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Mr. W. p. 391, in reply to the charge that "his fyftem is too ftrict, and that, if it were generally to prevail, the bufinefs of the world "could not go on," obferves, amongst other things, that "if chriftianity, fuch as we have reprefented it, "were generally to prevail, the world, from being "fuch as it is, would become a scene of general peace and profperity, and, abating the chances and "calamities which flesh is infeparably heir to, would "wear one unwearied face of complacency and "joy." It is indeed probable that, if even Mr. W.'s chriflianity were to prevail, the world would be better and happier than it is; but that it would “wear an unwearied face of complacency and joy," I can never credit, fo long as any correct ideas of juftice and benevolence fhould remain in the human mind. The stern character of Mr. W.'s God must ever be a fource of anxiety and terror, which the oppofite character of a fecond divine perfon could

to ferve the purposes of party, they have been fo affiduously and falfely represented. Reveilliere Lepeaux is a member of the Theophilanthropic Society-a religious community lately introduced into France, whofe common principle is a belief in the exiftence, perfection, and providence of God, and in the doctrine of a future life; and whofe rule of morals is, love to God, and good will to men. This fect is in a very flourishing state; its profeffed principles comprehend the effence of the christian religion. But, not admitting the refurrection of Chrift, the Theophilanthropies deprive themfelves of the only folid ground on which to build the hope of a future existence.

as

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never completely relieve. But all the happy confequences which Mr. W. afcribes to chriftianity, reprefents it, would certainly follow, from the univerfal prevalence of the religion of Jefus, as reprefented in the New Testament.

It is with equal truth and fpirit that chriftianity is described in the following pages, as of the highest advantage to political focieties, in recommending virtuous industry, in producing a benign effect upon national character, in encouraging true patriotism, and fuppreffing a felfifh fpirit; and it is juflly obferved in the conclufion, p. 406, "that the chrifti"anity which can produce effets like thefe must be "real, not nominal, deep, not fuperficial."

Mr. W. reprefents, p. 408, the "revival of vital "chriftianity," which, as he explains it, is the prac tical belief of the articles, homilies, and liturgy of the church, as the only effectual means of strengthening the church establishment; for "the anomaly "will not much longer be borne, of an establish"ment, the actual principles of the bulk of whofe "members, and even teachers, are fo extremely dif. "ferent from thofe which it profeffes." This is indeed an alarming reprefentation, from high authority, of the danger of the church. For, few thinking perfons, befides the pious author of the Practical View, expect the return of fuch an age of darkness, as to produce a general belief of all that is contained in obfolete articles, homilies, and creeds.

I doubt

I doubt whether even his own faith, large as it is, extends quite so far. But let Mr. W. be comforted. The cafe may not be fo defperate as he imagines. He may learn, perhaps, from the Right Reverend Bench itself, and certainly from the orthodox chriftians of Birmingham, that there are other ways of fupporting an establishment, befides a real perfuafion of the truth of its doctrine; and I strongly fufpect, that the prelate of Rochester would fmile at the honest simplicity of the member for Yorkshire, in fuppofing that a fincere faith in creeds and homilies is at all neceffary to the permanent profperity of a national church.

The author goes on to obferve, p. 409: "The "kind of religion which we have recommended, “whatever opinion may be entertained concerning its "truth, and to fay nothing of the agency of divine "grace, must at least be conceded to be the only one "which is at all fuited to make impreffion upon the "lower orders, by strongly interesting the paffions "of the human mind." Who the perfons may be, that are fo ready to make the extraordinary concef fions contained in the preceding paragraph, Mr. W. best knows. I do not indeed wonder that they whe believe with him, that all men by nature are "tainted "radically, and to the very core, with fin;" that even the elect would not have been saved, unless one God had died to fatisfy the juftice and appease the wrath of another; and that none of the hapless race

of

of Adam can do any thing to extricate themselves from the wretched condition in which their Creator placed them, till they are regenerated, and new-created, by a third God, who is at the fame time one with, and diftinct from, the other two; I do not, I fay, wonder, that a perfon who believes all this, and who fees the great effect which such ftupendous myfteries produce upon the ignorant multitude, should imagine that such a religion is the only one fuited to make impreffion upon the lower orders. But, that any person admitting the divine authority of the christian revelation, and regarding these doctrines as irrational, unfcriptural, and antichriftian, fhould make the conceffion here supposed, appears most unaccountable and incredible. In the Acts of the apostles we read, that at one time "three thousand

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were converted;" at another "five thoufand;' that "multitudes believed in the Lord, both of men "and women;" and that "myriads of jews in par"ticular profeffed the chriftian faith." But certainly a man would be much at a lofs to discover thefe "peculiar doctrines" in the apoftolical difcourfes recorded in that history*; and to affert that they were introduced by the apoftles in their preaching, although omitted by their hiftorian, would be a moft arbitrary and unwarrantable affumption. The genuine doctrines of the gofpel, which are indeed

See Dr. Toulmin's Letters on the Practical Efficacy of the Unitarian Doctrine.

too

too fimple and fublime to work powerfully and inftantaneously upon the grofs paffions of the uninformed multitude, but which, when duly attended to, will ftrongly intereft the best affections both of the learned and the unlearned, will most affuredly be found fufficiently efficacious, in the hand of Divine Providence, to accomplish their proper effect at the proper time, and they need no human additions to render them more interesting to the human paflions.

I am, Madam, &c.

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Whether popularity be a criterion of Truth. The best means of oppofing Atheism and Immorality. Stability of an Established Church.

MADAM,

OUR author feems to regret, p. 409, "that the

"

reign of prejudice, and even of honeft prepoffef"fion, and of grateful veneration, by which," as he obferves," almost any system may be fupported, is

no more." And indeed with reafon : for when established prejudice, and unreasonable prepoffeffion, however honeft, is removed, it is much to be apprehended that his "peculiar doctrines" will not long maintain

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