1798. ] Subfcriptions among Diffengers.s..Apatheofis of Milton. 
judgment, might prove a temptation to 
accommodate my expreffions, to fuit with 
what I might apprehend to be your fen- 
timents, and to conceal my own; nor 
can I tell how far it might pleafe God 
in righteoufnefs to leave me, to fall by 
fuch a temptation. 
longer in the world, and feen more of 
mankind than I, yet J have lived long 
enough even in this obfcurity, tofee and 
-lament more than one inftance uf thefe 
arts of expreffion and concealment, un- 
worthy the fimplicity, re€tituge, and in- 
tegrity of heart, becoming Chriftianity 
and the miniftry; and therefore upon 
farther reficétion, [ cannot but efteem 
it a piece of neceffary juftice to you, to 
fuppofe that my friend’s relation mif- 
took, and inadvertently mifreprefented 
your meaning. I perfuade myfelf that 
you have too much of the amiabie fpi- 
rit of the gofpel, and tendernefs for-the 
the confciences of your brethren, to al- 
low it to be your intention or prattice, 
to demand of them an account of their 
principles for your approbation, attend- 
ing thofe demands with worldly mo. 
tives, the fuggeftcias whereof (efpecially 
when enforced as in many cales by the 
prevalence of indigence, and the de- 
mands of numerous dependents) fo ob- 
vioufly draw intc prevarication, a thing - 
which I am fure you leaft defire : befides 
that, I am convinced you have too great 
and continual reverence for the great 
Shepherd not to be folicitous, that when 
he fhall appear to exaét from each of us 
an account of our refpective trufts, you 
may not be found to have perverted that 
great and extenfive truft repofed in you 
for the fupport of the gofpel, into a fium- 
bling-block, and an occafion of falling 
thrown in your brother’s way. Your 
own foul, I am fatisfied, profecutes the 
thought, and dreads the confequence. 
‘© If indeed it be fo, thatthe perfon 
who waited on you, on our account, did 
mot miftake your meaning, and that you 
really demanded an account of imy prin- 
ciples, in order that in cafe upon trial 
they met with approbation, I might hope 
for the continued ailftance of your fund, 
and not otherwife, I can only account for 
it by fuppofing that fome mifemployed 
tongue or pen ‘hath given you a difad- 
vantageous account of me; and as [ 
Know not from whence the attack comes, 
Or upon what part of my character, as a 
believer or preacher of the gofpel, the 
ftroke hath fallen, I muft endeavour to 
bear the hurtful effects of it, with pa- 
-tience and reiignation. But however 
You have lived: 
3r 
you may fee fit to determine with regard 
to me, give me leave te intercede with 
you, good fir, in favour of this fmall 
fociety of ferious Chriftians, fo long the 
charge of the worthy and amiable 
Mr. ——. ayer 
“ Should you finally withdraw your af- 
fiftance, they will have great difficulty to 
fupport a minifter, and probably muft 
foon diffolve. If I am obliged to give 
way to the difcountenance and difcou- 
ragement [ meet with, perhaps they may 
procure another minifter, who may not 
Jabour under my difficulties, to give you 
all required fatisfaétion ; and whoever 
he fhall be, may he prove more fkilfy] 
and fuccefsful than I, in Promoting the 
great interefts of the Redeemer’s kine. 
dom, and of the faith, holinefs, and com- 
fort of his people here! As for mvfelf, 
if the great Head of the churches “hath 
any farther work for me in his vincyard, 
may I be found faithfully endeavouring 
to difcharge my duty according to the 
meature of abilities imparted to me, and 
I humbly truft in his gracious fupport 
and final acceptance. ‘That you may 
derive from him all fuitable ftrength, 
fupport, and bleffing, to direét and to fuc- 
ceed you in every faithful endeavour to 
advance his honour and intereft among 
men, is the fincere and fervent petition 
of, reverend fir,your affectionate brother, 
and very hnmble fervant. 
haan aad 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
N the cleventh volume of the works of 
Dr. Johnfon, there is, ina vilion, in- 
titled ‘* The’ Apotheofis of Milton,” a 
fpecimen of reafoning upon loyalty, of fo 
very extraordinary a kind, as mught make 
him, who had read fuch different reafonine 
from the fame writer, biefs himfelf for 
wonder, 
In Weftminfter Abbey, the genius of the 
place informs the vifioniit, that in the room 
facred to the fpirits of the bards (whofe 
remains are buried or monuments ereéted. 
within that pile) there was to be held, on 
the night of the vifion (fuppofed to be that 
following the ereétion of the monument to 
Milton) an affembly of great importance, 
for debating whether he fhonid be ad- 
mitted one of the honourable fraternity > 
and that a ftrong oppofition would be 
made by fome members on account of 
the principles of Milton. More than 
nine-tenths of this little piece are taken up 
with very good defcriptions of the charac- 
ters which compofe the affembly ; of the. 
debate we have but two fpeeches. 
Chaucer, 
/ 
