YALE
UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

A
PLEA FOR RELIGION
AND THE
SACRED WRITINGS
„ ADDRESSED TO
THE DISCIPLES OF THOMAS PAINE,
AND WAVERING CHRISTIANS OF EVERY
PERSUASION. WITH
AN APPENDIX,
CONTAININO
The Author's Determination to have relinquished his Charge
in the Established Church, and the Reasons on
which that Determination was founded.

BY THE REV. DAVID SIMPSON, M. A.

HE THAT BELIEVETH SHALL BE SAVED; BUT SX THAT BELIEVETH NOT
SHALL BE DAMNED. Jitut Christ.

SECOND EDITION.

Jtonijott i
PRINTED FOR T. CONDEE, BUCKLERSBURY,
By TT Gillet, Salisbury-square.
1803.

ADVERTISEMENT.
THIS Work was completely finished, and on the
point of being publishtd by the Author, xvheti death
prevented him, in March 1799. His Executors,
from motives not generally interesting, hesitated on the
propriety of making the Work public. His Son, Mr.
D. Simpson, being now of age, and the Edition and
Copyright belonging to him, he thinks it. his duty to
perform the intentions of his Father. The Author'?
resolution will be as highly applauded by some, as it
will be condemned by others ; and had he lived to pyt
it into execution, there are but feiv who would tiot
have lamented his resigning the sphere of uncommon
usefulness in which he was placed. At the same time,
the principles he had gradually imbibed rendered that
step essential; and whatever may be thought of the
measure itself, the sterling integrity, the manly for
titude, and the noble attachment to principle it disco
vers, cannot fail of exciting the highest admiration.
London,
10th June 1802,

PREFACE.

st^— «,.„—,w» —^H

*|"T hath been said by the late excellent Bishop HoRNE, thafy
" in times when erroneous and noxious tenets are diffused,
" all men should embrace some opportunity to bear their testi
mony against them." It will be allowed by every dispassionate
observer, that, if erroneous and noxious tenets were ever diffused.
among men in any age, they are eminently so in the. present;
I am so far, however, from considering this in the light of a
misfortune to the general cause of truth, (that I am persuaded
purposes of the most important nature are to be answered by
it, in the course of Divine Providence. But, notwithstanding
this persuasion, I have thought it my duty, _in the following
pages, tp 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 general, and the
. Sacred Writings in particular. .If the foundations be destroyed,
, what can the righteous, do f
One might suppose, prior to experience, Infidelity was a thing
. of so gloomy and uncomfortable a nature, that no man of the
least decency of character could be fourid, who would embark
in the desperate scheme. But, when we cfflnsidei- the. many
^ awful threatenings recorded in the Bible against persons of a
certain description, the numerous passages apparently liable to
very serious objections, the natural darkness of the human un-
i derstanding, the perverseness of the human will, and the impe
rious calls of contending passions, we need not be surprised,
that a large proportion of irreligious characters, who have little^
to hope from divine mercy, and much to fear from divine jus-
a 3 tice,

vi P R E V A C E.
tice, should be induced to embark in any scheme triat U cal*-,
culated to afford them- present indulgence, and, free them from
' apprehensions of future danger. Thomas Paine's deistkal prin
ciples may buoy up the minds of persons of this character, whila
health and prosperity smile upon them, but they will generally
fail us in seasons of adversity, and especially in the views of ap-
proaching dissolution*. Give me a Religion that will stand by
me at all seasons, in prosperity and adversity, in sickness and
health, in time and eternity. I would not give a rush' for a
Religion, which will only serve my turn when the sunshine of
worldly favour illumines my steps, and fail me when I stand in
the greatest need of its supports. This is the case with Deismt
as many have found to their extreme sorrow, when the eternal
world drew near, and davmed upon their astonished sight.
More than one of the unhappy Mutineers, who have lately been
executed on board his Majesty's ships of war, found themselves
in this awful predicament,as their fate approached. Corrupted
by Pane's Age of Reason, when they conceived themselves" free
from danger, they gloried- in their shame -, but when the KiAg
of Terrors came to stare them in the face, they saw their folly,'
repented, believed, and trembled in the views of the eternal
World. Different, indeed, 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 creatures, both in our own and in a neighbourirtg
country, who, • set free from the salutary restraints of Religion,
and the government of the Divine Being, by a daring and un
controlled spirit of Infidelity, destroy themselves, and rush into
the presence of the Almighty without dismay f . More
* " 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 communion with him, is the most cdtnfort-
" able and .pleasant life that any one can.live in this world."
t The general practice of dudfing, among the higher orders of society in thil
ceuntry, is a sure indication that a spirit of Irfidilify is alarmingly gone abroad,
A Cbr'i't'mn fight a duel ? Impossible ! True valour forbids it. • And, to mend the
matter, upon the Lo rd's day too ! Still more impossible 1 Every principle of his
religion prohibits the irapious deed. — How much pain of minddjd not the conduct
of a certain most respaolable character give, to all the serious part of die nation, on
.j^-kte unhappy occasion of this sort? Religion, good morals, sound policy, true
patriotism,

PREFACE. *H
More reasonable and becoming surely ii the jcohdtdft of thosfe
who, When brought to a sense of their sin and folly, fear anil
tremble before this Dread Sovereign. This seems to haves
been the case with the late Lord P  . This Nobleman*
after he turned Deist, took every opportunity to shew his con*
tempt of Religion. The clergyman and parishioners of the place
where his Lffrdship's seat m NmhmiptortshiPi stood, usually pass*
ed in sight of the house in their way to church. At the time
cf g6tng and returning he frequently ordered his children and
servants into the hall, for the vile purpose of laughing at and:
ridiculing them. He pursued this course for ;sfirne time, but at
length drew near the close of life.- Upon his dying" pillow his
views Were altered. He found, that, however his former sen*
timents might suit him in health, they Gould not support hint
in the hour of, dissolution. When in the cold arms of Death,
the terrors of the Almight? were heavy upon him. PaifiM
temembrahce brought to. view ten thousand insults offered to
that God, at whose bar he was shortly to stand; arid conscience
being strongly impressed with the solemnity of that day, he but
too justly feared the God he had insulted would then consigii
him to destru&ibn. With his mind thus agitated, he called to
a person in the room, and desired him " to go into the library^
" and fetch the cursed book," meaning that which had made
him a Deist. He went, but returned, saying he could not find
it. The Nobleman then cried with vehemence, that " he
must £0 again, and look till he did find it, for he could not die
till it was destroyed." The person, having at last met with
it, gave it into his hands. It was no sooner committed to him,
than he tore it to pieces, with mingled horror and revenge, and
committed it to the flames. Having thus taken vengeance on
the instrument of his own ruin, he Soon after breathed his soul
into the hands of his Creator *.
a 4 ' Ai&cting
patriotism, all forbade the unchristian rencounter.— -Stake hit life against the life of
a  ! Were we to a<5 thus in common life, a state of confinement would
be thought essentially necessary for our welfare, and the public gcod.^->C an no
thing be done, no measures taken, to put a stop to this infamous practice, ihis na
tional opprobrium ?— Let those whom it concernsidonsider..
* See Evan. Mag. (at June 1797, where it is declared this anecdote may be de
pended upon, as it came from the lips of a person i*ho was present**! the soeai

viiL PREFACE.
: Affecting as is this example, that of a William Pope, oif
Bolton, xaLaitcashirei is much more so. At this place there is
a considerable number of de'vsticdl . persons, who assemble to
gether on Sundays, to confirm each other in their Infidelity.
The baths and imprecations that are uttered in that meeting
are too horrible to relate, while they toss the Word of God
-upon the floor, kick it round the house, and tread it under
their feet. This William Pope, who had been a steady Me
thodist for some years, became at length a professed Deist, and
joined himself to this hellish crew. After he had been an as
sociate of this company some time,, he was taken ill* and the
nature of his complaint was such, that he confessed the hand of'
God was upon him, and he declared he longed to die,, that he
might go to hell ; many times praying earnestly for damnation.
Two of the Methodist preachers, Messrs. Rhodes and Barrow-
etouGH, were sent for to talk to and pray with the unhappy
inan. But he was so far from being .thankful for their advice
and assistance, that he spit in their faces, threw at them what
ever he could lay 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 my soul! often adding, My
damnation is sealed, and I long to be in hell ! In this way he con
tinued, sometimes better and sometimes worse, till he died. He
was frequently visited by his deistical brethren during his illness,
who wquld, fain have persuaded the public he was off his senses j
which was by no means the case. The writer of this account
saw the unhappy man once, hut never, desired to see him again.
Mr. Rhodes justly said, He was as full of the devil, as he could
hold. This melancholy business happened in the course of the •
present year, and made a great, noise in the town and neighbour
hood of Bolton *.
These are shocking instances of the dreadful effects of Infide
lity upon the .minds, of our fellow creatures, in those seasons
When we stand in most need of support and consolation. If
living witnesses to the truth and importance of Religion and the
Sacred
,-" yitfir. -Rhodes has since published an account of the sickness and death of this
unhappy man in the MniiaJht. Magazine for -August 1798, which is one of the
most affefiing on record.

Preface. , ix
'Sacred- Writings* might have any consideration with such of
my readers as are deistically inclined, I could produce many of
the first characters of the age, from among all the contending
denominations of Christians. The present Jacob Bryant, Esq.
who is unquestionably one of the deepest inquirers into the
originals of things now living, and NO PRIEST, hath not only
written a treatise professedly to prove the authenticity of the
New Testament, but hath also, in another of his learned invest
tigations, made the following declaration in favour of these in
comparable and invaluable writings :
" This investigation " (a work written to prove that Troy
never existed) ". I more readily undertook, as it, affords an ex
cellent contrast with the Sacred Writings.' The more we search
-into the very ancient records of Rome or Greece, the greater
darkness and uncertainty ensue. None "of them can stand the
test of close examination. Upon a minute inspection, all be
comes dark and doubtful, and often inconsistent : but when we
encounter the Sacred Volume, even in parts of far higher anti
quity, the deeper we go, the greater treasure we find. The
• various parts are so consistent, that they afford mutual illustra
tion ; and the more earnestly we look, the greater light accrues,
and consequently the greater satisfaction. So it has always ap
peared to me, who have looked diligently, and examined ; and
1 trust I have not been mistaken f." , < Various
* It becomes every objector to the Sacred Writings to reflect:, 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 a'ny other Religion,, or
sect of philosophy ? If there never had been an Old Testament, never a New one,
mankind would have been at least as corrupt and miserable as they are at present.
What harm then have the Old and the New Testament done to you, that you per-
"p'etually challenge them to account to you for the evil you suffer ? You mislike
perhaps the story of Adam and Eve, and can by no means digest the account of
the Serpent's tempting, and prevailing against our first parents : very well ; let this
account 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 (he Fall ?
And if so, what account do you pretend to give of it ? For if you pretend- to any
Religion, .you are as liable to be called to this account, asany professor 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 j for all difficulties
are alike upon his scheme," . Sherlock on Prophecy, p. 833.
f " When I'was in camp with the Duie of MaSlboropch," says this truly
' learned and respectable man, in another place, " an officer of my acquaintance de-
, . tirsd

X P R E F A C 1.
Various similar testimonieJfcve been adduced in the course
of' the following little Vfot&^ Mr. Erskine's name is there-
mentioned with honour.,. But as he hath .since come forward
in a manner more direct and full in behalf of Religion and the
Sgcred Writings, I cannot do the religious reader a greater plea
sure, or render the deistical one a more important service, than
by presenting him in thi* place,' with the substance of the
Speech which this celebrated Orator delivered upon the trial
of Williams, in the Court of King's Bench, for publishing Tho
mas Paine's Age of Reason, on the 24<th of June 1797, before
Lord Kenyon and a Special Jury.
" Gentlemen! the Defendant stands indi&ed for having-
published this book, which I have only read from the obliga
tions of professional duty, and which t rose from the reading of
with astonishment and disgust. — For my own part, Gentle
men, I have been evej- deeply demoted to the truths of Christi
anity, and my firm belief in the Holy Gospel is by no means
owing to the prejudices of education (though I was religioasly educated
Vred me, upon my making a short excursion, to tstkehitn with me in my carriage.
Our conversation was rather desultory, as is usual upon such occasions: and among
other things, he asked me, rather abruptly, what were my notions abovn" Religion.
I answered evasively, or at least indeterminately, as his enquiry seemed to proceed
merely from an idle curiosity: and I did not see that'any happy consequence couM"
ensue from an explanation. However; some time afterwards hfe made a visit at my
-house, and stayed with me a few days. During this interval, one evening he put
the question to me again ; and at the same time added, that he should be really
obliged, if I would give him ™y thoughts in general upon the subject. Upon this
I turned towards him, and after a short pause told him, that my opinion lay in a
_«Hiall compass : and he should have it in as compendious a manner as the subject
Would permit. Religion, I said, is either true, or false. This is the alternative :
there is no medium. If it be the latter — merely an idle system,' and a cunningly dt-
^sed fable, let us eat and drink, for to-morroiu ive die. The world is before us, let u*
take all due advantage, and choose what may seem best : For we have no prospect
of any life to come ; much lessany assurances. But if Religion he a truth, it is the
most serious truth of any with which we can possibly be engaged; an article of the
greatest importance, It demands our most diligent enquiry' to obtain a knowledge
of ft ; and a fixed resolution to abide by it, when obtained. For Religion teaches
us, that this life bears no proportion to the life to come. You see, then, my good
friend, that a» alternative of the utmost consequence lies before you. Make, there
fore, your election, as you may judge bestj and Heaven direct you in your de
termination ! — He told me that he was much affected with the crisis, to which I
brought, the object of enquiry : and I trust that, it was attended with happy con
sequences afterwards." < ( '

PREFACE. xi
«ducated by the best of parents), but arises from the fullest and
most continued reflections 'of my riper years and understand
ing. 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 prosperity (per
haps 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
ctuel 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 afflictions of
the world. The p6or and humble, whom it affects to pity, may
- be Stabbed to the heart by it. They have more occasion for
firm hopes beyond the grave, than those who have greater com
forts to render life delightful. I can conceive mz 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
confidence to the hour when all tears shall be wiped from
the eyes of affliction, bearing the burden laid upon him by a
mysterious Providence which he adores, and looking forward with
exultation to the revealed promises of his Creator, when he
shall be greater than the greatest, and happier than the happiest
of mankind. What a change in suck a mind might not be
wrought by such a merciless publication ?"
' But, it seems, this is an Age' of Reason, and the time and
the pefsdn are at last arrived, that are to dissipate the errors
which 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 dei-
voiii 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 was a Christian 1 Newton, whose mind
burst ¦forth from the fetters cast by nature upon our finite, con
ceptions

xii PREFACE;
eeption5>-i-NtwT0N, whose science was truth, and the founda*
tion of whose knowledge Of it was 'philosophy : Not those vi-"
sionary and arrogant presumptions, which too often usurp it*
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 toge*
ther and exists."
' But this extraordinary , man, in the. mighty reach of his
mind,pverlooked, perhaps, the errors, which a minuter investi
gation of the created things on this earth might have taught
him, of the, essence of his Creator.' .
"What shall then 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. Paine
•to look up through Nature to Nature's God. Yet the result of
all his contemplation was the most confirmed and devout belief
in all which the other holds ,in contempt, as despicable and dri
velling superstition." ,
* But this error might, perhaps, arise from a want of due
attention to the foundations of human judgement, and. the
structure of that understanding, which- God has given us for the ,
jnvestigation^of truth.'
" Let that question be answered by Mr. Locke, who was,
to the highest pitch of devotion and adoration, a Christian : Mr.
Locke, whose office was to detect the errbrs of thinking* by
going up to the fountains of thought, and t;o direct into the
proper track of reasoning, the devious mind of man, by shew
ing him its whole process, from the first perceptions of sense to
the last conclusions of ratiocination, putting a rein besides upon
false opinion, by practical rules for the conduct of human judge- '
ment." ' But these men were only deep thinkers, and lived in their
closets, unaccustomed to the traffic of the world, and to the
laws which practrSally regulate mankind.'
" Gentlemen f in the place where we now sit to administer
the justice of this great country, above a century ago, the never-
to-be:forgotten Sir Matthew Hale presided j whose faith in
: " ' , , Christianity •

P R E F A C E/ xiii
Christianity is an exalted commentary upon its truth and reason,
and whose life was a glorious example of its fruits, in man, adnfi"
nistering human justice with a wisdom and purity drawn from
the pure fountain of the Christian dispensation, which has been,
and will be, in all ages, a subject of the highest reverehce 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 mythologies of
the Heathens'
" Did Milton understand those mythologies ?¦ Was he less
versed th&n, Mr. Paine in the superstitions of the, world ? No;
they were the subject of his immortal song; and though shut
put from all recurrence to them, he poured them forth from
the stores of a memory rich with afl that man ever knew, and
laid them in their order as the illustration of that real and ex^
^lted faith, ths unquestionable source of that fervid genius,
which cast ^ sort of shade upon all the other works of man ;
" He pass'd the bounds of flaming space,
" WheFe Angels tremble while they gaze ; ,'
" He saw, till blasted with excess of light,
f He closed his eyes in endless night."
But }t was the light of the body only, that was extinguished; the
gelestial light shone inward, and. enabled him to justify the ways
of God to man. The result of his thinking was nevertheless
not the same as the Author's. The mysterious incarnation of
our Blessed Saviour, (which this work blasphemes in words so
wholly unfit for the mouth of a Christian, or for the ear of a
Court of Justice, that I dare not, and . will not, give them utter
ance,) Milton made the grand conclusion of the Paradise Lost, l
the rest from his finished labours, arid the ultimate hope, ex*
peitation, and glory of the world : —
if A Virgin is his Mother, but his Sire,
f The power of die Most High ; he shall ascend
?' The Throrie hereditary, and bound his reign *
f With Earth's wide 'bounds, his glory with the Heav'ns."

* " Piety/has found
if Friends in the friends of tticr.ee, aad'tme prayer

Mr,

" Ha,

*iv P R E F A C E.
Mr. E. next entered most forcibly and deeply into the Evi
dences of Christianity, particularly those that were founded on
that stupendousi scheme of prophecy, which formed one of the
most unanswerable arguments for the truth of the Christian Re
ligion* " It was not, " he said, " the purpose of God to de
stroy free agency by overpowering the human mind with the
.irresistible light and conviition. of revelation, but tp leave men
to -collect its truths, as they were gradually illustrated in the ac
complishment of the divine promises of the Gospel. Bred as he
Was to the consideration of evidence, he declared he considered
the prophecy concerning the destruction of the Jewish nation,
if there was nothing else to support Christianity, absolutely irre
sistible. The division of the Jews 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 distinction when
that end was accomplished ; the predicted departure of the
sceptre fromlsrael ,• the destruction of the temple of Jerusalem,
which imperial munificence in vain attempted to rebuild to dis
grace 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 worship." These
Were topics upon which Mr. Erskine expatiated with great eloi
quence, and produced most powerful effect on every part of the
audience*. :
Lord Kenyon then, in addressing the Jury, among other im
portant things, said, " I sincerely wish that the author of the
work in question may become a partaker, of that faith in re-
" Has flow'd from Jips wet with Castalian dews.
" Such was -thy wifdom, Newton, childlike sage.
?' Sagacious reader of the Works 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 sound integrity not more,1, than fam'4
" For sanctity pf manners undefil'd." Cowper's Task, b. J.
* Though I greatly admire the defence of Mr. Erskine in this oration, I am
not clear the proKcution can be justified upon the jjenuine principles of Christian
liberty. 8 vealed

PREFACE. xr
real-jd religion, which he ha* 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 ; arid knowing and confessing that God was
good, they took it for granted the time would come when he
would impart a farther revelation of his will to mankind.
Though they walked as it were through a cloud darkly, they
hoped 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' q£ Religion, which, thank God, I was taught in. my early
years to believe, and of which the hour of reflection and inquiry,
instead of producing any doubt, has fully confirmed me in."
He that feels not conviction enough from these reasonings
and authorities to make him pause, at least, in his deistical
courses, is out of the reach of all ordinary means of conviction,
and must be dealt with in some more fearful manner. I pray
God his conscience may be alarmed as with 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 mo
nument of divine justice in the sight of all men— and that, like
the celebrated Rochester, he may be finally snatched as a
brand from the burning by the power of sovereign grace ! May
that blood, which speaheth better things than the blood a/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
be joy in the presence of the angels of God at his conversion, and
heaven's eternal arches resound with hallelujahs at the news of
a sinner saved !
Reader !
The Author of this little book, which is Jiere put
into your hand, cannot help being extremely alarmed for the
safety of his friends.in this day of abounding Infidelity, when he

xvi PREFACE.
he considers the declaration' of Christ;, that, Whosoever sh&llbe
ashamedof him, and of his words, in this adulterous and sinful ge
neration ; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, - when he
cometh in the glory, of his Father with the holy angels.
It. is impossible to add any thing to the weight of these words.
The heart that is unappalled by them is harder than the nether
mill-stone, and incapable of religious melioration.
When you have penised the pamphlet two or three times
carefully over, if you think it calculated, in ever so small a de
gree* to impress the mind with conviction, have the goodness
to lend it to your unbelieving neighbour, remembering, the words'
of &. James: Brethren! if any of you do err from the truth, and
one convert him, let him know, that he who converteth a] sinner from
the error of his ways shall save a soul from death,' and shall hide a
multitude .of sin's.
If you are dissatisfied with what is here advanced in favour of
Religion and the Saered Writings, by no means give up the cause
as desperate, but dd yourself the justice to procure Bishop Wat
son's Apology for the Bible in answer to Thomas Paine, and his
Apology for Christianity in answer to Mr. Gibson. They are
books! small in size, but rich in value. They discover great li
berality of mind, much strength of argument, a clear elucida
tion of difficulties, and vast superiority of ability on this que
stion to the persons he undertook to answer.
The best edition of the Apology for the Bible, which is the more
popular and seasonable work of the two, is four shillings „• but
?n 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 iri every man's hand, who has any serious concern, either
for his own felicity, or that of his friends and'neighbours. -
DAVID SIMPSON,
Macclesfield,
8ept.fil, i go?.

ADVER,

ADVERTISEMENT.

1 his edition of the Plea for Religion is enlarged with a
considerable quantity of fresh matter, and is more than doublp-
the size of the former.
The whole of the. first edition is retained, with some trifling
alterations, and several of its parts enlarged and improved.
The anecdotal additions are many and important, and, it is
hoped, will be found to furnish a good degree of profitable
amusement. Remarkable deistical conversions, with instances of unhappy
and -triumphant dissolutions, are here also more numerous.
This edition is also considerably extended in the religions 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
Tile aspersions of a world that lieth in wickedness. ,
The prophecies concerning Christ, and his church in these
latter days, are treated pretty much at large, with a vieW to de
monstrate the divine authority of the Sacred Writings.
Other arguments for the truth and authenticity of the Scrips
tures * are suggested, the most comirion objections stated and
answered, and the whole rendered as concise and satisfaclor y as
may be.
Mr. Paine's objections to the Bible ar e particularly consider
ed, and brief answers returned. His abuse of the Sacred Writ
ers is also noticed with the severity it deserves, and his igno^
ranee and malignity exposed;
Many extracts from our most .celebrated Poets are interspers
ed. This will be considered as an excellence by ^onie, and an
b imperfection
* Consult Simmon's Essay on the Authenticity of the New TcstH/xetit, in anfwer
to VoLNEY and EVanson ; but more tipedally Jones's New and Full Methodof
settling the .Canonical Aathority of the New Testament, 3 vols, oftavo : a most learn
ed, able, valuable, and decisive work, just reprinted by the University of Oxford1,
though writteti by a Dissenting minister : an instance of libaraKty not always fa be.
Jnet with. ' Can any good thing come out of Galilee?

xviii ADVERTISEMENT.
imperfection by others. The literary reader will call to mind,
that several of the most valuable authors among the ancients
have written in the same manner : —
" A verse may catch him, who a sermon flies,
' " And turn delight into a sacrifice."
A compendious account of the present state of Church-prefer
ments is introduced, besides a general view of the Dissenting con
gregations in this kingdom.
The present state of the Methodist societies in Great Britain,
'¦ Ireland, America, and the West Indies, is likewise noticed, with
some account of the rise an4 meaning of that denominatiori of
Christians. . \ \
;r, Some shameful instances of non-residence, patronage, and plu-
\r alkies of livings, now in existence among the Bishops and Clergy
of the land, are here detailed, and strongly reprehended.
The Articles arid Canons, the .Liturgy, and other Public Of
fices of our church are reviewed, and, in some respects, reprov
ed.' At the same time, most of the defects in our ecclesiastical ¦
frame are confirmed by the opinions of some of our most
learned and respectable writers. *
If he is thought severe upon the episcopal and clerical orders of
men, let it be remarked, that he esteems them all' very highly in love
for their office' sake, because he is persuaded it is of divine appoint
ment ; and that, if at any time he has given way to his indig
nation, and expressed himself in strong terms against these or
ders, it is never intended to afreet any but the culpable -psrt. of
them ; , and that both the Prophets under the Old Testament dis
pensation, and Christ with his Apostles under the New, have
done the same. • We cannot follow better examples. -ii t- \,
" But, in a Plea for Religion and the Sacred Writings, where
" is the propriety of exposing the imperfections of- the Church,
" with her Bishops and Clergy ?"
Because the undiscerning world in general, arid our1 deistical
fellow-crea|ures in particular, constantly unite them together,
and wound the pure and immortal religion of Jesus Christ,
and the Holy Scriptures, through their sides : whereas they are
things essentially different. What has the character and-gos-
* , pel

ADVERTISEMENT. xk
pel of Christ to do with the treachery of Judas, the coward
ice- of Peter, the ambition of James and John, the hike-
warmness and worldly spirit of our Bishops and. Clergy, or with,
the superstitious and'secular appendages of the Church of Rome,
the Church of England, or any .other human establishment un
der heaven ! They are things perfectly distinct. And if we,
mean to defend the. Gospel to ahy purpose, it must be the Gospel
alone, independent of every human mixture and addition. Cor-..
nipt churches and bad men cannot be defended.. '-._. 1
;¦ The bestpart of the book, in the-opinion 'of the author, is-
that where he has enlarged upon the excellence and utility of
the Sacred Writings. • , He, confesses he is anxious to recommend;
them to the daily perusal of every man ; because he is persuaded;
both our present peace and future welfare very, much depend
upon the .practice. , He trmsts, therefore, if all the rest of the'
book is rejected with contempt, this will be attended to with
peculiar seriousness.
, . The reduction of the national religion to the pure standard
cf the Gospel, and the moral and religious reformation of all or
ders of men^ are repeatedly insisted on, and with singular ear
nestness ; as what alone, in his judgement,, can save us from
impending ruin. This is done, because he is firmly persuaded
there can be no general spread of evangelical principles and prac
tice's} 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 lie has exceedingly
at heart, however much he may be mistaken in , the means he
thinks neqessary to promote that end.
The missionsjto the Heathen are here spoken of with zeal and
approbation. These noble efforts for the salvation of mankind,
he believes to be one reason, among others, why, in the midst of
.abounding iniquity, our fate; as a nation, is, for a season, sus
pended *.
The
' * Is it not' an instance of the most unamia'ble bigotry that ever was exhibited in
a dhristian country, that when such generous, disinterested, and noble efforts have
'been making for, two or three years past, by various denominations of men, for the
civilization and christianization of the South. Sea islands, which are situated in the
.centre of some hundreds of millions of jjross idolaters, scarcejy one Bishop ox dig-
h % hifpj

sx ADVERTISEMENT.
The extravagances of the French governors are incidentally
touched upon, and the vfleness of their conduct, both towards
their own people^ and the neighbouring nations, exposed f .
He has taken the liberty of mentioning a variety of books
upon different subjects. Spme of these he has particularly re
commended ; others are only inserted among those of the sam?
class. Young readers may find their advantage in this part of
bis Treatise.
Both believers and unbelievers, he trusts, wfll meet with
something or another that will be useful to them, Whajtever is
(conceived to be pernicious, they will do well to reject, remem*
bering that we are enjqined by a very high authority, to provq all
things, and holdfast that which is good.
Several other miscellaneous matters are inter-spersed through
the whole, which he wishes may he both profitable and pleasant
'—utile dulci. . ^
pifed Clergyman of the Chutch of England; Scarceh/pne Arian^v Somrras eongrega-
tioh, those more opulent bodies of Dissenters; scarcely one Nobleman^ and but very
few rich Commoners, appear to have contributed a single shilling out of their ample
revenues towards promoting this expensive and god-like design ?— The honour and;
blessedness of the glorious attempt is left to the poor ! — Is" not such a conduct
among our great Ones speaking in the strongest of all language, that it isbetter
the poor, miserable, benighted Heathen nations should continue in their present
deplorable condition, than that they 'should be brought out of darkness into tie
glorious liberty of the children of God, in any other way than that prescribed by
them ! Oh ! shame to these several Orders of men. What a curse has npt bigotry
ever been to mankind 1~-Mastcr, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and ipe.
forbade him, because he followed not usL said the selfish and party-spirited Apostles.
Forbid him not, replied the benevolent and liberal-minded Saviour, for there is no
man that can work a miracle in my name, who will lightly speak evil of me.— A. add,
with the Apostle, i)*' Christ is preached, and souls saved, I therein do rejoice, yea,
ipid'will rejoictt whoever is the instrument.
f The difference between the English and French m point of piety is more than '
once noticed in the following pages. I observe here still further, in honour of- the
brave Admiral Lord ^elson, that ths'very next morning after the victory,
August %, 1798," while all must have been yet hurry and confusion, he issued the
"following Memorandum to all the Captains of his squadron :
" Almighty God having blessed his Majesty's arms with victory, the Admiral
a Intends returning Public Thanksgiving For the same at two, o'clock this, day, and,
" he recommends every ship doing the same as s.oou as convenient,"
Public thanks Were accordingly' returned at the hour appointed
This solemn act of Gratitude to Heaven seemed, to make a very eteep jmpreS?
sion upon the arinds of several of frhe French prisoners, both officers and men/ -

ADVERTISEMENT. xx4
If any of -his clerical brethren are so far offended at the free
doms he has taken with his own order, or the established reli
gion of. his country, as to make a reply, he shall think him
self at liberty to return an answer or otherwise, as he may judge
expedient. So far as the moral and religious ¦ conduct of the
Clergy is concerned, the best answer to his charges will be, try
correct and amend what is amiss. So far as the durability of the
ecclesiastical constitution of the country is in question, he would
refer h}s indignant reader to the prophetic declarations of the St.
John of the Old Testament.
Some repetitions will be found, and some mistakes discovered.
The reader will have the goodness to excuse the former, and
correct the latter.
Two Appendixes are subjoined, the former of which cpntains
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 offi- -
ciate as a Minister in the Church of England.
To the whole is added a copious Index, whereby every thing
rnost important may be turned to without loss of time.
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 man's person, neither let him- give |
flattering titles unto man s for he knows not to give flattering titles i
in so doing his Maker would soon take him away. It has beeii,
therefore, his desire to speak the plain honpst truth, as it ap
pears to him, without courting any man's favour, 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 put of it. Even the most despised of SeBarists, he con
ceives,
• .KmjGEORGE H. who was fond of the late Mr. Wbiston, happened to le
walking with him one day, during the heat. of his persecution, in Hampton Court
gardens. As they were talking upon this subjefi, ' his. Majesty observed, that
« However right he might be in his opinions, it would be better if he kept-thefti
" toliimself." — '' Is your Majesty really serious in your advice J" answered tits
old man. " I really am," replied the King. " Why then," said Whistovi*,
•« had Martin Luther been of this way of t&ipkuig, wfaerc would your iH^gfE-
«< sty have been at this time ?" « But

xxii . ADVERTISEMENT.
ceives, ara riot' wholly dsstitutef. And, in his opinion, one
such character is infinitely more estimable than a' million, of im
moral Parsons, those most miserable and contemptible of all 'hu
man beings, who contaminate every neighbourhood where they
dwell ; or ever, so large a body of mere literary Clergymen, how
ever extolled and caressed by the .world,' who, bloated with prfdc
and self-importance, are a disgrace to the, lowly spirit of the Sa-?
ViouR.of mankind. To every truly pious' and consistent Chris
tian, literate or illiterate, he would give the right hand of fel
lowship, and bid him god-speed in, the name of the Lord,
wherever "he is found. /cGk icql bigots, however, of every de
scription, he most cordially pities and despises. They are despi
cable animals. 'Swollen with-an imaginary dignity, they tare .wise
„ .. - -. 4,-:,^ +.u. _ , - in
". " But why," rejoins" the impatient reader, " why speak so freely and openly
** upon all these public abuse's, 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 fjiese papers, he conceives, must
either be removed by the gentle hand of reform, or Divine Providence will take
the matter into its own hand, and'subvert them by the rough hand of a most im
placable enemy. I speak these things under, correction, and with the most bene.
Solent wishes for the prosperity of my King and Country, and -the universal spread
of the Gospel ol our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
t Tile wise ones of this world would do well to call to mind, who it is that hath
¦said, That which is hig/fly'estesmed 'among' men is abomination in the sight of God. Luke
xvi. 15. Compare 1 Cor.' i. 26—29. Men, .sects, and parties, which are held in the
highest estimation by the world, are usually, perhaps generally, held in" the lowest
estimation by God'; and, on the contrary, men, seels, and parties, which are held
in the lowest eftimation by the world, are usually, perhaps universally, hel'3 ;n the
'highest estimation by the Al mic hty. p*'!'
The way to heaven prescribed by thej Scripture, andjthe way to heaven prescribed
by worldly-minded men, are as opppfite to each .other as the cast to the west. The
ifprmer saith, Strait is the gate and narrow is the -way which kadeth unto life, and few
there be that find it. The latter say, Wide is the gaze, and broad is the way, that leadeth
'unto life, and many there be which go sn thereat. Persons -^f this character are usually
secure and confident, determined and resolute, merry and jovial, and perceive little
^r no danger even vihen they are dancing blind-fold on the brink of deftruclion.
'I reniember sbinewliere reading ofT,a genius' of this sort, who, turnisg all serious
'.godliness into ridicule and contempt, declared there was no iMeiof so much ado,'
;'for if he had but time to say three wcrdi, " Lord, save me P he aid not doubt- but
he should go to heaven. Not long after, this same confident Gallio was ridingJa
spirited horse over a bridge, upon which he met a flock cf iheep • the horse-took -
fright, leaped over the battlement into the riverj-whefe his r,ide» was drowned, and
• the laft three words he was heard to' speak were, Devil — take  all.-^'Tis
dangerous to provoke a God ! .,

ADVERTISEMENT. xxiii
in their own eyes, and prudentin. their own 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
theiffifigers. Such characters, whether found amornr Episcopalians,
Presbyterians, Methodists, Quakers, or any other denomination of
men, are the Scribes and Pharisees of the day, to whom the great
and' inflexible J u dg e 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 or
dispraise of such men is almost equally indifferent.- .But a libe
ral-minded and benevolent soul, who embraces every human
being in the arms of his charity, who rises superior to the super
stitious tribe of infallible doctors — the genus irritabile vat.um ,- .
who can pierce through the guise of human distinctions, and
trace-seligious excellence among all , orders and descriptions of
men, hewould clasp to his boscm, make him room in his heart,
and give him a place in the attic story of his affections. - He
loves a generous soul, a noble spirit, with whom he can hold
. sweet converse * on things human and divine; trace, the awful
footsteps of a mysterious Providence, , ¦ ¦ - -
" And justify the ways of Go d to man ;"
while angels ministrant attend the enraptured strains. — " 0 noc-
tes ceenaqiie deum !" From
* The third chapter of Malachi seems to me to contain the moft em-
phatical recommendation of religious conversation that -ever was penned*
Cicero, too,epeaks with an airof indignation of men of talents meeting to
gether, and spending all their time in milking the ram, or holding the pail :
" Quasi vero clarorum virorum aut tacitos coijgressus esse oporteat, aut ludi-
" . cros sermones, aut rerum collocraia kviorum," Academ. ^jierst. lib. 4.
This brings to my mind an anecdote, which I have somewhere read con
cerning the immortal Locke, who, being invited by a certain Nobleman to
give the meeting to some of the most celebrated wits and scholars of tRe'age,
went in great expectation of enjoying a high intellectual repaft. The card table
being introduced after dinner, Contrary to his expectation, he retired pensive and
chagrined to the window. Enquiry being made if he was wel', he replied, " He
" had come to give the company meeting in full confidence of receiving an 'un-
" common degree of satisfaction in theconversation of such celebrated characters,,
" and he muft acknowledge he felt himself . hurt at the disappointment." The
card table was immediately withdrawn, and a rich ilow of souls begun, to his no
small gratification. \ -<

xxi* ADVERTISEMENT.
From a melancholy dearth of such society, howevw, he is ge
nerally constrained to converse with the ancient and modern
dead, those first of human beings, who have left us the image of
their souls reflected in their immortal volumes'. Here, he some
times seems to catch a ray of their genius ; tb intermingle soul
with, soul ; to taste the raptures of their sacred rage ; and to me
ditate unutterable things. Oh ! for a Spirit of burning, to refine
those drossy natures ; " a muse of fire," to elevate his mind to
their celestial strains ; and a seraph's wings to mount up to the
blissful throng of the spirits of just men made perfect, around'
the.throne of the great Father of the universe, and his Soify
the Ever-blest ! — Yet a little while, and these shadows shall flee
away-^-these earthly tabernacles be taken down — these mortal
bodies be clothed with immortality — the church militant he
changed into the church triumphant — and the infinite Maje
sty of Heaven be seen without a veil, , loved without a rival,
and enjoyed without satiety through the long round of vast
eternity [
"DAVID SIMPSON.
Macclesfield,
Jan. 1, 170C7.

£lea for religion
ERIENDS.AND COUNTRYMEN !
 i
J, here are few ages of the ,woi?ld, but hav&
produced yaf-ious instances of persons, that have treated
the Divine dispensations, either with neglect or scor-n.
Of these, some have, persisted in their folly to the latest
period of their earthly existence ; while others have, dis*
covered* their mistake in time, andbofhsought and found
forgiveness with God.— In most ages too, there have been
some, who have piously observed the manifestations of
Heaven; whohave cordiallyreceived the Holy Scriptures
as a revelation from on high; and whpyhave built their
everlasting expectations upon the salvation 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 stvc-hg 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 liope of the glory of God,- with
unspeakable and triumphant joy. Examples of this kind,
even amongilli,teratemeri, wpmen,and children, might be
produced in numbers. very considerable, —But , how exr
tremely. 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 tihk
world Tuader much darkness pfmind, full of doubts, and
fearful apprehensions'cohcerning th,ePiv,ine favour, ow<-
\ E ing

2 A P1EA FOR RELIGION
ing'to their being too deeply immersed in secular, or li
terary pursuits ; to their living beneath their Christian
privileges ; and ^JndJnjg t-po_sjniall!. a proportion or their
time in devout retirement, and religious exercises. No
thing, indeed, can keep the. life of God vigorously alive
in the soul, but these exercises. Where they are either
wholly neglected, or frequently interrupted, there the
power of religion languishes. Faith and hope, peace and
love, joy in, and confidence towards God, grow weak ;
doubts and fears, disquietude of mind, and" scruples of
Conscience prevail. The sun goes down, and sets, to this-
Wfvld^ift'leistj under a dark and cheerless cloud. — But
WhfcMth'efeurfrble Believe^'m Christ Jesus (the eyes of
hisundBSSttexsd'ingbeihg enlightened, anclhisfearaatasraed
t»!fd*a>S€4i&6 of danger,) lays aside eveFy spiritual eacum-
brance, a>ndthe>sin which hath been accustomed too easily
to overcome- him ; where he resolutely breaks through
every snft&t and lives <to the great purposies for which we
sM. w'&f&b&tn ; where, with the illustrious philosopher and
physician, B*xerhaave, and the eminent statesmen Sir
J'ohn Barnard, the 3uke of Ormonde, and Lord
Capee *, hespeads. a due proportion of every day in
~~s • private
p. * it was the custom of" three of thesci grfiat.meij,. to spend an, however^
BjPfHring, in private grayer-, and reading the Holy. Scriptures; and of the
fourth, to meditate half an hour ewery day upon eternity. This gave
fhem comfbrt'and1 vigqur of mind' to support the toil and fatigue of the
day. Nay, we are told in the I^i-fe- of the Duke of Ormonde, that
*« he nqvett prepared for bed, or went abroad in a, morning,, tjll he had
(i wi'tlj<4raj#n an hour to his closet/'
, We might mention a considerable number of similar instances. John
Lord Mnrrbigtaif, who died A. D. i6l3~i at the age of *2 years, was a
young nobleman of eminent piety, and rare literary attainments-. He was
in early riser, and usually spent a cfflajider-aMe. part of the morning in
private, pr/jyer, ao*} reading the. Sacred Writings. The same religious
exercise was alao pursued both in the evening and at mid-day.
iS:V H a. r bottle Grimston.e, Master of the Rolls., an ertiineht lawyer,
a just judge, ' afid a person of large fortune, who lived in the last century,
*'¦ was a very piouS and devout man, and spent every day at least an hour
<«'ijn the morning, and as rniueft at night, in prayer and meditation. And
*', even, jet winter, when he was obliged to be very early on the bench, he
" took care to rise so soon, that he had always the command of that time,
" which he gave to those exercises-'.' '- -.'..' r\., ., .:, _
This

AND THE SACiRED WRITINGS. 9
privateprayqr, mentation, and reading th^SacredVolume;
there, with these truly valuable men, he usually hath'
large enjoyment of the consolations of religion, • and
abounds. in1 peace and hope through the power of the
Holy Ghost. He goes through life, if not smoothly
and usefully, at least contentedly and happily. While,
in the eyes of those persons, who boast of their superi
ority of Understanding, aridfreedbm from vulgar preju
dices, the Redeemer of the world becomes daily more
and more contemptible ; and in the eyes of the lukewarnt
Cfyristianless and less desirable; in the estimation of the
devout and lively Believer, who, by waiting upon 'ttofc
Lord, renews his strength, the Son of God; in hisper-
son, offices, and work, appears, with increasing affection;
the chiefest among ten thousand, and altogether lovely.
Being convinced of sin, and justified by faith, he has
peace with God through our Lord J^sus Chris*, and
the love of God is shed abroadbt His heart by the Holy-
Ghost whichis given unto him. Heiss'tfaigthenedwith.
migh t by his S p 1 R i t in the inner tiidtn, and C hr rsT' dfoells
in his heart by faith. Being f doted and grounded it%
love, '%e Comprehends with all saints, what is the breadth^
and length, and depth, and height, andhekndwsthelov&
of Christ, though indeed itpasseth knowledge. He is,
moreover, filed with all the1 cpriTmuriicable fulness of
CfoD, and a peace passing understanding keepeih) his
heart and mind, through Christ Jesus. f
This brings to my mind thecase of the late Colonel Jai^es Gab.di.ner!,
who was slain at the battle of, Prestop-Pans, A. D. 1745. This brave
man used constantly- to rise atfoiir in the morning, and to spend " his
" time till six in the seerst exercises of devotion, reading, intiifa^ia^
"and prayer. And if at. ahy time he was obliged to go out before 'six
" in the morning, he rose proportionably sooner; so that when a journey,
" or march, has required hiim to be on horseback by four, he would be
*' at Jais devotions at farthest by tiuo." ' l
The same holds true of General' Sir WttLtAM Waller, who was as
devout in the closet', as: he was valiant in the field.
Let the. reader rr^arkv well, that none of these religious persons were
either }£onks or Parsons, but men of great consideration in the World,
who were -engaged ii\ scenes of life extremely active.

* A PLEA FOR RELIGION
" A Christian dwells,' like Uriel, irt the sun :
" Meridian evidence puts doubt; to flight ;
" And ardent hppe.anticipates the skies."
- : The language of his soul is, Whom have I in heave, i
but thee, O God,! and thereisnone Uponearth that I desire
in comparison of thee. To do unto others as he would
have them do unto him, is the great law of his life, in
all his dealings between man and man; and whereinso
ever he falls short, of a full compliance with this royal
statute, he laments and bewails his folly ; makes satis
faction according to thefiature of the case; flees to the
blood of sprinkling for pardon ; and returns with renew?
ed vigour to the path of duty, Giving all diligence, Me
adds to his faith, virtue ; and to virtue, knowledge; and
to knowledge, temperance ; and to temperance, patience,;
and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kind
ness ; and to brotherly kindness,, charity. With zealous
affection he cultivates the holy tempers that were in
Christ; bowels of mercy, lowliness," meekness, gentle
ness, 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 tp.the ~k.i^g, as supreme ; or unto go
vern o rsj as unto them that are sent by him for thepunish-
ment of 'evil doers, and for the praise of them that dowell.
He pays all due respect unto men of every rank and
degree. He loves with peculiar affection 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, tq sacrifice
ids life for the good of the public- He endeavours to
acquit ''himself .with propriety in every station, whether
as' master,' servant, parent, child, magistrate, subject,.
teacher, learner. In short, whatsoever things are true,
^whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just,
whatsoever things areptire, whatsoever things are lovely,
'•whatsoever things are of good report, tothese he attends
with the utmost diligence and assiduity. ' - This i's the
Christianity \ which the Son of God taught unto the'
world.

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS^ 5
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.-
I* dp not say, however, that this is the religion of the
great body of persons calling themselves Christians.
Much otherwise. Many of our brethren are extremely
immoral. Others are guilty , of some particular vice
only. Some are decent in their general conduct, and
pretty attentive to religious observances, but yet total
strangers to inward religion. Great sticklers for their
b 3 , oVn
* Dr. Robertson, our celebrated Historian, tells us, that " Chris*
" tianity is rational and sublime in its doctrines, humane and beneficent
" in its precepts, pure and simple in its worship." And even Mr. Pains
is constrained to confess, that "Jesus Christ was a virtuous and an7
" amiable man ; that the morality which he preached arid practised was
** of the most benevolent kind ; that though similar systems of morality
" had been preached by Confucius, and by some of the Greek philoso-
'* phers many years before, and by many good men in all ages j it has
not been exceeded by any. "-^Important concession ! Where is the pro
priety then of endeavouring to explode the Gospels ? — Thou art condemn.
ed out of thine own mouth !
-fon/BoLiNGBROKE has made similar confessions to this of Paine :
¦"— " No religion," says he, "ever appeared in the world, whose na-
" tural 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 Christ 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 professed Deist/ And yet,
strange as they certainly are, much the same have been made by Blount,
Tindal, Morgan, Toland., Chubb, Rousseau, and niost of our
other real or pretended Unbelievers.
The truth is, all these deistical gentlemen could approve the mo
rality, or some parts of the morality, of the Nenu Testament, but
they could neither understand nor approve the grand scheme of re
demption therein exhibited. Why? Because the natural man re*
ceimeth not the things of the Spirit of God ; they are foolishness unto
him ; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1 Cor. ii. 14. — They were blind to all the glories of the Gospel scheme v
They neither saw nor felt their need of such a redemption, as is therein
exhibited. What wonder then ifj they spent their lives in opposing its
gracious designs ?

6 A frtEA FG*. RELIStdN
awn party, be it what it thay, they harbour a strong
aversion to all who dare to think for themselves, and
presume to dissent from them in principle or practice.
So remote are they from the character and experience
of the above evangelical, requirements, that they con -
sjder them as delusive and entlfaisiastic. Something of
tkeform of 'godliness they have gotten, but they deny, and
sometimes even ridicule the power. Be this as it may,
true religion is still the same; and the above is a scrip
tural sketch of it, whether we wiU hear, or whether we
witt forbear. So far too are we Christians from being
ashamed of this go^eZ-method of saving a lost world,
that we make it our boast and song all the day through
in the house of our pilgrimage.
v ** I'll praise ray 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 immortality endures." -
We experience its effect in raising us from the ruiys
,b$ our fall. We lament with sincere contrition the sins
and follies of our unregenerate state. We discover
nothing but condemnation, while we remain under the
Covenant of works. We flee for refuge to the only
hope of sinful men : and we consider ourselves as the
happiest of God's creatures, in having this plank thrown
out, on which we are permitted to escape safe to land.-
In the mean time, we feel this religion makes us easy,
comfortable, happy; and seems adapted with consum
mate wisdom to our state and circumstances.
" Soft peace she brings, wherever she'arrives,
" She builds our tjuiet, as she forms our lives ;
" Lays the rough paths of peevish nature ev*n,.
" And opens in each breast a little faeav'n."
This is the,portion of happiness, which the G ospei
yields us while we live, and we have not the smallest
fear that it will fail us when we die. On the contrary,
3 xve

AND THE 8A<?RED WRITINGS, f
we know, that mr light fyffiktion, in this world, ikihichk)
comparatively, but for a moment, .wwketh, for us a far
more exceeding find eternal weight ofgJfry; and that, if
our ear My house -of this tabernacle -were dissolved, :we
have a building i>/Gon, a he use not wfade with hands,,
eternal in the htkivens*. j
*' Nothfog ob earth we call oqr ownj
*' But, strangers, to "the world, unknown,
" We all their goods despise :
xi W? trample on their whole delight^
*' And seek a ouahrry wit of sight,
*l A country in the skies."
If then the religion of Jesus Christ be a delusion,
it is, at least, a happy delusion ; and even a wise man
would scarcely wish to be undeceived. He would
rather be^i-gady to say with the great Roman Orator,
when speaking of the immortahty of the soul: — " If in
*' this I err, I willingly err; iipr, while I live, shall ahy
*'' man wrest frpm me this error, with which I am ex-
" tremely delighted f."
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
B 4 Writwgty
•>-
* xf If there is one condition in this life more happy -than another,"
says a great author, ,." it is, surely, that of him, who founds all his
** hopes of Futurity oh the promises of the Gospel; whij carefully ierf-
" deavours to conform his actions to its precepts ; looking upon the
" great God Almighty as his protector here, his rewarder here-'
" after, and his everlasting preserver. This is a frame of mind so
*' perfective of our nature, that if Christianity, from i feelief of which
'" it can only be derived, was as certainly false, as it is certainly tjue,
" one could not help wishing that it -might be universally received is
" the world."
Mr. Pope has a declaration to Bishop AtterbUry to the sam®
purpose, which is worthy of memorial : " The bey despises the i>/ftintt
" the man the bay, the philosopher both, and the Christian all."
t " Si in hoe erro,' lubenter erro ; nee mihi hurac errorem, quo de«
*' Iector> dwrS vivo, extorqiaeri void."
Mt-. Atotirtps also very properly saith, when speaking of the
iirffitertcdlfy of the soul :— " If it is a dream, let me enjoy it 5 since, it ,
*' makes me both the happier and the better man." . .
Spectator, No. 186.

h ?'- ' A PLEA FOR RELIGION
Writings, as from the history of these latter ages, whose
conduct and character have been conformable to the
above representations. But as the Bible is in every
ohe*s hands, and may be consulted at pleasure, 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 times. These 'may be Dying Infidels — Peni
tent and Recovered Infidels — Dying Christi
ans, who have lived too much in the spirit of the world —
and Christians dying, eiiherwith great composure of
mind, or, in the full assurance of fai-th*.

I. Examples of dying Infidels. ;
i Vifl wicked is driven away in his. own wickedness. Prov. xiv. 3?.
" Horrible is the end of the unrighteous generation." Wis. iii. iy.
1. Mr. Hobbes was a celebrated Infidel in the.last
age, who, in bravado, would sometimes speak very: un
becoming things of God and his Word. Yet, when
alone, he was haunted with the most tormenting refleC'
tions, and would awake in great terror, if his candle
happened but to go out in the night. He could never
bear any discourse of death, and seemed to cast off all
thoughts of itf. He lived to be upwards of ninety^ His
* " There is nothing in'history," says this elegant writer in another
place, " which is so improving to the reader as those accounts which
" we meet with of the deaths of eminent persons, and of their behaviour
" 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 man-
"ner." Spectator, No. 289.
'+ What an amiable character was the Heathen Socrates, when
compared with this Infidel-Philosopher? Just before the cup of poison
was brought him, entertaining his friends with an admirable discourse
on the immortality 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

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 9
His last sensible words were, when, .he 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
uneasiness constrained him to confess, when he drew
near to the graye, that " he was about to take a leap
" in the dark. "-^The; writings of this old sinner ruined
the Earl of Rochester, and many other gentlemen of
the first parts in the nation, as that Nobleman himself
declared, after his conversion.
S, The account which the celebrated Sully gives us
of young Servin is out of the common way.. v " The
beginning of June, 1623," says he, " I set out for Calais,
where I was to embark, having with me a retinue of
upwards of two hundred gentlemen, or who called
themselves such, of whom a considerable number were
really of the first distinction. Just before my departure
old Servi'n came and presented his son tome, and beg
ged I would use my endeavours to make him a man of
some worth and honesty; but he confessed he dared not
hope, not through any want of understanding or capacity
in the young man, but from his natural inclination 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 under
standing, so extensive, as rendered him scarce ignorant
of any thing that could be known; of so vast and ready
a comprehension, that he immediately made himself
master of what he attempted ; and of so prodigious a
memory, that he never forgot what he had once learn
ed; he possessed all parts of philosophy and the ma
thematics,
Who can doubt, but the merits of the all-atoning Lamb of Gon
were extended to this virtuous Heathens' How few professed Christi
ans can honestly make the same appeal ?— Besides, Socrates seems tb
have had as firm a faith in a Saviour then to come, as many of the most
virtuous of the Israelitish nation.

$0 A PiEA FGk %.%LfGld*
thematics, particularly fortification and drawing: even
in theology he was so well skilled, that' he was ah ex<-
cellent preacher whenever he had a mind to exert that
talent, and an able disputant for and against the refdrmed
religion indifferently ; he not only understood Greek,
Hebrew, and, all the languages which we call learned,
tout also the different jargons Or modern dialects; he
accented and pronounced thettv so naturally, and so
perfectly imitated the gestures and manners both of
the several nations of Europe, and the particular pro
vinces 6f 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, wherein.
.'he succeeded wonderfully ; he was, moreover^ the best
comedian and greatest droll that perhaps ever, appear
ed ; he had a genius for poetry, and had 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 of a dis
position 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 exercises; he Could
ride well, and in dancing, wrestling,.' and leaping, he
was admired : there are not any recreative games that
lie did not know ; arid 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, coward*-
ly, deceitful ; a liar, a cheat, a drunkard and glutton ;
a sharper in play, immersed in every species of vice j' a
blasphemer, mi atheist ; in a word, in him might be
found all the vices, contrary 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 corrupted by his de
baucheries, and expired with a, glass 'in his hand, cursing
and denying. God."
It is evident from this extraordinary case, that "with
" the talents of an angel a man may be a fool."' There
'is-no necessary connection between great natural abilities and

AND THE SACRED WRITIJtaS. 11
and religious qualifications. They may go together, but
they are frequently found asunder. '
3. The honourable Francis Newport, who died in
the year \6$% was favoured both with a liberal and re
ligious education. After spending five years in the Uni
versity, he was entered in one of the Inns of Court. Here
he fell into the hands of Infidels, lost all his religious im-*
pressions, commenced Infideth\xnse\f, and became a most
abandoned character, unitinghirnselftoaclub of wretches
who met together constantly to encourage 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 for
mer religious impressions, accompanied with an horror
of mind inexpressible. The violence of his torments
was such, that he sweat in the most prodigious manner
that was ever seen. In nine days he was reduced from
a robust state of health to perfect weakness, during all
which time his language was the most dreadful that ima*
gination can conceive. At one time, looking towards the
fire, he said, "Oh ! that 1 was to lie and broil upon that
" fire for a hundred thousand years, to purchase the fiv-
" vour of God, and be reconciled to him again ! But jt
" is a fruitless vain wish ; millions of millions, of years
" will bring me no nearer" the end of my tortures* than
" one poor hour. (> eternity ! eternity ! who can pro-
*' perly paraphrase upon the words — forever and ever /"
In this kind of strain he went on, till his strength was
exhausted, and his dissolution approached; when, reco
vering 'a little breath,- with a groan so dreadful and loud,
as if it had not been human, he cried out, •" Oh \ the
-" insufferable 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 sensible of the ex
tremity of torments.
It may be much questioned, whether a more affecting
Narrative* was ever composed in any language, than the
truehistory of this unhappy gentleman's last sickness and'
death.
* It is sometimes called the- Second Spira. ~

12 A PLEA FOR RELIGION
death. It is greatly to be desired, that men of all de
nominations would give it a serious perusal.
- 4. Mr. William Emmerson was, at the same time,
an Infidel, and one of the first mathematicians of the, age.
Though, in some respects, he might be considered as a
worthy man, his conduct through life was rude, vulgar,
and frequently immoral. He paid no attention to reli-
giousduties, and both intoxication and profanelanguage
were familiar to him. Towards the close of his days,
being afflicted with the stone, he wo,uld crawl about, the
floor on his .hands and knees, sometimes praying, and
sometimes swearing, as the humour took him*.— What
a poor creature is man without Religion j Sir Isaac
Newton died of the same disorder, which was attended,
at times, with such severe paroxisms, as forced out large
drops of sweat that ran down his face. In these trying
circumstances, however, lie was never observed. to utter
the smallest complaint, or to express the least impa'
tience. What a striking contrast/between the conduct
of the Infidel and the Christian ! .
5. Monsieur Voltaire, during a long life, was conti
nually treating the Holy Scriptures with contempt, and
endeavouring to spread the poison of Infidelity among
the nations. See,, however, the end of such a conduct.
In his last illness he sent for Dr. Tronchin. When
the Doctor came, he found Voltaire in the greatest
agonies,,, pxclaimirig with the utmost horror — I am
abandoned by God and man. He then said, Doctor, I
will give you half^of what I am Worth, if you will give me
sitr months life. The Doctor answered, Sir, you cannot
•live sir weeks. Voltaire replied, Then I shall go to
hell, and you will go with me ! and soon after expired.,
This is the Hero of modern Infidels ! Dare ahy of
them say — Let me die the death of Voltaire, and.let my
last end be like his? Wonderful infatuation ! This mi-
happy gentleman occupies the first niche in the French
* This extraordinary man, byway of justifying his own irreligious
conduit, drew up his objeflions to the Sacred Writings much, in the
same way as Thomas Paine ; but it does not appear that they Were
ever laid before the public, as Thomas Paine's have been.
4 pantheon !

AND TIIe'saCRED' WRITINGS. IS
pantheon ! That he was a mart of great and various
talents, none can deny ; but his want of sound learning,
and moral qualifications, will ever prevent him from
being ranked with the benefactors of mankind,' by the
wise and good. Such an Hero, indeed, is befitting a
nation under judicial infatuation; to answer the wise
ends of. therGovERNpuR of the world. If the reader
has felt hiiriself injured by the poison of this man's
writings", he may find relief for his" wounded mind,; by
perusing carefully Findlay's Vindication of the Sacred
Books from the Misrepresentations and Cavils of Vol
taire ; and Lefanu's Letters of certain Jews to Vol-
t'ai re. The hpary Infidel 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 Abbe Barruel, author of The
History 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, when
his' 'triumph was complete, and he had even feared that
he should die with glory, amidst the acclamations of ah
infatuated theatre, that he was struck by the hand of
Providence, and fated to niake a very different ter
mination of his career.
In the midst of his triumphs, a violent hemorrhage
raised apprehensions for his life. D'Alem-'bert, Dide
rot, and Marmontel, hastened to support;his reso
lution in his last moments, but Were only witnesses to
their mutual ignominy, as1 well as to his own. ; •
Here let not the historian fear exaggeration. ^Rage,
retnorse, reproach, and blasphemy, f all accompany arift
characterize the long agony of the dying Atheist, -llh
death, the, most terrible that is ever recorded^ to have
stricken the "impious nian, will ho t'^Be denied by his
companions, of impiety. -/ Their silence,, however, much
.they may wish to deny it, is the least of., those cor.so.s-
''•-'^' - ;/ 7 borative

;]4 A PLEA FOR RELIGION
borativc proofs, which could 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 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 thetheatre, 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 impiety was drawing to an end.
In spite of all the Sophisters, flocking around hini, in
the first days of his illness, he gave signs of wishing to
return to the God he had so often blasphemed. He
calls for the priests who ministered to Him, whom he
had sworn to crush, under ther appellation of the
Wretch *. His danger increasing, he wrote the fol
lowing rHotetothe^W;^ Gualtier ;—You hadpromised
we,, Sir., to come and hear me. I intxeat you would ta^e
^hf {trouble of calling as soon as possible — Signed Vol
taire. Paris, the 2&th Feb. 1778.
A few days after he wrote the following declaration,
in presence of the same Abbi Gualtier, the Abbe"
Mignot, and, the Marquis de Villevieille, copied
from, the minutes deposited with Mr. Momet, 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 Rev. the Rector of St,
" Sulpice, having been pleased to add to his good
" works, that of sending to me the Abbe" Gualtier, a
*,' priest ; I confessed to him ; and if it pleases God to
"dispose of me> I die in the Holy Catholic Church, m
" which I was born ; hoping -that the divine mercy will
"f deign to pardon all my faults. If ever I have scan-
* It had bee^ custcfmary during many years for Voltaire to call
qur blessed Saviour-^-The Wretch. And he vowed that he would
crush him. JJe closes many of his letters 'to his infidel- friends, with the
same words—rCnuA the Wretch !
'•*-' - V, dalizect

and the sabred writings. « 1$
.** daiized the Church, I ask pardon of God and of the
".Church. Second of March 1778. Signed Voltaire;
" in presence of the Abbd Mignot, my nephew, and
M the Marquis de Villevieille, my friend."
After the two witnesses had signed this declaration,
VfttTAiEE added these words, copied from the same
minutest — "The Abbe Gu alt i eR, my confessor, having
" apprized me, that it was said among a certain set of
" people, I -should protest against every thing I did at
'.' ray death ;' I deolareil 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 bis former
hypocrisy ? for he had the mean: hypocrisy, even in the
midst of his efforts against Christianity, to receive the
sacrament regularly, and to do other acts of religion,"
merely to be. able to deny his Infidelity, 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 de
clared henteant.tQ die, notwithstanding his having per
petually conspired against it during :his life. This de
claration is also signed by that same friend and adept,
the Marquis rfe Villevieille, to whom, eleven years
before, Voltaire wa$ wont to write, " Conceal your
" march from the enemy,, in your encleavous to crush
" THE WRETCH !" .v: , , ;
Voltaire had permitted this declaration to be car
ried to the rector of St. Sulpice, and to the archbishop
of Paris, to know whether it would be sufficient.
When the Abbi Gualtier returned with, the answer, -
it, was impossible for him to gain admittance to the pa
tient. The conspirators had strained every nerve to
hinder the Chief from consummating his recantation,
and, every avenue \^as shut to the' priest, which Vol
taire himself had sent for. '..The demons haunted every
access ;• rage succeeds to fury, and, fury to rage again,
during the remainder of his life. * ;
" Then it was that D'Alje&s^RT,. Diderot, and about
twenty

16 Ai PLEA FOR RELIGION''' '
twenty others of the conspirators,- who had beset Ins
apartment, never, approached him, but to witness their
own ignominy ; and often he would curse them, and ex
claim : " Retire ! It is you that have brought me to my
"present state! Begone! I could have done without
" you all; but you could not exist without me ! And
" what a wretched glo'ry have you procured me ?" ;
Then would succeed the horrid remembrance of his
conspiracy. They could hear him, the prey of anguish
and dread, alternately supplicating of blaspheming that
God whom he had. conspired against; and in plaintive
accents would die cry out* " Oh Christ! Oh Jesus
"Christ!'' And then complain that -he was aban
doned by God and man. The hand which had traced
in ancient writ, the sentence of an impious and reviling
king, seemed to trace before 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 he had blasphemed; and
his physicians, particularly Mr. Tronchin, calling in
•to administer relief,1 thunderstruck, retire, declaring the
death of the impious man to be terrible indeed. The pride
of the conspirators Would willingly have suppressed these
declarations, , but ;i-t was in vain. The Mareschal de
Rt cue lieu flies from the bed-side, declaring it to be a
¦sight too terrible to be sustained ; and Mr. Tronchin, ,
that the furies of Orestes could give but a faint idea
of those of Voltaire*." ¦.
•' ¦ -": .';;'¦: • i -'it; Q.Mr.
• \: *.Vu ;
* Diderot andiD'AL£MBERT a\so, his friends and companions^in
Infidelity, are said to have died, with remorse of conscience ^ornew-hat
similar to the above.
This account of the unhappy end of Volt A ike is confirmed by' %
letter from M. de Luc, an eminent philosopher, and a/.inan-of the striclest
honour and pr«(bity.. ' , , ,,r**,r~* ¦ "
„ Let the reader consult D'Alembert's Account of, the. death of Vol,-
.Taire in^a letter to' the King of. Prussia, and, his Eulogium at Berlin,
where it is- partly denied, but denied in such'a^a^as'tb give srrorfg
-re»«c^^ tbjuppose his end ;was without' honour,. 'See King of; Prussia's
Works, vol. 12, p. 130 — 152; and Vol. 13, p. 517. • ,vo
* Mr. Cciw-per, in his fipem on Truth, , bas.aliuded ,to .the above ciroum-
stances.in the charter ofthfs WcKiQttits ^ '"™ "* ''*"-" A .
" The

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 17
6*. Mr. Addison tens us of a. Gentleman in France,
Who was so zealous a promoter of Infidelity, that he had
got together a select company of disciples, and travelled
into all parts of the kingdom to make converts. In
the niidst of his fantastical success he fell sick, and
was reclaifhed to such a sense of his condition, that
after he had passed some time in great agonies arid
horrors of mind, he begged those who' had the care of
buiyirig him, to dress his body in the habit of a
Capuchin, that the Devil might not run away with it:
and, to do further justice upon himself, he desired them
to tie a halter about his neck, as a mark of that igno
minious punishmentf which,- in his own thoughts, he,
had so justly deserved. ,, , v
7V The last days of David Hume, that celebrated'
Deist,v were spent in playing at whist, in cracking his
•jokes' about Charon and his boat, and in reading Lu-
ciat^' and other entertaining 'books. This is a consum-
mattim est worthy of a clever fellow, whose conscience'
was seared as xvith an hoi iron ! Dr. Johnson observes
upon1 this impenitent death-bed scene — " Hume owned
u he had never read the New Testament with attention.
" Here then was a man, who had been at no pains to'
" inquireinto the truth of religion, and had continually'
" turned his mind the other way. It was not to be ex-
" pected that the prospect of death should alter his1
" way of thinking, unless God should send an angel
" to set him right. He had a vanity in being thought
" easy." Dims fared sumptuously every day, and.saw
no danger : but— the next thing we hear of him is-^-In .
hell he lifted up his eyes, being in tormetits ! *•
-\ '" Mr.
" The Frenchman first in literary fame,
" (Mention him if you please — Voltaire ;¦ — The same.)
" With'spirit, genius, eloquence supplied,
*' Liv'd long, wrote much, laugh'd heartily, and died';
" The Scripture was his jest-book, whence he drew
" Bon-mots to gall the Christian and the Jew.
" An ' Infidetin health ¦ but 'tvhat when sick ?
" Oh then, a text would touch him at the. quick!"
* It is much' to be lamented that a man of Hume's abilities should
have prostituted his talents in the manner it is well known he did. With
- " C all

-1$ , A PLEA FOR RELIGION ,.
Mr. Gibbon, says, "He died the death of a Phjlo-
" sopher*,!" Bravo! Bravo 1 If Philosophers Aiem such
a manner,
all. his' pretensions to philosophy, he was an advocate for adultery and
suicide. The reader will find a sufficient answer to his sophistry.in Horne's
letters on Infidelity, Beatt'ie's Essay on the Nature and Immutability
of Truth, in Opposition to Sophistry and Scepticism, and Campbell onthe
Miracles~pf Christ.
__' Mr. Gibbqn was, one of the most respeefable. Deists of the present
age,' and' more like" unto Hume, in several' respects, than any other,
of ihe iip^osers of Christianity. Very sufficient -reasons, however, are
to be given for his Infidelity, without in the least' impeaching the credit
of the evangelical system. Mr. Porson, in the preface to his.Letters to
Mr. Arohdeacon Travis,, after giving a very high, and,, indeed) just
character of Mr. Gibbon's celebrated Hisrtary, seems to me to account
for his rejecting the Gospel in a satisfactory manner, from the state of his
mind.. '" He shews," says this learned" Gentlemati, " so strong1 a dislike
" ,to .Christianity ,-as visibly disqualifies Jum for that, society, of; which
"he has created Ammiantjs Marcellinus president*, I. confess
" that I see nothing \v'r'6rig, 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 carrying 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;ha|es-;S0 cor-
" dially that he might seem to revenge some personal injury. Such is
'* his eagerness in the cause, that he stoops to the most despicable .pun,
"„ or to the most awkivard perversion of language, for, the 'pleasure? of
fi turning Scripture into ribaldry, or of, calling -Jesus an impostor.-£-A'
"rage for indecency pervades the whole work, but especially the last'
'¦ volumes.— If the history were anonymous, I should guess j that these-
"disgraceful obscenities were written by some- debauchee, who, having
,f from age, or accident, or excess, survived the prabtice of lost, still
" indulged himself 5n: the luxury of speculation ; and exposed the impotent
" imbecility, afte? -he hae (lost the vigour of the passions."
Such are the opposers of Jesus arid his Gospel.' — Let us see haw this •
sneering- antagonist of Christianity terminated his mortal career.
Eager for the continuation of his present existence, having little ex.
pectation of any future one, he declared to a friend about twenty -four
hours previous to his departure, in a flow. of self. gratula tion, thaf he
thought himself a good life lot ten, twelve, or perhaps twenty years. —
And during his short illness, it is observable, that he never gave the least
intimation of a future state of existence. This insensibility at the hour
of dissolution,^, in the language of scepticism, dying like a clever fe(lojv-
the death of a Philosopher!
See Evans's Attempt to acaoun* for thi. Infidelity of Edwarp Gib
bon, Esq. -
* This stems a'c-ulpable excess of candour, amounting almost to, in,
difference. Among

AND 'THE SACRED WRITINGS. 1§
a manner, may it be my lot to die like an old-fasb,ionecl
and enthusiastic Christian !
8. Of all tlie accounts which are left us. of the latter
end of those who are gone before into the eterriarstate,
several are more horrible, but few so affecting as that"
which is given us, by his own pen, of the late all-ac
complished Earl of Chesterfield. It shews us, in-
•contestibly, what a poor creature man is, notwithstand
ing the highest polish he is capable of receiving, with
out the knowledge and experience of those satisfactions
which true religion yields ; and what egregious fools
all those persons are, t who squander away their precious .
time in what the world, by a. strange perversion of
language, calls pleasure. ¦
" I have enjoyed," says this finished character, "all
the pleasures of this' world, and consequently know their
futility, and do not regret their loss. I appraise them at
their real value, which, in truth, is very low, whefeaS
those who have not experienced, always over- rate them.
They only see their gay outside, and -are dazzled Avith '
their glare ; but I have been 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 are the only people who can, if they
have any sense and reflection. They can look back oculo
irretorto ( without an evil eye) upon ^vhat they from
knowledge despise; others have always ahankering after
what they are not acquainted with. I lOok upon all
that has passed as one of those romantic dreams that
opium commonly occasions, and I do by no means desire
to repeat the nauseous close, for the:sake of the fugitive
dream.— When I say that I have no regret, I do not
mean that I have no remorse, for a life either of business,
Among all the numerous volumes that Mr. Gibbon read, it does not
appear that he ever perused.; any able defence, or judicious explication of
the Christian religion. — Consult his Memoirs and Diary written by
himself. His conversion and re-conversion terminated in Deism ; or
rather, perhaps, in a settled indifference to all religion. He never more
gave himself much concern about it.
.C 2 or-

2#~ A PLEA FOR RELIGION
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,
¦Inti, it is to be hoped, rather mercifully pardon, 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 reflection, that a// is vanity and vexation of "spirit..
This truth is never sufficiently discovered or felt by mere
speculation : experience' in this case is necessary for con
viction, though perhaps at the ex pence of some morality.
"e:" My health is always bad, though sometimes better
and sometimes worse ; and my deafness deprives me pf
the comforts of society, which other people have in their
illnesses. This,. you must allow, is an unfortunate latter
end pf my life, "and consequently a tiresome one i,but I
inust own too, that it is a sort of, balance to thetuirjul-
tuOii's arid imaginary pleasures of the former part of it.
I •consider my present wretched' old age as a just com
pensation for the 'follies, not to say sins of my youth.
A*t th'e, same time lam, thankful that 1. feel none of those
torturing ills which frequently attend the last stage of
life, and I flatter myself that I .shall go off quietly, but
I jam sure with resignation. My stay in this world
cdnnQt.be long : God, who placed me here, only knows
when he .will order me out of it ; but whenever he does,
I shall willingly obey his command. I wait for it, im
ploring the mercy of my Creator, and deprecating
his justice. ' The best of us must trust to the". former,
arid dread the latter. ,, . .
"te I think I am not afraid of my. journey's end, but
will not answer for myself, whes the object draws very
neari 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 consideration. The divine attri
bute of Mercy, which gives us comfort, cannot make
us forget, nor ought it, the attribufce-'of Justice, 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 atterids'thatneutral
o . state,

ANt) THE SACRED WRITINGS. 21
state, which makes me very willing to part with it,
when He who placed me here thinks fit tb call me
away. When I reflect, however, upon the poor re
mainder 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 years, and ray reason tells me, that I should
wish for the end of it ; but instinct, often stronger than
reason, and perhapsoftener in the right, makes me take
all proper methods to put it off. This innate senti
ment alone makes me bear life with patience; for I
assure you I have no farther hopes, but, on the contrary,
many fears from it. None of the primitive Anachoreteg
in the Thcbais could be more detached from life than
I am. I consider it as one who is wholly unconcerned
in it, and even when I reflect upon what. I have seen,
what I have heard, and what I have done myself, I
can hardly persuade myself that all that frivolous
hurry and bustle, and pleasures of the world, had an#
reality, but they seem to have been the dreams of rest
less nights. This philosophy, however, I thank God,
neither makes me sour nor melancholic : I see the folly
and absurdity of mankind, without indignation or pee
vishness. I wish them Wiser, and consequently better
than they are *. " This

•

Miscellaneous Works, vol. 3, passim. — The Le Iters of this celebrated
Nobleman', which he wrote to his Son, contain positive evidence, that,
with all his honours, learning, wit, politeness, he was a thorough ba<|
man, with a heart full of deceit and uncleannest: Thqse Letfers have beerj
a pest to the young Nobility and Gentry of this nation. It maybe ques.
tioned whether Rochester's Poems ever did more harm. This cele
brated nobleman was accounted, not only the most polite and well-bred
man of his time, but .tile greatest wit. Various Jeux d'Esprit are ac
cordingly handed about, as having proceeded from him, on different occa*
sions. The two following, which contain an allusion to the Sacred WritT
i"i!> I will take the liberty of presenting to the reader.
Chesterfield being invited to dine with the Spanish ambassador,
met with the1 Minister of France and some others. After dinner,. the
Spaniard proposed a toast, and begged to giye his Master under the titj^e
of the' Sup. The French ambassador's turn came next, who gave his
under the description oftthe Moon. Lord Chesterfield being asked
for hit, replied, " Your. Excellencies have taken from me all, the greatest
c 3 " luminaries

£$ A PLEA FOR RELIGION
This is the life, these are % mortifying acknowledge
ments, and this is the poor sneaking end of the best bred
man pf the age :! Not one word about a Mediator I He
acknowledges, indeed, his fr&ilties; but yet in such a
way as to extenuate his offences. One wonld .suppose
hun to have been an old Heathen philosopher, that had
never heard of the name of Jesus, rather than a penitent
Christian, whoselifehad abounded with a variety of vices.
How little is man, in his most finished estate, without
religion ) Let us hear in what manner the lively Believer
jn Jesus takes his leave of this mortal scene :— I am now
ready to tie offered, and the time of my departure is at
hand. I have fought a good fight ; I have finished my
course; I have kept the faith ; henceforth there is laid
up for me a crown of right e«usness, which the Lord, .
the righteous Judge, will give me at that day.
Q. The sad evening before the death of the Noble
A eta mo nt, I was with him. No one Was there but
his physician.and an intimate friend whom he loved, and
whornhe had. ruined. At my coming in, he said ;
" You and the physician are come too late. — I have
" neither life nor hope, You both aim at miracles,
" You would raise the dead !"
" luminaries of heaven, and the stars are too small for a comparison,
'f with my royal Master; I therefore beg leave to give your Excellencies,
•'Joshua !"
The other instance is still more pertinent. The Earl being at Brus
sels was waited o* by Voltaire, whopolitely invited him; to sup
w-ith him and Madame C-:  :  . His Lordship' accepted the inviT
ration. The conversation happening to turnupOn'the affairs of F.ngland,
" I think, my Lord,'' said Madame C- — r-^- — , " that the Parliament
" of England consists of five or six hundred of the hest informed and
*' most sensible men in the kingdom ?" — " True, Madame ; they are
" generally supposed to be so."-?-" What then, my Lord, can be the
f reason that ' they tolerate so great an absurdity as the Christian reli-
** gion J'V*-" J. suppose, Madame,'' replied his Lordship, "it is .be
cause they have not been able to substitute any thing better in- its
" stead ; when they cap, J dOn!t doubt but in their wisdom they 'will
*{ readily accept, it." ' -v ' - s
To bave'entered into a serious defence of the Gospfl of 'Christ, witji
such a pert and flippant lady, would have been the height of folly ; bin;
such an answer as'this, was calculated to, do Tier over better than a thou
sand demonstrations, which she would neither have been "'able .nor willing
•to- understand,
Heaven,

AND THE' SACRED WRITINGS. 23
Heaven, T 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 V'
I said, The blessed Redeemer —
" Hold ! hold ! you wound me !— This is the rock
" on which I split — I 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 vith
vehemence ;
" Oh, time ! time ! it is fit thou shouldst thus strike
" thy murderer to the heart. — How art thou fled 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. I never prayed. I cannot ,
" pray — Nor need I. Is riot heaven On my side already ?
" It closes with my conscience. Its severest strokes but
" second my own."
His friend being much touched, even to tears, at this,
(Who could.forbear? I could not;) with a most affec
tionate look, he said :
" Keep those tears for thyself. I have undone thee
" — Dost weep for me? That's criiel. What can pain
" me more?"
Here his friend, top much affected, would have left
him: , "No, stay. Thou still mayest hope.- Therefore
"hear me. How madly have I talked? How madly
" hast thou listened and believed? But look on my
" present state, as a full answer to thee, and to myself,
"This body is all weakness and pain; but my soul, as
"if strung up 'by torment to greater strength and
"spirit, is full' ¦powerful to reason; full mighty' to
c 4- ' ( suffer.

24 A" PLEA. FOR, RELIGION
" suffer. And that which thus triumphs within the
"jaws of mortality, is doubtless, immortal. — And, as for
"a Deity, nothing less than an 4lmighty could in-r,
"flict what I feel."
I was about to congratulate this passive, involuntary,
confessOr, 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 scattered 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 turn, and turn, and find no ray. Didst
"thou feel half the mountain that is on me,, thou
""wpuldst struggle with the martyr for his stake, and
"bless heaven for the flames: — that is not an ever-
" lasting flame; that is not an unquenchable fire."
How were - we struck ? Yet, soon after, still, .more.
With what an eye. of distraction, what a face of despair,
he cried out :
" My principleshave poisoned my friend ; my extra-
".vagance has beggared my boy ; my unkindness has
"jmurderedm^ wife ! And is there another hell ?— Oh !
"thou blasphemed, yet most indulgent, Lord God !
, " Hell itselfis a refuge, ifit hides me from thy frown."
Soon after his understanding.failed. His terrified ima
gination uttered horrors riot to be repeated, or ever for
got. And ere the. sun arose, the gay, young, noble, in
genious, accomplished, and most Wretched Altamont
expired*. It is not easy for imagination itself tp form a more
affecting representation of a death-bed scerie.than that
of. this noble youth. .."
10. Sir, I was not long since called to. visit .a, pbor
gentleman, ere while of the most robust body, and of
the gayest. temper! ever knew. But when I visited hjri^;
* See Young's Centaur not Fabulous. Oh J

AND TIIE SACRED WRITINGS. 25
Oh ! how was the glory departed from him ! I found
him no more that sprightly and vivacious son of joy
which he used to be; but languishing,. pining.away, and
withering undejr the chastising hand of God. Hfc
limbs feeble and trembling; his 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 untp its long home ; to en
ter upon an unchangeable and eternal state. When I was
come up 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 I had con-
" sidered my latter end. Ah! Mr.  , death is
" knocking at my doors : in a few hours more I shall
" draw my last gasp; and then judgement, the tremen-
" dous judgement! How shall I appeal, unprepared as I ,
"am, before the all-knowing, and omnipotent God?
" How shall I endure the day of his coming-?" When I
mentioned 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 .
" thing I now long for. I have not words to tell you
". hpw highly I, value it. I would gladly part with all
my estate, large as it is, or a world to obtain it. Now
my benighted eyes are enlightened, I clearly discern .
" the, things that are excellent. What is there -in the
" place whither I aui going but God? Or what is
" there to be desired on earth but religion ?"' — But if
this God should restbre you to health, said I, think
you that you should alter your former course ? — " 1 call
" heaven and earth to witness," said he, " I would- la-
" hour for holiness,, as I shall soon labdur for life." As
" for riches and pleasures, and the applauses of men, I
l\ account them as dross and dung, no more to my hap-
'¦'. piness than the feathers that- lie on the floor. Oh !
" if the righteous Judge would try rne once more; if
" he would but reprieve, and spare me a little longer'; "in

<<

26 A PLEA FOR RELIGION
" 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.^ What-
" ever contributed to that; every 'means of grace ;
" every, opportunity of spiritual improvement, should
f he dearer to me than thousands of "gold and silver.
"But alas ! why do -I -amuse myself with fond imagi-,
f nations? The best resolutions are now insignificant,
" because they are too late. The day in which I
" should have worked is over arid gone, and I see a sad
" horrible night approaching, bringing with it the
" blackness of darkness for ever. Heretofore, woe is
" me! when. God called, I 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 beginning
" of sorrows! It doth not yet appear what I shall be;
" but sure I shall be ruined, undone, and destroyed
" with an everlasting destruction!."
This- sad scene I saw with mine eyes ; these words,
and many more equally affecting, I heard with mine
ears, and soon after attended the unhappy gentleman,
to his tomb*.
* Extract of a LetterJiotn Mr. Hervev to Beau Nash, Efouire, at
Bath. - If the stings, lashes, twinges, and scorpions of a guilty conscience '
are so horrible while we continue in the body, what must they be when
we are dislodged by death, and find that our damnation is sealed by 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 warm blood ;
" Make thy two eyes, like stars, start from their spheres j
" Thy knotted and combined locks to part,
*' And each particular hair to stand on end
" Like quills upon the fretful porcupine ;
" But this eternal blazon must not be
« To ears of flesh and Wood," ...:,,,
11. Mr.

AND THE-SACRED WRITINGS. ' 27
1 1 . . Mr. C u m b e r l an d, i n the Observer^ gi ves us one
ef the most mournful tales, that ever was related, con
cerning a gentleman of /M/z7/e/-principles, whom he de
nominates Antitheus. " I remember him," says he,
" in the height of his fame, the hero of his party ; no
man so caressed, followed, 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 that he was rather free in his notions, but
then he was the best creature living. I have seen men of
the gravest characters wink at 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 to be at the summit of human ,prp-
sperity, when he was suddenly seized with themostalarm-
ing 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 moment of his attack. A neighbouring phy
sician was called out pf bed in the night to come to
him with all haste in this extremity : he found him sit
ting 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 beating with
such rapidity as could hardly be counted. Antitheus
dismissed the attendants he had about him, and eagerly
demanded of the physician, if he thought him in danger :
. the physician answered that he must fairly tell him he was
in imminent clanger. — How so ! how so ! do you think me
dying?— He was sorry to say the symptoms indicated
death.— Impossible ! you must not let me die : I dure not
die: 0 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 hopes in these moments, which)
if I am not mistaken, will not more than suffice for any
worldly or other concerns which you may have upon
your mind to settle. — My mind is full of horror, cried
the dying man, and I am incapable of preparing it for
deatlf. — He now. fell into an,agQny3 accompanied with
a shower

28 A fc'LEA FOR RELIGION
a shower of tears ; a cordial was administered, and he
revived in a degree ;'when turning to the physician,
who hadhis fingers upon his pulse, he eagerly demanded
of him, if he did not see that blood upon the feet-cur
tains of his bed. There was none to be seen ; the pfiy-
sibiah assured him, it was nothing but a vapour of his
fancy.— I see it plainly, said Antitheus, in the shape
of a human hand: I have been visited xoith a tremen
dous apparition. As I was lying sleepless in my bed
this night, I took up a letter of a deceased friend to dis
sipate certain thoughts that made me uneasy : I believed
him to be a great philosopher, and was converted to his
opinions : persuaded by his arguments and my own ex
perience, that fhe disorderly affairs of this evil world
could not be administered by any wise, just, or provident
being, I had brought myself to think no such being could
exist, and that a life, produced by chance, musi termi
nate 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 deaf friend presented itself
before me; and unfolding the curtains of thy bed, stood
at my feet, looking earnestly upon mefo'r a considerable
space of time. My heart sunk xcithin me ; for his face
was ghastly, full of horror, with an expression of such
aiigibish as I can never describe: his eyes were fixed
itpon me, and at length, with a mournful motion of his
head — Alas, alas ! he cried, we are in a fatal error .'—
and taking hold of the curtains with his hand, shook
themvioleiitly' and disappeared. — This, I protest to you,
I both saw and heard; and look! where the print of
his hand is left in blood Upon the curtains /"
Antitheus survived the relation of this visionvery
few hours, and died delirious in great agonies..
What a forsaken and disconsolate creature is man
without his God and Saviour ?
1%. Rousseau has the honour of the second place in
the French Pantheon. He was born at Geneva; and,
at a proper age, was bound an apprentice to an artist.
During'his apprenticeship he frequently robbed hismas-'
ter.as well as other' persons.' Before his time was ex
pired he decamped, fled into the dominions of theking^
2 of

AND TILE SACRED, WRITINGS. [, 20
] of^&ardinia, where he changed his religion and became a
Catholic. By an unexpected turn, pf fortune he became
a, footman ; in which capacity he forgot not hisjoldhabit
of stealing. He is, detected with the stolen goods;
swears they were given him by a maid servant of the
house;, the girl is confronted with him ;. she denies the
fact, and, weeping, presses him to confess the, truth ;
but; the young 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 thrtiw, hinv«
self on the protection of a lady, whom he had seenonce
before, and who, he; protests, was the mpst virtuous.
creature pf her sex. The lady had so great a regard for
him, that she called him her little darling, arid he called
her mamma. Mamma had a footman, who served her
besides, in another capacity, very much resembling that
of ahusband ; butshchad a mesttender affection for her
adopted son, Rousseau ; and, as she feared he was form
ing connectionswifh a certain lady thatmight spoil his
morals, she herself, out of , pure virtue, 'took bim: — to
bed with her ! — This virtuous- effort to preserve the pu
rity, of Rousseau's heart, had a dreadful effect upon the,
poor footman, and, so he poisoned himself. — Rousseau
fell sick, and mamma was obliged to part, with little dar-
ling,yvhile he performed a journey to the south of France,
for the recovery of his health. On the rpad he dines with
a gentleman, ant} lies with his wife. As he was return
ing back, he debated with himself whether he should pay,
his ladyra second .visit or not ; but, fearing he -might be
tempted to, seduce. her daughter also, virtue got the bet
ter, and determined tjhe little darling to .fly home into the
arms of his mamma; but, alas ! those arms were filled
w.ith another. Mf,mma\s.i virtue had prompted, her to
taice a substitute, whom she liked too well to part with,
and oui\ philosopher was obliged to shift for himself
The reader should be told, that the little darling, while
he resided \yith his mdmma, went to make a tour with a
young musician. 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

30 A PLEA FOR RELIGION
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 with an opportunity hf slipping off'with
soriie of his things, and leaving 'him to the meffc'y cf
the people, in a town where he was a total strahgen . .
We seldom meet with so much villainy as this in a
youth. His manhood was, however, worthy of.if . . He
turned apostate a second time, was driven from within the
wails of his native city of Geneva, as an incendiary^
and an apostle of anarchy and infidelity'; nor did he for
get 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 phi losopKi-.
cal father, for fear they should want after his death, he
sends them to the poor-house during his life-time !— -To
conclude, the philosopher dies,- and leaves the philoso-
pheress, his wife, to the protection of a friend ; she riiar-
ries a footman, and gets turned into the street.
This vile wretch has the impudence to say, in the
work written by himself, which contains a eonfessiipn of
these his crimes, that no man can cbhie to the throrie
of Gop, and say, I arn a better man than Rousseau*.
Notwithstanding the above unworthy circumstances,
it must be owned that Rousseau's writings have great
literary merit, but then they contain principles which '
might be expected from such a person. He has ex
hausted all the powersof 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 eter
nal cant about virtue and liberty. He seems to have
assumed the mask of virtue, for no other purpose" than
that of propagating, with more certain success, the
blackest and most incorrigible vice.

'&'

* The above account of this strange man is taken from his own Con.)
fessions, ?j.t£-k Porcupine's Bloody Buoy, and the accounts published:
of his death. >,
This

AND THE SACREDWRITINGS. 31
This was the man and the Writer that the Constituent
Assembly held up to the imitation and even adoration of
the poor deluded French populace : He and Vo lt a-i r e,
who never could agree in life, are placed by each other's
side in death, and made the standard of French princi
ples 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 tothe-DiviNE
Being, that Avas 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 tothe ALMiGirrY,he said,
"Eternal Being! the soul that Iain going to give,thee
" back, is aspiire at this moment, as it was when it pror
" ceeded from thee : render it partaker of thy felicity !"
These twelve exariiples are such as to give but little
encouragement to any person, wlio 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 filled with anguish and
amazement inexpressible. And in those cases where
conscience seemed' to be asleep, there appears nothing
enviable in their situation, even upon their own suppo-
si tion., that there is. no after-reckoning. If to die like ah
ass is a privilege, I give them joy of it ! much good
may it do them ! May I die like ^Christian, having a
hope blooming xvith immortal expectations !
Let us turn from these horrible instances of perverted
reason, and take a view of some more promising scenes.

II. Examples of Persons recovered from their
Infidelity. •
" If, sick of folly, I relent, he writes
" My name in heav'n." ,
-'. 13. Charles Gildon, author of a book called the
Oracles of Reason, was convinced of the fallacy of his
8 • . , o«-n

32 A B'L'EAv E 0 R It E L EG 1 0 N
own arguments against religion, and the danger of his
situation, by reading Leslie's Short Method with a
Deist. He'afterwaids wrote. a defence of Revealed Re-
ligim, entitled,: The Deist's Manual, and died in the
Christian faith.
14. The late Lord Littleton, author of the History
ofHem'ythe Secewd.andhis friend Gi lbertWest, Esq.
had both imbibed the principles of Unbelief and had
agreed together to writesomething infaVour of Infidelity:
To do this more effectually, they judged it necessary;
first to acquaint themselves pretty well with the coiiterits
of the Bible. By the perusah of that book,, howevei^
they; were both convinced, of their error ; both became'
conyerts-to the religion of Ch r ist J esus; both took up.
their pens and wrote in favour of it**; the former, his'
• ' Observations'
'*' A-TlftENAGOKAsi a famous Athenian" philosopher in' the second
century, had entertained so unfavourable an opinion of the Christian-re
ligion, that he was determined 'to write against it ; but upon am: inti-.s
mate inquiry kit o the facts on, ,.whkh it was -supported, in the course of
his collecting materials for,'' his intended publication, he., was convinced
by "the blaze of evidence iri its favour, and turned his designed invect'1
live into an elaborate Apology, which'is still in being.
The above Mr. West, writing to Dr. Dod-d.ridge on ' the , puiblioa- '
tion of his Memoirs of'Colonel Gardiner,1 ascribes his own conversion ;
from a state of Infidelity, into which he had been seduced, to the car?,
his mother had taken in his education. "T cannot help taking, notice,"
says he, " of your' remarks upon the advantage of air early edziciation'in
" the principles of religif/n, because I .have myself most happily , eW
" perienced it ; since I owe, to the early care of a most excellent wo.
"man, my mother, that bent and bias to religion, which, with the co-
" operating grace of God, hath 'at length brought me. back to those paths"'
" f peace from whence I might have otherwise been in danger' of de.
*' viating for ever !", ,,,,,. ... ;..-,». . l,..^'. v
Dr. Johnson tells us,- that "Lord Littleton, in the pride of
'* juvenile confidence, with the help of corrupt conversation, entertained
" doubts ot the truth of Christianity ; .but he thought afterwards it was
" no longer fit to doubt, or believe by chance; he therefore applied
" himself seriously \o the great question. His studies being honest, ended
" in conviction. He found th'At Religion wa'S true, andij what he had
" learned, he endeavoured to teach, by Observations on the Conversion of
" St. Paul ; a treatise to which Infidelity has never been able to fabri-
" cate a specious answer." Two days previous to his. dissolution, this
" great and good'ipan addressed his Physiciatiihlthest memoTobleiworclk'. '
" Doctor, you shall be my. confessor. When I .firfl set out in the world,
" I had friends who endeavoured tb shake my belief in the Christian
' " religion.

and The Sacred writings. 33
Observations on the Conversion of St. Paul ; the latter,
his -Observations on the Resurrection of Christ 5 and
both died. in peace. , •
15. 'Sir John Pa ingle, one of the first characters of
the present age, though blessed with a religious educa
tion, contracted the principles of Infidelity, when he came
to travel abroad in the world. But as he scorned to be
an implicit Believer, he was equally averse to being an
implicit Unbeliever. He therefore set himself to examine
the principles of the Gospel of Christ, with all caution
and seriousness^ The result of his investigation was, a
full conviction of the, divine original and authority of
the Gospel. The evidence of Revelation appeared to him
"i religion. , I saw difficulties which staggered m&, but I -kept my mind
*' open to conviction. The evidences and doctrines of Christianity, studied
*' with attention, made me a most firm and persuaded believer of the
" Christian religion. I have made it the rule of my life, and — it is the
" ground of my future hopes."
The conversion of the present Rector of St. Mary Woohiorth, in London,.
is, also extremely remarkable. He was born Of religious parents, and
brought up in his younger years in a religious manner. The impres
sions 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 recol
lect that he had a single check of that sort. At times he was visited with
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 every mark of final impenitence arid'rejection ; neither
judgements nor mercies made the least impression on him.
In this unhappy condition lie continued a number of years, all the
time i improving himself, under very unprdpitious circumstances, in clas
sical and mathematical learning.. At the age of about twenty- three 'or
twenty-four, however) it pleased God to call him by his grace, out of
darkness and delusion into his marvellous light,- and, in due time, into the
glorious liberty of the children of Gov. He has lived how for many
years under the power and influence of religion, and has been an emi
nent 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 wanderings from
the pathNrf duty*
An account may be seen at large, in his Letters to the Reverend Mr.
HAWEis,'of this very extraordinary business. The-. Narrative, -is; at
the same time, useful and entertaining.
D tO

iSi A FLEA FOR RELIGION
to be solid and invincible; and the nature of it to be
such as demanded his warmest acceptance. •
16. Soame JENYN-s,Esq. Member of Parliament for
Cambridge, by some means had been warped aside into
the(paths of Infidelity, and continued "in this state of
mind several years. Finding his spirit, however, not
at rest he was induced 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 mew of the internal Evidences of Christianity ; a work
Worthy the, perusal of every man who wishes to under
stand fhe excellency of the religion he professes.
!7- 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 situa
tion, he bewailed his past conduct with strong com
punction of heart, and gave up his spirit at last, in confi
dent expectation of mercy from God, through the merit
of that' Saviour, whom, for many years, he had: ridi
culed and opposed. " Oh," said he, " that I could
" undo the mischief that I have done ! I was more ar-
" dent to poison people with the principles of irreligion
" and unbelief than almost any -Christian can be to
"spread the doctrines of Christ."
18. General Dykern received a mortal wound at the
battle 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
i with a liberal education. Having imbibed the principles
of Infidelity, by some means or other, he continued/a
professed Deist, till the time he received his fatal wound.
During his illness, however, a great and effectual changt
was wrought upon his mind by the power of divine
grace, and he died in the full assurance of faith, glorying
in the salvation of Jesus, and wondering at the happj
change which had taken place in his soul*.
* See this extraordinary Case more at large in Pb Coetlogon'
Divine Treasury, p, $7. tQ. J "OH J

. AND THE SACRED WRITING S. 3$
19. John Earl of Rochester 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. Parsons. . Dr. Johnson, speak
ing of Burnet's Life of this Nobleman, says, " The
" critic ought to read it for its elegance, the philoso-
" pher for its argument, and' the saint for its piety."
His Lordship, it appears, had advanced to an uncom
mon height of wickedness, having been an advocate in
the black cause of atheism, and an encomiast to Beel
zebub. 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 sharp and bitter in
vectives from him against himself; terming himself the
vilest wretch that the sun ever shone upon ; wishing he
had been a crawling leper in a ditch, a link-boy, or a
beggar, or had lived in a dungeon, rather than offended
God in the manner he had done.
Upon the first visit of Mr. Parsons to him on May
26th, 1 680, after a journey from the West, he found him
labouring under great trouble of mind, and his con
science 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, he found
" it hardto kick against God." At this time, however, ,
his heart was so powerfully affected, that he argued as
much forGODandiJe/igz'o^asever he had done against
them. He had such tremendous apprehensions of the
Divine Majesty, mingled with such delightful con
templations of his nature and perfections, and 'of the.
amiableness of religion, that he said,—" I never was ad-
" vaneed thus far "towards happiness in my life before':'
" though upon the commission of some sins extrao-

*&L

upon

" dinary, I have had some considerable checks and
D S " warnings

36 A £leX for religion
" warnings from within ;' but still I struggled with them,
" andso wore them off again." One day, at an atheistf
' cal meeting- in the house Of a person of quality, I un
dertook to manage the cause, and was the principal
'disputant against God and Religion; and for my per-
' formances -received the , applauses of the whole com-
.' pany. Upon ,this-my mind was terribly struck, and I
' immediately replied thus to myself— " Good God, that
." a man that walks upright, that sees the wonderful
"; works of God, and has the use of his senses and
" reason, should use them to the defying of his Crea-
!" tor!"— Butthough this wasagood beginning towards
' my conversion, to find my conscience touched for. my
' sins, yet it went off again : nay, allmy'life long I had a
'secret value and reverence fpr an honest man, and
'. loved morality in others. But I had formed an odd
'¦ scheme of religion to myself, which would solve all
' that Gqd or conscience might force upon me ; yet I
' was never well reconciled to the' business of Chris-
4 tianity; nor .had I that reverence for the Gospel of
* Christ which I ought to have had.' /
This state of mind continued till the fifty-third chapter
of Isaiah was read to him, together with soine other
parts pf the Sacred Scriptures ; when it pleased.G©D to
fill his mind with such peace andjoy in believing, that it
was remarkable to all about him. Afterwards he fre
quently desired those that were with him, tb read the
same chapter to him, upon which he used to enlarge in
a very familiar and affectionate manner, applying. the
whole to his own humiliation and encouragement.
" O blessed God," would he say, "can such a horrid
"creature as I am be accepted by thee, who have de-
" nied thy being, and contemned thy power ?' Can there
"be mercy and pardon for me ? Will God own such
" a wretch as I?"
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 in-
" finite love and satisfaction ! O never but by the pur-
" chase of thy blood!'' — adding — that 'with all abhor-'

AND THE- SACRED WRITINGS. 37
/
'" /
"rence he reflected upon his former life —that from
" his 'heart he repented of all that folly and madness
>" of which he "had 'been guilty."
He had a strong and growing esteem for the '.Sacral
Scriptures, and evidently saw their divine fulness and
excellency: — "For, having spoken to, his heart, he ac*
" knowledged all. the seeming absurdities and contra-
" dictions fancied by men of coiTupt and reprobate
''judgements, were vanished ; and the excellency and
" beauty of them appeared conspicuously, now that he
" was come to receive,the truth in the love of it."
During his illness he had a [hearty concern for the
pious education of his children, wishing, ' ' his son might
"never be a wit, one of those wretched .creatures who
" pride themselves in abusing God and Religion, deny-
" ing his Being or hi.s Providence ; but that he might
" become an honest man ; and of a truly religious cha-
" racter, which only could be the support and blessing
"of his family." ,
One' pf his companions coming to see, him on his
death-bed, he said to him: — " O remember that you
" contemn God no mpre. Heis an avenging GoD,and
"will visit you for your sins ; and will/ 1 hope, in mercy
" touch your conscience, sooner or later, as he has done
" mine. You and I have been friends, and sinners to-
" gether a- great while, therefore I am the more free with
" you. We have been all mistaken in our conceits and
" opinions; our persuasions have been false and ground-
" less ; 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 alittle longer time
"here, I hope to bring glory to his name, proportionably
" to thedishonour I have clone to him in my whole past
" life ; and particularly by my endeavours to convince
"others, and to assure them of the danger of their con-
" dition, if they continued impenitent; and to tell
" them how graciously God hath dealt with me."
And when he came within still. nearer views of dis
solution, about three or four days before it, he said — ¦
" I shall now die: but, Oh ! what- unspeakable glories
d3 "do

3$ A PLEA FOR RELIGION
" do I see ! What joys, beyond thought or expression
" am I sensible of ! I am assured of God's mercy to
" me through Jesus Christ ! Oh ! how I long to die,
V and to be with my Saviour !"
For the admonition of others, and to undo as much as
was in his power, the mischief of his former conduct, hd
subscribed the following Recantation, and ordered it to
be published after his death :
."For the benefit of all those whom I niay have
drawn into sin, hy niy example and encouragement, I
leave to the world this my last declaration, which I de
liver in the presence of the great God, who knows the
secrets of all hearts, and before whom I am now appear
ing to be judged; That from the bottom of my soul I
detest and abhor the whole course of my former wicked
life ; that I think I can never sufficiently admire the
goodness of God, who has given me a true sense of my
pernicious opinions and vile practices, by which I have
hitherto lived without hope, and without God in the
world ; have been an open enemy to Jesus CHRisT.do-
ing the utmost 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 mote
to make a mock of sin, or contemn the pure and ex
cellent religion of my ever-blessed Redeemer* through
whose merits alone, I, one of the greatest of sinners, do
yet hope for mercy and forgiveness. Amen*."
, * The case of Sir Duncomb Colchester, a magistrate in the
county of Gloucester, towards the close of the last century was somewhat
like this of Rochester. He was a gentleman of excellent parts, a
generous spirit, and undaunted courage. Having, however, spent many
years in sundry extravagancies, he was at length, by a long and painful
sickness, btought to a very serious sense of the excellency 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 wickedness, 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 amoiig all his friends and neighbours through the county,
' as extensively as he was able..
20. We

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. ^39
20-. We have an account of the conversion of another
determined Deist to the faith of Christ, in six letters,
from a Minister of the' Reformed Church abroad, • to
John Newton, Rector'ofSt. Mary iVoolnorth, Lon*
don. He was born of religious parents, Avas brought up
at school and university tor the ministry, became emi
nent for his literary attainments,but lost all his religion*
and commenced Deist. Proud of his abilities and at
tainments, 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 Divine Revela
tion. But while he was unacquainted with God, he was
guilty of secret impu rities, and a stranger to peace. Like
a ship in a storm, without rudder or pilot, he washurried
along by tumultuous passions, till he grew weary ofiife.
I'n such a state of soul, and-at stteh a crisis, the light
of heavenly truth broke in upon his mind. The Lord
spake and it was done. The storm 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
before laboured to destroy*.
2 1 . Captain John Lee, who was executed for forgery,
March 4, 1 784, became an Infidel, through reading the
elegant, but sophistical writings of David Hume. Deep
ly, however, did he repent his folly, when he came to be
in distressed circumstances. ' ' I leave tothe world, " said
he, in a letter to a friend the night before, his execution,
" this mournful memento, that however much a man
" may be favoured by personal qualifications, or distin-
" guished by mental endowments, genius will be useless,
<' and abilities avail but little, unless accompanied by a
* Similar to this instance, in some respects, is the case of the Rev
Thomas Scott, Chaplain to the Lock Hospital, in' Landon. " I feet
" myself impelled to declare," says he, " that I once was not much more
" disposed to credit the Scriptures, than. Mr. Paine : and having got
" rid 'of the shackles of education, was much flattered by my' emancipa,
" tion and superior discernment. But twenty years, employed. in dili-
" gently investigating the evidences and contents of the Bible, have
" produced iri-ms an.unshaken assurance that it is the Word of God.''
Answer to Paink's Age of Reason, p. S3.
- d4 •'¦ * " sense

40 A PLEA FOR RELIGION
" sense of -religion, and attended by the practice of
"virtue."
<- 22. Another Gentleman, whose name is concealed
out of delicacy to his connections, was descended of 3
noble and religious family, His life was extremely irre
gular arid dissolute, but his natural parts and endpwments,
of mind so extraordinary, that they rendered his convert
sation agreeable' to persons of the highest rank and
quality, Being taken ill, he believed he should die at
the very beginning of .his sickness. His friend, with
Nwhom he had frequently disputed against the existence
of God and the truths of revealed religion, came tq
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 I am! afraid to die? Far be such thoughts
from me. I could meet death with as much courage as
I have encountered an enemy in the field of battle,', and,
embrace it as freely as I ever did 'any friend whom Len-
tirely loved : for I see nothing in 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. and 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 mystation ;
so that I am cap'ableof distinguishing what is really good
and praise-worthy, and what is not, Now I see with a ¦
clearer sight than ever, and discern a vast difference be
tween the vain licentious discourse of a Libertine, and the j
sound arguments of a. true Believer : for though, the for
mer may express himself more finely than the latter, so as j,
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 affected by sober Christians,
nor capable of eluding the force of solid reason. But
now I know how to make a distinction between them ;
and I wish from the bottom of my heart Ihad been so,
4 ' sensible

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS.' 41
sensible of my error in the time of my health ; then I had
never had those dreadful foretastes of hell I now have.
Oh ! what a sad'account have I to give of a long life
spent in sin and folly ! I look beyond the fears of a
temporal death. All the dread that you perceive in me
arises from the near approach I , make to an eternal
death ; for I must die to live to all eternity.
< This unhappy Gentleman continued in this manner to
hewail hispastfolly,atheism and infidelity, for forty days,
and then expired. His friend, however, took large
pains 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 some hope,
-that the Redeemer of mankind would take pity on
his deplorable condition, pardon his sins, and rescue
him from that everlasting destruction which awaits all
;such characters. He told his friend, therefore, that if he
departed with a,smile,he might hope for the best concern
ing him ; but if he should be seen giving up the ghost
with a. frown, there would be reason to fear the worst.
. This was about three o'clock in the afternoon, and
he lived till four the next morning. A little before he
expired he was heard to speak these words softly to him
self — Oh ! that I had possession of the meanest place in
heaven, and could but creep into one corner of it. . Af-
'terwards he, cried out four several times together— 0
•dear ! dear ! dear ! dear ! — and near a minute before he
expired, his friend perceiving him, to look full in his
.facs, with a sviiling countenance.'
There we leave him till the resurrection-morn*'.
•';¦ 23. When Count StRuensee,: Prime Minister of the
kingdom of Denmark, had been disgraced andimprison-
* It is impossible -for any man to say with certainty whether, the
change, which seems to pass upon the human mind, upon these melan
choly occasions, is real and saving, or only apparent and delusivei We
have known various instances, where every symptom of genuine repent
ance has been exhibited upon a sick bed, but no sooner has health re
turned, than they have returned to folly with accelerated speed; ful
filling the eld popish distich :
" When the Devi t was sick; the Devil a Monk would be :
" When the Devil got well, the devil a Monk was he !" ed

42 A FLEA 10R RELIGION
ed by his Sovereign for certain misdemeanors of which he
had been guilty,he was brought from a state of Infidelity
to a Serious sense of his situation. He then declared,
"The more I learn Christianity from Sc'ripture, the more
I grow convinced how unjust those objections are which
it is charged with. I find, for instance, that all which
Voltaire says of the intolerance of Christians, and of
blood-shedding caused by Christianity, is a very unjust
charge laid upon religion. It is easy to be seen, that those
cruelties, said to be caused by religion, if properly con
sidered, were the production of human passions, selfish
ness and ambition, and that religion served in such cases
only for a cloak.— I am fully convinced of the truth of
thtChristian religion, and I feel its power in quieting my
conscience, and reforming my sentiments. I have exa
mined it during a good state of health, and with all the
reason I am master of. I tried every argument, I felt no
fear, I have taken my own time, arid I have not been in
haste. I own with joy I find Christianity the more
amiable the more I get acquainted With it. I never knew
it before. 1 believed it contradicted reason, and the na
ture- )of man, whose religion it was designed to be. I
thought it an artfully contrived and ambiguous doc
trine, full of incomprehensibilities. Whenever I for
merly thought on religion in some serious moments, I
had always an idea in my mind how it ought to be,
which was, it should be simple, and accommodated to
the abilities of men in every condition. I now find
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, Ishould not have delayed
turning Christian till this time of my imprisonment. But
I had the misfortune to be prejudiced against religion,
first through my own passions, but afterwards likewise
by so many human inventions, foisted. into it, of which
I could see plainly that they had no foundation, though
they were styled essential parts of Christianity. I was
offended when GoD was always represented .to me .as
an angry, 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 delio-h.t
*.,. ...... ¦!'. ... a

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 43
in it, and is rather for pardoning. From my infancy 1
have known but few Christians that had not scandalized
me by their enthusiasm' and wickedness, which they
wanted to hide under the cloak of piety. I knew in
deed that, not all Christians were such, or talked such
an affected language ; but I was too volatile to enquire
of better Christians after the true spirit of religion. Fre-
¦quently I 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 sub
ject in all sermons, and this was repeated" over and over-
again in synonimous expressions. But it was never set
in its true light, and never properly proved. I saw
people cry at church, but after their tears were dried
up I found them in their actions not in the least better,
but rather allowing themselves in every transgression,
upon the privilege of being faithful believers. -^1 le said
he observed in St. Paul a great genius, much wisdom,
and true philosophy. The apostles write extremely
well, now and then inimitably beautiful, and at the same
time with simplicity and clearness. — The Freethinkers
extol the fables. of iEsop, but the parables and narra-
tions.of Christ <vill not please them ; notwithstanding
they are derived from a greater knowledge, of nature,
and contain more excellent morality. Besides, they are
proposed with a more noble and artless simplicity than
any writings of the kind, among ancient or modern
authors. "
24. Count Brandt, the companion of Strue^see in
guilt and misfortunes, with great freedom ownedbefore
me and others, that his imprisonment was-the means of
getting 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 be-
' ' lieved 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 miserable
condition of those that were under the yoke of unbelief
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 whpm he owed very
2' . " little

44 A FLEA FOR RELIGION
little,, that was. good. He .said he.fiad spent upon his
travels four days with this old advocate for unbelief, and
had heard nothing from him but what could corrupt the
heart and sound morals.. He was very sorry for all this,
but: was much, pleased that he. had found a taste for the
true Wordof Go d, whose efficacy upon his heart, since he
read it with good intentions, convinced him of its
divine origin*.
It is usually said, that example liasa more powerful ef
fect upon .the mind than precept. None can deny that
these are respectable ones. .They are such as every Deist
and Sceptic in the kingdom should well consider before
he ventures his salvation 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-hokling his
assent to that scheme : but as all the hazard is on his. side,
of the question, and none on the other, language fur
nishes no words to. express the extreme folly of treating,
religion with levity, much Jess with ridicule and contempt.
III. Examples of dying Christiajis, who had lived in
. the spirit of t/ie world.
.This shall ye have of 'my hand, ye stall lie dovjn h isorrovj. If. I. i'i.
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 Writings : yet after all his attainments, re
putation, and labour in the cause. of learning, he was
constrained at last to cry out, " Ah! I have consumed
" my life in a laborious doing of nothing !—I would
'•' give all my learning and honour for the plain integ
rity of John Urick !"
This John Urick was a ¦religious/ poor man, who
spent eightthours of the day in prayer, eight in labour,
and but eight in meals, sleep, and othei; necessariesf.
* See Dr. Hee's History of Count EnevOld Brandt.
+ Alfred the Great, king of England, who fought fifty-six battles
with the Danes, many of which were gained by his own personal courage
and great example, dedicated, with strict punctuality, eight hours every
day to acts of devotion, eight hours to public affairs, and as many to
sleep, study, and necessary refreshment. ' ' •
Grotius

A^D THE SACRED WRITINGS* 45
; Grotius had devoted too much of his time to
worldly company, secular business, arid learned trifles-;
too little to the exercises of the closet. This is forsak
ing the fountain of living waters, dndhewing out to
ourselves broken cisterns that can hold no water.
cl6. When Salmasius, who Was one of the niost con
summate scholars of his time, came to the close of life, he
saw cause to exclaim bitterly . against himself. " Oh! "
-jsaid he, " I have lost a world of time ! time, the most
" precious thing in the world ! whereof had I but one
"year more, it should be spent in David's Pqabns and
1' Paul's Epistles.'"—" Oh ! Sirs," said he again to
those about him, " mind the world less, and God more. ! "
2/. Dr. Samuel Johnson*, 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. Mixing, however, too much
with men pf 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 ap-
" proach of death, "said he to a friend,, "is very dread-'
" nil. I am afraid to think on that which I know I can-
' ' not avoid. It is vain to look round and round for that-
" help which cannot be had. Yet .we hope and hope,
" and fancy that he who has lived to-day may live to-
" morrow. To another friend he said, " He never iiad
" a moment in which death was not terrible to him."
On another occasion he declared in company at Ox
ford, " I 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 absorbed 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
salvation, .and anxious for the salvation of his friends.
He particularly exhorted Sir Joshua Reynolds, on.
his dying hed, " to read the Bible, andto keep holy the
•* !Dr. Johnson's Life by Boswell appears; to me one of the most
entertaining narratives in the English language.
" Sabbath

45 A PLEA FOR RELIGION
" Subiath dayJ' The last words he was heard to sp&tk
were, " God bless you !"
£8. Baron Haller, a famous Swiss Physician, the
delight and ornament of his country,' was at the same
time a great philosopher, a profound politician, an
agreeable poet, and more particularly famous for his
skill in bq*any, anatomy, and physic. During his last
sickness he had the honour of a visitfrom Joseph, the
late Emperor of Germany. Upon his death bed, owing*
probably tovthe variety of his literary pursuits^ the mul
tiplicity of his engagements, and the honours heaped
upon him by the world, lie went througlrsore conflicts
of spirit concerning his interest in the salvation of the!
Redeemer. ,;V His mind was clouded, and his soul
destitute Of comfort. In his last 'moments,1 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 have 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 I have
learnt this after so many years experience — That seri
ousness 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 re
tirement, and the whole life I have lived in the palace
for an hour's enjoyment of God in the chapel*."
* James Earl of Marlborough, who was killed in a battle at leu on
the coast of Holland, A. D. 1665, having a kind of presentiment of his,
own death, wrote to hisfrierid .SjVHuch Pollard a letter, of which
the following is an extract : — " I will not speak ought of the vanity of
this world ; your own age and experience will save that labour : but
there is a certain thing that goeth up arid down the world, called Re.
ligion, dressed and pretended fantastically, and to purposes 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 understc^id, so there is enough plain and
easy to quiet our minds, and to direct, us concerning our futSre being. 1
confess to God and^-ou I have been a great neglec tor, and> I fear, a

And THE SACRED writings. 4?
80. 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 emphatieai
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 retirement !"
31. Cardinal Mazarine, one of the greatest states
men 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 ? Were
" I to live again I would be a capuchin rather than a
" courtier."
32. George Villiars, the younger, Duke of Buck
ingham, was the richest man, and one of the greatest
wits in the court of Charles II. ; and yet such were
his vices and extravagancies, 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. Barrow, of
whom hchad an high opinion*, on his death-bed ; and
which is well worth the attention of every man of
pleasure and dissipation.
Dear Doctor,
"I always looked upon you as a man of true virtue;
and know you to be a person of sound judgement. For,
despiser, of it. God, of his infinite mercy, pardon me the dreadful
fault. But when 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, frem the bottom of my heart, the same tb
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 what is eternal. I will not trouble you fur
ther. 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 an happy end of your life, and serid us a joyful resur
rection. So prays your true friend,
" Marlborough."
* This appears' in a very strong light from the anecdote which is re
corded concerning the Doctor's preaching before King Charles the
Second, and the Dike's severe address' to him. however

48 A PhtiA FOR RELIGION
however I may act in opposition to the principles of re
ligion, or the dictates of reason, I can, honestly assure;
you I had always' the highest veneration for both. The
world and I may shake hands, for I dare affirm we are
heartily, weary of each other. O Doctor, what a pro
digal have I been of the most valuable of air possessions,'
Time ! I have squandered it au^ay with a persuasion it
was lasting : and now, when a few days would be worth
a hecatomb 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 supplicate that omnipotent .Biiiy g in his affliction
with reverence, whom, in the tide of his prosperity, he.
never remembered with dread ? Do not brand me with
^fidelity, whenT tell you I ainahnostashamedtoofFer up,
my petitions to the throne of grace ; or of imploring that
divine mercy in the next world which I have so scan
dalously abused in thisj Shall ingratitude. to" man be.
looked on as fheblackest of crimes, and not ingratitude'
toGop? 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
ine as a timorous wretch, who was shocked at the apj
pearance of futurity. They are more entitled to my
pity than my resentment. A future state may very wen
strike tenor into any man who has not acted Well in this.
life : and he must have an uncommon share of courage
indeed who does not shrink at the presence of his God.
You see, my dear Doctor, the apprehensions of death
will soon bring the most/profligate to a proper use of their
understanding: I am haunted by remorse,despised by my •
acquaintance, and, I fear, forsaken by my God. There is
nothing so dangerous, my dear Doctor, as extraordinary
abilities. I cannot be accused of vanity now, by being
sensible that I Was once possessed of uncommon qua'lifi-
, cations ;

AND. THE SAC.RED WRITINGS; 4$
Cations.; , as I sincerely regret that I was everblest vith
any at all. My rank in life still made these accomplish
ments more conspicuous ; and, fascinated with the ge->,,
nerat applause which they procured, I never considered;
about the proper means by" which they should bedis-*
played. Hence, to purchase a smile from a blockhead,
whom I despised, I have frequently treated the virtuous
with disrespect ; and spotted with the holy name of
Heaven, to obtain a laugh from a parcel of fools, who
were entitled to nothing but my contempt. ,
Your' men of wit, my dear Doctor, look on, themselves
as discharged from the duties of Religion; and confine
the doctrines of the Gospel to people of meaner Under
standings ; and look on that man to be of a narrow
genius who studies to be good.* What a pity that the
Holy Writings-sire not made the criterion of true judge
ment !- Favour me, my dear Doctor, with a visit as soon'
as possible. Writing to you gives me some ease. I am
pf opinion, this is the, last visit I shall ever solicit from.
you. My distemper is powerful. Come, and pray for
the departing spirit of. the unhappy— -Buckingham*.
' - 33. We
* This Nobleman is described to have been a gay, capricious person,.'
of s6me wit, and great vivacity. . He was the minister of riot, and, conn-.
sellor of infamous practices ; - the ¦ slave of intemperance, a pretended
Atheist, without honour or principle, economy or discretion* ' At last,
deserted by all his friends, and despised by all the worldj he died in the
greatest want and obscurity. It is of him that Mr. Pope says :
" In the worst ipn's, worst room, with mat half hung, ¦
" With floor of plaster, and the walls. of dung —
" Great Villiers lies: Alas! how chang'd from him ;- ,
" That life of pleasure, and that soul of whim ! —
" No Wit to flatter left of all his store !
. " No fool to laugh at, which he valued, more !
" There, victor of his health, of fortune, friends,
" And fame, this Lord of useless thousands ends."
Mr. Dryden describes this Nobleman as bcjng —
" A man so various, that he seem'd to be
" Not one, but all mankind's epitome ;
"'Stiff' in opinions, always in the wrOng;
«' WastVery thing by starts, 'and nothing long ;
. £ '' ' "Bat,

gO A ?LEA FOR' RELIGION
33. We have also an uncommon alarm given us in a
Letter from another Nobleman, but whose name is con
cealed from motives of delicacy, on his deatiybed, to an
intimate companion ; which no man can seriously read,
and not find himself deeply affected. I will produce it
at length :
*' Dear Sir,
• Before you receive this, my final state will be
determined by the Judge of all the earth. In a few
days at most, pen-haps in a few hours, the inevitable sen
tence will be past, that shall raise me to the heights of
happiness,
" But, in the course of one revolving moon,
" Was. chymist, fiddler, statesman, and buffoon :
"Then all for women, painting, rhyming, drinking ;
" Besides ten thousand freaks that died in thinking."
Wentworth Dillon, Earl of Roscommbn, contemporary witk
Buckingham, was also a man of considerable learningand abilities, but a
man of dissipation and licentious principles. He addicted himself immo
derately to gaming, by which he was -engaged in frequent quarrels, and
brought into no little distress. But, however we may be disposed to play
the devil when we are in no apparent danger, there is a time coming, when
we shall all see things in a mote serious point of view. Accordingly, we
are told) at the moment this merry Nobleman expired, he was constrained '
to uttety with an energy of voice, that expressed the most ardent devo
tion— " My God, my Father, and my Friend,
" Do not forsake me in the end !"
Something like the case of Buckingham and Roscommon, likewise,
was the last scene, of John Sheffield, Duke of Buckingham, who died
in the reign, of George the First, if we may credit the lines inscribed by
his own order on his monument : . .
" Dubius, scd norr inaprobus vixi.
" Incertus morior, non perturbatus. '
" Humanum est riescire et errafe.
H Christum adyeneror, Deo confido.
" Ens Entium, miserere mei ! "
Sir Richard Steel hath given us another affecting cOnfefEon of a
dying Infidel in No. LXXXI of the Guardian ; and a humorous account
of two other gentlemen of the same cast in Nos. CXI and CXXXV ot
tht Hauler, which t'he reader may consult at his"pfeasure.

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 51
happiness, or sink me to the depths of misery. While
you read these lines, I shall be either groaning under
the agonies of absolute despair,' or triumphing in ful-1
ness of joy. <;,'
It is impossible for me to express the present dispo
sition af my soul — -the vast uncertainty I am struggling
with! No words, can paint the force and vivacity of
my apprehensions. Every doybt wears the face of hor
ror, and would 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 infinite joy and
eternal misery ? I am throwing my last stake for eter
nity, and tremble and shudder for the important event.
Good God ! how have I employed myself! what en
chantment hatli held me ? Tn what delirium has my
hfe been past ? What have I been doing, while the sun
in its. race, , and the stars in their courses, have lenj:
their beams, perhaps, only to light me to perdition ! ;,,
I never awaked till now. I 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 shadows, and entertained myself with dreams.
I have been treasuring, 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 thou
sand times more blessed had I been, to have slept with
the clods of the valle)r,and never heard the Almighty's
fiat, nor waked into life at his command !
1 never had a just apprehension of the solemnity of
the part I am to act till now. I have often met death
insulting on the hostile plain, and, with a stupid boast,
defied his terrors ; with a courage, as brutal, as that of
the warlike horse, I have rushed into the battle, laughed
at the glittering" spear, and rejoiced at the 'sound of the
trumpet, nor had' a thought of any state beyond the
e'2 grave,

-52 ' , A J" LEA tOlX RELIGION'
grave, nor the great tribunal to which I must have been
summoned;
"Where all my, secret guilt had been reveal'd,
. f - • .Nor the minutest,^ircumstance conceal'di.- ;
It is this which arms death with all its terrors ; else I
Could still mock a,t fear, and smile in the face of the
"gloomy monarch. 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 be
yond 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 superstitious beings ;
these start forth, and dare me now in their most terrible
demonstration. My awakened conscience feels some
thing of that eternalvengeance I have often defied.
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 1
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 consequence depending
on this short uncertain duration. A condemned wretch
may with as good grace go dancing 'to his execution,
as the; greatest part of mankind go on with such a
thoughtless gaiety tu their: graves.
Oh! my friend,' 'with' 'what horror do I recall those
• hours of vanity we have wasted together! Return, ye
lost neglected 'moments! H6w should T prize you
above the Eastern treasures,! Let me dvwell with her
mits- ; . let me rest on the cold earth ; let me converse
in cottages ; may I but' once more stand a candidate
for an immortal' crown, and have my probation. for ce
lestial happiness.
' --i- ""' Ye

AND THE SACRED~WRITINGS. 53
Ye vain 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 'lan
guish imder* a gilded canopy ;. I am expiring on soft and
downy pillows, and am respectfully attended by" 'my
servants and physicians:, my dependents sigh, my sis
ters weep, my father bends beneath a load of years and
grief; my lovely wife, pale and silent, conceals her in
ward anguish; my friend, who was as my own soul,
suppresses his sighs, and leaves me to hide his secret
grief. But, oh ! which of these will answer my sum
mons at the high Tribunal? Which of" them will bail
me from the arrest of death? Who will descend into
the dark prison of the grave for me ?
Here they all leave me, after having paid a few idle
ceremonies to the breathless clay,, which perhaps may
lie reposed in state, while my soul, my only conscious
part, may stand trembling before my Judge. ,
My afflicted friends, it" is very probable, With great
solemnity, will lay the senseless corpse in a stately
monument, inscribed 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'
interment, I may perhaps be hearing my just condem
nation at a superior Tribunal; where an unerring ver
dict may sentence me to everlasting infamy. But 1
cast myself on his absolute mercy, through the, infi
nite 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 ofYiv'mgwholly under the power of the
Gospef, as seeing great and valuable men dying in such
E 3 - a low,

Si A VLF.A FOR RELIGION
a low, sneaking, and unworthy manner, as maiiy of the
first characters of our world have been known to do.-
The cases of Grotius arid Salmasius, of Johnson
and Halleh, 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. We know the promises of
God are all yea and amen in Christ Jesus ; but if the
promises are sure, and strongly animating to the
proper objects of them, the threatenings of Go Dare not
less infallible, and at, the same time are extremely
.alarming to the proper objects of thenn Nothing with
in 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 evidenee, that our sins are par
doned, that God is reconciled, and that the Judge of
the world is become our friend.

IV.Exam.ples of Persons living- and' dying, either with,
confidence, or in the full assurance of faith.
Prec'ieuis in the light ef the Lonn is the death of his saints, _ Ps. cxvi. 15.
Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his.
1 "Num. xxiii. lot '
34. Joseph Addison, Esq: was a very alne and ele
gant advocate for the Bible, in life and death. Just
before his departure, having sent for a young Nobleman,
neaiiy related to him, who requested to know his dying
commands-— his answer was — "See in what peace a
" Christian can die !"
He spake with difficulty,.and soon expired. ---Through
grace divine, how great is man ! Through divine mercy,
how stingless death !
" He taught us how to live ; and, oh ! too high
-" A price for knowledge, taught us how to die*."
35. Dr.
* See Dr, Young's Conjettvreij on Original Composition,

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 55
35. Dr. John Leland, after spending a long and
exemplary life in the service of the Gospel, closed it
with the following words. — "I give my dying testimony
" to the truth of Christianity. The promises pf the
" Gospel are my support and consolation. They, alone,
" yield me satisfaction in a dying hour. I am not
" afraid tp die. The Gospel of Christ has raised me
"above the fear of deaths for I know that my Re-
" deemer liveth."
36. Monsieur Pascal was a great man in every way,
and one of the most humble and devout, believers in
Jesus that ever lived. Tlje celebrated Bayle sajth of
^his.life, that " an hundred volumes of sermons are not
" worth so much as this single life, and are far less ca-
"pable of disarming men of impiety * The extraOr-
*' dinary 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 at-
" tack us with their favpurite and darling objection,
'" that there are none but little and narrow spirits, who
"profess themselves the votaries of piety and religion :
" for we can now tell them, and boldly tell, them, that
" both the maxims and practice thereof have been
" pushed oh to the strongest degree, and carried to the
" greatest height, by one of the profoundest Geometri-
*' cians, by one of the most subtil Metaphysicians, and
"by one of the most solid and penetrating Genii, that
" ever yet existed on this earth*,"
37. Olympi a Fulvia Morata was one of the earliest
and brightest ornaments of the Reformation. She could
declaim in Lafin, converse in Greek, and was a critic m
„ the most difficult classics. But ;ifter it pleased God by
his grace to. open the eyes of her mind to discover the
", ' e4 truth,
* ' This, great man, duringsome of the latter years of his life, yient
llis whole time in prayer, and in reading the Holy Scriptures ; and in.this
he took incredible delight.' ^ Jes.up's Life of Pascal.
In his 'Thoughts on Religion there is a fine expostulation with Unbe.
lievers, which ought most seriously to be attended to by every person
of that description.

56 A PLEA FOR RELIGION
truth, ^he became enamoured of the Sacred Scriptures
. above all other books in the world, and studied them by
day and by night. And when dissolution approached,
she declared she felt, nothing but "an inexpressible
"tranquillity and peace with God through- J e'sus
" Christ."— Her mouth was full of the praises of
God, and she emphatically expressed herself by say
ing— "I am nothing but joy."
38. William Lord Russel, delivered himself, just
before his execution, in the strongest terms of faith and,
confidence. Besides many Other .things he said :-*-
"Neither my imprisonment nor fear of death have
" been able to discompose me in any degree. On 'the
" contrary I have found the assurances of the love and
*' mercy of GoD,in and through my blessed Redeemer,
" in whom I only trust. And I do not question but'l
" am going to partake of that fulness of joy, which is
" in his presence; the hopes of which do' so Avonder*
" fully 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 of Germany, King
of Spain, and Lord of the Netherlands, after having
alarmed and agitated all Einype for near fifty years, re
tired from the world; and enjoyed more complete con-*
tentment in this situation than all his grandeur had ever
'yielded him. "1 have tasted," said he " more satis
faction in my solitude, in one day, than in all the
" triumphs of my former reign ; and I find that the
" sincere study, profession, and practice of the Chris-
" tian, religion, hath in it such joys a.nd sweetness as
•''courts are strangers to*," • ;
40. Ox-
, ' i ¦- i
* tow is, one of the late Dukes of prleans, expressed the delight he
found in piety and devotion, in the following terms, which are somewhat
Similar to the above of Charles : — " I know by experience, that svrblu-
nary_ grandeur and sublunary pleasure ate deceitful and. vain, and are always
infinitely below the conceptions we form Of them. But, on the contrary,
such happiness and such complacency may be foimd in devotion and piety,
as the sensual mind has, no idea of," ;
Ghstavus Adqlphvs, the unowned King of Sweden, was-alsp emin.ent,

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS, 57
40; Oxenstiern was Chancellor of Sweden, 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 Writings. " After all my troubles
and toilings in the world," says he, " L find -that my
private life in the country has afforded me more con
tentment than ever I met with in all my public employ
ments. 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 English
ambassador) to makethe study and practice, of the Word
0/ God your chief contentment and delight ;; as -in
deed it will be to every soul that savours the truths of
Gpd, which infinitely excel all worldly things."
41. Mr. Sel'den, the famous Lawyer, whom Grotius
calls "the glory of the English nation," was, as Sir
Matthew Hale declared, " a resolved serious Chris-
" tian, and a great adversary to IIobbes's errors'." He
was generally considered as one of the most eminent phi
losophers, and most learned men of his time. He had
taken a diligent survey of all kinds of learning, and had
read as much perhaps as any man ever did ; and yet, to
wards the latter end of his days, he declared to Arch-
bishopUsiiER, 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 arid ma
nuscripts upon all ancient subjects ; yet " he could, rest
" his
eminent for his piety towards Goo, and has been known to spend hours
together in, religious retirement. So too our excellent Alfred. ,
It is said likewise of his late Majesty King George II. that during
war time, he would constantly be in $is' closet between five and six
o'clock in, the morning, winter and summer^ praying 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 Admiral
Lord Duncan. Previous to the late-action on the coast.' of Holland,
during the awful moments of preparation, . he called all his Officers upon
dec.k, and in their presence prostrated himself in prayer,. before the Goo
of Hosts, committing himself and them, with the cause they main,
tained, to his sovereign protection, his family to his care, his soul and body
to the disposal of his Providence j then, .rising from his kneesj he gave
CPHimapd to make the attack, *

5$ A PLEA FOR RELIGION
" his soul on none, save the Scriptures *. "-—This is a
perfect eulogium on the Sacred Volume. ', ¦ -
42. Monsieur Clau de was a very considerable man
¦"among the protestdnts who were driven out of France by
Lewis the Fourteenth - When he wastakenill he sent
for the senior pastor of the church, to whom in the pre
sence of all his family he expressed himself thus ; — " Sir,
I was desirous to see you, and to make my dying declara
tion before yom lam amiserable sinner before God. I
most heartily beseech him to shew me mercy for the sake
of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 hope he will hear my
prayer. He has'promised to hear the cries of repenting
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 a while, he added, " I have carefully
examined all religions. None appear to me worthy of
the wisdom of God, and capable of leading man tb
happiness, but iheChristian religion. I have diligently
studied Popery and the Reformation. The protest ant. re
ligion, 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. Scrip-
tur'eis the root, thejfrotestant religion is the trunk and
branches of the tree. It becomes vou 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 embrace-
ing him, " I am leaving you. The time of my depar
ture is at hand." Silence, and sobs, and floods of tearS
followed, each clasped in the others arms. The family
all came and asked his blessing. ' ' Most willingly, " re
plied he, " will I give it you." Mrs. Clau de kneeled
down by the bed side. " My wife," said he,. " I have
" always tenderly loved you. Be not afflicted at my»
" death. The death of the saints is precious in the
'* sight
* This is equally true also of that great philosophic soul, Marcilius
FieiNus, who was as learned a man as Italy ever produced. ¦ After he
had read all good authors, he rested in the Bible as the only book* - '

AND THE SACRED WRIT! NGS. 59
" sight of God. In you I have seen a sincere piety. I
" bless God for it. Be constant in serving him 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
pther 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. Ltemihd-
rf ful pf 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 op-
". pressed, that I can attend only to two of the great
" truths of religion, the mercy Of God, and the gra-
" cious aids of his Holy Spirit."
" IJcnozv whom I have believed, and I am persuaded
" he is able to keep that which I have committed unto
" him against that day. —
" My whole recourse is to the mercy of God. I ex-
" pect a better life than this.—
" Our Lord Jesus Christ is my only righteousT;
" ness."
Thus died the Venerable and inestimable John
Claude, in the sixty-eighth year of his age, A. D.
1687- 43. The Rev. Samuel Walker, of Truro in Corn
wall, was a ministdr 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-
darkness, but the most assured confidence in God, he
broke out to his nurse in. this rapturous expression : — •
" I have been upon 'the wings of the cherubim ! Hea-
'' ven has in a manner been opened to me ! I shall 'soon
" , be there !" — Next day to a friend who came to see hirn
he said, with a joy in his countenance more than words
can utter: — "O my friend, had I strength to speak, I
" could tell you such news as would rejoice your very
" soul ! I have had such views of heaven ! But I am
" not. aide to say more."
' -:K. ' 44. the-

60 ' A"PlLEA FOR RELIGION
.-* 44. The Rev. James Hervey is well known to have
been an elegant scholar, and a believer in the Bible,with
its most distinguishing truths. When he apprehended
himself to be-near -the close of life, ahdstood, as it were,
oh the brink of the grave, with eternity full in view, he
wrote to a friend at a distance to tell him what were his
sentiments in that awful situation. " I have been, too
fond," said he, "of reading every tiring' valuable and
elegant that has been penned in our language, and-been'
peculiarly charmed With the historians, orators, and poets '
of antiquity : but were I to renew my studies, I would
take leave of those accomplished. trirles : I would resign.
the delights of modern wits, amusement and eloquence,
and devote my attention to the Scriptures of truth. 1'
.would sit with much greater assiduity at my divine
Master's feet, 'and desire to know nothing in compari
son of Jesus Christ, and him crucified."
After this, when his dissolution grew 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 t
To live is Christ, but to die is gain! Lord, now
lettest thou thy servant, depart in peace, according to thf
most holy and comfortable Word; for mine eyes have
seen thy precious salvation.
45. Dr. Leechman, late Principal of the College.of
Glasgow,- 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 Doctor'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 exultation." — 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, tcp much neglected indeed;
" '-"'but-

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 6*1
" but which contains invaluable treasures ! treasures of
" joy and rejoicing ! for it makes us certain that this
¦ " mortal shall put on immortality."
46. The late Rev. William Romaine wasa zealous
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 blessings. Jesus is more
precious than rubies, and all that can be desired on
earth is not to be compared to him." He was in full
possession of his mental powers to the last moment,
-and near his dissolution cried out, " Holy, holy, ,holy,
" Lord God Almighty ! Glory be to thee on high
" for 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 fashionable for lukewarm and
.pharisaical Christians, who have a form of godliness, but
deny the power, and for philosophasters -of every descrip
tion, to treat -all such death-bed scenes as delusive and'
fanatical. 'I am not, however, ashamed to say, that dis-"
solutions of the above description appear to me ho
nourable to religion, and desirable above all the enjoy
ments of the world. If this is 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 6rO£pe/-dispen'sation. They are increasing
now in a considerable degree, and they shall abound
more and more, maugre all the opposition of Infidelity,
and the coo' moral harangues ofa Secular and lukewarm
Clergy. Large numbers of examples might be pro
duced, of a similar kind, from those who Jived before
the .rise both of methodism a,nd puritanism, besides these
we have mentioiied ; 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

6g •;' A PLEA FOR RELIGION
6f 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 bis great
change to draw near, he called for his sons, and his sons'
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 be
offered up, and the time of my departure, is at hand.
Knowing, therefore, that shortly I must put off this
tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath
shewed me, I know also, that if this my earthly house of
this tabernacle were dissolved, I have a building of
God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the hea-
>&em, a fair mansion in the New Jerusalem, which ccmeth
down out of heaven from my God. Therefore, .to me to
live is Christ, and to die is gain; which increaseth my
desire even now to depart, and to be with Christ, which
is far better than to continue here in all transitory, vain,
and false pleasures of this world, of which I have seen an
end. -. ,
" Hearken,therefore, unto the fast words of your dying
father. I am no more in this world, but if e" are in the
world. I ascend to my Father and your Father, to
my God and your God, through the all sufficient merits'
of Jesus Christ my Redeemed; who ever lives to make
intercession for me ; who is a propitiation for all my sins,
and washed me from them all in his own blood ; who i?
Worthy to receive glory, and honour, and power ; who
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
ministry of the gospel of his dear Son, which was com?
mitted to my trust, I hawe finished the work which he gam
me todo, as a faithful embassador of Christ, and steward
of the mysteries of God. I hape preached righteousness in
the great congregation, lo ! I have not refrained my lips,
O Lord ! thou knozvsst. I have not hid thy righteous*-
n&ss within my heart ; I ham declared thy faithfulness xnd,

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS.

6%

and thy salvation ; I have not concealed thy loving-kind
ness and thy truth from the great congregation of man
kind. He is near that justifiath me, that I have not con
cealed thewords of the Holy One ; but the words 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 zvhat things zvere gain to me formerly, these things I
count now loss for "Christ : yea, doubtless, and I count
all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of
Jesus Christ my Lord ; for whom I have suffered the
loss of all things ; and I Account them but dung, that I
may win Christ, andbe found in him,- not having my own
righteousness, which is of the laxo, but that which is
through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is
of Gov by faith; that I may know him, and the power of
his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings,
being made conformable to his death. I press, therefore,
tozvards the mark, for the prize of the high calling of
God in Christ Jesus.
' ' . Let nothing separate you from the love of Ch rist,
neither tribulation, nor distress, nor persecution, nor
famine, nor nakedness, nor peril, nor szoord.; though, as
we hear and see, for his sake we are killed all the day long, '
we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter ; > yea, in all
these things we_ are more than conquerors, through him
that loved us : for I am persuaded, that neither death,
nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor
things present, nor things to come, nor heighth, nor depth,
nor any creature shall be able to separate me from thelove
of Gob in Christ Jesus, my Lord. Therefore, love not
thezoorld, nor ike things of the world; but prepare daily
and hourly for death that now besieges us on every side,
and be faithful unto death, that we may riieet together
joyfully on the right hand of Christ at the last day, and
follow the LaMb whithersoever he goeth .-with a'll those
that ate clothed in white robes in sign of innocency, and
palms in their hands in sign of victory .; which came out-
of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and.
made

64; A PLEA FOR, RELIGION „
made'them white in the hloodofthe Lamb.; They shaft,,
hunger no more, nor. thirst, neither shall the sun light on
them; nor qny heat; for the Lams,. 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. - , , ;
; " Choose rather,- bj^Moses, to suffer affliction^ with ,
ifce people of Gov, th.a<n to enjoy the. pleasures of sin for ,
a season; which will, be bitterness, in the latter end.
Look, therefore, for sufferings,. and to be made par-.
takers of the sufferings of Christ ;" to fill up that which,
is behind of the affliction of Christ in your flesh, for his,
bodys sake, which is the.church. What can you. look
for, but one woe after .another, while the Man of. sin is.
thus' suffered to rage, and to make havpc of God's ,
people at his .pleasure, while men, are divided about,
trifles, that ought to. have been more vigilant over us, ,
and careful of those whose blood is precious in God's,
sight, though now shed every where like water.;, If ye,
suffer for righteousness sake, happy are ye; be not ¦afraid,
of their terror, ' neither -be ye troubled;, and be,' ye in
nothing terrified by your adversaries ; which is to.them>
an evident token oj perdition, but to you of salvation, and
that of Gob. For to you it is given in the , behalf of
Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for
ids sake. Rejoice, therefore, inasmuch as ye are par -
takers of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory shall
be, revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. And.
if ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are
ye; the Spirit of glory andofCiinisT resteth on you;
on, their part he is evil spoken of, on your part he is
glorified. _ .'...¦
i " God will surely visit you in due time, and turn,
your captivity its the fivers of the south, and bring you.
¦back again into your possession in 'this land : though
now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through
man fold temptations; yet ye shall reap in joy, though
now, ye sow in tears; all our. losses shall be recompensed-'
with abundant advantages ; for my God zvill supply all;
your need, according to his riches in glory, by Christ,
Jesus, who is able, to , do exceeding abundantly for us,
above all that we are able to ask or think." After'

AND> THfc S^q-RiiD i WI^W^GS. J 6)5
After that, he blessed his children and those that stood
about hini in an aiidible voice, in these -words : "God
of his infinite mercy bless you all, and present you holy,.
and unblamable, and irreprovable in his sight that yei
may meet together at the right hand of our blessed o'a-
w'p«/?JesusChristv, witjh joy .unspeakable andfull of glo
ry. Amen !" To which he added these words; " Ihave*
fought the good fight, I have finished dhe course of ttiy. mi
nistry and life together. Though griewous wolves t hatye en
tered in a?nong us, not sparing the flock; yjet-I trust, the.
great Shepherd of his flock zv'ilt save and, deliver- themt
out of all places where they have 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 dwell safely, and none shall make them
afraid. — O Lord, / have waitedfor thy salvation!" Audi
after a little interval, he said : " / have kept the faith once
given to the saints ,-for-thp which cause I have also suffer-,
ed these things ; but, / am not ashamed, for I know whom ,
I have beljeved, and am persuaded that he is able'to keep
that which Ihave committed to him against that day. "
After this, the good Bishop, spake little more. H is sick
ness increased, his speech failed, and he slumbered the
remainder of his time away, till his discharge came.
Let incredulity itself now say, if this was not an ad
mirable close of so laborious and useful a life as this ex
cellent man is known to have lived. -
One may defy all the sons of infidelity 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*.
F ' Now,
* Be it observed too, what use this admirable man makes of the Sa.,
,ered, 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 -thorjny road.;
'* The. soul, reposing on assur'd relief,. ,
?' teels herself happy anridst all her grief,
" Forgets her labour as she toils along,
¦ *' Weeps tears Of joy; and .bursts into a song."
Cowper's Foem en Truth;,

66 Jt PLEA FOR RELIGION
1 I
fNo'w, myFriEnds and Countrymen, these are all sd
many well-attested matters of fact. Most of the persons-
mentioned were of the first reputation in their respective
spheres of action. It would be prudent to review the
whole ; to compare the several instances; and weigh tho
roughly the issue : for though it is not our province to de
termine the final fates of men, we may, from such com
parison,, see clearly whose situation is most eligible at the ,
close of life, and whose case stands fairest for future feli
city. Extremely weak, therefore/would it be, to let any
hian sheer 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 ofa
Deist, who gloried, in his departing moments, that he had
been favoured with success, in making converts to the
principles of Infidelity? Or did we ever see & sound scho
lar, who was at the same time a chaste, temperate, moral, ;
andconscientidus , man, thaflived and diedan Unbeliever*?
Instances
* Lord Bolikgbroke was a man of considerable talents, and lived
and died an Infidel. But when we reflect, that he was at the same time
a.* libertine, and much addicted to, women and wine, we shall cease to
wonder that he rejected' Christianity, notwithstanding, the high compli
ments he sometimes thought proper to pay it.
' Sir William Temple, too, was " a person of true judgement in civil
affairs, and very- good principles with, relation to government ; but in
nothing else. He was a vain man, much blown up in his own conceit),
which he , shewed too indecently on all occasions; He seemed to think,
tfiat things were as they are from all eternity : at least he thought Reli
gion was fit only for the mob. He was a great admirer of the sect of'.
Confucius in China, who were Atheists themselves, or left Religion to'
the rabble. He was a- corrupter of all that came near him, and he de*.
livered Himself up wholly to study ease and pleasure."
Burnet's Own Times-, A. D. 1674.
¦Sir Anthony Ashly Cooler, Earl of Shaftesbury, was '* a man of
various talents, but a Deist, at best, In his religion. He had. the dotage*
of astrology in him to a high degree. He fancied, that after death our
sbuls 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 when he was held close to
any point. He had a wonderful faculty at opposing, and running things.
down ; but had not the like force in building up. He had sufeh an ex.
.travagant vanity in setting himself out, that it was very disagreeable."
, Sir George Saville, afterward Viscount, .Earl, and Marquis of
¦'¦-¦¦¦¦'•,¦¦ .n , | Halifax^

and the sacred writings. 6f
Instances of a contrary, nature we have known many, but
rarely one which comes up to this description. Persons
of an affected liberality of mind, indeed, are frequently
found, who hector, domineer, and speak great swelling-
words of vanity, while health and prosperity smile upon
them ; but they generally lose theircourage, and appear
to infinite disadvantage, when death and judgment stare
them in the face. If their souls are not harrowed up \yfch
horror, as in the cases of Voltaire, Newport, Alta-
mont, and others; at best they are sullen, gloomy, dis
consolate, like Hobbes and.CHESTERFiELD ; or, having
their consciences seared as with an hot iron, they1 are in
sensible to the vast realities of the invisible world, brave
it out and sport blind-fold on the brink of destruction,
after the manner of Servin, Hume, Emmerson, and
several of the late French philosophers. But surely a
conduct of this kind is highly unbecoming men of wis
dom, 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 infinitely unnatural. It was the
effect of pride and sophistical philosophy. " He had a
"vanity in'being thought easy," as Dr. Johnson justly
©bseryes. >
"' That must be our cure,
" To be no more. ¦ Sad cure ! For who would lose
¦ •  ¦ — " this intellectual being,
" Those thoughts that wander through eternity,
" To perish rather, swallow'd up and lost
" In the wide womb of uncreated night, , ,
" Devoid of sense and motion ?"
F ii It
Halifax, wa.s "aman of great andready wit; fulloflife, and very pleasant;
much turned to satire. He let his wit run much on matters of Religion : so
that he passed for a bold and determined Atheist; though he often pro-'
tested he was not one. He confessed he could not swallow down every
thing that Divines imposed on the world. He was a Christian by sub.
mission ; he believed as much as he could.— \n 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 rhey went off with his siek-
- ness." -,<< Burnet's Oiv/t Times.
This is a specimen of the general characters of those who reject the
Gospel oi Christ. Gray, the Poet, seems to have had an opinion of
Shaftesbury equally, low with the' above of Bishop Burnet. -See
Johnson's Lives tf the English Potts, vol. iv. pp. 464, 46a.- >' " ,

SS A PJ^EA TOK RELIGION
It will be the concern of every wise man, therefore; to
take warning in time, to 'be cautious. how he gives credit
to the representations 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 ihore sO. Any smatterer in learning, who hath
got a wicked heart, a witty*head, and a comfortable flow
oi&^currilouS language, is competent to the task. Ex
amples of this kind we. meet with in every neighbour
hood. Profovnid scholars, however, and modest men,
have always been incapable of such conduct. What Lord
Bacon* saithof J theism is equally true of Deism :. " A
'VlitfclepMLosophy inclineth man's mind to Atheism, but
" depth in philosophy, bringetih .men's minds about to
''.Religion." Our great moral Poet, too, will teach ^s
the same lesson:
'[ ; "A little;learning is a dangerous thing;
' " Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian springi t
s " There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain,
" And drinking largely sobers us again +."
What then if Thomas Paine, who is well known tp
- -., ¦•'-,'?-• ;--> -, be
* Lord Bacon1 was a serious believer in the Gospel of Christ, and
hath given us his Creed at some length, which is worthy the attention
of the reader. The above passage is taken from his Essays, No. 16. —
In a p^tyer which he wrote upon a certain occasion, he 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 fine character of this. extraordinary
person^ He says, S' He was a man, who for greatness jof genius,' and.
compass of .knowledge, did honour to his age and country ; one might
almost say, to' human nature itself. ' -He possessed at once all those ex
traordinary talents which were divided amongst the ,g*$atest authors pf
-antiquity. , He, had the sound, distinct, comprehensive .knowledge of
¦-Aai.sa-qT.LE, with all the beautiful lights, graces and embellishments e|f
'CicEkb-. One does not -know which. ,to -admire most in his writings,
the strength of reason, foWe of style, or brjghtnessof imagination."/
Taile r, ,No. SffiV- ..
+ " The C.hris~ti.nn Religion," says another great writer, '^has nothing
to apprehend from-the strictest investigation of the njost learned of its
. , adttrsari.es .;

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 69
he both illiterate and immoral, ihsplent and satirical (ill.
qualifications for the discovery of moral and religious
truth, which consists in purity, modesty, humility, so
briety, and goodness), though otherwise a man of good
natural understanding, is an unbeliever in the divine mis
sion of the Son of God? It may be some consolation to.
remember, that the firs.1i characters, who ever adorned
our world, in every department of human life, have not
been ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, Every man
would do well to reflect, in these days of abounding licen
tiousness, by way of supporting the mind against the
ridicule of professed Deists, that the Divines, Butler,
and Bentley, and Barrow, and Berkley, and Cud?
worth, and Clarke, and Sherlock, and Doddri dge,
and Lardner, and Pearson, and Taylor, and Usher,
and a thousand more, were believers: that the Poets,
Spencer, and Waller, and Cowley, and Prior, and
Thomson, and Gray, and Young, and Milton, were
believers: that the Statesmen, Hyde, and Somers, and
Cullen, and Pulteney, and Howard, and Har^
rington, and King, and Barrington, and Little
ton,^ with numberless more*, were believers: that the
Moralists, Steel, and Addison, and Hawksworth,
and Johnson, were believers: that the Physicians, Ar-
BUTHNOT,andCHEYNE,and Browne, and Boeriiaave,
and Pr ingle, and Hartley, and HALLER,and Mead,
and Fothergill, were believers: that the Lazvyers,
Hale, andMELMOTH, and Forres, andHAiLES, and
Pratt, and Bl'ackstone, arid Jones,:]", were believers:.
f 3 that
adversaries ; it suffers only from the misconceptions of sciolists, and silly
pretenders to superior wisdom. A lit tie learning is far more, dangerous
to the faith of those who possess it, than ignorance itself."
* Washington- was lately a living character1, and generally allowed to be
ona of the first of warriors, the first of politicians, and worthiest of men.
This same gentleman was the delight of " an admiring and astonished
world," and yet- — hear it, O ye minute philosophers of degenerate
Europe  he was a serious Christian !
+ It is a pleasure to hear such men as the honourable Thomas Er.s,
kinb, a member of Parliament, and one of th? first orators of theagej come

A PLEA FOR RELIGION

that the Philosophers, Pascal, and Grotius, and Ray,
and Cotes, and Ferguson, and Adams, aud Locke,
and Eu ler, and Newto n, were believers*. Where is
the great misfortune, then, to the interests of religion,
if lukewarm Christians 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 caus
ed to be written tor our instruction. Nothing less than
demonstration on theside of Infidelity should induce any
man' to resist the momentum that these venerablenames
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 knowledge, or the piety, integrity, and ber
neficence of their lives. These eminent characters,
Bacon, Newton, Locke, Boyle, Ditton, Addi
son, Hartley, Littleton, Woodward, Pringle,
Haller, Jones, Boerhaave, Milton, Grotius.,.
Barrington, and Eu ler |, in particular, firmly adhered to

Come boldly forward in favour of the Gospel of Jesus. " No man
f ever existed," says he, " who is more alive to every thing connected
" with the Christian faith than I am,, or more unalterably impressed
" with its truths.''' View of ''the. Causes, 13 c. p. 56.
* We are well aware that the truth of Christianity cannot be establish
ed by. authority. But if its truth cannot be so establislwd|^neither can
its falsehood. Indeed no man can be a competent jS^^Mthei: -of-the
txuib- m -fekehoed of the Gospel^ who h;.:. not tinned his attention to
it for a considerjjfele .time with all seriousness of mind, and with a
considerable share&of literary information. We may experience its saving
power, but we are ill qualified to defend its veracity.
+ It is said of this great Christian philosopher, in the General Bio*
graphical Dictiona/y, that few men of letters have written so much as he.
His memory shalt' endure, continues his biographer, tilt science herself
is no more. No'-igeometrician has ever embraced so marly objects at
one time, or hasy^qualled him, either in the variety or magnitude of
his discoveries. Ke had read air the Latin classics, could repeat the
whole Mneidsoi Virgil by heart ; was peifect master of ancient ma,.
thematical literature; had the history of all ages and nations, even to
the minutest facts^ever present to his mind ; was acquainted with phyl
Sic, botany, and chemistry ; was possessed of every qualification that
could render a man estimable. Yet this man, accomplished as he1 was,
- ... , was

and the sacred writings. ,71
to the belief of Christianity, after the most diligen^
and exact researches into the life of its Founder,'
the authenticity of its records, the completion of the
prophecies, the sublimity of its doctrines, the purity, of
its precepts, and 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 benevolent and godlike scheme * ; and they all
endeavoured, if not by their oral discourses, yet by
their immortal writings, to recommend it to the general
reception of mankind. It was their study in life, their
solace in death.
Why then'are so many of our fellow- creatures found to
oppose, with such malignant virulence* what these great
men have so successfully laboured. to establish? The rea-
f 4' son,
was filled with respeft for Religion. His piety was sincere, and his de
votion full of fervour. He went through all his Christian duties with
the greater! attention. He loved all mankind, and, if ever he felt a
motion of indignation, it was against the enemy of .Religion, particu
larly against the declared apostles of Infidelity: Against the objections
•of these men, he defended' Revelation in a work published at Berlin in
J747. - „ . ¦
* Dr. Disney Alexander, a physician now living, was favoured
¦with a religious education, and brought up with a view to the church.
Ey mixing with the world as he advanced in life, ,%e lost his religious
impressions. At th\s time he began to read the writings of Messrs. Jebb,
Lindsey, and Priestley,, and became a coadrme^nSociiiian. In this
state of mind, he met with the writings of HelveHiIUs and.VoLTAiRE..
, He read them with avidity, and it was not Jong Wore he commenced
Deist, in this state of mind he continued some years, applauding his
own superior discernment, and triumphing in his boasted -freedom, .frdrh
the shackles of the Gospel. Necke.b/s book on thj Importance of Reli
gious Opinions, however, falling accidentally into his hands, , the farrie'df
the author induced him to read it. Here his Infidelity received a shock ;
his mind underwent another change • and he was ,jjj>artly brought back
to Religion. Some months after this again ?k\.%\'^f..E-vide?ices of Chris.
.tianity were recommended to him. He bought the book. He read it
.eagerly twice over in-a Httfe time with.great care. He was convinced —
and is now a zealous and happy Christian.. This ijrhis own account pub*
iished in the 4rmmian Magazine* ¦ -,

tflS A PliEA'rOR religion ;
J*on, in rhost cases, is obvious. They will not have this
.man reign over them, because beis not to theirtasfte.
And they oppose the Bible, because it condemns their
Ipractice. For if Jesus is indeed the only Sat ioUr of
mankind.and if the declarations of Scripture are atallto,
l>e regarded, their situation is desperate, and thtry can
not escape the condemnation which is therein denounced
iagainst all such characters; Other reasons.however, may
ibe given for such a preposterous conduct. Abundance
of men are so neglected at first in their religious educa*
'tion, 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
ligion. They are as inattentive to it, as if it was none
pf 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
-Christianity, his friend Sir Isaac Newton stopt him
short, and, addressed him in these, or the like words,
which imply that this great astronomer had employed
-his life in studying only the book of nature:— " Dr.
" Halley, I am always glad to hear you, when you
" speak about astronomy, or other parts of the mathe-
" malics, . because that is a subject you have studied^
' "and well understand: but you should not talk df
.'* Christianity, for you have not studied it: I have,'
"and am certaiu you know nothing of the matter*."
' Many other persons, possessed of some discernment,
observe the hypocrisy of several- of the greatest preten
ders to religion: they see them no better, and 'scarce
even so good as some who make less pretension^!; imd
this becomes an insuperable offence to them. If these
discerning men, however, would attend more to their
own conduct, and less to the misconduct of others, it
would be much happier for them, and more to their ho
nour. Can any thing be more unreasonable than that
the Gospel should be made answerable for- all the weak-.
i , n esses,
fluff-
* See lle1B$& t>f tyr. Emlyw for this anecdote. -There is a sufficient
account of the reasons for Dr. Haxley's Infidelity in Go ad*y'» British
/Biography, vol. viii. p. 3%

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 73
nesses, vices, and follies of its advocates? Will Phi
losophy endure to be tried by this test ? The fact is,
truth is a stubborn thing, and does hot fluctuate with
the varying whims and opinions of men. Every person
-must give an account 6f himself unto God. Hypocrites
have no encouragement from the Bible. Why should
any man, therefore, make their hypocrisy an objection
to th&t Bible? Let the blame fall where it belongs. The
fate of such person is fixed by the Judge of the- world
liimself. Their false pretensions are utterly disclaimed by
him. Not every one that saiih unto me, Lord, Lord,
<shallenter into the kingdom of heaven ; but he that docth
the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many shall
:: say unto me in that day, Lord, Loud, have we not
prophesied in thy name, and in thy name cast out devils,
and in thy name done many wonderful works ; hut then
will 2 profess unto them, I never knew you ; depart from
, .. me, all ye that work iniauity.
The weakness, folly, and enthusiasm ; the noise and
nonsense of the Zealots* among all the denominations of
i Christians,
* The extravagances 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 instrumeifell'in; driving no small number into down-right indif
ference to all rjetigio/i ; while others have contracted the most inveterate
principles of Infidelity. But shall the follies of a few, mistaken indivi
duals subvert theinature of things,' and the laws of everlasting truth ?
Because some men are weak; silly, enthusiastic, Jiijd enflamed with
spiritual pride, shall we take upon us to say, there is no such thing as
sound religion arid good sense in the -world ? This' would be to make
ourselves as weak and culpable as those who take upon us to condemn. —
All revivals of religion have been attended with excesses y all sects and
parties have' had, and will have among them men of warm imaginations
and feeble intellects ; and wherever persons of this description become
strongly- impressed with the importance 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 ;irrd
keep them within the bounds of moderation. This, however, is usually
extremely difficult ; for all such persons are most commonly wiser than
ten men that can render a reasdn. They are blown up with sefflimpor;;;nce,
'consider themselves as the peculiar favourites of Heaven, and under
the immediate teachings and leadings of the Divine Spirit. Whll§.
jhis persuasion continues, they treat the directions of Scripture as a dead:
letter, 'and in vain you attempt to reduce then* to order, and the sober
dictates of reason and common sense.

74 A PLEA FOR RELIGION „
Christians, is another cause of the Infidelity of the age.
Unbelievers see the absurdity of their pretensions and
proceedings, and they are undistinguishing and illiberal
enough to comprehend them, and the pure Gospel of
Christ, in one general sentence of reprobation. Such
a conduct is surely uncandid, and highly unbecoming
the character of men who would be thought lovers of
wisdom. Where we see integrity and good intention at
the bottom, we should make all requisite allowance for
the infirmities of men. The best and wisest are encom
passed with darkness, and know but in part. One grain
of piety and moral excellence is more worth than the
highest attainments in the arts and sciences, without
those moral and religious qualifications.
Others again take offence at theabsurd'doctrines of the
several religious Establishments* in Christendom. They
disepver
* " It is the corruption of Establishments, ten thousand times worse
*' than the rudest dominion of tyranny, which has changed and is
<c changing, the face of the modern world."
Mr- Ersmne's Pamphlet on the Causes and Consequences of the present
War, from .which these words are extracted, contains a number of im
portant political truths, but feems to me by no means satisfactory in
speaking on the Causes of 'the war. Let any man read with sober, con
sideration the .Collection of Addresses transmitted by certain English Clubs
and Socj<ttie*.tn the National Convention of France^— Miles's Conduct of
France towards Great Britain — Gifford's Letter to the Earl of Lau
derdale — D'Ivermhses's Account of the date Revolution in Geneva —
with Bowles's Real Grounds of the present War with France; , This
little pamphlet is sufficiently satisfactory. Lord Mo^-hihgi-on'Y Speech,
'before the House of Commons is, to the' same purpose with the above.
Harper's .Ofrseriuitions on the Dispute between the United States and
France, is a decisive li tie work. The defigos 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
tq, party.
Inaddiiiosi tb what has been advanced by these several authors,! beg leave
here to adfr -a declaration of Lord Auckland,, Jan. o, 17Q8, in the House of
Lords, in reply to Lord Holland. Speaking on the causes of the war, he
' said, " It was a war of necessity and not of choice 5 for he himself at the time
was, sent with. f«ll powers to preserve peace, if it could be done con
sistently with the honour and interest of this '.country. He was to have
met Dumobrks oa the subjeft ; but, before the -time appointed for
that .inter vie?', a confidential office/ <;aaie and informed him, , that the
, Directory

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 75
discover in themcertain peculiarities which they conceive
to be. irrational. They confound the doctrines of these
human institutions (which were formed in the very dawn
of the Reformation, while men's eyes were yet scarcely
open enough to disco ver truth) with genuine Christianity.
Not being at the pains to examine matters to the bottom,
and distinguish accurately, they suppose them to be alike,
and hence contract a rooted indifference, if not an un
conquerable aversion, to all religion.
Some there are again, who, seeing>the pomp and pride
of many of our Bishops and dignified Clergy, how they,
in direct opposition to the whole spirit of the Gospel, the
example of primitive clerks, as well as their own holy pro
fession, scramble for emolument j and heap together from.
two to half a score lucrative pieces of preferment, while
several thousands of their brethren are destitute of the
ordinary comforts of life, without further examination,
naturally suppose that Religion is all priest-craft and self-
interest, honour and conscience having nothing to do in
the business.— It may be of use to state.this more atlarge.
It is well known then, that there are about 18,000
Clergymen in England and Wales, of the established re
ligion, and near 10,000 parishes. The Rectories are
5098 ; the Vicarages 36'87 ; the Livings of 'other de
scriptions §970 ; in all 1 1,755..
Twenty or thirty of those Livings may be a thousand
a year and upwards:- Four or five hundred of them 500
pounds a year and upwards : Two thousand of them 200
pounds a year and up wards : Five thousand of them under
1 00 pounds
Directory had, declared war against England; thus, by this pretended n?.
gotiation, taking the opportunity to seize upon our shipping."
- . London Chronicle, Jan. y — -11, 1798.
The above several publications contain the whole merits of tha 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
honour or safety. In expectation of subverting the government of the
country, the French, encouraged by disaffected persons in this kingdoms-
plunged, into the war. Indeed, it is, properly speaking, the war of
English Jacobins. If the French had not been stimulated by persons
here, there had been no war.-4-Let, us not, however, murmur against
¦'wen — the whole is of God. Great and good purposes are to be answered
Vit, in the due order of Divine Providence.

76 A PLEA FOR RELIGION
100 pounds a year. The average value of Livings is
about 140 pounds a year, reckoning 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 Anns. Bounty began
to be distributed, there were
1071 Livings not more than 10 pound* a year.
1467  ¦ — _  so
1126 •  30
1 1 49 ¦  40
,884  50
In all 5697 Livings not more than 50 pounds a year a
piece.
All the 10 and 20 pound Livings have now been aug
mented by the above donation.
This bounty is about 13,000 pounds a year, clear of
deductions, and is, therefore, equal to 65 augmentations
annually, at 200 pounds a piece*.
The whole income of the Church and two Universities
is about f, 500,000 pounds a year. There are 26 Bishops^
whose annual income is 72,000, or according to another
account 9^,000 pounds : Each Bishop, therefore, has on
an average 2,770 or 3,536 pounds a year, supposing he
had no other preferment. — There are £8 Deaneries and
Chapters, whoseincomeisabout500bpoundsayeareach,
making together about 140, 000 pounds. — The income of
the two Universities is together about J 80,000 pounds a
year. The 1 0, 000 Clergy f have together about 1 , 1 OS, 000
"pounds
* The Clergy are indebted to Bifhop Burnet for this application.
The money itself arises from the first-fruits and -tenths of church-livings,
above a certain value, which, before the time of Henry the 8th, u„ed
to go So the Pope of Rome.
+ The Dissenters in England and Wales are said, by the late Mr. Ro
il inson, of Cambridge, to make about, a fifth part of the jiation> con
sisting o^ near 1400 congregations. The Quakers are numerous, being
about 50,000, but flic Haptifis'are still more numerous than either the
Quakers, or the Prejhyterians, or Independents, or Moravians.
To these should be added the Methodist Preachers of the Gospel. The
regular circuit Preachers in Great Britain are about 800, and the local
Preachers are (upposed to amount to hear 2000. The'

ANDTHE SACRED WRITINGS. 77
pounds a year among them, which is little more than 100
pounds a piece. The whole body of the Clergy an*a their
families make near 100,000 souls, that is, about an
eightieth part of the nation. And reckoning the popula
tion of England and Wales at eight millions of people,
every Clergyman would have a congregation of 444
persons to attend to, in the same way of calculation.
There are, moreover,' 28 Cathedrals, £6 Deans, 6*0
Archdeacons, and 544 Prebends, Canens, &c. — Besides;
these,
The Preachers of this description in Ireland are 80, and the local
^Preachers 2 or 300.
In addition to these, they have SiOO Preachers in America, besides
local assistants. The number of Missionaries in the West Indies is 20,
besides SO Negro Preachers,. In Antigua there are three Missionaries ; in
St. Christopher's, two ; in Barbadoes, one ; in Grenada, one ; in St.
Bartholomew's, one ; and in Jamaica, five. Hence it appears, that the
whole number of persons, who preach the Gospel to the poor in the ,Me~ .
thudist connection at present, may be. about 2 or 3000 ; of which number
2000, are stationed in Great Britain.
The number of persons belonging to the societies of the late Reverend
John W-esley is about 82,600 in this country; 18,000 in Ireland;
60,000 in America; and 9,000 in the West Indies; namely, 3,000 in
Tortola and the Virgin Islands, about 2,600 in Antigua, about 1,600
in St. Christopher's, about 509 in Nevis, about 20 in Montserrat,
about 80 in Dominica, about 1000 in St. Vincent's, about 60 in Bar.
badoes, about 80 in Grenada, and about 900 in Jamaica; in all 169,600.
The number of Negroes who attend the Methodist preachings in. the West
Indies is about 50,009 : and the number of poor Blacks pn the continent
of America, belonging to the Methodist societies, is about 14,000. These
and the 9,000 in the West' Indies, making together ,23, 000 Negroes, have
renounced their besetting sin — polygamy ; arA, in the main, live as be
comes the Gospel.
The followers of the late Reverend George Whitefihld, and Lady
Huntingdon, are said to Consist of nearly an equal number in Great
Britain, though, I should suppose, this calculation is rather exagge
rated. It appears from Dr. Whitehead's Lives of the Wesley family,
that the name of Methodist was first bestowed upon Mr. Charles Wes
ley in 1721, at Oxford, for the exact method and order- which he 6b-
gerved in spending his time, and regulating his conduct. An origin
surely truly honourable, and of which no 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
namei whose conduct is moral, whose piety is fervent, and whose affec
tions are set upon the things that are above ? — Good men in aJI ages have
been what the foolish world now call Methodists.

78 A PLEA FOR RELIGION
these, there are in all about ,'300 in orders belonging toi
the different Cathedrals, and about 800 Lay-officers, such
as singing men, organists, &c. who are all paid from the
Cathedral emoluments ; so that there are about 1 700 per
sons attached to the several Cathedrals, whodivideamong
them the 1 40,000 pounds a year, making upon an aver
age near 83 pounds a year a piece *.
( The whole income of the Kirk of Scotland was, in
1755^ about 68,500 pounds a year. This was divided
among 944 Ministers, and on an average made 72
pounds a piece per annum.
-; Upon a general view of these matters, when it is con
sidered, that all the Bishopries, Prebendaries, Deaneries,
Headships of Colleges, and best Church-Livings, are oc
cupied by a smaller number, in all probability, than an
eighteenth part of these Clergy, whatadeplorablesituation
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 several thousands a year per man,
have made laws, directly contrary to the practice of St.
Paul, that the inferior Clergy, who. are destitute of all
the elegancies, and many of the comforts of life, shall
not be permitted to follow any other Calling, whereby to
improve their condition, and get bread for their families 1
' Would there be any thing incpnsistent with the character
of a Minister of theGospelof Christ, if the poor Rectors,
Vicars, and Curates of the country, should make a com
mon cause, and associate together in one body against
their unfeeling oppressors f ? Could there be any im
propriety
* See an Essay on the Revenues of the Church of England.
+ Every man is an Oppressor who holds that which ought to be in the
hands of another.' — It does not appear to me, that we can. justly blame
any man for being a Deist, while the great body of us, the Bishops and
CffrgJ> conduit ourselves in the manner we usually do. The spirit of our
hierarchy seems, in various respects, in direct opposition.to the spirit of
the Gospel. A conscientious Deist^ if such can be fc-uud) who wor
ships God in spirit and in truth, is infinitely preferable to a pnauc^
haughty, pompous Bishop, or dignified Clergyman, y/hp txadc>.in living! and

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 79
propriety 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 doit better than his brethren — shall enjoy 20, COO
poundsayear— another 15, 000— an other i 0,000— another
5000— ^another 3000— another 2000— and another
1000. One shall heap Living upon Living, Preferment
upon Preferment — to a vast amount — merely because he
has got access — too often by mean compliances — to sortie
gieat man — while his more worthy brother is almost in
want

and souls; and will be damned with a damnation far less severe. Bishops
ahd Clergymen of this description, profess what they will, are Infidels at
bottom. They believe nothing of the spirit of Christianity. Religion is
their trade, and ga,in with them is godliness. They live in the, spirit of
the ancient Scribes and Pharisees, and they may expect to share in the
fate of the Scribes and Pharisees. — Compare Is. lvi. Q— -12. ' v.
Let the clerical reader turn to the Conclusion of Bishop Burnet's
History- of his Own Times, and he will find the negligent Bishops of. the
land very jus tly"and smartly reprehended for their improper conduct.
Mr. Ostervald, in his excellent Treatise concerning the Causes of the
present Corruption of Christians, attributes that corruption chiefly to the
Clergy. His words are these':-' — " The cause of the corruption of Chris
tians is chiefly to be found in 'he Clergy. I do hot mean to speak here
of all Churchmen indifferently. We must do 'right to some," who dis
tinguish themselves by their talents, their zeal, and the holiness of their
lives. Bnt the number of these is not Considerable enough to stop the
course of those disorders which a re '.occasioned in the Church by the
vast multitudes of remiss and corrupt pastors. These pull down what
the others endeavour to biiild up." Part ii. Cause 3. , . ,
¦The instances of extreme blame which attaches to the higher orders
of the English clergy, are very numerous. A certain gentleman, not an
hundred miles from my own neighbourhood, whom I could name, is,.
possessed of about a thousand 'a year private fortune. He is a married
man, but without children. He has one living in Cheshire, of the; value
of, more than 400 pounds a year: another in Essex, and another else*
where, the three together making a thousand a year, more or les's. Fie
is, moreover, Chaplain to a Company, and private Tutor in a Nobleman' s
family. But what is most culpable,' is, he resides upon none of his livings,
and vexy seldom comes near them, though a lusty, healthful man., ' Citi.
that. Church be faultless, which pcrmiis such horrible abuses ?. The Uii
shops themselves, .however, being .generally guilty of holding a vavievv.
of preferments, and of most inexcusable' non-residence, are disposed to,
connive at every thing, of ths kind among the, superior Clergy who aits
under their inspection.

80 A PXEA F<5* BELIGNSN
want of bread for his children. The kte.Dr. Law, Bi*
shop of Carlisle, if my memory does, not fail me, was
possessed, at the time of his decease, of ten or jnore dif
ferent Preferments. He was Bishop-^Headofa College—*
Prebendr— 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 3 hut because, he wriggled himself
into favour with certain great persons, who had influence
withmen inpower. In&tancesof this kind arenot uncom-*'
mon. They are, however, unjust, unpolitical, unchris
tian.' No wise Legislature ought to permit such, abuses,
Religion out of thequestion. They are inconsistent with
every thing that is decent and proper, while so many va
luable, learned, laborious, humble, modest men, axe,
pining in want. I know well, that reflections of this na
ture are calculated to disoblige those who are interested ;¦
but, regardless of consequences, without the least dislike
to any man living, or the smallest view to any one individual,
or a wish to have any thing better for myself, and actuated
only withd love to truth, andihe advancement of our common
Christianity, I, for one, protest in the face of the sun against
all such abuses. And I, mpreover, solemnly avow,' that
the spirit of the present times is such, that unless these
and similar disorders are rectified by the wisdom of the
Legislaturejthewholeecclesiastical fabric in this country
will, ere long, be as completely overturned, a« that irj,
France has been *. Nothing can prevent it, but a speedy/
and thorough reformation. If the Bishops of the landj
as first in dignity, would be first in this grand work : If
$hey wpubi make a merit of necessity, a.nd, like Bishop
Wusqn, resign voluntarily, what they cannot long
possess in safety : If they would make an offer to
their Ring and Country of withdrawing from the Upper
/ , House ; t
* The, church of France, before the Revolution, consisted of 1 8 arch
bishops, 118 bishops, $66,264, clergy, regular and secular, who toge
ther enjoyed a revenue of about five millions sterling., The kingdom
fljras divided into 34,4g8 parishes, besides 4,1544 annexed parishes"; in all
*9»WB Parishes. 3

And the sacred writin-gsv 81
House, f; resigning all their secular hcnours, and Coin*
mence genuine ministers of the Gospel': Or, should this
be too much, to expect; if they would renounce their
several pluralities j- , and quietly, retire into their respec-
. ' tive
* This, I believe, is an abuse unknown in any other protectant church
in Europe, and would never have been submitted to in the purest ages of
Christianity. Would to GoD'our Governours in Church and State could
see it right to — but what shall I say ? Why should I desire changes^
every thing but impossible ? — It is because I wish as well as any man in
England to my King and Country, that I desire every thing to be removed'
that may provoke the" Divine displeasure against us, as a nation and.-
people, and bring on the total dissolution of the political frame of things*
The wishes of an obscure clergyman, however, will be less in the scale^
than the- sniall dust upon the balance, when weighed against the Vast body '
cS archbishops, bishops, deans, pretends, canons, archdeacons, rectors,'iiieetrsi.
curates, lecturers, commissaries, chancellors^ prottors, surrogates, See. &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 Cowper. 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,
" Rrodigious, ominous, and viewed with fear }
" The comet's baneful influence is a dream,
" Yours real and pernicious in th' extreme."

" Oh laugh, or mourn with me, the rueful jest,
*¦ A cassocA' dhuntsman, and a fiddling 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, Well done, Saint I and claps him on the back,
" Is this the path of sanctity ? Is this- -
" To stand a way-mark in the road to bliss ? .
*« Himself a1 wand'rer from the narrow way,
" His silly sheep, what worid'er if they stray i" ;

¦»f The sacred function, in your hands is 'made,
Sad sacrilege I no function b-Jt a trade." Progress of Etrof.
4 It is no uncommon thing for the Bishops of our Chfrch to, hold,
such preferments ?s are utterly incompatible with each Other j . The late
Dr. HinChcliffe was at the same time Bishop of Peterborough, and
Master, of Trinity College in Cambridge. As Bishop, he ought, by every
law of honour, and conscienee, and the gospel, to have been resident in
q m

M A FLEA FOR RELIGION
tivedioceses, never appearing in the great Council of the
nation, but when absolutely wanted : If they would come
among
his diocese among his- clergy aud people : As Master of ^Trinity, his'
presence could' not, in general, be dispensed with.
We have had others, who have enjoyed, at the same time, severajl
incompatible preferments— a Bishopric — a Headship of a College — a
Prebendary — a Rectory— 4and other emoluments : As Bishop, a. man ought
to be in his diocese ; as Head of a college, he must be resident ; as
Prebend, certain duties are due ; as Rector of a parish, his absence cannot
he dispensed with. And, I might add, as a Lord of Parliament, his
presence is frequently and justly required. What account their Lord*
sfeipf can give, either to God or man, for such of these preferments as.
aje absolutely incompatible one with another, it behoves them well t«
consider. Such examples have a deadly effect upon the interests of re.
ligion. Were they to preach like St. Paul, who would regard them,
when they see they do not believe their own 'professions ? No rank, no
talents, np learning, no _ good sense, no respectability can excuse such a
cpnduct.-^-We are continually hearing of the rapid spread of Infidelity,
The Bishops of London and Durham, irj their late excellent Charges, are
>lqu4 in their complaints. But what appears surprising to me, is, that
they and others should speak so strongly of the overthrow of Christianity
in France. By then; leave, and with all due submission, it is not Chris
tianity which has experienced a subversion there : It is the doctrine of
Antichrist-, and its subversion will ultimately prove one of the greatest
'blessings Gop could bestow upon the nations. — But who is to blame for
the spread of Infidelity I The Bishops and Clergy of the land, more than
any other people in it. We, as a body of men, are almost solely and
exclusively culpable. Our negligence, lukewarmness, worldly-minded*
ness, and immorality will ruin the, country., And when the judgements
of God come upon the land, they will fall peculiarly heavy upon the
heads of our orderaf iinen.
One word upon the situation, of the unhappy Irish. We cry out
against them fortheir rebellious conduct: andto be sure they are ex*
tremely to blame in many respects. Is there not, however, a cause,
an apparent cause, at least, for their dissatisfaction ? The grievances
of the Protestant part of the people are many and considerable. The
present Zotv/Brjstol, for instance, Bishop of Derry, whose bishopric
is said to be 5 5,000 pounds a year, is now rambling over Europe, and,
it is said, has not set foot in his diocese for several years ; some have
reported, for twenty-four.
This is a specimen of the treatment which Churchmen meet with.
Can we wonder, if they, as well as the Catholics wi Dissenters, should
murmur? Ireland would, at this moment, in all probability have been
lost to England, had not the mad and bloody zeal of the Catholics, those
hellish wretches, united' the Protestants in their own defence, for the
.protection of their lives and properties.
There are twenty-two of these Bishops,,vfho preside over the establish
ed church in -Ireland, at the sxpence of 74,000 pounds a year; that is," at

And the sacred writings. 63
aniong their Clergy^— Converse with them Freely, arid
treat them as brethren: if they would go about dping gppcta
at the rate of 3,368 pounds per annum a manj besides all their other
preferments. Some of them are known to be very worthy characters ?
but others like the, bne just mentioned, are extremely to blame, though
surely not in the same degree. While such are the Shepherds, nO Wonder
if the Sheep go astray. Ought we to bp surprised if Catholics, Dissenters,
and Methodists, Succeed in making converts ? if Infidelity abound and
tun like wild-fire among the people ? if they 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. — 1 do affirm again and again, -that the slothful atid
temporising Bishops and Clergy of Europe, are the main authors of the
present miseries of Europe, 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 bur offices and emoluments
to those who are more worthy of them. Nothing can save us, unlesi
we turn over a new leaf, and'become alive to the interests-7-not of thft
Church as a secular institution—but to the interests of pure, disinterest--
ed, evangelical religion. What might not the 18,000 Glergymeh in
this country do, were we all but zealously concerned for the honour pf
the Lord Jesus, and the salvation of the people committed to our care ?
The face of things, in every moral point of view at least, would be
extremely different.- — What an 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 sistery
kingdom, many of the bishoprics are filled up by the Viceroy from
among the English clergy, and the best livings aie possessed by English.
men. Hence a very frequent non-residence. . Every . impartial person
rnust^ consider this as a real grievance. The Irish olergy, indeed,. are,
taking them with some few honourable exceptions, in a state truly de
plorable, and the great mass of the laity hot less so, considered in ev*ery
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 Providence, We talk of
the wild Irish, and speak of them as being little raised above a state of
javage nature. Let it be considered who is to blame for all this. The
Bishop} and Clergy, I vow. But the fault is greatly in the ecclesiastical
part of the constitutions of the two countries, which, will permit the
clerical order of men to receive the emoluments of the church,' without
performing the business for which we are paid. No man can 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 (Sergy theifi--
, selves embark in it, there is much reason to fear^. the event is at no
6 s little-

84 A TiEA FOR REUGtPTT
g»od, in all condescension and humility," through their
several districts, preaching the Wordof life in an evan
gelical strain, among the people, after the example of
the great Shepherd and Bishop of souls, and his
Apostles: If they would renounce their pomp ;and
' splendor, and set their faces in good earnest against all
monopolies pf livings ; against non-residents; against all
immoral,' disorderly, and irreligious Clergymen : If they
Would be the zealous and avowed friends and patrons of
laborioiis pastors in particular, and of /good men-, of
every description in general : Then would the Church
of England soon become, more than ever, the glory of
ail 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 vision
ary and enthusiastic. -
" I know the' warning song is sung in vain,
*' That few will hear, and fewer heed the strain."
Be it, so — I have only to reply — -Look at the Bishops,
sand Clergy of France ! — They now, think themselves
hardly treated. But, as a body, they had been exces
sively to blame; and their present sufferings are pro
portionate to their former culpability. Happy will it
be for us if their negligence and misfortunes make us.
Wise ,and cautious ! The fate of the Jezvish clergy of
old,
little distance. I must, however, do my own order the justice to observe;
that, in former periods, whatever ¦ reformations in religion have been
brought forward, some of the* Clergy have been the most active and ef- ,
fective instruments.' God send us again a few, more Wickliffs,
Cranmers, Lattmers, Ridleys, Hookers, and Gilpins re
deliver us from the remaining dregs of Popish superstition whieh cleave
to us, that the throne of our excellent King may be permanent as the'
days 'of heaVeni and the British churches the glory and envy of the
whole World 1
¦" Triumphant heremay Jesus reign,
" And bti his vineyard sweetly smile j
*' While all the virtues of his train,
" Adorn our church arid bless our isle!"

A ND THE SACItED WRITINGS. 8$
old, and of the Trench, Dutch, Flemish, Italian, and
Swiss Clergy of our own times, comes, like a peal of
thunder preaching Reform; real, and effectual, and
speedy Reform, to the Clergy of every country. - ¦
You see then, my countrymen, that I, for one,
give up all these abuses as indefensible. Everyman of
common sense and observation, whose eyes- are not
blinded by prejudice, andwhosemind is not closed by-sin
ful habit and self-interest, must see that they are wrong.
But, be it remembered, that whatever means Divine
Providence may use to correct them— -for 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 continuance, their downfal;
and it denounces nothing less than the most extreme
condemnation against all those who pervert the Divine
Ordinances to secular and self-interested purposes. It is
neither Emperors, nor Kings, iipr ' Popes, nor Arch
bishops, nor Bishops, nor Clergymen of any inferior de
scription, that shall escape the jirst sentence of .the.uiiU
versalJuDGE. He will make no distinction. He knows
ho difference between man and man, but what moral"
and religious qualifications make. Whatsoever a person
soweth, that shall he also reap. Mightysinnersshall.be
mightily punished. Eminently good and useful men
shall be eminently rewarded.
, To tbis head, let it further be added, that discerning
men, observing the conduct, character, and precepts of
the Sa v 10 u R'of the world, and comparingthem Avith 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 nieasure, secu-lar. His meat and drink was'
to do the will of him that sent him. He literally went
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 wasTrequently in the temple, but never in thepdlace,
unless When dragged thither bv force. Our learned
' & 3 Pre-

8$ . A PLJ2A FOR REWGIOJf
Pre{ates\ however, are s.o occupied in the great Councilof
the nation, in dancing attendance at Court, in guarding
thek secular emoluments from waste, ' in visiting the no^
iility and gentry of the land, and in other worldly en
gagements of var'ous descriptions; that they have but
little time left, either for reading the Scriptures, forpri-
vate retirement, or. for preaching the Gospel tp the poor
of the fjock, in their respective districtsf, To hear a Bi-.
' T ' shop
* Among the Bishops of the Church of England may be found a cpnsi.
derable number of characters the most respectable for every moral, lite
rary, and religious attainment; and the country is under the utmost-.
(obligation to them for their exertions at different periods of Qur history.
But were any individuals among theni ever so desirous, they have it not
in their power to rectify abuses^ and reform what they' may conceive to
be amiss. The system is too compact and Well digested,' Their hands,
are tied behind them.; The prejudices of some, the ipteresfs. of others,
th? supineness of not a few, and tl}e fears of disturbing the long esta
blished order of things, in most, form an insuperable harrier against
frvery reform; insomuch that nothing, it is to be feared, can accomplish
any considerable change for the better, but a convulsion. If, indeed,
the Archbishop of Canterbury, and die whole bench of Bishops, had dis,
pernment, and humility, and public spirit, and self-denial enqugh, to,
come forward of their own accord, and with one consent desire an ame
liorated state of things, there might be some hope.. But, that six arid
twenty interested men should be brought to concur in a business of this;
sprt( seeins pexf tp an impossibility. The sacrifice is ppp great | Hu
man nature is tpq frail to make it.
+ ffpbops ought assuredly to reside in their dioceses among their
Clergy, preaching in season and out of season \ countenancing and en,
pouraging the gbpd/J reproving, exhortijig, warning, punishipg the
unworthy and immoral part of their Clergy. The contrary to this^
hweyer, h v?r/ frequently the ca^se. if a man happens to have got
a little more zeal than ordinary, and labours, more diligently to do
good than the generality of his brethren, immediately they are all
in arrn,s. against him. And notliing is mors common, than for his ec
clesiastical superiour? to frown upon him, to stigmatise* him as a Metht*
dist, and tp Oppose his interests in. every way they can contriye* Where-:
as, a Clergy man. may be a man of pleasure and dissipation, gay, foolish,
silly, trifling; he may spend his time in the diversions of the field j
dfjnk, swear, and live as foolishly as the rnost.fqolish of his fjock, aniij
yet np harm shall happen. He is no Methodist, and, therefore, every
favour shajl be shewti, him he part desire. Methodism is like the sin,
against the Holy Ghost \ it is neither to. be forgiven in this world,
pSr jn the work} to come I .¦¦-.._ , fie

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. #7
skoppreach, is a sort ofphenomenon inthe country. And,
if ahy of that truly respectable body of men — some of
whom
- Be it, however, observed, that the increase of Dister/ters, and the
alarming spread of Methodism, are both entirely owing to the luke-
warmnessy or negligence, or disorderly conduct, or bigotry, Of perse
cuting spirit of the Clergy in the Establishment. And there is no way
under heaven of preventing the most mischievous consequences, but by
adopting new measures, reforming what is amiss, and out-preaching,
out-labouring, and out-living all our opposers. The pride of office has
injured us extremely. The disdain frequently expressed by us against
the several Sictar'ttti has been highly impolitical, and sometimes un
christian. -Has not 'every man living the same fight to Worship God
according, to the dictates of liis own conscience' that we have ? To his
own master each one must give an account.' He that worships God
most .spiritually, and obeys him most universally, believing in the
name of his ordy-begotting 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 Dissenting place of worship of any other descripi.;
tion, or upon the top of a mountain. How long shall we be carried
away, by weak' and- superstitious distinctions? In every- nation, and
among all denominations of men, ' he that feareth God and workeih
¦ righteousness, is accepted Hti'ith him. And if GoD will accept, why
should not man ? The Saviour of the world himself hath given us art
infallible definition of a Gaj^<-/-church : Where two or three are gathered'
together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Let any man con
sult Locke on Tolerntion, and he can have no doubt on his mirid coWa
cerning. the liberality of the genuine Gospel of our blessed Saviour. It
has been the custom of the Established Clergy oi all countries/ for ma-ri^
ages, to arrogate to themselves 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 n&t
got a church, a chapel, or a rmeetirigi house irt his belly. We' - are a'fl
Popes in opr Own way ; at least, every denomination has its imperious
and over-bearing dictators. Let no mafi> however, think the w&rse olf
the New^Testament-religiqn because of the different hobby-horses which
we Parians think proper to ride. . Our Order has had its; day ? - and a
pretty' long day it has been! The Pope has ridden the Bishops, the
Bishop shave ridden the Priests, and the Priests have ridden the People.
The tables, however, are now turning, though late ; and we Parsons
must be contented to be ridden by the People. But-if the People, in their*
fceal for • freedom, should proceed to cast off the' Divine yoke — anal
there is some danger ! — If -they should insolently reject the authority of
Jesus Christ, bur only Lord and Master, arid Saviour, he will visit
their offences with a red, and their sin with scourges. He has aright to
our services. We are not pur dwh, but are bought with a price, arid ' nd
man shall refuse him subjection, and prosper.* Every thinking' person
must" feel that he is a dependent creature, *id insufficient for hafeVn
c, 4 happiness 5

&8 A PLEA FOR RELIGION
Vhom are both great and gotid men, and independent
of such considerations, I hope ever Jo reverence them
for their office sake— dp vouchsafe once in a way, as an
extreme
ftappiness ; a sinful creature, and incapable of atoning for , his own
transgressions. ' . '¦ ". ''•'*
I have said above, that among the Bishops of . the Church o\,Englawd
may. h£ found a .considerable number of characters the mbsti respectable
-for every moral, literary y and religious attainment. I add too, again,
that several of the Bishops and Clergy of .the Irish. church hive been also
.highly respectable, as well as many of the. inferior orders of our own
,Clergy. ,. Sp likewise have been many of the Bishops and Clergy of the
French church.,' Usher-, the Irish Archbishop,, for instance, was not
only a pious man, but even a walking' library in point ;Of .learning,
The present <Archbishop Newcombe is a character of the most respectable
literary kind, Bishop Warburton, no mean judge,, used to' say of
Bishop TatjjOR, 'Mie had no conception of a f greater genius upon
earth, than, was that holy man:" — Where too was there ever a more ad,.
rnirable character than the author of TeleMachus? or more learttedimen
than CalMet, Du Pin, Montfaucon, and others among- the
French, clergy ?' Our owo-Gotes, though but a private clergyman, and
young in years at the time of his decease, is said by Bishop Wat,son
*o have been second to none but. Ne.wtoN in sublimity of philosophic
genius^ But as the, learning, piety, genius, and amiableness of man
ners of Fenelon and his brethren, could not excuse, and make tolerable
-the corruptions of the church of France, so neither can the learning, ge
nius, and piety of the Bishops and Clergy of England and Ireland excuse
and make, justifiable the, more tolerable corruptions of the churches' 'of
fhese two countries, We^must either simplify arid evangelize our, eccle
siastical , constitutions, or they must fall. , I speak this, not from, any
personal pique or disappointment, not from a love of novelty and
phange, but upon the authority of the' Prophetic Scriptures — with a view
to the near completion of the 1260 mystical years»— ,and frorn a solemn
¦ and awful/ contemplation of the revolutions which are, so rapidly taking
place all through , Europe. Englancfmay, and,! trust, will be protected
by f)iyiN.E Providence for a time ; the iniquity of the Amgrites ittay
not yet be full ;- but the Great Natiqtt, as they vain-gloriously call them
selves, must ultimately succeed in their, designs, unless a radical reforma.
tion should engage the. Lord on our side, .and prevent, our national ruin«f
Great , tenderness, however, . ought to be exercised towards our<?o-
cpernours both in Church and- State, upon this delicate subject ;' because,
whenever a King succeeds to the throne of these lands, he swears to
maintain the. Church in its present -state; because all important change*
'are attended wiijh serious danger to the' very existence of society — wit."
ness-.the revolution in France — and because -judge Blqckstone in \\vs-\Com-
fpfniarifs delivers it- , as his. opinion, that no alteration can, take place,
"£)ther in the Constitution or -Liturgy of the Church of England, consistent
ly wjththe Act oi.JU'giijn, — Introduction, sect. 4.
. BmjflhisiitliS^sej.thc^? of Union, was unwisely managed, . What right

ASTD THE SACRED WRITINGS. 89
extreme favour, to indulge the people of their diocese,
where' they happen to spend a little- time, they usually
affect so much pomp and dignity in their manner, and
their discourses are so dry and unevangelical ; so stiff,
so cool, so essaical, so critical, so ethical, so heathen
like, that 'the poor of the flock can receive little or no
benefit and edification.
These learned Gentlenien are sd horribly afraid of
approaching too near the Methodists*, both in. their
doctrines and manner of preaching, that their sermons
are most commonly cast more in the mould' of Seneca
or Epictetus, than in that of .St. Paul ; and de
livered with all the apathy, of an ancient philosopher.
" 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. Christ criicified alone 'is the power of
God tpnto salvation. Now and then, indeed, in the
course of three, four, five, six, or sometimes even tenor
twelve years, these Shepherds pf Christ's flock parade
through the country, paying their respects 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 Bur-
right has any one. generation to legislate for all future generations? and
(especially to tie up their hands- from making changes and improvements
adapted- tb the taste of the revolving ages ? Upon this principle Chris*
tiajtityitself, and even the present constitution of England, is an improper
innovation on the wisdom of former ages:
It is evident from the opposition of the present Bishop of Rochester to
the abolition of Holidays, that we may not expect from the Bench of
Bishops the smallest concessions, towards a reformation in the. ecclesiastical
(part of our, Constitution. To. me, however, what, we usually call Holi-
days appear,-in the light of very serious evils -to the community. Let a
man conscientiously observe the Lord's day, and J will excuse him evcty
other holiday In the calendar. ' ', - •
\- , , ' ,- • ........ .
. * Methodist is .a term of reproach which has been made use of fc*
many years, in this country, to stigmatize a.ll, the most serious, zealous,
and Hyely professors of religion. It is nqt confined to, any one sect "jor
f "¦ "" ;; Partyj.

00 A PLEA FOR RELIGION
a Burnet *, a Leiohton |, a BEVERioaE, a Hall, a
Ken, a Bedell, a Reynolds, or a Wilson tob*
seen? Our Confirmations, and I may add, .even ourur*
party; but is common, more or less* to all who are peculiarly animated
in the concerns of religion. In the Church of E .gland, as by law
established, all those Ministers and, people, are called J^*W**^ .who
¦Believe, and preach, and contend for the doctrines of the t^Jr-™"B
AAfe of religion. And Arians, SbiWans, Armt*t*nt,teA Jot maims
of every description, who continue to, attend.public worship in the; tsU*
blishment, are considered by the undiscerning world as her only tr^merrw
bers'. In short, all who embrace, with a lively and zealeu* faith, the
doctrines of the said thirty-nine Articles, among, all the denominations
of Christians, are hy' way .of ignominy denominated Methodists, -lob*
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
srealous sciolist of almost every description, and you shall meet with ap
probation and praise ;: but, if you discover arty considerable; degree *S
warmth and zeal for .the grand peculiarities of the Gofpely^& vital,
practical, experimental religion, then the de,vil and -all his industry
servants will stigmatize you with every name which they consider a* dp-
probrious and disgraceful. . Indeed Methodist is, in ^hes etghteemn
century, what Puritan was in the seventeenth. After the Restpmtw,
people, to she* their aversion to the Puritans, turned every appearance
of religion into ridicule, and", from the extreme of hypocrisy, flew at once
to that of profligacy ) so now abundance of people are so alarmed at the
idea" of being thought Methodists, that they absolutely give up >rrle -peculiar
doctrines of the Gospel, and become as lukewarm, and indifferent to_ ail
religion, as though it was no part of their concern. And., yet these
Wifeacres, in the true spirit of the ancient Scribes and Pharisees, keep
roaring out, Church and King ! the Church! the Church! the Temple
of the Lord ! the Temple of the Lord are we !
* , This excellent man was 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 confirming from
church to church, so as in the cqmpassj of three years, besides his manual ¦
Visitation,' to go through all the principal livings of his diocese."
See Biograph. Brit. art. Burnet, by Kippis, vol. S. p. Sff.
-r Leiohton was a most exemplary character, both in his private
Stnd public capacity. The life and writings' of few men are more worthy
©f imitation and perusal. He laboured hard to bring about some reforma--
tiOh b'the state of things in his own day, and when he found all his ef
forts ineffectual, he quietly withdrew, resigned his preferment, and lived'
in. private. What Burnet says qf him can never be top often repeated,
and .too generally1 known— " He had the greatest elevation of soul, the
largest compass of knowledge, the most mortified and heavenly disposi-
" tion, that I ever yet saw in mortal, He had the greatest parts, as- w«U'
-' • ~: ~ a*

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. #1
dinations* for the sacred ministry, though good in them
selves, appointed by the highest authority, and calculated
to serve the interests of religion in no small degree, 'are
dwindled into painful and disgusting ceremonies; as they
are usually administered to serious and enlightened
minds. Besides, is it to be supposed that the whole of
a Bishop's business is to ordain ministers and hold con
firmations, to spend their time in secular engagements,
and to attend their place in the House of Lords ? Is it
' for
as virtije, with the perfectest humility that I ever saw ia man ; and had,
a sublime strain in preaching, with so grave a gesture, and such a majesty
both of thought, of language, and pronunciatibn, 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 1 can.'say with great truth, that in
a free, and frequent conversation with 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 wish to be in, in the last moments of my life."
Mr. Locke gives us a similar account of Dr. EdNvard Pococke.
" I Can say of him what few men can say of any friend of theirs, nor I
" of any pther of my acquaintance ; that I don't remember 1 ever saw in
'' him any one action, that I did, or could in my own mind blame, or
t' thought amiss in him."— .Letter to Mr. Smith of Dartmouth.' ' '.
* Bishop Burnet took large pains in preparing young people for
Confirmation, and used every means in his power to encourage and excite
candidates for Ordination to come with due qualifications. He com
plains, however, in the most affecting terms, of the low state in which
they usually appeared before him. See the Preface to his Pastoral Care ;
the third edition. The state of things is not much improved since that
great Prelate's day. We have at this time, indeed, a very considerable
number of men in the .Establishment, of the utmost respectability both for
learning, piety, and diligence in their calling ; but, when we consider
that the Clergy of this country, indepehdentjof Scotland and Ireland,
are supposed to make/ as before noted, a body of 1 8,000 men, the number
of truly mora!, religious, arid diligent characters, is comparatively small.
This is one main reason of the prodigious increase of Methodism ; and for.
the same reason Infidelity is at this moment, running like wild-fire among
tfie. great body of the common people. There never was. a time when
there was a greater need of zeal, and humility, and condescension, and
pi,ety, and diligence,- and attention to the grand peculiarities of the Gospel
in our Bishops and Clergy, than in the present day. If we, as a great
body of men paid by the. State for the purpose, rouse not speedily from ouj
supine condition, . and come boldly and manfully' forward— 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 in France-*
•and arise^-set out on a new plan — or be for ever fallen }

52 A PLEA FOR RELIGION
for these purposes solely they' are each of them paid by
the public from two to twenty thousand pounds a year ?
" Good my brother,
" Do not, as some ungracious pastors do,
" Shew me the steep and thorny way to heaven,
" Whilst, like a careless libertine,
" Himself the primrose path of dalliance treads."
Can we, or ought we to be surprised,, that many of
qui- worthy countrymen should be drawn aside into the
-, paths of Infidelity, when it is considered what is the ge
neral conduct of our spiritual Superiors, and how the
above sacred ordinances are frequently administered?
Is it possible the Scriptures should be true, and our
, Secular and lukewarm, our negligent and un preaching
Bishops be in favour with the Divine Being? 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 ministry, and to take heed to'
all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made
them overseers; to feed the ^church of God,' which he.
hath purchased pith his own blood. The Lord of .the
invisible world hath said,1 and he who hath the keys
of death and of hell 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 and broad is the way that
leadeth to destruction, and many 'there be which go in
thereat : 'because strait is the gate, and narroxo is t}ie
way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find'
it. If commands and declaration's like these are true,
then woe! woe! woe! to the Bishops , of England!
May -we not say of them, with too general, an applica
tion, but with some few honourable exceptions indeed,
as good old bishop Latimer said of bis most reverend
and right reverend brethren in his day ;— " There is' a
gap, in Hell, as .wide as from Calais' to Dover, arid it is.
a41 filled with unpreaching Prelates ¦ * 7" • - . Let
* Latimer's words are : — " O that a man.might have the contem
plation of hell, that the devil would allow a. man. to look into hell, ta
- see..

, AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 93
Let not the reader suppose that I have any prejudice
against .a Bishop, or a Clergyman, as such. There are
some whose learning, piety, diligence, zeal, and talents .
I prodigiously admire;, and I myself am of the clerical
order by the most conscientious choice ; but I cannot
prevail upon myself to call things by wrong names, and
to give flattering titles where it is plain 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 smalh
I am
see the state of it :---if one were admitted to view hell thus, and behold
ing it thoroughly, the devil should say : On yonder side are punished un-
preaching prelates ; I think a man should see as far as a1 kenning, and per
ceive nothing but unpreaching prelates ; he might look a£ far as Calais, I
warrant you. "---Sermon; 8. vol. i. p. 155. Lond. 1791:
I will mention another anecdote to the same purpose.-—'' A learned
Friar in Italy, famous for his ' learning and preaching, was commanded
to preach before the Pope at a year of Jubilee : and to be the better fur-
' nished, he repaired thither a good while before to Rome, to see the fashion
of the Conclave, to accommodate his sermon the better. When the day
came tie was to preach, having ended his prayer, he, looking a long time
about* at last cried with a loud voice three times— -St. Peter was a
fool !— St. Peter was a fool !-— St. Peter was a pool!-— Which
words ended, he came out of the pulpit. Being 'afterwards convented be
fore the Pope, and asked why he so carried himself^? He answered,
Surely, Holy Father, if a priest may go to heaven abounding in wealth,"
honour and preferment, and live at ease, never or seldom to preach, then
surely St. Peter:. was a fool, who jook such a hard way in travelling,
in fasting, in preaphing, to go thither."
' Whiston's Memoirs of his own Life, p. 36a.
Most of our English Bishops are,, at this day, in a very strong sense,
unpriaching Prelates. ,' The Bishop of London, however, and "sortie few
more, are exceptions to this general rule. If the present times, and'the
awful predicament in which every Clergyman now stands, will not rouse
us' to a sense of danger, and" a greater degree of zeal and diligence in our
calling, 'we shall richly deserve our.approaching, impending, inevitable
fate, unless prevented by a speedy and effectual return to evangelical prin
ciples and practices. The Gospel is cither true or it is false. If it is false^
let us cast off the mask, and appear in our true colours. If it is true, let
us conduct ourselves as though we believed it to be so, and-leave no stone
Bnturned, no means untried, to promote its spread and influence among 'the;
world in general, and among the people committed to our care inparti-
cular, ¦

9$ A PLEA f OR RELIGlOlif
I am sure appearances at, present are against ns. And
I conceive 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. Matthew,, 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 bulwark of re
ligion ; the bane, by their pride, misconduct, supersti
tion, negligence, and spiritual domination ; and the
bulwark, by their piety, excellent learning, and admi
rable defences of the doctrines of religion, or the out
works of Christianity. -K
The fact is, the Popish clergy have preached and
written so much in defence of the triple tyrant, and the
superstitions of their religion, that scepticism and infi
delity almost universally prevail among thinking men of
that denomination. The more eagerly the Clergy con
tend, 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 ourchurch ; congratulated
ourselves so frequently upon our happy condition; paid
ourselves so many fine compliments upon the unparal
leled purity of our hierarchy ; that a stranger would be
led to conclude, to be sure we must be the holiest, hap
piest, and most flourishing church upon the face of the
earth r Whereas, when you go into our most stately and
magnificent cathedrals and other sacred edifices, you find
them almost- empty and forsaken. At best all is dead-
ness and luke-warmness both with priest and people*.
In various instances, there is little more appearance of
devotion
*>Bishop Burnet says, " I have lamented, during my whole life, that
1 saw so little true zealamongour Clergy. I saw nwchofit in the Clergy
of the Church of Rome} though it is both ill directed and ill conducted.
I saw much zeal likewise throughout the foreign, churches'. The fiissenters
have a great deal among them: but I must own, that the main body of
pur Clergy has always appeared dead amd lifeless to me; and, instead of
animating 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 <j>f, the
Clergy,,

AND fHE SACRED WRITINGS. 93
¦elev otibn than in a Jew's synagogue. Go where you
will through the kingdom, one or the other pf these is
•very generally the case, except where the officiating
Clergyman is Strictly moral in his conduct, serious, ear
nest and lively in his manner, and evangelical in his
doctrines. Where this, however, happens to be so,, the
stigma of Methodism is almost universally affixed to his
character, and his name is had for a proverb of reproach,
in proportion to his «eal and Usefulness, by the sceptics
and infidels* all around, in which they are frequently
joined by the rich, the fashionable, and the gay, 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 worthy bidden giiest ;
" Blind mouths ! that scarce themselves know how to hold
" A sheep-hook, or have learn'd aught else the least
" That to the faithful herdman's art belongs !
" What recks it them ? what need they ? They are sped j.
" And when they list, their lean and flashy songs
" Grate on their scrannal pipes of wretched straw.
" The hungry sheep look up, and are not fed,
" But swoll'n with wind, and the' rank mist they draw,
" Rot inwardly, and foul contagion spread ;
" Besides what the grim wolf with privy paw
" Daily devours a pace ; 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, butyefe not,
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 gpod Biihop wrote these words. Let him attend the dissenting ordi-
nations^ and clerical meetings ; the - methodist conferences, and district
meetings; let him next proceed to our chute? confirmation/, ordbrations,
and visitations ; and then let him say, on which side is to be found ther
greatesi appearance of '^evangelical religion. Be it as it may with others^
it is well known. that our Confirmations 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 together once a year at least.
I observe, yao, that for a circuit, of many miles round our two Englisfy
8 univer-

96 A PLEA FOR" RELIGION
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, we are of all men in,
England the most inexcusable.. The great mass of the,
people are going headlong to the devil :in their sins ; the
nation, because of its transgressions,is absolutely verging.
towards destruction; and yet. a. vast majority- of the
18,000 Parsflns are insensible, both of the temporal and,
eternal danger, to Which, we, and our people, and our
country is: exposed: If this censure seeih intemperate,
let any man prove that it is not just. I sincerely wish.it
were wholly undeserved. , I know some good men, usg-;,
ful, labbrious^and honourable men, among the Clergy,
meri, the latchet of whose shoes' I am. not worthy to- un
loose ; but I know also there is a very considerable num-,
her, who are— what shall I say? — Tell it not in Gath,
publish it not in the streets of Askekn ; lest the sons of
Infidelity rejoice ; ¦ lest tlie disciples of Thomas Paine
triumph— they are exactly like the Parson described by
the Prophet, a little before the destruction of Jerusa
lem: 'llis 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, which
Can never' have enough ; and they are shepherds that can
not understand : they all look to their own way, every
one for his gainfronihis quarter. Come ye,say they,Iwil'l
j-etch wine, andwe willfill ourselves with strong drink ; and
to-morrow shall be as this 'day, and much more abundant.
I have no pleasure, 1 say again, in exposing the naked
ness of the established religion of my Country, or in ex-.
citing against myself the indignation of my clerical bre
thren,'
universities, a greater degree of ignorance and stupidity prevails among
the common people than'in,mOst other parts of the country. This is a
strange circumstance, but. easily accounted for from the improper: conduct
of abundance' of the Clergy and Gentlemen 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 Parfons than ordinary, there is
Usually the least appearance of real' religion among the ' people. The ge*-
peral luke-warmness of the Clergy is a curse to every neighbourhood
where' they abound ! It is the same in Catholic countries, and:must be so,
in the nature of things, through every country^ unless we live in- the
spirit of the Gofpel.

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 97
thren ; but the times ate alarming ; the great Head 'of
the chutch is evidently displeased with us ; and there ii
now no mincing the matter any longer. We ought to
examine the ground upon which we stand. If it is in
any respect found Untenable, we shall change our mea
sures; follow the determinations of Heaven-; and, by
complying with its high behests, put ourselves under his
guardian care. If, without looking forward, or giving
ourselves any concern what is right or what is wrong,
we are determined to defend, through thick and thin,
whatever in former ages has received the sanction of
law, and, in our own day, the force of custom, we must
take the consequences. We shall, most assuredly, in due
time, share in the general wreck of the nations. I havie
no more doubt of this, than I have of the authority of
•the Sacred Writings.
The animosity and uncharitableness, which have ever
more prevailed among the different denominations of
Christians, is another cause of the growing Infidelity of
the present age. It is not said now, as in the days of old,
" See how these Christians love one another :"- — but —
" See how these Christianshate one auother." Catholics.
damn Protestants, and Protestants revile Catholics*. One
? What a horrible curse has- Popery been to Christendom , in point of
population ! France alone, we have *jen, before the Revolution, contained.
upwards of 806,000 secular and regular Clergy, besides an immense
number of Nuns. This vast body of males and females were all enjoined,
bv the laws; of the church, to continue in a state of celibacy. In the
whole of Christendom there were no less than 225,444 monasteries about
a century ago. How much greater the number before the Reformation f
Now, reckoning only twenty persons to one monastery, there must be,
in these several sinks of sin and, pollution— -see Gavin's Master Key to
Popery... upwards of 4,500,000 souls debarred from all the comforts of the
married state, and living in direct opposition to the great law of nature---
Increase and. Multiply. Hasten -the completion ofthe 1 260 years, O
God ! which thou hast determined for the reign of the Man of Sin ; and
whatever it cost us, let us see his destruction with our o^ri eyes ; so will.
we praise thy name, and shout, Hallelujah ! Hallelujah !' Babylon is
fallen! is fallen ! with concordant hearty and voices!
' Wrfen William the Conqueror came over into England, he found
about a third part of the lands in the possession of the Clergy.
.- "Upwards of three thousand one hundred and eighty religious houses
were suppressed by Henry. VIII.. and" his predecessors.

98 A PLEA FOR RELIGION •
One sect of Protestants anathematizes anothersect;
every one holding forth the peculiar doctrines of their
pwn party as the truths of God, in 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 immora
lities ofthe age, we have frequently turned it against
men, who, in every moral and religious point of vi?.\v,
were, perhaps, better than ourselves. A spirit of infalli
bility, in a greater or less degree,' pervades all parties.
In this unchristian strife,, the pure spirit of the-Gaspel
has been banished from the great bodies of professors,
and has taken up its abode among a few solitary indivi
duals,^ dispersed through the-severarchurchesof Chris
tendom. Men of discernment, seeing this to be the state
of things, through all denominations* are led to suppose
that there is no truth among any, of them. The fact,
however, is directly the contrary. They have all gotten
the saving truth, if they hold.it but in piety,' charity,
and righteousness.. They all believe in the Saviour of
the world. Let them only observe the moral- and reli
gious precepts 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 the full orthodox belief of the
Gospel; but they are such characters as our Savio1/e
¦"•: ' himself
It is' computed that fifty thousand persons were contained in these
several religious houses.
' In' some respects jhese religious institutions were useful, in others ex-
tremelypernieiou's-. -'
•' Sttch a number of persons, living in a state of celibacy, when the
country did not contain more than three'or four millions of inhabitants,
if so many, must FfaVc had a most pernicious effect upon its population.
The sum total of the clear yearly revenue ofthe several religious houses,
at the time of their dissolution, of which we have any account, seems'to
-have bee.fi, 140,7851. 6s. 3|d. And as the value of money is now seven
or eight times what it was in the days of Henry the Eighth, we cannot
reckon the whole at less than a million sterling a year.
. Besides this, there were many other religious foundations dissolved,' of
whichwe have no account. The plate and goods of different kinds,,which»
came into the hands of the kiftgj at the same time, were of immense
value.' -A g«od general view of all these matters may be seen in an extract
StomBishap Tanner's Notitia Monastica, in Mr, Justice Burn's Eccle
siastical Law, under the article Monettriel.

ANDvfHE S-ACRKD WRITINGS. -99
himself would not have treated. with severity. And till
religion is reduced to the simple form in which he left it,
there never will be an end to the bickerings and uncha-
ritableness of party, and Infidelity will of course prevail*.
The general wickedness and immoral conduct of
Christians, so called, is another grand cause of Infidelity.
For let men profess what they will, they never can per
suade any thinking person they believe their own prin
ciples, while, they are seen to transgress every rule of
mOral and religious obligation, and, in various of their
transactions between man and man, conducting them
selves in a manner of which abundance of the Heathen,
both ancient and modern, would be ashamed.
All these circumstances, with. others of a similar kind,.
are the causes why so many persons are now found, whQ)
reject the divine mission of Jesus Christ*.
But, my countrymen, can we justly argue from the
abuse to the disuse f Is Jesus the most moral and divine
of characters, an imppstor, because many pf his mini
sters and servants have prpved unfaithful and treacher
ous ? Wete the other eleven Apostles all knaves and
rascals, because Judas was a traitor ? Are the eternal
truths of the Gospel to be exploded,. because men have
, been presumptuous enough to adulterate them with the
profane mixtures of human ordinances f? Or doth our
obstinacy alter the nature of evidence, and render the;
situation of Unbelievers more secure ? The course of
things is fixed and unchangeable. The sun will shine,
fire will burn, water will drown, the wind will blow, time
h 2 will
* Sir Isaac Newton is reported to have said, that Infidelity m^f
overrun Europe, befoce the millennial reign,of Christ commences. _ The
corruptions of religion in all .the Christian establishments cannot easily be
purged away in any other, manner. They must be subverted by violence
andblOod. There is too much reason to fear it will be impossible to
remove them in any other way. See Whiston's Essay on the Revelation
of St. John, p. 821. edit., 1744. Dr. Hartley also .seems to have
been of ^he same opinion respecting the spread of fnfidelity as Sir Isaac,
in his Observations on Man, Partii. Sect. 81. _ _
t*V Who that ever really professed .'the Christian religibn, from the
times- of the Apostles to the present moment, ever considered it as a
human .establishment, the work of particular men or nations, subject to
decline with their changes, or to .perish with their falls?" t •*
, ; ftRSKINEj..p. 5$»

106 A *LEA FOR RELIGtOtf '
will fly, the tides will flow, maugre all the scepticism of
Philosophers.- Jhe moral -relations of things are not less invariable;
and our being inconsiderate enough to deny those rela
tions, and the obligations that arise from them, will nei
ther destroy them/nor render our situation more secure.
My being so foolish as to reject the existence of God,'
and so mfatuafed as to suppose there is no Redeemer,
no Sanctifier, no Heaven, no Hell, no Devil, no
Soul, no Angel, no Spirit, and that the Bible is all a
grievous imposition upon mankind, doth not prove,
either that there is no%Goi), or that there is no reality
in the representations made by "the Gospel*. Everyman
must allow, I think, that it is possible for the Almighty
to reveal his will to the world, if he thinks proper so to
do. It will be further granted, I suppose, that some reve
lation 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,
* If the various opinions, sects and parties, which, prevail among
Christians are considered by Unbelievers as an objection to the Gespel it
self, Jet them call to mind, that there is not a smaller number of con
tradictory opinions prevalent among those.wbo reject Christianity. This
may be seen with strqng conviction in Stanley's History of Philosophy,
and in the Posthumous Works ofthejate King of Prussia.— The author of
the Connoisseur hath thrown together a few of the Unbeliever's tenets,'
under the contradictory title of -
The Unbeliever's. Creed.
" I believe that there is.no God, but that matter is Gop, and Gob
" is matter ; and that it is no matter whether there is any't5oo or n©^ ' ,
" I believe rflso, that tjlie world' Was not made ; that the world, madjeq, '
" itself; -.that it had i}d beginning j that it will last for 'ever, world with- ,t
" out end. -.-,...-
,, " 1 believe that a man is a beast,. that the soul is the body, and the*
" body is the soul ; and that afterdeath there is neither body nor soul. ,-. ,
' " I believe there is 'no religion ; that natural religion is the only reli-^
" gipn ; and that all religion is unnatural. I helieve not in Moses ;
" I believe in the first philosophy : I believe not the Evangelists ; I
" believe in Chubb, Coj,u>'s, Toland, Tindal, Morgan, Mande-
" ville, WoolstOn, Hobees, Shaftesbury ; I believ« in Lord
" Eoling broke ; I believe not St. Paul.
" I believe not revelation; I believe in tradition; J believe in the
" Talmud; I believe in the Ahoran ; I believe not the Bible % I believe
" in SocraTes; I' believe in Confucius; I believe in Sanconl
" a than; I believe in Mahomet ; I believe not in Christ.
" Lastly, I believe In all unbelief." .

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 101
God, than that with which the present Sa-cred Writings
are attended? The very errors of professors, and the
corrupt state of religion in every Christian country, are
the literal accomplishment of several prophecies, and,
of course, so far are they from being any just objec
tion to the Gospel, 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 redemp
tion therein contained is all a cunningly devised fable of
these arch-deceivers, the Priests, yet still it is found
.true in fact, that a lively Believer in Phrist Jesus,
who hath done' justly, loved mercy, and '-walked humbly
zeith his God, is much happier than the most accom
plished 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 Chesterfield : 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 masquerade, the theatre, the opera, the park, the
levee, the drawing-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 observations; look one upon ano
ther ; 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, arid sleep, arid labour, and dance, and
transact business, and dress, and play, engage in small-
talk, walk, ride, and be carried abroad again*. And is
h 3 this
- * The man of fashion is well described by a late poet in the following
humorous manner : _
, " What is a modern Man off Fashion?
" A man of taste and dhsipation ; «« A bv»y

102 A *LEA FOR RELIGION
thisall ? Wasit for this immortal faculties were bestow^,
upon us? Miserable round of secular pursuits, and empty
dissipation ! If faith in the Bibleis 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 works of
faith and labours of love ; it excites us to live, in somfe
degree, worthy of our high-raised expectations, and pre:-
pares 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 everlasting rest*.
*' With us no melancholy void,
" No period lingers unemploy'd,
" Or unimprOv'd below ;
" Our weariness of life is gone,
*' Who iiye t0 serve our Gon alone,
" And only him to know."
. i No man, howeyet, can prove the falsehood of that in
estimable Book. Difficulties, many and considerable, we
know
" A busy man without employment,
" A happy man without enjoyment.
" Who squanders all his tim?, and treasures,
<f Pn empty joys and tasteless pleasures ;
" Visits, attendance, anda^tentipn,
" Andcourtly arts, too low to, mention.
"In sleep, and dress, and sport, and play,
" He throws his worthless- lifeaway;
*' Has no opinion of hisown,
«* But takes from leading Beaux the ton j
" 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— iVo,£»<^/
" Taught by the Great his smiles to sells
*« And how to write, and how to spell;
*' The Great his oracles ,he makes,
" Copies their vices and mistakes ;
<« Custom pursues, his only rule,
V And li<oes waft^ and dies a fool!"
* Not many men ever trifled more agreeably,. an£ -at the sarn? t&rrt
feore perniciously, than Lawrence Sterne, the author of Trut*t®b
- Shandy. Among ihe-^yarioiis,. beautiful and pathetic, passages which occur
in h» volumes, h$ administers goisorj in, a manner, the must imperceptible
... i «>A

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 103
know it contains. We are not disposed to conceal therii.
It would be very surprising if a book so circumstanced
did: not*. But its foundation is built upon the pillars df
everlasting truth. Conscientious Unbelievers should exa
mine those difficulties with calmness and patience. The
whole collective evidence of the Gospel is very consider-
n 4 . able,
;and bewitching;. Few writers ever more corrupted the public taste. He
-was a man of considerable,, but peculiar talents, making great preten
sions to sympathy, wit, and benevolence, but with an 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 though he should sacrifice every
appearance of Christian piety and decorum. Accordingly, when this
clerical buffoon came to be in. dying circumstances, perceiving death to
rnakehis advances upwards, he raised himself in, his bed qpon his poste
riors, and, is said, Cither in a real or, pretended rage, to have sworn at
the sly assassin, that he should not kill him yet.
"IMs remarkable circumstance, though not mentioned in his life, is, I
believe, strictly true. It is only observed in-general in the account pre
fixed, to his works, that " Mr. Sterne died as he lived, the same indif-
" ferent, careless creature ; as, a day or two before, he seemed not .in
" the least affected with his approaching dissolution."
. This brings to mind the case of another unhappy man who; was a pro.
fessed Atheist. Dr. Barraby, an eminent physician in London, was in
timately acquainted with him : his name was  Str— t,' Esq. After'
some time, he was seized with a violent fever, and sent for the Doctor.
He came, and prescribed several medicines, but none of them took effect.
At length he told him plainly, " Sir, I know nothing more that can be
"done; you must die." Upon this, he clenched his fists, gnashed his
teeth, and said .with the utmost fury, " Gop ! God! I won't die!" and
immediately expired.
* " It would be a miracle greater than any we are instructed to be
lieve, if there were no difficulties in the Sacred Writings ; if a being with
but five scanty inlets of knowledge, separated but yesterday from his
mother earth, and to-day sinking again into her bosom, could fathom the
depths ofthe wisdom and knowledge ofthe Lord God Almighty."
., All arts and sciences abound with difficulties, and a perfect knowledge
of them is not to be attained without considerable labour and applica
tion j why then should we expect that Theology, the first of sciences, and
that to which all others ought to be subservient, should be without its
abstrusities, and capable of being understood without labour and appli
cation of mind ? Nay, even that practical religion, which'is required
fif the, humblest followers of the Redeemer, requires a high degree of
attention. Agonize to enter in at the strait gate, is the command ofthe
SoNofGon. And did ever any labour more injhecuse, of virtue than
Christ and his Apostles? ' •' -;

104 A PtBA FOR Jt-ELIOfOS ;
able, and requires time and application*: It is expected
they attend to the consistency, harmony,and connection
of ah its various parts ; the long chain ofprophecies unde-
niably completed in it ; the astonishing and well attested
miracles thatattend it ; the perfect sanctity of its Author;-
the purity of its precepts^ the sublimity of its doctrines;
the amazing rapidity of its progress ; the illustrious com
pany of confessors, saints, and martyrs; who died to con
firm its truth ; the testimony of it^ enemies ; together
with an infinite number of collateral proofs and subordi
nate circumstances, all concurring to form such abody of
evidence as nb other truth in the world can shew ; such
as must necessarily bear down, by its own weight and
magnitude, all trivial objections to particular parts f:
-They should consult the bestbooksupon thesubject, and
call in the assistance of learned and disinterested men,
who have made theological subjects their study. They.
should apply to them as they would to a Laioycr about
an estate, or a PJiysician about their health. And they
should make the investigation a matter ofthe mostdili* gent

* There are four grand arguments for. the truth of the Bible. /The
first is the miracles it records. 2. The prophfcies. 3. The -gondnVss of
the doctrine. . 4. The moral character of the penmen.
The miracles. Row fiom Divine power ; the prophecies, from: Divine
understanding ; the excellence of the doctrine, from Divine goodness j
and the moral character of the penmen, from Divine purity. • ,•
Thus Christianity is built upon these four immoveable pillars, the
power, the understanding, the goodness, and the' ptirity of Ggd. - .
I add further ;
The Bible must be the invention, either of good men or angels*, bad
men or devils, or of God,
It could not be the invention of good men. or angels, for' they
neither would nor could make a hook, and.jtell lies all the time they were
writing it, saying, Thv-s saith the Lord, when it was their own in
vention. - It could not he tlje invention of bad men or devils> for they would
not make a book, which commands' all duty, forbids all sin, and con
demns their souls to hell to all eternity.
I therefore draw this -conclusion— The Bible must be- given by Bfffinf,
inspiration. i See Bishop Port bus's Sermons, vol, i. p. 41. 42.

AND, THE SACRED WRITINGS. 105
gent enquiry*. Religion is a serious thing. It is either
all or nothing. A few pert objections, started in mixed
"/ company,
* Bishop Watson's Apology for Christiatrity'm answer to Mr. Gibbon, and
his Apology for the Bible in answer to Thomas Paine, before mentioned, are
admirably well calculated to remove a considerable number of difficulties at
tending ihe 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 But
ter's Analogy bl Religion, natural and revealed, to the constitution and course
-of nature-, a work well adapted .to give satisfaction to inquiring minds, upon
the most important of all subjects, Religion. I need not say that Grotiusob
the truth of Christianity is an excellent little work. Doddridge's three ser
mons, on, the Evidences of 'Christianity, seems bt-tter suited to the understandings
of common readers than almost any other. ,Lardkkr's Credibility; Mi
cIhaelis's Introduction to the Nevu Testament ; and Pa lev's View of the Evh
dcncei of ' Christianity : are all works of high reputation. Beaitu's Evidences
of the Christian Religion is a valuable small work. Baxter on the Truth of
Christianity is not to be answered. Ed war us on the Author uy, Style, and
PtrJectM of Scripture is very valuable. Gildon's Deist's Manual— K.idve.r>$
Demonstration of the MessiaS — St i li.ingf leet's Origines Sacra— -Hart-
Vey on the Truth of the Christian Religion— Bryant's Treatise-on the Authen
ticity of the Scriptures— Jo rt i n's Discourse concerning the truth ofthe Christian
ReLgim — DiiUtiY's Revelation Examined with Cand-our — Paschai.'s Thoughts
on Religion— You jig's Night Thoughts, and CeMaurnot fabulous— Dit ton an
the Resurrection— Cure of Deism— To star's Ufefulness, Truth, and Excellency
of the Christian Revelation— Clam's Truth and Certainty ofthe Christian Reve
lation— Lally's Principlesof the Christian Religion— Pa lily's Hme Paulina—
Bishop Squire's Indifference for Religion inexcusable— Locke's Reasonableness
<8/ Christianity— Mu r ray's Evidences of ihe Jevuish and Christian Revelatkfis—
Chandler's Plain Reasons for being a Christian— Addison on the Triabvf
Christianity— Bishop Watson's Two Sermons and Charge— Sy h e s's Essay upon
the Truth ofthe Christian Religion— W.\ R B u R to n's Divine Legation of Moses—
Dr. Gregory Sharpe's Tvao Argumenti'm Defence of Christianity— -Leslie's
Short Method with Jews and Deists— liishop Berkley's Mmute Philosopher—
Dr. Ran do lph's Vievi gfourS.w loot's Ministry— Bishop Clay to n's Vin
dication of the Histories of the Old and New Testament— Dr. Bell's Enquiry im»
the Divine Missions o/John tbeB,\?Tis r and Jesus Christ— Lively. OracL-s,
by the Author of the v.<bole Duty of Man— Boy i.e. onthe Style of Holy. Scripture -
Macwicht on the Gospel-actions as probable— -We st on the Resurrection-'
Lord Little t on on the Conversion of St. PauS-LE Plu c,he en the Truthqf
the G«*WW,Socinus's Argument for the Authority of Holy Scripture— Bishop
Chandler's Defence of Christianity-^? Priestley's Letters to a Philosophical
Unbeliever*~?B.is.sT i ey's Evidence of Revealed Religion.— -These arc all works
of some reputation.' Several of them are unanswerable, and all contam more
or less matter upon the truth of the Scriptures that is useful and lmportant-
-Mkny others have written upon, the same subject, but these I have had an op-
Wrtunity of perusing, and can recommend them every one as containing touch
that is valuable. - There is, however, One very small work more which I
would take the liberty of recommending to the common reader, because it is so
plain, satisfactory, and concise,- and that is.. Dr. David Jenni-nc's Appeal
to Reason and Common Sense for the Truth of the Holy Scnpturet. . For the com
pass of it, this is a very satisfactory performance. Ihe whole is contained in
two sermons of moderate, length, and may be obtained tor a very trifling , sum.
To these maybe added Le land's Deistical Writers; a work oi high and de
served reputation— Leslie's Truth of Christianity Demonstrated-^Btshop T ay-

ihfj A PLEA FOR RELIGION
Company,' or in a circle of friend's over the glass, afe intfc
cent aiKJ despicable.- Shameful herein is the conduct of
many vain babblers. They should be excluded society.
When the ancient philosopher Anaxagoras had ex-
pressed'in one of his books a doubt concerning the exist-
tence of Gob, the hook was. .burnt by .apublic decree of
his fellow-citizens, and he himself banished his country j
These were Heathens and Republicans. What would tbey
have said to the Philosophisfers of the present day ?_ No-
person, we may venture to say, ever honestly examined
theztlhole 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. Hence
we find it has ever been the custom of Unbelievers to at-,
tackthecorrMptionsoi' religion, which more or lessprevail
in all countries ; and, through the sides of those human
appendages, to wound the cause of truth itself. These
arts, however, are inconsistent with honour, and no per
son of the least integrity of mind Can be capable of them.'
Modest men too, who have not thoroughly examinei! the
arguments/or and against Scripture will be silent. If they
cannot

lot's Moral Demonstration that the religion 0/ Jesu.s Christ it from Goo.
Writings on these subjects of such universal importance are very numerous,1
a-nd,' indeed, it is scarcely possible they can be too much so. It may be mueli
questioned whether any objection whatever has been made to the great truths df
Religion and the Sacred Wrings, "which Has not been, fairly and honestly answered)
in one 01 another of the Jlbove authors. But no' writer has taken so much
¦pains to sate and answer Objections to the Scriptures as Mr. StAckhouse in
feis Nevj History of the Holy Bible. If the serioiw Reader finds' himself .pressed! .
wiih difficulties, he will do Well to apply to that great work, whejje he wilt
find them exhibited at length wit6> such answers as are generally satisfactory.
To these it may be recommended to the serious reader to add Knox's Christ
tian Philosophy,, where he will find iheinternaJ evidence of Ghriftitfflity insisted on
pretty much at length. The work, however, does not appear to me altogether
umtxceptionaWe, though highly valuable. He seems to set the external and
internal -evidences of the Gospel too much in opposition one to. the other. Th6rfe'
is, moreover, an asperity arid superciliousness, on some occassions, in his expres*
sions, which will ill become the subject on which he writes, and which he very*
justly condemns in thejate Bishop Warburton and. others. The work, how
ever, I trust, will do much good, by calling the public attention to inward, re
ligion. ' .
* The reader may see the purity of the Gospel drawn out at length in -New-
come's Qbservation.s on our Lor.d's Conduct j Hunger's Observations on the
History of Jesus Christ; arid Ha-rwood's Life of Christ.

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. , 107
cannot believe in Jesus, they will be extremely cautious
nppn what ground they reject him. They will remember
that Newton examined the evidence of his divine mis
sion, and was satisfied ; that Locke exam i net!, and died
glorying in his salvation. They will recollect that West,
Jenyns, Littleton, and Pringle, were all at one
time Unbelievers ; all undertook, like wisemen,toexamine
the grounds of their Infidelity ; were all convinced that
they had been dangerously mistaken; allbecame converts ¦
to the religion of the Son of God ; and all died, declaring
their belief in him, and expectations from hi™. Thomas
Paine, therefore, and hishumble followers, may abuse
and misrepresent the facts and doctrines contained iu
the Sacred Code, as Bolingbroke, and other deistical
but immoral men, havefrequently done, withlearningand
abiljty 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 effect. Deep and
various learning are necessary for this purpose. < The
experience of past ages might convince any man,* that
it will be found hard to kick against the pricks, arid
to resist the evidence with full satisfaction of mind.
All bitter sarcasms, therefore, with which Infidels so un
mercifully load that best of books*, are unbecoming,
and should be suspended, lest they recoil upon their own
heads. It hath stood the rude shocks of learned Jews
bad Heathens, Heretics and Unbelievers^ of former ages, ''
and it is not about to receive its death-wound from the
feeble assaults which the present numerous set of Deists
are capable of making upon it. We challenge 'all the
Unbetiewrs in Christendom to account, upon any merely
human

* For most of the learning that is now ^in the world we are indebted to the
Bible. To the same book likewise we are Indebted for all the morality and re
ligion which prevail among men. Njy, even the absurd tales and fables
which we read in' the writings of the .Ancient Greeks and Romans, are nothing,
more than perversions of the several .histories and characters recorded in the
£>ld Testament. See Jo.rtin's first Charge, vol. vii. of His Sermons. Gale's
Court, ofthe Gevtiks; and Brya^it^ tySytbetogg. Consult, wo, Qrtdbn's Pre*
filet h nis JUi'gio L«ki,

10S A PLEA FOR RELIGICfN

human principle, for the ,«;r//>fK>"tf /prophecies concerning
the kingdoms of Israel, Judah and Egypt ; or concern
ing the cities of Tyre, Nineveh, Babylon, and Jerusalem.:
Kay, not to take &o large a compass, but to bring the
matter to one point, we defy any man, on simple human
principles, to account far the present state of the Jews.,
Wo'uld we give ourselves time soberly to compare the
twenty -eighth chapter of Deuteronomy with, the history
and dispersion of that extraoidinary people, we could
not, fail of having our nrimds strongly impressed- with
conviction. This owe argument is invincible, and not
to he fairly got over by all the wit pf;man, as the latg
accomplished but.irreligious Chesterfield, washonest,
enough to declare*., ., . ¦,--.
But, if we turn from these prophecies to. those which
respect human redemption, and the, Saviour of man-.
kind, we shall find they are extremely remarkable. and
minute, and absolutely conclusive for the Messiahship
of Jesus Christ, the son of Mary. We will consider
the. predictions and fulfilments at some length, 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 hi
these strange coincidences.
1. It was predicted, many centurjes before it came to
pass, that Messiah should come into the world for the
redemption, of human, beings. Messiah did come into,
the Vol' Id four thousand years alter the first predic
tion was uttered f. 2. Mes-
* See Jo N E i's Life of Bishop Ho R N E , p. 332.
+ Gen. iii. 15; Is. ix. 6/7;' Mat. i. 18— 25. Dr. Evei^eigh in' his Sermons
says very jusdy, " 1 he great object of the prophecies of the Old Testament is the
redemption of mankind. This, as soon as Adam's fall had made it necessary, the
mercy of Gcd was pleased to foretel. And, as the time for its accomplishment
drew nearer, the predictions concerning it'became gradually so clear and determinate,
as to mark out with historical precision almost every circumstance in the life and
eharicier of infinitely the most extraordinary Personage that ever appeared, among
men. Anyone of thefe predictions is sufficient 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 Omniscience, than the establishment
of their authenticity. And ihrs, even at so remote a period as the present, is placed
ke^ond all doubt." r
Sermon vi. p. sio.

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 109
& 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 o£
the New Testament*.''
3. In ancient times there were four monarchies in
the world, one succeeding another, more famous than
all the rest. It was foretold, that Messiah should ap
pear under the last of them. — Christ was born after
the, destruction of the three first, and while the fourth
was in all its glory f..
¦*-" 4. Messiah was to come among men before the de
struction ofthe second temple. — Jesus Christ preach
ed in that temple ,. and it was totally destroyed within
forty years afterwards J.
5. Messiah was to come into the world before the
. dominion of the Jews was taken away. — Christ was
born that very year Augustus C;esar imposed a tax
upon the Jewish nation, as a token of their subjection
to the Roman govern men t§.
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 weie just termi
nated1, the temple of Ja'nu-s was shut, and universal
peace reigned through the empire ||.
7. Messiah was to make his appearance among- men
at a time when there should be a general expectation
of him. — When Jesus Christ came into the world,
allnations were looking for the advent of some extras
ordinary person ^[.
8. Messiah was to have existed with God before the
foundations
* Compare Hab..ii. g, 4; Psalm cxviii.- 26; Is. xxxv. 4; lix. so; Ixii. 11 t
Dan. ix. 26 ; Zech. ix. 9 ; Mai. iii. 1 ; Mat. xi. 3 ; John i. qo; iv. 25; xi. 87 ;
Acts xix. 4. See Chandler's Defence; 'ch. ii. sect 1. p. 160 — 167.
+ Compare Daniel ii. and vii. with Luke ii and iii.
?•*•' Compare Haggai ii. 7, with Matihew xxi. 93. See Josephus. '
Compare Genesis xlix. 10, with Luke ii. 1 — 7.
Compare Haggai ii. 6, 7, 9, with the Roman History of th;s period. ,
5 Compare Haggai ii. 7 — 9. with Mauhew ii. 1 — lc, and John 1. .19 — 45.
The Heathens, as well as the Jevjs, had a firm persuasion that some extra
ordinary person should arise in the world about the time of our Saviour's
birth. ¦ Subtoniws says, V There was an old and fixed opinion" all; over th£
' East,

HO A , PLEA »OR RELIGION
foundations ofthe world were laid. — Jesus Cii rist wa»
in the beginning with God, and by him the worlds
"were -made *. , ; . , ,
o. Messiah was to be one, who had been the\fellow,
the equal, and the companion of tlie Almighty'. — Je>us
Christ thought it not robbery to be equal with God,
and was ,wi :h him from eternity "f.
1.0.; Mes.sia.h was to he the Son of, God.— Jesus
Christ was confessedly the only-begotten Son of
Gon|. - 1 1. '.Messiah was to have had an eternal and inef
fable generation.-— Jesus Christ was the Son of God*.
prior to his being, born of the virgin Mary,, in a .way
not to be explained by mortal man §.
r12. 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 |. ,.-, ,
.n i:i Messiah w.as^ not to be. born according: to the
ordinary course of nature, but to, descend from a pure
Virgin. Jesus Christ was born ofthe virginMARY ^f.
14. Messiah was to be the son of Abraham, the far
ther

" Eiist, tfnr it was decreed by heaven, that about that time some person frorfi Judea
" should obtain the dominion over all." *
Tacitus mentions ihe same prophecyj and almost in the same words: — " Mosf
" ofthe Jevjs had a persuasion that it was contained in the ancient books of their
" priests, that at that very .time the East should grow powerful, and some person from
" Judea should gain the dominion." ' ;- ''."
To these testimonies, of the Scriptures and Heathen writers we may add, that of
Josf.pkus, who says in his History of the Jewish War, b. vii. c. 12. |" That
*' which chiefly excited the^fuuto the war against the Romans, was a dubious oracle,
" found in ihcir Sacred Writings, that about that time one of them, from their parts,
" should reign over the world."
See this subject drawn- out more at large by Mr. Chari.es Leslie, .in his
Short and Easy Method with the Jevjs, and again in his Truth of Christianity de
monstrated. ¦ This last treatise, together with his Short and Easy Method vjith the
Deist's, are absolutely conclusive in favour of the Gospel. One may defy the-most
fubile Deist in the world to refute these two treatises : They^ are. indeed unanswerable,
except, by sneer and sarcasm. „
*' Compare Proverbs viii. 22, 20, with John i. 1 — 3 ; Colos'sians i. 16, 17.
"+ Compare Zechariah-xiii. 7, with Phil. ii. 6, and John i. 1.
+ Compare Paalm ii. 12.; Proverb's xxx. 4; Hosea xi. 1; Matthew iii. 17;
xvii- 4- . . . . .-
% Compare Micah v. s, with John i. 1.
I Danielvii. 13 ; Matthew viii. 20. , /
1 Compare Genesis iii. 15; Isaiah vii. 14; and Jeremiah xxxi. 22; with
Matthew i. 22, 23-— It would be well if the-opposers of the .supernatural incar
nation of our Saviour, would soberly read over Dr. Clarke's very sent
v sib'le

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. Ill
ther of the faithful, and the friend of God., — Jesos
Christ was sprung from that illustrious Patriarch*.
15. Messiah, was to be the son of Isaac, and not
of Ishma-e'l.-'—Jesus Christ was sprung from Isaac,
and h ot from I s h m a e l -fv
16".. Messiah was to be the son of Jacob, and not
of Esau. — Jesus Christ 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 Jddah.
—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 descendant |j.
19. Jesse had eight sons. David was the youngest.
From none of the seven elder, but from David alone,
was Messiah to derive his origin. — Jesus Christ
was the son of David ^f. ^ .
20. Messiah was to be born in a poor and mean
condition, when the family should be reduced to a very
low "estate. — J'esus Christ, both on his father and
mother's side, was of very low and mean appearance,
though descended from such illustrious ancestors**.
21. 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 pretensionsfj\
, 22. The forerunner of Messiah was either to be Eli
jah himself, or one in the spirit of Elijah. — John the
^ Baptist
siMe discourse on the miraculous birth o/"Christ, in the 5th, volume of his Ser
mons. My own Essay' on the Authenticity of the Nevj Testament too may be con
sulted, especially the Addenda.
^* Compare Genesis xxi. 1 — 12, with Matthew i. 1 — 16.
t Compare Genesis xvii. 16—21, with Matthew i. 1 — 16.
£ Compare Genesis xxv. 24 — 34; xxvii. 27 — 29; xxviiu 13, 14; with Mat
thew i. 1 — 16.
^ Compare Genesis xlix. 8—12, with Matthew i.' 1 — 16.
|f Compare Isaiah xi: 1, with Matthew i. 1— 716.
,1[ Compare x Samuel xvi. 1 — 13; 2 Samuel.vii. 12 — 15; Psalm. lxxxix. 19—37
Matthew, i. 1—16. ,
** Compare Isaiah liii. 2; Luke i.48, 52; ii. 7, 24. .
it Compare Malachi iii. 1, with John i. 19— 3i> aa& «.'• 26—36.

112 A PLEA FOR RELIGION
Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, was altogether irt
'the spirit of that great Prophet*. - '
23. The forerunner of Messiah was to preach in the
wilderness, and to prepare the minds of the pecple for'
his coming. — John the Baptist did preach in the
wilderness of Judea, and professed himself to be sent
to, prepare the Jews for the advent, of Christ f.
!*!4. The forerunner of Messiah was to be consider-'
ably successful in his office.— John the Baptist was
treated with great respect by his countrymen, and made
large numbers of disciples J.
25. Messiah was not to be born at Jerusalem, the
capital of his kingdoiil, but at Bethlehem, an obscure
country' village. — Jescs Cheist was born at Beth
lehem, by a very peculiar providence §. "
9.6.: Messiah was to go down into Egypt, and to be
called out from thence— Jesus Christ vvent down into1
Egypt soon after his birth, and was called out from
thence by an angel of the Lord |.
27- /Messiah was to be a preacher ofthe 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 disposed to hear him^f.
28, The tribes of Zeijulon and Naphtali were:
first to be greatly distressed, and afterwards' highly
honoured and exalted, by the appearance of Messiah
among them. — These tribes principally suffered iii the
first Assyrian invasion under Tiglath Pilezer, and
¦were afterwards, among the first that enjoyed the bless- ,
ing of Christ's preaching the gospel, and exhibiting-

his miraculous w«rks among them'**.

Q<}. Mes-

* CompaVe Malachi iv. 5, 6, wiih Mark i. 1 — 8.
"T'Odrnpare Isaiah xl. 3 — 5, wiih Matthew iii. 1 — 6 ,
% Compare Isaiah xl. 3 — 5, wiih Luke iii. 21. -
^ Compare Micah v. 2, wiih Maitbew ii. 2.
| Compare Hosea xi. 1, with Matthew ii. 13 — 23. See too WmsfoN on
Prophecy, pp. i2"and 5a. ¦.
I Compire Psalm xl. 9, 10, wiih the four Gospels, pnssim.
** Compare Isaiah ix- 1-4; 2 K.infcs xv. 20; 1 Chi on. v. 26, and Matt. iv.
IS— 16.

AMD THE SACRED WRITINGS. 113
29. Messiah was to converse and preach the gospel
in the region of Galilee. — Jesus Christ lived and con
versed so long in that obscure and despicable part of the
land of Israe,l, that he was, by way of contempt, de-
noniinated a Galilean*.
30. Messiah was to have a temple^ to which he should
come when he made his appearance in human flesh. — ¦
Jesus Christ,' as the Son of Gob, claimed the temple
of Jerusalem as his pwn, in a sense no mere mortal could
presume ")"•
Si. Messiah was to be the Servant of Groo, whose
name is the Brahch. — Jesus Christ Mas emphatically
the Servant of GpDj and the Day '-Spring -from on high\.
32. Messiah is Spoken of by the ancient Prophets
under the characters of an Angel — a. Messenger — a. Re-,
deemer—a.n Interpreter — One of a thousand — a Plant of \
renown— a. Captain— the Beloved of <G on — the true D a v ixj
— 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 §.
33. Messiah was tp be the Messenger of the covenant
between God and his people. — Jesus Christ was that
Messenger ||. ,
34, Messiah was to sustain the office of a Prophet,
when he came to redeem mankind. — Jesus Christ sus
tained that office in all its extent ** ,
1 ¦ ¦ 35. Mes-
* Compare Isaiah ix. 1, 2,- with Matthew ii. 22, 23 ; and Matthew
iv; 23—25.
t Compare Malachi iii.- 1, with Luke ii. 49 j and Matthew xxii 12,
13. ; J Compare Isaiah iv. 2 ; xi.: 1 ; Jeremiah xxiii. 5 ;' Zechariah iii. 8 ;
¦vi. 12; Isaiah xlii. I; Matthew xiii 18; and Luke i. 78... -It should
be observed herej. that the word translated Erctnch signifies also the Easti
«r D Ay -Spring.
§ Compare CJenesis xlviii; 16; xxxii. 24—30; Hosea xii. S, 4j
Ex. xxiii. 2D— 23 ; Malachi iiij 1 ; Job kix. 25; xxxiii. 23'; Ez.
xxxiv. 29, 24,- 29; JOshua v. i3, 14; Isaiah xlji.\. 1 ; Revj i. 1 j
Matthew iii. 1 7 ; Hebrews ii. 10.
|| Compare Jeremiah xxxiii. 26, 21 ; Malachi iii. 1 ; .Isaiah lxiii. 9 ;
Hebrews vlii. 7,r-13 ; -x. 9 ; xiiiySO, 21.
** Compare i)euteronomy "xviii. 15, 18; Afts III. 22; Lukexxiv,
19 ; Matthew xxiv.

1 14-* A PLEA FOR RELIGION
36. Messiah was also to sustain the office of a Priest
when he appeared "upon, earth. — Jesus Christ was a
Priest, arid offered, not indeed the blood of bullocks
and of goats, but his own most precious blood *.
36. Messiah, though a Priest, was not to, be of the
tribe of Levi, and after the order of Aaron, but after
the order of Melchizedek.— Jesus Christ was ofthe
tribe of Judah, and had an everlasting priesthood, after
the order of MELCHizEDEicf.
37. Messiah was, moreover, tp sustain the office of a
King, when he took on him human nature for the salva
tion of his elect. — Jesus Christ was a King,- even
while upon earth; and, now that he is in heaven,, his
dominion extends over all worlds J.
38. Messiah Avas to be a righteous King, and empha
tically the Prince of peace. — Jesus Ch rist was eminently
distinguished as a""righteous person, and the great peace
maker both on earth and in heaven §.
3&. The kingdom of Messiah was to'be universal and
everlasting.- — Jesus..Chr1st has a kingdom, that, indue
time, shall ne universal in its extent, and eternal in its
duration |].
4,0. Messiah was to be the Sun of Righteousness, who
should arise upon the world with salvation in his rays. —
•J%svs. Christ was the Light of ihe world, who illumi-
nateth every man that' cometh into it.
Messiah was also to be the East, .or Moisting Star.
— Jesus Christ is called the Day^Spring from on high,
and the bright and Morning Star **.
,,,..¦ _ 41. Mes^
4 !
* Compare Zechariah vi. ] 3 ; Hebrews ix. 11 -,-,14. J
+ Compare Genesis xiv. 18'; Psalm ex. 4; Hebrews vi. 20; vii.
\ — 28.
| Compare Psalm ii. 6 ; Zechariah vi. 13 ; ix. 9 ; with Luke i. 32,
33s; John Xxiii. 3 6, S7 ; and Rev. xix. lG.
§ Compare Isaiah xxxi'i. 1 ; Psalm xlv. 1 — 1 7 ; Ixxii. 1---19 ; Jere
miah xxiii. 53 Zechariah ix. 9; Isaiah ix. G; Luke ii. 145 Ep. ii«
4—22.
; J| Daniel vii. 27; Luke i. S2, 33 ; Rev. v. 12... 14.
** Compare Malachi iv. 2 ; John i, 5, g .; viii. ie ; ix. 5 ; xii. S5|
•46; Isi ix. 1, 2; Lukei. 78; and Rev. xxii. 10'.

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. j 15
41. Messiah Was to be emphatically the Just One-—
Jesus Christ not only answered the description, but
is repeatedly called by that name *.
42. Messiah, to whom belonged the land of Judea,
was to be denominated Jjlmanuel. — Jesus Christ was
the proprietor' of that hqly land, and was expressly call
ed by the name of Emanuel f.
43. Messiah was to.be a great Shepherd, and to lay
dpwn his life for the sheep.  Jesus Christ was the
great and good Shepherd, and shed his blppd in defence
of his flock %.
44. Messiah was not only to be a. righteous King,
and execute judgement and justice in the earth, but his
name was ta be Jehovah our righteousness.-,  Jesus
Christ is made of God, righteousness to every one
that believes in his name§.
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 ofthe tribe of Judah ||.
46'. Messiah was to be anointed with the Holy1
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 **.
4?. 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, andari-1
swered the prophetic description iii every respect ft/.
' 48. Messiah 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 deportment fy. IS 4<L Mes-
* 2 Samiiel'xxiiii 3 ; Isaiah xi; 6 ; Afts iii. 14 ; vii. 53 ; xxii. 14.
+ Compare -Isaiah vii; 14 ; viiL 8 ; Matthew i. 23 ; and John i. i-1.
X Compare Zechariah xiii. 7 ; Isaiah Ix.- 1 1 j and Ez; xxxiv. 23, £4 }
with John x. 1 — 18. , , *» ' ' ~
§ Compare Jeremiah X-xiiij 5, fL. with 1 Gprinthiahs i. SO.
\ || Compare Genesis xlix. g ; and Rev. v. £.
** Compare Psalm xlv. 7 ; with Matthew Iii. l6, 17 ; and John iii, 34*
•f-f Compare Zechariah ix, 9 ; Matthew xj, 28, 29 5 John xiii. 1— 17j
2 Cprinthians viii.g.
XX Compare Isaiah xiii, 1— 4 ; Matthew xii. 14-<rSl»

tlfj A PLEA FOR RELIGION
r 49. Messiah was to be endowed with a peculiar degree
of wisdom.and.undefstanding.T— Jesus Ch rist., his ene
mies being judges, spake as never man spake, and taught,
a -more pure and excellent doctrine than ever had been
received among mankind before*. , ..
50. The doctrine of Messiah was to be of the most
healing, encouraging, and consolatory kind. — The doc
trine of" Jesus Christ was singularly adapted to the
healing of wounded minds t-
.5 1 . The doctrine which Messiah should preach was to,
have a powerfully transforming influence upon the minds
of men. ; — The gospel of Christ had all this effect upon
the dispositionsand conduct of every one of his genuine
disciples %.
52. Messiah was tobe peculiarly kind and affectionate
to young, distressed, and tender-spirited persons. — Jesus
Christ was singularly attentive to all such characters §.
53. In confirmation of his divine mission, Messiah.
- was to display many 'wonderful works among the people. —
Jesus Christ wrought abundance of miracles in confir
mation of his pretensions, and the doctrines he taught ||.
54. Messiah was to have but little success in preach
ing the gospel among his countrymen the Jews. — Jesus
Christ was almost universally rejected by them**.
fi5. The minds of the Jews were to be so veiled that
they should not know their Messiah 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 ff.
56. Mes-
* Compare Isaiah xi. 1—5 ; John vii. 46* ; Matthew xiii. 54—58 ;
Matthew v. vi. and vii. ch.
+ Compare Isaiah lxi. 1—8 ; Matthew xi. 28—30 ; John xiv. 1—8.
$ Compare Isaiah xi. 6 — 8; with Acts ii. 41 — 47.. '
§ Compare Isaiah xl. 11 ; lv. 1—3 ; lxi. 1—3; Matthe.w xii. 20 ; and
Mark x. 13 — 16'. ..<.¦'- «
|| Compare Isaiah xxxv. 5, 6 ; with Matthew viii. and ix. chapters,
and John xxi. 25. , '
. ** Compare Isaiah liii. 1; xlix. 4.; Rom. x. 1—3, 21.
++ Compare Isaiah vi. 9 — 13 ; xxix, 9...14 ; 3 Cor. iii. 5  18.

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 117
56. Messiah was to be the elite f corner stons in the
building of his church, elect, precious.— Jesus Christ
was the chief corner stone, elect, and precious *. ¦
57. Messiah .was to be rejectecl by the builders, but
yet made the head stone in the corner.— Jesus Christ
was almost universally rejected by the great men pf his
nation; but yet he was made both Lord and Chrisff. .-
• 5 8. Messiah was to preach the gospel to the poor, and
to be embraced by a considerable number of that descrip
tion.— Jesus Christ preached the gospel to the poor,
and various Gf that rank believed- in his name J. .
59- Messiah was to be despised and rejected of men ;
a man of sorrows, and acquainted Math grief.— Jesus
Christ was despised and rejected of men ; amanofsor-
rowsj and acquainted with grief§.
• 60. Messiah was to be seen riding into Jerusalem, sit
ting upon a young ass, as a token of. the humility of , his
mind.— tJesus Christ answered this .prediction, as well
as every other that went before concerning him, in the
most minute circumstance ||.
'6* J. When Messiah should, enter Jerusalem in this
meek, and humble manner, great crowds of the common
people should welcome him with shouts and rejoicings. —
When Jesus Christ rode into that proud metropolis in
low disguise, the general cry ofthe mob was, Hosannato
the Son of David ! blessed is he that cometh in the name
of "the Lord : Hosanna in the highest** !
62. Messiah was to be actuated with such' a burning
zeal for the house of Gop, as even to be endangered by
it. — Jesus Christ displayed that'zeal; upon various oc
casions +"f. . 1 3 63. Mes-
* Compare Isaiah xxviii, 16 ; Acts iv. 1 1, .12 ; 1 Peter ii. 6— 8.
t Compare Psalrri cxviii. 22 ; Isaiah viii, 13, 14 ; John vii. 48 ^Mat
thew xi. 25, 26; 1 Corinthians i, 2(3—31 ; 1 Peter ii. 7, s.
¦ X Compart Isaiah lxi. 1 ; Luke iv, 18 ; Matthew xi.5; James ii.;5.
. § Compare Isaiah liii, with Matthew x^yi, and xx vii. ch. and Phil, ii,
7, 8.. See too Chandler's Defence, p. 178— 194.
|| Compare Zechariah-ix, 9,' with Matthew xxi. 1 — 11.
** Ibid. See Chandler's Defence, p. 102— 107,
tt' Compare Psalm Ixix, g.; John ii. 17.

}i§ A PLEA FOR RELIGION
63.jj\f essiah was tp be betrayed intP the hands of his
fenemies by the treachery pf an intimate friend. — 'Christ
was betrayed by one ofthe disciples whom he had ehoseft*Q
64. Messiah was to be sold for thirty pieces of silver.
— Jesus Christ was sold for the sum predicted f.
65. Messiah's price, the thirty pieces of silver, wa$
^o be cast to the potter in the house ofthe Lord. — :A11
this was done when Judas betrayed llis Master p.
66:[Messiah was to be condemned in judgement, and
suffer death under the colour of public justice. — Jesos
CHRisTunderwentanioick trial, was declared innocent by
his very judge, and yet delivered over to be crucified $3
67. The followers of Messiah were all to forsake hi rrj
in the time of his greatest need.-^When JEsys Christ
was apprehended, and put upon his trial, all his disci-:
|>les^farsook him and fled ||.
68. MEssiAtrwas to finish his public employment, in
confirming the covenant, in about threeyears and a half*
'—-Jesus Christ began his public office at thirty years,
pf age, and was put to death at thirty- three and a half**.
69. Messiah was to be ignominiously spourged by
his persecutors.— Jesus Ch rist was treated . in this
manner ft-
70. Messiah was tq be smitten on the face in the day
of his humiliation.— -Jesus Christ was basely buffeted
by the. hands of vile slaves % J. ,
71. Messiah was to have his face befouled with spit-:
tie:— Jesus Christ condescended for our' sakes even,
to this indignity without complaining^.
'•• 72. Mes-

* Compare Psalm xli. 9 ; lv. 12, 18 ; Mat. xxvi. 47—50.
+ Compare Zechariah xi. 12 ; Matthew xxvi. 14— -16.
% -Compare Zechariah xi. 18 ; Matthew xxvii. 3-— 10.
•'§ Compare Isaiah lix. 8, 9 ; -Matthew xxvii.
|| Compare Zechariah xiii. 7 ; Isaiah lxiii. 5 ; Matthew xxvi. 56.
v '"** Compare Daniel ix. 27, with the period of our Lord's ministry
in the four Gospels. On this remarkable prediction of Daniel, consult
-Ma<;i|aurin's Essay on the Prophecies, p. 103, and Sir. Isaac New*
STP.n's Observations on Daniel, ch. x. II.
++ Compare Isaiah 1.6, with Matthew xxvii. 26.
%% Compare Isaiah 1. 6 ; Iii.. 14 ; Micah v. 1 ; and Matthew xxvi. 67,
§§ Compare Isaiah 1. 6 j Matthew xxv. 67.

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS.' 110
72.[ Messiah was to be wpunded in his hands, even
by his own friends. — Jesus CHRisrhad his hands nailed
to the cursed tree by his own countrymen *.J
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 disfigured and dispoiledt?
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 away the
siits ofthe world, before Pilate held his peace. And
•when he teas • accused of the chief priests and elders, he
ansxoered nothing \.
75. Messiah was to be taken up with wicked men
hi his death.- — Christ was suspended on a cress between
two thieves §. ,76, Mes*'
* Compare Zechariah xiii. 6. with John xx. «7.
"r Compare Isaiah Iii. 14, with Matthew xxvii. 29, SO. — 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,, trjat
** The mbre minute some of these circumstances are in themselves, the
" greater and more convincing is $e evidence of divine fore-knowledge
" in the prediction of them ; because the conformity between the predic-
" tion and the history is so much the more circumstantial."
See Maclaurino* the Prophecies, p, 63 .
X Compare Isaiah liii. 7, with Matthew xxvi. 63, and xxvii, 12 — 14,
§ Compare Isaiah liii. g, with Matthew xxvii. 38, 60.
See ori this whole chapter Afthorp's seventh discourse on prophecy, and
Dr. Gregory Sharp's Second Argument in defence of Christianity, pages
222. — 274. A comparison of this 53d chapter of Isaiah, with the ac
count given in the four Evangelists of the sufferings of Christ, was
made the instrument of convincing the witty and wicked. Earl ef Ro
chester. The narrative given of this remarkable transaction by bishop
Burnet is worth insertion in this'place 1— Rochester said. to bishop
Burnet, '" Mr. Parsons, in order to his conviction, read to him the
53d chapter of Isaiah, and compared that with our Saviour's passion,
that he might there see a prophecy concerning it, written many ages be
fore it was done ; which 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 fek an inward force upon him, which did so enlighten'
.his mind, and convince him,, that he could rqsist it no longer : for the
• I 4 words

120, ': A *1>LEA FOR RELIGION
76. Messiah was to be buried in the sepulchre of a
rich man.— Christ was buried in the tomb of a rich
counsellor-^.
; '"- 77. MESsiAriwas to be put to death at the end of 490.
years from the tirhe a commandment should go forth to.
restore and to build Jerusalem. — Now it is rerharkable,
that from the seventh year of Artaxerxes Longi^
hands, king of Persia, from whom Ezra received his,
commission, ch. vii. 8, to the death of Jesus Christ,
there are just 4-QO years t-
78.TMessiah .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 +3
79- The persecutors of Messiah were to pierce his
hands and his feet. -^-So did the bloody Jews and Romans.
treat the Redeemer of mankind §%
80. The enemies of Messiah were to laugh him to.
scorn, and to taunt and reproach hifli with satirical lan-
¦ • £>'ua°'e.
words had an authority, which did shoot like rays or beams in his mind,
so that he was not only convinced by the reasonings he had about itj
which satisfied his understanding, but by a power, which did so effectually
constrain him, 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
him, that he had got- it by heaft ; and went through a great part
of it in djscourse with me, with a sort of heavenly pleasure, giving me
his reflections upon it. Some few I remember: Who hath believed our.
report^ Here, he said, was foretold "'the opposition the gnspel was to
. meet with from such Wretches as he was. He hath no form or comeliness ¦
find vohen vie shall see him, there voas no beauty, that vie should desire him.
On this he said, the meanness of his appearance and person has made,
yain and foolish people disparage' him, because he came not in such
a fool's coat as they delight-in. What- lie said on the other parts, I do
not, says', the. Bishops well remember." ¦ Sharpe's Second Argument,
p. 238—240. '¦¦'', ' . . . ' J":,-
' * Ibid. ¦' ';, I
T Daniel ii. 2'4. See Sykes's Essay on the Truth ofthe Christian Re
ligion, p. 20. And forthe times of the birth and passion of Christ,
- iconsult the 1 1 th chapter of Sir Isaac Newton's Observations upon the.
prophecies s/"Daniel,
% Compare Psalm lxix. 21, with Matthew xxvii. 34-, and John xijc.
28— 80.
§ Compare - Psalm xxii. ,l6j with ; Matthew xxvii. 35.— -Crucifixion
p-as a thing nbt known* among the Jevis in the time of David, nor" for-
many jjges afterwards, •

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS, 1 2 I
guage. — So did the Jews conduct themselves towards
Christ in the day of- his distress*.
81. WhenMEssiAti was put to death, his enemies were
to part his garments.ainong them, and for his i vesture
they were to cast lots. — When Christ was crucified
these transactions took ,place t-
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 £.
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 §,
84-, It was prophesied of Messiah, ,that he should
make intercession for transgressors. — -Jesus Christ in
terceded with God for his very murderers, and now ever
liveth at his Father's" right hand to plead thecause of
the sinful children of men ||.
85. Messiah M'as to hecutdff, but not for himself —
Jesus Christ, who was holy, harmless, undefiled, and
separate from sinners, was cut off by the hands of wicked
men, to reconcile God to his rebellious creatures**.
86. When Messiah should come, there was to be a
fountain opened to the house of David, andto the inha
bitants of Jerusalem, for sin, and j'crunclcanness. — When*
Ch rist came, heappeqredto put away sin by the sacrifice of
himself, and by the shedding of his i lood once for all ff.
87. MESsiAHwastomakeatpnementforthe iniquities,
transgressions, and sins ofthewprid.- — Jesus Christ was
ff propitiation for the sins ofthe whole worldj.
; - 88. Mes-
'9 Compare Psalm xxii. 7, 8, with Matthew xxvii. 3()-s— 44.
t Compare Psalm xxii. 18, with Matthew xxvii. 35.
,,'X Compare Exodus xii. i6, and Numbers ix. 12, with John xvi.
?I— Sfi.  . _ %
§ .Compare Zechariah xii. 10, with John xix. 34, 37. *¦'< - '
|| Compare Isaiah liii. 12; Hebrews vii. 25.
** Compare Daniel ix. 26 ; Isaiah liii. 8 ; Matthew xxvi. and xxvii.
phapters. .
ii Compare Zechariah xiii. 1 ; and Hebrews ix. arid x. chapters.
±X Compare Isaiah liii. 5 ; Daniel ix. 24 ; 1 John ii. I, 2.

122 A I?LEA TOR RELIGION
\
88. Messiah was to make this atonement in the last of -
Dan i el's seventy weeks. -*-Jesus Christ was crucified
in that very Week '¦*.
«-.. 89. Messiah was to abolish the old, and introduce a
new dispensation. — Jesus Christ abolished the cere
monies of the Law of Moses, and brought in amove
perfect Jand rationaQceconomy '|\
.90. rfne blood of Messiah was to be the blood ofthe
covenant, which skouldbring prisoners out of the pit where
there is no water. — The blood of J^sus Christ was the
blood ofthe new covenant-dispensation, which, whoso
ever disregards, shall bear the blame for ever t- '
9l. Messiah. was not to lie in the grave and beturned
to Corruption like other men. — Jesus Christ did not
continue in the grave, nor did he see corruption like
the rest of mankind §.
92. Messiah was to be raised from the grave on the
third day after his interment.— Jesus Christ was bu
ried on the Friday, and rose from the dead on the Smw
day morning following ||.
93. When Messiah should arise from the dead, he was
to bring some tokens with him of his victory over the jn^
fernal powers. — When J es us C h rist entered, thestate of
the dead, he led captivity captive, unloosed the bands of
death,
* Daniel ix. 27. See this rema&kable prophecy of Daniel illustrated
at large in Prujeaux, p. 1. b. 5. Consult also the.fourrh and fifth of
Apthorp's Discourses, and Chandler's Defence, p. 132 — 15Q-- — ":The
" doctrine of atonement," says bishop Sherlock, " is that which, tog?,
," ther with the principles on which it is founded^ and the consequences,,
5* naturally flowing from it, distinguishes the Christian religion frorrj all '
" other religions whatever." y Sermons, vol. -4. dis. 3. p. SS.
_ The present excellent bishop of London also tells us, " It is, without
dispute, the great distinguishing character of the Christian dispensation,
the wall of partition between natural and revealed religion, the rnajrt
foundation of all our hopes of pardon- and acceptance hereafter.",
*+ Compare Jeremiah xxxi. 31 — 34, with Hebrews viii.1 6 — 13.,
t Compare Zechariah ix. 1 1, with Hebrews x. 29 ; xiii. sp.
'§ Compare Psalm xvi. 10, with Matthew xxviii. 6.
|| Compare Hosea vi, 2 ; Matthew .xx. 15 ; Matthew xxviii. l-^i;
1 Corinthians x-v. 4. ...

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 123
death, and raised many bodies of the saints, which were
confined under his dominion *.
94. Messiah was to ascend up into heaven, and reign
there 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 f.
95.|When Messiah ascended into heaven, his ascen
sion 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 ApostUs in white apparel, and addressed them on
the jovful occasion \7\
96'. [Messiah was to send down from "heaven the gift
of the Holy Ghost, as a token and pledge that he was
exalted, and that his Father Was pleased with what he
had done upon earth for the redemption of his people. -~
Jesus Christ sent down the gift of the Holy Ghost,
in the niost conspicuous and miraculous manner %7\
97\ The
* Compare Psalm lxviii. 18, with Matthew xxvii. 52.
+ Compare Psalm xvi. 1 1 ; lxviii. 1 8 ; Isaiah ix. 6, 7 ; Luke xxiv.
£0, 51 j Acts i. g ; and Matthew xxviii. 18.
The excellent Tillqtson observes, that " all things which the Pro.
*< phets had foretold concerning the Messiah were punctually made good
*' in the person-, and actions, and sufferings of our Saviour. ',
V Sermon 104.
X Compare Daniel vii. 13, 14, with Acts i. 10, 1 1.
§ Compare Psalm lxviii. 18; Joel ii. 28 — 32, with Acts ii. 1 — i,
and Ep. iv. 8—12.
f When our Lord, after his resurrection, beginning at Mose-s and
¦A'LL the Prophets, had expounded unto his Apostles in all the scriptures.
¦the things concerning himself, and opened their understanding, 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 continued series of connexion, one uni
form analogy and design, carried on for fnany ages by divine prescience
through a succession of prophecies ; 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 interniediate events. Nothing is mofe 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
pf them be capable" of being possibly applied to him. And whatever irv
termediate

•T3i .' A FLEA/POR RELrGION*.v,. • ;
:i 97. -The doctrine of Messijah was' to begin to be
preached at Jerusalem, and from thence to spread itself
through the- nations. — .The gospel of Christ Was; first-
.preached in that city, and actually dispersed itself
through all "the; neighbouring countries in. the course 61*
-a 'few years*. - ¦¦•' ;;.v . ;;. . >v«
- 9%-' Though. Mess-iah was to be, generally rejected and
-despised iii his life-time ; '-after his.' death, the pleasure
¦ of a he Lord, iitfthe conversion and. salvation £>f mahr
ikid', was to prosper inihis haiid.—riiow exactly these
"circumstances agree, with the history of Jesus Christ.!,
.-is well-known tat. every Christian^. i -.. >< . .,,:;'
";' 99- The'^tpllowers of Messiah sfeouldmeet with great
'aqslseVere trials.alid perslecutiorx'for their adherence, to
. his u4use.— rTte-'follawers of Jesus Christ had!.- the
•.'whdfe world in arm s: against them for several. ages "t..
- 100. The rejectors of Messiah should be rejec'tejdof
God, .and his' fol lowers called byiaootber nanie.,— The.
Jews, who would not have. Christ, to rule over themj
were rejected by him, and his followers were called bv
another name, thrdiVgh divine appointment, -as it should
seem, %p accomplish. this prophecy §. - -¦'¦¦ "¦<•-'*
v 101. Miss i ah was tb be opposed by kings, and pefsbris '
in authority, with great vigouivaud resolution .-—Jesus
-Ch r i st was very general ly opposed through the' whole of
' -"fe'fmed-iate deliverarices or deliverers of God's- people- may seemingly 0$
> really be spoken of upon particular occasions, nothing is more. ¦ reason*.
'abie'thart'to believe "(in 'the Apostle's certainty, who conversed personally
with out Lord after-h'is-resiirrectiori, nothing could 'be^more reasOnablfc
fh;in 'to' believe) th;it the ultimate and general view of the prophetic
'fipiRi.-r always was fixed on- him, of whom in some of the -ancient pro-
-phe'cles it is 'expressly affirmed, "that 'Gob's servant, David, shall be the
', PkiN:C*E oyer'his people for ever; that his ^dominion shall be atfceiVe*.
^a'sti'rrg dominion, which shall not ¦_ pass. "away ;, and his .kingSttn-i tha-t
'which ;sli'all not be destroyed."' - - .'c- . .- '" -.,.-, ,, -jj ¦;.(,, ',-,-.•
¦ ' '-¦'"' Clarke's" Sermons, vol. viser.J.
* Compare Isaiah ii. 1—4 ; Mkah. lv..-\l-£.-4 ; -with Acts sdchap;
•an3PR6mans x. 18': - ._¦•/,'
¦'•''"'+' Isaiah liii. -Ji'o— I2i ' . . '-,') fl,
*•-, ^¦M2rjmpvare-rIsaiiih lxvi. 5.--and Malachi. iii. 1---3, with Mattljiwsac.
*i'6.."--'lX d-'rfrJ;i CoriWfciians^V-O. '••.-t.hf,,-^ -js,* ';. .„.-. . -,j .,;„]-; , .
§jr€binpare Isaiah lxii. S.j lxv.,15, with Acts xi, 20. -

AND- TH£ SACRED WRITINGS. K>j
his public ministry, by the great Ones ofthe world, and
all the power of the Roman empire was in opposition to
llis cause and peoplefor upwards-of three hundred years*.
- 10y Notwithstanding the opposition 'of the kings
and princes of the world for a season, the time was to
come when, kings should be nursing: fathers to the
church, and queens nursing mothers. -4Most of the go-'
vernors of the nations of Europe have oeen protectors
ofthe cause of Christ now for many centuries f^
103. it was, upon a great variety of occasions, pre
dicted, that Messiah should enlighten the ' Gentile
nations with the. knowledge of the true God. — Jesus
Christ gave particular commandment to his Apostles,-
no longer to confine their ministrations to the Jews, as~
he had done during his life-time ; but to go out into all
the ysorld, and preach the gospel to every creature^..
10 k Messiah was to destroy the covering of the face
which was cast over all people, and the veil which whs
spread over all nations. — When Jesus Christ appeared,1
he, by his IVord, Spirit, and Apostles, enlightened the
minds of men, and effected a most surprizing change
in all the nations where his gospel was received §.
105. To Messiah every knee was to bow, every tongue
to swear, and every heart to submit. — The whole Chris
tian world, 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 beleverlastingly annihilated ||.
106. It was predicted, that all the enemies of Messiah
should be ashamed and confounded.— Jesus Christ ha?
already made an awful example of his enemies, the Jew;;;
first, in the destruction of their city and temple; second -

* Compare Psalm ii. 2 ; ex. 5', 6 ; Luke xxiii. 8 — 12. Sec the His
tory of the Church vfor the First Three Centuries.
t Isaiah xlix. 23 ; Ik. iii.
X Compare Isaiah lx. with, Mark xvi. 15.
§ Compare Isaiah xxv. 6-U-8 ; Acts ii. 1— -1 1 ; xxvi. 17, 18.
|[ Compare Psalm ex. i ; Isaiah xlv. 25 ; 1 Corinthians xv. 24—^28 ; ,
and Philippia: ii. 10, 11, 6

T£6" A PLEA FOR RELIGION
ly, in their present dispersion; and, in the propeV season,
eyery Opposing power should be brought intosubjection*.
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 Jews pe->
rished, while every single believer fled out of the city,
and escaped in safety to the mountains f.
108. Messiah was ;to appear in the world at the com,
summation 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
x 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, wherein should dwell universal righteousness. — •_
Jesus CHRisTishe who alone is equal to the mighty un-?
dertaking, and is divinely appointed to that office §.
This is a concise view of the predictions contained ill
the Old Testament, concerning the nature, birth, life, doc
trine, suffering, death, resurrecticn, ascension, andking*
dom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. There
can be no doubt respecting thepriority of the predictions-
to the birth of Christ, because it is well known by every
persbn, who is at all conversant in these matters, that the
QtdTestamcnfwas transl ated ou t of Hebrew in to the Greefy,
language, and dispersed over the wOrld many years be*
fore Ch rist came ; and that the latest of the predictions
was upwards of three centuries before the birth of the
Re PEemer of mankind. Siichavarietyofcircumstances, therefore^
* Compare Psalm ii. 9; Psalm ex. 1; Isaiah xlv. 24; liv. 17; 1*«
1 2. ; with Matthew xxiv ; 2 Thes. i. 7— >9.; and the History of the Jews*
+ Compare Malachi 3d and 4th chapters, with the History of that re>
rnarkable Siege.
X Compare Job -xix. 33 — 27; Isaiah xxv. 8 ; Daniel xii. l---3;H6-
sea xiii. 14 ; Micah ii. 13 : Matthew xxv. Si— 46' ; John xi/ 25.£
Acts xvii. ,s,0, Si ; 1 Corinthians vi. 3 ; 2 Corinthians v. 10.
$ Cornpare Hosea xiih 14; Isaiah lxv, 175 lxvi* S8;-l Corinthian*
XV. 54, 55 j Revelations xx. 14 ; xxi. 4. ,

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 127
therefore, predicted concerning oneman, so manyyears
before he was born, of so extraordinary a nature, and
under such convulsions and revolutions of civil govern
ments, all accomplished in Christ, and in.no other
person that ever appeared in the world, point him out,
with irresistible evidence, as the-SAVi&UR of mankind,
I call upon, and challenge the most hardened infidel in
Christendom to refute the conclusion.
But to render the investigation more simple, and to
bring the inquiry within a narrower compass, ,, let any
man, who is sceptically inclined, take thefifty-second and
fifty-third chaptersof Isaiah, and compare them serious
ly with the twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh chaptersof
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- ex
tremely minute circumstances of time, place, character,-
and the like, should concenter in Christ, and in no
other person that ever appeared in human nature, is
truly remarkable, and absolutely demonstrative of his
Messiahship. Indeed, that he should be born at such
a time, in such a place, and under circumstances of po
verty ; that he should suffer, and be opposed by those that
Avere strangers to his character-, and be finally put tp an
ignominious death.: these things were all common to hira-
Avith many more of our fellow-creatures. But, that he
should profess to be the Saviour of mankind— that he
shouldbe described as one that, was to come — be born
under the fourth monarchy — while the second temple
was yet standing — before the dominion of the Jews was
entirely taken away — in a time of profound and universal
peace — wheii there was agcneral expectation of some ex-
traordinary'ri'erson: — 'that he should have existed with
God before the foundations ofthe world were laid — been
the companion of the Aemighty — been sprung from
the Deity by an ineffable 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 Abraham- Isaac— J acob-J u dah
.. , 4 —Jesse

128 A' PLEA TOR RELIGION
— Jesse — David— born in mean condition — yetbavirig?1
an illustrious herald preceding him— in thespiritpf Eli-*
j ah preaching, not in Jerusalem, butinthe wilderness—
and successful in. his office .-—that he should be bom in
Bethlehem — go down into Egypt— be a preacher ofthe
gospel— exercise his ministry in Galilee- — in the neigh
bourhood of Zebulon and Naphfali — yet be the proprietor-
of the temple in Jerusalem:— that he should be emphati
cally the servant of God, whose name is the Branch — a
plant of reriown— 'the messenger ofthe covenant— a pro
phet — a priest; npt'of the tribe of Lkvi, and after the
order of Aa ron, but after the order of MelchIzedek — ¦
a king— 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— Ema- -
rttiel— the Shepherd — Jehovah our righteousness— -the
lion ofthe tribe of Judah :' — that he should be anointed,
not with oil to his offices, but with the Holy Ghcst : — -
that'he should be of a most meek, patient, and humble
dispo it on — :teachingmanki ad the doctrines of salvation.
without pompand noise — endowed with a peculiar degree
of wisdom and understanding — and speaking the most
healing words totenderminds'and afflicted consciences-
changing, thereby all the powers of the soul :— that he
should confirm the reality of Ins mission and the divinity .
of his doctrine by a variety of benevolent miracles^— and
yet that the principal persons among his countrymen
should not submit tphis pretensions — ;bethe chief corner'
stone of his church — and, notwithstanding, rejected by .
the builders — though embraced by many ofthecommore
people :.— that he should be despised and rejected of
'men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with griefs-
seen riding in humble triumph into the capital of his
kingdom — the people crying ho'sannato the son of Daj
vid :— that his zeal for the h on pur of God should trans
port him almost to excess:— that he should be betrayed
by a friend— sdld for thirty pieces of silver':; — that these
pieccsshould be thrown down in the temple — and applied
to ¦fhepyrehaseof apotter's field r — that he should be con
demned in judgement— forsakenby all his friends in his'
greatest need — finish his public office in three years and a
,, ¦ hahi

Attfi THE SACRED WRITING*. 1S£
half— be ignaminiouslyscourged— smitten on the face —
befouled ,with Spittle — wounded in his hands — by 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 par
ticular period— presented with vinegar and gall —
wounded in his hands and feet — 'laughed to scorn under
his sufferings: — that. his garment should be 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 trans
gressors — be cut off, though innocent :— that a fptm-.
tain should be opened to wash away •sin-^-atonernent
made for the iniquities of the world — in the last., of
Daniel's ?0 Weeks — the old covenant abolished— -a new
one introduced— the blood of M essi a h 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: — thatheshould bring from the dead
some tokens of his victory — ascend into heaven — at
tended with angels — take his place at the right hand of
God- — arid send down the. Spirit upon his followers :—*
that the gospel should be first preached in Jerusalem-^
multitudes converted to the faith — great persecutions
endured by those who embraced it — the Jews rejected — -
and the church called by a new name : — that the gospel
should be generally opposed by the kings and governours
of the world — yet after some time they should become
favourable, and give it encouragement : — that the Gen
tile nations should be enlightened and called: — that,
every soul should submit to Messiah — those who reject
him being confounded — and those who embrace him
being protected : — thatheshould finally be the judge of
the ¦world— destroy death—and crown h is 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
Chuist, wi-Uiout any one. exempt case, and in no other
k person

130 A PLEA FOR RELIGION
person that ever appeared upon earth : if under suclt
circumstances Jesus Christ were1 not" the person in
tended in the divine councils, and the Messiah whom
all the Prophets were inspired to predict, it would be ;
one of the greatest of miracles. Prophecy would beiof
nd use. All evidence would be rendered precarious, and
mankind left to ioatfi af large, without any, satisfactory
guide to direct their steps in pursuit of truth and salva
tion. I think then we may say, with unshaken confi
dence, in the words of St. Philip to Nathaniel ; Wt
havefoundhim of whom Moses in the Laxo and the Pro
phets didwrite, Jesus o/Nazareth, the son (/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 shall find they also, are
extremely remarkable, and absolutely conclusive for
the divine authority , of the Sacred Writings.
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, invaded the
land of Israel about <}00 years before .the birth of
Chris*, and carried* into, captivitya considerable nuni-
ber ofthe i nhabitants of the country. Among others, led
captive, were Daniel and his three companions, Sha- :
drach, Meshach, and Abed-nego,> In the second
year of his reign hehad a remarkable dreairii, which made
- a strong impression upon his mind, but which he was not
able to recollect. He sent for ailthe wise men of Babylon*,
and, however unreasonable the injunction, insisted, that
they should make known his dream, together with the
interpretation thereof, upon pain of death. After some
time; theking'sdeterminationwasrcvealed untoDAN lit.
He requested a little respite might be,,allow,ed him, be
fore the decree should be put in execution. This behVg
granted, he went to his three religious companions, arid
desired them to join with him in fasting and prayfer/to
entreat the Lord to discover unto him the, king's dream, -
and the interpretation thereof. The Lord was intreated
of Dan r el and his three friends, and the whole matter^
from first to last, was revealed unto him, to the full satis- ,
faction, and even astonishment of the king. The intro
duction to the dream is extremely beautiful. See Daniel
ii. 1 — 30. The dxea,m is this i Dan. ii. 31 — 35. The in-
terpretatioa'

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS* \$l
tarpretaticn runs thus: Dan. ii. 37—45. The king was so-
affected with the wonderful manifestation of his inmost
thoughts, that he was quite overcome, forgot his dwti
dignity,andfell into an act of idolatry. Dan. ii. 46* — 49*.
The dream is so distinct, the interpretation of it so
satisfactory, and the whole so perfectly conformable to
the history pf -the world, as far as the several ages have
hitherto proceeded, that no thoughtful man can help
being exceedingly struck with the accuracy of the di-
Vi n-e foreknowledge.
Thedream itself was the figure of an image in the form
of a man, made principally of metal, but yet the metal
was, of different kinds. The head tvas of gold. This was an
emblematical representation of Nebuchadnezzar and
the Babylonian empire over .which he presided. The
breast and the arms of the image were of silver. This was
an emblematical representation qf the empire of Persia,
which was to subvert and succeed the Babylonian. Ne
buchadnezzar was, at that time, the mcst ppwerful
monarch in all the earth, and made Babyfon, the capital
of his kingdom, the wonder ofthe world. Within sixty
years, however, the empire was overturned, and Babylon
itself taken by Cyrus the Great, afterwards king of
Persia.— The belly and thighs of the image were of brass.
This represented a third empire which was to succeed the
Babylonian and Persian., Acpprdingly, about 200 years
after the establishment of the Persian empire, Alex
ander, 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 oj iron and part of clay. This
is the Roman ; for it was these people who subdued the
four successors of Alexander, and reduced their
kingdoms into Roman prpvinces, and particularlyGrreece
arid Macedonia,, which were subdued by them 130 years
after the conquest of Persia byALExANDERthe Great,
and tOO years before the birth of Christ. The Roman
k a empire
* Let the Reader take his Bible, turn to, these several passages and
consider them well, before be proceeds to the observations which follow.

A fLE-A JTPR KE11GI0N
ompire then was the fourth and the last. It was r-epre-'
sented in this image by iron lags, and feet of iron ani
al/iy. Thou sawest, says Daniel to- the king, till thap
a: xtotie mas cut out without hands, which smote the image
upon his feet, that were of iron and clay, and brake
tkcm to pieces. Then was the. iron, the day., the brass,
tike silver, and the gold,. hr ohm to pieces together, and
h$cam& like the chaff. " of the summer, threshing floors';
and the vnvd- carried them away, that no plaet i -was-
found for them : and the stc?ie that smote- the image,
bgcame a. great mountain, a.nd filled the whole earth;
' The four empires were all tb be destroyed, and a fifth
¦mas to succeed, which was to be different from all that
h&d'gOAie before. The fourth too was tp be unlike the
three former in .several respects. The imag-e had iron
legs. This- implied, thatvthe empire^' represented*' by
them, was to, be more powerful than any of>* those- which
had gone before. Bui then, the. feet and' toes of the
image were part of iron, and part of elayv This was^ to-
den,ot$, that the latter ages of the Roman- em-pi-re- were
partly streng andi partly weak. The ten toes too, upon '
the feet of, the image, were designed- to represent ten
kingdoms into, which, the Roman empire was to be di
vided, just as. the two feet of a human creature are split
into ten ramifications. This is expressed by1 the prophet
in the manner follpwing : Whereas thou, sawest the feet
and toes, part of patter s clay and part of iron ; the kingr
dom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the*
strength of the iron ; forasmuch as thou sawest the -iron
mixed with. miry clay, so tlw- kingdom shall be partly
.strong and partly, broken., y And whereas thou sawest,,
iron miredmith miry \ clay,- they shall mingle themselves
zoith the seed of men, but they shall not cleave om
to: another, even as iron is not mixed zv'vth clay. The
meaning of which seems, to . be, the- rulers- of the ten
kingdoms, into which the Roman, empire will be di
vided^ shall form _ marriages, alliances, and- contracts
orie with another from- time to time, forsupporting each
others interests;, but none-of their schemes and. alliances- -
for, obtaining universal empixe shall stand. They shall,
all, be broken uftd cqme. tp, naught. - No universal,, ern-
8 pir©

and The sacred "writiStb^. t$$
pire Shaltevhr exist upon earth again, till the spiritual
empire of Jesus Christ, over the hearts, mines', soiiis,
consciences, and lives of men takes place. JEfcus,
niaugre ail opposition, shall he an universal itiSharbhYl
andtheonly universal mohai^chwhoshalleverexist' again.
It is riot, however, expressly asserted iri the'prophee^-
before us, that the Roman etnpite should be split intQ ten
kingdoms. It is only said, the kingdom shall be divided.
But though it is not asserted in so many words, it is'
strongly' intimated by the ten toes of the two feet ofthe
image. And the whole ismore fully explained in DaNIel'sT
vision, recorded in the seventh chapter, where thfe beast,
#hifeh issyttibolical of the Rbmdn empire, is represented
With ten horns, as here the image with ten toes. And,
indeed, it l*s: necessary tti the full understanding of this
dfeain of 3Sf KSUcHadNezzAr, that we should Conipat6
it with-the -*is?dh of DanIel, which signifies life safnfc-
thin> under different irn-is-e^, With SOriie additidnal eit-»
chnisfiattces. '¦ This vision of Daniel Was near fifty years
after the- dream df N ebu CH a D n e 2za1r. The, first |>att
of the vision is in Dab. vlh 1 — 8.
After this, the ptophet had a representation of iheetef-1
lasting F At ntti of the universe, wifhhis eternal Son, the
*/e**erfJtesu"s,:p'lssingsctitenceuponthelittleJiorhinthese
verses. A horn is a symbolical representatioq of g.pverh>
ment, power, dominion. The gOVernrtient.signifie.d by
this UHle horn was to be Utterly destroyed, and.JfesusiS
to erect his Universal empire upon the ruins of it. Se&
Dan. vii. 9—14. This is the safne glorious anti univer-f
sai&ifigdbhi of Messiah, Which is described Tn Nr>
BuciiABNEizAR's dream. Compare Dan. ii. 3*5 A44.
When Dan iel had beheld the jbdgrhent of .the little
horn, he did not Understand the meaning of it. He was,
therefore, greatly troubled, arid verydesirolis of knowing
what the, whole signified. After a little, time, 'he teok
courage and went up to one of the glorious Beings, who
stood by to enquire. Whereupon the happy Spirit, that
Wa$ in the. traift of Mfiss'lAh,' laid dpett. tb Daniel the
outlines of the "whole history of the corruptions ofthe
•0nrtw«httFeh-r4l^ K--3 mg

\3k A PI.EA FOR RELIGION -
ing enormity— ^their subversion-^and their tctaldenioll-
,tion; See Dan,, vii. 15— S8.
These are wonderful predictions*, in which we are
almost nearly concerned ; because the awful times'of
which they speak, we have reason to. believe, ar-e-justat
band ; arid we none of us know how soon we may be in
volved in the distresses which are here foretold. The .Re^
iMflwempire, wehave seen, was to be broken up, and divid
ed into ten kingdoms. Some time soon after the formation
of these tenkingdoms,vfhieh&ve denominated horns, them
was to rise one little horn, 'one small dominion, under
neath, or from behind three ofthe ten horns, or king
doms, into which the empire should be divided.. This,
little horn was to conquer and subdue three of the ten
horns, andtousurptheirdominion. Afterthis, it wastage
on and increase moreai,Klmore till it had obtained a pecu
liar kind of power and jurisdiction overall theseven pther
horns. This one Uttlehorn, that was become so grfatand
powerful, was also ;ta grow proud, and vain, anckG5?ueL
and blopdy, and tyrannical, and idolatrous, and a vile pel"-*
secutor ofthe tri^e servants of theliving God. Thisbpr->
fibly bloody, and tyrannical power was to be aided and
assisted in its cruelties tp wards the genqinefollowers of the*
Lam b, py all/the other seven kingdoms, over which it had
obtainfdan unbounded influence. Thiswicked and erue
dominion was to continue a time and times aud half a time,
Ati/pe herein propbetielanguage, signifies. a Jezvishyear,,
which cojnsisted df only 360 days. The times then-will
signify twice 360 days; and ^//'«/i#3ewillsignifyhalfof
,$60 days, or 180 days. But a day in the language of
prophecy, is put for. a year, If, therefore, we add these
numbeis together, they will be thrice 360 year?, and 1 80
years, or exactly 1260 years, for the continuanceof this
blppdy and tyrannical power; at the end of wh^h period
it is to be completely and everlastingly destroyed.
; , ' New,
* The reader will find the'sej arid other predictions qf PANiEL,ably
explained by the late Bishop Newton in his Dissertations on the Prophe
cies. Few of our most able writers on the Prophecies, however, seem
to nie to have anyi<}ea that they apply to the Protectant establishments^

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. N 135
i
Now, let us look back and seewhether all thesestrange
predictions of .Daniel" 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 ten horns, f he
Bishop of Rome, inasortof secret and imperceptible man
ner, did arise to temporal dominion, and subdued, by the
help of Pepin, king of France, three of those ten states,
into which the empire had been divided ; the senate of
Rome, the kingdom of Lombardy, and the exarchate of
Ravenna; three governments all in Italy. And, it is ex
tremely remarkable, that upon becoming master of these.
three states, the Bishop of Rome assumed a triple
'crown,: 'which he hath worn ever since, and which he
continues to wear to this very day! — This is wonderful!
-Now the Bishop of Rome was to retain his power over
"these t hree states, arid his influence over the seven other
kingdoms 1260 years. Tf we knew exactly when to begin
to reckon these years, we should know precisely when the
destruction of Antichrist would take plaCe *. Spmebegin
*to reckon from the year 606, when the proud Prelate of
Rome was declared Universal Bishop. Others begin from
the year 666, fheapocdlyptk number ; and others from the
year 756, when he became a temporal prince. If the
first period isright, thenthe Pope of Rome, the undoubted
Antichrist ofthe New Testament, will-be completely de
stroyed as a horn, about the year 1866. If the second
period is intended by the Spirit of Prophecy, r then his end
will be near the year 1,9 26. But if the third period is
the time, then Antichrist will retain some part of his
dominion pver the natiens till abput the year 201 fit*
Mpst
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,
* The temporal power of the Pope is already, gone j what further re
mains to be done, a littk more time, a few more fleeting year* will shew.
IHaw eventful is the present period !
+ The number of Bishops, whom we usually call Popes, who have pre-
s * ' tided

1!§ #? A -.PLEA FOR RELIGION _
L Most evident it is, that he is. rapidly falling. There is
a, great deal, however, yet to bedpne. ;Bnt,.?«^e«GoB>
works, who shqflkt ? Much has been already done, and
.qll willbeacconiplishefl in due time, Not one wop
shall fall to the. ground of all that the Lord hath spoken,
[Nay, not only shall Antichrist be overthrown, hut-even
jlame 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 sufficiently, clear and preci^e"*^]
", ,%hus JDaniel : — f beheld then- because of thjevftice of
tj$e~great words which the horn spake-: X beheld- even till
the : beast was s^ait%, qnd his body destroyed dna\giv§n, to
the p urn ing flam e. Thus too St.. Pa u l, where he i8
grpbably speaking pf Antichrist :^—The Lord Jesus
shall -§& revealed from heqyeftwith. his mighty angels,, in
flaming fire, taking vengeance on ths<rri that , ImpM-flPt
Gqp, and that obey not the Gospel of our. Lorp,,, Jesus.
Christ .:, •who > shall be-.-punisherf w.itb,e-ver,lastii\g.4$sdiiytffr-
pionfr-om thepresence ofthe l+o}$DlqndfnQm<tk:g.glavytiof
jhis-'pqwer. — And again, in .another place, in .the Mm*?
epistle, where he is cerfajnly aud professedly speaking
of Antichrist, he saith [—^slnd then shall that { Wicked
ke,revmle_4i whom the Lord */(?##sponsume;K7^.£/*£
spirit of fyis; mouth, and shall destroy with, thebrigytfnftgfi
of his coming,— -Thus top St, Jony :—ThefyvAST-gQefh
into perdition,— -Again : — Her plagues shall be in one
day, and she shall be utterly burnt with, fire, —
The kings of the earth shalt, he/wqil her, and'lqment fqir
fi^r, wh$n they seethe smoke of her 9vrtxi kg?, stqndiing
afar qjffyr j'ear of her torment, saying, AlqsJAkVsJ
that great city Babylon, that mighty aty ! /bjva&oNE,
hour is thy judgement come.— In one hour so great
riches are come tq Nqu gut ! — They shall sec the smoke
feide'd over the Romish ehureh from its first institution by the Apostles, \\
about tyvo hundred and fifty or sixty; they -Jhave, therefore, presided only
abbut sev«n years apiece Upon a-p average. -!- '
* It is. granted, a]i the passages upon this subject ar-e figurative ar^
prophetic, and therefore must be interpreted with caution ; but yet they
seem so strong af id precise, that we cannot well imik'rstarid theiwinany
mar* moderate sense. TJie.Re-^ef ^jj.1 compare them together, and
form/hj^gwji judgement,

AND' THE SACRED WRITINGS. 137
of her burning \—~And a mighty angel took up a stms
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 voke 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 millstone shall be heard no more- at ali
in thee ; and the light of a candle shall shine no more at
all in thee ; and the voice ofthe bridegroom and of the
bride shall be heard no mdre at all in thee. —Immediately
after these words, all the inhabitants of heaven are re
presented as rejoicing, and sayingJlALLELu jah ! And
her smoke rose up for ever. and, ever. ; •"
jjt will be allowed, these are very strong. expressions;
and imply a punishment extremely severe.. It is remark
able too, that all the country about the city' of Rome,
is a "kind of bitumen,, or pitchy substance. And in- the
year .of our Lord 80, a fire burst out from beneath the
ground, in the middle of the city, and burnt four ofthe
principal Heathen temples, with the sacred buildings of
the Capitol. Italy, indeed, as a storehouse of fire. And
when. the 1260 years are expired, Rome itself, with all
its magnificence, will be absorbed into a lake of fire,
sink into the sea, and rise no more at all for ever *."]
It was this grand Antichristian apostacyf , of which
we have been speaking, that St. Paul unquestionably
alludes-to in 2 Thes. ii. 1 — 12; in 1 Tim., iv. 1 — 3-; and
in .g-lTim, iii. 1 — 5. 'St. John speaks of the. same thing,
1 John ii, 1 8, 22 ; anal in the book of Revelation he hath
described the abominations of the Church of Rome at
'., ','-". , ' , considerable
(_* Being persuaded of the destruction of this metropolis ofthe Christian .
W0fld, one cannot help feeling pleasure that the French have removed ;
raany ofthe finest pieces of art from this vast repository of curiosities.^
'. + AtEX-A-NbER For-E, Esq. though a Catholic, as is supposed, . to the
day of his death, was convinced that the Church, of Rome had all the
flsark&pf that Antichristian power, predicted in- the writings ofthe New
^mtainent. And though he had not courage to profess himself a Pro*
teitant, he was firmly persuaded of thestruths of Christianity. RyfF»
P»49,y. 542,

138 A FLEA FOR RELIGION"
considerable length, but in language highly figurative*
If we will beat the pains to lay all these predictions to
gether, and compare them with those of Daniel, be
fore mentioned, we cannot fail seeing to whom all the
characters belong, and hbw awful the destruction is
which awaits this mother of abominations.
" But what is all this to us ? Have we not long ago
"renounced the errors and delusions ofthe Church of
" Rmne,-Am\ decfaredourselves professors ofthe genuine
" doctrines ofthe Redeemer of mankind ? May we
"" not -expect, therefore, to be delivered from those
•"judgements, which have already fatlen upon France
tl and other countries, and which shall assuredly fall ort
** all the Antiehristian, states in Europe, that' formerly
*' made apart ofthe Raman empire?"- '
The ten "\ kingdoms, before spoken of, we kno^ are
?ll to fall, at. the end of the said 1260years,'frorirtWe
time they owned the dominion ofthe 'little horn. Now,
England is universally allowed to be one of the ten; ' If
we begin to reckon the 1260 years from the time Gre
gory the Great, Pope of Rome, sent over Austin,;
and his companions to preach the gospel to our idolat
rous ancestors, there are a few years yet to expfotep* be
fore our doom shall be sealed in the courts above ^."'The
French can have -ho power against us till their commis*
mm is signed by the Gpvernor of the world.- The
times, and the seasons he hath reservedin his own hand.
Nations do not rise and fall by chance. "*C
?'But,
* The seven seals in this hieroglyphical book refer to Romt^, in her
Pagan state ; the seven trumpets to the Roman empire in its Christian
state; and the seven vials to the same Roman empire, broken into ten
kingdoms, in its Popish and Antiehristian state.
+ These ten kingdoms began to take their rise about the year of our
Lord 450, and proceeded more and' more towards permanency, for many
years. The revolutions and convulsions of those ages were horribly
cruel, bloody, and distressing.
, ; X There is some reason, from the present appearances of things, to
suppose, that the 1260 prophetical years must be calculated from a period
s.Qjnewhat earlier than the commencement of the seventh century. The
yearof our Lord 538 accords with the downfall Of the Pqpe 'i temporal
dominion, A. D, 1798.

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 139
*'¦ Bvtt, is thereno possibility of preventing, or avoid-
*' ing, the universal subversion awaiting1 both us and
*' all the other kingdoms of Europe, which constituted
"jJaTts of the ancient empire?"
nsThere seems to ^be one way*, and but one, in the
nature of things. Arid what may that be?: I am sorry to
?ay it is one which is by no meanslikely totakeplace.-
lt is athorough reformation.both in theory and practice ;
inehurchandstate; s^gerneralreformation in themoi aland
religious^onductof the inliabitantsof this country,. For
these; purposes, must' not religion be reduced to gospel
purity andsimplicityf? mustnottheC/mrcAbetotally un
connected
"lam le'd to think "there is still a possibility of averting our unhappy
dobm,' from1 the case of Nbteveh in JdNAH, and that oi -Jerusalem in
J«kEMiAH,'particularly':'ch. xxvi. "1-^-8." It were happy for'us, if the
possibility amounted to'a phbabilttj. Compare Jer. xViii. ' i-^10. Opr
safety by po means depends upon our rh'or'e frequent repetition 6f Phari
saical forms 'and superstitions ceremoniels, but Upon correcting what is
amiss in our morals, and un.cvangelical in our doctrines and ecclesiastical-
constitution, Was not the present' Pope of Rome dethroned at the Very
pioment he Was sWroiirided by his cardinal's, and celebrating his own ex
altation to the Papal chair ? Was there ever'a; more worthy aud religious
Pipe -than his present; Holiness} Were the ancient feiXis ever more
strictly and feuperstitiously religious, than when they crucified the Lord
©f 'Glory f or,' than-wheri their temple arid nation were destroyed?
+ Consult Dr. ^Hartley, in his Observations on Man, for a more
jS-rticular account of the fill of the Establishments in Christendom.' Our
j ecclesiastical goveyhours would do well to weigh seriously what that learned
Physician hd'th saidupo'n this subject, whiUVyet there is timer SeSPart 2.
Prop. 82. — But/ what 'can we expect from men who are surrounded
with worldly honours, entitled to a vast patronage 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 virtue rises above such seduce-
ments. Tillotson, Burnet, and others, will cpmplairi all' is not
right; will profess they wish things to be altered; but how seldom do-
we find a Btshqp or dignified Clergyman, who believes 'the Scripture's so
firmly, as to renounce alt the riches and honours- of this world, arid to
walk according to the 'unadulterated Gospel of the Saviour of man-.
Kind ? When 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 ?
Though he had been ever so eager for the removal of abuses before^
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 lose, and little to gain, by any change that can take
place: and, "a bird in the hand is worth two -in the bush." TWhen a
ma,n

1 40 • A F I'E-A" F 0$. fcfell G I 0%
connected with, andseparate from, the Cf6$X5o*s£4tUtid n?
This is thfe opinion of somerespetetableifteri* ¦Mu&riofoiir
JB&#o/«and Clergyhti reduced to the *c;'^?«-r«/standai,d?
Jesus Christ left sole king in'his own church? arid hu
man Ordinances in things sacred, git* Way to divine' pre
scription's? Without' these great 'moral aud relig^eM
changes, can we expect to Ife'presbrved fVoln the general
wreck- ef Europe? and whether these changes are likely
to takeplaeeamorigus, let any cool and impartial observer
judge. Should not our learned Bishops and Clergy see these
things,
roan has subscribed an indefinite number, of times to a set of propositions,
some of which he doubts, and others of which he' disbelieves, it is a
thousand to one but he goes on, too the end; of , the chapter, ^arrd sinks* at
last", into eternal perdition, as a, jbase prevarieator with God and cpni,
sciepce^l/If, in such a case, we cao.be i-n a state of . safety for eternity^
lam clearly of opinion, religion, is aU\a farce, aridjt is of little conse
quence, with respect tp (the fufUre world, whether we,, be Christians Tjr,"
Heathens, Jteius or Mahometans^-fiop reauire,th trutb^in the, innuqrd
farts.! . -,,,. ... ,3 ... ,.,.- ,.,. ¦- ? ¦•.-, - t,!p. .,- ... ,- ;..;=..
. tIt shpulds^em, .that the :fkj,il part of the 5n/^;cQnstitution is. also.
capable of (Considerable improvement. Ev^ry thing of both kin:ds, hown
eve/, rnight ,easj:ly be accomplished,, by the enlightened eHdeajvou-rs-of.oux
pr^sep ^legislature. , Do .^ot.^i^crp/iinal laws-^of the>country likew-is*
stan^jin meed of revisal ? Let any man judge of the truth of this, when
it is considered that we have upwards of 1-60 'offences punishable-.'Wifhj
death. • < - ¦ . ."•,•"»+¦
"The jurisprudence also of the country seems to* want reform in aypfitpffi
of respects. ,, The court of chancery in particular is enormously ,te4jiWt
and expensive. Do not other departments^. of th©Taw too need much
refornj I In the , county of Middlesex alone, in the year 1793,. fljq
number of Mailable writs, and, executions for5 debts from ten to twenty-.
pourids, amounted to no less then 5,712, and the aggregate amount of
the debts sued for, to S 1,79 1 pounds. ---The costs, of these action
although! , made up, and not defended, at all, would amount tp 68,728
pounds-— And, if defended, the aggregate expence to recover 81,79V.-
pounds, irnwt be no less thaw. 285,o,uo 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
I,0,opo pounds.— -Why are these abuses permitted to' continue ? is not
the case but too clear ? In short ; the whole head, is sick, and the whole
heart faint ; from the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness
among us. fThe 'B s play into the hands ofthe C  y ; thejL— — &
into, the h^nds ofthe A  ,s; the P  s into the hands of the-
A  s, &c. &c. Sec. thus the world goes round. There is more truth
in Jfyfr, Pope's observation than at first appears; that "an hones* man'!)-,
f^B noblest work of Gop," J Vide 3 treatise an the, folife of £e&i«S» *

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 141
things, and zealously attempt a reformation in them
selves, in the ecclesiastical part of the constitution of
the country, and among the great body of the people ?
Should they not universally cry aloud and not spare, and
sound the trumpet in CfocTs holy mountain 9 Should we
not all set ourselves in, good earnest to stein the tor
rent of iniquity, Avhich overflows these happy lands,
and threatens to involve us in one general calamity ?
The time is come. (Gtod hath sent forth the sword among
the nations, and it is Reformation' or Ruination*. Without
* 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
Gjispe.l of Christ, while they Themselves, are, by their conduct, the
grand supporters of our ecclesiastical hierarchy, with all its corruptions.
Itjthey wish effectually to serve their country, and -the cause of humanity,
they .should apply their rare abilities, to reduce the national religion to/the
pure standard of the Gospel, But what, can we expect, when men's eyes
ane blinded, and their hearts bribed by worldly honeurs.and preferments?
Abundance of person9 in the Church of Rome have seen, and do now see,
the^ abuses and corruptions of that Church — father Paul, for instance,
in tlie last age, Dr. Geddes and Mr. Berrin'qton in the present— but
they cannot prevail upon themselves to quit their stations: Rev. xiv.
0.— i ishould be consulted Q-So some persons with us have long seen the
abuses, and unevangelical uaits of our own Church, and yet they make
themselves easy, by writing in defence of 'the immortal cause of Chris.
tianity, while the vess,elj in which they themselves are embarked, is in
danger of being dashed against the rocks. If one man has^a right, to
prevaricate, 'and subscribe what he does not believe, why has not another ?
Though of' a sentiment, in religion very different, I must say, that
Llndsey, JfiBB, Hammond, Disney, and others, who have sacrificed
their preferment 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 particular propositions,
which they we'll know or.helieve to be wrong ? .
There is some reason to suppose . Mr. Chillingwortm's conduct has
had: a considerable effect in.rcconciling the Clergy to subscribe to doctrines
which they avowedly- do not helietve. For this great man declared, in 'a
letter to Dr. Sheldon-, that, "if he subscribed, he suhscribed:.his own
damnation," and yet,, in no long- space of time, he ^etually did subscribe
to the Articles of the church again arid again !•"¦ Lo»,d ! luhat'is man?
Vide Biog. Brit, by .Kippis, vol. iii. p. 5l6.
The salvo by which he and some other Clergymen, highly respectable,
get oyer, thejr scruples, is, to subscribe the Sg Articles as articles and
terms of peace. This, however, appears to me a shameful evasion, and
inconsistent with common honesty. JU this rate,, a man in Italy may sub- ..
, . fenbe

1*2 A i"tfeAfe8 REiiGloSr
¦-Without thisit; may -be declared by. the authority of fh&
Wordofcthe Lord, that assoon as ever the predicted 1 260
,,, years
scribe. .fy/f Pius's Cfeefa, in Turkey the4 Koran of Mahomet ; or in a
Jekvith government, the Talmud of the Rabbins.
Since the aboVe was Written, I have been s'truck with' a similar sent!-
merit in •the' first part 6f Mr. PAine's AgeofReafon^ arid here at least
I_bjr?e the pleasure of -agreeing with that celebrated, Deist, though .we
differ totq Cceloupon almost every thing where the Sac red Writingsare
concerned : — " It is impossible," says he very justly, " to calculate the
moral mischief, if I rrfay so express it, tfiat mental lying has "produced irt
socierty. ' When a man has so far corrupted and prostituted the chastity
of his mind, as to subscribe his professional belief of - things, he does not
believe, he has prepared- himself for the commission of every other crime.
He takes' up the trade of a Pries* for tha sake of gain, and" in order"
to- qualify himself for that trade, he begins with a perjury. Can we eon-
ceive any thing more destructive* to morality thatf this i."
¦This subject is considered in a very serious point of view" by Bishop
Bwr'net in his Pastoral Care, sd edit* p. Q&—QQ : only he applies it to
our declaring we are moved by the Hoiy Ghost to preach the Gospel. ¦
A certain respectable Clergyman of our Church, whose writings 'on
some subjects have few equals, hath said--" If any one asks," what the
•' expressions in Scripture, regenerate^-born of the-SFitir—»eiv ctea*
•'. tares ^mean ? — We answer, that they mean nothing 1 nothing. tc« us ! — •-.
" nothing to be found, or sought for, in the present circumstances of
" Christianity." This gentleman well knows, that these declarations of
Ms are extremely different from the doctrines ofthe ChurtVoi England,
»pd yet, since he published these sentiments, he has subscribed more than
once, and, as far as appears, would subscribe again and again, iff two of
t|^ee more good preferments should fall in his way.
iMy indignation compels me to say, that a body of Clergy of that de*,
scription— 'however learned, ingenious, and worthy they may be in other1
respects — deserve extirpating from the face of the-earth ; and, if there-' is
a judgement to come, our doom will be uncommonly sevjere. The Scrip*;
ture declares, all liars shall have their part in the lake that btttneth -with
fire and brimstone". And what more solemn lie can there be, than subscrib
ing our names, that we believe a number of'propositions, 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 do not believe there is any M6ly Ghost, but laugh at every preten
sion of the sort as methodism and enthusiasm ? If the Lord is a God of
Andiiiledge by -whom actions are 'weighed, vie: prevaricating Parsons shall
have a sad accdunt to give another day. We may keep up our heads a
few years now, while in possession of two or three good livings,, and the

solemn subscriptions, the fate of the English church is determined, T

' AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 14$'
"years are accomplished, we shall be swept zvith the besom
of destruction. For thus sai.th the infallible Oracle-*-
Then zvas the iron, the clay, ihe brass, the silver, and the
gold, broken topieces together, and became like the
CHATF OF THE SUMMER-THRESHING FLO.OltS, ASD THE
WIND CARRIED THEM AWAY, THAT NO PLACE WAS
found for them. The four empires and ten kingdoms,
as they are now constituted, shall, along with the IP h ore
of Babylon, be swept from the face ofthe earth, and, be
known no more at all, in the present forms. And what
shall be the issue ? Afflictive as the change may be,
the end shall prove glorious. In the days, of these, kings,
shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, xohich. ' shall
never be destroyed, and the kingdom shall not be left to
other people, but it shall break in pieces, and
consume all these KiNonhMS, and it shall standfor
ever. All people, nations, and languages, shall serve the
Redeemer of mankind in the true spirit and power of
his religion. His dominion is an everlasting dominion;
which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which
shall not be destroyed. Thekingdom and dominion,
and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven,
shall be given to thepeople ofthe saints ofthe Most High,
whosekihgdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions
shall serve and obey him. — Then shall the wolf dwell with
the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid ; and
the calf, and the young lion, and the failing together, and
a little child shall lead them. And the co-qv andthe bear
shall feed; their young ones, shdlllic down together, andthe
lion shall eat straw 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 cockatrice-den. The followers of Jesus
shallnever hurt or destroy one another again, but shall b,eat
their swords into plowshares,; and their spears intopruqing
hooks; nation shall not If tup swordagainst nation, neither
shall they learn zmrany more; for theearth shall he full of
the knowledge ofthe Lord, as the waters cover the sea*.
¦ : u But
* The reader may consult and compare other prophecies of a similar
kind with the above j particularly Isaiah ii. l — 5 ; and . Micab iv. 1—5.
6

144 A PLEA F<5R RELIGION1
"But still it is not easy to diieern, why a ProUsianf
" nation should share the common fate of the Catholic
"countries, -even upon the principles of the prophetic
ft Scriptures ¦-.»'?
Possibly :— But have ycu reflected upon the fate of
Holland, 'Geneva, and the reformed Cantons ofSwitzer*
land .? They were wholly Protestant, and made their boast
. of being more pure than most other churches ofthe re*
formed religion, and yet they have undergone the- saitte
changes as the Catholic .states, though with infinitely
less blood and slaughter. And I strongly suspect, tbit
though the Pope * and Church of Rome may he, amd
certainly are,at the head ofthe grand 19,60 years delu
sion, yet all other churches, of whatever denomination,
whether established, or tolerated, or persecuted, which
partake ofthe same spirit, or have instituted doctrines
and ceremonies inimical to the pure. and unadulterated
Gospel of Christ, shall sooner or later share in the fate
of that immense fabric of human ordinances.
That wehave various things in ow ecclesiastical Esta*
blishment, which cannot be defended, upon the pure prin ciples

able

The Pope of Rome may be, and probably is, a worthy and respect.
He private character. There have been many such in a course o£ ages.
But, because he is at the head of the g reat apostacy from the genuine1
Gospel of CHRisr,(Tie shall go into perdition, let his own- rhoral eondtaei
be what it may;-} So the late King of France was' a worthy map, and had
many and consi3erable virtues ; yet, because he was at the headoioaoai
the. ten antiehristian kingdoms which, gave its power to the support of the
Becist: and, because the I2'f5p prophetical years in that kingdom Were ex
pired, he went jfrito perdition, in a manner the most afflictive that can btf
conceived* King George, too, is a most worthy character ; and hia'suo-
cessors* we trust, will be the same ; but unless there shall be' piety ariif
wisdom enough in the government of the country, civil and religious, to
reform radically the Constitution, and render it consistent with the true
spirit of Divine Revelation, there is reason to tremble for* the conse
quence. Private worth,, it is evident, front 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
Ute of a nation rhay, for a season, be suspended, till the Noahs, the
Daniels, the Joes, arid the Josiahs, are taken out ofthe way. *] " '
Consult the pamphlet entitled Reform or Ruin, for some usefifl hints.
That pamphlet, however, though containing Valuable matter, as far as,
it goes, lea\-es the constitutional defecrs of the country untouched, arii
seems to take for granted all is thefie pretty near as j>; should be.

Akb "The sacred writings* 145
tif the Sqn of God, seems to many unquestionable; Our,
excellent Reformers* did great things, considering how
they had been educatedj and the age in which they
lived. They were good men, and proceeded, in their
regenerating work, much farther than might have been
expected ; but their successors have not followed the
noble example set before!the,m, of reducing the religious
Establishment of the country to primitive purity, and
Vvangelicdl simplicity f. We have been contented to
suffer
* It has, been the opinion of many disinterested persons, that several of
bur churches appendages are riot only unnecessary, but pernicious. Arch-
•iishop Cr anmer,-, in particular, speaks in strong terms against some, which
he was obliged from the necessity of circumstances to retain. In a letter .
to iori/CkoMWELLj he says : " Having had experience, both in times
past, and also in our daysj how the sect of Prebendaries have not only
spent their time in much idleness* and their substance in superfluous belly-
cheer, I think it not to be a convenient state or degree to be maintained
arid' established* Considering^ firstj that commonly a Prebendary is
neither a learner, nor a teacher, but a good viander. Then by the same
hame they look to be chiefj and to bear all the whole rule and pre-erni-
tience in the college where they be resident ; by means whereof, tha
younger of their own nature, given more to pleasure, good cheery and
pastime, than to< abstinence,' study, and learning, shall easily be brought
from their books to follow the appetite arid example of the same Preben
daries, being their heads and rulers. And the' state of the Prebendaries
hath been so excessively abused that when learned men have been admitted
into such room, many times they have desisted from their good and- godly
Studies, and all other virtuous exercise of preaching arid teaching."
Monthly Mag. for May, 1798.'
+ " There are many prophecies which declare the fall of the ecclesi-
astkal powers of the Christian, world. And though each church kema
to flatter itself with the hopes of being exeriipted j yet >it is very plain,
that the prophetical characters belong tp all. They have alt left the true,
pure., simple religion ; and teach for doctrines the commandments of men.
They are -all merchants ofthe earth, and have set up a kingdom of this
world, abounding in riches, temporal power, and external pomp. . They
have all a dogmatizing spirit, and persecute such as do not receive their
own mark, and worship tha image which they have set up. — It is" very
trUe, that the Church of Rome is Babylon the Great, andi the Mother of
harlots, and of the abominations, of the. earth : But all the rest have
copied her example.'* Hartley's Observations on Man, p. 2. s. 82.
Be it observed, that Hartley was no Dissenter, but a most serious,
learned, and candid Churchman ; and wrote near fifty years ago.
If my memory does not fail me, Dr. Downham, some time since
Bishop oiDefry \a Ireland, reckoned up 600 gross errorf in the system of
¦.Papery, ' h , V

145 A PLEA TOR religion
suffer -our religious Constitution, our doctrines, and
ceremonies, and forms of public 'worship, to -remain,
nearly in- the 'same unpurged, adulterated', 'and ^uper-
Stitious-stat'e in which the original reformers left theM*.
At least the alterations that, have been made since Ed
ward 'VI. '§ time,4 have been few and inconsiderable*
..And. the very last improvements which took-place in. oup
ecclesiastical frame of things, Were in the reign of that '
haughty, persecuting, wavering, and yet tyrannical
bigot James I. who would bear no contradiction, but
^establish every thing just according* to his own pieasuref.
¦, ' Indeed, w
If any person will seriously consider the low and superstitious state of
the minds. of* men in general, in the time of James I. much more, in the
reigns of his. predecessors, he will, not be surprised to find, that there are
various matters in our ecclesiastical ^constitution, which require soiiie" al
teration. Our forefathers,, did great things, and we cannot be sufficiently
thankful for their labours.; but much more remains to be;, dong;! and it
will be found a task of. no ordinary difficulty, peaceably and quietly to re
duce things to; a pure evangelical state. This never can be done, indeed^
.but by a strong concurrence of providential circumstances. The approba
tion of;his Majesty, with a," majority , in the two Houses of Parliament, -
might easily, effect every thing that is v desirable.. This would render a
reformation practicable, .without danger to the . Throne,"' But it should
.seem, thut, with danger, er, without danger, .the prophecies of Daniel
-being true, st'.ch_a, change must take place soqner or later. This poweif of '
reforming whatever is amiss, is one of the peculiar excellencies of the
Br'it'ah constitution. — Consult Simpson's Key to' the Prophecies, .in. a'
note.on the last sheer, for, some thoughts on 'this- subject.*
* CkanmeR, 'Buc'EJt, Jewel]' and' others, never- considered the re
formation which took place in. their own time as complete. They did
what -they could, a'nd what the humour's of men would then bear,, and
left to their successors to accomplish "what was still lacking^ Vide\NEALJs'
History of thsfPuritnns, vol/i. ch. 1. and' 2. where evidence -for these
r assertions is produced af some length. And now that I have mentioned
this Work, I Di-'g leave to recommend it in the warmest- terms, as contajn-
ing abundance of' the most important and authentic information concern
ing the history of the English churches, from the time of the Reforma
tion, in the reign of Henry VIII. to the Re-volution under William III.
in the '"yeat lfcitfS. -The last edition, enlarged by .£>n TouL*MiN,is by
far the best, No Clerg}1 man- of the Establishment should be. wifhpu| th^Sf?
valuable volume's. It is the interest of truth alone we should wis^i roTjfl"
vance. . , ¦ ' ¦ ' -' " -;-,. ' ¦ . *
-+ Vide the Conference at Hampion^Court .for the ovehbe,ar|fu|, conduct,
of ^i$cpcdviuc|kirj'g, and, tkeiulspme flattery Qfcourt:bisJiop.s.^!|e've|ai

And the sacked waiTiNGs. 147
Indeed, to maiiy well-informed persons, it seems ex
tremely questionable; .whether the religion of Jesus
Christ admits of any civil establishment at all. They
rather suppose it is inconsistent with the very nature of
it and that it was never designed to be incorporated
with'' any secular institution whatever*. Certain it is,
that it made its way at first, not only without hiimaii
aid, but even in opposition to all laws, both civil and
religious, which then prevailed in the Roman empire1.
This was the state of it for upwards of *J90 years. It
seems too, to be the intention of Divine Providence
to reduce it again to the same simple and unconnected
state. America hath set the example. France, Italy +
1 2 Holland,
persons, moreover,, were put to death, in this reign, for their religious
opinions. Is not this one ofthe infallible marks of the Beast? .
The nJxt serious effort for reformation in .our .church was soon.' after
the Restoration. Charles II. behaved handsomely at first upon the.oc-
casion ; but, acting under the controul of a number of bigoted and higlu •
¦ priestly Bishops, whose minds were still sore with resentment, he after
wards forfeited all his merit as the guardian of religious - liberty , and be*
came a vile and cruel persecutor. Is not this too an indubitable mark of
the Beast?
' After this again, a very serious attempt was made to remove the- things
' objected to in our church, soon after the Revolution, under the auspices' of
those excellent men, 'Tillotson, PatricIc, Teknison, Kidder,
Sttllingfleet, BuRNKT,""and OLhers; but being opposed by ,a larger
cumber of old- wifely Bishops, all their efforts came to nothing.. .They
had been accustomed to read mumpsintus all their lives, and mumpsimus it
should be, they were determined; and ths two Houses. of Parliament
were disposed to acquiesce in their papistical and superstitious 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 immense
empire of China, which is said to contain 333 millions of inhabitants, has
•no established religion. And, in the opinion of maay, the Gbsfel of
Jesus Christ will never have its full and proper effect upon mankind,
till it is completely disentangled from, every human institution. Leave it
to itself; let it have fair play ; clog it not with civil pains and penalties ;
let it stand or fall by its own intrinsic worth 5. letjneit her kjrigs- nor bishops
lay their oadon5Jbaadsj1pon.it ; and then see how it. will make its, way.
•JH-nonTmen. The_greates.t possible motive by which man wnjje^anu
rr^d7is'~t'lie salvation ofjus_ovvn soul. If .this .will not .move us,
r^thtriTelse^will be of any avail. Those are the sentiments-gf.sgme very
sensibirandfweirinformed persons. Whether they are right-jfi'this re.
:spect I leave others' to judge. ' To me there seems some, weight in theta.

148 ' PLEA FOR RELIGION
Holland, and Switzerland, aregoing the same way. And
it- is- highly probable all1 the other states in Europe will,
in. due time, follow the same steps. As things now are
in this, country, the religion of Jesus Christ, which
was. not only not- to be of this world*, but in direct op
position^ it |, hs certainly in a great degree a temporal,
worldly, civil institution. At least it is a strange mix
ture of things secular and religious +. It is nearly as
much so as it is in the Catholic countries;.
As to the King or Queen of any country, as the case
k '• is,
* See J;ohn xviii. 36, "37, where Christ claims a kingdom.
+ Compare Mat. v. 3 — 12, where he asserts the nature of that king.
dom, and the qualifications of his subjects.
X One of our English Poets, who was even a bigot of the churchy hat&
expressed himself on this subject in the manner following :
" Inventions added in a fatal hour,
" Human appendages of pomp and powe'r,
** Whatever shines in outward grandeur great,
" I give it- up — a creature of the State, . ,
" Wide of the Church, as hell, from heav'n is wide*
" The blaze of riches, and the glare of pride.
" The vain desire to be entitled Loxd,
" The worldly kingdom, and the princely sword»
," But should the bold usurping spirit dare
".. Still higher climb, and sit in Moses* chair,
" Pow'r o'er my faith and conscience to maintain,
*' Shall I submit, and suffer it to reign i '
" Call it the Church, and darkness put for light,
• " Falsehood with truth confotfnd, and wrong with right ?
" No : I dispute the evil's haughty claim,
" The spirit of the world bis still its name,
" Whatever call'd by man 'tis purely evil,
" 'Tis Babel, Antichrist, and Pope and Devil." ,
It is- a curious circumstance in the history of Religion, in the present day,
that while light, and knowledge, and liberality of sentiment are rapidly
diffusing themselves among mankind,' a respectable clergyman should be-
found among us,, who cuts off from salvation most of the foreign Prates.
iunt churches, and the whole body of Dissenters of every description ire
this country, but by the uncovenanted mercies of Goo. This is a most
?erious and important consideration. Yet -this hath been done by Mr.
Paubeny, In his Guide to the Church ; and seemingly too with the full
approbation of the Editor of the British Critic. It certainly is incum-
•tent upon Dissenters of all denominations to consider well what this
learned gentleman has advanced, and either to refute the -force of his ar
guments^ or ftrnform tg 'the established religion of the country. Sif
R.icha*d

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 149
is, being Head ofthe Church, and having the appoint
ment of Bishops, and the, nomination to.churchrlivings,
it is conceived by many to beutterly'inconsistent with
the very essence of the evangelical dispensation, and the
unalienable rights of mankind. They will tell us, that
neither his Majesty — whom God preserve !— not the
Lord Chancellor, nor his Majesty s Ministers, have, or
can have, any concern in the government ofthe 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
Church. No man upon earth, as it seems to them, is
entitled to any such power. They scruple not to say,
it is one of the very worst traits of Popery, and an infal
lible criterion of an anti-christian assuming. Mat. xx.
20 — 28, and xxiii. 1-^12, are usually referred to upon
this oecasion.
As the law now stands in this country* the King is ab
solute Head ofthe Church; and the fountain of all ec
clesiastical power ; but, so far as the patronage of bene
fices 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 Chanr
cellor, 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 to a large number pf livings : A corrupt,
vile, unbelieving, immoral, wicked Minister of State,
if such happens to be his character, has the nomination
to abundance of others. A Roman Catholic, or some of
the most immoral of the Nobility or Gentry ofthe land,
very frequently have the patronage of others. In not a
few instances Ladies have the presentation to church
preferments. These are all virtually and substantially
so many Heads ofthe Church ; while the King or Queen
i3 is
Richard Hill, in his Apology for Brotherly Love, has given such, an
Answer to Mr. Daubeny's Guide as that gentleman will not be easily
able to refute. If the doctrine ofthe Guide is right, I" do not see how
we can be fairly justified in leaving the Church of Rome. The capital
mistake 6f the whole seems to be, a substitution of the Church of England
for* the Church, of Christ, exactly in the same manner as the Catholics
Substitute the Church of Rome for the Chunk of Christ.

15Q A PLEA FOR RELIGION
is only nominally and partially so. This is surely a la-
mentable state of things. Can any man wonder at the
spread of infidelity and irreligion ? Can we justly ex*
pect other than the downial of such a system of corrupt,
worldly policy ? l.t is well, known how harsh and disr
agreeable these -melancholy truths will sound in the ears'
of' interested men, and men who swallow every thing as
gospel, to which they have been long. accustomed ; but
I affirm it with- ail* possible,- seriousness, again and
again, that, as.II. understand the Scriptures, a radical
reforrni' and the removal of, all these secular circum
stances alone, can save us, for any length of time, from
national distress. I refer our Bishops—and, beg they
will seriously consider thcav.f ul declaration — to l.)a;i,ii,
35, 44, before- mentioned., is not the time for its acr
-complishment fast approaching, and near at hand,?, ;
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 proportions. 1 speak generally,
-but yet accurately enough for the purposes of common
•information. It is well "known then, that the church-
livings of England, and Wales make together, speaking
in round numbers, about ten thousand. Qf these, near
a thousand are in the gift of the King. It is customary,
however, for the Lord Chancellor to present to all the
livings under the value of tzventy pounds in the King's
Book, and for the Ministers of State to present to all
the rest. Those under- twenty pounds are about 7 SO.,
and those- above,- near 180. Upwards of 1600 pieces of
church preferment, of different sizes and .descriptions,
are in the gift ofthe 26 Bishops ; more than 6oO in the
presentation of the two Universities.; about i 000 in ^ the
gift of the several Cathedrals, and other clerical institu-
tipns: about 5,700 livings arc in the nomination of the
N'obilityandGeniryof the land, men, women andchildren:
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
sti ongsense of the words, theKingox Queen of thecau'ntry.

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 1.51
being a kind of Arch-head*. Moreover, the. Bishops of
the- Establishment are, contrary to all ancient usage,
chosen by the civil power, the Clergy and People over
whom they are to preside, not having the least negative
upon their election. When they are chosen too, they
take their seats in the upper house of parliament, and act,
in mnst respects, like unto the temporal Lords : I will not
say that this may not be good human policy, supposing
the kingdom of Christ to be amere worldly sovereignty^
but it appears to me utterly inconsistent with the. spirit
uality of our Savi oun's empire, and has had for many
ages a roost unhappy effect upon the interests of his re
ligion in theworldf. Their emoluments arc 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 secularized',
and they Ipse all lively relish for, the 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 ciw'/poWef, they are virtually paid by the civil power,
they are amenable to the civil power alone, the clergy
arid people not possessing the least controul. And then,
as to the titles, by which they are designated, they ap
pear tp carry the most indisputable mark's ofthe anti-
phristidn apostacy. His Grac-e,'the MostReverend
i. 4 Father
* Bishop Jewel, in a Letter dated 'May 2'2, 15.5Q, writes, " that the
Queen (Elizabeth) refused to be called Head of ihe Church;" and addr,
" that title could not be justly given- to any mortal, it being due only to
Christ ; and that such titles had been so much abused by Antichrist,
that they ought^iot to, be any longer continued."
Bishop Burnet's Travels, Let. 1 . p. 52.
CardinalWoOrLszY, uuderHENRY VIII. was headof the English church,
and one of the greatest tyrants over the consciences of men that-ever existed.
r Blessed be Gopfor the Reformation ! and the presentliberty we enjoy !
+ If the Gospel of Christ gaveencouragement to such a state' of things
as this, much as I now admire it, I would reject all it? pretensions, -as a di.
vine scheme, with indignation. I do not wonder the world abounds with
Infidels and Infidelity ! What pity, however, men- will not distinguish be
tween the use of the Gospel, and the abuse of it ? hetween the Gospel itself,
and the additions which have been made-to it by interested men I - !

15g a plea for religion
Fat»eRinGod, William, by'DivineProvidenc-Bj,
Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury '--The Right
Reverend Father in G;>d,John, by Divine Pe;r-
mission, Lord Bishop or London '.—What is there in
the titles of the Pope of Rome*, that is more magnificent
than the sound of these words? How unlike is all this to
the spirit ofthe Gospel, and the character and conduct of'
the lowiySAviouRof mankind? Mat. xi. 28--30 ; xxiii,
.1— -12. How much calculated are such high sounding
titles to swell the pride of frail mortals ? Popes,- and Bi-
shops,and Parsons, are made of like stuff with othermen.!
. And then, what shall we say to the secular, and luke
warm condition of the generality ofthe Clergyiof the
land?—- to the patronage of benefices before, mentioned?
-—to the common and abominable sale of livings?— ,to
pur simoniacal contracts?— our sinecures, pluralities,
¦non-residences |? — to. our declaring we are moved by
the Holy Ghost to preach the Gospel,' ythen we are
moved
* Mr. Paine, speaking of the Reformation., says sensibly enough,
f A multiplicity of national Popes gitw out ofthe downfal of the Popeof
Christendom,"— .And I add, Rome itself scarce ever- had a more bloody,
'libidinous, and detestible head of the. church, than was Henry VIII,
the self-created Pope of our own ecclesiastical constitution. Shew me a
worse man among all that abhorred race, or a more consummate tyrant
over the consciences of men.
T The Curates of our church, in many cases, are as culpable with respect
to ribn- residence," "as the Bishops, -and Rectors, and Ficars. In my own
' neighbourhood, "and mostly in my own parish, we have upwards of twelve
chapels, where there is no resident Clergyman. It is much the same in
Other parts of the kingdom, •
r The reader will find several of these defects ofthe Church ofEnglandtouth.
fid uppnby B u r n e t in the Cone lusion of the H'utoiy of his Own Times.. ,1 add,
My Lord S— H.has got a Mistress of v/hom he hasgrown weary. On
j .condition the Rev. A. B. will marry her, and make her an honest woman,
he shall be Rector of such a living in the gift of his Lordship.
The living of C—h is in the gift of Mr.-G— t 5 he_has got a daughter;
|f the Rev. C — h P— s will marry-her, he shall be presented-to the 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. Thisfrip of a]son shall be trained
to the church, and be the incumbent of the family Rectory.
My Lord D— -n has got four sons ; one shall enjoy the title and.estate ;
another shall go into the army, and be made a general ; another shall go
s -to.sea, and become an admiral ; the fourth shall "be trained for ,-the church,
' and be promoted to a bishopric,

AND THE' SACRED WRITINGS,' :J53
moved by nothing more than a desire to obtain a good
living, and, perhaps, even deny that there is any Holy
Ghost? — to our reading one species of doctrines in, the ¦
desk, and preaching directly opposite,, in the pulpit?
Abundance pf persons, moreover, object to several
things in the 39 Articles of Religion-r-to several things
in the hoc\<. of HoviHies-rr-and, above all, to the impo
sition of subscription to any human creeds and explica
tions of doctrines whatever*. No man, or set of men
upon earth, as it seems to them, has a right to demand
any such thing of a fellow Christian.. Can
Sir? — r P — r has in his gift a Rectory -of .the, value of *2000 pounds a
.year. > The Rev. G. W. agrees to give him five thousand pounds in hand,.
and fiye hundred a year for ten' years.
In this manner are daily bartered the souls of men, like sheep in a.
market ! — Is it probable that such a state ot things should be maintained for
piahy ages or years longer ? Surely the Legislature of thecountry ought to
take these, abuses into consideration, .and endeavour to rernove them, - If
there is a God who judgeth the earth, he cannot look upon such abo
minations with indifference. Abuses of a similar. kind have brought de
struction, upon other countries, and shall England clone be1 permittedfthus
to play the devil, and no notice taken of us by the moral Gov ernour of
the world ?j Such things are indefensible, and make one blush for .the
church, in which it is possible they should take place}
The valuable perferments in our Church, are almost universally obtained
by money or by interest ; merit having little or nothing to do in the
business. There are, however, several exceptions to this general rule,
under the; government of -his present Majesty. But, my indignation con
Strains me to add, that Maurice, the present worthy author of India,

lan

Antiquities, he. &c. — O shame to a venal age! — is left to starve upon A
"¦distant and laborious curacy of fifty pounds a year. See his own ac
count in the History of Hindostant vol. i. p. 1 19, 120/ quarto. :
" Ye bards of Britain, bre'ak the useless lyre, ."- j*
" And rend, disdainful, your detested lays ; 1 .' j
." Who now shall dare to letter'd fame aspire,
" Devotes to penury his hapless days."
See Maurice's fine elegiac Poem on the death of Sir Wm, Jones.
* It may be further observed, that subscription to the 39 Articles hath,
» Jcept many a good man out of the church,- but not many bad ones;.
" The requiring subscription to the thirty-nine articles," Bisfrop Bull-
¦- jjet -says, *' isj_great imposition." "
I remember an Anecdote concerning the famous William! -We is ton
* and Lord Chancellor King, which is not foreign to our purpose. Whis-
fos being, one day in discourse with the Chancellor, who was brought up
a Dissenter at Exeter, but had conformed, a debate arose about signing
-, -ar tikes,- which men do not believe, for the sake of preferment. .This the
Chan.

154 A PLEA FOR ^RELIGION
Can any thing in the whole absurd system ofPoperyht
more improper, than to make, every young man, without
exception, subscribe, when he becomes a member of either
of our English universities, he believes from his soul, ex
animo, thateverythingcontained in the. Articles, Homilies,
Common Prayer, and offices of 'Ordination, is agreeable, to
the Word of 'Go d ? when in all ordinary cases, he has never
serionslyandattentivelyreadeitheroneoranotherofthein? How is it likely, that a boy, raw from school, should be
competent to such a task ? And if he is tosubscribe-upon
the faith of others, on the same principlehemay subscribe
to the Mass-book,'fhe Koran, or any other book whatever.
After a careful examination, I, Tor my own part, am
constrained to object, pede et manu, to several things in the
14 1 Canons, and consider the requirement, on oath, of ca
nonical obedience to the Bishop ofthe diocese where we
officiate, as one of the -most detestable instances of anti
ehristian imposition thatever was exercisedover a body of
Clergy*. Andyet, after wehavegottenour education, ata
considerable expence, possiblyat the expenceof qur'whole
fortune, we must takethis abhorred oath, or renounce the
profession to which" we have been trained, after our for
tune 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 thisisnot
thefaultof theBishops, britof the[Constititfion. It isoneof] the
¦ *, ¦ i
.. Chancellor openly justified, -"because," said he, " we must nqt lose our
usefulness for scruples." Wjjiston, who was quite of an opposite opinion,
asked his Lordship, ¦" Kin his court they allowed of such prevarication ?
He answered, " We do not." " Then," said Whiston, " suppose God
" Almighty should be as just in the next world as my- Lord Chancellor
" is iri (his, where are we then ?" •
* Thtf 4th,- 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, gth, loth, nth, ieth,-27th, 23th,
29th, 3Sth, 58th, 72d, 139th, i40th, and 14 1st Canons, are most of;'
them peculiarly objectionable. Prior to experience, it would appear
highly incredible, that conscientious and liberal minded Clergymen should •
be able to swear such kind of. obedience. The good. Lord pardon his
servants, for we, surely consider not what we do!
Let any man seriously read, and soberly consider, these several Ca.
nons, and then judge of their tendency. They contain the very worst
part pf popery, that is, a spirit of infallibility. They proceed, at least,
upon the infallibility of our own church, while we disavow that. inf«d}U
bility, arid condemn -the pretension'in the churcli of Rome.

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 155
thejcxistinglawsof theEstablishment, and cannot be dis
pensed with as things .now stand ; aud the Bishops are as
much bound to administer the oath, as we are to take it.
Moreover, there are not a few persons again, who ob
ject to some things in the Baptismal office—in 'the
office of Confirmation-— in the office for the Sick—in the
Conmunionofh'ce---intheOrdfflaticnofh'ce"-ii\iheBurial
. office—in the Common Pray 'er— in the Litany— in Athana-
siuss Creed— in theCalcndar—'m ouvCathedral worship-
in om-Spritualcourts--in themanagement of our Briefs* — -in
* Many persons have" an objection to contribute "any thing to Briefs,
• because they suppose a principal- part of the money collected goes into the
hands of improper persons. The usual charges attending them, with the;
collections thereupon, will be best understood from the "instance given in
Burn's Ecclesiastical Law. ,
For the parish church of Ravenstondale, in the county of Westmorland.
£¦ '• *¦ •
Lodging the certificate - - - - -,- 0 7 6
Fiat and signing - - - - - - - lg , 4 2
"Letters patent .-,-..-''. S'l 18 2
. Printing and paper ------- 1 6 0 0
Tellei and porter - - - - - ; -500
Stamps - '- - ' -- - - - - - *- 13 12 ii
Copy of the brief -- ,__.'- 050
Portage to and from the stampers - - - 0 5 0
Matts for packing .."--.- 040
,Portage to the waggons ----- 0 4 0
. Carnage to the undertaker at Stafford - l 1 1 6
Postage of letters and. certificate - - 0 4 8
Clerk's fee.  220
; Total ofthe patent charges ,'---- 76 3 6
Salary for 9986 briefs at 6d. each- ----- 549 1 3 0
Additional salary for London ------- 5 00
The whole charges - - - - -' .£.330 16 &
iPollection on 9986 briefs' . £.6 14 12 g ;
Charges,  330 1(5 6
Clear coliection - - - -283163
The expenceof a brief for St. Mary 's Church, in Colchester, is sta'ted in
£he Gentleman's Mag. for Feb. 1788,'at 5-461. 19s. 10d.'.
Thus we see, that according to the rnore moderate of these cases> if
ten Briefs are issued* in the course of a year, there would be collected
upon them the suraof 6H61. 7s. 6d. of which 33081. 5s. is expended in
clearing 283.81. 2s, 6d. for the ten charitable purposes.'
l" -' ' " ' But

156 A PLEA FOR RELIGION

V

—in the Test and Corporation Acts* — in "our Tithe
lawsf. ' There are some again, who earnestly, deplore our total
want 'of discipline, and our incomplete toleration*^that
our Church holds out other terms of communion than
the Scripture hath enjoined— and that she is a'niighty
•ettcourager of ambition among the superior orders of the
Ck^gy, by the several ranks, ilegrees, honours", and emo
luments which "prevail among us. — They are firmly per
suaded,
But if we take the more extended of these cases, the expence of col
lecting. ten Briifs would be 5469I. 18s. 4d. which is within 676I4 9s,, 2d,
ofthe whole mrticy in the former case collected !
There is- a deduction of a similar kind from public .money in, St, Mi-
ichael's Chapel in thistown. Fifty pounds a year are ordered by royal
grant to be paid out of the Exchequer to the Mayor of the Corporation
.For the time beings for. .the ,, use -of the Minister, without fee or reward,
Instead of fifty, however, he never receives more than three and thirty.
Seventeen pounds are deducted for fees of office. So much for " •without
fee or reward!" Charitable donations," of'every kind, should be reduced
as little as , possible by those through whose hands they must necessarily
pass. An undue , deduction is a sort of sacrilege, and must be accounted
for as such before, the Judge Supreme".
The number of Church and Chapel Wardens in England' wndjfaln
must be considerably, above 20,000. Every one of 'these takes a Solemn
oath when he,. enters,, upon his office, ', Arid whs will undertake to' prove
rhat nine in ten of these church officers .are not perjured ? .. fccttain it is,
that the oath is of such a nature, it is next to an impossibility to, keep it
inviolate. Very , few of those gentlemen ever attetript to fulfil their en>
gagements. They make no efforts to avoid the grievous sin of perijiry, .
* " Hast thou by statute, shov'd from its design,
" The Saviour's feast, his own blest bread and wine,
" And made the symbols of atoning grace
'• An office key, a 'picklock to a place,
"' That Infidels may prove their title good
" By an oath dipp'd in sacramehtal' blood ?
i, "A blot that will still be a blot, in spite
" Of all that grave apologists may write,
" And though a Bishop toil' to" cleanse 'the stain,
" He wipes and scours the silver cup in vain."
Cowper's Poems, vol. i. p, J 22.
'Se? Dr. Sheulock, Dean of Chichester,'in favour of the above,, two
Acts, andHoADLY, Bitbop of Bangor, in answer to SherlockI
• This <£ciebrated-i?»^ used,to say, " Our liturgical forms ought to be
" revised-and amended, only for our own sakes-, though' there were no
" -Dissenters in. the land."' * -- ,
+ See the article, Tithe in Burn's ••Ecclesiastical Lava ; whence it
appears Tii.Bes were not paid in England till the eighth century, and were
then given to the Clergy by an act of tyrannical pdwer and usurpation,;]
by two of our- Popish and superstitious kings ; and, in'one of the instances,*
as a commutation for murder, ...j&

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 157
shaded, the people of, every age and country have an ina
lienable right to choose their own ministers ; and that
no king, no ruler, no bishop, no lord, no gentleman, no-
mam or body of men upon earth, has any just claim
whatever, to dictate, who shall administer to them ix\
the concerns of their salvation ; or to say— You shall
think this, believe that, worship here, or abstain from
worshipping there.
For much more than a thousand years, the Christian
world was a stranger to religious liberty. Even Toleration
wasunknown till about a century ago. The Clergy, espe
cially, have usually been unfriendly to religions liberty.
And when the Act of Toleration was obtained in King [
WiLLiAM's'time, great numbers of them were much
against it. — It appears to me, however, that both the
name and thing are inconsistent Aviththe very nature of
the Gospel of Christ. For, have not I as much rio*ht
to controul you in your religious concerns, as you have
to controul me ? To talk of tolerating, implies an «w-
tkority 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 under
stood by and by. The whole Christian worldlay in dark-
, ness, upon 'this subject, we have observed, fox many agjes.
Dr. OwEN was the first I am acquainted with, who
wrote in favour of it, in the year 1648. Milton fol
lowed him about the year 16.58, in his Treatise ofthe
Civil Power in Ecclesiastical Causes. And the immortal
Locke followed them both with his golden Treatise on
Toleration, in 1689- But notwithstanding these, and
many other works which have since been written, on the
same subject, much still remains to be done in this coun
try. 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 obtained- a large
portion of civil and religious freedom, others are now
taking the lead of us, on the rights of conscience. fAnd
,it does not appear to many, that we ever can be a tho
roughly united and happy people, till every good sub
ject enjoys equal civil privileges, without any regard to
religious sects and opinions. If a man is a peaceable/ in
dustrious, moral, and religious person, and an obedient subject

158 A PLEA FOR RELIGtOtf
subject to the civil government under which he, lives,
let his religious views of things be what they may, htf'
seems to have a just claim to the enjoyment of every
office, privilege, and emolument of that government.
And till this i's in fact the case, I apprehend, there never
can be a settled state pf things. There will be an eternal
enmity between the governing and the governed', ait
everlasting struggle for superiority. But 'when every
"member of society enjoys equal prlvilege'S-with his fel
low members, the bone of contention is removed, and
there is nothing for which they should 'any longer be at
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, reli
gious,' and morally-acting citizens; without any regard to
the sect or party to which they belong. Talents and. in
tegrity alone should he the sine qua nons to recommend
any mail 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 ofthe
Patronage of Livings, it may be; worth while still farther
to observe,, that the Bishop of ¦fr enjoys very consider- '
.able privileges of this nature, which have on a late oc- ¦
casion been shamefully abused. Not less than 1 30 pre
sentations belong to him ! A certain episcopal Gentleman
of that diocese, knowing the extensive1 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 aud then another, as
they became vacant, to a very considerable amount',
which this, son enjoys at this day. He is now one of our
dignified Clergymen., and in possession of a very -unrea
sonable 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. John x. 1 — 18. ' '
Another pon of Aaron J in a- neighbouring district,
which mignt be named, possesses preferments in the
church; by the pr6curement of his episcopal father, to
the amount of 2000 pounds a year. He has for a long
8 season

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 1S§,
season been extremely attentive to his tithes ; hut hardly
ever man paid less attention to the salvation ofthe souls
of his people, and the sacred duties of his office. Seldom,
indeed, does, he appear among the former, less frequently
still does he attend the proper duties ofthe latter. Fifty
or sixty pounds a year he reluctantly pays to a journey
man Parson, to 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
condition of the flock be, under the care of two suc'h
; wretched shepherds?
I will mention a third curious instance of clerical 'sa
gacity. A certain Rectory not fifty miles from this
place, is said to be of the value of near 2000 pounds a
year. A kind young lady, whose friends have sufficient
interest with the patron, falls in love with a wicked,
sweaiing, dashing. officer in the army, andmarri.es him.
That a comfortable 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 ofour famous Universities. 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 cre
dentials, this worthy Levite must resign all his fat pigs
in favour of this son of Mars. The white washed officer
will then come forwafd, and declare in the face of God
and man, with a lie in his mouth, that " he trusts he is
"movedhy the" Holy, Ghost to preach the Gospel."
If these were solitary instances of improper proceed
ings in church matters, it would not be worth while to
notice them in this mariner. But, alas ! they arc .only
.specimens of what is by no means uncommon, "where
-valuable livings are concerned; O ! were the business
'of private Patronage and Presentation thoroughly in
vestigated, and laid before the public, thepicture would
be highly disgusting to every- scrip us mind, and call
for reformation with a tone not easy to-be resisted.
• ' * it

160 A PLEA FOR RElIGldN
It is remarkable, that the ecclesiastical and civil par ti
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, 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 obliged to subscribe, ex animo, that all and every
thing contained in the book of Common Prayer, &e. is
agreeable to the Sacned Writings.
I add a second circumstance, 'which seeths an hardship-
to the enlightened and conscientious part pf the Clergy.
When we baptizechildren, we thank God "that it hath
"pleased him to regenerate them with the Holy Spirit,,
," to receive thein for his own children by adoption, and
" to incorporate them into his holy church." When the
same children are presented to the Bishop for conflrma-1
tion, 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
alt to heaven, though many of those we commit to the
earth have been as wicked in life as men well can beoiy*
this side hell. This surely is a great hardship. Yet we
have no remedy. (_We must do it, or forfeit our roast
beef and plumb-pudding.! V
But what I mean to infer from this view of the matter
here, is, that if the doctrines of baptismal regeneration
and final perseverance ate true, every member of the
church of. England is as sure of heaven when he dies*,as
if he- were already there. I leave those whom it may
concern to draw the natural inference. How is this con-1
sisteint with the 17th Article of Religion ?
[There is another •ircumstance iu our public^ offices,
wnic h seems to me to affect the credit of our church, and
the comfort of its ministers. The morning service for-'
merfyr consisted of three parts, which were ased at thtef
different times of the forenoon. These are now thrown into

AND f HE SACRED WRITINGS. l6T
into one, and all used at one and the same time. Suppos
ing each service taken singly to be ever so unexception
able, the conjunction of them renders the whole full of
repetition. By this absurd union, the Lord's prayer is
always repeated five times every Sunday morning, and oil
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 tp any
thing, how absurd soever it be — witness 'the popish cere
monies — .but let us suppose, that any ofthe Sectarists qf
the country should, in their public devotions, be guilty
of the same tautology, what should we. think and say
of them ? Should we not conclude, tliey were mad ?J
[By the same absurd conjunction of the three ancient
services into one, we 'are obliged by the[avs of our church
to pray for the King, no less than five times every Lord's
day. morning; and on communion days even sir. If I
were, a Bishop, or a rich Pluralist, or a fatRector, my eyes,
for any thing I know, might be so far blinded with gold
dust, that I should not seeJhese imperfections of our
public service; but,- as it is, I do see them, and feel
them, andgroan 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 granted, by every candid person, are of
no great consequence in themselves ;' but as they respec
tively 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 Canons, and subscribe*,
ex ammo, to all and every thing contained in/the Com
mon Prayer, Sec. 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 ofthe
Establishment in general, yet, seeing there are some
things which are certainly reprehensible, and those too of
no very indifferent nature, the imposition: pf ..them in a
manner so solemn is an extremely great hardship, and not
to be justified upon any principle of expedience whatever.
m' There

162 A PLEA FOR -RELIGION
"There is not. a Bishop in England who does not con
tinually transgress one or more of the 141 Canons; and
,1 am persuaded 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,
he subscribes. Why then- not strive to repeal what is
faulty? Why not ease the labouring consciences of
those Clergymen who are upright in the land ?
, C These, and some other matters, which might be
brought forward more at large, seem, to many very
well-informed and respectable persons, truly objection
able, and strong indications that we are not so far re
moved from the old meretricious lady of Babylon as we
•would willingly have the world to believe *. • Among
the several Piotestant establishments, we must, they
fear, be at least considered as the eldest daughter of
that first-born of wickednessf.^
That I am not singular in supposing there are several
things wrpng in the Church- Establishment of this
country, is evident from the words of Bishop Watson
in his reply to Mr. 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
* See the doctrines of the Church of Rome. pretty rriucfuat large in
the 17th Section of Simpson's, Key to the Prophecies-  The cruelty of
that church is horrible. Joseph Mede reckons up l;2O0,otiO of the
Saliences and Albigences put'to death in 30 years J The same intolerant
and persecuting spirit prevailed in our churcli also for many years afier
the Reformation,, and is not yet perfectly done-awav *. *¦
* See lb* Prisoner's Defence against the Rev. George MarKham : a well written
pamphlet Brother George cuts but a poorfigure in the hands of these Quakers. '
-t That Man of Sin — the Son of Perdition— that Wicked?" 2 T "lies.
ii. 3. S.
J Apology for Christianity, Let,* 6.

A&b THE SACREb IVRlTlNtt^. 16^
things are wrong and want mending ; but. there are ex
ceedingly few who will speak out, remonstrate, and use
their influertcei that things may be putupon a more de-
fencible footing. We keep reading what We do not ap
prove — the damnatory sentences inATHANASius's Creed
for instance — professing what we do not believe— sub-
Scribing 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 raiment, and a moiety of worldly honour. — Is
this the way to glory, and honour, and riches everlast
ing? — If WIckliffe, .and Luther, and Cranmer,
and Ridley, and Latimer, and the glorious army of
Martyrs, had acted in the manner we do.no reformation
had ever taken place. We should have been Popish
priests at this day. The same spirit that keeps us quiet
in our several snug Protestant preferments now, would
have kept us quiet in pur several snugPbpish 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.
Trom 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, itfay see, without
the smallest room for deception, that there is something
far more than human in the Prophetic Scriptures*. It
m 2 is
¦* - 1 '
| ^fThcfe have been some predictions pissing in our dwrt time which
seem somewhat more than lucky conjectures. Most of my readers have
probably seen that which is said to have come from- Paris. I have
possessed it ever sinse l7QSj so that, in this rcspec'tj there could be node*
ceptioff. It is said to be of six centuries standing. Be this 39 it may,'
it appears to speak of the present and past events of Europe with more
than human foresight. Without detailing the whole, I will write down
what he' saith of the several years from 1790 to 1800, and leave the
reader to form his own judgement. ,
. " In 1790, T&era will be a rebellion against the French kingj and
When the present Pope-dies, there will be no other elected.
:¦ In I791, There will be a war among many of the European powers
against France.
In 179"?, More ofthe Christian powers engaged- in the war, 10

I'-Si "A fLEA FOR RELIGION
is impossible to account for all these strange coinci-
8t&wcte.upon -atiy 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 super
natural interposition, if he can. If he cannot, then the
Scriptures are of divine original ; Jesus is the Saviour
of mankind; all the great things foretold shall be ac
complished; Infidels and- Infidelity shall be confounded
world without end ; and sound practical believers in
Christ Jesus, of every denomination, shall stand se
cure and joyful amidst the convulsion of nations, the,
subversion of churches, '\the wrecks of matter, and
" the crush of worlds. "
" Such,, in that day of terrors, shall be seen
", To face the thunders with a godlike mien.
" The planets drop ; their thoughts are fixed above:
" The centre shakes : their hearts .disdain to move."
For, are not abundance of these predictions fulfilling
at this day before our eyes ? Is not the religion of Jesus
diffusing 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
In 1793, The war inereas.es throu.gh Europe.
In 1794, There will be little or no forms of religion observed in;
France. In 1795, There will be a 'destructive division among the powers- of
Europe. '
In 1796, There will be great slaughter, and much bloodshed by land
and -sea..
In 1 797, -There will appear Gog and Magog, that will make war
against all nations in the world. «,
In 17')8, There-will.be a great destruction, tfeat wilr thin the inhabi
tants of the earth.
In. 1799, There will come a descendant of David, who will., perform
such acts of grace by a .power derived from Axwighty,Gqd -as to de*
strpy Gog and Magog, and will cause,
• In 1800, The remnr.nt of all nations to be of one religion, .and there
shall ,be.-ip -more wars among men, but they shall live for ever after in
bonds of love and friendship one towards another."
Eight of the first of these years are surprisingly exact. The present
and two following are highly improbable. The war this year, has hither..
to not been, very bloody -any where but in Ireland, 1

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 1&5
universal; spiritual empire in, the seventh century, and
temporal xlominion in, the eighth* ? Is it not expressly
predicted, that, the illegitimate empire of that Church
should continue the precise period of 1260 years ? Does
it not seem that those l'io'O years are upon the point of
expiring? Were not great changes to take place among
the kingdoms, into which the Roman empire was to be
divided, about the expiration*- of the said term ? . Have
not great changes already taken place in those king
doms? Were not-the nations, which, for so many ages,
had given their power -unto the Beast, to turn against
.th^-t Beast, and use means for its destruction!? Is not
this part of the prophecy also, in a good degree, ful
filled at the present, moment? Have not all the Catholic
powers forsaken his Holiness of Rome in the time of
his greatest need? And is not He, who, afew ages ago,
made all Europe tremble at the thunder of his, voice,
now become weak like other men ? Are not the. clawis
of the Beast cut, and his teeth drawn, so that he can
no longer either scratch or bite J? Is he. not- already, in
our own day, and before our own eyes,, stripped of his
temporal dominion ? And doth not the triple crown
. m 3 even
«., * It is remarkable that Mahomet began- his imposture in the very
year that the Bis'hop-of Romt', by virtue of a grant from the wicked tyrant
Phocas, first assnmed the. title pf Universal Pastor, and thereon claimed
to himself that supremacy, which he hath been ever since endeavouring po
usurp ewer the church of Christ. This was- in the year 806, 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 together ;
-the one in the east, and the other in the west.
r Prid. Life of Mahomet, p. is.
(A. valuable Correspondent, thoroughly acquainted with the prophetic
Scriptures, gives.it as hit opinion, that we are now in the second period sf
the seventh, vial. Rev. xvi. 17 — 21. " The battle ofthe great God
" has been, and is fighting. The sacking ofthe nations is. come. . The
'.' Man of sin 'who has been sitting in the temple of God 1260 yeare, ajl
¦" 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 appearanoe.of his presence,, we see is ready for.the blow.jj
+ Consult the seventeenth chapter of Revelation.
% See the treatment the present Pope of Rome has received from the
Fvench*. They even took the ring from his finger, and, deprived him of
Jlis sauff! Ungenerous Frenchmen. ! Cruel conquerors !

166

A f EEA E0R RELIGION

even' now dance upon his head ? or rather, has he not for"
ever lost all right and title to wear it? Is it not ex
tremely remarkable, and a powerful confirmation of the
truth of Scripture prophecy, that just 1*2 60 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 Metropolis ?
Read these things in the prophetic Scriptures * ; com*
pare them coolly ,with the present state of Europe," and
then, I say again, deny the truth of Divine Revelation
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 you would seri
ously consider still further, that the bpposers ofthe Gospel
areno otherthan tools and instruments'm the handsof that
Redeemer^ whom you so cordially despise and rashly
reject. Hesittethin heaven, at the right hand of pozoer,
and'laugheth at all your puny and malicious efforts to
impede the interests of his kingdom |. He permits his
WORD,
* There is an astonishing chain of prophecy in the Sacred Writings ,'
jmd the argument from thence is invincibleV SiYIsAAc Newton, Biihop
'Newton, and several pther writers, have, treated upon them with effect;
The prophetic scheme may be ridiculed, but it can never be answered,
"Consult Simpson's Key to the Prophecies, for a conciseyiew of this indis.
soluble chain. — Bishops Hurd, Hallieax, Clayton, and others, have.
written with ability upon these abstruse parts of Sacred Writ. Dr.
Apthorp, Afr. Maclaurin, and Brown, have thrownpretty much
light upon them. But, of all who have treated upon the book of Reve,
lation, none soems to me to have excelled Lowman.
+ See this matter discussed at large in Dr. Gerard's Dissertation,
entitled Christianity Confirmed by the Opposition of Infidels.
*}; 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.dispchssr
tions, lie could not fail of receiving strong conviction of the truth-of these
two prophetical compositions, We may* indeed, deny any thing, and
turn into ridicule everv prophetical accomplishment, as Josephus informs,
us the Jevys did in the last dreadful iruin of his unhappy, countrymen. ¦ It
was familiar with them *« to make a jest of divine things, and to deride,/
«' as so many senseless. tales, and juggling impostures, the sarced oracles
f« of their prophets ;'< though they were then fulfilling before their eyes^
api $ven upon theraselves,

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 107
wo r d, however, to be tried like as silver is fried. But the
more it is opposed, the more completely will it be refined.
The more.it is scrutinized, the more it will be approved.
The severity of your criticisms willserve thecause itisin-
tended to overthrow. Your assistance is advantageous to
, us, though infinitely dangerous to yourselves. You are
.co-operating, unintentionally indeed, withal] the zealous
servants of Ch rist, in carrying forward the designs of
heaven, in like manner as Judas, with the Jew* and
Romans, contributed to thefulfilment of the ancient pro
phecies, and the salvation of the world, in betraying the
Lord of glory. The greater the learning, the more ran
corous 'the hatred, the stronger the opposition, the more
brilliant the talents of its antagonists, the faster will the
kingdom of Messiah come forward,, and the more
completeand honourable will be the victory*. rXheGospe.l
never triumphed m,ore^]oj*.iausly, in the first ages, than
when Gelsus and Porphyry drew their pens, Diocle-
siajn and '. JuLiA.iijheir swords, vowing its annihilation.
Truth fears nothing morethanjnattentiohr It is toolm-
portant to be treated with indifference. Opposition calls
forth and sharpens the. powers ofthe human mind in its
defence. The, cause "of 'jthe Gospel hath ever gained, by
jnjvj^tigation. Crjsdjilityjs _ the. bane of it. Sound pdlicy
in the Deists would let it alone, and leave it to itself. It
was by opposition from all theworld it wasoriginally pro
pagated. When that opposition ceased, and the great
ones of the earth smiled upon and fostered it, a worse1
M 4 than
- / ,-'
' If the reader is disposed to examine, another prophecy, I will refer
him to the ninth chapter of Daniel. The late eminent Philosopher
and Mathematician Ferguson has written & Dissertation upon it, which
he concludes in these words : " Thus we have an astronomical demon
stration ofthe truth of this ancient prophecy, seeing that the prophetic
year of the Messiah's being cut off, was the very same with the astrono
mical." Astronomy, p. 37*3— -377.
* '* Christianity may thank its opponents for much new light, from
time to time, thrown in on the sublime excellence, of its nature, and the
- rnanifestation of its truth; opponents in some sort, are more welcome
than its friends, as they do it signal service without 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 isdisputedj
the more indisputably will it shine." < Youkc.

"V6S A PLEA FOR RELIGION
than Egyptian darkness of ignorance and delusion over
spread Ch ristendom*. It is by a revival of that opposition,
aud probably too by a revival of the persecution of its
most zealous-advocates, even unto death, that it must he
purified, refined/ and restored to its primitive beauty arid
simplicity. 'Philosophical Unbelievers, as well as intole
rant Christians,, will proceed per fas at que nefas to carry
a favourite point. Human nature is the satire in all* how
ever modified, and whatever our pretensions. The pare
Gospel of Christ, too, never had more determined and
well-furnished enemies jn these latterages, than Lew isihe
Four-

* In the middle age, such .thick clouds of barbarity and ignorance
had overwhelmed all schools of literature, that the maxim then current
Was--^A-a«.'o ens m'elior grammaticus, tanio pej'or theologies,. EsfENCdUS,
who was one of themselves, acknowledges, that amongst their best
EUlhors, Greece nosse suspectumfucrit, Hebraite propriehctreiiaim. Zuitt-
glius and Colmnus had like to have lost their lives for meddling with
Creek ard Hebrew. To give the derivation ofthe word Hallelujah racked
the' wits of whole' universities. Doctors of Divinity were create;.', and
prorioiinceu most sufficient, who had never read the Bible. Erasmus
says,- Divines of 8<> years of age Were all amazement at hearing anv
thiiig quoted from St. PaiIl, and, that Preachers of 50 years standing,
. had never seen the New Testament. Mosculus assures .us, that multi
tudes of them never saw the Scriptures in their lives. Amanta tells us
¦of the Archbishop of Me/tlt, that, opening the Bible, he siuA, In truth,
I do not iiioiv -what this book ii, but I perceive that everv thing in it is
against, us. Cardaidl Hosius's persuasion was, that it had been best far
the Church, if no Gospel had been written.
The Clergy of the Ch'urch of Rome, ail through" Europe, in the last and
.present ages, though much superior to those in th§ middle centuries/arc
still in a situation truly deplorable. They have~ had, indeed, some very
considetable individuals, especially among the Jesuits ; but, taking than,
as a body, there has been, a most melancholy deficiency, of literary aiin'u,
ments.' The French Clergy seem to have excelled those of most oii.cr
countries which profess the Romish faith.
Bishop BuRSE-f's Travels will afford the reader considerable informa
tion upon the state of Popery in the close of the last .century, and Dr.
John Moore's Vicvj'of Society and Manners, ip Italy', will furnish us-
With a tolerable knowledge of the present state of it.
If it 'had nor, been for the Reformation, most of the riches of Christen.
doin would at this day have been in rre -hands of the Clergy. The
revenues of the present Archbishop of Mexico are said to be 7(1,(100
pounds a year! The tyshopric, of Durham is said to be now.c-0,000,
pounds a year; Wi/ichtsLr also is very considerable, and swaie others ate
the same.

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 169
Fourteenth*, Bolingbroke, and "Voltaire; never
more true and powerful friends. The sword ofthe first, the
philosophy
* It is calculated, that the Reman Cathslt.s, since the rise of persecu^
¦tion, in the seventh or eighth century, to the'present time, have butchered,
in their blind and diabolical zeal for the Church, no less than fifty mil-
Irons of Protestant Christians of different descriptions. Cursed be their
anger for it was fierce, and their wrath for it was cruel r A righteous
Providence is now taking vengeance on them for their horrible trans
actions ! It is about 300 years since the Spaniards discovered America
and the West Indies^ The Governour of the world has a quarrel with
them also for their dreadful cruelties towards the poc;r unoffending inhahi-
;tants. Twelve millions, it is calculated, they butchered on tilt Continent,
besides the many millions who fell in the Islands. Arise, O God, and
plead the cause of these thy creatures !
And is England: less guilty, with rsspect 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 religious
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, 60,000 souls,. If there were no other cause, thisis enough to
bring down the severest of the Divine judgements ! No political motives
whatever can justify the diabolical traffic. And is it not strange, that
when the abolition of this trade had passed the ,r>58 members of the
House of Commons, it should not be able to pass the House of Lords, where.
are assembled 2(5 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 cruelty, the horrible vii- ,
lany, to enslave 60,000 poor helpless souls every year! O England/
¦ '" Canst thou, and honour'd with a Christian. nam:,
" Buy what is woman-born, and feel no shame !
" Trade in the blood of innocence, and plead
" Expedience as a warrant for the deed?
,c 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 by the violence of- any party whatever
on this great question, I think, it 'is clear, upon every Christian princi
ple., and on every principle of sound policy, that the importation of
fresh slaves; into the isfari4s. should be absolutely prohibited ; and that every
proper

170 A PLEA for religion
philosophy of the second, and the ridicule of the third,
havealready had very considerable effects. The French- them-
preper mearrs should be . used to meliorate the condition of those
who are already imported. Much wisdom and, experience would be
nccessaty to enable any man to determine what means would be most pro
per for these purposes. ' >
It is to be feared we have also a long" and dreadful account to settle
with Divjne Providence for, our rapacious conduct .in the' East
Indies. This wonderful country has at the same time enriched and ruined
every 'nation which hath possessed it., So the Spaniards, by a just reaction
of a righteous Providence, have been enriched and ruined, by the posses;.
sien ai Mexico and Peru. Every man who goes to the East Indies, with,
mercantile views, goes tp make his fortune. This is frequently done^
and too often in ways the most dishonourable. In the year 1769, tbrtf
millions of the natives of Bengal perished for want, through the" avarice
and jascality of a few Englishmen f . ...
" Hast thou, though suckl'd at fair Freedom's breast,
" Exported slav'ry- to the conq,uer'd-£<7rf,
" Pull'd down the tyrants India serv'd with dread,
" And rais'd thyself a greater in their stead ;- ' - ¦
" Gone thither arm'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 I'
": .-With Asiatic, vices stoe'd thy mind, - ,-- ¦
" Bat left their virtues and thine own behind;
" And having truck'd thysoul, brought home the fee,
*' To tempt the poor to sell himself to thee ?" Cowper's Poems.
For numerous re-actions of Providence, consult the 29th and SOth.
sections of Simpson's Key to the Prophecies.
By way of softening our -resentment against the traders in human
creatures, it may be here observed, that the most polished of the ancient
nations Were over-run with slaves of the most oppressed kind. Every
.person acquainted with profane history knows well the miserable condi
tion ofthe Helots in Sparta. •
Even in Athens, where slaives were treated with less inhumanity, they
found their condition so intolerable, that 20,000 of them deserted during
one of the wa'rs in which they were engaged. '
About the year 310 before Christ the small state of At tie a alone con-
taine'd 400,000 slaves.
"^Slavery greatly abounded in the Roman empire also. Among them,
slaves -were frequently mutilated in their youth, and abandoned in their
old. age. Some, whom age or infirmities had rendered unfit 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 punishments,
which the wickedness,- wantonness, cruelty, or, caprice of their owners could

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 171
themselves, at this moment, though ready tooverturnh en-.
ven and earth to banish the Saviour out of the world he
created by his power, redeemed fry 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 impuri
ties: to manifest to mankind the truth of the prop he lie
Scriptures; to punish the kingdoms for their abomina
tions; to rouse them from their long sleep of guilty se
curity ; to remove all the rubbish of superstition and hu
man ordinancesoutof the way; and to bring in the -reign
of universal righteousness, when contending nations
shall learn zoar no more. Mucins 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 com'e forward*
Itisameiancholy circumstance, that before the present
French war broke out, there were fought, in little more
thanacentury, an hundred bloody battles by land, besides
whatwerefought by sea, between the sexexalChristian go
vernments of Europe. This state of things is awful. Itii
. thepouringoutt he viakof God's wrath upon the churches.
The time, however, is fast approaching, when these mise
ries shall have an end. The Beast shall be destroyed, ami
his dominion taken away: The several kingdoms which
have supported him shall be overturned. False, supersti
tious, and idolatrous doctrines, rites, and ceremonies, sha.H all
could inflict, were" frequently madp use of. The Roman writers are full of
horrid -tales to this purpose.
Such has been the general practice of mankind in every age preceding
the introduction pf the Gospel I And it is the introduction and profession
of that Gospel., which render, the dealing in slaves so enormously .wicked!
A Christian buying and sellino; slaves! A man, who professes, that the
leading law of his life, is, to do as he would be done by, spending his
timpland amassing & fortune, in buying, and, selling his fellow- men !
 " Is there not some chosen curse, t.
" Some hidden thunder in the stores of heaven,
" Red with uncommon wrath, to blast the man,
»« Who gains his fortune from the typod of.souls V

172 A PLEA t'OR RELIGION"
all be swept, off, and the pure, simple, unadulterated
Gospel of Jesus shall spring up.' The present bloody war
is of God. The French are God's rod, to .scourge the
nations of Europe for- their unchristian abominations.
They are God's besom, and intended to sweep the Chris
tian 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 Lo rd
has accomplished his vv'hole work upon the corrupt Chris
tian nations and churches, then he will lay themaside,
cause the indignation to cease, and pure undefiled reli
gion shall spring.up. This cannever be till the rubbish
is removed. The superstitions of Popery must first be
done away. One generation, or perhaps two or three
must first beswept off, and in the course of a few.' .centu
ries, those, who shall then live, will see more peaceable,
nlore happy,,and more glorious.days. But it will be long
ere the nonsensical superstitious doctrines and practices
of Antichrist can be rooted out of the several popish
countries. And it is exceedingly probable that Infidelity
must first become almost general among the several
otders- Of the people, before pure, genuine, purged
Christianity 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 ofthe 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 3O0 churches, 120 con
vents of men, and 40 of women. The mother church is
dedicated to St. Januarius, and when any calamitous
events arise, this£V. Januarius 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
Rome, 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 Protec
tress. Abundance pf ceremonies are here contiitually
4 :V carrying
* See a droll account of this pretended Saint in Mooke's Fiew of
Society und Manners la It.' ' ..' " ~: ... -

AND TH^'SACREDAVRlTlN'OS. 173
carrying on in honour ofthe mother of our Lord. In all
Madrid'not a single street or house is to be found, which
is not decorated with a portrait or bust ofthe Virgin.
Incredible is the annual consumption of flowers made
use of in Spain for crowning theVirgin's image ; incredi
ble the number of hands, which are continually employ
ed from morning till night in dressing her caps, turning
her petticoats, and embroidering her ruffles, f Every
Spaniar d regards the Virgin in the light of his friend,
his confidante, 'bi£ mistress, whose whole attention is di
rected to himself, and who. is perpetually watching over
his happiness. 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,
his 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 assignations/!
The funeral pomp and parade which characterize the
Spaniards at their burials ofthe dead is inexpressibly
great. Upwards of an hundred carriages, five or six;
hundred priests, and monks, With at least 2000 flambeaus,
form the ordinary appendage of a common funeral*.
These things are deplorable, and shew the very I0W7
degraded, and superstitious state of that nation.
The use ofthe Inquisition, however, in that pope-
priest-ridden country is still more shocking than all their
other superstitions put together.
, What a curse have the Priests of Christendom been
to ¦Christendom ! How many precious souls have been
led into'the pit of destruction by an ungodly, supersti
tious, and idolatrousjt)ne5^oo^ / I*was almost going to
say, that we Parsons have been the means of damning
more souls, than ever Are were a means of saving ! From
our profession it is, that iniquity diffuses itself through
every land i God forgive us ! we have been too bad!'
Instead of being a blessing, and spreading health and
sa-lvatron 'through the nations^as is the undoubted design
ofthe Gospel of Christ, andthe Christian ministry,
* Vide Monthly Magazine for Feb. 1798,

174 A PLEA FOR RELIGION
wehave been playing into each others hands, haVeerectecl
a huge fabric of worldly dominion for ourselves, and have
brought down, and are at this moment bringing down,;
the, Divine judgements upon every country where we
have erected our standard. We Protestants will'be ready
enough to allow that this hath' been the case in the Ca-
tholic&tate&i but it is also true, if I mistake not, of the
Protestant Bishops and Clergy. We will not sacrifice one
inch ofthe secular dominion we have, through the weak-
mess and folly of men, obtained; no not to save the king
dom from destruction ! The secular and supenstitious ,
conduct of the Heathen Priesthood brought ruin upon
the Pagan nations; the secular and superstitious con
duct of the Jewish Priests brought ruin-upon the Jewish
nation; the secular and superstitious conduct ofthe Ca
tholic Priests hath brought ruin upon the Catholic na
tions ; and the same kind of secular and superstitious
conduct of our Protestant BishopsatidClergy will involve
ns in simitar destruction. Nothing can prevent this but
the ecclesiastical reform so frequently mentioned and al
luded to in these papers ! What reason is there to begiveii
why a wicked, careless, lukewarm, and secular Prote
stant Priesthood should not be punished as well as
those of other denominations ? As our light and privi
leges 'are the greater; we may justly expect our punish
ment will be the more severe. If there is a Qod 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 ali people,,
ought to take the alarm, and use every endeavour to re
move whatever may subject, us to divinejudgements. My
daily prayer is for the safety, welfare, and prosperity of my
King and Cpunfry. But when I look around me, I cannot
help being exceedingly affected at thepresent melancholy
stateofmostpftheneighbouringnations. Thesun,mooiv
and stars, are all darkened ; and the powers of heaven are;
shaken. Is not the sun set and perished in France, and Po
land? Are not Holland, Flanders, Switzerland, Geneva,
Genoa, Sardinia, Savoy, Treves, Cologne, Venice, Rome, thft
. , , Italian

and the sacred writings; 173
Italian dominions of the House of Austria,and the little
sea-girt empire ofthe Knights of Malta— -are not all these
revolutionized and fallen ? Do not the Kings of Prussia,
Naples, Spain, and Portugal, and even the Emperor
himself, at this moment tremble on their thrones ? And
doth not the same power, which hath accomplished, is
accomplishing, 'and will accomplish similar changes in
all the continental states, denounce- the most complete
destruction to the British empire ? What then can save
us from the threatened calamity ? Nothing nnder hea
ven, but a national reformation, by which we may en
gage the divine protection. Hitherto the Lord hath
wonderfully helped us ; and I pray God effectually to
help us in time to come : but this we have no solid rea
son to expect, for any great number of years, unless the
rubbish of human ordinances shall be removed 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 excellent -
, King, and into the hearts of our Princes, Nobles, Bishops,
Clergy, Gentry, Tradesmen ; and into the hearts also of
all the inferior orders of society !¦ It is reform, or ruin !,
iThe 1260 prophetical years are expiring IJReduce the
Redeemer's religion to its primitive purity and sim
plicity, or he will come in judgement, 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. The Popish constitu
tion is overturned in Rome this very year; and 12(50 -
years from this time the Roman Pontiff began, his secu
lar dominion in that proud and idolatrous metropolis of
the Christian world, through the expulsion of the Goths
by Belisarius the Roman general j ! — Allfesh is as
grass,
* The propagators of Infidelity in France before the Revolution' raised
among themselves and spent no less a sum annually than goo,000 pounds,
sterling, in purchasing, printing, and dispersing books to corrupt the
minds of the people, and prepare them for desperate measures. And simi
lar means are at this moment carrying 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 ! -
+ I mention the Goths and Belisarius again in this place, because I
wish to draw the Reader's attention tb this remarkable accomplishment
of $rr'.t.tnrr rtrnnhery-

176 A PLEA FOR RELIGION-
grass, and all the glory. of man as thefiozver of grass.
The grass withereth, and the flower thereof fu-lleth
away': but the word of 'the Lord endureth for ever J. -
And shall we be so blind and selfish as to suppose,
that all the rest of .the nations shall tall, and we- alone
be preserved ? Amen ! Amen ! May my King and my
Country live for ever !
Wereadily grant, therefore, you see, siycous trymek,
the corruptions of Christianity shall be purged and done
away ; and we.are persuaded the wickedness of Christians
so called, the lukcwarmness of professors, and the reite-.
rated attacks of Infidels fupon the Gospel, shall all, under
the guidance of infinite wisdom, contribute «to the ac
complishing this end. The lofty looks of lordly Prelates
shall he brought low ; the supercilious .airs of downy
doctors and perjured Pluralisms shall be humbled ; the
horrible sacrilege of Non-residents, who shear the fleece,
and leave the flock thus despoiled to the charge of un-
iriterested hirelings that care not for them, shall be
avenged on their impious heads ; intemperate Priests,
avaricious Clerics, aud buckish Parsons, those curses of
Christ etrdotn, shall be confounded; a\\' secular Hierar
chies in3 the tChurch shall be tumbled into ruin ; luke
warm Formalists, of every denomination, shall call to
the rocks and mountains to hide them from the wrath
of the Lamb ; Infidels, seeing the prophecies accom*
plished before, their eyes, shall submit themselves to
the long resisted, but gentle yoke of the Gospel;.,
wicked and openly profane men, Men of Rank; especially
those corrupters and debauchers of the lower- orders.
of -society, shall be converted unto righteousness, or
swept from the earth. with the besom of destruction ;
the invidious disdain of illiberal Sectarists shall be -suc
ceeded -by. equal and universal benevolence; andthe
Lord J,esus Christ alone shall be exalted in that day*.'
'"' The
* It may be Very much questioned whether the united wisdom of men
be equal to such an effectual reformation in Church and State as may be
thought perfectly consistent with the purity and simplicity of,the Gospel.
In civil matters, it rri>y .be, there is no government devised by human
wisdom, better calculated to promote the liberty, prosperity, and hap*-.
pjness of a country than our Own, by ICing,, Lords, and Commons, sup
posing all abuses displaced. Nor dp I see any valid objection tq the three
- , orders
8. , J

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. I77
The Utile, my Countrymen,- the Bible, stripped of
every human appendage, shall rise superior to all opposi
tion, and shall go down with. the revolving ages of time,
enlightening the faith, enlivening the hope, enkindling
the l#ve, enflaming the zeal, and directing the conduct
of men, till the world shall be no more.
*' The cloud-capt towers, the gorgeous palaces,'
" The solemn temples, the great globe itself,
" Yea, all which it inherits shall dissolve,
"And, like the baseless fabric of a vision,
"Leave not. a wreck behind."
But the promises and threatenings of the Holy Writings
shall be receiving their awful completion, upon Believers
and Unbelievers, throughout those never ending ages, whicrt
orders. in the Church, of Bishops, Priests,' vend Deacons. It is certairi
they have prevailed from the days of the 'Apostles, in some form or
other. But here we have Abundance of things to b'e removed, which
are inconsistent with the scriptural model. And if our Go<vernours,
ecclesiastical- and civil, are determined to hold fast what they have
gotten, and suffer no abuses to be rectified, the great Head of the
Church, it may be fully expefled, will arise, ere long, and, plead his
own cause in blood and slaughter. It is morally impossible the present
degenerate state of things should continue another century. Without
a thorough reformation both in civil and religious concerns (and even
such 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 wijl receive com
mission from above to enter their land, and to kill and destroy.
The charges and denunciations against the several culprits mentioned
in the above page may seem too severe to some gentle spirited persons,.-
whocan coll evil good and good.cvil ;'-but in my opinion, they fall'greatly-
below the propriety of the case. The offending Clergy are the curse and
the bavne of the country, and the wrath of God shall smoke against the
Faithless shepherds of Christ's flock.— Men of rank likewise are some
times uncommonly blameable. I myself have knowfi some, who have
corrupted and debauched the whole neighbourhood where they lived.
The late L — d S — h was a pest in this way. The late S — r W^m
M — h also did much mischief among the young men and wemen all
around the place where he resided for several miles. No .young person,
of rnore decent appearance than ordinary, could well escape his allure
ments. Boys and girls were equally his prey. We have marry now liv
ing, also, who are extremely culpable ; and when the scourge of Heaven
visits the land, it shall fall peculiarly heavy upori such characters.
n ' shall

J78 A PLEA FOR RELIGION 1 1 1 ' ' '
shall commence when the present scene of, things, shall be
fully terminated. Let my Countrymen, therefore, :.
" Read and revere the Sacred Page^ a Page
" Where triumphs immortality j a Page
"' Which nbt the whole creation could produce";
" Which not the conflagration shall destroy ;
" In nature's ruins not one letter lost."
In the mean time, be persuaded also to reflect upon our
respective situations, Suppose we who believe in the Sa
viour of mankind are mistaken? UpoYr your own
principles we are safe. But suppose you are mistaken ?
Your loss is immense. For what is a man profited, if he
shall gain the whole world,' and lose- his own soul? or what
shall a man give in exchange for his soul ? " You. know who
it is that hath said too — He that believeth on the Son hath
everlasting life : and he that believeth not the Son, shall not
see life, but the wrath of God abide lb an him. — he is con
demned already I — Whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be
broken : but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him'
to powder. Is there no danger to be apprehended from
these, and similar declarations, 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 creatureT
'? Know'st fthou th' impotence of a soul', immortal ?
" Behold the midnight glory ; worlds on worlds !
" Amazing pomp ! Redouble this amaze ;
" Ten thousand add ; add twice ten, thousand more ; , ,
" Then weigh the whole ; one soul outweighs them all ;
" And calls th' astonishing magnificence
" Of unintelligent, creation poor."
Treating, with just contempt, therefore, the scoffs and
sneers t (for solid arguments we know they have none) of
the whole unbelieving body of our countrymen, whether
.among the nobility and gentry of the land, ©r among the
ignoble vulgar, the beasts of the people, our determination
is, whatever we gain or lose beside, by the grace of Gor>,
to secure the salvation of this immortal part. . No. harm
'can happen us in s.o doing. We are secure in fcvery evept of

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. J 79
of things: If the four sore scoufges of the Almighty, the
•.sword*,: famine, noisome beasts, and pestilence, should re
ceive 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 injure no man. They will render us
respected, at least by the wise and good, while we live, and
be a comfortable evidence of our felicity when we die**,
In the mean time, if it be inquired where present happi.
ness is to be found ? May we not say with confidence ?
" No doubt 'tis in the human breast,
" When clam'rous conscience lies at rest,
" Appeas'd by love divine :
" Where peace has fixed her snow-white throne,
" And faith and holy hope are known,
" And grateful praise erects her shrine-.5'
After all, suppose there should be no future existence—
What do we lose ? — But, if there should be a future state?
• — " and that there is, all nature cries aloud through all
" her works" — then what shall become of the' philosophic
Infidel; the immoral Christian ; and the mere nominal Pro
fessor ? If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall, the
ungodly and the sinner appear ?
" What can preserve my life ! or what destroy !
"An angel's arm can't snatch me from the grave :
" Legions of angels can't confine 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 ofthe world; yet we are
undenirably reasonable creatures, arid under the moral gd-
vernment of God. This is no mere notion, that may be
true or false; but a plain matter of fait, which every man
* .When that fine writer, and pious author, Mr. William L'aw,
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 con-
" trary to itself, and burn 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 ex
travagant nations might be one means of driving the celebijited Gib bon
into a state of infidelity.
n a may

l8o A PLEA FOR RELIGION
may be sensible of by looking into his own bosom. Na
tural religion, therefore, at least, must be binding upon us.
And that also requires, on pain of the highest penalties,
that we should deny ungodliness, all impiety and profaneness
— -land worldly lusts, all irregular secular pleasures and pur^
suits-*-and live soberly, chastely, temperately — rightebmly,
doing strict justice in all our dealings, between man and
man, and shewing mercy to every child of distress to the
utmost of our power — andgodlily, religiously, piously, wor
shipping the Divine Being constantly andeonscientiously
in public and in private, -and zealously endeavouring to
please him in fevery part of our conduct. Deism as well as
Christianity requires all this. Nothing then do we gain,
but a great deal do we lose, by rejecting the merciful dis
pensation of the Gqspel,.and having recourse to the religion
of nature *. For natural religion equally with revealed, con-
* What a picture does Voltaire draw of the condition of man*.
and, indeed, though it is very melancholy, it is very just, upon his
own principles, that the ,way of salvation revealed in the Gospel has
no foundation in truth.
" Who can without horror," says this sophistical philosopher, " con
sider the whole earth as the empire of destruction ? It abounds in won
ders ;it abounds also in victims ; it is a vast field of carnage and con
tagion! — Every species is without pity ; pursued and torn to pieces,
through-the earth! and air and water ! In man there is more wretchedness
than in all other animals put together. He smarts continually under two
scourges, which other animals never feel ; anxiety and listlessness in ap
petence, which make him Weary of himself. — He loves life, and yet he
knows that he must' die. rf"he enjoy some transient good, for whichhei
is thankful to heaven,- he suffers various evils, and is at .last devtiur'ed
by worms. — This knowledge is his fatal prerogative : other animals
have it not. He feels it every moment, rankling and corroding in his
breast. Yet he spends the transient moment of his existence, in dif
fusing the misery that he suffers ; in cutting the throats' of-his fellow
creatures for pay ; in cheating and being cheated ; in robbing and be
ing robbed ; in serving that he may command ; and in repenting of all
that he does. — The bulk of mankind are nothihg more than a crowd of
wretches, equally criminal and unfortunate; and the globe contains
rather carcasses than men. • I tremble upon a review of this dreadful
pifture, to find that it implies a complaint against Providence 5 and
/ wish that I had never Jjeen horn!"
. Let any man consider well this declaration ; afterwards proceed to
take a view of the last three months, and dying scene of Voltaire^
and then let him say what this old Sinner ever gained by his boasted
Infidelity and Philosophy.
' demns

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. iSl
demns all immoral men, under the penalty of incurring
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
** and old women !"
If we should ask, how you know there is no such fallen
spirit ? you-can give no rational answer. Are you ac
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 ail history ; especially to
the writings of the Old and New Testaments; the evidence
of which is such as no man ever did, .or even 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 rational part, to give credit
to his information concerning tht~invisible wor\d, than. to
trust to the vague, uncertain, and contradictory lights of a
vain philosophy. What have you to reply ? — " There is ho
" such being in nature." — And so your affirmation or nega
tion 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 in your own
minds. But, suppose there is 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 own 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 Mary
to be a bad woman, Jesus Christ to be an illegitimate
* The Bible is full of the doctrine of fallen angels. .See especially
Mat. x. i.— Ibid. xxv. 4 1. — Mark v. 8, o.^-John viii. 44. — 2Cor.xi.
14V 15.— James ii. 19. — 2 Peter ii. 4.— 1 John iii. 8.— Jude vi.
n 3 child,.

i8a a plea for religion
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 annihilated the Maker and Go-
vernour of the world also. Atheism must be your dernier-
resort*. For if there is a God, every immoral man will
be, ere long, a miserable man. You must, therefore, to
be consistent, and obtain composure in your irreligious
courses, plunge headlong into the gulf of Alheism\.*— But
* Antiphanes, a very ancient Poet, who lived near a hundred...
years before Socrates, hath strongly expressed his expectation of future
existence : " Be riot grieved," says he, Mabove measure for thy deceased
"friends. They are not dead, but hive only finished that journey
" which it is necessary for every one of us to take.. We ourselves must go'
" to that great placejof rectaption in wJiich>they are $11 of them assembled^
" and, in this general rendezvous of mankind:, live-together in another
" state of being." ,/-",V" ,SpeSator, Nd. 289.
+ .Books proper to be consulted against Atheism, "rtiay.be these that
follow : — NlEtJWENTYT's Religious Philttsnpher — AefiMS-'s LeBureson
Natural and Experimental Philosophy— it2LAS.H?.'$ Dktmrt'e Concerning the
Being and Attributes tf 'God — Baxter's jMat]io-r^$cl%$*.'s{Importance
of Religious Opinions^Bishop .CvM£&fXA%Pi&>l,,$£f.I(apJ,s of Nature—'
-Bentley's Boyle's Letlures — ~R AY* s'fPisctolrii of ppi? in the Works of
Creation — WollaSTon's Religion^ Natti?e'+f-W Rfk.hY*s Surttey ofthe
Wisdom of Gov> in theKJreation — ~Q'&T£ffilU?TlP$yhico aria '^Astro-Theology— *
CwwoRTH'sTrue Inte/leSnal Systejn-^Siikop Wij.kins on Natural Re,
ligion — Sturm's Refletlions on the Works of God — Speclacle de la Nature,
by Le Pl,uCHE,— ;a*id,FE-NELON's Demonstration of the Existence, Wis
dom, and Omnipotence of Gtio, dravfn'from' trie "knowledge of Nature,
particularly of Man, and fitted to the mean&sfifeappcity. — This is a fine-
little work, and worthy of its great author..;., To' these may be added: also
Swammerdam's Book of Nature. — Bonnet's Philosophical Researches,
and Pierre's Studies of Nature, ,abound with, much ingenious matter, in
• propf- of the Divine Existence.
1' transcribe the hames 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 experienced reader to what, books he may have recourse, if he
finds it, necessary for the .peace and satisfaction of his own mind. But
there is no proof of the existence of God, and the truth of Christianity,
so consolatory, as the experimental and heartfelt knowledge of God, and
of his £o# Jesus Christ. Indeed, all other proofs,, without this, are to
little purpose, and this is independent of every other argument ; for
trhnugh it cannot with propriety be adduced for the conviction of XJnbe.
liesvers, it is calculated to yield more satisfaction to our own bosoms than
the most laboured arguments that reach the understanding only, Poor
people, whose minds have taken a religious turn, usually rest their salva,
tion upon this experimental con viftion alone,
,' v-' then,

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS', 183,
i
then, what will you do with reason and conscience, those
troublesome inmates of thehuman bosom? Can ypu'bring
yourselves calmly to believe, that this beautiful frame of
nature, which displays so much intelligence, wisdom, power,
goodness, justice, art, design, is the work of chance? That
admirable piece of mechanism, your own body, the meanest
insect that crawls upon the ground, nay, the very watch in
your pocket, will confute the supposition.. You must,
therefore, you see, come back to and embrace the Religion
cf Jesus with us Believers. ' You cannot fihd rest, upon
the principles of sound reason, in any other system. For
though the Gospel is attended with various and great diffi
culties, as every view of both the natural and moral world
unquestionably is j yet it is attended with the fewest difficul
ties, and" hone but such a.s~%re honestly supexable ; and is, at'
the same time,rthe most c^Qmiprtatble and happy institution
that ever was proposed tp the consideration and acceptance.
of reasonable*-., creatures* . .Nothing was ever so pure, so
benevolent,' so divine, so perfective of human nature, so
adapted toth€ wants and" circumstances of mankind. To'
live under the fu]l power of it, is to have the proper en
joyment of life*. To'Jaelieve and obey it, is to be; en
titled to a crown thai fadethmt away.
Upon the supposition, that theperson, whom we call the1
Saviour ofthe woj;lJd, had ho commission from heaven to
make the will of God known to mankind, would if 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 Fisher-
menoi Galilee should havefarsurpassed Socrates, Plato,
Cicero, and all the greatest men ofthe most enlightened
* " There is not a' single precept in the Gospel, without excepting-
that which ordains the forgiveness of injuries, or that which commands
every, one to possess his.tvessels in sanclifi 'cation and honour, which is not
calculated-to promote our happiness." > ..¦ ;
• Sir Isaac Newton rips -given us a demonstration of the existence
and intelligence of the' Divine Being, in the .close of his Principia,
which the atheistical readA would do well to consider, at his leisure. .
And to the above books against Atheism should'bc. added, a very excel
lent and satisfactory Discourse by Archbishop 'finOTSON on the-/F/j-
dom of being Religious, ~ '„ - >
n 4. -period

184 A FLEA FOR RELIGION
period of the world ? that everything they advanced should
perfectly agree both with the natural,. c*vi J, and religious
history of mankind ? that their discourses should still be
capable of improving and delighting the most learned and
profound geniuses of these latter ages* ? that all modern
discoveries should bear witness to the truth of the facts re
corded in the most venerable of all Volumes ? and that every
book in the world, sacred or profane, Christian, Jewish,
Pagan,, ox Mahometan, instead of lessening, should esta-.
blish the credit and authority of the Bible as a revelation
from heaven-}- ? This
* Newton accounted the Scriptures the most sublime philosophy, and
never mentioned the word — God — but with a pause. Seegishop Wat.
son's T'vjo Sermons and Charge, p. 9, where this is asserted. The same
thing is recorded of the Honourable Rob ert Boyl e, by Bishop Bvrnet.
How different the conduct of our Minute Philosophers ?
+ Mr. Whiston, in his Astronomical Principles of Religion, gives us
a short view of the reasons which induced him to believe the Jewish
and Christian revelations to be true. These reasons are the following :
1,. " The revealed religion of the Jews and ChritGmis\zy% the law pf
nature for its foundation ; and all along supports and assists natural reli
gion ; as every true revelation ought to do.
2. " Astronomy, and the rest of -our certain ma thematic sciences^ do
confirm the accounts of Scripture, so far as they are concerned.
3. " The ancientest and best historical accounts now known do, ge.
nerally speaking, confirm the accounts of Scripture, so far as they are
concerned. 4. " The. more learning has increased, the more certain, in general,
• do the Scripture accounts appear, and its difficult places are more clear--
ed thereby.
5. " There are, or have been generally, standing memorials preserved'
of the certain truths of the principal historical fafts, which were con
stant evidences for the certainty of them.
6. " Neither the Mosaical law, nor the Christian religion, could pos
sibly have been received and established without such miracles as the
sacred history contains.
7. " Although the Jews all along hated and persecuted the prophets -
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 truth of their law, and of Hie Scripture prophecies
relating to them.
9V" The, ancient and present state of the Christian church are also
strong arguments for the truth of the Gospel, and. of the Scripture pro
phecies relating thereto. ,
io. " The

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. l8j
This is more extraordinary still, when it is considered,
that the object of our Saviour's religion is new, the doc
trines new, his personal character new *, and" the religion*- itself
10. " The miracles, whereon the Jewish and Christian religion are
founded, were of old owned to be true by their very enemies.
n. " The sacred writers1, who lived in times and places so remote
from one another, do yet all carry on one and the same grand design ;
namely, that of the satvation of mankind, by the worship oft arid obe
dience to, the one true God, in and through the king Me ssiah ; which,
without a divine conduct", could never have been done.
12. " The principal doctrines of the Jewish and Christian religion,
a re agreeable to the ancientest traditions of all other nations.
13." Thedifficulties relating to this religion, are not such as affeft the
truth of the facts, but the conduft 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 with.
out such difficulties as to the conduc\ of Providence, as are ©bje&ed to
Revelation. 15. *' The SacredHistory has the greatest marks of truth, honesty;
and impartiality, of all other histories whatsoever ; and withal, has"
none of the known marks of knavery and imposture.
16. " The predictions of Scripture have been still ¦fulfilled in the se
veral ages of the world whereto they belong.
i"j. "No opposite systems ofthe universe, or schemesof divine re-.
velation, have any tolerable- pretences to be true, but those ipf the Jews
and Christians.
" These are the plain and obvious arguments, which fersuade me of
the truth of the Jewish and Christian revelations, which I earnestly re
commend to the farther consideration of the inquisitive reader."
* " The four Evangelists," of whom such contemptuous things have
been spoken by Mr. Paine and others, "have done, without appealing.
to have intended it, what was never performed by any authors before or
since. They have drawn a perfedt human character, without a single
flaw ! They have given the history of one, whose spirit-j words, and ac
tions, were in every particular what they ought to have been ; who
always did the very thing which was proper, and in the best manner
imaginable ; who never once deviated from the most consummate wis
dom, purity, benevolence, compassion, meekness, humility, fortitude^
patience, piety, zeal, and every other excellency ; and who in no in
stance let one virtue or holy disposition entrench on another ; but exer
cised them all in entire harmony and exaft proportion 1 _ The more the
histories' of the Evangelists are examined, the clearer will this, appear ;
and the more evidently will it be perceived, that they ajl coincide in the
view they give of their Lord's character. This subject challenges inves
tigation, and sets Infidelity at defiance ! Either these four men exceeded
in genius andeapacity all the writers that ever lived, or they wrote
tinder the special. guidance of jiivine inspiration ; for without labour or
affe&ation

i86

A PLEA FOR RELIGION

"itself superior to all that was known among men. These
are considerations that ought to have much weight with
every
affectation they have effected, what hath baffled all others, who have set
themselves purposely to accomplish it.
r " Industry, ingenuity, and malice, have for ages been employed, in
endeavouring to prove the Evangelists inconsistent with each other;
but not a single contradifiion has been proved upon them."
This quotation is taken from the Rev. T.Scott's Ans<wertoVAim'&
Age of Re-asam. The whole forms a,satisfactory antidote against the poison
of that virulent Deist's publications, and may be had at the very mode
rate price of One Shilling. ¦ ,,
With this may be compared the fine account 'that Rousseau has
given ns of the Gospels, which is the, more remarkable, as it is from, the
pen of an enemy. , ,
1' I -will confess to you," says he, "that the majesty of the Scriptures
strikes me with admiration, as the purity of the Gospel hath its influence -
en, my heart. Peruse the works of our philosophers with all their pomp
of diction .- how mean, how contemptible are they, compared- with the
Scripture I ¦ Is it possible- that a book, at" once so simple and .sublime,
should be merely the work of man ? Is it possible that the sacred person
age, whose history it contains, should be himself a mere man ?, Do we
find that he. assumed the tone of an enthusiast or ambitious sectary? What
sweetness, what purity in his manner ? What an affecting gracefulness iii.
liis delivery ? What sublimity inhis maxims ? What profound wisdom in
his discourses ! What presence.of mind, what subtlety, what truth "in his
.replies ? How great, the command over his* passions ! Where, is the man,
where the philosopher, who could so live,- and so die, without "weakness,
and without ostentation ? When Plato described his imaginary good
jnan,, loaded with all the shame of guilt, yet meriting the; highest rewards
of virtue,- he describes exactly the character of Jesus Christ : the
resemblance was so. striking, that all the-Fathe-rs perceived it.
What prepossession, what blindness must it be, to compare the son of
Sophroniscus to the son of Mary ? What an infinite disproportion
there is between, them !- Socrates dying without pairi or ignominy
easily supported his chara&er 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,, was any thing more, than a vain sophist. He in-.
vented, it is said, the theory pf morals. Others, however, had before
put them in practice ; he had only to say, therefore, what they had done,
and to reduce their examples to precepts. Amstides had'been just be
fore Socrates defined justice ; Leqnidas had given up his life for his,
country before Socrates declared patriotism to be a duty ; the Spartan*,
were a sober people-before Socrates recommended sobriety ; before he
had even-defined virtue, Greece abounded in virtuous men. But where
could Jesus learn, among his competitors, that pure and sublime mo-i
rality, of which he only hath given lis both precept and example ? TSe
greatest wisdom which made known among" the most bigotted fanaticism,"' ar,d

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 187
every man who calls himself a Philosopher, and wishes to be
determined in his judgment only by the reason and na
ture of things*.
*' But, is it possible, any reasonable man should be so
"weak as to suppose the book, called the Biblti, can be
" the Word of God?"
No intelligent Christian will distinguish it by that name,
without a large restriction of its contents. All we .assert
respecting it, is, that it is a collection of writings, con
taining a history of the divine dispensations to our worldj
and that the proper Word^ of God, with numberless other
particulars, is interwoven all the way through these most
ancient and invaluable writings.
and the simplicity ofthe mostheToic virtues, did honour to the vilestpeo-
ple upon earth. Ihe death of Socrates, peaceably philosophizing with,
his friends, appears the most agreeable that could be wished for; that-
of Jesus expiring in the midst of agonizing pains, abused, insulted, ami
accused by a whole nation, is the most horrible that could be feared.
SociIates in receiving the cup of poison,1 blessed indeed the weeping exe
cutioner who administered it j. but Jesus, in themidstof excruciatirig tor
tures, prayed for his 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 ? Indeed,
my friend, it bears not the marks of fiction ; on the contrary, the history
of Socrates,1 which nobody presumes to doubt, is not so well attested
as that of Jesus Christ.. Such a supposition, in fact, only shifts the
difficulty without obviating it •, it is more inconceivable that anumberof
persons should agree to write such a history, than that one only should
furnish the subject of it. The Jewish authors were incapable of the
diction, aiid 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.
* 1 1 istruly remarkable, and highly satisfactory to the serious Christian,.
that.all modern discoveries are so far from proving unfavourable to the
truth of the Sacred Writings', that they strongly tend to the illustration
and confirmation of them. All voyages anal travels, into the East espe
cially, are particularly useful in this' point of view. Bruce's Travels
throw light upon many biblical circumstances. Maurice's Indian An
tiquities, and History 'of Hindustan, are singularly valuable. Harmer'sOA-.
servations on divers passages of '-.Scripture is a work superior to every
thing of the kind, as it contains a selection, from a variety of "voyages
and travels, of such circumstances as have a tendency tc^ illustrate the
meaning of a large number of obscure passages in thc'Sacred Writings.
+ See this matter set in a very proper light in the fourth Letter of
Bishop Watson's Apology for the Bible. " Is

l88 A PLEA FOR RELIGION
" Is it to be conceived by any man, who hath the least
"pretension to common sense, that the several simple
" refations recorded in the, books of Moses, Joshua,
" Judges, arid those which follow, can be founded:in
" truth ?" - -
Most of our misapprehensions of this kind arise from
not duly considering the infant state of the. world, the pro
gressive nature of civil. society, and the different manners
of the several ages and countries Of the earth. The cus
toms of the eastern nations, ,where the Bible was originally
written, were then, and, indeed, are at this day, extreme
ly different from our own ; almost as much so as between
the manners of the inhabitants of the south-sea islands, and
those of this country. 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 future state, with the interposition of any Other
" being whatever ?"
What God can do, what he hath done, and what he
•will do, are very different considerations. If it were,
equally consistent with his wisdom and goodness to save
mankind without a Mediator, we may be asured it would
have been done. But as the Divine Being hath thought
proper to institute the mediatorial scheme, we may be
assured there are the best reasons for the appointment,
* This objection is well answered in the first Letter of Bishop Wat
son's Apology. >
The character of Moses and his writings is very amply and satis-
-factorily vindicated from all the usual objections of Infidels, in the first
of Bishop Newton's Dissertations on some parts of the Old Testament.
Little more either need or can be added to what this learned man hath
advanced. If the reader is disposed, he may add Grav's Key to' the
Old Testament. After reading such authors, it' is scarcely possible to
avoid entertaining an opinion extremely - contemptible of, Thomas
Paine. Mr. Hkrvey's [Remarks onior</Boi_lNOBROKE's Letters ontheStudy
and Use of History, contain many pious and satisfactory observations on the
-History ofthe Old Testament, especially on the writings of Moses. "
though (

AND THE SACRED WTUTINGS. 1S9 '
though we may be incapable of discovering, and even
comprehending, what all those reasons are. Indeed, even
in this state, few of the blessings of Providence are
conveyed to us by the intervention of mediators. The
whole plan of the world is carried forward by the assistance
of others. How many mediators 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 the historic form ? Why was it not
" rather given in some set and regular composition, worthy
" of its author ?"
The reason of this 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
question, but that the variety of compositions, of which
the Bible is formed, is much better adapted to the circum
stances of the great bulk of mankind, than any set and
regular discourse in the didadiic form-f.
" The books of Mose-s are thought by many to have
" been written some ages after his time + ?"
* See Soame Jbnyn's View ofthe Internal Evidence ofthe Chris
tian Religion, and Butler's Analogy, passim, where the doctrine of the
rmediatorship of Messiah is considered at large, with unanswerable
evidence. + Let the reader consult Mr. Wakefield's Evidence of 'Christianity ,
where he will find a number of remarks well adapted to display the ex
cellence, 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.
J 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 un
equalled dignity of their subject, unite a majestic simplicity' and perspi.
cuity of stile ani narration. Mqsss, the most ancient, is the most per.
feft of historians. His stileis copious, even,- and clear. Like a deep
xiver, 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
interweaving them together he has authenticated both : for it is impos- ,
sible to forge the civil and religious policy of -a great nation."
The ingenious reader will find much entertainment and instruction,
and ijarious difficulties obviated, in Bryant's Observations on the
Plagues of Egypt.
The

igO A PLEA FOR RELIGION
The authenticity of those books is unquestionable, and
has been amply vindicated by men-every way furnished for
the inquiry*. , ,
" Though some parts of the books of Moses are
** written with great beauty and simplicity, yet many,
" of his laws are trifling, and unworthy of a great legis-
•" Jatpr ?"
This objedion arises from a want of due attention to
the state ofthe people for whom those laws were enacted.
When the circumstances of the Jews are properly con--
¦sidered, the Mosaic institutions will appear to be adapted
with the most consummate propriety to those circum
stances -f. It is extremely hard the Bible should be made
accountable for our ignorance.
" The character and conduct of David-, who is called
" a man after God's own heart, can never be defended
" by any person who ha's the least regard to truth and
" moral excellency ?" „
It is not the business of these papers to enter into a mi
nute defence of all those parts of the- Bible which may
seem objectionable. The character of David, however,
stands high in our estimation, except in the case of Uriah ;
and as it has been virulently attacked by some consider
able men, so it has-been no less ably defended. Aiid-to
such defence, we beg leave to refer those readers -who'
find themselves concerned. %. " The
, /i
* See Prideaux's ConneHhn, b. 6; Kidder's Commentary on the
Books of Moses ; . Witst I Miscellanea Sacra ; Marsh's Discourse "on the
Authenticity of those Bpoks, and Du Pin's Bibliotheca. ''--.. '
T Consult Low man's Dissertation on the Civil Government of the
Hebrews, and ^.'Randolph's Excellency of the Jewish Law vindi
cated. See too FoRB es's' Thoughts on Religion.
J Delany's Historical Account of the Life and Reign of DavID is
valuable. Bishop Porteus's Sermon on the Characler of Davxb abounds
with just remarks. — But Chandler's Critical History of the Life of
David enters at large into the subject, and is particularly satisfactory:
Another learned man says :¦ — . , . .
" If we consider David, in the great variety of his fine qualifica
tions ; the ornaments of his person, and the far more illustrious endow
ments of his mind ; the surprising revolutions in his fortune ; sometimes
reduced to the lowest ebb ¦of adversity ; sometimes riding upon the highu
est tide of prosperity •— his singular dexterity in extriCatinghimself from
- difficulties,

AND THE SACRED 'WRITINGS. I.91
" The characters and manners of the ancient -Prophets
." were uncouth, and unworthy of the God who is said
" to have sent them ?"
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. Besides, it is not essential to the character of a
prophet of the true God, that he should be a good man.
Balaam is an instanceto 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 servants of
'* God in the Old Testament, which very much wound the
" feelings of every good man. Noah was guilty of in-
•* toxication ; Abraham of dissimulation; Jacob of
,c lying; Aaron of idolatry; Jael of treachery and
" murder; David of adultery and murder ; Solomon of
"idolatry and lewdness; and many others 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 trans- j
gressions, 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 ?" v '>¦
difficulties, and peculiar felicity in accommodating himself to all ciri
cumstances ;— -the prizes he won, as a youthful champion ; and the vic
tories he gained, as an experiencrd general ; his masterly hand upon the
harp, and his inimitable talent for poetry ; — the admirable regulations of
his royal government, and the inoomparable usefulness of his public
writings ;— the depth of his repentance, andthe height of his devotion ;
— the' vigour of his faith in the divine promises, and the ardour of his
love to the divine Majesty : — If we consider these, with several other
marks of honour and grace, which ennoble the history of his life ; we
shall see such an assemblage of shining qualities, as perhaps wej-e never
"United i'n any other merely Hman character."

t$Z - A PLEA FOR REtlGION
Just as pestilence, famine, storms, tempests, ^nd earth
quakes may be reconciled with those lovely perfeflionsV
The Moral Governour 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.
" But, you should like' to have been eye-witnesses of
" the mighty works wrought by Moses -j- and Jesus
" Christ?"
So should we. Has not every man, in every age, and
in every country under heaven, the same right to expect
* See this vindicated in Bryant's Treatise on the Scriptures; in the
first Letter of Watson's Apology ; and in almost every other author
who has treated iipon subjects* of this nature.
+ The writings of Moses have received much confirmation andeluci-
datlon from the learned labours of- the late Sir William Jones, and
the present Mr. Maurice. All the leading circumstances ofthe
Mosaic history are found detailed with various degrees of corruption and
.perversion among the writings of the East Indies. TJhe following account
of Noah and his three sons, from Mr. MAURIC.E'*? Sanscreet Fragments,
is very remarkable, and strongly corroborative of the Mosjtip history.
i. " To Satyava'rman, that sovereign ofthe whole earth/ were
born three sons, the eldest Sherma ; thenCHARMA ; and, thirdly, Jya£%-
ti, by name.
1. They -viefe all men of good morals, excellent in virtue and virtuous
deeds, skilled in the use of weapons to strike withortobe thrown ; brave
men, eager for victory in battle!
3. But Satyavarman, being continually delighted with devout
meditation, pud seeing his sons fit for dominion, laid upon them the burden
of government.
4. Whilst he remained Honouring and satisfying the gods,, and priests, '
¦and kinc, one day, by the act of destiny, the king, having drunk mead,
5. Became senseless, and lay asleep naked. Then was" he seen by 1
Charm a,' and by him were his two brothers called":
6. To whom be said, What 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 his intellect, and perfectly knowing what had
passed, he cursed Charma ; saying, Thou shalt be servant'of servants :
8. ^?/^,*since thou wast a laughter in their presence, from laughter
shalt thou acquirea name. Then he gave to Sherma the wide domain
on the south, of the snowy mountains.
9. And to'jYAPETi he gave all on the north of the snowy moun.
tains ; but he, by the power of religious contemplation, attained supreme
bliss." Asiatic Researches, vol.. 3, p. 467, and Mr. MAURICE'S Sanscreet
Fragments, p. .44. this

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. I93
this indulgence ? Miracles must, therefore, be wrought
at all times, in all places, and before every individual of
mankind. And what would be the consequence ? Mi
racles would cease to be miracles, and the whole course of
nature would be thrown into confusion and disorder. So
unreasonable are the demands of wayward men !
" Many parts of the Old Testament are extremely dull,
" uninteresting, and even unintelligible ?"
Considering the ages in which it was written ; the diffe
rent manners which prevailed ; the frequency of allusions
to ancient customs and circumstances no longer known ;
considering 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 wonder
ful it should be so intelligible as it is, and appear to so
much advantage. Most of our objections to those admi
rable writings are founded in our own ignorance*. Before
we set up to be critics upon the Bible , let us make ourr
selves thorough masters ofthe 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
avowed Inficlel, with these qualifications, I beli'eve,t,is not
this day to be found in England. No- person of a serious
cast of mind, of pure morals, and a competent share of
learning, can be an Infidel. Shew us the ma"n of this de
scription, who professedly rejects the divine mission of
Jesus Christ, and we shall think the cause of Infidelity
less desperate.
,fBut are there not many contradictions, absurdities,
" and falsehoods, in the books of the. New Testament, such
" as no man can reconcile ?"
* It is no inconsiderable proof of the truth of some of the historical
hooks of the Old Testament, that the ten tribes of Israel, which were
carried captive by Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, upwards of i^oo
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'tbe 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.
o - We

iXO^. A.'PLEA FOR RELIGION
We deny that there is -either contradiction, absurdity*
or falsehood, in this inestimable Volume*. There are, we
.'grant, certain 'apparent blemishes of thrse kinds, but not
"even one that is real. Learned men jTw/e vindicated it
from these charges with all reasonable evidence. Can we
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 could be made good against
it ? But Supposing the New Testament did abound With
both contradictions, absurdities, and falsehoods, this cir
cumstance, though less honourable in itsteif, would by1 no
means render null the divine mission of Jesus Christ.
He might be the true Messiah notwithstanding. Im1-
partial'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-f* punish-
" ment denounced against sin in the Gospel? This seems
" hard,_
* "Ijkh Scriptures are an adorable mixture of clearness and obscu
rity, wKicn enlighten and humble the children of God," and blind and
harden those of this world. The light proceeds from Gob, and blind,.
ness frOm the creature."
This is an observation of that admirable Divine, Dr. Wilson, late
Bishop of SopoR and Man, whose works contain a rich magazine of pi
ous arid useful observations. If all ouf 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'WiiAoN, though entitled
to the honour, always declined sitting in the House. of Lords, saying,
"" that the Church should have nothing to do with the State. Christ's
" kingdom is not of this world." — See his Work's, vol. i. p. 34, quartb
edit. The public is greatly indebted to the present Archbishop NewcoMe,
an Irish Prelate, for his learned labours on biblical subjects. This sqund
.scholar declares his opinion to be, that "every genuine proposition, in
Scripture, whether doctrinal or historical, 'contains a truth, when it is
rightly understood ; and that all real difficulties in the Gospels, will, at
length yield to the efforts of rational criticism." — See his Harmony.
Though Dr. Mill has enumerated more than 30,000 Variations' in
; the manuscripts and versions of the NewTestament, it is very remarka-
' able, and highly satisfactory, that they do not, when all put together, af
fect any thing essential, either in'the doctrines orprecepts of the Gospel.
,'.,' '¦+¦ In,'the 35th of Archbishop TiLLors'o't>'s"Sermo/rs, every thingis said
"upbn the eternity of the torments of hell, that can be known with any
certainty.

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 19$
*' hard, and indeed inconsistent, with the goodness and
*' mercy of the Divine Being?"
Guilty man is an improper judge in this matter. Infi?
nite wisdom hatff seen good to denounce such punishment
¦against incorrigible transgressors, and, therefore, we may
be well assured* it is consistent witli infinite goodness and
mercy. If the denunciation of eternal torments will not
restrain men from sin, much less would a . shorter dura?
tion have done it.
" The Gospel of Christ bears too hard upon the
" pleasures of mankind, and lays iis under too severe re--
" straints ?"
Ppes it then rob us of any pleasures worthy the ratipmd -
jiature ? It rest-rains us, indeed, but it only restrains us
from things that would dp us harm, and make us and our
-fellow creatures miserable. }t 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 thing that can do us good, and.
it prohibits every thing thkt will do us harm, under penal
ties of the most alarming kind. Could a Being of infinite
benevolence and perfection do better, or act otherwise,
consistently with those perfections ?
*' Plow 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 designing men in after ages*?"
02 Never
certainty. It is a discourse well worth the serious attention of the
reader, especially in the present time, of relaxed divinity, and more re
laxed morality.
Some very considerable men, among whom may be reckoned the late
¦Bishop Newton and Dr. David Hartley, have been of opinion,
that eternal punishment,, properly so called, is no where denounced in
Scripture. If so, the objection is of no force in any point of view.
-Consult ScARLET-T'^NewTestament fin -Universal Restitution. We may
be assured, however, in every event of things, the Judge of all the ear'tji
nuill do right.
* There are several circumstances, as we have already in part observed,
still in existence, strongly corroborative ofthe truth ofthe Bible. The-
Mosaic history of the "creation, is confirmed by the present appearance of
things:

IQt$ A PLEA FOR RELIGION
• Never were any writings conveyed down with so good
evidence of their being genuine as tliese. Upon their
first publication, the books of the New Testament, in par
ticular, were put into all hands, scattered into all nations,
translated into various languages. They have been quoted
by innumerable authors, appealed toby all parties of Chris--
Hans, and made the standard of truth in every question of
moment. We can trace them back through every age to
the period in which they were written. < And extremely
remarkable and consolatory is the consideration, that not
withstanding the innumerable times they have been copied',
and the various errors, sects, and parties which have arisen,
the corruptions which have 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 of Christianity. The divisions and squabbles Of
men have been wonderfully over-ruled to the establishment

things : Noah's flood by a variety of natural phasnomena, and the ge
neral history ofthe world : the: destruction of Sodom, by the face ofthe
country around, and the ruins which have been discovered : the passage
ofthe Israelites through the wilderness, by the rock that supplied them
with Water, which is still iri existence, and visible to the curious in
quirer, besides the names of places, and the traditions of the present
inhabitants : the history and prophecies concerning Nineveh, Babylon,
Tyre, Egypt, Jerusalem, and other cities and countries, are all confirmed
by the present state tf those places and countries : the birth and resur
rection of Christ are established by the existing circumstances of the
Christian 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 preternatural concussion. Let
the curious reader. consult Shaw and Maundr ell's' Trow/*, together
with Bryant's Dissertation on the Divine Mission of Moses, and his
. Observations- on the Place of Residence given to the, Children of Israelia
'"Egypt), and their Departure from it, for several ofthe above particulars.
Noah's ark is found, by the most accurate observations of modern
•geometricians, to have 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 designed for it. It has been calculated to
, contain upwards of 72,000 tons burden.
. Consult Doddridge's Leclures for Heathen Testimonies, to the facts
of .the Old Testament. of

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. ' I97
of God's truth. The gates of hell shall not prevail against
it*. " But, notwithstanding all the boasted advantages ofthe
" Gospel, are not many who profess to believe in Christ,
" and who attend the ordinances of religion, the arrantest
" knaves upon earth, ?"
Granted. Do you, therefore, infer that the Gospel itself
as an imposture ? This argument is good for, nothing. It
proves too much. Some professors of natural religion are
bad men ; therefore natural religion is an imposture : there
is no God. Some great pretenders to Philosophy .are
knaves; therefore Philosophy is all an imposition upon
mankind. Some Deists are immoral men ; therefore the
principles of Deism are founded in error and delusion.
Was it ever known that any man grew more moral, pious,
virtuous, and heavenly minded, after rejecting the Gospel?
I could produce you a thousand instances where men have
become better by cordially embracing it ; and we may
defy y6u to produce one instance where any man became
worse. *'Can any imn, of an enlightened and liberal mind, errt-
" brace the mysterious doctrines of Christianity ? What must
«' such an one think of the Trinity, the Atonement, the In-
«' carnation, and those other unaccountable peculiarities of
" that institution, which have been a stumbling block to
*' many persons in every age of the church-j- ?"
03 And
* See Lardner's Credibility, passim; Simpson's Essay on the Au
thenticity of the New Testament, where the evidence is brought into one
short view; and ZoWHaile's Disquisitions concerning the Antiquities of
the Christian Church.
The celebrated Philosopher, Bonnet, of Geneva, assures us, after a
Very serious and accurate examination of the subject, that there is no
ancient history "so well attested, as that of.'tKe Messenger ofthe
" Gospel, that there are no historical facts supported byso great a num-
" ber of proofs ; by such striking, solid, and various proofs, as are those
" facts on which the religion of Jesus Christ is founded.",
+ Consult Simpson's Apology for the DoBrine ofthe Trinity, on this
Objection, where the subject is treated at large.
It appears tome indubitable, that all the real doctrines of religion, as
¦ contained, not in this or the other human institution, but in the New
Testament, are defensible on the purest principles of reason, without sacri ficing

J98 A fLEA- *0R RELIGION
And are there not also many strange and unafcc6untable
things in the book of Nature, and in the administration of
Divine Providence, the design and use of which we
cannot se* ? Nay^ are there not even some things which to
us seem wrong and ill-contrived ? Yet we own the world
was created by God, and that heisthe'GoVERNoUR thereof.
And why then shall we not allow that the Scriptures may
be from GO-dj notwithstanding these difficulties, and seem
ing incongruities? Indeed, a revelation^ which we could
fully comprehend, Would not appear the production of ail
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, providence, and grace, should all, in some
respect or other, bear the stamp of their being derived from
one source. Many things in the volumes of Nature and
Provi-
ficirig ahy one of its- mysterious doctrines-. There is no need that we
should, carry our candour and complaisance so far, to gain the approba.
tion of any man, or set of men whatever. .
The mysterious doctrines of religion have caused some sceptical men
to reject those scriptures in which they are contained; others have 'ex
plained and refined them away. So, because the doctrines of religion
have been abused to superstition and folly, abundance of our fellow creas.
tures, without due consideration, are disposed to cast off all religion
whatever. Ill judging men ! What is buman nature without religion,?
How horrible the state of the world, without religion ? Let Cicero
speak its importance to human Happiness : Religione sublata, perturbatio
vita; sequitur, et magna confusio. Atque haud scio, an pietate ad versus
Deos sublata, fides etiam et societa's humani generis, et unaexcellentissima
virtus/ jusi'tia, tollatur. De.Nat.' Deo. 1.2. >
How strongly is this exemplified in the state. of France at this moment !
* What if there should be some incomprehensible dott»ines in the
Christian religion; some circumstances, which in their causes, or their
consequences, ;pass the reach of human reason; are they to 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 contemplation. Even in mathematics,
the science of demonstration itself, though you get over its first princU
pies, and team! to digest the idea of a point without parts, a line without
breadth, and a surface without thickness, yet you will find yourselves
at a loss to comprehend the perpetual approximation of lines, which can
never meet; the doctrine of incommensurables, and of an infinity of in
finities/ each infinitely.greater, or infinitely less, not only than any finite
quantity, but than each other. In physics, you cannot comprehend the
, , primary

AND THE SCORES •"WAITINGS. L99
Providence far exceed our highest powers to comprehend*;
it is not improbable, therefore, that the volume of Divjn,e.
Grace should be under a similar predicament. What doth
the wisest man upon earth know of the nature of God, but
what the Scripture hath Md him ? Extremely little. ^ It
primary cause of any thing ; not of the light, by which you see ; nor of
the elasticity of the air, by which you hear ; nor of the fire, by which
you are warmed. In physiology, you cannot tell what first gave motion
to ihe heart ; nor what continues it ; nor why its, motion is less volun
tary than that ofthe lungs' ; nor why you are able to move your arm, to
the right or left, by a simple volition : you cannot explain the cause of
animal heat ; nor comprehend the principle by which yourbody was at
first formed, nor by which it is sustained, nor by which it will be re
duced to earth. In natural religion, you cannot comprehend the eternity
or omnipresence ofthe Deity ; nor easily' understand how his prescience
can be consistent with your freedom, or his immutability with his go
vernment of moral" agents ; nor why he did not make all his creatures
equally perfect ; nor why he did not create them sooner ; in short, you
cannot look into any branch of knowledge, but you will meet with sub-
jefts above your comprehension. The fall and the redemption of human
kind, are ,not more incomprehensible than the cr eation and the conser
vation of the universe ; the infinite Author of the works of providence,
and of nature, is equally 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 with
most diffidence concerning those things which, in revealed religion^ may
seem hard to be understood; they have ever avoided that self-sufficiency
of knowledge, which springs from ignorance, produces indifference,
and ends in Infidelity; .
" Plato mentions a set of men, who were very ignorant, and.tnought
themselves extremely wise : and who rejected the argument for the being
pf a God, derived from the harmony and order of tbe universe, as old
and trite. There have been men, it seems, in all ages, who in affefting
singularity,' have overlooked truth: an argument, 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 ot
Christianity, weighed the old arguments from miracles, and from pro.
phecies, 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
an history of England, >nd meeting with 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 compre
hend these phenomena." Bishop Watson's. Apology for Christianity.
*The dispensations of Divide Providence are ably vindicated from
theobjectionfof Sceptics and Infidels by Dr. Sherlock, in his valuable
Treatise on that subjeft. The reader will also find a VMjr pleasing • pa-
p-r in the SfeBator to the same purpose, which he wOuld do weU to
consult. It is No. 237, in the third volum^
o 4 j may

2,00 A PLEA FOR RELIGION
may bequestioned Whether we should have known any thing
of him, had it not been for some original revelation.
" If Christ was so necessary to the salvation of the
"world, why was he sent no sooner? Why, even accord-
" ingto your own account, were four thousand years suffer.
" ed to elapse before the Sun of righteousness arose ?"
Very sufficient reasons may be given, and have a hun
dred times been given, for this wise delay. It may; how
ever, be retorted, if Philosophy be medicinal to a foolish
world, why were Thales, Solon, Pythagoras, Aris-
'.totle, Zeno, Antoninus, Seneca, and other ancient
Heathens, bornno sooner^ butmen suffered to continue so
many ages in profound ignorance, little superier' 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 world; The efficacy of his death extends from the
beginning to the endof time. He is anuniversalSAVlouR,
When we any of us bestow a. favour upon a fellow-crea-i
ture, ,we alone are to determine the time and circum
stances of doing that favour.
" If the Gos^e/, and our natural passions*, both comefrorri.
' " one source, why doth t he former oppose the latter.?"
It is well known, that while^the inferior powers ofhumart
nature assume dominion over the superior,'no man can be*-
happy. The intention ofthe Gospel is, therefore, not to
destroy the affection* of men, but to regulate,. and restore
.them to dueordetahd harmony, and so to. promote the
felicity of human life. And, wherever it hath its proper,
full, and natural effect, there it always forms a virtuous,
respectable, and happy character. The grand intention
of it, however, is to train, mankind for- glory and immor
tality in a future state of existence.
" If the human race areall sprung from oneoriginal pair,
" and if the several species of animals, insects, and birds,
* See. a- most remarkable deliverance from the dominion of indulged.
. and long continued lust, in the case of Colonel Gardiner, sect. 37, 38.
of his Life by Dr. Doddridge. Everyman, who is living under the
tyrannical dominion ofhls /«*/*, and wishes to obtain deliverance, should
notfail to consult this extraordinary emancipation. Nothing is too-hard;
"for divine erace to accomplish. " were'

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 201
" 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 exten-
*' sive oceans* ?"
If we refuse to believe in God, till we understand all
the difficulties attending his existence, and in Jesus
Christ, till we are acquainted with all the mysteries pf
Providence, and' Grace, we must continue, not only Unbe
lievers, but Atheists to eternity. How Often must it be re
peated, that our comprehension is not the standard of truth?
The evidence for the genuineness 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 ?"
At first view, this is a considerable difficulty, but has
been accounted for upon principles perfecilyssatisfadtory,
which we cannot stop here at length to detail-f-.
" Why is the Go,spel attended with so many difficulties ?
" and why did not infinite wisdom, if infinite wisdom had'
" any concern in the business, take care to make every
**• thing plain and. easy to the meanest capacity j?" ,
It is answered, with triumphant gratitude, everything
necessary. to salvation is plain and easy to the most common
apprehension, if we are humbly disposed to submit our
Wills and understandings to the will and understanding of
God. And if there are some things in the Sacred Writings',
* See Stackhouse on this difficulty. ."»
T Consult Mr. Bryant's Treatise on the Christian Religion, jp. 2S7 — ¦<
277. See the same work too for answers to several other objections.
1 .But for a solution of thegreatest number of difficulties, I repeat again,
turn to Stackhqose's large Work on the'Bible.
t 'The religion of Jesus Christ, any more than the dispensation of
MOses, was never intended to be free from'difficulties. It was rather
designed to be a touchstone for ingenuous and curable dispositions. If
^ve are honest inquirers after,s^ving truth, and persevere in our pursuit,
we shall not be disappointed. What we know not to-day, we shall know
to-morrow. That is a fine anecdote which is given us by'jACOB Bry.
' ant, Esq. in the above. Treatise on the Christian- Religion, concerning
the Qi.een and the Princess Mary. See that Work, and Simpson's
Essay on the New Testament, p. 1-23. and

202 A PLEA FOR RELIGION
and in the scheme of redemption, difficult to comprehend,
it is not less so in the course of nature, and in the principles
of unrevealed religion. But if the Gospelof Christ were
attended with abundantly more difficulties than it is, still
there could be no solid objection 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 opposition to
-•#1 the powers of earth and hell. Let any man account
for this phenomenon, on principles merely human, if he
can. " Has not the • Gospel beeri the cause of the greatest
" misery and destruction to the human race, upon various
'* occasions, .almost ever since it was introduced ?" ,,-
It has. And this 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 otherwise the cause of misery
and destruction to the human race, than as Philosophy has
been the cause of. misery and destruction to the inhabitants
of France. As in the latter case, it was not Philosophy, but
the abuse of it, that 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, that has produced^o
much havock among mankind*. And though it has not
done ,
* See this difficulty answered in Bonnet's Interesting Views of'
Christianity, p. 239 — 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,,theyput to death at different times, during those centuries, i,82o5ooc>
souls ! — These Heathens, however, according to this calculation, were ^
not half so bloody as the Roman Catholic Christians have been.— The
infidel Philosophers of .France, 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 murdered upwards of
two millions of their own countrymen in the course of seven years !
Hence it appears, that yo'ur vain-glorious Philosophers have been,
and are now,' at least as bloody, illiberal, and intolerant, as the most
bloody, '

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. ' 203
done all the good that might have been desiredor expected,
yet it has already accomplished great things for the world.
To the Bible we owe all the best laws in our best civil in
stitutions, 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 means of preserving the small
shareoflearningwhichwascultivatedduringthedarkages*.We may close these observations in the words of that great
French writer, Montesquieu — " To assert that religion has
no restraining power, because it does not always restrain,
is to assert, that civil laws have likewise no restraining*'
power. He reasons falsely against religion, who enumerates
at great length the evils which it has produced, and over
looks the advantages. Were I to recount all the evils
Which civil laws, monarchical and republican governments,
have produced in the world, I might exhibit a dreadful
picture. — Letussefbeforeoureyes the continual massacres
of Greeks and Roman kings and generals on the one end,
and on the other the destruction of cities and nations by
those very kings and generals; aTiMURand ajENGiZKAN
ravaging Asia; and we shall see, that we owe to religion a
-certain political law in government, and in war a certain
law of nations ; advantages which human nature cannot
sufficiently acknowledge-f-."
" If the Gospel is such a blessing to mankind, why.in all
" these ages, has it not been published in every nation ?"
It is answer sufficient, that God giveth account of none
of his matters, and every man shall be judged according to
the privileges he hath enjoyed, and not according to those
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. More
over, all the nations of the earth shall be blessed with it m
the due course of Divine Providence.
" Jesus shall reign where'er the sun
" Does his .successive journeys run ;
Woody, illiberal, and intolerant of us B arsons ! What hasthe rejection of
Christianity, and. the intrpdudion of Philosophy done for that enslaved^
'yet' triumphant country f
** See this proved by Jortin, 'vol. 7. p. 353— 377- u .
t Spirit of Laws, book 24, ch, z, 3. niS

¦204 A PLEA FOR RELIGION
". Hi3 kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
" Till suns shall wax and wane no more*."
" But if God was the. original author of the Jewish and
" Christian dispensations, why were they permitted to con-
«' tract such a -'mass of ceremonial Corruptions ?"
The fatrit lay not in either of the institutions, but in the
low and superstitious state of human nature. The institu
tions were good, but the folly of men hatl\perverted them
to unworthy purposes., Is the fountain to be blamed, be
cause the streams have been polluted by the feet of men?
" Be it so ; but why was man created in so low and de-
" graded a state ? or rather, why was he permitted,.by the
" benevolent and all powerful Creator, to sink down
" into such an idolatrous and superstitious condition ?"
This is a difficulty, be it observed, which affects natural
as well 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 ah angel,
a seraph, a God ?
*' Presumptuous Man ! the reason wouldst thou find,
" Why forrri'd so' weak, so little, and so blind ? \
" First, if thou canst, the harder reason guess,
¦" Why form'd no weaker,, blinder, and no less."
" Can you say that Thomas Paine ¦f has not brought
" many very heavy charges against the writings both of
*' the Old and New Testaments, and such as cannot easily
*' be. answered?"
We
*
* The reader may consult the 20th section of Simpson's Key to the
Prophecies, for a concise view ofthe millennial reign of Christ.
t Faine's books against the Bible can never staggerthe faith of
any man, who is well informed upon the subject of religion ; yet they
will have great effect upon all our. immoral and lukewarm professors ofthe
Gospel. But where is-the difference between a wicked Infidel and a wick/d
Christian? Immoral men are incapable of happiness under, any di«penr
sation of religion whatever. They must be1 changed or perish. And
it is of little cdnsequence 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 2ofhy 1798, re.
ceived from a Correspondent, who was intimately acquainted with Tho mas

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 20^
• "We grant this objedion in all its force. He is a man
pf shrewd abilities, and has a method of setting difficulties
in a strong point of view. But, if you yourself are a per
son 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 iii his Rights
of Man, was plainly to subvert, as far as, in him lay, the
civil government of this country; and, mh\$ Age of Reason,
he meant no other than to convert the common people of
England to a state of Infidelity, and so to overturn the re
ligious government of the country ; and, in both, he evi
dently meant no other than to involve us as a nation in
civil and religious destruction. To men of sense, mode
ration, 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 Watson's Apology may perfectly
satisfy any man that Thomas Paine is by no means qua
lified 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 Jesus. Christ ?
_ If the audacity of this scurrilous Infidel were not equal to
his ignorance, he never would have attacked the Clergy
on the score of literature, as he does, when he insinuates
they are acquainted with little more than a b ab, e b eb,
and hie, hac, hoc. Where does he find, in any period or
country ofthe world,' men of more deep, various, and ex
tensive learning, than are large numbers ofthe Clergy, among
the several denominations of Christians ? Abundance of
mas Pa 1 ne before he went to^France, and in whose house he spent pretty
much of his time, which assures me, " that Mr. 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 ihe troubled sea, throwing up mire and filth."— ¦This Gen.
tleman further adds — and I have seen the same information in the public
prints — " I now understand .that Mr. Paine is lost to all sense' of de.
" cency in Paris, being intoxicated from morning till night." , names

206 ¦¦'-& "PLEA FOR: RELIGION
names are to be found, with whom he is no more fit to be
compared, 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, of a smattering of knowledge;
Let thisempty 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 ca
pable 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
Ecclesiastical 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 Writ
ings, and the characters of'tnen much better than himself.
What shall we say, when such scholars as Barrow, Cud-
worth, Wilkins, Pearson, Derham, Flamsteed,
Hales, Bentley, Bochart, Desaguliers, Med-e,
Baxter, Chillingworth, Clarke, Berkley, But
ler, 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
.ho age can be produced when .they have not been, at
least, as learned and religions as any other body of men.
There was a time, indeed, wdien Vigilius was con
demned to he burnt for asserting the existence, of the
Antipodes ; and, even so late as the beginning of the
seventeenth century, Galileo, who discovered and ur-
aroduced the use of telescopes, instead of being rewarded
"for his pains, was imprisoned, and' compelled to renounce*
Iiis opinions resulting from such discoveries, as damnable
heresies. These are.Jamentable facts, and the Priests con
cerned in the persecution, deserved -to be hangedr .But I
will

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. , 2.07
will take upon me to aver, that even in this enlightened,
literary, and philosophical age, at the very close of the
eighteenth century, Thomas Paine himself hath sub-*
mitted to the view of the world a number of as palpable
instances of ignorance, or maliciousness, or both, as eyer aa
insulted public was cursed with, in any one person, who
pretended to write for the improvement of mankind.
The Age of Reason, as applied to this vain man's pam
phlets, is a burlesque ; it is an insult upon common
sense ; it ought rather to be called, The Age of Falsehood
—¦The Age of Infidelity — The Age of Ignorance — The Age
of Calumny — The Age of Manianism — or, in short, The ¦
Age of wiy Thing, but that of Reason. v
I will give the reader a few specimens, and leave him
to judge. 1. Mr. Paine alleges, that Moses could not be the
author of the five books, which go under his name, be
cause they are frequently written in the third person.
Xenophon and C^sar 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 known that the difference is ex
tremely great and important.
4. He declares the prodigies recorded by Liy y and
Tacitus 'to be 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 ,5,00, or 50,. or even 10 credible
persons, is sufficient to establish the validity of any of the
¦scriptural.mira.cles, where there is no counter evidence.
'&., Mr. Paine assures us, there is no affirmative evi-
that.Mos^s is the author of the Pentateuch.
No books in the world ever had more affirmative ^evi
dence. ^Bishop W.ATSON-has brought it into one view.
Abundance of the most respectable authors, who .have
written

20S A PLEA FOR RELIGION
Written since the time of Moses, give their testimony to
his writings. The books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings,
Chronicles, and most of those which follow, all bear wit
ness 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
nicles. 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 two books of Chronicles
as a repetition of the two books of. Kings.'
It is easy to be convinced, however, that this, is a very
erroneous representation. — The.first book of Kings contains
an account of the old age and death of David, with the.
succession and reign of Solomon; the history of Reho
boam, "and division of the kingdom; Jeroboam's reign,.
and several of his successors in the kingdom of Israel till
the death of Ahab. It contains moreover, -some account.
of Asa, Jehosaphat, and other kings of Juduh, so. far
as connected with the contemporary kings of Israel. The
history of Elijah is also interwoven in the same book
pretty much at length, with some notice of Elisha.
The second book of Kings finishes the history of Eli
jah, 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 ofthe king of Israel by Shalmaneser, and of
the king of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar.
Let us now examine the contents of the two books of
Chronicles. The first book contains the genealogies before men
tioned, and the, history of David, with -the settlement
:of the temple service.
The second book of Chronicles contains the history of
Solomon, Rehoboam, Abijah, and all the»succeeding
kings of Judah, pretty much at large, till the Babylonish
captivity. From

and the sacred writings. 209
From this short review of these four books, it appears,
that the reig,ns of Solomon and Rehoboam, with some
small variations, are common to the. books of Kings and
Chronicles ; but that, in most other respects, they are en
tirely different. :
9. Mr. PaIne says^ the book of Ezra, was written
immediately after the Jews returned from Babylbn.
He should have known, however, that it was near
fourscore years after.
10. Mr. Paine says, Ezra and Nehemiah Wrote
an account of the same affairs in the return of the Jews
from captivity.
He is as much mistaken here as he was concerning the
four books of Kings and Chr<onicles : for Nehemiah re
lates few or none of the same events with Ezra.
ii. He says, Satan is no where mentioned in the Old
Testament but in Job.
tfcLet any man consult 2 Sam. xix. 22; 1 Kings v. 4';
^Chron. xxi. 1 ; Ps. cix. 6 ; Zech. iii. 1 ; and other
places, and say what dependence can be placed on this
mistaken man's assertions.
12. He pretends to prove the book of Job to be the
work of some Heathen writer, from the words Pleiades,
Orion, and Arclurus, which are found in our translation.
See ch. ix. 9 ; xxxviii. 51, 32.
In the original Hebrew, however, the words are Hits,
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. Mr. Paine makes himself merry with supposing
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. ¦ '
But, where does he find any man of character, that
asserts they were. all written by David ?' The titles to
the Psalms might convince him to the contrary.
it. He says, Priests, reject reason.
* ¦ v As

4IO , A PLEA FOR RELIGION
As a universal proposition, this is utterly false. There
are none more reasonable men upon earth, than many of
the Christian priests. •
-i 6.- He says, "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
Wtite against the Bible? What thinks he- of the 8th
Psalm, the 18th, the 24th, the 29th, the 33rd, the 34th,
the 36th, the 46th, the 47th, the 50th, the 65th, the 93d,
the 96th, the 98th, the 103d, the 104th, the 107th, the
139th, the 145th, and avast variety of other passages,
which speak more or less of the existence, perfections,
and government ofthe Divine Being ?
17. He says, "some chapters in Job and the 19th?
" Psalm. are true deistical compositions, for they treat of
" the Deity, through his works. They take the bcjek
" of creation as the Word of God ;- they refer to no oti-ff
" book; and all the inferences they make are drawn from
" that volume."
This declaration is jso far from being true, that one
half of the 19th Psalm itself is occupied in celebrating the
perfection of the Law of Moses !
18. He says, the Jews never prayed, but when in
trouble. -
. That this is a vile slander, see' 1 Kings iii. 6—9 ; i
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 Voltaire
were tolerably expert in perversion and defamation, but
Thomas Paine, I think, excels, them both in theseesti-
mable qualifications !-''*. t
19. He says, king Ahaz was defeated and destroyed
by Pekah.
This is utterly false 5 he was defeated, but not de- -
stroyed. He died a natural death ; and the promise of
the prophet Isaiah was literally fulfilled. 20. He

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. ail
20. He says, the book of IsaiahIs '.' bombastical rant,
" extravagant metaphor, such stuff as a school-boy would
" have been scarcely excuseable for writing."
Better judges that] Thomas Paine ;jire of a very- dif
ferent opinion. And to go no farther, I challenge him,
and all his friends, to produce, from any book, ancient or
modern, an oration equally eloquent with the first chapter
of this despised book, or ,any poem more sublime than
that- in the fourteenth.
21. He, says, the prophet of Judah was found dead by
the contrivance of the prophet of Israel.
Where does he find his evideiice ? He can prove no
such thing. There is an old-fashioned book of high au
thority, which saith — When the Devil speakelh a lie, he
speaketh of his own ;> for he is a liar, and the father of it. .
22. Solomon had his house full of wives and mis
tresses at .the age of one and twenty.
Let him produce his evidence. Where is it recorded ?
23. The infants were not butchered by Herod, be-i
cause 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^;
24. He intimates, that Christ had in view the de
liverance of his country. from the Roman yoke.
Assertions are not proofs ; where is the evidence ?
^25. 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 appre
hended and crucified.
This is in direct opposition to the Gospels from whence
all his evidence arises.
27: He asserts, that Peter was the only one of the
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 1
28. Mr. Paine calls Luke and Mark Apostles.
ps * '¦¦- 'Let

kli A PLEA FOR- RELIGION
Let any person consult the list of these- twelve honour
able meni and see if he can find these two names among
them. 29. He says, it appears fro<m the Evangelist s± 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. v ' , :'
30. He says, all the circumstances of Christ's con
duct, between the resurrection and ascension, ate report-
t ed to have happened about the same spot. , :
Some happened at and near Jerusalem, others in Gali
lee, Which was upwards of -fifty miles from JerusaMnti. -•"-
31. He affirms, that, according to Mathew, Christ
met his disciples in Galilee on the day of his resurrection.;
There is a plausibility in this assertion, of which many
of the others-are destitute, but, it is without due consi
deration. 32. Mr. Paine- insinuates, that Christ appeared only,
once after his resurrection. ¦"¦
Read the Gospels, and judge what 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 affirmations merit nothing but contempt. Were
not the twelve Apostles witnesses of this event ? And what
does he make of the 500 witnesses mentioned by Paul ¦?•
34. He says, there was nothing miraculous or extract
dinary in the conversion of Si. Paul; he was struck
down with lightning.
This is the apostle of infidelity ?' What' strange-cre-1
dulity is necessary to make a complete Deist ?
35. Mr. Paine affirms, that St. Paul's discourse} ori
the resurrection is " doubtful jargon— -as destitute of mean-
" ing as the tolling of the bell at the funeral."
Well done, Tommy Paine, thou art a clever fellow-
worthy of a seat in tbe French Convention ! We shall
expect, ere long, to hear thou hast obtained one of the
most -honourable niches in the National Pantheon, -as a
benefactor of mankind 1 06. Mr.

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 215
36. Mr. Paine has the audacity repeatedly to call St.
Paul afoot. ;
Mr. Locke, Lord Littleton, and Mr, Paley,wi11
settle the matter of the Apostle's foolishness With , this
'doughty champion for unbelief.
After afl these instances of ignorance, falsehood, mali
ciousness, or misrepresentation, will any person undertake
to say that Mr. Paine, is a wise man ?
37. Mr. Paine roundly asserts, "that there was no
-" such book as the New Testament till more than 300
'* years after Christ."
If 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 — Who is the liar
now ?
The principal books of which the New Testament con
sists, were in existence, and read as sacred wVit, 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*.
I give these as so many specimens ofthe false, ignorant,
or malicious representations of this vain-glorious man. It
were an easy matter to increase 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 total,
that the keenest capacity and most virulent enmity can
produce against" the Sacred Writings. 1 have examined
his books repeatedly, and with scrupulous attention, and
L declare, upon 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, Ad
dison, Boyle, Haller, Euler, and Newton had in
reverence, almost to adoration, this ignorant and conceited
f See Sampson's Essay on the Authenticity of the New Testament.
•', p 3 man

ai^ A PLEA FOR RELIGION
mart hath treated with all possibleindignity and contempt.
yVe have given the reader a few specimens of his ignorance;
we will produce also' a few: instances of • his insolence. —
Among other malignant things, with which his pam
phlets abound, he says: " The books of Moses were
" written by some very ignOrant and stupid pretenders to
•*' authorship."—" Mouses was 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 ,de-
" testable villains that in any period ofthe world have dis-
" graced 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." — " The book of Ruth
" is an idle,; bungling story, foolishly told, nobody knows
" by whom, ^ about a strolling country girl creeping slily
" tb bed to her cousin Boaz." — "Wrinkled fanati-
" cism." — " Priestly ignorance." — " Studied craft of the
" scripture-makers."— " Cant phrase of all the pro-
*£ phets." — " Barefaced perversion."—" The lying pro-
" phet 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, another of the
" lying prophets." — " The poetical, musical, conjuring,
" dreaming, strolling gentry, the prophets." — " Elisha
" was a conjurer." — " The prophets were famous for
" lying."— -" Some of them exulted in cursing."— "Fran-
" tic writing," of the prophets. — " The vicious and ma-
" lignant character of a Bible -prophet, or a predicting
" priest." — " The cant language of a Bible-prophet."—
"This lying book the Bible." — " The virgin Mary was
" 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 parson's learning." — " Priests and conjurers
" are of the same trade." — " It is better, far better, that
"we admitted, if it- were possible, a thousand devils to
" roam

AND THE SACRED. WRITINGS. 21^
" roam at large, and to preach publicly the doctrine of
" devils, if there were any such, than that we permitted
" one such impostor or monster as Moses, Joshua, Sa-
* muel, and the 2?/£/i?.-prophets, to come with the pre-
" tended Word of Gob in his mouth, and have credit
" among us." — " What is it the Bible teaches us ? Ra-
" pine, cruelty, and murder."— r" What is it the Te stament-
" teaches us ? To believe.that the Almighty commit-
" ted debauchery with a woman engaged to be married j
"andthe belief of this debauchery is called faith." —
" Fragments of morality are irregularly , and thinly scat-
" tered in the books of the New- Testament." — " 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 stuff,
" as is fit only for tales of witches and wizards." — " The
" grovelling tales and doctrines of the Bible and the Testa*
" ment are fit only to excite contempt."
These are some of the flowers of Mr. Paine's Age of
Reason. I have not one word to reply. If any of my
readers find a stomach for such stuff, he is very welcome
to it. I envy hot his taste. If he would give himself the
trouble to read over Bishop 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
Bible-writers, as he contemptuously calls them, to the case
in hand : — Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty
man ?—Thy tongue deviseth mischief; like a sharp razor,
working d,eceitfully. Thou lovest all devouring words, O
thou deceitful tongue ! But God shall destroy thee forever;
he shall take thee azvay, 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.
Lo, this is the man, that made not God i>is_ strength— but
strengthened himself in his wickedness. — Ps. Iii.
. 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 was any such
" person upon earth." P4 Those-

il-6 - A PLEA* FOR RfcLIGlOK
- Those that will call in- question whether there ever*
existed upon earth such a person as Jesus Christ,- may
with much greater reason question the existence of Alex
ander, Caesar, Pompey, and ali the other heroes of
antiquity. " Others there have been, who have presumed.to reject
" the authority ofthe Neva Testament."' '-
Those who will undertake to deny the genuineness and
authenticity of the four Gospels, with the writings of
Peter, Paul, James, and John, may, with much more
appearance of truth, deny the authenticity of the writings
of Homer and Hesiod, of Plato and Xenophon, of
Horace and Virgil ; seeing there is much more evi
dence for the authenticity of the former than of the
latter. "JDoes it not appear unaccountable, that' the whole
" Jewish nation should entertain 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 Jews and
religious proselytes were at first converted to, the faith of
Christ. This sufficiently proves, that the very general
. rejection of Christ was" not owing to a want of evidence ,
concerning his mission, but to causes of a different
nature. If it is inquired what those causes were, it may be re
plied—Many false Messiahs arose- about that time. This ,
circumstance was calculated to perplex the minds ,of
simple people, and leave them undetermined Which was
the true. The meanness of our Saviour's parentage;
his dwelling in Galilee; his rejecting all worldly honour;
the simplicity of his life and doctrine-; the ignominy of
his death ; the sublime language of the prophets concern*'
ing his kingdom; but, above all, the general wickedness.
ofthe generation in which he appeared — these seem to be
sufficient causes for the rejection of the Messiah, with
out considering him in the light of an impostor.
¦ Besides, by the infidelity of the Jews, we gain, a large >
number of unsuspected witnesses to the truth of the Old]
- ' , Testament „

AN3& THE SACRED WRITINGS. 1\J
Testament; and, by their dispersion" into all countries, they
are God's witnesses, and as a seed sown for the future con
version ofthe nations: by their infidelity too, are fulfilled
abundance of prophecies : it is, moreover, a great advan
tage 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 choose the Jews from among the nations, for
their own sakes : it is a warning to us to beware of the
same infidelity: we are taught by. it likewise, that it is not
being of any particular nation or church, which saveth a
man : and, lastly, it is well calculated to correct a vaiii
opinion, which every one is apt to entertain, that had we
lived in the times of our Saviour,. and conversed -per
sonally 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
*' believe abundance of things contained in the bookcali-
"edthe-^z"^." Very good. Take your own way. 1 wish not to force
your conviction, contrary to evidence. Only weigh the
matter seriously and conscientiously, and may the A uthor
of your being direct" your determination !— But suppose
you feel yourself incapable of receiving the New Testa
ment as a religious system-, founded in truth, cannot you
receive it as a system of morals, founded in policy ?
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 importance 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, established 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 un
answerable argument, founded in universal experience, jf
not for, the truth, yet for the utility of Religion?
" But, suppose I .should be convinced of the fallacy
•J*' of my own opinions,' and the truth of Christianity, " what

2lS >A PLEA FOR RELIGION
" What must 1 do? How shall I know, among all the
*' uncharitable arid contending denominations of Christir
" ans, who is right, and who is wrong,' and to whom I
" shouid unite myself in Christian fellowship?"
" Take the New Testament into your hand ; read it dili
gently, call upon the Lord for direction, faithfully, and
follow whithersoever it leads the way. Take nothing upon
trust ; pin ypUr fai th upon no man's sleeve ; to the law and .
the testimony *. Believe in Christ, as the Word teaches ;
put yo"ur whole trust and. confidence in him.; obey' his pre
cepts ; worship God publicly and privately with sincerity
and zeal ; do justly, love mercy; arid walk humbly, with
your Maker ; and look for his mercy through Christ
Jesus unto eternal life; and be assured all shall be well.
"Be all these things, however, as they may, the religion
" of Jesus is a thing of which you do not approve. He
" might be a very good sort of man, but his doctrines are
" not to your taste. If you could only get dear of the
* Few ofthe Se&arists of the present day have departed farther from
the. scriptural view of things than the New Church. The form of baptism
in their Liturgy, is this :— " I baptize thee in the name of the LoRti,
"Jesos 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
f Father, Scut, and Holy Spirit ; and that the Lord andSAViouR
" Jesus Christ is He ? I do." — The Holy Supper is thus administer
ed : " The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is the divine good
" of his divine love^ nourish and preserve you unto eternal life.1 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 surprized, that any set of people should
take such liberties in altering the Sacred Writings. 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 Theological Works. The Letter is
admirably well written, and in an excellent spirit, whoever was the au
thor. But surely a man of his sense, must see the fallaciousness of his
own reasoning on the 13 th page of the small edition, where he gives
his' reasons why the writings he wishes to recommend should be received.
The whole force of his recommendation rests upon the reasons there
given in favour of Sweden-jsorg's divine commission ; and yet those
reasons are altogether without any sound and legitimate foundation.
"What will not ingenious men say, and how far will they not go, to
establish a favourite hypofhesis ? \ " Bible,

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 7J9-
«* Bible, and the d— d Priests *, of every denomination,
** as the noble French have done, )'ou then flatter your-
" selves we should*ee happier days ?" The
* It is greatly to be lamented, that the Clergy, in most ages of tbe
Christian Church, have been- very generally unfriendly. to Toleration,
and that they should have been the instruments of calling for, or stir
ring up, the civil power to persecution. -Every good and liberal-minded
man must confess and bewail this misfortune. This spirit," however,
has not been confined to ministers of the Establishment. Jews, Hea
thens, and Mahometans, Presbyterians, Independents, and Baptists, have
all, in their turns, when' the power- has come into their -hands, beea
guilty of the same intolerant conduftt. It is human nature, and a
part of its disease. But the Gospel itself, all _pure,- and perfective of '
reasonable beings, is free from the bloody charge. Jesusx the author
of it, was the mbst generous, humane, and amiable of" characters. But,
alas, we have sadly forgotten, or perverted his institutions. Persecu
tion and bloody deeds are the infallible marks of Antichrist ; Rev . xvii. 6.
That the Protestant churches should have imitated the Beast in" this worst
part of fiis condutt, can never be sufficiently bewailed. Every reign
almost from the Reformation to the Revolution was stained,with the blood
of souls. — Henry VIII. who contrived to remove the 'Pope of Rome
from being Head of the English church, and. put himself in his place, was
a vile, tyrannical, libidinous, and bloody wretch. " A considerable num-
¦ ber of persons were put. to death in his reign, for conscience sake. Nay,
. even the excellent young King, Edward VI. was a persecutor in some
cases unto death, being overpersuaded by those abojit him, particularly
the good, but mistaken Cranmer. Mary and Elizabeth shedmuch
bipod on account of religion. James and Charles were not innocent.
They stained, their hands in blood on the same account. Cromwell,
and the prevailing parties during the Rebellion, made dreadful havoc.
After the Restoration, it is computed, that not less than 8000 persons
perished in prison, and the sum of two millions of money was wiested
from the sufferers. Sixty thousand persons are said' to have suffered, ia
one way or other, from the Restoration to the Revolution, which was only
a period of about thirty years.
Let the reader consult Dr. Doddridge's excellent Sermon against
the damnable spirit of persecution.
Indeed, all national religions, whether Pagan, Jewish, Turkish, or
Christian, have ever hitherto been national tyrannies. The last began
with Constantine, the first Christian emperor, and continues to this
day, our own Establishment not excepted. And what pliable stuff \ye
Parsons are made of, has been tried upon various occasions in this cauh-
try. Wheii Henry VIII. discarded the. Popeof Rome, and made him
self Pope in his place, the great body of Bishops and Clergy followed the
example ; very few, comparatively, suffered death- for refusal! Whea
+ See the Pamphlet entitled, A Look to tbe Last Century ; or the Qisunters weighei
in their own Scales. An instructive piece !
Edward

JJ2Q A PLEA FOR RELIGION
3' >
The Bible, 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
suppose, it would be much worse without that Order. It
is probable you have not well considered what the conse
quence would be of removing these grievances out of the
way. A successful invasion from the Frenth would, in all
likelihood, enable you to obtain these ends, for a consider
able time. Had we not, however, " better bear those ilk}
*** we have, than fly to others that weknow not of?" Refor
mation ofthe decayed, unpolitical, and unevangelical part£
of the British constitution — not surely the destruction of
" tbe whole — should be the ardent wish of every true friend
to bis country, a-sd to human nature. Perfect liberty, civil
and religious, is the birth-right of man. Whatever of this
nature is still wanting in this happy land, might be easily
obtained from the very nature of our government. No
man, therefore, who is a friend to his country, could de
sire to see it involved in political ruin, for the sakq of ob
taining what, he may conceive to be some considerable
advantages. Enlighten the public mind, and it will not
be long before. all remaining abuses shall be rectified. -.
IEdwartd VI. rejected most of the remaining rubbishof Popery, and be
came Protestant, almost' all the Bishops and Clergy again followed his ex
ample. Then when Mary afterwards undid all that Edward had done,
and introduced Popery again, near 3000 were turned out of their Livings,
but not more than four or five hundred both of the clergy and laity suf
fered for refusal to join her. And then, once more, when Elizabeth
rejected Popery., the Clergy, very generally, imitated her condudf. Not
'more than' 200 gave up their preferment. , All .these changes took place
in the course of forty years. But whoever prevailed, Papist or Protestant,
they were steady to their purpose of persecuting those who refused to
Bomply with their tyrannical injunction's. Nay, even Calvin perse.
cuted Servetus unto' death ; and the gentle Me lancthon approved
of whatCAt.viN had done. Cran.mer* had his victims,; arid, what is
worse, the laws of England, in the close of the eighteenth century, con
tain bloody statutes in-full fotce. Bloodylaws, however, on account
of religion, though of no force, through the liberality of the 'times,
Ought to bq repealed, if it were only 'for the honour of old England;
but there is a higher reason which should influence the professors of an
unpersi-c sting Master. , '
*Cranmer was concerned in putting five or six persons to death for their religious
opinions, and lie himself was at last put to death by (juee.ri Mark -for the same cause. A
just retaliation i Delenda.

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. - %%X
Delenda est Carthago* is the uniform language of
Frenchmen. What the meaning of that phrase will be,
we may form a pretty good idea, from the history of Car
thage, and the treatment which Lyons, one of their own
cities, received, when it refused to comply with the de
crees of the Convention,; It is worth while to state this, at
some length, as a useful lesson to my Countrymen.
By the new constitution of France, it was decreed, 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' for this
he could be punished no otherwise than by h.c\ng dethroned.
" No crime whatever," says the constitution, " shall be con-
" strued to affect, his- life." This constitution every French*
tnanh&d sworn "to obey, and maintain with all his might."'
When, therefore, it, was proposed to the people of Lyons,
by the emissaries of the National Convention, to petition for
the death of the King, they replied, almost with one voice,
" No : We have sworn, with all France, to maintain the
new' constitution with' all our might: That constitution de->
clares, that no crime whatsoever shall affect the life of the
King. For any thing we have yet seen or heard,- we bp-
lieve him innocent of every crime that has been laid to his .
charge. The mode of his trial is unprecedented in the
annals of injustice, the Convention being at once accuser,
evidence, and judge. We beiieve him perfectly innocent '{
but whether he.be or not, the constitution that we have, by
a solemn oath, bound ourselves to maintain with all our
might, declares, that no crime whatever shall be construed
to afFecSfe his life : that life, therefore, we cannot, we will
not demand. The' rest of the nation may sport with en
gagements which they have called the Almighty to wit- ,
ness; they may add the crime of assassination to that of
perjury ; they may stain themselves with the blood of
* The city of Carthage was taken and plundered by the Romans 144
.years before the birth of Christ. It was twenty-four miles in com
pass, and the burning of it continued seventeen days together. Cato
was the author ofthe sentence, Delenda est Carthago, and Scipio put
it in execution, with infinite horror, blood, and slaughter.- See the
Roman History for the account at large.
' ,-.-' their

222 A frLEA FOR RELIGION
their innocent and unfortunate prince s the Lyonese never
will." This, was an answer full of good sense, justice, piety,
and. honour. " t
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
fortifications. 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,
wouldgrant them no terms whatever, without putting to
death indiscriminately all those who had taken up arms
within the city. Seeing no hopes of capitulation, the be
sieged determined to cut their way through the enemy, or
fall in the attempt. The besiegers, knowing all that passed
from their partisans within the city, were prepared to- re
ceive them ; insomuch that out of near four thousand per-
. sons who made this desperate effort, the whole were either
killed or taken, except about fifty*. After
* The French have always been a brave and warlike -people. In no
war, however, did they ever fight with such desperate and ferocious cou
rage as in the present. On the first of June against Lord Ho w e,, and in
rhe other more recent-aftions, they displayed the most determined reso
lution. The Dutch did the same in the late aftion against. Admiral
Duncan. But if the French and Dutch displayed such feats of bravery,
what must 'the English have done ? By land too, as well as by sea, the
English, in, the course of the present unhappy struggle, have discovered
very eminent superiority. We usually say, Fails are stubborn things.
Let the following then speak the language of honest truth : At Lincelle,
1 100 British' Guards stormed a formidable work, defended by six times
their number, completely routed the enemy, and made themselves masters
ofthe artillery. — In an aftion near Cateau, 1800 British Cavalry osfeated
their army of 25,000 men, pursued them to the gate of Cambray, took
their general prisoner, and upwards of fifty pieces of cannon.— At the
battle olTqumay, a small Rritish Brigade, under the command of general
Fox, drove back general Pi ch egru's left wing, and decided the viftory,
till that .moment doubtful. — At a sortie from Nimeg'uen, six British Bat.
talious marched out in the middle ofthe djty, threw themselves, without
firing a shot, into the enemy's trenches, dispersed the troop's. that guarded
them, and, after being in possession of them two hours, and completely destroying

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. ( 2'1$
After this- the victors shewed such mercy as might be.
expe&ed from them. Not content with butchering their
prisoners in cold blood, they took a pleasure in making
them die by inches, and in insulting them in the pangs of
dearth. Placing several together, they killed one of them,
at a time, to render death more terrible to the rest. Nei
ther sex nor age had any weight with them. Above two
hundred 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 savagely butchered.
The death of Madame de Vis ague deserves particular no
tice. . This young lady was about seventeen years of age,
and very near her time of delivery. A party, of the demo
crats found her. behind a hedge, to which place. she had
drawn 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, 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 pre
vent them from killing themselves, or one another; and
thUs were they made to linger, some of, them two or three
days, while their enemies' testified their ferocious pleasure
by all the insulting gesticulations of savages.
Such was theiury of the triumphant democrats *, that the
deputies frqm the Convention gave an order against burying the

destroying the works, returned in p'erfeft order to the town, without the
'enemy daring to harass therh. — What feats did not Sir Charles Grey
perform in the West Indies /"—.What has become of the French East India-
possessions ?
SeeLe Ms.sv&.i.EX.'sThoughts on a French Invasion, and Willyams's
Account of' the Campaign in the West Indies in the year 1784.
* 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 government has been, tried. And it is
found by experience, that every kirid of government has its peculiar ad-
Vantages and disadvaptages. To guard against the inconveniencies pecu
liar to each# the wisdom of Tacitus conceived, that a mixed form of
govern-

,224 A t>i,EA FOR RELIGION
the dead, till they had been cut in morsels. Tot, let, the
infemous apostate 'priest of Trevoux, went, bloodhound
like, in quest of a few unhappy wretches who had escaped
<§es*t ruction ; and when, by perfidious promises, he bad
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 th'ern
died of their wounds, and all those, who were not relieved
from life this way, were dragged forth to an ignoiuinious
-death.- ¦ - '¦'"' '"'/' ¦
Prior tothese misfortunes there was an infamous assembly
In Lyons,wh\ch took the name of the democratic club. Iri
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, throwri
" into the Rhone, shall bear our terrors totheaffrighted sea."
This plot was happily discovered in -time to prevent its
effects; and the president Challier, with two others were
government, consisting of King, Lords, and Commons, if it were praci
ticable, would be the most perfeft ; but yet he could not conceive such a
government to be possible.. His words are,: " Cunftas nationes aa£Regesf
" aut Primares, aut Populus rexeru'nr., dilefta ex his et consociata Reil
" publicse. forma laudari facilirls quam evenire ; aut si eveniat, non diu- ,
" turna 'esse, potest." Tad. Ann. I.
-t The British ^government, however, has long reduced this idea, by him
deemed impossible, to practice. And it -should really seem, not only
frpm our own experience in this country, but from the conduft ofthe Ame
ricans iri forming their constitution, and from the conduft of ths. French
in forming theirs, that -fitV«-estates, to aft as. checks one upon another}
forms the most perfeft system of government human wisdom can contrive
for the happiness of man. The Americans have two houses and a presi
dent, who is the same as our king, only called by another. name. And
hhe French have two estates, and fiv-e direftors — fools, that they are !—
who occupy the place of our king and his privy council. So that after
,all their experience, convulsions, and blood, the British, government is at
last the model they are constrained to follow. This consideration ougHt
to induce us Englishmen, not only to be contented with, but to glory in
our constitution, as a most finished model of human wisdom. Wc may
change, but it is impossible we can change for the better. All that 'we'
should desire is, that every thing may be removedfrom it, which is-in-
-consistent with its purity and perfection. Our present Legislature is
competent to the correction of every abuse. — See a just account of the
-excellence ofthe British conatitution in Montesquieu's Spirit ofLavi\,
b. i i. c. 6, condemned

AND THE SACRED WRlTlNCS. ' 2I5
condemned to die. This Challier was looked on as a
person of infamous character before the revolution ;, and,
since the revolution, he had imbrued his hands in the
blood of his own father !
After the capture of the city, the above democratic club
was re-organized, and Javogues, the deputy from tbe
Convention, became its new president. After having repre
sented Challier as a martyr 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 workman of others ;
the nobles, the priests, the proprietors, the rich of every
description, have long been in a combination to rob 'the
democrats, the real sans culotte republicans, of their birth
right. Go, citizens; take what belongs to you, and what
you should have enjoyed 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 the rich ; down with thcrh all : com*
merce and arts are useless to a warlike people, and the
destruction of that sublime equality, which France is de-*
termined to spread over the whole globe," -He told this
deluded populace, that it was the duty of every good citi
zen to discover all tho.se, whom he knew to be guilty of
having, in thought, word, or deed, conspired against the
republic. He' exhorted them tC[ fly to the offices, open,
for receiving such accusations, and hot to spare one law*-
yer,1 priest, or nobleman. He concluded this harangue,
worthy of one ofthe damned, with declaring, that for a
man to accuse his own father Was an aft of civism worthy
a true republican, and that to neglect, it was a crime thafi
should be punished with death.
The deeds that followed this diabolical exhortation.' were
such as might be expefted. The bloody democrats left not
a house, not a holeunsearched; men and women were led
forth from their houses with aslittleceremony as cattlefrom
their 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
the more vociferous howlirigs of Five la Republique.^
q_ , ' Soon

2Z6 A. PLEA FOR RELIGION
' 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. $tc. 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 manufacturing town in all Europe.
It does not now contain 70,000 inhabitants, and thoseare
all reduced to beggary and ruin. As for trade, there is
no such thipg thought of. The last report to the;Co«-
vention, respecting Lyons, declares the inhabitants with
out work or bread.
It is difficult, to stifle the voice of nature, and to stagnate
.the involuntary movements of the soul ; yet even this was
attempted, and in some degree effected, by the deputies
of the Convention. Perceiving that the above scenes of
blood and devastation had spread a gloom over the coun
tenances of the innocent inhabitants, and that evensome of
their soldiets seemed touched with compunction, they is
sued a mandate, declaring every one suspected of aristo
cracy, 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 1 in the name of there-
", presentatives of the French people ;\ on pain of death.it
f is ordered," &c. &c. Who would believe, that this
terrific mandate, forbidding men to Weep, or loqk sorrow
ful, on pain of death, concluded with, Vive la Liber te I —
Liberty forever ! Who would believe that the people, who
suffered this mandate to be stuck up about their city like
a play-bill, had sworn to live free, or die* ?
In.spite, however, "of all their menaces, they still found,
that remorse would sometimes follow the murder of a friend
or relation. . Conscience is a troublesome guest to the vil
lain, who yet believes, in an hereafter. The deputies,
therefore, were resolved, to banish this guest'from the bosoms
'; . ;
* Under the most extravagant professions ofjiberty, the French are
now become the greatest. slaves in Europe. Wherever they go, rhey pre
tend to offer the people liberty; but no sooner do the silly folks listen
and believe* than they find themselves plundered and enslaved.- ¦¦!'
of

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 2^7
of their partisans, as it had already been banished from
their own.
With this object in view, they ordered a solemn civic
festival in honour of Challier. His image was carried
round the city, and placed in thechurches. Those tem
ples, which had, many of them, for more than a thousand
years resounded with hosannas to the Supreme Being,
were now profaned by the adorations paid to the image
of a parricide.
All this was but a prelude to what was to follow the next-
day. It was Sunday*, the day consecrated to the worship
of our blessed Redeemer. A vast concourse of democrats,
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, covered with a priest's vestment, and with a mitr-e on
his head. He was loaded with crucifixes and other sym
bols of the Christian religion, and had the Old a.nd New Tes-
-r^w^/^suspendedtohistail. Arriyed at the square calledthe
Terreaux, they then threw the two Testaments, thecruci-
* The French, before the Revolution, were extremely- inattentive to--
the sanftification pf the sabbath ; and by amost striking retaliation of
Providence, they are now entirely deprived of the sabbath ! We, in this'
country, especially the npbility and gentry of the l-and> are almost .univer
sally treading in the same steps; and have we reason to suppose we shall
not, erelong, be treated in the same manner? Were, I an Infidel in
principle, I would observe the sabbath-day, for the sakeof example. For
if religion could be proved to have no foundation in truth, it must be
sfllowed to be extremely convenient for the purpose of keeping inankind
in order. " I go to church sometimes," said the late infidel Earl of
Orfird, )' in order to induce my servants to go to church. A gopdmo-
''.' ral sermon may instruft and benefit them. I only set them an example
" of listening, not of believing." And what injury would his Lordship
have sustained', if he had both listened, believed, and obeyed? All hy
pocrites are hase and contemptible charafters, whatever specious attain.
ments they may possess of a literary, philosophical, or political kind.
It does not appear that his Lordship'',, vd? more than. Hume and Frank
lin, ever gaive Christianity a serious and conscientious investigation.
They were all too busy in life, and had;little inclination to religious
.pursuits. The^carnal minds of a Nobleman and a Philosopher are equal
ly at enmity against God. ' ojfi. fixes,

£28 A PLEA FOR RELIGION
fixes, &c. into a fire, prepared for the purpose, made th?
ass drink but of the sacramental cup, and were proceeding
to conclude their diabolical profanations with the massacre
qf all the prisoners, tb appeasethe .ghost of Challier,
when 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
inhabitants, 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 whomsoever they 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 no-,
' bleman, priest, lawyer-, merchant, 01 * even honest man, were
so many terms of proscription., Three times was the place
ofthe 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, represented to the mob,
that they were too merciful, that vengeance lingered in their
hands, and that their enemies ought to perish in mass h-
Aceordingly, the next day, the execution in mass began.
The prisoners were led out, from a-hundred to three hun
dred at a time, into the Out-skirts of the city, where they
were fired upon, or stabbed*. One of these massacres deserves
* See much more to the same purpose in Peter Porcupine's. Bloody
Buoy, and in BARRDEL'S History ofthe French Clergy. CARRIER
alone, deputy from t^ie Convention, put to death at Navtz, 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 ap,
pointed- to execute the Divine vengeance upon those persons and places,
which have incurred -the displeasure of the Almighty. ' Nanim. con
tained the richest .merchants in the kingdom, and carried on a very-
considerable trade in the blood of humah creatures.
_ Bishop Burnet was in France at the time ofthe horrible persecu
tion of the Protestants under Lewis, XIV.
" I do not think," says he, "that in any age, there ever was such a
violation of all that is sacred, cither-with relation to God or' man ; and
what

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 22,0
' deserves particular notice. Two hundred ahd sixty-nine
persons, taken indiscriminately among all classes and all
ages, were led to Brotteaux, and there tied to trees. In
this situation they were fired upon with grape shot.- Num
bers of these unfortunate 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, in particular, had strength encftagh
to swim to a sand-bank in the river. One would have
thought, that, thus saved as it were by a miracle, the ven
geance of their enemies would, have pursued' them no far
ther; but, no sooner were they perceived, than a party of
the dragoons of Lorraine crossed the arm of the river, stab
bed them, and left them a prey to the fowls ofthe air.
Among others who fell into the hands of the democrats,
>y/asMons. Chaptjis de Maubourg, one ofthe first engineers .
in Europe. They offered to spare his life, if he would, serve
in the armies of the Convention. They repeated this offer,
with their carbines at his. breast. "No," replied this
gallant man, " I have never fought but for my God and
my King: despicable cowards ! fire away* !" The
what I saw and knew there from the first hand, hath so confirmed all '
the ideas that I had taken from books, of the cruelty of that religion,
that I hope the impression' that this hath made 'upon me, shall never end
but with my life. — From the circumstances of it, it may be well term
ed, The Act ofthe whole Clergy o/France."Travels, Let. ¦$'.'$. 246,1247.
If we would see other accounts of what may be expeftcd from a suc
cessful invasion of this couritry by the French, we may be amply gratified
by Anthony Aufrere's, Esq. Warning, to Britons against French
Perfidy and Cruelty towards the Peasants of Suabia; £jtPeter Porcu
pine 's Democratic Principles Illustrated; and by Anecdotes of the conduft
of the French in Franconia. To these may be added Turreau's History
of the Vendean War; LaVater'S Remonstrance With the French Direiio.
ry; and a work called, A Rapid Vievjofthe Overthrow ofSvoitzerland.
* The dying behaviour of vaidous of the .victims, was very noble
and animated.. Where so many merit praise, it is difficult to seleft.
The King acquitted' himself extremely well in the last trying scenes
of his life; but he was a main support of the Beast; and though he
died piously, he died a determined Catholic ; not knowing that this was
one ofthe main causes of his destruftion.
It is but justice to his character to observe, what I believe is not
generally known, that it was the late Qjieen of Fravce's party which
q 3 forced

#3° A PLEA FOR RELIGION
The murder in mass did not rob the guillotine of its prey :
there the blood flowed without intermission. Death 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 ignominiotls death,
had given themselves the fatal blow, were carried to the
scaffold, and there beheaded, receiving thousands of kicks
* . - . .
forc«l on 'the King the treaty with America, in the view of depressing
Great Britain. Louis considered it as an unfair measure, and threw
away the pen, when urged to sanction it with his signature. But in an
evil hour for himself and h*is family, he relented, on repeated importu
nity : he signed the fatal instrument which involved both hemispheres
in the horrors of war, and, in so doing, he remotely signed the warrant
for his own execution. What a lesson is this to men of all ranks to be
just and honourable in their dealings !
The princess of Lamballe was, after the royal, family, one ofthe
most illustrious viftims 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 three o'clock she was witness to
the preparations making for her destruction. At seven she was dragged
hy the hair of the head into the court where the -viftims waited their
final- sentence. Here she continued, in a standing posture, to witness
ali the horrid proceedings till Kine o'clock, when she herself was called
before the bloody tribunal. They asked her 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 is dragged to .the gate ; and from the gate she-is con
ducted 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 is commanded to kneel, and ask pardon of the nation. Firmly she
replied, " I have not injuredLthe nation, and will not ask pardon !"— '
Your release is the price of your obedience.-—" I expeft no favour from
" the hands of ruffians, 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, nofavour from you."
—Kneel down and ask pardon was re-echoed by a thousand voices ; but
in vain. She retrained superior to fear. Two ruffians seized her by the
arms, and were ready to tear her in pieces'. With all the strength she can
gather, she exclaims, " Go on, ruffians, I will not ask pardon." Being
enraged at her firmness, the fellows rush on her with drawn swords, lay
open- her body'-, cut offher head, take out her heart, bite it with their
teeth, put it in a bason, lift the head on a pike, and carry them about the
streets of Paris. Her body is stripped, and exposed naked to the po
pulace, — For a fuller account see Barruel.
This lady was a person of the most amiable manners and benevolent
heart ; faithful to her friend, and kind and liberal to all. During the.
whole time she passed in the prison pf La Force, she supported all the
poor who happened to be there. from

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 23T
from thersans 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 murderous machine. The respectable Mons.
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 th6 brutal
deputy Collet D'Herbois.— Nomercy!— 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 whelps." Thus spurned, from the presence of him,
who alone was able to save her beloved husband, she fol
lowed 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 approaching end. She was seized
with the pains of child-birth, and was carried home to her
house. But, as if her tormenters had shewh 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 1 but all.their efforts were as vain as those of M.
Lauras. They were threatened with a discharge of grape
shot. Two of them, who, notwithstanding the menaces
of the democrats, still had the courage to persist, were
tied during six hours to the posts of the guillotine ; their
own husbands were executed before their eyes, and their
blood sprinkled over them !
M. Servan, a lovely young woman of about eighteen
years of age, was executed, because she would not discover
the retreat of Br father ! " What," said-she nobly, to
the democratic committee, " What ! betray my father !
impious villains ! how dare you suppose if!"
M. Gochet, 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
0^4. escape.

232 A PLEA FOR RELIGION
escape. She was condemned to suffer death . She declared
herself with child; and the truth of this declaration was at
tested by two surgeons. Jn vain did she implore a respite.
Jn vain did she plead the innocence ofthe 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 bru-
Jality ! 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
©f death, to hold their bodies— -1 spare the readef the term
made use of in the decree— in readiness, for the embraces
®f the true republicans 1— Nor were they content with vio-
lation: the first ladies of the city were led to the tree of
Liberty^-Of Liberty I— 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; zt Paris, 150,000; in La Vendee; 3 00,0005
and, in short, through the whole extent of that unhappy
country, two millions of persons, within the last six or,
seven years; among whom are reckoned 250,000 women j
230,000 children; besides those murdered in the womb i
and .24,000 christian priests f : if, morever, we consider, in
: *..The fafts here related are taken from Mr. John PmLips's small
pamphlet on the subjeft, as his is extrafted from a French treatise,-, and
Pete.r Porcupine's Bloody Buoy. ' "
•' + The serious Christian will remember these are' the days of ven
geance for the innocent blood that was shed in that wide-extended king.
<tam, under the predecessors, of the late unfortunate King. The dodtrins
^retaliation, though .little attended to in general, is an Undoubted law
of Goo s kingdom ir. the government of the world. A moral governor
•must be morally just. He that sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his Hool
A* shed. Consult Wson's Key to the Prophecies, for a large number
fit instances, wherein the retaliating providence of Goo.is visible to the
E^tT^ erVer'.f BB-^RUJ^'9. Wtor, 'of the French .Clergy
during the Revolution, and Pete* Porcupine's Bloody Buoy, contain an

AND 'THE SACRED WRITINGS. %¦$%
in what manner the French, without just offence, have
treated the small independent state of Geneva*, and how
many
dn awful counterpart to Claude's Complaints of the Protestants of
France. The French Philosophers have scarcely heerl more cruel to the
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 governours
of that great, kingdom, but we forget that the Kings, Bishops, Clergy,
Nobles, and Gentry of the land played the same game, and afted the
Same tragedy, not very many years ago. — It is the Lord's controversy
for the blood of his servants.— The above two millions is the number
of persons murdered, besides those who have fallen 'in battle.
* " Let the mal-contents in every nation of Europe look at Holland
and at Belgium. Holland was a hive of bees ; her sons flew on the wings-
of the wind to every corner ofthe 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 abundanee of
the harvest. Unhappy Dutchmen t you will still toil, but not for your
own comfort ; you will still cOlleft honey, but not for yourselves; France
will seize the hive as often as your industry shall have filled it. Ill-
judging Belgians! you will no longer eat in security the fruits of youi
own grounds ; France will find occasion, Or will make occasion, to par
ticipate largely in your riches ; it will be more truly said of yourselves '
than of your oxen, you 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 extraft. I exceedingly approve of the spirit of the whole,
but I much question whether Mr. Wakefield's objeftions to two par
ticulars may not be just, viz. the comparison between zool. a year
and the 2000L; and the similitude concerning the gradual sinking of
the several parts, of a large strufture. Most of the other parts pf M[r.
Wakefield's pamphlet are extremely unworthy of his talents.
1 We may now also call the attention of the mal-contents of every
oation of Europe to the situation of Italy, Rome, Malta, Naples, but,-
above all, to the brave, yet unoffending Svoiss.
, 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 Establishedrehgion is the grand and original cause of
much of our immorality ; and these two together are the only true and,
genuine sources of our national distress. Let us remove out of the way,
every unevangelical stumbling block, and turn unto G°n in good earnest^
and he will soon make our enemies to be at peace with us. Could this be;
done, the throne of KingQs.o-e.oi. should be as the days of heaven !
The French revolution is a most amazing and tremendous event,, and,
will probably be a means of new-modelling the face of Europe, \f not of
the whple world. The efforts that extraordinary people are fnaking in
the arts and sciences, are asvigorous as those they are making in war.
The Governour of the universe has formed them for great purposes, ' both

&34 A VLEA FOR RELIGION
many pf its most wealthy inhabitants fell a sacrifice to sa
tisfy 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 affe<5t to think, devoutly to be wished,
but the country must undergo every possible calamity.
Great Britain and Ireland would become either a province
of France, or he divided into two or three small contend
ing republics, like Holland, dependent upon them. Our
navy * would be conveyed into their ports. . London-^, and all
both of judgment and mercy; of judgment to the present race of men;
of mercy to the generations which follow. This, hpwever, We know,
in every event of things, it shall be well with them that fear the Lord.
* In the year 1693, the royal navy of England consisted of m ships.
of 40 guns and upwards. In the year 1793 it consisted of upwards of
300 ships of war, from the first to the sixth rate, besides near 200
sloops, &c.
t London is now what Tyrje was in.ancient times. One cannot help-
entertaining strong apprehensions of its sharing the same fate. . The
trade and riches- of it are immensely large, and the corruption and ini
quity of the place are in like proportion.. See the account of Tyre in
the Prophets. .
This metropolises unparalleled, in extent and opulence, in the whole
habitable globe,' except, perhaps, Pe kin, in China, Jeddo, in Japanx
3nd Houssa, in Africa, which are all said to be larger.
It comprehends, besides London, Westminster, and Southwari, no less
than forty. five villages, of considerable, extent, independent of a vast
accession of buildings iiponthe open fields in the vicinity. Its length is
nearly eight miles, its breadth three, and its circumference twenty-six.
It contains above 8000 streets, lanes, alleys, and courts, and more than,
65 different squares.. Its houses, warehouses, and other buildings, make
162,000, besides 246 churches and chapels, 207- meeting-houses for Dis.
tenters, 43 chapels for Foreigners, and six synagogues for tht J evos; which
in all make 502 places of public worship. The number of inhabitants
during the sitting of parliament ia, estimated at 1,250,000. Among
these are found about 50,002 common prostitutes, and.no less than 60,000
thieves, coiners, and other bad persons of all descriptions. The annual
depredations on the public, by this numerous body of pilferers, are es'tU
mated at the sum Of 2, ioo,oool. sterling, , In this vast city there are,
moreover, upwards of 4000 seminaries for education — 8 institutions for
promoting morality — 10 institutions for promoting the artsr— 1 2 2 asylums
for the indigent-^- 1 7 for'the sick;and lame — 1-3 dispensaries— 7 04 chari
table institutions — 58 courts of justice — 7040 professional men connefted
with the various departments of the law. — There are 1 3,500 vessels trad.
• ing

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 2$$
all our great mercantile towns* would be exhausted of
their riches. Our foreign possessions would fall into their
hands.
ing to the river-Thames in the course of a year ; and 40^000 waggons
going and returning to the metropolis in the same period, including
their repeated voyages. — The amount of exports and imports to and
fo;om the Thames is estimated at 66,81 1,9321. sterling annually ; and the
property floating in this vast city every year,' is 170,000,000 pounds
sterling. — These circumstances maybe 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 on the
Police of the Metropolis.
And is all this national opulence and grandeur to be buried in one
general ruin through the transgression and growing depravity of the
people ?
* About the year 1700, the town of Manchester contained only one
church, and in 17 17 the inhabitants were 8,qoo. • The/ number of
churches and chapels ofthe establishment, in Manchester arid Salford is
now twelve, and about the same number of dissenting chapels of various
descriptions. The inhabitants are between 60 and .70,000. .
In 1700, Liverpool had Only 5,145 inhabitants. In 1790, it had
70,0,00. In 1709, it had 84 ships ; in 1792, it had 5S4.
Several other towns in this country are increased nearly in the same pro
portion. O happy England, if thou didst but know thy happiness ! . The
> ingratitude and rebellion of the country, however, against the laws of
the Divine )Ueing must terminate in our severe chastisement. The
wickedness of the inhabitants is inconceivably great. Compare the lives
of the Clergy — the Laivyers and Attoruies^the Medical, class — the
Soldiery — the Sailors — the Common people — with the Gospel of Jesus
Christ, and how alarming the contrast! The Nobles and Gentry of
the land, with some few exceptions, are become incurably immoral, as
well as irreligious,. The trading part of the nation are all set upon their
gain. Serious,, uniform, and conscientious godliness, is -only found
among a few solitary individuajs. The sabbath-day is fashionably, and
very generally, prostituted to secular purposes. The public worship of
Almighty God is grievously neglefted by all ranks of men. The
'Sacrament of the Loan's Supper is very thinly attended, and this only
occasionally, and not as a serious duty and privilege. In short, the
signs of the times are such, as to give the. most serious apprehension to every
veil-wisher to his King and Country. In London there are, I believe,
near-a million of souls, including children, who seldom or never attend
public worship under any denomination! — Manchester contains near
seventy thousand inhabitants ; and between forty knd fifty thousand of
them .absent themselves totally from every 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 descriptions. It
js not supposed that more than 5,000 persons attend, any place of public
worship on any one day ; not more than ro,ooo attend any publip
• worship

Zj6 A PLEA FOR RELIGION
hands. Our trade * would be annihilated ; our real estates +
change masters ; our personal- property be swept into
France : our poor would languish and die in the streets for
want of bread, none having it in their power to relieve
them |. , We should be involved in all the miseries that
worship at all ; so that there are 60,000 souls in 'that town,^who may
t>e said not to have any religion at all ; "that is," about one in seven, or
seven to one. This is a very affefting consideration.1
Macclesfield and its environs contain 9 or 10,000 people. We have
two churches and five meeting houses. Not more, however, than 3000
tof the cine attend public worship, in ail the places put together. So
that here are 6000 souls, including children, who may be considered as
Infidels in principle, or praftice, or both, the same children being ex.
empted from the charge.
* In 1700, England had 2281 trading vessels, carrying 261,222 tons
burden. In 1792, England had 10,423 do. carrying 1,168,468 tons.
In 1692, ^Scotland had 8618 tons of shipping, lni'jtjz, ScotlandhiA
2143 ships, carrying 162,274 tons.
1 Iii 1793, the trading vessels of the British dominions were 16,329,
panned with 118,952 sailors, and carrying 1,564,520 tons.
'¦ , History furnishes us with nothing equal to this account.'"
•-J- The quantity of land cultivated in England 'and Wales is about jj
millions of acres. The gross produce of the same is about 75 millions
of pounds sterling annually ;. and the neat rental about 24millioBS. '•<
The average annual gross produce ofthe kingdom, arising from land
and animals, stands nearly according to the following estimate.:
..*'¦'¦' £•
Ten millions of acres of wheat, ,rye, &c. at 4I. 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 50I. per ton - - - - 400,000
One million of beeves fattening 20 weeks at 1 8d. per week 1,560,000
One million of sheep fattening 13 weeks at 6d. per week - 1,950,000
Twomillions of milk-cows, 4a weeks milk at 2s. 6d. per week 8,050,000
w°o1 . -. - ¦  -, - - - -' - - 3,200,000
Ten millions of lambs, when weaned' at 5s. per lamb . 2,500,000
Two millions of calves at 2bs. per calf ----- 2,000,000
Four millions of pigs at 5s. per pig -•--... 1,000,000
Fruits and vegetables for 8,000,000 of people ... 4,500,000
Poultry, eggs, &c, &c. &c; - - - . . ^ . . _

75,100,000
% The, public and private charities of London amount to 750,000
pounds annually :- and the poor-rates of England and Wales altogether,
make the enormous sum of 2,200,000 pound a year, besides all private
charities and sunday schools. Arthur Young, Esq. tells us, - in his
Letter to Mr. Wi l be r force, that the aniount 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
than seven millions. _ •' . '..y*r
human

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 237,
human nature, in a civilized state, is capable of undergo
ing. 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 Europe. And could any man, for the sake
of ridding the country of these bugbears, the Bible and
the Priests*, wish to see all this evil come upon us I If
any-
* It is a melancholy refleftion, that among all the clergy in this
country, there were not quite 20owho sacrificed their interest to principle
in thereign of Ok^hElizabeth. See Gray's Sermons at the Bamptou
Leilure,o. 238. — In Charles the Second's time, however, there were
upwards of 2000 clergymen, who sacrificed their interests to principle,
besides a considerable number of conscientious meri, it is to be presumed,
who continued in their places. , , ,,
Bigotry and persecution generally defeat their own purposes ! What a
consequence did not this mad measure give to the dissenting interest in
England? The same foolish game was played by the Bishops .and Clergy .
in the present century. Instead of encouraging, moderating, and regu
lating the pious zeal of a few young men, in Oxford, by gentle and leni..
ent measures, they shut their churches against them, and compelled them
to go out into the highways and hedges to preach to those who were in
clined to hear them ; and though they were then but a small band, they
are now become a goodly company, and have already overspread England',.
Scotland, Ireland, America, and the West Indies: — All this weight too is.
thrown into the dissenting scale ! A few "more such imprudent measures,
and down goes Mother Church !
- We have spoken on" a former page on pluralities and non-residence. -
Theformer, indeed, in all ordinary, cases, implies the latter. Wescarqe
ever read an account of deaths in the periodical publications, but we
find an account of one or more instances of this nature. The- poet;
Mason is a. point in hand. Though a worthy man, and a charafter-
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 ofthe Clergy in the Establishment to procure as many
as their interest^will reach. This we call good management, prudent
foresight, taking care for a family, and the like. If there is no God, it
is all very well. But if we are accountable creatures, and are to exist
in a future state, our present trading in Livings and Souls will not yield-
us satisfaction another day. It is popery, rank popery, the worst part of.
popery, under the highest pretensions to being the most pure and reformed
• part of Christ's holy catholic church. I.remember an anecdote appo
site to the subjeft in hand. Bishop Burnet, in his Charges to tjie
Clergy-ofhis Diocese, shewed a great deal of disinterested integrity, by
Vehemently exclaiming against pluralities., as a most sacrilegious robbery.
And, in his first visitation at Salisbury, he urged the authority of St.
Bernard, who, being consulted by one of his followers, whether he
might accept of two benefices, replied — And hovj will you Joe able to.

238 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
¦ , them
serve them both! I intend, answered the priest, r» officiate in me of them
by a deputy. — Will your deputy be damned for you too? cried the saint,.
Believe me, you may serve your cure by proxy, but you must be damned in.
person. This expression so affefted Mr. Kelsey,_3 pious and -worthy
clergyman then present, that he immediately resigned the reftory of,
Bemerton in Berkshire, in worth 200 pounds a year,, which he held. then
with one of greater value. See Bp. Bur'Set's Life, by T. Burnet,
Esf. ¦ We have observed, that all the bulk of church-preferment, in this
Country, is engrossed by about one thousand clergymen, out ofthe eighteen
thousand. 1 do not pretend to be accurate in this statement ; but
I should suppose it is not far from the truth. Whereas, the emoluments
ofthe Establishment are capable of, providing for 10,000 persons in a
comfortable way,r by abolishing pluralities, without disturbing the present
order of things. Let every Bishop retire within his diocese, and dwell
-among his clergy," as a father in his family. Let every Clergyman^ reside
upon his living, superintending his people, as a shepherd his flocks And
let no man be promoted to the first Livings in the kingdom, merely be
cause he is related to, or connected with some great personage ; but let
the most aftive, useful, and laborious ministers, especially when the in-' "
firmities of age come on, be accounted worthy of double honour, by
being rewarded for their extraordinary services with, the best Livings
the country affords.
\ All this,. I too well knpw, is visionary. It is a plausible theory, but
never will be reduced to praftice. If it should. please God, however, to'
put an end to the present unhappy war, and favour us once more with, a
' .settled state of things, I think it might be Well for the great body of the
poor ReSors, Vicars, and Curates of the country/ to petition Govern.
ment to take their distressed circumstances into consideration,. If it had'
no other efFeft, it would call the attention of the public to the horrible
monopolies of preferments which prevail among the Bishops and 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 superintending Committee in London. Let them investigate
the business of church. preferments thoroughly, and drag to broad day
light all the great offenders in this pretended spiritual commerce. See a
book called tha Miseries and Great Hardships of the Inferior Clergy, for
some useful information.
Out of the 18,600 Clergymen belonging to the Establishment of this
country, there are several Hundreds of zealous and lively men (and thef-
number is mujh upon the increase) who, properly speaking, are the'
only true members of the Church of England. They believe, and preach,,
and live her doftrines. These conscientious men,, however, 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 shamei
fill treatment, but so it is. , Those "" downy doftorsj that recumbent <l virtues

AND* THE SACRED WRITINGS. Z$t)
them any attention. He may think and atft according to
his own pleasure. Why then should any man desire to see his
" virtues preach," who will swear any thing, and subscribe any thing,
no matter whether they believe it or not, for the sakeof a good bishopric,
or fat reelory, are among the first to exclaim against their more zealous,
useful, and pious brethren. — Master, so saying, and so doing, thou con-
demnest us. — Woe unto you, ye scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites ! for ye shut
the iingdom of heaven against men : for ye neither go in yourselves, neither
suffer ye them that are entering to go in ! See Ez. xxxiv. chap.
" When 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'ni servility their scorn,
" Prompt to persuade, expostulate and warn,
" Their wisdom pure, and giv'n them from above^ .
" Their usefulness insur'd, by zeal and love,
" As meek as the man Moses, and -withal
<c As bold as in Aorippa's presence Paul,
" Should fly the world's contaminating touch,
" Holy and unpolluted—are thine such r * ,
" Except a few. with JElj's spirit blest,
" Hophni andPHiNEAS may describe the rest."
* O England ! Cowper'S Expostulation,
As a body of men, the established Clergy of this country are by no
means deficient in talents, or in learning of iany description. So far is
this from being the case, that it is probable there never existed a body of
men of the same number, who possessed equal natural and acquired qua
lifications ; but, we are deficient iri humility, in self-denial, in piety, and
in zeal for the honour of God and the salvation of souls. We want a
more serious attention to the grand peculiarities ofthe 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 literary attainments, we suffer the Methodists, and several of trie
Dissenters, toout-dous exceedingly in real and positive usefulness to man
kind. We let the cause of Christ suffer apd lose ground ki our hands.
fi. large'part of our Order- is inattentive both to religious and literary
pursuits. They are mere men of the world. Another part is so occu
pied with literary and philosophical studies,, that they have neither time
tor inclination to attend to the peculiar employment of ministers of the
Gospel. There is a third .class of .our Clergy, which is highly respefta-
ble, 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 better by their feeble exer
tions. In the primitive ages the divine heralds carried the sound of thai -

240 A I1 LEA FOR RELIGION
his native land involved in a destruction so complete I Be
assured, whenever it comes, it well be promiscuous. The
generation then living will be, in every temporal sense at
least, totally ruined : and no man shall be able to extri
cate himself from the general calamity. In that easel
and, indeed, in every other possible case", the Gospel of
Christ affords the only sure refuge. 0 It is calculated for
both worlds. The. Lord God is -a sun and shield.; the
Lord will give grace and glory : no good thing will he witb^
boldfrdm them that walk uprightly. Those that live in the
entire spirit, and under the full influence of this\ Divine-
Religion, have, even now, large enjoyment of its comforts*. And
Gospel throughout all lands, from " the British isles to the banks of the
" Ganges?' in a very short space of time. But we have suffered Hen.
thensim to return.again into some countries, Mahometanism to over-run
others, and Infidelity to diffuse itself among all orders of society. And
it is not improbable, but in the course of a few more years, the Gospel of
Christ, through our neglect, luke-warmness, and super
stition, will be in a great degree banished from Christendom. "We" must
cither awake fromoUr lethargic state, and return to evangelical principles
and practices, or all is lost. Most of the higher ranks of society in this
country both among the clergy and laiety, have forsaken the Gospel scheme
of saving a' ruined world ; and it is- exceedingly 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 Iqng enjoyed to so little purpose}
Thenegleft of the Son and Spirit of Gob is' the master sin of ChrisU
tendom. . ' i
I could wish the Reader would give himself the trouble to consider welt
wbatM-,WiLBERFORCE has written upon this subj'eft, in his PraBical
Vievj of the prevailing religious system of Professed, Christians, in the
higher and middle daises in this country, contrasted vjith real Christianity i
If -we had a number of such able and faithful labourers in the cause "o£
Christianity among the laiety, much good might be expected to result
from their endeavours., In my opinion, men'of this description arepe-
euliariy called upon in the present day, when Infidelity is making. sucbt
rapid advances, and the Clergy are in such disgrace, to exert themselves
in every possible way to stem the torrent of iniquity which is ready to
bear down all before it.
See some useful thoughts on the necessity of new measures in the Beam-
of Middleham's, Political and Moral Consequences of a religious education}-
and its reverse. >
* Turn back, and consider well the cases of Lord RuIsel, Mor'aTa,
Claude, Walker, Her v ev,Lel and, Romaine,Bedell, and Leech*
man. Ins'tcad-of this small number, wecou'ldhavc produced some hundreds of

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 244
And whether we are cut off according to the common
course of things, or hurried out of the world- by the vio*
lence, 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 incorruptible, undefiled, and*
Unfading inheritance a little before the time allotted by ,
the course of nature.
_ : You see then, my Friends And- Countrymen,, 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. We have counted the cost,
and hesitate not a, moment in saying, It is our glory and
joy : dearer to us than thousands of gold and silver. '
i
" I swear, and from my solemn oath
" Will never start aside,,
" That in God's righteous judgments I
; " Will stedfastly abide.
of .charafters 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 experience of men, and things, and
because he delivers it as his last dying speech, and the sum of all his
experience :
.- '" True religion," says he, "is the perfection of human nature, and the
joy and delight of every one that feels it active and strong within him.—
Of.this I write with the more concern and emotion, because I have felt
this the true, and indeed the only joy which run!; through a man's heart
and- life. It is that which has been for many years my greatest support,
I rejoice daily in it. I feet from it the earnest of that supreme joy,
which I pant and long for. I am sure there is nothing "else can afford
any true or complete happiness. I have, considering my sphere, seen a.
great deal of all that is1 most shining and tempting in this world. The?
pleasures of sense, I did' soon nauseate. Ijrtrigues of state, and the con
duct of affairs, have something in them that is more specious 5 and I was
fpr some years deeply, immersed in these, but still with hopes of reform
ing -the world, and of making mankind wiser and better. But I have
found, That vihich is crooked canvot he made straight. I acquainted my
self with knowledge -and learning, and that in a great variety. — This
yielded not happiness. -r-I cultivated friendship. But this also I have
found was vanity and vexation of spirit, though it be of the best and
noblest sort. — The sum is Vanity of vanities, all it vanity, besides fear,.,
ing God, and keeping his cornmandBieats, Spe the Conclusion of tha
History of his own Ti'mtt*
\ ",.¦ p. , "the

242 A FUA.i'OR RELIGION
',' TJje. world's contempt of his commands.
1 " But makes their value rise'
" In my esteem, who purest gold
" Compared with them despise."
¦ Sincerely pitying, therefore, and ardently praying for,
the whole generation of those unhappy persons among'
our Countrymen, who have forsaken .the .only fountain of
living water's, and hewn out to themselves broken cisterns that.
can hold no water; with the great Lord Bacon, we declare,
"There never was found in any age of the world, either
philosophy, or seel, or religion, or law, Or' discipline,
which, .did- * sd highly exa,lt the public good as the
Christian faith .*' With Sir Thomas BroWn, " We \
assume the honourable stile of Christian, not because it
is the religion of our country,' but because, having, in
our riper years and confirmed judgment, seen and ex- s
amined all, we find ourselves obliged by- the principles
of -grace, and the law of our own reason, to embrace
¦ D.0 other name but this, being; of ;the same belief our
Saviour taught, the Apostle s disseminated, the, Fathers'
•authorized, and the Martyrs" confirmed." With the,
noble Picus Mirandula,' wfe rest in the Bible " as the
only book wherein is found true eloquence and wis
dom." With Dr. Robinson, the natural philosopher,.
we. say, " The Scriptures of the. Old and New Testament
contain a system; of human nature, the grandest, thembst
extensive and. complete, that ever was divulged toman-
kind since the foundation of nature." With the excellent
physician and philosopher Dr. Grew, we profess, that
" The Bible contains the laws of God's kingdom in this
lower world, and that religion is so far from being in
consistent with philosophy, that it is the highest point and
perfection of it. With the no less excellent physician
and philosopher Dr. David Hartley, we say, that "No
writers, from the invention of letters to. the present times,
are equal to the, penmen of the books'of the Old and. New
Testaments, in true excellence, utility, and dignity." With
t-he very celebrated French poet Boileau, we say," Every
word and1 syllable of the Bible ought to.be adored : it not
only

AND' THE SACRED WRITINGS. 2^
only carinot be enough* admired, but it cannot be too
much admired." With the very pious and excellent Sir
Matthew Hale we are clearly of opinion, "There is no
book like the Bible, for excellent learning, wisdom, and
use." With the celebfated 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 Scrip
tures of God to be the most sublime philosophy." With
Milton we are of opinion, " There are no songs compa
rable to the songs of Si on, no orations equal to those of
the Prophets, and no politics like those which the Scrip-1
•Wmteacb." With Rousseau, every ingenuous manmay
say, " I must confess to you, that the majesty of the Scrip
tures astonishes me, and the holiness of the Evangelists'
, speaks to my heart, and has such strong and striking
characters of truth, and is moreover So .perfectly 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 among the
ancients, we solemnly profess,' " There is no book" in the
universe, "upon which we can rest our souls, in a dying ,
rriomertt, but the Bible." And we therefore boldly de
clare, before the face of all the unbeliex'ing and disobedi*
ent world, in the words of the immortal Chilling worth,
" Propose to me -any thing out of the Bible, and requite
whether I believe it or no;' and -seem it never so incom
prehensible to human reason, 1 will subscribe it with hand
and heart '; as knowing no demonstration can be stronger than.
* This great philosopher says, " Deists mast, to maintain, their ne
gative creed, swallow greater improbabilities, than Christians,, to "main
tain the positive creed of the Apostles. An8 they must think it fitter
to believe, that chance, or nature, or .superstition, should perform
wonderful, and hardly credible things, than, that the great author of
nature, God, should be able todo so." Works, vol. c. p. 661.
John Earl of Orrery, relation to the above Mr. Robert Boyle,. is
also said to have been a lover of truth even to adoration. "He was,"
says his life, ''a'real Christian, and,- as such, he used to say, he con
stantly hoped for a better life, there trusting to know the real causes of-
those" effects, Which here struck him with vjonder, but not with doubt."
R 2 this

244 A PLEA F0R RELIGION
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 seraphic Young ?
" Retire, and read thy Bible, to be gay.
" There truths abound of sov'reign aid to pfeace :
" Ah ! do not prize them less, because inspir'd,
" A» thou, and thine, are apt and proud to do.
" If not inspired, that pregnant page had stood
•" Time's treasure ! and the wonder of the wise I"
After these declarations, the warmth of which may
seem to need some apology, you cannot wonder, O my
Countrymen, if we should treat all your stale cavils,
which have been a hundred times repeated, and a thousand
times confuted, with the contempt they deserve, and say
with the royal Psalmist (no favourite of your's by the by,
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), The law
ofthe Lord is perfetl, converting the soul: the testimony of
Iheh,oRT> is sure, making wise the. simple: ihe statutes., of
the Lord are. right, rejoicing the heart .: the commandment.
of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes : the fear of the.
Lord is c\ean, enduring for ever: the judgments ofthe
Lord are true and righteous altogether ; more to be desired
are they than gold, yea than much fine gold : sweeter also
than honey, and- the choice droppings of the honey- comb* .
You
* 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 m'y diadem." .And even, the haughty Lewis the XIV. "sometimes
read his Bible, aud was of opinion it is the finest of all books."
It is reeorded,too of our Edward VI. that upon a certain occasion,
a paper which was called for in the council -chamber happened" to lie out
of reach; the person concerned to produce it, took a Bibfe '.that layby,
and, standing upon it, reached down the Paper. The king, observing
what was done, ran himself to the place, and, taking the Hihle in his
hands, kissed it, and laid it up again. This circumstancej though
trifling in itself, implies in his Majesty great reverence for and much af-
feftion to that best of books.
More lately-still, " William III. king of England, not only be.
is most ex.

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 245
You will excuse the 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 our*
selves, and we wish You to be partakers of the same feli
city. Many of you are endowed with talents of no mean
account. We lament the misapplication. of them. Are
your spirits perfectly at rest in your present state of mind,?
' And do you.feel satisfied with your future prospers ? 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! — Ofthe 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 scarcelyknow what it means! —
" The favour of God I have no'reason to expect, in my
" present state of moral attainments, be the Bibletmzor
" be it false ! — With all my pretensions to virtue, in my
" coolest moments 1 feel condemned in my own con-
" science \^-That which I do, I allow not; but 'what I
" would, that do I not ; for what I hate, that do I*.
" My reason this, my passion that persuades :
" I see the right, and I. approve it too,
" Condemn the varong, and yet the wrong pursue."
rj "0 wretched
exemplarily decent and devout, in the public exercises of the worship of
God. He was an attentive hearer, Of sermons, and was constant in his,
private prayers, and in reading the Scriptures."
Burnet's Own Times, vol. 5. p. 71.
* Dr. Doddridge, in his Life of Colonel Gardiner, informs ; us,
" That his fine constitution, than whichperhaps there hardly ever was a .
better, gave hirri great opportunities of indulging himself in excesses ;
and his good spirits enabled him to pursue his pleasures of eVery kind, in so
alert and sprightly a rnanner, that multitudes envied him,' and called
him by a dreadful kind of compliment, The happy Rake. Yet still the
checks of conscience, and some remaining principles of so good an edu
cation as he had received, would break in upon his most licentious hours •
arid I particularly remember he told me, that when some of his dissolute
companions were once congratulating him on his distinguished felicity, a
dog happening' at the time to come into the' room, he could not forbear
groaning inwardly, and saying to himself, Oh, that I viere. that dog! —
Such was then his happiness ! and such perhaps is that of hundreds more,
who bear themselves highest in the contempt of Religion, and glory in
that infamous Servitude which they call Liberty." — Reader! how is it
with.

246 A ftEA FOR RELIGION
". 0 wretched 'man that lam, who shall deliver me from
" the unhappiness I frequently feel, and the misery. I have
" too much reason to fear ? — I would gladly be a thorough*
" paced Unbeliever; hut for the. life of me, I cannot get
" clear of the terror of death, the apprehension .of a
w future reckoning, and an unaccountable foreboding of
" something terrible to come !"
No, my Countrymen ! nor will you ever find either
golid consolation in life,' or just confidence in the hour of
death, till you shake off the chains of those sins,! which
have" well nigh led you into the gulf of perdition, and
ohtain redemption in the blood of that Saviour, of
whom, in yoUr present state of mind,, you make so little
account. v
Solomon, you know, has the honour of being, re
puted the wisest of men. -But, notwithstanding his extra
ordinary wisdom, he was, for many years, at least, guilty
of extreme folly. He sought for happiness in the gratifi
cation of the body, its appetites and passions*, to the ne
glect, of Gqd, and religion, and the care of his immortal
part; but substantial happiness could no where be found.
He ran through the whole circle of worldly and sensual
pleasures ; happiness however, and ease of mind, still fled
before him, and- eluded his pursuit. And after having
made a large number of experiments 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 Ecclesiastes
contains his experience. Wishing to warn his fellow-
creatures against the mistakes which he himself had com
mitted in life, he turns preacher, and gives us a sermon
upon the insufficiency of worldly things to make us happy.
The text to the discourse seems to be: Vanity of vanities,
vanity of vanities ; all is vanity.
He begins his sermon, by shewing, that all human
courses and pursuits are vain, and do not yield full satis
faction to the mind. All things, says he, are full of labour :
with you in this respeft ? Trust a prophet, and, a- priest for once — The
nvicked are like the troubled sea, nuhich cannot rest, tuhose'voat.ers- cast up
mire and dirt. " There is no peace, saith. my Goei to the vjickei.
man.

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 247
man cannot utter it: . the eye is not satisfied with seeing ; nor
the ear filled with hearing.
From this general assertion the royal preacher proceeds
to shew, that wisdom, and knowledge, andlearning, could
not make him happy.
/ the preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem : and I
gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all
things that are done under heaven: 'this sore travail hath
God giveh to the sons of man to be exercised therewith. I
have seen all the works that are done under ihe sun ; and,
behold, all is vanity and vexation of, spirit. That which is
crooked cannot be made straight : and that which is wanting
cannot be numbered. I communed with mine own heart, say
ing, 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 of wisdom and knowledge.
And I pave 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, the 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 vain. / said in mine
'heart, go to now, I will prove, thee- with mirth ; therefore
'enjoy pleasure : and, behold, this also is vanity. 1 said of
laughter, It is mad: and <-of ¦ mirth; What doeth-it?, I
sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquaint
ing my heart with wisdom,,, and to" lay hold on folly, till I
might see what was that good, for the sons of men, which
they should do under the heaven all the days of their 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 water,,
to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth' trees : I got'
me. servants and maidens, and,had servants born in my house',;
also I had great possessions of great and small catll'e, above all
that were in Jerusalem before me : I gathered me also silver
and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the,pro7
vinces : I gat me men-singers, and women-singers ; and the
r 4 delights

Vi$ A PLEA FOR RELIGION
¦ delights ofthe sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of
all-sorts. So I was great, add increased more fhan all that
•were before me in Jerusalem : also my wisdom remained with
me. And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from, them:s
' I withheld not my heart from any joy,; for my heart rejoiced
in all my labour ; and this wa's my portion of all my labour.
Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought,
and on ihe labour that I had laboured to do ; and, behold, all
was vanity and vexation of, spirit, and there was no profit
under the sun.
After making many other observations upon human life,
and human pursuits, and shewing how utterly insufficient
they all are to constitute any of us truly easy, content, and
happy, the royal preacher finishes 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
' ihe whole jnatter ; 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 born. Nothing can sup
ply its place. The fear, the love, the service of God, can.
alone make us happy. AH other things ; all other, pur
suits; all other pleasures.; all other enjoyments, leave us
restless, uneasy, discontent, unhappy.
" The soul uneasy, and cohfin'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, luxury, and hurry
of public station, we might observe, that Lord Chancellor
Parker, Earlof Macclesfield, and William Pultney,
Earl of Bath, devoted- many of their leisure hours to
prayer, reading, and studying the Bible, and afterwards
die'd with a hope full of immortality, I might

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 249
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 'affecting -de
claration of the degraded, and almost expiring Cardinal:
" Had I but serv'd my God with half the zeal
" I serv'd my king, he would not in mine age .
" Have left me naked to mine enemies."
Take warning by all these examples, my Country
men ; and if by any means you have been led astray from
the paths of virtue and religion, be sensible of your folly,
and turn back with all speed into the way of piety; ¦ It
may be old-fashioned, but it is safe and honourable.
Keep innocency in future, and take heed to the thing that is
right, for that only will bring 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 sunshine, and the heart-felt joy,
" Is Virtue's prize."
Reflect, upon the workings of your own hearts, in the
different periods and circumstances of life, and say what
your -feeling's have been. Was it not better with you,
When you were humble minded, and went after the com
mandments delivered by the Lord, than it is now?
Making allowance for the difference of station, may, not
you say with the celebrated Madame de Maintenon :
" Oh ! that I could give you all my experience -, that I
could shew you the heaviness that preys upon the spirits of
the Great *, and how hard they wiil find it to put out their
* An anecdote to this purpose occurs to my mind concerning one of ^ur
present Nobjemep, who, being in conversation wjth a certain gentleman,
said, "Oh! 'how weary am I of this d — d attendance upon Court I
Had Providence cast my lot among peasants, 1 had been an happy
than.'" " Beware what earth calls happiness j beware
'• AH joys, but joys that never can expire." days.!

'2^0 A- PLEA FOR RELIGION
days ! : Don*t you see that I pine away with melancholy,
iri the midst of a fortune, that one could hardly have
imagined, and that nothing but God's assistance * keeps'
me from sinking under it ? — I protest to you, that all,
, stations leave a frightful void, an uneasiness, a weariness,
a desire to kaow something ¦< else, because in; all worldly
attainments' there is .nothing) that gives full satisfaction.
We find 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 at
the same time a solid consolation and peace 'of heart in
the midst of the greatest afflictions*."— If this, or any
thing like this, is your experience,, why will you any
longer' spend your money for that which is not bread, and
your labour for that which satisfieth not f >-,
" 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, ,
*' Eut 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 objedts 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 out
happiness shall, know neither measure nor end. Be not like
the people then described by the weeping Prophet, : — Thus
saith' the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for
the old paths, Where is the good way, and walk, therein,
ands,ye shall find rest for your souls. — But they said, We
will not walk therein." — Also I set ¦ watchmen over
you, -s-aying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. — Bui ihey
said, We will not hearken.
Laugh not at this simple relation, neither despise the
warning given. Stop rather for one moment, and consider
, * Letters of Madame 4e Ma intenon, and other eminent persOns. .
upon

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 2C.I
lpon what foundation you are building your future expec-
:ations. Though you reject Christianity, 1 should hope,
,'ou are not so far gone as to disbelieve a state of future
'ewards and punishments, of some kind or other*. Your
naster, Thomas Paine, and, indeed, most other Dxists,
)rofess thus much at least. Take then into your serious
:onsideration, whether you think your adtions, tempers,
ind state of mind such, as will, upon your own principles,
tand the test at the great day of account. It can do you
10 great harm to reflect Upon your condition, to be'serious
or a season, and to 'suspecl you may be Wrong. Consider,
hat you differ essentially from some of the greatest and best
nenthat ever lived.* Youstakeyour eternal All upon
he justness— Of what ? — Your opinion :— an opinion, in -
:onfutation of which multitudes have sacrificed their lives,
,nd which many of the first characters now upon earth','
rould controvert with the last -drop of their blood 1 This
hould stagger your confidence. Myriads ofthe most learned
nd moral persons of all ranks and degrees, and of all
eels and denominations, would this moment burn at a
take in confirmation of the truth of the Bible, and the di-
ine mission of Jesus Christ. Are they all deceived?
ire you the only wise men upon earth ? And would you
bis moment burn at a stake in proof of Christ's being an
Tipostor ? Nothing surely but the most palpable demon-
tration in favour of Infidelity should suffer you to sleep one
ight more in your- present state of scepticism, and unbe-
ef. If you are mistaken, Sirs! Should you be mis-
iken ! The very possibility is enough to overwhelm the
uinan 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 !"
* For the natural and philosophical arguments in favour of a future
ate, set Bishop Butler's Analogy, part i. Bishop Porteus has brought
iem into a very 'striking point of view in three discourses on 'the subjeft
the first volume of his Sermons. Dr. Craven too, Professor of Ara-
r, and Master of St. John's College in, Cambridge, has published eight'
scourses on the evidence of a future state of rewards and punishments,
tucft are worth the attention of all who have any doubt. ¦
EveN

H$Z . A I»LEA EOR -RELIGION
Everlasting existence in. misery ! — Under the frown and
displeasure 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, through
endless ages ! — The lake which burneth with fire and brim
stone ! — The worm that never dies ! — The fire that never
shall' be quenched! — Everlasting punishment !' Eternal de-.
struEtion from the presence ofthe Lord, and from the glory '1
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. Stephen had, and shew you the blessed Jesus at the
right hand of God, surrounded with angels, and the spirits
of just men- made perfecJ-: could I open your ears to hear
the never-ceasing hymns of praise, which the blessed
above sing to Him that was, and is,- and is to come ; to the
Lamb that zvas slain, but live th forever • could 1 lead you
through the unbounded regions of eternal day,- and' shew
the mutual and ever blooming joys of saints who are at rest
from their labours, and live forever in the presence of
God ! or could I 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 I shew you the apostate angels fast bound in eternal
chains, or the souls of wicked men overwhelmed with tor
ment and despair : could I open your ears to hear the deep
itself groan with the continual 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 ! cquld-I
thus set before you the different ends of Religion and In*
fidelity, you would want ho other proof to convince you,
that nothing can recompense the hazard men run of being
forever, miserable through, l/belief."
. We too well know you will make yourselves merry with
these representations * ; but you should not laugh where you
ought
* When the Duke of Buckingham was once talking profanely before
King Charles II. Edmund Waller, the Poet, reproved him very
properly, by spying, "My Lord, lam a great deal older than your Grace, and*

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. Z$%
ought to be serious ; vaunt where you should' tremble ; or
sneer where you should argue. In these respects you are
unquestionably to blame. If any thing in nature is of im
portance, it is surely how we may "escape the death which
never dies," and attain theendofourcreation. Walsing-
ham 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, who preserveth us, and hath patience towards us j
Christ is serious, who shed his blo'cd 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 fool
ish ?" We believe these denunications of Scripture to be
the words of eternal truth ; and till you have demonstrated
and, I believe, have heard more arguments for Atheism 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 Mag. for June 1798,. of aMa»
of very distinguished talents, well known for the laxity of his. principles,
and the licentiousness of his conduft, who died in 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 when death drew near,
his' atheistic -principles gave way, and he was afflicted with the most ex
cruciating mental pangs. When he came to stand on the brink of eter
nity, all his 'resolution forsook him. Though free from pain, he became
restless and disturbed.. .His last hours were spent in the agonies. and
horrors of remorse. He cried for mercy to that God, whom he had.
wantonly denied; and — there let him rest — till the day of account!
I could wish the deistical reader would turn to, the seventh seftion of
Dr. Priestley's Observations on the Increase of Infidelity, where he wiil
find the spirit of Infidelity exemplified in the Correspondence between
Voltaire and D'Alembert." The resolution of these two Deists.
was to live .and die laughing. That they lived laughing, is partly true ;
but how did these gentlemen die f The tune was changed !
This too was the case with the witty and facetious Thomas Brown,
who used to treat Religion" v try lightly, and would often say, that he Un
derstood the world" better, than to have the imputation of Righteousness'
laid to his charge. Nevertheless, upon the approach of death, his heart
misgave him, and he began to express sentiments of remorse for his past
life. Thus we see, however men may bully and defy the" devil at cof
fee-houses and taverns, they are all the while secretly afraid of him,
and dare scarcely venture themselves alone in -the dark, for fear he should
surprize them with" his cloven feet. See die General Biog. DiSionary,
Article Brown.
¦ . . them

254,' - A' 'Plea for Religion
them to be certainly false, you are not wise to treat therm1
with disregard.
. ' " What "none can prove a forg'ry, may be true ;
" Whit 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. Expe
rience, therefore,, teaches us, that we are capable of su"Gh> <
uncomfortable 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. When only your
head, or tooth aches ; 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 Mir abeau*, the
elder, was seized with his last illness, he found himself so:
distressed, that he desired his Physician to dispatch him by
poison. His voice having failed him, he wrote^ " Would " you-.
* Mirabeau has frequently been stiledan Infidel. I dare not, how-*
ever, suppose 'that he was any other than a Christian, in the latter' part
of his time", though -possibly, of a peculiar cast. If one may judge from;
his Speech pronounced in the<National Assembly of France on the 14-th of
January' 1791, concerning- the civil Constitution of the Clergy, he wasi
.certainly a believer. in the Saviour of mankind,' rind a most powerful*
advocate for^regtnerated Christianity.' It is probable, indeed, he wo&ld
have carried it no further jthan a sort of pure system of moral philosophy .:
Speaking of this extraordinary genius, brings to my mind a remark
able Paper, which was published in the Complete Magazine for the
month of Oftober 1764, on the Causes ofthe Decline of the French Na-
tion. The whole Paper is curious, -but the latter part is so extremely'
applicable to the present state of Europe, that 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 inflamed under the rnaik of loyalty, and
of attachment vto the monarchy. "* They remonstrate with force and ele
vation against every measure that tends to the prejudice ofthe province**1
they proteft. They can go no further ; but they await the moment ta
strike the blow that shall lay the fabric of despotism fai ruins. When this
blow is struck, the effefts of it will be equal to those of magic. The
cottage will be put pn a level with the palace ; the peasant with tha
prince.

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. • 2$$
*< you think that the sensation of death proves so painful ?"
His speech having returned, he said, " My pains are in-
" supportable. 1 have an age of strength, but not a mo-
" ment of courage." A convulsion ensued. It was fol
lowed by a loud scream— and he expired !
Thus, you see, how this famous French hero roared out
under the anguish of his disorder. Whije 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 ail our boasted strength is
perfeft 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*. Or should these be so unfortunate as
tO:
prince. Ranks shall be confounded ; titles, distinftions, and birth, shall
tumble into an undistinguished heap of contusion. \A new "moral creation,
shall strike the view of an admiring universe,; and France, like old Rome,
in her first flights to empire, shall appear with the sceptre of universal
dominion bourgeoning in her hands. Out of universal confusion, order
shall arise : the Great of nature's creating will assume their places-:, and .
the Great by title and accident, will drop despised into the common ,
mass ofthe people.'^
* -A more extraordinary instance of impenitency I have not read, than
that of a William Williams, who died in the parish of Tarvin near
Qhester, in April 1791, and was buried at Ckreat Aclon Church, near
.Nantvoich, by the Rev. Mr. Wilson. If my information is right, and
I have no reason to call it iri question, but from the horribleness of it,
this unhappy man had been extremely wicked all- his life. When he
drew near his end, being about severity years of age, he determined to
make his will, and leave all he'had from his wife and ohildren, alledging
that the latter were none of his. But though he bade fifty, pounds as a.
, reward, no persons 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 with them in hell.
Being reproved for his swearing and wickedness, he told those who re
proved, him, that he neither regarded them, nor their nevj God ; he
would curse and swear so long, as he had breath. — He did so.— He" or
dered his body to be drawn iri his own cart to be buried.- — It was so. —
He charged that five shillings should be spent at every public house on
the roa.d. — SOme of it was so.-r-He desired He might be laid at the corner
ofthe church-yard next the public house, that he might have the pleasure
of hearing the company there curse and swear.. — -He, moreover, request
ed, that every one of his' companions would drink a health standing upon
his. grave after it was filled upi — -They did so-; and continued to drink and

2$6 < ' A PLEA FOR RELIGION
to fail, a day of judgment will assuredly do to the business*
which they had left undone.
" To die,—- to sleep ; —

"¦ To sleep ! perchance to dream ! ay, there's the rub '
" for in that sleep of death what dreams may come,
" When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
'* Must give us pause."
If man is a reasonable creature, there is an Hereafter.
And if there is an Hereafter, it must be a state of retribu
tion. A moral Governour must deal with wora/'agents
according to their moral condutl. The perfection of his
nature requires it. [i swear by the ETERNAL J there-.
fore, all the denunciations of Scripture shall have their "ac-;
Complishment upon you, if you prevent it not by a com-..
•pliance with the gracious and equitable demands of the
Gospel. - *
ft 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
and make merry over' his grave, for near two hours 'after the inter
ment. 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 sick
ness nor death canmake any impression upon them. I remember one of
this tmhappy description in the county of Essex, whom I both visited '
during his illness, and interred 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 wrote to inform him that he was about to die and
go to hell, arid desired to know what place he should bespeak. for him
there, he sat down, and gave him for reply, that he, did not care wheie.
it was, if there was only' brandy and rum enough. Thus he lived — and,
soon after this, died a marty r to spirituous liquors-^-cursing and blasphem-.
ing,' notwithstanding all that could be done to bring him to a better .
rtiind. — Being possessed of two bank.bills of the value of ten pounds each,.
which was all the little property he had left : — " Now," said he to a
person who stood by,' " when I haye spent these in brandy and rum, I
shall be contented to die and go to hell !" He sunk, however, before
they -were expended, and left just enough to bury him. , . '
These are shocking instances of obduratidn, which seem to vie with .
Pharaoh himself, and ought to warn every man how he trifles with
the conviftions of1 his own mind, and causes the Spirit of God to with
draw" from Kim. immensity

AND THE 5MJK11) WKli'lNGk J?57
immenfity of fpace,. imprifoned as it were, on the fpoC
where he happens to be born, almoft utterly ignorant of
the variety of fpiritual exiftences, and greatly circumfcribed
in his knowledge of material things, by their remotenefs,
magnitude, or minutenefs, a ftranger to the nature of the
very pebbles on which he treads, unacquainted, or but
very obfcurely informed by "his natural faculties of his con
dition after death; it is wonderful that a being, fuch as this, ,
- fhould relue~r.anr.ly receive, or faftidioufly reject the inftruc-
tion.of the Eternal God! Or, if this is faying too much,
that he fhould haftily, and negligently, and triumphantly
conclude, that the Supreme Being never had condescended
to inftrucr, the race of man. It might properly have been
expected, that a rational being, fo circumftanced, would
^have fedoufly inquired into a fubject of fuch vafl im
portance'; that he would not have fuffered himfelf to have
been diverted from the inveftigatioft, by the purfuits of
wealth or honour, or any temporal concern*; much lefs
by notions taken up without attention, arguments admitted
without examination, or prejudices imbibed in early youth
from the profane ridicule, or impious jeftings of fenfual
and immoral men*.
It is cuftomary. with you Gentlemen, who reject the
Scriptures, to confider every believer of them as weak and
credulous^. 1 would recommend you, however, to fufpend
your cenfures, and to reconfider the matter before you
form a final judgment— Do you ferioufly think, then,, that
a man, who believes in God, that he is the* Creator and
Governour of the world, and a Rewarder of them that dili
gently feek him : — that a man who-embraces the Go/pel as a
.* Bijhop Watson's ColtecJion of theological Trails, vol. i. p. q.
preface, from whence this paragraph is taken, with fome trifling altera
tion. f Let the more folid, rational, and inquifitive Deijl, who ii in purfuit
cf moral and religious truth, and wifhes to have his mind fatisfied in
the great things which concern human happinefs, have recourfe to Dr.
Clarke's Book on the Truth and Certainty of the Chrifiiun religion;
and then let him fay, whether all whor believe in the SAvrot/R,of ths
world, are weak and credulous perfons'. Perhaps a piece of more rational
and conclufive argjtrrientatipn was never prefsnted to the eonfideration of
mankind. $ dif-

S58 A 'PLEA FOR RELIGION
'J "* . * . , .. i , - 1
; difpenfation of mercy, and conducts himfelf according to
the letter and fpirit of it, is a weak and defliicable character?
Can you, in the fober fear of God, efteem all the great
men among Chriftians to have been unreafonable mdmudii
,,perfons? and that Thomas Paine and ycurfelves are the
only men upon earth,, who have found out the true wifdpm ?
Is it probable, that men of your defcription, who, in ge
neral, have never turned your thoughts ferioufly and con-
'fcientiQudy that wa7) afid who are, neither, more moral,
more fenfible, more learned, more philofophical, nor more
inquifitive than large numbers of Chriftians are found to be,
ihould have made the wonderful difcovery, that Religion.
is all a cheat, and the Bible a ridiculous tale, trumpt up by
; the Priefis, to delude and amufe mankind, while many of
our great philofophical characters of all profeffions make
it. the ft.udy of their lives to comply with the former, and
fpend a coniiderable proportion of their time in. the invff-
tigation of the latter ? And then,, it is of no little import
ance to afk, Does your Unbelief make you more morale
pure, chafte, temperate, humble, modeft, thankful, hap-,'
py? Are You more amiable in your manners than we
Chriftians ufually are, better mafters,. fervants,. hufbands,..
wives, children, friends,, neighbours?
Befides, my Countrymen, (permit me to fpeak plain
ly) are not you the moft ungrateful of all human Beings,
in that you have derived the whole of .your prefent ^tfM-
Har light, information, or philofophy (call it which you will)
from the writings of the Old and New- Teftaments.,^ 'and
then make ufe of that light, ity. cor -mation, . or philofophy , to.
difcredit thofe Writings, and to make them, ridiculous
among mankind? If we want to know what pure nature
can teach, we muff, diveft ourfelves of all our prefent
.ideas, collected from the writings of the. Sacred, Code, and
learn our religion from the Pagan page alone: The moft
eminent of them, however,, fa*w and lamented their want.
of what you now fo faftidioufly reject..
" Pure Plato! how had thy chafte fpirit hail'dr
( «« A faith fo fitted'to thy moral fenfe !
" What hadft thou felt, to fee the fair romance
" Of high imagination, the bright dream
" Of thy, pure fajicy more than realiz'dl '* O fweet

k AND the SACRED writings. 459
*' O fweet enthufiaft ! thou hadft blefs'd 3 fcheme
" Fair, good, and perfeft. How had thy rapt foul
" Caught fire, and burnt with a diviner flame !
•' For ev'n thy fair idea 'ne'er conceiv'd
** Such plenitude of love, fnch boundlefs blifs,
" As Deity made vifible to fenfe."
Should you not, as men of fenfe, review the hiftory o(
the feveral ancient nations of the world, and compare their
religion and morals with the religion and morals of your
own country, where the GofpCl has been preached for , fo
•many years ? Common fenfe, and common equity feem
to require this of you, before you commence apoftates
from the religion in which you have been educated. You
will permit me here to call to your remembrance a few
facts culled out of the hiftory of mankind.1 Make what
ufc of them you pleafe. Only give them a patient con-
¦fideration, and a fair comparifon with the religion of Jesus,
as exhibited in the New, Teftament, and * then act as ycu
judge meet.
The Babylonians are faid to have introduced the unna
tural cuftom of human facrifices. The Sepharvites, pro
bably a branch of that people, burnt their children in fire
to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the Gods of Se-
pharvaim. 1. Kings xvii. 31.
Among the Phtenicians, a father did not fcruple to immo
late his only child ; a hufband to plunge his knife into a
heart as dear to him as his own, to avert fome public mif-
fortune. Porphyr.1. 2.
In Carthage, the children of the nobility were facrificed
to Saturn. The calamities, which Acathocles brought
upon that city, were believed by the inhabitants to .'be ' i,'
punilhment for the fubftitution of ignoble blood ; and,, to
appeafe the wrath of the God, they immolated aoo chil
dren of noble blood in one facrifice. Plut. deSuperftit.-—,
Diod. Sic. 1. ao.
The ancient Germans alfo facrificed human victims.
Their prieftefies opened the veins of the fufferers, and
drew omens from the rapidity of the ftream of blood.
Tact. Germ. 9.— Diod. Sic. I, 5. 20.
S a The

a60 - . :;sfc PLEA...FOR. XJELIGIOV '* .*
The ancient ' Bntains 'like wife .*¦ were equally cruel and
ffuperftitioUs. ,
The facrific'e of ftrangers and prifoners of war feeims to
have been generar*,,' even larriong the ancient, nations .which
were more civilized. . ¦*
Achilles, in 'Homer,, immolates twelve Trojans to the
manes of PatRoclus. II. 23,, i 7-5. ,
And even in the 532 year of Rome, two Greeks and
two Gauls were buried aliye in a; public place of the city,
to fatisfy the fuperftitious prejudices of the populace. Liv.
J. 2.2. C. tf;- '
Though the Greeks do not appear to have offered human
lacririces, yet whole ftates were at times reduced- to. flavery,
and their lands confifcated,. and 'their: prifoners of war maf-
facred in cold blood. 1 : ', '... „
Conjugal infidelity among theJdtheniaxs.-was become fb*
common in the time of Pericles, that almoft 5000,- of
•their citizens were illegitimate. . Plot, in Paricl. ,";
If at any time a man became eminent among them fof
'virtue, he was generally ftntence'd toforrie kind of punifh-1
mentv either to imprifonment, banifhrnentj or death.
Dark, however, as the picture .of the Athenians is exhi
bited, it is funfhine when compared to that of : the Laps'-
dicmonians. See their hiftory. By the laws of Sparta,- a
parent was permitted to deftroy a weak or deformed child.
The Romans, though great and fuccefsful, were equally
far from being a virtuous nation. They were the; mur
derers and plunderers of the .world. We might, inftance
their whole hiftory ; but it will fuffice to have obferved,.
that the celebrated Julius G^sar boafted.he had taken
800 towns, vanquished 300 ftates, fought three millions of
men,~of whom one million had been- either Slaughtered* or
reduced to flavery. . , * > '
The number of men flam at different; periods, even for
their diverfion and entertainment, was immenfe !
A creditor, could, at the expiration of thirty days, feize
an infolvent debtor, who could not find bail, and keep
him fixty days in chains. During this, time, he, was al
lowed to expofe him three -market days to public fale,, for
the amount, of his debt? and, at the expiration, of a third, to

AND **£HE SACRED WRITINGS, &6l
to -put, him to death. ' If there were many creditors, they
were permitted to tear and divide his body among them.
It was cuftomary, however, to fell the debtor, and divide
the money.
A father had the right of life and death over his chil
dren, and, by the laws -of Rome, was permitted to expofe
hk child to perifh.
The hufband was the only judge and arbiter of his wife's
fate. ^ If a wife was convicted of committing adultery, or ,
of drinking wine, her hufband" had a right to put her to
death without the formality of a public trial; while ihe was
not permuted, on any provocation, to raife her finger'
agaiiift him*.
To thefefeverfl facts, add a careful perufal ofthe firft
•chapter of St. Paul's Epiftle to the Romans, and then you
jwijl have had a view of the religion and morals of the
Heathen World before the advent Of Christ. If there is
a difference between us and them, it is what the* Gofpel has
made. The Heathens, indeed, excelled greatly in the arts
^and fciences. Excellence of compofition may be pro
duced from their writings, in rich abundance; but We call
upon you to ihew us any thing fit to be compared with
-various ofthe compofitions contained in the Bible. You
have no Hifioryfo ancient, fo important, fo inftructive,- lb en
tertaining, fo well written f; no poetry fOfublime; no Elo--
auence
* See a learned Sermon &f~Dr. Valpy, where thefe teftimonies to the
¦depraved ftate of ahe -Heathen nations are detailed, more at large.'
f One of the fineft and moll important paffages in all Heathen antiquity
as that of Plato, where he introduces Socrates fpeaking of fome
divine, teacher of whom he was in expectation, - and of the mill which is
-naturally upon the mind of man, which was to be removed by that
teacher; "He is one," fays Socrates, " who has now a concern for
" us.rt — " He is a perfon that has a wonderful readinefs and willingnefs
" to take away the mill from the mind of man,' and to enable us to dif-
" tinguifh rightly betweengood and evil." See his fecond A^cibi ades.
Bijhop Ha Li.-fijs, " I durft appeal to the judgment of a carnal reader
" (let him not be prejudiced) that there is no hiftory fo pleafant as the;
" jacred; for fhould'we even Yet afide the majefty of the lnditer, none
¦' can compare with it for magnificence, and the antiquity of the mat-
•" terj the fweetnefs of compiling; and the ftrange variety of memorable
•f* occurrences." Sj , "_ I am

%S% " >A PLEA FOR RELIGION
quence fo noble and fo perfuafive; no Proverbs fo laconic, fo
divine, fo Ufeful; no Morality fo pure and perfective of
human nature; no Syftem of the intellectual world fo ratfcv
rial. We challenge you, my Countrymen, we dare you
to come forward, and fhew us any thing of equal excellence
in all the authors of antiquity, or among all the ftofes of
modern refinement*. , You ought then to be alhamed of
your conduct, in treating with fuch indignity and foVereign
contempt, writings which were never excelled^ never ;
equalled; and which, it is probable, you have never given. '
yourfelves time thoroughly, to underftand. Your conduct1
herein is extremely culpable, and what cannot be juftified,
either on the principles of religion or philajg/ihy.' Any man.
ppflefled of one grain of modefty, and gratitude to heaven,
could not help feeing the impropriety of it. A timely at
tention to one of Solomon's jeftsf might do all fuch per-
fons everlafting good . — Judgments are prepared for f corners,
and Jlripes for the back of fools! ' " I can write," fays Mr.'-
Paine, " a better book than the Bible my fclf." We
"grant this gentleman every merit to which he' is entitled;
but I cannot hejp recoiiimending to his attention, and that
*f Vara very confident," faith. &V Richard Steel," whoever read* "
the Gofpels, with an heart as much prepared in favour pf them, as when .
he fits down to Vircl or Homer, will find no paffage there which is
not tojd with more natural force, than any Epifode in either of 'thole' wits,
¦Who were the chief of mere mankind."
Mr. LocKE*fomewhereobferves, " that morality becomes a gentle.
man, not barely as a man, but in Order to his bufinefsas a gentleman :
•and the morality ofthe Gofpei," fays, he, "doth fo excelthat gfallothe**
books,_ that to give a man. a full knowledge of true morality^ I fhould
fend him to no other book but the Jfevu Tefiament."
* If any perfon> who takes up this pamphlet, wifhes' to be informed'
where he may find the literary beauties of Holy Scripture pointed out to
him, let him know, that Bqyle on' the Stile of Scripture— Bxacku
whll's -Sacred Clones— and Bijhop Lowth's PraleBiones, arealrvery-
valuable in this way',— He r v e y 's Iforks contain many b.eautiful fpecimens
of facred criticifm.— Smith's Longinus— Blair's Le3,ure—B.oi~
lin's Belles Lettres— Weald's Chriftian Orator- >and the fecond volume
of the Adventurer— all contain feveral good illuftrations— Some in--
fiances ofthe fame kirjd will be met with in the Spectator and Guardian'.—
Many of thefe illuftrations of the beauties of Scripture are collected into
One view in the fecond vol. oPSimfson's Sacred Literature. -
t Thomas Paine^ by way of {hewing his wit, callsSoLOMQN'j
Proverbs ajefi book. ' - "
'" ' Of

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS.' 203
•oFMs friends, another of this Jewijh king's witty fayings:
Seejt thou a man wife in his own conceit ? There is more hope
of a fool than of him! Many other' jefis, uttered by this
fagacious monarch, are Equally funny | with thefe two, and)
not lefs applicable to fuch characters as Mr. Paine, and '
our other vaunting Philofophifters ; but thefe may fuffice as
a fpecimen. The reader might be abundantly gratified
with others of a iimilar kind, by having recourfe to the
jeft-book itfelf, to which I would, therefore, recommend
him with all fpeed to apply. A ferious application! to a
book of fuch adrtiirable humour could not fail of yielding
inQft exquifite entertainment ! Let us, however, proceed
to other confederations.
How different are the opinions ofjyour Mafter\ Thomas
Paine, and Sir William Jones*, concerning the Sacred
Writings? The former, who has betrayed the moft palpa-
.- ", , ble
* Before this illuftrious fcholar went to India, he was by no means
free from a fceptical bias. But when he refided in AJia, he inveftigated,
with minute and rigid attention, all thofe intricate theological points
that had occafioned -his doubts ; and- the refult was, not only his own
rnioft complete conviction, but the conviction of feveral eminent fcholars;
who, till then, had but flightly attended to the proofs for the verity of
the Mofaic writings. Thefe gentlemen, from that time, renounced their
•doubts and errors, and became, like Sir William himfelf, not only
almoft, but altogether Chriftians.
See this fubjecr. confidered more at large in the Britijh Critic for Feb.
1.798. The "above declaration of this excellent man is faid to , have been
written in one of the blank leaves of his common reading- .&'£/(?. He
has advanced the fame fentiments more at large in the third volume of
the Afiatic Refearches, p. 402. " Theological inquiries," fays he, ." are
no part of my prefent fubject. ; but I cannot refrain from adding, that
the collection of tracts, which we call from tueir excellence. The Scrip*
.tures, contain, independently of a divine origin, more true fublimity,
more exquifite beauty, purer morality, more important hiftory, and finer
ftrains both of poetry and eloquence, than could be colle&td within the
fame compafs from all other books that were ever compofed in any age
or in any idiom.' The two parts, , of which the Scriptures con fill, are
conne&ed by a chain of compositions, which bear no refemblance in form
or ftyle'to any that can be produced from the ftords of Grecian, Indian,
Perfian, or even. Arabian, learning. The antiquity of thofe compofitions
no man. doubts; andthe unftrainfed application of them to events long
fubfequent to their publication is a folid round of belief, that they
were genuine predictions, and confequently injpired."
* ¦ . S4 • 'Note,

A PLEA FOR RELIGION
ble ignorance, -fays all manner of evil agafnft them; while
the latter, who was an all-accomplifhed fcholar, feems at a
lofs how fuflicientiy to exprefs the fenfe he had of their.
importance. " I have regularly and attentively read the
" Holy Scriptures, fays this great Lawyer, and am of opi-
" nion this volume, independent of its divine origin,
" contains more fublimity and beauty, more pure mo-
il rality, more important hiftory, and finer ftrainspf poetry
"and eloquence, than can be collected from air othcir
*' .boots, in whatever language or age they may have been
" compofed." And is it not ftrange that thefe contemptible writers, as
Thomas Paine affects 'to confider them, fhould excel! all'
mankind in every fort of compofition ? They muft have .
been extremely dexterous impoftors! Christ, th^jndft
piouS and moral of men, the molt ingenious of deceivers I"
His Apoftles, the moft ignorant and illiterate of mortals,
the wifeft and moft admirable of writers ! Whatp^radoxes
a man muft embrace before he can become a finifhed
fnfidel! If then, my Countrymen, fuch are the fuperior excels
lencies of the. Bible; though you find yourfdves incapable.
of receiving it as compofed by divine affiftance for the
inftruttion and falvation of mankind, you will do your-
felves a very ferioas injury by exploding it in every other1
point ofview. Read it, at leaft, if it is only as a collection
of compofitions more ancient, , more curious, more, excel
lent, more entertaining, and mOre important^' than arty other-
extant. This is a merit you muft allow it to poffefs, if
your mind is ever fo little improved in literary attainments.
And if this is not your fituatioti, you ure ill qualified tq
Note, that.the laft hour of the life of this.illuftrious character (who
was particularly Eminent for his attainments in aftronomy, cronolog-y,
antiquities, languages, mufic, botany, and the Jaws of England,) was.
marked by a folemn act, of devotion. Finding his dhTolutiom rapidly.
approaching, he defired his attendants to carry him into an inner apartt
ment, where, at his defire, they left him. Returning after a fhort in
terval, they found him in a kneeling pofture, with his hands clafped,
and his eyes fixed towards heaven. As they were removing him, ha
(expired. See U.kv Kic^s elegiac Pom on the death of this admirable man. judge

AND! THE SACRED WRITINGS. 265
judge of the truth or falfehood of a book of ftch vaft anti
quity, and which claims derivation, from heaven. We
have known feveral good fcholars', who ufed ao read the
Sacred Code, as we efteem it, merely as a book of enter
tainment. We have known others., who have read it to
raife and fublime their minds. Some read it for its hiftory,
fome for its poetry, fome for its eloquence, fome for its
morality, fome for its maxims, fome for its fublime views
ofthe Supreme Being, fome for the inimitable examples
it affords us of virtue and vice. Be it then true or falfe,. as
a fyftern of Divine Revelation, let it have its due pra-ife,
and hold the rank among books tp which it is fojuftly en
titled*. Give every author the honour due unto hjm, and
fing with our Epic Bard;

'.' Yet not thcmore

" Ceafe I to wander, where the Mufes haunt
" Clear fpring, or fhady grove, or i'unny hill,
" Smit with the love offacredfong,; but chief
*'¦ Thee, Sion, and the flow'ry brooks beneath I
«' That wafh thy hallow'd feet, and warbling flow,
" Nightly I vifit,"
This book, which you are unhappy enough to deipife,
abounds, we have already feen, with all the various beau
ties of the Greek and Roman claffics, and in a much higher
degree of perfection. It confifts, not merely of a collec
tion of chapters, and verfes, and diftinct aphOrifms on tri
vial fubjects, as too many are apt to conceive ; but is, as
it were, one grand Epic compofition, forming iixty-fix
books, of unequal length.% and various importance. As
the ,fun, mopn, planets, and comets, make one fyftem,
and are each of them neceffary to the harmony of the
whole; fo, the different books of the Sacred .Code, though
ieparately confidered, and .taken out of their connection,
may appear unimportant; yet as parts of one large and
* The beauties of compofition to be met with in the Sacred Writings
are beyond all praifb. It is a neglect unpardonable in clafificid ithdols,
.fthat they are r.-'jt read there, as the ftandard of good tafte, arid of fine
writing, as well as of found morals and religion — If they abound; with
fuch numerous fpecimens of noble compofition in the moft literal of all'
tranflations, let any man' judge what they niuftbe in the original! compli-

266 , A PLEA FOR RELJGION
complicated fyftem, they are all neceffary, ufeful, or con-*
venierit to the perfection of the whole. - And though" the
time is longer than is ufually admitted in compofitions of
the Epie kind, its beginning being with the birth, audits
end with the clofe of Nature .itfelf ; yet it fhould be re
membered, that even this circumftance is perfectly- con-
fiftent with the reft of the adorable plan ; a tkoitfand years
heing.with the Lord as one day, and one day as a thotfand
yetirs. The Aftion of it too is one, entire^' and the greateft
that can be conceived. .All the Beings in the univerfe, of
which we have any knowledge, are concerned in the Drama.
The defign .of it is td'difplay the perfections of the ador
able Creator ; to -refcue the, human race from total mifery
and ruin; and to form us, by ' exf»'mpk,"> to glory, honour,
and immortality. The Epic opens in a mild and calm fub
limity," with thew creation of the world itfelf. It is carried
on with an aPioriifhing variety of incidents* and unparal
leled fimplicity and majefty of language*. The leaft and
moft trivial epifodes, or under-actions, which are inter
woven in it, are parts either neceffary, or convenient, to
forward the main defign : either fo necefiary, that without
thena-the work muft be imperfect, or fo. convenient, that
¦ no others can be imagined more fuitable to the place in
which they are. And it clofes with a book, or, to keep"
wp the figure, with' a fcene, the moft folemn, majeftic, and
iublime, that ever was compofed by any author, facred or
profanef. «
•' " The human mind," faith one of the beft of judges,
*" can conceive nothing more elevated, more grand, more
glowing, more beautiful, and more elegant, tharrwhat we
meet with in the Sacred Writings of the K Hebrew* bards.
* One of the belt judges of the age obferves, that " the graceful
negligence of nature pleafes beyond the trueft, ornaments that art can de-
vife. indeed, they are then trueft, when they approach the neareft to
|his negligence. To attain it, is the very triumph of art. The wife
artift, Jierefbre, always completes his ftudies in the great fchriol of crea,-
tion, \^icre the forms of elegance lie Scattered in an endlefs variety ; and
the writer, who willies to pofTefs' fome portion of that fovereign excel
lence, an'i fimplicity, even though he were an Infidel, *tyould have re-
pourfe to the Scriptures, and make them his model."'
f See Day d e rs ;s F.ffays on the' Belles Lettres.
The

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. ¦ %$J^
The almoft ineffable fublimity of the fubjects they treat
upon is fully equalled by the energy ofthe language, and ,
the dignity of the ftyle. Some of thefe writings too, ex
ceed in antiquity the fabulous ages pf Greece, as ,much as
in fublimity they are fuperior to the moft finiflied produc
tions of that celebrated people*." Moses, for inftance, •
Hands unrivalled by the beft of them both as a Poet, Ora
tor, and Hiftorian^ : D avi d as a Poet J and MuJician : Solo
mon as a Moralift, Naturalijl, and Paftoral writer; Jere
miah, Ezekiel, Nahum, Joel, and , fome other. of the
Minor Prophets, as Orators, or Poets, rirboth: Homer and
Virgil muftyield thepalmto Job§ for true fublime: Jsai ah
excels all the world in almoft every kind of compofition||:
the four Evangelifts are eminent as Orators and Hiftorians :
St. Peter and St. James, St. Luke and St. John, as
authors of no ordinary rank: and St. Paul as the moft
fublime of Writers and eloquent of Orators**. AH thefe
eulogiums upon the facred penman are fpoken of them
merely as Authors, without the fmalleft view to their higher *
order as infpired writers, and meffengers of the Lord of
Hoftsff, If this laft confideration be taken into the ac-
* Lowth*s PreeleBiones.
•f Longinus, the beft critic ofthe Heathen world, fpeaks of Moses
as no ordinary writer, and cites his account of the creation as an inftance
of the true fublime.
X Mr. Addison fays, " After perufing the book of ' Pfatms, let a
judge of the beauties of poetry read a literal tran Anion 'of Horace or
Pindar., and he will find in thefe two laft fuch an a>bfurdity andconfu-
fion of ftile, with fuch a comparative poverty of imagination, as will
make him fenfible ofthe vaft fuperiority of Scripture ftile."
§ The Rev. George Costard, famous for oriental learning; con-
• fiders Job as an exalted and regular piece of eaftern poetry, ofthe dra
matic kind, confuting of five acts. The three firft end at the 3 2d chapt.
from the 3 2d to the 38th is the fourth act : from thence to the end is tha
fifth act.
|| Let the reader confult Bifhop Lo wth's Prteleiliones for the character
Ofthe feveral prophets ofthe Old Tefiament, where he will find much'
ufeful information.
** The above Longinus ranks Paul of Tarfus among the moft
famous oratbrs. -
ft Madam Daci-ER, the celebrared French Critic, in the Preface to
ber tranflation of T-iomer, affures us, that ". the books of the Prophets
'* and the Pfalms, even in the Vulgate, are full of fuch pafiages, as the
?' greateft poet in the world could not put into verfe, without lofing
• rf much of their majelty and pathos." count,

afJS A PLEA* TOR RELIGION i
count,' , and addetl to the former, what an all-important
book -muft the Bible he.? what a bleffing to mankind!
"Language cannot exprefs1 the value of it. If t-he exhor
tation of a late: noble author, as improperly applied to the
Grecian bard, were applied to this irieftimable volume, is
'would be Ufed with the ftricteft propriety and decorum !
" Read.GoD's Word once, and you can read no more ;
" For all .books elie appear fo_!:)eai', fo poor,
" Verfe wilifeem prole"; but flill perfift to read, ,
¦" And God's Word will be all the books you need."
In ibort, my Countrymen, the Bible abounds with a
vaft variety of matter, a confufed magnificence above all
order ; and is the fitteft book inr the world to be the
framdard of doctrines, and the model of good writing.
We -defy, all the Sons of Infidelity to fhew us any thing like
it,, or fecond to it. Where will you meet with fuch A
number of wftruStive Proverbs— fervent Prayers — 'fublime
' So-ngs-^-bemficent Miracles — appofite Parables — -infallible
Prophecies* — affectionate -Epiftles — eloquent Orations — in-.
ftructive
* A valuable Correfpondent, fpeaking ofthe prophetic fcriptures, exv
fxeffes himfelf in -the following manner^— ?" Next to Aitronomy, few ;
fubjects expand the human mind more, than the view which prophecy.,
Ctpens to us ofthe government of the Great King. To fee the vail
isafs of .materials, kingdoms, and centuries, in motion, only to the ac-
cdiri-plifhraent of his purpofes: to fee refractory man employed to pre ¦?¦
farve the harmony of his defigns ; and the diforderly paflions, while ap
parently working folely in their own narrow circle, ignorantly advanc- ,
ing the fulfilment of his determination ! This is a ftudy delightfully in-
teretting, and which, in common with the contemplation of all the
Great Creator's doings, elevates the mind above the opprefiion of
human cares and farrows, and feems to leave her jn that ferenity of ad
miration, which one may imagine an imperfect foretaite of part, ofthe;
employment and happinefs of aBgels." -. , ...
Abraham Cowley tells us, that" all the hooks of the Bibb are
" either already molt admirable and exalted pieces of poefy,. or are the;
«* beft materials in the world for it."
Sir Richard Blackmore fays, that ''for fenfe, and for noble
" and fublime thoughts, the poetical 'parts of Scripture ha\e an infinite
f< advantage above all others put together." ' . y-
, Matthew Prior, Efa. is of opinion, that" the writings of Solomon-
" afford fubjects for finer poems in every kind, than have yet appeared- '
*' in the Greek, Latin, ox any tnodern language." ¦AlEXAN-pER

AND THE SACRED WRTTINGS. 269*
¦ftrufitive Hi/lories — pure Laws — rich Promifes — awful De
nunciations — ufeful Enfamples-, as are fet before us in this
richly fraught magazine of all true excellence in matter and
Alexander Pope, Efa.. affures us, that " the pure and noble, Ae
" graceful and dignified fimplicity of language is no where in fucli
" perfection as in the Scripture and Home r ; and that the whole book
" of Job, with regard both to fublimity of thought and morality, ex-
-" ceeds- beyond all compaiifon the moftnoble parts of Homer."
Mr. Nicholas Rowe too, the Poet, after having read moft of the
Greek and Roman hiftories hi their original languages,, and moft that are
wrote in Englijh, French, Italian, and Spanijh, was full]? perfuaded of the-
truth of Revealed Religion, expreffed it upon all occasions, took great
delight in divinity and ecclefiaftical hiftory, and died at laft like &
Cbrtftian and Philafopher, with an abfolute refignation to the will of
God. ' '
There are few ance'dotes of our celebrated Englijh Poets which have*
given me more.pleafure than that of poor Colli ns, who, in the latter
part of his mortal career, " withdrew from fludy, and travelled with no-
" other bookthanan Englijh Tefiament, fuch as children carry to fchooL
" When a friend took it into his hand, out of curio iity to fee what com-
".panion a. Man of Letters had chofen< — I have only one book" faid Col
lins, " but that is the befit." See Johnson's Lives ofthe Poets, vol. 4.
I muft' own that foch an ancedote as this knits- my heart to Collins
more tha« all-the excellencies of his Poetry. Sick." and-infirm, in the
fpirit of Mary, he fits at the divine Redeemer's feet, Hftening to the
words of eternal,life. In fuch a ftate of body and mind, one fingle pro-
mife, from his gracious and infallible lips, is of more real value and im
portance, than all the pompous learning of the moft celebrated Philofophers:
This, indeed, will never be properly felt and underftood till we eome to
beinfimilar circumftances. When Dr. Watts was almoft worn out,
and broken down by his infirmities, he obferved in converfation with a:
friend, " he remembered an aged minifter ufed to- fay, thar the moft.
learned and knowing Chriftians, when they come, to die, have, only the- '
fame plain promifes of the Gofpei for their fupport, as the common and
anlearned: and fo, faid he, I find it; It is the plain promifes ofthe
Gofpei that are my fupport.; and I blefs God, they are plain promifes,
that do not require much labour and pains to underftand them, for I can-
do nothing now, but look into my Bible for fome promife to- fupport rhe,,
and live upon that,"
This was like wife the caf t with the pious and excellent Mr. He r v e y .
He writes about two raontns before his death : — " I now fpend," faya
he,- ".almoft my whole ame^ in reading and praying over, the Bible." —
And again,, near the fame time, to another friend : — " I am now re-
duced to a ftate of infant weaknefs, and given over by my_ phyfician, — .
My grand cqnfolation'' is to meditate on Christ; and lam hourly
agpeating thofe" hesirt-revivirig liner of Dr. Young; " This,—

ajO A PLEA FOR RELIGiOtf
and compofition, the Holy Bible ? We may fay with Pro*
fertiust on another occafion,
Cedite, Romani fcriptoros j cedite, Graii*.:
And recommend to the Gentleman^, the Scholar, and the
Phitofo/iher, as well as to the illiterate Cbriftian, the daily
perufal of the Bible, with, infinitely greater propriety, than
ever Horace did to the learned Romans the ftudy of the
Grecian models :
' Nodturna verfate manu, verfate diurnaf .
-There is another circumftance, my Countrymen, I
beg leave to fubrnit to your confederation, which is, that
** This. — orAy this fubdues the fear of death :
" And what is this? — Survey the wond'rous cure ;
" And at each fiep, let higher wonder rife !
" i. Pardon for infinite offence i — 2. And pardon
" Through means that fpeak its value infinite !—
" 3. A pardon bought with blood! — 4. With blood divine'!—
" 5. With blood divine iof him I made my foe ! —
" C. Perftfted to provoke ! — 7. Though woo'd and avv'd,
"" Blefs'd andchaftis'd, a flagrant rebel ftill !—
*'* 8. A rebel 'midft the thunders of his throne! —
" 9. Nor I alone! — 10. A rebel univerfe ! —
" 11. My fpecies up in arms ! — 12. Not one exempt !—
" 13. Yet for the, fouled of the foul he dies! — ; ,-
" 14. Moft joy'd for the redeem'd from deepeft guilt!—'.
" 15. As if our race were held of higheft rank ;
" And Godhead dearer, as more kind to man."
We have juft read Godwin's Memoirs of Mrs. Godwin, othertyife
Mrs. Mary Wollstonecro'ft. She was a woman of confiderable
powers, but. of a lewd character in- life, living with a Mr. Imlay, as a
'wife, and having a child by him ; and then, .when forfaken by him, liv
ing with, and being pregnant' by Mr. Godwin, who afterwards mar-
ried her. I mention thefe circumftances, becaufe they were both pro-
feffed Philofophers, and Unbelievers, and as a contrail to the above pious
Chriftians. ^She attended no public worfhip, and during her laft illnefs, '
no religious expfeffions efcaped her phi lofophk lips.
, * Let both the Greek and Roman authors yield, the palm to the
Sacred Writings.
f Dr. South obferves, that " he who would not read the Scripture
for fear of fpoiling his ftile, fhevved. himfelf as much a blockhead as an
atheift, and to have as fmall a guft of the elegancies of expieilion, as of
the facrednefs 0/ the matter." Sermons, vol. 4, p. 32.
\ Read therein by day, meditate by night, " .
though

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS- Qjt
though there are feveral of your unbelieving brethren, who
are men of confiderable natural abilities, of fome learning,.
and of decent morals,, yet there are not a few among you,
as arnong us, who are profane and debauched in no fmall
degree ; and who, therefore, are not capable of being rea-
foned with upon any religious topic whatever. Thefe are
a difgrace to any caufe. And the more zealoufly they avow
their party the lefs honourable it is to that party. Such'
men, are little railed above the brutes that perifh, being.'
earthly, fenfual, deviliflj. Let them but eat, drink, fleep,
and indulge the baler paffions of the human frame, they
aflc no more, they look no higher. — To intellectual and
refined enjoyments they are ftrangers. Of literary gratifi-.
cations they know little. For moral and religious pleafures
they have no tafte. Immortal expectations, which exalt
and enoble the mind of man, they are willing,- to forego^
The language of their fenfual fouls, which are brutalized-
with indulgence, is no other than that of the ancient. Epi
cureans : — Let us eat and drink ; for to-mcrrow we die. And
did they die to-morrow, the public would have no great
lofs of them : could they make good their hopes, /that death
is an eternal ceffation from ienfibility, they themfelves
would fuftain no material inconvenience; The beft they
can expect, is, to ceafe to be : a confummation, for fuch
characters, devoutly to be wifhed 1
Thefe are the men, however, who make the greateft
noife, and moft violently oppofe the Religion of the Sou
of God and the Sacred Writings* !
It is an honour to that Religion, and thofe Writings, that
fuch men are infidels, and avow their Unbelief in the face
ofthe world! May every unreafonable and immoral man
do the fame !
* It is calculated, that, when trade goes pretty well, there are, upon
an average, 200,000 manufacturers in this country, who conftantly fpend
their working hours in idlenfs, arinkihg, gambling and debauchery. This
.». large body of men may too be confidered as infidels in principle, atbeifts
in practice* and ripe for any wicked and defperate ehterprize which rnay
arife. They are the curie and fcum of the country ; and yet they 'are
ufually excefiively •wife in* their ovjn eyes, a?ui prudent in their ovjn conceif.
All the world afe fools befides themfelves. They "are great politicians,
great . philofophers i great diviaei^-ovei thei* cups ! — and vvifdom fhaJI die
with them I After

272 A PLEA FOR RELIGION
-After all* my Countrymen, if- every thing befides in
thefe papers' fliall be defpifed by you, let the feveral ex
amples herein recorded have their due weight upon your
minds. If there is importance in any tiling, it is ufually
to be found in the fentiments and behaviour of men, when
they draw near the clofe of their earthly exiftence.
" Men may live fools ;¦ but fools they cannot die."
We may, indeed, be hardened in our fins, when that
event draws nigh. We may brave it out againft death.
We may fet at defiance all the threats of heaven. But,
ufually, we difcover certain fymptoms, even here, of what
our future deftiny is like to be. Fear, horror, indifference,
hope, truft, faith, reliance, joy, will all more or lefs pre
vail, according as the ftate of our minds fhall be, in thofe
fcdemn moments, when death is making his approach*. ' So
* There isa very affecting narrative juft publilhed by a John Cook e,
of Maidenhead, in Berks, entitled Reafon paying homage to Revelation,' in
the Confefifion of a Deiftzx the gates of death. The gentleman in queftioa
was a very refpedtable perfon of the medical profeffion in that town, and
died at the age of thirty-three. He was a mairof pleafure, as far as
bufinefs would permit; but his favourite amufement was the card-table,
at which he fpent much time, and would frequently fay to Mr. Cooke,
who feems to be a diffenting minifler, " 1 am prodigipufly, fond of card?."
While he was vifning one of his patients, he was fuddenly taken; ill. His
confeience was alarmed. His deiftical principles, of which he had long
made his' boaft while jn healthj gave way. He lamented his fad condition
in moft affecting and pitiable accents. . Among Other things, he< acknow
ledged, .with unutterable diftrefs, his negleil of the Lord's day, and the
public vcorjhip of God. When he was well, he could fay, " he was eafy
*" without the Bible, he had no fears for his foul— he believed it would
" die with his body — and he was never diftarbed about thefe things—
"¦ he could read profane hiftory. with as much. pleafure as another reads
" his Bible." But, when he was ill, and apprehended himfelf to be, on
the brink of the grave, he was thrown into fuch unutterable agony, as to
be bereft, at times, of his reafon. In the moft bitter terms he bewailed
his paft folly — mourned over his loft opportunities — declared his full pur-
pofe, if reftored, of attending to the great concerns of his foul— and
folemnly warned his companions not to follow his example— and cried
unto God for mercy. At length, after having lain for fome time in a
fenfelefs ftate, he breathed out his foul with a difmal groan.
If Thomas Paine was as eafy and confident in his1 deiftical 'principles'
under the views of approaching difiolution, as he pretends, andj as 1 fup-
pofe,.he really was, this is by.no, means a fure criterion of thofe prin
ciples

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. £73
So it was in the feveral cafes we have recorded in thefe
pages. And the time is not at any great diftance when
iae too, muft ,bear our final teftimony -, when the fcene of
life mall clofe ; and our eternal ftate commence. If fo,
" Nothing is worth a thought beneath,
" But how we may efcape the death,
" That never, never dies !
" How make our own election fure,
" And, when we fail on earth, fecure
" A manfion in the ikies."
If you are hardy enough to reject the Scriptural reprefen-
tations of future mifery, give credit, at leaft, to your own
Bible, the writings ofthe moft refpectable ofthe Heathens.
f They
ciples being the only true ones; No man's private perftiafion, or oon-
, viction, can be a fure teft of truth. For we find men fully perfuaded of
the truth of their fentunents under the moft various, and even contradict
tory opinions. The moft, therefore, that can be inferred from a decla
ration of this nature, is, that Thom as Paine thought his opinions were
according to truth, not that they really were fo. Bolingbroke was'an.
immoral ihan, and yet ne too died a deift. Rou.ss e a u had been a wretch,
end yet he died avowing his innocency even to the Almighty himfelf,
Thom as Pa i n e is by no means an excellent moral character, and yet; he
rejects every idea ofaSAViouRi, What then ? Shall their felf-righteouv
convictions be the, ftandard of truth? If Thomas Paine had well read
and considered Stern e's Sermon on the Abufies of Confcience in Triftram
'Shandy, he never would nave produced his. being eafy in the vievvs
(of apparent diffoliition, as a proof that his deiftical principles are founded
in truth. Confcience may be lulled to reft by, a vaft multitude of
fopqrifics. And there is fuch a thing too as having it feared as viith an
hot-iron !
One of the moft remarkable inftances of the power of confcience,' I
recollect to have read, is related by Mr. Fordyce, in his Dialogues on
Education, vol. z.p. 401; and inferted in the Encyclopedia Britannica,
vol. (,. p. f ; and in the Evan. Mag, vol. 6. p« 327.
If dying with eafe, and a conviction that our own religious principles
are the only true ones, were a certain proof of truth, and that we are
right, then would the moft abfurd and contradictory opinions be proved
to be true. How many Chriftians of the moft oppofite fentiments depart
this life, under the firmeft perfuafion of the truth of their principles, and
-the moft confident affurance that they ate going to eternal reft? Would
Thomas Paine allow this to be a juft proof, that their opinions are
founded in truth? Befides, Spinoza, the Atheift, was both a much
greater, andamuchmpre moral man than Thomas Paine, and he died
T avowing

jj«| A'PEBA'TOR RELIGION
They had -their. Elyfium and Tartarus as we our Heaven
and Heli. Nor was there ever any religious inftitution,
which held not out promifes of reward to the obedienty
anc) thjeatnings of puniihreient. to the . difobedient. . In,
deed, every government, whether human or divine, muft;
naturally and neceffarily do-it, or- there is an end to all *
order. Every law muft have its, fanction. Accordingly,
we find Homer, Plato, Virgil*, and others, have faid
every thing that is horrible concerning the future mifery
of loft fouls. Our great Englijh Dremalifi, who has.
copied from their writings, fliall fpeak their opinions:
" Ay, but to die, and go we know not where ;
« To. He in cold obftruction. and to rot ; , - ¦'--.-.

avowing' his Atheiftic principles. Is this a proof thofe principles are
true ? ShalLwe conclude there is no God, becaufe a poor mifguided mm.
is mad enough to die in that perfuafion ? Decaufe B ru no is fuch a foal
to burn at a ftake in defence of the fame Atheiftic principles, fliall the
whole deiftic fcheme -be thereby fubverted, and Atheifm confidered as the-
only true doctrine ? If this is conclufive reafohing, what, becomes , of
Mr. Pa i Ne'sboafted principles?
, How different are mens convictions under the afflicting hand- of God ?'
'Thomas Pain e continues hardened, and refolves to die in his Infidelity.
Casper Bartholin, the celebrated Danijh Phyjician, when affliction.
was heavy upon him, made a vow and promife to Heaven, if he was re
ftored to health, that- he would give up his medical purfuits, arid apply
himfelf wholly.to his religious concerns. He was reftored, a-nd'kept the
¦vow he had fo folerrinly made unto God. Thomas Paine is reftored
and rages more than„ever againft the Lord and his, Christ !
Priefts, of every denomination, are objefts ofthe higheft poffible con-
.tempt to all our deiftical gentlemen. One of that fraternity who has
fince been taught the error of his ways, in a manner very much out of
the common way, was known to declare, " He hoped to. fee the day,
" when there would not be a prieft — and that he would not believe the1
" Cbriftian religion while he had his, fen/as." — Though then in a good
ftate of health, within a couple of hours he went deranged, and foon
after made various efforts to'deftroy himfelf, wilhing to be in hell "as foon
as poffible, that he might feel the worft of his cafe. Three phyfkians
attended him for fbrne time ; and the rich promifes of the Go/pel being
held out to him, he was at length reftored to a found mind, arid is now
a happy Witnefs of the power of redeeming grace.
Vide Eveing. Mag. for Sep. "1798.
* The reader will find an account of the rewafds of the righteous, and
the'puniQiments'of the wicked, in Homer's' fourth and eleventh books
of Jiis Odyjfiy ; in Plato's Phadron, or Dialogue on the Immortality of
the Soul i and in the fixth book of V 1 r g i i/s Aitieis: " This-

AND THE SACREE WRITINGS* %!]$
" This fehfible warm motion to become' ,
" A kneaded clc-d; and the delighted fpiril
" To bathe in fiery floods, or to refide
'* In thrilling reg cms of thick-ribbed ice}
" To be imurifon'd in ihe viewleis winds, '-, - .
'" And b! uvn with reftlefs violence round about
«' The pendant world j or to be worfe tha'j worft
*' Of thole, that lawlefs and inceit.iin thought*
" I nngin<? howling : 'Tis too horrible ! • -
'* The wea.-ieft and moft li.ithet worldly fife,
" That age, ac'ie, penury, imprifoiimeut,
" Can lay on niture, is »! L-arauife
"• lovvhat we far if d.-ui.i.''
If this, or any thin^ like this » to be the future deftiriy
'of a <.:<-. tin.- drus ' f o'ir fi'il .w- cultures, v/e fliall gain little
by rejecting the Gmpel )'cpreic::t;it;or,s. We fiiali be ex-
trenviv' mwilj't*- Juf-r v.ur p. oh stionary period to pals
away um;r.p:ovc.".l if our race be indeed in a ftate of
moial . uin ; it the .Almighty hath devifed means for our
recovery-; if, among other meiTengers, ' he' hath fent a
perf*n higiier tiun the heavens to be our Redeemer* j we
,|hall be ft.angely wanting 'to ourfclves, if we treat this
glori us perfon, and trie doctrines of falvation' he hath
taught, with' nr gleet or contempt.- At'all events, therefore,
3ft us examine well the "ground upon which we Hand,
Negligence, in fuch a caufe, is nearly as culpable as con
tempt. And be it never forgotten, that on every fyftem,
a ftrictiy moral, and religious conducSt, is the duty, the in-
tere.iLt the felicity of all reafonable Beings. What an idiot
muft that man be, who rejects his Saviour, his Bible, and
*• For a very clear and fati'faftory defence ofthe do&rine of redemp-
i tion by Jesu.s Christ fee the fir.ft vol. of Bijhop Posteus's Sermons,
difcourfe the tenth, and vol. 2. difcourfes the fecond and third; and that
he is the real and proper Son of God fee the 14th difcourfe of the'fama
volume. The reader who remains unconvinced after eonSdering the
various arguments advanced by the above learned and amiable Prelau
will probably refill every thing that can be faid by any other writer. If,
however, he is defirous of feeing the matter fairly argued between
.Chriftianity and Deifm, let him have recourfe to a volume of Sermons-
preached at the Temple Church by Bijhop Sherlock. I myfelf remernj
ber this book to have convinced a determined Deift, who is now an eim>
nent inftrument in the hands of Providence for the converfion of others.
I would, therefore, ta all fuch life the words of Augustine— Tolle et
lege j tolle et lege,
T a *H

ijtj', A..PLEA FOR RELIGION.
all his immortal expectations, becaufe of fome chronologi
cal, or genealogical, or geographical difficulties, in the. re- -
cords of his falvation, which he cannot reconcile to the full
fatisfadtion of his mind? I had almoft faid, if the Bible
were a*s full of blunders, contradictions, and abfurditics, as
the Koran of Mahomet, yet might Jesus be a prophet
feiit from God. The reality of his million does by no
means depend upon the validity ofthe Scriptures*, though
tne Scriptures are as genuine and authentic as if all depended
upon them.
Be wife, therefore, my Countrymen, to know the
time of your vifitation. Make the moft of your little fpan
of life. Seek Truth' with modefty and humility, with pa
tience and perfeverance, and follow-whereibeVer.it leads
the way. Take the fafe fide. Believe in Chrtst, if you
can. Believe as far as you can. Examine every principle
ftep by ftep. And fhould the evidence for Infidelity fall
ever fo little fhort of demonftration, if you act, a neafonable
part, you -will believe- in Jesus, becaufe infinite danger
preffes on that fide, and no danger whatever on the fide of
faith and obedience. , Submit, then, to his eafy and de
lightful yoke. His ways- (make but fair trial of tnern)
you will always find to be ways of pleafantnefs, and all hif
paths to be paths of peace\. In our opinion, and in the
opinion of all wife and good men of every age and nation :
' * If we have any doubts concerning the truth ofthe Gofpei of Chr j sx,
it would be but fair to examine carefully all the other religions that now
are, or that ever were, in the w$rld, and compare them impartially—
not with Chriftianity as eftabliihed in the feveral countries of Europe —
but— with the pure, unmixed Gofpei, as taught by our Saviour, and
left on record in the New Teftament, and then give the preference to that
\yhich is moft excellent. If the reader is difpofed to make this furvey,
he will find fome afliftance in J. Stephens, Efqr's. book on the Princi
ples ofthe Chriftian .Religion compared with thole of all the other Reli
gions andoyftenis of Philofophy, which have hitherto appeared in the
World. ' "* . -
To the books in favour of Chriftianiey, mentioned on a former page,
may be added Dr. John Rogers's eight Sermons orl the Necejfity of
Divine Revelation; • Dr. ConybEake'* Defence of Revealed Religion ;
Gastrei.'s Certainty and NeeeJJity of Religion in general, and his Certain
ty of the Chriftian Revelation. ,
f For a view of the pleafure6 and cheerfulnefs ofthe religion of J e s u s ,
fee Bijhop Portsws'* Sermons, vol. i. p. i. 'Tis

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS, 277
" 'Tis' Religion that muft give
" Sweeteft pleafures while we live ;
" 'Tis Religion muft ftipply
" Solid comfort when we die :
" After death its joys fhall be
,** Lafting as eternity '*.'• ' if,
* Though Infidelity is making its way rapidly among the nations, and-
among all orders of men, yet is the caufe ofthe Gofpei by no means
¦defperate. The Europeans m tht Etift Indies are faid. to be almoft uni-
verfally Infidels. The ftate of France is too well known. Thefame
fpirit is running through America. Thomas Paihe has fent over
amOng them, it is faid, 14,000 copies of his deiftical publications,, But
though every poffible effort is making to eftablifh the reign of Infidelity,
there are equal efforts at leaft, I think, making by good men of all de
nominations, for -the propagation of evangelical truth. The conflict is
fevere. But it is eafy to fee how the contetl will terminate. Let every man
that is on the Lord's fide come forward, and avow himfelf a friend ofthe
defpifed Nazarene, in oppofition to all the powers of earth and hell. Curfe
ye Merest, faid the Angel of the Lord, curfe yi bitterly the .inhabitants
ibereof', becattfe th'ey came not to the help of the Lord, to the help'of the
Lord againft the mighty. When one confiders the prefent fituation of
the great bulk of mankind, whofe heart does not barn within him to
-contribute fomething towards evangelizing the nations? The inhabi
tants ofthe world are faid to amount at this'tirae to about 73 1> mill ions ;
of whom 420 millions are Pagans; I30 millions Mahometans; 100
millions Catholics ; 44 millions Pyoteftants ; 30 millions of the Greek and
Armenian churches ; and 7 millions Jews.-
' The Rev. Mr. Carey, late of Leicefter, and now a Mijftstiary among
the Hindoos, fays,
Europe contains — — • — — -t — 166,932,006
Afia — — ¦ — — — — 387,884,500
Africa — — — — — — 61,137,200
America — — — — '— — 116,621,410
The World — — — — — 73,2,575,120
Guthrie makes the world to contain — r — 953,000,000
The medium number may be — — — 800,000,000
Chriftians — — — — — — "(70,060,000
Jews — — — — — — 9,000,000,
Mahometans — —r — — — 140,000,000
Pagans — — - — — — — - 481,000,000
Total 800,000,000
Sub-divifipns among Cbriftlmi 'may be thus:
Protefiants — '— * — — — 50,000,900
Greeks and Armenians' ' — « — — — <¦ 30,000,000
€ at holies, #c. — — — — — 90,000,000
Total 170,000,000
T3 . I*

S78 - A PLEA TOR RELIGION"
If, however, after your moft ferious and confcientio'ua
endeavours, you are not able to find fatisfa,ctory evidence, that
.' Is not this view of things a loud call to the friends of the Gofpei to
ufe every poffible means to promote the fpread of it among the nations ? •
—If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be-ac-uifed„.ia
the language, Of infpiration. ' Are we in no danger then from that fpirit
of flumber which -overfpreads our minds ? Ought not every man, who
has any concern for his own future happinefs, to lend an helping hand ,
to promote the falvation of the many millions of. fouls, who now fit in
darknefs, and in the region and Jhadow of death! The Moravians, above
all other people upon earth, have herein the greateft me; it. ' That
fmall, and, in fome refpefts, obfcure Seel, have done more to fpiead the
honour of the Redeemer's name among barbarous nations, than all,
the Proteftants in Chriftendom. Thefe worthy people begun their rhif-.
fions in the year 1732J and have now, in different parts of the world,
and thofe feveral of them the moft unprcpitious, no lefs than zf> SettleJ
ments. in thefe Settlements near 140 Mi^ioiiaries are employed infuper--
intending about 23,000 converts from the Heathens I
A Stuedijb mifiion was undertaken to the Sujqueanah river in Americci,
in. the year 1697, by three perfuns, but with little iuc;eii.
The King of Denmark fent Out two perfons in the year 1 705 to Tran-
quebar on the coaft of Coromandel, which million has been coiiinued to
the prefent time with eunfiderabie advantage to the caufe of Ch* ist in,
that part of the- world,
' The Sotiety for propagating the Gfpel in foreign parts, andthat.for
promoting Chriftian Knowledge in the Highlands and lflands of Scotland',
were both begun about the year 1701, and have both been extremely
ufeful in fpreading the knowledge of the Redeeme r.'s name. America
IS particularly indebted to thefe two Societies.
The Society for promoting Chriftian Knowledge was begun in the year
1698, and has been carried forward with considerable fpirit for near one
whole century. .At prefent they have fix Miffionaries in the Eaft Indies,
and one in the iflands of Scilly. From thefe, Miffionaries fome very
pleafing accounts have been publiftied in the feveral annual reports. The
efforts of this honourable Society have been very considerable alfo in the
diftributi.on of Bibles and other religious books of various defcriptiohs*
The Bibles fent out the laft three years averaged 5,228 each year, thsNeia
Teftaments and Pfialters 9,333, Common Propers j^S, other bound book's
19,562, ^nd fmall Trails' 60,1$^. A charity of "a moft extenfive, valu*_
able, and important nature !" "But, a principal object with this Society, is'
the education of poor children. ,And in this as well as in the diftribu*
tion of books, they excel any thing that ever was in the world, Let their
annual meeting at St. Paul's bear witnefs. See the Reports for an
account of their extraordinary exertions in t]ie propagation of religious
knowledge. *• ,
The Baptifts in this country have lately fent out two perfohs to the
Eaft Indies, but the fruit, of their labours does not yet .appear to be con
siderable.. Tke miffion is in its infancy. We aie "informed by them", that

AND; THE -SACRED WRITINGS. 279
that Christ -tame from Goo ; you muft allow at leaft,
with Rousseau, he was an extraordinary man; one of
the
that the Europeans in that country are very generally in a ftate of Infide
lity. This confirms what has been laid by the natives in broken Englifir't
*' Chriftian religion — Devil religion ! Ch, ftirn much drunk — Chriftian
t " much do wrong, much beat, much -.ib-.-.ii others." — rI'he natives are
apt to fay in making their bargains — '• W"hat,."doft thou think me a
,tT Chriftian, that I would go about to deceive thee ? " It is a fad
¦"fight," fays- one of the firft Miffionaries, '* to behold a drunken
41 Chriftian, and a fober Indian; a temperate Indian, and a Chriftian
*' given up to his appetite ; an Indian that is juft arid fquarc in his deal-
" ing, a Chriftian not fo. O what a fad thing it is for Chriftians, to
¦*' come fhort of Indians, even in moralities! to come ihort of thofe,
¦" who themfelves believe, to come fhort of heaven!"
Confiderable effects alfo may be expected to arife from the two Settle- ¦
ments on the coafts of Africa arid Neva Holland. The expectation will
appear rational, if we compare America two or three centuries ago, with.
what it is at the prefent period." <
The Methodift connection, under the direction of the Rev. Dr. Coke,
lias been considerably fuccefsful in winning fouls to Ch r ist in the Weft
'Indies. Jn the yeari794, tney n'a(* upwards of a dozen Preachers
employed in the different iflands, and near Syooo Blacks in fociety,
beiid.-s others of different defcriptions *.
The Mijfionary Society in London have taken up the deplorable fituation
.of the fleatben nations with great fpirit ; and prefent profpe&s are very
promifing. How far it may pleafe'the great Head ofthe church to
fucceed their endeavours in behahTof the' Heathen, remains -yet to be
proved;]-. But be this as it may, the perfons concerned fliall not lofe
their reward. The attempt is honourable. Every believer in Christ
Jesus fhould throw his mite into one or other of thefe treafuries of
,heav,en. More noble ftill, however, is he, who, laying afjde all party
prejudices, and narrow plans of human policy, contributes, according
to his ability, to every fcheme fet on foot for the falvation of his fellowJ
creatures, and the advancement ofthe Redeemer's kingdom. 1 can-
jiat conceive how any man, who pr*feffe's to believe in the name of
Christ, .can be at reft in his fpirit, without making fome effort to ad
vance the honour of "his name. It is a black mark upon hinj. Woe unto
them that are at eaj'e in Zion — that put faraway the evil day — that lie upon
ieds of ivory, thatftretch themfelv.es upon, thfir couc/^i, .that eat f he lambs out,
* S,ee the prefent ftate of this million pn a former page.
+ It is a master of great thatjkfulnefs, that after a Toyage of more than. 50,000
miles, accomplished in 21 months, Captain Wilson is returned without the leaft
material lofs or injury to the fliip Duff, in which he took out to the South Sia-ijlands
about 30 MiJJionaries. When they arrived at Qtabiiu, they were received by the* natives
With reverence and delight. They had not one fick perfon on board ; and now that they
are returned, the crew of the (hip is in better health than when, thcy'ftjlt embarked frorai
$n$and. AU-this hath C Oft wrought, in anlwer-to prayer!

280 A PLEA FOR RELIGION
the firft characters that ever appeared upon earth *. Sec
then that you blafpheme not his name; treat his caufe
and intereft in the world with refpec~t; walk according to
the beft light you have; be virtuous in your own way,
and do all you can—not to make converts to Infidelity—
(becaufe when men commence Infidels, they ufually become
immoral) but to lead your fellow-men into the paths of
piety and virtue, under fome denomination or other. If,
indeed, you can fairly, by found argument, and folid evi
dence, explode the divine authority of the Gofpei, (we are
fo far from being afraid of coniequences, that we call upon,
you to do itf. Try then what you can do. Exert all
your
pf the flock, andthe calves but .ofthe midft of the ft all — that chant- to the
found of the viol— that drink value in bowls — but they are not grieved fon
the afflicTion of Jose? h.
Thanks be to God, that though a fpirit of Infidelity is rapidly fpread-
ing itfelf through the old rotten churches of Europe, yet there is a fire
kindled in the hearts of thoufands that fhall never be extinguifhed, till
all the ends of theearth have feen the* falvation of our God. AmiJJionary
fpirit is beginning to fhew itfelf, all through England, Scotland, Ireland,
Holland, SvoitKerland, Germany, and America, which fliall finally diffufe
itfelf through every nation under heaven.
Why do not our Unbelieving coiffitrymen form focietie's, and fend out
miffionaries to convert the nations to pure Deifm ? If they are in earneft,
and if they confider their principles as the only true arid important
ones, they certainly ought fo to do, or elfe they fall under divine con
demnation. * Moft of the French philofophers, thofe dabblers in fcience., allow
that Jes'tjs Christ was one of the greateft geniufes, and moft extraor
dinary man that ever appeared upon earth. Qthers deny his very exif?
tence !
f Atheift-s and Unbelievers have, more or lefs abounded,in every age of
the world. In Noah's time, the^ whole human race was gone aftray,
In the days of David, the fool faid in his heart, There is no God.
Scoffers too appeared in the age of the Apoftles, , walking after their own
lufts, and faying, W$Z~y is the proviife qf his cgming? I remember fome..
where reading too a ftory of a man in the laft century, who was as great
an enthufiaft againft the Bible as Thomas P.aine himfelf. Thisclever
fellow, either to difplay his wit, or his fanaticiftn, proceeded in the
following truly curious manner :
In the year^i 649, as a Mr. Fawcett was pre'aching in his church at
Walton upon Thames, towards the clofe of the, afternoon, fix foldiers
entered the church, Orie of them had a lantern in one hand, with a
g andle burning 'in it ; Ij\ {he other hand were four candles not lighted.
JrVhep Mp, Fawcett had gone through the feivice of (he day, and dif.
miffed

AND^THE SACRED WRITINGS. 28l
your talents. Call forth every latent power of the mind.
Bring out your ftores of ancient and modern lore. But —
no ridicule! no laughter! nofneers! The occafion is too
great and ferious. Come forward, rather, in all the dig
nity of good fenfe, in all the majefty of conicious integrity,
in all the zeal which the love of truth infpires, furnifhed
with languages, knowledge, experience, obfervation, and
either honourably overthrow the caufe of the Gofpei, which
jwe affuredly deem the caufe of truth; or, like Jenyns
and Pringle, openly acknowledge that you are con
vinced and conquered. This would be manly. This
miffed the .congregation, this man called to the people to flay a little,
for he had a meffage to them from God . Not being permitted to afcend
the pulpit, or to addrefs the people any farther in*the church, he went
into the yard, where the congregation collected around him. He told
them he had had a vifion, and had received a command from God to
deliver his will unto them ; and which they muft receive upon pain of
damnation. It confifted, he faid, of five lights.
1. That the fabbath was aboliftied, as unneceffary and ceremonial— .
And hfere, faid the man, I fhould have put out my firft light;, but the
wind is fo high I cannot kindle it.
2. Tythes are abolifhed, as Jewijh, and a great burden tp the faints of
God, and a dtfcouragement of induftry and tillage. — And here 1 fhould
have put out my fecond light, Sec.
3. Minifters are abolifhed, as anti^iriftian, ,and of no farther ufe, now
thatCHRiST himfelf defcends into the hearts of his faints, and his Spr&ir
enlightens them with revelations and infpirations, — And here I ihpyld.
have put out my thirdlight, &c.
4. Magiftrates are abolifhed, as ufelefs, now that Christ himfelf is
in purity of Spirit come among us, and has erected the kingdom of the
faints upon earth. Befides they are tyrants and pppreflbrs of the liberty
of the faints and tie them to laws and ordinances, mere human invention.
^— And here I fhould have put out my fourth light, &c.
5, Then, putting hjs hand in his pocket, and pulling out a little
Bible , he fliewed it open to the people, faying, " Here is a book you
" have all in great veneration, confifting of two parts> the Old and New
" Teftament. I muft tell you, it is abolifhed. It contains beggarly
'-' rudiments, milk for babes : but now Christ is in glory amongft us,
»¦' and iniparts a fuller meafure of" his Sp in. 1 t tp his fain.ts than this can
" afford; and therefore I am commanded to bum it before your faces."
 So, taking the candle put ofthe lantern, he let fire to the leaves ; and
then, putting out the candle, he cried — " And here my fifth light is
" extinguifhed."
This is not the only madman whom we have known to burn his Bible.
There are many'fuch now within 40 miles. of this place. One- 1 have
heard of, whoy to be more witty than his fagacious brethren, roafted his
Bible before a flow fire { would

b8is a flea for religion
would be acting in a manner worthy; the character of
Lovers of truth. And on fuch men the God of truth him
felf would look down from heaven well pleafed.
I have already called your attention, 'Gentlemen, to
a variety of characters from among -the* moderns, fome
good, others bad, fome believers, others unbelievers. I
would wifh you, however, to take the Bible into your
own hands, and read it carefully and coolly over, as a
book of common hiftory only, without any regard to its
divine original; and then endeavour to form, an impartial
judgment what courfe you ought to take, and what the
event of your prefent conduct, will be. To bring the
matter to, a fhort and eafy iffue, turn to the thirty-feventh
pfalm, read it ferioufly over half a dozen times, and con-
fider well its contents. Do not be rafh, foolifh, head-i
ftrong, and reject this, and the other Sacred Records,
without either rhyme or reafon; but be cool, deliberate,
faber, well-advifed, and. determine to chufe the fide of
prudence, discretion, and fafety. Let the feveral hiitori-
cal characters recorded in the Old and New. ^eft anient hi.
£aken into your moft careful confide ration, and judge
calmly of their comparative refpectability, and With, whom
you fhould like beft to dfc. Whether had you rather
wifh to die and have your portion in eternity, with Cain,
Balaam, and Pharaoh; with Korah, Dathan, and
Abiram; with Saul, Absalom, and Ahitophel;
with Herod, Judas, Pilate, and all fuch like charac
ters; or you would chufe to die and have your portion in;
eternity with Abel,- Noah, and Lot; with Abraham,
Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph ; with Moses, Aaron, Joshua,
and Samuee; with David, Asax Jehoshaphat, He-
zekiah, andJdsiAH; with Isaiah, Jeremiah, E>ze-
kiel, and Daniel;, with. John the Bafiitift, Jesus.Christ,
the twelve Apofiles,- the feventy Difcip/es, and all the"
other excellent men, whofe names are recorded with ap
probation in the 'f&vijk "and Chriftian code ? Can you,
•fiefitate one moment which fide you would wifh to take?'
Cohfider the matter well, and make your election.
But if ' you do already fee reafon to believeiin the Son
of God t or if at any future period you fhould find caufe fo.

AND THE SACREn WRITINGS. sSg
fo to do, take heed that you imbibe the true, noble,
liberal, benevolent fpirit of the Gofpd, in all its purity
and exrent.
Be not afbamed either of its doctrines or precepts. Its
doctrines are oracles, its precepts are fanctioned with pe
nalties of a nature the moft tremendous that can be con
ceived. Hold fait the former then, regardltft o,f the ob
loquy" of felf-righteous Moralifls, in 'all their purity and
extent. They form one grand, well-compacted fyftem^
far more glorious than the whole univerfe of vifiblc
created things. The heavens declare, the glory of Goo,
the wondeiful variety of creatures upon earth his wilc-Jom*
power, and goodnefs; but the icheme of laving a, loft
world, by the interpoGtioti of his Son, outfhines all the
Other works ofthe Divine Being that have ever coma
within the ken of mortal creatures. God, who at fundrp
times, ¦ and in divers manners, fpake in time paft unto the
fathers by the prophets, hath in thefe laft davs fpoken unto us
by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things ;
'by whom alfo he made, the \worlds ; tvho, being the bright-
ttefs of his glory, and the exprefs image of his perfon, and
upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by
himfelf purged our fins, fat down cji the right hand ofthe M a j e ;>
ty on high. This is perfectly in the lpirit of ancient pro
phecy : (fnto us a child is born, unto us afon is given, and the
government Jhall be upon his Jhoulder ; and his name JhalTbe
called, Wondfrful, Counsellor, 'I h.s MrcnTY God?
The £V2RLASTing Fathep, The Prince of Peace. Of
the encreafe of his government and peace there Jhall be no end,
upon the throne oJDaviv, and upon his kingdom, to order- it,
andto eftdblijh it with Judgment, and with y.iflue, from hence
forth even forever. The beloved Dfciple ot. our Lord
difplays the original grandeur of this lvuch iy One more
fully .man the Prophet : In tbe beginning was the Word,
and t e Word was with Gjd, andthe Wu<d was God.
AH thihgs were made by hi-v, a:d without bi<» was not any
thing mode that w.as made. — And tine Word wis made
fiejh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory
as of the only- bego ten of the Father, full of gra r and
truth. This amazing idea ofthe creating pow.r ofthe
Redeemer.

284 A plea for religion
Redeemer is ftill more expanded by the 'great Apoftk of
the Gentiles : By b>'m were aH flings created, that are in,
heaven and that are in earth, vifible and -invifible, whether,
they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers :
all things were created by him and for him ; and he is before
all things, and by him all things confift, — He being in the,
form .of God, thought it net robbery to be equal with God;
and though he was God's Fellow, he made himjelf of no'
reputation, and took upon him the form of a fervant, and was
made in the likenefs of men, and being found in fajhion as a
man, he humbled himfelf, and became obedient unto deaph,
'even the death of the crofs. Wherefore God alfo hath highly
txalted him, and given him a name, which is above every
name; that at the name o/^Jesus every knee fhdl bow, of
things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the
iearth; and that every, tongue Jhall confefs that Jesus
Christ is Lord to the , glory of G on the Father. So
that, though all* we have finned and come fhort of the glory
I ' of
* It may be fafely afferted, I apprehend, that all truly ferious and
religious minded people are nearly of one opinion concerning- the great
doctrines of the Gofpei. They live in the comfort and die in the faith of
them. The Catvanift and Arminian here at leaf! are of one mind. When
the Rev. John Wesley car/ie to*die, his language was, ,
" I the chief of finners am, *>
' " But Jesus died for me."
" There is no way into the holieft, but by the blood of Jesus."
" I'll praife my Maker with my breath." &c.
The late Mr. Toplady alfo appears to have been greatly fupportedV
with divine cpnfolations during his laft ficknefs. A few days before hi*
death he faid to a friend: " O, my dear fir, it is impoffible to defcribs
'* How good God is to me. This afternoon I have enjoyed fuch a lea*- ¦
** fon, fuch fweet communion with God, and fuch delightful manifefta-
" tions of his. prefence with, and love to my foul, that.it is impoffible
*' for words, Or any language to exprefs them, I have had peace and joy
" unutterable." To another friend he faid : " The comfort and manifeftatibns of
" God's love are fo abundant, as to, render my ftate and condition the
" moft deferable in the world. I would not exchange my condition with
" any one upon earth,"
The fame friend calling upon him 3 da,y or two before his death, he}
faid, with liands clafped, and his eyes lifted up and ftarting with tears
ofthe moft evident joy : " O, my dear Sir, I cannot tell you the com-
•< forts I feel in my foul. They are paft expreffion. The confolation*
«« of Go 0 to fuch an unworthy wretch a*re fo abundant, that he leaver "ma

• AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. 285
tfG od, we are juftifted. freely by his grace through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesus; whom God hath fet forth to be a
propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righte-
eufnefsfor the remiffion of fins that are paft, through* the Jor-

*' me nothing to pray for, but a continuance of them, I enjoy a heaven.
«' already in my foul. My prayers are all converted into praife."
At another time he faid: " O how -this foul of mine longs to ba
" gone ! Like a bird imprifoned in a cage, it longs to take its flight.
«* O that I had wings like a dove, then would I flee away to the realm*
" of blifs, and be at reft forever! O that fome guardian angel might
" be commiffioned; for I long to be abfent from this body, and to ba"
" with my Lord forever."
At another time, and indeed for many days together he cried out:
" O what a day of fun-fhine has this been to me t I have not words to
" exprefs it. It is unutterable. O, my friends, how good is God J
" Almoft without interruption his prefence has been with me."
Near his end, waking from a flumber, he faid : " O what delights {
" Who can fathom the joys of the third heaven?'' And again, alittle?
before his departure : " The fky is clear ; there is no cloud ; come,
" Lord Jesus, come quickly."
The learned reader will not be forry to compare here the dying fcenes
of two or three of the German Chriftians with the above of Wesley
and Toplaby. . Muscultjs's Soliloquy before death appears to meia
the higher! fpirit of the Go/pel of Christ.
" Nil fupereft vitje ; frigus praecordia captat :
" Sed tu, Christe, mini vita perennis ades.
" Quid trepidas, Anima ? Ad fedes abkura quietis ;
" En tibi duftor adeft Angelus ille tuus. ^
" Linque domum hanc miferam, nunc in fua fata ruentem,
" Quam tibi fida Dei dextera reftituet.
" Peccafti ? — Scio: Sed Christ us credentibus in fc
" Peccata expurgat fanguine cunfta fuo.
" Horribilis mors eft ? Fateor : Sed prozima vita eft,
" Ad quam te Chiusti gratia certa vocat.
" Picefto eft de Satana, peceato, in mor.te triumphans
" Christus: Ad Hunc igitur lata alacrifque rn^ra."
Tpeodore Zuinger, a famous German :" 'PhyficianSwhen he lay
upon- his death-bed, took his leave of the 'world m the fallowing fine
copy of verfes, which is a liberal paraphrafe ofthe nz pfalm.
" O lux candida, lux miiii ¦
" Laid eonfeia tranfitus !
«« Pdr Christ i meiitum patet
" Vita; porta beatse.
" Me flatus levocat dies '
" Auguftam Dom i n i ad domum ;
" Jam facia -actherii premam, ,
" Letws limiha templi. I « Jam

ft8S A plea for religion
ieUrance of God— -to declare his righteoufnefs, that he mights
be juft, and the i-tftifter of him who believeth in Jesus u
Christ being the end of the law for righteoufnefs to every
me that' belt tvtth, Thefe things being laid together, and
duly confidcred, may we not exclaim wirh the fame de
vout and admiring Apoftle? Without controverfy, great
is the ' myflery' of godlintf$: ,Goi was wan feft in the ftefh,
juftifted in the Spirit, feen cf angels,- preached unto the
Gentiles, believed '•¦, on the world, received up into glory..
Such are the doctrines of Christ, of which the
Apoftlb declares he was not" afhamed, and of which no
Chriftian ought or need to be afhamed ; becaufe they are.
" Jam vifam Solymte edita
*' Coclo culrnina, et aedium
" Laetus angelicos, fuo et
" Auguilam 7 opnlo urbem r
*' Urbem, quam procul infimis
" Terra; finibus exciti
•* Petunt Chriftiadne, ut D e u m ,
" Laudent voce perenni :
" JufTam cselitus oppidis
** Urbem jus dare ceteris,
*« Et fedem fore Davi dis
" Cunfta in fecla beati.
'* Mater nobilis urh urn I
" Semper te "bona pax amat:
'* Et tefemper amantibus
" Cedunt omnia refte,
" Semper pax tua. mcenia
" Cplit; Temper in atriis
" Tui^ copia dextera
" Larga munr-ra fundit.
Li'ci-; Ch- iftiaduin domus,
Ifvemadifciibe novitium:
ila comitata Cariias
. " Spefque Fidefque, valete."
How different is the fpint of thefe dying fcenes from tliofe oPonr
modern Philofophers, who ufually depart this life like unto the Emperor
Adrian, or in a manner much inferior:
" Animula vagula, blandula
" Hofpes, comefque corporis,
" Qua? nunc abibis in loca
" Pallidula, rigida, nudula,
" Wee, utfoles, dabisjo?osr" the

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. ,' 287
the power of God unto falvation unto every one that believetk
in his name, And we may fay of them what St: Paul
fays upon another occafion, though we, or an angel from
heaven, preach any other gofpei unto you, than that which
we have preached unto you, let him be accurfed. KAs we faid
before, fo fay I now again, If any man preach any ether
gofpei unto you than that. ye have received, let him be accurfed.
Harfh as thefe words may feem, they were written in all
the .plenitude of apoftolical authority, and apply to every
cafe where the effential doctrines of the Sacred Writings
are concerned. What thofc doctrines are may not be ex
pedient for me here to fay; the Scriptures are "in every
one's hands, and no man need continue in ignorance
of what the Lord God requires of him.
And then, as to the*"precepts* ofthe Redeemer's reli
gion, they are fuch as have been admired in all ages, and as
no man need feel himfelf afhamed to own. The fubftance
of them is: Whatjoever ye would that men Jhould do to yout
do ye evenfo to them : A precept fo held in admiration bj
one of the Reman emperors, that he had it inferibed in
various public, places to be ken and read of all men. This
excellent laconic fentence is more expanded by our Lord
himfelf in another place: Thou Jhalt love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart, and with all thy foul, and with all
thy ftrength, and with all thy mind. And thy neighbour as'
thyfelf: and ftill more by St. Paul: 37?* grace of Goo
that bringeth falvation hath 'appeared to all men-, teaching us9
that denying imgodlinefs and worldly lifts, we Jhould live
fcberly, righteoufty, and godlily in this, prefent w'orld, looking
for. that bleffed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great
God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himfelf
for us, that he might redeem us from all iniqitity&and purify
unto himfelf,' a peculiar people, zealous cf good works. "May
I not then exhort you, "my ferious readers, in the words of
the fame Apoftle, to prefent your bodies a living facrifice,
holy, acceptabit unto God, which, is your reafonqble ftrvice?
and not to be conformed to this world; but to-be transformed
by the renewing of. your mind, that he may prove what is,
that good, and acceptable, and perfeel- wiU of Go'd ? En
deavour to-be uniformly and confeienaoufly, inwardly and
outwardly

288 A PLJ2A FOR RELIGION*
outwardly,' religious*. Lay afide, as much as may be,
all other , thoughts and concerns, #nd let the pardon of
your fins, ,.the juftification of your perfons, the purifica
tion of your natures, and the falvation of your fouls,, be
the grand bufinefs and aim of your life. Every thing with
in you, and every thing without you, will oppofe this great
regenerating procefs of religion. Remember, however,
this is your main concern in the world. One thing alone
is truly needful'l. Secure this, and, every thing befidc is
iafe. V " This done, the pooreft can no wants endure j
*' And this not done, the richert muft be poor."
* There is need, in this time of general, difcontent, to call the atten
tion of all good men to the obligations we are tinder, to be dutiful and
loayl fubjefts. The Scripture is decifive, that as we are to fear God-,
fo we are to honour the King. But, fetting duty afide,. felf-iniereft,
if duly opnfulted, would induce every man to ob^y the civil govern
ment of the happy country in which we live. We have much to lofe,
little to gain, by any change that might take place. The ruin brought
upon France rtiay fatisfy any man, how dangerous a thing it is fo
embark in public contentions, and difturb the regular order of things.
If the experience of our neighbours will not determine -us to peaceable
and temperate meafares among ourfelves, we fhould do well to look
back to the reign of the firft Charles, when the three kingdoms were
> conv-ulfed for feven years together from one end to" another.. Eelides the
many thoufands of private- men who fell in the bloody fray, the iriany
millions of money that were fpent, andthe numerous families that were
ruined, there were flain 17 Earls and Lords — 45 Knights a.ni Baronets —
5 J Colonels — 48 Lieutenant Colonels — 53 Majors — 1 38 Captains' — 30
'Gentlemen Volunteers — with about 36 others, who were either beheaded,
or died in prifon. — The fpirit of the times was much the fame as hath
' for thefe feveral years prevailed \r\' France; nor were the clergy treated
'with much more humanity, 8 or 10,000 of them being turned out of •
their Livings. See Walker's Sufferings of the Clergy, p. 198 — 200.
And if anyvjtunvulfion fhould take place again in this country, I do not
conceiv-e-"lh"atT*ve fhould be much more humane towards each other, than
people have been in cafes of a fimilar nature. He was no inexperienced
mau who faid — The beginning of ft rife is as'vohen one letteth out water;
therefore leave off contention before it be meddled viith.
, When the At might v intends! to punifh us effectually, he will' de
prive us of-wfdom, and fet us at loggerheads onftwith another. The
confequencs will be, ruin to the prefent race of Englijbmeh. If with
the aboye two dreadful examples before us, we fuffer a party fpirit to
drive us to extremities, we fliall deferve all we can fuffer. See the
feventh chapter of Ez e ic i e t. Were we united and religious we might
defy the world.

AND TtiE SACR-fiD WRITINGS. 28<J
Labour not for the meat that perijheth, but that 'meat
which endureth- unto everlafting life. — Seek ye firft the king
dom of God, and his righteoufnefs, and all 'neceffary things
Jhall be added unto you. If you are ever fo rich, great,
wife, learned, honourable; if you are not at the fame time
fubftantially and experimentally religious, you are a mifer-
able man. Doyou want proof of this ? Look inward, and
look forward to the clofe of life ; or turn back, and im
partially confider the experience of the feveral perfons,
whofe declarations we have recorded in the beginning of
this Treatife. Compare them, weigh them, difcrimin'ate
their characters, reject what is bafe and unworthy your at
tention, take alarm at the warnings of the dying penitents,
"and refolve, by the grace of God, to have a name and a
place among his people. Let, others defpife and neglect
the Sacred Writings, as the humOur fhall lead, do you be
much in the perufal of them. Let them dwell in you
richly* They will make you happy in your own foul, and
wife unto falvation. Search them, dig in them, fcrutinize
them, let your daily delight be in them. It is the engrafted
Word, and the Word of God's grace alone,- which is, able
to build us up in faith and love, and fave our fouls alive.
Read it, therefore, as the Word of God, Read it with
religious views. ' Read it with conftant prayer to Heaven"
for divine illumination; and, as often as convenient, get
upon your knees in fecret* with the Bible fpread before
you, and, be allured, you fhall experience fuch fublime :
and ravifhing delights, as the moft happy and profperous
worldly men are utter ftrangers to, and as you yourfelves
can have no proper conception of, till you have made the
'experiment. Could I be the happy inftrument of inducing
you to make the experiment, you would blefs me for ever. .
And you will give- me leave to fay, that if you could fpeak
with the tongues of men and of angels, and pofTefTed all
knowledge human and divine ; if you could perform won
ders lik*e Moses, celebrate the praifes of God like David,
• M. DeW&txTY, a. French nobleman, ufed to read, three chapters a
day, with his head uncovered, and on his bended knees ; and this is
¦the pra&ice likewife of abundance of religious characters in the prefent
¦Jay. U j>rophefy

290 a pleA f(or religion
prophefy like Isaiah, write like Paul, preach likePETERj^
thunder like James and John, and offer up your fouls*.,oa
racks and in flames like the' Mdcrabean mother andher
feven noble fons; if youhad- power with. Goo like Jacob,
and had the valour Of Joshua, the ftrength of Samson,-
the beauty of Absalom, the wifdom o,f Solomon, the
zeal of Phineas, with every -other qualification natural/
and acquired, .that ever centered in any of. the fons of
men; yet, without a clofe, intimate, experimental ac
quaintance with the Sacred Oracles, and the. great truths
therein contained, all will avail nothing ; you can neither
enjoy true confblation in your fpirit now, nor be capable
of felicity hereafter when you die. Were I, therefore,,
permitted to give my laft dying* advice to the deareft friend
I have in the world, it would be the fame which Dr.
Johnson gave to his friend Sir Joshua Reynolds— c
Read your Siblej- : — I only, fhoulcLadd as above — Read it-
* The famous Sir Philip Sidney, taking leave" of his brother
Robert, when he died of the wound he had received in the field of
battle, faid ." Love my memory; eherifh my friends ; — but above all,
govern your will and affecHons by the Will and. Word off our Cre a tor ;
in me beholding the end of this world, with all her vanities.
Sir Christoph er HATTOK,inlike manner, a celebrated ftatefmaii,
a little before his death, adyifed his relations to, be ferious in fearching
after the, will of God in his Holy Word: " for" faid he, *« it is de
servedly accounted a piece of excellent knowledge to underftand the laws
, of the land, and the cuftoms pf a man's ¦ country ; how much mdre to
'•know the ftatutes of heaven, and the laws of eternity, thofe immutable'
and eternal laws of juftice and righteoufnefs! -To know the will and
pleafure of the great-Mo^ARCH, and univerfal King! I have feen:an
end of all perfection, but the commandments of God are exceeding
broad." Pt
f This great man himfelf read the Bible too little, and other boo&s
too much. This, and affociating frequently, with men of little or no re-1
ligion, were the main caufes of his great leannefis of foul, and fear of
death all through life. He was, indeed, an extrordinary man, and an
admirable judge of good writing. Jn the fecond' volume of his Lives of
thfe Poets, p. 1 10, he fpeaks of D r y d e n 's ' Dialogue on the brama-,-. as
one Of the.fineft profe compofitions in the Englijh language : and at the'
152 page of the fame volume he fays, Dutden 'sJ'oem on the death of
Mrs. Kill 1 grew, is the riobleft Ode our language has ever produced.
In the third volume, p- 6a, he tells us the moft poetical paragraph in the
whole mafs of Englijh poetry isin Congreve's* Mourning Bride. And
in the fourth volume, p, j8i',he declares one of thefineft fimilies in all
EngHJB

AND TfrE SACRED WRITINGS. • - iSigi
it daily upon your khees with fervent prayer for divine illu
mination '}' and reft not, till you have imbibed the fpirit of it
into
Englijh poetry is that of the Student's prpgrefs in the fciences in Pope's
,£ffay on Critic ifm, lines 2 1 5 — -232.
The more religiqus people read the Sacred Writings,' and the lefs, in
general, they trouble themfelves with the compofitions of, men, the bet
ter. If, however, the reader wifhes to know ;what books are beft calcu
lated to advance ths fpirit of religion in the foul, the following have
been found Angularly ufeful : Scougal's Lifeof God inthe Soul of Max
—Baxter's Saints everlafting Reft— DodDerivge's Rife and Progrefsof
Religion in the Soul — Watts on the love of God — Rowe's Devout Ex-
ercifes of the Heart — Young's Night Thoughts — Milton's Paradife Lo/l
'and Regained — Law's Serious, Call to a devout and holy Life — and Tho
mas a Kemp is on the Imitation of Jesos Christ. — Kempis, in par*
ticular, was a great favourite with Archbijhop Leighton and Bifihpp
Burnet; And Law's Serious Call has the honor of being the means
ofthe coriverfion of that Hercules in literature, thi late Dr. Johnson j
which book he ufed therefore much to commend, faying, "It was the
" fineft piece of hortatory theOligy in any language,"— See Boswell's
Life, vol. i. p. p. 29,341. —This book has, moreover, extorted the follow
ing eulogium even from the fceptical Edward Gibbon, Efq. one of the
firft Hiftorians ofthe prefent age, and an unqueftionable judge of literacy
merit. ** Mv. Law's matter-work, the Serious Call; is ftill read as a popular
and powerful book of devotion; His precepts are rigid, but they are
founded on the Gofpei; his fatire is fharp, but it is drawn from the know-
. ledge of human life ; and many of his portraits are rfot unworthy of the
pen of L a B r tr y e r e . If he finds a fpark of piety in his reader's mind»
he will foon kindle it to a flame; and a philofopher muft allow, that he
* expofes, with equal feverity and truth, the flrange contradiction between
the faith and practice ofthe Chriftian world. Under the names of Fla-
Via and Miranda he has admirably defcribed my two aunts — the Hea.*-
, then and the Chriftian fifter-" Memoirs of Gibbon's Life and Writings.
This, I think, is no common praife ! 1
To the above books fhould be added BunYAn's Pilgrim's Progrefs;
Bijhop Taylor's Holy Living and Dying; Archbijhop Leighton's
Works ; and fuch other Writings as are of a lively and evangelic nature.
—I remember near thirty years ago, hearing the late excellent Dr-.
Cony.ers, of Dept ford, fay; that if he were baniihed info a defert
! ifland, and permitted to take with him only four books, the Life of Mr.
Halyburton fhould be one ofthe foun
This ufeful Life is alfo the- book which thdt great fcholar, Sir ,Ri*
chard Eclys, valued above all the books. in his learned and copious
library. With refpect. to the leading and moft important doctrines of the Gofpei,
I do not know that they are any where more plainly and faithfully ex
pounded than in the book of .Homilies. Ihave been of this opinion many
Ui | years^

2Q>} A PLEA FOR RELIGION?
into the very frame and conftitution of your, foul, arid tsarj-
fcribed the precepts and example of Jesus into every part
of your daily deportment of life.
This fhould be the laft dying advice, I fay, which I would
give to the tendereft friend I have upon earth. An(V if" t
fhould have no other opportunity permitted me, I here
leave it on record, in direct oppdfition to the obloquy of
the irreligious, and unbelieving wor1d> as a legaey to my
friends and the people among whom I. have gone preaching
the Gofpei, of more real intrinfic value than thoufands of
gold and filver: — Read your Bibles, and read, till
YOU LOVE TO READ. PRAY DAILY OVER THEM, AND
pray till you love to pray. When the Scriptures
and Prayer become delightful,, and the time fpent therein
feems foon expired, then may you humbly fiippofe you
have made fome proficiency in the divine life. But,, if you
can fpend whole days together, without reffefhing your
foul with fome portion of the Holy Writings; if you fed
yonrfelves cold, remifs, and negligent in private prayer;
or- if, when you read the Scripture's, and retire for devotion,
vou have little or no tafte.for the heavenly employ, but it
appears irkfome and difagreable, and the time fpent
therein tedious and wearifome, you may be afllired, lee
your profeffiqns be what they may, and the fermons you
hear ever fo numerous, or ever fo excellent, your foul is
either wholly dead to things divine, or you are in a back*
Aiding and dangerous condition.
If you have never been accuftomed to this religious ex-
ercife, it is extremely probable, you will, for a time, 'find
much reluctance to it, a grievous ffruggle under it, and
great unprOfitablenefs in it. Be not,, however, difcouraged *
¦but proceed in the divine employ till, you have conquered
every difficulty. And remember,, thefe are difficulties that
are common to man; that have been vanquifhed by rmil-
years, and ftill continue the fame, making allowance for the. language
and certain circumftances peculiar to the times in which they were writ
ten, In.this opinion I find inyfelf confirmed by Bijhop Horsley, who-
iays to the Clergy in his Charge for 1790 — " Thefedifcourfes," fome of
the Homilies, " 1 would earneftly recommend to your frequent ftudy, as
an unexceptionable fummary of doctrine upon thefe important points*
and an excellent model of compofition for popular inftruction/' tttudes

and'the .sacred writings. 293
titudes rn every age of the church'; and that muft be over
come by you. Your prefent comfort, as we'll as your ever-
lafting welfare depend upon the victory- For your en
couragement, call to mind the Saying of Pythagoras,
-the ancient Philojopher -,
" Let the beft courfe of life your choice invite,
~" Forcuftom foon will turn it to delight :"
And the fimilar fentiment of Hesiod, the old Poeti
xc The Gods have placed labour before virtue; the way to
**' her is at firft rough and difficult, but grows more fmooth
" and eafy the further you advance in it.*" Infinitely
more encouraging and authoritative ftill is the language of
the Ajiotlle: Workout your own falvation \ with fear and
trembling; for it is God that worketh in you both tq will and
to do of his good pleafure.
Various inftances might be produced of perfons who,
when they approached the clofe of life, bitterly lamented
their neglecSt of the Sacred Volume\. And numerous are
the examples of :perfons in all ages, who have fpent much
of their time in perufing that moft unparalleled Book. Moses,
Isaiah, and Malachi^j enjoin it upon all the Jews,
¦young and old. God himfelf commands the duty to
Joshua. It was the conftant practice of David § through
life. And there is reafon to fuppofe that Jesus Christ
fpent moft of his leifure in this manner. .Our great Epic -
bard hath reprefented him as faying:
-*« When I was yet a child, no childifh play
" To me was pleafing ; all my mind was fet
" Serious to )earn and know, and. thence to da
"What might be public good ; myfelf I thought
" Born to that end, born to prpmote all truth,
" All righteous things ; therefore above my years
" The law of Goo 1 read; and found it Tweet*
" Made it my whole delight, and it grew
" To fuch perfection, that ere my age
* See a fine paper on this fubjeft in the Spelt ater, No. 447
f See the cafes of Salmasius,' Hervey, and Others, on the fore
going pages.
\ Deut. vi. &~g; I(. viii. zp ; and Mai. jy. 4. ,
.§ Pf. #ix. cxix. *•
**JJ "Had.

£04 . < A PLEA FOR RELIGION
" Had meafur'd twice fix years, at oar great feq/f
" I went into the temple, there to hear*
f The teachers of our law, and to propofe
" What might improve their knowledge or my own
f* And was admir'd by all*."
Both Christ and his difciple St. Paul recommend the
(employ to every Chriftian. .Timothy was trained s-frprn
his childhood in this way. And the Bereans are fpoken of
as being more noble than others, "beeaufe , they fearched" the
Scriptures daily. The primitive Chriftians were intimately
acquainted with the Sacred Writings, ^ arid generally carried'
a Bible about them, making it their companion wherever'
they went. I\nd fuch was their affection for it, that many
of them have been found buried with the Gojpll laying on
theip breafts. . Women wore it hanging at their necks.
Children were trained up from their infancy to repeat it byv
heart ; fome of Whom made furprizing proficiency.
" Inftead of gems- and fi-lk," fays-.?/. Jerome to Lccta,
." let your young daughter be enarnoured with the Holy
Scriptures ; wherein not gold, nor fkins, or Babylonian em
broideries, but a correct, and beautiful variety producing
faith, will recommend itfelf. Let her firft learn the P falter:,
and be entertained with thofe forigs, then be inftructed into
life by the Proverbs of Solomon. Let her learn from,
Ecclefiaftes to defpife worldly things; tranfcribe from Job
the. practice of patience and virtue.' Let her pafs thtn to
the Gofpels, and never let them be out of her hands ; and*
then jmbibe with all the faculties of her mind the Aclsoi
the Apoftles and Epiftles. When (he has enriched the ftore-
houfe of her breaft . with thefe treafures, let her learn the
Prophets, the -Heptateuch, or books of "MoJes\, Jojhua and
:'jNs**V
* Milt on's Paradife Regained, b. \.
f Mr. Pope, .whom*, we have 'before quoted on the fubject ofthe;
Sacred Writings, and whofe judgment few will call in queftion, in com
paring the difcovery of Ulysses to Telemachus with Joseph's dif-~
fcovery of h.imfeif tb his brethren, fays, " It 'muftv be- owned that PIomer.
.falls infinitely fhort of Moses i he muft be a very wicked mim, that can'
read the hiftory of Joseph without the utmoft touches of co.mpaffi.on ,and
tranfport. There is a majeftic*. fimplicity in the whole relation, and-fucri
ah affecting portrait of human nature, that it overwhelms us with vicif-
fitudes.of joy and, fonow. This is a pregrtant infiartce how much the oeft of

AND THE SACRED WRJTINOS. £05
Judges, the books offings, and Chronicles, the volumes
¦-of Ezra and Eft her, and, Tartly, the Canticles— The book
¦of Revelation* has as many myftefies as words; I faid too
little : in every word" there is a variety of fenfes, and the
-excellency of the book is above all praife."
The 'Monks of Egypt daily learned fome portion of
'Scripture, and more efpecially made it their meditation on
the Lord's day , infomuch that many of them became fo
.expert and well verfed in the Holy Scripture, that they
-could repeat it by heart ; which is particularly noted of
Hilarion, Ammonius, Marcus Junior/ "Eros, Se*
rapion, Solomon, arid others. And by this means they
were qualified to entertain- their fouls with fpiritual exer-
¦cifes, finging of David's pjalms, and repeating other parts
of Scripture, even at their bodily labours.! — At Christ's
little village of Bethlehem there was nothing to be heard but
¦pfalms: one could not go^ into the field,- but he fhould hear
the plowman finging his hallelujahs,, the fweating mower
folacing himfelf with hymns, and the- vine-dreffer tuning
David's pfalms. Thus the ancient Monks joined their
bodily and fpiritual exercife together, and made their com
mon laoour become acts of devotion to God. Their times
of eating and refrefhment were managed • after the fame
manner. In fome places they had the Scriptures read at
-table. At other places, when fupper was ended, they fung
an hymn and fo returned to their cells. . Thus their ordi
nary refrefhments were fanctified with the Word of God
and prayer. — It is very obfervable, that in the primitive
. church hot only men and women, but children were en
couraged and trained upfrom their infancy to the reading of
. of Heathen writers is inferior to the divine biftorian upon a parallel ftfb-
:ject, where the two authors endeavour to move the fofterpaflidns. The
fame may with equal truth be faid in refpect of fublimity; not only- in
' the inilance produced by Longinus, viz. Let- there be light, and there
ivias light • let ihe earth be made, and the earth ivas made; but in ge-
.neral,, in the more elevated parts of Scripture, and ' particularly in the
whole book of Job, which, with regard both to fublimity of thought,
.-and morality, exceeds beyond all corriparifon the moft noble parts of
'.Homer-." ' * Notes on the fixteenth Odyffey^
• » See Strielures on this book in the 24 — 34 fections of 8,1 imp-son's-
Kef to the, Protiheciei.
U4 ihe

ggS A PLEA FOR "RELIGI'ON
the Holy Scriptures. Of this we have undoubted evidence
from many eminent inftahces of thejr practice. Eusebius
remarks ofthe great care of LeoniDes, the Marty¥,
and father of Origen, in the education of his fon, that he
made him learri the Scriptures, before he fet him to the
ftudy of the liberal arts and, polite learning. And So
crates makes the like obfervation upon the education of
Eusebius, furname"d 'Emifenus, who was born of noble
parentage at Edeffa, a city of Ofroene in Mefopotamia,
that he was "firft taught the Holy Scriptures from his infancy,
and then human learning. And Sozomen, in relating the
fame ftory, fays, this was done according to the cuftom of
the country; which fhews, that it was no fingular infiancp,
but a general practice to bring children up from their in*
fancy to the ufe ofthe Holy Scriptures. Gregory NySt
sene notes it in the life of his fifter Macrina, that the
firft parttof her Inftruction in her infancy was to be taught
the eafy portions of Scripture, that were moft. fui table to
her age ; and he fay's alfo, fhe did the fame for her younger
brother Peter, taking him from his mother's breafts, and
•inftructing him in the Scriptures that he might- have no
timetbfperid upon vain ftudies. 'Tis noted by Sozomen
and Palladius of Marcus, the Hermit, that he was fo
expert in the Scriptures when he was but a youth, that he
could repeat all the Old and New Teftdmeni without book.
Such was the advantage which fome hearers in thofe days
reaped from the benefit of having the" Scriptures read, that
it is very remarkable what is related of one or two of themj ,
that being men of good memories, they got the Scriptures,
¦ by heart, without any knowledge of letters, only by hear'**
ing them conftantly read in the church or elfewhere.
£/. Austin remarks this of' St. Anthony, the famous-
Egyptian^ Monk, thatwithout being able to read 'himfelf] he
"made fuch a proficiency in the knowledge ofthe Scriptures,
as bothjby hearing them read, to be able to repeat. them,
arid by his own prudent meditation to underftand them.
And Gregory the Great gives a like inftance in one Ser-
vul us, a poor man at Rome, who though he knew not a
letter in the book, yet purchafing a Bible, and entertaining
• ¦religious men," he prevailed, with them to read it continually

and the-sacred writings. 197
to him, by. which means he perfectly learned the Holy
^Scriptures. 'Tis yet a more aftonifhing inftance, which
Eusebius gives, in one ofthe Martyrs of Paleftine, a blind
man, called John, who had fo happy a memory, that he
could repeat any part of the Bible as readily as others could
read it. And he fometimes fupplied the office of reader
in the church; and he, did this to fo great perfection, that
Eusebius fays, when he firft heard him, he wis perfectly
amazed, and thought he had heard one reading out of a
book, till he came a little more curioufly to examine him,
and found that he did it only by the eyes of his underftand-
ing, having the, Scriptures written not in books or tables of
ftone, but in the fieihly tables of the heart. There are
many fuch like inftances in ancient hiftory.*
At the time of the Reformation alfo, after the Bible had
been buried under the rubbifh of human ordinances for
many ages, the people in this country were extremely
.eager to rqad and hear the Holy Scriptures^ They were
received v, ith inexpreffible joy. Bijhqp R idi*ey and others
could repeat large parts of them without book. The
learned Joshua-Barnes fometime afterwards, is faid td
have read a fmall pocket Bible, that he ufually carried
about him a hundred And twenty times over, at leifure hours.
Beza, at upwards Of eighty years of age, could repeat the
whole of St. Paul's Epiftles, in the original Greek, and all
the Pfalms in Hebrew.
¦ Lord Cromwell, Earl of Efiex, in a journey to and
from Rome, learned the whole of the New Teftament by
heart.— The excellently learned L^Jane Gray, though
executed at the age of fixteen, the night before fhe died,
bequeathed to her fifter a Greek Teftament, on one of the
blank leaves of which (he wrote:—" I have fent you, my
dear fifter, a book, which, although it be not outwardly
% rimmed with gold, yet inwardly it is more worth than all
the precious mines, which the vaft world can boaft of. It
js the book, my only beft and beft beloved fifter, ofthe
Law of the Lord. It is the teftament and laft will which
he bequeathed unto us wretched Tinners, which fhall lead
you to the path of eternal joy .---It will teach you to live,
f §ee B j k o h a m'| Antiquities of the Chriftian church. and

acjB 'a plta for religion -
and learn you to die. — If you apply yourfelf diligently to this
book, feeking to direct your life according to, the" rule of
the fame, it fliall win you more, and endow you with
greater felicity, than the pofTefTiori of all "your father's lands,
and you fhall be an inheritor of fuch riches, as neither th^
covetous fhall withdraw from you, neither the thief fhall
fteal, neither yet the moths corrupt."
Queen Elizabeth., fpeaking of her own conduct, faith,
*c I walk many times in -the pleafant fields ofthe Holy Scrip
tures, where I pluck up the'goodlifome herbs of fentences
by pruning; and lay them up at length in the high . feat
of memory by gathering them together; that fb; having
¦tafted the fweetnefs, I may, the lefs perceive fhe'bitiernefs
of this miferable life."
Alphonsus, King of Naples, who did not begin, -to
ftudy till he was fifty years of age, read over the Old and
New Teftament, with their glofTes, fourteen times.'
Grotius too made the Holy Scriptures his favourite
fludy in every period of his life. They were his confola-
tion in prifon;'he always devoted a part of the -day to
them ; and they were his principal ftudy during a great
part .of his embaffy abroad.
The learned Father 'Paul haldread over the Greek'Tefta--
ment with fo much exacftnefs, that having ufed to mark
every word, 'when-he had folly weighed the importance of
it, as he went through it; he had,,by going often Over it,
and obferving what he had paffedby in a former readinp,
grown up to that at laft, that every word was marked of
.the whole New Teftament ; and when any new illuftrations
of pafiages were fuggefted to him, he received them with
tran-fports of joy. - '
Sir Henry Wotton,, after his cuftomary public devo
tions, lifed to retire to his ftudy, and there to fpend fome
hours in reading the Bible, and authors, in divinity, clofing
up his meditations with private prayer.
The excellent Sir' John Hartopp in like manner,
amidft his other applications, mdde the Book of God his
chief ftudy,. and his divineft delight. The Bible lay before
lum^night and day.
James.

AND THE SACRED WRITINDS, &gg
James Bonnell, Efq. made the Holy Scriptures his con-
ftanf and daily ftudy. He read them, he meditated upon
them, he prayed over them.
The celebrated - Witsius was able to recite almoft any
p'affage of Scripture in its proper language, -.together with
its context, and its c'riticifms of the beft commentators.
Mr. William Gouge tied himfelf to read fifteen chap
ters in the Bible daily.
Lady Frances Hob art read the Pfalms over twelve
times every year, the 'New' Teftament thrice,, and the other
parts ofthe Old Teftament once.
Susannah, Countefs of Suffolk, for the laft feven years
of her life,' read the whole Bible over twice annually*.
And that the knowledge of Holy Scripture was never in
tended to be confined to the Clergy, or to Kings, karned
men, and perfons of rank, is evident, not only from what
we have pbferved frorn Bingham and others, but alfo
* There have been many female characters highly eminent for their
piety and knowledge of the Sacred Scriptures, as well as thofe above
mentioned. I will inftance a few: Queen Catharine Parr — Queeh
M a ft y— ZWy C. Courten— Lady M. Houghton — -Lady Cutis—
Lady E.Hastings — Lady M. Armyne — Lady A. Halket — Lady
Langham — Lady E. Brooke— -Lady M." Ve re — Mrs. C. Phillips—
Mrs.]. Ratcliffe— Mrs. C; Bretterg — Mrs. A. Baynard — Mrs*
A. M. Shurman— Mrs. E- Bury— Mrs. E. Burnet— Mrs. E.
Rowe, and others..
See Gibbon's Memoirs of Pious Ladies, and Biographium Famineum.
*[n the reign of Henry V. a law was pafled againft the perufal of the
Scriptures in Englijh: ft enacted, " that whatfoever they were that
." fhould read the Scriptures in the mother tongue, .they fhould forfeit
'' land, catel, lif, and godes from theyr heyres for everi and fd be con-
." dempned for heretykes' to God, enemies to the crowne, and moft er-
*.' rant traitors to the lande."
Vide Neal's, Hiftory of the Puritans, vol. I. p. 7.
The above is an honourable Hil of female characters. We may there
fore place them in the higher cl'afs of Bijhop Aylmer's account ofthe
fair fex ; for this good bilhop, when preaching at court before Queen
Elizabeth tells his audience, that " women are of two fortSj fome of
them are wifer, better learned, difcreeter, and more conftant, than a
number of men;' but another and worfe fort of them, and, the moft part,
are fond, foolifh, wanton flibbergibs, tatlei-s, trifters, wavering, witlefs,
without counfel, feeble, carelefs, rafh, proud,' dainty, nice, tale "bearers,
eves-firoppers, rumour-raifers, evil,-tongued, worfe-minded, arid in every
Wife doltiiied with the dregs of the devil's dunghill." Brit.Biog. vol. 3, p. 239. from

gOO A PLEA FOR RELIGION'
from the words of Erasmus, who contributed more per
haps than any other man towards promoting the knowledge
of Scriptural learning. ." I would defire/** fays he, " that
all women fhould read tbe Gofpei, and the Epifiles of St.
Paul. I would to God, the plowman would fing.a text
of Stripture at his plough; and that the weaver at his loom
' with this would drive away the tedioufnefs of time. I
would the way-faring man, with this paftime, would expel
the wearinefs of his journey. And, in fhort, I would that
all the communication of the Chriftian fhould be of the
Scripture." If we come, to our own time, it might be made appear,.
that abundance of the moft ferious and valuable people,
among the different denominations of men, Ipend a good
portion of their .time in this facred exercife. I obferve
jonly, ftill farther, however, that the late Rev. William
.Kqmaine, before mentioned* ftudied nothing but the Bible
for the laft thirty or forty years of his life.
AW thefe examples, from ancients and moderns, are
produced in this place, to encourage the ferious believer, to
abound in this divine employ, for the comfort and edifi-,
•cation of his own mind. The" more intimately we are ac
quainted with thefe writings, the more fully fhall we be
•perfuaded of their incomparable excellency. The very
learned Le Clerc tells us, " that while he was compiling
feis Harmony, he was fo ftruck with admiration of the excel
lent difcourfes of Jesus, fo inflamed with the love of his
.moft holy doctrine, that he thought- he but juft then began
to be acquainted with what he fcarce ever laid out ofhis
'liands from his infancy." Indeed, the fcheme of redemp
tion therein exhibited is moft worthy of acceptation, ad
mirably calculated to make all mankind virtuous and hap
py, could all mankind fee its excellence, feel its neceffity,
and fubmit to its righteous requirements. Far are we from
wifhing you to pay a blind fubraiffion: to every thing that
goes under the name of Religion. Very far are we from
defiring, you to , belieye as We believe, or to a*£t in every
refpect as we think right to afl:. Prize the liberty where -
rwith God hath providentially made you free. Ufe your
own reafon, but ufe it fo'berly. Beware of vain and
Ipurious pretenfions. Be upon your guard againft a
iophif-

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. gOI
fophiftical Philojophy, the faftiionable folly of the prefent
day. To found Philojophy we have no objection; but
when a fpurious kind of wifdom, falfely called Philojophy t
would rob us of our Bible, to which we are all more In
debted thap we are willing to cdnfefs*, we muft fay of it as
Cicero faid ofthe Twelve Tables: — " Though all fhould
" be offended 1 will fpeak what I think. Truly the little
" book of the Twelve Tables alone, whether we confider the
" feveral chapters, or regard it as the foundation of all our
" laws, exceeds the libraries of all the P/iiloJophers, as well in'
" the weight of its authority, as in the extent of its utility-h,"
* Sir Richard Steel fays, " the greateft pleafiires with which the
imagination can be entertained are to be found in Sacred Writ, and even
the ftile of Scripture is more than human." Tatler, l\o. 233.
We have an account in the Gentleman's Mag. for June 1 798, of a Mr.
Henry Willis, farmer, aged 81, deceafed, who had devoted almoft
every hour that could be fpased from- his labour, during the courfe of fo
long a life, to the devout and ferious perufal of the Holy Scriptures, He'
had read, with the moft minute attention, all the books of the Old and'
Neva Teftament eight times over ; and had proceeded as far as the book
of fob \n his ninth reading, when his meditations were terminated by
death • A ftill more excellent account we have in Mifs Hannah ^oore's
iSbephed of Salijbury Plain, which is no feigned charafters, but a narra
tive of real facts, like the above. In a converfation with Mr. Johnson.,
he gives the following pleafing account of himfelf; — " BlefTed be God !
through his mercy I learnt to read when I was a boy. — -I believe there is
' no day for the laft thirty years, that I have not peeped at my Bible. If
we can't, find time to read "a chapter, I defy any man to fay he can't find'
time to read a verfe ; and a fingle text, well followed and put in practice
every day, would make no bad figure at the year's end ; 365 texts, witlv
out the lofs of a moment's time, would make a pretty flock, a little golden
treafury, as one may fay, from new year's day to new yearns day ; and if
children were brought up to it, they would come to look for their text,
as natural as they do for their breakfaft.— I can fay the greateft part of
the Bible by heart. I have led but a lonely life, and have often had but
little to eat ; but my Bible has been meat, drink, and company to me —
and w^ien want and trouble have come upon me, 1 don't know what I
fhould have done indeed, if I had not had the promifes of this book for
my ftay and fupport."
Let no man .hereafter pretend he cannot find time to, read the Sacred
Waitings. Every perfon has abundant leifure for the purpofet Find but
inclination, and you will foon find time.
f " Fremant omnes licet, dicam qucd fentio : bibliothecas mehercule
*' omnium philofophorum uhus mihi vicjetur XII. tabularum libellu.s, ft
v cjuis legum fonteis, ej capita viderjr^ et auctoritatispondere, et utilitatis
"» ubtgri-ate, fupgrafe,", i?/ Qraiori, Jib, \ . feft, 195.
" / The

g02!T A PLEA FOR RELIGION
The principles of nqtural religion are all folid, ana
founded in the reafon and relation of things. The Gofpei
of£HRisi* is equally folid and rational. It takes in, unites,
and confirms every principle of nature, and adds a number
Of circumftances ii-iited to the fallen condition of man.
And it calls upon, it invites, it challenges, it commands-
us to examine its pretentions with all poffible care, accuracy^
and -feverity. " Wrong not the Chriftian; think not Reafon yours J-
" 'Tis Reafon our great Master holds fo dear ;>
« " 'Tis Reafion's injur 'd rights his wrath refeSits -,
" 'Tis Reafion's voice obey'd his glories crown. —
," On Argument alone our faith is built."
If the Gofpei had not been agreeable to the moft refined
principles of human reafon, we fhould never have found
the foundeft and moft perfect reafoners, that ever appeared
•upon earth, enlift under its banner*. That it is not uni-*
verfally received, is by no means to be afcribedj either to
its want of due evidence,' or to its being an irrational fcheme-j
* We may add too, that the moft' active, ufeful, and benevolent cha*
¦rafters in our own more enlightened day. have been the firmeft believers'
in the writings ofthe Old and Ne-io Teftaments^ The late John Wes-.
ley fpent his whole-life, time, ftrength, and fortune, in fpreading the*
knowledge of Christ and his Word. The late John Howard,- Efqj
was equally. active in advancing the fame caufe, in a way as unprecedent
ed, as it wa- ufeful. He was a firm believer in the Scriptures, and a very
ferious and confcientious Chriftian, of the Baptift perfuaiion.
Eollingbroke, indeed,' te'lW the world, that " the refurredion of
" letters was a fatal period : the Chriftian fyftem has been attacked, arid
" wounded too, very feverely fince that time." Page '182. He tells. u»
in another place. " that Chriftianity has been iri decay ever fince the*
"«' refurredtion of letters-" Page 185. The late King of Prufifia. has the-
fame fentiment: " Hobbes, Collins, Shaftesbury, and BoXJ
«' lino broke, an England, and their difciples have given religion amo'r-
«* tal Wow." Hiftory of his Ojvun Times, vol. 1. p. 62.
Thefe two great men are miftaken. They Gonfound pure evangelical'
religion wifh fuperftition. The latter we grant, and we glory in .the?'
truth, has received a mortal blow ; but the former is as unfbakeable as
the throne of the-ETERNAL.
One of the moft, extraordinary Philofophers of the prefent rige was. die
lat e D a v 1 D R 1 t T E n H 0 u s E , of America. Dr . R V s h , flf Philadelphia,
who is himfelf an able Phikfopher and a determined Chriftian, obfervest
very jufily, when fpeaking, of the deceafe of ths above RittenhousW whtf

and the sacred writinos. s 303
fcheme -r but to caufes of a very different nature. If our
Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are loft : in whom the
god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe
notj left 'the light of the^glorious Gospel sf Christ 'fhould
Jhinc unto them/ This view ought' to alarm the fears, and
roiife-the attention of every man living ; but efpecially of
our unbelieving and Jceptical countrymen. Rejection of the'
truths of religion is always in the Sacred Writings afcribed
to a fault in the heart and will, rather than to any defect
in the head. Ye will not come unto me, that ye may have
Ufe. — If any man will do his will, he fliall know of the.
dotlrine whether it be of God, or whether I fjieak of my-
felf. — The wicked shall do wickedly, dnd none of the wicked
shall underftandy but the wife , shall underft'dnd. — -The.
ways oj the Lord are right, and the juft shall walk in
them : - but the tranfgreffors shall fall therein. Say not then,
my Friends, that you would believe if you could. De
ceive not yourfelves by alledging want of evidence. Tell
tis no longer of the abfurdities and contradictions of Scrip
ture. The evidence is ample.* The abfurdities will vaniihT
:the contradictions will ceafe, when once your, minds are
brought into a humble, teachable, and religious frame ¦,
when the veil is taken from your hearts, and the , fcales have
' who left our world Jan. 26, 1796, that " it is no fmall triumph to the
• *' friends of Revelation to obferve, in this age of Infidelity,, that our Re-
" ligion has been admitted, and even defended by men of" the moft ex-
" alted underftanding, and of the jfrongeft refoning powers The fm-
" gle teftimony ofDA.viD Rittenhouse in its favour outweighs- tie
.* " declamations of whole nations againftit."
- * " Reafonable Deifts cannot but' become Chriftians, where the Gofpei
¦ " -Alines." Thefe feveral paffages of the Sacred Writings: account fuiii-
cie'ntly well for the Infidelity of our feveral deiftical writers. Boi-i. in-
broke, Voltaire, Gibbon, Paine, and moft others, of whom I have
had any knowledge, feem to have been deftitute ofthe proper ftate of
mind for the inveftigation of religious truth. " From feveral convefrfe-
" tioris," fays the learned Be-attie, " which it has been my chance to
" have with Unbelievers, I have leauned, that ignorance of the nature of
*' cur religion, and a difinclination to ftudy both it and its evidence,
* are to be reckoned among the chief caufes of Infidelity."
- Allix's Reflections upon the bpoks of the Holy Scrptures contain a
large number of valuable thoughts, and fhould be read in opposition tp all
the fliinfy objections- of the above Deifts. Kett's Sermons at the Bampton- Leiiurt:

g04 A PLEA FOR RELIGION-
have fallen from your eyes. Deny yourfelyes, therefore?'
Ceafe tb live in fin. Mortifv your lufts and paffiohs. Part
with the -pride of falfe philofophy. Live in humility,
purity, and virtue. Be .good moral men, confcientious
worfliippers of God* Upon your own principles, fober en
quirers after truth, praying for divine direction* and it will
iiot be long before yoii become Believers in Jesus Christ.
No moral man can, rationally, wifh. to reject the Gofpett
becaufe it is all purity slnd goodnefs, and the ffloft powerful
means,* with which, the frorid waiever favoured, of making

us virtuous and good.

"'Iri his bleft lift

, " I fee the path; and in his death .the price ;
" And in his great afcent, the proof fupreme
" Of immortality*"
For, whatever was the caufe, it is plain in fact, that
human reafon, unafiifted, failed mankind in its great and
proper bufinefs of morality; and, therefore, I repeat again,
he mat fhall be at the pains of collecting all the moral
rules of the ancient Philofophers, and compare them with
thofe contained in the New Teftament, will find them to
come infinitely fhort ofthe morality delivered by our Sa
viour, and taught by his Apoftles*. Add to this, that no
Other religion, which ever was in the world, hath made
prpvifion for pardoning the fins of mankind*, and reftoring us
Leclure fufficiently invalidate the fophiftry of Gibbon. ' Much fatisfacs-
Cory light has lately been thrown Upon the Plagues of. Egypt by the learn
ed Jacob Bryant. The Old Teftament has been more lately defended
againftthe attacks 6f Thom- as Paine by David Levi, a learned Jew,
with considerable ability. But of all fingle books, none, 1 think, is
equal to the admirable Courfe of LeSures by the excellent Dr. DodJ
dridge; a work which no inquifitive Chriftian fhpuld be without in his
library. The Biogr-aphia Britannica afferts, that Stili.ingfleetV
Origines Sacra is " the befbdefence of revealed Religion ever written."
* •« It is bigotry," fays an elsgant writer now living, " to believe- the
fublime truths of the Gofpei with full afTurance of faith? I glory in fuch
bigotry ; I would not part with it for a thouf^nd worlds ; I congratulate
the man wllo is poffefi'ed of it ;• for amidft, all the viciffitudes and calami
ties of the prefent ftate, that man enjoys an-inexhauftible fund of confo-
lauoJi, of which it is not in (he power of fortune. 10 depiive him." « Thejr*

and the .sacred writings. 305
us to the divine favour, in a way confiftent with- the per
fections and government of the Supreme Seing.
You will give thefe reafonings, O my Countrymen,
the weight you fuppofe they deferve. If you ferioufly and
confcientioufly think there is nothing in them worthy of
your attention, by all means reject them If any of you a c
convinced by what is advanced, that yOu have hitherto been
miftaken, in rejecting Jesus Christ and his Gojpel; or if
you fee ground to fufpetl you may be wrong; let no con
siderations of fhame induce you to deny your convitlions or
fkfpicions. Many men have been miftaken as well as you.
I myfelf, you perceive have feen reafon to change feveral
opinions, which before I had thought founded in truth. Every
perfon, indeed, muft naturally and neceffarily at firft be a
ftranger to the G<?//>£/-redemption. Our efforts, therefore,
fhould be made to be become accrminted with it, and to get
into the gOod and right way. If we look back upon the
foregoing pages, we fhall fee that feveral of the characters
there mentioned had been much led aftray. Through dif
ferent means, however, they difcovered. their error. They
acknowledged their fault. They lamented their fin. They
laid afidetheir prepoffeffions, and fought for the truth with
all their fkill and abilities. They were convinced in their
' '* There is not a book on earth fo favourable to all the kind, and all
the fublime affeftions, or fo unfriendly to hatred and perfecution, to ty
ranny,, injuftice, and every fort of malevolence, as the Gofpei. — It breathes
nothing throughout but mercy, benevolence, and peace "
Mr. Paine reflects upon the Scripture for. being deficient in moral
precepts. I defy him, however, or any other Deift'va the world, to pro
duce from all the ftoriesof Heathen jvritings any thing equal or fecond to
Christ's Sermon i.on the Mount; to the 1 2th chapter of Romans, or to,
the 1 3th chapter ofthe »ft Corinthians. Let any man fhew us afyftem of
morality equal unto thefe paffages if he can. — The truth is, Mr. Pain-e
knows very little of the matter. — And, moreover, what has he to do with
morality? he that is fo extremely immoral in his own conduft? — Out of
thine own mouth lhalt thou be judged, O thou immoral man* !
See the Life of Thomas' Pain,e written by Francis. Old ys, M. A.
flfthe Univerfity of Penufylvania, and that ofthe fame perfon written by
Peter Porcupine. From thefe accounts it appears* that, let Mr.
Paine talk about philofophy and morality as much as he pleafes, he has
been, at different periods of his life, a very bad and immoral man, and,
£0 fkr as appears, continues the fame unto this day. ,
* Let Mr. Pain* cull t» mind the ftory ofthe ten pounds at Do-on-',
X under-

30f> , As PLEA FOR KEIIGKW
¦Underftandihgs * ; converted in .their hearts; they believed!
in the Redeemer j obeyed his Gofpei; and,, throtigh irr-
.finite and unmerited grace, were eternally faved. Why
"then fhould not you purfue the fame meafuresr if y&u
have aiiy fufpieions every thing is not with you as k fhould
be? You muft allow, if the Gofpel-account of things be
true, it is inconceivably important. Treat it not, there
fore, with contempt, neglect; indifference, but examine
. the matter to the bottom- Follow the. example' ofr West
and Littleton,, on a former page, and let no man lead
you by .the nofe to deftrucStion,, or fneer you out. of falva-
, tion. Examine the evidence, and,, with all fimplicity ancf
humility of mind, judge according to that evidence.: And
if jow are finally convinced, that Jesus .is- the Christ,
act nobly, confefs. his name,, like Rochester -J;, to the
teeth
* The reader will find a very elear andconcife account of the true
foundation of all human knowledge in. the Letters- of the celebrated
Euler, the' greateft mathematician of the prefent, age, to a German
Princefs, vol. i. Let. 115. p. .511. TIms extraordinary manr fecond tt>
none but the immortal Newton, Was a ferious and confcientious
Chriftian, and avowed his belief in Christ upon all prbper oGcafiotts.
' And while his great Mafter declared that he found " more fure marks-
" of authenticity in the Bible, than in any profane' "hiftory whatever;"
. he writes to the above Princefs,. that " the holy life *of the Apofiks and.
" of the other primitive Chriftians- appeared to him an irrefif&biaproof
•< ofthe truth of the Chriftian religion." Letter 114., For the, above
declaration of Sir Isaac Newton, fee Bijhop Watson's admirable
Apology for Chriftianiiy in anfwerto Mr. Gibbon-, Let. 3, p. 287.
f We have another very refpeftable and honourable inftance of this
nature to prefent to the reader, which has j>uft taken place,, and which'
others of our deiftical ge'titjemen would find1 their advantnge in imitating %
Dr. Okely, ibn, I believe, of the late eminent Greek fcholar, Mr.
Francis Ok. ely, who isrnow phyficiarf to the Morihamptth- Infirmary,
fome months ago,' pubfifhed an oftavo volume, entitled, " Pyrology, or
the ConneSion between' 'Natural and Moral Philofophy, with a Difquifitiow
00 the Origin of Chriftianity ; " in which it was completely exploded,
together with the doftrine of a future1 ftate* It has pleafed God how
ever, to fhew Drr Orely the vanity of his philofophy, and he has done
himfelf the honour to publifh the following manly renunciation of his
errors'. , " The Author of Py ro-log v feels himfelf irrefiftibly impelled to make
, known i" that "he is now thoroughly convinced ofthe moral government
o-f Gos, the immortality of thi human foul, or future ftate, aiktof the
truth of Cbrjiianity in its fuller! extent. For his involuntary error lie
ttiftfidently hopes to be pardoned by Almighty God-, through the merit* of

AND the sacred WRITINGS* "Jo*/
teeth of his oppofers, and ftrive like him, to undo all the
mifchief you may have been the occafion of to others.
" But, if we fhould be fo feriOiifly religious, as you
xc feem to think neceffary, we fhall lofe all the comforts
" of life, and become dull and melancholy."
If this were true,, one hour's enjoyment of the glory of
heaven would more than make amends for all your prefent
lofs. It is not, however, true. The ways of godlineft,
are grievoufly belied. For there is no happinefs like the
happinefs of religion, even in the prefent world ; and no
peace like that of Gop, which paffeth all underftandihg.
*' The Men of Grace have found
" Glory begUn below j
, of Jesus Christ ; but at the fame- tiirle "thinks it his duty > in this
public manner, to folicit the pardoirof his readers for having, as much
as in him lay, though he trufts ineffectually, contributed to lead them
aftray." Mijfionary Magazine.
"We may obferve upon this fubjecl, that there are other converfions in,
the .prefent day from Deifm to Chriftianity,' befides this of Dr. Okely,
and rhofe we have already mentioned -in thefe papers. Dr. Vander-
kemp, a Dutch phyfician, was convinced and recovered from Infidelity by
an alarming providence, and has devoted himfelf as a MijjSonary for the
converfion of the Heathen. Captain Wilson alfo is another remarkable
inftance, who, in gratitude to God for his goodnefs to him, undertook
to convey the MiJJionaries to the Southern Ocean,, and has accomplifhed
the undertaking with great and furjjriling fuccefs, without putting the So-
" ciety to the fmalleft expence.
' We sire told in the Walpoliana, that Gray, the poet, was a Deift,,
though a violent enemy of Attyeijls ; and it does, not appear that ever he
. Was changed. Month. Mag. for O&. 1798.
HejjrY Redhead Yorke, Efq. one of the gentlemen who was fen-
fenced to a long imprifonment for feditious-praftices, may be mentioned
as'another inftance of a perfon, whofe mind has undergone a- great change
during his imprifonment ; and he has been open and honeft enough to
avow it.
" The vices' and frauds of the profeflbrs of Chriftianity," fays he,
«' have nothing to do with' Chriftianity itfelf. To know what it is, we
muft look to the only proper place, The Scripture*3- Tne Chriftian
religion is peculiar to itfelf; it has nothing in common with the other
fyftems of religion which have exiftedin the world. It has God for itg
founder and reafon for its bafis. It is every where uniform, confident,
and complete."
See this Gentleman's very valuable Letter to the Reformers for more
fentimenre to the fame p-urpofe. X 1 « Celeftial

30$ A ri*A FOR RE-LIOION
" Ceieftial fruitl on earthly ground,
• '* From faith and hopes do grow,
" 'The hill of Sion yields-'
" A thoufand facred fweefs
" B«fore we reach the heavenly fields,
" Or walk the golden Greets."——
" But— I fhall be fingularl" — This, is prtly true, and
partly otherwife. And fuppofe you are lingular ; how wilt
chis injure you? You will have the approbation of your
own mind- You will have God, and Christ," and angels,
arid all good men your friends. And is not this fufficient,
but'you muft have the approbation of the devil and all
Ms fervants too, the children of vice and folly ? Miftake
not, fond man; the approbation of both is incompatible:
Xou cannot ferve God and Mammon; neither can you have
the friendfhip of God, Christ, angels, and good men,
and at the fame time poffefs the approbation of the devil,
arid his fervants,. whofe portion is in this life. The thing
is impotable. You may as well attempt to reconcile light
and darknefs, fire and water,, heaven and hell — But fup
pofe you fhould become a ea&bm ofthe Gofpei o( Christ,
and be truly in earneft about the falvation pf your foul, and*
of courfe, lingular in your way and manner of life; what
inconvenience would you fiiftain ? or what real dishonour
would you undergo ? Was not Socrates lingular among
the -Athenians? Were not Enoch and Noah Angular
arnong the Antediluvians? Was not A&raham Angular
in Canaan, and Lot in Sodom.? Were not Elijah,
Elisha, Isaiah, and all the prophets very Angular per
fons in their day? Our blefled Lord, his holy Apoftles,
'and all the primitive Chriftians-, were they not uniformly
the fame? And where was the misfortune of all this?
When we read the ftory of thefe ancient worthies, don't
we admire their wifdom, their courage, their choice, -arid
their noble fuperiority to all thofep'oor creatures who op-
pofedthem, and, caft out their name as evil? Whatman
of tafte does not approve the conduct of Abdiel in Mit-
ton? Never, character was more enviable, or more
worthy of imitation: — « The*-

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS* Z°9
 '" The feraph Abdtel faithful found
*¦ Among the faithlefs, faithful only he ;
*** Among innumerable falfe, unmov'd,
** Unlhaken, unfedue'd, unterrffy'd
«« His loyalty he kept, his love, his zeal ;
** Nor number, nor example with him wrought,
«« To fwerve from truth, or change his conftant mini
*< Though Angle. From amidft them forth he pafs'd,
" Long way through hoftile fcorn, which he fuftain'd
*** Superior, nor of violence fear'd ought ;
** And with retorted fcorn his back he turn'd
¦" On thofe proud sow'rs to fwift deftruction doom'd.—
""  _  " Gladly then he mix'd ,
¦*• With his own friendly Pow'rs^ w~ho him receiv'd
•* With joy and acclamations, loud, that one, ,
** That of fo many myriads' fall'n, yet one
•" Return'd not loft. On to the facred kill
¦** They led him high applauded, and prefent
¦*' Before the feat fupreme'; from whence a voice,
" From midft a golden cloud, thus mild was heard.
*' Servant of G o d , ' well done, well haft thou fought " "
" The better fight, <wbo fiingle. baft maintained .
' ¦*' Againft revolted multitudes the caufe
" Of truth, in tvord mightier than they in arms j
¦** And for the teftimony of truth haft borne
•" Univerfal reproach, far •worfe to bear
*' Than violence ; for this vias all thy care
¦*' To ft and approv'd in fight of G.OD, though worlds
¦" Judge thee perverfe."
From all thefe confiderations it is evident, that there
are times and circunaftances, when if a man will be truly
religious, and preferve an unfliaken fidelity to his Crea
tor and his Saviour, he muft be Angular; he muft ftep
afide; he muft beg to be excufed in a variety of cafes.
He muft be Angular, or lofe his foul. Let not the fear of
this odious imputation, therefore, deter any man from
exemplary piety. The giddy mnultitude, and the ifons and
.daughters of pleafure, fdlfely fo called,, may pretend to
fneer and deride j ,but yet, nojtwithftanding, they will
.fecretly applaud, your virtuous conduft. There is a cer
tain dignity, a real nobility, afecretcharm/inaconAfterit- .
Iy religious character, which none can defpife*. And
(boner
* Zon/PETERBOROUGH, more famed for wit than religion, when he
Jedjjed with Fenelon zxCambrety, was fo xharmed with the piety and
. X % -virtue

gir} ' A PLEA FOR RELIGION -
fooner or later, the whole human race will be of one
. . . • *
opinion concerning -it.
Inftead of being Heroes in wickednefs then, or ring-'
leaders }n the caufe of Infidelity (for there are not a few
who make a mock at fin, and glory in their fhame) let it,
be your higheft ambition to become Chriftian Heroes ;
Heroes who can forgive, and love, and blefs your enemies;
who can conquer the world and all your own degenerate
p-ropenfities ; Heroes whofe heads are big only with
fchemes of mercy and of kindnefs; whofe hands are con
tinually ftretched out in prayer and acts of benevolence!
and who are never at eafe, but in going about doing good
to the bodies and fouls of men \ Heroes -\ \n whom religion
•' . ifo
virtue ofthe Archbijhop, that he exclaimed at parting : " If I ftay hers
" any longer, 1 fhall become a C6cj/?«>» in fpite of myfelf."
* &V Richard Steel's Chriftian Hera, is. a little book worth • the
attention ofthe reader, efpecially. of the reader whais difpofed^ tore1,
jedt the Gofpei. It contains an argument tp prove, that ho principles
but thofe of Religion are fufHcient to make a grea,t man. In this little
book we have a fort of qomparifon "between the characters of Q a to -and
Cs:$ar, Brutus and Cassius, Jesus Christ and St. Paul., Thefe?
illullrious Heathens make but a very poor figure, when placed by the fidq
of thefe Chriftian Heroes. i,
f One pf^ the ¦ moft illuftripus Heroes that England ever bred, a man
equally , celebrated for valour, for genius, und for learning, was not
alhamed to addrefs his wife in the views of approaching diflblution in the
following pious ftrain:— " LoVe God, and begin betimes. In him you
.fhall find true, everlafting, and Yendlefs comfort, When yqu have
travelled -and wearied yourfelf with all forts of wordly cogitations, you
lhall fit down by forrpw, in the end. Teach your' fon alfo tp ferve and
fear God whilft he'is young, that the fear of God may grow up in him.
Then Will1' God. be an hufband tp you, and a father to him,- an hufband
and a father that can never be taken from you."
This.is true Heroifm ! Such was Sir Walter Raleigh !
Hwv different is the conduft of the French and the Englijh during this
eourfe pf theprefent unhappy war, on the ,fubjeft of Religion. It does -
not appear, that the former have ever acknowledged th,e government of
the DivineBeing, or afcribed any of their fuccefl'es to his . all-fuper-
intending Providence ; whereas the Generals, and Admirals, of the latter
have frequently i if not conttantly afcribed alt their fuccefl'es to liis'blefi'
fing. The gallant Admiral 'Nelson very properly introduces his account
of the viftory with which he has been favoured with the tremendous
name. ,' " Almighty God has blefied his Majefty's arms, in the.late
f* battle, by a great victory over the fleet of the enemy." This is,,
pfoj. er j this} js infinitely becoming a b/ave man ; this is the way to inr

A*ND "THE SACRED WRITINGS. Jit
fits, as it were,' in triumph, with all the paffions in fubjec-
tion around her'; with all the luftre that wifdom, and pru
dence, and piety, and learning, and good fenfe, and good
breeding, can beftowto make you amiable; Heroes, in
fhort, whofe daily endeavour is to clothe the naked, • to
feed the hungry, to vifit the fick, .to inrtrucSt the ignorant,
to be a, father to the fatherlefs, a hufband to the widow, '
and a friend to the friendlefs of all parties anddenomina-
tions of men. If fuch is your Heroifm, the ear will blefs
when it hears you; .the eye will give wknefs when it fees
jou; the bleffing of him that is ready to perilh will come
vpon you; and the widow's heart will dance in your pre
sence for joy. Simple as this account may feem, it is an'
Heroifm which few, comparatively, ever attain toB or have
liire the Divine protection. Themthat, honour me, '1 -will honour ; but they
that defpife me, Jhall be lightly efteemed., i §ara. ii. 30. If the French
have -been fuccefsful in many of their efforts, let it be cohfidered that
God cannot fucceed tljeir attempts upon the nations out of any regard to
,theiH, as a virtuous people, but only to anfwer his own purpofes, and ta
fulfil his own predictions, concerning, the fubverfion of the feat of the
Beaft, and to bring in the Messiah's kingdom in all its glory. The
French are only the tools and inftruments in.the hands of Gob's indigna
tion. Theyhave yet a deal of direful work to do. When that is ae-
complifhed^^ey fhall be laid afide7|and, I^hope, chaftifed and turned
anto the Gob of their fathers.
Dr. Cr.ome, a German writer, calculates, that the prefent horrible
war, from 1792, to the end of 1796, has coft the feveral united powers;
238,166,666 pounds, with 700,000 men, and France, 366,958,332
pounds, with 1,060,000 of men! At the fame period he confiders
England alone as having I&ft 150,000 men, and fpent 93>333?33* pounds.
lis it not evident from hence that the time is come when God is pouring
out his vials of wrath upon the nations whieh compofe the feat of the.
-Beaft ?^ See the Monthly Mag. for Nov. 1797.
Some people are extremely alarmed at the confideration of our national
¦debt, which, being about four hundred millions of pounds fteriing, they
fuppofe muft crulh us to atoms. Let fuch perfons, however, reflect, for
their cOmfort, that a fingie ten per cent, upon all the n'ationalproperty
would wipe off the whole. The permanent and immoveable property of
jthe country, it is fuppofed* would produce on fair fale, the enormous
fum of 2,500,000,000 pounds'. The moveable or chattel property of
the country is probably of equal vahie at lealb Here then is a national
flock of 5,000,000,000 pounds fteriing. If from this , we deduct the
400,006,000 we owe,* there will remain a furplus of four thoufand fix
jbundred millions of pounds fteriing ;
tpnfult t ha mock's Litter on Finance, and on National tyefehce.
X 4 any

313 - A PLEA FOR RELIGION ,
any idea of. It will require all your fortitude, and the uf*
rhoft ftretch of your beft powers. In purfuing fuch a
line of conduct, in conjunction with your temporal occupa
tion, wou will be , employed ufefully and comfortably,
while you live, and you will be training up for the general
ajfembly, and church of the firft -born, which are written in
"heaven, when you die. Be ftrong in the Lord, then, and
Jn the power of his might. Put on the whole ar,mour of Goo,
that ye may be able to ft and againft the wiles of tlie devils
Fight the good fight qf Jaijh, and lay bold on eternal life.
. Let the well known advice of the juftly celebrated Locke,
which is both wife and feafonable, be acceptable in your.
eyes. It will affuredly do you no harm, and, if you pay
due attention to it, it will do you eternal good. He him,.
fejf was an example of his own precepts. For fourteen
er fifteen years he applied himfelf clofely to the ftudy of
Holy Scripture, and employed the laft period of his life
hardly in any thing befide. He was never weary of ad
miring the grand views of that facred book, and the juft
relation of all its parts. He every day made difcoveries
in it, that gave him frefh. caufe of admiration, .Axid fq
earneft* was he for the comfort of his friends, and the dif-
fufion of facred knowledge among them, that even the,
day before he died, " he very particularly exhorted all
" about him to read the Holy Scriptures, exalting the love
'¦' which God fhewed to man, in juftifying him by faith
"in Jesus Christ, and returning him- fpecial thanks for
" having called him to the knowledge of that Divine;
" Saviour," It has been often repeated too, that, to ai
perfon who afked him, which was the fhorreft and fureft
way for a young gentleman to attain to the true knowledge*
ofthe Chriftion religion, in the full and juft extent of it,
he replied — " Let him ftudy the Holy Scripture, efpecially
" the New Teftament. Therein are contained the words
fc of eternal life. — It hath GoD-for its author— Salvation
" for its end — andT^uTH, withou.t any mixture of error,'
?l for its. matter. , ' %his
* The ingenious andpiousLAVATER, after predicting, like SirlsAAd
N|wton and ^.Hartley, the general fpread of Infidelity-, tlwis.ex* pjelles

AND. THE SACRED, WRITINGS. 3I3
This is a noble teftimony, both in life and in death,
from this renowned Chriftian philofopher. Many hundreds
of a fimilar nature might be laid before the reader, befides
thofe we have already felected. And I confefs, there is no
kind of reading, that is fo edifying to me, as the final
fcenes of thofe" perfons, who have been eminent in their
day, either for their virtues or their vices. A death bed
is ufually a deteftor of the heart. And to fee a fellow
mortal in the ruins of nature, glorying over . the King of
Terrors, in all his moft horrible forms, is to me by far the
grandeft fpectacle that can be exhibited upon earth. It is,
as Seneca obferves of Cato, a fight worthy of Goo to
look down upon*. What are all the triumphs of kings
and conquerors, when compared with the triumphs of
abundance ofthe children ofthe Most High in all ages?
The Bible contains a rich compendium of thefe religious
Worthies^ . The Book of Martyrs too records a noble army
preffes himfelf . concerning the truth ofthe Gofpei: " If God has not
" fpoken and acted through Christ, .then there never has been a Gou
'' who hath acted and fpoken. If Christ is the work of chance, then
V man and the whole world is the work of chance alfo. If Christ did
" not want the affiftance of a God to the performance of his wonderful
" deeds, nature alfo can perform her works without the interference of
" a Gop." See Secret Journal of & Self-OJiJbrver, V. 2. p. 338.
Compare with the above the death-bed fcene of Garzo, the great
grandfather of Petrarch, who was fo celebrated for his probity and
good fenfe that he was frequently confulted by philofophers, and the
learned of thofe 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 in the bed" in which he was born. His death refembles a quiet
" lleep. He expired, furrounded by his family, without pain or un-
f eafinefs, while he was converting about Gop and virtue."
Vide Memoirs of Petrarch.
* Ecce fpectaculum dignum, ad quod refpiciat, intentus open fuo,
JDeus ! JScce par Q159 dignum, vir fortis cum mala fortuna compofi-
tu-i ! Non video, inquam, quid habeat in terris Jupiter' pulchrius, fj
convertere animum velit, quam ut fpectet Catonem, jam paribus non
feniel fractis, nihilpminus inter ruinas publicas erectum. Sen. de Divin. Prov,
•J- For the dying advice and laft fcene of the Saviour of mankind,
fee John jciv. — xix. chapters — for good old-.J Acos's.fee Gen. xlviii. xlix.
Jchipters — fprJosEPH's,Gen.l — forMosEs's, Deut.xxxii/xxxiii chapters.
a_fpr Joshua's, Jos. xxiii, xxiv.— for J)a vip's, 1 Chron. xxviii, 8, 9.
'.; */-¦'¦¦¦ ¦ • mi

3*14 ' A ?'LEA FOR RELIGION
army of valiant" fouls, who went through fire and water,
tbVdtigh racks and tortures; to their blood-bought reward.
The late horrible tranfaftions on the Continent have added
ah illuftrious page to the records of religious renown*.
And if the- fame diabolical fpirit fhould pervade this
happy -country, I doubt not but there is a goodly company;
among us, -who, through the power Of grace divine, will
fet at nought, .and bid defiance ro, all the threats, guillo-'
tines, and engines ofthe moft virulent Pfudo-PhiloJophers-\
in the kingdom. So far as I myfelf am concerned,
whether it fHall pleafe thegfa£JO"us^RuLER ,of the- world to
call mie hence by a ftornr*. of perfecution, by the fword of
the enemy, by the enmity Of fecret adversaries, or in the
natural courfe of Providente, I, above all things upon
-earth, defire to quit this mortal fcene in a fiery chiriot of
divine love, and heavenly rapture. It is faid that the
celebrated Scalxoer was fo delighted with that famous
rftanza of Sternhold and Hopkins in the i%d\ pfalni'.-~
" On Cherubs and on Cheriibims
" Full royally he rode ;
" And on the wings of mighty winds
"- Came flying all abroad :
that he ufed to profefs, he had rather have been the
author of it, thar^'to have enjoyed the kingdom of Ar?
ragon. Be this as it may, I have feen fo many lukewarm
Ckniftian's quit,. the world in fuch J a doubting, timorous,
uncomfortable, miferable manner, that I folemnly declare
and z Sam. xxiii. I — 9 — Stephen's, Acts vii. — and Paul's, Adtsxx.
and 2 Tim. iv. 6 — 8.
* "Vide Barruel's Hiftory ofthe French Clergy.
f The character of Philofophers has been mucli'the fame in all ages.
Cicero has defcribed it as' accurately, as if he had lived in the prelent
Hay. '•' Quotus enim quifque Philojophorum inVenitur, qui fit ita mora-
tus, ita animo ac vita cdnftitutas, ut ratio poftulat I Qui difciplamuni
fuam non oftentationem fcientije, fed legem vif# putet? Qui' dbtempe-
ret ipfe fibi, et decrefis fuis pareat ? Videre licet, alios tanta levitate
«t' ja&atione, uti his fuerit non didiffe melius ; alios pecuniae ciipidos'
glorias nonnullos, rAultos libidinum fervos, ut cum eorum vita mirabili-
£er pugn.et/ori'.Uo : quod quiciem mini videtureffe, turpiffimum.
"' *, ¦ fufc.Difp, lib. 2.
I had

and the sacred writings. 315
I had rather, if it pleafe God, take my leave of this:
earthly tabernacle, with my faith, hope, love, peace, and
joy in full exercife, and' go with all my fails unfurled into
the haven of eternal reft, than be made emperor of the
whole univerfe. I well know profeflions like thefe will
fubjecl me to the charge of- intemperate zeal and enthufi-
afm, as is obferved on. a former page. Such charges,
however, I moft cordially defpife, and hold the philofophk
authors of them in as much pity jand contempt^as they *
can entertain for the warm and zealous Chriftian. I want
not to quit the ftage of life in the fpirit of Bolingbroke,
Hume, Gibbon, Chesterfield, Godwin, and Other
fuch like characters. The feeling, fenfible, confident,
joyful approbation of Heaven, is above all eflimation;
and the praife of men of loofe morals, or pharifaical pro
feflions, is of* little confederation in my efteemi I wifh
them wifer and better, and that they may fee their error
before it is too late. Several of thofe Worthy perfons,
whofe names we have here recorded, died bearing a noble
teftimony to evangelical truth. Their condition was envi
able. Tp many fuch I myfelf have been a joyful witnefs
in the courfe of my poor miniftrations. But the death
bed fcene, which above all others 1 have either read or
feen, that feems to have had in it the largeft fhare of
divine communications*, is that ofthe Rev. John Jane-
way, fellow of King's College in Cambridge, who died at
the age of twenty-four, in June, 1657.
Jf it fhould appear too rapturous, confider, my Coun
trymen, what your feelings would be, fhould news be
brought that you had obtained a prize in the State Lot
tery of twenty or thjrty diOufand pounds; or that voli"
were left heir to an eftate of immenfe value, which you
had but little reafon to expect. If, when the Ifraelites1 had
paffed the Red Sea in, fafety, they fawit right to fing a fong
* The feripus reader will find the doctrine of the Holy Spirit's
influence upon the mind ably defended againft our modern luke-warni
profeffors of religion from the charge of enthufiafm:, in Bijhop Pearson
pn the Creed, Art. 8. a w.ork with which every Chriftian fhould be'inti-»
piately acquainted, in tliefe times of abounding iiceptioufhefs both of
principle and practice,
• Of

3i6 A PLEA FOR RELIGION
x • i
of triumph for their deliverance, and to praife the Lord with
timbrels and with dances : ii" when the fanie people were
delivered from the Babyknifh captivity, they went out with
joy^ -and were led f earth with peace, the mountains and the
hills ^breaking forth before them into finging, and all the trees
of the field clapping their hands; if then the lame man leaped,
as an hart, the tongue of the dumb Jung, and the ranfomedpf
the Lord returned, and came to Sion with fiongs, and ever-
laftingjoy upon their heads, joy and gladnefs going befor'e them,
and f arrow and fighing fleeing away at their advance: jf
when king David brought the ark, a fymbolof the Divine
prefence, unto Sion, he danced before it in all his might,
with fhouting, and the found ofthe trumpet, while the en
vious and malignant Michal feverely cenfured his pious
hilarity: if, when the fame royal Enthufiafts was only
banifhed from the taberhacle of God, he affectionately
cried out— As the heart panteth ajter the water brooks, Jo
panteth myj'oul after thee, O God : my foul is athirft for Goo,
for the living God; when Jhall I come and appear before
GooX—^My foul thirfteth for thee; my fiefh longeth for thee';
my foul followeth hard after thee; my foul '; gajpeth after thee
as a thirfty land: and if, when this lame enviable Fanatic
came to die, he again cried out in the full affurance of
faith — He hath made with me an everlafting covenant, or
dered in all things and Jure; this is all my falvation, and- all
my defire\: if, when the lame beggar, who had been healed
by Peter and John, entered with them into the temple,,
he walked, and leaped, and praifed Goo, the Scribes and
Pbdrtftees being all in arms againft them: if," when Paul
and Silas had been fcourged and imprifoned for the name
of the Lord Jesus, they prayed in the dungeon at midnight

•

It is a common miftake to fuppofe that none but religious people
are enthufiafts. Enthufiafm is found 'in every form, and fp*ecies of human.
fife. The orator and the ppet, the hero and. the politician, the intole
rant advocate for toleration, andthe projective defenders of Chriftianity^
may all be enthufiafts. See a fine account of different kinds of enthufiafts
in An.pre w's Scripture Doilrint of Grace,* p. 93 — 97 ; a paffage which
«very orife fhould read and, well fonfider, wno is forward in dealing, out
the charge of enthufiafm againft zealioufl y reiigious people of all denomi
nations. " " - ,
+ What muft have been J5 a v i p's feejing'swhen he compofet} the 96th,
145th, and fi ve following pfalms*? and

, AND THE SACRED WRITINGS, 3»7
and fang praifes unto God, for the honour conferred upoa
them, and in believing views of the reward which awaited
them: and if, when the Church of Rome is overturned, the*
whole ' triumphant hoft is represented as crying aloud —
Hallelujah! Hallelujah I Hallelujah I for the Lord God
Omnipotent reigneth!
If there has been, and would be, and ought to be, fuch
ardent defire, and fuch rapturous joy and triumph upon all
thefe very inferior occafions ; fhall not a man, who has long
been buffetted by the world, allured and feduced by the
flefii, and vilely tempted by the foul apoftate Spirit ; and
who, notwithftanding, has for a good feaFon been living,
under a ftrong and vigorous fenfe of the knowledge and fal
vation by the remifjion of his fins, and a fweet experimental
union and communion with God, the father of fpirits,
through the infinitely perfect obedience and all-atoning
death of his only begotten Son, by the communications of
the eternal Spirit; fhall not a man, fo fituated, I fay, re
joice in hope Of the glory of God with exceedingly great and
triumphant joy*, when he is within fight of land, driving
with wind and tide into the haven of reft, juft upon the
point of taking allured pofTeffion of an inheritance incor
ruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away -\?
" What heart of.ftone, but glows at thoughts like thefe?
" Such contemplations mount us ; and fhould mount
*' The mind ftill higher ; nor ever glance on man,
*' Unraptured, uniriflam'd/
If ever mortal lived the life of an angel upon earth, Mr.
J anew ay feems to have been the man. How far do the
enjoyments even of lively Chriftians fall fhort of thofe
*, Why may not a man, who makes it his main concern in life, tpferve
,God and fave his foul alive, expect peculiar manifeftaiions, of the divine
favour ?" It is certain that the promifes of Scripture to this purpofe are
exceedingly ftrong and numerous,, and the examples not lefs fo. 1 be
lieve I fpealt coniiderably within . compafs when I fay, that there are in
the Bible upwards of an hundred of thefe fpecial nianifeftatipris to the
fervants of God recorded,
f Dr. Priestle*-v confiders thefe ftrong tonfolatiotis in the views of ap
proaching diflblution as enthufiafm See his Obfervatioas on the Incrmfe
«f Infidelity, p. 2 j. lengths,

\3'J8 ' A PLEA FOR RELIGION
lengths, and breadths, and heights, and depths ofthe love
Of Christ with which he was favoured ? To evince this,
I will prefent the reader with a fhort fketch of his dying
fcene, and leave him to judge-, whether he ever faw or
perufed any account of an exit fo far beyond the common
run of Chriftians. And yet, by the grace of God, dnd a
diligent life of the divinely appointed means, this, or fome-
thing like this, might be the'attainment of all.
Mr. Janeway was born in the year 1633, at Tylly in
Hertford/hire. At about twelve years old, he had made a
considerable proficiency in mathematic fcience, and in the
ftudy of aftronomy, and other parts of ufeful literature.
At feventeen he <was admitted to King's College in- Cam*
bridge. At eighteen it pleafcd God to enlighten his under-
Handing, and to give him the knowledge and experience
of evangelical truth. Mr. Baxter's Saints Everlafting Reft
became his favourite book. This he read, ftudied, imi
tated. Now he knew, .that aftronomy, with which he
was fo delighted, furveyed but a dunghill in comparifon of
that fyftem of things Which the religion of Jeois contem
plates. Stars, about which Mr. Paine makes fuch a
pother, are but dirty clods, when compared with that
glory which lies beyond the reach of the higheft human
contemplation. He was now, therefore, wholly occupied
with divine contemplations', and tafted fo much fweetneis
in the iknowledge of Christ, 'that jt was difcemable in
his very appearance, and he counted every -thing but drofs and
dung, in comparijon of the knowledge of Christ and him
Cfucified. Not that he looked upon human learning as
ufelefs: but when fixed below Christ, not improved for
Christ, or fet in opposition to Christ; he looked, upon
wifdom as folly, upon learning as madnefs, and upon
genius as a curfe, which would make a man more, like die
Devil, more fit for his fervice, and -put a greater accent
upon our mifery in another world.
At the age of twenty he was admitted a Fellow of his
College. Still, however, he went on with his religious'con-
templations, and became fo mighty in prayer, , and other
facred exercifes, that he forgot the weaknefs of his body,-
and injured his health. He ftudied much, prayed much, and

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS. §1$
and laboured much in every way lie could contrive to be
of ufe to mankind, and to promote the honour ofthe
Divine Being. Sicknfefs coming on, he was never per
mitted to preach but twice. His diforder, which was of
the confumptive kind, encreafed rapidly upon him, but
yet with fome intervals of relief. During the greateft pare
af "his ficknefs, however, ' he was fo filled with love, and
peace, andjoy, that human language finks under what he
faw and felt. During the greateft part of his illpefs, he
talkedas if he had been in the third heavens; breaking
out every now and then into extafies of joy and praife.
Not a word dropped from his mouth but it breathed Of
Christ and heaven. He talked as if. he had been' with
Jesus, and came from the immediate prefence of God.
At one time he faid: — " O my friends ftand and wonder;.
come, look upon a dying man arid wonder. Was there
ever greater kindnefs? Were there ever more fenfible
manifeftations of rich grace ? . O, why me, Lord? why
.me ? Sure this is akin to heaven. And if I were never to
enjoy more than this, it were well worth all the torments
men and devils could invent, If this be dying, dying is
fweet. Let no Chriftian ever be afraid of dying. Oh I
death is fweet to me ! This bed is foft. Christ's arms,
his fmiles, and vifits, fure they would turn hell into hea
ven ! Oh ! that you did but fee and feel what I do r Gome,
and behold a dying man, more cheerful than ever you faw
any healthful man in the midft of his fweeteft enjoyments.
O Sirs! worldly pleafures are pitiful, poor, forr-y things,
compared with one glimpfe* of his glory which fhines fo
ftrongly into my foul. Oh! why fhould any of you be fo
fad, when I am fO glad! This, this is the hour that 1 have
waitedfor." About forty-eight hours before his difTokition he faid
again : —
" Praife -is now my work, and I fhall be engaged in
that fweet employment for ever. Come, let us lift up our
voice in praife. I have nothing elfe to do. I hive done
with prayer, and-ajl other ordinances. I have almoft done
converfing with mortals. I fhall prefendy be beholding
Christ himfelf, that died for me, and ldved me, and
wafhed

320 A PLEA FOR RELIGION
warned me in his blood. I fhall in a few hours be in eter
nity, Tinging the fong of Moses, and the fong of the'
Lamb. I fhall prefently ftand upon mount Sion with an
innunierable company of angels, .and thefpirits of juft men
made perfecl, and Jesus the mediator of tbe new covenant.
I fhall hear the voice of much people, and be one amongft
them who fay — Hallelujah ! Salvation, glory, and honour,
and power unto the Lord our God ! And- again we fay,
Hallelujah I Methinks I ftand as it were one foot in heaven/
and the other on earth. Methinks I hear the melody of
heaven, and by faith I fee the angels waiting to carry my
Toul to the bofom of Jesus, and I fhall be for ever with
the Lord in glory. And who can choofe but rejoice in
all this?"
In fuch a rapturous ftrain as this he continued, full of
praife, full of" admiration, full of joy, till at length, with
abundance of faith and fervency, he cried aloud : — "Amen !
Amen!" and foon after expired*. And
* Mr. Jan-eway arrived at thefe high attainments in the divine lift,.,' ,
by a conftant perufal of his Bible; a frequent perufal of Mr. Baxter's .
Saint's Everlafting Reft, a book for which multitudas will have caufe to
blefj God for ever; arid by fpending a due-proportion of every day in
fecret prayer, and devout contemplation.
The Earl of Mirandola and Concordia, who died, in the flower of his
age, about the year 1494, after he had for fome time quitted all his great
employtoents under Charles the fifth, emperor of Germany, was efteem-
ed the moft beautiful perfon of that age, and a man of the moft exalted
genius; and yet, after having read all that could be read, and learned
every thing that could then be learned, he wrote to his Nephew, an officer '
in the army, in a ftile worthy ofthe above example of JaneWay; —
" I make it my humble requeft to you," fays he, •• that you would noc
«' fail to read the Holy Scriptures night and morning with great attention ;
'* for as it is our duty to meditate upon the Law of Gon day and night,
" fo nothing can be more ufeful ; becaufe there is in the Holy Scriptures
" a celeftial and efficatious power, inflaming the foul with divine fear
f and love,"
Our celebrated Spencer, though a man of diffipation in his youth, irt
his more advanced years entered into the interior of religion, and in his
two Hymns on Heavenly Love, and Heavenly Beauty, hath expreffed all
the height and depth of Jane way's experience;
" Then (halt thou feel thy fpirit fo poffeft,
" And ravifht with devouring great. defire v
" Of his dear felf,. that fhall tliy feeble breaft " Inflame

AND THE SAORBD WRITINGS. Qal
And now, my Friends and Countrymen, withfenti-
ttients of the moft benevolent and affectionate regard both
for You, and every human being, whether Jhv, Turk, Infidel,
Heretic, or Chriftian, I fubmit thefe refledtions, concerning
Religion and the Sacred Writings, to your moft ferious cori-
" Inflame with love, and fet thee all on firtf
" With burning zeal, through every part enti«i
" That in no earthly thing thou (halt delight,
" But in his fweet and amiable fight.—
" Then fhall thy ravifht foul infpired be
«' With heavenly thoughts, far above human flail,
«' And thy bright radiant eyes fhall plainly fee
" Th' idea of his pure glory prefent ftill
*« Before thy face, that all thy fpirits fhall fill
«' With fweet enragement of celeftial love,
«' Kindled thrpugh fight of thofe fair things above."
Spencer's religion, we fee from the above extracts, is, like that of the
Quakers, " a religion of feeling." This too is unqueftionably the religion
ofthe Bible. Whom having not feen ye love; in whom, though now yt
fee him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unfpeakable and full of glory.
See this fubjedt confidered at fome Iepgth. in Mr* Wilberforce's Prac*
tical Fiewr-ch, 3. fed. zd and 3d.
This fame devout and heavenly fpirit breathes ftrongly in all the old.
afcetic authors. Augustine is famous for it 5 fo were feveral others of
the ancient Fathers ofthe Church. Thomas a Kempis is excelled by
none in this way. St. Bernard is very pious. His hymn on the nam*
Jesus is in a high ftrain of this kind.
" Defidero te millies,
\ '* Mi Jesus! quando venies $
" Me la-turn quando facies?
" Me de te quando faties f "
St. Augusti ne's hymn, which begins,
" Ad perennis vitae fontem
" Mens fitivit arida;" ' ,
is in the fame ftrain ; and has been imitated in that favouiita old hymft
recorded in the Pilgrim's Guide,
" Jerufiilem, my happy home,
" O that I were in thee.
" O would my woes were at an end,
" Thy joys that I might fee ! &c. &C.''
Almoft every thing of this kind, however* which -has been left as hf
cur forefathers is written in a ftile highly depraved, and is ufually equally
devout and fuperftitious. The pious reader, therefore, will be upon his
guard in the perufal of fuch authors, and take the good, and call the bad
away. The Bible alone is free from human weakneffes.
Y fideration,

322 A PLEA FOR RELIGION ,
fideration. "Vyhat impreffion they may make upon your
minds, is.known only to the God 'of the fpirks of ail fkfh*.
; * Ifthe reader fhould find himfelf diffatisfied'with the Plea for Religion
"andthe Sacred Writings, which is here put into his hand, let him* by no
means give up the caufe as defperate, but rather let him lay it afide, and
have recourfe to thofe more able and explicit Treadles, which I have
pccafionly recommended in the Notes. Or, if he thinks himfelf ca
pable of reodering.a more effectual fervice to the caufe of evangelical
truth, let him take up his own "pen, and confound the enemies of religion.
Learned Laymen, efpecially, fhould come forward in vindication of ihe
Gofpei; fince every thing, which proceeds from. the Clergy, on religion,
is luppofed to fpring from a felf-interefted fourc.e. Mr. Wilberforce
has done himfelf much honour. He is a bold and able advocate for a
much injured caufe. Nor lefs -fa is the excellent Mij's Hannah More.
She is a credit to her fex, and a btefTmg to her country. It is fcarcejy
poffible, however, for authors on this iubjeft to be too numerous. We
are not wanting in clerical writers ; but thofe who have treated on fub
jects purely religious, among the other ranks of foc'iety, 'are, compara-
tivdy, few; and efpecially among the Princes and Nobles of the land.
Mr. Horace Walpole has given us a catalogue of the Royal and Noble
authors" of England, Scotland, and Ireland, fince the Canqueft- and, I
think, he produces only, during all thole ages, 10 Englijh Prince's, 92
Peers, arid 14. Peereffts. To' thefe he adds 24 Scotch Royal and Noble
authors, with I f Irijh Peers: In all about 1 ;o ; a fmall number, when it
is confidered they are ufually the beft educated men in the country.
In Germany have been publifhed in the courfeof fix years, from 178;
to 1790, no lefs a number than 27,372 books, on the following fubjects,
a-.id in thefe proportions :
1 General Literature — — — — 68
2 Philology — — — (r— — 1527
3 Divinity — — — , — — 4863
4 Jurifprudence — — ', — — 2 15S
5 Medicine and Surgery — — — — i8g8
6 Metaphyfics and M. Philofophy — — — 965
'7 Education — — ; — — — 506
8 Politics and Finance — — — — HJ85'
9 Military Sciences — — — - — 154.
10 Phyfic's and Natural Hiftory — —1- — 1729
11 Arts and Manufactures — — —  1100
12 Mathematics — — — — .  5S1
13 Geography and Hiftory — — ¦ — 4 77 1.
1 4. Belles Lettres — . — — — . j— "3798
15 Hiftory of Literature — — — — . 70Z
18 Mifcellaneous — — — . — — 689
27.372
Gent. Mag. Feb. 1 796, p. 147.
From the Monthly Mag. for Juste 17.98, it appears, that the average
number of books publifhed in Germany from 1785 to the clofe ofthe year
1 7 97 , is 5 ,360 annually .
My

AMD THE SACRED WRITINGS. . 323
My earneft requeft to you, is, that you will give them a fair
and difpaffionate hearing, and feek truth, at leaft, with as
much-warmth and affiduity, as we ufually employ in'our
fecular purfuits. No man ever fucceeded greatly in life,
who did not embark zealoufly in its, concerns. No man
ever became a good fcholar, without much time and appli
cation. And no man ever made any considerable pro
ficiency in things divine, till all the leading powers of his
foul were engaged therein. Permit me then to exhort you
to be in earneft in your religious enquiries. Apply your
minds, with Zealand impartiality to, the inveftigation of
facred wifdom. This is the concern,, the duty, the privi
lege, the glory of every human being. The moft ancient
and fublime author in the world hath exhaufted all the trea-
fures of nature to exprefs its intrinfic Value: Where Jhall
Wisdom be found? and. where is the place of Under
standing? * Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is
it found in the land of the living. The depth.faith, It is not
in me : arid thefea faith, It is not with me. It cannot begotten
.for gold, neither fhall filver be weighed for the price thereof.
It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious
* .onyx, or thefapphire. The gold and the chryftal 'cannot equal
it: and the exchange of it fhall not be for jewels of fine gold.
No mention fliall be made of coral, or of pearls; for, the price
of Wisdom is above rubies. The tapes of Ethiopia Jhall
notequal.it, neither Jhall.it be valued with pure gold. 'Whence
then romeih Wisdom ? and where is the place' of \5 now.-
stand ing x— Behold, the fear ofthe Lord, that is Wis
dom; and to depart from evil is Understand ing. ..
If fuch is the value of Wisdom, the fearch will undoubt
edly repay , the labour. . But, have we any affurance that
' the ineftimable treafure may be found ? The Wifeft of men
will anfwer to our fatisfaction : My Son, if thou wilt re
ceive my words, and hide my commandments with -thee; Jo
that rhou incline thy ear unto Wisdom, and apply thine
heart to Understanding :- yea, ij thou criefi after Know
ledge; and lifteft up thy voice for Understanding: .if
¦thou' feekeft her. as filver, and fear cheft for her as for hid
treafures; then ' fhdlt thou underfiand the fear of the Lord,
and find the knowledge, of. Gov— thou Jh.ilt underfiand
Y 1 '- .righteouf-

JJ^, A H-2A- FOR RELIGI-QM
righteoufnefs, and judgment j arid equity, yea, every good path
Jr\\i this implies the greateft poffible attention to our reli
gious concerns.
With thefe fine fentiments I take my leave, commending-
you to God, and to the Word of his grace, which is able t,a
build you up, if you willfubmit to its authority, and to give
you an inheritance among all them that are fanclified. If yoit
are right, in your prefent ftate of mind, may you continue
in the right way to the end of your days, and increafe and
abound therein more and more. I think, however, you
fhould be extremely cautious how you contradict, and blaf-
pheme what fo many wife and good men efteem rhe.truth-
of God, left that come upon you, which is fpoken of in
the Prophets— Behold, ye defpifers, and wonder, and perijhl
—Speaking modeftly, your fituation is not altogether witbr
out danger. - It is impoflible you lhould be perfectly faus-
fied all is as you could wifh*.
" Since then we die but once, and after death-
"¦ Our ftate no alteration, knows,
" But when we have refign'd our breath-
" Th' immortal fpirit goes .-...)
«* To endlefs joys, or eVerlaftihg woes ;
" Wife is the man, who labours to fecure ' ;
" TKat mighty and important ftake,
" And by all methods ftrives to make
" His paffage fafe, and-.his reception fure.*'
As to myfelf, I am thoroughly fatisfied with that Goev
that Redeemer, and that Sanctifier, which the Chriftian1
Scriptures hold out to the view and acceptance of mankind^
i am perfectly pleafed with thofe Script ur erf , and with all
• He was no inconfiderable man who faid, «'• To- doubt of the Gofiptl
Is folly: to reject, it is madnefs." Jjortin's Sermons, vol. 4. p. Hi.
, Let the fceptical reader confult Dr. Robertson, the Hiftorian's very
fenfible Difcourfe on the Situation of the World at the Time of Christ's
Appearance, and its Connection with the Succefs al his Religion. A con--
icientious reader cannot fail of being edified by fuch a difcourfe.
f When I have fpoken. above in fuqh ftrong terms of the volume of
Revelation, it is by no means intended to call any flight upon the volume
of Nature. While we daily ftudy the former, we fhall do well to pay;
all due attention to the latter, according to our opportunities of inveftiga- tioa

And the sacred writing**. 325
«H the divine difpenfations therein recorded. Our Goo
kath done,, is doing, and will do all things well. It is al
together
tion. To an enlightened obferver, they both carry indubitable marks of
their great original- The heavens declare the glory of God, and the earth
is full of bis riches. The moft perfect catalogue of ftars, before the pre-
fentingenious and indefatigable Dr. He rschel appeared, did not contain
quite 5,000 ; but, by the vaft fuperiority of his glaffes, he hath discovered
44,000 ftars in a few degrees of the heavens* ; and by the fame propor
tion, it is fuppofed, that 7 5,000,000 are expofed in the expanfe to human,
Jnveftigationf . All thefe -ftars are of a fiery nature, and conjectured to be
fo many funs with their fyftems of planets moving round them. We
know the fun to be the centre of our fyftem. It is accompanied with 19
planets, beftdes about 450 comets. What an amazing idea does this give
us of the works of Gob ! And if. fuch is the Work, what muft the
Wo R k m a n be !
Every part of nature, moreover, with which we are acquainted, is
full of living creatures, with ftores of every kind to fupply their neceffi-
sies. This Tittle 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 fpecies of vegetables, 3,000 fpecies of worms, 12,000 fpecies
of infect.s, 200 fpecies of amphibious animals, 550 fpecies of birds,
2,600 fpecies of fifh, and 20b fpecies of quadrupeds. Howimmenfe
ihen muft be the number of individuals'. One fly is found to bring forth
2000 at a time, arid a fingle cod-fifh to produce confidcrably more than,
three millions and a half of young. Nay, Leewenhoek tells us, that
there are more animals in the milt of a fingle cod fi(h, than there are
men upon' the whole earth. Over all thefe creatures prefide upwards of
730 millions of human beings. Such as the family ofthe Great
Father here upon earth ! And when it is confidered, that the earth
itfelf, with all its furniture, is no more, when compared with the whole.
fyftem of things, than a fingle grain offand, when compared with a
huge mountain, we are.loftin the immenfity of God's works, and con-
ftrained to cry out, Lord, what is man, that tbou art mindful of him*
or the fan of man that thou vifiteft him ! . And if to this immenfity of ths
works of creation, we add the admirable ftrudlure ofthe whole, and tha
-exquifitive perfection of every part, we fhall ricjt fail of being exceedingly
effected with the ineffable wifdom of the Divine Architect. To
bring this confideration more within the.grafp of human comprehenfion,
let us take, as it were, to pieces, and examine the feveral parts of any em
jcreature which God hath made; and we fhall find a perfection among its
Several powers, and an adaption to its fituation, in the grand fcale of
* See the Diffcrtathn of Dr. Hikschii, relative to this brilliant portion ofthe
heavens, in theyiilofopiical Tranjaftions.
+ Jerome De Ulandg, Director ofthe French Obfcrvatory, fuppofes that a
jlafs j)fHERSCHEt'« powers may difcover 90 millions o£ ftars in the whole furface
ofthe heavens, and that even, 'this number is but fmall, in companion of what
**"l!* Monthly Mag. for OQ. 1 798. p. 165 .
V 3 e-oftencff,

g26 A PLEA FOR REtlGION
C
together fit he fhould govern his own world, and bow the „
rebellious nations to his fway. The. prefent degenerate
ftate of Chriftendom is 'too difgraceful to his .government,
to be permitted to continue beyond the predicted period;
tie will, therefore, arife and plead his own eaufe, and al ,
the wickednefs of men,, and the convulfions and diftre'fi'
of nations, fliall wind up to his eternal- .credit.. The
Lord is King, be- the people never fo impatient; t. he fttteth
between' the Cherubim, be the earth never fo unquiet. . His
Gofpei is no other than the plandevifed by infinite wifdom-
for the melioration of mankind. The immortal feed is
fo'w'nj' the principle of life has vegetated; the little leaven
is diffufing itfelf far and wide. Much has been done;'
much' is doing;' much fhall be done. "Millions of reafon-
able creatures have already . found eternal reft. in confe-'
quence of the Redeemer's dying, love: multitudes, of
fouls at this moment are happy in their own bofoms under
a fenfe of the divine favour ; and innumerable -myriads of
men fhall arife, believing in his name, trufting in his me-
exiftence, far-furpafling human Mil. Let the moft perfect, anatornift,
that ever exifted, make his. obfeivations upon the human name ; let him
examine with the gr.'ateit poffible attention the toute etifcuible ofthe ftruc-
ture ; then let him proceed to the feveral parts, of wliich thp.microcofm
is compofed; firft, the powers of the mind ; the underltanding, the* will,
the memory, the confcience, and the various affedtions-: next the five
fenfes; the touch, the tafte, the fmell, the hearing, and the fight: after
wards let him proceed to the feveral fiuQs of the body; and then to ths
300 hones, ths 40 different fbrtssof glands, the 466 m nicies, the 40
-pair of nerves, the fibres,, the membranes, the arteries, the veins, tha
jOymphseducts, the excretory veffels, the tendons, the ligaments,, the carti
lages; and let him explore the whole and every, part with the gieaieft de
cree- of accuracy, knowledge, and judgment, that ever centered in man';
and then let him honeftly fay, .whether he could fuggeft the fmalleft im
provement in any one refpedl. ,If he were an.Atheift before fuch invefti-
garion, like the celebrated Galen he wouLi be converted to the belief
of the Divine Existence, would-compofe an hymn in praife of the
Cr bator ofthe worjd, and ling with the great Progenitor of'mankin'4:
" Thefe are thy glorious works, Parent of good;
f> Almighty, thine this uniyerfal frame,
?' Thus wondrous fair; Thyself how wondrous then !
" Uhfpeakable ! who fitt'ft above thefe heav'ns,
" To us invifiblej or dimly feen "
" In thefe thy loweft works; yet thefe declare . -
*.' T|*y goodnefs beyond thought, and pow'r divine," dia tion

AND THE SACRED WRITINGS 327
diation, and rejoicing in his falvation, maugre all the op
position of fallen Chriftians and apoftate fpirits. Wife and
gracious- is the Divine Being in all his ways, and 1^ re
joice that he is the Governour 'among the people. To
his fervice 1 avowedly devote my feeble powers,, as long
as he fliall vouchsafe me the exercife- of them; nor will I
ceafe to ** fpeak "the honours, of his Majesty, while the
breath continues to actuate this mortal frame. And,
" When even -at laft the folemn hour fhall come,
" And wing my myftic flight to fut.re worlds,
** I cheerful will obey ; there, with new powers,
" Will rifmg wonders ling : I cannot go
•• Where Universal Love npt fmiles around,
" Suflaining all yon orbs, and all their fons,
" - From feeming Evil ftill educing Good,
" And Better thence again, and Better ftill,
". In infinite progreffion. — But I lofe
" MyfelfinHiM, in Light'Ineff'ablb !
" Come then, expreffive filence, mufe His praife."

,v&'.5

" W %tt^MV ***

Y4

APPENDIX L

THE Reformation contended for in thefe papers is a.
peaceable reform, begun and carried oh by the
wifdom of the three branches of the Conftuiion, as far as the
Conftitution is concerned; and by the Bifhops, and Clergy
of every denomination, fo far as the moral and religious
conduct of the people is concerned. The abfolute necef-
fity of fuch a reformation is founded on the prophetic de
clarations of Daniel before repeatedly mentioned. The
nature of the reformation I conceive to be neceffary to our
lafting preferyation as a kingdom, is, that whatever mili
tates againft the genuine fpirit of Christ's religion in the
Eftablifhment fhould be removed; and that all orders of
clerical characters, efpecially, fhould fet themfelves, with
the utmoft zeal and determination, firft to reform them
felves, and then to flop the torrent of iniquity,, which,
threatens to involve the country in the moft complete de-
ftruction. The Dijfenters and Methodifts are moving heavea
and earth to promote the caufe of religion in their refpec-
tive ways. If the 18,000 Clergymen in the Eftablifhment
"would exert themfelves for the good of fouls with equal
zeal and fervour, the Eftablfhed Church would not only be
the fafer, as an Eftablijhment, but the divine protectioa.
would be more effectually engaged on our behalf. Righteous*
nations never fall*. Unfortunately, however, abundance of
* Among other unfavourable figns of the times,, the vaft number of
bankruptcies in this kingdom is none of the leaft. I fuppofe we average
fix or feven hundred every year, befide all the comppfitiombufineffes,
which are ftill more numerous. But what I here chiefly refer to, as a
proof of depraved morals, is, that, of all the inftances of defraud, inten
tional or otberwife, practifed upon the public, an inftance of after-pay
ment is rarely recorded j and, whenever fuch an inftance occurs, it is
always" fpoken of withaftonifhment, as a thing that could not be ex-
pefted, if a map goes upon tbe high road, or breaks into your houfe,
* . and

g;gO / at'pendijj; i.
of our, Order of men are the greateft enemies the country
and religion have got. We- promote the ihtereft of Satan
more effectually|by cwir indolence, ," 'worldly-minded nefs,
. hikewarmnels, and mifcondu'et, than" all the wicked and
immoral characters in the kinddm put together. Only
think! Eighteen thoufand men, led on. by fix and twenty
Bifliops, all tilled with faith and the' Holy Ghost, with an
ardent love tp Jesus Christ, a'n"d with, a judicious, but
warm and affectionate zeal for the falvation of fouls, - paid*
lay ther State, and fent out into every corner ofthe land-to
preach ihecverlaftmg Gofpei! What "a glorious confidera-
Vion 1 How fhould we make the ungodly and profane fkulk'
into corners, and hide their impious heads! But, alas!
* how is the geld -become' dim! how is the -moft fine gold chang-
' ed! for jrem the prophets' of Jeruflajem is frojanenefs gone
"forth into all the land. DiJJ'enters '> ale encreafmg, Me-
i-hodifts are multiplying,-' Wickednefs is fpreading, our
'Churches ate emptying, Infidelity is pervading all orders of
, fociety, and the daughter of Zion is like to be left., as a
'cottage in a vingyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers,
'as. a. befieged city. -We may look 'at the neighbouring na
tions, and learn, at their expence, what our own fate will
•'affuredly ere long be. Who is fo blind? who is.fo igno
rant? -who is fo felfifh and fecure ? who is fo unread in
hiftory? who is fo unacquainted with the prophecies,/ as
not to fee, that the falvation of Europe is fufpended on its
wifdom, in correcting what is arttifs in its morals, and un-
•evangelical in its ecclefiaftical conftitutipns ?
fend robs you of a few pounds!, he is infamous ; and if he can be caught,
, and arrainged, and the the. thing is proved, he. atones for his offence at
the expence of his life. But a man, in a way of trade, fhall cheat you of
hundreds and thoufands, fhall pay you ten, five, or even only two fhiliing* ;
in the pound, and,he' is a good fellow, a man of honour. He begins again,
keeps it up, cuts a dafh, crac*ks again, and all is well. He never dreams,
that, upon every principle of juitice, honour, and confcience, he is as
much a debtor for all his deficiencies*, as though die law had never ac
quitted him. What an accumulation of guilt.is upon this land on thefe
accounts ? Of themahy thoufands in this country, who fal| fhort in their
payments, how few, how extremely ,few do we meet with, or Jiearof,
•who, afterwards, like the moft worthy Reyner, call their creditors to
gether, and pay them, what, indeed, is juftly due, but what they never
eculd demand? It

APPENDIX I. 3~f
It mould Teem, however, notwithftanding the growing
immorality of the age, and the other alarming fymptoms
of our nation, that the Governour among the armies of
heaven, and the inhabitants upon earth, hath ftill a favour
to dear old England. He is loath to give us up. The
wife and vigorous meafures purfued by the King and his
Minifters are furtly tokens for good to my country. ' The
late very fplendid victories are propitious figns. The ABs
too, for excluding fufpicious foreigners, and arming the
whole nation, are 'matter-pieces of found policy. Hitherto
affuredly the Lord hath 'helped -us. He hath, given us a
patriotic King, able Minifters, fkilful Generals, v.brave Sol
dier si unparalleled Admirals, and gallant Sailors ; above
all, he hath poured out a fpirit of wreftling prayer uporl
large numbers of religious people. Thefe are fymptoms
'of the moft propitious kind. But, with all thefe advan
tages, fince God ufually works by means, how is it pof
fible for any country, that is not' in a conftant high ftate of
preparation, to refift fuch a mighty armed, and growing
republic as France ? If the people in this kingdom will not
very generally come forward, and qualify themfelves for
refiftance, we muft ultimately fall. But, if we fhould fhare
the fate of the Other nations, there will be no juft reafon to
accufe the Government. The war was inevitable on our
part. It was, moreover, ordained of God for the fubver-
fion of the feat of the Beaft*. They have been extremely
vigorous in their meafures, and have done what men in
their fituation could do. Let the people remember, that
we live in a period, when one of God's great and afflictive
providential difpenfations is- coming , upon the worldj a
* "It has been noticed on a former page, that the Pope and Mahomet,
rofe in or about the fame year. Ths former is driven from his feat ex
actly at the end of 1 260 years. And is it not a circumftance extremely re
markable, that the. very fame man, in the very fame year, fhould invade the
empire ofthe latterdiiring a ftate of profound peace, feemingly without any-
reafon ? We know the Turk is to fall, and we have fome caufe to fuopofe the -
period of that cataftrophe will be at no great diftance from the.fubverfion
of the. Pope's fecular dominion. Whether the prefent invaiion of Egypt'
is to bring about that defirable event, a little time- will fhew. I fear we
fhall be on the wrong fide ofthe queftion, if we attempt to fupport either
him or the remaining popijh ftjus, and fhall fuffer.for our intermeddling. -
difperu

§38 A*PPEfcDIX r.,
difpenfation predicted for fome thoufands of years'; and
let them fecond , the endeavours of their Governdurs, and
come forward, man, woman, and child, to defend theni-
ielves againft the common enemy, as they would againft
an army of bears, wolves," andtygers; and we fhall be fafe
under the divine protection, while that protection is afford
ed. But, in my opinion, every 'remaining popifh, fecular,
and fuperftitious circumftance, which is calculated to offend
the Majesty of Heaven, and to oppofe the' interefts of
Christ's kingdom*, fhould be removed from the ecclt-
"0fticalvjart of our Conftitution, . and nothing fhould be left
•pndone to engage his continued favour, and protection.
, The Diffenters and < Methodifts, I have obferved, are
moving heaven and earth to promote the interefts of reli
gion in their feveral ways, and to oppofe the torrent of
vice and infidelity, which is overfpreading thefe happy and
heaven-favoured lands. A kind of affociation has been
•fermed among fome of the eftablifhed Clergy at Mancbef-
tery to preach' a weekly lecture in each others churches.;
which,, no doubt, will be attended with good effect. This
Is a laudable effort, and fhews a proper attention to the cir-
cumftances of the times-}-, and ftiould be followed in all
* What can be more inimical to the interefts of the Gofpei of C h r i s t
m the world, than the damnable monopoly of Church Livings fo ex»
,*?emely common among all the higher orders of the Clergy in this coun
try I ;More than one inftance of this nature is given in the foregoing
papers. To thefe may be added the following. A certain clerical $1*.
lalier, whom I could name, is at this time in poffefiion of 700 pounds a
year private fortune. He is a tippling immoral perfon, with little or no
|amily, befides his wife. One living- he has got, at a good diftance, of
6oo pounds a year, befides two re'&ories, one of 500, the other of 350
founds a year. At the fame time, he has obtained a Prebendary off
eonfiderable value in one of pur magnificent cathedrals. Wili any wife
•man undertake to' fay, that a Clergyman of this defcription believes the
Gofpei of Ch rist r All fuch characters are undoubted infidels in difguife,
do an infinite deal of harm to the interefts of religion in the world, and,
in a well- ordered' ftate of things, would be degraded from their pretended
¦fecred office. Such men may cry out as loudly as they pjeafe againft
Thomas Paine and his <&^?zW brethren— their craft is in danger !— *
tut they themfelves are much more to, blame, ,and fhall be condemned
with ten-fold cOnfufion, Tom Paine is a faint, when compared, with,
•feh fellows.
f See Mr. Ciowes's excellent Sermon, preached at St. John's ' Church-
at the Commencement of the Lcilure.
' , populous

APPENDIX I. gg«|
popttlous towns. We ought every one to ftep out of the
routine of our accuftomed methods of doing good, and
ftrive with peculiar energy to fave our peoples fouls from
death, and our beloved country from ruin. An affociation
of Pmeftant DiJfenters, of different denominations, has alfo
been formed at Bedford*. About thirty minifters in that
neighbourhood are already engaged to co-operate in
fpreading the knowledge of the Gofpei through all the towns
and villages, in that vicinity, upon the moft liberal plan.
The fame kind of affociations are formed alfo in London*
Kent, Dorfetjbire, Surry, Suffolk, tiemcajhire, Chejhire, Der-
byjhire, Northumberland, and will probably in a little time
pervade the whole of the three kingdoms. This is good
news to all that wifh well to the caufe of religion, without-
regard to fects, parties, and opinions; and may convince
us, that the Gofpei of Jesus wants nothing but fair play,
and that human eftablifhments, and great worldly emolu
ments, are not effentially neceffary for its fupport and pro
pagation. The Puritans were frowned on by the govern
ment from the time of the Reformation to the days of
Charles I. and yet they encreafed to fuch a height as to
overturn both Churck&nd State. The DiJJenters have beeri,
in fome refpects, frowned on again from the Reftoration to
the, prefent time, and yet they, -and the Methodifts, who
are in the fame predicament, are much more upon the in-
creafef, than we of the Eftablifhment, who are foftered by
• ConfultMr. Greatheed's- Sermon at Bedford on General Union:
a valuable difcourfe.
f It is faid the Methodifts have encreafed fome thoufands laft year.
This brings to my mind an anecdote that is related of the late Rev,.
George Whitefield, in the reign of King George II. which is,
that when a certain Bijhop was complaining to the King of Mt, Wjiite-
fi eld's great and eccentric labours, and ad vifing with him what ftept .
were beft to be taken to put a flop to Ms preaching* his Majefty very
fhrewdly replied, " My Lord, 1 can fee no other way bur for us to make
" a Bijhop of him. This will ftand a good chance of flopping his wild
« career." If this is the recipe for curing a Clergyman of an excefs of
public preaching, the following prefcription, given by a valuable author
about thirty years ago, would have no little 'effect -iii preventing the
growth and inereafe of Methodifm, — " Let the Clergy live more holily,
*' pray more fervently; preach more heavenly, and labour more di'i-
" gently, than the Metbodift minifters appear- to do : then will Chriftians
" flock to the churches to hear us, as (hey, aow flock to the meetings to
*' hear {hem." the

334 ' APPENDIX, t.
the government, attended by the>nobles and gentry of the
land, and fupported by the Stath, at the expence of near
two millions a year; 'When fliall in once be, that the Great
Ones of the world will be capable of feeing, that oppref-
¦fion, of. every kind and degree, ifor confcience' fake, al
ways produces an effect directly .contrary to tlie!wifhes and
intentions of the oppreffor ?
/The villages in England alone, befides cities and market
•towns, are about 30,000. ..All thefe call upon us for
•every exertion to evangelize them, and to fave the peoples
fouls alive. — A branch off from the Methodifts is likewiffe
fpreading itfelf far and wide, under the direction, of Mr.
Alexander Kilham. At prefent they have about
feventeen circuits, twenty preachers, and upwards of 5000
"perfons in fociety, and are- encfeaftng confide rably each
year. Shall we then, we, the eighteen thouiand Clergy-'
men of1 the Eftabliftoment , who are under fuch fuperior
obligations, many- of whom are paid by the State, at the
rate 'of fome hundreds, and others at the rate of fome
thoufands a-year.; fhall we be all afleepy fit ftill, and* pur-
fue no peculiarly vigorous meafures, each one in our own
, -fphere, or various of us in concert, till deftruction come
upon us to the uttermoft* ? Is not the time nearly arrived
' for the fubverlion ofthe nations? And can any thing
* under heaven prevent our fharing in the common fate of
* Chriftendom, but a fpeedy and effectual return to evange
lical principles and practices ?- Is not our filter kingdom
already deluged with blood ? And is not the alarm of
war in our own borders ! Does not the murderous fword
'draw nearer and nearer every year ? And fhall we Clergy
men, who above all men in the kingdom are devoted to
- the moft affured deftruction, be indifferent to circum-
ftances ? Let, the very laudable conduft of the feveral
zealous bodies of Chriftians in this nation, before mentioiied,
* It is related of the Rev. John Carly'on, L..L. B. iri the Gentle
man's Mag. for Oft. ! 798,. that when his health would not permit him to
reflde upon' the valuable Living of Br-adwell, in EJfix, he refolutely gave
it up, and would not ferve it by a Curate, though entreated by the B'i-
fi-op fo to do. There was not, however, in this cafe that clofe trial of
confcientious integrity, that we have known in fome others ; becaufc Mn
Gat-.lyon was a perfon of confsdcrable private. furiu;.e. not,

APPENDIX -I. 335
hot excite our rage and envy, hut rather let in provoke the
great body of us, the effablifhed . Clergy, to je;ilo'jfy and
emulation. If ever there was a time wlren it was neceffary
to awake out of fleep, and be alive to the interefts of the
Gojpel, furely it is now. It our moft reverend an] n-.-ht
reverend the Archbifliops and Bijhops are indifpolol 1.0-
• Wards a meliorated ftate 'of the ecj-ieft-uical 'V.FP^f the
conftitudon, kt them at leaft lay uikle tiicir arfH :a.,orr of
pomp and fhew, come among their clergy ; pd people,
and let us an example of a warm and judicious, -zeal* in
preaching — not merely a refined morality — but the great
and' glorious truths of the everlafting Gafpek\, in fuch a
way as we can all underfiand and fed. This would have
a ftrong tendency to animate and encourage the pious part
of the Clergy in their minifterial labours for the good of
' mankind, and to difcountenance and overawe the. licenti
ous and profane, thofe dreadful pelts of every neighbour
hood, which has the misfortune to be curfed with their t
-example^. Such a reformation as this, is within the '
'power of every Bijhop upon the bench, whole age and
* See- Bijhop Gibson on the Evil and Danger of Lukewarmnefs in
Religion. , . ' -
\ Confult the Charge of Bijhop HoiTsley in 1750, on the Truths of
the Gofpei.
For the-variovis efforts that have long been making, and are at this
moment ftill making, for the deftruction of all the churches and governr
ments in Chriftendom, fee thofe two very curious and interefting works,
Ro bison's Proofs of a Con/piracy agaiiiit all the Religions arid Govern- .
ments of Europe, and Barro el's Memoirs of J acobinifm.
Bijhop Newton, in his three admirable volumes on the Prophecies,
whicli were firft "publifhed forty or fifty years ago, hath fpoken in terms
nearly as ftrong as any of the foregoing concerning the danger the coun
try is in becaufe.of our national iniquities. See vol. 2. p. 239.
Bifijop Horne alfo hath exprefied his fears to the fame purpofe, at the
162 page of his Sixteen Sermons; to wii.;:h two able writers, I beg leave
to recommend the reader.
J Bijhop Burnet fpeaks on this fubjefl with great concern. ," I fay-
in with 'great regret," fays he, " I have obferved ihe Clergy in all place*
through which I have travelled, Papifts, Lutherans, Calvinifts, and
Diffenters:, but of them' all, our Clergy^ are the moft remifs in their labour*,
jnprivate, and the leaft fevere'ih their ' lives — Un.ei's a better 'fpirit pof-
feffe* the Clergy, arguments, and what is more, laws and authority, will
not prove ftrong enough to prtferve the church "
/ " . ' Ows limes, vol. 4'. p. p. 4,1 I, 430.
".'• health

§35 AfPENOlX X.
health will admit of exertion j and no one need wait for
the concurrence of his brethren. As matters, however,
are now managed, a large proportion both of our Bijhops
and Clergy are, in a very confiderable degree, a ulelcfs
burden upon the public. We not only do little or no
good, but we do a great deal of harm. While we con
tinue dead to the interefts of religion j fubfcribe what we
-do not believe j read what we do not approve i and fet
the pulpit and reading defk at loggerheads one with thq
other : while our dodtrines are unevangelical ; our fpirit
lukewarm ; our minds fecular, worldly ; our ftudies merely
literary, or philofophical; and our conduct immoral;
far better would it be the nation were without us, and all
our preferments fequeftered to the purpqfes of the Statet
as they refpechvely become vacant, and the people left to
provide at their own expence for minifters, as is at prefent,
among all denominations of Dijfenters. In this cafe,
minifters in general would both be better provided for,
the people would be better ferved, the Government would
gradually obtain confiderable fums of money to aid them
in their efforts to fave the country, and all the dumb dogs,
the ufelefs and immoral part of the Clergy, would be fent
a packing, one to his farm, and another tp his merchan
dise*. Can any rational man fay, that this would be a
misfortune to the nation ? Ac leaft, were I in the Prime
Minifter's place, and wanted to raife money for the falva
tion of the kingdom, as it is well known he muft do, I
ihould certainly turn my attention to the property of the
Church.. What need is there that a Bijhop fhould enjoy
public money to the amount of — from two to twenty
thoufand pounds a year ? and for what ? Where is the
neceflity too that a private Clergyman fhould hold a living
or livings to the amount of one, two, or three thoufand
pounds a year ? I proteft my lagacity cannot "difcern
cither the neceffity or propriety of thefe thingsj*. If I
mighc
* Dr. South very juftly fomewhere fays, if my memory fail.me not,
that " many a man has run his head againft a pulpit, who wbuld have
" cut an excellent figure at a plough tail."
f The ingenious Montesquieu tells us, that " the profperity of
religion is different fronj that of civil government, r A celebrated author &y»s

APPENDIX I. 337
might be permitted to fpeak from my own feelings, I
can truly fay I. never took more pains in the minifiry, than
when! had only fixty pounds a year. Since I have been
married and had a family, my income' from the church
has never amounted to an hundred and twenty pounds a
year.' Notw-ithftanding this, I have been, thank. God,
riot only content, but happy. I have laboured, hard,
ftudied hard, and, probably, have been as ufeful, and
well fatisfied with my condition as the fafteft rector in all
thed-iocefe of Chefter. If any , perfon, in the meantime,,
had' bellowed upon me a. living of five hundred or a.
thoufand pounds- a year, to be fure T fhould have been
under, great obligation to fuch a perfon, but I very much
qu'eftion whether I fhould have been made. either a more
happy man, or a more ufefui minifter.of the Gofpei*. It is,
much more likely, I fhould have been very ferioufly in
jured, fhould have compofed myfelf to reft, and cried
with the rich fool, Soul, thou haft much goods laid up for
many years; take thine . eafe, eat, drink, and be merry.
The Qlergy with large preferments are, generally fpeak
ing, the drones of fbciety. They neither write any thing
to good purpofe, nor do they take any ferious pains in
their vocation of preaching the Gofpei. If they do write,
fays', that religion may be well in an afflicted ftate, becaufe affliction is
the true ftate of a Chrifti'ani To which we may add, that the humiliar-
tions and difperfion'of the Church, the deftrudtiori of her temples, and
the perfections of her martyrs, are the diftinguifhed times of her glory.
Oh the contrary, when fhe appears triumphant in the eye of the world,
fhe is generally "finking in adverfity." (
De la Grand et laDecaddes Romains.
Agreeably to this, Bijhop Newton, in his learned , Differtations on
the. Prophecies,' fpeaking of Constantine's open profeflion of Chriftia*
nity, fays, " Though it added ranch to the temporal pfofperity, yet it
contributed little to the fpiritual graces and virtues of Chriftians. It
enlarged their revenues, and encreafed their endowments; but/proved;
the fatal means of corrupting the dodlrine, and relaxing the difcipline of
the Church. Vol. 2. p. 164.
* This brings to, my recollection a ftory of one ofthe Popes of Rome,
who, feeing a large fum of money laying upon his table, faid to one of
the Cardinals, " The Church can no longer fay, Silver -and gold have I
" none.'' — " No,'' anfwered the other, " nor can the Chureh any longer
" iay,r Tak'e up thy bed and walk." Z it.

33& APPENDIX I.
it is ufually fomething foreign to their profeffion'; arid
if they do' fometimes hold forth from the pulpit, it is in
fuch a way as is calculated to do neither much good
nor much harm. Not being truly in earneft for their
own falvation, they have but little zeal for. the falvation
' of others*. A reduction of fome of our church-livings,
an increafe of others, with a prohibition of pluralities^
where they are above a certain value, would have fome
good effect: but, in my opinion, a ftill better' thing for
the real interefts of religion would be, to grant the ufe
of our churches to the people in the feveral diftrifts of
the country, to fequefter all the emoluments to the ufes
of the State, after the death of the prefent incumbents,
and to leave the people to provide and pay - their own
, minifters. This would make us look about us. But ran
any man fuppofe the Gofpei of Christ itfelf would be
a fufferer by fuch a meafure I
* I add here the account that Dr. Hartley, one of the wifeft'and
beft of men, a ferious member Of our chutch, gives of the ftate of die
Clergy, in the year 1.749.
« I choofe to fpeak," fays he, " to what falls under the obfe,ryatiort
of all ferious attentive perfons in the kingdom. The fuperior Clergy are,
in general, ambitious, and eager in thepurfuit of riches; flatterers of the
great, and fubfervient to party intereft ; negligent of their own particu
lar charges, and alfo of the inferior Clergy, and their immediate charges.
The inferior Clergy imitate their fuperiors, and, in general, take, little
more care of their parifhes than barely what is neceffary to avoid the cen-
fure 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 phi
lofophical or -political matters, than to the ftudy of the Scriptures, of the
oriental languages, of the Fathers, and eccleCiaftical authors, and of the
writings of devOut men in different ages, of the church. I fay this is in
general the cafe ; that is, far the greater part of the Clergy of all rank*
in this kingdom are of this kind." Observations on Man, vol. a. p. 4 "Jo.
Notwithftanding what I have obferved aboye, and what is here ad
vanced by this learned man, we have had, hi the prefent age, a few
noble exceptions (o the general rule.

APPENDIX

APPENDIX IL

AFTER what has been faid in the foregoing Papers, I
do not fee how I can, either in honour or confcience,
continue to officiate any longer as a Minifter of the Gofpei
in the Eftablijhment\of my native country. " It appears to
me, in my cooleft and moft confiderate moments, "to- be,
with all 'its excellencies, a main branch of the anti- chriftian
fyftem. It is a ftrange mixture, as has been already o\y-
ferved, of what is fecular and what is fpiritual. And I
ftrongly fufpecl, the day is at no very great diftance, when*
the whole fabric fhall tumble into ruins, and the pure and
immortal religion ;o£ the Son of God rife more bright*
lovely, and glorious from its fubvcrfion*. The feveral
warnings of the Sacred Oracles feem to be of vaft import
ance, and neceffary to be obferved: Flee out of the midfi
of Babylon, and deliver every man his foul; be not cut off in
her iniquity; for this. is the day ofthe Load's vengeance; he
wiU render unto her a recompence. Jer. Ii. 6. — We would
have healed Babylon, but , (he .is not healed ; fqrfakeher, and
let us go every one unto his own country-. Jbid. Ii. 9. — When.
ye fhall fee the abomination. of defolation, f/ioken-ofby Daniel,
the prophet, ftand in the holy place, then let them which be in
Jude flee ta the mountains. Mat. »xiv. 1 5, i6»-^Thefe,are
only remotely applicable to the bufinefs in. hand. The
following is more directly fo. — I hear da voice from heaven,
faying, Come out ofihetc, my people, that ye be not
.PARTAKERS OF HER SlNSj AND THAT YE RECEIVE "NOT
OF HER plagues. . Rev. xviii. 4.
1 * In this happy country we feem to have many and ftrong fymptom*
ef political decay : for ;
" States thrive oi* wither as moons wax and wane,
" Ev'n'as God's will and God's decree ordain;
" While honour, virtue, "piety, bear f\yay,
" They flouiifh; and, as thefe decline, decay.'*
Cow FIR'j Expofi ulation.
Z z In

34* APPENDIX II.
In obedience to thefe injunctions, and Under a ftrong
difapprobation of the feveral, anti- chriftian circumftances
. of our own Eftabliftoed Church*, the^general doctrines
of which I very much approve and admire, I now,
therefore, withdraw; and renounce a fituation, which,, in
fome refpects, has been- extremely eligible. I caft myfelf
again upon the bofom of a gracious Providence, which
has provided for roe all my -life,., long- Hitherto, I muft
fay, the Lord hath helped me, I, have never wanted any
manner of thing that has been neceffary to my comfort.
And though I neither know what "to do, nor whither t&
go,, yet " . :
" The world is all before me, where to choefe
" My place of reft, and P-rovidence my guide."'
This extraordinary ftep thefaeredj dictates of eqnfeieflce
compel me to take. I am truly lorry for it. To me few
trials were ever equal. I have loved the people among
Whom .1 have fo. long lived and laboured. "And I have
every reafbnto be fatisfied with their conduft towards me.
Neither hath the great- Head of the church left us without
feals to our miriiftry. The appearance of fruit, at times,
has been large. And thefe are fome, no doubt, among
the people of our charge, who will be our joy and crown
in the great day of the Redeemer's coming. My friends
* Thom as Paine obfervjes, that "allnational.inftitutiensof churciies,
whether Jewijh, Ghriftian,y or Turkifh, appear to me no other than humaii
inventions fet up to terrify and enflave mankind, and monopolize power
arid profit." • •
The Jcii>ijh inftitation, at leaft, ought to have been excepted in this
cenfure. It was unqueftionably divine* and .was, .appointed for the moft'
important purpofes, and attended with theJnffli|indifputable evidence.
Another author, much more capable ol" judging than Mr. Paine,
hath faid, in ' per'feet conformity with my Own opinion, that " National
Churches are that hay and ftubble, which might be removed withou^dif-
£culty or eonfufipn, from the fabric of religion, by the. gentle hand of
reformation, but which the infatuation of Ecclefiafiics will leave to be.
destroyed by fire, i Coy. iii. 12, 13. Natipnal.churches are that.incruf-
tation, which has inveloped, '.by gradual concretion, the diamond of
Chriftianity, nor can, I fear, the genuine, luftre be reftored, but by fuck
violent effort§ as the- feparation of fubftances fo long andclofely cpn-.
reeled muft inevitably require.'* muft

appendix ii. 341
muft confider me as called away by. art imperious Provi
dence; and, I truft, they will be provided with a Succejfor
more than equal, in every refpect, to their late affectionate
paftor. I think it neceffary to fay in this place, that the
doctrines I have preached unto them for fix and twenty
years, I ftill confider as the truths of God. 1 have lived
in them myfelf, and found' comfort from them. I have
faithfully made them known to others, as thoufands can
bear me witnefs; we have feen them effedtual to the
pulling down the ftrong holds of fin and Satan, in a variety
of cafes ; and I hope to die in the fame faith, and to find
them tbe power of God unto the falvation of my own foul
in eternal glory by Christ Jesus. I mean to preach the
fame doctrines, ¦ the Lord being my helper, during the
whole remainder of my life, wherefoever my lot may be
caft. I am not weary of the work of the facred miniftry.
I have, indeed, often been weary in it, but never of it, I
pray God my fpiritual vigor, life, and power, and love,
and ufefulnefs may abound more and more to the end of
my Chriftian warfare. ,
" Awake, my dormant zeal ! forever flame
*f With gen'rous ardors for immortal fouls;
" And may my head, and tongue, and heart, and all,
«' Spend and be fpent in fervice fo divine.''
¦ " But, if you had fo many objections to the Eftablijhed
" Church, why did you enter into it? Why did'you con-
" tinue to' officiate fo long in it ? And why did you not
" decline it long ago ?"
I will tell you honeftly.— All my habits, and the pre
judices of my education run in favour ofthe Church. My
father and friends were in the fame habits. All my younger
days, I took for granted every thing was right, nor had I
any fufpicions to the contrary. If I had fo ferioufly con-
fidered thefe things thirty years ago, I humbly hope I
fhould have acted agreeable to my convictions. I recollect;
indeed, about that time, to have had my fears that
fome things among us were not as they fhould- be, I faw
with my own eyes, that almoft all the Clergy, with whom.
I was acquainted, were prafficallymon^ at leaft, Between
Z 3 ¦:-." thenv

34s ' APPENDIX II,
(hem and the precepts of the Gofpei there feemed a perfect
Contrail. My mind, however, was but little informed
upon religious fubjects. I was diftruftful of my own judg
ment, and thought it prudent to be guided by the judgment
of thofe, of whofe piety I had a good opinion. Few young
perfons think deeply and folidly, and fewer ftill have
reading and experience fufficient to enable them to form
an accurate eftimate uponfuch intricate queftions. Indeed,
moft men, in the earlier ftages of 'life, are led by the pre
judices of education, and the example of thofe with whom
they converfe, as I was. There is, moreover, fo much
that is excellent in the Articles, Homilies, and common
forms of our Church, that it cannot be a matter of wonder,
if unenlightened and inexperienced young men* who are
either carlefs about all religion, or whofe defires are good,
and intentions Ample, fhould comply with what they hear
fpoken of in terms of high approbation, and fee practi'fed
pvery day by their fuperiors both in age, rank, and learning.
The idea too, that we have left, the Church of Rome becaufe
of her delufions, and are members of a Reformed and JVg-
feftant community, has no little weight with the. larger part
pf candidates for the facred miniftry.
, I am well aware, that many of the moft ferious and ufe^
ful of my clerical brethren are of an opinion very, different
from- me" refpecling the Eftablijhed Religion of this country,
It is not long .fince a Clergyman of this cfefcription told,mey
in a manner, extremely -emphatical, that " our Church is all
" pure and without fpot*." I was furpri^ed at the affer-
tion, from a confcientious man; but I have no material
objection to any perfon's enjoying his own fentimepts in
peace. I claim the fame liberty, and defire nothing farr
ther. Earneftly wifhing fuccefs to the minifterial labours
pf.every good man, whether in the Eftablftiment or out of
it, and without either condemning or approving one de-
. * This brings to my mind a remark that Mr. Wijiston ufed fre,
guently tt> make upon the very learned and excellent Bijhop Gibson,
«« That he feemed to think the Church of England, as it juft then hap-
f pened to be, eftablifhed by modern laws and cuftoms, came down' from
«* Jieaven with the Jthanafian creed in its hand." Biog. Dia. Att. Gib-son.
nomination,

APPENDIX II. '343
•nomination or another, I. obey the painful dictates of my
own mind. Poffibly I am miftaken. If I am fo, it is to
be lamented, becaufe I prefer iny prefent fituation to moft
othersT know of in England. If I had been difpofed to
leave it, I have not been without opportunity. Twenty
years ago, the late John Thornton, Efq. of Clapham,
near London, voluntarily offered to procure me better pre
ferment, if I would accept of it ; but I told him, after ex-
preffing my gratitude, that Divine Providence feemed
to have placed me where I was, and I could not think of
quitting rny ftation, merely for the fake of a better living;
till the time came that the fame Providence fhould call
me away. That time feems to me to be now come ; fince
I cannot any longer keep my church and retain my honour,
in obeying the dictates of confcience. In my opinion, this.
is a providential call to quit my ftation, though I never ex
pect to be fo happily circuinftartced again. I know well
what pain fuch a determination will give my dear people ;
but, with all due regard to the feelings of my friends, I
muft confider, that I am amenable, in the firft place, to
the great Head of the Church for my conduct, and muft,
on the higheft confiderations, endeavour to conduct myfelf
agreeably to his pleafure. After a thoufand defects, both
in nry public miniftrations and private conduct, I can al
moft fay, I have done my beft to promote as well the tem
poral as fpiritual interefts of the town of Macclesfield; and
I heartily wifh my Succeffor may be more acceptable, more
heavenly minded, more laborious, more ufeful, and more
fuccefsful in winning fouls to Christ-
" To all this, I am aware, it. will be objected, that I
" , am taking a very difreputable ftep, and that a vaft ma-
¦" jority of the men of fenfe and learning around me are of
" a different opinion." ,_
Very true. I admit every thing that can be faid on this
fcore,in the utmoft latitude. But a paffage or two of our
Saviour's difcourfes is a fufficient fupport againft all ob
loquy of this nature. Thefe monopolifers of fenfe and
learning muft anfwer for themfelves, and I muft give an
account unto God for my own conduct. I confider myfelf
as a lhadow that paffeth away. I feel the infirmities of
Z"4 nature

344 APPENDIX IJ.
nature coming on, and death, ftands. ready at the door. to
fummon me before the bar of my Redeemer.*. It- is,.
therefore, of confequence we act now as we fhall wifh we
had 'acted then. At that trial, no man can be refponfible
for his brothiT: — Every .one that hath forfaken houfes, or
brethren, or fifter s, or Jather, or mother, or wife, or children,;
or lands, for my sake and the Gospel's, jhall receive an
hundred fold now, with perfections, and in the world „ to
come eternal life. Matt. xix. -29. Mark x. 29, 30.
¦Whpfoever jhall be ajhamed of me and of my words, in
this adulterous and finful generation, of him' alfo jhall the
jSon i^Man be ajhamed, when he fhall come in the glory of
Ms Father with the holy angels. Mark viii. 38.
*< Why are you fo fqueamifh in little matters ? Why
" not make yourfelf eafy, and conduct yourfelf like the
•" reft of your clerical brethren?"
To tell you the truth, candid reader, whofoever . you
may be, I have long and earneftly endeavoured to quiet;
my confcience, and to reconcile it to my prefent fituation.
I have ufed every method in my power for this purpoie.
I have pleaded the example of others, great men, good
men, ufeful men; I have foothed it; I have defifted from
reading, thinking, examining; I have pleaded the wifhes
of my friends, , the ufefulnefs of my minifterial labours; the
difagreeablenefs of changing my fituation, and forming
new connections} the extreme inconvenience of giving up
my prefent income; &c. &c. but after all I can do, conT
fcience follows me from place to place, and thunders in my
ear, What is a'liian profited, if he fhall gain the whole world,
andlofe his own foul? or, what jhall a man give in exchange.,
for his foul? — He that loveth father or mother more than
me, is not .worthy of me; ' and he that loveth Jon or daughter
'more than me, is not worthy of me : and he that taketh not-
Ms crofs and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He
thatfindeih his life Jhall lofe it; and he that Iqfeth his, - life for?-
my fake Jhall find it-.
How would you conduct yourfelf in fuch a cafe? Ac
cording to, the thirty-fixth Canon we are willingly and w
animo to fi.ibfcribe, that the book of Common Prayer, and
of ordering of Bijhofis, Priefis, and f>eacons, containeth ipy. \

appendix ii. - "345
it nothing contrary to the Scriptures ; and that we ac
knowledge all and every the thirty-nine Articles, befides-the
Ratification, to be agreeable to the Word of God*.
God of my fathers! what a requirement is this? Can I
lift up my hand to heaven and fwear by Him that ' livetb
for ever and ever, that I do willingly and ex animo fubfcribe
as is legally required? And can any man living thus fub
fcribe, who has thoroughly confidered the fubject? We
muft fhuffle and prevaricate in fofne things, fay and do
what we will. I myfelf ftrongly approve the general ftrain
of the doctrines of our Church; but then here is no choice,
It muft be willingly and ex animo all and every thing!
There is no medium.
And can I (among ether things which are to be fub-
fcribed) believe from my foul, before the Searcher of
hearts, who requireth truth in the inward parts, and in the
*¦ As to Mr. Pa ley's fcheme of fubferibing the thirty-nine. Articles^,,
as articles of peace, it is all fophiftry, and fuch.as an honeft man fhouhj'
be afhamed to avow. I admire the abilities of the man, but deteft his
recommending prevarication to the Clergy. See his" very able, and popu- .
lar work, entitled, Moral and Political Philofophy, b. 3. p. 1. ch..zz.
p. 180. edit. 1.
Mr. Paley is very juftly reprehended by the excellent Mr. Gis-
born'e. " The opinion which Mr. Paley maintain?,"' fays he, " ap
pears to me not only unfupported by argument, but likely to be produc
tive of confluences highly pernicious.— That fubfcnption may be jufti
fted without an a&ual belief of each of the Articles, as I _ underfiand
Mr. Paley to intimate, is a gratuitious affumption. On this point let
the Articles fpeak for themfelves. Why is an Article continued in its
place, if it be not meant to be believed? If one may b-j figned without
being believed, why not all ? By what criterion are we to diftinguifl}
thofe which- may be fubferibed by a perfon who thinks them "falie, from
thofe which' may not? Is Dot the prefent mode of fubfcnptions virtually
the fame as if each Article were feperately offered to the fubfenberr And
in that cafe, could any man be juftified in fubfcnbmg one which hs dif-
1 '"^o'circumftance, " he adds, » could have a. more direft tendency
to enfnare the confeiences of the Clergy, no circumftance could afford
the enemies of the eftabliflied church a more advantageous occafion of
Charging her minifters with infincerity, than the admiliion of tne opinion,
that the Articles may fafely be fubferibed without a conviction of then:
truth, taken federally, as well as col eftively. 1 hat opinioi. 1 have feen
ma ntained. in publications of inferior note, but I could not, without
particular furpr&e and concern, behold, ,« avowed, by a writer of fuch
.authority as Mr. Pale y." ,.

$4$ appendix ii.
, »
face of the whole Chriftian world) declare^ that "whofoever
<c doth not hold, the Catholic faith" as explained in the
Athanafion creed — " and keep it Whole and undefiled, fhall
" without doubt, -perift) everlaftinglyV''^hi&ne\\\in propofition
we are enjoined, not only to believe ourfeh'es, but to affirm
that we, do willingly and ex animo fubfcribe to it, as being
¦agreeable to the Word of God ; and then we muft openly
pr'ofefe our faith in it fourteen times every year I am not un
acquainted that various manoeuvres are made ufeof to render
thefe harfli expreffions palauble ; but all illuftratiorts and
modifications of thefe damnatory fentences appear to me il-
lufive. Bifhop Burnet has faid all that well can be faid upon
them, but, in my opinion, to very little purpofe. Honellly,
therefore, did Archbijkop Tillotson declare to him,
" The account given of Athanaftus's creed feems to me no
" wife fatisfactpry. I wifh we were well rid of it."— And
fo do T too, for the credit of our common Chriftianity. It
has been a mill-ftone about the . neck of many thoufand
worthy men. To be fure, declarations like thefe defcended
cut of the bottomlefs pit, to difgrace the fubferibing Clergy,
to render ridiculous the doctrines of the Gofpei, to impel
the world into infidelity, and to damn the fouls of thofe,
who, for the fake of filthy lucre, fet their -hands to what
they, do not honellly believe. The truth is, though I do
believe the doctrine of the Trinity as revealed in the- Scrip
ture, yet I am not prepared, openly and explicitly, to fend '
to the devil, under my folefnn. fubfeription, every one who
cannot embrace the Athanafian illuftration of ^t. In this
things the Lord pardon his fervant for fubferibing in time
paft. Affuredly I will do fo no more. Thofe that can do
it are extremely welcome to the beft bifhoprics and livings ,
in the kingdom. I fhould like to retain whaE I have already
gotten, but not upon the conditions required. As an
honeft man, and a man under expectations of falvation,
I muft renounce my prefent fituation, and the little emolu
ments which arife therefrom. There is no other alter
native*. " But,
* I h-ive for fome years made, myfelf tolerably eafy under the damna
tory claufes of the Athanafian creed, by "omitting to read it at the time*s
appointed,

appendix ii. > 347
«f But, you are acting a part extremely imprudent, on
<f account of your family."
True; but then I am obeying the dictates of con
fcience, and, of courfe, the commands of God. And you
know where it is written :— By faith. Abraham, when lie
was called to go out into a place which he Jhould after receive
for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing
whither he went. By faith he fojourned in the land of pro-
mife, as in a ftrange country, dzvelling in tabernacles with
Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the fame promife:
for he looked for a city which Jiath foundations, whofe builder
and maker is Goo.
By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refufed to
be called the fon of Pharoah's daughter ; choofing rather to
fuffer affiitlion wiih the people of God, than to enjoy the
pleafures of fin for a feafon; efteeming the reproach of
Christ greater riches than the treajures in Egypt; for he
had rejpetl unto the recompence of the reward*. ,
" You are already in the Church, and have got, over the
<f huh" nefc of Subfcription. You may continue, therefore, in
" your prefent ftation without being called upon to repeat:
*' the fame painful ceremony."
appointed. But, to an upright mind, this is riot perfectly fatisfactory ;
becaufe we folemnly declare and fubfcribe our names before the Bijhop,
that we will conform to the Liturgy of the Church of England as by law
eftablifhed. Now every time we omit to read the faid cieed, or any
other part of the fervice of the church, yyhen appointed by law to be
read, we are guilty of a breach of engagement. So that, whether we
read the creed in queftion, Or negleft to read it, we are culpable, if we
do not ex animo approve of it. .
* I do' not recolle<St reading or hearing of any inftance fo like unto
this of Moses as that of the Marquis of Vico in Italy, who died A. D.
1592, at the age of 74. When he was come to years, and the know
ledge of Jesus Christ, he refufed to be called the fon and heir to a
Marquis, a cup-bearer to, an Emperor, nephew to a Pope, and chofe
rather to fuffer afHiclion, perfecution, banifhment, lofs of lands, livings,
wife, children, honours, and preferments, than to enjoy the fmriil
pleafures of Italy for a. feafon ; efteemingth'e reproach of Christ, greater
riches than all the honours ofthe moft brilliant connections, and all the
enjoyments of the moft ample fortune; for he had refpeel unto the recom
pence of the reward.
See his Ljfe at large, written by Mr. Samuel Clark, which is ex
tremely well worth the attention of every man, who is in any refped a
fqJFerer for the fake of a good confcience. I have

348 . appendix ii.
I have many years been determined never to fubfcribe,
.agreeably to the requirement of the thirty-fixth Canon, more,
whatever offers oT -preferment might be made me. But,
when 1 reflect ferioufly and clofely upon theTubject,* this
does not fatisfy me. I cannot help confidering. my holding
a church, and complying with all its rites and ceremonies,
as a filent acquiefcence in, and a tacit apprbbation of, all
the unevangelical traits ofthe Church of England, as by law
eftablifhed. While fuch is my fituation, I certainly con-
ftitutea part of the.grand fyftem ofthe anti-chriftian apoftacy,
which, as I underfiand the prophetic Scriptures, is, in due
time, to, undergo a total fubverfion.
" You are quitting a fituation of uncommon ufeful
nefs." Granted : With my views, however> I cannot honour
ably and fafely do otherwife. I believe, and fear, and
tremble at, the Word of the Most High. Befides, God
can do as well without my labours as with them. And if
he fhould think proper, by this ftep, to caft me quite
afide, as a broken veffel no longer of ufe, I will endea
vour to aCquiefce in the Divine determination.
w " GOd doth not need
'-** 'f Either man's work or his' own gifts ; who beft
f Bear his mild yoke, they ferve him beft : his ftate
" ,1s kingly ; thoufands at his bidding fpeed
" And poft o'er land and ocean without reft :
" They alfo ferve', who only, ftand and wait."
If the Church of England retains much of the fpirit,
&nd fome of the fuperftitions of the Church of Rome*, what
is a cpnfcientious man to do, Land how is he to act, under
fuch a perfuafiOn ? Let any perfon weigh thoroughly the
meaning of the following declarations, and .then let him
fay in what manner I ought to aft: — And the third Angel
followed then\, faying with a loud voice, if any man worjhip
the beast and his image, and receive his mark in' his
forehead, or in his hand,, the fame Jhall drink of the wine of
* The late Lord Chatham, in a celebrated fpeech, which he made
in the houfe of Lord's iri favour, of the Diffentets, faid, « We have .a
w Popijh liturgy, a Calvintftic creed, ai*»d an 4xW«}«in clergy.'; the

appendix ii g^d
the "Wrath of Goo, which is poured out without mixture into
the cup of his indignation-, and. he Jhall be tormented with
fire and brimficne in the prejence of the holy angels, and in
theprejence of the Lamb; and the fmoke of their torment
afcendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no reft day
nor night, who worfhip the beast and his i Mage, and who-
Jcever receiveth the mark of his name*. Rev. xiv. 9. — 11.
Are not thefe words enough to make the hair, '" ftand
" on end like quills upon the fretful porcupine ?" We
all read; them,' and 'have read them many times for many
years, and yet, from our general conduct, no fuch paffage
might be found in the Sacred Writings. We Proteft ants
are almoft univerfally of opinion* that they apply directly
to the Members ofthe Church of Rome., The Members of
that Church read them as well as we Proleftants, and yet
we hardly ever hear of a Catholic becoming a Proteftant,
any more than a,. Jew becoming a Chriftian. They have-
eyes, and fee not; ears, and hear not; hearts, and underfiand
not. The Lor d, in judgment, hath fent them ftrong des,
lufion that they Jhould believe a lie. The words are cx->
tremely plain, and exprefiibly alarming; but the force,
of them is always evaded, by applying them to any thing*
rather than to their own church.* — We Proleftants too read
them, and make ourfelves'eafy under the awful' denuncia
tion, by applying them exclufively to 'the Church- of Rome;
never dreaming, that they are, at leaft, in a fecondary
fenfe, . equally applicable, not only to the Englijh, but to
every Church Eftablijhment in Chrifiendom, which retains
* Dr- Dodddridge obferves oh this paragraph of fcripru-re, " Where
I ferioufly reflect, on this text, and how directly the force of it lies againft
thofe," who, contrary to the light of their confciences, , continue, in th=
communion of the Church of Rome, for fecular advantage, or to avoid
the.terror of perfecution, it almoft rnakes- me tremble ; and I heartily
wifh, that all others, who connive at thofe things in the difcipline and'
worfhip of Proteftant churches, which they in their confciences think to
be finful remains of Popijh fuperftition and corruption,, would ferioufly
attend to this paftage, which is one of the moft dreadful in the whole
hook of God, and weigh its awful contents, that they may keep at the
greateft poffible diftance from this horrible curfe, which is fufhcient tr>
ma"ke the ears of every one that hears it to tingle ." , any

§5° APPENDIX It.
any of the marks of the Beafti To me this admits of no
doubt. If I am miftaken, it is my very great misfortune.
My judgment has not been biaffed by intereft, by connec
tions, by inclination, or by any human confiderations
whatever. I have thought much upon the fubject; read
on both fides of the... queftion whatever has fallen- in my
way; converfed with various perfons for the fake of in
formation; fuffered the matter to reft upon my mind for
fome years undetermined ; have never made my fears,;
fufpicions, and diffatisfaction known to any man; arid
now, when T bring near to myfelf the thought of quitting
one of the' moft commodious churches in the kingdom,
erected on purpofe for my own miniftrations ; leaving in
terred by it many a precious depofit, who will, I truft, be
my joy and crown in the great day of the Lord Jesus, '
befides a mother, a^wife, two children, and a fifter; and
giving up various kind friends, whom / love as my own foul,
together with a large body of people, that,' if it were poj- v
fihle, would have plucked. out their own eyes, and have given'
them to me: — rWhat fhall I fay? — All that is affectionate
within me recoils. I am torn with conflicting paflionsj
and am ready to fay with the Apoftle, I could wfh that my
felf were accurjedfrom Christ Jor my friends and brethren,
whom I love in the bowels of Jesus Christ.
But then, various paffages of Scriftture-*— (ill underftood,
fome will fay ) — urge me, on the moft momentous confide
rations, to renounce a fituation, which I cannot any longer
retain with peace of mind. Perhaps it is my own fault;
certainly it is my very heavy misfortune. I bewail it ex
ceedingly, I have received no affront; conceived no dif-
guft; , formed no plans; made no connections ; confulted
no friends; experience no wearinefs of the minifterial
office; the ways of religion are ftill pleafant; I have been
glad when duty called me to the houfe of God ; his Word
hath been delightful; the pulpit has been awfully pleafing;
the table ofthe Lord hath been the joy of my heart; and
now that Providence calleth me away, with fome degree
of .reluctance it is that 1 fay, Lord, here I am. Do with
me what feemeth thee good. Let. me ftay where I am.
: " I gladly

APPENDIX ii. 35*
I gladly ftay. Send me where thou wilt. I will en
deavour to fubmit. Only go with me, and thy pleafure-
fhall be mine. -v.,
" I argue not
" Againft. Heav'n's hand or will, nor bate a jot
** Of heart or hope ; but ftill bear up and fteer
" Right onward."

FINIS.

Lately publiftied by the fame . Author ; and
fold by T. Condek, Buckler/bury, London;
Thomson, Manchefler; Bayley,' Maccksfield:,
and all other Bookfellers :

I. Sacred Literature : fliewing the Holy Scriptures
to be fuperior to the moft celebrated Writings of Antiquity
by the Teftimony of above five hundred Witneffes ; and
alfo by a Comparifon of. their feveral Kinds of Compofition ;
¦with Epiftles and Extracts from fome of the moft . early of
the Chriftian Fathers. In 4 vols. 8vo. Price One. Guinea iri
Boards. . 2 ,
II. Discourses of Several Subjects'. Svo. Price,'
Stitched, Five Shillings*
Iff. Miscellaneous Tracts on Theological Sub
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in Boards, Eight Shillings.

tK*S==

INDEX.

Pag*
A DDISON, Joseph, Esq. quotations from,' - ,7, 8, 171
r*- account from, of an infidel in France, - 17
pleasing death of, 54,
prefers the Psalms to Pindar and Horace, §67
Adqlphus, Gustavus, spent much time in prayer, - ,57
Adrian, address of, to his soul at death, - - 2.86
Africa, inhabitants of, - - - _ 277
Aikins's favourable account of the Methodists, - Addenda.
Alexander, Dr. Disney, conversion of, - - 71
Alfred, King, great diligence and devotion .of, - 44, 57
Allix, reflections of, on Scripture, recommended, - SOf$
Alphonsus, Khjg, read the bible fourteen times over, - 299
Altamont, affecting death of, ». - - 22, 24
America, example of, on religious liberty, -. 147, 14g
inhabitants of, - - - 277
Anatomy,.sketch of, - - - - ' 326
Animals, amphibious, species of, - ' - - 225 <
Anoiiympus, author, quotations from, , 7
gentleman, affecting death of, - 24, 26
deist, conversion of, - - 39
gentleman, wickedness, conversion, and death of,
40, 41
Antitheus,, unhappy death of, - - , - 27, 28
Aptiphanes, an ancient author,, on a future state, - 182
Apostacy,. antiehristian, - 137
.Archdeacons,- .number of, - - - - 77
.Arguments, four main, for- the truth of scripture, - N 104
A^k, Noah's, contents of, - - - 196
.Asia, inhabitants of,. -. *¦ » - 277
Association, of clergymen, at Manchester, - - 332
Associations, of dissenting ministers, - - 333
Atheism, bopks against, - - 182, 18JJ
Atheists Jiave appeared in every age, r - 28P
A a Atheist,

INDEX. Pa£e
Atheist, shocking death of an, ' - ~ - , 103
Augustine, for a devout spirit, noted, - - 321 .
Aukland, Lord, quotation from a speech of, - - 74
Authors, ascetic, devout but superstitious^ - - 321
* royal and noble, since theconquest, - - 222
Aylmer, Bishop, on the character of women, - - 299

Babylon, prophecies concerning, conclusive, - 107j 108
Bacon, Lord, thought of, on deism, - - 86
some account of, - -< - , Ibid.
declaration of, on the gospel, - 24*3
Bankrupts, seldom afterwards pay their credit, - 330
Baptism, 'office of, an hardship on the clergy, - - 160
Barnes, Joshua, read his small 'bible 120 times over, - 297
Bartholin, Dr. awakened -to seek Gpd, - - 274
Barnard, Sir- John, eminent for devotion, - - 3
Barruel, 6n 'Jacobinism, - 335
on the French clergy, - - - 228
Bath, Eart of, devcJted his leisure to prayer and the bible, > 248
Beauties, of scTipture, where found, - -% 262
Beattie, Dr. on the causes of infidelity, - - 303
a fine quotation from, - - 304, 305
Beings, human, nuiriber of, - - 325
Belisarius, begarf the 1260 years of scripture, - 166,175
Belgium, unhappy condition of, — - 233
Bernard, St. hymn of, on the'narne Jesus, .- . - 321
Beza, intimately acquainted with the bible, r 297
Bible, shall he coexistent with time, - -.177
-confirirned by all other books and discoveries, 184, 18.7
danger of" rejecting it, ' > - - - 275
account of one who burnt, and another who rOasted it, 281
a chief means ofthe present learning and liberty, 107, 203
shocking profanation of, - ' - , - 227
read with various views, - - 263, 264
abounds with all kinds of beauties, - - 264
<5he grand Epic, - ' - - 265, 266'
should be- read. in classical schools for its beauties,1 265
atone. free fjrcm human weaknesses* J. - < 321
exhortation to the reading of, " - ._ 289
how to be read with profit, - *. 289, 292
book's of, how classed as compositions, - 267, 269
Bingham, on the ancient Christians love to the bible, 295, 297
Birds,, species of, - - - -. _ 325

Birming-

INDEX.
. * ~^aSs
Birmingham, some account of, - 235, 236
Bishops, conduct of, a niain cause of infidelity, - 75
income of, - - 76
negligent, reproved by Burnet, . - - 79
without secular dominion, in the first ages, - 81
English, frequently hold incompatible preferments, 81>
. 82
should come among their clergy, - * 335
Irish, number and income of, - - 82, 83
and clergy of Europe, a main cause of its misery, 83
duty of, - - - I 83, 84
English, some of the, worthy characters, » 86
some of the, a useless burden, - - 336
frequently oppose zealous clergymen, ,- Ibid.
should preach boldly, and faithfully, - - 335
conduct of, one main cause of the increase of Seetafists* 87,
English, names of, very pompous, ' » 1 51, 152
Blackstpne, Judge, on the constitution of England, - 88
Blackmore, Sir Richard, opinion of, on the bible, - 268
Bberhave, Dr. eminent for devotion, - - - 2
Boileau, M. a great admirer of the bible, * - 242
Bolingbroke, Lord, speaks favourably of the gospel, ' - 5
egregiously mistaken, - - - 802
an immoral man, 66
died a deist, - 273
Bonnet of Geneva, on the facTs of the New Testament, 197
Bonnet, James, Esq. made the scriptures his daily study, 299
Books, in favour ofthe Jewish and Christian religions, 105, 106
to promote the spirit of religion, recommended, ' 291
number of, published in Germany, • - 322
Bounty, Queen Ann's, - - - 76
Boyle, Hon. Robert, entertained an awful sense of God, 184
a great lover of the bible, * - - 243
on the unreasonableness of deists, - - Ibid.
Brandt, Count, conversion of, from infidelity, - -43
Britain, Great, shipping of, t - - • 236
Briefs, Church, some account of, - - 155,156
Brown, .Sir Thomas, a firm believer, - - 242
Thomas, lived laughing, but died groaning, - 253
Rev. John, on the prophecies, - ' - 166
Bruno, burnt for an atheist, - - 27.4
Bryant, Jacob, E:q. quotation from, - - 10,11
treatise of, on the Christian religion, - - 201
observations of, on the plagues of Egypt, 189, 304
Bucef, wished for farther reformation, - - ^146
Aa2 Buck-

'IND'Et Page
Buckingham, Dake of, reproved by -Walter, - 252, 253
pathetic' letter "from, - .- 47,-49
^Burner, -Bishop, obtained the bounty -from Queen Ann, 76
great diligence of, - - 90, 91
opinion of, concerning the clergy, - 94
SKempted a reformation, - - 147
considers subscription as an imposition, - 153
¦travels of, - ' - ' - - 168
on -pluralities, - - - v 237,238
on the corruption of our clergy, ¦- - 335
¦ < on the -Athanasian creed, - - 346
dying declaration of, - - 241.
''Butler,-Bishqp, on a future state, - '->i-- - 251
, c.
"Calvin, John, a persecutor, - - - 220*!'
Canons, oath ©f obedience "to the, extremely wrong, - 154
not a bishop in 'England complies with the whole, 162
*Capel, Lord, eminent for devotion, - - 2
'Carrier, and his accomplices, murdered 40,000 persons, 228
Carthage, *ome account of the destruction of, - 221
•'Carlyon, Rev. John, resignation of, - - 334
Cathedrals, 28, income of, - ¦- 77, 78
'Catholic nations, superstition of, - - 172, 173
¦ -Cdtholics-, present tb church livings, - - 149
hellish cruelty of, - - - 169
number of, in the'world, - - 277
Charles I. great slaughter in the wars of, - - 288
Charles II. a persecutor, - 147
Chancellor, Lord, presents to many livings, - 144
Chatham, Lord, considered our liturgy as popish, - 348.
Chapuis, M. noble end of, - ' - - 229
Chamock, on the national debt, - - 311
-Chesterfield, Lord, sickness and death of, - 19, 22
some account of the letters of, - 21
,two, anecdotes concerning, - 21, 22
convinced by the present state of the Jews, 1P8
China, empire of, said to contain 333 millions of souls, 147
Children, present to church livings, - - 150
2 30,000- murdered in France, - - 232
'Chillingworth, solemn declaration of, on' the bible, • '243
on subscription to the 39 articles, 141, 1-42
^Christ, why net sent sooner, - - 2($0
prophecies concerning, - - 108
kingdom of, extremely glorious, - 143,148
Christianity,

INDEX.
Christianity, said not to. admit of establishment, - 70-
mysterious dodtrines of, no just objection, to it, 197,
o ¦ / 19S
Christians, corruption .of, much Owing to the clergy, ' , 79
knavery of, no valid objection -to Christianity, 99, 100, 197
animosities of, causes of infidelity, - 97,98
number of, in the world, - - 277
Church, off Christ, supposed incapable of a temporal head, 149
of England, income of, - - 76
defects of the, pointed out by Burnet, 112
preferments of the, by money or interest, 153-
objections to, - - 152, 157
Church-livings, monopoly of, a curse to the country, 332
Chiirch-wardens, generally' perjured, - -¦ 156-
Cicero, M. T. quotations from, " Adv. 26 — 7, 198, 301, 314
Claude,'Mon. edifying death of,. - , - 58, 59
Clarke, Dr. book of, on Christianity, recommended, - 257
sermon of, on the incarnation, recommended, 110, 1.1.1
quotation from, on the prophecies, - 123, 124
Clayton, Bishop, on the prophecies, - - 1 66
Clergy, of the establishment, in England, - 75
immoral, do much harm, - 177, 329, 33.0
income of, - - - 76
an eighteenth part of the, enjoy all the best preferments, 78,238
superior, extremely to blame, - 79,. 239, 240
the 18,000, might do wonders, - - 330
negligence ofthe, main jause of the increase of se&s, 9.1
i-niscondiict of, 95
the most pious dubbed Methodists, - 238
as a body, excellently learned, - - 239
reproof of, - - . - 94, 97
dissatisfied, should, peaceably remonstrate, - 163
Clergy and people of Ireland, in a low state, t 83
Clergy, late,.^of France, well learned, - - 168
of France, horribly cruel under Lewis XIV. 228, 229
Clowes, Rev. Mr. sermon of, recommended, » 332
Cobold'"/ Essay on the historic form of Scripture, - 189
Cocket, M..c*cuel death of, -, - - 232
Colchester, Sir Duncomb, conversion of, - 38
Collins, the poet, choice companion of, - - 269
Comets, number of, discovered, - - . 325
Conscience, power of, - - - *273
Constitution, British, equal to any reformation, - 146
a model for other nations,- __ 223,224
A a 3 Cooper,

IN DEI Pagt
Cooper, Earl of Shaftsbury^ some account of, - 66
Cooke, Mr. a deist, unhappy death of, - - 272
Correspondent, some thoughts of, - - 268
Corruption, general, of the country, - - 140
Corporation. Act, - - - - 156
Costard, Rev. George, divides Job into five afts, - 267
Cotes, Roger, high character of,, ¦ -, ' - 88
Cowley, Abraham, opinion of, on the bible, - 268
Cowper, Wm. Esq. quotations from, 14, 15, 16,65, 81, 84, 89,
156,169,170,'254,339
Craven, Professor, on a futute state, - - 251
Cranmer, Archbishop, on the utility of Prebendaries, 145
wished for farther reformation, - 146
a persecutor, - 220
Creed, Athanasian, some thoughts on, - 346, 347
Crimes, 160 upwards, punishable with death, - 140
Crome, Dr. on the men killed and money spent in this war, '311
Cromwell, Lord, could repeat the New Testament by rote, 297
Curates, frequently guilty of non-residence, - 152
D.
Dacier, Madame, speaks' in high terms of the Psalms and Pro
phets, - - - - 267
D'Alembert, said to have died ill, - - 16,
gives an account of Voltaire's death, - Ibid*
Daniel, prophetic dream of, illustrated, - 180, 133
vision of, illustrated, - ' - 1 S3, 134
Davies, Rev. Samuel, quotation from, - - 341
David, King, "character of, vindicated, - 190,191
- Daubenny, Guide to the Church of, censured, - 1 48
Death-beds, the most" edifying scenes^ - - 313
Death, triumphant one, a most desirable thing, - 314, 315
Deans, number of, - 77
Deists, several, speak well of the gospel, 5
mostly immoral, - - - 303
most, believe a future state, - " - 251
folly of, - - > Mid.
nothing can justify, but demonstration, - Ibid.
appeal to, on the scripture characters, - 282
remonstrance with, - 258,283,290,302,307
an ungrateful set of men, - - 258
address to the, - - - 277, 279, 282
many,, earthly, sensual, devilish, - _ 271'
if sincere, ought to appoint missions, - 280
Deist, a conscientious, preferable to a secular priest, 78, 79
Deist,

INDEX.
t^ • ' • Tstge
Deist, curious conversion of a, - . 274
shocking death of a, - , ; , ,,. _ 256
Derry, Bishop of, an unpardonable non-resident, - " ,82
Devil, proof of the existence of, - _ i$\
Diderot, said to have died ill, - _ 16
Dillon, Earl of Roscommon, penitent death of, - 50
Dispersion of mankind no valid objection to scripture, . 200
Dissenters, number of, - - _ 76
making great exertions, .- - 329
weighed in their own scales, a book, - 219
Doctrines, mysterious, of scripture not to be rejected, 197, 199
Doddridge, Dr. on popish superstitions, - - - 849
Lectiires of, recommended, - - 304
Dryden, John, Esq^. quotations from, - - 49
Duelling, aji unchristian practice, - - Pref. 6, 7
Duncan, Lord, prayed before he fought, - 57
Dying scenes, .of scriptural characters, - 313,314
Dykern, General, conversion of, 34
E.
East Indies, conduft of Englishmen in the, - 1 70
. Edward. VI. greatly reverenced the bible, - - 244
Egypt, prophecies concerning, conclusive, . - 107, 108
Elizabeth, Queen, a great lover and reader of the bible, 298
Emmersoii, William, wicked life and unpleasant death of, 1 2
Emperors, Roman, slew 5000 Christisjjis a-day, - 202
England, one ofthe ten kingdoms to fall, - 138
only possible way of its escaping destruction, 139
church -of, eldest daughter of Rome, - - 162
in danger, without a reform, - - 175
people of, very generally depraved, - 235
shipping of, ..- - - 236
annual produce of, - - Ibid.
' annual labour of, worth, - - Ibid.
annual charities of, - - Ibid.
English superior to the French in bravery, - 222
Enthusiasm, lively religion defended from the charge of, 315, 318
, Erasmus, exhorts all men to read the bible, . - 300
Erskine, Hon. Thomas, a serious Christian, - 69, 70
fine oration of, against T. Paine, - Pref. 11,15
two quotations from, - - 74, 99
Establishments, corrupt, of religion, causes of infidelity, 74
Euler, extraordinary character of, t - 70, 71
Letters of, to a German princess, r - 306
Europe, inhabitants of, - - . 277
A a 4 Evan-

I tf D £ %
Evangelists, trie four, have drawn a finished character, T85j 186
Evdeigh, Dr. quotation from, on prophecy**, - 108

Fafts, of the OldTestarrieht, confirmed by "existing circumstances, 195, 196
Fenelon, Archbishop, a most amiable character, - 88
Ferguson, Mr. on Daniel's prophecy, - - 167
Fish, species of, - - - -' - 325
"a cod, produces 3,500,000 young at a time, - Bid.
Fly, a, brings fortrr 2000 young at a time^ - Ibid,
Franklin, Dr. an infidel, - - - 227
France, church of, some account of, - SO
late king of, a worthy character, - - 144
present governors of, somany JehuSj - 228", 2Sf3
French, toots in God's" hand to punish the- nations*, 171, 1 72-, 3 11
philosophers, more cruel than kings or parsons, 202,203
always a brave people, ¦* - 222
now the greatest slaves in Europe^ - 226
by profaning the sabbath are deprived of it, - "227
conduft of, in Suabia and Franconia, - •;< 229
late king of thej died nobly, - - Ibid.
conduct of, respecting the American war, 229, 230
reVolutibrr, a tremendous event, - - , 233
impiety o^,- - - - 310,311

Gardiner, Colonel, eminent for devotion, - 3
called the happy rake, - - 245
G?arzo, edifying death of, - i 313
George II. spent much time in private prayer', - 57
George III. a most worthy character j - * 144
Germany, Charles V. Emperor of, retired from the world, 56
Gibbon, Edward,, Esq. death of, - - 18^19
Gildonj Charles;, conversion of, - - 31, 32
©-isborne, re^eftionsof-, on Mr. Paley, - - 345
Godwin, Mrs. character and death of, - - 270
G©spel, why the "deists cannot receive if/, - 5
, challenges investigation, - - 147, 302
in this country a civil institution, '- . - 148
use and abuse of, ... 151
dpposers of, its vafy* gborl friends-, - 166
intentien of, - - *< - 200
6 Gospel,

I N D E X.
Gospel, difficulties of the, no valid objeftion to its truth,
cause of misery to mankind',
why not published to all nations, -
why permitted to. be corrupted, t
Gouge, Mr. William, read 15 chapters of the bible daily,
Gray, the 'poet, a deist, ^ - - -
had a mean opinion of Shaftesbury,
Rev. Mr. Key of the, recommended,
Grey, La3y Jane, dying present of, to her sister,.
Greatheed, Rev. Mr. Sermon of the, recommended,
Greeks and Armenians, number of, in the world,
Grew, Dr. a great admirer of the bible, , -
Grimstone, Sir Harbottle, eminent for devotion,
Grotius, Hugoj a great lover of the bible,
death of, -
H.
Haller, Baron, death of,
Halley, Dr. a deist through inattention,
Hall, Bishop, a quotation from,
Hale, Sir Matthew, a great admirer of the bible,
Haliburton, Life of, strongly recommended,
Hammond, Mr.
Harrington, Lord John, eminent for piety,
Hartopp, Sir John, made the bible his daily study,
Hartley, Dr. on the fall of religious establishments,
against the eternity of future misery,
a great admirer of the bible,
Hatton, Sir Christopher, dying advice of,
Hell, Heathen description of,
Henry, Matthew, dying declaration of,
Heroism, true, wherein it consists,
Herbert, quotations from, . -
H'erveyyRev. James, glorious death of,
answer of, to Bolingbroke,
• spent his last days in praying over the bible,
Herschal, Dr. vast discoveries of;
Hesiod, fine sentiment from*.
Hill, Sir Richard, Apology of, ¦ - . - #
Hoadley, Bishop, wished much for a reformation,
Hobbes, Mr*, some account of his life and death,
Bobart, Lady Frances,. read the bible daily, ^
Holidays? worse than useless,.
Holland, unhappy condition of, , , -
•Htoinilks, in opposition to the revolution,
recontfoendeii by-Bishop Horsley,

Page
201, 203
202, 203
203, 204 203
299 307- 67
188
297
333 277 242 2
298
44

46 72
261
242 291" 141 2
298
139, 145
195
242
290
-274, 275
Prtf.S
S10, 312
Advert. 20 60
- , 188
269325
293 149 156 8
- 299 89
235 160
291, 292
Horace*,

INDEX.
Horace, quotations from, - , 270, Advert. 25
Home, Bishop, on the iniquity of fhe country, - - 335
quotation frona, ..-_.- - ' Pref. 5
Houses, religious, suppressed by Henry VIIL \ - 97, 98
Howard, John, Esq. a serious believer,. *- - 302
Home, Davids Esq. merry death of, - - 17
an advocate for adultery and suicide, - - Ibid.
authors who have opposed, - - 18
an infidel, ¦ . - - - - -227

Ignorance, extreme of the middle ages, - - 1 68
Infidelity, mostly owing to the Bishops and Clergy, - 82
spread" of, predifted by Newton> - -99
danger of, - - - 178,179
1 books against, - - 276
spreading rapidly, - - - 277
cause of, - - '-" 303
Infidels, of France, spent large sums in spreading their principles, 175
and wicked Christians much 'alike, - . 204
very unhappy and self-condemned, ' - 245, 246
Infidel, enthusiastic, curious account of an, - 280, 281
Insects, species ofx - - - 325
Ireland, state of, - - - - 82, "84
Israel, prophecies concerning, conclusive, - 107, 108
Italy, a store-house of fire, - - 137
, L
Jaines I. a superstitious bigot, - - 146
JaneWay, John, triumphant death of, - 318, 320 :
Jenyns, Soame, Esq. conversion of, , . - ' - 34
Jeta-salem, prophesies concerning, conclusive, - 107, 108
Jerome, St. directions of, for reading the scriptures, - '. 294
Jesus, and his Apostles, surpassed all the ancients, 183> 184
Jewel, Bishop, wished for farther reformation,' - 14S
says Queen Elizabeth refused to be head of the church, 151
Jews, present state of the, a full proof of religion, - 108
number of, in the world, - - 2,77
J&hnson, Dr. exhorted Sir J. Reynolds to read the bible, 45,290
• Life of, by Bpswell, very entertaining,. • > - 45
suffered by neglecting the bible, - - 290
on the death of Hume, - - 17
a good judge of fine writing, » • - 290
convinced by reading Law's Serious Call, -. 291
Johnson,

INDEX.
Ptl^T
Johnson, Dr. death of, -, „ 45
Jones, Sir William, an unbeliever, and convinced, - 263
sentiments of, on the bible, - - 264
pious death of, - - - Jbid.
Asiatic Researches of, quotation from, - 192
Jones, Jeremiah, on the divine Canon, recommended, - Adv. 19
Josephus, on the wickedness of the Jews, - - 166
Judah, prophecies concerning, conclusive, - 107, 108
K.
Kelsey, Rev. Mr. resigned a rectory of 2001. a year, - 238
Kempis, Thomas a, famous for a devout spirit, - 321
Kenyon, Lord, testimony of, to religion, - Pref- 16
Kett, Bampton Leftures of, recommended, - 203, 204
Kidder, Bishop, endeavoured reformation, - - 1 47
Kilham, Alexander, societies of, 334
King, in this country, absolute in the church, - 149
Kingdoms, ten, all to fall at the end of 1260 years, - 138
L.
Ladies, present to church-livings, - - - 149
of eminence, who loved and read the bible, - 299
. Laity, seriously called upon tp defend religion, - 240
Lamballe, Princess of, noble death of, - - 230
Latimer, Bishop, on unpreaching prelates, - 92, 93'
Lauras, Mons. death of, 231
Lavater, remonstrance of, with tbe French Direftory, 292
predifts the general spread of infidelity, - 312
a firm believer in Christ, - - - 313
Laws, English, need improvement, - - 140
Law, Bishop, of Carlisle, a monopolizer of preferment, 80
William, dying speech of, - - - 179
Serious Call of, strongly recommended by Johnson and
Gibbon, - - - - - 291
Le Clerk, on the authenticity of the books of Moses, - 189
a great admirer of the gospels, - - 300
Lee, Captain John, execution and penitence of, - . 39
Leechman, Dr. dying advice of, - - - 60
Leighton-, Arclibishop, excellent character of, - 90, 91
Leland, Dr. John, happy death of, - - . 55
Leslie, Charles,, books of, against infidelity recommended, 1 10
Lewis XIV. an admirer of the bible, -¦ 244
Lindsey, Rev. T. resignation of, - - 14*
Lions, in France, shocking treatment of, - 221,232
Littleton, Lord, conversion of, - - 32, 35
Liverpool, some account of, - — - 235
Livings,

I N D E X.
. , Page
Livings, churchy general account of,. - 75
Locke, John, Esq. anecdote of,, - - Advert. 26
an advocate for toleration, , - - 157
on the morality of the gospel, _ , - , - 262
serious declaration of; on the New Testament, 312
edifying death of, - . - Ibid.
London,, brief account of, - ., 234, 235
Bishop of, an exception to most other prelates, 9,3
Longinus, praises Moses and Paul, * - " 267
Lord's prayer, frequent ¦repetition'of, wrong, - *16L
jLowman,- Moses, on Revelation, recommended, - , * 166
Lowth, Bishop, on the excellence of the Prophets, 266, 267
Luc, M. de, confirms the bad end of Voltaire, „ - ,16
Lust, long indulged, deliverance from, - - 200
M,
Macclesfield, some account of, - 23®
Earl of, devoted himself to prayer, - 248:
Macraurin, on the Prophecies, quoted, - - 119
Madrid, superstitious state of, - 172,173
®fegaziner Gentleman's,, records the death of an atheist, 253
Mahomet and the Pope rose the same year, - - 165'
Mahometans, number of, in the world, - - ,277'
Maintenon, Madame de, experience of, - 249, 250
Mainwaring, Rev. John, on the grandeur of scripture, 266
Malachi, fine passage of, on religious conversation, , Advert, 26
Man of fashion, char after of, - - 101,102
Manchester", some account of, - - 235
Manufacturers, 200,000, always, drinking, - 271
Marlborough, James, Earl of, penitent letter of, - 46, 47
Markham, Rev. G. smartly treated by the Quakers, 162r •
Mason, Sir John,, dying declaration of, - - 46
Maurice, Rev. Mr. neglefted by his superiors, -. 153
i quotation from, - - Ibid.
Mazarine, Cardinal, dying lamentation of, - 47
Med e, Joseph, on the Cruelty of the Catholics,, - 162
M&diatorship^bf Christ, doctrine of, - - 188,189
Melanfthon, a persecutor, ,- - • - 220
Men, black, no valid objeftion to scripture, - ¦* 201
Messiah, divine mission of, proved, - - 108, 130
Methodist, a term of reproach for religious people, - 89* .90
Methodists, number of, - - - - 76, 77
making great exertions,, - - 329
upon the increase, - - - 333
how to check the - Ibid.
account of, by Cecil, -. [- Addenda
Mexico, Archbishop of, possesses 70,0001. a year, - "168
Middleham,,

INDEX.
MSddlehara, Dean of, on education, - - 240
Mill, Dr. enumerates 30,000 variations in the New Testament,
• jg^
Milton* John, a noble champion for toleration, - 157
a devout admirer of the bible, - 243
quotations from, 67, 95, 265, 293, 309, 326, 340,
348, 351.— Advert. 26
Minister, prime, presents to many livings, - , - 149
Mirandula, Picus, a great lover of the bible, - - 243
advice of, to his nephew, , - 320
Mira'beau, Mons. affecting death of, - - 254, .255
Missions, carried on chiefly by the poor, - Advert. 22
some account of, - - - 278] 280
Montesquieu, Mons. quotations from, - 203, 336, 337
Monopolizers of livings, infidels in disguise, - 332
Moore, Dr. John, on the manners of Italy, » - 168
More, Miss Hannah, quotations from, - 258,259,277.
an. ornament to iher sex, and a blessing to
her country, - - 372
"Moses, character of, vindicated, - - - 188
books of, authentic and genuine, ¦ - - 189, 190
confirmed by the history of the East Indies, 192
Muscuins, soliloquy of, before death, - - 285
Mutineers, some account -of, -- Pref. 6
Nantz, murders at, - - - 232
Naples, superstition of, . - - - - 172
Nations, ©f Canaan, destruction of the, vindicated, 191, 192
of Eurape, which -already subverted, - 174,17*5
Nature, vohime-of, to be studied, — ' - 324, 825
Nelson, Admiral. Lord, piety of, - Advert. 22, 23, 310
Newcome, Archbishop, high opinion of, on the scriptures, 194
an high literary, char after, - - 88
Newport, Hon. Fran, miserable end .of, - — 11
Newton, Sir Isaac, painful afliiftion and patience, of, .12
fine anecdote of, - — - 72
4 — -on the prophecies* - 166
accounted the bible the most sublimephilosophy, 243
entertained an awful -sense of God, - 184
found:th£. strongest marks of truthin the bible, - .306
Newton, Bishop, Dissertations of, recommended, - 188
against the eternity of future misery, - 195
©n the rich endowments of the church, , - 337
- on our national iniquities, - •* S3 5
Newton, Jtev. John, -wickedness-and -conversion of, - . 3,3
Nineveh,

INDEX. Page
Hineveh, prophecies concerning, conclusive, - 108
Npbleman, afiefting letter from a, . - - 50,54
mortifying declaration of a, - - 249
O.
Objections to the scriptures, with answers, - 187, 204
to the common prayer, some frivolous, - 161
Okely, Dr. recants his deistical principles, - 306, 30*7
Oldys, Fran, writes the life of T. J^aine, - - 305
Oliver, Dr. conversion and death of, - - 34.
Olympia, F. M. joyful death of, - - 55,56
Oxford, Earl of,- an infidel and hypocrite, - - 227
Orleans, Duke of, declares in favour of piety, . * 56
Ormonde, Duke of, eminent for devotion, - - 2
Orrery-, Earl of, a firm believer, - 243
Ostervald, attributes great blame to the clergy, - 79
Owen, Dr. John, an early advocate for toleration, - 1SY.
Oxenstiern, Chancellor, found rest in the bible alone, 57
P.
Pagans, number of, in the world, , - - - 277
Paine, Thomas, opinion of, on the gospel, > - - . ,5
• illiterate and immoral, - r 68, 69, 205, 305
on national churches, - - * 340
Age of 'Reason of, quotation from, - - 142
challenged to produce . rnbrals equab to the New Testa*
nient, - -'-• - - - 305
on national Popes, - - - - - 152
a man of some natural talents, - - 205
an ignorant and malignant person, - - . . Ibid.
insolently attacks the clergy on their learning,' 206
37, objections of, to the scripture, answered,' ' 205,213
specimens of the insolence of, - - - 214,215
jests of Solomon recommended to, - 262, 263
persuasion of, that he Was right, no proof, '273, 274
Paley, Rev. William, on subscription, - ' - 345
account of the Methodists by, ' - - Addenda.
Parishes in -England and Wales, - . - - ; 75-
Parsons, of all descriptions, too papistical, - - 87
Paris, murders at, --. _ - ' - -• 232
Pascal, spent his whole time in prayer and the bible - 55
Patronage, of livings, brief view of, - ¦- 150
sad abuses of the - 158,159
Patric, Bishop, endeavoured at a reformation, - 1*7'
Paul, St. triumphant death of, - - -, 22
Father, a great student in the scriptures, 298
Persecution,-

INDEX.
Persecution, a sure mark of Antichrist, - - 2)9
sketch of, in England, - 219, 220, 237
Peter, St. -curious anecdote of, - 93
Peterborough, .Lord, Eulogium of, on Fenelon, 309, 310
Philosophers, French, of various sentiments, - 280
Pluralities of livings, very common, - - 237,
Pomfret's Poems, quotatidn from, - - 324
Pococke, - high character of, by Locke, , - - 91
Pope, Alexander, Esq declaration of, - 7
quotations from, - - 49, 204, 248, 249, 269, 294
a believer, - - _ - - 137
Pope, of Rome, duration of, - - - 135
anecdote of, - . - _ 337
cruelly treated by the French, - 165
Popes, of Rome, number ,of, in all, , - - 135,136
however virtuous, to go into perdition, - 144
Popery, a grievous curse to Christendom, - - 97
600 gross errors in, - - , - 145
P— — t, Lord, infidelity and death of, - Pref. 7, 8
Pope, William, infidelity and awful death of, - Pref. 8, 9
Porcupine, Peter, Bloody Buoy of, - - 228,232
democratic principles of, - - 229
writes-the Life of T. Paine, - 305
Porson's account of Gibbon's history, , - 18
Porteous, Bishop, quotation from, on the Atonement, 122
Discourses of, on Redemption, recommended, 275
on a Future State, recommended, - 251
Prayers, for the King, too frequently repeated, - 261
Prebends, Canons, &c. some account of, - - 77
Preferment, large, not necessary to our usefulness, - 337
church, instances of shocking abuse in, 152, 153
Prediftion, a curious modern one, - - 163,164
Prediftions, scriptural, conclusive, — - Ibid.
concerning the Pope of Rome, - 164, 166
Prior, Matthew, Esq. quotation from, - - ' 6
opinion of, on the books of Solomon, - 268
Pringle, Sir John, conversion of, 33
Priestly, Dr. considers all lively religion as enthusiasm, 317
Priests, by their folly, the curse of Christendom, - .173
24,000 of, murdered in France, - - 232
Priesthood, in danger of being subverted, - - ' 174
Protestant states, to fall, - - - - 144
Protestants, number of, in the world, - - 277
Prophets, ancient, vindicated, - - - 191 ,
Prophecies, a ivonderful chain of, in scripture, - 166
a remarkable one, concerning the French, 254, 255
Propertius,

INDEX. "Page
Propertius, quotation froiri,. - i - - *27t>
Prussia, Frederic, King of, egregiously mistaken, - 302
Psalmist, a great admirer of the law of. Moses, ' - 244
Puritans, History of, by Neal, recommended, - 146
Pythagoras, excellent precept of, - «• 293

Quadrupeds, species of, ^ 325
. R. .
Raleigh, Sir Walter, dying advice of, - - 310
Rank, men.of, sometimes the pest of* neighbourhood, 177
Reasons, the Author's, for resignation, - 339, 351
•Reftoriesj.mumber of, . - 75
Reformation, prevented the clergy from amassing the -wealth of
Europe, - - . 168
of England, essential to the salvation qf :the coun
try, - 139, 150
attended with some danger, - 176,177
nature of that contended for, - 329, 338
Reformers, excellent men, and noble examples, 145,. 146
Religion, short sketch of, - - 3, 4
. Jiappiness of, - , - 307,308
singularity in, no disgrace, - 3Q8, 310
the highest honour, - Ibid.
alone, can make us happy, . - - 250
attended with safety, , - - 175,180
Religions, of the world, should be compared, - 276
Renty, JVfons. de, read three chapters daily on his knees, 289
Repentance, death-bed, very dangerous, - ' - . 41
Reyner, a bankrupt, -afterwards honourably paid his debts, 330
-Ridley, Bishop, able to- repeat much of the bible, 297
Rittenhouse,- David, a philgsqpher, yet a believer, 302, 3Q3
Robertson, Dr. opinion of,- on Christianity, - 5
^ sermon of, recommended, - 324
'Rjobinson, Dr. a great admirer of the bible, - 242
t Itobison's Proofs of a Conspiracy* - 335
Robert, King of Sicily, preferred his bible to his kingdom, 241
¦Rochester, Earl of, conversion and 'wickedness of, 35, 38
Bishop of, against all reform, - 89
•Rome, destruction of, predicted, - - 136, 137
jRomaine, Rev- William, read nothing but the bible for 30 years, 30O
* glorious death of, - 61
JtosconUBon, . Earl of, , passage from, applied to the bible, 268
Rowe, Nic Esq. died in the faith* - - 269
Rousse.au,

INDEX. Page
Rousseau, extraordinary life and death of, - *J}8, 31, 27$
fine quotation from, on the Gospels, 186, 187, 243
Rush, Dr. a philosopher, yet a Christian, - 302, 303
Russel, Lord, happy death of, 56
S.
Sabbath, profaned, and lost,' - 22?
Salmasius, dying lamentation of, 45
Saville, Sir George, some account of, 66
Scaliger, a fine stanza, admired by, - - 314
Scarlett, New Testament of, for universal restitution, 195
Scott, Rev. Thomas, conversion of, - - 39
answer of, to T. Paine, quotation from, - 185, 186
Scotland, kirk of, some account of, - 78
shipping of, - . - - 236
Scriptures, law against their being read, - - 299
Selden, John, dying declaration of, - - 57, 243,
Seneca, fine passage from, on Cato, - - 313
Servin, the atheist, life and death of, - 9
Servan, Mons. noble death of, - - 231
Shakespeare's account of purgatory, - - - 26
quotations from, - 92, 177, 256, 274
Sheffield, Duke of Bucks, lines on the death of, - 50
Sherlock, Bishop, quotations from, - - Pref. 9
a fine passage'from, - - 252
Sermons of, recommended, - - 275
a passage from, on the Atonement, 122
Dr. on the Test Aft, - - 156
on Divine Providence, recommended, ^ 199
Shepherd, of Salisbury Plain, read his bible' daily for 30 years, 301
Sidney, Sir Philip, dying advice of, - - 290
Slavery, in ancient times, common and cruel, - 170
Slave trade, in England, inexcusableness of, - 169,171
SoGrates, short account of, - - -8, 261
Societies, for promoting religion, - - 278, 279
Solomon,"sermon and experience of, - 246, 248
South, Dr. two declarations of, - - 270,336
Spain, King of, penitent lamentation from, - - 47
Spaniards, horrible cruelty of, in America, - -169
Spencer, Edmund, fine sentiments of, - 320,321
.Speftator, No. 237, on Providence, - - - 199
Spinosa, died an atheist, '","., „" " ' a\ \-
Spirit, Holy, operation of, defended " by Bishop Pearson, $ 1 5
Stars, number pf, discoverable, - - - 325.
Stackhouse, Rev. T. on the objeftions to the bible,, - 20 J
B b Steels

IN-D-EX. -
... ' ^ge
Steel, Sir Richard, on the death of three infidels, - 50
greatly delighted with the scriptures, - 262,301
Christian Hero of, recommended, - - 31 Q
Sterne, Lawrence,' Sermon of, on Conscience, - 273
curious dissolution of, , - - 103
Stillingfleet, Bishop, endeavours reformation, - 147
Origines Sacra of, ^strongly recommended, 304
Struensee, Count, conversion of, - - 39
Subscription, to the 39 Articles, a great hardship, 153?. 161
' when we go to College, very Wrong, - 154
does a Bishop in England believe folly his own
subscription ? , - - - , ' - 162
Susannah, Countess of Suffolk, read the bible over twice a year, 299
Swendenborgh, strange errors of, - - 218
letter in defence of, fallacious, - Ibid.
Switzerland, overthrow of, r - r- 229
T.
Tacitus, on the three States in a Governqientj - -224
Taylor, Bishop, a rare "character, , - - 88
Temple, Sir William, Burnet's account of, ' - 66
Tennison, Archbishop, endeavoured reformation, - 147
* Testimonies, Heathen, tp the birth of Christ, - 109, 110
- -Theology, difficulties in, - - , - 103
Thomson, James, quotation from, r - 327
Tillotson, Archbishop, quotation from, - - 123
endeayoured'reformation, - - 147
on the eternity of future misery, - 194
'reprobates the Arhanasian creed, - 346
Tithes, originally a usurpation, - - - 1 56
Toleration, unknown for many ages, - - - 157
'' clergy often unfriendly to, - r\ 219
Toilet, an apostate priest, a blood- hound, ^- 224
Toplady, triumphant death of, r - 284, 285
Tribes, ten of the Jews, now jn the East, - 193
Tronchin, Dr. confirms the bad end of Voltaire, - ,16
Turk, fall of, - - - - 331
Turreau's history of the Vendean war, T - 229
Tyre, prophecies concerning, conclusive, r - - 108'
U.
Unbelievers, creed of, - - . _ ioo
Universities, English,' income of, - - 76
Urick, John, great diligence of, in prayer, - - 44
Psher, Archbishop, a walking library, - - 88
VanderT

INDE X. Page
V.
Vanderkfemp, Dr. converted from deism, - 307
Vegetables, species of, - ,- - 325
Vendee, La, murders in, - - , - 232
Vial, the seventh, now pouring out, - - 165
Vico, Marquis of, like unto Moses, - - 347'
Vicarages, in England and Wales, - - 75
Villages, of England, - . - - 334
Visague, Madame de, barbarously treated, - - 223
Voltaire, unhappy end of, at some length, - 12, 16
lived laughing, but how did he die? - 253
dark pifture of the present state of, man by, 180
. W.
Wakefield, Mr. on Bishop Watson's Address, - 233
Evidences of Christianity by, recommended, 189
on National Churches, - - 340
Waller, Sir William, eminent for piety, - - 3
Walker, Rev. Samuel, transporting death of, -' 59, 60
Walsingham, serious reproof of* - - - 253
War, authors on the causes of the present, - 74, 75
Washington, General, a serious Christian,* - -69
Watts, Dr. dependance of, on the promises of God, 206 :
quotations from, . - ' - 6,203,204,259
Watson, Bishop, quotations from, 1, 68, 69, 183, 253, 256, 257
entertains objeftions to the church,' - 162
on the mysterious doctrines of religion, 198, 199
apologies of, recommended, - Pref- 17, 18
West, Gilbert, Esq. conversion of, - - 32, 33
Wesley, Rev. John, spent his whole life in doing good, 302
comfortable death of, - - - 284
Wesley, Rev. Charles, quotations from, 10*, 148, 179, 273
Whiston, William, reasons of/for the truth of the bible, 184, 185
•anecdotes concerning, ' 153, 154, 342— -Advert. 24
Whitefield, Rev. George, anecdote concerning, *• 333
Wilson, Bishop, declines his seat in the House of Lords, 80, 19*
Works of, recommended, - - I9*
Wilson, Captain, some account of the conversion and Voyage
<C « — ¦* eu Ii7y 0\)(
iWabetforce, Wm.- Esq. an able advocate for religion, 321, 322,
Williams, William, Wickedness and death of, - 255
WiUiam IU. constant in prayer and nading-the bible, 244
WiHis, Henry, a farmer, read tire bible eight times over^ S01

INDEX.!-
Pagft.
Witsius, Herman, intimately acquainted with the bible, 299
Wolsey, Cardinal, affeftihg 'declaration of, - 249
a tyrant oyer the church, - - 151
Women, number of, murdered in France, - - 232
Word of God, what meant by the, - - 187
Worms, species of, what number of, - * - 325
"World, depraved state of the, before Christ, - 259,261
men ofthe, ill judges of what is pleasing to God, Advert. 24,25
inhabitants of the, how many, - 277
Worlding, death of, - Advert,. 25
.Wbtton, Sir Henry, a devout reader of the bibles - 298
Y.
Yorke, Henry Redhead, Esq. views of, changed in prison, 307
Young, Dr., quotations from, 4, 167, 178, 179, 244, 249, 270,
272, 302, 304, 317
Z.
Zealots, in religion, causes of infidelity, - . - 73
Zuinger, Theodore, soliloquy of, at death, - 285, 286

ADDENDA et CORRIGENDA.

Q.RAY is spoken of in the 69th page as a believer, and on the
307th page, as a deist. His charafter seems -to have been
ambiguous. He was an ingenious, but whimsical man, yet a
poet of no ordinary rank. •*
The Methodists are mentioned in several parts pf the fore
going pages} particularly on the 77th there is a general account
of the state of their societies. I add here, that Aikins in his
Tour through North Wales, page 148th, has paid that body of
people a very high compliment. Nor has Mr: Paley done
less in his Evidences, vol. 1, page 38th, where he says, — " After
men became Christians, much of their time was spent in prayer
and devotion, in religiqus meetings, in celebrating the eucha-
rist, in conferences, in exhortations, in preaching, in an affec
tionate intercourse with. one another, and correspondence with
other societies. Perhaps their mode of life, in its form sfid
habit, was not very unlike the Unitas Fratrum, or of modern.
Methodists P
Mr. Cecil, in iis pleasing Memoirs ofthe honourable and
reverend W. B. Cadogan, pp. 29 — 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
loquy which is usually cast upon all seriously religious charac
ters by the world. The single circumstance, of their being ge
nerally, I might almost say universally, reviled and abused by
all other denominations of professing Christians, is' to me a cer
tain sign, that there is something peculiarly good arid excellent
among them. The criterion, whereby to judge, which our
Saviour has given us, is, If ye were of the world, the world
would love Bis own ; but because ye are not of the world, but I have
chosen you out oftHeworld,'therefore the world hateth you. John xy. 1 9. It

Addenda et corrig-enbA.
It is said, on the 146th page, that "the very last. improvW)
rrients which -took place in our ecclesiastical frame of thingsy ,
were in the reign of James I."
This is not, striftly speaking, true. There were some few
useful alterations arid additions made in our public' forms of
worship during the reign of Chaei.es II. which" should h'ave
been noticed in their place*, but which were overlo'oked there.
On the 154th page, it is said, " Every young man, without
exception, subscribes, when he becomes a member of either of
tiur English universities, he believes from his soul, ex animo^ihsX.
every thing contained in the Artkles, Homilies, Common Prayer,
and Offices of Ordination, is agreeable to the Word of Cod."
This assertion too is not accurate. Some alterations took'
place in this respeft 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 Faith and Religion, When
he is matriculated.
Page 155, line- 10. " Spiritual Court?,'* — add the words of
Bishop Bur nut, 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 ; arid that the less true' relfc
gion prevails in any diocese, the greater and more frequent are'
the abuses of these Courts. — The Bishop's words are ; " As fo^
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 asi
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 uni
versally dreaded and hated.""
Conclusion ofthe Hist, of his- Own Times.
| .Before the reader too severely condemns the author of this-
Plea for Religion, because of his leaving the Church, and the va^
rious refleftions. he has made upon the Bishops and Clergy, fee
requests- that this work ofthe good Bishop, namely, the Conch*
sion of the History of his Own Times, may be thoroughly read
and considered. The Bishops and Clergy of the land should be
extremely

ADDENDA ET CORRIGENDA. '
extremely familiar both with that and his admirable little book
on the Pastoral Care. It is high time to wake out of sleep-.
The number of persons who declined officiating in the Church
of England, upon the conditions required, in the last century,
was upwards of two thousand. Milton was brought up and
sent to the university with a view to the Church, but when he
came seriously to consider the conditioris upon which he musk
enter, he declined the sacred office. " To the church," says
he, " by the intentions of my parents and friends, I was des^-
tined of a; child, and in mine own resolutions, till coming to
some maturity of years, and perceiving what tyranny had in
vaded the church, that he who would take orders must sub
scribe, slave, and take an oath withal; which unless he took
with a conscience that would fetch, he must either strait per
jure, or split his faith ; I thought it better to prefer a blameless
silence before the sacred office of speaking, bougiit and begun
with servitude and forswearing."
There have been some respeftable persons in our own day,
who have declined entering into the Church of England, from
objections entertained to our oaths and, subscriptions ; others
have complied with all our forms and ceremonies, but have
been obliged to strain and shuffle, and have never known what
peace of mind and a good conscience afterwards meant , and
several others have been so pressed and wounded in their minds,
that they have given up their situations, after they have been
already ordained. The late Mr. Archdeacon Blackburne was
never properly at rest in his spirit; the present Dean Tucker
gives up several things among us as wrong; Dr. Robertson,
Messrs. 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 faft or history,
which have escaped my observation. If such should be disco
vered, by any friendly hand, they shall be acknowledged and
jCprrefted.

the end.

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