e of morals proportionably broad and exalted. Of this fact
their writings still extant are a decisive proof: and they who may want
leisure, or opportunity, or inclination, for the perusal of these
valuable records, may satisfy themselves of the truth of the assertion,
that, such as we have stated it, was the Christianity of those times, by
consulting our Articles and Homilies, or even by carefully examining our
excellent Liturgy. But from that tendency to deterioration lately
noticed, these great fundamental truths began to be somewhat less
prominent in the compositions of many of the leading divines before the
time of the civil wars. During that period, however, the peculiar
doctrines of Christianity were grievously abused by many of the
sectaries, who were foremost in the commotions of those unhappy days;
who, while they talked copiously of the free grace of Christ, and the
operations of the Holy Spirit, were by their lives an open scandal to
the name of Christian[111].

Towards the close of the last century, the divines of the established
Church (whether it arose from the obscurity of their own views, or from
a strong impression of former abuses, and of the evils which had
resulted from them) began to run into a different error. They professed
to make it their chief object to inculcate the moral and practical
precepts of Christianity, which they conceived to have been before too
much neglected; but without sufficiently maintaining, often even without
justly laying the grand foundation, of a sinner's acceptance with God;
or pointing out how the practical precepts of Christianity grow out of
her peculiar doctrines, and are inseparably connected with them[112].
By this fatal error, the very genius and essential nature of
Christianity imperceptibly underwent a change. She no longer retained
her peculiar characters, or produced that appropriate frame of spirit by
which her followers had been characterized. Facilis descensus. The
example thus set was followed during the present century, and its effect
was aided by various causes already pointed out. In addition to these,
it may be proper to mention as a cause of powerful operation; that for
the last fifty years the press has teemed with moral essays, many of
them published periodically, and most extensively circulated; which,
being considered either as works of mere entertainment, or, in which at
least entertainment was to be blended with instruction, rather than as
religi