i/ll&?"rt4f^ 
 
HINTS, &c 
 
 TO THE 
 
 NEW ASSOCIATION, 
 
H I N T S, &c. 
 
 Submitted to the ferious Attention of the 
 
 CLERGY, NOBILITY and GENTRY, 
 NEWLY ASSOCIATED, 
 
 b y 
 A LAYMAN, 
 
 A FRIEND TO THE TRUE PRINCIPLES OF THE CONSTI- 
 TUTION, IN CHURCH AND STATE, AND TO 
 RELIGIOUS AND CIVIL LIBERTY. 
 
 jjj— — — — — — . 1 -^— ^— — — 
 
 The Second Edition, revifed, with Additions. 
 
 Dum imperare difcimus ; parere prudenti in an'unum 
 inducamus. 
 
 Livius. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for B. White and Son, at Horace's Head, 
 Fleet Street, and J. Debrett, Piccadilly. 
 
 M,DCC,LXXXIX. 
 
ADVERTISEME NT. 
 
 A Public Affliction affecting all orders of 
 People (but now moft happily removed) caufed 
 the firft Edition of this Pamphlet to be called 
 in, when few Copies had been fold ; for, fuch 
 a Publication would then have been ill-timed. 
 As the alterations are confiderable in this Se- 
 cond, any one pofTeffed of the firft Edition 
 may have this in Exchange, by bringing the 
 former to the Bookfeller. 
 
HINTS, &c. 
 
 TF the prefent defign was to point out any 
 *■ particular precepts of morality, the au- 
 thor of the following fheets would, at once, 
 have dropped the pen, as one infufficient and 
 unfit for an undertaking which can come, 
 with propriety, from thofe perfons only, 
 whofe piety and virtuous conduct, through 
 the courfe of a well-fpent life, entitle them 
 to enforce their doctrine, by the weighty cre- 
 dit of example : but, in attempting to bring 
 circumftances, in which every one is deeply 
 interefted, whether coniidered in a religious, 
 or in a political light, under the confidera- 
 tion of the public, he need not, on this 
 head, trouble his readers with an apology ; 
 though he is fenfible that, in treating thefe 
 B matters, 
 
( 2 ) 
 
 matters, he will be under the neceffity of 
 having conftant recourfe to their kind indul- 
 gence on fo many occafions, that he will beg 
 leave to reft his plea entirely on the principle 
 which a&uates him, anxiouily defirous as he 
 is, to contribute his mite, in order to forward 
 a meafure, which, though long expected, was 
 never fo peculiarly requilite as at the prefent 
 time j and which would, in his opinion, be 
 a fource from whence might be derived the 
 beft comforts and bleffings to fociety, toge- 
 ther with great national honor, credit, and 
 advantage. 
 
 The objects aimed at in thefe pages are 
 plainly thefe : to mew, in as few words as 
 poffible, 
 
 That the worft of confequences are to be 
 dreaded for the community, if a fpeedy 
 flop is not put to the rapid progrefs of 
 prophanenefs and irreligion. 
 
 That 
 
( 3 ) 
 
 That the mafs of the people can never be 
 brought to have a proper fenfe of their 
 duty to God and their neighbour, until 
 they mall fee in their fuperiors more 
 attention paid to religion in general, 
 and particularly, by a more constant 
 and zealous attendance on public divine 
 worfhip. 
 
 That certain parts in the public fervice 
 and doctrine of our church (though 
 acknowledged, by every clergyman of 
 learning and candor, to be ill-founded 
 and unferiptural) are ftill left in ufe, 
 and required to be obferved. 
 
 That the church lofes the credit, and the 
 nation the advantage, that would arife 
 from the example of a very large num- 
 ber of perfons of the beft character and 
 purefl principles of religion, who are 
 retrained by their confciences from 
 joining in our public worfhip, and on 
 B 2 no 
 
( 4 ) 
 
 no other account than, becaufe thefe 
 points, which no man of fenfe or learn- 
 ing can maintain, do remain as a necef- 
 fary part of that fervice. 
 
 That the negative* example of fo many 
 highly-refpe&ecLperfons in every part 
 of the kingdom has more extenfive 
 influence on the minds of their infe- 
 riors, than, at flrft, will be conceived ; 
 and, therefore, ought to be duly conii- 
 dered. 
 
 That the alterations required are inkerent 
 and confonarlt to the true principles of 
 the Church of England, and to the re- 
 ligian of a Chriftian Proteftant. 
 
 That alterations have frequently taken 
 place in our liturgy, forms, &c. fince 
 the Reformation. 
 
 That nothing but the difufage, during a 
 whole century, in revifing our articles, 
 liturgy, &c. has led the uninformed 
 
 to 
 
( s ) 
 
 to receive fuch a propofal as a novel 
 one. 
 
 That this falfe notion, by gaining ground 
 every day, is alarming to our religious 
 liberty, and threatens to place our 
 church but one ftep above Popery. 
 
 That, as it takes away from the credit of 
 the Eftablifhed Church, fo does it add 
 ftrength to every feet within the king- 
 dom, and much aflifts the caufe of in* 
 fidelity and irreligion. 
 
 The flighteft obfervation mufl point out 
 to every one, that the increafe of prophane- 
 nefs and irreligion has been very great within 
 thefe twenty laft years. From this fource, 
 undoubtedly, do flow all thofe vices and 
 crimes, of every defcription, become now fo 
 general among the people. We all agree in 
 this fact i we feel and lament the effects of 
 this national calamity j and every individual, 
 
 according 
 
( 6 ) 
 
 according as his fituation makes him more 
 or Jefs liable to the fad confequences, pro- 
 portionately dreads them. 
 
 A variety of circumftances has probably 
 concurred to effect this change in our mo- 
 rals : without fearching for other additional 
 caufes (though many might be found), the 
 van: opulence of private perfons, and the 
 means by which, in many inftances, that 
 property has been acquired, together with 
 the ufe made of thefe imported treafures, do, 
 and have led on, to that courfe of diffipation 
 and luxury, which, of themfelves, without 
 the help of their concomitant vices, would 
 leave little leifure, and lefs inclination, for a 
 religious thought. That every part of this 
 fouthern divifion of Great Britain has regu- 
 larly flretched forward to a itate of indif- 
 ference for every thing ferious and facred, 
 not to fay to infidelity itfelf, one may ven- 
 ture to affert ; and the only distinction to be 
 
 made 
 
( 7 ) 
 
 made is, that the diftricts throughout the 
 country approach to, or are moffc diftant 
 from, the follies and vices of the capital, jure 
 as they have the means and opportunities of 
 following the example. It is not wonder- 
 ful that the lower ranks have caught an in- 
 fection, which, of all others, is the mod: 
 contagious : and, natural as this confequence 
 will appear to every one, yet they, who 
 have moft ftudied the characters and man- 
 ners of nations, will be the firil to acknow- 
 ledge that, in no country, at no time, the 
 bad example of fuperiors has operated fo ra- 
 pidly, and fo generally, through every clafs 
 of the people, as it has done here of late ; 
 and that rank and character feldom now 
 meet with a fuitable diflinction, even when 
 it is their due; fo much is every thing con- 
 founded. 
 
 The executive power of government has 
 ihewn, by many tokens, that his Majefty's 
 
 Ministers 
 
( 8 ) 
 
 Minifters are not unapprized of our fitua- 
 tion in this refpect, and they have appeared 
 defirous to offer fome remedy. — Laws have 
 been palfed, it is true, and hopes were en- 
 tertained, that, through thefe, the daring 
 hand of the robber might be retrained, at 
 leafty from lengths which bore down all fe- 
 curity and peace. But the experience of 
 every day clearly mews, that fuch unheard- 
 of practices are not to be flopped by the 
 dread of any punifhment on earth. To 
 further thefe good intentions, his Majefty 
 has been advifed to ifTue his royal procla- 
 mation, calling on every magiftrate to en- 
 force thofe laws that could reftrain fuch an 
 excefs of immorality and vice. Thefe in- 
 junctions have been re-echoed from almofl 
 every county : and yet, who is there fan- 
 guine enough to expect: much efficacy from 
 thefe meafures, which, in ordinary times, 
 may have been thought, and found to be, 
 
 powerful 
 
( 9 ) 
 
 powerful remedies ? But, alas ! the firft of 
 thefe meafures has only pufhed on the fel- 
 low, whofe extravagance, by being habitual, 
 is alfo become neceiTary to him, to devife 
 new modes to carry on his iniquitous prac- 
 tices : and who is there that does not fee 
 that the latter meafure muft be totally frus- 
 trated, while the gentry are univerfally, I 
 may alnioft fay, guilty of every excefs, for 
 which the proclamation calls on them to 
 punifh their inferiors ? 
 
 Other ground muft then be explored, and 
 other means muft be deviled : for irreligion 
 and prophanenefs muft be fairly met and 
 corrected, if you mean, in earneft, to amend 
 the manners of the times. — The common 
 people muft be brought to fee, in their fu- 
 periors, a more general attachment to re- 
 ligion, and to the fervice of the church, be- 
 fore you can expect any alteration to take 
 place in their morals. — The very mention 
 C of 
 
( 1= ) 
 
 of fuch an idea fubje&s me, I am aware, to 
 the derif ion of many ; but, if they could be 
 brought to fee that one grand fhumbling- 
 block, eafy to be removed, is really the 
 chief impediment, they will not confider 
 me, perhaps, as quite fo much chimerically 
 inclined. The removal of a few oifenfive 
 matters in our fervice, and which cannot 
 be fupported by any one, on the true grounds 
 on which Proteftantifm is built, and which, 
 in fact, are now given up in the minds of 
 every clergyman, as well as layman, who, 
 without prejudice, has eonfidered them, 'is, 
 in the firft inftance, obvioufiy neceffary : 
 for, by the wit and raillery of every infidel 
 levelled againft thefe (though no part of the 
 real Chriftian Faith), half of the fine world 
 have been blindly led into an unbelief of the 
 contents of the fcriptures. And, though I 
 cannot fay much in favor of numberlefs 
 others, who plainly make ufe of thefe fame 
 
 flaws 
 
( M ) 
 
 flaws in our church-fervice as a mere pre- 
 text to cover their own backwardnefs to- 
 wards an attendance on the public worfhip ; 
 yet I mull wim, in a civil light, for their 
 prefence and example to be added ; not even 
 defpairing, that many among thofe gentry 
 would, by degrees, cordially become recon- 
 ciled to religious thoughts. Thefe hopes 
 may appear vifionary to many perfons ; I 
 proteft that they are otherwife in my eyes : 
 and I am confident that the religion of the 
 country, cleared once from objections of 
 this nature, would directly inlinuate it- 
 felf into moil places where it now meets 
 only with flight or derifion. But the 
 great effect which I expect from this falu- 
 tary meafure, is to proceed from perfons of 
 a very different ffamp. Let thefe fame ob^ 
 ffacles be removed, a number (much greater 
 than the clergy fufpect) of perfons, whofe 
 private lives are as exemplary, as their cha-^ 
 C 2 racters 
 
( 12 ) 
 
 ra&crs ftand refpected among their neigh- 
 bours, will inftantly accord with the public 
 fervice of the church, to which their incli- 
 nations (trongly carry them, but from 
 which their confciences keep them, at this 
 moment, in a manner feparated. 
 
 Need I flate to any reflecting mind the be- 
 nefit that the whole community would de- 
 rive from the weight of the example of men 
 of this defcription? or to what a degree in- 
 ferences drawn from the conduct of fuch re- 
 fpe&able perfons, in withdrawing them- 
 ielves, as they now do, mufl be unfavourable 
 to the general caufe of religion ? 
 
 What the plan may be of this new aflb- 
 ciation of moft refpectable names, towards 
 promoting the caufe of religion and morali- 
 ty, I know not: but, if thefe gentlemen 
 propofe to confine it merely to a fubfcrip- 
 tion, in order to encourage informations a- 
 gainft fome wretched breakers of the laws, 
 
 inftead 
 
( 13 ) 
 
 Jnftead of going to the root of the evil, I will 
 venture to foretell that their union will damp 
 the expectations of the fober part of man- 
 kind, and will have the fame end, as all the 
 former well-intentioned fchemes. 
 
 Succefs can attend no plan which is not 
 founded on truth, and on the genuine prin- 
 ciples of Proteftantifm : although one arch- 
 frifhop, and many bifhops, have honoured 
 the lift, I will beg leave to fay, that fome- 
 thing more than preaching, threatening, and 
 common perfuafion, mufl be done to reach 
 fo defirable an object. If irreligion and 
 indifference, perhaps a contempt for every 
 thing facred, are to be overcome, it muft 
 be by the moft ftriking and evident proofs 
 of a contrary difpofition in the better part 
 of the community. I will go farther; and 
 will even venture to pronounce, that no 
 fuch proofs can poffibly be expected, or 
 obtained, unlefs we are ready to probe our 
 
 defects 
 
( 14 ) 
 
 defects to the bottom, with a firm refolution 
 to cut out thofe gangrenous parts which 
 prevent a wholefome ftate, and caufe the 
 debility of the whole frame : without this, 
 we fhall be giving up the caufe to a gene- 
 ral infidelity, and deliver the Eilablifhed 
 Church, indeed, in fetters to pofterity. 
 
 One hundred and thirty years are now al- 
 moffc parled, fince our liturgy underwent 
 fuch a review, as to have received any 
 amendment : for, from the date of the act 
 of uniformity in 1661, the common prayer 
 was fettled as we now have it. From the 
 Reformation, to the year juft mentioned, is 
 a period of about 125 years; wherein al- 
 terations had been very frequent ; I think, 
 not lefs than eight times -, and to fatisfy 
 thofe who, from the want of opportunity 
 for information, at firfl may be itaggered at 
 any idea of innovation, even the fmallell, in 
 religious concerns, I will defire to refer 
 
 them 
 
( u ) 
 
 them to the firft words of the preface to 
 every Common Prayer book, where they 
 will fee this principle plainly laid down. 
 " It has been the wifdom of the Church of 
 " England, ever fince the firft compiling of 
 * " her public liturgy, to keep the mean be- 
 " tween the two extremes, of too much Jliff- 
 " nefs in refufing, and of too much eafinefs 
 " in admitting any variatioii from it." And 
 lower down : " The particular forms of di- 
 " vine worfhip, and the rites and ceremonies 
 <f appointed to be ufed therein, being things 
 " in their own nature indifferent, and al- 
 *' tcrable, and fo acknowledged, &£." It 
 will, from thence, be clear, I hope, to every 
 one, that fuch a review is not only allow- 
 able, but perfectly confident, and, indeed, 
 requifite to the principles of our religion ; 
 and, as I truft I mail mew, at no time fo 
 necerTary to be called for, as at this prefent 
 moment. 
 
 If 
 
( 16 ) 
 
 If it is then clearly admitted that altera- 
 tions are not only allowable, but did fre- 
 quently and conftantly take place in our li- 
 turgy during the firfr. 1 25 years that fol- 
 lowed the Reformation, it will be expected 
 that, in the next place, I mould proceed to 
 ftate the grounds, on which I conceive the 
 neceffity of a further review Of our book 
 of Common Prayer, in particular, to be 
 founded. In doing which, I forefee that 
 many citations muft be repeated, and indeed 
 the very ground trod over again, that others 
 have purfued, whofe ill fuccefs niuft not 
 (as it cannot) be afcribed to any failure of 
 conviction from their arguments ■> for every 
 candid perfon owns, that thefe were not to 
 be refuted; and that the difappointment, 
 thofe worthy perfons met with, is to be 
 afcribed to other caufes - y not to the per- 
 fuafion that their application for reform and 
 relief was ill-founded; but to notions of 
 
 propriety 
 
( '7 ) 
 
 propriety and prudential con 11 derations, 
 which were then earneftly and effectually 
 propagated and received, and which, we muft 
 think, can never again have the fame weight 
 on the minds of the nation. I mall, 
 therefore, have no fcruple of laying before 
 you opinions, already often brought into 
 public view : becaufe, if I was to ex- 
 clude thefe from my argument, the caufe 
 would be flripped of the fupport and names 
 of fome of the moft learned, wife, and excel- 
 lent men that this country ever produced; 
 or it would be neceffary to refer the reader 
 to works and tracts, which to many are 
 not known, to others, may not be at hand. 
 —The bad fuccefs of former endeavours for 
 -reform does not hang out any fign, by 
 which we fhould be difmayed from repeat- 
 ing perpetually, as opportunity offers, f© 
 laudable an attempt. 
 
 Neither prefumption, nor vanity, has 
 D urged 
 
( i8 ) 
 
 urged me on to this undertaking, but a firm 
 conviction alone that no plan, which does 
 not include this object, will ever redeem this 
 nation from the load of prophanenefs and ir~ 
 religion, under which we now labour. The 
 ground is found, and capable of being main- 
 tained againft every fair attack; and the 
 time mutt come (if it is not now at hand) 
 when the caufe of truth will prevail in an 
 enlightened age, in fpite of every obftacle. 
 My exeuie then, and my hopes alfo, mail 
 reft on that admirable axiom, the fagacious 
 Roman hiftorian, with fo much propriety, 
 puts into the mouth of Fabius Maximus, 
 *t Verltatem labor are n'nnisfaepe, ainnt % ex- 
 " tingui nunqnam" 
 
 It will be right to have in our recollee* 
 don, that the liturgy holds the prefent form 
 from the laft alteration and fettling in 1 66 1 , 
 juft as the crown was reftored to Charles II. 
 and the church re-eftablimed, and after 
 
 that 
 
( '9 ) 
 
 that every civil and eccleiiaftical power and 
 authority had paffed fucceffively through 
 the hands of the church, the prefbyterian 
 and the puritan parties. The minds of men, 
 though worn down with the wretched un-* 
 fettled flate of the country, and gladly h\U 
 ing into the meafure of the reiioration, 
 were yet too fore, and too much divided on 
 religious principles, to venture, at fuch a 
 moment, to allow the time neceffary for a 
 full invefiigation of the fubjedt. Uniformi- 
 ty was to be obtained, and to be decreed; 
 and it was but natural to conclude that the 
 prevalent party would not be inclined to 
 open a door to conceffion, even on reafona- 
 ble and evident ground. 
 
 Whoever is verfed at all in the hiftory and 
 tranfadlions of that mofl turbulent period, 
 will recoiled:, that every diftin<5t branch of 
 the ftate was then, feparately, to undergo a 
 frelli modelling ; that, at no time, the am- 
 D 2 bition* 
 
( 20 ) 
 
 bition, anxieties, and intrigues of individuals 
 were ever known to be more on the ftretch ; 
 and that, added to thefe, the hearts of all 
 men were in action, in order to protect a 
 threatened or an accufed friend, or to be 
 revenged on an humbled enemy. 
 
 After reflecting on this diffracted ftate of 
 the country,will any man be bold enough to 
 advance, that inch a moment was the pro- 
 per one to fix thofe principles, by which the 
 faith and worfhip of pofrerity was finally to 
 be bound? It is impoflible; and, if any 
 man did carry his prejudices to a length fa 
 abfurd, it would be eafy to produce the au- 
 thorities of theperfons themfelves, concern- 
 ed in the bufinefs, declaring the very con- 
 trary. 
 
 Under fuch circumftances, next to the 
 infatuation which has attached us fo fervile- 
 ly fince to their decifions, nothing is fo won- 
 derful, as that the liturgy mould have been 
 
 produced 
 
( 21 ) 
 
 produced with fo few defects, as we find in 
 it. But even, if the times had admitted a 
 candid and temperate difcuffion of the 
 points, which have, from that time to this, 
 given fuch juft offence, the prefent age has 
 advantages, which a former one could not 
 have; this matter having been canvaffed 
 and fearched into, during the laft hundred 
 years, in a manner that never had happened 
 before ; and we have a collection of mate- 
 rials on the fubjedl, drawn out by the 
 labours of fome of the moil learned men 
 that ever lived in this, or any other 
 country ; and which are calculated, to ena- 
 ble every man to understand for himfelf, if 
 he could be prevailed on to examine the 
 ground there is for infixing on thefe 
 amendments. 
 
 The bifhops and others, concerned in the 
 revifal of 1661, it is evident, did little ima- 
 gine that their publication was to become 
 
 the 
 
( 22 ) 
 
 the fixt ftandard for the faith and worfhip of 
 future generations. The experience of paft 
 times declared to them, that all inaccuracies 
 or miftakes were liable and open to the cor- 
 rection of thofe who fucceeded them : and it 
 is but juftice to their memory, to give this 
 conduction to their well-meant endeavours, 
 to reftore an eftabli foment in the church, the 
 beft, perhaps, the times would admit. Far 
 was it from their thoughts to conceive, that 
 they were alfuming the part of infallible 
 deciders in matters of faith; or that their 
 fucceffors would have the fupinenefs, to 
 confider themfelves irrevocably tied to 
 their decrees, in fpite of every poflible de- 
 monftration of error, even if parts were 
 found to be in contradiction to the whole 
 tenor of the facred writings. 
 
 Sancroft, who, I believe, was then only 
 chaplain to the bifhop of Durham, was one 
 of the revifers. In 1 677 he became at once, 
 
 archbimop 
 
( 2 3 ) 
 
 archbimop of Canterbury : confcious of the 
 imperfections of our liturgy, &c. he {hinds 
 the foremoft, as projecting a plan, by which 
 that, together with the articles, &c. might 
 be brought under a proper review, and be 
 fairly examined. This excellent prelate gave 
 at lean: this early teftimony, that he, who 
 had borne, in 1661, a part in framing them, 
 never confidered thefe matters as finally con- 
 cluded. He went farther : for he made 
 public his opinion, by circulating his di- 
 rections thereupon to the bifhops and clergy 
 of his province ; his laft act, I believe, as 
 metropolitan. 
 
 In juftly lamenting, that this venerable 
 oerfon could not join with the firm friends 
 of the conftitution after the Revolution, let us 
 ever pay that tribute to his memory, which 
 is due from a grateful nation, not unmindful 
 of the glorious ftand this virtuous prelate 
 made, again ft the arbitrary efforts of king 
 
 James ; 
 
( H ) 
 
 James } ever remembering, that this prelate 
 was at the head of thofe bifhops, whofe com- 
 mitment to the Tower contributed fo much 
 towards the bleffings we now enjoy; On 
 this occafion, we may draw this fair con- 
 clufion ; that the fame confcientioufnefs, 
 which induced him to forego all worldly ad- 
 vantages, is the moil ftriking proof of the 
 fincerity of his heart. 
 
 That which Sancroft had not the oppor- 
 tunity of bringing forward, was warmly ef- 
 poufed by his fucceflbr (then only Dean) 
 Tillotfon. However, from his recommen- 
 dation to king William, a commiffion was 
 iflued to ten bimops* and twenty divinesy 
 to prepare fuch matters as required amend- 
 ment, for the confideration of the convo- 
 cation. Two bifhops, and two divines/ 
 dirTatisfied at the firft meeting, left their 
 brethren, who proceeded unanimoujly and 
 'without any heat (as the befl accounts in- 
 form 
 
( 2 5 ) 
 
 form Us), to determine on the points^ which 
 they mould propofe to the houfes of convo- 
 cation, for amendment. More than twenty 
 of thefe are handed down to us, and each 
 particular article, when agreed to, was figned 
 by bifhop Compton, of London. 
 
 Thus it is evident, that thefe great eccle- 
 /iaftical authorities perfectly agreed with the 
 former metropolitan, both in the lawfulnefs* 
 and the expediency of the meafure. 
 
 This falutary attempt became abortive* 
 from other circumftances : party-fpirit had 
 too much effeft on the temper of the times ; 
 private intrigues and jealouiies joined alfo, 
 with fo much efficacy, to thwart the plan, 
 that the Lower Houfe would not hear 
 mention of any alteration whatever; and 
 their prolocutor, in triumph, concluded his 
 fpeech with the expreffion to be admired 
 from the mouth of an old EnglifTi baron ; 
 confiftent, perhaps, with the declaration of 
 E a conclave, 
 
( 26 ) 
 
 a conclave, when matters of faith and wor^ 
 fhip are there in agitation ; but ill fuited, to 
 the greateft degree, on fuch an occaiion, to 
 the character of a Protectant divine* " No- 
 " lumus leges Angliae mutari." 
 
 The prolocutor's veto has hitherto proved 
 triumphant $ and we have too much reafon 
 to apprehend, that, on one pretence or other, 
 thefe laws, binding the confciences of men, 
 will foon become, in effect, as unalterable 
 as thofe of the Medes and Perfians ever 
 were : though probably, in thefe days, few 
 will venture to hold a doctrine fo thoroughly 
 repugnant to all religious liberty* Such, 
 however, was the fate of this attempt to 
 render the fervice of the Eftablifhed Church 
 as pure as porlible, and to clear away thofe 
 parts, which, from that day to the prefent, 
 continue to offend fo many refpectable and 
 confcientious perfons. Confidering the cha- 
 racters and abilities of thofe who undertook 
 
 the 
 
( 27 ) 
 
 the tafk, it can never be fufficiently la- 
 mented, that their endeavours proved fo 
 unfuccefsful. For archbifhop Wake, fpeak- 
 ing of them before the Lords, while he was 
 bifhop of Lincoln, thus exprefTes himfelf : 
 " They were a fet of men, than which, this 
 *' church was never, at any one time, blelTed 
 *' with either wifer or better, fince it was 
 " a church ; and a delign that, I am per- 
 " fuaded, would have been for the inter eft 
 " and peace of our church and ft ate had it 
 l( been accomplished." And when we find 
 among them names, whofe memory we re- 
 vere, Compton, Lloyd, Burnet, among the 
 bifhops -, with Stillingfleet, Patrick, Til- 
 lotfon, Sharp, Tenifon, &c. among the 
 others, it is clear, that posterity has con- 
 firmed the teflimony of this learned and fa- 
 gacious prelate, and regrets the more the 
 lofs of their beneficent intentipns, 
 
 E 2 Thus 
 
( 28 ) 
 
 Thus we fee that four fucceffive arch-? 
 bifhops of Canterbury, Bancroft, Tillotfon, 
 Tenifon, and Wake, all foftered the defign, 
 and gave their weighty teilimony, as well 
 to the legality, as to the expediency ; per- 
 haps, J fhould not exceed the mark, if I 
 added ? alfo, to the neceffity of fuch a mea- 
 fure. 
 
 Though the matter does not need the ad- 
 dition of any further opinions of high au- 
 thority, I ihould be blameable if I omitted 
 the following : Bimop Stillingfleet, fo emi- 
 nent for his learning, fays, " that forms 
 ¥ of divine worfhip, of all things, certainly 
 iS mould be fo compofed, as to be the leaffc 
 H fubjedl to any fcruple from any perfons 
 ct whatfoever ; being on purpofe compofed 
 i( for the declaring men's unity and confent 
 " m their public worfhip." And he fays 
 aKo> i( That, was a review made by wife 
 
 Ci and 
 
( 2 9 ) 
 
 ** and peaceable men, not given to wrath 
 " and difputing, it might be fo far from 
 " being a diflnonour to this church, that it 
 « may add to the glory of it." 
 
 Bifhop Gibfon, eminent both as flatef- 
 man and prelate, joins his voice to the fame 
 opinions, in thefe words: " Give me leave 
 " to add, that the uniformity, which is 
 " here reprefented, as the fureft foundation 
 " of fafety to the fta|:e, is the fame that 
 * c was enforced, as the beffc means of en- 
 W larging and ftrengthening the church, by 
 ** no lefs authority than arch bifhop San- 
 f l croft ; and this, not in an hafty and pri- 
 f< vate manner, but upon the moil mature 
 H deliberation, and among the articles of 
 *f direction folemnly tranfmitted to the 
 *< bifhops and clergy of his province, in 
 fi 1688." 
 
 In later times, though other authorities 
 gre not wanting, I cannot leave Dr. Clarke 
 
 unnoticed. 
 
( 30 ) 
 
 unnoticed. " Few men" (I do agree with a 
 reverend and much refpected gentleman) 
 " have, by their writings, call more lights 
 '* on the dark parts of the word of God, or 
 <c more laboured to reftore his true worfbip, 
 ** than Dr. Clarke, rector of St. James's, 
 " Weftminfter." His peculiar talents for 
 exact criticifm, his profound knowledge in 
 the learned languages, rendered him fo fit for 
 the meritorious work he undertook, that 
 his teftimony cannot be omitted ; as it is 
 fo well known, that the zealous object of 
 his whole life was directed, to bring our 
 faith and worfhip to be cleared from all ex- 
 premons, doctrines, and declarations not 
 founded on fcripture. And, though this 
 refpectable perfon had not the fatisfaction 
 of feeing his labours crowned with fuccefs, 
 yet, I am perfuaded, that the alterations he 
 aimed at, under the will of God, will fooner 
 or later be attained ; and that his works, 
 
 particularly 
 
( 3i ) 
 
 particularly that excellent one, on the Scrip- 
 ture Doctrine of the Trinity, will lead, in a 
 great meafure, to effect that end. 
 
 Neither my iituation, nor the fenfe I have 
 of the little knowledge I poffefs, will allow 
 me to enter into a difcuffion on the different 
 objectionable parts of our liturgy, &c. But, 
 as the Creed, under the name of Athanalius, 
 has given more offence, and for a longer 
 time, than any other part of our fervice ; not 
 becaufe it appears there under a feigned 
 name, but as it holds forth doctrines dero- 
 gatory to the honour of God, a merciful and 
 all-powerful Creator; I muft hull beg leave 
 to mention the thoughts of fome of our 
 ablefl divines on this fubject. 
 
 This creed is now acknowledged by all 
 to have been written by Vigilius Tapfenfis, 
 about the year 500, and never to have found 
 admiffion into the Romifh church (from 
 whence we have it) till about the year 1 000. 
 
 Chilling- 
 
( 32 ) 
 
 Chillingworth, in his Letter to Df. Shel- 
 don, afterwards archbimop, fpeaks thus 
 concerning it : " That the damning fen- 
 " tences in St, Athanalius's creed (as we are 1 
 •' made to fubfcribe to it) are falfe; and alio* 
 •? in a high degree, prefumptuous and fchif- 
 " matical." " And, indeed," fays the or- 
 thodox Bifhop Taylor, " it feems to me 
 €€ very hard, to put uncharitablenefs into 
 tf the creed, and fo to make it become, as 
 " an article of faith; though, perhaps, this 
 " very thing was no faith of Athanafius :" 
 and it is now fufficiently proved, that, fo far 
 from being the faith of Athanafius, it is re- 
 ceived as a deception of a much later date y 
 to which the high authority of his name 
 gave fanction. In this light was it ftated 
 by Burnet to Archbimop Tillotfon, in 
 1694; who, in anfwer, fays, "That the 
 " account given of Athanafitfs's creed r 
 " feems to me no way fatisfaftory : I wifh 
 
 " we* 
 
( 33 ) 
 
 " we were well rid of it." And fince their 
 time, this fuggefiion concerning that creed 
 has been demonftrated, to the conviction of 
 every one who has duly confidered the fubf 
 jetf. 
 
 If no other circumftance could be alleged, 
 this alone would be fufficient to call loudly 
 for a review : for the proof of one impofi- 
 tion hurts any caufe; and even, where 
 there is no fufpicion, many will natu- 
 rally arife. Nor is it aftonifhing, that, 
 under the evidence of a matter of this im- 
 portance left uncorrected, a deception, on 
 which the article of faith is refted, fuch 
 numbers, as I well know there are, mould 
 be driven from the public worfhip, on that 
 account. If it was left to the option of the 
 minifter to ufe it, or not, the matter might 
 ftill bear fome fhadow of defence : for, in 
 that cafe, I am confident no one, but the il- 
 literate, or the wrong-headed, would think 
 F Pf 
 
( 34 ) 
 
 of reading it; by which means this creed 
 would loon fink into general oblivion. But 
 this is not the cafe; and on certain days, 
 the minifter officiating is bound, by his oath, 
 to read it. And what does he read ? Why, 
 a part of the fervice, which every clergyman, 
 of the leaft knowledge or judgment, mull 
 know to be repugnant to the facred word of 
 God. And I would defire to appeal to no 
 other tribunal, for a deciiion on this point, 
 than to the bread of every candid and en- 
 lightened clergyman, who would lay his 
 hand on his heart, and fairly fpeak put the 
 dictates of his confcience. 
 
 While a matter of faith Hands thus, as a 
 part of our Liturgy ; which, under one of 
 the articles, not only every clergyman is 
 obliged to fubfcribe, but every young man 
 alfo, ilanding for his flrft degree; and, at 
 Oxford, every youth, even at firfl entrance 
 there from fchoql, is compelled to fign; J 
 
 will 
 
( 35 ) 
 
 will leave the candid part of the world to 
 judge, whether it will be pofiible to con- 
 vince the thinking part of mankind, that 
 churchmen are mewing an earnefl intereft 
 in the caufe of the pure Chriftian faith, and 
 of that worfhip, which is alone reconcile- 
 able to the true fpirit of Proteftantifm ? In 
 endeavouring to Hate to thofe who may not 
 have had leifure, difpofition, or opportuni- 
 ty, to fearch into the bufinefs themfelves, 
 that alterations, from time to time, have 
 taken place in our Liturgies, &e. and that 
 the opinions of the greater!: churchmen., for 
 more than a century, have teflified the ne- 
 ceffity and expediency of a wife and tem- 
 perate revifal, I mufl to fome degree have 
 proved; that fuch a review was, at this inftant 
 of time, more requiiite than ever, which was 
 to be the laft object o£ thefe few meets. 
 For, when once it is admitted, that our Li- 
 turgy, &c. is defective on matters of faith, 
 F 2 ot 
 
( 36 ) 
 
 or worfhip, and that amendments are jiiftly 
 called for, and can legally take place, to re- 
 medy the evil, I conceive that nobody can 
 juftify the deferring one day the fteps, which 
 ought to be taken, to forward apurpofe of fo 
 ierious and beneficent a nature. If any one 
 will prove to me, that any future particular 
 time will have, or is likely to have, advan- 
 tages, that the prefent day has not, I aiTu- 
 redly mall defifl, and wait, though impa- 
 tiently, with the hopes of feeing the good 
 work effected. But who is there bold 
 enough to anfwer for future national 
 events ? He is a prefumptuous man, who 
 dares put off till to-morrow that which is 
 material to his own or his family's concerns: 
 but the man is much more fo, who dares 
 poffpone, but. for an hour, under expecta- 
 tions like thefe, that which may bring 
 nearer to God, himfelf, his fellow-citizens, 
 or perhaps that flock, committed to his 
 
 charge. 
 
i 37 ) 
 
 charge. But if no fuch argument can be 
 brought, and, in the nature of things, none 
 can; I will venture to fay, that peculiar 
 circumftances do favour the prefent fitua- 
 tion of this country, and Angularly adapt 
 the day to produce this ineftimable bleilmg 
 to the community. The two great parties 
 which divide the country, may be reprefented 
 as contending for the approbation and fup- 
 port of the public, on the difplay of their 
 abilities, rather than on feparate opinions re-> 
 lative to political principles: their oppo- 
 fition to each other refts on perfonal more 
 than on public ground : and I may venture to 
 advance, that there is no jealoufy between 
 the leaders more ftrong,than the ambition of 
 appearing to approach, nearer than his rival, 
 to the principles of the Revolution ; princi- 
 ples, which lead to an extenfive toleration, to 
 religious as well as civil liberty, and which 
 can never allow our faith and worfhip to be 
 
 bound 
 
( 3« ) 
 
 bound down, without redrefs, by the fallible 
 decifions of men. We may therefore fay, 
 that, in confiftenee with their own princi- 
 ples* the chiefs muft and will look towards 
 religious liberty, and every thing tending 
 foundry to maintain that line, with favour- 
 able attention. 
 
 Moreover, a true fenfe of the late fignal 
 and merciful interpofition of Divine Provi- 
 dence in our favor has funk deep into the 
 hearts of all his Majefty's liege fubjects ; 
 and our Sovereign is no lefs gratefully ac- 
 knowledging the hand of the Almighty,- 
 whofe bountiful goodnefs has exceeded the 
 utmoft of our hopes. Muft we not wifh 
 that a moment, fo fuited to promote a reli- 
 gious difpofition, will be feized by king and 
 people to make the befl return we are able 
 for fuch mercies ? And can this be better 
 fulfilled, in the true fpirit of the Chriftian re- 
 ligion, than by concurring, with temper and 
 
 moderation* 
 
( 39 ) 
 
 moderation, to bring the public wormip of 
 the national church to be as pure and per- 
 fect as the joint endeavours of the moll pious 
 and learned among the clergy can render it ? 
 And let us hope, that no bigotted tongue 
 may ever fucceed to perfuade his Majefty, 
 that the hafly fettlement, made in 1 66 1, can 
 be maintained in thefe days, without giving 
 up the credit, and found principles, on which 
 the Church of England ought to ftand, and 
 actually is founded. 
 
 Non tali auxiliO) nee defenjoribus iJl'iS) 
 I'empus eget. 
 
 The circumftances which defeated the lafr. 
 applications, fo far from difcouraging, ought 
 to promote the undertaking now, when the 
 true caufes come to be coniidered, which 
 overthrew the attempts made in 1773. 
 
 The late archbifhop ftands in no need of 
 any praife of mine; for, wherever his name 
 
 went, 
 
( 40 ) 
 
 went, there likewife were known his can- ' 
 dor, honor, mildnefs of temper, genero- 
 fity, and liberality of mind. Yet we have 
 another archbi (hop (of Canterbury, I mean), 
 whofe character for wifdom and modera- 
 tion, together with his knowledge of the 
 world, intitle him fo well to prefide over, 
 and fet the example of that fairnefs and 
 temper of mind, without which a work of 
 this nature can never be accomplifhed. To 
 aflift the archbifhop herein, we muit. rejoice 
 alfo in feeing bifhops, whofe learning, piety, 
 and abilities, are equal to thofe of any who 
 have filled their lordmips bench -, fome we 
 fee, likewife, who are pledged to the public, 
 by their former applications on the fubjecT:, 
 and have borne witnefs to the neceffity of 
 the meafure, and therefore muft be confi- 
 dered as committed, in every fenfe, to bring 
 it forward : if the names of thofe who did 
 apply, 1 6 years lince, for fuch a revifal, are 
 
 accurately 
 
( 4> ) 
 
 accurately handed down, we may flatter our- 
 felves with well-founded expectations of 
 fuccefs, from the influence of bifhop Yorke 
 of Ely, bifhop Porteus of London, and 
 bifhop Rofs of Exeter. Thefe right re- 
 verend prelates will feel, that it is a debt 
 due to their fellow fubjects, and that muft 
 be required of them : and their characters 
 fland too high, to allow the world to doubt, 
 one moment, of the fincerity of their for- 
 mer profeflions. 
 
 Among other reafons, the following were 
 the principal, which induced many perfons 
 to be againfl the laft attempt for a review, 
 &c. though, at the fame time, they wifhed 
 to fee all demonftrated errors rectified ; and 
 did certainly coincide with the petitioners, 
 as far as the neceflity of a revifion. — It was 
 induftrioufly propagated by the court party, 
 that the petition from the Feathers Tavern 
 was fet on foot by fiction ; and the memory 
 G of 
 
( 4* ) 
 
 of the baneful effects of tumults was too 
 prefent to the minds of the majority in the 
 Houfe, to fuppofe that argument would not 
 have its full force ; to that carried to the 
 archbifhops, I think, by Dr. Wollafton, and 
 which bore the appearance of more temper 
 and propriety, ftill it was anfwered, that 
 this was not without an imputation of cen- 
 fure on his grace, and his fuffragan bifhops, 
 whofe principle, and whofe defire were, to 
 give every poffible eafe to all well-grounded 
 fcruples of the clergy, and of the people; 
 but that it would have been brought on 
 more properly, and might expect to be re- 
 ceived by mankind with more cordial effect, 
 if fuch a plan had originated from the right 
 reverend bench. 
 
 One circumstance I well remember, and 
 cannot avoid laying the greater! ftrefs on it, 
 knowing the influence this had on fo many, 
 as well as on myfelf, which is, that the 
 
 perfons, 
 
( 43 ) 
 
 perfons, moft concerned in the consideration 
 of the bufinefs, had received the fullerf. ex- 
 pectation, and had communicated them to 
 others, uncontradicted, that the bifhops 
 themfelves would take the matter under 
 confideration, hoping to bring about the ob- 
 ject defired in that manner which mould 
 be thought the moft judicious, in a religious 
 and civil view. The American, French, 
 Spanim, and Dutch wars foon followed ; 
 and no blame can lie any where, if bufinefs 
 of this nature was not then agitated. Peace 
 is now fully reftored; trade and all the at- 
 tendant bleffings have, thank God! fol- 
 lowed : beiides, the prefent appearance of 
 the domefkic troubles of our neighbours 
 feems to indicate the propriety of applying 
 now to this wholefome work of Peace. If 
 I prefume to obferve, that fix years are now 
 elapfed fince the termination of the war, 
 I befeech the right reverend lords not to 
 G 2 confider 
 
( 44 1 
 
 confider me as doubting their intentions 
 to fulfil our juft expectations, but folely 
 to remind them of the circumftance, and 
 humbly to reprefent to them, that the na- 
 tion have a right to demand, from their 
 lordfhips, fome activity, fome proofs of a 
 fincere difpofition of reconciling, as far as 
 may be,, all good men to the communion of 
 the eftablifhed church ; and thereon, of fur- 
 niming the grand and fole inftrument, by 
 .which infidelity can be effectually curbed. 
 Bigotry, and its fellow-traveller ignorance, 
 do, while they laft in every country, rivet 
 the minds of the people firangely to certain 
 things; but when the light of learning 
 enters, if all matters of worfhip, and of 
 faith particularly, which feripture does not 
 warrant, are not removed away as faff, the 
 eonfequence will be certain. Thefe errors 
 once difcovered, and proved to be fuch, 
 will bring an imputation of Prieflcraft on 
 
 the 
 
( 45 ) 
 
 the clergy, and drive off multitudes into in- 
 fidelity. So much prejudice and injury any 
 unfound parts of public divine fervice bring 
 on the reft : even, when thefe laft are able 
 to ftand the teft of the moll fearching eye. 
 How foon would every unfair insinuation 
 at once be (ilenced, now too frequently 
 dropped, as if mankind confidered their 
 lordmips to be too much attached to their 
 temporal, and too little attentive to their 
 fpiritual concerns, on the inftant it mail 
 be known, that the bifhops have applied 
 to the king, in order that a revifal, under 
 his royal authority, might be committed 
 to them and others to prepare ! The fa- 
 lutary work has been too long delayed, 
 confidered both in a religious and civil light. 
 The reafoning of flimfy Politicians has hi- 
 therto prevailed : if left to them, dangerous 
 corruptions, by not being inquired into, 
 
 will 
 
( 46 ) 
 
 will get to be faft-rooted ; for, according 
 to their notion, it will never be thought 
 the proper time to examine and correct 
 them. Let any one confider the tendency 
 and effect of fuch arguments : do they not 
 go to bind us down to admit, as infallible, 
 the line of faith and worfhip haftily fixed 
 at the Refloration ; and to give up that 
 civil right of every Proteftant, and of the 
 Church of England, in particular, to call 
 for a correction of faults, when any fuch 
 appear ? The effect is too much felt al- 
 ready : from the long neglect, half the na- 
 tion do not know, that legally they may, 
 and many know as little, that they are called 
 upon, conflitutionally, to require a revifal i 
 for I maintain, that it is giving up the true 
 principles of religious liberty (whatever may 
 be the quarter from whence the flop arifes), 
 if our liturgy, articles, &c< do not, from 
 
 time 
 
( 47 ) 
 
 time to time, pafs under a formal exami- 
 nation, even if nothing mould be found al- 
 terable therein. 
 
 What corruptions are crept into various 
 parts of the divine books, the refearches of 
 the learned make daily appear ; and theie 
 fame corruptions, by inattention, are ob- 
 taining every day authority, and will be in- 
 finitely more difficult to be removed. What 
 flronger inftance can be brought in proof, 
 than that famous text, i John, v. 7, 8, fo 
 much and eagerly contended for ? 
 
 This text has been long given up by 
 thofe who have been moft efteemed for 
 their learning : nay, in the early days of 
 the Reformation, the fufpicious words were 
 printed in our Englifh bibles with a different 
 type ; purpofely to put the reader upon his 
 guard, and to mark it as a doubtful pafTage. 
 The following words [in heaven ; the Fa- 
 ther, 
 
( 48 ) 
 
 ther, the Word, and the Holy Ghoft; and thefe 
 three are one. And there are three that bear 
 witnefs in earth] were originally fo printed ; 
 and are now clearly proved to be an inter- 
 polation. Dr. Bentley, following Sir Ifaac 
 Newton, readily difclaimed them in his 
 famous lecture, when he flood for the divi- 
 nity profeiTormip at Cambridge ; and in- 
 deed proved them fo fatisfactorily to be fpu- 
 rious, that Dr. Waterland, the ftrenuous 
 advocate for that part of the church doc- 
 trine, which thefe words are fo well cal- 
 culated to fupport, was obliged to acknow- 
 ledge, that he had been convinced himfelf, 
 before he heard Bentley' s proof. 
 
 However, in all the Bibles now printed, 
 this paifage ftands without any diftinguifli- 
 ing mark, notwithftanding this difcovery, 
 and how muck it is liable to lead the people 
 into the greatest miftakes. And who will 
 
 %, 
 
( 49 ) 
 
 fay, that numberlefs peribns do not found a 
 principal article of their faith on this very 
 exprerlion ? 
 
 The miftakes are infinite, which might 
 be brought to prove the neceffity of a new 
 tranflation of the Bible : and, indeed, the 
 people having a right to read the Bible in 
 their own language, it is really criminal to 
 give it otherwife, than under as pure and 
 perfect a verlion as the labours of the learn- 
 ed can render it. However, till this does 
 take place, furely, it is the duty of every 
 minifler of the Gofpel, who is qualified, to 
 warn his congregation, from the pulpit, 
 againft a reliance on thofe fufpecled texts 
 which may lead them, unapprized, into 
 error. The fruitful refearches of Dr. Ken- 
 nicot, patronized by his Majefty, will little 
 anfwer the king's gracious intentions, or the 
 expectation of the public, if they are not 
 made ufe of directly in perfecting a new 
 H verfion 
 
( 50 ) 
 
 verfion of the Bible. One learned gentleman 
 (Dr. Campbell) has favored the public this 
 fpring with a new verfion of the Gofpels ; 
 and the expediency dem on fixated by another 
 (Dr.Symonds) in his admirable Critical Ob- 
 fervations on our prefent Verfion of the Gof- 
 pels and Acts of the Apoftles, added to that 
 which we have received, and have further to 
 expect, on the fame line of ftudy, from Dr. 
 Macknight and others, prove that private 
 perfons are zealoufly contributing their fepa- 
 rate labors, hoping that thofe in authority 
 will turn them legally to the advantage of 
 the community. 
 
 Thus have I endeavoured to bring into a 
 fmall compafs thefe Hints to an alfociated 
 fet of nobility and gentry, who, I am per- 
 fuaded, mean the good of their fellow-fub- 
 jects -, and, in confequence, the honor and 
 profperity of the nation. A matter of this 
 importance, I mall be juftly told, ought to 
 
 have 
 
( 5* ) 
 
 have been treated in a manner much lefs fu- 
 periicial : but I leave that to abler hands ; 
 and thefe will not be wanting, if the main 
 delign be approved. My immediate pur- 
 pofe will be fully anfwered, if I can again 
 bring the bufinefs forward this day to the 
 ferious coniideration of thefe lords and gen- 
 tlemen ; hoping, in confequence, that they 
 may ufe their influence with thofe in au- 
 thority, and thereby promote this efTential 
 fervice. 
 
 If, in doing this, I can be preparing the 
 minds of people earneilly to expecl, and 
 with gratitude to receive the boon, when it 
 is offered by their fuperiors, it will be my 
 befl reward. There is but one method, I 
 conceive, by which the Church of England 
 can effectually maintain its ground againfr. 
 the different and furrounding diffenting 
 feds : and that is, by getting rid of any 
 point of faith and worfhip, when, on fair 
 H 2 and 
 
( 52 ) 
 
 and full examination, fuch mall have been 
 found militating againft. the words or fpirit 
 of fcripture. 
 
 An eftablifhed church proceeding on this 
 iyflerm and it is the genuine principle of 
 every Protectant church, would bring back 
 thoufands to the public worfhip, and would 
 then efFecl every good purpofe, which was 
 the objecl: of thefe Hints, by the weight, 
 authority, and example of its minifters. 
 
 Under the defcription of irreligious, I 
 have fuppofed, in this fhort treatife, every 
 perfon to be comprehended, who does not 
 give demonflrative proof of his attachment 
 to religion, by attendance on fome public 
 worfhip, either of the Eftablifhed Church, 
 or of fome other. Many worthy perfons, 
 and devout ones too, will come of courfe 
 among this number, and form, I trufl, np 
 inconfiderable part. Still, in a civil light, 
 they are not quite ftridly clear of the deno- 
 mination : 
 
( 53 ) 
 
 mination; as the ftate derives no benefit 
 from their example on this head : and on 
 the contrary the Eftablifhed Church feels 
 the lofs of fuch perfons the more, as their 
 moral characters lead their neighbours natu- 
 rally to conceive, that the duty is not fo 
 requifite, which thefe perfons venture to 
 omit. On the other hand, although the 
 dhTolute clergyman, who is too often feen, 
 cannot be brought within this defcription, 
 yet fuch a character is not lefs the reproach 
 and contempt of fociety : yet I queftion, on 
 the whole, whether the pofitive bad exam- 
 ple of the latter prejudices the interefl of the 
 church lb much, as the negative conduct: of 
 the former. 
 
 It may be the proper fubject for a feparate 
 effay, to point out the miftaken policy of 
 any minifler, who triads, that able and 
 learned clergymen (but whofe notions are 
 mimical to a comprehenfion), preferred and 
 
 brought 
 
( 54 ) 
 
 brought forward under the patronage of the 
 crown, will be able to fupport ecclefiaftical 
 affairs againft. all inquiry, alteration, or cor- 
 rection whatever. Cool reflection and in- 
 formation would foon convince this politi- 
 cian, that fuch expectations are vain ; for it 
 will become evident, that the perfuafion of 
 the defects, in the articles of faith and wor- 
 fhip, has now gained ground to a degree fo 
 great, as will occafion (if fuch a wretched 
 plan of governing continues) a conflict at 
 laft, to obtain the necefTary amendments 
 which, on this day, if conducted with judg- 
 ment, would call for none, meet with little 
 or no oppofition, and, in fact, give the moil 
 effectual fupport and credit to the church 
 eftablifhed. 
 
 It appears to me, laftly, that, after the 
 difufage of inquiry and revifal for a century, 
 no diftinction ought to be made now be- 
 tween procraflinating the bufmefs, and a 
 
 plan 
 
( 55 ) 
 
 plan formed of putting a total flop, in fu- 
 ture, to all reform whatever, by the means 
 of this evafive conduct. 
 
 Religious liberty is already endangered 
 greatly by the fuccefs, which has fo long 
 attended this infidious fyftem. If others 
 were as much alarmed at the inevitable con- 
 fequences, as I am, they would fee, that by 
 making off the tyranny of the Pope, at the 
 Reformation, they are now falling faft under 
 fubjeclion to the uncontrovertible opinions of 
 a number of flill fallible men, and that they 
 are departing more and more every day from 
 the true principles of Chriflian Protectants. 
 
 ■■ I' il ■ \ A ■ ! ■ !■!■ ii i 
 
 POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 THE fcruples of a country curate, which 
 appeared in the Gentleman's Magazine, for 
 January 1737, are fo juft and well-founded, 
 that I need make no apology for reprinting 
 
 them 
 
( 56 ) 
 
 them here. They relate chiefly to the of- 
 fices of baptifm, and the burial of the dead; 
 and add greatly to all the other arguments, 
 for theneceffity of a review of our public li- 
 turgy. This honefr. curate's fcruples may 
 likewife find more acceptation with fome, as 
 it does not appear, that he is fcandalized at 
 any matter of faith. However, the princi- 
 pal inftances, produced by him, lie within 
 the reach of the meanefr. understanding, and 
 whenever they fall out (and at baptifm they 
 conftantly muft), it is impoffible, that the 
 congregation can retire with the reverence 
 for the church fervice, and the minifters of 
 it, which the nature of fuch folemn forms 
 ought to excite : otherwife they are defec- 
 tive, indeed. But if thefe forms, in any 
 part, tend not only to take off the refpecl: 
 we mould have for all folemn religious rites, 
 but contain, befides, matters fo very glaring 
 and prepoflerous, as to lead the people to 
 
 think, 
 
( 57 ) 
 
 think, that we are trifling, as this author 
 ftates, with God and man, every one mull 
 then be fenfible, that a continuation of fuch 
 fervices can only be an encouragement to 
 irreligion, infidelity, and, indeed, lead to 
 a very unfavourable opinion of the defigns 
 of the fuperior clergy, and of the manner 
 in which their duty is difcharged. 
 
 While thefe things remain uncorrected, 
 they are operating againft the caufe, which 
 the aflbciation wifhes to efpoufe, and will 
 render vain every effort to bring back the 
 nation to a true fenfe of religion and mora*, 
 lity. 
 
 Some 
 
( 58 ) 
 
 Some Ohfervatiom on the Church Liturgy, or 
 the Scruples of a Country Curate, 
 
 SIR, 
 
 T HAVE often wondered, why another 
 public Review of the Liturgy of the 
 Church of Eitgland (which has been fp ear- 
 neftly wijhed for by a great many very pious 
 members of our Church) has not been ef- 
 fectually undertaken long ago by proper au- 
 thority. It is allowed by all rational per- 
 fons, that there is need enough of amendment 
 in feveral parts of the Common Prayer Book : 
 Nor can it well be otherwife, fince a courfe 
 of above feventy- five years (which have parT- 
 ed fince the lajl Review) muft needs have 
 prod uced a great many obfolete words and 
 phrafcs at leaft, and perhaps given us better 
 fight into feveral paflages of fcripture, on 
 
 which 
 
( 59 ) 
 
 which fome parts of our Liturgy were 
 founded. 
 
 I am fatisfied, that no one can read the 
 book of Common Prayer with attention and 
 impartiality, but muft obferve fever a I things 
 in it, that may be altered for the better : And 
 why we mould not have it as free from im± 
 perfections as may be, I know of no fufficient 
 redfon'j unlefs a few wretched political mo- 
 tives, which I have fometirries heard of, 
 mould be thought fufficient to juftify fuch a 
 neglect. If it was thought neceffary, in the 
 year 1689 (aimofc half a century ago), to 
 undertake a general Review of the Commo?z 
 Prayer Book > I am fure, that the fame ne- 
 cejjity ftill fubfifts ; and, I believe, will be 
 thought by moft people to be now fome- 
 what Jlronger* 
 
 It may be, that the chief motive at that 
 
 time for altering the Liturgy was in order 
 
 to recommend it the better to our dijfenting 
 
 I 2 brethren s 
 
( 6o ) 
 
 brethren : The reafon, without doubt, wag 
 very good, and worthy of true Chriftians -, 
 and if an alteration was now to be under- 
 taken for the fame reafon, I know of nobody 
 that would find fault with it, but only fuch 
 as Dr. Sacheverel, who railed fo bitterly at 
 the intended alterations in 1689. — In my 
 opinion, the prefent may not be an improper 
 time to make fome amendments in our Li- 
 turgy, for the fake of the more moderate 
 difjenters : For, having lately loft their hopes 
 of feeing the Tefi Acl repealed, I am per- 
 fuaded, that a great » many among them 
 would conftantly communicate with the 
 Church of 'England, if a few things in her 
 Liturgy, that are in their own nature indif- 
 ferent, were left, upon a Review, to be in* 
 different alfo in their ufe. And thofe among 
 them, who, upon this condefcenfion from 
 us, would not come over to our Church, 
 would have lefs pretence afterwards to com- 
 plain 
 
( 6. ) 
 
 plain of hardfiips and difcouragements from % 
 religious ejlabliflment. 
 
 The profpect of bringing over many Dif* 
 /enters to the Church of England, is one reajon 
 why an improvement of our Liturgy mould 
 be undertaken : But what chiefly led me to 
 make thefe reflections upon the necejjity of 
 improving our Liturgy was a difficulty that 
 I lately met with in reading the office for 
 Public Baptifm, which ought not, in my 
 opinion, to be fuffered any longer to per- 
 plex the confidences of honeft men. Being 
 Curate of a pretty large parifh in the coun- 
 try, I was called upon, about fix weeks 
 ago, by fome of the parim-officers to bap- 
 tize twin children of a poor travelling wo- 
 man, who, by mere accident, had been 
 brought to bed the day before, at a publick- 
 houfe in our parifh. The poor woman had 
 nobody of her owft acquaintance with her, 
 not fo much as her hufband; and there- 
 fore 
 
( 6i J 
 
 fore the parifh-officers were obliged to hire 
 fome of the leafl confcientious people of the 
 parifri to be fponfors for the children. After 
 I had named the infants, and proceeded to 
 that part of the fervice, which contains a 
 folemn exhortation to the godfathers, I begari 
 to reflect with myfelf, that what I was read- 
 ing was no way fuitable to that occafion ; 
 but, on the contrary, was highly improper, 
 and in reality no better than moft egregious 
 trijiing with God and man. The furprife I 
 was in, upon this fudden reflection, occa- 
 sioned me to make a fenfible paufe : For I 
 was under great doubt, whether I ought to 
 go on or not : But not being able to recol- 
 lect that I had any liberty to omit that part 
 of the Baptifmal Office, upon any occafion 
 whatfoever; I difguifed my confufion oi 
 well as I could, and finished the whole fer- 
 vice as ufual. When the ceremony was 
 over, I had then time to confider with my- 
 felf 
 
( 63 ) 
 
 felf more leifurely, with what ferioufnefs 
 could I exhort trie fponfors -, and with what 
 truth or faithfulnefs could they Jolemnly pro- 
 mife before God and the congregation then 
 prefent, that they would teach thofe children 
 jhe meaning of the vow and engagement 
 that was then made for them ? That they 
 would call upon them to hear fermons, in or- 
 der to learn their baptifmal covenant ? that 
 they would provide for their inftrutlion in 
 the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten 
 Commandments -, and for their godly and vir- 
 tuous education in all parts of Chrijlian life : I 
 fay, with whaty^? could I exhort them, or 
 they promife to do thefe things ; when I was 
 fure there was no probability of their ever 
 feeing the children after they mould be one 
 month old ? For, their mother, being kept in 
 her lying-in at the pariih expence, would 
 be obliged to depart as foon as her month 
 was up, and follow her old method of living, 
 
 by 
 
( 64 ) 
 
 by travelling about the country ; or perhaps 
 would return to her own native place, 
 which was in the ifland of Guernfey. — I af- 
 fure you, that this relation is not feigned, 
 but an exact account, in every particular, of 
 real matter of fact : And I do not queftion, 
 but feveral of my brethren the Clergy have 
 met with the like incidents. 
 
 It is well known, that the buiinefs of 
 fponfors at Baptifm is, in general, brought 
 to a very fcandalous pafs. I have heard, 
 that the inferior fort of people are obliged, 
 in many places, to be at no fmall expence 
 in h i r i n G fponfors for their children : And I 
 believe, that, in all places, not one in ten 
 choofe fponfors with a religious view, of 
 having their affiftance in the pious and vir- 
 tuous education of their children. Why then, 
 in the name of God, is there not fome pro- 
 vifion made, either to regulate the great 
 abufe of this ceremony, or to leave it at the 
 
 difcretion 
 
( *i ) 
 
 difcretton of the parents to obfefve it,- or not ; 
 or elfe wholly to lay it afide, as a thing in 
 itfelf not necejfary, arid known by experience 
 to be greatly abufedt I heartily wifh, that 
 God may put it into the hearts of thofe 
 who are in public authority, to make fome 
 alterations in this and other defers of our 
 Common Prayer, for the eafe of fcrupulous 
 confciences, and for the greater decency and 
 folemnity of public worjhip. 
 
 Since I am upon this fubjecl, I will take 
 the liberty of communicating to you another 
 fcruple, which I have often had upon my 
 mind in reading one of the prayers of our 
 Liturgy : the prayer that I mean, is that in 
 the Burial Office^ which immediately follows 
 the Lord's Prayer. I think, there are fome 
 things mentioned in it, which are hardly 
 true ; and others, in my opinion, very im* 
 proper. — The prayer begins thus : Almighty 
 God, with whom do live thefpirits of them that 
 K depart 
 
( 66 ) 
 
 depart hence in the Lord, and with whom the 
 Jbuls of the faithful, after they are delivered 
 from the burden of the jlejh, are in joy and fe- 
 licity. Not to mention the manifeft tauto- 
 logy in thefe few words, I think the doctrine 
 they contain is not generally allowed to be 
 true, at leaf! it cannot be proved from fcrip- 
 iure. We are afTured, that God is in Hea- 
 ven , and the fcripture teaches us, that the 
 fouls of good men, departed this life, are in 
 Hades - y but Heaven and Hades have been 
 always underflood, I think, to be two dif- 
 tincl places y therefore the fouls of the faithful , 
 cannot be with God, in the fenfe which 
 teems to be meant here. 
 
 It is the general opinion of the raoft emi- 
 nent divines of our Church, that the fouls 
 of good men, when they are gone out of 
 this world, are not with God in any proper 
 ienfe; that is, they do not enjoy what is 
 called the beatific vifion, or the more immedi- 
 ate 
 
( 67 ) 
 
 ate prefence of the Divine Majefty ; but are 
 referved in an invifible region, which the 
 fcripture calls Hades, until the laft day of 
 judgment ; then to have their perfect con- 
 fummation of blifs and happinefs in the 
 glorious prejence of God for evermore. 
 
 The words immediately following the 
 foregoing paragraph, are thefe : We give 
 thee hearty thanks, for that it hath pleafed 
 thee to deliver this our brother out of the miferies 
 of this finful world, I have always looked 
 upon this fentence highly improper to be 
 ufed indifcriminately at the burial of all 
 forts of people in general. When it is pro- 
 nounced over fuch perfons as have died 
 very old, or in great want and poverty, or 
 in any other manifeft. mifery ; it is then, in 
 my opinion, very fuitable. For we may, 
 with great fmcerity, thank God for diliver- 
 ing a poor, infirm, or wretched creature out 
 of thofe miferies of the world, which we 
 K 2 knew 
 
( 68 ) 
 
 knew he plainly fuffered. But to thank God 
 for taking out of this world, perhaps in the 
 flower of his age, a man who was bringing 
 up a family in virtuous induflry, or doing 
 fome eminent ferviccs to religion and his 
 country, or any other ways employing his 
 talents to the glory of God, and the good of 
 mankind; I fay, to thank God folemnly for 
 the death of fuch a man, is what I can fee 
 no ground for, either in reafon or fcripture* 
 In my opinion, it would be as well, if in 
 fuch inflances we only exprefTed our sub- 
 mission to the wife providence of God, 
 who had thought proper to deprive us of fq 
 ufeful 2. member of fociety. 
 
 The next words in the fame prayer are 
 rheie that follow; befeeching thee, that it may 
 pleafe thee of thy gracious goodnefs, Jhortly to 
 accomplifli the number of thine elecl, and to 
 haften thy kingdom. I am not certain what 
 is the exaB meaning of this paffage ; it ap- 
 pears 
 
( <5 9 ) 
 
 pears to me to fet forth the doctrine of abfo- 
 lute predeftination : for it feems to fuppoie, 
 that there is a certain determinate number of 
 perfons to be faved ; and that God can 
 accomplijh, or make up that number fooner 
 or later, as he pleafes. Whether this be 
 the meaning of this paffage ; and if it be, 
 whether it be agreeable te the dodtrine of 
 fcripture, I leave to my fuperiors to deter- 
 mine. For my own part, I have always 
 looked upon it as favouring of abfolute pre- 
 destination ; and, in that light, as not fuffi- 
 ciently fupported by fcripture ; at leaft, not 
 fo clear of all doubt, as to be fit to make 
 a part of a folemn petition to Almighty God. 
 I think, it is hardly juftifiable, to put 
 any thing into a public prayer, which is not 
 founded upon clear deductions either of 
 reafon ox fcripture : For public prayers have 
 a much flronger fanction put upon them, 
 fhan the compoiition of any private man : 
 
 An4 
 \ 
 
( 7° ) 
 
 And the vulgar are apt to look upon 
 them as next in authority to the fcriptures 
 themfelves; and fometimes, I am afraid, 
 .carry their opinion of them much higher ; 
 and the clergy are always obliged to make 
 ufe of them without the lea/l variation, though 
 the matter of them mould be generally al- 
 lowed not to be entirely confijlent with fcrip- 
 ture. Whether that prayer in the Burial 
 Office which I have now examined, be al- 
 together agreeable to reafon and fcripture, I 
 leave every one to judge for himfelf. I did 
 not choofe this prayer for the fubjecl: of my 
 obfervations, becaufe I thought it the only 
 one in our Liturgy that is liable to exceptions-, 
 but I made choice of this, becaufe, in my 
 opinion, it feems in tf//its parts to be the 
 lean: fupported by fcripture authority of the 
 whole collection of public prayers. 
 
 I fhall not trouble you at prefent with my 
 thoughts upon any of the reft; but beg 
 
 leave 
 
( 7i ) 
 
 leave to mention in general, that I think the 
 morning fervice fox fund ays and holidays, as it 
 is now read in all parifh- churches, lofes a 
 great deal of its beauty and decency (to fay 
 nothing worfe) by the cuftom that prevails 
 every where of reading together, at one and 
 the fame time, without any proper interval, 
 what was originally defigned for three dijlint~l 
 fervices, to be ufed at fo many different times. 
 This gives occalion to that (perhaps juft) ob- 
 jection of the dijfenters, again ft the frequent 
 repetition of the Lord's Prayer in our public 
 worfhip : for by this ill-timed accumulation 
 of different parts of our Liturgy, it is no un- 
 common thing for the Lord's Prayer to be 
 repeated six times in the fame morning fervice. 
 I am not confeious to myfelf, that, in 
 thefe obfervations, I have any ways of- 
 fended againft that juft deference which 
 every clergyman owes to the judgment and 
 authority of the Church of Engla?id : If any 
 
 one 
 
( 72 ) 
 
 one mould think otherwife, I fincerely afk 
 his pardon ; and do folemnly profefs, that I 
 meant no more than to propofe fome of my 
 own fcruples ; in hopes, that the venerable 
 fathers of our Church will be perfuaded in 
 due time to do fomething for the relief of 
 fuch fcrupulous conferences as mine. 
 
 KmU %%*' Tours, 
 
 D. H. 
 
/ 
 
 1