felf, with a rational efteem for benefits conferred on him by his Creator, he will be the more reluctant to fubmit to fuch degradation as vilifies his very effence. On the other hand, the rulers of the world, controlled by the spirit of the religion which prevails, learn to confider inferiors as at lefs diftance from them, to honour all men as men, and to be less inclined to treat the very lowest of the fpecies with indignity.

That the Chriftian religion may be abused, by the afpirants at defpotism, to the purposes of depreffing the people, must be confeffed; because hiftory proves that it has been so abused. But the religion, thus abufed, is the Chriftian religion in name only; its nature and spirit are most favours able to liberty and all the rights of man in a well regulated community.

Religion," fays the late Dr. Rotheram, "being of a peaceful and a spiritual nature, has in itself no power but that which belongs to the MIND, and feeks to extend its dominion by no other means but thofe of conviction and the influence of

motives

motives fuited to the freedom of the mind.
To become a fubject of this power, the
mind must be free, mafter of itfelf and its
INTO THE
own determinations; FOR
KINGDOM OF RELIGION NO SLAVE CAN

ENTER. All violence and compulfion there-
fore are utterly unknown to religion, the
ufe of which is fo far from ferving its in-
terefts, that it directly and fundamentally
overthrows them."

I have thought it proper to make thefe few obfervations, because many of the great fticklers for liberty, in recent times, have rafhly dared to attack the Church and the whole fyftem of Chriftianity with unexampled virulence, as if they thought it ftood in their way, an obstacle to the reform of abufes and the abolition of abfolute power; whereas no philosophy, no religion, no code of laws, no form of government in the world has tended fo much to eftablish the rational equality of men as Chriftianity.

The principal rite of Chriftianity, the Holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, contributes more than any thing else in

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this religion, to cause mankind to confider each other as brothers, entitled to an equality of comforts in this world, as far as juftice and the known will of God will permit; for in this Holy Sacrament, we become all united by the Holy Spirit without respect to external and secular diftinctions. We become by it one body, whether rich or poor, weak or strong, high or low; and it is impoffible that they who have worthily communicated at the altar fhould retain a wish to oppress or injure a fellow Chriftian in any rank of life. The state and frame of their minds muft lead them by choice to increase human happiness, and diminish human mifery, wherever and whenever they can exercise any power. To hurt others, they must know, would be to injure their own fouls, and to forfeit their PARDON and their GRACE.

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CONCLUSION.

I

HAVE thus attempted to vindicate the Eucharift from the contempt and neglect into which it appears to have fallen among many, through a thoughtless profaneness; through ruftic ftupidity; through a barbarous and Heathenish habit of irreligion, contracted by immersion in fenfuality and worldly cares; through falfe philofophy, and erroneous theology. In this endeavour I have fought the fupport of Scripture; of the beft divines of various ages, and of the opinions and practices of high antiquity. If I have erred, I have erred with a majority of the learned and the good; and my error, I think, cannot be injurious to the cause of true religion and virtue.

It is better, as Dr. Waterland obferves, to err on that fide which afcribes too much to the Sacrament, than on that

which afcribes too little; because it is erring on the fide of the precepts; for Scripture gives exprefs cautions against paying too little regard to this holy inftitution, but none at all against the contrary extreme. The error, if it be one, is on the fide of humility, modefty, and piety. Suppofing us to be deceived, all that follows is, that we may be led to frequent the Sacrament fo much the oftener; to come to it with the greater reverence, and to repeat our folemn vows for the leading of a good life by the affiftance of divine grace, with the more ferious and devout affections. No divines that I know of, teach that the ufe of the OUTWARD SACRAMENT IS OF ANY AVAIL, without inward FAITH and REPENTANCE, or entire OBEDIENCE. The reception of the Sacrament is not a SINGLE DUTY, but a system of duties. The outward part is the least and the lowest part; and, feparate from a GOOD HEART, it is NO DUTY AT ALL. Such are Dr. Waterland's fentiments, though not exactly his words, and I adopt them cordially; but I will cite his words

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