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He faid alfo, "that to find a fubftitution for violated morality was the leading feature in all perverfions of religion."

A fectary being mentioned, who was a very religious man, and not only attended regularly on public worship with thofe of his communion, but made a particular ftudy of the Scriptures, and even wrote a commentary on fome parts of them, yet was known to be very licentious in indulging himself with women; maintaining that men are to be faved by faith alone, and that the Chriftian religion had not prefcribed any fixed rule for the intercourfe between the fexes;" Johnfon faid, "Sir, there is no trufting to that crazy piety."

At another time he faid, "The morality of an action depends on the motive from which

we act. If I fling half a crown to a beggar with intention to break his head, and he picks it up and buys victuals with it, the phyfical effect is good; but with refpect to me the action is very wrong. So religious exercises, if not performed with an intention to please God, avail us nothing. As our Saviour fays of those who perform them from other motives, Verily they have their reward."

A question being introduced as having been much agitated in the Church of Scotland, whether the claim of lay-patrons to present minifters

minifters to parifhes be well founded; and fuppofing it to be well founded, whether it ought to be exercifed without the concurrence of the people? Johnfon faid, the fubject was well treated in the Defence of Pluralities;' and although he thought that a patron should exercise his right with tenderness to the inclinations of the people of a parifh, he was yery clear as to his right. He then proceeded to dictate an argument at large on the subject, as fuppofing the queftion to be agitated before the general affembly.

On another occafion Mr. Bofwell introduced a common fubject of complaint, the very finall falaries which many curates have, and maintained, "that no man fhould be invefted with the character of a clergyman, unJefs he has a fecurity for fuch an income as will enable him to appear refpectable; that therefore a clergyman fhould not be allowed to have a curate, unless he gives him a hundred pounds a year; if he cannot do that, let him perform the duty himself."-Johnson obferved, "To be fure, Sir, it is wrong that any clergyman fhould be without a reasonable income; but as the church revenues were fadly diminifhed at the Reformation, the clergy who have livings cannot afford, in many inftances, to give good falaries to curates, without leav

ing themselves too little; and if no curate were to be permitted, unless he had a hundred pounds a year, their number would be very finall, which would be a disadvantage, as then there would be no fuch choice in the nursery for the church, curates being candidates for the higher ecclefiaftical offices, according to their merit and good behaviour."

He explained the fyftem of the English Hierarchy exceedingly well. "It is not thought fit (faid he) to truft a man with the care of a parish, till he has given proof as a curate that he shall deferve fuch a truft." This is an excellent theory; and if the practice were according to it, the Church of England would be admirable indeed. However, as Dr. Johnfon once obferved as to the Univerfitics, bad practice does not infer that the conftitution is bad.

The fubject of the inequality of the livings of the clergy of England, and the fcanty provifions of fome of the curates was refumed at another time, when Johnson faid, "It cannot be helped. You must confider, that the revenues of the clergy are not at the difpofal of the State, like the pay of the army. Different men have founded different churches ; and fome are better endowed, fome worse. The State cannot interfere and make an equal divifion of what has been particularly appropri

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ated. Now when a clergyman has but a small living, or even two fmall livings, he can afford very little to a curate."

Johnfon's old fellow-collegian Mr. Edwards, who has been mentioned before, once expreffed a with that he had continued at college. Johnson afked, "Why do you with that, Sir?" EDWARDS. "Because I think I fhould have had a much eafier life than mine has been. I fhould have been a parfon, and had a good living, like Bloxam and feveral others, and lived comfortably."-JOHNSON. "Sir, the

life of a parfon, of a confcientious clergyman, is not eafy. I have always confidered a clergyman as the father of a larger family than he is able to maintain. I would rather have Chancery fuits upon my hands than the cure of fouls. No, Sir, I do not envy a clergyman's life as an eafy life, nor do I envy the clergyman who makes it an eafy life."

In one of his Journals was found the following scheme of life for Sunday: "Having lived (as he with tendernefs of confcience expreffes himself) not without an habitual reverence for the Sabbath, yet without that attention to its religious duties which Chriftianity requires ;

"To rife early, and in order to it, to go to fleep early on Saturday.

2. "To use fome extraordinary devotion in the

morning.

3. "To examine the tenour of my life, and particularly the last week; and to mark my advances in religion, or receffion from it.

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4. To read the Scripture methodically with fuch helps as are at hand.

5. "To go to church twice.

6. "To read books of Divinity, either fpeculative or practical.

7. "To inftruct my family.

8. "To wear off by meditation any worldly foil contracted in the week."

From another of his Journals was tranfcribed what follows:

"At church, Oct.-65.

"To avoid all fingularity.

"To come in before service, and compofe my mind by meditation, or by reading fome portions of fcripture.

"If I can hear the fermon to attend to it, unless attention be more troublesome than useful.

"To confider the act of prayer as a repofal of myself upon God, and a refignation of all into his holy hand."

He faid he would not have Sunday kept with rigid feverity and gloom, but with a gravity and fimplicity of behaviour.

Johnson and Mr. Bofwell were once at Southill church together, and it being the firft Sunday of the month, and the holy facrament adminiftered, Mr. B. ftaid to partake of it. When he came afterwards into Dr. Johnson's room, the Doctor faid, "You did right to

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