2. When such an improvement is in view, the first and most obvious method is, to adopt it openly and expressly if this can be done, all is right; it is certainly the best and most desirable method, on many accounts.-It requires no explanations, and is liable to no charges of Sophistry: but alas! it is seldom that this method will succeed in practice; the obstacles to it have been already described. Nevertheless, whenever it appeared at all probable, that it could succeed in any degree, it might be prudent to have a perpetual Committee, empowered to examine all pretensions to improvement, and adopt such as appeared reasonable on mature deliberation, and could be adopted without disturbance and confusion.

3. When express improvements, or reformations, (for a number of improvements make a reformation,) cannot be adopted, the best way is, to make some alterations tacitly; this may be carried to a great length, as appeared in Chap. vi; what we now wish to observe is, that tacit reformations serve very well to prepare the mind for such as are express. For, when these have continued for a while, prejudices and attachments will be weakened, the inconveniences, which are to be remedied, will be more sensibly felt, and more openly acknowledged; though Laws are violated, yet the violation will excite less and less resentment: improvements, when they have continued in sight for a length of time, will come to be desired, and assume a pleasing appearance.-How long this state of things must continue, will depend upon particular circumstances; if persons of reflection and weight grow uneasy under it, hazards must be run to make the Reformation express. We before referred to the chapter of the Spirit of Laws, which treats of preparing

paring men's minds for any Laws which they are to receive.

4. That we here go on in a right train, seems to be corfirmed by Dr. Balguy's Heads of Lectures concerning Society in general, one of which was quoted before.

"10. The obligation men are under of contributing their endeavours for the improvement of the Laws, under which they live; and the establishment of the whole System of the Laws of Nature."

"11. The obligation men are under of supplying the defects and correcting the errors of established Laws; whilst the Laws themselves continue in force."

These two heads being about Society in general, are as much applicable to ecclesiastical society as to any other: the former corresponds to express, the latter to tacit reformations.-As many if not all improvements must interfere with some rights; or rather, with some established privileges, considered as rights; it seems needful to obviate any difficulty, which may arise from the infringement of these for this purpose, it should be considered in general, that, whenever there is good evidence that a thing ought to have been done formerly, that thing ought to be done now, on producing such evidence:-otherwise (as was said with regard to the civil compact, &c.) advantage is taken of men's ignorance, which cannot be for the general good. Whatever would have been done, had men known their own interests, ought to be considered as having been done, when they come to know them. Sometimes, this may seem to be contradicted, when it is not in reality: and possibly it may in some cases want defining and limiting: for, though it be generally true, that, if a thing ought

a

Chap. vi. Sect. 6.

b Chap. xiv. Sect. 5.

to

to have been your's, had all circumstances been known, then, when they come to be known, it is your's; yet, in the mean time, something may have happened to impair your title; it may be thrown into the sea, or consumed; or so much labour and expence may have been bestowed upon it by the possessor, that, by some other rule, it ought not to be your's. In the case before us, when any undeniable improvement appears, 'something appears which ought to have been done sooner; therefore that ought to be done now; and, though some steps may have innocently been taken bona fide, which may reasonably obstruct the adopting of the improvement, at least for a time; yet the general consideration ought to make men more ready to suffer inconvenience for the sake of forwarding such improvement: more ready to give up what they have been used to call their rights.

Our Saviour had a notion of the evil usually attending religious improvements, when he said, that he came not to bring Peace, but a sword: to divide Families, and set near relations against each otherd.

5. If it were settled, that a reformation ought to be made, it would be natural to ask, by whom?I should answer, from the second book, Philosophers are to make improvements; the People are always to be under establishments. Who then, in the present case, are Philosophers?-those who are enabled, by education and leisure, to examine into the

In our Cambridge Paving Act (which is owned to be an improvement) short possession is over-ruled;- but long possession (of seven years) is allowed, and compensation made for violating it.

A man builds an Inn next a great road; a great advantage is seen in turning that road: the Innkeeper loses his custom, but is he injured? No agreement, express or tacit, seems to justify such a notion: he is indeed unfortunate, and, by a liberal and generous nation, may be relieved as such; but he took his chance. Matt. x. 34, 35. Chap. iv. Sect. 2.

e

the grounds of religion. Are teachers (or clergymen) to be reckoned in the number?-their proper business is, to teach established doctrines to the people: true; and, if a set of Philosophers can be found, who are not by profession teachers, let them make the improvements: in fact, this cannot be expected, (though such may be found to help), and therefore as teachers, in order to instruct the people, must examine grounds of religion, and are naturally led to think more deeply than the generality, they must have some concern: the business will be, to keep the characters of teacher and reformer as distinct as possible: there will be a time to teach, and a time to reform; a place or a company proper for one, and improper for the other-and the more discretion will be requisite, as an improvement, admitted amongst Philosophers, should be imparted to the more improved first; and should afterwards descend gradually to the less improved, and so finally to the people.-As any principles are better than none, no one should have his old principles taken away, when that is practicable, till he is prepared to receive the new ones in their room.— How different is this from the conduct of teachers, who, in spite of every obligation of honesty and fidelity, unsettle, in the most open and abrupt way, the established principles of the lowest of the people!

с

But here it may be urged, did not our Reformers, eminently so called, do the same? were not they ministers of the Romish Church, when they preached against the corruptions of Popery; let us say they were; as it might be difficult to settle precisely how far

b

a Book ii. Chap. iv. Sect. 4.

If a Judge wanted to reform penal Laws by abolishing capital punishments, he would continue to pass sentence of death till he had convinced the Legislature.

Book i. Chap. xix. Sect. 11.

far some of them might have relinquished virtually the ministry was not Zuinglius a Romish minister, when he preached at Zurich? as mentioned before? let us say he was: whatever effect the encouragement of the Senate might have:—in such conduct, there was an irregularity, and certainly our Reformation was attended with a great deal of unnecessary mischief; owing, probably, to a neglect of the discretion here recommended: but to whom was the fault to be imputed? to those, who made such irregularity necessary for the promoting of truth: had the Reformers been allowed to deliver their sentiments with a decent plainness, only by giving up the emoluments of the established Church, I should have held them very blameable if they had acted as they did; that is, had they not quitted all connexion with the Romish Church before they preached against it ;-and, whenever toleration prevails, whether in theory or only in practice, I hold every man extremely blameable, who keeps possession of any emolument, which he could not have without being a member of a certain Church, at the same time that he preaches to the people against that Church.

6. It is in vain to think of reforming, except we begin the work in right temper. We ought to have a strong love for truth and virtue; a strong sense of the importance of religion; of the general and fundamental parts of religion, as opposed to those parts, about which disputes have usually arisen. Our minds ought to be in a state of calmness and moderation; cautious and diffident; not hasty or presumptuous in forming our own judg

4 Chap. vi. Sect. 6.

ment;

The State, which might ally itself to any Church, had begun to ally itself with a Protestant Church.-Moreover, the Reformers were open, sincere, free from dissimulation and duplicity.