by Mr. Madan. There can hardly be a more evident case of the kind than this, of the church establishment of Ireland being Protestant, when the great bulk of the people are Catholics.

If the people of Ireland were fairly at liberty to deter mine for themselves, as all men, and all nations, naturally wish, and have a natural right, to do, they would never submit to maintain at the public expense a system of religion that was professed by not more than one in ten of the inhabitants. But if not more than one in a hundred were Episcopalians, the present system would, no doubt, be continued; and for the same reason, whatever it be, this might be the case even if there was not one. For in a great number of the parishes in Ireland there is not a single Protestant; and yet all the tithes go to the maintenance of the clergy of the Church of England, who have nothing to do for it. This is a crying enormity, and public injustice;* and it is poorly palliated by Mr. Madan's saying with a sneer, that it cannot be remedied till the Pope become a member of some Protestant communion. It is adding mockery and insult to oppression.

As Mr. Madan's reasoning is so manifestly inconclusive on this and all other subjects which he has touched upon, or glanced at, (for he has done nothing more either in his Sermon or Letter,) and I have so clearly pointed out the inconclusiveness of his reasoning, you may wish to know upon what principle he makes himself so easy about it. It is, because I have charged the apostle Paul with inconclusive reasoning;† as if it was enough for him to be put upon a level with Paul, even in what is faulty in him. But whether I be right or wrong in thinking that Paul may have sometimes reasoned inconclusively, (and he himself does not pretend to be exempt from error,) will this be any justification of Mr. Madan? May I not be wrong in censuring Paul, and yet right in censuring the rector of St. Philip's? He will hardly pretend to inspiration. If he do, he should give some proof of it. This, however, he threw out not by way of wit or argument, but merely artifice, to prejudice you against my reasoning, as if because it has no force against St. Paul, it can have none against himself.

Another stroke of artifice in Mr. Madan is his insinuating, that I have a low opinion of your understandings. ‡ But if that had been the case, should I have thought of

• See supra, p. 130. ↑ Letter, p. 36. (P.)

Ibid. p. 18. (P.)

addressing these Letters to you, so as to submit to your judgment important articles of religion and of government, with respect to which I and Mr. Madan hold different opinions, making you the umpire between us? I cannot consider the aggregate body of any town, Birmingham or London, as consisting of persons of learning or education; but they have not, on that account, the less good sense, or the less capacity of judging on such subjects as I am bringing before you.

Your judgment and good sense were never so much called in question as by your clergy, when they made the violent opposition that you have heard of, to the introduction of my publications on theological subjects into the public library in this town, when the funds of it were amply sufficient for the purpose. The pretence was, that they would not have your minds disturbed with these subjects; as if you were not qualified to read and judge for yourselves, and at the same time preserve your good temper with respect to those who should think differently from you. This, however, was only a pretence, and a very shallow one. They wish you not to read or think on these subjects at all, lest you should entertain opinions different from those which are established, and which it is their interest to keep up; and in consequence of this, lest their system and themselves should eventually be disturbed, and not you. But I trust that, in defiance of them, you will shew the free spirit of Englishmen, and that you will think and act for yourselves, following truth wherever you find it, and respecting it alike, whether it be discovered in a church, or in a conventicle.

I am, &c.

LETTER XIII.
Of Controversy.

MY GOOD FRIENDS,

MR. MADAN says, that I have "disgraced my talents," which he is pleased to call (whether ironically or not, I cannot tell) superior, "to unworthy and disgraceful purposes," and he desires me to "remember the higher point of view in which my profession as a minister has placed me."*

With respect to this, let Mr. Madan inquire of my con* Letter, p. 45. (P.)

gregation. They will inform him, that I never trouble them with discourses of a political nature, except on a fifth of November, and then never say any thing that tends to exasperate them against their neighbours of the Establishment, but to make all due allowance for the prejudices of their education; whereas Mr. Madan's Sermon, which has been observed to inculcate no Christian virtue, was delivered on a Sunday, which ought to have been devoted to better purposes.

The greatest part of my theological publications are of a serious nature, enforcing the evidence aud doctrines of Christianity; and those of which Mr. Madan speaks with abhorrence and contempt, viz. my controversial writings, (with which he is evidently very little acquainted,) are in my own opinion calculated to assert and vindicate very important Christian truths; and I do not know that I can employ whatever talents I may have, to a better purpose. With what success or with what spirit I have written, I do not appeal to Mr. Madan, but to you.

Besides, is the person who is wantonly attacked, always to be charged with a love of controversy, when he defends himself and his writings, and not rather the person who wantonly attacks him? Mr. Burn, for example, charges me with undervaluing and rejecting the testimony of the apostles concerning the person of Christ;" when all that I have written on the subject, has been to support what I take to be their testimony. He also charges my theological principles in general, as "big with all mischief." This he does in the place where I live, and before the congregation to which I preach. Am I, then, to be blamed if I repel with the indignation that it deserves, such unmerited and unprovoked calumny?

Besides, my controversial writings bear but a small proportion to the rest of my publications. I do not think all my controversial writings, properly so called, that is, those in which I reply to particular persons, would make so many sheets as I have printed this very year of works of a different nature. But controversy, as far as appears, makes the whole of Mr. Burn's and Mr. Madan's publications. Theirs also are both on the offensive side, whereas mine are wholly defensive. Indeed, there is nothing of any consequence that I have written in this way but what was as unpremeditated as my replies to Mr. Burn and Mr. Madan.

What has contributed the most to get me the character of a controversial writer, is what I have written in defence of

my slf, when attacked from a great variety of quarters, on account of my " Disquisitions concerning Matter and Spirit," [Vol. III.,] and my "History of the Corruptions of Christianity." [Vol. V.] I should never have written against Bishop Horsley, any more than against Mr. Burn, if he had not first written against me. I have not answered to one challenge in ten that has been given me. If I do flounder, as Mr. Madan says, in the muddy waters of controversy, he and Mr. Burn are among those who first tempted me in, by plunging in before me, and keeping me company as long as it was convenient to them, and yet they now insult me for it.

But I do not desire to make any apology for what is called controversy; for, how offensive soever the term may be to those whose principles suffer by it, it means nothing more than public discussion, without which no question of consequence can be thoroughly and generally understood. The apostle Paul was a great controversial writer, and so was the meek St. John; all his epistles being written against the Gnostics.

Besides, how can I escape blame in this case? If I make no reply, I am said to be unable to make any; and if I do, I am fond of controversy; so that my situation resembles that of the old man and the ass. Do what I will, I must displease some. Mr. Madan, you see, challenges me to answer a pamphlet written by Bishop Horsley, about the Test Act, which he

"The Review of the Case of the Protestant Dissenters,' which has been very generally, but in charity I hope falsely, ascribed to the pen of Dr. Horsley, the Bishop of St. David's. The Reverend Spencer Madan seems to have a high opinion of this performance, and to credit this report; for in his letter to Dr. Priestley, he says, There is one publication, it is true, which, perhaps, it will be kind in me to recommend to your perusal, from your known passion for controversy, as I think you may employ yourself upon it during the rest of your life, provided you will undertake for once, not merely to answer, but refute its arguments. It is entitled, a Review of the Case of the Protestant Dissenters; not that I expect you will feel disposed to meddle with it, as I suspect it may be traced to the same powerful and victorious hand under which you have already smarted.'

"Who is really the author of the Review, is not a matter of much consequence to the public, or myself. He may have reasons for concealing his name, and I am not disposed to inquire into them; it is enough for my purpose, and a sufficient justification for having selected from this work the arguments of the high-church party, that they themselves triumphantly applaud it. With them it is a model of excellence; and in truth so it is, if excellence can consist in a total want of charity and candour; in contradiction and inconsistency; in weakness and sophistry; in misrepresentation and falsehood. For treating such a work and its author with asperity, no apology is necessary. The unlicensed plunderer of private property sins less against society, than he, however exalted his rank, who scruples not deliberately to sacrifice truth and justice on the altar of controversy.

"That the Review remained long unanswered by the Dissenters, may be owing to this circumstance, that though it was printed two years before, it was artfully kept from the public till a few weeks only preceding the last debate [1790]; and

speaks highly of, but which I think undeserving of any particular notice. On the whole, I have thought it most manly, and most favourable to the cause of truth, after avowing any opinion of importance, to discuss it publicly with such persons as appeared to me the best qualified to do the contrary opinion justice, and to continue the discussion till nothing of consequence remained to be said on either side, that the public might judge for themselves on which side the truth lay. This, I think is far better than, like Mr. Madan, to throw my dagger, and then run away from the person offended by it. However, it is by no means true that I have always had the last word. My rule has been to cease to write when I had nothing material to add to what I had advanced before. I could name many persons to whose last publications I never made any reply.

Mr. Madan, you see, binds himself to make no reply; but as Bishop Horsley made the same imprudent declaration, and afterwards violated it, so may he; and if he see it to be in his power to reply with effect, I doubt not but we shall have some more last words of Richard Baxter. Do you think that if he, or Mr. Burn, irritated as they evidently are, had any hope, either of silencing me, or of convincing you that I ought to be silent, they would not do it? Has either of them spared any thing to injure me in your opinion? You well know they have not; and it is not probable that their disposition is changed in this respect.

LETTER XIV.

I am, &c.

Of the Principles of the Church of England.

MY TOWNSMEN AND NEIGHBOURS,

ONE of the preceding Letters that I took the liberty to address to you, related to church establishments in general,

after the debate it was not likely that an answer would be much attended to. But there is another reason still more strong; for the Dissenters felt themselves so little pressed by its arguments, that, but for the plaudits of their enemies, it might have passed for ever unnoticed by them. On the part of the Catholics, Lord Petre and Sir Henry Englefield have attacked it with much spirit and success. The latter in particular has shewn, that its author can have no pretensions to the character of a logical reasoner, or a moral man.

"It was, at one time, my intention to have answered the Review at some length, but recollecting that this incomparable performance had passed through only one edition, and the public opinion had stamped its insignificance, I have abandoned the design, and feel the less regret at having done so, since I have just had an opportunity of seeing a late excellent publication, entitled, Observations on the Test Laws, in Reply to a Review of the Case of the Protestant Dissenters.'" High-Church Politics, pp. 1-3.