XXVIII. SECTION grant, as in its wisdom shall appear fit: Otherwise, its authority may be difregarded or abused, and the faid advantages be difpofed of contrary to the laws of the land, or even to the laws of heaven; for all which this legislative body must stand accountable. And should it be alleged, that the archbishops and bishops, with a train of fubalterns, are the officers appointed to fuperintend the ecclefiaftical branch of the constitution; this will by no means justify a neglect of its fupreme inspection, even though the minifters of the church were much purer and more vigilant than they are generally fuppofed. Befides, in every department of the civil ftate, enquiries are made into the conduct of its officers, and the application of the public property under its direction; and were there a due proportion of XXVIII. of ecclefiaftical patriotifm, the church SECTION would share equally in the inquifition. I will not enter upon a confideration respecting either the existence or limitation of a right in the legislature of this country, to interpofe in matters purely of Christianity. This would lead not only to a difquifition into the nature and extent of civil government at large, and of the British conftitution in particular, but likewise into the authority and laws of this religious fyftem. I only infist, that as it argues a ftrange unconcern for their religion to make provisions in its favour, without attending to their execution and effects; fo it fhews no lefs a want of political integrity, to fuffer a confiderable property and other civil advantages to be difpofed of (for aught they know or regard), contrary to the established laws, and to the common prejudice of fociety SECTION fociety and Christianity. This furely XXVIII. is to act neither agreeably to the character of Christians nor fenators. But perhaps in the liberality of their enquiries, they have at last discovered that the Christian church, as a religious community, ought to be exempt from civil jurisdiction; and hence may arise their remiffness in enforcing their ftatutes. So far may be well: But, would it not be better in this cafe nobly to relinquish their fpiritual ufurpation at once, and leave the church entirely to its own regulations, and the care of its great Founder? This idea, I find, has been maintained by the author on the human understanding, and others of high reputation; and its adherents, who are neither inconfiderable for character or number, have lately applied to parliament, praying to be released from their ecclesiastical bondage. It XXVIII. It seems that no person is admitted SECTION by the prefent laws of the land to the Petition to the matter of office of a Chriftian teacher, without parliament in his fubfcription to certain articles of Subfcription. faith ||; and in the established church a further consent is required to the use. of certain rites and forms of devotion. This has been deemed a grievance of an extensive nature: As encroaching upon the kingdom of Christ, and the natural rights of confcience; as fometimes preventing honest men from sharing with others in the good things of this life, and contracting their sphere of usefulness; and as having a tendency to breed fcruples in those who have acceded to fuch conditions. Upon these and other confiderations, parliament has been petitioned by persons of several descriptions, both within the esta The diffenters obtained relief on this point a few years ago. blished SECTION blifhed church and out of it, for relief XXVIII. of confcience and equal liberty, by an admiffion to the full exercise of their re ligion, and to all civil privileges, upon barely fubfcribing to the Bible in general, unincumbered with human creeds and explications. SECTION XXIX. SECTION IN N pursuance of my chief object, I was eager to attend the debates of parliament upon this occafion § §, in §§ In The Debates and Proceedings of the House of Commons, publifhed in Octavo, is fome account, and the only one I have been able to meet with, of what passed in parliament upon this affair of subscription, in the years 1772 and 1773. I fhall cite a few paffages (omitting the names of the speakers), which seem more particularly to correspond with the relation here given by our Chinese. hopes |