miniftering to the pride, the avarice, and the ambition of those who wished to be confidered as its guardians, and who avowed themselves its profeffors, would extort a cenfure from men more attached probably to church authority than yourfelf: not that I think it either a very candid, or a very useful undertaking, to be folely and industriously engaged in portraying the characters of the profeffors of Christianity in the worst colours; it is not candid, becaufe "the ́ great law of impartiality, which ob liges an hiftorian to reveal the imperfections of the uninfpired teach. ers and believers of the gofpel," obliges him alfo not to conceal, or to pass over with niggard and reluc-tant mention, the illuftrious virtues of thofe, who gave up fortune and

fame,

3

fame, all their comforts, and all their hopes in this life, nay, life itfelf, ras ther than violate any one of the precepts of that gofpel, which, from the testimony of infpired teachers, they conceived they had good reafon to believe; it is not useful, because "to a careless obferver" (that is to the generality of mankind)" their faults may feem to caft a fhade on the faith which they profeffed ;" and may really infect the minds of the young and unlearned especially, with prejudices against a religion, upon their rational reception or rejection of which, a matter of the utmost importance may (believe me, Sir, it may, for aught you or any perfon elfe can prove to the contrary) entirely depend. It is an eafy matter to amufe ourselves and others with the immoralities of

3

priests

priests and the ambition of prelates, with the abfurd virulence of fynods and councils, with the ridiculous doctrines which vifionary enthufiafts or interested churchmen have fanctified with the name of Chriftian: but a display of ingenuity or erudition upon fuch fubjects is much mifplaced;, fince it excites almoft in every perfon, an unavoidable fufpicion of the purity of the fource itself, from which fuch polluted streams have been derived. Do not mistake my meaning; I am far from wifhing, that the clergy should be looked up to with a blind reverence, or their imperfections screened by the fanctity of their function, from the animadverfion of the world; quite the contrary: their conduct, I am of opinion, ought to be more nicely fcrutinized, and their devia

deviation from the rectitude of the gospel more feverely cenfured, than that of other men; but great care fhould be taken, not to represent their vices, or their indifcretions, as originating in the principles of their religion. Do not mistake me: I am not here begging quarter for Christianity; or contending, that even the principles of our religion fhould be received with implicit faith; or that every objection to Christianity fhould be ftifled, by a representation of the mifchief it might do, if publicly promulged: on the contrary, we invite, nay, we challenge you to a direct and liberal attack; though oblique glances, and difingenuous infinuations, we willing to avoid; well knowing, that the character of our religion, like that

of

of his utmost ability in the fervice of the public; the nifi quietum nibil beatum is no part of the Chriftian's Creed: his virtue is an active virtue; and we justly refer to the school of Epicurus the doctrines concerning abstinence from marriage, from the cultivation of friendship, from the management of public affairs, as fuited to that felfish indolence, which was the favourite tenet of his philo fophy.

I am, &c.

LET