which you cannot conscientiously join in and repeat, you have only to adopt what you like, and pass over the rest, leaving it to those who are edified by it. For you are sensible, that they who approve the whole sincerely intend to worship God as well as you, though the sentiments and expressions, which are accommodated to their apprehensions, are not wholly approved by you.

PHOTINUS. There is a great appearance of candour in your remarks, replied Photinus immediately; but we should take care that our desire to think well of others, and to have them think well of us, does not lead us to undue compliances in religion, and beyond our own sense of things. In lesser matters, wherein we differ, which have no immoral consequences, it would be peevish and hypercritical to refuse to unite with others in their public devotions.

But with respect to the object of worship, there seems to be no latitude. I cannot better express my sense of the matter, than in the words of a dignitary of the church, who, for his valuable writings and excellent character, merits the highest dignities in it.

"Indeed," says my author, as I well remember the few strong words he uses upon the occasion, "where. (a) one man thinks it his duty constantly to worship a Being, whom another cannot, with the assent of his conscience, permit himself to worship at all, there seems to be no place for comprehension, or any expe

(a) Paley's Principles of Moral and Political Philosophy, vol. ii. p. 66, 67.

dient left but a quiet secession. All other differences may be compromised by silence.”

Nothing can be more plain and express than the command of the Almighty, as we all seemed to agree the other day, upon this point: "Thou shalt have none other Gods but me." It is difficult to conceive how they who respect this command can allow themselves to worship any other than the single person of Jehovah, the Maker of heaven and earth, who speaks and gives it. And the same remark may be made on that declaration of our Saviour himself, where, citing some other words of Moses, he says; "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." After such a declaration, with what face can any one, who pays any regard to the words of Christ, worship him as God? And it deserves the serious consideration of many Christians, whether, to accord with their practice, as an eminent and grave writer remarks, instead of, "Thou shalt have no other Gods but me;" the first commandment should not have been, "Thou shalt have no other Gods but us three, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost."

SYNESIUS.-Here Synesius called out to Photinus; I am afraid, my friend, I cannot in return compliment you upon your candour: for it is too plain, that your aim is to depreciate our excellent liturgy, and represent those who give a preference to it as persons void of common sense.. But your censures are hasty and undigested. What, if in one or two instances prayer be addressed to Jesus Christ as God, every one must see, that the general turn of the prayers

prayers is to God the Father, through the one mediator, Jesus Christ and according to all fair and equitable interpretation, the few exceptions are to be construed and explained by the constant tenor of the worship.

PHOTINUS. To this Photinus replied; I hope, my friend, that I am far from casting any censure on those who entirely approve, in all things, the liturgy of the established church. May that ease and freedom which they enjoy in worshipping God according to their consciences, be continued to them undisturbed !

But then, let others, who are struck with the wrongness of that worship, as being unscriptural and idolatrous, enjoy also their liberty in declaring their opinions, and in warning their friends to keep out of such great errors.

It would be well, Synesius, if it could be as truly said, as I doubt not it is sincerely intended by you, that there are only one or two places in the churchliturgy, where any other God, but the Supreme Fa ther, is addressed in prayer. You must certainly have refrained too long from the public worship, as you confess of your own accord, or you could not have made this remark.

. I esteem the liturgy of the church of England a most excellent form of public prayer, uniting a sublime and affecting simplicity with the true spirit of devotion. And I even look upon that part of it, called the Litany, in its frame and design, as constituting a beautiful variety in this worship. But then, in this Litany, which is ordered to be read every Wednesday, and Friday, and every Sunday morning throughout

throughout the year, there is such a variety of beings addressed throughout, so utterly inconsistent with, and contradictory to, the first commandment of Almighty God, that I do not see how the art of man can prove it not to be a breach and violation of that commandment; and every one must judge for himself, whether this be not idolatry.

In the first invocation, how simple is the whole ! how right and proper! "O God, the Father of heaven, have mercy upon us, miserable sinners."

But then, where do you find in the scriptures any two other Gods, put upon a level with the one Supreme, as in that which immediately follows?

"O God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy upon us, miserable sinners.

"O God the Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son, have mercy upon us, miserable sinners."

Then again, all the three divine persons are invoked together, and are called by one name, as if calling them so made them one God.

"O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, three persons and one God, have mercy upon us, miserable sinners."

Next follows, what is still more disgusting to the rational and pious mind, that attends to the words of Moses, or the directions of the blessed Jesus himself, concerning the object of divine worship. For that meek and humble Saviour, who was so far from claiming any honour from men, much less divine honours," is himself addressed, throughout the remainder of the

Litany,

Litany, as the Supreme God; and, strange to say, at the very entrance, you are put upon telling the God you worship, that he was born, that he was circumcised as a Jew, that he sweated blood, and that he died. Custom only, from early youth, could reconcile any to use such gross degrading language, to say nothing more, to the Being they adore as the Supreme God.

Now contrast this complex, strange worship, with that which the holy Jesus used himself, and enjoined us to use. When ye pray, say; Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy reign come, as Dr. Campbell has well rendered it; thy will be done on earth as in heaven, &c.

The like simplicity of address is observable in the few instances of his own prayers which have been preserved. "I thank thee, O Father," says he, in one place, "Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid. these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight."

As the subject is so important, I hope I shall be excused, my friends, in laying before you an argument against the worship of Christ, furnished by: words of his own, which I have not observed to have been insisted upon by any one; and which, if I mis-> take not, will be of use to confute some pretences for making him to be God, and worshipping him, that, impose upon the unlearned, and have more weight thanthey ought to have with many worthy persons.

They are almost the very last words of his, which

are