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and the future life of rewards and punishments . . To say , in ^ nsyrejr to what has been alleged , that Christ is the only king in his church , and that the alliance of the church with
the state has always tended to corrupt the church and brought it over to the state , is , howeverhardily asserted , not true in fact . The church became worldly arnd corrupt and full of dissentions beforp it hdd any connection with the state , when the state was its
enerny . and persepiUor . It grew rich and corrupt and even fornii - dafcjle to the state by the support and donations of individuals only . The union of the church with the
state had become necessary to prevent the evils of a divided rule by two nearly equal parties within the same body politic ; and such a divided rule cannot exist with
out eadj . e 3 s contests of the most inveterate and bloody kind * Should the church established be abolished ^ and all left to themselves in religious concerns , presently some sect , probably the most absurd
fanatical , $ nd persecuting , would , by its addresses to the fears , the passions , the prejudices , and the vice 6 , of the ignorai \ t multitude , gain an ascendancy truly formidable , so as to embarrass * and often
defeat the operations of the legislature ; to clog the wheels of government ; to insult and control the magistrate ; until it had gained the seat of power : and then what measures niig hj ; be expected by
the friends of reason and true reljg ion ^ front } fanaticism and intolerance grmed witfc power , I leave you to judge ? To obtain an independence ox \ the civjj state , wias ever the great ^ i in of the Romish
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church , and when they h ^ d attainefl it , they made monarchs tremble on their thropes . ~ , For" this reason the church nnist and ought , in * ili matters left undecided by Christ and his apostles , to be underthe direction pffjie civil state , and to be pro- , vided for by- it ; and if this be wisely regulated , the people will be induced to attend the establish ^
ed worship by a reasonable , pious , and affecting liturgy , and instruct tion without expanse . And ministers well qualified will be disposed to enter into the ministry , by the
liberty allowed of teaching and preaching what they belieyq to-be the truth of the gospel , unfettered by subscriptions , subject only to the censure of their ecclesiastical
superiors for positive misconduct ; as vvell as by that security from poverty and slavish dependence on their congregations , winch a le « gal provision for their maintenance would afford them . I mean only such moderate and reasonable provision as is requisite for ea&e comfort , and freedom of action ; and which every man , however pure and warm his zeal maybe to enter upon the evangelical office ^ must desire . Great emoluments and honours * that would serve to
excite the ambitious , the covetoub , the worldly-minded ^ I utterly condemn , as the bane of the church , as much as I advocate a jpst and competent provision for the reasonable wants and comforts of a minister , who dedicates , h is life to the religious instruction of his flock . And many I believe there are , who are so deeply ( impressed with sentiments of the importance ; of the ministerial office , and are so desirous of serving £ Jod
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Arguments in Favour of a National Church . 345
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? o * . v . 2 *
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), July 2, 1810, page 345, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2406/page/25/
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