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will scarcely any where find a more irreligious set of clergy described, than these had been while they were members of that church, during what many have thought to be the purest times of reformation. This is one to be added to many other proofs that the wrath or power of man in matters of religion, worketh not the righteousness of God. He in that instance in Scotland, as well as in every similar instance on record, made foolish the wisdom of this world, that he might thereby teach men that their faith should not stand in the wisdom of man. The apostle Paul's preaching, whereby he converted the Gentiles, "was not in the words that man's wisdom teacheth." The metaphysical wisdom of councils and emperors, never brought souls to Christ, nor did worldly wisdom, terrors or rewards, ever make a pure church of Christ. Mr. Gillespie, in the above quotation, is not speaking of political establishments or powers, but of blind guides, such as the Saviour described the Pharisees to have been., They are no doubt to be found in all christian sects, but they abound most in political churches, for obvious reasons. His observations of the importance of real religion to the happiness of a nation, are very just, agreeing with Proverbs xiii. 34. "Righteousness exalteth'a nation, but sin is the reproach of any people." For this reason I am opposed to laws calculated to promote hypocricy, viz. prevarication with God and man. Against such the Saviour pronounces the most tremendous woes. Even Mahomet has sentenced such to the seven ovens in hell, the deepest and most wretched. Civil government, using its power and inAuence to increase that guilt, is contributing to in

crease national guilt, and call down desolating judg

ments.

The reverend author has, p. 71, supposed us to object to his system, by saying, "The restraint and punishment of blasphemers and gross heresies, which you contend for, belonged to the Jewish theocracy, which was typical, and so ought not to be imitated."

The objection is not admitted, because it is not true. The law of Moses no where names or provides for punishing gross or other heresies. It provides against overt acts, which it expressly defines, committed by persons, and in situations which it explicitly describes; and where it prescribes punishment, it does not leave it to the opinion of the judges to decide whether the offence is gross or small; this is matter of opinion. The author ought not to have foisted this into the law of Moses. Did he forget that God, by Moses, had given a solemn charge not to add to it. The law of Pennsylvania defines and provides for the punishment of both blasphemy and prophaneness, not because it is forbidden in the peculiar law of Moses, but because it is contrary to the moral law, and a corruption of manners. The law may yet provide for punishing idolatry on the same principles, but surely the law of Moses did not authorise it but in the symbolically holy land, where priests and Levites set as judges; nor to execute it on any but the devoted nations and apostate Israelites, and in defined cases.

To support this system in his case, he introduces a long quotation from a publication of the Rev. John Brown, seceding minister of Haddington. This pious and laborious divine, however, was neither one of the reformers nor martyrs, to which the author appealed.

He lived down to our own day, many of his works are, and will be useful, but I do not see a sentence in the author's quotation from him, that supports his system. The quotation, in substance, is as follows:

"The typical magistrates of the Jewish nation exercised (intended executed) laws relative to murder, theft, unchastity, and other matters relative to the second table of the moral law. Ought, therefore, no magistrate now to do so? The laws respecting the second table pertained as much to the Jewish theocracy as the first. Must, therefore, the christian magistrate for fear of carrying the Jewish theocracy into effect, meddle with no morality at all? Must every thing that was once typical, be now under the gospel, excluded from regulating authority? Must all the laws, directing to elect men fearing God and hating covetousness, to be magistrates or directing men, to judge justly and impartially and prudently, and to punish murderers, thieves, robbers, &c. be discarded as typical? Must the ten commandments, and all the explications of them in the Old and New Testament, be discarded as published in a typical manner?" &c. &c. &c. I agree with the Rev. Mr. Brown, that they ought not; they all belong to the moral law, and their authority was not impaired by having been applied to typical purposes in the less perfect national law of Israel, nor do I know of any christian, or sect of christians, that thinks otherwise; nor do I know how the author came to introduce the quotation to support his cause. Surely he knows that Mr. Brown might, with propriety, be quoted, in opposition to the leading principles of his system. Why did he introduce the weight of that man's name, to prove what is nothing to his pur

pose? He knows that whatever particular opinions that divine might have had, he did not support the author's system, either in theory or practice. He never preached or practised disobedience to the moral authority of the powers that be, though he no doubt preached to reform them, as Paul did, who preached on righteousness, temperance, and judgment, before Felix, the Roman governor and representative of Nero, till he trembled; but he did not preach against the immorality of the government itself, but of those who administered it.

CHAPTER IV.

Of subjection and allegiance to heathen princes-Law of Pennsylvania respecting murder vindicated-The occasion of making it-On the use of money and paying tribute-The government vindicated from the author's charge of robbery-His claims for aliens, and their swearing oaths-Taking deeds for land-Provision for amending the constitution, and not punishing heresy -The author's misrepresentation of the treaty with Tripoli examined-His misrepresentation of slavery in Pennsylvania refuted-The author demoralizes all the civil governments in the world.

THE

HE author says (p. 62) "But the saints accepted offices and places of trust under heathen princes; see the cases of Ezra, Nehemiah and Daniel, in the books called by their names."

This objection I undertake to support. His dilemmas, indeed, might pass unanswered; but as he has nothing better to give in support of his cause, I will give them a place. They are as follows: "If the saints accepted offices, &c. we may conclude, either, first, that the power was legitimate; ör, secondly, that offices may be held under illegitimate governments; or, thirdly, that the saints sinned in accepting them." The illustration of these dilemmas I will pass

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