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labours may be fo far fuccessful, that I may be an inftrument of promoting his fole worship, and at the fame time, ferve the great end of the gospel, in encouraging and exciting myself and others to piety and all virtue.

I have been led to fay thus much concerning myself, in order to ftate the motives and reasons of my finally quitting or departing from, the eftablished church; and to convince others, that fuch my withdrawing from it, is not the confequence of an hafty and undigested thought, but of much careful examination and ferious reflection, and of an earnest defire to worship God, according to what I am now fully perfuaded is agreeable to his own directions in the fcriptures. The difficulties and embarraffments of my mind have, for a long time, been well known to feveral of my more intimate and much efteemed friends. Nor have there been wanting fome, who, while they felt for all my uneasiness, affectionately fympathized alfo with me in respect of the many particular circumstances which attended my fituation, but which it is not neceffary here to relate.

It may probably hence arife, that I may expofe myself to fome misconstruction and evil report, as even perfons the most unprejudiced in these matters, from the nature of the cafe, are unable to judge quite right, or decide for others. Nevertheless, I can fafely fay, that I take with me the most entire approbation of my own mind. And it is impoffible to to regulate our conduct, as to fatisfy the difcordant

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cordant and contradictory opinions of mankind. I have complied with the established forms of religious worship full as long as I could excuse myself therein; fo that my continuance in the church unto this time, and my present separation from it, fhould equally bespeak a patient hearing, and candid judgment, from the firmeft friend to the established doctrines. Whatever names of reproach may be given on the present, or on fimilar occafions, I am well fatisfied that there is no guilty herefy, nothing wrong, in following the convictions of my own mind, after a full examination; and, moreover, that there would have been great hypocrify in continuing any longer to conform to a mode of worship quite contrary to my convictions.

It has ever been my defire and practice, in the courfe of my ministry, to explain the great truths of christianity, and thence to enforce and prefs upon my hearers the moral duties of the gospel, and the indifpenfible neceffity of a virtuous and holy life; to remind them, that to live foberly, righteously, and piously, in this present world, to fear God and keep his commandments, to love our neighbour, and affist him by all kind offices, are among the things firft needful, and of the greatest importance.

I make no doubt, but the time will come, when the forms of worship in the liturgy of the church of England will be corrected, and reduced nearer to the ftandard of fcripture. But, alas! this will not be the work of my day. This generation will pro

bably

bably pass away without feeing it. In the mean time, individuals muft fatisfy themfelves in their compliance with the present fyftem, according to their different apprehenfions of the truth of it, or feek their relief by peaceable retirement from a church, with which they are not agreed in the object of religious worship. In either of these cases, there is no juft occafion given for reproach. The concern is perfonal, and confined to the confcience of every individual; over which, neither the magiftrate, nor any private persons, fingle or affociated, have any authority.

To You, the parishioners of Swinderby, among whom I have lived in entire harmony, and to whom my labours in the miniftry have been chiefly devoted; to you, I would say in particular, that I leave you, my honest affectionate neighbours, with regret; but fincerity towards God requires it, and this you will always think right, and to be followed. May you remember, and improve, by my late conftant endeavours to inftruct you according to the revealed will of God! I hope you will continue to go forward in the knowledge and obedience of the gospel of Jesus Chrift, framing your lives and conversation by it, as I alfo will ftrive to do; fo fhall we secure a meeting again in the future everlasting kingdom of God, the father of all the families of the earth: To whom be glory, both now and for ever. Amen.

A

LETTER

то THE

REVEREND MR. D

BY A LAY M A N.

1775.

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