30 On Subferiptions 
“© Arminian 3 but that I am of Calvi- 
niftic principles of the ——-—~ de- 
« nomination ; and that I do not ufually 
adminifter or receive the orainance of 
“‘ the Lord’s Supper, commonly called 
the Sacrament, kneeling, nor have done 
fo for the lait fix months.” 
Undoubtedly the worthy tefiator had 
aright to limit his pofthumous bounty 
to poor diffenting minifters of any par- 
ticular defcription, and to exclude all 
others by this or any other teft. To this 
meafure he was probably led by having 
been habituated to a fomewhat fimilar 
practice, in the management of the con- 
gregational fund ; the beneficiaries of 
which have, I believe, been always ex- 
pected to give in, not merely fuch a de- 
ciaration as this, but a regular and ex- 
plicit confetfion of their faith. Whe- 
ther, however, fuch requifitions are 
ftriétly juttifiable in any, but efpecially 
in perfons who profefs to diffent from the 
eftablifhment, upon the principle of the 
fole authority of Chrift im his church, 
and the unlawfulnefs of human impo- 
fitions; and wuether they do not na- 
turally lead to the evil confequences fo 
well deferibed in the following letter, I 
leave to your readers, fuch of them, 
particularly, as ic may more immediately 
concern, to judge. I have only to add, 
that it was found among the papers of an 
excellent perfon fome time fince deceafed, 
who will be known to many of your 
theological readers by his ufual fignature 
‘oF ViGiLius: It appears to have been 
the fir& copy of.a letter addreffed toa 
«« 
jeading manager of the board above-— 
mentioned, more than forty years ago. I 
am, &c; 
Wir Ee 
“ REV. SIR, 
“ WHEN 1] fettled as minifter to the 
congregation of proteRant Diffenters in 
this place, 1 was informed that for many 
years they had been affifted in fupport-. 
ing’ the minitry amongft them, by an 
annual exhibition from the Independent 
Fund. i 
« Accordinely I received five pounds 
from that fund, about the clofe of laft vear 
but one, which was the firlt of my minj- 
firy here, and for which/I am a 
thankful. 
«© At the clofe of laf yea, hearing no- 
thing of the ufual allowance, I. got a 
friend. one of this fociety, to enquire, by 
a relation in town, into the reafon of the 
fiop, and folicit a continuance of the 
ufwal affittance, 
ceived the following anfwer, as from you, 
After fome time we re-> 
among Diffenters. [ Fan. 
that “* as I was a ftranger to yeu, if I 
*« would fend you a letter of my princi- 
‘€ ples, you, or fome of your brethren, 
** would_take care that fomething fhould 
‘¢ be given us, if the letter was approved 
‘ of.”’ I confefs I was a good deal fur- 
prized at this anfwer, becaufe the de- 
mand is fo general and indeterminate., I 
could not fuppofe that you expected I 
fhould give an account at large, of all 
the articles of my Chriftian faith, nor 
could I conjeéture which were efpecialiy 
meant, as no particulars were fpecified. 
When I was admitted tc preach as a 
candidate for the minifiry, and after- 
wards at my ordination to that facred 
office, many vears ago, IT gave an ac- 
count of my principles, I believe fatif- 
faétory to fome of the mofi eminent in 
the diffenting minifiry in thefe parts, 
fuch asthe late Dr. Charles Owen of 
Warrington, Mr. Gardner of Chefter, 
Mr.Culcheth of Macclesfield, and others; 
nor am I confcious of having admitted 
any material change in my principles 
fince that time. Some alterations in mat- 
ters of fmaller moment, ] prefume, may 
be fuppofed the confequence of farther 
light and inftru€tions, and cf, I truft, a 
ferious enquiry into the truths of the 
gofpel. In general, I firmly believe the 
gofpel of our Lord Jefus, and endeavour 
to-make the holy {cripture the rule of 
my life and miniftry ; but if a more ex- 
plicit declaration cf my fentiments, with 
regard to fome particular points, be ftll 
inhfted upon, asthe indifpenfible term of 
the continuance of your favour, and of 
the affiftance of your fund, FE muft on 
that very confideration, bee to be ex- 
cufed ; for though (for aught I am cer- 
tified of ) my fentiments in the particu- 
lars intended, may be conformable to 
your own, nay, though I were fatisfied 
tuey were perfectly fo, yet this isa term 
1 dare not comply with: for as I hope, 
through the affifiances of divine grace, to 
conduét myfelf in the great concern of 
faith and falvation on principles of fim- 
plicity and gedly fincerity, not with 
fefhly wildom, I would not admit pe- 
cuniary confiderations to have any weight 
either in the forming or declaring my 
belief. But if I were apprehenfive that 
my fentiments ciffered from yoursin fome 
things, and that they would be -difap- 
proved by you if honefily declared, and 
‘that on this account J muft forfeit your . 
favour and fupport, I cannot an{fwer for 
it how far the above pecuniary confide- 
rations, once admitted, though they 
could afford no evidence to convince my 
judgment, 
