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pealing to any other principle but truth and holiness, will be removed also.
These however have been, in many cases, worldly things, treated of by men of this world: a pernicious principle was admitted; but the source of truth and holy earnestness was not yet poisoned; banter had not yet been employed upon things Divine. This is now inadvertently commenced, and the more dangerously because inadvertently. Hitherto it had scarcely been found except among Infidels.
I would then, Sir, request you for a while to lay aside the thoughts of the amusement which your Letter has caused to yourself or others, and to consider in earnestness some of the evils into which it has betrayed you, and may and must betray others. I will confine myself to three:—
- Irreverent treatment of holy things.
- Sacrifice of truth.
- False insinuation, and consequently slandering.
And these I impute, not to yourself: on the contrary, I think that, in your natural character, you would be very far from them. I would speak of them only as inseparable consequences of the line which you have taken.
I. Irreverence.—It may sufffice, Sir, to mention some of the subjects which were necessarily brought into your ill-advised jest.
- Persons' belief as to our Lord's presence in the Communion.
- The mode in which the Commission ordained for the preaching and maintenance of the everlasting Gospel has been continued to this day.
- The maintenance of the form of our public worship, and the doctrines therein contained.
- The comfort which the dying Christian obtains from the provisions of our Church.
- The unity of the Church of Christ.
- The authority of His bishops, or of His Church.
