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( t > . 40 ) in support of Christianity , when no longer fea ^ with extorted revenues , nor held up in the imperial or parliamentary leading-strings of favouritism ? Does Mr . B . find his cause so weak as to be driven to the necessity of insinuating , ( reply to fourth objection , p . 41 , ) that we entertain the absurd notion that human means are not
necessary for its propagation ? Is it a matter of course that the cifii power will exercise only a discreet and liberal interposition , and employ only the
wisest and most efficacious means of advancing the true interests of Christianity ? What says the page of history , and what guarantee can Mr . B . offer us for the future ? What reason
have we to expect that legislators and magistrates will become perfect ^ whilst the multitude remain what they are ? And if the multitude improve porportionally , what occasion shall we have for Mr . B . ' s special new inventionthese priests and governors upon the
entire new principle of pure , disinterested , liberal , impartial , favouritism ? And if , as is sometimes the case with projectors , it should turn out that Mr . B . has been too sanguine in Ms expectations , what temptation have we to trust the interests of religion to the operations of the old species ?
To the fifth he replies , That the success of the primitive ages , without patronage , cannot be drawn into a precedent in present times , for that it arose from the novelty of the events and the strong impression of the miracles . From which , of course , we are
to infer , that when this advantage was gone by , its place was well supplied by a Holy Alliance between Church and State . But perverse curiosity and inquisitive scepticism having induced Protestants and Dissenters to search
if all was right , and at length to disturb tins noble arrangement , we are now to be accotnmddated with a hew combination of priestcraft and statecraft , so preciously blended ; that with the magic of chemistry , each is to neutralize the deleterious < properties of the
other , and of two poisons . is to be produced a medicine , mild / as mother ' s milk , * and universally efficacious a * Dr . Solomons Cordial . But since thes £ miracles have served their tiim , and so ldrig become antiquated , would it be -a ; sin to pry into th 6 / necessity / of eitHfcr continuing Ithd present Holy Al-
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liance , or of forming any new treaty ; ahd to suggest , whether , the press , wkh its accompanying increase of education sind enlightened liberality , may not have superseded the utility of any farther union between the two crafts ? Dissenters will surely not join in the shout— " Grea # s Diana of Ephesus /'
That errors soon crept into the Church ( p . 44 ) is lamentably true ; but can we agree with Mr . B ., that the establishment of favouritism prevented the increase of error ? Do not facts sub stantiate what reason would conjecture , that the passing clouds of error were detained and accumulated into the
thick darkness of night , a long , long night ; and that light has been restored to the Christian world , only in propor tion as the storms of Reformation and the breezes of Dissent have dissipated the settled and accumulating gloom ? The shores of patronage wear an
enticing appearance , and have in all ages led thousands to make shipwreck of faith and a good conscience , but now the record of history stands a conspicuous and imperishable beacon ; to warn us against the dangers of the illusive coast .
Under the system we advocate , such protection as that afforded to Paul of Sam os at a , ( p . 47 , ) would not dazzle , the momentary meteor of midnight , but continually shine , the summer sun of joyous light and genial warmth . The force of the sixth objection ( p . 47 )
is so far admitted by Mr . B ., and : his palliatives so similar to those already noticed , that any remark would be tautology . To the seventh he replies , first , ( p . 54 , ) that Christianity owes its existence , under Providence , to the protection of the civil power , and
produces as a proof , that in Asia , the sword has exterminated Christianity , while in Europe , where it formed an alliance with the civil power , it has always maintained itself . Now if the alternative were between persecution and patronage , if there were no middle and better course , this argument , from
the contrast of the two evils , would be relevant j and perhaps in the dire , dilemma we should submit to patronage upon the pr inciple , ( p . 59 , ) that Chris tianity under any form is bettenthan no : Christianity . But this is riot coming to the point at issue . uThfc advo cates for non-interference are not " contending for one in preference to the
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Remarks on Mr . Belskam's Thrbe Sermons . 4 tj 9
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Aug. 2, 1820, page 459, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2491/page/15/
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