a, Oe at al 
Le 
mS 
- mind, because he is conscious he is act- 
ing on the best principles of our holy re- 
ligion. ‘ney are the principles so nobly 
maintained by Hoadly, Clarke, and 
Locke; they are the principles on which 
alone Protestants can justify their sepa~ 
+ yation from the church of Rome; on 
which alone Christianity can accomplish 
the gracivus purpose of its divine author, 
can become the religion of the. world, 
and the source of continual. ,improve- 
ment in virtue and happiness to all man- 
kind, 
_ To the liberal, among their brethren 
ef the established’ church, he and his 
friends look with confidence for their con- 
currence; end in whatever proportion 
they may be found to give it, their assist- 
ance will be highly valued; their con- 
~ duct will be marked by the generosity 
_ which prompts them to extend that redyess 
_ to others, which they want not for thein- 
selves; and it will at least be creditable 
tothe church, whose members, in any 
considerable number, manifest this truly 
> Chistian spirit. ‘Yo the numerous class 
of Catholics, and the almost equally nu- 
erous sects of Protestants who differ 
- from our church, they look with not less 
_ confidence for their approbation and cor- 
dial co-operation: and, thns supported, 
they trust, their plea for unlimited tole- 
ration will not be offered to parliament 
in vain, in the succeeding session. 
_ And since nothing which can tend to 
promote the acquisition of religious free- 
m ought to be deemed an unimportant 
» matter, or unworthy of attention by per- 
‘sons of competent ability and of honest 
Beal Yor the restoration of that invaluable 
right, let it be considered, whether it 
would, or would not, be advantageous to 
. this best of causes, if the subject were to 
receive amore extended discussion than 
as yet been given it, in papers which 
are widely circulated through the country, 
“In magazines, &c. Numerous classes of 
“the pevple most liable to be prejudiced 
Against every measure for restoriny the 
ts of conscience, would thus find that 
information which they want, and would 
be prepared to maintain against the arts 
_ and efforts of intolerant men, the justice 
* ang piety as well as the policy and hu- 
— Manity of repealing every law which re- 
ains or discourages the free exercise of 
n in matters of religion, till at 
Tast what all men feel would be owned by 
all, that religion is every man’s grand con- 
ern, and ought to be eft to his free aud 
ssed choice, And hence parlia- 
ae 
‘ 1808.] “Discussion in favour of Liberty of Conscience. 
15; 
ments also would feel that they have ex- 
ceeded their just power when they have 
attempted to terrily men by any punish- 
ment, or to seduce them by any emolu- 
ment held forth by the laws, as induce~ 
ments to prevaricate and to stifle the de- 
cisions of their conscience in the choice 
and profession of religion. And when 
these most salutary impressions shalt 
have been made on the mind of the pub- 
lic and of the parliament, then, and not 
ull then, shall we behold the rights of 
consciencewwillingly restored to all men, 
and the spread of rational religion pro- 
moted by the free exercise uf reason ; 
then, andnottiil then, will hypocrisy and 
the false zeal of bigotry and fanaticissa 
be effectually beaten down by the pre- 
valence of the true gospel spirit of can- 
dour, sincerity, and benevolence. But 
it must not be expected that this will be 
found an easy task, or that much can be 
done towards its accomplishment in # 
short time, and by a few short letters or 
essays, however forcibly they may be 
written, The contest will undoubtedly 
be long andarduous ; and it is much to be 
feared that no cogency of argument will 
convince the bigots of intolerance that 
they are wrong; and not less to be feared 
perhaps that no degree of unildness aud 
candour in the whole course and conduct 
of the intended discussion, on the part of 
those who may maintain the cause of 
universal toleration, will prevent those 
caiumnious | misrepresentatkyns, — those 
bursts of rage and rancour which in simi- 
lar disputes have been before experienced 
froin the advocates of intolerance. Un- 
der circumstances of such extreme diii- , 
culty, the writer trusts it may be allowed 
toa man aged asheis, and not altogether 
unexperienced in debates, sometimes re= 
specting civil affairs, and sometunes re- 
specting these also which concern reli+ 
gious liberty, to suggest his counsel to per- 
sons younger, and far abler than himself 
to bear a part in the projected contro- 
versy. What he would most earnestly 
represent to them is, that they must be 
temperate, or they will do more harm 
than good; that they must persevere, or 
better would it be that they should not 
begin; they never must forget that the 
weapons they have to fight with are those 
furnished by reason and the gospel 3” 
and it will be their first duty so to press 
their antagonists in the true spirit of re- 
Jigion, that Th the course of their dispute 
not a word, if possible, may escape them, 
which prudence would wish to recall, or 
. . benevolence 
M0) by. 
