be carried into a criminal lethargy or timidity. They are qualities, which, if indulged with eafe and fupineness, may become hurtful; but, if brought forward into action, will greatly contribute to the happiness of mankind, and will appear particularly amiable, and eminently useful in theological controverfy.

You will, therefore, excufe me, if, with the fame temper of mind, I fhould vindicate the demands which truth makes upon every inquifitive mind; and infift that there lies an obligation upon every man to take her by the hand, and to accompany her wherefoever fhe fhall lead him. In this fentiment, I apprehend that the prefent peace of mind and future happiness of my fellow chriftians are most effentially ferved; and that without a cool and difpaffionate, but inflexible, adherence to truth and integrity in all the public (religious, civil, and focial) intercourses of human life, men become highly blameable before God, and fail to ferve their generation, and that of their children after them, in their best and most valuable interefts.

EUGENIUS. My affection for truth would, I truft, support me under any perfecution in her fervice. But, as we may difagree in the eftimate we may form, and the neceffity we may fe of pursuing her, in certain cafes; let us proceed to difcufs a queftion which cannot but be interesting, and may be useful to us both.

THEOPHILUS.

THEOPHILUS. I will moft readily accept your challenge; and examine the obligation of truth, as it affects religious opinions and the public profeffion of them, which is the fubject more particu larly before us, and which will immediately apply. to the fituation in which we both stand.

You have acknowledged that "the church of England maintains fome doctrines which you confider as unfcriptural." It muft, therefore, follow, that in your opinion fhe ought to reform herself in these refpects. The governors of the church ought most certainly to enter on this good work, from time to time, as occafion is found to require.. But it has been the practice not only of the English. church, but of all established churches, to protract the work of reformation. Whether from an unwillingness to confefs themselves in an error, or from any fear of the lofs of the lucrative endowments which are appendant to established opinions, I cannot fay, but it is a fact, that they have been fo invariably averse to reformation, that they have ever moft tenaciously retained their respective systems, as long as they could; and indeed have feldom, if ever, been driven out of them, but by civil commotions, or by fome caufe originally foreign, and feemingly inadequate to fuch an effect.

But further; the very claim of a right to establish human formularies of religious faith and doctrine, is fo directly contrary to the design and spirit of the

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gospel,

gospel, that it is astonishing that men could ever dare thus to arrogate to themselves that power, to which they had no right; and it is still more aftonishing that mankind have permitted fuch a grofs ufurpation of their dearest and most valuable privilege. But what intolerant men have impofed, indolent and wordly-minded men have fubmitted to.

It is even yet more wonderful, that when the papal authority was expelled from these kingdoms, and feveral of the doctrines of the church of Rome were difowned and rejected, as burdens too grievous to be borne, the reformers only transplanted that authority from papal into regal hands; and all thofe doctrines which were admitted by the principal actors in that fcene (themselves involved in the darkness and fuperftition of their age) were retained in our reformed church. While nothing feems more plain to the humbleft capacity, than that the fame arguments which applied to the power of the church of Rome, would apply to the fame power in the church of England, or in any other church. It is equally obvious, that if there remained any right in the proteftant community to impofe one opinion, there exifted the fame right to impose fifty, or five hundred.

EUGENIUS. You do not, furely, mean to infinuate that the fpirit of the church of England is as intolerant as that of the church of Rome; or

that

that the grofs doctrines of the latter are not infinitely more objectionable than those of the former.

1

THEOPHILUS. I not only mean to infinuate, but to infift and prove, that the character of intolerance (which is the marked character of Anti-chrift) is not confined to papal Rome, but tranfferred into every church, which lords it over God's heritage, and teaches for doctrines the commandments of men. I decline the ufe of all hard names: but while the argument applies with equal force against the claims and practice of all churches, I do not think it confiftent with justice, to appropriate it to one church, only because I shall be joined in fuch appropriation by another: it ought to be applied to all churches alike, which fhall alike remain fo far unreformed as to fall within its reach.

EUGENIUS. This must be granted to be fair rea foning; and, as we are told that "many antichriftsfhall arife," it will deferve the most serious attention of every fociety of chriftians, by whatever name they may be pleased to diftinguish themselves, to take efpecial care that they come not under that description, or fuffer wreck upon that rock, which has been fo fatal to their brethren. As proteftants pretend not only to have discovered, but to be directed by, the light and liberty of the gospel, which lay hid and conccaled under the corruptions of popery, through a long night of darkness and ignorance; and, in confequence of that discovery, to have publicly protested E 3

against

against the abominations and the intolerance of the church of Rome, it is certainly more blameable in them, and directly fubverfive of the foundation principles of their own caufe, to affume to themselves that authority which they do not allow to others.

THEOPHILUS. It was this inconfiftent behaviour of the protestants which gave occafion, very foon after their feparation from the church of Rome, to the reproachful obfervation of their adverfaries, which was couched in the question, "Where was your religion before the time of Luther?"

The proper anfwer to the reflection intended by this inquiry, is, that it might be found in the bible, where it still remains: for "the bible, and the bible only, is the religion of proteftants." The question has a popular caft with it; and the charge conveyed in it, can only be wiped away by an improved and more confiftent conduct in protestants themselves: for while fo many of the fame features are discernible in both communions, they confpire to form that refemblance which we generally denominate " a family likenefs."

EUGENIUS. Thefe, obfervations tend to prove, what I before virtually admitted, that a further reformation of the doctrines and pretenfions of the esta blished church is much wanted. But of the expedience of fuch a measure, I am not so fully fatisfied. The fpiritual governors of the church, and the civil governors of the state, are fo closely leagued together,