as culpable as contempt. And be it never forgotten, 
 that, on every system, a strictly moral, and religious conduct, 
 is the duty, the interest, the felicity of all reasonable Beings. 
 What an idiot must that man be, who rejects his Saviour, 
 his Bible, and all his immoital expectations, because of some 
 chronological, or genealogical, or geographical difficulties in 
 the records of his salvation, which he cannot reconcile to the 
 Rill satisfaction of his mind .? I had almost said, if the Bibfc 
 were as full of blunders, contradictions, and absurdities, as 
 the Koran of Mahomet, yet might Jesus be a prophet sent 
 from God. The reality of his mission does by no means de- 
 pend upon the validity of the Scriptures f, though the Scrip- 
 
 * For a vei-y clear and satisfactory defence of the doctrine of re- 
 demption by Jesus Christ, see the first vol. of iJ?>//o/?PoKTEus*s 
 Sermons, discourse the tenth, and vol. ii. discotn.scs the second and 
 third; and that he is the real and proper Son of God, seethe ]4th 
 discourse of the same volume. The reader \vho remains uncon^ inced 
 after considering the various arguments advanced by the above leanied 
 and amiable PrtVafc, will probably resist every thing that can he said 
 by any other writer. If, howe\er, he is desirous of seeing the matter 
 fairly argued between Christianifi/ and Deism, let him have recourse 
 to a volume of Sermons preached at the Temple Church by Bishvp 
 Sherlock. I myself remember that this book convinced a deter- 
 mined Deist, who is now an eminent instrument in the hands of Pro- 
 vidence for the conversion of others. I would, therefore, to all such, 
 use the words of Augustine — Telle et lege; toUe et lege. 
 
 •f If we have any doubts concerning the truth of the Gospel of 
 Christ, it would be but fair to examine carefully all the other reli- 
 gions that now arc, or ever were, in the world, and compare them 
 impartially — not with Christ iuniti/ as established in the several coun- 
 tries of Europe —hvxi— with the pure, unmixed Ciospel, as taught by 
 our Saviour, and left on record in the Nnu Testament, and then 
 give the preference to that w hieh is most excellent. If the reader is 
 
27tf A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 iures are as genuine and authentic as if all depended upon 
 them. 
 
 Be wise, therefore, my Countrymen,, to know the time 
 of your visitation. Make the most of your little span of life. 
 Seek Tndh with modesty and humility, with patience and 
 perseverance, and follow wheresoever it leads the way. Take 
 the safe side. Believe in Christ, if you can. Believe as 
 far as you can. Examine every principle^ Step by step. And 
 should the evidence for Iifjidcliti/ fall ever so little short of 
 demonstration, if you act a reasonable part, you will believe 
 in Jesus, because infinite danger presses on ^hat side, and 
 no danger whatever on the side of faith and obedience. Sub- 
 mit then, to his easy and delightful yoke. His rcat/s (make 
 hut fair- trial of them) you will always find to be rcaj/s of plea- 
 santness, and all his paths to be paths o^ peace *. Ivi pur opi- 
 nion, and in the opinion of all wise and good men of every age 
 and nation : 
 
 ** Tis Religion that must give 
 
 Sweetest pleasures while we live ; 
 
 Tis Religion must suppply 
 
 Solid comfort when we die : 
 
 After death its joys shall be 
 
 Lasting as eternity f," 
 
 disposed to make this survey, he will tiud some assistance in J. Ste- 
 phens, Esq's, book on the Principles of the Christian Religion, com- 
 pared with those of all the other Religions and Si/stems of Phtloso- 
 fhy, which have hitherto appeared hi the world. 
 
 To the books in favour of Christianiti/, mentioned on a former 
 page, may be added Dr. John Rogers's eight Sermons on the Ne- 
 cessiti/ of Divine Revelation; Dr. Conybeare's Defence of Re- 
 vealed Religion ; Gastrel's Certainty and Necessity, of Religion in 
 general, and his Certainty of the Christian Revelation. 
 
 * For a view of the pleasures and cheerfulness of the religion of 
 Jesus, see Bishop Porteus's Sermons, vol. ii. p. i. 
 
 t Though Infidelity is making its way rapidly among the nations, 
 and among all orders of men, yet is the cause of the Gospel by no 
 means desperate. The Europefins in the East Indies are said to be 
 ahnost universally Infidels. The state of France is too well known. 
 The same spirit is running through America. Thomas Paine has 
 sent over among them, it is said, 14,000 copies of liis deisticai publi- 
 ciitions. But though every possible effort is making to establish the 
 reign of Infldflity, there are equal efforts at least, I think, making by 
 good men of all denominations, for the propagation of evangelical 
 truth. The conflict is severe. But it is easy to see how the contest 
 will terminate. Let every man that is on the Lokd's side come for- 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. Q71 
 
 K, however, after your most serious and conscientious en- 
 deavours, you are not able to find satisfactory evidence, that 
 
 ward, and avow himself a friend of the despised Nazarene, ia opposi- 
 tion to all the powers of earth and hell. Curse ye Meroz, said the 
 Angel of the I.ORD, curse ye bitterly tlie inhabitants thereof; because 
 they came not to the help of the Loud, to the help of the Lord against 
 the mighty. When one considers the present situation of tlie great 
 bulk of mankind, whose heart does not bum within him to contribute 
 something towards evangelizing the nations ? The hihabitants of the 
 world are said to amount at this time to about 731 mihious; of 
 whom 4i^0 millions are Pa^flHs; 130 millions Mahometans; 100 
 millions Catholics; 44 millions Protectants; 30 millions of the 
 Greek and Armenian churches ; and 7 millions Jeics. 
 
 The Rev. Mr. Carey, late oi Leicester, and now a Missionary 
 among the Hindoos, says, 
 
 Europe contains 1 66,932,000 
 
 Asia 3S7,S84,oOO 
 
 Africa 6l,137,'200 
 
 America 116,621,420 
 
 The World 732,575,120 
 
 Guthrie makes the world to contain .... 933,000,000 
 
 The medium number may be . 800,000,000 
 
 Christians 170,000,000 
 
 Jews 9,000,000 
 
 Mahometans 140,000,00a 
 
 Pagans 481,000,000 
 
 Total 800,000,000 
 Subdivisions among Christians may be thus : 
 
 Protestants ............ 50,000,000 
 
 Grtcks and Armenians 30,000,000 
 
 Catholics, \c. .- 90,000,000 
 
 Total 1 70,000,000 
 
 IsTiot this view of things a loud call to the friends of the Gospel 
 to use every possilile mean to promote tli<i spread of it among tJie 
 nations ] — Jf any man love not the Lord jEi>i;s Christ, let him be 
 accursed, is the language of inspiration. Are we iu no danger then 
 from that spirit of slumber which overspn'ads our minds .' Ought 
 not every nin j, \iho has any concern for hLs own i'uture happii^ess, to 
 lend a helping hand to promote the salvation of tlie many millions of 
 souls, who now sit in darkness, cjid in the region and shadoiv of 
 death?. The Moravian?, abo-.e v\\ other peoj»Ie ujjon earth, have 
 herein the !;reatest niorit. That sinall, and, in soiv:e respects, nbicure 
 Sect, have done more to spread the hcuour of the Redeemer^ name 
 
272 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 Cht.ist came from God; you must allow at leasts Mith 
 
 amoiip barbarous nation?, than all tlie Protestants in Christendom. 
 Tlicse wovthv people began their missions in the year 1732, and have 
 now, in ditleierit parts of the world, and those several of tiiem the 
 most unnrop^'ious, no less than 2C> Settlements. In these Settle- 
 ments ne<ir 140 Missionaries are employed in superintending about 
 23,000 converts fioni the Heof/iens! 
 
 A .Swerf/s/i mission '.\iis undertaken to the Susgruhanah river in 
 America in tlie year 10.')7, by three j-Kirsons, but with little success. 
 
 The King of Den.nark sent out two persons in the year 1705 to 
 Tranqvehar ou the coa^t of Coromandel, vhich mission has been con- 
 tinued to the present time, ^^ ith considerable advantage to the cause 
 of Christ in that part of the workl. 
 
 The Society for propagating the Go^^pel in Foreign parts, and that 
 for promoting Christian Know/edge in \\ie Highlands and Islands of 
 Scotland, were bntli bc<;un about the year 1701, and have both been 
 extremely useful in spreading the knowledge of the Redeemer's 
 name. America is particularly indebted to these two Societies. 
 
 The Societi/ for promoting Christian Knoivledge was begun in the 
 year 1098, and has been carried forward with considerable spirit for 
 near one whole century. At present they have six Missionaries in 
 the East Indies, and one in the islands of Scilly. From these Mis- 
 sionaries some verv pleas ng accounts have been published in the several 
 annual reports. The ciTorts of this honourable Society have been verv- 
 considerable also in tin; distributi-m of i^/ft/f* and other religious books 
 of various descriptions. The Bibles sent out the last three years 
 averaged .5,'2'^S each year ; the yew Testaments aud Psalters 9,333, 
 Common Prayers 9,738, other bound books 10,56"'2, and smAWTracts 
 6"9,754. - A charity of a most extensive, valuable, and important na- 
 ture ! But, a principal object \\\X\\ this Society, is the education of 
 poor children. Aud in this, as well as in the distribution of books, 
 thev excel auv tliiug that ever was in the world. Let their annual 
 meeting at St. Paul's bear witness. See the Reports for an account 
 of tlieir extraordinary exertions in the propagation of religious know- 
 led'^e. See also the Report of the Foreign Bible Society for 3Iay 
 1808. 
 
 The Baptists in this country have lately sent out two persons to 
 the East Indies, the fri\it of whose labouis begins to ajipear, though 
 the mission is in its infancy. VN'e are informed by them, that the 
 Enropeatts in that coimtrs are ven." generally in a state of Injidelify. 
 This confirms what has "been said by the natives in broken Eng- 
 lish: "Christian religion— Devil religion! Christian nmch drunk 
 .—Christian much do wrong, much l)eat, much abuse others." — 
 The nati^ es are apt to say in making their bargains—" What, 
 dost thou think mc a Christian, that I would go about to deceive 
 
 Ijiep?" <: It is a sad sight," s?as one of the first Missionaries, 
 
 " to behold a drunken Christian, and a sober Indian; a temperate 
 Indian, and a Christian given up to his appetite; an Indian 
 that is'just in his dealing, a Christian not so. O what a sad 
 thin» it is for Christians, to come short of Indians, even in 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 273 
 
 KoussEAU, that he was an extraordinary maii; one of the first 
 
 moraUlies ! to come short of those, who themselves believe, to come 
 short of heaven !" 
 
 Considerable effects also may be expected to arise from the two 
 Settlements on the coasts of Africa and ^.tw Holland. The expec- 
 tation will appear rational, if we compare Amfrica two or three cen- 
 turies ago, with what it is at the present period. 
 
 Tiie Methodist connection, under the direction of the Rev. Dr. 
 Coke, has been considerably successful in winning souls to Christ 
 in the Uest Indies. In the year 179-4^, they had upwards of a dozen 
 Preachers employed in the ditierent islands, and near 8,000 Blacks in 
 society, besides others of different descriptions*. 
 
 The Missianari/ Socifti/ in London have taken up the deplorable 
 situation of the Heathen nations witii great spirit ; and present pros-, 
 peots are veiA' promising. How far it may please the great Head of 
 tlie Chuvcli to succeed their endeavours in behalf of the Heathen, 
 remains yet to be jjrovedf. But be this as it may, the ))ersoiis con- 
 cerned shall not lose their reward. The attempt is honourable. 
 Ever} believer in Christ Jesls should throw his mite into one or 
 other of these treasuries of heaven. More noble still, however, is he, 
 w ho, laying aside all party prejudices, and nai low plans of human 
 policv, contributes, according to his ability, to every scheme set on 
 fool for the salvation of his fellow-creatures, and the ad\ancement of 
 the Redeemer's khigdom. I cannot conceive how any man, who 
 professes to believe in the name of Christ, can be at rest in his spi- 
 rit, without making some effort to advance the honour of his name. It 
 is a black mark iipon him. Woe unto them that are at ease in Zion 
 — that put Jar uivay the evil day— that lie upon beds of ivory, that 
 alretch themselves upon their couches, that eat the lambs out of the 
 flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall— that chant to iht 
 tound of the viol— that drink wine in bowls— but they are not grieved 
 for the affliction of Joseph. 
 
 Thanks be to God, that though a spirit of Infidelity is rapidly 
 spreading itself through the old rotten churches of Europe, yet there 
 is a tiie kindled in the hearts of thousands that shall never be extin- 
 guislied, till all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our 
 God. a misiionary spirit is Leginning to shew itself, all through 
 England, .Scotland, Ireland, Holland, Sni!-erland, Germany, and 
 America, which shall finally diffuse itself through every natiou under 
 heaven. 
 
 * See the present state of this mission on a former page. 
 
 -)• It is a matter ol" great thankfulness, that after a voyage of more than 50,000 
 miles, accomplished in 21 months, Captain Wilson returned without the least 
 material loss or injury to the ship Duff, in which he took out to the South Sea 
 Islands about 30 Missiwiuries. When theyarrived at Otahtite, they were received 
 by the natives with reverence and delight. They had not one sick, person on 
 board ; and now that they arc returned, the crew of the ship is in better health 
 than when they first embarked from England. AH this hat^ GoB wrought ia 
 answer -to prayer, 
 
274 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 characters that ever appeared upon earth*. See then that 
 you blasplieme not his name ; treat his cause and interest i« 
 the world with respect; walk according to the best Hght you 
 have; be virtuous in your own way, and dx> all yoi-t can — not 
 to make converts to Injidelity — (because vihen men com- 
 mence Injideh, they itsually become iminoral) but to lead 
 your fellovv-men into the patl>iy o£ piety and virtue, under 
 some denomination or other. If, indeed, you canjairli/, by 
 sound argument, and solid evidence, explode the divine aiu> 
 thority of the Gospel, we are so far from being afraid of con- 
 sequences that we call upon you to do hf. Try then what 
 
 Why do not our Unbelieving countrymeu form societies, and send 
 out missionaries to convert the nations to pure Deism ? If they are 
 Ml earnest, and if they consider their principles as the only true and 
 important ones, they certaiaJy ought so to do, or else they fall under 
 divine condemnation. 
 
 * Most of the French pliilosophers, those dabblers in science, al- 
 low that Jesus Christ was one of the greatest geniuses, and most 
 extraordinary man that ever appeared upon earth. Others deny his 
 very existence! 
 
 •f Atheists and Unbelievers have more or less abounded iii every ' 
 age of the world, in Noah's time, the whole luunan race was gone 
 astray. In the days of Davii>, the fool said in his heart. There is 
 fio God. Scoflers too appeared in the age of the Apostles, walking 
 after their own lusts, and saying. Where is the promise of his coming? 
 I remember reading somcMhere a story of a man in the last cen- 
 tury, who was as great an enthusiast againsi the Bible as Tho-mas 
 Paine himself. This clever fellow, either to display his wit, ox his 
 fanaticism, proceeded in the following truly curious manner: 
 
 In the year l6'4p, as a 3Ir. Fawcett was preaching in his church 
 at Walton upon Thames, towards the close of the afternoon, six sol-^ 
 diers entered the church. One of them had a lantern in one hand, 
 with a caudle bmning in it: In the other hand were four candles not 
 lighted. When Mr. Fawxett had gone through the sei-vice of the 
 day, and dismissed the congregation, this man called to the people to 
 stay a little, for he had a message to them from God. Not being 
 permitted to asceud the pulpit, or to address the people any farther 
 in the church, he weut into tlie yard, where the congregation col- 
 lected around bun. He told them he had had a vision, and had re- 
 ceived a command from God to deliver his will unto them ; and 
 which they must receive upon pain of damnation. It consisted, he 
 said, oijive lights. 
 
 1. That the sabbath was abolished, as unnecessary and ceremo- 
 nial. — And here, said the man, I should liave put out my first hghtj^ 
 but the wind is so high I cannot kindle it. 
 
 2. Tythes are abolished, as Jewish, and a great burden to the 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 
 
 L'7a 
 
 you can do. Exert all your talents. Call forth every latent 
 power of the mind. Bring out your stores of ancient and 
 modern lore. But — no ridicule! no laughter! no sneers! 
 'I'he occasion is loo great and serious. Come forward, ratherv 
 in all the <iignity of good sense, in all the majesty of consci- 
 ous nitegrity, in all the zeal which the love of truth inspires, 
 furnished with languages, knowledge, experience, observation, 
 and either honourably overthrow the cause of the Gospel, 
 Aviiich we assuredly deem the cause of truth ; or, like Jknyngs 
 and Pringle, openly acknowledge that you are convinced and 
 conquered. This would be manly. This would be acting in a 
 manner worthy the character of Lovers oi truth. xVnd on such 
 -men the God of ^77//^ himself would look down from heaven 
 well pleased. 
 
 I have already called your attention. Gentlemen, to a 
 variety of characters from among the moderns, some good, 
 others bad, some believers, olhers uiabelievers. 1 would wish 
 you, however, to take ti>e Bibie uito your own hands, and 
 read it careftdly and coolly over, as a book of connnon his- 
 
 saints of God, and a discouragciiient of industry and tillage. — And 
 here I should have put out my second light, ■&«. 
 
 3. 3Iiniste7-s are abolished, as autichristian, aiid of no further use, 
 now that Christ liiniseif descends into the lieurts of his saints^ and 
 his Spirit enlightens tl>eni with revelations and inspirations. — And 
 here I should have put out my third light. Sec. 
 
 4. Magistrates are abolishetl, as useless, noAv that Christ liim- 
 self is in purity of Spirit come among us, and has erected the king- 
 dom of the saints upon cartlu Besides, they are tyrants and op- 
 ]>ressors of the liberty of the saints and tie them to laws and ordi- 
 nances, mere lumraii inveaitions- — xVnd liere I should have put out 
 my fourth light, 6:c. 
 
 5. Then, putting his hand in Iris pocket, and pulling out a little 
 Mihle, he shewed it oj>en to the j)eople, saying, " Here is a book you 
 have all in great veneration, consisting of two parts, the Old and 
 Am- Testament. I must tell you, it is abolished. It contains 
 l»eggarly rudiments, milk for babes: but now Christ is in glory 
 amongst us, and imparts a fuller measure of his Spirit to his saints 
 than this can aftord; and tlieiefore I am connnanded to burn it be- 
 fore your faces." — So, taking the candle out of the lanlern, he set 
 fire to the leaves; and then, putting out the candle, he cried — "And 
 here myji/th light is extinguished." 
 
 This is not the only madman whom we have known to burn Lis 
 liihle. I'here are many such now within 40 miles of this place. One 
 I have heard of, w ho, to be more witty than his saga^ jus brethcn, 
 roasted his Bible before a slow tire ! 
 
 N N 2 
 
^70 A PLEA FOR RELIGIOX 
 
 tory only, without any regard to its divine original j and 
 then endeavour to form an impartial judgment what course 
 you ought to take, and what the event of your present con- 
 duct will be. To bring the matter to a short and easy issue, 
 turn to the thirty-seventh psalm, read it seriously over half a 
 dozen times, and consider well its contents. Do not be rash, 
 foolish, headstrong, and reject this, and the other Sacred Re^ 
 cords, without either rhyme or reason; but be cool, delibe- 
 rate, sober, well-advised, and determine to chuse the side of 
 prudence, discretion, and safety. Let the several historical 
 characters recorded in the Old and Neze Testament be taken 
 into your most careful consideration, and judge calmly of 
 their comparative respectability, and with whom you should 
 like best to die. Whether had you rather wish to die and 
 have your portion in eternity with Cain, Balaam, and Pha- 
 kaoh; with Korah, Dathan, and Abijiam; with Saul, 
 Absalom, and Ahitophel; with Hekod, Judas, Pilate, 
 and all such like characters ; or you w ould chuse to die and 
 have your portion in eternity with Abel, Noah, and Lot; 
 with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph ; with Moses ; 
 Aaron, Joshua, and Samuel; with David, Asa, Jeho- 
 SHAPHAT, Hezekiah, and Josiah; with Isaiah, Jere- 
 miah, EzEKiEL, and Daniel; with John the Baptist, 
 Jesus Christ, the twelve Jpostlcs, the seventy Discrples; and 
 all the other excellent men, whose names are recorded with 
 approbation in the Jczcish and Christian code? Can you hesi- 
 tate one moment which side you would wish to take? Consi- 
 der the matter well, and make your election. 
 
 But, if you do already see reason to believe in the Son of 
 God; or if at any future period you should find cause so to 
 do, take heed that you do imbibe the true, noble, liberal, 
 benevolent, spirit of the Gospel, in all its purity and ex- 
 tent. 
 
 Be not ashamed either of its doctrines or precepts. Its 
 doctrines are oracles, its precepts are sanctioned with penal- 
 ties of a nature the most tremendous that can be conceived. 
 Hold fast the former then, regardless of the obloquy of self- 
 righteous Moralists, in all their purity and extent. They 
 form one grand, well-compacted system, far more glorious 
 than the whole universe of visible created things. The hea- 
 vens declare the glorj/ of God, the wonderful variety of creu-. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 277 
 
 tures upon earth his wisdom, power, and goodness; but the 
 schen)e of saving a lost world, by the interposition of his 
 Son, outshines all the other works of the Divine Being that 
 have ever come wiiliin the ken of mortal creatures. God, 
 tclio at sundry times, xnid in diiers manners, spake in time past 
 unto thefat/uis Ity the prophets, hath in these last day's spoken 
 unto us by his Son, <c horn he hath appointed heir of a /i things; 
 by xihom also he made the worlds; icho, being the brightness 
 of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholds 
 ing all things by the word of his porcer, when he had by him- 
 self purged our sins, sat dozen on the right hand of the 
 Majesty on high. This is perfectly in the spirit of ancient 
 prophecy: Unlo us a child is bom, unto us a son is given, and 
 the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall 
 be cfl//fc?, Wonderful, CoLNSELLOR, The Mighty God; 
 The Everlasting Father/I'iie Prince or Peace. Of 
 the encrease of his government and peace there shall be no end, 
 upon the throne o/'David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, 
 and to establish it uilh judgment, and zcith justice, from Jience- 
 forth even f 01 ever. The beloved Disciple of our Lord dis- 
 plays the original grandeur of this Mighty One more fully 
 than the Prophet: In the beginning teas the Word, and the 
 Word teas zcith God, and the Word zcas God. All thinvi 
 nere made by him, and zcith out him zcas not any thing made 
 that lias made. — Atid the Word rcas made Jiesh and dzcelt 
 among us, and zee beheld his glory, the glon/ as of the onlif- 
 begotten of the Father, Jail of grace and truth. This amaz- 
 ing idea of the creating power of the Redeemer is still 
 more expanded by the ^revit Jpostle oj^ the Gentiles: By him 
 zcere all things created, that are in heaven and that are in 
 earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or domi- 
 nions, or principalities, or powers: all things weie created bu 
 him and for him; and he is before all things, and by him 
 all things consist. — He being in the form of Gov, thought it 
 7iot robbery to be equal zcith God ; and though he zcas God's 
 Tel LOW, he made himself of no reputation, and took upon 
 him the form of a servant, and zcas made in the likeness of 
 men, and being j'ound in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, 
 and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 
 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a 
 name, zvkich is above everj/ name; that at the name o/' Jesus 
 
•78 A PLEA FOK RELIGION 
 
 tvcry knee should bozo, of things in heaven, and things in 
 earth, and things under the earth ; and that every tongue 
 should confess that J T.'ivs Christ is Lord to the glory of 
 God the Father. So that, thougli all * we have sinned and 
 
 * It may be safely asserted, I ai)prehend, that all truly serious 
 and reliiiiously minded people are nearly of one opinion concerning 
 the ^reat doctrines of the Gospel. They live in the comfort and die 
 in the feith of them. The Calvifiist and Arminian here at least are 
 of one mind. ^Yhen the Rev. John Wesley came to die, his lan- 
 guage was, 
 
 *' I the chief of sinners am. 
 But Jesus died for me." 
 
 ** There is no way into the holiest, but by the bloml of Jesus." 
 " I'll praise my Maker while I've breath," &c. [*^] 
 
 The late Mr. ToPLADY also appears to have been greatly sup- 
 ported with divine consolations during his last sickness. A few days 
 before his deatii he said to a friend: " O, my dear Sir, it is impossi- 
 ble to describe how good God is to me. This afternoon I haAe en- 
 joyed such a season, such sweet comnmnion with God, and such de- 
 lightful manifestations of his presence with, and love to my soul, that 
 it is impo6sil)Ie for words, or any language to express tUem. I have 
 had peace and joy unutterable. ' 
 
 To another "friend he said: " The comforts and manifestations of 
 God's love are so abundant, as to render my state and condition the 
 most desirable in tlie world. I would not exchange my condition 
 witli any one upon earth." . 
 
 The same friend calling upon him a day or two before his death, he 
 said, with hands clasj^ed, and his eyes lifted up and starting with tears 
 of the most evident joy: " O, my dear Sir, I cannot tell you the com- 
 forts I feel in my soiil. They are pvist expression. The consolations 
 of God to such an unworthy wretch are so abundant, that he leaves 
 me nothing to pray for, but a continuance of them. I enjov a heaven 
 already in my soul. My prayers are all converted into praise." 
 
 At another time he said: "" O how this soul of mine longs to be 
 gone ! Like a bird imprisoned in a cage, it longs to take its flight. O 
 that I had wings like a dove, then would I liee away to the reahns of 
 bliss, and be at rest for ever! O that some guardian angel might be 
 commissioned ; for I long to be absent from this body, and to be with 
 iny Lord for ever." 
 
 At another time, and indeed for many days together he cried out, 
 •' O what a day of sun-shine has this been to me ! I have not words, 
 to express it. It is unutterable. O, my friends, how good^is God ! 
 Almost without interrujition his presence has been with me." 
 
 Near his end, waking from a slumber, lie said: " O what de- 
 lights! Who can fathom the joys of the third heaven T And again, a 
 liUle before his departure : " the sky is clear ; there is no cloud ; 
 come. Lord Jesus, come quickly." 
 
 [^] i>/i-. Wesley held the same doctrine for 50 years preceduig 
 his death.— Editor. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 
 
 279 
 
 come short of the glory of God, we are justified freely by his 
 grace through the redemption that is f« Christ Jesus ; whom 
 
 ' The learned reader will not be sorry to compare here the dying 
 scenes of t^vo or three of tlie German Christians with the above of 
 Wesley and Toplady. Musculus's Soliloquy before death ap- 
 pears to me in the highest spirit of the Gospel of Christ. 
 
 " Nil siipei'ttst vitae ; frigus praecordia captat: 
 
 Sed tu, Christe, mihi vita perennis ades. 
 Quid trepidas, Aniuia ? Ad sedes abitura quietis; 
 
 En tibi ductor adest Angehis ille tuus. 
 Linque donium banc uiiseram, nunc in sua fata ruentein, 
 
 Quam tibi lida Dei dextera restituet. 
 Peccasti? — Scio ; Sed Christus credentibus in sc 
 
 Pecciita expurgat sang-uine cuncta suo. 
 Ilonibils mors est I Fateor : Sed proxima vita est. 
 
 Ad quam te Christi gratia certa vocat. 
 Prwsto est de Satana, peccato, in morte triumi)hans. 
 
 Christus: Ad iIunc igitur lata alacrisque migra." 
 
 Translated by Merrieke. 
 
 My live decays, deaths damjis have seiz'd my heart; 
 
 But thou, O Christ, art more than life to me. 
 VVliy tremblest thou, my soul? To rest depart. 
 
 Behold thy guardian angel wails for thee. 
 
 This wret(;hed tenement dissolving, leave. 
 
 Which God's own hand will faithfully restore. 
 
 Thy sins are many ; but on Christ believe. 
 And all thy sins his blood will rover o'er. 
 
 Is death ;errific? Yes ; but life is near: 
 To this the gracious words of Christ invite. 
 
 He con(pieis death, sin, satan ; banish fear, 
 To his dear presence take tliy joyful flight, 
 
 Theodore Zuinger, a famous Gasman physician, when^le Jay 
 upon his death-bed, took his leave of Ihc world in the followin<r fiue 
 copy of verses, which is a liberal paraphrase of the l'22d psalui. 
 
 " O lux Candida, lux mihi 
 
 Ljcti conscia transitus! 
 
 Per Christi meritum patet 
 
 Vitae portii beata;. 
 Me status revocat dies 
 Augustam Domini ad domum 
 Jam sacra atherii premam 
 
 LsetUi liinina templi. 
 
 Jam visam Solymce edita 
 Coclo culmina, et aedium 
 Laitus angelicos, suo et 
 
 Augustam populo urbcm: 
 Uibem, quam procul infiniis 
 Terras finibus exciti 
 Petunt Christicder, ut Deu.m 
 
 Laudent voce perenni: 
 
280 A PLEA FOR RELIGION" 
 
 God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his 
 blood, to diclarc his righteousness for the remission of sins that 
 are past, through the forbearance of God — to dec/are his 
 righteousness, that he might be just, and the just if er of him who 
 believeth in Jesus: Christ bei/tg the end of the law for 
 righteousness to etery one that believeth. These things being 
 laid together, and duly consideied, ma} Nve not exclaim vkitl) the 
 same devout and admiring Apostle? Without controversy, 
 great is the mystery of godliness : God teas manifest in the 
 Jlesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the 
 Gentiles, believed on in the rcorld, received up into glory. 
 
 Such are the doctrines of Chkist, of which the Apostle de- 
 clares he was not ashamed, and of which uo Christian ought or 
 need to be ashamed ; because they are the pozcer of God unto 
 salvation linto every one that believeth in his name. And we 
 may say of them what St. Paul says upon another occasion, 
 Though zee, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel 
 vnto you, than that zchich zee have preached unto you, let 
 him be accursed. As ice said bej'ore, so say I note again, If 
 any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have 
 received, let him be. accuised. Harsh as these words may 
 seem, they were written in all the plenitude of apostolical au- 
 thority, and apply to every case where the essential doctrines of 
 the Sacred JVritings are concerned. What those doctrines are- 
 may not be expedient for me here to say ; the Scriptures are in 
 every one's hands, and no man need continue m ignorance of 
 what the Lord God requires of him. 
 
 Jussam caeiilus oppi(iis 
 Urbem jus daie ceteii , 
 Et sedem fnrc Davidis 
 
 Cuucta iu sttcla beati. 
 Mater nobiiis urbiam! 
 Semper te bona pax amat; 
 Et te senipcr amantibus 
 
 Cedunt omnia recte. 
 
 Sen. per pax tua mcenia 
 Colit; semper in atriis 
 Tuis copia dexterd 
 
 Larga muiiera fundit. 
 Dulcis Christiadum domus, 
 Civfin adscribe novitium; 
 Sola comitata Caritas 
 
 Spesque Fidcsque, valete." 
 
 How different is the spirit of these dying scenes from those of our 
 modern Philosophers, ^^ho usually depait this life like unto the Em- 
 pei'or Adrian, or in a manner much inferior: 
 
 " AniiU'iu vagula, hlandula, 
 
 Hosjies, ron:e.s<!ui' corporis. 
 
 Quae nunc ahibis in loca 
 
 Pallidula, rigida, nudula, 
 
 ^iec, ut soles, dabis jocos V 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 281 
 
 And liicn, as to the precepts of the Redeemer's religion, 
 they aie such as have been admired in all ages, and as no man 
 need feel himself ashamed to own. The substance of them is : 
 fVJiatsuever yt would that men should do to you, do ye even so 
 to them : A precept so held in admiration by one of the Roman 
 eiiiperors, that he had it inscribed in various public places to be 
 seen and read of all men. This excellent laconic sentence is 
 more cxj^anded by our Loud himself in another place: I'hou 
 shalt love the Lord thy God icith all thy heart, and with all 
 thy soul, and zeith all thy strength, and with all thy mind. 
 And thy iieighbour as thyself: and still more by St. Paul; 
 The grace oj' Goo that bringeth salvation hath appeared to 
 all men; teaching us, that denying ungodliness^ and worldly 
 lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godlily in this 
 present zcorld, looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious 
 appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus 
 Christ; who gave himself for us that he might redeem iis 
 from all iniquity, and purify unto himself, a peculiar people, 
 zealous of good zcorks. May I not then exhort you, my serious 
 readers, in the words of the same Apostle, to jjresent your 
 bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, ze^hich is 
 your reasonable service? and not to be conformed to this 
 zcorld : but to be transformed by the renezcing of your inind, 
 that ye ma i/ prove zchat is that good, and acceptable, and 
 perfect zcill of Gon r Endeavour to be uniformly and consci- 
 entiously, inwardly and outwardly, religious *, Lay aside, as 
 
 * Tliere is need, in this time of general discontent, to call the at- 
 tention of all good men to the obligations we are under, to be dutiful 
 and loyal subjects. Tlie Scripfm-e is decisive, that as we are to 
 fear GOD, so are we to honour the King. But, setting duty aside, 
 self-interest, if duly consulted, would iirduce every man to obey the 
 civil government of the happy country in which we live. We hnve 
 nuich to lose, little to gain, by any change that might take place. 
 The ruin brought upon France may satisfy any man, how dangerous 
 a thing it is to embark in public contentions, and disturb the regular 
 order of tbings. If the experience of our neighbours will not deter- 
 mine us to peaceable and temperate measures among ourselves, we 
 should do well to look back to the reign of the first Charles, 
 when the three kingdoms were convulsed for seven years together 
 from one and to auollier. Besides the many thousands of piivate 
 men vhu tiell in. the bloody fray, the many millions of moi.ey that were 
 spent, and the numerous iannlies that were ruined, tliere were slain 
 17 Earls and Lords — 45 Knights and Baronets — 55 C'donels— 4,2 
 Lieutenant Colonels — 33 Majors — 138 Captains — 30 Gentlemen 
 
 o o 
 
'28^ A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 much as may be, all other thoughts and concerns, and let the 
 pardon of your sins, the justification of your persons, the purifi- 
 cation of your natures, and the salvation of your souls, be the 
 grand business and aim of your hfe. Every thing within you, 
 and every thing without you, w ill oppose this great regenerating 
 process of religion. Remember, however, this is your main con- 
 cern in the world. One thing alone is truly needful. Secure 
 this, and every thing beside is safe. 
 
 " This done, the poorest can no wants endure ; 
 " And this not done, the richest must be poor." 
 
 Labour not for the meat that perisheth, but that meat 
 which tndureth unto everlasting life. — -Seek ye first the ki?tg- 
 dom of God, and his righteousness, and all necessary thiitgs 
 shall be added unto you. If you are ever so rich, great, wise, 
 learned, honourable; if you are not at the same time experi- 
 mentally religious, you are a miserable man. Do you want 
 proof of this ? Look inward, and look forward to the close of 
 life; or turn back, and impartially consider the experience of 
 the several persons, whose declarations we have recorded in the 
 beginning of this Treatise. Compare them, weigh them, dis- 
 criminate their characters; reject what is base and unworthy 
 your attention, take alarm at the warnings of the dying penitents, 
 and resolve, by the grace of Goi>, to have a name and a place 
 among his people. Let others despise and neglect the Sacred 
 Writings, as their humour shall lead, do you be much in the 
 
 Volimteei^s — with about 30 others, who were either beheaded or died 
 in prison. — ^Tbe spirit of the times was much the same as hath for 
 these several years prevailed in France; nor were the clergy treated 
 with nuich more humanity, 8 or 1 0,000 of them being turned out of 
 their Livings. See Walker's Sufferings of the Clerg\', p. ips — 
 300. . And if any convulsion should take place again in this country, 
 I do not conceive that we should be much more humane towards 
 each other, than people have been in cases of a similar nature. He 
 was no inexperienced man who said — The begintmig of strife is as 
 when one letteth out water ; therefore have o^' contention before it 
 he meddled ivith. 
 
 When the Almighty intends to punish us effectually, he will de- 
 prive us of wisdom, and set us at loggerheads one w ith another. Tiie 
 consequence will be ruin to the present race of Englishmen. If 
 with the above two dreadful examples before us, we suffer a party 
 spirit to drive us to extremities, we shall deserve all we can suffer. 
 See the seventh chapter of EzEKiEL. Were we united and religious 
 we might defy the whole w orld. 
 
AND THE SACRED V, RITIXGS. 283 
 
 perusal of them. Let them dwell hi you richly.- They will 
 make you happy in yonr own soul, and wise unto salvation. 
 Search them, dig in them, scrutinize them, let your daily delisiht 
 be in diem. It is the engrafted JVord, and the U ord of God's 
 grace alone, which is able to build us up in faith and love, and 
 save our souls alive. Read it, therefore, a*? the JVord of God. 
 Read it with religious views. Read it with constant prayer to 
 Heaven for divine illumination; and, as often as convenient, 
 get upon your knees in secret * with the Bible spread before 
 you, and, be assured, you shall experience sublime and ravishing 
 delights, to which the most happy and prosperous worldly men 
 are utter strangers, and of uhich you yourselves can have no 
 proper conception, till you have made the experiment. Could 
 I be the happy instrument of inducing you to make the experi- 
 ment, you would bless me for ever. And you will give me leave 
 to say that if you could s^peak Tcitk the tongues of men and of 
 angels, and possessed all knowledge human and divine ; if you 
 could perform wonders like Moses, celebrate the praises of 
 God like David^ prophesy like Isaiah, write like Paul, 
 preach like Peter, thunder like James and John, and offer 
 up your souls on racks and in flames like the Maccahean mother 
 and her seven noble sons; if you had power with God like 
 Jacob, and had the valour of Joshua, the strength of Sam- 
 son, the beauty of Absalom, the wisdom of Solomon, the 
 zeal of Ph IN EH AS, with every otlier qualification natural and ac- 
 quired, that ever centered in any of the sons of men; vet, with- 
 out a close, intimate, experimental acquaintance with the Sacred 
 Oracles, and the great truths therein contained, all will avail 
 nothing; you can neither enjoy true consolation in your spirit 
 now, nor be capable of felicity hereafter when vou die. Were 
 I, therefore, permitted to give my last dying-y advice to the 
 
 * M. Dc Renty, -d French uohlemau, used to read three chapters 
 a day with his head uncovered, and on his bended knees; and this 
 is the practice likewise of abundance of religious characters in the 
 present day. 
 
 t Tiie famous Sir Philip Sidney, taking leave of his brother 
 Robert, when he died of the wound he had l•ecei^ed in the tield of 
 battle, said, "Love my memory; cherish in\ frieiuls ; — Imt above 
 all, govern your will and affections by tht- U'ill wudJJ'ord of vour 
 Creator; in me beholding the end of this world, whh a if her 
 vanities." 
 
 Sir Christopher Hatton, in Uke manner, a celebrated 
 O o 2 
 
284 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 dearest friend I have in the world, it \voiild be tlie same which 
 Dr. Johnson gave to his friend 5/ ;• Joshua Reyn©lds — 
 Read youe BiBLEf: I only should add as above — Read it 
 
 statesman, a little before his death, advised his relations to be serious 
 in searching after the will of God in his Holy Word: " for," said he, 
 " it is desen'ediy accounted a piece of excellent knowledge to under- 
 stand the law s of the land, and the customs of a man's counti^ ; how 
 much more to know the statutes of heaven, and the laws of eternity, 
 those immutable and eternal laws of justice and righteousness! To 
 know the will and pleasure of the great ^Monarch, and universal 
 King! I have seen an end of all perfection, but the commandments 
 of God are exceeding broad." 
 
 t This great man himself read the Bible too little, and other books 
 too much. This, and associating frequently w ith men of little or no 
 religion, were the main causes of his great leanness of soul, and fear 
 of death all through life. He was, indeed, an extraordinary man, 
 and an admirable judge of good writing. In the second volume of 
 his Lives of the Poets, p. 110, he speaks of Dryden's Dialogue 
 cm the Drama, as one of the finest prose compositions in the English 
 language: and at the 152 page of the same volume he says, Dry- 
 den's Poem on the death of 3/r^. KiLLlGREW, is the noblest 
 Ode our language has ever produced. In the third volume, p. 02, 
 he tells us the most poetical paragraph in the \^ hole mass of English 
 poetry is in Congreve's Mourning Bride. And in the fourth 
 volume, p. 181, he declares one of the finest similies in all English 
 poetry, is that of the Student's progress in the sciences in Pope's 
 Essay on Criticism, lines 215 — 232. 
 
 The more religious people read the Sac7'ed IVritings, and the less, 
 in general, they trouble themselves with the compositions of men, 
 the better. If, however, the Reader wishes to know what books are 
 best calculated to advance the spirit of religion in the soul, the fol- 
 lowing have been found singularly useful; Scougal's Life of God 
 in the Soul of Man — Baxter's Saints everlastiiig Resf — Dod- 
 dridge's Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul — Watts 0}i 
 the Love of God — Rowe's Devcut Exercises of the Heart — 
 Young's Night Thoughts — Milton's Paradise Lost and Regained 
 — Law's Se7ioiis Call to a Devout and Holy Life — and Thomas a 
 K-EyiFia on the Lnif at ion of 5 Esvs Christ. — Kempis, in parti- 
 cular, was a great tavouiite with Archbishop Leighton and Bishop 
 Burnet. And Law's Serious Call has the honour of being the 
 means of the conversion of that Hercules in literature, the late Dr. 
 Johnson ; which book he used, therefore, much to commend, say- 
 ina, " It was the finest piece of hortatory theology in any lan- 
 guage."— See Bos well's Life, vol. 1. p. p. 29, 34-1. — This book 
 has, moreover, extorted the foliowiug eulogium even from the scepti- 
 cal Edward Gibbon, Esq. one of the first Historians of the pre- 
 sent age, and an unquestionable judge of literary merit, 
 
 "Mr. Law's master-work, the Serious Call, is still read as a 
 popular and powerful book of devotion. His precepts are rigid 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. '235 
 
 dailif upon vDiir knee?. \vi(!i fervent prayer for divine iliiimiiin- 
 tion : and rest not, tiil vx'U liave imbibed the spirit of it into tl>c 
 verv frame and constitntion of your soul, and transcribed the 
 precepts and example of Jesus into every part of your daily 
 deportment in life. 
 
 This should be the last (h/i/ig advice, I say, Nvhicli I would 
 give to the tcnderest friend I have upon earth. And, if I 
 should have no other opportunity permitted me, 1 here leave it 
 on record, in direct opposition to the obloquy of the irreligious, 
 and unbelieving world, as a legacy to my frkuds and the people 
 among whom I have gone preaching the Gospcf, o( more real 
 intrinsic value than thousands of gold and silver. Read your 
 Bibles, and read till you love to read. Pray 
 
 but they are founded on the Gospel ; his satire is sharp, but it is 
 drawn from the knowledge of human life; and many of his portraits 
 are not unwurthy of the pen of La Bruyere. If he rinds a s|jark 
 of piety in his reader's miiid, he will soon kindle it to a flame; and 
 a iibilojopher must allow, that he exposes, with equal severity and 
 truth, the strange contradicti;ui between the faith and practice of the 
 Christian world. I'nder the names of Flavia and Miranda he 
 has admirably described my two aunts — the Heathen and the CkriS' 
 tian sister." 
 
 Memoirs of Gibbon's Life and Writings. 
 
 Tins, I think, is no eonunon praise ! 
 
 To the al)ove books shoidd be added Bunyan's Pilgrini^s Pro- 
 gress : Bishop Taylor's Holi/ Livins: and Di/ing; Archbishop 
 Leighton's JVorhs; and such other Writings as are of a lively and 
 evanirelic nature. I remember, near thirty years ago, hearing the late 
 excellent />r. Conyers, o( Deptford, say, that if he were banished 
 into a desart island, and permitted to take with him onlv four books, 
 the Life of Mr. IIalidurtoN should be one of the four. 
 
 This useful Life is i\ho the book which that great scholar. Sir 
 Richard EllY-^, valued above all the books in liis learned and co- 
 pious library. 
 
 With respect to the leading and most important doctrines of the 
 Gospel, I do not know that tiiey are any where more plainly and 
 faithfully expoiuided than in tiie book of [Jomilies. I have been of 
 this opinion many years, and still continue the same, making allow- 
 ance for the language, and certain circumstanrt s peculiar to the times 
 in wiiich they were written. In this opinion I tind myself confirmed 
 by Bisitop Horsley, who says to the Clergi/ in his Char^-e for 
 179^ — " These discoinses," some of the Homilies, " I would ear- 
 nestly recommend to your frequent study, as an unexceptionable 
 summary of doctrine upon these important jwints, and an excellent 
 model of composition for popular instruction." 
 
28G A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 DAILY OVER THEM, AND PRAY TILL YOU LOVE TO PRAY. 
 
 Whert the Scriptures m\d Prai/er become delightful, and the 
 time spent therein seems soon expired, then may you humbly 
 suppose you have made some proficiency in the divine life. 
 But, if you can spend whole days together, without refreshing 
 your soul with some portion of the Hol^ Writings ; if you feel 
 yourselves cold, remiss, and negligent in private prayer; or if, 
 when you read the Scripfures, and retire for devotion, you have 
 little or no taste for the heavenly employ, but it appears irk- 
 some and disagreeable, and the time spent therein tedious and 
 w earisome, you may be assured, let your professions be what 
 they may, and the sermons you hear ever so numerous, or ever 
 SO excellent, your soul ig either wholly dead to things divine, or 
 you are in a backsliding and dangerous conditign. 
 
 If you have never been accustomed to this religious exercise, 
 it is extremely probable, you will, for a time, find much reluc- 
 tance to it, a grievous struggle under it, and great unprofitable- 
 ness in it. Be not, however, discouraged ; but proceed in the 
 divine employ till you have conquered every difficulty*. And re- 
 member, these are difficulties that are common to man : that 
 have been vanquished by multitudes in every age of the church; 
 and that must be overcome by t/oh. Your present comfort, as 
 well as your everlasting welfare depend upon the victory. For 
 your encouragement, call to mind the Saj/ing of Pythago- 
 ras, the ancient Philosopher : 
 
 " Let the best course of life your choice invite, 
 For custom soon will turn it to delight :" 
 
 And the similar sentiment of Hesiod, the old Poet; 
 " The Gods have placed labour before virtue; the way to her 
 is at first rough and difficult, but grows more smooth and easy 
 the further you advance in it." Infinitely more encouraging and 
 authoritative still is the language of the Apostle \ Work out your 
 own salvation zcith fear and trembling ; for it is God tliat 
 xvorketh in you both to zcill and to do of his good pleasure. 
 
 Various instances might be produced of persons who, when 
 they approached the close of life, bitterly lamented their neglect 
 of the Sacred Volume f. And numerous are the examples of 
 
 * See a fine paper on this subject in the Spectator, No. 447- 
 "t See the cases of Salmasius, Hervey, and others, on the 
 foregoing pages. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 587 
 
 persons in all ages, who have spent much of their time in pe- 
 rusing that most unparalkkd Book. Moses, Isaiah, and 
 Mai.achi*, enjoin it upon all the Jews, young and old. 
 God himself commands the duty to Johsua. It was the 
 constant practice of David -f- through life. And there is reason 
 to suppose that Jesus Christ spent most of his leisure in this 
 manner. Our great Epic bard hath represented him as saying : 
 
 *' Wlien I was yet a child, no childish play 
 
 To me was pleasing; all my nn'nd was set 
 
 Serious to learn and know, and thence to do 
 
 What might he public good ; myself I thought 
 
 Born to that end, born to promote all truth. 
 
 All righteous things: therefore above my years 
 
 The law of God I read, and fouud it sw cct. 
 
 Made it my whole delight, and in it grew 
 
 To such perfection, that ere my age 
 
 Had measur'd twice six years, at our great /eaiV 
 
 I went into the temple, there to hear 
 
 The teachers of our law, aud to propose 
 
 What might improve their knowledge or my own; 
 
 And was admir'd by all J-" 
 
 Both Christ and his disciple Si. Paul recommend the 
 employ to every Cliristian, Timothy was trained from his 
 childhood in this way. And the Bereans are spoken of as 
 being more noble than others, because they searched the Scrip- 
 tures daily. The primitive Christians were intimately acquaint- 
 ed with the Sacred Writings, and generally carried a Bible 
 about them, making it their companion wherever they went. 
 And such was their affection for it, that many of them have 
 been found buried with the Gospel lying on their breasts. Wo- 
 men wore it hanging at their necks. Children were trained up 
 from their infancy to repeat it by heart; some of whom made 
 surprising proficiency. 
 
 '* Instead of gems and silk," says .S^. Jerome to Lceta, 
 " let your young daughter be enamoured with the Holi/ Scrip- 
 tuns; wherein not gold, nor skins, or Babylonian embroi- 
 deries, but a correct and beautiful variety producing faith, will 
 recommend itself. Let her first learn the Psalter, and be 
 entertained with those songs, then be instructed into life by the 
 Proverbs of Solomon. Let her learn from Ecclesiastes to 
 
 * Deut. vi. 6 — 9 ; Is. viii, 20 ; and Mai. iv. 4. 
 
 t Psalm i. xix. cxix. 
 
 i Milton's Paradise Regained, b. 1. 
 
28S A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 despise worldly things; transcribe from Joh tire practice of pa- 
 tience and virtue. Let her pass then to the Gospels, and 
 uever let them be out of lier hands; and then imbibe with all 
 the faculties of her n)ind the Jcls of the Apoaths and Epistles. 
 ^Vhen she has enriched the storehouse of htr breast with 
 these treasures, let her learn the Prophtts, the Pentateuch, or 
 books of Moses^, Joshua and Judges, the books of Kings, 
 and Chronicles, the volumes of Ezj-a and Esther, and, lastly, 
 the Canticles. — The book of Revelation '(- has as many iiiys- 
 teries as words; 1 said too little ; in every word there is a 
 variety of senses, and the excellency of the book is above all 
 praise." 
 
 The Plonks of Egypt daily learned some portion of Scrip- 
 ture, and more especially made it their meditation on the 
 Lord's r/</y; insomuch that many of them became so expert 
 and well versed in the Holy Scripture, that they could repeat 
 it by heart; which is particularly noted of Hilarion, Am- 
 MONiNus, ^Marcus Junior, Eros, Serapion, Solo- 
 mon, and others. And by this means they were qualified to 
 ei^tertam their -souls with spiritual exercises, singing of David's 
 Psalms, and repealing other parts of Scripture, even at their 
 bodily labours. — At Christ's little village of Bethlehem there 
 
 * .Mr. Pope, whom we have before quoted on the subject of 
 the Sacred fJritings, and whose. judgment few will call in question, 
 in comparing the discovery of Ulysses to Telemachus, with 
 Joseph's discovery of himself to his brethren, says, " It must be 
 owned that Homer falls infinitely short of MoSEs: he must be a 
 very wicked man, \\ho can read the histoiy of Joseph without the 
 iitmost touches of compassion and transport. There is a majestic 
 simplicity in the whole relation, and such an affecting portrait of 
 human nature, that it overwhelms us with vicissitudes of joy and 
 sorroM . This is a pregnant instance how much the best of Heathen 
 writers is inferior to the divine historian upon a pai"dllel subject, 
 where the two authors endeavour to move the softer passions. The 
 same may, with equal truth, be said in respect to sublunity ; not only 
 hi the instance produced by Longinus, viz. Let there he light, and 
 there ivas light ; let the earth be made, and the earth was made ; but 
 in general, in the more elevated parts of Scripture, and particularly 
 ia the wliole book of Job, which, with regard both to sublimity of 
 thought and morality, exceeds beyond all comparison the most noble 
 parts of Homer." 
 
 Notes on the sixteenth Odyssey. 
 
 t See Strictures on this book in the 21 — 34 sections of Simp-= 
 son's Key to the Prophecies. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 289 
 
 was nothing to be heard hut pstilms : one could not go into the 
 field, but he should hear the plowman singing his hallelujahs, 
 the sAveating mower solacing himself with hvmns, and the vine- 
 dresser tuning David's psn/ms. Thus the ancient JMo/iks 
 joined their bodily and spiritual exercise together, and made 
 their common labour become acts of devotion to God. Their 
 limes of eating and refreshment were managed after the same 
 manner. In some places they had the Scriptures read at table. 
 At other places, v\hen supper was ended, they sung a hymn 
 and so returned to their cells. Tlius their ordinary refreshments 
 were sanctified with the JVord ofGoD and prayer. — It is very 
 observable, that in the primitive church not only men and w o- 
 men, but children were encouraged and trained up from their 
 infancy to the reading of the //o/y Scripturts. Of this we 
 have undoubted evidence from many eminent instances of their 
 practice. Eusebius remarks of the great care of Le- 
 on ides, the Maiti/r, and father of Origen, in the educa- 
 tion of his son, that he made him learn the Scriptures, before 
 he set him to the study of the liberal arts and polite leamino-. 
 And Socrates makes the like observation upon the education 
 of Eusebius, surnamed Emisenus, who was born of noble 
 parentage at Edessa, a city of Osroene in Mesopotamia, that 
 he was first taught the Holy Scriptures from his infancy, and 
 then human learning. And Sozomen, in relating the same 
 story, says, this was done according to the custom of the coun- 
 try ; w hich shews, that it was no singular instance, but a gen^ 
 ral practice to bring children up from their infancy to the use 
 of the Holy Scriptures. Gregory Nyssene notes it in the 
 life of his sister Macrina, that the first part of her instruc- 
 tion in her infancy was to be taught the easy portions of Scrip- 
 ture, which were most suitable to her age. He says also, she 
 did the same for her younger brother Peter, taking him from 
 his mother's breasts, and instructing him in the Scriptures, that 
 he might have no time to spend upon vain studies. It is noted 
 by Sozomen and Palladius of Marcus, the Hermit, that 
 he was so expert in the S'c/7p^«/es when he was but a youth, 
 that he could repeat all the Old and Neti? Testament without 
 book. Such was the advantage which some hearers in those 
 days reaped from the benefrt of having the Scripturs read, that 
 it is very remarkable what is related of one or two of them ; 
 that being men of good memories, they got the Scriptures bv 
 
 p p 
 
290 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 heart, without any knowledge of letters, only by hearing them 
 constantly read in the church or elsewhere. St. Austin re- 
 marks this of St. Anthony, the famous Egyptian Monk; 
 that without being able to read himself, he made such a proli- 
 ciency in the knowledge of the Scriptures, :as both by hearing 
 them read, to be able to repeat them, and by his own prudent 
 meditation to understand them. And Gregory the Great 
 gives a like instance in one Servulus, a poor man at JR^me, 
 who though he knew not a letter in the book, yet purchasing a 
 Bible, and entertaining religious men, he prevailed with them 
 to read it continually to him, by which means he perfectly 
 learned the Holi/ Scriptures. It is yet a more astonishing in- 
 stance, which EuseBius gives in one of the Martj/rs of Pa- 
 /f8//;«f, a blind man, called JohNj, who had so happy a me- 
 mory, that he could repeat any part of the Bible as readily as 
 others could read it. And he sometimes supplied the office of 
 reader in the church; and he did this to so great perfection, 
 that EusEBius says, when he first heard him, he^ was perfectly 
 amazed, and thought he had heard one reading out of a book, 
 till he came a little more curiously to examine him, and found 
 tliat he did it only by the eyes of his understanding, having the 
 Scriptures written not in books or tables of stone, but in the 
 fleshly tables of the heart. There are many such like instances 
 in ancient history*. 
 
 At the time of the Reformation also, after the Bible had 
 been buried under the rubbish of human ordinnnces for many 
 ages, the people in this country were extremely eager to read 
 and hear the Holj/ Scriptures. They were received with inex- 
 pressible joy. Bishop Ridley and others could repeat large 
 parts of tl)em without book. The learned Joshua Barnes 
 sometime afterwards, is said to have read a small pocket Bible, 
 which he usually carried about him, a hundred and iioenty times 
 over, at leisure hours. Beza, at upwards of eighty years of 
 ace, could repeat the whole of St. Paul's Epistles, in the ori- 
 ginal Greek, and all the Psalms in Hebrew. 
 
 Lord Cromwell, Ea>l of Essex, ^n a journey to and 
 from Home, learned the whole of the New Testament by 
 heart. — The excellently learned Ladi/ Jane Grey, though 
 executed al tlie age of sixteen, the night before she died, be- 
 
 * See Bingham's Antiquities of the Christian Church. 
 
 I 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 291 
 
 queathed to her sister a Greek Testament, on one of the blank 
 leaves of which she wrote : — " I have sent you, my dear sister, 
 a book., which, although it be not outwardly trimmed with wold, 
 yet inwardly it is more worth than all the precious mines, of 
 which the vast world can boast. It is the book, my only best 
 and best behned sister, of the Lazo of the Lord. It is the 
 testament and last will which he bequeathed unto us wretched 
 sinners, which shall lead you to the padi of eternal joy. — It will 
 teach you how to live, and likewise how to die. — If you apply 
 yourself diligently to this book, seeking to direct your life ac- 
 cording to the rule of the same, it shall w'm you more, and en- 
 dow you with greater felicity, tlian the possession of all your 
 father's lands, and you shall be an inheritor of such riciies, as 
 neither the covetous shall withdray^' from you, nor the thief shall 
 steal, nor yet the moths corrupt." 
 
 Queen Elizabeth, speaking of her own conducJ:, saith, 
 " I walk many times in the pleasant iields of the IIu/i/ Scrip- 
 tures, where I pluck up the goodlisome herbs of sentences by 
 pruning; and lay them up at length in the high seat of memory 
 by gathering them together,- that so, having tasted their sweet- 
 ness, I may the less perceive the bitterness of ihis miserable 
 life." 
 
 Alphonsl'S, King of Naples, \\ho did not begin to study 
 till he was fifty years of age, read over the Old and New Testa- 
 ment, with their glosses, fourteen times. 
 
 Grotius too made the Holi^ Scriptures his favourite 
 study in every period of his life. They w ere his consolation in 
 prison; he always devoted a part of the day to them; and they 
 were his principal study during a great part of his embassy 
 abroad. 
 
 The learned Father Paul had read over the Greek Testa- 
 ment with so much exactness, that having used to mark every 
 word, when he had fully weighed the iuiportance of it, as he 
 went through it; he had, by going often over it, and observing 
 what he had passed by in a former reading, grown up to that at 
 last, th?>t every word of the whole Neic Testament was 
 jnarked ; and when any new illustrations of passages were suo-- 
 gested to lum, he received them with transports of joy. 
 
 .Si'/- Henry VVotton, after his customary public devotions, 
 used to retire to his study, and there to spend some hours in 
 
 PP 2 
 
292 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 reading the Bible, and authors in divinity^ closing up his medi- 
 tations with private prayer. 
 
 Tlie excellenr, .Sz> John Hartopp in like manner, amidst 
 his other applications, made the Book of God his chief 
 study, and his divinest delight. The Bible lay before him night 
 and day. 
 
 James Bonnell, Esq. made the Holy Scriptures his 
 constant and daily study. He read them, he ineditated upon 
 them, he prayed over them. 
 
 The celebrated WiTSius was able to recite almost any pas- 
 sage of Scripture in its proper language, together with its con- 
 text, and the criticisms of the best commentators. 
 
 Mr. William Gouge tied hnnself to read fifteen chapters 
 in the Bible daily. 
 
 Lady Frances Hobart read the Psalms over twelve 
 times every year, the Kezv Testament thrice, and the other parts 
 of the Old Testament once. 
 
 Susannah, Countess of Suffolk, for the last seven years of 
 her life, read the whole Bible over twice annually*. 
 
 * There have been many female characters highly eminent for 
 their piety and knowledge oi' the Sacred Scriptures, as well as those 
 above meutioned. I will instance a few; Queen Cathatine 
 Parr— Qw^ Mary— Lady C. Covrtes— Lady M. Hough- 
 ton— Larf^/ Cltts— Lady E.HxsriyGs— Lady M.Armyne— 
 . Lady A. Halket— JLfff/yLANGHAM— L/zf/j/ E.Brooke— Lfl</v 
 M. Vere— 3/rs. C. Phillips— 3/rs. J. Ratuliffe- 3/r*. C. 
 Bretterg— 3/r*. A. Baynard— J/r*. A. M. Schurman — 
 Mrs. E. Bury— 3/rs. E. Burnet— .l/rs. E. Rowe, and others. 
 
 See GiBBOiSf's Memoirs oi Pious Ladies and Biographium Foemi- 
 
 neum. 
 
 In the reign of Henry V. a law wus passed against the perusal 
 of the Scriptures in English. It enacted, •' that whatsoever they 
 were who sliould read tiie Scriptures in the mother tongue, they 
 should forfeit laud, catel, lif, and gocles from theyr heyres for ever, 
 and so be cnndempned for here tykes to GoD, enemies to the cro\\ne, 
 and most errant traitors to the lande." 
 
 Vide Neal s History of the Puritans, vol. 1. p. 7- 
 The above is an honourable hst of female characters. We may 
 therefore place them in the higher class of Bishop Aylmer's ac- 
 count of the fair sex; for this good bishoj), when preachuig at 
 court before Quern Elizabeth, tells his audience, that " women 
 are of two sorts, some of them are wiser, better learned, discreeter, 
 and more constant than a number of men; bat another and worse 
 sort of them, and the 3)iost part, are fond, foolish,' wanton flib- 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. Gy3 
 
 And that the knowledge of Holy Scripture was never in- 
 tended to he confnu'd to the C/ergi/, or to Kinvs, {cinw^d men, 
 and persons of rank, is evident, not only from %vhat we have ob- 
 served from Bingham and others, but also from the words of 
 Erasmus, who contributed more perhaps than any other man 
 towards promoting the knowledge of scriptural learning. — '' 1 
 would desire," says he, '' that all women should read the Gos- 
 pel, and the Epistles of St. Paul. I would to God, the 
 plowman would sing a text of Scripture at his plough; and 
 that the weaver at his loom with this would drive away the te- 
 diousness of time. I would the wayfaring man, w ith this pas- 
 time, would expel the weariness of his journt-y. And, in short, 
 I would that all the communication of the Clnisti(i?i should be 
 of the Sciiptnre." 
 
 If we come to our own time, it might be made appear, that 
 abundance of the most serious and valuable people, among the 
 ditferent denominations of men, spend a good portion of their 
 time in this sacred exercise. I observe only, still farther, how- 
 ever, that the late Rev. William Romainl, before men- 
 tioned, studied nothing but the Bible for the last thirty or forty 
 years of his life. 
 
 Ail these examples, from ancients and moderns, are pro- 
 duced in this place, to encourage the serious believer to abound 
 in this divine employ, for the comfort and editication of his own 
 mind. Tlie more intimately we are acquainted with these w ri- 
 tings, the more fully shall we be persuaded of their incompar- 
 able excellence. The very learned Le Clerc tells ns, "that 
 while he was compiling his Harrnoity, he was so struck with 
 admiration of the excellent discourses of Jesus, so inflamed 
 with the love of his most holy doctrine, that he thought he but 
 just then began to be acquainted with what he scarce ever laid 
 out of his hands from his infancy." Indeed, the scheme of re- 
 demption therein exhibited is most worthy of acceptation, ad- 
 mirably calculated to make all mankind virtuous and happv, 
 could all mankind see its excellence, feel its necessity, and sub- 
 mit to its righteous requirements. Far are we from wisliing vou 
 
 bergibs, tatlers, triHers, wavering, witless, without counsel, feeble, 
 careless, rash, proud, dainty, nice, tale-bearers, eves-dropj^ers, ru- 
 mour-raisers, evil-tongued, wor^e-minded, and in every wise doltified 
 with the dregs of the devil's dunghill." 
 
 Brit. Bio^. vol. 3. p. 23p. 
 
294 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 to pay a blind submission to every thing that goes under the 
 name of Religion. Very far are we fiom desiring you to be- 
 lieve as we believe, or to act iu every respect as we think right 
 to act. Prize the libeity wherewith God hath providentially 
 made you free. Lse your ovin reason, but use it soberly. Be- 
 ware of vain and spurious pretensions. Be upon your gu. rd 
 against a sophistical Philosophy, the fasliiun.ible folly of the 
 present day. To sound P/iilosopht/ we have no objection; 
 but v\hen a spurious kind of wisdom, falsely called Philosophy, 
 would rob us of our Bible, to which we are ail more indebted 
 than we are willing to confess*, we mu^t say of it as Cicero 
 said of the Tuelve Tables ;— " Thouoh all should be offended 
 
 * 67r Richard Steel says, "the greatest pleasures with which 
 the imagination can be entertained are to be found in Saired Writ, 
 and even the style of Scripture is more than human. ' 
 
 Tatter, No. 233. 
 
 We have an account in the Gentleman's Mag. for June 1798, 
 of a jV/r. Henry V\'illis, farmer, aged SI, deceased, who had 
 devoted almost evei-y hour that could be spared from his labour, 
 during the course of so long a life, to the devout and serious perusal of 
 the Hcly Scriptures. He had read, with the most minute atten- 
 tion, all the books of tlie Old and XewTedfament eight tunes over; 
 and had proceeded as far as the book of Job in his ninth readuig, 
 when his meditations were terminated by death. 
 
 A still more excellent account we have in IMiss Hannah More's 
 Shepherd of Salishury-Plain, which is no feigned cliaracter, but a 
 narrative of real facts, like the above. In a conversation Avitli 
 ?Jr. Johnson, he gives tlie following pleasing account of himself: 
 — " Blessed be God! through his mercy I learned to read when f 
 was a boy. — 1 believe tliere is no day for the last thirty years, that 
 I have not peeped at uiy Bible. If we can't tiud time to read a 
 chapter, 1 defy any man to say he can't tind time to read a verse ; 
 and a single text, well followed and put in practice every day, 
 would make no bad figiiie at the year's end ; 365 texts, v ithout the 
 loss of a moment's time, would make a pietty stock, a little goldeu 
 ticasuiy, as one may say, from new year's day to new year's day; 
 and if children weie iwoupht up to it, they would come to look for 
 their text^ as naturally as they do for their breakfast. — I can say the 
 greatest part of the Bilile by heart. I ha\e led but a lonely life, 
 and have ofren had but little to eat; but my Bible has been meat, 
 dnnk, and company to me — and when want and trouble have come 
 upon me, I don't know what I should have done iiideed, if I had not 
 had the protuises of this i)ook for my stay and support." 
 
 Let lio nui'i liertaffer pretend he cannot hnd time to read the 
 Sacred i^Tiiings. Everj' person has abundant leisure for the pur- 
 pose. Find butincliuatiou, and you will soon tind time. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 295 
 
 I will speak what I think. Truly the little book of the Tuelve 
 Tables alone, whether we consider the several chapters, or re- 
 gard it as the foundation of all our laws, exceeds the libraries of 
 all the Phi/osophers, as w ell in tlie weight of its authority, an 
 in the extent of its utility*." 
 
 The principles of natural religion are all solid, and founded 
 m the reason and relation of things. The Gospel of Christ is 
 equally solid and rational. It takes in, unites, and confirms 
 even- principle of nature, and adds a number of circumstances 
 suited to the fallen condition of man. And it calls upon, it in- 
 vites, it challenges, it commands us to examine its pretensions 
 with all possible care, ac curacy, and severity. 
 
 " Wrong not the Christian; think not Reason yours; 
 'Tis Beason our great Master holds so dear; 
 Tis Reason's injured riglits his wrath resents; 
 'Tis Reason's voice <jbey'd his slories crown. — 
 On Argument alone our faith is built." 
 
 If the Gospel had not been agreeable to the most refined 
 principles of human reason, we should never have found the 
 soundest and most perfect reasoners, that ever appeared upon 
 earth, enlist under its l)anner-f-. That it is not universally 
 
 * " Fremant oranes licet, dicam quod sentio: bihliothecas me- 
 hercule omiiiura philosophorum unus raihi videtur XII tabularujii 
 libellus, si quis legum fonteis, et capita viderit, et auctoritatis 
 pondere, et utilitatis ubertate-superare." 
 
 De Oratore, lib. 1. sect 195. 
 
 I We may add too, that the more active, useful, and benevolent 
 characters in our <>%vu more eniigliteiied day have been the firmest 
 belie\ ers in the w ritings of the Old and yew Testaments. The late 
 John W eslky spent his whole life, time, strength, and fortune in 
 spreading the kuuW'Iedi;2 of Christ and his Word. The late 
 John How ard, Esq. vas equally active in advancing the same 
 cause, in a way as uupiccedented, as it was useful. He was a firm 
 believer in the Scriptures, and a very serious and conscientious 
 Christian, of tt>e Bup,tst ]>ersua-ion. 
 
 BoLLiNGBROKE, i.ideed, tells the world, that " the resurrection 
 of letters was a fatal period : the Christian system has been at- 
 ta«ked, and wounded too, very severely since that time." Page 
 18 2. He tells us in another place, " that Christianity has been in 
 decay ever since tl-e i«";urrection of letters." Pa^e ISo. The 
 late Kin^ of Prus^i 1 us tiie same sentiment : " Hobbes, Collins, 
 Shaftesbury, mm Dollingbroke, in England, and their disci- 
 
296 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 received, is by no means to be ascribed, either to its want of 
 due evidence, or to its being an irrational scheme; but to 
 causes of a very different nature. If our Gospel be hid, it is 
 hid to them that are lost; in zehom the god of this world hath 
 blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of 
 the fflorious Gostkl of Chrtst should shine unto them. 
 This view ought to alarm the fears, and rouse the attention of 
 every man hving; but especially of our unbelieving and scepti- 
 cal conntnjnicn. Rejection of the truths of religion is always 
 in the Sacred Writings ascribed to a fault in tlio heart and 
 will, rather than to any defect in the Jiead. Yc will not come 
 unto me, that ye may have lif'. — If anij man will do his 
 •willy he shall knozii of the doctrine rchether it be of God, or 
 fchether I speak of myself . — The Kicked shall do wickedly, 
 and none of the wicked sua-ll understand, but the wise shall 
 understand. — The zcays of the Lord are right, and the just 
 shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall 
 therein. Say not then, my Friends, that ye a"o?//J believe 
 if ye could. Deceive not yourselves by alledging want of evi- 
 dence. Tell us no longer of the absurdities and contradictions 
 of Scripture. The evidence is ample*. The absurdities will 
 
 pies, have given religion a mortal blow." History of his Own Times, 
 vol. 1. p. ii'2. 
 
 These two great men are mistaken. They confound pure evan- 
 gelical religion Avith superstition. The latter we grant, and we 
 glory in the truth, has received a mortal blow; but the former is as 
 uushakeable as the throne of the ETERNAL. 
 
 One of tiie most extraordinary Philosophers of the present age 
 was the late David Rittei^holtse, of ^/«mc«. Dr. Rush, of 
 Philadelphia, who is himself an able PhUosopher and a determined 
 Christian, observes very justly, when speaking of the decease of 
 the above R,ittenhouse, who left our world Jan. 26, 179^, that 
 " it is no small triumph to the friends of Revelation to observe, in 
 this age of Infidelity, that our Religion has been admitted, and 
 even defended , by men of the most exalted understandmg, and 
 of the strongest reasoning power. The single testimony of Da- 
 vid Ritten house in its favour outweighs the declamations of 
 whole nations against it." 
 
 * " Reasonable Deists cannot but become Christians, where the 
 Gospel shines." These several passages of the Sacred Writings ac- 
 count suihcienily \^ ell for the Infidelity of our several deistical wri- 
 ters. BoLiNGBROKE, Voltaire, Gibbon, Paine, and most 
 odiers, of whom I have had any knowledge, seem to have been 
 destitute of the proper state of mind for the investigation of reli- 
 
AXD THE SACRED WRITINGS. C97 
 
 raiiisli^ the contradictions will cease, when once your minds are 
 brought into a humble, teachable, and religious frame ; when the 
 veil is taken from your hearts, aud the scales have fallen from 
 vour eves. Deny yourselves, therefore. Cease to live in 
 sin. Mortify your lusts and passions. ]\irt with the pride of 
 false philosophy. Live in humility, purity, and \irtue. Be 
 good moral men,'c^Mi^;,"*^.!ious worshippers of God, upon your 
 own principles, sober enquirers after truth, praying for divine 
 direction, and it will not be long before you become Be/iciers 
 in Jesus Christ. No moral man can, rationa/Ij/, wish to 
 reject the Gospel, because it is all purity and. goodness, and the 
 most powerful means, with which the world was ever favoured, 
 of making us virtuous and good. 
 
 " lu his blest life 
 
 I see the path ; and in his death the price : 
 Aud in his great ascent, the proof supreme 
 Of inuuortuhty." 
 
 For, whatever was the cause, it is plain in fact, that human 
 reason, unassisted, failed mankind in its great and proper busi- 
 ness of morality ; and, therefore, 1 repeat again, he that shall 
 be at the pains of collecting all the moral rules of the ancient 
 Philosophers, and compare them with those contained in the 
 Ntrv Ttstanteut, will tind them to come infinitely short of the 
 morality delivered by our Saviour, and taught by his 
 
 gious truth. " From several couversations," says the learned 
 Beattie, " which it has been my chance to have with Unbelievers, 
 I have learned lliat i^uoraiite of the nature of our religion, and a 
 dishicluiation to study both it aud its evidence, are to be reckoned 
 among the chief causes of J/iJidiliti/." 
 
 Allix's Rfjicctiona uptiu the books of the Holy Scripture cou- 
 tain a large number of valuable thoughts, and should be read m. 
 oppositiou to all the flimsy objection:, of the above Diiats. Kett's 
 SenihOtts at tlie Bampton Lecture sutiiciently invahdate the sopiiistry 
 of Gibbon. Much satisfactory light Ir.is lately been thrown upon 
 the Plagues of Egi/j-t by the learned Jacob Bryant. The Old 
 Testameid has been more lately defeuded against the attacks of 
 Thomas Paink by David Levi, a learned ./ru-, with considerable 
 ability. But of all suigle books, none, I tliiuk, is equal to the ad- 
 mirable (ou/if of Lectures by the excellent Z)r. Doddridge ; a 
 work which no inquisitive Christian should be without iii his librarv. 
 The Biogruphia Britannica asserts, that Sti lling fleet's Origirus 
 Sacra is " the best defence of revealed religion ever written." 
 
 q 
 
598 A PLEA FOR RELlGIOxV 
 
 yipostlcs *. Add to this, that no other religion, which ever was 
 in the world, hath made provision for pardoning the »ins of 
 mankind, and restoring us to the divine favour, in a wav con- 
 sistent witli the perfections and government of the Supreme 
 Being. 
 
 \ou will give these reasonings, O mv Countrymen, that 
 weight which ve suppose they desei'*^' ■ If ye seriously and 
 conscientiously think there is nothing in them worthy of your 
 attention, by all means reject them. If any of you are eojtvineed 
 by what is advanced, that ye have hitherto been mistaken, in 
 rejecting Jesus Christ and his Gospel; or if ye see ground 
 to suspect you may be wrong ; let no considerations of shame 
 induce you to deny your co}iziction& or suspicious. Mauv men 
 have been mistaken as well as you. I ni\self, ye perceive, 
 have seen reason to change several opinions, which before 
 
 * " Is it bigotry," says an elegant writer now living, " to be- 
 lieve the sublime truths of the Gospel with full assurance of faith ? 
 — I glor} in such bigotry : I would not part with it for a thousand 
 worlds; I congratulate the man who is possessed of it; fop ainidNt 
 all the vicissitudes and calamities of the present state, that man en- 
 joys an inexhaustible fund of consolation, of which it is not in the 
 power of fortune to deprive liim." 
 
 «• There is not a boo4i on earth so favourable to all the kind, 
 and all the sublime affections, or so unfriendly to hatred and per- 
 secution, to tyranny, injustice, and every sort of malevolence, as 
 the Gospel. — It breathes nothing throughout but mercy, benevo- 
 lence, and peace." 
 
 Air. Paine reflects upon the Scripture for being deficient in mo- 
 ral precepts. I defy him, howe\er, or any other Deist in the 
 world, to produce from all the stores of Htathcn w ritings any thing-, 
 equal or second to Christ's Sermon on the Mount; to tlie 12th 
 chapter of Romans, or to the 13th chapter of the 1st Corinthians. 
 Let any man shew us a system of nioraUty equal unto these pas- 
 sages if he can. — The truth is, Mr. Paine knows very little of the 
 matter. — And, moreo%er, what has/<c to do with moraliti/? he that 
 is so extreiviely immoral in his own conduct ? — Out of thine own 
 mouth shall ihou be judged, O thou immoral man * ! 
 
 See the Life of Thomas Paine written by Francis Oldys, 
 M. A. of the University of Pennsi/lcania, and tliat of the same per- 
 son written by Peter Porcupine. From these accounts it ap- 
 pears, tliat, \et Mr, Paine talk about philosophy aud morality as 
 nuich as Ise })lcases, he has been, at dilicrent periods of his life, a 
 very bad and immoral man, and, so far as appears, contumes the 
 same unto this day. 
 
 * Let Mr, Paine call to mind the st9rj- of tlie ten pounds at Dover f 
 
AND THE S ACllKD WRITINGS. 299 
 
 I had thought fouiide<l in truth, livery person, indeed, nuist 
 naturally and necessarily at t\ist be a stranger to the Gos/nZ-re- 
 deinption. Our eftorts, iheretorc, should be made to become 
 acq«aiuted with it, and to get into the good and right way. If" 
 %\e look back upon the l"oreg«iing pages, we sliall see that seve- 
 ral of the characters there mcnlioned had been much lc<l astray. 
 1 hrough dift'erent means, however, they discovered iJieir error. 
 They acknowledged their fault. They lamented their sin. 
 They laid aside their prepossessions, and sought for the trutti 
 with all their skill and abilities. They were convinced in their 
 understandings * ; converted in their hearts ; they beJitvcd in the 
 Redeemer; obeyed his Go.<;/)t7,- and, through intinite and ttn- 
 ujerited grace, were eternally saved. \\ hy then should not you 
 pursue the same measures, if you have any suspicions that eveay 
 thing is not witii you as it should be.' \ou must allow, if the 
 Gos/W-account of things be true, it is incouceiveably important. 
 Treat it not, therefore, with contempt, neglect, hidiffercnce, 
 but examine the matter to the bottom. Follow the example 
 of West and Littleton, on a former page, and let no man 
 lead you by the nose to destruction, or sneer you out of salva- 
 tion. Examine the evidence, and, with all simplicity and hu- 
 mility of mind, judge according to that evidence. And if ye 
 arc finally convinced, that Jesus is the Christ, act nobly, 
 confess his name, like Rochester f, to the teeth of his op- 
 
 * The reader will fiud a ver^ clear and concise account of the true 
 foundation of all human know le«l<;c in the Letters of the celehrated 
 Eller, the greatest mathematician of the present age, to a Ger- 
 vian Princess, vol.1. Let. 11."). p. 511. This extraordinary man, 
 second to none but tlie immortal Newton, was a serious and con- 
 scientious Christian, and avowed his belief in Christ upon all pro- 
 piT occasions. And while his great Master declared that he found 
 " more sure marks of authenticity in the BihJe, than in any profane 
 history w hatever ;'' he w rites to the above Princess, that " tlie holy 
 life of the Apostles and of the other primitive Christiaus apjjeared 
 to him an irresistihle proof ot the truth of the Christian religion." 
 Ix-tter 114. For the above declaration of Sir Isaac NewtuN, 
 see Bishop Watson's admirable Apology {or Christianity in answer 
 to Mr. Gibbon, I^t. 3. p. '2ii. 
 
 + ^^e have another \ery resjKct able and honourable instance of 
 this nature to present to the reader, which has just taken place, 
 and which others of our </m//crt/ gentlemen would find their advan- 
 tage in imitating: Dr. Okely, son, I believe, (.f the late eminent 
 iirreh s( liohir, Mr. Fr \NCIS Okely, who Ls now physician to the 
 Sorthuiiipton Injirmary, some months ago, published an octavo 
 
 9 q 2 
 
300 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 posers, and strive like him, to undo all the mischief you may 
 have occasioned to others. 
 
 voUimc, entitled, " Pyrolog)f, or the Connect ion btfwccn Natural (Oid 
 Moral Philosophy, ivith a Disquisition on the Origin of Christi- 
 anity ;" in Avhich it was conipietily exploded, together with the 
 doctrine of a future state. It has pleased God, however, to shew 
 J)r. Ok ELY the vanity of his }thi!osopiiy, and he lias done hhnsclf 
 the honour to puhlish the following manly renunciation of his 
 errors : 
 
 " The Author of Pyrology feels himself irresistibly iinpelled 
 to make known, that he is now thf)ro<!uh]y convinced of the moral 
 government of God, the iiiimortality of the liuman soul, or future 
 state, and of the truth of Christianity in its fullest extent. For his 
 involuntary error he contidently hopes to be pardoned by Almighty 
 God, through the merits of Jesus Christ; but at the same time 
 tliinks it his duty, in this j^ublic manner, to solicit the pardon of 
 his readers for having, as much as in him lay, though he trusts hi- 
 eftectually, contributed to lead them astray." 
 
 Missionary Magazine. 
 
 We may observe upon this subject, that there are other conver- 
 sions in the present day from Deism to Christianity, besides tliis of 
 Dr. Ok ELY, and those we have already mentioned in these papers. 
 Dr. Vanderkemp, a Dutch physician, was convinced and reco- 
 vered from Infidelity by an alarming providence, and has devoted 
 himself as a Missionary for the con\ersion of the Heathen. Cap- 
 tain Wilson also is another remarkable instance, who, in gratitude 
 to God for his goodness to him, undertook to convey the JMia- 
 fionarics to the Southern Ocean, and has accomplished the under- 
 taking with great and sui-prisiug success, without putting the Society 
 to the smallest expence. 
 
 We are told in the Walpoliana, that Gray, the poet, was a 
 Deist, though a violent enemy of Atheists ; and it does not appear 
 that ever he was changed. Month. Mag. for Oct. 1798. 
 
 Henry Redhead Yorke, Esq. one of the gentlemen who 
 was sentenced to a long imprisonment for seditious practices, may 
 be mentioned as another instance of a person, wliose mind has un- 
 dergone a great change during his imprisonment ; and he has been 
 open and honest enough to avow it. 
 
 " The \ ices and frauds of the professors of Christianity," says he, 
 •' have m)tliing to do with Christianity itself. To know what it is, 
 we must look to the only proper place. The Scriptures. The 
 Christian religion is pecuhar to itself; it has nothing in common 
 with the other systems of religion which have existed in the world. 
 It has CJod for its founder, and reason for its basis. It is every 
 where uniform, consistent, and complete." 
 
 See this Gentleman's very valuable Letter to the Reformers for 
 more sentiineuts to the same purpose. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 301 
 
 **■ Butj if we should be so seriously relifijious, as you seem 
 to think necessary, we shall lose all the comioiis of life^ and 
 become dull and melaiicholv." 
 
 If this were true, one hour's enjoyment of the glory of hea- 
 ven would more than make amends for all your present loss. 
 It is not, however, true. The ways of godliness are grievously 
 belied. For there is no ha})piness like tiie happiness of religion, 
 even in the present world; and no peace like that of God, 
 Zihich passcth all ii?ich}st(iuJing. 
 
 " The Men of Gract have found 
 
 Glory hesun below ; 
 Celestial fruits on earthly jjround. 
 
 From faith and hope do grow. 
 The hill of Sion yiekls 
 
 A thousand saciod sweet-s, 
 Before we reacli the heavenly fields. 
 
 Or walk the golden streets." 
 
 *' Cut — I shall be singular!" — This is partly true, and partly 
 otherwise. And suppose you are singular: how will this in- 
 jure you ? You will have the approbation of your own n)ind. 
 You will have God, and Christ, and ansels, and all good 
 men your friends. And is not this sufficient, but you must have 
 the approbation of the devil and all his servants too, the chil- 
 dren of vice and folly ? Mistake not, fond man ; the approba- 
 tion of both is incompatible. You cannot serve (jod and 
 JMamtnon ; neither can you have the friendship of God, 
 Christ, angels, and good men, and at the same time possess 
 the approbation of the devil, and his servants, whose portion is 
 in this life. The thing is impossible. You may as well at- 
 tempt to reconcile light and darkness, .fire and water, heaven and 
 hell. — But suppose you should become a convert of the Gospel 
 of Christ, and be truly in earne-st about the salvation of your 
 soul, and, of course, singular in your way and manner of life; 
 what inconvenience would you sustain r or what real dishonour 
 would you undergo r Was not Socrates singular among tlie 
 yitlitniansY Were not Enoch and Noah singular amon^ 
 the j-iiitediluvians'^ Was not Abraham singular in Ca- 
 7iaan, and Lot in Sodom'^ Were not Elijah, ElIsha, 
 Isaiah, and all the prophets, very singular persons in their 
 day? Our blessed Lord, his holy Jposf/es, and all the pri- 
 Hiiiive Christians, were they not uniformly the same.'' And 
 
502 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 where was the misfortune of all this ? When we read the story 
 of these ancient worthies, don't we admire their wisdom, their 
 courage, their choice, and their noble superiority to all those 
 poor creatures who opposed them, and cast out their name as 
 evil? What man of taste does not approve th* conduct of Ab- 
 DiEL in Milton ? Never character was more enviable, or 
 more worthy of imitation : 
 
 "The seraph Abdi EL aithful found 
 
 Among the faithless, faithful only he ; 
 
 Among innumerable false, unmov'd, 
 
 "Unshaken^ unseduc'd, unterriiy'd 
 
 His loyalty he kept, his love, his zeal ; 
 
 Nor number, nor example with him \vrought 
 
 To s\ver\'e from truth, or change his constant mind 
 
 Though single. From amidst them fortli he pass'd. 
 
 Long way through hostile scorn, which lie ^ustain'd 
 
 Superior, nor of violence fear'd ought; 
 
 And with retorted scorn his back he turu'd 
 
 On those proud tow'rs to s\\ ift destruction doom'd, — • 
 
 Gladly then he mix'd 
 
 With his own friendly Pow'rs, who hini received 
 , With joy and acclamations loud, that one. 
 That of so many myriads fall'n, yet one 
 Ketum'd not lost. On to the sacred hill 
 They led him high applaudel, and present 
 Before the seat supreme ; from whence a voice. 
 From 'midst a golden cloud, thus mild was heard. 
 Servant of God, ivell done, well /i ant thon f ought 
 The better ji«;ht, who .sitis'le hast lualntain d 
 Agolnfit revolted multitudes the eause 
 Of truth, in word mightier than they in arms; 
 And for the testimoni/ of truth host borne 
 Universal reproach, far wor.se to hear 
 Than violence ; for this rtus all thy care 
 To stand approvd in sight of God, though worlds 
 Judg'd thee perverse." 
 
 From all these considerations it is evident, that there are 
 times and circumstances, M'hen if a man will be truly religious, 
 and preserve an unshaken fidelity to his Creator and his Sa- 
 vioun, he must be singular; he must step aside; he must beg 
 to be excuMjd in a variety of cases. He n)ust be singular, or lose 
 his soul. Let not the fear of this odious imputation, therefore, 
 deter any man from exem))lary piety. I'lie giddy multitude, and 
 the sons and daughters of pleasure, falsch/ so called, may pre- 
 tend to sneer and deride; but yet, not\\ illistanding, they will se- 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 30;1 
 
 cretly applaud your virtuous conduct. There is a certain dig- 
 nity, a real nobility, a secret charm, in a consistently religious 
 character, which none can despise *. And, sooner or later, 
 the whole human race will be of one opinion concerning it. 
 
 Instead of being Heroes in w ickedness then, or ring-leaders 
 in the cause of InJidcUli/ (for there are not a few who make a 
 mock at sin, and glory in their shame) let it be your highest am- 
 bition to become Christian Heroes -f; Heroes who can forgive, 
 and love, and bless your enemies; who can conquer the world 
 and all your own degenerate propensities ; Heroes, w hose heads 
 are big only w ith schemes of mercy and of kindness ; whose 
 Jiand.s are continually stretched out in prayer and acts of bene- 
 volence! and who are never at ease, but in going about doing 
 good to the bodies and souls of men; Heroes ^ in whom reli- 
 
 * Lord Peterborough, more fam'd for wit than religion, 
 when he lodged with Fenelon at Cainhraif, was so charmed witli 
 the piety and virtue of the Archbishop, that he exclaimed at part- 
 ing : " If I stay here any longer, I shall become a Christian in spite 
 of myself." 
 
 t Sir Richard Steel's Christian Hero, Is a little book worth 
 the atfenti(»n of the reailer, especially of the reader, who is dis- 
 posed to lejert the (iospel. It contains an arginnent to prove, 
 tluit no piiiici[)U's hut those of Rr/iirion are surticient to make a 
 great man. In this little hook we have a sort of comparison be- 
 tween tlie characters of Cato and Cyi'.sAR, Brutus and CassIUs, 
 Jesus Christ and St. Padl. These illustrious Heathens nrake 
 hut a \ery poor figure, when placed by the side of these Christian 
 Heroes. 
 
 X One of the most illustrious I'e.roes that England ever bred, 
 a nran equally celebrated for valour, for g«niius, and tor learning, 
 was not asliaiui'd to address his wife in the views of approaching 
 dissolution in the following jiious strain : — " Love GoD, and begin 
 betimes, in him you .^hall hnd true, everlastuig, and endless com- 
 fort. When you have traxelled and wearief yourself with all sorts 
 of worldly cogitations, you shall sit du\^!l l»y s.-rrow in tJie end. 
 Teach your son also to serve and fear GoD whilst he is young, 
 tJiat the fear of (JoD may grow up in him. Then will Goo be a 
 husband lo you, and a talhei to him, a Imsbaad and a father tirat 
 can ne\er be taken from you." 
 
 This is true Heroism! Such was Sir Walter Raleigii! 
 
 How different is the < onduct of tlie French and Ent^lirh, during 
 the course of the i)iesent unira))jiy war, on the bubjett of Reli- 
 gion. It does not appear, that the former have ever ackn<;w!eo<red 
 the government of the Divine I'kino, or ascribed any of their 
 successes to his all-sui)erintcnding Providence; whereas the (icnerah 
 and Admirals of the latter iiuve frequently, if not coustautly ascribed 
 
304 A PLEA FOR RELIGION" 
 
 gion sits^ as it were, in triumph, with all the passions in subjec- 
 tion around her; ^ith ail the lustre that wisdom, and prudence^ 
 and piety, and learning, and good sense, and good breeding, can 
 bestow to make yonainiable; Heroes, in short, whose daily en- 
 deavour is to clothe the naked, to feed the hungry, to visit the 
 sick, to instruct the ignorant, to he a father to the fatherless, a 
 husband to the widow, and a friend to the friendless of all par- 
 all tlieir successes to his blessing. The gallant Adniiral Nelson 
 very properly introduced his account of the victory with which he 
 was favoured with the tremendous name, "Almighty God has 
 blessed his Majtuft/'s arms, in the late battle, by a great victory over 
 the fleet of the enemy." This was ^ cry proper ; this was infinitely 
 becoming a brave man; this was the way to insure the Divine pn - 
 tection. Them that honour me, I irill honour ; hut the// that de- 
 spise me, shall be li'^htly esteemed, i Sam. ii, 30. If the French 
 have been successful in many of their eftorts, let it be considered 
 that God cannot succeed their attempts upon the nations out of 
 any regard to them as a virtuous peo})le, but only to answer his own 
 purposes, and to fulfil his own predictions, concerning the subver- 
 sion of the seat of the Beast, and to bring in the Messiah's king- 
 dojn in all its glory. The French are only the tools and instru- 
 ments in the hards of God's. indignation. They have yet a deal 
 of direful work to do. When that is accompUshed, tiiey shall be 
 laid aside; and, I hope, chastised and turned unto the God of their 
 fathers. 
 
 Dr. Crome, a German writer, calculates, that the present hor- 
 rible war, from 1792. to the end of 1796, has cost the several 
 imited powers, 232,l6'6',666 pounds, witli 700,000 men, and 
 France, 32(),y58,332 pounds, with 1,000,000 of men! At the same 
 period he considers En^;land alone as having lost 1 50,000 men, and 
 spent 93,333,332 pounds. Is it not evident from hence that the time 
 is come when God is poining out his ^•ials of wrath upon the nations 
 which coinpose the seat of the Beast ? — See the IMoitthli/ Mag. for 
 Nov. 1797. 
 
 Some people are extremely alanned at the consideration of our 
 national debt, which, being about five hundred niillions of pounds 
 sterling, they suppose must crush us to atoms. Let such j)ersons, 
 however, refiect for their comfort, that a single ten per cent, upon 
 all the national projierty would wipe off the whole. The j)enna- 
 uent and immoveable property of the country, it is sup})osed, 
 would produce on fair sale, the enormous sum of 2,500,000,000 
 pounds. The njov<^ablc or chattel property of the country is pro- 
 bably of equal value at least. Here then is a national stock of 
 5,000,000,000 pounds sterling. If from this we deduct the 
 500,000,000 we owe, there will remain a surplus of four thousand 
 live hundred millioi's of pounds sterling ! 
 
 Consult Chamock's Letter on Finance, and on ISaiional Defence. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 305 
 
 tics and denominations of men. Tf such is your Heroism, the 
 ear will bless when it hears you ; the eye will give witness 
 when it sees you ; the blessing of him that is ready to perish 
 will come upon you ; and the widow's heart will dance in 
 your presence for joy. Simple as this account may seem, it 
 is a Heroism to which few, comparatively, ever attain, or have 
 any idea of. It will require all your fortitude, and the utmost 
 stretch of your best powers. In pursuing such a line of conduct, 
 in conjunction with your temporal occupation, you will be era- 
 ployed usefully and comfortably while you live, and you will be 
 training up for the general assembly, and church of the jfirst 
 born, rchich are nrittcn in heaven, when you die. Be strong 
 in the Lord, then, and in the power of his might. Put on 
 the zcJiole armour of God, that ye may be able to '^tand 
 against the zciles of the devil. Fight the goodjight of faith, 
 and lai/ hold on eternal life. Let the well-known advice of 
 tlie justly celebrated Locke, which is both wise aiid sasonable, 
 be acceptable in your eyes. It will assuredly do you no harm, 
 and, if you pay due attention to it, will do you eternal good. 
 He himself was an example of his own precepts. For fourteen 
 or fifteen years he applied himself closely to the study of the 
 Holy Scriptures, and employed the last period of his life hard- 
 ly in any thing beside. He was never weary of admiring the 
 grand views of that sacred book, and the just relation of all its 
 parts. He every day made discoveries in it, which gave him 
 fresh cause of admiration. And so earnest was he for the com- 
 fort of his friends, and the diifusion of sacred knowledge among 
 them, that even the day before he died, " he very particularly ex- 
 horted all about him to read the Holy Scriptures, exalting the 
 love which God shewed to man, in justifying him by faith in 
 Jesus Christ, and returning him special thanks for having 
 called him to the knowledge of that Divine Saviour." It 
 has been often repeated too, that, to a person who asked him, 
 which was the shortest and surest way for a young gentleman to 
 attain to the true knowledge of the Christian religion, in the 
 full and just extent of it, he replied — <* Let him study the Holy 
 Scripture, especially the New Testament. Therein are con- 
 tained the words of eternal life. — It hath God for its author — 
 Salvation for its end, and Truth, without any mixture of 
 error, for its matter*." 
 
 * The ingenious and pious Lav AT ER, after prcuictiiig, like -Sir 
 
 B r 
 
306 A PLEA FOR REtJGION 
 
 This is a noble testimony, both in life and in death, from 
 this renowned Christian philosopher. Many hundreds of a 
 similar nature might be laid before the reader, besides those we 
 have already selected. And I confess, there is no kind of read- 
 ing, that is so edifying to me, as the final scenes of those persons, 
 who have been eminent in their day, either for their virtues or 
 their vices. A death-bed is usually a detector of the heart. 
 And to see a fellow-mortal in the ruins of nature, glorying over 
 the King of Terrors, m all his most horrible forms, is to me by 
 far the grandest spectacle that can be exhibited upon earth. It 
 is, as Seneca observes of Cato, a sight worthy of God to 
 look down upon*. What are all the triumphs of kings and con- 
 querors, when compared with the triumphs of abundance of the 
 children of the Most High in all ages? The Bible contains 
 a rich compendium of these religious Worthies f. The Book 
 
 Isaac Newton and Dr. Hartley, the general spread of Inji- 
 delity, thus expresses himself concerning tlie truth of the Gospel: 
 " If God has not spoken and acted through Chtist, then there 
 never has been a God who hath acted and spoken. If Christ is 
 the work of chance, then man and the whole world is the work of 
 chance also. .If Christ did not want the assistance of a God to 
 the j^erformance of his wonderful deeds, nature also can perform her 
 works without the interference of a God." 
 
 See Secret Journal of a Self Observer, vol 2, page 33 S. 
 
 Compare with the above the death-bed scene of Garzo, the great 
 grand-father of I'etrarch, who was so celebrated for his probity 
 and good sense that he was frequently consulted by philosophers, 
 and the learned of those times. " After living to the age of 104, 
 in innocence and good works, he died, as Plato did, on the day 
 of his birth, and iu the bed in whicli he was born. His death re- 
 sembled a quiet sleep. He exj)ired surrounded by his family, with- 
 out pain or uneasiness, while he \\as convei-sing about God and 
 virtue." Vide Memoirs of Petrarch. 
 
 * Ecce spectaculum dignum, ad quod respiciat, intentus operi suo, 
 Deus ! luce par pEO dignum, vir fortis cum mala fortuna com- 
 positus! Non video, inquam, quid habeat in terris Jnpiter pul- 
 chriiis, si convertere animum velit, quatn ut spectet CatonEM, jam 
 partibus nou semel fractis, nihilominus inter ruinas publicas erectum. 
 
 Sen. de Divin. Prov. 
 
 t For tlie dying advice and last scene of the Saviour of man- 
 kind, see John xiv. — xix, chapters — for good old Jacob's, see Gen. 
 :^lviii. xlix. chapters— for Joseph's, Gen, 1. — for Moses's, Dent. 
 xxxii, xxxiii. chapters — for Joshxta's, Jos. xxiii. xxiv. — for David's, 
 1 Chron. xxviii. 8, 9; and 2 Sam. xxiii. 1 — 9. — Stephen's, Acts 
 vii. — ^and Paul's, Acts xx, and 2 Tim. iv. 6' — 8. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 30' 
 
 of Martj/rs too records a noble army of valiant souls, who went 
 through fire and water, through racks and tortures, to their 
 blood-bought reward. The late iiorrible transactions on the 
 Continent have added an illustrious page to the records of reli- 
 gious renown*. And if the same diabolical spirit should per- 
 vade this happy country, I doubt not but there is a goodly company 
 among us, who, through the power of grace divine, will set at 
 nought, and bid defiance to, all the threats, guillotines, and en- 
 gines of the most virulent Psudo-PhilosopIiera-f in the kingdom. 
 So far as I myself am concerned, whether it shall please the 
 gracious Ruler of the world to call me hence by a storm of 
 persecution, by the sword of the enemy, by the enmity of secret 
 adversaries, or in the natural course ot' Providence, 1, above all 
 things upon earih, desire to quit this mortal scene in a fiery cha- 
 riot of divine love, and heavenly rapture. It is said that the 
 celebrated Scaliger was so delighted with that famous stanza 
 of Stern HOLD and Hopkins in the ISth Psalm: — 
 
 *' On Cherubs and on Cherubims 
 
 Fully royally he rode ; 
 And on the wings of mighty winds 
 
 Came flying all abroad:" 
 
 that he used to profess, he had rather have been the author of 
 it, than to have enjoyed the kingdom of Arragon. 
 
 Be this as it may, 1 have seen so many'lukewarm Christians 
 quit the world in such a doubting, timorous, micomfortable, 
 miserable manner, that I solemnly declare I had rather, if it 
 please God, take my leave of this earthly tabernacle, with my 
 faith, hope, love, peace, and joy in full exercise, and go with all 
 my sails unfurled into the haven of eternal rest, than be made 
 emperor of the whole universe. I well know professions like 
 
 * Vide Barruel's History of the French Clergy. 
 
 t The character of Philosophers has been much the same in all 
 ages. Cicero has described it as accurately as if he had lived in 
 the present day. " Quolus enim quisque Philosophorum invenitur, 
 qui sit ita moratus, ita animo ac vita coiwstitutus, ut ratio postulat ? 
 Qui disciplinam suam non ostentationein scientiie, sed legem vitae 
 putet ? Qui obtemperet ipse sibi, et decretis suis pareat \ Videre 
 licet, alios tauta levitate et jactatione, uti his fuerit non (Jidicisse 
 melius; alios jjecuuiaj cupidos, gloria; noiuiullos, multos libidinuffl 
 servos, ut cum eorum vita uiirabiUter pupnet oratio: quod quidem 
 jnihi videtur esse tiu-i)issinium." 
 
 T'm.t. Disp. lib. ? 
 
308 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 these will subject me to the charge of intemperate zeal and en- 
 thusiasm, as is observed on a former page. Such charges, how- 
 ever, I most cordially despise, and hold the philosophic authors 
 of them in as much pity and contempt, as they can entertain for 
 the warm and zealous Christian. 1 want not to quit the stage 
 of life in the spirit of Bolingbroke, Hume, Gibbon, 
 Ghestebfield, Godwin, and other such like characters. 
 The feeling, sensible, confident, joyful approbation of Heaven, 
 is above all estimation ; and the praise of men of loose morals, or 
 Pharisaical professions, is of little consideration in my esteem. I 
 wish them wiser and better, and that they may see their error be- 
 fore it is too late. Several of those worthy persons, w hose names 
 we have here recorded, died bearing a noble testimony to evati- 
 pclical truth. Their condition was enviable. To many such 
 I mvself have been a joyful witness in the course of my poor 
 ministrations. But the death-bed scene, which above all others 
 I have either read or seen, that seems to have had in it the 
 largest share of divine connnunications *, is that of the Hev. 
 John Janeway, fellow of King's College, in Cambridge, 
 who died at the age of twenty-four, in June 1657. 
 
 If it should appear too rapturous; consider, my Country- 
 men, what your feelings would be, should news be brought that 
 you had obtained a prize in the State Lottery of twenty or thirty 
 thousand pounds ; or that you were left heir to an estate of im- 
 mense value, which you had but little reason to expect. If, 
 when the Israelites had passed the Red Sea in safety, they saw 
 it right to sing a song of triumph for their deliverance, and to 
 praise the Lord with timbrels and with dances : if wheii-the 
 same people were delivered from the Bahi/lonish captivity, they 
 went out zoithjoy, and zoere led forth with peace, the moun- 
 tains and the hills breaking forth before them into singing, 
 and all the trees of the field clapping their hands; if then the 
 lame man leaped as a hart, the tongue of the dUmb sung, and 
 the ransomed of the Lord returned, and came to Sion with 
 soui^s, and everlasting jotj upon their heads, joy and gladness 
 
 * The serious reader will find the doctrine of the Holy Spirit's 
 influence upon the mind ably defenrled against our modern luke- 
 warm professors of religion from the charge of enthusiasm, in Bishop 
 Pearson on the Creed, Art. 8 ; a work with which every Christian 
 should be intimately acquainted, in these times of abounding licen- 
 tiousness both of principle and practice. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 
 
 309 
 
 going before them, and sorrow and sighing fleeing nzcay at 
 their advance : if when king David brought the ark, a symbol 
 of the Divine presence, unto Sion, he danced before it in all his 
 might with shouting, and the sound of the trumpet, wliile the 
 envious and malignant" Michal severely censured his pious 
 hilarity: if, wlien the, same royal Enthnsiad* was only ba- 
 nished from the tabernacle of God, he affectionately cried out— 
 j4s the hart panteth after the zcater brooks, so panteth my soul 
 after thee, O God: 7ny soul is athirst for God, for the liv- 
 ing God; zchen shall I come and appear before God? — M// 
 soul thiisfethfor thee ; my flesh longeth for thee ; my soul fol- 
 lorcefh hard after thee; my soul gaspeth after thee as a thirsty 
 land : and if, when this same enviable Fanatic came to die, he 
 again cried out in the full assurance of f;iith — fie hath made 
 zc'ith me an eter/asting covenant, ordered in all things and sure; 
 this is all mi/ salvation, and all my desircf: if, when the lame 
 beggar, who had been healed by Peter and John, entered 
 with them into the temple, ke zcalhed, and leaped, and praised 
 God, the Scribes and Pharisees being all in arms against ihem: 
 if, when Pai t> and Silas had been scourged and imprisoned 
 for the name of the Lord Jesus, they prayed in the dungeon 
 at midnight and sang praises unto Gon, for the honour conferred 
 upon them, and in believing views of the reward wliich av\aited 
 them : and if, when the Church of Rome is overturned, the 
 whole triumphant host is represented as crying aloud — Halle- 
 lujah ! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! for the Lord God O.mm- 
 POTENT r eigne th ! 
 
 If there has been, and would be, and ought to be, such ardent 
 desire, and such rapturous joy and triumph upon all these very 
 inferior occasions; shall not a man, who has long been buffeted 
 by the world, allured and seduced by the flesh, and vilely tempted 
 
 "^ It is a common mistake to suppose that none but religious peo- 
 ple are enthusiasts. Enthusiasm is found in every form and species 
 of human life. The orator and the poet, the hero and the poHlician, 
 the intolerant advocate for toleration, and the })rojective defender of 
 Christianity, may all be enthusiasts. See a hue account of difler- 
 ent kinds of enthusiasts in Andrew's Scripture Doctrine of Grace, 
 page 93 — 97; a passage which every one should read and well con- 
 sider, who is fonvard in dealing out ilie charge of enthusiasnj against 
 zealously religious people of all denominations. 
 
 t What must have been David's feelings when he composed the 
 96th, 145th, and five following psalms ? 
 
310 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 by the foul apostate Spirit ; and who, notwithstanding, has for 
 a good season been living under a strong and vigorous sense of 
 the knoxcledge of salvation hy the remission of \i\s sins, and a 
 sweet experimental union and communion with God, the leather 
 of spirits_, through the infinitely perfect obedience and all-atoning 
 death of his only begotten Son, by the communications of the 
 eternal Spirit; shall not a man so situated, I say, rejoice in 
 hope of the glory of God with exceeding great and triumphant 
 joy *, when he is within sight of land, driving with wind and 
 tide into the haven of rest, just upon the point of taking assured 
 possession of an inheritance incorruptible, and undejiled, and 
 that fadeth not away'\^^ 
 
 "What Iieart of stone, but glows at thoughts like these? 
 Such contemplations mount us ; and should mount 
 The mind still higher; nor ever glance on man, 
 UnrapturVI, unintlam'd." 
 
 If ever mortal lived the life of an angel upon earth, Mr. Jan e- 
 WAY seems to have been the man. How far do the enjoyments 
 even of lively Christians fall short of those lengths, and breadths, 
 and heights, and depths of the love of Christ with which he 
 was favoured? To evince this, 1 will present the reader with a 
 short sketch of his dying scene, and leave him to judge, whether 
 he ever saw or perused any account of an exit so far beyond th& 
 common run of Christians. And yet, by the grace of God, 
 and a diligent use of the divinely appointed means, this, or some- 
 thing like this, might be the attainment of all. 
 
 Mr. Janeway was born in the year l633, at TyUy'm 
 Hertfordshire. At about twelve years old, he had made a con- 
 siderable proficiency in mathematic science, and in the study of 
 astronomy, and other parts of useful literature. At seventeen he 
 was admitted to Kings College in Cambridge. At eighteen- it 
 
 * \\ hy may not a man, who makes it his main concern in fife, to 
 serve God and save his soul alive, expect peculiar manifestations of 
 the divine favour? It is certain that the promises of Scripture to 
 this piirpose are exceedingly strong and numerous, and the example^ 
 not less 50. I believe I speak considerably within compass when I 
 say, that there are in the Bible upv»ards of a hundied of these 
 ?pecial manifestations to the servants of GoD recorded. 
 
 -t- Dr. Priestly considers theses/ rang- consalciions, hi the view 
 of approaching dissolution, us enthusiasm. See his O her t'af ions on 
 ?he Increase of Injidelit}/, p. 2J. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 311 
 
 pleased God to enlighten his understanding, and to give him thft 
 knowledge and experience of evangelical truth. Mr. Baxter's 
 Sawts' Everlasting Rest became his tuvourite book. This he 
 read, studied, imitated. Now he knew that astronomy, with 
 which he was so delighted, surveyed but a dunghill in compari«« 
 son of that s\slem of things which the religion of Jesus con- 
 templates. Stars, about which Mr. Pa INF. makes such a po- 
 ther, are but dirty clods, when compared with that glory which 
 lies beyond the reach of the highest human contemplation. He 
 was now, therefore wholly occupied with divine contemplations, 
 and tasted so much sweetness in the knowledge of Christ, that 
 it was discernable in his very appearance, and he counted evcri/ 
 thing hut dross and dung, iit comparison of the knowledge of 
 Christ, and him crucified. Not that he looked upon human 
 learning as useless : but when fixed below Christ, not im- 
 proved for Christ, or set in opposition to Christ; he looked 
 upon wisdom as folly, upon learning as madness, and upou 
 genius as a curse, w hich would make a man more like the Devil, 
 more tit for his service, and put a greater accent upon our 
 misery in another world. 
 
 At the age of twenty he was admitted a Fellozv of his Col- 
 lege. Still, however, he went on with his religious contempla- 
 tions, and became so mighty in prayer, and other sacred exercises, 
 that he forgot the weakness of his body, and injured his health. 
 He studied much, prayed much, and laboured much in every 
 way he could contrive to be of use to mankind, and to promote the 
 honour of the Divine Being. Sickness coming on, he was 
 never permitted to preach but twice. His disorder, which was 
 of the consumptive kind, encreased rapidly upon him, but yet 
 with some intervals of relief. During the greatest part of his 
 sickness, however, he was so filled with love, and peace, and jov, 
 that human language sinks under what he saw and felt. Durin-- 
 the greatest pai t of his illness, he talked as if he had been in 
 the third heaven ; breaking out every now and then into extasies 
 of joy and praise. Not a word dropped from his mouth but it 
 breathed of Christ and heaven. He talked as if he had been 
 with Jesus, and come from the immediate presence of God. 
 At one time he said ; — " O my friends, stand and wonder; come, 
 look upon a dying man and wonder. Was there ever greater 
 kindness? Were. there ever more sensible manifestations of rich 
 grace? O^ why me. Lord? why me? Sure this is akirj to 
 
312 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 heaven. And if I were never to enjoy more than this, it were 
 uell worth all the torments which men and devils could invent. 
 If this be dyings dying is sweet. Let no C/tristiau ever be afraid 
 of dying. Oh ! death is sweet to me! This bed is soft. Cii Ri st's 
 arms, his smiles, and visits, sure they would turn hell into hea- 
 ven ! Oh ! that you did but see and feel what I do ! Come, and 
 behold a dying man, more cheerful than ever you saw any 
 healthful man in the midst of his sweetest enjoyments. O Sirs ! 
 worldly pleasures are pitiful, poor, sorry things, compared with 
 one glimpse of his glory which shines so strongly into my soul. 
 Oh! why should any of you be so sad, when 1 am so glad! This, 
 this is the hour tiuit I have waifed for." 
 
 About forty-eight hours before his dissolution, he said again: 
 — " Praise is now my work, and I shall be engaged in that 
 sweet employment for ever. Come, let ns lift up our voice in 
 praise. 1 have nothing else to do. I have done with prayer, 
 and all other ordinances. I have almost done conversing with 
 mortals. I shall presently be beholding Christ himself, that 
 died for me, and loved me, and washed me in his blood. I 
 shall in a few hours be in eternity, singing the song of Moses, 
 and the song of the Lamb. 1 shall presently stand upon mount 
 »S'/o>/ zcith an wtiumcrable company of angek, and the spirits 
 of just men made perfect, and Jesus the Mediator of the new 
 covenant. I shall hear the voice of much people, and be one 
 amongst them v\ho s^y—llallelnjah! Salvation, glorif, and 
 honour, and poiccr be n)ito f//t'. Lord our God! And again 
 we say. Hallelujah ! Methinks I stand as it were one foot in 
 heaven, and the other on eaitli. IMethinks I hear the melody of 
 heaven, and by failh I see the angels waiting to carry my soul to 
 the bosom of Jesus, and 1 shall be for ever v\ith the Lord in 
 glory. And who can choose butrejoice in all this r" 
 
 In such a rapturous strain as this he continued, full of praise, 
 full of adniiralion^ full of joy, till at length, with abundance of 
 faith and fervency, he cried aloud j — "■ Amen! Amen!" and soon 
 after expired *. 
 
 Mr. Jane WAY arrived at these high attainments in the divine 
 life, by a cen-^tunt j erusal of his Bible; a frequent perusal of Mr. 
 -Baxter's SaiuVs Everlasting; Rest, a book for which multitudes 
 will have cause to bless (lOD for e\er; and by spending a due pro- 
 portion ol" every d;»y in secret prayer, and devout contemplation. 
 
 The Earl < f Mirandola and Concordia, who died in the flower of 
 his age, about the year 1494., after he had for some time quitted all 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 313 
 
 And now, my Friends and Countrymen, with senti- 
 ments of the mast benevolent and affectionate regard, both for 
 
 his great eniployuients under Charles Xhojifth, emperor of Ger- 
 inany, was esteemed the most beautilul person of that age, and a 
 man of the most exalted genius ; and yet, after liaving read all that 
 could be read, and learned ever\' thing that could then be learned, 
 wrote to his Nephew, an officer in tiie army, in a style worthy of tlie 
 above example of Janeway: — " I make it my humble request to 
 you," says he, " that you would not fail to read the Holj/ Scriptures 
 night and morning with great attention; for as it is our duty 
 to meditate upon the Law of God dai/ and night, so nothing 
 can 1)6 more useful ; because there is in the Holy Scriptures a ce- 
 lestial and efficacious power, inflaming the soul with divine fear and 
 love." 
 
 Our celebrated Spencer, though a man of dissipation in his 
 youth, in his more advanced years entered into the interior of religion, 
 and in his two Hymns on Heavenly Love, and Heavenly Beauty, 
 hath expressed all the height and depth of J anew ay's experience; 
 " Then shalt thou feel thy spirit so possest. 
 And ravisht with devouring great desire 
 Of his dear self, that shall thy feeble breast 
 Intiame with love, and set thee all on fire 
 With buniing zeal, through every part entire. 
 That in no earthly thing thou shalt delight. 
 But in his sweet and amiable sight. — 
 Then shall thy ravisht soul inspired be 
 With heavenly thoughts, far above human skill, 
 And thy bright radiant eyes shall plainly see 
 Th' idea of his pure glory present still 
 Before thy face, that a\\ thy spirits shall fill 
 With sw eet euragement of celestial love, 
 Kindled through sight of those fair things above." 
 Spencer's religion, we see from the above extracts, is, like that 
 of the Quaker's, " a religion of feeling." This too is unquestionably 
 the religion of the Bible. Whom having not seen ye love ; in ivhom, 
 though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeak- 
 able and full oj glory. See tliis subject coiisidered at some lent^th 
 in Mr. Wilberforce's Practical J'ieiv, chap. 3, sect. 2d and 3d. 
 
 The same devout and heavenly spirit breathes strongjy iu all the 
 old ascetic authors. Augustine is famous for it; so were several 
 others of the ancient Fathers of the Church. Thomas a Kempi3 
 is excelled by none in this way. St. Bernard is \erv pious. His 
 hymn on the name Jesus is in a high strain of this kind. 
 " Desidero te niillits, 
 MiJEsUs! quando venies ? 
 Me laetum quando facies! 
 Me de te quando saties V' 
 St. Augustine's hymn, which begins, 
 
 s s 
 
314 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 You, and every human being, whether Jew, Turk, Infidel^ 
 Heretic, or Christian, I submit these reflections, concerning 
 Religion and the Sacred Writings, to your most serious con- 
 sideration. W liat impression they may make upon your minds, 
 is known only to the God of the spirits of all flesh*. My 
 
 " Ad perennis vitaj fontem 
 Mens sitivit arida ;" 
 is iu the same strain ; and has been imitated in that favourite old 
 hynni recortled in the Pilgrim's Guide : 
 
 " Jerusalem, my happy home, 
 
 O that I were in thee. 
 O would my woes Mere at an end. 
 Thy joys that I might see ! <S:c. Sec." 
 
 Almost eveiy thing of this kind, however, which has been left us 
 by our forefathers is written in a style higldy depraved, and is usually 
 equally devout and superstitious. The pious reader, tlierefore, 
 will be upon his guard in the perusal of such authors, and take the 
 good, and cast the bad away. The Bible alone is free from human 
 weaknesses. 
 
 * If the reader should find himself dissatisfied with the Plea for 
 Religion and the Sacred Writings, which is here put into his hand, 
 let him by no means give up the cause as desperate, but rather let 
 him lay it aside, and have recourse to those more able and exj)licit 
 Treatises, which I have occasionally recommended in the Notes. 
 Or, if he thinks himself capable of rendering a more eftectual service 
 to the cause of evangelical truth, let him take up his own pen, and 
 confoiuid the enemies of religion. Learned Laymen, especially, 
 should come forward in vindication of the Gospel ; since every tiling, 
 which proceeds from the Clergy on religion, is supposed to spring 
 from a self-interested source. Mr. Wilberforce has done him- 
 self much honour. He is a bold and able advocate for a much in- 
 jured cause. Nor less so is the excellent il/m Hannah More. 
 She is a credit to her sex, and a blessing to her country. It is scarce- 
 ly possible, however, for authors on this subject to be too numerous. 
 We are not wanting in clerical writers ; but tliose who have treated on 
 subjects purely religious, among the other ranks of society, are com- 
 paratively, few ; and ejspecially among the Princes and Aobles of 
 the land. 3Ir. HoRAt^E Walpole has given us a catalogue of 
 the Royal and Noble auXhors of England, Scotlarid, and Ireland, 
 since the Conquest ; and, 1 think, he produces, during all those ages, 
 only 10 E7iglish Princes, 92 Peers, and 14 Peeresses. To these he 
 adds 24^ Scotch royal and noble authors, with 11 Irish Peers: In all 
 about 150; a small number, when it is considered that they are 
 usually the best educated men in the country. 
 
 In Germany have been published in the course of six years, from 
 178 J to 1790, no less a number than 27|372 books, on the following 
 subjects, and hi these proportions: 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 315 
 
 earnest request to you, is, that you will give thetn a fair and 
 dispassionate hearing, and seek truth, at least, with as much 
 warmth and assiduity, as we usually employ in our secular pur- 
 suits. No man ever succeeded gieatly in life, who did not em- 
 bark zealously in its concerns. No man ever became a good 
 scholar, without much time and application. And no man ever 
 made any considerable proficiency in things divine, till all the 
 leading powers of his soul were engaged therein. Permit me 
 then to exhort you to be in eajnest in your religious enquiries. 
 Apply your minds with zeal and impartiality to the investigation 
 of sacred wi^^dom. This is the concern, the duty, the privilege, 
 the glory of every human being. The most ancient and sublime 
 author in the woi Id hatli exhausted all the trea.s<.ires of nature to 
 express its intrinsic value: Jlfiere shall Wisdom be J'ound? 
 4ind zchert is the place o/X"nderstanding ? Man knozceth 
 not the price thereof; neither is it found, in the land of the liv- 
 ing. The depth mith. It is not in me; arid the sea saith, It 
 is not with me. It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall 
 silver be rseighed for the price thereof. It cannot be veilutd 
 with the gold of Ophir, zcith the precious onyx, or the sapphire. 
 The gold and the chrj/stal cannot equal it : and the exchange 
 of it shall 7iot beforjeoiels offne gold. No mention shall be 
 
 1 General Literature ------___-_.- ^g 
 
 2 Philology .--.. .__. 1527 
 
 3 Divinity .- 486'3 
 
 4 Jurisprudence -- - - ------»-_ 22 oS 
 
 5 Medicine and Surgery - ----._.,. 1898 
 ^ Metaphysics and 5L Philosophy -----___ 905 
 
 7 Education - ----___ 506' 
 
 8 Politics and Finauce --- --_..___ i8S5 
 . 9 Military Sciences ---- - ---_.._] 54, 
 
 10 Physics and Natural History ------_._ 1729 
 
 J 1 Arts and Manufactures --------_..] ] 00 
 
 2 2 Mathematics -- - - ---_--_._ 531 
 
 13 Geography and History ---- . -_.__ 4779 
 
 3 4 Belles Lettres ----- - ------- 3793 
 
 1 5 History of Literature ---- _-___-- 7()'o 
 
 J 6 MisceHaneou* -__.- . ---_-_. 689 
 
 Gent. Mag. Feb. 1796, p. 147. 
 From the Monthly Mag. for June 1798, it appears, that the 
 average number of books published in Germany ^ from 1785 to tlve 
 <;lose of the year 1797, is 5,300 annually. 
 
 s s 2 ' 
 
316 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 made of coral, or of pearls ; for the price of Wisdom is above 
 rubies. The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall 
 it be valued with pure gold. Whence then comet h Wisdom? 
 aiid where is the place q/" Understanding? — Behold, the 
 FEAR of the Lord, that is Wisdom; and to depart from 
 evil is Understanding. 
 
 If such is the vahie of Wisdom, the search will undoubtedly 
 repay the labour.. But, have we any assurance that the inestima- 
 ble treasure may be found? The Wisest of men will answer 
 to our satisfaction : Mi/ Son, if thou zoilt receive my words; 
 and hide mi/ commandments with thee ; so that thou incline thy 
 ear unto Wisdom, and apply thine heart to Understand- 
 ing: yea, if thou criest after Knowledge, and liftest iip 
 thy voice for Un d e rsta n d i n g : if thou seekest her as silver, 
 and searchest for her as for hid treasures; then shali thou un- 
 derstand the fear of the Lord, and fnd the knozoledge of 
 God — thou shalt understand righteousness, and judgment, and 
 equity; yea, every good path. All this implies the greatest 
 possible attention to our religious concerns. 
 
 With these fine sentiments I take my leave, commending you 
 to God, and to the Word of his grace, which is able to build 
 you up, if you will submit to its authority, and to give you an 
 inheritance among all them that are sanctifed. Jf you are 
 right, in your present state of mind, may you continue in the 
 right way to the end of your days, and increase and abound there- 
 in more and more. I think, however, you should be extremely 
 cautious how you contradict and blaspheme what so many wise 
 and good men esteem the truth of God, lest that come upon 
 you, which is spoken of in the Prophets — Behold, ye despisers, 
 and wonder, and perish! — Speaking modestly, your situation is 
 not altogether without danger. It is impossible you should he 
 perfectly satisfied that all is as you could wish*. 
 
 " Since then we die but once, and after death 
 
 Our state no alteration knows. 
 
 But wlien we liave resign'd our breath 
 
 Th' immortal spirit goes 
 
 To endless joys, or everlasting woes; 
 
 Wise is the man, who labours to secure 
 
 That mighty and important stake, 
 
 * He was no inconsiderable man who said, " To doubt of the 
 Gospel is folly : to reject it is madness." 
 
 Jortin's Sermons, vol. 4. p. 111. 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 317 
 
 And by all methods strives to make 
 
 His passage safe, and his reception sure." 
 
 As to myself, I am tiioroughly satisfied with that God, tliat 
 Redeemer, and that Sanctifier which the Chrhtian 
 Scriptures hold out to the view and acceptance of mankind. 
 1 am perfectly pleased with those Scriptures f, and with all 
 
 Let the sceptical reader consult Dr. Robertson, the Hiiitoria7i's 
 very sensible Discourse on the .Situatio?i of tiie If or Id at the Time of 
 Christ's Appearance, and its Connection with the Success of his 
 Religion. A conscientious reader cannot fail of being edified by such 
 a discourse. 
 
 t When I have spoken above in such strong terms of the volume 
 of Revelation, it is by no means intended to cast any slight upon the 
 volume of Xature. While we daily study the former, we shall do 
 well to pay all due attention to the latter, according to our oppor- 
 tunities of investigation. To an enlightened observer, they both 
 carry indubitable marks of tlieir great original. The heavens declare 
 the glory of GoD, and the earth is full of his riches. The most 
 perfect catalogue of stars, before the present ingenious and indefa- 
 tigable Dr. Herschel appeared, did not contain quite 3,000; but 
 by the vast superiority of his glasses, lie hath discovered 44,000 
 stars in a few degrees of the heavens *; and by the same proportion, 
 it is supposed, that 75,000,000 are exposed in the expanse to human 
 investigation f. AH these stars are of a fiery nature, and conjec- 
 tured to be so many suns with their systems of j^lanets moving round 
 them. We know the sun to be the centre of our system. It is ac- 
 companied with 19 planets, besides about 450 comets. What an 
 amazing idea does this give us of the works of God! And if such is 
 the Work, what nuist the Workman be ! 
 
 Every part of nature, moreover, with which we are acquainted, is 
 full of living creatures, with stores of every kiiid to supply their ne- 
 cessities. This little globe of ours is known to contain within its bowels 
 a great variety of valuable minerals, and to be covered with about 
 20,000 different species of vegetables, 3,000 species of wormsj 
 12,000 species of insects, 200 species of amphibious animals, 550 
 species of birds, 2,600 species of fish, and 200 species of quadru- 
 peds. How immense then must be the number of indi\iduals! 
 One tiy is found to bring forth 2000 at a time, and a single cod-fish 
 to produce considerably more tlian three millions and a half of 
 young. Nay, Leewenhoek tells us, that there are more animals 
 in the milt of a single cod-fish, than there are men upon the Avhole 
 earth. Over all these creatures preside upwards of 730 millions 
 
 * See tlie Disserlations of Dr Herschkll, relative to this brilliant portion of 
 the heavens, in the Philosophical Transactiom. 
 
 t Jerome De Lalande, Direclor oiihe. French Olservalofy , supposes that a 
 glass of Herschel's powers may discover 90 millions of stars in the whole sur- 
 face of the heavens, and that even this number is but small, in comparison of 
 what exists.— itfo«f/i/i/ Mag, for Oct» 1798. p. 26 j. 
 
3i8 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 
 
 the divine dispensations therein recorded. Our God hath 
 done, is doing, and will do all things well. It is altogether fit 
 he should govern his own world, and bow the rebellious nations 
 to his sway. The present degenerate state of Christendom is 
 too disgraceful to his government, to be permitted to continue 
 beyond the predicted period. He will, therefore, arise and 
 
 of human beings. Such is the family of the Great Father here 
 upon earth ! And when it is considered, that the earth itself, with 
 all its furniture, is no more, when compared with the whole system 
 of things, than a single grain of sand, when comjiared with a huge 
 momitain, we are lost in the immensity of God's works, and con- 
 strained to ci-y out. Lord, u'hat is man, that thou art mindful of 
 kirn, or the son of man, that thou visifest him! And if to this im- 
 mensity of the works of creation, we add the admirable structure of 
 the whole, and the exquisite perfection of every part, we shall not 
 fail of being exceedingly affected with the inetl'able wisdom of tlic 
 Divine Architect. To bring this consideration more within the 
 grasp of human comprehension, let us take, as it were, to pieces, and 
 examine the several parts of any 07ie creature which God hath made; 
 and we shall find a fierfectiou among its several powers, and aii 
 adaptation to its situation in the grand scale of existence, far surpass- 
 ing hmnan skill. Let the most perfect anatomist, that ever existed, 
 make bis observations upon the human frame; let liim examine 
 with the greatest possible attention the totit ensemble of the struc- 
 ture ; then let him proceed to the several parts, of which the micro- 
 cosm is composed; first, the powers of the mind; the understand- 
 ing, the will, the memory', the conscience, and the various aft'ections: 
 next the five senses; the touch, the taste, the smell, the hearing, 
 and the sight: afterwards let him proceed to the several fluids of the 
 body ; and then to the 300 bones, the 40 different sorts of glands, 
 tlie 466 muscles, tlte 40 pair of nerves, the fibres, the membranes, 
 the arteries, the veins, the lympiucducts, the excretory vessels, the 
 tendons, the ligaments, the cartilages; and let him explore the 
 whole and every part with the greatest degree of accuracy, know- 
 ledge, and judgment, that ever centered in man; and then let him 
 honestly say whether be could suggest the smallest improvement in 
 any one respect. If he were an Atheist before such investigation, 
 like the celebrated Galen, he would be converted to the belief of 
 the Divine Existence, would compose a hymn in praise of the 
 CiiEATOE of the world, and sing with the great Progenitor of mau- 
 khid : 
 
 " These are thy glorious works. Parent of good; 
 
 Almighty, thine this universal fr^me, ^ 
 
 Thus wondrous fair; Thyself how wondrous then! 
 
 Unspeakable ! who sitt'st above these heav'ns. 
 
 To us invisible, or dimly seen 
 
 In these thy lowest works ; yet these declare 
 
 Thy goodness beyond thought, and pow'r diving* 
 
AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 319 
 
 plead his own cause, and all the wickedness of jnen, and the 
 convulsions and distress of nations, shall wind up to his eternal 
 credit. TJte Lord u King, be the people never so impatient ; 
 he sitteth betzceen the Cherubim, be the earth never so unquiet. 
 His Gospel is no other than the plan devised by infinite wisdom 
 for the melioration of mankind. The immortal seed is sown; 
 the principle of life has vegetated; the little leaven is diffusing 
 itself far and wide. INJuch has been done ; much is doing ; much 
 shall be done. Millions of reasonable creatures have already 
 found eternal rest in consequence of the Redeemer's dying 
 love:, multitudes of souls at ihis moment are happy in their own 
 bosoms under a sense of the divine favour: and innumerable 
 myriads of men shall arise, believing in his name, trusting in his 
 mediation, and rejoicing in his salvation, maugr* ail the oppo- 
 sition of fallen Christians and apostate spirits. \Vise and gra- 
 cious is the DiviN E Being in all his ways, and I rejoice that he 
 is the 'GovERNOUR among the people. To his service I 
 avowedly devote my feeble powers, as long as he shall vouch- 
 safe me the exercise of them ; nor will I cease to speak the ho- 
 nours of his Majesty while the breath continues to actuate 
 this mortal frame. And, 
 
 " When even at last the solemn hour shall come. 
 And wing my mystic thght to future worlds, 
 I cheerful will obey; there, with new powers, 
 Will rising wonders sing: I caimot go 
 Where Universal Love not smiles around. 
 Sustaining all yon orbs, and all their suns. 
 From seeming Evil still educing Good, 
 And Better tiience again, and Better still, ^ 
 
 In infinite progression. — But I lose 
 Myself in Him, ux Light Ineffable! 
 Come then, expressive silence, muse His praise." 
 
AFFENBIX 
 
 The Rtformotion contended for in these papers is a peace- 
 able reform, begun and carried on by the wisdom of the three 
 branches of the Constitution, as far as the Constitution is con- 
 cerned ; and by tlie Bishops and Clergy, of every denomina- 
 tion, so far as the moral and religious conduct of the people is 
 concerned. The absolute necessity of such reformati<.>n is 
 founded on the prophetic declarations of Daniel before re- 
 peatedly mentioned. The nature of the reformation which I 
 conceive to be necessary to our lasting preservation as a kingdom, 
 is, that whatever militates against the genuine spirit of Christ's 
 religion in the Establishment should be removed; and that all 
 orders of clerical characters, especially, should set themselves, 
 with the utmost zeal and determination, "first to reform them- 
 selves, and then to stop the torrent of iniquity, which threatens 
 to involve the country in the most complete destruction. The 
 Dissenters and Methodists are moving heaven and earth to pro- 
 mote the cause of religion in their respective ways. If the 
 18,000 Clersri/men in the Establishment would exert them- 
 selves for the good of souls m ith equal zeal and fervour, the 
 Established Church would not only be the safer, as an Etnblish- 
 ment, but the divine protection would be more effectually en- 
 gaged on our behalf. Righteous nations never fall*. Unfor- 
 
 * Among other uulavourable signs of the times, the vast num- 
 ber of bankruptcies in this kingdom is none of the least. I suppose 
 we average six or seven hundred every year, beside all the cojupo- 
 sition businesses, which are still more numerous. But what I here 
 chiefly refer to, as a proof of depraved morals, is, that, of all the 
 instances of defraud, intentional or otherwise, practised upon the • 
 public, an instance of afttr-paynient is rarely recorded ; and, 
 w henever such an instance occurs, it is always spoken of w ith asto- 
 nishment, as a thing not to be expected. If a man goes upon 
 the high road, or breaks into your house, and robs you of a 
 few |K)unds, he is infamous ; and if he can be caught and arraigned, 
 
 T T 
 
323 APPEXDIX I. 
 
 tunately, liowever, numbers of our Order of men are the 
 grentest enemies to the country and to religion. We pro- 
 mote the interest of Satan more effectually by our indolence, 
 Moridly-niindedness, lukewarmness, and misGonduct, than all 
 the wicked and immoral characters in the khigdom put to-^ether. 
 Only think ! Eighteen thousand men, led on by six and twenty 
 Bis/t->ps, all tiiied with faith and the Holy Ghost, with an 
 ardent love to Jesus Christ, and.\. ith a judicious, but warm 
 and affectionate zeal for the salvation of souls, paid by the 
 State, and sent out into every corner of the land to preach the 
 everlaslhig Gospel! What a glorious consideration! How 
 should we make the ungodly and profane skulk into corneis, and 
 hide their impious heads ! But, alas ! how is the gold become 
 dim! hozc is the inost fine gold changed ! for from the pro- 
 phets of Jciusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land. 
 Dissenters are encreasing, Methodists are multiplying,, U icked- 
 ness is spreading, our Churches are emptying, Infdelity is 
 pervadiiig all orders of society, and the daughter of Zion is 
 like to be left as a cottage in a vincijard, as a lodge in a 
 garden of cueunibcrs, as a besieged city. ^^ e may look at the 
 neighb<iuring nations, and learn, at their expence, what our own 
 fate will assuredly be ere long. AA ho is so blind? who is so 
 ignoranl r who is so selfish and securer who is so unread in 
 liistory ? \\\\o is so unacquainted with the prophecies, as not to 
 see, that the salvation of Hurope is suspended on its wisdom, in 
 correcting what is amiss in its morals, and unevangelical in its 
 ecclesiastical constitutions ? 
 
 It should seem, however, notwithstanding the growing im- 
 morality of the age, and the other alarming symptoms of onr 
 
 . and the thing proved, he atones for his ollence at the expence of 
 his life. But a man, in a way of trade, shall cheat you of hun- 
 dreds and thousands, shall {>ay you ten, live, or even only two shil- 
 lings in the j.ound, yet he is a good fellow, a man of honour. He 
 begi :S aguin, keeps it up, cuts a dash, cracks again, and all is well, 
 lie never cheams, that upon eveiy prineiiile of justice, honour, and 
 conscience, he is as nuich a <lebtor for ail his dcliciencies, as though 
 the law had never acquitted hini. Vi iuit an accunuihition of guilt 
 is u})v'tn this land on these accounts? Of the many thousands in 
 this country, who fall short in their payments, how few, how ex- 
 tremely few do we meet with, or hear of, who, aftenvards, like the 
 most worthy Reyner, call their creditors together, and pay 
 them, Avhat, indeed, is justly due, but what they never could de- 
 mand ? 
 
APPENDIX L 323 
 
 nation, that the GovEUNorn among the armits of heaven^ 
 and the iuhubitants upon earth, halJi still a favour to dear old 
 Knulaiid. He is loath to give us up. The wise and vigorous 
 measures pursued by the King and his j\li//isttrs are surely 
 tokens for s«od to my country. The late very splendid vic- 
 tories are propitious signs. The j4cts too, for excludmg suspi- 
 cious foreigners, and arming the whole nation, are master- 
 pieces of sound policy. Hitherto assuredly the Lord hath 
 helped us. He hath given us a patriotic Ki/ig, ^hle Ministers, 
 skilful Gcfioa/s, brave Soliliers, unparalleled Jdmirahy and 
 gallant Sailors: above all, he hath poured out a spirit of wrest- 
 ling prayer upon large numbers of religious people. These are 
 symptoms of the most propitious kind. But, with all these 
 advantages, since God usually works by means, how is it pos- 
 sible for any country, ilutt is not in a constant high state of pre- 
 j)aration, to resist such a mighty armed and growing republic as 
 Fiauct Z If the people in this kingdom will not very generally 
 come forward and qualify themselves for resistance, we must 
 ultimately fall. But, if we should share the fate of the other 
 nations, there will be no just reason to accuse the Goveuimtnt. 
 The war was inevitable on our part. It w as, moreover, ordained 
 of God for the subversion of the seat of the Beaxt *. They 
 have been extremely vigorous in their measures, and have done 
 what men ia their situation could do. Let the people re- 
 member, that we live in a period, when one of God's great and 
 afflictive providential dispensations is coming upon the wurld • 
 a dispensation predicted for some thousands of vears ; and let 
 them second the eueleavours of their Governofs, and come for- 
 ward, man, woman, and child, to defend themselves against the 
 common enemy, as they would against an army of bears 
 
 * It has been noticed on a former page, that the Pope and Ma- 
 homet rose in or about the same year. 'J he former is driven from 
 his seat exactly at the end of I2o0 years. And is it not a circum- 
 stance extrenielv remarkable, that the very same man, iu the verv 
 same year, should iuvade the empire of the latter during a state of 
 profound peace, seemingly without any reason? We kiow the 
 Turk is to fall, and we have some cause to suppose the period of 
 that catastrophe will be at no great distance from the subversion of 
 the Pojjex secular dominion. I fear we shall be on the wrong side 
 of the question, if we attempt to support either him or the remaiij- 
 ing pojjith states, and shall sutler for our intermeddling;. 
 
 T t '2 
 
3'24 APPENDIX I. 
 
 wolvesj and tvgers ; and we shall be safe under the divine pro- 
 tection, while that protection is afforded. But, in my opinion, 
 every remaining popish, secular, and superstitious circumstance, 
 which is calculated to offend the Majesty of Heaven, and 
 to oppose the interests of Christ's kingdom *, should be re- 
 moved from the ecclesiastical part of our Constitution, and no- 
 thing should be left undone to engage his continued favour 
 and protection. 
 
 The Dissenters and Methodists, I have observed, are mov- 
 ing heaven and earth to promote the interests of religion in 
 their several ways, and to oppose the torrent of vice and 
 infidelity, which is overspreading these happy and heaven- 
 favoured lands. A kind of association has been formed 
 among some of the established Clergy at Manchester, to ^ 
 preach a w eekly lecture in each others churches ; which, 
 no doubt, will be attended with good effect. This is a 
 laudable effort, and shews a proper attention to the cir- 
 cumstances of the times •\, and should be followed in all po- 
 pulous towns. We ought every one to step out of the 
 routine of our accustomed methods of doing good, and strive 
 with peculiar energy to save our people's souls from death, 
 
 * What can be more inimical to the iuterests of the Gospel of 
 Christ in the world, than the damnable monopoly of Church 
 Livitigs, so extremely common among all the higher orders of the 
 Clergy in this country ? More than one instance of this nature is 
 given in the foregoing papers. To these may be added the follow- 
 ing. A certain clerical character, whom I could name, is at this 
 time in possession of 700 pounds a year private fortune. He is a 
 tippling humoral person, with little or no family, besides his wife. 
 One living he has got, at a good distance, of 000 pounds a year, 
 besides two rectories, one of jOO, the other of 350 pounds a year. 
 At the same time, he has obtained a Prebendary of considerable va- 
 lue in one of our magnificent cathedrals. Will any wise man un- 
 dertake to say, that a Clergyman of this description believes the 
 (jospel of Christ? All such characters are undoubted infidels 
 in disguise, do an infinite deal of harm to the iuteiests of religion in 
 the world, and, in a well-ordered state of things, would be degraded 
 from their pretended sacred ofiice. Such men may ci-y out as loudly 
 as they please against Thomas Paine and his deist ical brethren — 
 their craft is in danger ! — but they themselves arc much more to 
 blame, and shall be condemned vyitli ten-fold conflisiou. ToM 
 Paine is a saint, when compared with such fellows. 
 
 t Something similar to tliis has likewise been practised for some 
 jears by several pious and respectable clergymen in the metropolis. 
 
APPENDIX I. 325 
 
 atid our beloved ccuntry from ruin. An association of Pro- 
 testant Dissenters, of different denominations, has also been 
 formed at Bedford *. About thirty ministers in that neigh- 
 bourhood are already engaged to co-operate in spreading the 
 knowledge of the Gospel through all the towns and villages, in 
 that vicinity, upon the most liberal plan. The same kind of 
 associations are forrbed also in Kent, Dorsetshire, Surry, 
 Suffolk, Lancashire, Cheshire, Derbyshire, Northumberland, 
 and will probably in a little time pervade the whole of the 
 three kingdoms. This is good news to ail who wish well to 
 the cause of religion, without regard to sects, parties, and opi- 
 nions; and may convince us, that the Gospel of Jesus wants 
 nothing but fair play ; and that human establishments, and great 
 worldly emoluments, are not essentially necessary for its pro- 
 pagation and support. The Puritans were frov, ned on by the 
 government from the time of the Reforntalion to the days of 
 Charles I. and yet they encreased to such a height as to over- 
 turn both Church and State. The Dissenters have been, ju 
 some respects, frowned on again from the Restoration to the 
 present time; yet they, and the Methodists, who are in the 
 same predicament, are much more upon the increase f, than 
 we of the Establishment, who are fostered by the government 
 attended by the nobles and gentry of the land, and supported bv 
 the State, at the expence of near two millions a year. When 
 shall it once be, that the Great Ones of the world will be ca- 
 
 * CousuU /*//. Greatheed's Sermon at Bedford on General 
 Union : a valuable discourse. 
 
 t It is said that the Methodists have increased many thousands of 
 late years. Tiiis brings to my mind an anecdote that is related of the 
 late Rev. George Whitefield, in the reign of A7«^ George II. 
 which is, that when a certain i?/.v^o/> was coniplaininu (o the A"; wo- 
 of .1//-. Wh/tefield's great and eccentric labours, and advisin^^ 
 with him what steps «ere best to be taken to put a stop to his 
 preaching, his Majesty very shrewdly replied, " My Lord, I can 
 see no other way but for us to make a bishop of Inin. This will 
 stand a good chance of stopping his wild career." If this he a 
 recipe for curing a Clergi/man of an excess of public preaching, the 
 following prescription, given by a valuable author about fortv'vears 
 ago, would have no little etiect in preventing the growth and in- 
 crease of Methodism,—" Let the Oergi/ live more holily, pray 
 more fenently, preach more heavenly, and labour more difigentiv, 
 than the Methodist nihiisters appear to do: then wiU Chriaf inn's 
 flock to the churches to hear us, as they now flock to the meBtin^rs 
 to hear them," " 
 
saG ,i\PPEXDIX I. 
 
 pable of seeing, that oppression, of every kind and degree, for 
 conscience' sake, always produces an effect directly contrary to 
 the wishes and intentions of the oppressor ? 
 
 The villages in Ei/g/and alone, besides cities and market 
 towns, are about 30,000. AU these call upon us for evei7 ex- 
 ertion to evangelize them, and to save the peoples souls alive. — 
 A bianch oft" from the Mef/wdists has likewise spread far and 
 wide, under the direction of the late Mr. Alexander Kil- 
 II AM. At present they have about seventeen circuits, twenty 
 preachers, and upwards of 5,000 persons in society, and are in- 
 creasing considerably each year. Shall zee then, zce^ the eighteen 
 thousand Ckrgifmen of the Entabliahment, who are under such 
 superior obligations, many of whom are paid by tlie State, at 
 the rate of some hiuidreds, and others at the rate of some thou- 
 sands a year; shall ice be all asleep, sit still, and pursue no pe- 
 culiarly vigorous measures, each one in our own sphere, or vari- 
 ous of us in concert, till destruction come upon us to the utter- 
 most * ? Is not the time nearly arrived for the subversion of the 
 nations ? And can any thing under heaven prevent our sharing 
 in the common fate of Christendom, but a speedy and effectual 
 return to fr«//£(f//rfl/ principles and practices ? Is not our sister 
 kingdom already deluged with blood? And is not the alarm of 
 war in our own borders ! Does not the miu-derous sword draw 
 nearer and nearer every year ? And shall we Clcvs^ymen, who 
 above all men in the kingdom are devoted to the most assured 
 destruction, be indifferent to circumstances r Let the very laud- 
 able cunduct of the several zealous bodies of Christians in this 
 nation, before mentioned, not excite our rage and envy, but ra- 
 ther let it provoke the great body of h&, the established Ciergi/, 
 to jealousy and emulation. If ever there was a time when it 
 was necessary to awake out of sleep, and be alive to the interests 
 of the Gospel, surely it is now. If our most reverend and right 
 reverend the Jrchbishops and Bishops are indisposed towards 
 a meliorated state of the ecclesiastical part of the constitution, 
 
 * It is related of the /?f r. John Carlyon, L. L. B. in the 
 Genthmans Mag. fur Oct. I79S, that when his health would not 
 permit liini to reside upon the valuable Living of BradwtU in Essex, 
 he resolutely gave it up, arid would not serve it by -a Citrate, though 
 entreated by the Bishop so to do. There was not, however, in this 
 case that close trial of conscientious integrity, w hich we have known 
 in some others; because Mr. Carlyon was a person of consider- 
 able private fortune. 
 
APPENDIX r. 327 
 
 let them at least lay aside their aftectation of pomp and show, 
 come among tlieir clergy and people, and set us an example of 
 a warm and judicious zeal * in preaching — not merely a letined 
 moral ity— but the great and glorious truths of the everlasting 
 Gospel f, in such a way as we can all inuhrstaud and Jcel. 
 This would have a strong tendency to animate and encourage 
 the pious part of the Ciergi/ in their ministerial labours for the 
 good of mankiiid, and to discountenance and overawe the li- 
 centious and profane, those dreadful pests of every neigh!)(iur- 
 hood, which has the misfortune to be cursed with their ex- 
 ample %. Such a reformation as this, is within the power of 
 every Bhhop upon the bench, whose age and health will admit 
 of exertion : and no one need wait for the concurrence of his 
 brethren. As matters, however, are now n\anaged, a large pro- 
 portion both of our llh/iops and Ctttgi/ are, in a very consider- 
 able degree, a useless buriicn upon Uie public. We not only do 
 little or no good, but we do a great deal of harm. While we 
 continue dead to the iiUerests of religion ; subscribe w hat we do 
 not believe; read what we do not approve; and set the pulpit 
 
 * See Bisli op Gibson on the Evil and Danger of Lnkcivarmness 
 in Religion. 
 
 t Consult the Charge of Bishop HoRSLEY in 1 7<)0, on the Truths 
 of tl»e Cospd. 
 
 For the vaiiaus efforts which have long been making, and are at 
 this moment still niakiiig, for the destruction of all the churches 
 and goveninients in (liristendom, see those two very curious and 
 interesting works, Hobinson's Proofs v.i' aConspiraci/ against all the 
 Religions and Guvcrnincnts of Europe, 'Aud li.VKRU el's Memoirs of 
 Jacobinism. 
 
 iJi.^hap Nkw TON, in his tince admirable volumes on the Pro- 
 phecies, which were iirst published about hfty vears ago, hath 
 spoken in terms nearly as .strong as any of the f(»reg>)i!)g, concerning 
 the danger which the country is in because of riUtional hii(|uities. 
 See vol.^L'. p. 23.9. 
 
 Jjish p IloHNE also hath expressed his fears to the same purport, 
 at the 162 page of his Siifeeu Sermons; to which two able writers, 
 I beg leave to reconnr.end the readci'. 
 
 X -Bishop lit R NET speaks on this subject with great concern. 
 " 1 say it with i^reat regret," says he, " I have obst-rved the Clerg}/ 
 in all places through which I have travelled, Papists, LulheriDis, 
 Cahinists, and Dissenters; but of them all, our Clergy are the most 
 remiss in their labours in private, and the least severe in their lives. 
 — Unless a better siriiit p«^sscss the CVt-r^//, arguments, and what is 
 more, laws and authority, will not pro\e strong enough to preserve 
 the church." — Own Times, vol. iv. p. 411, 430. 
 
S28 APPENDIX 1. 
 
 and reading desk at loggerheads one with the other: while our 
 doctrines are unevangelical ; our spirit lukewarm ; our minds se- 
 cular and worldly ; our studies merely literary or philosophical ; 
 and our conduct inimoral ; far better would it be that the nation 
 were without us_, and all our preferments sequestered to the pur- 
 poses of the State, as they respectively become vacant, and the 
 people left to provide at their own expence for ministers, as it is 
 among all denominations of Dissenters. In this case, ministers 
 in general w ould both be better provided for, the people would 
 be better served, the Govervment would gradually obtain consi- 
 derable sums of money to aid them in their efforts to save the 
 country, and all the dumb dogs, the useless and immoral part of 
 the Clergy, would be sent a packing, one to his farm, and ano- 
 ther to his merchandize *. Can any rational man say, that this 
 would be a misfortune to the nation ? At least, were I in the 
 Prime Minister's \)\-diCe, and wanted to raise money for the 
 salvation of the kingdom, as it is well known he must do, I 
 should certainly turn my attention to the property of the Church. 
 ^^ hat need is there that a Bishop should enjoy public money to 
 the amount of — from two to tw enty thousand pounds a year I 
 and for what? Where is the necessity too that a private Clergy- 
 man should hold a living or livings to the amount of one, two, 
 or three thousand pounds a year? 1 protest my sagacity cannot 
 discern either the necessity or propriety of these things -f-. If 1 
 might be permitted to speak froni my own feelings, 1 can truly 
 
 * Dr. South very justly somewhere says, if my memory fail 
 me not, that " many a man has run his head against a palpit, who 
 would have cut an txcelient figure at a plough tail," 
 
 t The ingenious Montesouiku tells us, that " the prosperity 
 ef religion is diH'erent from that of civil go^ ernnient, A celebrated 
 author says, that reiiuion may be well in an aihicted state, because 
 affliction is tlie true state of a Chrisiiav. To which we may add, 
 that the huniiiiution and dispersion of the C'Am/tA, the destruction 
 pf her temples, and the persecution of her martyrs, are the dis- 
 tiugiiislnng times of lier gloiy. On the contrary, \\lien she appears 
 ttiiniphant in the eye of the world, she is generally sinking in ad- 
 Tcrsity." De la (irap.d ct hi Decwl des Ronwitis. 
 
 Agreeably to this. Bishop Newton, jn his learned Dissertations 
 en ll e Prophecies, speaking of Constantime's open profession of 
 Christifmify, sa\s, " Though it added much to the temporal prospe- 
 rity, yet it contributed little to the spiritual graces and virtues of 
 fhristians. It eiilarged their revenues, and increased their endow- 
 mL'uts; but proved the fatal means of corrupting the doctrine, and 
 relaxing the discipline of the Church."-' ■ Vol. II, p. l6'4. 
 
APPENDIX 1. 329 
 
 say I never look more pains in the ministry^ than when I had 
 only sixty pounds a year. Since I have been married and had a 
 familvj my income from the church has never amounted to a 
 liundred and twenty pounds a year. Notwithstanding this, I 
 have been, thank God, not only content, but happy. I have la- 
 boured hard, studied hard, and, probably, have been as useful, 
 and well satisfied with my condition as the fattest rector in all 
 the diocese of Chester. If any person, in the mean time, had 
 bestowed upon me a living of five hundred or a thousand pounds 
 a year; to be sure 1 should have been under great obligation to 
 ""such persons, but I very much question whether I should have 
 been made either a more happy man, or a more useful minister 
 of the Gospel*. It is much more likely I should have been 
 very seriously injured, should have composed myself to rest, and 
 cried with the rich fool, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for 
 many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. The 
 Clergy with large preferments are, generally speaking, the 
 <lrones of society. Tiiey neither write any thing to good pur- 
 pose, nor do they take any serious pains in their vocation of 
 preaching the Gospel. If they do write, it is usually something 
 foreign to their profession ! and if they do sometimes hold forth 
 from the pulpit, it is in such a way as is calculated to do nei- 
 ther much good nor much harm. Not being truly in earnest 
 for their own salvation, they have but little zeal for the salvation 
 of others f. A reduction of some of our church-livings, an 
 
 * This brings to my recollection a story of one of the Popes of 
 Rome, who, seeing a large sum of money lying upon his table, said 
 to one of tlie Cardinals, " The Church can no longer say, Silver and 
 gold have I none." — " No," answered the other, " nor can the Church 
 anv longer say, Take up thy bed and walk." 
 
 ^ lad here the account which Dr. Hartley, one of the wisest 
 ami best of men, a serious member of our church, gives of the state 
 of the Clergy, in the year 1749. 
 
 " I choose to speak," says he, " to what falls under the obser- 
 vation of all serious attentive persons in the kingdom. The supe- 
 rior Clergy are, in general, ambitious and eager in the pursuit of 
 riches; flatterers' of the great, and subservient to party interest; 
 negligent of their own particular charges, and also of the inferior 
 Clergy, and their innnediate charges. The inferior Clergy imitate 
 their superiors, and, in general, take little more care of their parishes 
 than barely what is necessarj' to avoid the censure of the law. And 
 the Clergy, of all ranks, are, in general, either ignorant, or, if they 
 do apply, it is rather to profane learning, to philosophical or po- 
 litical matters, tlian to the study of the Scriptures, of the oriental 
 
 V u 
 
330 APPENDIX I. 
 
 increase of others, with a prohibition of pluralities, where 
 they are above a certain value, would have some good effect; 
 but, in my opinion, a still better thing for the real interests of 
 religion would be, to grant the use of our churches to the peo- 
 ple in the several districts of the country, to sequester all the 
 emoiunicnts to the uses of the State, after the death of the pre- 
 sent incumbents, and to leave the people to provide and pay 
 their own ministers. This would make us look about us. But 
 can any man suppose, that the Gospel of Christ itself would 
 be a sufferer by such a measure? 
 
 Itjuguages, of the Fathers, and ecclesiastical authors, and of the 
 writings of devout men in dift'ercnt ages of the church. I say this 
 is in general the ca=e; tliat is, far the greater part of the Clergy, 
 of all ranks in tliis kingdom, are of this kind." 
 
 Observations on Man, Vol. II, p. 450. 
 Notwithstanding what Iliavc observed above, and what is here 
 advanced by this learned man, we have had, in the present age, a 
 few noble exceptions to the general rule. 
 
AFFENBIX II, 
 
 Aftek ^^hat has been said in the foregoing Papers, I do not 
 see how I can, cither in honour or conscience, continue to ofti- 
 ciate any longer as a MinisUr of ihe Go$ptl in the Estahlisli- 
 mcut of mj native country. It appears to nie, in my coolest and 
 most considerate moments, to be, with all its excellencies, u 
 main branch of the otiti-cli/istian system. It is a strange mix- 
 ture, as hath been already observed, of what is secular and what 
 is spiritual. And 1 strongly suspect, the day is at no very great 
 distance, when the whole fabric shall tumble into ruins, and 
 the pure and immortal religion of the Son of God rise more 
 bright, lovely, and glorious from its subversion*. The seve- 
 ral warnings of the Sacred OracJes seem to be of vast im- 
 portance, and necessary to be observed : F/ce out of the midst 
 of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul; be not cut off in 
 her iniquity ; for this is the day of the Lord's vengeajicc ; he 
 7i)ill render unto her a recompenee. Jer. li. 0. — We would have 
 healed Babylon, hut she is not healed ; forsake her, and let us- 
 go every one unto his ozc'n country. Ibid. li. y. — If hen yc shall 
 see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel, the 
 prophet, stand in the holy place, then let them which be in 
 Jiidea fee to the mountains. JNIatt. xxiv. 15, 16. — These are 
 only remotely applicable to the business in hand. The follow- 
 ing is more directly so. — / heard a voice from heaven, saying, 
 Come out or her, my people, that ye be not par- 
 takers OF her sins, and that ye receive not or 
 HER plagues. Rev. xviii. 4. 
 
 ■^ In this hai>j)y country we sceju to have many and stronii 
 symptoms of political decay: for 
 
 " States thrive or wither as moons wax and wane, 
 Ev'n as God's will and God's decree ordain; 
 Wliile honour, virtue, piety, bear sway, 
 'I'hey floniish : and, as the^e decline, d<Tay." 
 
 Co wpKKs Expostulation . 
 V U 'i 
 
332 APPENDIX 11. 
 
 In obedience to these injunctions, and under a strong disap- 
 probation of the several anti-christian circumstances of our 
 own Established Church*, the genekal doctrines of 
 
 ^VHICH I VERY MUCH APPROVE AND ADMIRE, I nOW, 
 
 therefore, withdraw ; and renounce a situation, which, in some 
 respects, has been extremely eligible. I cast myself again upon 
 the bosom of a gracious Providence, which has provided 
 for me all my life long. .Hitherto, I must say, the Lord hatli 
 helped me. I have never wanted any manner of thing which has 
 been necessary to my comfort. And though I neither know 
 what to do, nor whither to go, yet 
 
 " The world is all before me, where to choose 
 My place of rest, and Providence my guide," 
 
 This extraordinary step the sacred dictates of conscience com- 
 pel me to take. I am truly sorry for it. To me few trials were 
 ever equal. I have loved the people among whom I have so 
 long lived and laboured. And I have every reason to be satis- 
 fied with their conduct towards me. Neither hath the great 
 Head of the church left us without seals to our ministry. The 
 appearance of fruit, at times, has been large. And there are 
 some, no doubt, among the people of our charge, who will be 
 our joy and crown in the great day of the Redeemer's coming, 
 ^ly friends must consider me as called away by an imperious 
 Providence; and, I trust, they will be provided with a Siic- 
 
 * Thomas Paine observes, that " all national institutions of 
 churches;, whether Jewish, Christian, or Turkish, apj^ear to me no 
 other than human inventions set up to terrify and enslave mankind, 
 and monopolize {)ovver and profit." 
 
 Tlic Jeivixh institution, at least, ought to have been excepted 
 in this cesisure. It was unquestionably divine, and was appointed 
 for the most inqiortant purposes, and attended with the most in- 
 disputable evidence. 
 
 Another author, much more capable of judging than Mr. Paine, 
 liath said, in peifect conformity with my own opinion, that " A"«- 
 fional Churches are that hay and stubble, which might be removed 
 Vvithout difHcuUy or confusion, from the fabric of religion, by the 
 ^eutlt hand of reformation, but which tiie infatuation of Ecclesias- 
 lies will leave to be destroyed by tire. 1 Cor. iii. 12, 13. Na- 
 tional ( iuirches are that incrustation, whicli has enveloped, by gra- 
 tluul concretion, file diamond of C7/r/.«f?«?i//y; nor can, I fear, the 
 geiniine lustre be rcstoretl, but by such violent efforts as the sepa- 
 ration of substances so long and closely connected must inevitably 
 requiic." 
 
i\PPENDIX 11. S33 
 
 cessor more than equal, in every respect, to their late affec- 
 tionate pastor. I think it necessary to say in this place, that the 
 doctrines which I have preached unto them for six and twenty 
 years, 1 still consider as the truths of God. 1 have lived in 
 them myself, and found comfort from them. I have faithfully 
 made them known to others, as thonsinds can bear me witivessj 
 we have seen them elTectaal to the pulling down the strong holds 
 of sin and Satan, in a variety of cases; and I hope to die in the 
 same faith, and to find them t/it pozv^r of God unto the saha- 
 //o« of my own soul in eterti;il glory by Christ Jesus. I 
 mean to preach the same doctrines, the Lord being my helper, 
 during the whole remainder of my life, wheresoever my lot may 
 be cast. I am not weary of the work of the sacred ministry, f 
 have, indeed, often been weary in it, but never of it. I pray 
 God my spiritual vigour, life, and power, and love, and useful- 
 ness may abound more and more to the end of my Christian 
 warfare. 
 
 " Awake, my dormant zeal! for ever flame 
 With gen'rous ardor for immortal souls; 
 And liiay my head, my tongue, my heart, my all. 
 Spend and be spent in service so divine." 
 
 ^' But, if you had so many objections to the Esf^.'olished 
 Church, why did you enter into it? Why did you continue to 
 officiate so long in it.^ And why did you not decline it lon"^ 
 ago.^" 
 
 I will tell you honestly. — All my habits, and the prejudices of 
 my education ran in favour of the Church. My father and 
 friends were in the same habits. During my younger days, I 
 took for granted that every thing was right, nor had I any suspi- 
 cions to the contrary. If I had so seiiously considered these 
 things thirty years ago, I humbly hope 1 should have acted a^^ree- 
 ably to my convictions. 1 recollect, indeed, about that time, 
 to have had my fearj; that some things amons: us were not as lliey 
 should be. I saw with my own eyes, that almost all the CVt/oy, 
 Nvith whom I was acquainted, were practically wrong at least. 
 Between them and the precepts of the Gnspf/ there seemed u 
 perfect contrast. My mind, however, was then but little informed 
 upon religious subjects. 1 was distrustful of my own judgment, 
 and thought it prudent to be guided by the judgment of those, 
 of whose piety I had a good opinion. Few youtig persoiw 
 
334 APPENDIX IL 
 
 think deeply and solidly, and fewer still have reading and expe- 
 rience sufficient to enable them to form an accurate estimate 
 upon such intricate questions. Iiideed, most men, in the earlier 
 stages of life, are led, as I was, by the prejudices of education, 
 and the example of those wilh whom they converse. There 
 is, moreover, so much that is excellent in the Articles, Ho- 
 milies, and common Forms of our Church, that it cannot be a 
 matter of wonder, if unenlightened and inexperienced young 
 men, who are either careless about all religion, or whose desires 
 are good, and intentions simple, should comply wilh what they 
 hear spoken of in terms of high approbation, and see practised 
 every day by their superiors both in age, rank, and learning. 
 The idea too, that we have left the Church of Rome because of 
 her delusions, and are members of a Reformed and Prote&tarrt 
 community, Ikis no little weight with the larger part of candi- 
 dates, for the sacred ministry. 
 
 I am well aware, that many of the most serious and-useful of 
 my clerical brethren are of an opinion very different from me, 
 respecting the Established Religion of this country. It is not 
 long since a Clergyman of this description told me, in a manner 
 extremely emjihatical, that '^ our Church is all pure and without 
 fr'pot*'." 1 Mas surprised at such an assertion, from a consci- 
 entious man; but I have no material objection to any person's 
 enjoying his own sentiments in peace. 1 claim the same liberty, 
 aud desire nothing farther. Eurnestly wishing success to the 
 ministerial labours of every good man, whether in the Establish- 
 ment or out of it, and without either condemning or approving 
 one denomination or another, I obey the painful dictates of my 
 own mind. Po5;sibly I am mistaken. If 1 am, it is to be 
 lamented, because [ prefer my present situation to most others 
 I know of in England. If I had been disposed to leave it, I 
 have not been without opportunity. Twenty years ago, the late 
 John I^hoi'. nton, Esq. of Clopham, near Eondon, vohin- 
 tarihj offered to procure me better preferment, if 1 would ac- 
 ce)>t of it; but I told him, after expressing my gratitude, that 
 
 * Tills brings to my mind a reniark which Mr. \Vhiston used fre- 
 quently to make upon the very learned and excellent Bishop GlB- 
 s^'N," That he seeined to think the Church of England, as it just 
 then happened to be, establisiied by modern laws and cu>toms, came 
 duwa from heaven will; the Athanaslan creed in its hiind." 
 
 Biog. Diet. Axi, Qmso'S, 
 
APPENDIX II. S35 
 
 Divine Providence seemed to have placed me where I was, 
 and I could not think of quitting my station, merely for the sake 
 of a better living; till the time should come vvhen the same Pro- 
 viDENCE should call me away. That time seems to me to be 
 now come; since I cannot any longer keep my church and retain 
 my honour, in obeying the dictates of conscience. In my opinion, 
 this is ^providential call to quit my station, though I never ex- 
 pect to he so jiappily circumstanced again. 1 know well what 
 pain such a determination will give my dear people; but, with 
 all due regard to the feelings of my friends, 1 must consider, that I 
 am amenable, in the lirst place, to the great Head of the Chunk 
 for my conduct; and must, on the highest considerations, endea- 
 vour to conduct myself agreeably to his pleasure. After a thou- 
 sand defects, both in my public ministrations and private con- 
 duct, I can almost say, I have done my best to promote as well 
 the temporal as spiritual interests of the town of Macclesfield; 
 and I heartily v ish my Successor may be more acceptable, more 
 heavenly minded, more laborious, more useful^ and more suc- 
 cessful in winning souls to Christ. 
 
 '* To all this, I am aware, it will be objected, that I am 
 taking a very disreputable step, and that a vast majority of the 
 men of sense and learning around me are of a different 
 opinion." 
 
 VeiT true. I admit every thing which can be said on this 
 score, in the utmost latitude. But a passage or two of our Sa- 
 viour's discourses is a sufficient support against ail obloquy of 
 this nature. These monopolisers of sense and learning muet 
 answer for themselves, and I must give an account unto God 
 for my own conduct. I consider myself as a shadow that pass- 
 eth away. I feel the infirmities of nature coming on, and death 
 stands ready at the door to summon me before the bar of my 
 Redeemer. It is, therefore, of consequence that we act now 
 as we shall wish we had acted then. At that trial, no man can 
 be responsible for his brother: — Every one that hath forsaken 
 houses or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or zcife, or 
 children, or lauds, for my sake and the Gospel's, shall re- 
 ceive a hundred fold norc. rcith pcjsecufions, and in the ziorld 
 to come tternul Ife. Matt. xi.\. C9. jSlark x. CQ, .>0. 
 
 IVhosoever shall be ashamed of MY. and of my wokds, in 
 this adulterous and sinful generation, of liirr< aLir> <hall the 
 
SS6 APPENDIX II. 
 
 Son o/Man be ashamed, when he shall come in the glory of 
 his Father with the holy angels. Mark. viii. 38. 
 
 "Why are you so squeamish in little matters? Why not 
 make yourself easy, and conduct yourself like the rest of your 
 clerical brethren r" 
 
 To tell you the truth, candid reader, whosoever you may be, 
 1 have long and earnestly endeavoured to quiet my conscience, 
 and to reconcile it to my present situation, I have used every 
 method in my power for this purpose. I have pleaded the ex- 
 ample of others, great men, good men, useful men: I have 
 soothed it; 1 have desisted from reading, thinking, examining; 
 I have pleaded the wishes of my friends, the usefulness of my 
 ministerial labours; the disagreableness of changing my situa- 
 tion, and forming new connections; the extreme inconvenience 
 of giving up my present income; &,c. &c. but after all I can do, 
 conscience follows me from place to place, and thunders in my 
 ear. What is a man projited, if he shall gain the whole world, 
 mid lose his own sout^ or, zihat shall a man give in exchange 
 for his soul'^ — He that loveth father or mother more than mc, 
 is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more 
 than me, is not worthy of me: and he that taketh not his cross 
 and foUoweth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth 
 his life shall lose it, and he that loseth his life for my sake shall 
 Jind it. 
 
 How would you conduct yourself in such a case? Accord- 
 ing to the thirty-sixth Canon we are willingly and ex animo to- 
 subscribe, that the book of Common Prayer, and of ordering 
 of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, containeth in it nothing con- 
 trary to the Scriptures; and that we acknowledge all and even/ 
 the thirty-nine Articles, besides the Ratif cation, to be agree- 
 able to the iVord of God*. 
 
 * As to y>/r. Pa ley's scheme of suhscribing the thirty-nine Ar- 
 ticles, as articles of peace; it is all sophistry, and such as an honest 
 man should be ashamed to avow. I admire the abilities of the man, 
 but detest his recommending prevarication to the Clergy. .See liis 
 very able and popular work, entitled, Moral and Political Philosophy, 
 b. 3. p. ]. chap. 21.'. p. ISO. edit. 1. 
 
 31r. Paley is very justly reprehended by the excellent Mr. 
 GiSBORM E. •' The opinion which Mr. Paley, maintains," says he, 
 " appears to me not only unsupported by argument, but likely \o be 
 productive of consequences highly pernicious. — That subscription 
 may be justified without an actual belief of each of the Articles^ 
 
APPENDIX IL 337 
 
 God of my fathers ! v\ liat a requirement is tins ? Can I lift up 
 iny hand to heaven and swear by Him that livsth for ever and 
 erer, that I do xiiJlingli/ and ex animo subscribe as is legally 
 required? And can any man living thus subscribe, who has 
 thoroughly considered the subject? We must shuffle and pre- 
 varicate in some things, say and do what we will. I myself 
 strongly approve the general st;ain of the doctrines of our 
 Church; but then here is no choice. It must be wiUiiKrly and 
 tx avi'iiio all and every thing! There is no medium. 
 
 And can I (among other things which are to lie subscribed) 
 believe from my soul, before the Searcher of hearts, who re- 
 quireth truth in the inwarJ parts, and in the face of the whole 
 Christian world declare, that " whosoever doth not hold the 
 ** Catholic faith" as explained in the jlthatiasinn creed — " and 
 keep it whole and undehled, shall, zcitkout doubt , perish, ever- 
 lastingli/ ?" This hellish proposition we are enjoitied not only 
 to believe ourselves, but to affirm that we do zcillingli/ and ex 
 animo subscribe to it, as being agreeable to the IVord of Gon ; 
 and then we must openly profess our faith in lijourteeii times 
 every year. I am not unacquainted that various manoeuvres are 
 made use of to render thcKC harsh expressions palatable; but 
 all illustrations and modifications of these damnatory sentences, 
 appear to me illusive. Bishop Burnet has said all that well 
 can be said upon them, but, in my opinion, to very little pur- 
 
 as I understand Mr. Paley to intimate, is a gratuitous assumption. 
 On this point let the Articles speak for tjieniselves. Whv is an 
 Article continued in its place, if it be not meant to be htlieved? \ 
 li one may be signed without beii g believed, why not all? I'v what 
 criterion are we to distinguish those which may be subscribed by a 
 } erson who tln'nks them false, from those Axliicli niav not? Is 
 not the present mode of subscription virtually the same as if 
 each Article were separately ottered to the subscriber! And in 
 that case, could any man be Justified m subscribing one which he 
 disbelieved?" 
 
 "No circumstance," he adds, "could have a more direct ten- 
 dency to ensnare the consciences of the Clerir)/; no circumstance 
 «ould afford the enemies of the established church a more advanta- 
 geous occasiou of charging her ministers with insincerity, than the 
 -admission of the opinion, that the Articles may safelv be subscribed 
 without a conviction of their truth, taken severally, as well as col- 
 lectively. That opinion I have seen maintained in publications 
 of inferior note, hut I could not, without particular sur})rize and 
 concern, behold it avowed bv a writer of such aulhuritv as JMr. 
 
 I'ALEY." 
 
S3S APPENDIX II. 
 
 pose. Honestly, ihereiore^ did J rchbishop Tillotson de- 
 clare to him, ** The account given of yllhammuss creed seems 
 to me in no wise satisfactory. I wisii we were well rid of it." — 
 And so do I too, for the credit of our common Chrhtianitt/. 
 It has been a mill-stone about the neck of many thousands of 
 worthy men. To be sure, declarations like these descended 
 out of the bottomless pit, to disgrace the subscribing C/ergi/, 
 to render -ridiculous the doctrines of the Gospel, to impel the 
 world into infidelity, and to danm the souls of those, who, for 
 the sake of filthy lucre, set their hands to \\hat they do not ho- 
 nestly believe. The truth is, though I do believe the doctrine 
 of the Trinify, as revealed in the Scripture; yet iam not pre- 
 pared, openly, and explicitly, to send -to the devil, under my 
 solemn subscription, every one who cannot embrace the yitha-^ 
 ■nasian illustration of it. In this thing the Lord pardon his 
 servant for subscribing in time past. Assuredly I will do so 
 no more. Those who can do it are extremely welcome to the 
 best bishoprics and livings in the kingdom. I should like to re- 
 tain what .1 have already gotten, but not upon the conditions 
 required. As an honest man, and a man under expectations 
 of salvation, I must renounce my present situation, and the 
 little emoluments which arise therefrom. There is no other 
 alternative *. 
 
 *' But you are acting a part extremely imprudent, on account 
 of your family." 
 
 True ; but then I am obeying the dictates of conscience, and, 
 of course the commands of God. And you know where it 
 is written: — By faHh Abrau am, when he mas called to go 
 out into a place which he should after receive for an inherit-,. 
 a)ice, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he 
 went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a 
 
 I * I have for some years made myself tolerably easy under the 
 I <laranatory clauses of the Athanasian creed, by omitting to read it 
 ) at the times appointed. But, to an upright mind, this is not per- 
 fectly satisfacton'; because we solemnly declare ^nd subscribe our 
 : names before the Bishop, that we will conform to the LHurgi/ of 
 l' the Church of England as by law established. Now every time we 
 \ omit to read the said creed, or any other part of the service of the 
 /' church, >vhen appointed by law to be read, \\e are guilty of a 
 ( breach of engagement. So that, whether we read the creed in ques- 
 ) tion, or neglect to read it, we are culpable, if wc do not ex animo 
 ( approve of it. 
 
APPENDIX II. 339 
 
 ■sfran'U count rj/,dccelliug in tabernaclea with Isaac and Ja- 
 cob, the htin with him of the same promise : for he looked 
 for a city ichich hath foundation^, whose builder and maker 
 is God. 
 
 Bif faith Moses, tchen he tvas come to years, refused to be 
 called the son 0/ Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to 
 snjfer affliction idth the people of God than to enjoy the 
 pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the RiiP roach of 
 Chuist greater riches than the treasures in Egypt ;yb;- he 
 had respect unto the recompense of the reward'^. 
 
 •■* You are already in the Church, and have got over the bu- 
 siness of Subscription. You nniy contiuue, therefore, in your 
 present station without being called upon to repeat the same 
 painful ceremony." 
 
 1 have many years been determined never to subscribe 
 again, agreeably to the requirement of the 36th Canon, what- 
 ever oflers of preferment might be made me. But, when 1 
 retlect seriou'^ly and closely upon the subject, this does not sa- 
 tisfy me. I cannot help considering my holding a church, and 
 complying with all its rites and ceremonies, as a silent acquies- 
 cence in, and a tacit approbation of, all the unevangelical traits 
 of the Church of England as by law established. While such 
 IS my situation, I certainly constitute a part of the grand system 
 of the antichristian apostacy, which, as I understand the 
 prophetic Scriptures, is, in due time, to undergo a total sub- 
 version. 
 
 " You are quitting a situation of uncommon usefulness." 
 
 Cirantcd: ^Vith my views, however, I cannot honourabli/ 
 and saflij do otherwise. I believe, and fear, and tremble at, 
 
 * I do not recollect reading or hcariiig of any instance so like un- 
 lo this of INiosKS as that of the iMaripaia of Vico in Italy, who died 
 A. D. 1592, at tlie age of 74. \Vhen lie was come to years, and the 
 knowledge of .J ESL'S Christ, he refused to be called the son and 
 heir to a Marquis, a cup-bearer to an Kmperor, nephew to a Pope, 
 and chose rather to suHer atfliction, j)ersccution, hanislnncnt, loss of 
 land:-, livings, wife, children, honours, and preferments, tiian to en- 
 joy the shifiil pleasures of Italy lor a season; esteeming the reproach 
 of Christ greater riches than all tlie honours of the most brilliant 
 connections, and all the enjoynients of the most ample. fortune; ior 
 lu" iiad respect unto the reconipence of the reward. 
 
 See iiis Life at large, wrhten by Mr. Samuel Clark, which ]<, 
 extremely well worth the attention of every man, w!io is in unv ri - 
 ■ipect a sufl'erer for the sake of a good conscience, 
 
 X \ 2 
 
346 APPENDIX II. 
 
 -the JVord of the Most High. Besides, God can do as welt 
 without my labours as with them. And if he should tiiink 
 proper, by this step to cust me quite aside, as a broken vessel 
 no longer of use, 1 will endeavour to acquiesce in the Divine 
 deternunation. 
 
 " God doth not need 
 Either man's work or his own gifts; who best 
 Bear his mild >oke, they serve him best: his slate 
 Is kingly; thousands at his bidding speed 
 And post o'er land and ocean without rest; 
 They also serve, who only stand and wait.'' 
 
 If the Church of England retains much of the sp/'rzV, and 
 some of the superstitions of the Church of Rome*, what is u 
 conscientious man to do, and how is he to act, under such a 
 persuasion ? Let any person weigh thoroughly the meaning of 
 the following declarations, and then let him say in what manner, 
 I ought to act: — And the third Angel followed them, saving 
 with a loud voice. If any man worship the beast and hi% 
 image; and receive hi% mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 
 the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, zehic/t 
 is poured out without mixture into the cup of his itidigna- 
 tion ; atid he shall he tormented with f re and brimstone in tht 
 presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb ; 
 and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and 
 ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who zvorship the 
 BEAST and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of 
 his name f. Rev. xiv. 9 — 11. 
 
 * The lute Lord Chatham, in a celebrated speech, which he 
 made in the house of Lords in favour of the Dissenters, said, 
 " We have a Popish liturgy, a Cahinistic creed, and an Arminian 
 clergy." 
 
 t Dr. Doddridge observes on this paragraph of scripture, 
 " When I seriously reflect on this text, and liow directly the force of 
 it lies against those, who, contrary to the light of their consciences, 
 continue in the connnunion of the Church of Rome, for secular ad- 
 vantage, or to avoid the terror of persecution, it almost makes me 
 tremble; and I heartily wish, that all others, who connive at those 
 things in the discipline and worship of Protestant churches, which 
 they in their consciences think to be sinful remains of Popish super- 
 stition and corruption, would seriously attend to this passage, which 
 is one of the niost dreadful in the whole book o/'GoD, and weigh 
 its awful contents, that they may keep at the greatest possible 
 
APPENDIX ir. 341 
 
 Are not these words enough to n)ake the hair " stand on end 
 like quills upon the fretful porcupine?" We all read them, and 
 have r jad them many times for many years, and yet, from our ge- 
 neral conduct, it would seem that no such passage might be found 
 in the Sacred H riti/igs. We Protestants are almost universally 
 of opinion, that they apply directly to the Members of the 
 Church of Rome. The Members of that Church read them 
 as well as we Frotestauts, and yet we hardly ever hear of a 
 Catholic becoming a Protestant, any more than of a Jew 
 becomuig a Christian. They have eyes, and see not ; ears, and 
 hear not ; hearts, and understand not. The Lord, in judg- 
 ment, hath sent them strong delusion that they should believe 
 a lie. The words are extremely plain, and inexpressibly alarm- 
 ing ; but the force of them is always evaded, by applying them 
 to any thing, rather than to their own church. — We Protes- 
 tants too read them, and make ourselves easy under the awful 
 denunciation, by applying them exclusively to the Church of 
 Home ; never dreaming, that they are, at least, in a secondary 
 sense, equally applicable, not only to the English, but to every 
 Church Establishment in Christendom, which retahis any of 
 the marks of the Beast. To me this admits of no doubt. If 
 I am mistaken, it is my very great misfortune. My judgment 
 Jias not been biassed by interest, by connections, by inclination, 
 or by any human considerations whatever. I have thought much 
 upon the subject; read on both sides of the question whatever 
 jias fallen in my way; conversed with various persons for the 
 sake of information ; suffered the matter to rest upon my mind 
 for some years undetermined ; have never made my fears, sus- 
 picions and dissatisfaction known to any man ; and now, when t 
 bring near to myself the thought of quitting one of the most 
 commodious churches in the kingdom erected on purpose for 
 my own ministrations ; leaving interred by it many a precious 
 deposit, who will, I trust, be my joy and crowti in the great day 
 of die Loud Jesus, besides a mother, a zcij'e, two children, 
 and a sister ; and giving up various kind friends, whom / love 
 as my own soul, together with a large body of people, that, /'/' 
 it utrc possible, zaould have plucked out their ozc/i eyes, and 
 have given them to me : — What shall I say ? — All that is affec- 
 tionate within me recoils, 1 am torn with conflicting passions ; 
 
 distance from this honihie curse, \vhich is sutHcient to i/u.hx the ears 
 of every one that heara it to tingle." 
 
342 APPENDi:^^ If. 
 
 and am ready to say with the uiposlh, I could icish iJiat myic/f 
 zfere accursed from Christ fur mi/ friends and brethren, 
 whom I love in the bowels of Jesus Christ. 
 
 But then, various passages of Scripture — (ill understood, 
 some will say) — urge me, oa the most momentous considera- 
 tions^ to renounce a situation, which I cannot any longer retain 
 ■with peace of mind. Pertiaps it is my own fault; certainly it 
 is my very heavy misforlune. I bewail it exceedingly. 1 iiave 
 received no altront; conceived no disgust; formed no plans; 
 made no connections; consulted no friends; experience no 
 ^veariness of the ministerial office ; the ways of religion are still 
 pleasant ; I have been glad when duty called me to the house of 
 God; his /Jo;f/ hath been delightful ; the pulpit has been aw- 
 fully pleasing : the table of the Lord hath been the joy of my 
 heart ; and now that Providence calleth me away, with some 
 degree of reluctance it is that I say. Lord, here I am. Do 
 •with me what seemeth thee good. Let me stay where I am, 
 I gladly stay. Send me where thou wilt. . I will endeavour to 
 submit. Only go with me, and thy pleasure shall be mine. 
 
 -" I argue not 
 
 Against Heav'n's hand or will, nor bate a jot 
 Of heart or hope; but still bear up and steer 
 Rislit onward." 
 
ADDENDA et CORRIGENDA. 
 
 (jrll AY is spoken of in the 6 1st page as a hclu'ter, and on the 
 :J0(3th page, a« a ilei^t. His character seems to have been am- 
 biguous. He was an ingenious, but M'himsical man, yet a poet 
 of no onlinary rank. 
 
 The i^lcthodhts are mentioned in several parts of the fore- 
 going pages; particularly on the 7-d there is a general account 
 of the state of tiieir societies. I add here, that Aikins in his 
 Tour through 'North Wales, page 148th, has paid tliai body 
 of people a very high compliment. Nor has 3/r. Paley done 
 less in his Evidences, vol. i. page 38th, uhere he says, — " After 
 men became Christians, much of their time was spent in prayer 
 and devotion, in religious meetings, in celebrating the eucharist, 
 in conferences, in exhortations, in preaching, in an aftectionate 
 intercourse with one another, and correspondence with other so- 
 cieties. Perhaps their mode of life, in its form and habit, was 
 not very unlike the Lnitas Fratrum, or of modern Me- 
 thodists." 
 
 Mr. Cecil, in his pleasing Memoirs of the honourable and 
 reverend W. B. Cadogan, pp. C9 — 36, has given a pretty fair 
 account of this body of people, which is every where spoken 
 against; and has honestly and ably defended them from the ob- 
 loquv which is usually cast upon all seriously religious charac- 
 ters by the world. 'J^he single circumstance, of their being ge- 
 nerally, I mighfahnost say universally, reviled and abused by 
 all other denominations of professing Christians, is to me a 
 certain sign, that there is something peculiarly good and excel- 
 lent among them. The criterion, whereby to judge, which our 
 Saviour has given us, is, If ye neve of the zcorld, the zcorld 
 zcouJd love its oxen ; but because ye are not of the zcorld, hut 
 J have chosen you out of the zi:orld, therefore the zcorld hateth 
 you. ■ John xv. 19. 
 
 It is said, on the MCd page, that ^' the very last improve- 
 rnents which took place in our ecclesiastical frame of things, 
 were in the reign of James I." 
 
344 ADDENDA ET CORRIGENDA. 
 
 This is not, strictly speaking, true. Hiere were some few 
 useful alterations and additions made in our public forms of 
 worship during the reign of Charles II. uhich should have 
 been noticed in their place, but which were overlooked there. 
 
 On the 1.30th page, it is said, " Every young man, without 
 exception, subscribes, when he becomes a member of either of 
 our Eiiglish universities, he believes from his soul ex animo, 
 that every thing contained in the j4rticles, Homilies, Common 
 Prayer, and Offices of Ordination, is agreeable to the Word 
 of Godr 
 
 This assertion too is not accurate. Some alterations took 
 place in this respect at Cambridge upwards of twenty years ago. 
 But in Oxford, subscription continues as it was, I believe, to 
 this day. Every person there, who has attained the age of 
 twelve years, subscribes the Articles of Failh and Religion, 
 when he is matriculated. 
 
 Page 151, line 2. " Spiritual courts," — add the words of 
 JBishop Burnet, who was well acquainted with these matters. 
 And be it remembered, that every Bishop in England and Ire- 
 land has a Court of this description; and that the less true re- 
 ligion prevails in any diocese, the greater and more frequent are 
 the abuses of these Courts. — The Bishop's words are : " As for 
 the Ecclesiastical jurisdiction, it has been the burden of my life 
 to see how it was administered: our Courts are managed under 
 the rules of the Canon Law, dilatory and expensive; and as 
 their constitution is bad, so the business in them is small : and 
 therefore all possible contrivances are used, to make the most 
 of those causes that come before them ; so that they are univer- 
 sally dreaded and hated." — Conclusion of the Hist, of his Own 
 Times. 
 j^ Before the reader too severely condemns the author of this 
 Plea for Religion, because of his leaving the Church, and the 
 various reflections he has made upon the Bishops and Clergy; 
 he requests tha. this work of the good Bishop, namely, the 
 Conclusion of the History of his Own Times, may be tho- 
 roughly read and considered. The Bishops and Clergy of the 
 land should be extremely familiar both with that and his ad- 
 mirable little book on the Fastoral Care. It is high time to 
 awake out of sleep. 
 
 The number of persons who declined officiating in the 
 Church of Egfand, upon the conditions required, in the 17th 
 
ADDENDA ET CORRIGENDA. 345 
 
 «eiitury, was upwards of two thousand. Milton was brought 
 ijp and sent to the university with a view to the Church ; but 
 when he caine seriously to consider the conditions upon which 
 he must e«ter. He declined the sacred office. " To the church/* 
 says he^ " h\ the intentions of my parents and friends, I was 
 destined tsf a child, and in mine own resokitions, till coming to 
 some maturity of years, and perceiving what tyranny had nivaded 
 the ckurch, that he who would take orders must subscribe, 
 «lav€, and take an oath withal; which unless he took with a 
 conscience that would retch, he must either straight perjure, or 
 split his faith ; I thought it better to prefer a blameless silence 
 before the sacred otiice of speaking, bought and begun with ser- 
 vitude and forswearing." 
 
 There have been some respectable persons in our own day, 
 who have declined entering into the Church of England, froru 
 objections entertained to our oaths and subscriptions ; others 
 have complied w ith all our forms and ceremonies, but have been 
 obliged to strain and shuffle, and have never known what peace 
 of mind and good conscience afterwards meant; and several 
 others have been so pressed and wounded in their minds, that 
 thev have given up their situations, after they have been aheady 
 ordained. The late Mr. Archdeacon Blackburn e was 
 never properly at rest in his spirit; the present Dean Tucker 
 gives up several things among us as wrong; Dr. Robert son, 
 Measrs. Dyer, Evanson, and Wakefield, all resigned 
 their letters of orders; or at least have ceased to officiate as 
 ministers in the Establishment. 
 
 There may be other mistakes in point of fact or history, 
 which have escaped my observation. If such should be dis- 
 covered, by any friendly hj^nd, they shall be acknowledged an4 
 corrected. 
 
 THE END. 
 
 Yy 
 
INDEX. 
 
 A. 
 
 Addis OK, Joseph, Esq. quotations 
 from Page 7, 176 
 account from, of an infidel 
 in France - 15 
 pleasing death of - 50 
 prefers the Psalms to Pin- 
 dar and Horace 261 
 Adolphus, Gustavus, spent much time 
 in prayer - - - - 52 
 Adrian, address of, to his soul at death 
 
 280 
 Africa, inhabitants of - - 271 
 Aikins's favourable account of the Me- 
 thodists - - - Addenda. 
 Alexander, Dr. Disney, conversion of, 
 from Deism - - - 65 
 Alfred, King, great diligence and de- 
 votion of - - - 41, 52 
 Allix, reflections of, ton Scripture, re- 
 commended - - - 297 
 Alphonsus, King, read the bible four- 
 teen times over - - 291 
 Altamont, an infidel, affecting death of 
 21,22 
 America, example of, on religious li- 
 berty - - - - 143 
 inhabitants of - 271 
 Anatomy, !iketch of - - 318 
 Animals, amphibious, species of 317 
 ^Anonymous, author, quotations from, 
 
 6 
 gentlefnan,affectihg death, 
 in despair, of an 22, 24 
 deist, conversion of an 35 
 gentleman, wickedness, 
 conversion and death of 
 36, 39 
 Antitheus, an infidel, unhappy death 
 of - ... 24, 26 
 
 Antiphanes, an ancient author, on a fu- 
 ture state - - . . 176 
 Apostacy, antichristian - - 129 
 Archdeacons, number of - 7a 
 
 Arguments, four main, for the truth of 
 scripture - - - - joo 
 Ark, Noah's Cpnt«nts of - 101 
 
 Asia, inhabitants of - Page 271 
 Association, of clergymen, at Man- 
 chester - - - . 324 
 Associations,of dissenting ministers,!^. 
 Atheism, books against - 177 
 Atheists have appeared in every age 
 
 274 
 Atheist, shocking death of an 99,100 
 Augustine, for a devout spirit, noted 
 313, 3i« 
 Aukland, Lord, quotation from speech, 
 of - - - .. 70 
 Authors, ascetic, devout but supersti- 
 tious - - _ . 315 
 royal and noble, since the 
 conquest - - 314 
 Aylmer, Bishop, on the character of 
 women . . - . 392 
 
 B. 
 
 Babylon, prophecies concerning, con- 
 clusive - - - . 127 
 Bacon, Lord, thought of, on deism 6S 
 some account of - 62 
 declaration of, on the 
 gospel - - 235 
 Bankrupts, seldom afterwards pay theic 
 creditors - - - - 321 
 
 Baptism, office of, a hardship on th« 
 clergy ' - - 150, 153, 156 
 Barnes, Joshua, read his small bible 
 120 times over - . . 290 
 Bartholin, Dr, awakened to seek God 
 
 267 
 Barnard, Sir John, eminent for devo- 
 tion - - - - - 2 
 Barruel, on Jacobinism - 313 
 
 on the French Clergy 222 
 Bath, Earl of, devoted his leisure to 
 prayer and the bible - - 243 
 Beauties, of Scripture,where found 25S 
 Beattie, Dr. on the causes of infidelity 
 
 297 
 a fine quotation from 298 
 Y 2 
 
INDEX, 
 
 Beings, huiftan, numbnr ©f^ P^es 3 17 , 
 
 318 
 
 Belisarius, began the t^o years of 
 
 scripture . - ^ 160,170 
 
 Belgium, unhappy concfition 01 227 
 
 Bernard, St. hymn ©f, on tht name 
 
 Jesus - - - . 313 
 
 Beza, intimately acquainted with the 
 
 bible _ - - _ 290 
 
 Bible shall be coexistent with time 
 
 171,172 
 confirmed by all other books and 
 discoveries - - 178, 179 
 "^ danger of rejecting it - 260 
 account of one who burnt, and 
 another who roasted it 275 
 a chief mean of the present 
 learning and liberty 104,198 
 shocking profanation of the 222 
 Iread with various views 255, 204 
 abounds with all kinds of beau- 
 ties - - . - ib, 
 one grand Epic - - 2^9 
 should be read in classical schools 
 for its beauties - ib, 
 
 alone free from human weak- 
 nesses - - - 314 
 exhortation to the reading of the 
 262, 285 
 
 how to be read with profit 2S3, 
 
 285 
 books of, how classed as com- 
 positions - - 291, 263 
 Bingham, on the ancient Christians 
 love to the bible - - 289, 289 
 Birds, species of - - - 317 
 Birmingham, some account of 230 
 Bishops, conduct of, a main cause of 
 infidelity - - 77 
 income of - - 77 
 negligent, reprjjved by Bur- 
 net - - - '9 
 increasing their worHly do- 
 minion - - 169 
 without secular dominion, in 
 the first ages 75, 143 
 
 English, frequently hold in- 
 compatible prefeVraents 76, 
 77 
 unpreaching prelates 90 
 
 should reform 169, 232, 233 
 should come among their 
 clergy - - 319 
 
 JrisU, number, and income of 
 77 
 and clergy of Europe, a main 
 cause of its misery 77, "8 
 duty of - - 76, 82 
 English, some of the, worthy 
 characters 81,83,86,87 
 some of the, a useless burden 
 3-27 
 
 Bishops, should encourage zealous 
 clergymen - Page 327 
 should preach boldly and 
 faithfully - ib, 
 conduct of, one main cause 
 of the increase of sectarists 
 82 
 in most ages intolerant 213 
 English, names of, very 
 pompous - - 147 
 Blackstone, Judge, on the constitution 
 of England - - - - 84 
 Blackmore, Sir Richard, opiHion of, on 
 the bible - . _ . og2 
 Boerhaave, Dr. eminent for devotion 2 
 Boileau, M. a great admirer of the bi- 
 ble 237 
 
 Bollingbroke, Lord, speaks favourably 
 of the gospel - 5 
 egregiously mistaken 295, 
 296 
 an immoral man 60, 61 
 died a deist - 266 
 Bonnell, James, Esq. made the scrip- 
 tures his daily study - 29* 
 Bonnet of Geneva, on the facts of the 
 New Testament - - 191 
 Books, in favour of the Jewish and 
 Christian religions 101, 102 
 to promote the spirit of religion, 
 recommended 284, 285 
 number of, published in Ger- 
 many - - - 315 
 Bounty, Queen Anne's - - 71 
 Boyle, Hon. Robert, enterjained an^ 
 awful sense of God - 179 
 high esteem for the bible 237 
 on the unreasonableness of deists 
 il. 
 Brandt, Count, conversioo of, from 
 infidelity - - - - 40 
 Britain, Great, shipping of - 230 
 Briefs, Church, some account of 151 
 Brown, Sir Thomas, a firm believer, 
 
 236 
 
 Thomas, lived laughing, but 
 
 died groaning - 247 
 
 Rev. John, on the prophecies 
 
 161 
 
 Bruno, burnt for an atheist, - 267 
 
 Bryant, Jacob, Esq. quotation from 
 
 pref. 9, 10 
 
 treatise of, on the Christian 
 
 religion - 195, I97 
 
 observations ofjOn the plagues 
 
 ofEgjpt - 184,297 
 
 Bucer wished for farther reformation 
 
 142 
 Buckingham, Duke of, reproved by 
 Waller - 24 5 
 
 pathetic letter from 44,4? 
 fais deserted and miser- 
 able state - - K-. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Burnet, Bishop, obtained the bounty 
 from Queen Anne Page 7 1 
 great diligence of - 8 7 
 opinion of, concerning- the 
 clergy - - - 90 
 attempted a reformation 143 
 considers subscription as an 
 imposition - - 14a 
 travels of - - 163 
 
 on pluralities - - 232 
 on the corruption of our cler- 
 gy - - - 327 
 on the Athanasian creed 337 
 dying declaration of 235, 236 
 Butler, Bishop, on a future state 245 
 
 c. 
 
 Calvin, John, 3 persecutor - 214 
 Canons, oath of obedience to the, ex- 
 tremely wrong - 150 
 not a bishop in England com- 
 plies with the whole 157 
 oath relating to - U: 
 
 Capel, Lord, eminent for devotion 2 
 Carrier, and his accomplices, murder- 
 ed 40,000 persons - - 223 
 Carthage, some account of the destruc- 
 tion of - - - - 215 
 Carlyon, Rev. John, resignation of 326 
 Cathedrals, 29, income of - 72, 73 
 Catholic nations, superstitioncf 167,163 
 Catholics present to church livings 143 
 hellish cruelty of 158,163 
 number of, in. the w^orld 27 1 
 Charles I. great slaughter in the wars 
 of - - - - 281, 292 
 Charles II. a persecutor - 143 
 Chancellor, Lord, presents to many 
 livings - - - 145, 146 
 
 Chancery, court of, tedious and expen- 
 sive - - - - 135, 136 
 Chatham, Lord, considered our liturgy 
 as popish - - - 340 
 
 Chapnis, M. noble end of ' - 223 
 Chamoclc, on the national debt 304 
 Chesterfield, Lord, sickness and death 
 of - - - - 17, 19 
 some account of the letters 
 of - - - 19 
 two anecdotes concerning 
 20 
 convinced by the present 
 state of the Jews 105 
 China, empire of, said to contain 333 
 millions of souls - - 143. 
 Children, present to church livings 146 
 23C,000 murdered in France 
 227 
 Chillin^orth, solemn declaration of, 
 on the bible . - - 238 
 
 Chillingworfh, on subscription to the 
 39 articles - - Page 137 
 
 Christ, why not sent sooner - 195 
 prophecies concerning 105, 122 
 kingdom of, extremely glorious 
 139 
 Chtistianitj-, absurdities of establish- 
 ments in - - 69 
 mysterious doctrines of, no 
 just objection to it 192, 
 193, 194 
 Christians, corruption of, much owing 
 to the clergy 74, 76, 77 
 knavery of, no valid objec- 
 tion to Christianity, 96, 
 191, 192 
 animosities of, causes of in- 
 fidelity - 93,95 
 number of, in the world 2"! 
 " Church of Christ, supposed incapable 
 of a temporal head - 145 
 of England, iucome of 71 
 supposed incapable of civil es- 
 tablishment - - I4S 
 Church of England, defects of the, 
 pointed out by 
 Burnet - 148 
 preferments of the, 
 by money or In- 
 terest 148, 149 
 objections to il. 
 Church-livings, monopoly of, a curse 
 to the countr)' - - - 324 
 Church-wardens,generallyperjuredl52 
 Cicero, M. T. quotations from Adv. 25 
 7, 192, 294, 295, 307 
 Claude, Mon. edifying death ot 53,54 
 Clarke, Dr. Samuel,. book of, on Chris- 
 tianity, recommended 251 
 sermon of, on the incarnation, 
 recommended - 107 
 quotation from, on the prophe- 
 cies - - - 120 
 Clayton, Bishop on the prophecies 161 
 Clergy, of the establishment, in Eng- 
 land, character of 90, 234, 
 327 
 immoral, do much harm, 70, 
 
 77, 78, 168,322, 327 
 
 income of - - - 71 
 an eighteenth part of the, en- 
 joy all the best preferments, 
 73, 232 
 superior, extremely to blame, 
 
 7?, 89, 233 
 
 the 18,000 might do wonders 
 
 321 
 
 non-residence of, a great evil 
 
 77, 78, 79 
 
 negligence of the, main cause 
 
 of the increase of sects 82 
 
 misconduct of - 90, 01 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Gospel challenges investigation 
 
 Pages 143, 2g5 
 in this country a civilinstitution 
 143, 144 
 should distinguish between use 
 and abuse of - - 147 
 opposers of, its very good friends 
 161 
 intention of . - 19§ 
 difficulties of the, no valid ob- 
 jection to its truth - 197 
 cause of misery to mankind 
 answered - - 197, 193 
 why not published to all na- 
 tions - - 19s, 199 
 why permitted to be corrupted 
 199 
 Gouge, Mr. William, read 15 chapters 
 of the bible daily - - 2gi 
 Gray, the poet, a deist - - 300 
 had a mean opinion of 
 Shaftesbury - 61 
 Rev. Mr. Key of, recommended 
 183 
 Gregory, a Missionary, an account by 
 
 167 
 
 Grey, Lady Jane, dying present of, to 
 
 her sister . - - - oqq 
 
 Greatheed, Rev. Mr. Sermon of the, 
 
 lecommeiided - - - 325 
 
 Greeks and Armenians, number of, in 
 
 the world - - - - 271 
 
 Grew, Dr. a great admirer of the bible 
 
 237 
 
 Grimstone, Sir Harbottlc, eminent for 
 
 devotion - - - - - 2 
 
 Grotius, Hugo, a great lover of the 
 
 %ibie - - - - 291 
 
 death of - - 41 
 
 H. 
 
 Hatton, Sir Christopher, dying advice 
 of - - - Pages 283, 284 
 
 Hell, Heathen description of 268 
 
 Henry, Matthew, dying declaration of 
 Pref. d 
 Heroism, true, wherein it consists 303 
 
 3f ■?» 30s 
 Herbert, quotations from Advert. 20 
 Hervey, Rev. James, glorious death of 
 
 5* 
 answer of, to Eolingbroke I83 
 spent his Lst days in praying 
 over the bible - 2O3 
 Herschel, Dr. vast discoveries of 317 
 Hesiod, fine seruiment from 286 
 
 Hill, Sir Richard, Apology of 144 
 
 Hoadley, Bishop, wished much for a 
 reformation - » - 1 52 
 Hobbes, Mr. some account of his life 
 and death - - - - 8 
 Hobart, Lady Frances, read the bible 
 daily - - - ' - - 292 
 Holidays, worse than useless - 84 
 Holland, unhappy condition of 227 
 Homilies in opposition to the revolu- 
 tion - - - - I5J 
 recommended by B'shop 
 Horsley - - 265 
 Horace, quotations from 264 Adctrt, 
 
 26 
 Home, Bishop on the iniquity of the 
 country 527 
 
 quotation from, Pref. 5 
 Houses, religious, suppressed b> Hen- 
 ry VUI. - - - - 93 
 Howard, John, Esq. serious believer 
 
 295 
 
 Hume, David, Esq. merry death of G 
 
 an advocate for adultery and 
 
 suicide _ - - ib, 
 
 authors who have opposed 16 
 
 never examined Christianitv22.l 
 
 Haller, Baron, death of - - 42 
 Halley, Dr. a deist through inattention 
 
 G6 
 Hall, Bishop, a quotation from 260 
 Hale, Sir Matthew, a great admirer of 
 the bible - - - -537 
 Haliburton, Life of, strongly recom- 
 mended - - -" - 285 
 Hammond, Mr. - - - 137 
 Harrington, Lord John, eminent for 
 piety - - - - - 2 
 
 Hartopp, Sir John, made the bible his 
 daily study - - - 292 
 
 Hartley, Dr. on the fall of religious 
 establishments - 141 
 against the eternity of future 
 misery - 189, I9Q 
 a great admirer of the bible 
 237 
 
 Ignorance, extreme of the middle ages, 
 162, 163 
 Infidelity mostly owing to the Bishops 
 and Clergy - - 77 
 spread of, predicted by New- 
 ton - - - 96 
 danger of - 173, l"* 
 
 books against 07, 98, 269, 
 270, 297 
 spreading rapidly - 270 
 two causes of - 297 
 
 Infidels, of France, spent large sums 
 in spreading thpir principles 
 1-0 
 and wicked Christians much 
 alike - 199} -°=* 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Infidels very unhappy and self-con- 
 demned - - Pages 239, 240 
 Infidel, enthusiastic, curious account 
 of an - - 274,275 
 
 Insects, species of - - ' ^^Z 
 Ireland, state of - - - 77> 7° 
 Israel, prophecies concerning, conclu- 
 sive - - - - 104, 105 
 Italy, a store- house of fire - 133 
 
 Kenyon, Lord, testimony of, to religion 
 Fagc Pre/. 1 5 
 
 Kett, Bampton Lectures of, recom- 
 mended . - - - 297 
 
 Kidder, Bishop, endeavoured reforma- 
 tion - - - - 143 
 
 Kilham, Alexander, societies of 326 
 
 King, in this country, absolute in the 
 church . - - - 145 
 
 Kingdoms, ten, all to fall at the end of 
 1'260 years - - - - 13* 
 
 James I. a superstitious bigot 142 
 
 Janeway, John, triumphant death of 
 310, 312 
 Jenyns, Soame, Esq. conversion of 31 
 Jerusalem, prophecies concerning,con- 
 clusive - - lo-*' 10' 
 
 Jerome, St. directions of, for reading 
 the scriptures - - 287, 288 
 Jesus and his Apostles, surpassed all 
 the ancients - - 178 
 
 Jewel, Bishop, wished for farther refor- 
 mation - - - 142 
 says Queen Elizabeth, refused 
 to be head of the church 146 
 Jews, present state of the, a full proof 
 of religion - - 105 
 number of, in the world 271 
 
 Johnson, Dr. exhorted Sir J. Reynolds 
 to read the Bible 42, 284 
 Life of, by Boswell, very en- 
 tertaining - - 41, 42 
 suffered by neglecting the 
 bible . - - 284 
 on the death of Hume 16 
 a good judge of fine writing 
 2S4 
 convinced by reading Law's 
 Serious Call - 284 
 
 death of - - - 42 
 Jones, Sir William, an unbeliever, and 
 convinced - 257,258 
 sentiments of, on the bible 257, 
 258 
 pious death of - - Il^id. 
 Asiatic Researches of, quotation 
 from - - - 187 
 Jones, Jeremiah, on the divine Canon, 
 recommended - - Advert. 19 
 Josephus on the wickedness of the Jews 
 
 161 
 Judah, prophecies concerning, conclu- 
 sive . - - - 104 
 
 K. 
 
 Kclsey, Rev. Mr. resigned a rectory of 
 200I. ayear ... 232 
 
 Kempis, Thomas k, famous for a de- 
 vout spirit - » - 813 
 
 Ladies, present to church-livings 145 
 
 of eminence, who loved and 
 
 read the bible - 292 
 
 Laity, seriously called upon to defend 
 
 religion . - - i34, 235 
 
 Lamballe, Princess of, noble death of 
 
 224 
 Latimer, Bishop, on unpreaching pre- 
 lates - - - - 88, ?9 
 Lauras, Mons. death of - 225 
 
 wife, horrible treatment 
 of - - U'id. 
 Lavater, remonstrance of, with the 
 French Directory - 223 
 predicts the general spread of 
 infidelity - 3'- 5> 308 
 a firm believer in Christ 
 
 Ibid. 
 Laws, English, need improvement 135 
 Law, Bishop, ot Carlisle, a monopolizer 
 of preferment - - 75 
 William, dying speech of 174 
 Serious Call of, strongly recom- 
 mended by Johnson and Gib- 
 bon - - - 284,285 
 Le Clerk on the authenticity ot the 
 books of Moses - 184 
 a great admirer of the Gospels 
 293 
 Lee, Captain John, a Deist, execution 
 and penitence of - - - 36 
 Leechman, Dr. dying advice of 55 
 Leighton, Archbishop, excellent cha- 
 racter of - - " - 86 
 Leiand, Dr. John, happy death of 50 
 Leslie, Charles, books of, against infi- 
 delity recommended - 107 
 Lewis XIV. an admhrer of the bible 239 
 Lindsey, Rev. T. resignation of 137 
 Lyons, in France, shocking treatment 
 
 of - - - *• 216, 22€ 
 
 Littleton, Lord, conversion of 29, 30 
 Liverpool, some account of - 229 
 Livings, church, general account of 7 1 
 Locke, John, Esq. anecdote of Advert. 
 25,26 
 an advocate fox toleration 1 5 3 
 
 z z 
 
INDEX. 
 
 ' Locke on the morality of the Gospel, 
 Pages -J 5 6 
 serious d?' laration of, on the 
 NewTebtanient - 305 
 edify in, ^ deati' of - Ibid. 
 London, brief account of 22S, 229 
 Bishop of, an exception to 
 most other prehnes 89 
 
 Longinus, praises Moses and Paul 261 
 Loid's prayer, frequent repetition of, 
 • wrong - . - . i^Q 
 Lovvman, Moses, on Revelation, re- 
 commended - - - 161 
 Lowth, Bishop, on the excellence of 
 the Prophets - - - 26i 
 Luc, M. de, confirms the bad end of 
 
 Voltaire 
 
 15 
 
 M. 
 
 Macclesfield, some account of 230 
 
 Earl of, devoted himself to 
 
 prayer - - 243 
 
 Maclaurin, on the Prophecies, quoted 
 
 115 
 
 Madrid, superstitious state of 167, 168 
 
 Magazine, Gentleman's, records the 
 
 death of an atheist - - 247 
 
 • Mahomet and the Pope rose the same 
 
 year - - - . j^g, jgo 
 
 Mahometans, number of, in the world 
 
 271 
 
 Maintenon, Madame de, experience of 
 
 244 
 
 Ma'inwaring, Rev. John, on the gran- 
 deur of scripture , - - 260 
 
 Malachi, fine passage of, on religious 
 conversation - - Jdvert. 26 
 
 Man nf Fashion, character of 98, 99 
 
 ManchL-ster, some account of 229 
 
 Manufactuieis, 200,000, always drink- 
 ing - - - - 265 
 
 Marlborough, James, Earl of, penitent 
 letter of _ . - - - 43 
 
 Markham, Rev. G, smartly treated by 
 the Quakers - - - 158 
 
 Mason, Sir John, dying declaration of 
 
 42, 43 
 
 Maurice, Rev. Mr. neglected by his 
 
 superiors 149 
 
 quotation froni 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 Mazarine, Cardinal, dying lamentation 
 
 ot 43 
 
 Mede, Joseph, on the Cruelty of the 
 
 Catholics - - - - 158 
 Mediatorship of Christ, doctrine of 
 
 IS3, 184 
 Melancthon, a persecutor - 214 
 Men, black, no valid objection to 
 
 scripture - - -• - 196 
 2vlessiah, divine mission of, proved 
 
 105--I26 
 
 Methodist, a term of reproach for reli- 
 gious people - Pages 85, 86 
 Methodists, number of - - 7a 
 making great exertions 321 
 upon the increase of 326 
 how to check the Hid. 
 account of, by Cecil Adden. 
 Welch, imprudence of, 68, 
 69 
 Mexico, Archbishop of, possesses 
 
 70,0001 a year - - - 163 
 Middleham. Dean of, on education 235 
 Mill, Dr. enumerates 30,000 variations 
 in the New Testament - 189 
 Milton, John, a noble champion for 
 toleration ' - 153 
 a devout admirer of the 
 bible - - 237 
 quotations from, 62, 91, 
 92,172,259,287,3*2, 
 3'^. 3i9> 33^, 340, 
 342, Advert. 26 
 Minister, prime, presents to many liv- 
 ings 146 
 
 Mirandula, Picus, a great lover of the 
 bible - 237 
 advice of, to his ne- 
 phew 312,313 
 Mirabeau, Mons. affecting death of 
 
 ..• • ^'^^' ^49 
 
 Missions, carried on chiefly by the poor 
 
 Advert. 22. 
 some account of 271 — 273 
 Montesquieu, Mons. quotations from 
 198,320 
 Monastries, curious preamble to statute 
 for aboli-hing - 94 
 value of, when abolished 
 93, 94 
 Monopolizers of livings, infidels in dis- 
 guise - - . . 324 
 Moore, Dr. John, on the manners of 
 Italy - - - . 167 
 More, Miss Hannah, quotations from 
 253, 270, 294 
 an ornament to 
 her sex, and a 
 blessing to her 
 country 314 
 Moses, character of, vindicated 183 
 books of, authentic and genuine 
 184 
 confirmed by the his- 
 tory of the East In- 
 dies - 187, 188 
 Musculas, soliloquy of, before death 
 
 279 
 Mutineers, some account of Pref. 6 
 
 N. 
 
 Nantz, murders at 
 
 zz6 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Naples, superstition of - Page 167 
 Nations, of Canaan, destruction of the, 
 ▼indicated - - 186 
 of Europe, already subverted 
 
 169, 170 
 Nature, volume of, to be studied 317, 
 
 -iS 
 
 Nelson, Admiral Lord, piety of. Advert. 
 
 iJ, 504. 
 
 Newcome, Archbishop, high opinion 
 
 of, on the Scriptures 189 . 
 
 an high literary character 
 
 83 
 
 Newport, Hon. Fran, miserable end of 
 
 10 
 NcJvtonjSir I'^aac, painful affliction and 
 patience of - - 11 
 
 fine anecdote of - - 66 
 on the prophecies - 161 
 
 accounted the bible the rnost 
 sublime philosophy 237 
 entertained an awful sense of 
 God - - - 178 
 found the strongest marks of 
 truth in the bible - 299 
 Newton, Bishop, Dissertations of,' re- 
 commended - - I83 
 on the eternity of future 
 misery - - - I89 
 on the rich endowments of the 
 church - . 328 
 
 on our national iniquities 397 
 Newton, Rev. John, wickedness and 
 conversion of - - - '0 
 Nineveh, prophecies concerning, con- 
 clusive - - - 104 
 Nobleman, affiecting letter from a 
 
 46—49 
 
 mortifying declaration of a 
 
 244 
 
 o. 
 
 Objections, to the scriptures, with an- 
 swers - - 1S2 — 200 
 some of the lesser, to the 
 common prayer 157 
 Okely, Dr. recants his deisiical princi- 
 ples - - - - 209, 300 
 Oldys, Fran, writes the life of T. l^aiiie 
 
 29S 
 Oliver, Dr. conversion and death of 31 
 Olympia, F. M. joyful death of 31 
 Oxford, Earl of, an infidel and hypo- 
 crite - - - - "2 21 
 Orleans, Duke of, declares in favour of 
 piety - - - - - 52 
 Ormonde, Duke of, eminent for devo- 
 tion - - - - - 2 
 Orrery, Earl of, a firm believer 237 
 Ostervald, attiibutes great blame to the 
 clergy - - - - 74 
 
 Z 
 
 Owen, Dr. John, an early advocate fir 
 toleration - - Page 153 
 
 Oxtnstiern, Chancellor, found rest in 
 the bible alone - - - 52 
 
 Pagans, number of, in the world 271 
 Pame, Thomas, opinion of, on the gos- 
 pel - - - - 4 
 illiterate and immoral 63, 293 
 on na'ional cnurches - 333 
 Age of Reabon of, quotation 
 
 from . . - 137 . 
 
 challenged to produce morals 
 
 equal to the New Testament 
 
 298 
 
 on national Popes - I47 
 
 a man of yome natural talents 
 
 200 
 an i=;no'-ant a:id malignant per- 
 son - - 200, 201 
 insolently attacks the clergy on 
 their learning 200 — 202 
 37 objections of to the scrip 
 ture. ansvvered 20-:; — 208 
 sf>ecimens of the insolence of 
 
 'iO-i — 210 
 
 jests of Solomcn recommended 
 
 to - - 256, 257 
 
 persuasion of, that he was right, 
 
 no proof - - 266,267 
 
 Paley, Rev. Wlliam, on subscription ' 
 
 336 
 teaches prevarication - 177 
 account of the Methodists by 
 
 Addenda 
 Parishes in -E- gland and Wales 71 
 
 Parsons, of all descriptions, too papis- 
 tical - - - - 82, 83 
 Paris, murders at - -' - 226 
 Paschal, spent his whole time in prayer 
 and the bible - 50. 51 
 Patronage of livings, brief view of I46 
 sad abuses of the 1 fl, 154 
 Patrick, Bishop, endeavoured at a re- 
 formation - - - 143 
 Paul, St triumphant death of 20 
 Father, a great student in the 
 scriptures - - 29I 
 Persecution, a sure mark of Antichrist 
 
 213 
 sketch of, in England 213, 
 
 214, 2'!l 
 
 Peter, St. a curious aaecdote of 'Sp 
 Peterborough, Lord, Eulogium of, on 
 Fenelon . - . _ 303 
 Philosophers, French, of various senti- 
 ments .... 274 
 Pluralities of livings, very common 
 
 232,233 
 Pomfrcfs Poems, quotation fiom 31G 
 z 2 
 
INDEX. 
 
 T*ococke, high character of, by Locke 
 Page 87 
 Pope, Alexander, Esq. declaration of 6 
 quotations from 45, 46, I9 , 34.3, 
 262, 288 
 a believer - - - 133 
 
 Pope, of Kome, duration of - 131 
 anecdote of - 329 
 cruelly treated by the 
 French - 160 
 Popes, of Rome, number of, in all 13I 
 however virtuous to go into per- 
 dition - - - HO 
 Poperv, a grievous curse to Christen- 
 dom - - - - 03 
 600 ^ross errors in - I4I 
 
 P 1, Lord, infidelity and death of 
 
 P,./. 7,8 
 
 Pope, William, infidelity and awful 
 
 death of - - - Prp/. 8-9 
 
 Porcupine, Peter, Bloody Buoy of 2 >2, 
 
 226 
 democratic principles 
 illustrated, by 217 
 writes the Life of T. 
 Paine - 49S 
 
 Person's account of Gibbon's history 
 16, 17 
 Porteus, Bishop, quotat'on from, on 
 the Atonement - II8 
 Discourses of, on Redemp- 
 tion, recommended 269 
 on a Future State, recom- 
 mended - - 245 
 Prayers for the King, too frequently 
 repeated - - - - 136 
 Prebends, Canons, &c. some account 
 of ----- 72 
 Preferment, large, Hot necessary to our 
 usefulness - - 328 
 church, instances of shock- 
 ing abuse in - 148 
 Predictions, scriptural, conclusive 159 
 concerning the Pope of 
 Rome - - 16Q 
 Prior, Matthew, Esq. quotations from 
 
 6 
 opinion of, on the books of Solo- 
 mon - - - . - 262 
 Pringle, Sir John, conversion of . 31 
 Priestly, Dr. considers all lively reli- 
 gion as enthusiasm - - 310 
 Piiests, by their folly the curse of 
 Christendom - - 168, 169 
 Priests, 24,000 of, m.urdered in France 
 
 227 
 Priesthood, in danger of being subvert- 
 ed - - - - - 169 
 Protestant states, to fall - - 139 
 Protestants, number of, in the world 
 
 271 
 Prophets, ancient, vindicated I85, I86 
 
 Prophecies, a wonderful chain of, m 
 scripture - Page I61 
 a remarkable one, concern- 
 ing the French 24S, 249 
 Propertius, quotation from - 264 
 Prussia, Frederic, King of, egregiously 
 mistaken - - - - 295 
 Psalmist, a great adnftirer of the law of 
 Moses - - - - 238 
 
 Puritans, History of, by Neal, recom- 
 mended - - - '142 
 Pythagoras, excellent precept of 286 
 
 Q. 
 
 Quadrupeds, species of 
 
 317 
 
 Pv. 
 
 Raleigh, Sir Walter, dying advice of 
 
 303 
 
 Rank, men of, sometimes the pest of a 
 
 neighbourhood - - - 172 
 
 Reasons, the Author's, for resignation 
 
 - 33i>34a 
 Rectories, number of - - 7I 
 Reformation, prevented the clergy from 
 amassing the wealth of 
 Europe - 163 
 
 of England, essential to 
 the salvation of the 
 ■ country 75 — 81, 135, 
 146 
 attended with some dan- 
 ger - 171, 172 
 nature of that contended 
 for - 321, 330 
 Reformers, excellent men, and noble 
 examples - - - - 141 
 Religion, short sketch of - 3,4 
 happiness of - - 30 1 
 singularity in, no disgrace 301 
 302 
 the highest honour - 302 
 alone, can make us happy 
 243, 244 
 attended with safety 1-7,178 
 Religions, of the world should he com- 
 pared . - - 269, 270 
 Renty, Mons. de, read three chapters 
 daily on his knees - - 283 
 Repentance, death-bed, very dangerous 
 
 37 
 Reyner, a bankrupt, afterwards ho- 
 nourably paid his debts - 322 
 Ridley, Bishop, able to repeat much of 
 the bible - - - - 29O 
 
 Rittenhouse, David, a philosopher, yet 
 a believer - - - 296 
 
 Robertson, Dr. opinion of, on Chris- 
 tianity . - - - 4 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Robertson, Dr. sermon of, recom- 
 mended - - _ Page ",17 
 
 Robinson, Dr. a great admirer of the 
 bible ----- 037 
 
 Robison's Proofs of a Conspiracy 3 1 9 
 
 Robert, King of Sicily, preferred his 
 bible 10 his kingdom - 239 
 
 Rochester, Earl of, conversion and 
 
 wickedness of 32 — 35 
 
 Bishop of, against all reform 
 
 «4 
 
 Rome, d.struction of, predicted 131, 
 
 132 
 Romakie, Rev. William, read nothing 
 but the bible for 30 years 
 293 
 glorious death of 55, 56 
 
 Roscommon, Earl of, passage from, 
 applied to the bible - - 262 
 Rowe, Nic, Esq. died in the faith 26j 
 Rousseau, extraordinary life and death 
 of - - - 26, ;8, 266 
 
 fine quotations from, on the 
 gospels isi, 192, 23S 
 
 Rush, Dr. a philosopher, yet a Chris- 
 tian - . - . . 2^6 
 Russel, Lord, happy death of - 51 
 
 s. 
 
 Sabbath, profaned, and lost - 221 
 Salmasius, dying lamentation of 41 
 Saville, Sir George, some account of 61 
 Scaliger, a fine stanza, admired by 3O7 
 Scarlett, New Testament of, for uni- 
 versal restitution - - I90 
 Scott, Rev. Thomas, conversion of 36 
 answer of, to T. Fame, quota- 
 tion from - - - 180 
 Scotland, kirk of, some account of 73 
 shipping of - - 230 
 Scriptures, law against their being read 
 
 292 
 Seldon, John, dying declaration of 52, 
 53. 238 
 Seneca, fine passage from, on Cato 3 06 
 Servin, the atheist, life and death of 
 8—10 
 Servan, Mons. noble death of 220 
 Shakespeare's account of purgatory 24 
 quotations from 88, 172, 
 250, 268 
 Sheffield, Duke of Bucks, lines on the 
 death of - - - - 46 
 Sherlock, Bishop, quotations from 
 Pref. 
 a fine passage from 
 246 
 Sermons of, recom- 
 mended - 269 
 a passage from, on 
 the Atonement izs 
 
 Sherlock,Dr. on the Test Act Page I5i 
 
 on Divine Providence, 
 
 recommended 195 
 
 Shepherd, of Salisbury Plain, read his 
 
 bible daily for 30 years - 294 
 
 Sidney, Sir Philip, dying advice of 288 
 
 Slavery, in ancient times common and 
 
 cruel . - - - - 165 
 
 Slave trade, in England, inexcusable- 
 
 ness of - - - 164, 165 
 
 honour due to those who 
 
 under God effected the 
 
 Abolition - 165, 166 
 
 Socrates, short account of - 8, 255 
 
 Societies, for promoting religion 27a, 
 
 273 
 Solomon, Sermon and experience of 
 
 24 r, 242 
 South, Dr. two declarations of 264, 328 
 Spain, King of, penitent lamentation 
 from - - - - 43 
 Spaniards, horrible cruelty of, in Ame- 
 rica 163 
 
 Spencer, Edmund, fine sentiments of 
 
 Spectator, No. 237, on Providence I95 
 Spinosa, died an atheist - 267 
 
 Spirit, Holy, operation of, defended by 
 Bishop Pearson - - . 30}} 
 Stars, number of, discoverable 317 
 Stackhouse. Rev T. on the objections 
 to the bible - - - 196 
 Steel, Sir Richard, on the death of 
 three infidels 46 
 greatly delighted with 
 the scriptures 256, 
 294 
 Christian Hero of, re- 
 commended 303 
 Sterne, Lawrence, Sermon of, on Con- 
 science - _ _ 267 
 curious dissolution of - 99 
 Stillingfleet, Bishop, endeavours refor- 
 mation - - 143 
 Origines Sacra? of, strongly 
 recommended - 2 7 
 Struensee, Count, conversion of 38, 40 
 Subscription, to the 59 Articles, a great 
 hardship - 149, 158 
 when we go to College, 
 very wrong - 150 
 is there a Bishop in Eng- 
 land who believes fully 
 his own subscription .' 
 157 
 Susannah, Countess of Suffolk, jead 
 the bible over twice a year 292 
 
 Swedenborgh, strange errors of 212 
 letter in defence of, falla- 
 cious - - 213 
 Switzerland, overthrow of - 223 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Tacitus, on the three States in a Go- 
 vernment - - Page 218 
 Taylor, Bishop, a rare character 83 
 Temple, SirWilliam, Burnet's account 
 of - - - - - 61 
 Tennison, Archbishop, endeavoured 
 reformation ... 143 
 Testimonies, Heathen, to the birth of 
 Christ - - - . 106 
 Theology, difficulties in - 100 
 
 Thompson, James, quotation from 319 
 Tiilotson, Archbishop, quotation from 
 
 119 
 
 endeavoured reformation 143 
 
 on the eternity of future 
 
 misery - - 189 
 
 reprobates the Athanasian 
 
 creed - - - 338 
 
 Tithes, originally a usurpation 132 
 
 Toleration,unkno\vn for many ages 153 
 
 clergy often unfriendly to 
 
 213 
 
 Toilet, an apostate priest,a blood-hound 
 
 21s, 219 
 
 Toplady, triumphant death of 278 
 
 Tribes, ten of the Jews, nov/ in the 
 
 East - - - - 188 
 
 Tronchin, Dr. confirms the bad end of 
 
 Voltaire - - - - 15 
 
 Turk, fall of - - - 323 
 
 Turreau's history of the Vendean war 
 
 223 
 Tyre, prophecies concerning, conclu- 
 sive ----- 104 
 
 u. 
 
 Unbelievers, creed of - - 97 
 Union, Act of, should be no hindrance 
 
 to reformation - - - S4 
 Universities, English, income of 71 
 Urick, John, great diligence of, in 
 
 prayer - - - - 41 
 
 Usher, Archbishop, a v^-alking library 
 
 83 
 
 Vanderkemp, Dr. converted from 
 deism - - - - 300 
 
 Vegetables, species of - - 317 
 Vendee, La, murders ih - - 226 
 ViaL the seventh, now pouring out 160 
 VigS, Marquis of, like unto Moses 339 
 Vicarages, in England and Wales 71 
 Villages of England, No. of - 320 
 Visague, Madame de, barbarously 
 treated - - - - 217 
 
 Voltaire, unhappy end of, at some 
 
 length - Pages 11, 15 
 
 lived laughing, but how did 
 
 he die? - - 247 
 
 dark picture of the present 
 
 state of man by - 175 
 
 W. 
 
 Wakefield, Mr. on Bishop Watson's 
 
 Address - - 227 
 
 Evidences of Christianity 
 
 by, recommended 182 
 
 on National Churches 324 
 
 Waller, Sir William, eminent for piety 
 
 3 
 
 Walker, Rev. Samuel, transporting 
 
 death of - - - - 54 
 
 Walsingham, serious reproof of 247, 
 
 24.8 
 War, authors on the causes of the pre- 
 sent - - - - 69, 70 
 Washington, General, a serious Chris- 
 tian - - - - 63 
 Watts, Dr. dependance of, on the pro- 
 mises of God - - 263 
 quotations from 6, 199, 263 
 Watson, Bishop, quotations from 63, 
 378, 246, 251 
 entertains objections to the 
 church - - 158 
 on the mysterious doctrines 
 of religion 192, 193,194 
 apologies of, recommended, 
 Pref. 17 
 West, Gilbert, Esq. conversion of 29, 
 
 30 
 Wesley, Rev. John, spent his whole 
 life in doing good 295 
 
 comfortable death of 27s 
 Wesley, Rev. Charles, quotations from 
 7, 100, 144, 174, 268 
 Whiston, William, re2isons of, for the 
 truth of the bible 1-9,180 
 anecdotes concerning 149, 
 ■!,li\.— ^Advert. 23, 24 
 Whitefield, Rev. George,anecdote con- 
 cerning - ' - - - 325 
 Wilson, Bishop, declined his seat in the 
 House of Lords 75, 
 188 
 Works of, recom- 
 mended - 188 
 Wilson, Captain, some account of the 
 con\ ersion and voyage of 2*3,300 
 Wilberforce, Wm. Esq. an able advo- 
 cate for religion 235, 313, 314 
 Williams, William, wickedness and 
 death of - - - 2:9, 250 
 William III. constant in prayer and 
 reading the bible - - 2';9 
 Willis, Henry, a farmer, read the bible 
 eight times over - - 294 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Witsius, Herman, intimately acquaint- 
 ed with the bible - Page 292 
 Wolsey, Cardinal, affecting declaration 
 of ----- 243 
 a tyrant over the church 147 
 Women, number of, murdered in 
 France - - - - -227 
 
 Word of God, what meant by the 1 82 
 Worms, species ofjWhat number of 317 
 World, depraved state of the, before 
 Christ - - 25'3, 255 
 men of the, ill judges of what 
 is pleasing to God Advert. 
 23, 24 
 inhabitants of the, how many 
 271 
 Worlding, death of - Advert. 25 
 
 Wotton, Sir Henry, a devout reader of 
 the bible - - - Page 29 -2 
 
 Y. 
 
 Yorke, Henry Redhead, Esq. views of, 
 
 changed in prison - - 300 
 
 Young.Dr. quotations from 3,162,173, 
 
 174, 238, 243, 263, 295, 297, 310 
 
 z. 
 
 Zealots, in religion, noise and nonsense 
 of, causes of infidelity - 67 
 
 Zuinger, Theodore, soliloquy of, at 
 death - - - - 279 
 
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