fome remedy be applied to the growing evil, we fhall, in time, be in the condition of our neighbours the Papifts, with whom the thinking men, in the church as well as among the laity, are generally infidels, and all the unthinking are bigots.

Let us, then, fit down to a ferious and impartial examination of the objections of deifts to chriftianity, and by no means treat them with that contempt and infolence which they have too often met with, and which they are very far from deferving. But before we attempt the vindication of any thing, let us firft confider, whether we have any occafion to vindicate it at all; that is, whether it really belong to our religion; or whether it have only been generally supposed to belong to it. For fome of our defenders of chriftianity, in confequence of attempting too much, appear to me to have done nothing. It will be in vain to offer any vindication of our religion, till it be cleared of fuch incumbrances as would render any fcheme indefenfible; and I am rather apprehensive,

that

that the prejudices of the bulk of chriftians, of Proteftants, and even of the Proteftant Diffenters, in favour of vulgar errours, are so ftrong, that the times are not yet quite ripe for a completely rational defence of chriftianity.

It will eafily be perceived, that these reflections were not fuggefted by the fubject of the following fhort treatife only. I own I had farther views. But in this inftance I would willingly give an example of what, I apprehend, would be the most advantageous and fuccefsful manner of treating prejudices of long flanding; which is, firft, to exhibit the genuine fcripture doctrine upon the fubject, and then to trace the corruptions of it in an historical manner; accounting for them as well as we can, and affigning the reafons for the prefent prevailing opinions. I am perfuaded there are perfons enow, who, if they were properly encouraged, would be ready to purfue fuch a plan as this, with respect to several important articles,

It

It is the more to our purpose to begin with this fubject of the Lord's fupper, as it affords a ftriking inftance of the very great stress which the generality of ferious christians may lay upon an opinion, or a practice, which has clearly no manner of foundation in the gospel itself, but is most evidently a corruption of it. Let it not, therefore, be taken for granted, that every thing must be a part of chriftianity, which is very generally, and moft firmly believed to be fo, and which is even confidered as of the utmost importance in the scheme.

It is from no low party prejudices, that I think there is more to be expected from Diffenters, and diffenting minifters, than from clergymen of the church of England, in difquifitions of this kind. They may, indeed, fuggeft improvements, but we only have it in our power to carry them into execution. Where a great number of perfons are so joined together, that they muft act in concert, and every every individual muft wait the motions of the whole body, the work of reformation muft neceffarily

go

1

+

go on very flowly, if it be not totally ob-
ftructed; but the progrefs of it may be
very rapid, where, as with us, every fingle
fociety may improve their fentiments and
difcipline as much as they please, without
troubling themselves, in the leaft, about
the opinions or practices of others. Hav-
ing fubfcribed to no articles of faith, which
we either openly reject, or artfully explain
away, we cannot be charged with incon-
fiftency or prevarication, when we call in
queftion received opinions; and, enjoying
no emolument or advant ge of any kind,
as the price of fubfcription, there is no
fhadow of a claim upon us to refund' or
relinquish any thing, when we renounce
whatever we apprehend to be an errour ;
fo long as we profess the christian religion,
according as we understand it, which is
all that our focieties expect from us.. It
is readily acknowledged, that there are
many things unfavourable in our fituation;
but let
us, for that reason, make the most
of what is favourable in it, and exert our-
felves, in proportion to what God and the
world may justly expect from us.

I do'

I do not pretend to fay, that there is any thing materially new in the fentiments of this treatise, or very different from the opinion of the excellent bifhop Hoadley on the fubject; but the manner of treating it may have fome advantage; and, confidering the prefent prevailing opinions and practices relating to it, it is apparent, that another call of men's attention to this fubject is not fuperfluous, and that enough has not yet been faid upon it. The only advantage of any other nature that I can pretend to have over the good bishop is, that my circumstances do not oblige me to embarrass my plain account of this inftitution, by an attempt to accommodate it to an established mode of administration, that is, throughout, evidently founded on that very different and fuperftitious idea of it, which I am profeffedly combating.

The quotations I have had occafion to make from the Fathers are copied, with little or no variation, from Dr. King's Conftitution of the Primitive Church; and therefore I have not made any reference

to