46 pottles, and which he had adorned with flowers; not being able to produce it, the quarrel feemed to admit of no terms of accommodation, when in came the Peas again. The Marquifs, who had a fecret inclination for the lady, (the greatest beauty in Paris) thought them a very proper prefent for her. Our lover was now fully convinced that the Marquis could not be

fo abfurd to fend his miftrefs her prefent to him, yet he was convinced that they were the very fame Peas: The mother therefore was obliged to confefs the truth; it was then determined to facrifice the travelling Peas to the calls of nature; and they were accordingly confumed by the parties most deeply interested in their fate.

N an enlightned age, it is aftonish, almost idolized, fhould be fo extreme. ly mistaken; and fcarcely by any of its admirers, whether learned or unlearned, thoroughly understood. What I mean, is, the word CHURCH; which, with the Papift, is ufed to fignify all who have the power of prefcribing to the faith and worship of that enormous community, whether the pope alone, the pope and ecumenical councils, or the councils alone. But when the word Catholic, is the adjective to the word Church, it then meaneth all thofe vho own a visible, infallible head, exclufive of all the relt of mankind. When used by others, it is either fignificative of the Greek Church, or the religious ecclefiaftical establishment of this or that country, kingdom, or city. So the Galican, the Dutch, or the Church of Geneva; alfo the Church of England, or that of Scotland or Sweden. But when any articles, canons, or a liturgy is ordained, there the authority of the Church is faid to have refided in the clergy and their fupreme magistrate; in which cafe the Church intends to exclude all the laity, or people. And in a more vulgar, univerfal fenfe, the buildings which are confecrated, and fet apart for the places of public worship, are called the Churches, exclufive either of clergy or laity. So indeterminate, fo defultory and wild, is the fenfe of mankind about the word Church.

A thousand evils have arifen from the want of fixing a juft i lea, and re

taining a religious reverence of the

fyltem. Whereas, thofe numerous evils would be all prevented, by confidering that the Church of Christ is compofed of none but his fincere difciples; and that all who are fuch throughout the world, are members of that Church, however they may be de nominated by their fellow-men. They are that spiritual, myftical body, of which Chrift is the only governing, law-giving head. St. Peter, fays, "they are as lively ftones, built up a fpiritual houfe, an holy priesthood, to offer up fpiritual facrifices."-A very remote definition this, to what it is, as it ftands in the vulgar idea of the Church. And it is not to be fuppofed, that this image of the Church will be reverenced by many who are called Chriftians; nevertheless, I prefume, there is no other just definition can be given.

But then, this will not countenance the pride, the vanity, the party-zeal, and cenforioufnels of Church-idolators. Men who value themfelves upon their being the members of fuch or such a civil Church-eftablishment, or of fuch a fociety, who form themfelves upon this or that human fyftem of theological opinions, we cannot wonder to find an ardent zeal for that ecclefiaftical conftitution which has great world ly emoluments fecured to her members. A zeal that rifes to fanaticism, if any, attempts are once made to correct and reform, even an attempt to remove the infringements made upon the religious

liberty

liberty of her fons, is foon followed with an alarming cry, of nothing lefs than blafphemy againft her indefenfible, manufactured canon and liturgy. One of her infatuated priests here, and another there, vehemently declaring from their pulpits," that it is the fin against the Holy Ghoft, to take away the obligation men are under to fubfcribe articles which they do not believe!" And rather than the people fhould be able to open their eyes, and fee the reasonablenefs of removing a rock of offence, they are deluded by the moft falfe pretenfions, and the fhameful cant of a scriptural comment on the thirty-nine articles of the Church of England; and wickedly told, that they are the form of found words, which they are to hold faft.This would never be the cafe, did but, men understand what is the Chriftian Church, what must be the spirit of all its true members, and how ready every one will be to remove whatever grieves his brother, and hurts the peace

47

of his mind. All genuine Chriftians will bear away all they can of one another's burdens, and to fulfil the law of Chrift. No one may put a ftumbling-block, as an occafion to fall in his brother's way; but he will exprefs the utmost defire to remove from him, whatever is an encroachment, or embarrament on his Chriftian liberty.

But we muft form an inaufpicious view of the times, when we can see the musical devotion of the pope's chapel advertised in our public papers, at the price of 10s. 6d.-and a temple of debauchery erected, at an immenfe expence, among us, dedicated to all the Pagan deities.

O, infatuated Britain! how art thou fallen! and how great must be thy impending ruinanon the nations around will wail over thee.

A LOVER OF THE CHURCH.

VERR nation hath its different

EVERR nation hath its different

famous for a certain gaieté de coeur, which renders them always lively, always pleafing, and extremely loquacious. Our countrymen, on the contrary, are very fparing of words, fententious, and filent to a proverb. The Dutch are heavy, dull and phlegmatic, to an excess.

Such different difpofitions, as is natural, muft produce very different cuftoms and manners amongst the people. In Holland, the meaneft trader wears a gravity becoming a privy counfellor; and as the people are thrifty and parfimonious, they are prodigioufly exact in keeping a regular account of the most minute article relative to expence. This is fo national a virtue, that the moment a man becomes a bankrupt, he is cenLured or acquitted by the perfons appointed to look into thofe affairs, in proportion as his accounts are more or lefs regularly adjusted. Hence the

merchants have their books under various titles, all comprehending the whole of their receipts and difburfements. As a proof of the exactness of the Dutch in this refpect, I will relate a ftory which I, the other day, heard from a gentleman of unquestionable veracity.

It happened that a fhop-keeper, who had frequently facrified at the shrine of Venus, was accufed of having gotten a willing damfel with child. The fact being clearly proved, the proper officer was fent to his houfe to demand a certain fum of money, as a fecurity for the woman's iffue not becoming burthenfome to the public. Perceiving the tradefman's wife in the fhop, the man expressed a defire to fpeak with him alone. The fhopkeeper in return gave the meffenger to understand, that he had no tranfaction to which his wife was not privy: "Why then, fays the perfon, I am came to demand two hundred guilders." "Two hundred guilders!" replied

the