Sometimes we are properly called to "hope againft hope," and I will ftruggle, labour, and ftrive to hope, that a pure religious confcientious regard to the facred nature of the oath his Lordship had taken, as chief magistrate, and his real views of the matter, however mistaken he might be, induced him to perplex the important business of the day with reviving the contest between his Majefty and the Livery of London, as to time and place for receiving their petition. I repeat my confidence, that no embarraffment will arife to the adminiftration of this country from the circumftance; but I am willing to indulge a hope, that fo refpectable, loyal, and patriotic a body as the Livery of London at large, will vindicate themselves, and take fome measures to teftify to their Sovereign and fellow fubjects their opinion of those men, who, in the name of that body, are thus fubtlely working, in order to embarrass the executive power, clog the wheels of Government, and give every poffible* advantage to the enemy at this important crifis. For men of really honeft intentions, to become dupes to artful and defigning Republicans, avowedly hoftile to the Ministers, becaufe fecretly in their hearts they hate him for the injury he has done to their caufe, is much to be lamented, and I hope Mr. D. will well examine every subject which he intends to offer to public notice; that he will more ferioufly enquire into the past and prefent, confidering caufes and effects, that he may judge foberly for the future; in this remark, I refer principally to his first propofition, a general inclosure bill. But let me feriously recommend to him, not to form his opinion refpecting tythes from the pages of ignorant, prejudiced, felf-interested writers; or, what is worfe, from the crude opinions of those men, who reject divine revelation. In a fubject of fuch importance, involving in it the interefts of fo very many perfons, and in itself fo interesting, by what authority fhall we be fafely guided and directed, but from the pages of divine truth? It is a book I know Mr. D. reverences, and from the word of God alone, the uncorrupt fountain of knowledge, he will learn the divine origin of tythes, and that they were paid to a Chriftian priesthood, under a difpenfation of grace, two thousand years before Chrift was born, and above four hundred years before the promulgation of the law. They who fuppofe that Abraham's paying tythes to Melchizedek, was an accidental circumstance, from which nothing is to be inferred, forget of what importance St. Paul has made it; his reafonings upon it, and his deductions from it. Jacob, the * What could the Lord Mayor have in view when he observed to the Hall, that their refolutions would not only, in substance, be in the country papers, but also in the foreign prints. This intimation of his Lordship's I read fince the remarks on the first proceedings ⚫ were written; but I fee no reason to alter or retract, excepting that I may have had too large a portion of charity in my favourable opinion of fome active perfons. grandfon grandfon of Abraham, well understood the facred obligation, and I would advise every man who may be tempted to enrich* himself and his heirs out of that property, the laws of God and man have given to the minifters of religion; to read the act of Abraham re-~ corded, Genefis xiv. 18. St. Paul's reafonings upon it, in the seventh, chapter of his Epiftle to the Hebrews; the vow of Jacob, Genefis xxviii. 20. and the declaration of God bimself hy his prophet Malachi, iii. 8. and if they are not informed in their judgement, and regulat ed in their practice, " neither would they be perfuaded though one rofe from the dead." I am far from lamenting that the subject has been brought forward by Mr. D. it may happily lead to an investigation, that will prove of very beneficial tendency; and it is not impoflible but it may be productive of confequences, the very reverfe of what was intended. + In the malignant oppofition to adminiftration, from Jacobins and Republicans, we have occafionally feen them off their guard; pretty openly avowing their whole plan; all that they aim at, and defire; and we have beheld. the infidel exposed to view: but there are men, profeffing the Chriftian faith, equally hoftile to the prefent order of things; but who permit no more of their defigus to be feen, than what may, at the present moment, gain them fome little ground. It always appears to me a proof of a bad cause, when men will not own what they with or intend; when they keep their ultimate views, as much out of fight as poffible; afraid to have the mind and purpose inveftigated, left the light fhould fhine too clearly. This remark is not intended for those men who tell you they would fpeak, were they not afraid their throats would be cut under a military government; or left they should be fent to the folitary cells in Cold Bath Fields. When characters, like thefe, affign the cause of their filence and inactivity, we are no longer left in doubt of the importance and usefulness of our volunteer corps; nor of the neceffity of restricting laws; but of fuch men I *This is really a religious and moral enquiry of more ferious importance than is generally confidered. It is ftill faid that a plan is under confideration for the commutation of tythes; I hope not; it may be brought forward, but it will be found too difficult to be accomplished. While religion, founded on divine revelation, is the religion of this country, it cannot be accomplished. Many would support such a measure in hopes it would be a blow at religion; many, because they prefer what they moft erroneoufly confider as their temporal intereft before the requirements of God; and many under that most mistaken notion, that it would give the parishioners a greater regard for their pastors; little do they know of the human heart, who reafon thus--God's own appointed way is the best way. It is a corner-ftone, and will shake. the whole building to the very foundation if it is meddled with. now now speak not; I refer to thofe only, to whom no other inconve nience would arife from an explicit and open declaration of all they defire, than that of being fully known; and against whom, the friends of the prefent conftitution would be put upon their guard. I wish to be as explicit as others, as I would they fhould be to me; I have not a fentiment that I need conceal or hide from public view. I avow myself a Toy upon religious principles ; that is, I believe in the Divine origin of Government, not the Divine right † of Kings, or, indefeasible bereditary right. It appears clear to me, that to deny the doctrine of paffive obedience and non-refistance, is to deny a moft plainly revealed truth. When a Whig wilfully mifreprefents this, and changes our passive into active obedience; he knows he does us wrong. A Chriftian Tory, * I ftyle myself a Tory, in oppofition to the Whig, who, at the Crown and Anchor, gives as a toaft-His Sovereign the People, with three times three. + From the very phrase, an infidel cannot be a Tory, either of Queen Anne's times, or the prefent, upon any definition of the term. I may probably be charged with inventing a term. I would be understood to mean, perfons whofe principles are totally diftinct from thofe termed Jacobins perfons, who form all their opinions from Divine Revelation, and hold to the utmoft extent to which it can be carried, the doctrine, of paffive obedience and non-refiftance. Men, who would patiently fuffer every penalty under the edicts of any Tyrant, rather than fin against God; but whom no fufferings could tempt to draw the sword of rebellion in the defence of themfelves or their own cause. A Tory, upon these principles, is not required to preferve his allegiance to a Prince on the British throne, who embraces the Popish faith, and would act independent of his Parliament; any more than he would regard the power and decifions of a House of Commons, affuming to themselves the prerogatives of the Crown. It is King, Lords, and Commons, a British fubject is called to obey, when obedience to them would not be a contradiction to the commands and requirements of God. These principles I very early imbibed under the inftructions of a tender and affectionate father, author of the Scriptural Aftronomical Chronology. A fincere Chriftian, a zealous minifter in the established church; a loyal fubject and a true patriot: having lived in Queen Anne's days, he took fome pains to make me understand, that the acknowledging the Divine origin of Government, did not imply indefeasible hereditary right; a doctrine in direct contradiction to the whole hiftory of God's providence, as revealed to us in the Scriptures. Under paternal inftruction, I learnt to diftinguish paffive, from active, obedience, and now am confirmed in every principle I was taught, having examined them myself, and tried them by divine truth. would would willingly embrace the ftake and faggot in Smithfield, rather than pay Divine homage to an image of the Virgin Mary, although commanded by King, Lords, and Commons; nor would he ceafe to offer up his fupplications to the God of Chriftians, the Creator, the Redeemer, and the Sanctifier of men; whatever penalty was annexed to fuch an obedience to God, rather than to man: but under the sufferings of any penalty in such a caufe, it would be the Chriftian Tory's conftant aim and endeavour to be able to fay, against the rulers of the Lord I have done no hurt; not one fubject has been taught by me to murmur or rebel; nor have I preached infurrection, under any caufe, as a holy duty. Let every man's principles be fairly reprefented; let every man unequivocally own what are his purposes and defigns. If the war is a caufe of the prefent diftrefs, could more effectual measures be taken to retard the bleffings of peace, than the proceedings of the Common Hall? Are they not directly calculated to raise the demands of the enemy? Are they not, in their very nature, Tuch, as to give the prefent rulers of France an exaggerated view of our difficulties, and to fuppofe that the whole nation is in fuch a ftate of abfolute famine, that it will be neceffary for administration to bow in fubmiffion to Buonaparte, and accept of any terms he may condefcend to offer? What effect did the Lord Mayor fuppofe the publication of the substance of the refolutions of the Livery, in the foreign prints, would produce? The nation has to bless God that we have a wife and a firm adminiftration, when patience will not be exhausted by Jacobinical and republican attacks. We have difficulties to encounter; let us not defpond under them. It is indeed to be wished that all amongst us were influenced by the precepts of the Chriftian religion; that every man loved God with all his heart, and his neighbour as himself; but human laws cannot infufe this principle into the human mind; every man looks but too clofely to his gain from his quarter; and a premature Convention of the Parliament would not tend to counteract it. The city of London would only fink itself into infignificance, by frequent, trivial, and unneceffary, or useless petitions. We have a patriot King, and all that is poffible to be done, we may indulge à confidence will be attempted. A general or very numerous parochial* inclosure bills will no doubt take place; but it requires confiderable time to reap the benefit of this. In a patient fulfillment of our duty, as Christians, fubjects, and citizens, we shall most effectually * It is much to be wifhed, that there were exifting laws for the punishment of the negligent and indolent farmer; those who fuffer their lands to be unproductive, for want of neceffary attention in the cultivation. Many fuch farmers are to be feen; and, in times like thefe, the injury they do themselves is a Gin' against the public intereft. leifen leffen our evils, until they can be wholly removed. As Chriftians, Your's, with refpectful efteem, I. KENNEDY. Since thefe obfervations were written, his Majesty has fum- : |