hat they do not mean to _destroy the
Church_, if ever it should be in their power? Which of them has told you
that this would not be the first and favorite use of any power they
should get? Not one,--no, not one. Declarations of hot men! The danger
is thence, that they are under the _conduct_ of hot men: _falsos in
amore odia non fingere_.

They say they are well affected to the State, and mean only to destroy
the Church. If this be the utmost of their meaning, you must first
consider whether you wish your Church Establishment to be destroyed. If
you do, you had much better do it now in temper, in a grave, moderate,
and parliamentary way. But if you think otherwise, and that you think it
to be an invaluable blessing, a way fully sufficient to nourish a manly,
rational, solid, and at the same time humble piety,--if you find it well
fitted to the frame and pattern of your civil constitution,--if you find
it a barrier against fanaticism, infidelity, and atheism,--if you find
that it furnishes support to the human mind in the afflictions and
distresses of the world, consolation in sickness, pain, poverty, and
death,--if it dignifies our nature with the hope of immortality, leaves
inquiry free, whilst it preserves an authority to teach, where authority
only can teach, _communia altaria, aeque ac patriam, diligite, colite,
fovete_.

In the discussion of this subject which took place in the year 1790, Mr.
Burke declared his intention, in case the motion for repealing the Test
Acts had been agreed to, of proposing to substitute the following test
in the room of what was intended to be repealed:--

"I, _A.B._, do, in the presence of God, sincerely profess and believe
that a religious establishment in this state is not contrary to the law
of God, or disagreeable to the law of Nature, or to the true principles
of the Christian religion, or that it is noxious to the community; and I
do sincerely promise and engage, before God, that I never will, by any
conspiracy, contrivance, or political device whatever, attempt, or abet
others in any attempt, to subvert the constitution of the Church of
England, as the same is now by law established, and that I will not
employ any power or influence which I may derive from any office
corporate, or any other office which I hold or shall hold under his
Majesty, his heirs and successors, to destroy and subvert the same, or
to cause members to be elected into any corporation or into Parliament,
g