Church represented not only as schismatics (with more of triumph than of truth, and of choler than Christianity), but also as persons of seditious, traitorous, and rebellious principles. God be thanked! one may, in any part of the British

dominions, speak freely if a decent regard be paid to those

in authority — both of government and religion, and even give some broad hints that he is engaged on the side of liberty, the Bible, and common sense, in opposition to tyranny, priestcraft, and nonsense, without being in danger either of the Bastile or the Inquisition, though there will always be some interested politicians, contracted bigots, and hypocritical zealots for a party, to take offence at such freedoms. Their censure is praise; their praise is infamy. A spirit of domination is always to be guarded against, both in church and state, even in times of the greatest security, such as the

1 The author wrote to Benjamin Avery, LL. D., of Grey's Hospital, London: "I have ventured to send you a discourse which I published last winter, about the time that the Episcopal clergy here are often seized with a strange sort of frenzy, which I know not how to describe, unless it be by one or two of its most remarkable symptoms. These are, preaching passive obedience, worshipping King Charles I., and cursing the Dissenters and Puritans for murdering him. You possibly have seen persons in this melancholy condition, as you have so much concern with a hospital, but especially if your humanity as is very likely has ever led you to Bedlam, to relieve the pitiable objects there." Thirteen years afterward, Dr. Mayhew, referring to this passage, wrote: Some of the Episcopal clergy here used, on the same occasion, to assert the divine, hereditary, and indefeasible right of kings, in direct, manifest opposition to the principles of the Revolution; almost deifying Archbishop LAUD, as well as Charles I.; calumniating Nonconformists as schismatics, fanatics, persons of republican, rebellious principles, and imitating, as far as they were able, the manner and style of the keenest, severest sermons ever published in England on the same occasion "— January 30th. - ED.

a

present is among us, at least as to the latter. Those nations who are now groaning under the iron sceptre of tyranny were once free; so they might probably have remained, by a seasonable precaution against despotic measures. Civil tyranny is usually small in its beginning, like "the drop of a bucket," till at length, like a mighty torrent, or the raging waves of the sea, it bears down all before it, and deluges whole countries and empires. Thus it is as to ecclesiastical tyranny also the most cruel, intolerable, and impious of any. From small beginnings, "it exalts itself above all that is called God and that is worshipped." People have no security against being unmercifully priest-ridden but by keeping all imperious bishops, and other clergymen who love to "lord it over God's heritage," from getting their foot into the stirrup at all. Let them be once fairly mounted, and their "beasts, the laity," may prance and flounce about to no purpose; and they will at length be so jaded and hacked by these reverend jockeys, that they will not even have spirits enough to complain that their backs are galled, or, like Balaam's ass, to "rebuke the madness of the prophet." d

C

"d

"The mystery of iniquity began to work" even in the days of some of the apostles. But the kingdom of Antichrist

was then, in one respect, like the kingdom of heaven, how

a Isaiah xi. 15.

c Mr. Leslie.

e 2 Thess. ii. 7.

b 2 Thess. ii. 4.

d 2 Peter ii. 16.

1 Especially in America, toward which they did cast longing eyes. — ED.

over different in all others; - it was

66 as a grain of mustardseed." This grain was sown in Italy, that fruitful field,

a

and, though it were "the least of all seeds," it soon became a mighty tree. It has long since overspread and darkened the greatest part of Christendom, so that we may apply to it what is said of the tree which Nebuchadnezzar saw in his vision :

"The height thereof reacheth unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth; and the beasts of the field have shadow under it." Tyranny brings ignorance and brutality along with it. It degrades men from their just rank into the class of brutes; it damps their spirits; it suppresses arts; it extinguishes every spark of noble ardor and generosity in the breasts of those who are enslaved by it; it makes naturally strong and great minds feeble and little, and triumphs over the ruins of virtue and humanity. This is true of tyranny in every shape: there can be nothing great and good where its influence reaches. For which reason it becomes every friend to truth and human kind, every lover of God and the Christian religion, to bear a part in opposing this hateful monster. It was a desire to contribute a mite towards carrying on a war with this common enemy1 that

a Matt. xiii. 21.

1

1 To Dr. George Benson he wrote: "I was, about this time, much provoked by the senseless clamors of some tory-spirited Churchmen; this being the strange spirit which seems to prevail among the Episcopal clergy here even to this day."-ED.

produced the following Discourse; and if it serve in any measure to keep up a spirit of civil and religious liberty amongst us, my end is answered. There are virtuous and candid men in all sects; all such are to be esteemed. There are also vicious men and bigots in all sects, and all such ought to be despised.

"To Virtue only and her friends a friend;

The world beside may murmur or commend:

Know, all the distant din that world can keep

Rolls o'er my grotto, and but soothes my sleep." — POPE.

DISCOURSE I.

UNLIMITED SUBMISSION AND NON-RESISTANCE TO THE

HIGHER POWERS.

LET EVERY SOUL BE SUBJECT UNTO THE HIGHER POWERS. FOR THERE IS NO POWER BUT OF GOD: THE POWERS THAT BE ARE ORDAINED OF GOD. WHOSOEVER THEREFORE RESISTETH THE POWER, RESISTETH THE ORDINANCE OF GOD: AND THEY THAT RESIST SHALL RECEIVE TO THEMSELVES DAMNATION. FOR RULERS ARE NOT A TERROR TO GOOD WORKS, but to THE EVIL. WILT THOU THEN NOT BE AFRAID OF THE POWER? DO THAT WHICH IS GOOD, AND THOU SHALT HAVE PRAISE OF THE SAME; FOR HE IS THE MINISTER OF GOD TO THEE FOR GOOD. BUT IF THOU DO THAT WHICH IS EVIL, BE AFRAID; FOR HE BEARETH NOT THE SWORD IN VAIN: FOR HE IS THE MINISTER OF GOD, A REVENGER TO EXECUTE WRATH UPON HIM THAT DOETH EVIL. WHEREFORE YE MUST NEEDS BE SUBJECT, NOT ONLY FOR WRATH, BUT ALSO FOR CONSCIENCE' SAKE. FOR, FOR THIS CAUSE PAY YOU TRIBUTE ALSO: FOR THEY ARE GOD'S MINISTERS, ATTENDING CONTINUALLY UPON THIS VERY THING. RENDER THEREFORE TO ALL THEIR DUES: TRIBUTE TO WHOM TRIBUTE IS DUE; CUSTOM TO WHOM CUSTOM; FEAR TO WHOM FEAR; HONOR TO WHOM HONOR.-Romans xiii. 1—8.

IT is evident that the affairs of civil government may properly fall under a moral and religious consideration, at least so far forth as it relates to the general nature and end of magistracy, and to the grounds and extent of that submission which persons of a private character ought to yield to those who are vested with authority. This must be allowed by all who acknowledge the divine original of Christianity. For, although there be a sense, and a very plain and important sense, in which Christ's kingdom is not of this world," his inspired apostles have, nevertheless, laid down some general principles concerning the office

a John xviii. 36.