in confequence, a modern establishment of creeds and confeffions ought, upon the ground of fuperior perfection, to fuperfede that of former age. any

*

This, if I recollect right, is the idea upon which Dr. PRIESTLEY has proceeded in his difcourfe upon the fubject of free enquiry in religious matters. If my memory ferve me well, (for I have not the difcourse at hand) the Doctor's words are thefe: "In nature we fee no limits to our enquiries. One difcovery always leads to many more, and brings us into a ftill wider field of fpeculation. Why, then," (continues the fame writer)" fhould not this be the cafe, in fome degree, with respect to knowledge of a moral and religious kind?" The effect which this principle has in its operation produced in the mind of Dr. PRIESTLEY, according to his own account, has been, that, after having led him through feveral different

* The following anecdote, which has lately fallen in my way, is fubjoined for the reader's application: At an ordination service, which took place at a meeting of Diffenters, it was obferved by a minifter who was expatiating on the modern improvements in religious knowledge, that the divines of the prefent day poffeffed great advantages; "for standing, as they must be confidered to do, upon the thoulders of the Apostles, they could therefore fee further than they did." To which an old minifter prefent, who did not see the fubject in the fame light, fhrewdly replied, "that the modern diyines, it must be allowed, not only faw further than the Apostles did, but alfo further, he believed, than ever GOD faw yet."

modes of faith, to a profeffion deftitute of all the effential doctrines of Chriftianity, it has left him ftill in a state of uncertainty with refpect to the "ne plus: ultra" of his creed. And though this principle may. not always be attended with the fame fatal confequences, yet if the ground upon which it is built be unfound, the principle itself ought not to be admitted.

When we confider the various opinions which have prevailed, and which continue to prevail, upon the subject of religion, we feel ourselves occafionally at fome lofs to reconcile them with that uniform confiftency, which is one of the most striking characteristics of truth; no less than with the benevolent defign which the DEITY must have had in view, in revealing that truth to the world. But when we take a view of man in his prefent ftate of degeneracy, as a being perverfe in will, and corrupt in understanding; we cease to be surprised at an effect neceffarily refulting from that variety of caufes, to which the opinions and practices of men are at different times to be traced up. Pride, felf-opinion, intereft, and paffion, are the most prevailing principles of the human mind. A finglenefs of heart, accompanied with an uncorrupt love of truth for the truth's fake, is a perfection to be coveted, rather than to be looked for, from that general de

rangement of the human faculties which was brought about by the fall. When the fame fubject, therefore, is viewed through those different mediums, which correfpond with the different characters and dispofitions of the parties concerned; it is not to be expected that an uniform conclufion should be drawn from it.

But there is a medium, it is prefumed, between throwing an improper stumbling-block in the way of human enquiry, and that degree of license which is deftructive of all authority, by placing the improvement which is to be expected from human fpeculations in religion, and other branches of knowledge, upon the fame footing. The work of grace in the revelation of the Divine will, not being defigned fo much to exercise and improve the head as to correct and purify the heart, becomes on that account a subject for faith and practice, rather than speculation. The discoveries in nature and art, though calculated to improve the condition of man in this world, as a rational and focial being, were nevertheless left to depend for their advancement upon the exertion of those natural faculties with which God thought fit to furnish him. But religion was a fubject of too effential importance to be left upon fuch an uncertain

footing. The advancement of it, therefore, became an object of immediate attention to the DEITY himself.

Religion, then, as coming from GOD, muft be perfect; and can receive no improvement from the wit of man. We may talk of the progrefs of the arts and sciences; and in this fenfe the phrafe is properly applied; but when we carry the fame idea with us into religion, we are attempting to place fubjects under the fame point of view, which are as widely feparated as earth from heaven. The characteristic doctrines of the Gospel have nothing to do with our improvements in any other science whatever; as they were originally revealed by GoD, the fame they must continue; objects of faith, and of knowledge, to the end of time. "If studying the works be the method (fays a learned divine) of knowing the workman, it is somewhat mysterious, that these last ages, which have fo vaftly improved natural philosophy, should have made no new discoveries in the Divine nature; which is neither more nor less than it was before; juft fo far as God revealed it, and no human mind can carry it further; yet we fee every day fresh reafons to admire his wifdom and adore his power, but not to add to his nature or perfections."

Religion, it is certain, may be corrupted; for ex perience tells us it has been so in numberless instances; and as the best of things, it is perhaps the most liable to be fo. In fuch cafe it becomes neceffary that it should be reformed. But according to a well-known axiom," to innovate is not to reform." The reformation of religion does not confift, therefore, in modernizing its profeffion, by an accommodation of it to prevailing opinions, but in reftoring it to its primitive standard; in conformity with the pofition laid down by one of the most ancient fathers of the church, "that what was firft, that is true; whatfoever comes after, that is corrupt." It is therefore to lay anew the foundation; to go back to the beginning, (according to our SAVIOUR's expreffion to the Pharifees) to return to the ways of our fathers; having that fentence in view which was heretofore pronounced in the Council of Nice, ηδη αρχαία gяTET." Upon this rational ground did the reformation of our church originally proceed.

κρατειτω.

"Be

it known to all the world," (fays Bishop HALL) "that our church is only reformed or repaired, not made new: there is not one stone of a new foundation laid by us; yea the old walls ftand ftill; only the overcafting of thofe ancient ftones with the untem