"It were well, (fays an old writer*) if, instead of wild enthufiafm, we would come to learn the fobriety of religion. In which let us heighten our zeal and Divine enthusiasm, to adhere strictly to the revealed will of fcripture; to have a flaming charity for the good of the body, and the unity of the church; that our enthusiasm may tend to heal, and not to divide; to advance the glory of GoD, and to humble ourselves in our own conceits; that we may be willing cheerfully to fubmit ourselves to our fuperiors both in church and state; and not be fo apt to judge others, as to cenfure ourselves: and then, though we had different opinions, yet we fhould have no fchifm. We should live together, as members of the fame body; that though one were more honourable or useful than another, yet there would be no ftrife, no emulation, but which fhould exceed moft in mutual good offices, and care for the whole. Such a heaven we fhould fee, if we had no fchifm." But the evils refulting from fchifm are not confined to men in their private character of Christians, but affect them alfo in their public one,' as members of a civilized state. * LESLEY. Schifm and rebellion have, in all ages of the world, been intimately connected with each other. The fame difpofition of mind that leads individuals to make their own church, if uncontroled, leads them alfo to imagine themselves qualified to form their own government. Hence it is, that schifmatics have been at all times, more or less, what they were in ST. JUDE's days, murmurers and complainers. By fuch men this kingdom has once been brought to defolation. The minifters of the church were driven from their pulpits by them; that the godly preachers, as they were then called, might step into their places. And the fruit of their doctrine, when ripened to perfection, was this: a moft pious prince was murdered, because he would not join with them in pulling down that church, which he had sworn to support; and the constitution of this country was destroyed, because it was not built upon a plan of their own forming. The fame leaven of wickedness, which produced those scenes of mifery and confufion in the last century, is, it is to be feared, now working in this kingdom; and it will be no breach of charity to fay, that the doctrines, which are at times delivered by fome of those irregular preachers, with which, unhappily for us, this country fo much abounds, tend in a great degree to fpread the mischief. In contempt of former experience, and in defiance of an exifting example, the most wretched in its kind that the world ever produced, of the effects attendant upon a general diffolution of order in fociety; there are not wanting men, who, either from vanity or defign, are defirous of making hazardous experiments, under the plaufible idea of improving a science, upon which few heads are competent to form a judgment; and to the confequences of a mistaken theory, upon which the very exiftence of a ftate may eventually fall a facrifice. Reformation, it fhall be readily granted, is at all times a defirable thing, when the honesty as well as judgment of the reforming party are fully to be depended on. But there is a further and very im portant confideration belonging to this fubject, which is feldom taken into account; and against which neither honesty nor judgment are a fufficient fecurity. In politics, the most important events are ofttimes unforeseen, and derived from causes with which they have no immediate or apparent connection. Circumstances in proof of this pofition are to be met with in the history of every country. A plan fet on foot by wife and honeft men may be fo distorted in its work Schifm and rebellion have, in all ages of the world, been intimately connected with each other. The fame difpofition of mind that leads individuals to make their own church, if uncontroled, leads them also to imagine themselves qualified to form their own government. Hence it is, that schismatics have been at all times, more or lefs, what they were in Sr.. JUDE's days, murmurers and complainers. By fuch men this kingdom has once been brought to defolation. The minifters of the church were driven from their pulpits by them; that the godly preachers, as they were then called, might step into their places. And the fruit of their doctrine, when ripened to perfection, was this: a moft pious prince was murdered, because he would not join with them in pulling down that church, which he had worn to fupport; and the conftitution of this country was deftroyed, because it was not built upon a plan of their own forming. The fame leaven of wickedness, which produced those scenes of mifery and confufion in the last century, is, it is to be feared, now working in this kingdom; and it will be no breach of charity to fay, that the doctrines, which are at times delivered by fome of those irregular preachers, with which, unhappily for us, this country fo much abounds, tend in a great degree to fpread the mifchief. In contempt of former experience, and in defiance of an exifting example, the moft wretched in its kind that the world ever produced, of the effects attendant upon a general diffolution of order in fociety; there are not wanting men, who, either from vanity or defign, are defirous of making hazardous experiments, under the plaufible idea of improving a science, upon which few heads are competent to form a judgment; and to the confequences of a mistaken theory, upon which the very existence of a ftate may eventually fall a facrifice. Reformation, it fhall be readily granted, is at all times a defirable thing, when the honesty as well as judgment of the reforming party are fully to be depended on. But there is a further and very im portant confideration belonging to this fubject, which is feldom taken into account; and against which neither honesty nor judgment are a fufficient fecurity. In politics, the most important events are ofttimes unforeseen, and derived from caufes with which they have no immediate or apparent connection. Circumstances in proof of this pofition are to be met with in the history of every country. A plan fet on foot by wife and honeft men may be fo distorted in its work |
