ADVERTISEMENT.

THE Author would not have been so late in giving his judgment to the public, on the alarm that has been raised about the danger of the Protestant religion, if the duties of his office had permitted him to do it sooner. He cannot, however, consider it as being yet too late. The national assembly of this church has not yet interposed. It is not to be doubted that an application from them will be urged at their ensuing meeting. The Author is the more solicitous to give his sentiments in this manner, as it will not be in his power to be present. And though he spoke his mind freely on the question in the last Assembly, matters have proceeded so far since that time, that he could not excuse himself, if he omitted to give this additional and more ample testimony to the world of his judgment on the whole of this important subject?

He hopes that what he here offers, will be attended to with coolness, and weighed with impartiality. He is influenced by no motive, but the love of truth and religion, and a desire of promoting the honour of this church, and the peace of this country. Intelligent readers will not accuse him of being too favourable to Popery. Such, he is afraid, if they suspect him of partiality, will be inclined to think that it is all on the other side. Thus much he will acknowledge, that his abhorrence of the spirit of that

illiberal superstition, heightens the dislike he has to what bears so striking a resemblance to it in the spirit now raised in this country.

He has been induced the more readily to take this method of delivering his sentiments, because he is certain he can in this way do greater justice to the argument, and with more effect, than by any assistance it would be in his power to give the cause in the Assembly-house. Whatever be the consequence, he will at least have the satisfaction to reflect that he has done his duty.

INTRODUCTION.

In all the questions wherein religion and morality are concerned, it becomes Christians, especially Protestants, to recur, in the first place, to that which they all acknowledge an infallible standard, and Protestants the only infallible standard, of truthi and right, THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. I know not any point of conduct, on which a Christian, if he will impartially consult them, may not find there the amplest information of his duty. The precepts and the example of our Lord Jesus Christ in particular, as well as the actions and the writings of his apostles, furnish us with materials in abundance, both for forming our principles, and for directing our practice. In the present controversy, may I be allowed to ask, Has that recourse been had by the parties on either side, to this pure fountain of light, which might have been expected? It does not appear that there has. Let our first inquiry then be, What is the mind of the SPIRIT on this subject?

It has been pleaded, that the present dispute, in regard to the repeal of certain penal statutes against popery, though it be in part, is not wholly of the religious kind; it is in a great measure also a political question. The safety of the constitution, it is said, in church and state, may be effected by the issue. This, in the second place, will deserve our serious consideration, that we may discover not only what truth there is in it, and to what conclusion it would lead, but who the persons are whom it ought chiefly to influence.

Ir may not prove unprofitable, in the third place, to inquire briefly what are those expedients which Christians, and especially pastors, in a consistency with both the spirit and the letter of the gospel, are authorised to employ for repressing error and superstition, and promoting the belief and obedience of the truth?

SUCH a candid and impartial attention as the importance of the subject requires, to the following attempt at solving these questions, is earnestly requested from every pious reader. The

most zealous person, whatever side he has chosen, ought to reflect, that, being a man, he is fallible, and consequently, that it is possible he may be mistaken in his choice. We have the best authority to affirm, that a man may be zealously affected, yet not well affected *, may, have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge +.' Hearken then to the apostle's admonition. 'Believe not every spirit,' not even your own implicitly, for we often know not what manner of spirit we are of; but try the spirits, whether they be of God, because many false prophets are gone out into the world . To the ‡. law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them §.'

* Gal. iv. 17.

‡ 1 John iv. 1.

† Rom. x. 2.
$ Isa. viii. 20.

AN

ADDRESS, &c.

CHAP. I.

The Doctrine of the Gospel in regard to Persecution, particularly of Persecutors.

THE

HE name of persecutor is justly become so odious, that I know no sect of Christians who do not disclaim the character with abhorrence. Even papists will not confess that they persecute. By their own account, they only administer wholesome severities, for recovering those who have swerved from the truth, or, if irreclaimable, for deterring others from following their pernicious courses, for defending themselves against their machinations, and for giving a timely check to the contagion of heresy. These, say they, are purposes the most salutary imaginable. They maintain further, that what is done in support of truth, however cruel it may appear, is not persecution; that those punishments only deserve to be branded with that opprobious appellation, which are employed in defence of error. But as they themselves are always in the right, they can never be in hazard of inflicting these.

So says the Romanist, and, by saying so, demonstrates, either that he is himself a persecutor on principle, or else, that there is no such thing as persecution on the earth. For what

is

any man's immediate criterion of truth, but his own opinions, in which it is but too evident, that the most confident are not always the best founded. On this footing, the more opinionative a man is, (which is far from saying, the more wise he is) the more he feels himself entitled to be the scourge of all who think differently from him. Nor is it possible for any man to have another rule here but the strength of his conviction, which, if it entitle one, entitles all equally, Jew, Pagan, Christian, or Mahometan. I do not know that any beside Roman