--such as bowing at the name of Jesus-consecrating churches -- worshipping they know not what, and know not why, toward the EAST-the cross in baptism-the reading in assemblies of christian worship, to the exclusion of several useful parts of holy scripture, the spurious, ridiculous, romantic stories of Bel and the Dragon -Susanna-the amorous devil, who for love of a fair damsel slew seven unhappy husbands, who fell victims to his jealousy, on the nuptial night; but was smoaked away by the magic of good Tobias's fishes liver.

But here I rest the grounds and merits of our DISSENT. Having proved, I trust, beyond doubt, that in no one thing we are dissenters from the church of England, but only in those things, wherein she herself is, and knows herself to be a DISSENTER from the CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST.

Were the reasons of our dissent much fewer and weaker than they are, they would still be sufficient to justify it. We can be under no obligation from human authority, to any religious compliance, whether of greater or less importance, which in our consciences and judgments we do not approve. The supposition that we are thus obliged is contrary to reason and scripture, and to the allegiance we owe to Christ. It is our duty to adhere to him, as our only lawgiver and king -and to profess and practise his religion in its genuine simplicity and original purity, free from the traditions and commandments of men. In so doing we can smile at those who upbraid us with the odious name of schismatic, knowing that they only are chargeable with schism, who bring in and impose such innovations and injunctions of men, as terms of Christ's communion-not those who reject and protest against them-and who separate from the church, only in those things in which she separates from Christ.

Terms of communion, which Christ hath not made, though relating only to things of little consequence and in themselves indifferent, if by human authority we are prevented from partaking of the ordinances of the gospel without submitting to them, warrant and demand our protest against the power enjoining them, out of fidelity to Christ, and regard to his authority, which alone can fix the terms either of christian communion or of eternal salvation-And as we think human authority cannot oblige us to a compliance with imposition of any unnecessary things in matters of religion, much less can we think it entitled to our regard, when it establishes and enjoins things so contrary to reason and to the gospel, and of such dangerous and destructive tendency to true religion and vir tue, as are many of those particulars which I have laid before you.

If the religion of CHRIST be indeed a revelation sent down to us from God; and committed as a sacred trust to every one who believes, and hopes to be saved by it, laity as well as clergy, with a solemn charge that he keeps it pure and uncorrupt -Let him seriously consider; that this great Prophet and Lawgiver and King of the church, will surely come down again, in glory and great power, to summon us all before him, and to render to every man according to his present works; and then-blessed will they be found who have held fast their integrity amidst surrounding temptations, who have declined any worldly honours, or sustained any worldly sufferings, or loss, or reproach, out of conscience towards God, and for the preservation of the truth and purity of his religion. They are the words of eternal TRUTH, and of HIM who will judge the world-Whoso shall confess me before men, him will I confess before my Father who is in heaven, and before the B b

angels of God; but he that denieth me before men, and is ashamed of me and of my words (my pure and uncorrupt religion) in this adulterous generation; of him will I be ashamed; him will I deny before my Father who is in heaven, and before the angels of God. Luke xii. 8. Matt. x. 32.

The present scene will soon be closed: an important and everlasting one will quickly succeed. There every man will rise into dignity and glory, or sink into shame and everlasting reproach, according to the integrity and virtue of his present conduct. Be thou faithful unto the death ; and I will give thee a crown of life, Rev. ii. 10. It is the wise appointment of heaven, that TRUTH and RIGHT, genuine uncorrupt religion, should now generally labour under some worldly discouragements; whilst error and superstition enjoy the countenance and support of the powers of this world: to try the patience, the faith and the integrity of men: that they who are approved, men of probity and real virtue, may be thus shewn and made manifest. But to those, who by a patient continuance in well doing, by an unshaken adherence to TRUTH and RIGHT, amidst all temporal discouragements, seek the glory and honour of approving themselves to God, and discharging faithfully their duty, to them will be given stations of exalted dignity in the kingdom of the Messiah; and they shall receive that perfection of all the glory, and all the happiness, of which the human soul is capable, called ETERNAL LIFE.

There let my lot and my portion be given me, will every real christian say: I am content, if it be the will of heaven, to follow the great leader and captain of my salvation through suffering in this world; in the assured hope of thereby rising with him into so much the greater glory and felicity in the other.

APPENDIX.

AS the Restoration of Charles II. and the act of Uniformity consequent upon it, are important parts of the English history not, in general, rightly understood-As the character and state of the dissenters in this kingdom were deeply interested in, and greatly affected by it-As that unrighteous act, which silenced, and cast out two thousand of our brave and virtuous clergy, is the basis and foundation on which the church of England at present stands, and contains the grounds of our separation from it; we beg leave to represent to. the impartial public some extraordinary circumstances attending that event; which shew the baseness, ingratitude and iniquity of those transactions, and which deserve to be transmitted as a proper warning and instruction to indignant posterity.

To this purpose we observe in the FIRST place, That the puritan or presbyterian clergy were the only body of men, in the whole kingdom, who had the courage to oppose, and to protest openly against the trial and condemnation of Charles I.; that, with great danger to themselves, they presented a bold remonstrance to the general and council of war, the then ruling powers; warning them, in the name of God, and conjuring them in the most solemn manner, to desist from their violent proceedings against the king. This long and spirited protest was signed by above fifty of the principal presbyterian ministers in and about London, and presented Jan. 18, 1648-9,* "The

See the whole protest, Neal's Hist. Purit, vol. ii. p. 432.

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presbyterians, and body of the city (says bishop "Burnet) were much against it, and were every "where fasting and praying for the king's preser"vation".* Archdeacon Echard says, "Crom"well first pulled down the presbyterians, and "then destroyed the king-and that almost all the "presbyterian ministers in London, and very many in the several counties, and a few of the in"dependants themselves, declared against the design in their sermons, in conferences, in monitory letters, petitions, protestations, and public remonstrances: they earnestly begged, that contrary to so many oaths and imprecations, contrary to public and private faith, &c. they would "not defile their own hands and the kingdom with

royal blood."† Abundant proof of the same might be brought from Clarendon, Rapin, &c. but the age is too much enlightened now to need it. We proceed therefore to observe,

SECONDLY, That the presbyterians had the principal hand, and were the chief agents, in restoring king Charles II. to the throne. This appears beyond doubt from the united suffrage of the historians of those times.

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When Charles II. came to Scotland, Lord Clarendon says, expecting force from that kingdom to restore him "to his father's throne, and the parliament of England resolved to send an army "against him, all the presbyterian party greatly opposed it-they were bold in contradicting "Cromwell in the house, and crossing all his de"signs in the city."+

The first solemn conference which was had with general Monk, to induce him to restore the king, was "at Northumberland house with the