an accumulation of unquestionable documents, and more especially from the acknowledged works and correfpondence of Frederic king of Pruffia; of that Frederic, to whom the title of Great will henceforth be only a deeper brand of infamy; that the foreign enemies of the Gofpel, far from limiting their efforts to defultory and unconnected attacks, have during many years been uni. ted in one firm, widely-extended, and regularly-methodifed confederation, for the express purpose of exterminating by fraud and by force the name of Chriftianity from the earth. In the doctrinal corruption, and the degrading fuperftition, by which the religion of Chrift was disfigured and polluted in the countries where their principal machinations were purfued; and in the political circumftances of that kingdom, where the meditated explosion took place; they found advantages almost beyond the power of computation. Of the events which have secently paffed, and are ftill paffing, before our eyes, the termination and the confequences are yet in the bofom of Providence. Judging from the prefent appearances of worldly affairs, and, I think we may humbly add, from the word of prophecy; there feems little reason to believe that even that cor

rupt

pro

rupt form of Christianity, on which the blow has fallen, will prove to have received either a mortal or a permanent wound; a wound fufficient to prevent it from exercising at a future period, by a final trial, of fhort and limited duration, but of unparalleled severity, the faith and conftancy of the univerfal teftant church. But with refpect to genuine Christianity, that religion" against which "the gates of hell fhall not prevail (z)," we know that every effort of human guile and human malice is but an additional link in that chain of events, by which the enemies of God are unconsciously forwarding his purposes: an additional step in that determined progreffion, by which, amidst the fhock of nations and the convulfion of empires," the kingdoms of this world shall "become the kingdoms of our Lord and of "his Chrift; and He fhall reign for ever and " ever (o).”

Throughout the course of this century, and even to the prefent moment of its aweful clofe, the church of these kingdoms has been bleffed with fecurity and peace. Of the other claffes and fects of Chriftians in this country, fome, as the regular methodists, generally

(n) Matt. xvi. 18.

(0) Rev. xi. 15.

profefs

profefs to remain united to the national ef tablishment: fome, as the Anabaptifts, diffent from it only in few points of doctrine or discipline: fome, as those who without reafon afcribe exclufively to themselves the title of Unitarians, recede in most fundamental points to the utmoft extreme of feparation. Concerning the diftinguishing tenets of thefe and other fects it becomes me to be filent. The number and the subdivifions of the fects in queftion, and the duty of defcribing, if at all, with fulness and precision, opinions differing from my own, would neceffarily lead to an extent of detail inconfiftent with the brevity of my general plan. Those opinions may easily be learned from the difcourfe or the writings of the individuals who hold them. Yet I would not willingly dismiss the subject without pressing the importance of warm and habitual regard to two momentous and moft confiftent branches of Chriftian duty: the obligation, on the one hand, "of earnestly contend66 ing for the faith, which was once deli"vered to the faints (p); and on the other, of "putting on charity, which is "the bond of perfectnefs (q)," and of

(p) Jude, 3.

(g) Col. iii. 14.

habitually

habitually evincing the fpirit of the apof

tolic prayer;

grace be with all those," all of every description, " who love our "Lord Jefus Chrift in fincerity (r).

(r) Eph. vi. 24.

ON

T

CHAP. XII.

FORMS OF CHURCH-GOVERNMENT

AND ECCLESIASTICAL

MENTS.

ESTABLISH

It is an apoftolical direction, that a Christian should always be prepared to give " a reason "of the hope that is in him." The ground of the injunction extends to all inftitutions closely connected with his faith. My prefent purpose therefore is to affift the judgement of the younger part of my readers, by endeavouring briefly to fatisfy them, that reafons, substantial reasons, may be advanced in fupport of the ecclefiaftical inftitutions of their own country (a).

In every community or body of men, civil or ecclefiaftical, fome fpecies of government is requifite for the good of the whole. Otherwife, all is irregularity, confufion, and inter

(a) Some questions, connected with our national establishment, which could not with propriety have been difcuffed here in detail, will be found diftinctly noticed in the Enquiry "into the Duties of Men," 5th ed. ch. xi.

minable