culty in reverting again to the former rites, accompanied with some additional hardships. But those two thousand confessors all appear as faithful witnesses for the strength of these reasons in favour of dissent: witnesses who may be depended on for their veracity, as their testimony was of more value in their eyes than the enjoyment of their temporal comforts.

All that now remains is to request that the reasons may be attentively, impartially, and seriously considered. It is, I know, a common idea with many, that dissenters are a headstrong, unreasonable set of people, who have but little to say in their own defence; and that their objections to the established church originate merely in narrowness of mind, violence of prejudice, and impatience of ecclesiastical controul. But let them weigh our reasons, and we trust they will be of a different mind. We are neither ashamed nor afraid to exhibit them to all the world; and we receive pleasure from the thought, that they may be examined in centuries to come, when local and temporary circumstances being far removed from view, they will be considered in their intrinsic worth without any adventitious circumstances to bias the judgment on the one side, or on the other. I call God to witness, that it is not the pride of liberty, nor an impatience of ecclesiastical authority, which has produced these sentiments, and led me into a communion different from the majority of the nation; but a sense of duty to Christ, the great Head of the church, and a desire to approve myself to him as a faithful servant. I plead no exemption from civil authority. I feel my obligations to obey

every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake; and in all civil affairs, to render obedience to the powers which be'. But in religion, I call no man father: "one is my master, even Christ." And as I conceive the distinguishing principles which I have espoused to be not only true, but important both to the honour and advancement of religion, I think myself bound to make a stand for them, and to proclaim them openly to the world.

I most cordially thank you, gentlemen, for the patience with which you have listened to me, especially as, consistently with your sentiments as churchmen, you could not listen with approbation. You now know the reasons of my dissent. Examine them at home with seriousness of mind, and pray, and act according to your conviction.

It has been exceedingly common of late to represent dissenters as such, to be enemies to the state and to the constitution. This accusation has come from the lips and pens of dignitaries of the church, who, from their situation and opportunities, should have known better: we say nothing of those underlings who hope, by toad-eating, to rise to preferment in the church. But no charge can be more groundless. The gentlemen need to be informed, that the constitution, as to its ecclesiastical part, comprises not merely the episcopal church, established in the year one thousand five hundred and sixty (that was Laud's English constitution), but the establishment of protestant dissenters by the act of toleration, in the enjoyment of the rights of conscience, and liberty of worship. I have as good a right to profess my religion publicly as a dissenter, as the archbishop of Canterbury has to profess his and I have as good a right to make converts to my faith as a dissenter, as he has to make converts to his church; because the constitution of England, which has conferred these privileges on the archbishop of Canterbury, has conferred them also on me. When converts are made, I trust mine will understand their duty to God, and to their country, as well, and perform it as faithfully as his.

To say that the dissenters, who are exerting themselves for the

"We thank you, sir, for the pains you have taken to set before us the grounds of your separation from our church. While you were speaking, we frequently felt your keenness, and we were ready to be angry: but when we considered that an advocate must be allowed to set his arguments in the strongest light, and that though it may hurt the feelings of the opposite party, it is a liberty which he ought to enjoy in order to do full justice to his cause, our anger ceased, and we heard you without prejudice. We will think of what you have said, and be assured that we will act according to the dictates of conscience.

salvation of their fellow-subjects, are enemies to a constitution which protects and cherishes them, and which allows them to make as many converts as they please, is one of the greatest acts of injustice and absurdity. When they are seeking, with the utmost zeal, to diffuse their sentiments, they are acting in perfect conformity with the spirit and letter of the British constitution. Besides, have not the dissenters much to lose as well as others from any injury sustained by their country? And do they not feel the bonds of gratitude to a constitution, to which they have every reason to consider themselves as under the highest obligations? They do, and they feel them with delight, and will support it with all their powers.

CHAP. III.

CONTROVERSIES IN WHICH THE DISSENTERS

WERE ENGAGED.

SECTION I.

THE DISPUTE WITH MR. DAVIS, OF ROTHWELL.

THE church militant is a name which has been given to the society of Christ's disciples in the present state. When its warfare is accomplished, and they have all entered into heaven, it is called, the church triumphant. Had the epithet militant been annexed for the zeal of Christians in contending for the truth with spiritual weapons, it would have conferred the highest honour. Not a drop of human blood ought the church ever to have shed, except her own for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. It is the horrid decription, given of the anti-christian church, "I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus." A perfect contrariety should mark the character of those who profess to belong to the pure church, which Jesus has redeemed with his most precious blood. But, alas, where is the protestant church, in whose skirts will not be found at last the blood of those, whose hearts have been broken by the anguish of suffering, or who have. inhaled death from the contaminated atmosphere of damp and gloomy dungeons. From such inhuman

conduct, infidels might suppose that they had found valid objections to the Christian faith, unless the spirit of prophecy, by predicting that thus it should be, had not anticipated their cavil, and given additional evidence to the truth.

A more legitimate warfare is exhibited by religious controversy when it appears as an advocate in behalf of the doctrines of the Gospel, in opposition to every error. To this, however, some are decidedly opposed, and consider controversy in every form as hostile to the cause of true religion. When at any time it is introduced, they are filled with disgust, and wish it to be banished from every pulpit, and from every press. Whatever these persons may be able to plead in their own behalf from principles of reason, they will find no support from the general practice of mankind.

Since the Saviour died for sinners upon the cross, no age has been without religious controversy, except when the world was so deeply immersed in ignorance, that there did not remain ability to dispute. But when this was recovered, controversy revived, and has continued to the present hour. Loud as the anathemas of the advocates for peace have been, they have availed nothing. Why, say they, cannot you agree to differ, and not trouble mankind with your contentions, and your sermons, and books of strife." Perhaps on an investigation of the subject, these men will not be found to be so much in the right as they imagine themselves to be.

If all were of one mind, and received the truth in love, or if their differences related to matters which scarcely affect the cause of spiritual religion, to abstain from controversy would be a duty, and a bless