experiment but the humane can never surely blame him for endeavouring to heal the stings he has already received; and he has the pleasure to assure them, that the smart is entirely subsided.

Religious contest is most disagreeable of all others : since it has ever been least decisive; and most incentive of those propensities which the genuine dictates of pure religion directly tend to suppress. The writer therefore, at the same time that he drops this controversy, has no present intention ever more to engage in any of the like nature.

With regard to you, Sir! the author, by whom you have dealt so sharply, retains not the least trace of resentment on that account: he is too well acquainted with the nature of religious zeal, not to make allowances for the violence of its operations, even in the most worthy breasts. Fatal indeed to mankind is the violence of it, wherever it extends itself, and infects the government of a country! He is only sorry that you reduced him to the necessity of recriminating in a manner in which personal regard could not be preserved. But he, nevertheless, hopes you will have the charity to believe his assurance that, with the greatest esteem for your learning and character,

March 12, 1762.

He remains, your sincere,

Though unknown Friend.

POSTSCRIPT.

SINCE Writing the foregoing letter, the author has read a Vindication of David, in the name of Dr. Thomas Patten, of Oxford. This reverend gentleman is for having the character of King David protected by the authority of the clergy in convocation.* A very ill-judged hint, to say no worse of it: and far from being capable of answering the purpose of this mistaken writer. The character of King David would have remained in as good a situation if Dr. Patten had excused himself this labour: for, notwithstanding his addressing it to his Grace of Canterbury, notwithstanding the assistance of a superabundance of staring capitals; it is doubtful whether the one or the other will stamp a currency on opinions above the standard of their intrinsic value.

His weakness is in no instance more apparent than in his contemptuous mention of the English dissenting ministers. The historian, he says, Pretends to offer his performance to the public under the notion of a vindication of his late Majesty from the insult which, as he contends, hath been offered to his memory by some reverend panegyrists, so he stileth certain dissenting teachers, who it seems have been fond of com

* Patten, page 3.

† Page 25.

6

paring him with King David; a monarch' saith he, in no respect resembling him.'

6

This gentleman, among other needful information, is to be told, that these dissenting teachers are a very respectable body of men: men whose studies are more suited to their profession, and whose improvement in them have in general manifested them deserving the epithet reverend, as much, to say the least, as many collegians, himself in particular; who (bigots to establishment) fondly conceive all sense and learning confined within the limits of universities.

All that is contained in this pamphlet worthy notice, will be found considered in the foregoing letter; indeed some advantages might be gained here if attended to, of no small importance: such as his supposition that the Jewish prophets might perhaps have had no subsistence but from providential presents for their intelligence: see how Doctors can differ! his comparison of David to Shakspeare's Macbeth † whose circumstances were somewhat similar to those of David:' his judicious and delicate comparison‡ between reasoners in religion, and urine doctors! his mistake in the price of admission into the worshipful Robin Hood Society, which is a halfpenny more than he has affirmed it to be: all these, and many more which might be specified, would furnish a commentator with sufficient matter for animadversion. But it is lost labour to argue with a divine who, through the whole tenor of his performance, has taken professed pains to shew that he is not a protestant upon protestant principles: who, on the least appearance of difficulty in exposition, continually holds up the authority of a letter as yet unsettled, to crush the exertions of private judgment! a † Page 102. + Page 127. Possibly a penny, since the late rise of

* Page 34. Page 130, note. porter.

a conduct, which will support the exploded doctrine of Transubstantiation? We shall never convince unbelievers by methods which even a Mussulman may adopt in justification of his persuasion.

From these premises, the writer declines the second task of analysing the contents of this vindication. Since, having undergone the toil of examining a far more elaborate work, he will not spend more time on a person, who, like the frog in the fable, after much puffing and straining, fancies himself an ox!

After what has been pleaded against the charges contained in the most capital performance on the defensive side of this dispute, it is hoped that the Rev. Messrs. Porteus and Cleaver, will not continue to think this writer quite so unfair and abandoned as they have represented him to be.

The greatest instance of moderation and generosity of mind on the part of King David, is to be seen in a candid pamphlet just published, under the title of The Conversion of a Deist.' In some general reflections at the end of this piece, Mr. Harwood, the writer, takes occasion to insist strongly on the necessity of distinguishing between what is Christianity, and what is not in order to the burning without ceremony those loads of hay and stubble under which profane hands have overwhelmed the Christian religion: as our undiscerning zeal for some peculiar nostrums does but rivet prejudices the stronger against it. 'Who, for

instance,' says he, that valued his character as a rational and well-instructed Christian, would sit down to vindicate David from every charge advanced against his moral character in the late celebrated History of

§ It is probable from more tokens than oue, that Dr. Patten has condescended sometimes to plow with Dr. Chandler's heifer. + Page 71.

the Man after God's own Heart?' Now, however, this gentleman differs from the writer of that history, in some points, it is hoped that by this time, whatever may be ascribed to his ignorance, he will be acquitted of malice; with which all animadverters unite to accuse him: and he sincerely rejoiced to find Mr. Harwood join with him in considering Christianity as entirely unconcerned in this dispute.

"What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?" 2 Cor. vi. 14.

THE END.