ator of the New Covenant fhall come in his own glory, in the glory of the Father, and his holy angels, and gather in his elect from all the four corners of the world."

But, Reverend SIR, may we not prefume to hope that this voluntary speaker for the whole University, whoever he be, it maketh no matter to me, was fomewhat out and mistaken in his calculation? For it feems not above three or four Doctors, if fo many, were prefent, at least fat as judges at this extraordinary tribunal. The worthy Provost of Queen's, (and undoubtedly many other worthy Heads of Houfes, were, and are like minded) was for prefcribing more lenient methods: and all are glad to hear that these young Students worthy Principal, who must neceffarily be fuppofed to be the best judge of their principles, practices, and qualifications, boldly ftood up in their defence, afferted their innocence, confronted their accufers, and brought in books to vindicate both their principles and conduct. But how this worthy Principal, as well as pupils, were treated, is best known to thofe who had an active hand in all.

However, as the Holy Ghoft hath left it upon record to the honour of Nicodemus, that he stood up in defence of our LORD before the whole Jewish Sanhedrim, and was not confenting to his death, fo wherever this act of expulfion is recorded (and recorded it will be, even to lateft pofterity) it will be mentioned to the honour of Doctor DIXON, (and for acting thus he will have the thanks of all

moderate,

moderate, ferious, fober-minded Chriftians in the three kingdoms) that he had no hand in, but did all he poffibly could to prevent these young mens expulfion. An expulfion for Articles of Impeachment to which indeed the accused pleaded guilty; but for Articles which (wherever hereafter they may be called to minifter in holy things) will be their best teftimonial'; and their expulfion for holding and confeffing thofe Articles, the ftrongest letters of recommendation.

How these young worthies are now to be difpofed of, or how they will difpofe of themselves, as it was not so much as hinted that they had the leaft connection with me, is not my bufinefs to inquire. But furely fuch an expulfion as this cannot deter them from pursuing their preparations for their minifterial calling: friends they cannot want, becaufe he is faithful who hath promised, that whofoever forfaketh father or mother, houfes or lands, for his fake or the gofpel's, he fhall have an hundred fold in this life with perfecution, and in the world to come life everlasting." But if any act so dastardly as to make unfcriptural conceffions, or be terrified by unfcriptural, and therefore mere bruta fulmina, if they were of Trades before, the fooner they return again to their trades the better: for it is to be feared fuch cowards would only make a Trade of the Miniftry if they were admitted into the Church, and the fewer of fuch kind of tradesmen our church is troubled with, the safer fhe will be.

But

But what a mercy is it, Reverend SIR, that we live under a free Government, under a King whofe Royal Grandfather repeatedly declared (and he was as good as his word through a long and glorious reign) that there fhould be no Perfecution in his time; and under a King who in his firft moft gracious and never-to-be-forgotten Speech from the throne, gave his people the strongest affurances "that it was his fixt purpose, as the best means to draw down the divine favour on his reign, to countenance and encourage the practice of true Religion and Virtue, and maintain the Toleration inviolable."

That both Students and common People will be in danger of being tempted by fuch violent proceedings to put themfelves under the act of Toleration, may easily be foreseen and it may as easily be guessed how fuch treatment will neceffarily difcourage ferious people from fending their fons to the Univerfity, at least to the. Univerfity of Oxford; and at the fame time furnish them with a new argument for entering their youth in fome of our diffenting Academies, where they will be in no danger, it is prefumed, of being expelled for finging Hymns, fpeaking a little now and then in a religious Society, or ufing extempore Prayer.

Alas! alas! what a disadvantageous point of light muft all concerned in fuch an extraordinary ftretch. of University-difcipline ftand in among all foreign Universities whatfoever? In what point of light it will be viewed by our ecclefiaftical Superiors at home a very little time will difcover. Nay, it is to

be

be feared, the discovery is.made already: for by a Letter dated fo lately as March 29, it appears that a certain venerable Society 66 on account of fome circumftances that have lately happened (probably the circumftances of a late expulfion) are under a neceffity of coming to a resolution to accept of no recommendation for perfons to go abroad as Miffionaries, but fuch as have had a literary Education, and have been bred up with a defign to dedicate themfelves to the Miniftry." This refolution feems to be taken in order the better to prevent any of these caft-outs or any other laymen, however otherwife well qualified and recommended, from applying to the Society for Holy Orders, that they may be employed and fent abroad as Miffionaries. But to what a fad dilemma will many ferious perfons be hereby reduced? They muft not, by fuch refolutions it feems, be allowed to be Lay-Preachers, and yet if fent by their friends to the University to pursue their ftudies, in order that they may be regularly and epifcopally ordained, if they fing Hymns, pray extempore, or give a word of exhortation in a religious Society, though entirely made up of the members of the Eftablished church, they must be ipfo facto expelled for fo doing. O tempora! O mores! If matters proceed in this channel, what stamp, Reverend SIR, may we fuppofe our future Miffionaries to the Iflands and Continent will be of? To my.certain knowledge all of them are not looked upon as very burning and fhining lights already.-But if what little light of true Religion fome may have, is to be thus damped by acts of expulfion before they leave the Univerfity, and even this little light, as far as lies in the power of man, is to be thus turned

into

into total darknefs, how great muft that darkness be! Surely it must be worse than Egyptian darknefs; a darkness that will be most deplorably felt by all true lovers of our common falvation both at home and abroad.

You need not be apprized, Reverend SIR, that a defign for the establishment of Epifcopacy in our Islands and Plantations, hath been long upon the tapis; and that it hath been, in part at least, the fubject of annual Sermons for feveral years last past. No longer ago than in the year 1766, the present Bishop of Landaff infifted upon the neceffity and expediency of it in the most explicit manner; nay, his Lordship carries the matter fo far as to affure us, that this point, namely, the establishment of Epifcopacy, being obtained, "the American church will go out of its infant state; be able to stand upon its own legs, and without foreign help fupport and fpread itself: and then, adds his Lordship, this Society will have been brought to the happy iffue intended." Whether thefe affertions of his Lordship, when weighed in a proper balance, will not in fome degree be found wanting, is not for me to determine. But fuppofing the reafoning to be juft, and his Lordship's affertions true, then I fear it will follow, that a Society, which fince its firft inftitution hath been looked upon as a Society for propagating the Gospel, hath been all the while rather a Society. for propagating Epifcopacy in foreign parts: and if fo, and if it ever should appear that our Right Reve rend Archbishops and Bishops do in the leaft countenance and encourage the unfcriptural proceedings at Edmund Hall, how muft it increafe the prejudic:

B