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Christians," have grossly libelled our National Church, as professing a religion which has no other claim than that of being “by law established,” 66 as a Church whose ministers and pastors are servants of the State only; who retain their office, titles, and privileges, in opposition to the clear and express commands of Jesus; - as a Church whose laws have no earlier date than Popery, no higher authority than Acts of Parliament; — as a Church whose unrighteous claims are supported by an appeal to the hopes and fears of men ;—and, as a Church whose unscriptural faith is fulminated by means of a creed, which is at the same time intolerant in its spirit, and contradictory in its assertions." 1

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Gentlemen. When a religious sect adopts the title of "Free-thinkers," it is time to look about us, because we all know what Free-thinkers have done, and what it is that they are prepared to do under this revolutionary signal. The times must be lax indeed which will suffer men boldly and daringly to avow free-thinking and democratical principles, and, under the cover of conscientious scruples, to libel all that we hold most sacred. Religion has too frequently been used as a cloak to conceal the most ungodly designs, and we have too much rea

See the particulars of the infidelity of this sect, as detailed in their petition to the House of Commons in 1827, which is inserted in the Appendix to this volume.

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son, from past experience, to suspect that the Freethinkers of these days may not be so different from those of former times as the liberality of this age, in its boasted intellectual advancement, may be disposed to admit. Free-thinkers, hitherto, have been Atheists, Deists, and Revolutionists. These allege, indeed, that "they receive the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament as containing the revealed word of God, and therefore they are not Atheists; " but whether by "the Scriptures" they mean all and every part of those sacred, canonical books which we receive, is doubtful; and, therefore, though not Atheists, they may be Deists: and that they are so, may be inferred from setting forth in the development of their disbelief, that "the worship of the m'an Jesus is idolatrous, and that the worship of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, is the worship of a plurality of Gods, open and avowed Polytheism, and a Polytheism both contrary to the laws of God and our country. That they are Revolutionists also, is, I think, proved upon their own showing, when they declare that they "regard the connection of Religion with the State as the primary cause of the grievances which they suffer, and as having mainly contributed to the corruption of revealed religion:” and hence they implore the Legislature "to put an end to the connection between Church and Sstate." And who are these men that would alter the government,

and denounce our ritual" as false and superstitious, and our Church as having its foundation in Rome, a superstructure of ignorance and mystery, of Heathenism and Popery?" Who? but they who "profess an equality of rights;" among whom are "no religious titles nor distinctions; and whose aim is to level all things," denying the right of the civil magistrate to interfere in religion, alleging that they are justified in such denial by the example of St. Peter and St. John, who, when the Jewish rulers threatened them if they preached Christ crucified, demanded, "whether it were right in the sight of God to hearken unto them, more than unto God.” Now, Gentlemen, you are as well aware as I am, that the Apostles put this question to those who would not permit the name of Jesus to be preached: here the Legislature supports the Apostles, and says that that name shall not be blasphemed; for that divine Master commanded them and all his disciples to "be subject to the higher powers," and "to submit to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake," in accordance with the proof which he had given them, that his religion was not intended to interfere with the established government of the country, when he ordered them to pay tributemoney, and to render to Cæsar the things that were Cæsar's. We too, like the Apostles, deny that our sovereign, or chief ruler, or magistrate, has the power to administer God's words and sacraments,

in right of his sovereignty or office; but we hold that he is the supreme Head of our Church over all persons and things, and in all causes ecclesiastical as well as civil: and that it is necessary that he should be invested with this power, for the maintenance of public tranquillity, and for the due administration of public justice. That the heretical and deistical spirit of these men spring, in the first instance, from the writings of the Defendants, I am now prepared to show; and in order to substantiate the charge upon the record, I proceed to adduce the strongest evidence in support of this prosecution, by bringing before you witnesses of no common stamp, men of honour, learning, and sound integrity, such as are incapable of entertaining prejudices, or of permitting any feeling to prevail in the support of the charge, but such as springs from the purest motives of rectitude, and the most ardent love of truth. I am aware that I have a task of some difficulty to perform, a task which I would fain were intrusted to better hands than mine: for I am free to confess, that though born and educated in the principles of our national faith, and alive to the duties, as well as to the comforts and blessings of our holy religion, I am am not so well nor so extensively acquainted with the various parts of the divine law, and with those several particulars of doctrine and precept, nor with that critical knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, as those

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who by their profession have devoted their lives to the study and acquisition of these high matters. I have, however, the satisfaction to feel assured, that the truth and goodness of the cause, which I feel it my duty to vindicate, will suffer nothing from my ignorance; for the evidence which I have to adduce is brought by those who are able to give it in the clearest manner, and, what to me is not less consolatory, it will be met and sifted by those who have given sufficient proof of their power to defend themselves: for I have learnt, since my coming into court, that the cause of the accused is to be defended by themselves. In this I think they have rightly judged, for none are more able to explain their conduct and belief; and none, I am inclined to think, can act with greater, though mistaken sincerity than themselves. Aided also by the knowledge of his Lordship, which is confessedly very extensive, both in respect to the divine law and the law of the land, they will have in him all the advantages of an advocate, and at the same time the assurance from his general character that, as he is above all prejudice, and incapable of being swayed from the strict line of his duty by any partial or party feelings, there presides a judge on this tribunal, whose veneration for that greater Judge who is hereafter to try him at the bar of Heaven, will not permit him to forget that he stands between the people of this Nation

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