An Address to the Rev. Dr. Alison - 45
HAVING thus by plain and authentic Evidence refuted all your malignant Slanders against a People whose Conduct in Life has been ever attended with the highest Respect for Government, and the truest Loyalty to their KING, whose publick Spirit has equalled their Loyalty, and whose Benevolence and Charity to Mankind in general has not fallen short of any one Sect in the World; I shall conclude this Address to you, with a few serious Remarks on your Conduct, in Hopes of prevailing on you to alter it in future, and to amend your Hearts.
To traduce the private Character of an Individual, is an Offence which every moral Man would blush at being charged with. And to asperse the publick Reputation of a whole Society, to accuse them of Crimes of the most atrocious Nature, punishable with Death itself, without the least Foundation, and to publish the Accusation throughout the World in a publick News-paper, is an Offence so much more aggravated, that every good Mind must be struck with Abhorrence at the Thought of it. Surely on a Moment's Reflection you must acknowledge, that it is contrary to the Duty of a good Member of Society, with the Principles of Morality, and highly inconsistent with the Precepts of the blessed Gospel. It is an Offence that ill becomes any Man, but much more so those that have entrered into the sacred and awful Engagements of the Ministers of Christ, and publickly profess to be his Apostles. Must it not then give your Friends and Hearers, who rely on you for Guidance in the Paths of Religion, great Contempt for your Doctrines, and afflict
