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Show 78 Off/Se Dry/Elders, (172127 quu/wutfa/g ; for their relief, requiring, indeed, the tax to be paid as ul‘ual ; but directing that the feveral {unis ievied from members of the church of England, fhould be paid over to the iiiiiiiltei‘ of that church with whom fuch members ufually attended divine vxorfhip; which minifter had power given him to receive, and, on occafion, to rc'cowr 2713 szme /2)/ law. It feems that legiflature confidered the end of the tax. was, to fecure and improve the morals of the people, and promote their happinels by {upporting among them the public worfliip of God and the preaching of the gofpel; that where par- ticular people fancied a particular mode, that mode might probably, therefore, be of molt ute to thofe people; and that if the good was done, it was not {0 material in what mode or by whom it was done. The confideration that their brethren, the DifTenters in England, Were {till coni- pelled to pay tythes to the clergy of the church, had net weight enough with the legiflatnre to prevent this moderate act, which {till continues in full force; and Ihope no uncharitable conduct of the church toward the DiiTenters will ever pro- [G. Pl partial/(my irz A M 1: R I C A. 79 would probably dfli/w, indeed, to fee an order of men cittblii'hed among them, from whole perfecutions their fathers fled into that wildernel‘s, and whofe future domination they might poflibly fear, not blowifig t/Mz‘ 1/581} nature: are changed. -But the non-appointment of bitliops for xiii/grim feenis to arife from another quarter. The fame wifdom ofgovernment, probably, that prevents the fitting of convocations, and forbids, by noli profegui'r, the perfecution of Diflciiters for non-fubfcription , avoids ef‘rablifhing bifhops where the minds of people are not yet prepared to receive them cor- dially, left the public peace fliould be endangered. And now let us fee how this peer'cutz'on-account Hands between the parties. In Mrw England, where the legiflative bodies are almolt to a man DifTenters from the church of England: I . There is no tel'c to prevent churchmen holding offices. 2. The fons of churchmen have the full benefit of the univerfities. 3. The taxes for fupport of public worthip, voke them to repeal it. -- - --- when paid by churchmen, are given to the epif- With regard to (z Bz'flmp, I know not upon what ground the Diffenters, either here or in America, copal niiiiifier. are charged with refuting the benefit of fuch an officer to the church in that country. Hm, they feem to have naturally no concern in the aiiiair. {Were they have no power to prevent it, if government {hould think fit to fend one. They would In Old Eng/and : I. Difleiiters are excluded from all offices of profit and honour. 2. The benefits of education in the univerfities are appropriated to the fons of churchmen. . The |