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CHAPTER THE THIRD.

Remarks on the Nature and Defign of Chriftianity-On Civil Establishments of ReligionThe Right of the National Assembly to reform the Church of France confidered-The ReJumption of the Ecclefiaftical Poffefions vindicated on the Principles of Political and Religious Juftice-General Reforms in the French Church-Monaftic Orders fuppreffed-—Authority of the Pope annihilated-Religious Vows abfolved-Particular Reforms in the French Church confidered, and urged as neceffary in the Church of England-Choice of Ministers reftored to the People-Mode by which the Clergy are provided for-Tithes abolished-Juft Diftribution of the Property appropriated for the Support of the Church-Laws to enforce the Refidence of the Clergy---Terms of Admiffion into the Church---Fatal Effects of Ecclefiaftical Subfcription in the Church of England enlarged upon---General Prevarication of the Clergy---Injustice and Folly of the Act of Uniformity--- Abfolute Neceffity of a Reformation enforced from the melancholy State of our Religion and Morals as reprefented by the Clergy.

WHEN we take a view of the various go

vernments which have prevailed in the world, we fhall find, however they may have

differed

differed in 'their nature, or profeffed defign, they have all united in the fupport of fome religion, or system of faith and mode of worship; and that it has been the univerfal practice of the ruling powers, to take upon themselves the regulation not only of the civil, but the religious interefts of mankind. And it must be acknowledged that fuch have been the systems and modes, profeffed and followed by mankind in general, in all ages of the world, that the fupport of the civil magistrate has been abfolutely neceffary; as otherwise they would speedily have loft all their credit, and have ended in ruin. Paganism would not have fo long deluded the world, had it not been powerfully fupported by the arm of fecular authority. Mahometanifm was propagated by the fword, and its progress was marked with blood. Its grand fupport ever has been, and still is, worldly authority; and when that support fhall be withdrawn, it will speedily be involved in the fame ruin, which overtakes, fooner or later, every false religion. It is unneceffary to extend our obfervations on this part of the fubject: what has been advanced may be confidered as an apology for mankind. They have been conscious that what they called religion, could never ftand on its own foundation, and therefore that

it must have an additional one to preserve it from falling, and to make it answer the end propofed.

As I am writing in a country which has long distinguished itself by the name of Christian; as Christianity is the profeffed religion of the greater part of Europe; as the system is acknowledged to be of the laft importance; and as its interefts are materially affected by the revolution in France'; I hope I fhall be excused if I briefly confider its original nature and defign, and the means which its profeffors are authorised to use, for its fupport and propagation amongst mankind. In doing this, I think it abfolutely neceffary to purfue a funilar method to that I adopted in the first chapter of this work. As when inquiring concerning the rights of men in fociety, inftead of referring to modern systems of government, in which those rights are generally loft or obfcured, we endeavoured to trace them to their primary source; fo in our inquiries concerning Christianity, we shall not refer to the various religious establishments which have long prevailed, but trace it to its original introduction. One principal reason why infidelity maintains its ground is, because men content themfelves with a fuperficial obfervation of Christianity as it commonly appears

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in the world: But if we are honeft and impartial in our inquiries, we must draw our evidence from that book, from which all Christians, however divided in other refpects, profess to derive their information, and must regard the authority of him, whom all confiftent Chriftians agree is the only infallible judge; the great founder of the Chriftian religion, JESUS CHRIST.

With refpect to the Chriftian system, as taught by our Saviour, and as handed down to us in the New Teftament, we may remark, that it is purely fpiritual. Whoever impartially, and without prejudice, examines its origin, its defign, its maxims, its arins, and its rewards, will foon be convinced that from firft to laft, it is not of a worldly nature, and that it was never defigned to affift mankind in the attainment of those objects, which the majority, in all ages of the world, have been in the pursuit of; but that on the contrary, its grand design is to enlighten the understandings, and purify the pasfions of men; and turn their attention to those objects which are not of a temporary, but of an eternal duration.

Our Saviour, when he was fufpected of entertaining the fame defigns, which have been entertained by interested fanatics in all ages; of fetting himself at the head of a party to pro

mote

mote his temporal intereft: when he was charged with claiming the title of king of the Jews, gave the following account of the nature of his kingdom, and of the defign of his miffion: "My kingdom is not of this world: "if

if my kingdom was of this world, then would

my fervants fight, but now is my kingdom "not from hence. For this caufe came I into "the world, that I should bear witness to the "truth. Every one that is of the truth, hear“eth my voice*.” This declaration was made by our Lord towards the clofe of his life, when he was on trial, just previous to his crucifixion. It may be confidered as a folemn confirmation of the sentiments in which he had so often inftructed his difciples. An attention to a few of thofe fentiments will be fufficient for our present purpose.

Some of the difciples, as it appears, fondly imagined that a profeffion of Christianity would prove advantageous to their temporal concerns; and they discovered at times, fome anxiety to fecure for themselves thofe diftinguished posts of honour, to which their profeffion might entitle them. Our Saviour, however, totally difappointed these expectations. He told them, very plainly, that they had nothing to expect *John, chap. xix. ver. 36. 37.

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