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peaceable, and praying people, as they pretend to be, they would deserve the utmost pity and compassion; but when it is evident to the world that the religion of most of them is merely a cloak, which they would fain throw over their wily, unprincipled, and selfish agitation and turbulence, and from under which they malignantly spurt the venom of that incurable envy, hatred, and malice which they entertain towards the Church and State of this country, to treat them as persons sensibly alive to all the charms of unmixed politeness, condescending generosity, and conciliating bene-volence, would be utterly in vain; it would, indeed, be like hewing millstones with a feather. Nor does genuine charity demand that they should be thus treated. It is a command, "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men :" and "Earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the Saints" is also a command no less imperative and binding. Peace, invaluable though it be, is always too dearly bought when purchased at the sacrifice of truth; and that spurious charity and trimming expediency which demand such an immolation, cannot be too highly detested. Timidity is widely different from meekness, and has no place in the list of the Christian Graces: there is a false meekness as well as a false charity. Courage, boldness, and heroic firmness are noble characteristics of the Christian Soldier, and their exercise was never more requisite than at the present moment. The Christian Minister, in particular, is now called upon to stand forward manfully and undauntedly in defence of the Church of Christ, in opposition to the furious assaults of her inveterate enemies.* And, how

* Mr. T. Binney, a Dissenting Teacher, in the appendix to an address lately delivered and published by him, has he following:-"It is with I confess, a matter of deep serious religius conviction that the

me,

ever sharply Dissenters may be treated in the contest, they cannot complain; they are the aggressors, and have only themselves to thank for the very little ceremony to which they are entitled.

The Author deliberated some time upon the propriety of subscribing his name broadly to the following letters, and once concluded to do so. But on more mature reflection, he was induced to adopt a different course; not that he is at all ashamed of his name, or afraid of being called upon for his vouchers for the facts he has stated, but simply and solely because, connected with some of those facts, and involved in them, are individuals who would, (at least, where the facts took place,) be inevitably known through the medium of his own name. Regard, therefore, to the feelings. of those individuals who would thus have been partially pointed out to the public, has alone influenced him to publish his Work anonymously. And he cannot conceive that the least inconvenience or disadvantage can possibly arise from such a mode of procedure. The arguments advanced are not a whit the more or the less true without his name, than they would have been with it. And should any person wish to communicate with him on any of the matters brought forward in the publication, he may easily do so

Established Church is A GREAT NATIONAL EVIL-that it is an OB

STACLE TO THE PROGRESS OF TRUTH AND GODLINESS IN THE LAND

"

that IT DESTROYS MORE SOULS THAN IT SAVES, and that, therefore, its end is most devoutly to be wished by every lover of God and man This is speaking out, and needs no comment, provided it be understood that by "truth and godliness" he means "Dissent," for to that, of course, the Established Church is "an obstacle and ever will be whilst she holds the truth; and hence the outcry of all the Dissenting, Radical, and Atheistical rabble of the country, who are well aware that, but for the Established Church, they would have some chance of revelling in their licentiousness, and of wallowing in their filth.

through the medium of the publisher; any such communication will receive immediate and becoming attention. But in case the Author should be taunted by Dissenters with concealing his name from any other and less worthy motives, than those stated, he reserves to himself the privilege of openly and distinctly avowing it in a subsequent edition, should his work be so highly honoured. Dissent alone would suffer by such a step; but that would not cause him one moment's hesitation, should he feel himself called upon to take it. He knows his enemies, and is not altogether ignorant of their craft and devices. He is aware, that whoever opposes their "interest" puts his hand into a nest of hornets, and had need to be well guarded with both truth and innocence to escape the venom of their malignant stings. He did not commence his labours in what he conceives to be the noblest and best cause in the world, without calculating the cost, and considering the consequences. He believes conscientiously, that he is engaged on the side of righteousness and truth, in opposition to wickedness and falsehood of the most dangerous description. He views Dissent as a sort of outlet from the fertilizing river of Christianity into the Dead Sea of Infidelity; and he sincerely regrets that his opinion is so strongly corroborated by positive matter of fact, both in this country and on the con-tinent. He, therefore, feels it to be the duty of every real Christian to oppose it with all his might, fearless of the consequences, and sure of the blessing of Heaven.

He desires here to acknowledge, with feelings of gratitude, the obligation he lies under to those of whose labours he has in any degree availed himself. To the Review of Mr. James's Church Member's Guide, by the Rev. Mr. Cawood, he is deeply indebted; he knows not a more useful

little work for extensive circulation, particularly amongst that sect of Dissenters for whom it was principally intended. He has evidence of its having done great good in rescuing some from the fangs of Dissent, and restoring them to the unity of the Christian Church. "Ashe's Ecclesiastical Catechism"-"The Church of England Defended from the Attacks of Modern Dissenters"-"The Authority of a Threefold Ministry"-" A Serious Address to Seceders and Sectarists"-"A Treatise on the Nature and Constitution of the Christian Church"-" A Church Establishment Lawful, Scriptural, and Necessary"-" Claims of the Established Church, &c." are all very cheap and useful little Tracts for wide circulation, either gratuitously or otherwise. The last five are published by the venerable and excellent Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, and all the eight are well calculated to stem the evils of heresy, schism, and Dissent. And to those who have more leisure for reading, may be recommended Hooker's Ecclesiastical Polity, a work beyond all praise; it has ever remained unanswered by Dissenters, and only because it is unanswerable.

To those friends of the Church who may honour the following sheets with a perusal, the Author humbly desires to intimate that he will most thankfully receive any hint that may have for its object the improvement of his Work, assuring them that should he have the pleasure of re-printing it, any suggestion of that nature shall have his best attention. He is (if a Christian may employ such a term) proud to say, that he loves his Church; being so intimately connected with his best, his eternal interests, no object on earth is so dear to his heart; and, therefore, it will ever be his greatest delight to attend to any thing which may tend to promote her safety and welfare. He considers her at

the present moment, especially, the rock of Christendom, the bulwark of Protestantism, and the glory of the Nation; and should the wishes and efforts of her enemies succeed in her destruction, it would be the very direst calamity that could possibly afflict the land. And, as it regards Christendom at large, where can a Church at present be found so Primitive and Apostolic in her form of Government-so Scriptural in her Doctrines, and so pure, chaste, and devotional in her formularies of Worship? Let every soul, then, who has any regard for real religion and unfeigned piety, and who feels any interest in the spiritual welfare of himself and his fellow-creatures, unite heart and hand, and determine upon her preservation. And let each one of her Clergy take up and prepare his arms and be firm as a rock in her defence, playing the man, the minister of Christ. Her stability, under the blessing of Almighty God, entirely-solely and entirely-depends upon her Clergy. If they continue to observe the “ nevermind system," and to be careless, supine, and inactive, and to trust to any but themselves, all is at an end. But if they will arise, shake off their lethargy, and exert themselves courageously and determinately, the Church is as secure as the everlasting hills, and may bid defiance to all the malicious and wicked attempts of her enemies. The number of those Dissenting Teachers who are so violently bent upon her destruction, does not at the very utmost amount to three thousand, whereas the number of the Clergy cannot be less than sixteen thousand; and as to the real weight of each number in the country, there is no comparison at all-for whilst the former are illiterate, upstart, envious, and proud, and engaged in an infernal alliance and warfare with Papists, Arians, Socinians, Free

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