tyrannically inclined, it is a doubt, whether a voluntary, or a constrained oath, would be sufficient to curb his inclinations.-It is a leading feature in the character of human nature to love power;—and it is too well known from experience, that the abuse of it, notwithstanding many previous promises and solemn declarations, is quite as likely to follow its acquisition, as a moderate and becoming use of it.— Grant the catholic his claims, and he promises on oath, not to disturb either your religion or your government;-he promises on a solemn oath, not to abstain from what he considers wrong, but he promises to abstain from that which he believes to be right; namely, the subversion of the protestant faith. To make a solemn declaration,-to take an oath, and call the sovereign of the universe to attest it, that you will not act according to the direction of your religion, which you believe to come from that great and awful being himself, is such an act of impiety, as can be traced only to him, who is constantly opening "his mouth in blasphemy against God," and for his blasphemy and falsehood, is sentenced to "perdition."

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These remarks have been made with a view to promote the cause of pure christianity-to expose the errors and corruptions of the catholic apostacy-and to shew that instead of granting indulgences and favours to it, every christian ought to exert himself, by means of the weapons afforded him in the sacred writings

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to overturn and destroy it.-Idolaters, false worshippers, and apostate christians, ought not to possess the power of doing mischief in the church of God.-Exclusion is here justified by the example of the deity, who still excludes his own peculiar people, on account of their transgressions and errors, from the rights and privileges, and unexampled favors and blessings, they once enjoyed.-Wherever, men worship Jehovah, the God of Israel, the God of christians, the God and father of Jesus Christ, in spirit and in truth, according to the directions afforded them by the inspired volume,—there, no pains, no penalties, no excluding principle can be justifiable.-" God, is no respecter of persons; but in every nation he "that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, "is accepted with him ";—the particular manner or place, in which, this pure and faithful service is performed, will make no difference in the case.-Elijah in the face of all Israel and the idolatrous priests of Baal, offering up his beautiful address of supplication to heavenand the man, who, "without guile ", poured out in secresy in his garden, the effusions of a heart devoted to the service of the true God, received an approving mark from him they worshipped, that their prayers were heard, and that their conduct was upright.—Interference in the religious exercises of such men, would indeed be wrong;-and excluding them from any rights and privileges, or from situations

of the highest trust and importance, would be as disgraceful to a christian prince and his government, as rejecting his counsel, and the incarcerating the prophet Micaiah, and "feeding him with bread of affliction, and with water of affliction," was disgraceful to the king of Israel, and the people he reigned over.

If I have taken a wrong view of this question, and it can be shewn from the bible, that the moral law of God, which he has graciously given unto man, as a rule of life, may be exposed without danger " to the evil communications" of false worshippers, and false systems of religion-if it can be shown from the same authority, that all religions are good, and that it is a matter of no consequence how many religious sects are to be found in a country pro. fessing itself christian—if it can be proved by arguments, drawn from the same source, that the doctrine of Christ, was not intended to be the sole religion of all nations in the world without" addition or diminution," then, shall I not be ashamed to acknowledge my mistake; nor shall I hesitate to endeavour to correct it, lest I should mislead a single individual or create a prejudice, injurious to the interest of any of my fellow creatures;-but, as true religion, that which comes from heaven, is incapable of improvement by man, I shall not consider myself bound to bow to the authority of writers, or statesmen, who think that political expediency, or the civil rights of citizens, in

the present improving state of society, are to be preferred to the revealed will of God, and the practice of honesty, virtue, and righteousness which he has commanded.