Page images
PDF
EPUB

friendly port, unless our own, into which we can enter, either for traffic or for succour. We are brought to an awful pause. All social intercourse with the nations is suspended. The peaceable have retired to seek that quiet in the cultivation of their fields, which is every where else denied them. The giant powers are meditating mighty projects for each other's destruction. Solicitude and dread stand listening to every breath. Our plans, indeed, can now extend to little more than the defence of our own shores. May that be effectual, till the return of wisdom shall restore peace to the world! The contest will no longer be for, who shall be the greatest? but, who shall exist alone? To decide this question, all Europe is collecting its force to thrust at our heart.

The majority among us seem, indeed, to perceive nothing extraordinary in this awful state of affairs, and are therefore very secure. Even in those assemblies, where the wisdom and the gravity of the country ought to be concentrated, the thoughtful part of the community can discover but little to quiet their anxiety. Warm is the war of words, and brilliant the contests of wit and talents; but, extreme as the peril of the country is, and although there is so much reason to fear that our accumulating calamities are nothing less than the vengeance of Providence converging to a focus for our destruction; yet, no deep nor serious impressions, at all corresponding with our awful situation, are to be discovered, any more than if all things continued as they were from the beginning of the world. All are unanimous in execrating the ambition of the great enemy of the repose of Europe, but no one suggests that he is more to be feared, as the instrument of Providence for the execution of that wrath against the nations and governments of apostate Christians, so pointedly predicted in our sacred writings, than on account of either his inordinate ambition, or the peculiarity of his genius. Not even one solitary voice is raised to sound that alarm which the present awful signs of the times ought universally to excite; nor to urge that immediate reformation which the peculiar aspect of things so imperiously demands. This, as far as it respects those who believe in the inspiration of the scriptures, and in the moral government of God, seems capable of being accounted for only on two suppositions, one of which attaches to their cha racter a pusillanimous and criminal shame, and the other

supposes an utter blindness, both to the hand of God, which directs the great machine of human affairs, and to the imminence of the danger which threatens our country. This unchristian shame of every thing in religion, or which is connected with religion, that is the least removed from what is esteemed fashionable, and becoming gentlemen untinctured with vulgar enthusiasm, overpowers the convictions and better principles of more than a few, even of those who are not tainted with latent infidelity, but, blindness to the hand of God, and to the danger which threatens us, prevails to a still more awful extent; for whilst that is chiefly confined to the higher ranks of society, this equally infects all, high and low, priests and people. With some we are so powerful, and with others so good, that they appear to have little apprehension of danger.

But this confidence is not universal; and I acknowledge that I am among those who do not think-separate from any particular interposition of Providence--either that our power is of that nature and magnitude as to afford unmingled confidence of ultimate success against the combined attack of all Europe; or that our goodness is such, as to inspire much dependence on it as our protecting ægis: especially if the energy of the country be much more impaired by growing vice on the one hand, and discontent on the other. But, alas! the very system by which we have risen to our greatness, and on which it too much rests, engenders vice, and diffuses it through every part of the body politic! And as though the dissatisfaction, which is the natural consequence of the excessive price of all the necessaries of life, the increase of paupers, the burden and vexation of tythes, the enormous taxes drawn from all classes of people, the waste of public money, the corruption of public men, the disproportionate demands for the army, &c. &c. &c. were not enough, discontent and envy are also excited and cherished by the bigotry of the predominant party, and by the narrow policy, in matters of religion, which the government still pursues; however great the change which opinions and things have undergone, or however dangerous the continuance of the same illiberal system. This applies more especially to Ireland, the attachment and loyalty of which is so essential to the preservation of the whole empire; but yet it is not altogether inapplicable to this island also;

for though, both from a sense of duty and of interest, all sects here, where our grievances, though sufficiently stigmatizing, are less heavy and extensive, are equal in their attachment to the constitution and governmentexcrescences excepted-and equally deprecate the predominance of France; yet, it is reasonable to suppose that the removal of those degradations on account of religion, to which so great a part of the population is unjustly exposed, and a more equal diffusion of rights, would bring still closer the bonds of union, and inspire all with additional ardour in the defence of blessings in which all should equally participate; and if there be any in whom the amor patriæ is rendered less active, by the contumelies and deprivations which they suffer on account of religious differences, such conciliation could not fail to awaken them to a livelier sense of duty, and increase the interest they must feel in the great stake of their country.

But what contradictory policy seems to inspire Great Britain! To restore the old order of things in France, we plunged into war, and called it fighting for regular government, and the Christian religion; and, for fifteen years, we have been shedding our blood and exhausting our treasure in the cause of the popish princes and priests of the continent; but, at home, our consciences are so tender, and our zeal so ardent against popish dogmas, as well as against anti-episcopal heresies, that no considerations, however urgent, can induce us to allow our fellowsubjects, whose opinions differ from the established creed, even the privilege of defending their country, unless as hewers of wood and drawers of water to the more orthodox favourites. As if incapable of distinguishing between -the state and spirit of religious parties now, and two hundred years ago, or between yielding ourselves for the support of popish abominations, and allowing all men the free exercise of their civil rights, one class trembles lest, by the extension of liberty, our excellent constitution in church and state should be undermined; and another is alarmed, lest we should thus make ourselves partakers of the sins of Babylon. Thus, whilst religious liberty is making rapid advances in almost every part of the continent-so lately enveloped in darkness and bondage-Great Britain, which prides itself so much in its greater illumination, and on the superior benignity of its

laws, is alone-Spain and Portugal excepted--actuated by the bigotry and confined policy of a schismatizing sect; and thus, at a time when the combination of the energies of all, seems little enough to preserve the country from the dangers which assail us on every side,`ill-will and dis-union are fostered between those whose cause and interest are, or ought to be, the same.

If this view of our situation is not a flattering one, yet, as far as it goes, it is, I believe, a just one, and that, unless we a little lower some of our pretensions, become a little more liberal, and means be formed to restore peace,—or Providence wonderfully interpose in our favor,-we have as yet seen but the beginning of our share of the sorrows poured out for the nations: whether we finally survive them or not. Separate, then, from all considerations of the ideas we may entertain of the accomplishment of the prophecies by the overturnings which are proceeding from kingdom to kingdom, reasons are not wanting to induce us to think seriously of our ways, and of the dealings of God with the nations. One of our great crimes, the slave trade, is put an end to, and it is hoped the hardened sinners of our West India Islands will fail in their attempts to induce us to return to it.

But there are still many great and crying sins, both of a public and more private nature, which remain to be reformed, before much good can be hoped for. Still, there are our test and corporation laws, by which men are seduced into hypocricy; an institution of Christ is prosti tuted to worldly purposes, and religion is brought into contempt. Still there are our too sanguinary penal laws, according more with the high value which we set on property, than with either the spirit of our constitution, or the laws of God and nature: confounding all crimes and violating all humanity. Still, there remains a deep and wide-spreading sore in our courts of justice, and in all public offices for commercial transactions: and in the latter, especially, oaths and perjury are become nearly synonimous. Still, the most outrageous injustice is suffered to proceed triumphantly in the East, in the same iniquitous course which it has so long pursued, and it seems as though it would continue to proceed, till the cry of injured millions shall move heaven to bring upon their oppressors an avenger of their wrongs. Still, the evil demon of war rules over us, and a point of honour,

or a question of interest, weighs more in the scales of our Christianity, than both the laws of the Prince of Peace, and the blood and misery of millions of human beings. Still, drunkenness, profane swearing, and sabbath breaking, fornication and adultery, and a number of other crimes, which have reached to a greater height, and spread to a greater extent, than in any former age, are every day spreading still farther, and breaking down all the remaining mounds of religion and decency. Still, the malignant spirit of pride and bigotry, which dissolves all the bonds of charity, domineers in the house of God. Still, the christian church is made a scene of traffic, and the christian ministry is a mere race for preferment to worldly honors and gain; and although many of our pastors are the excellent of the earth, yet, too generally, they look to their own way, every one for his gain from his quarter. Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink. The people perish for lack of knowledge, and their own shepherds pity them not: and more than this, they hate and calumniate those who do. The guilt of this corruption; of this perversion of the pastoral office and neglect of pastoral duty, has long lain heavy on all the churches of Europe, both protestant and popish, and we cannot consider what has lately come upon the clergy and people in France, and other countries, but as the righteous visitation of God on this account; as well as for the blood of saints and martyrs which has been shed on religious pretences.

Some of our writers, indeed, because we have withdrawn ourselves from the communion of Rome, have flattered us with the hope of exemption from those peculiar judgments which are to bring ruin on the papal cause and party; and hence also argue our final triumph in the present contest with France, which they would persuade us to believe to be the Antichrist. This may serve to deceive those who are willing to be deceived, and help to hearten up the advocates for war against the mortification of repeated disappointment; but, from what has befallen the Protestant nations and churches on the continent, a striking lesson is afforded, by which we may profit, if not incurably blind. As far as the present visitation has proceeded, these bave not been passed over without punishment, any more than those from whose communion they have separated. They also have departed from the

« PreviousContinue »