in oppofing every attempt towards a review and reform of the ecclefiaftical fyftem, that any further reformation is, to say the leaft, an hopeless prospect, and very unlikely to happen in any time, fhort of the revolution of a century. Precipitation, therefore, would only protract any favorable iffue to the reason- able expectation of liberal men, and expose those who were well difpofed to the cause of reformation, to the indignant refentment of their fuperiors, without forwarding the end for which they la boured.

L

THEOPHILUS. The unpleasant appearances which are distinguishable in the ecclefiaftical hemisphere, seem to determine you to a patience acquiefcence under the impofitions of power; nor does your defpondency find any relief, but in the very diftant hope of further reformation, when you are gone to reft. But a conviction of the great importance and of the righteousness of such a cause, should not be cramped by confiderations of merely imaginary expediency, conceived only through despair, and calculated to cloud the dawning of that future day, when the gospel of Chrift fhall be offered to the world, pure, and without human mixture or alloy. We are, indeed, neceffarily affected by the wretched policy of the powers which bear rule in this world, but we should not be acceffary to their delinquency, or partners in their guilt, by filently fuffering the multiplied grievances under which the church of

Chrift is made to groan, to fubfift and remain without: complaint. So far as we apprehend the oracles of God to be corrupted and perverted, and the rights of chriftians to be defpoiled; it is furely a part of our duty to God, and the best proof of our brotherly love and affection for our fellow chriftians, to call their fober and difpaffionate attention to their own conduct, and to lay before them the fad depredations they have made upon, and the impediments they have laid in the way of, the success of the gospel. For these things we shall be anfwerable before the judge of all the world, if we acquit not ourselves like men, and stand not fast in the liberty wherewith Chrift hath made us free, according as we shall have attained the knowledge of it, and had ability and opportunity of doing good. It is our duty to follow the light and conviction we have obtained, and to hold them forth to others, that they alfo may be benefitted thereby, if fo it fhall feem good to the wife difpofer. of all things.

'I here are in the highest orders of the church, many very good and excellent men, but their very situation is unfavourable to the restoration of the knowledge of the gospel, or the admiffion of the rights of chriftians to their due extent. Those who may be well-difpofed to reformation, may be afraid to meet the obloquy. which would be thrown upon them for their endeavours in fuch a caufe; like father Paul, they may. not have the fpirit of Luther. But I mean neither to

apologize,

apologize, nor to account for the reluctance of others to complete a measure, which appears to me to deserve and demand their utmost vigilance, affiduity, and perfeverance.

This being the true state of the cafe with regard to the great and powerful; it becomes the more neceffary for thofe, whose lot may be caft in inferior stations, but who fenfibly fee and feel the injuries done to the christian cause, to labour with increased ardour in the good work, according as their talents and respective vocations fhall admit.

It has been the opinion of fome very good and very eminent men, that "no effort is loft." History will convince us that a little spark has often kindled a great flame, in a good as well as in an evil work: The great revolutions of the world have, not feldom, had little beginnings. But, the most fubftantial, encouragement of all, is one that is unconcerned in fpeculation, and remains, independent either of fuccefs or defeat and that is, that every man is perfonally anfwerable for his own conduct, and whichever way the world may bestow its favors, it is the wife man's aim to seek the approbation of his God.

But, even according to human eftimation of things, the minds of men should be prepared by the previous exhibition of the weight and justice of the cause of reformation, although time alone can complete it. In the course of the prefent century, the controverfies of Clarke, Whifton and Hoadly, have greatly en

lightened

lightened all orders of men: in our own time, the Confeffional has collected the rays of proteftant light into a focus, which nothing can refift, but the fullennefs of an impenetrable mind: the clerical petition called the attention of liberal laymen to the question of church authority, and reduced it to the lowest credit in the estimation of an enlightened people: the application alfo to parliament for a repeal of the teft law, though it did not remove it from the ftatute book, convinced every ingenuous mind in the kingdom, that the requiring every person to receive the lord's fuppers according to the rites of a particular church, previous to his acceptance of a place of civil truft, was entirely foreign to the design of the inftitutor, a grofs proftitution of the chriftian ordinance, and a very infufficient fecurity to the state.

EUGENIUS.. Your argument, and the recital of thefe recent circumftances in the hiftory of this country, are really almost fufficient to excite a reasonable zeal,. and to encourage perfeverance in the hope of a favourable iffue; which the tenacious adherence to to fyftem, and the filent opposition of great churchmen, fo much discountenance.

THEOPHILUS. I have yet another important fact in modern history, in referve. It is not fifteen years ago, fince we could not have found a place of public worfhip, openly conducted upon unitarian principles in our ifland. But now thefe exift in our capital,

and

and in feveral parts of this kingdom, and of Scotland.

EUGENIUS. This is certainly more than a prefumption that a better spirit prevails abroad in these our times, than in the days of our forefathers. The opening such places of public worship, and the public avowal of the fame fentiments in places which had been before appropriated to the fame purpose, reflect much honour on our nation, and also on the minifters and congregations concerned in them; for it fhews not only that a tolerant spirit prevails in our land, but affords an example that there are men, who, being perfuaded of the proper and abfolute unity of the object of divine worship, will offer up their prayers to God alone, in fincerity and truth, according to their own apprehenfion.

THEOPHILUS. A little time ago, you told me that you thought that the evil of impofing articles of faith was greatly diminished by being restrained to ministers, and graduates of the two english univerfities. This apparent limitation does in no wife reconcile me to the impofition, nor does it, as I think, much leffen the ill confequences of that unholy practice. For, if you will allow yourself to reflect a moment on the intimate connection which fubfifts between the people and their minifter, and that what the one affents to, as the engagement of his faith, and is bound to teach, the other will be obliged to hear; you will think both parties greatly affected by

them.