escence of the people in the changes made by Henry, and even by Edward, were little more than acts of necessity, and therefore implied no revolution in the general opinion. But now it was evinced, by every possible proof, that a thorough detestation of popery had extended itself through the whole community. "Were we to adopt," says Goldsmith, "the maxim of the catholics, that evil may be done for the production of good, one might say, that the persecutions in Mary's reign were permitted only to bring the kingdom over to the protestant religion. The people had formerly been compelled to embrace it, and their fears induced them to conform, but now almost the whole nation were protestants from inclination." Nothing can surely be more just than the substance of this sentiment. The lively writer seems only to have forgotten, that we may ascribe to divine Providence the permission of evil in order to greater good, without sanctioning any maxim revolting in theory or dangerous in practice.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

The same subject continued.-Tolerant spirit of the church.Circumstances which led to the Revolution, and to the providential succession of the house of Hanover.

THE circumstance attending the Reformation which has been most regretted, was, that a portion of the protestants were dissatisfied with it, as not coming up to the extent of their ideas; and that this laid the foundation of a system of dissent, which broke the uniformity of public worship, and led, at length, to a temporary overthrow both of the ecclesiastical and civil constitution.

On these events, as human transactions, our subject does not lead us to enlarge. If the above remarks, with those in a foregoing chapter, on the peculiar characters of the English establishment, be just, these persons, however conscientious, were opposing, without being aware of it, an institution which, from its excellent tendency and effects, seems to have been sanctioned by Providence. But may not even their opposition, and subsequent dissent, be considered in the same light as those other transactions which have been mentioned; that is, as permitted by the all-wise Disposer, in order to beneficial results, which could not in the nature of things, according to our conception, have been equally produced through any other instrumentality? For example: did it not supply the aptest means, which we can conceive, for answering the important purpose, which was mentioned abovethe perpetuating in the establishment itself, that mild and mitigating temper which had so signally influenced its first founders.

If Christian virtue be, in every instance, the result, and the reward, of conflict; and if each virtue be formed, as it were, out of the ruins of the opposite vice; then may we not deem it morally certain, that a Christian community, which God "delighted to honour," should, as well as individuals, have an opportunity suitable to its circumstances, of not being overcome of evil," but "of overcoming evil with good?" And would it not, therefore, appear probable that, though it should possess that political strength, and that portion of outward dignity, which might be necessary to its efficiency as a national establishment, it should also have some opposition to encounter, some trials to sustain, some calumnies to surmount, some injuries to forgive? Would not such circumstances strengthen its claim to being deemed an integral part of the

church militant? and would they not fit it for answering all the purposes of a Christian establishment, far better than if it had possessed that exclusive ascendancy, which should leave no room for the exercise of passive, and almost supersede the necessity even of active, virtue?

That the schism, of which we speak, was permitted by Providence for some such purpose as that just described, appears probable, from the agreement of such an intention with that wise and temperate plan by which the Reformation had been effected; from the obvious consistency of providing for the continuance of that moderate and mitigating temper of the first reformers; and, above all, because it is evident that the event in question has actually answered this valuable purpose; the most eminent divines of our church having been generally as much distinguished for candour towards those who differed from them, as for ability and firmness in maintaining their own more enlarged mode of conduct.

That they could not have so fully manifested these amiable and truly Christian qualities, in a state of things where there was nothing to call them forth, is self-evident: and it is almost as certain, that even their possession of such virtues must depend upon their having had motives to exercise them. We accordingly perceive, in the lives and writings of the great luminaries of our church, not only a happy prevalence of liberal principles and charitable feelings, but also the very process, if we may so speak, by which these principles and feelings were formed. From having continually in their view a set of persons, who had substantially the same faith, yet differed in modes of worship; we see them acquiring a peculiar habit of distinguishing between the essentials and circumstantials of religion. Their judgment becomes strong, as

their charity becomes enlarged, and above all other divines, perhaps, they investigate religion as philosophers, without injury to the humility of their faith, or the fervency of their devotion. In almost every other communion (though with some admirable exceptions,) deep contemplative piety often appears associated with some sentiment or practice, which is apt to abate our estimation of the rationality of the party; or if rationality be preserved, there is too often some diminution of the pious affections. And what proves, that, from the seeming evil of which we have spoken, God has by his over-ruling influence deduced this good, is, that the completest spirit of toleration, and this high description of character, have not only been commonly united, but that seasons which peculiarly called forth in churchmen the exercise of Christian forbearance, were also singularly fruitful in examples of this sublime and philosophic piety.*

*

In fact, whether we consider the circumstances under which the church of England was formed, the language in which she expresses her sense of the Christian doctrines, the spirit which pervades all her formularies, or the temper which has distinguished the first founders, and all their genuine successors; she evidently appears designed by Eternal Wisdom to have been a tolerant church; and by being such, to be the means of serving the great cause of Christianity, in certain important instances, which could only be accomplished in a state of religious liberty. In too many other Christian countries, the established religion has appeared to rest entirely upon a political foundation. In consequence of this, men of lively talents have too generally, in such countries, become infidels. In England, the tolerant nature of the church establishment, in honourably maintaining, and giving See Bishop Burnet's History of his Own Times.

the highest reverence to, a national form of worship, but allowing individuals their unrestrained choice, has left religion itself to be a matter of reason and conviction, as really as it was in the primitive times; and the consequence has been, that reason and conviction have signally done their part. Infidels have made their utmost efforts, with every aid that perverted talent and misapplied learning could give to them; but all they could accomplish has been to call forth far more powerful minds to defeat them with their own weapons; and to demonstrate, that, though the divine religion of the gospel leans on political support, for the sake of greater public utility, yet its appropriate strength is that of invariable reason, irrefragable truth, and self-evident excellence.

And while the English establishment has thus served the general interests of religion, she has also most substantially served herself. Making her appeal to reason, she has been estimated accordingly; and what she has not endeavoured to extort by force, has been greatly yielded to her from rational attachment. It was natural, that the toleration which was given, should, in so exclusive a community, be largely made use of. But this leaves room for the establishment to try its comparative fitness to attach more minds, in which, be it said without invidiousness, the result has at all times been such, as signally to strengthen whatever has been adduced to illustrate the high providential uses of the established church of England.

Still, however, as the natural and proper tendency of the very best things may be thwarted by opposite influences, we ought to be aware, that the genuine tendency of the establishment to attach men's minds, and recommend itself by its own excellence, should not be trusted in so confidently as that any of those to whom this precious deposit