which is loving, gentle, and eafy to be entreated. His polemic fpirit is fingularly proud and acrimonious; and fo has been the fpirit of many of his controverfial predeceffors and fucceffors.

How amiable and gentle, on comparison, the language and fentiments of Voltaire and Rouffeau! Compare them with the mean, narrow, felfifh fentiments of a time ferving preferment hunter, or the political caution and hypocrify of a facerdotal COURTIER. Voltaire and Rouffeau would have loved Chriftianity, and probably believed it, if it had not been distorted and disfigured by the malignant paffions of angry defenders of it, who fhewed their love of Chrift, by hating their brother, and who appeared by their actions to mean little by their profeffions, befides the gratification of pride and avarice.

Religion is beautiful. Full of grace are her lips. She fhall fpeak for herself to the hearts of unbelievers, and the busy, thoughtless world:

Spirit, he has the following note on Mr. WILLIAM LAW, who, if miftaken, is allowed to have been a fincere Chriftian, and a very good as well as ingenious man:

"This poor man," (fays the great Prelate,) whether mifled. by his fanaticifm or his fpleen, has here fallen into a trap which "his folly laid for his MALICE."

There is then no malice in this obfervation, no pride, no revenge. *In the writings of Voltaire, who never fails to have a taunt"ing hit at the clergy, the CURE' is generally an amiable per"fonage, a charitable man, a friend to the poor and unfortunate, a peace-maker, and a man of piety and worth."

ROBISON's Proofs of Confpiracy.. Voltaire faw in the CURE (or parish priest) real Chriftianity-in the court clergy of France, hypocrify, villainy, pride, and CRUELTY, Would not the true fpirit of Chriftianity reprobate fuch men, hiding the foul fiend under the white robes of religion? I bear my teftimony, in the ftrongest terms, against the general tendency of Rouffeau's and Voltaire's writings; but think much of their evil is to be attributed to the COURT CLERGY of France.

L 5

"Come

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are "heavy laden, and I will refresh you. I call you, "not for the fake of promoting any worldly inte"reft, not for political purposes, not for an ec"clefiaftical party, not to maintain the riches or "grandeur of any corrupt establishment; but that "I may make you happy; that I may difpel the "clouds of trouble and doubt which darken your "paths, and fhew you the funshine of Heaven. "Mine is a spirit of love. I am a lover of men. "I seek to do you good. I bring the glad tidings "of the Gofpel; that is, I disclose to you that "God Almighty, in pity to fuffering and erring "mortals, fends a COMFORTER, the Holy Ghoft, "descending like a dove, all peaceable, gentle, "lovely. I fill you with hope; and hope is "a cheerful paffion. I tranquillize your agi"tated bofoms, and lead you, rejoicing on your "way, to the filent grave, whither you must go, "whether you make your journey to it cheerful

and pleasant, as you may, under my guidance, "or difmally dark, as it will ever be, when I with"draw my luftre."

Would not fuch a mode of addrefs be more likely to conciliate men who reject Christianity, than all the angry, taunting language which has been used, not only againft profeffed infidels, but against believers, who difagreed a little in matters of indifference*. South, Bentley, Warburton, and fome able writers in recent times, have fhewn, in their zealous defences, the pride of pedantry, the fierceness of barbarians, the fubtlety of Machiavelian politicians, but quite forgot the gentleness

"Holy wars have ever been the worst of wars; and fcriptural "debates the most intemperate: what is gained in argument is per"haps loft in piety-in charity undoubtedly."

GILPIN.

which characterizes the WISDOM FROM HEAVEN, and which alone can win fouls by the charms of foft perfuafion, affifted by the holy spirit of love.

I am

It is faid of Dr. Johnson, that he used to declare, he loved a good HATER. Many polemical divines have fhewn themfelves capable of this paffion of HATRED in its highest perfection. But hatred begets hatred; and Dr. Johnson's declaration is among thofe inconfiftencies in his life, which prove a great man still but a man. forry that this faying fhould be recorded of him; for Dr. Johnson profeffed himself a zealous Chriftian, and Chrift taught us to love even an enemy. According to the Chriftian rule, an enemy, instead of being hated, is to be melted to love and kindnefs by good ufage.

The odium theologicum, or the rancour of the clergy to each other, when they difcufs controverfial points of divinity, is, in my opinion, the greatest opprobrium theologicum. A blot in the theological character not to be wiped off by the officious hand of the most partial apologift *. Warburtonian infolence and ill-nature have done more injury to the church, and to the cause of Chriftianity, than any of the writers whom they were intended to gall and mortify.

See Warburton's dedication to freethinkers, and many parts of his works fpecimens of great levity, bitter invective, grofs farcafm, and total careleffnefs for the state, both present and final, of thofe unhappy perfons, whom he justly reprefents as miferably mistaken. Does the good shepherd worry the tray fheep with bloodhounds, or bruise them with his crook? The crozier, or paftoral staff, of Warburton became in his hands a bludgeon or a rod of iron.

SECTION LII.

Of the inadequate Idea entertained by many refpectable Perfons concerning Christianity; with a Suggestion on the Expediency of their confidering the true Nature of Chriftian Philofophy.

o abftain from grofs, enormous, open, and

Tfcandalous vices, to comply with the out

ward ceremonies of the Church, and to reciprocate the usual and formal civilities of life, constitutes, in the opinion of multitudes, not only a very refpectable member of fociety, but a very good Christian. Concerning the DOCTRINES of Chriftianity, fuch perfons give themselves little concern, but plume themselves on decently practising the DUTIES; by which they underftand nothing more than a very imperfect kind of heathen morality, and the avoidance of fuch conduct as might expose them to the animadverfion of law, or to the lofs of reputation. The DUTIES of Chriftianity thus limited, they think easily discernible, without study or reading, by common obfervation and common fenfe. Doing as others do, as far as the decorum of established manners allows and prescribes, is the grand rule. Such perfons pass through life with great credit, paying their way, (as it is expreffed,) and making themselves agreeable in company, and are feldom mentioned but with the praife of very good fort of people.

Exactly fuch fort of people they might have been if Chriftianity had never exifted. They hold no opinion, they adopt no practice peculiar to Christianity. The Gospel, which they profefs to

embrace,

embrace, is a leaden rule, an accommodating guide, an humble companion, that muft obfequiously stand on one fide, whenever it is in the way of a fashionable practice. Gaming, duelling, and many modes of gratification inconfiftent both with the letter and spirit of the Gofpel, feem to receive no check from this convenient fpecies of Chrift-" ianity.

Any thoughts which may occafionally intrude of a very ferious kind, are laughed away by the furrounding circle, as vapours, fancies, the effects of morbid melancholy, or of nervous indifpofition. Company, public places, public diverfions, are immediately propofed as a fovereign remedy; and indeed they certainly are fo far a remedy, that they banish ferious thoughts, but they alfo banish that happy difpofition, (for happiness is serious,) which might have caused the vifitation from on high, and obtained, for the weary and fick heart, the sweetlyrefreshing cordial of divine grace.

*

Attendance at polite places of public worship feems to constitute the piety of such persons; and public fubfcription to fashionable or political contributions fhews their charity. It feems fair to infer, that their piety and charity are thus circumfcribed, because their actions, on other occafions and at other places, feem inconfiftent with piety

* Where hell is not mentioned to ears polite, where the ear is "pleafed and the heart untouched, which," fays Bishop Stillingfleet, "feems to be like stroking the confciences of people with "feathers dipt in oil." In certain finical fermons of fome great "pulpit haranguers," fays Dr. Edwards, the name of GoD is "efteemed low and mean. I could quote fome of them who avoid that "word, as if it were not fine enough for them, but must be ex"changed, in all their difcourfes, for the divine Being, the Almighty, "the Author of all Things, the Governor of the World; and fo "they feldom ufe the word Chrift, but fubtitute fome other title. "Some pronounce the word God, Gad, and I.ord, Lud," &c. Dr. JOHN EDWARDS.

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