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by many of them, as well as by several j of the laity who heard it,to publish it. I had no reason for declining a compliance withtheir request, except the opinion I entertained of there being no-thing in the Charge meriting the public notice. I have latelyheard that a written paper, purporting to contain the substanceof my Charge, has been circulated with, perhaps, unbecoming ifnot uncharitable industry. The circulators of that paper will nowhave an opportunity of knowing (what a little candour might havetaught them to expect), how defective memory is in giving a justaccount of a discourse of some length. Few men are less movedby unmerited censure or less solicitous in repelling groundlesscalumny than myself; but I conceive it to be a Christian duty tosuffer no man to continue in an error when it is in my power toremove it. Under the influence of that opinion I am obliged totrouble the world with this publication.”

This proceeding had a proper effect; it quashed the reportswhich had been spread, and it made some persons of high dis-tinction ashamed of their credulity, in giving ear to them, and oftheir conduct in propagating them. I was compelled, as it were,to publish this Charge, but I was not sorry that an occasion wasgiven me of delivering my sentiments on a matter of great im-portance.

I will just state to the reader how I argued myself into theadoption of the opinion advanced in this Charge relative to theDissenters. Had I consulted my interest, I should certainly havebeen silent on this point; for who knows not how little a bishop’sinterest is connected with his opposition to the avowed sentiments