The Sun.
London, England, 1819-11-15 00:00:00

TOR THE SUN

Ma.l.l)rirrori—Whoio (k,ires the security of the
Chtisriao Ittligion,lnust investigate the means by
'which it may be most effectually secured. While
acting upon human mitrds, and by human agency,
those means mast be human also. There is no
human security for the 'Church, but in an Esta-
blishmatt by the Law; paramount,single, and in-
siolate. This,, though not essential to its 'divine
•truth, is indispensable to its human existence.

it will not be sufficien-t, however, that Chris-
tianity—in its generic sense—should be thus esta-
Ilished. While it is itividtd into several sects or
professions, some one of these should be the Reli-
gion of the State, and thereby of the people, in
preference to and exclusion of the others; else,
every man claims the right of forming his own
Christianity free from any regulating powers,
a Bich might declate and enforce what is
Christian.

Unhappily this claim has made among us an
easy and insensible progress to,vard a wide li-
cence, which has rendeted the landmarks and li-
mits of Christianity—not doubtful, but, doubted.
Infidels have arrogated the right, which was in-
tended for Believers only ; and, arguing from the
use to the abuse, they have perverted the freedom
of Christianity into its danger. Observe, Sir, 1
do not dispute any man's secular privilege of hold-
ing any opinion : 1 merely question his privilege
of expressing it.
I have no hesitation in asserting, as my solemn
and long settled opinion, that the blasphemies of
PAINE, and CARLILR, and their wretched fol-
joweis, have originated. in the liberty of Dissent
from the Established Church. When any one form,
or principle, or; doctrine, was divested of its in-
violability, a precedent was conceded for the vio-
lation of another. And thus, the mischief en-
larged itself, sapping and mining the foundations
of the Church, and picking out its stones one by
one; until the question was put—why preserve a
Church which can keep neither its strength nor
its steadiness? and then—why preserve soy Church
of all ?

So gradually has the first indulgence of Chris-
tian liberty grown into the arrogation of Anti-

Clizistian licence!

Utor permisso, caudcequc pilos ut equintr,
l'aulatim vello: et demo unuu:, demo ctiant uncurl.

I have been led into these—Considerations, not
merely by the blasphemies which are now so
fieely vomited forth ; but, by the spreading pre-
valence of dissenting assemblies and institutions.
These, the enemy has made a scoff and a reproach
to Christianity in general, as well as to our par-
ticular Church. fie laughs at the Sions, the
Zoars, the Ebenezers, the Bethesdas, and the
Bethels, which are run up in every corner by
fanaticism or by speculation, to furnish the Gos-
pel, or to attract a neighbourhood ; and he pro.
Cutely takes occasion to deny the divinity of the
Christian Religion, by its divisibility. Had the
National Church been maintained in its due ant)
inviolable singleness, this denial could never have
been proffered.
too object to them, Sir; because they afford
/sins that reproach ; because they supply nothing
really evangelical which may not be found in our
Established Church ; because they have im-
paired the dignity of Christ's Religion ; because,
though neither malignant foes nor mistaken
friends cats degrade its divine character, each
can diminish its human influence. And there-
fore I consider, that the National Church should
have been kept, not only supreme, but single;
permitting no transgression of its boundaries, no
deduction from its extent.

1 am aware, Sir, that Christianity is still the
ilelizion of the English Law. IVould that I
could See it above that Law, instead of supported
by it ! But the liberty of private opinion—more
correctly I should say, of the expression of private
oiliniou—has also been legalized : and it is 00itrie
consequence perhaps, that Christianity must not
be impugned, while every one may profess what
Christianity he pleases.
'We have recently been shocked with the re-
vived impieties of the Arch-Blasphemer. Shall I
confess, that I have been almost as deeply shock-
el with the levities of an Enthusiast ? And theae
I think the more dangerous, because the motive
of their titterer takes off the edge of their abomi•
nation. Whatsoever lowers the dignity of
Reli-
•gion, whatsoever renders her most elevated and
most awful attributes--

" Familiar in our mouths as household words"—
impairs, together with the mysteriousness of be-
lief, our depth of reverence, and our fear of

offence.

You have recorded, Sir, in your Journal of
last Saturday, the proceedings of a Methodist
Meeting of Seamen, who have assumed for their
Society, the title of " Bethel.•'—l see little use
in the record, except that it has produced this

reprelieuxion• By -what interpret-Arc
process these honest sailors found any efficacy in
a term so.completely out of their latittale,l know
not ; though I think, they might hate at once
called ilrair 'Floating Chapel" the House -of God,"
in 'good plain English—and with s..newhat snort
edification. They take it for a charm perhaps s
and I would not willingly quarrel with well-inten-
tioned ignorance.

I have a political complaint against these Sod-
eties, whereon I may at some other time enlarge.
Their vulgarity, their oddity„andtheir fanaticism,
bring tack on my mind the, days of CaordwaLL ;
when the Church and the Throne fell together
beneath them. At present, I consider their spid-
tool mischief only. The hail-fellow-well-met style
in which they treat God's word—and his person
too, would scarcely deserve notice, were itcorn-
fined to their simple followers. But it has gotten
among their preachers :—and every chapel orator,
aground or afloat, must have his peculiar say•
ing 3—whereof, the more dignified the stibi,e't,
the more- homely the phrase. These Reverend
Gentlemen, are all very fond of metaphors; atftl
they have a sort of competition among them-
selves, who shall be most extravagantly, and„ at
the same time, must vulgarly figurative. One
Minister—l must remind your Readers that he is
a Dissenter—because he was preaching in a ship,
talked of " holding out a rope-to Jesus of Naza-
" red), while he ascended upon deck."—And this
revolting indecency W9l uttered of the Saviour,
WHO WALKKD UPON MB WATERS

Sir, while the pastors and the professors of
any Christian sect can pronounce, and endure,
these levities, shall we not wonder the less, that
the Infidel includes them and Christianity in the
same sweeping derision ? Shall we not imagine,
that 'the fanatical freedom of these Enthusiasts
had diminished his awe of that Name, at whose
mention every knee in earth and in Heaven should
bow ?—that their familiarity disgusted him ?
that their irreverence instructed him ?—until he
foolishly transferred his contempt from them, to
the Power which is alike above his insult and
their eulogy ?
The Law—if our Law-makers so please—may
prevent this evil, or the excuse of this evil, by
rendering the Established Church what it ought
to be—an Establishment—,vhich none must de-
!►art from ; her to fall short of its doctrines, or
to go beyond them.
Let me, Sir, ere I close, pay the testimony
which is so well due TO THE :DUCHESS OF CLA•
RENCR ; and which is so intimately connected
with our present discussion. This young Prin-
cess, with more fiimuess and more discernment
than are usually the lot of her years, has avowed
her resolution of devoting all her aid and influence
to the doctrines and the charities of the Established
Church, alone and exclusively. It is extended
enough, even for her sphere : even she will find it
not too circumsciihed for her virtues. A better
tribute cannot be offered to her Royal Highness,
than that she at once revives and consoles the saddest
recollection.

For the present, Sir, I take my leave ; with
this parting observation. The Church of Eng-
land needs not any support of its own seceders,
or of a foreign Church, against Radical Infidelity.
Like the Stole of England, it can repel the ar-
rayed assailant without opening its gates either
to an hollow friend or to a disguised foe; either
to Puritanism or to Popery.

TENAX.

THEATRICAL REGISTER.
Performed on Saturday Night.
TtteAvtE Ttorat, bitunY-LAME.—Guy I►lannering t Henry
Hort-ram, Mr. 'l3raliato ; Lucv Bertram, Miss Carew ;, Nleg
Merrilies, Mrs. Egerton. After which, The Mayor of
Gart•att.
THCATRIEItoYAI, COVENT-GARDEN.-Thr Confederacy.: Mo-
neytrap„ Mr. W. Farrell ; Clarissa, Mrs. DiIVISOLI. Aft
whicti the Marriage of Figart. _ •r•

TO CORRESPONDENTS.
LITIMARY REVIEW, and the Favours of Bon SIIORT, HooKER,
and I. G. N. are unavoidably deferred till To-morrow.

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