as a necessary adjunct to monarchy; or, in case
of its revival, that it might be re-instated in its primitive form, and
that the objectionable parts of the Liturgy, the articles, and the
canons, might be so modified as to satisfy all parties. He spoke of the
obligations which the King would owe to the Dissenters; who he trusted
would be rewarded by being placed on an equality with the Church.

Dr. Beaumont argued, that if these late services cancelled their former
transgressions, the Dissenters would have no just cause of complaint at
being replaced in the situation which they held previously to the
rebellion. He much feared that the vindictive feelings of those who had
been despoiled, ridiculed, plundered, imprisoned, and deprived of every
earthly blessing, would produce some measures, which, though they might
be supported by the pretence of preventing further mischief, he should
lament and blame, but never justify. As to jointly establishing
Episcopacy and Presbytery, or simply tolerating both, he could never
consent to either plan politically, because he conceived one established
religion was necessary to preserve national piety; and the Church had
too many claims on the King's gratitude, and was too intimately
connected with the laws and manners of the people to be laid aside, or
reduced to the level of her opponents; and, considered as a point of
conscience, he was so firmly convinced of her conformity, in doctrine
and discipline, to apostolical institutions, ancient customs, and, above
all, to Scripture, that, though he would be the last man in the kingdom
to consent to persecute those who, through conscience, refused to
conform, he would be the first to defend her pre-eminence. As to giving
the Church a more primitive dress, by which he supposed was meant,
depriving her of her endowments, it must be remembered, that when the
ministers of the Gospel lost miraculous gifts, they became dependant on
temporal support. Though the apostles appeared as mendicants, yet while
they could heal diseases with a touch, they inspired reverence. But in
the present times men showed more observance to those who could bestow
alms than to those who required support. It should likewise be
remembered that an injunction was given to the bishops of the first
century "to use hospitality," a proof that the primitive church was not
in all respects clad in sackcloth.

Dr. Beaumont farther declared his doubts of the good effects of a
confere