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    of these opinions were , Lardner , Benson , Taylor , of Norwich , Bourn , of Birmingham , Cardale , Price and Priestley . The popular favour being on the side of the orthodox , the nrpachers of the then new opinions

    soon grew unpopular , their congregations declined , and several of them at length became extinct . At the same time , the orthodox Dissenters , owing to a variety of other causes , had been rapidly declining , until the preaching of the Methodosts threw new life and

    vigour into the cause . It is a remarkable circumstance , that the heterodox Dissenters should have experienced a revival from a similar quarter . The secession of Mr . Lindsey and some other clergymen from the Established Church , about half a century ago , gave rise to the establishment of a new sect ,

    composed of persons of various opinions in ecclesiastical matters , but uniting in the rejection of the popular belief concerning the Trinity . With these , the Presbyterian Dissenters gradually united , and they adopted a new name , expressive of a prominent article of their faith , by which they are now usually distinguished .

    The orthodox Paedobaptist Dissenters having become amalgamated , in a great measure , with the Calvinistic Methodists , partake very much of the same character ; and it may be remarked generally concerning the union , that whilst it has raised the

    standard of Methodism , it has proportionably depressed that of Tndependency . The discipline of the latter is now but little regarded in many congregations , and in others , the \ ery name is become extinct . As they have several academies for training

    young men to the ministry , many of their pastors are taken from thence ; but these resources are far from being sufficient to supply the continual demand . Many of their ministers ,

    therefore , are without education , but having acquired a talent for mystifying religion , and for familiarizing it with the multitude , they become popular . Most of the congregations thus situated may be considered direct

    Antinomians . The Baptists , owing to the nature of their distinguishing tenet ' nave continued a separate body , and are probabl y more numerous now than , lit any former period 5 at-least since * he Revolution . They comprise per-

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    sons 0 f every shade of religions opinion , but the reputedly orthodox greatly preponderate , and of these also , many are Antinomians .

    Besides the parties just mentioned * , there is a very large class of persons who take the benefit of the Act of Toleration , and worship in licensed chapels , but who have no other pretension to the title of Dissenters . The

    motives that bring together these heterogeneous masses are of the most miscellaneous kind . Some are attract ^ ed by a favourite preacher ; others by convenience of neighbourhood ; but the prevailing motive appears to be a preference for what is called

    evangelical preaching , administered in a more familiar and popular manner than is to be found in the generality of parish churches . In many of these places , which are large arid handsomely fitted up , the worship is conducted agreeably to the liturgy and ceremonies of the

    Church of England ; and in many of them the service is performed by episcopally ordained clergymen . There are not a few of these places that have been built by needy adventurers , and solely with a view to profit . In such cases , the first object has been to procure

    popular preachers , in order to raise large congregations , and by means of pew-rents to provide an income for the speculator . The effect of the system has been greatly to multiply the number of religious professors , who have thrown their weight into the

    scale of the orthodox party , and have given a kind of fashionable popularity to the profession of religion . Its aspect upon the Church of England may be considered as rather favourable than otherwise , and will probably continue so as long as the Act of Toleration shall remain untouched . If there

    is any principle which these seceders hold in common with the Dissenters , it is one in which they are themselves equally interested , viz . a liberty of pi caching , and a liberty of hearingwithout any restraint by the state .

    By the efforts of thdnon-descript persons just referred to , united with those of the regular Dissenters , the WesJeian Methodists , and the various societies set on foot for the dissemination of religion , the number of places registered for religious worshi p during the last 30 years , is so prodigious as to give an imposing- effect to the cause

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    An Essay on the Causes of the Dectine of Non € 6 n / ormUp 3 § £

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), July 2, 1823, page 391, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1786/page/23/