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muft take it for granted, that the faults are real; that the fatire and reproofs are juft. An objection against the performance has been often made to this purpose: "Suppofing the things cenfured "to be true, what end does it ferve to publish "them? If tenderness for the reputation of the "offenders could not prevent fuch cruel treat"ment, ought not a regard for the edification of "others, and the fuccefs of the gospel in their "hand, to have difpofed a good man to throw " a veil over their infirmities? Is not religion "wounded through their fides, and occafion giv(( en to infidels to triumph ?"

In answer to this, I confefs myself to have very different views of things from thofe who fpeak in this manner. Nay, I believe, that tho there are fome who fpeak as they think, yet it is much more frequently the language of those who wifh nothing fo much as the undisturbed indulgence of themselves in floth, luxury, or groffer crimes. I am altogether at a loss to know what is the argument in reafon, or the precept in Scripture, which makes it criminal to cenfure minifters when they deferve it. That their station, like that of all other perfons of influence, or in public employment, fhould make men very tender and cautious how they take up an evil report against them, and careful never to do it but on good grounds, I readily allow; but where the character

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character is really bad, I hold it as a first principle, that as it is in them doubly criminal and doubly pernicious, fo it ought to be expofed with double severity. This is fo far from being contrary to the intereft of religion, even when done by a clergyman, that nothing can be more honourable to it, than to fhow that there are fome fo bold as to reprove, and fo faithful as to withftand the corruptions of others. How far fecret wickedness fhould be concealed, or fcenes of iniquity not laid open, and fo fin turned into scandal in minifters, is a matter that would require a very careful and accurate difcuffion, and admits of many exceptions: but if, in any cafe, erroneous doctrine, or degeneracy of life, is plain and vifible; to render them completely odious, muft certainly be a duty. When it is not done, it provokes men to conclude, the clergy all combined together, like "Demetrius and the craftf"men," and more concerned for their own power and credit, than for the intereft and benefit of thofe committed to their charge.

That irreligion and infidelity has made a rapid progrefs among us for fome time paft, is a certain, and a melancholy truth. Well! perhaps I fhall be told, That I have contributed to ftrengthen the caufe of infidelity among the quality and gentry, by giving them fuch a reprefentation of the clergy. I anfwer, That gentle

men's

men's forming a bad opinion of clergymen contributes to promote infidelity, I will by no means deny; fo far from it, I affirm, that without this, all other causes put together, would not be able to produce it in any great degree. The great, as well as the vulgar, are always more influenced in their regard for, or contempt of religion, by what they fee in the characters and behaviour of men, than by any fpeculative reasonings whatever. This is what they themselves make no fcruple, on many occafions, to confefs. Bishop Burnet, in his Difcourfe of the Paftoral Care, acquaints us, that, "having had much free con"verfation with many that have been fatally cor

rupted that way, they have very often owned, "that nothing promoted this fo much in them "" as the bad opinion which they took up of cler

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gymen. They did not fee in them," fays he, "that ftrictness of life, that contempt of the "world, that zeal, that meeknefs, humility and "charity, that diligence and earneftnefs, with "relation to the great truths of the Chriftian

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religion, which they reckoned they would "moft certainly have, if they themselves firmly "believed it; therefore they concluded, that thofe

whose business it was more strictly to inquire "into the truth of their religion, knew that it "was not fo certain as they themselves, for other

"ends

"neds, endeavoured to make the world believe ⚫ it was."

But the great, or rather the only queftion yet remains: Did the publication of the Characteriftics give the firft occafion to fuch reflections in Scotland? Was the first information gentlemen had of the characters of the clergy drawn from that performance? This, which must be the very foundation of the objection we are confidering, is not true; and indeed, it is not poffible in the nature of things, that it should be true. If there be any fuch thing as corruption among the cler. gy, by neglect of duty, luxury in drefs or table, laxnefs in principle or licentioufness of practice, it can be no fecret to people of figure and fashion. It is commonly in their fociety, that the most fiee conversation and unclerical carriage is found among gentlemen of the facred order. And tho’ fome of the laity who regret fuch indecencies, may have fo much good manners as to forbear upbraiding them openly, and others may perhaps not be displeased at the removal of all reftraints, either from the difcipline or example of minifters; yet it is well known how little to their advantage perfons of both forts have talked, long before the Characteristics had a being. So that, instead of any public rebuke being the occafion of gentlemen's forming a bad opinion of the clergy, the laft, on the contrary, gave a manifeft

occafion

occafion for the first, if it did not make fomething of that kind indifpenfibly neceffary.

Many wrong opinions arife from confounding things that have fome relation to one another, but are notwithstanding effentially diftin&t. Thus what ought really to be imputed to the crime, is frequently imputed to the punishment. Becaufe a bad opinion of the clergy leads men to infidelity, therefore, fay fome, cover their failings, and palliate their crimes; to expofe them is doing hurt to religion. On the contrary, I reckon it is far more conclufive to fay, Because the bad characters of the clergy are extremely hurtful to religion, let them be told, that the greatest strictnefs and purity of manners is expected from them; and if any will not comply, let the guilty perfons be chaftifed, that the honour of the order may be preferved. I was never better pleased with a story than one I have read of the late Duke of Orleans, regent of France. It happened, that during his regency, one of the French princes of the blood was convicted of committing robbery on the highway. Great interceffion was made with the regent, to fave him from the ignominy of a public execution, which, it was alledged, would be an indelible stain upon the royal blood. To this the Duke replied, The royal blood is indeed deeply ftained, but it was ftained by the commiffion of the crime; the pu

nishment

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