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Zeal without Innovation:

OR

THE PRESENT STATE

OF

RELIGION AND MORALS

CONSIDERED;

WITH A VIEW TO THE

DISPOSITIONS AND MEASURES

REQUIRED FOR ITS

IMPROVEMENT.

TO WHICH IS SUBJOINED,

AN

ADDRESS TO YOUNG CLERGYMEN;

to w
not

INTENDED TO GUARD THEM AGAINST SOME PREVALENT ERRORS.
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Quidquid in hac caufa mihi fufceptum eft, Quirites, id omne me reipublicæ
caufa fufcepiffe confirmo. CICERO, ORAT. PRO LEGE MANIL.
Lates Augués sub herba.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR F. C. AND J. RIVINGTON,

No. 62, ST. PAUL'S CHURCH-YARD;

AND J. HATCHARD, NO. 190, PICCADILLY.

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Printed by Law and Gilbert, St. John's Square, Clerkenwell.

PREFACE.

AN attentive obferver of mankind must so frequently have been disappointed, by writers who take public affairs in hand, as to be likely to receive this performance with an expectation of its affording him, fome new proof of weakness and vanity. It must often have occurred to fuch a perfon, that men in the obfcureft fituations, and of the moft confined capacity, will be fmitten with a paffion for fetting the world, or the Church to rights; and conceive themselves capable of fuch an undertaking, while it is notorious, perhaps, that their own immediate province, though of small dimenfions, is in the greatest disorder.

The book now before the reader was written under fuch an impreffion of this prepofteroufnefs, as to lead the writer often to examine himself; and to take care, that he was not imposed on by his own heart, or the forward fpirit of the times, to go out of his proper

line. And though he is not fure, that after all he is not deceived into an attempt for which he is unqualified; yet the confideration abovementioned has certainly had one effect: it has made him careful to avoid all arrogance of behaviour, and all unchriftian temper, in the delivery of his opinions. He hopes, therefore, that his behaviour will fecure to him, the credit of good intention; and that if his attempt be condemned, he himself will come off with this mild verdict, that he has committed a pardonable weakness.'

There was another thing, that dictated the studious obfervance of becoming temper. It feemedexpedient, from the quality of fome fubJects with which the author has concerned himfelf, that his publication fhould be anonymous. This circumftance laid him under an extraordinary obligation to behave well. It is difficult to find an apology for difrefpectful language, under any circumftances: if it can at all be excufed, it is, when he who utters it lets us know from whom it comes; but he who dares to use it, and yet dare not put his name to the abuse, gives us reafon to conclude, that his cowardice is equal to his infolence]

The reader perhaps may hereafter think, that these implied pledges of decorum in what is to follow, are forgotten in fome parts of the work; where opinions may feem to be uttered in too dictatorial a manner. But this could not be avoided, without adopting a tameness of expreffion: and to be frequently apologizing for it, would have given the work a disgusting caft of fervility. This manner, however, does certainly require fome apology; and it is here made once for all, by ftating the impoffibility of invariably avoiding the fault, without committing a greater.

It is hoped likewife, that if things evidently bad in themfelves, and of injurious' tendency to mankind, be mentioned in terms expreffive of fome degree of indignant feeling, this will not be confidered as any violation of becoming temper. To fpeak of fuch things in extenuating terms, is neither virtue, nor piety, nor patriotism; and least of all is it to be called benevolence, though fometimes honoured with that name, The law of kindnefs does not require us, to call libertinifm,

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