we are, methinks, encompassed with unusual, unexpected difficulties. Whence comes it that the times seem so much more unequal to some men of this sacred order, than they are to others? From what infected quarter does this mischief arise? Are they not full as learned, virtuous, and religious, as their brethren or their predecessors? Shew they not equal zeal for the glory of God, the honour of Christ's revelation, and for the souls of men, the purchase of his blood? Walk they not prudently and circumspectly, shewing themselves patterns in all good things? What part of duty is it that they are defective in? Is malice so restrained as not to tell them of their faults? Or are their enemies so tender of their credit and good name? And yet, if you should trace these clamours to a head, you will find they end in this poor, senseless accusation, that they are not good churchmen. Great God! that men of the most valuable abilities, and learned in all kinds, beloved of all that know them, for their candour and good nature; famed for their prudence, and venerable for their piety and goodness; of exemplary charity, assiduous preachers, constant frequenters of the common prayers; and, in a word, who, whilst they were parish priests, did every way adorn their holy calling;-that these men, when they came to be advanced, should cease immediately to be good churchmen! My heart, I own it, is too full of indignation and disdain, to give a serious answer to such calumnies. I rather humbly beseech God to forgive those men their great trespass, who have either invented, spread, or cherished them. But be not you, my brethren,

Y

partakers of their sin, by harbouring such-like thoughts, or countenancing such reports. Speak not evil of these dignities. I know I am the unworthiest of them; but yet I bind it on your consciences, to entertain a good opinion of me till you find cause to do otherwise. I shall not else be able to do any good among you. I speak not this from any reason or suspicion I have, that I am not as much esteemed by all of you as I deserve to be. But what can I expect? What have I not to fear, when men of so much greater caution, prudence, virtue, and religion, fare so ill? Had Papists been the spreaders of these slanders, I should not much have wondered; because they are such hearty lovers of whatever may discredit us, or weaken our influence with our people, that I account we are obliged to them, if they only report, and are not the authors of them but these are not the wounds of enemies, but of companions, friends, and children. But, after all, what is the ground and occasion of this outcry? If I can guess aright, it is this: The Bishops, for these twenty years last past, have behaved themselves with that good temper, moderation, and paternal gentleness, that they have gained more ground upon the hearts of the Dissenters, than had been done for an hundred years before by all their predecessors. And yet they have not parted (that I know of) with one point of doctrine, one point of discipline, one church or chapel, one line of the Common Prayer, nor one external ceremony. But it may be they would if they could. It is time enough to answer those suspicions, when better proof of their inclination appears. I have as much reason to say,

and I do say it, that, whenever they do part with any thing belonging to the Church, my life for yours they will have something equal to it in exchange. They have as yet parted with nothing; made no advances, no proposals, no concessions. They have only purchased the reconciliation and benevolence of those people who dissent from our church, by a management that is truly wise and truly Christian. And I am verily persuaded that the best and wisest of their predecessors would have taken the same courses, had the situation of affairs been the same and the like seasons and opportunities concurred.

"But how does it appear that the Dissenters have been gained upon by this good treatment? Allow them to be men, and you will see something of what .I say: for all men love humanity, and all men's hearts are won upon by gentle treatment. But does it not appear by plainer tokens? Have they not (many of them) manifestly changed their style and way of expression? Have they not changed their manners and behaviour towards our church and churchmen? Do their writings seem to proceed from such a furious, bitter spirit as they used to do? Do they insist upon such rigorous terms of church communion as they formerly did? Do they treat our service or our ceremonies with the ancient scorn and contempt? Have they not spoken decently and respectfully of Bishops? I may not insist on all particulars. I affirm, that, since the days of Queen Elizabeth, the Bishops of the Church of England were never held in that esteem and value by the Dissenters as they now are, and have been for these twenty years; and that for doing nothing but what did always become wise

men and good Christians to do, so circumstantiated as they are. And is it not astonishing, that that which is in truth a matter of praise and honour, should be turned into an accusation? For (to come to the point I am upon) I have never seen a better cause assigned why some Bishops should not be thought good church men, than that they have treated the Dissenters with more condescension and less acrimony, and have been treated by them with more civility, respect, and honour, than was heretofore the custom to do on either side. And I leave it to all the world to judge, whether the Bishops are to change their conduct, or those who blame them their opinion. I mean not, by what I have said, to make an apology for any of my brethren and most honoured colleagues, dead or living. Their good example wants not to be justified, but followed, by me. And herein I should but do as they have done, viz. pursue the advice given to the clergy of his province by Archbishop Sancroft in 1688. Moré especially that they have a very tender regard to our brethren the Protestant Dissenters: that, upon occasions offered, they visit them at their houses, and receive them kindly at their own, and treat them fairly wherever they meet them; persuading them, if it may be, to a full compliance with our church; or, at least, that, whereunto we have already attained, we may all walk by the same rule and mind the same thing; and that they warmly and most affectionately exhort them to join with us in daily fervent prayer to the God of peace, for an universal blessed union of all Reformed Churches, both at home and abroad, against our common enemies.'"

Objection 16. The "Country Clergyman" grows bolder as he advances; and by the time we get to his tenth page we find him asserting, that only "about half a dozen Noble Lords honour" the Bible Society with their patronage, and few of the Clergy.

I have learnt on this occasion, for the first time, that no institution can be good which is not honoured with the sanction of a large list of nobility. I have mentioned before, that the Naval and Military Bible Society has been established thirty years: its President is his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury: the Noblemen who subscribe to it, independently of the Patron and Vice-Patron, are, I believe, exactly "half a dozen :" but will any man urge this as an argument against it? None, I am persuaded, except the author of the pamphlet before me.

But I will shrink from no question which this subject involves; let us examine the point. The number of temporal Lords who subscribe to the Society in Bartlett's Buildings, which has existed upwards of 100 years, amounts, I believe, to thirty: the noble Patrons of the Bible Society, and of its auxiliaries, are not less than fourteen*: and, if it will afford this gentleman any pleasure, I am happy to inform him that the list is increasing." About half a dozen Noble Lords!" I know not whether his treatment of the temporal or the spiritual Peers be the least ceremonious. These Noble Lords, I presume, have nothing to recommend them but their titles: still they are men of rank, and should be treated with the respect which is due to rank. But let us take a few names: There is Lord Teignmouth, for instance,

* The number at present is eighteen. Nov. 27.