Hints to the public and legislature on the nature and effect of evangelical preaching.

Part The First. Fourth Edition

— " I am astonished at the tranquil courage of any man who can quietly see that a loaded cannon is brought to bear upon him, and that a fool is sitting at its touch-hole with a lighted match in his hand. And yet, my Lords, upon a little reflection, what is it, after what we have seen, that should surprise us, however it may shock us ?— What have the last ten years of the world been employed in, but in destroying the landmarks of rights, duties, and obligations ;• in substituting sound in the place of sense ; in substituting a vile and canting methodism in the place of social duty and practical honour; in suffering virtue to evaporate into phrase, and morality into hypocrisy and affectation ? "

Cb BRAN'S Speechinthe Cause of the King against Johnson, Feb. 4th, 1805.

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WHEN we behold a gradual but striking alteration unfolding itself in the manners and morals of a people, it is matter of some curiosity, since we are touched so nearly by the effects, that we examine a little into the cause. We have nearly a million of inhabitants in this metropolis alone ; — if, therefore, any large number of persons, acting with united force and with one impulse upon the morals of this Vast body, and elevating themselves into the high and awful station of public Teachers, by •degrees get the direction of the mind, and the disposal of the conscience, of all the lower orders of vvliich this vast community is composed, it is worth our. while to inquire a little into the actual nature, that we may determine somewhat of the probable effect, of the principles which this body of spiritual Directors inculcate. • — It is matter of prudence, as well as curiosity, toascertain what shape the popular mind is likely to take, when, in due season, it shall come out of the mould in which it is thus to be cast.

One generation, says Solomon, passeth away, and another generation cometh. — Whether each has improved upon the former, it might be difficult to decide ; but, however this may be, there seems to be still room for improvement, whatever may be the velocity with which we are speeding towards perfection.

Many and various, in the present generation, are the new systems to which the old have given place. We have a new system of agriculture— a new system of gardening — a new system of physic— a new system of politics — and, to crown the catalogue, we have a New System of Religion ; a system which bids fair to explode the old, and to answer fully all the expectations of those who have framed it.

Thanks to the indefatigable zeal of these New Reformers, we are fast emerging from a state of moral darkness to a blaze of marvellous light ; arid this light is fast spreading itself into every mind which its rays can be made to penetrate.

Novelty has been justly termed the spice of life. We have had the old Gospel for upwards of eighteen centuries, and the moral law contained in it was, to our pious forefathers, the rule of life. Taking that Gospel for their guide, they were taught that this present world was a state of trial — that every man had certain talents committed to him, some ten, some five, some one — that to whom much was given, from him much would be required — and that all were accountable hereafter for the abuse of the talents, or means of improvement, respectively received.— And the Preacher of that Gospel, when in those days he assembled his congregation together, exhorted them to an earnest and unfailing attention to this their future responsibility ; he urged them never to degrade that nature which God had dignified with the noble gift of reason, but so to act as not to shew themselves unworthy of that invaluable privilege, but apply it to the noble purposes for which it was bestowed. — The obvious duty of conforming to this advice was then felt, and a ' frequent meditation upon the consequences of neglecting it served to strengthen their resolutions to shun whatever might tempt them to disregard it.

We are weak enough to call these the good old times. Alas ! they were sadly unsound in the faith. This primitive pastor, in the simplicity of his heart, fancied himself in the discharge of his duty ; he never dreamed tliat all this made no part of his sacred office. Let us attend to one of the New Gospel- Preachers, that we may learn from themselves, and in their own words, how the duty of reforming vice is to be discharged, and in what manner the wicked are to be entreated to turn from their wickedness, and live.

" 1 shall not declaim," savs Dr. Hawker, " on the moral excellence of human nature, while our church prayers with one voice continually declare that we have no health, no excellence, in us ; neither shall I recommend human strength to exert itself m acts of moral virtue towards their own salvation*/*

When it is thus publicly announced, that the new Gospel-preachers will not recommend what the apostles of the old Christian dispensation recommended, and that too most strongly and most strenuously, and which they enforced by all the motives and all the sanctions which that dispensation reveals, we can readily perceive how enticing such an assurance must be, and what a concourse such an intimation must draw together. Dr. Hawker accordingly is followed by his crowd of dear hearers, whenever his visit to London from Plymouth is made known amid the congregations of the faithful.

Mr. CoLQUHoim,in hisexcellent and valuable Treatise on the Police of the Metropolis, informs us, (and his information is warranted by a pretty correct estimate,) that in this city of

* Solemn Questions for Serious Christians, by Robert Hawker, D. D. Vicar of Charles, Plymouth.' The better to extend the numerous tracts of these Evangelical Divines, their price is adapted to the lower classes. The tract from which they may derive the above intelligence is price two-pence, or 12s. 6d. per hundred, to those who buy them ;io give away.

London, including all classes of criminal aiitt depraved persons, " above twenty thousand individuals rise every morning, without knowing how or by what means they are to be* supported through the passing day, and, in many instances, where they are to lodge the succeeding night." Should any one or more among those wretched victims of vice and imprudence, when left to solitude and their own conscience^ feel such a degree of remorse and penitence as should lead them into a place of worship, it is to be hoped that they would there find some humane moral Teacher, who would dissuade them from vice by an affecting display of its consequences, would teach them how virtuous habits may best be formed, and evil temptation best overcome; — who would adjure them, as they value their present and eternal peace, to forsake for ever their accustomed haunts of wickedness, ahd strive to support themselves by honest labour, that by their future amendment of life they may lay a foundation of hope for that pardon which is promised only to contrite and penitent offenders.— This moral preacher would be encouraged so to do, not only by the dietates of his own heart, but also by the animating words of that apostle*, who has said : " Brethren* if any one of you do err from the truth, and one convert him, let him know that he who convertelh a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." — But the new Evangelical Reformer, not satisfied with silently neglecting to convert the ignorant and unhappy criminal from the error of his way — not content with forbearing to urge him to use the means of grace, that he may attain the hope of glory, circulates a public notice and acknowledgment, in the shape of a pamphlet, that he shall not

RECOMMEND HUMAN STRENGTH TO EXERT ITSELF IN ACTS OF MORAL VIRTUE TOWARDS IIS OWN SALVATION. *,

Having paused a little, to reflect on the intelligence thus sent forth to circulate itself into all the alleys and bye-streets, and among all the lower orders in this overgrown capital,, let us attend a little further to this Evangelical Doctor's declaration of what he will not do.

It is taken from the same little Manual of Piety in which the former is recorded. — " If (says he) I do from mv heart believe in our church doctrine, of the fallen, sinful, helpless, miserable state of human nature, all the parts of my preaching, as well as my conduct in the world, will carry with it a suitable correspondence."

It must obviously be of prodigious benefit to the community that all should be made to believe in this Evangelical doctrine, that God made them originally sinful and depraved, if, as we are told, " the conduct will carry with it a suitable correspondence ;" and the ikelihood that it will do so is certainly very great, since it is every way calculated to produce that effect. It might perhaps be more serviceable, since « it is God that hath made us, and not we ourselves," if, instead of vilifying him by debasing and sinking into contempt the work of his hands, we strived to preserve our minds as pure, and our conduct as irreproachable, as in the days of our infancy.— If we look abroad into the world, we shall find little difficulty in accounting for the depravity that may be seen on all sides, without placing it to the account of the great Author of Nature.

For my part, I do not hesitate to say, that, with respect to the origin of that corruption which is so very visible amongst us, I prefer the plain intelligible account, as given by that very wovthy and valuable magistrate, Mr. Colquhoun, to all the mysterious jargon and blasphemous nonsense that Calvin and his followers ever uttered, from his days to the present.

" Poverty (says this sound practical writer) is no where to be found clothed in so great a degree with the garb and emblems of the extremest misery and wretchedness as in London.

" Were we to examine the history of any given number of these our miserable fellowmortals, it would be discovered that these distresses, almost in every instance, have been occasioned by extravagance, idleness, profligacy, and crimes — and that their chief support is by gambling, cheating, and thieving in a little way.

"Allured and deceived by the opportunities which the pawnbrokers and the old-iron shops afford, to enable labouring people, when they marry, and first enter upon life, to raise money upon whatever can be offered as a pledge, or for sale, the first step with too many is generally to dispose of wearing apparel and household goods ; and this is frequently done on the slightest occasion, rather than forego the usual gratification of a good dinner and a hot supper. Embarrassments are the speedy consequence of this line of conduct, which is often followed up by idleness and inactivity- The alehouse is then resorted to as a desperate remedy, where the lazy and dissolute will always find associates, who, being unwilling to labour, resort to crimes for the purpose of supply irfg an unnecessary extravagance.

"It is truly pitiable to behold the abject condition of the numerous classes of profligate parents, who, with their children, are, from invincible and growing habit, constantly to be found in the tap-rooms of public houses, spending in two days as much of their earnings as would support them a week comfortably in their own dwellings; destroying their health, wasting their time, and rearing up their children to be prostitutes and thieves, before they can distinguish between right and wrbng.

" In the city of London, and within the bills of mortality, there are at present 5,204 licensed public houses, and it is calculated that the money expended in beer and spirits by the labouring people only is upwards of three millions sterling a year.

" A moment's reflection (he adds) will shew how much these unfortunate habits lead to destroy the moral principle, and to engender crimes."

Now it" may be very Evangelical to trace all this mass of enormity up to the Author of our nature as its first cause, but it is certainly not very prudent, nor very pious, to preach in the ears of all these profligate parents, that this their shocking state of depravity is original, and not the effect of acquired habit ; that they are sinners by nature, and not in consequence of corrupt example and wilful misconduct, because, having once taken this Gospel, it will furnish them with an unfailing apology for |heir vices, and send them back well satisfied to return again to their old haunts : for they will reason thus, — If to sin is our nature, then to sin is not blamable, any more than for a bird to fly, or a duck to swim, for such is their nature ; and their conduct, like ours, does but carry with it a suitable correspondence, — When such doctrines are delivered for the instruction of the lower classes, and pressed upon them as making the most important and essential article of the Christian faith, tliey must immediately perceive that all this sm, in every deformed shape which it assumes in London and elsewhere, is very natural, and that of course the reverse of all this woujd be very unnatural, and they will be too JEyangelical to act in opposition to nature.

There are two hundred arid forty-six places pf worship of the established religion in this metropolis. — " When it is recollected (says

Mr. Colqiihoun, in his Treatise before cjted)

that large sums are annually expended by societies instituted for promoting religion, virtue, and good morals, it must be evident, as the miseries of the poor do not appear to be alleviated, and their morals grow worse — that there must be some cause to produce effects so opposite to

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what might have been expected from such unparalleled philanthropy." —

We shall, perhaps, presently be able to conjecture to what cause this may be in a great measure ascribed. If those who term themselves Evangelical Preachers, instead of enforcing the moral duties of men in society, preach r to all the lower orders doctrines which go directly to destroy them, (which I shall proceed to prove their doctrines must do* if they have any practical influence at all,) can it be wondered at that the morals of the rising generation should grow worse ? When a Clergyman of the old stamp assembled his flock round him, he taught them, above all things, to shun idleness, as containing in it every temptation to vice ; he pressed them to beware of evil com* pany, and evil example: — " Enter not (was his text) into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men: avoid it, pass not by it,- turn from it, and pass away* " — This Gospel^ which was not the Gospel of Calvin, but the moral Gospel of God, no where taught him that mankind have naturally no power at all to do any thing that is good, and are wholly and utterly helpless. HE worshipped a Being who did not command and expect obedience without giving the power to obey, and that

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Being he taught others to worship, and that power he earnestly prayed them to exert. — This , Christian Preacher did not lull his hearers into a false security by leadirig them to expect a supernatural change in some future day of grace ; but assured them, and the authority which he urged carried conviction with it, that " the grace of GW, which bringeth salvation^ hath appeared

to oilmen, teaching us that, denying ungodliness

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and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world *,"— - ' But it seems the Evangelical system of teaching asserts, that mankind, being utterly helpless, and incapable of doing any good, must hear no exhortation to that purpose. Instead* therefore, of urging those motives to repentance which the Bible contains, and which can alone lead to any reformation, this popular Gospel Preacher enters his express protest against any such attempt. — " Confessing myself and people,

* Paul's Epistle to Titus, 2. 11, 12.

While in. the desk, to be helpless sinners before

God, I shall not, in the pulpit, cry up the

moral rectitude of human nature, nor, in de- >,, t . ,. * ■ *■"■ " ■•<*■

fiance of my own solemn declarations, contend

that man w a6/e of himself to help himself, and.

exhort the congregation to do that, which, just

before, we all declared we are incapable of doing *." '

But if the Preacher cannot help us, and We cannot help ourselves, for what use are churches erected at all ? If the whole body of the peOpie should once imbibe this Evangelical sentiment, they will soon begin to thinkf the good estate of the Catholic church much too ample for its means of service. If the whole swarm of thieves, gamblers, swindlers, and pickpockets, which infest our streets by night and

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by day, are to be taught that they cannot help being what they are, and are incapable, of themselves, of being otherwise, and that a Minister of the Church of England shall professedly forbear exhorting bad men to amendment pf life, conceiving it repugnant to his duty as a Gospel Preacher, the mass of public corruption

* Selemn Questions, &c. p. 7* B 2 will augment pretty rapidly, arid that prbftigacy which already prevails to such an extent will daily widen its influence ; for when you have furnished the whole race of delinquents, of every description, with this doctrine — a that they can do nothing of themselves to help themselves,"— they will soonibllow it up to the conclusion to which it leads, which is, that their guilt cannot be wilful, for, if they cannot help themselves, the fault is in him who could give them the power, but withholds it. — These Cal* vinistic teachers do well to suppress, as far a& they are able, the exercise of reason ; thus far the public have cause to be thankful, for certainly their Evangelical premises lead to very dangerous conclusions.

" Why stand ye here all the day idle ?M said the lord of the vineyard ; they said unto him, " Because no man hath hired us." Surely, had they been brought up under an Evangelical Teacher, they would have made a very different reply. — " Because we have no natural power to work" would have been their answer ; " to hire us would be useless, for, having no power to help ourselves, still less have we a power to lielp o^n.^—Bilt, in this beautiful parable* our Saviqur teaches an important moral truths which this helpless order of sinners would do well to remember — that he did not live and die to leave them an example they were unable to follow, nor would have commanded any man to take up his cross if he had not strength to support it.

If the Evangelical Churchmen* are so fully .convinced that "man can do nothing of himself," why do they who hold this doctrine receive their tithes, or the Evangelical dissenting Ministers their maintenance, at the hands of those whom they cannot assist ? — If a Preacher ^of this stamp really holds this fundamental tenet of Calvinism, why does he not speak out M once fairly and intelligibly, and say, — ." I can Itake no tithes, I can accept no salary ; it would he deceiving you to say that I can help you, or jthajt you can help yourselves ; if I could co-operate in your moral reformation, J would not

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* See Overton's * Tsrue Churchman ascertained.' A curiofits title this ; it seems to admit the test which ascertains a true Churchman to be different from that which ascertains a true Christian.

hesitate to accept the reward of my service, but it is the sole operation of irresistible grace, which will work in due season, and for that season you must wait ?" — Now surely this would be more honest and more honourable than to set up as a guide to the benighted travellers of this lower world, and levy a contribution upon, them, while you confess yourself of no mors use, than a dark lanthorn. We expect this kind of candour and liberality from a physic cian, and, to the credit of the profession be it spoken, we usually witness it. If he pronounces it to be a helpless case, he declines taking a fee, because he conceives it to be unjust to fill his purse at the expense of those to whom he can be of no utility. — I confess I do not see why those, who declare they can do no^- thing towards restoring our souls' health, should not act in the same spirit of justice. I know no reason that can be given why the College of Evangelical Physicians should have less moral honesty than the College of Warwick-lane.

■This doctrine, moreover, is as dangerous in its consequences as it is absurd in its principle. It puts a weapon in the hands of the In-

Fidel, the most fatal to the security of civil life ; it goes, in fact, to deny the existence of all moral obligation ;forto affirm that our ability is not equal to our duty, is, in effect, to declare that we have no duty, since no man can be under either a legal or moral obligation to do that which he has no power do do; the command would be as foolish as it would be tyrannical. Can it be the duty of a dumb man to «peak ? — -Would it not border on insanity to request an answer from one whom we knew had no power of speech? — Would any one tell, a man that had no use in his limbs, that it was his duty to take exercise ? — It would be mockery. It is clear then, that, unless we have a poweq to obey, the duty of obedience cannot exist. The doctrine, therefore, which denies that we have the one, releases us from the other.

View it* in what light we may, it carries the mind to conclusions equally fatal. If we have no power of ourselves to do that which is right, we cannot be accountable hereafter [for doing that which is wrong. We are thus led either to deny the justice of God, or toTreject the doctrine of a future responsibility. Being thus f led to deny one attribute of God, the existence of all the rest are brought into suspicion. Thus it is that doctrines repugnant to reason begin by leaking the inquirer a Scep** tic, and end in making him an Atheist. .■A.^m- Truth is well compared by Lord Bacon to a diamond, which shews best in varied lights. It must therefore be doing an acceptable service to place it in different positions, that we may have a better opportunity to admire it. — It is this acceptable service which I am endea-? vouring to render to Evangelical doctrines.

But there is one difficulty in the way of this endeavour, which I must take leave to remark, and it is this: — reason, we all know, is the test , of truth; but whenever this test is applied to what is termed Evangelical truth, and it will not stand the trial, the defenders of this doctrine immediately Vilify it ; it is carnal reason, and has no concern with these inquiries. Now give me leave to say, that this phrase, though perpetually in the mouth of these Evangelical preceptors, is utter nonsense ; as well might we talk, only that our ears are not accustomed to it, of crooked stfaightness, and diseased health.

The phrase carnal reason is just as contra* dictory,*and, therefore, just as absurd, I am awareftthat it would be a great loss if this phrase were taken away from the common stock, because it is so useful,, when hard pressed, to silence inquiry; for the rule seems tp be, with regard to a reasoner, if you cannot satisfy his mind, you must stop his mouth. Without some such contrivance, error would never make its way into the world. — When the Catholic Divines, of past ages, differed respecting the mysteries of their faith, they referred the decision, as in duty bound, to the Pope ; but his Holiness, who knew that the less carnal reason pried into the mysteries the better, wisely enjoined silence on both parties.

I content niyself with throwing out this remark to the reflective mind, and return to the subject k

Mr. CoLQUJioyN, in his Treatise on the Police of the Metropolis, makes the following recapitulation of his estimate of the persons *#ho are supposed to support themselves by pur-? suits either criminal, illegal, or immoral.

An Estimate of the Annual Amount and Value of the Depredations committed on Public and Private Property^ in the Metropolis and its Vicinity, in one year; specif ying the Nature of such Depredations under Six different Heads, viz.* —

2. Thefts upon the Rivers and Quays 250,000

3. Thefts in the Dock-yards, &c. in

5. Coining base Money • • 310,000

'* The foregoing Estimate, grounded on the best information that can be procured, exhibits a melancholy picture of the general depravity which prevails ; and which is heightened in a considerable degree by the reflection, that, among the perpetrators of the crimes there

* As this Treatise is in every body's hands, I refrain from transcribing the detail, but refer the reader to the work itself.

particularized r are to be numbered persons-, who, from their rank and situation in life, would scarcely be suspected of either committing or conniving at frauds, for the purpose of enriclring themselves at the expense of the nation *."

In what, let us ask, does all this mass of evil originate ? — Does it not originate in the breach of those moral duties which are the sum and substance of true religion? — It is utterly impossible that government can be long held together if this dreadful catalogue continues to increase. But increase it will, increase it must, if the inhabitants of that great city in which this system of profligate immorality prevails, instead of being taught to shudder at the transgression of those moral duties, the neglect of which it is that produces this shocking catalogue of crimes just now brought under our view; if, instead of being taught that the reward of eternal life is promised only to those who persevere in well-doing, and that, unless they strive by obedience to merit that reward, they will assuredly lose it in that day when

^Treatise on the Police of the Metropolis, p. 609, 6th Eel,

God will judge Ihe world in righteousness, and give to every man according to his works : if, I say, instead of this, they are to be told and assured, from the press and from the pulpit, that no qualification of merit is necessary ; that they may multiply their offences to what degree they please ; that the seducer, the gambler, the drunkard, the prostitute, the sharper, the robber, may all proceed in their career of infamy, that their lives cannot be too impure, or their offences too many or too aggravated ; for that, when once the weapon of sin shall fall from their hands, (and this it must do, when thus, worn out in the service of sin, they are too weak to hold it,) they will not be precluded, by this their long catalogue of crimes, from the offered rewards of the Gospel, for that the Gospel does not suspend its favour on the performance of any moral duties whatever.

Is it possible such a doctrine can be taught ? ! ! ! Attend to the words of the evangelical preacher : — "As no merit induced God to be thus bountiful, so no demerit prevents man from receiving such clemency- These indeed are glorious tidings of good things, and great joy to alt people/ to tell a poor sinner that no sins

ARE TOO GREAT, NO LIFE TOO IMPURE, NO OFFENCES TOO GREAT OR TOO AGGRAVATED,

when once' the weapons of sin are fallen out of his hands, to prevent the blessed influence of Gospel mercies. But only reverse the case, and suppose that some qualification of merit is necessary in the objects of his favour, and that these mercies are suspended on the performance of such and such duties, what a vast alteration would it make in the circumstances of the'Gospel *."—

Thus it seems that all those abandoned profligates and hardened offenders, which are the corruption and curse of human society, are not accountable for the neglect of any duties, as men and as Christians, for they had no duties to discharge, nor is the favour of heaven suspended on the performance of them ! ! !

We have, it appears, for eighteen hundred years, deceived ourselves by the old Gospel into a belief that our duty towards God, and our duty towards our neighbour, really existed, and