the church? Surely that the great ends of their facred function may be promoted; that, freed from the neceffity of attending. to fecular purfuits, they may have liberty to bestow their time and pains for the spiritual benefit of thofe committed to their care.

For this reafon, I humbly intreat you, who, by your exalted ftations, only can do it with fuccefs, to frown upon the luxurious and afpiring, to encourage the humble and diligent clergyman. The intereft of religion in this nation, is an object of the highest value in itself, and infeparable from our temporal profperity. On both accounts I hope it will be the object

of
your moft tender care; and, in return,
may it please God to make you know to
your happy experience the truth of his own
word, "Them that honour me, I will
"honour; but they that defpife me, shall
"be lightly esteemed."

I am, &c.

1

A SE

T

HE Ecclefiaftical Characteristics is evidently a fatire upon clergymen of a certain character. It is a fatire too, which every body must fee was intended to carry in it no fmall measure of keennefs and feverity. This was to be expected from the nature and defign of the performance. A fatire that does not bite is good for nothing. Hence it neceffarily follows, that it is effential to this manner of writing, to provoke and give offence. The greateft fatirifts, in all ages, have made juft as many enemies to themfelves, as they expofed

objects of scorn and derifion to the public *. It was certainly, on this account, eafy to foresee what would be the effect of the publication of fuch a piece, if it was executed in a tolerable manner; and therefore I hope every impartial perfon will not only acquit me of blame, but confefs, I acted very prudently in not setting my name to the work.

The event juftified this precaution. The rage and fury of many minifters in Scotland when this pamphlet was firft publifhed, is known almoft to all its readers. The most opprobrious names were beftowed upon the concealed author, and the most dreadful threatenings uttered, in case they fhould be fo fortunate as to difcover and convict him. One gentleman in particular, who fell under the imputation of being concerned in it, has ever fince been the object of their deteftation and refentment; although I think it remains yet very uncertain, what hand he had, or whether he had any hand at all, in its compofition a queftion which I hope the present production, by a comparifon with his other

*Hiftory informs us, that Horace, for his admired fatires, had many private enemies in Rome; and it has been faid, that our countryman Mr. Pope durft hardly walk the freets of London, fome years before his death, through fear of being attacked or piftoled, even when he met with the higheft encouragement from the public.

works,

works, will enable the fharp-fighted public to determine.

But though I had by good management provided myself a fhelter from the form, it is not to be fuppofed but I heard it well enough rattling over my head. The truth is, I have liftened with all poffible attention to the objections raised against this performance; and found, with much concern, that the great endeavour of its enemies has been to represent the general design of it as contrary to the intereft of religion; and the spirit and manner of it, as inconfiftent with the Christian temper. The common cry has been,

"The author must be a man of a bad heart

No good man could write fuch a piece." This has given me an irrefiftible inclination, upon notice that a new edition of it is intended, to fend into the world, at the fame time, a ferious apojogy for it, not only for my own vindication, but that if it hath any capacity of doing good, this happy purpose may not be defeated by the impli cit credit given to so heavy an accufation.

In entering upon this task, I take the liberty to affirm, that what firft induced me to write, was a deep concern for the declining intereft of religion in the church of Scotland, mixed with fome indignation at what appeared to me a flrange abufe of church-authority in the years 1751

and 1752*. The reafons of its particular structure will be given afterwards: in the mean time, the reader may reft affured, that this defence fhall be wholly serious, and fhall not contain a fingle propofition which, in its plain and literal meaning, the author does not believe to be true. Not fo much as attempting to borrow any affiftance from wit and ridicule, he fubmits his caufe to be tried by calm dispaffionate reafoning, and only begs the impartial attention of the reader.

1. The

To free the queftion from ambiguity, it will be neceflary to confider the performance diftinctly, under the three following heads. fubject of it in general; which is confeffed to be an attack upon the principles, manners, and political conduct of certain clergymen. 2. Why it is written in an affumed character and ironical ftyle. 3. What occafion was given for it by thofe to whom it was evidently applied, viz. the minifters of our own church.

I. Let us confider the subject in general, viz. attacking and expofing the characters of clergyWhile I am speaking upon this head, I

men.

* This refers to the rebuking and depofing minifters who did not think themselves at liberty to join in the ordination of a paftor without a people. The firft was done in the cafe of Mr. Adam and the prefbytery of Linlithgow, who declined being prefent at the fettlement of Torphichen; the fecond, in the cafe of Mr. Gillefpie, in the fettlement of Inverkeithing.

muft