true religion, would be to infult the com-. mon fenfe and reason of mankind.

If fubfcription to fuch a formulary be required of the clergy, is there not too much reason to apprehend, that falshood or prevarication, avowed or fecret infidelity, may be imputed to that order; and, the melancholy effects foon become too visible in the increafing diffipation, and profligacy of manners, in all ranks of people ? *

If there be yet a fituation, in which these requifitions are ftill more peculiarly unjustifiable than in any other, it is in those places which are fet apart for the purposes of found learning, ingenuous manners, and religious education.†

Indeed, it appears fcarcely poffible to conceive, that the impofition of academical fubfcription can be defended, for a moment, upon any principles of reafon or utility. It evidently tends to taint the native honour of ingenuous youth; to render the mind fami

liar

*See Hartley's "Obfervations on man," vol. ii. P. 351-358.

[+ Concerning academical fubfcription; fee the four letters of "Paulinus," addreffed to the gentlemen of the university of Cambridge, vol. i. p. 182-216. and No. xii. of "Every man his own prieft." vol. iii. P. 221-232.3

liar to the practice of unconvinced affent; and subjects these feats of elegant and useful literature to the charge of maintaining illiberal and exclufivè principles, unknown even in states wherein religious defpotifm, and the intolerant fpirit most prevail. The continuation of this impofition, upon perfons who receive no emoluments whatever from the establishment; and, who, for a long courfe of years, have approved themfelves the best of subjects, must be confidered, (after a refpectful application has been made for its removal,) as proceeding from a defire of exercifing an unjustifiable dominion over the confciences of chriftians; and, eventually, may be productive of danger to the conftitution, both in church and ftate.*

Hear then the conclufion of the whole

matter

[The author laboured to promote a further application of the proteftant diffenters for an enlargement of their religious liberty; not only in regard to the removal of all fubfcription to articles of faith, but to the repeal of the test act, and all penal laws in religious matters. He alfo juftly confidered them entitled to the use of a marriage ceremony, agreeably to their own principles.]

matter. Public virtue, public honour, and a vital religion founded upon the scriptures and embraced with fervour, unquestionably tend, as I before obferved, to promote the public welfare; and form a permanent foundation for the real glory of a state.

A measure, therefore, which removes obstructions to the univerfal prevalence of the pure and unadulterated faith of Chrift, and to the practice of every gospel-virtue, instead of being represented as destructive of the establishment, and as neceffarily leading to the fubverfion of the state, ought in right reason to be promoted by every friend to his religion and his country, as likely to be productive of the most falutary confequences to public utility, and to public peace.

As a mode of producing the most beneficial effects, both to individuals and the community at large, the advantage of a national establishment (meaning thereby a decent provision for a national clergy, bound by the most folemn engagements to execute the important truft repofed in them by the people) is most strenuously maintained and infifted upon; a truft, which, by its very nature,

calls

calls upon that clergy to preach the pure, unmixed, uncorrupted word of God, as well as to adorn the profeffion, by a visible difplay of every divine and focial virtue,—“ a truft, therefore, which cannot but be materially impaired by the obligation to fubscribe their unfeigned affent to a series of articles, the doctrines of which, (from the popular modes of vindicating subscription) they are fuppofed almost generally to dif claim."

When the magiftrate has confented to the establishment of a legal provision for an order of men, appointed to minister in the congregation of chriftians, according to a stated form of prayer; and to preach the gospel to the people, he has done his part: more he should not presume to do.

And it is thy duty, O man, whatever be thy station, if with a fafe confcience thou canst be present at the ceremonial in which they minister, to attend to their inftructive voice yet, at the fame time, with a full affurance that then only thou canst enjoy the expected fruits of thy attendance, when thy conduct is swayed by principles, which thy

own, and not another's judgment fhall ap

prove.

If thou acknowledgeft the gofpel to be the word of that God, who is the creator of the world, and the lord of all that it inhabit, whatever be thy fentiments with respect to the nature of the perfon he hath fent, thy faith is found; thy acceptance refts upon thy unreserved obedience to this word.

If, moreover, thou liveft in a country where the established minifters of religion are bound by the nature of their office, and encouraged by the laws to declare that word in its primæval purity, to the best of their ca pacity and power; thou haft reason to rejoice in the circumstances of thy lot.

But, let not any one of my hearers indulge the fond delufion, that he now enjoys this privilege, in confequence of his communion with the church of England. For, by the laws requiring fubfcription to human formularies of faith and doctrine, each afpirant to the ministry, each expectant of preferment; however fervent may be his affection to the religion of the gofpel; however firm his convictions of its truth; however loyal

to