ESTATES--ENDOWMENTS--SUBSCRIPTIONS-FOR. the use of schools-UNIVERSITIES MINISTERS

ABLE-AND disable-POOR, &c.-PRIVATE property large-FOR their religion keeps them from many expensive vices.-NONCONFORMITY keeps them from many heavy episcopal exactions

CLERICAL feasts-SUBSCRIPTIONS MISSIONS -&c.-RELIGION also makes them frugal-IN

DUSTRIOUS

AND commercial -so that their property is more than equal to their wants.

CHURCH POLITY.

THE wisest in the world for six reasons.-1. IT is unconnected with every thing except religion.--2. Ir is unsupported by irreligious motives—AND left wholly to conscience-so that it is by principle-OR it is not at all.-3. SCRIPTURE is sole law. 4. CONSCIENCE is its own judge of the sense of scripture AND thus the source of virtue is kept clean.-5.COERCION of all kinds is inadmissible.-6. IT despises the cant of heresy-SCHISM THE church -EASE to doubting consciences-CONVENTICLES-SPIRITUAL lords→→ COURTS-LAWS-&c.-BY all which their ancestors were spiritualized out of their lives by faggots and fires.-THE nonconformists are - WITH all their infirmities THE excellent. of the earth, in whom is all our delight-PEACE is within their walls-PROSPERITY in their palaces!

CLERGY

LECTURE XII.

From the Revolution to the accession of
George III.

WILLIAM III. was a serious-GRAVE presbyterian a friend to religious liberty.—HE passed the act of toleration-AND proposed a comprehension of his protestant subjects-BUT all his good designs were frustrated by prelates-PRIESTSAND tories-WHO were all enemies to the revolution-SOME of them non-jurors-AND who defeated every design of liberty by the old artifice— PROPOSED by Tillotson-or ecclesiastical commissions AND convocations.-THEIR attachment to arbitrary principles was dangerous to churchAND state AND their conduct to a presbyterian deliverer-AND to nonconformist coadjutorsCOLOURED With the blackest villany--AND ingratitude.

QUEEN Anne went as she was led.-IN her first years she pursued the late king's measures→→ IN her last those of the tories-AND intolerant prelates. DURING both these reigns the ruling clergy pursued intolerant measures- UNDER specious pretences of moderation-THEY veered about to all points of the compass-SAID and unsaid-DID and undid—BUT never departed from their own worldly interest.

REFLECT on the characters of the prelates of those times-TILLOTSON-TENNISON-STIL

LINGFLEET

SHERLOCK-&c.-REMARK the

cant of THE church-THE clergy-DISSENTING teachers-CONVENTICLES-SCHISM

-

REASON

SCRUPULOUS consciences-&c. DISTINGUISH between constitutional and accidental deformity. -DISSENTERS may be accidentally intolerantBUT episcopacy is constitutional dominion over conscience- HENCE Burnets-AND Hoadlys→→→→ AND other tolerant prelates-PREACH rightlyBUT in vain-NOBODY is relieved by their declamations—THEY live down their own doctrineFIND apologies-AND salvos-AND subtil distinctions necessary—AND do much damage to religion by inventing and publishing them.

THE accession of the present royal family was favourable to liberty.-THEIR majesties have always protected the toleration-BEFRIENDED the dissenters AND execrated intolerance- BUT prelacy has hitherto defeated all liberal attempts towards religious liberty.-CHARACTERS of Archbishops Wake-POTTER-HERRING-SECKER→→→ ALL of whom have risqued christianity to preserve the establishment-HAVE striven to lose rather than to answer arguments for religious libertyAND have uniformly aimed to discountenance free inquiry AND to disguise AND perpetuate churchtyranny—AND this under the auspices of the best of princes--WHO have placed their glory in the felicity of their subjects.

--

PRESENT state of the dissenters is servile to episcopalians-LAWS that concern them divided into three classes—THE first disqualify our gentry

AND

-RICH merchants MANUFACTURERS tradesmen-AND deprive them of civil rights.THE second oppress our ministers with oaths— FINES SUBSCRIPTIONS AND penalties of several cruel kinds.-THE third oblige our schoolmasters to conform against conviction-AND conscience AND spend their malevolent force on our innocent children-BY dooming them to ignorance—OR error and vice.-THUS by tithes actually paid-AND by gains denied-DISSENTERSWHO are spoiled by episcopal tyranny-CONTRIBUTE more in proportion to the support of it than they do wнo profit by it.

1

SUM up the whole by observing―THAT popery is despotism in the highest degree-THAT prelacy is popery restrained by civil power-THAT nonconformity is reason and religion-FRIENDLY to civil polity- AND hostile only to a constitution of tyranny-AND not to those, who support it.THAT monarchy would stand safer without the incumbrance of episcopacy—THAN with it.—THAT the entire abolition of prelacy is to be effected without any civil inconvenience AND with great advantages to the nation—AND to religion.-THAT the claim of dominion over conscience is an usurpation of Christ's prerogative-THAT his gospel is calculated for the destruction of it-THAT in God's due time it will effect it, according to the sure word of prophecy.-THAT till then the servants of Christ must prophesy in sackcloth-AND that they who do so merit the highest esteem here AND will shine with peculiar glory hereafter,

THE MANNER OF USING THESE NOTES.

WE will suppose a number of young persons, more or less, assembled and seated in the meeting vestry, the minister's house or some convenient room borrowed or hired for the purpose, at six o'clock. We will suppose each to have in his pocket this lecture-book interleaved with blankpaper; a pencil for the purpose of adding on the blank leaves additional thoughts, arguments, and references, to be made by the minister; and Mr. Palmer's Catechism for the sake of ampler enlargements on topics only just touched in these

notes.

We will suppose--that the minister enters precisely at the appointed time-that he silently pay his respects to the company and they to him- that he then goes to a small desk at the upper end of the room-kneel down with the company and beg in a short prayer the blessing of God on his endeavours-and then stand up and deliver his lecture-his auditors standing or sitting as they think proper.

Far be it from me to presume to dictate, or even to imagine that these rules are important, or the book itself necessary to our ministers. I have only put down their own thoughts to spare them the trouble of doing so, and to direct and assist our young people, who may be desirous of information on the most minute articles of form as well as power of acquiring religious knowledge. I trust these young catechumens will forgive my freedom.