of many of the Dissenters, and of several of the Methodists also, are unfavourable to our civil, as well as ecclesiastical institution; that religion is sometimes only. a gloss or watchword to political disaffection; and that the popular doctrines have a tendency to promote those revolutionary sentiments, which have been so assiduously propagated of late years*. We cannot but observe, that when one species of wholesome attachment, as that between a parishioner and his minister, is infringed, the violation of another is facilitated; and must, therefore, remark with concern, that, to whatever causes it is to be attributed, the most serious part of the lower classes are very generally united to some, so called, Methodistical or Dissenting congregation, My attention has been the more forcibly directed to this subject, as I have now for a few years resided in a neighbourhood, where the number of Dissenters appears to be much greater, of those who are attached to the established church, much fewer; where there is much Jess regularity in attendance at church of those who are professedly churchmen, than I have experienced where I have ever resided before; and that there is also much more wantonness and licentiousness of dissention; that persons more devoid of learning, and with fewer preensions to be teachers of religion, are followed after in succession by numbers of the common people, as they are variously impelled by a desire of novelty, idle curiosity, or some other equally frivolous, or still more culpable motivet. It is certainly a very grating circumstance to a con The Evangelical clergy of the Established Church, we believe, are in general well affected towards government; but this is at least doubtful with respect to many of their followers, who approximate to Dissenters in sentiments and manners, associate more familiarly in private life with some classes of Dissenters, than with the members of the Established Church, and commonly add to the strength of the Dissenting party in any political struggle. Their principles, it is probable, incline to democracy and revolution, more than they are aware of, or than accords with their professions of attachment to government, in which we hope they are sincere. The Calvinistic doctrines raise the people in their own estimation on a comparison with their superiors, and how easy the transition is to political sentiments of the most licen tious complexion, we have heretofore fatally experienced in this kingdom. This is partly to be accounted for from its being a manufacturing district, for which some reasons may hereafter be assigned. scientious scientious pains-taking clergyman to perceive his congregation desert him, and especially to follow after a person of no respectable qualifications, that will bear a comparison with his own. But the clergy too frequently have shewn themselves exasparated at the fact, and have betrayed a degree of anger and passionate resentment in their conversations with their parishioners, as well as in their discourses from the pulpit, which has only widened the breach. Some have attempted to meet the evil by the circulation of little tracts levelled for the most part against the Methodists, and designed to confute the errors of Calvinism; in which, however, the same spirit of invective has sometimes been discovered; while the argument has been unintelligible to the generality of those to whom it was immediately addressed; and the charge of Calvinism is denied by their leaders*. Indeed when we consider, that the followers of the Methodists or Evangelical preachers very generally consist of the lowest and most ignorant classes, we must be sensible, that they are often actuated by other motives and inducements, rather than any thing that approximates to an undoubted conviction of the doctrines they profess; and must conclude, therefore, that we should adopt other means of preventing schisms, or putting a period to existing dissentions, than those controversial enquiries, which gender strifes, rather than godly edifying: nor can we have much hopes of producing conviction in the minds of those of their leaders, who are accustomed to think lightly of the reasoning faculties, that appeal to an internal guide, and regard as an argument of their truth the effect of their doctrines on the bulk of the community. Besides, controversy, as an act of hostility, indisposes the mind for discerning how much of any existing diversity of sentiment is to be referred to a partial confusion of ideas, an inaccurate use of terms, and a diversity of phraseology, rather than to any more essential disagreement. The causes of Methodism, no doubt, are very multifarious, for the most part, originating in the weaknesses and imperfections of human nature, and the prejudices of uninformed minds. It seems necessary therefore, that we should have a clear perception of the sources of the evils we lament,that we may be better enabled * Whether justly or not may be considered on some future occasion, to to discern the proper means of obviating them. With this view it is my design to enter pretty much at large into the consideration of the several causes of the increasing dismemberment of the national Church. The Method ists, and those sects' of Dissenters which approximate most nearly to them in sentiments and habits, appear to be the most popular persuasions; and therefore my attention has been chiefly directed to them, or to what is denominated Evangelical preaching. Individuals are often attracted to the less numerous classes of Dissenters by reasons, that are not calculated to render them popular. The Calvinistic opinions have generally been the most readily received by the less enlightened part of mankind. The favouritism, which Calvinism involves, naturally inspires the sincere preacher with an anxious desire to make converts to his opinions, by which the mind is of ten insensibly biassed to pursue means of gaining popularity, that are not all equally liberal and ingenuous* At the same time, it is highly flattering to a common mind to be persuaded, that by adopting the manners and opinions of a particular sect or class of Christians, it ensures an easy pardon of all past offences, and is at once advanced in the estimation of heaven above the rich, the great, and the learned in this world, that are not yet awakened, or persuaded to adopt the same principles of sentiment and conduct. An unenlightened mind, also, being incapable of tracing out the wonderful concatenation of causes and effects, by which the universe is governed, is prepared to admit of that immediate and personal interposition of the divine Power, which accords with the Calvinistic principles, or is generally pre-supposed by Calvinistic and Evangelical preachers. The more ignorant part of mankind are equally incapable of forming a rational conception of the nature of spiritual beings, as of relishing a philosophical religion, and have always been prone to anthropomorphism. The Evangelical divines, by holding forth Jesus Christ continually before the view, considered, as actuated by The more natural and genuine result of Calvinism would, probably, be a species of apathy and remissness. But there is so much inconsistence in the opinions of most professed Calvinists, that there are very few who maintain the several conclusions in their full extent, which unavoidably flow from the Calvinistic principles. partial partial favour, and other feelings, if not also imperfections, which make a part of the human character, encourage a species of anthropomorphism, and their followers are disposed to worship him with the same degree of servile adulation, with which they would pay court to an earthly superior. Thus is the Evangelical or Calvinistic system accommodated to the gross conceptions of uninformed minds, or those whose information is very confined. In the next place: that the words and phrases of the common translation of the Bible are more generally adopted in the discourses and conversation also of Evangelical divines, is a presumptive argument in the apprehension of common minds, that their preaching is more conformable to the Gospel of Christ. On this subject it may be observed, that a too literal translation of figurative terms, or of the popular language of the times, as also such a mode of interpretation, as seems to apply to the case of individuals certain passages, that had a reference only to the cause of the Gentiles, and the rejection of the Jews from being the peculiar people of God, have given to the common version of the Bible an appearance of Calvinism; and were the occasion, it is probable, that sentiments of a Calvinistic tendency were often professed by the first reformers, who would have viewed with abhorrence the conclusions, which yet unavoidably followed, which has caused that ambiguity in ascertaining the sentiments of the early reformers, that has appeared in the controversy which has been lately instituted on the subject. We may add, that common minds are generally disposed to close with the most obvious and literal sense of a passage, which cannot always be the true sense in a writing, that must be interpreted by a reference to the manners and customs of a distant era, to local incidents, and the then popular sentiments and expressions, which contributes to enhance the popularity of those divines, who, while they quote much from Scripture, commonly adopt the most literal construction. To the above causes it may be attributed, that many of those preachers, who have been most ambitious of gaining popularity, and most successful in their endeavours, even those that have maintained the Arminian principles in opposition to the Calvinists, have yet in their popular harangues almost adopted the phraseo logy logy of Calvinism*. The same reasons may be assigned for the origin of that moderate Calvinism, which is professed by a great part of those who are now called Evangelical divines, who appear to adopt the language, if not also to maintain the principles, of Calvinism, while they deny the natural and unavoidable consequencest. Another circumstance that adds to the popularity of the Evangelical preachers, is the use of what is commonly, though perhaps rather inaccurately, denominated extempore preaching. It is certainly better calculated to keep up the attention of the parties addressed, when the preacher immediately directs himself to his audience, than when his own attention is confined to his manuscript. The language will generally be more familiar which is used in this mode of address, and more approximating to the conversation which the preacher would himself adopt in his private intercourse with his hearers, and much more intelligible to the generality of his congregation, than that kind of language which a man of education would choose to introduce into a written discourse. A person who composes his own sermon, is more likely to adapt it to the characters and circumstances of his congregation, than a discourse would be, which is calculated rather for the press than the pulpit. And one that delivers his discourse without notes, or previous composition, would probably do so still more. It is likely too, that, by the frequent practice of extempore preaching he would acquire the art of varying his mode of expression, according to existing circumstances, perhaps repeating the same sentiment. in different terms, till he found himself generally understood. When a sermon is read, the preacher's chief object is merely to deliver it with a common degree of propriety. When he addresses the congregation without a written discourse, and watches the expression of the countenances of his audience, then his tone of voice, his action, and gesture, are all much more calculated to excite attention, as he himself, probably, feels more the force of what he delivers. However, as it is an attainment which many learned men do not appear to be pos ⚫ Wesley acknowledged, that he had leant too much to Calvinism. The propriety of this remark may be considered hereafter. sessed |