nice fort of people are apt to ftart queftions about what are the fundamentals, or wherein does the main of religion confift. But those who would gain the greatest reputation for charity, choofe to hold by the general expreffions, and to avoid particular explications as much as poffible. Hence the pleasure fome fawning teachers take, in fpeaking of our common Chriftianity.

If we would give a name to this common foundation, fuitable to what is aimed at by different parties, we must call it, PIETY TOWARD THE GODS. This piety we fhall find is the hinge of modern charity. For modern charity is not fo much concerned about what character is drawn for the Deity, or what God one worships, as that every one worships his own God decently,. feriously, or with piety, without fpeaking difrespectfully of that of his neighbour. This charity, as far as it has hitherto taken place, is as much difaffected to the ancient gofpel as the old uniformity was. And should the friendly intercommunity of this charity prevail fo far as to carry the fword on its fide, or, according to fcripture ftyle, to gather together the kings of the earth and their armies; as they were formerly gathered together in behalf of uniformity; then the lovers of the truth may expect to feel the weight of its vengeance, unless heaven feafonably interpofe for their relief: for as the love of the truth' will always provoke againft itself the charge of that inhuman and unfociable temper, that inflexible obftinacy, that hatred and averfion to mankind, with which it was reproached from the beginning; it muft remain excluded from this friendly intercommunity, and become the prin cipal butt of its refentment.

Piety, in the large fenfe, is now the reputable word in every one's mouth, except those who are at the very top of the fashion, who profess atheism, or to worship no other God but their own honor or favorite pleasure. Accordingly our guardians of devotion, while they fet themselves in oppofition to the religion or atheism of the age, endeavour to awaken our attention to, and raise our esteem of the piety of the ancient philofophers, whom, by the by, Dr. WARBURTON has fhown to have been no better than atheists. And while they fet before us the pious fayings of these wife men, in order to heighten our devotion, they. produce fo many. paffages from the Pfalms of DAVID, or other parts of fcripture, as more fublime fayings of the fame kind with the former. And withal they condefcend to add the name of Jefus Chrift in fuch a manner, as plainly fhews, that they have no other ufe for it, but to throw a dash of popularity into their devotion, or to pay fome decent refpect to the religion of their: country; yea, in fuch a manner, as plainly fhews, that if they lived in Afia, or the east of Europe, they would make the fame use of the name of MAHOMET. We fhall even find Chriftian teachers admiring the piety of the Emperor MARCUS ANTONINUS, who perfecuted Chriftians unto death for their piety: and as if this had been too fmall an expreffion of his refentment, his philofophic piety led him to infult that joyful conftancy appearing in their fufferings, which he himself was greatly straitened how to account for.

Though nothing is more common, yet nothing is more foreign to the gospel, than for men to expect, from each other's complaifance or benevolence, the mutual returns of charity, or to be acknowledged as objects of the divine favor. A

chearful

chearful good-natured man will be liberal of his pleasantry and good humour to all around him; but if he loves the gospel, he will not dare to pronounce his moft acceptable comrade more agreeable to God, than he fees his heart and life. agreeable to the gofpel... The gofpel will lead a man to be kind and obliging to his neighbour, as to all things within his power; but for one to pretend to difpofe of either the fmiles or the frowns of the Almighty, is impious and to do the former, is of more pernicious confequence to men than the latter; for men are often hurt, yea, and utterly ruined, by flattery, or falfe charity. But, on the other hand, he who enjoys the favor of the true. God, has that joy which no man can take from him by any anathema whatsoever. When one expoftulates with me: thus, "I have charity for you, and hope you "have the fame for me;" I can understand him to mean nothing else at bottom but this, "The "favor of my God is at your fervice, and I "expect you will be no lefs bliging in return :" or, "I am difpofed to frame and accommodate "my God to your pleafure and comfort, and "would think very unkind in you not to do the "like for me." Thus men often gain reputation for charity by the most atheistical trifling in facred things: and thus he who has the loosest notions concerning the Deity, comes to be reckoned the man of the most extensive charity; though he should be no way remarkable for felfdenied beneficence in his actions.

To close the fubject of charity; as apoftolic charity feeks the good of men without courting their favor by flattery; modern charity, however benevolent it may feem, bears the fame afpect toward the real intereft of mankind, as the infinuating

nuating addrefs of that fpirit, who first taught, and still continues to teach mankind, to difregard. the words of their Creator with hopes of impunity; or to prefume, that every act of disobedience, for which they have plausible reasons, is not neceffarily connected with mifery.-On the whole, what avails it what fet of principles we choose to stamp as properly our own, while we join in the friendly alliance of charity with determined promoters of impiety and inhumanity? Is it not evident from the fcripture, that the judgment of God is pointed, not only against them who do these things, but alfo against thofe who take pleasure in fuch as do them?

Let the readers of thefe pages remark that we confider as teachers of the popular doctrine, in oppofition to the Apoftolic Gospel, all who feek to have credit and influence among the people, by refting our acceptance with God, not fimply on what Chrift hath done, but more or lefs on the ufe we make of him, the advance we make toward him, or fome fecret defire, wifh, or figh to do fo; or on fomething we feel or do concerning him, by affiftance of fome kind of grace or fpirit; or laftly, on fomething we employ him to do and fuppofe he is yet to do for us. In fum, all who would have us to be confcious of fomething elfe than the bare truth of the gospel; all who would have us to be confcious of fome beginning of a change to the better, or fome defire, however faint, toward fuch change, in order to our acceptance with God; thefe we call the popular preachers, however much they may differ from each other about faith and grace, Special or common, or about any thing elfe.

Grace be with all them that love the Lord Jefus Chrift in fincerity. REMARKS

ON A

PASSAGE IN THE LIFE

ΟΙ

WILLIAM COWPER, Esq.

THE general and lively intereft about the late

Mr. Cowper, which his high poetical talents have excited in the Literary World, his piety in the Religious, and his diftreffes in every feeling breaft that had any knowledge of them, has raised up a pretty numerous tribe of biographers, great and small, who have contributed to gratify the public curiofity.

The Editors of the CHRISTIAN OBSERVER (for June, 1803), have fhewn themfelves anxious to prove, in oppofition to Mr. Hayley, that Mr. Cowper's religion did not contribute to occafion or increase his mental derangement. And that true religion—the religion of the gospel,has not that tendency, and indeed cannot produce that effect, we readily admit. We admit as readily that the natural temperament of the amiable Poet's mind appears to have been the predifpofing caufe of his malady. But if we are to give credit to the accounts which have been published of his religious hiftory (and we have no reafon to call their accuracy in queftion), we are decidedly of opinion that the religious fentiments, which were represented to him as Evangelical, are awfully calculated to produce fuch a melancholy effect in the minds of any who adopt them. It is not to Mr. Hayley's life we are to look for any fatisfactory information on this fubject. Mr. H. has briefly given us his own religious fyftem in that fage remark that "man in all conditions'

"ought