revelation. I must, therefore, consider those who believe the doctrine, and possess benevolent minds, as objects of pity, and those who abuse others for rejecting it, as objects of contempt.

Amicus thinks I judged very well indeed for my own sake in not considering the arguments which Mr. Fuller had advanced, because if Mr. F. had thought proper to argue with me, he is well persuaded that I should have fallen like Dagon before the ark. If Mr. F. had even' gained the victory over a "strippling at school," it would not have laid a foundation for extravagant boasting, to which Mr. F. and his admirers seem to have an irresistible propensity. But there was no occasion for me to enter into the dispute, because it was in much abler hands. I feel, however, some satisfaction in the persuasion that the time is rapidly approaching when the Calvinistic Dagon will fail before the ark of common sense and the plain language of Scripture.

IT hath ever appeared to me, that moral and religious truths, so far as they concern the good order and happiness of religious and civil society, are in themselves simple; and that much need not be said on those subjects, and nothing arrogantly, to answer all the good ends of communication and argument.

XXXVI.

From a close and serious observation of men and things, which different circumstances have promoted from an early period of life, I have been long convinced how few there are among the generality of religious professors, in any society, who arrive at a solid, rational, and truly Christian conviction about principles; and consequently how few there are qualified to be judges of the unsoundness or orthodoxy of others.

From a continued observation of the effects of the work of grace, or supposed grace, as Influencing men's conduct, in those essentials of Christianity, laid down by the holy pattern JESUS CHRIST, I am also convinced that there are indeed very few of those who have adopted systems of religion, qualified to judge rightly of spiritual states, and wherein the genuine advancement of real Christianity consists!

And when I see people, however high in profession, judging narrowly and by system, about points of the first importance-principles in which some doubtings and danger of error are naturally involved, I

can have but small dependance on their wisdom in matters more adapted to human decision.

Hence also, I am convinced how necessary it is for a man calmly to search for himself, deliberately to judge as he can, and endeavour simply to act according to the clearest persuasion of his own mind.

XXXVII.

It seems to be the essential duty of every reasonable being, in whatever religious society born and educated, to have a religion of his own; a religion of his judgment, by which he can live happily, and so hope to die. Consequently that he his bound to take nothing upon trust; but examine and be satisfied which are the points necessary for him to believe; and which be those that he may consider as nonessential to the regulation of his life and conduct..

For by birth we have no essential faith-by education and the doctrine of others, merely, we have no essential religion-as it is certain that by grace we have no power of prescription, or right of domination.

XXXVIII.

The result of my consideration about the essentials of religious fellowship and association, is briefly this:

I hold it true, that no religious society of people, embodied or to be embodied, by rules peculiar to themselves, after an essential agreement about the main fundamental point of union, viz. The mode of worshipping Almighty GoD-that one great thing to be done can righteously bring into their system of essentials, any extraneous or doubtful matter whatever can righteously require a positive agreement about any temporal things which affect the common interests, and the harmony of civil society-and about which the holy head of the catholic church (which church is made up of the honest and simple-hearted of all descriptions of men under heaven) hath thought fit to be silent.

Otherwise the main end of all rightly religious association, viz. The promotion of peace, in and by the spirit of love (which is not of this world) would be so far defeated, and heart burnings and strife promoted.

XXXIX.

It was not the pleasure of our BLESSED SAVIOUR to instance every circumstance in which the passive obedience of his followers, to the powers of the earth, was to be exemplified, through succeeding ages; but on the principle of his kingdom being not. of this warld, he set his disciples, on some particular occasions, an example of that passive obedience, which (not touching the liberty of their minds to worship his heavenly Father in spirit and in truth, or in copying after himself in works of humility and love) was to be regarded, for their peaceable conduct, when he should be removed from them-and perpetually afterwards in his church,

XL.

It is a notion among some pious professors of Christianity, that verbal eloquence, in religious discourses, cannot come fron the right spring of Christian ministry:-A position which I think can only be true on the principle of good language being incompatible with a good subject:for I am firmly of the belief, that a discourse coming from the spring of goodness, is more likely than any other to be eloquent. And so far as it falls short of genuine eloquence (which is clear, perspicuous, and animated) it partakes, or is more likely to partake, of human imperfection,

In an inspired language, designed for the good of mankind, will surely be found these requisites-clearness, perspicuity, and animation; and the want of them, in a religious discourse, seems to me the greatest proof of that discourse not being inspired.

If we advert to holy writ, we find the inspired language of the prophets abounding with the most perfect examples of eloquence. No human composition is found to equal them in variety, beauty, and strength of metaphor.

The sacred language of our BLESSED SAVIOUR is not to be the subject of this kind of remark; but wherever we find the apostles publicly speaking to the people on the sublime subject of the Christian religion, we uniformly perceive that their inspired "testimonies from the right spring," are so many examples of real eloquence-in which point of view, it is certain that the speeches of Paul before Felix and Agrippa, are so excellent in their kind, that they have been adduced as examples of the most perfect rhetoric.

XLI.

It is surely on the sublime doctrines of undefiled religion, if on any subject under heaven, that the prophecy may be expected to be fulfilled:" The tongue of the stammerer shall learn to speak plainly.”

XLII.

So inconsiderable and absurd have some protestant church disciplinarians been, as to broach the doctrine of blind obedience to mother church, when other arguments have failed of producing uniformity in exterior matters. And to induce a compliance without conviction, I have heard it said, with the boldest assurance, that as a reward to individuals for implicit assent to the superior light and authority of the church, conviction would doubtless be sent afterwards from heaven! A doctrine which might have done for the church of Rome, in the zenith of her authority; but is ever, surely, to be rejected with some degree of contempt, in a rational protestant community!

TO BE CONTINUED.

LITERARY ANECDOTES.

DUC DE ROCHEFOUCAULT.

ROCHEFOUCAULT's Maxims are much read and well known, tho Addison says, that he is the great philosopher for administering consolation to the idle, the envious, and worthless part of mankind.

DR. JOHNSON.

DR. Johnson used to advise his friends to be upon their guard against romantic virtue, as being founded upon no settled principles:

a plank (says the Dr.) that is tilted up at one end, must of course fall down on the other."

When speaking of the dignity of man, in a letter to Miss S. Thrale, says, Life, to be worthy of a rational being, must be always in a state of progression; we must always purpose to do more and better than in time past. The mind is enlarged and elevated by mere purposes, though they end as they begin, by airy contemplation; we compare and judge, though we do not practise."

LEONARDO DA VINCI.

LEONARDO Da Vinci was employed by Lewis Sforza, Duke of Milan, to paint our Lord's Supper for the refectory of the Dominicans of St. Maria delle Gratie. While he was employed in this piece, the Prior of the convent, thinking his progress too slow, would be often importuning him to dispatch; but all his solicitations proving vain, he at length had the assurance to carry his complaints to Duke Lewis.

Da Vinci was sent for, and being questioned about the painting, he assured his highness that there were but two faces wanting to complete the piece, the one being our Saviour's, and the other that of Judas. As to the former, he owned himself unable to finish it, being at a loss how to paint the majesty and beauty of so august a personage; but he promised very speedily to complete the latter, since to draw the avarice and ingratitude of Judas, he needed nothing but to represent the Prior of the Dominicans, who had so basely rewarded him for all the pains he had taken.

ARCHBISHOP THEODORIC.

THE Emperor Sigismond asked instructions of Theodoric Archbishop of Cologne how to obtain happiness. We cannot (says he)

expect it in this world."—" Which, then, is the way to obtain happiness hereafter?”- "You must act virtuously."- -"What do you mean by that expression?"- —————“ I mean (says Theodoric) that you should always pursue that plan of conduct which you promise to do while you are labouring under a fit of the gravel, gout, or stone.”

SINGULAR CHANGE OF FORTUNE.

66

WILLEGIS, Archbishop of Mentz, ascended to that elevated condition from the very lowest state of meanness. He was the son of a poor carter, and not only caused the following inscription to be engraved in the most conspicuous parts of his palace, Willegis, remember thy parentage," but had the wheels of a cart hung up in the cathedral of Mentz, and from that time they have composed the arms of that see.

EFFECTS OF SUPERSTITION.

SIR,

F the following little extract from Concanen's History of St. Mary

Iovery, Southwark, is not inconsistent with your plan, its insertion will

oblige,

Yours, &c.

A CORRESPONDENT.

WE cannot here omit relating a story, which though it is trifling in

itself, will, at least, serve to shew the weakness of the human mind, and how susceptible our nature is of receiving powerful impressions from trival events.

A stone-mason, who perhaps may yet be remembered by some of the inhabitants by the name of Simeral, was employed to fit up the last residence mortality inhabits; and the funera! obsequies having been performed in the course of the afternoon, Master Simeral took the advantage of candle light to complete his job, and cover in the grave; attended only by his labourer and his lanthorn, he opened the church, and proceeded to the spot of his employment.

The hour of the night, the gloominess of the place, and the emotions that are naturally excited by the solemnity of those still mansions of death, needed no additional circumstance of horror to add fresh fears to those already awakened in the palpitating breast of poor Simeral.

Before the master proceeded to work, it became needful for the labourer to fetch some mortar; and though the master would gladly have avoided parting with either his man or his lanthorn, he was obliged to content himself with the latter; while the labourer, who whistled his